//------------------------------// // The great bit hunt // Story: Prank War! // by Ashfur //------------------------------// Lieutenant Sharp Eye flew alongside Nick as he sprinted across Ponyville. Nick couldn't help but feel that this was more than it seemed, but pranks were the last thing on his mind. "Why did you even bring it to Ponyville in the first place? I know how you keep it under lock and key, normally." "Twilight asked to see them, figure out if they were worth anything!" He slowed down to catch his breath. "I swear, the one time I show off..." Everypony, and every human, has that one thing they collect for no apparent reason. Knick-knacks and odds n' ends that others see as strange to keep. Nick, for instance, hoards commemorative coins like a dragon. Any bit that comes his way with a special design goes right into his special bit bag. And Twilight, in all her genius, had lost it somewhere in ponyville. "I'm so sorry!" She had wailed when Nick came to pick his collection up. "I misplaced it yesterday. And I can't help look right now, since me and the girls are needed in Canterlot urgently! I'm sure they will turn up eventually. Why not look around the castle and the surrounding area? It can't be too far away." This began a mad dash across the small town, human and guard racing to find the collection before anypony else could. Alas, all was for naught, and the duo had to take the last train home to Canterlot Castle. Nick was upset, but knowing how situations like this tended to end in a musical number, a friendship lesson, and everything being set right, he held onto hope that his collection would turn up eventually. Until something caught his eye, glittering on the floor of the Canterlot train station as they disembarked. Nick bent down to pick it up on the nearly empty platform. A bit, a single shiny bit. More specifically, one of the commemorative bits released to celebrate the Summer Sun Celebration. And there was another on the steps leading off the platform, and an Elements of Harmony coin further down the street. It took a moment for it all to click in the heads of the human/pony duo. "They're baiting me. Somepony took my collection and is friggin' leaving me a trail. I swear, of all the days for this to happen, why today? I've wasted most of the day, and it's a special day..." Nick lamented. "Cheer up Nick. At least we found the trail. Come on, I'll keep watch, you get as many as you can!" Several things became obvious fast. First and foremost, the trail was laid deliberately, with Nick in mind. Not only was each coin clearly visible from the previous one's location, the coins were laid out in chronological order, like a timeline. Second, the sisters were clearly behind this, as he caught glimpses of guards watching the coins to ensure he found them, and the trail led him down several empty streets on the way to Canterlot Castle. Finally reaching the Castle gates, Nick and Sharp found his bit bag parked right in front of the dining room doors. Picking it up, he found everything in order once the coins from the trail were added. Not noticing Sharp Eye slipping away, he pushed the doors into the moonlit room open, readying his triad against the royals. "Alright, you two, way too far. You do not mess with my colle-" "Surprise! Happy Birthday, Nick!" The lights all came on at once, revealing all of Nick's friends among the castle staff, the royal sisters, and the elements of harmony gathered around a large cake and countless party decorations. Twilight stepped forward. "Sorry about having to lie to you there, but we couldn't think of a better way to keep you busy all day! I hope this makes up for it." She floated a bit bag into Nick's grasp, and upon opening it, he found his own face smiling back at him. Engraved on each coin in the bag: "Lord Nicholas Abernathy of Canterlot". "Lord of Canterlot?" Nick's voice quavered. "Yes, my sister and I saw fit to bestow upon thee that title, officially inducting thee into the nobility. And one of the few we do not mind being around. It should help you bypass some laws to pull off even better pranks, " Luna explained. "And those bits are the only ones in the world of their kind. We have prepared a certificate of authenticity to verify them as valid currency as well. Take care of them, NichoLAS!" Luna was startled as Nick leapt forward and embraced his friend in a hug, which all the other ponies present quickly joined. Looking around at his friends, no, his family, and all the gifts they brought, he realized just how appreciated he was among those who knew him. Mainly for the polite, kind personality he showed to his friends when they needed it, and also how much fun he allowed the royal sisters to have with their prank war. He smiled. "Eh, I suppose I can let that prank slide, this one time. But for now, LET'S PARTY!"