//------------------------------//
// Squawkward 
// Story: Prank War! 
// by Ashfur 
//------------------------------//

The plan was genius, its creator only somewhat.  Still, this one was bound to be a prank for the ages, Nick thought to himself.  Granted, it was a mean one, but he was allowed to pull poision joke pranks so this one was a step down, honestly.  He turned back to the stove and tried to will the bags to spill less.  It didn't work, but calmed him down anyway.

Celestia and Luna grinned as they signed on the shipment of pigeons.  National birdwatching day was going to see them released into the skies, as these birds had been injured in a coastal storm and just recovered.  The sisters held an evil secret behind their smiles, though, as they had other things in mind for their newfound feathered friends.

"Aaaaand.... Done!  This super-duper-yummy-sticky syrup will be perfect, Dashie!  This prank's gonna be off the chain!"  Pinkie pie darted to and fro in Sugarcube Corner making the final preparations.  "This is going to be one for the books, I guarantee it!"

"Oh, this is gonna end up great!"





Three days later and the castle gardens were abuzz with activity, from birdwatchers casual and professional to celebrities to families just there to see the sights.  Bands played, carnival games ripped families off, and there was even a wonderbolt show!  That last bit made a certain pegasus very, very happy.    The royal sisters, Nick, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash meandered among the festivities absentmindedly, countless birds flying overhead.

"I bet Sparky would be able to figure out how many there are,"  Nick commented.

"Oh, please.  That egghead could figure that out in ten... eleven seconds flat.  Not ten, cuz that's my thing."  Rainbow hovered at face level with the human, trying to count the birds above but finding herself unable to track them all.  "Still, it was awesome for the Wonderbolts to show up, and the whole event seems to be going well for once."  Rainbow took a moment to jokingly glare at the sisters, recalling all the parties and events at the castle that had gone wrong.

"It would have been better if they let me cater the whole thing,"  Pinkie interjected.  "I could have decorated, too!  But now it's too late.  I suppose there's only one thing to say about it."

"Is it 'too bad'?  Because I had something to add, as well,"  Announced Nick.

"We also wanted to speak with you on an important matter, Nick.  Perhaps we should discuss it now."  Celestia spoke with an air of authority, but it didn't have the same effect on her close friends as it did on her subjects.

"Hey!  I know!"  Pinkie cheered.  "Let's all say our things at the same time!  3, 2, 1..."

"THINK FAST!"

It all seemed to happen in an instant.  Pinkie moved first, pulling her party cannon out of nowhere and taking aim at the princesses.  Celestia and Luna took action second, their horns humming with magic as they aimed at Nick.  As for Nick, he pulled a pre-placed string and some miniature catapults he had hidden in the bushes launched their payloads at Pinkie and Rainbow.

By the time any of them had launched their attack, they had no time left to dodge the incoming one, and not a moment later all five were drenched in syrup and sunflower seeds.

"...ew.  Wait..."  Nick looked at his friends, who were having similar reactions.  "Did... did we all pull the exact same prank on each other?  Well, four of us are going to have to go home and change."

"Wowie-Zowie!  What are the odds of all of us deciding to pull the same prank on the same day?  Aaaaaaaawkwaaard."  Pikie giggled at the sheer coincidence of it all.  "I mean, my Pinkie sensetm told me to watch out for pranks today, but I didn't know it meant this!  Hihihihi..."

Rainbow, on the other hand, was NOT pleased at all.  "NICK!  You are the worst!  It's gonna take me days to preen all my feathers back into place.  And in front of the Wonderbolts, too!  You're gonna get so much payback..."

"At least Pinkie had the forethought to aim her cannon at us instead of dear Nicholas," Luna cut in.  "I am unsure if his physiology is capable of taking a point-blank hit like that.  Which is why our sister and us chose to simply use spellcraft instead."

All gazes turned to Celestia for her input.  "Well, coincidence is a funny thing.  And the fact that we are all are close enough friends to be willing to cause such a prank and take it just as easily is a wonderful thing.  But what we really need to focus on is above us."  All five looked up.  Amid the swarm of over a thousand pigeons, some had finally noticed the five creatures covered in birdseed, and began swooping down.

This time, Nick reacted first.  "Crud, I always hated that movie.  EVERYPONY RUN!"