//------------------------------// // The Shenanigan Squad // Story: Prank War! // by Ashfur //------------------------------// “What a fascinating creature you are, Nick!  Bipedal but not like a minotaur, relatively furless…”  Arca clambered over Nick like a deranged spider along a wall while the human tried to understand the wacky pony he just met. “Uh, I appreciate the interest, but I'm KINDA on the run for a prank here!  If you aren't gonna help, then we'll have to talk later!” The mystery unicorn hopped off and sat on his haunches, pondering something.  Nick took the moment to take a better look at his new acquaintance. Bright orange fur, a vibrant but unkempt purple mane with orangish-yellowish tips, and the majority of his body was hidden beneath a lab coat.  It even covered his cutiemark, so remembering him by it was out for now. “Hmmm… well, how about we make a deal, then?  I came to Canterlot hoping to meet this… human?  Was that right?” Nick nodded. “Excellent! Er… to meet this human, as I was saying, and hopefully gather some samples for experimenting.  A creature from another world… the possible applications for things such as human fur or other replenishable materials in my potions are so unknown I can't even give you an estimate!  So let me take a fur sample from that fur on your head and I'm in.” “Just some hair?  Go ahead then, I- OW!”  Nick didn't finish as twenty hairs were plucked from his scalp. “Excellent!  That should be more than enough, Mr. Abernathy.” “I don't remember telling you my last name, Arca.” “Oh please.  I remember all my customers, bartering, cash payment, or otherwise!  That... and Celestia wrote to me about you. Now, down to business. Thanks to my genius potion making skills, I have here the Ultimate Disguise Potion!”  He yanked a vial of glowing green liquid from his coat pocket.  “Drink this and other ponies will see you as what they most expect to see in whatever scenario you're in.  Walk into the castle and the guards might see you as a noble, or head to my town in a lab coat like mine and folks might think you're me!  You just have to fully immerse yourself in water to make it wear off. Oh, and shake well before using. With this, escaping will be a piece of cookie!” “Don't you mean cake?” “Eh, doesn't matter.  Same concept.” Nick took the potion, shook it vigorously, and chugged it, feeling the magic coursing through his body.  “Well, that felt funny. Like static, but inside me. You better drink yours before the princesses show up.” Arca's eyes widened for a moment.  “Oops! I forgot to pack more than one!  Not to worry, as long as you stick by me, Celestia will likely see you as my apprentice, Juniper Berry, unless she figures out there's an illusion.  Anypony who recognizes there is an illusion can see through it. But that's not all the tricks I have up my sleeve. I am also a master of disguise! Behold!” “That is a fake mustache.” “It is a high-quality fake mustache!  I even removed the tag this time!  Now, let's get to work. Grab those cardboard boxes and wooden crates and I'll make us a disguise so perfect even a truesight spell can't break it!” Celestia and Luna had split up, hoping to catch Nick before he managed to escape the city and head to Ponyville.  Celestia was racing down the streets, looking left and right, when she saw something that made her stop and approach.  At the very least, she might be able to get some magical solvent and finally get the last bits of the bench unglued from her flank.  It didn't exactly look ‘princessy’. “Why hello, Cel- I mean, Princess Celestia, your royal majestyness!  How may I help you?” Celestia didn't have an amused expression.  “Hello, Arca.” she turned to face Nick, but looked down as though he was pony height.  The potion must be working, Nick thought.  “Hello, Juniper.  Did Arca drag you into this?” Arcane stepped back in indignation.  “How dare you assume who we are? I know nothing of this ‘Arca’!  My name is Catalyst Arcane, street alchemist!” Celestia ripped the fake mustache off of Arca's face. “Curses!  My disguise was foolproof!” “Nice try, Arca.  Now, what are you doing selling potions in a stall that looks like it was assembled out of junk in ten minutes?  Although knowing you, those potions on the shelves are genuine. You usually don't just set up shop so hastily unless it's a distraction, and that would mean...”  Realization seemed to hit her at that moment, and before her eyes the illusion of Juniper became translucent, revealing who was really there. “Ah, there you are, Nick.  Ready to surrender?” “Quickly, assistant, use the smoke cloud potion!  We must escape!” Nick pulled a flask out of of the impromptu stall they had set up and shook it.  “On it! Shake well, right?” “No, wait, don't shake that one-” “Hey, Twilight?” “Yeah, Spike?  I'm kinda busy with all these lesson plans for the school.” “I think the magical map is broken.  It looks like there's a giant cloud covering Canterlot.” “I think that sounds like you're just making excuses to get out of doing your chores, buster.”