For some strange reason you feel like you've been lying on the ground, staring up at the ponies and one diamond dog's faces for a really long time. Like...almost a year long time. If you didn't know any better, you'd think you were trapped in time, frozen in this one spot waiting for your existence to have meaning once more...
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…
…
Bah! Who needs that? You just got out of becoming a new pigeon toilet! You can have existential thoughts of your place in the universe later! For now you just need to express your joy at not being stoned, and smiling the biggest smile you've ever had is a good step in the right direction.
In fact, that's what you do! You smile one huge ass smile, causing the ponies staring at you to look at each other in confusion while Tina just copies your wide grin with one of her own. But you don't care, you’re just too God freaking happy!
“Are you alright?” Twilight asks once more.
BrownDog's Comment
Of course I'm alright Tara, I'm on top of the freaking world! you think as you pop up, full of energy despite the hours of dancing down the street beating up sentient tennis balls.
You then immediately turn to Foxtrot who looks startled.
"What? What are you-EEEPP!!!" she shrieks as you pick her up and start twirling around with her as she screams.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOUUUUUU!!!
One good word and you were off the hook. She may be harsh, but deep down she cares, just like in true Lassiter fashion.
You then set her down and pat her head to calm her down because she is visibly shaking from that.
Sorry I scared you. Sorry I scared you...
While Foxtrot just continues to shake in befuddlement, you turn your huge grin to all the others as you think,
I can't contain myself! I gotta express my happiness right here, right now! Oooh...Somebody stop me!
Allsmiles's Comment
Hugs for Twilight! Hugs for Rarity, for Rainbow, for Applejack, for Fluttershy and of course Pinkie! Oh, and of course hugs for Tina! And then for O'Carrol! Everypony gets Skeletor hugs!
With each thought you glomp said pony into a hug, causing either confusion or acceptance at your actions. Pinkie just giggles and hugs you back and Fluttershy just let out an adorable 'eep' at the sudden contact. Tina, however, just seems confused even more than the ponies at your actions.
A little disconcerting that she might not know what a hug is...buuutttt you’re too happy to put full focus on that. So instead you just gleefully run off to a nearby meadow as there were no more ponies to hug to express your happiness.
BrownDog's Comment
"NNNNYYYYEEEHHH!!!" you then cheer and skip around the meadow, the weight of the world no longer on your shoulders.
"Wha...What was that about?!" Foxtrot stammers.
"I think he's grateful ma'am, and really excited too from the looks of it" O'Carrol says with a smirk while the others shrug off their confusion and just giggle at your antics.
"I just...*Ahem* I just told the princess the truth, nothing more. After helping defend the citizens like the creature did it was only fair after all."
This catches the Mane Six's attention at the news of your bravely fought battle against the blackhole stomach Parasprites, but again you’re too far off in happy land to really 'say' anything about it.
"Defended the citizens? With a trombone?" Twilight asks.
Pinkie scoffs and rolls her eyes at Twilight's question before she says,
"Not just a trombone Twilight! He was using the Super Jazzy Trombone Mk. 4! It's only the most synchronized and pleasant sounding trombone on the market now! They're super expensive, but my patent 'Give Me This Thing or We're All DOOMED!' face got me that baby for only half its price! Talk about a steal right!? *squee*"
The others just stare at the smiling pink pony as her randomness sinks in, but eventually they all just shake it off as 'Pinkie being Pinkie' as O'Carrol explains,
"Well, it’s a bit more than just using an expensive trombone. Skeletor has spent hours this morning subduing this infestation via physical force."
"HE HAS?!" nearly every mare asks.
"Yes. Master and I smack plenty of tennis balls. Some still probably lying on ground. Might be tasty if ponies hungry," Tina says.
Fluttershy for her part, doesn't faint at that declaration, just shakes quite a bit by the implications.
"But yes. Many of the citizens sing his praises ma'am," Foxtrot reports.
"Maybe that's why he's so happy. He's been feeling down for awhile now," Pinkie points out as you continue to Nyeh it up rolling around in the grass like a dope.
Twilight adds in her two cents as well,
"Yeah I noticed that too. Lately he seemed pretty distraught about something, but I just assumed it was because the ponies in town have been...less than welcoming after Trixie showed up. Was there something else he was worried about Pinkie?"
"I'm pretty sure that was part of it, but..." Pinkie frowns slightly as her mane becomes a little bit un-poofy before she continues, "I feel like that wasn't the biggest thing though, ya know? But Skelly wouldn't budge whenever I visited him at your place Twilight."
This causes confused and worried glances among all the ponies as they look over in your direction, but you just lay on the ground grinning madly at the sky. At this point it should be mentioned that you'd come down from your little happiness high, but considering you don't feel like explaining why you were so upset you’re now just pretending to still be off in la-la land.
Sorry everybody, but that would lead to way to many questions...
Your reluctance is understandable in the grand scheme of things. After all how would you be able to explain that the Elements of Harmony could turn people to stone if the only time you saw them was purifying Luna? As well as trying to explain the pure fear and dread you had about it all to a bunch of beings whose scariest thing they've gone through (for now canon wise) was a crazed alicorn would leave a bad taste in your mouth. That, and you have this thing about bothering others with your own problems.
You've seen plenty of cartoons and you know that not asking for help or explaining why you’re upset isn't a good idea at all. But you've been like this ever since you were a kid, and since your sister isn't around to pry your mouth open (sometimes literally back in the day), you don't plan on letting them know anything.
"Oh I'm sure the creature was just worried about how the Princess would react to his recent accidents. Nothing to it than that."
And thanks to Foxtrot, they have come up to their own reason why you were so down in the dumps that's close enough to the truth to work. You’re pretty sure you still saw Pinkie and Twilight giving you concerned looks from the corner of your eyes, but you’re sure it was nothing.
Besides the show made it a point to show how much these ponies take things at face value, so as long as I never bring it up its all good.
And like that the topic of your distress is dropped as the others start discussing plans to fix the town,
Allsmiles's Comment
Treforce's Comment
After you pretended to 'calm down' the ponies came up with a decent plan to fix the damages to the town, which was to actually do that. And since the show never bothered to portray what disaster clean up was like in Ponyville (except that one time with Derpy at the Town Hall, but that doesn't really count) you were on your own with helping out.
You helped mitigate Twilight's little 'oopsie' with the parasprite spell, but things still needed a lot of tender love and care. You were all okay with that though, as helping in this period would show that you're willing to be helpful to ponies when violence isn't involved, an important lesson. Plus, it would increase gratitude and positive feelings towards you, something you very much need if you're going to live in Ponyville... as opposed to becoming a nice backyard decoration or banished to the woods.
Time to show these ponies why hands are superior to hooves when handling tools, you think gleefully as you go to work. And who knows, maybe if they see how good I am, I can get extra cash as a handyman. I’m a God of Dancing, but that’s a lot of work for the few coins I get.
While your time back on Earth was spent more as a lazy slob playing video games or watching cartoons, you did have to do the occasional woodwork here and there around the house, usually involving doors. You’re not afraid to admit that you were a bean pole that couldn’t lift jack squat, so you never did big projects, but your frequent destructive pranking and “chemistry” experiments led you to knowing how to patch up holes fairly well. Plus there was that time you worked at Home Depot for a week before you were fired.
Heh, look at me now Home Depot! Mishandling of the forklift my butt! Now I am the forklift! You think in triumph as you pick up a lumber beam all by yourself.
You may not be Eternian Strong anymore, but you are still more jacked than you’ve ever been in your life, and most of the materials and tools you are handling are child sized, so it’s still a breeze repairing holes. And thankfully for all of Ponyville, patching up holes in buildings and roofs is the majority of your tasks.
You do all these repairs with a smile and a wonderful feeling as the town’s desire to lynch you has gone down massively.
All in all, it’s turning out to be a very, very productive day already.
And while there are still a lot of ponies that seem wary of you, the ones that witnessed your deeds thank you profusely. It's like the time you went to the animal shelter and all the puppies came running up to your legs. They're only slightly bigger than said dogs, so the comparison fits.
Yes you equine fools! Love me and despair! Nyehahahahaha!!!
So as the day drags on, and you patch hole after hole, eventually you find yourself at Sugar Cube Corner which took the biggest brunt of the damage by the little buggers.
Still in a rhythm with Tina supplying you wood and nails you let your mind wander as you lose yourself in the joyful monotony of the work.
EnderHooves's Comment
Today’s a good day. Once this is over I can walk the streets once more without feeling like an outcast…well, as much as one. Still, it’s just one more good deed on the road to discovering why the hell I’m even here and what all these mysterious side quests I have mean.
You stop hammering momentarily as you cup your chin in thought.
Because yeah, if the Stand Arrow is here and the Alchemy from Fullmetal as well, and of course my Havoc Staff too, wouldn't that mean there's a bunch of different magic systems going on!?
Your eyes widen at that discovery before they return to normal size.
Hmmm, maybe, but then again maybe not. My Havoc Staff is just Grogar’s Staff so it fits into their world, so could the others as well?
As your thoughts drift off you suddenly get blinded by the sun due to your eyes wandering aimlessly during your thoughts. You growl a 'Nyeh' in anger as you quickly look back to the half patched hole while thinking,
Ack! Stupid sun, now I lost track of what I was thi-wait a minute!
A new idea hits you, one you’re honestly surprised hasn't occurred to you yet. As this idea hits you, you don't notice Tina coming towards you with some more wood for the hole. When you don't respond when she reaches you, her eyes widen in realization as she mumbles aloud,
"Oh Master Skeletor must require more wood! Tina sorry Master, I will get more wood now!"
And off the diamond dog goes, forgoing dropping off the wood she already has as she goes to get more. Meanwhile, your obliviousness to the situation lingers as your idea hits you dead on.
Hamon! If the Stand Arrow is here then, different magic system or not, that means JoJo mechanics can be applied here! And since getting Hermit Purple isn't a perfect guarantee either, then who says I can't use what JoJo started with and should have been used more often!?
You start to grin widely as a plan begins to form in your mind. The nearby ponies helping you patch up notice your grin and either look concerned or shove it off as you being you.
I've always had a good pair of lungs on me, and since I’m not using them to talk at the moment, I could put them to good use. I’m sure I can pull of Hamon breathing with enough practice. How hard could it be?
Your thoughts pause at that as your face contorts into confusion.
Actually, if Hamon is a thing here, just called something else, then who could I have help teach me? I can't use any reference books since I still can't read the native language, and they might not even exist or be open to the public if they do. So who....
You hum in thought for a few moments, once again not noticing Tina returning with even more wood. It looks like her legs are shaking slightly from the weight, but she still pushes through to deliver. However, once again your failure to acknowledge her leads her to go off and get more wood, still carrying the hefty amount she already has.
It is as Tina leaves that you receive your brainstorm,
Aha! Zecora managed to stand on water during that episode when Trixie came back for revenge, didn't she? She probably is my best bet, or at least the closest zebra to ask about if Hamon is real or not. Then again there's always Celestia, being the princess of the sun and all that, but-
*CRASH*
You are snapped out of your thoughts as a loud crashing noise happens behind you. Turning around in surprise you see your Beastwoman under a large pile of wood. Thankfully cartoon logic came into play and she doesn't looked hurt aside from a minor scratch.
"Nyeh?" you ask at this site with a raised brow.
"Is this enough wood, Master?" she responds, her eyes swirling dizzily, like legit swirling Pokémon style.
Realizing that your long rambling probably lead to this situation, as well as the confused looks from the nearby ponies, you can't help but let out a nervous chuckle like Nyeh as you think,
Okay, gotta stop getting on tangents when working. I'll just add this to my Side Quest list and think about it more later. For now let’s do some damage control, come on Beastwoman. Stop chasing the floating bones and help me move all this wood.
Needless to say, it took a bit longer then it should have to repair Sugar Cube Corner. And the other side of town had a noticeable lack of wooden planks for their repairs...
A FEW HOURS LATER
BrownDog's Comment
After a few more hours of hard work you and the rest of the ponies helping with repairs finished up the last few jobs. You’re a little surprised at how fast all the repairs went, but then you remember that this town is the center for all things disastrous on a regular basis. While the worst of those cases hasn't happened yet, it still isn't that much of a shock that the town is quick to fix up any damages caused.
While everybody was congratulates themselves for the hard work you manage to track down Rarity and pull out your notepad.
“Mr. Skeletor, if this is about your clothes it’s still going to be some time till-“
You cut her off when you show her your newest creation. A simple looking Diamond Dog vest like Rover and the others’, but matching Beastman’s coloration. You also added in a certain emblem that you thought would go good with your Skeletorness. That, and it follows how your staff looked to a degree, so a bonus.
You point between the drawing and the diamond dog in question, who is busy running from a overly excited Pinkie, to get the point across. You would have felt bad for the poor dog, if you weren't the one who set Pinkie after her. A little harmless prank to distract her so you could talk to Rarity in private.
“Just eat the cupcake already!” Pinkie screeches.
“No! It got sprinkles! Tina hates sprinkles!” your minion cries out as she tries to escape the pink blur.
Rarity looks between your drawing and the spectacle before her a few times before she finally guesses,
"You want me to make that for Tina? Is that it?"
You nod your head ecstatically with a smile at her question.
Of course! She cannot be a true Beastman-woman without the original’s design and an emblem to mark her as my loyal minion!
Rarity hums in thought before smiling and saying,
"Well I already have your other orders, so I really shouldn't accept this," at your disappointed look Rarity's smile grows as she continues with a teasing tone, "But~ since you did help keep my Boutique safe from those nasty bugs, I think I can make an exception. Besides, I do believe the diamond dog market is rather empty at the moment, and you've given me some wonderful ideas! Ta-Ta for now Skeletor!"
As she walks off with what you consider a borderline greedy look in her eyes, you can only think of one thing,
Somehow I feel like I just made a major goof...Ah well, future me's problem!
With that thought you go off to try and find Pinkie before she forces Tina to eat dozens of cupcakes.
A few moments after you stop the Pink menace and “rescue” your minion, the ponies who helped out start saying their goodbyes and begin heading off for their respective homes. Through that crowd, you see your two guards approaching so you figure it’s time to head back to the library.
Yeah, it’s about time for me to knock out anyway. Way too much running around today... you stretch a bit as you think this, surveying the ponies as they all walk home and you can't help but a gain a serene smile at the sight.
denneylaw's Comment
You know after the last few weeks of panicking it’s great to finally relax. Plus, I finally got my sta-WHAT THE!?
Your pleasant thoughts come to an end when you notice you no longer have your Havoc Staff on your back. You frantically look around, trying to see where it might have fallen out of your makeshift sling and you eventually find it...in Bookhorse's purple magical grip.
Said pony is walking towards you after joining up with your two guards and she notices your glare as she gives one of those 'oh I knew this would happen' sighs your sister would give whenever one of your pranks went south.
What!!? After everything I did I still can't keep it??! Come on Purplesmart, what more do you want from me?? I saved the town, I helped with the infestation, even the princess trusts me now...okay that one was a stretch. At the least she sees me as entertaining enough not to stone me!
"Sorry, Skeletor, but I still need to run tests on this before I can give this to you again. The magic output it gave today was far stronger then in my past tests, and I need to make sure it’s not unstable."
You can't help but think owlishly at that before giving a reluctant nod and sigh,
Well, at least it can't get any wo-wait what was that about magical out-
"Oh, and Skeletor? Don't think I didn't notice the hole you made in the wall. Don't worry it’s been patched up like everything else, but we will have a talk about proper emergency safety procedures."
-and now I'm in for a lecture, great! Curse you, Beastwoman, I blame you for this!!! You think, shaking your fist at her. To this Tina has the decency to look embarrassed for her actions. With the loss of your staff and a Twilight’s lecture in your future, you don’t notice Pinkie hoping towards you till she’s clinging to your back like some sort of monkey.
LATER THAT NIGHT
We now find you once again residing in Sugarcube Corner. While Twilight's place was better suited for both you and Tina to sleep at, Pinkie insisted she get some one-on-one time with you that night. You’re not particularly sure why, but you just summed it up to Pinkie being Pinkie. Plus after your “Bravery” the Cakes felt a bit more comfortable letting you stay.
And while Tina is curled up on a bed of pillows on the ground, you sit on your futon doing the only logical thing with your time.
Sunbro4life's Comment
Plotting.
You flip to a special page in your notebook and circle key episode events that have yet to happen.
Alright, since the episode showings don’t appear to exactly be in the correct Timeline, I have to be prepared for what comes next. Anything from Season 1 and 2 could happen at any moment aside from the Gala, Discord, and the Wedding, but everything else could be fair game.
You think to how some episodes would be in Winter, during Apple Harvesting times which would be in Fall, and jot them down, along with the unknowns in what could be Summer or Spring.
Okay, now I just need contingencies for when these episodes happen, no matter what order. When that dragon shows up, I need to be as far away as possible to avoid screwing things up. Maybe Lyra will be able to hang out on that day or something.
As you continue to plot for future events, you briefly skim over the one’s you’ve pre-drawn for good visions down the road.
The best thing about future vision, it doesn’t matter how far in the future it is, you think smugly before you tap your pencil to your chin. Though I’ve got a good plan for events I know for sure that are happening, but what about the unknown?
strangephantasm's Comment
Well now that I don't have to worry about being a monument to mankind’s sins, I can focus on the next important thing at hand! Finding Evil Lyn! Nyehyehyehyehyeh!
You start chuckling in nyehs before you quickly cough and think,
Wait no, that can come later once I have access to the Mirror Portal if that's canon, or I find another evil female villain aside from Trixie...maybe Starlight? Wait no focus mind! I need to find Megan, there are way too many questions surrounding her to ignore! But first is how do I convince the others to go to those locations in the map? I could wait till the Cutie Map happens...but that's so far away!
You sit in your makeshift bed for quite some time trying to think of ways to get to the locations marked on the old Equestrian map are, but eventually you come up with nothing and decide to sleep on it.
But before you can even lie down...
"Skelly...you awake?"
You quirk your eyebrow over at Pinkie's prone form on her bed in confusion.
Geeze Pinks I know you have a lot of energy, but even you should to be tired out by now.
Despite your thought you let out a quiet 'Nyeh' to answer her. Without getting up from the bed Pinkie asks you,
"Skelly...you know you're one of my best friends right?"
You give a quiet 'Nyeh' in what you hope is a affirmative tone.
"Best friends...tell each other their problems right?"
You can feel your eyes widen in shock before you think,
Oh Pinkie...please don't tell me you’re still worried over my little sad mood are ya? Even I'm over that!
For some reason that thought feels like a lie to you, but you ignore that feeling. Instead you just stay quiet in the vain hope that Pinkie would let it drop. It seems like it will work, as Pinkie doesn't question you again for a good couple of minutes.
But you forgot one important thing...
Master of Shadows's Comment
You’re dealing with Pinkie, who is borderline a combination of Rainbow and Applejack stubbornness when it comes to her friends. Case in point, you blink and suddenly find the pink pony right in front of you. You resist the urge to let out a nyeh in surprise, but that doesn't stop your eyes from widening in shock.
"Come on Skelly! I know something’s still bothering you, and you can tell me! Please, tell your auntie Pinkie what's up!"
Auntie? I think I'm older then you Pinkie...wait how old are you ponies again!? They’re high schoolers in the Equestria Girls movie, but they can own their own place of business? Crap my fandom logic is messing with my canon logic!
Pinkie takes your silence from your thoughts loosing track as her answer before she says,
"Fine, you want me to be the bad guy? I'm the bad guy."
With that said Pinkie lowers her head to where you can't see her face, much to your immense confusion.
Wait what? A Disney reference!? The hell are you quoting a evil lady for Pinkie!?
Your thoughts are answered when Pinkie snaps her face up with the worst, downright dirtiest face you have ever seen her make. It's pure despicable, it's underhanded, and downright mean! She's giving you...the saddest looking puppy dog eyed look you've ever seen!
"Pwease Skelly? Pwease tell me why you were so sady wady?"
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…
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Look in real life it’s not that effective, but on a bunch of already adorable tiny ponies it’s a lethal weapon!
Case in point, any and all resistance you had crumbles and vanishes as if it never existed in the first place. It was like Pinkie just nuked your entire defenses with a single adorable look, and there was nothing you could do about it.
Letting out a sigh, you decide to (to the best of your limited abilities) tell Pinkie why you were so upset and how scared and freaked out you were. But the question is...how much do you tell her?
WHAT DO YOU DO?
