//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Playtime Havoc // Story: Power of Love! // by Inactive Pone //------------------------------// “You said this was an amusement park plus a resort? Awesome!” “You should come again sometime later when it’s safer, this place is the absolute go-to place of Equestria!” Amitie and Pinkie Pie were going to Las Pegasus, in search of one of the Puyo crew members as identified the previous day. Las Pegasus was rumored to have been attacked by the changelings not too long ago, making this trip more of an adventurous mission rather than a day to relax and chill instead. As soon they reach the station via (heavily guarded) Friendship Express and get off, Pinkie’s tail was twitching. “Huh?” Amitie pointed to her tail. “What’s your tail doing...?” Pinkie was in full focus. She sniffed. “I sense danger nearby, and that likely means changelings!” “Ch-Changelings!? Already?” Amitie was shivering. Luckily, Pinkie’s tail twitched slower and slower. “Why do you have these sort of powers anyway?” “It’s my Pinkie Sense,” Pinkie said, winking. “I’m a speeeeeecial pony. Nopony knows how they work!” “Eh? Okay...” “I can use this to our advantage, maybe it twitches whenever changelings are close!” “P-Please let us get out of here without combat...” “No problem!” Pinkie trotted out the station, peeked out to sense danger, and signaled to Amitie it was okay to come out. The usually cheery and crowded resort has turned silent fast due to the Changeling invasion. The streets were empty. The Changelings have already laid siege here earlier, draining out the power of everypony’s love for their conquest across the nation. The two could tell- Nopony wanted to come out in fear of walking into enemy view. “It sure is quiet here. Oh, what have they done?” “Cheer up! All we have to do is find your friend and move on! We’ll have plenty of time to explore later,” Pinkie said, patting her on the back. “Thanks,” Amitie smiled and the encouragement. “Do you have the report?” “Somewhere in here,” She pointed to her mane, starting to ruffle it. “Let me find it... Aha!” She pulls a scroll out. Amitie was confused. “What? Pinkie physics!” “*chuckles* I’ll get used to it at some point.” Amitie scouted out for dangers while Pinkie studied their hints. “So... Where do you think this Ringo girl is hiding?” The report, now accompanied by hand-drawn pictures of their targets, showed a girl aged around 15, whose name was revealed to be Ringo by Arle and Amitie. She had red hair tied into two ponytail curls, dressed pretty nicely in a yellow sweater vest, white shirt, red skirt with white trimming, with white and red boots to accompany, like a typical junior high student. She was last seen in Las Pegasus, but no exact location was given. “Does this place have any sciency or nerdy places?” Amitie asked, scratching her chin. “Not really,” Pinkie said. “Why’d you ask?” “Ringo is the type of girl who’s pretty nerdy and realistic about things,” Amitie explained, “I hope she wouldn’t get too frightened by the Changelings...” “Eh, everypony would be scared of them. The bad ones, not the good ones." "Speaking of which, what happened between the two factions of the same race? Why was there a civil war?" "Oh," Pinkie whined, "Don't talk such serious things with me... I'm just a party pony who sometimes goes on saving Equestria, that's all." "Sorry, I'm just curious." As they walked into the main hotel, Pinkie felt an unwelcomed presence. Her tail was twitching like crazy the moment they step into the lobby. But, to the duo's surprise, there was no one out of the ordinary to be found- The place fell silent. They knew this territory has already surrendered to the Changeling Horde, and its residents were trapped in fear of Changeling patrols stationed around the town, refusing to come out. They had to take a few detours to prevent being spotted. But this situation was even more strange. Pinkie had a terrible feeling about what's to come. "Are you okay?" Amitie asked, trying to grab onto her tail to stop it's twitching. Pinkie didn't stop. Amitie found a few staff members around the area, as the hotel was not closed. She was going to ask the receptionist for any information, but Pinkie stopped her. "Careful of changelings!" She whispered. The moment she said that the staff turned to look at them, suspecting their actions. Pinkie knew they would not give her those glares had they been regular ponies, so she caught on. "Follow me, let's move." The two were going to make their move to find Ringo. However, not long after, they felt ponies trailing right behind them through the corners. "Uhhh, is it just me, or...?" Pinkie twisted her head backward quickly, barely catching a glimpse of a changeling transforming. "Faster!" They dashed up the next staircase. Their presence did not go unnoticed. However, they couldn't do this forever- It's only a matter of when the Changelings catch up and corner them if they are forced to run through the hallways and facilities of the hotel endlessly. That's why Amitie had a plan. "Can we get back on the ground floor?" "That's crazy! You will have to face them head on!" "I'll distract them, and you'll get outside as soon as possible!" A minute later they got right back down to where they started, and to exit the venue, they must go through the entrance, which is now blocked by changelings, making sure the discovered duo has no chance to escape. But the Puyo apprentice had a trick up her sleeve. As soon they got down and Pinkie in position to make her mad dash, Amitie summoned her Puyo board, quickly made a chain of seven with style and ran out. "Luminescence!" A bright light enveloped the group, Amitie included. While her flashbang worked its magic, Pinkie quickly escaped in the confusion as Amitie continued her offense. "Tempest!" She stirred up a gust of high winds, further confusing the horde as Changelings collided back and forth. She made her exit soon after, meeting up with Pinkie. "What now?" "While they're distracted, we need some way to get up to a higher floor on the hotel for our search." "Ooh! Ooh! Idea!" Out of nowhere (Because Pinkie Pie), Pinkie pulls out her upgraded party cannon. "I'll give you a boost!" "Wh-What!?" Amitie was scared. "No way! What if it goes wrong?" "Don't worry, it won't harm you, and I have an idea for the landing, you'll have to set up your board for me first!" "Huh?" "Quickly!" "Okay! Okay!" Amitie did as she was told, and Pinkie proceeded to break the game, taking out the puyos on the board. "Any way to make them bigger?" "Ohhhhh! I think I know what you're doing, teehee!" They waited for a giant Puyo from the board, snatched it, and placed it into the cannon with other puyos to merge the Puyos together. Pinkie blasted the cannon, and amazingly, one huge blob of Puyo launched up in the air, straight onto a balcony of one of the rooms. "There! Should be good now! Ready?" "*chuckles* Yup!" Amitie anxiously but excitedly climbed into the device. "Three..." Amitie closed her eyes. "Okay go!" **WOOSH** "WAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!" Amitie yelped as she flew through the air, but safely landed on the big blob. She turned to her friend after calming down. "Okay! We’re good!” But the second she was waiting for Pinkie to come up, someone called. “A-A-A-Amitie!?” Amitie turned towards the rest of the room as Pinkie blasted up, shocked at the figure in front of her. “Ah! Ringo!?” Pinkie looked back and forth between the two before the two girls both screamed out an “Ehhhhhhh!?” And proceeded to tumble back. Ringo was noticeably more shocked than Amitie was. “D-D-Don’t hurt me, whatever you are! I’m not in the mood!” Amitie came to hug her. “Ringo, it’s me, Amitie! I’m not a fake!” “Are you sure...?” Amitie let go and summoned her Puyo board. Ringo knew- Only people from the Puyo World knew how to initiate Puyo Battles, so at that moment, Ringo knew the one in front of her was her friend. Relieved, Ringo tucked Amitie into an embrace with a sigh. “Thank goodness someone I know is here!” Ringo said. “*chuckles* No prob!” Amitie innocently smiled. “Oh, and let me introduce you to my friend!” Pinkie didn’t even wait for her to finish. She bolted right up to say hello. “Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie, I’m a party pony who sometimes goes on suuuuuuper awesome adventures with my friends to save Equestria!” Ringo took a second to process what she just heard. “Uh-Huh... So you’re telling me that animals talk in this world!?” Amitie slapped a hand over her mouth. “Shhhh! We’re not completely safe here! Changelings could bust in here at any moment!” “Changelings? Is that the name for all those creatures I’ve seen downstairs?” “You met them?” Pinkie asked, “What did they do?” “Well, I was just back in my world, relaxing and having a good time with popping Puyos, when suddenly I was compelled to make a huge chain. In fact, it was such a big chain that I made a portal, and now I have no idea where I am!” Thank me for that. “Don’t worry, Ringo,” Amitie patted her shoulder. “Let’s go. We’ll tell you everything on the way home.” “H-How? I heard the town’s been raided! There are so many ch-changelings!” Pinkie puffed up her chest. “Then we’ll just have to fight them! Let’s go!” ”Fairy Fire!” The trio made a mad dash back to their escorted train at the train station, escaping from the changelings in the area. The longer the chase, the more changelings noticed their presence and joined in. Amitie had to run and play Puyo at the same time just to get magic to buy them time by fending off the horde. That was combined with Pinkie throwing cupcakes at them (Because she always has spare cupcakes anytime, anywhere). They were just getting close to the station when they spotted changelings guarding the entrance. Ringo stepped in after popping some Puyos. “No time for you!” Ringo said, ”Calculus!” She casts a unique spell, putting the guards in some kind of drugged state. “For some reason, my nerdy spells can make enemies confused and unable to think straight,” Ringo explained, shrugging. The group quickly boarded the train before the horde has a chance to catch up. So far, so good. Puyo Scholar Ringo has joined the Party