Only one mare was a pegasus and she looked at the nearest window to distract herself while Rarity spoke up, “Well, be that as it is, my little prince, I have to wonder whether you made the right choice in your cutie mark attempt earlier. I believe these kind mares are worried about your death defying act and would like to know how to prevent such an event from occuring again, if I’m correct in presuming.”
Lyra reentered the room. “Nope, we’re wondering how to do it again! That looked fun and with Summer starting in two weeks and the temperature already rising, it would make for a fun toy to have at the lake or during winter for snowball wars.”
Rarity balked. “Y-you wish to encourage their dangerous endeavours?”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle laughed. “No, sis. We already tried this one, we’re not gonna try it again. And since the catapult still works, I don’t see why we can’t just give it to the ponies and let them have fun with it.”
Rarity’s jaw went slack. “B-but, the danger and…”
“Yeah, mom, I don’t see a problem with it, so I think we should go for it! Who can help us move it by the lake? I mean, it weighs about a thousand pounds, so take that into consideration.”
Rarity composed herself by standing tall, flipping her mane, and looking as regal as she could. “Yes, well, far be it from me to stop the enjoyment of others. As a Lady, I must encourage my foal to enjoy life and he shall do just that. However, I will be coming along to supervise this endeavor.” The crowd nodded and quickly the young ran from the boutique. “Snickers! Put on your shoes, young stallion!”
Snickers slowed from a gallop to a trot and turned back past the mares and a stallion that was waiting outside the door that nopony noticed to Rarity and stood still as she set the shoes on the ground one at a time and helped him slip them on with a click. “That’s so cool because how simple it is,” Snickers said after his second horseshoe was on. “Can I go now?”
“Yes, but walk with me to show me the way, I shan’t gallop around town like a ruffian; as a Lady, I must show class and dignity when in public situations.”
Snickers nickered. “Sure, whatever. Let’s hurry, I wanna show them how to launch stuff.”
Rarity left the boutique and stopped. “W-wait, what of our new guest?” She asked regretfully, thinking of how foolish it was of her to forget he wasn’t coming along because he had to stay hidden. “Idea~!” She ran back in and Snickers saw Kiwe watching Rarity as she did something, then he was wrapped in a blue aura and pulled from view.
Several seconds passed and Snickers began to walk to the doorway, stopping when Kiwe appeared at the door smiling. “You mother gave me a cloak of white that is nearly skin tight.”
Rarity stopped beside Kiwe and beamed a smile proudly. “Now he looks like my sister and I, and thanks to a little applique of coverup, his muzzle is white too. Now he can come with us and as long as he doesn’t show his legs or tail, he’ll look like any other pony from a distance. And you can see,” Rarity said tapping Kiwe’s rump, “that I’ve used a wig to simulate his mane and tail.
“Now, as long as he’s dressed up, he can go out as he wishes. My only advice is that you, Kiwe, don’t work yourself too hard until I can make you something more breathable; you risk overheating if you’re reckless in your play.” Rarity closed the door behind her and locked it. “Now, lead the way, my little prince, and we’ll see what the hubbub is about.”
“Miss Rarity, I must ask; are you truly a Lady? And if so, why do you live so simply?”
Rarity giggled and Snickers rolled his eyes. “Oh, it’s quite the tale, to be honest. You see, I bear the element of Generosity out of the Elements of Harmony. After my friends and I defeated Nightmare Moon, more or less, we were all made guardian knights in Princess Celestia’s court.
“Now, technically, Applejack and her family are Lords and Ladies after having settled the very city we walk in. Twilight Sparkle belongs to a noble family and carried a lesser noble title of Esquire. Now, however, all six of us hold the title of Knights, which makes us all nobility. And as such, I can call myself a Lady.” Rarity noticed she’d begun to prance and slowed to a casual trot to keep up with the quick pace of Snickers and to not leave Kiwe behind.
Snickers slowed and the others passed him, coming to a stop after he did. “Snickers,” Kiwe asked, “what’s wrong? You look upset, it seems.”
Snickers stared at Rarity and slowly a smile formed on his face. “So… I’m technically a Lord under you?”
Rarity hemmed and hawed it over for a few seconds. “Well, if you wish to look at it in a very loose way, then yes; but--”
Snickers whooped and hopped into the air and landed shuffling his hooves and bobbing his head to a beat only he could hear. “Aw yeah, oh yeah, yup, that’s right.”
Rarity snickered. “Are you… dancing?” She asked and raised a foreleg to cover her growing, wavering, smile.
Snickers laughed and trotted around Rarity and Kiwe. “Who cares? I’m even more awesome now than ever before. This is gonna open so many more doors and options for me to get my mark, do the girls know about this? How couldn’t you tell me sooner?! I’ve been living with you for almost a month and now I find out?” He asked, stopping in front of Rarity.
“Well, for one it doesn’t come up very often. Second, you didn’t do much listening to me for the first two weeks. Third, you didn’t believe me when I did talk to you about my adventures.”
Snickers raised his snout and walked ahead, taking the lead again. “Regardless, dearest mother, you should have told me sooner. A colt of my refinement should carry himself with higher standards. After all, I was just groomed and shouldn’t have my coat mussed or sullied. And my mane, dearest mother, what shall I do with it now that I have such standards to uphold?”
Rarity whimpered and rushed to side with him. “Now, my little prince, you do know you needn’t change overnight to fit a role that you may not actually have. Why don’t you worry about galloping ahead to show Kiwe and I the way, it would be much nicer for you, I’m sure.”
“Nay, mother. The dust will surely sully my fur and thusly my name, no longer shall I play like some uncouth ruffian peasant.”
Rarity quietly gasped. “No, you can’t be like him. I won’t allow it! Snickers, you act like yourself this instant,” she said stomping her hooves as she walked beside him.
Snickers looked aside at her and then broke into laughter. “Fooled you! Ha, I was listening when you told me the story of that Prince Blueballs from the party, or whatever.”
Rarity looked around quickly. “You should not have heard me call him that, I only meant for Fluttershy to hear me call him that. His name is Blueblood, Prince Blueblood, understand?”
Snickers nodded. “Yeah, but I reserve the right to call him Blueballs when in private. Besides, what’re the odds you’ll ever meet him again?”
Rarity sighed. “That was not a very funny prank, young stallion… and the odds are sadly too good in his favor. I do attend certain events that higher nobles attend as well, and it’s only a matter of time before I’ll be networking at a party and cross paths with him. My only problem will be maintaining decorum in his presence.”
“Don’t worry, ma, you’ll handle it like a boss. Own the scene and you’ll win every time, the old saying goes.”
Rarity looked at Snickers again. “And who says that, I wonder?”
Snickers looked around. “Well, somepony does, I’m sure. We’re almost there, let’s just focus on that right now.”
“My friend Snickers, what is it we’re going to be looking at, exactly?” Kiwe asked.
“Well…” Snickers looked up and pointed. “That!”
The others looked up and so did several nearby ponies they were passing. An earth pony was flying in the air and kicking her legs in a mild panic, then was grabbed by two pegasi and brought back down, out of sight because of the houses in town.
“What in Celestia’s name was that?” A yellow mare asked loudly and set her watering can down so she could canter towards the scene. Others followed and before long nearly the whole town was gathered around the catapult.
Snickers pushed his way to the other fillies in his group and climbed onto the catapult. “This, friends, is the Pony Launcher! Donations by the bit are welcome, once you climb on you can feel what it’s like to fly for several seconds with no worries because this beauty is going by the lake. It’ll be fun for all ages and the games you create will be exhilarating!
“All I need are some volunteers to help move it to the lake and you, too, can have a pegasi experience thanks to the Cutiemark Crusaders,” Snickers shouted to a cheering crowd. He hopped down and checked his flank. “Aww, I thought that would work,” he said glumly.
“It’s cool,” Scootaloo said giving him a hug, “at least you tried. Anyway, it looks like ponies are really lining up to help move it,” she said pointing out a group of earth ponies and unicorn talking about how to add wheels to it while pegasi talked about how much rope it would take.
“Okay, ponies, let’s just pick it up from the bottom and move it,” somepony shouted.
A half dozen unicorns strained to lift the catapult and a dozen mares and two stallion earth ponies moved under it to carry the weight. Pegasi grabbed parts that were sturdy to lessen the weight between the other two tribes and as a group they all moved the once siege weapon a mile to the lake’s edge before carefully lowering it, partly into the sand and the rest on firm soil.
There was cheering and stomping at their victory, then nearly every pony ran into the lake to cool their aching muscles and their bodies after the strain they were under. Snickers checked the mechanisms over while the adults cooled off and deemed it ready for use on hot summer days, at the least.
Once two ponies left the lake the rest followed, which Snickers noted as a herd mentality thing. “Okay, first I need mechanics, repair ponies, and anypony that can build to talk with me while my Silver Spoon, here, talks about safety,” Snickers announced and turned to smile at the grey filly and noticed her blushing with a wide grin. “Uh, you’re okay to talk about no climbing on or jumping off and taking turns, right?”
Silver Spoon giggled and walked to Snickers, placed a forehoof on both of his cheeks, then brought her lips to his. Her tongue tickled his closed lips and there were catcalls and a positive reception to Snickers’s public kiss. Silver Spoon leaned back breathing heavily and then set all her hooves on the ground. “You are so going to be my alpha stallion with the way you talk about me.”
She walked past him and flicked her tail across his muzzle getting a loud cheer from the crowd when he stumbled to the side. Scootaloo rushed to Snickers. “Dude, you’re losing it over Silver Spoon, I thought you said you weren’t ready for a herd.”
Snickers shook his head. “I… I’m not, I used the wrong words, I think, maybe. Her scent is still in my nose,” he said shaking his head.
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “I know the feeling,” she said, moving to his side to support him. “Remember that night we almost had sex?”
“How could I forget?” Snickers answered.
“Well, there was something that came out of your penis and was on my foreleg… it’s embarrassing to admit it to you, but I rubbed my nose on it and smelled you for the next two days. There’s no getting some smells away, is what I’m saying, Snickers. All you can do is do your best to ignore it and try not to get a hard on in public because you’re really sensitive about that.”
Snickers gave Scootaloo a little kiss on her cheek. “You’re so awesome, Scootaloo. I’m so lucky to know you, and to have you teach me things like this. You’re just, so cool.”
Scootaloo giggled and stepped away. “Uh, thanks, I guess. Where’d that come from just now?”
Snickers snickered and shrugged. “I’unno. I just really think you’re a great mare to know, is all.”
Scootaloo turned away and walked to Sweetie Belle, leaving Snickers standing alone for a minute. “Hey, kid; ya called us fer what?” A gruff stallion’s voice asked.
“Oh, uh… yeah! That’s right, sorry about that. The Pony Launcher’s mechanics have to be checked every morning before it’s used. I’ll show you the key points and how the machine operates, then we can send ponies flying. I’d do it, but I have school most days.”
“I can do that, it’s my job ta fix stuff, right? Name’s Welder.”
“Hey, I’m Snickers and the designer of the Pony Launcher. Let’s get to work.” Snickers led the group through the operation and what to check as well as offering them a copy of the blueprints, as long as he maintained ownership rights.
Rainbow Dash landed right beside Snickers, startling him to fall against a repair mare named Power Line. “Damnit, Rainbow, why’d you do that?”
Rainbow hovered and looked at Snickers. “Hey, I saw a huge crowd and wondered what was up. So, here I am… any why’s this thing here now?” Rainbow flew around the Pony Launcher. “Are you gonna send ponies flying into the lake with this thing? Can I go first?!” Rainbow asked eagerly and tried to push the launching arm down.
“No, Rainbow Dash,” Snickers shouted, “you have to go through the line, and you’re at the end. Sorry, no favoritism.”
Rainbow grunted as she shoved the arm again. “Fine, but if this is like cider season, I’m not gonna be held accountable for my actions.”
“Uh, yes, you will be, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight’s voice called out from the line.
“Twilight? You’re here, too? And ahead of me?” Rainbow asked flying to the unicorn.
“Okay,” Sweetie Belle announced, “let’s wind this baby up and send our first pony flying!”
The Pony Launcher was prepped, a stallion named Cable Ties dropped a bit into a bucket that was found before he climbed up and was shown how to sit and where to hold. “Launching in three, two, one!” The release lever was pulled and with a series of clunks the Pony Launcher did its task perfectly.
The stallion screamed at the uncertain events happening to him, then landed in the water with a mighty splash that sent water high into the air. Four pegasi broke from the waiting line to check on him and when he broke the surface he could be heard laughing. The conversations broke out and bets began to make their way around the groups of friends nearby one another.
Rainbow Dash elected to stay over the water first in a cycle of pegasi that would watch for anypony that may be hurt and the next pony was launched. The mare, a unicorn, leveled and aimed herself with the arc and serenely splashed into the water in a dive that got cheering and hollering praise.
She surfaced and swam to the side so the next pony could go. “Miss Cheerilee? I didn’t think you had fun,” Scootaloo asked for the group of classmates around her.
“Oh, don’t worry children, because of your fine work here I’m sure I’ll have an ess-aaayyee!”
Diamond Tiara gasped in faux shock. “Oh, no. I accidentally leaned on the release lever while she was talking… my bad.”