"You couldn't wait for us to get out of the van first?!" Sunset yelled at the tow-truck man, while her friends stood behind her, angry and exhausted. They had been towed to an impound lot called Sal's Towing, and were arguing with the owner, a surly, greasy, obese man named Sal.
"When Sal gets a call, Sal tows," the man said unapologetically in third person. "When a man named Dinkleberg gave Sal a call, Sal knew he had to act to protect the parking spaces of the good people of Dimmsdale."
"Dinkleberg..." Rainbow growled.
"Here's your fine for illegal parking," Sal said, handing a citation to an angry Vinyl. "Have a nice day," he said insincerely, before turning around to walk back to his office.
"Well, we know the kid has magic." Applejack said.
"Now what?" Fluttershy expressed tiredly, after being hauled around on the road by a stranger.
"Who cares?" Rainbow said with a smirk. "That kid roasted that jerk."
"Who cares?" Sunset asked with dismay as they all walked to Vinyl's van. "Who cares?! Don't you guys understand how serious this is?!"
"Nope!" Pinkie said simply.
"Darling," Rarity said to Sunset, "I don't see what the issue is. So what if a child is using magic? He doesn't seem to be using it for anything bad."
"Of course you don't understand..." Sunset said, pinching the bridge of her nose and getting her anger under control. "Let me put it this way: I was one of the most magically potent unicorns in Equestria-,"
"Real humble Sunset," Applejack snarked.
"Anyways," Sunset said with a roll of her eyes, "I was magically potent, but I didn't learn to cast spells overnight. To teleport a single pin, it took me two weeks of training. And yet this kid, who we know was born on Earth, is teleporting cars, boxes, and garbage overnight! It just isn't natural. He's probably using some kind of magical enhancer."
"That sounds awesome," Rainbow said with an oblivious smile. "Why don't ponies back home use them?"
"Because they have very, very dangerous side effects, like anger, delusions, hallucinations," Sunset said, much to the concern of her friends. "Their effects on a pony outweigh any benefits one can get."
"Oh I see," Pinkie Pie said, "you're afraid he'll become some angry meanie bent on world domination like you did when you put on that crown, and brainwashed everyone, and tried to destroy us."
"Yes, Pinkie," Sunset said with a face palm, "just like that."
"That is concerning," Rarity thought with some trepidation, "what do you think it is?"
"I don't know," Sunset said, "Twilight would probably now. All I know is he can get whatever he wants by wishing for it."
The Rainbooms waited patiently at the portal, doing small hobbies. After a few moments, Princess Twilight burst out of the portal. Having had experience with interdimensional travel, Twilight managed to appear standing upright.
"Hey Twi." Sunset said, walking up to give Twilight a warm hug, which each one of the Rainbooms joined in on. Suddenly, something else began to emerge from the portal.
It was a green-haired boy of elementary school age. He had purple shorts, green sneakers, and a purple hoodie with a green-t shirt burst out of the portal. The boy had a purple backpack with a dragon symbol on it. He looked to be in a daze.
"Who's that?" Pinkie asked.
"Me, Spike," the boy said, slowly getting to his feet and getting his bearings.
"Spike," Rarity said in confusion, "I thought you became a dog."
"I edited the portal," Princess Twilight said, "I realized how suspicious it was for a dog to be able to talk, so I made it so he would look human."
"Yeah," Spike said proudly, "and besides: why should a dragon become a pet, not a human. Does that mean that dragons are inferior to ponies?"
"Oh you're so cute," Pinkie said, pulling boy Spike into a hug, much to his annoyance.
"That is a good point," Rarity said with a stroke of her chin, "it sounds...downright racist for an intelligent being to be reduced to a house pet-,"
"This is a lovely discussion," Rainbow said with a frown, "but, uh, we have bigger things to deal with," gesturing to Princess Twilight.
"It's good to see you all again," Princess Twilight said with a smile. "I just wish it was on better terms."
"So do we." Sunset said.
"Anyways," Twilight said, pulling a tome out of Spike's backpack, "I think I know what this colt-I mean-boy, picked up."
"What is it?"
"The Stone of Desire," Princess Twilight said, opening the book and showing off an illustration of a spherical stone that was all the colors of the rainbow arranged vertically along the stone.
"That stone...completes me." a voice said. Everyone turned and saw Maud approaching them from behind with a bunch of rocks in her arms, startling them.
"Maud," Sunset said with some fear, "when did you get here?"
"Yes." Maud said, before walking away to collect more stones.
"I can't believe she's your sister." Spike said to Pinkie Pie.
"I know," Pinkie Pie said, "she's so...AMAZING!"
"Anyways," Twilight began, "ages ago, there existed a stone that could grant one's heart desire. A being who wielded it could get anything: money, wealth, and power. But all who wielded the stone were driven mad. Some used their power for conquest and destruction. Some became paranoid that others would take it. They even pushed away friends and family, not wanting to share it. Whole kingdoms were destroyed just to get one of the stones."
"That's not ominous..." Rarity uttered. Everyone else looked deeply alarmed by what they were hearing.
"Eventually, Starswirl the Bearded ordered them destroyed. It appears that he might've dumped them into your world instead."
"Just like the Sirens." Sunset said with frustration. "So we have a mighty, corrupting, magical rock in the hands of an immature boy with potential anger issues?" Everyone understood the gravity of the situation. "What do we do?"
"I say burst into that kid's house and take it," Rainbow said.
"It's not that simple," Twilight said, "the stone isn't easy to get rid of. Apparently, it fuses into the body of the person who wields it, and it gets stuck in the longer it is used."
"Oh..." Rainbow tried imagining how she could work her way around that..
"He could give it up willingly-,"
"I'm on it," Pinkie said, running away for a moment, before returning while wearing a brown fedora. "I have the perfect plan to get him to give us the stone."
"Let me guess," Applejack said in an unimpressed tone, "your plan is to go to his house, knock on his door, and ask him 'please give back the stone, pretty please, with sugar on top?’"
"No silly. I'm going to go to his house, knock on his door, and ask him 'please give back the stone, pretty please with sugar, and cherries, and a marshmallow on top.’"
"Pinkie," Sunset said, "aside from having an overbite and liking pink, we don't know anything about this kid. He could be a selfish brat for all we know. I mean, he dumped garbage on someone."
"Only because that girl was being mean to him." Fluttershy said with unusual prompt and a fixed gaze.
"These things are a slippery slope." Sunset cautioned. "One minute, you're asking about a mirror. The next minute, you're becoming a demon..." Her eyes turned downcast. Everyone hugged her, assuring her they didn't hold it against her anymore.
Twilight came to a conclusion. "Sunset's right, if he's used violence once, he could do it again. And we have to stop him before he has a chance to do worse."
"But how," Rainbow said, "we can't just go up to him. He won't give up magic like that to complete strangers. He especially wouldn't be nice to us if he knew we spied on him."
"I can make a rune that can bind magical artifacts," Twilight said.
Sunset looked hopeful. "Really?"
"But building rune that can bind that much magic will take time."
"How much time?" Rarity asked.
Twilight rubbed her chin the back of her hand. "With magic of this scale, three weeks. But we need to keep an eye on him, to make sure he doesn't cause trouble. But how?"
"I think I figured out a way," Rarity said with a smile, "not to mention a way to ingratiate ourselves with him to boot, and prove our sincerity should the need arise."
"How?"
"His babysitter," Rarity said with some derision, "is going away for three weeks. Maybe one of us could step in."
"That's a good idea," Twilight nodded. "But who?"
"Oh, oh," Pinkie said, excitedly waving her arm like she wanted to answer a question in class, "pick me! Pick me!”
"No." Twilight shot down. "We need someone who has a strong background in magic, someone responsible, someone who understands the danger of corrupted magic, someone who is neither too serious OR too silly." Sunset pondered this, until she realized everyone was staring at her.
"OK," Sunset said with a sigh, "I'll do it."
"So let's go set up our babysitting service," Rarity said, "shall we?"
NOTE: The rhythm of this song is based off of 634-5789 by Wilson Pickett.
Rainbow Dash
For eleven bucks an hour,
Pinkie Pie
With love, we will shower,
Rarity
Your little girl or boy,
Fluttershy
And fill his life full of joy.
Applejack
And hold him if he cries
Sunset Shimmer
And push his tears aside,
Rainbooms Together
We are Rainbooms Babysitting,
You get one free sitting,
First time free,
Money back guaranteed,
All you have to do is pick up your phone and
Dial 578-9913
Rainbow Dash
But we have several rules to follow,
Rarity
You must chew before you swallow,
Fluttershy
You must be kind, never mean,
Pinkie Pie
No hogging the ice cream,
Applejack
You have to give, you have to share,
Sunset Shimmer
You have to love, you have to care,
Rainbooms Together
We are Rainbooms Babysitting,
You get one free sitting,
First time is free,
Money back, guaranteed,
All you have to do is pick up your phone and
Dial 578-9913
"Man, this poster came out top-notch." Rainbow looked impressively at the screen. "But we have to make sure the kid's parents will choose us."
"We’ll have to capture their attention." Rarity said with a degree of experience.
"How do we do that?" Sunset asked aloud.
Mrs. Turner sat in her office at Dimmsdale Realty, panicking as she tried to find a babysitter online.
"If only Vicky had told me earlier," the woman said with frustration, "Rats, everyone is booked! It's not as if the solution is going to come through my window." The window next to her shattered, to her shock. Mrs. Turner looked at the damage, and saw a brick with a note attached.
"Rainbow!" Sunset yelled. The two had parked at Dimmsdale Realty, and found the woman working on a Sunday, of all times. Rainbow decided to get her attention in a very provocative way.
"What?" Rainbow said defensively, "you said get their attention."
"You threw a brick through that woman's window! Do you know how insane that makes us look?! She'll never pick-," Sunset paused as her phone started ringing. Sunset answered it.
"Ehem. Hello?" Sunset said.
"Is this Rainbooms Babysitting?" a woman said.
"...Yes. This is Sunset Shimmer. May I ask who's calling"
"This is Mrs. Turner of Dimmsdale Realty," the woman said. "I am sorry to bother you, but my usual sitter had to go away for a few weeks. If it’s not too much trouble, could you come tomorrow and watch my son?"
"Suuuure..." Sunset said. Rainbow Dash gave her a smug look, to which Sunset responded with a roll of her eyes.
"That sounds wonderful," the woman said politely, "You'll never believe how I learned about you."
"How?" Sunset strained.
"I was sitting in my office, when suddenly a brick was thrown through my window," the woman recounted, "and by some strange coincidence, your poster was attached to it."
"Imagine that?" Sunset said with disbelief.
"Is 3-4 PM good for you?" The woman said.
"Absolutely." Sunset Shimmer said.
"And I do see you are based in Canterlot," Mrs. Turner continued. “Are you sure it isn't too far for you?"
"Nnnope."
"Good," the woman said, "just send me your references, and I'll see you tomorrow."
"Have a good day ma'am." Sunset stiffly ended the conversation.
"You too." the woman said, and hung up the phone.
"Well that's taken care off," Sunset said. "But please don't break any windows," Sunset said in a serious tone.
"Why not?" Rainbow said. Sunset glared at the athletic girl. "OK, sheesh."
Sunset Shimmer rode her motorbike to the Turner residence. After a half-hour, she arrived at the white house, walked to the door, and rang the doorbell. Within a few minutes, the door opened, and her new charge came to greet her.
He wore a pink hat, pink shirt, jeans, and tiny sneakers the same dingy blue that let them almost melt into the hemming. He was short, with brown hair grown far out on top, big buck teeth, and blue eyes a shade off from hers that for the moment were staring unchangingly.
"Are you," Sunset read off a card, to give the impression that she didn't know his name, "Timmy Turner?"
"Yeah." The boy said, confirming what they both knew. Sunset bent down to look at him while extending her hand to look friendly.
"I'm Sunset Shimmer," Sunset said with a warm smile. "I'm your temporary babysitter."
The brown-haired boy just kept staring for a moment. Was he feeling shy?
"And I hope we can become best-," the door was slammed in Sunset's face.