//------------------------------// // Part 2/3: Recap Route! // Story: The Bridge: Birthday Bash! Chibi Moon's Quest for Cake! // by Tarbtano //------------------------------// ================ Sweet Apple Acres ================ “You want that one?” Destroyah casually noted as she had a filly that was not one of the usual three perched on her back as she looked up at the tree. “It’s sooo shiiiny!” Chibi Moon gawked as she pushed in her cheeks and her eyes sparkled at the Zapp Apple. “Only one problem there, sugarcube,” Applejack muttered whilst tapping her hoof on the ground and contemplating the state of the growth in the tree and air. “Zapp Apple season’s a few weeks off,” she lamented with a mild frown, “Dem apples might be ripe enough to use for an ingredient but hide nor hair they ain’t coming down.” “But, can I still have one? Just one? Pretty pretty please please,” Chibi Moon teleported to Applejack’s feet, giving her the biggest puppy dog eyes and bowing at her hooves, “Please Lady Applejack, Bucker of Monsters and Slayer of Fox Demon Bi-“ Applejack somehow managed to both deadpan and shiver at last one, before wondering where she learned that word and frowning. She put a hoof to Chibi Moon’s muzzle to shush her. “A’right a’right! Ye’ don’t have to go kissin’ my hoof. Brought you out here to have one didn’t I? So, one’s all yer’s. Just gotta get it down an’ it ain’t gonna want to be plucked.” Chibi Moon gasped in joy and squealed, jumping up in the air and racing her hooves back and forth as she bounced up and down. Her tail wagged like an excited puppy at an excuse to try out her magic. “Ooooh ooh oh! I got this! Staaaand back!” she yelled out and braced her hooves as energy crackled along her horn, “Beyond the special technique of the Godzilla Dynastic Clan! Thermonuclear Beam, Mariner Chibi Moon style!” Destroyah and Applejack deadpanned as they quickly looked at each other with a mix of confusion as well as worry. Chibi Moon grinned and took in a deep breath, “Piiiiiink!” Bands of glowing light started to spiral up her horn and mane in the same manner Godzilla’s dorsal plates flashed. The air crackled and shuddered from building power. “Suuugaaaar! Heaaaaart! ATTA-phm!” One could almost hear a honking noise as a hoof was put up against her nose. Applejack purposefully made sure to push in the right direction to point her head skywards just in case of a misfire. “Wooooah there sugarcube! Save the lightshow fer’ the Fair,” Applejack said as she cringed a smile that lasted until Chibi frowned and canceled out the energy charge. Chibi pouted, “I wasn’t gonna hurt the tree… just cut off the apple from the branch with a cool woosh woosh zap bloooosh heart shaped blast!” She punctuated the action sounds by chopping her forelimb through the air. Applejack rolled her eyes and snickered as she let Chibi lower her face again. “We got ourselves a’ might simpler solution. Des, if ye' would?” Destroyah nodded before swinging her already glowing horn. The tree trunk could have withstood an entire bison herd yanking on it but it couldn’t resist the force of its own atomic bonds being shredded by micro-oxygen. The falling trunk was grabbed by the titanically strong mare who held it in place long enough for a lasso to grab the obscuring branch and hold the zap apple free to get a clean shot without damaging the tree. Destroyah severed the end of the branch holding the fruit with a small burst of her destroyer ray, and the apple was cleanly yanked back into the awaiting hoof of Applejack by means of the lasso. Chibi Moon accepted it with wide eyes, “Oooooh! W-Wait, but did you just kill the tree?” Destroyah lifted the tree back up and placed it where it was, rotating the trunk to exactly align it. Applejack put her back hoof to the trunk and if one looked hard enough, they could just barely see glimmers of greenish magic redirecting into her other legs from the ground and then into the tree. Within moments, the very clean slash through the trunk was mended over by sped-up growth. “Dun make a habit of it, but we been experimentin’ and found some fun uses for Dessy here’s clean choppin’,” Applejack smirked and winked, “Plant growth. Unicorns ain’t the only magic ones about, ye’ know.” Chibi Moon’s eyes were wide and sparkling as she gazed at the now perplexed farmer. Applejack had been showing off alongside Destroyah to kill some boredom, but they had expected some reaction. A full ten seconds passed before Chibi piped up again. “… Teach me how to do that!” ================= Ponyville Tea Shop ================= “Mmm, tastes a lot like home!” Chibi Moon piped as she finished a cup of tea, her tail wagging happily. Seated across from her and pouring another cup was none other than Ki Seong, who smiled happily at the little child’s approval as she also poured herself a cup. “My family were merchants, so we sold a lot of this across the seas. Quite a bit ended up in Neighpon, so you very well might have had this blend before. The key is a small addition of seaweed grinds stoked over a bit of a family recipe before you added it to the tea leaves,” she explained as she swirled the dark liquid within a bamboo cup, “Having it in bamboo cups helps preserve the flavor more.” “And who this is for is also from around the place we are,” Chibi Moon piped as she got up from her seat, faced her hostess, and bowed as respectfully as she could to the point her horn almost touched the floor. “Most esteemed Madam Seong of the Ki family, I humbly request some of your super special secret tea blend! It is of the utmost importance!” she piped. The kirin doe giggled and raised her brow, “Oh, and is this importance giving you some nostalgia for your birthday coming up?” Chibi Moon perked and looked up at her, “How do you know that?” Ki Seong snickered and motioned behind her to a large stallion that walked up beside her with a seafood platter, pecking the doe on the cheek and causing Seong to turn a few shades of red. “King Godzilla told him,” the kirin explained as she snuggled up beside Anguirus as he set the food down, giving her a peck on the cheek. Anguirus picked up the line and eyed the filly, “And I told her. You must be his pupil I’ve heard so much about.” Chibi Moon wanted to squeal from the recognition but instead bowed again, “Honored Titanic Defender Anguirus, defender of playgrounds and summer camps-” Anguirus deadpanned slightly in bemusement at his title. Chibi looked back up at him with giant puppy dog eyes, “… Could I pwetty please have your favor in asking your girlfriend for some tea?” Now it was Anguirus’ turn to widen his eyes and start blushing, an act that only got more extreme when Seong pecked him on the cheek and levitated a bag of grounds over to Chibi Moon’s little saddle bag. “I wasn’t going to say no, Little One,” she snickered, “These will brew up nicely.” Chibi Moon beamed and saluted, “Arigato Mada- Ooof!” She forgot she was bowing and proceeded to fall flat on her face. Undeterred she continued to salute and speak. “Sm imgoh habme ma qumtomph whm-” Anguirus carefully tilted her head up by the horn. “-what other things did my Sensei say about me?! Did he tell you I can copy his beam now perfectly? Oooh oooh, or that time we fought my mom’s villain? Or how about-” Ki Seong giggled as a bead of sweat ran down her cheek. She leaned closer to her lover and whispered to him, “He certainly wasn’t kidding when he said she was little but her mouth wasn’t.” ============== Sugarcube Corner ============== “And that’s why I need this and an ‘Essence’ of a talented baker,” Chibi Moon explained as she sat on the high seat of a colorful stool chair in the parlor, while telekinetically waving several toys in the air to the enthusiastic giggles of the cake twins. “Well you came to the right place for both!” Pinkie Pie quipped as she wagged her tail, neatly balancing several cooking utensils and ingredients on her tail as she carted over an unfinished double-stacked cake. “Though if you’re wanting me to really show any skill, I would have asked me to actually do up the cake! I totally get wanting to throw in your own personal touch and all, but I’ve helped out on plenty of these. Wanna do it here an’ now? I’ve got vanilla cream, chocolate cream, strawberry cream, chocolate and strawberry and vanilla cream, chocolate strawberry and vanilla icing, banana icing, apple icing, even some zap apple icing, and-“ Chibi Moon cut her off with a teleport and a bow as she gingerly picked up the cake tray while placing down the toys meant to entertain the babies. “Iiii think this is good. After all, I’m going to be adding a lot more in,” Chibi explained while lowering her ears, “No doubting you can make a great one, though!” Pinkie Pie giggled and patted her head, “Oh don’t worry little filly, I’m just always eager. Well, always super eager, or superduper uber eager.” Chibi Moon smiled happily and carefully packed the cake into a box. She paused however while she was atop a box and looked about warily. She continued to do so for a solid minute until Pinkie Pie tapped at her shoulder. “… Um, you okay?” Chibi Moon remained unmoved, on guard and looking towards the forest, “I just found out today that usually when someone gets something done in this town, something crazy happens. Today I got teleported across the continent and then there was a big monster mash.” Pinkie Pie nodded as she looked at a calendar she pulled out from behind her back, “Yep, right on schedule. We’re like a wacky version of 2020 around here, something exciting every other day.” Chibi Moon hadn’t the faintest idea what she was talking about but gulped, “I’m just… Being extra careful because I know something weird is gonna happen….” Pinkie Pie blinked as she waited several long moments. The shop was completely peaceful with Pound and Pumpkin Cake pleasantly snoozing in a pile together as the clock on the wall ticked. Chibi Moon seemed to realize nothing was going to happen and slowly pulled away from guarding the cake twins diligently. “Phew…” Pinkie Pie shrugged before her left ear twitched twice to the right to jog her memory, “Oh and that other thing you asked for?” Chibi Moon perked up, “Oh right, essence of a talented baker! Um… Think I need to make a copy of some of your magic maybe? Ooooh have you put some of the earth pony magical spell hex on the cake? Eeerr…” She paused and rubbed at her cheek, just now realizing in her over eagerness to get this quest done she hadn’t really considered what exactly that criteria asked for and she had left the book back at Canterlot. Just as she was starting to consider asking if maybe Miss Pie could escort her back to the city, she was interrupted by the Element of Laughter’s giggle. “Snrkaha! I gotcha covered my little pony! Observe!” Pinkie Pie reached around and casually pulled off all the fur on her tail. Chibi Moon’s expression flattened and her eyes widened at the cursed image of a naked horse tail, let alone one that had been so extremely plushy just a moment ago. The noodle like appendage wagged as Pinkie Pie nonchalantly hummed and packed her tail fluff into a bag. “There ya go!” Chibi Moon was still staring with a completely frozen expression even as Pinkie Pie set about guzzling bubblegum-flavored cream and spontaneously regenerating all of her tail hair. ========== Appleloosa ========== Link! “~Ay, ay, ay! I'm your little butterfly~” The music player sang as the performers danced to a captive audience. Wings beat in a particularly flattering motion in tune with the song, skillful twirls dazzling the crowd even if the music wasn’t to their normal cue.. “Well the tune’s different, but I like it!” A cheery pink-maned pegasus mare chirped as she danced to the pop song-like beat with lyrics she was very quick to adapt to despite it being far out routine. Out of her usual garb, Phoenix Flamez still struck a skillful dance in the center stage of town whilst dressed up in the latest Neighponese Pop Idol garb: A white suit with long black, bell sleeves and her hair done in two large twin tails that had rectangular decorations put upon the bases. Evidently it was based on a well liked Neighponese artist. Her little assistant was skipping in step next to her, clad in a similar get up but with her hair styled flat and wavy. “You look just like Miku! Song’s a bit older than her, but the beat fits. It’s one of my parents’ favorites!” Chibi Moon keened as she danced along with Phoenix as her back-up, “Sure I didn’t intrude?” “Naaaah, I’m adaptable,” Phoenix keened whilst skillfully dancing to an foreign beat to prove her point, rocking her shoulders and hips in sync with the cords and sweeping an arm across the crowd, “Besides, out here in this kind of town we’re always welcoming to new faces from new places! Shoulda seen the routine I drilled Rodan into!” “How am I doing?” Chibi Moon squeaked as she pranced aside to dive under and jump about where the larger mare was now hovering mid-dance, Phoenix practically stepping and sliding on air. “You’re adorable and a natural!” “Fits you well don’t it Phoenix-san?” The pegasus took a moment mid-step to ruffle Chibi’s head, “Aww aren’t you a little flatter?” Chibi Moon giggled as she teleported about the stage, appearing and disappearing in bursts of pink magic in tandem with the looping spins and air bursts Phoenix was creating. The pegasus landed as the music took a lull and let Chibi reappear in front of her, the filly proving a quick study as she emulated the talented dancer the best she could with experience for this song. Chibi looked to her instructor and superior, “So who was it that I should talk to for foodstuffs, Phoenix-san?” Phoenix Flamez twirled about dazzling displays of magical trails as she spun about the stage floor and above it. Mid-spin she skillfully picked up her little backup dancer and looped in the air while still dancing. Chibi Moon squealed as she was spun about in a flashy move that earned the audience’s cheers before stopping in midair and pointing at the saloon bar past the gawking and clapping spectators. Phoenix Flamez winked to the little filly as she motioned to the mare behind the bar counter, “Missus Thalia’s got you covered if you need anything, thanks for the help and new routine!” “Arigato!” Chibi Moon squealed as hugged Phoenix briefly. She hopped down onto stage as Phoenix landed beside her, the two taking a bow to a standing ovation before Chibi vanished in a puff of magic to teleport. When she re-appeared she was both slightly astounded and pleasantly surprised that the kindly bar mare had expertly predicted her arrival with a child-sized mug of root beer already placed in front of her. The ebony mare with white and red accents smiled and patted her head. “On the house little one, we always do love a good show around lunch hour, already put some caffeine in it since you say you need that to slow down… apparently,” Thalia rolled her eyes and giggled as she leaned onto the bar top, “So what was it you were needing fromor me?” “Mphbprfuubbr-“ Chibi but down the root beer mug she was chugging and neatly wiped her face with a napkin, “Sorry Missus Thalia, I was saying I’m making a birthday cake and need ingredients.” Thalia’s brow perked and she puzzled before looking about what she had on hoof for mixing up drinks and some bar foods. “Nnnoooot sure I have anything around the counter for cakes, pies maybe given how popular they are with the Buffalo. I can check out the back for you.” Chibi Moon rapidly shook her head, “Oh no no nooo need! The magic cake, I have a nifty spell to make it all come together you see. Since I don’t know what the one it’s for likes, I’m getting anything tasty and putting it together! So whatcha got I can use?! ...I mean, I don’t want to be demanding.” She bowed her head respectfully as Thalia’s brow perked. She glanced about with a bit of skepticism. “You sure that’s exactly what the spell said and meant? I’m no unicorn sorcerer but I know some of those spells can be tricky.” Chibi Moon nodded, still keeping her head down, “Hai! That’s exactly what it said, make it all come together.” Thalia pondered about it but nodded slightly after some thought, “Well, I have something that can’t go wrong when added in.. Here-“ Thalia hoofed a glass of specialty apple cider across the table to her, “This brew of cider’s a good all-purpose. No matter what you put in it, it's gonna smell and taste like apples, which most folks like just fine. Ye’ can drink it, stew it, bake it in, anything really. Can’t see how putting it in a cake could go wrong.” ================ Mirror Maretropolis ================ “So that’s why I ended up here,” Chibi Moon explained as she sat in a car seat. Her typical cream pink fur had become cream pink skin and she was wearing an outfit not dissimilar to a child’s version of the battle dress her mother sported that would one day be hers, but with the addition of a red mask akin to what  Auntie Venus once wore. However her eyes and giant pigtails were almost entirely unchanged, even as she existed in the form of human girl. A heavily modified muscle car drove through the streets and back alleys of Maretropolis, operated by tendrils of purple hair controlling the steering wheel and shifter. The protector of the city kept her face stoic in contemplation even as they drove past Detective Stephen Langoud who made an effort to try and follow them to no avail. “You came here… for something to eat,” Mane-iac muttered as she secretly directed the Black Beauty across multiple streets to lose anyone who might be tracking them, making her way back to the estate. “Or anything edible really. Plus, I really like your stories!” Chibi Moon keened. Mane-iac looked at her through her mask blankly, still thinking through her options. Half an hour ago, this little girl appeared out of nowhere during another battle with an escaped Masked Matter-Horn, intervening in the conflict. While she wasn’t necessarily sociable and was more than a little concerned at her age, time had warmed her to the possibility of other heroes out there. Not everyone was Shadowbolt. She would have probably reprimanded her for getting involved at such an age and left it at that… except the observation that this “Mariner Moon” addressed her as her secret identity of Mica Hackett, and claimed time was short. Figuring the most secure place to go and run some tests would also be somewhere that it was of no risk of exposure, and wanting to keep the little girl was far away from anyone in the public that might cure the name of the beauty products CEO spoken out loud, she drove into the secret entrance to her estate and lair. The Black Beauty came to a stop within the depths of a subterranean garage, the hatch top opening and allowing exit. Mane-iac emerged via crawling out with her hair tendrils and the little girl caused another stir by vanishing and reappearing in a burst of magic. “Well anything edible really, just something you like!” Mariner Moon chirped as she paced towards the garage like it was the most normal thing ever and she teleported, something excessively rare in this world no matter how crazy it was. Mane-iac walked alongside her and pressed a button on the wall, “Get down here… And bring what you’ve been working on.” A speaker hummed with a voice, “Oooh? How’d you guess, toots?” “Because you have a habit of doing so when it’s my turn to do patrols, thinking you can surprise me every time,” Mane-iac quipped as she removed her hat and mask, revealing the acid scarred face of Mica Hackett. An elevator buzzed as it lowered down into the dark garage, earning Mariner Moon’s fascination and a non-response from Mica, who kept her back to it with her arms crossed as she continued to study the little girl. A boisterous looking man with a metallic mohawk and dirty green skin happily paced out of the elevator carrying a plate of crisped rolls and some sort of plastic bottle. Waltzing up behind the superheroine while still sporting a simultaneously gaudy and metal looking apron, in the sense that it had a pink frill but was decorated with the image of chainsaws, Gigan waited for her to remove a glove and raise one of her scarred hands. Mica sighed and didn’t at all look displeased when he kissed the scar tissue ringing her wrist before placing one of the rolls on it, squirting some of the bottle’s contents on it. She visibly didn’t hide a small smile at the comfort food. “… Thank you, you do know how I prefer them,” the once grumpy, stoic, isolationist heroine whispered. She rolled her eyes and shook her head at the enthusiastic thumbs-up she got. “How’d it go bashing up that ***** *** matter- Oh! Sh******** you didn’t tell me you were bringin’ a kid!” Gigan stopped himself and stumbled back upon noticing a starry-eyed Mariner Moon. “You two… it wasn’t just that holiday special?” she keened while leaning up and towards them on her tippy toes. Gigan opened his mouth several times as if to speak but stopped himself from ever saying an expletive. A main man like him had standards to live up to. Finally he was able to articulate decently well only to get cut off by his companion, friend, roommate, one letting him squat her mansion, etc. “He’s been staying and helping out after some misadventures,” Mica deadpanned while chewing on the roll in her cheek, “He wasn’t intolerable.” Gigan paused but flashed a very big grin as he leaned down towards Mariner Moon, “She’s been warming up to me ever since I helped out with housekeeping… And helped out on the street… and kept Detective Pin-Eyes off her back… and-“ “And cut down on the property damage,” Mica corrected, “Sometimes I did seriously wonder how his former employers stayed in business. But yes, he’s been staying with me.” “Heeey, a main man is always the best, be it fraggin’… basti- BAAAaaaaad guys or making the Lead Lady happy. Took up some hobbies too, turns out culinary is a bit of a calling of mine,” Gigan smirked proudly as he lowered down the tray, “Here, help your self lil’ lady.” Mariner Moon accepted a rolling bowed happily, “Always good to see happiness for those who deserve it.” Gigan smirked a fanged smirk and shot her a thumbs up, “You said it lil’ missy. Can’t be grim all the time, we sure ain’t Frank Miller.” Mariner Moon checked her watch and her ears stuck up a bit more at seeing how much little was left in the spell that brought her here. She tried to refocus and considered just taking the role but did notice something else. “Hmm, what’s that stuff in the bottle?” she questioned as she pointed at the article that Gigan was pouring onto a roll meant for his teammate. “Shampoo,” Gigan grunted back, causing Mariner Moon to visibly double take at the food. Mica held up a finger, “Hackett Industries’ best. If I’m going to care what might get in someone’s eyes, I’m going to care what some kid might swallow.” “So you made,” Mariner Moon puzzled as she let Gigan put some on her roll, “… Edible shampoo?” Gigan put a hand to the side of his mouth and whispered to her, “And she once claimed I was the only crazy one, hehe… Stand by the design though, not shabby. Tastes like syrup.” Mariner Moon eyed the pastry and special seasoning a few times, glancing at her hair before shrugging and biting down on it. Her pigtails stuck straight up and both heroes paused in confusion and concern. A few moments later Mariner Moon’s head slowly pivoted up to look at them with a wide-eyed expression. “… Can I borrow a bottle?” ============= April Fools! ============= “Jump!” Chibi Moon thought she heard Pinkie Pie call out to her as she did as told, dodging a dark mass which she quickly ran away from. ‘Thoroughly bewildered’ didn’t even begin to describe how she felt right now. One moment she was running to Canterlot only to charge face-first into what looked  like a doorway of light, then she glimpsed a long white hallway full of doors before someone crashed into her from behind and caused them all to stumble through another of such doors. Now she was a human again, only this time her skin tone was noticeably less pink. A glance out of her peripheral vision did confirm she was still sporting her typical pink hair but the styling looked different. Her bangs were noticeably larger and her pigtails were slimmer, a glance in a window she was passing by confirmed this. She mentally puzzled at her getup, a mostly white dress that looked armored to an extent, with blue accents and very bulky gauntlets. She also just now realized she was running around with a staff of some sort that looked vaguely like a polearm, pipes sprouting from it with the end covered in a pinkish colored metal encircling a blue spherical gemstone. “What the?! Where-“ “Nata, Megs, we took a wrong turn after Sailor Moon! We’re in another magical girl show and picked up a hitchhiker!” Pinkie Pie, still unseen, cried out again from somewhere behind Chibi, who turned around to find her but to no avail. Instead a tall woman in a black outfit with red accents came running up to her, the large cape she was wearing blowing in the wind. The fact she was wielding a brown and amber-hued, almost comically big lovechild of a bearded axe and scythe made Chibi’s grip on her staff seem flimsy. “Nanoha, I think movie 2!” the blue woman, Sonata Dusk, who was now sporting gigantic twintails in her hair, yelped, “I got Fate and Megs ended up as Bardiche!” She pointed the giant axe at Chibi Moon, who flinched back and did so even more when the gemstone at its center started blinking with a voice. “I went from badass to bad-axe! Heh! Anyways who’s this?” the axe, Megalon spoke aloud while doing the best he could to motion at the little girl in front of him. “Oh, she’s someone I know from Ponyville. Hey Chibi, you put the cake and my tail down somewhere safe right?” Pinkie Pie called out again and Chibi Moon looked about, trying to spot her. She turned about, observing they were standing in a very decidedly Neighponese-looking city, though everything was blacked out and dark without anyone around. Signs of a conflict were obvious given the damage to some buildings with loose rubble about. “Up here silly!” Chibi Moon looked up at the only thing above her, the head of the staff she was holding. The blue gemstone blinked at her in tune with the voice. “Hiya! I’m Pinkie Pie and looks like I’m your weapon of justice, friendship, and destruction upon your enemies! Oooh Twilight would love this show!” Chibi Moon’s eyes widened as ‘Pinkie Pie’, the staff she was still holding onto kept talking. “She’s definitely someone who has some experience with this sort of thing, so let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth!” Pinkie chimed right before there was an explosion. Bursting forth from a not insignificantly-sized apartment building was a dark animate mass that vaguely approximated the shape of a serpent or centipede, with large glowing eyes and a gaping maw being the only parts that stood out from the darkness. It lunged and both Sonata and Chibi bolted to the side, the siren grabbing the soon-to-be 12-year-old by the wrist to toe her along since she had a longer stride. “What’s that!? A youma monster?!” Chibi Moon cried out as she observed it chasing them. Sonata Dusk’s boots glowed and magical wings of energy burst from her heels as she went airborne, holding Chibi Moon to her as they both held their weapons. “Jewel Seed monster, they were born from a Midchilda-“ Pinkie Pie started to explain only for a certain battle axe to cut her off. “Early series MacGuffin, bonded with something and made it a monster,” Megalon interrupted, “I thought they got them all by the end of the first season, but apparently it hung around.” Sonata Dusk flew them to a nearby rooftop and put Chibi Moon down, twirling Megalon as she prepared herself. “Weeeeeeeeeee!” “Well, we’d better get this stuff cleaned up before we head for another door, we’re on a time limit!” Sonata chimed as she spun Megalon about. She pulled down a section near the top of the shaft to reveal a revolver-like cylinder, slotting in a full set of some kind of cartridges before spinning the cylinder back into place and slamming the jacket back up over it. Megalon steamed and glowed, the central gem igniting. “Come on! Let’s get em!” the siren yelled out as she went charging back into battle amidst the brilliant light show. Chibi Moon watched in awe as the nice blue-haired woman and talking brown axe intermittently looked awesome and terrified whilst dueling with the massive beast of shadow. She perhaps wondered if this was something similar to what she had to look forward to upon finally becoming the successor to her mother. Every year her mother would get a little weaker and she would get a little stronger as the power transferred over. Eventually it would reach a point where her mother could retire and she would be taking up the mantle as the Lunar Guardian. Her grip on the staff tightened. “Something wrong?” Pinkie Pie the magitek weapon of mass destruction chimed. Chibi Moon pondered deeply for a moment before sighing, “It’s different but… Something a bit like this is something I’m going to end up doing when I grow up.” “Do not want to do it?” “No, it’s a huge honor and I know I can but-“ She watched as Sonata flew past a lunging slash and chopped off a tendril of shadow with Megalon’s edge, sliding backwards across the air as she slashed into the space to unleash blasts of energy with the swings after Megalon reconfigured to more closely resemble a scythe. “It’s an even bigger duty!” Chibi pouted as she looked at the city, “I-I know I won’t do it alone but none of my parents’ team’s successors have been found yet except me. This place looks a lot like my home, what I would have to be protecting.” She didn’t quite realize how being in a place that looked like Neighpon would bring up some homesickness. Memories of going to her parents favorite park on some evenings, helping Auntie Pyre Mars clean the cool looking temple shrines, spending time at Auntie Dawn Venus’ boutique, to visiting the coral reefs with her mermare Auntie Raine Mercury to look at the beautiful fish, or enjoying some of Auntie Stormy Jupiter’s cooking under the table were flooding back. This would be her first birthday without any of them. “My parents’ team are legends, what if it comes a time I gotta step up and not have anyone to step up with me?” “You’re talking about how you’re the successor to your mother’s role as the lunar guardian but none of your future compatriots have been discovered yet?” Pinkie Pie chimed with glowing pulses from the gym that made up the staff’s head. Chibi Moon blinked a bit blankly before nodding, not wanting to question how it was Miss Pie knew exactly all of that. Asking that to make sense would be small potatoes to asking how any of this made sense, “Sounds about right. I mean I’m not upset about being next in line, I’d love to be a hero! All of my idols are after all and I’ve been taught well. It’s just… Uncertainty you know? Maybe I haven’t been tested enough.” “Well, my good friend Twilight was much the same way when she was untested and thought she had to stand by yourself. But then she got all her cool friends like me! And we all turned out to be a lot stronger together than we were apart,” Pinkie Pie noted with a soothing, assuring tone, “So don’t you worry your pretty little mind, when your time to step up to the plate has come I’m sure you won’t be doing it alone. And if your teammates take their sweet time showing themselves, we got others to help you out! There’s very few chosen ones, Nanoha isn’t one.” Chibi Moon tilted her head as she looked at her wardrobe, “Is… that who I am right now?” “Seems so! Magical girls like her were talented and it’s great they jumped at the call, but nopony or nobody ever had it where they had to stand all alone.” “And if I mess up when I have to take over for my mom?” Chibi muttered with some apprehension even as she listened to the words. “Then you’ll have plenty of others to catch you if you stumble… Oh duck to the side by the way, quick!” Chibi Moon obeyed and paid attention to her surroundings again, jumping to the floor and avoiding some flying debris that sailed overhead. Sonata flew back towards her with the airbrakes on, the magical wings on her ankles chiming with light as she readied Megalon again. “I overheard, and Pinkie’s right. The best singer ever is no match for a good chorus! And the best chorus is always better than the sum of the parts,” she shot Chibi Moon a thumbs up, “So the bigger the pod the better, I say!” “But what if they don’t like me or I can’t find them? I know others can help me against Queen Beryl, but they’d be walking into something they don’t need to!” Chibi Moon frowned. She didn’t doubt for a moment some Equestrians or kaiju would lend their aid against the thousand-year foe her lineage had been warring with, but it wasn’t their responsibility and they may not have the proper tools. One of the reasons she was hesitant to talk about it too much with her Sensei, lest he feel burdened. Megalon’s gemstone blinked as the axe head crackled with energy, “And hey, my brother and our other teammate couldn’t be more different and yet we manage. If they’re your friends or your team it doesn’t matter what makes you different, but rather what makes you the same. Hey, if there came a day we had a giant bat lady on our team, I’d be good with it and friend her as soon as I could!” Sonata Dusk winked at Chibi Moon and the latter got the sense the blinking axe was doing the same before they rushed off to battle. Chibi Moon chewed at her lip as the conflict continued, before her staff buzzed with life and power. “Tell yah what kiddo, consider this the training wheels. If you want to be an awesome magic blasty, magical-girl tactical kaboom; lemme help you for your first run!” Chibi Moon stayed still in thought for a moment before her expression lighted somewhat. Pinkie Pie was a weird one, but she was a very nice mare and Chibi almost got the sense she was holding her hoof- er… hand. Maybe it wouldn’t be all that bad, she did want to prove herself. Chibi Moon looked at the streets below and back to the staff, steeling herself. “Hai! So... how do we do this?” Pinkie Pie giggled, “Well, first you need to load that cartridge in so I could do the big magical kaboom. Don’t worry, I’m used to exploding!” 10 seconds later there was a brilliant eruption of light and magic. Sonata and Megalon saw it and flew out of the way, cheering as Chibi Moon flew past them with the magnificent glimmering brilliance of Pinkie Pie held in hand. They looked awesome… as they spiraled up and down like a pinwheel from the uncontrolled flight, Chibi Moon seeing total vertigo as Pinkie Pie squealed in victory. They crashed into the shadowy monster at full speed, causing parts of it to fly off in all directions from what looked like a tactical nuke going off inside it! Several minutes later a very dazed and still quite dizzy Chibi Moon held onto Pinkie Pie and Megalon as Sonata gave her a piggyback ride down the street towards a glowing portal door. “Well, that was an explosion and a half! The Nanoha-verse is the world where magical girls are packing heat!” Pinkie snickered. Megalon’s gem flashed in tandem, “You know if my brother knew how destructive some of these Japanese series can be, he’d probably like them more.” “Oh? What turned him off?” Sonata quipped as she glanced up at them. “Tentacles,” was Megalon’s only response as he spoke in a way that seemed to indicate he was shrugging, “That’s all he would say, tentacles.” Chibi Moon was about to remark about seeing some of that in the naughty comics her mom and dad had stashed away, however she spotted something that immediately took her attention away when her vision cleared. “Oooh oooh down down!” she keened as Sonata squatted down near a park bench and let Chibi off her back. Chibi scampered off to a small storefront and ducked inside. “Huh, where’s she going?” Sonata wondered aloud, holding her two friends who were currently weapons of mass destruction as if it was the most casual thing ever. After the world with the cyborg ninjas and them driving a tank to Meghan William’s house, nothing phased her. “Ah, looks like that’s the Takamachi family store,” Megalon noted as he was somehow able to read the front. Pinkie Pie giggled, “Ah, Nanoha’s folks. What did they sell again?” Chibi knew it was fate she ended up as the character she did, having heard of a similar magical mishap involving a Power Ponies comic. Oh sure, she got an inkling of that when she ended up as a young magical girl still cutting her teeth; but this, this here had to be fate. She swiped a warm cup and grounds bags of familiarity off the front stock, putting some coinage on the counter to cover for it on account of nobody being present to pay. Turns out Japan and Neighpon had something else important in common too. Happy as can be, she paced out of the Takamachi family shop with a bag of her favorite coffee grounds and a hot cup of the stuff to guzzle on the way back home. ===================== ........ Shimmer'verse?!?! ===================== In another reality similar but very much different than Chibi’s Equestria, a similarly familiar yet different mare was at work in her house. The yellow-orange unicorn paced around the kitchen of her tree home, her yellow-and-red streaked hair bouncing slightly as she pranced about in slight worry. The clock’s little hands ticked away each second, something her sensitive ears couldn’t help but pick up. It made her worry even more. Her eyes couldn’t help but glance at the stove and then at the clock in quick succession before continuing with her pacing. This unicorn mare was none other than Princess Sunset Shimmer, the adopted daughter of Celestia herself. Which is why she was currently so nervous. The kitchen was filled with the smells of cooking dough. A tray of cookies was baking, something she was hoping to give to her mother. Sunset loved her dearly but didn’t get to spend as much time with her as she would have liked. Which is why she was going to make this coming visit a good one. It had taken her a while but she had finally gotten the hang of cooking. At least she didn’t almost burn the entire kitchen to the ground this time. Progress. The timer for the cookies ‘dinged’. Her ears perked and she smiled, happily going to the stove. Her magic brought out the little tray and she closed the stove right back up. She closed her eyes and took in the scent. She let out a breathy sound of relief. “Now this will please mom,” she smiled. Her luck however ran out. That was the moment when a giant rocket smashed through her wall. The tip hit the tray, taking it with it and crushing it underneath its weight as it lodged itself on the floor of the kitchen. Sunset stared at it and did nothing. No part of her body moved. Her mind was still trying to process what had happened just now because of how fast it was. She blinked and opened her mouth, just to close it. She was so confused. A hatch opened up on the rocket and out popped a brown-coated unicorn mare, “Heya Sunset.” Quickfix, one of Sunset’s friends and a fellow element bearer, said. “Quickfix!” Sunset raged, fire enveloping her horn. Quickfix held up her hoof quickly. "Wait,” she brought out a little unicorn filly, “Ah ain't alone in this.” A little filly popped up beside her and smiled, “Konnichi wa!” the little filly happily waved at her. “Quickfix,” Sunset tried to keep her rage in check, “You better have a good explanation and I hope it doesn't include foalnapping or explosio-” An ensuing explosion was audible even from there. “You better have a better explanation!” Sunset pushed her face into Quickfix’s own. “It’s true,” Quickfix backpedaled and gestured to the little filly, “She’s from another dimension.” “Salutations Princess Sunset-gozen,” the filly waved her hoof again, “I’m Chibi Moon. And you’re pretty big, miss.” “And you’re pretty small,” Sunset noted at the fact this filly seemed small even by filly standards, “But I’m still not buying this. You can’t possibly ask me to believe that you somehow were able to build a portal to another dimension and link it to another portal to another dimension. That just doesn’t happen.” Quickfix gave her a deadpan expression, “Do ya know who yer talkin’ to?” Sunset opened her mouth and then closed it. She facehooved, “Okay, I believe you. Then what are we going to do with her then?” “Well we could help with her cake mission,” Quickfix said. “We can do that after I rebake my cookies,” Sunset huffed as she looked to the destruction the rocket had caused, “It’s going to take some time though.” “Oooh,” Chibi Moon smiled as she hopped in front of Sunset, “I can help with that. I bake a lot of cookies with my mom.” Sunset quirked an eyebrow, “You do?” Chibi Moon nodded with an affirmative hum, “Yep. It’s the least I can do to make up for the rocket. Which was awesome by the way, miss Quickfix.” “‘Course it was,” Quickfix ruffled the small filly’s mane a bit. “Well I don’t blame you, Chibi,” Sunset glared at Quickfix who chuckled nervously, “But I do appreciate the help. I’ll get the supplies and we can get started.” It didn’t take long to set everything up. During all of this, there wasn’t much said. It went as smoothly as one would expect besides Sunset yanking any gadgets Quickfix tried to bring to make it ‘easier’ or ‘better’. She couldn’t trust that mare around anything of hers. Chibi on the other hand was a nice little filly. Her body was a bit strange and she was small for her age but she was from another world. She guessed the ponies there were smaller and a bit weird. Regardless, she was nice and polite. She even listened to her without complaint. That was a nice refreshing change of pace. She was getting so used to things going awry that a little sweetness went a long way. Sunset smiled as the timer dinged, telling them that the cookies were done. She opened the oven and took in the sweet smell. She sighed in bliss as she put it on top of the oven and closed it, “There. Now it’s done. Thanks, Chibi. I honestly couldn’t have made this without you.” “It’s not that hard,” Chibi said with a smile, “I can get you the recipe next time I visit.” “Please do,” Sunset glared at Quickfix as she said that, who looked irked by the constant glares, “At least someone here has some common decency.” “Yeah, yeah,” Quickfix huffed and went to her rocket, “I’ll clean it up.” “Without putting another hole in my house.” “.... I’ll figure it out,” Quickfix looked away, “Once I get her home, I’ll take it out piece by piece so it won’t destroy anything more. Sorry Sunset.” Sunset huffed before she went to her cooler. She pulled out a tub of her special ice-cream, “Alright, one tub of Vanilla ice cream spiced with Habanero coming right up.” “Sounds kinda weird,” Chibi Moon said. Sunset shrugged, “I like spicy foods. Sue me.” She gave the tub to her and ruffled her mane, “Now go on and have some fun making this… present I guess?” “Same to you,” Chibi smiled as Quickfix walked her out of the house. However once they reached the front door, it suddenly opened. Chibi Moon’s eyes widened as she beheld the being before her. Yes, she had felt a bit strange around Sunset. She had this ‘aura’ around her that was much more than any other unicorn she’d ever met. Even Quickfix seemed a bit weird but they were good ponies. This was on another level. The being’s presence exuded a powerful wave of good feelings. She felt relaxed and happy. As though nothing could hurt her while this person was around. The motherly smile the large alicorn gave her was soothing. It was none other than Princess Celestia… who was really, really big here. Chibi Moon’s mouth made an ‘O’ like shape as she looked at her. Celestia simply chuckled, “I take it you are Chibi Moon?” Her voice was a bit different as well. It was far more ethereal and ‘more’ than mortal. Not eldritch or haunting like a recording of Queen Beryl she'd heard, but there was a similarity. The little filly gasped, “How did you know?” “I have a friend who can see the future,” Celestia said, “Not as well as he says he can but enough that it can be hoofy at times. I believe Miss Quickfix is taking you back to your world now?” Chibi Moon smiled and nodded, “Yep. I had some fun making cookies with Sunset for her momma while I was here though.” Celestia’s smile became warmer at that, “What a nice filly you are.” She let her wing pat Chibi’s head, which made her feel even better, “I won’t keep you. However, I have one thing to ask of you.” “What is it?” Chibi had trusted her Celestia as she was Princess Luna’s big sister. She didn’t talk to her that much, but Luna trusted her greatly. That and Celestia was a nice princess. So she’d do what she was told. “I want you to give this to a Mister Rodan,” Celestia magicked up a large scroll and gave it to the small filly. She put it in the little rucksack along with her ingredient, “Don’t open it. It’s for his eyes only, okay?” Chibi nodded and saluted, “Okay. You can count on me, Princess Celestia-gozen!” Chibi then walked out with Quickfix, a new side quest opening up for her adventure. “It does my heart good to see fillies like her in other worlds,” Celestia said as she walked into the kitchen. She moved over and hugged her daughter, who was looking over her spread of cookies, “It’s good to see you again, my little one.” “Good to see you too, mom,” Sunset said as she nuzzled the alicorn, “Baked you some cookies.” “Splendid,” Celestia said, “I see that you had fun with Chibi Moon.” “How did you know I was…" Sunset's face scrunched up at her mother, "Did you talk to Anrain?” Chibi Moon raised an eyebrow at the unicorn princess and Sunset nodded to her, "They're deer seer. Long story." "You're world has a lot of psychics it seems," Chibi Moon hummed as she rubbed her chin. Sunset shrugged but nodded. Celestia nodded, “Yes, he did stop by. Truthfully I needled it out of him because I was bored,” She chuckled, “Anyways, let’s dig in.” Sunset quirked an eyebrow at her mother, “You aren’t planning something, are you?” Princess Celestia shot her a sly smirk, “Why ever would you think that of me, my precious daughter?” “Because you don’t just ask for future visions because you’re bored,” Sunset deadpanned. Celestia laughed and patted her head, “You don’t have to worry about anything, my sweet Sunset. Everything will work out for the best, I can assure you. Now let’s share these delicious cookies!” "Hai!" Chibi Moon eagerly agreed. ========== Canterlot ========== Chibi Moon busily worked in her study, having taken the precaution of moving her build project to a rental studio away from the castle and school. Partially to allow privacy and ensure her Sensei didn't catch on, and partially in case this went south and she had to try several times. Clad in a chef's hat and apron, she gathered her materials together, all the delicious foodstuffs and ingredients she had amassed so far, all set atop a scroll with Neighponese and Equestrian runes written upon it. After very carefully, and more than a bit awkwardly, putting Pinkie Pie's tail hairs near the surge crystal Xenilla had given her, she backed up and prepared. Biting her tongue as she concentrated after downing another mug of coffee, Chibi Moon's horn ignited and she grinned. Time to make a cake!