//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: G5: trip of friendship // by Cristel //------------------------------// The mane five were heartbroken for the ponies of FunMagic. This post-apocalyptic nightmare was certainly not a place anyone would want to call home. But then Sunny came up with a brilliant plan. "Why don't we help fix everything?" she suggested. Artsy and Sunflower sighed. "You have a lot of optimism, but you can't possibly fix all that is wrong in FunMagic ." Artsy lamented. "Furthermore, with Shadow and the Coven in the different areas of this place, it's unsafe for ponies to enter." Sunflare added. "We have to try. We can't let FunMagic be a place of despair and ruins." Sunny justified. "There's so much that can be unicycled to bring it back to life!" Izzy bubbled. "And we will always help a pony in need, no matter the danger!" Hitch confirmed. Artsy and Sunflower were still unsure. They had faked optimism before to keep the ponies of Sunmusentville's morale up, but they quickly lost hope for a better life as well. "Let's start by restoring faith to the ponies here." Sunny smiled, "let's split up." Artsy and Sunflower are stood silently watching them. They couldn't believe how upbeat these ponies were about saving their home. Izzy saw that blue lavender earth pony who had previously shunned them. She had Fly by Night colored mane and her cutie mark was an ink pen. "Hello there! I'm Izzy Moonbow! What's your name?" The lavender blue pony just shrugged and looked down. "It's Inky Collage." she responded in a monotone voice. Izzy gasped in delight. "Your name starts with i too? We have something in common already!" Izzy squealed. Izzy's cheerful demeanor put Inky off a little. "Whoop-de-doodly-doo." she said sarcastically, "now don't you have anything better to do?" "Well…." Izzy began sounding like she was about to sing. "No wait, that was a rhetorical question!" Inky clarified. But it was too late. Izzy burst into song: I could make a new friend thanks for the magic of friendship You can make friends and spend days with them and unicycle together We could turn these scraps into a motorcycle! These broken bumper cars used to ride, We can unicycle them into a slide! these old tickets which are a mess, Can be unicycled into a pretty dress! If you use your imagination on these broken pieces, You'll finally be able to know what peace is! Inky was quite interested in what Izzy was saying about unicycling. "Ok, show me more." Inky urged. Izzy did indeed pick up the smooshed tickets scattered throughout Sunmusentville and began working her magic, transforming them into a gown. "Wow, that's actually very good. How do you do that?" Inky complimented. "Just look for whatever I can find and let my imagination do the rest!" Izzy encouraged. Inky chuckled but then let out a sad sighed. "Geez, It's been a long time since I've allowed my imagination to flow." "How come?" Izzy asked. Inky sighed again and explained grimly, "I used to be a face painter for the visitors of Joyland. When shadow and his soldiers destroyed everything, I realized that no amount of art could save me from this misery, so I gave up." Izzy was appalled. She used arts and crafts to keep herself occupied when she was upset. She wanted Inky to see things from a different perspective. "Here, why don't you use your amazing painting skills to give the unicycled goods an even more colorful look?!" Izzy prompted. "I haven't picked up a brush in years, I don't know if I can still do it." "Sure you can! Creativity is something that stays with you, like learning how to roller skate or tap dance with a tennis ball on your horn!" Izzy handed her the ticket dress. Inky retreated back to her circus tent-like home in a hurry, like if she didn't want to do it. Izzy sighed, disappointed, and was about to go back to her friends. At that precise moment, Inky appeared with a face-painting kit. Izzy exclaimed and grinned her brightest smile. Inky painted the outfit with rainbow colored flowers, butterflies, and stars. It was the prettiest thing she'd ever seen in a long time. She hugged Izzy and the two began unicycling around the trashy town together.