//------------------------------// // Leaving Brain in Charge/Opaline enters Warnerstock // Story: G5 Adventures in Wakko's Wish 2 // by ponydog127 //------------------------------// Misty was quite surprised to discover that the Warners and the other ponies saw Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Warners’ parents in their dreams… but she understood why she probably wouldn’t have been involved-- she brought Opaline back, and it would probably bring back a lot of memories for her with Opaline if she saw Princess Twilight there. Nevertheless, she was willing to help do whatever she could to help the Warners and her friends in their task. XXXXXXXX At breakfast the next morning, everyone was bustling to prepare for the journey ahead. “My princes and princess, are you sure this decision is wise?” Brain asked the young siblings as they raced around to pack. “This mission could be very risky, and no one needs to know the real reason that you’re leaving the borders of the country. What if someone were to overthrow you while you’re gone?” “Brain, I highly doubt anyone would overthrow the Warners, but we have the castle guards on high alert,” Zipp said as she carried some of Dot’s clothes to her. “And besides, we’ve been planning on leaving you in charge of the castle, just to make sure things go smoothly.” To be quite honest, Brain wasn’t expecting this-- he always assumed that they’d leave someone incompetent in charge. “Me?” “Well, you do know more about the kingdom than the rest of us,” Wakko agreed. “Yeah,” Yakko nodded. “We can’t see anyone-- er, anymouse more capable of running Warnerstock than you.” Brain grinned at this-- maybe taking over Warnerstock wasn’t going to be as hard as he thought it would. But… what was that ticking feeling in his chest that was telling him that this wasn’t right? Guilt? No… that couldn’t be it. Putting his feelings in the back of his mind, Brain bowed to the Warners. “You can have total and empathic faith in me, your highnesses. Warnerstock will be in good paws with me.” “And you meant me too, right?” Pinky asked from Pipp’s mane, causing her to yelp in surprise. “Pinky! What the hey?!” the pink pegasus demanded. “Oh, sorry for startling you, Pipp,” Pinky apologized, “but your mane looked so soft and poofy I had to try it for meself!” “...I’m not sure whether I should be disturbed or thankful for the compliment,” Pipp shuddered as she picked Pinky off of her mane and back onto the ground. “Come on, guys,” Zipp urged the Warners. “We should probably announce to the village that we’re leaving within the hour, and having Brain take charge until we come back.” XXXXXXXXX The herald sent a message all throughout the village, trumpets blaring as the villagers gathered in front of the castle, murmuring about the Warners’ news until they emerged, causing the crowd to cheer. “Citizens of Acme Falls!” Yakko called. “Our pony friends have returned, and upon grave circumstances, or any circumstances at all, we must assist them on a journey that… well… we don’t know how long we’ll be gone.” “But don’t worry! We’re leaving Prime Minister Brain in charge until we come back!” Dot called out. “Yeah,” Wakko nodded innocently. “It’s not like there’s going to be some sort of conflict here while we’re gone… right, Prime Minister?” “But of course,” Brain bowed, and no one noticed the wicked wink he gave to Pinky, or the blank stare that Pinky gave back at him in confusion. “We’ll take great care of your rulers,” Zipp assured the townsfolk. “They’re family, and family always sticks up for one another. Now, we trust you will help the prime minister by keeping the peace for yourselves, and do Acme Falls and all of Warnerstock proud. Royal meeting adjourned!” The townsfolk began to depart from the royal courtyard, and the Warners led the ponies, with their things, down to the gates. “Here, Pinky,” Sunny said as she handed the mouse a cell phone. “Pipp always has a backup phone for emergencies-- call us on this if there’s ever anything strange going on… or if something Opaline-related arises.” “You can count on us, great alicorn Sunny Starscout, to protect the kingdom while you are away,” Brain said courteously, and exchanging farewells, the group set off in the direction that the ponies’ cutie mark magic lit up for them. As soon as they were out of earshot, Brain wickedly looked up at the castle before turning to Pinky. “Come, my friend… we must settle into our new roles and prepare for tonight!” “Why, Brain? What are we going to do tonight?” asked Pinky innocently. “The same thing we do every night, Pinky,” Brain said. “Try to take over the world…!! While also trying to keep Warnerstock at peace, to not arouse suspicion from our Equestrian allies.” XXXXXXXX “AAAAAAARGH!!!” Opaline threw a potion bottle across the room in anger. She had seen and heard everything that the group had seen… other than when she was kicked out of the ponies’ and Warners’ dreams by Twilight Sparkle’s spirit in the celestial plain. “How DARE she come into my limelight after all these moons and ruin EVERYTHING?!” The purple alicorn took a breath once she heard the echoing of her voice come back to her, and she looked toward Misty’s quarters. She had not been in there and quite some time… and she had been missing-- no… she wasn’t about to give in to the whole friendship and love thing. She had denied it for years, and there was no going takesies-backsies now. “Luckily,” Opaline said to herself as she lifted a vial from the mirror pool, “the potion I’ve been working on is finally ready. One drop of this on my horn, and I should be able to teleport to wherever Sunny, Misty and those intreped ponies have gone… then no place will have a chance against me.” The dark fiery alicorn took a breath… here went everything. She dipped the small drop of swamp-green potion onto the tip of her horn, and instantly, it dissolved and swirled around it with power. “Yes… YES!!!” Opaline cried victoriously-- it was working! Just as she had hoped! She blasted the wall next to her throne and flew into it without a second to spare. XXXXXXXX After a series of flashes of light, Opaline realized she had broken free of her castle prison, and was now in the kingdom of Warnerstock, causing her to begin to cackle. “Yes… now, Sunny Starscout… your friends and their kingdom will be the first to go… and then… Equestria is MINE!!!! AHHHHHH HA HA HA HA HA!!!!”