Equestria, the world of sentient talking ponies. Some have wings and can fly, others have horns that allow them to use magic, and then there’s the normal pony. Pegasus, unicorn, and earth ponies each have their own unique role to play displayed by an image on their flanks called “Cutie-marks.”
This story follows three friends, a unicorn, a pegasus, and an earth pony, as they travel over Equestria coming into situations that some may call “weird”. Cookies N Cream, the somewhat effeminate white bodied, black and white swirly mane and tailed unicorn stallion with a chocolate chip cookie cutie-mark, reads a book in a wagon pulled by a fairly huge, blue bodied with a cloud shaped cloudy white mane and tailed pegasus stallion with a half note and a beamed note in one whole 4 note measure on his flank, Alto Tenor. Circling them is a light orange bodied, dark red mane and tailed earth pony, Hopeful Journey, has a light red heart shape on his backside. Their eyes, gray, light blue, and dark blue respectively. The three of them approach the small town of Buckfield.
“Cookies, are we there yet?” The orange stallion inquired.
“There? As far as I know, we’ve been wandering aimlessly that I’m actually surprised that there is a town up on horizon. So, I guess the answer is no then.” Cookies said with a slight chuckle.
“Is that place host the Summer Sun Celebration?” The orange stallion pointed toward Buckfield.
“My dear Hope, sometimes I worry about your reading level. There is a sign on the outskirts of that town that says in big letters ‘Welcome to Buckfield.’ I’m sure even Alto here can read it.” Alto Tenor nodded in agreement.
“Aww phooey. Al has eyes like a hawk and you probably used some sort of spell from that book you’re reading to read his mind. I don’t got the eyes and the magic for that stuff.”
“oh, ho ho! You make me laugh, but this isn’t a spell book. It’s a cookbook.” Cookies shows Hope the pictures of food in the book. After a brief pause, both Cookies and Hope burst out into laughter. Alto Tenor let’s out a muted chuckle with them.
The trio enter Buckfield and park their wagon by a fountain in the commercial district. Cookies N Cream puts a couple of bits into two small sacks and tosses one to Hope while putting the other in his saddle bag. Alto Tenor lifts an instrument case out of the wagon.
“Here’s the deal, friends. I’ll look for somepony that can get us to Ponyville or is able to direct us to the place. Alto, play that instrument of yours. Gather up a crowd and get us some bits for the road. Hope…” The unicorn looks around the area before pointing at a building. “There is a small library over there, see if they have any spell books. You can also see if they have one of those picture books you are oh so fond of.” The two then separate, leaving Alto Tenor by the wagon as he sets up a spot to play his instrument and gather tips.
Hopeful Journey enters the library he was directed to. Inside is a rather camped room with full bookshelves up against the wall. At the center of the room is a pegasus mare with a dark green body and an auburn brown mane and tail. On her flank is a compass with the red needle pointing at the N. She stands behind a desk where there is a movable name plate that says “Facing North: Mare Librarian.”
Hopeful Journey approaches the mare whilst looking at all the books. Upon reaching her, he squints at the name plate before looking back at her. “Excuse me miss… Mare Librarian… do you have any spells books?”
The mare rolls her hazel eyes at the confusion of her name. “It’s Facing North, but most call me Mareian.” She says with a sigh. “This may be a library, but this isn’t Canterlot’s School for Gifted Unicorns. We may have one spell book if you would like me to check?”
“That would be nice, thanks.”
Back at the wagon, Alto Tenor gathers a plethora of ponies, enjoying the performance given to them; some even leave some bits in his instrument case. “How are you able to bend your wings that way? I can’t even write with mine.” Alto shrugged in response to the pony’s question and continued to play his instrument.
Wandering through town, Cookies N Cream goes from pony to pony. “Excuse me, but do you know how to get to Ponyville from here?” Each time he asks he gets similar responses all amounting to no. “Excuse me, but do you know how to get to Ponyville from here?” he asks again and again receives the same results.
“Buckfield is the Nowhere of Equestria. Not many ponies here know anything outside of here.” A brownish stallion with fiery red mane and tail wearing sunglasses approaches Cookies N Cream. On his flank is a microphone held up by a mic stand. “You should be asking if ponies know a pony who knows the ways around Equestria.” The stallion removes his glasses revealing a similarly brown pair of eyes.
“Pardon me, but who are you?”
“You’ll know who I am when you see my name up in lights, but that’s not the question you need to ask.” The stallion waves over a nearby pony. “You over there, do you know of any ponies who know the way around Equestria?”
The pony pondered, placing a hoof on their chin. “Oh yeah! South Pole did some traveling with his sister in order to get books outside of our little town. They work at the library.”
Cookies eyes widened at the word ‘library’. “Thank you very much.” The brown stallion thanked the pony. “It was good meeting you little unicorn lass, but I have to meet my agent for lunch. If you’re going to Ponyville for the Summer Sun Celebration then I’ll see you there.” With that the stallion trotted away from Cookies N Cream who immediately rushes back to the wagon.
The crowd gathered around Alto has grown rapidly. The area is so dense with ponies that any normal sized pony wouldn’t be able to make their way to the source. However, after a string of apologies, Cookies N Cream is able to reach his friend. “Collect all the bits you’ve gathered, Alto, because I think I’ve found somepony who may help us.”
“Found it!” Hope exclaimed.
“The book you are looking for?” Mareian asked.
Hope shows her an issue of Cheese Mare #5 “Even better, CHEESE MARE! You know, earlier issues are hard to come by. This one is special because it introduces Cheese Mare’s sidekick, Onion Colt.” He then starts turning the pages and intently ““““““reading”””””” the comic. “Even though he’s Onion Colt, he’s older than Cheese Mare herself. One of my favorite running gags.” Mareian rolls her eyes and continues sifting through the bookshelves.
“Excuse us!” The library door opens to reveal Alto and Cookies. “Is this the place where we can find one South Pole and sister?”
“Facing North.” Mareian says and then she slowly approaches the duo with an eyebrow raised. “Polo isn’t here right now can I help you with anyth-”
“SISTER!!!” Before Mareian could finish asking if the two needing anything, a voice from upstairs. With the voice came the sounds of hoof steps from the ceiling eventually leading to the stairwell in the back corner of the library. All eyes lay on a pegasus stallion with the same colors as Mareian but with a shorter tail, shorter mane, and on his flank, instead of a compass, is a map with a dotted line leading to an X. “This giant virtuoso is headed straight for our…” He pauses as his eyes lay on the two who have already entered the library. “…library… heh heh.” He smiles as wide as he possibly can as his cheeks begin to turn a shade of pink.
“As I was saying,” Mareian turns herself toward Alto and Cookies. “can we help you with anything?”
“Hi Cookies! They have Cheese Mare #5!” Hope waves to his friends with the comic in his other hoof.
“Hello there, Hope.” Cookies greets his friend with a smile before turning his head toward the mare in the room. “Yes, miss North. My companion over there may have asked you for a spell book, but I’ve come here asking for a traveling companion. You see, we are looking for a way to Ponyville for the Summer Sun Celebration, but unfortunately none of us are navigators. I heard through the grapevine that South Pole and his sister have traveled outside of this town to other places across Equestria and was wondering if they could take my companions and I to Ponyville.”
“I didn’t think I was that famous.” The green stallion said.
“It’s a better rumor than entering buildings and homes through a window Polo.” Mareian scoffed. “Hate to break it to you, but Polo isn’t much of a navigator, more of a cartographer; he writes his directions but is unable to follow them. I’d gladly assist you, but I can’t afford to close the library for a non-business venture.”
Before Cookies could begin to barter, Alto places a large sack containing bits on Mareian’s desk. The mare begins counting all the bits as they pour out the sack. “That’s a lot of bits, sis.” South Pole points out. “But you’re too worried about this place. I can handle the library business myself and these ponies gave us enough bits to pay the bills and then some.” South Pole places his hoof on his sister’s shoulder. “Follow your dreams, North, you don’t have to be with me all the time.”
There was a brief silence before Mareian teared up and hugged her brother.
“FOUND IT!” All eyes point toward the mood ending Hope who is trying to pull a book out of a bookshelf with his teeth. “I’h shehs sbellboo wan wah cober.”
“Don’t speak with food in your mouth, Hope. How many times have I told you this?” Cookies removes the book from his friend’s mouth and brings it to himself. “‘Grogar’s Spells for Experts’ and it’s been translated 18 times so chances are that the title and spells are not properly…” Hope sighs with a frown as he tries to take the book from Cookies. “…But I think I can finagle some of these spells into something useful.”
Mareian wipes her eye as she steps away from her brother. “Polo, get the map from upstairs.” Mareian asked her brother. “Listen here, Ponyville is a long way away from here, at least on hoof. Instead, we will be going to the nearest place with a train station, which should be…” At this point South Pole lays out a map on the library desk. “here.” Mareian plants her hoof on the map to a location marked ‘Los Pegasus’. “The train there goes to Appleoosa to Ponyville so we’ll be making a stop there, but it’s the fastest way to Ponyville that I know of.”
“Sounds neat.” Cookies says with a smile on his face. “Get to the wagon every pony, looks like we’re going to Los Pegasus.”
With Facing North, AKA Mareian the librarian, as their navigator, the three, now four, pack all their things into the wagon and leave Buckfield. South Pole waves her sister goodbye as Alto pulls the wagon out of town. Every once and a while, Hope switches out with Alto when it came to pulling the wagon. Eventually they made it to Los Pegasus.
The Evening sunlight shines through the ‘Ponywood’ sign as the group parks the wagon at one of Los Pegasus’ biggest public parks. “This is Los Pegasus? I thought Los Pegasus had bright lights, rollercoasters, and fireworks.” Hope pondered.
“huuuuh” Mareian sighed, “That’s Las Pegasus. This is Los Pegasus, where films are made and celebrities all over the place, at least that’s what the welcome sign suggests.”
“Never mind that, my friend. We’re a bit low on bits at the moment. Could you and Alto become street performers to earn us some bits for the road?”
“You can count on us, Cookie.” Hope answers with a tiny salute. “Come on, Al. I’ll go juggle some pinecones. You play that fancy instrument of yours.” Alto and Hope trot a fair distance away and start performing for passing ponies.
“You know, I never met a trio of kooky stallions until today. Mind if I ask you some questions about your little group.” Mareian asked the white and black unicorn.
“Ask away, Miss North. As long as I get the opportunity to ask you a thing or two.”
“Deal.” Mareian lifts her hoof up to Cookies and the both shake on it. “First question, what’s the relationship between you three?”
“Is it that difficult to understand? We’re childhood friends… though if you want to know when we first met, my father and their father were and are rather close so when Mister Thunderstorm and Missus Sound would come to visit, they’d bring Alto and Hope with them.” Cookies starts to look down with a bit of a blush. “and sometimes they’d bring Miss Sky with them.” He clears his throat before looking back at Mareian. “Back at Buckfield, your brother mentioned something about following your dreams. What exactly are your ‘dreams’ that would warrant you to help three strangers navigate their way to Ponyville?”
“There isn’t anything ‘dream’ worthy about wanting to leave Buckfield. I just couldn’t leave my brother behind, but he didn’t seem to want to leave. It pulled at my heartstrings at how supportive he was with me leaving.” Mareian rubs her eyes. “Great, now you got me teary eyed. You said ‘their father’ but only seemed to mention one Mister and one Miss, did I mishear something?”
“Your ears are perfectly fine. Mister Roaring Thunderstorm and Missus Speed Sound are the parents of Alto Tenor, Hopeful Journey…” Cookies looks down and blushes again. “…and Sky Sonata…” He then lifts his head back up again. “They may not look like it, but Alto and Hope were raised under the same roof for as long as I can remember. Now, how did you start getting interested in ‘navigation’?”
“It all started when my brother and I got lost in the woods when we were foals. We took some time to think and how we could get back home until Polo was able to scribble up a map retracing our path the way back home. Unfortunately for Polo, he was unable to get his bearing right, but fortunately for us I could understand where we were on the map. Once we got home, we began to literally glow and, wouldn’t you know, we got our cutie-marks.” Mareian let out a sigh. “My next question: you have, what looks to be, a baking related cutie-mark, but you have a strong desire to study magic. Is there any reason for these differing hobbies?”
“A pegasus like you would never understand how useful spells can be. I use a spell that is supposed to heat up the targets body in the extreme cold to warm up food and, in some cases, make something delicious. There are time manipulation spells that I use to speed up baking. There is also teleportation, use sugar instead of salt? With a bit of concentration, you can clean up every little piece of sugar without throwing everything you poured sugar onto away. In a word, convenience.” Cookies taps his hoof on his chin for a moment. “Were you… aware…o-o-of-f-f-f-f-f.”
Towering behind Mareian, is a large pegasus mare. Her fur is a sky blue while her long and flowing mane is colored white, a lighter white than on Alto. Her cutie mark is that of a blue jay singing to a cloud. The sun reflects off of her deep blue eyes as she smiles at the black and white stallion. “I didn’t expect to see such a familiar face in Los Pegasus.” Cookies quickly composes himself and immediately stands up straight. “I did expect to see unfamiliar faces. Is this your marefriend?” The near Celestia sized pegasus said with a light giggle.
Any composure Cookies had melts away as he tries to speak. “ma-ma-ma-MAREFRIEND!? No, no, no Sky, you got it all wrong.” Cookies curly mane uncurls and droops itself in front of his eyes and inside his mouth.
“Sorry, you must be mistaken. We barely know each other. I’m essentially a guide for him and his friends as they head to Ponyville.” Mareian buts in.
“Oh, I know that. Cookie isn’t the type of stallion to jump into a relationship like that. I just like teasing him is all.” The mare slightly raises her hoof to Mareian. “My name is Sky Sonata.”
“Facing North.” Mareian raises her own hoof and the two shake hooves. “Most ponies call me Mareian. So, you are the ‘Miss Sky’ this fool was talking about?”
Sky faces her head toward Cookies, who is brushing his mane by hoof into the usual curl. “Still using formalities, aren’t ya?” A shocked gasp exits his mouth as his mane flops onto his snout. With a giggle, Sky turns her head to Mareian. “Indeed I am. Nice to meet you, Mareian.”
“SIS!” A shout draws the two mares’ attention. “OVER HERE!” A short distance away they see a crowd where tiny balls of fire hop up and down along with a familiar orange hoof. “WHOOPS!” A loud thud rumbles through the park as the dense crowd begins to disperse revealing Alto and Hope along with a couple of small black ball-like things. The orange stallion starts charging toward Sky and almost tackles her with a hug. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing? (We’re trying to get to Ponyville.) I’m inspecting the weather factories around Equestria and today is the day I’m checking this town’s factory.” Sky said with Mareian interjecting. “It’s great to see you all but I should get going. I’m still on the clock after all.”
“SKY WAIT!” All eyes point toward the small white stallion who finally arranges his mane back into a curl. A moment of silence freezes the group. All Cookies N Cream could say was: “It was good to see you.” The gargantuan mare nodded with a smile before flying away.
Alto Tenor arrives to the scene, tossing a sack of bits toward Mareian. She looks at the sack and over at Cookies. “You know, I could have already bought the train tickets to Appleoosa, right?” Without much of a reaction, Cookies’ curly mane plops straight down.
The group head down to Los Pegasus train station and bought 5 tickets for themselves and the wagon for the next train to Appleoosa. A short moment later and the group is transported to their destination without much of a problem.
Out in the desert lies the town of Appleoosa, covered in the blue hue of the moonlight. At the train station waits a daisy yellow pony with golden locks for a mane. On her flank is an upward facing horseshoe detailed with seven four leaf clovers with a rainbow going through the gap of the horseshoe. She is styled with a red bandana as a scarf and a brown cowboy hat. Despite the lack of light at night, her eyes sparkle a light green tint. She looks to the train approaching, taking a couple deep breaths as it docks into the station.
Four Ponies exit the train. The first to come out is a light orange earth pony, followed by a green pegasus mare, a below average sized black and white unicorn in the middle of reading a fairly large book, and at the end and halfway out of the train is a giant blue pegasus attempting to pull the wagon out of the train. They are then greeted with a “Welcome to APPLEOOSA!!!” by the daisy yellow earth pony. Extending her hoof into a welcoming arch, she hits a lantern hung by a hook causing it to rotate on the hook until it gets launched into the face of Hopeful Journey, knocking him out to the floor. The force of his fall causes Mareian to be pushed into the spell book Cookies was reading, hitting Alto Tenor with a loud *THUNK* causing Alto to then collapse on top of Cookies, who was unable to react in time before being crushed by his significantly larger friend. Mareian, on the other hand, successfully dodged the falling giant, however in doing so she flew upwards and ends up hitting her head on the ceiling beam of the train station. The wagon that Alto was pulling wheels itself back into the train as it leaves the station. All four ponies lay unconscious in front of the yellow pony who had welcomed them all. “Not again…”
Hope awakens in a hospital bed with a bandage wrapped around his head. Looking around, he sees three other beds containing the three ponies he came to Appleoosa with. The clock in the room shows the time to be roughly 6:15. With one swift turn of his head, his snout comes into contact with a familiar daisy yellow snout. It was the mare from the train station who was in the middle of fluffing his pillow. “G’morning Hope.” The mare said with a scrunched snoot, looking Hope straight into his eyes.
There is a motionless silence between them as their snoots remain connected. “Good morning?” The sound of the ticking second hand of the clock in the only thing that can be heard and the only thing moving in this still scene. “Who are you and how do you know my name?”
“Oh yeah!” The mare pulls her face away from Hope causing him to lose balance, but thankfully not fall out of his bed. “Well, ya see, you’re the last one to awaken, given that blunt force trauma ya received. Yer friends woke up an hour later. That Cookies n Crem feller told me about ya.” The mare helps Hope carefully place himself correctly into bed. “Name’s Horseshoes. Lucky Horseshoes. Sorry about everything.”
Hope let’s out a hearty chuckle. “I don’t see what you have to apologize for. Accidents happen all the time.”
“Well… there’s more to that. It’s jus’ that Crem was asking where ‘the wagon’ was and it turns out that during that accident ya’lls wagon wheeled itself back into the dang train.” Hope’s eyes shrunk as his jaw dropped. “Fortunately, that train made one las’ trip to Canterlot and, double fortunately, I have to ship some product over there, which, triple fortunately, finished growing today.” With that final note, Hope let’s out an exasperated sigh as he closes his eyes.
A few hours and a release from the hospital later, the gang find themselves back inside a train with them is Lucky Horseshoes and several planting pots. Inside the pot, as expected, is dirt, but what grows inside each pot are bountiful clumps of four-leaf clovers. Hope looks at the clovers with wide eyes while Lucky waters a couple of them. Alto looks out of the window while Cookies sits on the train seat and read his book from the night before. Mareian stares directly at Lucky with a raised eyebrow.
“Seems kind of convenient that you just so happen to know where our wagon is?” Lucky turns her head to Mareian and nodded. “It also is rather convenient that, not only do you have to make a delivery to the same place, but that you were able to get enough ponies to help you do this in one trip?” Lucky nods her head again. “Not just any delivery, you are delivering four-leaf clovers to the Princess for the Summer Sun Celebration. It may not be Ponyville, but it seems awfully convenient that our destinations at the end of this all are similar?”
“My life’s fulla conveniences, normally at the inconvenience of others.” Lucky answers with a shrug. “The wagon should be at the lost and found where most of my ‘accidents’ end up”
The answer left a blank expression on Mareian’s face. Before being able to make a retort, the train makes its stop at the Canterlot train station.
“Come on, fellers, I’ll show ya’ll the way. Make sure to bring them clovers.” The group follow Lucky, carrying the pots along with them. They enter an area marked ‘Lost & Found’ with a pony in uniform standing by. The employee looks at Lucky in the eyes and then with a smile and a scoff points them to the direction of a wagon. An orange red blur whizzes by them and straight to the wagon.
“Is it here? Where is it? WHERE IS IT!?” Hope rapidly sifts through the contents of the wagon, tossing out each item in his way. Alto is able to catch his instrument case in his hooves. Cookies gets one of his books tossed at him, landing open on his face. “IT’S GOTTA BE HERE!” Papers fly out of the wagon. Mareian tries to collect each one of them in the air before they scatter on the ground. “FOUND IT!” The group regain their focus back to the wagon. Slowly an object is being raised with an angelic note courtesy of Hope’s mouth. In Hope’s hoof is a wicker picnic basket with “Hopeful Journey” woven on the lip of the basket mouth.
“uhh… that there’s an ordinary baskit, was it all necessary to toss ‘round the other stuff?” The yellow earth pony asked.
Hugging the basket tenderly, Hope replies with a smile, “Yes.”
Walking down the halls of Canterlot Castle, there is a young mare wearing a helm that covers her face accompanied by a grassy green dragon. The mare is of a deep purple shade with a turquoise mane with light purple highlights, mane exploding out the helm in a volcanic fashion. Her tail is straight and trimmed in its turquoise colors. On her flank is a helmet similar to the ones the royal guards wear, shined in shades of blue and purple. The purple eyed dragon accompanying her on all fours, trots underneath her pony partner. His scales are as green as the grass with a light red and greenish yellow belly with asymmetric yet smooth horns of the same color.
“You know, EC, you’re a real hard worker for the princess.” The dragon spoke.
“Well, she is the princess, Scales. She’s the reason why we’re here together, whether directly or indirectly. She holds a tremendous amount of respect and I would do anything for her without hesitation.” The mare in the helm echoed.
“Would explain why you didn’t flinch when she told you that you’d be spending time in Ponyville even after the Summer Sun Celebration. But hey, you are, the one and only, Enchanted Crown.” The dragon responded with a shrug.
Marching down the hallways is a tall white stallion donning purple and gold armor. His mane covered by his helm, but his tail shines with shades of blue. “Captain Shinning Armor!” The helmed mare exclaimed, standing aside for the stallion with a salute. Scales slowly joins alongside Enchanted Crown in her salute, but is more relaxed in his posture.
“At ease, Miss Crown.” The mare stops saluting but still looks forward, standing straight and tall. “Relax EC. You’re not a member of the royal guard so you don’t have to act like one around me.”
“Sorry sir.” Enchanted Crown tilts her head downward as the rest of her body slumps. “It’s just that, well… you’re the CAPTAIN of the ROYAL GUARD. You’re one of the most respected ponies in Canterlot that isn’t the princess herself.”
“It’s nice of you to say that, but don’t forget that there are some ponies that respect you. Twily admires your fearlessness, despite the fact that you cover your face all the time.” Shining Armor lifts Enchanted Crown’s chin up with his hoof.
“Twilight really thinks that way about me? If anything, she’s the fearless one. After… that time… I heard ponies saying that she wouldn’t be much of anything compared to the rest of Celestia’s students, but she’s overcome all the obstacles and is able to keep up with me.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’ve done some pretty spectacular things too.” Shinning Armor nudges to Scales who has been moving all around the hall while the two were talking, going unnoticed. “Anyways, I’d love to stay and chat, but the princess sent me and my platoon on a mission to take on some monsters running rampant in the Badlands. So, I’ll see you when I get back… hopefully.” Shining Armor begins to trot away.
“Scales, send a letter.” The dragon sighs and pulls out a scroll and a quiver and begins writing.
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I apologize for contacting you this way, but seeing that I’ll won’t be in Canterlot in the foreseeable future, we’ll be writing letters to each other from now on. Since I won’t be in Canterlot, my library of books will go unread, so I grant you permission to use my study… although you could already use it implicitly. Am I being too rude, Scales? Scales, why are you still writing? Stop. What do you mean “too late”? Ok ok…
You are a dear friend to me and there is no one else that I can trust with my study other than you. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover something in the books there that I didn’t notice… not that I left something for you… UHG! Scales, you don’t have to write everything I say! Never mind that. Hope you have a great time there.
Sincerely,
Enchanted Crown
P.S.
Lol spike, what’s up?
~scales
Having finished writing, Scales then breaths fire on the scroll, turning it into ashes in the wind. “I will never understand how burning a letter magically sends it to the correct place, but hey, that’s life.” Scales said with a shrug.
“D’livery!” The castle doors burst open revealing a wagon and a group of five ponies carrying a potted plant with them. “One d’livery fer Princess Celestia from Appleoosa. Ya’lls clovers be ready now.” The yellow earth pony in the cowboy hat and bandana scarf.
Enchanted Crown calmly approaches the group with Scales slowly following. Upon a closer inspection of the group, the potted plants that they have contain four-leaf clovers in them. “Ah yes. Celestia told me that the clovers would arrive at the castle sometime soon.”
“’Kay, G’bye.” The yellow mare turns around and start trotting out the door.
“Wait!” Enchanted Crown shouts. “Celestia said that the clovers would be coming one at a time and that once that happens, I’d leave for Ponyville with them, but since you already brought a crew to bring them here, would it be so hard to change the destination?”
The yellow mare lets out a deep sigh. “Will ya be paying fer our labor?” She looks back at her with a raised brow.
“Hahaha!” The loud laughter comes from the wagon, drawing Enchanted Crown’s attention. “Looks like we’re getting a ride straight to Ponyville, boys. And helping out with the Summer Sun Celebration directly is always a plus.” A small bodied, white and black unicorn hops off the wagon. “Miss Mareian, we are no longer in need of your service, but you are free to join us the rest of the way.” The unicorn says, turning his head toward a green pegasus.
The pegasus scoffs. “You think I’d pass up an opportunity to help and possibly meet the princess? Besides, once this is all over, you’d still be lost without me.”
“WE’RE GOING TO HELP THE PRINCESS! WE’RE GOING TO HELP THE PRINCESS!” The orange and red earth pony sang as he hopped around a gigantic sky blue pegasus, who keeps on a straight face all the while.
“Miss Horseshoes, if you are worried about pay, then I’ll pay you for it.” The unicorn says to the yellow mare. He then begins to trot toward Enchanted Crown and Scales, extending a hoof out to them. “Cookies N Cream. Pleasure to meet you miss…?”
“Crown.” She raises her hoof and begins to shake Cookies’ hoof. “Enchanted Crown, and this here is my dragon, Scales. Pleasure to meet you too, Cookies N Cream, and to you all as well.”
“Facing North”
“Lucky Horseshoes”
“I’m Hopeful Journey, and this is my brother, Alto Tenor.”
“Well ponies, looks like we’ve got a train to Ponyville to catch.” The group then begins to trot out of the castle.
“WAIT!” They all turnback toward Enchanted Crown. “There is another way to Ponyville that we can take.
In the sky, there is a hot air balloon and a wagon being charioted by 4 pegasus of the Royal Guard. In the wagon is Hope as he leans his body out of the wagon, looking down at Equestria below with wide eyes. Tied below the wagon is Lucky, whose bandana covers her eyes as she mimics walking in the air. Flying near Hope, keeping an eye on him is Alto. Over at the hot air balloon are Cookies and EC with the potted clovers taking up a majority of the space. Flying nearby is Mareian. Barely visible, clinging onto her is Scales.
“Wow, you three sure seem to have gone a long way if you had ended up at Buckfield from where you started.” EC pointed out.
“None of us knew exactly how to get to where we wanted, but they’re my best friends, they’re fun to be around. I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun.” Cookies let’s out a light chuckle. “So, what’s a mare like you doing in Canterlot Castle?”
“There isn’t much to that answer. I went to Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns and become one of the few students to pass a test to study magic directly under Celestia. That’s how I met Scales as well.” EC turns her head to Mareian, who has a scrunched-up muzzle and furrowed brow. “He likes to hide in plain sight, sorry about that.”
“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. If only the sky could be greener, anytime of the day.”
Mareian rolls her eyes. “Oh well, guess I’ll add ‘dragon sitter’ to my resume alongside ‘royal escort’.” She then proceeds to casually fly away from the balloon.
“My father wanted me to get accepted to that school.” Cookies says as he looks over to the wagon. “I passed all the tests needed to get accepted, but Father said that it didn’t matter if I went there or not. All that mattered was proving that I was gifted. So, I ended up not going and staying with them back home.”
“Wow, your father must really care about how you live your life then. I find it admirable that a parent would allow his child to choose between a highly prestigious school and their own dreams.”
“Pfft… Father just wants me to follow in his hooves is all. He also refused to attend that same school and still inherited the family business. My grandfather also did the same so I don’t think even he would care that I refused to go. Once I get that spark of inspiration, I’ll create something worthy of the family business, but hey, that’s the ego of the Creams.”
“For somepony with, what looks like a baking cutie-mark, I wouldn’t have expected you to be proficient enough in magic to be accepted into Canterlot’s School for Gifted Unicorns. We might have been classmates.” EC said, raising her hoof to the chin part of her helm. “Though, I’m glad you didn’t, cause then I wouldn’t hear such a fantastic story about your friendship… and we might never had talked to each other.”
“Maybe it’s hindsight, but I don’t think that would be the case. It doesn’t seem like me to leave a mare such as yourself by her lonesome.” Cookies turns towards EC, giving her a gleaming smile. “With that said, goodbye.” His horn begins to glow a white aura that slowly envelopes his entire body. He then turns towards the direction of the wagon, 2 meters below and roughly 10 meters in front of them. Cookies then leaps up to the lip of the basket of the hot air balloon and pushes himself off. Enchanted Crown lets out a gasp and looks down to find him, only to find that he hadn’t fallen the way she expected him to fall. In fact, he’s barely gone down an inch but still kept the forward momentum from when he pushed himself off. He ‘flies’ over the wagon with and lands causing no problem whatsoever. He then lays in the wagon, aura dispersing off his body, and onto a book, which is promptly opened and placed in front of Cookies.
The entire sequence of events left Enchanted Crown speechless. Trying to figure out why a pony would reject being a part of a school for gifted unicorns knowing an advanced level spell such as Feather Fall. She then shakes her head and begins to shout over at the wagon. “HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT KIND OF SPELL? WHY DO YOU KNOW THAT KIND OF SPELL?”
“I told you, I need to get a spark of inspiration. Part of the inspiration comes from the creativity of how you use certain spells.” The book closes and is presented to EC. “I collect and read spell books to find the right kind of spell to apply to everyday situations.” Cookies shouts, bringing the book back to himself, open.
The wagon makes a rather uncomfortable landing on the outskirts of Ponyville. A shriek is heard from underneath the wagon accompanied by a loud and low rumble. The wagon doesn’t make contact with the ground by the time the royal guards stopped moving. Instead, Lucky stands underneath, shaking. Not from the weight of the wagon, but in a futile attempt to remove her bandana off. A white glow envelops the bandana, adjusting it to be below. Lucky looks around herself, seeing that she’s on land she lets out a loud sigh.
Once the wagon has been properly placed down and the balloon lands, every pony grabs a pot from the balloon and into the wagon. Whilst doing so, a particularly pink pony stares at them as each one carefully positions the plants into the wagon. She stares at them until she gains the attention of Hopeful Journey. They stare blankly at each other as the stallion trots toward the mare.
“Hi.” The pink pony shrieks herself into the air before zooming away from the scene. “Neato.” Hope turns toward the group. “These Ponyville ponies sure seem fun.” He turns his head back into the direction that the pink pony zoomed off to. “Or at least that one had ‘fun’ written on her face, and party as well. I think she might be throwing a party for us.”
The remark piqued the interest of a certain pegasus mare. “How can you tell that? Not like she said anything to hint that.”
“Well, the same way I could tell that Lucky was more concerned about us getting paid for this rather than herself.” The gang all turn their heads towards Lucky, who could do nothing but sheepishly smile with a squeak.
“Do you still want me to cover for Miss Crown, Miss Horseshoes? Or are you fine with no pay?” Cookies says with a smug grin running across his snout.
Lucky lets out a defeated sigh. “It jus’ didn’t feel right. Ya’ll didn’t seem that mad after the incident, ya even went out of yer way to help me make this d’livery. It’s a kindness I don’t really deserve.” Lucky continues to place the last pot into the wagon. “I don’t even deserve the bits you were gonna give me. So puhlease, don’t bother thinkin bout it.”
“You said it yourself. Your life is full of conveniences.” Mareian lays a hoof on Lucky’s shoulder. “But please, don’t worry that you’re an inconvenience to us, because you’re not.” The two ponies embrace in a tight hug, or rather a quick hug as a small green dragon pops his head out between the two, gasping for air. Lucky and Mareian take a step back from each other as Scales faceplants onto the ground. “Oh yeah, almost forgot you were on me. How long were you planning to hitch a ride off me, anyway?”
Scales yawns. He gets up and stretch on his two legs, his joints and bones can be heard cracking as he does so. “Until I woke up?” Scales says with a shrug followed by a chorus of laughter from all the ponies.
“That was a good laugh every pony, but we should focus on delivering the clovers to the mayor.” EC says as she begins to pull the wagon with her magic.
The group nod in agreement and join in, whether by pulling or getting in the wagon. It doesn’t take long for them to reach the town hall, especially with Mareian taking the lead. As they approach the town hall building, a brown earth pony with a rather gray mane is exiting. She is spooked by the approaching group. “Oh my…” she gasps.
“Good afternoon, Miss Mayor. I have come from Canterlot Castle to look over the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration.” EC magically levitates one of the potted clovers to the mayor. “We have brought the 4-leaf clovers for the decorations. Would you direct us to who’s in charge of the other aspects of the celebration?”
“Kind of early for all that, but you know what they say, ‘the early bird gets the worm.’” The mayor says with a giggle. “Other than decorations you can go to Sweet Apple Acres and see if the Apple Family at the barn have everything ready or, at least, have all the ingredients they need for the banquet. There’s also the bird choir being trained by one of our greatest animal keepers. You should find her on the path to Everfree Forest.” The mare points her hoof briefly towards the path. “There’s also the weather, but our pegasus pony is one of our fastest workers, so when you find the time to tell her to do her job, she’ll get it done in a jiffy. In fact, I believe that she’s being informed of her duties as we speak by a weather mare.”
“OOOH BARN!” Hope bursts out as he patiently waited for the mayor to finish speaking. “Cookie, can we go to the apple barn please, please, please?” Hope pleaded to his unicorn friend.
“Well, Hope, I was also interested in the barn as well. Perhaps I can offer my culinary assistance.” Cookies says with a flourish of his hoof. “How about you, my dear Alto, care to join us to Sweet Apple Acres?” Alto Shakes his head, pointing to the direction that the mayor pointed to.
“I can’t go to Sweet Apple Acres no more, on account that I buck the apple trees so dang hard that the apple tree started uprootin’” Lucky stated. “Though the apples did land in an empty barrel at the barn, I’m still banned. So, I guess I’ll see this here bird choir.”
A light growl can be heard from Scales’ stomach. “hehe. Almost forgot that I hadn’t had anything to eat today.”
The same rumble can be heard from EC as well. “That’s okay Scales, I forgot to eat anything as well. I guess we’ll go to Sweet Apple Acres with you two.” EC stated.
All heads turn toward Mareian, who had yet to answer. “Oh! Uhm… I guess I’ll go with Alto and Lucky to keep things even.”
“With that all settled, let us all agree to come back here and check up on the decorations, yes?” Cookies asked, with a nod from everyone involved. “That’s good. Goodbye for now.” The gang then splits into 2 groups going opposite directions.
“Hey, Miss Mareian.” Lucky whispers to the green pegasus mare. “Whad’ya think bout this here biggin, Al-Toe T-nor. Havn’t heard’m say a thing.”
Mareian glances at the giant blue pegasus who casually trots along with them, looking straight ahead as he carries his instrument case. She leans towards Lucky for a whisper. “Haven’t heard him speak since I met him. Judging from his actions, he is a musical virtuoso though I have no idea what instrument he plays. Other than that, I know that he has an older sister and Hope is his brother.”
“They’re brothers? Oh yeah, that Hope feller did mention something like that at Canterlot. Wouldn’t know by looking at them.” Lucky says, garnering the attention of Alto Tenor. Mareian looks back at Alto with a wide smile and a tiny wave. “But what I wanna know is, why doesn’t he say anything? He must be keeping a secret of sorts, like maybe he’s actually a she, or maybe he sounds lighter than he appears to be.” Lucky presses on with her whispers.
“Or maybe he’d rather let his music do the talking? I’ve seen him draw a crowd before. We don’t need to press him on this, nor do we need to know.”
“‘ave ya tried talkin’ with’em?”
Mareian’s face flushes red in embarrassment. She hadn’t even spoken to him throughout the journey they’ve been together. Mareian trots along a bit closer to Alto. “So… umm… you play music?” Alto nods his head. “What kind of music?” Alto nods his head. “Oh, on what instrument?” Alto nods his head.
“Alright, that’s it!” Lucky steps in front of the two. “Can you show me whut’s in that case, puhlease?” She asks giving the most pleading face she can.
Alto pauses for a moment, staring at the mare who wants to see his instrument. He answers her plea with a nod. Placing the case gently on the ground, he begins unlocking the latches on the case. The case opens toward Lucky with a shine. Her eyes widen and her mouth left a gape. Mareian contains her curiosity by focusing on the path they have taken, though it seems that their destination is closer than expected as she can see a yellow pegasus standing in front of a choir of birds. Musical chirping can be heard in the distance.
“Ok you two, looks like are destination is over there.” Mareian points to the source of the chirping. “Enough gawking around, let’s check out how these birds are doing.”
“D’aww, I wanted to ask’m where he got that thing…” Lucky whines. Alto takes a moment to draw an image of a gift into the dirt with his wing before closing his case. He taps Lucky’s back, showing her the image before they all walked to the source of the bird chirps.
The yellow pegasus mare with a long light pink mane and tail conducts for the bird choir as the three approach her. She stops the choir to confront one of the birds, unaware of the oncoming trio of ponies. “Mister Bluejay, you were singing an octave too low. Do you think that maybe you could sing a bit higher? For me? The bird gives an understanding nod. “Ok. Places. And a one, and a two, and a one, two, three, four.”
“Howdy!” Lucky greets but the yellow pegasus only squeaks in reaction before looking at the ground, every once in a while, glancing at the trio. The birds fly away from their choir perch. “Me and muh frens here are checkin’ the prep for the Summer Sun Celebration. Name’s Lucky, n yers?”
“It’s Fluttershy.”
“Sorry, couldn’t hear ya. Could you repeat that fer me?”
“I’m Fluttershy.”
“Ah… yes… Nice to meet’cha miss…”
“Fluttershy”
“Formalities don’t matter, Lucky. It’s not like we’re the only ones to check up on this.” Mareian interrupted. She pushes Lucky away from the pegasus. “You are in charge of the music for the Summer Sun Celebration, right?” The yellow pegasus nods in response. “That’s good. Don’t mind us and continue what you were doing. It sounded nice.”
The yellow pegasus turns back to the choir perch. In due time the birds begin to place themselves on the perch. “A one, two, three, four.” The mare said, leading to a beautiful chorus sung by the birds. Somewhere in the middle of it all, Alto quietly plays his instrument to the tune of the choir. When the birds were done singing, Lucky started clapping her hooves together.
“Bravo! Encore! Whadever else ponies say. That was amazing there, Yellow Quiet.” Lucky cheered, scaring away the birds again. “Oops. Muh bad. Lemme help.” Lucky trots to the perch and looks to the sky. “Tweet tweet tweet!” She shouted to the sky. Much to the shock of the others, the birds actually return to the perch.
“Wow, Miss Lucky. I didn’t know you spoke bird.” The yellow pegasus compliments.
“Aww shucks. Ain’t nothin’ t’be impressed by. Jus hear them little winged fellers makin them noises so I thought ‘bout doing the same.”
Mareian sighs as she places her hoof on her forehead. “What exactly was I expecting?” She says to herself. “I think I’ve heard enough. You two can do whatever you feel like, I’m heading back to the town hall.” Mareian trots off with a wave. Alto and Lucky wave back.
“See Ya!” Lucky shouts, not scaring away the birds this time. “Alright, how ‘bout a little improv? Come on Al-to, let’s jam.”
“…and that’s how I got this wonderful cutie-mark.” Cookies informs EC. The trio of Cookies, EC, and Hope featuring Scales the Dragon have reached eyesight of Sweet Apple Acres with the barn in sight.
“Wow… I wish I got mine that way.” EC says, turning her head to her flank. “Mind has too much baggage on it.”
“Oh, don’t beat yourself up over that, miss Crown. I’m sure that friend of yours really appreciated you being there for her.” Cookies interjectionally consoles.
“Besides, I don’t remember how I got mine. You’d rather have one of those you can remember than one that’s always been there.” Hope remarks.
“Please, you don’t have to be so formal. You can call me Enchanted Crown, though my friends call me EC for short.”
Hope gasps. “So… what you’re saying is… you consider us your friends?” Hope asks with the widest smile.
“Considering that she considers those she knows but rarely talks to as acquaintances, you guys are just above the acquaintance level.” Scales informs the two stallions.
“Well then, EC, let our friendship grow ever onwards as time passes us by.”
“Yeah, yeah. Our friendship level will rise like pancakes… ooh, Cookies, when are you gonna make some of your delicious pancakes?” Hope asks.
“Maybe some other day.” Cookies responds as the group reach the gate to the barn. “But right now, let us let someone else cook for you.”
“Huh, what’s this?” EC ponders at a piece of parchment placed precariously on the gate. On it is an image of a pony with a short and rather curly mane wearing a cowboy hat and a bandana under her snout. The word “BANNED” is written above the pony’s face as well as “Apple Tree Uprooting” underneath. “You know, I thought that friend of yours was exaggerating when she said she uprooted an apple tree.”
“You think that was an exager-whatsits? She got us all hospitalized the moment we stepped foot in Appalacha.” Hope stated as though what Lucky had done was an amazing feat.
“Oh, so that’s why you have a bandage wrapped around your head.” EC pointed out.
Cookies sighs. “Yes. Unfortunately, dear Hope had the worse for wear.”
A loud and low rumble can be heard from Scales’ body. “Yeah, yeah. We can talk about it later, but can we please just eat already?” The dragon pleaded.
“YEE HAWWWWWWWWW!” And orange blur whizzes past the group and stops at one of the apple trees. The blur turns into a light orange earth pony mare mid buck, striking the tree and causing the apples to land in the barrels surrounding the tree. The mare then approaches the group after wiping a bit of sweat off her brow. “Sorry ‘bout that, had one las’ tree t’ buck fer t’day. May I help ya’ll?”
“No trouble at all. My name is Enchanted Crown and we came here to-” Before EC could finish, the orange earth pony started vigorously shaking hooves with her. “OoOoOoveRrRrR SsEeEeEe FoOoOoOoDdDdDd. AaAaHhHhHh.”
“Nice to meetcha miss Crown. W’lcome t’ Sweet Apple Acres. Muh name’s Applejack.” The light orange earth pony stated while EC was still talking. “Here t’ oversee the food fer the Summer Sun Celebration, Sugar cube? Maybe a bit too soon t’ be checking up on food? Ha! Ain’t no probl’m, it’s ‘round lunchtime anyway.” Applejack releases EC’s hoof from her grasp. The helmed unicorn is frozen in position, her hoof still held up in the air. Scales helps EC literally place her hoof down. Applejack trots over to a triangle stand. “Hope ya’ll er ready fer the Apple Family.” She says before ringing the triangle. “SOUPS ON!”
At that moment, a stampede of colorful earth ponies drag the four newcomers over to a nearby table. Applejack begins to introduce them to each member of the Apple Family starting with Apple Fritter who places an apple fritter on the table. Hope and Scales get a bit riled up as they start banging on the table as the introductions come at them with the addition of food. EC does not move a single bit during the introductions. Cookies N Cream, on the other hand, smiled graciously at the apple fritter for a moment, but when the next family member places their apple related dish on the table, Cookies smile slowly faded away. And then another apple dish followed suit. And another apple dish, and another apple dish. The sight of all these apple related dishes that they are expected to eat nauseates Cookies, from puffed up cheeks to covering his mouth with his hooves until he couldn’t take it anymore.
“Excuse me.” Cookies says without a strain in his voice before bolting out of Sweet Apple Acres.
“Oh drat, I didn’t know that coming here would make Cookie sick. Maybe I should go check up on him?” Hope contemplates, but Scales lays a claw on his shoulder.
“Listen, buddy, you got that head wound of yours, maybe you should sit back and relax right now. Besides, I’d feel bad about eating ALL THIS and not leaving anything for you.”
“Now, come on ya’ll, let our new friends dig in!” Applejack says.
The word “friends” is heard by Hope in slow motion. A small devil image of himself hovers over his right side. “You heard what the dragon said, relax…” The devil Hope said rather smoothly. “Also, she said that you were friends, you can’t just refuse your friends.”
An angelic version of Hope poofs over his other side. “He’s right, you know. She did say the F word. It’d be rude to leave new friends like that.”
“Okay.” The real Hope nods. His angel and devil poof out of existence. “LET’S EAT!!!” Hope and Scales rapidly chow down on the apple dishes. While EC remained frozen in shock from the sudden situation, but is knocked out of it when Scales shoves a handful of food through the mouth hole of her helm. She joins the two in scarfing down the abundance of food in front of them.
“BLECH!” Cookie vomits into a bush far away from Sweet Apple Acres such that there is not an apple tree in sight. “I don’t think I’ll be going back there anytime soon. How unfortunate, I was looking forward to a meal, but I seem to have lost my appetite.” Cookies finds himself on the outskirts of Ponyville. “Guess I’ll walk back to the wagon.”
“Hello?” Mareian enters town hall. The place is somewhat decorated, but there are boxes all around filled with a variety of decorations for the Summer Sun Celebration. At one of the long curtains of one of the windows there is a white unicorn working on it. “Oh, Cookies. You’re here too? That was quick.” The unicorn does not respond to Mareian, seemingly to distracted with the curtains to answer. “Cookies N Cream? Equestria to Cookies N Cream.” The unicorn continues on, unresponsive to Mareian’s call until she makes physical contact.
“Oh, were you talking to me, darling?” The unicorn asked. Upon closer inspection, while this is a white bodied unicorn with the same swirling curl mane and tail as Cookies, this pony is definitely not him. “Apologies, my dear, but I was so focused on stitching each individual clover into the hem.” The mare says showing off her work. “Isn’t it just FABULOUS, darling?”
“Didn’t know you had an eye for fashion, Cookie.” Mareian said, ignorantly unaware that the pony she’s conversing with is not the pony she thinks.
“oh-ho-ho Darling, we just met, and it’s Rarity.”
“Yeah, sure is a rarity that we met, but it seems like no one else is here so let’s gather everyone else before they get lost.” Mareian says, dragging the mare along with her.
“Now where is the wagon?” Cookies N Cream ponders, finding himself lost in Ponyville. The unicorn was about to give up on finding his way back and hoping that one of the others would find him, but he heard a familiar voice.
“Listen, Rainbow Dash, I know you know what to do for the Summer Sun Celebration, but for the sake of your job and mine I have to tell you the obvious.” Cookies heard the familiar voice and begins to carefully follow the source of that voice. “Weather Control wants the clouds cleared up before the morning of the Summer Sun Celebration, but from the reports I have of you, it should take you about ten seconds flat.”
Cookies finds the source of his familiarity. Sky Sonata stands tall facing away from him a quarter of the way as she casually gives orders to a bright blue pegasus mare with a colorful mane and tail. “Sky?”
The Amazonian-esque pony turns her head back such that her eye meets Cookies. The casual smile on her face grows a bit as she begins to confront him. “Cookies, so glad I could see you again before the Summer Sun Celebration. I’m busy all over Equestria that I wouldn’t see you until the event begins.” Sky says. Before Cookies could respond, Sky interjects. “So, where’s your mare friend?”
“Who?” Cookies blanks out for a moment causing Sky to burst out into a gaggle of giggles.
“oh, ho ho, don’t tell me you’ve broken up with her already, it’s only been a day… unless…” Sky stops giggling as she leans in closer to Cookies. “You have a harem, don’t you?” Sky’s serious face quickly breaks as she bursts out laughing. Cookies, in comparison, is still blank faced from when she said mare friend.
“What?” Cookies asks with a blank faced tilt of the head.
The cries of a screaming mare approach the three, causing them all to turn their heads to the source. It is revealed to be Mareian, cradling the mare from the town hall in her wings. “Jeeze, I didn’t think you’d cry so much from me dragging you around. Calm down already, I see that mare friend of yours. Will that dry the water works?” After turning her head back to Sky, Mareian notices that Cookie is already over by her, his blank face slowly becoming a bit disturbed. Mareian looks at the mare she’s been dragging across Ponyville and back and Cookies a couple of times before carefully placing the mare to the ground and trotting towards Cookies. “Hey, Cookies… when and where did you manage to clone yourself?”
“Why!?”
A voice in the sky draws all of the ponies’ attention. A scream of terror falls toward the ground. The rainbow pegasus, notices that the voice is that of a pony falling to their doom and so she springs into action, successfully catches the falling pony who instead of thanking her savior continues to flail around. “Put me down!” the pony screams flailing, hitting her Pegasus savior. The fallen pony calms down when finally placed on the ground. “Thank ya kindly.”
“Lucky?” Mareian says, recognizing the daisy yellow earth pony without her cowboy hat.
“Eyup. T’one n only.” Lucky says, her hat gliding from the skies to her head.
“HOW!?” Both Cookies and Mareian shout in unison. Meanwhile Sky bursts out uncontrollably laughing.
“Cookie, I was only kidding when I said that you were starting a harem but now there are mares literally falling for you.”
“I twern’t fallin’ fer Crem there, Missy. T’was gettin’ uh cat from the tops’ve one of them trees.” Lucky responded. “Nice to meet’cha there, Missy, name’s Lucky… Lucky Horseshoes. Whatcher name and yer relation to Crem there.” She introduces herself to Sky, but when referring to Cookies she directs to the pony the Mareian dragged along.
“Sky Sonata.” Sky replies, shaking Lucky’s hoof. “And that one is Cookies.” Sky motions over the real Cookies N Cream.
Lucky looks to Cookies and back to the mare that Mareian dragged along. She does this a couple of times before looking back at Sky. “I ain’t gunna lie t’ya, but those two’re identical.”
“Identical? Darling, you MUST have something in your eyes.” The doppelganger walks right next to the shocked and slightly confused stallion. “He has a MAGNIFICENT swirl for a mane that flows back into a swirling dangle. While I have FABULOUS curl that goes backing into an even more FABULOUS curl.” She says, flaunting her mane in comparison.
“What about the tails?” Mareian asked in a deadpan manner.
“Second verse same as the first, Darling.” The doppelganger proceeds to flaunt her tail and then goes back to showing off the still unphased Cookies’ tail. “FABULOUS curl, MAGNIFICENT swirl. Don’t tell me you don’t know the difference between the two, Darling?”
“I think the difference is a lot bigger than what you’re pointing out, Miss.” Sky interjects. She then looks at both Mareian and Lucky. “Do you two not know the difference between mare’s and stallions?”
“You know, with the very limited time we’ve spoken, it doesn’t surprise me that you’re a pervert.” Mareian says. Sky bursts out into hysterical laughter.
“Ha he, No, hehe, I’m talking physically.” Despite Sky trying to explain herself, she cannot stop laughing. It takes a good minute of laughter before she calmed down. “Phew… It does sound kind of perverted doesn’t it. What I meant was that stallions have rather cube like snouts while mares, like you and I, have more of a curve to our snouts. Not only that, stallions posture themselves-”
“Ahem!” The rainbow pegasus interrupts Sky’s lecture of pony anatomy. “Sorry boss, but are we done here?”
A lightbulb went off in Sky’s head, lighting up her eyes, metaphorically. “Ah yes, Rainbow Dash. Your profile says that you see yourself as a Wonderbolt in five years, right?” Sky asks the rainbow horse, who nods in response. “So, you see yourself performing in those air shows in your future?” She nods again with a confused look on her face.
“…Yeah…? I’m sorry, Boss. Why are you asking?”
“We have an audience here, why not take out two birds with one stone?” Sky winks at the pegasus.
The blue pegasus that goes by Rainbow Dash’s eye widen. “Ohhhh… Don’t worry, Boss. I’ll finish this in ten seconds flat.”
In the span of 10 seconds, a rainbow blur flashed all around Ponyville, taking care of all the clouds in the sky. All the mares looked up in amazement at the speed that the Pegasus was going. Cookies was also looking up in amazement, but his vision wasn’t on the rainbow blur. The world had slowed down for him as he stared at the profiled head of Sky Sonata, she blinks as a rainbow passes by. She turns her head toward him, smiling as a circle of colors forms behind her. Her lips move slowly, forming words that Cookies is unable to hear. Noticing that she was staring back at him snaps Cookies back to reality.
“I… uhhh what?” Cookies says a bit flustered.
Sky responded with a giggle. “I said, do you like what you see?” The question reddened Cookies into a stammering mess, causing Sky to laugh some more. “hahaha, I’m talking about Rainbow Dash over here, she put on quite a show in a blink of an eye.”
“Ten seconds.” The rainbow pony said as she landed and stretched herself. “Flat. Can I go home now, boss?”
“You did good, Rainbow. Enjoy the Celebration.” Rainbow Dash salutes before flying away in a flash of colors. Sky turns to the other ponies, still stunned in amazed silence by Rainbow Dash’s quick work on the clouds all over town. “I’d love to stay and chat, but I have to report to Cloudsdale on the condition of Ponyville. Tell my brothers I said hi.” Sky then turns to the doppleganger. “Sorry for the confusion, Miss…”
“Rarity, of Carousel Boutique.” The unicorn replied.
“Rarity. I’m sorry for my friends here. I wish you the best on the rest of your days.” Sky says in a serious tone before blurting out: “See ya!” in a bubbly girlish voice.
Lucky and Mareian are still left dumbfounded before Lucky speaks. “waita minnet, Brudders? What’s dat big lady talk’n ‘bout?”
Mareian shakes her head and faces Lucky “oh, she’s talking about Alto and Hope… wait, I already told you about her.”
“Now that ya mention it, she does look similar to that Al feller. I guess I was expectin’ some pony smaller than him, like GOLLLY she’s plum near the size of Celestia.”
“Ahem.” Rarity coughs. “I do believe I am owed an apology.” Both Lucky and Mareian stare at Rarity and Cookies, noting every single difference between the two.
“Yeah, I guess she’s right. She has a curve and he has a blocky snout. Sorry for dragging you around town.” Mareian apologized.
“No a’fense, Crem, but ya’ll a bit smaller than she is. Don’t much help the case ‘ere.” Lucky points out.
“All is forgiven, darling.” Rarity nods her head to Mareian before turning to Cookies. “As for you Mister… Cream, was it? If you ever need a suit to bring out your dashing masculinity, come to Carousel Boutique and I can fashion one up for you, Darling. Au revoir.” Rarity trots herself off the scene, leaving Cookies, Lucky, and Mareian together.
“COOKIES!” a familiar voice can be heard through the crowd of ponies. Emerging is none other than Hope, who is turning his head all around as if searching for something before landing his eyes on Cookies. “Oh, there you are. I was worried about you. You looked like you had a stomach ache from seeing all the food at the farm so I was going to go and check up on you, but you taught me that it’s a bit rude to refuse food from a friend, so I ended up eating all the barn food with EC. Boy did she look happy, or at least that’s what I got from her. She said she’d be at the town hall place like we planned, but I kinda got a little lost looking for you.” Hope explained.
“I’m also here… *BELCH*” Scales reveals himself to have been clinging on to Hope as he ran all over time. “Though I wish I ha*BELCH*dn’t. Oh man, that was a lot of food.” The dragon groaned. “Can someone take me to bed?” The ponies laugh as the dragon groans.
And so, they headed back to the town hall. They hear the voice of EC trying to have a conversation with Alto Tenor. “Do you know where she went?” Alto responds by pointing his hoof to the sky. “What about Mareian?” Alto shrugs. “Do you consider us to be friends?” Alto pauses for a brief moment, placing his hoof on his chin. He shrugs but reluctantly nods his head. The others appear within eyesight of EC. Noticing them, she trots toward them. “Oh, there you are. It appears that we’re done for the day.”
“Goo*BELCH*d… uhg… Did you happen to find out where we’re stay*BELCH*ing?” Scales asked in pained groans.
“Wait, it’s over?” A disappointed cry came from Hope. “Will still see each other tomorrow, right?”
“Sorry ther, pal. My home’s back in Appleoosa. I’ve got obligations o’er ther. Can’t just drop them all jus t’ stay with ya’ll.” Lucky said. Suddenly a gray Pegasus mare with crossed eyes drops by wearing an Equestrian Postal Service uniform, offers her a letter. Lucky promptly opens it as the mail mare files off. She carefully reads the letter over once, an eyebrow raised and a reassuring smirk on her face. “Welp, guess ahm stayin’ seeing as I’ve been selected as a representative ov Appalosan cull ter an’ muh responsibilities back home are well, takn care of.”
Hope gives lucky a big hug, squeezing not too hard. “THAT’S GREAT NEWS!!! We’ll all get to play and have fun together all the way to the Summer Sun Celebration. Oh, I don’t think I can sleep with all this EXCITEMENT!”
“Yeah, sleep.” Mareian said rather casual. “Speaking of sleep, Cookies, did you make any reservations at the inn? There’s a big event happening here in a couple of days so I’d expect the inns to have little to no vacancy.”
“Reservations?” Cookies scoffed. “My Father made reservations months ago.” Cookies uses his magic to pull a piece of paper from the wagon. “Vacant C.’s Vacant Inn 4321 Hay Lane Reservation for one Sour Cream.” Cookies read.
“Fer one?”
“S-S-Sour Cream!?”
“You’re not Sour Cream.” Mareian stated. “They aren’t going to let you in.”
“THE S-S-S-SOUR CREAM!?”
“Iz it lyke fer one pony o fer one room?”
Cookies looks flabbergasted. “I do not see what the problem is. I have the official reservation document right here.” Cookies looks back at the reservation paper. “I think that the ‘for one’ refers to the reservation itself. Father told me that the original plan was 3 rooms, parents, mares, and stallions.” He then looks over at EC. “Yes, THEEE Sour Cream is my father. Did I not tell you when I was talking about the family business?”
“Y-Y-Y-You didn’t specify. I-I-I’ve been in the presence of The Sour Cream and they w-w-way you described him…” EC trembled before the gang. “That pony… he… he…”
“Guy has absolutely no reaction.” Scales interjected
“Yes, Father is rather refrained in public. Have to keep up appearances an all. He should be arriving after a big meeting back home.” Cookies explained as the gang made their way to Vacant C.’s Vacant Inn.
“It doesn’t matter that you’re Sour’s son, I doubt that a place like that would let one pony and their handful of friends because you are the son. A big day’s coming up so anyone can just say they’re the son of some famous millionaire.”
“Overdramatic reaction Mareian. I have the papers, what could they possibly turn us away for?”
“Nice try, Rarity!” A lankly beige stallion with a house cutie-mark shouted at Cookies. “Just because Sour Cream, or Fancy Pants, or Prince Blueblood, or any other famous stallion stays here doesn’t mean you can pretend to be their friends and/or family member just to have a quote unquote business deal. This is the last time little lady! You’re banned!” a door slammed at Cookies face.
“Overdramatic reaction?” Mareian said with a furrowed brow. “Where are we going to stay now?”
“Excuse me.” EC Interjected. “Seeing as you all do not have a place to stay for the night and how you helped me with organizing the town today… Wo-wo-would you like to spend the night at my place?”
“Way to go EC! Celestia be proud.” Scales cheered which got a stern head turn from EC.
EC took a deep breath. “It should only be until your father shows up. I’m told I’ll be living in an unused library and I never really needed that much space.”
Cookies, Mareian, and Alto stare at EC Straight faced until Hope wrapped his hooves around them all with a big smile along his face. “SLUMBER PARTY SLUMBER PARTY SLUMBER PARTY!” Hope chanted. Scales and Lucky also join in on the chant and start jumping. Alto smiled and joined in on the jumping. EC, a bit embarrassed as she chants with a stutter. Cookies let’s out a heavy sigh as he happily joins the chatting.
Mareian rolls her eyes. “Lead the way princess. Slumber party away!” She said in an unenthusiastic voice.
“YAYYYYYY!”
“EC, was it?” Mareian asked as the gang stood around a tree with a door on it.
“What is it, Mareian?”
“This is a tree.”
“With a door.”
“You sure that this place can fit all of us?”
“It’s a big tree.”
“Can you two stop bickering already and go inside, I think I overate at that farmhouse.” Scales interjected. Nodding her head, Enchanted Crown trots up to the tree and opens the door.
“SURPRISE!!!”
As they enter the tree, the gang is greeted with a blast of confetti. Inside are several ponies in party hats. Party decorations scatter throughout the library. The gang recognize some of the ponies, including Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and the quiet yellow Pegasus. Hope in particular recognizes a certain pink pony.
“I knew it! I told you all that she was going to throw a party for us.”
“Wowwee, I didn’t know that one of the new ponies was a psychic!? Read my fortune.” The Pink pony pulls out a table with a crystal ball at the center. “Tell me, am I having fun?”
Hope took a moment to look at the crystal ball, his reflection glistening in the orb, and then looks back at the pink pony with stars in her eyes. “Of course, you’re having fun.” Hope said with a smile.
“Wowwzers, you really are a psychic!” She then grabs hope and drags him further into the party. “HEY RAINBOW! I GOT A PSYCHIC!”
“I can’t deal with a pa*BELCH*rty. I’m going to find a bed and enjoy this white noise.” Scales scurried off, traversing through all the ponies.
“Shouldn’t someone check up on Hope?” Mareian asked only to find the others are preoccupied. Cookies reading his book from the library, EC unmoving; frozen in fear, Alto is jamming to the music, and Lucky seems to have found a group of ponies to play with. Mareian rolls her eyes with a sigh and decides to join Lucky. “What are you all playing?” She sees the ponies seated in a circular formation with a bottle at the center.
“Summin’ culled ‘Spin da bottle’ but e’rytime I hit this darned bottle, it keeps pontin’ at lil old me and I’ve gotsta spin again.” Lucky answered, spinning the bottle again and again, each time the bottle points at her.
“Why doesn’t someone else have their turn?”
“It’s so mesmerizing, she just got here, but already spun twenty times and each time landing on herself.” One of the ponies in the circle said. “Why not sit back and have some cider.” The pony hands Mareian a cup filled with bubbly cider.
“Ehh one drink wouldn’t hurt.”
“95! 96! 97! YOU GOT THIS LUCKY!!! WOOOOOO!” Mareian cheered. Her mane and tail in a tufted-up mess. At her hooves is one empty knocked over cup.
“Calm down Mareian, I key pon spinnin’ an nothin’ changes, ya’ll sure ya don’t wanna giver a spin?”
“98!”
“Hey L-l-lucky, M-m-Mareian. Mind if I joined?” EC stuttered.
“Why of course EC. Yer njoin’ yerself?”
“99!”
“Wait!” one of the ponies in the circle shouted. “There are too many mares here now. WE NEED A STALLION OVER HERE!”
“DID SOMEBODY ASK FOR A PSYCHIC!?” The pink pony from before places an even more bandaged up Hope into the circle. “Try not to break him.” She giggled away.
“100!” The ponies cheered then turned into a sudden shock when the bottle instead of landing back on Lucky instead pointed at the orange bodied and red maned ‘psychic’.
“Oh hey, it’s pointing at me!” Hope said with an enthusiastic grin.
“Oh… yeah I gess eet iz ain’t it?” Lucky scratches the back of her head and looks around at every pony in attendance who are all left stunned mouths agape. “So any ya’ll kno’ whadd I do now?”
“KISS!” an intoxicated Mareian jeered.
“No, I’ve played this before. Ask me: truth or dare?”
“uhhh dare?”
“Hmmm no thanks. Last I played I did dare so I’ll go with truth.”
“errr what?”
“What what?”
“What’s the truth?”
“No you got to ask me a question.”
“Ain’t I askin’?”
“I think it’s more of asking personal questions about yourself.”
“‘Bout me?”
“KISS ALREADY!”
“No, Mareian, she has to ask me about myself.”
“Ya wanna kiss?”
“Is that your final question?”
“Naw, ims jus messing with ya. How ‘bout who’s yer favorite pony?”
“Hmmmmm…” Hope took a moment to ponder, with a hoof tapping on his chin. “Favorite pony? Well, Pinkie Pie did throw this awesome party just for us and the Apple family had some amazing food to share. Let’s not forget all these cool ponies who decided to come to this party just to see us. It’s rather heartwarming to see. Then there’s EC.” Enchanted Crown lets out a noise, standing up stiff. “EC gave us such a fantastical trip to Ponyville, gave us a reason to explore the place, and most of all she honestly wants to make friends here. Can’t forget about you, Lucky. You’re a big ball of adventure and fun, whether or not we get all scratched up haha.” Hope rubs his bandaged head. “Mareian tends to be a sourpuss, but she’s very kind and even in her state she wants us all to have a good time. Then there are the Creams. Mr. and Mrs. Cream are the sweetest ponies I know, I feel like I’m part of their family. Cookies is the most kind and responsible pony I know. Cookies is an honorary brother to me and best friend. His little brother can be a bit hyper imaginative but aren’t all colts? Mom and Dad are great, though they tend to be the busiest ponies I know. Can’t forget about my brother, Alto, either. He’s a creative soul, sensitive too. He knows just the kind of music I want to hear.”
The room had quieted down as Hope monologued. The ponies in the circle stared in awe at Hope as he spoke kindly about every single pony that he met in his life. Some even had tears trickle down their snouts.
“But if any pony were my favorite pony…” Hope continued. “It’d have to be my sister Sky.”
The group of ponies stared at him and silences, expecting something more for him to say, but Hope doesn’t say anything more.
“Well, that was a lot’ve thought put in ta dat there fer a family member, I sure know I’d’ve picced least one of my six sis’s after sum duhlibriting.” Lucky breaks the silence. “Now, it’s yer turn to spin this thang.”
Hope nodded and proceeded to spin the bottle. This time landing on Mareian.
“Dare, stud. Hope, you’re*hic* ready for these supple Pegasus lipsssss” Mareian stated in slurring words, closing her eyes and preparing her lips for a kiss.
Hope darted around the rooms, eying each pony in the circle. “OH! I know!” Hope turns Mareian head towards EC. “I dare you to give her a hug.”
Mareian squinted at the mare her head was facing before widening as she chuckled “Oh-ho-ho. So that’s your taste huh?” She struts herself towards EC. “Com’ere shy gal. Let Mama Mareian give you some sugar.” She wraps her hooves around the helmet clad unicorn, using her wings to caress her hugging target. “Huh, you’re taller than I expected.” Marian muttered.
EC’s body went from straight and stiff to a bit more relaxed. “Oh, thanks.” She gave Mareian a hug in return. “I needed that.” Mareian’s pony body slumped to the floor. She snores loudly as everyone watches. “Oh… I guess I’ll spin then.”
Cookies is sat over at a table reading his books. Though the low lighting of the night would make it difficult to read, his horn causes a glow on the book making the words more visible at night. Every once in a while, he’ll take a sip of grape juice from a cup. With the lighting as low as it is, others might think that he was being approached by his doppelganger.
“Surprised to see you here, Darling.” Cookies’ head turns his head to find a familiar unicorn. “From what we were told, the library would be the new residence of one of Celestia’s faithful students. And their name is Enchanted Crown.”
“Oh, ho, my dear Rarity, Miss Crown graciously gave us a ride to Ponyville. She was in need of assistance, so we obliged.” Cookies closed his book and left in on a shelf. “But, for some reason, the proprietor of the town inn thought I was you and promptly removed me from his establishment and said that I, or should I say you, are banned.”
“My word! Mister Chateau always jumping to conclusions. Some of my clients tend to want to discuss commissions in somewhere a bit more private than my boutique. Mr. Sour Cream wanted to keep knowledge of how he gets his dresses out of public knowledge to prevent the hassle of paparazzi questioning me and others about personal things we learned from him.”
“That sure sounds like father. Always wants eyes off of him but unfortunately there are always ponies willing to leech off his fame.” Cookies took another sip. “Most outside of our home town probably don’t know that he has a family to take care of.”
“Darling, he never even told me he had any foals to speak of.” Rarity gasped. “My apologies for being indirectly the reason for your removal from your reserved stay at the inn. Perhaps you can stay at the boutique and we could discuss some form of dress you could wear. Maybe a necktie or a scarf?”
“There is no need to send the offer. Were I to leave my dear friends, Hope and Alto, they’d surely starve. Those two are in their own little world.” Cookies looks over at Alto. The massive Pegasus moves with the flexibility and agility of a break dancer. He then looks over at Hope and sighs. Everyone in the spin the bottle game are all hugging EC, with Hope trying to wrap his hooves around as many ponies that he can.
“Woah, Rarity, when did you copy yourself?” The rainbow Pegasus interrupted. “That is so… AWESOME.”
Cookies and Rarity both look at each other in confusion. “Rainbow Dash, weren’t you there when all the commotion about our differences were discussed?” Rarity asked.
“Oh yeah, I remember something being said about differences but, too be honest, I wasn’t really paying attention. Head in the clouds, you know. Like literally. Did you see how fast I cleared those clouds.”
“Yes.” Rarity replied
“N-no.” Cookies Muttered.
“CLONES!” A pink earth pony got between the two white unicorns. “Wow, Rarity, I didn’t know you cloned yourself. Huh… Maybe I should give that a try?”
Rarity rolls her eyes and groans while Cookies lets out a hearty chuckle. “Maybe we really are clones, my dear Rarity. A blue Pegasus more focused on their dreams than their surroundings. A hyperactive earth pony with a wild imagination. Your friends and mine, Rarity” Cookies wipes a tear of laughter off his cheek. “We’re more similar than you can imagine.” Cookies trots himself over to the pile of ponies, brings a pillow over there, and prepares himself to go to sleep.
“Wow, Rarity. Your clone sure is a stallion.”