//------------------------------// // Harvest and Hugs Day/Opaline's Master Plan // Story: G5 Adventures in Chill Out, Scooby-Doo! // by ponydog127 //------------------------------// A short month had passed since the ponies returned from their Halloween adventure in Salem, involving the 300 year dead and gone Sanderson Sisters (who in the ponies' opinion were far WORSE than Opaline)... an adventure that they will never forget in more ways than one. But hopefully, now would be the time for a relaxing break, for it was the day of one of Equestria's most treasured holidays... Harvest and Hugs Day! It was a special day in pony history where families gathered round for a great feast, sharing what they were thankful for that year and spending quality time with one another. Sunny and her friends were determined to make it even better than the year before, because not only were very special people coming for the feast, but it was Misty's very first Harvest and Hugs Day. But little did they realize that this special holiday would have to be put on hold very soon. XXXXXXXXX “Wow, Pipp, I'm actually impressed,” Zipp said as she and her sister hung a welcome banner for their guests above the Brighhouse door. “Last year, you were so close to being a total perfectionist and it was just Mom coming. Now look at you-- we have five guests coming and you seem fine.” “Whoo... don't get me wrong, I do want everything to go well, since we're having more guests and it being Misty's first Harvest and Hugs Day,” Pipp chuckled. “But Mom helped me realize that nothing had to be PERFECT to be perfect.” Suddenly, the door opened and Misty poked her head out and cleared her throat. “So sorry to interrupt, but Queen Haven should be here any minute, and Alphabittle and the Pippsqueaks should be arriving right after her.” “Thanks, Misty!” Zipp smiled. “Roll out the red carpet!” “Already on it!” Hitch helped Sparky roll a red carpet all over the walkway to the Brighthouse. About the time they finished with this, Thunder Flap and Zoom Zephyrwing arrived, signaling the arrival of the queen. Her eyed were a glorious arctic blue with purple eyeshadow, and her mane and tail were a pale azure color with grayish orchids highlights. She had a pale grayish orchid coat with darker hooves, and a cutie mark of a royal goblet, along with her royal crown on her head. When she saw her daughters, Queen Haven's face lit up in happiness. “Girls! It's been so long since I've seen my darling little fillies!” “It's good to see you too, Mom,” Zipp said as she and her sister hugged their mother. “Really good-- you have no idea about the time we've had recently.” “Perhaps not, but if you'd like, I could listen while you vent,” Queen Haven said. “I have to do that with Zoom and Thunder when I get too overwhelmed.” “It's true,” Thunder nodded, keeping his firm guard expression. “She does do that.” “Now,” said Sunny, “all we have to do is wait for the Pippsqueaks to get here.” Within a few minutes of her saying that, the door opened, and in came three fillies, about the same age as one another. The first was an earth pony filly with a lavender coat, white socks, light pink hooves, green eyes, a green mane and tail, a cutie mark of a conch shell and two pink stars, and a light pink ribbon on her tail. The second was a unicorn filly with an orange coat, light green eyes and red hooves. She also had a whitish colored mane and tail with green, yellow and red highlights in them, a cutie mark of a sparkling peach and a red tail ribbon. The last filly was a young light blue pegasus pony with white hooves, blue eyes, pink and white feathers on her wings and her mane and tail being light purple with light blue highlights, as well as a cutie mark of an exploding firework and a pink tail ribbon. “Pippsqueaks! You finally made it!” Pipp ran to the three fillies happily and hugged them. “Welcome to the Crystal Brighthouse and its Harvest and Hugs Day celebration!” “Thank you so much for inviting us, Pipp!” Glory exclaimed happily. “This is gonna be the best Harvest and Hugs Day ever!” “I hope your parents don't mind you being out too late,” Zipp said. “We don't wanna keep you from them too long.” “Our Harvest and Hug Day party doesn't start until later tonight,” Seashell said. “So we have plenty of time before we have to be at home.” “Hey, everypony! Everypony!” Izzy called out. “We want you to meet our friend Misty! This is her very first Harvest and Hugs Day! Can you ever believe that?!” Everyone bid their individual greetings to Misty, who simply smiled at them before speaking. “It's nice to meet all of you-- the ponies have told me so much about you.” “And we can't wait to get to know you as well dear,” Queen Haven smiled. “Now, let's get cracking on the rest of the cooking. I hope the carrot cake is as good as it smells.” XXXXXXXXX Opaline had watched all the guests file into the Crystal Brighthouse one by one, a chuckle beginning to rise from her. “Now is the best time to put my new foolproof plan into action,” she said wickedly. “And when I take the cutie marks of Sunny and her friends, their friends and families will be to follow suit. Now... to brew the potion I require.” She dismissed the vision of the Crystal Brighthouse from the mirror pool and began to pour in several ingredients. Three leaves from the Poison Joke plant Water from the sacred Fountain of Eternal Youth Earth pony hoof clippings Pegasus feathers Unicorn sparkles Once all the ingredients had been entered into the mirror pool, Opaline smirked. “Now, to charge the potion with the dragon fire from that incompetent baby dragon... Sparky, I believe.” Closing her eyes, Opaline let the dragon fire magic envelope her horn and wings before sending a stream of it into the pool, letting its liquid glow a bright violet. “It's finished... at long, long last!” Opaline's eyes lit up in greed. “With this potion, I shall finally achieve the status an alicorn such as I is meant to achieve... SUPREME LEADER OF EQUESTRIA!!!” As she cackled, the liquid from the potion flew out, wrapping around Opaline and lifting her off the ground, changing her form before sending her into the mortal world. Phase 1 was officially complete. XXXXXXXXX As they conversed with their guests, Sunny felt a tingling on her flank, and noticed her cutie mark, as well as the cutie marks of her friends, were glowing brightly-- maybe the brightest yet. “Sunny?” Queen Haven called. “Are you feeling okay? You're getting a little pale in the face.” “Uh, yeah, I'm fine,” Sunny lied quickly. “Ponies, meet me upstairs. We'll be right back, everyone. Don't worry.” The rest of Sunny's friends quickly followed her up the stairs and into the bedroom. “Guys, I think the Unity Crystals need us again. They're glowing brighter than they ever had before! That could mean Opaline is on the rise!” Sunny tried to reason. “I know we have guests, but we have duties to tend to. Are you guys in?” The ponies looked at each other for a few moments, before they eventually nodded. “We're in!” “Thanks, guys,” Sunny smiled. “We better get up to the crystals so they can pause time while we're gone on our mission. Then... we have a fire alicorn to try to defeat.”