At the same time as Allura was plotting her revenge against the Mane 6, a green minivan was driving through the New York countryside on the way to Merrivale.
This was the Newton family, composed of the dad, Colton, the mom, Kate, their oldest son Cody, their only daughter Abby, and the youngest member of the family, a baby boy named Fig. In the van with them was Abby's best friend from school, Marcella Walker, and both girls were happily sitting beside one another on their way to their destination.
Colton and Kate were going to drop the kids off at Kate's parents' farm for the week during summer break, believing it would be good to get the kids outside and playing... even if it was raining on their way there.
After a little while of silence and listening to the car radio, Marcella spoke up from the backseat, where she was riding with Abby. “Are we there yet?”
“Your turn,” Kate smiled at her husband. “No,” Colton shook his head, “not yet, Marcella.”
“Oh, it's taking too long!” Abby said impatiently, barely able to stand the wait anymore. “What’s your hurry?” Cody groaned with crossed arms. “They're dumping us for a whole week.”
“Oh, come on, Cody, you're gonna have a great time,” Colton tried to encourage their eldest son. “You can help Grandpa with the farm chores, like, uh… milking the chickens!”
Everyone laughed in amusement at the joke... well, all except Cody.
Don't get anyone wrong-- Cody isn't a BAD kid. He's actually great once you get to know him. But, he hated the thoughts of his parents leaving him with his younger siblings and Marcella at his grandparents' farm with nothing to do.
Cody continued to be annoyed when Marcella put a purple dinosaur doll (who had yellow toes, a cheery smile and a green stomach with green spots) up near his face, causing him to try and regain his composure and not snap. “Get the doll out of my face.”
Marcella complied and took the doll out of Cody's face, but then she and Abby started talking in unison. “Talk to the hand cause the face ain't home, leave a message at the tone-- beep.”
The girls giggled at their own antic while Cody only groaned to themselves. Now, while Cody was older and refusing to believe in such frivolities, Abby and Marcella were around the same age, and loved to play games with one another using their imaginations... something Cody didn't seem to have.
After a little while of driving, Marcella decided to ask Cody a question. “Do you like dinosaurs?”
“What about them?” Cody asked with a deadpan expression, not even bothering to turn and face them. “That’s Barney,” Abby introduced the purple dinosaur doll Marcella was holding. “I know that's Barney,” Cody growled, turning to the girls in the backseat. “The whole world knows it's Barney and he's a stuffed doll!”
“You’re wrong,” Marcella sassed. “Barney can walk and talk.”
“And sing and dance,” Abby added. “Batteries not included,” Colton said in a deep voice, causing a chuckle from most everyone… except Cody, who looked more annoyed than ever. “Sing and dance?”
“We use our imaginations,” Abby shrugged. “Your imaginations?!” Cody scoffed. “That’s kid stuff!”
“That’s all right,” Abby said, not bothered by her brother’s attitude. “We are kids!”
As the girls giggled, the green minivan approached the town of Merrivale as many people were starting to put up decorations now that the rain was finally ending. “Hey, look! Merrivale Apple Day Festival!” Colton said as he looked at one of the banners hanging above the streets. “Parade, circus, hot air balloons, fireworks… wow.”
“It’s tomorrow!” Abby realized. “Can Grandma and Grandpa bring us?”
“Um…”
“Well, maybe,” Kate told Abby, “but don’t count on it, okay?”
“Oh, great,” Cody said sarcastically as he adjusted his sunglasses. “The one good thing to do in town, and we'll probably miss it.”
But, what Cody didn't realize when he said this was that an adventure full of things to do and new friends to meet was just around the corner.
XXXXXXXX
The Mane 6 panted as they walked through a muddy field near a forest, having walked for a long time since they arrived back in the mortal world. “Ponies… I’m beginning to think this Unity Quest was a wild goose chase,” Pipp said as she shook some mud off her hooves. “We’ve been walking for 30 minutes and we haven’t seen any kind of town anywhere!”
“I know we’re all cold and wet and tired,” Sunny told her friends, “but we can’t give up so easily! There has to be a reason as to why the Unity Crystals sent us out here.”
“Hey… guys? What if whoever needs our help lives in that farmhouse over there?” Misty said, pointing a hoof at the farmhouse a good distance away. “It is one of the only houses around here for a good while.”
“I say we go and check it out,” Hitch spoke up. “You with me, Zipp?”
“Always, sheriff,” Zipp smiled, unfurling her wings as she and Hitch took the lead. “Everypony else, follow us!”
The ponies proceeded to gallop across the field toward the farmhouse, and managed to get in front of the barn when a green minivan began pulling up the driveway, causing Sunny to gasp in surprise. “Everypony, hide!”
The ponies darted over to the other side of the barn to avoid being seen, in case these strangers weren’t sure about the Equestrians and panicked.
And trust me... none of them wanted to be the reason for a heart attack.
But from what the ponies could see an older man coming out of the farmhouse to greet the car, and then turned back to the house... as if he was trying to call someone who was inside the house outside. “Ida! The kids are here! Shake a leg now!”
“Kids?” Izzy peeked her head around the corner, but the other shushed her in order for her to keep quiet. “They're here? Oh my goodness!” said an older woman with curly hair as she came out onto the front porch. “George, do I look alright?”
“Beautiful as always,” Grandpa George told his wife. “But there’s, uh, touch of flour on your nose.”
That's when Grandma Ida rubbed the flour off her nose. “Is that better?”
“Much.”
Grandma Ida and Grandpa George kissed each other just before Abby burst out of the car and ran toward her grandparents excitedly. “Grandma, Grandpa!”
Grandpa George hoisted Abby up into his arms into a huge bear hug, and as Colton introduced Marcella to the grandparents, and Kate gave little Fig to Grandma Ida, the ponies watched this in happiness. “Awww… looks like those kids are gonna spend the summer with their grandparents!” Sunny smiled. “That’s sweet.”
“But… why doesn’t that kid look happy to be here?” Zipp pointed at Cody, who seemed happy to see his grandparents, but… a little annoyed all at once. “Do you think he’s the one that we need to help?”
“I’m not sure,” said Sunny, “but… I think we need to keep watching for a little while, just to be sure.”
“How are you, Dad?” Kate greeted George with a smile. “Are you sure you can handle the kids for a couple of days?”
“Yes, yes,” George reassured his daughter. “Everything'll be okay.”
Everyone walked into the house except Cody, who looked back at the barn, causing the ponies to hide. But before he could look closer, Grandpa George got Cody’s attention. “Cody! Tiger.”
Cody walked up the steps and joined his grandpa as they walked into the house, letting the ponies sigh in relief and come out of hiding. “That was close,” Zipp sighed before looking over at the farmhouse. “So, I think this Cody kid isn’t exactly fond of being at his grandparents’ for the summer, so maybe the Unity Crystals wanted us to help him and his little sister and their friend there have a good summer anyway.”
“Yeah!” Izzy smiled. “We’re gonna help them have the best week of their lives!”
“Easy, Iz... we don't know how they'll react around us yet,” Hitch tried to calm the purple unicorn down. “I think we should take things slowly, to give them time to absorb everything.”
“Colton, we better get going,” Kate’s voice could be heard from inside the house. “You kids be good for Grandma and Grandpa.”
“Quick, get back behind the barn!” Pipp said urgently. “They’re coming back!”
The ponies quickly dashed behind the barn as Colton and Kate came onto the porch, hugging and kissing their kids... even if Cody was a bit reluctant. Then, the parents got back in the minivan and began to drive away. “Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!” Abby called cheerfully. “We love you!”
“Have a great time!” Marcella called in agreement, and the girls stood with their grandparents on the porch, watching their parents drive away while Cody just sighed and went inside the house. “Well now,” said Grandma Ida. “Why don’t you girls get settled and we’ll call you when it’s time for dinner.”
“Okay, Grandma,” Abby nodded as Grandma Ida and Grandpa George went inside the house, and then, she turned to Marcella. “So, what do you wanna do first?”
Marcella was just about to respond when she saw Pipp looking over at the group from behind the barn, causing Pipp to gasp and duck back into hiding. “Uh… do your grandparents have any pink horses around here?”
“...no, I don’t think so,” Abby shook her head in confusion. “Why?”
“Cause I think one just disappeared beside the barn.”
“What…?” Abby looked over at the barn, and gestured Marcella to follow behind her.
One way or another, they had to figure out what was going on.
XXXXXXXX
Back behind the barn, the ponies were hoping that they weren't seen right away. “Way to go, Pipp!” Zipp whispered to her sister harshly, unaware that the girls were coming closer. “So much for ‘waiting for them to take it all in’.”
“It wasn’t my fault!” Pipp protested. “I was just looking, but I didn’t think that girl would see me!”
“Well, we have to try and lay low,” Misty said, “until we find out if these kids have seen ponies like us or not.”
“You’re ponies?”
The Mane 6 gasped in surprise and turned to see Abby and Marcella standing behind them, eyes wide in wonder. “Uh… yes, we are ponies,” Sunny nodded. “Have you… ever seen any like us before?”
“A few times back in our neighborhood,” Marcella responded. “We don’t really know any ponies ourselves, though.”
“Well… now you do!” Sunny smiled. “I’m Sunny, and this is Hitch, Pipp, Zipp, Misty and Izzy.”
“I’m Abby,” Abby introduced as she shook Sunny’s hoof, “and this is my best friend, Marcella.”
“Sorry if I gave you girls a startle before,” Pipp apologized. “We were trying to find our mission without being seen, in case you guys have never seen anypony like us before, but I guess I kinda messed that up.”
“Maybe your mission could be to finally get my brother out of his bad attitude,” Abby rolled his eyes. “We saw him acting kinda weird earlier,” Misty recalled. “Does he not like spending time with your grandparents?”
“Oh, no, he loves Grandma and Grandpa,” Abby explained, “but… I think he thinks he’s too cool for all this.”
“...definitely sounds like a pre-teen,” Zipp rolled her eyes. “Mom had to deal with the two of us acting like that growing up.”
“Hey, if you’re gonna be here for a while,” Marcella said, “maybe Abby’s grandparents will let you stay here.”
“Do you think so?” Hitch asked. “I mean… we are kinda tired... and I could definitely use something to eat right about now.”
“Well, I think Grandpa and Grandma have seen ponies like you in Merrivale before,” Abby recalled, “so… you could try and talk to them and see what they say.”
“Well… you never know what will happen until you try, guys,” Sunny told her friends before turning to Abby and Marcella. “We’re in. Take us to your grandparents, and we’ll explain everything from there.”
Abby and Marcella led the ponies toward the house, and Abby opened the door to reveal her grandparents in the kitchen. “Grandma? Grandpa? Marcella and I made some new friends,” she said as the ponies peeked through the window, “and... they kind of need some help.”
Upon seeing the ponies, Grandma Ida and Grandpa George looked at one another, wondering what this could be about.
XXXXXXXX
“So, you see? That’s why we need a place to stay for a few days,” Sunny had nearly finished her explanation to Abby and Cody’s grandparents, who sat there intently listening. “We can’t go back to Equestria unless we find our mission and then complete it, so… we’re kinda stuck. And your granddaughter and her friend really seem to like us, plus we might be able to help you with some of the farm chores, right, guys?”
There were a few positive responses that came from the rest of the Mane 6.
“Yeah!”
“Definitely!”
“Of course!”
“You know it.”
“We’ll sure try.”
“So… what do you think, Grandpa?” Abby asked. “Can they stay?”
“Well, it isn’t every day that a bunch of colorful ponies come around here-- the ponies in Merrivale usually keep to themselves a lot of the time,” Grandpa George explained. “But, we do have a room in the attic open…”
“And there is usually a lot of my cooking to go around,” Grandma Ida added in thought. “Plus, it would be good for you children to have some playmates while you’re out exploring. So…”
“Why not?” Grandpa George finished with a smile. “You all are welcome to stay!”
The ponies, Abby and Marcella cheered just as Cody came down the stairs, and when he saw the ponies, he stumbled back in surprise. “Whoa! How’d these horses get in here?”
“Uh… we’re ponies-- more specifically, earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi,” Izzy said innocently. “Just so you know.”
“They’re gonna be staying in the attic for a few days!” Abby said excitedly. “Isn’t that awesome?!”
“...yeah, just great,” Cody rolled his eyes sarcastically. “Just tell them they can’t come into my room, okay?”
“Well… sure thing, Cody,” Misty nodded in compliance. “We’ll respect your wishes.”
Cody chose to not say anything in return, but went back upstairs to keep unpacking. “Sorry about him,” Marcella told the ponies. “He’s been like that ever since Mom and Dad left.”
“It’s okay,” Misty spoke with a shrug. “We’ve met people like him before… just a little reluctant to get to know us.”
“Well, why don’t you all get settled in upstairs, and then you can play with the kids until dinner is ready?” Grandma Ida suggested. “I hope you like butter pecan pie for dessert.”
“Mmmm, one of my favorites!” Hitch smiled. “Thank you so much.”
“Come on! We’ll show you up to the attic!” Marcella offered. “Then, do you think we can hear the stories of your other Unity Quests?”
“Sure thing,” Sunny smiled, sparing one glance out of the window before following… as if they were being watched by someone… or some-creatures out in the barn.
But were these creatures friends? Or were they foes?
Well... we'll have to find out soon, won't we?