//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: So many wonders // Story: My Little Crull - Friendship is Chaos // by McNeil //------------------------------// „CAN NO ONE OFFER ME A CHALLENGE!?” “...And that's how I discovered that the dreaded cupcake thief was actually me all along! Isn't that a doozy?” “YES, it indeed is a... doozy!” They'd been walking for quite some time now and not even once did Pinkie Pie stop talking. Strangely, Crull found her stories interesting. They were appealing to him for an unknown reason. Suddenly, Pinkie stopped. “Wait wait wait wait,” she exclaimed. “I didn't even ask you for your name!” “I am known as Lord Crull! You better remember it, little pony!” Pinkie stood on her hind legs, pressing her hooves against Crull's armour. She looked into his eyes. “Oh, I'll NEVER forget it, Crullie!” she said with a wide smile, her eyes sparkling. “We are friends now, you and me! Friends don't forget each other's names!” She hopped further along the path, singing some song to herself. Crull simply stood where he was, too confused to take a step. Friends? Were they really friends? And more importantly... “SHE CALLED ME CRULLIE!” his mind boomed. “HOW COULD SHE FORGET MY NAME IN SUCH A SHORT TIME!?” He heard Pinkie's voice. It snapped him out of his muse. “Crullie, what are you waiting for? We're almost there!” The pink pony was far ahead of him. He caught up to her, noticing that they were about to leave the woods. Not far ahead laid what seemed to be a town. “We will reach Ponyville soon!” Pinkie said. “I'm sure you will love it!” “This Ponyville... I want to KNOW what it is like!” Pinkie Pie started jumping around him energetically as she replied. Crull could swear that at one point she somehow ended up in his armour's backpack and stuck her head out so that he could hear her. “Ponyville is the best place ever! Unless Canterlot is the best place ever, then it would make Ponyville the second best place ever because the Princess lives in Canterlot and that's why it would have to be the best place! But Ponyville is so pretty and lively and all my friends live there and we hang out and party and-” she stopped for a moment to catch her breath - “I LOVE IT!” She was standing on his head as she yelled the last sentence. Crull did not know how the pony ended up there. Pinkie hopped off of his head and continued talking as they made their way to Ponyville. “And I'm sure you'll love it too! It will leave you speechless!” And once they reached their destination, leave him speechless it did. He never saw the likes of the structures that made up this town. Everything was so colourful and... what did Pinkie Pie say? Pretty? And there were also ponies, of course. Ponies of various sizes and colours, they all looked different, yet strangely similar to each other. Each one was occupied with their own business. One was pulling a cart full of round, red things, another one was busy commending some bottled substance to other ponies in a loud voice. However, most of them stopped in their tracks and stared at Crull when they noticed him. There was fear in their eyes. Or maybe it was curiosity? As he was gazing at his surroundings in awe, Pinkie led him further into the town. “Mr and Mrs Cake went to Fillydelphia to open a new shop there, so they won't come back for a looong time!” She giggled. “And that means you can stay at Sugarcube Corner for now!” Crull's brain was too busy processing all the sights, sounds and smells of his new surroundings to form a response, so all he did was nod with a blank expression, his mouth wide open. *** “Helloo-ooo! Is anyone there?” Pinkie knocked her hoof on Crull's head. “You've been sitting silent for an hour now! What's wrong with you?” They were in Pinkie's room on the first floor of Sugarcube Corner. Crull had not yet recovered from his state of intense thought, which involved a lot of noise going on in his brain. He was just sitting there on the floor, not even minding this green, toothless thing that stuck to his forehead with its soft gums. Finally, he slowly rose to his feet. He approached the window and looked at the town beyond it. “Pinkie Pie!” He said in his indoor voice, which was no different from his outdoor voice actually, “This place INTRIGUES me! I WILL STAY HERE FOR LONGER!” The pink pony giggled. “I knew you'd love it!” She hopped up to the window, stood beside Crull and detached Gummy from his forehead. The alligator retreated to his corner. “I also know another thing you'll love! An introduction party! But that will have to wait until tomorrow, the shop opens in an hour and I need to bake some fresh cupcakes for the customers!” Before she headed downstairs, the mare gave him a glance. “I think you should get some rest for now, you still look kinda weak from the poison.” “ME?! REST?! Ignorant creature, a warrior of Khorne does not rest until he's slain all of his enemies!” And yet as he exclaimed that last sentence, he felt a surge of dizzines. He had to lean on the wall to keep his balance. “See, Crullie? You get some sleep, I must take care of the shop!” And with that, she left. Crull sat on the floor. “Damn you, Pinkie Pie! If not for that wretched manticore's influence, I'd show you what I'm capable of!” He wouldn't admit it, but he did feel tired. Slowly, he gave in to the embrace of sleep on the spot where he was sitting. *** Crull was woken by someone violently shaking him by the shoulders. Turned out it was Pinkie. “Crullie, wake up! This is a disaster!” she said with an expression of distress on her face. “Let go of me, Pinkie Pie!” As soon as she let go, he jumped to his feet. “What is going on!? AN INVASION!? “No, silly! Something worse!” The pony stood on her hind legs and clutched her head with her hooves. “I AM MISSING THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS FOR MY SUPER SPECIAL ORDER!” “Ah, yes!” A grin of understanding appeared on Crull's face. “You want me to get those INGREDIENTS for you!” She looked at him as if he'd said something funny. “No no no, I can get them myself, but It'll take time and I won't be able to take care of the shop!” The mare pounded his armor with her hoof. “I need you to sell our sweets to the customers, there's no other way!” Crull couldn't believe what he'd just heard, although it seemed like the only thing to keep him occupied for now. “How do you expect me to do it?!” Pinkie took him downstairs and quickly explained how to manage the shop. “And remember,” she finished, “When you are in the back room and hear this bell” - she pointed at the bell on the counter - “You MUST come here, give the customer a nice, big smile and say a hearty hello!” “I understand!” exclaimed Crull. “By Khorne, I SHALL SELL THOSE PRODUCTS TO ALL THE WEAKLINGS WHO DESIRE THEM!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Good to know! Okay, I must go now, good luck!” And with that, she darted out of Sugarcube Corner, leaving Crull behind the counter. *** An hour has passed since the pink mare left him in charge of the shop. He'd sold some sweets to two ponies so far. His gentle, friendly words quickly convinced the ponies to buy huge amounts of sweets they didn't really need. However, they seemed disturbed for some reason. Crull suspected it might had been his looks, but he decided not to think about it too much. Besides those two ponies, there were no customers. Bored, he started cleaning the emblem of Khorne on his armor, but it detached itself and came falling to the floor. He knelt to retrieve it, but he could not see it anywhere. It was as if Tzeentch himself hid it somewhere. As Crull was kneeling on the floor behind the counter, looking for the lost emblem, he heard the bell. He quickly jumped to his feet, opened his mouth wide, exposing his teeth as much as he could and yelled “HELLO!” He heard a squeal of fright and saw a yellow-pink blur that darted towards the door. Unfortunately, the door opened to the inside, so the pony slammed face-first into it. It sat on the floor in confusion, dizziness in its eyes. “LITTLE PONY!” Crull tried to urge the pony to stay as much as he could. “Come, buy those delicious sweets! FEEL THE TASTE!” That last yell must've snapped the creature out of its confusion. It quickly opened the door and ran away at a speed that astonished the Chaos Lord. Shortly after that, Pinkie Pie returned. She burst into the place, anxiety in her eyes. “Crullie!” She yelled. “I met Fluttershy and she told me there was a monster at Sugarcube Corner and I was worried that you were in trouble so I came as fast as I could!” She stopped to catch her breath. “Where is it?” “There is no monster!” Crull replied. “And if there was any, it would be no match for ME! I WOULD SPILL ITS BLOOD FOR KHORNE!” Pinkie laughed. “So she must've taken YOU for a monster, Crullie! And here I planned on introducing you to her today. I think that after I'm done with the baking we should go to her house and prove that there's nothing to be scared of.” Crull gave her an uneasy glance. “I AM MEANT TO BE FEARED! WHY SHOULD I DO THAT?!” “So she could become your friend, silly! The more friends you have, the better!” She pondered something for a second. “Friends make you stronger, you see!” The Chaos Lord thought for a second. Stronger? In that case... “FINE! Lead me to that coward's house!” Pinkie nodded. “I think I'll let you do the talking. But remember, you must be kind to her or she'll go nuts!” “Very well! I will be kind! PONYVILLE WILL TREMBLE WITH MY KINDNESS!” Pinkie sighed again. “I think it would be good if you also ask her to give you some lessons in kindness.” *** “FLUTTERSHY!” Crull roared as they reached the pony's house. “I DEMAND THAT YOU TALK TO ME!” There was no response. Pinkie Pie shook her head. “I think I will go talk to her first. You wait here, Crullie.” And so he waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, as the sun was setting, the door slowly opened. The yellow pony he saw earlier that day slowly came out of the house, looking scared out of its mind. Pinkie followed, staying close to her, as if to give her courage to face the terrifying man. “FINALLY!” exclaimed Crull, content that his wait was finally over. “Know this! I could easily FLAY your skin and wear it as my trophy! But instead I have come to assure you that you don't have to fear me! I want to be your friend!” “F-friend?” Despite what he thought a perfect encouragement, she seemed even more frightened. She turned her head to Pinkie Pie, who gave her a reassuring nod. When she spoke again, her words were soft and quiet as a breeze. “Um, Pinkie told me a lot about you. She said that I can trust you and that you're good at heart.” She smiled anxiously. “I think I'll need some getting used to you, but I can be your friend if you want me to.” Crull smiled. “Then it is settled! May we benefit from this friendship FOR THE GLORY OF KHORNE!” Pinkie Pie sighed with relief. Everything went better than expected. Fluttershy flew up to him and gave him a nervous hug, as if she still feared him. Crull couldn't understand her fears, but as her mane brushed his cheek, he felt a sensation that no battle had brought him yet. He felt warm and soft inside for a moment. When the yellow mare let go, she smiled. The smile was a little less fretful now. “You could try to be a little more... gentle,” she said. “Um, I mean... If you want to, that is.” “VERY WELL!” said Crull with one of his gentler shouts. “Khorne DESPISES weaklings, but I shall be gentler just for you!” Fluttershy giggled nervously. “Uh, yes, of course. Now, excuse me,” she said, as she slowly backed away. “I... have to feed the dishes and wash Angel.” When the pony entered the house, she gave both Pinkie and Crull a little wave and slammed the door shut. Pinkie chuckled. “Great! Now you have another friend besides me and Gummy! Let's go, I want to throw an introduction party for you tomorrow, we've got some preparations to do!” Crull grinned. “PERFECT! I will have a FEAST dedicated to myself! Let us go then!” And with that, they headed to Sugarcube Corner to start the preparations for a party that would forever stay in the memories of Ponyville's inhabitants. Big thanks to Dramaideale for proofreading and pointing out oddities in Crull's behaviour. This chapter would've been a disaster without you, man.