//------------------------------//
// Scene iii 
// Story: Apple Bloom and the Timberwolf 
// by Metool Bard 
//------------------------------//


Scene iii


"Alright, where was I?" said Pinkie, turning back to her script. "Ah, yes!  Apple Bloom felt it was her duty to save her animal friends.  So, when Granny Smith was asleep, she snuck out of the house, taking her sister's rope with her."

The scenery then shifted back to the meadow, where Apple Bloom walked in on tiptoe with a rope hanging over her shoulder.  She swallowed as she saw the timberwolf pacing around the tree where Hummingway and Opal sat.

"Once she got to the meadow, Apple Bloom noticed that the tree where the timberwolf was pacing had a long, thick branch leading towards the ground. 'Gee, how dramatically convenient,' she whispered to herself.  But, not willing to look a gift horse in the mouth, she climbed up the branch stealthy, managing not to catch the timberwolf's attention."

Apple Bloom was a bit confused by Pinkie's narration, but did as she was told.  Despite the fact that the timberwolf could clearly see what she was doing, it mysteriously paid her no mind.  Soon enough, she found herself up in the tree right next to Hummingway.

"When she was safely in the tree, she whispered to Hummingway, 'Psst, Hummingway.  Think y'all can do me a favor?  Fly down and distract the timberwolf for a bit, but make sure it doesn't catch you.'

"'And what'll you be doing?' asked Hummingway.

"'Just trust me.  Ah've got a plan,' said Apple Bloom."

And now I can talk to birds, apparently, Apple Bloom thought. This is a weird play.  Then again, Pinkie did direct this, so why should I have expected anythin' different?

Hummingway shrugged, and flew over to the timberwolf.  It flittered right into its face, causing the timberwolf to become annoyed.

"'Hello, Timberwolf!  I'm a distraction!' Hummingway chirped as it brushed the timberwolf's snout with its wings.  The timberwolf would've questioned this comment had it not been so thoroughly agitated with the hummingbird."

The timberwolf snapped angrily at Hummingway, only to miss each and every time.  Hummingway continued to pester the wooden creature, pecking at its head and buzzing it with his wings.

"Oh, how Hummingway did worry the timberwolf!  It wanted nothing else than to get rid of that little pest.  But Hummingway was clever, and there was nothing the timberwolf could do about it."

Hummingway zipped around the timberwolf's head, and the timberwolf continued to try and catch him.  The routine continued until Pinkie noticed that Hummingway was getting cocky.

"Look out, please, for overconfidence," she warned.

Before Hummingway could inquire as to what she meant, he bumped his head against the timberwolf's snout and fell to the ground.  The timberwolf looked down at the bird with hungry eyes.

"Told ya," said Pinkie, turning back to her script. "Anyway, while this was going on, Apple Bloom made a lasso with the rope, and quietly swung it over her head.  She only had one shot at this, and she had to make it count."

Apple Bloom did as Pinkie narrated, trying her best to emulate her sister.  The lasso wobbled as she spun it around and around, and beads of sweat formed on her face.

"Once she found her opening, she snagged the timberwolf's tail, and pulled with all her MIGHT!"

Pinkie's exclamation startled the timberwolf, and it snarled.  It was about to charge for her when Apple Bloom tossed her lariat and successfully snagged the timberwolf's tail.  Just as Pinkie narrated, she pulled and pulled, somehow being a match for the timberwolf in this game of tug-o-war.

"The timberwolf howled and barked angrily as Apple Bloom continued to pull on the rope.  No matter how much the timberwolf struggled, there was no escape!"

Apple Bloom held the lasso in her mouth and pulled like there was no tomorrow.  She yanked the rope so hard that she lost her footing, and fell out of the tree.  However, in a feat of strength that shocked even her, she pulled the timberwolf off the ground!  The timberwolf snarled and tried to snap at Apple Bloom with its jaws.  She managed to dodge just in the nick of time.

"As Apple Bloom swung from the tree, the timberwolf charged at her again and again!"

The timberwolf swung back on the rope, pawing the ground and opening its mouth.  It leapt for Apple Bloom, and missed her by a hair.  Not to be deterred, it tried again, only to get the same result.

"Unbeknownst to the timberwolf, each attempt to hurt little Apple Bloom made the rope wind around the tree.  As it grew more and more determined, the rope got tighter and tighter."

This was indeed the case.  With one final charge, the timberwolf propelled itself into the tree, taking Apple Bloom with it.  As it got its bearings, it snarled at poor Apple Bloom, who tried her best to back away from the great beast.

"Just as things were looking blackest..."

Pinkie paused for dramatic effect and put a hoof to her ear.

"Hark!  What's that we hear?  And what's this we see?"

On cue, there was a flurry of wings as the Wonderbolts flew in overhead.

"Why, it's the Wonderbolts!  Spitfire, Rapidfire, and Soarin'!  That's Soarin' in the middle, by the way.  It appears that they were practicing a new routine over Ponyville."

As she said that, the musical part of the accompaniment ended, and a twinkle could be seen in Scootaloo's eye.  She pounded the timpani with a mighty vigor, and the Wonderbolts launched into a beautiful sky show, flying off in every direction.  When the music resumed, they returned to formation with ease.

"Ya yump bah dump pah yump ba dump pah..." Soarin' hummed along with the music.

"Glad to see you're enjoying yourself," Spitfire whispered to her wingpony. "But seriously, could you put a lid on it?  This show is very last minute, and we need to concentrate.  We can't afford any distrac—"

Opal meowed, and Scootaloo pounded the timpani once again.  The Wonderbolts flew off every which way, appearing to be startled.  Once they had settled, Scootaloo had not.  She continued her little drum solo despite everypony staring at her.  When she did notice, her tempo slowed until she concluded her piece with one last boom and chuckled sheepishly.

"Sorry.  Got a little carried away," she said, nervously rubbing the back of her head.

"Right," said Pinkie, clearing her throat and turning back to the script. "'It's alright, it's alright!' Apple Bloom called out. 'Ah managed to catch the timberwolf, somehow.  Everyone is safe and sound.'"

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow and looked over at the timberwolf.  She had to do a double take as she saw that it had gotten tangled up in the rope and was now tied firmly to the tree.

"'Well, that's something,' said Spitfire, not sure what to make of this. 'What should we do now?'

"'How 'bout a parade through Ponyville?' suggested Apple Bloom. "Ah want everypony to see how brave and cool Ah was.'"

Apple Bloom's face began to match her bow, but she said not a word.

"'Sounds like a great idea!' said Rapidfire. 'Let's go!'"

Discord then snapped his fingers, and the set changed in an instant to a recreation of Ponyville.

"Now, picture if you will, the great procession that followed.  First, there was Apple Bloom herself."

Apple Bloom trotted out on stage, waving happily to the audience.

"Followed in turn by the Wonderbolts, and the timberwolf trapped a cage."

The Wonderbolts marched out, with Soarin' pulling the trolly that held the timberwolf in a cage made of bamboo.  The timberwolf growled and snarled, but seemed relatively tame.

"Then, Hummingway flew in, happily singing."

Hummingway flittered about, teasing the timberwolf once again.  The timberwolf had no strength to fight, and merely grumbled and growled.

"Bringing up the rear were Granny Smith and Opal.  Granny told Opal, 'Y'know, if Apple Bloom didn't have that there rope and find that there branch to climb up, what do you think would've happened then?  Ah, fillies today.  They think they know everything.'"

Granny walked in at her usual slow pace, pantomiming her rant to Opal.  Opal wasn't the least bit interested, and merely lounged about on Granny's back.

"And, if you listen very closely, you can here Mrs. Duckworth quacking away.  For in its hurry, and with a particular lack of tact, the timberwolf had eaten her alive.  How's that possible with a timberwolf?  Folks, I'm just as clueless as you all are."

Once again, the cage above lowered down, and showed Mrs. Duckworth laying about and enjoying some bread crumbs.  When she noticed that she was on, she quacked nervously.

"And out of curiosity, Apple Bloom checked her flank.  Alas, it was still bare."

"Oh, c'mon!" Apple Bloom cried, noticing that what Pinkie said was true. "After all that?!"

Pinkie chuckled. "Don't worry, Apple Bloom.  There's always next time!"

The cast then shared a bit of a laugh as the orchestra concluded the piece.  There was a round of applause, and the curtain closed.


End of Scene iii


The applause continued as the curtain was raised again for the curtain call.  The first ones out were Pinkie and Discord, who both took a bow.

"Thank you, thank you!" Pinkie cheered.

"Indeed, you are too kind," said Discord with a suave smile. "But really, this wouldn't have been possible without our wonderful performers and musicians.  So everypony, come on up!"

He snapped his fingers, and Noteworthy found himself onstage.  Perplexed at first, he soon relaxed and took a bow.

The next ones out were Apple Bloom and Octavia.  Apple Bloom beamed with delight, while Octavia simply smiled modestly.

After them, it was Hummingway and Spike.  Hummingway chirped happily while Spike snickered and shook his head.

"Pinkie will always be Pinkie, I suppose," he muttered to himself as he took a bow.

Then, Mrs. Duckworth and Babs Seed came out onstage.  Babs looked over at her flank, and frowned in disappointment when she found no Cutie Mark.

"I didn't do that bad, did I?" she asked Mrs. Duckworth.

Mrs. Duckworth shrugged and bowed, and Babs simply did the same, although she felt a tad embarrassed.

Following them were Opalessence and Slick Licks.  Opal purred in contentment while Slick Licks merely pointed his hoof and winked.

After that, Granny Smith, Sweetie Belle, and Rarity took the spotlight.  Granny seemed pleased while the unicorn sisters still weren't all that happy.

"You owe me big time," Rarity whispered to her sister.

"I know, I know," Sweetie whispered back. "I didn't even get my Cutie Mark, anyway."

Then, it was the timberwolf and Beauty Brass's turn.  Beauty Brass couldn't help but stare at the timberwolf in a mixture of confusion and fear as it took a bow alongside her.

The last ones were Scootaloo alongside the Wonderbolts.  As the Wonderbolts waved to the crowed, Scootaloo couldn't contain herself.

I'm standing with the Wonderbolts, I'm standing with the Wonderbolts, I'm standing with the Wonderbolts! she thought.  She found that she couldn't say anything, except for repeating "Omigosh omigosh omigosh!" over and over again.  Spitfire had to chuckle.

All of the performers then came together and ended with a final bow.  The curtain closed one last time.


The End (of the play)