//------------------------------// // One Year Later (The Battle of Town Hall) // Story: Sparkle Dash Family: TMP Stories // by ssjgokillo //------------------------------// The Sparkle Dash Family Prompt 363: One year too late - The Battle of Town Hall Disclaimer:  I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic         Gather round young ponies and listen well!  This is a retelling of the final battle of the Prank War of Ponyville, which happened right here at Ponyville Town Hall just last year.  It was a battle between the factions of Sparkle and Rainbow.  Learn well from this colts and fillies, for those who do not learn from history are doomed to repe-         PHHHHHHBT!         Alright?  Who stuck the whoopie cushion on my chair?! /\TBoTH/\         A light fog hung in the air of Ponyville.  Not quite enough to make visibility an issue, but enough to set the atmosphere.  Twilight looked around approvingly.  Rainbow Dash must’ve gotten up early to get this fog ready.         She turned back to the ponies gathered behind her.  “Friends, Ponyvillians, countryponies, lend me your ears!”  Twilight said.  The ponies around her quickly grew silent, ready to hear the words of their valiant leader.  “Today is the day we end this.  It has been a long year for all of us.  Many of us have lost loved ones to Rainbow Dash’s machinations, but today we put a stop to her.  Today you fight, not for me, not for yourselves, but for freedom!  Freedom from the fear of itching powder in your bed!  Freedom from the fear of hot sauce in your apple juice!  Freedom to live our lives as simple ponies!  That’s what we’re fighting for today my friends.  To just be ponies.  FOR PONY!”         “FOR PONY!”  Her army shouted back in reply.  With that Twilight began to lead her troops towards the Town Hall.  She was more than a little worried.  If Rainbow Dash had set up this fog, then that meant she was expecting something to happen today.  Did she already know about Twilight’s plans?         It was too late either way.  They were committed to this battle now.  They’d just have to make due.  Luckily she already knew one thing that would turn the odds of the battle in her favor.         “Pinkie Pie, are you sure you’re ready for this?”  Twilight asked her friend.   Pinkie Pie nodded, causing the second pair of sunglasses she was still wearing to almost slip off her face.  “You betcha Twilight!  I’m ready to play pranks and eat cupcakes, and I’m all outta cupcakes!”   Twilight grinned in response.  “Good, because it looks like you’re diversion is going to be even more important than I thought.”  She motioned for Applejack to come closer and then, after making sure the other ponies weren’t close enough to hear, whispered her fear to the two mares.  “I’m pretty sure Rainbow Dash knows what we’re planning.  There’s more than an eighty-five percent chance that we’re walking into a trap.” Applejack nodded.  “Figured as much, this fog’s got Rainbow Dash’s name written all over it.”  She said. “Really?  I don’t see her name on any of the fog!”  Pinkie Pie said, narrowing her eyes and staring intently at the fog. Twilight ignored Pinkie Pie’s comment.  “I’ve got a plan though.  After we encounter Dash’s troops we need to find Rarity as fast as we can.  Once we do, we’ll mention that Pinkie Pie is leading the attack on Fluttershy’s house.  Rarity won’t be able to resist the chance to get Pinkie back.” Applejack nodded.  “I getcha.  Once Rarity hears Pinkie is at Fluttershy’s, she’ll go chasing after Pinkie with her unit and leave Dash’s troops in a mess.” “Exactly.”  Twilight said, then turned to look at Pinkie Pie, “That means that you’re going to have to deal with Rarity and all her troops, as well as whatever guards are at Fluttershy’s house.  I’m sorry Pinkie Pie, but I think it’s the only way we’ll have a chance.” Pinkie Pie didn’t seem fazed.  “Don’t get all frowny and downy Twilight!  I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeves.  And some balloons, those aces you were talking about yesterday, Vinyl Scratch’s new album and-” “Alright Pinkie, I’ll leave it to you then.”  Twilight interrupted.  “This is where we split up.  Good luck Pinkie, Celestia watch over you!”  She said, giving the pink mare a salute. Pinkie Pie laughed.  “Why would I want Celestia watching me silly?  This seems more like Discord’s game than the Princess’.” Twilight shuddered at that thought.  “Right.  Good luck either way Pinkie.”  She said. Pinkie Pie nodded, before bouncing away into the fog.  Twilight turned her head and nodded at Applejack.  It was time to begin. /\TBoTH/\         Rainbow Dash warily eyed the fog that had descended upon Ponyville.  Had Twilight gotten a pegasus on her side to set this up?  It seemed pretty gutsy of her marefriend to basically announce her intentions.  Whoever had set up the fog had done a pretty sloppy job though.  It was too thin to be any hindrance.  If Twilight was hoping to provide concealment for her troops, she was going to be disappointed.         Rainbow Dash turned to face her army.  Most of Ponyville had eventually joined together under the charismatic pegasus’ banner.  Offers of protection from Twilight’s pranks had been enough, even if she hadn’t been able to always keep those promises.  Besides, the more ponies that got pranked, the more that joined her hoping to end the whole thing.         “Alright troops, this is it!”  Rainbow Dash barked as she hovered over her troops, “This is for all the apples!  The Egghead Army is marching straight into our trap, and soon we’ll end Twilight Sparkle’s reign of terror.  Stand proud my friends, for today we shall gain glory, as the victors of the Prank War!”           The ponies below her began cheering, chanting her name and shouting words like “glory” and “it’s almost over”.  Rainbow Dash flew to the ground, and addressed her second-in-command.  “Alright Rarity, you take the 501st and 908th legions.  Go to the eastern side of the building and we’ll remain here, and once Twilight shows up we’ll catch her troops in between.”         “Whatever you say Rainbow Dash.  Just remember, Pinkie Pie is mine.”  Rarity said.  Rainbow Dash nodded, and Rarity went to gather her troops and move into position.   Rainbow Dash turned to Fluttershy.  “You’ll be on support Flutters.  Help anypony who you can, but I really need you to try and get Twilight or Applejack in your Stare.  If we can catch either of those two we’ll totally win this thing without breaking a sweat.” “Oh, I don’t know Rainbow Dash.  I mean.. maybe I should just stay behind and look after Tank?”  Fluttershy said, nervously backing away from her friend. “Nah, there’s nothing you can do for him Fluttershy.  Twilight probably used some kind of magic to make the paint on him permanent.  Until we beat her he’ll just have to stay.... pink.”  Rainbow Dash said with a shudder. “Um.. okay then, if you’re sure.”  Fluttershy said.  She still didn’t look enthused about it, but Rainbow Dash wasn’t surprised.  Heck if Tank hadn’t complained to Fluttershy about getting covered in the paint, she probably never would have chosen a side to begin with. Nodding, Rainbow Dash flew back into the air, looking into the distance.  It was all just a matter of time now.  “Your move Egghead.”  She said with a smile. /\TBoTH/\         Now then my little ponies, I’m sure you’re wondering exactly what led to the most intense Prank War in the history of Equestria?         Well, it all started after Twilight Sparkle had asked her children Spike and Scootaloo to help her play a prank on Rainbow Dash.  Rainbow Dash was lead to believe she had walked in on Spike and Scootaloo in a “compromising position”, and proceeded to give the two of them the Dreaded Talk.  She had already resigned herself to her fate when Spike and Scootaloo had mentioned that they already had heard the Dreaded Talk.  Rainbow Dash, embarrassed beyond belief, quickly fled, only to discover later that the whole thing had been a prank devised by Twilight.         Now Rainbow Dash could not let such a challenge go unanswered.  So she had bribed Spike with a gem to deliver a letter from “Princess Celestia”, that urgently requested Twilight’s presence in Canterlot.  Of course Twilight left that morning, only to return that night having discovered Rainbow’s treachery when Princess Celestia told her that she had sent no such letter.         Normally Twilight would have simply let the whole thing go.  The problem was that Twilight had embarrassed herself not just in front of Princess Celestia, but in front of the ponies that Celestia had been holding court with when Twilight rushed into the throne room asking what was wrong.  Obviously Twilight needed revenge.         So Twilight pranked Rainbow Dash, who would return in kind, neither backing down.  Twilight however soon ran out of ideas for pranks and sought out the help of a master.  One Pinkie Pie.  Pinkie Pie had been more than happy to help her friend, and the next day Rainbow Dash woke up with her fur painted in rainbow colors and her mane and tail dyed blue.         After Rainbow Dash learned that Twilight had recruited help from her pranking rival, Rainbow Dash began recruiting ponies of her own to help her.  Suddenly wherever Pinkie or Twilight went, a cloud of random weather would hover over them.  Sometimes snowing, sometimes raining, sometimes hanging around their head like a blanket of fog.         Unfortunately for Rainbow Dash one of those clouds floated a little too close to Applejack one day, striking the apples at her stand with lightning before dumping an entire winter’s worth of snow on the orange mare.  When Twilight told Applejack who had caused her plight, Applejack was only too happy to join Twilight in getting revenge.         And so the Prank War began.  Soon the ponies of ponyville were getting caught up in the pranks.  Clouds of itching powder floating through the air, food that was always tricked with some sort of gimmick.  It got to the point where large scale prank battles were waged in the streets of the town, whoopee cushions and water balloons flying. It was in one of these battles that the scale truly tipped in Rainbow Dash’s favor.  It was that day that Pinkie Pie had launched a barrage of mane-dye filled water balloons at Rainbow’s forces, and caught Rarity and many other uninvolved ponies in the crossfire. Rarity, whose coat and mane had been dyed an assortment of colors, was incensed.  She quickly took up arms on Rainbow Dash’s side, after being promised a chance for revenge on Pinkie Pie.  Other ponies, hearing that they’d have a chance at getting back at the Pink Pranking Mistress of Ponyville, joined Rainbow Dash as well.  Thus, the elite 501st and 908th legions were born, with the sole purpose of getting revenge on Pinkie Pie. Things only escalated further from there.  One day Twilight came home to discover that all her book had been glued shut.  Rainbow Dash found her wings bound to her side until Rarity was able to look up the counter-curse.  Applejack found trees in her orchards that had the apples replaced with oranges.  Rarity had her many dresses replaced with burlap sacks and fashion so old that in a couple years it would surely make a comeback as “retro”. So while for the most part everypony went on with their daily lives, there was always the fear of another Prank Battle breaking out at anytime.   For that reason alone everypony was glad to have the end in sight.   /\TBoTH/\         The battle at Town Hall was already underway.  Twilight’s troops had surged forward as soon as the building was in sight, giving a might cry as they charged.         Rainbow Dash’s troops had responded in kind, and at first everything looked like it was going her way.  Until a scream of “PINKIE PIE!”  pierced the air, and suddenly half her army was rushing away from the battle.         With the odds now evened, the two forces began in earnest.  Dye-filled balloons were lobbed, pies were thrown.  Itching powder filled the air, and whoopee cushions littered the ground.  Kick Me signs were placed on whatever ponies they could be, and many doorbells were rung only for their resident’s to discover there was nopony there.         In short, it was chaos. /\TBoTH/\         At Fluttershy’s cottage, one pink mare found herself surrounded by ponies.  Rarity stalked forward, motioning for her troops to remain where they were.         “It’s over Pinkie Pie!  Surrender, and I promise I’ll only humiliate you a little.” Rarity called out to the pink pony.         Pinkie Pie just looked around her, giving a smile to the ponies who were gathered around her.  She looked back at Rarity, the smile never leaving her face.  “Oh Rarity.  I’d rather prank the whole world than have the whole world prank me.”  She then spread her forelegs out from her body.  “Come then ponies of Ponyville!  Prank me if you dare!”           The ponies around her surged forward, despite Rarity’s cry for them to stop.  The area around Fluttershy’s cottage was filled with noise, as pies were launched from hidden traps, ponies fell into holes filled with pudding, and other were incapacitated with a large amount of itching powder.  When the commotion ended only two ponies remained standing.         “Wow!  That was a doozy huh Rarity?”  Pinkie Pie said as she examined her hoofwork.           Rarity felt her eye twitch.  “OH IT IS ON!”  She yelled.  The white mare charged towards Pinkie Pie, expertly side stepping traps that hadn’t been set off yet.         “Uh oh...”  Pinkie muttered after seeing the fire in Rarity’s eyes.  She quickly reached into her sleeve, and pulled out a pair of rubber chickens that were tied together at one end by a string.  She held the chickens in both her hooves, before she began whirling them around her body.  “Stay back Rarity, or you’ll get a hoof-lickin’ taste of my nunchuckens!”         Rarity didn’t respond to Pinkie’s attempt at humor, merely leapt at the mare with a bolt of fabric held in her telekinetic grip.  She swung the bolt, only to have it intercepted by Pinkie’s nunchuckens.         The two mares stared into each other’s eyes, before jumping away from each other at some unseen signal.  Their battle was just beginning. /\TBoTH/\         At the Town Hall the battle found itself at a standstill.  Applejack had been captured by Fluttershy’s stare, but that meant both ponies were out.  Most of the ponies on both side had been incapacitated by various pranks.  Some were literally glued to the ground.         Twilight and Rainbow Dash stared each other down, neither one willing to back down.  Rainbow as breathing heavily from Twilight’s latest attack, tickling her hooves with her own feathers!  Speaking of feathers, Twilight was currently having a hard time seeing past the feathers that had been stuck all over her body.         “Give it up Twilight!  You know you can’t beat me!”  Rainbow Dash taunted as she tried to catch her breath.         “Whatever you say Dashie.  When last we met I was the prankee.  Now I am the pranker!”  Twilight called back, after spitting out a mouthful of feathers.         The two glared at each other.  They were each trying to think of something, any kind of prank that would end this once and for all.  Unfortunately they had already unleashed the best they had.           Twilight watched as Rainbow Dash’s eyes went wide.  “T-Twi!  What’s that behind you?”  Rainbow Dash said, pointing a hoof past Twilight’s head.         Twilight rolled her eyes.  “Oh really Dash?  You really think I’m going to fall for that one?”  She said.  Rainbow Dash’s eyes only widened further, but Twilight resisted the urge to look behind her.  That is, until she heard it.  The sound of something liquid rushing towards them.  She finally gave in to her curiosity and looked behind her, only to have her eyes widen.         A tidal wave of some kind of green liquid was rushing towards them, covering the entirety of Ponyville in its wake.  Twilight tried to teleport out of the way, but found she was too tired after all the spells and pranks she had pulled.         Rainbow Dash found herself in a similar situation, and the wave washed over both of them.  They quickly swam up to the top, breaching the surface of the green liquid and looking around.  There troops were also floating atop the liquid, which had actually risen above the houses of Ponyville.         “What the?!  What’s going on?”  Rainbow Dash asked in confusion as she felt the liquid around her start to congeal.  Within a matter of seconds the liquid had become solid, and springy.         “Is this... is this gelatin?”  Twilight asked incredulously.         “Yep!”  A happy and familiar voice said from nearby.           Rainbow Dash and Twilight whipped their heads around to see Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Spike bouncing on top of the gelatin.         “What the.  Girls, what’s going on here?”  Twilight asked.         “Isn’t it obvious Twilight?”  Spike responded, a smug grin on his face, “The Prank War is over, and we won!”  He said, motioning to the Cutie Mark Crusaders and himself.         “Wait... you won?  You mean...”  Rainbow Dash trailed off as her eyes widened in realization.         “That’s right!  We were just waiting for you guys to tire yourselves out so we could catch both sides at once.”  Scootaloo said.         “B-but..but how?  I mean, no offense girls, but I don’t think you could’ve made this much gelatin, or caused it to stay in place long enough to solidify.”  Twilight asked.         “Oh, we got help!”  Applebloom responded, pointing up the air.  Rainbow Dash and Twilight looked up, to see the serpentine form of Discord flying over Ponyville, laughing his tail off... literally, he was laughing so hard his tail kept falling off.         “You... You got help from Discord?”  Rainbow Dash said.  “Darnit!  I knew I should’ve asked him for help!”         “Yep.  He was pretty peeved when he found out there was a prank war going on and he hadn’t been invited.”  Sweetie Belle said, “So when we asked him to help he was more than happy to!”         Twilight and Rainbow Dash just stared at each other.  It was over, and neither one of them had won.  Slowly, they both began to snicker, then chuckle, before breaking out into full blown laughter.  Their laughter was joined by the rest of Ponyville, as the entire town laughed at the absurdity of it all.         “Alright alright, you win!”  Twilight said, giving a smile to Spike and the Cutie Mark Crusaders.         “I can’t believe we just got outpranked after all that work!”  Rainbow Dash groaned good naturedly. “Alright Twi, I guess we’re even now.”         “I guess so Dashie.  I’m just glad we got this over with before the wedding.”  Twilight said, her eyes sparkling at the mention of the wedding.         “Heh yeah, that would’ve been super awkward if we kept pranking each other while we were exchanging our vows.”  Even though she agreed with Twilight’s sentiment, Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but grin at the thought of it.         “Alright Discord, you can get rid of the gelatin now.”  Twilight said.  Nothing happened.  “Discord?  You can get rid of the gelatin now... Discord?”  Twilight looked up in the sky, but the draconequus was nowhere to be found.  “DISSSSSCOOOOOOOORD!”  Twilight yelled to the heavens. /\TBoTH/\         Standing atop the gelatin that had covered Fluttershy’s cottage, Rarity smiled as she looked down at the defeated Pinkie Pie.  Revenge was finally hers.         “Rarity.. what did you do to me?”  Pinkie Pie asked in confusion.         “See for yourself darling.”  Rarity teased.  She hoofed Pinkie Pie a small pocket mirror, causing Pinkie Pie to gasp when she saw her reflection.         “You... you bleached my coat and dyed my mane blonde!”  Pinkie Pie cried out in indignation.         “Surprise darling!”   /\TBoTH/\         And so the Prank War of Ponyville ended, with neither side victorious.  That honor went to those who realized the first rule in the art of prank wars.         Always invite the draconequus.