//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2  
// Story: Might Be a... 
// by Fat1thatyoulove 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 2 – Questing for the ugly duckling, that made the beautiful swan

The sound of Violet's hooves comes back to the room around you a little louder as the filly almost gallops down the stairs like a professional. Clearly leaving you behind her as she takes her last hoof to the stairs and darts into the room to the left of you.

As the filly's bobbing ribbon tied tail leaves your sight you focus your mind back to the large comfy floor pillow you float beside you, you don't want to have to clean up burnt pillow stuffing so your magical chime is held to a low as you just barely hold your thoughts to keeping it off the ground.

You take the last stair under your hoof as you turn your gaze back to the table, naw, that cup of lava wouldn't have cooled off yet.

As the thought comes to an end in your mind you float the pillow towards one side of the main library room and start to trot inside room. Violet moves to the newly set down seat as you pin your eyes to the bookshelves...You know you put the one book back in place easy to find, but the sheer volume of colored spines and faced out books doesn't let your mind take you to it immediately.

But you finally locate your goal as you float it towards you, a quick glance shows the title as you read it to yourself, Prince Bubble Gum and the quest for the magic clam...written by Harness Hoofing Way. You squint to the name as you study it for a moment, but you shrug it off as you speak up.

"Alright..." You shake your head to the book as you turn back to the anxiously looking filly, "You sure you want to read this book?"

Violet blinks to your comment, but her hooves come up as you watch her speaking. You nod to the filly's motions as you bring yourself back beside the sitting filly, "Your right, don't start something if you're not going to finish it."

The filly smiles as she throws her left ear and left hoof into a motion.

A faint chuckle runs from you as you start to bring yourself down to the ground, "Oh ya, i'm dumb for asking?" You give a little emphasis on the word as you spark a childlike wheezing giggle from the little filly as she holds a smile to your voice.

"Ok...Lets start." You adjust your body as you bring the book to set in your front hooves. You're not really as comfortable as you were yesterday, but being stretched out is a lot better then sitting awkwardly in a chair.

You give a little sigh as you flip through the pages just skimming the words as you try to find where you left off last.

With a slight clear of your throat you start up your voice as you trail your eyes to the text,

Chapter four, locked away.

Sir.Bubble Gum's journey has brought him and his trusted traveling companion to the thick layer of dark clouds that have formed into an almost building like silhouette at the edge of King Avidità's empire.

The white coated and bright pink maned pegasus stallion tilts his head up as his mane slightly blows to the pull of the wind that seems to be stemmed from the thick packed cloud layer above him.

"Do you feel that Minty Rose?" Said Sir.Bubble Gum as he takes in a sharp inhale from his nostrils.

The white stallion turns his attention to his companion beside him as he looks the pale red coated and gold maned mare over, "Minty?"

Sir.Bubble Gum's words spark a reaction from the quiet mare as she quickly turns her head back to the stallion, "Oh, I-i'm sorry Sir.Bubble Gum, I have just never seen a cloud mass such as this before."

A laugh comes from the Sir.Bubble Gum as he speaks up... 

You turn your head to the filly next to you as you notice her perked up ear, a smile comes over you as you pause from the text as you try your voice at giving a realistic laugh.

Your voice sparks a response from the filly as she slightly jumps from your  bad acting. But as her surprise comes to an end as her hooves spark up. You nod your head to her as you answer her, "Yes we did read this part yesterday."

Violet blinks to the comment as she taps her right hoof to her left.

You shrug as you answer her, "Why, because I couldn't remember where we stopped."

The light purple filly's hooves comes back fast as she speaks up, but her smiling comment doesn't spark a smile in you as you squint to her, "...OH ya? And are you going to be that organised like mommy?"

The filly holds her smile as she pauses, but her answer comes up as she runs through her favorite response.

You give a true to life laugh as you nod your head, "Of course you're a big filly." From your laugh you turn back to the text as you pick your voice back up into your interpretation of Sir.Bubble Gum...Which borders Sean Connery, you shake the strange name from your head as you start to read.

"...Come now Minty, you have seen hundreds of pegasus creations such as this one."

The mare nods her head as she smiles, "Well...I have not really seen such beauty, an earth pony can not fly, and the sky's wonders never touch the ground so often." The mare gives a sweet smile to the stallion.

Sir.Bubble Gum rolls his hoof as he leans to one side of his four legs, "OH beauty...I love thee, AH but the beauty of the sky pales in comparison to Princess Impudente." The stallion's tone holds his eyes to a mindless distant stare as his mind wanders, "When I return King Avidità will be so pleased with me, I am sure to impress Princess Impudente with this quest."

Minty Rose nods her head as she turns her gaze towards the ground beneath her hooves a little disheartened, "Yes, ...of course she will."

"Precisely." Said Sir.Bubble Gum, "Now I must take to the sky."

"T-The sky?" Minty's voice comes back as her confused eyes come to the stallion's flexing wings.

With a nod Sir.Bubble Gum brings his body from the ground, "But of course, the foul beast the King spoke of lays in wait at the highest room in the tallest tower."

You smile to the words as you swallow back your voice to your thoughts, yep, i've read this book before...You hold the thought as you squint your eyes to the text, it's a dragon, i'm sure of it.

Your silence comes to an end as the filly turns her impatient stare back to you, from her blue eyed glance you start your voice up again.

Sir.Bubble Gum's quick and trained wings bring the white stallion off the ground and up head on into the slightly rotating cloud cover above the ground, as he dips past the first layer of cloudy white mist Minty Rose calls up from her earth bound position, "BE careful Sir.Bubble Gum."

The comment only adds to the stallion's confidence as he makes quick work of the thick clouds. With a few good strokes he pops from the cloud cover to a more open area, but as he lands himself to the clouds surface with the ease only a pegasus would know he begins to sway his head around.

Only, his surveying eyes don't take too long as a sound comes to his ears,Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum, I smell the mane of Sir.Bubble Gum." A deep voice ran around the mist cloud's surface as the bright pink maned white pegasus tries to scan the area around him in search of the source of the voice.

"Who's there?" Said Sir Bubble Gum.

"Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum, you should have know better then to come." Again the deep voice rings around the cloud's surface as Sir.Bubble gum continues his search for the voice.

"I have come in search of the golden pearl laying clam that you have stolen!" Sir.Bubble Gum sprawls his wings out a little more as the stallion tries to hold his own to the building fright that pulses through his wings."

You flip the pages as you read past the last few words.

"Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum, that was dumb." The tone of the voice now takes on a mocking tone as it bounces from the clouds around Sir.Bubble Gum.

The readied stance doesn't hold long as the stallion speaks up, "HA, you mock me when you are too cowardly to show your face."

"Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum, is never coward!"

"Then show yourself to me, or surrender the clam!" Sir.Bubble Gum's voice comes back with a-...

You're unable to complete the sentence as you let out a little chuckle, surrender the clam? Really? This is a story? Your sudden and abrupt laugh to the words spark a questioning stare from the filly next to you as you lose your laugh a little and clear your throat to continue.

...Sir.Bubble Gum's voice comes back with a quick response as he throws his head up proudly.

"Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum...." The absent body to the voice finally starts to take shape as the clouds around the white and bright pink maned stallion begin to clear from a heavy and quick gust of wind.

Sir.Bubble Gum closes his eyes as he turns a little away from the rushing clouds, but as he turns back in front of him he sees the voice's holder...

You squint to the next few lines as you read them over just trying to make sense of them yourself, Violet on the other hoof impatiently swings her head between you and the book as the seemingly endless pause starts to end with your unsure voice.

Now standing before Sir.Bubble Gum is a much larger than normal buffalo,with a coat as grey as freshly mined gravel and mane and eyes as dull as the darkest reaches of the land of Cavallo.

However, the well spoken and brave Sir.Bubble Gum goes silent as he looks over the large buffalo's wings that sprawl from it's sides.

"Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum, silence has taken Sir.Bubble Gum." The buffalo's voice comes back to his large figure as he stands across from the white stallion.

Sir.Bubble Gum's response comes fast as he waves his hoof to the beast that lay in front of him, "Nonsense, I merely have been giving you a chance to surrender...You now see who you are facing and I am sure tha-..."


"HA ha ha, Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum, thinks you are puny pony, Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum, thinks Sir.Bubble Gum-..."

"You will not forfeit the clam beast?" Said Sir.Bubble Gum as he lowers his head.

"Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum, never give up the shell so pretty, shell give Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum shining rocks." The over sized winged buffalo moves his hoof to a normal sized rope tied bag around his neck as his deep voiced words come to an end.

Sir.Bubble Gum squints to the bag as he looks over the beast, "Very well...I shall take the clam from you." The white stallion's sprawled out wings come to flap hard and fast as he darts towards the beast.

Sir.Bubble Gum's hoof comes around the bag too quick for the large buffalo to react, and by the time it moves the stallion has pulled the bag free from it's neck and has darted up into the open cloud area.

The buffalo looks to the absent bag as his voice comes up, "Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum! You have taken it Sir.Bubble Gum!"

"Yes, I have." Said the stallion still hoovering well above the inside cloud's layer as he wiggles the dangling bag towards the buffalo.

The action turn's the furry beast's eyes into a sharp stare as his voice comes up and his wings sprawl out, "Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum...Wants Sir.Bubble Gum!"

His voice ends with a rumble, but unlike the previous sounds; but Sir.Bubble Gum's mind doesn't get the chance to wonder as the stallion's eyes quickly shrink to the beast's now glowing mouth.

Without hesitation a gust of intensely hot orange and red flames spit from the now flying buffalo's mouth as it tries to pinpoint the smaller white stallion....

A flying fire breathing buffalo? A faint chuckle rolls from you as you flip the page and adjust your sitting, ya I know see why this is a foal book...I could take him though.

With your own stupid smirk you clear your now drying throat as you continue on.

The brush of fire shoots itself past Sir.Bubble Gum just barely missing the stallion. "Whoa!" Said Sir Bubble Gum as he takes the bag to his mouth as he bites down on to it, freeing his front hooves to help his directions while he flies.

"Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum, stop running Sir.Bubble Gum... FFHFFFFH" Another heated dragon like's breath rings from the buffalo as he now chases after the stallion. Surprising for his large size and slightly heavy wings the buffalo holds his speed and is able to successfully halt Sir.Bubble Gum each time the stallion turns to escape the cloud inclosure.

The brave hero is trapped yet again, as a wall of fire runs past his exit. Lucky though Sir.Bubble Gum's quick wits and fast wings steer him from the certain doom.

You give a playfully emphasis to your words as you slightly rock your body to the filly next to you, which gives the filly a pleasantly surprising jolt that shakes her from her intensive listening.

The closed in clouds around Sir.Bubble Gum have started to ricochet the heat of the flames billowing from within as the vapors of the thick clouds begin to evaporate...

Pff, foal’s book...

...With every breath Sir.Bubble Gum takes his nostrils become filled with the vapors, but the nimbull stallion darts from each breath as the buffalo's voice comes back to the cloud layer, "Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum, why Sir.Bubble Gum not sercombe?"

"Hmm-mmhh-nhh." Said Sir.Bubble Gum in a mocking fashion still biting the bag with his mouth, stopping any real words.

The heat around the stallion has now turned to a decent fog as he tries to find an opening in the cloud's not too packed to get through.

However the stallion's luck runs dryer then his open panting mouth as a gust of frightening air brushes his body...

Violet's ears pick up to the words as you take your own slight bit of surprise to the words you just read, but you push on now with a new found interest as you read.

Sir.Bubble Gum quickly stops his flight as he almost falls to the softish cloud floor beneath him. The brave stallion closes his eyes as the smell of smoke sends his mind into a howling, however as the heat that once stuck to his body fades from his feeling he opens his eyes.

The stallion slowing brings his body up as he leaves the small bag to the thick cloud ground, to his surprise the ragging flying buffalo did not swoop down. Instead the furred beast hoovers in air with its back turned to the white stallion as it swings its head around, "Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum, I do not smell the mane of Sir.Bubble Gum..."

From the word's the stallion snaps his gaze up to the pink mane that once laid in front of his eyes, no mane now remains. The stallion quickly thrust his hooves up as he feels a very short bit of uneven mane, "MY mane!" Said Sir.Bubble Gum.

The words turn the buffalo’s  body to face the white stallion's still sitting position. To the squinted and frustrated stare of the beast Sir.Bubble Gum covers his mouth with his hooves as his alert and ready eyes stay opened to him.

"Fee-Fi-Fo-Hum, where be the mane of Sir.Bubble Gum?" Said the buffalo.

Sir.Bubble Gum stares unmoving to the confused beast for a moment, but only a moment before the hero regains his mind and quickly grabs to the dropped bag as he slowly and quietly begins to slink back to the entrance of the clouds.

The short distance last for what seems like thirty feather flaps, but the white stallion finally gets to the soft clouds as he drops himself through them and back into the bright sunned world. Only dropping from the clouds yields an unexpected surprise.

Not only was Sir.Bubble Gum's mane and tail changed, but the stallion's feathers have all but been burnt and the pegasus struggles to hold himself from falling like a simple drop of rain.

Sir.Bubble Gum's wings flap hard as he fights to slow his rapid descent, but his efforts proves unyielding as he hits the hard dirt ground with a thud and a groan.

"Sir.Bubble Gum!" Said a feminine voice quickly from his side
The stallion feels a hoof coming to his aide as the dazed stallion is brought up from the ground.

"You are hurt! I wi-..." The earth mare is cut off as the stallion regains his cocky tone, "Nonsense my companion, I am Sir.Bubble Gum, I never am weak and I am never unsuccessful!"

The white stallion moves his hoof as he reveals the bag, "I have got it Minty, we must return at once!" Sir.Bubble Gum starts his trot but only manages a few hoofs before buckling and falling to his front knees in a panted breath.

"You must rest! A quest such as this can surely be missed." Minty rushes to the stallion's side again as she helps him to his hooves.

"NO, time waits for no pony, and I Sir.Bubble Gum will not let time pass me by. On word! Back to the castle."

The mare follows beside the wobbly stallion as they trail off down the road to the large stone castle in the distance...

You sigh as you stretch your neck, "Alright...we'll read the rest latter."

To your words the filly quickly shakes her head as she starts her hooves up.

You blink to her words as you give a faint dry mouthed groan, "Ugh...Last chapter." You shift your eyes back to the book as the filly's happy smile drives you back to the next page.

Chapter five – the story's end

You smile to the words as you nod your head, good.

The trek back to Avidità's castle was nothing less than strenuous, but thanks to a little help from the mare the much bigger stallion leans to the large doors of the castle only lay a hoof away.

As the two ponies near the door a unicorn speaks up, "Halt." Said the gatekeeper, "Who goes there?"

Sir.Bubble Gum quickly springs from the mare's side as he speaks up, "Why it is I, Sir.Bubble Gum. I have returned from King Avidità's quest and I am here to return the king's rightful possession."

"You look nothing of Sir.Bubble Gum." Said the gatekeeper, still holding an unfazed stare to the two ponies.

"But this is true, he is Sir.Bubble Gum, the braves, kindest and smartest pony ever to fall from the land of pegasus." Said Minty Rose as she holds her hoof to the unicorn guard.

The gatekeeper blinks his eyes a little stunned to the earth mare's raised hoof, "Excuse me, but an earth pony should not-..."

Before the gatekeeper's words can finish the white stallion has moved his hoof to his folded back wings as he takes the bag to his front hoof. "Behold." The bag comes undone as a shining clam sits to the white stallion's hoof.

"The clam!" Said the gatekeeper-you must takes this to the king!"

Without a moment's hesitation the gatekeeper opens the doors as Minty and Sir.Bubble Gum follow in after the stallion.

The two ponies are lead through the castle as there brought into the throne room. And thats where the white stallion with burned pink mane and dirty dirt covered hooves sees her...Princess Impudente, the most beautiful mare that this stallion has ever laid his eyes on. Her mane has a sandy color only the softest sands of HorseShoe bay could compare to...and her coat the most lavish of caramel that would make a dipped sweet apple turn bitter.

But the stallion's gaze of the mare is brought to an end as a deep voice comes to the room from the elegant throne next to the mare of Sir.Bubble Gum's desire, "What is the meaning of this-this dirty excuse of a stallion."

Sir.Bubble Gum bows to the slightly raised voice as he speaks up, "My King Avidità, I have returned with your quest completed and I have come for a reward."

The white stallion holds the bright clam towards the sitted pony as he begins to go wide eyed, "Sir.Bubble Gum! You have returned! And you have defeated the beast I see!...Forgive me for not noticing you, why you look like a common..." The stallion stops his words as he notices the mare beside the pegasus, "Um, yes well what be your reward brave quester?"

The clam is taken from the stallion's hoof as he puffs his chest out and just stares to the princess in the throne next to King Avidità. The king doesn't pay attention to the stallion though as he begins to gawk to the shiny clam that now is held in his hoof.

"I would like the hoof of Princess Impudente..." Said Sir.Bubble Gum.

The Princess blinks astonished to the words, however the comment does bring a reaction from the mare beside Sir.Bubble Gum and the king, but Minty's face drops to the floor as the mare just listens quietly.

"MY Princess's hoof?" The king stops his intrigue of the clam as he turns his head to the caramel mare beside him, "My dearest daughter, what are your thoughts?"

The mare is silent for a moment as she turns between the two stallions, "Me? Her ear piercing and annoying high pitched feminine voice runs through the room giving every creature a slight shiver to their backs and ears...All but Sir.Bubble Gum as he listens to what his mind has portrayed as an angel's song continue to speak, "...You wish for me to decide?"

A nod comes from King Avidità.

"Hmm." Princess Impudente looks over the dirtied stallion and burnt mane as she quickly speaks up, "Your mane, what happened to your mane?"

The stallion blinks to her words as his usually confident and brave voice falters a little, "It shall return."

"...And what of your coat? Your coat has changed, you-you are more dull?" Said Princess Impudente.

"It will return with a simple wash-..." Sir.Bubble Gum's voice is cut off as the Princess shakes her head, "No, you are not the stallion for me, I need a brave and good looking stallion."
Sir.Bubble Gum is silent to the mare's words as King Avidità speaks up, "Then it is settled...My daughter has said no." The king waves his hoof to Sir.Bubble Gum as he continues, "You may go, unless you have more treasure to bestow upon me."

Minty Rose perks her ears up as she turns her head to the white stallion next to her as his trot starts to bring his disappointed face around.

But before he can leave the throne room Princess Impudente giggles her voice comes up, "Oh Sir.Bubble Gum."

The stallion quickly turns his head back around, "Yes?" He says.

"If you wish to ask again bring to me the pearl in Dragon's den." A smile comes from the mare as King Avidità shakes his head, "Yes, the clam of magic is great for gold pearls...But we do not have a silver dragon egg!"

Sir.Bubble Gum's eyes light up as he nods his head, "A quest?!"

King Avidità nods his head as he continues, "Yes, a quest only fit for a brave pony."

Sir.Bubble Gum's wings flair out a little as he speaks up in a brave and arrogant voice, "I am a brave pony! Consider this quest complete my King!"

King Avidità smiles as the mare next to him waves her hoof in a regal goodbye.

Sir.Bubble Gum slightly tugs on the mare next to him as he tries to pull her along, "Come now Minty, we have yet another quest to please King Avidità with!"

The mare reluctantly follows after Sir.Bubble Gum as the two ponies set off out of the castle into the fading day's sun.

You give a sigh as you notice the words to the page stopping midway, but you flip it just to make sure...There are a few sentences on the next page and even though they don't need to be read you mow them down anyways, "This concludes part two of The Prince Bubble Gum saga, made famous on the real life accounts of Sir. Sciocco depicted by Harness Hoofing Way. For continued reading please seek out your local library for parts three through ten."

You blink to the words as you close the book and begin to stand up and stretch your legs, ten parts to one story? Pff, why not just one. The thought doesn't really stay as you think over the last sentence, real life accounts?...There's flying buffalo?

Before you can settle your mind's debate a hoof to the door of the library shifts your mind back to the real world. You move to open the door as Violet slightly follows after you.

The outside world looks to be almost completely devoid of snow, with only small piles of unmelted white powder still really visible; and the fluffy white clouds that held in the sky above Ponyville most days have now vanished leaving the bright sun and a bluebird sky. But sadly your look over the world's post-winter beauty is cut short as a familiar small grey stallion makes his way into the library through the door you hold open.

As the small stallion trots past you his deep voice comes up, "Ah betrunken, i’m glad to see unlike most Ponyville services the library is not closed."

You squint to the stallion as you look him over, "Um ya...Stony?"

To your voice the stallion rolls his eyes as he begins to dig in the large satchel around him, "Yes, I believe you have noticed my lack of mane...it turns out the spell book you gave me had some kind of enchantment on it..." Stony's voice drops to a slightly annoyed tone as he continues, "And because of it the Parasprite ended up wanting to eat mane instead of it's normal appetite."

He brings the book from yesterday out of the satchel and for the first time you really get a good look at it...and sure enough its one of the books Violet and Twilight were using for enchantment practice. You give a friendly laugh as you float the new book next to the other book you already hold.

Your friendly laugh sparks a faint, "Hmph...You find my mostly eaten mane funny do you betrunken?"

You blink to the words as you shake your head and move your eyes back to his, instead of the strange and uneven mane cut.

Violet on the other hoof gawks to the smaller stallion, no doubt still remembering Sir.Bubble Gum from the story as she looks over Stony's mane.

Stony waves his hoof to your words as he shrugs, "Honestly mane has never been a concern of mine..." He squints to the other book in your purple hold as his own horn comes up in a faint glow, "Ah...I see the betrunken has good taste."

Your hold over the book becomes lapsed as Stony takes it to himself, you take the moment to trot over to the table as you place the book down and bring your old cup of never drank hot chocolate to your mouth. But as you take a sip all you get is a cold and very unpleasant amount of unstirred chocolate dust that just makes your dry throat feel worst.

But even if your voice is shot the other pony in the room begins to speak up clearly, "I have always found this book interesting...mainly because it's the only saga worthwhile of reading...Daring Do is nothing more then cheap adventures and corny se-..." The stallion halts his voice as he turns an eye to the silently staring filly.

"Yes...But anyways, I liked this book because it showed a lot of hidden messages.

You blow to the comment as you think to yourself, yep fire breathing flying buffalo...oh and magic clams.

Your laugh brings Stony's right eyebrow up as he cocks it to you, "Hmm let me guess, you most likely don't know old Unicorn so you wouldn't understand names...and you most likely are not stallion enough to realize the meaning of the clam, the idea of never giving up or the idea of using others for your personal gain..." The small stallion takes on an almost Twilight like know it all stance as he continues, "...Which mind you was the meaning of this one."

"Hmm..." Stony looks over the book again before he turns it back to you, "Still not as good as the next one...Now that's something that will take a stallion all day." A light laugh comes from Stony as you place the book to the table next to you.

You copy his light toned laugh as you turn your eyes to the window, "All day huh? Well I'd say it would, today's a Celestia half day." You look to the high sun for a second as you bring your idea to fact, which brings a smile to your face for being able to tell.

"HA! No, today is a Luna full night, Celestia half days are only in Luna's year...But nice try betrunken."

You lose your smile as you just blink to the stallion, great what's a Luna full night now?

Before you can speak up Stony's voice cuts you off as he starts to trot towards the door, "Any Hooves good bye, I have to get back before the ingenious pegasus decide to collect there pushed out clouds over my house again."

You nod your head to the stallion as you close the door behind him. As the door comes too close you turn your gaze back to the filly while you continue to stretch your legs out from your hour or two reading session.

But you pause for a moment as you watch the filly's hoofs come up with a bright smile, "Um...yes he said there were more."

The words send the filly galloping back to the main part of the library, you blink to her quick gallop as you take a step towards the room and call out, "But were not reading another one today ok Violet?...Violet?"

The sound of a few books crashing to the floor comes to your ears as you pick your pace up around the corner. Your eyes dart to the clutter of books that lay around the floor, but your gaze quickly shifts to the happily smiling filly that stands with her horn a glow to a much larger book held next to her by her magic.

Your silent as you look over the little filly's mixture of excitement, wonder and joy...

End of chapter 2