//------------------------------//
// Heroes 
// Story: Costumes 
// by Talon and Thorn 
//------------------------------//

As soon as Snails heard about the new holiday that Princess Luna had started he knew just who he wanted to dress up as, the spectacular Spiderstallion! He’d been a fan of the comic book hero for almost as long as he could remember. It had been his friend Snips who had first told him about the arachnid adventurer, when the hero had first been described to Snails he had imagined a pony with eight long legs like a spider, which sounded really cool. He’d been a little disappointed when he’d actually seen the comic and realised that he was only a normal shaped pony but once he’d read the stories he’d loved them. Spiderstallion could shoot webs and was really strong and fast and best of all he was a really smart guy and was always ready with a wisecrack even though he was a normal guy who had problems and got scared and stuff. For some reason Snips really liked that.
 
So as soon as he’d heard about the festival and that Miss Rarity would be making the costumes he’d turned up at carousel boutique with his pocket money and begged the white unicorn to make him a Spiderstallion costume. After a half-hearted attempt to persuade him that red was not his colour, she’d suggested black, the fashionista had agreed to make the required outfit. He’s even managed to make web shooters to go along with it and everything! They only shot silly string and were as long as his legs, but that was almost as good as the real thing! Snails had put the costume on and admired himself in the mirror in the bathroom, he felt like he could patrol the town looking for trouble, as long as it was foal sized trouble anyway.
 
He was admiring himself in the mirror when he heard a knock at the door. “Can you get that, honey?” called his mother from his parent’s bedroom.
 
Snips rushed down the stairs and to the door passing his father, Dewdrop, on the way, the elder stallion was wearing a guard costume and slowly picking himself up out of his chair. Snips yanked open the door to find Snips standing there in a blue costume with white stars on it. “Greetings citizen,” announced the short foal in a deep voice.
 
“Wow, you’re Captain Equestria!” exclaimed Snails.
 
“I know,” replied his friend in his normal voice, “Isn’t it cool?” he spun round in place to show off the costume, “Rarity made it for me. I’ve even got this awesome shield.” He held out the accessory which appeared to be made out of a large metal plate painted in the appropriate colours. “Now if any villain tries to zap me, *zap*, I can deflect it back at them *pow* and they’ll be all like, oh no, and I’ll be like, take that villain. Captain Equestria is so cool, cuz he fought Corona and then got frozen and he’s fighting evil again now, he’s the best superhero ever!”
 
“Nope, Spiderstallion is,” replied Snails.
 
Before the disagreement could continue Snails mother, Shutter Bug, rushed down stairs taking them two at a time. “Oh, don’t you both look so handsome,” she said. The mare was wearing a costume that made her look like a ladybug to match her name, Snails had helped to build it making sure the legs and antennae were the right length. “I need to get a picture of you both.” She stepped back and lifted the camera around her neck, “Smile.”
 
Snips struck a pose flexing his non-existent muscles and Snails just grinned into the camera as his mother snapped picture after picture.
 
“Oh, Raindrops you look so beautiful,” announced Dewdrop drawing the room’s attention back to the stairs as Raindrops descended looking rather self-conscious. She was dressed in a long flowing pink dress and a conical hat balanced precariously on her head with a veil covering part of her face.
 
Shutter Bug turned and started to take pictures of her daughter, “Princess Platinum right? It really suits you.”
 
Raindrops blushed and looked down, “Rarity made it, you don’t think she went over the top do you?”
 
“You’ll always be my little princess,” said Dewdrop hugging his daughter, “Now everypony else can see it too.”
 
“Thanks Dad,” she mumbled.
 
Snails looked at his friend, unusually Snips hadn’t said anything for a while. The tubby foal stood transfixed staring at Raindrops with wide eyes, “Dude,” he whispered, not turning away, “Your sister’s a girl!” It sounded like he’d just discovered a great mystery of life.
 
Snails examined the statement from several angles, after some consideration he decided it made sense, “Yep,” he agreed.
 
“I always knew she was a girl but she’s a girl, all sort of pink and soft and girly.”
 
“Yep, ‘cept she’s yellow not pink” repeated Snails, he was distantly aware that Snails behaviour was unusual but he couldn’t put his hoof on exactly what was wrong.
 
“Come on, let’s have a picture of you all together,” called Shutter bug.
 
Raindrops trotted over and placed herself between the two colts, Snips’s eyes following her as she went. She draped her wings over the two colts causing Snips to turn purple.
“Come on boys,” said Raindrops once her mother had finished a roll of film, “Let’s start on this trick or treating thing before I drop you all off with your friends.”
 
“Ok,” said Snails. Snips remained quiet continuing to stare at the yellow pegasus as she trotted out the door. Only once she’d left the building did he seem to come to and run after Snails and Raindrops.
 





 
The streets of Ponyville were packed, not only were most of the town’s population out and about but many out of town visitors had arrived to join in the festivities. Everywhere there were ponies of all shapes, sizes and tribes wearing a variety of costumes. There were ghosts, vamponies, clowns, scarecrows and animals. There was even one brave soul wearing a Corona costume although most of the crowd were giving her a wide berth.
 
Raindrops led her brother and his friend from house to house as they travelled from her home towards the school where Cheerilee had agreed to meet them. They had collected treats from each of the dwellings they stopped at, many of the homeowners commenting positively on the trio’s costumes.
 
Raindrops felt very self-conscious about her outfit. It had taken her several attempts to work up the nerve to talk to Rarity about it. At first she had considered going as a barbarian or warrior of some sort, maybe even a cloud. Then she had seen the princess outfit in the window of the boutique and had had a vision of herself wearing it while dancing with a handsome stallion in an enormous ballroom surrounded by scores of jealous mares looking on, and she just knew she had to have it. Now she was actually wearing the dress she felt exposed which was odd as it was more than she normally wore. She felt that everypony around her was staring and although it made her uncomfortable she had to admit there was a part of her than liked the attention.
 
The small group of ponies had just finished collecting sweets from a street when Snails noticed a herd of stallions approaching. They were mostly workers from the Apple Trust come into town for the festival and were all dressed in various diamond dog costumes. They were led by a black coated earth pony with a red spiky mane mostly covered by his costume, that of a great mastiff.
 
The leader moved away from his friend and started to walk towards Raindrops, Snails recognised him as Tugger. Snails did not like him. A month ago Tugger had been spending a lot of time with his Snail’s sister. Raindrops’s had been happy, not fake happy like when she’s seen that doctor and said those bad things about Snails that he didn’t like thinking about, but really happy. He’d even heard her singing through the thin wall between their bedrooms and it hadn’t even been raining. Then a few weeks ago Tugger had stopped being around and Raindrops stopped being happy. A lot of ponies thought Snails wasn’t very perceptive but he knew when his sister was upset, she spent more time at her rock hitting place and he’d seen her crying on the roof. Snails didn’t like it when his sister cried, it made him feel bad inside, small and cold. To try and cheer her up he’d given her his favourite millipede, Leggy always made him feel better, and Raindrops had thanked him and hugged him but she’d stayed sad. Snails didn’t really understand what had happened but he knew it was Tugger’s fault that Raindrops had cried.
 
“My sister doesn’t want to talk to you,” announced Snails putting himself between Tugger and Raindrops, “Go away.”
 
“Yeah, go away,” said Snips positioning himself next to Snails and digging his hooves in, he didn’t know what was going on but wanted to help his friend.
 
“Sorry little guys, this is really cute,” said the black stallion, “But I want to talk to her.” With minimal effort the earth pony shoved the two colts aside and walked past. “Hey Droppy,” he called, “Nice outfit.” Snails stared after him in impotent rage.
 
Raindrops turned to him a scowl on her face, “It’s Raindrops not Droppy,” she said, “And what do you want? Took up another bet to date me?”
 
“Now you were never meant to find out about that,” he replied conciliatory, “Besides I think we had a real connection.”
 
“Oh, that would really mean something, if you hadn’t said the same thing to Cheerilee and Carrot Top on the same night. But hey forgive and forget right,” she sneered. “How about we try again?” She smiled evilly, “I know I could,” she leaned closer and whispered in his ear. The stallion started to grin then his eyes grew wide and a look of terror passed over this face, “WITH A SLICE OF LEMON!” Raindrops hollered in his ear. Tugger gave a yelp and galloped away as if shot from a cannon trying to keep his rear legs together as he went.
 
“And don’t come back,” yelled Snips at the retreating stallion.
 
“Yeah,” agreed Snails.
 
Raindrops glared after the retreating figure as he and his friends ran off, then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, counted to ten and smiled sweetly, “Thanks for trying to protect me boys but I can deal with creeps like him by myself,” she sighed, “Come on, plenty of candy still to get.”
 





 
“Right, next stop is the school house,” called Raindrops to Snips and Snails. The trio had deviated from their original plan, the siren call of more sweets having distracted the colts causing them to take a meandering route through town.
 
“One more house, please,” pleaded Snails.
 
“Uh hu,” agreed Snips, the pudgy colt had been uncharacteristically quiet so far.
 
Raindrops glared at her brother but weakened as he looked up at her with wide eyes through the holes in his costume. “Fine, “ she agreed. I’ll just be at the end of the road, meet me when you’ve finished.
 
“Thanks sis, you’re the best.”
 
“Uh, yeah, your gre..great,” stuttered Snips unable to meet Raindrops’s gaze. The yellow mare trotted off to the end of the road while her young associates made their way to a nearby house.
 





 
Unbeknown to them, elsewhere in Ponyville a certain white mare had started her plan to become the most famous costume maker in Equestria. Waves of magic spread out from her shop passing harmlessly over most ponies. Only those whose costumes contained certain carefully created crystals were affected. Crystals such as the ones in Raindrops, Snips and Snails costumes.
 





 
Tugger was starting to feel better now that he’d had a few stiff drinks to calm his nerves. Why did the cute ones always have to be so crazy?  he thought, he was fairly sure what Raindrops had threatened to do to him was physically impossible, but he didn’t want to risk her trying anyway. It was probably a good idea to keep out of her way for a few weeks at least. She was a looker, it was a shame she’d found out about the bet and that she didn’t put out, still plenty more fish in the sea as they say.
 
Tugger suddenly felt a burning sensation, as if something red hot was being pushed through his costume into his neck. He felt dizzy for a moment and the world seemed to flash green then reached up and scratched the tingling area with his hind paw, fleas thought Big Fido. He looked around, why was he in a pony city? The last thing he remembered was.. Come to think of it he didn’t remember much. He looked around, the rest of his Diamond Dog pack looked just as confused, but that wasn’t unusual. He sniffed, the air was full of unfamiliar scents, but there was one that he recognised from somewhere, something that belonged to him.
 
“Pre-ty Pony,” he howled, “We find Pre-ty Pony. The call was taken up by the rest of his pack as they started to bound through the streets of Ponyville scattering the confused residents before them.
 





 
Raindrops was standing at the end of a street when the wave of magic struck her. She was encased in a web of green light and felt dizzy for a moment. She almost fell but righted herself just in time. Princess Platinum looked around, what was this strange place? How had she gotten here? Where were her guards? She did not recognise the buildings around her, they were neither the rough huts of the common earth ponies nor the mansions of the Unicorns and were certainly not cloud dwellings.
 
There had to be somepony around this place that could tell her where she was and where her entourage had gotten to. She swore that Clover only had to see a book and she’d go missing for a week. Picking a turning at random she began to walk, “Clover!” she called, “Clover, where are you girl? I’m starting to get angry now.”
 
She turned a corner and found another pony, a pegasus, for some unknown reason she was wearing a butterfly costume, she never would understand the ways of the lower classes. “You there!” she called, “What is this place?”
 
The other pony turned to face her, she looked surprised for a second but then grinned and curtsied, “Why this is Ponyville your majesty, and we are so glad to have a princess of your calibre visit us.” there was a hint of mocking in her reply which Platinum did not like.
 
“And where is my entourage?”
 
“You mean the other elements? I don’t know.”
 
“Elements? What are you talking about? I mean my guards and hoofmares and such.” She stamped a dainty hoof on the ground in frustration, the construction of this strange place was so shoddy that the stones beneath her hoof broke under the force.
 
The pony she was talking to suddenly became very nervous and started to back away, ears and tail down, “No..Now there’s no need to get angry Raindrops,” she stuttered, the stared, “Where are your wings?”
 
“Who is this Raindrops pony? I am Princess Platinum of Unicornia and I demand that you take me to my people right now or I will have you whipped for your insolence.”
The pegasus’s slow retreat turned into panicked flight and with a last glance towards the angry princess the butterfly clad mare became a spot in the sky.
 
“You better run!” yelled Platinum shaking her hoof at the fleeing pony, “Wait until I tell your mistress about this, Hurricane with be most displeased!” She suddenly noticed a shadow had fallen over her, a rather large shadow. With a gulp she turned and saw several large canine shapes looming over her.
 
“Pre-ty Pony,” one of them growled.
 





 
Snails and Snips were just preparing to knock on a door when the magic hit them. The physical changes brought on by the spell were more pronounced on the colts than Raindrops. The ‘web slingers’ built into Snails’s costume shrunk while a subtle glow appeared around his hooves. The effects on Snips were even more obvious, the plump colt grew taller, although still shorter than his lanky friend, and his musculature became more pronounced. The shield strapped to his foreleg morphed from a painted tray into a real piece of armour.
 
Captain Equestria shook his head, he had felt dizzy for a moment. He looked around, he appeared to be in some small town, had he been summoned here by one of his many foes? Next to him stood a figure he recognised, “Spiderstallion?” he exclaimed, “Did you bring me here?” Although often portrayed as a hero he had read certain newspaper articles that claimed that the red suited figure was a villain. Given the circumstances the Captain could take no chances, he placed a restraining hoof on the other stallion’s shoulder.
 
Spiderstallion blinked, what was he doing here? This didn’t look like Manehatten. A hoof landed on his shoulder, somepony had avoided his Spidersense! Reacting instinctively he grabbed the figure and with a twist threw it over his shoulder. The supersoldier twisted in the air as he hurtled past Spiderstallion and landed on his hooves ready to counterattack. He charged forwards to find that the other hero had already leapt into the air and was scampering up the wall of a nearby house.
 
“You’ll have to do better than that gramps,” mocked Spiderstallion.
 
“In my day kids showed respect to their elders,” replied the blue clad hero. He slipped his shield off his leg and flung it at the arachnid themed adventurer forcing him to leap from his vantage point, the shield bounced off the wall with a clang and returned to his grasp.
 
As he flew through the air Spiderstallion gestured and long streams of a sticky liquid erupted from his wrists. Captain Equestria threw himself aside to avoid the projectiles, however, as he did so the door to a nearby house opened and an elderly unicorn wearing glasses emerged just in time to be struck in the face by the goo.
 
“Sorry, Sorry,” cried Spiderstallion, immediately forgetting his feud with Captain Equestria, “Let me help you,” he ran towards the stricken civilian and helping to pry the gloop from his face.
 
“‘Nuff said kid,” said the unicorn, “Wow those are some great costumes,” he pulled the last of the ‘web’ from his face, “This stuffs really clever, did you make it yourself?”
 
“Yeah, it’s my own invention,” Spiderstallion smiled under his mask, it was nice to see that the common ponies liked him, regardless of what certain newspaper editors said. He felt a hoof on his shoulder again and he tensed.
 
“Stand down soldier,” said Captain Equestria, “I saw you help that civilian, I think we might have a misunderstanding here. I take it you didn’t bring me here?”
 
“No, I thought you might have. Look sorry about that gramps thing, I really do respect you a lot sir,” he replied nervously.
 
“Think nothing of it. I shouldn’t have been so quick to suspect you. If you didn’t bring me here I wonder...”
 
Suddenly the air was split by a feminine scream of terror, without a further word the two heroes galloped together towards the source of the sound.
 
“Excelsior,” commented the old unicorn as they left.
 





 
“Pre-ty Pony,” repeated one of the Diamond Dogs as it reached out to grab Princess Platinum.
 
“Get away from me you brutes,” she shrieked, flailing out with her forelimbs, not noticing one of her glancing blows knocking the creature clear across the street. She turned and with a shriek ran, only to be confronted by another dog. Swerving away from it she came face to face with yet another, “Help me! Somepony Help me!” she screamed staggering back, before raising a hoof to her brow and fainting.
 
The largest of the dogs picked up the princess in his arms and threw her over his shoulder, “Big Rex have you now,” he announced, “Now I can...” his voice trailed off as he realised he wasn’t entirely sure why he had wanted to kidnap this particular pony, “Do something to you,” he finished lamely.
 
“Release her!” came a cry from behind them, the Dogs turned to face the diminutive form of Captain Equestria who had struck a heroic pose upon arriving at the scene.
 
“Yeah, like get your hands off her, you damn dirty Dog,” quipped Spiderstallion as he bounded towards them.
 
Big Rex gazed at the two approaching heroes with contempt, “Dia-mond Dogs destroy Pu-ny Ponies,” he ordered.
 
With a howl the pack of dogs rushed at the colts.
 
With a gesture Spiderstallion glued one of the lead dogs feet to the ground. With a yelp it crashed forwards taking several of its following companions with it. A Jack Russell Terrier leapt over the pile of canines and attempted to grab the red clad figure from the air. However, Spidie was too agile and avoided the flailing dog by twisting, only to land on the side of a nearby wall remaining at right angles to the rest of the world, the Jack Russell tilted his head in confusion.
 
Another Dog attempted to grab Captain Equestria but the blue clad hero leapt up out of its grasp and span in the air before landing a strong kick on it’s jaw snapping back it’s head and flooring the beast. A further enemy approached and the Captain threw his shield at it, it leapt aside and the projectile flew past its head. With a grin the creature continued to advance on the hero only to be knocked to the ground as the shield ricocheted off a post behind it and crashed into the back of its head.
 
Big Rex stared at the battle not believing that his pack was being defeated by these miniature heroes, he decided that for the moment discretion might be the better form of valour, “Dog’s,” he called, “We are leaving!”
 
“Oh no you don’t, the lady stays here,” announced Captain Equestria.
 
“Yeah, why don’t you stick around,” said Spiderstallion shooting streams of web at Big Rex, however the giant hound managed to pull its feet from the sticky substance before it fully hardened.
 
Racing after the now retreating dogs the Captain hurled his shield at the large canine but to his surprise Big Rex caught it in a large paw and spun it back at him. Spiderstallion swung down and at the last moment knocked his ally out of the way of the flying disk allowing it to plough harmlessly into the roads surface. However, by the time the two hero’s picked themselves up the Diamond Dogs were nowhere to be seen.
 
“We must get after them,” announced the Captain, “and rescue that.. who was she anyway, she was dressed like a noble from my time. My original time anyway.”
 
“I don’t know maybe she was going to a costume party?”
 
“Perhaps, or maybe these creatures have access to a time machine.”
 
“They don’t look like the sharpest tools in the box in fact they don’t look like the sharpest bowling balls in the box.” quipped Spiderstallion.
 
“Maybe they are the minions of an evil genius. Still we must find where they went to.”
“How about we ask Fluffy there,” replied the masked hero pointing to the trapped Diamond Dog which was still futilely trying to free itself from the webbing.
 
The dogs ears picked up, “How you know Fluffy’s name?” it asked, “Are you a mind reader?”
 
“No that’s another guy with less hair. Anyway can you take us to your friends?”
 
Fluffy sniffed the air, he could smell his companions not too far away, “Yes,” he admitted, “But why should Fluffy help you?”
 
“Because it’s the right thing to do,” explained Captain Equestria.
 
Suddenly Fluffy found himself suspended upside down from a wall by a strip of webbing in Spiderstallion’s grasp. “Because you’re very heavy?” gasped the lanky hero.
 
Fluffy gulped, the ground looked a long way away, “Fluffy help heroes,” he announced.
“Good Dog,” said Spidie lowering the dog to the ground.
 
Fluffy glanced at the Captain who was looking on disapprovingly, “Fluffy doing this because it’s the right thing to do?” said the Dog nervously.
 





 
The Diamond Dog pack had taken up residence in a barn on one of the smaller farms near Ponyville. They had stashed the princess in a hay loft.
 
Now that he had some time to think Big Rex was trying to decide what to do with his prisoner. However, thinking was not one of his best skills and his captive was not making it easy on him, she kept talking all the time. She had demanded food and drink, which seemed reasonable, they had given her a pitcher and a few loose carrots they had found around the place. Then she had required more comfortable straw, Rex wasn’t even sure that was possible surely straw was straw, then she wanted more clothes, where were they supposed to get those from? And she still wouldn’t shut up?
 
“I will never let you sate your foul bestial lusts on my fair form, I would rather die first!” announced Princess Platinum.
 
Big Rex scratched his head, he didn’t really know what she was talking about although foul bestial lusts sounded good, maybe she would scratch him behind his ears or even cook him something, he was starting to feel hungry.  
 
“Unless,” continued the princess, “You wouldn’t happen to be a handsome prince cursed into this ugly form until you are freed by true loves kiss?”
 
Rex looked confused, “No Rex is really a big ugly dog, no curse needed.”
 
“Ah in that case. Oh, won’t a hero come to save me?” she cried.
 
With a crash the doors to the barn were thrown open silhouetting three figures in the moonlight.
 
“Let that mare go now, beast,” announced Captain Equestria.
 
“Oh sir Knight,” squealed Platinum noting the figure carried a shield, “Save me from my captivity!”
 
“How pu-ny ponies find us?” asked Big Rex.
 
“Sorry boss,” mumbled Fluffy from behind the heroes, trying to look small, “It was the right thing to do?”
 
“Get them!” roared the Diamond Dog leader, “Get the pu-ny ponies!”
 
“Hey,” cried Spiderstallion as he lifted himself into the roof of the barn, “I’m not a puny pony, I’m a punny pony.” None of the dogs seemed impressed as they leapt at him from the ground, “Come on, that was comedy gold.”
 
Meanwhile on the ground two of the largest dogs had rushed at the Captain, he dexterously slid between their legs before popping up behind them and kicking one in the back sending it flying across the barn to come to a stop in a bale of hay. The other swung around catching its attacker a glancing blow which the captain blocked with his shield before swinging it at the dog catching it around the head and knocking it to the ground. He turned to see a third dog rushing at him he prepared to throw his shield at it. Suddenly the beast came to a stop looking scared it rubbed a recent bruise on the back of its head. It considered its situation for a second before deciding to lie down quietly where it stood.
 
There was a round of applause from the back of the barn and Captain Equestria saw the anachronistically dressed mare standing there cheering him on. Her face was flushed and she was fanning herself quite vigorously with one hoof.
 
Noting her position the Captain began to rush towards her.
 
Up in the rafters Spiderstallion was also accounting for himself well. A number of Diamond dogs had attempted to clamber up to get him but he was too agile for them and several were now stuck to the walls or had fallen to the ground and now lay in groaning piles. A further dog leapt at him but he swung away and grabbed hold of one of the buildings main supports.
 
“I’ll crush you like a fly,” bellowed Big Rex, he gripped the support and began to tug at it with all his might.
 
“Look can’t you tell, I’m a spider not a fly, what do they teach in kennel school now a days? Wooha,” he cried as the big dog managed to dislodge him from his perch and he fell onto the creature.
 
Surprised by the sudden appearance of the lanky colt on his head Big Rex staggered backwards but managed to grab the red costumed hero in one paw.
 
“I’ll crush you!” he yelled but to his surprise his victim proved to be stronger than expected and managed to prise open his paw. He stared at the hero for a moment, slack jawed.
 
Spiderstallion took his chance and swung a hoof at the large canine catching it on the snout and knocking it to the ground, “That’s for making my sister cry!” he yelled. He froze for a second, he didn’t have a sister did he? He put the thoughts to the back of his head as the creature started to get up again. Spidie spun and kicked back at the creature ribs making it howl in pain before he leapt on its back and pinned it to the ground. For some reason he found hurting this particular dog very satisfying.
 
At the back of the barn Captain Equestria rushed towards the dog’s hostage, two of the creatures seemed to pop up in front of him but his momentum allowed him to knock one aside and he hurled his shield at the other forcing it to duck back down into the hay. He vaulted into the loft to land next to the mare in the pointed hat.
 
“I should get you out of danger Miss,” said the Captain lifting the mare, she seemed heavier than he expected. Without another word he leapt down to the ground eliciting a little scream of either fear or excitement from his passenger. He landed rather heavily but gently put his charge down next to him. “Be careful Miss there might be more of them around.” he scanned the barn but it appeared that all the dogs had had the fight knocked out of them.
 
“Oh, sir knight you are my hero!” sighed the Princess, “Let me reward you for saving me.”
 
“No reward is necessary citiz...” began the humble hero could finish he was gathered up in her forelegs and she kissed him deeply.
 
Isn’t that just the way, thought Spiderstallion, I beat the boss and he gets the filly.
Suddenly there was a fizz in the air and a stench of ozone as the spell that had been blanketing the town was discharged and the magic effecting the costumes stopped.
 
Raindrops was suddenly aware that she was kissing Snips of all ponies, her brain shut down for a moment then quickly rebooted and she threw the pudgy colt to the ground. “What? How? Why? What happened?” she demanded of the universe face glowing bright red.
 
“Wheeeeeee!” muttered Snips from the ground, not moving, a wide grin on his face and all four legs pointing straight up.
 
Around them a dozen bruised and battered stallions started to stagger to their hooves and wonder what had just happened to them.
 
“Hey, sis?” asked Snails, “Why’d you kiss Snips? Does that mean you have to marry him now? That’s what Sweetie Bell said when Pip kissed Dinky. Would that make him my brother?”
 
“So wrong,” muttered Raindrops trying to wipe her lips off her muzzle, “So very wrong.”
Snips started to move and got to his hooves a smile still cracking his face, “Dude, that was awesome, I can’t wait to tell everypony at school about this.”
 
Raindrops raised a hoof to the sky, “TRIXIE, I DON’T KNOW WHY BUT I BLAME YOU FOR THIS!” she thundered.