The Arts of Friendship: Life in Color

by ColdCutChaos

Chapter 2: Discovery

“Twilight, not to be a burden upon you, but are you sure this is a sound idea?” Rarity said as she levitated a brush from a bucket of purple paint.

“Positive. According to Discord’s book, these…” She stops to look into a page, “... Throwups are very important pieces. They have other forms such as tags, but those aren’t as important. Plus the…” She stops to look into the book, “Knight hasn’t left one yet.”

Rarity looked back at her, slightly indignified, “I’d hardly believe someone who would defile such an important building as a ‘knight’...”

Twilight showed her the book. “According to the book, a knight is someone who is well respected in the graffiti community, but isn’t necessarily fully respected, or a ‘king’.”

“Are there queens in the status?”

Twilight paused and took back the book looking through it. “... Actually there are. According to the book, there was a tribe of creatures that had participated in many forms of arts. One of the rituals for some was to paint on a building to claim it as their own. Each was unique to themselves and looked different depending on how the person desired.”

“My…” Rarity looked stunned at the information. “So do you believe that these creatures are here in Ponyville?”

“Doubtful…” Twilight showed her friend the book once again. “According to legend, the creatures vanished from the world 10,000 years ago, with very little trace of where they had gone. It’s possible that this is just a pony who found the information and decided to imitate the work.”

Rarity examined the images of creatures walking on two legs hunched as if animals. “... Twilight, I’ve seen these creatures before.”

Twilight looked very shocked, “Y-You have?!?”

“W-Well…” she stuttered, “Not actually, but there is a mare who does research on the creatures. She calls them… Humans.”

Twilight’s eyes suddenly sparked. “Human… Oh no… Oh no oh no oh no!”

“Twilight, what’s the matter?”

“Rarity, remember how I told you that you wouldn’t believe what the other world was like? That’s because when I wandered through the portal, I was no longer a pony. No one was!! We walked upright, on two hooves, or… Feet as they called it, had appendages on their front hooves or… Hands, which they called fingers, and they looked nothing like us and yet very similar to us, and I think one of them wandered in here!!”

Rarity’s jaw suddenly dropped. “A… A human… here?...”

“Well, most likely not human, the portal shifts the form to pony, but his mind is very much human!! We need to get him and send him back!!”

“I-I don’t understand!! How did you not realize that these creatures in the book were the humans referenced??”

“They didn’t mention it! Plus the book distorts the images so I couldn’t properly see that!!” Twilight looked all over the book saying, “Who even wrote the book, anyway?” She stopped as she opened the back of the book and noticed a signature. Her face twisted into a look of complete anger. “Obviously…”

“T-Twilight?...” Rarity slowly approached her friend and immediately ducked as the book was flung passed her and landed on the ground.

“DISCORD!!!!” Twilight yelled as she panted, steam coming out of her ears. She soon slumped on the ground, her hooves on her head. “How can things have gone so wrong?...”

Rarity, noticing how distressed Twilight was, picked up the book with her magic, blew the dust off of the book, and approached her, saying, “Twilight…” She looked up. “Just because the fool has decided to toss in another prank at us, doesn’t mean we can’t resolve it. We’ve been through worse, and we will always come through.”

Twilight looked at Rarity, whose face was locked in a very serious look, and smiled slightly, picking herself up, saying, “You’re right, Rarity. I shouldn’t be freaking out like this. It’s just…” She sighed looking up. “I’m a princess now… I have so much work to keep together, and I have to protect these people… I just don’t know if I can handle it all.”

“Nonsense!!” Rarity huffed, catching Twilight by surprise. “You are more than just a princess!! You are a scholar, a worker of not just the people, but the mind, itself. Plus…” She gave a smile of both confidence and sincerity, “You are a great mare with friends that will stay by your side until the very end!!”

Twilight smiled, a tear being shed as she hugged Rarity. “Thank you, Rarity… I am glad that I have you guys…” She released her friend as she noticed the sun began to set. Wiping her tear, saying, “Let’s finish this up. It’s almost night.”

~~~

Night had finally struck as the Mane Six gathered around the painting with a group of other ponies lead by a light tan unicorn with a brown mane and a camera Cutie Mark, the six mares complimenting on Rarity’s work.

“Style?” asked Rainbow Dash as she read the purple cursive writing.

“Ooo, I get it,” exclaimed Pinkie, “‘Cause you’re super stylish!”

“Precisely, Pinkie,” Rarity said, “It is also in a sense, a way of outdoing this… DAN at his so-called game.”

“We’ll, hogtie that lil vandalizin’ snake in the grass!” Applejack said as she smirked.

“Yeah!” Dash followed in.

“I love games!” Pinkie giggled, “This is like a biiiig game of Hide-and-seek except at night, when it’s all scaaaary!”

Fluttershy cringed when Pinkie said that and turned to Twilight, saying, “Um… T-Twilight? Are you sure that my animals will be okay while we do this?”

“Of course, Fluttershy,” Twilight said as she smiled, “I took the liberty of bringing forcefields up at your cottage, but kept the other buildings exposed. If DAN sees that there is nowhere to tag, then he’ll leave, but we need to find him and send him home. Him leaving means we need to do this another night.” Twilight pulled out a map and opened it up, revealing the entirety of Ponyville. “Applejack and Pinkie Pie, you two cover the northern area, schoolhouse, the marketplace with Rainbow Dash covering the skies.”

“You betcha, Twi!!”

"Consider it done!”

“Aw yeah!! Late night scouting mission!”

“Rarity and Fluttershy,” Twilight, continued, “You two will be handling the southern area as well as Sweet Apple Acres, with Fluttershy on the skies and entrance to the Everfree Forest.”

“You can count on us, Twilight!”

“We won’t let you down.”

“Big Mac, you will cover Sweet Apple Acres.” Big Mac nodded. “Now, for… What is your name again?”

“Snap Shot, ma’am. Quickest cameraman in Equestria.”

“Thank you again, Snap Shot for assisting in this. Are you sure anyone of your camera crew doesn’t wish to back out?”

“You kiddin’?” Snap Shot replied in a thick Manehatten accent, “Of course not! With the amount o’ bits they’re promised, plus the added scoop on this vandal? Shoot, they’re ecstatic!”

Twilight nodded. “Good. We’re scattering your group throughout the town to try and get a picture of him. We’re going to have at least one at every group. One at Sweet Apple Acres, one in the school house, two in the marketplace, one by the Carousel Boutique, one by the library, and two by the entrance of the Everfree Forest.”

Snap Shot nodded giving a smirk, saying “Can do, Princess.” He turned to the group saying, “C’mon, you heard her!! Quick Flash, the farm! Photo Shop, the Boutique! Timed Picture, go with Ambient Light to the marketpalce and try not to trip and screw up the shot!! Dark Room, school house, and make sure your flash is on, bub! Electric Flash, library!! Hot Shoe, you’re with me!” The group then scattered to their assigned locations, the green stallion called Timed Picture tripping before running alongside Ambient Light.

Twilight watched the group separate and turned to the group, saying, “I also took the liberty of finding a spell to allow us to stay awake for the night.”

Her horn then began to glow, an orb of light coming out and over the six before bursting into sparkles. Pinkie began to jump up and down, saying, “Alright! I’m not tired at all!”

“There’s a shocker…” Rainbow Dash snickered as she flew up, “What about the photographers? Shouldn’t they get some of this, too?

“I talked to Snap Shot prior. I had already placed the spell on them.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and brought up a hoof, shouting, “So, are we ready to find this guy or what?!?”

“Yeah!” The group cheered as they split into different directions, unaware of the hidden figure that slipped into the shadows as if it had never been there…

Applejack stopped and looked around. She swore she heard movement just now. As she looked behind her she noticed something that made her jump. A strange glowing object had been placed a distance behind her. As the farmpony approached it, she noticed that its features. It was small, looking like it was made from tape and lights. She also noticed that it had other colors, a couple red lights on top and a couple green lights on the bottom along with the middle clear lights. Hesitantly, Applejack tapped it with her hoof and it fell over harmlessly. She picked it up carefully and observed it. “What kinda creation is this?...” She muttered to herself. Thinking she should find one of the others, the mare bit the end with her teeth and ran around looking for one of the others. Soon enough, near the schoolhouse, she had found Pinkie looking around, jumping in and out of various shubbery and trees.

“Pinkie!!” She yelled as she waved the strange glowing object in her mouth. Pinkie immediately caught notice of Applejack and hopped over to her. “Oh hi, Applejack!! Nice Throwie you have there!!”

AJ put down the lit-up object and looked at her friend curiously. “Throwie? Pinkie, what in Celestia’s name is a throwie?”

“It was in Twilight’s book! It’s an LED Throwie, like a way to mark stuff without the paint! You just need to glue it down and tada!”

“Glue it?” Applejack looked at the bottom of the Throwie. “Pinkie, there was no glue on this one.”

“There wasn’t? Then why would it be there-? Ow!” Suddenly Pinkie lifted her front hoof and then felt her eye twitch. “Oh no… Not that combo…” Pinkie then burst out running towards the marketplace.

“Pinkie!” Applejack yelled, “Where are ya going?!?”

Pinkie stopped and turned around. “Something bad is going to happen at Sugarcube Corner!!” Suddenly filled with alarm, Applejack ran with Pinkie to Sugarcube Corner, but couldn’t keep up with Pinkie in full panic mode.

~~~

Pinkie arrived to Sugarcube Corner to the sound of hissing. She saw a dim figure moving throughout the building, holding a can and sheet of paper of some sort. Looking around, she also noticed two figures. Looking closer she saw it was the unmoving bodies of Timed Picture and Ambient Light. Now mad, she began to run towards the figure and slammed into him hard, making it drop to the ground. She knocked the can out of the way and stamped both hooves onto its appendages, rendering them useless until the figure barely slipped out of Pinkie’s grip and pulled out another stick like object. It quickly passed by his face before she felt a strange spongy material rub against her face and she was met with a very strong, odd scent. She suddenly began to feel very dizzy and was soon pushed off as the figure ran across the town, disappearing into the darkness. She struggled to get up, still disoriented from the scent that was continuously filling her skull. At that moment, Applejack ran into the scene and stopped looking at the Timed Picture and Ambient Light. She walked slowly to them and placed her ear against Timed’s chest. She then did the same with Ambient and muttered, “well… Ya’ll are breathin’...” She heard a grunt and turned to see Pinkie struggling to get up. She ran to the pink mare and helped her up.

“Pinkie, are ya’ll okay?”

“I-I’m fine, Applejack... Just a teensy bit dizzy...”

Rainbow Dash flew down from the Northeast, saying, “Pinkie!” She helped up her friend asking, “Pinkie, are you okay?”

“I’m fine Dashie…” Pinkie said in a slight daze. “Just a bit woozy…”

Dash sighed and smiled nervously. “Heh… You almost got me there… What is that on your muzzle, anyways?” she asked pointing at the black streak across Pinkie’s muzzle.

Applejack sniffed the spot and quickly turned away, saying, “Hoo-wee! That there’s some strange smellin’ stuff.” She looked at Dash. “Ah reckon it’s how DAN got away.”

Dash looked over at the unconscious bodies of the two camera ponies.

“Those two’ll be just fine. Ah reckon DAN must’ve knocked ‘em out.”

“This thing… Just… Wow…”

“Girls!!”

The three looked and saw Twilight, a hoof around a crying Rarity and Fluttershy hovering over.

“Aw don’t tell me DAN got ya’ll too!!”

“I-I-It was horrible!! He got my boutique!!” Rarity cried dramatically on Twilight’s shoulder.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, “Rarity, DAN got Sugarcube Corner AND Pinkie!”

Rarity stopped crying and looked, “Pinkie?!?” She looked at her pink friend and saw a black streak across her muzzle. “My word, Pinkie! Are you all right?!?”

“She’s fine,” Applejack replied, “She just gotta little marker. Ah think. Ah never seen marker that strong before.”

Twilight, looking slightly distressed and more in deep thought, muttered, “His new throwup was of a silhouette of a creature holding a knife. Kind of like it was defending itself. That has to be him, then. And these…” She looked at the tags on the walls of Sugarcube Corner. It was several pixelated figures of a bite-sized hooded creature jumping across the walls. The last one near the top appeared to be unfinished.

“Ah swear, these paintin’s are gettin’ stranger and stranger by the second…” Applejack muttered.

“PRINCESS!!”

Twilight turned to see Snap Shot running with Hot Shoe, whose left I was swollen and black. “I got it! Princess, that palooka got past us, but when he was tusslin’ with Hot Shoe here, I got a pic of the guy.” He then showed her a picture of Hot Shoe being punched by a tall, hooded figure. The picture was in amazing resolution, showing the details of the clothing and even a patch of dark broen between the black gloved hand and the hoodie.

Rarity looked at the picture. “That fits the silhouette at my boutique to a tee!”

Twilight then proceededto get into deep thought, saying, “We need a new strategy…I could get Celestia’s guards, but this DAN is apparently able to elude us even with a large group. We need to corner him. somehow…”

“Twilight…”

Everyone turned to Pinkie who had a smile of seriousness and the “I have an idea” look on her face.

“I know how we’re going to do this…”

“How Pinkie?”

“Pinkie Pie style.”

“I’m not dreaming…” Damien muttered as he began to pack his bag. “I’m really in a place full of talking ponies…” Damien woke up realizing his so-called “nightmare” was real. He had landed in a place full of talking mini-horses. “How?... Just… Where am I?” Slinging his backpack over his shoulder, he made a mental note to be careful today. Leaving his apartment, Damien looked up at the moon, his only other light source besides his torch, and then observed around and snuck his way through the forest. Seeing the edge of the forest, the Afro-Mexican decided to turn left, walking along the edge of the forest until he stopped at a large red barn. He looked as the Map Watch lit up, with words appearing on the screen saying: “Discovered: Sweet Apple Acres.” Sweet Apple Acres, huh? With a barn that big, I can definitely get a good piece in… Damien quickly glided through the shadows, stopping between trees at every opportune moment. Eventually, he made it to the barn. He gripped the Technicolor Can and whispered, “Black Matte…” And began to work out the outline of his piece. A half an hour paced, and the outline was complete, a brain being struck by four bolts of lightning. However, before he could command the next color, a light shone on him followed by a booming, “Intruder!!” Damien instinctively covered his face from the light and peeked to see the source of the light. It was one of the small horses, one with a horn on its head, with the horn being the source of the light. It was pure white and doned golden armor, as if it had been a part of a military force. This is bad! He thought, Gotta bounce!! He turned tail and ran towards the trees, only to be stopped by another golden armored horse. Thinking on his feet, he turned and ran straight into town. I might be able to lose them there! He pushed himself to run faster, as if for his life, which for all he knew, he could be. Suddenly, his mind flashed.

Damien ran throught the streets, his whole crew hopping a fence to get free and his little brother on his back. He tossed his Lil J over and hopped the fence, motioning towards a white male, about 19 years of age, sporting a trademark dark hoodie and beanie, out- of-breath and very far behind. The man stopped and dropped on a knee.

“Marcus, cmon!!”

“I can’t do it, man!!”

“The heat’s gainin’ on us, man!! Don’t wimp out!!”

Several policemen were heading straight for Marcus, who just looked up in a cold sweat and smiled sadly.

“It’s too late for me, dude… Paint on brotha…”

“MARCUS!!”

Damien snapped back to reality. He was still in hot pursuit and saw he nearly lost them. He turned a corner and hid within an unlit shop. He waited for the guards to pass. Hearing hoofsteps pass by, Damien sighed and prepared to step outside, only for the lights to go on, dazing the street artist as he heard one word!

“Surprise!!!”

Thank you all for your patience. I apologize for taking so long, I had a lot of work to do these past few weeks. Do not expect a chapter to be finished this quickly, though, because like many others, I am extremely busy. Again, thank you for your patience. ColdCutChaos, out.