Chapter 19: Blackout
"What a glorious night it twas doth not thou agree fair sister?" Princess Luna cheered. Princess Celestia merely smiled and nodded her head. She was just happy with how joyful her sister was once she'd been restored by the Elements of Harmony. It certainly was a travesty that they weren't able to stay connected to them, but from all that had been displayed the Elements were in just as capable of hooves as they'd always been, if not moreso. What Twilight and her friends had accomplished since they'd been blessed with their responsibility some ponies would never have even dreamed of. Not only had they stopped Nightmare Moon, they'd also reimprisoned Discord himself.
...yet...even with such feats, would the nearing ill that drifted towards Eqestria be able to dealt with? Ever since Discord had used some of the alien essence the fear had been lingering in Celestia's mentality. Unfortunately only time would tell if such a threat as the one she envisioned would be able to be bested by the group they tended to rely on. If it wasn't...she knew that even she and her sister would not be able to protect the world from it...
"Oh sister, must thus dwell on such ominous feelings?" Luna groaned sensing the disturbance rippling through her daytime half. Princess Celestia dipped her head. She knew that she shouldn't worry...but still...no pony should ever have to go through what Twilight and her companions would be dealing with soon enough should it actually occur. Fortunately her sister was there to assist in such times of peril. "Thy should turn thy frown upside down!" Luna hopped in front of Celestia happily, "For we knowest what bemuses her sibling so!" And to Celestia's amazement her dulled expression did shudder into a more joyful one to look at.
"Luna...we're over a thousand years old," Celestia reminded lowering her sister's hoof that dangled some of her old stuffed animals they used to play with. Now the dark bluish pony was the one with the distasted expression. But it didn't last for long. She had a backup plan. A smirk worked its way across her face determined to keep her sister from wallowing into the depressions she somehow survived whenever she forced herself to deal with all the problems of their world herself. Celestia could only raise a brow to the suspicious look her sister now bore. "What?..."
"Oh we know," Luna giggled magicking a piece of parchment into Celestia's view, "These ALWAYS cheerest thy up." Celestia's face turned to one of surprise and then smugness that wormed a smile across her mouth as well.
"I honestly didn't think you could devise such a feat," Celestia admitted, "Especially considering that you've stayed out of touch with society for so long."
"Well it's in our blood thou hast come to believeth," Luna winked, "Besides, I had help adjusting on Nightmare Night remember? And who better to comedically stir others' lives than the princess of it herself?..." Prouder than she'd remembered being in a long time for her sister, Celestia patted her back and nodded.
"This will do quite nicely," she told her, "Quite nicely indeed. I best get to writing." Before the white alicorn could acquire a quill however, Luna's hoof stopped her. "...what is wrong sister?..."
"Well it's just..." Luna's lower lip shuddered a bit while her cheeks washed over with pink, "...could we maybe...play after?..." Celestia's smile grew as she closed her eyes and nodded. Gleefully Luna hugged the stuffed animals to her chest and flew off into another part of the castle.
---
Gently Twilight nuzzled the slumbering dragon's head. She had awoken before him. That seemed to be a first. Wasting no time with hesitation the unicorn placed a few kiss along the smaller creature's head. Even if they'd not slept in beds together since they were younger, it sure was nice to have something to cradle again in the soft comfort of the resting area. Twilight remembered the very first day he was hatched. Those wide green eyes looking up to her younger self, curious and attentive even in birth. Though now they lingered on her for other reasons. The pony's snout rubbed roughly into the scales below. Each passing texture prickled her face tentatively. Even in sleep he amused her.
The yawn he gave caused Twilight to lift her head back a bit. Her smile couldn't help but grow at the cuteness he emitted. In lack of anything she could think of, Twilight stroked the dragon's spines gently, her hoof bending back every individual. The flick of them bouncing back into place caused Spike to shuffle around pleasantly in her arms. If there was one advantage to having a boyfriend that was smaller than her it was that she could be so playful with him. One thing that the "boyfriend book" had neglected to mention was the care that one needed to show towards their spouse. And with how long they'd been around each other Twilight was confident that she knew how to do so. Happy with the motions Spike performed in return she bent down and placed a kiss on his forehead.
The dragon stirred a final time and let out another yawn before creaking open an eye, "...hey honey...how ya doin' today?..." The words slurred together as Spike's eyes drooped shut a few times causing Twilight to giggle. "Smarty Pants do her homework last night?" his mumble turned into a light snore that stopped and started up again. The little guy was drifting in and out sleep. But his dream seemed to be one that Twilight was all too familiar with.
"Oh yes, she's coming along quite fine you know," the unicorn recited barely able to contain the laughter building up inside her. Spike smacked his lips together a few times and swallowed.
"That girl's quite the brainiac..." he yawned, "and quite good looking too...I'm pretty sure I know who gave her those features..." Even if he wasn't fully awake Twilight still blushed from the compliment and decided to keep playing along.
"No more beautiful than her father is handsome..." she replied. Slowly, so as not to wake the semi-sleeping lizard, Twilight lowered herself down next to him and wrapped her limbs around him. Her cheeks lit up more from the rubbing his face gave to her chest. For that moment in time Twilight wished she could've cast a spell to preserve it. Though it was a minute or so at the most, it felt like forever that Spike nuzzled away her insecurities and worries. For that fraction of the day everything just felt complete in her.
"I love you Twilight..." he eventually broke her out of the trance he'd put her into, "...you know...you coulda stopped me...hadn't said that stuff since we were little..." Twilight closed her eyes and pressed her chin against his topmost spine.
"You seemed happy enough," she told him softly stroking his back as she spoke. The action made the dragon shiver deeper against her front, just the result she'd been desiring. After a little while Twilight wondered if he had fallen back to sleep in her embrace once more. The squeeze he gave around her waist told her otherwise. She allowed a light moan to slip out of her lips from the gesture prompting even further nuzzling from the cold-blooded partner.
"...you know...I always sorta did picture us ending up together back when we pretended to do that whole family thing with Smarty Pants and all that..." Spike sighed finally shaking off some of the sleepiness, "Just spending the days together...me and you..." Twilight's brows slanted a bit at the memories she shared of their little playtime activities. Looking back on it it really was a joyful relationship in their innocent naivety. "Rarity's pretty as were quite a few of those Canterlot ponies, but I always saw you as mine when we played like that. I'd pretend to cook to practice for being your assistant, you'd sit in bed pretending to help Smarty Pants with her homework...I'm so glad I was your entrance exam..." Twilight would have replied; but really there was nothing to say. It would just interrupt the peace of the event.
Spike wasn't finished though apparently. Viciously the dragon fidgeted around in her grasp until finally she looked down at her squirming captive. Figuring he was going to try to kiss her, Twilight bent down only to be greeted by a plume of green flames followed by a scroll.
"...sorry..." Spike blushed, "...we got a letter..." Stupified by the sudden reaction, Twilight blinked through her ash-covered face and undid the scroll with her magic.
---
"Come on Pinkie Pie, why not?" Rainbow Dash followed the prancing pony around her room, "Today would be the perfect one to pull a prank on Rarity!"
"I'd love to any other time, but I'm just too busy today," Pinkie Pie told her happy as ever, "Gotta see what all's up with OC!"
"...who?" the pegasus muttered. At first Pinkie Pie laughed thinking that the blue pony had made a joke. Eventually the humored response died down and her eyes widened with how Rainbow Dash had no idea who she was talking about.
"...I guess you haven't seen before..." Pinkie Pie worked her head around the fact slowly, "I mean he's rescued Fluttershy, Applejack let us use her barn, he saved Twilight, Spike, and Rarity...but you...well easy way to solve this! Here is OC!" Eagerly the pink pony tore back the polka dotted curtains that covered what normally would have been a closet. What the chamber held now though was a sight that made Rainbow Dash take an easy step back. What rested within was what looked to be a red and black recolor of Spike with a gasmask over his mouth and visor over his eyes. The metal slab he lay on was connected to the walls while numerous cords ran down and connected into his head and body from the ceiling.
"...how did you even figure out how to run all these cables?..." Rainbow Dash couldn't help but wonder at the sudden display of intellect that the crazed pony had obviously performed on her patient. Rainbow Dash knew Pinkie Pie wasn't completely stupid, but this seemed more along Twilight's line of handiwork. "And uh...what is that thing?..."
"This is OC!" Pinkie Pie rushed over and wrapped a foreleg around the neck of his unconscious body, "He's my helper! Apparently he was hanging out with the Cutie Mark Crusaders while we were up in space, had a seizure, and passed out."
"Guess that makes sense if he was hanging out with them," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, "But uh...how would you know how to fix him?..." Pinkie Pie smiled and continued to squeeze the neck until she heard a snap. The ponies glanced at his now limp dangling head. Innocently smiling, Pinkie Pie rushed back over to Rainbow Dash.
"Well I'm sure I know how to fix him. After all, who better to fix an OC than they're creator?" Pinkie Pie boasted.
"The fans of the story," Rainbow Dash snarked under her breath. Then it hit her. "Hold up, you're saying you made this guy? I thought that authors made OCs..."
"And the author had me make this OC," Pinkie Pie pointed out, "So he still made it, I just gave my helping hoof in the medium he was being created in!"
"But wh-"
"That's enough questions," Pinkie Pie told her pleasantly as she began pushing her towards the window, "Enjoy your day as best as possible and be sure to eat lotsa cupcakes and cookies for me! I'll be able to do all the pranks you want after I'm done with OC here, promise. But for now me gotta take care of the little guy. So see you later Rainbow-"
"But Pinkie-"
"I said bye," a dark voice uttered. Using all the force she could, the pegasus inched her head to turn against the unusually strong pressure that Pinkie Pie was using to push her. For just a split second she could have sworn she saw a red glow to her bubblegum colored friend's eyes. But just for a second. A moment later she was floating outside of the Cake's parlor with Pinkie Pie smiling cheerfully at her as the window shut in her face. Dishearted by the way things had gone, Rainbow Dash sighed and drifted over Ponyville. There had to be some prank she could pull without Pinkie Pie...
---
Casually Fluttershy trotted through town. She had just come back from paying a visit to the hole where she escaped back to the surface after meeting Winona Jr. Ever since the incident she'd made it a priority to make frequent visits to the crack in the ground. Each time she would drop some food or something down. Winona Jr. was never there, but every time she came back the items would be gone. Sometimes she'd just go there to talk about what was on her mind. At least once she was sure she saw a pink glow in the distant darkness below. But as with any time she had to ultimately leave. In her path Fluttershy hummed a tune to herself.
"You're all my very best friends!..." she finished quietly. As it ended she bumped into something and fell over. Fluttershy hadn't realized how distracted she'd been. After shaking her head to clear the initial dizziness, the fragile pegasus gasped and got to work picking up all the fruits she had knocked off the stand. "Oh my...oh my...there!" Fluttershy forced herself a wide reassuring smile upon placing the last of the succulent objects back onto its display panel.
"Oh, why thank you very much!" a voice said causing the pegasus to turn around.
"Oh it was nothing Carrot Top. I mean after al-"
"Yes, some ponies do make quite the mess," a younger voice now scoffed. Both Fluttershy and the sales clerk looked down at the pink filly that had positioned herself between them. She looked like one of the Cutie Mark Crusader's classmates. "Thankfully you had me here to put everything back in order," Diamond Tiara told her.
"...but um...wasn't I uh the one to...um...pick up the uh..." the timid's pony's rebuttal lingered into an unintelligible whisper by the time she was done talking while her cheeks filled with embarrassment, shame, and confusion at the claim that the filly had made. Diamond Tiara smirked knowing that Fluttershy's nature simply wouldn't allow her to fight back against even the smallest offense against her being.
"Oh, it was you?" Carrot Top asked receiving a polite nod from the younger pony, "...well thank you then! You don't know how tiresome it gets picking up these things!"
"Oh believe me, it was no trouble at all," Diamond Tiara lied as she walked over to Fluttershy, "now if you don't mind, we simply must be going!" After being tossed an orange by the clerk, Tiara triumphantly pranced off alongside Fluttershy. The pegasus had no idea why the girl had taken to following her, but she wasn't about to give any negative reaction to the company on account of how harshly the filly might act. From the Cutie Mark Crusaders' description she was scary to say the least.
"You know you're lucky I came along to take the blame for you when I did," Diamond Tiara said through her munches, "One second more and that ungrateful mare might've snapped your neck or forced you into manual labor for your efforts. Fortunately I arrived just in time to woo her with my more "sophisticated" position in society."
"O-oh my..." Fluttershy said quietly, "Do you think she'd have really done that? I mean she always seems so nice and polite..."
"No doubt," Diamond Tiara replied gulping down the last of her gift. While the juices of the succulent item washed pride and satisfication through her body, the filly's eyes got to work scanning over what she could see of Ponyville from where they stood. A grin formed when her sites finally set on something. A construction site. And littered across its frame were more birds than she'd ever seen in her life. Just the right subject for the pegasus she walked next to. "Hey Fluttershy, those birds shouldn't be there! It's not safe!" Diamond Tiara feigned worry for the critters. With a gasp the yellow pony dashed over to them and began reasoning with the avian lifeforms. It was even easier than Diamond Tiara had thought.
"And don't forget, you can always stop by my cottage for a bite to eat," Fluttershy ended the polite suggestion to the winged beings and waved to them as they flew off.
"That really was something!" a stallion's voice congratulated. Fluttershy turned around blushing with pride. In an instant it was for another reason. The pony receiving the compliments was none other than the filly that had alerted her of the bird predicament in the first place.
"We'd been trying to get them out of here for about a week now!" another sighed in relief.
"Oh anytime," Diamond Tiara replied naturally, "Always do enjoying giving a helping hoof." Fluttershy bit her lower lip lightly.
---
"Ugh! Come on!" Rainbow Dash yelled. Ever since leaving Pinkie Pie's not a single creature had fallen prey to any of her traps or tricks! It was as though the forces of nature themselves had turned against her! But she wasn't about to give up. She'd been attempting to get a prank through ever since Applejack, Twilight, and Pinkie had taken their trip to Appleloosa. And by god she was going to have one work! But what one?...on who? She'd already attempted the squirting flowers gag with Big Macintosh who had just set the plant aside after she'd zipped around to hide behind a tree. Rainbow Dash had given Cheerilee some invisible ink but the teacher had known better instantly. Even dangling a mouse in front of Fluttershy hadn't done the job! She immediately knew that it was Opal Essence's toy that Tank normally stole!
"As Celestia as my witness I will prank somepony before this day is done!" Rainbow Dash screamed tugging at her mane. She had had it! If she couldn't get a single individual to fall prey to her mischevous antics then she'd just simply have to come up with a brand new prank. One that would test her skills and go beyond! One that Pinkie Pie would have to be sorry that she missed out on! Oh it was gonna be a big one alright. And she had just the things to do it. She didn't know how, but her brain was working faster than it normally did. Not that it was a problem, or something she even really noticed all that much. But still, it was a necessity to accompany her current determination. With a hysterical laugh of lightning, the pegasus zoomed about above Ponyville. It was going to be one hell of a day alright!
---
Suddenly the white princess's head jolted up startling Luna.
"Sister, is something wrong?" the star-maned alicorn inquired. Celestia blinked a few times.
"...I just feel as though I'm supposed to witness something..." she said slowly.
"Oh tis probably just a reflex to the air or some such nonsense like thy had on the day when thy received that letter about the Sisterhooves Social from thou generous Rarity and thou's sister," Luna figured. Celestia rubbed her chin. With the delayed response, Luna's form dipped a bit in annoyance. "Please sister, Ms. Bow Tie is waiting," she pleaded holding up the blue plush doll with an orange mane. Deciding it probably best to give up on the inclination in favor for quality time with her sibling, Celestia reached for her own plush toy.
---
"So...how do you think we should even go about doing this?..." Spike asked from his seat atop the purple unicorn. Twilight looked at the ground. Truth be told she didn't know. Never had she gotten such a letter from the princess before. But she couldn't let her down. If she did then her position as her best student would be usurped! Others would flock to her vacancy and fill it before she could even have time to muster a reason as to why she should still be in the princess' presence! Without even the slightest afterthought she would certainly never even be considered to be amongst such pristine stallions and mares ever again! The princess would forget she existed and the benefits she received with such a history would be lost! Spike pulled on one of her ears to get the fretting pony's attention.
"I don't wanna be a beggar!" she slumped over and began crying into her arms. Spike's initial reaction was that of just plain wonder which then turned to a rather annoyed face once the realization of how much Twilight's mentality was panicking, as it normally did when such "impossible" tasks presented themselves.
"Twilight-"
"Spike, I'm sorry but we might have to sell your spines for-"
"What? Hell no, just liste-"
"And-and we might need to bargain away your old sleeping basket-"
"Twilight! Shut the bloody hell up and calm the fuck down!" Spike ordered with a smack to her face for good measure. The ponies that had been trying to avoid the strange scene now gave it their full attention. The action at least rebooted the pony's brain allowing her to take in just how many others were staring at them. Nervously she and Spike waved to them signaling for them to slowly return to their daily lives leaving the duo to deal with the issue on their lonesome. "You just need to calm down Twi," Spike grabbed the sides of her face gently and lifted it so that she was looking him in the eyes. If nothing else the emerald optics brought a somewhat ease to her internal battle.
"Yeah...maybe...but Spike, the Princess said that if I couldn't find an old Moondancer plush toy then-"
"Then nothing," Spike cocked a brow, "You're just going to make up inane consequences that the Princess would never even think of doing to you. The letter said, and I quote "To my Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle. I know you are probably relaxing as best as possible after the whole space station ordeal, but it has come to my attention that my sister and I are...missing something from an old collection we used to share. It is an ancient line of toys based on an old animated show that we were quite fond of. Its name is Moondancer and is a plush toy that we would be ever so grateful if you could lend a hoof in finding a copy of. If not that is perfectly understandable, but it would be greatly appreciated if you could do so. You and your friends are the go-to-ponies after all. May the sun shine brightly on you. Your Princess, Celestia."
Spike supposed he shouldn't be surprised to see his lifelong buddy hyperventilating upon completing the reciting. But damn if it Twilight's overactive imagination wasn't annoying sometimes.
"She just wants you to look for it IF YOU CAN. If you can't find it it's no big deal-"
"No big deal?!" Twilight cried, "No big deal!? This is the Princess! Of course it's-"
"Gonna turn out like the time you thought you'd be late on sending Friendship Reports to the her?" Spike finished folding his arms over his chest. The excited expression that Twilight had plastered on her face had no words to accompany it now. Her assistant had effortlessly defused the panicking bomb that constantly threatened to go off within her. And for that she was thankful that he was her's. He knew exactly how to handle her when it mattered. "So...what is it we should do?..." Spike urged some common sense reasoning from the female. Relieved, if not a little embarrassed from her display, Twilight got back to her hooves.
"Let's check out some toy stores." Spike eagerly hopped back onto the pony. There was a more self-centered reason that the dragon was so happy to be accompanying the unicorn. They might even have one of those cool vehicle toys that turned into robots there!
---
"See? With me around you'll always be safe from those commoners that would otherwise rip you to shreds!" Diamond Tiara assured the rather confused pegasus she'd been accompanying around Ponyville. On one hoof the filly was apparently keeping her safe from all the other ponies they'd come across. On the other...she was rather unpleasant in terms of company. As of current the duo had saved a baby carriage from sliding off a cliff (though Fluttershy seriously had to wonder why there even was one of those in Ponyville that wasn't blocked off in the first place), recovered some misplaced money, returned the Mayor's lost doll, and helped stop a nearby dam from flooding into the community.
And currently Diamond Tiara had a saddlebag full of money, a couple dozen lollipops, a medal of honor, and an all time exclusive membership to "Dam World, the Greatest Waterworks Amusement Park!". With each feat they accomplished Diamond Tiara reaped the rewards all the while "protecting" Fluttershy from the supposed hostile ponies...No, that's not what she was doing. She was using Fluttershy. And Fluttershy knew it. But what could she do? It's not that she minded not getting prizes or anything of the sort for her deeds. No, she could go her whole life just living amongst nature with no sense of the trivial items of luxury that other ponies valued so dearly. What hurt was the manipulation. Well...it didn't exactly hurt...it just felt bad to her that other ponies would act in such deceitful manners.
But she couldn't fight back. Despite the worry of possibly inciting the monstrous filly's wrath, Diamond Tiara's father was one of the most successful ponies in Ponyville! For all she knew she could be locked up for life for even so much as stepping wrongly in front of his daughter! But the guilt...it was so overpowering. With each passing deed it climbed its way through the ranks of her consciousness tempting her tongue with debate to the younger pony. But she'd held it back. If there was one thing she had, at least under normal circumstances, it was self control. If there was something she didn't like happening Fluttershy would simply tolerate it for the benefit of those around her. It was a quality that had developed over her childhood of interacting with Rainbow Dash. And there was a lot to tolerate about that pegasus.
Still, at times it did becoming...grating. And this filly was really testing that line.
"Hey, Fluttershy, doesn't that child look like we could get him his ball back?..." Diamond Tiara suggested pointing to a nearby crying filly next to his mother. Fluttershy had to admit, it was a sad scene and she did see where the ball was. But this was too much. Firmly she planted her hooves on the ground. "...Fluttershy?..."
"Now listen..." Fluttershy began softly, "Um...if you don't mind of course...now it's not that I wouldn't like to help him...but don't you uh...think you might be taking this a bit far?...I mean...I haven't once been told to be the one that's been solving everything..." Diamond Tiara's eyelids lowered causing the pegasus to take a step back from the intimidation they gave off.
"What are you saying?..." she muttered. Fluttershy gulped. She knew she shouldn't have spoken up. "You seem to forget that I've been protecting you..."
"...but um...you haven't..." Fluttershy finally admitted kicking the ground in hesitation, "Those ponies would never...ever hurt me...I know that..." Being brave really was a challenge for the yellow pony. Unfortunately it was all for not. In the blink of an eye the pink filly that had been casually strolling along beside the pegasus transformed into a scowling nightmare.
"GET THE DAMN BALL!" she yelled. With a single squeak escaping her quivering form, Fluttershy darted off in the direction of the playful sphere. Seeing that things were back in order, Diamond Tiara happily pranced towards the filly and his mother.
---
"Seriously? Not a single pony has heard of this Moondancer thing?" Twilight muttered to herself upon exiting yet another of the toy stores. Though he knew he'd regret it Spike marked off the final store on the list and wrapped his arms around the unicorn's neck burying his face into her mane.
"Hey Twi-"
"We've been to them all right?..." she sighed. She felt the dragon nod his head into her mane.
"Can't really blame em though. I mean the toy's gotta be what, a thousand years old or something? Normally you'd have to go through some epic final boss dungeon with insane amounts of needless backtracking for that kind of crap. I'm just glad they had that new Optimus Pr-" Spike's sentence was silenced from the neck that threw its back against his face resulting in a rather quick bite. A small "eep" escaped Twilight who twisted her head around to glare at him. All Spike could do was shrug.
"We only do that in bed," she reminded. The dragon wiped the sweat off that was forming on his brow. "But hickeying aside, I got an idea!"
"Joy."
"Rarity!" Twilight exclaimed. Spike practically fell off of his companion's rump. "She knows how to make soft fluffy stuff! And that scroll had a picture right?" After hoisting himself back up onto Twilight's back, Spike unruffled the scroll and tried to hand it to her only for it to be magically yanked out of his grasp the instant it came into Twilight's view.
"Give me a papercut why don't ya?" Spike spat rubbing his paper-burned appendage. But Twilight was too far gone. All she had filling her head was her plan.
"There's hope yet..." she giggled.
---
"Thank Celestia that Rarity was able to do this," Twilight sighed. She took a sip of the tea that her friend had prepared. The warmness of its slick form sliding down her throat worked its calming nature across the rest of her body. While Spike would have preffered hot chocolate, he had to admit that the treat was nice. And there was no way he'd ever reject a gift from Rarity. But as with Twilight he too was glad that the search for the plush toy would be over. That'd mean no more guilt that Twilight would undoubtedly carry around with him. They could just send the doll back to the princess and get back to the tree where they'd snuggle down and play a game or two...if Twilight didn't insist on studying some books of course.
"Hey Rarity!" a younger voice said. Twilight and Spike looked up to see Sweetie Belle peeking out of the railing of the staircase. "Where's Bloodmasher 3?"
"Now why are you looking for that?" her sister asked in a mixture of concern and annoyance. If there was one thing she didn't need it was for the filly and her friends to start acting up with the violent games they occasionally sought out. It was bad enough that they'd discovered her secret stash of highly mature material that she kept locked up for special occasions. And she'd be damned if another of her Silent Filly series got a scratch on the disc the size of Sweet Apple Acres.
"No reason..." Sweetie Belle drew the words out with a smile. Rarity rolled her eyes.
"I'll help you find it in a minute, right now I have to give Spike and Twilight something," she told the smaller unicorn. Gleefully she sped up the stairs. "Only play for thirty minutes though!" Rarity yelled after her. She huffed knowing that her sibling was out of hearing range and put on a smile for her guests who were a bit stiff from the loudness of the final part of her conversation. "Sorry," she apologized and walked over to the table between them, "Oh and about the scarf it's still not done. I've had to focus all my time on making my dresses look good for Fancy Pants!" The fashionista squealed with joy until she realized the stares she was getting. "Oh, ahem, uh yes..." she chuckled as her horn began to glow, "Introducing the new, the improved, Moondancer Plush toy!"
Twilight could barely contain herself. The moment they'd been waiting for was at hoof. And then her face faltered. What plopped down in front of them was no doubt beautiful beyond compare...but it wasn't what she'd asked to be created. That didn't stop Spike's jaw from hitting the ground however.
"...um...Rarity...that's not Moondancer..." Twilight gulped. The laugh she got surprised her.
"Notice that I said new and IMPROVED darling," Rarity patted her head. Twilight's pupils shrunk. "That old drab stuffed rat was out of style before I was even born! I simply had to make...modifications here and-"
"We're dead," Twilight said.
"Here we go," Spike rested his cheek on his hand to prepare for the chaos that would ensue.
"This was for the princess, we were trying to find this doll for the princess!" Twilight cried collapsing on the table in front of her.
"Oh, well that explains why it was so out of date," Rarity figured before her eyes shot open, "Wait! The princess? As in Princess Celestia? Ruler of Equestria? THAT Princess? Oh my gosh, you are right darling!" Rarity joined in the crying. Spike closed his eyes.
"I'm just gonna go get more tea," he sighed and excused himself from the room.
"I was asked to do something for the princess I changed it!" the drama queen continued, "Oh what dastardly deed have I sowed? Who am I to declare what is and isn't in style for an individual? I am a failure that's what! Oh how I-" Her voice was lost in the ensuing explosion. Twilight was the first to have her vision drift up to the stairs next to them. Once Rarity did she had practically vanished to the upper floor. Spike was beckoned back into the room as her shrill scream rattled the Carousel Boutique. About a minute later the dragon and his companion were standing next to the owner of the complex staring in shock at what had been a closet. Lining its interior was a pitch black coat of paint that had splattered across everything inside.
"It isn't our fault!" Sweetie Belle tried to explain.
"Isn't your fault?!" Rarity seethed pressing the frightened Cutie Mark Crusaders into a nearby corner, "I don't recall setting up a bucket of paint or anything up to ruin my entire SECRET video game collection that I told you I'd help you find!"
"But it wasn't!" Scootaloo dared to yell back, "We just flipped on the lights and blam!" Rarity was about to hiss back when another explosion occurred in the distance. Curiousity overwhelmed Rarity enough for her to allow a window to be opened in a break from the argument she was engaged in. Sure enough similar sounds to the one that had fated her closet were occurring all over Ponyville with shrieks and cries of all sorts joining them.
"Oh my," a timid voice caught their attention. Below the window stood Fluttershy. "It's happening to you too? Oh, I don't think we can help right now. Sorry. All the other ponies are-"
"Get away from me!" Diamond Tiara yelped. Quicker than Fluttershy had ever seen the pony move, she whizzed behind her legs and pointed to the pegasus. "She's the one you want!"
"But you're the one that's been helping us!" one pony reminded. Diamond Tiara bit her lip.
"Yeah! And we need help now!"
"Yeah! Help us!"
"Help us! Help us!" the crowd that had gathered repeated the words like a bunch of entranced zombies.
"But...Fluttershy's the one that-eep!" Diamond Tiara was unable to say anything else as the crowd tore her out from behind Fluttershy and dashed off into the chaotically consumed civilization. The group inside Rarity's house just watched the crowd until they were lost on the horizon and slid their eyes down to Fluttershy.
"Diamond Tiara kept taking credit for me helping everypony else out today..." Fluttershy explained.
"...and you didn't ever tell them you were the one that did so?..." Rarity questioned. Fluttershy smiled and nodded her head.
"What matters is that I know I did it. Doesn't matter what anypony else thinks," she told them. Spike put a finger to his lips.
"That actually sounds like a good letter to the princess..." he muttered. Almost immediately he regretted mentioning the royal pony.
"Oh what are we going to do!" Twilight cried and buried herself in Rarity's embrace as did Rarity to her's, "We're gonna be banished!"
"Or forced to work as janitors at the local uncouth clothing store!" Rarity gave her own thought. Spike lifted a brow to them.
"If this wasn't so pathetic this might actually be hot," he grumbled. As the sobbing ensued inside, yet another character appeared on the scene.
"Damn that felt good," Rainbow Dash sighed. Spike and Fluttershy's looks said all the question for her. "Didn't you guys here the explosions?" she laughed as she twirled around in the air, "Man that was priceless! I can't believe I didn't think it up sooner! All I had to do was get just the right amount of paint integrated into a raincloud and bam! The second the lightning struck the main powerlines every pony that turned on a switch was greeted with a nice ol' room of pitch blackness! Oh...oh Pinkie Pie is going to be so jealous!" The dragon cringed at the information.
"Uh...one of those ponies was Rarity..." he told her.
"Eh, she'll get over it. Besides, comes off if you just wait a while. That what she crying about right now?"
"Nah," Spike sighed, "That'd be some ancient doll the princess asked us if we could keep an eye out for. Couldn't find one so we had Rarity try to make one. Turns out she didn't think it looked good so she "improved" it. We told her it was a request from the princess. Cue the waterworks."
"Ancient doll huh?" Rainbow Dash scratched her head. Spike handed her the scroll and she looked it over. It only took a matter of seconds before she handed it back, confidence brimming off her face. "I got that." Spike's eyes felt like they would have dropped off his face if they weren't attached.
"You have that?" Spike asked joined by the unicorns he admired. Rainbow Dash nodded her head.
"Daring Doo's adventures had a lot of interestin' locations. So I decided to fly down to one of em once," Rainbow Dash told them, "turns out it had this wicked endboss guarding that doll of yours." Spike's lips curved into a smirk. "But before we send it I just gotta tell ya, that princess is pulling your legs." Twilight and Rarity looked at each other. Spike just shook his head. He wouldn't doubt the claim. "There's no way she could have expected you to find it. I mean come on, you have to have caught on that she's not all that serious all the time with what all she sends you. But regardless, you have the queen of pranks here to prank em right back."
---
Happily Luna danced around the upper air in the royal chamber that the princesses had been enjoying themselves in.
"Tis almost time for thy to get to work," she cheered, "Thy dost wonder how thou fair Twilight and thou's trusted assistant faired in thou's quest though."
"Normally it doesn't take more than a day," Celestia voiced her statement, a tinge of worry in her voice, "Hope she doesn't end up overdoing it again with some sort of "Want it Need it" spell or anything..."
"It did provide humorous results though did it not fair sister?" Luna pointed out, "Thou great steed Macintosh tossed all others away like ragdolls! Thy only rejoice is that he was not sent to defeat Nightmare Moon. Thy can feel the bruises already!" Celestia giggled at the though. She had to admit though, from what she'd seen of Applejack's brother he was byfar the strongest of the Apple Family that she'd witnessed ever since she'd met Granny Smith's father all those years ago.
Just then Luna's joyful actions halted and both alicorns peered down in front of Celestia. Sitting there was a rather...shapely package.
"No way..." Luna said in disbelief, "That...that can't..."
"I'm just as surprised as you, though let's be serious. They couldn't have possibly gotten a real-" the most royal pony in Equestria was cut short by a loud splat. It took Luna a few seconds to realize just what had happened but when she did she doubled over in a fit of laughter. Celestia's face was drenched in ink! Though it was amazing, somehow Twilight had acquired a Moondancer plush toy (which Luna graciously glomped and stole away before Celestia had time to react). But what had caused the mess was a ribbon that had been tied around its neck with a flower on the end of it. Like many comedian tricks, the plant expelled some form of a liquid to its audience. And the white princess had just so happened to be in the line of fire.
Eventually the situation reverted more to a livable atmosphere giving the sisters a chance to notice one last thing. A letter had been sent along with it. Fearing another booby trap, Celestia convinced Luna to undo the scroll and they jumped back. All that greeted them though were words.
"Dearest Princess Celestia. How ya doin? It's the loyalest of all ponies here. Now then, I appreciate the efforts and all, but this is pushing it a bit far don't ya think? I mean if it hadn't been for my knowledge of Daring Doo Twilight and Spike would never have found this little guy...or girl...whichever it is. Either way though please do kindly ease up on the trolling. This is MY turf. Got that? The Queen of Pranks, Rainbow Dash"