//------------------------------// // Prologue Extras // Story: Paper Ponies // by Techno Flare //------------------------------// Paper Ponies Prologue Extras Annnnnnd: Toad Town The brick road beneath their hooves clicked and clacked with every step, or in Pinkie's case, hop. They had finally reached Toad Town. Twilight was skeptical about exploring the place, but it would help them find out things about this world. If they were going to get anywhere, they needed information. There was a toad at the entrance that had been staring at them for the past thirty seconds. Yet again, she had to ask an innocent, frightened soul about this place. "Excuse me sir," she asked politely, "is there a library in this town?" With a finger pointed toward a house to the north, he replied, "Russ T. has a lot of books, and is a bit of a bookworm, but that's the only thing we have." "Thank you, that'll be fine." They started walking towards the house when Twilight was stopped by a blur of pink in front of her. Soon Pinkie Pie was literally bouncing off of one of the roofs, and soon went head first into the small pool. "Pinkie Pie!" yelled Twilight, trying to get Pinkie's attention. Bobbing her head out of the water, she spiraled upwards, spinning and squirting water out of her mouth. She was posed like a statue, and soon she started giggling. She did get out of the water, and shook herself dry in seconds, getting the others slightly wet. "Ohh! Pinkie, please don't do that around me! It ruins my coat," Rarity whined. A few of them got a small amount of water on them, but other than that they were dry. "Sugarcube," Applejack explained, "you can't go around just hopping in ponds and whatnot. You have to think about what other people will say." "It seems like nopony else cares," she stated, looking around. "They're all just standing there." "Well, it still doesn't change that fact that you can't go 'round all wily nily." Applejack went forward to give Pinkie a tap on the shoulder, but Pinkie was soon distracted. "Ooh! What's that green tube thingy?" She soon hopped onto it, finding that nothing happened, she sat down. That's when she began twisting down the pipe. "She'll be fine," said Twilight with a sigh. "If she is stuck down there we can get her out later." "Where do I begin..." trailed of the mushroom headed man. He thought of the history of the Mushroom Kingdom, how it was in its early stages, the first time the Princess got kidnapped, and everything the kingdom has come to know and love. Finally, he found an appropriate starting point. "Mario, the Princess' loved one and savior of the Mushroom Kingdom, has forever been saving this world from the monstrous Bowser, King of the Koopas. He has tried to steal Princess Peach and destroy Mario, but he has always prevailed. For some reason, Mario has disappeared, and now we shall forever be under Bowser's rule unless someone else is brave enough to stop him. "What Mario used in his previous defeat against Bowser were numerous, but most importantly he used items like Mushrooms and Fire Flowers to heal himself and hurt others respectively. To travel around the world were many things called Warp Pipes, green tubes that stick out of the ground. If you crouch whilst on one of these, you will be transported to another location. Where you end up, well that's what you'll find out when you get there. "But most importantly, there are different worlds, each with a certain object or person to obtain. He traversed many and left nothing but dead enemies in his wake, and was triumphant in every way, always overcoming Bowser's tricks. "There were many trials along the way, but with strategic level ups and smart usage of items and FP, he was successful." Russ T. took a sip from the water bottle on his desk. "Is that everything you need to know?" Twilight already was anxious about her question. The answer made her all the more shocked. "Why, I believe it leads to Mario's house, where he and his brother live." Twilight was already out the door, but she managed to get in a, "Thanks for the help!" before she dragged her friends down the pipe. Happy Music!: Mario's House Escaping from a castle that was lifted out of the sky seconds later (which was still puzzling to how he did it), his brother lost in the forest, and now the electric bill had come. Luigi had been through enough this week. When someone opened the door in front of him while he was reading his newspaper in the bathroom just sent him over the top. "OHMYGOSH!! Mister I'm so sorry." A blur of pink slammed the door shut. Now, Luigi wasn't going to rush nature, but he really wanted to see who interrupted him at a time like this, and why. When he went outside, he didn't want to believe his eyes. Coming out of the pipe that went to Toad Town were horses. Colorful, talking, horses. A fly got caught in his mouth before he realized it dropped to his porch. "Oh, why did we have to go down this drain pipe again?" Rarity asked, a bit on edge. "The sewers are meant for feces and other waste. Not horses." "Well maybe it would have been better if a hoof wasn't in my rib cage the whole time!" Rainbow Dash added. "Oh quit yer yappin'!" Applejack retorted. "We're here for Pinkie Pie, and then we get out." Once all of them were out of the pipe, they went searching for Pinkie Pie. Twilight, being curious about what the Hammer could do outside of battle, went around smashing bushes and trees and whatever else she could. She came up to the porch and took a big swing. The wood didn't even budge an inch. She took her anger out on the bushes. From behind one of them came Pinkie Pie. She scared Twilight out of her wits before running back inside the house. "Applejack and Rainbow Dash go get Pinkie," she instructed. "Only if I go in first," Rainbow Dash said, her competitive edge kicking in. "Only in yer dreams!" And off they raced into the house. Fluttershy decided to let Angel loose and hop around for a spell. He had been cooped up for so long that it was only right to do so. So Fluttershy decided to have a talk with Rarity. "Can you believe what is happening. First Celestia gets kidnapped, and then we get transported by some cryptic force into a world completely unlike our own. Luckily we have Twilight. Without her I don't think we'd have made it passed that first... err, what do they call those little brown things?" "Goombas, I think," Flutterhshy responded. "Ahh yes, those things. Sure we have AJ and RD, but they don't have the puzzle solving skills nor the leadership that Twilight has. "Gosh, all of us were very skeptical about her at first, especially Rainbow Dash. Why she would go on and on about how 'She would destroy the town'. I for one think Twilight is a masterful unicorn and am glad we made acquaintance." "Yes," said Fluttershy. "I think Twilight is like an angel sent down to us. "Speaking of Angel..." Fluttershy looked around, starting to get more worried by the second. "Darling is something the matter?" Rarity questioned. "Have you seen Angel? He was hopping around the yard, but now he's gone! OH what if something happened to him! What if a naked mole rat came out of his hole and snatched him up? Or what if-" "Fluttershy, everything will be juuuust fine. Now go searching around the yard and see if you can find him. I'll even help." "O-okay." Soon they were scattering around the yard, searching through every crevice possible. Twilight was done with her smashing, and sat down next to Luigi on the steps of his porch. His head has in his hands, and Twilight felt the same way. "Rough day?" she asked the glum fellow. "Would you consider losing your own brother to an evil, demented, fake king and almost being killed by him yourself a rough day? And then you people come around... Never a dull moment in this place." "How so?" Twilight probed in further, trying to get some information about the conflicts of the kingdom. "Well, Mario, my brother, is constantly trying to save the Princess from the clutches of Bowser. Only when we have kart races is when Mario isn't trying to stop Bowser. And guess who gets to sit back and watch the house while he's on adventures? This little brother right here. Why does Nintendo hate me...?” "Who?" Whoops. Luigi wasn't supposed to let that one slip. "Nobody," he replied with a sigh. "I just wish I could get some recognition." "It's okay," Twilight consoled, although she wasn't true to her words. "So, has Mario ever, left the Kingdom before?" "Well, one day we were hoping to do the border jump and go to the Bean Bean Kingdom next door, but no. We've been locked in battle with Bowser." "Do you ever have parties or anything?" "Well actually, that's when Bowser struck, during a party. Ironic, right? But no, we barely have any freedoms." Twilight thought for a second, and soon she thought about Equestria and what it would be like during constant war. She shuddered. But something confused her. Everyone seems to be safe, and life doesn't seem all that disrupted. "So, does Bowser use any types of torture or anything? It seems like everyone is fine." Luigi thought for a moment. "I guess we have gotten so used to Bowser taking over so often that it hasn't really affected the way we live other than our attitudes. He rules with fear. What other ways can he when he's ruling from a castle in the sky?" A good question indeed. She was about to question the physics of a castle in the sky but was distracted by Rarity's voice. "Twilight! Fluttershy's gotten herself wedged in a pipe!" "Never a dull moment," she repeated under her breath, empathizing with the man. He gave a chuckle as Twilight went over to the side of the house. Fluttershy's hind quarters jutted out of one of the trio of pipes. Rarity was there, her magic tirelessly working on tugging Fluttershy out of the pipes. "Twilight darling, please come and lend me a hoof." With the two of them working together, Fluttershy flopped down onto the grass. Immediately, she hoped forwards to once again go into the pipe. Twilight blocked her path, knocking her to the ground once again. "Fluttershy, what are you doing?" Sending a glare her way, Twilight was irritated from the exhaustion of getting her out of the pipe. "Angel is in there, could you help me get him out?" "Fluttershy, why didn't you just ask in the first place?" Rarity asked. "I...I..." she trailed off, her face blushing. Soon enough, Angel gave her life once again. All was well, except for the fact that Pinkie Pie was still in the house. "What is taking them so long?" Twilight then proceeded to go inside the house. She instantly her a sister-like bickering session taking place in the room on the other side of the wooden table. "I told ya already! Pinkie Pie is just playing games with us! That's final!" And with that Applejack gave her hoof a stomp signaling and end to the argument. It also signaled to the floor that it should start flipping. Soon, all that was left was the spot where Applejack was. Luckily, her voice was still in tact. "What in the HAY was that all about?!" "I didn't do anything!" Rainbow Dash retorted. "Somehow the floorboards started spinning and you fell." After a small wait, Twilight heard laughter coming from the basement. "Applejack, are you okay?" She asked between a talk and a shout. After the only reply was more laughter, Rainbow Dash gave the floor where AJ was standing a hard stomp. "Twilight, there's some guy's journal down here! It's hilarious!" Rainbow Dash now joined the fit of laughter. "We can laugh about it later. We have to find Pinkie Pie and leave right now!" "Sheesh, what a killjoy," Rainbow Dash mumbled to Applejack. "Hey, Parakarry," Luigi said to his mailman. "Hey, Luigi," the paratroopa asked, concern in his voice, "why is there a pink horse on top of your house?" "Long story, I'd rather tell you another time." The three ponies inside the house exited at that moment, and Luigi told them where their friend was. "PINKIE PIE!" Twilight screamed, "We know you're on the roof, please come down!" "Okay!" she replied. A split second later she was standing on the front porch, the door closing behind her. "Pinkie Pie," Applejack said, "how in tarnation did you end up on that roof?" "By the chimney, of course," she replied, a grin on her face. With a nudge, Rainbow Dash muttered an, "I told you so," to Applejack. She sighed in return. "Alright, it's time to go. Goodbye, Luigi, and thanks for the info." Running. She had to run. To get there before anything could happen. She needed to find her, and then get her to help. Her world was about to fall right beneath her hooves. But that didn't stop her. Her sister is powerful, she would help. Celestia finally arrived at the old castle. She was panting. She hadn't gotten that much exercise since last year's Running of the Leaves Festival. More than anything, it was worth it. Luna - Nightmare Moon - wouldn't object to what she was about to say. "Nightmare Moon!" she bellowed toward the castle. "It is I, your sister, Celestia. I come worth horrible news." "What, that you are going to defeat me once again?" A cloud of purple smoke took form in front of her. Soon her sister was standing in front of her. "Celestia, I am more powerful than you will ever be. Also, I don't think you have the guts to send me back to the moon." "Why should I when the foundation of our world is crumbling at our hooves!" Nightmare Moon was taken aback. "A human has come into the world, and we must not waste any time dilly-dallying. We must erase the human from this world." "And when in your name did you think that I would help you?" Celestia had to admit, it was a fair question. One she already had an answer to. "I will let you dispose of me in whatever way you like." Her head hung low to the ground. She was at Nightmare Moon's mercy. Her sister wouldn't let Nightmare Moon kill her. Buried somewhere deep in that shell, Luna was there. "Alright fine, but I call the shots." Nightmare Moon then took off. Celestia stayed back. "Are you coming, or must I get rid of you now?" "Of course." Celestia let a tear roll off of her cheek. "Master." Lyra grumbled to herself. She dragged her hooves along the dirt, and Bon Bon would have yet another thing to annoy her about. Her mane was frizzed out. The Everfree Forest to her right made her mood even worse. Taking a walk was basically the only way she could get a hold of herself in these situations. The Forest seemed to make her alert and alive. It helped her get a grip on reality. That is until a human shows up at the entrance. "Wait, what?" She did a double take to make sure she wasn't imagining anything. She hid behind a bush, overcome with agitation. Her hooves began to shake all over. A real human. Was it alive? To quell her own suspicions, she ran up to the person. She was so excited that she didn't realize she had stepped on his big nose until he started shifting awake. She jumped again, an ear to ear grin crossing her face. The overalls that wrapped up around his shoulders were now at full tension, and soon he was standing upright. "Hello, sir!" Lyra exclaimed, the smile on her face not dying down for a second. "Welcome to Equestria. May I call you by a name?" No reply. However, the look on his face portrayed extreme confusion. "Here, I'll get you to my house. There maybe you'll be able to talk." And with that, they walked back into Ponyville, the moonlight guiding them. Little did Mario realize his hat was still back there. "Drat!" exclaimed Nightmare Moon, but it was something of a whisper. "Of course, somepony just had to be there! And not just any, no we have to have the one pony obsessed with humans to find a human. This is just great!." "Keep your voice down!" Celestia scolded. "We don't want anypony to know I'm here, remember?" "Yes, of course. Now, what should be our plan of action now that the little tweet is in Ponyville?" "You go first, I'm running dry." "How about we blind everypony and snatch the human when they can't see?" "And how do you expect we go about that?" "Well just use the sun..." That's when she remembered her eternal night speech. "Oh, right." Celestia gave her a glare. "How about we use that freeze time spell we were working on?" "Celestia, that spell wasn't even half finished, and if it did work, imagine that amount of arcane energy needed to power that kind of spell. That's a surefire no." "Do you have any better ideas?" "Well, how about I go terrorize the town. I could go in causing havoc, and then grab the human from them in all the chaos." Celestia thought for a moment. "Well, that's the best thing we have. So I get to sit back and relax while you put on a show." "Agreed." They shook hooves, and a slight spark burst out from where they touched. Nightmare Moon didn't seem to notice. Celestia had just figured out how to reach her sister.