//------------------------------// // Chp 1: The Angel Coin // Story: Whenever there's trouble, there's always a Silver Lining // by the silver-maned pony //------------------------------// “And that’s how you can take over the world. Any questions?” The three squirrels looked up at the teenager sitting on the bench. They stared at him for a while before going back to their more interesting acorns. “Are you kidding me?” the boy said indignantly, “I just gave you valuable information, and you just play it off as though I commented on the weather?!” The squirrels didn’t bother to look at him as they scurried away. “Jerks.” The boy sighed. He was exhausted after about thirty minutes of talking. He stood up from the park bench and began to stretch his legs. It was almost sunset and the families were slowly leaving behind their day of fun. The boy checked his watch and saw that it was exactly six o’ clock. He looked up and saw another boy in a tuxedo running toward him. The runner was about the same age as the squirrel talker, but was a bit heavier. The squirrel talker saw him running and couldn’t resist saying out loud, “You came in like a wrecking ball! You never meant to start a war!” The runner immediately stopped and began to walk the other direction. “Oh come on, don’t be like that, Angel” The singer said as he quickly caught up to his friend, “You already know I’m a jerk. Come on, man, let’s hug it out.” He hugged his friend, who began to struggle, “You’re an a-hole.” Angel said, but he smiled and hugged back. “Happy birthday, Angel.” “Thanks,” Angel’s smile turned impish, “Silver Lining.” The other boy, Silver, groaned, “Really?” “Come on, it’s my birthday.” Angel said excitedly, “And can you call me by my pony name?” Silver rolled his eyes and smiled, “Happy birthday, Righteous Sword.” Angel-Righteous Sword- giggled, “Thank you, Silver.” Silver pinched the bridge of his nose, “Brony friends, I swear.” He sighed. Silver then grinned, “Close your eyes.” Angel turned his head sideways, “What?” “Just do it.” “Are you going to punch me?” “No.” “Kick me?” “No.” “Put a bag over my head, pants me, and then push me into oncoming traffic?” “That was one time when we were seven, I apologized, and no.” “Okay.” Angel said cheerfully. He closed his eyes, but protected his vitals. After a moment, Silver said, “Open them.” Angel opened his eyes and saw Silver was holding a large present box. “What the- where did- how did you hide that?!” Silver winked, “I have my ways.” Angel took the present and began unwrapping it, “Let me guess, it’s mostly filled with Styrofoam and has a letter at the bottom with fifty dollars in it.” “Nope.” “One hundred dollars?!” Angel said excitedly. He tore open the top and began to move away the yellow Styrofoam that cluttered the interior. He reached to the very bottom and, instead of feeling paper, he felt something like fur. He grabbed the object, pulled it out of the box, and gaped at it. “Surprise!” Silver said, “I got you a pony plushy. I remember you saying how your favorite was, um, the yellow one Fluttershy, so I went to the mall and bought it. Let me tell you that I got lucky because it was the last one and I saw a couple of other guys looking at it. Lucky for you, I have no sense of dignity, so I picked it up in front of the whole store and bought it. Do you like it?” Angel didn’t reply as he stared at his Fluttershy plushy. He then began to cry. “Whoa, what happened?” Silver said confused, and worriedly, “I thought she was your favorite. Hey, look, I’m sorry. I’ll go get the other flying one. You know, the rainbow-” Angel sobbed louder and then latched himself at Silver. “Thank you!” the birthday boy sobbed. Silver was completely thrown off by this sudden hug. He was glad he wore a black sweater since the tears wouldn’t be as visible. As he waited, Silver spotted a family observing the two teenagers. “Nothing to see here folks!” Silver called as he waved at the family. He then pointed at Angel, “He’s a brony!” The family look confused, except for the father, who nodded knowingly and herded away his family. Eventually, Angel let go of Silver, “Thank you so much!” Angel gasped, wiping away some of his tears. “Oh, so you did like it.” “Like it?” Angel exasperated, “I love it! This is the first ever brony present I got!” Silver raised an eyebrow, “Really? Your parents, sisters, and brothers didn’t get you anything pony.” Angel grimaced, “No.” Silver patted his friend on his shoulder reassuringly, “Then I guess it’s a good thing you have me for a friend.” Angel barked a laugh, “Yeah, that’s about the only good thing.” “Ohhhhhhhhhh!” Silver said dramatically as he ran circles around his friend, “What a dis!” Angel shook his head and grinned, “Can you blame me? I mean, yeah you got me a plushy, but look what my grandma gave me.” Angel reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin. Silver walked to his friend and picked up the small object. As soon as he got a good look at it, his eyes widened and immediately hid it between his hands. “Dude!” Silver whispered, “Is this real gold?!” “Yeah!” Angel said amusingly, “Check out the picture on it?” Silver carefully opened his hands and looked at the coin. Angel scoffed, took the coin, and held it in front of Silver, who could see an angel on it. The angel was holding his right arm up, and when Angel turned the coin over, the angel was holding his left arm up. “It’s an angel coin.” Angel said excitedly. “So, are you gonna sell it or something?” Silver asked. Angel’s eyes widened, “Hell no! I’m gonna make a wish with it.” … Silver sighed, “So, your gonna throw your gold, angel coin, in a wishing well?” “Of course not! Don’t you get it? This is a wish granting coin.” … “Okay,” Silver pinched the bridge of his nose, “please elaborate now, or else I’m gonna slap you for acting unnecessarily crazy.” “My grandma told me stories about how this coin has been granting wishes for my family for generations. Each new generation gets one wish. My grandmother didn’t believe that it grant wishes either, but she believed when she made a wish for true love, and the next minute, she met my grandpa. They have been happily married ever since.” Silver clapped, “Touching story. I give it four out of five stars.” “You still don’t believe, right?” “Yep.” “Then I’ll show you. I’m gonna make a wish.” “What is your wish? Every My Little Pony plushy ever.” “Nope,” Angel grinned, “I’m gonna wish to go to Equestria.” … “You mean the magical land where the ponies live peacefully?” Silver inquired. “Yes indeed!” “Yeah…” Silver quickly took the coin from Angel, “I’m gonna have to stop you there.” “What? Why?” “Well,” Silver started to blush, “you might get a little…excited when you go to Equestria.” “Well duh! Any brony would be pumped.” “No, what I mean is that you might get…overexcited when you get there.” “I don’t follow…” Silver grimaced as he pulled out his phone. After a quick search on the internet, he started to read off words to Angel, “Plot…Wingboner…Clop-” “OH MY GOD!” Angel cried, his cheeks a deep crimson. “Hey, I’m not judging.” Silver said defensively, “I’m just saying that it may be a bad idea for-” “I’m not a clopper!” “Your browser history seems to disagree.” Silver said slyly. Angel was silent after that, “A word of advice, never leave your history open. And always clear that thing. Anyways, you might accidentally offend or traumatize one of the innocent ponies.” There was silence after that little reveal. The two friends didn’t say anything until Angel opened his mouth, “Fine, if you think you’re better suited for Equestria-” “Hold the phone. I never said-” “Then we’ll let fate decide who will go.” Angel said, disregarding Silver’s protest. The birthday boy grabbed his coin and readied it, “I wish that either I or Silver goes to the magical land of Equestria. Call it!” “You’re being stupid.” “I call right!” Angel flipped the coin. Time seemed to slow, at least for Angel, as the coin reached its peak and slowly drifted down. Angel was sweating bullets while Silver looked annoyed. The coin clattered to the floor. Both boys looked at it and saw the angel raising its left arm. “Sorry buddy.” Silver said sincerely as he picked the coin, “How about best 2 out of-” “I don’t need your pity.” Angel said dramatically, but he grinned, “Come on, my parents are waiting. We have reservations at-” Angel just realized his best friend was missing. He looked all around, but there was no sign of him. Angel began to panic as the slow realization of what just happened, “Oh come on!” He shouted into the sky. ________________________________________ “-three” Silver finished, completely unaware. He blinked and saw that his friend was gone. He then looked to his left and right. The park had completely vanished and was replaced with a long stretch of green grass and the ground under him was replaced with a dirt road. The sun was setting and Silver was able to make out a large forest ahead of him, and large mountain to his extremely far right. Everything seemed to take on a cartoonish form. Silver examined his arms and legs to see they also looked cartoonish. “Huh.” Silver said emotionlessly, “how about that.” He looked at the coin in his hands, “I guess you could grant wishes.” He took a deep breath of the clean air and opened his mouth. ________________________________________ “Come on, hurry up girls, it’s getting away!” “We’re coming, Applebloom! Hurry up, Sweetie Belle!” “Right behind you, Scootaloo.” The three fillies, an earth pony, pegasus, and unicorn, raced down a grass meadow. Applebloom was leading the team in its latest crusader mission: bird watching. “There it is!” Scootaloo cried, pointing to a rock formation up ahead. There standing on one of the rocks, was a Blue Jay. “Alright, ready girls?” Applebloom said determinedly. Scootaloo nodded vigorously as she pulled out binoculars and Sweetie Belle pulled out a book titled, ‘Bird facts for dummies’. The girls observed the bird intensively. They kept checking their book for facts, and their flanks for any sign of a Cutie Mark. After a while, the bird opened its beak. Sweetie Belle looked at the book, “Look girls; it says that the Blue Jay has a variety of calls.” The three fillies watched with baited breath as the bird took a deep breath, “FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-” The three fillies jumped into the air in surprise by the sudden voice. The Blue Jay immediately took off out of fear. “What in tarnation is that?” Applebloom asked as the noise continued. “I have no idea.” Scootaloo said, but she then grinned, “Wanna find out?” Sweetie Belle smiled, “We can get our Cutie Marks in investigation.” “Alright then,” Applebloom grinned, “on the count of three: one…two…three!” They all shouted, “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS INVESTIAGTORS! YAY!” And they tore down the meadow to see what made that other worldly noise.