//------------------------------// // Adjustments // Story: Five Shooting Stars // by The Infinity Doctor //------------------------------// "I still don't see what the big deal is with this forest..." Smart Ass grumbled as he and the three fillies walked through the Everfree "Y'all really don't get out much do ya?" Applebloom asked "I do too, I'm just busy with work" "You're starting to sound like Twilight" Scootaloo said "Is that supposed to be some sort of insult?" The three remained silent, exchanging a glance with each other "Anyway, aren't there wolves or bears out here?" the weasel asked, hopping over a tree root sticking out of the ground. "Oh sure, Twilight says there's a lot of wildlife out here; Manticores, Timberwolves, Ursa Minors and Ursa Majors, Cockatrices..." "So tell me again why we're out here?" "Exploring of course!" Sweetie said "Wouldn't ya be content explorin' that other forest? Whitehoof or whatever?" "It's Whitetail Woods, and we agreed to never go back there since that incident with the tree sap" Scootaloo shuddered "Right..." He said, reminding himself to ask later The four continued through the forest, stopping occasionally for a short break Smart Ass took out his pocket-watch and checked the time "Jeez, only a few hours?" he said, shoving the watch into his jacket "Why do y'all keep lookin' at that that gold thing?" Applebloom asked "What? This?" he asked, pulling the watch out again He popped the lid and showed the fillies the watch-face they stared in wonder and awe at the golden object in the weasel's hand "...It's a pocket-watch...why's that a big deal?" "Look at that! It's a clock you can carry around with you!" Scootaloo said, ignoring Smart Ass "Uh...right..." He put the watch back in his pocket once more and stood up, the three fillies doing the same "We'd better get going if we wanna get home by nightfall" The three nodded at the weasel and followed him X "It's nice to be out of that cell for a little while" Stupid said as he walked down the hall with Luna "Yes, We always enjoy a constitutional through the castle" Luna replied "Duh, I thought we were takin' a walk" Luna only giggled and the odd pair continued through the hallways ... "Uh, princess?" "Yes?" "Why're all the ponies running away?" Luna only sighed in response "Long ago, We were once a being known a Nightmare Moon- wanting nothing more than to bring eternal night to Equestria" "So what happened?" he asked, taking interest in the nail driven through his bat "A mare known as Twilight Sparkle and her friends, the Elements of Harmony, purged us of Our evil" "Wha?" "They saved Us from Ourselves" "Oh, so why do you talk like that? Is there more than one of you?" "Pardon Us- me, We- well... I sometimes slip into using the 'Royal We'" "Why?" "I have only recently made my return; things have changed significantly since Our banishment a thousand years ago" "Wow, that's a really long time..." "Yes...yes, it was" "Where were you banished to?" "The moon" "Whoa, up there?" He asked, pointing to the sky She nodded "That's...pretty far..." "Come, let us partake of the midday meal" "Uh, okay" Stupid and Luna walked until they were about to enter the dining room when... *Bang* *OW* *Crash* *Ouch* *Boom* *Ugh...* Stupid uncovered his eyes and saw that a window and several vases decorating the hall were broken, tracing the trail of destruction he heard something groan and stand up. "FROM WHERE HAST THOU COME TO INVADE OUR CASTLE, KNAVE??" He flinched and turned to Luna and Stupid "St-Stupid? Is that you?" "Thank goodness we found ya, me and Flasher have been lookin' all over for ya" "Where's Flasher?" "Huh?" He looked around "...Weird, he was here a second ago" "Where do you think he went?" "I got no clue" "Wouldst thou kindly explain who thine aquaintence is?" "Princess, this is Slimy" X *Crack* *Boom* "Ugh, Rainbow Dash..." Twilight grumbled, getting up from the table 'Just when I was learning more about Psycho, too' In fact, that's about the only information she'd been able to get from him, other than the fact that she could calm him down with one of Spike's gems and that he absolutely insisted on wearing that straight-jacket of his; was his name Twilight opened the door and saw a creature like Psycho with its head stuck in the ground The creature tried to pull itself out of the ground, its neck stretching comically before coming loose with a loud *Pop* "Jeez, think I had one too many last night..." he grumbled "Excuse me, who are you?" Twilight asked "Name's Flasher Miss, who might I ask are you?" "I'm Twilight Sparkle" "Ah, well uh, you haven't seen my buddies anywhere around here, have ya?" "Please, come inside, I think we might have to talk about that" she said, letting him into the library Psycho tackled Flasher as soon as he entered the library Flasher stood up and straightened his trench-coat "Psych? What're you doing here?" He only shrugged "You know where the rest of the guys are?" He rapidly shook his head "Wait a minute, where's Slimy?" Psycho shrugged again "*Sigh*, we'll find him later I guess..." "Wait wait wait wait WAIT, there's more of you?" Twilight said, rounding on Psycho Psycho nodded "Why didn't you tell me that before?" "Didn't ask" Psycho said curtly Twilight blushed and turned to Flasher "So where's the rest of your friends? Somepony must've seen them" "Somepony? You mean someone?" "No, I've never heard anypony use 'someone', we always say 'somepony'" 'Anypony? Oh God...' Flasher groaned to himself "Nevermind...C'mon Psycho, we gotta find the rest of the group" Psycho nodded and prepared to follow Flasher out of the library when Twilight stopped them "Wait a minute, you don't even know where they are, you can't just go out there unprepared" "We'll just look around town, I'm sure they're around here somewhere" "But-" Flasher pulled Psycho out of the library without another word "Spike, watch the library for a little while, I'll be back in a few hours" X Wheezy just stared at the black object just inside the forest, vines and overgrowth indicating it'd been there for months, maybe years But it hadn't been that long...had it? "Um, what's a car?" Fluttershy asked, snapping him out of his thoughts "Let's see, um..." What was he going to say? He never had to explain a car to someone before "It's like a chariot..." She nodded "It um, moves under its own power" Fluttershy made and 'O' with her mouth and nodded Wheezy walked closer to the car and pulled some plants out of the grill of the van "Actually, doesn't look too bad..." He walked to the driver's side door, opened it, and hopped into the seat "You've gotta be kiddin' me" He looked at the ignition and saw that the keys were already there; taking the keys out he put them in the pocket of his vest Getting out of the car, he closed the door and walked around to the back of the van and opened the double doors. "What the-" He quickly silenced himself, seeing a small- something, pony was it? The small pony's eyes shot open and saw Wheezy "O-O-h, I-I'm so-sorry, I di-didn't realize th-that I w-was tres-trespassing" She quivered "Take it easy kid, just hop out and we can talk this over" She nervously got out of the van and wandered near Fluttershy Wheezy checked the back of the van once more before closing the doors "Alright kid, what's your name?" Wheezy asked "F-Fawn, mister" "Miss Fluttershy, I think we should take her back to your cottage, maybe find her parents" "Yes, that sounds like a plan" she turned to Fawn "I-if that's okay with you..." "I, um, I think...I'd like that..." "Oh, uh, follow me then" The weasel and the filly followed Fluttershy out of the forest and back to her cottage, Wheezy turned to the van one last time and sighed 'The van is here, so where are the others?' X "Come on Psych, let's see if anyone in here's seen Greasy or Stupid" Flasher said, pushing the door open that led into the cupcake-shaped building Psycho bounced through the door with Flasher following "Wait! Don't go in there!" Twilight shouted "Why? What could be so bad about-" "SUPRISE!" Flasher fell backwards and saw a number of ponies gathered in the building "What's all this?" A pink pony with a picture of three balloons on her flank bounced out of the kitchen "It's your 'Welcome-to-Ponyville' Party! Cupcake?" She asked, pushing a platter of baked goods towards Flasher "Ah, no thanks, we just came in to find some friends of ours" The pony's mane seemed to deflate and straightened, her smile disappearing completely "Did I, uh, do something wrong?" "Hmmhmm" Psycho mumbled "Uh, miss, ya feelin' alright?" "You don't like your party..." Psycho jabbed Flasher in the ribs "What-" He grabbed a cupcake off the platter and swallowed the confection whole Psycho motioned Flasher to do the same "Fine..." Flasher picked up a cupcake off the tray and bit into it, smiling at the pony as he did so The pony's smile returned and her mane sprung back into place "Glad you like it!" She said as she bounced away "Not even gonna ask..." "I see you've met Pinkie Pie" Twilight said, entering the bakery "Uh yeah..." "Wait a minute, where's Psycho?" Her question was answered as the sound of laughter came from the kitchen of the bakery "What's he gotten himself into now?" Flasher grumbled Twilight and Flasher walked to the kitchen and their jaws dropped at the sight before them Pinkie Pie and Psycho were dancing around the kitchen, tossing pie batter into the ovens and putting frosting on a tray of cupcakes 'The smart thing to do would to just walk away, just walk away, just-' "Okay, I'll bite, what's going on here?" 'Darn it' "Psychie's helping fill orders!" "Um, why?" "I asked him, silly" Psycho hopped off the counter and stood next to Flasher "Oh yeah, you seen know where any of our friends are?" He asked "Nope! You're not supposed to find out where they are until the next chapter!" He just gave her a dumbfounded look "What in the world are you talking about?" He finally asked "What, nopony ever told you?" "Again, what are you talking about?" "Nevermind! Enjoy the party Flashy!" Soon, Flasher, Twilight, and Psycho all found themselves on the doorstep to Sugarcube Corner "You sure she ain't a Toon?" "A what?" Flasher face-palmed "Nevermind, c'mon Psych, we gotta find the others" *RRRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR* Everypony within earshot cringed at the earshattering sound