//------------------------------//
// Chapter Ten: Long Time, No Revenge 
// Story: Dan Vs. Equestria 
// by TreSiv 
//------------------------------//

	Dan woke up the next morning with phase two of his revenge plan. He was about to solve two problems at once. For this, though, he needn't wake Twilight, even if she didn't know of his sisnister intentions. He crept past her bed and heard snoring down stairs. He tip toe'd down the wooden steps and saw Twilight sleeping at her desk where she was last night. She had her head laying in her book, and a small pile of drool was forming near her mouth. Dan walked as quietly as he could, stepping around various books layed out on the floor. He reached the door and pushed it open slowly as to not make any noise. He looked back at Twilight one last time before he left. 

He looked around in the bright sunny day. He rubbed hius hands together menacingly and laughed. This was just way too easy. He took of at a nice stroll through the town as if he owned the place, looking at all the shops and ponies as he walked by. There was only one pony he was looking for, but her time would come. As for now, Dan made his way to the junkyard where his coal powered machine awaited him. 

He finally made it to the gate of the junkyard and walked in between the rusting heaps of metal. All around him the junk towered over him just like the day before. In the middle, he could still see that The Claw remained untouched. He removed the blue tarps and looked at his machine in all it's glory. It was finally time to get down to business. It gleamed in the sunlight. He climbed inside the control cab and began pressing buttons. The machine roared into life and puttered out black smoke out of the metallic smokestack that lead to the furnace in the back.

He grabbed the wheel and pushed forward. The machine jolted but Dan remained steady. He turned to avoid the large pile of junk in front of him and moved The Claw to the back of the compound. It easily rolled over the bits of metal, all twisted and old. In the back, there was no gate like in the front. Instead, it was the same tall fence that was around the front. Now it was time to put the actual claw to the test. 

"Let's see how this works."

Dan grabbed the joystick he had installed to control the claw with, and it had a button on top to grab and release things. He raised the claw and lowered it onto the fence, and he pressed the button. The claw clamped down on the fence like it was nothing. Dan smiled and shook his head as he ripped the fence out of the ground with easy.

"Oh yeah! This is just TOO good!"

He moved the joystick right quickly and pressed the button again. Bits of fence flew through the air and landed with a loud clang. In Ponyville, ponies looked to the junkyard, where smoke was issuing out of, and a loud clang was just heard. Twilight woke up with a start. She looked out the window above her desk and saw the smoke. Twlilight frowned.

"Dan."

Dan pushed forward again. He was on a mission. He smiled evily as he went full speed looking for the one they called Pinkie Pie. Back at the treehouse Twilight was running around getting her things together. She bolted out the door as she headed toward the junkyard. All around her as she went, here were ponies who were also trotting out to investigate the sound of the crash. They all gathered around the gate of the junkyard as Twilight took the lead.

"DAN!"

No answer, as Dan was long gone. Ponies began mumbling around her.

"Dan! Come out here right now!"

No answer still. Just then, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash joined the fray.

"Darling, what's all the commotion? I heard a loud crash and saw smoke, I knew something was wrong."

Rainbow Dash rolled here eyes. "Three guesses who caused all this."

"But you can't possibly think Dan-"

Fluttershy interjected. "Uhm, where is Pinkie Pie? I haven't seen her today."

Twilight turned around concerend. "You mean she's not with you guys?"

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "No, she said she was going hiking today."

Twilight looked up at Rainbow Dash with a sudden realization on her face. Dan was looking for Pinkie no doubt. "Oh no. Quick! We have to find Pinkie! I think Dan's after her."

Rainbow Dash frowned. "If he lays one finger on her, he'll wish he never came here!"

"He already wishes that."

"Well then he's gonna wish he was never born!"

"C'mon girls we're wasting time, let's go!" Rarity sped off into the junkyard, and the others followed.

A few miles away, Pinkie Pie was enjoying a well deserved day off with her pet gator Gummy. She hopped happily as she smelled the sweet, warm summer air. A few feet ahead was a large bridge that she liked to sit on sometimes and watch the water stream below. Behind her, there was sound of rumbling that was beginning to get louder. 

"Hello you little devil! Remember me?"

Pinkie looked around behind her and saw Dan in The Claw coming up the road. She bounced faster as Dan stretched out the claw to reach her.

"Oh I see you forgot to bring your rhinestones. How irresponsible of you! Say hello to The Claw." He laughed evily and grabbed her in the claw. Pinkie gasped.

"Ohhhhhhh."

Dan drove the machine over to the bridge, lifting Pinkie into the air. He laughed evily again as he stopped the machine and turned the joystick so that the claw and Pinkie were hanging over the cliff.

"Alright you little pink demon, I’m here for revenge. However, I’m going to give you a second chance. I know about the Elements of Harmony and how they can take me home. If you tell me where they are, I’ll let you go, so start talking. NOW! Ya got ten seconds."

Dan jolted the joystick, bumping Gummy out of Pinkie's puffy hair. Dan didn't notice as Gummy was small. He continued staring at Pinkie intensly as he counted down.

"Ten... nine... eight..."

Pinkie leaned down to Gummy. "Go save mommy, Gummy. Please?"

Gummy blinked and turned tail.

"Five... four.. three..."

Gummy ran down the arm of the claw and began chewing on the wires that controlled it.

"Two... one!"

Gummy gave an exceptionally hard tug, and the claw swung around uncontrolably. Dan looked surprised.

"What the?"	

The claw released it's grip on Pinkie and she went flying miles away from Dan and The Claw. Fortunatly, she landed in a soft bed of flowers just outside Fluttershy's Cottage. 

"Boy, it's really lucky Fluttershy's got a green hoof. That could've been a disaster."

She looked around and got up. Pinkie smiled.

"Well, I should be heading off to Sugarcube Corner. Maybe some of my friends will be there!"

Miles away, Dan was still swearing at the claw malfunctioning. He got out the cab and looked at the damage. Gummy had been long gone by that point. Dan saw the ripped wire. He frowned. He reached down and ties the frayed wire together. The claw jumped back into life and hit Dan in the chest. He flew back and hit the other wall of the bridge. In the distance, the other five ponies of the Mane Six were approaching. As they got closer to the bridge, they saw The Claw, and Dan getting himself up next to it. 

Rainbow Dash flew at top speed towards Dan. "What did you do to Pinkie? You better not have hurt her!"

"Are you kidding me? She used here evil gypsy magic to ruin my machine!"

"Why you!"

She lifted her hoof to punch him, but Twilight intervened. "No! That'll just make him do more bad stuff!"


"Hey! Now, I don't always do bad things!"

"That's all you've done since you've got here!"

Dan said nothing. He just kept frowning. Twilight looked at The Claw.

"And get rid of that horrid machine."

"It happens to be a work of art, created by yours truly."

"I don't care what it is Dan, just get rid of it and forget it."

Dan looked at all the other ponies. "Fine then."

Twilight nodded. "Good. Let's go girls."

They all turned to leave, except Rainbow Dash.

"I'm gonna get you when you least expect it."

"Shoo fly, don't bother me."

"Hmpf." Rainbow Dash turned and flew away.

Dan looked at The Claw. "Such a waste of perfectly fine machinery."

He climbed in the cab one last time and drove it to the outside of the town, away further than even Fluttershy's Cottage. He looked at it one last time before leaving it. He walked back into Ponyville, where all the ponies were once again closing up shop. Some of them looked up at him, but not for long. He made his way back to the treehouse library. Twilight was reading again.

"Did you get rid of the thing?"

"Yes."

"Are you going back for it?"

"..."

"Dan!"

"NO!"

"Good. This isn't the way you be nice to ponies. You should try again tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah whatever." Dan plopped himself down onto his bed.

Twilight extinguished all the lights except her reading one, leaving the treehouse in total darkness except for the soft candle's light.