//------------------------------// // Building a New Home // Story: Equestria's Warriors of Light and Dark // by Wildcard25 //------------------------------// One morning in Ponyville, Dustin, Alistair, and Zyphon were looking over some blueprints of a building, "Oh yes this is perfect." Dustin said. "And brilliant." Alistair added. "Yes, but can it be done?" Zyphon asked, while looking at both boys. "It can if the three of us work together." Dustin encouraged them. "What about getting the girls together?" Fievel asked, while perching on Alistair's shoulder. "Yeah I'm sure they could pitch in and help out." Domino agreed. "You know they have their own stuff to do, and we can't bother them. After all only Alistair and I have free time 24/7 in this world, at least when we're not taking up jobs in town." Dustin answered. "Well we better get to work, our new HQ isn't gonna build itself you know." Alistair said. "Actually with the form of magic in this world that could be possible." Dustin put in, making Alistair face fault. "Let's get busy." Alistair said, as the boys put on hard hats, safety gloves, tool belts, and work boots. Soon Dustin, Alistair, and Zyphon were gathering up some pieces of wood and lumber and began working on putting them together with hammer and nailing to try and piece it together, "OUCH!" Alistair cried, "I think I got a splinter!" "That makes two of us," Dustin groaned as he removed his glove and popped a splinter out, "Oh where's my dad when you need him?" he complained. "Come on you two let's not let a few splinters stop you from working." Zyphon said, as he was carrying some lumber with no problem. The boys sighed, as they shook it off and continued working as best of their abilities. About two hours later the three were sitting around looking at their blueprints seeing the design of their dream HQ look so awesome, "Well our HQ doesn't exactly look like the way we pictured it." Alistair said, as they lowered the blueprints down revealing a rickety old shack that looked like it was built by monkeys. "Well as long as we got a roof over our heads it'll do." Dustin said positively, until they saw a single bird land on top of the roof and the whole place came down. "Well that was all for nothing." Zyphon sighed. "The home workers make it look so easy on TV!" Dustin exclaimed in exasperation, before sulking his head down with Alistair and Zyphon. Peeking down from above them was Rainbow Dash, "Whoa looks like you guys got a dark cloud hanging over your heads," she began, revealing that a big dark cloud was hanging over their heads being drawn to their sulking, "Let me take care of that." She moved the cloud away. "Thanks, Rainbow." Alistair thanked her. "Not a problem. So what's up guys what's got ya down?" she rested a hoof on Dustin's shoulder. "Well, oh its nothing." Dustin dismissed it. "What?" The Pegasus poked around them. "Forget about it." Alistair pawned it off. "Come on tell me." Rainbow insisted. The boys sighed, "Well ya see we thought it was high time Alistair and I got a place of our own just so it doesn't seem we're mooching off the others by crashing at their place." Dustin began. "Even though they say it's not a big deal we just didn't want to intrude on their hospitality," Alistair continued, "But as you know there aren't a lot of free places open in Ponyville as of now and those that are require rent that we just can't afford to pay." "So we thought we could build a place in our own design," Dustin adde,d before motioning to the wrecked pile, "That is the result of our two hour hard work." Rainbow eyed the pile of wood and lumber and whistled, "Looks like you guys aren't really that good at making houses." "Well we are eleven years old, so sue us." Alistair replied. "Why not use your shadow soldiers?" Rainbow asked rhetorically. "Need I remind you, Rainbow Dash? I cannot control the shadow soldiers completely even in this alternate world where I am the only dark warrior." He dryly explained. "I could handle half of it, but I am only one robot and not a miracle worker." Zyphon put his two cents in. "Hmm," Rainbow started pondering, "Then it looks like you guys are gonna need some help." "But from who? Everypony's off doing their daily jobs and shouldn't you be doing yours?" Dustin asked. "I already took care of weather monitoring in record time, thank you very much." She boasted. "You know anypony else who may be able to help us?" Zyphon asked. "Sure let me go ask around. Be back in a flash!" Rainbow zipped off. "Think she can really find us some help?" Dustin asked Alistair. "With our luck I have no idea." The dark warrior answered. Three minutes later, Rainbow came by with the rest of the mane six, Wildcard, Spike, Big Macintosh, and many more of Ponyville's inhabitants, "Whoa! Rainbow Dash, how did you…" Dustin gasped, until Twilight spoke up. "When Rainbow Dash told us you were looking to build your own home she added that you guys didn't wanna feel like you were exploiting our hospitality by staying at each of our places." She motioned to the rest of her friends. "We find that really sweet of you guys thinking about us so much." Fluttershy smiled. "So we all came over and we're here to help!" Pinkie added while bouncing around. "Really you'd do that for us even though you have your own kind of things to do?" Alistair asked. "Ya darn tootin! Why we're always glad to pitch in and help out our friends." Applejack assured them. "Eeyup." Big Macintosh nodded. "Wow thanks everypony." Dustin said. "You can thank us after the place is built," Twilight began, "Everypony let's get busy!" the crowd of equines cheered and soon construction was under way. Dustin, Alistair, and Zyphon were in sweet relief seeing things were going by faster and smoother. Each of the three types of ponies were using their own special abilities to help raise walls, beams, and a roof before they hammer and nailed it all together. Once they completed the exterior and put up the walls making sure the foundation was stable and safe from rain leaks or other natural disasters it was time for painting. Everypony was helping the boys paint inside and out. Pinkie was occasionally goofing off by covering herself with paint just to get some laughs out of the ponies working. In a matter of hours, the inhabitants of Ponyville, the Mane six, Spike, Wildcard, Muse, Dustin, Alistair, and Zyphon stood before the new building they completed. It stood about as tall as Golden Oaks Library and wider than Sweet Apple Acres barn and was in a Tudor like fashion. It had a standard door, a balcony up front and four windows on each side two for each of the two levels. The paint job on the outside was white with brown outlines, and the roof top was colored brown, "Wow!" Alistair gasped. "How marvelous." Zyphon gasped as he cleaned his eye frames. "It's more beautiful than I ever dreamed it could be." Dustin said whipping away a tear. Mayor Mare approached a ribbon before the new house and spoke, "As Mayor of Ponyville I officially declare this new house opened!" she had the ribbon cut and the door was opened. The boys and the ponies entered seeing the place was big enough to hold everypony. It had everything from a living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, two bedrooms, a guest room, even a Jacuzzi to relax in. The paint on the inside was yellow like Fluttershy's mane. Inside Dustin and Alistair stood before everypony, "Thank you everypony once again for helping us build this home. We couldn't have done it without you all." Alistair began. "We really are lucky to have Ponyville as a home away from home and to have all of you as friends… No scratch that… We're lucky to have you all as a second family for both of us." Dustin smiled as the ponies smiled back feeling touched. "And now if any of you are looking for assistance in whatever just come here and schedule an appointment with us and we'll see what we can to help you out. After all we're glad to help out friends just as you helped us out." Alistair finished. The ponies cheered as Pinkie slid in, "And now to make your home complete… A HOUSEWARMING PARTY!" she used her party cannon to shoot out decorations and stuff so that the party could begin. As the music played everypony was socializing, dancing, eating, etc. Applejack and her family supplied some apple products while the Cakes and Pinkie brought over numerous candied treats and cakes to serve as food. Dustin and Alistair were each given a cup of punch and gathered the mane six, Wild, Spike, and muse together, "This was a total success." Dustin said. "No problem at all." Rainbow added. "Unless you count how many times Derpy accidentally crashed into the walls while we were working." Alistair said dryly while motioning to said Pegasus. "Ok everypony cheers to hard work and friends." Dustin began, as they clink their punch cups together. "Cheers!" they announced followed by laughter. Once the party ended, the eight ponies and Spike stayed behind to help Dustin, Alistair, and Zyphon clean up, "Having a party is really fun," Dustin began, "Cleaning up after it… Not so fun." He joked and Pinkie chuckled. "Once again thanks for helping us build this place." Alistair thanked them. "Of course, what are friends for?" Twilight asked. "But I must ask what will you do with this place when or if you return to your world?" Rarity asked. "Simple, we'll leave it to you all." Dustin answered. "To us?" Rainbow asked. "Yes. When we return home you can think of it as your own meeting house." Zyphon answered. "As long as you'll keep it in shape after we've left." Alistair added. "Of course." Applejack nodded. "Well it's getting late we better head home." Muse stated. "Have a good night you guys." Wild said. "Thanks, Wild." Alistair replied. Soon they started heading out, with Fluttershy being the last before Dustin spoke, "Fluttershy?" "Yes, Dustin?" she looked back at the boy. "Alistair and I want to thank you for being the first to house us when we arrived here in Equestria." Fluttershy smiled and flew over embracing the two boys with her hooves, "You're very welcome. And if you boys still get lonely you're still welcomed to sleep over at my place." "Thanks. We'll keep that in mind." Alistair replied. "Have a pleasant night, Miss Fluttershy." Zyphon bid her a goodnight. "You too, Zyphon," she smiled as Domino perched on her hoof and Fievel on her wing, "Goodnight Domino and Fievel." She nuzzled the two animals who returned the gesture. When the Pegasus left, the boys smiled and locked up for the night, "So our first night sleeping in our own home. You know what comes next?" Dustin grinned. "What?" Alistair asked with a raised brow. Dustin pulled out two pillows from behind his back, "Pillow fight!" he started pummeling Alistair who glared and smirked. "Oh it is on!" Alistair grabbed two pillows and the boys went at it with Zyphon caught in the middle taking a few hits much to his misfortune. Meanwhile far from Ponyville under the ground, Pythor was still trying to find a clue to the map of the Crystal Fangs. The other generals were beginning to get irritated by Pythor's prolonging of not being able to find the map, while their tribes were getting restless in waiting, "Pythor, we've been at this a whole day and night." Skalidor warned him. "What if there is no map?" Fangtom questioned the Anacondrai general. "Our tribes are growing restless." Acidicus warned him. "I warned you about this, Pythor." Skales reminded him of his warnings. "I know!" Pythor snapped from all the pressure, "I really just don't know where to look!" "Then let's forget about this crazy scheme of yours and just invade Ponyville like we should've done!" Skalidor suggested. "What he said!" Fangtom agreed, as they went to grab their staffs lying on a table only for both of their claws to collide and knock their staffs off together, "Watch it!" the Fangpyre general argued with the Constrictai general. "Why don't you watch it?!" Skalidor argued as they grappled. Through their petty squabbling Pythor looked seeing the venom leak out from both their staffs and the puddles they were producing started combining into a red liquid. Pythor gasped, "Skalidor, Fangtom, that's it!" "What's it?" Skalidor asked. "The map of fangs!" Pythor called as he gathered up the five staffs. "What where?" Acidicus asked looking around. "We've been carrying it with us all this time." Pythor explained. "Explain." Skales ordered. Pythor sat the five staffs on top of the table so they were together, "When the five fangs unite as one the path toward great power has begun. The prophecy isn't talking about the five tribes themselves. It's the venom in each of our staffs!" he slipped some blank parchment under the staffs, as bits of venom from all five staffs dripped onto it. The generals watched as the five venoms started mixing and appearing on the parchment was a map of Equestria with five marked locations, "At last! The map of fangs is ours! Now we're one step closer to finding the four Crystals Fangs and when we have them in our grasp the Orochi Sword will be ours, and soon all of Equestria with cower before us!" Pythor declared as the generals and their tribes started cheering.