HUGZ, HUGZ FOR EVERYONE
You remember the time you were at the castle when you first met Cadance. She was acting just like Trixie (for different reasons of course). You remember how you cheered up Cadance with a song and a hug. Since you can't think of any songs that could cheer her up, you decide to do the next best thing. You walk over to her slowly, but she flinches with fear when you approach.
Now why woul-Oh yeah. Most wanted fugitive, right... You think to yourself in understanding. You finally reach her and you look her in the eyes.
Those eyes... so much sadness... You think to yourself in sympathy. You then do what you planned to do to her...
You hug her. She gasps in shock and tries to break out of your grasp, but you hold on tight. You then start to say to her...
"Oh, um, hey, it's ok that I don't know who you are...I'm kind of a hermit." You confess in an attempt to console the unicorn in tears. Trixie wipes her eyes and raises an eyebrow at you suspiciously.
"A hermit with friends?" She asks sceptically. You realize she must be talking about Nightshade. You start to think fast.
"It's...a group. Hermits United. We gather around, and share stories about...caves. It's lots of fun. For a hermit." You explain. You can see a faint smile playing at Trixie's lips. You let out a breath in relief. At least she isn't sobbing anymore. You hold out your hoof to Trixie.
"Hey, you know what? I'm on the run. I need help. And right now...I need a great and powerful pony. And you seem like a great option. Come with me. We can clear my name and travel across Equestria. I can make sure you see your name in lights. So what do you say?" You ask with a confident smirk on your face. Trixie's eyes were wide with wonder.
"There there don't worry. it's okay that I don't know you."
"How *hic* is it okay that you don't know who Trixie is?", she says still crying, but no longer struggling against your embrace.
You think quickly for a reason that won't make her terrified of you or make you look like a complete idiot.
I could say... nah that won't work. How about...no no no no that won't work either.You think to yourself in confusion. You then think of a completely, utterly, ridiculous idea, but hey, ridiculous ideas usually work out well for you (more or less...) So you look her in the eyes and say,
"I'm kinda a hermit you see."
Trixie wipes her tears and raises an eyebrow at you suspiciously and says "How can you be a hermit if you have friends?"
You start to wonder how she even knows that you have friends, then you remember how you screamed Nightshade's name at her a few minutes ago. You chuckle in in embarrassment and quickly say,
"It's... It's a group. Hermits United. We gather around, and share stories about... caves! It's lots of fun. For a hermit."
You can see a faint smile playing at Trixie's lips. You let out a breath in relief and release her from the hug.
At least she isn't sobbing anymore.
You momentarily glance at your wanted poster and suddenly you think of a great idea that will benefit both you and her. You hold out your hoof to Trixie.
"Hey, you know what? I'm on the run. I need help. And right now... I need a great and powerful pony. And you seem like a great option. I can make sure you see your name in lights. So what do you say?" You ask with a confident smirk on your face.
Trixie's eyes were wide with wonder. You don't like to lie, but you do admit it sure does help you get out of some bad situations. Trixie seems to be buying it and she asks,
"Pray tell, what is your plan to get Trixie's name to be know across Equestria?"
You already have an answer for that, so you put your hoof around her and dramatically wave you other hoof in the air while telling her...
by asking if she wants money out the wazoo. You'll let her take you to the Royal Guard for the reward money. In return, she helps you escape and gives you half the cash so you can pay off your debt to the Doctor.
"You, madam, will be know as the mare who captured the Hooded Offender!"
Trixie looks at you in shock so you decide to continue your idea.
"So here's how it's gonna work. You and me are gonna travel to a town called Ponyville. When we get there, you'll perform a magic act or something like that. Then halfway though the act you will say the code phrase 'surprise'. Then I will pop out and we would pretend to fight. You'll win of course and hand me over to the Royal Guard and get the reward bits."
Trixie smiles and you swear you heard a "cha-ching" sound and see bits in her eyes as she nods her head at the idea. But then she asks,
"What about you? What do you get out of this?"
You smile at that and say,
"You see my dear, I have recently come into debt with a very powerful pony, and these reward bits will save my flank. So alls ya got to do is break me out of the slammer and then we split the dough 50-50. Savvy?"
You can't help but feel like Captain Jackal Sparrow from The Pirates of Horseshoe Bay movies.
Trixie thinks about it for a few moments,
"You would really be willing to do that for me?"
"Of course." You reply
Trixie gleefully hugs you and says,
"Alright you have a deal." And with that, your journey to Ponyville begins.
DAY 1
Seeing as how Twilight can temporarily disable spell-casting, you decide to expand your arsenal by reading "Kung-Fu For Dummies" and learn "Shoryuken" (a launcher) and/or "Falcon Punch" (powerful single punch)
You decide to spend the first day of your road-trip learning some new moves from "Kung-Fu For Dummies".
If Twilight can disable magic, then I'm gonna need non-magic-based attacks to defend myself and Nightshade.You think to yourself in a serious tone. You don't want to fight them, but if they threaten to hurt Nightshade or do something drastic, then you don't really have a choice in the manner.
Besides, it'll make our 'fight' look more exciting.
You read up on the attacks 'Shoryuken'and 'Falcon Punch' before you went to bed last night, so today you're practicing then while you guys stop for a rest. You've been practicing on a tree for the past three hours (and have the bruises on your hooves and head (from acorns, branches, and even a squirrel falling on you) to prove it). Trixie came by and even helped you practice as well. After some more practice, you and Trixie decide to relax and share some stories about each others lives. You even told about the time you accidentally walked into the female bathroom back in school, and you never told anyone that secret!
I can really trust her. Sure, I have to keep Nightshade and the fact that I'm a changeling a secret, but I definitely trust her to go through with our deal and save me. You think to yourself in a confident tone as you and Trixie share a laugh over her story about a mishap with wheels.
Learned "Shoryuken"
Learned "Falcon Punch"
DAY 2
Today you decide to practice your forcefield spell with the help of Trixie (who you trust even more now) who throws acorns and *shiver*bowling balls (why does she have so many) at you. You can now do the force field spell on command and it's stronger, but you did get alot of bruises and the blowing balls did fracture your skull a few times. You're fine now and don't appear to have any serious signs of blain damage-amage-amage-amage-amage-amage...
DAY 3 FINAL DAY
Take Nightshade for lunch at a nearby "Olive Grotto" for their "endless soup, salad, and breadsticks for 7 bits" deal (in disguises though with Bugze's shape-shifting and Nightshade putting away her armor and disguising herself as a unicorn)... then find out it was a lie as you're both kicked out after the filly devours 9 pitchers of raspberry lemonade, a dozen bowls of salad, all of the restaurant's tomato soup, mushroom soup, and broccoli cheese soup, and more breadsticks than you've had splinters while you merely had a simple melted mozzarella sandwich (Bicycle Thieves (1948) reference FTW) with a glass of water (at least you didn't have to pay since while kicking you out, they forgot to give you the check)
Today's the last day on your road trip before you reach Ponyville, so you decide to spend some daddy-daughter time with Nightshade.
The poor thing hasn't seen me since that incident at the castle, you muse as you take ‘The Inventory’ and go into the woods near the small town (Trixie is out getting supplies and won’t be back until after dark).
When you've made sure noling is looking, you take the sleeping filly out of ‘The Inventory’ and gently wake her up.
“Er, who turned on the su- DADDY!”
The little filly pounces on you with a crushing hug and starts speaking so fast it would put Pinkie Pie to shame.
“DaddyIwassoscared! ThemeanblueponyscaredmeandIthoughtyouweredeadandtherewasthisblueboxthatwasbiggerontheinsideandthentherewasthisscaryflyingtownbutthenicegreyandbrownponiesgavemecrayonsandasnack!Didyougetmydrawing?!”(*)
You teleport out of Nightshade’s death hug before she could suffocate you, but you just as quickly hug the little filly.
“It’s all right, Nightshade. I got your drawing and I’ll always make sure noling ever harms you” you reassure her.
Nightshade smiles and says,
"You're my hero daddy. I love you."
You can't help, but smile at the filly's love for you.
*growl*
“Can we eat something Daddy? I’m REALLY hungry.”
You shake your head and continue smiling as you take off your awesome coat and put it in ‘The Inventory’ and shape-shift into a brown Earth Pony (still no cutie mark though…). You wish you could keep the coat on, but that would blow your cover.
Thankfully, Trixie taught you "Transformation"yesterday (speaking of that, Learned "Transformation") after you trained the force field spell so you transform Nightshade into a unicorn filly version of herself.
You both go into town to find something to eat as Nightshade excitedly takes in the sights.
This is turning out to be a lot harder than I thought you think to yourself. Nightshade has a huge appetite and I'm really low on bits.
Fortunately, you both come across an "Olive Grotto" with a board outside that reads,
Endless soup, salad, and breadsticks! Only 7 bits!
Jackpot! It may take a huge chunk out of my remaining bits, but it’s ENDLESS!
Sadly, the “endless” part of the deal turns out to be a big fat lie! You both get kicked out and banned from "Olive Grotto" for life after Nightshade devours 9 pitchers of raspberry lemonade, a dozen bowls of salad, all of the restaurant's tomato soup, mushroom soup, and broccoli cheese soup, and more breadsticks than you've had splinters (Luna, that filly can eat...) while all you had was a simple melted mozzarella sandwich and a glass of water (which for some reason gave you the sudden urge to sing about wanting one).
Luckily you didn't have to pay since they were in such a rush to kick you both out that they forgot to give you the check. But, you did get to give a comment to the owner of the place. If you remember correctly, you told him in the most affable, polite, and cool-headed manner,
"IF YOU PUT 'ENDLESS' IN THE STINKING DEAL, THEN DON'T BE SURPRISED IF A LITTLE FILLY EATS HALF OF YOUR STOCK YOU LOUSY EXCUSE OF A DEAL MAKER!"
PONYVILLE
Okay. This is it, I sure hope this works. You think to yourself as you prepare to "attack" Trixie.
You put 'The Inventory' (with Nightshade sleeping in it) in a closet full of saddle bags. You decide it would be the best way to keep your daughter safe in case this scheme goes badly.
"Is anypony else ready for a humongous, spectacular surprise!"
That's the signal! You put your hood on, take a deep breath, and you teleport in front of the showpony...
What do you do?