//------------------------------// // 79. Friend in Deed // Story: Blaze the Pony Tale // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// Another day, another adventure to be had in Ponyville. But for some reason it just felt extra super. So super that a song started up. (Midnight Blaze, Big Macintosh, and Thunderlane) Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, ba-da-da-da-da Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, ba-da-da-da-da (Pinkie Pie) Think I’ll go for a trot outside now, Celestia’s callin’ my name! (Background Ponies) I hear ya now, I just can’t stay inside all day I gotta get out, get me some of those rays Everypony’s smilin’, sunshine day Everypony’s laughin’, sunshine day Everypony seems so happy today It’s a sunshine day (Apple Bloom, while trotting with the rest of the CMC) Ah think Ah’ll go fer a trot outside now, Celestia knows me by name! (Background Ponies) She’s callin’ me, I gotta get out, I just gotta get away I gotta get away, get away, get away, get away…! Into the sunshine day… (Spike) Can’cha dig the sunshine, love n’ sun are the same Can’cha hear her callin’ your name? (Twilight Sparkle) Oh, I think I’ll take a trot everyday now Celestia has shown me the way! (Background Ponies) To be happy now, I just can’t stay inside all day I gotta get out get me some of those rays Everypony’s smilin’, sunshine day Everypony’s laughin’, sunshine day Everypony seems so happy today It’s a sunshine day (Spike) Can’cha feel the sunshine warming up your mane Can'cha hear her callin' your name...? (Everypony) I think I’ll go for a trot outside now Celestia’s callin’ my name I hear ya now, I just can’t stay inside all day I gotta get out, get me some of those rays Everypony’s smilin’, sunshine day Everypony’s laughin’, sunshine day Everypony seems so happy today It’s a sunshine day Everypony’s smilin’, sunshine day Everypony’s laughin’, sunshine day Everypony seems so happy today… It’s a sunshine day! The guys met up for their weekly pie at Pepper Pony’s, enjoying a slice as they caught up. “I’m still crackin’ up, you guys made total yutzes of yourselves from that love poison!” Soarin cracked, him and Thunderlane sharing a laugh at Midnight’s expense, as the blue unicorn groaned, burying his humiliation into his hooves. “Please, guys, can we not talk about that?” Midnight begged. “The week’s been hard enough with everypony else in town bringing it up.” “Lay off,” Big Mac said to them in a stern tone as he gently patted his brother on the back. “No worries, Midnight, it’ll all be water under the bridge soon enough," Blueblood saying to his fellow horn-head, "As I recall, Ponyville’s a happening place, as in a lot tends to be happening every now and then.” “True,” Midnight conceded as he took a sip of his soda, “and with characters like Pinkie or Rainbow Dash, ponies do tend to move on to new topics of interest.” “Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed, glad his brother was snapping out of the funk. “Hey everypony! Does anypony have a toupee?!” The guys all startled and looked to see Pinkie Pie inexplicably standing on a flagpole, having just spoken into a megaphone, much to everypony’s bewilderment. But then the pole swayed under Pinkie so she could point out, “This donkey is really, really bald!” It was indeed a donkey, looked middle-aged-going-onto-elderly, and he was indeed so bald, his chrome sparkled for a moment. Ponies couldn’t help chuckling at the poor sucker, who blushed in abject humiliation while covering his hairless head. “What’s so funny? This is serious business, everypony! Cranky needs a new wig to cover his hairless head!” The guys couldn’t help it, the absurdity of the moment, the total lack of common sense from their favorite party pony, and the murderous glare the donkey, Cranky apparently, was giving her, and they began to laugh despite the guilty feeling it brought. “I have had ENOUGH!” They looked to see Cranky had swiped up a mound of dirt and grass and put it on his head and began to storm off, Pinkie looking sheepish. “Desperate times,” Midnight commented. “Desperate measures,” agreed Blueblood. “Eeyup,” Big Mac added. “Looks like Pinkie’s trying to make a new friend,” Thunderlane brought up as they saw Pinkie go after the angry ass. “Well, something tells me this one’s not gonna be so easy as it normally is for her,” Soarin said. Later on, Midnight was doing some shopping in the marketplace when he noticed somepony. Or rather some donkey! It took a moment but he recognized her. “Matilda, hello!” “Oh, hello Midnight,” said Matilda, smiling kindly as he approached. “How’re you this fine day?” “Eh, the usual,” Midnight shrugged. “By the way, did you know another donkey just moved to Ponyville?” “You don’t say?” Matilda asked, not actually paying attention as she looked at some produce. “Yeah, Pinkie’s trying to become friends with him,” Midnight said, “but I don’t think it’s going well.” “Well that’s surprising,” Matilda commented as she paid for some carrots from Carrot Top. “Pinkie Pie can befriend anypony!” “Well, this donkey isn’t warming up to her,” Midnight explained, “She said his name was Cranky.” Matilda perked at looked at him, “Did you say Cranky?” “Why, do you know him?” Midnight asked curiously. Matilda pondered a moment, and said, “I have to go home!” She hurried away, Midnight watching her go with a confused look. He shrugged and continued shopping when he noticed Blueblood. “Midnight, my good friend, what brings you here?” “Applejack is experimenting with a new apple recipe and asked me to get her some vanilla and molasses,” Midnight explained. “I’m here getting a few things for Rarity,” Blueblood replied. “She just made a replacement wig for that Cranky fellow at Pinkie’s request.” “Y’know, it’s funny,” Midnight brought up, Blueblood eyeing him, “I just spoke to Matilda, y’know her?” “Why yes, Miss Matilda bought a lovely scarf from Rarity last week,” Blueblood replied. “Why do you ask?” “Well, I just spoke with her and mentioned Cranky, then she suddenly hurried off after I asked if she knew him.” “Maybe she does,” Blueblood shrugged and continued his shopping, leaving Midnight to wonder. After getting Applejack her ingredients, Midnight Flashed over to the library. He was hoping to spend a little alone time with her, but silly him Rainbow was there, reading. “Hey Midnight!” Rainbow said as he came in, “You’ve gotta check out this book, it’s the latest in the Daring Doo series!” “Uh-huh, sure,” Midnight dismissed her, much to her stink eye, as he went over to the spellbooks and started browsing. “Anything in particular you looking for, Midnight?” Twilight asked, but engrossed in her own book. “Just browsing,” Midnight waved off her concern as he started getting into one. But at that moment, the door flew open and everypony was shocked to see a teary Pinkie walk in. “Pinkie! What’s the matter?” Twilight worried as she went over to her. “Did somepony give you the business?!” Rainbow demanded to know. “No… It’s Cranky, I…” Pinkie whimpered before she explained everything, how she’d tried helping the old donkey to unpack his things, complimented his mementos, and accidentally set a scrapbook he had ablaze, and how angry he got at her. “I just can’t believe it. Cranky said he would never forever be my friend. It was horrible…” “Oh Pinkie…” Midnight sighed, realizing that once again Pinkie had gone too far in her friendliness. “No offense, but you really have to learn to take a hint and respect others’ privacy.” “I understand it’s hard, Pinkie, seeing as how you’re friends with everypony,” Twilight stepped in, “but you’re just gonna have to accept that Cranky’s going to be an exception. Like Midnight said, he just… doesn’t want to be bothered.” “Yeah,” Rainbow butted in with untactful execution, “he doesn’t wanna be bother by your over-the-top hyper antics.” “Rainbow!” Twilight and Midnight snapped. “No, no, I get what you’re saying, everypony,” Pinkie sighed. “And I get that… I should leave Cranky alone.” Midnight and Twilight nodded at each other in approval of Pinkie’s maturity, and just like that it flew out the window as Pinkie suddenly perked, “Right after he accepts my apology!” As Pinkie trotted out the door, Twilight groaned and Midnight deadpanned, “Are you honestly surprised?” Later on, Midnight started walking home when… “Midnight?” He turned to see… “Matilda? Can I help you?” “Actually, I’m hoping you can,” Matilda said as she approached, carrying what looked to be a pink book with a little blue bow. “If who you saw is the Cranky I know, then I want to see for myself!” “Well, I feel I should warn you,” Midnight said, “Pinkie got on Cranky’s bad side and ruined this book of his, and she went to apologize. And if you know Pinkie as well as I do you know how that could turn out.” “Oh dear,” Matilda realized. “Let’s go to the post office and see if they have his address.” To Matilda’s delight, they did have one ‘Cranky Doodle Donkey’ on their list of postal recipients in Ponyville, and Matilda was all but convinced it really was him! But as they got there, they realized they’d just arrived in time! Pinkie appeared to be peering through the keyhole of the house, saying, “Please Cranky! I think I can make it up to you!” “No way you can, you destroyed my book!” screamed a very cross voice from inside. “And all I had to remember her by!” “‘Her’?” Pinkie echoed. “Her who? This special friend?” “Go AWAY, Pinkie!!!” Pinkie deflated and turned to leave when she noticed Midnight and Matilda, having been taking in the show. Suddenly she gasped in realization as her big blue eyes fell upon Matilda! “Matilda! You know Cranky, don’t you?!” she whisper-shouted. “Why yes, I believe I do,” Matilda said as she held up her book. Pinkie opened it and was delighted when she saw what was inside. “I knew that book of his reminded me of something!” she whisper-cheered. “But wait, how’d you find out Cranky was here?” “I mentioned it,” Midnight brought up. “Then Matilda and I looked up Cranky’s address and here we are!” “This… is perfect!” Pinkie whisper-cheered again, bursting with confetti. “Wait right here!” She went over to the door and knocked. “Cranky? It’s me again! I understand that you don’t wanna be my friend or accept my apology, but before I leave forever I have something to at least try to make up for ruining your book.” “No! I don’t want it, kid!” yelled Cranky from inside. “Anything you would give me is sure to lead to some sort of disaster!” Matilda finally stepped in. “Goodness! You really are Cranky!” There was a brief pause before they heard what wounded like multiple locks unlocking, the clattering of chains, and maybe some nails being pulled out and boards coming down before finally the door opened and Cranky peered out… to see Matilda smiling at him, with butterflies fluttering `round her to give that special effect! “It can’t be…!” Cranky whispered before he suddenly realized something, and put his new wig back on. “Is it really you?” “It can… and it is!” Matilda said with a smile. “Matilda! But how?!” Cranky marveled as he stepped up to her. Matilda then pointed out, “Pinkie, and her good friend Midnight.” Pinkie and Midnight both waved with smiles. Cranky gaped at them, mostly at the pink one, saying,” Pinkie?! But- I never told you about her!” “You didn’t have to, I put two & two & two together!” Pinkie said while inexplicably holding up six hooves. “And it all added up to Matilda!” “What?” Cranky gave her an incredulous look. “When you were talking about your souvenirs, you said something about trying to find a special friend!” Pinkie explained. “In your scrapbook there was a flower, a ticket, and a menu from the Grand Galloping Gala! And I knew I’d seen them before!” “But how could you have seen them before?” Cranky asked. “Because she’d seen them in my scrapbook,” Matilda stepped in, holding it up. “Earlier today, Midnight mentioned you to me, asking if I knew you. I went home to get this and we looked up your address at the post office.” Midnight smiled with a shrug as Cranky looked at him before looking into Matilda’s scrapbook, the memories flooding back. “Oh Matilda… the night we met at the gala was the most magical night of my life. I couldn’t wait to see you again! But when I came to your room the next day, you were gone…” “Didn’t you get my note?” Matilda asked, recalling the note she’d left on her door for Cranky to find. “Note? I didn’t even know you’d left one,” Cranky responded before going on, “Ever since that day, I’ve gone from town to town… to town, searching all over Equestria for you. Until finally I gave up! I came to Ponyville to retire from my search.” Midnight and Pinkie shared a sad look of sympathy. “I was living in Ponyville the whole time!” Matilda said to Cranky. “I always hoped that someday you would come and find me… Doodle!” “Pbth! Doodle?” Midnight snickered, before getting gently shouldered by Pinkie. “Uh, Matilda?" Pinkie whisper-shouted to her, "Nopony calls him ‘Doodle’.” “Nopony… but Matilda,” Cranky Doodle amended as he and Matilda nuzzled. “Oh Doodle, I’m so happy to see you!” Matilda said as she gave him a kiss, making him gasp. Pinkie and Midnight watched in anticipation as Cranky’s lips hesitantly pulled… until his face exploded with the most happy smile he could muster, and boy, Cranky thought, it felt so good to smile after so many years! Pinkie gasped with a smile, Midnight chuckling as he said, “Pinkie? Put your eyeballs back in your head.” As Cranky and Matilda nuzzled more, Pinkie asked, “Does this mean you accept my apology?” “Yes, Pinkie I accept your apology,” Cranky conceded before he really made the party pony’s day, “and I am honored to call you my friend.” Pinkie giddily appeared to build up and shake, Midnight saying, “You might wanna step back a bit.” And no sooner did he that Pinkie launched like a rocket, exploding like a firework as she cheered, “WAAAAAAA-HOO!!! This is just fantastic! Ooh, now we can hang out together and chat and sing songs and" - she gasped - "party! Oh, I have to throw you guys a big party! It'll be called the 'Welcome to Ponyville/I Found My Lost Love/I'm BFF's with Pinkie Pie' Party!” "Ahem!" She noticed the new couple weren’t really paying attention and Midnight was narrowing his eyes at her and shaking his head no. “...Or maybe something less over-the-top and not so super-hyper.” “Pinkie, and Midnight, we are eternally grateful for what you’ve done for us, but…” Cranky halted to find the right words so Midnight stepped in. “I think these two would like some peace and quiet, they do have a lot to catch up on after all.” “Oh, right,” Pinkie conceded before asking Cranky, “But we’re still friends?” “Pinkie you went way-way-way out of your way to make me happy,” Cranky said, putting a hoof on her shoulder. “Of course we’re friends!” “Come on, Doodle, let’s go inside,” Matilda suggested, carrying the scrapbook as she led Cranky into his house. Midnight sighed, Pinkie saying, “I think I have a letter to write for the Princess.” As Pinkie bounced away, Midnight noticed something on the ground. He levitated it up to see it was an old photo of who could only be a young Cranky and Matilda, the night they met at the gala. Kinda sad they didn’t get to spend their youth and golden years together, he thought. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind as he recalled a spell in a certain book he’d looked at in the library. A while later, Cranky and Matilda were looking around his living room. “Are you sure it’s in here?” Cranky asked. “If it’s not, it could be outside,” Matilda conceded when they heard a knock. They answered it to see… “Midnight, what’re you doing here?” Matilda asked. “I believe this is yours,” Midnight levitated the photo to her. “Why yes!” Matilda gladly accepted it back. “Matilda… Could you and Cranky meet me here tonight? Around ten,” Midnight requested. “What for?” asked Cranky. “It’s a surprise,” Midnight said. “I know you two want to be alone together right now, but all I ask is a few moments of your time tonight. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.” Seeing the hopeful look in the stallion’s eyes, Matilda gave Cranky a look, and he sighed. “Okay, Midnight, we’ll see you here tonight at ten.” “Great, I’m gonna go prepare,” Midnight Flashed off, leaving the donkey couple to ponder. 10:20 p.m. “Where is he?” Cranky muttered. “He’s late!” “I’m sure he has an explanation, Doodle,” Matilda assured him, and the door knocked. They opened it to see Midnight. “Sorry I’m late, but for what I have in mind this has to be done at a specific time. Please follow me.” The couple looked at each other and followed Midnight to an open space in perfect view of the moon above. “It’s a good thing the moon’s full tonight.” “Midnight, are you gonna tell us what this is all about?” Cranky asked. “Hold on,” Midnight checked a watch he had. “Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen! Okay, you two, trust me and hold still.” Midnight whirled to face them, his horn flaring with life as energy tendrils reached out, ensnaring the moonbeams. Cranky and Matilda watched, marveled by this display of magic, as the tendrils and moonbeams wove together in glimmering ribbons of magic. The ribbons gently reached out and started wrapping around the two donkeys. While this might have frightened an observer, the two felt oddly calm as they felt their bodies rejuvenate! The intensity of power made a silent shockwave that blew the grass around him as Midnight completed the spell! As the ribbons of magic fell away and dissipated, Cranky and Matilda groaned as they felt dizzy. “I feel… good for some reason,” Cranky said. “Hey, my voice!” “And my old aches are gone!” Matilda brought up and she and Cranky looked at each other, only to gasp! They both looked exactly as they had back when they first met, their youth restored, and could not believe how handsome and beautiful they looked to each other! They looked at Midnight who shook his head free of the little fatigue he’d felt, and they looked confused. “I hope you’re not angry, but I felt it was unfair that a simple mistake prevented you from sharing your lives together and that Cranky had searched for so long for nothing. So… I used a spell to restore you both to the ages you were when you first met!” “But… why…?” Cranky was at a loss. “I have the ability to draw strength from the moonlight,” Midnight explained. “And because the moon is full, I would’ve received quite a boost. But I waited until 10:23, fifteen seconds, which is the exact moment the moon reaches the center of the night sky, in order to take in a steady and stable intake of the power-flow. That way, my spell would stand a greater chance of success, and it did. Be happy, you two, cause now you can spend the years you should have together.” Cranky and Matilda looked at each other as it dawned on them and they couldn’t help but shed tears of joy as they hugged. At that moment, however, from a far vantage point atop a tree, stood a cloaked figure, only a unicorn horn hinting his identity as his cloak billowed in the wind. “Nice spellwork, Midnight…”