//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 // Story: The Inheritors of Friendship // by NgKQ //------------------------------// The next morning, Melody was awake, but still lying on her bed. “Ahh,” sighed Melody, looking out to the morning sky. “This morning is sooo great!” Then there was a knock at the bedroom door. “Who’s that?” “Melody,” Spike came in, looking concerned. “You’re needed at the door.” “Who could that be?” She arrived at the door only to find Platinum Royale and Prudence Aura, still in their pajamas and looking cross. “Melody,” began Platinum. “Come with us to the boutique.” “Why? What happened?” “Just come with us and you’ll know it!” said Prudence. When they entered the boutique, Melody was shocked. In the boutique was nothing but a pile of messed up cloth and fabric. In fact all the Gala dresses have been ruined. “Holy Equestria…” gasped Melody. “How did that happen? And who did it?” She gasped even deeper when she came upon her dress, now unrecognizable. “That’s why we need you,” explained Platinum. “I saw the hall in this condition, then I reported it to Momma. The next thing Momma did, she was groaning and moaning!” “*sigh* Poor Rarity,” sympathized Melody. “She’s always like that when her fashion fails. My mom told me that.” “We want you to help us find out who’s the culprit!” added Prudence. “Somepony must have entered here in the middle of the night and sabotaged everything!” “Okay, I’m ready to help,” said Melody. “But first, I’m not the one doing it. I was spending my night with Uncle Shiny and his family until late last night.” “Of course we trust you!” said Platinum. “A princess like you won’t ever do that!” “And since you’re the princess,” went on Prudence. “You can be our supervisor.” Melody chuckled. “OK, are we ready?” Just as they were about to reach the door, Rarity stood at the end of the staircase. “I hope you two are ready to help me for that,” she told the sisters. “Understood, Momma!” “I’m counting on you too, Melody,” said Rarity, placing her hoof upon her shoulders. “We’re not going to the Gala until the case is solved.” “Don’t worry, Rarity. Everything’s under my hooves!” The first one they looked for was Fluttershy and her family. “What? Our dresses have been sabotaged!?” asked Honey Drops with shock. “That was bad,” gasped Fluttershy. “That’s why we’re here to know who did it,” continued Platinum. “Did any one of you do that?” “Don’t ask me,” denied Discord. “Me neither,” said Beryl. “Chaos, what about you?” asked Platinum. “HAY NO!” exploded Chaos. “How could I ever sneak out of my home in the middle of the night and mess up with your dresses!? For somepony’s sake I won’t ever do that for my marefriend!” “Chaos, are you okay?” asked Melody, concerned. “You don’t like being accused, or is it because you saw me with them?” “I thought that you would come to lay the blame onto me with them,” said Chaos. “But now… I’m really ashamed… for throwing my temper in front of you.” He hung his head low. “It’s alright,” forgave Melody. “I knew you’re always not guilty.” Those words cheered Chaos. “Alright, then, who’s next?” asked Melody. The next one they asked was Pinkie’s family. “What? They’re RUINED!!??” exclaimed Pepper Flake with shock. “Is that really so?” asked Cheese Sandwich after hearing their purpose. “I spent all night long in discussing what our party plan is for the Gala. Why would we bother to spoil your dresses?” “Yeah, he’s got a point, you know,” defended Pinkie Pie. Then at Sweet Apple Acres… “No way. My beautiful dress…” sobbed Malinae. “Is that true, Sugarcubes?” asked Applejack. “But seriously, we were sorting out at the barn, y’know.” “She’s right,” agreed Nikula Alder. “You can ask Raisin Brandy if you’re still not sure.” Then Melody had to fly to the Cloudominium to ask Rainbow Dash and her family. “Serious? They’re ruined?” asked Soarin, surprised. “I don’t really think Greenie and Thunder did that,” added Rainbow Dash. “I only remember that they were sleeping very well last night.” Soon, all of Ponyville was asked about the incident. However, everypony claimed that they had never entered Carousel Boutique to sabotage the dresses. “Ugh,” sighed Platinum. “How are we supposed to know the real culprit?” “I don’t know,” said Melody. “Maybe the culprit escaped to somewhere else after spoiling them!” “Then what are we gonna do?” asked Prudence with despair. “Do we even need to travel all around Equestria to look for him?” “Are you crazy!? We don’t have to!” “Hey! The three of you!” called Greenie Hats as she buzzed towards them. “We’ve got some commotion over there!” “What happened?” asked Platinum “We’ve got some new unicorn in town who claims that she’s more powerful than any unicorn!” “Serious!? Then we’d better check that out!” declared Melody. When they reached the town square, a large crowd was there gathering at a trailer, including her friends as well who were at the front. The trio had to push through the crowd to get to their friends, but Greenie managed to land in front of them first. Then, from behind the curtains, a light ultramarine unicorn mare, clad in a lavender magician’s cape stepped out onto the stage, accompanied with fireworks. “Hello, Ponyville! Now, watch, as the Great and Uber-rific Pixie Dust does the most mind-boggling magic you have ever seen!” “Pixie Dust, huh?” asked Melody. “Let’s see how she does.” Indeed, Pixie did a number of magic tricks, which went so complex that the crowd couldn’t understand how she did it. “Not too shabby,” said Chaos. “Just a little flashy though.” After her tricks, Pixie started her loud speech. “Well, well, it seems that we have some neigh-sayers in this audience. Who dares to challenge the Great and Uber-rific Pixie Dust? Believe it or not, the Great and Uber-rific Pixie Dust once was able to overwhelm a hydra using the Great and Uber-rific Pixie Dust’s skills. Amazing, isn’t it?” At once, the crowd cheered as if they believed her. “Her speech… it reminds me of somepony my mom used to tell me. Her name is Trixie…” said Melody. “Then could she be Trixie’s apprentice?” asked Chaos. “Most probably,” answered Platinum. Then Greenie Hats interrupted. “So, Great and Uber-rific Pixie, what makes you think you’re so powerful?” “Well, what can you say?” “If you claim yourself to be ‘Great and Uber-rific’,” continued Chaos. “Then why don’t you show us your skills?” “It’s pretty easy if you boast everything that you can do, but why don’t you do them?” asked Raisin Brandy. “Yeah! Prove them!” added Pepper Flake. “Show us your skills, meanie boaster!” mocked Pizza Frenzy. At once, Melody’s friends were humiliating Pixie for her boasting actions. “Oh, how dare you irritate the Great and Uber-rific Pixie Dust!?” asked Pixie, now irked. “The Great and Uber-rific Pixie shall teach you all a lesson!” At once, everything went haywire for them. “Hey! What’s happening to my hair!??” exclaimed Peanut Butter as his body’s fur suddenly became overgrown. “Mmh, mmh, MMMMMMMMMMHHHHH!” mumbled Pepper. Pixie had made Pepper’s lips having superglue properties, preventing her from talking. “Whoaaah! Heeellllp!!!” Pizza’s body had been inflated to the size of a balloon. “What in Equestria…!?” exclaimed Fiji as she found her body turned to grayscale. “Help! I can’t move!” cried Raisin as his hooves were rooted to the ground. “Ugh! I feel heavy!” wailed Malinae. Her horn had apparently become long and heavy for her to keep her head up properly. “*gasp* Your hair!” gasped Platinum and Prudence in unision as they found out their manes had turned into an icky, slimy green. “And your tail!” “Hold it… aah!” cried Honey Drops as she was suddenly blinded due to the painfulness in her eyes. “Wait, what am I… gaaah!” yelled Chaos as his body was suddenly made to move and twitch like crazy. “Help! I can’t see a thing!” shouted Beryl as her predicament was like Peanuts’, but her body was overgrown by leaves instead. “What are you…!” exclaimed Greenie as her wings suddenly became hard and heavy, preventing them from flapping. “It… hurts… get that off!!” groaned Thunder Clash as his wings had been stretched, then tied into a loop. The crowd became shocked and hysterical upon seeing them. All their sufferings eventually made Melody lose her patience. “That’s it, Pixie Dust,” she shouted to her. “Stop harming my friends and even my coltfriend!” “You’re lucky that you’re a princess,” argued Pixie. “Otherwise the Great and Uber-rific Pixie Dust would have made you and your coltfriend interesting!” “That’s not funny!” growled Melody. “Revert them back, NOW!” “Oh, if you say so…” With that, her friends are instantly back to normal. “Ow…” groaned Chaos. “Are you alright?” “I… I felt like living in Dad’s punishment world…” “Now then, Princess,” smirked Pixie. “Since I let go of your buddies, why don’t we make a deal?” “What deal?” “Have a duel with me this Saturday,” answered the exaggerating magician. “Let’s see who’s better, a superior magician or a high-class princess!” “No way! I’m not going into competitive duels like yours!” rejected Melody strongly. “Really? Then the Great and Uber-rific Pixie Dust will make your friends suffer again…” Her horn glowed, preparing to make her friends in agony again. “Alright, I’ll do it!” responded Melody nervously as she saw the expressions on her friends’ faces. “Very well,” said Pixie with a glee on her face. “If you win, the Great and Uber-rific Pixie Dust can award you a million bits. If not, the Great and Uber-rific Pixie Dust shall humiliate you!” After that she packed everything up in a jiffy and went away. Melody now felt depressed. “I had no choice…” sighed Melody. “But I had to do it for the sake of everypony…” “It wasn’t your fault,” consoled Beryl. “She only caused this commotion here, after all.” “I know, if only I hadn’t being involved…” “Melody,” said Chaos. “You’re a princess! You can’t be down at a state of challenge! Trust me, as your coltfriend I believe in you. You can be one of the greatest princesses of Equestria, like Celestia, Luna, Cadance and your mom!” “Yes! A princess can show true leadership and determination,” added Platinum. “Not like boasting magicians.” “You are a role model to us all! You can’t let us down!” encouraged Greenie. “Thanks, but I need to go home first…” and she trotted away, still hanging her head down. “Will she eventually trust us?” asked Malinae. “I believe she will,” replied Chaos. “She’s still got support from her family, so I don’t need to worry about her.” “Gosh! As Melody’s coltfriend you seem to know her feelings, isn’t it?” asked Platinum.