//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: It's all fun and games. // Story: A Kezzerdrix in Equestria. // by inum76 //------------------------------// A Kezzerdrix in Equestria. Chapter 1: It's all fun and games. It is early morning, and ponies are gathering to enjoy the opening of a new public park outside of Ponyville. A distance from this park someone else was waking up from his sleep, in an area not so brightly lit as the sun filled outdoors. The Kezzerdrix was brooding. It’s the second day of this large predator hare from another word has been here. Feeling agitated over not finding any reason for him to be in this new location. A trip outside and an exploration of the nearby woods the other day only proved this was not his lands. Today, he would search these caves he first found himself in further, for any sign as to why he was in this unknown world to him. He was becoming irate at having no answers or direction as to what he was supposed to do, so he could return where he belonged once finished. Not everyone survived a battle one was summoned to fight in. Even fewer, on the side of the summoner that perished during the conflict. After, each who is called and survived would return to their place of origin. Surviving till such a time he did well. He would even kill the one that called him in order to escape his forced upon ordeal. He did not like doing the bidding of others. He detest being someone else's pawn and possibly dying for their cause. He liked the idea of being misplaced by someone just as much. There was no battle here and no Summoner who may have called him. So no reason that he could see for being here. The thought of possibly being stuck here was getting to him. He doubt there would be answers to find in this cave. He would have a look around down here just the same. ~~~~~~ Back to the park. Young fillies and colts at play together enjoying a full week off to celebrate the new opening and have fun doing so. Three friends looked about for something to do. A light brown pegasus filly named Plunk with a light blue mane and streaks of dark blue looking like a flow of water and a water droplet cutie mark. A light green and dark brown mane colt with a shield cutie mark named Trooper. And Dazzle, a white unicorn with a bright yellow mane, and bright multicolored sparkly specks for a cutie mark. Trooper and Dazzle had grown up in Ponyville together. Their parents were close friends with each other. Being of the same age while growing up they spent much of their time together. The two were nearly inseparable. Plunk came from Cloudsdale and had moved two months ago. She introduced herself to the other two in her way, by splashing down on them both. The two were walking along the shoreline of the Ponyville pond. As a prank to grab their attention, and break up what she saw as such a sweet little stroll by the two, She felt the need to surprise them. Trooper was at first concerned when Dazzle had taken a liking to Plunk, despite Plunk's flamboyant misbehavior, and a knack for getting Dazzle worked up over something Plunk would do. Sometimes finding some mischief to get into. Usually in the form of stealing or slight vandalism. Plunk never wanted to hurt anyone or be destructive of anything important, but was starting to build herself a reputation in Ponyville as a behavior problem. It was all fun and games to her at first. Just a bunch of pranks to her or getting something she wanted. Trooper did not approve of any of this. Nor did Dazzle. Trooper's concerns over Plunk's antics did not deter Dazzle. She was determined to find some way to help Plunk see another way of living. By not disrupting the lives of others with foolish and sometimes potentially dangerous pranks. Dazzle felt Plunk could be better than that. She believed it. Dazzle took a different approach to handling Plunk than any other, even Plunk’s own mother. Dazzle went as far as having Plunk go back and see how what she was doing had upset other ponies more than Plunk thought she had. One moment in particular had made a big impact on Plunk. She stole a well made Rainbow Dash fan club banner from Scootaloo. One made by the Crusaders. Scootaloo was so proud of it and how good she thought it came out. Plunk saw it and liked it so much she felt she just had to have it. So she took it. Later that day Dazzle went to visit Plunk. She heard about the theft from Sweetie Belle on passing. Dazzle had her suspicions as to who it was that took it. She was right. On the wall in Plunk's room was the banner. Dazzle had Plunk come with her. She told Plunk it was not to talk to Scoots, but to spy on her. Dazzle told Plunk she wants to play a prank on her. Plunk thought this might be fun, so she went along with it. Dazzle was not above pulling a prank or two on others for fun, but it was never anything mean or malicious. Plunk liked this side of Dazzle and could never resist going along with her during one of Dazzle’s more adventurous and playful outings. Plunk no longer thought of it as fun when she saw the state Scoots was in after Dazzle lead Plunk to her. Scoots was crying that her and the other two worked real hard on her banner for Rainbow Dash. It was supposed to be ready for the next day. It was not just a painted paper banner. It was a fabric banner made to last. It was sewn together by hoof and took a lot of time. It was one of the finest things the three of them had worked on together. Scootaloo's thrill of getting to be Rainbow Dash's adopted sister made Scoots work extra hard on it. Now it was gone, and she had no idea who took it. The only one she could think of was Diamond Tiara. Scoots felt if she had it, then there was no getting it back. To Scoots, Diamond Tiara would have only taken it to upset the three Crusaders. Scoots thought she may have even had it shredded by now, then tossed out with the trash. Scoots had no proof as to who took it however. And whoever did take it was good at stealing and left no clue. With no convincing from Dazzle, but do to guilt alone, Plunk confronted Scootaloo. "Hey Scootaloo," Plunk called to her. Scootaloo looked up while still crying. "You're Plunk, aren't you? What do you want?" Scootaloo was in no mood to talk to the new town terror. She brightened up a little more when she saw Plunk accompanied by Dazzle. "Say, Dazzle, have you heard anything about my missing banner?" Dazzle gave Plunk a little nudge. Plunk stumbled forward a bit and made her confession to Scootaloo. "I know What happened to it." Scootaloo's eyes narrowed. "What would you know of it?" Plunk dug at the ground while looking down, not wanting to look Scoots in the eyes. "I took it." Scoots had thought so. She asked with concern rather than with anger, "So you gonna give it back?" Plunk nodded, then brought her head up to face Scoots. "It is in good shape. I was real careful when I took it. I wanted it to look as good as it was. I thought it was very well made and I liked it a lot." At this Scoots gave a smile. "So you did like how it looked. And that is why you took it?" Plunk gave another nod. This time while looking right at Scootaloo with a smile of her own. "I was very impressed. I am a real big Rainbow Dash fan and well, I wanted it. Now that I think of it, Rainbow Dash would not be very impressed with me right now. I will bring it back to you." At this Scootaloo's face brightened even more. With all her and the other two’s hard work put into making it, she was going to get it back. Plunk said, "Will be right back." She turned and took off like a shot. Dazzle sat with Scootaloo as they waited. "Plunk can be a little self centered, but she really is not that bad of a pony. Though she can seem it. I can tell she is more than even she thinks she is. She only needs to see for herself what it is she has done and how it has hurt others. She will come around. It was her decision alone to tell you she took it. No one had asked her too. Not even me. She just needs to be given a chance." Scootaloo smiled to Dazzle. "She is real lucky to have you as a friend Dazzle. For you and for her willing to give me back the banner I will give her that chance. She told me she is a big Rainbow Dash fan. So I think I should ask her if she would like to join the club." Dazzle smiled all the more. "Oh, thank you Scoots. She will love that idea. I know she will. This is just what she needs. Some involvement with others. This will be great! You are awesome Scoots. You could have been just mad at her-" Dazzle was interrupted from any further comments as Plunk came buzzing right back with the banner all rolled up in a safe container. A simple cardboard tube just big enough for it to fit in. Plunk passed over the cardboard tube to Scootaloo. Scootaloo inspected the banner within. Plunk was right. It had not been damaged any. Scoots was so happy. She put it back in the tube for safe keeping, then asked Plunk the question. "For returning this and in still good condition, would you like to join my Rainbow Dash fan club?" Plunk was for a moment speechless. After about a minute she smiled. "That would be awesome. Oh, that would mean I get to see Rainbow Dash as well?" Plunk pawsed for a moment to think about her own question. " Aaa, could you not tell her I did this?" Scootaloo sat and thought for a bit. "Well Rainbow Dash is not exactly part of the club, but yes we do get to see her at times. "No, I will not tell her what you did. I am just glad to get this back and in one piece. With me now being her sister, I get to see her myself more often. I could even get her to see you as well. But try not to make too big of a deal about it. OK?" Plunk gave a short nod, and agreed. "OK, I will try not to get too excited." Scoots smiled a little more after and waved a hoof out. "Na, go ahead and make a big deal about it. She loves the attention." At this all three of them started to giggle. For Dazzle and Plunk their friendship grew. Trooper seen it as an annoyance at first and could not see why Dazzle felt the need to have anything to do with such an unruly filly. All Dazzle would tell him was she felt Plunk just needed a good friend. As for him, in the beginning, he begrudgingly went along with Plunk tagging along with Dazzle as best he could. Trooper didn't like Plunk right away. He saw her as trouble; the kind one should avoid. In some time; Plunk had grown on him, much to Dazzle's persistence. Trooper saw the change in Plunk. The change Dazzle tried to convince him he would see, to someone he could see as likable. He felt Dazzle may have been right all along that Plunk was not a bad pony, and was just in need of a friend. Someone, who was willing to be understanding and patient with her. Someone who could lead her out of bad habits. One who could give her a reason to try and change. Someone who cared enough about her to stick by her side until she did change. Over time, the three of them found themselves doing much together. Plunk in return was quite grateful for having a friend like Dazzle around, and in time Trooper as well. Finding what she thought of as caring friends, had indeed made Plunk try to be a better pony, in hopes of not losing either of them. She felt she had a chance at a good life here, a better life than what she thought was possible, with two such as them. While looking around in the park, Trooper noticed a group gathering with a ball. He saw the formation they were moving in and pointed it out to his other two friends. "Look over there! It looks like they're going to start a game of Dartball. Let's get going so we can join in." Plunk liked the idea and gave her suggestion. "Let's go on opposite teams. I am so going to kick your tail at this Trooper." Trooper chuckled. "You think so? You know I am pretty good at this myself, so you're on. What side are you going to take Dazzle? As usual I am going to be on whatever side you take." Dazzle was not liking the idea of the trio splitting up, not yet, and voiced her opinion on the matter. "Do we have to split up? Can we do this first game together?" Plunk feeling a little dejected. "Ya, I suppose so. It's not like we don't have a whole week of things we can find to do." Then Plunk gave Dazzle a grin. "Next game we play I want a competition against Trooper." Dazzle was pleased they would have this first game together and agreed, but still thought on what this next game would be. Something that might end up a one on one Dazzle felt if she knew Plunk. Dazzle noticed Plunk was trying to involve herself more and more with Trooper. Dazzle was hoping it was just a matter of just trying to have more fun with him and get him to stop disliking her as he once did. "Fine. And I guess I will have to play referee again?" Trooper smiled. "You got it. Someone will have to keep score. So how are you feeling today, Dazzle? Have any predictions for the day?" "You know that comes and goes. I don't get daily predictions or anything like that. It is all quite new to me. And I am not Pinkie Pie. I have only gotten a funny feeling a few times; that turned out to be right. It doesn't mean I can tell what is going on all the time. I doubt even Pinkie can do that. At least I don't think so." Plunk gave Dazzle a little nudge. "Sometimes I wonder. I had the impression that you and Pinkie were related. Then Plunked looked to Dazzle with some concern "You know, you don't seem your usual peppy, cheery self today. Are you sure nothing is going on? I would think you would be extra happy to have this time off. What gives?" Dazzle just shook her head a little, now being aware her down mood has been showing. "Don't know. Maybe I just didn't get enough sleep last night. But I don't feel tired. Just kind of off today, I guess." Trooper announced their arrival as they walked over to the gathering young ponies. "Well, It's good your not tired. We have a whole day ahead of us. But Plunk is right, You don't look your usual self. That's why I asked if you felt anything odd. If you think it's nothing, I am sure it will pass. Maybe all you need is to get some activity in. "Let's split up and take three sides along the outer perimeter. We should start out at defence." Dazzle agreed with Trooper. As each took a position, and the game was about to begin, the anticipation and excitement of getting into the game did make her feel better. Whatever was bothering her, seemed to go away. The game of Dartball commenced. Dartball. A circle of players surrounds a group in the middle. The game is simple. The group in the middle must work to get the ball past those on the outside. Those on the outside must Keep the ball in. Any outside player the ball gets past must retrieve the ball. Players in the middle pass the ball around to each other while trying to confuse the players on the outside as to which direction the ball is going to go. Scoring is simple. It is all about what the players on the outside dose. If the ball gets past the defence, the team on the inside gains a point. If the ball gets blocked and passed back to the team on the inside, the outside team gains a point. Plunk finds the ball streaking her direction. She nails it hard smashing it right back. She loved these games, even if it did not involve flying. Fast paced action was all she needed, most of all while with her new friends to enjoy it with. The ball gets past around some more and out it goes to a colt that misses it by an inch. Even though this means no point for her team, Plunk can't help but smile at the fact that it is not her having to fetch the ball this time. A colt by the name Page Turner retrieves the ball in an aura of magic and passes it to the team in the middle. The yellow unicorn Turner with dark blue mane and a small open book with one flipping page as a cutie mark glares back at Plunk. Plunk ignores his dirty look. The team has already lost the point and now all that's needed to be done, is starting the game again by giving the ball to the team on the inside, which Turner already did. Once in, no magic nor wings are allowed by anyone, in or out. The blue ball with one wide red stripe and two yellow stars on either side in the middle of the blue gets tossed about. It is headbutt and bucked in all directions. The ball goes sailing to Dazzle. She was unable to dart fast enough to stop the speeding ball from getting past, much like the last player Turner. Dazzle with a flick of her mane trotted off to retrieve the bright colored blur she was a little slow to defend from getting by her. Plunk winced at seeing one of her best friends get bested by the errant bouncing ball. Dazzle ran back with the ball kicking it along like a soccer ball, back into the middle once again. Another point lost to the defending team on the outside. Still a cheerful grin on Dazzle's face just happy to be playing. Catching the look on Plunk, Dazzle made a goofy face, trying to cheer her up, and show her just to have fun with it. Not, to take the game too seriously. Dazzle felt Pluck was at times a little too competitive, and needed to loosen up; it was just a game for fun to her. Plunk could not help but giggle for a short moment at Dazzle's antics. She is glad to see Dazzle's mood improve to her usual more cheery self. This was the Dazzle she knew. Seeing her glum in the morning was not befitting her fun filled friend. After, Plunk quickly composed herself in order not to get too distracted. She was in game mode again and wanted to do her best. Everyone defending prepared for another round as the ball went whizzing back and forth between head and hoof till it found its way to another on the outside needing to block it. A purple pegasus launched high and to the left with both front hooves out wide stopping the ball in its attempt to get by. Cloud Skimmer, a pegasus with a blue-messy main, twisted his rump till his cutie mark of a flashy streak moving through a white cloud, hit squarely against the ball. The hit returned the ball back to the center. In an attempt to show off he continued his spin into a funny little dance, as he cheered, "score!" The victory was short as the ball bounces around those in the middle again and shot off by a strong back buck from one on the inside edge. Trooper bolted to one side, and head but it back. Plunk shouted out "nice block Trooper!" as she raised her right hoof in the air for a hoof-pump. Momentarily distracted by her enthusiasm, Plunk failed to notice that the ball had been bucked her way again quickly the moment it reached the middle. With little time to consider a score for the team, the stunned pegasus had to act faster than fate had allowed. Plunk turned her head just in time to see it moving as to pass overhead. In a last ditch effort to save the ball and regain her self pride from not paying attention to the ball, and falling prone to it's quickly made new trajectory in her direction, she jumped. The ball bounced off the tip of her nose and leaped far off behind her. If she were able to fly, it would not have gotten past. Jumping alone did not give her the speed she needed to stop it from getting away. The ball hit hard off her nose as she darted up, and it bounced much further than she would have liked. Now it was up to her to fetch the ball. Trotting a distance She seen something she did not like. "A hill! It had to bounce down a hill," she groaned to herself. Plunk thought they were not playing all too close to one, but that ball went far enough to find one after a bounce like that. Looking down the hill, she knew this was going to take a while, with the ball nowhere in sight.