Writer's Training Grounds Entries

by Yukito

Prompt #9 - Ponyville's MVPs (CMC, Diamond Tiara) [Slice-of-Life, Comedy]

Potion-making was a fine art, and Apple Bloom had mastered it. When it came to cures and boons for various ailments, there was none finer than the young earth pony mare. She could take any ingredient and create the highest quality goods, and she was more than happy to give away her herbal remedies to her friends in Ponyville for free.

Of course, she still had to turn a profit somehow, but after setting up shop and consulting with her business advisor, money was never again and issue for Apple Bloom. Ponies all over Equestria knew that she was the go-to shop for herbal goods, and she had earned a place of great importance in her friends’ eyes for always sharing the fruits of her work with them.

“Excuse me.” Apple Bloom turned her attention away from her cauldron to find her friend Sweetie Belle at her door. “Hey Apple Bloom.”

“Hiya Sweetie Belle. Lookin’ fer somethin’, or ya jus’ wanna hang out today?”

Sweetie Belle was known around Ponyville as a master of the magical arts. Through rigorous training and devotion she had reached the highest level of magic in many fields, and some ponies even thought that she had surpassed Twilight Sparkle. She loved to use her powers to help out her friends, and whenever somepony needed help, she was there for them.

“I need something for my pet, Chappy,” Sweetie Belle said, looking down sadly at her little, white dog at her side. Her dog coughed weakly as its legs shook beneath it. “He hasn’t been feeling very well.”

“It looks like he’s got a bad case of poisoning,” Apple Bloom said as she placed a hoof to the dog’s forehead. “A simple remedy will cure this. Ah got some ah can spare.”

“Thanks, Apple Bloom. You’re the best,” Sweetie Belle said with a smile. Apple Bloom produced a small pouch and gave it to Sweetie Belle, just in time for her business consultant to enter the door and groan.

“You’re giving away stuff again?” Diamond Tiara asked as she walked past Sweetie Belle and approached Apple Bloom. “You don’t get rich giving away free stuff to every pony who tilts their head and asks adorably!”

“She didn’t do that,” Apple Bloom said.

“Yeah, I don’t need to with Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle said, blowing a raspberry at Diamond Tiara.

“‘Sides, ah’m already rich. Ain’t never been an Apple with as many bits as me!” Apple Bloom proclaimed with an air of pride.

“Rich is good, but what you really want is stinking rich!” Diamond Tiara said. “Money is power, after all.”

“Ah thought it was knowledge,” Apple Bloom said.

“Rarity said it was friends in high places,” Sweetie Belle chimed in.

“Well Sweetie Belle is neither of those, so just focus on the money!”

“it was that kinda thinkin’ that brought out the Manehatten Mares trilogy,” Apple Bloom said with a frown. “Anyway, it’s only a simple antidote. Ah only sell ‘em for five bits in the first place.”

Diamond Tiara was about to argue when suddenly a fourth pony entered the room. “Girls, girls, come quick!” Pip shouted with urgency in his voice. “It the fellows from Detrot! They’re launching another attack they are!”

“Again?” Apple Bloom sighed. “Don’t they ever learn?”

“We’ll finish this conversation later,” Diamond Tiara said. “You bring as many potions as you can to the town square, and Sweetie Belle, go help out whoever you can.”

"Got it!” Sweetie Belle shouted as she rushed out of the store with Apple Bloom behind her, parting ways from her friend as she made her way quickly to the town’s main gates.

“I got this!” Sweetie Belle stopped and turned to the source of the familiar voice. She found her friend Scootaloo hammering away at a broken canon. “All broken equipment over here!”

Scootaloo was an accomplished engineer in town and everypony knew that she was the one to visit whenever they had something to repair. So in times of crises like this, Scootaloo was an invaluable asset to Ponyville.

Which is why it was bad when a barrage of arrows rained down on her from the sky. “Watch out!” Sweetie Belle shouted as she cast a high-level barrier spell, shielding her friend from harm.

“T-Thanks, Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo said, grabbing whatever she had around her and running to the side. “I’d better take this inside!”

“Sweetie Belle, we need a hoof over here!” Dinky shouted from the side, brining attention towards herself and her friend Berry Pinch, who were both busy keeping an army of armoured ponies at bay with their magic.

“I got this!” Sweetie Belle shouted as she charged into battle, magical energy surging around her as she knocked ponies out of her way.

“No, wait!” Dinky shouted after her. “They have a new commander! She’s a… strong mage…”

Sweetie Belle chuckled evilly as she ploughed through the army of enemy ponies, using her magic to make quick work of them and made her way closer towards their encampment.

“That’s as far as you go,” a voice called out, stopping Sweetie Belle suddenly. The voice belonged to a pony in a black cloak, with a familiar clasp in the shape of a spoon. “Today, Ponyville falls.”

“Wait, I know that voice… Silver Spoon?!”

“Yes. Silver Spoon.” Sweetie Belle looked over her shoulder to find Diamond Tiara approaching her from behind, Snips and Snails flanking either side and keeping her protected from incoming attacks. One ninja made it past their defences and attempted to strike at the pink mare, but was swiftly winded by a kick to his stomach from Diamond Tiara.

“I don’t get it. Why is Silver Spoon on the enemies’ side?”

“Her cousin is in town,” Diamond Tiara explained, “And she supports Detrot, so Silver has to play on that side for now.”

“Woohoo!” Everypony turned to the side where they found a pegasus mare wearing both glasses and a tiara flying across the battlefield. They were barely able to follow her as she kicked pony after pony to the ground whilst carrying something large on her back. The pegasus stopped and aimed her weapon at Ponyville, firing rocket after rocket at the terrified ponies guarding its entrance. “BOOOOM!”

“Sorry Di,” Silver Spoon said. “It’s just until Zippoorwhill goes back home.”

“There’s no excuse for traitorism,” Diamond Tiara said.

“‘Treachery’,” Sweetie Belle corrected.

“Whatever! Sweetie Belle, defeat her now! My treasury is on the line here!”

“You mean ‘our’ treasury, right?”

A moment of silence passed. “Sure.”

“Sorry, Sweetie Belle,” Silver Spoon said, “But I’m afraid I can’t let you do that. Today, I’ll show you how a real magician battles.”

“So it’s a battle of magic, is it?” Sweetie Belle asked with a grin. “Bring it on.”

---

“NO WAY!” Sweetie Belle shouted as she mashed keys and clicked her mouse furiously. “How did you- That’s not even possible! GET UP IDIOT! Stop stumbling about! Use the fraking ability you plothole!” Sweetie Belle groaned and clutched her mouse as she ground her teeth. “HAX! THAT’S HAX! YOU MOTHERF-”

---

Hot tea overflowed from Rarity’s cup and poured onto the table as she simply stared off into vacant space with eyes wide open. “… I shall just pretend that I heard nothing,” Rarity decided as she slowly placed her teapot down and reached for a cloth with her magic. “At least for now. I shall have to bring this up with mother and father later. Still, I am in shock! Where in the world could my dear sister have ever picked up such language?”

---

Magnum was sweating as he gripped the controller in his hooves, glaring at the TV screen that showed her had only one life left. “This time,” he muttered as he hit the start button. “This time, I will beat you!”

World 8-2 of Super Mareio Bros. started up and Magnum ran quickly to the right, dodging the first few obstacles eloquently and swiftly making it to the area filled with canons… only to mistime a jump and fall down a hole to his death.

The words ‘GAME OVER’ showed on his screen, showing that all of the stallion’s progress had been flushed down the drain.

“… FffffFFFFF-”

Author's Note:

Check out the other submissions by various authours here: http://www.equestriadaily.com/2014/03/writers-training-ground-009-twilight.html

Comments

[Mooncalf]

Fun stuff. Minor typo: "broken cannon".

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Ah, video games... deadly influence!

[Kiryu]

That ending