Friendship is Shining: Discord Days

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

For Scientific Study

Meanwhile, back in Ponyville:

"Ready?" Twilight asked.

"No," Pound Cake replied. "Why am I doing this again?" He looked at the board he was standing on. The other end pointed up in the air. It was kind of like a see-saw, but what Twilight had in mind was not simply going up and down gently. The fact it was also on one of the highest balconies of the library did not help matters.

"Between the two of you, you're the better glider," Twilight answered, getting a huff from Scootaloo. "You do still remember what to do, right?"

Pound sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Apple Bloom jumps from up there," he pointed at where said filly was waiting, " which is supposed to launch me into the sky. I grab one of those weird pink clouds that are raining chocolate milk, then try to land back here."

"Right," Twilight said with a grin.

"Twiley..." Pound said slowly, "you sure this is a good idea?" Shifting, he rubbed at one of his front legs with the other. Twilight moved closer, putting a leg around his neck and giving him a half hug.

"If I could fly, I would do it myself," she told him, which really did nothing to comfort him in this case. "I promise you'll be fine. If anything goes wrong, at worst you'll have some scrapes and bruises. We have plenty of bandages and ointment, and your sister is here too if you need her help. Okay?"

Pound nodded, feeling a little more confident in matters.

"Ready?" Twilight asked again.

Pound closed his eyes, took a deep breath in, and nodded.

"For luck and to distract you," Twilight suddenly said. Before Pound could asked what she was talking about, he felt her lips suddenly pressing against his cheek. Both his eyes and his wings sprang wide open in shock at the feeling, his cheeks suddenly feeling very warm.

"Now!" Twilight shouted as she hopped back.

At the command, Apple Bloom jumped from her spot and onto the upraised end of the board with Pound Cake on the other end. The weight of the farm working earth filly was more than enough to raise Pound Cake's side and send him up into the with a surprised yelp.

The wind whipped past the young pegasus as he was lifted higher and higher. The strange chocolate milk rain pelted at him as he rose, leaving streaks across his coat. A part of him realized that he was going to be really sticky when this was all over. Not that it was very unusual for him. There had been times when he had gotten something or other on his coat while helping at the bakery. Hopefully, he would be able to take a shower after this, or at least get some warm water and a wash cloth. Would it actually bother Twilight if he was sticky?

His attention came back to the moment as he saw that the strange pink clouds were now a lot closer. He started to flap his already open wings, trying to make his way further up in order to reach the clouds without falling short or just shooting through. Reaching out with his front hooves he grabbed at it. It felt... weird. Pound's experience with regular clouds admittedly was limited, but it still felt different. For some reason, it reminded him of frosting. Not the fresh frosting when it was still soft. More when it had hardened on a counter over night and had some little strings attached. That was what it felt like: stringy sugar. There was a kind like that, right? He could swear that Pinkie Pie had told him about it before, maybe even had some? What was it called?

Gravity gave its first tugs on Pound Cake, letting him now that he was about to start falling. He gripped the piece of candy cloud against his chest (and immediately regretted it when he remembered what happened when you get sugar wet). Giving a silent prayer, the young pegasus colt turned around and adjusted his wings. He slowed his fall, trying to keep it more of a gentle glide and aim to land on the same balcony he had been launched from.

As the balcony came in to view, it was noticeably less occupied than when he had left it. Only two figures stood on it at the moment. One of them was Twilight Sparkle, whose ears were pulled back and her face was tinted pink. Spike stood in front of her, arm crossed across his chest as he glared at Twilight. A glare that Twilight was obviously trying very hard not to meet.

Uh oh, Pound thought as he landed. He was somewhat familiar with what was happening in front of him. He and Pumpkin had been on the receiving end of that look from their parents a few times. He had even tried the "avoid eye contact" method himself once or twice. Sadly, it did no good then, and probably would not do any good now.

"Pound," Twilight shouted, running toward him -- and away from Spike -- as he landed. "You're back, and you got a sample with you. Thank you so much. You're probably hungry. Well Spike says that the nachos are ready and there's plenty for everypony. Isn't he such a wonderful friend, assistant librarian, and sibling?"

"Uh...yeah..." Pound agreed slowly. "Anyway, about--"

"Don't try to butter me up," Spike snapped, stomping toward the pair. He pointed a claw at Twilight. "You distracted me with the favor of cooking so you could do...that." He waved his hand toward the catapult she had built. "You know I would have tried to stop you. There's no way I would allow this. There's no way Shining Armor would allow this."

"But I had to get a sample of those weird clouds," Twilight responded. She turned to Spike fully. "Don't you understand how important this is?" She made her eyes as wide as she could, also sticking her lower lip out and making it quiver.

"It's sugar," Pound announced.

"What?" Twilight and Spike both asked, turning to face him.

"The... 'clouds,'" Pound said, "they're made of some sort of sugar turned string or something." Pulling the piece he held off his chest -- which now how a sticky, sugary, pink spot on it -- he held it out to the two of them. "See?"

Twilight leaned forward and looked at the bit of "cloud" that was being held out to her. It did look like it was something that was woven or stuck together. She brought her nose closer and sniffed. It did smell a lot like sugar. Slowly, she stuck her tongue out and gave it a tentative lick with the very tip of it.

"Twilight!" Spike yelled, trying to stop the filly from licking the strange fluffy pink stuff.

"Don't worry," she said, licking her lips. "Pound's right. It's just sugar. Like the last time we went to the circus."

"What?" Spike asked, now looking rather skeptical as he turned his attention back to the pink fluff in Pound Cake's hoof. "You're telling me it's cotton candy?"

"Cotton candy!" Pound suddenly shouted. "That's what it's called."

"And that's what it is," Twilight agreed before turning back to Spike. "You can try it yourself."

"No," Spike said. "I am not going to try a piece of cotton candy that came from clouds that rain chocolate milk." He let out a groan and rubbed his head. "That statement is so weird, I never imagined I would have to say anything like that."

"Well now that I have a piece," Twilight said as she took it from Pound Cake, "I can take it down to Shiny's lab and run some more tests on it." She shifted chewing her lower lip thoughtfully. "After nachos that is." She turned to head toward the door. "Come on Pound."

"You go ahead," Pound called back. "I need to clean up first so I'm not all sticky."

"Or," Spike suggested, "you could do it after you eat so you can clean the cheese off as well."

Pound Cake could not argue with that. With a nod, he went with Spike and Twilight to join the others in the dining room.

Comments

[SuperPinkBrony12]

Twily, one of these days your love of science is going to get you into serious trouble.

[TheVirginianist]

I have nothing to say, but Good Work.

[Firemind]

D'awwwwww! Twily and Pound are so cute here ... I expect she'll probably be better adjusted socially than Canon!Twilight, though just as nerdy. I wonder what her tests will show about the cotton candy clouds. I almost expect Discord to put some laxatives or something in them.

[SuperPinkBrony12]

5380428 Nah, Discord might be chaotic, but he's not one to hide surprises in his own work.

[Alticron]

Nice chapter, but I found a couple of minor things you may want to edit.

Pounds experience with regular clouds admittedly was limited, but it still felt different.

That should be "Pound's".

"Well no that I have a piece," Twilight said as she took it from Pound Cake, "I can take it down to Shiny's lab and run some more tests on it."

And that should be "now".

[Firemind]

5381598 Yeah, he isn't ... he's almost too straightforward in a lot of ways ... it's almost like he's a child ...

[Alticron]

I found one more very minor thing you may want to edit.

"Pounds right. It's just sugar. Like the last time we went to the circus."

[ShadowLDrago]

"No," Spike said. "I am not going to try a piece of cotton candy that came from clouds that rain chocolate milk." He let out a groan and rubbed his head. "That statement is so weird, I never imagined I would have to say anything like that."

With Discord around, get used to it, it's only gonna get worse.