Episode 85: Prep Work is Important
Your assembled team all ponder for a moment before Pinkie raises her hand.
“Yes? What you got?” you ask pointing at her with the marker.
Loganic’s Comment
“Well, if we want this to be a successful show, we’re obviously going to need a lot of snacks and drinks,” she responds and you nod.
“Good thinking,” you say as you write snacks on the board. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to a concert and all that was available was overpriced bottle water.”
“Speaking of which, my cousin’s got connections to many vendors. A few from the carnival might be able to help,” Wallflower says from the back.
You briefly flashback to the day that lasted three months and you shiver.
“Not gonna lie, after three months of eating nothing but carnie food, I think I’ll avoid partaking,” you admit.
So much popcorn…Selena shudders in horror.
“But yes, good thinking Wallflower,” you compliment as you write Vendors next to snacks. “But we should also have free food there. Nothing gets people into an event than if it’s free.”
“I don’t think you have to worry about people coming. Your appearance in the lunch room is already trending,” Fluttershy says turning her phone around and showing a video of your spectacle early on some website with a blue bird symbol.
“Huh, neat,” you say genuinely.
“At this point I guess our comeback is all but official,” B2 smirks smugly at Celestia who snarls.
“Entirely without our complete consent, yes,” Luna says with a roll of her eyes. “But whatever, what’s done is done.”
“Exactly,” you nod. “But regardless of how much of a crowd is coming, free food never hurts.”
“Oh, like free Hot Dogs and stuff?” Rainbow asks.
“Not everyone eats hot dogs though,” Fluttershy points out.
“What about free desserts? You make good pies right Applejack?” Rarity suggests.
“With the amount of time and effort to make one pie, it’d be a loss to give it out for free,” Applejack argues.
“How about free candy? You can buy that in bulk,” Sunset suggests.
“Giving out free candy to high school kids is a good way to get the cops on your butt,” Humbra says with a far off gaze. “I mean, you remember the show in Clydesdale right?”
“Oh, you mean the group that was giving away the Acid Pops? Yeah, I remember,” B2 answers with a wince.
“That mosh pit got very violent that day…” Luna says with her own thousand yard stare.
“Alright, so candy is definitely off the menu,” Celestia says sternly and you agree, noting it on the board.
“Oh, what about beaded necklaces?” Sonata says.
“Necklaces?” Aria asks with a raised brow.
“Yeah, don’t you remember when there was that festival with all those parade floats and all the guys threw them at Adagio when she took her shirt o-“
“That Didn’t Happen! We All Agreed Remember?!” Adagio shouts eyeing her sister dangerously.
“…Um, I mean, what necklaces?” Sonata finishes with a nervous chuckle.
You don’t quite understand the implications, but the rest of the humans seem intrigued/disturbed by this.
“You guys went to Mardi Gras” Flash asks.
“NOPE! It Never Happened! And there’s no pictures so don’t ask!” Adagio denies a little too strongly with a blush.
“If I didn’t know you three were actually sea creatures from another dimension, I’d be a little more disturbed by that,” Cadence says thoughtfully.
“Okay, I don’t understand a single thing you guys are talking about, but I’ll just add “No Beads” to the board,” you say, writing just that.
“Good call,” Luna agrees.
“Um, how about cookies? Those aren’t easy to drug right?” Pinkie suggests.
“You’ve got that right. Brownies is the way to go,” Humbra smirks and Celestia gives him a glare.
“That’d have to be a lot of cookies though,” you say before a lightbulb dings. “Oh wait a second, I might have something for that.”
Digging into your inventory, you pull out your Free Filly Scouts Cookie for Life Card that you got when spending all of the Knight’s money.
“Anyone know any Filly Scouts in this dimension?”
“Filly Scouts?” Rainbow asks confused.
“Yeah, Filly Scouts,” you repeat. “Little fillies in their adorable green uniforms selling overpriced but well worth it cookies?”
“Um, we got Girl Scouts here. In fact, my sister and her friends are in it,” Applejack says.
“Oh good, with the Human Cutie Mark Crusaders, we’ll get our snacks in no time,” you say confidently.
“Cutie Mark Crusaders?” Rarity questions.
“Yep. I’m pretty sure they have that copyrighted too the amount of times they shout it. My daughter’s part of their group too,” you brag before tossing the card to Applejack. “Here, use this.”
The cowgirl catches the card before proceeding to look it over front and back.
“Um…this might not work Bugze. It clearly says Filly Scouts and not Girl Scouts.”
“Eh, close enough. Just fast talk the troop leaders and they’ll never know the difference,” you wave off.
After spending untold thousands on those boxed goods, this promise better be honored.
“But they-“
“So now we have the free snacks as well as the overpriced junk,” you say making a note on the board. “For costumes, we’ve got Humie McStabFlank obviously.”
“We have who?” asks Flash.
“Rarity,” you say pointing at the purple haired human.
“What? What’s up with that nickname?” she pouts in offense.
“The unicorn you stabbed me in the butt way back when, it’s a force of habit,” you explain. “But costumes are your thing. Make sure you get Dash’s ego trip for your Rainbooms, but also, make something classy for the Dazzlings. Accentuate their sireness and stuff.”
“Or maybe just have no tops for the lead singer going by their history?” Sunset jokes and Adagio whips her head around.
“What was that?!”
“Nothing,” Sunset giggles.
“Worry not darling, I’ve already got some rough sketches,” Rarity says, ignoring the childish banter.
“Good,” you nod. “And Flash…Uh…What you got to bring to the table?”
“Um, not much really,” he admits. “I mean, you’re all planning for these two bands, but I’m already kind of in one.”
“You are?” you ask.
“Yeah. I play guitar, I told you this,” he says sounding put out.
“Nah kid, you told ME that,” B2 corrects.
“Oh, right…well still, me and the guys will be playing our own set so…I guess I’ll make it a good show?”
“Eh, I’m sure you’ll get into the top three, but the key is to get the magic flowing with all the girls at the end,” you explain, while jotting down a note about Flash’s band on the board.
“Yeah…alright,” he says dejected.
“That’s the spirit! Now, onto songs…”
Down With Chrysalis’s Comment
“Oh, I’ve got a few ideas!” Rainbow shouts. “We were actually practicing a few of them before you showed up with that Crystal Prep lady.”
“Oh really? That’s good to hear,” you say in relief.
“It’s okay I guess,” Humbra shrugs and the Rainbooms glare at him. “What? I’m a hard rocker. All your stuff is Alternative at best and Pop at Worst.”
“And what’s wrong with Pop?” Aria grills.
“Yeah, we invented that style back where we’re from,” Sonata brags.
“And? You got banished by an old wizard horse because of it. I rest my case,” he says while melodramatically flourishing his “hair.”
“No, that’s because we took over the minds of a bunch of ponies living on the coastline,” Adagio argues.
“Whatever the case, you’ve all go songs ready right? We can move on?” you interrupt before a music debate starts.
“I think we might have enough for each individual band,” Sunset speaks up. “But seeing as how we’re making this a spectacle now, is there any songs we want to collaborate on?”
“…Huh, hadn’t thought of that,” Rainbow muses.
“Neither did I for that matter,” Adagio says sounding disappointed in herself.
“Why not just cover some of our stuff with us on stage?” B2 offers.
“Oh, that would be cool,” Sonata says excitedly.
“And it would be a good kicker for the night’s events,” Cadence adds.
“Okay, yeah, collaboration…” you say writing the word on the board.
“You’ve gotten a lot better about writing with your hands you know?” Pinkie points out.
“It’s hard to mess up using a marker, it’s pens and pencils that you gotta worry about,” you say, still wishing you could use your mouth to write deep inside. “But anyway, we end with some Wanted songs…maybe something new?”
B2, Luna and Humbra all seem taken aback by that.
“You want us to write something new within two days?” Luna scoffs.
“…Yes?”
“That’s a hell of a tall order,” Humbra grumbles.
“But not impossible, I’ve still got some old unfinished ideas floating around in my head,” B2 says with starry eyes.
“There’s a reason many of those were unfinished Hoody,” Luna admonishes but he shrugs.
“Eh, beggars can’t be choosers Nims.”
“As long as it doesn’t bore the audience to death, I’m sure it will be fine,” you placate before putting the marker to your chin. “But let’s not forget, the final song has to be a real zinger to draw Midnight in.”
“All our songs are Zingers though,” he says but you shake your head.
“No, what I mean is, when we draw her in with the last, or one of the last songs, it should be obvious that we’re calling her out. Something to hurts her pride and makes it completely clear that we’re bad mouthing her so that she can’t help but come rushing in, even if she knows it’s a trap.”
“That’s oddly specific,” Luna says with a raised brow.
“Yeah, calling out a magically amped up teenage girl…is there even a song for that?” Humbra muses.
“Hmmm, I just googled that exact phrase and this came up,” Pinkie Pie says as she holds up her phone…”
Kichi’s Comment
Your jaw drops as everyone looks uncomfortable about the gibberish being played over the speaker.
"No! Absolutely Not!" Luna shouts, almost reaching RCV levels of volume.
“I-I Agree! Turn that off right now Ms. Pie!” Celestia shouts as well.
“Right, right, sorry,” she apologizes and turns off the song, blushing in embarrassment.
“Wh-What is wrong with the world today?” Cadence says gobsmacked.
"Eh, it wasn’t that bad," Humbra shrugs.
“You’re right, it was worse…what is wrong with you humies?” you say in disgust.
“Hey now, don’t lump us all in together with THAT!” B2 exclaims.
“Precisely! I may be wearing this old costume again…but I am not going to sing that like some common slut!”
“Luna! Language!” Celestia scolds, but the blue woman just rolls her eyes.
“Yeah, I don’t think I’d be comfortable with those “lyrics,”” Fluttershy says meekly.
“I know, right? Not even at our lowest would we sing something like that,” Adagio decrees.
“Not that we’d admit publicly anyway, Sonata’s had some terrible ones in the past,” Aria mentions.
“Hey! The Octopus’s Garden isn’t trashy like that song was!” she pouts.
“…She does have a point there,” Adagio admits before shaking her head. “But yeah, let’s just leave that one behind.”
“I think we can all agree on that one,” B2 says in disgust. “Seriously, who even wrote that?”
“Probably some “edgy” manager trying to make a shock song for their fledgling band,” Humbra says sagely. “But yeah, even if it’s not the worst I’ve ever heard, the last thing we need is playing that in front of a bunch of brainwashed teenagers and turning them into sex crazed zombies.”
Everyone just stares at him after that statement and he just deadpans.
“What? You were all thinking it, I was just the guy to say it aloud.”
“I don’t think anyone was thinking that at all ya dang weirdo,” Applejack says with a shudder.
“Well now I’m thinking about it,” Rainbow huffs in frustration before looking at Aria. “That wouldn’t happen right?”
“…Not that we know of?” she says unsurely.
“You don’t know?” Flash asks wearily.
“It’s not like that’s something we’ve tried to do,” Adagio says pinching the bridge of her nose. “Nor would we want to.”
“Alright, good, let’s not find out,” you say as you shudder at the disgusting thought of amorous humies. “Next! Anyone got any other ideas?”
“How about this one?” Sonata says holding up some old worn looking scrap of paper. “I found it Celestia’s closet.”
“You what?!” Celestia shouts in surprise and shock.
“Yeah, it was after you tried to hit Bugze with your bat but after he pulled the gun on you,” she says nonchalantly. Everyone else seems rightfully disturbed by this admission of theft, but Pinkie has a calculating look about her.
“Ah, so I might have some competition after all…” she mutters to herself.
“Here, let me see that,” Luna says as she takes the paper from Sonata.
“Wait, Luna you don’t have to…” Celestia trails off as Luna speed reads the paper. After a moment, she looks up with an impressed look on her face.
“This…this is really good Tia,” she says in shock and the elder sister blushes. “When did you write this? And more importantly, why?”
Celestia looks down at her twiddling thumbs as B2 an Humbra look over the written out song with their own impressed looks.
“It was back when you were still touring,” she admits sheepishly. “My psychiatrist Dr. Disco suggested that I try to view things from your stage persona so that I could get over some…inferiority issues as he put it. So I wrote a song pretending I was my own version of Nightmare Moon.”
“Daybreaker huh? So that’s where you got the name for the bat,” Humbra says in understanding.
“Hell, this is some good stuff. I could see this working as like an upbeat mambo piece. You should have showed us this back in the day,” B2 adds and Celestia looks away in embarrassment as Cadence reads it.
“It really is good auntie,” Cadence says before smirking. “And here I always thought you had no taste in music.”
“That’s a mean thing to admit,” she spouts before burying her face in her hands, turning away from her students who begin to look it over.
“…Principal Celestia? Do you mind if we practice this?” Rainbow asks and she flushes harder.
“Do whatever you want,” she squeaks, still not looking at anyone.
“Awesome! I know just the tempo for this!” Rainbow cheers.
You continue to watch the whole spectacle before you are shown the lyrics yourself and even you feel impressed.
Huh, with how strict she is, she’s got a way with words, you think.
She always did, even if what she said was meaningless, Selena sighs still sounding melancholic.
You wince at her saddened tone as you hand the paper off to Sonata who then whispers,
“Also, I found this in her closet as well. Though this one seems a bit too depressing for a concert.” She then hands you another slip of paper. Raising your eyebrow, you take it and glance back at the others who are still asking Celestia questions.
We should really talk to her about not snooping in other people’s things. But anyway, let’s see what we’ve got here, you think opening up the paper. So great was her reign and so brilliant her glory. That long was the shadow she cast…
You then continue to read the words which are more of a lullaby than a song and appears to be about Celestia’s abandonment issues in regards to her sister being gone as Nightmare Moon. After finishing it, you can’t help but agree with Sonata’s assessment, it’s too sad. Especially in regards to the real Celestia and Luna back home.
That was…
Depressing, Sombra finishes for you.
Yeah, amongst other adjectives.
…Do you think our Celestia wrote something similar to this? Selena asks, still in that saddened tone.
I…you try to answer her, but you stumble over what you could possible say.
What does it matter if that whorse did or not? Sombra says in indifference. Whether she felt sorry or not it doesn’t change the fact that she or the other one would kill you if given the chance.
I know that you swine! But it still doesn’t change the fact that I WAS the other one in a sense. Her memories are mine and vice versa, she spits defensively.
Selena…I’m not sure if she actually wrote it or not, but I’m sure she really did feel this way, you tread carefully, trying to comfort her.
…I suppose she did as much as she claimed to have missed…her, she says still sounding distant. You know that her mood is still down in the dumps and you try to reach out some more.
Selly I-
“Hey, check out this awesome song calling her out. It’s practically a declaration of war,” Aria announces to the other humans, interrupting you.
With all eyes on them they begin to sing a very, very confrontational song…to put it mildly.
"Isn’t that a little gory?" you ask apprehensively, noticing the disturbed looks on many of the other humans.
“Hmm, you’re right,” Sonata agrees. “We could add more descriptive lyrics about blood and guts and-“
“That’s not what I meant!” you interrupt.
“Oh calm down, it’ll be fine,” Aria reassures. “Human teens are all about dark and bloody stuff, we’ve seen their movies.”
“Okay, that may be true, but how’d you guys come up with that so quickly?”
“Me and Aria based it on an incident where Sonata got us kicked out the zoo for trying to ride the rhinos,” Adagio says before shuddering.
“Those zookeepers are still on the list!” Sonata shouts angrily before flashing a smile that disturbingly reminds you of Pinkamena’s from the Otherworld.
“I don’t doubt it…but that song is pretty confrontational, so it does fit the criteria for calling out to her and her monkey minions,” Sunset says playing devils advocate.
“Right, forgot about the monkeys,” you say while jotting it down. “So we have to make sure we have something to call out to them as well…so something about bananas?”
“I think if we call out their mistress, they’ll follow suit no matter what the song,” Rarity says.
“…I still find it disturbing that Twilight’s got an army of flying monkeys. Maybe I shouldn’t have let her watch the Wizard of Oz so much as a child,” Cadence says somewhat guiltily.
“I don’t understand that reference,” Sonata says seriously and the tricolor haired woman looks astonished.
“It was after your time Sonata, but I guess Humies have that movie too. Strange that it doesn’t have any weird Human related adjectives in the title,” you ponder before shaking your head. “But anyway, the songs are a good start, and I’m sure we’ll come up with more in the next few days, but just like the Wicked Witch, we now gotta discuss how to deal with Midnight.”
Down With Chrysalis’s Comment
“We’re not going to melt her are we?” Pinkie asks with a horrified look.
“What? No…I mean, unless that’s what happens when Sunset reforms her…?” you question looking at said girl.
“I have no clue,” she says in exasperation. “I mean, I didn’t melt when they blasted me so…no?”
“Good enough for me,” you nod before you get serious again. “Now, I’m sure you’ll all have things to add, but I’ve already come up with the perfect plan to catch her.”
Seeing how serious you’ve gotten, the humans all sit up a little straighter and pay rapt attention.
“Okay, so as we know, her whole neurotic obsession right now is to get magic. When you lot are singing with the Dazzling’s influence, that’s going to create a lot and draw her in, but I say we go a step further.” You then pull out the magical stone you got from Camp Everfree. “This and the Red Stone Necklaces should be front and center and not coyly hidden like those singers at the carnival.”
“You want us to make them obvious?” Adagio asks with a tad bit of apprehension and you nod.
“Eyup. Think about it, with all the hype we’ve got going for this, we’re gonna be on TV and the Internets right? Midnight’s all about tech and magic so there’s no way she won’t see us flaunting the sources of the magical emotional outbreak. No matter where she’s at, she’ll definitely feel the surge, but if she also sees the objects she desires displayed out in the open, the temptation will be too much and she’ll come rushing in.”
“So that’s why you wanted to make the call out song obvious?” Fluttershy puts two and two together and you smirk.
“Exactly. We taunt her with our magic rocks and aggressive lyrics and her supervillain brain will go wild. If we don’t publicly call her out, then she might try to play it smart since she’s a genius and all, but if we goad her, then she won’t even care if there’s a large crowd of people.”
“Wow that’s…” Luna starts as everyone else looks extremely impressed.
“That’s very devious,” Sunset finishes looking at you with praise.
“Well, if anyone knows what a supervillain would be thinking it’d be me,” you boast with your hands on your hips.
“Okay, I’m pretty sure calling her out and getting here will work, but what’s step two?” Aria inquires.
“Hey yeah, what do we do when she actually gets here?” Rainbow asks as well.
“Well, we need to subdue her obviously so that you can all do your kumbuya friendship circle and Sunset can reform her,” you say drawing the diagram on the board.
“And we subdue her how?” Sonata asks.
“With that magic we used on Sunset?” Applejack guesses.
“Yes that, and maybe even the Siren magic, but that’s if my ultimate trap fails, which it shouldn’t,” you proclaim.
“Stop beating around the bush man, what’s the trap?” B2 asks impatiently. To this, you smirk and begin drawing an outline.
“Okay, so, first find a nice secluded spot behind our stage and mark it with a big red X, then we rig up a giant net above it, lastly we set a tripwire to that net with a jar of peanut butter that will be inconspicuously placed on the X,” you explain confidently.
“…Huh?” Flash utters in confusion and you sigh.
“It’s simple Flash, when Midnight comes full of obsessed anger, she’s obviously going to be burning a lot of energy since she’ll be flying extra fast to get here with her monkeys, and thus be hungry. Everyone knows you can’t run or fight on an empty stomach, so lo and behold she’ll see a free jar of peanut butter which has plenty of protein and sugar to get you through a magical battle. She’ll grab for it, trip the wire and the net falls on top of her and BOOM! We have her subdued.”
All the humans go from looks of praise to looks of disappointment after that explanation.
“Really?” Celestia deadpans.
“What? It’s fool proof. I’ll have you know that when I was little I saw this exact trap capture a hippie and a diamond dog when my Grandbuggy was trying to scare people off from an island so he could find buried treasure,” you say defensively.
“Be that as it may, how would she even know the peanut butter is there?” Cadence asks perplexed.
“We have a spot light and a sign obviously,” you huff in frustration.
“But why would she go for peanut butter if we’re giving out free cookies to the crowd?” Pinkie Pie counters.
“Well…” you start to object until you see the logic in her words. “Actually that’s a good point…Then instead of a jar of peanut butter, we use peanut butter filly scout cookies. There, problem solved.”
All the humans still seem a bit unsure of your confidence, but your determination will not be swayed.
It’s just so out there and crazy it just might work...
A Few Days Later
Of course the stupid apes overruled your ingenious plan, the trap part anyway, and decided that they’d just fight magic with magic.
“Stupid humies, what do you know about catching meddling kids and their dogs,” you pout as unknown to them, you’ve decided to set your trap up anyway.
You now stand above the scaffolding of the stage, rigging your net on the day of the big Battle of the Bands. Today, Canterlot High and Crystal Prep will clash with all of their musical might, strengthening the Dazzlings and providing a target for Midnight. It’s going to be a long day, but everyone on your team is prepped and ready for the coming events.
The Wanted, Rainbooms and Dazzlings all have their playlists picked out, including some collaborative ones, the food stalls and ticket booths are all set up, and now with your finishing touches with your TOTALLY NECESSARY NET TRAP everything will run smoothly.
Really, it’s one of the only things you’ve been able to contribute since laying out the plan a few days ago.
Ello Calebero’s Comment
You did try to help come up with some new songs with your superior Equestrian brain, which resulted in three songs all dealing about the struggle between light and darkness…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pp0kdfFzM0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlHTCd3EOGE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd29EZ9nrnA&list=RDXd29EZ9nrnA&start_radio=1
But you were informed by B2 that those already existed…by Him.
“Stupid great minds thinking alike,” you grumble as you secure the net and look out over the empty field where the audience will stand.
“Well, however it goes down, we’re one step closer to getting home again.”
Good, it’s felt like years, Selena mumbles and you wince. You still haven’t quite been able to get her out of the funk she’s been in since the Dazzling’s debut.
It’s only been a few months, and far too short for my taste if you ask me, Sombra says haughtily.
Noling did Smokey, you think with a roll of your eyes. But yeah, I’m ready to go home to Nightshade too, and once we get there, all we have to do is find those objects from Jack’s list and then we can get you your own body Selly.
…When we do though, are we ever going to be able to stop running from the mistakes we’ve…I’VE made? She says downtrodden and you frown.
It’s OUR mistakes Sel, and I don’t know. We’ve been running so long, I don’t even know if we can stop…but wherever we end up, we’ll all be together and that’s what matters, you say comfortingly.
You feel a slight shift in her demeanor, one more towards the positive side, but you still feel she is down.
Appleloosa is always an option, but who knows. I heard there’s nation of cat people across the sea. They probably wouldn’t even know who any of us were, including Sombra, you think as you climb down from the rafters.
The Abysthinians? Selena asks curiously.
If that’s their name then yeah…none of us are allergic to them right? You think worriedly.
I’m not, but I’m not partial to cat people, Sombra grumbles.
Really? You’re a fan filly for furry little creatures and humies but not this?
Hey, kitty cats are fine, but having them wear clothes and act like how Humans would is…bleh,
For a supposed emperor, you can be a real drama queen sometimes, Selena mocks, sounding a bit more cheerful.
I will not dignify that with a response, he grumbles and you chuckle.
Well it doesn’t have to be with the cat people. There’s all kinds of places we could go. Without the Doctor or anyone else forcing us into shenanigans, we can just live away from it all, you encourage.
That does sound nice…Selena says wistfully. Though I do still wonder if that’s all we can do.
It’s all I can see for us having a peaceful life, you admit. I mean why waste energy on stubborn ponies who will never see things from our point of view?
Ah, so even you can see when something is pointless, Sombra mocks in agreement.
Sure I can. We may have been gone for a few months, but their attitudes will all be the same. It’s not like someone’s done the impossible and gotten a bunch of key figures on our side while we’ve been missing.
You then trip over literally nothing and fall to the floor as an immense feeling of irony hits out of nowhere.
“Gorammit!” You curse before standing back up and dusting yourself off. You can’t help but smirk afterwards though because you hear Selena giggling in your head.
Good to hear that again, you think gratefully before she cuts herself off in embarrassment. But anyway, let’s not worry about Home for right now. We’ve got a show to put on and a supervillain to catch.
Right you are my bug, she says sounding like her usual self. And…thank you.
Anytime Sel.
Ugh, enough with the mushiness, Sombra complains trying to ruin the moment.
Oh don’t go worrying your premature balding head Zombie, you quip.
That is not going to happen to me!
Are you sure? It might have already happened and someone stuck a wig on you, Selena teases.
I still can’t believe Human you hasn’t figured that out yet, you chuckle.
Har dee har har, he grumbles with a roll of his eyes, but you are relieved to get back to all your old banter.
“Whelp, better start getting the fireworks and other pyrotechnics ready,” you say clapping your hands together and walking further backstage. “And maybe I should practice with that thing Pinkie gave me.”
Master of Shadows’ Comment
Changer T Emerald’s Comment
The day after the meeting, Pinkie Pie had given you a fancy looking scroll with a note that said, “Heard you were a fan of Avatar. Have fun.”
You are indeed a fan of one of said show, even if the pictures on this scroll are full of filthy hairless apes.
“It just seems wrong thinking of the Gaang with hands and squished in faces,” you think for the thousandth time. Regardless, near your stash of fire based show stoppers, you pull up said scroll and look it over.
Do you think you’ll be able to accomplish any of these? Selena asks and you shrug.
“I did Air Bending back home, and it technically wasn’t magic,” you point out.
You then start maneuvering your disgusting limbs practicing the techniques shown on the page, even though it’s clearly piece of merchandise for a children’s show. The Trademark is even next to the title up top. Even still, you try it out because you’ve got nothing better to do.
“And then I punch to the left and yelp!” you chant as you thrust out your fist…but nothing appears to happen. “Well that’s disappointing. Now I’m all hot and sweaty for nothing.”
Bugze, you’re not sweating, Selena says worriedly.
“Huh?” you say just as you look down and realize that your pants are on fire. “Oh cool! I actually did it!”
You look at your blazing leggings with pride that you’ve finally been able to do bending beside air, even if it’s in a different body. Your pride manages to overwhelm you for a good few seconds in fact before you finally react appropriately.
“OH GODS I’M ON FIRE AGAIN!!! AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” and with that you start rolling on the floor, flopping like a fish on dry land and screaming every obscenity under the sun. Not too far away, Sunset Shimmer watches you flailing and screaming and gives out a tired sigh.
“Today’s gonna be a clusterbuck isn’t it?”
“More than likely! AAAAAAHHHHH!!!”
And while she helps beat out the flames on you, and all the humans and Equestrians turned humans prepare for the epic battle, small cracks and tears form in the sky without anyone noticing…
Back in Equestria
POV Change: Nightshade
“Nightshade…do you mind telling me why you knocked out my guards?” Cadence says in her best disappointed mom voice which hits you harder than if she yelled.
After Spike got scooped up and taken away, you chased after them in mad fervor and to no surprise ended up back in the Crystal Palace. Some guards tried to ask you questions or stop you…but you kind of went Jackhay Chan on them.
After throwing one through the door where you saw Spike get taken, you dashed in, eyes and shards blazing…only to see him perfectly fine with Cadence…bowing to him?
When both of them turned to you, you felt like a deer in the headlights and all the rage just vanished. Which leads us to now with you nervously standing next to the knocked out guard you tossed through the door, scratching your neck sheepishly.
“Okay, to be fair…I thought they were dragon nappers.”
WHAT DO YOU DO?
Understandable, have a great day 
Hey Hive-Mind,
As Bugze prepares for his large event, we now get ready for Nightshade’s. She’s got a flag routine in the opening ceremonies tomorrow, and since the games last a few days, she’s also got to meet up with Jack about the artifacts and the thing in her chest. But first, she’s gotta settle in and explain to her cousin why she just beat down her best guards. Simple really 
Have fun and I’ll see you next chapter,
Brown Dog.
INVENTORY
Weapons
5 Jars of Laughter
Dark Cannon (Laser Gun with Limited Shots)
Junk Jet (Cannon that Launches Junk)
Mallet and Stake
Power Pole
Scone of Bludgeoning
Artifacts
Bloodstone Scepter Shard
Golden Idol of Boreas
Magical Power Ponies Comic
Petrified Dragon Egg
Piece of Nightmare Moon Armor
Ring of Scorchero
Miscellaneous
Assorted Movies, Videogames and Videogame Systems
Daring Do's Pith Helmet
Ocarina (Might be able to manipulate weather?)
Mangle, Plush Robot Fox Pet
Pinkie Pie Fan Shirt and Hat
Rubber Quesadilla
Spike Doll (Life Sized)
Stats
Page generated in 0.045 seconds
Total duration
1,010 users online
437,799 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Nightshade Somehow loses the scone of bludgeoning, leading to someone trying to eat it, and pain. Maybe this helps lead to her beating the guards up, idk. Also Nightshade finds one of those fallout things from the train in season 1 and we get her stats, (maybe if she tries it more then once her luck will go down each time she tries?)
Night shade will crash into a crystal cabbage cart and feel much pain while the salesman acts like he pulled a trap card. Nightshade is annoyed and 1 amulet later and the cart is distroyed with the sales man declaring his unending vengeance as she runs off.
Plot twist, half of them were knocked through various random accidents, such as ladders falling on them or similar reasons.
"Dragon Nappers, seriously?" Ask Cadence as she look at Nightshade with the type of look she developed after year of foalsitting, a mix of deception, curiosity and anger
"What? We arrived here and they just took him, what could I think" Comment Nightshade as she ignored the look of Cadence.
"Also, you should really invest in better guards if a little filly can defeat them" Add Nightshade proudly
"Seriously, is Shining Armor that bad of a instructor? Or are all the guards that bad?" Ask Spike as he add his two bits making Cadence remember that he was there.
"I..." Cadence began to remember all the times the guards in Canterlot and the Crystal Empire got defeated and could not say too much
"Well, if they were better then daddy could be in problems... Could you imagine if the guards were really good and could fight? My dad could not even do half the things he did" Comment Nightshade making Cadence groan inside her head as she now remembered all the misadventures of Bugze
"Well, if they were really good, then maybe your dad could had no need for half of his adventures" Add Spike making Cadence somehow agree reluctantly.
"If the princesses were good, present company excluded, no offense, then daddy could be living a calm life in Appleloosa or Ponyville instead of being one of the most wanted being in Equestria" Groaned Nightshade
While Cadence could not disagree as she had many discussions about it with her aunties, she noticed how touchy the subject was for Nightshade and decided to change the topic before it turned to worse, as she had the same debacle many times, also it did not feel right to her even with how stubborn was her husband to badmouth him.
"I guess we should go to the topic of why did I call Spike here" Say Cadence
-------
Not much, but I made a little
HOORAY, I FINALLY FOUND SOME TIME TO CATCH UP WOO! Great chapters Browndog, and great suggestions everyone. Now on with the show!
“Okay, so it went like this...”
Flashback
“Get back here you mother buckers!” You shout as you see the guards rush off into the empire. You ignore the shouts from your friends as your vision goes red and blitz your way to the guards. However, as you get closer to the center you slow down as you see how crowded the empire is. You look all over and see various creatures walking about, griffons in booths selling trinkets, crystal ponies mingling with visiting equestrian, you even think you spot a minotaur in the background handing off pamphlets of some kind.
“Huh, it got busy here fast.” You say, out of the corner of your eye and see a guard turning the corner. “There!” You think as you run after him. You catch up and race in front of him.
“Hmm? Are you lost little one?” The guard asks obliviously to your twitching eyes. You leap forward knocking him down and pull him by his collar.
“Where did you take him?!” You shout getting in his face.
“Um, what?” The guard says confused.
“WHERE IS MY SPIKEY?!” You say in a deeper voice than usual. You feel the shards under your scarf vibrate as your anger rises.
*record scratch*
“Your Spikey?” Cadence teases. You blush at her knowing gaze and shake your head. You don’t notice Spike’s own nervous blush as you continue.
“Well?! Where is spike?!” You shout.
The guard, scared by your voice, stutters. “You mean the statue? It’s over there.” He points and you look over and your eyes widen. You see a giant statue of spike holding up the crystal heart. But what was more shocking was that next to him was a statue of you in your alicorn form also holding the heart. Your jaw drops as you stare.
“I...wha?”
“Wait, I have a statue?!” Spike exclaims.
“Oh yes! The crystal ponies were very grateful for your actions when Sombra attacked.” Cadence explained.
“Um, but why was I there?” You ask.
“Because of how you….” Cadence trailed off before rubbing her head. “Dealt with your father when he ate Sombra…” She says nervously.
“Oh. OHH.” You frown remembering that.
“Yes, the crystal ponies have come to call you the Lost Princess. Seeing as how you disappeared afterward, and many thought you sacrificed yourself to save them from Bugze or as they call him, the Devourer of Shadows.” Cadence. You all sat there awkwardly for a moment.
“Um, you were saying shade?” Spike asked breaking the silence
“Oh right.”
You step off the terrified guard as you stare at the statue.
“Well, that's….something.” You think as your brain fails to comprehend what your seeing. The guard gets up and prepares to back away before taking a quick glance at you and then the statue.
“Say you look a lot like her.” He says and you freeze as you realize your cover might be blown. Before he says another word you turn and falcon kick him in the face sending him flying into a barrel unconscious.
“That was a close one.” You sigh, your relief is short-lived as you just realized you knocked out someone who could tell you where your Spikey-I mean spike is.
“Ahh, horse apples!” You groan. Turning you run off to find another guard.
“Did you have to knock him out?” Cadence asked.
“Oh, I’m sure he’s fine….” You say uncertainty.
*With the unconscious guard*
“Well, this seems too easy.” A cloaked figure said as they rolled off the guard who was still inside the barrel.
“Do you think we should report this?” Another cloaked figure said as they moved into a dark alleyway.
“Pfft, the guy probably got drunk on the job and passed out in the barrel. I mean it's not like over half the royal guard stationed here are gonna suddenly end up unconscious. I mean it will be good for us, but what are the chances of that?” The first cloaked figure said.
*Not even thirty minutes later*
The two cloaked figures from before along with several others stare at the gathered pile of unconscious and badly injured crystal guards in an undisclosed location.
“Okay, maybe we should tell the boss.”
Hmm seems most of the guards are currently unavailable. Guess you could chalk that up to some bad luck?
hue hue hue.
When Cadence asks Spike to light the torch for the Equestria Games, he gets extremely nervous and you notice. Throughout the day you try and help him, but it seems that he doesn't want your help to your confusion and it makes you hurt. After you secretly help light the torch for him and tell him it was you who did it, he gets angrier at you and storms off, telling you to leave him alone, which hurts you even more and confuses you. Being the young filly you are, (and the shards helping out a bit,) the only option is to be angry back and yell back at him, "Fine! I'll never talk to you ever again!"
For the rest of the day, you avoid Spike as much as possible, but deep down you know you didn't mean what you've said and by the end of the day, with enough courage, you'll make up with him. Even if he's being a bit unfair.
Even without knowing the lyrics to the Cloudsdale anthem, you still cringed hard knowing you're possibly the reason he really sucked at singing it. Afterward, the Crusaders let you know they found him hiding in his room at the Crystal Empire, and you head there and just in time to stop Twilight from entering his room, and you ask for some privacy.
"Do you think you could let me talk to Spike? ...Alone?" You ask softly.
"Sure." Twilight answers and gives you a sad smile. "I'll be downstairs. If he's still in the room let me know."
"Okay."
Twilight walks away, and you take a deep breath as her hoofsteps get quieter and quieter. Once they die down completely, you peek into the room that had it's door slightly open already.
"Spike? You in here?"
The dragon in question peeked out of a pile of clothes he was hiding in, which you find weird since nearly no one wears any clothes.
He looks at you and frowns a bit, not giving out any emotions though. "Oh, it's you, Nightshade. I thought I heard Twilight coming." He steps out of the pile and stands still nervously.
"She was, but I asked her if we could talk privately."
"I thought you weren't talking to me ever again," Spike says sadly as he scratches his neck.
"I didn't mean it!" You say. "I-I'm.." You trail off for a bit.
"I'm sorry!" The both of you yell at the same time.
"Wait? You're sorry!?" You say in shock.
"Why are you sorry!?" He asks you.
"I yelled at you and told you to never talk to me again!" You explained. "I should have never said that!"
"But I told you to leave me alone! It's my fault, Nightshade, all you wanted to do was help me!"
"Yeah, but I should have known when to leave you be."
"You were just trying to be helpful because you're a nice pony Nightshade, I shouldn't have gotten mad at that."
"Doesn't mean I should follow you around and bother you wherever you go though..." You said apologetically.
Spike gasps and walks in front of you. "You could never bother me Nightshade! You're my best friend!"
To this, you smile and tearfully hug him. "I'm sorry for saying I never wanted to speak with you again!"
He hugs you back tighter and says, "I'm sorry for pushing you away all day!"
"B-but..." You pull back and wipe away a tear. "If you don't mind me asking, why didn't you want help? I know you were nervous today."
"W-well..." He rubs his arm and explains, "You're always helping me, Shade."
You raise a brow at this.
"And I feel like you and Twilight are constantly helping me. You're both so much more powerful than I am. I-I just don't want to feel like I'm holding you both down. You both are so strong with magic, always fighting monsters and saving the day, then here I am. A little dragon without wings that can't even light up a simple torch." He says sadly. "Maybe I do need to depend on both of you."
"That's not true, though!" You say, holding his shoulders and shaking him a bit. "You're amazing too, Spike! You have the best writing I've ever seen! You know words that I've never even seen before. Yeah you sucked today but that was just the nervousness, but your fire is cool too! Oh, and it's magical! Who else can send letters directly to Sunbutt?"
Spike smiles and blushes at your remarks.
"I'm pretty sure Twilight wouldn't have gotten this far without you either. You've always been there supporting her, helping her study, pulling her out of her craziness."
"More than you know." Spike put in.
"And to top it all off, you're an amazing friend." You pull him close and hug him once more, which he gladly gives back.
After a minute of silence, you two break the hug.
"Thanks, Nightshade." He smiled warmly at you. "You're a great friend too."
"Always here!" You proudly say. "Now come on, let's go watch the archery event! I want to see how ponies even manage to shoot arrows without magic."
He stares at you for moment, awkwardly even, before looking away nervously, with a light blush you don't notice. "D-do you... um..." He mumbles.
"What was that?" You ask.
"Do you, uh... Nevermind. I'm going in with a disguise" He picks up a coat and sunglasses in his arms, and begins to walk past you but stops momentarily to give you a light peck on the cheeks, which makes you madly blush. "Let's go."
"I'm never washing this cheek again..."
When the guards try to disable your magic to prevent cheating with their machine, the machine's magic barrier shatters due to your shards.
"I'm a filly anyways!" You yell. "What harm can little ol' me do!" You angrily say and walk away, to which the guards just shrug.
While watching the archery event, one of the players shot a cloud filled with water above by accident, making it grow sharp ice spikes that gravity was pulling down.
Pegasi try to fly up and stop the descending disaster but their strength proved futile.
You look over to Sun and Moon Butt, but all they did was gasps like idiots and didn't move. Couldn't they just use their magic and-
Shining yelled for somepony to cut the magic disabling spell.
"Oh yeah..."
But this also made you a bit angry, how dumb could ponies be.
But wait... your magic was never disabled!
You, and also Spike but you didn't notice, put on determined looks and right as Twilight was about to fly up and help the pegasi, you and Spike ran forward and onto the field.
You looked to each other in shock, but it was soon replaced by confidence as you both smirked to each other and kept running forward.
"Dash! Move!" Spike yells.
"Fluttershy, get the buck out of the way!" You yell.
They, along with the other pegasi do so, and (either your wings get revealed now and you fly up with Spike on your back causing your story to continue, or you levitate Spike and yourself with your magic like a smart filly and blast the ice cloud with magic and fire respectively.)
10409912
And of course after all that, after Nightshade save all of them, is the moment when Luna and Sun Butt notice Nightshade is there.
"You monster! We found you! Surrender or be killed!" Shout Celestia to Nightshade
"Seriously? I was here all the time, I just saved everyone here and now is the moment you decide that I'm a monster that need to be killed?" Ask Nightshade
"Your lies will not save you! Guards take her to the dungeons!" Shout Celestia at the guards, only for her to smirk as the guards doubted for a moment, remembering how that same filly defeated them before. Is in that moment that Nightshade decide to channel her daddy and look at the guards with her smirk in full pride and using a spell to amplify her voice she look at everyone.
"HELLO TO EVERYONE OF THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE! Here I am, one of the most searched beings in Equestria, just a tiny little filly that make the all powerful alicorns scared, just look at me, now the question is... WHO IS GOING TO TAKE ME? Shouted Nightshade looking around, as no one dared to move.
"Look at me! No plans, no backup, no weapons worth a damn, oh, and something else I don't have: anything to lose! So, if you're sitting up there in your silly little thrones, and you've got any plans on taking me somewhere tonight..." Continued Nightshade while in a tiny whisper she deactivated the spell and told to Spike
"Except you, of course" Say Nightsade to the little dragon that got red, and then continued with the show activating again the spell
"Remember who is standing your way! Remember! Every black day my daddy stood in front of you and stopped you, AND THEN! AND THEN! Do the smart thing and let someone try first" And with that and the head high she walked away using the front door while everyone looked shocked at the place the little filly was moments ago.
Of course Nightshade was not stupid and knew that if she managed to get out of that, was because they were shocked, the guards remembered what happened early and the princesses had still their magic sealed, and also that if anything did go bad, she was still in the Crystal Empire and Miss Cadence could help her so she knew there was nothing to fear, but even so, she decided that it was best to hide for a while.
------------
One of the best scenes from Doctor Who
10411584
As soon as you are out of sight from everyone else your confidence drops and you gallop away scared for your life since there's no way in Tartarus you'll be able to beat all of them on your own like Daddy does when they inevitably get all their magic back.
10411671
10411584
I'm liking what I'm seeing here, but just FYI, probably going to wait to use most of it for the following chapter, (aside from the opening ceremony torch lighting) just so the chapter isn't overstuffed with three days' events, especially considering how huge they are. Again though, love what I'm seeing
10412053
Yeah, I figured! Mostly wrote it because I didn't want to forget it.
Figure I should remind us, Nightshade, Diamond, and silver spoon partake in introducing ponyville to the games. So they get to be up close when the games start. Diamond and Silver can be trailing behind scootaloo’s scooter carrying flags. Nightshade could use some magic to make the entrance more flashy. With her crystal bending or something idk. Also, we can have Granbuggy try to go look for nightshade after she ran off after spike.
Also are the other members of the Outcasts going to the games too? Or are they staying behind?
On one hoof, your glad that Cadence decided not to punish you too severally for knocking out her guards, but on the other hoof the way she goes about punishing you is less then ideal.
And by that I mean she let her inner Shipper reign free again and has been teasing you about your total not crush on a certain drake ever since you explained why you knocked the guards. Spike seems to miss most of the teasing that happens, but sadly for you he still catches on to the more obvious teases and his blushing face is not helping you think how he is totally cu-
A good guy! Yeah that's what you meant, a good guy hehehehehe....
Seriously, you love her but buck auntie/cousin Cadence's need to Ship.
As for the Outcast, if we have any cutaways to them then I feel like the only ones to show up at the Games would be Greta, Ember, and Grandbuggy since Zotal is a bit...preoccupied with Daring and Garble is...well Grable.
As for what their doing, well...
We see Greta talking to some of the Griffon athletes and representatives, apparently they were some of her old drinking buddies back before she became a video game gang leader. Apparently their catching up now that Greta isn't a criminal anymore...well a know criminal at least. Pretty sure being your ally automatically makes anyone a enemy of the state, but who needs the details eh?
Anyway, eventually they start talking about just why she changed her ways, and of course she brings up your dad and his bounty hunter persona. You start to tune out the conversation from there as apparently one of the griffons there is a major fanfilly of the Crimson Vengeance and is currently interrogating Greta for more details.
Ember managed to sneak her way in by pretending to be a repetitive of the Dragon Lands, which being a princess technically makes that true even if she is a technical indentured servant to your Grandbuggy. She's been spending most of her time scaring some of the crystal ponies by pretending to be hungry and loudly discussing how crystals taste just so good after a good cha-run!
You've got to give her props for that, as the prank is up there on yours and your Daddy's level of chaos. Through you can't help but feel it might be a bit overbroad to freak out an entire nation that only just returned from a thousand year banishment. Then again after watching your Daddy eat their former tyrant of a leader you doubt anything else could scar them too badly.
She also starts to laugh uproarisly when she finds Spikes statue, and you can still hear her laughter from all the way at the stadium.
As for Grandbuggy...well lets just say you have a feeling at this rate his cheek is going to be presentably red from the amount of slaps he's had from the less then pleased crystal ponies he's 'talked' too.
10412531
Could Garble show up though? It would be hilarious to see his reaction to all of the crystal ponies praising spike as a hero. Plus I bet he gets miffed seeing the statue of him and would try to take a bite out of in spite. Plus I loved to see him watch spike and shade deal with the ice cloud. XD
10415691
Garble could come along and this honestly sounds like something he would do. I just couldn't think of a reason why he would want to go to a pony games since he's...well Garble. If BrownDog can think of some way to drag him along (there's an idea, force him to go ala Shade or Ember tying him up) then all good!
Also, wanted to add something I forgot in my original comment. Nothing too big, I just thought it would be funny that they run into a Pinkie clone, one who has been hiding out at the Crystal Empire for so long that she's now all crystaly like the crystal ponies. Course by the logic we've established in this universe this makes it so noling recognizes her as a clone except for Nightshade. This frustrates and confuses the poor filly beyond belief, and she can't help but start thinking that the Pinkie clone is just that well disguised and the only reason why she sees through it is due to her years of wearing her own disguises along with her Daddy's many personas.
She immediately discards that idea as impossible and spends a good couple of minutes trying to figure out why no one sees the Pinkie clone, much to said clones amusement.