Nick lay on the floor, doubled over in laughter, Celestia and Luna faring little better. It almost seemed as though they would pass out from lack of oxygen. However, after three more minutes of shifting between pain and joy, Nick finally regained his ability to form words.
"Y-you guys didn't even think of this as a consequence, did you? Looks like..." he suppressed a guffaw. "Looks like the loser in this prank is all three of us! Of all the ponies, THAT ONE pranked us!"
Celestia and Luna wheezed out an affirmative noise, before all three took one look back at the ridiculous situation and descended back into endless laughter.
1 week earlier...
The Grand Galloping Gala is one of the biggest events of the year, and every important figure was to be in attendance. Diplomats and noble ponies from all across Equestria and the lands beyond were converging on canterlot in a week's time, and it was all hooves (and hands) on deck to get everything planned and ready. Nick had to wonder why Celestia had called an urgent meeting right then and there, and he was very tired from going over a few dozen work orders ranging from decorations to catering. Still, he was willing to help his pony princess pals, so he soldiered on.
So when he opened the doors to the meeting room only to be met with the enticing smell of cooked meat, something that was in short supply among the vegetarian ponies, he was simultaneously very hopeful, and very skeptical.
"Surprise, my not-so-little human. Happy fourth anniversary of your arrival in Equestria." Celestia's voice shook him from his thoughts, and he turned to find a warm yet somber smile on her face. Of course, how could he forget? Four years ago to the day, a freak magical anomaly teleported him from Earth and straight into the throne room, more specifically ten feet above Luna. No one involved was pleased. Still, after an explanation and a few medical checkups, he was cleared for release into society.
Since then, this day had been a celebration and a day of remembrance: a way to recall those he would likely never see again, but also a day to celebrate the new friends he had gained along the way. Plus, it meant he got high quality meat to 'remind him of home', so he was on board.
"Wow, Celestia. I completely forgot that was today! Thank you. I couldn't ask for better friends than you and Luna." On cue, Luna stepped put from behind a pillar and the royal sisters embraced him in a warm hug, the kind that only the best of friends can truly enjoy.
"We also happen to have a gift for thee, Nicholas," Luna interrupted. "We have searched thine dreams for a fortnight and have prepared some human entertainment for thee. Would thou wish to hear some music from thine old world?"
This day was really looking up for Nick now. He was quite the music lover, and he had shared hundreds of songs with both sisters in his dreams thanks to Luna. Glancing over to the right, he saw a small band assembled, instruments at the ready. With a nod from Nick and a wave of Luna's hoof, the band began to play.
The private party went on for another two hours, with music Nick loved playing as the friends chatted about the Gala and their lives. Nick managed to keep a straight face, and swore revenge under his breath.
The Gala was in full swing! Ponies and other races from all over to dance and have 'fun'. Well, as much fun as could be had with no less than fifteen political discussions going on, five ponies trying to talk to each princess, of which all four were in attendance, and as many lightly salted drinks as a pony could ask for.
Yes, salt. Nick wasn't too much of a drinker, only preferring a bit of alchohol at holiday parties to avoid doing something stupid, but in Equestria, salt was the equivalent of booze and alcohol was just a disinfectant. "Cheer up, Nicky," Cadence began as she sat with the human. "At least you won't embarrass yourself in front of the nobles. I swear, one little slip-up and they don't stop talking about it for weeks!"
"Yeah, yeah," Nick replied, leaning back in his chair. "At least Celly, Luna and I called a ceasefire on pranks for the night. Honestly, the only way this night could get any more dull is-"
"Attention, Mares, Gentlecolts... and my lovely wife."
Nick slammed his head into the table. "Great. Shining Armor is gonna give another speech about the guard."
The prince of the Crystal Empire and husband of Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, stepped up to the stage. "I stand before you all today to remind you all that love is a wonderful thing. Many a bard has written songs about it. And a few nights ago, I had dreamed of a glorious love song. I heard it so clearly that it was as though Princess Luna herself was keeping the dream steady."
Nick and Celestia turned to Luna. Nick spoke up first. "You didn't..."
Shining kept talking. "And after singing it to my wife, Cadence, we have decided to declare it the official song of Hearts and Hooves Day!"
"Sister, I hope you realize what you just unleashed..." Celestia grimly remarked.
"So without further ado..."
"I can't believe it. He made it official? He out-pranked us!" lamented Nick.
"My original song, A Promise Of Devotion!" And while the trio of pranksters breathed a sigh of relief, the band kicked up and Shining began to sing.
The noble ponies and other races all agreed it was a fantastic song, worthy of being sung every Hearts and Hooves Day forevermore.
As two alicorns and a human tried to stop laughing at the spectacle in front of their eyes, a lone figure stood watching from the corner, eating unpopped popcorn with his mismatched limbs. He chuckled. "Yes, it seems that Shining has won the day. I suppose Luna forgot to name the song, so he came up with a name on his own. But I think the real loser here is all of you who fell for those links, hm? But don't fret. You'll be seeing me again soon enough..."
...I approve
... Fick dich.
9197387
Yeah, never gonna happen. I'm waaay too awkward to have any chance at a relationship lol
Gotta say, I loved how you used those youtube links for the story. And that song's quite catchy, don't you think?
Gotta love it.
Honestly I expected you to do that song
9197442
It's German for "Fuck you."
9197817
I know. And I'm saying I'm never getting laid.
9197890
I was saying that for Rick Rolling us, Du verdammter Bastard.
9197987
And why should I limit myself to pranking fictional characters? How many times have readers said, "Oh I wish I could go to Equestria and go on a pranking spree with Trollestia?"
This is as close as you can get, for now.
Saved from a rick roll by ads xD
You are an wicked, wicked author!
9213095
Wicked evil or wicked good?
Or both?!
MUAHAHAHA-cough
9197987
Dude, just give it up.
I got rickrolled twice I'm sad now :(
I really shpuld be ashamed for falling for being rick rolled twice but I'm not.
You dick you did this to me twice!! But never a third dammit! XDD
Oh yeah I do love the song though.
9223449
It actually isn't another one. It's something else. I actually wouldn't do it thrice in a chapter. It IS a different joke though.
9223452
Not Never gonna hit those notes, -100 respect, unsubbed, unfollowed, leaving now.
9223452
9223572
Not once, but twice...
ALL of my hate!
May your toilet seats be forever frozen.
9243536
I can't believe how many of you guys fall for this, ESPECIALLY the second one where I all but shove it in your face what video it is.
All y'all are suckers, and it's beautiful.
Ha! I recognized that character chain! You're gonna have to try harder than that to get me!
Mr. Trololo was my alarm for through my last year of middle school and all during this first year of high school. A year as an alarm and I never got mad about it. That, however, cannot be said about everyone else in my family.
9200733
School internet for me... Woo no Rick ASSley
9249960
Curses! Foiled again. Curse you, bad bandwidth man!
Joke's on you, I love that song
Didn't click the links as I was in the silence zone on a train. 😜
i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/844/770/e9d.jpg
Nice try, but old memes are too easy to spot
a few things,
1) Knew it.
2) I actually like the song
3) I would do it 3 times.
...............
...............
...............
It seems yu no da wae of de devil.
One dead meme deserves another.
For all who need their minds cleared of ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ have This (promise, not Never
Gonna Give You Up)
All jokes aside, I actually like Never Gonna Give You Up and listened to it all the first time I hit the link.
Remove either "Nick had to wonder" or "was honestly beyond him". Having both is redundant.
Remove comma.
Space and capitalization. Might consider spelling out "fourth" as well.
No one.
This is a mistake. Not a grammar mistake, but of judgement.
Comma after "then". I think... not 100% sure...
Thee. Also, I question the inclusion of "But". I'm not seeing what it is contrasting. Maybe change to "We also have..."
Be consistent with spelling out numbers or not; It's generally recommended (to me at least) to spell out numbers below 21 (or below 101).
I just want to hear that particular conversation when he firsts requests a hard drink.
Ctrl+F "Cadence", replace with "Cadance"
"Husband" is not capitalized, and also...
Bard. And either change "dreamed" to "dream", or remove the "a" before "dreamed".
No caps on "lamented".
Also, I hate you. I think you deserve to know that I just lost The Game.
Hard not to see the rickroll coming, in this particular story, tbf
Totally fell for those two links, didn't think you would do it twice
At this point getting Rickrolled is almost affectionate. Certainly nostalgic.
Oh you devil
I didn't click the links because I thought it was a gnome... Turns out from the comments it's the rickroll of glory
DARN YOU!
Yeah, I figured out what was going to happen without having to click the link (and in-browser videos aren't working for me right now anyway). What I wasn't sure about at first is whether it was even a deliberate prank, because the song is quite heartwarming outside its modern context that the princesses may not have been informed of. I think that might actually be why it was chosen to replace the duckroll; hard to get mad at something so affectionate, right?
Hah YouTube takes a while to start on my phone so I was able to abort before the song started playing
I love that song, so it doesn't bother me. I welcome being rolled.
The song is about 4 million views away from hitting the Billion mark.
alcohol
I expected it and the comments section saved me the wasted seconds of my life
4th wall pranks. Was Pinkie Pie involved?