Product of Friendship

by AzuraKeres

09: Swiss Cheese

Author's Note:

Wisteria
A self-proclaimed witch that has become the latest student at the School of Friendship.

Luster Dawn
Favored pupil of Princess Twilight that now attends the School of Friendship to learn the meaning of bonds.

Lil' Cheese
Son of Pinkie Pie with a prone for fun and wonders.

Pinkie Pie
The former element of laughter that runs the Sugarcube Corner with her niece and nephew.

Their giggles and cheers rippled around the room. To Luster, it was a surreal sight that she had to question if it was reality or sheer fantasy. The latter would make so much more sense, but the constant ringing in her ears provided an asinine deterrence.

The colt and changeling played a game of surprise. Lil’ Cheese would count to ten while Wist would hide as an inanimate object within a room. It would always be the room they were currently in, which they would shift every few rounds.

Luster became more complacent about the game the more she realized how innocent it was. A word she wouldn’t think to associate this wicked bug with.

In Lil’ Cheese’s room, Wist hid as a pony ranger in the colt’s toybox. In the restroom, she hid as a mirror over the real one attached to a cabinet.

In each room, Luster would observe Wist’s transformations and watch the young colt innocently stroll about looking for the intricately hidden changeling. What made it so strange was how helpful Wist was. Always would she give hints with a sound of her voice Always would she emerge with her eldritch flames and toss the colt into the air, congratulating him for his astuteness. Was this really the same changeling she had fought with hours ago?

“Are you just going to stand there and watch all day?” Wist asked the pondering mare after placing Lil’ Cheese back on the ground. Their current round ended within a hallway on the second floor of the building. “Why not join us for a bit? You could use the fun way more than him.”

“Seems to me that you have a soft spot for foals,” Luster surmised. “I doubt I would receive the same kindness if I dared to join.”

“How astute of you,” Wist said after patting the colt’s head. “At least you’re not spoiling the fun for us.”

“The goal of foalsitting is to ensure that the foal is safe and well,” Luster informed. “I’m surprised you haven’t done anything to endanger him yet.”

“You wound me,” Wist dramatically said and mushed the cheeks of the colt’s together. “How could I ever hurt such a sweet and vulnerable creature as this?”

“After the things you’ve done at school, I wouldn’t think it would be beneath you.”

“You’re so quick to judge every creature,” Wist gave a toothy grin. “Ever think that could be why you’re so lacking at friendship?”

“What would you know about friendship?” Luster challenged. “You don’t even want to learn it.”

“Why bother learning when I’m already so good at it?” Wist shrugged. “If I can play creatures like a fiddle, then I must already be a natural at it.”

“Manipulating others doesn’t make you great at friendship.”

“Bonds and friendship pretty much go hoof in hoof together, right? I can’t imagine changelings being the disguisers without knowing how to play into that value you creatures hold so dear.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Luster voiced. “Princess Twilight and her friends defeated a changeling queen with the use of friendship. How do you explain that?”

“Simple, that queen was a dullard,” Wist scoffed. “The whole nonsense of friendship is so easy to manipulate. If a changeling can’t do that, they might as well not call themselves one.”

“It’s that kind of narrow mindedness that makes you terrible at friendship,” Luster argued.

“Your desperation to clap back at me is so pitiful,” Wist teased. “If I gave you a cookie, would it calm your feeble mind?”

“Don’t you go treating me like a foal!” Luster voiced. “If any creature is one, it’s definitely you.”

“Clever deflection there,” Wist sarcastically congratulated. “A fine argument to make as the awe-inspiring hoof licker of the princess.”

“What is your problem!?” Luster raged as she butted her head upon Wist’s. The changeling only stirred her fury more with a toothy grin.

From the side, Lil’ Cheese observed from the distance with a rubber chicken bouncing from his hoof. Growing bored with Wist’s distraction, the colt went to humor himself by bouncing the toy boy, steadily drifting down the stairs of the building as he became enthralled by his game.

---

The smell of berries welcomed the small colt downstairs as he bounced his rubber chicken about like a soccer ball. The growing number of customers assembling in the room masked the colt's presence, but he didn’t escape Pound’s eye. The rubber chicken constantly peaking out from the crowd exposed the colt as he sauntered away to the exit of the building.

Pound could only let out a sigh. “Well, that didn’t take long.”

---

“You know what your problem is?” Luster voiced before the impish changeling. Her voice etched out leaks of poison. “You lack empathy for others! You go around without the slightest care for the feeling of other creatures. It always has to be about you!”

“You can’t care about other creatures without caring about yourself first,” Wist stated. She shut her eyes and held a smirk that oozed of superiority.

“You’re only committed to half that rule!” Luster argued.

“You know, I do not take kindly to the tone of your voice.” Wist opened her eyes. Her smug grin still held bare. “I can’t help but get the feeling that you don’t want to be my friend.”

“You have the gall to say that after what you’ve done!” Luster leered at the changeling. “I wanted to be fair with you, but at every turn, you spit on every chance of my kindness. You’re the one that’s not looking for a friend!”

Wist gaped her eyes then shifted her sights around the hallway. “What?” Luster said. “You’ve only just realized that now!?”

“I thought something was strange,” Wist said. “Where did my little Cheese go?”

“Lil’ Cheese,” Luster corrected. “The least you could do is remember—” Luster’s body flinched and then turned about across her surroundings. “—Wait, where’d he go? He was just here.”

“Must’ve gotten bored by your little tantrum.” Wist shrugged. “I can’t say I really blame him.”

“Will you just stop already!?” Luster voiced. “This is serious. We need to find him.”

“You’re right,” Wist nodded. “We should definitely find him before Pound and Pumpkin catches on that you lost him.”

“Why is it only my fault!? You know what, I don’t care! Let’s just split up and find him already.”

Before Wist could respond, to Luster’s delight, the mare already ran off and entered a room. Had Wist been a changeling that likes to have the last say, she would be appalled to a frenzy. However, some last says come best with action.

Wist strode calmly through the hallway and stopped before a window. After a sniff, she looked at the window and found the colt out in the open, bouncing his little goose toy like a dolphin.

“You’re having so much fun with that toy of yours,” Wist commented. “It almost makes me jealous.”

Luster emerged from the door and regrouped with Wist. “Hey, did you find him yet?”

“I’m afraid not,” Wist lied. “I’m starting to get worried about him. Who knows what could happen to him on his own?”

“It’s nice to know that at least you care about him,” Luster sighed. “But don’t worry. We just have to keep looking. We’ll find him eventually.”

“Yes, you are quite right,” Wist said. “It’s too soon for us to give up.”

“Okay then.” Luster nodded. “I’m going to check the room from the other side. You should look through the ones here.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Wist concurred. And at that, Luster went off again to another room. The changeling held a proud smile and continued to observe the colt from afar.

Eventually, Luster would emerge from the door and note that Wist had not moved from the window. Befuddled, Luster approached the changeling again. “Why are you still there?”

“Me?” Wist said. “Oh, I’m just enjoying the view. It’s so so bright out.”

“What?” Luster narrowed her brow. “We’re supposed to be looking for Lil’ Cheese. Why are you through the window?” Luster basked in the sight before the window with Wist and there she realized the reason for the changeling’s fixation. “He’s right—“ Luster glared at Wist. “—Why didn’t you say anything!?”

“Now where would be the fun in that?” Wist asked as she strode past the offended mare. “Now hurry it up, I still have more rounds to play with that colt.”

Ignoring another session of Luster’s scolding, the two foal sitters discovered the colt still skipping about at the front of the bakery. The colt’s mastery of his menial game was an astonishing sight as he flipped and twirled beneath the rubber goose.

“He’s a nimble little fellow, isn’t he?” Wist commented.

“Let’s just bring him back,” Luster snapped and walked past Wist. When Luster drew close to the playful colt, a mass shadow mysteriously cast over them. Luster looked up to find the source and her eyes shrunk to see a massive figure descending upon them at a swift speed.

It all happened so quickly. A heavy wind blew and forced Luster and Wist to shield themselves. The next thing they knew, Lil’ Cheese was gone.

They trailed their sights to the sky where a giant bird apparently held the colt in its talons. A predicament that the colt seemed to take joy in as it waved its hoof excitedly at the two.

“Is that a roc?” Wist breathed with the lack of amusement from earlier. She shared in Luster’s utter shock that a huge predator had just swooped past them.

“We,” Luster started. “We have got to save him!”

---

The peaceful goings in the streets of Ponyville were rattled by the shade of the Roc that soared past the settlement. Creatures gaped at its presence, hiding beneath their bartering counters, jumping into bushes, and even one diving into a large fountain.

Behind the Roc, Wist and Luster galloped in pursuit. The chaos from the morning proved to be a helpful practice session for Luster as she juked past the stunned residents.

“Why couldn’t you have just told me earlier where Lil’ Cheese was!?” Luster shouted at the changeling.

“How was I supposed to know that a giant bird would swoop by!?” Wist argued.

Chasing the Roc down the streets, a pink mare with luscious violet mane eyed Wist from the entrance of a building. “It’s you!” The mare pointed at Wist.

“Not in the mood for lunch right now!” Wist kept her sights upon the Roc.

“Did you just treat me like food!?” The mare voiced appalled. “Hey, get back here!?”

Obviously, Wist would never do that and left the seething mare at the distance. Her only focus was the colt that cheered at the two of them from the Roc’s grubby talons.

“We’re not getting him back like this,” Luster voiced. “One of us has to go up there and grab him.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Wist groaned and began to flutter her wings. “It’s not like you’re any good here.”

Wist rose to the sky with the Roc, working here wings to great heights to close their distance. Lil’ Cheese “awed” excitedly at Wist’s hurdling feat; never a dull moment for this colt. She had no time for any quips as she summoned her strength to inch closer and closer to the Roc’s talons. Her hooves were only inches away from nabbing the colt when it all went terribly wrong.

For reasons she could not explain, nor could any sane creature in the land, a large pink bear had suddenly leaped upon Wist and clutched her back to the ground. She had little time to be shocked when the creature gripped her in a passionate bear hug so strong that she could feel her soul seeping out of her mouth.

Luster stopped before the spellbound creature that cuddled the overwhelmed changeling with its Herculean strength. “What is a Cuddlebear doing in Ponyville!?” Luster voiced.

“Get,” Wist started with a croak. “Get me out!”

“Oh,” Luster said with an indifferent look that Wist could really do without right now. “Didn’t you claim to be a natural master of friendship? Why not use it to trick the bear into letting you go?”

“We don’t have time for this!” Wist tried to push the Cuddlebear away, but its ridiculously strong yet warm and fuzzy body was starting to break her spirit.

“You’re right,” Luster nodded. “So, I’m going to hurry up and save Wist.”

“Wait, no!” Wist angrily pleaded. “Don’t leave me with this thing!”

“Don’t worry,” Luster started as she began to continue her chase for the Roc. “They’re herbivores. The worst it will do to you is eating your leaf-looking mane.”

With the fall of Wist from the chase, it was all left to Luster to be the responsible pony and rescue the colt. She should have relied on her magic from the beginning instead of providing chances for that pestering changeling to redeem herself. A creature as uncaring and careless as her was doomed to fail.

Luster charged her horn in yellow light. If her magic could reach the Roc, she could trap it in a magic bubble and scoop the colt out. It’s a spell that she went to great lengths to modify in many of her researches at Canterlot.

She shot a line of yellow light that stretched towards the Roc. Only a few feet more and she could initiate the bubble. Enshrouding a creature of that size required a higher amount of concentration than she could expend carelessly.

However, that concentration was ruined when a woodpecker landed on her head. Luster raises her eyes to meet the Woodpecker. “What the—“ The bird proceeded to peck upon Luster’s head before she could sound another word. “—Hey!”

Luster raised a hoof to swat the woodpecker away. Thankfully, her hooves scared it away with ease. However, she had picked up too much speed to stop from crashing into a nearby dining table of an outdoor restaurant.

Her body briefly flew into the air after tripping upon the table and then her back slammed upon another table where two ponies had taken their seat.

“Ow,” Luster groaned.

“What in Equestria do you think you’re doing!?” A mare asked and pushed Luster off the table. “You’re ruining our anniversary!”

Luster picked up her ragged body that was now bruised and smudged with dirt. She saw the angered mare about to confront her more before a stallion stood in her path. “Honey,” the stallion said with an assuring voice. “It’s okay. We haven’t ordered yet.”

Luster wasted no time leaving the premises. However, once back into the streets, she was welcomed by the impish changeling’s glee. “My,” Wist started. “Is this what they call ‘karma’?”

“If you’re done,” Luster said. “We have a colt to rescue.” Luster looked at the sky but could no longer see the Roc anywhere. “Where did it go?”

“I saw it land in the forest,” Wist answered and pointed at a clustered build of trees within the distance. “It’s a rather eerie looking one at that.”

“Why the Everfree Forest of all places?” Luster groaned.

“Will you stop with your complaining already?,” Wist asked. “I don’t want to be the one to tell his mom that he became lunch food.”

“Don’t even joke about that!”

---

The eerie shade of the bundled trees did nothing to calm Luster’s nerves. Everywhere they went she could see an endless hall of trees, shrubs, dirt that hinted nothing about the whereabouts of Lil’ Cheese. All she could depend on was Wist’s proclaimed reliable nose to sniff the colt out. A fact that Luster grew to question more and more by the second.

“I swear if this is another of your tricks…,” Luster growled.

“You’ve still failed to explain to me how a Cuddlebear ended up in the middle of town,” Wist reminded her.

“There’s not supposed to be a Roc either,” Luster said. “They’re things you would usually find in the wilderness, not above the streets. It doesn’t make sense.”

“Hold that thought.” Wist stopped Luster with a hoof. She then pointed to an opening from their path to a river. There, they discovered the Roc perched before a river with its head bent down to scoop the water.

Wist and Luster gathered a shrub to peek from. Lil’ Cheese tossed his rubber duck about with his forehooves while still trapped within the Roc’s talons. His ears then perked to Wist and Luster’s direction.

“The element of surprise is on our side here,” Luster whispered. “All I have to do is use my magic to shimmy Lil’ Cheese out those talons and whisk him here for our escape.”

“How practical,” Wist commented. “And here I thought you would use another overly complicated spell.”

“I wouldn’t have to if all you knew were hexes,” Luster sneered and then began her spell. Her yellow light shimmered across the colt’s body and slowly she began to tug him. The colt giggled excitedly at his glowing body. “No Cheese,” Luster whispered. “You’ll give it away.”

“He’s way too carefree for his own good,” Wist commented with a chuckle.

Luster carefully shifted the colt’s body to slip through the Roc’s hold. A movement too abrupt could earn the creature’s undesired attention.

“Almost there,” Luster whispered. Despite the colt’s audible fascination, she was nearly there in freeing him. A feat that complimented the precision of her magic.

She was now near the yoke of success. However, to her dismay, it was all stripped from her by a single leap.

A large body had passed through the shrub that Wist and Luster hid in. It came in a blur of movement and took Luster with it out into the open before the Roc.

Yet again, Luster’s back was against the ground. When gaping up at her unknown assailant, she quickly shielded her face from the massive pair of tongues that slathered her.

“Hey, stop it!” Luster protested, but the creature continued its ravenous tasting of her with its drooling tongues.

“An orthrus?” Wist said. “Seriously, where are all these animals coming from?” Wist surveyed the terrain behind her for any other lurking creatures.

“What are you doing!?” Luster voiced. “Get Cheese before the Roc takes him away.”

“Golly, what a noble sacrifice you’re making. But I think I’ve grown weary of this charade.” Wist charged her horn in an ominous green light. “With a dab of a hex, I can simply make the dumb bird lose interest in him.”

Wist shot a green wisp toward the Roc. Once it enters the Roc, it will toss away Lil’ Cheese, leaving Wist as his sole savior. Wist would love to use that clout for more cake if it didn’t reveal the fact that they had put him in this situation in the first place. Well, at least she could hold this victory over the know-it-all.

However, yet another unforeseen event had taken place. With timing that Wist did not prefer, the Roc raised its head from the river and spread its wings wide. With only a few gusting flaps, it ascended into the air.

“Oh come on!” Wist voiced and hopped out of the shrub. Her wisp is able to act as homing missiles that can act autonomously to reach her foes. However, the spell can only retain its existence if its caster is within close range.

Wist chased after the Roc that had now risen above the trees and floated in the open sky. After she soars from the river, she will have to begin another chase for the bird. This time, however, there won’t be a random animal that will catch her off guard. And my how quickly she failed.

As soon as Wist hovered above the river, a massive jaw had emerged from the waters and snatched her from the air. A small moment passed before a large cragadile emerged from the river with Wist trapped within its jaws.

After a series of coughs, Wist attempted to push its jaws open. Unfortunately for her, she was left to the mercy of the creature's devastating hold. However…

“It’s not trying to eat me,” Wist said after noting it has yet to chew her. Looking through the openings of the cragadile’s craggy teeth, she saw that the othrus had finally spared Luster its wet tongue and had now cuddled around her body.

“You find this all weird too, right?” An unamused Luster asked.

“You mean how all these random creatures keep interfering with us?” Wist said. “Yeah, it’s hard not to notice.”

“It’s like every time we try to get Lil’ Cheese away from the Roc, some unknown force brings these animals to stop us.”

“Okay, but why exactly?”

“I don’t know. But if we’re going to rescue Lil’ Cheese, we’re going to have to change our approach here.”

“I think I have an idea, but it hinges on one thing in order for it to work.”

“And that is?”

“Our cooperation,” Luster sighed.

“You mean working together,” Wist said. “How cheesy.”

“I know that you would prefer to do things on your own and you don’t like me,” Luster said. “But we’re going to have to put our differences aside if we hope to—”

“What’s the plan,” Wist said.

“...really?” Luster gaped at Wist’s sudden compliance. “You’ll go along with my plan?”

“Luster,” Wist said. “I’ve been treated like a chew toy by two random creatures I hope to never see again in my lifetime. I’m not going to risk a third. So, tell me about the plan.”

“Good enough for me,” Luster resigned. “Alright, so here’s how this will work.”

---

Within the mountainous region of the Everfree Forest, the Roc had finally settled upon a large nest upon a burrowed peak where a trio of pony-sized eggs were clustered together. The Roc released Lil’ Cheese before the eggs and nested its body over them.

From afar, Wist and Luster observed the Roc. They had settled upon a separate mountain that gave them a wide vision of their surroundings.

“You remember the plan, right?” Luster asked Wisteria.

“It’s pretty straightforward,” Wist scoffed. “I don’t know how any creature could forget something so practical.”

“Then you’re up.” Luster pumped a hoof. An act Wist knew that had the intention of motivation but was honestly an annoyance.

“You’re only pumped because you’re not the one that has to be the bait,” Wist remarked. “And a rather ridiculous one at that.”

Wist fluttered her wings out from their post and descended under the Roc’s nest. She then transformed into a goat and scaled up the mountain swiftly and quietly.

She reverted back upon reaching the edge of the nest. To her delight, the Roc had fallen asleep. Climbing atop the edge of the nest, Wist was able to peek underneath the Roc to where the trio of eggs lay.
And then he saw Lil’ Cheese, splayed upon the nest with his rubber chicken cushioning his chin.

“Alright brat,” Wist whispered. “It’s time we put an end to this game.” Eldritch flames consumed Wist’s body and expanded. The flames caught the colt’s attention and then his mouth hung open at the figure above him.

Featherless, saggy, and ultimately ridiculous to the highest sense of the word, Wist dawned herself as a jumbo-sized replica of his rubber duck. How humiliating this was for the self-proclaimed witch, but at least it stirred excitement for the colt to crawl from the Roc’s side and rushed over to pounce upon her.

Wist let out a sigh as she extended her flabby arms to hold the colt. “Honesty, what appeal do you see in this?”

Wist stiffed her body when she sensed a stir of the Roc’s body. Its yellow sclera eyes opened upon Wist’s position. However, it saw nothing but the numerous mountains and trees in the distance.

Before Wist braved atop the nest, Luster had tagged her magic upon Wist, making it easy for the mare to modify Wist’s body regardless of the distance. When Luster noted the Roc’s opening eyes, she immediately cast an invisibility spell upon Wist. Sadly, Luster lacked the knowledge to spread it over Lil’ Cheese as well, leaving Wist to turn her body to mask Lil’ Cheese’s presence.

Wist focused her sight upon Luster, waiting for the signal to move. That moment came when the Roc returned to its slumber, prompting Luster to wave her hoof to Wist.

Wist hopped off the nest and descended fast down the mountain. The eldritch flames consumed her again and reverted her back to what Wist considered to be her natural beauty. She hurried her wings to regroup with Luster on the other mountain.

“That went better than I thought,” Luster said when Wist landed by her side.

Wist cradled the colt in her hooves, who had wrapped his body over his rubber duck. His cheeks expanded like balloons with an obvious disappointment in his eyes.

“Quit your complaining,” Wist said. “Stay a good colt and maybe you can play with the superior Boneless again.”

“Are you having a competition with a toy?” Luster chuckled.

“Of course not!” Wist loudly refuted. “A flabby thing like that could never hope to compare with me!”

A sudden screech rang in their ears. They looked back at the nest from the distance and saw the Roc glaring back at them with its predatory eyes.

“You gave us away!” Luster voiced. “We need to run!”

“I’m done with this nonsense,” Wist said. “Here—” Wist placed Lil’ Cheese into Luster’s hooves. “—Hold this for me.”

Both the Roc and Wist ascended from their spot and came upon each other. When Wist had flown a safe distance from Luster and the colt, the eldritch flames consumed her again and expanded. It extended beyond its previous feat to point it shadowed the lands beneath it. And what emerged out of it was a lustrous dragon.

Its skin was dark as obsidian and green glow shimmered from the ridges of its scales. The sheer size of the creature eclipsed the mountain that the Roc nested upon, causing the proud beast to quiver to a stop.

Wist’s massive slit eyes shook with a wave of ravenous anger that sent coldness to the depth of the Roc’s soul. As natural selection goes, the Roc knew it had become prey at that very moment. To see to its survival, it flapped its wings and flew away, faster than it had ever done in its whole life. Wist watched it flee, not bothering to look back at the eggs that it left behind.

Once the creature faded in the distance, Wist reverted back to her original form and joined her group again at the other mountain. Wist was greeted to the dumbstruck of the two ponies. “Just how much magic do you have in you?” Luster asked.

“Who cares?” Wist shrugged. “Can we just get out of here already before some other stupidity happens?”

---

Their journey out of the Everfree Forest was uneventful, but after the chaos that they had to deal with earlier, they were more than pleased. Lil’ Cheese walked between the two, never leaving their sight for a single moment.

“You know,” Luster started. “What you did back there was really impressive. I don’t think I've ever seen a changeling transformed into something that humongous.”

“Probably would’ve saved us more time if I had done that from the beginning,” Wist grumbled.

“Are you still upset about transforming into that rubber duck?” Luster questioned. “I swear, you can’t make up your mind on how to feel about things.”

“Sorry for being such an enigma,” Wist sarcastically said.

“No, I think it’s fine. That just means I have more to learn about my friend.”

“...Huh?” Wist stopped her hooves, followed by the other two. “When did I ever become your friend?”

“After what we went through together, it’s inevitable now that we’re friends.”

“No it isn’t,” Wist protested.

“I would say the opposite.” Luster grinned. “Whether you like it or not, we’re friends now.”

“Just because we worked together this one time doesn’t mean anything. You’re reading way too much into things.”

“Come now Wist,” Luster said. “I thought you knew how friendship works. Surely you know the premise that we’ve set for each other.”

“If you keep teasing me like that I’m gonna give you another rude awakening tomorrow!”

“I think you would’ve done it either way. Unfortunately, it’s going to have to be one of those things we have to work on together.”

“You’re putting a sour end to my day,” Wist growled. “You better stop with this right now.”

“Oh but Wist,” Luster chuckled. “Where would be the fun in that?”

---

“Cheese!” Pinkie cheered with hooves opened wide for her son to be snatched in. The Cake twins had called Wist and Luster to bring the colt downstairs to welcome back his mother.

Lil’ Cheese hopped atop his mother’s cradling hooves, pecking the cheek of his mother. “Oh, I missed you too,” Pinkie Pie said and returned the favor to her son.

“How was your trip?” Luster asked. She and Wist took their steps before the mother.

“Dandy like a dandelion pie,” Pinkie Pie. “Ooh, speaking of pie, I should make some for the two of you. I can tell Lil’ Cheese had so much fun with the two of you.”

“Another one of those pumpkin pies would be nice,” Wist suggested.

“I’m happy that we met your expectation,” Luster said. “Lil’ Cheese did give us a few hurdles, but it all worked out in the end.”

“A hurdle huh?” Pound Cake chuckled. “So that’s what you call running across town and facing bunches of animals.”

Wist and Luster stiffened their bodies. Both gazed at the grinning twins with utter shock. “That,” Wist started. “Is oddly specific?”

“Did...did you guys know?” Luster asked.

“I think it’d be hard to miss a Roc swooping down in front of our home,” Pumpkin answered.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Wist waved her hooves. “If you two knew, then why didn’t you come to help us? Isn’t he your nephew?”

“They knew it would be alright,” Pinkie said. “Every animal around Ponyville has been pretty much tamed by Fluttershy. Even the ones from the Everfree Forest. No creature was ever an actual danger.”

“Huh,” Wist breathed. “Well, that would explain why that Cragadile didn’t chew me up.”

“Don’t just take it so easily!” Luster argued. “Why didn’t any pony tell us about this!? As a matter of fact, why did it happen in the first place?”

“Cheese sense,” Pinkie answered.

“Cheese...what?” Luster said.

“My Lil’ Cheese here has a special talent for attracting all sorts of creatures around him,” Pinkie explained. “All sorts of exotic creatures would come out from the woodworks to play with my son. Though, that usually only happens when he’s all on his lonesome.”

“I see,” Wist said. “So when he got bored with Luster’s little tantrum, he went off to call in some creatures to play with him.”

“How does that make sense!?” Luster voiced. “Ponies don’t just make pheromones to attract creatures. That lacks any logical sense.”

“Some things are just incapable of being understood,” Pinkie said with a smile.

“What?” Luster stood stunned. “No! There’s an explanation for everything in the world. There has to be!”

“Okay, I’m not gonna sit here for another one of your tantrums,” Wist said. “I’d like some pumpkin pie now.”

“Okie Dokie,” Pinkie said. “But first, I’d like to know if you’ve learned anything from this experience.”

“Never lose sight of the colt for a single second,” Wist answered.

“No, no, no,” Pinkie shook her head. “That was inevitable going to happen from the beginning. What did you learn during that experience?”

“We learned…” Luster started and then drifted her gaze to Wist. With a single glance, it all made sense. Though, she had to debate whether or not she took delight in that. After a sigh, Luster gave her answer. “We learned that not all problems can be solved alone. Sometimes a helping hoof can make all the difference.”

“Ugh,” Wist groaned. “Don’t tell me this whole event was to teach me a friendship lesson?”

“It would’ve defeated the whole point of the punishment if it wasn’t,” Pinkie gleefully answered. “But now that you had your first day with Lil’ Cheese, I can expect for things to be smooth sailing for the rest of this week, right?”

“Wait,” Luster gaped at the mare. “We have to do this whole thing again?”

“Well of course,” Pinkie said. “You didn’t think the punishment would be done in just a single day, did you?”

“I have to do this again…” Luster mumbled.

“Quit your complaining,” Wist scoffed with a haughty grin. “It just means more time for us to bond as friends, right?”

“I know you don’t mean it in the bright sense and that bothers me,” Luster sighed. She didn’t want to bother looking at her friend’s imposing sneer upon him. “But this is my life now.”

Comments

[Edguy0009]

I'm not the only one who enjoyed the torment the Wist and Luster went through, right? Also that picture at the end!

[Marytryne]

My gosh, those pictures are adorable and this chapter is good, it nice to know that Lil brat didn't have his mother "pinkie sense" so that means he's prone to getting hurt and other normal ponies stuff, he has his own unique ability "exotic animal friend sense" unlike some others just mixing cheese and pinkie sense together and call it a day. Yup mama chrysie and cozy personality are showing in wist character, and that puts a smile on me.

Looking forward to seeing wist cause mischief, trouble, and driving starlight and co to drink the days away, in the coming chapters.

[ObamnaSoda]

Bro in that A/N, Luster just looks over it

[Starlight Glimmer1]

“...Huh?” Wist stopped her hooves, followed by the other two. “When did I ever become your friend?”

“After what we went through together, it’s inevitable now that we’re friends.”

Actually you two became friends years ago, it’s just that neither of you remember it. Yet.

[GamePlayer64]

“They knew it would be alright,” Pinkie said. “Every animal around Ponyville has been pretty much tamed by Fluttershy. Even the ones from the Everfree Forest. No creature was ever an actual danger.”

“My Lil’ Cheese here has a special talent for attracting all sorts of creatures around him,” Pinkie explained. “All sorts of exotic creatures would come out from the woodworks to play with my son. Though, that usually only happens when he’s all on his lonesome.”

I can see the negative effects of Friendship creating an era of peace. No danger will make them soft and careless outside of their home and caring parents will not care for their children. Sorry for sounding harsh but someone has to show a negative comment about .

[Starcat5]

10473450
Oh, I don't know... It works well enough for us Humans. In most cases, the only thing we have to worry about is other Humans.

[alluringming]

Just found this today and i crave more chapters!

[Asolem2]

“You’re so quick to judge every creature,” Wist gave a toothy grin.

So are you

“You’re right,” Luster nodded. “So, I’m going to hurry up and save Wist.”

Lil'Cheese.

“Ugh,” Wist groaned. “Don’t tell me this whole event was to teach me a friendship lesson?”

To teach you both actually, Luster might already know many of the lessons but she hasn't had the chance to understand them yet

“I know you don’t mean it in the bright sense and that bothers me,” Luster sighed. She didn’t want to bother looking at her friend’s imposing sneer upon him. “But this is my life now.”

"her" I suspect.

[Edguy0009]

10504796
GP64 is being pessimistic.