The "Season 11" Project! -- Camp Harmony! (And What Is Patriotism?)

by starponys87

#10 - The Game of Loyalty

Author's Note:

As always, I am happy to receive input from collaborators. I don't want this to be just my project. I want it to be yours, too!

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Many background ponies are recycled as students for the School of Friendship. You can look them up here: https://mlp.fandom.com/.

(Slight update -- 1/29/2022, 9:44 a.m.)

Section #1:

In the gym, Smolder and Babs Seed stood in the center of a basketball court. Napper (the little cat girl) was sitting on a basketball. All three were wearing jerseys, with whistles hanging from their necks.

"Is everycreature here?" asked Smolder.

"Yes!" called many of the ponies.

"I'm here!" called a kirin.

"So am I!" called a deer.

"Sarah here!" called Yona's little sister (my fanon name), bouncing on the floor.

"And David!" called Yona's little brother (my fanon name), also bouncing.

"Are you ready to have fun?!" shouted Smolder, throwing a fist into the air.

"Yes!" called all the students, also throwing their fists.

This class also had 100 students. They sat on the floor, forming three half-circles around their teachers. Again, ten of them were Royal Guards. There were six gryphons, six dragons (including Garble), six changelings, two kirins, six yaks (including Yona's parents and little sister and brother), and six hippogriffs. There were also a deer, a buffalo (Little Strongheart), and a Breezie. In total, there were 36 non-pony students, including Napper.

(In my fanon, Yona's mother is named "Barbara"; her father is "Richard"; her little sister is "Sarah"; and her little brother is "David".)

"Rainbow Dash is a wonderful pony!" remarked Babs. "She thinks you're awesome -- whether you're strong or weak!"

"So she thinks I'm awesome, too?" called the Breezie (a little boy named "Breezewood"), flapping his wings. He was perched on Garble's shoulder.

"Absolutely!" said Babs. "In fact, she once helped some Breezies make their way home!"

"We're not gonna be heroes today," said Napper. "But we're about to have lots of fun ... learning the magic of teamwork!"

Napper got off the basketball and gave it a few bounces.

"Working toward a common goal," said Smolder -- "it is such a beautiful and mysterious thing. Each making sacrifices for the others -- so that all can be happy!"

As she spoke, she picked up the basketball and bounced it. She bounced the ball back and forth between her legs.

"It sometimes means delaying your immediate satisfaction," said Babs Seed. As Babs spoke, Smolder threw the ball to her. Catching it with one hoof, Babs started spinning it on her hoof.

"But in the end ... if each of you values the other's happiness, then you end up with more joy than you started with!" As Babs continued speaking, she threw the ball onto her other hoof, continuing to spin the ball.

Then Babs bounced the ball between her legs. Giving it a hard bounce, she launched it into the air. Napper leapt into the air and gave it a big karate-style kick!

"Usually," said Napper, as she did the stunt, "when Capper's gang rescues a homeless kitty, they cry with joy and relief. There have been some ungrateful ones ... but we can usually correct them with love and patient discipline."

As Napper spoke, the ball fell straight through the basket!

"Excuse me," said one pony (Lucky Streak, a gray pegasus, one of the background ponies), raising his hoof, "but I don't think that's a legal move in basketball."

"Don't worry," said Babs. "Today, we're not playing basketball."

"Instead," said Smolder, "we're playing Dragonball!"

"Dragonball!" exclaimed Garble. "My favorite!"

"What is Dragonball?" asked Bluenote (a light blue unicorn stallion with dark blue and magenta hair), raising his hoof.

Smolder leapt into the air, hovering a few feet above the floor. "As Rainbow Dash would say, it's an awesome game. It's 2000% cooler than basketball! You throw rocks at your opponents, and you play in a pool of lava!" As Smolder spoke, she pretended to throw some rocks.

Most of the creatures gasped with fear and horror. The dragons smiled, and so did three of the changelings.

"Don't worry, ponies," said Smolder ... "and other flammable creatures. We won't be going to volcanoes today."

"Instead," said Babs -- "we'll be using the pool."

"And," said Napper -- "we'll be using rubber balls!" As she spoke, she pulled in a wagon carrying a hundred rubber balls.

Half the creatures sighed with relief, but some of the creatures were still nervous.

Kettle Corn raised her hoof (earth pony filly from "Marks and Recreation"). "Professor Smolder, I don't think I like this game. It feels kind of mean."

"It's a sport, my dear student!" replied Smolder, trying to encourage her. "If you agree to the rules, then it's okay!"

"I ... I don't think I agree ...," said Kettle Corn, nervously.

Smolder flew down to the wagon full of balls. She grabbed one and flew back up.

"Here, Kettle Corn!" called Smolder. "Have a ball!"

Kettle Corn looked up. Smolder hovered right above her and dropped the rubber ball.

The filly gasped with surprise. Still, she managed to catch the ball.

"Go on, Kettle!" encouraged Smolder. "Throw it at me!"

Kettle Corn stood for a moment. Then she tossed the ball a little into the air. With the ball still in the air, she turned around and gave it a big kick.

The ball hit Smolder in the face! Smolder yelped.

Bouncing off her face, the ball flew toward Garble. It hit him in the face, too. (Garble had been so busy watching that he didn't really see what was coming.)

Breezewood was sitting on Garble's thigh. The ball fell down toward him. He, too, was so busy watching that he didn't see he was about to get hit.

Too late, the little Breezie saw what was happening. He screamed, unable to react in time. The ball squashed him, bouncing off of Garble's thigh.

The nearby students gasped in horror. Smolder also cringed, and so did Garble.

Smolder flew down and landed next to Garble. Just then, Nurse Redheart (white earth pony mare with pink hair) burst in through the doors.

"Professor Smolder!" called Redheart. "Take me to the patient!"

Smolder flew to her, grabbed her, and dropped her next to Garble. Landing on the floor, Smolder stood next to her.

Breezewood was lying flat on Garble's thigh. His eyes were closed, and he wasn't moving. He looked as if he'd been beaten up.

From her first-aid suitcase, Redheart pulled out a special pair of glasses, which looked like black sunglasses. She put them on and gave the Breezie a quick lookover.

"No broken bones," she said. "At least none I can see."

Redheart took off the black glasses. Now she put on what looked like red sunglasses. Again, she briefly examined the tiny boy.

"His organs seem unharmed."

Redheart took off the glasses. She put both pairs of glasses back away.

"In that case," asked Smolder, feeling a little nervous, "do you know what happened?"

Nurse Redheart pulled out a bottle of water. She poured some of it onto the tiny Breezie.

Slowly, Breezewood opened his eyes. He groaned. Slowly, he struggled to sit back up.

Nervously, Garble, Smolder, and some other students watched. Kettle Corn also stood at the scene, her eyes a little watery.

“Uh ...? Uh ...?” asked Breezewood. “What happened ...?”

“He’s alive!” exclaimed Kettle Corn.

She kneeled and looked closely at him in the eyes. “I’m so sorry, little Breezie. I didn’t think I would cause such a terrible accident.”

Garble hung his head. “I must confess,” he said ... “there was a time when I would have stomped a Breezie into the ground — and laughed in his face. But my little sister, Professor Smolder, taught me that even the tiniest creatures can be precious gems. Just like the diamonds on my sister’s necklace, tiara, and toe ring!”

Smolder cringed and blushed with embarrassment.

“That’s so cool, Professor Smolder!” exclaimed Kettle Corn. “When I first saw you, I thought you were a boy. A big, rough boy. But now I see you’re not just big and tough. You’re kind and sensitive and love pretty things!”

“Yeah!” added Little Strongheart, approaching the scene. “You must have been Rainbow Dash’s star student!”

Smolder started to smile, though still blushing. "You ... you ... think I'm cool ... doing girly things like ... wearing dresses, wearing makeup, and going to spas?"

"You're a girl!" said Kettle Corn, with an encouraging smile. "Don't be ashamed to act like one!"

The mares and fillies clapped their hooves, and so did many of the boys. By now, Breezewood was back to normal. Sitting again on Garble's thigh, he clapped his hooves, too.

Kettle Corn looked toward Little Strongheart.

“Have you ever met Professor Dash, little buffalo?” she asked.

“I certainly have!" replied Little Strongheart. "You see, some ponies started building stuff on our land without our permission ... we thought we had to drive them out ... but then Dash helped us see that other creatures could live with us and be friends with us. It’s a long story. Anyhow, we are happy that the ponies want to share their world with us -- as we have done for them!”

Kettle Corn looked back toward Smolder.

"So, Professor Smolder," she asked, "do you still want to play Dragonball?"

Smolder scratched her chin. "I wanted a game that could include everycreature. But I didn't think about Breezies."

"Never mind, Professor!" called Breezewood. "I could be a referee. I could keep score. Or be a cheerleader!"

Some of the students giggled.

"In that case," asked Little Strongheart, "how do we play?"

Smolder jumped back into the air. Hovering once again, she started to speak.

"The rules are quite simple. First, you ..."

Suddenly, the whole class poofed and disappeared. One moment, everyone was in the basketball court. The next moment, every creature was gone.

Section #2:

Outside, in the school pool, Applejack was waterskiing, with only her hooves. Rainbow Dash was flying and pulling her with a rope.

"Yeehawww!" called Applejack. "Rainbow Dash, you're the best!"

"Anything for my best friend!" replied Rainbow Dash.

Applejack laughed. "I guess you are!"

Just then, the class poofed into the scene. They appeared next to the pool, in the bleachers. Smolder was still hovering. Babs and Napper stood on the concrete in front of the bleachers (which surrounded the pool).

When things are teleported, it's common to hear a zapping or poofing sound. This was no exception. Rainbow Dash and Applejack heard the sound.

"AJ," asked Rainbow Dash, looking toward Applejack, "what was that sound?"

Without her eyes looking ahead, Dash didn't notice that she was hurtling straight to the edge of the pool.

"Watch out!" cried Applejack. "You're getting too close to the --"

Dash looked back in front of her. She and Applejack screamed. Flapping her wings backward, Dash tried to stop. But it was too late.

Applejack's hooves were just about to hit the edge of the pool, which was made of concrete. She tried jumping off the wake she was making with the water, but it seemed she would still hit the concrete ground around the pool.

Applejack continued to scream.

Then suddenly, Dash and AJ poofed and disappeared!

AJ popped back up sitting in the bleachers. Dash popped back up hovering next to Smolder in the air.

The class remained silent. They looked around, feeling confused.

"Wow, Professor Smolder!" called Kettle Corn. "How did you do that?"

"Yeah!" added Breezewood. "How did you teleport us to the pool?"

Smolder smiled, laughing nervously. "I suppose ... I don't know my own magic ...?"

Just then, a familiar face poofed into the scene. It was Discord, floating in front of Smolder.

"Uh ... Discord," said Smolder ... "that was very ... thoughtful of you ..."

Discord chuckled. "I said I would be here, now and then, to make things more interesting!"

Snapping his fingers, Discord vanished from the scene. Dash and AJ barely had time to give him a dirty look.

Smolder turned to Rainbow Dash. “Professor Egg ... I mean Dash ... we could really use the pool right now. We’re playing a special game of mine.”

“Let me guess,” said Dash ... “Dragonball?”

“That’s right! Wanna play with us?”

“That sounds great!” With her wings, Dash leapt higher into the air. “I’ll lead one team and you’ll lead the other!”

Dash turned to the students.

“It’s a pretty simple game to play,” she explained. “You throw balls at your opponents. If one hits them in the head, then they’re out and have to leave the pool!”

As Dash spoke, she swooped down to grab a dodgeball. She threw it at Smolder, hitting her pretty hard.

“If you catch the ball,” said Smolder, “then you can bring in an extra player!”

Smolder threw a ball at Rainbow Dash. Dash caught the ball, though it knocked a bit of wind out of her.

“The two teams are restricted to their own sides of the pool,” continued Smolder. “And they are separated by a solid wall.”

Just then, a concrete wall popped up between the two sides of the pool. It extended from the bottom of the water to a foot above the surface.

(Discord floated a distance away, smiling.)

"How high may we fly?" asked a changeling.

"You must stay in the water at all times," said Smolder. "But you may slide on the surface. In fact, that's what dragons normally do when they play this game."

Smolder descended to the surface of the pool. She started waterskiing, using her wings to propel her.

"A lot like waterskiing?" asked Applejack.

"Exactly like waterskiing!" Smolder started dancing as she skied, like a tomboy ballerina.

"By the way," she added, "I have made the rules nicer and easier for you ponies. When dragons play this game, it's not enough just to hit your opponent. To put them out of the game, you have to knock them out!" She punched the palm of her hand with her fist.

Kettle Corn sighed. "I wish I had wings."

"So do I," said Applejack.

Rainbow Dash flew out of the scene. Moments later, she dashed back with her pet turtle, Tank. Dash landed beside Kettle Corn and stood on the bleacher beside her.

"I think I can help you with that," said Dash. "You could wear a little helicopter, like my pet turtle here."

Smolder sighed. "I wanted every creature to have fun. But it seems I picked a sport meant only for flying creatures. And even then, I had to make it safe for creatures other than dragons."

"Don't feel bad, Smolder," said Babs Seed. "I know you'll find a way to include everyone."

"Yeah!" added Napper. "That's what loyalty is about!"

"Can I sit this one out?" asked Kettle Corn, raising her hoof. "I admire your skills, Smolder. But this sport feels kind of scary to me. I don't want to get hurt. And I don't want to hurt any creature."

"I don't mind just watching," added Smallfry (a little colt, dark blue earth pony with teal and light blue hair, seen in Pony Life). "That's what I do with hoofball!"

"Yaks no like water," said Barbara.

"Richard agree," said Richard. "And do Sarah and David."

"I have an idea, Smolder," called Napper, "for a game that everyone should be able to play. Come on down and I'll tell you!"

Smolder landed beside Napper. With a playful face, the little cat jumped onto her and whispered into her ear.

Smolder giggled. With a soft voice, she said, "That sounds like something I'd love to do with Gallus! We've long been partners in crime, so to speak!"

Smolder turned back to the class. "Okay, students! You can play, or you can sit in the bleachers. Next time, I'll have a game that won't have to be a spectator sport!"

"In that case," said Rainbow Dash, "let's start picking teammates!"

"Pick me, Dash!" called Little Strongheart.

"Pick me, little sister!" called Garble.

"And me!" called a changeling.

Comments

[nightshroud96]

Glad to see another chapter.