The other Ponyville (G3/G1 crossover)

by Peace Petal

Chapter One

Wind Whistler took in the scenery as Minty led them through the town. Apparently it was also called “Ponyville,” and it certainly had similarities to the other Ponyville they had wandered through earlier. It was a peaceful, cheery town. It had similar architecture to the other Ponyville, with a prominent heart motif and a lot of pink. But Wind Whistler couldn’t correlate individual locations in the two towns. And while this Ponyville had a castle overlooking it, it was in a different location atop a hill and its architecture was more similar to Dream Castle in Ponyland rather than that weird crystal tree-looking thing in the other Ponyville. The most noticeable difference was the inhabitants; they were all earth ponies.

Minty seemed like the sort of pony who could keep talking all day. “And then there was the time when I broke the Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane…” She was giving anecdotal evidence for what a clever problem solver Pinkie Pie was. And while that was somewhat reassuring, Wind Whistler knew that what they really needed was magic. Magic strong enough to finally get them home. Wind Whistler, Fizzy, Gusty, and Shady had stepped through a portal that had transported them to an alternate world. The ponies there had helped them open up another portal, but it had taken them to yet another alternate world. Wind Whistler hadn’t seen any magic here yet. Hopefully someone here was up to the task or had a magical artifact that was.

Minty led them to a pink house with a large, three-story, balloon-shaped structure on one side. Minty knocked on the door. There was no answer, but Wind Whistler heard the pounding of a hammer coming from behind the house. Minty knocked again more loudly. “She may be mistaking your knocking for her hammering,” Wind Whistler said. She whistled loudly. The hammering stopped.

“Pinkie Pie!” Minty called.

“I’m in the back,” a voice responded. “Just come around the house.” They stepped off the cobblestone road on the green grass surrounding the house. Wind Whistler’s stomach rumbled. She had snacked a few times, but she hadn’t had a proper meal all day. Maybe Pinkie Pie would be willing to part with some grass? They came around the house and saw Pinkie working on… something. It was a large, wooden basket, maybe big enough for four ponies to stand in. Attached to it by ropes was a large, pink fabric strewn across the grass. The basket had a hole in one side which Pinkie appeared to be repairing. Pinkie Pie appeared similar to the Pinkie Pie they had met in the other Ponyville, although she had a straight mane rather than puffy curls. Her coat was also a little darker, and her mane a little lighter.

“Hey, Minty, what’s up?” Pinkie said, not looking up.

“Hello, Pinkie Pie,” Fizzy said. “What are you working on there?”

Pinkie looked up and saw Fizzy and the others. She stood up and said, “Hello! Who are all of you?”

“I’m Fizzy!”

“Wind Whistler.”

“Gusty.”

“Shady.”

“I’ve never seen you in Ponyville before,” Pinkie said. “Where are you all from?”

“Have you ever heard of Dream Valley?” Gusty said. “In Ponyland?”

“No,” Pinkie said.

“To put it simply, a portal transported us from another world, similar yet distinct from your own,” Wind Whistler said.

Pinkie’s eyes went wide, but before she could say anything, Minty cut in. “You should have seen it! There was this big… thing in the air, woosh, and it was all rainbow-y, shing, and they were all whoa and they fell into the street!”

“Wow, really?” Pinkie said. “That’s incredible! What’s it like where you’re from?”

“We can talk about that later,” Wind Whistler said. “Minty says you’re clever, and we need your help. We need magic that can get us back to our world. Do you know someone who’s good with magic, or any magical artifacts, or even a library that might have useful information?” Wind Whistler wasn’t sure if these ponies even knew what magic was, since they were all earth ponies.

“Hmm, that’s a tough one,” Pinkie said, and she started pacing. “Magic is one thing, but rainbow-y portal, woosh-you-to-an-alternate-world magic is a whole different thing. I’m not sure who could help with something like that.” She closed her eyes for a moment, then gasped. “That’s it! I can’t help you, but I know someone who maybe can. He’s been around for thousands of years, and he knows locations I had never even heard of.”

“Wonderful!” Wind Whistler said. “Can you take us to him?”

“Of course,” Pinkie said. “But first, you must have had quite the day, what with magic rainbow portals and all. Do you need anything? A place to nap, some party punch, some leftover cake?”

“Party punch?” Fizzy said. “I’d love some!”

“Our bodies need proper nutrition,” Wind Whistler said. “Would you mind if I were to graze on some of the lovely Poa ponensis you have outside?”

“What do I have outside?” Pinkie said, sounding worried.

“Ponish bluegrass,” Wind Whistler said.

“Oh,” PInkie said, laughing. “Help yourself. There’s some alfalfa in the garden, too, if you want it.”

“Wow, thank you,” Fizzy said. “You’re as nice as the other PInkie Pie.”

“The other… Pinkie Pie?” Pinkie repeated.

“Similar yet distinct worlds,” Wind Whistler said. She could already tell this Pinkie was less hyper than the last one. And she was out repairing something, which didn’t really seem like something the other Pinkie would do. However, there were probably similarities even beyond the name and colors. They had similar flank symbols, and the fact that this Pinkie had party punch and leftover cake was likely no coincidence.

“I have so many questions,” Pinkie said. Wind Whistler excused herself to graze while Fizzy went straight for the punch and Gusty started explaining more about Ponyland. Wind Whistler lowered her head to the grass. It had a faintly sweet aroma and a flavor to match. Curious. Maybe this wasn’t Poa ponensis, but a different grass in the same genus? Whatever it was, it was fresh, tender, and delicious.

Wind Whistler heard hoofsteps behind her. She looked over to see Shady, who bent down to graze as well. Wind Whistler chewed and said, “I hope the others come out here. We won’t get far on nothing but sugary drinks and cake.”

“Well, you know Fizzy,” Shady said. “She likes to eat dessert first. Gusty’s telling stories, but she’ll probably eat when she’s done.”

Wind Whistler chewed through another mouthful and said, “How are you doing, Shady?”

“I’m a little disappointed. I thought we’d finally make it home. This place seems nice, but I miss our friends.”

“I feel the same,” Wind Whistler said. “If time has passed equally for them, they will have sent out search parties by now. And there’s not a trace to lead them, unless Galaxy can trace the magic of the portal.” How long had it been since they disappeared from Dream Valley? 36 hours or so. It felt like much longer.

“I hope they’re not panicking,” Shady said. “I know I would be.”

“At least we four are together, and we appear to be in no danger here,” Wind Whistler said, looking around. There were no fences to seal off properties, and she hadn’t seen Pinkie unlock the door to let them in. The castle was the only hint that there was any need for security in this peaceful town. “We’ll find our way back eventually.”

Wind Whistler moved on to the alfalfa, which was just as satisfying as the grass. She came inside just as Fizzy and Gusty were heading outside. “How was the grass?” Pinkie said.

“It was delectable,” Wind Whistler said.

“You have to try this punch!” Minty said. “Fizzy did something to it, and it’s amazing! She’s better than a soda machine. Which rhymes with green.”

Wind Whistler looked at Minty. “Yes?” she said, waiting for an explanation on how that was relevant. Minty just gave a goofy chuckle and poured Wind Whistler a glass of punch. Wind Whistler started licking it up. Fizzy had added a light, foamy fizz to the punch that perfectly complemented its flavor. The punch was a pink, fruity blend. It seemed that everything Pinkie owned was pink.

Soon they had finished eating, and they all felt refreshed. They thanked Pinkie Pie, and she and Minty led them to the castle, where someone who might be able to help them lived. Like everything else here, the castle was painted in bright colors. The drawbridge was down and the doors open. The interior was clean and well lit by windows.

As they went in, window light gave way to candlelight. Wind Whistler thought she heard something shuffle behind her, but when she looked she only saw an empty hallway. “Hello?” Pinkie Pie called. “Is anyone there?” They came into a library with skylights.

There was a loud snarl directly behind them. Wind Whistler spun around to see a fierce, purple beast with sharp claws and teeth. Ponies screamed, and suddenly the air was filled with bubbles. Wind Whistler shut her eyes a moment before they started popping all over her face. The creature facing them cried out in pain. “Ouch, my eyes!” it howled. “It burns!”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Fizzy said. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Wind Whistler opened her eyes. The bubbles had cleared. Before them was a dragon, a little shorter than them but bulky. He reminded Wind Whistler of Spike, although he was decidedly fiercer in appearance.

“It’s my own fault for startling you,” the dragon said, blinking. The whites of his eyes were currently red. “Never approach a horse from its blind spot, they say.”

“Who says that?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Oh my, do they not say that?” the dragon said. “Well they should. Excuse me, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Master Kenbroath Kilspotten Heathspike, but you may call me Spike.” Yet another Spike. How peculiar.

Wind Whistler and her friends gave their names. “I say, that’s some peculiar magic you used, Fizzy,” Spike said. “You four aren’t from around here, are you?”

“Indeed not,” Wind Whistler said. She gave a fairly detailed explanation of how they had gotten here.

“My, my, my,” Spike said. “In all my years I’ve never heard anything like it. And you’re looking to get back home, yes? Well, let’s see. I believe you need to click your heels three times and say “There’s no place like home” and you’ll be there! No wait, that’s the wrong one. Um, let’s see… You need magic that can teleport you across the barriers between realms. I can’t guarantee this will work, but it’s a start. In Unicornia they have a wand that can teleport its user. Maybe with the right tweaks it could be used to teleport to another realm. You’ll need to speak to Princess Rarity. Another possibility is Butterfly Island. The pegasi there have similar magic in their Rainbow Waterfall. I’d recommend speaking to their leader, Star Catcher.”

Spike pulled out a map. “Unicornia is marked by this rainbow castle here. It’s a long journey. Butterfly Island is even farther, but you can teleport there using the Rainbow Waterfall, which is just outside Ponyville.”

“We can get to Unicornia using my hot air balloon,” Pinkie Pie said. “It’s not too far if you fly.”

“I suggest we divide ourselves and visit both locales simultaneously to increase our probability of success,” Wind Whistler said. “We can rendezvous in Ponyville.”

“What’d she say?” Minty said.

“She means we should split up and visit both places, then meet up again in Ponyville,” Pinkie Pie said. “It sounds like a good idea to me.”

“Perhaps you two unicorns should go to Unicornia, since your magic will be more similar to theirs,” Wind Whistler said to Fizzy and Gusty. “Shady, you can come with me to Butterfly Island.”

“Okay,” Shady said.

“A pony named Rainbow Dash is most familiar with the route to Unicornia,” Pinkie said. Another familiar name. “I’ll find her and go to Unicornia with you as the balloon pilot. Minty, can you show them to the Rainbow Waterfalls?”

“No problem,” Minty said.

“Great!” Pinkie said. “I’m going to have to finish repairing the balloon, and it’s getting late, so we’ll head out tomorrow.” Oh, so that’s what she was repairing. “You can all stay at my house. I have plenty of room.”

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Wind Whistler said.

“Wait, I don’t want to miss out on all the fun!” Minty said. “My house is smaller, but I can fit at least one of you.”

“I’d love to stay with you tonight,” Fizzy said. “We’ll have fun!” From what Wind Whistler could gather of Minty’s personality, she worried that the two of them without supervision might cause some kind of chaos. But they were both adults—or at least Minty appeared to be an adult—so Wind Whistler held her tongue.

“Alright,” Gusty said. “We can meet up with you at Pinkie Pie’s house tomorrow morning.”

* * *

Wind Whistler lay down in the soft grass next to the quietly gurgling brook. It was a cool, picturesque day in Dream Valley. The sun shone, birds sang, and white cirrus clouds streaked across the sky like strokes of a paintbrush. Ribbon and Paradise laid across from her, with two books in the center: 20,000 Leagues Under the Mare and The Voyage of the Bridle. “I trust we all completely read both books?” Wind Whistler said.

“Of course,” Paradise said.

“Yes,” Ribbon said.

“Excellent,” Wind Whistler said. “Paradise, what is your evaluation of The Voyage of the Bridle?” Paradise and Wind Whistler were both avid readers, but Paradise loved fiction and Wind Whistler loved nonfiction. They had each challenged the other to read a book they thought the other would like. Ribbon had joined in, reading both books.

“Well, I hope you don’t take this personally, but I found it to be rather poorly written,” Paradise said.

“Poorly written?” Wind Whistler said. “Do you care to elaborate?”

“Well, the author doesn’t do much to develop the characters besides himself,” Paradise said.

“It’s the journal of a naturalist aboard the survey vessel the Bridle,” Wind Whistler said. “It’s about his discoveries, not his shipmates.”

“That’s the problem, isn’t it?” Paradise said. “It reads like a textbook, not a narrative.”

“I resent that,” Wind Whistler said. “It is no mere catalog of species. His discoveries are told in chronological order along with his own personal thoughts and feelings on them.”

“Yes, but there’s no overarching story,” Paradise said. “Things just happen. There’s no structure, no clear exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution.”

“What you’re asking for is illogical,” Wind Whistler said. “He cannot change the order of events or embellish things in order to fit into the ebb and flow of a particular formula. These are real events, you must realize. Besides, 20,000 Leagues Under the Mare is guilty of more egregious oversights.”

“Is that so?” Paradise said.

“Yes,” Wind Whistler said. “It is riddled with scientific inaccuracies. Many of the author’s descriptions and classifications of marine organisms are simply incorrect. For example, Carcharhinus melanopterus, the gigantic shark with which the crew does battle, is in reality a rather diminutive fish. It is lighter than a pony and certainly incapable of eating one.”

“Well, you have to forgive the scientific inaccuracies because it’s an old book,” Paradise said. “Maybe that species of shark was bigger back then, or it was simply misunderstood by the primitive science of the time.”

“As a matter of fact, several Carcharhinus melanopterus specimens had already been collected by that time, and they were similar in size to the ones seen today,” Wind Whistler said. “I imagine that the author based the creatures in the book off exaggerated hearsay from sailors, rather than doing proper scientific research.”

“I think you’re missing the point,” Paradise said. “The story is driven by the characters’ passion for discovery, not the technical details.”

“Well is there anything either of you liked about the books you read?” Ribbon said.

“Why, yes,” Paradise said. “Although the book is about science rather than the narrative, I appreciate the author’s passion for science. It’s rather infectious. I found myself looking up a lot of the scientific terms he used and even diving deeper into certain topics that interested me.” Wind Whistler was pleased to hear that. Getting a laypony to be interested in science was a victory, to be certain. Paradise was very smart; in fact, her knowledge of history and literature was deeper than Wind Whistler’s. But more than once she had mentioned that she found topics such as science and mathematics to be stuffy and boring.

“I was intrigued by the mystery surrounding the Captain,” Wind Whistler said. “With every new detail I learned about his remarkable life, I found myself increasingly captivated with his character.”

Paradise’s eyes were glowing. “Really? That’s wonderful!”

They spent the next couple of hours discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each book. They concluded that both books were good, even if their personal preferences differed. “Well, I suspect that we’ve both learned something,” Wind Whistler said. “I believe I understand your mentality and preferences better than before.”

“I feel the same way,” Paradise said. “I hope our friendship lasts forever.” They stood up.

Wind Whistler suddenly had the feeling that they were forgetting something. She looked around. Oh, the books. She nestled a wing under them and used it to lift them onto her back. She and Paradise turned to walk back to Paradise Estates.

Wind Whistler woke up rather suddenly. Light was trickling through the pink curtains on the small third story of Pinkie Pie’s house. What a vivid dream, Wind Whistler thought. I must be getting homesick.

Author's Note:

They said G3 was for fillies. But I didn't listen! You'd think I'd have to embellish and reinvent the characters of G3 to make it a more interesting fan fiction, but really, almost everything interesting in this chapter comes straight out of G3! It's a surprisingly creative and definitely underrated series.

Comments

[AppleKit]

G3 is a good writing source yes

[Queensarrow]

These stories are pretty interesting, I hope you continue them. I hope do you G5 after this, if only to see how much G4 history they picked up.