Ciderfest BOAS APP Stories: 86?!

by Janicethelight

63. #CrankyMeetsSteven

Story
Cranky looks around his surroundings. How he ever managed to get turned around enough to end up in the middle of the Hayseed Swamps was beyond him. The ground squished with every step he takes. Bugs bite him despite his best efforts to swish them away with his tail. Sweat trickles down his face, matting his thinning hair into his eyes. Worst of all, every single tree and path looks the same. "Wonderful. I'm lost…and now I'm talking to myself." Cranky sighs, "I think I might be getting too used to being alone. Maybe after I find my way out of this awful swamp, I'll just…give up…"

Cranky's heart sinks at the thought of giving up on his quest. His heart races back in time to the best night of his life. Who would have guessed that one galla would change his life forever? He felt so out of place around all the fancy ponies, but then he met…her. The Jenny of his dreams named Matilda. Oh, the night that he spent with her lived in his heart for moons and moons. "Be honest with yourself, Cranky. You're never going to find her. I have a better chance of finding ice in the middle of this humid swamp!"

A few minutes more of wandering aimlessly through the swamp, Cranky hears a very distinct cry ahead to his left. "Did another creature end up here?" He wonders, racing toward the sound.

Through the mists of swamp gas, Cranky sees who is crying and freezes. In front of him is a sea serpent, bawling. Humps of his body curve out of the water. Fear grips Cranky as the serpent weeps. Then his eyes slowly glance down. The swamp lake that the serpent is in is frozen solid. Shocked, and believing it to be a sign, Cranky approaches the sea monster. "Uh…you okay there?" He asks tentatively.

The Sea serpent stops, looking at Cranky. He sniffles before he speaks. "No. I am not okay. First, a flood washes me out of my beautiful river and into this awful swamp. Then, the lake that I find myself in freezes. I am freezing on one end and sweating at the other. Lastly, I'm going crazy!"

"Uh…why do you say that?" Cranky wonders.

"Because now I'm talking to a donkey that isn't even here!"

"No. I'm here! Honest!" Cranky touches the Serpent to prove he exists. "My name's Cranky Doodle Donkey."

"I am Steven Magnet. While I'm very interested in why a donkey has come into the swamp, I would rather get out of it!"

"Me too." Cranky agrees. "I'm lost."

"I can see the way out, so if you could get me out of this lake, I'll gladly help you find your way out of the swamp!"

"Deal!" Cranky looks at the lake. "What we need is a fire!"

"In these wet conditions?! P-lease!" Steven waves his hand dramatically.

Cranky takes his pack off, digs through it and finds kindling and a gas lantern. He looks mournfully at his already-tattered suit from the gala, sighs, and lays it close to the shore before the ice starts. He starts a fire carefully, allowing the small sticks to burn hot before adding his only dry log. To his shock, the entirety of the lake unfreezes at once. Cranky points to another lake nearby. "Jump there quick!"

Steven bends down before jumping from one lake to the next. The fire sinks into the lake the next moment, and the lake freezes as fast as it unfroze.

"Thank you Cranky!" Steven reaches into his hair, "it's not much, but I found this odd glowing paper just before you came. I want you to have it! I can go through the water to get back to the river. I'll need to seriously exfoliate when I'm back, but I'll be home!"

Cranky reads the paper, mouth agape. He could find her now thanks to Steven! Should he really take that short cut though?

[CHOICE]
What should Cranky do?
> Use the page to find Matilda now. (Chaos)
> Keep looking for Matilda on his own. (Hero)

[ENDING A: CHAOS]
"I could use this to find her!" Cranky murmurs.

"Find who?" Steven asks.

"Matilda: the love of my life." Cranky shares his story with Steven, who hangs on his every word.

"My goodness, Cranky! You absolutely need to find her as soon as possible!"

"You know what. Steven. You're right. Celestia as my witness, I will be with her now!" Cranky holds up the page, orange light swirling around him until he disappears completely. Steven sighs before carefully swimming through the Murky swamp. Once he gets back to his river, he is covered in gunk. He sighs dramatically. "I am FILTHY! I need an exfoliating sponge stat!" He goes off in search of a way to clean himself off.

Meanwhile, Cranky finds himself in front of a door in Ponyville. He takes a deep breath and knocks.

Matilda opens the door, her eyes widening as she sees him. "Doodle? Doodle is that you?"

"Yes, Matilda. It's me. I finally found you!" Cranky smiles.

"And I am so happy you did! Please, by all means, come in. I want to hear about everything after we last saw each other."

Cranky nods, walking in with his heart full. Maybe Cranky no longer fits him. Doodle sounds closer to how he feels now.

(+1 page for Chaos)

[ENDING B: HERO]
"I could use this to find her!" Cranky murmurs.

"Find who?" Steven asks.

"Matilda: the love of my life." Cranky shares his story with Steven, who hangs on his every word.

"My goodness, Cranky! You absolutely need to find her as soon as possible!"

"You know what, Steven. I want to find her as soon as possible. I want to take this page and have it bring me to her right now!"

"So why don't you?!"

"Because then I would be making you swim through all this!" Cranky waves his hoof around the Murky swamp. "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy, much less a new friend."

Steven picks up Cranky, hugging him. "You are too kind!"

"Thanks. Please. Let go. Can't. Breath!" Cranky manages before Steven loosens his grip.

"Well then, how do you use that weird thing anyway?" Steven asks.

"I think you just…write what you wish for and then…" as Cranky finishes scribbling his thoughts, the two see an orange glow wrap around them and find themselves near the coast. Steven is in a fresh, clean river and Cranky is on the shore. Steven cheers.

"Cranky, you sacrificed a chance to be with the one you love to help me. If there is anyway I can help, you say the word!"

"I could use a friend to search with!" Cranky shrugs.

"Well, I can't help with that in landlocked areas, but anywhere with a river bank, I'm happy to join your search!"

"I only have one question?"

"What's that Cranky?"

"Why didn't you use the page to get yourself out?"

"To be honest, at the time I was so overwhelmed with grief I didn't realize it was special. It wasn't until you came and helped me that I realized what it was, and by that time you had gotten me out. I'm glad I didn't though."

"Why's that?" Cranky wonders.

"Because then I would have never been there to help you and make a new friend!"

(+1 page for Heroes)

Author's Note:

Going back to episode 100 got me thinking: how DID Cranky and Steven meet? Here's my thoughts on the matter!