> Roll for Initiative
>  by David Silver
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 1 - Start Episode 1 - Perception Distance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike ran his claws over the spines of the books. "There's never anything to do when everyone's gone," he sighed to himself before he paused on a spine he hadn't read too much before. He pulled the book free. Ogres and Oubliettes, Twilight had gotten it for him a while ago, one of the many books she had given as a gift. Like most, it wasn't very appreciated. "Why does she think I'm into books as she is?" 

He hopped down to the ground with his find, flipping through the tome. It had a lot of numbers and usual terms, so he skipped those and got to the meat of things. It painted a world of adventure and excitement. It told of the 'Oubliette Overseer' that would guide the other players along the story, testing them and crafting a story worth telling while being the actor of the whole world at once. "Woah." Spike shook his head as he walked through the castle.

That sounded like a big job, but also kind of an exciting one. "I'll get to be in charge, for once..." He wriggled a few claws on his free hand, supporting the book on the other. "They will face my challenges, or suffer the ultimate price!" He broke into a wild cackle before he cut himself off with a clearing of the throat. "I mean, yeah..." It was all just theory if he just wandered around with the book.

But who would he even try it with? Visions of a darkened room came to his mind. He would be dressed in intimidating robes, a majestic beard on his face. "Make a loyalty check," he would say in a deep voice.

The pony that he faced, features obscured, quivered in fear. "A-alright..." They grabbed a die in their mouth and gave it a flick. It tumbled to the table as other shapeless ponies leaned in to see the results.

Spike shook his head clear of the fantasy. "Maybe Doctor Whooves?" The pony in his mind suddenly resolved to be the curious inventor. "Or Nurse Red Heart." He let out a squeak as he became a she. "Nah, I bet a mare would want to be the overseer." Red Heart huffed before she vanished from his mind.

He pushed open the door of the castle, the book tucked under an arm. "There has to be some ponies that want to give it a try..." He looked up from the ground to see that a pony was already there, looking at him quietly. "Oh, hey McIntosh!" He waved his free hand at the large red visitor when it hit him. He had promised to chat about some hoofball! "You're... just in time!" He bluffed, imagining the Inverted Honesty roll he was making in his head, praying it'd come up with a high number.

"Yup," agreed Big Mac as he stepped inside the castle. His eyes fell to the book held under one of Spike's arms. "What's that?"

Spike winced, caught. "Oh, this, uh..." Well, no harm in telling him, right? "Hey, you ever hear of O&O?"

Big Mac arched a brow. "What's that?" He kept walking towards their usual meeting place in the map room.

Spike scampered along. "Well, it's a, you know, game!"

"What kinda game?" He sounded mildly interested, but he didn't stop his march.

"It's a game of adventure!" Spike hurried around him to get in front of him. "You get to be a big hero and save the day from bad people and fix problems!"

Big Mac stopped, looking down at Spike in a moment of pregnant silence. "Like... how mah sister does it?"

Spike tilted his head a little. "Huh, oh, yeah, I guess it is like that. They do go on wild adventures..."

"And..." He sat down on his haunches and raised a hoof to his chin. "We could do that?"

Spike bobbed his head quickly. "Oh yeah, that's the whole point!" He thrust up the book in both hands at Big Mac. "You can be the star of your own story!"

Big Mac's eyes went slowly wider before they fell smoothly into a half-lidded considering expression. "Ah star... So... How's it work?"

Spike did a little hop for joy. "You wanna play?"

"Yup." Big Mac gave a slight nod. "How?"

Spike made a quick dash to the table, hopped up and slammed the book down on Baltimare, ending the pictorial lives of countless ponies. "Well, the first thing we need is a character for you. You don't play yourself."

"Huh?" He ambled up to the table, looking at Spike and his big book. "Who do ah play if not me?"

Spike moved a hand in a slow arc. "Anyone you can imagine. You can be a noble ranger of the forest, or maybe a mighty spellcaster, or a, uh..." He paused to flip through the book. "You could be a friend maker! Or..." He kept flipping. "A big and powerful fighter!"

Big Mac's mind started to work, imagining himself as each of those roles. He could see himself with a quiver and a bow dangling over him, then himself with a horn, casting spells. He pinkened a little. His sister had already gotten on his case about that... He imagined himself trying to make friends with random ponies... but that felt a little awkward. 'Yup' was hardly a pile of eloquence that would draw ponies out of their shells. He would leave that to Pinkie Pie.

A fighter... He could do that. He knew how to be strong. "Alright, Ah'll be a warrior." He raised a hoof to flex that arm in a show of his muscles. "Ah'll protect others."

"That's the spirit," cried Spike as he dashed off to get a parchment and returned to write down the selection of class. "Oh, and a race. You can be any equestrian race. You could be a griffon, or a lunar pegasus, or even a diamond dog!"

Big Mac's head slowly tilted to the side as visions of himself as a griffon, all feathery on the front, with a long feline tail and flapping wings. It wasn't a... bad image, but it wasn't him. "Nope." He considered the lunar pegasus, known more crudely as a bat pony, and shook his head again. He wanted to be a valiant and noble warrior, not a protector of the night or something that'd scare ponies half the time. "Nope." Diamond dog? "Nope!" He didn't even try to imagine himself as one of those. They had bothered his sister plenty enough for him to know they were trouble.

Spike lifted his shoulders. "What about a dragon, like me? Or, you know, regular pony types are alright too."

Big Mac imagined himself as a dragon, big and scary. That hardly seemed quite right. He wanted to be thanked by princesses and celebrated, not feared. "Nope." He could be... himself? He knew how to be himself at least, there was some appeal to that, but to be fair, he went on to the next. He could have wings. Pegasi were known for their military background. He could be from a long line of proud pegasi warriors, there to kick rumps and take names... But... it didn't quite work for him. He didn't want to be one of many, doing what they did because they all did it. "Nope."

A unicorn? He pinkened faintly. "Does a unicorn haveta be a small pony?"

Spike lifted his shoulders as he flipped wildly to find the page on unicorns. "Nah, they don't have to be. They just get a bonus to magic that other races don't get.

Big Mac gave a musing 'mmm'. "So ah I could be a big unicorn?"

"Sure." Spike nodded his head. "So, unicorn?" He jotted it down on the paper. "A unicorn warrior, now there's a combo we don't see too often outside the royal guard."

Big Mac gave a smile at the thought. "Yup, but not that..."  He brought his hooves together in a loud clop. "Ah'm a noble. Sir... Mc... Big...um..."

"Sir McBiggun, got it." Spike scribbled busily. "A big strong unicorn." Numbers started to be put out. Neither fully understood what they meant yet, but they were pleased to see them appear, and Big Mac's character come into being.

Spike held up the completed sheet. "And here we are, your character."

Big Mac clopped his hooves in rapid little claps. "Now what?"

"Now we..." He flipped through the book. "Technically we're supposed to have four to six players, not even including the overseer, that's me."

"What'sa overseer?"

Spike gestured at himself grandly. "That's me! I am the overlord of the world! I decide what everything else does that the players, that's you, aren't playing. Every wicked trap, timid maiden, and dastardly villain dances to my beat." He wriggled his claws as if controlling puppets. "It's my job to make the adventures that you go on."

"Oh..." Big Mac tilted his head at the excited Spike. "So ya aren't playing?"

Spike's expression fell. "What? I am, just... not the same way."

"But ah thought we were playing, togetha." He wobbled a hoof between himself and Spike.

Spike shook his head. "Nah. I'll be making the adventures you go on. It is playing, just, you know, a different part. What we need is more players."

Big Mac stiffened at that even as Spike pulled out a little slip of paper and seemed to be drawing something. "Uh... do we haveta?" He didn't want other ponies knowing he was still harboring his little unicorn fantasies. Spike was different. He could trust Spike.

"Huh? Why wouldn't we?" He tilted his head. "I'm... just not sure who to ask... Here." He flipped the paper around to reveal a quick drawing of Sir Mcbiggun he had made."

Big Mac reached for it. It was crude, but it had been created quickly, and he smiled at it. It was him, with a helmet, and a horn that went through it. A sword floated beside the figure. "It's perfect..."

Spike waved it off. "I'm no expert at drawing, but..."

"Ya should practice more."

"It... isn't that bad, is it?"

Big Mac realized he had spoken poorly and shook his head quickly. "No! It's mighty fine..." He pointed at Spike. "Why can't you play? We don't need other ponies none."

Spike tapped his chin before he got to flipping through the book. He couldn't find any rule that specifically forbade the overseer from having a character. "Huh, guess I could..."

"Yep." Big Mac got an easy smile, hoping he'd avoided the awkwardness that bringing others would entail.

"But what would I be...?" He picked up his quill just to tap the side of his face with the feather. "Dragons are pretty awesome, I'll stick with that." He wrote it down on a new piece of paper. "But if you're a fighter, I should... round out the party a little. Oh! I can be the wizard for a change." He stuck out his tongue. "Twilight thinks she's sooo important. Look at me, I'll just wave my horn at every problem and it'll go away, until it doesn't." He huffed and rolled his eyes as he wrote down his class decision. "You wouldn't believe how many problems she makes with that silly horn of hers."

Big Mac gave a sympathetic chuckle. He had seen, and felt, what trouble Twilight could cause when she went down the wrong path. "Yep."

"I will be the mysterious... Mysterious..." Spike frowned, trying to conjure a name. Then he remembered the most annoying of all dragons, Garble. He frowned at the thought, but it turned into a smile. "I will be the wise and learned Garbuncle." What Garble should have been, instead of the bully he was. With a flourish, he graced his sheet with the name and got to filling in the numbers that defined who he was, in the game. "And there we are, now we both have a character." He grabbed another sheet and got to drawing his character.

Both had forgotten all about hoofball. A new game had entered their lives.
> 2 - You Meet in a Tavern
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike flipped madly through the book. "So, uh, to start..." He let out a triumphant little cry. "Ah ha, here we are." He had found the example adventure. He wasn't quite up to making it up as he went, or so he thought, so that seemed a safer place to begin. "You've spent a grueling week traveling across the countryside. It is with great--" He was reading directly from the book, doing his best to sound authorial as he droned.

Big Mac cut him off. "We."

"Huh?"

Big Mac pointed at Spike, then himself. "We. We're togetha, right?"

"O-oh! Yeah, well, uh, not yet." Spike bobbed his head. "I'm gettin' to that! So, there you are, tired and dirty, and you see this inn, the Bit and Bridle. It has a sign hanging over the door with a fancy parade headdress and a coin beside it. The sounds of revelry drift from within. A fine place to relax and recover." He cleared his throat. "Get it?"

"Ah... go in?" Big Mac spoke with uncertainty, but he was getting into the game. In his mind, his great unicorn warrior pressed wearily into the inn, heaving out a sigh of relief. 

"Finally," said his warrior. "A place to get some drinks, maybe a bath, and sleep on something better than dirt."

A comely mare waved at him. "Oh, hello good sir! Please, have a seat wherever you'd like. I'll be with you in a moment."

Big Mac blinked, his imagination bursting. "Uh, Spike?"

"Yeah?"

He smiled a little. "Ya do a funny mare voice."

Spike colored swiftly. "Hey! I'm doing the best I can!" He crossed his arms and flopped back onto his throne. "Anyway! You see a dark and mysterious figure at the bar, and he seems to have noticed you too."

The figure stood up on two legs, features hidden under a hood  as it came closer to Sir McBiggun. "Hello, valiant warrior," It spoke, male. "It is good that you came. I am in need of brave and valiant companions for a most dire task!"

Sir McBiggun lifted his tankard for a needed sip. "And who are you, shrouded stranger, to come and ask things of me?"

The smaller figure brushed his hood back, revealing his draconic head of the clearly aged wizard, flowing grey beard and moustache flowing--

"Ya said that twice," cut in Big Mac.

"I'm emphasizing!" countered Spike with a rolling of his eyes. "Right, so..."

The wizard brushed his cloak back as he assumed a dynamic position. "I am Garbuncle! I have come to..."

Spike flipped to the next page. What were they there for? Oh right!

"--rid the basement of exceptionally large rodents."

Big Mac tilted his head slowly. "That don't sound like much a quest for a big and strong warrior and a wizard."

Spike regarded the book a moment. "Y-yeah... So..."

Garbuncle brushed his cloak back as he assumed a dynamic position. "I am Garbuncle! I have come to save a fair maiden from the clutches of a foul monster!"

McBiggun clapped his tankard on the table. "Now we're talkin'! What foul monster dares to menace a pony on my watch?"

Garbuncle's face twisted into a scowl. "It's... so terrible it has hidden itself from us! We have to find it first, and then, the fair maiden."

McBiggun blinked softly. "Do we at least know who's in trouble?"

"Oh, uh, the princess!" He stroked his mighty beard. "Yes, the princess is the one in trouble."

"Which one? Celestia?"

Spike put a hand over his face. "This isn't Equestria, at least not the one we know. There is no Princess Celestia."

Big Mac rolled a hoof. "So which princess is it then?"

"The... wonderful and enchanting..." Spike's eyes darted about as he tried to think of a name. There was one mare he knew was the most wonderful and enchanting, but he didn't want to just use her name. That was a secret... "Schmarity." Nailed it. "Yes, Princess Schmarity is in trouble, and we have to save her."

Big Mac leveled an even gaze at Spike for several moments, letting his friend sweat. "Ya..."

"That's just her name." Garbuncle coughed into his free hand, the other clutching his gnarled staff. "Come, we should head out at once!"

McBiggun slid to his hooves, drawing his sword with the ring of steel. "Alright! Where to?"

Spike flipped through the book for a map, but lost patience part of the way through. He was already off the rails, why not make it up?

"We set off to the enchanted glade of the wood pixies." Garbuncle nodded his head. "They will have information that can get us closer."

"Ayup," agreed McBiggun and they marched valiantly from the inn, side-by-side. "So, uh, where ya from?"

"Huh?"

McBiggun pointed at Garbuncle as they walked. "Where ya from? Ah know yer name, but not much else."

"O-oh! Well, I'm... a learned wizard!"

"Uh huh?" McBiggun nodded. "Didja go to school?"

"Of course I did! The grand school of, uh, Dragonopolis! Only the mightiest of wizards are invited to attend. The classes were grueling, the tests life threatening, but I passed them all." He crossed his arms and gave a proud nod. "Now I wander the world, doing good where I can."

"Well, ah'm Sir McBiggun, a noble." He nodded lightly. "Ah couldn't leave another noble in trouble none, so ah want ta help Princess Schmarity."

"So, uh..." Garbuncle put a clawed hand behind his head. "How'd you get into fighting? You join the guard?"

"Nope." He shook his head firmly. "Just wanted ta do some good. Ain't no good being a lazy noble."

Spike spread his hands wide. "And so our heroes journeyed until the darkness came. They set up camp, a simple thing with a bonfire to ward away some of the chill. Little did they realize that they were being watched!"

"By what?" asked Big Mac, his ears perked.

"You'll find out!" Spike rubbed his hands together with a grin. "Because they arrive..." He picked up one of the dice and let it tumble. "During the second watch."

"That's mah turn!" noted Big Mac with alarm. "Well, Ah'll show 'em a thing or two."

"Not so fast." Spike waggled a claw at Big Mac. "You have to make a roll, to see if you even notice them before they arrive." He nudged a many-sided die towards Big Mac. "Go on."

Big Mac reached for it and pulled it close at the end of his hoof. He brought his other forehoof in and let it bounce around in the space created between them before unleashing it to tumble across the table.

"Ooo, not quite high enough..." Spike gave a malicious grin.

Sir Mcbiggun stood stalwart watch, the crackle of the fire his only company. It was a dark night, the moon barely a sliver in the sky above, when the clouds weren't obscuring it. It was the perfect night... for an ambush! With a sudden war cry, small imp-sized creatures rained down from the trees all around him. Two of them held a side of a net apiece, aiming to get the surprised McBiggun all wrapped up before the fight could even begin.

"Ah grab one of the imps!" said Big Mac in an alarmed voice. One of tha ones tryin' ta net me! Ah use mah fancy horn."

Spike reached for the die and let it tumble around. Truthfully, he didn't know what result was needed, but the imp had rolled low. Good enough. "The imp tries to dodge out of the way, but your magic is far faster than it could hope to be! You're holding its little form as it squeals and thrashes. The net hangs off of you limply."

Garbuncle stirred at the sounds of combat to find himself with two of the imps on his chest, one pointing a tiny spear at him! (a die is rolled outside of the world) He quickly rolled to the side, leaving the imps behind. He brought up his staff and, kapow! A blast of arcane energy knocked them to the ground, stars over their heads.

McBiggun shook the remains of the net free. "Who wants some!?" The imps quivered with uncertainty, but one stepped forward, the biggest and bravest of the bunch. He thumped his little chest and raised his spear high.

McBiggun nodded in respect to a fellow warrior. "No funny business, just me n' you." The little one nodded in kind. They crossed sword and spear and took a step back. It was a duel, accepted by both sides. The other imps watched the conflict with wide eyes.

Garbuncle waved his staff and with a sparkle, summoned several boxes of popcorn. The imps accepted the offered treat with a communal cry of joy and they all sat to watch McBiggun and the imp champion fight.

The imp circled to the left, jabbing his spear out as if testing McBiggun's stance, but he was unshaken, keeping his sword level and ready to swing at a moment's notice. The tension grew as they sought out one another's weaknesses. McBiggun took the first swing, bringing down his sword on where the imp had been just an instant before. The imp came down on McBiggun's back and scored a painful scratch that barely jabbed through his armor.

With a roar of anger, McBiggun twisted his body around, throwing the imp free as he grasped his sword even more firmly in his tee--horn magic. "The first hit's yours, but the last one's gonna be mine."

They clashed with the loud ring of weapon meeting weapon, but McBiggun had an advantage. He still had his hooves free. As the weapons struggled against one another, he kicked out, knocking the imp to the ground. "Ha ha!" He swung his sword in, holding it to the imp's throat. "Ah win, fair and square."

The imp suddenly vanished, leaving McBiggun blinking at empty air before he felt another rough jab in his foreleg. The imp giggled as it faded back into being. "If you can use magic--" It cried. "--I can use magic too!"

One of the smaller imps leaned in closer to Garbuncle. "No pony's ever won a duel with our champion before. He knows what he's doing."

Garbuncle stroked his amazingly masculine beard. "Is that so? Well, Sir McBiggun is known for his talents as well. I would not discount him so easily."

McBiggun went still even as the imp faded away. "Give up?" asked the unseen imp. "I would. You don't have a chance." Another sharp jab came, poking him in the side.

McBiggun winced, but remained still, waiting... The imp faded away with the sound of its giggling. Unseen, it moved for a new position to strike, only to find a hoof coming in with lightning speed, knocking it to the ground roughly with McBiggun standing half on top of it. "Ah ha!" He kicked with his other hoof, knocking dirt onto the unseen imp and revealing his outline. "Found ya."

The crowd of other imps collectively gasped. One casually nibbled on his popcorn, clearly still enjoying the show.

"Alright alright! Don't squish me!" cried the champion. "You win, fair an square!"

McBiggun nodded. "Ayup. Promise to go away."

"We'll go away!" he promised desperately.

Garbuncle rose to his feet. "Wait there, good friend. Sir Imp, I would know why you attacked us. Was this a simple act of opportunity?"

"W-what? Um, yes!"

"Ah dun believe him," stated Big Mac, crossing his arms.

"You can make an honesty roll to see if you can get a good read on him." Spike nudged the die over to Big Mac.

Big Mac grabbed up the die and shook up real good. "Ah bet they're hidin' somethin' or other..." He let the die fall, rattling around on the table.

McBiggun shook the imp he had pinned. "Tell us the truth! Why'dja attack us?!"

"Alright, alright!" squeaked the rattled imp champion. "The wizard told us to!"
> 3 - End Episode 1 - Inevitable Betrayal
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big Mac brought his hooves down on the map, making it wobble faintly from the force. "What!?"

Spike squeaked in alarm and shrank back. "Woah, hey, not me, I swear!"

"Yer the only wizard ah know!"

Spike righted himself, raising a lone finger. "But not the only that exists. They were attacking me just as eagerly as you. Come, Sir McBiggun, the mystery deepens, and we need to get to the bottom of it!"

And so, peace made with the imps, they left our heroes to prepare for the next leg of their journey. They had too many questions and not nearly enough answers. What foul wizard was trying to impede their progress? Could they save the fair princess?

"Fair?"

Spike blinked at the question. "Yeah, she's... kinda light colored?"

"Would that color happen ta be... white?"

Spike's fingers fidgeted among one another. "Maybe?"

Big Mac tapped his hooves together, as if copying Spike's nervous motions as best he could. "Ya know... it's alright."

"Huh?"

"Ah mean... Ah ain't gonna... say nothin'..."

Spike's head slowly fell to the side before it snapped upright. "I mean, thanks... B-but you've got it all wrong!"

"She's right pretty." Big Mac gave an easy smile. "Not my type, but right pretty."

Spike's cheeks began to warm dangerously. "W-we're not here to t-talk about Rarity!"

"Ah never said her name." Big Mac's brows gave a little waggle of victory.

Spike clapped a hand on his face. "C'mon, stop giving me a hard time."

"But ah ain't." He held a hoof over his chest. "Nope. Ain't mah place to tell a pony who they can like."

Spike gave the smallest laugh. "Yea..."

"And if ya want to be her hero, even in a game, what's wrong with that?" He leaned in towards Spike. "Nothin'."

Spike let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Yeah... Look, thanks. I mean... That's what friends are for, right?"

"Ayup." Big Mac wore his easy smile and tapped the table. "So, what happens next?"

As if on cue, the door to the castle swung open and both perked up at the noise.

"Spike! I'm home!" The voice was that of a familiar female.

Spike grabbed his book, slammed it shut and quickly snatched up all the dice he could find. "This'll be between us, alright?"

"Ayup." It wasn't as if Big Mac was in any rush to get flak from his sister about his fantasies. "Next time?"

"Next time! We have to find out what happens next." Spike gave a thumbs up just as Twilight turned the corner into sight.

"Oh, there you are. I  hope you two had a nice time." She was smiling gently as she approached. "Next time though, please don't use the cutie map as a table. It's powerful magic, and we wouldn't want anything happening to either of you."

"Oh, yeah. Hey, how'd it go?" Spike tucked the book under his arm and flashed a big smile at Twilight.

"Nothing we couldn't handle." She nodded at Big Mac. "Good evening, Big Mac. Applejack's already on her way home, if you want to say hello to her."

"Ayup." He rose to his hooves and started walking for the exit.

Game time was over, but only for the moment. Both were quite eager for the next time they had a chance to live their fantasies.

"So, what were you two up to?" pried Twilight as she wandered towards the kitchen. "A hoofball team perform any sudden upsets worth talking about?"

"Yeah! How'd you know?" Spike smiled his false smile. "That referee's call was way off."

Her horn glowed as she fetched a packet of tea from a cupboard and got to preparing herself some tea. "Want some?"

"Yeah, thanks." He tucked the book away while Twilight was busy. "So, anything planned? I mean, anything else that'll call you out of town?"

Twilight paused and peeked over at Spike. "You sound a bit eager for that. Not right away, so far as I know, but emergencies do come up." She eased into a teasing smile. "You'll just have to wait and see, just like I will. Maybe next time, I'll bring you along."

Spike considered what happened what usually happened when he was out of his element at Twilight's side. Sometimes it worked out, but those were the exceptions. "Someone has to keep an eye out on the castle."

"You, my brave and fierce dragon, will watch over my treasures." She gave a gentle laugh as she poured hot water into two mugs that quickly darkened with the tea she had placed in them. "Such a noble dragon you are."

"That's me!" He stood erect like a soldier in line. "Nobody can get past me while I'm on duty!"

"Except Big Mac."

"Well, he's allowed." Spike waved it off before accepting a steaming and glowing mug from Twilight's magic. "Besides, he helps me keep an eye on things."

Twilight bumped against him as she walked past. "I'm not blind, Spike. You two enjoy a little 'guy's night', and that's just fine. I know I'm not a guy, and you can use some company. Hay, I'm actually relieved it's Big Mac. He's a good stallion, and I'm glad you two are getting along."

Spike took his drink and wandered off, leaving Twilight to sip at her own and unwind after her trip. She paused when she noticed something peeking out from behind a cupboard. A book?

She pulled it up with her magic. "Oh, I remember this one. I got it for Spike..." But there it was, abandoned and tucked away in entirely the wrong place. "Maybe he doesn't like it?" She frowned faintly. "Or! Maybe it's just too complicated. The way Shining Armor talks about it, it is a complex game..." Then, an idea struck her. "Of course!" She set the book down in a more dignified place. "I'll invite him over to show Spike how to enjoy the game! They'll have a great time." She clopped her hooves together before taking a sip of her drink.

"Who knows, maybe Spike'll start playing more intellectual games instead of enjoying grunting about sports for hours." Her eyes rolled at the thought, though a little smile remained on her face. She did not begrudge Spike his time of masculinity, or the friendship it cemented. She didn't understand it, sure, but a stallion was a stallion, far be it from her to cast judgments on that.
> 4 - Start Episode 2 - BBBFF
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike hurried for the door of the castle. With any luck, it would be... He opened the door to find a familiar but unexpected pony. "Oh, you're not the delivery pony."

"Hey, Spike." Shining Armor smiled down at Spike. "Good to see you too."

"Hey." Spike echoed the word back at him. "Looking for Twilight? She's up in the observatory." He hiked a thumb in an upwards motion.

"Actually--" He stepped in and his with a glimmer of his horn, shut the door behind himself. "Twilight mentioned you could use a little help with a matter near and dear to my heart."

"Huh?" Spike thought quickly of what it could be. "Are you going to show me some guard stuff?"

"Nah, nothing like that." He smirked a little with the thought of Spike trying to be a proper soldier, as brave and valiant as he could be. "No, this is something I was into long before I even considered being a guard, actually. Come to think of it, you're a bit young compared to when I was when I really got into it, but we'll work past that, no problem."

Spike raised a brow at the larger unicorn. "Sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about."

A big grin split his face as a collection of books emerged from behind him. "I'm talking about the greatest game of them all!" He started to make a great pile of them on the first table he reached, dice set beside them and a few metal figures going down beside those. "It's time to learn how to play O&O, and you have a master player to help get you in the game." He sat on his haunches and put his hooves together, that grin only getting wider.

Spike wasn't sure what to say. "Oh, uh... thanks? Who..."

"Twilie mentioned she gave you a book a while back." He raised a hoof to twirl it in the air as his grin eased into a friendly smile. "She thought you could use some breaking in. I know it looks complicated, but with the right coaching, we'll have you slinging the dice like a pro in no time at all!" With a glowing horn, he pulled open his bag of dice and started making a row of them. "These are the most important part, your weapons. It start with the humble d4." He lifted a pyramid and wobbled it in the air before the dubious Spike.

Spike gave a slow nod. "Right... so... you've played before?"

His expression turned to shock. "Played before?! This was, no, is, one of my favorite games!" He set the pyramid down and picked up the next. "The d6, standard. Lots of games use this one." Down it went. "D8, D10, D12, D20, and..." He fished out an exceptionally large die from the bag. "My special one, a D100!" It was larger than the others, almost double the size. Shining let it roll on the table where it rumbled under the force of its own gravity. "I mean, you can roll 2 of the D10s, but this is more fun."

Spike extended a lone finger. "That's cool, but are the dice that important?"

Shining tilted his head at the dragon. "Of course. They're how you do anything. They are the difference between glory and the sting of failure! They are the dramatic tension." He kissed his D100, a little peck. "Treat them well, and they may return the favor. Now that we've got our weapons arranged, we can get our soldier."

"Soldier?"

"You know, your character." He pulled out a notebook. "I still have mine. Oh, the adventures we shared..." He set down the book where spike could reach. "I was a brave and stalwart warrior long before I realized I could be one in the real world too."

Spike puffed out his chest and stood as tall as he could. "I'm already a brave and stalwart warrior."

"Heh, so you have a leg up on me then." He pulled free a pencil and a clear sheet of paper. "Let's get you a character, and we'll have you exploring the deepest dungeons in no time at all."

Of course, Spike already had a character, but he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to share that with Shining or not. "Is that what you did?"

"When we weren't climbing impossibly tall towers." He chuckled softly as he touched the pencil to the paper. "Now what sort of character shall we make? There are many exciting classes to choose from! Why, you could be a knight, or an archer, or a devout cleric." He looked Spike up and down. "Those are like priests, with faith-based magic. Pretty cool, right?"

"Yeah..." Spike's voice held only false enthusiasm. "Say, why do you have so many books." He hiked a thumb at the great pile. "I mean, isn't it just one book?"

"The first book is just to get you started!" Shining Armor put a hoof on the pile. "Each other adds new and exciting options. Each gives new ways to customize your character. New tricks, new spells, even new races! Want to be a sea pony?" He nudged two books aside and plucked the third one free. "Here you go! They have it all covered if you have the right book. Or, say, maybe you want to be a master of the forbidden chaos magics." He set that book down and dug out another. "And I don't even have all of them!"

Spike reached for them, running his fingers along their spines. "I never knew they had so many..."

"Don't worry about it too much to start. I mean, if you want to make something from one of my books, I won't stop you, but we can stick to the basics if you prefer."

Spike rolled a hand lightly. "I don't... get it. If someone wanted to pretend to be something, why would you need a book for it?"

Shining blinked vacantly. "You need the rules for it, of course. How would that work?" He tapped the paper with his pencil. "Enough of that, it's time to get to making your hero!"

"BBBFF!" came the excited cry of Twilight as she approached. "And Spike. I see you two are already bonding, how wonderful." She reared up and grabbed both males, one under either arm. "So good to see you."

Shining dropped his pencil under the hug and returned the gesture to Twilight eagerly. "Hey, sis. We were just going over the basics."

"Well, don't let me get in the way." She released the two and moved past towards the kitchen. "Have fun, Spike!"

"Y-yeah, you too!"

"Oh, but I am." Her voice was full of cheer as she cantered on her way. "I can't wait to take more notes. This alignment is so rare, and the conditions are absolutely perfect."

Spike smiled after her. "She's been talking about this for the past week."

"Yeah?" He picked his pencil back up. "Good to see her still full of passion. So, your character? I know, let's stick with simple. You can be a swordspony." He started scratching at the paper.

"What kind of pony?" asked Spike with a brow rising.

Shining seemed to consider that a moment before he nodded. He grabbed the twenty-sided die and passed it to Spike. "Let's find out!"

Spike peered at the die skeptically. "Huh, alright." He let it tumble and it settled on a 20.

"Nice! That means it's a rare kind of pony. Roll it again!" Shining looked quite excited about it.

Spike was more confused. He hadn't looked up any such tables. Still, why not? He picked up the die and let it rattle on the table. 6. "What's that mean?"

Shining's magic snatched a book from the pile and flipped it open. "It means you, brave Spike, are a pony touched by the power of the fair folk." He showed a picture in the book of a pony with butterfly wings, like a breezy, but not as extreme in anatomy. "You're naturally talented in illusions and spells to manipulate ponies, and you have wings, always a perk."

Spike tapped the picture. "That pony has no horn. How do they do spells at all?" A dragon doing spells? He could imagine that.

"They're magical already, all baked in." He gave a little chuckle as he set that book aside, but still open. "Not the first pick I'd have for a swordspony, but it could work. It just means you have to be a clever one instead of rushing in, sword flailing."

Spike lifted his shoulders. "If you were, you know, one of those, and you wanted to be a knight, why couldn't you be?"

Shining's head tilted a little. "I don't mean in character. I mean, I guess they can go for being a fighter if they want, but their talents don't really lend towards it, you know?"

"Like a dragon wizard." Spike crossed his arms and his eyes half-lidded.

"Yeah, like that," agreed Shining without noticing Spike's reaction. He made quick scribbles on the paper before passing Spike several D6s. "Go ahead, let's roll your stats."

"Wait, you roll these?" Spike peered at his dice skeptically.

"That's how the game works, just like before when we figured out what kind of pony you were." He nudged at Spike's hand with a hoof. "Go on. We'll start with how strong your guy is."

Spike had used the non-random option to make the statistics for his characters the last time, but Shining looked eager to see the dice roll, so who was he to object? He shook the dice between his clenched hands and unleashed them to tumble across the table.

"And we take away the lowest one." He pushed a die that had come up one out of the way. "And we end up with twelve. Go on, let's see how fast you are."

Spike gathered up the dice and let them spill free.

"Fifteen, nice. That matches up with a faypony, strong, but not very strong, fast..." They went through all the numbers, then he went back and edited two of them.

Spike looked confused at it. "Why'd you change those?"

"Oh, being a fay pony means you're naturally good at generosity rolls, but weak at honesty ones. I was just applying the modifiers." He set the pencil aside. "Alright, we got the basics for your race, good job!"

Wait, races had modifiers besides just being what they were? Spike wondered how he had missed such critical things. "Huh... alright?"

"Alright! Let's get started on making your pony good at swinging swords." Shining suddenly paused. "Hey, something came to mind. Who are you going to play with, you know, when I'm not here."

Spike lifted his shoulders. "That depends on if I like it, I guess. I can find someone."

"Got someone in mind? That's good." He resumed scribbling. "What kind of weapon do you want to specialize in?"

Spike imagined the faerie pony in his head. "I bet he'd like something just like him, strong, but fast. Maybe something that's good in a duel?" He pantomimed a thrust and a parry.

"A rapier? Great choice." He jotted it down. "I'll make him specialized in that." He was writing down a lot more details than Spike had for the two characters he had made up. "Being what you are, you get a few tricks." He tapped the paper with his pencil. "You can make light, sounds from nowhere, and, once in awhile, try to charm a pony, like a generosity roll, but using your magic stat."

"That sounds kinda sketchy."

"It can be. Up to you how you use it." Shining flashed a smile. "I mean, charming a rampaging monster to not stomp a town isn't going to get a lot of ponies complaining, but doing it to their mayor might cause a few more objections, ya know?" He put a hoof on his chest. "Wouldn't work on me though."

"Why not?"

"Well, my character wears a cold iron necklace that protects him from faerie magic." He laughed as if that was a joke in itself. "No luck there." He set his pencil down. "Your character's ready."
> 5 - End Episode 2 - Gather Your Party
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

And so stood Brightwing, his rapier comfortably at his side. He hoped he would not need it, but having it made him feel better.

"Ho, adventurer," called out the barkeep. "Are ye seeking respite or a chance to plunge into your kind's namesake?"

Spike tilted his head. "Good voice."

"Thanks." Shining smiled as he nudged a die in a mild movement. "It's been a little while, but good to hear I still have it. So, what do you say to the barkeep?" Just as Spike opened his mouth, Shining clopped the table. "Before you can get out a word, the door behind you bangs open."

Brightwing spun to face the sudden noise, snout lowering towards the hilt of his rapier in preparation should it prove to be an ambush, but his grip never came. Framed in the light of the door was a haggard but comely lass, her mane disheveled and tail frizzy. "Help!" she cried as she rushed into the inn. "I need a hero!"

Spike quietly snickered to himself. Shining's girl voices were less spot on than his barkeep voice, but he didn't openly berate him for it. "I ask the mare what's wrong."

"She seems pretty worked up and is having a hard time getting out the words. Why don't you give me a kindness roll to calm her down."

Spike's eyes swept over the dice before grabbing a d10.

Shining's hoof came down on his hand lightly. "Nope, this one." He guided Spike over to the larger d20. "Go on!" He sounded excited for the roll.

Spike snatched up the right little die and gave it a shake. "Alright, I try to calm her down and assure her I'm here to help." The die tumbled and rolled on a five. Spike winced at the small number on such a large die.

Shining was less discouraged. He peeked at Spike's sheet and gave a small nod. "Your kind words reach her and she begins to calm down enough to get out her tale. She speaks of the undead! Strangely animated bones of ponies long passed that have come to haunt her and her farm. 'Oh, please, get rid of them!' she cries, eyes brimming with hope."

Spike nodded softly. "Well, I'm not going to let a lady despair. I tell her I'm on the case! But, uh, why was five good enough? That was a pretty bad roll."

"The DC wasn't that high, and you said the right thing. She did come here to get help, and here you are, armed and ready to go to battle for her." He grinned a little. "If you had mentioned rewards, she would have been harder to calm down."

"Well, Brightwing got into fighting to show that the fey ponies can be honorable and just. He wouldn't bring up rewards at a time like this. She needs my help!"

"Nice roleplaying." Shining gave a soft nod, like a mentor proud of their student. "Following her directions, it's not hard to find her farm. She didn't run that far. This must have been the first inn she came across while she was galloping away."

"Do I see any of these skeletons around?"

"You..." Shining rolled a die without explanation. "Do! There are two roaming the corn fields without clear direction."

Spike peered over his sheet. "You said feyponies get some tricks." He spotted them and raise a finger. "Here we are! I make a noise behind them, away from me, of a bunch of clopping hooves, like a party of adventurers approaching."

"Oh ho! Skeletons are not very smart. On hearing the noises, they turn to investigate it, leaving their back ends exposed."

Spike thrust his hand up as if it held a sword. "I charge! Brightwing is going to prove his stuff."

Brightwing thrust his rapier into the depths of the skeleton, quickly discovering that jabbing weapons were less than ideal, but with perserverance, and a few kicked hooves, he sent one tumbling into pieces. The second skeleton silently turned towards him before approaching with the clatter of bones. It swung a hoof at him, but he nimbly dodged aside.

With a quick jab, he forced the skeletal remains of the pony back, his reach superior to his foe.

"Give me a roll."

Spike blinked. "What kind?"

"Go ahead." Shining nudged the d20 back towards him.

Spike gave a little shrug, wondering what he was rolling, but gave it a shot. 18! "Alright! That's good, right?"

"It is. Just before you can step forward to finish off your foe, you hear something behind you, and you're pretty sure it isn't your magic."

"What is it?"

"You spin around to see the new danger! Unlike the skeletons, this pony still has most of its putrid flesh still attached. It's stumbling towards you with no goodness in its dull but glowing red eyes. Now that it sees you've seen it, it groans as a way of a battlecry."

Brightwing thought fast. The zombie needed dealing with, but it wouldn't do to end up pinned between two enemies. He stabbed and lunged as he circled around the skeleton to put it between himself and the zombie.

The skeleton, as if emboldened by reinforcements, made a reckless charge, trying to grab hold of Brightwing, With a quick buzz of wings, he lifted up and out of the reach of the sudden grab and came down in a crushing blow of his hooves, crushing the skeleton to dust just as the zombie arrived.

"You're doing quite well." Shining let loose a roll with his magic. "Are you sure you never played this?"

Spike squirmed a little. "Well, yeah, once..."

"Yeah? What'd you play that time?" He picked up a different die and let it tumble. "The zombie manages to land a painful thump against your chest, dealing four damage."

Spike quickly made a note of the damage and made his counter. "Oh, uh, a wizard?"

"Yeah? Those can be complicated to play. No wonder you got overwhelmed the first time. It's not a class I'd suggest to a new player."

Spike lifted his shoulders faintly. "The spells are fun to read and cast."

"They are," agreed Shining easily. "Just, you know, not straight forward like stabbing something with your rapier, like you're doing right now. Speaking of that, the zombie's fell magic fails it and it collapses to the ground, its meaty pieces flopping limply as if they had never been held together properly."

"Ew." Spike stuck out his tongue but was smiling. "Alright! I look around for any more creepy crawlies. Wouldn't do to have the mare come back just to be scared off again."

Twilight appeared in the doorway. "How are things going in here?"

"Spike here's a natural." Shining put a hoof on Spike's head and ruffled his fin lightly. "Already he's hard at work saving the day and protecting the innocents from the darkness."

Twilight gave a little laugh. "That brings me back... Glad to hear you're both having a good time." She trotted past, vanishing back to whatever duty called her.

Spike glanced at her and back to Shining. "Did she ever play?"

"When we were foals, yeah, but she kinda lost touch with it. She doesn't have time for 'make believe'." He pantomimed the quotes with his hooves. "I mean, I'm not, you know, being an adult is busy work. Still, it's nice to set some time aside for the good things."

Spike envisioned a younger Twilight, rolling dice while going on about her odds of succeeding at any given task. "Maybe it just wasn't her thing?"

"So! You have crushed the undead infestation under your hooves. The farm looks safe, for now." Shining tapped at Spike's shoulder. "Whatcha gonna do now?"

"Oh, hmm, well, if I can't find any more bad things, I'll look around."

"For loot?"

"What? No. This is that mare's house. That would be stealing. I'm looking for what they trashed."

"That's very nice of you." Shining smiled as he hefted the d100 up and let it roll ponderously across the table. "You categorize the damage and even manage to chase a few chickens back into their coop by the time the mare returns. When she does, she's elated to see all the hard work you've done on her behalf."

She approached Brightwing at an eager trot, tail swishing back and forth in a happy way. "My hero!" she cried as she moved to help seal the hole the chickens had escaped through. "I would have thought you would have slain those beasts and left me to mend my property alone."

Brightwing smiled easily. "What, me? Of course not. I am a knight of honor and will not leave trouble behind me if I can avoid it. I'm glad to assist, miss...?"

"Duchess Softtail."

Spike blinked. "She's a duchess? It's just a farm, right?"

"Sure is." Shining nodded at Spike. "A perfectly normal one from what you've seen so far. It's not even that large."

Brightwing put a hoof behind his head. "Pardon what could be a rude question, ma'am, but this seems like a curious place for a duchess to live."

She sagged, head hanging. "My family's fallen on hard times, alas. This is all I have left. Some would say my title means little without the land to back it up, but I hold onto it, onto hope." She smiled gently at her savior. "It is ponies just like you that remind me that there is still hope in the world, and I will soldier forward."

"Well..." Brightwing shuffled in place a moment. "What happened? Maybe we could fix it?"

"Oh, you are a brave one, eager to see wrongs made right, but this is, perhaps, above your means." She flipped out a fan and hid her face behind it. "It is a tale of intrigue and deceptions; one of cruel backstabbing and broken oaths."

Brightwing lowered that hoof just to clop it against the armor covering his chest. "Leave it to me! I'll see to it that the wicked is punished and your family put back where it belongs. Just point me in the right direction."

Shining gave a soft laugh, breaking the mood. "And that's where we'll break. You've succeeded on your first outing and have the way to much larger adventures." He spread his hooves wide. "Will the valiant Brightwing put the Softtail family back in their ancestral castle, or will he discover what happens to meddling adventurers who pry into the workings of nobles?"

Spike clapped his hands together in a quick applause. "That had more, uh, rules than I'm used to, but that wasn't bad."

"Don't sweat it too much." He made a dismissive wave of a hoof. "Rules are there to enhance the game, not take away from it. Never forget the golden rule of roleplaying."

Spike's eyes widened slightly. "What's the golden rule?"

"The guy telling the story makes the rules." He poked Spike lightly. "If you run a game, you decide what makes the game better. So long as you're working towards everyone having a good time, you're doing it right."

Spike hiked a thumb at the pile of books. "So if I don't go rushing out to get all those?"

"Up to you." Shining gathered his books into a neat pile. "You can't play your feypony without at least this one." He jiggled the book that held those rules.

"I mean, why not?"

"Because it has the stats, the new spells and exploits?" Shining looked baffled at the very idea of it. "How would you do it otherwise?"

Spike shrugged softly. "Just make it up?"

"I mean, sure, I guess? Nopony stopping you. Just make sure the guy running it's alright with it and you're good to go." He tucked the books away and began collecting his dice. "I'm going to say hello to Twily. It was a blast showing you the game."

"Oh, yeah, thanks!" He thrust out a clenched fist and Shining met it with a hoof in a friendly bump. "Say, uh, would you... want to join a game?"

Shining paused, ear twitching. "Are you asking me to run a game?"

"Nah." Spike waved it away. "I'd be running it. Wanna join?"

Shining rubbed one leg with the opposing hoof. "Love to, Spike, but you know how it is for me, always busy... If I get a moment free, I'll be sure to let you know."

He trotted away from Spike, leaving him to consider the game they had just played. "That was... interesting..."
> 6 - Start Episode 3 - New Dynamics
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big Mac nudged a die, his face a mask of uncertainty. "We did it wrong?"

"Nah." Spike waved a hand quickly as if warding away the idea. "I just learned a few things."

"So what's that mean?"

"It means I 'get' what the book's saying in a few spots, that's all. We're not changing how we play."

"Oh. Tha's good." He nodded his head, relaxing. "What'd ya learn from, jus' readin'?"

"Shining Armor stopped by." Spike set out Big Mac's sheet and his own. "He decided to 'teach' me how to play. I didn't bother telling him we were already doing it, so I got a lesson on things. Some of it's pretty cool, but most of it would just slow us down."

"Huh..." Big Mac pulled his sheet closer and peered at it. "Somethin' ain't right."

"Unicorns are good at magic, so you got a bonus to that." Spike pointed at the sheet. "So you're even more awesome than before!"

"Tha's good." He nodded his big red head. "Did you get somethin'?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! It was kinda obvious. I mean, what dragon doesn't breathe fire?" He let out a little gust of green flame before chuckling as he settled in his seat. 

"An ice dragon?" postulated Big Mac.

"Huh, guess they wouldn't..." Spike set out the two paper figures he had made for them. "Last we left off..."

A knocking came from the front of the castle. Spike hopped up. "Just a sec!" He rushed over to the door and pulled it open to reveal the lanky form of the pizza delivery pony. "Just in time!"

"What for?" the brown delivery pony asked curiously even as he reached back and produced several boxes of cheesy goodness.

"Oh, we're playing a game. It's a guy thing."

"I'm a guy," noted the pony with a grin.

"That you are." Spike gave an appraising nod. "I mean, don't you need to deliver more pizzas?"

"Nope, you were the last." There was a hopeful edge in his voice.

It was not missed by Spike, who gestured inside. "Well, if you're ready to brave the dangers, perhaps you too can become a hero."

"Really?!" His voice squeaked in his excitement as he stepped inside. "What kind of game is this?" The lanky earth pony trotted beside Spike on their way back to the playing room.

Big Mac looked up as they arrived, watching the pizza pony quietly with unspoken questions.

Spike hopped back into his chair, set the pizza boxes down and gestured to the left. "Big Mac, this is Parcel Post."

Big Mac nodded at him. "Ayup. Don't ya normally deliver mail?"

"Usually," he admitted as he sank into a spot beside the curved table. "I like delivering things. Getting things where they need to be is what I do."

Spike slapped down a new piece of paper. "It's time to craft your character. In this game, you assume the identity of another pony, who will go on amazing adventures, right wrongs, and, with hope and perseverance, become a hero!"

Parcel stomped the ground in approval. "That sounds fun. Can I be a delivery pony?"

Spike blinked. "You already are one of those."

"But..." He frowned a little with thought. "But I'm not a delivery pony here."

"That's true." Spike nodded as he got to scratching on the paper with his quill. "How about a scout? That means you'll be good at getting to places, even dangerous places, without being stopped. You know how to sneak around big nasty monsters, so your packages are always on time!"

His face brightened at the idea. "That sounds amazing! Parcel Post, ultimate deliverer!"

"Nope." Big Mac shook his head firmly. "Gotta make up a new name."

"Oh, hmm..." He tapped at his chin with a hoof before bringing it down on the table. "I will be Postage Due!"

Spike chuckled softly. "Nice." He wrote down the name and pulled out a new stand and slip of paper. He drew Parcel Post with a ninja-like set of clothing. "Here we are, Postage Due, nothing can stop him from reaching his assigned goal. Speaking of that, he's just about to make a fateful stop. He crests the hill and sees his target below. Two figures are just rousing in the morning, a dragon scholar of some kind--" He nudged his own figure. "--and a warrior unicorn." He nudged Big Mac's figure. "Those are the two you've been searching for. You have something for them."

Postage approached, darting from bush to tree to rock, keeping from obvious sight. Just as his quarries (distant rolling sound) pass him without noticing him, he springs forward! "Delivery!" He presents the box he was entrusted with. "I trust you are..." He paused to inspect the address on the package. "Garbunkle and Sir McBiggun?"

The warrior stepped forward. "Ayup. Where's the package from?"

Postage Due flipped the box to face the address towards them. It was from a place called Chadwick.

"Mah home," gasped out Sir McBiggun.

Spike tilted his head. "I didn't plan that, but that works."

Garbunkle held out a hand towards Postage. "Well, you've arrived safely. Let's see what's inside."

Postage tipped his hat and turned away. "There are many more packages that have to reach even more dangerous places. Good luck in your travels."

Parcel stood up from the table. "Gee, thanks! That was a blast."

Spike blinked dumbly. "Wait, what? You just started."

"And I got to make an exciting delivery. This game's fun! Thanks for inviting me." He was already trotting for the door, waving as he went.

"Um, bye?" Spike and Big Mac waved at him until he was gone, the door closing behind him.

Big Mac gave a shrug. "Well, that was interestin'. So what's in the package?"

Spike popped open one of the pizza boxes. "Snacks, for one." They shared a chuckle as they both took a slice and got to chomping a moment. Spike gobbled down the last of his slice and wiped his hands clean. "Alright, so we open the package curiously..."

McBiggun sliced neatly along the side of the box, allowing it to open freely. Inside was a great horned helmet. McBiggun gasped as he lifted it up in his magic. "This belongs t' mah father. Why is it here?"

Garbunkle reached into the box past where the helmet was and finds a letter. "It seems Chadwick has come under attack! Your father... fought bravely to the last." Garbunkle lowered his head in a moment of silence that was echoed by his grieved companion. "They say the helmet is yours, by inheritance."

McBiggun placed the helmet on his own head. "Ah'll never put on another! What attacked them?"

Garbunkle squinted as he turned the parchment over. "They mention something about some kind of terrible sea creature that had awesome magic."

"Sea creature?" McBiggun shook his head. "But Chadwick ain't on no beach."

"I did mention magic." Garbunkle folded the letter and tucked it away. "This foul creature could be the same that we're already looking for."

"The wizard?!"

"Indeed! A sea wizard!"

"Swizard?"

Big Mac and Spike chuckled at the silly name before Spike waved it away. "Okay okay, so we know we have to stop this bad wizard! He can't go around attacking good Spiketopia settlements."

"Spiketopia?" Big Mac tilted his head a little.

"Oh, that's just the name of the country." Spike shrugged softly. "Like Equestria."

"That'd be like callin' it 'Celestia' instead."

"We already have one of those." Spike stuck out his tongue. "So! Filled with grim determination, our heroes set off."

They had a place to go to, at least. Sir McBiggun knew where his home was, and there could be hints there as to the origin, identity, or current location of their aquatic nemesis could be.  Every step was fueled with the need to make right this wrong and protect the sanctity of their nation, and hopefully save Princess Schmarity.

Big Mac grabbed a slice of pizza. "Does Garbunkle know where Schmarity is?"

"Alas, neigh." Spike thrust one finger up. "He knew that destiny would guide him too her if he traveled to that inn and searched for a peculiar unicorn."

Big Mac tilted his head. "Huh, guess ah big burly unicorn's a bit weird."

"The best kind." Spike smiled at Big Mac. "We are just what Spiketopia needs to save the day." He brought down his finger in a fist of action. "We will do all that we must to restore peace."

Big Mac smiled at that. "And save Schmarity."

"Oh, uh, and that..." He rubbed behind his head, cheeks pinked lightly.  "Our brave heroes hike through the wilderness, only spying a scrap of civilization on the third day. The small town before them was a welcome sight. They saw something that would help, a wagon! There were several in plain view in what may have been a wagon stall or something like that. There were big fuzzy beasts tied up nearby, perhaps the things used to haul the wagons around."

"Ah head down into tha city." Big Mac pointed at Spike. "Ah'll ask polite like if we can have a wagon and what fer."

Spike plinked a d20 towards Big Mac. "Go ahead, you'll need a ten or better."

Those weren't awful odds, but they weren't assured. Big Mac got a sudden idea. "Ah'll ask if there's anythin' that need bringin' our way, so they get somethin' out of it."

"Good idea." Spike gave an approving nod. "Now you just need a five."

With confidence, Big Mac sent the die tumbling. 12. "Oh yeah..."

"Nice. You approach the mare that stands by the carts and explain your need and offer to her. She spits out a straw she was chewing on."

"Well, reckon we could work somethin' out, for a knight and all. We're havin' big trouble with bandits lately anyway, so if you kin get our goods to Chadwick while you're at it, you'll be doin' us a favor. Ah got family there, they'll take the wagon when ya get there, ya hear?"

Sir McBiggun raised a hoof to his chest. "Ayup. We'll get it there, ah promise. If we see any bandits, we'll teach 'em a lesson fer harassing good ponies."

"See that ya do." She walks to a rickety looking wagon. "Now it ain't that I don't trust ya, but we already lost some wagons, so I'm a little shy about it."

McBiggun looked it up and down. "It'll do, but we'll  need somethin' to pull it."

The mare gave a sharp whistle and clopped the ground twice quickly. Two of the great beasts lumbered from their pen to stand before her obediently. "These two great lovable beasts will get you where yer going. Treat them right, and they'll do the same. Abuse 'em any, and they'll leave you high and dry and come back t' me. They're raised to be good pullers, not abused slaves."

Garbunkle saluted at the mare. "Don't you worry. We wouldn't dream of abusing an animal."

"Nope." McBiggun nodded in agreement. "Nice to meet ya." He held out a hoof towards one of the large creature.

It leaned in and sniffed with enough force to ruffle his fur before a huge tongue emerged and licked him from the hoof right up to the shoulder.

"Aw, he likes you already." The mare smiled happily at how well they had gotten along. "Feed's in the cart already, just let me fetch the goods I want hauled." She trotted off into her house.

Big Mac pointed to the big beast figure next to his own. "How fast are they?"

"Not that fast, but they don't slow down for anything, and they're really durable. They can walk for most of the day before they need any breaks, so they'll get us where we want to go faster than if we just walked ourselves."

Big Mac nodded at that. "Sounds helpful. Onwards! We got a castle to save."

"Castle?"

Big Mac nodded. "Chadwick is a castle, like a fortress with a town in it."

"Ohhhh." Spike was not planning on that, but saw no reason to deny the idea. "Awesome."
> 7 - End Episode 3 -Chadwick Bound
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With their somewhat run-down, but functional, wagon, the heroes set off in the direction of the fortress of Chadwick.

"Castle."

Spike lifted his shoulders. "But if it has a town in it, isn't it more of a fortress?"

"Still it's name. Chadwick Castle." He gave a sure nod, eyes closed.

"Alrighty." Spike made a little note for later. "To Chadwick Castle!"

While the two brave warriors... waited on their cart, Garbunkle tried to make small talk with his companion, "So, this is your home to--castle?"

McBiggun nodded, the wind blowing softly through his mane. "Ayup. Ah was raised t' help protect it... And... maybe ah failed."

Garbunkle frowned at the serious tones. "If this foul wizard is as powerful as he seems, perhaps there is little you could have done, even if you were there. Your being away gives you an opportunity."

"Like what?"

Garbunkle lifted his shoulders. "It means you can track the fiend down, and exact revenge." He clenched a fist and shook it in the air. "It means we, together, can learn what makes this wizard tick and take him down, forever, saving countless other ponies' lives instead of dying trying to stop him at Chadwick."

"Ya might have a point there." McBiggun sat up a bit in his seat. "Ya know magic, right?"

"Certainly." Garbunkle nodded as he clutched his staff and laid it across his lap. "It is my profession."

"Don't suppose ya could teach me a thin' or two?"

"Your talents lie clearly more in the physical department, my friend. What makes you want to learn magic?"

He shrugged. "Well, ah am a unicorn, right?"

"So why not before now?" Garbunkle's brow rose with inquiry.

"Jus' never needed it... Maybe against an evil wizard, might be time." He gave a firm nod. "Can't hurt t' have tricks."

"I'm glad you used that word. Learning magic as a whole takes years of dedication."

Spike snickered softly. "I got to see Twilight trying. Trust me, even with her, it isn't a fast thing."

Big Mac nodded as he shuffled in his seat. Grabbing another slice of pizza, he asked, "So kin ah learn somethin'? Ah mean, ah don't need t' learn everythin' all at once." He chomped into his slice with a great bite, sighing softly before he swallowed and went for the next.

Garbunkle waved his staff at his friend, the end of it starting to glow softly. "We can start with the basics! Any unicorn worth their salt should know how to make light. For your kind, it comes almost naturally. Almost. You must learn how to start using that horn on your head, besides for swinging that sword. Still, since you know how to use it for that, making it glow shouldn't be that hard."

"Ah'm ready." McBiggun clopped a hoof down on the cart they were riding.

So their lesson began. Garbunkle likened McBiggun's horn to his own magic staff and they practiced getting him to make it glow as a way to pass time.

"Say." Big Mac leaned in towards Spike. "Do ya know how to do that? Ah mean, with Twilight?"

Spike lifted his shoulders. "In theory? I don't have a horn myself, but I heard some of her lessons, and her repeating them as she studied for tests. She wasn't quiet about that back then, and sometimes not even now, but she's gotten better."

Big Mac got a big dopey smile. "So, if ah got a horn, ya'd be able to show me how t' use it?"

Spike let his head fall to the side a little before it snapped back upright. "I could try. I mean, if you asked, I would." He smiled a little. "What are friends for? But... you don't have a horn."

"Nope." Big Mac deflated a little before tapping his hooves together.

"Why do you wanna be one, anyway? A unicorn, I mean."

"Oh, uh, I don't!" Big Mac glanced around furtively before grabbing another slice of pizza.

"Dude, it's alright. I'm not trying to make fun of you or anything, but why a unicorn?" Spike held up a placating hand. "Just curious."

"It's... not a unicorn... specific like?" He didn't even look as if he was sure of his own words. "Ah jus' wanna be... important, and helpful. Ah wanna be a hero, not jus' a worker." He pointed further into the castle. "Twilight's a nice pony, but what does she do?"

"She reads a lot?" Spike lifted his shoulders softly. "Then she saves the world when they ask her to, then she mostly goes back to reading if there isn't a friendship crisis that needs her."

"And what kinda 'crisis' do ah fix?" Big Mac leaned in. "Even mah sister, who ain't no unicorn, gets ta save the day. Apple Bloom just... She's so proud of Applejack. Ah know she's not tryin' ta be mean t' me, but it ain't hard to see how big she gets every time she hears somethin' 'bout the adventures Applejack's done got herself inta."

Spike sank his head onto a propped up hand. "You're telling me? Half the 'adventures' I go on with Twilight, I feel like I'm just there for comic relief, and holding stuff they don't feel like carrying. Tell me how fair that is! Twilight could pick up everything I could, twice, with less effort than me, and there I am, still hauling the load."

He waved his free hand over the table and figures. "At least, here, we're the stars of the adventure, and no one can take that from us." Spike hopped upright. "Speaking of that! It would be a bit boring if our heroes got to Chadwick without any problems at all."

Big Mac's ears pricked. "What happens?"

It was late evening, the sun barely a hint in the sky overhead. They were just putting the finishing touches on their camp when new light spilled over them. It was no single light, but more of a... cloud of light! All sorts of different colors as it washed over the campsite.

Sir McBiggun drew his blade and looked around in alarm. "What's going on?!"

"It's a migration of Will o' wisps!" explained Garbunkle even as he dived for cover behind a rock.

Big Mac tapped at his chin with a hoof. "Huh, bet Fluttershy could fix this real fast."

"But she isn't here," noted Spike with a shake of his head. "We are, so we have to deal with it."

"Well... then..." He considered what Fluttershy might try to do, then thought of Pinkie Pie, who had defeated an entire colorful hoard once before. He pressed his hooves together, smiling. "Ah know what I do."

Sir McBiggun sat down in the middle of the rushing color storm and cleared his mind. There was a rattle of dice in the distance that signified he had... succeeded at creating light at the end of his horn, flickering but present. He began to sway and bob softly. The whirling mass of lights  parted around him, motes that matched his light starting to circle him.

McBiggun stood up and started to walk away from the camp, leading the way with his horn as he went. With the movement of some of the flow, others began to move with them.

"Clever." Spike hiked a thumb. "They like to stick together, so if you get some of them following you, you divert the migration." He clapped his hands together. "With your quick thinking, the camp and wagon are spared the wrath of a bajillion will o' wisps!"

Big Mac nodded with a satisfied grin. "Ah come back once they're on their way n' show off mah light t' Garbunkle.

Spike rolled a die over towards Big Mac. Without having to say a thing, Big Mac scooped up the die and let it fly.

McBiggun returned to camp with a satisfied smile, proud of his accomplishment. "Look! Ah learned what ya taught nice and fast."

The strain of holding the light for so long, coupled with his desire to show off different colors, came together in a rainbow of sparks before McBiggun's horn went dark. "Oh..."

Garbunkle hopped up onto the rock he had been hiding on before. "A good show, friend McBiggun. You have to practice more, but that is the way these things work." He shrugged softly. "For your first real go at it, a very good job. You should have seen how things went the first time I tried to get my staff to light up properly."

McBiggun rubbed at his mildly sore horn as he sat down near Garbunkle. "Yeah? What happened?"

"Quite simple, I set the poor thing ablaze." Garbunkle chuckled softly as he waved his non-scorched staff around. "It was my practice staff, of course, long before I got this one. Light may seem like a simple trick, but it is still a flow of magic, ready to do what you wish, or go out of control with its own will."

"Ah'll practice." McBiggun nodded firmly at Garbunkle. "Thanks fer showin' me th' trick."

With the immediate danger put aside, our heroes bed down for the night so that they would be ready for more adventure the next day!

Big Mac rose from his seat. "Sounds like a good spot t' take a break."

"Yeah, good call." He plucked up the remains of the pizza, holding cardboard high as he hopped from his seat. "Help me clean up?"

"Ayup." Big Mac started gathering things and putting them away alongside Spike, returning the room to order. "So, what'll happen at Chadwick?"

Spike made two finger guns at Big Mac. "We'll find out when we get there and not a moment before then. What's the fun in knowing ahead of time?"

"Oh, yeah... Ah was... just wondering..." He squirmed in place, shuffling from hoof to hoof restlessly.

"Yeah?" Spike tossed the last bit of trash away. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, y'see... Ah was... hopin' maybe... we could save McBiggun's pa?" Big Mac's ears fell. "Ah ain't got much chance, you know... in the real world."

Spike cringed, "O-oh, sorry! I didn't mean..." He had killed Big Mac's fictional father without a second thought. His teeth showed in a grimace. "I've been such a doofus."

"Nope." Big Mac set a big hoof on Spike's shoulder. "It happens, part of life. Jus' wanna chance to... do somethin', ya know?"

"Yeah..." Spike perked up. "Well, we have to get to Chadwick first before we even know for sure what's going on there."

"Ayup." Big Mac nodded firmly. "We'll get there, deliver what we promised, then check in at the castle." His expression turned from eagerness to curiosity. "Ah mean, ah ain't the only one who wants ta do things. Maybe Princess Schmarity's around."

Spike glanced left and right. "I... doubt she'd be there, but that would be a happy coincidence, right? We probably have way more adventures ahead of us before we track her down."

"But we'll do it." He stood up. "We're together, fer the long haul."

Spike's arms swayed forwards and backwards. "For the... long haul..." He reached out his right hand. "Together?"

Big Mac met the hand with a hoof, bumping it against Spike. "Together. Adventurers against evil and dark."

Spike hopped up and gave his larger friend a hug, a brief embrace before dropping to the ground. "I'll see you next time, alright? We have ponies to save!"

"Maybe even a dragon?"

Spike blinked. "Oh, yeah... I guess maybe?"

"Well, why not." He pointed down at Spike. "Some of them are right nice people, and if they need savin', why shouldn't we help 'em just like anyone else?"

Spike flashed a big grin. "Or griffon, or even a diamond dog. If there's someone in need of our heroic effort, we're ready to do our part."

"Ayup." Big Mac nodded firmly. "Take care, Spike." He turned for the door and walked away in no particular hurry.

Spike gathered up his book and bag of dice. "Good session"
> 8 - Start Episode 4 - Resupplying
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight looked under her desk before peering around a shelf. She even tried seeing if there was anything in one of her chandeliers. With a grunt, she landed on the ground and shook her head. "Spike!"

Spike came hurrying in. "Yeah? What's wrong?"

"Where did the backup paper go?" She waved her hoof towards each spot she had searched. "I can't find it, and the normal supply is all out."

Spike cringed faintly. The backup paper had transformed into character sheets and drawings for his game. "Yeah, huh, weird..."

"Less strange and more annoying." She sat on her haunches. "Could you stop by town and pick up some more paper." With a magical pop, a bag of bits appeared hovering beside her. "I have to head to Canterlot for a sudden diplomatic meeting--" Her barrel expanded as she drew in a deep breath. "--with a country I'd never heard of outside of a few mentions in a book before."

Spike jogged up to her side and gave her heaving ribs a soft patting. "It'll be alright. You have this under control."

The breath escaped from her in a gust. "Yes, of course. Thank you, Spike." She wrapped a wing around him and drew him close. "If you need any help, the girls will be here. This one's for princesses only."

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms at her despite still being wrapped in a warm wing. "I don't think I'll need help to get some paper."

"I meant in general, my #1 assistant." She smooched the top of his head and rose to her hooves. "I should get going. I leave the castle in your capable claws."

"I won't let you down!" He snapped into attention as he said it, giving a sharp salute as Twilight spread her wings and launched off towards Canterlot and her royal duties. He turned away and swept his gaze over the castle. "Got the place to myself." He dismissively waved in the direction where Twilight had gone without turning. "As if they'd want a dragon around for 'important pony business', whatever." He chuckled as he moved for the front door, imagining Twilight sweating it out.

Emerging into the light of day, he set his sights below and got to jogging down into town. "I'll get some paper, and hopefully..." He craned his neck around as he went, hoping to see a splash of red as he went. That isn't to say that there wasn't red to be had. Ponies came in many colors, several of them red or close to it.

In fact, just one of those was waving at him. "Hey, Cheerilee!" He returned the wave she had given. "How's it going?"

"Did I just see Twilight take off?" She glanced in the direction of Canterlot. "Will she be long?"

"Why? You sound worried." He cocked a brow at the teaching pony.

"What, me, worried?" She gave a little nervous laugh. "No, no... it's just that she promised... Just tell me if she plans to be right back?"

Spike quickly realized what had happened. "Oh, um, she got a sudden royal call."

Cheerilee deflated, sinking to her haunches. "I suppose you can't do much about that..."

"What was she supposed to do?"

Cheerilee waved towards the schoolhouse. "She was supposed to be a substitute today for me."

Spike looked back and forth between the sad Cheerilee and the schoolhouse. There weren't a lot of ponies that could make room in their own busy lives, where as he just had to get some paper... "Say... what if I did that?" How hard could teaching a bunch of foals be? Heck, he knew some of them quite well and they were friends. The more he thought about it, the more fun it sounded. "Yeah, I can keep an eye on them."

Cheerilee put a hoof around him and pulled him tight to her body, squeezing him. "Thank you! Do you know math?"

Spike blinked softly from within the fur of her front. "Yeah? I am Twilight's assistant! #1! You pick up a few things around her." 

She released him, bobbing her head. "Good. We were just going to go over right angles today, so be sure to spend a little time with that. Outside of that, it's your classroom, for today. Keep it interesting and educational." She was clopping her hooves together. "Ohhh, you have no idea how happy you've made me, Spike. Thank you!" She smooched his cheek and trotted away with a joyful smile.

Spike's smile was more satisfied. "Another mare, saved by Spike." He gave a firm nod, pleased with himself. "Huh, now I need paper even more than before." He hurried to Quills and Sofas. With a little hop, he grabbed the handle of the door and swung inside with the momentum of the jump, landing inside dexterously. He bowed for his audience.

"Welcome to Quills and Sofas," greeted Davenport with a smile for the small dragon. "How are you today, Spike?" He set aside a case that likely had a quill in it. "Does Twilight need more quills?"

"Not today." Spike righted himself and stepped up towards the counter. "Actually, I need paper, lots of it."

"Not my specialty, but let me see what I have." He ducked his head under the counter and Spike could hear him rooting around. "Why do I even have this?" A pen flew out into the room. "No, out of date." A vial of ink sailed and bounced off the wall, thankfully remaining intact. "Here we are." He came back up, a collection of paper in his snout. "I knew I had some saved. Twilight gearing up for some writing?" He set it down where Spike could reach.

Spike pulled the collection of paper from the counter into his hands and looked them over. They had a little dust, but seemed serviceable. "Yeah, but me too. I'm gonna teach the foals over at the school today."

His ears went up. "Really? Well, you keep that paper then, consider it a donation to the children."

"Thanks!" He did not kiss Davenport, even if kissing seemed to be the way of thanks that day. "I should get going. They aren't gonna teach themselves!"

They exchanged waves as he dashed out the door, heading straight for the school. "Right angles," he spoke to himself as he went. How did right angles work again? He slowed his approach as he realized that wasn't a thing he had gone over very well. "I'll... think of something. I just have to keep it educational and fun."

He scampered into the room and felt dozens of eyes focus on him instantly. His approach slowed as he raised a hand at all the foals. "Oh, uh, hey everypony!"

Apple Bloom peered at Spike curiously, one ear lifted. "What're you doin' here, Spike? Are ya joinin' school?"

Sweetie Belle bobbed her head. "That's fantastic! You can sit next to us if you want!"

Diamond Tiara snorted at the two of them. "Don't be stupid. He's a dragon."

Spike hopped up onto the stool that was behind Cheerilee's desk, slapping down the collection of paper he had gotten. "Diamond Tiara is correct. I am not joining you, and I am a dragon. No, today, I am your teacher!" He stood tall and proud, waiting for accolades to rain upon him.

Silver Spoon burst into titters, and most of the class joined her. "You can't be a teacher. What do you even know? Are you going to show us how to kiss up to royalty?"

Spike's cheeks warmed at the insinuation. "What? No!" He stomped his foot down on the stool, which slid out from under him and sent him toppling to the ground. The laughing only grew worse. He scrambled upright and flipped the stool where it should be. "Ahem! Silence!" They were not quieting. "Hey!" The room refused to be stilled.

He drew in a deep breath and lit up the room in a plume of green flames that washed over the heads of the suddenly quiet foals. "As I was saying... I know what we'll be doing today, and it'll be fun too!" He hopped back up on the stool and spread out the papers a little. "Does everypony have something to write on?"

Most of the foals indicated their notebooks, some holding it up in mouth or magic.

Spike nodded. "Very good. Today we're going to play a game." That got their attention. They leaned forward. "A very special game." They leaned a little more. "A game of adventure and danger!" He wriggled his fingers as he spoke. "In order to prevail, you will need teamwork, dedication, and maybe to know a thing or two." He tapped his head lightly.

Snips hung his head. "Guess we're out huh?"

Snails raised a hoof instead of agreeing. "What kinda game is it?"

Spike strike a hopefully heroic pose, one foot up on the desk, a fist raised towards the heavens. "Today we will be delving into the mysterious world of Ogres--" He swept his hand across the audience. "--and Oubliettes!"

Pipsqueak suddenly perked up. "Core! Ah've played that game once or twice I have! It's great loads of fun!" He clip-clopped his hooves excitedly. "I don't mean to be picky or nothing but how's that learnin' though?"

Murmurs from around the classroom echoed the sentiment, wondering what that game or any other had to do with whatever lesson they should have been learning that day. Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. "Does it matter? We get a day off with Spike." She smiled at him, eyes half-lidded. "Go on, our little lizard foalsitter. It sounds better than a boring lecture at least."

"Uh, thanks?" He fished out a quill from within the desk. "Let's split up into groups of four and I'll help everyone get their characters created, then we'll all play together, as a class. I'll be the storyteller, weaving your destiny and deciding your ultimate fate!" He brought down a fist in a determined pump. "It'll be fun!"

The next hour was spent preparing. He bounced from table to table, helping the foals get their characters in order. He didn't have his book with him to double check things, but didn't feel that was too important. He transformed those colts and fillies into proud warriors, wizards, rogues, and more.

Apple Bloom held up her sheet to her friends. "See? Ah'm an alchemist!"

Sweetie Belle nodded appreciatively. "I will sing tales of your amazing mixtures."

Scootaloo clopped a hoof down on her sheet. "You'll need a potion to keep up with me!"

The trio burst into amiable laughter as the groups began to break up, everyone returning to their seats. Spike gestured low. "Alright, alright, you all have a character?"

Sheets were lifted into the air, but one had no numbers or words, just a picture. Snips was holding a piece of paper with nothing but a drawing of a symbol Spike couldn't make out. It was surprisingly ornate for something Snips had made. "Uh, what is that?" He pointed at the unknown mark.

Snips looked over at it and back to Spike. "That's the, uh, holy thingie. My grandad told me about it. It, uh, was kinda important, in my family." His head sunk a little. "Did I do it wrong?"

Spike tilted his head a little, considering that.

While he thought on it, Diamond narrowed her eyes at Snips. "We all made these." She held up her sheet. "How did you get that distracted? I swear, even by your dismally low standards, this is amazing."

Spike held up a hand. "Hold up a moment, we can work with this. Snails, you are now a priest." He waved at the symbol. "And that is your faith's icon. Did your grandad tell you about it?"

Snips lifted up in his seat. "Are you sure you wanna know? No one ever wanted to hear about it before..."

Spike thrust a single finger up. "One, it's now part of my world, so I need to know about it. Two--" He raised a second finger "--, we are here to learn, and learning about your family's past sure sounds educational to me. So, yes, please, tell us."
> 9 - A Snippet of History
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike invited Snips to the front of the class, and soon the colt stood in front of everyone, shaking a little.

Realizing his new pupil was nervous, Spike gave him a gentle patting on his back. "Go on. We all want to hear it, and you already know it."

"O-okay, so..." He lifted his drawing into the air. "A long time ago, Ponyville wasn't the same place at all. Princess, um, Celestia was kinda busy doing other stuff, so we were on our own."

The class watched and listened, eager to learn the story, or at least see how Snips would foul up.





It was a dark and brooding night. Branches clawed at the window of what would one day be rebuilt into the town hall. It was barely a one story building back then.

The door swung open with a bang and a mare rushed in. "They're coming!" she shouted as loud as she could, stirring the pony that had been sleeping out of his bed and right onto the floor.

"W-wha? Who's coming?" He stood up. He was my great grandpa! He was already grabbing his helmet.

"I-I didn't mean to!"

"Calm down and tell me what's going on." My granddad rushed over and shook the mare a little. "I'll keep you safe, just tell me where I need to be!"

She pointed out into the dark just as lightning flashed. A hulking form could be seen for just an instant. It looked huge and awful. Now, most ponies woulda just ran away, but not my grandad! He told the mare to sit tight and grabbed his sword with his magic. "I'll handle this."

He stalked out, helmet on and sword floating at his side.

Problem was, he couldn't see the big thing he just saw a moment ago. It was dark, and it wasn't making a sound. "Come on out!" he shouted for it as he spun around, trying to find it.

"Aren't you a brave stallion?" came a female voice, whispering in his ear. He froze, unsure what to do. "With manners at that. Good. Why are you here?"

"I'm here to protect my neighbors!" He squinted into the dark, trying to see a clue of who he was speaking to. Though her voice sounded like she was practically right on top of him, he couldn't see a thing, or feel it. He could just hear it.

"There are many dangerous things that think ponies are quite delicious."

He spun towards where he thought the voice was coming from. "Are you one of them?!"

"I was tempted." The voice came from behind him, always moving with not a hint of how it was moving. "Perhaps you will feed me a different way."

"A different way." My great grandpa snorted angrily. "Why would I want to feed you at all?"

"I can fight you, or fight for you." Her voice curled around him like a snake. "I can help you protect those neighbors of yours. Think on it. For now, something to remember me by."

That's when he passed out. He woke up the next day--"





Apple Bloom was waving a hoof wildly in the air. "Jus' like that? He done just passed out?"

Snips nodded. "Uh huh, just like that." A spectral set of scissors appeared over his head. "Snip!" They shut tight. "He was out like a light."

"The next day he was found by the other Ponyville ponies. They woke him up, but once he sat up, they started staring at him like he had a second head. He didn't have a second head, thankfully. What if his foals got second heads? I might have a second head! Actually that would be kinda cool..." Snips was tapping at his chin, imagining if he had twice the chins to tap upon.

Spike leaned forward a little. "And then?"

"Oh, right, so then..."





He asked them what was wrong, and they started pointing at him, right at his chest. So he looks down and sees this! The same picture I drew, right over his chest like he got a second cutie mark in a really wierd spot.

That's when he heard her, a whisper in his ear, "Give me one place at every meal, and you may call me when times are at their darkest."

Now, he wasn't any expert or anything, but he figured he didn't want any trouble from creepy dark monsters. So when he had breakfast, he set out two places instead of one, and left the other alone. It just sat there, steaming quietly until it got cold, but he left it alone and went out to work. When he came back to get lunch, it was gone. The plate was perfectly clean like he had washed it, so he put lunch on it and ate his own.

It was gone by dinner.

He was good about it and kept right on feeding that thing day after day, even when other ponies told him he was just wasting time and money.

In the end, he was glad he did. When something too terrible came to Ponyville for them to fight off, he could ask his friend, the one on his chest, and it'd scare them away. Imagine seeing a full-grown hydra galloping with wide eyes away from town. That's what would happen so long as granpa was on watch.

They say she, the shadow thing, promised to keep following him, even after he, uh, moved on. She'd follow his foals, and his foals foals, so long as we set a place for her.





Snips reached up and pulled the paper from the air. "And that's the story."

Spike gave an owlish blink. "Wow. That was not the story I was expecting, but that's kinda cool."

Snails tilted his head. "Is that why you bring so much food to lunch?"

Snips glanced about as he returned to his seat. "Y-yeah, that's... why..."

Littlepip giggled. "Maybe he also likes eatin'. Nothin' wrong with that!"

The class joined in the laughter for a moment before Spike could get them to quiet down. "Alright alright, everyone's ready now. Let's begin! You've all been gathered together for a specific purpose."

Sweetie Belle tilted her head. "Are we students? I mean, we are, but in the game?"

"Not quite."





The brave young adventurers were assembled in a great courtyard. Above them, on a balcony, stood Princess Schmarity.





Sweetie Belle tilted her head. "My sister's a princess? That makes me a princess too, right!?"

Spike took a half-step back, his hands rising quickly. "What? No! This isn't Rarity."

Sweetie arched a brow at Spike as a little smile spread on her face. "I'm not stupid, Spike. I wave at my sister."

Spike let out a soft sigh and tried to get back in the story.





The Princess nodded down at her little sister, but her attention quickly swept out over the entire crowd. "Good adventurers, I have called you all here today because our nation has need of your diverse talents and skills. The diamond dogs have declared war." She waves away that matter. "We are dealing with that the traditional way, but while our forces are occupied, there are other troubles ahoof. It seems some young foal has gone where they shouldn't and awakened a slumbering evil!"

Snails the monk slowly blinked. "Oops."

All the other adventurers turned to look at Snails.

Emerald Choker grabbed her longest stick and poked the servant she was riding on the back of with it. "Kindly slap him for me, hmm?"

"Yes, ma'am" He trot swiftly up to the monk and gave him a light bonk on the head. "As you requested, mistress."

"Very good."

Schmarity put a hoof to her face. "Be that as it may, it's just as well that you are part of the team that will undo this damage." She drew the hoof away to point into the distance. "It's the creepy old house up on the hill. You simply can't miss it. I really should have had that demolished ages ago, but there was always something distracting me, you know how it is."

Flash Dash thrust a hoof forward. "Everyone, to my wagon! I'll get us there in no time at all!"





Apple Bloom looked over at Scootaloo. "Flash Dash? You have a wagon?"

Scootaloo shrugged. "What's wrong with Flash Dash? Besides, I thought a wagon would work better." She waved a hoof over the classroom. "There's a ton of us. I can't fit all that on a scooter!"

Soft murmurs of agreement came from most of the classroom.





The team loaded up into the wagon with some squeezing and Flash Dash soared there with it trailing behind her. As they approached, a disturbance became clearly visible below. It was almost like a party, but there were no ponies there, at least no normal ponies.

It was a bash, a real banging party, of monsters! A monster bash! Mummified mares danced alongside wereponies. A vampony laughed from a balcony, pointing down at where a lagoon beast was lurking in the dirty pool. They were having a grand time of things.





Apple Bloom thrust up a hoof. "Ah know. I'll throw down one of mah sticky bombs on 'em, get 'em while they're all together an' stuff."

Spike pointed at her with two hands. "A valid tactic, but you can only throw so far. You're 30 feet up in the air, and the house is about a hundred feet away. How far will you be throwing the bomb?"

AB sank into her chair with a frown before she dug out a pencil and started working through it. "Ah know ah can figure this one out..."

Diamond Tiara gave a cocky smile. "While she's figuring that out, I'll use my 'Announcement of Authority'. That goes way long enough. Ahem!" She adjusted her voice to the even snobbier tones of Emerald Choker, "Citizens! Your festivities have been deemed illegal. Please disperse immediately!" Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "It's also deemed icky, but I won't tell them that."

Some of the other foals giggled at her side comment as Spike smiled. "Alright! So you shout down at them to break up the party. The werepony's claws suddenly retract as she gives an emphatic 'aw'. She sulks away, looking like a perfectly normal pony. Hey, you recognize her! It seems the candlestick maker was actually a werepony, go figure. She's a nice enough mare."

AB perked up and clopped a hoof down on her paper. "About a hundred and four feet!"

Spike nodded. "Very good." Silently, he congratulated himself, he got to talk about a right triangle. "How did you figure that out?"

"Oh, well that's easy!" She turned to the class. "Remember what Miss Cheerilee said? It was just another of them right triangle things." She moved her hooves, tracing an invisible triangle. "And we already knew two sides, so the third was just some math."

Twist bobbed her head quickly. "The thquareth! I remember that!"

Apple Bloom nudged Scootaloo. "Fly us in closer, not like they don't see us anyway."

"Roger!"

"As you swoop in to approach, the vampony stallion spreads his arms wide as they become wings and he raises quickly towards you as a half-bat, half-pony monstrosity, screeching in anger!" Spike spread his own arms and flapped them with a fierce face of mock fury.

AB made a throwing motion with her right hoof. "I throw the bomb ah had ready!"

Spike made a parabolic motion, following the theoretical thrown weapon. "It flies in a nice curve. The vampony swerves to avoid it, but it slaps up against a wing! A single flap and it gets on the other wing and binds them together. He gives a little squeak before he begins to fall to the ground." He waggled his brows. "He was coming at you for about three seconds, going roughly fifty miles per hour average. How far did he fall?"

Featherweight waved a hoof wildly. "That's a trick question. We're not even thirty feet up anymore. He couldn't have gotten very high, maybe ten feet?"

Spike congratulated Featherweight on his speedy analysis, pleased with the way the game was going.
> 10 - End Episode 4 - Educational Adventure
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The party of foals pressed into the monstrous gathering. Snails proved to be a zen monk, floating with crossed hooves among the enemies and nimbly dodging every attack that came his way. Those that dared to try to get past him were tripped by a hoof extended just far enough.

Twist was bouncing around, flinging confection at every available mouth. Even better, some of the monsters were mollified by the treats, rubbing their bellies and ceasing their battle.

The entire class was showing off their abilities when a fresh set of hooves were heard. "I'm just checking in, Spike." It was Cheerilee, smiling, or at least she was until she stepped around the corner and saw half the class in heroic poses. "What's... going on?" 

The students dropped into their seats almost instantly, trying their best to look innocent. Spike waved a few fingers at Cheerilee. "Hey! They're doing great." He turned to Apple Bloom. "Tell Cheerilee about the math we've done today."

Apple Bloom blinked, startled at first before she recovered. "O-oh, right! Spike made me figure out how far away ah was every time I wanted to throw one of mah bombs." She pulled up her sheet, backside presented with all her work figuring out various right angles. "See?"

Cheerilee approached swiftly and leaned in to look at the scratch work. "Mmm, very nice. What is this about bombs?"

Pipsqueak hopped up onto his desk suddenly, small enough that it didn't immediately tip over. "Cor, we're havin' a grand adventure is what we are! We're all working together like t' save the day."

"I... see." Cheerilee raised a brow at Spike,

Spike squirmed under the judging gaze of the teaching mare, wondering if he had gotten himself in trouble.

She circled him, joining him at the front of the class. "I'm afraid this little adventure is over." The class gave out a collective aww of disappointment. She waved a hoof. "But that's only because a new one needs your attention more urgently." She grabbed a book of geography from her desk in her teeth and set it down on top of it. "Because in order to secure peace, you need to find the dazzling jewels of Tiki-stat." She waved her hooves in a wobbly way, emphasizing their mystical nature. "Spike will take it from here. As it turns out, they're hidden in the capitals of the nations of the world. Will you find them all in time? Mmm, I look forward to hearing the report."

Spike caught the not-so-subtle wink given in his direction and perked up. He returned it with equal lack of covertness. "Right! The dazzling jewels! Without those, the country may be lost entirely! To say nothing of the damage caused to the world." He spread his claws wide. "We'd better get on that. What's the closest capital?"

As the class worked to figure that out, Cheerilee trotted from the classroom, apparently satisfied.

Spike took the class on a romp around the world, starting in Equestria and visiting other places and meeting exotic people. They bartered with griffons, armwrestled dragons, and had tea with Saddle Arabians on their quest to assemble all the jewels. Spike knew it was a thinly disguised lesson on capitals and nations, but it was fun to run, and the class seemed to enjoy their explorations.

Snips shook his head. "I don't run." All the other foals had fled from the huge sand worm that was rushing to eat them all up. "I ask for her help."

Spike paused a moment before he remembered who 'her' was. "Oh, yeah! Alright, so you bow your head and pray to your monstrous ally. Just as the worm is about to gobble you up, coming down a dune towards you, it hesitates. It thrashes around as if looking around for something, but it can't find it. Panicked and as frightened as a worm can be, it tunnels into the ground and is soon gone entirely."

The crowd erupted into cheers, their adventure forward opened.

Snails leaned over towards his friend. "So, is that real like real real or, um, real like Trixie?"

Snips flipped his ears back. "They say it's real..."

Spike continued the adventure as they went off to the land of Turkey, ruled over by turkeys, of course. He browsed the book Cheerilee had left for him, pulling out random facts to spice things up as they went along, making them part of the obstacles that stood in their path.

Scooteloo thrust out a hoof. "We're half way!" Her excited gesture was met with several other hooves, the class united behind the cause of winning the game. Their cheering was interrupted not by Spike, but the bell ringing loud and clear.

They had failed to complete the adventure in time for the schoool day's end.

The cheering wilted out rapidly. Diamond Tiara fixed Spike with her stare. "Just because some stupid bell tells us doesn't mean we have to. I think we're all having a good time, so, Spike, if you please." She made a dismissive gesture. "Emerald Choker would appreciate your continuing of our journeys."

The rest of the class was quick to pick up the idea, joining in a cheering mass encouraging Spike to keep going. Scootaloo hopped up to her hooves. "I'll do a super fast run around town and tell our folks we're at school, it's not like they'll mind us being here of all places." She was practically out the door before anyone could blink.

Spike let out a little nervous laugh, wringing his fingers. "Well, uh, wow. I didn't think you were having that much fun. Alright..." He cleared his throat. "So you approach the court of the gobblers..."

The game pressed on several hours past the official end of the schoolday, but they got all the jewels and bound them together, saving Princess Schmarity and the world as a whole. With tired cheers, they wandered off in a great mass of foals, some even carrying those that had nodded off in a group of homebound fillies and colts.

Spike was left alone in the darkened room. He let out a little breath. "That went on longer than I expected." But had he enjoyed it? He smiled a little and nodded. "Not sure I'm cut out to be a teacher full time, but that was fun." He spoke to himself, none others around, or so he thought.  As he turned for the door he spotted Cheerilee sitting there, watching him. "Oh, hey! Uh, we went a little over time."

Cheerilee nodded as she walked closer. "I saw the cloud of happy little foals outside. We can't play games every day, or most days, but I hope some learning happened, hmm?"

Spike hefted up the heavy book Cheerilee had left. "They visited every known country! I made sure to use facts from the book to spice things up. I'm pretty sure they ate it up."

Cheerilee gave a small nod. "I was just coming to see how much mess was left for cleaning up tomorrow." Her eyes swept the room. "A fairly average day, on that front." She spied a piece of paper on the floor and picked it up. "Is this... part of it?" She turned it over for Spike to see. It was Twist's character sheet with a big drawing of a candycane on it. "They really did have a good time, thank you."

"So, hey, what is it you had to run off to anyway?" Spike slipped the geography book back where Cheerilee had originally gotten it from. "Was it some super important teacher business."

Cheerilee's eyes half-closed. "Yes, the 'super important' part of not going insane. I just wanted a day off. I had arranged it with Twilight and thought it was a done deal, and, well, you know what happened. I kept getting worried about them, hence my return... You did great though." She wandered the classroom, picking up the larger, obvious, bits of debris and tossing them towards the trashcan with whips of her neck. "I had a nice day, and it sounds like they did too. Everyone had a day off."

"And they learned things!" He thrust a finger in the air as he said it. "Don't forget that."

Cheerilee smiled gently. "I'm not sure how much of that they'll retain, but thank you for trying." She came back around from her trash collecting tour and leaned in, giving Spike a smooch on the top of the head. "You really are a #1 assistant."

Spike went a deep red. That was a term of affection normally saved for Twilight, but... "Um, thanks..."

"Go on. This schoolhouse is my problem. You're off duty." She waved him away with her forehooves, sitting down while she did so.

Spike saluted briskly, hopped down from the stool he had occupied for much of the day, and started for the door. "Good evening, Miss Cheerilee. Glad you had fun."

"Thanks to you." Her smile was the last thing he saw before he was out into the evening air.

He jogged home, eager to get off his feet and relax a little from a busy day. He was not expecting Big Mac to be inside the castle, seated beside their usual table. "B-Big Mac? What're you doing here?"

He tilted his head at Spike. "Ah know Twilight's not around, so ah thought today's a game night. Was ah wrong?"

"I thought we met when all the girls were out. At least Twilight and Applejack?" He shrugged helplessly. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting here. I was helping with the foals down at the school. He hiked a thumb. "I ran a game for them practically all day!"

"Oh." Big Mac tapped his cheek twice. "Well, if yer tired, how about..." He glanced left and right conspiratorially. "How about ah try a game? You kin just be the player this time."

Spike blinked at the idea. "You'd... do that? I mean, there's a lot of talking involved."

"Ah don't say what ah don't mean." He thumped his chest with a hoof. "Besides, if yer invitin' me, then it's alright, so do ya want me to run somethin'?"

Spike bounced up into a chair with a smile. "I would be delighted." He wanted to see what his friend would do with the mantle of Oubliette Overseer. "Am I making a new character?"

"Nah." He waved a hoof. "Nothin' wrong with Garbuncle." He cleared his throat, it was time for his first game as the one that wove the story.
> 11 - Start Episode 5 - Ayup
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big Mac reached for the rulebook and drew it closer, but he didn't open it. "Alright then. So..."





Garbuncle rose from his sleep to find a familiar pony standing over him, the mail delivery/scout pony. "Package for you, sir."

"Huh, alright." He reached for the box and set it down. The box was quite long and narrow. He held up his staff to it and saw it was a rough match.





Spike hiked a brow at Big Mac. "You know, just giving me stuff isn't very--"

"--Are ya openin' it?"

Spike clicked two claws together before he nodded. "Alright, let's see what's in there."





Garbuncle waved his staff at the box and its bindings fell free. Liberated, he pulled off the top and pulled out... a second box? A small card was attached to the dark oak box. He picked up the card and leaned in for a look.



Salutations, Garbuncle,

We hope your adventures have gone well. We miss you back at wizard school and thought we'd send you a little gift. This will help keep your staff nice and dry when you camp in damp places, or if you have to carry it in places that don't allow magic staves, you can do it in style.

Your Friends,




Garbuncle smiled at the mess of signatures from his old classmates and some of his teachers. "Aw, thanks guys." He opened the inner box and saw there was a spot just right for his staff to rest in. "Huh, wow. It really is a staff carrying case... I never thought of that before, but that's cool." Just to give it the final test, he put the staff in the hollow spot that looked like it was made just for his staff.





Big Mac looked like a cat that caught the canary, grinning triumphantly.

Spike tilted his head at him. "Maybe I'm a little out of it from today, but why are you looking like that."

"Nothin'."

"That doesn't look like a nothing..." Spike's eyes suddenly widened. "Wait a second! I open the carrying case back up!"

"It's empty." Big Mac gave a little nod.

Spike put a claw to his head. "Dang it..." A smile creeped on his face. "Wow, good one. I really did not see that coming. So, uh... no staff, hmm..." He frowned with thought. "I should have suspected something when my 'old friends' knew exactly what staff I was using. Who would do such a thing? I check the case and the box it came in for clues."





Sir McBiggun made a sleepy noise before he stirred, waking and sitting up. "Mornin'."

Garbuncle waved a distracted hand. "Heya." He turned the shipping box upside down and gave it a good shake, producing a single card that fluttered to the ground. On the card was a picture of a multi-legged sea monster. "The sea creature! It's an octopus! Or is it a squid?" Garbuncle tilted the card one way and the other as if a different angle might reveal something. 

McBiggun reached over and nudged the card over.

"Oh, right, the back." Garbuncle put a hand to his head before looking at what was revealed. "Enjoy your gift, signed the squid wizard." He frowned sharply. "That does answer that... squid wizard... I've been stolen from by a squid, a squid wizard. A squizzard took my staff!"

McBiggun snickered softly. "Squizzard."

"Yeah, wait, heh, that was pretty good." Garbuncle throws the mailing box aside. "Well, we have to get my staff back, or some other staff. There's nothing for it. Maybe there'll be a replacement we can get where we're headed." He hiked a thumb at their wagon. "Nowhere to go but onwards!"

"Ayup." He hopped up onto the front of the wagon easily and sat down. "Ready t'go?"

Garbuncle climbed up and swung himself around into the seat beside McBiggun. "We won't find answers here." With a casual toss, he sent the carrying case, empty as it was, into the back of the cart. "Maybe someone'll recognize the magic used and we can track it down if nothing else."

With a crack of the reins, their cart started forward under the powerful motions of their loyal beasts. As they rolled forward, McBiggun glanced at his companion. "Sorry."

"Huh, what for?" Garbuncle cocked a brow and crossed his arms. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Nope. Still sorry. Ah wouldn't be happy none if someone done took mah sword away." He reached back to pat his blade. "We'll get it back."

Garbuncle rest a hand on his friend's side. "Thanks. Together, no stupid squizzard's gonna keep us down!"

They shared a chuckle at the demeaning nickname they had settled on, guiding their wagon across the grassy plains.





Spike tilted his head. "Are we gonna, you know, get to the good stuff?"

"Mmm?"

Spike rolled a hand. "I mean, I know we have to travel, but we don't have to focus on that part."

Big Mac shook his head. "It takes a while. The journey's part of the adventure." He thrust a hoof forward. "Bold explorers, rollin' across new land!"

"Well, sure..." He tapped at his sheet. "We're going from one town to another inside Spiketopia, this isn't exactly strange new lands, just, you know, travel? They don't have trains like we do, but it isn't much more than that."

Big Mac tapped his chin quietly a moment. "What, should we just... skip it?" He sounded disappointed at the idea.

Spike considered with a soft mmm before he raised a hand, finger extended. "We're not so much as skipping as just focusing on the parts where we aren't sure what we'll do. I mean, we know what direction we're going and the cart is going straight, so there's not much choice there, right?"

"Ayup." He frowned a moment before nodding. "Guess ya got a point there. Still, ya don't like the idea none? It's kinda romantic, bein' on yer own, with no civilization 'round in sight."

"I mean, sure, it's kinda cool to think about, but there's... not a lot to do in the moment, unless we're gonna describe the plants we roll past. I mean, this is why people started playing games in the first place, to distract them from what could be a boring part."

"Spike?" They hadn't heard her arrive, but they heard Twilight's call.

Big Mac jumped in place. "She's back early!"

"Yup!" squeaked out Spike in a reversal of roles. They quickly gathered up their gaming supplies and barely had enough time to squirrel them away before Twilight trotted into the room.

She smiled on seeing them standing awkwardly beside a bookcase. "There you you are, and I see you have a friend over, that's nice. Hello, Big Mac."

"Howdy." He raised a hoof to tip a hat he wasn't wearing. "Uh, how'd it go?"

Spike nodded quickly. "I thought it was going to be longer than that? Did something go wrong?"

"Exactly the opposite." Twilight hopped up into the chair Big Mac had been using. "Things went so smoothly, we got it all done in a flash. I don't suppose you made enough dinner for me to grab some leftovers?" She raised a brow at Spike. "If it has gems, I'll pass, but thanks."

"Oh, actually..." Thinking about it made his belly rumble and he pinkened. "I was so busy today, I forgot all about that."

Big Mac and Twilight both looked at him quizzically and he put a hand behind his head chuckling nervously. "I didn't expect to get roped into teaching a class of foals. I mean, I'm not--"

Twilight leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. "You taught, Spike? How did it go?" Her enthusiastic expression suddenly crumbled. "Wait, this wasn't for... Cheerilee... was it?" She sagged in the chair. "Ohhh, she is going to be so angry at me, and she has every right to be."

Spike put out his hands flat, palms towards Twilight. "Hold on there. I took care of it. The kids had such a good time, we ended up going over the usual school end just to finish the lesson. That's why I didn't really have time for food today."

Big Mac nodded from the door that he had quietly sauntered over to while they talked. "Bye." He waved lightly before making himself scarce.

Twilight swiveled an ear at the departing red stallion. "Spike, does he have... a crush on me?"

Spike burst into a sudden cough. "W-what?!"

"Oh, I dunno. It just seems every time I come home, he runs off. I was just... wondering if maybe he felt too awkward to talk to me." She smiled gently. "Is that it?"

Spike snickered softly at the mental image of it. "I mean, maybe? I don't think so though. He just likes our nights, and they're kinda over when you come home."

Twilight tilted her head a little. "If you don't mind me asking, why is that?" She trotted towards the kitchen. "Seeing as it's my fault, this time I'll make dinner."

Spike followed after her. "You don't have to do that." Not that Twilight was bad at cooking, but she wasn't terribly good at it either. There was a reason he was often the chef of the house. "I mean, I appreciate it..."

"I insist. Now, why do things stop when I get home?" She started pulling things out of the fridge with her glowing horn. "I want to be a positive influence on your life, Spike."

Spike hiked a brow at that. "Did you read that somewhere?" He took her sudden silence as a 'yes'. "It's just a guy thing."

She burst into giggles. "Ohhhh, a guy's night. I can understand that. A little testosterone to counterbalance your daily dose of girl cooties you get from me." She got the oven going, peering at the flame under the pot. "Well I think it's lovely, and a little cute. You two are good ponies, and my knowing you're with Big Mac is... reassuring in a way. He isn't known for getting into trouble very often."

"Well, yeah. I mean, he could." Spike crossed his arms and leaned against a wall, watching Twilight work at getting some water boiling. "It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for, they say."

Twilight rolled her eyes mightily. "So I should really be concerned about Fluttershy then? I'm pretty sure the both of them are perfectly fine." She dropped a good bit of dry spaghetti into the boiling water. "So, how did you manage to hold a classroom enthralled so deeply they didn't go home when it was time?" She perked an ear towards Spike. "When I was a filly, there were only a few students that might consider doing something like that."

"And you were one of them." Spike wasn't there to see her in grade school, but it came at no surprise to think of her being the one asking for the class to continue.

Twilight pinkened. "Only once or twice..." She cleared her throat as she stirred the cooking food. "But that doesn't answer the question. Were you teaching things, or just playing games?"

"Both," he reported with a pleased smile. "I led them across the world. They explored the pyramids of Anugypt, the exotic courts of Turkey, stopped by to share tea with the queen of United Bridle Islands..."

Twilight's tail gave a soft twitch as she lifted her stirring spoon to try a strand. It was too hot and she stuck out her mildly burned tongue before trying again with slightly more success. "Almost. Sounds like quite an adventure. I still need to apologize to Cheerilee, even if she did find an excellent substitute for her substitute." She laughed at her own wordplay as she bid the fridge open and started getting supplies for a quick and easy topping to their food. "Want some rubies?"

"I'm feeling emerald today, thanks."

"Got it." She put down a red-filled shaker and grabbed up a green one, setting it on the dining room table with her magic. "See, and you thought I'd burn down the kitchen. Have some faith, Spike."
> 12 - Start Episode 6 - Chadwick
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike rubbed his hands together as he looked around the room. Everything was just as he wanted it. He had a plate of snacks, scattered dice, the character sheets and figures, including his secret one. He chuckled softly as he gazed on it, holding it such that the drawing did not face the camera. "He'll love it." He tucked the figure away, lest the surprise be ruined.

Twilight had gone off at the behest of the map, leaving him to enjoy a game night. "And no substitute hijinks this time." He put his hands on his hips. Not that he hadn't enjoyed running a game for a dozen or so foals, but still, it was tiring. He turned his eyes to a window where the sun was just setting. "And... it's game time!" He did a little dance in place just before a knock came from the front door.

"Coming!" he shouted, short legs pumping furiously to close the distance. He jumped for the door, grabbed the handle and hopped away, revealing a smiling Big Mac behind it. "Hey! Everything's all ready for our guy's night."

"Ayup." Big Mac strode in and kicked the door shut behind him. "Evenin'." He looked left and right conspiratorially. "She gone?"

"All clear." He gave a thumbs up to emphasize.

Big Mac rose up on two legs and so their dance began, welcoming the festivities to come.

Chuckling, Spike made his way into the game room. "Alright alright, so, last we left off, we were just getting to Chadwick, right?"

"Ayup." He tilted his head as he hopped up onto his seat. "Reckon they'll know 'bout the squizzard?"

"Well, they were attacked by it, so they'll know something, right?" Spike took his place and clapped his hands together. "Let's find out!"





Garbuncle and Sir McBiggun rolled up the steep incline towards the Keep of Chadwick. Flags flew with the national crest on display. "Halt, who goes there!" came a cry from atop the ramparts just above the road that led into the keep proper. "Identify yourself and your business."

McBiggun frowned. "Now that ain't how we normally welcome guests, and ah ain't even a guest."

"McBiggun?" The gate guard leaned over the side to get a better look. "Sir! Welcome home! Just give us a moment. Raise the gate! Raise it now!"

The sounds of activity rose from behind the gate before it shuddered and began to rise, dust falling from it with its slow ascent. The moment it was high enough to permit a pony through, one slipped beneath it and hurried towards the wagon. "Sir! I mean, m'lord." He bowed before McBiggun.

McBiggun's frown deepened at the display. "Ah ain't a lord yet. Tell us what happened?" He hopped down off the card and waved at it. "We got supplies that need bringin' to their rightful owner."

Garbuncle hopped clear, allowing the cart to be led away.

"Sir, your father's been taken by the Squid Wizard, likely to be added to his skeleton armies!"

McBiggun blinked. "Skeleton armies?"

"Oh, yes, quite fearsome beasts." The pony bobbed his head fiercely. "Worst part is they take our fallen and make more of them. It's a losing battle! With your father's, uh... inavailability, that makes you the Lord, m'lord."

Garbuncle clapped his claws together. "A necromantic squizzard? Does this get any worse?"

Lord McBiggun clopped a hoof down. "Be that as it may, until we know for sure, ah'll stick with Sir McBiggun. Now, where did that varmint go runnin' off ta? We'll show 'em a thin' or two and get pa back!"

"W-well before we get carried away, we should celebrate your return." He leaned in towards McBiggun. "If not for your sake, it will be a great boost for everyone else to know that the ruling family isn't entirely absent. A lift in harsh times is sometimes essential to keep things running smoothly."

Sir McBiggun stepped towards the gates. "Alright then, fer their sake." He tapped his chin as he went. "Say, do we have a magic staff mah friend could use? He's a mighty fine wizard himself."

The returning heroes were welcomed with hopeful faces and muted cheers. There was clearly a cloud of discouragement over the keep, though the sight of one of their ruling family was perking them up. As news began to spread, more and more ponies began to crowd around, excitedly asking what Sir McBiggun would do to save them.

McBiggun lifted a hoof for silence. "Ah mean to find that Squid Wizard. We're gonna teach him a lesson or three, get my father back, and that'll be that." He brought down the hoof for emphasis as if slamming last page shut on a book. "Any questions?"

As it turned out, there were many questions. The crowd was a chaotic mess of ponies trying to get in their few words among the crowd. The pony that hed led them that far waved his forehooves widely. "Order, order! We will be having a banquet tonight to celebrate the return of Sir McBiggun. We will have time there to discuss our plans for the future."

Though the crowd muttered softly in disappointment, they dispersed as they were bid to do. A new pony, a mare, rushed up to Garbuncle. "Sir, you needed a staff? Come with me, please. We'll have one fitted for you."

Garbuncle blinked at that. "Custom made? Well, uh, thanks." He went off with the mare, waving back at McBiggun. "See you at the banquet!"

McBiggun had  his own problems to deal with. He started with getting a tally of how many soldiers were left. He ordered them to be assembled, but only about twenty ponies stood in two even lines at the end of it. "Well, where's the rest?"

One of the ponies coughed into a hoof softly. "Um, we're all here, M'lord."

McBiggun said something unfit for reproduction as he turned away a moment. Over his shoulder, he spoke, "Things may look bad, and they are." He turned back to them. "That jus' makes it more important that we stick by our duties. People are countin' on us." He thrust a hoof towards a passing common mare. "If we don't do our parts, she could be hurt, or killed, or even worse than that. You know how terrible our foe is. We haveta stand strong." He clapped his hooves together on the ground, staking a firm stance. "For Chadwick!"

"For Chadwick!" roared the crowd in unison, all giving sharp salutes at their commanding officer.

The one that had spoke before leaned forward a little. "Your orders, Sir?"

"Fer now, keep a sharp eye. Ya see somethin', ya give a mighty shout. Never investigate alone. We can't afford to lose more good ponies." 

Sounds of agreement rippled through the crowd before they began dispersing back to their various posts to keep an eye on the keep and protect it from further attack.

McBiggun turned and marched for the central part of the keep. "Ah want a full accountin' ah what happened durin' the last attack," he commanded, but there was no reply from the quiet halls. Everyone was busy preparing for the banquet, or standing guard, with little in the middle. With a great sigh he walked to the dining hall. He looked left and right to the chairs at the end of the great table that sat there. Normally those were the places for his mother and father. "Ah'll rescue you, jus' wait." He went to his father's chair and tapped it with a hoof. "This is still yers." Circling the table, he hopped up into his mother's chair and sank into position.





Spike tilted his head. "I didn't say anything about your mom."

Big Mac blinked, then put a hoof to his face. "Ah just, shoot. Guess ah'm used to that. Well, uh, if we can rescue one parent, ah'll call it good." He tapped at the table with a hoof. "Ah'm surprised. Ah thought ya wanted to 'skip to the good stuff'. We ain't doin' nothin' very flashy."

"Oh, don't you worry." Spike grinned widely. "This isn't nothing. So, later that evening..."





The dining hall was filled with ponies, mostly those of the aristocracy, though the one remaining captain of the guard was present, as well as a few ponies dressed so well they were likely merchants. Most eyes were on Sir McBiggun, raising their goblets in toast after toast. Spirits were high and they spoke grandly of McBiggun's plans to rescue their lost Lord.

"We can't afford to send the guard with you," admitted the captain of the guard, his ears down. "If I could, I would go with you, Sir. I would gladly throw myself into battle if it means His Lordship could be returned to us, safely!"

"Yer loyalty and bravery is not bein' questioned none, ah promise." Sir McBiggun dipped his head at the captain. "You keep the ponies here safe. Me and mah..." That's when he noticed that Garbuncle was not there. "Hey, where's Garbuncle?"

Confused faces looked left and right. One pony lifted her shoulders. "I haven't seen the dragon since he was at your side."

The doors to the dining hall burst open, admitting the pony that had originally updated them on the going ons. "He's in jail, just as you should be, Traitor!" He leveled a hoof at Sir Mcbiggun.

McBiggun sprang to his feet. "What's the meanin' of this?!"

"Is it not obvious? The mewling whelp of our dear Lord runs away from home, only to return just as his, much superior, father is laid low?" He circled the table slowly, his eyes not on McBiggun's, but instead sweeping over the table. He was speaking to everyone else. "A mighty convenient turn of things for one to ascend in power without the troublesome wait."

McBiggun growled with fury. "You better take that back! Ah would never hurt mah father!"

"So you claim! Is it then coincidence that the enemy knew precisely when to attack." He reared up behind the captain's chair, leaning over him. "Is it just chance that they knew what direction to approach from? I posit not! Someone told them. Someone with the most to gain by what has happened." He slowly turned, finally meeting McBiggun's eyes. "Very 'noble' of you, refusing the title of Lord, or is that just a ruse to make your inevitable taking of the throne seem more just?"





Big Mac jumped at Spike, knocking him from his chair. "Ah didn't hurt my father none and you know it! Take it back!"

"Woah woah woah," squeaked Spike in a panic. "It's just a game, just a game, I promise." He warded his face in case of any attacks incoming, shivering with fear.

Big Mac realized what he was doing and slumped back on his haunches. "Oh... Ah... sorry..."

Spike gathered himself back to his feet. "It's, uh, cool man. Do you need a break? I didn't mean to get you this worked up."

Big Mac took a slow and deep breath. "Yeah, a drink. Sorry again." He rose and strode off for the kitchen to get that refreshment.

When he returned, Spike had retaken his seat. The dragon gave a friendly wave at him. "Feeling better?" Big Mac nodded. "Good. Really, sorry, didn't mean to push a, uh, button. Say, uh, so... how did..."

"Ain't the time," cut off Big Mac as he hopped up into his seat. "So, where were we?"

"Right, so..."





The mood of the crowd was becoming quite dark. Most didn't want to believe those words, but they rang too true. Reflections of their own darkest wishes and ambitions, what if it were true? Could they just assume they were nothing but a lie?

The captain hopped down from his chair. "Sir McBiggun, will you... willingly enter arrest while we properly investigate this and put this terrible idea to rest?"

Sir McBiggun didn't want to hurt any of the ponies present, or the keep he loved. He dipped his head low. "Ya know ah didn't do it."

He was led away to the dungeons, where a familiar face sat there waiting for him. It was Garbuncle. They escorted Sir McBiggun to the same cell and released him inside.

It seemed our heroes would have to break out of jail or otherwise win their freedom.
> A Discordant Interlude
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big Mac had left with a satisfied smile. He wanted to know what would happen next.

So did Spike. He softly mumbled to himself as he finished cleaning up their mess. He had time to think about it. Failing that, he would have to wing it, which was something he was surprisingly capable of despite the lack of wings.

He snorted softly at the self-deprecating humor. Everything was clean and put away properly. It was time for sleep. Twilight had not yet returned, but that happened sometimes. It wasn't like he was some little foal that needed to be tucked in at night!

Not that it wasn't nice when it happened...

He curled up for sleep with a little chuff. Besides, he ended up being the one tucking her in at least as often. Their relationship was complicated.





Spike cocked a brow. "Uh... I'm talkin' about a real game."

Discord wistfully sighed. "Oh, you mean like trapping best friend ponies in hedge mazes and turning them against each other. Those were the days."

It would prove to be quite a long evening. As opposed to many new players, Discord proved to be actively disruptive to the game. Still, they stuck it out, and things turned around as the evening went on. In no time at all, he was playing his archer, Captain Wuzz, like a pro.

He even gave Spike a convenient out for the jail, being a roguish type that could stage their great escape and get them back on their feet, or hooves in one of their cases.

This was, of course, ignoring the fact that they weren't seated around a table anymore! They were actually casting spells, slashing at the squizzard's minions, and dodging incoming arrows, for real! They were having such a good time of it, they didn't even notice the arrival of two new players.

Spike turned away from his last defeated foe to be face to face with a rainbow-maned rogue or ranger and a very pink performer. "Oh, uh, hey?"

Pinkie bounced up and down in place, the feather on her foppish hat bouncing around. "We wanna join!"

Rainbow nodded. "You didn't tell us you were doing cool stuff while we were gone." She leaned in close. "So how do I get a sword like that?" She motioned subtly towards the great chopping device Big Mac was currently using.

Discord popped up between them as if he had been there the whole time. "Girls, girls, girls. If you want to be part of 'guy's night', then you have to play the part."

Pinkie tilted her head and spoke with a falsely deepened tone. "I am ready to be part of guy's night!"

Rainbow crossed her hooves. "Anything a guy can do, I can do better. Just sign me up already!"

Big Mac wandered over, his enemies defeated. He peered at the two new mares present, but said nothing. His doubt was clear enough without words to muddle things.

Discord cleared his throat. "I am Captain Wuzz, an archer. I am traveling with..." He looked to Spike expectantly.

"Oh! I'm Garbuncle." He lifted his staff. "I am a wizard of some renown, and I am traveling with Sir McBiggun." He waved his staff at Big Mac. "We are trying to defeat the evil squid wizard--" his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "We call him the squizzard." He and Big Mac both chuckled at the name even as Discord's eyes rolled free of his skull. "And who might you two be?"

Pinkie put a hoof to her chest. "Hello Garbuncle. I am Pinkamena, of the Pies. I am a traveling minstrel." She pulled a lute out of nowhere and gave it a strum with a hoof. "Your journey has obviously been long and difficult, and I am here to join the party! I will lift your spirits, because that's what I do."

Rainbow snorted through the mask covering her snout. "I'm uh... Commander Easyglider!"

Spike peered at Rainbow. "You're dressed kinda funny for a military commander."

Rainbow thrust a hoof at Big Mac. "Like he looks like a 'sir' to you? Besides, I didn't pick what I'm wearing, it just kinda... happened." She turned to Discord. "Your fault, I'm presuming."

He giggled girlishly. "Guilty as charged. What, you don't like your new outfit? You're the one that charged into our world."

Rainbow waved a hoof over herself. "It's, you know, kinda cool, but what is it? Anypony got a mirror?"

Pinkie produced a small hand mirror from nowhere in particular and held it in her mane in front Rainbow, dangling at the end of her mane. "Here you are, Commander."

Rainbow turned left and right, looking herself over. "Hmmm, nah, this isn't Easyglider material. Call me... Shadow Shade!" She gave a firm nod. "Yeah, a real sneaky type that can get in and get things done before they even knew what hit them." She looked past the mirror to the mare attached to it. "Uh, did that hurt?" She reached forward and tapped at Pinkie's new ear accessories, A set of two studs on either side and a long hoop on her left ear.

Pinkie turned the mirror around to see herself. "Ooo, fancy!" She raised an ear up to examine either ear. "Doesn't hurt at all." She tapped the hoop. "I can feel it though!"

Spike rolled a hand. "Shadow... shade? Aren't you just kinda repeating yourself there?"

Rainbow stuck out her tongue in defiance. "Dark Rainbow then!" She tapped the medallion she wore as part of her shirt and belt. "Rainbows are still part of the theme. How is that 'Garbuncle'?"

Discord threw his arms wide, literally. They spun around like boomerangs and came back to gather everyone up into a group hug. "The party is assembled! Now, shall we continue?"

A soft cough came from what felt like an extreme distance. They all turned to see a faded Twilight, looking at them oddly. "Oh, don't stop on... my account. Just be sure you clean all of this when you're done." She turned and trotted past their game area, never actually entering it. "Goodnight, Spike."

"Goodnight!" Spike waved at her retreating form. "Huh, she coulda joined, not like one more woulda broke anything."

Pinkie shrugged. "Maybe she's all tired from the amazing time we had today. Who knew the yaks had so much to show?!"

"You had to remind me." Rainbow sat on her haunches and crossed her arms over one another. "Are you talking about their piles of snow, or maybe their 'rustic' village, or perhaps you're referring to their many stomps and shouts?"

Pinkie looked around. "So what was up with all those boney ponies you were fighting? Do they work for that squid wizard you were talking about?"

"Ayup." Big Mac nodded his head firmly.

Spike wriggled his fingers ominously. "He raises them from beyond death, torturing their poor souls to do his bidding. They are as much a victim as the rest of us, but the only peace they can know is a return to oblivion."

Rainbow tilted her head at Spike. "That was possibly the most badass thing you have ever said." She hopped up to all four hooves. "Alright, so let's find this squiddard and--"

"Squizzard," corrected Spike.

"Right, that guy. Let's find him and teach him a lesson or three." She clopped her forehooves menacingly.

Spike tapped his staff on the ground, a sparkling strike sounding. "Thank you both for joining our cause. Sir Mcbiggun, what do you think of them?"

Big Mac raised a hoof to tap at his chin which managed to be both furry and stubbly at once. "Ayup."

"Captain Wuzz?" He looked to Discord.

He shrugged. "I'm the o-- oops! I mean..." He cleared his throat. "It would be good to have other stalwart fellows at our side."

Pinkie pointed at herself. "I'm not a fellow. I'm a fell-ah. I mean, a mare." She stuck out her tongue in a raspberry. "You know what I mean."

Discord rolled a hand at Pinkie. "That can be fixed." Without waiting for a yes or a no, both Pinkie and Rainbow were suddenly larger and bulkier.

Rainbow blinked slowly. "Did..." He stopped on hearing his own voice. "Discord! Not cool!"

Pinkie shrugged softly. "If we're playing pretend, I don't see the harm in it." He bounced up and down in place. "Not like I'm not me just 'cause I'm a stallion!" She hopped beside Spike and threw a leg over him, hugging him. "Next town we get to, we're gonna pick up a pair of pretty mares!"

Spike went a dark hue almost instantly. "Um..."

Rainbow didn't stop looking at Discord. "Put us back! I'm a mare, and a fine one at that. You're breaking perfection here." She tapped at the ground with her right forehoof. 

"Oh, why can't you loosen up like your friend here." Discord was suddenly at Pinkie's other side, hugging the new stallion. "He looks ready to experience this new world in a new form."

Rainbow pointed at Spike accusingly. "He's basically the same thing and you aren't giving him a hard time!"

Spike pulled at his robes defensively. "What? I'm super mature and refined." He stood as tall as he could manage. "Look at my masculine beard." He stroked the magnificent growth with a cocky smile. "I'm also a wizard!"

"Yeah, you have more hair than normal, I get that." Rainbow shook his head as she approached. "But that's basically all you have. I mean, physically. Your magic doesn't count." He reached out and tapped Spike on the chest. "Why don't you  make him into a her? That'd be fair."

Knowing his time was limited, Spike shook his head at Discord. "No no no, wait. Let's just... cool our heels on this. You two are tired after a long and eventful day." He smiled hopefully. "Let's just call this game over, but we can, you know, hash out the details for next time and get right into things."

Suddenly they were all back to normal. Rainbow and Pinkie were given their mare forms back. Spike lost his amazing facial hair, and Big Mac was no longer a unicorn.

Rainbow nudged Big Mac gently. "You do know Applejack saw that, right?"

Big Mac went stiff from top to bottom. "A...yup?" He walked for the door awkwardly, his limbs refusing to work properly. "B-bye..."

Pinkie stuck out her tongue. "AJ needs to get over that. Like, really girl, this is a new age! And if a pony has silly fantasies about being something else, it isn't a crime or anything." She put a hoof on her chest. "I was looking forward to pretending to be a guy for a little while."

"Pass," stated Rainbow with half-lidded eyes.

Discord patted Spike on the head. "Let me know which way they decide and when the next game is." Without waiting for a reply, he folded in on himself in half, then again and again until there was nothing left.

Spike peered at the spot that once held Discord. "I'm not sure I'll get used to that... So, uh... Hey." He wriggled a few fingers at either of the girls left over. "You really wanna join us?"

Pinkie bobbed her head quickly. "It looked super amazing fun! Ooo, do I get song magic? Tell me I get song magic!" She leaned in on Spike, her face only inches from his. "Sign me up and let me at 'em!"

Spike rubbed behind his head. "Uh, yeah, no reason to not have song magic."

Pinkie squealed with joy and began pronking away, singing a song of her future lyrical spells.

Rainbow remained. "So you're going to tell him to keep me a mare, right?" She hiked a brow at him. "I ain't playing if that's a requirement. Sheesh, I expect better of you, Spike."

Spike blinked at that. "What did I do?"

She rolled a hoof. "I'm not blind. You want a 'guy's' night, and I'm just cramping the vibe or whatever. You know I'm plenty cool as I am, right?"

Spike gave an emphatic thumbs up. "Rainbow, you're just fine the way you are, or should I say 'Dark Rainbow', mysterious and discreet operative of the shadows?"

Rainbow's smile returned gently. "We'll see about that discreet part." She rose up and held out a hoof towards him. "Just be sure to tell Discord, and I'll be back for next time, alright?"

Spike met her hoof with a balled fist. "You got it! Goodnight, Rainbow."

"See ya later, Spike." With a powerful flap, she took off into the evening.
> 14 - Interlude - Apple Business
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big Mac crept up to his house, hoping against hope that he could get past the dangerous hurdles that could be in his way. He slipped along the wall of the house, trying to be flat and silent as his bulk allowed. His hoof came down in a watering can, sending him and it flying as he stumbled to the ground and the can bounced away. Had anyone noticed? He hoped not.

He got himself back to his hooves but remained low to the ground, inching up to the door before he even dared to properly stand. He glanced left and right before letting out a little breath. Maybe he was being ridiculous. Maybe there was nothing to worry about at all.

He reached forward and opened the door as quickly as he could. The inside was dark, entirely dark. He took a step forward and the floor creaked beneath his heavy hoof. He wrenched the hoof back and swallowed before he tried again, stretching out to reach another, hopefully more secure, board. It did not oblige him.

"You kin stop that." A lantern flared into life, casting shadows across his sister, looking at him sternly. "Close the door behind you."

He swallowed audibly. "Ah kin--"

"Close the door." She gestured at a small cushion. "Sit."

He nodded slowly and turned to the door, properly latching it shut. With all the somberness due a pony marching to their execution, he stepped up to the cusion and sank his to his haunches on it, looking to his sister quietly.

Applejack tapped her hooves together a moment, saying nothing before she sat up. "It's mah fault, ain't it?"

"What is?"

She waved towards Ponyville. "Ya see me gallavantin' around with the element of magic, the prettiest mare in town, and the most sharply dressed. Ah shouldn't be so surprised none that you might just forget what makes earth ponies so great."

Big Mac shrank back. "It ain't that," he mumbled under his  breath.

Applejack pointed at herself. "What about me, huh? Ah'm just as much a hero as the rest of them. If yer lookin' fer a hero to copy, why ain't ah one of 'em?" She leaned forward in her chair. "We were raised to be proud Apples." She thumped her chest. "Apples to the core! You remember how the song goes."

"Ayup..." He had a thousand thoughts, and no words. He shuffled faintly, hoping the storm would pass.

She slid from the chair, approaching Big Mac in slow steps. "You do realize yer a fine slab of stallion, right?"

Big Mac's ears shot up as he glanced around. How did they arrive at that?

"It's true. Ya don't see it none, but ah can see the mares lookin' after you when ya pass." She sat down in front of him. "Yer blind to how amazin' ya are. Other ponies ain't. Whatever happened ta Cheerilee? Ya two made a right cute couple."

Big Mac felt an intense blush coming on. "She was nice..." Nice did not mean it worked. He shuffled on his cushion.

"Nice?" She circled around him slowly. "Fer a while ya seemed like a mighty fine pair indeed. Ah thought we'd be invitin' her ta family functions." She leaned in suddenly. "Did she do wrong by ya? Ya afraid to tell me? Well don't be! Ah'm yer sister. Ah'll straighten this out."

Big Mac raised a forehoof behind his head. "Nope."

She cocked a brow. She was especially good at the motion. "Nope she didn't do nothin' or nope ya ain't tellin'?"

"Look... It just..." He lowered his hoof back down. "She didn't do anythin' wrong. She's a good mare, just not... my mare."

Applejack sank to her haunches heavily. "Yer gonna find some pretty unicorn and hook up wit' her, ain't ya...?" She heaved a sigh, deep and long. 

Big Mac's eyes opened wide. "Ah ain't done nothin' like that, not that it's any of yer business."

"Fine, that's... yer business ah suppose, but you. Yer an Apple." She prodded him in the center of his chest. "Ya got it all through and through. We're tough, strong, and hardworkin'. Ya should be proud of that!"

He rose up, towering over his sister even if he felt cowed by her presence. "Ah'm proud."

"Easy t' say." She shook her head slowly. "What would Apple Bloom think? She's already got a unicorn for a mentor! Now her brother's busy puttin' on fake horns!" She reached with a hoof to touch one of his. "Ya got big hooves. Big, powerful hooves. They're from yer pa, ya know."

Big Mac shrank back at that, falling to his haunches. "Ah... ain't forgot..."

"And what would he say?" She had him fixed in a deadly glare.

"I... don't know." He shrank before her withering look. "It's jus' a game... Ah..."

"What kinda game was that anyway? Ya were jumpin' around like a bunch of ninnies with Discord! How is that a good idea any day of any week?"

He looked away from Applejack, not wanting to feel the burn of her stern expression. "He jus' joined today... We been playin' long before he got there..."

"Uh huh..." She circled even as he kept looking away. "Big Mac... You know ah care about ya, right?"

"Yup..."

She set her hooves on his shoulders. "We're siblings, and mighty tight ones, ah hope. Ah want the best fer ya. Ya know that, right?"

"Yup..."

"So why're ya so eager to run away from what ya are?" She sank to her haunches, her arms stretched upwards as she looked at his cheek, his eyes still turned away. "We ain't broken, Big Mac. There ain't a dang thing wrong with being what we are."

Big mac met her eyes. "What would ya say if, fer 'xample, a unicorn wanted wings?"

"I'd say that unicorn was crazy." She rolled her eyes at the notion. "Why?"

He poked her in the chest as she had done. "Ya didn't make no fun of Rarity when she tried it."

Applejack's jaw tensed. "That was... different... She was tryin' to support a friend."

Big Mac pointed a big hoof at himself. "And ah'm bein' a friend t' Spike. He likes the game, and ah'm havin' fun too. Ain't no one bein' hurt by playing pretend."

She turned away. "Ah saw a very real horn on yer head. How's that pretend? So, ya like magic?" She looked over her shoulder. "Ya like grabbin' things without yer hooves? Wish ya could just--" She turned back around and reared up, wobbling her hooves like a wizard casting a spell. "--cast a spell and make the apples harvest themselves without workin' fer it!?"

"Ah ain't doin' that!" He stomped a hoof down, clopping it against the hardwood floor. "An' you know it!"

Applejack's withers rose in a powerful bristle. "Jus' cause you can't, not because you don't want to!"

Small hoofsteps had both their eyes turning to see a drowsy Apple Bloom coming down the stairs. Applejack closer her mouth and sat down, waiting.

Apple Bloom walked right between them towards the sink and poured herself a glass of water. She drank it slowly right there, her hooves holding up the glass as she interrupted the argument dead without much effort.

Big Mac looked between his little sister and his older one, fidgeting in place but unsure what else he could do.

Apple Bloom set the glass down and turned for the stairs. "Ya two can go back t' fussin' if ya want," she said as she began climbing. "Me n' Granny can hear ya, just so ya know."

Applejack's cheeks darkened. "Ah ain't sayin' nothing ah'm afraid of ya hearing!"

Apple Bloom turned around to meet Applejack's defensive stance. "If Twilight bothers ya teachin' me, ah wonder  how much Zecora gets under yer pelt." She didn't wait for an answer, turning right back around to ascend the stairs.

Applejack sank to her haunches, the wind in her sails blown out for a moment. "Consarnit... Ah ain't even mad at her." She looked back to Big Mac. "Look, enough. Ponies in this house need their sleep."

"Ayup." He rose and strode past her for the same stairs Apple Bloom had just ascended.

Applejack dashed in front of him. "Don't you disrespect me! Look, ah'm the breadwinner of this here house and all ah ask is to be..." She trailed off, seeing Big Mac was looking elsewhere. "Ah'll make this simple then. Ah don't want to see you hangin' around Spike no more." She clopped a hoof on the ground and turned away, going up the stairs first.

Big Mac watched her go before he shook his head. "Ya ain't the boss." As if he would be countermanded by his little sister. Grumbling, he went to his room and crashed onto his bed. Why was she getting in the way of his good time? He wasn't hurting anyone! Sleep was slow coming, but he eventually surrendered to its siren call. He had work to do in the morning, and he didn't plan to skip on it, no matter how much his sister implied he wanted to.

He was an Apple. An Apple to the core.
> 15 - Start Episode 7 - Gender Identity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pinkie pronked, as was her nature. She bounded from step to step in a manner of motion unlike most other ponies, but it suited her well, and she was pleased to make her way along.

"Do you really think he's there?" asked Rainbow Dash who flew alongside her in a boring straight line. "I mean, they're friends and all, but he isn't there most of the time."

"We won't know until we try." Pinkie nodded softly, eyes closed and not even watching where she was going exactly. She knew the way.

Rainbow flew in a little closer to her friend. "So, if he is there, do you think he'll talk?"

"He always talks." Pinkie rolled her eyes despite them being closed. "Silly."

"Right right, but will he talk about what we want to talk about?"

Pinkie opened her eyes just in time to see Fluttershy's cottage coming into view. "I hope so. How else am I going to find out how my song magic will work if he doesn't give a clue? I mean I know how music magic should work! That doe--"

"--Yeah yeah, music magic." Rainbow shook her head and snorted softly. She came in for a light landing, walking alongside Pinkie instead. "Why'd he have to, you know, change me?"

Pinkie swiveled an ear towards Rainbow. "That's one of his 'things', you know? Everypony was changed! You saw Big Mac's  horn. He was having fun with it. So you got a horn too, what's the big deal?"

Rainbow tilted her head as she walked. "Wha? He didn't give me one of those." She stuck out her tongue. "Not that I need a horn. Unicorns can keep it! I have all the magic I need right here." She spread her wings wide in a proud display. "Now if he wanted to try out a griffon, that might be different. I wouldn't mind seeing what that's like. Twilight was stingy with her magic on that." She stuck out her tongue at the memory.

Pinkie bounced up towards Fluttershy's door. "If you had magic, you could make yourself a griffon." She came down perfectly on the welcome mat and raised a hoof, knocking lightly. "Fluttershy! Are you home?"

"Coming," came a melodic voice from within before the door opened to reveal a yellow snout. "Hello Pinkie--" Her eyes moved to spy Rainbow beside her. "Rainbow. How can I help?"

Rainbow stepped forward with a cocky grin. "Wouldn't suppose Discord is visiting right now, would he?"

Fluttershy shook her head in the negative. "Afraid not. Did you need him for something?"

Pinkie bobbed her head energetically. "Uh huh. We wanted to talk about the game!"

"Game?"

"The one you saw." Pinkie pointed towards Twilight's Castle. "Spike and Big Mac were playing too and having a super fun time and I wanted to join and they said alright but I was hoping to talk to Discord and work some things out before the next session!" She took a deep breath to counter her sudden speech without punctuation. "And we couldn't think of a better place to look than here. You two hang out all the time, right?"

Rainbow lifted into the air and crossed her forelegs. "Right, so do you know where to find him?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "He just shows up when he wants to. I've been meaning to ask him about where he lives. I should visit some time." She raised a hoof to her chin before it slid back to the ground. "Sorry, girls. What was that game? It looked... violent."

Rainbow brought her hooves together, rubbing them with thoughts of that violence. Pinkie tilted her head. "Well, I guess kinda, but it's more about playing pretend. You get to be somepony you aren't for a while and just have fun and adventure!"

Fluttershy blinked slowly. "But... we already go on adventures. They're... a little scary at times."

Pinkie waved away the idea of fear. "Being scared is just a funny kind of laughing.  That's why when you're scared, you smile, see?" She put on a terrified expression, lips peeled back in an almost-smile. "See?" she said, her words muffled by her awkwardly forced lips.

Rainbow nudged Pinkie aside. "Yeah, well, we're just looking for Discord. How do you reach him when you want to?"

"Well, if I wanted..." She frowned a moment in thought before she sat down on her haunches. "Discord? Are you there?"

A hole unfolded over her head and a head poked free with mismatched horns. "Yes, my dear?" His head span in place in defiance of any body that should be attached to it. "Oh, you have guests."

Pinkie waved excitedly at Discord. "Heya! We were hoping we could talk about the next game."

He slipped through, the hole sealing up behind him as he considered both of the girls. "You caught me at a bad time, but how about this. I'll come visit your places later for a little one-on-one chit-chat. How's about that?"

Pinkie cheered, easily mollified. Rainbow looked less thrilled. "What keeps you busy?"

He snapped his fingers and a second Discord appeared with glasses and a notebook. "Well, you see, he has many important dates with equally important people." The clone flipped open the book. "Why, just today--"

Rainbow held up a hoof suddenly. "No, that's alright. You know where I'll be?"

"I'm sure I can figure it out. With a secretary like this, how can I get confused." He smiled at his double, who returned the gesture, then vanished between one frame of life and the next like a bad editing job. "Well, I'll see you both later, ta-ta." He turned to Fluttershy. "Did you need anything?"

She shook her head. "Thank you for coming. I'm sorry if I interrupted anything."

"As if you could interrupt me," he said in a fond tone. "You just give a call any time you need me." He dove forward into her mane, drawing a surprised yelp from Fluttershy, but he was gone.

Fluttershy shook her head a little. "Well, there you go. I hope everything works out." She took a step back, already reaching for her door.

Pinkie shoved a hoof forward to stop it from closing. "Wait! Why don't you join us?"

"O-oh, thank you, but I don't think that's my kind of game..." She smiled gently. "Have fun though." She closed the door once Pinkie allowed her, leaving her and Rainbow outside.

Rainbow shrugged. "Guess we wait for Discord to have time for us." She lifted into the air. "I'll see you later, right?"

"Righto!" Pinkie saluted before hopping up. She came down facing Ponyville and began her pronking gait back towards civilization. As free as she seemed to be, she had plenty of chores that needed her attention. She bounced back to the bakery and got to making delicious treats for the ponies of Ponyville. She prepared sheets of cookies and trays of muffins when she wasn't selling them at the front counter with a big smile.

Mrs. Cake came in from the front, smiling at Pinkie. "I'll take over the counter if you could run a delivery for me, dear."

"Of course." Pinkie bounced up and came down without her apron, which floated down to a perfectly folded pile on its own. "Give me the 5 Ws! Or, I guess, a few Ws is probably enough."

Misses Cake blinked at that before she reached back with a snout and pulled free a clipboard. She set it down in front of Pinkie. "Here's the order. Get it baked up and delivered as soon as possible."

Pinkie grabbed the board with her athletic mane and held it up with a calculating peer. "I'll have this ready in two shakes of, well, my tail." She gigglesnorted as she retreated into the kitchen and got to cooking. They wanted a big cake, and she wouldn't let them down! Under her trained hooves, she made the batter rise, decorated it with frosting, mmm, and wrote across its top in a joyful message. "Happy Birthday, Cheerilee," it read, which was a bit funny, since it wasn't Cheerilee's birthday. Pinkie would know! She had that written down and indexed for party planning.

Why was someone asking for a birthday cake? Maybe just for fun! What was wrong with that? Pinkie couldn't think of any good reasons not to enjoy a birthday cake any given day, birthday or not. She boxed up the baked good and sprang from the store with it on her back. As much as she wanted to pronk, doing so with a cake onboard had proven to be dangerous at times.

She pulled out the clipboard from her mane with the tip of that very same pink fluff. The address was not one she immediately recognized. She knew the street, but not the number. "The mystery is deepening!" She wanted to know what was going on, so she hastened her step to find some answers.

What she found was a rundown little house that barely qualified for the term. It looked like nopony had lived there for years. "Huh, maybe that's why I didn't remember the address..." But why would someone living in such a place ask for a birthday cake for someone who wasn't having a birthday? Curiosity blooming, she approached the front door, hanging off the hinges as it was, and knocked on it. "Cake delivery!"

"You got the goods?" came a seedy male voice from within the darkness.

Pinkie bobbed her head. "If you have the payment."

A pouch slid out through the crack left by the broken door. Pinkie snatched it up with a hoof and jingled it. Yep. "Sounds good, here you go." She set the cake's box down and slid it forward into the darkness.

There was a moment of quiet. "You're not even going to ask?"

Pinkie tilted her head. "Ask what?"

"Why some suspicious stranger is buying a cake in an abandoned house?"

"I figured you were going to throw a housewarming party to cheer up the place." Pinkie nodded, happy with her logic. "Am I invited?" She suddenly smiled. "Wait, are you a new pony?!"

"That I am not." Discord's head poked out into the light. "You are a very silly pony."

"Whenever I can help it. Hi Discord!" She waved a hoof energetically. "I didn't know you like that flavor of cake."

"Happens to be one of my favorites, actually." He smiled at her even as he drew back into the darkness. "Now, dare you step forward, would-be adventurer?"

"Ooooo!" Pinkie hopped forward a step. "I dare!" She opened the door carefully to avoid it falling completely off and soon stepped forward into the gloomy interior of the building. She couldn't see very well, but was giggling despite it. It was like a haunted house, scary fun instead of 'oh no I am being eaten!' scary. "I was hoping to talk about song magic."

"Well, of course. You are a bard, after all. Performance is your power." She could hear Discord speaking, but not see him anywhere. It was like he was just a floating voice beside her ears. "That is why you have an instrument."

Pinkie felt a tickle all over and felt the clothes of her game character suddenly on her, jewelry included. She reached and found her stringed instrument. "So I make magic music with this?"

"The music is in you, dear adventurer." The voice traveled around her. "Your voice can weave magic, but the instrument is a focus. With it, your spells can reach further and more powerfully. Take care of it, and it will take care of you."

Pinkie broke into giggles, dancing from left to right hoof. "Alrighty! I can do this." She suddenly sprang up onto her hindlegs and strummed her lute-like instrument softly. "If I hadn't gotten into party planning, being a performer would be... maybe #2 or 3? So how do I cast a spell?"

"Aren't we a curious one? Simply sing what you wish to happen."

Pinkie's grin only grew wider. "You know, I was wrong about you. You're a good pony." She bobbed her head. "A little tricky at times, but who isn't." She stuck out her tongue and tickled at the strings. "We're going to make beautiful music together."
> 16 - Colorful Shadows
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discord's voice spoke softly from nowhere at all, sounding as if he were but a step or two away, if there were steps to be had. Rainbow could hear him despite soaring through the sky. "You know, your friend have been ever so kind to rub every little trouble I've had in my face until I caught on. It's time to return the favor."

Rainbow swiveled her ears around, but couldn't pinpoint the exact origin of Discord's voice. "What, like I'm supposed to be happy to be suddenly zapped into a stallion?"

"Oh, not that. That's just a symptom." Suddenly Rainbow was laying in a couch that zipped along her original path. Discord appeared in a doctor's garb, adjusting his new glasses. "Everything a stallion can do, a mare can do better, do I have that right?"

Rainbow jumped into the air, lashing out her back hooves and knocking the sofa away to crash to the ground below. "It's so true. Don't get me wrong, I got plenty of stallion friends and they're good ponies, but they aren't mares."

"I should hope not." He leaned closer to her, still 'standing' despite keeping pace with her energetic flight. "Ponykind would be in serious trouble if that were the case. Your team, what was it, the vunderdolts?"

"Wonderbolts!" corrected Rainbow with an angry snort. "What about them?"

"They aren't just mares, are they?" He cocked a brow, his glasses lifting with the gesture as if attached to his face.

"Well, no." Rainbow rolled her eyes. "But let's do the rundown. One of the only members given the boot in recent history? That was a stallion." She banked to the left, skimming a few clouds on the way. "Then we have Soarin, nice guy, really, sweet as Pinkie's Pies, uck, but is he the best flyer? Not by far. Then there's Silver Zoom, also a nice pony, but deathly afraid of the same crowd we perform for, barely says a word out in the open. We have stallions, sure, but as good as the mares?" She leaned in towards Discord who had kept up with her with distressing ease. "You tell me."

"I see..." He scribbled nonsense in a pad that hadn't been there moments before. "And those adoring eyes you used to level at him?"

Rainbow came to a sudden halt, hovering in the sky. "One, I wasn't a wonderbolt yet and he was. Two, he's a good flyer, just not the best. Three, I was being a fangirl, so shut up!" She stomped, or at least made a stomping motion. The empty air made a poor platform for the attempt. "What's it to you, anyway? I just wanna be what I am, a mare. I don't care if I'm a sneaky mare or even an egghead mare or maybe a big bruiser mare, but a mare." She thrust a hoof at Discord. "That isn't too hard, right?"

Discord lifted his shoulders. "And if a stallion wanted to be as great as a mare, what would he have to do?"

Rainbow squinted at him. "Go beg Twilight or someone to make him a mare?"

"Come now, surely it's not entirely a matter of biology." He tapped his pen against his pad. "I should imagine that, with the right training, you could get a stallion on the right path." He leaned forward a little, but was above Rainbow suddenly, leaning downwards. "For instance, even if you didn't like it, you were obviously the most awesome stallion, for at least a moment."

Rainbow reached up to ward away the chaotic being above her, succeeding in shooing him back to floating beside her. "I can't argue that. As if I could somehow avoid being awesome, whatever I was." She raised her brows together. "Seriously though, what's with you and stallions?" A smirk touched her lips. "Afraid of a mare's company? Think we're not 'up' for your 'macho' game?"

Discord sat up from the couch he was laying across. "Wait a second, when did I become the patient?!" He floated over it and the couch faded away in a shower of sparkles. "Now see here--"

"--Tree."

Discord turned just in time for a tree to get right in the way of his trajectory. He wrapped around several branches in a display that would have looked painful on any other creature on the planet. "Hey, no fair!"

Rainbow shook her head slowly as she ascended towards her house. "Nutter..." She landed gently just in front of her home and trotted inside, ready to chillax after a long day's work. She settled down and grabbed the newest Daring Do book from her shelf to get cozy with. She was just at the best part, or so she had decided. Daring Do was creeping down a dark corridor. There were mad cultists chanting in the next room up ahead. If they heard her, she was toast!

The diagram of Daring Do suddenly turned to look at Rainbow. "We weren't done," she said sternly.

Rainbow squeaked and threw the book across the room in surprise. It flumped to the ground and all was still. "What the..." She rose to her hooves and approached carefully. "Whatever you are, I'm ready for ya!" There was no reply, so she carefully brushed open the book with a hoof.

Inside, there was Daring Do, glaring at her. "That was rude." She had her forelegs crossed and was seated up on her haunches. "We were talking and you just run away?"

"Discord?" Rainbow hiked a brow. "Why are you pretending to be Daring Do?" She leaned in a little, tail swaying. "It's a better look, but it's not 'you', ya know?"

Discord, as Daring Do, rolled her eyes. "Unlike you, some of us aren't bound by strict gender roles. I'm not afraid to see things from the other side."

Rainbow scowled at that. "I'm not afraid of anything! It's just stupid!" She moved to slap the book shut, but it barely got halfway closed when a hoof caught the paper.

The drawing of Daring Do stepped free of her book, becoming the full size on her idol pegasus adventurer, though she still looked drawn, just in three dimensions. "That's quite enough of that. So, here I am, improved, you would say?" She smiled at Rainbow Dash and spread her wings. "Not only a mare, but a pegasus. I've gotten the full package!"

Rainbow rolled a hoof before bringing it to her head. "You still think like a stallion, because you are one." She suddenly frowned. "I'm pretty sure you are one, and kindly don't prove it either way."

"Your loss." Discord as Daring Do stepped towards Rainbow. "Did you know this was based on a spell Twilight loves to pieces?"

Rainbow's brows raised together. "Really? Figures that egghead would like a spell that puts you in a book." She prodded the artistic rendition of one of her heroes. "I'll play your stupid game, but I want to be a mare, that shouldn't even be something I have to argue."

Her painted eyes rolled as she turned away. "I suppose not. I still think you're being harsh on the other half of ponykind, but maybe it's not up to me to decide."

"It isn't," Rainbow flatly agreed.

Discord looked over her shoulder at Rainbow. "Just meant you'll be the only mare in the team. At least we can trust Pinkie won't make any unwarranted moves, like getting drunk and 'getting some mares', mmm?"

Rainbow stuck out her tongue in disgust. "Pinkie can do whatever she wants, but if she creeps on me, she'll learn to not make the mistake more than once." She leveled a hoof at the feminine Discord. "What about you? Is this just a cheap chance to chase fantasy tail, or are we gonna kick some rumps around like I saw you guys doing the first time?"

"Why would I do that?" She unfolded, falling to several flat planes of paper from which Discord emerged. "I can already have whatever I want."

Rainbow rolled a hoof at him. "I'm already way over that. You can have whatever you want, but as soon as it becomes whoever you want, it gets trickier, and it isn't fun playing with yourself." He quirked a brow at her. "You know what I mean."

"Fine fine, we have an agreement. You will remain just as much a mare as your mother made you." He nodded lightly. "You're still a sneaky sort, mmm?"

"Oh yeah, I'm down for that." She bobbed her head quickly. "But when do I get my big sword?"

"I offered you one of those, that's why we're here," he noted with a deadpan.

Rainbow laughed in a dry, unamused, tone. "Har har, very funny. I want something big and deadly!"

He shook his head lightly. "A sword like Big Mac's would not serve a stealthy character. You need--"

"--I need you to pay attention more and stop assuming things." She trotted over to  her bookshelf and looked over the spines before pulling free another Daring Do classic. "See, right here." She flipped it open with her wings until she came across the desired page. "Daring Do jumped backwards just in time as a massive blade came down where she had been standing. Wielding it was an exotic guardian of the night, loyal of the lost Order of the Eclipse. She was narrow and lithe, as if every movement was calculated, but the sword she wielded was larger than herself. The contrast was startling, but Daring Do barely had time to appreciate it before she was forced to jump away from the next cruel slice."

Discord clapped his mismatched hands together. "And you want to be like that, a delicate dancer with a blade that looks ready to cut mountains in half?"

"Yes!" shouted Rainbow, bouncing in place. "Yes, that, yes, please? Hook a sister up!"

Discord put his hands on his hips. "What's the fun in having everything you want out of the gate? You will, within the world, want that sword, but you don't have it. Maybe that's why you've joined this party."

Rainbow tilted her head a little. "Huh, are you saying that stupid Squid Wizard guy went and took my awesome sword?" She lifted into the air and clopped her hooves. "Then we'll just pummel him and take it back!"

"Now that's more the spirit." Discord quirked a smile. "Allow me to say, it's been a real treat getting this settled, even if we didn't see eye-to-eye."

"We still don't." Rainbow smirked softly. "But yeah, see you at the game?" She waggled her brows suddenly. "I'm a bit surprised you aren't trying to talk Fluttershy into this."

He crossed his arms at the idea. "It wouldn't be fun to her. Adventure is a thing she'd rather avoid if the option's open, and I'm not trying to force her, darling that she is. She faces enough adventure just being who she is, and that's more than enough for her." He nudged Rainbow with an elbow. "Not like us, right?"

Rainbow snorted loudly. "On this, I'll agree. We'll meet at Twilight's next time Spike calls a game and we'll kick some bad guys around for fun. Even if I don't have my awesome sword of awesome, I can get a replacement for now, right?"

"You'll have to take that up with the guy in charge, which isn't me for a change!"

Rainbow tilted her head. "How does that work, exactly, if you're the one making all the things we fight and stuff?"

"Easy." Discord looked quite pleased with himself. "I talk to him and he will quite happily ramble about his plans. When I feel the need, I can even pull directly from his scaly little head on the fly. It's not like he guards it well."

Rainbow blinked slowly. "Wait, you can do that?"

"I try not to make a habit of it." He shook a hand. "Life gets terribly boring when you know what everyone else is thinking. Wouldn't recommend it. 0/10."
> 17 - Guys' Night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Whatcha doin'?" asked Pinkie, leaning in from behind over Spike's shoulder as he stirred some batter in the castle's kitchen.

He jumped with surprise, the whisk falling against the side of the smooth blue bowl. "Ah! Oh, hey Pinkie. I was just making a little special something for later."

Pinkie sniffed softly, leaning in over Spike to examine the batter. "A little cinnamon wouldn't go wrong. So I was just wondering, when are we gonna play that new game?"

Spike looked over his shoulder as he picked up his lost whisk and got back to beating the solution into shape. "The next time the girls leave on one of their many little adventures."

She tilted her head at that. "But, then how do we get to play?"

Spike tensed as the logic struck him. "I didn't even think of that." He set the bowl down and moved for the fridge. "I guess we need a different schedule than we've been using. I mean, we didn't expect this." He pulled the fridge open and retrieved a few glass containers from its chilly interior. His was mildly frowning with thought on the idea.

"We could do it... Once a week?" Pinkie bounced in place. "Or is that too much? If you guys only played when we were all gone, that wasn't that often."

Spike worked the screwed tops of each off with little grunts of effort before adding some of each to his concoction. "I never really thought about it. It was kind of a special occasion."

Pinkie suddenly plopped down on her haunches. "Oh... They were special little parties, and here I am, butting in." She rubbed behind her fluffy head with a hoof. "Now I kinda feel bad."

Spike aborted his cooking a moment to put up his claws, the jars awkwardly balanced between his arms and his chest. "No no no! I mean, it's great that you two want to play. You're both friends, and now we have a more 'classic' number of players, so that's good." He turned to set the jars down on the counter. "I just have to think about it, ya know?"

"I know." She bobbed her head quickly as she sprang to her hooves. "I'll let you do that. You know where I live," she sang as she began to pronk away in the merry bounces that defined her.

Spike tapped his chin twice before he resumed mixing. The batter complete, he poured it out into a small baking tray, lining the bottom evenly. "Huh, maybe I should ask Big Mac..." He nodded with growing conviction and brought the tray over to the oven to begin baking. "Yeah, we should agree, together. I mean, it was our game first."





Big Mac sat behind a counter in Ponyville's small and familiar marketplace. He smiled at each pony that passed, occasionally loading one  up with nice red apples from his collection of barrels and collecting bits for the farm. It was a duty that passed between Applejack and himself. Like most chores, he took it seriously. "Mornin'"

Bon Bon nodded at him as she walked towards him. "Nice day today, the pegasi are really doing a great job. I'm going to need some apples for a batch of candies I'm making, assuming you have some left."

Big Mac softly chuckled at the idea. "Ayup." He brought down a hoof on the barrel beside him with a dull thud and the lid popped off. He caught it as it bounced up and set it gently beside the barrel. The wood had the scent of the apples it was often close to.

"I'll take a baker's dozen." Bon Bon turned to present her saddlebag. "Say, did you ever try getting Apple Bloom to sell apples, now that she isn't so desperate?"

Big Mac raised an ear as he collected apples. He had heard the tale of Apple Bloom's overeager attempt to force the apples of their farm onto the ponies of the town. "Maybe." She had grown since then, considerably. Perhaps it was time to give her another try at the family business. She was an Apple, after all. "Here ya go." He filled Bon Bon's bags with the bounty. "Six bits."

Bon Bon produced a coin purse and set a five bit and a single bit coin in Big Mac's waiting hoof. "Thank you. I'll be sure to bring one of the candies by when they're ready." She trotted past, another satisfied customer.

The rapid pitter-patter of clawed feet drew Big Mac's attention to an approaching Spike, weaving around stalls towards him.

Spike waved eagerly as he vaulted over Davenport. "Heya Mac! You're just the stallion I wanted to talk to."

"Yup?" He pulled a large apple free of the still open barrel. "Apple?"

Spike waved a hand. "Nah, thanks, but I meant for the game."

Big Mac tensed a moment, his sister's words clear in his head. He shook it off before nodding just as quickly. "Ayup?"

"Well, uh, first..." Spike rocked on his feet, looking over his friend. "Are you alright with, you know, the girls joining in? There wasn't a lot of time to talk about it before. This is our game, I didn't forget." He gestured quickly between himself and Big Mac.

Big Mac was still a moment before a little smile spread on his lips. Spike cared about his opinions, that was nice. "Ayup." He glanced left and right, eyeing the other ponies in the market. They seemed to be mostly clear at the moment from prying ears. "Ah'm not used t'playin' with mares, but ah don't see no harm."

Spike thrust up his thumb claw powerfully. "Great! So, uh, about that. If they're in, we can't play when they aren't here, so, you know, we kinda need a new schedule." He rolled a hand in the air vaguely. "Pinkie suggested weekly, but that would be a lot more often than we had been doing."

Big Mac considered quietly, as was his nature. "How 'bout twice a moon?"

Spike quickly nodded in reply. "Sure, at the start and the middle, that could work. Let me check with the girls and Discord and see what they think about it." He thrust out a balled fist and was met with a hoof, the two in clear agreement. With that settled, he dashed off to find his other players.





Rainbow kicked an errant cloud from the otherwise clear day. "Thought you could sneak by me, huh?" The weather report said a clear day, and she wasn't the sort of pony to disappoint! Usually.

"Hey!" came a voice from far below.

Rainbow looked downward to see Spike waving up at her. She zipped down towards him in a sudden plummet, coming to a screeching halt right in front of his surprised face. That never got old. "Hey, Spike. What's up?"

Spike recovered from his powerful flinch. "Hey, Rainbow. We were just getting a new schedule for the game. We can't play with you girls if we only play when you're not here, right?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you guys would wait until we specifically weren't here."

Spike shrugged emphatically. "It was guys' night, whattaya want?"

"A big sword, mostly." Rainbow landed lightly with a big grin on her face. "So, what's the plan, oh 'Master of Oubliettes'?"

Spike's cheeks warmed a little. "We were thinking, you know, twice a moon? Start and middle."

Rainbow nodded quickly. "At night, right? That should be fine.  I mean, unless there's a storm I gotta handle, we don't do a lot of work, or practice, at night, so I should be fine." She put a hoof on his smaller chest. "I'll be there. Hay, that means we play in a few days, right? Our first real game."

Spike turned to hunt the last two players he had to talk to. "Your first game at least. Me and Big Mac have been going a while."

"A game isn't real without me there," countered Rainbow before she darted back up into the sky with a trail of rainbow colors.





Pinkie was enjoying a cup of chocolate in loud and happy slurps as she laid out on a long chair, taking in the sun. She was, as Rainbow would describe, chillaxing.

"There you are!" Spike sprang from chair to chair, bouncing off a few other ponies that had been peacefully sleeping. 

Pinkie's eyes and ears followed Spike as he came closer. "Heya, Spike. It feels like we were just talking."

Spike stopped a moment. "That's, uh, because we were. We have a schedule worked out, I mean, if it works for you and Discord."

Pinkie sat up quickly. "You have my attention! When do we start?" She swung around the cup of cocoa towards Spike. "Want some?"

Spike was about to refuse when its scent wafted past him. "Mmm, that actually smells pretty good."

"I know!" She thrust it against him until he took hold of it. "Try it!"

Spike took a small sip and let out an appreciative mmm. "Not bad at all. So, twice a moon." He held the cup back towards her. "Start and middle, at sundown."

Pinkie took the glass back and set it on the small table beside herself. "That should be okay dokey! I mean, unless I have to host a party or something like that, but if that happens--" She suddenly draped over Spike. "--you'll just have to go on... without me." She sniffed dramatically, tears glistening in her eyes.

Spike gently shoved the pink pony back into her sunbathing chair. "I bet you have them all planned out, so if you can tell us ahead of time, that'd be great. You know, so we're not waiting around hoping you'll show up suddenly."

"Roger dodger." Pinkie bobbed her head quickly. "Now that that's all taken care of..." She waved a hoof at a free chair adjacent to her own. "Wanna join me? The sun's all bright and shiny and perfect for enjoying."

While the sun on his scales was always a nice thing, Spike put up a hand. "I have to find Discord... however you do that. I don't suppose you know a good way to do that?"

Pinkie pointed off towards the Everfree. "Ask Fluttershy? They're closer than two peas in a pod. If she can't find him, nopony can!"

Spike bobbed his head. "Right, good idea. See you later!" He dashed away from the line of sunbathing ponies. He had a chaos god to find.





Fluttershy set the squirrel down gently on the sun-warmed grass. "All better."

The squirrel chittered appreciatively up at the larger pony that had cared for it.

"Oh, it's no problem at all." She smiled gently as she pat the small creature on the head. "Just be more careful in the future. You don't want to be hurt."

It bobbed its little head and darted off, its bushy tail the last thing Fluttershy saw as it vanished into the underbrush. She sighed with satisfaction, knowing another animal was helped at her hooves. 

"Fluttershy!" came a sudden and loud cry, making her jump with surprise.

She came down facing Spike and put a hoof to her chest. "Hello Spike, oh my, you startled me. What can I do for you?"

Spike hurried across Fluttershy's lawn. "I'm glad you're here. Say, if someone wanted to find Discord, what's the best way to, you know, do that?"

"Oh? Is this about that little game you two play?" She smiled like a mother amused by the antics of her children. "That looked a little too, um, violent for me, but you sure seemed to be having a good time."

Spike fought against the blush that her words summoned. "Uh, yeah, it's great. We just have to reshedule a little and I have to tell Discord about it."

"Well, that's just the thing..." Fluttershy ran a hoof demurely over the grass in front of her. "He is usually the one that comes to me. I know how to get to his house though, but it's extra tricky if you don't fly."

A paw came down on Spike's shoulder from behind. He barely had time for a yelp of surprise when he was drawn out of reality.
> 18 - Welcome to My Parlor
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The unseen force thrust Spike onto a comfortable couch with brown cushions and purple trim. It was a perfectly nice couch, more the shame that it was also upside-down. Spike dug his claws into the fabric quickly, expecting to fall from the ceiling he had been placed, but it seemed the couch had its own gravity that held him to it.

"You look tense." Discord was there, stepping out of his kitchen and walking across the room, just barely dodging a spurt of lava from a small volcano. "I really should replace that, it's getting past its fun." He vanished and reappeared beside his detached arm, taking it back simply by virtue of assuming the correct position. "Now, I hear you've been searching for me. What's on your little mind?"

Spike tilted his head at Discord, who was upright while Spike was still facing the floor with his head. "Um, I don't suppose I could get to the floor without falling? I mean, no offense or anything, but this is a little..."

Discord rolled his eyes dramatically, spinning in full three sixties away from one another. "If you insist. Fluttershy approved of this one." He seized Spike at either of his sides and put him down on the more musical sofa that let out a piano note when his scaly bottom rested on it. "There you are, head up, just the way you like it."

Spike shuffled, finding any time he touched another cloth key on the piano, it let out a sound, and not always that of a piano. "That's kinda interesting... Oh, right, that's not what I'm here for. It's about the game."

"Mmm?" He leaned in. "The girls are ready to start whenever you are."

"Right, but we usually only play when they're not here."

"And?" Discord looked baffled at the problem.

"And... they can't be in two places at one time?"

Discord huffed. "That sounds more like a personal problem. They really should fix that."

Spike crossed his arms. "Yeah, but, you know, mares, right?"

"Tell me about it." Discord extended a claw towards Spike. "So what's the plan?"

"I got everypony to agree, twice a moon." He held up a finger. "At the start--" He extended a second. "And right in the middle. At sundown, as normal. Work for you?"

"Sounds dreadfully predictable." He had a sly look on his face. "Don't blame me if I spring a little... something on you all off the clock. Adventure doesn't wait until you're ready, after all."

Spike cocked a dubious brow, though was distracted as a singing tea bag drifted past. "Uh, how do you get anything done in here?"

Discord snatched the lively tea and stuffed it in a box that wasn't there a moment ago. "I thought I had put those away ages ago. Well, now that the 'business' is handled, welcome to my humble abode." He gestured grandly across the chaotic mess that was his house. "To think, you got to see it before Twilight."

Spike cracked a little smile at that. Beating Twilight to something was a little victory. "I wasn't racing her," he demurred. "Nice place though..." His eyes wandered to the stairs that lead nowhere at all and what seemed to be a jacket stand covered in popcorn. "Very... interesting."

"I try." He bowed a little before turning to regard his abode. "I think it's past time for a remodel. Can't have myself getting into any ruts, now can we?" He snapped a finger sharply, and the house became a castle, with long tables, hanging tapestries, and flickering candles. "There we are, now isn't this more suiting the occasion?"

Spike hopped up from the couch that had turned into a wooden bench. "Huh, this is actually pretty nice." He looked to the tapestries and saw that all showed different parts of Discord's life, from his time of tormenting Equestria to the current day. There was even one showing him speaking to Spike on the bench he just stood up from. "Freaky. Does it come with servants too?"

"Of course!" He clapped his hands in a light golf clap.

Immediately, a second Discord in maid's attire stepped out from around a corner. "You rang, sir?"

Spike blinked softly at the cross-dressed god. "Oh, uh..." He considered a moment. "I don't suppose you have a ruby flaked ice cream sundae?"

"I'll be right back with that." And off the maid capered.

Discord, the original, grinned at Spike. "All the amenities of an old-timey castle."

Spike rubbed his chin. "I'm not complaining, but did they have ice cream on demand back in the old days?"

Discord shrugged. "Why wouldn't they? If there isn't anything else, I'll send you back now."

"Sure thing." Spike gave an emphatic thumbs up. "It'll be in just a few days. Looking forward to it."

Discord thwipped Spike across his snout and he staggered back, bumping against the door to Twilight's castle.

He blinked, looking around to see that he had returned to Equestria. "Aw man," he kicked a small rock out of the way. "I didn't get that sundae." He oofed as a bright red bowl was shoved against his midsection. The ruby-encrusted dessert had arrived. "Well, nevermind..." He dipped a claw in and scooped out some of the cool treat before sampling it. "Mmm, Discord's not a bad chef."

Happy, he headed inside to fetch a proper spoon and enjoy himself.





Twilight made careful notes with a quill she couldn't see. Her eye was pressed to the viewpoint of a telescope. "Fascinating," she spoke to none but herself as she peered intently. "This star has been moving erratically for the last--"

"Twilight," came a new voice. Applejack approached the stargazing princess. "Ah need to talk to ya."

Twilight pulled away and sat up with surprised blinks. "Hello, Applejack. Is something wrong?"

Applejack nodded firmly as she sat on her haunches beside the cushion that Twilight had parked herself on. "It's about Spike an' Big Mac."

Twilight smiled gently. "They've been getting along quite well. It's nice for the both of them to have a--"

"--It ain't nice!" Applejack clopped a hoof on the ground. "He's filling mah brother with strange thoughts, and ah don't like it not one bit."

Twilight stood up and stepped off her cushion. "Strange thoughts? That's not the Spike I know. What are they doing that's so odd?"

Applejack frowned, stalking after Twilight. "'Course you don't find it funny at all, yer a unicorn."

Twilight went still a moment before turning to Applejack. "Because we are friends, I will give you a chance to explain what you mean by that."

Applejack put up her hooves quickly. "I'm not tryin' to talk ill of ya, Twi. Yer a friend, like ya said, but ya didn't even notice."

"Notice what, exactly?" She cocked a brow at her irate friend. "That Spike has a friend he trusts and can be himself with?"

"That's all well and good, but no." Applejack circled to be in front of Twilight. "When we came home, Big Mac wasn't himself. He had a big ole unicorn horn." She raised a hoof and tapped herself where a horn would be. "Right there, and he was usin' it too!"

Twilight shook her head. "So he was playing pretend. What's the harm in that?"

"And ya don't think a pony just 'pretendin'' ta be another kinda pony is a bit... odd?"

Twilight rolled a hoof at that. "I personally helped Rarity, a unicorn, get wings, like a pegasus. You've been a breezy. No, I don't think a little experimenting is going to hurt a pony. Is he acting oddly?"

"Yes!" Applejack huffed with growing indignance. "He doesn't show respect at all."

"Respect?" Twilight's brows went up together. "He's your brother, your older brother, may I point out? What respect isn't he showing?"

Applejack shrank back. "Well, yeah, maybe... But ah'm the one that--"

Twilight leveled a hoof at Applejack. "--Cut that thought right there. Do you think he doesn't know you've saved Equestria a dozen times?"

"So why isn't he listening to me!" Applejack fumed with a growl. "If he knows that, he should be payin' attention!"

"He loves you, Applejack." Twilight put a hoof gently on Applejack's shoulder. "He thinks the world of you."

"Then we shouldn't be fuedin'!"

"No, you shouldn't." Twilight drew her hoof back. "I don't think he wants to. You know, when I was in Princess Celestia's school, I had a few passing thoughts of my own." She chuckled softly at the thought. "I had Spike right there... Since I was forced to be his mother, well... I wondered..."

"Ya didn't..."

"I did." Twilight spread her wings wide. "I tried being a dragon. Not my preferred way of being, but I wasn't hurt by thinking about it, or even trying it. I'm still a unicorn, all these years later, aren't I?"

Applejack struggled to think of a more stereotypically unicorn than Twilight, but that nopony was quite the fit. "Ya never told yer parents, did ya?"

Twilight colored a little, her cheeks warming. "No... but I don't tell them a lot of things. They would have laughed at me, not yelled at me, not that I wanted either, so, no, I didn't tell them about my foalish experiments."

Applejack sank to her haunches. "What if he really does like unicorns more than earth ponies?"

Twilight shrugged. "They're both ponies. Is that so bad?" She cracked a sudden smirk. "Could be worse. He could decide he likes griffons."

Applejack paled at the thought. "Don't even joke!"

Twilight giggled, undisturbed by the humor. "My opinion is unchanged. If he isn't hurting anypony, and he's having fun, there's no reason to get in the way."

Applejack took a slow breath, then nodded slowly. "Alright, ah think I know what has to be done."

Twilight smiled radiantly. "You'll let him play?"

"Ah'll join him." Applejack nodded firmly. "Ah'll see exactly what he's up to for mahself. Maybe yer right, and it's nothin' and ah'm just bendin' myself in knots for nothin'. 'Sides, we're siblings, we should play a little, right?"

Twilight raised a hoof to her chin. "I'm not... entirely sure that's the best course of action."

"I'll ask him tonight." She spun away from Twilight. "We'll get this settled."

Twilight watched Applejack descend the stairs before shaking her head. "I'm going to warn Spike." Her astronomy entirely forgotten for the moment, she winked out of existence and appeared in front of Spike's door. She knocked gently. "Spike?"

The door opened quickly. "Hey, Twi," replied a sleepy-looking Spike. "What's up?"

Twilight smiled at Spike. "Sorry, I didn't wake you up, did I? I wanted to talk about your game."

Spike perked right up. "What about it?"

"You're not in trouble," she assured quickly. "It's about Applejack and Big Mac."

"Huh?" He tilted his head a little. "What about them?"

"Applejack is upset that Big Mac is pretending to be a unicorn. She's decided to join the game to see what it's all about. I thought you should have some pre-warning before she shows up. She's likely to be very guarded and suspicious."

Spike swallowed audibly as he worried his fingers together. "What should I do? Applejack can be a little... forceful."

Twilight shook her head. "Well, to start, this is your game, and this is your home. If she starts making things unenjoyable for the rest of the ponies there, you have every right to ask her to behave, or to leave. I will back you up on this."

Spike's expression brightened to a smile at the promise of support from Twilight. He hugged her suddenly, squeezing her dearly. "Thanks! I mean, she's, and I..."

Twilight wrapped a leg around Spike. "You've been my assistant countless times. I can return the favor here. This game is obviously very important to you. I think it's important to Big Mac too, and I don't want it being ruined. How did you get Discord involved, by the way? I never heard that part of the story."

Spike nervously laughed. "You can blame Fluttershy for that part, but it's alright. He's a good part of the game now, and he has as much fun as the rest of us." He stepped back and noddd. "Thanks, again. I hope I won't need your help, but knowing I have it is a big help."

"Anytime. Goodnight, Spike."
> Start Episode 8 - Gather Your Party
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big Mac walked towards Twilight's Castle. It was game day. He should be excited and happy, he was sure, but the presence beside him dampened the enthusiasm. He glanced aside at his sister as she marched along with a mild frown on her face. "Ya don't have--"

"--Yes, ah do." She nodded. "Ah'm gonna see what this game's all about and put the whole thin' ta rest, one way or the other." Applejack met his furtive glance. "Don't you worry none. If this is just a silly game, ah'll play along." She put a hoof to her chest as she walked along. "Ah ain't here to be a wet blanket any."

Big Mac rolled his eyes doubtfully before they reached the door. He rose a hoof and knocked three times.

The door opened to reveal a figure that was not what he expected. Twilight stood there with a kind smile. "Welcome!"

Applejack tilted her head. "Yer in the game now?"

Twilight shook her head. "I'm just greeting ponies as they come." She stepped to the side and waved them in. "I hope you both have a pleasant time. I've prepared light snacks to enjoy before the game starts properly."

Big Mac moved past with a little smile. "Mighty kind of ya."

Applejack looked more confused. "Don't Spike do most of the cookin' 'round here?"

"He does." Twilight led them to a table with small sandwiches, nachos, and other snacks and drinks. "But I decided to let today be his day, so I did it. Besides, I can cook just as well."

"She just doesn't, usually," came Spike's voice as he poked his head into the room. "Heya! Enjoy the snacks, not everyone's here yet. Thanks again, Twi. That was really nice of you."

Twilight dipped her head towards Spike. "Have a good time. You know where I am if you need me." They shared a look before she vanished in a faint shower of sparkles.

Spike approached Applejack with a cautious smile. "So, uh, since you're the only one without a character, we could get that out of the way beforehoof."

Applejack hiked a brow. "A character? Ah got plenty ah character."

Spike glanced towards Big Mac, who was very carefully examining the food selection and not taking part in that conversation. "Not that kind of character." He put on his best big smile. "Everypony has one. I'm playing Garbuncle, the wizard." He fished out his figure. "You saw me."

"About that." She raised a hoof to point at the little figure. "How do ya cast spells without a horn?"

Spike shrugged softly. "What, you think unicorns invented magic? They may have the market dominated these days, but they aren't the only ones in that game. Garbuncle channels his magic through a staff. Big Mac is playing a stalwart warrior, working to protect his people."

Applejack hiked a brow. "Mighty respectable. Does he do magic too?"

Spike shrugged. "Not really? I mean, unless you count holding his sword? Anyway, we need to make who you are." He clapped his hands together. "There are tons of options. You could be a warrior, a wizard, maybe a performer, or a diplomat?"

Applejack sank to her haunches as she reached out for a little sandwich and popped it in her mouth. "Ah'm pretty happy the way I am."

"Alright, well..." He tapped his chin. "I guess that makes you a warrior. You're strong, unshakeable, and ready to leap into danger to save your friends."

Applejack smiled at the description. "Reckon that sounds fairly accurate."

"But what kind of warrior? You can be anything you want!" He threw his arms wide to encompass the possibilities. "You could be a dragon, or a griffon, or maybe a breezy? Whatever you want to be."

Appplejack reached out and prodded Spike in the chest with a hoof. "Didn't ah just say ah'm pretty happy the way ah am?"

"Right." He tapped his right foot lightly. "So, earth pony warrior. You wear a stetson and have a red ribbon on your tail."

"Now yer gettin' it." Applejack looked pleased indeed as she helped herself to a cup of red drink. "That ain't a problem, right?"

"No! No..." He rubbed behind his head. "Just never had somepony play themselves before. No rule against it, I guess."

The room suddenly went dark. A shaft of light came down on the door as dramatic music swelled. "Announcing," called a familiar voice. "--Discord!" Cheering and applauding sounded from nowhere as the lord of chaos faded into being, bowing and waving to his unseen adoring fans as roses were tossed at his feet. "Thank you, Thank you. You're all too kind."

Spike wriggled a few claws at his unpredictable friend. "Hey, Discord, grab a snack. I was just getting Applejack's character sorted."

He was suddenly beside her. "Ooo, you're joining us, dear Applejack? To what we do owe this pleasure?"

Her frown returned. "Ah'm just watchin' out fer mah kin."

"Hmm, yes, and what have you settled on playing?" He had his hands under his chin and batted his lashes at Applejack. "Don't keep me waiting. No, wait, let me guess. You're playing a mare, strong, probably has a hat, and a ribbon in her tail isn't out of the question."

Applejack's expression only darkened. "Ah'm 'playing' me, alright?"

"That's boring. Why don't we play more you?"

"More... me?"

Spike hiked a brow. "Can you do that?"

"Whyever not?" Discord clapped his hands. "No normal earth pony, but the paragon of earth ponies. The strongest, most durable, best farming earth pony we ever saw. Animals go weak in their little knees at the sight of this, the true reflection of all that makes an earth pony what it is."

It was patently ridiculous, but Applejack felt a little smile quirking at the edges of her lips. "That... sounds kinda nice..."

Discord nudged Spike with an elbow. "Well, you're the one in charge. Whattaya say? I can have her suited up in no time at all."

Spike lifted his shoulders. "If she isn't gonna solve everything by giving it a hard look, I guess it's alright." He thrust out a thumbs up before waving the same hand at the table of snacks. "Help yourself to some pre-game nibbles, courtesy of Twilight."

He popped up beside the table. "Twilight was the chef of the day? Well, then I just have to try some." He started putting one of each thing on a plate he wasn't holding before.

The door opened without a knock, admitting a streak of rainbows to land in front of Spike, Rainbow grinning wide. "Hey." She turned to Applejack. "Decided to join us, huh? You aiming for a big sword too?"

Applejack lifted a hoof. "Ah got mah weapons right here. Reckon ah don't need no weapons on top of these."

Rainbow's brows rose in unison. "If it was anypony else, I'd laugh, but I know you take your hooves seriously. Seriously, cool to have you with us. What are you playing?"

"Me."

Rainbow tilted her head. "Just... you?" When Applejack nodded, she crossed her hooves. "Why does she get to not be harassed about playing something different? I bet you didn't even ask her about playing a stallion."

Applejack blinked at that. "Say what now?"

Discord popped in beside Applejack. "That's because Spike got to her before I did and he didn't bring it up."

Spike looked up from his own bit of hard candy. "What? Oh, I mean, Applejack was pretty insistent on being herself, so I didn't even ask about stallion or mare. I mean, do you want to be a stallion?"

Applejack went red, with fury or embarrassment was difficult to say. "No! Thank you. Ah'm fine just the way ah am."

"Are ponies partying without me?" Pinkie pronked through the open door, her tail knocking it closed behind herself. "It isn't a real party without the head party planner around." With an extended tongue, she bounced towards the meeting. "Oh, hey AJ! I didn't know you were playing."

Applejack nodded to Pinkie. "Jus' checkin' it out."

Pinkie threw an arm over Applejack, drawing her in tight. "Well, prepare to have a great time! We're gonna save the day and look good doing it."

Discord dropped his plate of half-eaten snacks, though it vanished before it hit the floor. "If everyone's ready, we can start the adventure?"

Big Mac nodded. "Ayup."

Pinkie, Spike, and Rainbow looked eager to start, all smiling with anticipation. Applejack did not share the enthusiasm, looking more like a colt about to be given a shot but trying to be brave about it. With a snap that echoed against walls that weren't there anymore, the party was dumped around a campfire. Suddenly, Applejack, Pinkie, and Rainbow vanished.

Spike blinked at that. "What the? Where'd they go?"

"We haven't met them yet." Discord shrugged.

"We met Pinkamena and, uh, what did Rainbow go as?"

"Dark Rainbow."

"Yeah, that." Spike bobbed his bearded face. "We met them in the last fight. We just haven't finished introductions."

Suddenly Rainbow Dash and Pinkie re-appeared. With her full gypsy attire on, Pinkie looked quite happy. "Whew! Wherever Discord puts a pony not playing, that was funny."

Rainbow cocked a brow as she spoke through her mask, "You probably want to get Applejack, she'll get really angry if you keep her in there."

"Ayup."

With a snap of his fingers, Applejack was drawn from whatever holding place she had been.

Spike nodded and gestured out into the distance. "Applejack is just arriving, a little late to the last fight, but coming with the others."

Applejack was suddenly half a football field away. She shouted something with clear annoyance and started to hike towards the group.

Big Mac cleared his throat softly. "Um... hello."

Pinkie bobbed her head at Big Mac. "Good day, Sir McBiggun! I'm overjoyed to have caught up with you."

He raised a brow at that. "Ya were lookin fer me?"

"Why else would I be here?" She waved a pink hoof at Rainbow, then onwards to the distant Applejack. "My compatriots and I followed after you when you left the keep, hoping to join your efforts, for the good of the country." She leaned in close. "It's the right thing to do, and looked fun too."

Spike raised his staff into the air. "It is good to have companions on this journey. I am Garbuncle. This is Sir McBiggun, whom you seem to already know, and Captain Wuzz."

Rainbow suddenly sputtered before falling back on her haunches. "Captain... Wuzz?" She keeled over to the side as she began to laugh in an uproar. "That is the best name... ever!"

Discord snorted indignantly as he crossed his arms over one another. "It was my mother's dying wish."

Rainbow blinked, tears leaking from her eyes. "Wait, what?"

"The name."

"Oh..." Rainbow looked a little guilty. "Well, uh, I'm Dark Rainbow."

Pinkie put a hoof to her chest. "And I am Pinkamena! I coulda sworn I said that before actually." She shrugged softly. "Never too many times to make friends."

"Ah'm Applejack," announced Applejack as she reached easy talking distance. "Now remind me what we're doin' out in the middle of nowhere?"

Pinkie thrust a hoof up. "We're chasing the big mean Squizzard who's being mean to the whole country and kidnapped Princess Schmarity!"

Applejack cocked a brow. "Princess Schmarity, huh?"

Spike pinkened at the tone Applejack was using. "It's a common name in Spiketopia."

"Uh huh." She offered a hoof towards Spike. "Well, nice to meet you, uh, Garbuncle was it?"

He met it with a balled fist. "The honor is mine, Lady Applejack." He cleared his throat softly and shifting his tone. "But before our heroes could settle in for the evening, a chill wind blew over the hills. A low whispering howl joined it. They were not to have peace, not that night."

Discord took the cue clearly enough as the temperature sunk and eerie howls echoes over the hills.

Rainbow bobbed her head. "Alright, I'm ready. Let's find whatever's making that noise and teach it a lesson."
> 20 - Howling Good Time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The group set off towards the shadowed hills, unsure of what awaited them. Pinkie bounced beside Garbuncle. "Seeing as I'm a bard, which is kinda short for storyteller, have I heard something about this?"

Spike considered that a moment. "Well, I suppose that's not impossible. Roll for it."

A great twenty-sided die appeared in the air before them and tumbled to the ground. Pinkie giggled with anticipation as it bounced around before slowly coming to a halt. "Lucky thirteen!" she cried, pouncing the great playing piece. "Does that mean I know something?"

She didn't even notice Discord's finger detachedly giving her a poke on the noggin. "Oh! I do know something!" She hopped free of the die as it faded away. "That sounds like the creepy wailing of a chernabog, a creepy thing straight out of Hades!"

Applejack hiked a brow. "Ya mean it done broke outta there?"

Pinkie shook her head. "Nope, lives there. It can get real big and nasty and loves being a big meanie face to 'surface dwellers'. That's us."

Big Mac drew his blade free. "Ah'll protect ya."

Spike lifted his staff high, magic sparking from the tip. "I'd better put a defensive spell on us. Hades creatures can be quite tricky, and we don't want them in our minds."

Rainbow clapped her hooves together. "Yeah, you do that, then we pummel it into next tuesday. We don't need to make friends with some Hades reject."

Pinkie stuck out her tongue even as Spike's magic washed over her. "Don't rule it out, maybe it's just making noise because it's lonely."

Applejack nudged her hat back. "'Fraid ah'm with Rainbow on this one. Ain't too likely a creepy Hades howler wants to make friendly like."

Pinkie blew a raspberry at the very notion. "The last thing from Hades I had a good time with."

Spike blinked before it came to him. "Oh, right, the guard dog?"

"Exactamundo. He's a real sweetie if you treat him right." Pinkie pronked forward towards the hills. "We just need to have open minds and give the poor thing a chance." She peeked over her shoulder. "Didn't you learn anything from Zecora?"

Applejack shrugged as she went along. "Not ta walk right through a bunch of poison joke like it ain't nothin'?"

Big Mac smiled, but did not share the source of his amusement even as he chuckled softly. Spike pointed with his staff to a form rising from behind the next hill. "Look!" All eyes were on it as a great horned bipedal figure rose, wings spreading magnificently to the left and right before a loud snap made them all wince.

The figure deflated with low rumbling.

Rainbow blinked softly. "What the? Hold on, I'm gonna see what's going on." She zipped away from the group in a streak of colors, arriving before the grumbling form of the demonic figure. No longer was it large and towering, but kinda small and aged. "Uh, you alright?"

The aged demon looked up at Rainbow and grunted. "Just threw something. Give me a moment and I'll be ready to dispense true and proper horror! You just be patient." It rubbed at its sore back with a clawed hand, grumbling as it paced in a small circle, attempting to coax its old form into cooperation.

Rainbow snorted softly through her cloth mask. "So, uh, you're that 'chernawhatsit'?"

"Chernabog!" boomed the figure, inflating to half again his size. He would have towered over Rainbow, had she been on the ground. "Master of torment and fear!"

"Yeah yeah. I'm terrified. So... what's up?"

"I've been informed that some very naughty surface dwellers would be passing by in need of a good bout of terror and torment." He flexed his arms, trying to show off muscles that had long past their prime. "One of them is a small dragon of advanced years, and his companion is a large brute of a unicorn."

Rainbow pointed with half-lidded eyes. "You mean those two?"

Big Mac and Spike were arriving with the others, looking ready for a fight, except Pinkie. She was pronking directly for Chernabog. "Hey! How's it going?"

"Pinkie," he said in a tone both familiar and irritated. "You remember what I told you?"

She rolled her eyes. "I didn't try to sneak into Hades, sheesh. I was just bringing back Cerbie. How is he?"

"He has worms, but we're taking care of that." Chernabog sighed gently before fixing his eyes on his main targets, his eyes glowing a baleful red. "Now then, you two are the ones in need of a lesson!"

Big Mac stepped forward, sword at the ready. "Try yer best, but we got a country t' save."

Spike planted his staff in the ground. "Yeah, what he said. We aren't scared of an old demon anyway."

Applejack glanced between the geriatric demon-spawn and her brother. "Uh huh, so, mind tellin' us what they did done to earn 'fear and torment'?"

Chernabog began to swell and grow, expanding out to truly inspiring size without a repeat of the first time's incident. "They are guilty of pride, wrath, and lust! Three cardinal sins, worthy of at least as many lifetimes of torment!" He clapped great hands together. "And I hear dragons live for a very long time."

Discord snorted out a half-laugh. "Please, do regale us with how these two have ever managed to accomplish lust. I'm sure the kiddos want to know."

"I'm not a kid," hotly defended Spike even as he looked nervously at the towering demonic form.

"Who said I was talking about you?" Discord offered no other explanation.

"Is it not obvious?" He directed a massive claw at Spike, hovering it just inches from his face. "He does not ride out with pure thoughts. He adores the princess in most unwholesome ways, like the little brat he is."

Spike went the deepest reds. "I just..."

Big Mac stepped to the side, putting himself between Spike and that huge claw as he shoved Spike back. "Don't you make funna my friend. If he likes Rarity, so what? That ain't a crime any."

Rainbow snickered suddenly. "Don't you mean 'Schmarity'?"

The claw remained as it was, now pointing at Big Mac. "You are a betrayer of your kin, having impure thoughts towards one that is unfit for your line."

Applejack perked right up. "Say what now? Whattaya mean by that?"

Pinkie hopped up on Big Mac, using him as a soapbox. "Hold on there! You're outdated. None of those things are even sins anymore."

Chernabog drew his claw back a little, a perplexed look on his face. "What are sins do not casually change!"

Pinkie shook her head with confidence. "Nuh uh, they sure do. It's a new age!" She reared up on hind legs and threw her arms wide. "So long as it's between two adults that want to be there, there's nothing wrong about it, so there."

Chernabog's face creased into a new scowl. "This is unacceptable! The world decays around me! Very well, then we shall move on to a more clear of sin, wrath! They both take arms and are ready to fight, to kill. They are guilty and there is no excuse for this. Tell me not that ponies accept thugs and murderers among them."

Applejack slid up besides Big Mac. "What'd he mean by that?"

"Uh, just game stuff," he mumbled out, not meeting her eyes.

Spike shook his staff at the big demon, hoping it would hide the tremble in his arms. "I-I haven't killed anypony. I've broken skeletons before, but they're already dead. You can't 'murder' them."

Rainbow flew up beside the face of the great, aged, demon. "Say, so, who told you to go after those two anyway?"

"That is none of your affair, mortal." He swatted at her casually, but she darted around the slow swings.

"Aw, c'mon. Wait, let me guess. He had eight arms, and he was good with magic."

"Maybe," agreed the demon in a pouty tone. "What about him?"

Discord lifted his shoulders. "Guy's a great big bag of cardinal sins, if you ask me. He even has sloth down, making you do his dirty work for him."

"I am Chernabog! I do no--" His angry outburst was suddenly interrupted with heaving coughs. The elderly demon shrank back to a little over a pony in size as he struggled to regain his composure. "Dang it all."

Spike pointed into the distance. "You should make sure nothing bad happens in Hades. We have a squizzard to teach a lesson to, and a country to save."

Pinkie hopped down from Big Mac and bounced over to pat Chernabog on the back. "That sounds really bad. You should get some nice warm tea."

"I do not need to be coddled! I am a demon, timeless and horrifying!"

"I'm completely terrified," assured Pinkie in a joyful tone. "But it's mostly for you. C'mon. Cerbie would be so sad if anything happened to you." She threw a leg over Chernabog and turned him back towards Hades. "I'll keep an eye on those two for you, promise."

Rainbow lowered on slow wings, descending to land on the ground lightly. "So we aren't pummeling him?"

Chernabog snorted, sulfurous smoke billowing from his nostrils.

Pinkie hugged him close. "I'll keep an extra close eye on her. Now get home. I bet everyone's missing you right now." She released him as he began trudging back towards his home. "Have a safe trip!"

Spike rubbed behind his head. "I'm not complaining that you handled that, but that was not how I expected it to go."

Pinkie twirled in place to face Spike. "A good surprise or a bad one?"

"I'll vote for good." He gave a powerful thumbs up before he clapped his hands together. "With him out of the way, we can set up proper camp for the evening."

"And so they did that," said Discord in a bored tone. With a snap of his fingers, the sun peeked over the horizon.

Spike peered at the sun. "Huh, well, hope everyone enjoyed their sleep!" 

Applejack lifted her shoulders. "Don't expect no real sleep 'till we get back to the farmhouse. Ah'm ready to go."

They resumed their trek, free of any great demon lords. It seemed like a fine day for travel, until the clattering of bones made it clear they were not alone.

"Ambush!" called Rainbow, pointing at where skeletons began bouncing free from hiding places, still as flat as the day Spike painted them into being. "Now we're talking!" She darted for one as she drew a small dagger on the way, slicing a skeleton cleanly in half as she flew past it.

Discord drew out his bow and began peppering the advancing enemies , one arrow landing in the skull of one just as a ball of fire impacted with the same, sending it into pieces. "Nice shot."

Applejack backed away, unsure of what was going on until she bumped into something with her rump. A glance over her shoulder showed it to be a large skeletal pony, bringing its mace up high in its mouth. She yelped and did as startled ponies did, lashing out her powerful hind legs.

The skeleton exploded into pieces, fragments of the paper that made it up fluttering to the ground all around her. "Huh, that weren't so bad. Hold on, I'll help!" She waded into the battle them, fighting alongside the others.

Pinkie pulled free her lute as she hopped over a skeleton. "It's time for a bone-chilling good time!" she announced. With a strum of her hooves over the strings, she began to play a lively melody. "Show them what they're missing."

The rest of the party felt new power filling them. With the power of music, the skeletons fell before them. Big Mac cleaved three in half with a grunt, looking around for others. "Are we clear?"

Rainbow came down on the last one with her dagger, cutting it in half from the top down. "Clear."

Spike frowned as he shouldered his staff. "We'd better watch out. The Squizzard surely knows his standard skeletal soldiers are no match for us. It will only grow more fierce from here."
> 21 - Where Villains Hide
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the group pressed on, they could feel the cloying presence of some terrible force waiting to pounce upon them.

Applejack raised a brow at Spike. "Do ya have to announce that as we walk?"

Spike lifted his shoulders softly. "That's my job."

"Yup," stoically agreed Big Mac.

Rainbow clopped her hooves softly. "Let them come. We'll just pound them into next week when they do."

Pinkie pronked along playfully, entirely unperturbed by any powerful evil vibes. "It just means we're headed the right way."

Discord nodded at that. "Excellent point, my pink friend." He raised a hand over his eyes, peering at a copse of trees. "Why, my sharpened senses detect a little awry over thataway."

Rainbow was gone in a flash, streaking towards the small collection of trees, ready for action. The others could only begin to give chase as she crashed into the foliage and emerged into a suddenly dark place. The Squizzard directed his star-capped wand at the incoming pegasus despite being a flat piece of paper on a stand. "The first to the harvest," He cried and magic swirled out over Rainbow.

She fell to the ground, petrified. The squizzard laughed joyfully at his victory before turning an eye at a tied-up unicorn. "You may as well give up, Princess Schmarity. Your would-be rescuers are hopelessly outmatched."

"Never!" retorted Princess Schmarity, turning up her snout. "You can keep on dreaming, you foul squizzard. The brave Garbuncle and Sir McBiggun will be here soon."

As if it were a cue, the rest of the team burst into the small clearing. Spike blinked at the presence of Princess Schmarity. "Huh, there she is! C'mon, we have to rescue her!"

Applejack pointed at the stoned Rainbow Dash. "Shouldn't we do somethin' 'bout that?"

Pinkie slid forward on her knees, her lute already held at the ready. "Don't worry, I learned some rock music that'll do just the trick!" Even as she began to play the lute as no lute was designed to be played, Big Mac charged at the squizzard with his sword high.

"Release my father!" he bellowed as he went.

Applejack frowned softly. "Father?"

Discord nudged her gently. "He's protecting his family. That's an earth-pony thing to do, mmm?"

"Y-yeah, reckon so." Applejack looked shaken, her confidence gone for the moment.

Just before Big Mac could plunge his sword into the squid, a new token slid in the way, batting his sword aside with great paws. It was a childishly drawn bugbear, roaring in defiance. The squizzard laughed with joy as he hopped back a step. "Meet my newest minion. You won't find him as easy as those skeletons. One little sting and that'll be the end of you!"

"--and that is why you have to rock!" sang Pinkie, strumming a power chord on her poor instrument. Rainbow's statue exploded in lines of power, releasing the pegasus from within.

"Thanks," Rainbow quickly offered before zipping over towards the bugbear. "Not you, again. I know how to deal with you this time!" She dived at the flat representation of the bugbear just as Big Mac sliced at its open side. The fight was on.

Princess Schmarity gave a soft little laugh at the whole thing. "Your plans, darling, don't seem to be shaping up, do they?"

The squizzard hissed at her. "I have more contingencies, don't you worry! Soldiers, attack!"

Skeletons began emerging from all sides, a mixture of melee and archers. The archers began firing their bows at the heroes without delay.

Discord huffed at it all. "Arrows are my thing. Prepare to be outclassed by Captain Wuzz!" He had his bow out in a flash and began taking down skeletal archers as he jumped and dived around the arrows coming in the other direction.

Spike waved his staff at the fiercely battling bugbear. "Why don't you just chill out?" Brilliant blue magic fired at the bugbear, encasing its stinging bottom in a thick layer of ice and frost. "Get 'em! I'll get Princess Schmarity." He ducked under a sudden sword swing and dashed away from the skeleton, his eyes on the real prize.

Rainbow boxed the head of the bugbear with her hooves. "Not so tough now, are ya? Big Mac, ya ready?"

Big Mac raised his great sword high, prompting Rainbow to flit out of the way in time for him to bring it crashing down, cutting the paper in half. The bugbear was defeated. "Good work, but that's Sir McBiggun."

"Yeah yeah, nice job." She bobbed her head before an arrow thudded against her side like a stiff play dart. "Ow, hey!" She glared at the archer it had come from. "Let's clear the field of these losers." She and Big Mac began plowing through the skeletal masses in unison.

Applejack shook herself free of her funk as a skeleton bopped her on the noggin with a sword. "Oh yeah, hey, someone should help Spike." She saw the others were fairly well collected together, with Pinkie singing a serenade of victory. Applejack lashed out a hoof, knocking the head clear off the one that had bonked her and charged in a thunder of hooves towards Spike.

Spike was caught in a duel with the squizzard, his staff's power clashing against the squizzard's wand's energy. "Give up, you foul thing. I will return peace to Spiketopia!" With a grunt of effort, his beam started to inch closer to the squizzard.

He growled, clacking his beak as his beam reinvigorated, pushing back Spike's. "Never! I will become the ruler of this land, and all others while I'm at it! Surrender and I may suffer you to live."

The point where their power clashed waved back and forth to the tune of the pitched battle going on around them. Both were sweating from the effort of trying to overpower the other. It seemed neither could muster the effort needed to overcome the other.

Applejack came crashing in, jumping at the squizzard with all four hooves out. With a holler of battle, she knocked the poor squizzard flat on his back. His beam of magic flew out into the sky futilely, and Spike's struck true. The squizzard squealed and thrashed as his paper suddenly burnt away, rapidly leaving nothing behind.

The skeletal warriors suddenly went limp, then fell over, each sheet of paper flopping to the ground.

The battle had ended.

Princess Schmarity wriggled in her bindings. "Good show, noble heroes, but if you wouldn't mind releasing me. I'm sure I must look positively a mess right now, but we'll come to that when we get there."

Spike approached the princess, arms shaking a little. "Oh, sure, of course." He glanced back at the others who all looked pleased with themselves. "I... didn't think we'd be able to rescue you today."

"But you have, brave Garbuncle, and I'm ever so grateful." Princess Schmarity batted her lashes at Spike, making his heart flutter at the site.

He slashed her ropes with a swipe of his claws, freeing her. She stretched luxuriously. "You have no idea how long I've waited to do that, darlings. Now there's a little matter of rewards." She stepped towards Spike. "You've been through much to rescue me. It's only fair."

Spike felt his mouth go dry and he stammered, trying to say something chivalrous. Something witty? Anything! Nothing escaped him.

Applejack walked up beside Big Mac with a soft chuckle. "Look at him, so nervous. Poor boy wouldn't know what to do if she ever did return his feelings."

Big Mac shook his head. "Still ain't found our father."

Applejack flinched at that. "About that... it ain't our, you know, real father, right? I mean, you know... You... know, right?"

Big Mac deflated a little. "Ah know... Ah can rescue him here. Let me have that."

Applejack raised a hoof and set it on Big Mac's shoulder. "Ah wouldn't take that way. Let's rescue him."

He smiled thinly at his sister and reached out a hoof, hugging her close.

Schmarity leaned in and smooched the top of Spike's head, leaving a big lipstick imprint behind. "My hero!"

Spike staggered back. "M-my honor, m'lady," he finally got out before waving at all the others. "They helped! I couldn't have done it without them."

Rainbow trotted towards the rescued princess. "Wow, you really do look just like Rarity..."

Princess Schmarity smiled coyly. "I should hope I do, darling."

Pinkie gasped dramatically. "Wait a second..."

"It's true." Prin... Rarity tittered. "Discord asked if I could play the part for the big finale and I couldn't say no. It obviously meant a lot to Spike."

Spike fell back another step. It was the real Rarity?! That meant... she knew... He keeled over.

Discord nudged Pinkie. "You owe me two bits."

Pinkie huffed and dug it out. "I thought he'd take it."

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "If you knew, why were you gasping?"

"Dramatic effect?" Pinkie shrugged.

Big Mac strode up towards his fallen friend. "That were a mean surprise."

Rarity waved it off. "It was harmless. He's just overjoyed. Besides, there's no harm in an adorable little game like this. Not my kind of thing, but if I can help out my little Spikey-Wikey, why shouldn't I?"

Big Mac clopped the ground with a powerful hoof. "Nope."

Rarity cocked a brow. "I'm afraid, darling, you'll need to be more specific than that. What, precisely, are you taking umbrage with?"

Big Mac pointed to the downed form of Spike. "That were a private thing. Discord shouldn't a gone tellin', and you shouldn't be takin' advantage. You know he likes ya plenty. A lot. A whole lot." He sat down so he could spread his forehooves wide for emphasis.

Rainbow looked left and right. "That isn't the end of the adventure, right? I didn't get my huge sword."

Applejack nudged Rainbow. "And Big Mac didn't get t' rescue his pa none, so, no, ah reckon it ain't."

"Good thing!" cried Pinkie. "I like being the life of the party." She strummed her lute lightly. "Being a bard is super fun."

Rarity came closer to Big Mac to speak in a softer tone. "I didn't mean any harm, I assure you. This seemed like a delightful little surprise to brighten his day, not darken it, dear."

Big Mac shook his head resolutely. Applejack looked between him and Rarity. "Look, if he's in charge, ah reckon the game's off fer now. Let's let him recover."

Discord shrugged emphatically as the illusion fell apart, leaving them in Twilight's castle once more. "I suppose. You all know when the next session is, hmm?" His eyes fixed on Applejack. "Speaking of that! Are you going to be joining us on a more permanent basis?"

Applejack raised a hoof to rub behind her head. "Well, it wouldn't seem right ta not help mah brother rescue our father. Ah can at least stick around 'till then."

"Splendid!" He swat her on the side. "We'll be glad to have you. I told you it was a fun game."

Big Mac squirmed on his hooves. "Um... ayup..."

"Yer welcome," finished Applejack, offering a hug which was accepted, the two siblings at peace for the time.

Rarity stepped towards Discord with a little frown. "I was expecting more, shall we say, joy at my appearance. I fear this little stunt has caused some... discord, as it were." She looked him up and down. "Was that your intention, dear?"

"What, me?!" He put his hands at his chest. "As if I'd consider such a thing." A halo popped into being above his head as he struck an innocent expression. "You were the belle of the ball, I will say. I thoroughly enjoyed your performance."

"Well, thank you." Rarity glanced over at Spike. "But I do truly hope it didn't hurt dear Spike. That was not my intent." Her horn glowed as she lifted Spike and set him gently in a chair instead of being flopped across the floor. "When he awakens, please do inform him that I do not hold his whimsies against him. Let this be the most tawdry a thought a stallion should ever have towards me." She rolled her eyes and made for the exit, joining the others that were heading home.
> Start Episode 9 - My Game, My Rules
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike grumbled softly to himself as he ate his cereal.

"Still mad?" asked Twilight, seated across from him at the small table and looking at him with concern. "I understand that... wasn't what you had in mind."

"No, it wasn't." Spike jabbed the milky mess with his spoon, but it didn't have the courtesy to argue the treatment. "Almost none of it was. It wasn't my game!"

Twilight lowered her left ear a little. "This happened to me once before."

Spike jerked at the news. "W-what? You ran O&O before?"

Twilight bobbed her head quickly. "Oh, yes. I used to love it quite dearly." She smiled as she stood up, her empty plate lifting from the table under her quiet magic. "I tried to run a game, and it went well enough, at first."

He abandoned his cereal in favor of following Twilight towards the sink. "What happened?"

"Lyra got... ideas... Looking back at it, I can laugh, but at the time, I was furious. She stole the show, took the reins away from me without even trying, then looked confused when I was upset about it." She set her plate down in the sink and took a slow breath. "I'm not mad, not anymore, but I remember I used to be."

Spike nodded thoughtfully as he stood beside Twilight. "Well, she didn't invite your coltfriend over when you weren't expecting it, I hope?"

Twilight pinkened at the idea. "You know better than that."

Spike kept his thoughts of the idea of Twilight suddenly getting a coltfriend to himself. "Can you even imagine it?"

Twilight glanced aside at Spike before turning towards him. "There have been a pony or two in my time that I... might have had some interest in... Having one of them turn up suddenly to return my thoughts without preparation?" Her eyes went skywards. "I'd probably freak out." She tensely laughed with memories of her last episodes. "Lucky me, that never happened..."

Spike raised a brow. "You almost sound disappointed."

Twilight turned away from him fast enough to whip him in the face with her tail. "Of course not! Anyway, I am sorry." She peered over her shoulder at him with a softening expression. "That wasn't... right. I'll talk to Discord next time I see him."

Spike waved the idea away as he ambled back towards the table. "As if he'd listen to whatever you said. I mean, thanks, I guess, but I doubt a stern talking to is going to make all the difference unless Fluttershy's the one doing it."

Twilight hopped up, placing her forehooves on the table and leaning in towards Spike. "Have you tried asking her? Fluttershy, I mean. She might be willing to lend a hoof when it comes to correcting Discord."

"Huh..." Spike frowned a little as he took a spoonful of his soggy cereal. "Maybe... I didn't think of that. That's not a bad idea."

"I have a few." She dropped back to the floor. "I have to get started with my day; royal duties and all that. I trust you're alright?"

"Yeah." He gave an emphatic thumbs up. "I appreciate, you know, all this. Thanks."

Twilight paused in her retreat. She turned back around and trotted up to Spike, wrapping a leg around him and hugging gently. "You're more than worth it, Spike." She left swiftly after that.

Spike was left sitting there, warmed in the cheeks. It was nice to be reminded. "Yeah..." He had business of his own. He dumped out his ruined breakfast and quickly cleaned the mess he made before patting himself clean and scampering for the door.





"All set." Applejack nodded towards a cart full of apple-baskets, each of them brimming with fresh apples. "Let's walk back together."

Big Mac nodded, already under the harness of the wagon. When he took the first heavy step, the wagon lurched into motion and began to follow him. "Ayup."

"We got things to discuss..."

Big Mac glanced aside at her, but it was only an instant before he looked forward at the barn they were to get to eventually.

"Ah still don't fully... support what yer doin'..." She looked away and back. "But maybe ah was bein' jus' a little hasty..." She stepped closer to his side as they both walked ahead slowly. "Yer playin' a unicorn an' all, an' ah can't say I 'get' that fully, but yer an earth-pony's unicorn." She bumped up against him. "Yer a warrior, big and strong."

Big Mac smiled faintly, a hint of a curl on his lips. "Yup."

"And yer even fightin' ta protect yer kin." She bumped him again. "Ah can't... say that's a bad thing." They walked together in companionable silence for a time, the barn coming closer with their steps. "Say, how did you get involved in this anyway?"

Big Mac turned an ear at Applejack as he drew the wagon towards the barn door that Applejack had opened just in time for him to enter. "Well... Spike done had a game to try, and ah didn't see no harm in it."

"Discord wasn't in it from the start then?" She closed the door behind him and the wagon and moved to start hefting up the baskets and set them with others, ready to be sold and used. "The way he was actin', figured he was the one that started the whole darn thing."

"Nope." Big Mac shook free of the harness and circled around to help with moving the individual baskets. "Only his second game."

Applejack froze a moment. "Huh. He takes to it natural 'nough. Guess he would, gettin' ta break all the rules and not be yelled at fer it." She bumped a basket into position. "Nothin' wrong with that, ah guess. If'n he can have fun and be part of somethin' others find enjoyable, good for 'em, right?"

"Yup." Big Mac wiped his forehooves off one another. "All done."

"Yup," replied Applejack with a smile. "Sorry, by the way, you know, for the... mean things I mighta said earlier..."

Big Mac threw a leg over Applejack and squeezed her tight. "Forgiven."

Applejack leaned into the hug a moment. "Shoot, ain't like yer doin' nothin' that bad." She trotted away. "Marryin' a unicorn, pfft, as if."

Big Mac colored silently, watching her go.





"You want what?" Lyra tilted her head slightly. "I mean, I'm not against the idea or anything..."

"Then you'll do it?!" Pinkie bounced in place. "I have one right here." She pulled out her new lute and came down on her haunches, the lute up and across her front. "I'm ready!"

Lyra smiled gently. "I can see that. First thing is, I'm a unicorn." She pointed up at her horn. "Which means I might not be the best teacher for--"

Pinkie huffed and crossed her hooves behind her lute. "Are you saying earth-ponies can't play an instrument?"

"No! No no no! Celestia no." Lyra shook her head violently. "I just mean that an earth-pony is a better teacher for an earth-pony. The way I'd teach you would be all about how to hold it right in your horn, which you aren't going to do. I know just the pony!"

Pinkie brightened at the news. "Who?" She stood up, slinging her instrument. "If you're suggesting them, they must be good."

"The best," easily agreed Lyra. "It's always a pleasure when I get to play with her. She can craft wonderful pieces. It's like she was born with her instrument. The way they move together..." She sighed out gently. "Yeah, she's good. Don't let a single pony tell you an earth-pony can't rock a string instrument, because she is and does and I even get a little jealous sometimes thinking about her." She burst into airy giggles, not sounding very jealous or upset. "Best part, she lives here in town!"

Pinkie began to clap her hooves together in eager little clops. "Fantastic! Who is this wonder-mare?"

Lyra pointed off. "Her name is Octavia Melody."

Pinkie felt the color drain from her. She had met Octavia before... "Oh..."

Lyra blinked at the response. "What's wrong? She really is the best." She reached out a hoof towards the stricken Pinkie. "I'll introduce you, don't worry about it."

Pinkie shook her head quickly. "We, uh... met... I... might have, just a little..." She sat and brought up her hooves close together. "Just maybe crashed one of her performances?"

Lyra's right ear quirked to the side. "How bad was it?"

Pinkie nervously laughed as she rubbed her hooves together. "Well, you see, it was my first Galloping Gala..."

"You crashed her Galloping Gala?!" Lyra almost fell back over herself in shock. "That's one of the biggest gigs we can get!"

Pinkie sank bonelessly to the floor with a sad whimper.

Lyra raised a hoof to her face. "Alright, alright, we can work with this. We just have to put a good spin on it, yeah!" She clopped her hooves together. "You've considered how rude you were and you want to learn just how hard it is to play an instrument like her, so you know just how bad you were being. It's, you know, a punishment so you can see things from her side."

Pinkie peeked up from beneath her hooves. "You think that'll work?"

Lyra shrugged softly. "Couldn't say for sure, but it's worth a shot. At the very least, another chance to say you're sorry. You are sorry, right?"

"Super mega sorry," easily agreed Pinkie as she sat up. "I learned my lesson." She began the sacred process of the Pinkie Promise. "And I really do want to learn how to play this better."

"And you will." Lyra nodded firmly. "If she agrees to it, she will make it happen. Octavia is a super dedicated pony. Once she starts, she is in it until it is done." Bouncing to her hooves, Lyra  began trotting towards Octavia's house. "C'mon, no time like the present."





Spike looked left and right, taking in the natural tones of Fluttershy's cottage and the menagerie of critters that called its vicinity home. He took a slow breath, then stepped up to the door, knocking gently. "Fluttershy?" he called through the closed door.

Things were quiet a moment, but he didn't dare knock again. Alarming Fluttershy was too easy. A faint voice? He heard a gentle voice from within the house and smiles. Soon enough, his patience was rewarded with Fluttershy's face as the door opened.

"Hello there, Spike. Is something wrong?" She glanced around as if expecting some terrible monster.

Spike shook his head quickly. "Nothing like that. It's about the game, you know, the one you saw after the trip to YakYakistan?"

"Oh, yes." Fluttershy nodded. "Discord looked like he was having a wonderful time. Thank you ever so much for keeping him company." She reached out and pulled him into the cottage. "I was worried he wouldn't make other friends besides me, but seeing how excited he gets whenever we talk about it, I know I made the right decision."

Spike stiffened as Fluttershy spoke. "Oh, uh, yeah... a great time..." He worried his fingers together, considering how to phrase it. "And he is good fun to have around. Even Applejack got along with him."

"Applejack is playing?" Fluttershy's tone carried her surprise as she led Spike towards her tea table and invited him to sit on a cushion. "It's become quite a thing, hasn't it? Is Twilight also playing?" When Spike shook his head, she looked relieved. "Oh, for a moment I thought I was the only one not playing. I mean, I suppose I don't have to even if I was..."

Spike felt her uneasiness and smiled gently at her. "You're welcome to come, or not. You're not any less or more of a friend either way, Fluttershy. If it helps, the group's pretty full at this point anyway."

She did look relieved. "Oh, alright." She sat down across from him. "Thank you. You're such a good dragon, Spike. Now, what was it you came to talk about? Did you just want me to know how well Discord's doing?"
> 23 - Firm Kindness
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ah have a delivery t'make," spoke Big Mac, a large wagon of apples behind him.

Applejack nodded at the pile. "Whodathunk the ponies of Starlight's old town would be such good customers now that they're free to do their own thin's?" She patted the side of the wagon. "Be safe."

"Ayup." Big Mac took his first ponderous step of many, visions of the lovely mare that would be part of his reward at the end. She would be so happy to receive the apples. The bits were good, but her smiling face...





Fluttershy seemed to notice Spike's nervousness. "Oh, Spike. What's wrong? Whatever it is, I'm here to help." Her eyes darted about. "Unless it's really scary."

Spike waved his hands quickly as he sat up. "Nothing like that. It's just that Discord..."

"Yes?"

"He's a little..."

"Mmhmm?"

"He likes the spotlight."

"Oh." Fluttershy's ears perked up. "He does, doesn't he? Is he being a bother?"

Spike held up his pointer and thumb close together. "Most of the time, he's become a real blast to have around, sometimes literally, but last game, he brought Rarity into the game without warning me, and had her play the part of the mare we were rescuing."

Fluttershy suddenly broke into titter. "Oh, my. I should imagine she could play that role very well if she wanted to. Did she have fun?"

Spike blinked owlishly. "I never asked." He had never even thought to ask that. "We're getting off-topic though. The damsel was... supposed to be kinda... like Rarity, but not, you know, actually Rarity. She was my little fantasy for fun. Suddenly I had to deal with the real thing and... maybe I freaked out a little."

Fluttershy raised a hoof over her mouth. "Oh dear... I could imagine that being surprising," she spoke in sympathetic tones. "That wasn't a nice thing. I will speak to Discord." Her tone hardened a little as she spoke. "Has he been good other than that?"

Spike's earfins lifted a little. That had been easier than he would have guessed. "Mostly, yeah. We've had fun, you know, minus a few things... He's, uh, kinda making things way more real in a lot of ways, but he likes to jump the gun. I mean, I didn't mean for the step of the story to be done yet. I thought we'd be fighting the squizzard and his goons for a long time, and now he's gone, poof." He clapped his hands together for emphasis, making Fluttershy jump.

Fluttershy looked at Spike with wide eyes. "Oh my... Who is the squizzard?"

"He was the main bad guy of the adventure." He wriggled his claws. "He was a no good squid that raised armies of undead ponies and he kidnapped Princess Schmarity!"

"That's not very nice at all," agreed Fluttershy. "And you won?"

"I mean, yeah, we did, but not the way I'd have liked it." Spike crossed his arms. "It's hard to explain. I mean, it's a story, so it should have a dramatic finish. Not just a chaotic brawl in the middle of the woods."

A new voice spoke from behind Spike, prompting him to jump from his seat and see Discord, "that's because real battles are like that." He snapped his fingers, conjuring an image of a row of gleaming pony knights marching side-by-side. "We tell tales of noble soldiers following grand plans to success, but it rarely works out that way."

The phantom ponies became tired and dirty with travel, marching as more of a loose mob. "When they encounter the enemy, order is attempted, surely, but something has to give. They are ponies, afterall, not machines." The images stopped suddenly as another set of images arrayed against them, opposing knights. They fell upon one another in a great melee, punching and kicking. The once-proud knights reduced to tackling one another when they could, trying to secure victory. "War is rarely as glamorous as the tales spin."

Fluttershy waved a hoof through the image, dispersing it back into the mist it had formed in. "Discord, I'm glad to see you. I hear you've been making quite an impression at the games you play with Spike."

"I should hope so." He was suddenly in the unoccupied seat in the room. "Do tell."





Lyra looked aside at the nervous Pinkie that accompanied her. "Relax. Octavia is a classy mare. So long as you're polite, she will be too. Oh! No bouncing."

"No bouncing?"

Lyra shook her head. "No bouncing. Keep your hooves on the floor unless they're busy with your lute. Slow and smooth will get you farther with her. Let's see if she's home." She raised a hoof and gave the door three sharp knocks.

The door swung inwards to reveal a mare, but not the one they expected. DJ-Pon3 was bobbing her head softly to the tune of whatever was playing on her large earphones. She regarded them silently, the specific angle of her eyes hidden behind rosey glasses.

"Heya Scratch!" greeted Lyra, unbothered. "Is your roomie around?"

DJ raised a hoof, then turned around and looked around with sweeps of her head before walking away from the door, leaving it open.

Lyra leaned over towards Pinkie. "This is normal. If she finds Octavia, she'll bring her back."

"Twilight's told me a little about her." Pinkie bobbed her head. "I admit I was a little surprised that Twilight liked that kinda music, but there ya go."

"Must you continue pushing me?" came a refined voice from within the house before Octavia came into view, pushed along by DJ-Pon3. Vinyl gave a hoofs up before wandering back off to whatever she had been doing.

Octavia cleared her throat as she looked over the two ponies in front of the house. "Yes, well, hello?" Her eyes settled on Pinkie and she tensed. "How may I be of... assistance?"

Lyra thrust a hoof at Pinkie. "She just told me what a heel she was at the GGG, and I gave her an earful of how difficult it is to play an instrument and how amazingly rude it is to interrupt a pony when she's playing. She didn't believe me."

Octavia's eyes narrowed slightly. "I should imagine she did not."

Pinkie gasped. "But I'm ready to learn!" She pulled the lute off her back and held it in front of herself. "I wanna learn how to do it."

Lyra rolled her eyes dramatically. "I bet she thinks she'll learn it in a day. Can you believe this?"

Octavia's eyes closed a little more. "I can only imagine..." She turned to Pinkie fully. "You do understand that learning to play an instrument requires time, diligence, and practice? It may look 'fun' when you see an already skilled craftspony at work, but it is a long and hard road to reach the point that you'll be playing a single song." She shook her head. "If you're expecting instant results, you may as well return that instrument from wherever you purchased it."

Pinkie trembled with worry. She had thought Lyra would be there to help her, but she was dismissing her just as bad as Octavia was. What had gone wrong?! "P-please, I'm ready!" She ran her hoof over the strings, giving a little artless strum. "I like music, really. I'm more of a singer than a player, but I'm willing to learn, really! I'm super mega ultimate sorry for being a patoot when you were playing."

Octavia sat on her haunches, her expression easing towards a gentle half-lidded state. "Yes, you were. Did you come to say that?"

Lyra scooted over to Octavia's side. "When I heard she wanted to play an instrument, I told her it was silly, but she kept insisting. I bet that poor thing's not even tuned."

Octavia rose and took the two steps to reach Pinkie. "Let me see that." Pinkie didn't resist when Octavia took the lute and began plucking the cords with her hooves with a skilled touch. "Mmm, no..." She began fiddling with the knobs at the end, changing the sound of each string subtly. "An instrument is like a foal. You have to treat them right and raise them properly, and they will amaze you, and you will love them, or they will misbehave." She thrust the tuned lute at Pinkie. "You really haven't the slightest idea what you're doing, do you?"

Pinkie accepted the lute and slung it over her neck. She brought a hoof down across the strings, listening to the difference the tuning made to it. "That sounds better! I can't even exactly say why, but it does." She let her hoof wander back and forth, strumming aimlessly.

Lyra moved with Octavia, snickering softly. "I bet even you couldn't get her playing properly."

Octavia wheeled on Lyra. "I've had worse students."

Lyra reached out and poked the refined mare in the chest. "Oh yeah? Worse than Pinkamena Diane Pie? Color me doubtful."

"H-hey! I'm not that bad!" protested Pinkie with her ears pinned down. When had Lyra become such a sudden meanie?!

Octavia brushed past Lyra. "Miss Pie."

"Yes?"

"Do you truly wish to learn to play?" She raised a brow faintly. "Speak the truth. This is no task to be taken as a passing fancy."

Lyra smirked, unseen by Octavia. Pinkie hugged her lute. "Please show me how to play. I'll practice every day if I have to."

"You do have to," agreed Octavia. "Every day. There will be times you will curse your chosen path, but you will push past them. You will learn how to play, and you will be thankful when you have succeeded."

Pinkie almost bounced to her hooves but remembered Lyra's warning. She clambered up to all fours instead. "Does that mean you'll show me?"

"Be here just as the sun rises." Octavia pointed in the direction the sun usually rose in. "I will give you an hour's instruction every day. You will practice for two hours in your own dwelling. There will be a weekly measuring of your progress to ascertain what needs the most work. I would normally suggest a slower pace, but I feel certain you would lose interest if we didn't keep this intensive. Do you accept?"

Pinkie snapped up to two legs and brought up a hoof in a crisp salute. "Yes, ma'am."

Octavia turned to Lyra. "I've had worse," she repeated and moved back towards her house. "If it pleases you both, I will take my leave. Even experienced players need their practice, and I am behind on my daily regimen. Good day." The door shut behind her gently, barely making a click as it fully closed.

Lyra burst into giggles. "Told you I'd make it happen."

Pinkie pounced on Lyra, driving her to the ground in a fierce hug. "Thank you thank you! Now I can make up and learn how to play at the same time." She sat up on the pinned Lyra. "Oooo, this means I can go back to celebrating Octavia's birthdays! Oooo, this is the bestest day in forever!"

"Forever?" Lyra looked skeptically up at her ecstatic friend.

"Well, at least a week?" Pinkie giggled as she hopped free of Lyra. "You had me super scared. Where'd you learn to act so mean like that?"

Lyra sat up as her lyre appeared with a pop of sparkles, floating over her head and beginning to play under the glow of her magic. "Practice, and I know her buttons. Don't worry, many of us music types share them, so don't go using them on me, I'll know it!" She stuck out her tongue at Pinkie before giggling. "Glad it did work out though. You'll play for me once you learn a song, right? I totally want to hear a Pinkie song from a Pinkie lute." She clapped her hooves in time to the lively tune she was playing on her lyre.

Pinkie pulled down her lute and softly played it, trying to match Lyra's song with very little success. "Promise, though it sounds like that'll be a little while."

"I can wait if you keep at it." She stood up, her lyre still playing. "Keep at it! You owe me a concert."
> 24 - A Perilous Journey
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As peaceful as most ponies enjoyed things, Big Mac knew better. The space between the calm oceans of sanity that were pony tamed became progressively more troubling the further one went. He glanced up towards the sky, taking note of the few fluffy spheres he saw.

Sure, pegasi tried to keep weather everywhere under control, and they did better than over the Everfree, but they focused on where the ponies actually were. If an unscheduled downpour soaked some spot of unoccupied land, few would lose too much sleep over it.

The wheels of the wagon squeaked faintly as they rolled. They tried to catch on rock and roots, but he pulled them clear or over. The going was relatively smooth, allowing him to rely on casual strength to see the job done. His thoughts wandered to the train. He could ride out much closer to his destination, but that would take money away that he was trying to get.

What kind of provider could he be if he spent all the money?

A little smile touched his lips as he walked. He was a provider. As tremendously adventurous as his sister had become, saving Equestria and solving friendship problems, they rarely brought money directly to the farm. In fact, her distractions often meant she was drawn away from needed chores. She might save the country, or some pony's relationship. But who watched the farm?

"Me," he answered himself, only to quirk an ear towards the distant farm. And granny, he silently added. He couldn't dismiss her. That old mare worked at least as hard as he did. He deflated a little as he walked. Applejack worked plenty hard too, even if she did get called off once in a while. They were a team, together...

"Nice cart."

Big Mac looked up at the female voice to see its source. She was an odd creature, bipedal with great teeth and a relatively large head on a small body. She had greenish skin and had a mane but no fur. "What's in it?" she demanded, waving a small dagger at Big Mac and the cart together.

"Apples," replied Big Mac honestly enough, eyeing the creature warily. He pulled his cart ahead and to the left, hoping to pass the creature without trouble.

"Yuck." She sneered as she turned to follow the progress of the cart. "Maybe I can sell it. Give it up." With a sudden jump, she sailed through the air with her dagger high.

Big Mac lashed out a hoof, forcing her to twist away. Neither landed a blow on the other. "Nope." He pulled the cart faster, hoping to beat a hasty retreat.

The impish creature had landed on the cart, switching the dagger to a two-handed grip as her face split, showing an impossible number of teeth. "Yes! Stupid pony, I hurt you."

Big Mac took a hard left, the wagon swinging wildly behind him with the groan of stressed wood and metal. The creature fell over with the sudden motion, saying some very unkind things as it struggled to get upright. She only managed to get back to sitting up as he galloped wildly.

"Nice try..." She fell forward onto her belly and swung out wildly with her dagger.

Big Mac's ear spun towards the thunk of metal against wood. Ahead of him, he saw a possibility. He veered slightly to the right as he ran, timing it so the cart would go over something he didn't himself. With a jarring thump, he felt the cart hit it and go airborne for a precious moment as he ran along.

With a loud crash, it smashed back into the ground. The creature squealed as they were thrown clear with the impact, sent tumbling into the bushes. Big Mac let out a huff of air, continuing his charge for a few precious moments to be sure there was distance between himself and whatever that had been.

His apples were for one person, and that was a special mare, not some random imp.





Pinkie sat with her lute across her front. Her hooves rested along the strings. There was no smile on her face. She was sternly facing ahead, eerily still.

"And, begin," spoke Octavia. "As I've instructed you."

Pinkie barely nodded as she ran her hooves in slow motions, playing each note carefully as she went along the scale she had been shown. She started low and ended high.

"Very good." Octavia nodded. "You did your two hours, I can see."

"I did three!"

Octavia bopped Pinkie lightly with her cello bow. "Two. Not three, and not one. Exactly two. Downtime is as important as uptime to the learning process. I appreciate your eagerness, but we've already put you on the accelerated track."

"But..." Pinkie pouted a little at being chastised for trying too hard.

Octavia offered a faint smile. "If it helps, when you learn how to play proper songs, you are free to play them as long as you wish, for the pleasure of it. But, for learning, there is a pattern. You trust me, I hope?"

"Uh huh." Pinkie bobbed her head quickly. "Alright, two hours."

"And that's it." Octavia rose up to two legs. "I know it feels dreadfully counter-productive, but you do learn when you're not doing. You need both to get it right. Now, let us proceed to today's lesson."





Spike nervously laughed, a hand behind his head. "Oh, uh, hey. Didn't expect you... here?"

Discord looked amused at Spike's discomfort. "Of all the places I could be, the home of one of my dearest friends should be far from the most surprising. Now, what is on your scaly little mind?"

Spike jumped back to the ground. "Oh, you know, nothing that--"

Fluttershy raised a hoof for silence. "Discord, you were a naughty pony." Discord put his hands at his chest as if asking if it were he that Fluttershy was speaking of. "Yes, you. You know Spike's sensitive about Rarity. Inviting her without warning gave him a terrible shock. I wouldn't want to be so startled." She took a slow breath. "That was very unkind."

Discord shrank at the scathing talking to. "I was just trying to give a gift. A surprise gift! Tell me you didn't enjoy getting a smooch from the fair Rarity?" He was looking to Spike at the end of the question. "You were her hero."

Spike went red across his face. "T-that part was... kinda nice, but--"

"--see?" Discord crossed his arms. "He even liked it."

Fluttershy put a hoof to her chest. "I like little slices of cake, but if you were to throw one in my face, even if I wasn't hurt at all, I would not enjoy that. How would you feel if someone did that to you?"

Discord tapped his chin. "I'll be honest, I have a hard time imagining someone surprising me." Fluttershy gave him a flat look. "Alright, alright, I've been surprised before, and sometimes I guess I didn't like it too much." He huffed and turned his head away.

Spike raised a lone finger. "I mean, uh, thanks, if you were really trying to be nice. Just, uh, not with Rarity, alright?" He quirked a little smile. "Did she say anything after that?"

Discord rolled a hand. "She was sorry if you were hurt. She didn't expect you to just keel over like that."

Fluttershy put a hoof to her mouth. "Oh my. Maybe you should talk to her? I'd hate to think she was feeling guilty about it."

Spike quickly forgot Discord existed. "Yeah!" He stepped towards the door. "Thanks, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy waved at him as he fled before turning his eyes to Discord. "Don't think I forgot the other half of what he was here for."

"Other half?"

Fluttershy wobbled a hoof in the air. "This is Spike's game that he has generously invited you to. You should try to remember that."

"By what, not making it even more fun for him and everyone else there?" He lifted his shoulders. "Sounds boring."

"Not that." Fluttershy considered a moment. "This is his story. He wants to share it. It's very important to him. I mean, I'd be embarrassed forever if what I wrote was ever... published... but he's willing to share himself with you and the others. That's very brave, and special. You should respect that."

Discord made a soft shooing motion. "His story is immature and puerile at best."

Fluttershy returned with a little smile. "So are the both of you, and that hasn't stopped either of you so far."

Discord flinched back an inch. "Fluttershy! Was that... a burn?"

Fluttershy rapidly darkened across the bridge of her nose. "Oh, um... too harsh?"





Spike dashed through the streets of Ponyville before his pace suddenly slowed. He suddenly realized that facing Rarity about it would mean talking about his feelings. He needed an excuse. "Um... It was a long day! I was upset about Discord taking over the game, yeah!" He clapped his hands together with a smile. "That's it. None of this, uh, mushy stuff."

"You're talking to yourself," noted Lyra seated on a bench in her peculiar way. Beside her was a Bon Bon, also watching Spike. "Ponies will start thinking you're a little unhinged." A funny smile spread on her face. "Wouldn't want to share Twilight's rep."

Bon Bon reached up to bop Lyra on the head. "Don't even joke like that. Spike, is something bothering you? Did you mention Discord?"

Spike nervously smiled at the two mares. "Hey girls! Having a nice day?"

Lyra clopped her forehooves together. "I'm waiting for Pinkie to finish learning how to play a little tune."

Bon Bon rolled her eyes. "I still can't  believe you helped rope her into this. You know Pinkie's going to lose it eventually."

Lyra waved that idea away. "You're selling the pink whirlwind short. She likes music almost as much as she likes parties. I swear, if she didn't decide parties were her thing, she'd be busy playing every instrument she could find to make ponies smile." Lyra grinned at Spike. "Possibly at the same time."

Spike snorted at the mental image. "She's done something like that. What's she doing that has you two interested?"

Bon Bon pointed an accusing hoof at Lyra. "This troublemaker has Pinkie learning how to play a guitar from the strictest teacher in Ponyville."

Lyra crossed her arms over her chest. "She's the best teacher, and it's a lute, not a guitar. There's a huge difference."

Spike tilted his head. "Huh, like the one she uses in the game?"

Lyra leaned forward suddenly, the motion so sharp that she fell right off the bench and landed on her chest in a graceless pile a moment before she scrambled to her hooves. "What game?"

Bon Bon rolled her eyes. "You could sit like a normal pony and that wouldn't happen nearly so often, you know."

Spike smiled before it occurred to him. Lyra was the pony that upset Twilight's game. "Oh, uh, you probably wouldn't like it."

Lyra's lyre appeared with a sparkle and began playing. "If there's a game that makes Pinkie want to play a lute, I am completely interested! Tell me more!"

Spike took a slow step back. "Yeah, I'll have to... catch you up on it, but I'm already late for a talking to Rarity, so I should be going, ya know? Bye!" He fled the disappointed Lyra.

Bon Bon shook her head slowly. "You come on too strong and scare ponies away."

"I haven't scared you off." Lyra touched the end of  her nose to Bon Bon's warming cheek.

"I must be too stupid to scare easily," laughed Bon Bon before she extended a leg that turned into a gentle hug. "Crazy unicorn. What will I do with you?"

"Be best friends?"

"Good idea." Bon Bon nodded with confidence before slipping down to the ground on all fours. "For now, we should be ready to greet the afternoon crowd. Come on, you can help prepare."

"Aye aye!" Lyra trotted cheerily after her friend towards Bon Bon's shop.
> 25 - Challenges
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big Mac struggled as he pulled the cart up the hill. The slant was sharp, too sharp. Each step was a small victory against the powers of gravity. There was a road, of sorts. It was where there was the last grass from what few other heavy things had dared ascend to the flat ground above.

"That looks hard." Big Mac looked over his shoulder to see a large snake coiled on his cart. "Oh, don't worry about me. I'm a vegetarian," assured the male-sounding snake. "You don't mind if I have an apple, do you? Just the one'd suffice."

Now, Big Mac hadn't heard of a snake that didn't eat meat on one level or another. Heck, the idea of one chomping an apple was a curious one. "Ayup. Just one." One wouldn't hurt things.

"You're a kind one." The snake nosed open the canvas that hid the apples. "Mmm, a quality batch! Did you grow these yourself? They smell different than wild apples." He slithered inside, vanishing from view.

Big Mac kept an ear trained back on him as he struggled up the hill. The snake's weight didn't make it easier, but it wasn't making it too much harder either. The freeloader was a mild nuisance, he decided. The sounds faded away. Was the snake already done? Big Mac glanced back and saw nothing but an untouched cart. It hadn't even said thanks, and he didn't get to see a snake eat an apple.

He snorted softly and continued struggling against gravity. Not a single pony said the trip would be easy.





Pinkie peered at the paper, filled with its strange, arcane, marks. It was like a magic spell! It summoned music. That was a spell, wasn't it? She nodded to herself, satisfied with her logic.

"Begin," spoke Octavia.

Pinkie's eyes followed the notes as her hooves played them with her beloved instrument. Her voice could not help but follow right along. "Mary had a little lamb..." It helped keep her hooves at the right pace to the song. Every time she said a syllable, she struck a note, with a nice long one at the end. "snow!"

Octavia smiled gently. "You are learning. That song, as I'm sure you are aware, has many more verses than just the starting one." She reached out and tapped the stand that held the music. "But there is only one sheet of music. What does a pony do?"

Pinkie frowned thoughtfully. "Do we just... play it again?"

"That is one method, perfectly valid. The song is a repeat of sounds. However, I should imagine that sounds terribly boring to you. Do you sing all those verses with exactly the same notes?" Pinkie shook her head quickly. "I thought not. You will need to vary it a little, to match the words that are sung."

Pinkie had to break the rules a little? That hardly sounded too worrying. Pinkie sat up as she strummed out the song of Mary and her lamb with a little variation that sounded just a bit more playful to her ears. "Sure to go," she finished the last line out loud, giggling softly. "Can you imagine that, having a lamb just following you everywhere?"

Octavia nodded softly. "Quite troublesome, but I am not an animal caretaker. I feel certain, should Fluttershy suffer such a setback, she would find such a thing endearing."

"Are lambs animals?" Pinkie tilted her head. "They talk."

Octavia shook her head. "That is neither here nor there. I want you to practice that song. Being a song, you may perform it as often as you please. If you wish, perform for an audience.

Pinkie lifted her lute up. "Am I good enough?"

"More than sufficient." Octavia nodded. "You will have your missteps. Learn from them. Having an audience can make you more aware of them and you can focus on eliminating them. Vinyl serves as my audience whenever I can talk her into ceasing her 'electronic' music for a time. You are no master, Pinkie, yet, but you are on the right path."

Pinkie felt a dismissal had been given. She tucked her instrument away and bounced to her hooves. "Maybe I'll play for the Cake Twins, they love silly songs." Confident, she bounced away.

Octavia watched her go, shaking her head slightly. "However does she 'walk' like that? That looks so very tiring."





Rarity opened the door to discover a small dragon had come to visit. "Spike, darling, wonderful to see you." She smiled at her friend warmly. "Do come in! The shop's open, dear, you could have come in without knocking."

Spike advanced awkwardly. "I thought about that, but it didn't feel right, you know?"

"Don't be silly, darling. You're a friend, and if I can tolerate random strangers wandering in, why would I be upset at seeing my little Spikey-Wikey." She put her hooves on Spike's cheeks and rubbed them affectionately. "You're looking better."

Spike warmed fiercely. "About that--"

"--I'm sorry." Rarity moved a hoof to her own chest. "I should have considered things before putting such a dreadful shock on you. I do hope you're alright, Spike dear?"

Spike nodded rapidly. "I'm fine, really. Uh, I mean, you didn't do anything wrong!" As if Rarity could do many things that were outright 'wrong'. Madness. "It was Discord that talked you into it."

"That isn't true, dear." Rarity trotted back towards a ponyquin that held her latest work. "When I heard what you were doing, I very much insisted on being part. Why, I was fairly certain Discord didn't even want me there, but since when did I worry too long on his thoughts?" She lifted some fabric and began comparing one to the other against the dress in progress, considering colors. "But you're a whole other matter, and I messed up. I'm sorry, Spike."

It hadn't been Discord's idea? "Oh, uh... it's alright, really..." Rarity had set up a plan that ended with her smooching him? She had wanted to be his damsel in distress? Spike could feel heat radiating off of him powerfully. "I... mean..." Talking was hard. Why hadn't Discord just said that she wanted to be there?

Rarity turned and set a hoof on his shoulder. "Spike, I didn't forget. When I was waylaid by those brutish Diamond Dogs, ugh." She shook her head. "You were ready to come running in, to save me. Sure, I saved myself, I've grown quite skilled at that, but you were ready to do it, and that does mean something, Spikey-Wikey." She moved that hoof to rub at his fiercely burning cheek. "You are a dear friend, and would do anything to keep me happy and safe. Thank you."

Spike wanted to say a dozen things. He had so many words in his head they all crashed into one another and none of them got through the narrow door instead of jostling on each other. "I mean..."

Rarity gently kissed his head. "That one's between two friends, not a princess and her knight. I feel certain, darling, there will come times when I save you. There will be times where you save me." She turned back to her work. "That is what friends do, and I'm glad to have you as one of them."

Spike felt the world spin, but he shook it off, angrily determining to stay in the moment. "T-thanks! I mean, yeah! We're friends." A small part of him gave the rest a nudge. They were friends. His hands hung limply at his sides. They were friends. Good friends. Precious friends. Friends.

"Shame you aren't tall enough to model this one." Rarity tapped at her chin as she considered her work gravely. "I'd love to see it on a living pony instead of a statue. There's a certain... gravitas you only get with a real pony." She looked over her shoulder and saw the thoughtful Spike. "Is everything alright, Spike dear?"

"Oh yeah! What could be wrong?" He forced a big smile at Rarity. Rarity who loved him. Like a brother. Rarity who admired him, as a friend. Would he ever get closer than that? Was he selfish to even think he should? "What are you... working on?"

"I'm so glad you asked." Her head turned back to it. "Photo Finish needs a piece that screams 'Spring has arrived!'." She waved a hoof over the unfinished product."What does this say to you, Spike dear?"

Spike imagined the suit telling him he was Spikey-Wikey, with love, forever. "It's... great."

"Mmm." Rarity ran a hoof along the soft material. "I..." she continued speaking about her dress and her plans for it, but Spike was barely paying attention, dealing with the tumultuous thoughts in his own mind.





Twilight thrust her quill down in her magic, dotting the last i on the page. "And... done." She clapped the book shut with her magic. "Finally, I get to take a break." Her eyes wandered over the room. "Hmm, wonder if Spike's back already?"

She rose to her hooves and began walking through the castle. "Spike?" But Spike did not respond. Instead, she heard a knocking from the front door. "Did he forget his keys?" Did they ever use their keys? It was a rare occasion. Twilight trotted easily down the steps and approached the door. "Spike, is that you?" She pulled open the door with her magic to reveal a pony, not a dragon. It was Lyra.

"Hey, buddy!" She clapped her hooves together. "Did you know Spike's playing some kinda game that has Pinkie learning to play an instrument?"

Twilight quirked an ear at Lyra. "Is that so? It wouldn't be the first instrument Pinkie has shown aptitude for playing."

"This is a special one." Lyra shook her head firmly. "This one's a string instrument, and only really dedicated earth ponies can learn how to play those."

Twilight had never even considered what went into an earth pony playing a string instrument. "Doesn't Octavia do it?"

"Oh, sure, call out the one best  example." Lyra rolled her eyes. "In case you didn't notice, earth ponies have hooves, and no magic. Hay, even pegasi have their wings that are better for that kind of thing than hooves are. Speaking of Octavia, she's the one giving Pinkie lessons!"

Twilight imagined Pinkie being tutored by Octavia, or tried. "Have... either of them gone insane yet?"

Lyra flashed a big grin. "Even better! I saw Pinkie playing a sweet little foal's song in front of the bakery! I mean, she's not perfect, but she's not bad!" She clip-clopped her hooves excitedly. "So! What is Spike playing? If it can put that fire under Pinkie, I gotta know!"

Twilight thought back to her own miserable time that Lyra had caused, and knew that Spike was having his own troubles already. "Oh, just a silly little game. That's exactly the kind of thing--"

Lyra crossed her hooves and crashed to her haunches. "Twilight, you are an awful liar."

"W-what? I mean, what?" Her eyes darted around the area. "What do you mean?"

"You just said what three times in less than a second." Lyra quirked a grin at Twilight. "You're a darling, but lying is not your strong suit. Seriously, what is he doing? Is it some kind of crazy voodoo spell? Zap me!"

Twilight sank to her own haunches. She would have to face the matter head on. "Lyra... I have to admit something."

Lyra leaned forward a little. "Yeah? Well, go on. We're friends. Friends tell each other stuff."

"Yeah... I mean... remember when we were foals?" Lyra kept looking at her. "We used to play this game... O&O?"

"O&O! Oh wow, now that brings back memories." She clapped her hooves together and swayed back and forth. "The action, the excitement! The bad rolls right when you wanted anything but!"

"Y-yes, that game. I... did not appreciate how you entered my game."

Lyra looked baffled entirely a moment before she hopped up to her hooves. "Are you saying I'm the reason you quit?!"
> 26 - Snakes and Apples
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big Mac leaned against a tree he sat beside, taking a break from his long journey. His eyes sank heavily. A little nap couldn't hurt.

He jerked awake and looked around. He had heard... something? But nothing was there. His imagination? Had to be. He settled back to sleep.

Big Mac jumped and looked around, but still nothing met his eyes. Sleeping in the wilderness was a nervous thing. Just a little more shuteye and he'd move on.

He tried to jump, but his back legs were held in something slick and cold. He flopped instead and turned his head to see half of his body had been stuffed down the gullet of a snake, the same he'd offered an apple to before. "Nope!"

"Don't be alarmed," spoke the snake as smoothly as anything with its mouth full could. "You looked cold..."

Big Mac tried to yank his legs away from their room-temperature surroundings. "Nope!" His legs were trapped tight, so he brought down a hoof, bopping the snake on the end of his snoot in a most unkind way. "Nope!"

The snake hissed in pain. "That's rude! I'm just trying to--" His words were interrupted with another solid battering from the panicked stallion. "Mother said there'd be days like this." The price of his meal was raising too high for comfort. The snake withdrew in a sudden jerk, leaving Big Mac freed and wet with saliva. "I thought you were a nice pony."

"Nope!" Big Mac scrambled to his hooves, shaking one of his damp legs as he hobbled awkwardly to his wagon. "Ain't no food for no snake."

The snake watched Big Mac hurriedly gallop away with his cart and let out a sillabant sigh. His meal would have to wait. Why did his father have to be non-venomous?

Big Mac crested the next hill and had to laugh. There was the town. He had almost made it without a problem, if he hadn't gotten lazy. He started down the hill with a smile, looking forward to his reward for a hard day's work.





Twilight waved her hooves at her friend. "No-no-no! I mean..."

"You're still an awful liar, Twilight." Lyra crossed her arms. "I mean... why didn't you say something? I woulda listened. I didn't mean to scare off one of my favorite bookponies. What'd I even do?!" She suddenly sucked in air in a loud gasp. "Is that why you practically never even say hi? Celestia above! I practically moved here for you!"

"Wait, what?"

Lyra waved a hoof. "Well, alright, that's a bit dramatic. I came to hang out with Bon Bon, but when I realized you were here too, that was like an extra super bonus. Seriously, what'd I do?!" She put both of her hooves on her chest. "Have you been angry at me for years?! Dang, girl. I thought you were a princess of friendship."

Twilight felt  heat rising in her cheeks. "Well, you see..."

"I'm easy to talk to! You just had to--"

Twilight thrust a hoof forward, popping it into Lyra's mouth with the sound of a cork settling in snugly. "That, right there. You're not letting me talk, Lyra."

Lyra backed up enough for the hoof to come free. She nervously chuckled as a hoof went behind her head. "Sorry... You were saying?"

Twilight took a soft breath. "I'm sorry for not bringing this up earlier." She slowly extended a hoof with a sigh. "This was when were were just foals, and I was trying to put it behind me."

Lyra's snout wrinkled. "But you didn't! It was always there, nipping at your hooves." She leaned in suddenly. "Look, I know you've been kinda overwhelmed with the whole everything, and it took you long enough to get back to Moondancer, how about we skip the tearful shouting match and get straight to it?"

Twilight wryly smiled as she looked over the unicorn before her. "When we were playing, it was my first time. It was my first a lot of things. I was telling a story, and I was... really proud of it and wanted to share it." She spread her hooves. "I was so nervous..."

Lyra clopped her hooves excitedly. "I remember! I remember! It was great! I mean, the start, uh, before you kinda..." She saw Twilight eyeing her. "Ah, heh... continue."

"As I was saying... I had this story. I wanted to share it... I spent weeks just outlining it!" She huffed softly. "It was a day just figuring out what the perfect name would be."

"The Trials of the Timeworn Travellers," sighed out Lyra. "Great name. I was hooked from the word go."

Twilight crookedly smiled. "Thank you, but then the big day arrived. You were there, with the other girls. You were all excited, and so was I. I... was trying to hold it in, keep it professional. It went alright, at first... But then a certain unicorn started loudly announcing she had ideas, big ideas!"

Lyra's ears perked up, half-asking who the unicorn was before it struck her. "Oh."

"Yes, oh. You trampled all over my careful plans with a big smile on your face."

"I was having fun..."

"I wasn't!" Twilight brought down a hoof with a loud clop.

Lyra flinched back. "I wasn't trying to hurt you, Twilight..."

Twilight took a slow breath, moving her hoof with the motion carefully. "As a reasonable adult, I can see that now. You were just a filly, like me. We both... got carried away--"

Lyra pounced Twilight, driving the larger princess to the ground in a fierce hug. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to ruin your life!"

Twilight pushed up at her, getting a few precious inches of room. "You did not 'ruin' my life." She sat up as Lyra backed off of her. "I was upset, at the time, but we're adults now. I can see that we were just being foalish, both of us." She wobbled a hoof between herself and Lyra.

"You say that." Lyra cocked a brow. "You say that! But you're keeping me away from Spike's game. You're still afraid I'll do exactly the same thing."

Twilight licked her lips. "Look, he has a lot of players, and he's overwhelmed. This is his first time too. He's... had some problems already, and I'm trying to help him through it. I don't want him to... do what I did."

Lyra leaned in as she pointed a hoof at Twilight. "None of that changes what I said. You think I'll run over his game."

"And you wouldn't?" asked Twilight. "Lyra, I like you, but that is kind of how you act."

Lyra crossed her arms. "I take offense to that! I can dial it down if I'm asked to. Bon Bon'll back me up on this." Her head suddenly tipped to the side at a mild angle. "Problems?"

Twilight grunted before her smile returned, awkward as it was. "Yes, those. He has Discord in his game, to start. He had Rarity stop in on him without warning." She counted on her hoof, tapping one against the other with each named issue. "Applejack was convinced this was all a horrible game that would make ponies horrible, but she's gotten over that, I think? I mean, Pinkie's there. Poor little guy's way in over his head."

Lyra tapped her own chest. "So what if I help? I mean, you know, not playing, but helping run things?" She brought her hooves together in an excited little clip-clop. "I've done it before! Who do you think ran the game after you ran off? Moondancer? That'd be a laugh."

Twilight envisioned her bespectacled friend trying to keep a game of O&O going and shook her head rapidly. "That would end poorly, I should imagine. Unless..."

Lyra tapped Twilight on the nose. "Distracted much? Seriously, I'd love to help out Spike. He's a great little guy, and if I can help out, well, I'm your mare!"





Spike wandered through the town, trying to calm his frazzled nerves. "Friend," he spoke to no one at all.

"Yep, we are those," agreed Pinkie.

Spike jumped in surprise as he turned to see Pinkie sitting there with a lute across her front, her hooves playing some song her couldn't immediately identify. "Oh, hey Pinkie." He hiked a thumb at the lute. "Getting in some practice?"

"Exactarooni." She flashed a brilliant smile. "I'm learning how to play it for real, even when I'm not playing a super awesome gypsy-bard. Wanna hear a song?"

Spike blinked softly. "You already learned a song? Wait, did you know how to play that before we played?"

"Nope!" She ran her hoof down the strings and began to play a little melody. "Fleece as white as snow," sang Pinkie as she reached the end, grinning. "How was it?"

Spike had heard the song before and giggled. "Not bad at all. Seriously, you just learned that? You are a kind of genius, Pinkie."

Pinkie glanced left and right as if being spied on. "Don't tell anyone," she whispered softly.

Spike looked befuddled at the idea. "Uh, why not?"

Pinkie shrugged softly. "Ponies act weird when you try to tell them you're smart, then they think you're showing off and they get defensive. I mean, if I say I'm smart, am I saying you're not? Ponies think that way and it gets super ultra awkward, so I don't talk about it." She strummed her instrument. "I just try to be a good friend to everypony."

Spike considered it a moment with a thoughtful frown. "Huh, wow. I never thought of it that way. Still, Pinkie, you are amazing. Your brain jumps in ways I'd never predict. Sometimes it kinda goes poorly, and sometimes not." He waved a hand at the lute. "Still, learning how to play so fast? You can't argue that."

"Oh stop!" Pinkie giggled merrily at the compliment. "You're too much, Spike. I bet you could learn it if you really wanted to. You just don't want to, so you don't." She directed a hoof at Spike. "You like running the game, and I've peeked at that book. No way! That's not my thing. I could stare at it for months and still get lost. Nope! I'll let you do that, mister smarty-dragon. I like parties, and music, and music at parties!"

Spike laughed at the image. "Are you going to, wait, you already do that sometimes, don't you?"

"Ah huh." She bobbled her head. "Only if the pony likes my kind of music." She lifted her lute over her head. "Now that I know another instrument, that means I can make more kinds of music for different kinds of ponies that don't like accordions or drums or the other things I've played. I don't know why ponies don't like those, but, eh, to each their own, right?"

"Right." Spike smiled at his exuberant friend. "Say, can you play something adventurous on that?"

"Oh shoot... I've only learned one song so far." Pinkie pouted as she lowered her lute to her front. "I'll learn something mega adventurous and play it for you, Spike. Speaking of which, have you seen Lyra? I saw her trot past, but I didn't get to give her the concert I promised her."

Spike quickly shook his head as he pointed up at the castle. "Can't say I know where she's hiding. I was thinking of heading home."

"Well, alright. If you see her, tell her I'm looking for her, alright?"

Spike thrust up a thumb. "You got it. Keep at it, Pinkie, you're doing great."

"Thanks!" Pinkie restarted the one song she new, adding a little flourish here and there as her muse demanded. By the time she even thought to look around, Spike had slipped away. "I'll learn something for you, promise," she spoke to the empty space that once held a small dragon friend.

Spike was busy hiking home, walking up the long hill that led to the castle. "At least some of us are having a good time with this."
> 27 - Coming Together
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike arrived at the castle, happy to be there. It had been a full day. "Maybe time for a comic before--"

"--Hey Spike!" interrupted Lyra who was just coming out of the door. "What luck! We were just talking about you, bud."

Twilight was just behind her, looking apologetic. "Hello, Spike."

"Um, hey." Spike wriggled a few fingers at either mare. "What's up?"

Lyra clip-clopped her hooves together. "We were talking about your awesome game, and I just wanted to say--" Spike cringed, imagining what could follow that statement. "--that I am available if you need any help at all. Want tips on what kind of monster to throw at them or a nice plot twist, I'm your mare!" She leaned forward. "In fact, if you want to spoil the heck out of me, I'd love to hear your plans so far. I won't tell a soul, promise."

Spike went a little limp. That wasn't nearly as horrible as he had imagined it could go. Even Twilight looked relieved behind Lyra. "That's, uh, nice of you. So, you've played this before, right?"

Lyra dismissively waved her hoof. "Twilight already told me she told you about me." She stuck out her tongue. "Tongue twister! Anyway, I was a real back end, but if I can help, just ask, and I'll do what I can, but, you know, not more than you ask for." She reached a hoof suddenly, ruffling the top of Spike's finned head. "I remember drowning at a few points, especially when Moondancer was involved. She would make the most insanely intricate plans, using things I never even heard about. That mare can research, lemme tell ya."

Spike hiked a brow. "I bet you don't have the literal spirit of chaos in your game." He twirled a finger. "Or somepony that thought the whole thing was some kind of depraved way to make ponies 'forget their true purpose' or something."

Lyra tilted her head. "Nope, can't say I--"

Twilight suddenly nudged in from the side. "Spike looks tired. We shouldn't ambush him the moment he walks through the door."

Spike held up  his hands. "It's alright. Say, why don't we all have dinner?" He was feeling a little invigorated, though he couldn't say exactly why. "I'll get to cooking." He jogged past the mares towards the kitchen.

Lyra pumped a hoof. "Nailed it."

Twilight shook her head. "I'm not sure how, but that went pretty well. Now, you'll do exactly what you promised, I hope?"

Lyra's eyes partially closed. "Twilight, have some faith in me. I'll help when he asks and how he asks. It's not my game." She turned and trotted back into the castle. "If I want a game, I'll start one with Bonnie. Wonder what class she'd play...?"





"Here's yer shipment." Big Mac unhitched himself and started unloading loads of fresh apples for the lovely mare. She was already gushing about all the sweet treats she would make with them, but all he could think about was how sweet she was.

She pecked his cheek, and he knew the efforts he had gone through were worth it. The small bag of bits wasn't bad either.

"Already heading back?" she asked.

He had no ready excuse to remain in her presence. He hadn't even worked up the nerve to speak his feelings towards her. "Yup. Ah'll be back, with more apples."

"I'll look forward to it." She picked up an apple and sighed. "Now that my sweets are sweet again, ponies are gobbling them up. I better get back to baking."

They shared a friendly wave, and Big Mac started on his way home, the wagon rolling more easily without its load of apples aboard. He left that curious town of identical-houses behind. Starlight had come from there? Big Mac was fairly sure he had heard something to that effect.

Maybe next time he visited, he'd ask about that, though Starlight made him nervous. She put the magic in unicorn, and wasn't shy about using it whenever remotely applicable. He snorted softly. Sugar Belle wasn't like that at all. She was a hardworking mare. A little smile spread on his lips. She was an earthpony's unicorn. A baker! She didn't take shortcuts. She did it right.

Big Mac listed forward, his hooves refusing to cooperate as he tumbled to the ground. He felt something around his hooves, coiled tightly around all four legs.

"Hello," greeted a familiar snake with a soft hiss. "That was rude, leaving in the middle of lunch. Please, stay for dinner. I insist," he spoke with extended hisses for every s.

Big Mac tried to separate his hooves with a grunt of effort, but the snake had him in its coil tight. It was at that moment that he wished he did have a horn for a little magic, but he didn't. He'd have to use what was left. The snake was pulling him closer to his widening mouth and his head bumped against a rock on the way. Ah ha.

He grabbed the rock in his mouth and threw it with a cry and a twist of his neck. It went right into the snake's open gullet and the creature began to hack and cough. The coil loosened just enough for Big Mac to scramble free.

"Not so fast!" The snake darted around to be in front of Big Mac. "It's a matter of life and death, friend pony. My life, your death. Such is life, is it not?"

Big Mac stomped the ground like the irate horse he was. "Nope!"

"You don't even have those nice apples anymore. Only choice is you..." The snake darted forward, landing a bite on the air as Big Mac ducked back to avoid it. "It won't even hurt if you calm down."

Big mac circled around the snake  and jumped at just the right time. Its next bite found flesh, but not a pony's. "Ow!" He drew back from his self-inflicted wound. "Is that what that feels like? That hurts."

"Yup," easily agreed Big Mac.

The snake sagged. "But I have to eat! I didn't ask for this..."

Big Mac coiled on himself and nosed out a lone apple he had left. He set it on the ground gently.

"You want me to try it?" The snake slithered closer with obvious doubt. "Snakes don't eat apples..."

Big Mac pointed at the offered fruit.

"I suppose there's no... harm in trying." He dove for the apple and gobbled it up with one big bite, making a little bulge in his body as it vanished down his throat. "Mmm, not bad. Maybe I could learn to like it."

Big Mac didn't wait for the snake to make up his mind, and trotted back towards the safety of Ponyville and his farm. As he went, a smile formed. He had weathered his own adventure, without any dice, and he had emerged in one piece. To think, some ponies thought farming was a calm and peaceful task. He snorted at the idea.





It would take some time before Lyra emerged from the castle, filled and ready to go home. Her trot home took her through the darkening Ponyville. Lights began to come to life in houses. She could hear the insects playing their little tunes as they emerged from wherever they hid during the day.

She decided to join them. With a twinkle, her lyre appears and she played it with her magic, stringing a cheerful little tune to the beat of the nature around her.

"There you are!" Pinkie was suddenly before her. "I've been waiting forever for you! Where have you been hiding?"

Lyra recoiled in surprise before bursting into laughter. "Why were you waiting for me, silly pony?"

Pinkie pulled her lute free from nowhere in particular. "I learned a song and I'm ready to play it for you. I promised!"

"But was it a Pinkie Promise?" asked Lyra with a sly look.

"Well, maybe not... but still a promise, and I plan to keep it! Are you ready to rock!?" She strummed the lute that sounded like it was not at all ready to 'rock'.

Lyra tilted her head. "Hit me."

Pinkie reached forward and booped Lyra on the nose. "Wish granted. Now, let's begin." She took two slow breaths before she ran a hoof across the strings. "Tonight we will play a special piece about a special mare. Sing along if you know the words. Mary..." She began to play the song of the mare Mary and her sheep.

Lyra began to clap along, easily identifying the song. Above her, her lyre joined in the simple melody, playing along with Pinkie's lute. Pinkie had a sour note or two, but Lyra kept right on playing, and so did Pinkie, and they played together to the end. "Hey, you picked that up quickly. Watch for the chord transitions, but you did great!"

"What's a chord?" Pinkie tilted her head.

That is when Lyra realized Pinkie hadn't meant to hit chords.  She laughed it off. "Nevermind! Octie will keep you on track. She's good at that. Seriously, great job."

"Do you mean this cord?" She pointed at one of the strings on her instrument.

"You are priceless, Pinkie." Lyra jumped forward and hugged Pinkie, fairly confident the party pony would not turn down an abrupt display of affection. She was proven right when Pinkie returned the hug warmly. "Keep it up. You'll be a master at this rate."

Pinkie extended a hoof towards Twilight's castle. "What was up at Twilight's? You don't often go up that way."

Lyra stuck out her tongue. "Ugh, don't remind me. Can you believe that silly book horse was holding a grudge for years? I'm glad that's behind us at least."

Pinkie blinked. "I missed a friendship lesson? Shoot. What was the moral?"

Lyra tapped a chin with a hoof as her lyre played a thoughtful tune. "Well... I guess, if you're playing a game with ponies, you shouldn't forget about them, and what's fun for you may not be fun for them, so don't just assume it is."

"Good lesson." Pinkie nodded with firm agreement. "Who knows, maybe the map will call you sometime!"

Lyra almost dropped her lyre in surprise. "It can do that?!"

Pinkie shrugged softly. "Who knows? We sure don't, so we can't say it can't call you for a mega awesome friendship problem in need of special Lyra assistance. You'd go if it asked, right?"

"I mean, yeah, sure." Lyra dismissed her lyre with a pop. "I hope it calls me and Bonnie at the same time though." She waved a hoof a little wildly. "I wouldn't want to get called to some far off crazy place alone, ya know?"

Pinkie pointed at herself. "What if it was you and me?"

"Hmmm." Lyra looked Pinkie up and down. "I guess I could live with that. We could make sweet music together!"

Pinkie ran her hoof down the front of her instrument, strumming. "That sounded wrong somehow." She shrugged and tucked her instrument away. "Well, keep an eye out for when your cutie mark starts glowing and stuff. If it does, go to Twilight's castle and you'll find out where you have to go and what pony will be going with you!"

Lyra shook her head. "I'll keep that in mind, but I doubt it'll be calling on this rump anytime soon." She turned for home. "I should go make sure Bonnie isn't freaking out, seeing as I didn't tell her I'd be hanging out late."

Pinkie raised a hoof quickly to wave. "Good night, Lyra. Tell Bon Bon I said 'Hi, how ya doing? That's good! Hope you're having a swell time. You should come by Sugar--"

Lyra casually popped a hoof in Pinkie's mouth, silencing her. "Hello, got it. Pinkie, you are something else. Take it easy."

They parted ways, either headed towards their home to recover from a busy day.

It was a good day.
> 28 - The End. The Beginning.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike looked left and slowly right across the table. "A very nice roll, but..." He could feel the tension in the air. They weren't using Discord's gift this session. They were playing it 'old school'.

Applejack thrust a hoof in the air. "Ah use mah cutie mark!"

Pinkie clopped her head with a hoof. "Why didn't I think of that?!"

Big Mac made a noise of approval, looking quite proud of his sister.

"Just enough," spoke Spike with a smile. He reached forward and nudged Applejack's piece ahead. "You manage to..."

They were playing O&O. A group of friends. He was running the game, but he was just as much a part of the group. They were together, as friends. He couldn't help but smile more as he thought of it. "Captain Wuzz, your eagle senses pick up a disturbance."

Even Discord was paying attention. Sure, he had groused a bit about not doing it 'his' way, but he hadn't stormed off. He was playing, part of the circles. Part of the friends.

Rainbow Dash pushed her figure ahead. "Yeah! Finally! I grab the sword!"

"As you do..." Spike let loose a small pile of dice, making the entire table wince, wondering what horror was about to befall them.

Watching from around a corner, Twilight smiled. Seeing Spike lead the game was a moment of pride in herself. It felt almost maternal, even if Spike wasn't... Well, in some ways,  he was. She had hatched him. She had raised him. She wasn't, perhaps, the best at the job, but she had done it.

He was more of her little brother than her son, or so she preferred to think of it. She was pretty sure Spike preferred it that way too. That was fine. He was growing up, and becoming a fine person, even if it showed in a harmless game of O&O with friends.

Twilight let out a faint sigh. That table looked full. She would let Spike be the star for the moment. She turned and walked away quietly. "It's like the Crystal Empire," she reminded herself in a hushed tone. He had become the star there. And that was alright. He deserved the spotlight sometimes. "Not like I don't get a turn." She chuckled softly at herself as she ascended the stairs.

"How's it going?" asked a curious Lyra as Twilight reached her observatory. "Is he using my tricks?!"

Twilight smiled at her friend. Her regained friend. She shook her head at herself, imagining the wasted years. "He's doing wonderfully. They're all having fun." She moved for her telescope at an easy pace. "I don't think he'll have an emergency."

Lyra put a hoof behind her head. "I just want to be available. I won't come unless he calls though, like we promised."

"Thank you for that." She sat before her telescope and was quiet a moment before she turned to look over her shoulder. "Lyra?"

"Yeah, Twilight?"

Twilight pointed at her telescope. "Would you like to view the stars with me?"

Lyra gasped softly as she rose to her hooves quickly. "Y-yes! Yes, please. I'd love that."

Lyra trotted over to Twilight's side. Twilight was the boss of that activity, and Lyra eagerly learned a bit about stargazing.

Twilight turned the telescope slowly and carefully with her magic. "If you look, you can see a very famous constellation. Can you  name it?"

Lyra put her head to the eyepiece and peered up into the night sky. "Oooo, wow, this is a great view. I never tried a telescope this nice before." Her eye wandered a moment before zeroing in on the constellation. "Hey, woah, I know this one,  but it sure looks different. No wonder you like this."

Twilight smiled at Lyra. "It's a whole different perspective. Why, there are some stars you just can't see at all without it." Her magic slowly turned the device, giving Lyra time to move with it. "Look about... here."

"Oooo..."

It was good to be with friends.





Ponies sat up from their seats. Pinkie strummed across her instrument. "I didn't even have any of Discord's help and I was able to play along."

Discord chuckled at that. "I just lit the fire. You, my pink party pony, kept it going."

Pinkie tilted her head at Discord. "Huh, didn't think of it like that. Well, thanks! My music's on fire alright." She hopped up and slipped her lute away. "See you all for the next game!"

"Ayup."

Applejack leaned against her brother. "We'll both be there, fer sure."

"Until then." Discord tipped a hat he didn't have a moment prior.

Spike raised a hand to wave at them all. "Have a safe trip home. I'll have the next part of the adventure ready, so be ready!"

There was a group rallying shout as everyone split up to head to their particular home.

Rainbow bumped against Pinkie. "Finally got it."

Pinkie giggled softly. "It's like your lute, except it doesn't make as much music."

Rainbow snorted. "Sure it does. Any creep that messes with me will make all kinds of music as I poke 'em!"

Pinkie gigglesnorted. "A sword that big? I don't think you're 'poking' anyone."

"Well, true." Rainbow tapped her chin. "Huh, didn't think of that. After all this time using daggers, huh... Guess I'll be swinging this bad boy around." She swayed a hoof back and forth as if making grand sword swings. "Swoosh! Swoosh! Off goes their head!"

Pinkie stuck out her tongue as she walked along under Rainbow. "I hope you don't do that to anyone that doesn't deserve it. We're supposed ta be the good guys, remember?"

Rainbow frowned a little. "Yeah... you have a point there." She clopped her hooves together. "Got it! I'll use my daggers at first, but if it's a real mean bad guy, then out comes the sword, shwing!"

Pinkie bobbed her head with easy agreement. "Whichever weapon you use, I'll play a ballad for you. Hey, did you like my battle song?"

Rainbow burst into laughter. "The lyrics are something else, Pinkie. Nice instrumental though." She came in close to hug her friend from above. "Good to have you in my corner, Pinkster."





Applejack and Big Mac walked side-by-side on their way home. "Ya do know ah already know, right?"

Big Mac blinked. "Nope?"

"C'mon. Give yer sister a tiny scrap of credit." She bumped him lightly. "Just a little."

"Um..."

"Aw, yer shy. 'Course ya are, ya big lug." Applejack laughed softly as she walked. "When are you going to actually ask her out?"

Big Mac turned red right through his already crimson fur, lighting up as well as any hearth's warming tree.

"Just be sure to bring her over sometime. She ain't an Apple until she's met the clan." Big Mac offered no reply to his sister, just growing brighter. "Look, ah know ah said... some unkind things... Ah did some lookin' up. Ah'll admit, ah was ready to blow mah top, ah was..."

Big Mac looked over at Applejack.

"It's true. Ah was... Still, she's a good pony. She works hard. Shoot, she worked hard when we first met her. You know I did meet her before, right? Her stuff better now that she actually puts sugar in it?"

"Yup."

Applejack nodded. "That's good. Whole town full of scared ponies... She was the one to break from the herd, try to get word to us... She may be a unicorn, but she's a darn brave one. She's a good pony, and, if you like her, well..."

Big Mac suddenly grabbed his little sister and squeezed her tightly. He had no words.

Sometimes words weren't needed.