#as with all my other mlp designs she DOES have a cutie mark i just am too lazy to design them

[loki-ioki]

Nemona mlp design! I can't think of a good name for her rn so she's named after her personality & battling spirit!

[ravioliet]

ok so let me be cringe on main for a minute here (this is a joke btw i know cringe isn't real). odd squad mlp au for your consideration

please ask me questions about this by the way i have so much for this. i'll put some of the basic info (it's a lot more than that now but in my defense it started as a basic summary) and a few more drawings under the cut though please look at it with your eyes thank you

so for some basic explanations we have Olive who is a unicorn, Otto who is a pegasus, Olympia who is a part unicorn earth pony (which i'll explain in a sec), and Otis who is a full blooded pegasus (which i'll also explain the importance of in a moment). i haven't drawn Ms. O, Oscar or Oona yet but they are an alicorn (formerly an earth pony), a unicorn, and an earth pony respectively

Olive and Otto are the only two that i've come up with cutie mark designs for so far (they are so hard to design..) but Olympia and Otis have them too, they just get them mid-season. specifically after the talent show. i'm designing them side by side so that they kinda match because they get them at the same time and also they're besties your honor, but anyways theirs are a little fireworks design and some sort of a swan design because y'know. the ugly duckling story. and also i think part of his talent is dancing and like swan lake exists etc etc. and yes this does mean that he's a little bit scared of his own cutie mark at times but he just tries not to think about it and usually covers it with his wings anyway. all four of their cutie mark meanings are kinda abstract personality trait related things

Olive got hers after stopping the pienado because character development moments, which also kinda means that she's sorta tied to Todd because of this which she Does Not Like. i'll need to make a whole other post about Todd in this au because he's definitely a guy, but anyways while they were partners Olive was a blank flank and despite how good at his job he was Todd was one too and it was like one of the only things they really had in common, but it also ends up being one of the reasons he goes rogue because not only is Todd bored but he's also frustrated because he's tried everything he can think of and won every award he possibly can and he still doesn't have a cutie mark even though he feels like he definitely should by now because this has to be his talent. why would he be so good at it if it wasn't? he doesn't get his cutie mark until after he reforms btw, because before then he was either too certain about his talent being something else or too busy causing trouble to entertain himself that he never really took the time to stop and discover that his actual interest was gardening and that's when he finally gets his cutie mark. in my head i have this alternate version of Otis's tomato speech where when Todd is like "i'm Odd Todd it's who i am" Otis is just like "that's not what your cutie mark says" and it's very silly but anyways i'm gonna circle this back around to Olive real quick

so on top of Todd's cutie mark being in gardening he also has a sort of side meaning as well in the sense that he's a little bit like the CMC and has a sort of knack for encouraging character growth in others whether he realizes it or not because. encouraging plants to grow.. encouraging people to grow... the whole villain rehab thing...... you see what i'm getting at here. but the funny thing is the first pony he really did this to was Olive and it was completely unintentional. he didn't know that she would get her cutie mark by stopping him, at least not consciously, but she did. it probably takes him quite some time before he actually puts together the fact that he's had that talent the whole time.

Otto's cutie mark is a lot sillier. he actually doesn't know how he got it or what it means (as mentioned earlier it's symbolic but he doesn't know that. also shoutout to Shroom aka Evillandscaper for suggesting a paper crane because i did NOT know what i was gonna make it) he just kinda walked into work one day and Olive was like "oh cool you got your cutie mark?" and Otto was just like "WAIT I GOT MY CUTIE MARK?????" cue a whole silly filler episode involving the two of them trying to figure out what it means and also Olive having a crisis over the fact that Otto can do that pegasus thing where they use their wings like cartoon hands. both of these become running bits from then on. also i drew this comic about it and it might be one of my favorite things i've made for this au honestly

and on the topic of cutie marks as i previously mentioned, Olympia and Otis both get theirs after the talent show and they're also matching a little bit. theirs are also personality things but in addition to that Otis's is also for dancing and Olympia's is for magic, and you may be wondering how an earth pony can be a magic talent and this is where that half unicorn thing comes in!

so Olympia is half unicorn half earth pony which i don't think is too uncommon on its own, but the thing that makes her weird is that she inherited traits from both sides instead of just one over the other, so she actually has unicorn magic but no horn to actually use it with so she's unable to cast actual spells or anything but her magic will kinda spill over at times, especially if she's emotional, and cause things to happen like that one time she exploded into glitter when interviewing Olive or of course the fireworks! she's kind of like the Pinkie Pie character who just does unexplained things sometimes she's just very silly. fun fact in her ref you can see that her mane and tail are sparkly and that's because they kinda just perpetually look like they have glitter in them, but the thing is it's not really glitter it's all just magic. i imagine her coat is like this as well but i just didn't draw it in

also as a side note it came to my attention that she bears an uncanny similarity to Sparkleworks from G3 and i have absolutely no idea how that happened At All. like they have the same cutie mark and everything it's so weird. i've never even watched G3 i'm a G4 kid i legitimately have no clue how the hell this happened. i did make this out of it though

anyways for Otis, he's a pegasus of course but he's specifically a Cloudsdale weather pegasus, which yes i did make up but hear me out. so basically in my mind pegasi born in somewhere like Cloudsdale are more likely to have weather talents or like. stronger abilities in controlling the weather and such, which means stuff like larger wings and weatherproof wings and feathers to make it easier to deal with storms and stuff like that, so basically all this is just an excuse for me to give Otis waterproof feathers like a duck. but anyways since he was still raised by the ducks he doesn't actually know he's from Cloudsdale or anything so he just thinks he's weird for the feathers thing

okay i have. way more but i'm cutting myself off here so i don't overload everyone with information but anyways, please ask me about them, and also here's some extra drawings i've done of them :3

[thephoenixking732]

Doing a MLP redesign and retelling! First is Twilight Sparkle.

Lore:

Twilight Sparkle starts the same way she does in the show where she is a pupil of Princess Celestia and is sent to Ponyville to learn about friendship, but instead of just living in the library with free reign of the town, she is given a full time job like the other ponies she has. In this version, she is made the official librarian for the town, as well as the planner and archivist for the mayor, as well as keeping up with her magic studies. This version of Twilight takes on the challenges head on and thinks that she will have plenty of time for her jobs and education because while she is very interested in learning about friendship to make her teacher proud, she never planned on actually becoming friends with anyone. She wanted to be a simple observer while she worked, but that all changed when the others of the Mane 6 meet her and show her around. She is very enthusiastic about talking to them, but while observing the friendships they all shared, she realized just how lonely it can be when she didn't have any friends. In this retelling, Nightmare Moon doesn't resurface until the end of the season, when Twilight realizes that she actually does want to be friends with the other ponies, and that is when the elements of harmony first surface.

Design:

I wanted to make Twilight more of the actual colors of Twilight, so I darkened her coat and added starry freckles and stars to her legs, glasses with a starry chain, and the iconic yellow color to her hair. I also wanted to make her mane and tail much longer to show that she hasn't been maintaining it since she is so busy with other things, so she throws it up in a messy bun instead. I changed her cutie mark a little too, but nothing too crazy. For the unicorns in my retelling, I wanted to give them longer coats and cloven hooves, as well as making each horn more unique depending on the strength of the unicorns magic. The stronger the magic, the more intricate the patterns will be on their horn.

[postingjustwhatever]

I haven't even watched the new MLP movie, I don't even think I can, it makes me so depressed. All my favorite ponies are dead. I didn't even finish the last season of G4 because the show kind of turned to garbage. But I saw how it ended, and I hated seeing them all old. It's sad, I just wanted it to be open ended with it implied they continue to go on lots of adventures. But it ended with them old, Rarity was already greying, Pinkie had a canon kid, Spike turned into a hideous abomination, and Twilight was gonna outlive all her friends. I hate it. MLP was a comfy show and it made me happy, but it ended up just being depressing.

And it's not just the Mane 6 that are long dead, it's all the hundreds of background ponies that are dead!

Derpy Hooves my beloved, she means so much to me, I love her so much. But she's dead and gone. All the background six, everyone!!! THEY'RE ALL DEAD!! So many ponies DEAD!!

And they're replaced with this.

They are not aesthetic.

I just, really don't care for these designs. They all have the same eyes, and almost human looking faces. It's kind of uncanny valley. I don't like the hair either, it's so uninspired. There are so many unique hair designs on the g4 ponies. I mean besides color, cutie mark and slight eye variations that was the main way to show characterization. You could show what kind of personality they had with the design of the hair.

With Twilight, you got a very clean straight cut, orderly, it gives you the impression she a nerdy bookish type just by looking at her.

Pinky Pie, curly, bubbly bouncy curls, shows she's a very fun and exciting pony.

Rarity, elegant, styled and fabulous. You can tell she cares about her looks and is the stylish one.

Fluttershy, long and flowing, covering her face a bit. Gives her a delicate appearance and makes her seem shy.

Rainbow Dash, messy unstyled rainbow hair, makes her seem wild and adventurous.

Applejack, it's tied back and she's wearing a hat, obviously she works a lot, and spends a lot of time outside.

The color of them also relates to their personality, purple is mysterious, elegant and magical, blue and rainbow is cool and exciting, pink is fun and bubbly, orange is warm and strong, yellow and pink is soft and comforting. The colors and hair give off strong characters tells just by looking at them.

I could go on, about so many other ponies too.

But with these new ponies, I really can't infer much about them.

The unicorn has long, wavy, princess like hair, her color scheme also gives me princess vibes, she just looks like a bit of a quirky princess.

The orange one, has her hair tied back and braided, she looks kind of adventurous I guess, sort of nerdy, idk, I'm just not getting much from her.

The purple pegasus kind of gives me Rarity vibes. Sort of. I don't know. She looks very rich, she's got the gold hair piece and gold hooves going on

The other pegasus just looks like toothpaste, she just looks like someone took a tube a toothpaste and squeezed a dab of it out on her head, I hate it. That color pink with that color streak?? What were they thinking, it does not clash well together. But she just looks like the Rainbow Dash type one, or just a butch lesbian pegasus, idk, I just really don't like her design.

The you have the male earth pony. He just looks like, the dude, the guy, the bro, I really can't tell much of his personality just by looking at him, there's not much to go on.

I don't like them, I really don't. In g4 there are so many well designed ponies. Most of the background ponies have great designs. But for this, all of the main characters look so generic. I wish it was better, I really do. Maybe it's because of the 3d, I really don't care for it, they look like weird pony human hybrids, it makes me uncomfortable. The eyebrows kind of help make them look a little too human like in the face. They're just one smaller nose away from looking like Elsa.

I just miss the mane 6 so much, I wish the show hadn't ended the way it did and I wish this new generation took place in a different dimension or something. Everything the mane 6 did was all for nothing, Twilight's legacy completely gone. All my favorite ponies: dead.

My heart is broken. I know it's all fictional but still, those ponies meant a lot to me.

[sherbetgreeceuh]

These were some mlp next gen designs. They were more of a what if kind of thing. I didn’t actually ship any of these characters, I mainly just wanted to design some next gen characters, some of them were paired together purely for the aesthetic purpose. There’s two different ones for Fluttershy just cause I wanted to design some for her and Discord and the other one I just some nurse pony that I liked the color scheme of. So all of these can be considered AUs separate from each other. The orange one is Starlight and Sunburst’s daughter. And the last two were Rainbow Dash and Soren that I did way before all the other ones.

I’ll just add the description of them from my Deviantart

1: I decided to pair Twilight with Star Tracker for this because I think their color schemes looks nice together. The oldest is an alicorn but he has trouble learning and controlling his magic. He is quiet and is stressed out a lot. He feels like he has a lot to live up to because of who his mom is. He is worried he will disappoint everyone. He is smart but doesn't like to learn and study. He doesn't like to be in crowds, and is a bit shy. His cutie mark is a moon and stars. The youngest loves to read and study science, her eyesight is bad because she spends so much time reading. She loves books as much as her mom. She wants to be a great hero like her mom, and is a bit jealous of her brother because he's an alicorn and she's not. Her magic is not as powerful as an alicorn but is a bit stronger than a regular unicorn. She has a secret love of comic books, and wants to be a superhero. Her cutie mark is a sun.

2: I paired Rarity with the spa pony guy for this just because I like his design. And Rarity does go to the spa a lot, so I can say that's where she met him. I don't really care too much about shipping. I just really wanted to design some next gen kids, I will probably do some for the other main six too. I'm going to be pairing them based on what colors look good together not by who I ship them with. So this isn't about shipping, I just like to design ponies. I won't be pairing any of the main six together or put them with other mares because it wouldn't be possible for them to have kids. I know some people design kids for mare couples anyways, but I'm just going to pair them with a stallion instead. So, yeah, this is just for fun, don't take who I pair them with too seriously. I also didn't pair her with Spike for this, because it just seems wrong. I really don't like the ship at all because I'm pretty sure Rarity is an adult and Spike is a child. He is referred to as a baby dragon. I don't have names for the kids, I'm terrible at naming. The youngest has a grumpy personality. She spent way to much time around Opalescence growing up and the cat's personality rubbed off on her a bit. She is sarcastic and likes to think she's smart. She doesn't have many friends because she is not very pleasant to be around. But she will eventually make some friends and her personality will change for the better because of them. The oldest is very dramatic and kinda smug. He likes to be the center of attention. He likes acting and has stared in many plays. He acts confident but is actually a bit insecure. He likes to star in plays that will entertain other ponies and make them happy. His cutie mark is a shining gemstone. 

3:  I decided to Rainbow Dash with Thunderlane for this because I thought a rainbow mane with a black coat would look cool. The oldest has a pretty chill personality. She loves to fly through clouds and watch sunsets. She's cheerful and loves to have fun. Her cutie mark is a heart shaped cloud. The other two are twins. The girl with the blue coat is older by a bit. I gave her the color scheme of Rainbow Dash Destroyer of Pies, because I thought it would be funny and it looks cool. Her cutie mark is a flying cloud and rainbow lightning bolt. She has sort of an extreme personality, she likes to go fast and is a bit of a dare devil. She wants to be as cool as her mom. She wants to be able to do a sonic rainboom but is frustrated because she hasn't been able to. The youngest acts a lot like his twin sister, and most ponies think they have the same personality, but he mostly just tries to be like her because he looks up to her and she is his best friend. He likes to spend time relaxing and reading. He enjoys racing for fun but doesn't really care if he wins or not. His cutie mark is a rainbow tornado. The twins find out later that they can make a sonic rainboom if they fly fast together.

  4:  Next gen Pinkie Pie kids I designed for fun. I decided to pair her with Party Favor for this just because they look nice together. For the kids I wanted to be reverse of Pinkie's family, with three kids more like Pinkie and one like her sisters. I don't have names for any of them. The youngest likes to fix hair, she did Pinkie's hair for this pic. She is kind of a creepy kid. Often appears out of nowhere. She doesn't say much, but when she does it's always something weird. Her coat color is similar to Pinkie's mother's. The second youngest has a kazoo cutie mark. He likes to sing, dance, pretend, and KAZOO! His personality is basically that kazoo kid, www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRpdIr… He eventually starts a Kazoo cult. The purple one has a gloomy personality, she takes after Pinkie Pie's family, she likes rocks. She is interested in the magical properties of rocks and gemstones. Her cutie mark is a gemstone and sparkles. She studies magic and rocks. When she was younger her Aunt Maud was teaching her about rocks and mentioned that with the right stone one could rule all of Equestria, she has secretly been trying to find the right stone. For her colors I just combined, Pinkie's and Party Favor's, I usually don't like to do that because the colors end up not looking anything like the parent's or family member's, but here the colors looked similar to Maud or other members of Pinkie's family so I used them. The haven't really come up with much of a personality for the oldest, I guess he likes to party. His cutie mark is a slice of pie. 5:  Fluttershy and Nurse Pony. I don't have a name for her son, the daughter's name is Blossom. I just chose the stallion sort of randomly, I thought their colors looked nice together I might make a different alternate universe Fluttershy family with her and Discord. Blossom is a cheerful pony, she loves nature, and loves to grow flowers and plants. Her cutie mark is a flower blossom. She likes to grow flowers that attract animals. I haven't really thought up much more for her personality. The foal is a bit shy, he has trouble speaking to other ponies. He is kind of secretive and spends a lot of time alone. His cutie mark is three ghosts because he is often invisible to others because of his shy personality and because he secretly practices necromancy. 

6:   Applejack. I literally just chose this stallion to pair with her because I think the colors look nice together. I have no idea what his name is, I don't think he even has one. This isn't about shipping, I just wanted to design some next gen kids, so I chose the stallion based on the colors. I don't have names for either of the kids. The youngest wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. She loves the animals on her mom's farm and wants to be able to care for them when they are sick or injured. She is calm most of the time and very patient. The older one's cutie mark is an apple, orange, and grapes. She wants to grow and sell lots of different fruits. She is also interested in tree grafting, she wants to be able to graft different fruit trees together. (I'm going to say it's possible to make a tree with more than one type of fruit in mlp because magic) 7: Big Mac.  I haven't come up with cutie marks for the younger two. The oldest has sort of a tomboyish personality. She loves the outdoors, animals, and running through mud puddles. Her cutie mark is an pie and an apple slice. She is good a making desserts with apples. The middle child, is calm and doesn't talk much. She is not shy, she just doesn't like to say much. She prefers to listen to what others have to say. The youngest has a personality similar to his mother Sugar Belle, he's very sweet and likes to help others. He loves helping his mother cook desserts. I used the color of Granny Smith's coat for the youngest, and the color of Big Mac's father and Apple Bloom for the oldest. The oldest one has the same color eyes as Big Mac's mother.

8: They didn’t have descriptions

[yourpinkoverlord]

Kotobukiya is asking for people to weigh in what the next MLP character they should turn into a Bishoujo figure should be.

Assuming they’re actually listening and going by most commonly said or something, here’s my prediction on who they’ll make based on the responses and some other factors.

Ones I’m pretty sure they will make at some point:

—Starlight Glimmer, 100%. On all sites I’ve seen discussing it (and especially Twitter) Starlight was requested the most. Plus she’s basically a main character from season 6 onward, it seems obvious.

—Trixie. She was brought up quite a bit + if they make Starlight, making Trixie to match her is an obvious next step (“You want to complete the pair, don’t you? So you need to spend more money, riiiiight?”)

—Princess Cadance. Not only was she brought up a lot but she feels like an obvious choice. They made Celestia, Luna, and Twilight (although not a very princessy version). Just need her to complete the Princess set.

—Derpy Hooves. Highly requested, and she’s basically the fandom mascot. And not only that, but who doesn’t like Derpy?

Ones that were brought up a bit but I’m more unsure about them actually getting made:

—The Dazzlings. While not as much as the first four, they were brought up by folks quite a bit. They’re known for their human designs so just like Sunset they wouldn’t need to design completely new human designs, just make new poses. If they make one they’d almost have to make the other two (and I don’t know how many people would only want one) so it’s an easy 3 to make. Plus, uh, the Bishoujo line has always been a bit horny, even with the MLP line (yeah) and Hasbro might let them get away with slightly more sexualized Dazzling figures considering they’re Sirens and the way they sung and were animated in RR so that might...be more convincing? I only put them under “unsure” because they were brought up a bit less than the others, and, well, they’re not ponies. But they may not care about that and even use their merch pony designs to go with the figure, who knows!

—Queen Chrysalis. At first I was surprised with how often she was brought up, but looking back, I think she’s overall the most popular villain. I’m putting her lower than the Dazzlings since she doesn’t already have an animated human design (she does have an EqG doll tho) so she’d basically be created from scratch, and unlike the Dazzlings she doesn’t have an obvious character to go with her. Except for maybe Cadance. Actually, a matching Cadance and Chrysalis would be pretty cool. Still putting her under “unsure” because she wasn’t said as often as some other characters.

—The Cutie Mark Crusaders. They actually weren’t recommended as often as I thought they would be. I’d assume they’d be slightly cheaper since they would be smaller (unless they made their adult designs or something). They’re still possible because they’ve been secondary characters since season 1 and were still recommended a decent # of times. But judging by other recommendations if they were made it looks like they would be made pretty late. And since I brought it up earlier I wanna say, judging by the other young-looking characters in the Bishoujo line, no, if they were made they probably wouldn’t be sexualized.

—Spike. He was mentioned in recommendations more often than the CMC, so that’s something. There’s just two problems: He’s not a pony and he’s not a girl. Now, the Bishoujo Horror line genderbent male horror characters so him being a boy isn’t necessarily an issue, but I just don’t know for sure if they would do this with the MLP line. And there’s still the issue of him not being a pony. They would have more freedom in designing him since he doesn’t have any official human designs at all (let alone a female one), but at the same time they would have to start from scratch. Plus there’s the question of: would there even be much interest in this figure? People are definitely recommending him but for most it’s more of an afterthought (long lists that include Spike at the very end). And while he’s pretty well-liked now, Spike still has a reputation of being disliked by the fandom as stuff left over from the early days. But still, he’s a main character so not completely off the table.

—Discord. I saw him brought up a little bit. This could be a very metal figure, imagine how cool a (probably genderbent) human Discord could look. But I also saw a lot of people say it would probably look weird. Not a lot of people recommended him, he’s not a girl, he’s not a pony, he’s seems pretty hard to translate into a human design...there are a lot of things holding this possibility back. But he’s still a secondary character with a little bit of interest so he’s still a possibility.

—DJ Pon-3. Wasn’t actually brought up that much but she’s a pretty popular background pony and has even reappeared quite a bit because of it. Plus her design is pretty cool, that’s a plus.

—Octavia. If they make DJ Pon-3 making Octavia to go with her seems like an obvious choice. Usually when DJ/Vinyl was recommended Octavia was recommended along with her. Only problem here is that Octavia doesn’t appear nearly as much as DJ, and doesn’t have as much Hasbro love as DJ.

—Lyra Heartstrings. Was barley recommended, actually. I was surprised. But I guess it makes sense, her design isn’t a unique background pony design. Still, she’s pretty popular and has an EXTREMELY obvious character to go with. Speaking of...

—Bon Bon/Sweetie Drops. Like Lyra, was barely recommended. BUT, if you make Lyra, you gotta make Bon Bon. If you make Bon Bon, you gotta make Lyra. Two times the money. Has a spy backstory to work off of for the design. Pretty popular.

Annnnd those are my predictions. It looks like the MLP line is making bank for Kotobukiya, I mean why else would they keep expanding it? I love that they are but my wallet is crying.

Who do you think is most likely to be added? And who do you WANT to be added?

[ask-de-writer]

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN . . . : MLP Fan Fiction

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

Return to Tales to Read AFTER the Lights are OUT!

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN . . .

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

1612 words

© 2016 by Glen Ten-Eyck

Writing begun 10/06/16

All rights reserved.  This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

//////////////

Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.  They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact.  They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

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It should have been a dark and stormy night!  Just to be perverse, it was calm, clear and well lit by a nearly full, waning gibbous moon.  

Rory was laying in wait! Nightmare Night was his favorite!  He was lurking in the brush, not far from the cemetery wall.  His costume totally hid his head and cutie mark, making it all the more fun to jump out at the passing foals.  

When he waived that old scythe at them they ran like rabbits!  Dropped their loot bags, as often as not!  Fun all around!  For him.

Pity that he swung wrong, that one time.  Grazed one of the escort ponies.  Nothing serious, but you know, if he got caught the authorities would be like it was the crime of the century!

It added spice to the game!

The slightly wounded mare ran straight for Twilight Sparkle's Golden Oak Library!  Breathless, she panted, “Twilight!  We have to do something!  Look at my neck! There is a big earth pony jumping out of the brush to scare foals into dropping their loot bags!  He waves this big scythe!  He hit me!”

Twilight paused in handing out small books and candies to her Nightmare Night visitors.  Turning, she saw Spike at the ready, quill and parchment in hand.  

“Take a note, Spike!   Dear Princesses Celestia and Luna:  We have a problem here in Ponyville.” In a few words, she described the unpleasant situation.  Spike breathed fire on the note and the smoke streaked away!

Celestia and Luna were presiding over a masquerade dance party of nobles.  It was about as boring as a Nightmare Night celebration could be.  Luna had just observed, “Trust the nobility to make something so fun into a soporific!”

Celestia was giggling agreement when the wisp of smoke sailed in and became a note.  She scanned it and promptly magicked it over to Luna.

“I think that this one is for you, Luna!  Have the fun I am not going to have!”

Reading, Luna began to grin. Fangs showed.  Ghastly pustules appeared in her magic, in lieu of stars.  Her forehooves became claws.  From her normal dark blue, she became utterly black.  She answered Celestia, “I will!  I have not spoken to Swift Feather in a long time.”

Dryly Celestia observed, “Being dead for 3000 years does tend to cut off the conversation!”

Luna said in a soft voice, “There is a loophole in that.  I rule the Dream.  The Dream can cross time.”  She stalked out of the hall.  Her condition upon leaving was noted by the Herald.

“Your Highness, what has so upset Princess Luna on this festive night in her honor?”

“It was not this festivity, however boring it may be.  We had word of an evil thing in Ponyville. She is going to take care of it.  She will return soon, I am reasonably sure.”

~~ ~~

Swift Feather lay in her sleeping stall in Fortress Canterlot.  She hated garrison duty.  She wanted to FLY.  To carry out the good orders of her Princesses, so recently crowned.

Sleep came at last.  With it came a dream.  She saw her Princess Luna.  She looked the same as the Princess that she knew except that somehow she seemed older, more experienced.

In her Dream, her Princess gave her the most welcome of orders.  “Kit up, Swift Feather.  Full battle gear.  We have a wrong to put to rights.”

With the speed of dream, Swift Feather was ready.  “Where are we going?  What is it that we need to do, my Princess?”

The Dark Princess replied, “Follow me.  It is not far by dream, though the distance is greater than mere leagues.

“Your wise leadership has secured us a great and mostly peaceful kingdom.  We are going to stop one who would spoil the simple fun of many foals.”

Their wings spread, they flew through the mighty stone walls of the Fortress of Canterlot.  Swift Feather saw in wonder, the very land beneath their wings change.  The flying years beneath them saw forests grow and die.  Fields planted and harvested in the blink of an eye, the stroke of a wing.

A town grew suddenly beneath them and Luna spiraled down, Swift Feather following.  Luna pointed silently to a small herd of foals in outlandish costumes.  They gathered at the door of a home and sang, “Nightmare Night!  What a fright!  Give us something sweet to bite!”

The smiling householder, also in costume, hoofed around a bowl of treats.  The young ones eagerly took some, placing them into bags.

Luna directed, “Go and join them.  Take with you this bag for your sweets.  I promise that your skills will be needed soon.”

Puzzled, Swift Feather did as asked by her Princess.  Settling her weapons properly for parade, she stepped out of the darkness and joined the foals.

They looked at her light aerial battle armor, with its bracers protecting her legs and wing joints. Her chanfron battle helmet, chain armor for her guts and steel for her flight muscles, spine and back.

One of them, in a sort of goblin costume, asked in wonder, “Wow!  You look like a warrior from Fortress Canterlot!  Who are you dressed as?”

Catching the mood, Swift Feather replied, “Good guess!  I am Swift Feather, Flight Leader and Wing Commander to the Princesses Celestia and Luna of Fortress Canterlot!”

A little witch costumed filly commented, “Your outfit looks like real armor and weapons!  Could I look at your shield and spear?”

Swift Feather nodded indulgently and held out her small targe and carefully unslung her air combat spear with its fins to guide its fall if it was used against a ground target.

Emboldened, the foals crowded about to examine her war gear.  One bold colt tapped her breastplate. Awed, he said, “That is real steel.  My dad is a smith.  This is a totally awesome costume!  It would be right at home in a museum!”

As Swift Feather replaced her spear and and small targe-sheild she understood what Princess Luna meant by a distance of more than mere leagues.  Remembering the rest of her instruction, she thoughtfully settled her weapons for instant use.

She joined the happy chant of the foals and was given her fair share of the treats as well as many compliments on her costume.  

Soon the group started up a street with brush and a stone wall on one side.  

Remembering that she was to right a wrong and that there was one who would try to spoil the foal's fun, she cautioned, “Let me lead you.  This place does not look safe to me.  It could be an ambush.”

The foals, thinking it a game, did fall in behind her.

Rory lunged out, swinging his scythe!  The foals screamed and fell back.  

Swift Feather's targe caught Rory's deadly blade and deflected it up past her head!  She dove in close, using her spear shaft to block Rory from pulling his scythe back!

Enraged at the failure of his trick, Rory tried to spin about so that he could continue what was now a real attack!  When the vicious swing was just starting, Swift Feather stabbed!  The combination of his spin and her thrust drove the spear deep into his shoulder!

The scythe clattered safely away across the cobbles!  Shocked, Rory screamed his agony!  He was down and kicking frantically!

The astounded foals watched the combat in utter amazement!  Not one dropped a loot bag!  Swift Feather pulled back, her targe at the ready, a short, pointed stabbing sword at the guard in her skilled hoof.

Assured that the enemy was down and safe, she directed in her best military manner, “One of you get a constable!  The rest search those bushes!  He has stolen other foal's treats!  We must see if they can be returned to their proper foals!”

The youngsters, responding to her air of total authority, sprang to follow her orders!  The smith's colt sprinted up the street for help!  The others found the loot bags in Rory's hidden ambush place.

The situation now under control, Swift Feather heard the voice of Dream, of Princess Luna, speaking in mind, “You have done very well, this night, Swift Feather!  Fly back with me across the ages to your well earned rest.”

She took off in a thunder of wings.  A watching filly said admiringly, “Look how well she can fly with all of that armor!”

Together, Swift Feather and Luna flew across ages back to Fortress Canterlot and through its stout stone walls.  Swift Feather saw her sleeping self and faded into her body.  Lips curled into a smile for her good dream of righting a wrong.

When she awoke, she found a bag with treats in it under her pillow.

~~ ~~

In Ponyville, the Constable Crager was trying to make sense of the scene.  The foals were the only witnesses and they would not budge from their story.  “It was Flight Leader Swift Feather from Fortress Canterlot!  She said so herself!”

Looking at the antique design of the aerial battle spear in Rory's shoulder and then at the big scythe laying in the street, Constable Crager could almost believe it.  The Ambulance Ponies were getting Rory stabilized for removal to Ponyville General Horspital.

One commented, “We are going to have to get that spear out of his shoulder to get him into the ambulance!”

The blacksmith's colt pointed to the spear and said, “No you don't.  Look, Swift Feather is taking it back to Fortress Canterlot!”

The solid seeming spear lodged in Rory's shoulder quietly faded away like a dream upon awakening. The wound that it left behind, however, failed to fade at all.

~THE END~

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

Return to Tales to Read AFTER the Lights are OUT!

[digikate813]

My Little Pony Re-Watch: Episode 23 Cutie Mark Chronicles

*Another one of those episodes that’s regarded as one of the best of Season 1. It’s definitely my favorite of the season.

*The first time we see just how much Scootaloo looks up to Rainbow Dash. I never realized they didn’t touch on this until this late in the season.

*Learning how the Mane Six got their cutie marks is already a great premise for an episode, and they take full advantage of it. Seeing the girls as fillies is just too adorable, and it shows a bit more of what exactly a cutie mark is. And that not everyone gets them the same way. Let’s go over each of the pony’s discoveries individually.

*Applejack tried to live in the big city with her upper class Aunt and Uncle Orange. Who we haven’t seen since. Huh

*As someone who was born and raised in New York, hearing “Manehattan” for the first time may have been the most groan worthy pun before I found the puns in this show amusing.

*Applejack gets her cutie mark when she decides to go home. This might be weird that she didn’t get her mark before she left, but the key differences from when she left to when she came home is that she had a taste of a life she thought she wanted, and realized that she was the most happy back on the farm. That realization of what she loves most is what got her her cutie mark.

*Fluttershy’s story is fairly the same, but in the opposite direction. She was a weak flyer and didn’t fit in in her home flight school.But then she sees animals for presumably the first time, and instantly makes a connection with them. Once she discovered how much she loved them, and vice versa, that’s when she gets her mark. By discovering something entirely new.

*Also the song. The song is so precious, it puts the biggest, dumbest smile on my face. And i know I’m not alone on that.

*Rarity’s is one of the ones I find the most interesting. She was already designing clothes, but hadn’t earned her mark. It wasn’t until she suddenly was able to perform her gem location spell (which I will admit is a bit contrived with just how out of nowhere it is) that she adds them to her designs, and gets her mark. Rarity’s cutie mark is one of the more symbolic of the group, because despite it being her job, fashion isn’t Rarity’s special talent. That’s just where she uses her special talent best. Finding and bringing beauty to the world. Even in the most unexpected places. And what gets her her mark is realizing her full potential.

*This is also probably the funniest flashback. I’d be shocked if Rarity shouting “Dumb Rock!” isn’t on a Redbubble or TeePublic shirt.

*Twilight’s is sort of similar.Twilight gets inspired to study magic, but that’s not what earns her her mark. It’s after she succeeds at showing off her full magical ability that she gets it. It’s solidifying a passions she already had into a full blown talent. 

*In the flashback we also get to properly see what the Summer Sun Celebration looks like. Which is pretty cool.

*First time we see some of the Mane Six parents! And fun fact, Twilight’s mom is designed how Twilight was originally supposed to look. It’s great to see them, but they  won’t be able to talk for another 4 seasons.

*Twilight’s test to get into Celestia’s school included hatching Spike’s egg. And don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll find out very quickly just how Celestia got a dragon’s egg for this test.

*Pinkie’s is probably the most straightforward of the group, but still meaningful. Once Pinkie discovered how great it was to smile and be filled with joy, she wanted to share hat joy. Which for Pinkie, meant throwing parties. Which is how she earned her mark. Once again Pinkie’s talent may be connected to throwing parties, but it’s not the only way she makes other ponies happy. Her passion and talent is all about making everypony smile.

*Also Pinkie was raised on a rock farm. Which is very funny, but I have so many questions.

*We see more parents who actually get lines! Well one of them does anyway. And “some” of Pinkie’s sisters.

*I don’t know why, but the line “And that’s how Equestria was made!” line always makes me laugh. I thought about making it a running joke for my reviews at one point, but nothing ever came of it.

*We finally get to Rainbow Dash. And again her’s is pretty straightforward, but certainly important. She enters a race to defend Fluttershy (another point in their long friendship) and in the process discovers not just her love for racing, but just how good she was at it.

*So funny story. When i was watching MLP for the first time, i watched it out of order. SO I saw this episode before I saw “Sonic Rainboom”. Even if I had a feeling that rainbow that was in all the flashbacks was connected to Rainbow Dash, i had no idea what it was. But honestly seeing the Sonic Rainboom for the first time in this context. As it being the thing that helped all of the Mane Six earn their cutie marks, was something special.

*As much as I love this episode, I used to think it had one of the weaker messages of having a special magical connection with friends. But when I watched it again for this post, I got a different message out of it that might have been intentional. That the friends you’ll make in the future are out there. And the things that connect you might already be there. You just have to get out there and find it. And as someone who has gone long periods without friends, only ot discover them late down the line due to special connections, that’s a message that really rings true, and can inspire hope for those who are feeling lost and lonely. Your friends are out there. It’s only a matter of time until you find them.

Like I’ve said, I love this episode! It’s adorable, it gives us a better look at what makes the Mane Six who they are, and it gives us better insight into what exactly a cutie mark is. And like an actual talent or passion,a cutie mark comes about due ot all sorts of different circumstances. And can mean all sorts of things. I could go on about the cutie mark thing, but this post is already long and this will be a topic in future episodes. Next Time: Owl’s Well that Ends Well!

[ssunsxt]

Out of curiosity, who are your favorite EqG/MLP villains/antagonists? I liked Wallflower and I think I still do, but your opinion was super interesting and is making me reconsider just how much I like her.

This is looooooong, so I’ll put it under a read more. 

Starlight is one of my top 3 villains because she was just doing her own thing until Twilight and the gang showed up– but even then she was getting up to some pretty messed up stuff; however, even then, her motives were kind of justified.

Starlight felt like she was abandoned by her bestfriend because she wasn’t good enough– and that seriously messed her up. So instead of taking her anger out on the friend that abandoned her she instead tries to eliminate the feeling of inadequacy (which tbh isn’t that an idea when you think about it). She had the right theory, but went about it in the wrong way, and then things got too far and she wasn’t really able to go back and fix anything.

Then and only then did Starlight choose to blame a group of people for what happened to her (the loss of control of the town); and instead of doing something petty– NO– she once again shows us just how far she’s willing to go to achieve what she wants (first it was discovering how to remove cutie marks, and now its finding out how to time travel???) Starlight is a force to be reckoned with, because of her sheer drive and ambition to reach her goal. Even after Twilight shows her what will become of the world she calls her a liar and thinks she can’t trust her because the one person she did trust, left her.

She never once tries to take things out on Sunburst, and is actually embarrassed about what she did, to the point she’s too nervous to go see him when they find out he lives in the Crystal Empire.

Her motives are justified because she suffers from feelings of abandonment and inadequacy– which are kind of what Wallflowers motives are supposed to be. Except, y’know, Starlight executed them perfectly.

My  second favorite villains are The Dazzlings (I’m counting them as one force).

Their designs are unique and stand out, not to mention I absolutely LOVE any kind of lore pertaining to mythical creatures– and funnily enough, sirens are one of my favorites.

They were banished to the human world and ultimately fed up with how dull it was due to the lack of magical power and influence they had in that world. They created chaos for the sake of chaos and because they wanted to be powerful and have control over people. Their personalities were all super likeable too, and I loved how they used emotional manipulation to put Sunset in her place, and ultimately achieve what they wanted– The Rainbooms to fall apart and argue. Their motives were clear from the start: we want power and influence and we’re going to manipulate people to get it. Wallflower was bitter and jealous of a girl that didnt even know she existed, and instead of trying to change herself, she wanted to ruin this girls life to get back at her over nothing. 

Their creating chaos for the sake of chaos is also one of the reasons I love Discord as one of the villains in MLP. He just loves messing stuff up because he thinks its fun, not because he has any desire to be powerful– he just loves creating mischief, and he doesn’t stop doing this even after he is reformed; he just doesn’t do it as extremely.     

Now last but not least, my favorite villain: Sunset Shimmer. 

Sunset’s motivations, like Starlight’s, come from how she feels and thinks about herself. She always thought she was destined for greater things, and after seeing herself as an Alicorn in the mirror, that idea was cemented in her mind. She felt Celestia was holding her back and that if she was going to get what she felt she deserved, she had to work for it herself– because even her own teacher wasn’t helping her at this point. 

Now you need to think about context for this next part. Sunset was young and naive when she first saw the mirror, and Celestia knew she wasn’t mature enough to learn about its true powers (being a portal to another dimension), which is why she doesn’t tell Sunset right off the bat everything about it. So, when she travels through the mirror, she thinks this is her chance to become what has been implanted in her mind; an Alicorn– a ruler of Equestria.

Except, she was still super young when she went through the mirror. 

She wanted to be a princess and rule beside Celestia, but now she was stuck in a world that was nothing like her own, and even if she wanted to go back, she didn’t think she’d be welcome; and that’s evident even after her reformation.

So here comes Twilight Sparkle– her replacement, in a way– who gets everything Sunset wanted. She’s deemed Celestia’s “prized pupil”, she becomes an Alicorn and becomes a princess; and that’s just a bitter pill to swallow. 

Sunset also struggles from feelings of inadequacy– which is why she feels like she needs to be the best. It’s why she has to make everyone else feel like they don’t matter– because that’s how she feels– and if no one else matters, then she has to, right? 

Wallflower targets a girl who doesn’t know she exists, as does Sunset– however, Sunset’s vendetta isn’t entirely because of how popular Twilight is– it’s because she’s Sunset’s replacement, and she got everything Sunset felt she deserved. It hammers home her feeling of inadequacy and that she wasn’t good enough in Celestia’s eyes. 

Sunset isn’t a monster– she’s a naive girl who wants to prove that she means something and that she’s destined for greater things. 

She admits to bluffing about smashing the portal– but she was also bluffing about knowing what would happen when bringing an element of harmony into an alternate world– and that’s evident when we see how terrified she is when transforming into her demon form. 

 My distaste for Wallflower is due to the fact they take the good aspects of past villains and completely tarnish what made them good. 

She’s shallow and petty and had no real reason to justify her actions, and even when she’s called out on it, she still continues to go further (trying to erase everyone’s memories of each other) and only apologises after the humane7 power up and destroy the stone– her only real defence of form of power against them. 

I doubt she’s sorry for what she did; she’s only sorry that she was stopped and had no means to fight back anymore. 

But that’s just my hot take on it. 

[kittenships]

6, 7, 14 & 15 for the S/I questions? (Dont have to do them all of course!)

Doing mlp Bc... hehehehehehe

6. Has your s/i undergone any design/story changes since they were first made?

My first mlp self insert was an alicorn named Sparkle Phone! Here's some old art of her, her cutie Mark was just a cellphone with a rhinestone case Bc I literally made her when I was 9... compared to my current sona it's kinda funny? Idk xP

My new sona is part catpony! Her name is Popcorn Plush and her talent now involves restoring old toys / plushies

Lotsa story changes Bc clearly not an alicorn anymore.. she's still dating Chrysalis however! She now also has 2 more partners! Tempest and Star Watcher :]

7. Give us 3 random facts abt your s/i!

Catlike! She can purr and rly likes being pet

She's actually not the best at her talent, she's just really passionate about toys and plushies!

She is easily distracted by cat toys :]

14. Does your s/i get jealous easily?

Unfortunately yes! With 3 partners it can be easy for her to be jealous when she's not getting attention. Takes a lot of scheduling and talking so everyone can feel included!

15. Does your s/i interact with any other self shippers s/i’s?

Hehehehhe yes... she interacts w/ my bf's s/i Pumpkin Mist! He doesn't like her all that much xP but to be fair she does just. Appear near him randomly, they haven't rly talked much -w-

[starsaga01]

So uhh i know if my gf or my irl friends see this on my tumblr they are going to REAM me for having MLP oc’s but you know what, frick off gaywads. 

Uhm if you wanna know WHY i made these and their backstories then click the keep reading, if not just enjoy the designs and changes. 

The bottom two are the original concepts for the refined characters up top. I watch a lot of those channels on youtube that just rip peoples oc’s apart and they were going into depth as to how “hard” it is to make decent Pony Characters. I was like come on it cannot be that hard, and i made two designs on the spot and then did a redraw to finish up what they should look like. ALSO everyone who is in the MLP Fandom seems to HATE alicorns that arent cannon because a lot of people dont design or write them well. So i made these both backstories and DawnLilly does have a reason/event that happened as to WHY she is one. Also im pretty sure i based SorrowSong’s design on an old mobile i had as a baby. So thats cool. Anyways im rambling and yeah i made these as a why the hell not. 

Name: Sorrow Song Nicknames: Lully, Song Gender: Female Age: 10 horse years  Species: Unicorn Height: 5 ft Weight: She’s like average weight for a taller pony. Dunno Hometown: Silver Blossom Island Current Residence: Volcanbloom Island Occupation: Caretaker/teacher Mane Color/Style/Length: Long, in a braid on top, hair curls around eachother in the tail Coat Description: a lavender  Eye Shape/Color: Yellow, sharp yet sad Accessories: None Cutie Mark:  A crescent moon and music note with a little star Special Talent: Singing Lullabies, she can calm and lull anypony to sleep Family: DawnLilly, Silver Ship, and Spring Melody Friends: Characters i will not make refs for that live on the islands Personality: She is reserved but very kind, she is the type to want to help out whoever she can, she loves children and often volunteers to watch them if she has a friend who needs help. She does not get along with her sister but still loves her dearly, she is kind of socially awkward but people like her. She gets along better with children and often spends her nights with them Flaws: She is Quick to judge, she tends to snap at older ponies rather than the kids, she will sometimes not voice her opinions and thus keeps her frustrated, often lets her emotions fester before blowing up. Has an ugly laugh. [Character History] Her family as well as herself is from a large group of islands far off from anywhere near the actual storyline of MLP. A lot of the times there are storms and the parents will try to use magic and abilities to hold it off or lessen them, when they go off they elect someone to watch over all the children. When she was old enough, they asked SorrowSong to watch them on a particularly nasty storm night. The little foals were restless, scared, and couldnt sleep due to the storm. Not knowing what to do after trying to give them food, and bedtime stories she began to sing. She was singing more so to calm herself, but all around her one by one the kids began to settle down and eventually fall asleep. This is how she got her cutie mark.  [Powers List]

She can use basic magics like making things float or move, magic based around helping sleep or calm others, when she is angry if she uses magic it can give someone insomnia. 

Name: Dawn Lilly Nicknames: Lilly, Dawn, Sweetie Gender: Female Age: 4 horse years Species: Alicorn Height: 4 ft 4 inches Weight: like twilight weight Hometown: Silver Blossom Island Current Residence: Volcanbloom Island Occupation: Guardian of the Islands Mane Color/Style/Length: Long waveyish curls at the ends, a pink and light green mane color Coat Description: soft yellow Eye Shape/Color: bright pink Accessories: None Cutie Mark: An island blossom with a ring of magic around it (before she became an alicorn it had just been a blossom with two small stars of blue magic coming out) Special Talent: Helping plants grow and bloom Family: Sorrow Song, Silver Ship, and Spring Melody Friends: Characters i will not make refs for that live on the islands Personality: She is very young compared to her sister and that reflects in her very happy yet bumbling personality, while she IS an alicorn she feels that she has not changed at all from the unicorn she once was. She is unsure of herself when the islanders come to her for advice, and while she is usually happy and outgoing times of decision making make her nervous and stutter. She is NOT a princess, there are cheifs of the islands, and she is more like their mutual adviser. When she wants to be she can be quite the assertive little one, but most of the time she wants to be spending her days gardening and swimming with her friends.  Flaws: She is a little too care free for her job. She is not good at making tough choices or being put on the spot. A lot of the time she will run away from her issues, and she is self doubting constantly.  [Character History] When she was little she helped her mom grow Silver Lillies, that are difficult to properly care for. When they had not grown properly and started to wilt her mother told her that perhaps a different kind of flower, but Dawn Lilly would not take that answer, she tries all different types of magic trying to get them to grow. One night when she was tired she went outside during a blue moon, and she tried one last spell before she was going to give up. As she did the flowers began to bloom and glow bright under the moon, thus giving her her cutie mark of the magic to make plants grow. 

Alicorn: There is a large volcano on Volcanbloom Island. Legends said that thousands of years before a dragon has decided to make its home there, and it slept within the volcano. Well after all those years a horrible storm that the other ponies could not control shook the islands to their cores, thus awakening the sleeping dragon. The dragon had grown much larger as it had slept and as it emerged it burst the volcano sending lava spewing all over the different islands and burning the lush forests of the islands. While most of the ponies were okay, their islands were bare and torn apart. Because it was her special power she decided to try a spell she had been working on to grow masses of plant life all at once. She had been making it so they could harvest and grow crops in larger amounts. This was her chance to use it for more, to aide the entire population of the islands. She stood at the top of what was left of the volcano and channeled the spell. As her horn sparked to life a giant beam of light came up from the volcano and an ancient spirit who had resided there whispered to Dawn Lilly that she was going to be her vessel, and as she did the spell went off like a boom. The plants and trees had began to regrow all over, the ground clearing of ash and rising an amount of green that not been seen on the isles in a long time. As the spell retracted to her she passed out, small pink blooms going up the face of the island. When Dawn Lilly awoke she was surrounded by her friends and family who stared at her in shock and awe. She had become an alicorn and the blue sparkles that had once been above the little on her cutie mark was now an entire aura of blue magic and she had wings. Now she protects her islands while trying to discover why her, and what her greater purpose as an alicorn is.  [Powers List]

Uhm well her powers are pretty obvious from the rest of the story. So read it.

[ramblesandmumblesofanerd]

Rambling Reviews: Equestria Girls

Text Version: When you’re running a toy company, sometimes you have to take risks. In order to sell more merchandise, you need to offer a product with a fresh, appealing look, especially if it is part of a popular franchise. This needs to be done in such a way that you make a better impression than the competition from the moment the potential customer sees your product on the shelf. But sometimes, when you take a risk, it might blow up in your face in an unexpected way. Enter Equestria Girls, Hasbro’s sub franchise within My Little Pony. In order to keep up with Mattel’s Monster High toy line, a line of iconic monster girl dolls attending high school, Hasbro decided to give My Little Pony a new toy line with a similar premise. As I said in the prologue, the adult fanbase flipped their collective lid about this, but that didn’t matter to Hasbro as the Bronies were not the targeted demographic to begin with. They wanted to take the risk, appeal to the intended demographic and use the film in order to explain the context of the dolls. Does this marketing tactic work? Can the film stand on it’s own without the dolls? Or does Equestria Girls fail as both a commercial and a movie? Well...let’s find out.

We begin this film in Equestria’s Crystal Kingdom, where Twilight and the Mane 6 have been summoned for Twilight Sparkle’s first ever “Princess Summit”, as she just became an Alicorn Princess in the previous season’s finale. And no sooner do they step inside the castle than their glorious leader Princess Celestia sends them off to bed. How compelling.We do have a brief moment of character development for Twilight, as she is worried about being a leader. Her anxieties are wreaking havoc on her mind, but her faithful companion, the baby dragon Spike, is there to help keep her calm...until a unicorn thief sneaks past Equestria’s always inept security forces in the dead of night to steal Twilight’s crown/Deus Ex Machina device- I mean Element of Harmony. Before Twilight does anything smart like, I don’t know, levitate the crown out of the thief's bag, both it and the the thief disappear through a mirror ala Through the Looking Glass style. ...Actually, that would be cool. Screw Equestria Girls, give me that Alice in Wonderland crossover!No, we don’t get that. Instead, we get a story from Celestia about a former student of hers who was basically the most selfish mare the Princess had undertaken. This would later be expanded upon in IDW’s The Fall of Sunset Shimmer, an eight page comic which basically shows how Sunset became obsessed with power and how she came to learn about the mirror’s powers. What are those powers? Well, apparently once every thirty moons, or approximately 819 days/2.5 years, the mirror grants access to an alternate world, and now Sunset has taken a magical item from Equestria into it. This does raise a question for me, and correct me if I am wrong: wouldn’t the crown not work since Sunset now has it? We know the elements don’t work without their designated owner thanks two Part 2 of The Return to Harmony where Spike was “the new Rainbow Dash” due to circumstances. So, where’s the harm in Sunset having the crown?

Regardless, Twilight must retrieve her crown...alone. Why alone? Well, Celestia says something about “maintaining the balance between the two worlds”, but I think we’ll soon see the real reason why in a bit. So, Twilight takes a leap of faith and jumps into the mirror alone...until Spike proves he’s much more loyal to his friend than the Elements and jumps in after her. Way to be upstaged by the comedy relief, ladies. And it is here where the marketing truly begins, as the “alternate world” is the human world, where Twilight has been transformed human while Spike turns into a dog. I would make a joke asking where Twilight’s clothes came from, but that is the least of my worries right now.After a slightly humorous scene where Twilight has to learn how to walk like a human, we discover that the mirror has led her to a high school, where every student is a human version of a character from Equestria. Trixie, Vinyl Scratch, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, even that out of place guard from the Crystal Castle. 

Oh, I never mentioned him? Well, allow me to rectify that.

Ladies and gents, this blue haired rockstar is Flash Sentry, or as the butthurt side of the brony fandom likes the call him: The Waifu Stealer. Yeah, when people heard this film would feature a love interest, the REALLY dedicated fans went berserk and have thus labeled Flash as their equivalent to the Anti-Christ. In all honesty, I just feel bad for the character, because while his role is partially dedicated to creating a love interest between him and Twilight, he does have other functions within the film. For example, from the moment they met he has honestly been the nicest guy in the room, picking Twilight up after she is all but trampled by his classmates.After a brief introduction to Flash, we get our first song which is...pretty bland. Remember when Nostalgia Critic did Disneycember and reviewed Brother Bear? He pointed out that songs which explain what is going on and what we should feel detract from the movie, and I feel that point applies to not only this song, but at least three others (the one exception being the earworm that is the Cafeteria Song). How much more effective would this scene where Twilight is studying humans through observation be if there were no lyrics to the song, just music? 

Mercifully, the song is short and we get to see Sunset Shimmer in human form harassing a human version of Fluttershy. After Twilight stands up to Sunset and with neither of the Equine Invaders recognizes one another, Fluttershy talks about how she turned in a crown that had appeared behind her earlier that morning to the principal’s office. In the office, Principal Celestia (yes, she’s here too) tells Twilight that the crown will only be rewarded to the Fall Formal princess, which Sunset has always been in previous years. The weird thing about this moment is that Principal Celestia doesn't even question where Twilight came from, she just says “Oh, you’re a transfer student”, and the matter is never brought up again. Then again, the woman has about the same amount of charisma as a real life high school principal, so I can’t blame her for having a lackluster presence.

So now, basically, Twilight has to become prom queen in order to retrieve a magical artifact before the portal to her home world closes for the next 2.5 years. Remember that stale plot I mentioned in the Prologue? This is it.This is every high school movie ever, just with MLP characters and literal Elements. Don’t believe me? Let’s look through the list:

[lightningflash55]

Thoughts Dump on Season 7 Episodes 10-13

Shall we do this little read more thing here cause this is going to get long? Probably. Def open for talking about them if you decide to read all the way through! I’m up for some good MLP discussion.

A Royal Problem

Can I just start by saying how much I LOVE that we got an episode that actually has more in depth on the Princesses? I’ve been aching for one for forever, and honestly it feels like we’ve gotten more Luna over time cause she’s the one who’s had bigger problems that she’s needed to sort out. 

CELESTIA THOUGH, you cannot tell me she’s the boring blob that being the princess she is demands her to be all the time. This is why I need moreeeee. Give me Celestia’s wild side PLEASE.

On that note, I love how good she is at covering it up compared to Luna. Issues? Don’t fret my little ponies, they are being solved and I assure you, everything is alright. She’s just so GOOD at her role in being the one that takes everything just to make everyone else’s lives easier and brighter. Dang Celestia, how do you do it. Also the personality contrast between she and Luna is still great and it also shows their age/experience difference. 

The Twilight music box was a good example of how wonderfully odd this show can be and how, after 7 seasons, it continues to catch me off guard. I LOVE IT.

CELESTIA MAKES PANCAKES FOR EVERYPONY IN THE MORNING. I DIED. She is far too good and I highly appreciate the fact that she enjoys cooking, especially such silly yet comforting things?? Lmao

Not that I didn’t see it coming (I mean duh, but it’s just been awhile), but also holy heck is she a morning person. This is definitely where I connect to Luna more, and I love her snark.

Both the Princesses are just too good tbh, they both try so hard and do so much good in their own ways. LIKE HOW CONCERNED LUNA WAS ABOUT THE FUNDRAISER EVEN THOUGH IT WASN’T HER USUAL DUTY. She tried and immediately failed and felt super bad about it. All because she can’t hold a smile sjflksdjfjhdfj

Was telling my sister the whole time that nobody would ever, ever be as bold as Starlight Glimmer and that’s why this episode worked, and so I was glad Luna said nearly the exact same thing at the end. Applause for Starlight tbh.

Daybreaker’s design tho. On a more personal note, I was admiring her snarly face the whole time cause it’s definitely the closest design i’ve seen in the show so far that would work for Kelpie shape-wise. Putting that note aside if I ever try to do canon style stuff with my OC’s!

Luna’s dream was legitimately creepy for a show that seems to tone stuff down so much. There are like, magic battles and villains and stuff, but rarely does something strike me as dark? Maybe it’s just me. 

THAT’S IT FOR THIS ONE, I probs give it a 9/10

Not Asking For Trouble 

I don’t want to get too into this one, but for quite awhile Pinkie’s characterization has bothered me. Compared to the first few seasons, it seems recently she’s been over the top to the point of making others upset, but not even in a silly Pinkie way. It almost came across as less annoying others, but using her silly personality as a cover to let her freely say mean things? I’m not sure what happened there, but it sorta rubbed me the wrong way and this was just a good example of Pinkie being Pinkie. 

She went with everything the Yaks said and tried to understand them and fix the issue without being too much of a bother to them! That’s the Pinkie I know! I was honestly waiting for disppointment and was relieved when it didn’t happen. 

Not sure if this is an unpopular opinion or a lot of people thought this too, but what can I say, some episodes just seem more consistent than others

7/10?

Discordant Harmony

I FLIPPIN LOVE DISCORD

HE’S SUCH A BABY AND A PROTECTIVE GRUMP, DEFINITELY THE UNCARING OUTSIDE MUSHY INSIDE CHARACTER THAT I LOVE 

HE’S SOOOOOO ODD IN THE BEST WAY 

I reminded my little sister of this 50 times during the episode. I just feel the need to emphasize how much I love my dumb noodle horse dragon at all times. 

I don’t specifically like or dislike Fluttercord but you gotta admit there’s some good cheesy content here. THEY’RE CUTE FRIENDS AAAAA

Sometimes I wonder what the inside of Discord’s head looks like if he appears that crazy on the outside. Just, his mind must work in a very different way lol

THE SINGING GINSENG IS CUTE I WANT 100

I still marvel that the Discord we first saw is so taken by Fluttershy in such a legitimate way, but I am starting to get it. I suppose that his thing was always just chaos and messing with others and not necessarily being evil, and that’s probably what got me. He iiiiis kind of an attention hog so honestly, making friends that allow him to be his chaotic self around them is probably a fair compromise. Still, sometimes.

Explain to me though why he needed to go to 5 different stores to get things he could’ve just conjured up himself. Smh he likes to make things difficult and it pains me!! Stop being such a drama queen, but also don’t xD

Did u see the part where he hyperventilated into the bag but his neck expanded instead. Okay top wacky cartoon humor LOL

“Do something chaotic Fluttershy” “Oh no, I tipped over that cup!” MY SISTER AND I HAD A GOOD LAUGH AT THAT FLUTTERS PLS

There was probably an even mix of me expressing my love for discord and shaking my head actually. They go together hand in hadn though, no?

Hmm this one was also probably 9/10

The Perfect Pear

WHAT CAN I EVEN SAY ABOUT THIS EPISODE 

IT JUST GOT ME GOOD

IT WAS NICE TO GET BACKSTORY ON APPLEJACK’S PARENTS AND EQUAL PARTS HAPPY AND SAD

I MEAN THEY DEF AREN’T AROUND ANYMORE, DON’T THINK THERE WS ANY OTHER WAY TO READ THE IMPLICATIONS 

SO MANY GOOD FEELS

Just story and writing wise though this episode was so well done. There are always the funny episodes and everyone has their own favorite for reasons or because of their favorite characters, but sometimes some are just GOOD. Like classics, or everybody’s favorite, the ones that continue to stick out from the 100+ episodes the show has.

I’m rewatching these as I type this out and you know an episode’s good when you finish it and rewatch and things make more sense the second time around. Like how Grand Pear comes across as just a nice old pony the first time you watch it and if you rewatch it you’re like “Ohhh that look and being nice specifically towards Apple Bloom wasn’t just a random kind gesture”

Applejack’s over-reacting to everything: “PEAR JAM??? IN MY KITCHEN??” *DRAMATIC GASP*

“The food smells great Applejack i’ll brb for dinner” You mean the pancakes that are scattered all over the floor???

“And her cutie mark was a preserved jar, but pear butter don’t look too different from apple butter, so you know...” LMAO (true??)

The “the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree” moments got me, THESE KIDS TAKE AFTER THEIR PARENTS IN THE BEST WAYS. The sibling bonding was adorable in this ep.

Also I have to note, Pear Butter with her little bit of sassiness and curly ginger hair gave me Puck Connolly vibes the whole episode, which is always a good thing

DAMN THESE APPLES THAT STRIKE ME RIGHT IN THE FEELS EVERY TIME ONE OF THEM GOES INTO SONG

Def the part that got me the hardest right there. Like trying not to tear up, even

Ship goals tbh

What happened to them though honestly

GAH THE ENDING’S GIVING ME FEELS AGAIN I’LL END HERE 

10/10 EASILY

[ilovetosmilepleasemarrymepi-blog]

For information and my safety and their sainity,

I do not own any pictures, art, drawings, or epic pieces of art in this story.

All ponies pony names, names of pony songs, pony songs, or any thing else that could get my ass sued. Also all chacters, locations, phrases, items, names of spells etc... They belongs to Hasbro, Hasbro entertainment, and Hasbro productions.

Witch will inevitably be bought by Disney like everything else. So we can get a pinky Deadpool ship!

FINALY!!!

Hello . My name is...well I guess I.. well how about you can just call me Dayrl for now. You see my story ... It is true, very true well the beginning is any way. Oh though how I wish this was a true story. The true story though has not yet occurred. If I'm to change my life would to change my life and find the one I was destined to meet. I'd have to find the one the cupcacake of my eye that for years or more I might of gone without noticing. I'd have to go through hell to find true love. I'd was going to be sent through life's emotional hell.

But that is later

This... is where my story began...for now...

My pony life started in high school. I don't even rember much of it, and I know I did not know about fan fictions back then. What had happened is that I saw this kid with really cool shirt with on and it something really cool on it with a rainbow maybe ?

Yeah that it defintaly not the design that was on the shirt but it is 20% cooler

So I asked the dude about it his shirt I mean he said it was from a short about ponies now at I was uncertain but I'm really open minded and also I was in high school so i think that was at the time where I was more use to watching cartoons so theres that by the way it may now be important but I really love to brag ... So you know the really famous season four tirek episode where twilight had the power of four Alicorns and when she when to battle tirek the stated exchangeing blows and beams energy waves throwing rocks at each other having a good ol time well I watched as .... It ... Aired ... Which alot of people can say that they did that to but ya know like I said l love to brag

#overlyadzaderatedartparody

So now ya know how I came to the fandom that's well and good and I really don't remember alot after that other than ya know watching the episodes now and then but if knew then what I know now ...... Well I often say don't it's not got look at the past unless your looking to learn

Now apparently ..... Very apparently I seem to have falling away from the fandom at sompoint and I think it it a fairly simple reason that I faced a problem that all us bronies have to and will learn to over come if we want in this fan community

Prejudice

Mockink, taunting teasing

Rejection

Eventually if you can't get over something like that and face your problems your fears and lack of self confidence you become ..... Lost alone ....unhappy you will be unable to move on with life... like...

Now eventually after a while I found the fandom again I don't really want to say ... Hoooo....huuummmm I guess if I'm going to be telling this story I'm going to be honest with you

#apples

#honesty

#elementofhonesty

#applejack

So any way here it I'm not what a normal person would call normal ...or at the very least average I have these psychological disorders there called autism, ADHD, ADD, OCD, and plethora of behavior probelems you see growing not the best behaved i had a lot of social issues and trouble making friends on account of my autism and the fact my dad had passed away when I was two and technicaly speaking im still not the best behaved or social

any way I was in this assisted liveing home becaus my mom need a break from me a person with less .... Metal advantages sometimes just can't handel you all the time and one day i was watching tv in the day room nothing on as per ussaul you know I did have my phone back then too and hardly ever watched TV when I did alot of it was Steven universe and any one else who watches that can tell you that hiatused are a Bitch so basically steven universe was hiatuse and there nothing on and I found my self watchin TMNT alot but ya got know there nothing on there's nothing on but one day there was...

Now one thing you have to understand about me is I absolutely love my music all music any music any at and I'm not that picky

#octaviamelody

#vinylrecordscratch

I don't really have that many thing I won't listen to most of the time I only have one rule and that is that I won't listen to anything where I can't understand the lyrics I feel like what the point in music if you can't apeel to everyone and if one person can not what your saying that's one person you did not reach but the point of the matter is that I like and appreciate a lot of music what I'm realling to say is that the music is a big part of why I loved in Steven universe so much like comet, giant woman, it's over isnt it and I will straight up right now say that show deserves ten Grammy's (not to mention the Annie award, animation award, it deserved deserved deserved for best episode paraphrasing the name of the award Mr. Greg instead of that dumb ass adventure time vr episode) but I'm getting off toppic now I like music and what is my Little pony without alot of music

So I'm pretty sure no I'm beautifuly one hunldred percent sure on who I have to thank for saving me from when I was down in my funk the it was none other than the cuti mark crsaders let me explain it is definitely not the first song iv heard in the series but damn shur if it's not one the best I was watching mlp one day and ya know I thought here go just another friendship song ... Fuckin ass then out of no where I was blown away the kiss makeup , the lights, the crashes, the danger, and rock be e de de e dew

All I have to say right now is I don't know where I'd be if it weren't for you the cmc

#imnotzecora

so from the bottom of my heart for as broken and shattered it gets every day thank you

You help me so much

Now let talk about something really serious do you believe in simplicity that things just simply happen an that they are all coincidences maybe you believe in faith it can come from strangest places in apparently very ummm... If you believe in faith how far does that faith go how long are you willing to let the Signs just pass you by ignore faith some people get second chances but some never even get a first and if you do nothing if it something ....or someone that is a greater power or forces .... why not at least play along Just to see where you end up

Ok im a guy so naturally I do what guys do I watch porn and please just stay with me for one minute here because this is probably the most important part this is where I the divine intervention made it's first move it a very crucial part to this story so please just stay with me who know here what the rule 34 is ... Oh come on...

#sweetibellohcomeon

Shut you all know it is everyone knows the rule is it's states if exist it can be sexy and there porn of it

so me being the very lonely guy that I was never had being been in a relationship and alwase watching porn I knew for a fact that they did not show porn on YouTube so showering pornsites for pony porn and finding none (or not look hard enough not find what I wanted or worse just being internet lazy) went YouTube and they had ..... Somethig

Clop

Right now I challenge you to go to someone who is not a mlp fan and ask them to watch clop then ask a brony the exact question and compare just their face reactions yeah I had no idea what it was I did after though

So I got my fill of clop now at that time I was also a big anime fan this is the second event that seems to line up just perfectly to be some kind weird divine intervention I was watching frieza react to the video where pinkie pie beats up all her friends to the theme of the smile song and I'll give you a thousand Guesses what video was in description

cupcakes

Now yeah it was a weird video but I did even here it was a fanfic till way later the next couple of web searches we're mostly fan made songs untill ...

My first fan fiction by scribbler of course

#scribbler

#scribblerproductions

#subcribetoscribbler

Scribbler i dont know who you are but if could only realize what a monumental difference youve made in my life I have goals now because of you on I've found love and pepol can say they are fictional chacters all fuckin day I ve got more than that I want to and need to

So let's go back where all began

Rocket to insanity my first mlp fan fiction ever butt you know I think I've told you quite a bit now so ill save some for next time

That where really interesting ...

[marvelandponder]

My Reason for Doing Anything: Because Cute

Happy Family Day, everybody! In order to celebrate today and the season seven spoilers we just go over the weekend, I thought we could just do something fun.

No real analytical insight here (she says, as if there normally is), I just want to acknowledge how cute the families are in this dang show. I could argue we’re doing this because the characters and their relationships are so central in what makes the show as wonderful as it is but... let’s be honest. It’s just because they’re cute.

Okay, so, before we start with that cuteness, let’s set some ground rules. Honourary/found families are in the running, and a family only has to be two or more characters. Small families are still families. Also, if it’s debatable that the characters themselves see that relationship as family, I’ll use my own judgement on whether they count or not.

Oh, and I should specify since we’re not taking this seriously in the slightest, the order is more a suggestion than anything. I would in fact really love to hear what you think the cutest family really is, but hey, I’ll keep blabbing whether you want to join in or not!

Special Spoiler Warning: Season 7 spoilers will be mentioned or referenced. Once specific episodes air in season 7, this list will be updated.

Honourable Mentions

Here’s the families that didn’t quite make the cut:

The Dash Family

The Sparkle Family

The Flim-Flam Bros

The Filthy Family

Cranky & Miltilda

Scorpan and Tirek

Sunburst’s Family

Discord and Fluttershy (an upcoming book entitled We Are Family suggests they might be considered familiy in some fashion, as well as a brief implication in the Luna and Discord Friends Forever comic; however, it has yet to be implied in the show proper)

Background/Side-Character Families

If I missed anyone significant, feel free to tell me so I can add it to the list!

#10. The Flutter/Breeze Family

Let’s start out with something not everyone can agree on: Zephyr Breeze is a fun character, if nothing else.

Like every family in MLP, Fluttershy’s family reveals a lot about her upbringing just by being who they are in the present. There’s no need for a flashback when you can plainly see Fluttershy’s coddling parents, and Zephyr Breeze’s bombastic, thoughtless personality and how he walks all over his family.

To some, this understandably makes Zephyr unlikable, but for others still, the comedy of his character lies in loving to... maybe not hate him, but certainly recognize just how unlikable he is. His silly self-absorption puts him clearly in the wrong in the episode, but to be fair to the guy, even when he’s extremely inconsiderate he’s never really malicious. You can tell he does love his family, he’s just a little focused on himself to show it well.

Between Zephyr’s fear of failure and Fluttershy’s fears of... well, a lot of things, it’s quite endearing to see Fluttershy’s character development pay off, and allow her to take the competent big sister role when coming home for a visit.

#9. The Armour-Amore Family

Really quick thought: it doesn’t seem like ponies always change their last names when they get married, but if they use Cadance’s name (and they did carry on that name scheme in a way with Flurry Heart), they would be the Amore or “Love” family. Just throwing that out there.

Ah, Shining Armor, Cadance, and Flurry Heart. One of the only families we’ve seen built from the ground up---and in real-time, nonetheless!

Even though the world’s cutest plot device there has garnered a fair bit of controversy, I’d still personally say this new family is pretty dang sweet. They’re currently living out a happily ever after of sorts, although still proving that comes with its fair share of struggles and quirks.

This is definitely a family founded on love. In fact that’s probably why Flurry Heart is so special to begin with. Together, her parents wield the power of love, so who knows what they can achieve working together, as a sweet, loving family.

#8. Rarity’s Family/The Belle Family

Another Note: Their mom has some kind of cookie-related cutie mark---is that their family theme? Sweets? Because I’ve been struggling to figure out how family names work in Equestria and that’s the best I’ve managed to find for these four

Who says there can’t be any fun in “dysfunctional?”

Now he’s a family with a lot of character, even if we don’t technically really know half of them. Rarity’s parents have only had a speaking role once, in Sisterhooves Social, but wow, did that one appearance pack a punch!

With their unfashionable mid-western designs and hokey Minnesotan accents, you can instantly tell what Rarity’s relationship with them must’ve been like, just because of the contrast between them.

Even better, of course, is one of the three primary sister relationships in the show: Rarity and Sweetie Belle.

I really struggle with not putting this higher because of them. They so expertly capture the subtleties of an argumentative but loving sibling relationship. How Sweetie looks up to Rarity, but that also puts her in her shadow. How Rarity’s responsibilities can even make Sweetie’s well-meaning failures frustrating. They’ve certainly had to grow quite a bit to be as close as they are now, and that relatable struggle is what makes this family all the sweeter.

#7. Celestia and Her Students

This one was the hardest to justify. Because it would be one thing if the only reason I wanted to include it was based on my own silly headcanons (which I could do but I don’t want this list to just be personal choices), but I feel like there’s been enough evidence to back me up here.

Celestia’s a motherly character by nature, so it doesn’t come as a surprise when that comes through in her role as a mentor. But I think what clinches it is how to some extent, she really did help raise Twilight and Sunset. If nothing else, it’s sort of comparable to a nanny, I guess, but even then that doesn’t seem to cut it. In the comics, Twilight’s been shown to have had other teachers throughout her schooling, but Celestia’s been a constant part of her life ever since she got her cutie mark---and even now that she’s graduated as a full-grown adult.

And don’t get me started on the mother-daughter parallels in Sunset and Celestia’s relationship, or what little we’ve seen of it. The added depth that comes with knowing how meaningful that relationship is to them both only makes the fracture between them more filled with The Feels. I swear, the fandom’s all but made a petition to DHX to show us their reunion.

They both look up to her and want her approval in their own ways, and that... kills me. Slowly.

My gut tells me there will be those who argue that even if it’s a meaningful relationship, it’s not necessarily classified as family, which is true. Outside of fan-works, neither Twilight, Sunset, nor Celestia have explicitly referred to each other family in any real way. But, hey, I did say honorary family counts, and if the subtext is arguably there, that’s close enough for me!

#6. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo

Pure cute factor winning out!

I was having a hard time with the order of the 8-6. They’re three extremely different types of relationships, so it’s hard to set them next to each other and compare, but I think I made the right call.

Because this one was a relationship that was theorized about/anticipated by fans for the first two and a half seasons---spawning countless “Scootalove” stories and art to combat the “Scootabuse” going on at the time (our fandom has weird phases). So when it finally actually happened?

For even more context, I used to think that if Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo actually were sisters, Rainbow actually wouldn’t be all that kind to her. Lauren Faust originally thought Rainbow would make a bad sister, too (I think because there’s a difference between choosing a sister and having to grow up with one).

But, I think by that point in the series, Rainbow had matured enough to be that role model and big sister Scoots needed, which made it all the more satisfying to see! And ever since, Rainbow’s still managed to surprise us with how tender and genuinely open she’s willing to be with this little squirt of hers.

On the down side, I feel like Scoots has picked up a tiny bit of Dash’s ego since they started hanging out more, but it’s all worth it for the moments they now get to share.

#5. The Cakes and The Pies

This is such a cheat it’s not even funny. But, the reason I grouped them together is the main reason they’re both so adorable: their relationships with Pinkie Pie.

On the one hand, you’ve got the Cakes, a young couple who adopted this wandering party-planner into their home. Later, they were blessed with two, adorable, trouble-making twins who absolutely love Pinkie.

Technically, you could question whether or not they see Pinkie as family, but come on. Come on.

And on the other hand, there’s the Pies. Wow, they’re delightful! For a family as dull as dishwater, they’re really anything but with their unique personalities and unquestionable love for one and other. I’d love to see more of them! Special shoutout goes to Maud and Pinkie’s relationship, of course, because I don’t know if there’s anything cuter than how much they clearly love each other.

That’s some real cute stuff right there.

#4. Twilight and Spike

Are they mother and son? Sister and brother?

I don’t know if we’ll ever have their relationship defined beyond “number one assistant,” but dammit if they aren’t an adorable pair. Spike was Twilight’s first friend. Twilight raised Spike ever since he hatched.

Even now that Spike finally has a dragon friend in his homeland, there’s nothing that can erase the meaningful bond these two share. Heck, Spike’s worst fear is Twilight sending him away, not needing him anymore, but as she tells him in season 3 opener, there’s absolutely no chance of that fear coming to pass.

What could be cuter?

#3. The Apple Family

You knew they’d be pretty far up here, didn’t you? After all, what could be more adorable than a family who (for whatever reason) lost two central members and had to reform even stronger?

Check out Days Gone By for some proper Apple family feels, BECAUSE WOW. I don’t know about you, but finally getting to meet their parents in the upcoming season has me hyped! It’s currently unclear whether the deaths the staff have confirmed and hinted at in the show will be retconned or not, but I can’t help it after waiting for this for so long!

It’s especially cute because we know how important family has always been to the Apple clan, even before the parents left the picture. The Apple family spans all the way across Equestria, from sea to shining sea, and all of them love each other dearly.

Tight-knit is definitely the right word, and the more times we’ve explored the relationships in this family, the more we’ve seen why they value family so much. They’re all apples to the core.

#2. The Royal Sisters/ The Royal Family

This one’s sort of a catch-all, isn’t it? In fact three of the other families on this nonsensical list can qualify as different offshoots of the royal family. Shout-out to Twilight’s B.B.B.F.F!

If it bothers you, that’s fair, but even if we’re strictly talking about Luna and Celestia, they still easily steal this spot. Their story was the original backbone behind this series, the first redemption arc, and an on-going source of guilt and pain. After a thousand years, their reunion must’ve been so special for them, and I think we’ve found that out more and more in hindsight, getting to know how deeply they love each other and the complex emotions involved in their tragedy (turned comedy, I suppose).

I think that’s part of what makes these characters so enduring. But more on that soon... (in another editorial, and hopefully in season 7 with a Celestia episode!)

For our purposes here, it’s more than enough to see these two ruling together, with their subjects, their friends, and their family around them.

#1. The Mane Family

Seriously, how could I not?

Yes, yes, you may think this is the biggest cheat of them all, but hey, way back in season 2, Applejack referred to them as honorary family. I don’t see why it shouldn’t count.

The best part of all this is that everyone can define this family differently. Want to keep it just the mane 6 and Spike? Go for it! Think characters like Discord, Starlight, Sci-Twi and/or Sunset should be included? Sure! Who’s gonna stop you?

Sometimes the most important family in your life are the people you’re related to, but as the old saying goes “the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb”---meaning, sometimes it’s the family you choose that matters most.

And I think that’s what’s so special about this show, you know? The friendships in it can be as deep and meaningful as traditional family. That’s definitely something worth celebrating.

Editorials here, just for you! Here’s the latest three, so you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your dash:

Rainbow Dash’s, Cadance’s, and Pinkie Pie’s Editorials

Year of the Pony

Only official art used, so no awesome vector artists to credit here! 

Family Appreciation Day x10

[ask-de-writer]

HICCUPS!  : MLP Fan Fiction : A Grumpy Goat >tail<

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HICCUPS!

A Grumpy Goat >tail<

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

Cover art by @wind-the-mama-cat​

16440 words

© 2019 by Glen Ten-Eyck

Writing begun 11/30/18

All rights reserved.  This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

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Characters:

Grumpy Goat and usual cast

Thomas/and/or/Dashie Writer – remote controlled T82

Wind, the Mama Cat

Victor Mordenheim  - Mad Doctor

Krystal Dragoness “KD” Wingless dragon - artist

Fume Hood Unicorn, a bit small-Forensic Chemist

Jinni and Sassy vampire and succubus

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It was being a quiet day out on the ledge in front of my cave.  We were sitting on a bench, out in the sun, rereading Daring Do and the Secret of the Appleoosa Cave.  The stout iron sheeting that blocked the entrance to my cave was warm behind us.

The lovely Coalsmoke, a pony of perfect glossy black except for her cutie mark, was leaning over where my shoulder would be, if I still had a body, or for that matter was even technically alive.  She was admiring one of the illustrations in the book.

“I especially like these illustrations signed KD, Grumpy.  They capture the mood and action really well.”

Sitting on my other side was the finely polished skeleton of an alicorn.  He was the Litch King, Lord of the Dead, the being responsible for my present condition and now one of my few true friends.

He agreed, “Look at how well the artist has made the cave entrance look menacing.  Whoever did this is very good.”

We were distracted from our pleasant reading by a flare of flame down on the trail leading up to my cave.  Looking down the way, I was more or less expecting it to be the torches of another anti goat mob or, more specifically anti Grumpy Goat mob.  

Due to my business, I am less than popular with some ponies.  I have a thriving practice in Non Equine Magic.  Mostly, it does not appear to do anything.  Somehow, the desired, contracted for and paid in advance results just seem to happen by perfectly natural, if often bizarre means.  Most of the time, those results are the advantage over, injury, death or ruin of some pony, paid for as mentioned, IN ADVANCE, by some other pony.

This time, it was not a mob.  There was a wingless blue dragon toiling up the stony path to my cave.  The next time that she flared, we could hear it.  It sounded like she was suffering from a case of hiccups! Possibly not the best ailment for a dragon to have, since she was burping a smallish fire blast with each hiccup!

When she gained the ledge, she considerately turned her head out away from us. Good thing, too!  She had two hiccups in quick succession!

She offered, “My name is Krystal Dragoness, KD for short.  I've come to you about these hiccups.  They are like to ruin me.  I am at my wit's end.  See, I am an artist.  I draw and paint.  I get going on a piece and these hiccups start up!  One of them is sure to hit my work, and, well, paper, paints, canvas and frames are all pretty flammable! I've even burned up brushes!

“Can you help me to end these hiccups?”

I nodded, making my skull, apparently floating on nothing, with its everburning candle between the horns, glowing snake like eyes and fangs bob.  “I could do that, yes.  It would not cure the basic problem, though. Hiccups usually have a natural cause from tummy and lungs not coordinating right.  If I fix this case, it could easily happen again.

“Let's dig into how this started and whether there is some underlaying cause that we can fix.”

Somewhat disappointed, Krystal nodded.  “That makes sense.  My first case of the hiccups like this happened at my one dragon show in the Sunrise Gallery in Manehatten.  You know how those things are, lots of nobs that you need to chat with and lots of small snacks and drinks.  The show itself was a pretty important one.  

“I landed a contract to illustrate the next Daring Do book.  There was some serious competition for that contract, let me tell you.  It nearly went to Drawin Pitcher.  She wasn't too happy about me getting to do the art for another Daring Do book.  This one will be my fourth.

“I had only just signed the contract when the hiccups started. The first one nearly incinerated my new contract! I was able to get out of the gallery safely when they began.  I was lucky that I didn't hurt anypony or any of my art.”  

She absently pulled a sparkly topped muffin out of a bag and began munching it.  Looking up, a bit embarrassed, she pointed out, “I really can't share dragon muffins with you.  They are topped with crushed gems and have gold or silver dust in the muffin part.  I'm afraid that they are pretty toxic to non dragons.”

Coalsmoke asked curiously, “Where did you get them?  No place in Ponyville makes them at all.  Sometimes the kitchen in Princess Twilight's castle makes up some for Spike but they never sell them.”

Krystal knit her brows in puzzlement.  “I get them out of this bag.  I always like have them when I am a little tense, like when I am concentrating on my art.  Nibbling helps me to focus.”

Just then, she let out another small belch of fire.

Whistling softly, I thought carefully about what I had heard.  “Tell me, Krystal, at the art show, did you have muffins like these?”

“Well, yes.  Any well equipped bakery can make them.  They just have to clean up carefully afterwards.  They always serve them if I am going to be showing any of my works.”

I nodded and looked over at the lovely Coalsmoke, who is always a treat for the ol' eyeballs and asked, “And where have you bought them since that art show in Manehatten?”

She paused, thinking.  “I haven't had to.  This bag always has some in it.”

The eyes that I don't really have widened just a bit.  “It always has some of those muffins in it for you?  When did you get that bag?”

She scratched behind the spines along the back of her jaw as she sorted it out.  “I first noticed it just after I left the gallery at the show where I got those first hiccups.  It's always there when I am tense.”

I glamored my invisible spirit body to look like the handsome tan, black and brown goat that I was before the tiny mistake that killed me and destroyed my original body.  Holding out a hoof, I said, “Just give me the bag, please.  I am going to try something simple with it.”

Nodding affably, Krystal handed me the bag.  I took it inside my cave and shut the iron door.  That door and my cave front were designed by a good firm of military engineers to withstand an Equestrian standard military battering ram.  

It only takes one anti-goat mob burning your house, your library, years of study, hopes for a degree and dreams of well paying work to make one take a few simple precautions.  Add the mob trying to stone your burned and battered body to death to drive home the lesson in how how to hate most ponies.  That trivial incident also motivated my simple and sensible precautions against a repeat of the problem.  Like living in a cave.  With a military fortress grade steel and iron entrance.

I turned about from sealing the door and asked Krystal if she was still feeling tense.  Digging into the bag for a muffin, she replied, “Yes, a little.  Why?”

The Litch King pointed with a foreleg of bone.  “That is why.  He just shut that bag inside his cave and it looks like you have it back.”

He turned his skeletal head to me and stated, “Grumpy, if you can, we NEED to help KD.  Her illustrations really make a Daring Do book!  Plus, we know now that a new one is in the works!  We can't let anything interfere with THAT!”

I shrugged and opened the door.  I was not even surprised that the bag was not there inside my cave any longer.  Krystal munched her muffin and shortly hiccuped another tongue of flame.

I pointed out, “That bag was behind six centimeters of forged iron.  In spite of that, it homed in on you without seeming effort.  Moments after you nibbled that muffin, you hiccuped another flame.  I suspect that there is a direct connection.  To be sure, we need to go back down into Ponyville.  I know someone in the forensic chemistry lab at the police department.  In the meantime, try not to nibble another muffin and let us see if that helps to control or stop the problem.”

On the trail back down to Ponyville, Coalsmoke and I tried to simply hold the bag instead of letting Krystal carry it.  This wise measure proved impossible.  The bag kept sneakily returning to her claws. After what happened up on the ledge in front of my cave, that was pretty much what was expected.

I have to admit that I was pleased by the simple fact that Krystal did keep her claws out of the bag.  We got down the trail and into Ponyville without incident as a result.

Instead of my usual turning towards the town hall and the Hall of Records, to record a new contract, I trotted right on, with a right turn, headed towards the Ponyville Waste Treatment Plant and Falmire Marsh, which is fenced and actually the final stage of the waste water treatment, before it goes into the river.

Coalsmoke was most interested in why we were going where we were going.  Soon enough, we came to a modest stone building close by to the treatment plant.  The sign said,

Ponyville Police Department

Forensics Laboratory

Chemistry, Physical Evidence Analysis,

Forensic Autopsy

As I pushed open the front door, I explained, “I know most of the staff here. Sometimes they will consult with me, when a case is being a pain.”

Coalsmoke chuckled, “How often is one of their nasty cases the result of one of your contracts, Grumpy?”

A smallish unicorn looked up from where he was working at a desk, apparently compiling a report.  “Not really all that often, Miss Coalsmoke. Even when it is, there is no actual evidence that can link the contract to the results.  Grumpy is often a big help in sorting out how something that we are investigating happened.  We pay him a proper consultation fee, of course.”

I introduced, “Coalsmoke, KD, I would like you to meet Fume Hood, one of the best forensic chemists in the whole kingdom.  We are lucky to have him here in Ponyville.”

KD offered, “You have some unusual friends, Grumpy.”

I chortled, “If they aren't unusual in some way, the aren't worth having as friends.”

Turning my attention to Fume Hood, I explained what our situation was in a few words and ended with, “Think that you could do us a rough analysis of one of KD's dragon muffins?”

He thought for a moment, tapping quietly on his desk top before nodding, “You say that the flame is mostly pale blue? Nearly transparent but pretty hot?”

KD shook her head in agreement.  “Right.  That is, unless I eat something with salt in it.  Then the flame is yellow.  Is that significant?”

Fume Hood said, “It MAY be.  I would like to see both your normal flame and one from your hiccups.  Please step over there.  Dragon flame can be pretty handy for some chemistry tests, so we have a small indoor flame range.”

KD stepped over to the flame range's head rest.  Fume Hood lowered the room lights and suggested, “Whenever you are ready, Miss KD.  Just give us a small shot of your regular flame.”

KD's fire blast was impressively different from a hiccup flame.  It was a bright yellow with some red to the center and flame tips that went to a bluish hue.

Fume Hood almost danced pleasure at seeing it!  Perfect!   Normal dragon fire. Now, let's see what we get with one of those muffins.  Go ahead and take one from the bag and eat it.”

He was watching the bag very closely as KD extracted the muffin. “Fascinating.  There is only one muffin in the bag until you take it out.  Then a new muffin forms almost immediately afterwards.”

KD contentedly munched her muffin.  Within moments, she stuck her head into the flame range headrest and belched a nearly pure, pale blue flame.

Fume Hood smiled in chemistly joy.  “Timing and color nail it!  You were right, Grumpy.  There is a direct connection between the muffins and KD's hiccups of flame.  The only reason that she flames at all with them is that, being a dragon, she has a natural ignition spark every time she exhales or belches.  Whatever this vapor she is belching is, it is highly flammable.”

KD's shoulders slumped.  “Does that mean that I can't have Dragon Muffins anymore?”

Fume Hood chuckled as he replied, “I suspect that you can have all that you want.  Just not these, from this bag.”

He went to pull one out.  Looking perplexed, he tried again.  “Humm . . . I can't seem get that muffin out of the bag.  KD, will you get it please?  I need to analyze it.”

Without any problem, KD extracted the muffin.  Fume Hood took it and sliced it in half.  One half he put into a beaker with a lye solution.  It began to dissolve at once.  Soon there was only some slightly coarse granules mixed with loose sparkly fragments of gemstones in the bottom of the beaker.

Fume Hood filtered out the solid residue and rinsed it with water.  Stirring it with a glass rod, he explained, “The lye took away everything but the gems in the topping and the metal dusts in the body of the muffin.  Now, lets see what happens next . . .”

He dripped some acid onto the residue.  “Gems, gold, and silver won't dissolve in this mild acid.”  

In spite of that, something was happening!  It bubbled and fumed something fierce!  Happily touching it off with a sparking wand used to light his lab burners, Fume Hood pointed dramatically!

“There! You see?  Pale blue flame!  See the white residue?  Zinc oxide.  Your muffins are adulterated with zinc!  It reacts with your stomach acids to make hydrogen and that is what, along with a bit of moisture and such that it picks up as you burp is what makes your so called hiccups!  Just don't eat any muffins from that bag and you should be fine.”

He turned to me and snickered, “OK, Grumpy.  We are even now.”

I turned to the perplexed KD and Coalsmoke.  “They needed an autopsy done last year.  The cadaver was over a week old, in August.  I glamored up a form with no sense of smell and did it for them.  Death was from blunt force trauma to the back of the skull.  Clubbed, to be crude about it.”

KD brightened up and commented, “If they get that sort of thing to deal with, it is no wonder that this place is beside the waste treatment plant!”

I agreed, “Right!  Now all that we need to do is sort out how you got a bag that can do what this one does.”

KD put a finger to her cheek as she thought.  “I do know where I got it.  It was at that Manehatten art show that I told you about.  The Dragon Treats that they serve at those things are always kept separate from the pony treats by putting them in bags.  Somepony gave me this bag with a muffin in it, just before I signed that Daring Do contract.”

Fume Hood tapped me on my nonexistent shoulder and pointed to the bottom of the bag.  There was a small trade mark in the form of a silhouette. There was a small bit of advertising too.

KD read, “Redline Party Supplies – For a party to remember for the rest of your life – If you survive!”  She also pointed out, “That silhouette looks like a laughing wolf's head.”

Fume Hood agreed, “It does look like that, doesn't it?  I know of someone who uses a silhouette like that on their business cards.  Here.”  He hoofed over a card.

The card read:

Doctor Mordenheim,

General Surgery and Prosthesis.

Everfree Edge Clinic

Practice inspected and approved by Princess Luna

I was delighted!  “I know where that is!  It was a small old castle that was supposedly built by a -” I made my voice low and shivery while making Hoof Quotes, “- 'Mad Doctor' long before Ponyville was established.  It was in ruins when the Apples came and founded the town.”

Coalsmoke smiled and said, “Right, Grumpy.  I know where it is too.  I send my workers there for general health workups and surgery when it is needed.  Doctor Mordenheim really is very good.  It is not far from here, either.  Let's go see if he can shed any light on this business.”

We left, taking the Falmire Causeway that crossed the marsh, going out towards the southeast side of the Everfree forest.  We paused by a street vendor's cart to watch the antics of her trained alligator.

Have to admit that Pinkie has done a great job of training Gummy!  I mean, he is two and a half meters of fun!  Rumor has it that she has broken him to saddle, but she was not offering rides today.

“Gator Chow, gator chow! / The gators below are hungry now! / Feed the gators down below / It is really quite a show!”

A chuckling Coalsmoke hoofed over coins and got a big bag filled with large chunks.  It said “Certified Gator Chow” on the label.  She shared the chunks around and we spent a few happy minutes tossing them to the many alligators gathered hopefully under the bridge.

There were splashes and chomping a-plenty as the gators lunged about for each new chunk of the chow.  We heard a munching from behind us.

KD, swallowing, asked Pinkie, “Where can I get some more of this stuff? It is pretty good!”

At our stares, she retorted, “What?  Dragon here, remember?  I don't eat grass!”

We left Pinkie to her vending and went on across.  It was not long before we saw the sign pointing to the forest beyond.  It said, Everfree Edge Clinic, General Medicine and Prosthetics.

Only a little way up the designated path of yellow cobbles, we came to a small but well restored castle.  I had to give this Doctor Mordenheim credit for showmanship.  This was one classy clinic.  The sign over an open door read Welcome to Everfree Edge Clinic.

Coalsmoke rang a bell labeled Ring for Service that sat on a beautiful mahogany desk in the lobby/waiting room.

We did not even get to try out the assorted seating and laying cushions.  A large, near horse sized zebra with an eye patch came out of the back. His professional smile turned to a genuine one as he laid eye on Coalsmoke.

“My dear Coalsmoke!  What may I do for you, or is it for one of your friends?”

Suddenly stopping like he'd hit one of his stone castle walls, he gave me a careful and most knowing look.  “I do fear that the goat is beyond any help of mine.”

Coalsmoke smirked just a little as she replied, “You are correct.  This is Grumpy Goat, my long standing friend, of whom I am sure that you have heard.  We are not here for him.

“This is Krystal Dragoness.  She prefers to be called KD.  Our problem is sort of related to her, but it is not medical.”

Resting his chin on one forehoof, as he sat behind the desk, Doctor Mordenheim inquired, “If the problem is not medical, then what is it?”

I held out a hoof, “KD, may I have the bag please?”

I showed him the bottom.  “Somepony named Redline is using your cutie mark on his things.  It has some interesting properties.”

Mordenheim put his face in his hooves.  “I know.  I see that KD has it.  She can't lose it either.  Whatever is in it, seems like an endless supply.  I made it, years ago.  How it got here to this world, I have no idea.”

He was sort of surprised when we all simply found seating and Coalsmoke asked casually, “So, how did you get here?  More to the point, when you arrived, did you meet an elderly blue unicorn with a white mane, tail, and beard?”

Mordenheim looked blank.  “What?  No, I never met anypony like that.”

He got a seriously uncomfortable expression as he elaborated, “I would really prefer not to go into why I wound up here.  Princess Luna knows in detail.  Suffice it to say that the events led me to wandering in the Everfree Forest.  I have no idea at all how it happened, since the Everfree is not all that big, but I was in there for over a week.  Perhaps more, I am not at all sure.  What I am sure of is that the path that I was on did not seem to double back on itself or any thing like that.  Between sun breaks in the forest canopy and the scenery, I am sure that I was not going in circles.

“I happened on the ruin of this old castle.  I might have simply passed it by but it had a small cobbled road leading to it from outside of the forest.  I followed that road and it led me to Ponyville.”  He shook his head in wonder, “It was a very different Ponyville than the one that I left.  By good fortune, I met Caramel Treat, Fangrin and Reverend Smallflower.  The rest all came from meeting them.”

I pointed out, “Fascinating as that is, it completely dodges the question of that bag and its neverending supply of adulterated Dragon Muffins.”

One of Doctor Mordenheim's ears cocked up in fascination.  “Adulterated? How?”

Coalsmoke filled in, “With lots of zinc metal dust, that's how.”

Doctor Mordenheim winced,  “Ouch!  That would make mountains of hydrogen gas!  That could cause a serious problem for a dragon!”

KD confirmed, “It sure does!  The hiccups that it causes have been near the ruin of my art.”

Suddenly you could see things clicking together in Doctor Mordenheim's mind! “KD?  Art?  Did you do the covers and illustrations for Daring Do and the Secret of the Apploosa Cave?  The Adventure of the Singing Sands?  The Nippony Diamond?”

KD nodded, clearly pleased.  “All three!  Why?”

Acting like a foal as he was going to his book shelf, Mordenheim snagged all three books and returned to his desk.  “I love your art, KD, would you please autograph these for me?”

With an impishly evil grin, displaying her big dragon chompers, KD replied, “Sure!”  She was reaching into the bag.  “Just as soon as I snack on this muffin!  Or, you make this bag harmless!”

Grinning right back, and revealing a set of fangs that would not have been out of place in a tiger shark, Mordenheim replied, hoof over heart, “You wound me!  I was going to do that anyway.  You did not need blackmail me.  It did make it more fun, though!”

KD chuckled as she said, “I would not really have done it, Doc.  It was just too much fun to pass up the chance.  So, tell us, why did you make a bag like this?”

Reassured that we did not hold his apparent past against him, he sat back comfortably and half smiled at the memory.  “Revenge.  Count Sourbottom was being a problem, objecting to some of my experi . . . projects.   He had a whole herd of foals of all ages.  One of the youngsters had a birthday party coming up.  I set up one of these for each of them!  Loaded them with the finest, sweetest candies that I could locate.  It was a near perfect revenge.”

Always interested in more ways to get back at ponykind for their mistreatment of me in the past, I asked, “How was giving his foals candy any sort of revenge?”

Suddenly, Coalsmoke put a hoof to her lips to suppress giggles.  “Don't you see it, Grumpy?  He couldn't take them away for discipline because the bags will go right back to the foals.  Worse, the endless supply of sweets could cause all sorts of health and mouth problems that the Count would have to pay for!”

Mordenheim nodded happy agreement.  “Last that I heard, Count Sourbottom was headed for bankruptcy on dental bills alone!”

Going more serious, he offered, “KD, we may be able to save the gem topping of your muffins if we are lucky.  Would you like that?”

KD replied seriously, “That would be great, if we can do it.  I really like their flavor, especially the crushed rubies.  How can we do it?”

Doctor Mordenheim picked up the bag and headed for the outside door.  Over his shoulder, he invited, “Come outside for a simple little experiment.  We can save the gems themselves for sure.  Question is whether we can save the topping that they are in or not.”

He pointed down the yellow cobble road leading to his door.  “Now, my dear, take a muffin out of the bag but don't eat it.”

Mystified, she hoofed over the muffin.  “I understand why I have to get it out, but why not eat it?  What are we going to do with it?”

With total assurance, Doctor Mordenheim replied, “You are going to eat it but in parts.  Here, let me scrape off the topping.”  Carefully he removed the topping, taking none of the muffin itself.  “Just eat the topping.  I will hold the muffin for now.”

With obvious relish, KD did.  Licking it off her claws, she asked, “What now?  I like this test!”

“We wait a bit to see if you get gas.  If you don't, the zinc is only in the muffin part.”

KD cocked her head, brow wrinkled in concentration.  “I don't feel any gas coming on.  That usually happens pretty quick when it does.”

“I see. To finish the test, eat the rest of the muffin now.”

She did. And was soon hiccuping blasts of flame.

Nodding in confirmation, he said, “Just in the muffin then.  We can definitely save the topping for you.  Would you like just this topping or would you prefer it on something?”

“As it happens, I do have something that it might go good on.”

Back inside, she produced a bag.  We all saw Mordenheim's nose dilate as he caught the scent.  His ears shot forward in interest.  Drool leaked out of the corner of his mouth!

“What is that lovely smelling stuff, KD?”

“Gator Chow.  I got it from Pinkie Pie over on the bridge.  She told me that it is made from smoked and flaked meat pressed into bite sized chunks.”

Both Coalsmoke and I were rolling on the floor, laughing!  Getting myself somewhat under control, I commented, “Those teeth of yours are real, aren't they, Doc?”

“Yes, they are.  Is it a problem?”

Coalsmoke, composing herself comfortably on a large cushion, replied, “Not for us.  It was just unexpected.  Looks like Pinkie is going to have to stock in more Gator Chow, is all.  

“This explains why Caramel has mentioned you eating there a lot but I haven't seen you, and I eat there too.  You eat in the back, in her carnivore plaza.”

“Right. Now, KD, those Gator Chow chunks are just about muffin sized.  That is about as big as the bag can handle.  It is time to disarm the bag from those bad muffins.”

He got a large, heavy book from the shelf.  Instead of consulting it, he held it at the ready.

“Now, KD, take the muffin out and move your paws away from the bag swiftly.”

As she did, he slammed the book down on top of the bag!  He held it down for around a whole minute.  Relaxing, he pronounced, the spell is reset. It can now be reloaded and set to anyone.  Just a sec.”

He went into the back and returned with salad tongs and a spreading knife. Selecting one of KD's chow chunks, he carefully and neatly spread the gem topping onto it.  Taking the tongs, he used them to insert the topped chow chunk into the bag.

“Now, KD, just reach into the bag and take out the snack.  That will reset the bag to you with a safe treat.  You also now know how to change treats any time that you want.”

Saying, “Thanks, Doc!”  KD fished out the treat and nibbled it down with gusto!

I was watching the whole thing with narrowed eyes that I don't really have. Thinking it over, I pointed out, “KD, whoever set you up was at the show in Manehatten.  The way it works, that spell didn't lock onto you until you took out that first muffin.

“It may be time for a contract or a bit of detective work in Manehatten. Perhaps both.”

Thoughtfully she suggested, “There is another big art show in Manehatten in a few days.  I do have a studio there with some finished pieces that I could enter if I could get there in time.  That would give us the cover that we need for detective work if we can arrive in time.”

I suggested, “If time is a problem, I could try setting up a portal between here and the Manehatten fairgrounds.  It has been a while since I studied that but it is really pretty simple magic.”

We all trooped outside and I began the really pretty basic preparations for opening a portal spell.  I did add a whole lot of “stage dressing” rituals, circles and other misdirection.  I always do.  Better showmanship and it hides what makes it work from prying eyes, even if they are watching.

A glowing circle appeared in the air, just in front of us and barely touching the ground.  Suddenly it began to grow, becoming a huge oval. Something enormous, making a steady pulsing roar and clanking like metal was coming toward us!

First, pretty high up, came a sort of short crossways tube with a hole in it on the side facing us.  The thing continued to advance.  That funny bit was attached to a long metal tube!  Down lower, some big metal plates appeared and then between them  an enormous bridge of metal. Huge wheels of steel supported endless linked plates of more steel!

As the contraption came on out, it was revealed to be a gigantic machine of some sort!  It had sloped sides up to a heavy device on top that the long tube came out of.  That had sloped sides too, as if this thing were made to bounce catapult shots off of it!  There were some serious dents and obvious repairs that made it seem that those slopes were strictly functional!

Sticking her head up out of a hatch in the top was a pony who looked for all the world like Rainbow Dash!  Reinforcing that idea was a brown pegasus with a black mane and tail clinging to the rear of the machine and calling out loudly enough to be heard over the machine's roar!

“Dashie! Stop!  You going to smash through garden wall again!  You crush Jade's herb garden again!  You so grounded!”

Dashie retorted, “I not hit wall, dad!  Big blue hole show up.  I drive through that!  Besides, last time I drive through Jade's herb garden, I fix it better than before.  She ask me to squash it again!”

“And one more thing!  Dashie, you make me good hot tea or you so grounded you need dig up for thousand year to see daylight!”

Innocently she shot back, “If I that grounded, I make you nice tea that De Writer send for me to get you!  It his idea to get it with remote control T82 Main Battle Tank!  If I NOT grounded, I MIGHT be able to find you nice green tea that he never touch!”

The brown pegasus sat hard.  “De Writer ask you to use Remote Control T82 IN CANTERLOT for that tea?  You not so grounded as I thought.”

The one identified as Dashie noticed us from her vantage point, high up in the top part of the T82.  She picked up a small boxy thing with buttons and levers and pushed one of the buttons.  The T82's loud grumbling fell quiet.

“Um, Dad, we come through portal, I think.  You not teach me that magic yet. There ponies here and a dragon.  Come around T82 and you see.  There small castle here too.”

The brown pegasus stepped around the metal monster and courteously introduced, “I Thomas the Writer.  Miscreant who drive T82 through your portal my daughter Dashie Writer.  T82 is educational toy give her by De Writer.”

Mordenheim looked up at the behemoth of steel and remarked, “Where you are from has different ideas about educational toys than any place I have ever been.”

Dashie replied, “It crazy where we from too, but what you expect from powerful wizard like De Writer?  Something safe?  He good to have on your side when trouble come, though.”

She turned about and exclaimed, “The portal gone!”

It was true.  Standing where it had been was a familiar cat otter hybrid with red hair.  She was wearing a well worn cloak of dark green and light seeming chain mail.  Mithril by the look of it.  Her left arm was a prosthesis, a mechanical arm of metal that moved in an utterly natural way.  Under the cloak was the scabbard of a large sword.  In her mechanical hand was a parchment that looked like a map of some sort.

She tucked away the map in a pouch at her waist and looked about, her gaze missing nothing.  Smiling, she waived!  “Hi, Grumpy!  It's me, Wind!  We met at Ponyville Fair, remember?  I am part of Marchhare's band of Rom.   I was going to meet them at Haymarket fair, up north, but this out of control portal got in the way.  I took the liberty of closing it.”

Thomas gave Wind a strangely puzzled look.  “This world with Marchhare in it?”

She shrugged, “I wouldn't be going to meet him and his band if it wasn't!  Why?”

Speaking to Dashie, Thomas said, “This important lesson, Dashie.  How many worlds in multiverse?”

She replied, “Infinite.  Everyone and thing have infinite copies, each a little different.”  Raising her eyebrows in thought, she added, “This a trick question, isn't it, Dad?”

“Sort of. You very quick.  Every rule have exception, right?”

Putting hoof to chin, she thought and then went wide eyed with realization! “Every rule have exception, even that rule!”

Thomas lifted his wings in pleasure.  “Right!  This ONLY world in whole multiverse that have Marchhare!  That is secret to navigation when go between worlds.”

Dashie blinked.  “What happen when he dies?”

“Nothing, Dashie.  Marchhare already dead.  Not die twice.”

We were all listening in amazement.  It was newcomer Wind who said, “That is sort of a relief.  That there is only one of my foster dad, I mean. I have met some of myself and it was not the best of experiences!”

She put her jaw in her metal hand and examined the whole situation carefully. Turning to me she asked, “Did you cast the portal, Grumpy?”

Scraping the grass where I was standing with one nonexistent forehoof and looking down, I muttered, “Afraid so.  Portals are not really my specialty.  I guess that I really messed this one up.”

Wind stepped over and lifted my glamor's head to look me in the eye.  “I am an expert with portals.  That one was really well done.  It would have worked perfectly if you had not cast it here.  The Everfree's Hidden Ways are what messed you up.

“Now, where were you trying to go?”

KD interjected, “We were aiming for the fairgrounds at Manehatten by the Sea.”

Wind nodded in a very take charge sort of way.  “I see.  That is about 6 or 7 hundred kilometers from here.”

Leaning casually up against the iron monster called T82, Wind asked, “Does this thing have personnel and cargo railings and how fast is it, uh, Dashie?”

Dashie brightened up as she replied, “It sure does have safety railings! I use them when I give Mia and Becky rides.  It can go as far as you want.  Out in the open, it can hit 100 kilometers an hour!  How did you know about that?”

Wind gave a delicate shudder, “I have adventured on a few worlds where similar machines were used.  I saw the passenger railings on some of them.”

Wind smiled ingratiatingly at Thomas.  “Would you be willing to let Dashie take us all on an Adventure to Manehatten by the Sea?  It will get these nice beings where they need to go and be fun for us all.  From there, I can easily send you both back home.”

Dashie had hopped out of the top of the T82 and began releasing catches and lifting up metal railings.  They clicked as they locked into place. When she was done, she lowered a set of steep metal stairs to climb up onto the back of her “educational toy.”

Thomas watched with a skeptical lift to his right eyebrow.  “I not say we go, Dashie.”

She looked him straight back in the eye as she retorted, in front of us all, “Right.  All that you have to do is tell our hosts that you won't do something simple and fun to help them.”

“That blackmail, Dashie!”

“Right. Between you and our De Writer, I learn from the best!”

He chuckled, “OK.  We do it.”

Wind swung easily up the boarding stair and called, “All aboard for the Manehatten Express!”

KD swarmed up, found the engine vents, and curled up with a “Dibs on the warm spot!”

Coalsmoke gently pushed me toward the enormous device with, “I would love to go too, Grumpy, but I have serious business to talk over with Victor. The Princesses want to set up a program for helping wounded veterans of their armies.”

Dashie started the T82 and made a big turn.  Wind guiding her, we set out for Adventure!  And Manehatten.

Technically, we took Doctor Mordenheim's path down to the Falmire cutoff and turned south towards the junction with Royal Road 315.  For some reason, the busy traffic of Ponyville's industrial district gave way before us, even when it had the right of way!  Couldn't imagine why! Surely it had nothing to do with fifty or more tonnes of steel monstrosity charging along at a “mere” twenty kilometers per hour.

We reached the Royal Road toll booth without incident.  Almost had an incident there.  The poor booth keepers were going nuts trying to sort out the proper toll.

Pages were fluttering back and forth in their toll manuals, “It ain't a cart or wagon from any section!  Darn thing is made out of iron like a fool locomotive on the railroad!”

“I know, Jeb!  Can't even classify it by team size or set up!  It runs itself!”

Wind was sitting on the edge of the turret, which Dashie had taught us was the name for that upper part with the long pipe sticking out of it, and giggling at the small uproar.  

“When Marchhare hears about this, he will split his harness, he will laugh so hard!”

One of the toll collectors looked up at her and got a beatific smile.  “You are Wind, from Marchhare's band of Rom, right?  I saw you at our fair a couple of times.”

She nodded acknowledgment, “Yes, Sir.  I am.”

He turned to his buddy and pushed the manuals shut.  “Just write Rom from Marchhare's band, toll free by Crowns Law.”

Jeb did write, though he was still trying to protest.  His superior shut him down with, “Jeb, like enough you are right.  Still, it solves OUR problem.”  He tripped the gate mechanism and the flimsy red and white painted wooden bar lifted up out of our way.

We pulled onto the Royal Road.  Besides less traffic, it was wider and better maintained than the Ponyville road we had come from.  Dashie began to open up the speed once we had clear road ahead of us.  I must say, I was impressed.  Dashie was not kidding about hitting a hundred kilometers an hour!

The T82 was fast and high enough that we had to duck shade tree branches!  A delighted KD had her sketchbook out and was rapidly drawing things from her high perspective!

Chortling, she explained, “Even as roughs, some of these will adapt to pictures for my book contract!  This is great!”

Wind steered us into one of the many waysides, making Dashie slow down and drive gently as we parked for the evening.  With assurance, she showed us where the free water and firewood were.

With a fond smile, Wind recalled, “I have camped here before, while traveling with Dad's band.  There is a small stream over in the bushes that we can get fresh fish and crawdads out of for a nice dinner.”

KD had out an easel and was busily drawing with colors.  She was doing the T82 framed by a sunset of riotous clouds and glowing light.  

She asked politely, “Wind, would you be so good as to pose there, just below the turret?  I want your metal arm just casually holding something and your sword out in your right hand, ready but not on a guard.”

Wind did pose.  It really did not take KD long at all to capture the feeling of the scene.  The way that Wind was posing, it looked for all the world like she OWNED the metal monster behind her!

Done posing, Wind stretched and began doing limbering up exercises.  With an expression of delight, and without even thinking about it, Wind began to dance and sing in a language strange to all of us.  I did recognize it from my times at the Ponyville fair, serving mainly as security for Caramel Treat's excellent food booth.  The language was Gyptian, the sort of private and held secret, nearly melodious tongue of the Rom.  I did recognize the dance.

She was treating us to the Shehan Ja Rom, their story of how the Rom came to be.  I gather that it is the oldest dance and song of the Rom.  As her dance and song finished, I remembered that the Rom did not clap for applause.  I leaned my head back and gave the loud trill that the Rom use.

Wind looked sort of startled as the others followed suit.  Embarrassed, she mumbled, “Sorry.  It was just the joy of being on the road again.”

It was KD who said it, “Don't be sorry.  It was lovely.  Is there an Equestrian translation?”

I put in, “I know that there is.  That was the famous Shehan Ja Rom.  The Rom traditionally dance and sing it in an Equestrian version to open fairs.  What I am curious about is how Wind, who is nothing like any horse or pony, came to be a Rom and of Marchhare's band at that.”

Wind sat near the fire and absently began to assemble vegetable skewers for Dashie, Thomas and I.  “I made a little mistake while adventuring. I survived it, obviously.  Mama Dragon fixed me up and sent me here, to this Equestria to finish healing and recuperate.  De Writer met me and steered me to Marchhare's band.

“Good thing, too.  One of my wounds developed a small inflammation that could have killed me.  Black Lotus, Marchhare and Hoof Dancer, his wife at the time, healed me.  Mama Dragon was wise in sending me to them for a month.  I had more than physical wounds to heal.  I joined them and learned to read, write and speak Gyptian.  Having a real caring and extended family provided the rest of the healing that I needed.  Now, I have my Freedom and I can come and go as I wish, but my Rom family is always there for me.”

I could tell that there was a lot left out but Wind cut her tale off without harming her tail by asking, “Grumpy, will you tend these skewers for me while I go catch some fish, crawdads and a bunny or two for dinner to share with KD?”

I realized at once that besides being an adventurer, Wind was quite diplomatic. She had just reminded the lot of us that KD had not eaten all day, except for snacks, and that both she and Wind were carnivores. Possibly hungry carnivores.

Dashie took off too, calling, “Wind!  Wait up!  I want see how you hunt and fish without fancy gear.”

Wind looked back, nodded and then beckoned with a finger curl.  As soon as Dashie was up to her, Wind slid into the brush without a sound.  Dashie, trying to follow was pretty quiet.

Coming to the creek bank, Wind laid flat and wriggled forward on her stomach. Carefully parting the small thin wands of the bank willows, she slid her right arm into the water, reaching back, under the cut bank.  Her face screwed up with concentration, she eased her hand up, feeling for a fish.  Smiling, she slid her hand further up and grabbed!

Rolling back and lifting, Wind flipped the good sized trout out onto the bank!  She caught the flopping creature and bent its head back to break its neck.  She snipped off a thin bank willow strand with her knife and laced it through the fish's gills and out the mouth. Loosely knotting the ends, she hung the fish up and repeated the trick three more times!

Dashie was watching with awe.  “I never even hear of fishing that way!  How you do it?”

Wind picked up her willow loop with fish and replied, “It takes practice to tickle trout but it is not really hard.  You need to be careful and gentle.  When you feel the fish with your fingers, you need to work your way up until you feel the pectoral fins, those just behind the gills.  Snap your fingers into the gills and lift it out quickly.

“Now for a nice brace of bunnies and dinner will ready to cook.”

Dashie, keeping her voice down, asked, “I see warren right over there.  How you catch them?  Some kind of trap?”

Wind, following Dashie's pointing hoof, shook her head.  “I could, and if we were going to be here longer, I would set some snares.  Since it is only dinner and breakfast, I will just pounce them.  It is easier and quicker.”

Dashie watched Wind ghost her way through the brush toward the warren. Choosing her place, she waited, a bunched spring of living huntress. Nothing moved except for the tip of her tail twitching slightly.  It was only a few minutes before a bunny hopped lazily toward one of the main holes of the warren.  Wind's pounce included a fast chop with her metal hand!  The bunny only twitched once before going still.

Wind quietly picked a different spot and soon had a second bunny!

Bearing her prey, Wind and Dashie returned to camp.  On their way, Wind asked, “Why did you want to see how I got fish and bunnies?  Most ponies really don't want to see that.”

Face flaming a little with embarrassment, Dashie replied, “I am sort of, like half dragon.  I turn into one if I need to or want to.  Thing is, I not very good at getting meat to eat!  I have to turn back to a pony and graze up dinner!  There are times that really inconvenient!”

Wind chuckled.  “I can see that!  We have one more stop before Manehatten by the Sea.  I will take you out hunting there too, OK?”

Back at camp, Wind considerately went to the other side of the T82 to clean and prepare her catch.  A lightly drooling KD went to help!  They both returned to the camp, licking their lips and smiling.  They were finishing up with some of KD's endless supply of Gator Chow.  Wind had carefully cleaned off the gem topping from hers and used it to enhance KD's snack.

As we were settling about the fire, Dashie asked, “Um, Wind, did Rom hold you prisoner some way?  You say you have your freedom.”

Wind chuckled at the misunderstanding.  “No, Dashie.  The Rom Freedom is a thing that they wear.  Here, I have mine in my bag.”

She reached into her bag at her waist and her arm seemed to go in further than was possible.  She saw us staring and snorted her amusement.  “It is called a bag of holding.  It is sort of like Marchhare's caravan. It is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.  Here it it is!”

Stopping her rummaging, she pulled out a sort of headstall thing of richly tooled and dyed leather with rings and buckles that looked to be gold.  She strapped it on.

“This is a Freedom of the Rom.  They grant them only to beings that they have fully accepted as one of their own.”

“Why is call a Freedom?” Dashie wondered.

Wind lifted her chin with pride.  “The original cast off slaves that were the first Rom wore a headstall with a bit and lead ring.  They had them all their lives and were not comfortable without something on their heads.  They re made them into the Freedom by taking away anything by which they could be made to serve another.  No bit or lead ring has ruled any Rom from that day to this.”  Very carefully, Wind removed her Freedom and put it away.

KD had curled into an amazingly hard to see coil of dragon to sleep until dawn.  The rest of us were spreading blankets to sleep under the stars.

A wagon full of road repair tools and an accompanying work gang of ponies pulled into the rest area.  A couple of them strode arrogantly to our camp and demanded, “We are hungry!  What ever food you got, hoof it over now!  You don't, we gonna take sledgehammers to that there tin thingy!”

I gently prodded the almost sleeping dragon in our midst.  KD had been paying attention!  Her head rose up, eyes alight.  A curl of flame showing at each nostril and outlining her barely opened jaws completed the picture!

She serenely asked, “What?  More dinner?  I'm not sure that I could hold another whole pony.  Mind if we just sort of pack along the leftovers for lunch?”

Dashie had lifted a fully draconic head.  In the late evening's light we could not make out her color but we could easily make out the totally paling ponies!

“What! They got TWO DRAGONS!”

Dashie corrected, “No.  Two HUNGRY dragons!”

Dashie was giggling at the frantic retreat of the two jerks!  Got to admit to some chuckles of my own.  KD's sides were heaving as she re coiled herself.

Dashie got up onto all fours.  In the dying firelight, she could be seen to be a light blue color.  She flexed her wings a couple of times and strolled over to where the road crew ponies were carelessly re packing to leave.  In terror but not so terrified that they were willing to have to pay for abandoned gear!

One thoughtlessly yelled, “Road camp privacy!  Stay away, that is kingdom law!”

Wind, who was almost unnoticed at Dashie's right front leg, calmly pointed out, “You have just admitted that you knew that you were breaking kingdom law when you tried to hijack our dinner.  In your haste to correct your error, you dropped your sledgehammers.  Here!”

Wind revealed a hidden strength by casually giving the heavy hammers an underhand toss.  Both hammers overshot the wagon and hit the turf on the other side of it.

That got the attention of the road crew ponies!  One noticed, “How come you only got one arm?”

Smiling angelically, which showed off her fangs nicely, Wind reached up with her metal left arm and scritched at the base of Dashie's left dragon horn as she replied, “What, this?” Campfire light glinting from her metal arm, she said casually, “Kitten here, and I got to roughhousing last week!  She was a little too enthusiastic, that's all.”

Dashie, catching on to the game, bent her head around and gave Wind a lick at the shoulder and said contritely, “I said that I was sorry!  We just need to find a Phoenix potion so that you can regrow it. Again.”

They strolled back to our camp, Wind taking the time to re hang her cloak to sort of hide her metal arm.  Thomas, Dashie, now turned back to a pegasus, and I nibbled up Wind's excellent fruit and vegetable skewers.

Wind toasted the last of the bunnies and trout over KD's flame and shared that extra bit dinner with her.  Dashie “sneaked” over and turned back to a dragon to beg a few bites.  Grinning, they let her have some.

Sleeping out in the open, I did not have my usual nightmares of a Celestian Church mob burning my home, studies, and, failing to trap me in the house, attempting to stone me to death.  Perhaps my feelings of safety came of sleeping beside a big blue dragon?  One that liked me? Very likely.

It could not last.  For one thing, dawn comes far too soon for a cave dwelling goat like me.  The other was a light blue bundle of enthusiasm with rainbow mane and tail!  Dashie was bounding into camp!  She was waiving a forked stick with three big fat trout on it!  It was laced through their gills and out their mouths, with the forked branch acting as a stop to keep them from sliding off.

“I did it, Wind!  I tickle trout just like you show me how!”

Wind looked up from laying the morning cook fire.  Her grin showed her usually hidden fangs as she replied, “Just like I showed you?   Not sure how to point this out diplomatically but you don't have any fingers to do it with.”

Totally disingenuous, Dashie replied, “I just use my magic like you show with hand.  It not hard.  Real trick was find where fish hide.  You show me that.  They too quick to catch if just grab.  Gentle tickle is trick.”

Both KD and I were listening with rapt attention.  It was clear that Thomas and Dashie's Equestria was very different from this one.  As they talked, that became more and more apparent.

“Does your magic come from being a weredragon?”

“Only a little.  Most I learn from Dad.  He one of two most powerful beings in our Equestria.  Be honest, I think De Writer worst.  Super strong magic and wicked sense of humor.  And bored.  He three thousand years old.  Raise Princesses.”

“I see. Do other pegassi use magic where you come from?”

“Not really.  Dad figure out that there more magic in world than Earth, Pegassi, and Unicorn.  It come from his mom, Aurora, the Demon Queen.”

We all looked askance at the innocent appearing brown pegasus.  This was getting more and more interesting all the time.

Wind just nodded, took the fish and efficiently set about preparing them.  She also pulled some fresh looking apples and peaches out of the bag at her waist.  She expertly split them into proper chunks and dropped them into a pot.  She added a little fresh water and, reaching into her bag of holding, pulled out a box with many drawers and bottles, a jar with a sealed top and a small flour bag.

I was sort of amazed, watching the sheer skill with which Wind organized breakfast.  She even had water on heating in a biggish pot.  She added some from the sealed bottle.  The camp filled with the heavenly aroma of Rom black tea!

Satisfied with the progress of the fruits in the pot, she added sugar, cinnamon from one of the drawers of the box and stirred in the flour to thicken it.

It smelled heavenly, not like regular flour at all.  Wind closed the bag and returned box, bag and jar to her bag of holding.  She saw my calculating look as I watched it all happening.  

Wrinkling her nose in amusement, she explained, “Ka'chek flour.  A Rom without it?  Unheard of!”

Breakfast lived up to the lovely scents, and then some.

Wind, KD and Dashie went to the other side of the T82 to fix and eat the trout.  Coming back, Dashie and KD were finishing up gem topped Gator Chows and Wind was nibbling at one with the topping removed.

While they were eating, the rest of us cleaned up all the cookware and put out the fire.  We especially cleaned out the fruit stew pot!  Nearly came to blows over who got to lick it out!  Good sense prevailed and we took turns licking parts of it.  Then, we washed it.  We did have one thing unwashed.

We saved Wind the last mug of Rom black tea.  Smiling at our courtesy, Wind drained it and saw to proper washing of the mug.  She then caused us all a small croggle of the mind by causally putting all of the clean cookware and dishes into her bag of holding!

We all piled onto the remote controlled T82 and Dashie got us on the road again!

I noticed that Wind was wearing her Freedom and had put on a harness.  It was as richly tooled and dyed as her freedom.  They were clearly a matched set.

While KD was busy with her art, making fast sketches of the lands that we were passing through, I made bold to ask, “Why the Rom outfit?  This is not exactly a caravan.”

Wind giggled at some joke that I did not understand as she replied, “Actually, it is.  You just have to understand what caravan means. It is a loan word from the desert Kingdoms that was already in use by the time that the first Rom came here.  In their language of Gyptian, it means something slightly different from how it is used in Equestrian.

“It is just that there is a road section toll gate coming up in a little. Me being dressed this way should get us through the gate for free.”

Nodding acceptance for her reason, I turned my attention to Thomas, who was trying hard to act like an adult pegasus, rather than a colt having the time of his life.

I guessed, “You have not ridden on Dashie's T82 before, have you Thomas?”

With a twinkle in his eye, he admitted, “Never before this.  I think that she get to play with it more but need daddy supervision!”

I was chuckling at that when we all felt the iron monster slowing down. Wind, pointing ahead, made clear exactly why.  There was the toll booth with its light weight red and white bar across the road.  There was a substantial cabin in back of it for use of the toll collectors when off duty and out here, kilometers from any town.  A sign said, WELCOME TO THE MANEHATTEN ROYAL ROAD SECTION.

Wind hopped off the top of the huge left tread guard of the T82 and greeted the toll takers, “Hi!  What do you think of my new act?  Just doing a shake down run to IRON out any problems!  We are promised entertainment for the big art show.”

The utterly bemused light yellow toll collector turned to his lavender buddy and shook his head.  Pushing the toll manual shut he said, “Rom.  No accounting for 'em.  Just write Rom, toll free by Crowns Law.”

He tripped the mechanism and the toll gate rose up out of our way.  

As the mechanical behemoth passed through the gate, Wind trotted after and swung up the steel boarding stair and resumed her place on top of the turret, next to Dashie.

We had passed two of the Waysides when Wind guided Dashie into one that seemed empty.  It was nowhere near noon, yet.

“Thanks, Dashie!  There is a friend here that I want to talk to.  It would have been rude to just go by and not say Hi.”

With that, she bounced off the turret, grabbed what we had learned was called the Main Gun, and swung, letting go and landing lightly.  She sprinted over to the edge of the woods.

Sitting suddenly, she quietly reached out and laid a sparkling pebble among many others in that spot.  She said, “Hanar Na Kili.”  We could not make out the rest.  It was all in Gyptian.  It contained pauses as if she was listening to what another was saying.  The conversation was soon over.

Wind got up, smiling serenely, and returned to us.  Dashie had turned to a dragon so that she and KD could share a couple of KD's gator chows.

Wind suggested, “We could get going, now.  The Loved Dead are always with us.  Hanar and I had a nice chat.”

It was slowly percolating through the brain that I don't really have, just how different Rom are.  And I have known them, shared food with them and talked with them for years.  They have even been guests in my cave.  I have heard that expression, the Loved Dead are always with us hundreds of times.  I have heard about Laying the Stones goodness only knows how many times.  This was the first time that I had seen it.

Seeing how Wind treated it, both casually and with absolute assurance, as if the horse in that grave that the Rom call a Gateway to the Lake of Paradise, or Lake for short, was really there, made it hit me like a gut punch.

I knew, like everybeing in Equestria that the ONE THING THAT YOU DO NOT DO is desecrate any Wayside burial.  Ponies who die more than two days travel from their homes are entitled to a Wayside burial.  It is a Royal Benefice.  The graves are marked and tended as part of Wayside maintenance.

All Rom who die get a Wayside burial, that they call a Lake or going to the Lake. They lay small, inexpensive, but pretty pebbles on them to mark them.  

Desecration of a Rom Lake will bring the Princesses in person to investigate. The criminals WILL get caught.  Penalties are HARSH.  They range from twenty years at hard labor on the Royal Roads up to life.  The worst offenders, who have actually exhumed Rom remains get a punishment worse than simple death.  

They get life in the Twins Mine, digging mercury ore.  The fumes destroy the mind and wrack the body.  After the first few such grave robberies, centuries ago, no pony in their right mind will risk that.

Wind looked so quietly happy that I had to wonder whether there was any truth to the Rom belief in the Lake of Paradise.

Dashie finished her snack and changed back to a pegasus.  We all piled back onto the T82 educational toy and hit the road again.  It was not long before we came to a bridge across a stream.

It was a nice, well built and solid bridge.  It was clear that it was not made to take the sheer mass of the T82.

Dashie, following Wind's suggestions and pointing, reversed the T82 for about fifty or sixty meters.  There, she eased off the road and headed toward the stream.  She stopped short, while Wind scouted ahead, dropping down the stream bank and checking the bottom to be sure that it would hold up the tank.

Returning, she suggested to the others, “I think that you should get off and use the bridge on foot.  This will be a wild ride!”

KD pointed to the line of ten to fifteen centimeter diameter trees that lined both sides of the stream skeptically.  “Um, not to cast doubt or anything, but how do you plan to get this thing past those?”

Wind replied quietly, “I have seen machines like this, doing what they were designed to do.  I don't think that it will be a difficult problem.”

KD and Thomas both looked into Wind's eyes and saw reflected experiences that they did not want to share.  Neither did I.  Thomas just said, “T82 break trees in orchard before this.  I take Wind's advice.”

Nodding, KD followed him, saying, “Let me get to the center of the bridge and get my sketchbook out!  I don't want to miss this!”

Figuring that the center of the bridge would have the best view of the proceedings. I joined them.

That was when I noticed something completely uncanny.  As big and heavy as the T82 was, there was no sign of its driving across the grass and brush to get to the stream.  Looking back, I saw that the road was in perfect condition, too.

I pointed it out to the one here who might know something about it.  Thomas snickered happily, “Yes, know already.  You not say anything to Dashie but she very good with magic of rock and stone.  Also with magic of plants.  She fix what educational toy do as it happen most time.”

Just then, it started.  The T82 let out a loud roar and charged the treeline! There was a splintering set of crashing sounds as it struck the innocent vegetation!  The trees did not stand a chance!  They swayed, cracked and buckled, falling down into the stream as the “toy” crunched over them, tipping down steeply as it plunged into the stream!   With a huge splash, followed by the churning up of rock, gravels and white water, the machine charged the opposite bank!

As it hit, I began to appreciate the ingenuity of the linked steel belts that the T82 ran on.  There was a slope at the front before the treads hit the ground.  Now, that slope let the machine claw its way up the bank, tilting back steeply as its momentum and driving tracks forced it up, pushing the trees aside and down while it topped the bank!

Dashie drove her “toy” up to the road's edge and parked it.  She bailed out and took wing to the other side of the stream.  Landing in the water, she transformed into her dragon self!

She called, “Dad!  KD!  Will you help please!?”

She was lifting the fallen trees back into their places, on the stumps that they had broken off from.  While she was at it, I could see her magic going into the stems and branches, binding together cracks and breaks.

KD loped down and joined her.  “What can I do, Dashie?  I don't know anything about this kind of magic.”

“Just hold trunk up while I fix break and roots.”

Thomas strolled down and waded into the stream.  He started repairing cracks and breaks in the wood of the fallen trees to speed things along.

Wind and I sat on the bridge rail and watched them work.  She commented, “Ah, hard work!  I can sit and watch it for simply hours!”

It really did not take all that long for the party to restore all the trees and larger brush, leaving almost no sign that the massive T82 had charged through there.

KD said it for all of us, as we climbed back aboard the T82, “I never even heard of magic like that before!”

As she was settling into the turret and picking up the remote control, Dashie shrugged.  “All world each a little different.  Some thing go from world to world, some not.  Magic dad teach me, it work.”

Not too much later, we pulled into a Wayside to fix lunch.  Some heavy freight dray ponies were already camped there, so Dashie parked us at a site well away from them, to give them camp privacy.

They stomped over to us just as Wind was setting a large pot of water to heat.

“Whatever you gots to eat gotta be better than our road ration oats!  Hoof it over!  We even got you a bag of oats to make it a fair trade!”

Dashie quelled Wind before she could say anything.  She gestured for KD to stay hidden behind the T82.  Pretending to quail some, she replied, “We just stop for ordinary tea before go on.  Got special box tea need to be deliver.”

Thomas, sounding indignant, demanded, “No!  Dashie, that tea special!  Got to go to Castle . . .”

“They meaner than us, Dad!  I give them one packet.  Only make them a couple of gallon.”

She ducked down into the T82's interior and returned with a modest package wrapped in gold colored foil.

She made a point of securing the oats before giving them the package.  “We going be in much trouble for this.  Oats is least you can do.”

As they retreated, I noticed that Thomas had a diabolical grin.  Dashie, on the other hoof, simply hopped up on the T82 and tripped something on her control box.

The turret turned and the main gun lowered some.  It pointed the big main gun directly at the drover's camp.

All that Thomas would say was, “It De Writer tea.  Never know what happen. Best be safe!”

Wind's ears perked up!  Almost too casually, she asked, “Is that thing loaded?”

Dashie sort of shrank a bit as she replied, “Yes.  Have five case ammo.  Two explosive, three solid shot.  Five round in each case.  De Writer give them to me when I get tea.  Dad not like me have it.”

“OOPS! No time talk now!  They getting water boiling!”

KD sidled up to Wind, “You seem to know a lot about this thing.  Just how dangerous is it?”

Wind put an arm over KD's neck as she replied, “That depends on which kind of round Dashie has in the gun.  A solid shot will rip a crater about two or three meters across.  The flying dirt and stone from the fire place will make a deadly spray.

“If it is an explosive round, it will blast a hole about five or six meters across.  It will scatter fragments of the shell and any loose stone or dirt too.

“Yes, the T82 could wreck any ordinary fortress in Equestria.”

KD was chortling, “I hope that the tea is worth a shot!  Not only would I like to see that, I did not like those ponies at all.”

Thomas overheard and replied, “They not get hurt.  De Writer not crazy. Have spell on T82 it not hurt any pony or intelligent being.  Can do much property damage.  That educational part of toy.  Dashie get to fix up damage.  Study hard her magics since she get it from De Writer!”

The wayside ponies added the tea to the water boiling in their big kettle.

As they did, Thomas asked urgently, “What De Writer say about brew tea?”

Dashie's brow wrinkled, “He say make in ceramic pot only a little at a time. It good for cold morning!”

Just then the flames began in the drover's big kettle of boiling water!  They burst up in a great gout of blue and yellow fire!  We could feel the heat from where we were!  The sides of the big iron pot glowed red, then yellow!  They began to melt!

In only seconds, the sides gave way and the tea gushed out, drowning the campfire, not that it was much help!  The wood instantly went to ash! The tea soaked into the bottom of the fire place and the flames slowly subsided.

The heat had driven the drovers away from camp and wagon.  The whole side of the wagon that had been facing the tea was charred.  There were small wisps of smoke arising from it here and there.

Thomas was sitting on his rump laughing.  “Now know why fix in ceramic pot and only little at a time!  Definitely good for cold morning!”

While the drovers were frantically hitching up and hauling out of there, Thomas was thoughtfully heating water in an iron pot.  He called up, “Dashie!  Packet tea.  Small measure.  Ceramic pot I know you got in there!”

She popped up out of the hatch and gave Thomas the things that he had asked for. KD, who could breathe fire, quietly backed up.

Dashie saw it and reasured her, “With De Writer tea, follow direction important.  We see what NOT do.”

Thomas added boiling water to the small, indeed tiny, measure of tea in the pot.  Flame poured out the spout and leaked around the lid.  It soon died.  Thomas poured a small cup and smelled it.

“Have good nose.”  He sipped.  Eyes wide, he exclaimed, “This one of De Writer's best teas yet!  Try some, Dashie!”

She promptly poured a cup for herself.  “It good dad!  Thanks!”

Wind added vegetables to her pot of boiling water and soon the savory scent of vegetable stew filled the camp area.

While it was cooking, she took Dashie and they entered the woods.  It was not long before they returned with a couple of squirrels and a few bunnies.  This time, it was Dashie, turned dragon, who toasted the carnivore lunch.

After everything was cleaned up and put away, Dashie strolled over to the camp that the drovers had used.  While we watched, she actually pushed a few heat broken stones of the fireplace back to position. Somehow, they stuck.  What really got me though was her casually picking up the hardened iron from the melted pot and the original fire grilles and sort of pushed, pulled and squeezed on them to make a good, substantial grill for supporting cook pots.  It went into its place.  She carefully scouted the camp, leaving bright green grass where it had been fire browned.

A grinning KD got several quick sketches!

Wind reminded us all, “The Manehatten fairgrounds turn off is only about another hour down the road.  Shall we be gone?”

It did not actually take us an hour to get there.  We all disembarked from the T82 and did stretches.

Among the assorted goodbyes, I heard Wind ask KD, “I am not on a schedule. Mind if I tag along to see your art show?”

I personally, after wishing Thomas and Dashie well, inquired, “Would it be possible for me to get some of that De Writer tea?”

He practically pounced on me!  “How much you want?  He send a crate of it!  Got lots!”

“I could use several packages.  Say, five?”

“Dashie! Get Grumpy five packets De Writer tea!”

Her voice muffled by being inside her machine, she retorted, “FIVE?  What he want to do?  Melt T82?”

As I took the packages of potentially deadly tea, Thomas pointed out, “You know Grumpy do magic.  Pony here seem mostly think only unicorn do magic.  Grumpy use much ritual and misdirection to keep them from catch on.  I bet tea become part of that.”

My already high respect for Thomas went up another big notch.  I nodded, “Right, Thomas.  Also, once the fire burns off, it makes a really good tea. Right up there with Rom black.”

Wind told the group, “Well, I promised to send you back from here.  Is it time to go?”

Though Dashie looked a little downcast, Thomas nodded, “It been fun here, but yes.  It time to go home.”

Wind reached into her bag of holding and fished out a thing that looked like a map.  She traced out what looked like a route on it with a delicate touch of one claw.

The pale blue oval of a portal big enough to drive a T82 main battle tank through appeared.  Thomas climbed the passenger steps, up onto the back of the iron monster and our friends drove through.  The portal silently vanished.

I turned to KD.  “Which way to the Art Show?”

She nibbled a gator chow treat and pointed.  “My studio first!  Then off to the show!”

KD snickered, “You two are little!  Hop on my back and we will make better time!”

As Wind boosted me up and then leaped up herself, she said, “I could get used to this.  Traveling places without having to walk, I mean. First, the T82!  That was fun!  Now I get to ride dragonback again!”

I looked back, trying not to miss the sight of Manehatten's famously tall buildings.  Many of them were over five levels tall!  Some, in the downtown area looked to be way taller!

I commented, “Again?  You have ridden dragons before?”

“Just one, Grumpy.  My daughter Aurixa.”

That gave me real pause.  I ventured, “Adopted?”

Sort of.  I found her egg out in the wilderness not that far from Mama Dragon's cottage.  I was there when Aurixa hatched.  She imprinted on me as her mother.

“When she grew up some, we used to play together a lot, including riding her. I love flying on dragonback!

“Anyway, she grew up to where she was too big for that.  Last I saw her, Aurixa was bigger than a house.  I need to go home to Mama Dragon's and visit her.  I miss them.”

We came to a nice two level house in the outskirts of town.  The only odd thing about it from the outside was that the door was bigger than usual. KD got out a key and let us in.

The inside WAS unusual!  The whole second level floor had been knocked out, leaving  a sort of rim around the single large room.  It was just the right height to serve as shelves for KD!  There were a few scorch marks on the walls, souvenirs of her hiccups!

There were paintings and drawings in profusion!  All was neatly organized. Drawings were in X-frames and paintings were racked or stood against the walls.

KD selected a number of drawings, including some from her sketchbooks filled up on the trip here.  Truly professional, she framed the drawings and sketches behind glass.  She had frames at the ready for her paintings.  It took her about an hour and a half for her to be ready.

She put on a harness designed to carry framed work and suggested, “Load me up! The Manehatten Art Show is only about a kilometer from here!

We trudged through some pretty fancy streets and up a hill to a small estate.  I giggled when I saw the iron scroll work lettering over the gate.

Wind nudged me and whispered, “Pretty up front about it, aren't they, Grumpy?”

The letters said, “Snob Hill Estate.”  Under it was a banner proclaiming, “Snob Hill Art Festival!  Opening soon!”

The pony watching the gate seemed both pleased and surprised to see KD. “Krystal!  I was told that you would not be able to make this show! Let me announce you to the committee!”

She held him gently back.  “Please don't, Edward.  I am most curious as to who is saying that I would not come to this show.”

He sort of scraped the pave with a forehoof and looked down as he said, “I am not supposed to gossip about our patrons.”

KD grinned as she flipped him a silver bit.  “You said nothing!”

Expertly fielding the coin, he said, “Of course it could not possibly be Drawin Pitcher spreading rumors about you.”

KD grinned, with many teeth, as she replied, “Of course not.  Why would a fine artist like Drawin say anything negative about me?

“Oh, Edward, these fine beings are guests of mine.”

We went on in, following KD.  She went straight for the main entrance to Snob Hall.

Even before we entered, we heard, “You know, I am really sorry to say that KD not only won't be making this show, it looks like she will have to give up the Daring Do contract.”

As she was about to charge in and confront the speaker, I gave her leg a tug. “Not quite yet, KD.  Now, it is contract time.  I suspect that this one can be really simple and oral, witnessed by Wind, here.”

I don't think that I have ever seen as many teeth as showed in KD's grin. “What sort of contract do you have in mind, Grumpy?  I don't have a hundred gold on me.”

I pointed inside, “I overheard that.  I will take one golden bit, ownership of that painting of Wind by the T82, and an autographed copy of the new book when it comes out.  Thanks to the one bit, the magic will work.

“You can still enter the painting in the show as an original, on loan from the owner.

My refund terms will be one gold, one silver plus return to your ownership of the other items.

“What will happen is that not only the one who sabotaged you, but any accomplices will reveal their parts in such a way that they will receive the maximum of embarrassment.  Attempts to extricate themselves will only dig them deeper.”

KD nodded slowly.  “That sound pretty good.  Can we include some career help for her, IF AND ONLY IF, she stays on the straight and narrow?”

I nodded, sucking in the cheeks that I don't really have.  “I will include that.  But only if it will still embarrass her.”

KD's tail wagged in delight, threatening several ornamental plantings! “Done!  Here is the bit!.”

There was a brief flash of yellow in the sunlight.  I put it in my saddlebag.  “Wind, did you witness the contract and it's terms?”

If Wind's feral grin was not answer enough, her, “I did.  You have a contract,” was.

KD breezed in through the big ornate doors.  Cheerfully she called out, “Sorry to be late but I see that I am still in time for entering my latest works!”

The yellow mare with the green mane and tail that exclaimed, “It's KD! We have to get her out of here!” had to be Drawin Pitcher!

That was confirmed in mere seconds.  KD said amiably, “I don't know what you are on about, Drawin!  Oh, I see that you have some neat things up already!  Let me get a closer look!”

As the blue dragon approached the hanging works, she absently pulled one of her crushed gem topped snacks from the bag.  She was holding it so that all that could be seen was the topping.  She started to munch it down as she got up close to the drawings and paintings of her rival.

Drawin Pitcher frantically charged KD and pushed her head aside, away from her art.  “Please!  Don't incinerate my art!”

KD turned her snout to aim directly at Drawin and asked in a mild voice, “Whatever to you mean, Pitcher?  Why would I incinerate anypony's art?”

Drawin dodged behind a portly pony who was watching the scene unfold with interest.  His cutie mark was a stack of books.  He turned to her and, greatly puzzled, asked, “Why are you afraid of KD, Drawin? She has participated in many shows around the kingdom and never any incident like you seem to fear.  

“True, last show she got a minor case of hiccups but controlled them and caused no harm at all.  Why are you afraid now?”

There was a mumbled reply.

“What? That made no sense at all!  What do you mean, it's the muffins?”

KD offered, “You were in industrial chemistry before you became a publisher, right, Mister Hazard?”

“I was.”

“Read this.  It will explain most of the problem with the dragon muffins from this bag.”  She fished in one of her bags and gave him a folded paper.  “It is the Ponyville Police Department's Forensic Chemistry Laboratory report on the dragon muffins from this bag.”

His eyebrows rose sharply at what he read.  “Zinc metal?  That much in each muffin?  No wonder you were having fire blast hiccups! Obviously, that little bag can't have held many of them.  Why is she afraid of you now?”

For an answer, KD took a treat out of the bag and gave the bag to Mister Hazard.  As she munched the treat, she pointed out, “I just emptied the bag.  Notice how it has another treat in it now?”  She pointed to a large painting on one wall, “Is that a Clyden Dale?”  As he looked, she held up the bag.  It had returned.

“See, Mister Hazard, the bag is enchanted by a form of non Equine magic. It always has another treat and it always comes back to me.  That is why Drawin is afraid of me. She expects me to erupt in flame at any moment.  It won't happen though.”

A despairing Drawin Pitcher hung her head.  “It has to.  Once the bag is set, you can't change it.”

KD grinned.  “Want to bet, Ms. Pitcher?  Thanks to Grumpy, here, we not only sorted out your little scheme to end my art career, we met a Zebra (not Zecora, Ponyville has TWO zebras now) who was familiar with the spell.  He showed us how to re set it.  These treats are harmless.  Really tasty, too.”

Mister Hazard suggested, “Now that is taken care of, let's get your things entered and hung.  We were saving you a panel for your work.  Thanks to Ms. Pitcher, we almost put your panel away.  That is it, over there.”

KD smiled properly for a collection of important ponies and began setting her selections out along the bottom of the display panel.  As an aside to us, she commented, “The Show's Committee will have the final call about what is hung and what is not.”

She looked about and zeroed in on Drawin Pitcher.  “Drawin, if you will do it, I have a little actual paying work for you!”

The yellow mare looked up from where she was about to fill out some papers at the art show's main desk.  “What can you possibly want from me, KD?  After everypony finding out about my trick, I was going to withdraw from the show.”

KD agreed, “It was a pretty dirty trick, Drawin.  Only the ponies here right now know about it, though.  That does not change the fact that your work is first rate.  Stay in the show.  We can cover this up really easily.  My pieces will need labels.  As far as I know, you are the best calligrapher in Manehatten.

“Any pony claiming bad blood between us will have to explain how YOUR distinctive calligraphy is on my labels.”

“Why are you trying to help me, after what I did?”

KD sat and scratched at her jaw spines with her big left hind claws before answering, “Critical thinking, Drawin.  There are two parts to you. One is more than a bit mean and underhoofed.  The other makes works like the ones over there on the wall.  That last part is too valuable to lose.  The first part should be lost, if you can.

“I am trying to save that valuable second part.”

Sourly the green maned yellow mare said, “I see.  Actually, thanks.  I need sales from this show or money from somewhere else or I could lose my studio.”

Laying a big claw gently over the withers of Drawin, KD said, “I do understand.  Before I got established, I was there more than once. Here is my list of titles.  What will you charge me?”

“After this?  I may need money but I don't need it that badly.  I will get right on these.”

“Fair enough, Drawin.  When you finish these up, go talk to Mister Hazard. He has a commission, no committees or the like.  I had to let it go, due to time constraints.  It might be just right for you.”

Watching in fascination, wondering where the embarrassment would come from, I felt a really sort of creepy sensation.  I was not sure, but it seemed to involve the two strange ponies standing outside the door.

I saw Drawn Pitcher hard at work, her pen producing truly excellent calligraphic labels for KD's art.

I hated to interrupt, but there could be a life or more in the balance.  I really did not care one way or the other about the yellow mare's life, but KD DID.  That tipped the scales, as it were.

I strolled over to her.  “May I interrupt you briefly, Ms. Pitcher?”

She looked up with a glare, paused and made an obvious effort to compose herself.  “Um, you are the goat that KD brought here, aren't you?”

“Correct. My card.”  

I proffered my business card.  It was embossed stock with raised lettering in black and gold gilt.  It said:

GRUMPETER “GRUMPY” GOAT

Licensed Practitioner of Non Equine Magic

All work by publicly registered contracts.

Refund of 110% if contract terms are not met.

A ROYALLY CHARTERED BUSINESS

“Impressive. How can a goat even have a Royally Chartered business?”

I sort of sucked in my nonexistent cheeks a little and retorted, “By being VERY good at what I do.  I wanted to ask you about how you got that bag.  I know that it was not made on this world. Either you summoned it, or you summoned a being that brought you the bag.

“Since you knew how to load it and trick KD into taking it, my money is on the second choice.”

She sort of hung her head and absently scraped at the floor with a hind hoof as she replied, “You are right.  I did summon something.  It was like a cloud of ugly dark smoke with eyes floating in it.  I told it what I wanted to do.  I mean make KD so that she would lose the contract, but not be actually hurt.

“It brought me the bag and told me how to set it.”

I nodded as parts started falling into place.  “I see.  Two more questions. Which book did you use and did your summoning go right on the first try?”

“Umm, I was afraid to try the Necronomipony.  It has such a dangerous reputation.  I used the Black Pullet as printed by Non Equine University Press.

“And no.  I had to try twice for the summons to work.  Is that important?”

Urgently, I asked, “Did you clean everything up after the failed try, or did you re use the same pentacles?”

“I re used them.  Getting everything right was a LOT of work.”

I chuckled.  “I do know about that!  Non Equine magic is way harder than just waiving a wand around!

“Thing is, I believe that your first summoning may have worked.  That is why I was checking on what you did.”

“What! Nothing happened.  That is why I tried a second time.”

“I do understand, Drawin.  I was just clearing something up.  I will let you get back to your lettering.  Beautiful work, by the way.”

Now sure of what happened, I sauntered over to the door.  I gave the ponies waiting there my best, fang filled grin.  “I see that you noticed that until the show opens tomorrow, that this is a private residence. Vamponies here in Equestria need to be invited into homes.  The succubus should be able to enter without a problem.  That means that she is tied to you, ma'am.”

I covered up my glamored in fangs as I bowed to them.  “My name is Grumpeter Goat.  Grumpy for short.  As you have likely already noticed, I am dead.  Not a zombie or anything like that, but totally deceased.  Let us retire over to that bench under the shade tree in the garden while we talk.  If that talk goes well, I will invite you in myself.”

The vampony nodded.  “That makes sense, sort of.  My name is Jinni and this is Sassy to her friends.  Not sure what sort of power real names have here, but for now, I am not taking the chance.  Getting out of the sun is a good idea.”

As we seated ourselves comfortably out in the garden, Sassy ventured, “What do you want to talk about?  I don't think that we have done anything wrong.”

I raised a hoof in agreement.  “Not yet, you haven't.  You have already noticed that this world runs on slightly different rules than where you came from.  I saw you try to enter through that open door.  I am sure that nopony saw it.  That is a rule that is different from your home.  You can freely enter any public space, the door of a store, for instance.  Private homes, not without an invitation.

“Daylight leaves you no stronger than an ordinary pony.  Night will let you be about twenty times that strong.  It will increase your ability to control your prey as well.

Jinni nodded slowly, “We have noticed some of that.  Why are you trying to help us?”

I curled a lip and my eyes slitted.  “I don't like most ponies very much, at all.

“Now, you need to understand some basic rules.  This world is well aware of vamponies.  They have tried and true methods of hunting down and destroying supernatural beings.  So, the best way to manage, is to not draw attention to yourselves by leaving a trail of dead, dying and wounded ponies behind.  Use your talents at prey control to take only small amounts at any one time.  

“Let them think that they had a pleasant interlude with you, except for Sassy, there.  They will feel like they had a fun INTERLEWD with her.”

They both had the courtesy to wince at my pun.

Jinni offered, “We came here because we sort of felt drawn to this place. We aren't sure why.  Do you know that, Grumpy?”

“As a matter of fact, Jinni, I do.  You were summoned here by a spell strong enough to warp you both into ponies.  I don't know what you looked like before and don't care.  Your natures have been preserved. There is a connection between summoner and summoned and that is what brought you here.  The pony that summoned you is inside that place. She was trying to cut a rival out of a lucrative book illustration contract.  She has failed.”

Sassy paused to think carefully.  “What should we do and why would you let us into that house?”

I grinned again.  Gave them a great show of phony fangs.  “As I pointed out, the path of safety lies in moderation.  If you agree to it, I can let you in to play fanpony to our guilty party.  You know, autographs and the whole nine yards.  Her name is Drawin Pitcher. She is yellow with a green mane and tail.  Because she summoned you, SHE can't keep you out of HER home or any private space of hers.

“She can do one thing for you that will make the rest worthwhile, unless you REALLY LIKE being ponies with unusual diets.  She has the spell book and knows the spell that will send you back where you came from.”

Both responded at once, “WE DON'T!”  Jinni added with a smile that showed her fangs, “It IS fun for a nice visit.  Say, a week or two. Shall we go in?”

“I shall precede you, ladies, and introduce you to the nice young mare who invited you to this world.”  Reaching the door, I stepped in and bowed, “Jinni and Sassy, would you please come in?  The artist that you are looking for is over at that desk.”

Jinni's eyes were glued to KD.  “That is a dragon!”

“No kidding.  That is KD, the artist who Drawin was trying to muscle out of the contract.”

That got them both to focus.  They squealed fairly quietly as they descended on Drawin Pitcher!  “It's really her!  Oh, Ms. Pitcher!  It is so great to actually meet you!”

At first, she tried futilely to fend off the duo.  I noticed that her really good calligraphy was now labeling all of KD's works, hanging on both sides of her panel.  I realized that the two were interfering with Drawin Pitcher's signing something for Mr. Hazard of Haphazard House Publishing.

We found out what it was very quickly.  Jinni squealed in delight, “Your first book of art!  They will be the luckiest foals in the kingdom that get to color your drawings!  Can I get a copy with your autograph on it?”

Drawin Pitcher looked like she was ready to sink through the floor with her face aflame.

I cheerfully leaned up against KD and questioned, “What do you think of Drawin's cheering section.  They will be fanponying  her for the next few weeks!”

KD watched with amusement.  She offered, “You really did not get much for all of your trouble, Grumpy.  If you wanted to, you could make a killing off the painting of Wind by the T82.  Not only do the critics think that it is a great piece of fantasy realism, Wind has agreed to stay for the show and pose by the painting so ponies can see her genuine metal arm and sword.  The show has not opened yet and there have been three bids.  The last one was for over a thousand gold bits.”

I agreed, “Monetarily, this contract was a bust.  At least I did not have to give out a refund.  I am going to keep the picture.  It is a better treasure to me than gold.”

KD chuckled, “Are you feeling all right?  I thought that I just heard you say that something was worth more than gold!

“Drawin will be both taken care of by that contract and embarrassed to death. It is an open ended one to draw foal's coloring books.  The money is really pretty good but even with her good work doing well at shows, she will always be remembered as the mare that draws those foal's books.

“Our contract is fulfilled, Grumpy.  You will get the autographed Daring Do book when it is ready for distribution but before it hits the stores.”

~THE END~

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