Miss Cheerilee sighed. This was supposed to be a normal school excursion. Well, supposed to be until three little fillies went missing.
She didn’t want to think about the problems she would get, if she wouldn’t find them in time.
The train back to Ponyville wouldn’t wait for them and that set her under time pressure. She wanted to avoid the parent’s complaints, when their children would not arrive with the arranged train. Parents were rather protective of their foals and so even a small delay would rile them up.
Not to mention that the ponies of Ponyville are rather jumpy as of lately. The incident with Nightmare Moon was still present in their minds, not to mention the parasprite incident and the stampede… It was a rather delicate time, which changed the minds of the inhabitants. Normally things were more… passive around here. The most what they got was a stampede and even those were rare. Trouble was not that often present. And now in those times… it seems like all that changed. The ponies of Ponyville started to EXPECT catastrophes and got more nervous and also with that a little more aggressive. Best was to avoid another conflict.
She sighed. Hopefully this doesn’t end in another fiasco like that time, when the same three troublemakers decided, they wanted to go and stop the infestation of the parasprites.
The schoolhouse didn’t survive it.
Luckily she made it so, that it could get accounted as part of the parasprite incident. Otherwise they wouldn’t have gotten the money for the reconstruction from the town hall that easily.
Foals could really get on her nerves, just as much as the parents sometimes. But don’t get her wrong. Even if the job has its downsides, the happy faces of the foals always made up for it. This was her dream job and she wouldn’t give it up, not for all the money in the world.
As she took a turn, she was relieved to finally see the three o-. She stopped. Sweetie Belle gave some unknown foal a piggyback ride.
His face was completely covered, by some… bandages? She couldn’t quite make it out. But whatever it was, his blue mane was shimmering through them. He was also wearing Sweeties jacket.
“Who is this?” she asked baffled.
“He is my cousin. I met Rarity and she was in a hurry. That’s why she told me to take him home with me.”
She eyed her suspiciously, but her gaze quickly landed on her watch. There was no time for any further delays.
“I still have to talk to you three later about not running off on your own, but for now we have a train to catch.”
She didn’t question it any further. It’s not like they would just foalnap another pony.
She had to giggle at this.
Yeah, a completely ridiculous thought indeed.
With that they run to the already awaiting class.
“I knew it would work.” cheered Sweetie Belle in a whisper.
They were hurrying to the train station with their class, while keeping an adequate distance between the four of them and the rest of their class.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were on each of Sweetie Belle’s sides as an extra safety measure. They guarded her. None of them wanted to get busted after all.
“Ah’m kind of surprised it did. The lack of fur is obvious enough, even with the disguise!”
Sweetie Belle shooed. “Don’t be too loud! You don’t want the others to hear you, don’t you?”
“I guess, you are right. Why did you drag us into this anyway?” enquired Scootaloo, who was eyeing her surroundings warily. She was in constant expectation, that this could blew up every second, considering the lack of fur, of their little package.
“I couldn’t do this without you.” She then looked each of them in the eye for a second, before continuing. “That’s what friends are here for after all, right?”
“Ya mean, for foalnapping other ponies!?” exclaimed Apple Bloom. It certainly put her under a lot of stress and made her quite jumpy. Not that the other members of the CMC’s fared any better.
“Shhh! Can we discuss this maybe, after we are done!?” whispered Scootaloo sharply, “We are not really on Miss Cheerilees good side, since the parasprite incident! I don’t want things to worsen any further!”
“That’s rather strange. Aren’t ya the daring one from us?”
“I AM!” she shouted indignantly, but quickly calmed, as she noted the stares from some passersby. After the situation calmed down a little further, she continued, “It is just, that I can’t stand the thought to take a risk for a demon. One that attacked us!” She then took a sniff and scrunched up her muzzle. “And one who smells rotten. Do all demons smell like this?”
“Yeah. He really does smell like a bunch of rotten apples,” agreed Apple Bloom.
“Hey! He couldn’t take a bath for a thousand years. It’s not his fault,” Sweetie Belle defended. She then turned her head, to look at Laharl, “I’m going to take care of it,” she smiled, as she said with a strong determination, “I’m going to take care of him.”
Back at the museum
Wrecking Ball was not a happy pony. The buff built brown earth pony lost his job at a demolition contractor a year ago. It was his dream job. He was prone to destruction. It was his special talent after all! What is somepony like him supposed to do in a museum? Janitor was definitely nothing he ever wanted to do, but he has to, until he finds a new job in the demolition business.
It can’t take that long to find one. He said to himself the whole past year, since he started this job. Now, he is more or less trying to console himself that he is going to find a more suitable job for him. Of course he knows, that this is probably not going to happen. It was just a nice thought.
Now, as you might guess, it is not easy to work in a museum, when your cutie mark is telling you to wreck this place. Truth be told, he accidentally wrecked a lot over the past year and his employer was not happy. They gave him one last chance. One chance, otherwise he would lose his job.
He had a family to feed and he wouldn’t let anything stand in the way between his responsibilities.
But of course, things wouldn’t go as smoothly, as he hoped. As he turned the corner, he could see the pieces of stone shattered over the ground. He blanched, as he saw the empty pedestal.
“Oh no! Nonononononono!! I’m going to lose my job! This time for sure!”
Of course he would. I mean, what can he say to his defense? I didn’t do it? Things like this happened before, in the past.
For him it was clear, that some snobby foals of a noble were responsible for this. They always think they could get away with every mischief and to his misfortune they did. He was the far better scapegoat and nopony would just go against the nobles unpunished. He tried that and almost lost his job, if he hadn’t apologized to the very same brat that did it!
He took in a deep calming breath. “Calm down. There is still a way out of this, Wreck. Isn’t the first time something broke.”
He hastily cleaned the floor of the few stones that were lying there. He personally didn’t even notice nor care, that there were way too few of them for such a statue. His mind were focused on the mere thought what would happen, if he couldn’t get out of this mess.
He then placed a sign, with the writing: “In restoration” as he slowly and inconspicuous left the scene. Wouldn’t want anypony to get suspicious now, would we?
“Ok. Only need a replacement now. Stone Carver would probably help me out… again.”
With this he slowly walked down the hall of the museum. Nopony must ever know.
*Waaaaaaaaaank*
The train was just leaving Canterlot. The CMC were huddled together in the edge of the cart, trying their best to shield the demon from curious eyes.
Scootaloo was scrunching up her muzzle. She would rather stand as far away from the demon as possible.
“You owe us big time, Sweetie.”
“Come on! It isn’t that bad!”
“Ah have ta agree with Scoots here,” chimed the yellow farm filly in, which had to mean something. She was used to the smell of manure after all.
“Seriously. The princesses were probably fighting him to get him and his stench out of Equestria.”
Sweetie Belle could only sigh at this. It wasn’t an easy task, but it would be worth it. She would raise him to be her own personal Prince Charming. He would lead her to the balcony and ask her for a dance. She would happily accept and dance with him in the moonlight on floor in the garden. Some lonely candles would dimly lit in the background, as he leaned in to kiss her, but stopped a short distance from her mouth, examining her soft lips, before smiling and closing the gap and she would then melt into his strong hands. Just the thought caused an undeniable urge to squeak like a little lovestruck school filly… which she somehow was.
But she couldn’t dwell any further on this, as the farm filly broke her out of her thoughts.
“By the way. What do you reckon does that whole level up thing mean? And why did it pop up only over yer head?”
“It means just that. My level has increased and I have gotten stronger with this. And to, why you didn’t level up… You probably need more EXP for this, since you have higher levels than me.” A smile then spread across her face. “But that game was really delightful! Alone the moment, when the information about the gameplay system flooded my mind and then I had the full control over the situation, going over different tactics to win this. Maybe we could play it again with…”
She pondered for a moment. “We don’t even know his name.”
“Then name it,” said Scootaloo in an annoyed tone. Cleary not interested in this conversation.
“Or ya could ask him his name, when he wakes up,” suggested Apple Bloom.
“I’m actually worried about that. What if his name is… strange? This could draw some attention to him.”
“Yeah, and his bald form, together with his magic wouldn’t cause an uproar,” scoffed Scootaloo as she rolled her eyes. And she made a valid point there. He isn’t exactly inconspicuous.
“He doesn’t have to use his magic and I can think of an explanation for his bald nature.”
Scootaloo quickly narrowed her eyes at something in the cart and then spoke up. “Then better think quickly, because trouble is coming our way.”
“Well, well. If this aren’t the blank flanks. You got too enthralled by this ugly statue back at the museum, so that you got lost?”
Diamond Tiara. If there was a pony which deserved to get called a spoiled brat, then it’s her. Even though some people would probably go for a different word, which also starts with ‘b’. But they of course wouldn’t speak it out loud, especially since two of these three fillies didn’t even know this word. The sweet naivety and innocence of foals.
Nevertheless the fillies stood their ground. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom took protective stances, before their friend to shield her.
But of course Diamond Tiara was not alone. Silver Spoon was with her and she was ready to put her mouth to use. Not a good use, but still a use. This was definitely going to be a bumpy ride.
“Yeah! You were probably snuggling with it, since you can’t find a coltfriend.”
Scootaloo flinched slightly at that. Good that they didn’t stay and saw Sweetie doing… worse things than snuggling. It was also good, that they didn’t take notice of the flinch. This could get pretty ugly, pretty fast.
Diamand Tiara however was not stupid. She noticed something was off. It wasn’t natural for Sweetie Belle to just stand there in the background. She would normally face them together, with their other friends. And here she was, hiding behind her two friends. It didn’t take her long to figure out, they were shielding more than just Sweetie Belle.
She took a small glimpse through the two bodyguards and her gaze wandered over to the unconscious lump that was slumped in a piggy back ride on Sweetie Belles back. It didn’t take her long, before she could see an uncovered spot of his bald skin.
Diamonds muzzle scrunched up into a disgusted look. “He is bald.”
It was easy to see the gears in her head turning, which tried to click and find a solution to the obvious question at hand.
Sweetie Belle of course knew, that she had to act now. Her future coltfriend was at stake after all. And heck, she would sure as hay not just let Diamond Tiara take him away from her.
“He has an ailment! It’s not his fault!”
It was easy to see, that this excuse was glib. Diamond Tiara was not convinced, if only, it confirmed her, that they were hiding something.
“Really? Then let’s take this scarf off. It is strange, that somepony would wrap around a scarf on their head anyway!”
This hit home. The look of horror on Sweetie Belles face was priceless for her and she knew, that she had to do. She quickly pushed forward, only to get blocked by the other two. But her hand still managed to grab the end of the scarf and she pulled.
*BOOM*
In that moment a loud bang could be heard outside. Diamand ceased what she was doing and looked out of the window. A huge rainbow shockwave erupted from the sky.
She was mesmerized by this. Enough so that she didn’t notice the train slowing down as they reached their destination.
Sweetie Belle quickly tightened the scarf again and ran as fast as she could, leaving her friends behind.
She ignored the stares she was getting at the station and didn’t stop until she entered her home and sighed in relief.
“T-that *pant* was close.”
She quickly went up the stairs into her room and laid the unconscious demon on it. Then she noticed the dirt on his clothes.
Maybe, I should clean them. I’m sure he would be grateful.
Dreamscape
I was laying on the ground, my eyes darting up the sky. I could read the words of my doom in the sky.
Game Over…
How did I end up like this?
Then I heard this ear-splitting shrill laugh again. My blood ran cold. I was far from safe here.
“I win and this means, I get the loot!”
The mad marshmallow was getting closer until she was standing directly over me. The atmosphere was unsettling.
“I don’t have anything of worth on me,” was my simple response.
After an eternity, I couldn’t expect, that my castle would still stand. And the only things I normally had on me, were my equipment.
Suddenly I could see the mad glint in her eyes intensify.
“Oh, I could also go for another kind of loot,” she started, as she circled me. “If you can’t pay with items or bits, I will just go for your body.”
My heart rate quickens, as I suddenly had a collar on my neck.
I found myself in a pink room laying on a bed. Probably the room of a girl and then noticed the marshmallow standing in the doorframe.
She started moving towards me in a seductive manner.
I started to panic and trash around in an attempt to get up, but I couldn’t. I soon noticed, that I was restrained to the bed posts.
My trashing intensified. The memory of the kiss still present in my mind. I had to get out of there. Who knows, what she was going to do!
She came closer and closer, but the restraints didn’t relent.
“No need to worry. I will take good care of you, my pet.”
“WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!? I AM LAHARL!! THE OVERLORD!!!”
What was meant to be intimidating, but sounded far more desperate. His trashing added to the desperate effect.
It only made the marshmallows grin widen. The toothy grin was so wide, that it was a wonder, that her face was not split in half by it. And this made it a lot creepier. I don’t need to mention, that I had every right to be concerned and… completely freaked out…
It actually shocked me so much, that my body stopped any movement and let me in a paralyzed state.
The marshmallow was now climbing on the bed and kneed directly over my weakened form. Both hands next to my head.
There was no hope. No escape. Only a feeling of helplessness. The same feeling which I had when I first lost against the two royal butts. I felt resignation.
She slowly leaned in and I could still feel a twinge of panic, but it didn’t matter anymore.
Cause this would be my end…
My eyes shot open in fright and I breathed heavily. I was bathed in sweat and slowly tried to regain my senses. I was obviously in a room and felt quite comfortable.
Wait, comfortable?
…
I was in a bed.
After that dream, I would have honestly preferred the floor. But I was at least not restraint. As I had that thought, I just reminisced about the events from now.
Yep, it was all just a dream. Thank god for that!
Then I noticed something strange. It was somehow warm. Too warm.
Next thing I recognized was a weight.
Warm and weight. Connecting these two.
Not good.
I just hoped it was some kind of dog or something.
I slowly looked down to see…
MAD MARSHMALLOW!!!
She was cuddled to my side. An arm draped across my chest.
Not good. In fact, more like a worst case scenario. My heart raced to speed that could rival even Sunbutt, when she was in her mad state.
I tried to calm myself and took a look in the menu, to check my character states. To my disappointment, I was still weak after that battle. It would take some time until I regain my health fully. And before that, I wouldn’t dare to fight her, even if she was alone.
So this means, that I have to sneak out, without her noticing.
I slowly shifted out of the bed, or I started it, but blanched then. It was a little drafty…
And full on panic mode!
I immediately shot out of the bed, grabbing a nearby pillow to hide my shame and looking immediately for my clothes.
My whole mind was occupied with the single thought to find my clothes. Not a single thought was left to wander in the depths of doom, as to what the mad marshmallow has done to me, while I was asleep.
I shuddered at the thoughts of the kiss, so thinking about THAT was out of question, or I would have a mental break down.
To my misfortune, I couldn’t find my clothes, so that I just had to grab a random blanket that was lying on a chair and wrap it around my waist. This had to do, while I searched the house for my clothes, especially my scarf.
I quickly left the room. It was a miracle that I didn’t wake her up, as I jumped out of the bed. However, I surely wouldn’t complain about that.
As I slowly closed the door, I noticed hoofsteps behind me. I quickly turned around. Only to see a white mare, with a curly purple mane stand before me.
“Uh… hi?”
The following scream could still be heard from a few miles away.