> New Equestria > by Party Pop > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Princess Magic of the Mighty Potato Empire (Princess Magic) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight Sparkle paced in her room, her wings fluttering at her sides anxiously. Books flew from the shelves in her magical grasp as she frantically searched through them, trying to find something, anything, some shred of a possible answer must be somewhere in- "Twilight? What's going on? Rarity said you were really upset about something." Spike said, walking into his old home with his usual Twilight Panic Attack kit of cookies, a paper bag, and pillows. Twilight didn't so much as glance at him as she raced through the shelves. "My sister just became a princess, Spike!" she called out from three rows over in the forbidden magic section as several books crashed to the floor. Spike set the supplies on the nearby table and tried to follow her through the library, in case she hurt herself by accident. "Isn't that good news?" he asked, wondering what her problem was. Twilight suddenly teleported in front of him, causing him to nearly collide with her. "NO!!! It makes no sense! She can't rule over her studies, much less Equestria!!" she practically screamed, the wind force from her shout causing him to fall on his butt. Spike glared up at her, disappointed in her narrow-minded view of her own sister. "Hey, Magic may have autism, but that doesn't make her stupid, Twilight!" he snapped back. Twilight's eyes widened in shock as her wings shot open. "Oh, nonono!!! I wasn't saying that, Spike! It's not that she's dumb, it's that she hasn't been trying! It took me almost my entire life up until recently studying magical sciences, and that's how I became a princess. I earned my title, Spike. She wasn't doing anything special! Wings just farted out of her back for no reason!" Twilight shook where she stood as she wondered how on earth her 'special' sister could have accomplished something like this. Spike rolled his eyes. "Maybe she had an epiphany that will change the course of history or something. I don't know. Why don't you go ask her yourself, Twilight?" he asked. Twilight's eyes twinkled as she realized what a good idea that was. "Spike, that's brilliant! Maybe she just needs help bringing her vision into reality!" she exclaimed, grabbing her research tools. Spike sighed, eating one of the cookies he had brought. Twilight meant well, but she tended to underestimate the capabilities of her little sister due to her mental disability. Twilight grabbed her last roll of parchment before turning back to Spike. "Hey, make sure to tell my assistant to pick all of those up, OK?" she asked, pointing to the books before teleporting away. Her red-haired assistant peeked around the corner upon hearing this, her pink hair bow seeming to droop in frustration as she saw the mess Twilight had left again. "Perfect!" Princess Magic proclaimed as she finished her newest creation, wiping it clean with a nearby cloth. She dropped it into her fluffy purple fur as a nearby loud sound startled her. She turned around, seeing her sister standing behind her, panting slightly from her previous gathering frenzy. "Oh, hi sis! How are you?" she asked, turning back to her creations as she made sure they had all the proper pieces. Twilight smiled at her sister. "Oh, I'm fine, I-" "I'm a princess now!" Magic interrupted. "Just like you!" Twilight brushed it off, knowing it was just a side effect of her sister's mental condition. "Yes, that's right, Magic, you are a princess now." Twilight said, a slightly patronizing tone in her voice. Magic tried to ignore it, knowing her big sister just didn't know better and thought she needed coddling. "so what are you.... Doing?" Twilight asked as she looked up, her face paling in horror as she saw a room full of what looked like dull beige ponies with mild elephantiasis, with a few red and purple ones mixed in. Magic bounced in place, giggling. "They're potatoes!" she exclaimed happily. "They're WHAT?" Twilight burst out in shock. Magic hovered up next to the face of one of them, her little wings letting out a muffled buzz under her copious amounts of fur. "They're ponies made of potatoes! That's how I became a princess! I was playing with my pet potato the other day in the park, and someone said he wasn't a real pet because he can't move, so I thought to myself, 'Well, what if he could?', so I thought about it, and then realized it was possible if I altered one of your transmutation spells a little by combining it with your charm that makes plants grow! Now I can turn potatoes into ponies!" she explained, patting the face of the one she was hovering next to with a giggle. "For example, this one is a russet potato. He's very strong, isn't he?" she crooned as she poked his bicep, eliciting a blush from him. Meanwhile, Twilight was trying to process the information in front of her. Her little sister, the one who had to go to special schools for the mentally challenged her entire life, the one who was literally obsessed with potatoes and knew everything about them, had created a new race of pony from the starchy tubers and was now literally flirting with a potato. She realized now that her sister had become a princess because she was meant to rule the new kingdom that would inevitably be made for these unusual ponies. She didn't know where it would be, how it would interact with Equestria, or how on earth her sister would run the place, but she did know one thing. "This is definitely the weirdest thing that I've walked in on you doing." > The cutest little nightmare (Marshmallow Creme) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marshmallow Creme was a nice little bunny. She went to a normal school, had normal Narnian parents, and a normal big brother. She couldn't recall anyone having ever wanted to hurt her, or having considered themself her enemy. Which is why officer Trots couldn't understand why someone would murder her entire family, save for the now sobbing child in her embrace. The little one was crying her poor eyes out, shaking in horror. Trots sighed as she carried her to the police car. Marshmallow Creme had been the one who found her family's corpses strung up across the house like a christmas scene from hell. Entrails and blood were strewn about the house behind closed doors, the forensics team trying not to vomit at the horrific sight. In the back of the car, little Marshmallow Creme sniffled, curled up in a corner as they took her to the station for further questioning. As Marshmallow Creme left the station, she looked up at the sky, with its billions of stars and bright moon. She thought about how her life would be drastically different now, and wondered where she would go. After all, she wasn't nearly old enough to live on the streets by herself. She looked up to the gunmetal grey mare beside her, her short, bright red mane swaying gently in the night breeze like the grass from the front yard of Marshmallow's old home. "Ms. Trots?" Officer Trots looked down at the little bunny, surprised that she had said anything at all. "Yes, dear?" "What's going to happen to me? I don't know how to cook or drive or anything... How am I going to take care of myself?" she asked, her eyes beginning to water. Officer Trots put a comforting hoof around the bunny's shoulder. "Don't worry, love, we're going to take you to the very best orphanage in Equestria." Marshmallow furrowed her brow in confusion. "Where's that?" she asked. "Floral Melody's Home for Disadvantaged Youths. It's a state-of-the-art institution that educates and houses orphans for free. There's incredible diversity there. They have everyone from ponies to refugees from the war in the Minecraft realm. There might even be some more Narnians, like you!" Trots replied, smiling as she rattled off the various details of the school. Marshmallow wondered to herself what it would be like to live at a school. "How do you know so much about it?" Marshmallow Creme asked, feeling a little embarrassed that she had to ask so many questions. Officer Trots smiled as she lifted the little bunny into the car. "Because I used to live there." Marshmallow Creme peeked out the window as the police car pulled up to her new home. Her ears drooped as she saw nothing but a scrappy looking wooden shack in a bad part of town. She didn't see how this could be the happy, wonderful place officer Trots said it was. She got out of the car with the police mare and walked up to the door. Officer Trots smiled as she opened the door, watching the little bunny's eyes widen in surprise as she saw the inside. And there was plenty to be surprised about. Instead of a dusty, rundown interior, she saw a huge room, much too big to have fit into the tiny shack. It had polished marble floors, a crystal chandelier, big desks made of lacquered dark oak wood, and paintings of important looking ponies. Trots walked up to one of the desks, where a Creeper in a maroon sweater vest sat, typing on a computer. The young police mare smiled as she placed a hoof on the counter t get her attention. The creeper looked up, smiling when she saw the mare's face. "Hey! Haven't seen you in a while!" the Creeper said, bumping Trot's hoof with her... Appendage? "It's nice to see you too, Hssartha!" Trots said, smiling back. Marshmallow Creme stood behind Officer Trots, peeking out shyly at the Creeper. Trots looked back at the tiny bunny, patting her head with her hoof gently. "Aw, it's ok, little one. She's very nice." Trots said, scooting her forward gently as Hssartha looked from her to Trots. Trot's smile faded as she looked back to her friend. "I've got a new resident for you... She'll definitely need some attention from your psychiatric ward, she's been trough a lot." Trots said, her ears drooping as she thought back to that morning. Hssartha typed on her computer again, opening a drawer in her desk as she opened several tabs on her computer. "That's perfectly fine, most of our new residents need to go there anyway, so she won't be singled out by the other students. Do you have her birth certificate?" she asked. Trots reached into her saddlebags to grab Marshmallow's important documents as the little bunny settled into a seat, ready to wait here for a good, long time. Two hours later, Trots had finally finished with all of Marshmallow's legal red tape to move her in to her new home. She turned to the little bunny, smiling as she gave her a parting hug. "Well, it's time for me to go, but you know where to find me if you ever need anything." she said, a tear running down her face, but quickly wiped away. Marshmallow smiled, hugging her back with her one arm as best she could. "Don't worry, I know how to call you on the phone." she said, giggling as Trots booped her nose. As Trots opened the door to the outside, she glanced back over her shoulder, reminiscing over when she used to live in these majestic halls. Marshmallow got up from her seat as Hssartha lead her up the stairs in the back of the room. She looked up at Hssartha, wondering how she managed to get up the stairs with her little bent legs. "How does everything fit in here?" she asked, slightly startling Hssartha. "It's a pocket dimension. You enter it by coming through the front door. The founder of the school had a powerful alicorn named Gold Soul create it within the shack you saw outside, so they could buy the building outright without having to pay ridiculous amounts of money, and still being able to make the place wonderful for orphans to live in." Hssartha replied. Marshmallow Creme's eyes widened with amazement. "Wow! That must have been really hard." she said. Hssartha chuckled as she walked down a hallway with her little charge. "Yes, even he had a hard time creating such a large and detailed dimension." Marshmallow Creme wondered how on earth he could have done it. "How big is this dimension, anyway?" she asked. "No one is quite sure. The building itself is enormous, though. We have teleporters in each dorm so that everyone can get to their classes. There's also a portable version on your new bed, so you can get back to your room. We've had state-of-the-art Endish technology installed into many of the features in each room, so you might run into a few surprises." Hssartha said. Marshmallow Creme wondered what Endish tchnology was, and how it worked, but was interupted as they stopped at a door with the number "949" on it. Hssartha looked down at Marshmallow wth a smile. "Well, here's your new room. i hope you like it!" she said, giving Marshmallow the room key as she began to walk back to her desk. "Let me know if you need anything!" "Ok!" Marshmallow said, unlocking the door and walking in. She looked around, taking in the sight of her new room. It had a huge, fluffy bed with a canopy, a window with the moon shining in through it, a closet, a strange looking chest with a green cat's eye on it, a dresser, and a nightstand. The walls were cream colored, and the carpet was a soft pink. Marshmallow walked to the camera in the corner of her room, putting a magnet on it to turn it off, since she hated being on camera. Then, she walked to her nightstand and opened the drawer, placing inside something she had kept in her pocket from her home, something she could never leave behind, something that made her feel safe. Her mother's largest carving knife. > Making new Friends (Marshmallow Creme) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marshmallow Creme never much cared for getting up early. It made one drowsy while trying to get things done, and that tended to have disastrous results. It made couples quarrel, important objects get left behind, and caused accidents on the road. Fortunately for her, she wouldn't be likely to have to get up before 10:00 AM for a long time. As she stretched her arm and legs, rolling over to get out of her bed, she glanced at her schedule, thanking her lucky stars that her classes all started after 10:30. She grabbed her new backpack, which the school had modified for her while she slept so that it could be used with only one arm, putting her new school supplies inside it as she looked outside the window to the playground. It was huge, with a massive jungle gym, swing sets, a merry-go-round with various domestic animals to ride, a pool, and a cave with yellow lights in it. She picked up her schedule, looking over her classes for the day. First, she had baking. Looking down at her teleporter, she noticed a flashing button on the top. "Hm? Why is it flashing? Did I break it already?!?" she asked nobody in particular, since she was alone. Quickly pulling on her new school uniform, which was black with a cute little red stripe on each sleeve and the collar, a big red silk bow for a tie, a black skirt, white socks, and tiny, adorable black mary jane shoes, she pushed the button on the teleporter to see if the flashing would stop. She was very thankful afterwards that she had grabbed her backpack first. The world seemed to melt away at high speed as Marshmallow Creme felt the ground beneath her feet vanish momentarily. Bright colors and loud, strange sounds flooded her senses as her whole body seemed to reorganize its cells for a moment. When everything around her finally stopped seeming to wither away and turn into chaos itself, she realized she was in a classroom. Looking around, she saw students putting on aprons and sitting at odd looking tables with little ovens. The smell of sugar and bread filled the room with a cozy feeling as Marshmallow Creme realized that she was at her first class. She noticed her table was near the front, next to a pastel pink... Pony? Marshmallow didn't know quite what this student was supposed to be, but she sat down next to her anyway. She noticed that the student was using some odd form of magic that she had never seen before. It looked like rainbow glitter was swirling around her... hooves... As they emitted a soft white light. In a few seconds, a tiny creature in a maid outfit had appeared on the table and had started making tea. After this odd ritual, the student looked up at her new neighbor. "oh, hi! Sorry, you came at an odd moment." she said, her pink cat's eyes twinkling in the light. Marshmallow couldn't help but notice how adorable she was, with her pastel blue hair and little bell at the end of her cat-like tail. She had adorned herself with many cutesy accessories, such as fluffy fabric stars and silk ribbons which seemed to bloom like flowers from her mane, and the big purple bow on her tail. Marshmallow smiled as a fuzzy feeling warmed her whole tiny body. "It's ok. I'm Marshmallow Creme! What's your name?" she asked, hoping to become friends with this interesting, magical being before her." "Kawaii-chan. Are you new? Kawaii-chan has not seen you before. Nobody ever wanted to sit near Kawaii-chan in class." she asked. Marshmallow blinked, slightly confused by Kawaii-chan's use of third person, but continued the conversation anyway. "Um, yeah, actually. I just showed up yesterday." she said. "I don't want to be rude, but what exactly are you? I've never seen a creature like you before." "Not even Kawaii-chan knows. Nobody's ever found anyone else like Kawaii-chan. Kawaii-chan is the only one that anyone knows to exist." she said, looking a little sad. "They found Kawaii-chan in the woods, playing with Breezies, but even they did not know what Kawaii-chan is." Marshmallow frowned, feeling sad for her new friend. But then something occurred to her, and she smiled again. "You look kinda like a kitty!" she said, poking her friend's cheek playfully. Kawaii-chan giggled. "Yes, Kawaii-chan does. Kawaii-chan has the ears, whiskers, nose, paws, tail eyes, and teeth of a kitty, but is pony-shaped." she said, smiling happily from the positive attention. "Why do you keep using your name instead of 'me' or 'I'?" Marshmallow asked, looking at the floor shyly. "Kawaii-chan has a speech impediment." she replied. "Oh." "Ok, class! Let's get started!" the teacher said. She was a creamy white gryphon with a black beak and claws. The class quieted down as she began to explain the uses of yeast in baking. Marshmallow took as many notes as she could manage, writing as fast as she could. "Well, now that you've learned about that, you get to do your task for the day!" What?!? Already??? Marshmallow thought, her mind racing frantically to remember everything she had just learned. "Today, you're going to make a cake that uses yeast to rise instead of magic!" the teacher said. "I don't want to see anyone trying to slip in any extra 'help' for the yeast, either." she said, shooting a glance at Kawaii-chan. The room was suddenly bustling with activity, drawers flying open and ingredients slamming onto the tables. Marshmallow looked around, trying to figure out what to do. Kawaii-chan noticed her new friend's plight, and walked up to her desk. "You open this drawer here, and it has any ingredient you might ever need. Just concentrate on what you want, and it'll be in the drawer!" she said, opening it to demonstrate as she pulled out various basic baking supplies and a cookbook. "The school had the desks specially made with Endish magic for each of the classrooms, so that each student can use what they like best with each project without having to worry about paying for it." she explained as Marshmallow looked on. Kawaii-chan opened the cookbook, flipping through slowly so Marshmallow could point out anything that caught her eye on the way to the page she was looking for. "That looks good!" Marshmallow said, pointing to a page. Kawaii-chan blinked in surprise. "Marshmallow, that recipe has blood jelly in it." "I know! My mommy used to make it for me all the time!" Marshmallow replied. "It's my favorite!" "You eat meat?" "Yeah, my whole family did. Why?" Marshmallow asked. "Kawaii-chan did not know that bunnies could eat that." she replied, sitting back at her table to knead dough. Marshmallow shrugged it off, getting the ingredients she needed from the drawer and warming the proofer under the oven. "Ok, class! Your hour is up! Let's see what you made!" the teacher said, wiping off the display counter with her tail. One by one, the students brought up their creations, some large and opulent, others squashy and bland-looking, and told the class about them. Marshmallow strained to get her newest masterpiece on the table before the teacher noticed her plight and lifted it for her. Marshmallow hopped up onto a stool to talk to the class, sweating slightly as she saw the rows of expectant faces in her class, all eyes on her. U... Um... This is my cake." she said, pointing to it with her only arm. "It's a three-layer cake with blood jelly filling and a strawberry frosting. I had some extra time, so I made a little vampire strawberry on top with marshmallow fondant." she said, smiling as she pointed to the tiny strawberry with little wings and fangs. There was dead silence in the room for what felt like an hour, but was probably only a few seconds. Suddenly, the sound of clapping paws could be heard as Kawaii-chan applauded her new friend. Slowly, one by one, other students joined in politely, but looking stunned. Marshmallow smiled, trying to hide her embarrassment as she went back to her table. The teacher coughed awkwardly as she pulled out paper plates. "Well, what an... interesting array of cakes, class! Let's see if they taste as good as they look!" she said, cutting slices from them. The students walked up to the counter, chatting to each other in their friend groups. Kawaii-chan walked with Marshmallow, happy to have made a new friend. "That was really good, Marshmallow! Kawaii-chan has never seen such a great first presentation before!" she said, walking to Marshmallow's cake first to try it. Most of the students had crowded around Kawaii-chan's enormous cake, which seemed to be a combination of the frivolities of Marneigh Antoinehoof and the result of a candy store exploding. A few had cautiously wandered to Marshmallow's cake too, morbidly curious about its surprising filling. An enormous, squashy looking colt by the name of Billy took the first bite of Marshmallow's cake as everyone looked on with wide eyes, bodies ridged with anticipation. "Hey, this is really good!" he exclaimed, practically inhaling his slice before going for another. One by one, the students all walked up to her cake, taking little bites before devouring it. Even the teacher took a slice, saying that her father, Gustav le Grande, would have been proud to offer such a cake in his shop. Marshmallow smiled, feeling warm all over as she received the praise of her classmates for her cake. But then, something caught her eye, something that would change her world forever. Or, rather, someone. He was perfect. He stood by her cake, eating his slice with precise, careful bites, so as not to waste a single bit. His muscular bear body fit into his uniform perfectly, his shaggy, but well-groomed coat swaying gently in the air conditioner breeze as he nibbled on her cake as his big, brown eyes and gentlemanly ways nibbled a spot into her heart for him forever. She knew in that moment that she had been born for the sole purpose of being by his side, no matter what the cost. She didn't care how, and she didn't care who she had to hurt to make it happen. Senpai would be hers. > From the ground up (Princess Magic) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Being a princess was the dream of many ponies. It was a glamorous position, indeed, where one would become an adored celebrity welcomed in all circles practically overnight. One would imagine that becoming a princess would grant one almost anything they desired. However, no one ever talks about how stressful it is. Princess Magic of the newly formed Holy Potato Empire was ruminating over this now as she oversaw the building of her country's capital city. All around her, the potato ponies worked hard, some pulling great loads with their incredible strength, some writing on large blue scrolls with white ink, and a few artisans making the little details for later, such as doorknobs and stained glass windows. A few of the ponies were prancing around in delight as they earned their cutie marks, mostly building and strength related ones so far. Magic smiled, sipping her coffee as she nestled into the blanket that had been provided for her by her royal sister. The sun was just barely beginning to rise over the hills, and her fluffy wool was slightly damp with dewdrops that had formed from the cold morning that she had sat through. She'd already been out of her warm bed for two hours, and it was freezing cold out. She looked to the West, gazing at the coast of the beautiful Celestial sea, just visible past the volcanic terrain of the Draconic kingdom to the Northwest. She smiled, proud of herself for having already created an alliance with their militaristically powerful neighbors. Their king, a huge red dragon with glowing amber eyes and dull pink spines, had been slightly terrifying, but seemed almost too eager to do whatever the tiny fluffy princess wanted just to get her to leave. She wasn't certain, but she thought she had seen a hint of fear in his eyes while they engaged in diplomacy. Did she have a reputation as a powerful leader already? She smiled, wishing she could pat herself on the shoulder, but knew her fur made that all but impossible. Suddenly, a very large potato pony, probably made from a Norland Red, galloped up to the princess as fast as he could, panting slightly as he skidded to a halt in front of her, bowing quickly. "Your highness! The changelings have arrived from the West! We are under attack!" He exclaimed, eliciting a horrified gasp from the crowd that had gathered. Princess Magic looked to the sky, seeing a massive black swarm coming in from the ocean at an alarming rate. She furrowed her brow, furious that Chrysalis had already advanced upon their borders without provocation. "Send the fastest messenger we have to the palace of the dragon king. Tell him of our plight, and request that he send aide in the form of soldiers. Gather the strongest of the rest of us, and prepare them for battle." she said decisively, her eyes flashing with fury under the morning sun. "Today, we go to war." "I don't think I need to tell you all why we're here." Magic said, facing her new army of strong, hardy ponies. "As you can see from the horizon, the Changeling empire has advanced upon our borders without any warning. Even now, they are flying straight for our incomplete capital city." she said, beginning to pace in front of the lines. "They are not like our kind, or even the dragons to the North. They care not of our fear, or our dreams, or our desires. They simply take what they want, and plow down mighty, proud civilizations. Their leader is a cruel, horrid mistress to her people. They will not retreat. They will not show mercy. They will not stop until their last soldier has been slaughtered on the battlefield." she said, her eyes cold and fierce. Suddenly, she turned back to the crowd, seemingly about to burst with determination. "But not today!" she cried, her army looking on to their leader with wide eyes. "Today, we take a stand!" "Today, we show those heartless bastards that we're strong ponies, and we will not fall victim to their cruel ways!" she shouted, the army cheering as they became excited for the battle ahead. "Today, we FIGHT!" she screamed, raising her hoof to the sky as she flew into the air above her roaring soldiers. She turned to the advancing changelings, fury and pride in her every move. "ATTACK!!" she cried, streaking towards the front lines with the speed of a comet, her new wings blazing with strength and courage. And the armies collided. The battlefield flooded with noise and confusion, the sounds of steel and chitin colliding as soldiers fell like flies onto the grass, painting it red and gold with the blood of both sides. The princess cannoned through the enemy lines, powerful beams of energy blasting through the changling battalion as huge swaths of changeling drones incinerated on the spot. She could see her soldiers below hammering down on the ground forces as she cut empty space into the airborne warriors. Ten minutes into the battle, her fur was matted with sickly yellow changling blood and inky black ashes, creating warrior paint on her tiny, fluffy body as she slaughtered wave after wave of changelings. As she looked around, however, it seemed to have done no good. Even though she had single-handedly killed at least a thousand changelings, ten thousand more seemed to have taken their place as her army toiled in the battlefield below. Her heart sank as she realized that their efforts were for naught. Her new kingdom, and all of its people, would become nothing more than a food source for the cruel, tyrannical changeling empire. A tear trickled down her face as she thought of all the ponies below who were counting on her, and how she had failed every single one of them. But suddenly, she heard a deafeningly loud roar and the flapping of massive wings as the ground below her rumbled. The dragons had come. The king was in the front lines, leading a massive army of his people. Countless gem-colored behemoths descended upon the changeling ranks, their fire blazing brightly through the clouds of soldiers. Everywhere, club-like tails and teeth sharper than obsidian blades tore through the changelings like knives through butter. Furious roars and terrified screams surrounded Magic as she witnessed the slaughter of millions of warriors around her. In less than a minute, the battle was won. The entire changeling army was destroyed. As Magic looked to the West, she saw the sole survivor of the changling army flying away at breakneck speed, three enormous dragons tailing her over the Celestial sea, before turning back to the battlefield to land. She was larger than the other changelings, with flashing green eyes and long, long legs. It was none other than Queen Chrysalis herself. Magic floated back down to the battlefield, her soldiers cheering below as they hugged each other, just happy to have survived. A few soldiers had fallen, and their friends were by their corpses, trying in vain to fix their fallen allies. The dragons flew back to their kingdom, their wings creating colored light on the field like a collection of stained glass shards. As Magic walked among her soldiers, she noticed the most amazing thing she had ever seen. Where they had been hurt, the ponies were healing themselves before her very eyes. Wounds closed and limbs regrew as the soldiers looked on, themselves bewildered at this incredible feat. Even a few who had been decapitated came back to life when their heads were put back on their necks. She suddenly realized that her soldiers, being made of plants, could regrow themselves in the sunlight, making any injuries, even the most horrific ones, easily fixable, Even death had become a temporary inconvenience for some of them. Her forces, if their necks were protected adequately, could be completely unstoppable. They were the ultimate soldiers. She smiled as she watched a fallen pony get back up and join her overjoyed friends again. Turning around, she led the battalions back home. They had a city to build. > There comes a time (Gold Soul) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gold Soul sat in his favorite armchair, the place where he had many of his most important realizations and discoveries. It also happened to be where he had his best naps. Right now, though, he was just reading a copy of Playcolt. He smiled as he turned the slick pages with his magic, a few already stuck together from the fun he'd had with them. This was a special issue, made mostly because of his influence and status in his home city, since Playcolt was printed in Manehattan. As he got to the centerfold advertised on the cover, he gasped slightly, blushing as he saw none other than his own sweet little kitten within, laying on an opulent cushion. She had cute little socks on, black with pink paw pads on each hoof. Her tail was pulled up by a pink ribbon with a big bow, revealing her soft, warm marehood to the camera. As she looked over her shoulder to the viewer, her mane flowed over her withers like a soft purple wave, her bouncy curls cascading about them gently as her eyes sparkled a brilliant sapphire blue. Gold smiled as he stroked himself, knowing that he could have her magnificent beauty happily submitting to him in his bed whenever he pleased. He groaned as his hooves and magic did their work, eliciting a pleasurable warmth and a few quick spurts of white, sticky fluid before too long. He sighed, looking down at his receding member. He enjoyed spending time with his kitten, but he also wished he had something to spend time on when she was busy... Maybe a hobby? As he turned the page, an advertisement caught his eye. A Pokemon show was happening in Manehattan, with varieties from Kanto to Unova available for viewing and purchase. His eyes widened as he saw that all who paid to enter would be given a free Pokemon from a choice of eighteen varieties while supplies lasted. He looked at the bottom of the ad, seeing that the show had started that day, and would only last for one week. In an instant of clattering hooves and ruffling feathers, he was ready with his saddlebags and dashing out the door. As it slammed behind him, his kitten, Party Pop, trotted out to see what the noise was. She saw the magazine on the floor, still open to the ad. She quickly put two and two together, curling up on the floor as her heart sank to her loins. "He didn't even ask if I wanted to come..." The line outside was bustling with all kinds of ponies, gryphons, mules, and other sentient beings, all eager to get their free Pokemon. Gold Soul gulped nervously, noting that many of them were either rather scrawny and smelled horrid, or were almost blimp-like in their plumpness, adjusting their fedoras on their sweaty brows as they argued with each other about various unusual topics, such as the pronunciation of the name of a strange quadrupedal pokemon with what appeared to be a steering wheel firmly wedged around its midsection, and feet much to pointy to be remotely practical. He inhaled deeply, walking up to the back of the line as he made a mental note to have an extra-long bath play session with his kitten tonight to help him relax. Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd as the other patrons noticed his presence, parting the center for him to pass. He smiled politely as he trotted through, knowing from centuries of experience that ponies simply could not be talked out of treating him to extra privileges he hadn't earned, even if he tried. As he trotted up to the entrance, he pulled a 50 bit note out of his saddlebags, giving it to the stunned bouncer as he took his ticket for the printer. He understood the surprise, and was quite used to dealing with it when out and about the town, but he still felt a tinge of guilt over it. His eyes widened in amazement as he saw the vast variety of Pokemon on display. Arcanines and Houndooms tethered to tables, Pachirisu, Skitties, Furrets, and Teddiursa in display crates piled high, and flocks of Pidgeot, Fletchling, and Pidove soared in a giant glass ball hanging from the ceiling. State-of-the-art technology was on display too, with an abundance of poke balls, potions, and evolution stones to be found. Huge roars and occasional bursts of flame and icy water could be seen over the stalls, coming from the far end of the building. He soon realized that what he could see was only a fraction of what was to be offered. He could explore it all, buy as many supplies as he needed, pick up some shiny pokemon and a pokedex, and before long he, to, could be the ultimate pokem- "Freebies! Come get the advertised freebies here!" a mare in a lab coat called out, ushering a line of ponies in through a door. Gold stopped his daydreaming, rushing to the line and hoping against hope that there would be one left for him. The ponies parted to let him though, only adding to his embarrassment as he ruffled his wings. The mare looked up to him, her spiky purple mane bouncing as she turned her head to meet his gaze. "Oh, hello there! My, I certainly wasn't expecting any royalty to appear today!" she said, a slight blush on her face. Gold smiled, calming down a little as he caught his breath. "Well, technically, I'm not really royalty anymore, but I still work for the government." he said, smoothing his feathers with his magic. He stepped forward to let the other ponies through, not wanting to hold up the line. "It's very nice of you to offer these for free, by the way." he called out over his shoulder, trotting into the room ahead. Once he got in, he recoiled a little in shock. He had never seen so many ponies arguing at once! There were at least ten of them, each shouting at each other as a stallion in a lab coat tried to calm them down. They seemed to be upset about who got to pick a pokemon first. "I totally reached for that one first!" yelled a pale yellow stallion with a scruffy black mane, and a red hat with a white front panel and green squiggle. "Nuh-uh! I did!" replied a blue stallion with a fluffy brown mane. "I pwicked that Mudkip fwirst!" sniffed a short gray pegasus mare. "I believe you are mistaken, m'lady, for it was I who first laid eyes upon that pokeball!" replied an incredibly fat stallion with a fedora and scruff around his chin and neck. Gold stepped in, puffing up his chest discretely and putting on his sternest face. "Ahem." The rest of the stallions (and one mare) all stopped their yelling in an instant as soon as they noticed the massive stallion in the room, his gaze falling upon them disapprovingly. They all looked at each other, and in that moment, resolved their conflict, knowing in their hearts that Gold Soul, high prince of Equestria, should be allowed the honor of first choice. Of course, Gold could care less what order they went in, as long as he got one, and he knew he was no prince, but he didn't want to start the one-sided and excessively title filled argument that would inevitably start if he tried to correct the now-bowing ponies. Either way, he got what he wanted anyway. He trotted up to the table, the three lines of poke balls laid out in front of him as he pondered his choice. He walked around it, looking at the little labels with the picture and typing of each pokemon as he circled it like an apprehensive shark. There was a huge variety, with each line having its own type. One line of mostly green pokemon contained the grass types, with an adorable little sauropod like one catching his eye. He smiled as he looked at it, being reminded of his sweet little kitten back home. He suddenly realized in that moment that he hadn't told her where he was going, what he was doing, or if she wanted to accompany him. A twang of guilt tugged at his heart as he imagined her curled up in a corner, sniffling and missing her Master, wondering what had become of him. Too late to go back now, though. He needed to decide first. He kept walking, wanting to be sure of his decision so he could have something nice to show his kitten when he came home. another one, a pudgy red creature with a flame on the end of it's tail also grabbed his attention as he walked around it. It was nice too, but it would be too easy for a curious kitten to get burnt by accident. He kept going, wanting to pick something absolutely perfect. As he approached the blue line, he saw a small reptile with red wedge spines on its back, and a happy smile on it's face. He smiled as he looked down at its picture, dancing about happily as it blew bubbles. He thought back to the last time he went to the park with his kitten, and how much she had loved playing with the bubbles he had made with his magic. Surely, this would fit in perfectly at his home with the pet he already had. He lifted the pokeball in his magic, pushing the button as he made his decision. The ball opened with a flash of white light as his new pokemon appeared on the ground before him, looking up at its trainer with a smile and hugging his leg. "Totodile!" Gold smiled, patting its head with his hoof. "Aw, aren't you a sweet little guy? My kitten would absolutely love you!" he said, picking up his new friend and putting him on his back as he trotted out, heading for the door. "Dile." Party Pop rushed around her kitchen, mixing sauces and proofing doughs as she beat egg whites in her magical grasp. Maybe, if she made something extra special for her Master, he would be happy, and love her again, and- The door slammed open as Gold Soul rushed in, placing his Totodile on the couch and running to his pet. "Kitten! I'm so sorry! I got excited and-" he began, stopping short as he noticed the frenzy his pet had worked herself into. "Master! You came back! I'm so sorry I upset you! I'll be a good kitten, I promise! I groomed myself so you'd have something nice to look at, and cleaned your gaming room, and I'm making your favorite-" "Kitten, calm down. It's ok." he said, wrapping his wings and arms around her as he pulled her close, rocking her back and forth soothingly as he nuzzled her ear gently, stroking her back the way her therapist had recommended. Her strained, fake smile soon faded, showing the real fear and tears behind the mask she had made for herself. She squeaked, trying not to cry over something so silly as she hid her face in her Master's chest, sniffling and dampening his coat. He hugged her tighter, kissing her head and ears gently, just how she liked it. "Shhh... It's ok, kitten... It's ok..." he said, using his wings like a blanket to keep the harsh light off her face. He bit his lip, wishing he could tell her why she had such a hard time with little things like bright lights. She always felt embarrassed when small sensory things bothered her, but he knew that telling her the truth would only hurt her more. She would feel like a dumb, broken pony, undeserving of him, and would probably run away to an institution for those much more mentally challenged than herself. He knew he couldn't allow her to think of herself as less than deserving of his affections. After a few minutes, she looked up at him, her sapphire eyes glittering with tears. "Master... Why? Why did you go away? I was so scared..." she said, biting her lip as she tried to not start back up. He nuzzled her, their noses touching as she let out a small gasp. He smiled, loving how she still did that after all this time. "I got excited by something I saw in my magazine, and had to go see it for myself. I'm sorry, kitten. It won't happen again." he said, stroking her cheek as he looked into her beautiful eyes with his own emerald ones. "But that's not important, what's important is that my kitten deserves a nice, relaxing bath with her Master." he said, a seductive grin on his face as he led her to the bathtub. His totodile could wait. He had a kitten to comfort.