//------------------------------// // Reuniting with the Buddies/The Night Before the Field Trip // Story: G5 Adventures in Space Buddies // by ponydog127 //------------------------------// The Pippsqueaks could never be more excited-- they were finally going on another Unity Quest with the Mane 6! However, as they traveled through the portal to worlds unknown, they couldn't help but wonder where in the world they might be going this time. Fortunately for them, they were soon going to find out. XXXXXXXX A crystal portal opened up in front of an elementary school in a small town, and the Mane 6 stepped out with the Pippsqueaks following behind, and the Pippsqueaks gazed around in wonder at the environment around them. “Sunny, this place is so cool!” Seashell exclaimed. “Where are we, anyway?” “I have a pretty solid idea,” Sunny smiled. “Guys… I think we're back in Fernfield!” “Aww man! Violette is gonna be disappointed we came without her this time,” Hitch said before turning back to the Pippsqueaks. “but I'm glad that we brought you three along.” “We are too!” Glory smiled. “But if you guys have been here before, do you know who our adventure is gonna be with?” Zipp looked around before she spotted five golden furry figures standing over near the school, causing her to smile. “I think I have an idea… come on! We gotta take the Pippsqueaks over to meet them!” “Buddha! Rosebud! Budderball!” Misty called as the ponies trotted over. “B-Dawg! Mudbud! We're back!” “Whoa! What's up, dudes?!” Mudbud asked excitedly as the five Golden Retriever pups ran to greet them, causing the Mane 6 to laugh happily as they reunited with their puppy friends. “Your friends from Fernfield are puppies?!” Peach Fizz asked in shock and delight. “They're so so so cute!!” “Pippsqueaks, we'd like you to meet the Buddies-- Budderball, B-Dawg, Buddha, Mudbud and their little sister Rosebud,” Sunny introduced the Buddies one by one. “Buddies, meet our friends from Equestria, the Pippsqueaks-- Peach Fizz, Glory and Seashell. They're gonna be tagging along with us on whatever Unity Quest we've been sent on.” “Yo, it's nice to meet you, dawgettes,” B-Dawg said to the Pippsqueaks. “Any friends of my pony posse are officially instated in MY posse.” “Uh… thanks. It's nice to meet you too… dawg,” Seashell said a tad awkwardly, not used to speaking in such a manner. “So what are you cuties doing out here in front of this school?” “We’re just waiting for our people to get out of school for the day,” Rosebud explained. “You guys will really like them… especially since Sunny and her friends helped to pick them out and everything.” “Okay, it's official,” Glory said to her friends with a wide grin. “Pipp and her friends just got way way WAY cooler!” Suddenly, the doors of the school flew open, and several young kids came out from the building, including the Buddies' owners-- Buddha's owner Sam, Mudbud's owner Pete, Rosebud's owner Alice, Budderball’s owner Bartleby and B-Dawg's owner Billy. Sam was the first to kneel down and rubbed Buddha on top of the head. “Heya, Buddha. Hope you and the rest of the Buddies didn't get too bored without us.” “Hey, I know you ponies!” Alice said, recognizing the Mane 6. “You guys helped match us up with our pups!” “Hey, it's good to see you guys again,” Zipp said as she hoof-bumped Billy with a wide smile. “I hope these little guys are behaving themselves for you.” “Well, Mudbud does get dirty and track pawprints through the house,” Pete admitted, shooting Mudbud a little scolding look, “but other than that, the Buddies are all great.” “Hi! I'm Seashell, and that's Glory and Peach Fizz,” Seashell then introduced. “It's nice to meet you all.” “Hey, nice to meet you too,” Alice waved to the fillies with a smile. “Are you all gonna be in town long?” “Well, we're not sure,” Hitch admitted. “We were just so excited to see the Buddies after these last few weeks of not seeing each other, we totally forgot about finding a place to stay.” “Well, my parents and I have plenty of room at our house for you guys to stay,” Bartleby offered. “I'd repay you guys with anything to thank you for helping me match with Budderball.” “Some of you guys could stay with me and Buddha,” Sam then added. “Aw, thanks for all that, guys,” Sunny smiled warmly. “I think we'll take you up on your offer.” “Hey, dawgs,” Billy whispered to his friends. “Our teacher did say we could bring special guests on our field trip tomorrow… why not ask them since our parents have to work?” “Ooh, a field trip? I love field trips! Where are you going?” Izzy asked optimistically before gasping deeply. “Are you going to the yarn factory?!” “Even better,” Sam told the ponies excitedly. “We're gonna go see a real live space shuttle launch at the station outside of town!” “You're gonna see a spaceship launch into space?! That sounds just as cool as the Moon Festival in Zephyr Heights!” Glory exclaimed. “If not cooler!” “We can take special guests if we want, and we could ask our teacher if you guys can come with us!” Pete offered. “We’ll go find our teacher and ask her if it's okay. Be right back. Come on, you guys!” With that, Alice and the boys rushed off back into the school to find their teacher, and Seashell turned to look at the Buddies. “Are you gonna go see the space shuttle launch tomorrow too?” “Unfortunately not,” Buddha frowned. “The teacher is allergic to dog fur, so we have to stay behind. And no matter how many times Sam's asked, the answer is always the same.” “It's disappointing. That's what it is,” Budderball said with disappointment. “Getting to miss out on all those bag lunches? It's gonna be pure torture!” The Pippsqueaks felt bad for the Buddies-- not being able to go to something so fun and exciting must have been heartbreaking to go through. It would be like them not being able to go to the Moon Festival back home in Equestria. Suddenly, Glory spoke to the Buddies with a smile on her face. “Well, if you guys aren't going, then I'm not either.” “And if Glory isn't going,” Peach Fizz continued, “then me and Seashell aren’t going either.” The Mane 6 seemed generally surprised at this. “Are you girls sure that’s what you wanna do?” Misty asked in concern. “You seemed so excited about it a few minutes ago.” “Well, the Buddies might need some company if you guys go on the trip tomorrow, and we wanna explore Fernfield a little,” Seashell admitted, looking at the other Pippsqueaks, who nodded. “So, it'll work out great for everypony, right?” “That’s very admirable of you, Pippsqueaks,” Buddha said with a grateful grin. “Thank you for your unwavering act of kindness. Namaste.” “Namaste to you too, Buddha,” Peach Fizz bowed her head in response, just before the kids came back out of the school. “Well, we talked to our teacher and she said we can still bring guests,” said Sam, “but… we only have room for six, so… some of you will have to stay behind.” “Actually, the Pippsqueaks volunteered to stay behind so they could keep the Buddies company,” Zipp interjected, “so the rest of us ponies can go with you. We’ll work out the rest of the plan on our way back to your houses. If we’re gonna go on a space shuttle launch tomorrow, we’re gonna need our rest.” XXXXXXXX The plans had been made-- Zipp was going to bunk at B-Dawg and Billy's house, Sunny and Izzy were going to look after the Pippsqueaks and spend the night at Buddha and Sam's house, Bartleby and Budderball would take Hitch back to their house, Misty would stay at Mudbud and Pete's house and lastly, Pipp would stay at Alice and Rosebud's house. Shortly after these plans were made, everyone said their goodbyes and went to their respective houses for the night, the kids telling their families that the ponies would be staying with them until further notice. However, no one knew that their plans would be rocketed off into the stars... and not in the best way possible. XXXXXXXX Elsewhere, out in space, at an old Russian research space station, there lived a white bull terrier named Spudnick and his unicorn companion Night Star, who had a bluish-purple coat, golden eyes, a dark purple and yellow mane and tail and a cutie mark of a shooting star. Both of them had been stranded in space for as long as they could remember, at least a few years, and each night, Spudnick would stare down at the Earth longingly, waiting for the day they would be rescued. On this particular night, Spudnick spoke up to Night Star, thoughts filling his head. “Dreams are like stars. You can't touch them, but if you follow them, they will lead you to your destiny,” he said wisely. “I used to dream of being the first dogmonaut to walk on the Moon. And now, I dream of going home to my boy, Sasha.” “And you will, someday, Spudnick-- I believe it,” Night Star said kindly, looking out the window with a wistful sigh. “Honestly… I just dream of seeing other ponies again. Having friends. All we have to do is keep hoping and dreaming… and if we keep doing that, I’m sure our wishes will come true.” XXXXXXXX Around the same time, Sunny and Izzy were inside of the living room in Sam's house, helping Sam's mom set up an area for the two of them and the Pippsqueaks to sleep for the night... at least until the next morning. The Pippsqueaks, on the other hoof, were too excited to sleep-- Sam and Buddha were with them outside on the patio, and they were pointing out all the different star constellations and letting the Pippsqueaks use Sam's telescope to get clear views of the moon. “Wow…” Peach Fizz murmured softly. “It’s incredible!” “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many stars before,” Seashell told Buddha quietly. “Not even back in Maretime Bay!” That’s when Sunny, Izzy and Sam’s mom came out on the patio to speak with them. “You little astronauts need to get some sleep,” Sam’s mother said. “You and your friends have a big day tomorrow, Sam.” “It's gonna be the coolest,” Sam said with a smile. “I've never seena real spaceship before.” “But can’t we just have five more minutes?” Glory asked with a pout. “Please?” “Okay, okay… five more minutes,” Sunny said with a giggle. “But no more and no less, understood?” “Understood,” the Pippsqueaks nodded in understanding before Seashell took her turn at the telescope. But during this, Buddha looked over at Sam with a pleading look in his eyes, and Sam seemed to know exactly what Buddha wanted, without needing to hear the pup’s voice. “I wish you could come too,” Sam told his pup with a frown. “But I've already asked school like 12 times. No pets. But, you’ll have the Pippsqeaks to keep you company tomorrow, so at least you won’t be all by yourself.” Suddenly, a shooting star streaked across the sky, which Glory immediately pointed out. “Look! A shooting star, Buddha!” Buddha barked excitedly at this. “Make a wish,” Sam told the others, and as they closed their eyes, Sam whispered his wish so that only the Pippsqueaks and Buddha could hear it. “I wish to one day touch the moon.” “And I wish,” Glory whispered, “for us to find a piece of the moon to bring back to our families, so they can see what an amazing adventure we had.” “Sam! Pippsqueaks!” Sunny called. “Come on to bed!” “Astronauts need their rest too, you know!” Izzy called, causing Sam to sigh. “I guess when they’re right, they’re right. Good night, Buddha.” “Night, Buddha. See you in the morning,” Seashell rubbed the puppy on the head before she and Peach Fizz trotted inside. “Launch!” Sam made engine noises as he ‘flew’ his toy space shuttle inside, with Glory giggling as she followed after him. Once they were all inside, Buddha made his own wish under the canopy of stars above. “I wish that all your dreams come true…” Then, Buddha opened his eyes and glanced through the telescope at the moon above, to which Izzy and Sunny noticed. “Aww… I really wish they could come with us. Then the Pippsqueaks wouldn’t have to miss out on such a sparkle-tastic field trip,” Izzy frowned. “Can’t we magically make the teacher’s allergies go away?” “Even if we could, Iz, I don’t think it would be that simple,” Sunny frowned. “Besides… we need a little fun after the past couple of Unity Quests. The Pippsqueaks and Buddies will be just fine on their own, at least until we get back. Come on, we better get to bed ourselves.” Izzy nodded at this, and as they spared one final look at Buddha, they went off to bed to dream of the moon, the stars and rockets before the exciting day ahead.