Author's Notes: Take anything and modify it for Ponies and you've got a winner, or so some of us hope. This story came about when I started thinking up something a little on the insane side, I couldn't help myself really, and so without further ado I present to you... Dinky's Class Project.
Disclaimer: This random act of randomonium is a work of Fanfiction, The characters and concepts appearing in it are the property of Hasbro, the Hub and Lauren Faust. It is also meant as a parody of another franchise, but since it is a parody I don't think I need to spoil the surprise by mentioning that I don't own the original concept that this story is parodying. Anyway, the author hereby states that the above statement is truth and does not contradict it in anyway, please don't sue me, I'm a poor brony.
Pinkie bounced up and down in her seat wondering what her friends were going to say, she'd spent hours helping little Dinky Doo prepare the project for her class in theatrical studies, and she was dying to know what everypony else liked about her contributions.
Of course if she were honest with herself she'd tell anypony who'd listen that Dinky came up with the hard stuff on her own, Pinkie had just helped out with making the moving pictures to illustrate what Dinky had wanted, they decided on calling them Animation. Or Cartoons. It hadn't been easy drawing everything just right, and it had been super tedious making frame-by-frame drawings, still Pinkie was pleased at what she'd done even if Dinky had done most of the drawing.
Dinky was nervous, the little pink unicorn filly had never done anything like this before, with such initiative and without the aid or knowledge of her mother. It was a secret to everypony, she'd trusted Pinkie to keep the secret because nopony could keep secrets better than Pinkie Pie, still she wasn't sure if the others would like her class project.
She'd called many ponies together to witness it, her mother, Pinkie's friends, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and some of her classmates. Now the only trouble was how to show it, it would help if she knew magic enough to bring the drawings properly to life. Treating it the way they had to make it on film seemed a bit extreme, but that was nothing compared to the monstrous gadget Pinkie had somehow pulled out of her closet.
Dinky still wasn't sure what to make of this pro-ject-or, all she knew was it was a fancy looking tool that the film seemed to be capable of running through, a light bulb would then shine on the finished strips of film and the lens placed in front of the bulb would magnify the image and put it up on the large white tablecloth Pinkie had hung from her room.
They had to wait for Princess Luna to bring the night. Dinky sighed as she watched everypony settle into their seats, including a few ponies she hadn't even invited, she was so nervous she would have thrown up. If ponies could throw up that is.
"Fillies and Gentlecolts!" Pinkie cried out from in front of the seated gathering. "Tonight I have the fun chance to show off a project created by Dinky Doo for her theatrical studies class, I helped her too!" Pinkie said with a wink. "If you'll all take your seats… Oh you already have, well, does everypony have snacks? Great! Then let's get started on watching Dinky's class project, we're calling it a Cartoon, don't know why, but it seemed like the right name to call it." Pinkie smiled and sent the signal to Dinky.
Dinky approached the projector slowly, afraid that it might come to life at any moment, flipping the switch she watched as the large reel on one end started to spin and the threaded film started to make a funny sound as it ran through the machine.
Pinkie cheered. "Yay!" She dashed to her seat next to Twilight Sparkle and shoved her head into a carton of popcorn.
"Pinkie, I didn't know you could draw," Twilight whispered to her friend.
"I can't," Pinkie said. "Dinky did most of the artwork, I just sort of supervised, and maybe lent my hoof in one or two places," Pinkie explained with a big grin plastered over her face.
"Quiet," Ditsy hushed the crowd. "I want to see what my little muffin did."
The large tablecloth showed a spot of glowing illumination and numbers started to count down backwards from five. Once it reached the number zero the image came to vibrant life, as the word Fillymation spelled itself across the tablecloth and then the image changed showing a scenic and picturesque view of Canterlot Castle.
The ponies were impressed and ooohed at the stunning sight. Rarity however noticed something that didn't particularly thrill her. "Is that?" she started to ask rather loudly.
"Shhhhh!" Pinkie hissed. "This is the best part," she added munching on more popcorn.
"But," Rarity tried to protest. The images on the tablecloth started to speak startling all of the audience at that moment.
The picturesque image of Canterlot Castle had changed while the ponies watched, the familiar looking shape of Prince Blueblood galloped forward looking directly at the audience, and then he started speaking in a strangely familiar voice.
Spike beamed as his dialogue played out and he mouthed along with the words.
"I am Blueblood, Prince of Equestria and Defender of the Secrets of Princess Celestia, this is Gilda, my faithful steed," Blueblood informed the audience as Gilda the Griffon appeared on screen.
She was trembling with fright and didn't seem to like being there.
Blueblood continued his speech. "Fabulous secret powers were revealed to me the day I held aloft my mighty horn and said, By the Power of Celestia!"
A flash lit up Blueblood's horn.
There was a gasp from the audience.
Rarity stared in stunned disbelief as the strapping and charming image of Prince Blueblood was transformed into a Stallion of considerable size and musculature, in fact he almost looked to be the size of a horse rather than a pony. "Oh my," she breathed feeling a slight heat in her cheeks.
Blueblood let out a whinny. "I Have the Power!"
"Is that? Big Macintosh?" Applejack asked.
"Eyup," Big Mac replied.
Spike sighed, he'd tried to get his voice to go deeper for the transformation, but he just wasn't able to. He was still a baby dragon after all.
"I became He-Colt! The Most Powerful Stallion in the Universe!" Blueblood's alter ego shone a beam from his horn striking Gilda's image, the Griffon having been cowering while he transformed. "And Gilda became the mighty Battle Griffon," Blueblood revealed.
Gilda was transformed into a much larger griffon with an impressively large wingspan and a much longer tail, she also had a bit more muscles to her shape, and she was wearing a fancy looking saddle complete with mask.
Rainbow Dash sniggered in the darkness of the night doing her best not to burst out into loud and obnoxious laughter. "Gilda should see this," she said.
He-Colt smiled at the audience. "Only three others share this secret," he stated.
The image changed to a strange looking Earth Pony stallion in Equestrian armor. "Our friends, Colt-At-Arms."
The image changed to show a very regal looking Fluttershy with an elegant looking saddle-dress of downy white feathers. "The Enchantress," He-Colt revealed her name.
Fluttershy blushed. "Oh my," she said softly.
"You look quite fetching, my dear," Rarity praised. "Believe me I know fashion, and that definitely suits you."
"Hush!" Ditsy said angrily.
Silence fell over the collected group of ponies.
The last image was of a strange looking bipedal creature with a long white beard, a strange red colored robe with a large H in the center of his chest and a matching wide-brimmed hat which kept his face obscured in shadow. "And Humo," He-Colt finished introducing the cast.
Now the image changed yet again to show a close up of the front drawbridge of Canterlot Castle, The Enchantress was standing in one of the windows of the taller towers, she seemed fearless.
"Together we defend Equestria from, the Evil Forces of Tirac!" He-Colt said as the image of a laughing Centaur with large sharp horns on either side of his head appeared transposed over Canterlot Castle.
"Eek!" a voice cried out in sudden panic.
"Fluttershy, it's just a drawing," Twilight said.
"That wasn't me," Fluttershy told Twilight.
"Then who?" Twilight wondered.
"It was Scootaloo," Apple Bloom announced. "I told ya, ya were chicken," Apple Bloom teased.
"Am not!" Scootaloo argued.
"Are so," Apple Bloom shot back.
"Please, don't start this again," Sweetie Belle pleaded embarrassed by her friends' banter.
Dinky frowned. "Pinkie, I thought…" she trailed off as the image shifted once again becoming a different picture, one of a ruined castle on the edge of the Everfree Forest. "Never mind."
Ditsy continued to watch the playing scenes before her, for once her eye wasn't rolling away of its own accord to focus on anything else, and she felt a growing sense of pride at her little muffin for what she'd managed to accomplish.
"YAY!" Pinkie shouted very loudly. "This is my part," she added.
A soft purple Alicorn stepped into frame with a sad smile on her face. She glanced at the ruins of the castle before her and then slowly approached the audience. "Hello," she greeted softly in Pinkie's voice.
Pinkie bounced up and down excitedly.
The image of the Alicorn jumped suddenly as though some pictures were missing and now she smiled radiantly. "I am Luna, Celestia's Younger Sister and Defender of the Secrets of Canterlot Castle," the Alicorn revealed, still speaking in Pinkie's voice.
Twilight frowned slightly when a shot of a familiar blue coated Unicorn appeared on the screen next to Luna. "That looks like," she mumbled to herself.
"This is Trixie, my beloved pupil," Luna revealed. "Fabulous Secrets were revealed to me, the day I held aloft my horn and said, For the Honor of Celestia!" Once again the image started to show a strange transformation, Princess Luna was showered in a rainbow of sparkling lights and confetti.
"Pinkie," Dinky complained. "I told you we didn't need the confetti," she chastised.
"But it's part of the story!" Pinkie defended.
Twilight watched aghast as Princess Luna transformed into the spitting image of Nightmare Moon.
Rarity did one better, she made a funny sound and fainted dead away.
"Cool," Snails said his eyes shining with wonder.
"This is Awesome!" Snips added hopping up in excitement.
"I am Mare-Ra!" The image of Nightmare Moon declared, Pinkie's voice echoed and she sounded like she was reciting her lines into an empty can. A beam of rainbow energy shot from Luna's horn and bathed Trixie in its glow, Trixie was transformed into a majestic Alicorn with long flowing mane and tail. "Only a few others share this secret, among them are Light Hope," Luna said.
The image changed to show a dark green pegasus pony with oddly familiar looking mane.
Rainbow Dash stared her jaw hanging open. "No way," she blurted.
"Madame Sparkle," Luna continued as an image of Twilight Sparkle in a curious looking red dress appeared with a broad smile. "And Owloysius," Luna finished as the image changed to reveal the owl in question. "Together, me and my friends strive to free Equestria from the evil forces of, Herdak!"
The image on the tablecloth showed a deranged looking version of Pinkie with straight slicked back mane and a dark black dress. She laughed menacingly and raised a strange looking candy-cane shaped weapon at the screen firing a burst of energy before the image faded to dark.
Dinky let out a squeal of fright. "Pinkie, my project!"
Pinkie leapt from her seat and ran towards the projector, the film had caught fire when it was jammed in the machine and Dinky's hard work was being destroyed. "Awwww, but we didn't even get to the fun part," she whined.
Dinky trembled with fright and tears trickled down her cheeks. "My project, I worked so hard on that," she said sobbing in frustration and despair.
Pinkie didn't know what to say or do about the upset little unicorn, so she just put out the fire before it got out of hand with a large bucket of water.
Fortunately Ditsy stepped forward with a soft smile on her lips. "There, there," she said in a gently and comforting tone. "It was very nice, Dinky, and I'm sure you can make another one in time to give to your teacher, maybe you should consider making it a comic book instead of relying on this questionable machine," she suggested.
"But, mommy, that took up almost all of my time, I have to hand in the project tomorrow," Dinky stammered sadly.
Ditsy frowned thoughtfully her right eye rolling to the right and focusing on the others. "I have an idea," she stated with a sudden smile.
The others started to shy away from the wall-eyed Pegasus as if sensing what her idea was.
Pinkie giggled. "This is going to be more fun than recording my voice was."
"Eyup," Big Mac agreed with a smile.
Twilight groaned. "I don't know how I'm going to report this one to the Princess."
He-Colt and the Masters of Equestria! Mare-Ra Princess of Power!
A Play by Dinky Doo, starring:
Big Macintosh, Prince Blueblood and He-Colt
Gilda, Gilda the Griffon and Battle Griffon
Fluttershy, The Enchantress
Doctor Whooves, Colt-At-Arms
Spike, Humo
Snips & Snails, Tirac
Rarity, Princess Luna, Mare-Ra
Trixie, Trixie, The Great and Powerful Nightwind
Rainbow Dash, Light Hope
Twilight Sparkle, Madame Sparkle
Owloysius, Himself
Pinkie Pie, Herdak
Special Guest Performers, Additional Cast, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Dinky Doo and Ditsy Doo.
"How did you talk me into this, Dash?" Gilda demanded as she approached her former friend.
"Oh come on, Gilda, it's for a good cause," Rainbow Dash protested. "Besides, I thought you were feeling a bit friendlier these days, something about making a new friend," she added slyly.
Gilda sputtered and fumed in silent resignation.
Trixie frowned. "I must admit I'm not certain I fully understand what the little filly is going for, but the Great and Powerful Trixie shall not disappoint." Trixie smirked as she struck a pose with her fake wings.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you for all agreeing to help me out," Dinky told the assembled cast. "You all remember your lines?"
"Eyup," Big Mac said with a smile.
"Why do I have to wear this goofy costume?" Spike complained as he fumbled around in the large Humo outfit Rarity had whipped up for Dinky's play.
Twilight smiled. "Because you're the only one with paws, Spike," she reminded. "Who else is going to play the mythical based Humo?" she added.
Spike sighed. "I can't see anything with this goofy hat on," he said. "Dinky, why'd you have to make one of these characters a human?"
Dinky flinched. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
Pinkie bounced about in her Herdak costume gleefully. "Fun, fun, fun," she sang. "Mare-Ra, Mare-Ra!"
"Pinkie!" Twilight sighed. "Could you be a little less cheery? You're supposed to be the villain, remember?"
Pinkie giggled. "Whoopsie," she sang. "I forgot."
Dinky shook her head. "This is never going to work, and I'll never get a good grade," she complained to herself as she trotted out in front of her class. "Ah, hi, my name is Dinky Doo and I wrote a play for my class project, it's called… Masters of Equestria, I hope you'll like it," she said with a nervous smile as Apple Bloom drew the curtains back.
Pinkie sat in a large fake throne built as a prop dressed in her new costume, she was grinning madly and waved at the audience. "Hey!" she greeted.
"Pinkie," Twilight hissed.
"Whoopsie, ahem… Ha, ha, ha! I the evil Herdak have conquered this little kingdom on the outskirts of the Everfree Forest, now I must unleash my armies upon the rest of Equestria so that I may overthrow that doddering old mare Princess Celestia with my Evil Herd!" Pinkie said laughing and snorting.
"Pinkie, Herdak doesn't snort," Twilight reminded from off-stage.
"She doesn't? Funny I thought it gave her more character," Pinkie mused.
"Just stick to the script!" Twilight hissed.
"Okie dokie Loki," Pinkie said winking at Twilight. "Tirac, Tirac! Where is my loyal pupil?" she called out.
Wobbling onto the stage in a costume much too large for the pair of them Snips and Snails struggled to approach Pinkie's throne. "We… Uh, I mean, I am here, Herdak," Snips said. "Ouch, Snails! Watch where you put your hoof," he accused.
"Uh sorry, Snips," Snails apologized.
"Tirac, when did you learn to throw your voice?" Pinkie asked. "Can you teach me, huh, huh, huh?" she pleaded.
"Yes, I mean… The Herd awaits your instructions, oh mighty Herdak," Snips recited his line ignoring Pinkie's break of character.
Pinkie giggled. "Excellent, we shall move on Castle Canterlot at once and claim the kingdom for myself!" she boasted with a big grin plastered on her face.
"Uh, who is supposed to lead this cunning attack oh, great and wise Herdak?" Tirac asked in a cunning tone of voice, which didn't really work too well considering Tirac was being voiced by the diminutive Snips.
"Why, you will of course, Tirac," Herdak stated.
Tirac turned aside from Pinkie. Only Snips couldn't see where he was going and tripped off the stage, tearing the costume in half to reveal Snails munching on some grass underneath the evil centaur's hindquarters. Snails swallowed the grass in one large gulp. "Uh… What are we supposed to do now?"
The curtains slammed shut.
Dinky slapped her face with a hoof. "And so, the evil Herd attacked Canterlot Castle, but they would be no match for its chosen protectors," she narrated this next part as the animation had been destroyed.
The curtains went up again revealing Fluttershy, Doctor Whooves, Big Mac, Rarity and Spike in his Humo costume.
"Horrors!" Spike said theatrically. "The evil Herd is marching on Canterlot Castle, whatever shall we do?"
Dinky sighed. "That line always did sound terrible," she muttered to herself.
"We must protect the castle," Rarity stated. "The evil Herd must not be allowed to overthrow the monarchy."
"Rarity what's a monarchy?" Spike asked.
"Stay in character, Spike," Rarity chastised. "Honestly I have never seen more unprofessional stage ponies than you bunch."
"I'm a dragon," Spike reminded.
"Eeeeyup," Big Mac agreed. "We shore got's tah do somethin' bout them evil Herdfolk," he added.
"Prince Blueblood, we shall stand by your side, The Enchantress and I… I say, you're an Enchantress, fancy that. I knew a Sorceress once, fine mare, talented, could turn herself into a bird," Doctor Whooves said turning to face Fluttershy.
"Oh yes, I shall use my mighty magic to protect all of Equestria, but there is a secret I must tell you, Prince Blueblood… If it's alright with you, that is," Fluttershy mumbled doing her best not to look at the audience of school ponies.
"A secret, Enchantress?" Big Mac asked.
"Yes, a secret, follow me please, your majesty," Fluttershy almost whispered heading off to stage right.
Big Mac followed.
"Gilda, Trixie that's your cue," Twilight reminded.
"The Great and Powerful Trixie is not going out there until she has been properly introduced," Trixie informed.
"Oh faithful friend, Trixie," Rarity called.
"Great and Powerful Faithful Friend," Trixie corrected.
Rarity grit her teeth. "Great and Powerful Faithful Friend Trixie, please come aid in the defense of Canterlot Castle against the Evil Herd," she called in a sing-song voice, her eye was twitching.
"Very well, the Great and Powerful Trixie shall help you lesser ponies defend Equestria against this terrible blight."
Dinky collapsed her face shoved into a paper bag as she did her best to prevent herself from hyperventilating.
Gilda stomped a paw into the ground. "Why don't I get any speaking lines?" she demanded.
"Because Gilda can't talk until she becomes Battle Griffon, it's part of the magic," Twilight snapped impatient with her.
"Fine, sheesh, talk about lame writing," Gilda grumbled.
Dinky almost burst into tears.
Pinkie trotted out on stage holding up a reel of film. "Hey, look, I forgot about the negatives!" she told the assembled cast.
Everyone reacted rather comically, Twilight's eye started twitching.
"We're already in too deep," Rainbow Dash whispered at Pinkie.
"Oh, yeah, besides this is great fun," Pinkie said in a playful tone. "Even if the joke has gone on a bit too long for the author's tastes."
Rainbow stared at her hard. "Herdak, you're not even in this scene, get off the stage," she told her.
Pinkie giggled and bounced back into the wings.
Dinky was crying now, honest to gosh tears.
Ditsy walked up to her. "Dinky, don't cry," she comforted.
"Mommy, I can't help it, this is a disaster," Dinky sobbed. "My class project is ruined, I never should have let them talk me into this, I should have just told the teacher the truth and asked if I could get an extension for the project so I could make that comic book," she said in a bitter and distraught tone.
Ditsy gently stroked her daughter's mane. "There, there, Dinky," she cooed.
"Does this mean I can leave this lame place again?" Gilda asked.
Rainbow Dash shot her a glare. "Gilda!"
Gilda lowered her head. "Sorry, Dash, sometimes it's hard to stifle my old self."
"The Great and Powerful Trixie has had it with you amateurs, if you want to put on a show properly you must have talent, determination and drive. Allow the Great and Powerful Trixie to demonstrate what you should have truly done," she stated boldly. Her horn lit up with power and a burst of light filled the air above the class, Dinky's play came to life like never before with images that began to re-enact the story.
The audience's reactions were surprise and wonder.
Pinkie stomped her hooves on the floor in applause. "Yay!" she cheered Trixie on.
"My word, that is a rather impressive display," Rarity admitted.
Dinky sniffled slightly and watched as her vision came to life, she couldn't believe Trixie was helping her out like this.
Soon enough the story was finished and an exhausted Trixie stumbled slightly towards the little filly who'd written it all up. "And that is how you create a masterpiece," she stated proudly.
Dinky grinned widely and galloped up to Trixie. "Thank you!" she said nuzzling against the blue coated unicorn's side.
Ditsy smiled gently.
Trixie looked down in some surprise. "Well… Of course, everything is better when the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the piece," she boasted sounding flustered.
"Ah knew askin' her back was askin' fer trouble," Applejack muttered.
Twilight Sparkle smiled. "If you ask me, I think I speak for everypony when I say."
"Oh, let me, let me! Pretty please, Twilight?" Pinkie begged.
Twilight sighed. "Alright, Pinkie, go ahead."
Pinkie laughed and turned to face everypony in the audience. "You can always count on your friends, and even some friends you didn't know were your friends, because they just hadn't gotten to know you good enough yet. So then they become your new friends once you show them the kindness they always wanted, or help them in little ways to get over their massively huge egos, and then they help out at the last second, when it's crunch time so…"
Twilight shoved a hoof in Pinkie's mouth. "I think they get it, Pinkie," she sighed and rolled of her eyes.
"Does this mean I can take off this silly costume now?" Spike asked.
Everypony started to laugh.
Pinkie winked. "Just remember though," she whispered. "Nopony can hope to defeat the evil might of the Evil Herd! We'll be back, Mare-Ra, and we'll conquer Equestria yet!" Pinkie laughed evilly and then snorted again as the curtains suddenly fell down covering the stage.
Princess Celestia turned to Princess Luna with a smile. "Wasn't that a very nice performance?" she asked.
Princess Luna frowned slightly. "I suppose so, sister, but I can't help wondering who in their right mind would come up with such a ridiculous concept? Mare-Ra Princess of Power. He-Colt and the Masters of Equestria? It is most perplexing."
Celestia laughed slightly. "I don't know, it might make a good show one day for the foals to enjoy, perhaps a few cross promotional items to coincide with it," she observed with a thoughtful smile.
Luna shook her head. "I hardly think so, sister," she said. "I think it's something only one of those mythical humans could love," she added.
Celestia laughed merrily and nuzzled against her sister.
The End