Let's a go! This is another collab chapter with Impressionsguy.
Please enjoy!
"Chuck!" TD shouted from outside the respective Changeling hive, "I think I need more bug spray to keep your Changelings from messing with my potions!"
Chuck shot him a glare as he came outside. "That's GOT to be some form of racism."
"Last I checked, it isn't," TD stated, "But hey! It's the one thing that keeps them off of the stuff. It's not that I don't like your Changelings; it's that the potions are extremely dangerous to be around. Seriously, I don't want to have someone kiss another frog!"
"Right. Well, I'll put out a decree and behead the next Changeling who does. Deal?" He asked.
TD laughed. "Someone's going down the darker side of being a king."
"I kid. Bit it won't happen again," Chuck chuckled. "Anything else I can do for you?"
"Nothing much really," TD stated, "I mostly just wanted to come on by and chat for a bit. You know, for old times sake. I don't seem to see you as often as I'd like. And on the days your aren't in the tavern, it can feel a little lonely."
"Well, as a king I don't really have time to serve booze anymore. Shame though, I kind of miss it sometimes."
"It's not so much the serving booze as it is your presence, Chuck," TD stated, "Plus, Sterling is showing some pretty considerable talent at it. Maybe he might just top your own skills."
TD gave Chuck a teasing smile when he said that.
"Congrats to him if he does," Chuck said. "I'll be happy for the kid."
"Do you think Zach might be able to get a job there?" TD asked, "I know his talent is in potions, but he'd understand the basics pretty well. He asked about it earlier this week."
"Well, so long as he doesn't blow the place up," Chuck chuckled a little. "But yes, absolutely. I'd be happy to let him work there."
"Blow the place up?" TD asked as if a bit ticked off, but he was still smiling. "Just because I do that doesn't mean he will. Besides, his idea of a prank is usually along the lines of what RD would do."
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Chuck said, "Tell him he starts Monday."
"I think he already heard," TD chuckled, because right when Chuck had finished, a scroll had appeared in front of TD from out of a cloud of feathers.
"Great," Chuck said, "Now, I've got a banquet to attend, Pinkie's off on delegate business, wanna be my plus one?"
"That's a risky thing to ask me, isn't it?" TD replied with obvious play in his tone and expression. "Sure! I'll come. But be warned, I think Tracker and Screwball may be around the area as well. Something about a date."
"Nothing more romantic than this oversized beehive," Chuck said sarcastically with a slight grin. "Speaking of dates..." He began, eluding to a couple of small events that had happened a few weeks before with his adopted daughter and TD's son.
TD chuckled. "I had a feeling it was headed that way. Glad to see it worked out alright. Wedding bells in the future, readers? Or am I pushing it?"
"Heh. Well, we'll have to see huh?" Chuck asked.
"I have a feeling it will happen," TD replied with a wink to those reading this.
Way to be subtle, TD.
"Why, thank you author! You're too kind," TD said seemingly out of the blue.
"Riiiiight," Chuck said. "Now let's go. I don't want to keep everyone waiting."
"Lead the way," TD said, switching to his Changeling form as he followed Chuck towards the festivities.
Meanwhile, in another world not too unlike this one...
"How long has it been?" A yellow earth pony stallion with a puffy brown mane and green shirt, Cheese Sandwich asked as he spun around in a stool within Chuck's tavern. In this universe, Chuck never became a Changeling king; Pinkie was not even a Changeling herself.
"April 13th, 2009," Chuck said simply.
"Couldn't have been that long!" Cheese remarked.
"Since you've had a shower?" A tan stocky earth pony stallion, Quibble said. "Oh, it's been even longer."
"No, I mean since something interesting has happened!" Cheese said.
Just then, Chuck heard a voice that he somewhat dreaded hearing.
"Well, perhaps the Great and Powerful Trixie can fix that for you!"
As if to confirm his nightmares, Trixie herself walked into the tavern, hat, cape, and all.
"Oh great." Chuck muttered, "Hello Trixie. What can I get you?" He asked with gritted teeth.
"Better manners, probably," she muttered before saying aloud, "The usual. And Trixie doesn't want to have it spiked too much this time!"
"I'm gonna spike it with ipecac syrup one of these days..." Chuck snickered to himself, pouring the drink. "Here you go." He gave the drink to her. Trixie drank from it, then said with a smirk, "So, Trixie hears that you need something interesting to happen. Well, what if Trixie told you that Trixie found a spell that could do the trick?"
"That depends, what's interesting about the spell?" Chuck asked slowly, thinking about his past experiences with her spells, between Pinkie undergoing a personality transplant and Chuck being shrunken down to a rodent like height.
"This spell will allow you to experience things beyond this world," Trixie said dramatically, maybe a bit too dramatically, "An entire new world to see. What do you think? Trixie has memorized the spell and can cast it at any time."
"It sounds... intriguing." Chuck admitted.
"Excellent!" she said excitedly, "Now, do you wish for a companion? Because Trixie cannot stop the spell once cast."
"Memememememememememe!" Pinkie exclaimed, popping out from the back room.
"Well, I guess, Pinkie. But... what was that about not being able to stop the spell?" Chuck asked.
"Trixie meant that she can't stop midway," Trixie explained, "Now, hold still!"
Trixie's horn glowed and a beam of magic struck both Chuck and Pinkie. After a few seconds, the two suddenly disappeared from the room. Trixie looked surprised.
"Uh...that wasn't supposed to happen," she said nervously.
Meanwhile...
"What a banquet!" King Chuck said as he and TD walked out. "Those cream cheese tartelettes were to die for."
"I'll say," TD replied, "I particularly liked that spell I placed on the desserts to get at that one snob. Exploding cake? Priceless! I need to thank Screwball for that one!"
"Yeah. Thank you SO much for ruining the trade deal with South Cowrea. I REALLY needed that. You're lucky that wasn't a North Cowrea delegate." Chuck said sarcastically as they walked through the valley.
"Cowrea?" TD asked, doing an impression of Guilty Spark from Halo, "Why must you Hasbro fans use such in-the-face puns?"
"I thought it was funny," Chuck defended it. Suddenly, above them, a portal opened and two figures fell from the sky, crashing down into the field.
TD looked surprised, but that expression soon faded.
"Typical," he said, "At this rate, you might as well have Rick and Morty come into the picture."
Right when he said that, a green portal appeared and the people in question came through.
"Hey, is this the Wannabe Earth dimension?" Rick asked TD.
"No, that was two portals before this one," TD stated.
"Aww! I knew that we should've taken that left turn Rick!" Morty complained.
"Oh really Morty? Well, why don't you try using this thing, you little-"
The portal closed on them before they could finish.
"Because cursing and swearing is prohibited here," TD said with a chuckle. Meanwhile, just fifty meters away from that conversation...
"Ow..." Chuck whined. "I haven't fell from the sky like that in a while."
"Now I know how that felt for you," Pinkie remarked. "No wonder you were in such a sour mood that day..."
TD suddenly straightened and looked to the Changeling beside him. He was in human form, so he had to look slightly downwards, but for him that might as well have been normal at this point.
"Chuck," he said, "Please tell me that you heard those ponies speaking with the same voices I heard them speaking with."
"You mean one who sounded like a chipmunk and one who had a sultry Frank Sinatra voice?" He quipped. "Yes. Yes I heard the same voices," He admitted.
Curious, TD walked closer to the two, then almost felt like he had gone to a different universe, because he recognized the figures before him.
"Pinkie Pie?" he asked, "And...Chuck?!"
"Yeah, it's us." Pony Chuck said, standing up. "Who's Bug Face?" He pointed to his Changeling self.
"I'm you, Fat Face." King Chuck said dryly.
"Watch it, you two," TD said, "Or I'll lock you in the inflatable room full of rats. And trust me when I say this, you do NOT want that to happen."
"Or I can execute him." King Chuck suggested.
"If you try it, you'll seriously regret it," TD stated, "I did not go through all that trouble of trying to support him so he could stay in his Equestria, or save his tavern's business, etc etc just to have it all go to waste now!"
"You must be from a reality where you're poor, aren't you?" King Chuck asked smugly.
"Not poor. Financially challenged," Chuck said.
"That technically means poor Chuck," TD stated, "Although last I checked, you're happy too. And that's all that counts, isn't it?"
TD suddenly sneezed and his image changed to his pony form, without the glasses. He groaned and muttered, "Gotta fix that."
"So... what's with the buggy get-up?" Chuck asked his alternate self.
"It's a long story," King Chuck said. "Perhaps I'll tell you over a cigar."
"I knew I'd like you. Lead the way, King Me." Chuck smiled.
"On that note, why are you so silent Pinkie?" TD asked the pink mare nearby, "Or are you suffering from that whole 'I'm in another universe' thing? That's how the Pinkie Pie here acted once."
"My fiance just ditched me to smoke cigars with himself," Pinkie said kind of flatly. "But you're right, this is crazy!"
"Don't worry about Chuck. Both of them for that matter," TD said, "I guarantee that he hasn't forgotten about you. He's just curious about his alternate self. I would be too, if I had one. But if you think this is crazy now, wait until you see yourself."
"Where is me anyway?" She asked.
"I think delegate matters," TD said, "But she should be returning right...now."
As if on cue, the sound of insect wings could be heard flapping in the distance.
"Wow!" TD remarked, "Again, am I writing this story?"
No, you're just a Fourth Wall breaker.
"Still counts, author!" he shouted back.
"Hi TD!" Queen Pinkie said as she fluttered down. "Whoa! What's me doing here?" She remarked.
"I have no idea," TD replied, "but maybe she can answer that."
"Trixie is the long and the short of the story," pony Pinkie said.
"Oh my g- I swear, when I come back to your universe, I'm gonna kill her!" TD shouted.
"Don't kill her, kill my fiance. He's the one who agreed to this." Pinkie joked.
TD looked to her and grinned. "But if I did that, there'd be no story. And I like that story."
"What story?" Pinkie asked. "Is Chuckie writing a story?"
"You call YOUR Chuckie "Chuckie" too? No way!" Queen Pinkie exclaimed.
"Well, it is you in a sense," TD explained. "And I'm surprised you never knew, Pinkie Pie. After all, you can break the Fourth Wall, like I can."
"Oh yeah! I know what you mean. That's why sometimes when he talks there's a spelling error, like whoever decides what he says doesn't care enough to spell check," Pinkie said.
"Hey, Impressionsguy does his best," TD defended, "Besides, I'm not a clean slate either. I have spelling errors all over my stories. Check them out carefully, and you'll see what I mean."
"Pobody's nerfect!" Pinkie giggled.
TD laughed when he heard that. "This is exactly why I love the show! You just have this childlike attitude that you tend to apply to just about everything! It's hilarious!"
In reply, the two Pinkie Pies just giggled.
"Come on! I'll show you around the hive! Maybe we'll find our Chuckies! I know where his secret lounge is."
Queen Pinkie took the other Pinkie and led her towards the hive. TD simply watched them go with amusement, then looked up at the night sky.
"I swear, someone needs to keep the Trixie from the other universe on a short leash. Next time I see her... I'll give her a piece of my mind! And some lessons."
Without much else to do, TD followed after the two Pinkies, pausing at the entrance for only a moment to say hello to the guards there, who seemed to be friends with him.
Meanwhile, the two Chucks had formed a bit of a friendship, which isn't all that surprising; of course one would get along well with themselves.
"So, you just run the bar where you come from?" King Chuck asked.
"It's a modest employment. I enjoy it," Pony Chuck nodded.
"Hello!" TD 's voice echoed from outside. It sounded like he was messing around with the hive's tunnel-like logic and taking his sweet time to reach them.
"Wanna pretend we didn't hear anything?" Pony Chuck asked.
"Don't be rude," King Chuck said, "Besides, he knows where the lounge is anyway." He added before calling out, "We're in the lounge!"
"I already knew that," TD replied. He suddenly sounded as if he was in the room, although neither Chuck had seen him enter.
"Over here, next to the record player!" TD called. Upon obliging, the two saw a music box with a miniature version of TD's pony form standing on it. The music box played a short tune for a few seconds, allowing the figure to look straight at them. As if to confirm that it was actually TD, the figure blinked a few times, then spoke.
"I'll admit, this wasn't the most original idea. I borrowed it from Twilight, in case it wasn't obvious."
"I knew I didn't recognize that music box..." King Chuck remarked.
"Oh sure!" TD said in annoyance as he looked to those reading this story, "NOW he notices. Is that just a flaw with collabs, or a general thing that happens here in Equestria?"
"What can we do for you? We're having cigar time," Pony Chuck said before blowing a smoke ring.
"How about less smoke in an enclosed space?" TD asked with a cough, "Don't you boys know that smoking is hazardous to your health?"
"So is a high cholesterol diet, no one says anything about that," King Chuck said.
"And hot dogs," Pony Chuck added. "High sugar diet too."
"Don't forget glue huffing, where's the ban on glue huh?" King Chuck added. "But we get your point. I'll crack a window." He said getting up.
"Don't bother," TD said. The music box suddenly started playing again, this time at a faster pace, spinning him round like a top. In less than a few seconds, all the smoke had cleared and a new window was opened up in the lounge. However, it didn't look like it opened up in Equestria.
"I did a bit of a dimensional gateway," TD replied, "I'm sure that coal facility back on Earth won't notice a little more smoke."
"Whaddya doing? Fueling the fire that's slowly killing my native world? What's the deal with that?" King Chuck asked, imitating comedian Jerry Seinfeld. Pony Chuck watched in awe as his Changeling self even became the comedian to do the impression.
"Wow. Where have you been all my life?" Pony Chuck remarked.
"Across a space/time jump," TD stated, "And for the record, that's my native world too, Chuck. And last I checked, it ain't getting any better."
"Tell me about it," Pony Chuck remarked.
"Where are our Pinkie Pies?" King Chuck asked.
"Last I heard, your Queen is showing her pony self around the hive," TD stated. He then started spinning again as the music bow started up, but much slower this time. As it did, TD started commenting on his own condition.
"Twilight says that this is supposed to be comforting when you can listen to music and talk to someone. Comforting my boot! No offense to her, but I found that a little bit creepy when she did it on Starlight Glimmer. The only thing that fixed it for me was the part where she hyperventilated." He laughed a bit. "It's hilarious to watch most the time."
"You can stop the gig. We don't need comfort," Chuck said.
"Fine by me," TD said with a shrug, "Besides, the most I could do now is that one song from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." He started moving his arms and head about, causing them to make some odd noises whenever he did. He also sang a bit.
What do you see, you people gazing at me?
You see a doll on a music box that's wound by a key.
How can you tell I'm under spell?
I'm waiting for love's first kiss.
He stopped spinning and basically acting up for a moment. "I know it's an old movie, but how the heck did Truly do that? The noises alone are physically impossible. I'm only able to do it because Chaos magic allows you to get away with a lot of things."
"One of life's great mysteries, like who killed John Lennon." King Chuck sighed.
"I think they know who killed John Lennon," Pony Chuck spoke up.
"No idea who that is," TD said, "I really need to get out more."
The music box suddenly seemed to become lifeless, with the TD figure turning into a pegasus ballerina. TD then suddenly appeared from out of the record player in his Changeling form
"No records were harmed in the making of this story," he said briefly as he brushed himself off. Just then, the door of the lounge swung open and the two Pinkies walked in.
"Hi Chuckie!" Queen Pinkie said as they entered.
"Were you talking to me or him?" King Chuck asked.
"Who do you think, silly?" Queen Pinkie giggled.
"Yep, this is gonna be as confusing as that time when there were two Twilights in front of me," TD muttered, but he was smiling with amusement.
"Not too confusing, considering our different forms." Pony Chuck said, as pony Pinkie nuzzled against him. "Unless you aren't my Pinkie Pie."
"I am," She giggled.
"As long as Changeling Pinkie doesn't put up her disguise," TD stated, "And even then, I think there'd still be some giveaways. Like the fact that I can see through Changeling disguises as if they don't exist."
"Well isn't that something?" Changeling Chuck said, changing into the form of Larry King. "Lemme tell ya, what can't this fella do? Making me look like a real putz here!"
"I'm not married yet," Pony Chuck said, in awe of himself. "I will marry you."
"Really?" Pony Pinkie asked.
"No. Well, if the situation was different maybe," He admitted.
"Could we not say that please?" TD asked, "I'm straight, and getting into topics on gays and such is not a good subject for me."
"My mistake," Pony Chuck said before puffing the cigar again, blowing a smoke ring.
"What did I say about the cigars Chuckie?" Pinkie asked him. His eyelids drooped as he put it out.
"You want to see me live past my forties, and the cigars won't help that." He said monotonely.
"At least someone agrees with me," TD remarked, pulling out an old favorite of his: a pipe that blew bubbles out instead of smoke. He gave it a few puffs, letting the bubbles float about the room.
"Yet, you know, she eats about ten times more sugar than what's recommended," Chuck mumbled.
"But I burn that all off. You can't burn off sick lungs!" Pinkie reminded him.
"Right," He said flatly.
"Enough bickering," King Chuck said. "We must not squander this occasion of perfect company. Let us go and enjoy ourselves."
"I love it when you talk like that," Queen Pinkie said.
"I do too," TD replied, "But for the record, Pinkie's not the only one with an over-consumption problem. Me, I've probably eaten more salt back home than is safe for the human body to consume. How I have survived that all these years is beyond me."
"Come, let's get out of this lounge. Let's get some sunlight," King Chuck said, leading the group.
"One problem about that," TD remarked, "I think it's nighttime right now, and Lulu is still somewhat sore at me for that time when I messed with the time of day."
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" a female voice suddenly boomed from outside.
"Sure! When pigs fly!" TD stated. As if on cue, a pig with wings appeared out of nowhere and started flapping its wings. TD, however, was not impressed.
"Until that pig achieves liftoff without those wings growing as a result of Chaos magic, that does not count," he said.
"I saw an episode of The Simpsons where something like that happened," King Chuck mentioned as they walked.
"I love that episode!" Pony Chuck said, "Finally, someone else to talk about it with."
"At least they're getting along," Queen Pinkie giggled.
"So well that it might be hard to get them to leave each other when we go home!" Pony Pinkie remarked.
"Don't worry!" TD stated, "I can always arrange something to make it work out. Maybe a magic mirror or scroll. Oh wait! Maybe I can use that dimensional time/space communicator that I used for those non-canon OC chats Chuck had with Bill Prower and the gang back on Mobius!"
"I suppose we can manage a long distance friendship," Pony Chuck sighed.
"Hey, when you inevitably go broke running that bar, I'll let you move here," King Chuck snickered.
"You never know, things could change," TD replied, "Especially with me around. I can easily support him...assuming that he isn't so stubborn. Seriously, I swear you get that from AJ. Which reminds me, do you think the orphanage is still open at this hour? If it is, I guarantee that's where Diana will be for the time being."
"No, it's closed for the evenings and the orphans have to sleep outside," Pony Chuck said.
"Zing!" King Chuck laughed, "But, it probably is still open."
"In that case, why don't we try that one cafe that Ivory seems to like?" TD suggested, "We'll be passing the orphanage on the way there, so I could kill two birds with one stone. Figuratively speaking of course; I believe the last time I killed two birds with one stone was when I had a quarrel with the eagles in Middle-Earth. Needless to say, it didn't end well."
"I never did like The Eagles,.I was more of a Patriots fan," King Chuck mentioned.
"Not those Eagles, but you've got a point," Pony Chuck stated.
"Want to get together just the two of us next time?" Pony Pinkie asked her alternate self.
"Definitely," Queen Pinkie nodded.
"Another time, my friends!" TD remarked, as an old car of some kind appeared, with him inside. He started driving off, but keeping a reasonable distance from his friends. At one point, a cart was in his path and he ended up driving over the top of both cart and pony, somehow not harming either.
"Road-hog!" TD shouted in a Mr. Magoo voice, before his car crashed some ways away.
"Someone got their license in a box of Cracker Jacks." King Chuck snickered.
"License?" Queen Pinkie asked.
"Cracker Jacks?" Pony Pinkie added. King Chuck just rolled his eyes.
"I got the joke." Pony Chuck said, supporting his friend/self.
"Where's the leak, ma'am?" TD shouted, ignoring the fact that the streets were pretty much empty save for the lot of them. He staggered out of the wreckage as a wannabe version of Patrick Star, then switched to his pony form. His glasses weren't on, and in the night air they glowed intimidatingly.
"Not that it matters," TD replied in response to what I just wrote, "Everyone around here knows who I am, and very few actually freak out about it."
This is getting old...
"Older than dirt," Pinkie giggled.
Oh no...not you too!
"Get used to it, Author," TD said aloud, "because I feel like this is gonna be a reoccurring theme."
"What are they talking about?" Pony Chuck asked.
"Just smile and nod boy, smile and nod." King Chuck instructed.
By now, the group had started to pass the orphanage. TD did a quick run inside, then popped back out after a few minutes.
"Looks like Diana will be spending the night with AJ," TD said, "And I'm willing to bet that I know where Zach's gonna be. But, I don't want to spoil his evening, so I'll leave it at that."
"With my daughter?" King Chuck asked.
"You've got kids?" Pony Chuck asked.
"Yep, three!" Queen Pinkie exclaimed.
"Aww! I want foals! Why can't WE be the ones with foals?" Pony Pinkie moped.
"Maybe! Yep, and adorable ones at that! And, there's still plenty of time for that! In that order!" TD remarked, smiling broadly.
"Besides, I am eighteen years older than you," King Chuck said.
"You look good for forty," Pony Chuck said.
"It's all in the skin cream," King Chuck boasted.
"It's called, 'long life,'" TD stated bluntly, "That's coming from a guy who's not immortal, yet manages to live longer than most immortals do outside of his world."
Just then, TD looked up and noticed a sign on a building.
"Welp! We're here!" he said joyously, "COME ON IIINNN!"
Without waiting for the others, he rushed inside.
"Maybe Ivory will be here." King Chuck said walking in.
"You've got an Ivory too? Crazy..." Pony Chuck remarked as the group stepped inside.
The first thing they saw was that they weren't the only ones who had decided to come there that night. Apparently, Screwball and Tracker had arrived at the place too and were seated at a table of their own just across from each other. It was a bit odd to see them together, for Tracker's vampirism had occurred when he was ten years old, and as such he still looked around that age now. Thankfully, Screwball also looked somewhat like a child despite her own age. Plus, she always seemed to have a child-like personality no matter how old she grew, so that helped too. The two noticed the group and waved to them, apparently not surprised to see two of each pony.
"Some things don't change." Pony Chuck smiled looking around.
"It's nice to see something familiar!" His fiancee nodded.
"You want familiar? Maybe we should stop by the bar later." King Chuck said. "My son can meet his father from another timeline."
"Not the safest idea, Chuck!" TD shouted from a table up ahead. How he had gotten there without any of them noticing earlier was beyond them, but then again he was a Chaotic being. A waiter noticed him and with a shriek, he ran out of the room. And no wonder, for TD was still in pony form, and still without his sunglasses.
"I think that was the same waiter from that alternate reality involving me and Ivory," TD said with a chuckle as they got closer. "Which reminds me, does she even know about that yet?"
"No. And she won't be hearing it from me," King Chuck concluded.
"Oh, so I am the one to tell her?" TD stated, "No offense, but even after giving her that piano, I doubt she's on as friendly a level with me as she is with you. So, in other words, I'm screwed. But, if you won't say it, I will do it anyways. I just hope she understands that I didn't plan on seeing that reality. Actually, I don't plan on seeing any of them; I just roll with the punches."
There's always the option of not saying a word," King Chuck mumbled.
"True neutral, like Sweden," Pony Chuck nodded approvingly.
"But knowing me, that's not gonna happen," TD replied. He then looked to them. "Are you sitting down or what? I didn't reserve this table for myself and my clones, easy thought that may have been."
The group obliged and sat down. Pony Pinkie began crumbling up small rips of her napkin and catapulting them with her spoon.
"Oh! Oh! Watch this," TD said, getting her attention. Suddenly, a miniature army of Nintendo Toads appeared on the table in the middle of a battle with miniature skeleton warriors. One of them rushed forward with a sword and shouted, "Fight! Launch the cannons!"
Mini cannons were fired and another spoon was used as a catapult to fire napkin pieces at each other. A huge skirmish had begun.
This display gained disapproving looks from the waitstaff.
"Please cease and desist or you'll be asked to leave," the manager said.
"And what can you do about it?" TD laughed, "It's pretty one-sided here, even if you had the entire staff try to take me on. But, if you insist."
The army disappeared and TD looked up from the now-cleared battlefield.
"I'll take the usual, please," he said politely.
"Mhm." A waiter mumbled.
"I'll have my usual as well, I assume my friend here will take the same?" King Chuck motioned to Pony Chuck, who nodded.
"Milkshakes for us please!" The Pinkies said.
"We don't ser-" the waiter was cit off by King Chuck, who slid a large tip across the table.
"Just make it happen," he said flatly.
"Trust me, you may just want to do it for them," TD said, then added, "You'll find the necessary ingredients in a new compartment in the freezer."
"Very well." The waiter nodded, walking away. TD looked to King Chuck as they left.
"You're welcome."
"I just wish you did that before he took my tip," He said flatly.
"He wouldn't have done it without the tip," TD explained. "Trust me, I know. Twi and I once tried something like that to see if it would work. That was a negative, captain."
TD leaned back in his chair as he waited for their orders, his chair turning upside down while he floated in the air.
"At least my magic allows me to cope with this," he said to no one in particular, "So does anyone have anything they'd like to talk about?"
"Like counseling? Nope." Pony Chuck shook his head.
"I was thinking more along the lines of 'what's new in your life.' Counseling is for when Twilight's involved. Or whenever people ask me."
TD pulled out a drawing pad and started to write something on it, possibly a picture.
"Ah. Well, my bowling league is going good," Chuck said.
"Again with the bowling league," Pinkie mumbled.
"What? He can't talk about that kind of stuff?" TD asked with a cheeky smile. He pulled out his drawing pad and showed a perfectly drawn picture of Chuck rolling a bowling ball towards some pins. It was as if he had actually been there in person.
"I'm a cheap bugger, aren't I?" he chuckled. "Ironically, bowling is one of the few sports I'm willing to play, even though I'm crap at it."
"The beauty of it is that it's hardly a sport," Chuck grinned.
"Each to his own, I suppose," TD said, drawing on his pad again. He almost didn't notice the waiters approaching in the distance until his pen broke.
"Drat!" TD remarked. "Oh well! I'm not sure many ponies would like to see their version of the Joker anyways."
"I kinda would," The Chucks admitted.
"Then you may keep this. One for each once I fix it," TD stated as he summoned another pen. He then looked up in time to receive his plate: three sausages with a salad and some peaches.
"I have a strange diet, admittedly," TD said as he set it before him. "I'm also a bit picky sometimes."
"And I thought MY diet was weird," King Chuck remarked.
"What do Changelings eat? Love ain't it?" Chuck asked.
"Actually, we can eat whatever we want!" Queen Pinkie explained.
"Well, your species can," TD pointed out, "But I can't speak for the other Changeling hives out there. Especially Thorax's hive. In fact, I haven't ever seen his hive eat anything food-wise before."
"They're missing out, my chef, Epsilon makes the best garlic bread I've ever tasted." King Chuck sighed happily.
"And deserts!" Pinkie added.
"Garlic!?" a colt's voice suddenly shouted in fear from across the restaurant, "Where?!"
"Calm down, Tracker," TD called, "No one's pulled out garlic yet!" He then turned to the Pony Pinkie and Chuck. "Guess why he's scared of that..."
"Allergies?" Pinkie asked.
"He's a vampire?" Chuck asked jokingly.
"No to the allergies, yes to the vampire," TD said bluntly.
"Really!?" Pinkie asked.
TD smiled. "Don't worry. He's a good guy, once you get to know him. Also, blood isn't his only diet. He can literally eat the color red if he has to, and he's really good at keeping his hunger pangs under control whenever he is hungry. Or thirsty? Yeah, I've never been entirely sure which one it is. And I was once a vampire myself."
"That means he can eat you, so watch out!" Queen Pinkie giggled joking to pony Chuck as his coat was a bright red.
"I figured, not like I wouldn't be good or anything. I am nice and tender!" He called out the last part. "I especially would pair well with barbecue sauce!" He called out.
"Chuckie." Pinkie said almost sternly.
"I'll keep that in mind whenever I'm hungry!" Tracker shouted back teasingly.
"Pray that he makes it swift!" Screwball shouted to them, also in a teasing manner.
"Sucker! Good luck, I'll be back in my own dimension before he can even set his oven to 'broil', right?" Chuck looked to TD.
"If he wasn't my adopted son, that would make you safe," TD said with a smirk, "but since he is... yeah, he'd find a way, eventually."
TD laughed and the sausages on his plate laughed too.
"Again, be thankful that pony blood isn't part of his regular diet."
"Those sausages must be extra rare, am I right?" Chuck snickered. Meanwhile, the sight made his vegetarian wife green in the face. TD noticed this and gave an apologetic smile.
"Forgot that you never saw me eating this kind of stuff in your universe. I'm sorry if it bothers you, but unfortunately it's one of the few things I can actually eat in Equestria. Humans have an omnivorous diet, although there are a few vegetarians among them."
TD sighed as he took a bite from one of the sausages. Considering that it was laughing earlier, it was a relief that it didn't make a sound when he bit into it.
"When you think about it, vegetables and plants have to die to be eaten too," King Chuck pointed out.
"Did you HAVE to bring that up?" Queen Pinkie replied.
"I don't know if plants and veggies experience things like that in the way we do," TD said with a thoughtful expression, "But she has a point. Don't dwell on it, or else it'll quickly ruin your life."
"Hi kids! Today we have a lesson in mortality!" Chuck mimicked, picking up a tomato.
"That's right! For example, I get brutally mutilated to be the pickle in your sandwich!" He mimicked with a cucumber. King Chuck snorted a laugh, getting a look from his wife. Unfortunately for the Pinkies, TD laughed a bit as well.
"Okay, that was good," TD said, "but could we not make fun of Veggie Tales, please? I make fun of the show this Fanfic is based on enough as it is. Plus, I think you offended someone." He put on a Southern accent. "That ain't funny, is it sis?"
"My apologies," Chuck mumbled.
By now, everyone's meals had arrived, including the milkshakes for the two Pinkies, and for a moment they were all silent save for the noises made when consuming their food. TD changed into his pony form at one time during this and used his horn to simultaneously draw on his drawing pad and levitate food to his mouth. After he finished most of his food, he showed them the drawing: a perfect picture of Chuck and Pinkie both in pony form and Changeling form.
"I'm not a good artist," he said, "but my magic can allow you to get away with things like this. What do you think?"
"It's... stunning." Chuck remarked.
"Wow! I love it!" Pinkie nodded, the Changelings nodded with them.
"You do?" TD asked, "You can have it, and I even have a copy for the Changeling group too. In memory of this event."
"I know I'd like that," Pinkie said.
"So would we," King Chuck said.
"Then here you go," TD said, handing each couple their pictures. He then shouted in the direction of Tracker and Screwball, "Don't be out too late, you two!"
"We won't!" they called back. It sounded like they were leaving. TD chuckled.
"They remind me of myself and Twilight when we first started dating officially."
"Remember when we first started?" Chuck asked Pinkie.
"Yeah. You seemed different then, almost as if you didn't have a completely fleshed out personality," Pinkie said.
"Well... I'm glad you saw past that," Chuck said.
TD smiled, then looked at a watch on his arm, and then back up to them.
"Your time here is growing short and I must send you back soon. Do me a favor though when you get there: lock up the spells Trixie keeps getting into. As fun as this was, I do NOT want to deal with this again."
"I wouldn't mind it," King Chuck admitted. "I like having Other Me around. Who'll be my cigar buddy?"
"If I don't send them back soon, no one will be," TD replied, this time more seriously, "They can't stay here much longer, thanks to the quality of a spell-caster Trixie is. Yes, she may have used a high-level spell, but her quality in spellcasting... it sucks. However, I may be able to arrange visits myself if you want. Plus, I'll be popping on by in your universe every once in a while, pony Chuck." He grinned. "After all, I still have plenty of mischief to cause there. And support to lend."
"I suppose that will do," Pony Chuck admitted. "I'm gonna miss you, King me."
"I'll miss you too... Poor me," King Chuck replied, "I'll crack open my aged bourbon the next time you come over."
"I'll hold you to that," Pony Chuck chuckled.
"Let's get outside to do this then," TD said standing up, "I don't want the management to get mad at me... or at least more than they already are."
"Let's go!" Pinkie took Chuck, secretly eager to get him away from his dapper, rich, cigar puffing self.
"I saw that," TD said sternly in response to the last sentence, but he still obliged and followed them outside.
"Okay then," he told them, "Just...hold hands or something. Stand close together... and away you go!"
A beam fired from his hands and they slowly started to fade away like ghosts. TD waved to them as they left.
"Cya later Chuck!" he called, "Keep an eye out, I may be visiting again sometime soon! Until then, keep Trixie on a short leash for me! And tell Ivory I said hello!"
And with that, they were gone.
"So, maybe since I won't see him again. Wanna use your expanded lifespan to be my wife AND cigar buddy?" King Chuck offered.
"I'll pass," She said, "But I'll be your cuddle buddy!"
"Cigars, silk robes, and cuddling," King Chuck smiled, "I'm a regular Hefner."
"Who said you won't see them again?" TD asked with a smile, "You have me here with you, and unlike Trixie I can pull them over for much longer periods of time. On that note, Chuck I want to ask you something: since he's technically you, and he may go through the same problems in life that you went through here, want me to keep an eye on him? I can help out whenever he needs it."
"Someone's got to remind him it get's better. Sure, not as better as being king, but better." King Chuck nodded. "Speaking of better, I'm off to..." He corrected himself, he was going to say Chuck's, but it was no longer called that. "I'm off to Sterling's. I'm willing to bet at least two of my three kids are there."
"And I'll be joining you!" Queen Pinkie smiled.
"May I join you guys?" TD asked, "I don't have anything better to do tonight, unless you count hunting my children and their dates down. And I prefer to give my children their space."
"Absolutely, always room for one more!" Pinkie said.
"Except for that one time four years ago at that Hearths' Warming party where we exceeded max capacity;there was NO room for one more. Great for business though," Chuck remarked as they walked.
"Another reason why you should call me for such big parties," TD stated, "Or let me do that whole 'bigger on the inside' trick and make it permanent this time?"
"That spell's all well and good, until you have to clean a football field sized floor," Chuck said as they walked through the door of the humble, dimly lit tavern.
"Eh, you got me there," TD stated. He then looked around the place and noticed something that bothered him.
"Seriously?!" he demanded, "That's like, what? The tenth time the karaoke machine got busted?! *sigh* Hang on a sec..."
TD snapped his fingers- or pretended to- and the karaoke machine fixed itself, records and all. He then made a sign appear on it that said, Please do not break! TD.
"Sterling, what happened?" Chuck asked.
"It wasn't me dad! See, Scootaloo was in here not too long ago with her friends and-" Sterling began to ramble.
"Well, I know who to bill. That's what counts." Chuck mumbled.
"Hey, I fixed it free of charge," TD noted, "So nobody has to pay for anything."
Suddenly, his form changed into his pony form and his horn glowed wildly for a few seconds before shutting down again. TD simply chuckled.
"Zachary Chaotix Sparkle's presence is confirmed," he said with a laugh.
"His middle name is Chaotix?" Chuck asked, "Fitting."
"You haven't noticed?" TD asked in disbelief. "I've said it before, when he and Sugar Plum first met about... eighteen years ago. Did you not listen, or were you already going Papa Bear towards him concerning your daughter?"
"I resent that remark, and if you don't recall, I had a lot on my mind that night." He stated. "My usual son, and it had better taste exactly like how I'd make it." He chuckled.
Eh, you got me there," TD replied. "The financials and all. That was a rough time for you, wasn't it?" He then looked to Sterling. "The usual, please."
"You say that like things got better the moment after." Chuck laughed. Sterling gave them their drinks.
"Enjoy." He said. "Ma? What can I get you?"
"Nothing for me! Thanks Sweetie!" She tussled his mane, much to his embarrassment.
"I'd like to think they did," TD stated, "Not much happened during that time that had to do with danger in Equestria, and you eventually came through okay. I don't see what you were complaining about."
A crash sounded from the other side of the room, which made TD laugh and roll his eyes.
"Screwball, don't use THAT party cannon," he suggested, "It's still a work in progress."
"Sorry!" Screwball called back.
"Sterling, when I gave you the place, what was the first thing I told you?" Chuck asked.
"Don't let any form of new party cannon be tested in the tavern," Sterling recited.
"Ding! Give the boy a prize!" TD shouted, then added, "But don't blame him. Screwball probably summoned it in here, if I know her."
"It's just a general rule," Chuck said. "It's not that hard to follow."
"Oh relax!" TD said with a chuckle, "In all honesty, I'm surprised that you aren't more concerned on who your daughter's dating. Seriously, it's almost as bad as Discord was when he learned about Tracker and Screwball."
"I've decided not to let it bothe- concern me," He said, "I kid, it never bothered me."
TD smiled. "Good, because if I know anything about my author, he's definitely gonna pull out the wedding bells soon."
TD floated in the air for a bit, his horn glowing softly like a flame in the light of the tavern.
"Let's not move things too fast now." Chuck mumbled.
"Aww, I love weddings!" Pinkie said.
"No promises, Chuck," TD said with a chuckle. "Besides, I don't believe Zach's proposed yet, so you've got time. Even if he proposed, you'd still have time, as I wouldn't be the one setting up for the wedding."
"Considering it's a royal affair as she's the king and queen's eldest daughter, the taxpayers would be paying for it, so that's a relief!" Chuck laughed.
"When do you think he'll ask?" TD asked, "Or will she ask him? That almost happened with me and Twi."
"No telling." Chuck shrugged. "But I did raise Sugar Plum to take charge in case he doesn't have the ba-" Pinkie then shot him a look. "The guts." He finished his sentence.
"Thanks Pinkie, but it wasn't necessary," TD replied, "He still has that censoring spell I put on him. But I'm glad you did that. He seems hesitant to make a move. Probably because he doesn't want to give the wrong impression. Guess he inherited that from me, because I was like that once with Twilight."
"I doubt other me has that spell." Chuck muttered.
"Maybe you could talk to him about it?" Pinkie suggested.
"Well, I don't have as much power there," TD explained, "I mean, I have my chaos, but I don't have as much power in regards to who's the author of his story. Does that make sense?"
"Yeah," Chuck mumbled.
"I'll take that as a no," TD stated, "I don't understand much either. But I will suggest it if it'll make you feel better. Don't expect a miracle though. After all.." TD put on his best Pinkie Pie impression. "Pobody's nerfect!"
"That is kind of funny," He admitted.
"You can thank alternate Pinkie for that one," TD chuckled. He then looked over across the tavern where Zach and Sugar Plum were having a conversation. A wicked grin appeared on his face.
"And you may or may not thank me for this," he said, before suddenly teleporting over near the karaoke machine and inserting a coin. Soon after, slow music began to play, startling the two ponies in question when they realized what was happening.
Chuck rolled his eyes, in a joking way. "Why did I know that was going to happen?"
"Because sometimes I'm an open book, Chuck," TD replied with another cheeky smile.
"Dad," Zach groaned, then looked to Sugar Plum, "For the record, I had nothing to do with this."
"I know." She said, a slight smile on her face despite her flat tone.
"Well, are you gonna ask her for a dance, or should I hypnotize the two of you so that you'll-" TD began.
"NO!" Zach shouted, then softer, "T-that won't be necessary."
"Hypnotism does not equal consent," Chuck said dryly.
"Dad," Sugar Plum said sternly.
"Exactly!" TD called out from the ceiling cheerfully. Zach just sighed then looked to Sugar Plum.
"Let's just do it before he actually tries it," he suggested, "The last thing I want is for you to be a mindless slave forced to obey his every command."
"I would say it's the last thing we all want," Sugar Plum nodded.
Zach chuckled nervously, then said as formerly as he could, "May I have this next dance, my lady?"
TD chuckled from above, but Zach ignored him.
"You may," Sugar Plum nodded.
"Hooves where I can see them at all times," Chuck addressed Zach.
"Dad," Sugar Plum growled.
"I seriously doubt he'll try anything," TD stated, suddenly appearing next to the Changeling king as he watched them dance. "And in case you wonder why I did this... Sometimes all it takes is a push in the direction. By the way, why are you like that to him? I mean, both are well beyond the age of a child. Let them have their fun."
"Right of passage," He explained. "You think Pinkie's pops was easy on me?"
"Hornet and Igneous, I could understand," TD replied, "Or at least the one. After all, he was a bit... dull sounding and rather strict when you got on his bad side. I blame the rock farm."
"Regardless." Chuck said, "Zach should consider himself lucky that I'm easy to impress."
TD laughed, then looked back at the couple. Though he still was smiling, a tear fell from his eyes and rolled off his cheek to the floor.
"My little boy is all grown up," he said with a bit of sadness and happiness combined, "It seems like only yesterday that he was still a little baby. Time flies by too fast."
Pinkie was bawling, Chuck kept it together.
"It seems like just yesterday when she came into our lives!" Pinkie sniffed as she sobbed.
TD chuckled a bit, then sighed again.
"But you know, I am proud of my son. And I'm willing to bet that this is just the beginning of a bright future ahead of us all."
"Here's hoping." Chuck nodded approvingly, sipping his drink.
TD smiled again as he watched the cute couple dance, saying the same thing to himself in his mind.
Here's to hoping.
And, that's a keeper! Thank you Impressionsguy!
Hope y'all enjoy!