Chapter 24: Attack of the Vending Machine
At the Boardtrot, a crowd of ponies are gathered around a vending machine as Izzy comes out with a huge stack of cakes. "Whoo!" Izzy cheered as she twirled around with a smile as Misty came up to her.
"Whoa! Where'd you get that, Izzy?" Misty asked in interest by the stack of cake on Izzy's back.
"It came out of the new vending machine." Izzy answered as she gestured to where the vending was as Misty walked up past the crowd as she saw the vending machine with a magical swirl on the screen as it sparkled up.
"Wow!" Misty said in awed with Zipp behind her among the crowd with sparkles in her eyes.
"Ah!" Posey said with sparkles in her eyes as she pressed some buttons, which the screen showed a pineapple as she pressed the enter button as the vending machine sparked up and a blue sphere came out of it from the slot as it appeared a giant pineapple, which Posey carried. "Look! A giant pineapple!" She cheered before she fell to the floor from the heavyweight.
"A candy cane! Yummy!" Seashell cheered as she held up a giant candy cane.
"Ponycorn, please!" Zipp said as she pressed the button, which made a giant pack of ponycorns appear in her hooves. "Whoa!" She cheered in awed.
As the day went by, ponies kept crowding around the vending machine as they selected their options that came out giant size. But when the day ended when night time came, everypony began to leave after selecting their final options in the vending machine.
But then a Raccoonicorn came from behind the two stands and crawled up to the vending machine as he looked through the slot with a smile with his tongue out, wanting to have some of those giant foods. But then the slot began to sparkle, which made the Raccoonicorn eyes widened with sparkles before he was sucked into the slot with a yell before the glowing stopped.
The next day, the ponies were gathered around the vending machine again, but was frowning as Peach Fizz pressed a button as a magical sphere appeared, which is a giant apple, but it has a bite mark on it. "What's going on?" Peach Fizz asked in concern.
"I want a turn!" Glory exclaimed as she and Seashell came up behind Peach Fizz.
"What's wrong with this thing?" Seashell questioned as Hitch, Sunny, Twilight, and Sunset walked up among the crowd.
"Whoa, this place is a mess." Sunny commented as there was some spoiled food on the ground as some was on her hoof.
"What's going on here?" Sunset questioned as the vending machine's slot started glowing, which Peach Fizz's eyes widened as she ducked.
"What's seem to be the problem?" Hitch asked before a bite up cake came out of the vending machine and hit Hitch on the face as it fell, leaving frosting on his face as he gave a surprised look.
Twilight gave a giggle from that. "You were right. Hitch just kept having food splattered on his face." She whispered to Sunset, which she chuckled.
"First it was a fruit and now a cake, that's an improvement." Sunset joked.
"I heard that." Hitch said to them with a brow as the three mares giggled as he sighed. "But seriously, what seems to be the problem?" He asked the Pippsqueaks.
"I think the new vending machine is broken." Seashell said as she held up the apple Peach Fizz brought out. "Look. Everything has... bite marks." She said in confusion.
"That's strange." Twilight said in thought. "Whenever a vending machine gives food, they don't have bite marks. Do they?" She asked Sunset, since her first time with a vending machine wasn't good when she first came to CHS.
"Uh, no. But this is the first time a vending machine can make any kind of food for any of us." Sunset stated. "This thing just came out of nowhere in the middle of the Boardtrot when we first found out."
"Another item for the Boartrot like the Tinytrot." Sunny stated as they looked at the vending machine. "But it was okay just yesterday, why would it give food that has bite marks?"
"Hmm." Hitch hummed as he inspected the slot. "Must be a loose wire or something. Good thing I'm pretty hooves-y with a wrench." He said with a smile as he placed his hoof in the slot.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Sunny asked her coltfriend in concern, as were Sunset and Twilight.
"Yeah, Hitch, in the Boardtrot, anything we touch is magical." Sunset said with a cringe look.
"The Tinytrot was one of those examples." Twilight added, knowing that anything new in Boardtrot is based on a magical effect.
"Don't worry, there's always a trick to these things." Hitch assured the mares with a prideful smile as he didn't notice the vending machine was sparkling. "You just gotta…" He was cut off when the slot glowed and started pulling him in. "Whoa!" He yelped in startled.
"Hitch!" Sunny, Sunset, Twilight, and the Pippsqueaks cried out as Sunny grabbed Hitch's tell to pull him out.
"Whoa!" Sunny cried out as she was being pulled in as well.
"Sunny!" Sunset cried out as she grabbed Sunny by the hindquarters as she started pulling her out with Twilight helping her, but then the two Alicorns were pulled in as well with a scream as the four ponies entered the slot.
"Sunset! Twilight!" The Pippsqueaks exclaimed as they and the rest of the crowd looked in shock at what happened to the four ponies.
The four ponies all screamed as they fell through a magic portal where a bunch of giant food were floating around. Sunset and Twilight used their wings to gain flight while Sunny held onto a chocolate bar as she looked down at the endless abyss below.
Sunny grunted as she climbed up. "Hitch! Over here!" She called out to her coltfriend with a wave.
"Whoa!" Hitch called out as he landed on a grape before bouncing off as he hit a cookie as he gave a yell before he landed in front of Sunny. "Nailed it." He said to his marefriend with a smile as Sunny rolled her eyes with a small smile at Hitch's acting as he stood up and rubbed his head with slight dizziness.
Sunset and Twilight then landed beside the two Earth Ponies. "Well, that was unexpected." Twilight commented.
"You think we've gotten used to the sudden surprise magic by now." Sunset commented with a brow. "And also, where are we?"
Sunny looked around as her eyes widened. Um, guys? Are we inside the vending machine?" She asked in shock as they looked around at the endless giant food floating around them.
"I always wondered how these things worked." Hitch commented with a smile.
"Does every vending machine look like this inside, Sunset?" Twilight asked in awed as she looked around at the endless food.
"No. They do not." Sunset said in complete shock. "It's like this vending machine is magical. It has its own pocket dimension with giant endless food floating aimlessly around until they are picked."
"Sounds about right." Twilight nodded.
Sunny looked around before she spotted a bandana that was bitten. "Look, ponies. More bite marks. Just like Seashell's apple. We better check it out." She declared as she jumped onto a floating cookie as Sunset and Twilight flew after her as Hitch landed nervously on the cook as well before they found a cyclone where the snacks were being pulled to.
"It looks like all the snacks are being pulled down." Hitch said as they landed on a donut.
"It could be the source of the bite marks." Twilight theorizes.
"I think we need to get down there." Sunny said seriously.
"You read our minds, Sunny." Sunset nodded as Twilight nodded.
"Down there?! Into that scary candy vortex?!" Hitch questioned in fear while gesturing to the darkness the snacks are being pulled through. "Sure! Piece of cake!" He said with a nervous look before they saw a giant cake heading for them. "Not literally! Not literally!" He cried out in fear.
"Run!" Sunset shouted as they ran off before the cake splattered onto the donut as Sunset and Twilight took flight while Hitch landed on a bag of chips and Sunny landed on a pie.
"Sunny, look out!" Hitch called out as Sunny saw a strawberry heading towards her as she jumped away as it hit the pie as Sunny landed on a cookie as she barely missed the edge by a hoof.
Sunny looked down before she gasped when she saw a path down down. "I can see a path!" She called out to the others.
"Good eye, Sunny!" Twilight called out as she and Sunset flew beside Hitch, who was riding on a piece of chip.
"We're right behind you!" Hitch called as he went up to Sunny as she hopped onto the chip.
"Aim for the soda can! Up ahead!" Sunny called as Sunset and Twilight guided the chip as they hop onto the soda can and Sunny opened it up, causing it to squirt up as they move at high speed.
"Cheese puffs - twelve o'clock!" Sunset cried out as they moved around to avoid the cheese puffs.
"Whew." Sunny said in relief.
"Donut emergency! Donut emergency!" Hitch exclaimed as he pointed to the donut about to block their path.
"We're not going fast enough!" Twilight exclaimed in worry. "We'll hit the donut before we can even get past it!"
Sunny then saw some mints floating by, which gave her an idea as he grabbed onto the mind and placed it into the soda as she came up next to Hitch with Twilight and Sunset from the side. "Hold on! Hold on!" She called out as the soda then gave off a burst from the mint as they flew towards the hole of the donut before it was out of drink and they fell into a cupcake.
The four ponies pop their heads out of the cupcake covered in cream as they realize what just happened. "That's teamwork!" Hitch cheered as they shared a hooftap.
"Did it!" Sunny cheered with a smile and a laugh.
"Now that soda went from pop to fizz." Sunset quipped with a chuckle, which made Twilight chuckled.
"And straight towards the hole of the dough." Twilight added, which made the three look at her with a brow. "Because we went through a donut hole?" She asked as they kept quiet. "Really? Nothing?"
"Sorry, Twilight. Not your best." Sunset said with a chuckle.
"Not really." Hitch said with a shrug.
"Good try though." Sunny said optimistically as Twilight groaned before they heard a thud that made the food they were standing on shake as they turned and saw the Raccoonicorn that came in eating snacks while huge as a giant while sitting on a throne made from candy and snacks.
"Kevin?!" Hitch asked in shock, recognizing the Raccoonicorn.
"Who?" Sunny, Sunset, and Twilight asked the stallion in confusion.
"Maretime Bay's most wanted crook. I should've known." Hitch said with a glare as they rushed to the edge of the cupcake as Kevin noticed them as he gave a glare as he jumped up and grabbed the lollipop, which glowed when he touched it. "You've had your fun, Kevin. It's time to put the lollipop down and come with me." He said seriously.
"Uh. Hitch?" Sunset muttered when Kevin gave a roar as he swung the lollipop, which moved two giant gummy bears around as he gave a laugh and tossed them at the ponies, which they yelled in startled as they jumped away and landed on the pretzel. "That's new." She muttered.
"Let's use our words, buddy!" Hitch called out as Kevin summoned more snacks around him before launching it at the four ponies, which made them roll their pretzel around to avoid the snacks.
"Ow! Oww! Owww!" Hitch exclaimed while narrowingly avoiding the snacks.
"We're at a disadvantage here!" Sunset exclaimed as she and Twilight barely used their shields to block the snacks.
Sunny saw a candy cane floating nearby as she got a determined expression and jumped towards it. "Sunny!" Twilight cried out before Kevin sent more snacks at Sunny, who quickly caught it as she avoided the snacks and backflipped onto a jello as she charged at Kevin, who sent more snacks at her as she whacked the snacks away before her candy cane broke. "Whoa." Twilight muttered in awed. "She's good."
"That's my mare!" Hitch cheered with a smile.
"Learn from the best." Sunset said with a proud smile at Sunny's skills, seeing her training is paying off.
Kevin's eyes widened as he jumped away from the hard snacks of his own projectiles, which broke his snack throne as he growled and used the lollipop to bring out some sticky candy, which hit Sunny on her hooves as she landed on a cookie, but her hooves are now stuck.
Sunny struggled to break free as Kevin landed in front of her as he launched chocolate almonds at Sunny, which they barely hit. "I don't think he wants to talk!" She cried out nervously.
"Stay very still, Sunny." Hitch said with determination. "I got you!" He called out as he jumped over, which surprised Sunset and Twilight as Hitch activated his Earth Pony magic and stomped on the cookie, creating vines that broke the cookies to pieces, which freed sunny as they landed on a rainbow candy as the two Alicorns flew next to them.
"Wow, Hitch, that was neat." Sunset complimented.
"They don't call me Sheriff of Maretime Bay for nothing." Hitch said with a smirk as he turned to Kevin. "Time to take out the trash!" He quipped as the three mares smirked in agreement as they charged at Kevin as Hitch used his magic to grow more vines to block a snake before narrowly avoiding another while Sunny did the same as she avoided the snacks.
Sunset and Twilight flew ahead while creating magic shields to cover their two friends. "Keep moving!" Twilight called as they ran at Kevin as a chocolate piece came at them, slicing the rainbow sour candy as they narrowly avoided it as Hitch charged up at Kevin.
But then Kevin summons a soda can and starts shaking it as he aimed it at Hitch. "Uh-oh." Hitch said nervously as Kevin opened up the soda can, which hit him as Hitch then got stuck into a jello.
"Hitch!" Sunny cried out in worry as she floated aimlessly.
"Okay, time to put this critter on a diet!" Sunset called out as she and Twilight flew towards Kevin as they fired magic blasts at him, which he used the snacks to block them as he growled before Twilight and Sunset flew around to circle back while avoiding the snacks.
"Watch out! Incoming snack attacks!" Twilight called out as she and Sunset avoided more snacks. Kevin had enough as he summoned a big giant caramel sweet and launched it at the two alicorns. "Aaah!" Twilight cried out in startled as she and Sunset didn't have time to react as the caramel hit them and they were sent back and hit a big box as they struggled to break free. "What is this stuff?!" She questioned.
Sunset struggled as she licked her lips to taste the caramel. "Caramel?" She questioned as she licked her lips again as she gave a smile. "Good, but super sticky!" She called as she and Twilight struggled to break free.
"Way stickier giant size!" Twilight called as they still struggled to break free before they and Hitch were pulled towards Kevin.
Sunny gasped when she saw her friends in trouble as she saw Kevin giving a laugh as Sunset, Twilight, and Hitch gave panicked expressions as Sunny gave a glare as she started glowing. That's enough!" She yelled as her eyes glowed as her Alicorn form appeared. "I'm all three pony kinds wrapped up into one!" Her Cutie Mark then started glowing. "My cutie mark comes to life with hope bright as the sun!" She recited as she released a bright flash, which blinded the four as they saw Sunny floating in her Alicorn form while glowing. "This snack attack is over!" She said to Kevin with a smirk, while the critter looked at her nervously as Sunny released a huge magic blast, which broke the snacks as it set her friends free as they were caught in a huge light.
Outside the Vending Machine, the slot glowed as the four ponies and Raccoonicorn, who was now back to normal size, came out as they landed on the floor. "Wow, Sunny. You are getting really good." Sunset complimented.
"Thanks. I had practice from very good teachers." Sunny said with a smile to Sunset and Twilight.
"And you're a great student." Twilight added as Sunny smiled at the compliment.
Kevin was stuffed from all the snacks he ate as he was about to make a getaway, but Hitch grabbed him. "Nice try, buddy. You can come down from that sugar high back at the station." He said firmly as he turned to Sunny. "Thanks for having our backs in there, Sunny." He said to his marefriend with a smile.
Sunny gave a light blush and a giggle. "Anytime, Hitch. Always." She said with a warm smile as their Cutie Marks glowed as Sunny and Hitch gave each other a small nuzzle while Twilight and Sunset watched with smiles.
"They're bond is so strong when they're together." Twilight said with a smile.
"You have no idea." Sunset said with a smile as Kevin then dug into Hitch's mane and brought out a piece of a snack that was still on him, which the ponies noticed as he ate the piece.
"Hey!" Hitch said with a brow as Kevin gave a belch as the mares laughed in amusement from that.
On a hill top, not so far from Maretime Bay, a heptagon-shaped portal opened up, making some leaves around glitch and float in the air.
Soon, from said portal, two figures step out, but only their eyes are visible, as they watch at Maretime Bay in the distance.
"I told you, so called "King of the Monsters", that we'll find it!" One of them spoke, as their eyes turned green with a purple aura surrounding them.
"Perhaps I underestimated you, umbrum," The other one replied, their eyes being red with yellow sclera. "Now stick to your part of the deal, and I will stick to mine."
The first figure laughed, their eyes shining with malice. "Consider it done, old man!"
End of Chapter 24.