open The Town That Friendship Forgot

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@Toshigami Equine @Dynamo Pad @Windy Breeze @ExplosionMare

"Uhm...Trilby, we're just really close friends." Chelsea stated. Thundy blushed a little bit upon hearing Trilby refer to him and Chelsea as brother/sister. "Finn is quite the cutie." Chelsea added with a smile. "Indeed he is." Thundy stated. 

[Silly Druid 6,992]

@C. Thunder Dash @Dynamo Pad @Windy Breeze @Toshigami Equine @ExplosionMare

While waiting for his order, Nopony thinks about what he heard. Clever kid, he uses my strategy of not revealing his real name... Also Shadow is Trilby's marefriend - that makes sense, it looks like Nightmare Moon tries to destroy their relationship using a diary. But why?

Tree notices a mistake in what Trilby said and corrects him. "Oh, he's a druid, not a droid. Kronos is the robotic one in this town, right guys?"

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Toshigami Equine @PawelS @Dynamo Pad @ExplosionMare @C. Thunder Dash

Shadow just also noticed the colt has no cutie mark, but is not bothered by it. She looks around to find a pony in the restaurant before resting her eyes at Finn, which she also found strange and a unique name “Where are your parents, Finn?”

Meanwhile another pony went inside the building. clop, clop, clop, clop. It was Sundae Delight in all of her beauty, but there is something wrong with her. She did not approach the group, but stared at them from the distance instead with a frown.

Edited December 16, 2020 by Windy Breeze

[Samurai Equine 51,610]

@Windy Breeze, @PawelS, @Dynamo Pad, @C. Thunder Dash, @ExplosionMare

Trilby faces Thundy and Chelsea. "Oh, really? Could have sworn... Oh well, it's not the first time I've made a mistake like that. It happens when I'm still getting to know others." Trilby explains, only to hear Tree Song correct him about something he said earlier. "See? Case in point." Trilby says before sitting down. As he begins eating, he looks at Dynamo. "So, you said there was something important you wanted to discuss?"

Meanwhile, Finn just shrugs. "Oh, they're around. They let me roam around as much as I like." He takes his Happy Meal and sits at a different table. He doesn't want to be rude and sit with Dynamo and the others since he wasn't invited to sit with them.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@Toshigami Equine

Thundy decided to get up and go sit with Finn. He seemed to be a bit lonely. "Hey...Finn...you mind if I sit with you?" He asked waiting for the foal's response. 

@ExplosionMare @Dynamo Pad @Windy Breeze

Chelsea sat with the others. "It's really true. Thundy hates McDaffadil's breakfast. There was one time he took me back to his home planet and took me to this place called IHOP, or the International House of Pancakes and it was amazing. He studied the recipes and actually made his pancakes just like IHOP!" Chelsea said with a smile. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,328]

@Toshigami Equine @ExplosionMare @PawelS @Windy Breeze @C. Thunder Dash

Dynamo nodded in understanding as the young colt explained that he couldn't talk to strangers. "That's a fair point and it's just like Trilby had said. My name is Dynamo Pad, but you can call me Dynamo." He says with a friendly smile. "Also, I wouldn't really call myself a leader. Maybe if it was for a video game team." He turned to Trilby with a chuckle. Upon hearing the colt's name was Finn, Dynamo had a curious look upon his face. "I feel like I've heard of the name Finn before, but I can't put my hoof on it. Oh, well. It's still nice to meet you Finn." He says, nodding in understanding as Finn mentioned that his parents were around. He turned his attention back towards Trilby, before nodding at his question. He briefly glanced over towards Thundy, before quickly looking back at the unicorn stallion. "Yeah, I did. Should we find a place to sit and chat?"

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Toshigami Equine @Dynamo Pad @ExplosionMare @PawelS @C. Thunder Dash

Shadow was about to sit next to Trilby when she saw Finn sitting by his chair, alone. Even though the foal said his parents are around somewhere, she did not want him to eat alone by himself. She stood up and approach Finn “Hey, uh... I know you told us your parents let you roam alone, but I just want to keep you company for now” she said in soft-spoken tone.

Meanwhile, Sundae decided to go to the counter too, but tried to avoid getting attention from the group “I want the yum burger, please” she said to the worker in the counter.

 

Edited December 18, 2020 by Windy Breeze

[ExplosionMare 18,063]

@Toshigami Equine @Windy Breeze @Dynamo Pad @C. Thunder Dash @PawelS

“Nice to meet you, Finn!” Pencil said to the colt as he introduced himself. She smiled as Trilby made a set of stairs for him and he was able to order himself a meal. Once everyone else had ordered and sat down, Pencil made her way to the tables to join them.

Thundy and Shadow had joined Finn in order to keep him company. Pencil thought of doing the same, but she didn’t want to make everyone else lonely. She decided instead to listen to Chelsea as she spoke of a pancake place from her home planet.

“Aah, so that’s how you got the recipe! I thought Thundy had made the recipe up himself, but I guess that makes sense that he would get inspired by a pancake places he actually likes,” she responded. If Pencil ever got to visit “Earth”, she would have to try IHOP someday and see if those pancakes were really as good as Thundy claimed. 

Edited December 17, 2020 by ExplosionMare
Took out a couple of sentences

[Samurai Equine 51,610]

@Windy Breeze, @PawelS, @Dynamo Pad, @C. Thunder Dash, @ExplosionMare

Trilby stays at his table, but sits as close to the little colt as he can. Finn finds himself surrounded by new friends. He looks up and smiles at them all. "Hello." He opens up his Happy Meal. "Oh, cool!" He pulls out his toy. It's a little figure of one of the Wonderbolts; Saorin to be exact. "...Who is this?" Finn asks, not recognizing the toy.

"Eh, EHOP, IHOP, I'm sure it's all pretty much the same across realities." Trilby says. But Dynamo's comment confuses him. "...We are sitting." Trilby says with wide-eyed confusion.

Edited December 17, 2020 by Toshigami Equine

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Toshigami Equine

When Finn showed his new toy, Shadow felt whole body shivered and her expression threatening to suddenly crunch into something. She recognized this pegasus: He is Soarin' the second-in-command member of the Wonderbolts squadron and for some reason, she feel disgusting not only seeing the toy, but also thinking the Wonderbolts. She couldn't make heads or tails why, maybe she's not fan or something happened in the past in a previous encounter with one of their members.

“He's Soarin', a member of a popular squadron and acrobatic group called the Wonderbolts” she said.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@Toshigami Equine @Windy Breeze

Thundy smiled. "That's Soarin' alright. You wanna see something cool? Mind if I see your little Soarin toy?" Thundy asked looking at Finn, hoping the little colt would trust Thundy. Thundy was going to do something amazing that he hoped would make Finn's day. 

@ExplosionMare @Dynamo Pad

"I wouldn't bet on that Trilby. You may think they're identical, but I know you'll taste a difference if you tried the pancakes from IHOP." Chelsea stated. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,328]

@ExplosionMare @Toshigami Equine @PawelS @Windy Breeze @C. Thunder Dash

Once he received his order, Dynamo went to find a table for he and the others could sit. Since everyone was making their way to sit by Finn, the gaming unicorn made his way to the very same table. After taking his seat, he looked over towards Finn, who had opened his happy meal to see his toy. A little figure of Soarin from the Wonderbolts. "Oh, Soarin from the Wonderbolts. I haven't seen that from the toy line in quite a while. That's a pretty rare one alongside Spitfire and Fleetfoot." He smiled, while wondering if anyone would question how he knew about the Wonderbolts. He reminisced about the Bolts, before tilting his head in confusion at Trilby's remark. Just as he was brought back to reality. "Oh, sorry about that. I meant more along the lines of a table to sit. Considering I was waiting to receive my food." He grinned sheepishly as he took his seat near Trilby, but around the others, as well.

[ExplosionMare 18,063]

@Toshigami Equine @Dynamo Pad @Windy Breeze @C. Thunder Dash @PawelS

The group was suddenly drawn to Finn’s little “Wonderbolt” toy. Pencil didn’t know much about the Wonderbolts so she couldn’t offer any input, but the toy was cute. She had the sudden urge to draw it on a napkin, but she didn’t have any drawing utensils with her. She could always make one, but there wasn’t any wood or ink nearby she could use without getting in trouble. Hopefully someone else had something to draw with.

“Does anyone have any ink or wood on them? Or, to make this easier, does anyone have something I can draw with?” she asked.

Edited December 17, 2020 by ExplosionMare
Added more tags

[Samurai Equine 51,610]

@Windy Breeze, @PawelS, @Dynamo Pad, @C. Thunder Dash, @ExplosionMare

Since everyone else was doing so, Trilby just shrugs and moves over to Finn's table.

"Oh, Soarin... Never heard'a him. One'a my school friends talks about the Wonderbolts all the time. Says he never misses a show. But usually he only talks about Wind Rider. He says he's the best Wonderbolt ever." Finn says before playing with the toy, making it fly in his hoof and adding swoosh'ing sounds. !! "Oh, my food..." He remembers the rest of his Happy Meal and starts eating his food.

After scratching the back of his head, Trilby looks over at Dynamo. "Should we still talk about whatever you wanted to discuss? I'm sure Finn here won't care that much, whatever it is."

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@Toshigami Equine @ExplosionMare @Dynamo Pad @Windy Breeze

Thundy ate his biscuit and hashbrowns looking at Finn play with his Soarin' toy before he decided to eat. Thundy gathered some electricity and let out an energy on to the Soarin' toy. It began to fly around Finn slowly. It flew around Finn 4 times before landing and returning to its toy state. 

[Silly Druid 6,992]

@C. Thunder Dash @Dynamo Pad @Windy Breeze @Toshigami Equine @ExplosionMare

Tree Song has a pen in her saddlebags, in case she needs to note something related to her lessons. She gives it to Pencil. "You can take my pen, I don't know if it's good for drawing though."

Meanwhile, Nopony processes the information he received from the ongoing conversation. Wind Rider? I heard that name, he was an active Wonderbolt many years ago... So the child comes from the past! I bet that strange time mage has something to do with it... He also notices Sundae Delight, and the fact that she tries not to draw attention to herself, but decides not to take any action for now.

[ExplosionMare 18,063]

@PawelS

“Thanks! Hehe, I don’t care about the quality of the pen cause I’m just drawing on a napkin,” Pencil thanked Tree Song as she was offered a pen.

Now that Pencil had what she needed, she began to sketch the little Wonderbolt toy. She had to be extra careful not to tear the cheap napkin in the process. She drew a series of outstretched lines followed by a long curve for the outline of the body. She then began forming the head, beginning with the ears and ending with the muzzle. She had to sketch over the muzzle a couple of times to get it right. Next, she added the finer details and gave the pony a determined but carefree expression. She finished him off with some rough shading.

Sitting back in her seat a bit, Pencil admired the little doodle she created. It was by no means the work she expected of herself, but this was a napkin sketch, not a commission. Speaking of commissions, her commissioner might like Wonderbolts. Keeping that in mind, Pencil stashed the napkin in her saddlebag and carried on with her breakfast.

[Samurai Equine 51,610]

@Windy Breeze, @PawelS, @Dynamo Pad, @C. Thunder Dash, @ExplosionMare

Finn's eyes go so wide, they almost fall out his head! And he almost forgets to finish eating. Seeing his toy come to life is so amazing! "So cool...!" He looks up at Thundy. "Hey, Mr. Thundy. You and Chelsea aren't ponies. What are ya?" He asks innocently. Must have never seen other creatures besides ponies before.

He also notices what Pencil is doing. Searching his waistcoat, he soon finds 3 different colored pencils. "Here ya go. It's not much. I just forgot to put them away after school."

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@C. Thunder Dash @Toshigami Equine @ExplosionMare @PawelS @Dynamo Pad

“Nice work, Thundy” Shadow said Thundy before sitting beside Finn “So, how do you like Soarin'? He looks pretty handsome. Do you want me to show some pictures of him?"

[Dynamo Pad 11,328]

@ExplosionMare @Toshigami Equine @PawelS @Windy Breeze @C. Thunder Dash

Dynamo turned to look at Pencil, who had asked for something she could draw with. "I honestly don't really have any drawing utensils, or carry them on me. I'm sorry about that, Pencil." He would say, giving the mare an apologetic look. As he heard Finn's remark on Soarin, Dynamo frowned slightly as it seemed his friends hadn't asked how he knew of the Bolts. He still wanted to inform the unicorn of Soarin. "I guess your school friend is quite the fan. Soarin is ranked second in the Wonderbolts. Number one is Spitfire and number three is Fleetfoot. There are others and I think Rainbow Dash is one of them. She's a new recruit, but she's shown to be an expert flyer. I have heard that new recruits have made names might join soon like Sky Stinger and Vapor Trail." He says, smiling as the young colt played with his toy. As his food was brought over, he gave his thanks as he began to dig into his sandwich. 

He soon took notice of the goy beginning to fly thanks to Thundy's electrical magic. It was as if the real Soarin was flying around in toy form. He was impressed with the display, before nodding in agreement with Shadow. "Don't look now, but I think you got some competition, Trilby." He chuckled as he was joking around. He had heard rumors that Soarin was dating Spitfire, but that's all it was as simply rumors. Upon mentioning of what he had to discuss. "Oh, right." He started as his ears fell in both fear and embarrassment. It wasn't that he wasn't concerned of Finn listening to it, but more so on Thundy. With a heavy sigh, he knew there was no way around it. "Okay. The thing I wanted to talk and discuss about is Pastel." He would continue once the others were drawn into the discussion.

[ExplosionMare 18,063]

@Dynamo Pad @Toshigami Equine

“That’s okay, Dynamo, Tree Song already got me a pen,” she told the blue unicorn as he apologized for not having any art materials on him.

She then turned to the rest of the group as they discussed the Wonderbolts. Pencil didn’t take much interest in the conversation so she began to tune it out. To keep herself at least a little occupied, she read off of random posters and signs that hung around the diner. The menu wasn’t very interesting to read, but the advertisements were a little humorous. Pencil always thought it was funny when ads over exaggerated how great a product one. One sign in particular caught her attention that displayed a ginormous hayburger claiming it was the largest burger in Equestria. Pencil knew that in reality, McDaffodil’s actually had the smallest burgers in Equestria.

Pencil was quickly brought back into the conversation with Finn offered her some of his colored pencils. She thanked him as she grasped them with her magic. She was about to begin coloring, but Dynamo mentioned wanting to start his important discussion. The coloring could wait, Dynamo’s discussion was more important. Pencil’s full attention was on the stallion as he hesitantly tried to tell the group what he needed to tell them. He mentioned Pastel, to which Pencil responded,

“What about Pastel?”

She hoped nothing was wrong between them. She hadn’t seen Pastel in a while, not since the VR game. Had they gotten into a disagreement during one of the levels? Although that seemed unlikely, even the closest of friends could have big arguments. Pencil’s other assumption was that something was wrong with Pastel but she wanted to believe the former over the latter. Of course, these were only assumptions. Only Dynamo could say what really occurred.

 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@Dynamo Pad @ExplosionMare @PawelS @Windy Breeze @Toshigami Equine

“I’m what is known as a Griffon. I’m actually a hybrid. Some even say that I’m mixed with a batpony because of my ears. See that other Griffon there? That’s Chelsea. She’s a Griffon-pony. She has a cutie mark.” Thundy said. Chelsea heard the comment. “Indeed I do Finn.” She said as she gathered some water energy and formed and image of Soarin’ flying around them made of water. The image evaporated after 15 seconds. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,328]

@ExplosionMare @Toshigami Equine @Windy Breeze @PawelS @C. Thunder Dash

He nodded in understanding over the pen, before responding to Pencil's question. "Oh, nothing's wrong with Pastel. With everything that's happened since arriving in Friendshire, I don't think anything bad had happened." He started, while giving the group a look of reassurance. Trying to let them know that it was a serious discussion, but not too serious. "Has anyone realized how close Pastel has been to me? Almost like she's connected to me like one is connected by their shadow." He would say, while wondering if anyone else had taken notice of that. It was even more apparent whenever they went to certain levels in the gaming world.

[ExplosionMare 18,063]

@Dynamo Pad

“Uhh, not that I’m aware of,” Pencil responded. “I’m not really sure what you mean. Maybe I just haven’t been around the two of you long enough to notice,”

Pencil had no idea what being “connected like a shadow meant”. She could understand if Pastel considered Dynamo as a mentor, but that was as far as her reasoning could extend to. Shrugging to herself, she returned back to her griddle and finished the last few bites of it that were left.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@Dynamo Pad @ExplosionMare

"You know Dynamo, I actually see it. She really does have this strong connection to you." Thundy stated looking at Dynamo, hoping he wasn't being to intrusive of the conversation.