My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Over a Barrel

A/N: (Dede42 is up a tree in the front yard and Sunrise Blossom is trying to keep Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed at bay with her magic shield.)

Dede42: Go away! Go away!

Sunrise Blossom: You heard, Dede42, back off and get out of here! You aren't even suppose to be here!

Shenzi: Aw, come on, we just wanted to see what other stories you got up your sleeve. Right, Banzai?

Banzai: Yeah, we're just curious. Right, Ed? (And Ed just giggles in his manic way.) Ed agrees. So drop the shield so your friend can come out of that there tree.

Dede42 and Sunrise Blossom: No!

(Just then Timon and Pumbaa appear and they charge at the hyena trio, who scatter to avoid getting hit, and start chasing both the meerkat and the warthog around the front yard.)

Timon: Gang way! Coming through!

Pumbaa: Try and catch us!

(They run into the backyard with the hyenas after them. Dede42 climbs down the tree and Sunrise Blossom lowers her shield. They run in the backyard and find the hyenas in a face-off with Pumbaa, who has his back to them, and Timon is still on his friend's back, cocking the warthog's tail like a rifle.)

Dede42: Uh oh, I think you and I better get inside the writers studio before Timon does what I think he's going to do.

Sunrise Blossom: Good idea. (and they retreat into the writers studio and put on gas masks just to be safe. Cue the "Are you my mummy?" jokes.)

Timon: I got a loaded warthog here, and I know how to use him. So, leave now!

Shenzi: (scoffs) You think that you can scare us off like that?

Banzai: Yeah, I doubt your friend can even produce that much gas. What'd you think, Ed.

Ed: Nah.

Timon: All right, ya asked for it. Ready, Pumbaa?

Pumbaa: Ready!

(Timon yanks on his friend's tail and the worst smell in history sends the three hyenas running for their lives, yelping the whole time.)

Timon: Yuck! Good thing you ate all those brussels sprouts before we came over to save the day, buddy.

Pumbaa: Yeah, good thing. Let's go check on the girls.

Timon: Good idea, pal.

(They go to the writers studio and, after Pumbaa is sprayed repeatedly with air freshers and covered with wreaths of flower, go inside.)

Dede42: Thanks for getting rid of Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. I have no idea how they ended up in the back yard with me.

Sunrise Blossom: It is a mystery. Hey, let's check the reviews while we're here.

Timon: Good idea.

Dede42: (reads both reviews) Well, Berry Dreams did apologize…sort of. I don't mind getting some criticism every now and then, but when it reads like someone who just makes assumptions without reading the other stories first, it can kinda hurt.

Sunrise Blossom: Yeah, and I was giving Rarity a lot of support in the last story, just like a good friend should.

Timon: Doesn't every pony in Ponyville know that Spike has a crush on Rarity?

Rarity: (enters the writers studio and hears the question) Of course every pony knows that, darling. It's a harmless crush that I've been aware of since the first day I met Twilight and Spike, and if Spike wants to pretend that no pony knows, then that's just fine, too.

Applejack: (enters the writers studio) Hey, guys, what happen out there?

Dede42: Long story, but somehow, three certain hyenas showed up and were chasing me around until Sunrise, Timon, and Pumbaa saved me a short while ago.

Rarity: Well, that does explain the lingering smell outside.

Pumbaa: Oh, sorry.

Applejack: Ah, don't ya worry, Pumbaa, it'll fade away.

Sunrise Blossom: Exactly.

Applejack: Well, while ya all post the chapter of the next story, I'll work on repairing both yards.

Dede42: Thanks, AJ.

Applejack: No problem.

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from My Little Pony: Magic is Friendship. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

CHAPTER ONE: TREE ABDUCTION!

It was another beautiful day in Equestria and the Mane Seven were currently on a train, which was being pulled by four strong stallions, heading for the newly built town of Appleloosa, which had been constructed by Applejack's relatives, and she was looking forward to the visit since she had something special to give them as a gift.

In the private sleeper car at the tail end of the train, Applejack was reading a story to a large apple tree that was lying on the bed and covered with a blanket with an apple print on it. "And that's when the yellow birdie thought to himself," she read,""Hmm. My favorite little tree isn't such a little tree anymore." So she sang her song, big and strong, and they all lived in that great, big tree happily ever after. The… end." She then closed the book and tucked the blanket closer around the tree.

"Applejack!" Rarity exclaimed, making the orange pony jump, from the doorway. "Were you reading a bedtime story to… an apple tree?"

Applejack chuckled nervously at being caught. "Heh… uh… Well, ya know, bein' replanted in a whole new place is very upsettin' for a tree… and Bloomberg here is one of my favorites," she pointed out while stroking and nuzzling the green leaves of the tree.

"No fair, Applejack!" Rarity complained, stalking over and glared at the tree. "You've got a luxurious, private sleeper car for a tree, while I am crowded and cramped in the same car with all the other ponies. How am I supposed to get my beauty sleep?!"

"But Bloomberg's the whole reason we're makin' this trip," Applejack reminded her friend. "He needs his rest so we can give him as a gift to my relatives in Appleloosa."

Rarity scoffed at the attention that a apple tree was getting. "Hmph! You talk about it as if it's your baby or something."

"Who you callin' a baby?!" Applejack demanded defensively. "Bloomberg's no baby!" She then turned and began doing baby talk to the tree while nuzzling the leaves again. "Don't wet widdle Rarity make you all saddy-waddy. Bloomberg's a big and strong apple tree. Yes, he is. A-coochie-coochie-coo-coo-coo!"

Rarity felt like she was going to be sick when her friend began tickling the tree. "It's widdle Rarity who's all "saddy-waddy"!" she whined before storming out of the car. "Urgh!"

Night had fallen and the train was still going to down the tracks. In one of the sleeper cars, Twilight Sparkle, Sunrise Blossom, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash were chatting away while both Rarity and Spike were trying to get some sleep since they were due to arrive in Appleloosa the next morning.

"Oh man, we're going fast!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "This is so exciting, I can't even wait!"

"Yeah, who knows what Appleloosa will be like when we get there," Sunrise Blossom agreed.

Twilight Sparkle nodded, looking forward to visit the new town. "Oh my goodness…"

Rarity, however, groaned and stuffed her head under her pillow, trying to ignore her chatting her friends. "For crying out loud in the morning!"

Spike new exactly how the grey unicorn was felling and sat up to glare at the five ponies. "Do you guys mind?" he demanded and they stopped talking to look at him. "I was up early fire-roasting those snacks you're all eating, and I'm pooped!"

Rainbow Dash chuckled sheepishly. "Uh, speaking of, some of these popcorn kernels didn't get popped."

Spike sighed. "Okay, fine…" And he unleashed a blast of green flames at the bag of popcorn.

Rainbow Dash yelped and duck to avoid getting roasted while the flames turned her popcorn black and she winced when a single seed popped and hit her on the head. "Ghk… Ow!"

"Good night!" Spike snapped and duck under his blanket, where he was soon snoring softly.

Twilight Sparkle and Sunrise Blossom exchanged a look, and they decided to humor the baby dragon. "Uhh… maybe it's time we all got a little shut-eye. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow." And they blew out the candles while their friends all grumbled, but they put out their candles, too.

Soon all was quiet in the car, saved for Spike's soft snoring, and this went on for several minutes.

"Psst!" Rainbow Dash whispered. "Pinkie Pie, you asleep yet?"

"No, are you asleep yet?" Pinkie Pie whispered back.

Rainbow Dash lit her candle and hopped out of her bed so that she was on the floor near the bed Spike was in. "If I was sleeping, how could I have asked you if you were asleep?" she asked, still whispering.

Pinkie Pie got out of bed and joined her, giggling. "Oh yeah!"

"When we get to Appleloosa, you think we'll have to carry that heavy tree all the way from the train to the orchard?" Rainbow Dash wondered.

"What tree?" Pinkie Pie asked. "You mean Bloomberg?"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "…No, Fluttershy," she whispered sarcastically.

"Fluttershy's not a tree, silly!" Pinkie Pie whispered, giggling.

Having been woken up by the whispering, Twilight Sparkle joined them. "What's going on?" she asked, making sure to whisper.

"Rainbow Dash thinks Fluttershy's a tree!" Pinkie Pie informed her, snickering.

"I do not think she's a tree! I was just-" Rainbow Dash began.

"Did you say she was a tree?" Twilight Sparkle inquired.

Rainbow Dash shook her head and stammered. "No. Well… Yes. But not exactly-"

"Ya know she's not a tree, right?" Twilight Sparkle interrupted.

Pinkie Pie giggled again. "She's not a tree, Dashie!"

Fluttershy, having heard the conversation, joined them with a smile. "I'd like to be a tree…"

"Oh, for Pete's sake!" Spike shouted, startling the four ponies as he grabbed his pillow, jumped out of the bed, and stormed out the door, slamming it behind him.

"Well that was kind of huffy," Twilight Sparkle remarked, wondering what had caused the baby dragon to storm off like that.

"Huffy the magic dragon!" Fluttershy joked and they all giggled.

Just then, Rarity sat up and glared at them. "Would you all be quiet… now?!" she demanded, revealing that her hair was in curlers, and she had a mud mask on her face, which looked creepy in the candlelight.

"Aaaaaah!" went the four ponies and they quickly blew out the candle.

Sunrise Blossom, who'd been woken by the whispering, shook her head, and laid back down to go to sleep. 'That's what they get for being noisy,' she thought sleepily.

Desperate to get some rest, Spike entered the last car. "Bloomberg…? Bloomberg?" he whispered, shutting the door behind him and crept over to the bed. He then climbed in next to the tree and pulled up the blanket. "Sorry, but I tend to snore a bit. Good night." He then settled down, sighing with contentment, and went to sleep.

The sun was rising as the stallions pulling the train raced past, and the ponies in the sleeper car were all sleeping peacefully when there was a sudden loud rumbling that shook the car, knocking Rainbow Dash out of her bed onto the floor, and her friends all woke up. Wondering what was going on, they gathered in front of one of the windows, and they gasped when they saw racing alongside the train was a huge herd of buffalos!

"A buffalo stampede!" Twilight Sparkle exclaimed, having read about buffalos, but this was the first time she'd ever seen one.

"They all have feathers," Sunrise Blossom remarked, noting that each of the buffalos did have feathers tied to one of their ears.

"I just love their accessories!" Rarity complimented.

Twilight Sparkle, however, noted something odd about the stampede. "They're getting awfully close to the train," she commented and sure enough, the herd was getting a lot closer to the train.

"Uh oh, I think they're going after the drivers!" Sunrise Blossom yelped, just as the lead buffalo slammed into the lead driver, almost knocking him off the tracks, and the whole train shook, sending the six ponies bouncing around, shouting and yelping.

"I want to speak to the manager!" Rarity shrieked.

Meanwhile, Spike was fast asleep in the last car, unaware that the bed was sliding around or anything else that was going on. The lead buffalo kept trying to knock the lead driver off the tracks, but the lead stallion wasn't about to let that happen, and he slammed into the side of the buffalo, knocking him away.

In the sleeper car, the six ponies were sprawled on the floor, dizzy and dazed from being knocked around. Well, five of them were dizzy, but Pinkie Pie bounced up and went back to the window to see what was going on with the buffalos.

"Oooh, looky!" she exclaimed and her friends joined her and watched as two of the buffalos jumped onto the back of a third buffalo, balancing carefully while the third kept running near the train with the rest of the herd. "Now they're doing tricks!" And she nodded excitedly to a small female buffalo, who leapt across the backs of the herd until she jumped onto the small tower. "Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Now do a backflip!" she squealed and was confused when the small buffalo leapt onto the train, and headed back the back of the train. "Or… Just jump?"

"Hmm…" said Rainbow Dash, frowning. "Something tells me this isn't a circus act." She then flew out and over the train, spotting the small buffalo, and landed on the train ahead of her. "Hey there!"

The small buffalo, who called herself Little Strongheart gasped, but she kept running across the train cars, forcing the blue pegasus to move out of the way to avoid being run over.

Rainbow Dash flew after Little Strongheart. "Where ya headed in such a hurry?" she inquired as the buffalo kept avoiding and dodging her. "Wow, you're pretty quick for someone so… bulky. No offense." But Little Strongheart ignored her and kept racing toward the last car.

Determined to get some answers, the blue pegasus flew ahead and landed so that she was blocking the route. "I just wanna know– Hey!" she yelped when Little Strongheart flipped over her and she gave chase. "I'm talking to you– Whoa… Arrgggg… I got you now, you-" However, she missed grabbing the small buffalo, and she slammed into a sign, crashing to the ground with a loud groan.

Smirking, Little Strongheart dropped down to unbuckle the last car and flipped back onto the roof before whistling. Soon the entire herd broken away and swarmed around the car, pushing back down the tracks.

Hearing the commotions, Applejack raced and stopped at the opening, staring and gasping in horror at the sight. "They've got Bloomberg!" she wailed as she was joined by her friends.

Just then, Spike appeared in one of the windows of the stolen car and he was banging on the glass frantically. `"Heeeelp!"`

"And Spike!" Twilight Sparkle and Sunrise Blossom both yelped.

Lying under the sign, Rainbow Dash sat up and gingerly rubbed her sore head with one hoof as the buffalos raced past with the car. "Ugggh…" she groaned and then she heard the fading cries of help coming from the baby dragon. "Dragon-napping Spike. I'll show her!" she vowed and winced. "Ow…" Choosing to ignore the pain in her head, she got up, took to the air, and she flew after the disappearing herd, determined to save the baby dragon and teach the small buffalo a lesson.

A/N: Oh no! Bloomberg has been tree napped and Spike has been dragon napped! See you all Monday for the next chapter! R&R everyone!