It was nice, sunny April 1st in Ponyland. Tabby and Sugarberry were at the Satin
Slipper
Sweet Shoppe. Then Tex walked in.
"Mind if I join you two?" he asked, walking over to their table.
"Actually, yes..." Tabby started, but Sugarberry kicked her from under the table and
interjected, "Oh, yes, sit down!"
"SUGARBERRY!" Tabby screeched.
So, Tex sat down. "I've been wanting to talk to you girls about a mystery I have." He
set
a piece of paper down on the table. "I got this note last night."
Sick pet?
See the vet
When you leave
Proceed twenty paces
For further traces.
"Ooh!" Sugarberry exclaimed. Tabby was staring boredly up at the ceiling.
"I thought it might refer to your vet clinic, Tabby," Tex said.
"Well, OBVIOUSLY!" Tabby rolled her eyes. "Any idiot could figure THAT
out."
"I guess I'll go check it out now," Tex said, standing up. "You can come with me if you
want," he added, glancing at Sugarberry and Tabby.
"Come on Tabby, let's!" Sugarberry said. "It'll be fun!"
Tabby snorted. "I knew you'd force me into it, Sugarberry. Fine, I'll go. But only
because you're making me."
* * *
The three has just gotten to Tabby's vet clinic. Tex was walking twenty paces from the
door; he came to the lamp post in front of Pony-Mart.
"There's a paper duct-taped to the post!" he exclaimed.
"What does it say?" Sugarberry asked.
Tex unfolded the paper:
Clothes and games
Shoes and frames
Computers and bikes
Something doesn't fit?
Do the refund bit.
"Maybe it means Pony-Mart," Sugarberry suggested.
"That must be it," Tex said. So they went inside, Tabby trailing along behind
unwillingly.
"How'll we possibly find it? This is a big store, ya know," Tabby pointed out.
"That's right," Sugarberry said.
"The note says ‘Do the refund bit,' so they probably left it at the courtesy counter," Tex
said. He walked up to it.
"Oh, Tex!" Starflower, who was working behind the counter, exclaimed. "I bet you're
looking for this!" She pulled out an envelope from under the counter.
"Thanks, Starflower," he said, taking the envelope from her.
Starflower smiled at him. "Bye!" she called as he walked away.
"So what does this one say?" Sugarberry asked anxiously.
"Let's see..." Tex opened the envelope.
Up and down
Circle around
I'm getting dizzy!
Back and forth
Back and fourth!
The three ponies pondered over this one for awhile. At least, Tex and Sugarberry
did.
"This one's harder," Tex commented.
"Yes," Sugarberry agreed. "I wonder why ‘fourth' is misspelled.
After a few more minutes with no ideas, Tabby appeared to be getting bored. "It must
mean the playground at the grade school!" she burst out.
"Good thinking, Tabby," Tex said.
"So let's try it!" Sugarberry exclaimed.
* * *
At the playground, the three spread out to look for the next clue. Tabby, of course, was
being uncooperative, though, so she really wasn't looking at anything.
"I think I found it!" Sugarberry called out. "It's taped to this tree over here!" She
pulled
it off and handed it to Tex:
Feeling smarter?
Getting older?
Ready to go on?
Time yet to roam?
Get on home.
"These rhymes sure sound stupid," Tabby remarked.
"But what could it mean?" Sugarberry asked.
"Maybe something at the high school, since it talks about getting smarter," Tex
suggested.
"That would make sense," Sugarberry said. Suddenly her eyes lit up. "I'll bet it's in the
baseball diamond! On home plate!"
"What's a baseball diamond?" Tabby wondered as they went off.
* * *
"Yes, here it is! On home plate!" Tex exclaimed after they got to the baseball diamond.
Sugarberry ran over to see what the clue was. Tabby continued to wander around
aimlessly.
It read:
Drop in your jangle
Hold out your hand
White, green, pink,
Red, yellow, blue,
Chew, chew, chew.
"It could mean a gumball machine," Tex said, after thinking about it.
"Like the one in front of the Perm Shoppe! That's not far from here!" Sugarberry
exclaimed. "Tabby, come on! We're leaving!"
* * *
At the Perm Shoppe gumball machine, there was, indeed, another note duct-taped to it.
Tex peeled it off:
Round and furry
Always in a hurry
Watch your step!
Keep your eyes down
What's under the ground?
"The Bushwoolie holes!" Tabby exclaimed, her face brightening a little. "Yay!
Bushwoolies!"
So they ran off again.
* * *
"Hi, Tex!" Friendly greeted him as they reached the Bushwoolie holes.
"Hi, Friendly!" Tex replied. "Have you seen any notes around for me?"
Friendly paused and thought for awhile, then hopped down into one of the holes. He
came back holding a slip of paper. "Here, this for you!" He handed it to Tex.
"Thanks!" Tex said to him. Then he unfolded the paper:
You've done well
As you can tell
Time for a break
Something cold, you scream?
How about ice cream?
"That has to be the Satin Slipper Sweet Shoppe!" Tex exclaimed.
"Let's go!" Sugarberry said excitedly.
Tabby hid a mischievous grin behind her hoof.
* * *
Once they arrived there, Tex got a big surprise. There was a big "April Fools!" sign set
up in front of the Satin Slipper Sweet Shoppe.
"But... what... how..." he stammered.
"HA!" Tabby grinned evilly. "I set the whole entire thing up! It was all a joke! April
fools, Tex!!!!"