How Bright the Moon Shines

2

There were seven teenage or younger ponies sitting in the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse.  Apple Bloom, sitting in front of the crowd of four with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sitting by her side couldn't help but think a larger tree house may need to be built soon.  It wasn't exactly cramped in the small area yet, but more and more ponies were coming to Ponyville to escape the war, so more blank-flanks were bound to show up.

Sweetie Belle cleared her throat and stepped up to the makeshift podium the Cutie Mark Crusaders used for announcements.  "Welcome to this month's meeting of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"  She eagerly looked around at the bored-looking Crusaders, a smile on her face.  "How is everyone?"

The quiet answers mostly consisted of "good", and "fine."

One of them, the only colt in the club, stood up.  "When are we actually going to do something to get our cutie marks? I feel weird not having one yet."  His name was Magic Sparks, and was the same age as Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.  "Also, why is she always here?"  He said looking at Scootaloo.  "I thought this was for fillies who don't have Cutie Marks yet."

Scootaloo didn't say anything in response.  She just looked out the window, covering her flaming wheel  Cutie Mark with her tail.

Apple Bloom glared at Magic.  "She is one of the founders, so she has the right to be here."  She replied sternly.  "Don't ask again or you'll get kicked out, ok?"

Pumpkin Cake stood up as well.  "Well, are we ever going to actually work on getting our Cutie Marks?"  She asked.  "All we ever do is talk about it."

"Yea."  Lunar said, standing up also.  "This is getting pretty boring.  We do the same stuff every month!"  She said, her silvery eyes glaring at Apple Bloom.  "You said this would be fun."

Beetle, the last filly in the room, stood up last.  "Yea.  I think my aunt is more help than you... I-I mean... sometimes..."

Apple Bloom looked at all of them in shock.  "B-but..."  She sighed, her surprised replaced by rage.  "If  you want to leave, you can.  But you'll be sorry!"  Her eyes narrowed with anger, her teeth grinding together.

Everyone ignored her as they walked out, even Beetle, who greatly took after her aunt Fluttershy, glared at her as she trotted out.

That just left the three founders in the club house.

Scootaloo looked at Apple Bloom, her blind eye gleaming.  "I didn't want to be here anyway.  I'm going."  She walked over to the door and took off with a beat of her strong orange wings.

Apple Bloom felt like she was alone in the universe.  At least she still had Sweetie Belle...

"I've got to go.... bye Apple Bloom!"  The white unicorn ran off.

As she watched her friend go, Apple Bloom felt like crying.  She would never get her Cutie Mark if she had no friends to help her.  She stepped out of the tree house and looked up.  She hadn't been able to tell from inside that it was raining.  "Seriously?"  She muttered.  "What is this, a movie?"  She started to head home.

On her way back, Apple Bloom decided to stop at Sugar Cube Corner.  She hoped eating something would cheer her up.  A bell on the door rang as she walked in.  There was only one other pony there, a brown stallion, so she would be  pretty alone.  She walked up to the counter.

"Hey Apple Bloom!"  Said a happy voice.  Yankee Pie, basically an orange, mini Pinkie, jumped up from behind the counter.  "What can I do 'ya for?"  She said with a big smile.

"I'll just have whatever I can buy for one bit."  Apple Bloom mumbled, just barely audible.

"Ok!"  Yankee jumped over to the case and brought out a cupcake.

Apple Bloom could clearly see her friend's party hat Cutie Mark as she did.  She sighed.

  "One bit please!" Yankee said happily.

Apple Bloom gave her the money and took the cupcake over to a table.  As she ate it, she thought about what had happened at the clubhouse.  When she finished she started heading home again, thinking hard.

Apple Bloom only got halfway home when she ran into Magic again.  "Oh, hi" She muttered, turning to go around him.

"Uh... hey." He replied quietly, looking the other direction, shuffling his hooves.

"What are you doing out here?"  Apple Bloom asked quizzically as she walked in front of him, looking back.  He lived with Princess Twilight as a personal student, and the library were they lived was currently behind them.

"Twilight sent me out to get some, uh, stuff."  Magic had to yell now, the rain was too loud to be heard over otherwise.  "You know, magical stuff."  He took his circular glasses off and worked to get rain drops off them with a now wet rag.

"Oh, ok."  Apple Bloom replied loudly.  She left him and continued back home.  She sighed and thought about how this day couldn't get any worse.  Apparently she was wrong .  Apple Bloom didn't get very far when she heard a loud explosion behind her.  She spun around, eyes wide and her mouth open.

Magic ran to catch up with her.  "What was that!?"  He cried,  looking back at the now blackened area, looking frightened, his mane that naturally stuck strait up making him look almost comical.  "D-do you think...."

He didn't have time to finish his question as the menacing changelings descended upon the unprepared Ponyville.