Sibling Revelry
Inside a treehouse at Sweet Apple Acres, three little fillies giggled in excitement in anticipation of an upcoming event.
“Ah cain’t b’lieve Midnight’s lil’ brother is transferin’ here all th’ way from Canterlot!” cheered Applebloom, a little yellow earth pony filly with a red mane bound by a big pink bow.
“I know! And he doesn’t have a Cutie Mark, so y’think…?” suggested Sweetie Belle, a unicorn filly with a gray-white coat, her pink and mulberry mane and tail in stylish curls.
“Bring a boy into the Cutie Mark Crusaders?!” admonished Scootaloo, a Pegasus filly with an orange coat and purple mane in a boyish style.
“I dunno…”
“Now come on, Cutie Mark Crusaders!” insisted Applebloom. “It don’t matter if’n a new member’s a boy r’ gal! It’s the duty of th’ Cutie Mark Crusaders ta’ help all blank-flanks find their Cutie Marks!”
“You’re right, Applebloom,” agreed Sweetie Belle. “When did Midnight say his brother was coming?”
“He said he’d pick us up and take us to the train station afterschool today to meet him,” Scootaloo answered.
At the Ponyville Schoolhouse, the teacher, a lovely earth pony of purple with a pinkish mane, her cutie mark three smiling flowers, named Cheerilee announced, “Alright, my little ponies! Settle down!”
The class did as Cheerilee went on.
“Today, we have a guest who’s gonna give us a treat! Come on in, Midnight!”
The whole class turned to the door and it opened to reveal a unicorn stallion, his coat a sapphire blue, his mane was black at the roots but a deeper blue near the ends, his Cutie Mark a cyanish white five-point star, above an upwards-facing crescent moon, the star surrounded by five white twinkles.
“Hello everypony, glad to be here!”
“Come on in, Midnight,” Cheerilee invited, Midnight walking over to stand by her desk. “So what do you have in store for us?”
“Well, with my assistant, Whirly Gig,” Midnight began before yelling out the door, “Come on in, buddy!”
In flew a storm-gray Pegasus stallion with a mane colored like rain-clouds, giddily yelling, “Hi everypony! Wanna have some fun?!”
“Yeah!” the class cheered.
“Well today, we’re gonna take you flying on a cloud!” Midnight announced.
“But, Midnight!” Cheerilee interrupted, “While there are some Pegasus foals here, the rest can’t stand on clouds like they can!”
“Oh they will, Cheerilee,” promised Midnight, “with the help of a little spell. Whirly, go get the cloud!”
“I’m on it!” Whirly Gig said with an excited salute, then flew out the door.
“Everypony, be very quiet, I need to concentrate,” Midnight asked as he closed his eyes.
It was faint at first but then everypony could feel Midnight’s magic at work as his horn glowed and then they felt a mild pulse spread throughout the room, and Midnight sighed once it was over.
“Ok, follow me, everypony.”
Outside the schoolhouse, Whirly Gig already had the cloud. It was big and fluffy, more than enough to accommodate the whole class. Midnight turned to Applebloom and said, “Hop on.”
“Won’t ah jus’ fall through?” she asked, feeling hesitant.
“I’d pay a couple bits to see that!” taunted a pinky filly with a lavender and white mane, wearing a tiara, matching her cutie mark.
“Yeah, a blank flank falling flat on her face!” seconded a gray filly wearing glasses, her mane had a braid, an ornate spoon was her cutie mark.
“Excuse me,” Midnight rose his voice to let them know he’d heard them. “But if you want to talk, you must raise your hooves or wait to be addressed, young fillies. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, is it?”
“Yeah…” answered Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon hesitantly.
“Why don’t you two go first then,” Midnight goaded subtly.
All eyes were on the two bullying fillies who uncharacteristically shrank at the attention.
“N-no, Applebloom was invited first, after all,” Diamond Tiara insisted.
“We’ll just wait for out turns,” Silver Spoon added.
Seeing her two daily tormentors humbled gave Applebloom the confidence. So she approached the cloud… and hopped on. Her face scrunched, she expected herself to slip through. But instead, she found herself standing on what felt like an extra-soft and comfy mattress.
“Sweet apples! Ah’m standin’ on’a cloud!”
“Because my spell made every unicorn and earth pony in the classroom able to walk on clouds,” Midnight laughed, the joy on Applebloom’s face making him feel good.
“The spell lasts for three days, so we have plenty of time!”
All the unicorn and earth pony colts and fillies cheered as they leapt on, the Pegasus foals coming too. Cheerilee approached as Midnight gave a courteous bow, saying, “After you.”
“My, my,” Cheerile chuckled as Midnight helped her aboard the cloud. “What a gentlecolt.”
Once everypony was aboard, Midnight climbed on as well and said, “Once around Ponyville, Whirly!”
“Hang on, everypony!” Whirly Gig laughed as he pushed the cloud airborne as the class all “Whoa’d” as they rose into the air.
The students all “wow’d” and “ooh’d” and “ah’d” at the view, seeing all of Ponyville as they’d never seen it. Some ponies waved to her friends and neighbors and parents and siblings below. There were a few close-calls, but everypony had fun.
When it was over, Whirly Gig took them back to the schoolhouse, where Cheerilee announced, “Ok, my little ponies! I think that’ll be all for today. Go inside to collect your things, and I’ll see you all tomorrow! With an extra surprise.”
All the foals cheered and crowded around Midnight and Whirly Gig.
“That was fun!”
“Could we do that again sometime?”
“I’d like to visit Cloudsdale!”
“Glad everypony had fun,” Whirly laughed. “Tomorrow we’ll play touch hoofball!”
Whirly then flew off.
“Ok everpony, it’s time to go home,” stated Midnight. “I have to go right now.”
“Midnight!”
Almost instantly, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all zipped up to Midnight, in single-file.
“Dincha say y’all were gonna take us ta’ meet yer brother?”
“When’s he gonna be here?”
“What’s he like? Not whiny, I hope.”
“Ha-ha, ok, Cutie Mark Crusaders, let’s go,” Midnight laughed.
At the train station, the fillies were fidgety, as Sweetie Belle asked, “So what’s your brother’s name, Midnight?”
“His name is Twinken, he’s just your age,” Midnight said as they waited when they heard the distant sounding of the train-whistle.
“Oh! There’s his train!”
In puled the train, the choo-chooing slowing, as did its chugging, the steam hissing as it came to a stop. But then they saw, as soon as the door opened, a couple of mares ran out screeching, as though the devil himself were after them. Each of them looked like they’d had an unfortunate encounter with Rainbow Dash’s Rain-Blow Dry.
“What was that all about?” Sweetie Belle wondered aloud as she and the other two Crusaders stared after the two screaming mares with bad manes.
Sighing into his hoof, Midnight answered, “It means my little brother has definitely arrived…”
As if on cue, they all heard a crash in the train, a yelp of pain, followed by a string of frustrated and angry nattering. Then they heard the voice grunting in effort, as well as the sound of something heavy being dragged. They saw the source of the noises step out backwards in the form of a unicorn colt dragging a heavy hooflocker.
The colt was a vivid cerulean with a swept-back yet slightly messy mane of light brilliant blue, while his eyes were a darker blue. And, of course, he had a blank flank. At the moment, he was pulling his hooflocker by the handle in his mouth, looking irritated and muttering.
“Now what has Mom told you about talking with your mouth full?” Midnight called.
The colt gasped, dropping the handle form his mouth has he looked towards Midnight.
“Big brother!”
He started running towards Midnight, who responded by falling over onto his back, much to the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ confusion. But then they saw the colt, Twinken, leap into the air, as Midnight held up all four of his hooves, and they noticed the older unicorn’s horn shine.
Twinken, still in the air, was guided by Midnight’s magic, and landed, hoof for hoof, on Midnight’s hooves. Then, word for word, they both spoke, “You’ve heard of shooting stars… but what about Launching Stars?!”
Then, with a mighty heave, Midnight literally launched Twinken who whooped as he zoomed straight up into the air. The fillies all gasped, in equal awe, fear, and shock, as Twinken then came down, laughing, not at all scared, as Midnight leapt to his hooves, his horn shining again. And Twinken came to a gentle landing on his brother’s back.
“Midnight!”
“Heh-hey, little brother!” Midnight greeted happily as Twinken wrapped his arms around his neck in a warm hug. But then Midnight took on a stern manner.
“What did you do to those mares who ran off the train screaming?”
Twinken’s eyes snapped open, widening in realization that he’d been caught red-hoofed.
“Uh… Freak Rain-blow Dry accident?” he offered with a sheepish smile.
Midnight’s eyes narrowed as he gave him a knowing smirk, the fillies all giggling at Twinken’s squirming. Although their giggling had earned his attention.
“Uh, big brother, who’re they?”
“Oh, right,” Midnight chuckled. He’d get to the bottom of that later. “Cutie Mark Crusaders, this is my little brother, Twinken. Twinken, the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”
“Uh, hi?” Twinken shyly waved his hoof.
“Hi, Twinken,” Sweetie Belle said nicely. “My name’s Sweetie Belle.
“Ah’m Applebloom!”
“And I’m the awesome Scootaloo!”
“And we’re th’ Cutie Mark Crusaders!” the three of them declared.
Twinken gave his brother a confused look.
“I thought that, since you’re gonna be living with me for a while, I should introduce you to some local foals you’re age.”
“Oh, uh… ok,” Twinken didn't exactly look comfortable with that notion.
“Hey Midnight, can we give Twinken th’ grand tour a’ Ponyville?” Applebloom asked.
“Yeah, we can show him all the awesome stuff around town!” Scootaloo looked eager to rev up her scooter.
“We’ll bring him to your place before dark,” promised Sweetie Belle.
“Well…” Midnight contemplated not seeing (or, judging by the look on his face, perhaps playfully ignoring) Twinken’s not-so-subtle gestures to the negative.
“What the hay? Just have him by the shop before 4 o’clock. I don’t want your families getting on my case if you stay out too late.”
“But- but- but-” Twinken tried to find an excuse.
“Don’t you throw your “buts” at me, young colt,” chuckled Midnight as he concentrated on his little brother’s hooflocker, making it levitate, as well as levitating the young colt off his back and setting him next to the Crusaders.
“It’ll do you some good to learn a little about Ponyville. Have fun, kids!”
And just like that, Midnight walked off, Twinken’s hooflocker floating after him. Twinken looked uncomfortably at the three fillies as they smiled friendly-like and in welcoming ways.
“AAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!”
Twinken held the sides of the wagon with life-cherishing strength, sitting behind Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom as Scootaloo, on her scooter and propelling them all with her wings, as she towed them along for a wild ride.
“Watch out for that rock! Eeh! Slow down! Augh! Stop the ride - I wanna get off!!!”
Sighing, Scootaloo put on the brakes, which, unfortunately for Twinken, he wasn’t prepared for, as he was sent hurtling into a nearby flower bush.
“OW!”
“Twinken, y’alright?!” Apple Bloom yelled as the three fillies hurried over.
Twinken scrambled out of the bush, spitting out a few leaves, giving them all a look. The three fillies struggled to suppress their giggles, but stopped when Twinken’s eyes furrowed with irritation.
“Uh… Hey, Twinken!” Scootaloo said as she went over and twirled him around to see…
“Check it out – That’s Sugarcube Corner, one of our favorite places to hang!”
To Twinken, the building looked like a giant cake, with an upper floor shaped like a giant cupcake on top.
“Ooh! That place looks kinda cool!”
“Come on, our treat,” Sweetie Belle offered as she led them all in.
A bell rang as they stepped through the door, and at once Twinken heard somepony say, “Welcome to Sugarcube Corner, where life is always sweet!”
Twinken looked to the store counter and saw a tall and gangly earth pony with a yellow coat and red mane and tail. He had an unusually large lower jaw, he wore a deli hat and apron, an orange bowtie, and his cutie mark was three pieces of carrot cake.
“Hi, Mr. Cake,” Scootaloo said with a wave of her hoof.
“Well, howdy there, Cutie Mark Crusaders,” welcomed Mr. Cake, and he noticed Twinken. “You feisty fillies wrangle a new member?”
“Oh, this is Twinken,” Sweetie Belle explained, “he just transferred to our school and he’s gonna be living with his big brother, Midnight!”
“Well, nice ta’ meet’cha, Twinken,” Mr. Cake said. “Your brother’s quite a popular character around here!”
Smiling, Twinken said, “Yeah, my big brother is awesome! And one day, I’m gonna be a great magician, like him!”
“Good ta’ have goals, Twink!” Mr. Cake said, but then he noticed a look of irritation spread across Twinken’s face.
“My name is Twinken, not Twink!”
“No need ta’ get yer lemons in a twist, son,” Mr. Cake laughed while holding up his hooves in surrender. “Tell ya what, how `bout ya order something and I’ll make it on the house so there’s no hard feelings?”
“Deal,” Twinken replied apologetically, “didn’t mean to sound rude. I just… don’t like it when someone says my name wrong.”
“Well then, kids, what’ll ya have?”
After making their orders, the foals all sat down and Apple Bloom asked Twinken, “So Twinken, what’s it like in Canterlot?”
“Well… it’s real different from here in Ponyville,” Twinken admitted. “Buildings are taller, lot more architecture, and stuff like that, and there’s more unicorns there.”
“And what’s it like in your old school?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Twinken reflected on his past school years, recalling the ups and downs, as well as a few… incidents that were accidents on his part, really. Unfortunately, not everypony had believed him when he’d said they weren’t (mostly) his fault.
“Um… eventful, let’s leave it at that.”
“Hi there!”
Twinken was surprised when a pink earth pony mare popped out of nowhere (actually from under their table but that’s not the point), yelling, “Whoo-hoo! Midnight’s little brother is in town!”
Twinken saw this mare had a pink coat and a poofy-looking mane and tail of darker pink, her eyes a bright blue, her cutie mark a trio of balloons, like one might see at a party. Then she started to talk. And talk, and talk, and talk.
“Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! I work and live here at Sugarcube Corner, see Mr. & Mrs. Cake let me live upstairs, they’re such sweethearts! I also came up with the catchphrase “Welcome to Sugarcube Corner, where life is always sweet!” Pretty good, huh? I help out a lot and love to make all kinds of super-yummy and tasty treats of all kinds! Now that you’re here, I can get started on a “Welcome to Ponyville” party, just for you! What’s your favorite kind of cake? Any favorite kind of cupcakes? Soda pop? Candy?!”
“Pinkie Pie!” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo yelled, when they noticed Twinken was starting to look disturbed, Scootaloo saying, “Slow down, already! You’re weirding out the newcomer… Did I seriously just say ‘slow down’?”
That one got Twinken, who laughed, and then they were all laughing. Besides wanting to say hello, Pinkie had also brought the foals their orders.
A vanilla shake for Sweetie Belle, a rocky road icecream cone for Scootaloo, a slice of apple pie a la mode for Apple Bloom, and a strawberry sundae for Twinken.
After eating, the Crusaders took Twinken to their treehouse.
“Not bad,” Twinken commented as they led him in. “Could do with a bit of a guy’s touch…”
“Twinken!”
He straightened up and faced forward (a reaction drilled into him from his time at the School for Gifted Unicorns), seeing the fillies all wearing a red cape with a blue shield symbol, centered by a golden rearing pony. Sweetie Bell stood in front of a podium, as she opened a book and said, “We, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, elect Twinken to join us as a new si- Oops! Uh, I mean, as our first ever brother, friend, confi… confi…”
“Confidante?” Twinken offered helpfully.
“Scootaloo, I thought you said you were gonna revise this!” Sweetie Belle gave her an irritated look.
“That’s what that mark on my calendar was for!” Scootaloo remembered. “My bad.”
“Ugh, I’ll wing it,” Sweetie Belle carried on.
“As I was saying, Twinken, we, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, elect you to be our first ever brother, our friend, confidante, ally, bossom buddy, guy pal-”
“I get it – Move on!” Twinken rolled his eyes.
“Congrats, Twinken!” Apple Bloom declared as she pulled out another cape from a toy chest. “Yer th’ first ever colt ta’ join th’ Cutie Mark Crusaders! Here’s your Crusader Cape.”
Twinken smiled nicely as he let Apple Bloom tie it on. Sweetie Belle brought over a mirror so he could behold himself.
“Y’know, this is actually kinda cool!”
“Glad ta’ have ya, Twinken,” Apple Bloom said, “and tomorrow, after school, we’re gonna try our next crusade to get our Cutie Marks – We’re gonna try to be Cutie Mark Shark Baiters!”
“Yay!” cheered Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
“Yay- W-wait, what?!” Twinken suddenly felt the urge to run for his life.
