Cuteness Overload Contest Entries

Chapters

Secrets of a Filly
The Cutie Mark Crusaders: Buccaneers
Lonely No More
Foalsitters of Chaos
Of Outfits and Imagination

Secrets of a Filly

Is Friendship Magic?

Silver Spoon sat alone in her room, wondering why life had cursed her so. She had hoped it was all a prank with an elongated set up. She and Diamond Tiara had been friends since she could remember, and suddenly it seemed they have been spending less time together.

The first couple of excuses were mildly believable, the rest were flat out ridiculous, "Since when do rich ponies play the trombone or take private baking lessons from Pinkie Pie?" She was baffled by the string of excuses being issued out by the crowned filly. It all started around the same time that Scootaloo showed an immunity to Diamond Tiara's taunting.

She remembered the first day Diamond Tiara was unable to rile the pegasus filly and how upset it made her. She tried being supportive to her friend's lost cause in order to soothe her friend, but to no avail. Diamond Tiara ran off one day after an unsuccessful attempt to bully Scootaloo and she went missing for quite a while.

Something happened during that disappearance that made Diamond Tiara more distant and less attentive towards the glasses wearing filly. Silver Spoon was confused as to why her friend suddenly grew an interest in mundane activities, and rather do those said activities than spend time with her.

She decided to track Diamond Tiara down and force her to spill the beans. She went out for a walk around town, while secretly searching for the distant friend.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were both tired of Scootaloo always missing out on crusading sessions with the excuse of taking flying lessons with Rainbow Dash. They both were growing suspicious of the filly's true whereabouts ever since they saw Rainbow Dash flying with Fluttershy with no Scootaloo in tow.

"Ya know Sweetie Belle I think somethin’ is goin' on with Scootaloo," Apple Bloom accusingly stated.

Sweetie Belle frowned, "What do you mean Apple Bloom, you think she is hurt or something?"

Apple Bloom sighed, "No Sweetie Belle it ain't like that. I jus' think she’s lyin' ta us."

Sweetie Belle grew sad, "Why would she do that? We’re her friends."

Apple Bloom forgot how sensitive Sweetie Belle was and gently pulled her into a hug, "Yer right, I must be crazy ta think Scootaloo would lie ta us."

Sweetie Belle smiled and hugged Apple Bloom back, "Yeah we're crusaders through and through."

In Apple Bloom's mind a battle was raging. She wasn't sure whether or not to pursue her thoughts, in spite of how sad it could make the softest member of their group. It was impossible to tell exactly what Scootaloo was up to. If she could find Rainbow Dash without the filly in question, then she could at least prove that Scootaloo is up to something.

Apple Bloom made a decision, "Hey Sweetie Belle how about we go for a walk in town, since Scootaloo ain't with us no use in crusadin'."

Sweetie Belle smiled softly and chirped, "Alright, that sounds like fun Apple Bloom."

Scootaloo was out in the meadows relaxing under the shade of an oak tree. Her mind was mellowed by the calming atmosphere and radiant ambiance. She had no worries while in her private sanctuary away from society, mostly because nopony knew where it was.

Diamond Tiara was laying next to Scootaloo enjoying the warmth the other filly provided and the feeling of safety as well, "Oh Scootaloo you think we could ever be friends in public? I mean how long can we keep this up before others find out?"

Scootaloo chuckled, "Well the only way that could happen is if we go back in time and stop you from calling us blank flanks, or maybe you could... I don't know ... apologize?"

Diamond Tiara frowned, "Why you have to make this so difficult... why can't we just relax without you reminding me of my past mistakes."

Scootaloo rubbed her side with a wing and grew serious, "Diamond, if it was in the past I would understand... but you still pick on us even now that we are friends."

Diamond Tiara huffed, "I only do it to keep up appearances... you want our secret found?"

Scootaloo sighed, "Listen Diamond our secret can be kept even if you stop being a bully."

Diamond Tiara scoffed but slowly softened from being massaged by the wing, "How so? If I stop being mean ponies will want to know why."

Scootaloo pulled her into a hug and held her close, "You don't need to worry about what others think... plus I am getting tired of hiding my friendship with you. I like hanging out with you and shouldn't have to in secret."

Diamond Tiara cried onto Scootaloo's shoulder while burying her face into it, "I just wish it was easy, Scootaloo... I hate having to make excuses to spend time with you too."

Scootaloo gently rubbed Diamond Tiara's back soothing her. Scootaloo hated emotional stuff and affection, and usually avoided stuff like that. When she started hanging out with Rainbow Dash she learned that being awesome doesn't mean emotionally stunted. While Rainbow Dash maintained a public cool image she was a softy at heart, always there for her friends and ready to help.

Scootaloo felt that emulating Dash was the easiest way to deal with emotional situations. she would be soft and gentle when it mattered, and if it wasn't in a public setting. "You know Diamond if you apologize to my friends and stop bullying us, I am sure we can all get along," Scootaloo sagely advised.

Diamond Tiara wasn't eager to apologize to the fillies she had been bullying. She wouldn't know how to go about it, it wasn't going to be an easy task if accepted. She softly whispered, "Only if you're there with me."

Scootaloo smiled and got excited, "Alright! Trust me you won't regret it."

Diamond Tiara chuckled, "Not now... when I am ready, for now let's enjoy our time together."

Scootaloo grinned, "No objections here."

The two fillies, hidden from the public, enjoyed their intimate hang out session. The calming paradise, that was their secret spot, would soon face the turmoil of those who would see this union as atrocious.

Silver Spoon was searching through town with no signs of Diamond Tiara. It was becoming depressing at the lack of results she gained from her efforts. She wanted to take a small break from seeking Diamond Tiara, until she noticed two thirds of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

She was hesitant about asking them if they seen Diamond but at this point she was going for broke. "Hey there blank flanks... you haven't seen Diamond Tiara have you?"

Apple Bloom laughed, "Yer tryin' ta annoy us when ya ain't got Diamond around?"

Sweetie Belle frowned, "Why are you always picking on us?"

Silver Spoon lifted her muzzle up high, "Because me and Diamond are above you common folk."

Apple Bloom smiled, "I don't see Diamond with ya, so maybe she is above ya too."

Silver Spoon frowned, "Well... I don't see Scootaloo with you blank flanks either..."

Sweetie Belle's light bulb inside her head went on at the realization, "Wait a minute... you’re missing Diamond Tiara and we are missing Scootaloo... you don't think they..."

She was cut off by the other two fillies shouting, "No way!"

Diamond Tiara was comfortably resting next to Scootaloo. It dawned on her that if it wasn't for that fateful moment she wouldn't have the peaceful moments with a new and dear friend. It started when Scootaloo became unfazed by taunts. It was the worst thing to happen to a bully.

The first few attempts she tried getting more verbal with the taunting and increased the volume of it. After finding out her words were like empty bullets it felt almost pointless to even continue picking on the filly. Without being able to taunt Scootaloo it was hard to feel superior to them. She wasn't an evil filly just misunderstood, since her mother had passed away and her father always being busy it was hard for her dealing with loneliness.

Her efforts of maintaining her own equilibrium was to share her misery onto other ponies. She realized that making other ponies miserable had chased away her own feelings of intense sorrow. It was no secret Scootaloo was an orphan and since she was happy being without parents it just drove Diamond Tiara mad. Then it happened that one day

Flashback

Diamond Tiara decided to try and pick on Scootaloo while the other crusaders weren't around, and with Silver Spoon lagging behind they had both been alone. "Hey there blank flank, you know just because you hang out with Rainbow Dash doesn't mean you're cool... especially since you can't fly, loser!"

Scootaloo chuckled, "Well if I am such a loser then why is the coolest mare in Equestria giving me flying lessons and says I can potentially fly in a couple of weeks?"

Diamond Tiara grew frustrated with how nonchalantly her victim spoke, "I guess because she feels bad about you not having any parents to teach you to fly."

Scootaloo's wall of emotional blockage shattered, "Yeah... well my parents died... I get that. At least my parents loved me and enjoyed spending time with me, what happened to your parents? Oh yeah! they can't stand to be around you... your dad is always working and no pony has ever seen your mother leave the mansion."

Diamond Tiara was devastated, the words pierced her like a sword and yet she lived. She couldn't respond properly and just began crying. Remembering she was in school and her enemy was watching her cry made her rush off faster than ever before. She ran as far as her little legs could take her, and then ran some more.

She heard what sounded like Silver Spoon trying to get her attention while she was running, by that time though, it was too late for her to stop. She was a filly desperate to outrun the pain and had no destination in mind. Her marathon of running ended up exhausting her in the middle of a peaceful meadow that seemed hidden from the world.

She laid on her back and looked to the sky crying. She was finally able to let out all the tears she held back for so long. "Mommy..." she whispered into the wind. The soothing breeze graced her presence and she was calmed by the silence and serenity.

She didn't remember how long she was looking into the sky for but somepony calling her name broke her out of the peaceful trance she was in.

"Diamond, Thank Celestia I found you... hey listen I-" Scootaloo tried saying but was cut off.

"My mother is dead... the reason she never leaves the mansion is because she isn't there... she died and all I have to remember her by is this crown I wear," Diamond slowly mumbled.

Scootaloo felt horrible, "I didn't know... I was just so angry with what you said I ... snapped. I didn't mean anything I sai-" She was cut off again.

"It's true though... my father doesn't spend time with me... why would he want to anyways? I am nothing but a spoiled brat right? Some rich bully making your life miserable," she softly said while tears spilled from her eyes. She noticed Scootaloo getting closer and was worried.

Scootaloo felt sorry for Diamond, it was something she never thought would occur. She got close and settled down next to her, "Look... my parents died when I was young too... While your dad is distant at least he’s still there. I don't have a dad to buy me things or a mom to fuss over me."

Diamond looked over at Scootaloo with tears still pouring, "Why are you trying to talk to me... do I look like I want you here?" She tried holding back her sorrow in front of the pony who caused it.

Scootaloo wiped a tear from her eye and frowned, "I know it won't make up for what I said... and I know you don't like me because my flank is blank... but I am sorry Diamond... I never should have said that to you."

Diamond made an attempt to laugh to hide her pain, "You're wasting your time apologizing to me... as if I would accept an apology from you... just leave me alone."

Scootaloo got closer and wrapped a wing around Diamond's frame, "Trust me if I could leave you alone right now I would, but I can't."

Diamond Tiara felt comfortable with the wing around her, but she wasn't going to let Scootaloo know that, "Why not? I said go, so leave."

Scootaloo hated herself for being so nice and gentle with Diamond, and at the same time she felt great for being there for her. "Rainbow Dash told me that part of being the awesome is being there for a friend," she enthusiastically said.

Diamond Tiara wanting nothing more than to have a good cry grew angry, "Since when are we friends? I never said we were friends, and I don't want to be friends with you." She said all that with as much anger as she could muster but made no movements to remove the wing that was soothing her.

Scootaloo was about to give up, she felt it wasn't worth it. Before she could give up though, she remembered how sad she was being alone when her dead parents were mentioned. She missed her parents and knew Diamond must miss her mom terribly. "You don't want me gone right now, and you don't want to be alone. Right now you want to cry and let all the pain out... I know this because I was in your shoes... back in the orphanage I used to be just like you... I would tease others and be super tough because I wanted no pony to see the tears I spilled."

Diamond Tiara moved closer and was being very attentive to Scootaloo and her story. Something about the way she was talking had captivated her and no longer did she see a blank flank but a kindred spirit. "So what happened?" she sadly asked.

Scootaloo let a small tear fall as she opened up to Diamond, "Well... it got bad, I was separated from the other children because of my bad attitude, and I was alone. I thought it was perfect because nopony could see me cry... but honestly I just wanted somepony to hold me and let me know I meant something. When I got adopted I never felt happier in my whole life, until I found out it was earth ponies adopting me."

Diamond Tiara got offended, "Hey! what's wrong with earth ponies?"

Scootaloo chuckled, "Nothing... except they can't fly... and I was a pegasus with wings that weren't working. I felt broken and useless, what’s a pegasus that can’t fly right? With no pony to teach me how to fly and no older sibling to look up to, I felt alone still. Since I couldn't fly and I was very aggressive, it was hard for me to make friends. One day I met a filly who could stand to be around me and we became friends."

Diamond Tiara felt an eerie sensation of how similar her life story was. She remembered being alone and feeling empty until Silver Spoon came along. She kept listening and began feeling a sorta kismet with Scootaloo. She was beginning to change her opinion of the filly because of their shared hardships.

Scootaloo noticed how silent Diamond got and smiled gently, "Well the rest of the story is pretty obvious... you made fun us blank flanks and then we met up with Apple Bloom... fast forwarding to Rainbow Dash being my big sister and now the best part happens. I told Rainbow Dash about my past, and the moment I did she said to me. Scootaloo, I usually don’t get sappy or mushy but, you matter."

Diamond Tiara started crying softly, "That is why nothing I say can hurt you anymore huh... because somepony was there to let you hear what you wanted. I just wish..."

Scootaloo wiped the tears from Diamond Tiara's eyes and peered into them with the most seriousness she could muster, "Diamond... what I am about to say isn't just to make you feel better, I am honestly saying this because it's true..." she pulled Diamond Tiara into a fierce hug before whispering, "You matter..."

That moment changed everything. Diamond Tiara had no longer felt any contempt for Scootaloo and had been fond of spending time with her. She looked forward to their secret meetings in the meadow and hoped that nothing would ever ruin their friendship.

She bravely snuggled the pegasus filly laying next to her and they enjoyed a soft intimate moment. "You know something Scootaloo... I can honestly say I am happy being your friend," Diamond Tiara joyfully said.

Scootaloo smiled, "You're so mushy sometimes... but I like that about you... I am glad I got to know the real you."

Diamond blushed and kissed Scootaloo's cheek, "Flattery will get you everywhere with me."

Scootaloo chuckled, "You sure you aren't related to Rarity?"

Diamond Tiara scoffed, "As if... you know I wouldn't mind having an older sister."

Scootaloo rubbed Diamond's face gently, "Yeah maybe we can find you an older sister like I found one."

Diamond chuckled, "I don't think it works like that Scootaloo, I don't think they grow sisters on trees."

Scootaloo huffed, "I didn't mean it like that." She had inflated her cheeks in anger and Diamond squeezed them tenderly.

"I won't lie I kind of like not having a big sister, since I have you to be my friend I haven't felt as lonely," Diamond said while looking into Scootaloo's eyes.

Scootaloo began blushing and turned away, "Yeah... I-"

Before she could say another word the gasp of other ponies in the vicinity had alerted them. Scootaloo quickly went into defensive mode and stood up proud with her wings flared. She was ready to defend her life and the life of a friend until she saw who was staring right at them.

Silver Spoon, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle were all in equal amounts of shock. They had made a temporary truce to go looking for the missing fillies having feared something was wrong with them. They originally had no intention of uniting as a temporary anything until Sweetie Belle convinced Apple Bloom to do it for her.

Being Sweetie Belle meant it was hard for anypony to say no to her. Usually even nasty ponies fall under the charm and cuteness of the songbird. She had only one pony who could resist her charms at occasion and that was her big sister. Apple Bloom was a sucker for her friend and wanted to find the other one with haste.

When they banded together they searched high and low until they decided to go for broke and ask around for Rainbow Dash. They found Rainbow Dash sitting on a cloud taking a nap and they all screamed for help. Needless to say, Rainbow Dash woke in a panic. When they explained the situation she just chuckled and told, "Scootaloo is hanging out with her little filly-friend that is always wearing that crown. They are hanging out at the meadow near Fluttershy's cottage, though you fillies shouldn't go over there unless you want to see some intense snuggling and cutesy stuff."

They each looked at Rainbow Dash as if she was an alien. She began feeling uncomfortable in their gaze and tried to make a subtle exit, "Well you fillies have fun and tell Scoots I said hi... unless I accidentally let some secret out, in that case this meeting never happened." Rainbow Dash flew off into the sky and looked for another cloud to nap on.

Having been traumatized by images of Diamond Tiara and Scootaloo snuggling, the fillies each ran towards the direction of the meadow. Each of them had remained silent until they ended up at the spot they were in now. They didn't know what to say to the two offending friends.

Silver Spoon spoke up first, "Diamond... you kept telling me you were busy... and I find you in the hooves of that blank flank!"

Apple Bloom spoke up next, "I can't believe this... Scootaloo, ya and Diamond were... snugglin'?"

Sweetie Belle wasn't too upset she thought it was adorable, "So does this mean you two are really friends?"

Scootaloo stood silent and waited for Diamond Tiara to say something. She didn't know what to tell them since it wasn't just her rep on the line. Diamond Tiara was shaking in fear of everything falling apart, after the weeks of their secret friendship being started. "It's not like that... we just... no forget it ... you’re right we were snuggling... we have been for weeks and I don't care!" Diamond Tiara announced in defiance.

Silver Spoon chuckled, "That's rich, first you tell me that blank flanks are worthless and now you are here being a filly-friend with one." She stomped her hoof in frustration of her friend's decision.

Apple Bloom grew red in anger, "Scootaloo ya feather head, how can ya ditch us ta hang out with Diamond Tiara. Did ya forget how mean she is?

Scootaloo decided she had enough of hiding her feelings, "Yes I know she was mean to us, I get that... but she isn't a bad pony... she is actually very cool once you get to know her."

Sweetie Belle decided not to weigh in on this dispute. She had her reservations about their friendship but at the same time she wasn't going to attack somepony for wanting to be friends with another. It did bother her that Scootaloo kept it a secret and for that she had to say something, "Why couldn't you just tell us? We thought you didn't want to crusade anymore with us."

Scootaloo stomped her hoof, "No! it's not like that... I just... I knew you guys wouldn't understand and I didn't feel like being questioned about it."

Silver Spoon noticed how through this entire argument Diamond was still staying close to Scootaloo which angered her further. "Diamond... You kept telling me that I was your best friend in the world, that we only had each other and that is how it would remain... so why are you with this useless blank flank."

Diamond Tiara snapped, "Enough!" She walked towards Silver Spoon with fury in her eyes, "I am sick of this pointless arguing. I understand Silver that you are mad at me... I lied to you and betrayed your trust. I did so because I rather not have this drama ruin my friendship with somepony I have grown to care about a lot. I was happy, and am happy, being Scootaloo's friend. I’m not saying you have to get along with her, but I am done with the whole blank flank thing... it's over."

Apple Bloom slow clapped in sarcasm, "Interestin' speech Diamond, but how come ya still called us blank flanks while ya two were bein' friends?"

Scootaloo jumped into the conversation again, "Because she was scared of Silver Spoon finding out... and I was scared of you girls finding out. You girls are my best friends... but me and Diamond grew really close and I have a deeper connection with her. We decided that in order to keep everyone happy, we would just pretend we were enemies until we could find time to sneak away and hang out. This is what we were trying to prevent, you guys finding out. I don't want to have to choose between you guys, it's unfair."

Silver Spoon laughed derisively, "Not fair? How about finding out the one friend you truly have in this world is hanging out with a filly she claimed to despise? That isn't fair. I came out here because I wanted to see what was so important that Diamond had to ditch me for it. It turns out it's you Scootaloo... she has abandoned me several times in the past months just to hang out with you. I'm supposed to accept that?"

Diamond Tiara grew angry, "I am so done with this... look I love you as a friend, and you will always be my friend Silver... but if you can't accept the fact I am going to be also hanging out with Scootaloo then I don’t know what to say to you. I know we kept this a secret but we planned on telling you guys. We just wanted to do it where I could apologize for what I did and ask for a clean slate. Silver I was going to talk to you about it... I was just waiting until the right time to do it."

Sweetie Belle smiled, "See it's not so bad, why can't we all just get along?"

Apple Bloom stomped her hoof down with the utmost anger her little body could muster, "Ya asking us to pretend like ya never bullied us? Ya forget how miserable ya made me, over not havin' a cutie mark?"

Scootaloo felt like crying, "Apple Bloom... I really, really, really need this favor... can you at least try... for me? I know it is a lot to ask for, but I can see no other way for this to end well. If we all keep fighting, we will accomplish nothing" She was at her wit's end and wasn't sure how much more she could take.

Apple Bloom sighed in frustration, "Ya owe me for this... and I'm gonna need time, so don't ya be bringin’ her around so soon."

Sweetie Belle grinned, "Well I'm ready to forgive Diamond, maybe we could all go crusading together."

Diamond, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle all shared a small smile, and things seemed to be going well until Silver Spoon opened her mouth. "You guys can all hang out, I am going to go home. I wasted a day looking for a friend that doesn't exist anymore," she spat.

They all saw Silver Spoon walk away and kill the mood. Scootaloo had one last hope of salvaging the situation and it required her to care. "Hey guys wait here I am going to talk to Silver Spoon... don't follow and hopefully I will return with her," Scootaloo explained. She ran off towards Silver Spoon with a mission.

Scootaloo ran towards Silver Spoon and ended up walking with her side by side on their way to town, "Listen Silver Spoon normally I don't talk about feelings or mushy stuff unless it's an emergency so here it is. I don't want to take your friend away."

Silver Spoon snapped, "Then don't! No pony told you to go befriending her. She was my friend and you had no right to take her away like that."

Scootaloo sighed softly, "Look I had no intention of being her friend at first. I just went to apologize but things kinda took it's own course. Look you really care about Diamond right?"

Silver Spoon glared harshly at her, "Obviously!"

Scootaloo rushed ahead and blocked her from walking further on. "Then why are you making her sad?" she angrily asked.

Silver Spoon tried walking around Scootaloo only to be blocked, "Look I get it, you want us all to get along for her sake right? The only problem is I don't like you."

Scootaloo smiled, "Good then don't like me... hate me if you want... all I am asking for is we just get along for Diamond's sake. Let's just pretend to be friends in her presence and hopefully one day we can actually learn to get along."

Silver Spoon smiled at the compromise, "I think I can agree to that on one condition."

Scootaloo dreaded asking, "What is it?"

Silver Spoon blushed, "Well I saw how close you two were, and how you put your wing around her. Tell me the truth do you and Diamond Tiara ... kiss?"

Scootaloo blushed and chuckled nervously, "Well if I am going to be honest ...."

Ten years had passed since that day the two fillies got caught in their secret friendship. A lot of things have changed but one thing remained the same. Underneath the tree that had the most shade was two mares laying on the ground being intimate with each other.

Diamond Tiara was still a rich pony and had kept the crown as memento of her mother's life. She was still a bit of a brat, and had her moments where she was incorrigible. Still she was at peace snuggling with the one mare who was able to see past that and enjoy spending time with her. "Hey Scootaloo, do I still matter?" she asked amused. She already knew the answer but enjoyed hearing it nonetheless.

Scootaloo was the orange equivalent to Rainbow Dash, fast, brash, and ready to save the day. She never thought in a thousand years that she would enjoy being so intimately close to her old enemy. "Diamond you ask me that silly question every year, on the day we became friends, and every year I say the same thing," Scootaloo playfully groaned.

Diamond Tiara pouted and her cheeks inflated, "I just like hearing you say it."

Scootaloo kissed the top of Diamond's forehead, "Diamond, you have always mattered, and you will always matter to me."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders: Buccaneers

The Cutie Mark Crusaders: Buccaneers

“Arr! Steady as she goes!” Captain Bloomington III yelled out to her crew as their mighty ship, The Scootabloombelle, followed the wind over the vast open ocean. “Breezy Belle!”

“Yes, cap’n?” Breezy Belle, master of the port-side breeze and also the navigator on board, looked to her captain for orders.

“How’s the journey comin’ along?”

“Swimmingly, cap’n! At this rate, we’ll be hittin’ the western shore by sundown!”

“Arr! Where be Scoodoubloons?”

“I believe I saw ‘er last in ‘er quarters, cap’n!”

“Do ya mind fetchin’ the lass fer me, Breezy?”

“Aye aye, cap’n!”

“I can’t hear you!”

“What?”

“These seabirds be rustlin’ around our vessel an’ makin’ a mess with the-”

“I still can’t hear you, cap’n! I’ll just go get Scoodoubloons for ya!”

“What?”

Breezy Belle turned around and began walking down the stairs to the crew’s quarters. A rowdy seabird almost hit her in the face.

“Argh! These blasted seabirds be crampin’ my style! We best be rid of ‘em ‘fore we hit the shore!” Breezy Belle karate chopped a seabird out of the air. “Arr! One down an’ fourty-five to go! . . . Garr! This’ll take a whole lifetime! I might as well be fishin’ fer doubloons with a rope! Wait, Scoodoubloons! Arr, I almost forgot about that salty dog!”

Breezy Belle continued to Scoodoubloons’ quarters. When she reached the door, it sounded like Scoodoubloons was talking to somepony else.

“Arr! You can’t take the gold away from me! Not when I have me trusty flintlock by me side!”

Breezy Belle heard the sound of Scoodoubloons’ trusty flintlock going off. She opened up the door and ran inside. “Garr! What did loomington say ‘bout shootin’ stowaways!?”

“Arr! Ye startled me, ye scurvy dog! I woulda put a bullet through yer head if I hadn’t shot it out the window!”

“Wait; who were ye shootin’ at?”

“I wasn’t shootin’ at a darn thing! I was bored an’ I decided to make believe!”

“Oh, well the cap’n wants ta see ya on the deck!”

Breezy Belle and Scoodoubloons made their way back to Captain Bloomington III.

“Arr! Scoodoubloons! I heard a gunshot below deck! Did ye kill Breezy Belle!?”

“No; I was fighting boredom, cap’n!”

“Garr! Don’t be fightin’ boredom on this ship, lass!”

“Aye aye, cap’n!”

“How much gold did we plunder from our last encounter with a rival ship, Scoodoubloons?”

Scoodoubloons was the master of doubloons. When she wasn’t having a gunfight with boredom, she was counting doubloons. How somepony can sit down and spend all of their time counting doubloons one by one? Nopony knows. “Arr! I counted up to eight-hundred and fifty-four before boredom tried to steal ‘em!”

“Arr! That’s fantastic!” Captain Bloomington III paused for a second. “Wait; boredom isn’t an actual pony, is she?”

“Nopony knows, cap’n; nopony knows.” Scoodoubloons brought her crewmates close together. “Legend has it that a long time ago, a pirate by the name of Long Mane Silver sailed these very seas. Early one morn’, when his crew was still a sleepin’, Long Mane heard a noise comin’ from above deck. When he went to see what was makin’ a quiet racket, he saw a beautiful mare with a long mane that flowed in the wind. The noise he be hearin’ was singin’ comin’ from that very mare. He couldn’t resist ‘er singin’. No, he found ‘imself walkin’ to ‘er as if somepony else had taken over his body. Before he could reach her, his first mate came up the stairs an’ called to him. This startled the mare, who jumped off the side of the ship. When Long Mane an’ his first mate looked into the water, they seen nopony at all. They be watchin’ the water fer three minutes straight, an’ they’d of watched it fer longer had they not been called back to duty. The mare they seen, they called ‘er boredom.”

“Huh. I’m pretty sure you’ve got yer story all wrong. Ya see, I think that was a siren that Long Mane Silver seen,” said Breezy Belle.

“Garr! I think fer sure that it was boredom who they seen, Breezy!”

“Garr! I’m afraid it been a siren, Scoodoubloons!” said Bloomington. “Them sirens are known fer their enticing songs! Arr!”

“That still doesn’t change the fact that I seen a pony in my quarters, cap’n!”

“Hold on, Scoodoubloons! There was actually another pony in yer quarters!?!?”

“Arr! That’s what I been tryin’ to tell ya, cap’n!”

“Arrgh! You been tellin’ us stories of boredom, Scoodoubloons!”

“Shiver me timbers, yer right! Garr! They might be headin’ off with our doubloons! We can’t let ‘em take our doubloons! If we don’t got doubloons, I don’t got a job on board this ship!”

“Aye, this ship may still find a use fer ya! She needs somepony to swab ‘er decks on a daily basis!”

“GGGGAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR!!! I can’t be known as Scootamaid, cap’n!”

“Then let’s find us our stowaway!”

“Cap’n!?” started Breezy Belle.

“Yes, Breezy?”

“Might it be a possibility that a salty seabird flew in through Scoodoubloon’s window?”

“Arr, that may be a possibility. Scoodoubloons, is that a possibility?”

“I think not, cap’n! If that were true, then that means I had a full conversation with a seabird!”

“Garr! You talked with the scurvy dog!?”

“Aye!”

“What did it say!?”

“I’m quite positive it be a she, cap’n! She said ‘garr!’ ”

“Garr!”

“Garr! Yes, that be correct! ‘Garr!’ ”

“Let’s catch this bilge rat before she makes off with our doubloons!”

“And my job! Garr!”

“Arr! These seabirds be tryin’ to tell us somethin’!” yelled Breezy Belle.

“Don’t let ‘em get to ya, Breezy!”

“No! Look!” Breezy Belle pointed to the bow of the boat. The seabirds were standing around in some kind of formation. “They be shapin’ words, cap’n!”

“What’s it say, Breezy?” asked Scoodoubloons.

“Why do ya need me to tell ya?”

“I never learned how to read. Garr.” Scoodoubloons lowered her head in shame.

“Arr! It says we should check the brig!”

“I’m surprised that birds know how to speak our language!” said Captain Bloomington III. “Let’s go to the brig!”

“Aye aye, cap’n!” yelled Scoodoubloons and Breezy Belle in unison.

As the crew headed to the brig of the ship, Scoodoubloons said to Breezy Belle, “Arr! You’ve gotta teach me how to read one of these days, Breezy! I think it would be useful fer me.”

“Arr! It be useful fer everypony, Scoodoubloons. Why do ye even have books in yer quarters?”

“I have no idea. Garr.”

“We’re nearly at the brig! Arr!” said Bloomington.

The three crew members of the Scootabloombelle peered into the brig. “Garr! Who that be in our brig, cap’n!?” asked Scoodoubloons.

“It be the skeleton of the last pony we hd in our brig, Scoodoubloons.”

“Who did we have in our brig last, cap’n?” asked Breezy Belle.

“I can’t remember, Breezy. Arr! That probably explains why they be a skeleton.”

“Why did the seabirds want us to go to the brig?”

“They’re birds. They probably were just walkin’ around on the bow of our ship! Breezy Belle!?”

“Yes, cap’n?”

“How did you know the seabirds wanted us to come to the brig?”

“I didn’t.”

“Then why did you say they wanted us to come to the brig? Garr!”

“Garr! I thought it be a good idea at the time, cap’n!”

“We must return to the deck at once!”

“Aye aye, cap’n!” said Breezy Belle.

“Wait! Garr! There be a nametag on this here skeleton!” said Scoodoubloons.

“What be written on it?” asked Bloomington.

Scoodoubloons looked at the nametag, the back up at her crewmates. “I still can’t read, cap’n!”

“Then let’s get ourselves back up to the deck! If we’re not on the deck soon, I’ll have ya both swabbin’ the deck fer days!”

The three pirate fillies made their way back up to the deck of the Scootabloombelle.

“Garr! Those bilge rat seabirds be tryin’ to stage a mutiny! They be steerin’ the ship!”

“Holy bonanzas! These birds are way smarter than Scoodoubloons!” exclaimed Breezy Belle.

“Arr! That be true, you salty dog!” agreed Scoodoubloons.

“Garr! You be no better than those sea-chickens!”

“Garr! I ain’t no sea-chicken!”

“Are to!”

“Are not!”

“You two keep it down! Does you hear other voices?” asked Captain Bloomington III.

“I do, cap’n. Where they be comin’ from?” asked Breezy Belle.

“Shiver me timbers!” yelled Captain Bloomington III. “There be a vessel off to the starboard side! How did ya not smell it on the breeze, Breezy Belle!?”

“I’m master of the port-side breeze, cap’n! This breeze be resonatin’ from the starboard side.”

“Garr! Then who’s master of the starboard breeze!?”

“Nopony, cap’n!”

“Remind me to recruit a master of the starboard-side breeze the next time we’re docked!”

“Aye aye, cap’n!” yelled both Breezy Belle and Scoodoubloons.

“Garr! Do my eyes decieve me!? It be those bilge rats, Diamond Beard and Shivering Spoon!”

“Shiver me timbers, cap’n! Aren’t they the ones who stole our plundered goods the time before last!?” asked Scoodoubloons.

“No! It be the time before that!”

“Aye!”

“Ready the starboard cannons!”

“Arr! I don’t think we have cannons, cap’n!” said Scoodoubloon.

“Garr! Then we be gettin’ in close fer combat in this one!”

“Avast, land lubbers!” yelled Diamond Beard. “Prepare to be boarded an’ havin’ yer ship be taken over by my first mate and I!”

“If ye be comin’ over here and takin’ over our ship, then who be in control of yer ship?” asked Breezy Belle.

“Garr! Our ship can be sent to Maney Jones’ locker fer all I care!”

“Arr! True pirates never be hatin’ on their own ship!” yelled Captain Bloomington III.

“Garr! You lie, Bloomington!”

“True pirates never lie, Beardy!”

“I think ye might want to check the validity of that statement, cap’n!” said Breezy Belle.

“Garr! Don’t question me, Breezy!”

“Aye aye, cap’n!”

“You’ll be walkin’ the plank when the day is through, Diamond Beard! You and yer scurvy first mate, Shivering Spoon!”

“Gar!” retorted Diamond Beard. “I be glad ye remembered the name of my first mate, Bloomington. Remember the last time ye encountered us?”

“Aye; I won’t be gettin’ me cutie mark fer rememberin’ names, that’s fer sure. Garr.”

“What’re we waitin’ fer, Shivering Spoon!? Attack them bilge rats!”

“Be ya talkin’ about them, or the actual rats we got in the bilge, cap’n?” asked Shivering Spoon.

“Garr! I be talkin’ about them! Now attack ‘em before I make ya walk the plank!”

“Aye aye, cap’n! Will you be helpin’?”

“I be Diamond Beard!”

“I take that as a no, then!”

“Garr! Attack!”

“Arr! Fine!” Shivering Spoon hopped from her ship onto the Scootabloombelle.

“Those be fightin’ words! Prepare fer a counter, maties! Garr!”

“We’re not actually fighting, are we?” asked Silver Spoon, taking a step back from the three fillies who were already swinging their hooves through the air.

“Huh? Of course not! We’re just play-fighting,” answered Applebloom.

“Well I refuse to make physical contact with any of you three.”

“Are you serious? What are you afraid of?”

“I don’t want to catch chicken from Scootaloo.”

“I am NOT a chicken!” yelled Scootaloo.

“If you’re not going to fight them, then how are we supposed to win this?” asked Diamond Tiara.

“As if you were going to win in the first place,” said Applebloom.

“Hey! I always win at whatever I do!”

“You wish!” said Sweetie Belle.

“Gah! You three are impossible to be around! Why did Silver Spoon and I even agree to this pirate thing!? Just a big waste of time, I say!”

“Fine! Be that way!” Applebloom turned away from the two fillies who were walking away. “Does that mean we won the pirate battle!?”

“Yeah! I say it does!” Sweetie Belle said excitedly. “And if we won our pirate battle, that means…” The three fillies turned their heads and looked at their flanks, which did not have cutie marks for being pirates. “OH, COME ON!!!!”

“What would pirate cutie marks even look like?” asked Scootaloo.

Out of nowhere, Pipsqueak swung in on a rope with a cutlass in his mouth. “Arr! Ye be findin’ out soon if ye give me all yer doubloons, ya land lubbers!”

“Oh, what the- !?”

The End

Lonely No More

Mark Jones was not always the happiest of persons, though he had a good life. He lived in an old cabin in the woods his parents had left him. It wasn’t run down, just very old. He had gotten much work done on it, and it had become home to him. He had a nice job too, well, “job” didn’t perfectly define it. He was a freelance writer, which meant money usually came when he decided it did. Money wasn’t the issue, and neither were the living conditions.

Life was good. He had food to eat, a car to drive, and nearly endless funds. But there was something, something was eating him away.

he was lonely. He was a bachelor with no children, or love interests. While he mostly enjoyed the bachelor life, it did become boring at times. He didn’t have any friends either. He had the acquaintance, or “contact” here and there, but that was it.

One evening, when Mark was walking the halls of his cabin, he noticed a faint cry for help originating in the woods. The woods were dark and gloomy that day, with a heavy downpour of rain. He looked out the window and thought about it for a moment.

“The voice was young, could be a child. Definitely female. I don’t think a young girl would last long in this weather.”

He sprang into action. Instinctively, he went for his emergency survival backpack, which was hidden in a hallway closet. The backpack contained a survival axe and knife, a med kit, flint and steel, a flashlight, a heat pad, and a gas mask. On his way back into the front of the cabin, he reached in the closet by the door, and retrieved a Taurus Judge. He then grabbed his rain jacket and opened the door.

He stood there. Not moving a muscle, not even breathing. He had been in the military once, the seals. He could practically stop his own existence to hear or see something vital. After about fifteen seconds, he heard the cry. More like a scream, it came from his left. He instantly bolted in that direction, ran for fifteen seconds, then stopped.

He could hear what the scream was saying now, only a half of a mile away now. “Help! Somepony help! I’m lost!”

He continued in the direction of the voice. Another fifteen seconds, and he heard it again. This time, in a panicked, rushed screech.

“They’re after me!”

He pulled out his Judge and began to run in the direction of the scream. He came close enough that he could hear it past his own noises. When he got within fifty feet of the person of interest, he noticed three large figures pawing at a bush. He crept up to the figures, and in the dark, he could make out the silhouettes of three wolves. He ran up to the closest one, and punched its face. To his surprise, it was made of wood, or at least what felt like wood.

“HOLY CRAP!”, Mark grabbed his bleeding hand.

The wooden wolf turned to bite him, but he raised his Judge and pulled the trigger. The wolf’s head blew apart. Mark got to his feet and raised his gun at the other two wolves. They looked at their dead partner, and began to growl. He aimed at one’s leg and shot. The wolf’s leg blew apart. The two predators felt they had become prey, and ran into the darkness, the one limping on three legs.

“PLEASE DON’T HURT ME!”, a fragile voice called from the bush to his left.

“Hello? You can come out. Those things are gone. You don’t have t-”

“THE LOUD NOISE! IT HURT MY EARS!”

“Gosh darnit,” Mark muttered.

“H-hello? Is somepony there?”

Somepony?

“Um, those things are gone. It’s okay, you’re safe now.”

“Safe? I don’t know you! And you made a s-scary noise!”

“Yeah, I know, but that was to scare away the…”

“Timberwolves!”

“Timberwolves? As in the team?”

“W-what?”

“Nothing, just come on out. You need to get out of this rain. You might catch a cold, and there’s no telling when the timberwolves might come back.”

The speaker became silent.

“Okay,” she finally said.

The bush began to rustle, and a white unicorn filly came out.

“GYAH!”

“AH!”

“What are you?!”

“What’re you?!”

“Me? I’m a pony! What’re you supposed to be?”

“Um...a human, duh.”

“A what?”

I’m talking to a white horsey thing and I’m the mystery?

“Nevermind. I need to get you out of the rain. You might catch a cold!”

“I don’t wanna be sick!”

“Yeah, so come here! Are you hurt? I have a medical pack, though I don’t exactly know how your anatomy works.”

“I-I’m fine, thanks.”

The white filly walked over to him. He took out a cloth poncho and draped it over her head and withers.

“I’m Sweetie Belle by the way.”

“I’m Mark, Mark Jones.”

“Huh, funny name. Where do you live? I’ve never seen you in the Everfree before.”

“I live in a cabin just this way,” he pointed behind himself. “I know these woods like the back of my hand.”

“Your what?”

He held up his bleeding hand.

“Oh! Cool! I just learned something about hutams!”

“Humans,” he corrected.

“Whatever! OH! Your...hand’s bleeding!”

“Yeah, I punched one of those timberwolves. Didn’t know they were made out of wood.”

“Didn’t know a timberwolf was made out of wood? You’re funny. OOH! Do you do comedy?!”, her voice made an adorable scratch on the last word.

“No, no I don’t. Just follow me and we’ll be o-what?”

“What is it?”

“What?!”

“What’s wrong?”

“WHAT?!”

“WHAT?!”, now she was scared.

“Am I lost?!”

“LOST?! How can you be lost?! I thought you knew these woods like the back of your hand!”

“I do, but...I don’t know this part. Did I leave my property? No. That can’t be it. My property stretches for miles. Where are we?”

“The Everfree Forest.”

“The what?”

“You live in the Everfree Forest, but don’t know what it’s called?”

“Evidently. Wait! Where exactly are you from?”

“Ponyville.”

“Never heard of it.”

“Equestria…?”

“Nope, doesn’t ring a bell. Well, that’s it then. I must not be on Earth anymore.” Or on dope or something.

“Wow. How are we going to get home then? I got lost after they started chasing me!”

“Timberwolves wouldn’t run towards Ponyville, would they?”

“No, they live deep in the forest.”

“Well they ran that way, so we should go this way. How long have you been running from them?”

“Well, I think I got...kinda lost before they found me.”

“And by kinda lost…”

“I mean really lost.”

“Dangit! Okay, we need to go this way,” Mark pointed in the opposite direction the timberwolves ran.

The two walked in the rain for what felt like hours. The intense cold and heavy rain made a usually short walk feel like a full day of hiking. Sweetie Belle had fallen in the mud a few times and Mark had to pull her out.

After about an hour of hiking, Sweetie Belle began to shiver. It started off small, then grew to a violent shiver.

“Sweetie Belle? Are you okay?”

“So...cold,” she looked extremely tired and pitiful.

Mark pulled her into a hug, and wrapped his jacket around her. He turned his back to a tree, and sat on the ground, leaning against it. Sweetie curled herself up against his chest and shivered. Her eyes closed, she laid her head against his neck.

“What if we never get home? What if Rarity can’t find us?”, Sweetie asked through chattering teeth.

“We’re going to get home. And I hope...Rarity isn’t out in this weather. It’s best if she went home to wait for the storm to pass,” Mark rubbed the back of her head.

“Thank you for finding me Mark. I don’t know how much longer I would have been safe under that bush.”

Lightning struck, followed by earsplitting thunder.

“EEK!”, Sweetie tensed up and pulled her head under his jacket.

“It’s okay Sweetie, it’s just thunder.”

“I don’t like the thunder here. It scares me!”

Mark pulled her closer and began to rock side to side until she calmed down.

“So, can you tell me about Ponyville, and Equestria?”

“Well, Equestria is the land of us ponies. The leaders, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna control the sun and moon. There’s my sister, Rarity and her friends, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle,” she took a deep breath and sneezed. “T-twilight became a Princess like the two rulers, but she’s not as powerful as she wasn’t one from birth. Then there’s Spike, he’s a dragon. He has a crush on my sister.”

“Interesting. So the dragon has a crush on a pony. Is that allowed?”

“It isn’t common, but it’s not wrong.”

“Hmm, well it seems you are catching a cold. You need to sleep, so your body can use its energy on fighting the cold rather than keeping you awake,” Mark covered her head with his jacket, and then took a travel blanket from his backpack.

“This will keep us warm,” he then laid it over the both of them.

We’d better wait out the night. I might be able to get out in this weather, but Sweetie doesn’t stand a chance.

The both of them finally fell asleep. Mark had rolled onto his side, and let the other half of his body block the rain. With the blanket, his jacket, and his own shoulder, nearly no rain was hitting Sweetie Belle. Sweetie slept for two hours, and Mark slept for one. Mark’s backpack was waterproof, so he left it out in the rain. When he woke up, something immediately drew his attention. It was Sweetie’s body heat against his chest. Not the heat, but the lack thereof. Mark took his hand and felt her forehead. It was much colder than it felt against his neck earlier. He felt her neck, and down her back. Her body temperature had dropped drastically, and if he didn’t do something she could easily die. He then felt his own temperature, it was as cold as hers, but he was much larger, and had been trained to survive in colder climates.

Mark reached out from under the blanket retrieved the backpack. Inside, he found the heat pad. It was electric, but also waterproof. He pulled it under the blanket, and turned it to eighty degrees Fahrenheit. It kicked on and began to warm her body to a comfortable temperature.

Sweetie’s small, shallow breaths were the rhythm that lulled him back to sleep.

<------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------>

When Mark opened his eyes, sunlight met them, and he grunted. He looked down, and saw the warm filly sound asleep in his arms.

He sighed.

The rain had stopped, and the clouds were nowhere to be seen.

Mark looked down at his watch. It was eleven A.M. He gently nudged Sweetie.

“Sweetie. Sweetie. It’s time to finish our journey home.”

The filly stretched, and yawned.

“Is the rain gone?”

“Take a look.”

She leaned out from under the blanket, and squinted. She took a few seconds to process the light, then she shot out of the blanket.

“YAY! Now we can go HOME!”, her voice cracked in the most adorable way.

Mark smiled. “Sure thing kiddo. Just let me pack up my gear,” he wrapped up the blanket and heat pad, and put them into the backpack.

“Okay Sweetie, we can go no-Sweetie? Sweetie?!”, Mark looked around frantically. “Sweetie, where are you?!”

He looked down and noticed her hoof prints in the mud.

“Well she walked away, meaning she shouldn’t be in danger.”

He began to follow the hoof prints. As he did so, he continued to call her name.

“Sweetie! Sweetie?!”

“Over here Mark!”, her voice calm, if not excited.

Thank God! I don’t sense fear!

“Where are you Sweetie?!”, he called, still following the hoof prints.

“Right here.”

He looked up, and just off the path, where the hoof prints led, Sweetie Belle was looking at a flower.

“Do you smell that? I could smell it from where we woke up, but it smelled so good I just had to find out what it came from!”, she she happily exclaimed.

“Sweetie you scared me! Thank God you’re okay! You shouldn’t walk away like that!”

“I-I’m sorry Mark! I-I didn’t mean to make you angry!”

“I’m not angry. I’m just still a little startled. What if a…”

“T-timberwolf…”

“Yeah, a timberwolf. What if one of those found you before I did?”

“N-no. A timberwolf...behind you!”

Mark turned around to see a timberwolf crouching twenty feet away from them. He slowly reached into the backpack and brought out the hatchet and knife. He raised them both in front of him, and prepared for an attack.

The timberwolf noticed that he didn’t have the scary thunder noise gun, so it began to edge forward. When it was within ten feet away, it began to charge at them.

“Sweetie get back!”

Sweetie jumped back a few times.

The timberwolf jumped at Mark, mouth agape. He caught its mouth with the hatchet And it rolled in the air and hit a tree. It then got up and charged him again. This time, Mark stabbed its jaw with the knife, drove it to the ground. He took the hatched, and grabbed the opposite side of the jaw, and pulled its face apart. The thing fell limp.

“MARK!”

Mark turned around to see two timberwolves charging him. They both jumped, one a second before the other. Mark caught the first under the jaw with the hatchet, and the next with the knife in its eye. He drove both of them to the ground to his left. He then took the hatchet and cut the vines that connected the first’s head, and its head fell off. The second slowly got up, but Mark turned and caught its other eye with the hatchet. As soon as he pulled the weapons out of it, it took off blindly into the woods.

“Mark, are you okay?”, Sweetie Belle ran and jumped into his arms. he immediately dropped the sharp weapons and caught her.

“Woah! Yeah, of course I’m fine! Are you?”

“Yeah, they didn’t come for me.”

“Well, we need to get to Ponyville before their whole pack comes for us!”

The two of them walked for an hour, until Sweetie’s legs gave out. Mark picked her up and put her on his shoulders. They went like this for another hour until they emerged from the forest.

“We-we’re out! We’re out Mark!”, Sweetie yelled happily.

“Yeah we’re out!”

“Do you see that cabin? That’s Fluttershy’s.”

“Okay. Let’s head there and tell her you’re safe.”

Mark jogged military style to the cabin. When he got to the door, he knocked three times.

“Who is it?”, came a melodious voice.

“The name’s Mark, Mark Jones, but that doesn’t matter now. I have Sweetie Belle, and she’s safe.”

The voice didn’t respond. The sound of hooves quickly rapidly hitting the floor came, and then the door swung open.

“GYAH! What are you?!”

“I’m Mark. Please don’t be afraid! I have Sweetie Belle. And she’s safe!”

“Wha-”

“Don’t worry Fluttershy, he’s nice. He saved me!”, Sweetie Belle confirmed.

“He...did?”

“Yeah!”

“Well, I suppose he has to be nice then. My name’s Fluttershy. We should go tell Rarity! She’s been worried sick!”

“Sure thing. But first can you get her something to eat? She hasn’t eaten in a long time.”

“Oh of course!”, Fluttershy dashed into the kitchen. “What do you want Sweetie?”, she called.

“Can you make haystacks? I love those!”

“Of course Sweetie.”

Mark walked over to the window and looked out. “So. This is Equestria? It looks so...peaceful.”

“That’s because it is! Most ponies are real nice, and you can almost never find a bad pony that steals and stuff!”

“Wow. Seems...perfect.”

“Not quite, but close enough!”, at that moment, Fluttershy walked in with the haystacks. “OOH!”

“Well, I have to go get the girls. Mark, can you stay here with Sweetie while I’m gone?”

“Of course I can. I didn’t rely on luck to get out of the Everfree.”

“Of course you didn’t. Bye Sweetie! Enjoy the haystacks!”

“Thanks! Bye Fluttershy!”

Fluttershy trotted out the door, and flew away.

“I just noticed that she has wings.”

“Well yeah. She is a Pegasus. Duh!”

Of course.

<------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->

An hour later, Fluttershy returned with the other five girls, and Princess Luna.

“Mark, I’m back. How did it go?”, Fluttershy asked as she edged the door open.

“Wait! Did you warn them about me?”, Mark stopped the door from opening.

“Yes.”

“Oh, okay,” he let the door open.

“Sweetie Belle!”, Rarity shrieked as she zipped into the room.

“RARITY!”, Sweetie Belle was wrapped in a big hug by her sister.

“When I couldn’t find you yesterday, I feared the worst!”

“So did I!”

“Why oh WHY did you go in there?!”

“I wanted to talk to Zecora about teaching me how to do all that cool stuff with the potions. But…please don’t be mad.”

“Mad? I’m not mad. I was just scared for you Sweetie.

The two exchanged words, hugs, and tears. Finally, Rarity just sat there hugging her sister, sobbing.

“It’s okay Rarity. I’m okay now. Mark saved me.”

Rarity looked over to Mark, who was now exchanging words with Twilight and Princess Luna.

She walked up to him and hugged him tightly. “Thank you...so much!”

Mark couldn’t think of anything in depth, so he just went with the obvious. “You’re welcome.”

Rarity continued to hug him until Applejack tapped her on the shoulder. “Ya might want ta let the boy breath.”

Rarity let go of him and backed up. “Oh, right. Of course.”

“So tell me Mr. Mark. How did you find young Sweetie Belle here?”

“It might sound crazy, but I was in my house. And then I heard this scream…”

Mark continued to tell the whole story. At the end, Fluttershy made them all lunch. After lunch, the other girls left, leaving Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Princess Luna, Fluttershy, and Mark.

“Thank you again for saving my sister. I don’t know what I would have done if I lost her.”

“You’ve thanked me enough. No need.”

She hugged him again.

“But I was just so scared.”

“Yeah, I know. At least it’s all over now.”

“You have truly shown courage, and kindness today. But perhaps something still vexes you,” Luna spoke up.

“Yeah. I ran all the way from my home in the woods, and ended up here. How is that? I mean, the land where I live is kinda large, but just passed it are many other houses and properties. I just don’t understand how I ended up in a world no one knew existed.”

“Perhaps...no pony will ever know.”

“Yeah, but how will I get back home? Do I just walk back into the forest, and I appear home?”

“Should we try that?”

“I’d rather not. I saw how those timberwolves bring more friends. I don’t want to go back in there and have them hunt me down.”

“I do indeed know a way to send you back. Though, it does involve going into the forest, just not into its danger,” Luna put her tea mug down on the coffee table.

“Wait...you do?”

“Of course I do. My sister and I knew when you appeared in our world. We could feel it the very moment you stepped foot here. And I know the way out.”

“Great! Send me back!”

“Come with me then,” Luna stood from her chair and began walking to the door.

“NO MARK!”, Sweetie flew from her seat and wrapped her hooves around his legs. “You can’t go!”

“But I have to. I have my own life out there. My whole world is waiting for me in those woods.”

“But I can’t let you! You saved me! You can’t just leave now!”

Mark knelt down on one knee. “But, I have my own life, I have to get back to it. I’ve had a lot of fun getting to know you though.”

“Bu-”

He leaned and gave her a long, tight hug.

“I know. If I could do this again, I would. But to be frank, I don’t think I can.”

“Then stay!”

Mark’s eyes began to water. The scene was killing him.

“I can’t! I told you, people are waiting for me there. I can’t just abandon my life back home to stay here. And besides, I don’t know the first thing about life here.”

“I’ll help you! I could teach you!”

“I’m sorry…”

She buried her head in his shoulder and sobbed. This pushed everypony in the room over the edge, including Mark.

“Just promise me…”

“Yes?”

“Promise me you won’t forget me,” Sweetie looked him in the eye.

Mark wiped the tears from his eyes. “I won’t.”

“Then I guess you can go now,” she let go of him and laid down to her stomach.

Mark got up, and him and Luna started for the door. Then he stopped. He walked back over to Sweetie Belle, picked her up, and gave her a big hug. She returned the hug.

“Just go home already. They’re waiting for you,” she smiled at him.

“See you next time Sweetie,” he put her down and followed Luna out the door. Fluttershy, Sweetie Belle, and Rarity followed the two to the forest.

Just outside the forest, Luna stopped Mark.

“Tell me something. Is it not folly to repeat a foolish act?”

“Yes, of course it is. Bu-”

“And is it not honorable to repeat a wise act?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Then I have my answer. Now go to that tree,” she pointed to a large oak. “Walk around it, and you will be home.”

“Really?”

“Would I, an honorable Princess, ruler of Equestria, lie to you?”

“No, you wouldn’t.”

“Then you know how to get home.”

Mark turned to the three ponies gather behind him. “I guess this is final goodbye.”

Not final young Mark. Not everything is final.

Mark waved. The four ponies waved as he walked around the tree. The massive trunk of the oak took up his entire vision. As he rounded the tree, he found that he was back on the path he had found Sweetie Belle on.

“I know this path. This path connect my house to the lake!”, he followed the path all of the way back to his house. Where he still lives today.

The End(?)

No. Not the end. Not everything is final.

<------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->

One Year Later

Mark had decided to take the day off from writing to go fishing. He used to fish all the time, but he had been too busy the last year and wasn’t able to convince himself to take a break. Finally he had decided to take a few days off, and unwind. He chose to start with a day of fishing.

As he walked down the path to the lake, he noticed a certain tree. He immediately recognised the tree.

“Sweetie Belle,” he muttered to himself.

He sighed aloud. He hadn’t walked this path since the day he came back from Equestria. Just then, her heard a voice say something in his head.

Not everything is final.

“Wait, what?”, he looked over to the tree.

The tree had the same words imprinted on it.

“Not everything is final”

“What?!”

He dropped his gear and walked closer to the tree.

“It’s not possible. Is it?”

He stepped around the tree. As the trunk took up his vision, his heart beat intensified. The tree left his vision, and he found himself looking into the eyes of Princess Luna, a large smile across her face.

“Welcome back.”

Foalsitters of Chaos

“Now Sweetie are ya sure about this?” Apple Bloom asked, looking at her friend apprehensively. Usually her unicorn friend was the one who would suggest the saner, more safer ideas the balance between Apple Blooms engineering hijinx, and Scootaloo’s more extreme shenanigans, but her latest idea was madness.

Sweetie grabbed ahold of Apple Bloom by the shoulders and gave her a playful shake as she answered, “Of course! Don’t you see with all the other ponies busy with stuff if we have Discord and Pinkie Pie watch over us then we can get so much more crusading done! And they are both pretty fun so we definitely won’t get bored.”

Scootaloo looked at the other two and with a grin shouted, “Best idea ever! Although it sucks that Dash can’t watch over us, but we never were foal sat with those two. So who’s going to ask who?”

“Well I’ll ask Discord, and you two can ask Pinkie Pie. We’ll meet up here afterwards to get our planning done for this Friday night.” Sweetie Belle answered as she trotted over to Fluttershy’s cottage.

“Alright, don’t forget this is going to be the best Sleep over in Crusader history! This Friday will be a night to remember.” Scootaloo said as Apple Bloom hopped into the wagon attached to the scooter hoping that this wouldn’t bite them in the butt.

Sweetie Belle arrived at Fluttershy’s Cottage seeing the pony and draconequus that she was looking for drinking tea in the front yard, sitting over a red and white checkered blanket. She sped up to a canter yelling out, “Fluttershy! Discord! Hi!”

They both looked up that the incoming filly and gave her a short wave before Sweetie asked the question she had been planning on asking since the idea came to her, “Discord, I have a question for you?”

“How may I help you?” Discord ask with a grin.

“Well the other Crusaders are going to ask Pinkie Pie, but I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind helping Pinkie Pie foal sit us this Friday? Our sisters and their other friends are all busy, and we haven’t had you two sit for us yet … so is it okay?” Sweetie replied giving the biggest puppy dog eyes she could manage.

“Oh! I don’t know. Are you sure that’d be ok with your sisters?” Fluttershy asked.

“Of course they won’t mind Flutters, After all you are always telling me that I need to learn how to use my powers responsibly. What better way than hanging out with one of your friends and watching over the Crusaders? What’s the worst that could happen?” Discord said.

“Well that’s true. Well if it’s okay with you … and you don’t mind then I think it could be a good experience for you.” Fluttershy replied.

Sweetie Belle turned into a little filly missile as she squeed and glomped into Discord at high speeds. As she landed into him they landed in an even more chaotic pair of limbs than Discord normally had. Sweetie gave Discord a nuzzle, “Thank you Mr. Discord! This is going to be the best Sleepover ever!”

“You are most welcome.” Discord said, ruffling of the mane. It was months after the incident where he went to shake up Equestria, and helped take out the avatar of Sombra, and Penumbra was firm on keeping him focused on learning on how to use his powers to help ponies rather than for his own pleasure. It had taken time to undo the insecurity and damage Celestia had caused by cutting him off, then imprisoning him without a friend in the world for a thousand years.

But now that he was allowed a degree of freedom, he was feeling giddy that the Crusaders were going to try getting him to foalsit for them. And even if Pinkie Pie still didn’t get along as well with him as the others it would be a good chance at a fresh start, and with the Crusaders, tons of chaos.

While Sweetie Belle was dealing with Discord, the other Crusaders were going to get Pinkie Pie to foal sit. Normally nopony would ever ask Pinkie Pie to foal sit the Crusaders, much less suspect that she might be willing with all the parties she threw and commissions she had. But the Crusaders were going to think outside the box and just ask.

They entered Cake’s Confectionery Emporium, the greatest sweetshop on Sugarcube Corner. They were swept up in a random Pinkie Party, a large banner read ”Happy Noodle Appreciation Day!”. Eventually they made their way through the maze of ponies where they walked into Pinkie Pie who was ponying the table with a tray of every imaginable type of noodle. Ziti, Spaghetti, Casseroles, Salads, among many others.

When she saw the Apple Bloom and Scootaloo her grin grew larger, “Hiya girls! Are you here to celebrate Noodle Appreciation day? Not many ponies fully appreciate noodles, so I thought I’d throw them a party.” Pinkie said with a pep in her voice.

“Who’s ‘them’?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Noodles of course!” Pinkie said bouncing in place.

“Well we didn’t come here to appreciate some noodles, but we did come here to ask you something important.” Scoots said.

“Okie Dokie Lokie! So what can I do for you two?” Pinkie lowered her head so that she was eye level with the Crusaders so they have to look up at her.

“Well we need foalsitters for this Friday’s Crusader Sleepover, and Sweetie Belle is asking Discord. We wanted to ask you if you wanted to join too?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Of course I can help, after all it’s not like Discord has experience foalsitting ponies, and I think it’d be fun watching ponies a little older than the twins. So you can count on me!” Pinkie exclaimed happily.

The Crusaders ran up and hugged Pinkie Pie, each grabbing a foreleg and thanked her before running off to meet Sweetie Belle with the good news.

“What!?” Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash yelled simultaneously.

“Pinkie Pie and Discord agreed to watch over us this Friday.” Sweetie said with a grin.

“You do know how bad of an idea this is right?” Twilight said in exasperation.

“But aren’t ya the one who told us that Discord is supposed to be reformed and needs ta be intergration-ed into pony society?” Apple Bloom asked

“Integrated, and yes I did say that. But this is a really big responsibility, both from Pinkie Pie and for Discord. Don’t you remember that he not only caused chaos the first time around, but when Penumbra was trying to reform him, sided with Trixie? Yes he ended up playing a long con to save the three of you, and stop the Alicorn Amulet possessed Trixie from becoming Sombra’s eternal avatar.But still doesn't change the fact that he did it.”

“But isn’t Pinkie already responsible? With all that party’s she organizes and watching the twins. And sis, didn’t you tell me that a pony learns responsibility by being trusted with it? That plus we’ve already forgave Discord since he did it to protect us from getting hurt.”

“Now don’t be draggin’ me inta this. But yes Ah reckon Ah did tell ya that.” Applejack responded much to Twilight’s chagrin.

“Well played Apple Bloom, well played. Well what do you girls think?”

“If they have already agreed to it, and it’s not too much of an imposition than I guess it would be alright to test this out. After all Pinkie Pie has surprised us with her level of maturity. So I shall agree to this.” Rarity said.

“Ah guess it won’t hurt to trust them with this responsibility for one night, and Ah think they are like big children themselves so it might be fun for the Crusaders.” Applejack added.

“Well I trust Pinkie Pie, but if Discord tries anything I’ll Sonic Rainboom him to the moon.” Rainbow Dash replied her wings flaring at the mention of Discord.

“Alright then thank you girls for letting us know. I’ll be letting Celestia know about this so that she can be kept in the loop with Discord’s progress,” Twilight said in slight exasperation.

The three fillies gave eachother a highhoof, “Cutie Mark Crusader Super Sleepover! Yay!” they said with enough force to cause the books in the library to fly off the shelves and nearly deafen the older ponies in the room.

That Friday seemed to take forever to roll around, and the day before the big night the Crusader’s sat in their clubhouse with the various items they would need to bring with them. Scootaloo was the first to put things in the pile, her wings held erect with excitement, “Alright! So I got Rainbow Dash to get me some liquid rainbow. I also got enough chocolate to put us in a food coma for a month, and Soda. What’d you get Sweets?”

“Well I brought rope, blankets, an axe just in case we need it, and we can’t forget mirrored glasses so we won’t get turned to stones by Cockatrices again. Or if we try getting our Vampony hunter cutie marks again. I never knew the Stare was able to freeze a pony like that.” Sweetie Belle said moving things with her fledgling magic from the pile that Scootaloo made to the blankets.

“And Ah brought a baseball bat to beat up anything that crawls out of the oven if Scoots tries cooking again -,” Apple Bloom started to say when Scootaloo interrupted her.

“One time! One time! I accidentally transform a batch of gingerbread ponies, into living, ravenous, gingerbread ponies and you never let me live it down.” Scoots huffed before sitting heavily down on her haunches pouting.

“And you can’t forget the swarm of jellies, the flying apple fritters, or that one slice of orange that kept trying to poke our eyes out.” Sweetie chirped, much to Scootaloo’s chagrin.

“Exactly thus the baseball bat. Now as I was saying several potions I made with Zecora’s help, and some magic dust she made me just incase the baseball bat doesn’t work. Well I think that’s everything.” Apple Bloom stated.

Getting everything ready they transported their goods over to the Cake’s Confectionary Emporium where they’d be spending the next night. With Pinkie’s help they unloaded everything and got everything set up for the best night ever, “So Pinkie are you sure we can spend the night here tomorrow? Are the twins going to need their sleep?”

“Oh you silly filly, the Cake’s are taking them on a trip to see their grandparents over in Sleeping Hollow. So we have free reign here for the entire night. Oh! I have so much fun planned for tomorrow!” Pinkie said bouncing in excitement.

“What do you have planned?” Sweetie asked, shuffling her foreleg in a circle.

“Well your girls’ crusades are important so from after school, until sundown is time for that. Then we can have s'mores, candy, cupcakes, and a buffet of sweets and caffeine. After that I have something special setup, but it’s a surprise. Then we’ll wind down with some party games. Then it’ll be time for you girls to rest up for a really good morning,” Pinkie Pie explained.

“That sounds like it’ll be fun. Well we’ll see you tomorrow Pinkie,” Scootaloo said with a wave.

As the fated day rolled around the three crusaders were standing outside of the schoolhouse discussing the events for the day. Apple Bloom paced in front of the other two and lept into her speech,“Alright y’all today’s the day that we’ve been planning on for a whole week. Today is the day we have our first annual super sleepover. This means maximum output for our Crusading attempts before nightfall, and tonight we try again at getting our Cooking Cutie Marks. So I’ll leave the floor to Scootaloo who’s planned the events out for this afternoon.”

As Apple Bloom took her place in line Scootaloo walked out and brought out a map of Ponyville, “First things first. We know that a Cutie Mark is something a pony likes doing and does alot. So for this reason we are going to have some old, but fun repeats. We start with our Demolition Derby, and Crash Test Dummy marks as we race to the park. I got everything set up for us to go Hang Gliding, and then we’ll dive into the lake where I set up a floaty with Scuba Gear for our Diving marks.

On the bottom of the lake is three keys that’ll open a locker near the entrance of the park where we can change into spy suits. Then it’s up to us to track down our target, Pinkie Pie, We’ll see what her special surprise is as we work on our Ninja, Spy, and Pony Tracker marks. After that we’ll call it a day and head inside where Sweetie Belle will be up,” Scootaloo exclaimed waving over Sweetie Belle over to tell her part of the sleep over.

“Okay so after we get inside, I’ve learned where Pinkie Pie keeps all of her special ingredients, and the fuel for her Party Cannon. So tonight we sneak some extra ingredients and with a little bit of ingenuity make the best dinner ever. Since you all are worried that I melt everything I cook. I’m going to act as the chef, and helping get things in order,” Sweetie said with a hint of pride.

“So oh mighty chef, what’s for snacks?” Scootaloo snarked.

“Taffy, chocolate covered pretzels with nuts, and honeyed eggs using Nutella instead of butter to grease the pan.” Sweetie Belle replied oblivious to the tone of the comment. rivulets of drool were dripping down as she thought about the feast.

“Sounds good, now you two get in the cart and put on your protective clothing and helmets. Crash Test Demolition Derby Cutie Marks here we come!” Scootaloo yelled at her friends as she threw on her helmet and got prepared for one wild ride.

Scootaloo wings were flying with such speed that the buzzing could be heard from a block away as they rocketed away from the Clubhouse. As they sped to the park their surroundings were filled with screams and tossed ponies as the wake of their passing hurled everything around them away in a cacophonous storm of speed and chaos. As they hit the market place Scootaloo saw an impromptu ramp resting against the stall. With even greater force she rocketed towards the ramp oblivious to the collateral damage they were wrecking on Ponyville. As they hit the ramp they all enjoyed almost a whole minute of being airborne before landing with enough force to almost toss Sweetie Belle if Apple hadn’t caught her and dragged her back in.

Eventually they hit the hill leading to the park, gaining air time long enough to crash into some bushes that ended with them falling into the lake, “Alright girls did we get anything?” Scoots asked excitedly as they checked each others flanks.

“My flank is sore, does that count?” Sweetie asked.

“Nope. Well that was a bust. Maybe the next ones will work,” Scoots exclaimed pointing out to some Pony Launchers that Apple Bloom built for the occasion. “Ok everypony get in your hang gliders, pull the lever next to you and hang on for dear life. Our target is that floaty in the middle of the lake!” Scoots said happily. The CMC completely ignoring the cloud of dust, broken building parts, and still falling ponies that their ride had stirred up. That among other things is why Ponyville, and now Manehatten have Crusader Insurance to cover Cutie Mark Crusader related mishaps.

It wasn’t long before they were airborne, flitting through the skies. Apple Bloom angled her Hang Glider between her two friend and yelled, “So here’s the deal. Scoots you land on one end, and me and Sweets will land on the other end. This way it hopefully won’t tip over!”

“Sounds good, we dive on the count of three! One, Two, Dive!!!” Scoots yelled as she dived off her Hang Glider.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie jumped the gun and landed several seconds before Scootaloo did. Their side sent a large shock wave that hit Scootaloo just as she landed launching her up the air with the force of a Party Cannon Mark 3. As they watched their friend shoot into the air, AB said in amazement, “Ah never saw a chicken fly so high.”

“Bloom why do you keep calling her a chicken? You know she doesn’t like that,” Sweetie said to her friend as she watched Scootaloo squee, flapping her little wings with all they were worth.

“Ah’m just ribbing, honestly one of these days she’s gunna be a good flyer. Then Ah’ll have ta find somethin’ new ta tease her about”.

“You should apologize though, I mean, it’s a sensitive subject, especially with how Diamond teases her about that.”

“True, Ah’ll apologize when we get on dry land.”

It was a few moments later when a squealing Scootaloo dove into the lake. They fetched their gear and dove to the clear bottom of the lake, and made it to the shore. Shaking themselves dry with the keys in their teeth they made their way to the storage lockers.

“Hey Scoots?” Apple Bloom said softly, shuffling her right foreleg embarrassedly.

“What’s up?”

“Well Ah’m sorry that Ah call you a chicken so much. It’s meant to be playful ribbing, but Ah don’t mean to be mean about it.” Apple Bloom said.

“Don’t worry about it, yeah it get’s annoying, but I know you aren’t doing it to be cruel. Although it wouldn’t hurt to ease up on it a little.” Scootaloo said as she opened her door and brought out her ninja suit and groucho marx shades.

“Great now you two can kiss and makeup.” Sweetie said behind her Agent Apple Smith glasses and her CatMare skin suit giving her an even cuter expression as the cat ears moved along with her own.

“What!?” They both yelled.

“Well Rarity says that after two people fight they have to go kiss and makeup.” She explained.

“But I can’t kiss Apple Bloom, she’s a friend! Even if she doesn’t have cooties, it’d be weird.” Scoots said her blush red enough to show through the Ninja suit.

“Yeah! And Ah haven’t kissed anypony before, family doesn’t count.” Apple Bloom stammered nervously.

Sweetie grabbed them both in a hug and gave them a nuzzle, “You two are so cute when you're flustered. Now lets go spy on Pinkie Pie!” Sweetie said letting them go and trotting off as she slipped on her black tinted Vinyl Specs.

Apple Bloom hid her face behind her VamPony costume to hide the blush from her friends innocent, out of the blue statement. Scootaloo had no such defense and her costume turned red from the power of her blush as the air around them both gave a mirage like waver from the heat coming off of them.

After getting back to the Scooter and hiding it in one of many of Scootaloo’s hiding spots scattered around town, Apple Bloom asked, “Ah never asked, but why do you have all these cardboard boxes around Ponyville? There rather well hidden, but Ah always wondered why you got them.”

“Hehehe, well you see, its … well … Look a distraction!” Scoots yelled.

“It usually helps if ya don’t yell distraction when trying ta make a distraction,”Apple Bloom deadpanned, “But if ya don’t wanna say anythang then ya don’t need ta.”

“Sorry girls, I promise I’ll tell you all someday later.” Scoots replied.

“Alright, just know that we’ve got yer back whenever, whatever. Us Crusaders always have each other's backs,” Apple Bloom said as she put a foreleg over Scootaloo’s shoulder and pulled her into a hug, “Now lets go spy on Pinkie Pie.”

They spotted Pinkie Pie a few minutes later looking at a store window. Hiding behind a wooden crate Scootaloo’s head peeked out from the bottom, with Apple Bloom’s in the middle, and Sweetie Belle after climbing on top of them looked over the upper corner. Their antics drew muffled laughing from those walking by, but they ignored it as they watched Pinkie Pie doing what a Pinkie Pie does.

They followed her through the wreckage of the market place, past Bon Bon’s Confectionaries, and into an alleyway between the Cake’s Shop and Candy Express where Twist worked part time. They looked onwards where they saw nothing, only for Pinkie to pop out from behind them, “Hiya!”

This startled the three fillies Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle jumping into Scootaloo’s arms clinging to her seconds before they toppled her over in a pony pile, “Pinkie Pie, no fair!we were supposed to be spying on you! You aren’t supposed to scare us,” Scootaloo said, muffled by the fillies on top of her.

“Awwwww! Well I am surprised you found me, you must be super duper amazing spies to stay hidden for so long. I think you even fooled my Pinkie Sense for a while,” Pinkie said peppily.

Sweetie and AB got off Scootaloo, they each looked embarrassed for a second before what Pinkie Pie’s words registered, “Really we fooled your Pinkie Sense?” They said simultaneously.

“Yep it was saying Nightmare Night was coming early, so I was looking for party gear to celebrate. Then it switched to saying I was being watched by a VamPony, an Anti-Hero, and a ninja griffon. But then I said, why would a VamPony hangout with a Anti-Hero, unless it was the Moori, VamPony Blade? That’d make sense, but then I wondered why the ninja griffon’s League of Fluffy Kittens would hang out with them and I thought I must’ve ran out of bars and the Tachyon field was in reverse in this area so my Sense was on the fritz. Then when I went into this alleyway because VamPony’s and Ninja’s are allergic to magnetic candy waves, I figured it out, and knew that it was three fillies dressed up as those things following me so I decided to say hi!” Pinkie rambled, at the end of the speech the Crusaders eyes were rolling around in their sockets.

“Ok, so basically we tricked you with our cuteness?” Sweetie said trying to decipher all that at once.

“Basically yep! Now why don’t we go inside and get ready for the most awesome night ever!” Pinkie said bouncing in place.

After they got out of their respective spy suits, they were disheartened to find out that they didn’t receive any cutie marks, but cheered up as they talked about how awesome they were to have tricked Pinkie Pie’s Pinkie Sense twice. They walked down stairs to laughter, as they got to the bottom of the stairs they saw Discord rolling on the ground with tears streaming from his face.

“Hiya Discord! What’s so funny?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Why Sweetie Belle, I was just telling Pinkie Pie here of all the fun that my three favorite fillies in all of Equestria stirred this afternoon. So much chaos, I’m practically glowing with pride,” Discord said pulling on a cord that popped out of his ears causing his body to glow like a lamp,”See?”

The three crusaders laughed at his antics, and Apple Bloom was the first to speak up, “Ya know Discord, you’re not as bad as mah sister said ya was! Yer actually a really funny pony … dragon … thingy.”

“Why thank you, I’m glad at least some ponies appreciate my level of comedy, and it’s a draconequus” He said pulling on the cord again returning to normal.

“Yeah! That thingy. A funny draconequus.” She replied.

“Well girls first is going to be dinner, then it’s time for the great surprise.” Pinkie Pie sang.

“Oh! Pinkie Pie we want to cook dinner! We have everything needed to survive the outcome, and we think we can get everything done right this time!” Sweetie said pulling a chefs hat out from behind the counter.

“Okie Dokie Lokie!” Pinkie said leading the crusaders into the kitchen, even if she didn’t have triple the Crusader Insurance on the shop, she’d be happy to help her friends with their cooking. Discord on the other hand sat in the corner watching things unfold with a giant tub of singing, taffeed popcorn. Pinkie looked at Discord and said with a grin, “Don’t spoil your appetite we should have dinner ready in a jiffy!”

Apple Bloom was in charge of the Taffy while Scootaloo and Pinkie Pie worked on preparing the pretzel sticks. Everything was getting along perfectly and Scootaloo had just packaged the sticks into the refrigerator to cool while it came for Apple Bloom to add potions into the taffy for flavoring. The growth potion mixed poorly with the potion for healthy teeth and to help the metabolism. The resulting mix caused the taffy to boil and hiss before exploding and sticking everypony to the walls while knocking the potions out of the kitchen window.

“Hey is everyone Okay!” Pinkie yelled.

She was met with a muffled affirmations from around the room, and a loudly laughing Discord, “Oh I just knew that foal sitting was going to be worth it! This is positively delicious, and I don’t just mean this taffy.”

There was a flash of light and the taffy was laying on the table wrapped in little paper in a pile replica of Canterlot Castle. That resulted in all the others falling down mid munch from their attempt to escape their candy prison, “Wow Apple Bloom! Other than the explosion, this was delicious!,” Pinkie Pie said bouncing around the kitchen to examine the tasty fortress of sweets, “And good job on the Castle, Discord. This’ll be a help later.”

“Well I do aim to please,” He responded with entendres galore. Especially when I get first row seats to enough chaos to make me all warm and tingly inside. Who would’ve thought that helping ponies would be so entertaining. Best of all I have finally earned Pinkie’s and Penny’s permission to use my powers as long as it’s to help ponies.

After that little show Scootaloo knew that she had to up her game. Sweetie had injected the eggs with tiny amounts of Party Cannon fuel to help speed up the cooking process while Pinkie was distracted by Apple Bloom getting the defenses set up and getting things prepared for everyone to be armed for the upcoming battle.

All the while Discord was watching from the corner, a squee of excitement leaving him as he observed from the sidelines, he waved a banner with one hand that read, “Go Cutie Mark Crusaders!” with the letters written in singing rainbows, and the other a giant yellow, orange, and white colored foam finger, the #1 glowing in neon lights.

The first egg Scootaloo cracked open produced a duckling, trying again got her another duckling, sighing angrily she tried again, and this time a frog popped out, “Oh come on!” She cried out loud, “This time I’ll get it!”

Breaking open the next egg produced Gummy, Pinkie’s pet gator. Pinkie gasped as she grabbed Gummy, “Oh no! I have two Gummy’s?”

“Don’t break the defenses Pinkie! We never know what random event Scoot’s cooking will create!” Apple Bloom yelled in terror.

“Don’t worry girls, here I’ll get things ready and Discord, I need you to take my place while I go check on Gummy upstairs.” Pinkie said nervously, her hair twitching rapidly.

“I got this, you go get your pet.” Discord said with a mischievous grin.

“Okie Dokie Lokie! Thanks Dissy!” Pinkie said breaking the needed eggs for Scootaloo and getting the pan greased up with Nutella, “Alright Scootaloo you can do the rest.”

As Pinkie ran out of the kitchen and Discord armed with a giant rubber chicken, and a parasol took her place in line. Scootaloo started stirring the eggs. As she did an ominous orchestral piece started playing. As the music started a scattered rain of orange feather started falling out of nowhere, and the air itself quivered with a dark haze.

After beating the eggs she poured them into the skillet and a caterpillar that was crawling outside fell into the growth potion that had fallen outside from the earlier candy explosion. It grew into a giant Caterpillarzilla that roared at the crusaders as it crawled into the kitchen through the window.

“This is the moment we’ve been waiting for. Sweetie throw the eggs! Discord keep an eye on Scoots, we don’t know what else will happen!” Apple Bloom dictated.

Between the exploding eggs blasting the monster back outside and Apple Bloom’s batting it away caused it to run away crying. Just as it ended flames burst from the stove singing creepily. Then out of the flames came a dancing winged marshmallow the size of a young filly. Discord was so busy fighting that, that he failed to notice the army of winged spider monkeys that crawled out of the wall and began dancing in a conga line around the room.

When the stove was turned off everything disappeared other than a fine coating of flour that had suddenly appeared around the room, Scootaloo took out the brown eggs and gave them a small coating of honey, grinning with pride she said, “Well I’m done with my part, Dashie really is the best teacher for cooking in all of Equestria.”

Just then Pinkie arrived, “Well I don’t know how Gummy appeared in the egg, but there definitely aren't two of him. Well everything looks good. So I guess dinner is now ready, time to eat!”

After cleaning up the kitchen, fixing the random bouts of chaos caused by the Crusaders culinary skills, a pleasant dinner, and the basic party games found in a Pinkie Party, Pinkie Pie gathered everypony, and draconequus together, “Now it’s time to reveal the big surprise. We are going to prank all of your sisters, it will be epic!” Pinkie Pie said jittering with barely contained excitement, sugar, and lots and lots of caffeine.

“Oh pranks! Tell me, what about my sister? Can’t we prank her as well?” Discord asked.

“Two conditions, any pranks you help with have to be funny for everypony, not just you, and it can’t be anything that hurts anything.” Pinkie stated.

“That’s perfect. Now let’s go over how we’re going to go on this little quest.” Discord said his ears producing smoke from how fast the gears in his head were running with the ideas running through his head.

“Um … not complaining or anythang but how do ya expect us ta prank Dash when 4 out of 6 of us can’t fly or aren’t pegasi?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I can fix that Apple Bloom,” Discord said with a snap of his fingers. After a bright flash of light there were two pegasi, and one horned pegasi.

Scootaloo pointed at her friend and said, “Sweets! You’re an Alicorn! Discord, why can’t you make the rest of us Alicorns?!”

Sweetie Belle hearing that she was an Alicorn, and to her mind a Princess pranced in place and squealed so hard that it came out as an excited, loud whisper, “I’m a Princess! I’m a Princess! *Squee*!”

Discord was about to say that it wouldn’t be a good idea when a good idea struck him, If I make them all horned pegasi, not true alicorns than it would still stir enough chaos to be fun. And I’d be helping my friends. Oh! I love working with loopholes!

With another flick of his fingers each of the others sprouted horns from their heads. With a squeal of joy they shouted in unison, “Cutie Mark Crusader Princesses! Yay!” Just as their hoofs touched one anothers an explosion of rainbows and smoke shot from them and when the light died down, and smoke cleared stood a speechless Pinkie Pie.

“Well … that wasn’t expected.” Discord whispered.

“What wasn’t expected,” Pinkie asked.

“Well I didn’t factor the power of friendship mixing with the powers of chaos like they did. I simply gave them wings and a horn without the full magic of the other races, they were simply winged pegasi. But now they actually are Alicorns, and …,” Snapping his fingers repeatedly, nothing happened, “I can’t undo it. Oh! This is amazing! Nopony told me Hearth’s Warming Eve was coming early! Quick Pinkie where is Santa Hooves and his army of little mules?”

“It didn’t come early, but this is going to take so much explaining later. At least nothing can go wrong, although I wonder why their change is immune to your imaginary friend powers?” Pinkie said looking her friends over to see if anything was off with the changes.

Sweetie looked at Scootaloo who gave a short nod, “Well we might not have been completely honest, and it’s a story for later. But Scootaloo was my imaginary friend, and I might have accidentally created her when I used magic for the first time while going on a valiant adventure, and Scootaloo’s chaos cooking was blamed of Rainbow Dash to hide the fact that we haven’t learned how to control her random chance power when cooking food.”

“Wait! If she’s an imaginary friend like Pinkie, Discord, or Penny, then does she live in your head too?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Nope, I couldn’t explain her living with me to Rarity, so she lives in cardboard boxes that lead to our magical worlds of make believe.” Sweetie answered embarrassedly.

“Well I wouldn’t worry too much about that Sweetie, I have enough to buy a house and I can take her in. If anypony asks I can just say Pinkie Sense told me about it,” Pinkie said, “and if you want to tell anypony we can throw a party for it.”

“Don’t worry Scoots, I still like you, “Apple Blooms said wrapping Scootaloo in a hug, “Best friends forever, right?”

Scoots gave Apple Bloom and Sweetie in a hug, her wings wrapped around both their shoulders, “You to are awesome. I like you both too.”

“Well now that this grand reveal happened in a way that was more randomly chaotic than even I can pull off, let the pranking begin!” Discord said with the sound of cheering from an invisible crowd sounding behind him.

The first prank was on Rarity, who was closest to the Cake’s Confectionary Emporium. Sweetie Belle got the key hidden under a false brick near the doorway, and opened the door for everyone. When they got in they crept up the stairs as Pinkie Pie pulled out enough balloons for everyone to have two. Sweetie Belle used her fledgling magic to open up Rarity’s door.

As soon as the Balloons were set, they began using magic to charge the entire house with static electricity, and Discord to keep the house charged for a few hours. The plan was when Rarity woke up the house would be charged causing her hair and fur to stand on end, preventing her from getting her mane or tail to look fabulous and would walk out looking like Frankenstein's bride.

The next up was Apple Jack, with how busy the house was they needed a distraction, Sweetie ushered Scootaloo over. Pulling out one of her old character sheets for Scootaloo, she pulled out a dice and a pencil, “Alright time to roll a rogue!” She stated quietly, “Now it’s time for you to be our distraction okay Scootaloo?”

Getting a nod, Scootaloo put back on her Ninja suit and got on her Scooter. A few seconds later she was high tailing it away from the barn with Winoa chasing happily after her. With that out of the way, the rest of the Prank party crept inside carrying a chest of supplies.

As they got to the door leading to Apple Jack’s room Scootaloo spoke up from behind them, “So what’d I miss?”

Giving a jump Apple Bloom held a hoof to her chest, “Jeeze Scoots, give some warnin’ next time. And you missed nothing, now lets get started.”

For Applejack they plastered the most girly, fru-fru wallpaper imaginable, hung a bright pink canopy around her bed, and with much sneakiness Discord lifted her up as her bed covers and sheets were replaced with a filly level of girly bed covers and sheets. Her blinds were replaced with thicker, and more effeminate blinds, and for the final touch stuffed animals were littered throughout the room. Discord put up a magical camera so that he could immortalize Applejack’s reactions for her friends to see.

With two down, the rest were going to be a challenge. Dash was the best prankster in Ponyville, the only ponies better than her were Celestia and Luna themselves. While Penumbra was as hard as nails and hard to get a reaction from. Both would put their skills to the test.

The merry group of pranksters sat on the ground outside of Rainbow Dash’s cloud mansion, “Alright everpony, here’s the gameplan, we're going to replace her shampoo and shower gel. When we’re done she’ll be my color pink with bright blue hair. It’ll washout in a few days, or six baths. Nonetheless it’ll be awesome.” Pinkie Pie said excitedly.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom struggled to fly up, but managed to slowly but surely make it. Scootaloo on the other hoof made it up several pony lengths up before stopped being able to rise higher and fluttered to the ground. Looking up at her friends, she didn’t see Discord watching her. Well this isn’t any fun, I guess I could give her a little help. After all being flightless is boring.

“Oh Scootaloo!” Discord sang, “Come here, I’ll help you fly up there.”

“How? Not even being an Alicorn can get me airborne, I’m now even worse than a flightless chicken.” Scootaloo moaned.

Wrapping a rope around her and a giant reel in his hands, he said, “Now there! Just spread your wings and your good old friend Discord will help you get some air.”

As Scootaloo felt a powerful wind hit her, and Discord using her as a kite helped her glide up. Scootaloo gave a shaking dance of glee, when she landed on the cloud she danced and waited until Discord arrived before glomping him, nuzzling his chest, “Thank you Discord. Although it’s not what I thought my first time flying would be like, at least I was able to get airborne for a little bit on my own wings.”

“No problem Scootaloo, after all you can glide perfectly, you just have a problem getting up there. I’m glad to help a friend in need,” he said while ruffling her mane. He looked over at Pinkie Pie who was giving them the D’awwwws.

Seeing her standing on the cloud he thought to make a joking quip while leaning toward her, “I see you do have a bit of chaos in you.”

Pinkie Pie turned flicking her tail playfully at his nose, “Silly billy, you don’t proposition a mare on the first date.”

“Da-what?” Discord fall on his butt looking at the pink pony walking off to the inside.

The Crusaders looked at the foalsitters with a tilt of the head, simultaneously they muttered, “Adults are weird.”

The first thing they saw when they walked inside was the guardian of the castle, Tank the tortoise with his strap on copter harness. Flying around lazily, “Hiya Tank, were here to play a prank on Dashie okay?” Scoots whispered.

Tank gave a slow smile and softly bumped into her giving her a gentle nuzzle before giving her a gentle nip on the nose. He flew behind her and gave her a push to the stairs as if giving her a go ahead. She gave him a little peck on the cheek eliciting a blush, before whispering, “You really are the coolest pet Tank, thanks.”

Sweetie glomped Scootaloo from behind, “Hey Scootaloo, what’cha doing?”

“Hey! What’d I tell you about being weird? And I’m talking to Tank. I haven’t seen the little guy in a few weeks. I wanted to so hi.” Scootaloo said clutching Tank, wings having extended outwards after her friend playfully hugged her, her coat rubbing against Scootaloo’s.

“Well we’re done with the prank. We should go before Rainbow Dash wakes up,” Sweets said giving her friend another squeeze before flapping off her back, “By the way, you look adorable with Tank. I wish I could take a picture right now,” She said with a wink before trotting out towards the door.

Scoots watched her go thinking to herself, what’s up with that filly. I swear she’s been acting strange lately. Like really playful, and cute, strange. I’ll have to ask Dash what it means later.

Scootaloo sure enough found it easier to glide, catching updrafts and air currents now that she was high enough. Giving a mental thank you to Discord she glided in the direction of Penumbra’s workshop. She landed a few hundred meters away from the place, her friends had landed from the exertion of flight before the halfway point.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie cantered up to her, “Good job Scoots, yer no chicken any longer. I gotta say, ya were quite regal lookin’ up there. Congratulations Scoots.” Apple Bloom said her arms and wings wrapping around her friend, with Sweetie wrapping all of them in a wing hug as well.

“You girls are so weird lately, but you two are the best friends a filly can ask for so it’s all good,” Scootaloo said with a warm blush and a cheeky grin.

“Alright girls the last prank for the night, This was a surprise one, so I’m not that prepared for it. I’m thinking the Pie on a catapult prank, and coloring all of clouds with colored glitter. The glitter should be easy to get out of the clouds so no harm no foul. Dissy this is your game, I’ll get the pie set up you can color the clouds,” Pinkie exclaimed.

The Crusaders decided to follow them both around and talk a bit amongst themselves. Scootaloo spoke up first, “So girls I want to ask you two something.”

“Hmmmm.” They both commented non-commitally looking around.

“Well I was wondering, Sweetie Belle you’ve been a lot more affectionate than usual, and Apple Bloom you’ve been acting kinda strange these last few weeks around me and Sweets. Are you two ok?” Scootaloo asked.

“Well … ummm … Apple Bloom you can answer this one.” Sweetie Belle said, passing the verbal ball to her friend.

“Well, ummm, Ah just want ta say that we’re really good friends, and Ah don’t want nothin’ ta happen ta that,” Apple Bloom stammered.

“Alright, no matter what we’ll be friends forever.” Scootaloo replied nuzzling her friend innocently.

“Well Ah reckon that Ah might be quite fancied with y’all.” Apple Bloom said pawing the ground.

“And I might really like you two as well.” Sweetie Belle said.

“Why wouldn’t you I’m almost as awesome as Dash,” Scoots said with a nervous smile, “Seriously though … I like you two, but I don’t know if I like like you … it’s not a no!” She said as she saw their downcast expressions, “It’s just that … well … you both are almost as awesome as Dash to me, and I don’t want to lose that. But … just give me some time to think about it ok? I don’t know how I feel about that, but is it okay if I take time to figure all this out?” She said scuffing her hoof on the wooden floor.

“No problem Scoots, take as much time as ya need, and you like me too Sweetie?” Apple Bloom responded.

“Yeah, I can wait as long as you want, no pressure, but yeah Apple Bloom. You two are the most awesome fillies I know, of course I’m going to like you too,” Sweetie added.

With a sigh of relief, Scootaloo was happy that this revelation didn’t come in between them as friends.

It was an hour later that had Discord carrying three little fillies on his back. Pinkie bounced along side him, “You know Dissy, after you got training on help on helping ponies you’ve really showed that you can be pretty ok. I had fun tonight.”

“I did too,” He replied looking fondly at his cargo.

“Hey, why don’t we go on a proper date later next week. I’d like to see more of you know that you aren’t trying to turn all of the world into a giant cake, and all who inhabit it into exploding gum drops or something,” She said giggling.

“Yep it was fun to be the hero,” Discord chuckled nervously, confused on to how this pink ball of chaos could go from barely friends, to asking about dating from out in the left field. Even by Discord’s standards.

“Yes it is, well tomorrow’s going to be fun, how do you think their sisters are going react to their being three new Alicorns? And one of them is an Imaginary friend. So awesome,” Pinkie said. Looking over at said Alicorns she saw Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle on either side Scootaloo each filly holding as much of Scootaloo as their bodies could hold nomming on her shoulders.

So the first annual Cutie Mark Crusader Super Sleepover came to a close, and as one chapter on their lives came to a

Of Outfits and Imagination

Of Outfits and Imaginations

At the sweet, glorious sound of music to these school fillies and colts—which was actually the school bell that marked the end of the day—blurs of multiple colors raced toward the school exit. A horde of kids struggled to get outside in the excitement of the weekend, all crushed between one another at the doorway. Cheerliee facehoofed.

Three fillies tumbled out from the crowd, falling onto the grass outside. They took their time getting up and recovering from the stumble.

“They really need more doors,” Sweetie Belle commented with a sigh.

Scootaloo, her eyes still spinning, got up. Apple Bloom whacked her in the back of her head to snap her out of it. Her eyes returned to normal, and she nodded. “Yeah. But hey!” She perked up, raising her hoof and her tiny wings fluttering. “We have the whole weekend to hang out now. Three whole days to do absolutely nothing.”

“But didn’t Cheerliee give us homework?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Who does homework on weekends?” Scootaloo scoffed as if the idea were possible.

They began walking from the school. “So, where do ya guys wanna hang out?”

The other two opened their mouths to respond, but a crack of thunder interrupted them. Sweetie Belle squealed and hid behind Scootaloo, Apple Bloom following shortly, when lightning struck in the faraway distance. Scootaloo shivered but held her ground.

“Aww, man!” she shouted. “I can’t get home if it’s going to r—”

Her nose scrunched when a drop of water landed on it, followed by more and more… and more drops. She shook herself. “Gah, where do we go now? Any plans?”

“Ooh, my house is right there!” Sweetie Belle pointed to the Carousel Boutique not too far away. “Come on!”

The three fillies trotted into the round building, panting and covered in rain water head to hoof. Scootaloo, the last one in, shut the door, Apple Bloom shook herself like a wet dog, and Sweetie sighed of relief, planting herself on the dry floor. “Oh, thank goodness!”

Rarity walked over to them, her eyes on her sister. “Sweetie Belle, get up. You’re staining the floor with water and dirt.” She sighed. “I’ll give you poor girls some towels. You’re all absolutely soaked.” Her horn glowed a light blue, and three towels, all pure white, traveled to them.

“Thanks, Rarity!” Sweetie took one and rubbed all over her coat and mane. Once finished, she shook her body. Her coat and mane poofed out, a bit fluffier in size. She giggled at herself alongside her two friends.

Rarity was less amused. “Oh, Sweetie Belle.” With a roll of her eyes, she brought out a brush. “Didn’t you girls know there would be a storm after school?”

“Now that you mention it,” Scootaloo began, chuckling nervously. “Rainbow Dash did tell me the weather ponies were going to make it rain until later; when it got dark out, I think.”

“What made ya forget?” Apple Bloom asked after wiping her hair with the towel. Beside her, Rarity was tugging her brush against Sweetie’s coat, straining to finish one tangled strand.

“I was more focused on trying to understand the math problems. Fractions are, like, impossible!” Scootaloo exclaimed, waving her hooves in exaggeration.

“...Scootaloo,” said Sweetie, gritting her teeth when Rarity pulled too hard on a tough knot. “We’re learning about multiplication.”

Scootaloo blinked. “Right, I knew that! That… makes lots more sense now.”

“Well, until the storm calms, you girls are free to stay here,” said Rarity with a smile, taking the attention from a blushing orange pegasus. “Sweetie Belle, why don’t you take them to your room to play? I need to focus on finishing some work, so it’d be nice to not have distractions.”

Sweetie nodded and led her friends upstairs. “It’d be best not to bother her while she’s working,” she whispered to the other two. “She gets so into sewing and everything, I can’t imagine bothering her. It’d probably be worse than the time I tried to give Opal a bath.”

Apple Bloom laughed at the image, but stopped when something caught her eye at the top of the staircase. “Ya know,” she said, pointing at a string dangling in the center of the hallway ceiling. “We never went into the attic. Who knows what kinda stuff’s in there?”

“I never went up there, either! Rarity doesn’t like me invading her privacy, so she probably has secret stuff up there.” Sweetie brushed her hoof on the floor.

“Well, haven’t you ever wondered what is up there?” Scootaloo asked with a wide smile.

“Um… no,” she answered.

“Well, why don’t we find out?” Apple Bloom pressed her muzzle against Sweetie Belle’s.

It took a moment for her to consider, but then a grin spread across her face. “Let’s do it!”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders stood atop one another in attempts to pull the string to the attic. Sweetie Belle stood at the top, trying to grab it. The two below kept tilting left and right, much to her irritation.

“Guys! Can you stop moving around so much, please? I can’t get the string!”

“It ain’t easy when I have a hoof right in mah face,” Apple Bloom mumbled below.

“Sorry, but you said you didn’t mind being at the bottom!” Scootaloo pointed out. “So… just hurry, okay?”

“Okay, I… yes!” At last, she caught onto the string, only when she did, her hind hooves slipped from Scoot’s shoulders. She swung back and forth, now holding onto the string much tighter.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo stumbled and fell onto the floor. Sweetie only wished she was so lucky. “Uh...girls? A little help?” she pleaded with a squeal, whimpering at the height she was at. Her eyes grew wide.

“Just pull and it’ll bring ya down,” Apple Bloom instructed her. “That’s how mah family’s attic is.”

Taking in Bloom’s words, Sweetie Belle pulled the rope downward, letting her weight hold it down. Sure enough, it brought her down and revealed the staircase to the attic.

“Alright, nice work!” Scootaloo complimented, patting Sweetie on the back. “You okay now?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Next time, though, you’ll be the one on top.”

They laughed and headed upstairs, noticing how dark it was. Sweetie Belle gulped but joined her friends when they went up without a worry in the world.

“Just a bunch of boring boxes!” Scootaloo noted, looking into every box in search of something interesting. That was all there was in there, which disappointed her. “So much for finding anything cool in here.”

“Wait! What’s this?” said Sweetie Belle with a look at a chest in the corner, already opened to reveal lots of colors and different, well… things. They walked up to it, only to be interrupted by a shout.

“Sweetie Belle, I told you not to go into the attic without my permission!”

The trio of fillies froze. They glanced at the floor, realizing the opening was still open. They could barely see Rarity’s purple mane appear from the entrance. They all ran to hide behind—or even in—boxes.

“I know you girls are up there!” Rarity yelled again, only with less anger in her voice.

“Nothing!” Sweetie Belle cried out from inside one box.

Scootaloo’s head popped out from beside another box, staring in disbelief. “Why did you say that?”

“I panicked, okay?” Sweetie whined, flailing her hooves.

Rarity stepped into the attic, gazing this way and that for the three girls and wearing her red working glasses. All she saw was three pairs of eyes blinking at her from different hiding spots. She sighed. “I’m not mad, girls, I promise. You can come out.”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo came out from behind their hiding spots, but Sweetie Belle’s head only popped out. Rarity stared at her, silently commanding her out, as well.

Sweetie Belle shied away, blushing bright red. “I’m stuck.”

The other three walked up to her to pull her out. Rarity opened her mouth, most likely to scorn them for going up into the attic, yet Scootaloo was ahead of that, pointing to the chest Sweetie took interest it. “So, what’s in that chest?”

“Oh, this?” Rarity gestured to the one overflowing with different things. Rarity flickered the light on from the top, revealing the things to be fabric, some accessories like hats. “It’s just an old chest of mine I had as a filly. I made some of these, but lots of these were simply outfits me and my friends dressed up in to have fun.” She smiled at the memories.

Sweetie Belle got out and stared inside the chest, Apple Bloom joining beside her. Their eyes grew at all the cloth, pretty designs and random hats and glasses. “Hey, ya think we can borrow this?” Apple Bloom asked, an idea coming to her.

“Be my guest. I have no use for it anymore.” She turned to leave, stopping when something crossed her mind. “That chest is fairly heavy. Do you want me to help take it down the stairs?”

“We got this!” Scootaloo declared, grinning cockily. The other two nodded, earning a cautious look from Rarity.

“If you girls say so.” She went down the stairs and back to the first floor, walking back to her sewing machine. A purple silk fabric flowed over to her, and she prepared to make another dress, praying for some silence.

CRASH!

“Sorry!” three voices yelled in harmony.

Rarity grit her teeth and let her machine whir to life.

Scootaloo stared at the chest, which sat at the center of the room. “So what do you think we should do with these?”

“Have fun!” Apple Bloom dived into the chest, earning a chuckle from Sweetie Belle while Scootaloo watched from afar. When she popped back out, she had an eyepatch and a black hat with a skull on it. “I’m a pirate—yarr!”

Sweetie Belle gasped and peeked inside. “Anything for me?”

“‘Course!” She gave Sweetie Belle a red, white polka dotted bandana and a fake hook. “Cutie Mark Crusaders Pirates!”

The seas rolled viciously as the large ship with the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ symbol as the sail trekked through this vicious ocean. The sun reflected onto the water to give a lovely look to the dangerous place. Two ponies stood aboard the ship, ready to take on these waters. At the very top, watching the waves through a telescope, Apple Bloom watched Sweetie Belle swing by on a rope.

Sweetie landed beside her friend, poking a sword into the air. “Evast ye… survy dogs?” she hesitated and turned to Apple Bloom. “Did I say that right?”

“Dunno.” Bloom scratched her head. Her attention fell away from this and to something back in the sea. “It doesn’t matter. ‘Sides, we have… visitors!”

Another ship was rolling into their direction. Sweetie Belle gasped. “What if they try to take our ship? It looks so nice!”

“We won’t, then! We fight for it! CHARGE!” Apple Bloom flipped out of the watch tower and slipped down the rope.

Sweetie whimpered. “Oh, okay.” She went down the stairs. Two of the pirates from the other ship were already jumping on theirs, Apple Bloom fighting with them two against one. Deciding not to let her do all the work, she joined the battle, flicking her sword this way and that.

“I can’t fight. I don’t know how to!” Sweetie squealed.

“Just try. These guys ain’t nothing.”

Sweetie Belle stared at the pirate, who wasn’t doing anything yet. Like he was waiting for her. Once she struck, he copied her movement. Taking notice of the pattern, she did this over and over, enjoying the fun going on while not feeling like she was in danger… yet. She found herself laughing, even. Apple Bloom smiled.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, resting her head on a table nearby. She realized she wasn’t joining them and said, “Scootaloo, c’mon, join in! It’s fun!”

“No way! Dress up is for babies!” she commented.

“Huh?” Sweetie Belle lost her concentration, and the pirates disappeared, only Bloom remaining, her plastic sword only stabbing the air. She pouted at Scootaloo. “We’re not babies!”

“I didn’t mean it like that!” She waved her hooves in worry. “I just… I didn’t mean it, okay? I just don’t like dress up games. It seems like something only little foals do.” She shrugged.

“Well, we are little kids,” Sweetie pointed out. “We’ll play something else, though.” Instantly, an idea struck her, and she clapped her hooves. “Hey, who wants to have a tea party?”

Scootaloo slammed her head on the table.

“Oh, darling, this tea is absolutely lovely!” Sweetie Belle said in a fake posh accent that Rarity would find insulting.

She and Apple Bloom sat at a round table in the fanciest restaurant in Canterlot, one of vinyl seats and chandeliers and paintings as decorations. They saved one other seat for Scootaloo, should she decide to join them. While many gorgeous looking ponies sat around them, they did not speak, allowing these two to speak as loud as they pleased.

They both wore fancy hats and beaded necklaces. Two teacups and plates were on the table, and while the cups were empty, Sweetie Belle pretended to sip hers.

“It certainly is nice to talk with ya, Miss?” Apple Bloom struggled to speak in an accent similar to Sweetie’s due to her own, but nonetheless tried. She paused and gestured to her friend across the table.

“Miss Fancy-Lady… Highness.” She had to hold back her laughter but composed herself.

“What a lovely name, darlin’,” Apple Bloom commented, one hoof over her mouth in attempts to conceal her own giggles.

“Yes, darling. It’s so darling, darling… darling.”

“Darlin’.”

They couldn’t hold it anymore. They fell out of their chairs and burst out laughing, holding their stomachs and their hind hooves flailing.

Scootaloo watched them having fun, frowning. Rather than join that stupid tea party, though, she looked into the chest, in attempts to keep herself occupied other than watching them say “darling” every two words. When she saw something, her face lit up. Taking it out of the chest, she wrapped it around her neck.

“Bleh! I’m a vampire. I want to suck your blood… as soon as I find some fangs,” she finished, digging back into the chest in hopes for a fake pair of fangs.

“Just don’t go outside, or else you’ll burn up!” Sweetie Belle played along.

“Or sparkle… dependin’ on what kinda vampire ya are,” Apple Bloom added.

“I’m the cooler vampire, duh!” She sighed, coming back out. “Ah, there are no fangs in there.”

“I thought you didn’t like dress up,” said Sweetie, giving her a look.

Scootaloo had to think of a response for a second. “Well… I wasn’t going to join that stupid tea party thing, so I needed something else to do.”

Sweetie thought about saying something but decided to change the subject. “Alright, then. Let see what else’s in here.”

They all searched the chest, finding things like a rainbow scarf, funny glasses and a jester hat. Sweetie Belle wondered how on Equestria Rarity would ever have these things in her house. Whatever the case, she found some things she took interest in.

“Check it out. I’m a movie star!”

“Ooh!”

A red carpet rolled long from view, and multiple ponies crowded behind the railing and in the seats behind them. The night time gave the cameras brighter flashes than it would the daytime. Everywhere, cameras glowed, and Apple Bloom was among with group of photographers. Only one star participated in this event, because it was about her.

She came out of the carriage, sporting fabulous star shaped glasses and a purple fluffy scarf, as well as red high heels. Sweetie belle posed for several photos while Bloom snapped her camera for each. Though struggling in her heels, she was adored no matter what. She loved the attention back, smiling the whole way.

“Lookin’ good, Sweetie Belle! You’d make a great movie star!” Apple Bloom shouted amongst the murmuring crowd, who was there to give the star a good name.

Sweetie Belle turned all around, smiling and waving, the experience bringing her delight.

If only her hooves could handle those shoes.

“Whoa, whoa, WHOA!” Sweetie’s hooves buckled, and she fell onto the ground.

“Ya okay?”

Sweetie Belle kicked off her shoes. “Yeah. Just… no more high heels for me. I don’t know how Rarity can wear this stuff.” She laughed to herself, and glanced at Scootaloo, who was searching in the chest again. “Find anything else?”

“No, not yet, just… JUST a little Wonderbolt costume… wow! That’s so cool! Scootaloo’s eyes beamed at the sight of the outfit. “Maybe…” She put on the outfit, as well as a mask that seemed to fit perfectly for a filly her age. She gave a demonstration with a twirl followed by a pose, pumping a hoof in the air. “Well?”

“You look just like a real Wonderbolt—well, only younger,” Sweetie Belle said, getting back up.

Scootaloo looked over at the table and jumped on it, knocking over a tea cup. “I am Scootaloo, the second best Wonderbolt ever!” she boasted, puffing out her chest and standing proud.

Horns blared out in celebration of her. She stood on a patch of clouds in a stadium where the Wonderbolts performed. Confetti sprinkled over her head, and a trophy rested beside her.

She had the wings to fly but stayed where she was, absorbing the cheers of her name and the attention she received. Her smile was wide, and her eyes scanned the crowd. One pony flew toward her.

Rainbow Dash landed beside her, also wearing a Wonderbolt uniform. She nudged Scootaloo. “Nice work, kid. You’re pretty awesome,” she said. She spread out her wings. “Wanna take flight. Maybe you can catch me… maybe.” She smirked.

Scootaloo mimicked her smirk. “Maybe I can.”

They zoomed through the brilliant blue skies, Scootaloo following in synch with her role model. She smiled; it was awesome.

Only when she returned to reality did she see her two friends giggling, their eyes directly on her. She blushed, growing self-conscious as her imaginary world evaporated. “What?”

“Yeah, ya totally don’t like dressin’ up,” Apple Bloom joked, smirking. She winked at Sweetie Belle, who laughed.

“Aww, no fair!” Scootaloo pouted, jumping off the table and taking off the mask. She would have taken off the rest of the outfit, but it felt comfortable to wear, so she planned to keep it on for now.

“Wow! This scarf is long!” Apple Bloom stood on her hind hooves for a moment, staring at the multiple colored scarf that felt like it would take forever to get out of the chest. Already it went around her twice and had yet to be pulled out entirely. She grunted in a battle to take it out. At last, the feet long scarf came out, and she landed on her flank a few feet away. “It’s really long.”

“It kinda looks like a rope,” said Scootaloo, noticing its brown colors, one of the main colors to it.

Apple Bloom smiled.

She stood below a white mountain, a blizzard blurring the view of above, though anyone could sense it was miles high. Nothing scared Apple Bloom, and danger never got in her way. She held the rope—which happened to look like a scarf, but wasn’t—and began her trek upward.

Her hoofsteps were careful and quiet, in fear of causing an avalanche. The pure silence was a constant company to her, the wind whipping her red mane wildly in the air. She loved the thrill of adventure, no matter how high the mountain or how long the hike.

“Apple Bloom, what are you doing?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Apple Bloom blinked and returned to Sweetie’s room. She found herself on the wall, the scarf tied to a hook in the wall.

“Uh, hiking up a mountain? she said uncertainly with a nervous smile.

“... Sounds fun!” Scootaloo exclaimed, jumping up.

“Can we join?” Sweetie asked.

Apple Bloom nodded.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS HIKERS!” the trio exclaimed, hiking the mountain on three different ropes. They kept their pace equal with each other’s just so they could watch one another. It was a long journey, but they could take it. After all, they were the best of friends.

Nothing could get in their way, absolutely—

“Girls, I made dinner! Come down, if you want!” Rarity’s voice called from below. “Oh, and the rainstorm is over.”

“Aww, man!” Apple Bloom’s head tilted down as the mountain disappeared. “We were almost there, too!”

“Hey, no worries, guys.” Scootaloo nudged her friends, making them look up. “We can always do it tomorrow. C’mon, we have the whole weekend to do nothing!”

“That’s true,” Apple Bloom murmured. Her smile grew. “We can always come tomorrow. If it’s alright with your sister.”

“Sure! Let’s ask her now!” They ran downstairs, taking a quick glance outside. Was it already dark out? It went by so fast!

“Rarity! Rarity!” Sweetie Belle went into the kitchen first, followed by Scoots and Apple Bloom, and found Rarity at the table. “What do you think of the outfits, Rarity?” she asked with hopeful eyes.

“They’re… very nice,” she was barely able to answer. She didn’t question the long scarf or the Wonderbolt outfit or the scarf and glasses. Rarity smiled at their faces, though, full of happiness and excitement. “I can tell you girls really enjoyed yourselves.”

“We did! Can they come over tomorrow?” she asked.

“Please?” the other two pleaded, adding in pairs of puppy dog eyes.

It wasn’t needed, though, for Rarity laughed. “Just don’t cause any trouble, and Rainbow Dash and Applejack are okay with it, it’s fine.”

“YAY!”

The three best friends high-hooved.