Trouble With a Treble

by Clover Skies

Rating: everyone
Tags: Silver Spoon, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Diamond Tiara, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 2943

What happens when one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders actually gets their cutie mark? Surely, she'll feel out of place while her friends are still searching for their cutie marks. True friends, like the CMCs, will always stick together... right?

It's pretty obvious the Cutie Mark Crusaders spend most of their time together searching for their cutie marks. But when one of the little fillies gets their cutie mark, what's going to happen? What will she do when the other 2 fillies are in search of their cutie marks? Surely, she'll feel awkward. True friends always stick together. And the Cutie Mark Crusaders are true friends... right?

(Sorry I stink at descriptions! :( )

Published 2014-04-18 20:00:03 UTC
Last updated 2014-04-18 20:00:03 UTC

The Fight

It was a scorching hot summer day in the bustling town of Ponyville. Dozens of ponies were trotting about the streets of Ponyville, buying products from local carts and stores. The fillies were playing outside. It was almost summer vacation, so the fillies didn’t have much homework. Three little fillies- Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, also known as the “Cutie Mark Crusaders”- were chatting amongst each other.

“Maybe we should go swimming at Applebloom’s pool!” Scootaloo suggested.

“Great idea, Scootaloo! Maybe swimming is our special talent!” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

“C’mon, y’all! Ah know Granny Smith won’t mind- she’s probably knitting. Big Mac will probably be in the fields buckin’ apples… and AJ is out with her friends. Last one there is a rotten apple!”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders bolted through town. Scootaloo was first to arrive at the glistening pool.

“That ain’t fair, Scoots! You gotta use your scooter!” Applebloom panted.

“Haha, you never said anything about not using scooters!” Scootaloo laughed.

“You really are like your big sister, Scootaloo…!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, arriving last.

“HEY! Nopony insults MY sister! At least I’m not the sister of some fashion-obsessed snob…”

“It wasn’t an insult. Well, it wasn’t really a compliment. I guess it was a… compliminsult? And touche… hey! Nopony calls Rarity a “fashion-obsessed snob”! She is anything BUT a snob. You take that back, you… you…!”

“Ha! You can’t even think of a good comeback!”

“Were you born on the highway, ‘cause that’s where most accidents happen!”

Scootaloo opened her mouth to say something, but instead she closed it and looked despondently at the ground.

“Hey, hey, hey! Calm down! Friends don’t fight!” Applebloom said, giving the quarreling fillies a disapproving look. "Let's go swimmin’!"

“Yeah, I guess you’re ri-” Scootaloo began, but was interrupted when Applebloom pushed an unsuspecting Scootaloo into the cool, refreshing pool.

“Applebloom!” Scootaloo yelled happily as she grabbed Applebloom’s leg and pulled her in.

“Wah!” Applebloom yelled.

Sweetie Belle stood laughing on the edge of the pool. She felt a bit like a third wheel when Scootaloo and Applebloom were playfully splashing each other- that is until Applebloom pulled her in.

The three fillies splashed each other for a long time, until Scootaloo spoke up.

“Hey girls, we came here to swim. So let’s do it!”

“Ya! Okay, first one to the end of the pool wins!” Sweetie exclaimed.

“Alrighty. Ready… set… GO!”

The three fillies raced to the other side of the long pool.

“Huzzah! I win!” Scootaloo cheered just as Applebloom followed Scootaloo.

“Nice job, Scoots! Sweetie Belle is only half-way here…”

“Yeah. She isn’t as athletic as us.”

Applebloom didn’t respond. All 3 of the fillies were growing up and developing new personality traits. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were developing a small trace of sassiness. Scootaloo started to be a bit more defensive and assertive. She also didn’t think too much before she spoke. Scootaloo’s budding feistiness was beginning to worry Applebloom.

“Woohee!” Sweetie Belle panted as she finally arrived at the end of the pool. “You guys are really fast!”

“Thanks!” Applebloom and Scootaloo said in unison.

“Hey, do you know what time it is?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Uh, I think around 1:30 or 2. Why?” Applebloom asked.

“Oh, I gotta get to a singing recital! It starts at 3. I better go! Do you guys wanna come?” Sweetie Belle said, hopping out of the pool.

“Naw, I can’t. Rainbow is gonna give me flying lessons later today. But thanks for the invite!” The pegasus said.

“Sorry, Sweetie. I can’t come either. AJ and I are gonna buck apples.”

“Okay, bye guys!”

“Bye!”

The Sister Talk

“A-and they just left. With out me!” Sweetie Belle sobbed as she hugged Rarity.

“Oh, poor thing…! I’m sorry, Sweetie.”

“Rarity, do you think they excluded me on purpose?” Sweetie Belle sniffled.

“Of course not, dahling! They just want what they think is best for you. They just don’t want you to feel left out when they are in search of their cutie marks. That’s all.”

“But that’s all we ever do together!”

“Sweetie Belle. You’re being quite overdramatic. If they’re causing you such distress, just talk it out.”

“C-can you tell Applejack and Rainbow Dash to tell Applebloom and Scootaloo how I feel?”

“This is a problem you have to solve yourself.”

“Rarity…!” Sweetie Belle whined as she gave Rarity sad “puppy-dog” eyes and a puffed out lip.

“Oh, fine! Just… don’t make that face! We’re all having lunch at Hayburger tomorrow. I’ll talk to them then.” Rarity gave in.

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you Rarity! You’re the best big sister ever!”

“I know...!”

*****************

“Sweetie Belle feels like Scootaloo and Apple Bloom are ditching her.” Rarity explained to her 5 friends around the table.

“Scootaloo would never do anything like that!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Nor would Apple Bloom. She’s a nearly perfect little filly.” Applejack said.

“I know, I know. Sweetie Belle can be rather… over dramatic sometimes. She insisted that I tell you 2 to inform your little sisters.”

“I’ll talk to Applebloom tonight. Rainbow, let’s meet at mah place.”

“Yea. I’ll tell Scoots, and we’ll be over to Sweet Apple Acres at 4 today. I hope they don’t split up because of this dumb argument. It would be really hard on all of ‘em.”

Applejack and Rarity nodded their heads in unison. They could only hope for the best.

The Trio Talk

“...And Sweetie Belle just feels like y’all are leaving her out of yer trio, you know, now that she got her cutie mark and all…” Applejack said, putting a hoof on Applebloom’s shoulder.

“So if you guys could just… you know…” Rainbow Dash trailed off, thinking of what to say next. “Well, if you could do something besides cutie mark crusading every once in a while…”

“What! But Applebloom and I hafta get our cutie marks now! We have to use every moment we can together to crusade!” Scootaloo almost yelled.

“Yea!” Applebloom agreed.

“Well… if ya even cared about Sweetie Belle, I reckon y’all wouldn’t say such a thing.” Applejack said disapprovingly.

“Applejack!” The farmgirl’s sister moaned. “You know mighty well that Sweetie Belle is our best friend! We’d never do anything to try and hurt her!”

“I know, little sis, but yer growing up. Yer gonna get your cutie mark eventually! Big Mac and I were the last in our class to get our cutie marks. It’ll come naturally, so y’all just be patient. Stop worryin’ ‘bout your flanks when you should be worrying about yer friend!” Applejack lectured.

“...But Applejack!” Applebloom moaned.

“Didja listen to a word I said?! Just… just fergit it! I’m gonna leave this for the 2 of you to decide! But if you decide you care more about your flanks than your friend, just know things will be real awkward between me an’ Rarity!” Applejack raged as she stormed out of the room.

“...Uh, what Applejack said…” Rainbow Dash said awkwardly as she scooted toward the door. “Uh… bye!”

And then there were two.

Applebloom and Scootaloo looked at each other. What were they going to do?

The Invitation

“This food looks really good!” Sweetie Belle said, piling some grass on her plate.

“Mhmm. It was cheap too!” Scootaloo agreed as she grabbed two hayburgers.

“Eeyup! Let’s sit down.” Applebloom said as she and her friends finished getting their food.

“Mrrmph, dis food if so delicious!” Scootaloo said, already stuffing her mouth with food.

“I agree!”

“Eeyup.”

"..So, you guys busy tomorrow?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo and Applebloom exchanged anxious glances.

"Uh... yea. Why?" Scootaloo answered for her and Applebloom.

"Well, I was thinking we could all see a movie or something..."

"Sorry, Sweets. Scoots and I already have plans."

Sweetie Belle sighed. "Lemme guess. You're gonna go cutie mark crusading... with out me..."

"We're sorry. Maybe next weekend....?" Applebloom asked hopefully.

"Meh." Sweetie Belle mumbled as she ate her food sadly.

The cutie mark crusaders ate in an awkward silence. Well, silence between their table. The rest of the restaurant was bustling with assorted chatter, the clanking of forks and spoons against dishes, and the bell on the door ringing every time somepony entered or exited.

“Well, well, well. Look who it is.” A voice said, breaking the silence. The three fillies looked up to see who it was.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

“What do you clowns want?” Scootaloo demanded, wiping food of her face with nothing but her hoof.

“Just to congratulate Sweetie Belle! We couldn’t help but notice Sweetie Belle’s beautiful cutie mark!”

“T-thanks…?” Sweetie Belle stammered.

“Why are you hanging out with these blank-flanked losers when you can hang out with us?”

Sweetie Belle didn’t say anything. She just looked at Applebloom and Scootaloo. Then at Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon. Then at Applebloom and Scoots. And back and forth and back and forth.

“...Because they’re my friends.” Sweetie Belle almost whispered as she looked at the tiled floor beneath her.

"Whatever. If I were you, I wouldn't hang around with these dweebs. Come talk to us when you're ready to be with our group."

With that, the 2 fillies sashayed away.

"Wow." Sweetie Belle said, talking to nopony in particular.

"That was..." Scootaloo trailed off.

"Weird." Applebloom finished for Scootaloo.

"Who'd wanna join their group when we got ourselves such a dandy one right here!" Applebloom cheered as she put a hoof around Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

"...Me." Sweetie Belle said, barely above a whisper.

"WHAT!? HOW CAN YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT JOINING THEM!?!?" Scootaloo yelled.

Ponies began to stare.

"Scootaloo, hush! Ponies are starting to stare. And Sweetie Belle... how could ya?"

"I-I dunno, guys..."

"Sweetie Belle. How can you be so dumb?! How could you even think of joining them?!" Scootaloo asked, sounding hurt.

"I-I'm not dumb...!" Sweetie Belle asked, tears welling up in her eyes. "And maybe because they don't care more about their FLANKS then their FRIENDS."

Sweetie Belle ran out of the restaurant. Scootaloo and Applebloom looked at each other and sighed.

The Look

"Hey, girls!" Sweetie Belle said as she plopped into a seat next to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. It was 7:50 AM- 10 minutes before Mrs. Cherilee's class began.

"Sweetie Belle, Sweetie! Glad you came! Does this mean you're joining us?" Diamond Tiara asked.

"Yeah, I guess so!" Sweetie Belle squeaked.

"Great! So, what made you decide to join us?" Silverspoon asked.

Think fast, Sweetie! What should I say?

"Like you guys said: 'Who would want to hang out with some blank-flanked losers like them?'"

"Nice decision. We were just talking about them!" Diamond Tiara said.

Talking about her ex-friends was a rather sore subject for Sweetie Belle.

"W-what were you guys saying?"

"Hahaha, look at them!" Silver Spoon said, pointing a hoof toward the 2 fillies.

Scootaloo and Applebloom were hoof-wrestling. Every time one of them would slam each others hoof down, it would hit some random school supply and go flying.

"Maybe their special talent is looking like buffoons! 'Cause if it is, I wouldn't be surprised if they got their cutie marks right now!"

Silverspoon chuckled.

"Nice one, Diamond!" Sweetie Belle snickered as she high-hoofed Diamond Tiara.

"I know. I'm amazing!"

Sometimes Diamond Tiara could be so egotistical.

Silverspoon, Diamond Tiara, and Sweetie Belle gossiped some more. But Sweetie Belle wasn't listening. She kept getting distracted by how much fun it looked like Scootaloo and Applebloom were having- until she saw something that almost made her burst into tears.

Scootaloo had beaten Applebloom in a hoof-wrestling match. The victor was beaming. She looked around the room, wondering who saw her win, until she made eye contact with Sweetie Belle. Her grin turned into a scowl, and she quickly turned to a smiling Applebloom (even though she lost, she still had fun). Scootaloo whispered something to the smiling filly. Her grin turned into a scowl, just like Scootaloo's had. They turned their chairs away from Sweetie Belle.

Although Scootaloo had only looked at Sweetie Belle for a split second- A brief moment- Practically nothing- that scowl was a look that made Sweetie Belle queasy and teary.

No matter how hard Sweetie Belle tried, she knew she would never forget that look.

The look that reminded her she lost her best friends. For good.

The Choice

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

The Dare

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

The End (For Real)

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

The Treble

“Next up is Sweetie Belle, singing a song she wrote, “Cutie Mark Chronicles”.”

The stomping of hooves filled the auditorium as Sweetie Belle trotted onto the stage.

“Hi! My name is Sweetie Belle and I’m gonna sing a song I wrote called “Cutie Mark Chronicles”.

Sweetie Belle took a deep breath and began to sing her song. She had never sang in front of so many ponies. There had to be at least 200 ponies in there. Sweetie Belle would have to thank Rarity for arranging her to perform at this recital.

A lot.

She began to sing. Her voice was like a waterfall- crystal clear. When she finished, the auditorium was so still you could hear a pin drop.

Was my singing that bad? Sweetie Belle thought nervously. Suddenly, she heard the slow sound of one ponies stomping hooves. Then another. Then another. Suddenly, the whole auditorium was stomping. She heard assorted gleeful cheers from the audience.

“Encore! Encore! Encore!”

“More! More!”

“Woooooo! Sweetie Belle!”

Sweetie Belle knew she was good. But not this good! A big fat smile emerged on her face. “Thank you, thank you everypony!” She waved to the crowd as she walked offstage, toward the backstage.

“Sweetie Belle! That was simply divine!” Rarity yelled as she tackled Sweetie Belle with a huge hug.

“Rarity! I didn’t know you were here! Also, I can’t breathe.”

“Sorry, Sweetie!” Rarity said, breaking from the hug. “And of course I came! I wouldn’t miss your recital for the world! You were ama-- OH. MY. CELESTIA!” Rarity screamed.

“What?! WHAT!?” Sweetie Belle panicked.

“Y-yo-your- You- Gah!” Rarity was pointing a shaking hoof at Sweetie Belle’s flank. Sweetie Belle turned around and saw something she did not expect (for once).

There, on her hindquarter, was a purple treble clef. Her cutie mark.

The End

“Applebloom! Applebloom! You’ll never ever believe it!” Sweetie Belle practically screamed into the phone.

“What happened?!”

“I got my cutie mark! WOOPEE!” Sweetie Belle was beside herself.

“OH MY CELESTIA! I’ll be right over. You’re at Carousel Boutique, right?!”

“Yeah!”

Within minutes, Sweetie Belle heard booming knocks at her door.

“Hey, Sweets! I brought Scoots!”

“Hey, girls! Look!” Sweetie Belle squeaked as she showed the gawking fillies her cutie mark.

“Wowza! Neato!” Scootaloo admired.

“Wow! That’s a beaut!” Applebloom said with esteem.

“Didja get it at your recital yesterday?” Scootaloo asked.

“Yep! I wish you guys coulda been there!”

“Me too!”

“That’s really awesome, Sweetie Belle. I’m happy for you.”

“And we’re gonna celebrate by takin’ you to the “All You Can Eat Buffet” at the Hayburger today. Right now! Our treat!” Applebloom said with delight.

“That sounds… AWESOME!” Sweetie Belle squealed.

“Uh, Applebloom?” Scootaloo whispered with a hint of apprehensiveness in her voice.

“...Eeyup?”

“Uh, we kind of already have plans…”

“Ooooh.”

Scootaloo facehoofed.

“I’m sorry, Sweetie Belle. I really am. Maybe we can go this weekend? They’re gonna have another buffet this Saturday. So… Uh, Scootaloo and I are gonna go…” Applebloom trailed off awkwardly.

“...Oh. Alright. So… where are you guys going?” Sweetie Belle asked, slightly disappointedly.

“Uh, to go cutie mark crusading...” Scootaloo replied.

“Oh, can I come?”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom gave each other nervous looks.

“Well…” Scootaloo began. “Not really, Sweetie Belle. You already have your cutie mark!”

“Right…” Sweetie Belle said sadly as she looked at the ground.

“Maybe some other time, we can all hang out, with no cutie mark crusadin’... But don’t feel bad, Sweets.”

“Y-yeah. You’re right. It was dumb of me to ask a-anyway.”

“Well… bye.” Scootaloo said as she and Apple Bloom walked out the door.

Sweetie Belle began to wondered if this was the end. The end of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The end of their friendship.

Who knew getting your cutie mark could be so sad.

The Plan

"AND THEY GAVE ME THE MEANEST LOOK!"

"Sweetie..."

"Rarity, you don't u-understa-a-and!"

"Sweetie Belle, stop crying! And I very much do understand. Once, Applejack and I got in a fight over a boy- Trenderhoof. We fought for a few days. It was absolutely the... worst...possible...THING!! "

"B-but did it ruin your friend ship forever?!"

"...Well, no."

"Than you don't understand!"

"So, if your not hanging out with Applebloom and Scootaloo, than who are you hanging out with?"

"..."

"You need to talk to me."

"Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon."

" I can't hear you! Stop speaking like Fluttershy!"

"DIAMOND TIARA AND SILVERSPOON!!!"

"Sweetie Belle! There is NO reason to yell! And... aren't those the atrocious girls you often whine about?"

"Yea, I'm ashamed!"

"Aw, Sweetheart... "

"Rarity...?"

"Yes?"

"Help me!"

"Alright. Follow these steps:

Step 1: You need to talk to them. You. Not me, but you. Tell Scootaloo and Applebloom exactly how you feel. Every little detail! Keep doing this until you are all made up! This is the most important step.

Step 2: Stop playing with Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon. It will only make things worse.

Step 3: Make up and be friends! Every moment you all aren't friends is every moment it becomes more awkward between Applejack, Rainbow Dash and I."

"Y-yeah. Maybe that'll work. No, I no it will work! If it doesn't, I'll keep trying. Thanks, Rarity! You're the best!"

"Again, I know...!"