Author's Note
I thought it might be a good challenge to try to add some depth to Silver Spoon and attempt to reform her. I also included Babs because I really wanted to see her again in Season 4.
A Visit From Babs
Applejack was taking a lunch break from a morning of harvesting apples, when there was a knock at the door. She got up and opened the door and saw Derpy. She smiled because it was always great to see Derpy, even if the mail was all bills. The mail-mare's bright smile always seemed to brighten the darkest days.
"Well, how ya doin, Derpy?" she said.
"Just fine, AJ." she said. She set down her saddlebag. "Is Applebloom around?" I got a letter for her."
"She's in her room readin' a book Twilight gave 'er." Applejack nodded. She walked to Applebloom's room and knocked on the door.
Applebloom opened the door. "What's up?"
"Derpy's got a letter fer you, sugar cube." Applejack answered.
"Okie-dokie-lokie." said Applebloom. "Just need ta put my bookmark in." She set the book down and followed Applejack.
"Howdy, Ms. Hooves." said Applebloom.
"Here you go, Applebloom. By the way, thanks for tutoring Dinky."
"You're welcome. Did she do good on the multiplication test?"
"Yep." Derpy nodded. "Here you go."
Applebloom took the letter and opened it. Derpy nodded and said, "Well, I gotta stop at Sugar Cube Corner and get some lunch. See you." She turned around and took off.
"So, who's it from?" Applejack asked.
"It's from Babs!" Applebloom exclaimed.
"'Dear Applebloom, I thought I'd let you know I'm coming to Ponyville again. But, I'm not alone. I got a new Crusadah for you to meet."
"That's great!" Applejack exclaimed.
"'I got a picture fer ya so you can see what he looks like." Applebloom continued to read. She turned the letter over and saw a picture of a blue Earth pony with glasses and a big Afro-style mane. He was in a wheelchair. Applebloom noticed a note that was pinned to the picture with a paperclip that read "Sketch", which she assumed was the pony's name.
"He likes to sit around and draw during recess." Applebloom continued to read. "You should see the drawings he's done so far. They kind of make me jealous that I can't draw like that."
"Applejack, we need to fix the clubhouse. We got a ramp, but it will not be a pleasant ride for Sketch."
"You're probably right. I'll get Big Mac to help ya'll out."
The next day, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were fixing the ramp while Big Mac supervised.
"So, what's this Sketch dude like?" Scootaloo asked.
"Babs said she likes to draw." Applebloom said. "He's always going out to the playground and drawing whatever he sees."
Sweetie Belle put in the last plank and Big Mac helped set it. "Sounds swell. I wonder he'll show us some of his stuff."
The next day, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Applejack went to the Ponyville train station to wait for the train from Manehattan.
The train stopped and several passengers departed. Applebloom looked into each window, hoping to see her favorite cousin and their newest member first.
Moments later, a familiar brown Earth Pony with a pink main and tail exited the train. She trotted up to Appleboom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle and they did a group hug.
"Babs!" they shouted in unison.
"Scoots! Sweetie! Applebloom!" Babs greeted her friends and her cousin.
"So, things going all right in school?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Yeah, ah guess." Babs said. She turned around and went back to the train. Moments later, she pushed a wheelchair-bound pony out.
"Everypony, this is Sketch." Babs said. "Sketch, meet my cousin Applebloom, and her friends Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle."
Scootaloo realized something different about Babs. When they first met her, Babs was uneasy around them. She was always looking away and her tail would shamefully hide her blank flank. She felt no confidence around them or anyone else, for that matter. Because of this, she had faked disdain when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were around, hoping they'd see her as a peer and leave her alone. She soon realized her mistake and made amends, even promising to start her own chapter of the Cutie Mark Crusaders in Manehattan. Her mother approved, telling her safety in numbers was a good thing.
Today, things were different. Babs seemed proud. Her tail no longer drooped to one side to hide her shame.
"Are you sure they won't make fun of me?" Sketch asked. "They won't stare and point?"
"No, we won't." Scootaloo stepped forward. "My friend, Rainbow Dash met somepony just like you once and told me never to stare at ponies in wheelchairs. I want to be just as cool as Rainbow Dash, so I won't."
"I want to be just as kind and generous as my big sister, Rarity." Sweetie Belle said. "She's never been one to make fun of somepony. And I won't either."
"That's right, Sketch." Applebloom sported the warmest smile she could make. "My sister, Applejack, never lies. I don't either."
"Ya see?" Babs beamed. "Told ya they wuz on da level."
"C'mon, let's go to our clubhouse." Applebloom beamed. "Ah wanna see those pictures Babs told me about."
"They aren't all that great." Sketch said.
"Why don't we see for ourselves?" Scootaloo said, motioning for everypony to follow her as she hopped onto her scooter.
As she got behind Sketch's wheelchair to help push, Sweetie Belle whispered, "Scootaloo might never fly. "We don't make fun of her. So you're safe with us."
They arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, where they were greeted by Applejack and the family's border collie, Winona. Winona bolted for Sketch and licked him all over.
"OK, OK, I guess I'm glad to see you too." Sketch laughed.
"She won't hurt you." said Applejack as she removed her Stetson. "We fixed up the treehouse fer ya."
"Ee-yup!" Big Mac said.
"Come and see." Applejack encouraged.
Sweetie Belle pushed the wheelchair to the new ramp for the treehouse.
Babs said to Scootaloo. "You do have a shorter version of the pledge, right?" The last time, Scootaloo had written a very, very long pledge with every single synonym for friend and sister they had found in Twilight's thesaurus.
Scootaloo laughed. "Yeah, I got a little carried away last time, I admit it."
Scootaloo got up on the podium and cleared her throat. "Sketch, we are here to induct you into the Cutie Mark Crusaders as a friend, sister, and confidant."
She stepped down and said to Babs "See? Told you it was shorter."
"Do you like the cape?" Sweetie Belle asked. "It was made by my sister. She runs the Carousel Boutique, the best place in Ponyville to shop for clothes, if not all of Equestria."
"It's okay, I guess." Sketch said.
The CMC brought their new friend over to Sugar Cube Corner, where they were greeted by Pinkie Pie.
"Hey, since they just inducted you into the Crusaders, let's throw a party!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"Um, Pinkie, Sketch really isn't the partying type." Babs said.
It was quite obvious Sketch didn't like being the center of attention. He seemed uncomfortable around everypony.
"Why's that?" Pinkie asked.
"He's never been one to open up. Ponies are always picking on him." Babs explained. "If it weren't for me standing up for him, he'd have no friends at all."
"That's just terrible." said Mrs. Cake.
"Well you have nothing to worry about." Pinkie said. "I won't make fun of you. Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a cupcake in my eye." She actually smashed a cupcake in her eye.
Sketch laughed nervously.
"Ah, I got you to smile!" Pinkie beamed. "My work here is done." She trotted off singing to herself.
"That's our Pinkie. She always goes out of her way to make you feel special." said Mr. Cake.
"Babs told us you like to draw." Sweetie Belle said. "Can we see them?"
"Oh, they're nothing special." Sketch looked away.
"We'll be the judges of that." Scootaloo urged. "C'mon, let's see what they look like."
Sketch looked at Babs and Babs nodded. So she reached into a bag on the side of his chair and pulled out his pad.
The first picture he showed them was of an oak tree with a bluebird perched in it.
"Hey, this isn't bad." Apple Bloom said.
Scootaloo nodded. "I don't know much about art, but I like it."
"Well, well, if it isn't the loser trio." a familiar voice interrupted them.
'Oh, not now." Babs muttered to herself.
"Ooh, and their friend from Lame-hattan is here too." a gray mare chimed in.
"And look who's with them." said Diamond Tiara. "A lame pony."
"Like, a lame lame pony. Get it?" said Silver Spoon. "Must be really lame to be around someone like him."
"You know, we thought you were cool when you stuck around with us and picked on your cousin and her friends. But then you had to turn around and hang with those losers." Diamond Tiara said.
Babs had heard enough. "Ugh! Have you two ever thought of, oh, I don't know, a new hobby? Your material is stale."
"Babs is right, leave Sketch alone." Scootaloo joined in.
"Picking on us is one thing. But picking on our new friend just because he's in a wheelchair is low!" Sweetie Belle said. "Where were you when Celestia handed out guardian angels?"
Diamond Tiara realized they weren't reaching anyone. Silver Spoon noticed Sketch's drawing. "What's this?"
"It's just...a drawing." Sketch stammered.
"Beat it! I said leave!" Babs yelled. "Before I really get steamed.
Silver Spoon snatched Sketch's pad and began ripping every single drawing. Then she let the ripped pieces of paper fly around them.
"You know, Sketch, Babs isn't fooling us" Silver Spoon said. "She was one of us. What makes you think she won't trn on you?"
Sketch looked at Babs and asked "Is that true?"
"Yeah! Like, she stuck around us because she knew we were cool!" Silver Spoon nodded.
"I...I thought you liked me." Sketch said "But if you were as bad as them once, I'm not sure I can trust you." Sketch stammered again.
"But I'm you're friend." Babs tried to say.
"For how long?" Sketch asked.
"I..."
"Look, I need to be alone, okay?" Sketch sped off.
"Sketch?" Apple Bloom went after him.
"We'd better go after her." Scootloo said. "Come on."
Babs glared at the bullies. "This isn't over."
