The Secret I've Hidden

Chapter 1: Cleaning

Near Sweet Apple Acres, there’s a build-up and sturdy clubhouse. And currently, there’s four little fillies in the clubhouse now, planning on which cutie mark to earn. Although, they aren't really doing so well.

“Come on, Scootaloo, ya have already picked yesterday’s activity, now is mah turn,” Apple Bloom complained. She pointed her yellow right-hoof to herself.

“I don’t care what you say!” yelled Scootaloo. “I am picking today.”

Their bickering went on, and it’s all because Apple Bloom wanted to do something that didn’t require going back to the hospital. (That's because last week they went bungee jumping and it end so well.)

“SHUT UP!” Sweetie Belle and Dinky yelled together. This caught both Scootaloo’s and Apple Bloom’s attention; usually Sweetie Belle and Dinky would be quiet and didn’t bother saying anything.

“Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, stop fighting!” Sweetie Belle shouted. Her voice has shook the clubhouse as she continued. “We aren’t going to get anywhere. Do you remember I have to clean Rarity’s attic, while she goes and finishes her dress for a special client… Sapphire Shores? I think that’s her client’s name. Yeah, that is it, back to what I was saying… um, what was I saying again?”—Dinky whispered in her ear what she was going say—”oh right, we don’t have all day, so let’s hurry and choose what we are going to—”

“Oh, Ah know what cutie mark we should get,” Apple Bloom interrupted.

Sweetie Belle sighed as Dinky smiled to her, giving a look of ‘at least you got their attention now.'

“Okay, what’s your idea?” Scootaloo asked. She bored out of her mind and wanted some action.

“Why don’t we help Sweetie Belle with her cleaning. That way, when we’re done, we can continue crusading with her along?”

Dinky seemed to like the idea since she didn’t want one of her friends to be stuck inside all day cleaning and doing what Rarity wants. “Why don’t we? It’s not a bad idea. It’s great opportunity for a cleaning cutie mark and we can help Sweetie Belle.”

Sweetie Belle smiled, as she stood up on her four hooves. “Really? Thanks for the help, I need it.  I am only cleaning Rarity’s attic since I ruined her priceless vase last weekend.”

“Welcome, Sweetie Belle.” Apple Bloom smiled towards her friend. “Applejack taught me that Ah should always help a friend in need.”

“Can we stop with this lovey-dovey stuff and hurry clean the attic?” Scootaloo suggested annoyed. The remaining Crusaders nodded as they got into a certain position.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CLEANERS!” They shouted as they put their hooves up in the air.

Sweetie Belle knocked on her big sister’s back-door of Carousel Boutique and waited for her to open it. A moment later and the door did open, revealing a stressed-out Rarity. Rarity took a glance around and spotted Sweetie Belle.

“Oh, Sweetie Belle, darling, are ready to clean my dirty attic?” Rarity asked, then immediately noticed Apple Bloom, Dinky, and Scootaloo, also standing close to Sweetie Belle. She realized that they are helping Sweetie Belle with her ‘chore’ and are probably are going this to earn their cutie marks, even though it’s obvious what their cutie mark is. “Oh, hi, darlings”—Rarity waved at them—”come inside, darlings. You too, Sweetie Belle.”

Coming in, one by one, Rarity clopped away to get the cleaning supplies the CMC will need. Whereas the four little crusaders walked around, also taking some glances at the beautiful dresses and unique fabrics around the ‘inspiration’ room as Rarity calls it. Soon enough, the Fashion Designer came back with mops, brooms, scrubs, soap, brushes, and different colored paints.

“Here’s the stuff you’ll need for cleaning the attic,” Rarity explained, pointing her hooves to each of the supplies. “While I finish making my dresses, why don’t you, darlings, get started? But—”

The CMC rushed off with all the supplies to the attic before Rarity can give her warning. She sighed and hopes that they don’t break anything valuable in there.

“YAY! CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CLEANERS!”

The CMC have just began their cleaning and each of them were assigned to a different jobs, which was Apple Bloom’s idea. Dinky and Sweetie Belle got the really high areas because they can use their unicorn magic to pick up the dusters and clean for them, Apple Bloom would paint and fix anything broken, and Scootaloo would mop and dust the floor (since that’s the only thing she can do.)

Oh, we’re cleaning~, we’re cleaning~,” Sweetie Belle sang as she used her magic to clean some dusty boxes. She kept cleaning, but tripped when stepping on a piece of cloth. She also knocking the boxes down as she slipped. Both the boxes and Sweetie Belle fell to the ground with a soft crash—not really loud for anyone to hear.

However, the other crusaders heard the crash and galloped their hooves to where Sweetie Belle was. Dinky checked if Sweetie Belle was fine and Apple Bloom helped her up.

“Sweetie Belle, are ya alright?” the young farmer asked, concerned for her pony friend.

“Yes, I’m fine,” the white unicorn replied. “But not the boxes. I better fix this before Rarity finds out.”

Sweetie Belle used her magic to levitate the boxes and put them in a straight line. Dinky was curious about them and so she turned towards Sweetie Belle to ask her:

“What’s inside them, Sweetie Belle?”

Sweetie Belle put a hoof on her chin and racked her little mind for an answer. She did a little shrug when she couldn't come up with an answer. “Actually, I don’t really know! This is Rarity’s stuff and she does have a lot of it. So it would an hour to find out what it could be.”

Scootaloo hoof-faced. “Why don’t we just take a look inside?”

Sweetie Belle, Dinky, and Apple Bloom gasped. They knew the consequences of what Rarity could. Scold them or tell their sisters, or even both.

“Oh, no, you can’t. Do you know what Rarity would do if she saw us peeping on her stuff?” Sweetie Belle said dramatically.

Scootaloo shook her head.

“She’ll make us her servants and our sis can’t save us!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

Dinky nodded along at what she said. “She’s right, we even shouldn’t touch anything that not ours!”

“Oh, stop being babies and just do this. Rarity won’t even know it,” Scootaloo said.

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Fine, but if we get in trouble, yer ta blame.”

“I agree with that!” Sweetie yelled.

“Me too!” Dinky agreed.

The little CMC clopped their way to the dusty boxes and Sweetie used her levitation spell to place the boxes in front of them. Dinky also used her magic, but to open the boxes because they were taped. After opening the boxes, some silence came in.

“So, who’s gonna open the boxes?” Apple Bloom asked to lighten up the mood.

“Not me!” the other three CMCs shouted.

Apple Bloom sighed, “Fine, Ah’ll open ‘em.”

The farmer with the bow slowly walked over to the boxes and peeked her little eye inside. She looked what was inside and blinked.

“Girls, come look inside.”

The CMCs all looked inside the box and looked at the items in shock. They all had the same questioning and shocking look on their face.

“A-A-Apple B-Bloom, w-w-what was that j-j-just now?” asked the one with the mop.

Apple Bloom shivered, but answered, “I-I dunno, but I feel this is important.”

The CMC looked inside and saw papers and pictures all wrapped up inside. But what surprises them is the adoption letters and birthday certificates.