The sun was shining the birds were chirping and three fillies were inside there clubhouse doing what they always did.
"Okay crusaders what's on the agenda for today". said Scootaloo.
"Well today we can go for our sled-racing, mountain-climbing, bird taming, or professional eating cutie marks." Said Applebloom pointing at a drawn up list Titled "Cutie Mark Crusaders List of Cutie Marks".
"Ooo ooo lets go bird taming that seems like a nice peaceful activity". Sweetie Belle said with an enthusiastic tone but was interrupted by Scootaloo.
"Who needs peaceful when you've got adventure I say we go mountain climbing." Already attempting to put on a harness, her back legs went in one hole and her wings got trapped underneath the backside of the harness causing her to look like some sort of tangled mess.
"Slow down Scootaloo" Applebloom said helping her friend out of her harness getting tickled by the feathers as Scootaloo flapped her wings furiously caused by the embarrassing situation she was in. "What if somepony gets hurt are family will be mad at us if any of us were harmed in the stunt" Applebloom finally released Scootaloo from her harness prison giving a loud sigh now that, that predicament had been settled. Scootaloo turned to Applebloom with a curious look and then said.
"Well what did you have in mind." Scootaloo said pouting, still embarrassed by the harness incident.
"Yeah I don't supposed you were going to suggest sled-racing, because there isn't exactly a lot snow during the summer of Ponyville".Sweetie Belle said, she'd been watching the harness mess giggling but not loud enough for her friends to hear, she didn't want to upset Scootaloo knowing she could be a bit 'over-dramatic' from time to time.
"You guys serious" Applebloom said with an indifferent expression held on her face. "I live on an apple orchard with thousands of apple trees holding the best apples in all of Equestria." Just like her sister she said that statement with a proud and slightly arrogant tone.
" I don't get it." Said both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo with confused facial expressions.
"Ugh.... do I have to spell it out for ya two." Hoof-palming her face to make a loud slap. "Lets get our Cutie Marks in professional apple eating." Applebloom said smugly as if what she'd said had been the greatest idea the Cutie Mark Crusaders had ever heard but was immediately cut short as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle intervened.
"No thanks I already ate lunch before coming to the club house." said Sweetie Belle as her thoughts began to wonder off.
"Yeah me too and besides who wants to get their Cutie Mark from professionally eating apples, why not eating something cool like.. like Ice Cream yeah." Scootaloo said she began drooling over the thought of eating all that ice cream.
Sweetie Belle then chimed in offering her past idea
"See guys that only leaves bird taming, c'mon think about it wouldn't having a Cutie Mark with a cute little humming bird or a humble yet majestic Eagle be awesome." Applebloom and Scootaloo began to imagine all the school kids praise her as she rode into school on a ferocious phoenix.
It'd certainly 1-up anything Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon could do Applebloom thought to herself.
Scootaloo was thinking of how incredible she'd look when she pulled off some sweet moves with the help of her newly obtained Falcon, with her tenacity and the Falcon's astonishing nature she'd be the coolest filly in the school, heck maybe even in all of Ponyville and would instantly receive attention not only from the school ponies but even her child hood hero Rainbow Dash.
Yea I know I'm pretty awesome mimicking a line Rainbow Dash would say.
Both of the fillies daydreams vanished as Sweetie Belle began shaking both of them.
"Hey you guys snap out it we gotta find a bird to tame."
Applebloom chuckled then said
"Why go look for a bird when we can tame this here chicken" Applebloom laughing harder nudging Scootaloo.
"And if I recall your the pony who didn't get her chicken calling Cutie Mark" Scootaloo said practically staring daggers at Applebloom who stopped laughing when she began remembering that horrible night involving the cockatrice but even more infamous Fluttershy's trademark 'stare' used only when she found it need be necessary but was still notorious as the Cutie Mark Crusaders had witnessed its almighty power.
"Anyways" Sweetie Belle said as she too was remembering that horrendous night. "If you too are done fighting we can go find that bird and claim our Bird Taming Cutie Marks."
"I know lets go to Fluttershy's she's sure to have plenty of birds and is already good at taming animals, surely she is the best bet on this whole bird taming idea". Applebloom said finally out of her traumatic state.
"We can't, she's probably not home, she's most likely at Aloe and Vera's spa. I heard my sister talking about it last night when she received Opal from her grooming with Fluttershy. I swear she deserves an award for animal taming that cat is evil, she once cut my hair in half." Sweetie Belle said in discomfort she began petting her hair as if it were precious treasure.
"Well what are we supposed to do now, if Fluttershy can't be reached who do we go to then." Scootaloo said as she started getting her scooter ready for the trip.
"We can always go to Twilight's. I reckon since she got that owl, Owlicious she must've read all sorts a books on birds I'm sure she give us a few pointers on what to do."
"That's a great idea Applebloom, then to the Golden Oaks Library we go." Sweetie Belle said as her and Applebloom got on the platform attached to Scootaloo's scooter.
Scootaloo raced out the clubhouse her wings flapping swiftly pulling the two fillies behind her at a moderate speed, her eyes set on the large oak tree inside containing the knowledge that holds her bird taming Cutie Mark. "Yea lets go get that bird taming Cutie Mark." Scootaloo shouted at the sky causing her wings to flap even faster as she raced towards the library.
To the mirror pond and beyond
To the mirror pond and beyond
At the Golden Oaks Library Pinkie Pie was searching for a book, a specific book one that could teach her more about the Legend of the Mirror pool. Even though her previous endeavors with the duplicating pond had gone completely horrible almost resulting in her being accidentally sealed into the pond where she'd never see her friends again, she Pinkie Promised things wouldn't get out of hand.
"Please Twilight. Pretty please with sugar on top. Please with strawberry ice cream, whipped cream and a cherry on top" Pinkie pleaded asking Twilight for the book containing info on the mirror pond.
"For the last time Pinkie Pie I said no. Besides what are you even going to with the knowledge contained in this book". Twilight said holding the book in her magic slightly above Pinkie Pie to where she couldn't reach it.
"Oh come on Twilight all I want is a baking buddy."
"A baking what now".
"You know a baking buddy." Pinkie said still trying her best to get the book from Twilight, jumping nearly three feet in the air with each bounce, for a pastry chef she sure was agile. "Someone to be my assistant and help me bake things, it would make my job a whole lot easier so please give me the book." Pinkie knew exactly how to get to the Legend of the Mirror Pond it was simple all she had to do was remember her Nana Pinkies words carefully, the reason Pinkie specifically needed the book was so that she could learn how to control her duplicate so she wouldn't go and create more duplicates and cause another 'watching paint dry test' which had to have been the most boring event she'd ever attended, also the most dangerous event if she lost focus on the paint for merely a second POOF Twilight would use her magic to send her back by mistake.
"Pinkie Pie you do your job just fine, I honestly don't understand why you need a 'baking buddy'." Twilight said teleporting the book to a nearby table and now using her magic to restrain Pinkie.
"Well Twilight if you really wanna know" Pinkie said lowering her voice and her hair beginning to droop down. Twilight saw Pinkie's distress and almost instantaneously let her go. "It's no fun baking by yourself, I get really bored and my friends usually say that they're too busy to come by. So I thought of the Legend of the Mirror Pool because if I was gonna have a baking buddy they were gonna be fun and I knew if it was me I'd be sure to have twice the fun I normally could." Pinkie stood up looking at Twilight who couldn't believe what she had heard.
'Pinkie Pie being bored that just doesn't sound right.'
Twilight would never have guessed how much this upset Pinkie. "But Pinkie Pie don't you remember what happened last time you and your clones wanted to have 'fun' you nearly got banished to Mirror Pool we almost lost you think about how hard it would've been for all of us if I had accidentally cast the spell on you." Twilight said her eyes beginning to water up.
"C'mon Twilight that stuffs in the past it happened like 137 days ago, don't you think I would've learned my lesson." Twilight stared at Pinkie wondering how she was so precise about how many days that happened.
"I don't wanna risk losing you Pinkie it's too dangerous."
"But Twilight if things got out of hand again you could always just be like, stop right there criminal scum, and make us do the test again but you won't have too because I Pinkie Pie double cross my heart and hope to fly, stick two cupcakes in my eye." And as Pinkie finished her trademark promise out of nowhere she got two cupcakes slammed them into her face getting frosting all over her and Twilight's mane, Pinkie giggled at how silly Twilight looked with all that frosting in her hair.
"Gah Pinkie where'd you even get those cupcakes." Twilight said using her magic to clean herself off.
" Oh I have cupcakes hidden all over Ponyville in case of cupcake emergencies." Pinkie Pie said as she grabbed another cupcake from inside one of Twilights books which had been hollowed out to make space for the sweet treat and began nibbling on it.
Twilight realized Pinkie was serious she'd never seen her double Pinkie promise. Twilight even began considering letting Pinkie Pie go through with her plan. But instead of telling her no this time Twilight looked over at Pinkie who was still nibbling on her cupcake and said.
"Tell you what Pinkie why don't we create a schedule."
"A schedule?" Pinkie said curiously scratching the top of her head taking off some of the frosting that had been there. "For what?"
Twilight giggled at her confused friend.
"A schedule for us. I'll be your baking buddy." Twilight said smiling at Pinkie who was starting grow a smile nearly taking up half her face if that was even possible. "How about every Thursday I come by and we bake and have fun just us two making all sorts of crazy and whacky delicious treats." Twilight gave Pinkie a sincere smile hoping she'd be happy.
Happy didn't even begin to describe Pinkie's exuberance. She bounced all around Twilights house each jump growing in height nearly touching the ceiling. "That is the best plan ever." Pinkie Pie shouted still bouncing. "We can make all kinds of amazing sweets, and if we get bored we could always have some of my stash."
"Stash?" Twilight said confused "Oh you must mean like a candy stash, well lets not get to ahead of ourselves." Twilight than started writing a note to herself reminding her to create the 'Baking Buddy Schedule'. Pinkie Pie still jumping around in glee the festivities were cut slim as three simultaneous knocks we heard at the door.
"Hmmm... wonder who that could be?" Twilight said as she walked to the door. Opening it to see three familiar fillies. "Hi girls how are you." Twilight said with a little grin. "Please come inside, did you need help with something?" Scootaloo was unable to speak due her loss of breath from traveling all across Ponyville.
"Pulling *pant* two fillies *pant* is *huff* harder than it looks." Scootaloo said exhausted as she fell to the floor moments before her head hit the ground Pinkie Pie slipped a throw pillow underneath the young fillies head. "Thanks Pinkie." Scootaloo said trying to catch her breath.
"No problem, hitting your head is not fun I should know I hit my head on things all the time like ceilings,rocks, Equestria---."
"Anyways" Twilight said confused about the things Pinkie has hit her head on. "Wait what do you mean Equestria."
"Ahhh Twilight you'll learn one day when your ready." Pinkie said rubbing Twilights head making her mane a bit frazzled.
"So girls was there anything I could help you with since you made the travel all across Ponyville it must be important." Twilight said turning her head to Scootaloo. "Uhh is she gonna be alright?"
"You betcha you can help us Twilight, oh and yeah she'll be fine probably." Said Applebloom walking over to Scootaloo.
"We were wondering if you can teach us about birds and how to control them." Sweetie Belle said looking for a book that might be able to help them.
"So you want to learn about Aves, Avialae or in English the bird. Why so interested all of a sudden."
"We're gonna get our Cutie Marks in bird taming." Scootaloo said as she got up on all fours finally able to speak coherently.
"Normally we would've gone to Fluttershy's since she's so good with animals. But she's with my sister at the spa." Sweetie Belle said as she continued to look for a book relating to birds.
"Yeah and since you have that pet owl we figured you must know something about birds considerin you're really smart."
Twilight blushed slightly, she knew she was well educated but hearing somepony else praise her about her knowledge always made her feel happy. "Actually Applebloom if I may correct you, Owlicious is more than just a pet, he's my friend." Owlicious had heard his name called by Twilight and landed on Twilights back. "He's been very helpful around the library ever since the day I first met him. I remember like it was yesterday. Spike and I were getting all the snacks and drinks ready for the picnic during the Centennial Meteor Shower. I'm not sure if he managed to make it through the entire display, but by the time it was over he had passed out in the punch bowl do you remember?" Twilight asked as she awaited a response.
"Oh yeah those stars were really pretty," Said Sweetie Belle. "I remember Pinkie Pie saying the punch was spiked because he'd fallen asleep in there but I never understood what she meant do you know Twilight?" She asked with a questioning expression.
Twilight whispered to Pinkie who had been standing next to Scootaloo just in case she might fall again.
"Pinkie you said a joke like that when there were kids around." She said with a slightly angered frown.
"What it was funny and its not like I was lying the punch was spiked." She giggled as she started remembering that night.
Twilight was confused at what Pinkie had meant but shrugged it off.
"Anyways, like I said he'd fallen asleep. Who could blame him he is after all still a baby dragon. So while he was sleeping I decided to write a report on the meteor shower but a window had been left open and it flew out the window because Spike wasn't awake I couldn't ask him to get but then all of a sudden a bird caught my report and safely brought it back to me, that bird was Owlicious. It was really cold outside so I let him stay with me for the time being. But ever since I met him he's been my friend, right Owlicious.
Owlicious turned to Twilight and with much anticipation replied. "Who"
Twilight grinned and said "You silly." Owlicious then flew away back to his perch to rest. "So you see girls having a bird takes a lot of effort and patience are you three willing to do what it takes to befriend such a majestic creature. The three fillies stared at each other for a second and in unison looked at Twilight and replied.
"YES"
"I'm going to be such good a friend with my bird." Said Sweetie Belle.
"I bet I'll be even better friends with mine." Said Applebloom.
"Oh yeah well I'm going to be the bestest friend with mine." Shouted Scootaloo.
"That's not even a real word." Sweetie Belle said to Scootaloo.
"You don't have to be a walking dictionary you know. Even so I'll still be the greatest friend to my bird."
"Yeah I'm sure you will considering you are part bird." Applebloom said under her breath but just loud enough for Scootaloo to hear.
"Ugghh what'd I tell you about makin fun of me for that." Scootaloo yelled at Applebloom floating slightly above the ground because of her anger.
"Girls, girls." Twilight said separating the two with her magic. "This is a library not a wrestling ring, Applebloom apologize to Scootaloo."
"Okay sorry Scootaloo." She said with a plain tone.
"Now that that's settled, of course I'll help, gladly. Twilight than used her magic to grab a book off the shelf "Start with this one." Without realizing it she set it right above the Legends and Myth's book containing the info on the Legend of the Mirror Pond.
"Thanks Twilight" Said the three in unison.
"How about I make us all some snacks I bet you must be starving Scootaloo due the trip across Ponyville.
"You bet I am." Smiling at the thought of food.
"How about you Pinkie, you hungry."
"Ehh no thanks I just ate a cupcake." Twilight walked into the kitchen preparing some celery with peanut butter and raisins. At the same time the Cutie Mark Crusaders walked over to the book. Scootaloo picked it up and began flipping through the pages. Applebloom and Scootaloo were amazed by the types of birds there living in Equestria. While the two were still mesmerized by their bird book Sweetie Belle was more interested in the book underneath that one. It had a gold plated title with a brown cover, she read the title aloud.
"Legends and Myths." By hearing upon the title the two other fillies set the book they were reading down and walked over to where Sweetie Belle was standing. Sweetie Belle had noticed a sticky note that led to one of the chapters named the "Legend of the Mirror Pond.
"What's that?" Asked Scootaloo. Pinkie Pie bounced over and said.
"It's just some pool that can create clones of you."
"Woah that sounds amazing." Said Applebloom intrigued by the legend. "How do you know."
"Well I used it once because there was so much fun happening all over Ponyville but I'm just one me so I decided the best idea was to create more Pinkie Pies using the pool. I was going to use it again so I could have a baking buddy but Twilight said she'd be my baking buddy so everything worked out."
"But where are all the Pinkie Pies. Said Scootaloo.
"Things kinda got a little crazy so Twilight had to use her magic to send them all back."
"A little crazy, you ruined our barn raisin' because of that stunt." Applebloom said pouting.
"I know, and I'm really, really, really, really sorry."
"Okay I forgive ya." An idea clicked inside Scootaloo's head.
"Cutie Mark Crusader meeting, now." She said. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle got into a circle like they always did when they had an idea. "Guys are you thinking what I'm thinking."
"That whatever snack Twilight is making is taking a really long time." Said Applebloom her stomach growling.
"What? No, what if we used the Mirror Pool and created copies of ourselves to find out what our Cutie Marks were."
"That's a great idea that way we can try all kinds of things and see which one's we should take out." Sweetie Belle said smiling.
"Hold up, what if our clones go all crazy like Pinkie Pies." Said Applebloom frowning as she remembered when Pinkie Pies clones came and messed up the barn raising.
"Don't you remember what Pinkie said. Twilight can always fix things with her magic and besides I doubt anypony's duplicates could be as crazy as her."
"Yeah but we don't know where it is." Sweetie Belle slightly sad from this obstacle that stood in front of their plan."
"That's easy it's inside the Everfree Forest." Said Pinkie Pie now standing in the circle with the three fillies.
"Ahhh." Scootaloo yelled. "Hey this meeting is for Cutie Mark Crusaders only." She said pretending to push Pinkie away.
''Stop Scootaloo." Applebloom grabbing one of Scootaloo's shoulders. "She can tell us how to get to the Mirror Pond." Applebloom explained.
"Fine you can join, but just this once." Scootaloo said with a slightly upset look.
"So you said it was in the Everfree Forest?" Asked Sweetie Belle as she pulled Pinkie closer so she could be apart of the meeting.
"What else can you tell us about how to find it?"
"Simple you just gotta remember Nana Pinkies rhymes." She said happily to be included in the group.
"Well what is it?" The three said in unison.
"Where the brambles are thickest, there you will find a pond beyond the most twisted of vines. But be careful those brambles can really scratch you." Pinkie said giggling.
"Anythin else we should know before we go off to find the pond.'' Said Applebloom already getting on the platform strapped to the scooter.
"Yes in order to use the pond you must stand in front of and say 'I solemnly swear not to be scared at the prospect of being doubly mare', then pull yourself out of the water and BAM you have yourself a clone. But you must Pinkie Promise not to let things get out of control."
"Okay, Pinkie Promise." The three said in unison, the put the 'Legends and Myths' book back where they found and got on the scooter Scootaloo sped out the door on her pulling the other two behind.
"Cutie Mark Crusaders onward and upward." Scootaloo said shouting at the top of her lungs.
Twilight came out of the kitchen. "Who wants ants on a log?" Bringing a tray of snacks with her. Twilight blinked and said confused.
"Where did they all go?" Twilight was completely caught by surprise to see only Pinkie in living room.
Pinkie replied "They probably went to go find a bird because right as they left Scootaloo shouted onward and upward."
"But they didn't even take the book with them. Oh well." Twilight said put her book on birds back on the shelf and taking the Legends and Myths with her to her bedroom for safe keeping.
"Well I gotta go Twilight it was fun talking to you see you on Thursday." Pinkie bounced out the door back to Sugar Cube Corner.
"Okay bye Pinkie." Twilight said put the the book on her nightstand next to her bed, the sticky note that led to the Legend of the Mirror Pond fell out, Twilight groaned. "I hope I never have to hear about that pond again." She said as she fell down onto her bed to take a nap.
"Wonder when Spike will get back from Canterlot, I hope he brings me a new book to take my mind off this one." She said to herself as she slid the book underneath her bed and slowly fell asleep.
