Big Brother is Watching Youby BoldingChaptersChapter 1: A Sticky SituationChapter 2: The Bats and the BreeziesChapter 3: Fondling MemoriesChapter 1: A Sticky Situation“...and that’s how we find our answer.” Miss Cheerilee writes down the answer on the board with chalk dust covering her muzzle. It’s strange: you once tried writing with a pencil in your mouth in hopes of fitting in with the other classmates, but it never worked out that well. Your hands were much more useful. How a pony could keep a piece of chalk in her mouth without gagging from the dust was a wonder that would never be explained in this lifetime. You find yourself looking up at the clock in the back of the room, making sure not to get caught by Cheerilee. She loved to pick on the students who were impatient with the school da— “Maybe you know the answer to the next question. Anonymous?” Crap, busted. You slowly turn back to the front of the class and look at the displeased pony and crack a cheesy smile. “Can you repeat the question again, Miss Cheerilee? I had to crack my neck to stop the stiffness.” You turn your head in all different directions to fake a cracking in hopes of tricking the teacher. Cheerilee shoots you a glare so hot, it could melt ice. She clearly isn’t falling for it. “If sin A equals one half and cos A is less than zero, then A equals what?” A chill runs down your spine. You haven’t got a clue on what she’s talking about. Sweat begins to bead on your forehead as feel all the stares from your peers land on you. “One hundred fifty degrees.” You already know who it is letting out that subtle whisper. Apple Bloom hides behind her textbook, a smirk coursing her lips. Now that you have the answer, your confidence peaks. “One hundred fifty degrees!” you state, proudly brandishing your chest like a champion gladiator. Apple Bloom, along with a select few fillies and colts, hold back their giggles as Cheerilee’s glare grows hotter. “Very well done. Now, come to the front of the room and show how you got the answer to the rest of the class.” Your testicles retract back into your pelvis. Quickly, you glance at Apple Bloom in hopes of getting another round of help. Her devastated expression tells you that she’s just as stumped as you are. Slowly, you leave the safety of your desk and make your way to the front of the room. Cheerilee gives you a piece of chalk, covered in spit. You want to throw it aside, but something tells you that would be taken as a disrespectful gesture. With a very hesitant hand, you begin doodling on the board while surrounding your body over it to hide its contents away from everyone. The rest of the class tries its best to see what you could be writing, but immediately stop as Cheerilee’s gaze comes over them. The last thing they want is to be the next victim. After what feels like an eternity, you glance over your shoulder and look up at the clock once more. Only a minute until the final bell. Cheerilee taps her hoof against the floor impatiently. “Well, Anon? You came up with the answer rather quickly. It shouldn’t take this long to write it down.” It’s time. The moment of truth. You back away from the board and step aside to allow the rest of the class access. A few of the onlookers gasp and chuckle as Cheerilee’s eyes widen. Across the board reads, “Miss Cheerilee has an ugly flank.” “And that’s how I found my answer!” you say with a sense of entitlement. The bell rings, but no one moves from their seats. Your legs freeze in place, not moving no matter what you do. Cheerilee, with a blank expression, turns to the class. “Class, you may head home now. Don’t forget, your projects are due tomorrow. Anon...” she says with a casual tone, “... you stay behind. You too, Apple Bloom.” Your feet finally decide to move, but instead of making their way towards the door, you find yourself moving towards the bubblegum colored teacher. “Wait!” you blurt out. “Apple Bloom didn’t do anything wrong! Why is she in trouble?” Cheerilee ignores you and repeats her statement. “Apple Bloom, make sure not to leave.” Without objection, Apple Bloom stops packing her things and sits back in her seat. Cheerilee turns back to you. This blank, deadpan face of hers… you’ve never seen her do this before. It’s frightening. “Take your seat, Anon.” You don’t even hesitate. Sulking back to your desk, you take a seat, but don’t dare to look up from it. Cheerilee drags a stool between Apple Bloom and yourself and sits down. “Anon.” Your heart skips a beat. Getting yelled at was a normal thing for you, but this monotonous tone was terrifying. You have no idea what she’s going to do next. Your eyes don’t stray from your hands on the desk. “Anon, look at me.” Slowly, your eyes pry from your hands to your teacher’s face. Disappointment covers it. She lets out a disheartened sigh and shakes her head. “I’m not angry with you two. I’m disappointed.” You glance over to see Apple Bloom look down at her desk. You’re pretty sure you saw her lip quiver as well. Your gaze returns to Cheerilee. “Anon, you’ve been behind in your studies. I know that you don’t like studying, but think about your future. Without proper education, you’re not going to go very far.” Your eyes resume their position on your hands as your teacher continues. “As for you, Apple Bloom…” Her tone has a fair bit of bitterness behind it, almost as if she’d never expect to do this in a million years. “You can’t give him the answers to everything. I know you understand the material, but giving him a shortcut like that isn’t going to help him. It’s just going to hurt him.” Apple Bloom nods her head, signalling an understanding. The teacher steps down from her seat and let’s out one last disappointed sigh. “I’m not going to punish you two, but if I have sit down with you both again, you can be sure both your guardians will be here as well.” Both you and Apple Bloom nod, simultaneously muttering an apology. Cheerilee returns to her desk as you quickly pack up your stuff and head outside. The weather is so nice today. How could anyone want to stay indoors? Apple Bloom follows you out into the warm, sun lit surrounding, making sure to keep up alongside you. It’s not too long before the other Cutie Mark Crusaders regroup with their member. “What you did in there was pretty brave, Anon! You got some guts standing up for Apple Bloom in there,” Scootaloo comments. She nudges you in side with a hoof, making you wince a bit. You hold back the pain, of course. The last thing you wanted was to look like a wimp to a bunch of girls. Apple Bloom blushes and shakes her head in embarrassment. Before she can even say anything, you cut in. “Yeah, well… If I wasn’t so stupid, Apple Bloom wouldn’t have gotten in trouble at all.” “You’re not stupid, Anon!” Apple Bloom scolds. Her eyes immediately drop back to the ground as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo exchange smirks and return their attention back to you. They always have a tendency of doing that and you don’t know why. It makes you feel so uncomfortable at times. “Apple Bloom is right, Nonny.” Your heart skips a beat from the sound of that voice. Standing right behind you are your two guardians, Flitter and Cloudchaser, wearing almost sinister grins. You can feel the blood rush to your cheeks from embarrassment as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle’s snickers increase in volume. Even Apple Bloom cracks a slight smile at the mention of the nickname. “C’mon… I told you guys to stop calling me that,” you whisper, trying not to display your frustration. Flitter, however, nuzzles your cheek, letting out a quiet squee. “But Nonny is such a cute name! Why don’t you like it?” “Yeah, why don’t you like it, Nonny?” Scootaloo teases. “For the same reason you don’t like being called ‘chicken’.” Scootaloo averts her eyes and scratches her foreleg nervously. Sweetie Belle’s smirk quickly fades away, probably because she knows the name Diamond Tiara calls her will be used. You don’t like to be mean-spirited to anyone, but that doesn’t mean you won’t defend yourself when you need to. “Nonny, what have we said about using mean names before?” That voice gives you goosebumps when she gets serious. Turning to Cloudchaser, you mutter, “Not to use them.” She gives you one last scowl before cracking a wide grin. “Good. Now, what do you guys have planned for today?” “I was thinking about going down to the lake and skipping some stones or maybe exploring Whitetail Woods again,” you quickly reply. A hoof taps your side, trying to get your attention. Apple Bloom gives you stern look. “Anon, we have our projects due tomorrow.” Flitter and Cloudchaser both raise an eyebrow, mimicking Apple Bloom’s look. “Oh, do you? Why haven’t we heard anything about this project?” If there was anything you didn’t want now, it was this. You try your best to come up with an excuse, but before you can say another word, Apple Bloom jumps in. “If you want, Anon, I can help you with your project.” Her turn cheeks a deep, rosy red. Flitter and Cloudchaser both exchange giggles. You’d recognize those giggles anywhere. They always broke into one of those fits when they talked about boys, like Thunderlane or Soarin. They couldn’t possibly think… “I don’t know. I kind of wanted t—” Cloudchaser breaks off from her chortle charade and stares you down. Cloudchaser is not the kind of mare you would mess with. Last time you disobeyed her, she used you as a makeup project and threatened to send you to school like that if you chose to disobey her ever again. You glance over at Apple Bloom, who hangs her head in defeat, and quickly catch on to what Cloudchaser is hinting. “On second thought, that sounds like a good idea.” Apple Bloom’s head perks up instantaneously, a huge smile plastered on her face. Your two guardians resume their giggles as you let out a defeated sigh. It seems that no matter where you go, there will be always be women— er, mares to bring you down. Even as you make your way to Sweet Apple Acres, you take notice of how few stallions there are. Out of the fifty ponies you see along the way, you count only five stallions. “You alright, Anon?” Shaking your head, bring yourself back down to earth. “Yeah, I was just noticing how the amount of mares in this world outweighs the stallions.” Apple Bloom cocks an eyebrow in confusion. It’s only expected; she’s used to only a small amount of stallions in her town. “I counted fifty ponies and only five of them were stallions. That means, on average, there’s ten mares to one stallion. The number isn’t entirely accurate, though, being only a small sample. The number would change according to the environment, birth and death rate, breeding times, and other aspects as well.” The words just seem to flow right off the tip of your tongue without realizing it. Apple Bloom’s eyes widen in surprise. “Anon, that’s what we learned in statistics last week.” “So?” you retort. “So… Why did you fail the test if you knew the material all along?” You stop your stride and think about it for a moment. “Dunno. Guess I never really had a reason to use it before. My mind usually goes blank when I take a test.” You shrug it off and resume your walk. “Does it really matter?” “In a way, yes. Hmm.” Apple Bloom comes to halt as you both approach a very decorative trellis. This is your first time at Sweet Apple Acres and you’re kind of glad you came along. Orchards spread far across the hills, blooming with plump, luscious apples. The place is a marvel to see. “It sure is something, ain’t it?” says an all-too-familiar voice. Applejack dumps a basket filled with fresh, crisp apples into a cart before making her way to greet you and Apple Bloom. “It sure is, Miss Applejack.” A frown forms on the mare’s face. “Anon, I told you not to call me ‘Miss’. Just Applejack is fine.” Her signature smile comes back as she ruffles your hair. You always liked Applejack. Though she’s a serious pony, she never looks down on you like the rest of the mares and stallions in town. You’re pretty much her equal and vice versa. “So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?” she asks, keeping a keen eye on her little sister. “Anon needs help with his project, so I offered to help him out,” she pipes with a cheeky grin. Applejack lets out a hearty chuckle. You can’t tell why, but something about that laugh makes you nervous. “I see,” Applejack coos, the smile on her face growing wider still. “Well, make sure to introduce your… ‘friend’ here to Granny Smith and Big Macintosh. You know how upset they get if they don’t get to meet your friends.” You turn to Apple Bloom, trying to figure out what Applejack means by emphasizing the word “friends”. The filly just shrugs and starts leading you to the large home down the dirt road. “What was that all about?” you question. Apple Bloom completely avoids eye contact with you, but you can see her face is completely red. “Nothing.” Why is everyone acting so strange when I’m with Apple Bloom? you ask yourself. When you’re in class, she’s just another friend to you when it comes to your classmates. But whenever there’s an older pony involved, they always act strange. Almost as if they think you’re both an ite— It finally clicks. Do they think that Apple Bloom… like likes you? There’s no way that could be true. You two are just friends! But… it would explain why Apple Bloom always blushes at the slightest mention of being more than friends. Or it could be because she doesn’t see you like that and it makes her embarrassed to even think about it. You look over to Apple Bloom, who still refuses to meet your gaze, and nod. Yeah, that’s the only logical explanation. You hold open the front door for the filly, who mutters a small, “Thank you,” before quickly making her way inside. The house’s interior is nothing like its exterior. Outside, the paint is thinned and cracking, giving off an old, falling apart feel to it. But inside, it’s well furnished and cozy. It feels like home away from home. “Well, well, well! Is this the strapping youngster you’re always going on about, Apple Bloom?” An elderly mare sits at the counter, a bowl and freshly sliced apples laid across it. “Granny!” Apple Bloom’s face flushes, anger clear in her eyes. You can’t help but giggle along with the mare as you extend a hand out for a shake. “My name is Anonymous, ma’am. You must be Apple Bloom’s other sister.” “Oh! This one’s a keeper!” Granny Smith jests, nudging the filly with her hoof. “I’m sorry to disappoint you son, but I’m her Granny.” You let out a hearty laugh as Apple Bloom scoffs at her Granny’s joke and pushes you out of the kitchen. “Now don’t you two be doing anything questionable up there, ya hear?” Granny shouts as you’re unwillingly dragged to Apple Bloom’s room. Looking around, it seems like a pretty stereotypical room for a girl: a vanity with a large mirror, a wardrobe most likely packed with clothes, and a frilly full-size bed with matching drapes, sit spread across the room. It smells, obviously, of apples, but also a hint of cinnamon as well. “So,” Apple Bloom squeaks, “what’re you gonna do for your project?” You immediately plop down on the bed and sprawl out. “I don’t even know what the assignment is.” Apple Bloom scoffs and pulls out her planner from her saddlebag. After a quick flick of her hoof, she flips to the necessary page. “We have to write a story about a special time in our life and be as creative as possible.” There were a couple of special things that have happened to you over the years: showing up in Equestria, moving in with Cloudchaser and Flitter. But there was one thing that was even more special to you. Jumping down from the bedside, you dig into your backpack and grab a notebook and a pencil. Jotting every small detail, you begin filling up page after page, perking Apple Bloom’s interest. The filly leans forward, trying to take a sneak a peek at your notes. You wrench the notebook away, not wanting her to see it. “This is something I don’t want you to hear until we’re in class tomorrow. No one knows, but this memory was life changing for me.” Apple Bloom, a little taken aback, stares at you in confusion, but respects your wish. She continues to watch as you lay into the notebook, not showing the pages nor the pencil any sign of letting up. “Anon, I’m supposed to be helping you with this, remember?” You roll your eyes. “Do you have any poster board and glue, then? I could make a little banner for my story.” Apple Bloom puts a hoof to her chin before looking under her bed. “I got some poster board under here somewhere.” As she digs around, you hear metal, glass, and other objects clanging against one another. “The glue should be in the top drawer of my vanity.” Sure enough, it’s in there. As you grab the squeezable bottle, it starts to slip from your hands. A grease-like substance covers the container. “Uh, Apple Bloom? Why is this bottle all greasy?” “Long story short, Scootaloo dropped it on a grilled cheese sandwich one day and I haven’t been able to get the darn grease off since.” The thing is really hard to handle. Every few seconds or so, you find yourself trying your hardest not to let it fall on the ground. The last thing you wanted to do was get glue all over your host’s floor. Apple Bloom finally returns from her venture under the bed with a poster in her mouth. “What do you have planned, Anon?” she asks, eagerness evident in her voice. Before you can say a word, the bottle slips from your grasp, rocketing into the air. You juggle it everywhere, unable to maintain a grip on it. As it reaches your waistline, you grab it with both hands. You grab too hard, however. In the span of a second, the bottle emits a jet of white liquid… ...all over Apple Bloom’s face. The filly doesn’t even see it coming. Before she can even react, it gets in her eyes and mane. In the spur of the moment, the bottle jets out of your hands and under the bed. "What're you doing to my sister?!" You freeze for a moment, not knowing who the new, deep, masculine voice belongs to. Slowly, you turn your head to notice a large, red stallion glaring directly at you. He makes his way towards you, alternating stares between you and Apple Bloom. The look in his eyes: it screams murder. You don’t know why, but your brain doesn’t work properly any more. The last thing you want to do is get in trouble for getting glue everywhere. So you do the first thing that comes to mind: snatch up your notebook and run. You don’t even look back. With every ounce of strength in your body, you hightail it down the stairs, sprint out the front door, and dart straight for home. Before you can get to your room and hide, Flitter grabs your arm. "Whoa there, Nonny! What happened?" "It… It was all over the place! In her hair, some got in her eyes and then Big Mac walked in and I thought he was gonna kill me!" The guffaws of your two sisters do nothing to soothe your mind about the new enemy you're certain you've made. Author's Note It's been five months since I've written anything worthwhile. I hope this make up for it. There's more to come. Chapter 2: The Bats and the BreeziesLaying your head under your pillow, you try your best to forget everything that just happened. Unfortunately, not even your room makes you feel safe. Big Mac is probably searching high and low for you with the urge to wring your neck. How he could possibly grab your neck without hands evades you as visions of curly, menacing fingers sprout from his hooves and grab your throa— “Nonny?” Flitter stands outside your room, her motherly tone just that of a whisper. “Nonny, is everything okay? It’s time for dinner.” “I’m not hungry,” you grunt. Your bedroom door creaks open as the mare peeks inside. She takes a seat beside you on the bed and places a hoof on your shoulder. “Listen, whatever happened, I’m sure it wasn’t all that bad.” “I got glue all over Apple Bloom’s face and floor. You weren’t there to see the mess. You weren’t there to see how mad Big Mac was.” “Is that all?” Cloudchaser’s voice enters the room. She almost sounds surprised, like she expected worse. “And here I thought we were going to teach him about the bats and the breezies.” A sudden thump, accompanied by an, “Ow!” makes it clear that Cloudchaser said something she shouldn’t have. You look up out of curiosity, only to see Cloudchaser rubbing her wither. Flitter adverts your attention to her, trying her best to keep her sister out of the conversation. “Will it make you feel better if we go talk to Big Mac and explain the situation?” You nod your head. Anything to keep Big Mac and the curly sprouts on his hooves away would do better than confronting the problem yourself. Flitter throws a glance towards Cloudchaser, accompanied by that giggle they share when they talk about boys. It becomes rather hard to swallow; something in your gut tells you this can only end badly. “Alright, Nonny. We’ll go talk to Big Mac first thing in the morning. But right now,” says Flitter as she steps down from the bed, “let’s go have dinner. Cloudchaser made your favorite tonight.” Your stomach lets out a sudden growl. The thought of eating fresh spaghetti with Cloudchaser’s signature sauce and herbs reminds you how hungry you really are. Without hesitation, you run past them to make it to the table first. After an awkward meal involving a talk about “the bats and the breezies” and a good night’s sleep, you awake to the sounds of the morning birds’ songs. With weary eyes and sluggish joints, you rip the bed sheets off and drag yourself towards the bathroom. Alas, it’s occupied by none other than Flitter. Cloudchaser stands outside the door, banging on it occasionally with her hoof. “C’mon Flitter! We haven’t got all day! Now you have Nonny waiting out here as well!” Cloudchaser bangs on the door a few more times in hopes of hurrying her sister. “We’re just going there to talk to Big Mac, not court him.” “Well some of us want to look good when they go out into public!” her sister bellows from the other side of the door. Cloudchaser’s temper quickly rises as she smacks her hoof against the door in rapid succession. “At least I’m not the one who got caught with toilet paper hanging from her hoof at Nonny’s science fair!” “Oh! You just have to bring that up, don’t you?” You sigh in frustration and head back to your room as the two continue to bicker at one another. It was great being in the care of these two mares, but it did have its drawbacks. The bathroom was always being used, there was never anyone to talk about when it came to boy things, and sometimes when they had boys over for coffee, you swore you could hear ghostly howls coming from their room. If you wanted to catch up with Apple Bloom and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders, you’d have to leave soon. Putting on a fresh t-shirt and pair of overalls, you grab your notebook and begin the search for your bag. The last place you had it was… Your heart sinks. The bag was still in Apple Bloom’s room. Suddenly, the memories of what had happened the day before start to sink in again, leaving you with a nauseous feeling in your tummy. Hopefully Flitter and Cloudchaser could explain everything and maybe, just maybe, Big Mac would let you back in to grab your stuff. With no bag to carry, you head out and start your walk to school. The spring sun beams down on you, leaving a nice warm feeling along your skin. Ponies exit their homes and begin their daily routines: watering flowers, greeting their neighbors, and setting stands up for their local businesses. You tend to keep to yourself since it feels strange to walk amongst a whole different species, despite their friendly and inviting nature. It must be some sort of defense mechanism. “Hey Nonny!” You can’t help but cringe. It was fine when Cloudchaser and Flitter called you that, but when it came from another pony, it just made you feel dirty. You quickly turn around to see Scootaloo running down the street with Sweetie Belle. “Hey Dodo, hey Sweetie Belle.” Sweetie resists the urge to bust out laughing as Scootaloo stares you down. You look between the two only to realize that somepony is missing. “Where’s Apple Bloom?” you ask. Scootaloo and Sweetie exchange a discomforted look as all three of you head towards the school. “Big Mac wouldn’t let her go to school without walking her there,” Sweetie explains. “She refused to leave the house with him, so the last we saw of her was when Applejack was dragging her out of the house. We didn’t stick around to find out what happened, but it wasn’t exactly a peaceful moment.” Your butthole clenches at the thought of running into Big Mac at the school. Both Scootaloo and Sweetie take notice of your distraught expression, their curiosity quickly escalating. “Did something happen yesterday at Sweet Apple Acres, Anon?” questions Scootaloo. You can see she’s holding back a smile, but she’s doing a bad job of it. “Nothing happened. Just a small accident involving some glue.” Sweetie’s face drops. “It’s not the same glue that Scootaloo—” “The very same,” you interject. The two fillies exchange looks of horror. You can’t help but ask, “What?” “That glue bottle is cursed,” says Scootaloo. “We made grilled cheese sandwiches and that’s when the ghost came in and scared us.” Scootaloo looks down at the ground in disappointment. “I ended up getting glue in all the sandwiches. Thirteen ponies had to be rushed to the hospital because they couldn’t open their mouths.” You ask yourself if it’s really necessary to question the ghost part, but, alas, you’ve already arrived at the school. The shrieks of joy from the colts and fillies almost distract you as a certain filly makes her way towards you. “Well, well, well! If it isn’t the blank flanks and the hairless monkey!” That voice always sends chills down your spine. Just the tone irks you. “Good morning to you too, Diamond Tiara,” you mutter. As much as you’d like to start trouble, it’s last thing you need. You’re already on bad terms with Cheerilee and the last thing you need is your guardians coming in because you gave little miss pretty princess a new makeover with your fist. Her little friend, Silver Spoon, is no better. No matter what comes out of Diamond’s mouth, the snob chortles or agrees with her. “Looks like you’re missing a flank here. Did Apple Bloom finally get her cutie mark and figure you losers are a waste of time?” “No, she’s with her family that actually cares about her because they plan to bring her to school, unlike your two-bit dad who needs a butler to bring you since his business is more important than his daughter.” The schoolyard goes quiet. All the fillies and colts drop what they’re doing and stare at the situation in awe. Not many ponies are willing to fight back with Diamond Tiara, but you are no pony. You are the hero that the schoolyard needs, but does not deserve. You are— “At least I know my parents.” A collective gasp circulates between the children. Your blood begins to boil as Diamond Tiara’s smug smile returns to her face, accompanied by Silver Spoon’s forced giggles. It’s taking all of your will power to hold back your clenched fist. So badly do you want to just let everything go and wail into this filly. “Diamond Tiara!” The new voice enters the arena, causing everyone to jump. Miss Cheerilee stands outside the school’s front door, her face burning up in rage. “That was uncalled for! Come inside this instant. I think it’s time for yet another talk about your outbursts.” “But Miss Cheerilee!” The teacher stands her ground, throwing the most sinister of glares at the filly. Before Diamond trots off to her punishment, she mutters, “I’ll get you for this.” Silver Spoon follows and stands by the door, waiting like a patient dog for her master. Scootaloo gives you a celebratory punch in the shoulder with her hoof. “That was awesome, Anon!” “Yeah! Did you see the look on her face?” squeaks Sweetie Belle. Soon, a few of the other students begin to commemorate on your courageous act before you notice Apple Bloom. She walks up to Scootaloo and Sweetie, a look of disappointment on her face. Breaking away from the other children, you head over to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Hey, Apple Bloom,” you greet with a cheesy smile and wave. The look of disappointment doesn’t leave her face as she drops your backpack down on the ground before you. “You forgot this yesterday when you ran away.” Sweat begins to bead on your forehead. Scootaloo and Sweetie turn to Apple Bloom in confusion. “Ran away?” repeats Sweetie. It suddenly hits you like a brick wall. “Where is Big Mac?” you whisper, fear evident in your voice. Apple Bloom rolls her eyes and lets out an annoyed sigh. “Your sisters stopped us on the way here to talk to my brother about something. They took him back to your place, so I walked the rest of the way by myself.” Scootaloo’s eyes widen in excitement. Typical for a girl to get excited about drama. “What did he do?” Before Apple Bloom can answer, the school bell rings, signalling the start of class. Head drooped, you sulk into the classroom, taking a look at your notebook. You only hope that this presentation will make things right. As you take your seat, you can feel a hot glare. Diamond Tiara’s eyes refuse to leave your direct line of sight. Not backing down, you return the stare, upping her in intensity. Cheerilee clears her throat to draw your and her’s attention. “As I told you all yesterday, your reports are due today.” She throws a quick glance in your direction before continuing. “I’d like to hear what about a time that’s special to you: Something that might have changed your life, or even something that you look back on and get a warm feeling thinking about it.” Your grip on your notebook tightens. Sure, you did the assignment, but you can’t help but feel butterflies in your stomach. Turning to Apple Bloom, you hope for some kind of look of encouragement, maybe even a smile. Apple Bloom just looks onward at Miss Cheerilee, pretending to be interested in her lecture. “Would anyone like to go first?” Miss Cheerilee asks, looking around the room. No one raises their hoof, leaving a deafening silence to fill the room. “Nopony?” “I will.” The class let’s out a deafening silence as you raise your hand. Of all the students, the flunkie wanted to go first. Cheerilee smiles and nods her head. “Alright, Anonymous. Come to the front of the class and share your experience.” The grip on your notebook would break anyone’s bones. You’re so nervous, but over what? All you have to do read what’s on paper. The only problem is, you can’t open the book. It’s glued shut. Panic begins to settle in as the class grows impatient. A hoof lays itself on your shoulder, bringing you to a halt. Cheerilee gives you a warm smile and whispers to you. “Anon, this assignment is about a time that makes you feel good about something. You don’t need to read it from the paper. Read it from your heart.” What kind of cheesey line is that? ‘Read it from your heart?’ What is this, a friendship lesson with Twilight? But it seems to work. All the butterflies in your stomach fly away as you let out a relieved sigh. “I arrived in Equestria many years ago,” you begin, placing the notebook on the teacher’s desk. “I was only a baby. I didn’t know anything that was going on. But two mares took me in and raised me as their own. Every day, they would take me to the market to get the groceries. Ponies would stare at me, not knowing what I was. Some of them said things. Hurtful things. But Flitter and Cloudchaser never let them get to me. They always told me that I may be different, but I was the same on the inside.” Truffle’s hoof shoots up. “But Miss Cheerilee, you said that his anatomy was different than ou—” Cheerilee shoots him a look that shuts him right up. “I had feelings like the others,” you continue. “I could feel sad, happy, angry; the list goes on. Every day they would remind me of this. Then that fateful day came when I started going to class.” The teacher pony’s eyebrow crooks, wondering whether you’re going to crack a joke or not. “When I came to class, I was back at square one. Everypony thought I was weird. They outcasted me. Except for one.” You look into the crowd and catch Apple Bloom’s glimpse. Her face is entirely red at this point. Sure enough, she knows where you’re going with this. “A filly in our class treated me like any other pony. When projects required partners, she was always there with her hoof ready to help me since nopony else would. As time went on, she started introducing me to other fillies and colts. They saw what she saw. I was just another one of them, trying to fit in.” Tears begin to well in your eyes as you remember the times Apple Bloom stood up for you. Defending you from Diamond Tiara, telling you that you weren’t any different than the other ponies. “If it weren’t for her, I… I don’t know…” A slow clip-clopping fills the room. Looking up from the floor, you see who it is. Apple Bloom, smile spreading from ear to ear, slowly claps her hooves together. The rest of the class, with the exception of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, follow in suit as Cheerilee wipes the tears from your face, a caring smile across her face as well. “Anon, that’s a beautiful story. Well done. You can go back to your seat now.” Her voice drops down to a whisper before you start toward your desk. “I expect this report in by tomorrow morning on paper.” Dragging your feet, you head back to your desk and sit down. “That was great, Anon!” somepony blurts out from behind you. The applause grows louder, leaving you with a warm feeling. Looking over to your side, Apple Bloom refuses to make eye contact with you, but the smile on her face says differently. When Cheerilee calls for more volunteer, several ponies raise their hooves, ready to give their stories as well. All it took was one brave soul to lead the rest. The rest of the stories are pretty tame in comparison. Most are about gifts that ponies have received or seeing a relative that they hadn’t seen in a long time. Before you know it, the bell rings, signalling lunch time. You grab your bag and book it out the door, hoping to grab the usual table. Your heart sinks as your eyes meet with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, comfortably wearing sinister smirks at your seat. “Looks like you’re too slow, Anon!” Silver Spoon mocks as Diamond Tiara sticks her tongue out at you. They’re definitely out to ruin your day, aren’t they? Before you can even retort, Apple Bloom jumps in front of you. “That ain’t fair! Y’all know that Anon sits there everyday. Let him have his seat!” You place your hand on Apple Bloom’s wither. She turns to face you, a look of sheer anger on her face. You shake your head. “Just let it go, Apple Bloom. It’s best not to let them get to us. That’s what they want.” “Yeah, you should listen to your special somepony!” Diamond Tiara cracks, nudging her tumor of a friend as a signal to laugh. The two cackle up a storm, grabbing the attention of the fillies and colts in the courtyard. All eyes are now on you. Apple Bloom senses this as well and steps back for a moment. “Aww!” Flitter and Cloudchaser’s coos fill your ears, making your heart sink. “What are you guys doing here?” you question as the two wrap their legs around you. “You forgot to grab your lunch,” Flitter states, dropping a paper bag on the table in front of you. “Special Somepony, eh?” The third voice causes your body to lock in fear. There was only one time you heard that voice before and it was not during a good situation. Your eyes slowly turn and meet up with Big Mac’s. A menacing stare looks back at you. “I-It’s, uh… I’m not… um…” Sweat pours down your face as he leans in close and brings his voice down to a murmur. “I’ll be watching you, son.” Author's Note I love how FiMFic cuts parts out when I import the document. It's fucking 4:20am. You think I want to reread this shit? Also, don't get your hopes up. I'm still sorta dead. At least on the inside. Chapter 3: Fondling Memories“A sleepover?” “Yeah!” piped Sweetie Belle. “It’ll be fun.” You come to a halt on your swing and turn to Scootaloo who is jumping with excitement. “We’ll play games, tell ghost stories…” “...and do each other’s manes, and have makeovers!” Sweetie Belle interrupts. Both you and Scootaloo look at the filly with crooked stares. She turns away with a somber expression, muttering about how “it was fun to her”. Your attention quickly shifts back to Scootaloo. “Who’s going to be there?” “Well,” she begins, obviously trying to hide a grin. “Me, uh, Sweetie Belle… and Apple Bloom.” Your heart jumps for a second. The way she tailed off that sentence makes this invite feel weird, but you shrug it off. “All right. Count me in.” Both fillies turn their heads in unison, sharing mischievous smiles. “Okay, we’ll see you there!” “Wait!” you blurt. The fillies come to halt and turn back to you, their exuberant faces now stone cold and annoyed. “Yeah?” Scootaloo almost chides. “Where is this sleepover?” “Apple Bloom’s house, of course.” Your bowels churn. “Apple Bloom’s house?” you parrot. “Like where Big Mac lives?” The two exchange deadpan stares, like they expected this. “Well, of course,” Sweetie Belle explains. “There’s no way I could get my sister to do it without at least two month’s notice.” “And my house is way too small to hold three fillies and a human,” Scootaloo adds. “Besides, Big Mac will be out of town for the weekend to make a delivery to Appleloosa, so you don’t have to be a scaredy cat.” “I’d watch who you call ‘scared’,” you advise. Scootaloo’s cheeks turn red for a moment, possibly due a dare that she wouldn’t jump off the school roof with you. Sure, she was right that it was dangerous, and, sure, it resulted in a broken leg, detention for two weeks, and a scolding from Flitter and Cloudchaser, but it worth it the hype. “Well, are you coming or not?” she snaps. It takes you a moment. Big Mac wasn’t going to be there, but what if he showed up unexpectedly like with the glue incident? It was probably a safe bet, though. “I guess. I’ll have to talk to Flitter and Cloudchaser first.” The fillies jump for joy once more and quickly gallop away from the swing set to the back of the school. A sudden burst of the usual “Cutie Mark Crusaders!” explodes out into the air, grabbing the playground’s attention. You can’t help but giggle. It was always funny when they came up with zany ideas for to find their cutie marks. “Well, well, well, I guess the losers are going to have a sleepover together, huh?” The hairs on the back of your neck raise for a moment as you turn to find none other than Diamond Tiara and her lackie Silver Spoon looming nearby. “What do you want?” you grunt. You aren’t planning on dealing with them today, but something tells you you don’t have a choice in the matter. The two snicker among each other as you get up from your and start walking away. “Hey! Where are you going?” Diamond asks. If there was anything you’ve learned recently was playing this little game with her: If she started problems with you, the only way to win was not to play. “I’m talking to you!” You continue to walk off as she pursues you around the playground. Eyes start to linger, watching this scene of cat and mouse. Ponies begin to snicker as you ignore the filly and simply walk around the schoolyard. And it’s clearly getting to Diamond. “Would you stop for one second and listen to me?! I’m just trying to talk to you.” “Well, I don’t want to talk to you of all ponies.” She withdrawals for a moment, a hurt look on her face. Before she can react, the school bell rings, signalling the end of lunch. You quickly turn on your heel and fast walk back to the door as Silver tries to console her. Cheerilee stands at the door, greeting each of her students as they file back to their seats, murmurs and whispers still cycling through the class. “Alright everypony. Settle down.” The children quickly grow quiet as their attention turns to the teacher. “I’m assigning you each into a group for the rest of the day to do an assignment.” The class grows uneasy for a moment. You can almost feel the dread. Last time you were stuck with Twist and Truffles. Handing in a paper covered with spit and crumbs didn’t warrant much success with Cheerilee. “Scootaloo, you’ll be working with Featherweight and Dinky.” Scoots hangs her head in disappointment for not being paired with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, but seems content with being with Featherweight. “Anon…” Your heart sinks for a moment. Please don’t be Twist. Please don’t be Truffles. “...you’ll be paired with Apple Bloom…” “Oh, sweet Celestia,” you think to yourself. You quickly turn to Apple Bloom who beams at you. “...and Diamond Tiara.” And the smile’s gone. Both you and Apple Bloom turn the filly who’s just as struck as you are. Cheerilee shoots you a glare before you can raise your hand. “This isn’t up for debate.” Defeated, you sink into your seat. Being stuck with Twist and Truffles didn’t seem like such a bad idea now. As Cheerilee continues down the list of groups, your classmate begin arranging their desks to bring their groups together. You and Apple Bloom bring yours side by side and Diamond Tiara drags her desk from across the room. “Lousy service from both of you as usual. No help at all.” “We’re not your slaves, Diamond,” Apple Bloom retorts. “Now class, your assignment is to find something nice about the people in your group.” You snicker to yourself, just loud enough that Diamond Tiara hears you but not Cheerilee. The teacher continues. “We will be having Princess Twilight over this Monday to read some nice experiences you have had with your partners.” Her eyes gaze into the children’s souls. “I want you to take this seriously. Princess Twilight will be giving you a lesson on friendship and I want you all to be on your best behavior.” Her eyes snap to your group almost instantaneously, searching deep into your wretched soul. You and your compadres can’t help but feel uncomfortable. Even the ice princess, Diamond Tiara, shifts in her seat. Cheerilee returns to the rest of the class. “Now, let’s get out some paper and a pencil!” “This should be easy for you guys,” Diamond gloats. You and Apple Bloom exchange uneasy looks. “So,” Apple Bloom coos, “what’re you gonna put about me?” You roll your eyes. “I did a report on you before. I’m just gonna copy it, duh.” “And me?” You turn back to Diamond. Your heart feels heavy now as you look at her sullen expression, desperate for some sort of positive feedback. You turn back to Apple Bloom in hopes of some help, your eyes screaming in desperation. Apple Bloom shrugs, unable to come up with something on the spot. “Well, there’s a few I have in mind,” you lie. A moment passes before you write something down for Apple Bloom and then stare at the paper. The realization hits you. She’s never done anything nice for you. There had to be something. Picked up a pencil, threw something out for you, said you didn’t smell like crap that day. But no; nothing comes to mind whatsoever. Soon enough, Cheerilee begins trotting among the students, collecting their sheets. One thing. Just one. You grab the other two’s papers and place yours on the bottom of the stack as your teacher approaches your table. Without looking her in the eyes, you hand them over. “Alright class. For the remainder of the day, you can all converse with one another.” For the rest of the period, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle discuss your upcoming arrangement. “You guys like apple pie? Oh! What about baked apples?” “Don’t you have anything not apple related?” “Don’t even joke like that Sweetie Belle.” “I can bring some cupcakes!” “Oh, what about some cider?” “Donuts? “What about games?” “Truth or dare, definitely.” “And Simon says!” “Who’s Simon?” “No, that the name of the game Scootaloo.” “Why do we have to listen to him talk?” Meanwhile, you’re just sitting blankly staring into the group. No words leaving your lips. You can’t help it; you feel bad for not writing anything. But nothing came up. There was never a time Diamond Tiara was nice to you. And it wasn’t your fault. Or maybe it was. The only times you can remember ever even holding a conversation with her were through fighting. Also picking on one another, nagging on each other, showing each other up in the playground. There was never a time where you and her had a simple conversation. “...Anon?” You quickly snap up to see Apple Bloom’s worried face. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle seem to be arguing about Simon still. “Yeah?” “Are you alright?” “Yeah, why?” “You’re awfully quiet. Do you not want to come to my sleepover?” You shake your head. “No, it’s nothing like that. I’m just zoning out, you know?” “Alright. If something’s bothering you, you know you can always talk to me.” “I know.” With that, the final bell rings. The rest of the class jump down from their seats and rush for the door. Cheerilee looks up from her stack of papers. “Have a good weekend, children.” Her voice goes blunt. “Anon, please stay behind.” Expected. You didn’t even pick up your bag because you knew this was coming. “I’ll see you and the other crusaders later tonight,” Apple Bloom whispers. “Don’t forget, seven o’clock sharp.” And with that, the fillies gallops away. Cheerilee beckons you to her desk and pulls up a chair. You take a seat beside the bubblegum horse and wait patiently as she shuffles through the stack of papers. She pulls yours out. “I can work with the fact that you reused your important memory with Apple Bloom for this project, but I have one question.” Here it goes. “Why did you leave Diamond Tiara’s section blank?” “I don’t know, Miss.” “I know you two don’t like each other very much, but that’s not only irresponsible, but really hurtful to Diamond Tiara.” Silence courses your lips. “I expect everypony in this class to get along, but I know not all of them can do so. There’s going to be differences amongst them. But they should work together to overcome those differences. And so far, neither you nor Diamond Tiara have even made an effort to do so.” As you lay silent, twiddling your thumbs, Cheerilee clears her throat. “Being mean to her isn’t going to help. Humiliating her in front of the princess isn’t going to resolve anything. And I will not have you doin—” “She’s never been nice to me.” “Excuse me?” Cheerilee seems taken aback. “Every time we talk, we fight. She hasn’t so much as said thank you for handing her a tissue after sneezing.” You look up from your hands, straight into her eyes. “I have never had a nice moment with Diamond Tiara.” Cheerilee leans back in her seat, shrouded in thought. She takes a moment to look up at the ceiling and let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m giving you a separate assignment for the weekend. Consider it extra credit.” Your ears perk up. If there was anything you needed, it was extra credit to pass. “I want you spend some time with Diamond Tiara. I know you two fight a lot,” she mentions before you interject. “I just want you to try your best to have a good moment with her. A memory to look back to when you’re having your next fight that’ll possibly make you think, ‘Maybe it isn’t worth it,’ and stop what you’re doing. Can you do that for me?” You nod. It’s just something you do out of habit at this point. “Alright, go on and make some memories.” As you sling your backpack over your shoulder, you stop for a moment. “Ms. Cheerilee?” “Yes?” “Did… Did Diamond Tiara write anything about me?” The teach continues to go through her paper before coming to a halt. “Yes, she did. And it was nice memory of you.” “Thank you, Ms. Cheerilee. I’ll try my best to make a nice memory.” “You girls ready?” Apple Bloom asks. The three fillies bring it in and place their hooves upon one another. “You know it!” declares Scootaloo. “What could possibly go wrong?” “Operation ‘Get AB the Guy’ is a go.” Sweetie Belle wear a smirk widely. The three throw their hooves into the air. “Cutie Mark Crusaders, Matchmakers!” Scootaloo pulls out an old bottle from her saddlebag. “We’ve got everything ready for when Anon get here.” With a quick spin, the bottle stops right at the bag. Scootaloo pulls out a small metallic object and gives it to Apple Bloom. “With this magnetic rim, the bottle will alway land on you. Then you can easily get Anon to do anything you ask!” “Here.” Sweetie Belle lends a few note cards over to Apple Bloom. “I asked my sister to come up with some well thought out truths and the final dare. With these, we’ll lure him in, and get you a kiss by the end of the night!” Apple Bloom blushes. “You guys really want this to happen, huh?” “You two were meant for each other!” “Yeah! We wouldn’t set you up with just any old colt, now would we?” Suddenly, a knock echoes throughout the house. The three fillies look up at the clock to see it’s a quarter past seven. “He’s late!” says Scootaloo. AJ’s voice booms throughout the entire house. “Kids! Your friends are here for your sleepover!” “Friends?” Sweetie Belle repeats. “Like more than one?” Apple Bloom continues. All three rush downstairs to find you standing in the doorway with another. Diamond Tiara. Author's Note A bit of a short chapter just made to get the next one ready. I'm sorry I've been dead. I'll try not to do that again, but I won't promise anything. I need sleep.
Chapter 1: A Sticky Situation“...and that’s how we find our answer.” Miss Cheerilee writes down the answer on the board with chalk dust covering her muzzle. It’s strange: you once tried writing with a pencil in your mouth in hopes of fitting in with the other classmates, but it never worked out that well. Your hands were much more useful. How a pony could keep a piece of chalk in her mouth without gagging from the dust was a wonder that would never be explained in this lifetime. You find yourself looking up at the clock in the back of the room, making sure not to get caught by Cheerilee. She loved to pick on the students who were impatient with the school da— “Maybe you know the answer to the next question. Anonymous?” Crap, busted. You slowly turn back to the front of the class and look at the displeased pony and crack a cheesy smile. “Can you repeat the question again, Miss Cheerilee? I had to crack my neck to stop the stiffness.” You turn your head in all different directions to fake a cracking in hopes of tricking the teacher. Cheerilee shoots you a glare so hot, it could melt ice. She clearly isn’t falling for it. “If sin A equals one half and cos A is less than zero, then A equals what?” A chill runs down your spine. You haven’t got a clue on what she’s talking about. Sweat begins to bead on your forehead as feel all the stares from your peers land on you. “One hundred fifty degrees.” You already know who it is letting out that subtle whisper. Apple Bloom hides behind her textbook, a smirk coursing her lips. Now that you have the answer, your confidence peaks. “One hundred fifty degrees!” you state, proudly brandishing your chest like a champion gladiator. Apple Bloom, along with a select few fillies and colts, hold back their giggles as Cheerilee’s glare grows hotter. “Very well done. Now, come to the front of the room and show how you got the answer to the rest of the class.” Your testicles retract back into your pelvis. Quickly, you glance at Apple Bloom in hopes of getting another round of help. Her devastated expression tells you that she’s just as stumped as you are. Slowly, you leave the safety of your desk and make your way to the front of the room. Cheerilee gives you a piece of chalk, covered in spit. You want to throw it aside, but something tells you that would be taken as a disrespectful gesture. With a very hesitant hand, you begin doodling on the board while surrounding your body over it to hide its contents away from everyone. The rest of the class tries its best to see what you could be writing, but immediately stop as Cheerilee’s gaze comes over them. The last thing they want is to be the next victim. After what feels like an eternity, you glance over your shoulder and look up at the clock once more. Only a minute until the final bell. Cheerilee taps her hoof against the floor impatiently. “Well, Anon? You came up with the answer rather quickly. It shouldn’t take this long to write it down.” It’s time. The moment of truth. You back away from the board and step aside to allow the rest of the class access. A few of the onlookers gasp and chuckle as Cheerilee’s eyes widen. Across the board reads, “Miss Cheerilee has an ugly flank.” “And that’s how I found my answer!” you say with a sense of entitlement. The bell rings, but no one moves from their seats. Your legs freeze in place, not moving no matter what you do. Cheerilee, with a blank expression, turns to the class. “Class, you may head home now. Don’t forget, your projects are due tomorrow. Anon...” she says with a casual tone, “... you stay behind. You too, Apple Bloom.” Your feet finally decide to move, but instead of making their way towards the door, you find yourself moving towards the bubblegum colored teacher. “Wait!” you blurt out. “Apple Bloom didn’t do anything wrong! Why is she in trouble?” Cheerilee ignores you and repeats her statement. “Apple Bloom, make sure not to leave.” Without objection, Apple Bloom stops packing her things and sits back in her seat. Cheerilee turns back to you. This blank, deadpan face of hers… you’ve never seen her do this before. It’s frightening. “Take your seat, Anon.” You don’t even hesitate. Sulking back to your desk, you take a seat, but don’t dare to look up from it. Cheerilee drags a stool between Apple Bloom and yourself and sits down. “Anon.” Your heart skips a beat. Getting yelled at was a normal thing for you, but this monotonous tone was terrifying. You have no idea what she’s going to do next. Your eyes don’t stray from your hands on the desk. “Anon, look at me.” Slowly, your eyes pry from your hands to your teacher’s face. Disappointment covers it. She lets out a disheartened sigh and shakes her head. “I’m not angry with you two. I’m disappointed.” You glance over to see Apple Bloom look down at her desk. You’re pretty sure you saw her lip quiver as well. Your gaze returns to Cheerilee. “Anon, you’ve been behind in your studies. I know that you don’t like studying, but think about your future. Without proper education, you’re not going to go very far.” Your eyes resume their position on your hands as your teacher continues. “As for you, Apple Bloom…” Her tone has a fair bit of bitterness behind it, almost as if she’d never expect to do this in a million years. “You can’t give him the answers to everything. I know you understand the material, but giving him a shortcut like that isn’t going to help him. It’s just going to hurt him.” Apple Bloom nods her head, signalling an understanding. The teacher steps down from her seat and let’s out one last disappointed sigh. “I’m not going to punish you two, but if I have sit down with you both again, you can be sure both your guardians will be here as well.” Both you and Apple Bloom nod, simultaneously muttering an apology. Cheerilee returns to her desk as you quickly pack up your stuff and head outside. The weather is so nice today. How could anyone want to stay indoors? Apple Bloom follows you out into the warm, sun lit surrounding, making sure to keep up alongside you. It’s not too long before the other Cutie Mark Crusaders regroup with their member. “What you did in there was pretty brave, Anon! You got some guts standing up for Apple Bloom in there,” Scootaloo comments. She nudges you in side with a hoof, making you wince a bit. You hold back the pain, of course. The last thing you wanted was to look like a wimp to a bunch of girls. Apple Bloom blushes and shakes her head in embarrassment. Before she can even say anything, you cut in. “Yeah, well… If I wasn’t so stupid, Apple Bloom wouldn’t have gotten in trouble at all.” “You’re not stupid, Anon!” Apple Bloom scolds. Her eyes immediately drop back to the ground as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo exchange smirks and return their attention back to you. They always have a tendency of doing that and you don’t know why. It makes you feel so uncomfortable at times. “Apple Bloom is right, Nonny.” Your heart skips a beat from the sound of that voice. Standing right behind you are your two guardians, Flitter and Cloudchaser, wearing almost sinister grins. You can feel the blood rush to your cheeks from embarrassment as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle’s snickers increase in volume. Even Apple Bloom cracks a slight smile at the mention of the nickname. “C’mon… I told you guys to stop calling me that,” you whisper, trying not to display your frustration. Flitter, however, nuzzles your cheek, letting out a quiet squee. “But Nonny is such a cute name! Why don’t you like it?” “Yeah, why don’t you like it, Nonny?” Scootaloo teases. “For the same reason you don’t like being called ‘chicken’.” Scootaloo averts her eyes and scratches her foreleg nervously. Sweetie Belle’s smirk quickly fades away, probably because she knows the name Diamond Tiara calls her will be used. You don’t like to be mean-spirited to anyone, but that doesn’t mean you won’t defend yourself when you need to. “Nonny, what have we said about using mean names before?” That voice gives you goosebumps when she gets serious. Turning to Cloudchaser, you mutter, “Not to use them.” She gives you one last scowl before cracking a wide grin. “Good. Now, what do you guys have planned for today?” “I was thinking about going down to the lake and skipping some stones or maybe exploring Whitetail Woods again,” you quickly reply. A hoof taps your side, trying to get your attention. Apple Bloom gives you stern look. “Anon, we have our projects due tomorrow.” Flitter and Cloudchaser both raise an eyebrow, mimicking Apple Bloom’s look. “Oh, do you? Why haven’t we heard anything about this project?” If there was anything you didn’t want now, it was this. You try your best to come up with an excuse, but before you can say another word, Apple Bloom jumps in. “If you want, Anon, I can help you with your project.” Her turn cheeks a deep, rosy red. Flitter and Cloudchaser both exchange giggles. You’d recognize those giggles anywhere. They always broke into one of those fits when they talked about boys, like Thunderlane or Soarin. They couldn’t possibly think… “I don’t know. I kind of wanted t—” Cloudchaser breaks off from her chortle charade and stares you down. Cloudchaser is not the kind of mare you would mess with. Last time you disobeyed her, she used you as a makeup project and threatened to send you to school like that if you chose to disobey her ever again. You glance over at Apple Bloom, who hangs her head in defeat, and quickly catch on to what Cloudchaser is hinting. “On second thought, that sounds like a good idea.” Apple Bloom’s head perks up instantaneously, a huge smile plastered on her face. Your two guardians resume their giggles as you let out a defeated sigh. It seems that no matter where you go, there will be always be women— er, mares to bring you down. Even as you make your way to Sweet Apple Acres, you take notice of how few stallions there are. Out of the fifty ponies you see along the way, you count only five stallions. “You alright, Anon?” Shaking your head, bring yourself back down to earth. “Yeah, I was just noticing how the amount of mares in this world outweighs the stallions.” Apple Bloom cocks an eyebrow in confusion. It’s only expected; she’s used to only a small amount of stallions in her town. “I counted fifty ponies and only five of them were stallions. That means, on average, there’s ten mares to one stallion. The number isn’t entirely accurate, though, being only a small sample. The number would change according to the environment, birth and death rate, breeding times, and other aspects as well.” The words just seem to flow right off the tip of your tongue without realizing it. Apple Bloom’s eyes widen in surprise. “Anon, that’s what we learned in statistics last week.” “So?” you retort. “So… Why did you fail the test if you knew the material all along?” You stop your stride and think about it for a moment. “Dunno. Guess I never really had a reason to use it before. My mind usually goes blank when I take a test.” You shrug it off and resume your walk. “Does it really matter?” “In a way, yes. Hmm.” Apple Bloom comes to halt as you both approach a very decorative trellis. This is your first time at Sweet Apple Acres and you’re kind of glad you came along. Orchards spread far across the hills, blooming with plump, luscious apples. The place is a marvel to see. “It sure is something, ain’t it?” says an all-too-familiar voice. Applejack dumps a basket filled with fresh, crisp apples into a cart before making her way to greet you and Apple Bloom. “It sure is, Miss Applejack.” A frown forms on the mare’s face. “Anon, I told you not to call me ‘Miss’. Just Applejack is fine.” Her signature smile comes back as she ruffles your hair. You always liked Applejack. Though she’s a serious pony, she never looks down on you like the rest of the mares and stallions in town. You’re pretty much her equal and vice versa. “So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?” she asks, keeping a keen eye on her little sister. “Anon needs help with his project, so I offered to help him out,” she pipes with a cheeky grin. Applejack lets out a hearty chuckle. You can’t tell why, but something about that laugh makes you nervous. “I see,” Applejack coos, the smile on her face growing wider still. “Well, make sure to introduce your… ‘friend’ here to Granny Smith and Big Macintosh. You know how upset they get if they don’t get to meet your friends.” You turn to Apple Bloom, trying to figure out what Applejack means by emphasizing the word “friends”. The filly just shrugs and starts leading you to the large home down the dirt road. “What was that all about?” you question. Apple Bloom completely avoids eye contact with you, but you can see her face is completely red. “Nothing.” Why is everyone acting so strange when I’m with Apple Bloom? you ask yourself. When you’re in class, she’s just another friend to you when it comes to your classmates. But whenever there’s an older pony involved, they always act strange. Almost as if they think you’re both an ite— It finally clicks. Do they think that Apple Bloom… like likes you? There’s no way that could be true. You two are just friends! But… it would explain why Apple Bloom always blushes at the slightest mention of being more than friends. Or it could be because she doesn’t see you like that and it makes her embarrassed to even think about it. You look over to Apple Bloom, who still refuses to meet your gaze, and nod. Yeah, that’s the only logical explanation. You hold open the front door for the filly, who mutters a small, “Thank you,” before quickly making her way inside. The house’s interior is nothing like its exterior. Outside, the paint is thinned and cracking, giving off an old, falling apart feel to it. But inside, it’s well furnished and cozy. It feels like home away from home. “Well, well, well! Is this the strapping youngster you’re always going on about, Apple Bloom?” An elderly mare sits at the counter, a bowl and freshly sliced apples laid across it. “Granny!” Apple Bloom’s face flushes, anger clear in her eyes. You can’t help but giggle along with the mare as you extend a hand out for a shake. “My name is Anonymous, ma’am. You must be Apple Bloom’s other sister.” “Oh! This one’s a keeper!” Granny Smith jests, nudging the filly with her hoof. “I’m sorry to disappoint you son, but I’m her Granny.” You let out a hearty laugh as Apple Bloom scoffs at her Granny’s joke and pushes you out of the kitchen. “Now don’t you two be doing anything questionable up there, ya hear?” Granny shouts as you’re unwillingly dragged to Apple Bloom’s room. Looking around, it seems like a pretty stereotypical room for a girl: a vanity with a large mirror, a wardrobe most likely packed with clothes, and a frilly full-size bed with matching drapes, sit spread across the room. It smells, obviously, of apples, but also a hint of cinnamon as well. “So,” Apple Bloom squeaks, “what’re you gonna do for your project?” You immediately plop down on the bed and sprawl out. “I don’t even know what the assignment is.” Apple Bloom scoffs and pulls out her planner from her saddlebag. After a quick flick of her hoof, she flips to the necessary page. “We have to write a story about a special time in our life and be as creative as possible.” There were a couple of special things that have happened to you over the years: showing up in Equestria, moving in with Cloudchaser and Flitter. But there was one thing that was even more special to you. Jumping down from the bedside, you dig into your backpack and grab a notebook and a pencil. Jotting every small detail, you begin filling up page after page, perking Apple Bloom’s interest. The filly leans forward, trying to take a sneak a peek at your notes. You wrench the notebook away, not wanting her to see it. “This is something I don’t want you to hear until we’re in class tomorrow. No one knows, but this memory was life changing for me.” Apple Bloom, a little taken aback, stares at you in confusion, but respects your wish. She continues to watch as you lay into the notebook, not showing the pages nor the pencil any sign of letting up. “Anon, I’m supposed to be helping you with this, remember?” You roll your eyes. “Do you have any poster board and glue, then? I could make a little banner for my story.” Apple Bloom puts a hoof to her chin before looking under her bed. “I got some poster board under here somewhere.” As she digs around, you hear metal, glass, and other objects clanging against one another. “The glue should be in the top drawer of my vanity.” Sure enough, it’s in there. As you grab the squeezable bottle, it starts to slip from your hands. A grease-like substance covers the container. “Uh, Apple Bloom? Why is this bottle all greasy?” “Long story short, Scootaloo dropped it on a grilled cheese sandwich one day and I haven’t been able to get the darn grease off since.” The thing is really hard to handle. Every few seconds or so, you find yourself trying your hardest not to let it fall on the ground. The last thing you wanted to do was get glue all over your host’s floor. Apple Bloom finally returns from her venture under the bed with a poster in her mouth. “What do you have planned, Anon?” she asks, eagerness evident in her voice. Before you can say a word, the bottle slips from your grasp, rocketing into the air. You juggle it everywhere, unable to maintain a grip on it. As it reaches your waistline, you grab it with both hands. You grab too hard, however. In the span of a second, the bottle emits a jet of white liquid… ...all over Apple Bloom’s face. The filly doesn’t even see it coming. Before she can even react, it gets in her eyes and mane. In the spur of the moment, the bottle jets out of your hands and under the bed. "What're you doing to my sister?!" You freeze for a moment, not knowing who the new, deep, masculine voice belongs to. Slowly, you turn your head to notice a large, red stallion glaring directly at you. He makes his way towards you, alternating stares between you and Apple Bloom. The look in his eyes: it screams murder. You don’t know why, but your brain doesn’t work properly any more. The last thing you want to do is get in trouble for getting glue everywhere. So you do the first thing that comes to mind: snatch up your notebook and run. You don’t even look back. With every ounce of strength in your body, you hightail it down the stairs, sprint out the front door, and dart straight for home. Before you can get to your room and hide, Flitter grabs your arm. "Whoa there, Nonny! What happened?" "It… It was all over the place! In her hair, some got in her eyes and then Big Mac walked in and I thought he was gonna kill me!" The guffaws of your two sisters do nothing to soothe your mind about the new enemy you're certain you've made. Author's Note It's been five months since I've written anything worthwhile. I hope this make up for it. There's more to come.
Chapter 2: The Bats and the BreeziesLaying your head under your pillow, you try your best to forget everything that just happened. Unfortunately, not even your room makes you feel safe. Big Mac is probably searching high and low for you with the urge to wring your neck. How he could possibly grab your neck without hands evades you as visions of curly, menacing fingers sprout from his hooves and grab your throa— “Nonny?” Flitter stands outside your room, her motherly tone just that of a whisper. “Nonny, is everything okay? It’s time for dinner.” “I’m not hungry,” you grunt. Your bedroom door creaks open as the mare peeks inside. She takes a seat beside you on the bed and places a hoof on your shoulder. “Listen, whatever happened, I’m sure it wasn’t all that bad.” “I got glue all over Apple Bloom’s face and floor. You weren’t there to see the mess. You weren’t there to see how mad Big Mac was.” “Is that all?” Cloudchaser’s voice enters the room. She almost sounds surprised, like she expected worse. “And here I thought we were going to teach him about the bats and the breezies.” A sudden thump, accompanied by an, “Ow!” makes it clear that Cloudchaser said something she shouldn’t have. You look up out of curiosity, only to see Cloudchaser rubbing her wither. Flitter adverts your attention to her, trying her best to keep her sister out of the conversation. “Will it make you feel better if we go talk to Big Mac and explain the situation?” You nod your head. Anything to keep Big Mac and the curly sprouts on his hooves away would do better than confronting the problem yourself. Flitter throws a glance towards Cloudchaser, accompanied by that giggle they share when they talk about boys. It becomes rather hard to swallow; something in your gut tells you this can only end badly. “Alright, Nonny. We’ll go talk to Big Mac first thing in the morning. But right now,” says Flitter as she steps down from the bed, “let’s go have dinner. Cloudchaser made your favorite tonight.” Your stomach lets out a sudden growl. The thought of eating fresh spaghetti with Cloudchaser’s signature sauce and herbs reminds you how hungry you really are. Without hesitation, you run past them to make it to the table first. After an awkward meal involving a talk about “the bats and the breezies” and a good night’s sleep, you awake to the sounds of the morning birds’ songs. With weary eyes and sluggish joints, you rip the bed sheets off and drag yourself towards the bathroom. Alas, it’s occupied by none other than Flitter. Cloudchaser stands outside the door, banging on it occasionally with her hoof. “C’mon Flitter! We haven’t got all day! Now you have Nonny waiting out here as well!” Cloudchaser bangs on the door a few more times in hopes of hurrying her sister. “We’re just going there to talk to Big Mac, not court him.” “Well some of us want to look good when they go out into public!” her sister bellows from the other side of the door. Cloudchaser’s temper quickly rises as she smacks her hoof against the door in rapid succession. “At least I’m not the one who got caught with toilet paper hanging from her hoof at Nonny’s science fair!” “Oh! You just have to bring that up, don’t you?” You sigh in frustration and head back to your room as the two continue to bicker at one another. It was great being in the care of these two mares, but it did have its drawbacks. The bathroom was always being used, there was never anyone to talk about when it came to boy things, and sometimes when they had boys over for coffee, you swore you could hear ghostly howls coming from their room. If you wanted to catch up with Apple Bloom and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders, you’d have to leave soon. Putting on a fresh t-shirt and pair of overalls, you grab your notebook and begin the search for your bag. The last place you had it was… Your heart sinks. The bag was still in Apple Bloom’s room. Suddenly, the memories of what had happened the day before start to sink in again, leaving you with a nauseous feeling in your tummy. Hopefully Flitter and Cloudchaser could explain everything and maybe, just maybe, Big Mac would let you back in to grab your stuff. With no bag to carry, you head out and start your walk to school. The spring sun beams down on you, leaving a nice warm feeling along your skin. Ponies exit their homes and begin their daily routines: watering flowers, greeting their neighbors, and setting stands up for their local businesses. You tend to keep to yourself since it feels strange to walk amongst a whole different species, despite their friendly and inviting nature. It must be some sort of defense mechanism. “Hey Nonny!” You can’t help but cringe. It was fine when Cloudchaser and Flitter called you that, but when it came from another pony, it just made you feel dirty. You quickly turn around to see Scootaloo running down the street with Sweetie Belle. “Hey Dodo, hey Sweetie Belle.” Sweetie resists the urge to bust out laughing as Scootaloo stares you down. You look between the two only to realize that somepony is missing. “Where’s Apple Bloom?” you ask. Scootaloo and Sweetie exchange a discomforted look as all three of you head towards the school. “Big Mac wouldn’t let her go to school without walking her there,” Sweetie explains. “She refused to leave the house with him, so the last we saw of her was when Applejack was dragging her out of the house. We didn’t stick around to find out what happened, but it wasn’t exactly a peaceful moment.” Your butthole clenches at the thought of running into Big Mac at the school. Both Scootaloo and Sweetie take notice of your distraught expression, their curiosity quickly escalating. “Did something happen yesterday at Sweet Apple Acres, Anon?” questions Scootaloo. You can see she’s holding back a smile, but she’s doing a bad job of it. “Nothing happened. Just a small accident involving some glue.” Sweetie’s face drops. “It’s not the same glue that Scootaloo—” “The very same,” you interject. The two fillies exchange looks of horror. You can’t help but ask, “What?” “That glue bottle is cursed,” says Scootaloo. “We made grilled cheese sandwiches and that’s when the ghost came in and scared us.” Scootaloo looks down at the ground in disappointment. “I ended up getting glue in all the sandwiches. Thirteen ponies had to be rushed to the hospital because they couldn’t open their mouths.” You ask yourself if it’s really necessary to question the ghost part, but, alas, you’ve already arrived at the school. The shrieks of joy from the colts and fillies almost distract you as a certain filly makes her way towards you. “Well, well, well! If it isn’t the blank flanks and the hairless monkey!” That voice always sends chills down your spine. Just the tone irks you. “Good morning to you too, Diamond Tiara,” you mutter. As much as you’d like to start trouble, it’s last thing you need. You’re already on bad terms with Cheerilee and the last thing you need is your guardians coming in because you gave little miss pretty princess a new makeover with your fist. Her little friend, Silver Spoon, is no better. No matter what comes out of Diamond’s mouth, the snob chortles or agrees with her. “Looks like you’re missing a flank here. Did Apple Bloom finally get her cutie mark and figure you losers are a waste of time?” “No, she’s with her family that actually cares about her because they plan to bring her to school, unlike your two-bit dad who needs a butler to bring you since his business is more important than his daughter.” The schoolyard goes quiet. All the fillies and colts drop what they’re doing and stare at the situation in awe. Not many ponies are willing to fight back with Diamond Tiara, but you are no pony. You are the hero that the schoolyard needs, but does not deserve. You are— “At least I know my parents.” A collective gasp circulates between the children. Your blood begins to boil as Diamond Tiara’s smug smile returns to her face, accompanied by Silver Spoon’s forced giggles. It’s taking all of your will power to hold back your clenched fist. So badly do you want to just let everything go and wail into this filly. “Diamond Tiara!” The new voice enters the arena, causing everyone to jump. Miss Cheerilee stands outside the school’s front door, her face burning up in rage. “That was uncalled for! Come inside this instant. I think it’s time for yet another talk about your outbursts.” “But Miss Cheerilee!” The teacher stands her ground, throwing the most sinister of glares at the filly. Before Diamond trots off to her punishment, she mutters, “I’ll get you for this.” Silver Spoon follows and stands by the door, waiting like a patient dog for her master. Scootaloo gives you a celebratory punch in the shoulder with her hoof. “That was awesome, Anon!” “Yeah! Did you see the look on her face?” squeaks Sweetie Belle. Soon, a few of the other students begin to commemorate on your courageous act before you notice Apple Bloom. She walks up to Scootaloo and Sweetie, a look of disappointment on her face. Breaking away from the other children, you head over to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Hey, Apple Bloom,” you greet with a cheesy smile and wave. The look of disappointment doesn’t leave her face as she drops your backpack down on the ground before you. “You forgot this yesterday when you ran away.” Sweat begins to bead on your forehead. Scootaloo and Sweetie turn to Apple Bloom in confusion. “Ran away?” repeats Sweetie. It suddenly hits you like a brick wall. “Where is Big Mac?” you whisper, fear evident in your voice. Apple Bloom rolls her eyes and lets out an annoyed sigh. “Your sisters stopped us on the way here to talk to my brother about something. They took him back to your place, so I walked the rest of the way by myself.” Scootaloo’s eyes widen in excitement. Typical for a girl to get excited about drama. “What did he do?” Before Apple Bloom can answer, the school bell rings, signalling the start of class. Head drooped, you sulk into the classroom, taking a look at your notebook. You only hope that this presentation will make things right. As you take your seat, you can feel a hot glare. Diamond Tiara’s eyes refuse to leave your direct line of sight. Not backing down, you return the stare, upping her in intensity. Cheerilee clears her throat to draw your and her’s attention. “As I told you all yesterday, your reports are due today.” She throws a quick glance in your direction before continuing. “I’d like to hear what about a time that’s special to you: Something that might have changed your life, or even something that you look back on and get a warm feeling thinking about it.” Your grip on your notebook tightens. Sure, you did the assignment, but you can’t help but feel butterflies in your stomach. Turning to Apple Bloom, you hope for some kind of look of encouragement, maybe even a smile. Apple Bloom just looks onward at Miss Cheerilee, pretending to be interested in her lecture. “Would anyone like to go first?” Miss Cheerilee asks, looking around the room. No one raises their hoof, leaving a deafening silence to fill the room. “Nopony?” “I will.” The class let’s out a deafening silence as you raise your hand. Of all the students, the flunkie wanted to go first. Cheerilee smiles and nods her head. “Alright, Anonymous. Come to the front of the class and share your experience.” The grip on your notebook would break anyone’s bones. You’re so nervous, but over what? All you have to do read what’s on paper. The only problem is, you can’t open the book. It’s glued shut. Panic begins to settle in as the class grows impatient. A hoof lays itself on your shoulder, bringing you to a halt. Cheerilee gives you a warm smile and whispers to you. “Anon, this assignment is about a time that makes you feel good about something. You don’t need to read it from the paper. Read it from your heart.” What kind of cheesey line is that? ‘Read it from your heart?’ What is this, a friendship lesson with Twilight? But it seems to work. All the butterflies in your stomach fly away as you let out a relieved sigh. “I arrived in Equestria many years ago,” you begin, placing the notebook on the teacher’s desk. “I was only a baby. I didn’t know anything that was going on. But two mares took me in and raised me as their own. Every day, they would take me to the market to get the groceries. Ponies would stare at me, not knowing what I was. Some of them said things. Hurtful things. But Flitter and Cloudchaser never let them get to me. They always told me that I may be different, but I was the same on the inside.” Truffle’s hoof shoots up. “But Miss Cheerilee, you said that his anatomy was different than ou—” Cheerilee shoots him a look that shuts him right up. “I had feelings like the others,” you continue. “I could feel sad, happy, angry; the list goes on. Every day they would remind me of this. Then that fateful day came when I started going to class.” The teacher pony’s eyebrow crooks, wondering whether you’re going to crack a joke or not. “When I came to class, I was back at square one. Everypony thought I was weird. They outcasted me. Except for one.” You look into the crowd and catch Apple Bloom’s glimpse. Her face is entirely red at this point. Sure enough, she knows where you’re going with this. “A filly in our class treated me like any other pony. When projects required partners, she was always there with her hoof ready to help me since nopony else would. As time went on, she started introducing me to other fillies and colts. They saw what she saw. I was just another one of them, trying to fit in.” Tears begin to well in your eyes as you remember the times Apple Bloom stood up for you. Defending you from Diamond Tiara, telling you that you weren’t any different than the other ponies. “If it weren’t for her, I… I don’t know…” A slow clip-clopping fills the room. Looking up from the floor, you see who it is. Apple Bloom, smile spreading from ear to ear, slowly claps her hooves together. The rest of the class, with the exception of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, follow in suit as Cheerilee wipes the tears from your face, a caring smile across her face as well. “Anon, that’s a beautiful story. Well done. You can go back to your seat now.” Her voice drops down to a whisper before you start toward your desk. “I expect this report in by tomorrow morning on paper.” Dragging your feet, you head back to your desk and sit down. “That was great, Anon!” somepony blurts out from behind you. The applause grows louder, leaving you with a warm feeling. Looking over to your side, Apple Bloom refuses to make eye contact with you, but the smile on her face says differently. When Cheerilee calls for more volunteer, several ponies raise their hooves, ready to give their stories as well. All it took was one brave soul to lead the rest. The rest of the stories are pretty tame in comparison. Most are about gifts that ponies have received or seeing a relative that they hadn’t seen in a long time. Before you know it, the bell rings, signalling lunch time. You grab your bag and book it out the door, hoping to grab the usual table. Your heart sinks as your eyes meet with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, comfortably wearing sinister smirks at your seat. “Looks like you’re too slow, Anon!” Silver Spoon mocks as Diamond Tiara sticks her tongue out at you. They’re definitely out to ruin your day, aren’t they? Before you can even retort, Apple Bloom jumps in front of you. “That ain’t fair! Y’all know that Anon sits there everyday. Let him have his seat!” You place your hand on Apple Bloom’s wither. She turns to face you, a look of sheer anger on her face. You shake your head. “Just let it go, Apple Bloom. It’s best not to let them get to us. That’s what they want.” “Yeah, you should listen to your special somepony!” Diamond Tiara cracks, nudging her tumor of a friend as a signal to laugh. The two cackle up a storm, grabbing the attention of the fillies and colts in the courtyard. All eyes are now on you. Apple Bloom senses this as well and steps back for a moment. “Aww!” Flitter and Cloudchaser’s coos fill your ears, making your heart sink. “What are you guys doing here?” you question as the two wrap their legs around you. “You forgot to grab your lunch,” Flitter states, dropping a paper bag on the table in front of you. “Special Somepony, eh?” The third voice causes your body to lock in fear. There was only one time you heard that voice before and it was not during a good situation. Your eyes slowly turn and meet up with Big Mac’s. A menacing stare looks back at you. “I-It’s, uh… I’m not… um…” Sweat pours down your face as he leans in close and brings his voice down to a murmur. “I’ll be watching you, son.” Author's Note I love how FiMFic cuts parts out when I import the document. It's fucking 4:20am. You think I want to reread this shit? Also, don't get your hopes up. I'm still sorta dead. At least on the inside.
Chapter 3: Fondling Memories“A sleepover?” “Yeah!” piped Sweetie Belle. “It’ll be fun.” You come to a halt on your swing and turn to Scootaloo who is jumping with excitement. “We’ll play games, tell ghost stories…” “...and do each other’s manes, and have makeovers!” Sweetie Belle interrupts. Both you and Scootaloo look at the filly with crooked stares. She turns away with a somber expression, muttering about how “it was fun to her”. Your attention quickly shifts back to Scootaloo. “Who’s going to be there?” “Well,” she begins, obviously trying to hide a grin. “Me, uh, Sweetie Belle… and Apple Bloom.” Your heart jumps for a second. The way she tailed off that sentence makes this invite feel weird, but you shrug it off. “All right. Count me in.” Both fillies turn their heads in unison, sharing mischievous smiles. “Okay, we’ll see you there!” “Wait!” you blurt. The fillies come to halt and turn back to you, their exuberant faces now stone cold and annoyed. “Yeah?” Scootaloo almost chides. “Where is this sleepover?” “Apple Bloom’s house, of course.” Your bowels churn. “Apple Bloom’s house?” you parrot. “Like where Big Mac lives?” The two exchange deadpan stares, like they expected this. “Well, of course,” Sweetie Belle explains. “There’s no way I could get my sister to do it without at least two month’s notice.” “And my house is way too small to hold three fillies and a human,” Scootaloo adds. “Besides, Big Mac will be out of town for the weekend to make a delivery to Appleloosa, so you don’t have to be a scaredy cat.” “I’d watch who you call ‘scared’,” you advise. Scootaloo’s cheeks turn red for a moment, possibly due a dare that she wouldn’t jump off the school roof with you. Sure, she was right that it was dangerous, and, sure, it resulted in a broken leg, detention for two weeks, and a scolding from Flitter and Cloudchaser, but it worth it the hype. “Well, are you coming or not?” she snaps. It takes you a moment. Big Mac wasn’t going to be there, but what if he showed up unexpectedly like with the glue incident? It was probably a safe bet, though. “I guess. I’ll have to talk to Flitter and Cloudchaser first.” The fillies jump for joy once more and quickly gallop away from the swing set to the back of the school. A sudden burst of the usual “Cutie Mark Crusaders!” explodes out into the air, grabbing the playground’s attention. You can’t help but giggle. It was always funny when they came up with zany ideas for to find their cutie marks. “Well, well, well, I guess the losers are going to have a sleepover together, huh?” The hairs on the back of your neck raise for a moment as you turn to find none other than Diamond Tiara and her lackie Silver Spoon looming nearby. “What do you want?” you grunt. You aren’t planning on dealing with them today, but something tells you you don’t have a choice in the matter. The two snicker among each other as you get up from your and start walking away. “Hey! Where are you going?” Diamond asks. If there was anything you’ve learned recently was playing this little game with her: If she started problems with you, the only way to win was not to play. “I’m talking to you!” You continue to walk off as she pursues you around the playground. Eyes start to linger, watching this scene of cat and mouse. Ponies begin to snicker as you ignore the filly and simply walk around the schoolyard. And it’s clearly getting to Diamond. “Would you stop for one second and listen to me?! I’m just trying to talk to you.” “Well, I don’t want to talk to you of all ponies.” She withdrawals for a moment, a hurt look on her face. Before she can react, the school bell rings, signalling the end of lunch. You quickly turn on your heel and fast walk back to the door as Silver tries to console her. Cheerilee stands at the door, greeting each of her students as they file back to their seats, murmurs and whispers still cycling through the class. “Alright everypony. Settle down.” The children quickly grow quiet as their attention turns to the teacher. “I’m assigning you each into a group for the rest of the day to do an assignment.” The class grows uneasy for a moment. You can almost feel the dread. Last time you were stuck with Twist and Truffles. Handing in a paper covered with spit and crumbs didn’t warrant much success with Cheerilee. “Scootaloo, you’ll be working with Featherweight and Dinky.” Scoots hangs her head in disappointment for not being paired with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, but seems content with being with Featherweight. “Anon…” Your heart sinks for a moment. Please don’t be Twist. Please don’t be Truffles. “...you’ll be paired with Apple Bloom…” “Oh, sweet Celestia,” you think to yourself. You quickly turn to Apple Bloom who beams at you. “...and Diamond Tiara.” And the smile’s gone. Both you and Apple Bloom turn the filly who’s just as struck as you are. Cheerilee shoots you a glare before you can raise your hand. “This isn’t up for debate.” Defeated, you sink into your seat. Being stuck with Twist and Truffles didn’t seem like such a bad idea now. As Cheerilee continues down the list of groups, your classmate begin arranging their desks to bring their groups together. You and Apple Bloom bring yours side by side and Diamond Tiara drags her desk from across the room. “Lousy service from both of you as usual. No help at all.” “We’re not your slaves, Diamond,” Apple Bloom retorts. “Now class, your assignment is to find something nice about the people in your group.” You snicker to yourself, just loud enough that Diamond Tiara hears you but not Cheerilee. The teacher continues. “We will be having Princess Twilight over this Monday to read some nice experiences you have had with your partners.” Her eyes gaze into the children’s souls. “I want you to take this seriously. Princess Twilight will be giving you a lesson on friendship and I want you all to be on your best behavior.” Her eyes snap to your group almost instantaneously, searching deep into your wretched soul. You and your compadres can’t help but feel uncomfortable. Even the ice princess, Diamond Tiara, shifts in her seat. Cheerilee returns to the rest of the class. “Now, let’s get out some paper and a pencil!” “This should be easy for you guys,” Diamond gloats. You and Apple Bloom exchange uneasy looks. “So,” Apple Bloom coos, “what’re you gonna put about me?” You roll your eyes. “I did a report on you before. I’m just gonna copy it, duh.” “And me?” You turn back to Diamond. Your heart feels heavy now as you look at her sullen expression, desperate for some sort of positive feedback. You turn back to Apple Bloom in hopes of some help, your eyes screaming in desperation. Apple Bloom shrugs, unable to come up with something on the spot. “Well, there’s a few I have in mind,” you lie. A moment passes before you write something down for Apple Bloom and then stare at the paper. The realization hits you. She’s never done anything nice for you. There had to be something. Picked up a pencil, threw something out for you, said you didn’t smell like crap that day. But no; nothing comes to mind whatsoever. Soon enough, Cheerilee begins trotting among the students, collecting their sheets. One thing. Just one. You grab the other two’s papers and place yours on the bottom of the stack as your teacher approaches your table. Without looking her in the eyes, you hand them over. “Alright class. For the remainder of the day, you can all converse with one another.” For the rest of the period, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle discuss your upcoming arrangement. “You guys like apple pie? Oh! What about baked apples?” “Don’t you have anything not apple related?” “Don’t even joke like that Sweetie Belle.” “I can bring some cupcakes!” “Oh, what about some cider?” “Donuts? “What about games?” “Truth or dare, definitely.” “And Simon says!” “Who’s Simon?” “No, that the name of the game Scootaloo.” “Why do we have to listen to him talk?” Meanwhile, you’re just sitting blankly staring into the group. No words leaving your lips. You can’t help it; you feel bad for not writing anything. But nothing came up. There was never a time Diamond Tiara was nice to you. And it wasn’t your fault. Or maybe it was. The only times you can remember ever even holding a conversation with her were through fighting. Also picking on one another, nagging on each other, showing each other up in the playground. There was never a time where you and her had a simple conversation. “...Anon?” You quickly snap up to see Apple Bloom’s worried face. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle seem to be arguing about Simon still. “Yeah?” “Are you alright?” “Yeah, why?” “You’re awfully quiet. Do you not want to come to my sleepover?” You shake your head. “No, it’s nothing like that. I’m just zoning out, you know?” “Alright. If something’s bothering you, you know you can always talk to me.” “I know.” With that, the final bell rings. The rest of the class jump down from their seats and rush for the door. Cheerilee looks up from her stack of papers. “Have a good weekend, children.” Her voice goes blunt. “Anon, please stay behind.” Expected. You didn’t even pick up your bag because you knew this was coming. “I’ll see you and the other crusaders later tonight,” Apple Bloom whispers. “Don’t forget, seven o’clock sharp.” And with that, the fillies gallops away. Cheerilee beckons you to her desk and pulls up a chair. You take a seat beside the bubblegum horse and wait patiently as she shuffles through the stack of papers. She pulls yours out. “I can work with the fact that you reused your important memory with Apple Bloom for this project, but I have one question.” Here it goes. “Why did you leave Diamond Tiara’s section blank?” “I don’t know, Miss.” “I know you two don’t like each other very much, but that’s not only irresponsible, but really hurtful to Diamond Tiara.” Silence courses your lips. “I expect everypony in this class to get along, but I know not all of them can do so. There’s going to be differences amongst them. But they should work together to overcome those differences. And so far, neither you nor Diamond Tiara have even made an effort to do so.” As you lay silent, twiddling your thumbs, Cheerilee clears her throat. “Being mean to her isn’t going to help. Humiliating her in front of the princess isn’t going to resolve anything. And I will not have you doin—” “She’s never been nice to me.” “Excuse me?” Cheerilee seems taken aback. “Every time we talk, we fight. She hasn’t so much as said thank you for handing her a tissue after sneezing.” You look up from your hands, straight into her eyes. “I have never had a nice moment with Diamond Tiara.” Cheerilee leans back in her seat, shrouded in thought. She takes a moment to look up at the ceiling and let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m giving you a separate assignment for the weekend. Consider it extra credit.” Your ears perk up. If there was anything you needed, it was extra credit to pass. “I want you spend some time with Diamond Tiara. I know you two fight a lot,” she mentions before you interject. “I just want you to try your best to have a good moment with her. A memory to look back to when you’re having your next fight that’ll possibly make you think, ‘Maybe it isn’t worth it,’ and stop what you’re doing. Can you do that for me?” You nod. It’s just something you do out of habit at this point. “Alright, go on and make some memories.” As you sling your backpack over your shoulder, you stop for a moment. “Ms. Cheerilee?” “Yes?” “Did… Did Diamond Tiara write anything about me?” The teach continues to go through her paper before coming to a halt. “Yes, she did. And it was nice memory of you.” “Thank you, Ms. Cheerilee. I’ll try my best to make a nice memory.” “You girls ready?” Apple Bloom asks. The three fillies bring it in and place their hooves upon one another. “You know it!” declares Scootaloo. “What could possibly go wrong?” “Operation ‘Get AB the Guy’ is a go.” Sweetie Belle wear a smirk widely. The three throw their hooves into the air. “Cutie Mark Crusaders, Matchmakers!” Scootaloo pulls out an old bottle from her saddlebag. “We’ve got everything ready for when Anon get here.” With a quick spin, the bottle stops right at the bag. Scootaloo pulls out a small metallic object and gives it to Apple Bloom. “With this magnetic rim, the bottle will alway land on you. Then you can easily get Anon to do anything you ask!” “Here.” Sweetie Belle lends a few note cards over to Apple Bloom. “I asked my sister to come up with some well thought out truths and the final dare. With these, we’ll lure him in, and get you a kiss by the end of the night!” Apple Bloom blushes. “You guys really want this to happen, huh?” “You two were meant for each other!” “Yeah! We wouldn’t set you up with just any old colt, now would we?” Suddenly, a knock echoes throughout the house. The three fillies look up at the clock to see it’s a quarter past seven. “He’s late!” says Scootaloo. AJ’s voice booms throughout the entire house. “Kids! Your friends are here for your sleepover!” “Friends?” Sweetie Belle repeats. “Like more than one?” Apple Bloom continues. All three rush downstairs to find you standing in the doorway with another. Diamond Tiara. Author's Note A bit of a short chapter just made to get the next one ready. I'm sorry I've been dead. I'll try not to do that again, but I won't promise anything. I need sleep.
