Author's Note

I'm not sure if many people do this, but I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Layman11 for being so patient and enjoying the story so far.

Word Spreads Out

By the time this was all happening, everypony was over at Sugarcube Corner, celebrating the after graduation party. Amongst the crowd was all my friends and their families. Pecan was near a table receiving praise from his parents and brother. His dad patted him on the shoulder and said, "Well Pecan, looks like you're finally gonna be facin' the real world."

His mom started to squeeze his cheeks while saying, "Oh my little boy's all grown up!"

And Tex was ruffling his hair while telling him, "Yep, now all that's left is fer him ta get himself a mare."

After hearing that statement, Pecan's joy had suddenly dissolved into misery. While his family just chatted together, Pecan was standing by a table as he was drowning himself in punch. By the time when he was on his tenth cup, he felt a tapping on his shoulder. He turned around and had almost spat out the punch in disbelief when he laid eyes on the dentist whom he had fancied since childhood.

"Minuette, what're you doin' here?"

"I came to see you, of course. You didn't think I'd forget my favorite colt's graduation, did ya?"

"Well, no...but I thought ya had too many appointments?"

"I did, and I'm very sorry that I couldn't have been there to see you get your diploma."

"It's OK; it's not like ya missed anythin' important."

"Why do you say that?"

Pecan was silent for awhile until he placed his cup back on the table and said, "Can I be honest with ya, Minuette?"

"Of course you can, Pecan."

"When I was a kid, I had this big crush on you. This might be a little embarrassin' ta say, but everyday I'd floss and brush my teeth constantly just ta impress you. A bit of me did know that I could never actually get ta have you fer a special somepony, so I tried ta maybe date somepony my age. I never could seem ta get even one girlfriend; and my friends would always joke about it. At that point, I just had ta face the fact that I could never have a special somepony of my own."

"Don't say that Pecan, anypony can find a special somepony. You might've just been some little colt, but you're a full grown stallion now. There must be plenty of mares who'd want to be with you."

"You're wrong; even throughout high school, no mare would even acknowledge me. (And I was on the hoofball team.) Even at the prom, I was the only one without a date. If I couldn't even get a girlfriend durin' school, then how could I ever get one now that I graduated?"

Seeing as how he was getting close to tears, Minuette laid her hoof upon his shoulder and tried to comfort him. "Pecan, look at me. Do you know what I see? I see a very dashing and kind stallion who would make any mare happy. None of those mares may see it, but I do. And trust me Pecan, I'm not just saying this to make you feel better; I really do mean it. Because after watching you grow from that sweet, little colt to the handsome stallion you are right now, I just know that you'll find that special somepony."

While they were having this conversation, Button was receiving some praise from his family as well. "I'm so proud of you, Button." His mom was saying while she was hugging him and shedding tears of joy.

"Was there really any doubt?" his dad said rhetorically while ruffling Button's hair.

His brother however was appearing to be a tad bit jealous as he said in a snarky manner, "Yeah, well you better hope that he doesn't screw up by the time he goes to college."

To this, Button said, "Don't worry Gibson, I promise I won't drop out after the first exam and spend the rest of my life in Mom's basement."

While Button chuckled to himself, Gibson's face had turned red when he blurted out, "Oh shut up you little dweeb!"

"Gibson," his mom scolded him, "that's no way to be talking to your brother!"

"Oh well excuse me Mom," Gibson exclaimed, "I forgot that he's your favorite!"

His dad decided to add something to the matter. "Now son, you know very well that your mother and I love you and Button equally; there's no such thing as a favorite child."

Button then tried to make peace with him. "Look Gibson, I know that we've never really get along that much, but we shouldn't always be like this. You're still my brother after all."

Gibson tried hard to fight back his emotions but would eventually give in. "All right, come here you cap wearing dork." As soon as the two of them embraced each other, Gibson whispered a little advice to his brother. "Try to hang on to that mare of yours (Celestia knows I couldn't)."

Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle was standing around another part of Sugarcube Corner as she too was being praised by her family. "It's so great to see daddy's little girl finish high school." Her dad said while giving Sweetie a hug.

Her mom then commented, "Yeah, now all that's left is for her to make us grandparents."

Sweetie's cheeks started to turn red while her sister added, "I take it that Button is planning on proposing?"

To this, Sweetie said, "Well he has been trying his best lately."

"You mean that pony who does nothing but play video games all day?!" her dad exclaimed. "Now Sweetie, I might understand that boy being your first love, but shouldn't you consider marrying somepony more mature--or at least athletic?"

"Now Hondo," her mom said, "you should know better than to be judging your daughter's stallion. Let's not forget that you weren't exactly the romantic type yourself; after all, you were the one who took me to a hoofball game on our wedding anniversary."

"Well I for one don't mind at all whom my sister marries," her sister stated, "just as long as I get to design her dress."

"Well of course you are, Rarity," said Sweetie. "Who else would make my dress for free?" they all paused for a brief moment, but then slowly started to join together in laughter.

Around the same time, Rumble was finding himself being tightly hugged by his foalsitters as they were both shedding some waterworks. "Our Rumby is all grown up!" cried Cloud Chaser.

"I knew this day would come," added Flitter, "but why did it have to be so soon?!"

The second Thunderlane was able to pry the twins off of his brother, he said to them, "Now girls, as much as I wish that Rumble can remain my baby brother forever, he's gonna have to grow up at some point. Right Mom and Pop?"

"Yep, he ain't no colt anymore." Said his dad.

"Besides, how else are we gonna have grandchildren?" his mom asked.

Upon bringing that up, Cloud Chaser asked Rumble, "You know Rumble, you and Scootaloo have been together since third grade; any plans of a wedding anytime soon?"

Rumble's cheeks started to turn red as he stammered, "W-well, w-we have been thinking about maybe mo-moving in together."

After letting out a collective "Ooh" Flitter was the first to say, "Just promise us that when you two lovebirds finally have some foals of your own, that you'll let us be the ones to foalsit them."

"Well of course you will," Rumble assured them. "You two are the best foalsitters in Equestria."

As the twins were playfully kissing his cheeks after that compliment, Rumble's dad said to Thunderlane, "That reminds me, Thunderlane, when are you gonna move back to Cloudsdale and lend your mother and I a hoof?"

"Whoa, whoa, this isn't about me, this is about my bro finally becoming a stallion." In an attempt to not further the discussion, Thunderlane quickly wrapped Rumble in a headlock and commenced to giving him a noogie.

"Ah, Thunderlane, stop!" cried Rumble.

"Come on little bro, this might be the last time I'll ever get to be with ya," said Thunderlane, "so we might as well make it last."

While Rumble was getting his graduation noogie, Scootaloo was having a few words with her "big sister". "Oh squirt, I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am. First you finally learn how to fly, then you get your Cutie Mark, and now here you are graduating from high school. It's like you just make me proud everyday."

"I'll say!" shouted Rainbow Dash's over enthused mother, Windy Whistles. "Seeing the way you accept your diploma and shook hooves with your principal, it made me just as proud as when Rainbow Dash graduated!"

"You said it, honey!" her equally supportive husband, Bow Hothoof, concurred. "Why, it practically feels like it was just yesterday that you were just a little trotter who popped up into our front lawn to do a report on our Rainbow Dash, and know you're all grown up! I'm crying just thinking about it!"

As Rainbow's dad took the time to let out some liquid pride, Scootaloo's Aunt Holiday decided to share a few words as well.

"I just know that your mom and dad are going to be absolutely thrilled once I deliver a copy of this recording to them."

"Thanks everypony," Scootaloo finally got to speak up. "You've all been such a great help for me to get to where I am now, and it means a lot to me that you all were able to take some time to attend the ceremony."

"Hey, being a Wonderbolt might mean a lot to me," said Rainbow Dash, "but my sister comes first, no matter what."

"And we just know that you're ready to embrace the world on your own." Windy Whistles proclaimed.

"Oh I won't be alone, I got Rumble by my side."

"Yeah, about that stallion of yours," Scootaloo's Auntie Lofty spoke with a teasing smirk, "were the two of you planning on a little celebratory foalplay after this party?"

"Oh Lofty," her wife retorted, "you know very well that our Scootaloo never thinks of such things."

It was at this point that Scootaloo began rubbing the back of her neck as she made her confession, "Well...I did promise him that we'll wait until graduation, and we finally did graduate, so I was thinking..."

"Wait until you're married!" Rainbow Dash's overprotective-big-sister-mode had kicked in, "I might not have a stallion myself, but I know for a fact that you're not gonna let Thunderlane's perverted brother take advantage of you that easily!"

"Rainbow, I've known him since we were foals, there's no way that he'll do anything like that."

"Well be that as it may, I don't want you to do anything stupid. But if you want to buck him so badly, then at least promise me that you'll use protection."

"Of course Rainbow, who wouldn't?"

"That reminds me!" Bow Hothoof rummaged through a nearby bag mostly full of Scootaloo styled attire, rally flags, and confetti, until he pulled out a square box wrapped in indigo wrapping paper with gold stars upon it.

Eagerly unwrapping her graduation present, Scootaloo's anticipation quickly dissolved into a mixture of embarrassment and confusion when she discovered that she's holding a box of Friesian condoms. "Thanks Bow, these will certainly come in handy."

"I gave Rainbow those condoms when Windy and I thought that she and Zephyr were going to be a couple."

"How come the two of you never did hookup?" Windy turned her attention back to her daughter. "The two of you were so cute together at the prom."

"We've been over this, Mom," Rainbow explained through gritted teeth, "I only danced with Zephyr because I felt sorry for him; it was never meant to be serious!"

That's when Scootaloo's Auntie Lofty presented hers and Holiday's gift to their niece. "And if you two lovebirds do end up having a foal together, you'll at least have a nice, warm quilt that wrap that little bundle of joy in." The two aunts unveiled a graduation themed quilt containing a black graduate cap alongside a diploma, with Scootaloo's graduation year beneath it.

Scootaloo's eyes began to overflow with tears of joy as she said, "Auntie Lofty, Aunt Holiday, you two always knit the best quilts." Feeling a profound sense of love for her aunts, Scootaloo wrapped her hooves around them in a group hug, with Rainbow Dash and her parents joining in as well.

By that time, my girlfriend was beginning to worry about me. Even while her sister, brother, and grandmother were congratulating her, all she could think about was whether I was going to make it or not. "What's the matter, sugarcube?" Applejack asked her. "Ya don't seem awfully thrilled ta finally be done with high school."

Apple Bloom was able to snap out of whatever trance she was in and told her, "Sorry sis, it's just that Sheldon hasn't made it yet and I..."

This was when her brother interrupted her, "Now Apple Bloom, ya got a lot more ta be worryin' about than that mute stallion of yers."

"Yer brother's right," said Granny Smith, "you should be lookin' ferward ta all the big work you'll finally start doin' around the farm."

"But there's no need ta worry, sugarcube," Applejack assured her, "you'll still have plenty of time ta spend with Sheldon; it ain't like he's gonna be arrested or anythin'."

"TWILIGHT!"

Everypony had immediately stopped whatever they were just doing the second Spike came running inside. "Spike, what is it?" Twilight asked.

He then told her as he was catching his breath, "Shining Armor...he...he's arresting Sheldon's family!"

"What?!" upon receiving this information, Twilight--and pretty much all the ponies who were inside--had ran out of the building to see Shining Armor leading my parents, grandparents, and Dr. Egghead in chains. "Shining, what the hay are you doing?!"

"Calm down, Twily, I'm just following Celestia's orders." Shining Armor stated.

"Why would the princess want you to be arresting these ponies?" Twilight clearly wanted answers.

"Yeah, what have they ever done to you?!"

Shining Armor had turned around to see nearly half of the whole town witnessing the whole confrontation. "Just relax, everypony!" Shining Armor was announcing. "These five are under arrest for the assistance of an escaped suspect!"

Twilight tried to defend my families'--and therapist's--good name. "Shining, I've known these ponies for quite some time, and I can assure you that they're not what you think they are. And also, who might I ask is this suspect that they were supposedly helping?"

"The suspect's name is Sheldon Clopper."

Upon mentioning my name, everypony started to murmur amongst themselves until somepony in the crowd asked, "What's his crime?"

"It has come to Princess Celestia's attention that the pony known as Sheldon Clopper is a suspected Mindbender. And after what I've just experienced, I can honestly say that those suspicions are true. As soon as we tried to arrest him, he...he used his powers to kill my whole squad--including Flash Sentry."

Everypony was in a state of disbelief when they had heard this new information--especially Twilight. But even that wasn't enough to dissuade her, "As dreadful as it may be, I still doubt that Sheldon would purposely kill somepony. This must be some misunderstanding, why don't we just talk with him?"

She sure is OK with her buck buddy being dead. "I'm afraid that's out of the question, Twily. Because just as soon as Sheldon was done butchering my squad, he took the opportunity to run as far away as possible. His family and therapist, however, weren't as lucky; which is why they're going to appear before Celestia and answer for their crime."

"Since when is protecting your child a crime?!" my mom suddenly cried.

"Do you even know what it's like to have a son?!" my dad asked in a way that was meant to insult him.

"I already have you all in chains, so don't push it!" before Twilight could further the argument, Shining Armor said. "OK, Twilight, and everypony, just go back inside and don't worry! I assure you all that the princess shall have this resolved by tomorrow!"

After Shining Armor had succeeded in silencing everypony, they all just turned around and went back to Sugarcube Corner.

Back inside, Twilight was pacing back and forth in a frantic manner as she was starting to put the pieces together. "It's no wonder that he ran from me the first time we met; he must've thought that I would find out he's a Mindbender and inform Celestia."

Spike walked up to her and whispered, "So...all this stuff about Celestia executing Mindbenders were true?"

"I'm afraid so, Spike. And unless I can talk some sense into her, I don't think things are going to bode well for Sheldon and his family. All right Spike, I'm going over to Canterlot to at least try to convince Celestia to spare Sheldon and his family; you just stay here and keep an eye on everypony."

With the power of her magic, she teleported herself right out of Sugarcube Corner and left Spike alone with a big crowd of ponies who're clearly just as confused and worried as he is. After long minutes of awkward silence, Rumble was able to work-up enough courage to ask Spike, "So...Spike, they teach you any of this stuff back at Canterlot?"

"Oh yeah," Spike replied, "although, they don't exactly want us to talk about it, though."

"Well...could you at least explain to us what a Mindbender is?"

"Well to put it bluntly, a Mindbender is somepony that can use Mind Powers."

"What kind of powers?" Pecan asked.

Spike then gave him a list, "Let's see, there's stuff like moving objects, reading ponies minds, mind control, just name it."

"You mean like how he got Rumble out when he played kickball with us?" everypony turned when Button had blurted that out.

"What're you talking about, Button?" asked Rumble.

"Well, when you bucked that ball, it looked as if that you would've kicked it all the way to the moon. And yet it just somehow fallen right into Sheldon's hooves just like that?"

"Say, he's right," said Pecan. "Maybe that was probably how Sheldon was able ta beat Apple Bloom in all those challenges."

Sweetie then added, "And that might also explain why he always got a perfect score on a test."

"I knew it!" Highbrow suddenly shouted out. "I've always had a feeling that he cheated on that test somehow; I just never suspected that he was some kind of mind controlling freak!"

"Don't you dare talk about him that way, you pompous, spoiled brat!" Apple Bloom tried to defend my good name.

"You watch your mouth, farm girl!" Diamond Tiara got in her way, "Unless you want Princess Celestia to know that you've been dating a wanted criminal all the way through high school. I don't even know who I should feel more sorry for: you, or Silver Spoon."

"Well I just hope that Celestia puts that freak's head on pike!" Highbrow commented.

"Oh don't be ridiculous," Scootaloo said, "I know Celestia can be hard at times, but even I doubt that she would go so far as to kill somepony."

"Oh yes she can." Everyone stood silent when Granny Smith had made that statement. "Believe me, I've been around here far longer than any of y'all and I've seen things that should probably have been forgotten. Pecan, you remember when you and yer friends came back from school and I met Sheldon fer the first time?"

"Yeah."

"Well, when I looked upon his Cutie Mark, it reminded me of the first stallion that I've ever loved. (And I know this because he had the exact same Cutie Mark that Sheldon has.) When I was just a filly, when Ponyville had just recently been discovered, my family had been makin' many deals with a lot of rich families. One of them had a son who was about my age. His name was Romeo; and even after all these years, I could never forget his silver fur, or his long, golden hair. Whenever my daddy would do business with his daddy, me and him would mostly just play around in the orchard. I would do all sorts of things just ta get on his nerves; like splashin' mud all over him, or tossin' rotten apples at him. But at some point, my attitude tawards him would change when I finally found out that he was one of them Mindbenders. Sometimes he would use his Mind Powers to braid my hair or place a flower on my ear whenever he felt like bein' romantic. And throughout both of our lives, we would develop a love that would last up ta adulthood. Around that time, he and I decided ta do a little experimentin' that would result in me gettin' pregnant. When both of our families found out, they were of course out raged. But Romeo was able ta make peace when he proposed that we join our families together in marriage. When the weddin' finally did came, it was probably goin' ta be the happiest day of my life. That is until..."

"Until what, Granny Smith?" Apple Bloom asked.

Tears started to drop from her eyes, as she continued with her story. "By the time we were suppose ta kiss each other and become husband and wife, a royal guard had shoved a spear into the back of Romeo's head. The guard then started ta tell us that Celestia had declared all Mindbenders ta be enemies of Equestria, and that she was headin' over ta their temple ta wipe the rest of them out. When the guard had found out that I had Romeo's child in me, he ordered me ta drink this potion that would abort it. I refused at first, but then I had ta when he threatened ta burn down Sweet Apple Acres and arrest my entire family as traitors. After all of that, I was able ta marry some other pony and was able ta give birth ta y'alls daddy. But when I laid eyes upon Sheldon's Cutie Mark, I immediately remembered all those horrible things that had happened so long ago. And whenever I was seein' Apple Bloom with him, a bit of me knew that they'd probably suffer the same misery that I had ta after I lost my Romeo."

...

After that dark backstory, everypony had went on to their homes--including Apple Bloom's family. As soon as they were back in Sweet Apple Acres, Big Mac had helped Granny Smith into bed and went down stairs to have a discussion with his sisters. "I've always known that there would be no good in my sister datin' some city pony."

"Now Big Mac, none of us could of guessed that Sheldon was some kind of endangered species." Said Applejack.

"He ain't just that," he stated, "he's also a threat ta this family."

"Big Mac, Sheldon could never be that." Apple Bloom said.

"Oh yes he could," Big Mac declared, "and startin' tomorrow, I don't want ta hear anymore about him."

"What do ya mean?"

"You might've had yer fun in the barn with him when y'all were foals, but now it's time fer ya ta do what's best fer yer family. Which is why you're gonna ferget everythin' about that Mindbender and find yerself another stallion."

Apple Bloom looked as if her whole heart had shattered. "But I don't want another stallion; I love Sheldon!"

"Now don't you even think about startin' any of that, what you two had was just puppy love. Now you can either move on and find another stallion ta love, or you can spend the rest of yer life alone. But either way, you're not gonna put this family at risk!"

"But I..."

"No buts! now go ta yer room this instant!"

As soon as she had ran up to her room, she landed on her bed and cried into a pillow. She stopped when she heard a tapping on her window. When she opened it, she was surprised to see that it was me. "Sheldon!" she whispered in contained excitement. She then wrapped her hooves around me and started to rapidly kiss my cheek. "How the hay did ya even get up here!" I pointed to huge stacks of hay that were just piling next to her side of the house like a flight of stairs. "Oh yeah, I keep forgettin' those bales of hay were still there."

Seeing as how there's no longer any point in trying to hide my secret, I levitated my board and chalk and I've written, "I assume that everypony has heard about what's happened?"

"Oh yeah, we all saw yer family bein' all chained-up and heard about you bein' some kind of Mindbender. Clearly those rumors are true."

"Does this mean that you don't want to be my girlfriend anymore?"

"I don't care if you have Mind Powers, I'm just glad ta see you all right. What are ya even doin' here, anyway? aren't ya worried that some of the guards might find you?"

"I know. Which is why I'm planning on heading east." I erased that sentence. "I just wanted to say goodbye."

"Ta all of us?"

"I wish I could, but I can't risk being spotted by any guards." I then tried to write something romantic. "At least I got to see you one last time."

"It doesn't have ta end like this; let's go east together." I shook my head. "Why not? ya love me, don't ya?"

"Yes, I do. Which is why I can't risk putting you in danger as well." I erased that sentence. "My family is already suffering because of me, you shouldn't have to suffer too." This next sentence was hurting me a little. "Which is why this might be the last time we'll ever see each other again."

"Oh Sheldon, I wish this wasn't so."

"I know, after all the hard work I had to go through just to win your heart, I don't want this as much as you." I then written a suggestion. "Why don't we do something special on this night?"

"Like what?" when she saw what I had in mind on my board, she blushed a little as she whispered, "Ya sure about this?"

"Yes. Since Celestia is probably hunting for my head right about now, I figured that we can't wait for this."

"All right, then."

When I came into her room, she undid her pink bow and allowed her lovely red hair to flow around her. We then climbed into the bed together, wrapped our hooves around each other, kissed each other with as much passion as we can muster, and then we were both under the covers as we were experiencing foal play for the first--and possibly last time.