Author's Note
Just something that I've been working on for a while.
Missing the mark
MISSING THE MARK
BY
BUBBLEPUFF
“Cutie mark crusaders foal sitters!” Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo shouted in unison. All three fillies had on their CMC capes as they stood outside of Sugarcube corner.
“Listen up crusaders” Applebloom said to her friends. “Tonight is the night we get our cutie marks!”
“I don’t see how looking after some babies is going to get us our cutie marks” Scootaloo said questionably.
“It’s simple” said Sweetie Belle. “Looking after babies is the ultimate responsibility. If we pull this off, it will prove that we are mature and dependable. It’s the perfect recipe for getting a cutie mark.”
“You mean when we pull this off” Applebloom interjected. “Remember, we’re the cutie mark crusaders, and nothing can stop us!” The three fillies knocked at the door to Sugarcube corner. It opened and they were greeted by Mr. Cake.
“Hello girls, come on in!” Mr. Cake said with a smile. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo entered Sugarcube corner. Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake were playing with their toys on the rug, while Mrs. Cake was in the kitchen. “I’m so glad you girls could come on such short notice. The order for this big party only came in a few hours ago, and Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash are all busy with that big meeting in Canterlot.”
Mrs. Cake came out of the kitchen with huge cart full of cookies, cupcakes, and a giant cake in the center. She looked down at the three fillies. “Are you girls sure you can handle this? Because even Pinkie Pie had a hard time when she first foal sat the twins.”
“You have nothing to worry about” Applebloom said. “The three of us are more than capable of looking after a couple of babies.”
Mr. Cake motioned to Mrs. Cake that they had to go and grabbed cart. Mrs. Cake handed Applebloom a scroll of how to take care of the twins. She kissed both Pumpkin and Pound on the head and then left with Mr. Cake. As soon as Mr. and Mrs. Cake were gone, Pumpkin and Pound both looked over at Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. The three fillies smiled, but then both of the Cake twins burst out crying. The CMC immediately covered their ears.
“I told you this was a bad idea!” Scootaloo shouted over the crying of the Cake twins. Applebloom looked through the scroll of instructions that Mr. and Mrs. Cake had left for them. She looked through to and determine what would make Pumpkin and Pound Cake stop crying.
Applebloom eventually set down the scroll. “The list says it’s their dinner time” The three CMC grabbed the Cake twins and put them in their high chairs. Applebloom searched through all the cupboards. Eventually she was able to find the baby food. Climbing up on a chair, Applebloom offered the twins a spoonful of food. “Open wide!” Pumpkin and Pound Cake shut their mouths and turned their heads, refusing to eat the food. “I guess they’re not hungry.”
Scootaloo became frustrated. “Nah, they’re just being bossy little brats” Scootaloo took the baby food from Applebloom. “Listen you two, it’s dinner time so eat!” Scootaloo then shoved the spoon into Pound Cake’s mouth. “See girls, you just have to be forceful” Pound Cake then spat out the food all over Scootaloo’s face. Both of the Cake twins, along with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, broke out laughing. Scootaloo wiped off her face. “Why you little punk!” Scootaloo reached for the Cake twins, but Sweetie Belle and Applebloom held her back.
“Calm down Scootaloo” Sweetie Belle said. “They’re just babies, they didn’t do it on purpose” Scootaloo calmed down, but still gave the Cake twins a mean look. Sweetie Belle then looked through the scroll. “Well if they aren't hungry, then what else could be wrong?” The three CMC then sniffed the air and instantly held their noses.
“I think know what the problem is” Applebloom said. “And you’re not going to like the answer.”
Scootaloo shook her head. “Oh no. There is NO way I’m changing a dirty diaper.”
“But Scootaloo, this might be how we finally get our cutie marks” Sweetie Belle said. She then made her famous big puppy dog eyes and lip quiver.
Scootaloo let out a frustrated sigh. “Fine! But let’s make this quick” The three CMC took Pumpkin and Pound Cake to the nursery to be changed.
Once in the nursery, The CMC put the cake twins on the changing table. They removed the twins diapers, Applebloom gagged. “Gah! It smells worse than the pig pen in the summer!” Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo cleaned up Pumpkin and Pound Cake. As they went to put on the clean diapers, Pumpkin Cake teleported off of the changing table.
“What the hay?” Sweetie Belle said. She tried to jump down and grab Pumpkin Cake, but she just teleported away again. Sweetie Belle landed with a thud.
Applebloom snuck up from behind and grabbed Pumpkin Cake. “Gotcha!” Applebloom shouted. However, Pumpkin Cake just teleported out of Applebloom’s hooves.
Sweetie Belle and Applebloom both charged at Pumpkin Cake. Just as they were about to catch her, Pumpkin Cake teleported out of the way. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom collided with one another, bonking their heads. Pumpkin Cake giggled, then ran out of the nursery.
Sweetie Belle and Applebloom gave chase. “Scootaloo, make sure Pound Cake doesn’t go anywhere” Applebloom said before leaving the nursery.
Scootaloo smirked. “How much trouble can he be?” Scootaloo turned back to the changing table, only to find that Pound Cake had somehow gotten down on the floor. “What? Get back here!” Scootaloo hopped down and went after Pound Cake. Just as she was about to grab him, Pound Cake flew up into the air.
“You...can fly!?!” Scootaloo said with a mixture of shock and anger. Pound Cake flew in circles giggling. Scootaloo jumped up in the air, flapping her wings as hard as she could, but she just could not fly. “GET DOWN HERE NOW!” she shouted at Pound Cake.
Pound Cake dive bombed Scootaloo, causing her to duck for cover. Scootaloo finally had enough. She climbed up on the and perched herself atop one of the corner posts. Timing everything just right, Scootaloo jumped in the air and grabbed Pound Cake as he flew by. The two landed safely in the crip.
Pound Cake Smiled at Scootaloo, but Scootaloo was so mad that her face had turned red. “WHY?!” Scootaloo shouted. “Why can a dumb baby like you fly already, but I can’t?! You’re only a few months old, and you can do it with ease. I’ve been trying my whole life, and I still can’t fly! This isn’t fair! You don’t deserve to fly! I’m the one who should be flying, NOT YOU!” Pound Cake began to cry and then screamed loudly.
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle had finally caught Pumpkin Cake when they heard the crying. They both rushed back into the nursery. Applebloom saw Scootaloo holding Pound Cake, who was crying hysterically. “What the hay is going on in here?” Applebloom asked. “Scootaloo, what did you do?”
Tears ran down Scootaloo’s face. She put down Pound Cake and ran out of the nursery. Sweetie Belle handed Pumpkin Cake to Applebloom. “You watch the twins. I’ll go check on Scootaloo” Sweetie Belle then ran after Scootaloo. She found her sitting on the front steps of the entrance to Sugarcube Corner, crying into her hooves.
Sweetie Belle sat down next to Scootaloo. “Scootaloo, why you crying?”
Scootaloo looked up at Sweetie Belle, her eyes red from crying so hard. “A baby can fly, but I can’t! A baby with no training has mastered flying, but I’m still stuck on the ground. Life is unfair!” Sweetie Belle then hugged Scootaloo.
“Pound Cake is just a baby, Scootaloo. He wasn’t trying to mock you” Sweetie Belle said. “And so you can’t fly. You’ve already accomplished so many things without flying”
“Like what?” Scootaloo asked sarcastically.
“Well, you carried the flag of Ponyville along with me and Applebloom during the opening ceremony of the Equestrian games” said Sweetie Belle. “How many flying babies have done that?”
Scootaloo chuckled. “Yeah, You’re right about that. But what if I never learn to fly?”
Sweetie Belle placed a hoof on her shoulder. “One day you will, because I know you will. You’re the toughest filly that I know Scootaloo, you can do anything”
Scootaloo hugged Sweetie Belle. “You always know how to cheer me up. Now come on, let’s go back inside and help Applebloom with Pumpkin and Pound Cake”
Later that evening, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were all exhausted. They finally got the Cake twins to calm down, and played with them until they fell asleep. They were overjoyed when Mr. and Mrs. Cake came home.
“Well girls, how were the twins?” Mrs. Cake asked.
“A hooffull” said Applebloom.
“Loud” said Sweetie Belle.
“Messy” said Scootaloo.
“Oh my, I hope they weren’t too much trouble” Mr. Cake said.
“Foal Sitting just isn’t for us” Scootaloo said. “We’ll just find another way to get our cutie marks”
“Well, we still appreciate looking after the twins for the night” Mr. Cake paid Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, And Scootaloo one bit each for their work.
“Well that was a lot harder than I thought” Applebloom said as the three walked home.
“Maybe we should try something easier, like fire juggling” Scootaloo said with a smile.
“Or bull riding” Sweetie Belle replied. The three CMC laughed as they walked off into the night.
