A Different Tale

Dinky sighed, as she rode in the fling chariot. The two pegasi in front seemed to notice and asked. ''Is there anything wrong, madam?''

''No, there's nothing wrong...................just thinking about mine and Twilight's tasks when we get to Ponyville, isn't that right, little sister?''

''Y-yea....'' mumbled Twilight, deciding to simple agree to back up her older sister. ''So, Dinky, should we go through the tasks that we need to supervise?''

''Sure......I guess that could pass the time.''

''Okay, first up on the list:banquet preparations. Apparently we have to go to a apple farm by the name of Sweet Apple Acres. Then we have weather control, done by a pegasus pony by the name of Scootaloo, and it evens states that her younger sister Rainbow Dash may be helping her...3rd up is decorations in the town hall, anypony could be supervising the job and after that, we have music. Not much information on the music, but it should be on the edge of town.''

The chariot began to lower to the ground as they reached Ponyville. Dinky nodded, accepting all of the chores she had to do for the day. ''Well, once we have finished all of our tasks, we should be able to research up on Nightmare Moon so we know how to find the elements to send her back to the moon.''

The chariot landed on the ground, and the sisters hopped out of the cart. ''Thank you, good sirs.'' said Twilight, for her older sister who had already started to wander off. ''So, we're heading to the apple farm now, but where is the apple farm?''

''Oh, I can answer you that. But firsts, where is mama's hug.'' said a voice, surprising Dinky till she turned around and saw a gray pegasus, with a blonde mane and golden wonky eyes. On the mare's flank was a group of bubbles.

''Mom/Mama.'' cried the mare and filly in unison as they hugged their mother. Derpy smiled down at her children, as Dinky asked. ''Didn't you say that you would be at town hall though?''

''Yeah, but I saw the chariot flying in and so decided to come and greet you here instead. So, you need to go to the apple farm. You know the way already, Dinky. Don't you?'' asked the mother. When Dinky nodded, she smiled and then asked. ''So what has the princess got you to do?''

''We have to supervise the preparations for the Summer Suns Celebration and Dinky has to make some friends, something she hasn't done since prior to her entrance exam.''

''I see. But why does the princess wish for her to make friends here, why not back in Canterlot at the school?''

''I have no idea, mama........but apparently, we just have too. Even I have to make friends, I don't know anypony here.....''

''I know, sweetie. But, you should do what the princess is asking of you. Are you listening to me, Dinky Hooves. You left your friends back when you transferred to the school and took Twilight with you. Look, I get that you loved to learn and practice your magic but if the princess were to ask me to make friends, I would listen to her.'' said Derpy with a smile. ''Now, run along and complete your tasks. I'll let your father and Sparkler now about your return.''

Dinky frowned, she didn't like the idea that not just the princess and her sister wanted her to make friends, but her mother as well. Her day just keep getting better and better, she thought with a hint of sarcasm in her internal voice. She mentally shook her head, and looked down at her sister. ''Let's get to the farm..''

Twilight sighed and shook her head, before they began to walk to Sweet Apple Acres. The apple farm was massive, covering at least a third of the town. Apparently apples were a very big business in Ponyville. And just by looking at the bright red apples, Twilight was getting hungry and wondered if the apples would let her and Dinky sample some of the products.

The earthen path up to the orchard did take a minute to take, as the farm seemed to be resting on the top of a hill. As they made it to the top, a clear and happy voice rang through their ears as a pony ran by them. ''Yeehaw!'' The pony stopped suddenly and kicked one of the many apple trees, the apples then dropped into some neatly placed baskets as the mare took delight in her hard work.

The mare was a pale yellow colored earth pony with a two-toned mane of red and a darker shade of red, that at a further distance away could have been classed as brown. Her eyes were a stunning orange color and resting on her flank was a cutie mark of a half-painted red apple, with a couple of apple blossoms and a paint brush resting just in front of it with a red tip.

Dinky sighed and walked up to the mare, with a awkward smile painted on her periwinkle features. ''I am Dinky Hooves and this is my little sister, Twilight Hooves. And we have come to check up on how the banquet is getting along.''

''Why. Howdy, Miss Hooves. A pleasure to meetin' yer acquaintance. Mah name is Applebloom and ah help run this place with my Momma Smith. Though, my little sister, AJ, also helps.'' said the yellow mare, now referred to as Applebloom. ''We here at Sweet Apple Acres love to make new friends.''

''.....Friends?'' mumbled Dinky, shaking her head. ''No....I just-''

The mare didn't listen and grabbed a triangle. She rang it. ''Soups on, everypony. We have guests!''

Twilight and Dinky looked at each other, with confusion. That was until a hurricane of ponies ran by them. ''Oh bu-.'' They cried, as they suddenly ended up behind the table. Applebloom popped up next to them. Twilight looked at her. ''W-what?''

''Let me introduce ya'll to mah family.'' All of the ponies began to put food down as Applebloom introduced them. ''Apple Fritter. Apple Bumpkin. Red Gala. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp'' She took a deep breath and turned to her main family.

She first pointed to a earth pony filly with a orange coat, blonde mane and green eyes. She already had her mark like Twilight, it was of 3 red apples and across her muzzle was a set of white freckles. On her back was a baby colt of a red coat, orange mane and green eyes like his apparent big sister. ''Over there is my little sister and brother, Applejack and Little Macintosh, though easily named Little Mac.''

Applebloom then looked over to a slightly older mare, who had a pale mint green coat, light blonde mane and orange eyes like Applebloom. ''This here is my Momma Smith and the owner of our little apple farm. Momma, come say hi to our new friends.''

The mare, Momma Smith, nodded and walked over. ''Howdy, little friend. Ah hope ya will be able to put up with my grandchild.''

''Well, Ah'd say she's already part of the family.'' said Applebloom, wrapping a hoof around Dinky's shoulder, creeping the mare out a little.

''Well, I can see that the food situation is sorted.....but me and Twilight need to get going now.''

''Can't ya stay for brunch?'' asked Applejack, the small filly looking up at her with pleading eyes. The baby on her back did the same.

''....Sorry, but we have so much.....'' Everypony in the Apple Family made a disappointed sigh, making Dinky feel sorry as she grumbled. ''Fine....''

''Well....it seems the food is sorted...'' mumbled Twilight, her belly was a little swollen but she had not eaten nearly as much as her sister.

''...I ate too much pie...'' grumbled Dinky, her stomach very swollen. She didn't want to disappoint the apples so she accepted their wishes and ate against her body's wishes. ''What's next on that list that the princess gave you?''

''Yeah, weather management done by Scootaloo and her little sisters.''

Dinky looked up at the sky, with a frown. ''Well, they aren't doing a very good job now are they.'' A soaring sound ran through her ears, as a flash of orange and purple ran right into her. She groaned as she looked at the pegasus, who had landed on her.

The pegasus was a mare that had a orange coat, with blue splatters. Her mane was purple yet there was strains in it that was rainbow in color. Her eyes were different colors, one of magenta and the other of purple. Her cutie mark was the only normal thing, it was of a what looked like a scooter wheel with a wing and lighting bolt coming off it. All in all though, the mare looked like some sort of lab experiment gone wrong. She flapped her wings and flew off Dinky. ''Uh.....sorry?'' She sheepishly laughed after speaking. ''Uh, want me to help?''

Dinky stared at her, groaning under her breath. She was sitting in a puddle, as Twilight stared at her with shocked eyes. The mare's mane was coated in muddy water. She stared at the pegasus, as the oddly colored mare grabbed a gray cloud and jumped on it, to get it to let out water.

The orange and blue pegasus stared down at her, chuckling nervously as she saw Dinky now soaking wet. ''Guess I overdid it.'' She decided to fly around her, in attempt to dry the poor unicorn. ''How about that, my own personal scoot-ta-dry.'' She then burst laughing at the unicorn's appearance.

The poor unicorn, now having a fluffed up mane, groaned and grumbled as she stared at the laughing pegasus. ''I guessing your Scootaloo.''

''You heard of me or something, am I famous?'' asked the pegasus, now known as Scootaloo.

''Yeah....famously stupid.'' She rolled her eyes, and shook her head mentally. She decided to come in from a more friendly approach. ''I came here to check up how clear the skies are and it's obvious that you haven't been doing your job.''

''That's 'cause I been practicing to join the wonderbolts. Me and my little sister, Rainbow Dash, have dreamed of joining them for years.''

''Oh, the wonderbolts? As in the most fastest, coolest and stylish pegasi in Equestria?'' Dinky scoffed causing Twilight to giggle a little. ''Sorry to break it to you, but the wonderbolts would never take a peagsus who can't even keep the sky clean for a day.''

Suddenly a small filly pegasus flew in front of Dinky, scowling. ''Don't treat my big sister, like that! She is the best pegasus in Ponyville!'' The filly's magenta eyes and cyan coat made her look a little like Scootaloo, but it was the full-on rainbow mane that looked unique, even more so then Scootaloo's apparently failed attempt at dying her mane.

Another filly sat next to Scootaloo, curling a big of her mane around her hooves. Unlike the rainbow maned filly, she was a light yellow pegasus with a long length of pink mane. Her teal eyes refused to look at them when she spoke. ''T-that...is if you don't mind.'' Her flank shimmered in the light as a cloud passed by the sun, on that pale flank was a cutie mark of 3 pink butterflies. Next to the filly was a white bunny.

''Rainbow, I know you want to help me but let me talk to Miss....?''

''Her name is Dinky..'' mumbled Twilight, as she pulled down the rainbow maned filly, Rainbow, to the ground. Rainbow sighed but stayed on the floor.

''Miss Dinky. Now, you fillies, go along and play. I need to chat with Dinky.'' said Scootaloo, the young fillies looked at each other and ran off to introduce themselves to each other. ''Now, Dinky. Are you saying I can't get this sky clean? I can clear their skies within 10 seconds flat!''

''Prove it.'' said Dinky, wanting to test the mare.

The orange and blue mare glared at the unicorn. ''Your on.'' She soared into the air and did various flips and kicks as she removed the various clouds from the sky. Dinky, who had been silently timing it, stared up at Scootaloo with shock when it was discovered that the mare had indeed cleared the sky within 10 secrets. ''See. Ten. Secrets. Flat. You should see the look are your face. Hope to see you around, Dinky. You seem fun. Also, I suggest you take a look at your face. It's hysterical.''

''I...um...uh...'' Dinky stuttered, from her shock.

''Come along, Fluttershy, Rainbow. We have more training to do.''

''Aw yeah!'' cried Rainbow, with excitement as she didn't even brother to say bye to Twilight, who frowned. She thought that Rainbow was her friend.

Fluttershy, feeling sorry for the filly, hugged her. ''Rainbow's just being Rainbow....whenever, it comes to big sister, Scootaloo...she's always like this. Don't worry about it, Twilight....See you later, I hope I'll see you when Celestia raises the sun.'' The tall pegasus filly ran after her sisters.

Twilight simple blushed, she didn't know what her feeling was but she couldn't get the pegasus out of her mind. ''Okay, Twilight. You are 12 years old. AND SHE'S A FILLY, LIKE YOU!'' She tried to slam some sense into her, when she noticed her sister's still shocked face. ''Uh....sis, she's gone....''

Dinky snapped out of it, and stared down at her little sister with confused eyes. ''Okay, so what just happened....I was talking to Scootaloo, while you were playing with her sisters...uh Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, I think...and I dared her to completely clear the skies in 10 seconds....and she did it. So that why I was out of it...'' She mumbled as her memories cleared up. She then noticed Twilight's faint blush. ''Aww, does my baby sister have a crush? So, who's the lucky colt?''

''S-shut up!'' cried Twilight. She then shook her head and looked down. ''D-don't get mad...b-but...it's F-Fluttershy.....''

''S-so...my baby sister is a fillyfooler.....''

''S-shut up.....Come on, we need to check up on the decorations....'' She then took a good look at her sister's appearance. ''But first.'' She let her magic build up and she changed Dinky's mane back to it's natural almost straight self.

Dinky smiled at her mane, before thanking her little sister. They walked to town hall where the shiny decorations were being put up by magic. This made Dinky assume that a unicorn was putting up the decorations. Boy, had she been way off.

She was shocked to see that standing in the middle of the room was a earth pony, with a pink coat, a purple and white swirly and fuzzy mane. However, it was the mare's eyes that sealed the very weird deal. They were unnatural, instead of a general pony eye, they had no blankness. Just her whites and purple irises and the irises were made from two shades of swirling purple. The mare's cutie mark was also unique, it was of a ball and a screw, very weird. And on the mare's head was a propeller beanie hat.

But she hadn't seen it all yet, floating in front of the mare were different shades of streamers. She kept mumbling. ''No...no...no. Argh! Why is it so hard to find the prefect colors. Pinkie, bring more streamers in.''

''Bite me.........'' grumbled a filly, who was standing just out of the light. Her dark pink coat and very straight pink mane gave away that she wasn't the kindest nor happiness of fillies. Her dark blue eyes looked around the room for the box of streamers. She grabbed them and pushed them over to the mare. ''Here you go.......''

''Thank you, little sister.'' The unique mare levitated the streamers in the air and smiled, they were better in colors. She hung them up and then saw Dinky and Twilight. ''Oh, hello there! Haven't seen you here before. What's your names?''

''Uh....my name is Dinky Hooves, and this is my little sister, Twilight.''

''Hooves, hooves. Aha, are your related to Derpy Hooves?'' said the weird mare, with a cute grin that seemed to make Dinky feel weird, as she keep shuffling.

''Y-yea...she's our mother.''

''Oh! I see, I do faintly remember her telling me and my little sister, Pinkie Pie, who's over there, that she had 3 children; Sparkler, I knew, and 2 others who are you two. I'm so glad I finally get to meet you. So, what can I help you two with?''

''W-ell.....'' stuttered Dinky, feeling very nervous around the mare. She mentally shook her head and started to act a little more confidently. ''We are the students of Princess Celestia and she asked us to come here to check up on the preparations for the Summer Suns Celebration.''

''Celestia, huh.'' murmured the filly, almost angrily.

''Err....is something wrong, miss?''

''Name's Screwball, but you can call me Screwy. And sorta, but it's a long story so never mind about it.''

''Are you sure that you don't wanna talk about it? Maybe you'll feel better if you were to talk to us about it?''

''Leave big sis alone. She just said she doesn't want to talk about it. Or do you want to answer to me? I won't put up with anypony who makes Screwy upset, she's my only family who cared about me!'' said the filly, who was apparently Pinkie Pie.

''Um....sorry...'' whispered Dinky, awkwardly.

Pinkie Pie sighed. ''I'm Pinkamina Diane Pie, I'm not happy to meet you.......''

''Pinwamia?'' mumbled Twilight, trying to get the filly's long name out of her mouth.

''Just follow my sister's idea and call me Pinkie, all my sisters call me Pinkie. Only my parents call me by my full name.'' said the filly, almost with a hint of annoyance as she brought up her family.

''Oh, Pinkie Pie. Cute name.'' said Twilight, trying to break the ice that seemed to crackle between her and the pink filly. ''So, what do you like to do?''

''Waste my boring day by following Screwy. She makes it interesting, she has since the day that ma and pa adopted her....'' A faint smile appeared on the filly, a apparently rare sight, as Screwball gasped in shock.

''YOU SMILED!''

''Ears, Screwball!'' cried Pinkie, with frustration.

''Oh, sorry...'' The odd filly, meekly mumbled.

Dinky looked at the sisters with confusion. ''W-well...I'll be on my way now. You have done a great job with the decorations, by the way.''

''T-thank you....'' mumbled Screwball, the two mares stared at each other very awkwardly.

Pinkie decided to walk up to Twilight, and whispered. ''Ya think your sister has a crush on mine?''

''Maybe....'' Twilight awkwardly replied in whisper. Pinkie nodded, awkwardly. She stared at the silence between the older ponies.

''Well.....I'm not gonna judge them....so I hope you don't.''

''Yea.....our big sisters are full grown....not fillies like us....they can make their own decisions on who to fall for.'' She thought back to her possible crush on Fluttershy, and wondered if she had her own choice on falling for the filly. ''Big sis. We need to get going or it'll be the Summer Suns Celebration before we get back to the library.''

''Oh right, s-see you later, S-Screwy...''

''You too...Dinks....''

The sisters walked to the edge of town, with a awkward silence filling the air. That was till a calm and gently voice broke through. ''Our Princess Celestia, behold. Behold. Our Princess Celestia. Behold. Our princess is before us. Behold, behold!''

''Sister, that's like very bad.'' said another voice.

''Sorry....I'm just nervous and I have to sing this during the introduction. Rarity, will I really be able to do this?''

''You won't be able too, unless you believe, big sis. Now, one more time.''

''Okay. Our Princess Celestia, behold, behold. Our Princess Celestia, behold, behold. Our is before us, behold, behold, behold. Behold, behold. Our Princess Celestia. Behold, behold, behold, behold. Our princess is, our princess is here!''

Dinky looked down at Twilight, with a stunned face. The voice did sound amazing. ''I suppose this is the music, I guess....but only one mare for singer, isn't that a little unfair for the ponies of this town to do?''

''Maybe, but she does sound stunning.'' replied Twilight.

Dinky nodded and got up, she walked over to the mare. The mare was a white unicorn with a two-toned mane of pink and purple, that was in a curly fashion. Her eyes were a tranquil green and on her flank was a cutie mark of a heard, with two curly lines coming off with a pair of notes surrounding the heart.

''Hello, my name is Dinky Hooves. I have been sent here to supervise the music, and from the sound of it, you have it covered.''

''Oh...thank you, Miss Hooves.'' said the unicorn mare, as she smiled down at her little sister, a white unicorn filly with a stylish purple mane and blue eyes. She whispered. ''See, I told you that ponies would love my voice.''

''But why is there only one pony on singing, shouldn't you also have a backup vocal?''

''Yeah.........I have a backup on vocals but she doesn't come very often to practices, saying she already knows her lines off by heart. I'm Sweetie Belle, by the way. That little filly is my little sister, Rarity. She is a little fussy about mud, so I often don't bring her out here, but with the celebration only a day away. I needed somepony to check my voice.''

''You have a little sister as well. So do I. Twilight come out.'' The purple filly slowly nodded, and walked over to Dinky and the others. ''This is my 12 year old sister, Twilight. Though, at times, she can seem as old as me.''

''Why might that be?''

''Because she is super smart. She skipped magic kindergarten and skipped 3 grades at the age of 2 when she started at Celestia's school for gifted unicorns....not to brag that is.''

''Wow, she does seem very lucky. I'm not the best with magic but Rarity knows a bunch of gem finding spells. It's actually a wonder on how she doesn't have her cutie mark yet. Apparently, my little sister is dead set on being a fashionista, whatever that means.''

''I see. Well, considering how good your singing was. I'm going to go lay down, it's been a long day for me and Twilight and I really need to catch up on some sleep. I'll see you at the celebration in a day when Celestia raises the sun.''

''See you too.''

Twilight followed her big sister, as they walked back through the streets of Ponyville. ''We sure did meet some very unique ponies today.''

''You think?'' whispered Dinky, sarcastically. ''I mean, first we meet a mare, who's family is huge and they seem to all live there. Then we met a mare, who looked like some sort of lab experiment on severely wrong. Then we meet an earth pony, who can apparently do magic. And then we meet a unicorn with limited magic but an amazing voice. That's a big diverse in backgrounds...Though I wouldn't be surprised if there little sisters weren't friends at school. I wouldn't even be surprised if everypony in this town were friends, after all it's a urban town and nothing like Canterlot, where it's all rich ponies. There is no gap in how much money anypony has, so they can easily make friends and not feel left out.''

''You make a good point. Still, I know you seemed to like Screwball the most out of the mares we met today.''

''And you like Fluttershy the most, so don't criticize me for liking a mare, alright.'' scowled Dinky, who was very tired. ''I just want to lay down and fall to sleep. We can look up information about Nightmare Moon tomorrow, we can sleep tonight.''

''I think that's a good idea.'' mumbled Twilight, in agreement as she yawned.

''You been walking all day, you need to sleep more then me. Your only a filly after all.'' said Dinky with a smile and a giggle. ''We're here.'' She said, as she saw their new home; a large library in a tree. ''Now let's make something to eat and then we can go to bed, how's that sound? Want celery soup and lily sandwiches?''

''Thanks sound nice.'' said the sleepy filly as they walked in. After the long day, it was a very quick dinner before they headed up to bed. They needed to sleep for what was to come during the night of the next day.