Ghosts of the Past

"Well that was a bust," stated a dishearted Scootaloo.

"Yeah, what were we thinking?  Playin hoofball to get our Cutie Marks was a bad idea," replied Applebloom as she rubbed her sore flank.

"That's another one off the list," added Sweetie Bell.

They sighed collectively as they made their way back to their clubhouse on the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. The day was cool and sunny.  The pegasus ponies planned today to be a very calm and beautiful day so the other ponies could get ready for the gala without the worry of inclement weather messing up their styled manes.

"Do you think Rarity and her friends would want to help us today," asked Sweetie Bell innocently.

"Nah," replied Applebloom, "They're to busy getting ready for that fancy shmancy gala thingy."

"I thought they made the last one a disaster," said Sweetie Bell.

"Well," stated Applebloom, "the princess said it was the best gala ever and she wanted them to come to this year."

"Oh," said Sweetie Bell glumly as the thought of not being able to spend an afternoon with her big sister sunk in.

"Don't worry bout it," said Scootaloo. "We can do it ourselves. I mean we are the Cutie Mark Crusaders after all."

"Yeah.  We can do it ourselves," added Applebloom. "I mean after all, without our sisters watching us, we could try some dangerous activities.  We could try manticorn wrastlin or base jumpin."

Sweetie Bell brightened up at the thought of trying these interesting things.  She wanted to spend all the time in the world with her sister, but she wanted her cutie mark even more.  She mused about the fun and dangerous things they could try throughout the day while Rarity and her friends got ready for the Grand Galloping Galla.

"Race you to the clubhouse," said Scootaloo as she took an unfair lead.

"Oh you're on!" exclaimed Applebloom as she took off after her.

"Wait up for me guys!" Sweetie Bell yelled not understanding the concept of a race right away.

Sweetie Bell started after them, but stopped as she spied something rustling in a nearby bush.

A creature she never seen before lept out and walked cautiously over to her.  It was an orange creature with a white tip at the end of its bushy tail.  Its nose twitched at the end of its long snout.

"Hello," she said to the creature cautiously but curiously. "What are you?"

"Why I'm a fox my dear," replied the fox.

"Oh, well you're very pretty," said Sweetie Bell.

"Thank you," replied the fox.

"What are you doing out here?" asked Sweetie Bell.

"I was just out for a stroll when I came across you and your friends.  You know they were lying to you." said the fox.

"What do you mean?" asked the little unicorn a bit confused at what she was hearing.

"About asking your sister for help," the fox began, "They actually don't like your sister and think she's snooty and stuck-up."

"No they don't," replied Sweetie Bell.

"Oh they do darling, that's why they said they were going to do dangerous stuff.  It would distract you so you wouldn't realize their true feelings towards your sister.  They believe you to be very dim-witted and easily distracted when it comes to these things."

Sweetie Bell looked at the ground.  She didn't want to believe what she was hearing, but deep inside it was what she feared the others actually thought of her.  She knew she wasn't as smart as the others, but they were her friends and they would never think of her like that.

Or would they?thought Sweetie Bell.

The fox grinned knowing that she had this little foal exactly where she wanted her.

"And the worst part is, I overheard them saying these things the other day when you weren't around.  They insulted your sister and they insulted you.  Especialy that yellow filly with the pink bow in her mane.  She said you and your sister were brats that were only good for sitting around and playing dress-up."

"It's not true!" exclaimed Sweetie Bell and she ran from the fox to catch up with her friends.  The story the fox said still fresh in her mind, she couldn't help but wonder if it was true.

Distrust smiled knowing her job was done.  She walked down the path towards Ponyville.

I think I will start on the Cake family next.  I'm pretty sure I can make the wife think that her husband is cheating on her, thought the sly fox.

She went into The Candy Corner and did just that.  Then she moved on to the other ponies and spread her lies and planted seeds of distrust throughout Ponyville and met up with Doubt after he was done with the flightless one.

Scootaloo was far ahead of the other and started trotting slowly so they could catch up.

"Man," she said to herself, "I can't believe they are that slow.  I didn't even break a sweat."

"I know," came a voice from an unknown source, "you were ssssuperb."

"Who...who's there," said Scootaloo a little startled by the voice.

"Jussst an admirer," said the snake as he slithered out of his hiding spot.

Scootaloo jumped at the slight of the slimey serpent.  She's seen snakes before, but this one was different from the others.  She could feel it.

"You are the besssst athlete I've ever sssseeen," said the snake. "It'ssss sssuch a sssshame that you don't have your cutie mark yet."

"Yeah, I know.  It's kinda lame that I don't," replied Scootaloo still a little apprehensive.

"You want to know what I think," started the snake.  "I think it'ssss thossssse other poniessss that you hang out with.  They hold you back, esssspecially that white one with the horn."

"No way," said Scootaloo.  "They help me and Sweetie Bell is cool."

"Sssshe issss alwayssss whining and tripping over everything.  She doesssn't have the grace that you posssseesssss,"  said the snake.  "You would have your cutie mark if you jusssst ditched them."

Scootaloo thought for a minute about what the snake was telling her.  It was true that Sweetie Bell whined a lot and she did alway's trip over things.  It was also true she was more daring than the others, and the race proved she was more athletic as well.  She was the best at hoofball, but the others just couldn't keep up.

No, it's not true, she thought.  It can't be.  But maybe my friends do hold me back.  Maybe they do that so I won't earn my cutie mark before them.

"Uhhh," started Scootaloo, "Thanks for the heads up, but I have to get to the clubhouse.  See ya."

Scootaloo continued on the path to the clubhouse still thinking about what the weird snake said to her.

Doubt flicked his tongue.  He was satisfied that would be enough to rip those ponies apart.  He started down the path to Ponyville so he could meet his sister.  He helped her create so much chaos in the small town, he couldn't help but be happy at the prospect of reawakening his master.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were assembled in their small clubhouse. Scootaloo sat at the window, deep in thought.  Sweetie Bell was looking at the floor with a frown on her face.

"Well everypony," Applebloom said beaking the silence, "what do y'all want to try next."

"I think we should still ask my sister for help," Sweetie Bell chimed in.

"I told ya.  We can't because she is getting ready for the gala," said Applebloom.

"Is that the reason, or is it because she is snooty?" asked Sweetie Bell with a hint of distrust.

"No.  Well, she can be a little stuck-up at times but...." said Applebloom before being interupted by Sweetie Bell.

"She is not stuck-up," whined Sweetie Bell.  "She is just classier than your sister."

"What's that supposed ta mean?" replied Applebloom.

"Will you both be quiet," Scootaloo commanded.  "Applebloom, you are whining worse than Sweetie Bell."

"I'm not whining," whined Sweetie Bell.

"Yes, you both are and it's giving me a headache.  It's just like you two to mess up my thinking on how to earn my cutie mark," said the annoyed Scootaloo.

"What are you sayin," replied Applebloom with a hint of anger in her voice.

'I'm sayin that you two mess up everything," said Scootaloo matter-of-factly.

"No we don't," replied Sweetie Bell.  "Your stuff is just too hard and dirty."

"No, your just too whiny and stuck up like your sister." said Scootaloo.  "I'm outta here."

Scootaloo backflipped out of the window and landed on her scooter that waited for her at the base of the tree.  As she landed on the scooter, her helmet flipped onto her head and she sped off.

"I'm leaving too," stated Sweetie Bell.

She walked to the door and tripped on the first step.  She landed on the ground with a loud thump.

"I meant to do that," she yelled as she got up and walked in the opposite direction that Scootaloo went.

Applebloom stood alone in her clubhouse, both confused at what just happened and angry that who she thought were her friends would say such awful things to her.  Tears began to form in her big eyes.  She fell to the ground and began to whimper as she thought about what Sweetie Bell said about her sister and what Scootaloo said about her ruining everything.

Fights like this happened all over Ponyville.  Mrs. Cake took the kids and went to her mother's house.  She broke her husband's heart when she accussed him of not being loyal to her and told her to leave.  Berry Punch fought with her friends over how they thought she was ditzy.  All of these doubts were true, buried in the hearts of everypony.  Only Doubt and Distrust could see them and use them agianst everypony.  They were also the only ones that felt the gentle rumble that rippled throughout Equestria.  They hurried back to their cavern hoping their dreams would become reality.

They entered their hideout and stared at the statue of Discord.  They didn't understand what went wrong and felt they let their master down.  Then, the statue began to fracture.  Each piece fell down to reveal a fleshy part underneath.  The stone fragments crashed to the ground, turning into chocolate chips in the process.

Discord stretched his muscles and ate some of the chocolate chips off the ground.  He reached out his hand and summoned a glass of milk.  He drank the glass, as he was known to do, and threw away the milk.  It landed somewhere in the back with a quack.  He looked at the two animals that stared at him like dogs would look at their master.

"Massster," said Doubt with ecstasy in his voice.

"Did you have a nice nap?" asked Distrust lovingly.

"Well of course I did my minions," he said confidently.  "I was only asleep for a year and now it's time that we had a little fun."

"What ssshould we do firssssst?" asked Doubt.

"Well, we should find some very nice clothes," said Discord wolfishly.  "We wouldn't want to show up to a classy party looking like this now would we?"

Their laughter echoed throughout the cavern.  Discord was happy that he was back and could take over Equestria.  He remembered all the fun he had the last time he was freed.  He also remembered the six little ponies that stopped him before.

I won't underestimate those six this time.  I could have stopped the elements from turning me to stone if i was prepared.  They may have the six core elements, but they don't have the one that binds them together.  I made sure that one wouldn't be found a long time ago.  I will win this time. I mean after all, third time's the charm, Discord thought to himself as he and his minions walked out of the dark cavern into the unprepared world.