The sun rose high over the houses of the sleeping hamlet that is Ponyville. However, not everypony in town was as restful as each other. Three little fillies, each one snuck away from their homes, were on their way to their clubhouse in the apple orchard of Sweet Apple Acres. Scootaloo and Twist climbed up the wooden ramp and took their places, meanwhile, Apple Bloom climbed up to the lectern and looked down at the two fillies in attendance.
“Alright!” Apple Bloom shouted, “today’s Cutie Mark Crusader meetin’ is now in session!”
Still groggy with sleep, despite having made her way to the clubhouse with relative ease, Scootaloo snapped to attention, with a likewise tired Twist opening her eyes suddenly to the sound of Applejack’s voice.
Scootaloo awoke just in time to hear Apple Bloom’s announcement, and looked around to see they were down two crusaders. “Hey, Nyx and Sweetie Belle haven’t arrived yet, should we really be starting without them?”
“They shoulda been here by now, I said we were goin’ to have the meetin’ at precisely eight o’clock.”
The clubhouse door slowly and carefully opened after a sharp click at the turning of the door handle. Following this, the white colored muzzle of Sweetie Belle pushed the door open with a gentle nudge, the filly following soon after.
“Good morning girls, I’m sorry I’m late,” she said, “Rarity wanted my help with cleaning the Boutique before I left.”
“Perfect, now all we need is Nyx to show up, then we can begin!” said Apple Bloom.
“Wait,” Sweetie Belle said as she looked around the small space the girls sat in, “she isn’t here yet? She’s usually quite punctual.”
“Yeah, usually,” Scootaloo concurred
“Maybe we could go on and look for her later.” Twist proposed to the group, all of whom reluctantly nodded in agreement.
Unwilling to wait a moment longer to get started Apple Bloom tapped on the table top of the lectern. “So anypony got any ideas for what we could do today?”
“We should try out this new game called buckball,” said Scootaloo.
“Yeah, I heard about this game too,” Twist remarked, “Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were talking about it all over Ponyville!”
Sweetie Belle listened and thought for a moment, “But don’t we need more ponies to play such game?”
Scootaloo recoiled at the reminder and slouched a little. “Oh… right,” she sighed.
The girls sat in their places, each one coming up with one idea after another, then Apple Bloom came up with an idea: “We could visit Zecora. Her place always has some kind of curiosity. Maybe she could help us make some potions. The good kind, that is.”
“I like her decorations and her masks looks great too,” Sweetie Belle told the friends, “maybe she could help us make our own!”
“That sounds perfect!” Twist shouted jovially, “I’ll make one for my mother, she’ll love it!”
“So we’re going into the Everfree forest, visit Zecora, carve us out a mask or look for potion ingredients, sounds fun!” Scootaloo said sarcastically.
“Exactly!” Apple Bloom cried out with a heavy degree of excitement.
~~~
Morning birds chirped loudly as they flew about in the morning sky, passing by trees and flying up past the window of a filly’s bedroom. She opened her eyes and squinted as light touched upon her irises, then sniffled as a scent wafted into the room.
Downstairs, Twilight Sparkle and her assistant, Spike, worked together, moving about in the kitchen preparing a lovely breakfast. Syrup and plates lied in wait on the table while Spike poured in pancake mix and flipped the flat edible disks in the air, meanwhile Twilight sorted everything to the last detail.
When Twilight had finished, she looked up at the clock and saw her little darling, Nyx was close to oversleeping. She sighed in slight amusement and walked over to Spike, taking the frying pan in her magical glow.
“I’ll take it from here Spike, why don’t you go wake up and tell Nyx that breakfast is ready. I’ll finish things up here.”
“Thank’s Twilight, I’ll get right on that.” Spike stepped away from the stove and left the kitchen on his way to Nyx’s bedroom on the other side of the castle.
On his way he passed through the main hall, a large cavern-like space that echoes at the slightest sound, whether it be the slapping of Spikes little feet, or the clopping of a pony's hooves. It came as no surprise that three knocks from the castle’s large front doors seemed to act like a kind of gong, the sound rang Spike’s ears and he shot a look over to the large golden doors with a hint of displeasure.
“Yes, I’m coming,” he said as he rubbed his ears. He opened the doors and peered outside to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders standing at the base of the stairs in wait.
“Hey girls,” Spike said surprised, “You’re up early today.”
“Mornin’ Spike, we had an early meetin’ and now we’re here to see if Nyx is up yet. She was supposed t’ be there,” Apple Bloom explained.
“I think she’s still sleeping, I was just going to wake her up.”
“She’s still asleep?! I thought she’d be up by now,” Scootaloo said, her expectations a little too high today of all days.
“Well you girls can come in and wait while I go and wake her up if you want,” Spike suggested.
“Really?!” The girls said together in unison, their combined voices raised a few notches, “thanks Spike!”
Spike stood aside and let the four of them in. They gathered in the main hall when the smell of fresh pancakes came drifting into the room like a temptress. Each filly found themselves inhaling the scent, and as if carried along on a breeze they followed it all the way into the dining hall where three plates were laid out at different seats. As they drooled over the delicious morning meal, Twilight came trotting into the room, and paused at the sudden appearance of the c.m.c.
“Good morning girls,” Twilight said in surprise, “You’re up early.”
“Is it really that surprising?” Sweetie Belle wondered out loud.
“We were hopin’ Nyx was up, we had a meetin’ this mornin’ as you might understand. Crusader stuff.” Apple Bloom explained.
“Well, Nyx should be coming down right now, just give her a moment to eat her breakfast, then you can have her.” Twilight smiled at the girls and stretched out her wings.
She took seat on her throne, and waited with the girls for the sleeping little filly, who dreamed of plants that’s blue.
~~~
The sleeping, black coated ball of fur, lying sleepily on her bed, opened her eyes, only to squint as the sun touched upon her irises following a rude awakening by the flapping of morning birds past her window.
She closed her eyes and groaned slightly at the glare. She pulled her curtains shut and rolled over to the other side of her bed, and she laid there thinking about her dream earlier that night. She didn’t get to think long as from her door came soft knocking.
She rolled back over to the other side and sat up on her bed following a yawn. “Yes?” asked a sleepy Nyx.
The doorknob turned and the door opened with Spike poking his smiling head inside.
“Oh, good morning, Spike.” Nyx said warmly with a yawn.
“Morning, Nyx, breakfast is ready and your friends are waiting for you downstairs.”
“The girls are here?” Nyx asked groggily, then she remembered. “Oh no! The meeting!” Nyx exclaimed in panic.
Quickly she darted from her bed and ran out to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her mane before rushing past Spike and down the stairs.
~~~
Nyx hurried through the castle halls all the way to the dining room.
She felt terrible for missing the planned meeting at the clubhouse, and hoped her friends wouldn’t be too upset with her. She stood in front of the dining room doors and believed she had let her friends down, she hadn’t missed a meeting before and to miss this one seemed to hit her hard.
With a gentle sigh as though to calm her nerves, she pushed the doors open and made her way in. The first thing she saw was her friends, their smiling faces brightened her dreary mood, but deep down she still felt upset about her tardiness. She had hopes the meeting went well without her, and that the girls found something to do.
“Hey Nyx!” the girls called out in unison, catching an unexpecting Nyx to flinch at their cheerful demeanour.
“H-Hey girls, y-you’re all looking w-well” Nyx replied with her head lowered, staring at the ground.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked at each other, confused by Nyx’s suddenly odd behaviour as if struck with a sudden bout of sadness.
“Are you okay, Nyx?” Sweetie Belle asked and tilted her head slightly.
“I missed the meeting we planned for this morning, I feel bad that I didn’t attend and I’m so sorry…” Nyx apologized and sniffled slightly as little tear drops welled up in her eyes and her lips pursed into a pout.
“That’s it?” Apple Bloom cocked an eyebrow, “that’s what yer upset about?”
“No, not just that… I was worried you’d all be disappointed in me… I never miss Crusader meetings and this was the first time so…”
The Crusaders giggled amongst themselves at Nyx’s silly thinking, although the dark coated filly took it seriously.
“Don’t worry about it, Nyx,” Scootaloo said in reassurance and put a hoof around Nyx in a manner similar to Rainbow Dash. “We all make a mistake like that every once in awhile, it’s nothing to be upset about.”
“Are you sure? I really don’t want my tardiness to—” Nyx started to trail off as she looked down at her plate of pancakes, what had once been many was now one.
“W-Which one of you ate my breakfast?!” Nyx yelled in a demanding tone, her expression no longer sad, but twisted into an unsavory glare.
The Crusaders were quiet, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Twist either swayed or whistled, while Sweetie Belle’s eyes shifted left and right, front legs crossed and gritting her teeth with a nervous expression.
“I’m sorry!” Sweetie Belle cried out, “I ate your pancakes Nyx, they just smelled so good, so much better than Rarity’s baby cakes, and they were so delicious too!”
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo face hoofed while Twist shook her head in shame. Nyx stared at Sweetie Bell dead panned with eyes wide, then with a sigh she lifted the last pancake and rolled it up like a scroll before eating it.
“Don’t worry about it, Sweetie Belle, I forgive you,” Nyx said with a bright smile.
A few loud hoofsteps caught the attention of the girls who turned to see Twilight rejoining them with Spike at her side. She held within her magical aura a plate of fresh pancakes, plenty to go around. Spike set out the plates while Twilight dished out the cakes to each filly, Nyx taking a few before they were all gone. Nyx’s actions seemed to baffle the alicorn princess, who caught a glimmer of hunger in her eyes, unaware the Crusaders had already done away with four of Nyx’s previous five.
After gorging herself and filling her belly, Nyx let out a satisfied sigh, and looked over to her friends who enjoyed their generously offered meal.
“So, did you girls make some kind of plan at the meeting?”
“Of course we did! We decided to pay Zecora a visit,” Scootaloo said with a smile of enthusiasm.
Nyx recalled her dream, she recalled the blue petals and lush underbrush, the dark green foliage and dark wood of the Everfree forest, and became uneasy. “You girls voted on, Zecora?”
“Actually, we are going to make masks, isn’t that exciting?” Twist said in reply.
“And Ah’ll be makin’ potions, Zecora could help me learn a thing or two,” Apple Bloom added with excitement. “How about you, Nyx? You comin’ with us?”
“Masks and potions?” Nyx said slowly as if to process the information before smiling. “Yeah, alright, sounds good.” She turned around and looked over to Twilight. “Can I go Mom, please?”
Twilight scanned all five of the girls before planting her eyes on Nyx. She poked the inside of her cheek with her tongue and seemed to think it over for a moment before responding: “Alright, you can go with them, but I’d like for you to take this to the Cakes.”
Twilight levitated a book off of a box out from the corner of the room, and gave it to Nyx. It was fairly light, not at all so hard to lift, even with Nyx’s current level of magic. It was surprising as it seemed rather thick.
“Yes ma’am,” Nyx saluted keenly.
Twilight giggled as Nyx gave that Wonderbolt-like salute. “Thank you, now run along you five, Spike and I are going to be busy for a while and you don’t want to be caught up here all day.”
“Thank you, Twilight,” Nyx said happily and hugged the lavender alicorn warmly.
“Don’t be gone long, and be back before sunset. And be careful.”
Twilight watched as her daughter left with her friends, and waved to them as they went. She was happy that Nyx was enjoying her childhood, but worried at same time. Briefly, she recalled the wisdom of one of her closest friends, ‘I can’t always be there to keep Sweetie Belle safe, and I can’t keep her from enjoying her childhood. She should be out there with her friends, having fun and getting into trouble… but not too much trouble, mind you, but some.’ And with that in mind, Twilight decided ultimately, that she didn’t want to restrict Nyx.
~~~
The Crusaders made their way through Ponyville, enjoying the fresh air of that summer morning. They were on their way to Sugarcube Corner, which by now had opened, with the scent of freshly baked pastry’s carried aloft by the wind. As they neared the catering establishment, the young fillies caught sight of a pink streak whizzing past them, quick as a flash.
“What was t-”
Before Scootaloo could finish her sentence, the pink streak turned back and came flying right towards them. Everypony shut their eyes expecting the worst, but nothing happened… except for sound as if something had crashed through a wall full force. The Crusaders opened their eyes to see that Nyx had cast protective barrier spell around them and their energetic pink friend had crashed into it.
“Pinkie!” Nyx cried out. Worried that she may be hurt, she and the girls rushed to her.
Pinkie Pie stood without any problem, she shook her head to make whatever pain she felt, if any, disappear with ease. After a quick dust off, she looked at black alicorn filly in front of her and smiled widely. “Hi Nyxie, how’s it going?”
“Are you okay?” Nyx asked worriedly.
“Of course I’m okay, silly, I’m always okay!” Pinkie assured with her usual enthusiastic smile, which was more than welcomed by Nyx. Of course, as Pinkie’s attention started to wander, her eyes shifted to notice the others standing nearby. “Hello Crusaders! Going on some super fun adventure yet again??"
“Um… hi Pinkie Pie, We were just going to visit Zecora,” Apple Bloom explained cautiously while others were still reeling in shock by Pinkie’s unusual appearance. “But we don't want t’ get in yer way, it looks like you were in hurry.”
Pinkies eyes became lazy and parted for a moment, before returning to normal as she snapped back to attention. “Oh, really? I bet you’re going to get up to some super cool stuff. I better get going then, have fun!!”
And just like that, Pinkie Pie hopped away on her springy, bouncy hooves until she was long out of sight.
Nyx watched as the pink pony disappeared further into town, and shuddered with a cold chill. “She still scares me,” she thought aloud.
They stood quietly for a moment, then Apple Bloom started to struggle. Her muzzle was scrunched up as she repressed an oncoming urge to burst into laughter as she heard Nyx’s remark. “It’s Pinkie Pie, Ah don’t think anypony should try and understand her, not unless ya wanna go crazy.”
“Can you really blame somepony if they did? She’s totally random,” Scootaloo added to which the group chuckled and laughed together. However, Scootaloo meant it to be serious, and yet again, once the moment had passed, the girls turned their focus once again to move onward to Sugarcube Corner.
~~~
After that short delay, the Crusaders finally came to the doors of Sugar Cube Corner. One by one they walked through the door, the bell ringing to signal their arrival, all but Nyx entered which drew Apple Bloom's attention.
“What’s wrong, Nyx? Ain’t you comin’?” she asked.
“I can’t go in there…” Nyx replied as she looked up at the doors only a few steps ahead.
“Why not?” Apple Bloom asked.
“I forgot to bring my glasses with me… Maybe you girls should go inside without me, I don’t want other ponies to see my eyes…”
“No way, we ain’t goin’ nowhere without you, Nyx. You’re comin’ in with us,” Apple Bloom said to hoping it would convince Nyx to follows.
“N-no I don’t want to scare the little Cakes…” she said with her head down low and her volume raised a slight.
“Come on, Nyx. They’re probably still asleep,” said Scootaloo, hoping to encourage her black coated friend. “Besides, can’t you cast some kind of illusion spell, or something?”
“I don’t know… Illusion spells need a lot of power to be cast, I don’t think I’m strong enough to cast one yet. But maybe I could give it a try, but it won’t last long without—”
“Glasses?” Sweetie Belle blurted out, “Try these!”
Examining them from where she stood, Scootaloo couldn’t help but wonder: “Where did you get those?”
“These?” Sweetie Belle asked, “I found them just laying in the grass.”
“Maybe I could try casting the spell on them, although it won’t last long…” Nyx said before closing her eyes.
Her horn began to glow with sparks jumping from her horn with beads of sweat on her brow. She took the glasses from Sweetie Belle’s glow, in a bright flash they were enchanted.
“Did it work?” she asked in a daze, and held a hoof firmly to her spinning head.
“Maybe, but we won’t know until you try them on.” Sweetie Belle stated and levitated them up to Nyx’s face and rested it upon her muzzle.
She blinked a few times as the illusion spell delayed in hiding her cat-like pupils which widened until they were in a ponies likenes. Although the spell fluctuated every few moments, Nyx was certain they would work as intended.
“Are they working?” Scootaloo asked.
“Well of course they worked, Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed with certainty, “Just look, Nyx’s eyes look as normal as any of ours. Now, let's go, the sooner we return the book, the sooner we can go to the awaiting woods.”
The girls returned to the stores interior, the jingle of the bell signifying their entrance. Meanwhile, Nyx stood and stared ahead. She crossed her eyes in examination of the enchanted object resting loose upon her muzzle and sighed.
“Alright, I suppose,” she muttered unsurely and followed the four inside.
The bell rang out with Nyx’s entrance and she joined the four fillies at the rooms center. As always, the sweet aromas of pastry’s wafted into their nostrils.
“Just a minute!” Mrs. Cake’s voice came from the kitchen where she worked to finish a fresh treat to be bought and consumed.
Following her request came the banging and clanging of pots and kitchen utensils, which had the fillies covering their eyes and cringing with their ears folded to alleviate the strain of the noise having its way with their hearing.
Then out through the kitchen doors came the baker’s wife, Mrs. Cake. Her blue coat was covered helter skelter with frosting of pink and brown, with flour on her apron and a cherry in her mane. She came over to the counter and looked over the top to see the girls, standing in wait.
“Hello, girls,” she greeted with a smile, “what can I get’ya today?”.
“We already had a big breakfast, thank’s for the offer though,” Scootaloo said with the others replying much in the same.
Their replies came as a surprise to, Mrs. Cake. Not often does a group of ponies come to her store with bellies full.
“Well, it’s good that you’re not starving,” she said with a smile to hide her surprise. “But are you sure you aren’t here for nothing? Did Pinkie Pie invite you?”
“Actually, Twilight asked us to deliver this book,” Apple Bloom answered and looked over to where Nyx was standing a moment ago.
Mrs. Cake didn’t understand what she was looking for at first, until she spied the filly crouched behind the group. “Nyx? Are you hiding something?”
“No,” she answered as she poked around the bag for the book. “I’m looking for a book Twilight wanted us to give to you.”
“Do you want me lend a hoof?” Mrs. Cake offered wondering what kind of book Twilight had sent her.
Nyx shook her head politely and scanned her bag once more, then at the bottom of shoulder-slung sack, she found what she was looking for.
“Found it!” she exclaimed. “Here is it,” she said and levitated the book out and handed it to Mrs. Cake.
Mrs. Cake glanced at the book’s cover, a three-storeyed cake was on the cover, colored in pinks, blues and whites, and it put a smile on her face. “Thank you deary, I thought that Twilight forgot that I’ve ever asked. Is there anything—”
Before she could finish, the girls uttered their reply: “No thank you!” they said, with Nyx’s answer being much more polite than the others. And one by one they left the store, only Nyx delayed to turn around and wave to Mrs. Cake before finally departing.
