Of Monster and... Three Mad Scientists?

by Rainbowfan45

Rating: everyone
Tags: Random, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Main 6, Drama, Comedy, Cutie Mark Crusaders
Length: 7080

The CMC has caused big problems...again. So what else is new?

What started out being a cutie mark quest ended with a... monster attack!

Yup. You heard me.

The CMC is now in massive trouble. What will happen when thier older sisters and thier friends find out what they did?

Published 2018-09-11 16:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2018-09-11 16:20:01 UTC

...Or maybe just three fillies.

"We are in so much trouble!"

The CMC stood side by side, staring out at the havoc thier latest scheme had caused. They had decided to go for Scientific Experimentation Cutie Marks(which Sweetie Belle had adamantly said were not a thing, but went along anyway). The end result of thier attempt? A twenty foot tall, pony eating monster made of cake batter, goo, and a host of other things they weren't even sure of. Well...not pony eating. At least, not so far. But it was loose and rampaging, destroying buildings, trees, scaring animals and ponies alike.

"Oh man!" Scootaloo groaned. "Twilight is so gonna kill us!!"

"Ya got that right!" Apple Bloom said, shuddering. "Especially considerin' that we went in her experiment room after she specifically told us not to. Plus add to that we used some of her experiment stuff..." She broke off.

"Oh, we are doomed!" Sweetie Belle groaned. "I'm gonna get grounded forever!!!"

"Tell me about it!" Scootaloo muttered.

A flash of magic from nearby caused them to turn thier heads, and all three of them immediately tensed. Twilight and her friends were charging after the monster, intent on taking it down.

"Oh, I hope it doesn't hurt them!!!" Sweetie Belle whimpered fearfully.

It was at that moment that somepony dropped behind them. They screamed and spun to face it. It was Fluttershy.

"Girls." She said, urgently. "You aren't safe here. Twilight and your sisters wanted me to take you to the castle. Twilight put up a protection spell around it so nopony, or monster, can damage it. Come on!"

The three fillies followed her at once. Fluttershy left them at the castle, under the watchful eye of Spike, and rushed back out to check on her friends.

"Some day, huh?" Spike said cheerfully, chomping on gemstones.

"Spike, how can you be so...so calm at a time like this?!" Scootaloo demanded. "There's a monster, and it can eat ponies, and...and...how are you not scared?!"

"Don't worry, Scootaloo." Spike said. "Twilight and the others have got this. They always do."

The fillies exchanged looks, then started pacing. It was nerve wracking, not knowing what was going on outside. But they didn't dare go look.

After what felt like forever, six weary ponies entered the castle library.

"Well, that was somethin' Ah don't wanna do again." Applejack groaned, collapsing on the floor. The others followed her lead.

"Taking it down was awesome," Dash said. "But man! I'm gonna be so sore tomorrow! I mean, that thing threw me through a building!"

"Yeah, that's gonna leave bruises." Applejack agreed.

"Dear me, my mane!" Rarity gasped, having got a glimpse of herself in a nearby mirror. She groaned.

Twilight levitated a mane brush off the desk over to her, and Rarity accepted it gratefully, brushing her frazzled mane until it was once more smooth and perfect.

"What I don't get," Dash said,"is where the hay did that thing come from? And how?"

"I'd like to know that myself." Twilight said, wincing as she rubbed a sore spot on her back leg.

At this, the CMC exchanged looks. Should they confess? Or just stay quiet? None of them wanted to admit to being the cause of the monster's creation, for two reasons. One, Twilight would kill them for disobeying her regarding her experiment room; and two, thier sisters would kill them for causing a potentially deadly situation. A look of unspoken communication passed between them. They would remain silent. For now.

"Did...did you get it?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Her squeaky question jolted the others into realising the fillies were there.

"Oh, girls!" Twilight said. "Are you ok? You weren't hurt or anything, were you? Let me look. Are you ok?"

The three of them squawked as her magic scanned them carefully.

"No, we're fine!" Scootaloo said. Twilight let go of them.

"Nothing shows on the scan." She said, relieved.

"So...that was a big monster, huh?" Scootaloo said slowly.

"Indeed." Rarity agreed. "But at least it didn't eat anypony."

"Oh no, it just destroyed a ton of stuff." Dash added.

"What I can't figure out is how it came to exist in the first place." Twilight mused, rubbing a hoof on the back of her neck. "I mean, it had to come from someplace. And there had to be a massive amount of chemicals and magic gone awry. Or not gone awry. Somepony could have unleashed that thing on purpose."

The Crusaders looked at each other in horror at that statement. No way would they have deliberately unleashed a monster on Ponyville!

Misinterpreting thier horror, Twilight said quickly,"Don't worry, girls. We'll find out who did this. And we'll see they are severely punished."

There were three barely audible gulps. That promise had not helped soothe them at all! Now they knew for a fact they were entirely doomed!

"Yeah!" Pinkie offered up helpfully. "We'll catch them, and then we'll be all like 'why did you unleash a monster in Ponyville?', and they'll be all like 'agh! We're caught!', and then Dashie will be all like 'ok, time for a beat down!', and Applejack will be like,'eeyup, a good ol fashioned buckin!', and Fluttershy, well, she'll probably be like 'you scared my animals with that thing!', and I'll throw cake and frosting and ice cream on em and blast them with my cannon, and then Twilight will be all like,'ok. You're done', and KABLAM! Right to the moon!!!" Pinkie sucked in a huge breath of air, then held out a platter she'd pulled from somplace. "Cupcake?"

"Oookaaaayyyy..." Dash drawled out slowly, shaking her head to clear it.

The others laughed at Pinkie's longwinded nonsense. The Crusaders exchanged looks.

"You...you'd banish them...to the moon?" Scootaloo finally managed.

"Without hesitation!" Pinkie piped up.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "At best, Scootaloo, they'll wind up facing Princess Celestia and getting sentenced to time in the dungeons."

"A...and at worst?" Sweetie Belle asked, not really wanting to know.

"At worst..." Twilight pondered for a moment. "Well, at worst...probably a short term on the moon."

Sweetie Belle very nearly fainted. Scootaloo blinked, and Apple Bloom tried desperately not to bolt like a terrified rabbit.

"Would you...excuse us?" Scootaloo finally asked, before dragging her friends out into the hall.

She hauled them out of the castle and deposited them outside on the walkway.

"To the moon??!" Sweetie Belle shrieked. "The moon??!! No! No way!" She started to hyperventilate.

"Sweetie, calm down." Scootaloo said, concerned.

"Calm down? Calm down??!" Sweetie Belle yelled. "We are facing the dungeons or banishment to the moon, and you're telling me to calm down?! Gah!!!"

"Ah agree with her." Apple Bloom said, gulping. "This is bad, Scoots. Real bad. Ah can't handle the thought of dungeons and banishment! Ah can't! What do we do??"

Scootaloo shuddered. Then she looked at the castle, back at her friends, and took a breath.

"We do the only thing we can." She said.

"What?" Apple Bloom demanded, as she and Sweetie Belle looked at her.

"We run."

Author's Note

This was the product of a massive sugar and caffeine high. I'm not responsible for whatever makes no sense in here.

(And just to let you know, there's a second chapter in the making...)

Run and Hide?

There was one problem with running, which the CMC quickly realised as they gathered at their clubhouse an hour after the monster fiasco. Where, exactly, did they run to?

"How about Manehattan?" Scootaloo suggested.

"No!" Sweetie Belle cried. "I don't wanna leave Ponyville and Rarity!!! I just want to run and hide!! But not too far!"

"Uh, Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo said slowly, arching an eyebrow. "You are literally making no sense. You do know the whole point in running is to leave Ponyville and our sisters...right? So they don't catch us and kill us? Or banish us to the moon?"

"I can't leave Rarity entirely!" Sweetie Belle whined. "I'll miss her!"

"Sweetie's right." Apple Bloom said. "Ah don't wanna get caught, but Ah don't wanna leave Ponyville either."

Scootaloo groaned. "Then what exactly do you suggest?" She demanded. "Cause if we hang around you know what'll happen. They'll find out it was us, they'll catch us, and then..." She couldn't finish. The thought was too dreadful.

"Why can't we just pick a place to hide for a while?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom agreed, then frowned. "Only it can't be here. This is the first spot they'd look."

Scootaloo sighed, knowing there was no sense in arguing that her idea to leave town was better.

"I don't know. Zecora's?" She offered.

"No!" Apple Bloom said in horror. "She'd talk us into goin' back or lead our sisters right to us!"

"True." Scootaloo rubbed her neck. "Well, then...your barn? The boutique's attic?"

"No, Applejack would look at home, thoroughly." Apple Bloom said dismally.

"And Rarity would turn the boutique upside down to find us." Sweetie Belle said.

"Then where? Do we know anypony who'd be willing to help us?" Scootaloo questioned.

They sat in silence for a long time, pondering the conundrum they were in.

"Fluttershy!" Scootaloo suddenly said. "She's always willing to help ponies and animals in desperate need of help! And I'd say we're in desperate need."

"Yeah, but she's an Element. Wouldn't she turn us in?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Ah don't think so." Apple Bloom said. "An' nopony would think to look at her house."

"Yeah, but we'd be asking her to lie." Sweetie Belle said doubtfully. "She isn't a very convincing liar."

The other two exchanged looks, realising that Sweetie Belle had a valid point.

"Well, we'll have to risk it." Scootaloo finally said. "She'll know how to take care of us as far as food goes, and shelter. And she doesn't have to lie. Just sorta...avoid saying she knows where we are if she happens to be asked."

"In other words, lie." Sweetie Belle said drily.

"Ok, lets go." Apple Bloom said, rising. "If we're lucky, she'll be home by now. And alone. Ah hope."

The three fillies donned their capes and packs, and made thier way out the door.

**********************************

Fluttershy had just finished feeding all her animals when there was a timid knock...at her back door. She went to answer it.

"Hi, Fluttershy." Scootaloo spoke up.

"Oh...hi, girls. Come on in!" Fluttershy said. They complied. "What brings you here?"

"Fluttershy," Sweetie Belle said nervously. "Um, we, uh, we need a place to hide. Like, for a really long time. Maybe forever."

"Yeah, and nopony can know, cause our sisters will catch us and then we'll be banished forever!" Scootaloo said, wide eyed.

"Goodness!" Fluttershy exclaimed softly. "Why would you be banished?"

The fillies looked at each other, ears pinning back. None of them wanted to say it. Finally, Sweetie Belle spoke.

"We...we did something really bad." She said, tears filling her eyes. "And Twilight and our sisters are gonna kill us if they ever find out. Which they will. And we need to be hiding when they do, so maybe they won't find us, cause what we did was really, really awful and, oh, Fluttershy! Help!"

The now sobbing filly flung herself at Fluttershy, latching on and crying mightily. The other two had tears trickling silently down thier muzzles.

"Oh, goodness!" Fluttershy said, concerned.

Her left foreleg wrapped around Sweetie Beele, and the right one reached out to draw the other two fillies in close.

"What did you do that was so awful?" She asked softly.

Three heads shook simultaneously, and Scootaloo muttered that they couldn't tell.

"Come on now." Fluttershy said kindly. "You'll feel better if you get it off your chests."

There was a moment of silence. Then it was shattered by a piercing shriek from Sweetie Belle.

"I can't take it!" She wailed. "It was us! We did it!! We created the monster!!" Then she broke out in sobs again.

Fluttershy sat in stunned speechlessness for a moment, trying to process what had just been said. Then she understood.

"That was you?" She asked, somewhat amazed.

"Yeah." Scootaloo sniffled. "It was us. Trying for cutie marks. Only we failed and created a monster instead. And it could have really hurt ponies."

"An' we ran away from town and home and came here." Apple Bloom added miserably.

"And now we'll get thrown in dungeons or banished to the moooooon!" Sweetie Belle cried.

Fluttershy was beginning to grasp why the three had come to her.

"I see." She said. "So you came to me because you figured I would hide you from everypony?" Three nods. "Ah. Well, girls, you may stay here with me, but only until you calm yourselves. Then we are going to go see Twilight and the others."

"Oh no! No!" Scootaloo yelped. "You can't do that to us, Fluttershy, please!! We just told you what they'll do to us!"

Fluttershy pulled back from them and looked into thier scared eyes.

"I won't tell you that there won't be serious consequences for what you did." She said gently. "But I will tell you that running from this will only make it much worse. The best thing you can do for yourselves, no matter how hard it is, is to go and make a full confession to the others."

"B...but the punishment..." moaned Sweetie Belle, shivering.

Fluttershy gave a nod. "Yes, there will be punishment." She agreed. "But which would you rather do: run away and constantly have fear and dread and guilt chasing you, always worrying about getting caught? Or simply go and confess and take the punishment and be done with it?"

The fillies looked at each miserably, groaning.

"I'd rather go face a cave full of bloodthirsty dragons." Scootaloo finally mumbled. "But...I guess...go confess?"

"I guess I'd rather go get it over with." Sweetie Belle said, trembling at the thought.

"Ah reackon it'd be better to confess." Apple Bloom said, sighing.

Fluttershy drew them all in for a hug.

"Good girls." She praised. "Lets get you three some tea to help you calm down, and then we'll go to Twilight's together. Ok?"

"Ok..." muttered the fillies.

Fluttershy made tea and the Crusaders drank it without a fuss. Once they finished, Fluttershy rose.

"Ready?" She asked.

"No." Scootaloo replied, voicing the thought of all three of them. "But I guess we better go."

Fluttershy led them out of the cottage and towards town.

Towards the meeting they wanted to avoid.

And thier impending doom.

Author's Note

Not finished yet! Got another chapter coming. At some point.

Confession

The fillies balked at the castle door.

"I changed my mind. I wanna run!" Scootaloo said in terror.

"Ah agree!"

"So do I!"

"Now, girls." Fluttershy gently placed her wings around them and nuzzled them. "You know this is the right thing to do. But we'll stay here outside until you're ready."

The fillies took deep breaths, willing themselves not to bolt. Finally they nodded. Fluttershy opened the door and gently nudged them ahead of her, towards the library. Where there were voices. The noise stopped when the four entered. The Crusaders looked up, and then nearly screamed.

It made sense that all the Elements would be present. They expected that. And Spike. But what they did not expect was the regal white alicorn standing by the table. Not at all.

A nudge from Fluttershy jerked them out of thier shock. They slowly stepped forward.

"Girls? You ok?" Twilight asked.

"Ya'll don't look too good." Applejack observed, frowning.

"Darling, you look positivey ready to faint." Rarity said, eyes on Sweetie Belle, who did indeed look ready to faint.

"What's the trouble, Scoots?" Dash asked.

For a long moment, the three stood silent and still. Then, with a shriek, they flung themselves at Twilight's hooves, bursting into tears.

"It was us! We did it!" Scootaloo wailed.

"We disobeyed an' snuck into the experiment room!" Apple Bloom wept out.

"And we...we tried stuff and it all went wrong..." sobbed Sweetie Belle.

Twilight and the others looked utterly lost.

"What in Equestria are you talking about?" Twilight asked.

Drawing a breath, the fillies yelled in unison,"WE CREATED THE MONSTER THAT WRECKED PONYVILLE!!!"

Six pairs of eyes went impossibly wide. Six mouths fell open.

"What...how...when....you....WHAT??!" Twilight finally shouted.

"We're sorry!" Sobbed Sweetie Belle, while the other two couldn't talk at all.

"Wow." Spike muttered. "Just...wow."

As the Crusaders continued to cry uncontrollably at her hooves, Twilight looked at Fluttershy.

"Can you decipher this?" She asked.

"They came to me." Fluttershy said. "They packed up their little saddle bags and came to me. They said they were running and begged me to hide them. They said they did something awful and if you guys found them, you'd kill them. I got them to tell me what happened. Mostly. They created the monster we fought this morning."

Twilight looked down at the fillies, something they said registering. She teleported out with a flash, only to teleport back thirty seconds later. She lifted the fillies in her magic and glared into their eyes.

"My experiment room is a disaster." She said severely. "What. Did. You. Do?"

"Experiments." Scootaloo choked. "We...we didn't mean to make a monster, Twilight, I swear!"

Twilight set them down and scowled. They cowered close to the floor and waited for the wrathful explosion. There was none.

"Let me see if I have this straight." She said. "You three snuck down to the experiment room after I specifically told you not to; you used all sorts of dangerous chemical compounds without the slightest clue of the damage they could do; you created a monster that nearly demolished the town. And then you tried to run away. Did I miss anything?"

"N...no, Twilight." Sweetie Belle whispered.

"I didn't think so." Twilight began to pace. "Now, what do I do with you?"

That question only served to make them flatten their bodied further to the floor. Twilight suddenly straightened.

"I know what I'll do. I think you three need to face more serious consequences than a lecture from me. Considering your actions put Ponyville at risk, and all of Equestria, if we hadn't stopped that thing you created, you can answer to...Princess Celestia!"

The three frightened fillies shrieked as they were lifted in Twilight's magic and plunked down in front of the Sun Princess.

"Twilight, I really don't think..." Dash started, only to be cut off by a sly wink from Twilight.

Princess Celestia, recovering her suprise quickly, gazed down at the Crusaders, eyebrow arching.

The fillies dared to exchange looks, then Scootaloo, gathering what little courage she had, forced herself to meet the princess's stare.

"P..Princess Celstia, I...I..." she faltered, then gulped and tried again. "It w...was all m...my idea, so...so please just...just banish me t...to the m..moon and...and not them."

"No." Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom managed to sit up next to their friend, eyes meeting Celestia's.

"It was all our faults." Sweetie Belle said. "We all chose to disobey Twilight, and we all chose to mess with her stuff. The monster was a result. If you're gonna banish one of us, then you're gonna have to banish all of us. And...and we kinda deserve it..."

"Yeah." Apple Bloom said miserably. "Wish we'd never had such a stupid idea."

Princess Celestia took a breath and flared her wings impressively.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders." She spoke firmly, and their ears pinned back. "What you did was very dangerous. You put the lives of everypony at stake, including your own. That cannot be left unpunished."

"Well, goodbye, girls." Scootaloo said sadly. "Guess I'll see you on the moon."

"That's not what I have in mind." Celestia said. "I think you should help your sisters and their friends fix up the town. I'll leave it up to your sisters to deal with you beyond that."

Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom looked at their older siblings, who glared back intensely.

"You sure you can't just blast us to the moon?" Scootaloo asked. "Might be less dangerous."

Celestia chuckled. "No." She smiled around the room. "Since things are good here, I'll go."

She left the room. Twilight looked at the fillies.

"You and I," she said, eyes narrowing,"are going to have a chat." Her magic caught up the mane brush Rarity had used that morning. "And you are not going to like it."

The fillies gulped. They didn't like where this was headed!

"Hey, Twilight?" Applejack spoke up. "Ah am gonna take A. B. home, and Ah give ya my word she won't do this again."

"The same goes for Sweetie." Rarity said.

"And Scootaloo." Dash added.

Twilight turned. "Can I see you three in the hall?"

They followed while Fluttershy sat next to the Crusaders.

"Feel better?" She asked.

"Not really." Scootaloo said, eyes wide. "Twilight wants to tan our flanks! I mean, not that we don't deserve it, but man!"

"Yeah, well, our sisters are going to tan us anyway." Sweetie Belle said dismally.

Apple Bloom just sighed. A moment later, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, and Dash reappeared. Twilight still had the mane brush in her magical hold.

"We reached an agreement." She said. "You're each going to get three swats from me for disobeying when I said do not go into my experiment room."

"We didn't agree!" Scootaloo protested as Twilight sat down on a chair and motioned.

"Just stop arguin', Scootaloo, an' do like she says." Apple Bloom said, sighing in resignation as she started forward.

"Where are you going??" Scootaloo gasped.

Apple Bloom paused and looked back at her.

"Ah'm goin' to take my punishment." She said. "Ah ain't gonna argue when Ah know I got it comin'."

She trotted to Twilight and leaned over her lap without being told, shutting her eyes.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

"Ow!" Apple Bloom yelped on the last one. She stood up. "Ah'm sorry, Twilight."

"I know you are." Twilight hugged her and let her go, and she went to stand by Applejack.

Twilight looked at the other two. Sweetie Belle took a very deep breath and made herself walk to Twilight's side. That was the extent of her courage. Twilight understood and another glow of magic surrounded the trembling filly, lifting her and laying her gently in place on her lap.

Sweetie Belle shut her eyes tightly.

Smack! "Ouch!" Smack! "Ow!" Smack! "Gah!"

The now sniffling filly was hugged and sent to Rarity.

Scootaloo was, of course, last. She stood still, not wanting anything to do with the mane brush Twilight held.

"Scootaloo?" Twilight questioned.

The filly gulped. Why, oh why, did she have to have such stupid ideas and get herself and her friends in trouble! She shook her head.

"Scoots." Dash crossed her forelegs, frowning. "Its only fair that Twilight swat you a couple times. You did disobey her, and mess with her stuff. Now come on. Just get it over with."

"But its painful." Scootaloo said sullenly.

"That's kind of the point, sugarcube." Applejack told her. "So ya think before ya act next time."

"Its ok, Scootaloo." Twilight said. "It'll be quick, I promise."

Scootaloo sighed and finally came.

True to her word, Twilight made the swats land quickly. Scootaloo yelped once. After a big hug, she ran to Dash.

"Now then." Twilight said, facing the fillies. "If you ever, and I mean ever, enter my experiment room without my permission and mess with what's there again, you have my word that you'll get the full treatment with that brush. And I know for a fact your sisters won't mind. Am I clear?"

"Crystal." The fliies replied.

"Good." Twilight stretched. "I'm sure they still want a few words with you about your actions."

The three fillies found themselves in their sisters' grasps.

"Oh, there will be more than words." Rarity said.

"Eeyup. Alot more." Applejack stated.

"What they said." Dash added.

As the Crusaders were carried from the castle, they shared looks of dread, the same thought going through each of their minds.

We're not gonna sit for a week!

Author's Note

Alright. I intended this to be a final chapter, but I kinda ended it in a way that an additional chapter could be added later. If anyone wants an epiloque type chapter where we see each of the fillies get their punishments from their sisters, lemme know. I can write one.

Punishments

(Carousel Boutique)

"I don't guess saying I'm sorry will do any good?" Sweetie Belle spoke hopefully as she was placed on her hooves inside the shop.

"It won't save you from my mane brush, if that is what you are asking." Rarity said firmly.

Sweetie Belle sighed, head hanging. "No. I just...I'm sorry that I'm so stupid sometimes, Rarity. And so much trouble."

Her sister's magic enveloped her and lifted her as Rarity drew her into a hug.

"Darling, you are not stupid." Rarity said gently. "A bit spirited and overzealous and irresponsible on occasion, but you are not stupid. And you are most assuredly not trouble."

"But...but I made you mad." Sweetie Belle said, with a sniff.

"Oh Sweetie, I'm not mad." Rarity's embrace tightened. "I am disappointed, yes. But I am not mad. I am more worried than anything."

"Cause I was dumb?"

"No, darling. Because what you did was, as Twilight and Celestia said, very dangerous. You fillies are lucky that creating a monster is all you did. You could have been seriously hurt. Or killed." Rarity's voice sharpened slightly. "Killed. Do you know what that means?"

"Yeah, that I wouldn't be here anymore." Sweetie Belle said.

"Exactly." Rarity softened again as she cuddled the filly close. "I do not want to lose you, Sweetie. I love you dearly. If anything happened to you I would be crushed."

"I...I'm sorry, Rarity." Sweetie Belle whispered, feeling really bad when she considered how Rarity would have felt had things ended differently in Twilight's experiment room. If she and her friends had somehow gotten themselves killed.

Rarity nuzzled her gently. "I know, darling. But I am still going to have punish you. You know that, right? You put your life in danger messing with Twilight's chemicals and things."

"I know." Sweetie Belle sniffled. "But I wish you didn't have to. It hurts." The tears trickled down her snout.

Rarity sighed. She wished she didn't, too. Her heart was breaking at the thought of causing her precious little sister pain.

"I know it does, sweetheart." She planted a kiss on her little sister's head. "Lets just get it over with, alright? Then we'll have ice cream."

At Sweetie Belle's nod, Rarity set her down and rose. Side by side they went up the stairs to Rarity's room. Sweetie Belle might be scared of the spanking, but she trusted Rarity completely. Her big sister would never harm her.

Rarity took a seat on the bed and levitated a mane brush over, laying it next to her. Her magic then caught her sister, lifting her up and gently laying her across her lap. Sweetie Belle offered no protest. Experience had taught her it was over with more rapidly if you just stayed still and didn't fight.

Rarity lifted the brush, her left hoof pressing gently but firmly on the filly's back.

"Are you ready?" She asked.

"I guess." Sweetie Belle said, voice low.

Rarity raised the mane brush and used her hoof to brush the filly's tail aside. The brush landed firmly on her flank, and Sweetie Belle yelped.

After five swats she began crying in earnest. Rarity's heart broke and tears filled her eyes at the filly's sobs. She absolutely hated having to do this.

After five more swift swats, Rarity took a firmer hold of her sister and aimed at her more tender sit spot.

"Ow!" Sweetie Belle yowled, before returning to sobbing.

Rarity finished with five more swats to the sit spots, then dropped the brush and gathered her sister close, comforting her.

"I'm sorry, Rarity." The little one cried.

"I know, darling. I know." Rarity said softly. "Its alright now. I forgive you. Shh."

Once Sweetie Belle calmed down, Rarity smiled at her.

"I love you, little sister."

"I love you too, big sister."

"Ice cream?"

"YEAH!"

And the two unicorns left the room and headed down to the kitchen to indulge in the sweet and delcious treat.

**********************************
(Dash's House)

"I am in big trouble, aren't I?" Scootaloo asked nervously.

"Yeah, you sure are." Dash replied, putting her down on the cloud bed in her room.

"I'm really sorry, Rainbow Dash."

"I know you are, kid." Dash took a seat next to her. "But you know I'm not letting it go at that. You knew what was coming when we left the castle."

"Yeah, I know." Scootaloo sighed. "I was hoping maybe I could talk you out of it. I mean, Twilight spanked me already."

Dash snorted. "It was three smacks, Scoots. And only for disobeying her rules and going down and messing around."

"So...no chance you won't....?"

"Nope. I'm spanking your flank, kiddo."

"Darn."

Dash laid a wing around the forlorn filly.

"Scootaloo, you did something really dangerous." She said. "You messed with stuff that could have easily hurt you or killed you. Don't you get that?"

"Yeah. It was really dumb." Scootaloo admitted. "And we didn't get cutie marks."

Dash rolled her eyes. "Cutie marks are the very least of your worries right now, kid."

"Dash, I'm really sorry. I know we shouldn't have done it." Scootaloo looked up.

"You're right. You shouldn't have." Dash said calmly. "Scoots, you...you might not be related to me, but you are my little sister regardless. And I don't want to lose you to some crazy scheme for cutie marks or whatever. Can you get that?"

"Yeah."

Dash sighed and shifted a little. "Ok. So you know what you did was wrong, and why. I won't waste time going over it again. Lets just...get this over with."

Scootaloo didn't resist as she was lifted and gently laid over Dash's lap. She scrunched her eyes shut and waited as she felt Dash's left foreleg wrap around her securely.

Dash swallowed hard as she raised her hoof. This was gonna hurt her as much as it did Scootaloo. But the filly needed to learn to think before she acted. With that thought, she brought her hoof down with a firm clap on Scootaloo's flank. The filly yelped in suprised pain. Dash flinched but charged ahead, laying down smack after smack, each one hard enough to be keenly felt, but not to cause any harm.

Scootaloo was actually bawling by the tenth smack, and Dash finished with five smacks to her sit spot. She drew the filly into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Dash, I'm sorry." Scootaloo sobbed.

"I know, kiddo. I forgive you." Dash said, snuggling her close.

Scootaloo finally calmed enough to lean back and give her a watery grin.

"I love you, sis."

Dash chuckled. "I love you, too, squirt."

Scootaloo sniffed. "Can we get pizza?"

Dash gave a hearty laugh and tossed the filly up on her back. "Sure, kid. Lets go get pizza."

And with that, they headed off to get themselves some pizza and bring it home for some quality sister time.

**********************************
(Sweet Apple Acres)

Applejack and Apple Bloom had been silent all the way home. Applejack headed directly to the barn, and the filly followed, knowing all too well what to expect. Or so she thought.

Applejack sat down and drew her sister close, into a hug.

"Ah want you to know Ah ain't mad." She told the startled filly. "Ah'm disappointed you done what ya done, but Ah'm not mad."

"Ah'm sorry, Applejack." Apple Bloom sniffed. "Ah never shoulda done it. It was stupid an' it was wrong."

"Yeah, it was." Applejack said calmly. "An' do ya know why it was wrong?

Apple Bloom pondered that for a minute, then sighed deeply, wishing she didn't have to say it.

"Cause Ah coulda been hurt bad, or even killed." She said. "Plus Twilight said don't go down there, but, mostly the dangerous thing."

"You're right." Applejack said."Ah don't wanna lose ya, Apple Bloom. You gotta learn to think first, then act. An' Ah don't want ya tryin' anymore fool stunts like that."

Apple Bloom nodded. She met her sister's gaze. "Ah guess I gotta go get a switch now." The filly sighed.

"Ah'm afraid so." Applejack said softly, wishing she could just not do this.

Apple Bloom stood there for a short while, as if hoping a miracle would occur and get her out of the mess she was in. Applejack came and nuzzled her gently.

"Go on an' get it, sugarcube. No sense draggin' this out."

Apple Bloom heaved a sigh, fresh tears pooling as she turned around and left the barn, looking like she had just been condemned to execution.

Applejack didn't speak. She just watched her sister head slowly out the door and out of sight. She did not want to do this. She honestly did not. She hated punishing her sister. It hurt her almost as much as it did the filly. But sometimes it was just neccessary.

Apple Bloom returned in good time, switch in her mouth. She transferred it to Applejack, who took it wordlessly. The filly dragged herself to a nearby bale of straw and settled over it, tears welling up at the thought of what was coming.

This is gonna hurt like Tartarus!

The first lick of the switch made her jump and yelp simultaneously. The next one made her start crying. By the fourth she was sobbing loudly, head buried in her hooves. It really did hurt like Tartarus!

Applejack delivered six more licks before dropping the switch and gathering the filly in a tight hug.

"Ah'm sorry, Ah'm sorry!" Apple Bloom sobbed. "Ah'm so sorry, Applejack."

"Ah know, lil sis. Ah know." Applejack soothed. "Ah forgive ya."

Apple Bloom finally calmed down and took a deep breath.

"Ah'll never do somethin' that dumb again." She promised.

"Ah hope not." Applejack said.

Apple Bloom pulled back to look at her.

"Ah think Ah could use a big piece of apple pie." She said, hopefully.

Applejack laughed at that.

"Ah think we can handle that." She smirked.

They hugged once more before pulling apart completely. Apple Bloom beamed at her sister.

"Ah love ya, big sis."

"Ah love ya too, lil sis. Now lets go get that pie!"

Author's Note

I was apparently not done with this story yet.

This was a very difficult chapter for me to write. I wanted to make sure to make it was very clear that every spanking in this chapter was done with the utmost love and was not by any means abusive. I drew alot on my own experience as a kid for this. Being kind of a troublemaker, I got more spankings than I care to admit, but each and every one was always done with love. I was never harmed by any of them. And my parents, like the older sisters in this story, never got any joy out of punishment. And the favourite parts for all of us was the warm hugs afterwards, just like the above chapter.

Anyhow....ahem....I hope you liked this chapter. I am planning on doing one more, and hopefully I'll have it up soon.

Epilogue

"Ugh! I never want to pick up another hammer and nail for as long as I live!"

Scootaloo flung herself into the grass next to her two friends.

"Look at it this way, Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle said brightly. "At least we're done now."

"Yeah, and all it took was six long weeks!" Scootaloo moaned. "I can pick up garbage and debris and build stuff in my sleep now! In fact, I do! Every night!"

The other two fillies giggled at that. Normally Sweetie Belle was the one given to dramatics. Today, it was Scootaloo.

"Hi there, fillies!" Pinkie Pie skidded to a stop beside them, brandishing a box. "You look tired. And hungry. But mostly tired. Cupcakes? Cookies? Muffins? Donuts?"

The CMC gratefully accepted. Except Scootaloo.

"Uh, no sweets, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked. "You love this stuff."

"Not now, Sweetie." Scootaloo said, giving her wings a weak flutter. "Can't you see I'm dying??"

"Ah hardly think you're dyin', Scoots." Apple Bloom said, amused.

"Then why do I hurt so bad?!" Scootaloo yelled. "I hurt in spots I didn't know I had!"

"Its called being sore, you silly filly!" Pinkie giggled. Then she winked. "And if you don't live through it, Scootaloo, I Pinkie promise to throw you the biggest, most bestest funeral party ever!! With my biggest cannons!!"

Nearby, the other five Elements laughed. Dash laughed the hardest.

"Oh very funny." Scootaloo huffed. "I'm dying and everypony is laughing!!"

Fluttershy looked at her companions.

"Twilight, could you please levitate the poor filly over here to me? Gently?" She asked.

Twilight grinned. Concentrating, she enveloped Scootaloo in her magic, carefully and gently levitating her over and laying her in the grass in front of Fluttershy.

"Hey! What's the big idea? I was comfy where I was!" Scootaloo protested as her two friends came over to join them.

"Really?" Apple Bloom scoffed, sitting by Applejack. "Funny, Ah thought ya said you were dyin' a second ago."

"That's what I heard, too." Sweetie Belle said, grinning as she settled next to Rarity.

"Ok, ok." Scootaloo huffed.

"Scootaloo, where are you hurting the most?" Fluttershy asked.

"My back. And my wings. I think I've them more the last six weeks propelling my scooter than ever in my whole life!" Scootaloo said.

Fluttershy reached out and placed her hooves on Scootaloo's back, gently pressing.

"Ooh! Ah! Ow!" Scootaloo groaned.

"Oh goodness." Fluttershy said. "Poor filly. No wonder you hurt so. Your muscles are very tight. Let me see if I can get them to relax." She started massaging gently.

"Ow...oh...ah...."moaned Scootaloo. "Sweet Celestia, that's sore! Ow!! Ok, I'm defintely dying. Owww!"

"Oh Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle said with a sigh.

Pinkie handed out more treats, and even offered one to the 'dying' Scootaloo. The filly refused it, moaning and groaning and yelping as Fluttershy gently massaged the knots and kinks and stiffness out of her small back.

Apple Bloom leaned back between Applejack's forelegs, head on her chest, and yawned. Sweetie Belle snuggled close to Rarity, also yawning. Their eyes closed.

"And in 3, 2, 1..." Dash counted, smirking.

Sure enough, no sooner had she said that, than both fillies were snoring softly. Scootaloo was no longer yelping, but was actually enjoying the massage. Relaxed, she put her head on her forelegs and soon dozed off.

"I'd say some little fillies got tired out." Rarity said with a smile.

"They put in a lot of hard work the last six weeks." Twilight said, with a fond gaze at each filly. "They certainly got busy repairing the damage their monster caused."

"Ah think it'll be a while before they get the hankerin' to go crusading again." Applejack chuckled.

"I wouldn't bet on it." Dash said. "Scootaloo said the other night that they had another cutie mark attempt planned."

"Well, if this one creates a monster," Twilight said, "I am putting these three over my lap and tanning their flanks with my mane brush so hard their grandfoals will feel it!"

The others laughed at that.

"And we'll let you!" Dash finally said, when she got her breath.

"Ah agree with that." Applejack said. "If this whole monster kerfuffle and the spankin's they got, plus cleanin' up the town, don't teach em anythin', maybe they need somepony who ain't kin to put the fear of Celestia into em."

"Or you could have Fluttershy stare them down." Dash giggled.

"Oh...oh my...oh no. Dash, I couldn't!" Fluttershy gasped. "The stare is...well, I wouldn't use it on these little fillies."

At that moment there was a yell from somewhere, and then Spike came rushing up.

"Its...its growing! Its scary! Its horrible! Twilight! In the school basement!! Cherilee called for you, I went, I saw...its a MONSTER, Twilight!!!"

"Oh for Celestia's sake!" Twilight huffed.

Spike's yelling had roused the fillies. They blinked at each other, then shuddered.

"Oh, not again!" Scootaloo moaned.

"Oh no...it worked???" Sweetie Belle gulped.

"Ah think it worked too good." Apple Bloom whimpered. "It wasn't supposed to grow as big as Spike said it was growin'!"

"You three got something to say?" Dash asked, crossing her forelegs.

"Well...there was one more experiment we wanted to try..." Sweetie Belle managed. "But...but we tried to do it exactly by the book! It was only supposed to be small though!!!"

"What book?" Rarity asked. "What are you saying?"

The fillies exchnged looks of terror.

"The...The Villian's Guide to Creating Monsters..." mumbled Apple Bloom, shrinking next to Applejack.

"Page 37!" Scootaloo added, before wilting under Dash's glare.

"WHAT??!" Twilight screeched. She glared at them. "You three...DO NOT MOVE!!! Spike! Watch them!"

The six ponies raced off to save the school, and Ponyville, from further monster problems.

"Oh wow, are you three ever in trouble!" Spike said, sympathetically.

"It wasn't in Twilight's experiment room!" Scootaloo said. "She can't wallop us for this!! Um...can she??"

There was a roar on the far side of town, then magical blasts. This was followed by an explosion. Then silence.

The fillies cringed as the entire group of ponies teleported in front of them. They, and Spike, were caught in Twilight's magic, and she teleported the whole group to the castle library.

The fillies gulped and looked from one upset face to the other. Even Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie looked angry, which in Fluttershy's case wasn't easy unless you hurt an innocent creature or her friends. And Pinkie only got mad if you broke a Pinkie promise or somehow completely destroyed a baked good.

Twilight pulled out a chair and sat down. Rarity levitated the waiting mane brush to her.

"Here you are, darling. Have at them!" She said furiously.

"Yeah, and put some extra sting into Scootaloo's for me!" Dash huffed.

"An' Apple Bloom's!" Applejack said sternly.

As the three fillies were caught up in Twilight's magic and dragged closer, their eyes met, their expressions changed from fright to pure horror, realisation sank in, and a collective wail rang through the entire castle.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

Author's Note

Alrighty! Last chapter. This one had me laughing while I wrote it. I know its not exactly perfect, but I gave it my best. Hope you enjoyed it!