My Little Pony Friendship is Magic What If?: Volume 18

Chapters

S5 E2: The Cutie Map, Part 2 (What If?)
S1 E17: Stare Master (What If?)
S4 E9: Pinkie Apple Pie (What If?)
S5 E1: The Cutie Map, Part 1 (What If?)
S5 E8: The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone (What If?)
S7 E8: Hard to Say Anything (What If?) (Bonus Chapter)
S7 E18: A Health of Information (What If?)
S9 E3: Uprooted (What If?)
S9 E5: The Royal Apologies (The Point of No Return) (What If?)
S9 E23: The Big Mac Question (What If?) (Bonus Chapter)

S5 E2: The Cutie Map, Part 2 (What If?)

Twilight Sparkle and her friends were still in a state of shock after all that had happened to them in so short a span of time. They now found themselves completely at the mercy of a unicorn named Starlight Glimmer, a pony who seemed quite determined to impose her idea of a "better" Equestria by stripping ponies of their cutie marks and forcing them all to be equal.

The events that had led up to this point were still fresh in the six friends' minds, however. They could all remember how it had all begun.

It had been just the other day, in fact. Twilight had called the others over to her new castle, expressing her concern about something that was nagging at her and refusing to leave her alone. "As the princess of friendship, I made it my life's purpose to spread the magic of friendship all across Equestria, maybe even beyond. So why would the Tree of Harmony want us to just sit in a castle in Ponyville?" She had questioned aloud. And that question had been answered when she and her friends sat in their respective thrones, bringing forth a large table and a map that displayed all of Equestria.

"This is incredible! It's got all of Equestria!" Spike had commented in amazement upon seeing the table map.

The map had quickly attracted attention, because it had displayed the cutie marks of Twilight and her friends above a small, innocent looking village at the far end of Equestria's borders. "Why are our cutie marks all the way over there?" Fluttershy had been the first to ask.

Twilight had responded by concluding. "Seems like this map wants us to find out." And to that end, she and her friends (Spike included) had set off to find that village and hopefully figure out what was going on there.

Upon reaching the village later in that same day, the six ponies and Spike had their attention drawn to a most puzzling detail. Namely the fact that everypony in the village had a black equal sign for a cutie mark. "An entire village where everypony has the same cutie mark?" The alicorn princess had pondered. "Who or what could be responsible for such a thing?"

That question was ultimately answered when Twilight and the others were brought before the village leader: A unicorn mare named Starlight Glimmer. In contrast to all the other villagers, her coat, mane, and tail colors were not dimmed or dulled in the slightest. And at first, she had seemed just as friendly as everypony else in the village. "Welcome!" And she had quickly taken the liberty of showing her unannounced guests around the village, which was called Cutie Markless.

Yet it soon turned out that all was not well within the village. In particular, a unicorn named Sugar Belle had confided in secret to Twilight and her friends. "What I'd really love is to have my cutie mark and my special talent back, even just for a day!"

To that end, Spike had set off on his own little mission to try to find out more about a cave that housed a vault used to store all the villagers' cutie marks. Unfortunately, in doing so he ended up running afoul of Starlight Glimmer, who quickly took him prisoner. "Unlike with you, I know a way to make them talk!" She had said to the little dragon.

And the very next day, Starlight had led the six ponies from Ponyville up to the cave and showed them the vault. But it had quickly turned into a trap, as she was able to learn from them that some of the villagers were starting to regret giving up their cutie marks. "I can't have that. It seems like you inspire all sorts of free thinking." Soon afterward, she had stripped all six mares of their cutie marks, locking them away behind the glass walls of the vault as equal signs replaced their cutie marks on their flanks.

With a smirk and an evil smile, Starlight had then taunted her new captives. "Now you can spend the rest of your lives here with me. You'll learn to see it my way soon enough."

Now the self-proclaimed princess of friendship herself in a true predicament. She and her friends had to find some way to escape from Starlight's clutches and topple her oppressive rule, not to mention free Spike (whom Starlight was still holding as a prisoner). But how would they do it? It all seemed so hopeless.

The now cutie markless mares were quickly led from the cave back into the village, and were locked into a one room cottage where the sun's rays only slightly penetrated. The interior was a drab, dull grey in color, made of cold, hard stones. And the only thing that broke up the silence of this prison was a loudspeaker that blarred on repeat various phrases Starlight Glimmer had recorded. On and on the loudspeaker droned, with "inspiring" phrases coming out from it at regular intervals, saying such things as: "In sameness, there is peace. Exceptionalism is a lie.", "Free yourself from your cutie mark.", "To excel is to fail.", and "Be your best by never being your best.".

Rainbow Dash naturally refused to sit still. She attempted again and again to break down the door with her hooves, but nothing she tried worked. The door refused to budge even an inch.

Twilight Sparkle audibly groaned, covering her ears with her hooves to block out the loudspeaker's sayings! "We have to get out of here!" She complained aloud! "I can't take much more of that! And who knows what Starlight's doing to Spike right now?! I should've known she was up to no good!"

Applejack looked down at the ground in shame and sorrow. "She had us all fooled. Don't know what it is that made her hate cutie marks, but it seems she's too far gone to be reasoned with."

"Oh, this is horrible!" Rarity wailed as she started to cry, looking hopelessly at the windows.

Fluttershy turned her attention to the distressed fashionista, trying to calm her down. "There, there, Rarity... it'll be okay. We've been in bad situations before, and we've always come out of it just fine."

"We've never had to deal with something like this," The unicorn mare with a formerly pristine white coat lamented. "Starlight's taken away what makes us us! Just look at those drapes!" She was fixated on some old drapes in a shade of faded pink that had seen better days. "I can't even tell if they're tacky or not!"

"Well, I think they're nice. About as nice as they can be in a prison." Fluttershy confessed.

The equal sign on Rarity's flank began to pulse and flash ominously, displaying a harsh, black tone. And it made the unicorn sob even louder as she whimpered. "So do I!"

Luckily for the animal loving pegasus, her thoughts were quickly distracted by the sound of a blue feathered bird chirping and tweeting nearby. "Oh, thank goodness you're here!" She said to the bird as she trotted over to its location, seeing it perched on a window sill. "Can you help us out, little birdie? Please?" But as she started trying to give it commands, the equal sign on her flanks started to pulse in the same way Rarity's had. Unaware of this, the pegasus pony tried to instruct to the bird. "Go on, now! Fly away and get us help!" But it was no use, the bird just tweeted and flew away, prompting the pegasus to unhappily remark. "Oh, even tweets don't make sense anymore!"

Applejack, meanwhile, made an attempt of her own to break down the door of the prison. Like Rainbow Dash, she had no luck whatsoever, the door would not move for her no matter what she did. "Gosh darn it," She groaned and complained. "I tell ya, this here door's shut tighter than a..." She began to trail off, trying to think of what to say next and not realizing that the equal sign on her flanks was pulsing, doing for her what it had done for Rarity and Fluttershy. "Uh... a summer of... uh, piglets in... shoot!" The freckled farm mare found herself forced to give up and admit defeat. "I can't even make countryisms anymore!"

"Well who knows? Maybe it'll be super fun to all be the same!" Pinkie Pie proposed, only to find her enthusiasm fading quickly when her own equal sign started pulsing. And she added in a flat, emotionless tone. "More pleasant than fun, I guess..."

"We've got to get out of here, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash complained! "Starlight's gone too far!"

Twilight let out a frustrated sigh. She had seen everything. "I know, and I wish I had an answer. I don't know what it is about that staff, but something feels odd about it. I haven't studied Eastern unicorns as much as I should have, but I'm pretty sure Meadowbrook only had eight magical items, not nine. And I don't remember any of them being a staff. It shouldn't be possible to take away a pony's cutie mark, let alone suppress their special talent. So how did Starlight figure it out?"

Applejack only sighed back and swished her tail in visible disappointment. "Well, it looks like you'll have plenty of time to try to think about it. It looks like we're stuck here, maybe forever!"

The alicorn princess chose to ignore that depressing thought, instead thinking long and hard about the dilemma she and her friends currently found themselves in. How were they going to get out? How were they going to defeat Starlight and reclaim not only their cutie marks but also the cutie marks of everypony in the village? She thought and contemplated for a while. Then, suddenly, the answer came to her! "I've got it!" She exclaimed as her friends all turned to look at her! "I know how we can get out!"

Rainbow Dash immediately shot down what she thought was the princess' obvious solution. "Forget it, Twilight! This door's not gonna open no matter what we try!"

Rarity quickly added her own observation. "And I'm afraid the windows are much too small for escape. If only Spike were here with us instead of with Starlight, he might have been able to squeeze through."

"That's probably why Starlight's keeping him close to her at all times," Twilight concluded. "But my solution doesn't involve doors or windows. There is a third way."

"Of course!" Pinkie Pie chimed in, believing she had deduced the solution. "Eventually the wind and the weather will wear down the walls until they start to crumble! Then all we have to do is wait for a big enough hole to form and we can just walk out! It's the perfect plan!" Upon finishing that sentence, the equal sign on her cutie mark pulsed and made her add in an unhappy tone. "I guess."

Twilight shook her head from side to side. "That's not it, that would take too long!" And she then explained the answer that had come into her mind. "We don't actually have to escape. Starlight'll just let us out when she thinks we've accepted her philosophy!"

The stetson wearing earth pony protested. "There's no way she'll believe we just switched over in the span of one night. She's too smart to fall for that."

The young alicorn just grinned as she added. "Well, there is one of us she might believe."

All eyes in the room quickly fell upon Fluttershy, who in turn realized what all this attention mean. "Oh! Me?!" She blinked in surprise.

Rainbow Dash nodded and somewhat bitterly pointed out. "Face it, Fluttershy, you've been saying how great this place is since we got here!"

Fluttershy glumly looked down at the ground, not wanting to admit that her fellow pegasus had a point. "W-well, that's just that's because everypony's so nice and their village is so pretty, and, and..." Try as she might, though, she could continue the counterargument and thus folded. "Oh, you're right. She would believe me! I'm sorry I didn't see sooner what you all were seeing. This place isn't natural, their happiness is a lie. I'll do it."

"Woo-hoo! Way to go, Fluttershy!" Pinkie Pie cheered, before being forced to far less cheerful about it. "I mean, cool."

The pegasus mare with pretty pink bangs then nervously asked. "But once I get out, what am I supposed to do?"

Twilight quickly replied. "Simple, you have to find a way to get our cutie marks back. If you can, find a way to rescue Spike too. And no matter what, don't let Starlight find you out. If you get caught, we won't be able to do anything."

Fluttershy gulped as the gravity of what she was being asked to do hit her hard. She was about to enter a proverbial hornet's nest, and she would have to brave it all on her own.

Shortly after this conversation between friends, the loudspeaker stopped blaring its recordings. It crackled ominously as the voice of Starlight Glimmer called out through it. "Good morning, villagers! Have you had enough time to come to your senses?" Seconds later, the door to the one room cottage was opened, and Starlight quickly ushered her six captives out into the sunlight. The whole village was there to see them, everypony wearing that smile that was now anything but sincere.

"I trust you all had a pleasant night?" Starlight inquired of her prisoners. Without bothering to wait for a reply, the equality obsessed unicorn brought them before the villagers. "This way, please. There are some friends who'd like to see you," And to the villagers she then declared. "Gather round, friends, gather round!"

Twilight and her friends said nothing, and just stood there with unamused and unethusiastic expressions as all the residents of Cutie Markless began to look at them.

Smiling brighter than the rest, Starlight spoke in a sickeningly sweet tone of voice and questioned. "We've come to ask if any of you are ready to join us in our utopia! Look around: There are so many wonderful friends to be made once you realize you don't need your cutie marks or the talents that come with them."

Double Diamond then chimed in, appearing to sound sincere in his proposal. "We have a welcome ceremony for new friends! The whole village joins together to build you your own cottage—"

Rainbow Dash immediately and bitterly snapped! "Not interested! You may have our cutie marks now, but we're going to get them back! You're not gonna break us that easily!"

And Applejack joined in with a protest of her own. "Y'all don't understand, do ya? You can't force ponies to be friends! It don't work like that! This ain't friendship, it's a lie and a sham!"

Starlight could only shake her head and coldly dismiss. "That's too bad. But not to worry," She turned to the villagers. "This is a perfectly normal part of the equalization process for those who haven't... quite seen the light yet. But as they say, Canterlot wasn't built in a day," She then turned back to the six equalized mares standing before her, telling them in no uncertain terms. "We'll try again tomorrow once you've had a bit more time to consider our philosophy!" And she began to lead them back to the one room cottage that served as their prison.

Fluttershy was still very frightened about what she was being asked to do, so she had to not so secretly be nudged by Twilight before she blurted out! "I'd like to join!" She then froze as all eyes in the village fell upon her (which did nothing to help her nerves).

"Fluttershy?! How could you?!" Twilight exclaimed, sounding far less upset about it than should've seemed necessary given the circumstances. It was fortunate for her that nopony seemed to suspect anything.

The animal loving pegasus just replied in as convincingly a tone as possible. "If giving up my cutie mark means I get to stay in this lovely village with these lovely ponies, then I'll do it. Sorry." She then watched as her friends were all locked back inside the cottage, leaving her entirely at the mercy of Starlight and the villagers.

"Ah, it appears we do have a new friend today after all," Starlight Glimmer happily declared to the villagers, who all clapped and cheered quite loudly. She quickly rose up a hoof to quiet down the enthusiastic crowd, turning her full attention to Fluttershy. "Now, there's just one more order of business that needs to be taken care of, friend," Without changing her tone of voice or overall expression, she explained. "It seems some in our midst might be... dissatisfied with the village life!"

A chorus of gasps escaped the crowd's lips! The news seemed to come as a shock to them.

Rather than quiet down the crowd again, Starlight allowed their horrified reactions to carry for a while before speaking up. "Unfortunately, it's all too true, my friends! It would appear that someponies have gotten ideas in their heads about upending everything we've worked so hard for," She the turned back to Fluttershy, looking her firmly in the eyes as she demanded. "So, new friend, will you kindly tell us the names of those friends who so desperately miss their cutie marks that they would sneak around in the shadows, talking to strangers about it? Just so we can be sure your intentions are indeed pure."

Fluttershy gulped audibly as a bead of sweat worked its way down her face. She did indeed know who Starlight was talking about, but she didn't want to admit such a thing after having specifically promised those ponies that she'd get their cutie marks back for them. So instead, she thought of a lie and she thought it up as quickly as she could, hastily proclaiming. "I don't know who they are, really," She whimpered, wanting nothing more than to run away and hide. But she knew she couldn't. Forcing herself to brave, she apologized. "I'm sorry. I don't know your names and faces yet."

If Fluttershy hoped her words would convince Starlight, she was sadly mistake. The unicorn mare only pressed further, appearing to sense weakness in the pegasus pony. "Nonsense!" She said quite seriously all the while not letting up on her intense stare. "Obviously these ponies must have asked you directly. So kindly point them out! We can't have them corrupting our friends with poisonus thoughts and ideas."

The animal loving pegasus gulped anew, feeling ready to crack under the pressure! Starlight was not letting up.

But before the abrupt public interrogation could continue, Party Favor suddenly stepped forward and burst out! "It was me, Starlight! It was only me, I swear! I did want my cutie mark back, but only for a little while! I just wanted to remember what it was like to have it." He hurridly threw himself at his fellow's unicorn's hooves.

The equality obsessed unicorn mare could only shake her head in disapproval, scolding the stallion the way a mother might scold a misbehaving child. "And with no thought to the pain you'd cause your friends. Such selfishness," She quickly ushered him over to the one room cottage serving as a prison and opened the door, shoving him inside while coldy telling him. "You need to think about what you've done, about what you could've caused with your carelessness."

Party Favor whimpered and adopted the most guilt ridden face he could possibly muster up as he apologized profusely. "I'm sorry, everypony! Really! I never wanted to leave the village! I love all of—" But his sentence was cut off as the door was cruely slammed shut right in his face, trapping him in the darkness. Once inside, he could only thrust his horn into the door frame and lament to himself. "What was I thinking?! I can't believe I even considered asking for my cutie mark back. All I did was get all of you into trouble too. Starlight's too strong, nopony's a match for her!"

Twilight moved to reassure the troubled unicorn stallion. "It's okay, Party Favor. Everything's under control. You did the right thing coming to us and giving yourself up to protect your friends," She then added. "Fluttershy's only pretending to change. She'll have us all out of here in no time!"

Party Favor frowned and began to panic! "You're just saying that because you can't accept the truth! Didn't you see what just happened out there?!" He complained as he ran to the other corner of the room! "Your friend has accepted our ways, you will all accept our ways! That's it, it's game over for all of us! We're all doomed, it's only a matter of time!" Then with a defeated whimper, he slunk down next to the walls and turned his back to the mares.

Rainbow Dash had to resist the urge to roll her eyes at Party Favor's dramatic antics. "This guy's a barrel of laughs." She sarcastically quipped.

Pinkie Pie then bluntly spoke up in a noticeable stilted, forced tone of voice. "Laughs don't come in barrels. They come from inside you as your body's response to delight."

Applejack, meanwhile, saw fit to question Twilight about their next step. "So, what are we all supposed to do here while Fluttershy's out there lookin' for our," She whispered in a hush. "Cutie marks?"

Twilight Sparkle said with confidence. "We have to stay as positive as we can. That way, when Party Favor sees how much we really do like each other, even though we're all different, we can hopefully use him to spread our message to the rest of the village. We'll pull the rug out right from under Starlight."

The loudspeakers then began to drone on again, repeating the recorded messages aimed at encouraging the prisoners to embrace equality.

Rarity could only add with concern. "Let's just hope they don't convert any of us first."

Meanwhile, Fluttershy was being led through the village by Starlight, all the while the villagers kept calling out to her and saying "Weclome." again and again.

"Gosh, you really are the nicest ponies I've ever met," Fluttershy willingly confessed. "It's too bad my friends can't see that."

"Not to worry," Starlight Glimmer firmly insisted. "They'll learn to see it my way soon enough. I haven't met a pony yet who couldn't be persuaded. Some just take longer than others," She proceeded to lead Fluttershy up to her cottage at the other end of the village from the cave and the vault, explaining. "All new friends stay with me until their cottage is completed. Let's get you settled, and then you can enjoy all that our little village has to offer."

The animal loving pegasus trotted inside, though not before asking. "Where's Spike?"

"That dragon?" Starlight questioned. "Oh, you needn't worry about him. I've made sure he'll be no danger to anypony. He'll remain my prisoner until I'm certain all of your friends have embraced equality. Then I'll happily let him go, as long as he promises never to try to help them or anypony else try to take back their cutie marks."

The pegasus mare with pretty pink bangs said nothing further on the subject, apparently satisfied with Starlight's answer. She stayed in Starlight's cottage for the rest of the day, and never once brought up anything to do with Spike, cutie marks, or the vault. Starlight Glimmer, for her part, suspected nothing out of the ordinary as she headed bed that night.

But once the equality obsessed unicorn was sound asleep, Fluttershy quickly rose from her bed in the adjourning bedroom and tiphoofed away. She already knew where she could find the cutie marks of her and her friends, and was preparing herself mentally for the journey up to the cave that she knew she would have to undergo. "Get the cutie marks back. That's all you've gotta do, Fluttershy," She whispered to herself as she crept quietly through the cottage. "Just sneak through the dark up to that spooky old cave with the scary magical staff and get the cutie marks back."

Just then, however, the pegasus mare's ears picked up a sound. It was faint at first, but it quickly grew more audible. It was a not very strained whisper, one desperate to get her attention. "Fluttershy? Fluttershy, can you hear me?"

Fluttershy recognized the voice at once! "Spike!" She exclaimed, a bit louder than she intended! She was greatly relieved when she didn't hear the sound of hooves moving, indicating that Starlight was still fast asleep. "Where are you?" She whispered back.

"Over here!" Spike callled out in another whisper. And his voice led Fluttershy to a small room on the cottage's south side, not far from the fireplace beneath the chimney. There she found him tied to a chair with ropes, unable to move at all. "Oh, am I glad to see you!" He exclaimed with relief. "Where are Twilight and the others?! Are they okay?!"

Sushing Spike and motioning for him to lower his voice, the animal loving pegasus told him. "They've all been captured, stripped of their cutie marks. Starlight trapped us. I've been sent to get our cutie marks back from the vault," She then turned her attention to the captive little dragon. "But first, I'm gonna get you out of here! Twilight will be so relieved to know you're okay."

"No, don't!" Spike protested. "If Starlight finds me missing, she'll know it was you. Then we'll both be in big trouble," He wiggled about, squirming uncomfortably. "I can't move my claws, and Starlight's enchanted the ropes so I can't burn them with my fire breath," He demonstrated this fact by breathing a flame onto the ropes, only to watch it quickly fade away without doing anything at all to the ropes. "See?"

"But how is that possible?" Fluttershy pondered. "Starlight shouldn't have access to that kind of magic without a cutie mark."

The little dragon gulped and swallowed hard. "Actually, you're never gonna believe what I found out. I found it out completely by accident after Starlight brought me here." He began flashing back in his mind to that time. It hadn't been more than a day ago or so, right after Starlight had stripped Twilight and her friends of their cutie marks and taken them prisoner.

Spike was held aloft in the glow of Starlight Glimmer's horn. Try as he might, he couldn't break free of her magical grasp as she carried him up the steps of her cottage and brought him inside, slamming the door shut behind her! "Put me down, you big bully!" Spike roared in defiance! "I don't know what your deal is with cutie marks, but no one gets away with treating my friends like that! No one! Do you hear me?!"

The unicorn mare growled and snarled, eyes narrowed in visible frustration! "Will you stop babbling?!" She scolded as she dropped him to the floor with an audible thud, but refused to release her hold on him. "I've got half a mind to fix that attitude problem of yours: Permanently!"

"For your information: I'm a fire breathing dragon," Spike huffed! "So you'd better let me go, or I'm gonna make you sorry!" To prove his point, he took a deep breath and let out a small flame from the tip of his nostrils.

The flame made contact with Starlight's perfectly equalized mane, setting it alight! She screamed, momentarily losing her focus (and thus her magical grip on Spike) as she ran around and tried to put out the fire! As a result, she wasn't watching where she was going, and bumped into a table. On the table rested a small jar of water, which fell to the ground and shattered, its contents spilling all over the panic stricken unicorn. "You clumsy fool!" She yelled at Spike (even as the flame was extinguished). "Look what you made me do!" She hastily brought over a towel and used it to begin drying herself off.

Spike, however, noticed a detail about the equal sign on Starlight's flanks as she began rubbing the towel over them. He blinked in order to be sure he wasn't seeing things. Indeed, he was not. The equal sign was starting to fade, washing right off the unicorn's flanks. In their place was something unmistakable: It was a purple star with a white exterior, and two toned blue gleaming streams trailing behind it. In short, it was a cutie mark! That meant Starlight Glimmer hadn't actually given hers up! Against his better judgement, the little dragon gasped at the discovery!

That was a mistake, it tipped off Starlight and prompted the unicorn mare to turn to Spike with renewed anger and frustration. "Well, now that you've seen what you seen, I can't have you running off to warn the others! She lit up her horn, summoning a chair and several ropes. "From now on, you are my prisoner. And if you even think about trying to escape, I'll keep you for myself forever! So if you ever want to see those friends of yours again, I suggest you keep your mouth shut." Only once she had Spike firmly and properly bound did she move to reply her false equal sign using some black paint and a brush.

The flashback ended as Spike told Fluttershy. "If you can find a way to expose Starlight's secret, I'm sure the villagers will turn against her. And with a little luck, that'll solve all our problems for us."

"But how am I gonna do that?" The pegasus pony pondered.

"Maybe Twilight will know of a way. She's always good at coming up with plans." Spike suggested. Then he and Fluttershy suddenly heard a knock at the door!

"Starlight?" The familiar voice of Double Diamond called from the other side of the door. There was no reply, so he knocked and called out again. "Starlight? Are you there? I brought the cutie marks from the vault like you asked, the ones you said were 'very important' to our cause?" When he still heard no reply or response of any kind, he moved to push open the door to Starlight's cottage.

Fluttershy hastily did the only thing she could think to do in her sudden, precarious predicament! She raced to the chimeny and clibbed up it, getting her entire face coated with soot in the process. But she didn't stop until she had emerged from the chimney's top. Only then did she carefully peer back into the cottage from a window just below the roof.

Double Diamond was carrying six jars, each one housing a cutie mark. They were the cutie marks of Twilight Sparkle and her friends, all carefully preserved. The stallion with a powder white coat delicately set the jars down on a table in Starlight's bedroom, then quickly departed whilst taking care not to wake the sleeping unicorn (who was snoring loudly).

This sudden development filled the animal loving pegasus with a newfound sense of dread! "How am I gonna get the cutie marks back now?" One thing was for sure, things had changed considerably. So she flew away, racing back to the cottage where her friends were still being held captive. It wasn't long before she was propping open the door, whispering softly. "Twilight?"

Twilight came trotting up to the door and whispered back. "Fluttershy? What's going on? Did you get our cutie marks back?"

Fluttershy shook her head from side to side. "I couldn't, Starlight has them. But I did find Spike, and he told me something that you have to know. It changes everything." She began whispering her discovery to the alicorn, awaiting word of what the next step should be.

The next morning, Starlight Glimmer was unaware of anything that had transpired the night before. She instead led Fluttershy out to the cottage serving as a prison, and ushered all the ponies inside it out into the open. Party Favor seemed to be looking very sorry for himself, so she didn't bother to say anything to him. Instead, she turned attention to Twilight Sparkle and her friends, all the while saying. "I've got a good feeling about today! So, do any of you have anything you'd like to say? Anything at all?"

There was no reply, just awkward and uncomfortable silence.

If Starlight was frustrated or disappointed, she didn't show it outwardly as she just remarked in that deceptively cheerful tone of hers. "Aw, that's a shame. Oh well, can't have everything, yet. We'll try this again tomorrow," And to the villagers she said only. "No new friends today, I'm afraid! Sorry, everypony."

Fluttershy then spoke up. "Wait, I'd like to lock them back in, Starlight." And she trotted over to do just that.

The equality obsessed unicorn mare smiled with satisfaction. "Marvelous! That's the spirit, Fluttershy," She then turned to Party Favor, seeing fit to ask him. "Party Favor, would you care to join us? Are you ready to come back to the light?"

"YES!" Party Favor exclaimed as he frantically rushed up to Starlight! He started profusely apologizing again. "I'm sorry, Starlight! I'm sorry, everypony! I've seen the error of my ways, now! I never want to even look at my cutie mark ever again!"

"Well, it seems there's cause for celebration today after all." Starlight Glimmer declared, prompting the villagers to cheer loudly.

Now welcomed back into Starlight (and the village)'s good graces, Party Favor turned a scornful, resentful eye to the five mares who had been in captivity with him. He started to coldly hiss. "They tried to break me! They wouldn't stop talking about how different they are, and how somehow that makes their friendship stronger!"

The unicorn mare with a light pinkish-purple coat could only shake her head in dismay and disapproval. "Such backwards thinking."

"But I didn't listen!" Party Favor protested with an exceptionally happy expression on his face. "I knew what they were up to, and I didn't listen!"

Clapping her hooves in approval and showering the unicorn with praise as if he were her own child, Starlight cheerful proclaimed. "Well done, Party Favor! Glad to have you with us again! We welcome you back with open hooves!"

Before any sort of public celebration could get underway, however, Fluttershy turned to face the unicorn and somewhat shyly said. "Um, Starlight? I think we might have one more friend joining us today." And she stepped aside to reveal that this potential pony was none other than Twilight Sparkle.

The villagers all gasped! They could hardly believe the Princess of Friendship was about to potentially join their cause. It seemed too good to be true.

Starlight, however, was overjoyed at the prospect and eagerly asked the alicorn. "Is this true, princess?"

"I-I think so, it kind of reminds me of what I used to think friendship was like," Twilight hesitantly admitted. Then she asked. "But I just want to be sure. If I agree to leave my cutie mark in the vault, I'll really be happier be here?"

"Of course! Just look around you, princess!" Starlight Glimmer proudly waved a hoof. "Equality has given us more happiness than you've ever known! You'd have to be a fool to deny that."

Twilight still pressed on her question. "And you wouldn't let me just live here in the village with my old cutie mark, even if I covered it up?"

"Out of the question!" The equality obessed unicorn mare firmly protested in a dismissive fashion! "A pony with a different cutie mark in our midst would destroy our entire philosophy. We are all equal here!"

"Really? Then how do you explain this?!" Fluttershy accusingly shouted, before throwing a bucket of water towards Starlight!

Starlight, thinking fast, jumped out of the way of the bucket's contents. She only just got splashed a little when it impacted the ground. And now she became aware of the fact that Fluttershy (and by extension Twilight) had been faking her change of heart all along. "I knew you couldn't be trusted! You were just like the others!" She hissed, before suddenly turning her attention to a more pressing concern! The water was running down her flanks. And Double Diamond without even thinking about it, stepped forward to rub her dry with a towel. "No! Get back!" She tried to protest! But it was too late, when her flank was dried off her false equal sign was removed. Now everypony in the village could see her cutie mark, and see that she hadn't given it up despite forcing the others to give up theirs.

After the initial shock had worn off, Starlight Glimmer tried desperately to regain control of the situation. "Wha... What are you looking at?! They're the problem, not me! They're the ones who stirred up trouble!"

Party Favor could only coldly hiss and bitterly remark. "How could you?! You lied to us!"

Double Diamond then snorted. "To think I trusted you more than anypony else! You always said cutie marks were evil and that special talents just lead to heartache! I should've known, you were just using me for your own goals," He swished his tail. "Well you'll get no more help from me! Far as I'm concerned, you're on your own."

"But don't you see?! Special talents do lead to pain and misery! Just look at them!" Starlight frantically insisted! "None of this would be happening if they'd just minded their own business!"

Sugar Belle then saw fit to ask the nagging question that was on the mind of everypony in the village. "Then why? Why did you take our cutie marks and not give up your own?"

The unicorn mare blinked, then confessed. "Well I... I had to, you fools! How could I collect your cutie marks without my magic?!"

"But the staff has all the magic we need!" Night Glider insisted.

Starlight just bitterly prattled on! "There's no such thing as a 'Staff of Sameness', I just made that up! It's a piece of wood I found in the desert! It's my magic that makes all this possible! Do you even know how long it took me to learn the cutie un-marking spell?! How hard it was to come up with the spell that could give you those equal signs?! Do you think I would've done all of that just so I could take away your cutie marks?! Remember what and where you were when I found you! If it wasn't for my magical abilities, you'd all be lost and hope foresaken!" She pointed a hoof to her chest as she began to defiantly roar and proclaim! "I brought you friendship! I brought you equality! I created harmony!"

The unicorn mare's arguments did not seem to be winning over or convincing the villagers at all. They just continued to stare at the pony they'd up until now considered their leader, now wondering why they had ever bothered to listen to her in the first place. In a hurt, disapproving tone of voice, Double Diamond could only bring himself to say. "You still lied to us, Starlight."

"So what?!" Starlight humped as she swished her tail and pointed a hoof to the six mares still standing behind her. "E-Everything else I said is true! Just look at them, you're not seriously going to listen to these strangers, are you?!" She retorted with a shake of her head. "The only way to be happy is if we're all equal!"

"Except for you, Starlight!" Party Favor pointed out as he accusingly gestured a hoof.

Twilight then saw fit to offer up her own sentiments. "This has gone far enough, Starlight. Can't you see the error of your ways? Everypony has unique talents and gifts, and when we share them with each other, that's how rea—"

"SHUT UP!" Starlight Glimmer angrily and rudely interrupted as her eyes narrowed and she spun around! Her sudden shout made the alicorn princess wince and recoil in shock.

Sugar Belle then began to approach Starlight, her own eyes narrowed in disapproval. "You can't have a cutie mark, Starlight! Either we're all equal, or none of us are!" And just like that, everypony in the village began to turn against the equality obsessed unicorn mare.

Twilight (now having recovered from having her speech be cut off) quickly moved to place herself between the villagers and the pony who had until recently been leading them. "Now now, let's not get carried away. There's no need for anypony to do anything they'll regret," She then turned to Starlight. "This is your final warning, Starlight: Return everypony's cutie marks and let Spike go. I won't ask you again."

Fighting back tears and with her entire body shaking visibly with boiling over anger, Starlight Glimmer could only hiss and snap! "Just try to stop me, princess! You'll never succeed!" She turned to the villagers. "Go ahead, steal back your cutie marks for all I care! Return to your miserable, pathetic lives! I'm out of here for good!" And with the lighting of her own horn, she teleported away to the safety of her cottage, quickly locking the door behind her.

Double Diamond immediately took charge of the situation in Starlight's absence, calling out to the villagers. "Come on! Let's get our cutie marks back!" And he led them all in a rush to the cave where the vault was, creating a thundering stampede in the process!

Upon reaching the cave, all the villagers raced right to the vault and started frantically pounding on it. But their efforts were all in vain, no amount of force could break open the vault and set the cutie marks free.

Fortunately, Double Diamond had an idea! "Stand back, everypony!" He shouted, before he raced to snatch up the staff Starlight had left behind. Grasping it firmly in his teeth, he then ran towards the vault and hurled the staff through the air as hard as he could! The staff struck the vault, and the impact caused the glass to crack and then shatter into pieces. All the imprisoned cutie marks stored within the vault then broke free, flying through the air as one by one they returned to the ponies they had previously belonged to. And when each mark was restored to its rightful owner, that pony had their colors brightened and their mane and tails styled as to how they were originally.

Double Diamond was one of the first to have his cutie mark restored: It was three blue colored snowflakes. His mane and tail became a bit shaggy, but otherwise he was mostly unchanged from how he had been before.

Sugar Belle, Party Favor, and Night Glider all underwent more noticeable changes in appearance once their cutie marks (a cherry topped cupcake and four jellybeans, a balloon animal and streamers, and a crescent moon surrounding by two curved feathers respectively) were restored to them: Sugar Belle's coat now became a beautiful shade of pink, her mane and tail became bushy and took on a dark purplish-pink tone, both of which were supported by sea green colored beads. Party Favor's grayish-blue coat became much brighter and much more blue in appearance, while his mane and tail turned curly and sported shades of bright, light blue and cornflower blue. And Night Glider's coat became the same dark blue color as the night sky, and her mane and tail turned into in long, wavy streaks.

Other cutie marks started flying out from the cave, catching the attention of Twilight and her friends as they were trying unsuccesfully to enter Starlight Glimmer's cottage. Rarity had to pause to admire the dazzling display. "Even without my cutie mark, I can tell this is beautiful!"

Meanwhile, Starlight was hastily packing up everything she could within her cottage, and that included the six cutie marks that had been removed from the vault the night before per her instructions. "You think you can just come in here and destroy everything I've worked so hard to build?" She remarked in a bitter, nasty tone of voice while glancing out one of her cottage windows. "Well think again! Let's see how you and your friends like spending the rest of your lives without your cutie marks, princess!"

As all of this was going on, Spike was still struggling in vain against the ropes that held him captive. "Let me go, Starlight!" He shouted at her! "Just give Twilight and her friends back their cutie marks! This madness has to end!"

"Never!" The equality obsessed unicorn mare hissed in reply. "I couldn't care less what happens to you now. That pesky princess and her pathetic friends will never catch me! And if it's the last thing I do, they're gonna pay for ruining my perfect little slice of Equestria!" Then she took off, taking the jars with her.

Just as Starlight began to flee, Twilight and her friends heard a whistle and looked up to see none other than Double Diamond, Party Favor, Sugar Belle, and Night Glider all perched on a small ledge nearby. One look at their eyes conveyed more than words that they were ready to help apprehend Starlight and retrieve the cutie marks she still had in her possession. "Stand back, everypony! We've got this!" Night Glider shouted as she then leaped off the ledge and into the sky, before swooping down and kicking the cottage door in!

Everypony quickly raced inside, looking all over for Starlight Glimmer or for any trace of the cutie marks. They turned the whole cottage upside down, searching frantically high and low.

As for Twilight, she soon spotted Spike and used her magic to set him free from the ropes, happily embracing him in a hug! "I'm so glad you're okay, Spike," She said to the little dragon. "You really had me worried."

"Sorry about that, Twilight," Spike sincerely apologized. "I'll definitely never sneak off by myself again."

Meanwhile, Fluttershy let out a gasp as she just so happened to finish searching Starlight's bedroom! "They're gone!" She exclaimed, making it quite clear what she meant! "I know I saw the jars with our cutie marks in them right here just last night!"

Spike then commented. "Starlight took them! It looked like she was in a real hurry too. There's probably a secret passage or something somewhere in the cottage." And indeed, a quick searching of the bedroom revealed there to be just such a passage underneath the bed once it was lifted up. The rag tag group wasted no time in rushing through it, determined to catch up to Starlight Glimmer at all costs.

Upon emerging from the secret passage, Spike and the ponies found themselves on the outskirts of the village. In the distance was a winding path that led up to the mountains.

"Look! That's her!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she pointed a hoof, revealing to all that Starlight was racing along the path ahead. Behind her, she was pulling a wagon that housed the jars containing the cutie marks of Twilight Sparkle and her friends.

Party Favor quickly pulled out some balloons and made them into a set of binoculars. "She's headed for the pass! If she makes it into those mountains, we'll never find her!" He frantically commented.

Sugar Belle nodded, adding her own concerns. "There's a whole network of caves up there! Your cutie marks will be gone forever!"

"Then let's stop talkin' and get movin', y'all!" Applejack declared, and all began to move as fast as they could. However, Twilight and her friends soon discovered that the equal signs prevented them from running (or flying in Rainbow Dash's case) really fast. They soon fell behind the four ponies who had come to their aid.

Rainbow Dash grumbled, not the least bit happy about her current situation. "I can't believe we have to count on these other ponies to save our cutie marks! I'm so not used to needing help instead of it being the other way around!"

The alicorn princess simply pointed out. "If we hadn't come here to help them out, they'd still be living under her rules! Now it's their turn to help us!"

"And I know they can do it!" Fluttershy said with encouragement. "Looks like you were right after all, Twilight. The map called us here for a reason."

As this conversation was taking place, the four helpful villagers were rapidly closing in on Starlight's position. And this made the unicorn mare with a grayish-purple coat quite furious, enough to make her fire off blasts from her horn to try to shake off her pursuers. "Are you all so willing to give up everything because of these strangers?!" She hissed as her magic brought down banks of snow.

Sugar Belle hollered back while using her own magic to clear away the drifts of snow. "We gave up everything for you, because we thought you were our friend! Obviously, that was just another of your lies!"

"Why am I even wasting my breath trying to convince you?!" The equality obsessed unicorn snapped in reply. "Those strangers posioned your mind and turned you against me! Well fine, feel free to hang out with those forever cutie markless losers!" She promptly used her magic to blast away a large chunk of stone, thus sealing off the path behind her and preventing anyone from reaching her. Or so she thought.

Party Favor, upon seeing the gap Starlight's magic had created, wasted no time in working with his hooves to build a bridge entirely out of balloons (it was interesting to note that he had not once used his horn since regaining his cutie mark). He and the others all bounced across the new bridge as fast as they could!

Rainbow Dash, however, was stricken with a sense of dread as she saw the mountains fast approaching! "It's no use, she's gonna get away!" The brash speedster proclaimed! "We'll never see our cutie marks again!"

But just then, Double Diamond stopped right in his tracks as his wandering blue eyes spotted a forlorn looking pair of purple colored skis sticking out of the snow. He recognized at once what they were. "Whoa! These are my old skis! This is where I first met Starlight! I can't believe they're still here!"

Night Glider, however, spoke up in protest. "Maybe you can reminisce another time! She's almost to the caves! We've got to stop her, now!"

It was then that the earth pony stallion with a snow white coat had an idea. "Feel like an air drop?!" He asked the pegasus.

Night Glider, grinning from ear to ear, happily replied. "You didn't even have to ask."

Starlight Glimmer was panting furiously as she approached the entrance to the vast network of caves. She was almost out of breath from having to not only run at such a fast pace of speed, but also pull the wagon containing the jars of cutie marks behind her. It all seemed like it would be worth it, though, because she was convinced that she had left her pursuers far behind. She was going to get away! She would be free to start planning her revenge!

Then, suddenly, from above there came a holler! Without warning, Double Diamond descended from the skies (thanks to an assist by Night Glider). He skied happily along, the vibrations following in his wake disturbing a massive snowbank right on top of Starlight. It came down with a thud, burying the unicorn mare and causing her to lose her magical grip on the jars (which she had just removed from the wagon). They fell to the ground and shattered, then zoomed back to their rightful owners.

In flashes of light, Twilight and her friends had their cutie marks restored, along with their bright colors for their coats, manes, and tails! But they knew this was no time for celebrating, they had to catch up to the ponies to whom they owed so much. Plus, there was still the question of what to do with Starlight Glimmer.

As if in answer to that unasked question, Starlight suddenly emerged from the snowbank with her eyes narrowed and her teeth gritted. She spoke not a word as she charged up her horn, preparing to aim a powerful, destructive blast at the four villagers who she now blamed for her defeat.

Twilight quickly jumped into the fray, effortlessly blocking Starlight's attempted assault with a magical barrier that easily deflected the intended blast.

The equality obsessed unicorn mare's eyes widened in disbelief! "What?!... How did you?!... I studied that spell for years! There's no way you're stronger than me!"

The young alicorn retorted. "I studied magic for years too! But what I didn't know then was that studying could only take me so far," She explained with a satisfied smile as her friends all huddled around her (Spike included). "Each of my friends taught me something different about myself! It was their unique gifts, passions, and personalities that helped bring out the magic inside of me! I never would have learned that I represent the element of magic or become the princess of friendship without them! And I certainly wouldn't be here to stop you now!"

The unicorn mare rolled her eyes in disbelief at the sappy speech she'd just been subjected to. "Oh please, spare me your sentimental nonsense, princess! I gave these ponies real friendship they never could've experienced otherwise, and you know it! All I wanted was to spare others the agony of having to suffer because of a cutie mark! Was that so wrong?!"

"Yes it was!" Double Diamond angrily snapped back! "You lied to us and manipulated us! We were just pawns to you! What you really wanted was control! You wanted to feel special, even if it meant the rest of us couldn't be!"

Starlight then growled in a low tone of voice, even as it was possible to see a few tears starting to form in her eyes. "You..." She glared at Princess Twilight! "You ruined everything! If it wasn't for you and your silly friends, everything would've been perfect! Mark my words, this isn't over between us! Someday, someway, I'll make you sorry you ever crossed my path!" Then she lit up her horn, casting a blinding flash that made everyone cover their eyes!

When the light faded, there was no sign of the equality obsessed unicorn anywhere. It was as if she'd vanished into thin air.

"She... got away?" Rainbow blinked in disbelief. "Just what's her deal, anyway? Why did she hate cutie marks so much?"

Fluttershy could only shake her head from side to side. "I don't know. And that's not an excuse for what she did to us, or to everypony else."

Twilight simply sighed before turning to the four villagers. "Well, hopefully, she'll have a lot of time to think about her actions and her life choices. And once she does, hopefully she'll also realize that you all taught her something important."

Party Favor then happily spoke up while kicking his back legs in delight. "It's you who have taught us something, Princess Twilight," And he explained. "We all came to this village because we were searching for something missing from our lives. We thought Starlight had given it to us, but now...it seems it was in front of us all along. It's us!"

The alicorn princess then asked. "Does that mean you'll stay in the village, then?"

Night Glider firmly nodded. "Cutie Markless is our home. It's the only place we've known for a long time. So we're not going anywhere."

Double Diamond chimed in with his own sentiments. "Exactly. This is a chance for all of us to get to know each other again for the very first time!"

And Sugar Belle remarked. "And I finally have a chance to bake something besides those terrible muffins!" That made everyone laugh. And it felt so good to laugh after everything they'd been through.

Once word of Starlight's ouster had spread, everypony in Cutie Markless cheered. They were all glad to have their cutie marks back and now decided they wanted nothing to do with Starlight Glimmer's false promises of equality. For the first time in what seemed like forever, they were all free to be themselves and follow their special talents wherever they might lead.

To commerate the occasion, the villagers quickly began putting together a party. It wasn't long before the sound of joyous, happy laughter spread from pony to pony and from cottage to cottage. Everypony there seemed to be having the time of their lives.

Pinkie Pie gave a firm, approving nod as she said out loud. "Now those are real smiles. This village will be a better, sweeter, and a happier place. And it's all thanks to us." Just as she finished saying those words, she felt an odd tingling sensation on her flanks. Her cutie mark was glowing and flashing brightly. And she was not alone, the cutie marks of her friends were doing the exact same thing, something they had never done before.

"Don't know if I'll ever get used to that." Applejack remarked.

Rarity smiled. "Whatever it means, I think it's divine."

Fluttershy turned to Twilight as she asked the alicorn. "So, does this mean the map is calling us somewhere else now? Is this going to be our responsibility going forward?"

Twilight shook her head from side to side. "I don't think so. It feels more like the map telling us this is a job well done. Maybe it'll call us to other places someday. But for now, it looks like there's nothing more here for us to do."

Applejack nodded and trotted towards her alicorn friend as she remarked. "Lokoks like you were right, Twilight. The map did have a reason for sendin' us here. Never should've dobuted ya. We brought real friendship to these here ponies. Guess that's why you're the Princess of Friendship."

The studious alicorn smiled and replied. "But the map didn't send me. It sent us. You're a part of me, all of you. And there's no doubt you're a part of my mission to spread friendship too. I mean what I said back there, I wouldn't be the pony I am today if it weren't for you." And she brought all of her friends (Spike included) in for a group hug.

Pinkie Pie then spoke up. "Hey, wait a minute, this feels like the end! It doesn't have to be the end, not just yet! That Sugar Belle can bake!"

Spike shrugged his claws. "You know what, I think I actually agree with you, Pinkie. It would be a shame to go back to Ponyville when the fun's just getting started here."

And Twilight, with a sincere smile, could only remark. "What the heck, I guess we stay for a little while longer. Something tells me the map won't be calling us anywhere else anytime soon." And with that, she and all of her friends went down to join in the celebrations unfolding down in Cutie Markless.

Little did anyone suspect that this was not to be the end of Starlight Glimmer or her story. The equality obsessed unicorn had meant every word of her statement vowing to get even. And one day, she was to put her plans into action.

But that's another story.

Author's Note

Aside from making a few minor adjustments here and there, there wasn't much that needed to be changed in the grand scheme of things. What I knew I wanted to do now that I added Spike to the mix was have a way for him to contribute so that his involvement in the story wasn't just being captured and held as a prisoner. Plus, it was never exactly conveyed how or if Fluttershy told Twilight about Starlight's decepticon.

And although I've been saying it for volume after volume, I'm still open to any ideas or suggestions on how to improve the "Previously On" recap segment in written form. I'm okay with how I've been doing it, but I'm always open to anything that could make it better.

And with this, I have now rewritten every season premiere, and there are only two two parters left to be rewritten: Shadow Play and The Ending of the End.

~~Stare Master~~
~~Pinkie Apple Pie~~
~~The Cutie Map, Parts 1 and 2~~
The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone
Hard to Say Anything (Bonus Chapter)
A Health of Information
Uprooted
The Royal Apologies (The Point of No Return)
The Big Mac Question (Bonus Chapter)

S1 E17: Stare Master (What If?)

Rarity was hard at work in her workshop within Carousel Boutique. She had a very important order for a very important client that she had yet to get started on. And unfortunately for her, the deadline for the order was the very next day. That meant the fashionista had to hurridly scramble to gather up her supplies, hastily lighting up her horn and grabbing whatever she could think to grab on such short notice. She hadn't even put on her tape measurer and her ruby red sewing glasses yet, that's how behind she was.

To make matters worse for Rarity, this was one of the many occasions where she was also tasked with keeping an eye on her little sister Sweetie Belle. Of course, trying to juggle two responsibilities with very different demands was impossible. So the unicorn prioritized what she regarded as the more important of the two: The dress for her client. She darted to and fro, only occasionally glancing back to make sure Sweetie Belle hadn't wandered off somewhere. All the while she kept muttering to herself. "How did I let this happen? Where'd I put that thing?" And she kept rambling on and on, causing quite the scene for her little sister. "Ooh, I thought I'd already..." She trailed off as she hastily retrieved some sewing supplies from a huge clutter.

Sweetie Belle, for her part, watched with an odd mix of interest and concern. She wasn't used to seeing her older sister so uncomposed, Rarity always seemed to be a pony who kept her cool no matter what. "Is everything okay, Rarity?" She asked.

Rarity didn't answer, she was too caught up in her own little world. "Ooh, there it is! And I can't forget that I've got to..." She paused and groaned. "Oh, how am I ever going to get this done on time?"

Sweetie immediately saw fit to offer. "Are you sure I can't help you? Maybe I could-"

The fashionista unicorn rejected the offer as soon as it was presented to her. The last thing she was going to do now was allow her little sister to help. "-No! Absolutely not!" She shouted and resumed her frantic pacing about.

Sweetie Belle just innocently offered further. "Well maybe just a little-"

Rarity's answer didn't change in the slightest. "No thanks!"

"How about if I-" Sweetie proposed.

Rarity refused to change her mind. "For the last time, no!" She quickly realized she had perhaps raised her voice a bit sharper than intended, so she offered to tone it down and instead gently tried to coax her little sister. "Just stand over there, where I can see you."

"But Rarity-" The younger unicorn started to pout.

The fashonista only sternly instructed to her little sister. "Where you'll be out of the way, Sweetie Belle," Then she went back to talking to herself, muttering. "Ribbon, ribbon! Where's the ribbon?!"

Sweetie Belle's eyes immediately fell upon a large pink ribbon resting all alone atop a high shelf. As she was not as skilled with her horn as her older sister (in fact, Sweetie couldn't do any magic at all yet. She couldn't even make her horn spark), she instead decided to hastily stack some supplies lying around so that they would form a make-shift ladder. Then she scrambled up it and reached her hooves to try to grab hold of the ribbon. "I got it!" She shouted at last, only for her make-shift ladder to start to creak and sway!

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity gasped in horror! She dropped everything she had been doing (and carrying), rushing over to try to pull her little sister to safety. Alas, she was too late to prevent the make-shift ladder from giving way! Sweetie Belle narrowly managed to jump down before everything fell to the ground with a thundering crash!

Once the dust had settled, Sweetie realized at once what her attempt at helping had done. So with a blush she retreated to a corner of the workshop and said. "Um, I think I-I'll just go and stand over there, where I'll be... out of the way."

The fashionista unicorn sighed and shook her head from side to side. "Oh Sweetie Belle, must you insist on making things even more difficult for me? I'm beginning to question my decision to host that sleepover with your new friends," She put a hoof to her forehead. "If only I could find somepony trustworthy to keep an eye on you and keep you out of trouble." Little did she suspect that her wish was going to be granted. And little did Sweetie Belle suspect that the sleepover Rarity had mentioned was going to lead some very frightening, yet very interesting developments.

Sweetie Belle was quick to shoot down the suggestion Rarity had made. "Rarity, you can't cancel the sleepover last minute! It's all my friends and I have been looking forward to for weeks! It was my idea to host it!"

Rarity impatiently replied. "Then the least you can do is listen to me when I tell you to stay out of the way! I'm saying this just as much for your sake as mine, Sweetie Belle." And she set up trying to clean up the mess her little sister had made.

The younger unicorn couldn't help but swish her tail and bristle with impatience. "Won't you at least let me help you clean up?"

The fashionista rejected the offer out of hoof without a second thought. "You've 'helped' quite enough already, Sweetie Belle. Please don't make things worse."

Sweetie sighed, hanging her head in dismay. "Okay, fine," She was quick to apologize. "I'm sorry about the mess, by the way. I just thought that if I helped you out, I might find my special gift and finally earn my cutie mark."

"Sweetie Belle, we've talked about this. There's no sense forcing a cutie mark, it'll happen when it happens and not a moment sooner," Rarity replied. "We must be patient for things like these."

"That's easy for you to say when you're not one of the only blank flanks in your entire class." Sweetie Belle frowned, folding her hooves across her chest in a pout.

The fashionista unicorn could only sigh and shake her head. Much as she loved her little sister, it was times like these that made that love difficult. She decided it best not to dwell further on the subject of cutie marks, sensing that no words of encouragment could get her little sister to leave the subject alone. "Well, regardless of that, I still can't afford interruptions from you or anypony else. I need to fill that order by tomorrow," At last, she finished cleaning up the scraps of fabric, glitter, glue bottles, and other things her sister had knocked down earlier. "There we go, that's one problem solved." She said quite happily to herself, and then set to work tending to her sewing machine.

Just then, however, the doorbell rang. Rarity looked up and let out a groan of displeasure. "Oh, what now?! Why can't this wait?!"

"Oh, sorry," A very familiar, sweet sounding and gentle voice replied. "I thought the 'open' sign meant you were open, but I must have been mistaken. Sorry to bother you." It was none other than Fluttershy, who was pushing a basket topped with a small, pretty pink blanket.

Seeing her pegasus friend was enough to brighten Rarity's spirits, and she was quick to usher her friend in. As she did so, the realization struck her about what Fluttershy was here for! "Fluttershy! Oh my stars, do forgive me! Where are my manners?!" She hastily apologized to the animal loving pegasus. "I was so wrapped up in my work that I forgot you were bringing Opalescence back from her grooming!"

Fluttershy just nodded. "Not to worry, Rarity. I left her over there in the basket. I'm more than happy to do it." She then lifted up the blanket over the basket, and out strolled Opalescence, her snow white fur shining brightly as she let out a happy purr.

Rarity smiled as she observed her newly groomed cat in all her dazzling beauty. "Oh, she looks great! Thank you so much for agreeing to bring her here on such short notice," She then saw fit to comment about something that was nagging at the back of her mind. "I just don't understand how you're able to do it, Fluttershy! I know you have a talent with animals, but the way you command Opal's obedience is on an entirely different level. I can't even get near her for grooming without getting a swipe from her claws."

Opal saw fit to demonstrate this fact by hissing at her unicorn master, viciously swinging her paws around.

Seeing this prompted Rarity to ask Fluttershy point blank. "Did you use... The Stare on her?"

The pegasus mare with a butter yellow audibly gasped! "Oh no! I wouldn't! I couldn't even if I wanted to! It's not something I take lightly! I... I can't even really control it that well! It just happens."

"So you say," The fashionista replied. "But perhaps you could teach it to me sometime so that I might learn how to get Opalescence to stop acting up. I love her, I truly do. But sometimes it feels like a one sided relationship."

Sweetie Belle then suggested. "Hey, maybe I could watch Opal for you, Rarity! Maybe I can be good with animals too!" Yet seconds after she spoke those words, she felt the cat swipe at her mane and viciously cut off a few hairs from it. That quickly put an end to any ideas the little unicorn might have about caring for animals. "Or not." And that prompted Rarity and Fluttershy both to laugh.

Rarity then sighed and spoke up. "Well, I'm afraid I can't stay and chat, Fluttershy. I've bitten off more than I chew with this order, on top of agreeing to watch Sweetie Belle and her friends tonight. When I agreed, I'd forgotten I had twenty special robes that I had to finish by tonight! And they're due in Trottingham first thing in the morning," And she showed off a golden fabric from her sewing machine, which prompted Fluttershy to gasp. "See? I've lined them in a special gold silk. It took so long to make, but I think it adds just the right touch, don't you?"

Fluttershy firmly nodded her head. "They're so lovely," Then she asked her fashion friend. "But are you sure you can get all twenty robes done tonight, all by yourself? I helped fix up your gala dress, remember. I'm very knowledgable about sewing."

The fashionista nodded back. "I haven't forgotten. Under different circumstances I would gladly let you help me. But this fabric is one of a kind and very delicate. And the robes it's going on are really tricky. Besides, I shouldn't keep you from your responsibilities. I'm sure you have lots of critter clients waiting for you back at your cottage," She swallowed hard. "I will manage, somehow. And with any luck, Sweetie Belle and her friends won't be too much of a hoofful."

As if on cue, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo came rushing into Rarity's workshop mere seconds later. "Hi Fluttershy!" They quickly called as they raced to join Sweetie Belle (who happily ran over to meet them).

"Scootaloo! Apple Bloom! You finally made it!" Sweetie Belle excitedly cheered! "I was begining to think you weren't going to show up!"

"You kidding?! No way we're gonna miss out on our first ever sleepover together!" Scootaloo boasted! "Especially when it's at Rarity's place! It's so much better than that house your parents have."

Apple Bloom nodded. "Yeah! This place is huge, which means it's full of opportunities!"

Sweetie Belle chimed in. "You bet it is! Cutie mark planning session is a go!"

Apple Bloom then vowed. "Tonight's the night we're gonna find our special talents."

"Even if it takes all night." Scootaloo commented.

Then together the three fillies all chanted at once! "Cutie Mark Crusader sleepover at Rarity's! Yay!" Rarity and Fluttershy winced and had to resist the urge to cover their ears. It was a miracle no windows had broken from the intense shouting.

Once the shouting had stopped, Sweetie proudly presented something she had managed to put together without her big sister being any the wiser. "And guess what, girls? I made something just for the three of us! I did it all by myself!" She showed off a scarlet red cape that displayed a blue shield in its center. Within the shield rested a light yellow image of a pony about the size of the Crusaders, one standing on its hind legs and posing dramatically. "Tada!"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were instantly amazed and awestruck by what they saw. "Wow! That's so cool!" They said at the same time.

Fluttershy opted to ask. "What does that patch on your cape mean?"

The three fillies eagerly replied in unison! "The Cutie Mark Crusaders! Yay!"

"It means we're on a crusade, a mission!" Scootaloo boldly stated.

Apple Bloom added. "To find our cutie marks, no matter what it takes."

Sweetie Belle nodded. "Yup. And look," She held up her cape, revealing the inside to be covered with a golden yellow fabric that shone brightly. "I lined them with this special gold silk. It took sooo long to make, but I think it adds just the right touch, don't you?"

Upon seeing the interior of the capes, Rarity's eyes went wide with horror as a sudden awful thought struck her, causing her to shriek! "Sweetie Belle, you didn't!" She hurridly rushed over to the one of a kind fabric she'd shown off to Fluttershy earlier, and her worst fears were confirmed when she saw most of it had been used up. "You did!" She angrily stomped a hoof down. "What in the name of Celestia were you thinking?! Using my fabrics, and without my permission!"

Sweetie shrank from Rarity's harsh glare. "Sorry, Rarity. I just really wanted the capes to be special. I didn't think I used that much."

Rarity unhappily sighed. "You don't understand, Sweetie Belle! That silk took me ages to make, and now I'll have to make more! Oh, I hope I can make more on such short notice," She bit one of her hooves as she swallowed hard, realizing what this setback was going to cost her. "I'll have to work all night to get the order done! And that means..." She firmly told her charges. "I'm afraid the Crusader sleepover is cancelled."

"What?!" Sweetie shrieked! Now it was her turn to look disappointed and unhappy.

The older unicorn unhappily explained. "I'm sorry, but there's simply no way I can watch you girls and get the robes finished and delivered on time. This is what happens when you take things without asking permission first, Sweetie Belle. I would've gladly given you whatever silk I had leftover once this project was done, you didn't have to steal it from me when you know I needed the lion's share."

The Crusaders all let out whines and moans of disappointment. To have their first ever sleepover together cancelled last minute really didn't sit well with them.

However, it was then that Fluttershy had an idea. "Actually, Rarity, I could watch them for you. It's only for one night, after all."

"Fluttershy, are you sure that's such a good idea?" Rarity questioned in uncertainty. "I really couldn't ask you to do that on such short notice. Especially not with the way my sister and her friends tend to be."

The animal loving pegasus shook her head from side to side and brushed off the concern. "What? These sweet little angels?" As she spoke she briefly imagined them having halos above their heads. "I'm sure they won't give me any trouble at all. Nothing that I can't handle. And this way they'll be out of your mane, you won't have to worry your pretty little head about them," She turned to the CMC. "That's okay with you girls, right?"

"You bet it is!" Sweetie Belle smiled, delighted to have the sleepover back on! "Thank you so much, Fluttershy! You won't regret this!" Then she joined her fellow Crusaders in shouting together! "Cutie Mark Crusader sleepover at Fluttershy's! Yay!"

Just like that, Rarity relented. "Oh, very well then. But I'll be swinging by first thing after I drop off the robes. And make sure they stay out of trouble," To the Crusaders she warned. "You'd all best not give Fluttershy a hard time. If you do, you'll have me to answer to." But by the time she'd finished saying those words, the three fillies had already rushed away.

With a blush on her face, Fluttershy sheepishly withdrew from the workshop. "I'll just... leave you to your work, Rarity," Then she shouted after the Crusaders! "Wait for me, girls!"

The fashionista could only sigh rather audibly. Somehow, in the back of her mind, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had unknowingly done a very bad thing.

Fluttershy wasn't used to flying or running so fast. So by the time she had caught up to the three fillies and managed to usher them along to her cottage, it was already night time and she was nearly out of breath. "Girls, please don't run off on me like that again," She tried to lecture them, her tone of voice making it difficult to take her seriously. "You could've gotten lost or hurt."

"Sorry, Fluttershy," Sweetie Belle seemed to sincerely apologize. "But we're just so excited for this sleepover! This is gonna be the best night of our lives!" Then her sap green eyes took in her surroundings, particularly being drawn to what she could see out of the cottage windows. It looked as if Fluttershy had a small, fenced in area. And within it rested a chicken coop, its occupants currently wandering about the length of the fence. "Wow! Look at this place! What's that? Are those chickens?"

The animal loving pegasus nodded. "Yes, they are. I care for all sorts of animals, big and small alike," Then she turned to the Crusaders and asked them. "So, girls, what do you wanna do first?"

Almost immediately, the three fillies pivoted towards what had prompted them to organize their sleepover in the first place! "I'm gonna get my mark first!" Scootaloo declared, and buzzed her tiny wings in excitement as she started running all around the cottage to try to find something to do! And she was quickly followed by Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, the three of them making quite a racket as a result.

"Girls?" Fluttershy blinked and tried to raise her voice to get their attention. It was no use, she was too soft and too quiet to be heard.

Then Scootaloo shouted! "I'm staying up all night!"

"Me too!" Apple Bloom chimed in.

"Me three!" Sweetie Belle added, albeit a bit more hesitantly than the others.

The pegasus mare with pink bangs tried again to get the Crusaders' attention. "I-I know you're excited, but could you please settle down?" Again, her pleas went unanswered, so she tried to raise her voice a bit higher. "Girls, please, stop!" She warned, as she watched her charges run out of control around the cottage. "Careful you don't..." But before she could finish her sentence, she heard a loud crash! A wooden table had been accidentally knocked over and had thus broken. "-Break anything." She was forced to finish.

"Sorry, Fluttershy." Sweetie Belle immediately apologized in what sounded like a sincere tone of voice.

"Yeah, sorry." Scootaloo apologized as well. She seemed to look as if she meant it.

Apple Bloom then spoke up. "We can fix it! We could be Cutie Mark Crusader carpenters!"

Fluttershy blinked in surprise. "C-carpenters? I don't think that's such a good..."

But once again the animal loving pegasus mare was ignored, as her charges instead settled on the idea that Apple Bloom had just given them. "Hammer!" The farm filly called out.

"Hammer." Scootaloo replied, hoofing a hammer to Apple Bloom.

"Screwdriver!" Sweetie Belle called.

"Screwdriver." Scootaloo replied, and gave the aforementioned tool to Sweetie Belle.

Scootaloo then said to herself. "Saw!" And hastily grabbed a saw, which she held in her mouth. Then she, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom went to work on trying to fix up the broken table, creating quite the noise and stirring up dust in the process.

The end result was what could best be described as a mess of wooden boards held clumsily together by bolts.

"Um... that doesn't look like a table." Sweetie frowned quite nervously.

Scootaloo blinked in surprise. "We were making a table?"

And Apple Bloom could only glumily state. "Somepony needs to put this thing out of its misery. I guess Cutie Mark Crusader carpenters is a bust. Back to the drawin' board."

Fluttershy, for her part, could only sigh and shake her head from side to side. It seemed like the CMC were intent on giving her a hard time. Luckily, she had an idea about how to get them to obey her and stop causing trouble. "Okay, girls, now that we've gotten that out of the way, how about a game?" She offered as she quickly ushered them all onto a couch.

"A game? What kind of game?" Apple Bloom questioned.

The soft spoken pegasus mare happily answered. "It's my favorite game. It's called 'Shhh!'"

"What's that?" Scootaloo inquired, suspecting nothing.

With a smile, Fluttershy explained. "Well, it's a game about who can be quiet the longest. Sound fun?" Then she boasted. "I'm the world champ, you know. I bet you can't bet me! Ready?! One, two, three, GO!" And she quickly took a deep breath (after letting out an excited squee) before closing her mouth. She hoped the Crusaders would follow her lead, at least for a little while.

Alas, the three fillies couldn't sit still for even five seconds, let alone stay quiet. Scootaloo was (perhaps unsurprisingly) the first to break up the silence and shout! "I lose!"

"Me too!" Apple Bloom agreed as she forefited the game without fanfare.

"Me three!" Sweetie Belle added. This time, she wasn't the least bit hesitant about joining her friends.

Fluttershy opened her mouth, sighing deeply. "Why did I think that would work?" She muttered to herself, then looked the eager fillies square in the eyes. "Okay, girls. What do you want to play?"

This time, it was Apple Bloom who seemed to get an idea in her head. "I know, we could be Cutie Mark Crusader creature catchers!"

The animal loving pegasus could only reply with a nervous look and a quick. "Uh-oh."

A short time later, Fluttershy was all dressed up to look like a dangerous creature from the Everfree Forest. Meanwhile, the CMC were all wearing their new capes, and had to struggle not to giggle or chuckle at how ridiculous their foalsitter looked.

Fluttershy then let out a roar, speaking in her best monster voice. "Rawr! I am a dangerous creature from the Everfree Forest! Fear me!"

All of the Crusaders pretended to be scared for a moment. Then Sweetie Belle bravely stepped forward and proclaimed in her best dramatic voice. "Halt, dangerous creature of the Everfree Forest. I am Sweetie Belle, the creature catcher, and my friends and I are here to catch you!"

The pegasus mare roared back. "You can never catch me! I am far too powerful and dangerous for the likes of you!" Then she turned her back to the fillies and started to run away.

"Stop! You cannot run from me!" Sweetie Belle bellowed as she and her fellow Crusaders gave chase, giggling and laughing all the while!

Seeing as Fluttershy was still a bit worn out from having to catch up to the CMC earlier, she was quickly exhausted once again. And before she had a chance to react, the three fillies came up behind her and tackled her to the ground. "Oh no, you've got me!" She exclaimed in only slightly exaggerated worry!

Scootaloo then puffed out her chest! "Of course we did! No creature escapes the Cutie Mark Crusader creature catchers!" She proceeded to tickle the older pegasus pony all over, delighting in how she wiggled and kicked about in a vain attempt to stop the "torture".

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle naturally joined in on the tickling. And they too seemed to enjoy having Fluttershy at their mercy (or lack thereof). Soon, the pegasus mare's screams of laughter could be heard echoing all throughout the cottage. Even Fluttershy's pet bunny Angel could hardly believe the sight he was seeing.

At last, however, Fluttershy stood up and shed her costume. "Alright, girls, that's quite enough of that," She huffed, trying her best not to sound annoyed and bothered. She then decided that there was only one thing to do to regain control of the situation. "Now it's time for bed."

"Awwww!" The Crusaders all whined in unison.

The animal loving pegasus mare ignored her charges' whining, instead not so subtly nudging them towards a flight of stairs with her nose. "Don't be like that, my little ponies," She sweetly cooed. "Aren't you excited to get all cozy, toasty and warm in your snuggly-wuggly widdle beds?"

Apple Bloom had to resist the urge to gag at the overly embarassing cuteness and baby talk. "Snuggly-wuggly? But we have more crusadin' to do!" She protested to Futtershy.

"Yeah! We've got plans!" Scootaloo pouted.

"And capes!" Sweetie Belle added.

Fluttershy just retorted. "Well, maybe the crusading can wait until morning? When it's light out? And not so... dark?" And she led the fillies upstairs before they could utter anything further in protest.

Soon, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were all tucked into a bed that was just big enough to fit all three of them. It had a blanket with alternating squares of red and white, which was thrown on top of them, preventing them from escaping for the time being. And Fluttershy stood by the bedside, making sure everything was as it should be.

The Crusaders were still opposed to the idea of bed time, even considering the sun had long since set. Apple Bloom naturally protested, asking Fluttershy. "How are we gonna find our special talent in our sleep?"

The pegasus mare was quick to think of a response. "Maybe you'll have a lovely little dream about your special talent, whatever it is."

"But we're not even tired!" Scootaloo complained.

Fluttershy had an answer for that. "How about I sing you a lullaby?" And when the CMC all agreed, she cleared her throat and began to sing sweetly:

Hush now, quiet now,

It's time to lay your sleepy head.

Hush now, quiet now,

It's time to go to bed.

Suddenly, Sweetie Belle's sap green eyes lit up as she eagerly exclaimed! "Ooh! I know this one!"

"You do?" Fluttershy asked and received a confirming nod that made her smile. "Oh, how wonderful! Why don't you sing it with me?" She offered.

Sweetie did so, clearing her throat as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo covered their ears with pillows. And for good reason as it turned out, because in sharp contrast to the soft and whispery tone of Fluttershy's voice, Sweetie Belle's singing was much louder. As a result, even though she was singing the same thing that Fluttershy had just sung, it didn't sound like a lullaby at all! It was hard to tell if this was intentional on her part, or if it was just a result of the visible nervousness the unicorn filly was displaying. Either way, she kept on singing, and it went something like this:

Hush now! Quiet now!

It's time to lay your sleepy head!

Said hush now! Quiet now!

It's time to go to bed!

Fluttershy winced. Sweetie Belle's singing was not what she had been expecting at all. Still, she tried to speak up. "Okay, Sweetie, that was..."

But the filly kept on singing. And as she did so, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo started to bounce up and down, making the whole bed shake in time to Sweetie's singing! And she continued to sing loudly:

Driftin' off to sleep!

The exciting day behind you!

Driftin' off to sleep!

Let the joy of dream land find you!

The pegasus mare spoke up again, trying to get Sweetie Belle to stop singing and go to sleep. " Thank you, Sweetie, um..."

But Sweetie only sang louder, either because she was too into her song or because she couldn't hear Fluttershy's increasingly frantic pleas to stop! Fortunately, she brough the song to a close, singing as loudly as she could!:

Hush now! Quiet now!

Lay your sleepy head!

Said hush now! Quiet now!

It's time to go to bed!

That last note was so sharp and so high pitched that it ended up disturbing the chickens in Fluttershy's chicken coop! They quickly started to cluck, squawk, and chitter! Then they started flapping, running frantically all about their fenced in area!

Fluttershy heard the disturbance and looked out of the bedroom window at the chicken coop below, quickly seeing what Sweetie Belle's singing had done! "Oh my goodness!" She exclaimed in dismay!

"What was that?" Scootaloo asked.

The animal loving pegasus mare hastily replied. "N-nothing. Nothing that need concern you girls. Everything's fine. J-just... go to sleep, now. I'll... take care of that... um... disturbance," She turned to leave, though not without firmly insisting. "And no more crusading for tonight, girls! All right?"

"Yes, Fluttershy!" Scootaloo agreed.

"We promise, Fluttershy." Sweetie Belle added with a reassuring smile.

"Good night, Fluttershy." Apple Bloom called.

"Good night, girls," Fluttershy called back. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything." And then she set off to go calm down her chickens.

Alas, no sooner had the pegasus mare left the bedroom than did the CMC sit up in bed. They had no intention of going to sleep just yet.

"Okay, so what kind of crusading should we do next?" Scootaloo whispered to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

Fluttershy quickly made her way to her chicken coop to check on her frightened chickens and try to calm them down. "I'm terribly sorry, everyone," She sincerely apologized to them. "I didn't expect Sweetie Belle to be so... loud. But it's all done now, you can calm down."

The chickens just squawked and clucked as they continued to run about. It was obvious they weren't going to be so easily calmed after such a sudden disturbance.

Fluttershy sighed. Why was everything giving her a hard time tonight? First the CMC and now her own chickens. The animal loving pegasus found herself fast losing all patience. "Come on, now," She pleaded. "Let's all calm down and get back to bed, okay?"

But the chickens showed no signs that they were listening to anything their pegasus master was saying. They just continued to run and squawk audibly.

The animal loving pegasus let out a groan. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders will never get to sleep with all this noise going on. I know I wouldn't be able to sleep listening to this loud clucking and squawking." She thought to herself. And she quickly decided that there was only one thing to do. "Alright, I didn't wanna have to do this, but you've forced my hoof." She sternly said as she trotted up towards the chickens. Her eyes narrowed, and she shot them a very harsh glare. All the while she refused to break eye contact with them.

This intimidating look seemed to do the trick. The chickens lost any will to resist or fight back when they saw the glare from Fluttershy. They all ceased in their squawking, turned around, and marched back into the chicken coop.

The pegasus mare let out a sigh of relief as she finally allowed her eyes to blink, and allowed for her pink bangs to settle over her eyes. "There's some good chickens," She said to herself and confidently boasted. "Never met a creature yet that could defy The Stare." And with that, she trotted back inside her cottage, yawning as she prepared to go to sleep herself.

Unbeknownst to Fluttershy, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had been wide awake and watching the whole thing from the bedroom window.

"Wow, did you see what Fluttershy just did?!" Scootaloo excitedly exclaimed! "That was so cool!"

"And... kind of scary too," Sweetie Belle shuddered. "Is it just me or did anypony else get the chills from watching that?"

Apple Bloom waved a hoof. "It wasn't that scary, Sweetie Belle. I've seen worse," Then she noticed something that had apparently escaped Fluttershy's notice earlier. "Look!" She exclaimed and pointed a hoof off into the distance. "I think some of the chickens are still missin'!"

Sweetie eyed what appeared to be footprints left by the chickens, quickly take note of where they appeared to be heading. "You think they went into the Everfree Forest?!" She asked the others.

"Only one way to find out," Scootaloo proposed as she jumped down from the window. "Come on, girls! Cutie Mark Crusader chicken catchers are a go!"

But Apple Bloom gulped and swallowed hard, remembering an experience that had stuck with her. "I don't know, girls. Remember what happened the last time we went into the Everfree Forest?"

Scootaloo waved a hoof. "As long as we don't step in any poison joke, we'll be fine. Those chickens probably couldn't have gotten far. We'll find them and bring them back before anypony even knows they were missing. And we want to get our cutie marks, right?"

"Yeah, we do!" Sweetie Belle nodded. "I just hope you're right about the chickens not being too far away, Scootaloo." And she followed her fellow filly as they both headed for the stairs.

Apple Bloom hesitantly followed. She wasn't about to let her friends run off on their own. Even so, she couldn't help but whisper to herself. "I've got a bad feelin' about this."

The three fillies carefully tiphoofed down the stairs to the ground floor of the cottage, then headed for the cottage door. As they did so, they had to quietly creep past a sleeping Fluttershy who was resting on the couch.

"Oh, it wasn't that hard, really," The sleeping pegasus pony muttered to herself without opening her eyes. "All I needed to do was just show them who's in charge. Yes ma'am, nothing's gonna get past Fluttershy! Good with animals, good with kids."

Scootaloo was the first to reach the cottage door and quickly pushed it open. "Hurry!" She whispered to her fellow Crusaders, all but ushering them out the door.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle trotted to the door as quickly yet quietly as possible. Scootaloo joined them once they had made it through, slamming the door shut behind them before they all raced off!

The slamming of the cottage door caused Fluttershy to stir and stumble awake, wiping the sleep from her eyes. "Huh?" She blinked and looked all around for the source of the disturbance. She was unable to find it, however, so she settled back down and began to close her eyes. "It's quiet," She whispered to herself. Then, suddenly, the pegasus pony jolted awake as the realization dawned on her! "Too quiet!" Stricken with a sense of dread, she raced for the stairs! She had to make sure her charges were okay!

Meanwhile, Scootaloo was racing to catch up to her fellow Crusaders before they entered the Everfree Forest! "Hey, wait up!" She panted! "This was my idea, after all! And we don't wanna get separated!"

"Well hurry up, Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle impatiently replied! "We don't have all night! We have to find those chickens and get back before Fluttershy finds out we're not in bed."

Apple Bloom, meanwhile, was calling out to the forest itself and making clucking noises. "Here chicken! Here chicken, chicken, chicken!" But there was no reply except for the sound of her own voice. "This isn't lookin' good, girls."

Scootaloo just waved a hoof as she trotted up. "Ah, you're worrying too much, Apple Bloom. Besides, how do you know how to call a chicken?"

The farm filly groaned. "Because I live on a farm! My family's raised tons of chickens."

Sweetie quickly moved to break up an argument before it could start. "Let's just go find those chickens, already! We're wasting time standing around here!"

Yet before the three adventurous fillies could taken even a single step into the forest, they suddenly heard a very familiar and very worried voice calling out to them! "Girls?! Girls!" And sure enough, who should come literally running up to them but Fluttershy herself?! The animal loving pegasus was greatly relieved to have caught up to them in time. "Oh, thank goodness you're still here!" Her relief at finding her charges quickly turned to anger as she all but shouted at them! "What were you thinking trying to wander into the Everfree Forest at night?! Don't you remember what happened the last time you went in there?!"

Apple Bloom couldn't help but whisper to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. "Told you it was a bad idea," And she was the first to apologize. "We're sorry, Fluttershy. We didn't mean to make ya worry," She accusingly pointed a hoof. "It was Scootaloo's idea!"

"You were in on it too, Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo argued back!

"Only 'cause you were gonna do it anyway, and I didn't want you to get lost!" Apple Bloom angrily retorted.

Fluttershy groaned and nearly growled! "Girls, stop! It doesn't matter whose idea it was, you should've known better!" She let out an unhappy sigh and put a hoof to her forehead. "I thought I could keep you fillies in line, but I'm starting to see why Rarity says you've been getting into trouble. Are you really so obessed with getting your cutie marks that nothing else matters?"

All three fillies immediately whimpered, now wracked with guilt. Sweetie Belle then spoke up. "I guess we never thought about it like that, until you pointed it out to us," Then she added. "But we were just trying to find your missing chickens for you."

"What missing chickens?" Fluttershy questioned as her eyes blinked rapidly. Her tone of voice suddenly filled with newfound worry.

The farm filly explained. "We saw some tracks leadin' away from your chicken coop. We think they might have run off into the Everfree Forest when we scared 'em earlier with Sweetie Belle's singin'. Scootaloo was sure they couldn't have gotten far."

The animal loving pegasus then let out a gasp and nearly jumped back in surprise! "WHAT?!" She exclaimed as her eyes widened and her heart started to beat rapidly! "My chickens ran off into the Everfree Forest?! Oh, how did I not notice that?!" Fortunately, she quickly recovered, even as she swallowed hard. In as a serious a tone of voice as she could muster up, she instructed to the Crusaders. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, girls. I'll take it from here. You all just go back to my cottage and stay there until I get back."

"You're not really thinkin' of goin' in there all by yourself, are you, Fluttershy?!" Apple Bloom questioned as she grasped one of the pegasus mare's hooves and held it tightly.

Fluttershy firmly nodded. "I have no other choice. I have to find those chickens before something terrible happens to them. But the Everfree Forest is far too dangerous for the likes of you. If anything were to happen to you, I'd be beside myself with grief. And your families wouldn't be very happy with me either."

"No, you can't go! What if you get lost, or hurt, or something?!" Sweetie protested!

Fluttershy sighed and groaned. "Girls, please! This is not up for debate! Do as I say!"

Scootaloo then insisted. "We're not leaving you, Fluttershy! We have to know that you're okay! Plus, won't it be easier to find the chickens if there's four of us instead of one of you?"

The pegasus mare with a buttery yellow coat relucantly folded, sensing that the CMC were not willing to accept no for an answer. "Oh, alright. But you have to do exactly what I tell you to do. No wandering off by yourselves. Got it?"

The Crusaders all nodded and said in unison. "Yes, Fluttershy." And with that, the issue was settled, and they followed their foalsitter into the Everfree Forest.

Luckily for Fluttershy and her charges, the dimness of the forest didn't prevent them from spotting the tracks left by the missing chickens. However, there was something that was nagging at Fluttershy when she looked at the tracks more closely. Something about them seemed off.

"Where do you suppose your chickens ran off to, Fluttershy?" Apple Bloom was the first to ask. "They gotta be around here somewhere, right?"

Fluttershy didn't answer. She just stared harder at the tracks, clearly trying to focus on some specific detail.

Sweetie Belle, meanwhile, was shuddering and shaking like a leaf. "This forest is even creepier and scarier at night than it is during the day. No wonder nopony ever goes in here."

"Didn't Rainbow Dash and your sister go through here once with their friends to stop Nightmare Moon?" Scootaloo questioned. "They all survived, didn't they?"

"W-well, yes... but..." Sweetie whimpered and trailed off.

A few seconds later, Fluttershy stopped right in her tracks! And the CMC all bumped into her from behind, surprised by the sudden stop. A horrifying realization seemed to creep up on the animal loving pegasus as she eyed her surroundings. Then, turning to the Crusaders, she said to them. "Girls, we have to leave the forest immediately!"

The unicorn filly nervously questioned. "But... we haven't found your chickens yet."

"That's because there's only one chicken that escaped. Her name is Elizabeek," Fluttershy explained. "And I have a pretty good idea about what happened to her. She must've bumped into a cockatrice that's on the loose."

"A what now?" The earth pony filly blinked in confusion.

The animal loving pegasus explained further. "A cockatrice is a creature that has the head of a chicken and the body of a snake. You wouldn't be able to tell from a glance that it's not actually a chicken, because it even sounds like a chicken."

The pegasus filly snickered, putting a hoof to her face. "Please, that doesn't sound scary. That sounds ridiculous."

And Apple Bloom boasted. "Why, if I ever saw them of cockathingys face-to-face, I'd laugh at how silly it is."

Fluttershy sternly shook her head from side to side. "You wouldn't wanna do that, Apple Bloom. Just one look from a cockatrice can turn you to stone, forever! The last thing you should do if you spot one is look it in the eye! Now come on, we have to get out of here before it finds us!"

But it was too late. There suddenly came an ominous hissing sound combined with that of a cluck. And then, what should spring out of a bush right in front of everypony but the very creature Fluttershy had just described? It did indeed havve the head of a chicken and the body of a snake. And its red eyes flashed brightly and ominously in the dark! To make matters worse, it was at that moment that Elizabeek happened to come running out from another bush, only to run right into the monster! In a matter of seconds, Elizabeek was turned to solid stone!

This frightening display was enough to make the CMC panic! They all screamed and hollered, running around hysterically as they shut their eyes in a desperate attempt to avoid looking at the cockatrice!

Fluttershy desperately tried to regain control of the situation! "Girls, please. Girls— now listen to me, girls, I— please!" It was no use, the Crusaders were too frightened to listen to a word she said! Meanwhile, the cockatrice was slowly but surely drawing closer. Then and there, the normally shy pegasus mare knew what she had to do. Clearing her throat, she spoke calmly but sternly. "Girls! Behind me, now!" Luckily for her, this time the three frightened fillies obeyed.

The cockatrice, undeterred and unbothered by this development, just continued to advance on the pony it had in its sights.

The animal loving pegasus mare refused to budge, even as she could feel her body start to turn to stone! She just glared at the cockatrice as hard as she could, all but pressing her face up against it! And while she didn't raise her tone of voice at all, the tone she used made her sound like a mother scolding her child for misbehaving. "You! Just who do you think you are, going around turning others into stone? I'm sorry we disturbed your nest, but that's no reason to be coming after us like this."

The cockatrice let out a dismayed squawk and tried to shrink from Fluttershy's gaze.

Fluttershy refused to let up, she just continued to lecture the cockatrice as she said it. "You oughta be ashamed of yourself! I have half a mind to find your mother and tell her what you've been up to, young man. Now you turn Elizabeek back to normal this instant, and don't ever let me catch you doing this again. Do you understand me?"

To the surprise of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the cockatrice backed down and obeyed Fluttershy's request. It quickly turned Elizabeek back, and then slithered away with a sorrowful, regretful look on its face. Just like that, the threat it had posed had disappeared all together.

To say that the CMC were impressed by what they had seen would be an understatement. They'd come away with a newfound respect for Fluttershy, and lost any will they might have had not to listen to her.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy trotted over to the fillies in order to reassure them and ask them. "Are you all right, girls?"

Scootaloo nodded quite happily. "Yeah, we're fine!"

"All thanks to that stare of yours." Apple Bloom chimed in.

Sweetie Belle then asked. "Was that 'The Stare' Rarity was talking about earlier?"

The pegasus mare gave a confirming nod. "Yes it is. And it's something I vowed only to use for emergencies, such as this one. It's the one thing I know that can make anything or anyone obey me no matter what," With a giggle and a grin she added. "I guess you could call me 'The Stare Master'."

"Ooh, I like that name!" Apple Bloom excitedly exclaimed!

Scootaloo hesitantly asked. "You're not gonna use it on us, are you?"

"Not as long as you three promise to behave," Fluttershy told the fillies. "That means you have to do what I say. And you have to promise me you will never run away or wander off into the Everfree Forest by yourselves ever again."

"Don't worry, Fluttershy," Sweetie Belle declared. "We'll be good from now on, we promise," And she apologized. "I'm sorry we didn't listen to you earlier, and didn't tell you about the missing chicken until after we'd snuck out of your house."

The animal loving pegasus nodded. "We all make mistakes, girls. I should've known better than to assume I could handle you just because I knew how to care take of animals," A realization then struck her as she began to usher her charges out of the Everfree Forest. "Come to think of it, that sounds like it could make for an excellent report to the princess. I should probably tell it to Twilight tomorrow, after I get you girls safely home, of course."

And Sweetie could only wonder aloud. "I just hope Rarity was able to finish that important order of hers for that important client."

"As long as she remembers not to bite off more than she chew, I'm sure she'll be okay." Fluttershy insisted.

It wasn't long before Fluttershy, the Crusaders, and Elizabeek were all safely out of the Everfree Forest and returning to Fluttershy's cottage. And Fluttershy and the Crusaders agreed not to mention anything about the night's events to Rarity.

Author's Note

So here we are once again. I've been using the Author's Notes section to try to explain myself on these rewrites since at least the second volume. This is an episode that was actually rewritten by RubberBrony as one of only two episodes he rewrote for his own rewrite collection in 2013/2014. He had plans to do more, but he never got around to them and I don't know what became of him or if he left the fandom.

This was the first episode to feature the Cutie Mark Crusaders after Hasbro scrapped their planned spin-off series ("Call of the Cutie" was the intended pilot episode), and suffice it to say the CMC in Season 1 and early Season were really annoying. They are the biggest problem with the episode in its original state, because they repeatedly do stupid things just to try to earn their cutie marks, most of which are not funny. And they have no concern whatsoever for their own safety at any point.

There is also the problem that a lot of Season 1 episodes tend to have, where there's a lot of characters just fooling around and doing things that are at best only loosely related to the plot, and in this episode most of them are the CMC during their attempts to earn their cutie marks. But there's also the weird need to explain the meaning of the phrase "Bitting off more than you can chew", and Fluttershy taking too long to realize that the CMC aren't interested in her preferred activities.

Last but not least is the discovery of Twilight being petrified by the cockatrice. It raises a lot of disturbing implications about what could've happened had Fluttershy not found her, namely over the possibility that Twilight might never have been found otherwise. Even as a way to shoehorn Twilight into the plot to write the friendship lesson at the end, it's a pretty poor way to include her and so I wrote it out.

I wanted the CMC to actually apologize to Fluttershy and show that they are willing to listen to her, whereas the original episode implied it was only because of The Stare that they had any reason to obey her at the end. And I decided to cut out the scene where Twilight sees Fluttershy to reveal that she's going to Zecora's for tea, both because I wasn't going to have Twilight be turned to stone, and because the scene otherwise just tells us what we already know about how Fluttershy is unaware that the CMC will not be easy to foalsit. And I included a nod to my rewrite of Bridle Gossip, which can be found here.

~~Stare Master~~
Pinkie Apple Pie
The Cutie Map, Parts 1 and 2
The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone
Hard to Say Anything (Bonus Chapter)
A Health of Information
Uprooted
The Royal Apologies (The Point of No Return)
The Big Mac Question (Bonus Chapter)

S4 E9: Pinkie Apple Pie (What If?)

Apple Bloom raced home to Sweet Apple Acres as fast as her hooves could carry her! She had the most exciting news in the history of forever that she couldn't wait to share with her whole family, most especially Applejack!

The journey home seemed to take longer than it usually did for the farm filly. Yet at last, the familiar outline of the family barn came into view, as did as the farmhouse attached to it. She raced right to the door and immediately tried to open it, only to find to her dismay that it wasn't. Instead of being patient, she opted to furiously pound on the door over and over again!

The frantic knocking was soon answered, as Applejack opened the door and let Apple Bloom inside. "What's got you so wound up all of a sudden, Apple Bloom?" She asked her little sister.

Apple Bloom tried to speak, but had to pause for a moment to catch her breath and gather her thoughts. Once she had done so, she started to explain. "Well, you know about that assignment Miss. Cheerilee gave my class? The one about doin' a report on somepony in your family tree?"

"Yeah, I remember, you told me about that yesterday," Applejack replied. "And you said you couldn't think of anypony to do it on that you hadn't already done countless times before. Still not seein' what that has to do with... whatever it is you're so excited about."

Apple Bloom went on explaining. "Well, I did try to check out the archives at town hall. But Mayor Mare said she gave all the scrolls to Twilight for reorganizing, so I went to see Twilight instead. And she helped me look at the whole Apple family tree, goin' all the way back to before Granny Smith settled in Ponyville with her family. And that's when I found it!"

Applejack scrunched up her face a bit in confusion. "Found what exactly, sugarcube? Come on, spit it out!"

"Alright, alright," Apple Bloom nodded as she paused for but a moment to build up the dramatic tension. "We're related to Pinkie Pie's family. In fact, Pinkie Pie's one of our cousins. Our fourth cousin twice removed" She proceeded to pull out a scroll. "And I've got the scroll that proves it! So be honest, sis. Is this the most amazin', mind blowin' thing you've ever seen or what? I had no idea our family history was so rich and interestin'. Who knew genealogy could be so excitin'?"

Yet the stetson wearing earth pony's response was not at all what Apple Bloom had been expecting. She'd expected her big sister to be utterly astounded with the news and in a state of shock. That was not what was happening. Instead, Applejack was acting as if the news as mundane and everyday as the rising of the sun. "Oh, is that all?" She replied in a tone of voice that sounded not the least bit shocked or surprised. "I already knew that, Apple Bloom."

The farm filly's mouth dropped open in shock and disbelief! "You did?!" She quickly received a confirming nod and groaned. "And let me guess, everypony else in the family knows that too," She got another confirming nod, and began to clutch the scroll as she seethed in anger, kicking a hoof! "Well gosh darn it! Why didn't anypony tell me sooner?! Here I was, all excited that I'd just made the most amazin' discovery ever, and it turns out it's not really a discovery at all!"

Applejack, sensing how upset her little sister was at having her "big news" be spoiled, raised a hoof and tried to calm her down. "Sorry you had to find out that way, sugarcube. I meant to tell you all about it sooner but... well..." She started to trail off in uncertainty.

"But what, Applejack?" Apple Bloom questioned, suddenly intrigued by the hesitancy. "What's the reason why I wasn't told about Pinkie Pie bein' our fourth cousin twice removed?"

The freckled earth pony mare sighed. "You really wanna know, huh? It's... not exactly our family's finest moment." And already, she was thinking back to that day long ago when she'd learned what Apple Bloom had just found out for herself. Suffice it to say, the revelation that Pinkie Pie was a distant cousin of the Apple family was one that had touched off quite the unexpected journey. Not only for the Apples, but for Pinkie Pie as well.

"Well, I'm all ears, Applejack." Apple Bloom said after waiting only a moment or so for her big sister to gather her thoughts.

"Okay, okay," Applejack relented without hesitation. "Just... promise me you won't go tellin' the story to anypony who doesn't already know. Like I said, it wasn't exactly our family's finest moment. It's probably up there with the whole 'Applebuck Season' incident as somethin' I'll regret for the rest of my life. Pinkie Pie probably doesn't see it that way, but it seems like almost nothin' can break that spirit of hers. Sometimes, I kind of wish I had that sort of spirit, like I did when I was about your age," She then cleared her throat. "But anyways," She began flashing back to the day she had learned of her connection to Pinkie. "It all started years ago. In fact, I reckon it was just after you were born. Ma and Pa had just brought you back from the hospital a few days ago."

And indeed, that is how the farm mare remembered it. She was just a filly back then, and had only gotten her cutie mark about a year prior to that fateful day. She hadn't given much thought to any cousins of her or distant family. She wasn't unaware of them, and hadn't completely hated her time with the Oranges. But for the time being she was content with her immediate family as it was: Her big brother Big Macintosh, her grandmother Granny Smith (who was fairly young by grandmother standards), her mother and father, and of course her newborn baby sister Apple Bloom.

On that day in question when the freckled filly had learned of her connection to a new friends of hers, she was woken up shortly after sunrise. Not by the crow of the rooster, but by the sound of very energetic knocking on the front door of her family's farm house. So the filly got out of bed and quickly trotted downstairs, little suspecting that she was about to receive news that was going to blow her mind.

Upon opening the door, Applejack's sap green eyes were surprised to be greeted by the pronounced presence of none other than Ponyville's premiere pink party pony Pinkie Pie. The filly with a poofy, curly mane and tail and with eyes a beautiful blue had the biggest, widest, most cheerful smile you had ever seen, all the while she stood outside the door. "Heya, cousin!" She announced with great fanfare, immediately throwing her hooves around her fellow earth pony.

To say that Applejack was shocked and surprised by the news would be an understatement. "What... but... why... I mean... how... I mean..." She stuttered, trying to process this sudden announcement.

Pinkie, for her part, just grinned and giggled. "I know, I know, it's not every day that you get visited one of your cousins. Well, okay, fourth cousin twice removed, but a cousin is still a cousin. Am I right or am I right?" She even playfully swished her tail. "Ooh, isn't this great, Applejack?! We're not just friends, we're family!"

The freckled filly gasped and took a step back, her eyes blinking rapidly. "Family?"

The pink party pony nodded. "Yes indeedy! As soon as I found out, I just knew I had to come and see you!" She then asked. "Mind if I come inside? I wanna meet the rest of my cousins and tell them the news too. I bet they'll all be as shocked as you are!"

"W-well, you can come inside if you want," Applejack reluctantly agreed. "But first... you mind tellin' me just how in the hay you figured out that we're uh... fourth cousins twice removed was it?"

Pinkie Pie nodded again as she trotted inside the farm house proper. "Oh, I was just thinking about stuff the other day. Then I started thinking about Granny Pie's stories. And it made me realize something. She was always talking about how members of her family used to live in Ponyville once upon a time, before they all moved away to work on their own rock farms and settle down. Apparently, my parents were among the first Pies to have lived their entire lives on rock farms. My dad inherited the rock farm from his father, and his father inherited it from his father, and so on and so on."

Applejack commented. "I... see."

Pinkie then explained. "And that's when it hit me! Your family was one of the first families to settle in Ponyville, all the way back when Granny Smith was our age. So that meant at some point the Pies and the Apples must've been connected, which would make us related," She started to bounce up, down, and all around! "Ooh! Thinking about it makes me all tingly inside! So, Cousin Applejack, where are the others? When can I meet them?"

It was at that very moment that Granny Smith came grumiply trotting into the room, remarking in a stern tone of voice. "Consarn it, what's with all the noise?! You're gonna wake up the youngin'!"

"Sorry, Granny," Applejack sincerely apologized as she gestured a hoof. "But Pinkie Pie says she's related to us, that she's our fourth cousin twice removed."

The pink party pony proclaimed! "What Applejack said! And that means you're technically my great, great, great..." She trailed off. "Well, I don't know how great, but you're definitely one of my long lost grandmothers. Although you weren't really lost, I just didn't know I was related to you yet."

Granny Smith's eyes blinked slowly. "What in the name of all things oats and apples?! That don't even begin to make a lick of sense!" She trotted over to Pinkie Pie, commenting. "I know you just came to Ponyville not that long ago, but I also know you weren't born here. There's no way you just magically found a connection between us. We Apples know all our kin, I'd know if we were related to somepony like you."

Pinkie protested. "I'm not making this up, I swear! I love my family back on the rock farm! They're my family, how could I not love them?!" She sheepishly added. "It's just... they don't really understand. Ponyville's a lot different from a rock farm, and I've always felt different from the rest of my family. I'm glad that Mom and Dad let me stay here. But writing to them just isn't the same as having them around. So having a family right here in Ponyville, you can't begin to imagine how happy that makes me!"

Granny Smith sighed, frowning slightly. "Bust my buds, you're as stubborn as Applejack! If I didn't know better, I'd swear you two were twins or somethin'."

The pink coated filly giggled. "That's funny, because I am a twin. I'm a twin sister who's only slightly older than my little sister by a few minutes. But that's okay, she'll still be my baby sister."

Big Macintosh happened to come trotting up at that very moment, apparently having been attracted by the conversation that had been going on. "What's all this about family and cousins?"

Applejack quickly explained to her older brother. "Pinkie Pie here claims she's related to us, that she's our fourth cousin twice removed. But Granny Smith doesn't seem to think so."

The still relatively young mare protested. "Darn tootin' I don't! Not just anypony can claim to be an Apple!" She eyed Pinkie Pie with suspicion. "You got somethin' that can prove the link? Somethin' that shows how we might be related?"

The pink party pony smiled. "Yes I do! I was hoping you'd ask!" She reached up a hoof and dug into her mane. "Give me a minute, or two," She started pulling out random objects that should've been impossible to stuff into her mane: A big red bouncy ball, a rusty old horseshoe, an air pump, even a large gauze bandage roll and an umbrella. She tossed all those things aside without fanfare, and they loudly clattered to the floor in front of her. "Come on, come on," She mumbled to herself. "Where is it? I know I put it in here somewhere," After a bit more rummaging around, she finally pulled out a well worn scroll. "Aha, here it is! I was amazed when I first found it! Genealogy is better than cotton candy on top of a fountain of chocolate!"

Granny Smith took up the scroll, unfolding it and scanning it very carefully with her eyes. "Hm," She said as she squinted. "This scroll seems pretty old, doesn't look like it's in very good shape. Where exactly is this missing link of yours, Pinkie Pie?"

Pinkie pointed to a spot way down on the scroll, right near the bottom. "Down there!" She insisted. "It says Applesauce of the Apple family lineage is a fourth cousin twice removed of the Pie family!"

The green coated earth pony mare examined the spot carefully, checking it over once and then checking it over twice. Her frown seemed to deepen. "I'm not so sure," She confessed. "Either my eyesight ain't what it used to be, or that line is awfully smudged. I think I can see the part about great great Applesaucie and fourth cousin twice removed, but I can't make out that last little blob on the end. You certain it says Pie?"

At that, Pinkie Pie somewhat nervously and sheepishly admitted as she twiddled and fiddled with her front hooves. "Well... okay... maybe it is a teensy-weensy bit smudged at the end. But in my heart, I'm sure it said 'Pie'. It just... feels right!"

"Well, ain't that the sweetest thing?" Big Macintosh commented. "If that's true, then I'm glad to consider you part of the family, Pinkie Pie."

Applejack, however, seemed to share Granny Smith's skepticism. "But we don't know for sure, do we? What if it's not 'Pie' after all?"

Pinkie's joyful mood immediately came to an abrupt halt when she heard the news! "What?! No way! That can't be true! It can't be! It said 'Pie', I'm sure of it!"

The freckled filly sighed. "Well, I know from experience that sometimes things ain't always what they seem. I remember I thought Manehattan would be the perfect place for me, and it turned out it wasn't," She then remarked. "If only there were some way to know for sure."

That prompted Granny Smith to gasp as an idea suddenly came to her! "That's it There's one pony can help us!"

"Who?" The pink party pony questioned.

"Goldie Delicious, the family historian," Granny Smith explained. "She's been in charge of the Apple family tree for as long as I can remember. If there's anypony who can settle this question, it's her."

"But didn't you say Goldie Delicious lives in a cabin far away?" Big Macintosh questioned his grandmother.

Granny Smith shook her head from side to side. "It ain't that far, really! We could probably be there and back within a day, almost nopony would even know we were gone."

"Then we have to go!" Pinkie Pie firmly insisted as she stomped a hoof down, a look of firey determination seemed to be reflected in her blue eyes. "I have to know whether I'm an Apple or not! I'll never be able to think of anything else until the question's been answered!"

Big Macintosh then commented with a grin as he looked at his grandmother and younger sister. "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

Applejack excitedly exclaimed! "A family road trip!" But her joy soon faded. "But there's no way we can go. Ma and Pa are busy with Apple Bloom, they can't tend to her and run the farm all by themselves while we're gone."

Granny Smith unhappily sighed. "Well, I'll have a talk with them and see what they think. There might be some cousins not too far away we can have come and help out."

It was soon arranged, Granny Smith came back into the living room of the farm house a few minutes later and informed the children of what she had learned. "My son and his special somepony say they can manage just fine for one day, Apple Bloom ain't that fussy of a foal and there ain't much to do around the farm this time of year anyway," She looked at Big Macintosh and Applejack, telling them quite sternly. "But you two have to be on your best behavior. I don't need any arguments or silly ideas."

"Don't worry, Granny Smith," Big Macintosh firmly insisted. "We'll be as good as gold, we promise."

Pinkie Pie happily smiled and jumped up! "Great! I'll just zip back to Sugarcube Corner to get my stuff! I'm sure the Cakes won't mind, as long as I come back before nightfall." And without waiting for a reply, she zoomed out of the farm house and disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye!

The Apples just stared in disbelief. No matter how many times they saw Pinkie do things that shouldn't have possible for anypony, they never quite used to it. They quickly opted not to dwell on the matter, instead getting everything ready for the trip out to Goldie Delicious' cottage.

A short time later, the Apple siblings and their grandmother were waiting out front with a wagon all but filled to the brim with boxes and trunks, along with seemingly everything else. Yet it didn't seem to bother the one who was going to pull the wagon: Big Macintosh. "I've pulled plows heavier than that!" He said to himself. "This'll be a piece of cake. Pinkie Pie'll be so impressed to know I'm as strong as my pa."

"Just be careful not to hurt yourself pattin' yourself on the back there." Applejack teased in a whisper.

Granny Smith then came trotting out, wearing a red bonnet with orange and yellow flowers, and tied together with light blue string. "Has anypony seen my travelin' bonnet?" She asked her grandchildren. "I can't seem to find it."

Big Macintosh and Applejack blinked in mutual confusion, before Big Mac saw fit to ask. "Ain't that what you're wearin' on your head, Granny?"

The earth pony mare with a lively green coat looked up, then frowned and huffed. "No, that ain't it!"

"You sure?" Applejack questioned. "'Cause it looks an awful lot like..."

Granny Smith immediately shut down the question with a simple. "-Well, it ain't, and that's final!" She was certain her traveling bonnet was of a different color and a different design. But alas, the one she had on her head now would have to do.

It was then that the freckled filly looked to her family members. There was something she wanted to ask of them before Pinkie Pie came back. "Hey, y'all," She quickly called out to them. "Can y'all gather 'round? I got somethin' I wanna say real quick before we get on the road."

"Don't tell me, I had somethin' stuck in my teeth this whole time," The relatively young earth pony mare remarked. "Gadsicknety, why didn't anypony say somethin'?! If we are family, I just made the worst first impression ever."

The filly with blonde locks protested. "No no, it's not that, Granny Smith. Your teeth are fine," And she explained the reasoning behind her hasty announcement. "I just wanted to be sure that we're all on the same page about showin' Pinkie Pie how awesome a family we really are. She's really excited about this, and I don't blame her. If we're related, I want to make sure she sees the Apple family at its best."

Granny Smith waved a hoof and blew a raspberry, shrugging off her granddaughter's concerns. "Oh, don't you worry your pretty little head, honey. We're a great family, and she can't help but see it. We'll be fine."

"Eeyup." Big Macintosh firmly nodded as he prepared to hitch himself up to the wagon.

Just then, Pinkie Pie came rushing back to Sweet Apple Acres! Her saddle bags were practically bursting at the seams with how much that seemed to be stuffed into them! Yet it seemed to give her no trouble at all as she excitedly proclaimed! "The Cakes said I can go, I knew they'd say yes!" She all but literally raced up to the wagon as she then shouted! "Are y'all ready to go? Because I'm ready to go-go-go!"

But Applejack was suddenly filled anew with worry about how loaded up the wagon was, even with her bigger (and stronger) brother pulling it. So she nervously said. "Just a minute," Turning to her brother, she hesitantly asked. "Er, Big Mac? Are you sure we really need all that stuff?"

Big Mac just replied with a quick. "Eeyup." He said nothing further on the subject.

Applejack wasn't convinced, she kept on pressing. "Are you sure you're strong enough to really pull all that stuff?"

Slightly more annoyed, the earth pony colt retorted. "Eeyup." He even swished his tail to show how frustrated he was becoming with this line of questioning.

Still, the freckled filly decided to ask. "And are you sure the wagon's strong enough to hold it all?"

With a loud groan of frustration, the colt with a bright red coat huffed as his eyes narrowed. "Eeyup!!" Then he saw fit to add a retort. "If I didn't think I could pull of this, I'd have let you know! Can we get goin' already?! We don't have all day!"

"Okay, okay!" Applejack quickly replied, desperate to shut down a potential argument before it could get started. She and Pinkie Pie climbed into the wagon, sitting to either side of Big Macintosh. Then Applejack happily shouted! "Let's get this show on the road!"

Just like that, Pinkie Pie and the Apple family were off. The wagon wheels slowly but surely started to turn, and despite a little bit of straining from Big Mac at the start, they had soon built up a steady pace as Sweet Apple Acres slowly but surely faded from view. It wasn't long before they were out on the open roads, heading for the outskirts of Ponyville and the path that would take them to Goldie Delicious' cabin.

Naturally, the wagon ride through mostly empty roads could get quite boring and lonely. But the Apples had a sure fire way to break up that boredom. As the wagon continued to bounce up and down with every bump in the road that it hit, Applejack pulled out a banjo and started playing it! Then she excitedly shouted! "Come on, Apples! You know this one!"

"Hot diggity!" Granny Smith cheered.

"Yeehaw!" Applejack chimed in.

And all Big Macintosh had to say was a very excited "Eeyup!" Just like that, the whole Apple family was beginning to sing a song, a song that Pinkie Pie couldn't help but find catchy.

Applejack led the chorus, singing happily:

We've traveled the road of generations,

Joined by a common bond.

We sing our song 'cross the pony nation.

From Equestria and beyond.

Then Applejack and Big Macintosh started singing together:

We're Apples forever, Apples together,

We're family, but so much more.

And no matter what comes, we will face the weather.

We're Apples to the core!

Big Macintosh took the lead for the next few lines, all the while he continued to pull the wagon and its contents behind him with very little trouble.

There's no place that I'd rather be,

Than travelin' with all of my family.

Friends all around come to join and see,

As we sing out across this land!

And the chorus soon repeated itself, a bit more louder and prouder this time:

We're Apples forever, Apples together,

We're family, but so much more.

And no matter what comes, we will face the weather.

We're Apples to the core!

Now it was Granny Smith's turn to sing, first making use of a blanket and then some pirate costumes to emphasize her points.

We're peas in a pod, we're thick as thieves,

Any cliché you can throw at me.

And we're here for each other, through thick and thin,

You're always welcome with your Apple kin!

The singing seemed to stir at something deep within Pinkie Pie's heart, prompting her to sing as she first splashed a can of pink paint out into the air, then briefly floated on a bunch of balloons, and finally tossed out a rusty old kitchen sink that had somehow gotten mixed in with everything else. And her singing went something like this:

You're more fun than the color pink,

Or balloons flying over your favorite drink.

The love that I feel here is swim, not sink,

As we party across this land!

The chorus repeated itself once again, this time with Pinkie Pie joining the whole Apple family as they sang as loud as they could together:

We're Apples forever, Apples together,

We're family, but so much more!

And no matter what comes, we will face the weather!

We're Apples to the core!

Yet only a minute or so after they had finished singing, the group of traveling earth ponies had their joyful and relaxing road trip suddenly altered. WIthout warning, the wagon fell apart completely, dissolving into a tangled mess of boards and broken wheels!

Luckily for Pinkie Pie and the Apples, they weren't hurt. But with the wagon destroyed, they found themselves in an awkward predicament.

Applejack naturally couldn't resist turning her frustration and anger on the pony she deemed most responsible for the wagon's demise: Big Macintosh. After all, he had insisted it wasn't overpacked. With gritted teeth, she trotted up to him and all but stomped a hoof down. "Big Mac!" She began in a rather unhappy and visibly irritated tone of voice. "I thought you said," But before she could continue, she became aware of the all too watchful eye of Pinkie Pie. So she forced herself to lower her tone of voice and force a smile while nervously adding. "Uh-I mean-not that I'm blamin' you or anythin', because we don't play the blame game in this family, but I thought you said all this stuff wasn't gonna be too heavy."

Big Mac said nothing, not wanting to argue with his little sister. He just looked at the ground in shame, hoping that his blush wasn't showing through his bright red coat.

If Pinkie seemed at all worried, she didn't show it outwardly as she instead asked in a seemingly indifferent tone of voice. "So, how are we gonna get to Goldie Delicious' now? Should we turn back?"

Granny Smith shook her head from side to side. "We can't, we're closer now to cousin Goldie's place than we are to home. We'll just have to keep goin', somehow."

It was then that Pinkie Pie let out an excited gasp, as her wandering blue eyes spotted a river nearby! "Oh my gosh! I have the best... idea... ever!" And without waiting for a reply she proclaimed! "Family river trip!"

The freckled filly gulped. "Just one problem, Pinkie, we don't have a raft. And uh... some of us," She gestured to her brother. "Ain't exactly the best swimmers if you know what I mean."

Big Macintosh began to mutter under his breath. "I knew I should've packed that emergency raft. Why didn't anypony remind me?" But his comment went underheard to all but himself.

Luckily, the earth pony mare with a snow white mane and tail had an idea. "Well, back in the old days, we used to use the sap from a sugar pine tree to glue things together. Came in handy more than you might think."

"Well, that's... interestin', I guess," Applejack admitted with a shrug. "Not sure it's exactly helpful, but it is interestin'."

Granny Smith then scoffed. "'Not helpful'? Patooie! I'll tell ya how it's helpful," She quickly explained. "We're gonna build ourselves a raft out of these here jalopy parts and keep it all held together with sugar pine sap!"

The earth pony filly with an orange coat and sap green eyes shrugged her hooves again, unwilling to argue with her grandmother. "Well, guess it's worth a shot." And she joined the rest of her family (as well as Pinkie Pie) in gathering up the parts of the wagon that were still intact.

In a very short while, the four earth ponies had managed to build themselves a fairly decent raft that could stay afloat. Granny Smith was right, the sugar pine sap held the wooden boards together perfectly. They'd even found a way to turn one of the wagon wheels into a steering wheel for their raft.

"Could be worse, I guess," Applejack admitted as she stepped somewhat hesitantly into the raft. Then she said to the others. "Now remember, everypony, we're only packin' the essentials this time. Got it?" Everypony nodded back.

Pinkie Pie then excitedly shouted! "Wait a second!" She hastily produced a camera and flashed a picture with it! She smiled as she observed the finished photo a second or two later. "This one's for the scrapbook!" She proclaimed, as she stuffed the photo into a scrapbook already filled up with photos she had managed to take in the short amount of time she'd been on the road.

Applejack was amazed and astounded by the sight. "Pinkie Pie, how and when did you find the time to make somethin' like this?" She questioned her fellow earth pony.

The pink party pony just retorted before slipping on her lifejacket. "Applejack, when you're family, you make the time. Family is important." She said in an unusually serious tone of voice.

Applejack decided it best not to ask any further questions, instead slipping on her own lifejacket while watching as her brother and grandmother did the same. Then they all stepped onto the raft and set it adrift, floating away down the river.

For a while, Pinkie and the Apples floated along on the river without incident (aside from the occasional wave that splashed up against their raft and soaked them). Nothing seemed to be amiss, and it looked as if they would reach Goldie Delicious' place in no time.

But then suddenly, Applejack looked ahead and became concerned! Up ahead, the river split into three separate forks. "Uh-oh." She muttered to herself, suddenly stricken with a sense of dread.

Granny Smith, meanwhile, called out. "All right, y'all. Please tell me that the map back there didn' get wet. 'Cuz it looks like I'm gonna need it right about now."

"I'll get it!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she raced to the back of the raft before anypony could say anything in protest! The map was perched high above a series of trunks and boxes. Yet she climbed up them completely undeterred, not the least bit concerned about how wobbly they seemed to be. Hoisting herself up onto the last box, she could see the map just sticking out. The pink coated filly leaned forward, trying to grasp it with her hooves. But that was when the entire stack of trunks and boxes gave way, taking her with it!

Worse was to come, the sudden collapse sent the map floating helplessly through the air! The Apples were all stunned and gasped, and each tried desperately to jump up and catch it! Alas, their efforts were in vain. A sudden gust of wind blew the map away, causing it to land in the river behind them with a splash. And they couldn't stop the raft or go back, they were now forced to carry on without a map.

Pinkie, for her part, stood up and brushed the dust off her coat. She didn't seem to be hurt, but she was aware of the sudden onset of harsh glares that the Apple family were shooting her. "Guess I should've asked for help." The filly sheepishly admitted.

Applejack had to resist the urge to groan at her fellow filly's decision. "Ya think?" She muttered, but said nothing further on the subject.

"Ah, it's okay, we'll be fine without the map," Granny Smith insisted in a confident tone of voice, firmly grasping the wheel. "I travelled down this here river as a filly and I know it like the back of my hoof!"

The freckled filly wasn't so sure of that statement. "You really know which to go, Granny?" She asked her grandmother.

The earth pony mare retorted. "Does a June bug like to hide in a tree?"

"Uh... I don't know." Applejack replied with a hesitant blink.

Granny Smith just snorted. "Well I do know! And I also know we wanna head southeast if we wanna get to Goldie's as soon as pony possible. You youngin''s just let me worry about navigatin' this here river, and we'll be there in two shakes of a lamb's tail." And she turned the wheel as hard as she could, turning the raft in a southeasterly direction. The raft thus drifted off to the leftward fork, and the other forks quickly disappeared from view.

At first, it seemed like all was well. But it wasn't long before the raft started slowly but surely drifting towards an ominous looking cave.

"Um, Granny?" The earth pony filly with blonde locks spoke up as the cave drew nearer and nearer.

"What is it, Applejack?" Granny Smith asked even as she didn't loosen her grip on the wheel or make any attempt to alter the raft's path.

As beads of nervous sweat started to work their way down her face, the freckled filly anxiously asked. "Are we supposed to go through a cave? That cave doesn't look all that welcomin'."

The earth pony mare brushed off her grandchild's concern. "Ah, don't you worry, child! I know what I'm doin'! That ain't the scariest cave in Equestria, that's down the other way!"

Big Macintosh gulped. "The scariest cave in Equestria? I don't like the sound of that."

"Will you relax, we're gonna be just fine!" Granny Smith retorted! "I told you that this ain't the scariest cave in Equestria! Trust me, you don't wanna go into that cave," She began to speak in an ominous, spooky tone of voice. "It's a fright all right! Filled with creatures that'll eat ya soon as look at ya!"

Pinkie Pie seemed to briefly shudder, shiver, and shake with fright. "Ooh, sounds scary!" Then with a bright and sincere smile, she pleaded. "Tell me more, Granny!"

Granny Smith chuckled and resumed her story. "They say ponies go into that cave, but they never come out! Not in one piece! Which is exactly why I made sure not to send us toward it in the first place. So just sit back and relax, we've got nothin' to worry about!"

Applejack was anything but convinced. Something in the back of her mind told her grandmother was wrong. "Granny, are you absolutely sure we're goin' the right way to avoid that cave? The one we're headin' towards looks awfully scary to me."

But the earth pony mare with a green coat just snorted and narrowed her eyes as she stubbornly protested. "Now Applejack, I taught you better than to question your elders, didn't I?!"

Applejack, aware of the fact that Pinkie was nearby and was watching very closely, reluctantly decided not to start a potential argument. She instead swallowed hard. "You sure did, Granny. I guess I shouldn't be doubtin' ya." And with that, the raft and its occupants reached the entrance of the cave. Before long, their surroundings were plunged into darkness! They couldn't see even an inch in front of their noses.

Nothing seemed to happen, which prompted Granny Smith to boast! "See now? What I'd tell ya, youngin''s?! Nothin' to be afraid of, 'cause this ain't the-" But just then there came a loud roar from up above that made all the raft's occupants nearly jump! They looked up, and saw a terrifying creature illuminated only by its glowing red eyes! Whatever it was, it didn't look friendly at all!

The Apple family all screamed in fright! But Pinkie Pie wasn't bothered in the slightest, she just giggled and readied her camera! "Ooh, this is so exciting!" She exclaimed, hurridly snapping picture after picture as all sorts of terrifying creatures seemed to suddenly emerge from the darkness all around her! The monsters roared and growled, some even appearing to briefly try to swipe at the raft and its occupants!

Fortunately for the now frightened family of three, their terrifying, frightening journey ended very quickly. In the blink of an eye, a light appeared, and they emerged from the cave looking none the worse for wear. Even the raft seemed to be perfectly fine.

Pinkie, for her part, was just humming a cheerful little tune to herself as the raft emerged back into the bright sunlight and the cave slowly but surely retreated from view.

Once the Apples had time to get their bearings, Granny Smith was the first one to speak up. She seemed to realize her mistake as she said slowly. "Huh, I guess that actually was the scariest cave in Equestria after all," She quickly recovered, trying to insist in a confident tone of voice. "...which is exactly how I planned it! I meant to take us through that cave. Unexpected adventure is good for the soul!"

Pinkie Pie happily grinned! "Best granny wisdom ever. And I thought my Granny Pie was wise."

Applejack and Big Macintosh, however, were anything but pleased with Granny Smith's "intentional" mistake. They did not want to go through any more frightening, scary caves if they could help it. And that meant there was only one thing to do.

Applejack trotted forward, not so subtly nudging her grandmother aside. "Well, thanks a ton for that, Granny Smith. But ... uh... I think Big Mac and I will just take it from here. You just rest."

Granny Smith refused to budge, let alone relinquish control of the wheel. "Is this how I taught ya to treat your elders, Applejack?!"

"Ooh! Ooh! Is it?!" Pinkie asked in a seemingly unaware tone of voice. Her overall expression gave no indication that she was at all aware of the argument that might be about to unfold.

Applejack just replied with determination. "You taught me to trust my common sense. And my common sense says we should get to Goldie Delicious' cabin in one piece."

"And that is exactly what I'm gonna do!" Granny Smith insisted as she held on tighter to the wheel.

Applejack refused to budge on her claim. "That's mighty generous of you, Granny Smith, but you've helped enough for one day. Big Mac and I can handle this, just like we handle our chores on the farm."

The earth pony mare had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. "Oh really? And how do you know which to go to get to Goldie's?"

"She makes a good point." Pinkie pointed out, smiling as she did so.

Applejack grit her teeth and with narrowed eyes she complained. "Well, it would've been easier if the map hadn't gone overboard, which would've never happened if somepony hadn't put it atop all those 'necessities'."

Granny Smith growled in a low tone of voice. "Well, that wouldn't have happened if Big Mac hadn't overpacked the old jalopy!"

"Eeyu-hey!" Big Macintosh grumbled. "If you hadn't overpacked in the first place, the jalopy would've held itself together just fine. I hardly packed anythin'!"

"Which is why I think it's best if we let me be in charge from here on out," Applejack firmly insisted. "I didn't overpack, the jalopy, cause the map to go overboard, or steer us down the wrong path. We'll all be just fine with me at the wheel." But neither her brother or her grandmother seemed to agree with her. They lunged for the wheel, trying to wrestle it away from Applejack. All the while, Pinkie Pie just sat there with an innocent smile. She said nothing and did nothing, yet seemed to be content watching the Apples argue and bicker.

At last, the argument came to a boil as the wheel was suddenly snapped off its post! It flew into the air, then came back down and landed in the river with an audible splash! A duck swap up through it, only to be snatched out of the water by an eagle, which also carried the wheel away. Just like that, the raft was adrift with no way to steer or control it.

Now it was Applejack's turn to look embarassed. Her attempt to take control had just made things worse.

Pinkie Pie then trotted forward, bobbing her head back and forth as she said to the Apple family. "I just wanna say... that I think you're all super duper, and I can't wait to make a page in my scrapbook about the amazing waterfall we went down!" Only after she'd finished speaking those words did the Apple family become aware of the fast approaching waterfall! She did join them in trying to paddle away from it, but it was of course no use. The current was too strong to escape! The raft drew closer and closer to the waterfall, and there was nothing anypony could do about it! So instead, as the raft reached the top of the waterfall and began to plunge down it, all the Apples could do was scream at the top of their lungs! Meanwhile, the pink party pony was happily snapping photos as fast as she could!

By some struck of luck, the Apple family survived the plunge over the waterfall. They were all frightened and visibly soaked, but they were unharmed. Miraculously, the raft they were on had also survived. Yet for the moment, there was no sign of Pinkie Pie anywhere.

The Apples, however, were still recovering from their state of shock over the sudden turn of events. And they breathed collective sighs of relief.

"Told ya that sugar pine sap would hold this thing together." Granny Smith boasted, confident that the raft would continue to hold itself together. But none sooner had she spoken those words than did the raft start to groan as a sickening crunch sound could be heard. The raft was beginning to break up!

Worse was to come, because it was at that very moment that Pinkie Pie descended from the sky above, held up by a bunch of colorful balloons that she had seemingly inflated from out of nowhere. The balloons had carried her to safety as the raft had gone over the waterfall, but as soon as she landed on the raft they all popped. And the raft broke up completely, plunging its passengers into the river!

The soggy earth ponies slowly stumbled ashore with what possessions they had managed to rescue from the river, and shook themselves dry as best they were able. Aside from Pinkie, the trip seemed to have left the travelers exhausted.

However, the ponies needn't have worried about having to make a long journey on hoof. Not long after they had reached the bank of the river and gotten out, what should meet their weary eyes but a lonely wooden cottage out in the middle of nowhere? There was no mistaking it, they had reached their destination.

Pinkie, not slowed or tired in the least by the journey, eagerly led the way to the cottage! She was practically bouncing along, cheering on the Apple family and encouraging them. "We're here! We're here! We made it to Goldie Delicious's's's's's!"

"Oh, great." Applejack replied, then paused to catch her breath. Her brother and grandmother did the same.

The filly with a pretty pink coat just smiled! "At last, I'll know the truth! I'll know for sure if I'm an Apple or not!" She bounced ahead a little more, strolling right up to the cottage's door. Something immediately caught her blue eyes, and she snatched it up. "Hey you guys, there's a note!" She quickly scanned it over, giggling. "Ooh, and on pretty paper too. I have to get paper like this!"

"Just read to it us, Pinkie." Applejack pleaded.

"Oh, sure, sure. In fact, I already read it over myself," Pinkie Pie admitted and cleared her throat. "It says that Goldie Delicious went out to run a few errands, but she'll be home soon!" She set the note down, eagerly exclaiming! "Ooh, that's perfect!"

Big Macintosh saw fit to ask. "Why is that perfect?" He couldn't see any reason for his potential fourth cousin twice removed's enthusiasm.

The filly with a poofy, curly mane and tail explained. "Because it'll give me enough time to get more scrapbook paper! See ya!" And she zoomed away before anypony could stop her or say anything in protest!

Now alone with each other, the Apple family could only collective groan and lament how things had gone so wrong. "Worst family road trip, ever!" Granny Smith unhappily remarked, a sentiment shared by her grandchildren.

Applejack looked down at the ground in shame. "I can't believe she witnessed our family fallin' apart like this. I'm just glad Mom and Dad weren't here to see this, they'd be so ashamed," She sighed and hung her head, turning to Granny Smith. "I can't believe I was arguin' with you so much that I tore the wheel right off the raft. It's like I wasn't myself at all. I don't know what I was thinkin'."

Granny Smith apologized. "Aw, that wasn't your fault, Applejack. My stubborn streak got a hold of me somethin' fierce. Should've let you take the wheel when you asked. Guess I don't know the rivers as well as I thought I did. I don't even know if the map would've been helpful, it's almost as old as me. A lot could change."

Big Macintosh then chimed in. "And we'd have never had to go by river if I hadn't been so determined to show off my strength. I knew the jalopy was packed too tight, but all I could think about was showin' off." He kicked at the ground, stirring up some dust in the process.

The freckled filly then declared. "Well, I do know one thing, y'all," She refused to lift her head as she sorrowfully stated. "I think we have to let Pinkie Pie know that even if she does discover that she's an Apple, she does not have to feel obliged to consider herself one. Not after the way we've been actin' today. All we did was show off our worst."

But it was then that the familiar, energetic voice of Pinkie Pie proclaimed loudly for all to hear! "Are you kidding me?! You guys are the best family ever! Don't ever let yourselves think otherwise!"

Applejack blinked her eyes in disbelief. "How can you even think that, sugarcube? Are you blind or somethin'?"

"Of course not, Applejack!" Pinkie protested. "My eyes can see perfectly, and my ears heard everything. I don't know why you all can't see what I see."

The freckled earth pony lamented. "What are you talkin' about? Just look at us: We started off this trip as one big unit."

"And look at where you are now," The pink party pony pointed out. "You're all here, still one big unit. That hasn't changed just because you had some arguments. Trust me, I've seen a lot of arguments in my family, many of them having to do with me. But you all love each other and you're owning up to everything that went wrong! You never gave up, even when things got tough! You aren't just family, you're best friends!" She rushed up and happily tackled Applejack, saying to her fellow filly's face. "And I wanna be an Apple more than ever, now!"

"Well, we want you to be one too, Pinkie," Granny Smith commented, before hesitantly adding. "If we can prove that connection of yours, anyway."

Just then, who should happen to come strolling up to the cottage but an earth pony mare who seemed only slightly older than Granny Smith? She had a light amber coat, eyes a beautiful shade of light green, a light grayish-green mane and tail that looked a bit like Pinkie Pie's mane style, and a cutie mark depicting an apple tree with golden apples falling from it. Sticking out of her saddlebags were several cats. "Now that's how you run an errand." She said to herself, as she then approached her unexpected guests.

Pinkie was, naturally, the first to greet the elderly earth pony. "Hello!" She exclaimed at the top of her lungs!

"Hello yourself!" The earth pony mare replied with a chuckle.

Applejack quickly realized who this earth pony was. "You're Cousin Goldie Delicious, right? It's so nice to finally meet ya."

Goldie Delicious gave a confirming nod. "Uh-huh, the feeling's mutual," She then asked. "And who are all of you?"

Pinkie proudly proclaimed! "We're Apples!"

Granny Smith quickly corrected. "Well, we think we're all Apples. Pinkie Pie here claims there's a missin' link between her family and the Apple family that makes her our fourth cousin. We were hopin' you could help us find out for sure."

Goldie Delicious chuckled. "Oh of course, of course! You came to the right place! If there's anypony who can help you solve this genealogy mystery, it's me!" She then approached her cottage door and tried to open it, only to find that it resisted her efforts. The door creaked and groaned, but refused to budge an inch no matter how much force the elderly earth pony applied to it. A slight blush formed on her cheeks as she apologized. "Oh my, I am so sorry about this. I wasn't exactly expectin' company."

"Need any help there, cousin?" Pinkie Pie offered.

The earth pony mare with a light amber coat protested. "No no, I got this," And she resumed pushing against the cottage door, trying to force to open as it creaked and groaned louder with every attempt. Yet she seemed to somehow slowly but surely be making progress. "Gotta... get some oil... for the hinges..." The door eventually gave way rather suddenly, swinging wide open and causing the mare to stumble into the cottage! From inside, there came the sound of loud meows from various cats.

Goldie quickly recovered and began saying to herself. "Alrighty then, just have to move a few things out of the way of the door," And she started tossing things aside, all the while she could be heard saying over the clutter and the chaos (which included a lot of meowing). "Get off of that, Mr. Fluffy... Come on, Pooples... come here, sweetheart..." She soon had things sorted out enough to invite her guests inside. "Okay, you can all come in now. Watch your step, and sorry about the mess!"

Pinkie and the Apples trotted into the cottage, taking notice of how dimly lit it was. The whole place was cluttered with dust and cobwebs, and various old objects that had clearly not been touched for a very long time. These included some very rusty looking horseshoes that had seen better days. Applejack ended up accidentally knocking them over.

"Careful now," Goldie Delicious cautioned. "Those belonged to your great-great-great-great uncle Apple Tart! They were the horseshoes he won the Equestrian Horseshoes Grand Championship with."

"Well, whose was this?" Pinkie Pie asked as she saw a moldly, dusty, cobweb covered gingerbread house.

With a sheepish, shameful look on her face, Goldie confessed. "Actually, that was my lunch, a few weeks ago. Never got around to finishing it, unfortunately," She then frowned. "But you didn't come here for that. Now let me see, where did I put that..." She scanned her surroundings, soon finding what she was looking for next to a pile of dust that had built up into the shape of a cat. It was a very old, very heavy book. Yet when she grabbed it by the teeth and grasped it in her hooves, she seemed to have no trouble at all carrying it across the cottage floor. "Aha, here we go! This here," She said with a slight groan. "This here is a complete record of the Apple family tree."

"Is there anything about an Applesauce, or how she's a fourth cousin twice removed of the Pie family?" The pink party pony asked in a hopeful tone of voice.

Goldie set the book down on the floor and opened it up. "Well, let me see," She squinted ever so slightly. "Forgive me, my eyesight ain't quite what it used to be. I had readin' glasses once, but I lost 'em somewhere and I don't know where. One of these days, I really should clean this place up better. Maybe get some kind of secret cave or somethin' to store all my important stuff, includin' these records," She began flipping through the pages, examining them carefully as the Apple siblings, Granny Smith, and Pinkie Pie all huddled close to her. "It's not here, or here, or, or here, or it certainly isn't here, is it...?" She remarked, until finally she found the page that described what Pinkie had told her. "Oh, here it is!"

The earth pony filly with a pretty pink coat's ears perked up. "Did you find it?!"

"Hold on, I think I'm gettin' to that part. I'm definitely seein' the part about Applesauce and fourth cousin twice removed," Goldie explained and squinted again, examining the next part of the text really closely. Then she nervously remarked. "Oh dear!"

Granny Smith had to beat back the urge to gulp. "'Oh dear'? What is it, Goldie?"

Pinkie Pie felt her heart sink as she assumed the obvious. "So... am I not really an Apple after all? I was so sure I was."

Much to the dismay of everypony present, however, Goldie Delicious just answered. "I'm afraid I can't tell. That last part's awfully smudged. Must've been a book keepin' error, it seems like whoever wrote this part about Applesauce did it in a hurry. And all the Apple family records were moved to my cottage long ago, there's no chance of anythin' bein' missin'," And she apologized. "I'm sorry, I don't think I can help you out after all. We may never know who Applesauce was a fourth cousin twice removed of."

Pinkie felt herself start to tear up, even as she tried to force a smile. "Then, that's it. We came all this way for nothing. I thought was an Apple, but maybe I'm just a Pie and that's all I'll ever."

But the freckled earth pony filly saw fit to protest the idea. "Well you know what, Pinkie, I reckon it doesn't matter what some scroll or some book does or doesn't say. You may not technically be related to us by family tree, but I can safely say that you're definitely an Apple on the inside! You've got the heart of one! You truly are an Apple to the core! Maybe you can't choose what kind of family you get born into, but you can choose the family you want to be part of."

Applejack's speech was enough to lift Pinkie's spirits ever so slightly, and that made her realize something. "You know what, all this time I was so excited about having a new family to be part of, and I forgot I already had a loving family. Mom, Dad, and my sisters all love me. We may be apart now, but I can always stay in touch with them through letters. I'm a Pie, always have been and always will be. That's not going to change no matter who I might be related to."

"Glad you think so, sugarcube," Applejack smiled. "But who knows? Maybe someday we can find out for sure."

"Sure, someday. But someday isn't today," Pinkie protested, before pulling out her camera again. "Still, it would be a shame to let this road trip go to waste. So, whaddya say? One last Apple family photo for the album before we head back?"

All the Apples happily agreed, as did Goldie Delicious. They all huddled close to their honorary family member as she happily pressed a button on her camera with her tail. The photo came out perfectly, and was the perfect choice to conclude her scrapbook adventure of the road trip she had embarked on.

Later, Goldie Delicious was more than happy to let her guests borrow one of her wagons to make the journey back to Ponyville. Though before they left, she tried to offer. "Y'all sure you don't want to take any of these Apple family heirlooms home with you? I reckon now's as good a time as any for a little spring cleanin'." The heirlooms she had suggested clattered loudly behind her, tumbling down into a heep.

Big Macintosh summed up the sentiments of all present as he firmly replied. "Eenope!"

"We'll be seein ya', Goldie!" Granny Smith called as the wagon started to move. "And thanks again for this wagon." The road trip back to Ponyville would pass completely uneventfully for all, which was just fine considering what they had endured on their way out to Goldie's cottage.

"Wow!" Apple Bloom commented in amazement once Applejack had finished her story. "No wonder you and the rest of the family never liked to talk about that road trip."

Applejack let out an unhappy sigh. "Yeah, it wasn't exactly our finest moment. Sure, we came out of it okay. But if I could do the whole thing over again, there's a lot would change. We were lucky Mom and Dad didn't ask for a lot of details when we got back, and we all agreed it was best not to bring it up if we could help it."

Apple Bloom was still a little bit puzzled. "But did all of those things really happen? You know, like goin' through the scariest cave in Equestria or goin' over a waterfall?"

Applejack adjusted her trusty stetson. "Believe me, I can hardly believe we made it out of those ordeals in one piece. But they sure happened alright. Of course, Pinkie Pie bein' Pinkie Pie, she laughs every time she thinks about 'em. Seems like there's almost nothin' that could phase her. Still, at least we got the issue resolved before it could become a problem."

Apple Bloom then pondered. "Did we ever find out if Pinkie was really related to us or not? Even that scroll I found from Twilight didn't say for sure. And fourth cousin twice removed is kind of hard to prove."

Applejack could only remark. "It's like I said when we went on that road trip: Doesn't matter what some scroll says, Pinkie's an Apple at heart and always will be. Family goes beyond what's written," She then put a hoof to her chin, contemplating. "Still, we've never gotten around to askin' her folks if they know anythin'. Maybe we should do that at some point. Maybe next Hearth's Warmin', cause Pinkie's thinkin' of invitin' us out to her family's rock farm to celebrate it."

Author's Note

This is probably one of the episodes that needed the fewest amount of changes, most everyone seems to at least enjoy this episode for what it is. The only thing that anyone ever complains about is the lack of a resolution as to whether or not Pinkie is an Apple. And while it's true that sometimes it's more about the journey than the destination, having a lack of resolution can make the whole trip seem pointless.

My decision to turn this episode into a flashback and remove Apple Bloom had mostly to do with the set-up. In-universe, there's never a stated reason why Twilight is studying genaology, and her interactions with Pinkie Pie seem like fairly typical TwiPie interactions where Pinkie just shows up and bothers Twilight while she's doing research or working on a spell. It's not out of character, but it doesn't really contribute anything and feels like it was done just to get the plot moving.

Plus, way back when this episode was first announced, I was thinking the plot was going to be something of a "The Grass is Always Greener" type of plot. That it would be about Pinkie wanting to belong to a different family given her possible strained relations with her parents (remember, this was before "Hearthbreakers" showed she was still on good terms with them). Also, setting this in the past and removing Apple Bloom means there's no outdated ponylicious rhyme.

~~Stare Master~~
~~Pinkie Apple Pie~~
The Cutie Map, Parts 1 and 2
The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone
Hard to Say Anything (Bonus Chapter)
A Health of Information
Uprooted
The Royal Apologies (The Point of No Return)
The Big Mac Question (Bonus Chapter)

S5 E1: The Cutie Map, Part 1 (What If?)

It hadn't been that long since Twilight Sparkle had moved into a giant crystal castle shaped like a tree. Her old home: The Golden Oak Library had been unfortunately destroyed during a battle against Lord Tirek, and it was the one thing from his destructive rampage that couldn't be restored or fixed. The young alicorn princess was still coming to terms with the sudden loss. But for right now, her thoughts were turning to the castle that had literally sprung up from out of nowhere after Tirek was defeated and sent back to Tartarus.

The castle had come with a throne room, which included six large thrones that displayed the cutie marks of Twilight and her friends, as well as having a smaller throne for Spike. And that detail struck her as most odd. Why would the castle come with such thrones, even considering it had been a gift from the Tree of Harmony?

The studious alicorn didn't know why. So she opted to call all her friends over to the castle and bring them into the throne room to see if any of them had some idea about what the thrones might be for.

So it was that the six mares assembled in the throne room, all the while Spike was snoozing happily in his own little throne that he had opted to move closer to Rarity's throne.

"So, why'd you call us all here, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash questioned. "Something on your mind?"

Twilight nodded ever so slowly. "You could say that," She put a hoof to her chin. "Ever since this castle appeared, I've been thinking a lot about it," She then proposed. "Maybe we should go over this one more time."

Rainbow groaned, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Seriously, this again? We've been over it almost a hundred times already! What more is there to discuss?!" And she quickly explained. "It's simple: We found all six keys to that chest, defeated Tirek, and you got this sweet castle as a reward! End of story!" Then she swished her tail before sitting down in her own throne.

"Yes, but why? Why did the castle come with these thrones?" Twilight protested in question. "It still doesn't make sense. There must be a reason, but what?"

Applejack could only shrug her hooves as she moved to sit down in her own throne too. "I dunno, sugarcube. Maybe Rainbow Dash is right. Maybe it's just your new home and there ain't nothin' more to it than that."

Rarity was quick to chime in with her own sentiments. "I must say, I agree with Applejack and Rainbow Dash. There hardly seems to be a reason to think about such things," Her eyes then lit up like stars as she plopped down into her own throne as well. "And speaking strictly from asthetics, there really doesn't need to be more to it. It's all simply divine! You should feel privileged to have such a splendid castle all to yourself!"

Pinkie Pie added (having long since sat down in her own throne). "I gotta go with Rarity and Rainbow Dash, and Applejack too. This castle is amazing! No sense looking this gift horse in the mouth!" She giggled. "I mean, can you even look a castle in the mouth?"

Fluttershy then climbed into her own throne, and offered up her own opinion as she sat down. "I have to agree with Pinkie Pie, and Rarity, and Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Oh, and maybe Spike too. I'm sure he doesn't think this new castle is anything other than a place to live."

Twilight still wasn't convinced. She even seemed to frown ever so slightly. "I'm not so sure, girls. Something just doesn't seem right," She began to trot over to her own throne and climb onto it. "As the princess of friendship, I made it my life's purpose to spread the magic of friendship all across Equestria, maybe even beyond. So why would the Tree of Harmony want us to just sit in a castle in Ponyville? It doesn't make any sense." Yet as soon as she had sat down in her own throne, something unexpected happened! Without warning, the thrones all began to glow as the symbols displaying the cutie marks lit up!

There came an audible rumble that stirred Spike from sleep, just as a large and splendid table made of solid crystal rose up into the center of the throne room! And on the table was a huge map that seemed to depict all of Equestria, shining brightly in the process. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. "Is that new? I like it." Little did he or the ponies know that the map was only the beginning of what was going to be a mysterious, exciting, and even dangerous adventure. One that would bring them face to face with a threat they never would've suspected.

Once the initial shock of seeing the table map had worn off, Spike climbed onto it and looked all around. "This is incredible! It's got all of Equestria!"

And indeed it did, even the smallest of places that might not have shown up on other maps was present. This included the rock farm just outside of Ponyville where Pinkie's parents lived. "Hi Mom and Dad!" She called, either not knowing or not caring that they obviously wouldn't be able to respond. She even whimpered and teared up a little when Spike stepped on the rock farm's location with one of his feet a moment later.

Then, suddenly, the map glowed even brighter! And when the light had faded, it displayed the cutie marks of Twilight and her friends over what appeared to be a small village far away from Ponyville. That struck the ponies as most odd, none of them could ever recall hearing anything about such a village.

"So, if this is Ponyville," Fluttershy pondered as she looked at the map's center point. "Why are our cutie marks all the way over there?" She turned her attention to the village over which her and her friends' cutie marks hovered.

"I don't know," Twilight willingly admitted. "But it seems like this map wants us to find out. The Tree, the chest, this castle, and now this map. How can we not follow it? It can't be a coincidence!"

Rainbow Dash needn't no further incentive to join. "Y'know what? There's a ton of room for dangerous, exciting adventure along that route. So count me in!"

Applejack quickly made up her mind as well. "Aw, shoot, I reckon you're both right. The only way we're gonna find out what's goin' on with that village is if we see it for ourselves. No way am I lettin' you all rush off to danger and adventure without me!"

Pinkie Pie chimed in with her own sentiments. "Well, I was planning on organizing my baking sheets today, but okay!"

Rarity sighed and lamented. "Very well. If you're all going, I'm going too."

Fluttershy, however, was rather hesitant. Even though all her friends had more or less made up her mind, a part of her really didn't want to journey out to a village in the middle of nowhere without knowing what could be lying in wait there. "Oh, I don't know," She sheepishly admitted. "Maybe I should stay with Spike. You girls can handle any trouble without me, right?"

But Spike stood up and protested. "No way am I missing out on this adventure! I'm going too! If there's danger or trouble, I want to do my part to stop it! Bad things always seem to happen to you girls when I stay behind, especially to you, Twilight."

"Are you sure that's wise, Spike?" Twilight asked with understandable hesitance. "We don't know what's out there. I'd feel a lot better knowing you're safe here at the castle."

The little dragon would hear nothing of such an argument as he jumped down from the table! "I'm going with you and that's final! I can take care of myself, Twilight! I'm not a baby!"

The young alicorn princess sighed, but nevertheless relented. "If you really feel that strongly about it, Spike, I guess I can't stop you."

And just like that, Fluttershy lost had excuse or argument she might have had about staying behind. "On second thought," She nervously declared. "I guess I'll go with all of you. Safety in numbers, you know." And just like that, Spike and the six mares were off on a trip out the mysterious village they'd only just now learned of. None of them knew what to expect.

There were no trains that led directly to the village. It was only by a stroke of good fortune that Twilight and her friends learned that there was a station (and tracks) not too far away from the village's location. It was still a long journey to get there. And when they left the train upon reaching the station, their journey was still not over. They had to wander over a rope bridge and trot for what seemed like miles and miles, before at last they could see the village in the distance. Oddly enough, it seemed like all the buildings in the village were exactly the same and had been lined up perfectly in two straight rows on either side of a path.

"That's it!" Twilight happily exclaimed when she laid eyes upon the village! "It's just like we saw it on the map!"

"Great!" Rarity proclaimed as she ran a hoof through her mane. "So what are we waiting for? Let's get down there and find the spa. They've got to have one!"

Twilight, however, was much more hesitant and cautious. Before Rarity or anyone else could take even a step towards the village, she protested. "Wait a minute! We don't know why the map sent us here. We shouldn't just walk right in. It could be dangerous."

Pinkie Pie then darted forth, proclaiming in a dramatic tone of voice! "Stay behind me, everypony! I'm on it!" And she began zipping from place to place, even briefly hiding underneath a rock!

"Careful, Pinkie!" Applejack cautioned, worried that her fellow earth pony would give away their presence somehow, or otherwise run into the danger Twilight was so concerned about.

Fortunately, Pinkie didn't trot into the village. She stopped just outside it, taking cover behind the same rock she'd been hiding underneath. And she quickly gestured for her friends to come and join her, all the while she kept watching the village with suspicious eyes.

Rainbow Dash took one look at the village, and immediately frowned. Everything about it seemed perfectly ordinary, even the coat colors of the village inhabitants were dulled. "This is it? This is where the map sent us? You've gotta be kidding me! It looks like the most boring place in Equestria."

"Well I think it's lovely." Fluttershy admitted with a bright smile.

Pinkie Pie, however, could only narrow her eyes and remark in an unusually angry tone of voice. "I don't like it! I don't like it one bit! Something is definitely wrong here!" She quickly pointed a hoof and explained, drawing everypony's attention to the seemingly innocent smiles plastered on the villagers' faces. "I know smiles. And those smiles?" Furiously shaking her head from side to side, she added. "They're just not natural. Those are fake smiles if I ever saw 'em! The kind you wear when you want to seem happy, but you're actually not."

Twilight, however, found her attention drawn to a more ominous and puzzling detail. "Forget the smiles, Pinkie," She whispered. "Look at their cutie marks." And soon, all could see that the villagers appeared to be wearing the same cutie mark, a black colored equal sign.

"Okay, that's weird," Rainbow Dash admitted. "What's up with that?"

Twilight gulped a bit in spite of herself. "I have no idea. An entire village where everypony has the same cutie mark? I've never heard of such a thing. How can this be? Who or what could be responsible for such a thing?"

Rainbow replied as a smile crept across her face. "You know, I get the feeling there's probably some kind of horrific monster behind all of this."

"And what makes you say that?" The alicorn princess questioned. "Know something we don't?"

The brash speedster shook her head. "Not really, just a hunch. But fighting a horrific monster would be really awesome! I'll bet you anything that this is another one of those ancient evils the princesses never told us about. Boy will they be surprised when they learn we defeated one without they ever needing to tip us off about them."

Applejack shook her head from side to side. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Rainbow Dash. The only way we're gonna find out what's goin' on in that village is by goin' down there and askin' the locals."

"Besides," Fluttershy pointed out. "They seem to be perfectly fine as they are."

"Whatever," Rainbow retorted with a huff. "Applejack's got the right idea! Let's go down there and see what's going on for ourselves! Now who's with me?!" And one by one, all of her friends agreed (except for Fluttershy, who remained rather hesitant).

The ponies and Spike nevertheless left the rock they'd been hiding behind and headed down to the village. But Pinkie still couldn't help but mutter to herself. "Those smiles are bad news, I just know it."

As soon as the six mares and Spike had taken their first steps into the village, they were immediately bombarded by friendly greetings from the village inhabitants. All of them spouted "Welcome!" over and over again, albeit in noticeably stilted tones of voices. And all the while, their smiles did not fade or falter in the least. They didn't seem the least bit surprised by the fact that there strangers in their village.

"Gosh, this must be the most pleasant place in all of Equestria!" Fluttershy said to herself with a giggle. She was starting to regret her earlier hesitancy. She'd had nothing to worry about.

Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, was quite upset by how peaceful and friendly everything seemed to be. She could only groan and mutter to herself. "Thanks a lot, map."

Then, suddenly, two stallions approached the group. One of them was a unicorn who had eyes a shade of light cobalt blue, a light grayish-blue coat partially covered by a worn, light brown cloak, and a mane and tail two shades of a dull grayish-blue, both of them abruptly cut short. The other was an earth pony who had eyes a slightly more dazzling shade of cobalt blue, a snow white coat, and a light grayish-white and white mane and tail styled just like the unicorn's.

The unicorn stallion was the first to speak. "Welcome, strangers! We here in Cutie Markless are glad that you've chosen to visit our humble village," He greeted, before eyeing Twilight with what seemed like interest. "Pardon my forwardness, but are you an alicorn?"

Applejack took the liberty of answering for Twilight. "You bet your boots she is! In fact, you're lookin' at the official Princess of Friendship!"

The unicorn stallion's smile seemed to grow brighter as he declared in a tone of voice far too stilted not to sound menacing. "Well, you've certainly come to the right place for friendship, your highness."

The earth pony stallion then questioned. "So, princess, what brings you and your entourage to Cutie Markless?"

Twilight somewhat nervously and vaguely replied. "Well... we're not sure, actually."

"I see," The earth pony stallion with a snow white coat replied, apparently not bothered in the least by the lack of a firm answer. "Well, you'll be happy to know that all are welcome here in our little village," He pointed a hoof to himself. "My name is Double Diamond," Then he gestured to the unicorn stallion standing beside him. "And this is Party Favor. It's our job to welcome all who arrive in Cutie Markless. You'll soon see that the name is most fitting," He cleared his throat. "But enough about us, tell us your names, honored guests."

Applejack took the liberty of doing the greetings for the whole group. "Howdy there, Double Diamond. I'm Applejack, and this here's Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle. Oh, and the little dragon with us is Spike, who's more or less Twilight's adopted son."

Double Diamond smiled. "I see. Well, this is certainly a first. Not only do we have a princess and her friends visiting us, but the princess' son as well, who just so happens to be a dragon," He then eyed Twilight and her friends flanks, taking noticing of something that he thought was hard to miss. "Ah, and you all have your own unique cutie marks. Fascinating." He either didn't notice or didn't care when Pinkie moved to block view of her cutie mark with her tail.

"What is it with you and cutie marks?" Spike questioned. "Doesn't everypony have a unique cutie mark?"

"Maybe in other parts of Equestria," Party Favor spoke up with a nod. "But around here, we all proudly wear the same cutie mark and have done so since the day our village was founded. We all chose to give up our cutie marks in order to live a better life."

"Well, that aside," Twilight inquired. "Has there been any sort of... trouble here, lately? Anything suspicious or alarming?"

Double Diamond blinked ever so faintly, but his overall expression and tone of voice did not change as he answered. "Trouble? Why, I don't think we've ever had trouble in our little village. Right, Party Favor?"

Party Favor seemed to hesitate for a moment or so, then he quickly seemed to correct himself as he spoke bluntly and stoticly. "Right, Double Diamond. There's no trouble here in Cutie Markless, never has and never will be."

Then the snow white coated stallion proposed. "Perhaps you'd like to speak to our founder, Starlight Glimmer? Perhaps she would know if something's going on."

Twilight nodded, suspecting nothing. "If you wouldn't mind."

Double Diamond and Party Favor bowed their heads, then led their guests away. "Come with us." They said in unison.

As he followed his friends as they were led through the village, Spike couldn't help but think to himself. "They seem a bit too friendly. I'm starting to get a bad feeling about all of this."

The two stallions led their guests through the village as the other inhabitants stood by and smiled, spouting "Welcome!" again and again as if it was all they knew how to say.

At last, Double Diamond and Party Favor brought Twilight and her friends to a cottage that seemed to be larger than the others. They knocked on the door, calling out. "Starlight, it's us, your loyal and humble helpers. We've got visitors who wish to speak to you."

An unfamiliar voice from the other side of the door called back. "Bring them in, I'll be there shortly."

"Yes, Starlight." The stallions said in unison and led their guests inside. They were soon brought before a door within the cottage interior, which was dimly lit but looked not the least bit suspicious.

Even so, Rainbow Dash looked across to Applejack and huriddly whispered. "Be right to fight, we don't know what's gonna come through that door!"

The door swung open but a moment later, revealing an innocent looking unicorn mare about the same build as everypony else in the room. She had a pale, light-grayish pink coat, blue eyes that looked innocent but also cold, and a two toned purple mane and tail with dull bluish-green highlights streaking throughout. Most noticeably of all though, her mane and tail were styled perfectly and evenly on both sides. They were "equal", you might say. But even though she had the same black equal sign as the other inhabitants of the village, her coat, mane, and tail had not lost their luster at all.

"Welcome!" The unicorn mare happily proclaimed with a bright, cheerful, and seemingly innocent smile. This was clearly the Starlight Glimmer that had been mentioned earlier. "I'm so pleased to have you here."

Rainbow was anything but pleased with the sight of this unicorn who seemed not at all out of the ordinary. "Oh no, not this again!" She complained to herself.

Double Diamond, meanwhile, trotted up to Starlight and gestured a hoof in order as he listed off the identities of the visitors. "This is Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle. And the little dragon they've brought with them is Spike."

Starlight trotted forward, eyeing the ponies and dragon with interest. In particular, Twilight Sparkle seemed to command her attention as she asked the alicorn. "Forgive my bluntness, but I'm assuming it's Princess Twilight Sparkle? We don't get many alicorns around here. In fact, I believe you're the first alicorn to visit my humble little village."

"Oh, is that so?" Twilight blinked in surprise and stepped a back. "There's no need for dramatics or fanfare, this isn't an official royal visit. I'm just here with my friends," And she quickly insisted. "And please, just call me 'Twilight'."

"Very well then, Twilight," Starlight replied. "May I ask how you heard of this place? Of Cutie Markless?"

The alicorn hesitantly answered. "Well... it's kind of a long story, really. Let's just say I found it on a map."

"Yeah, a very special map." Spike quickly pointed out, but said nothing more.

The unicorn mare with mane and tail split equally on either side didn't seem to find such statements at all unusual. Her smile did not falter or fade, and her tone of voice stayed pleasant and cheerful as she just said. "Well, however you found us, we're happy to have you here! We're always happy to have anypony who wants to experience true friendship for the first time." It was not hard to notice how her eyebrows were briefly raised as she spoke those words.

Applejack found Starlight's statement to be quite odd. "Say what now?" She questioned. The unicorn's comment about friendship seemed highly skeptical.

Starlight briefly laughed. "Oh, indeed. It isn't hard to understand. That's what's so unique about our village, you see. Around here, we don't flaunt our special talents because we don't have any special talents to flaunt. We've opted to live without them, and we couldn't be happier for it."

"So is that why you all have those... strange cutie marks on your flanks?" Twilight somewhat hesitantly inquired.

Starlight Glimmer nodded back. "Indeed it is. But perhaps it would be easier to understand if I gave you a tour of the village!" And before any of her guests could object, she trotted out of her cottage and began calling out to the villagers around her! "Heads high, ponies! Time to roll out that welcome mat and give them a big, warm, Cutie Markless welcome!" She quickly began rounding up the villagers, barking out orders to them. "All together now! Every one of you! No pony left behind!" Then, in the blink of an eye, she was leading the entire village not unlike the way you would lead a parade. And she started singing happily:

Life is so grand in our town,

We're always filled with cheer!

We never have to look around,

To know that we're all here.

The other villagers then began to sing, with Starlight not so subtly watching and encouraging them:

In our town, in our town,

We don't have to wait,

To find out that our destiny,

Is just to emulate.

Starlight stopped the singing only briefly to instruct. "Come on now, just like we practiced! Let's see those big ,happy smiles!" Then she sang louder and prouder than before:

Life is a smile in our town,

Our cutie marks the same.

Because we do not separate,

Ourselves by more than name.

Some of the village pegasi began flying close to Rainbow Dash, and saw fit to bring her down to the ground to stand with the rest of her friends, all the while smiling and singing:

In our town, in our town,

We dare not compete.

Winning only breeds the worst,

Ego-filled conceit!

"You see? Now everypony wins!" Starlight boldly declared, then sang again while not so secretly correcting a villager whose mane hairs were not in the same style as the others:

Life is a joy in our town,

We're all equal here.

No one is superior.

And no one shakes in fear.

Several of the villagers marched and paraded past, timing their movements so that they all marched together. And as they did so they sang:

In our town, in our town,

We work as a team.

And you can't have a nightmare,

If you never dream.

Fluttershy seemed to be delighted and enchanted by the display, bobbing her head in time to a beat that it seemed ony she could hear. But she stopped as soon as Pinkie Pie shot her an angry and disapproving look.

Starlight Glimmer, having seen this non-verbal disagreement, opted to not so subtly trot up to the friends and sing:

Other ponies argue,

Do you ever wonder why?

When you think your talent's special,

You don't see eye-to-eye

Having briefly locked eyes with Twilight and forcing the alicorn down to her level, Starlight then turned her attention back to the villagers as she made one who was dancing off-rhythm from the others correct her movements. And all the while she was proudly, triumphantly singing:

There's just too many differences,

That all lead to disarray.

But when you learn to act as one,

It's like a holiday!

The song drew to a close as the villagers marched around and encircled Spike and the ponies, forming two rows that resembled the equal sign they all wore on their flanks (which they proudly displayed for all to see). And they wrapped it all up by singing:

In our town, in our town,

We don't complicate.

And when you learn to simplify,

Life is oh, so great!

Come join in our utopia,

Come out of the dark.

Banded by equality,

By our cutie mark!

When the song ended, some of the pegasi flew a banner that displayed the equal sign cutie mark in bold detail. Then the villagers all stood at attention, waiting for a response.

"Well, what do you think?" Starlight Glimmer asked her guests. "Please, don't be shy. Give me your honest opinions. Surely, my little demonstration has convinced you, no?"

But Rainbow Dash immediately burst out laughing in defiance! "Are for you real?! Give up our cutie marks?! Why would we ever do a thing like that?!"

Fluttershy snapped back, glaring at her fellow pegasus. "Rainbow Dash, there's no need to be rude!"

"Hey, they asked for my opinion," Rainbow retorted. "I couldn't care less if they wanna live their lives this way. But I'm quite fine with my cutie mark. I think we all are."

"But we shouldn't judge them for their decision," Fluttershy pointed out. "They all seem happy with it."

Pinkie Pie didn't seem to think so. "Don't believe their smiles, Fluttershy! They're too wide, they're not real at all!"

Twilight, however, saw fit to apologize. "Forgive my friends, they're just a little bit weirded out by this. And maybe a little bit confused. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't as well."

Starlight just replied. "Oh, you needn't worry. I don't judge you, none of us do. It's natural you'd be confused. We were all the same once: Lost, confused, hope foresaken. But here in Cutie Markless, we've made a fresh start for ourselves! Now we can see that our cutie marks were simply leading us to false promises."

Applejack snorted. "Are you for real? A cutie mark's what you make of it. It doesn't have to define you."

"Sure, sure, that's what we all thought once," Starlight insisted as her tone of voice seemed to change ever so slightly. Her smile started to feel a lot less welcoming and a lot more sinsiter as she then not so subtly proposed. "Have you ever considered that maybe you were sent here so that we could help you? You all seem to think a life with cutie marks is fine and dandy. But what if you're wrong? After all, nopony who's ever come to this village has wanted to leave."

Twilight nearly jumped back in surprise! "Is that supposed to be a threat, Starlight?"

The unicorn mare quickly recovered. "Oh no no no, forgive my forwardness! I was getting ahead of myself. It is entirely your choice what you wish to do with your time. Feel free to look around to your heart's content as you enjoy our little corner of Equestria. We're all quite fond of it, and no doubt you will be as well," She then gave a whistle. "Double Diamond, please keep an eye on our guests for me. Help them with whatever they might need."

"Of course, Starlight. Your wish is my command." Double Diamond said with a bow.

"Excellent!" Starlight smiled as she trotted back to her cottage. Once she was certain nopony was around to hear she, she began to talk to herself. "Well, this is my lucky day! Once the rest of Equestria sees that a princess gave up her cutie mark to join my cause, they'll all finally understand what I'm trying to accomplish! I will build a better Equestria, a better world!" If one had been watching, they might have briefly seen her eyes narrow and a sinister smirk spread across her face.

The six ponies and Spike trotted around the length of the village after Starlight Glimmer's departure. Everywhere they went, they saw more of the same: Ponies with equal signs for cutie marks and with smiles that no longer seemed friendly and inviting. Something about them felt off for lack of a better term, though none knew why exactly that was.

Twilight, for her part, was also perplexed by another puzzling detail. If what Starlight had said was true and all the village occupants had once had cutie marks, how they had been taken away? "A cutie mark representation of a pony's unique talents and skills. They have magic all their own," She commented to the others. "So how it is possible to-"

But the alicorn's speech was abruptly cut off as Rarity beheld a sight that made her shriek! "What in the name of Celestia is that?!" She exclaimed and dramatically pointed a hoof to where a bulky unicorn stallion was displaying several of the same tacky looking cloaks that Party Favor wore.

"Welcome," The stallion greeted in a jolly, booming tone of voice as he puffed up his own cloak to show it off. "Care to sample some local fashion? We've got cloaks this month! You'd better act fast, these things are selling like hot cakes! But I'd be more than happy to offer one to you at a discounted price!"

Rarity gagged and had to resist the urge to puke as she slowly trotted away. Trying to keep her disgust from showing, she attempted to politely decline the offer by saying. "Ooh, er, perhaps another time, good sir, thank you," Then she hurridly whispered. "No wonder nopony's wearing anything. Even in Ponyville you see much better fashion than that."

Fluttershy, however, protested back. "There's nothing wrong with the way they act or what they choose to wear! That's no reason to be rude, girls!"

Rainbow Dash then pointed out! "Yeah, the reason to be rude is because they keep staring at us! It's starting to get on my nerves!"

Ignoring the criticism, Double Diamond kept a watchful eye on the ponies and Spike as they all sat down outside a small bakery. "Need something?" He called out to his guests.

Twilight hastily but politely replied. "Uh, no! We're good!" Then she turned to the others and whispered. "Fluttershy makes a good point, though. If we're ever gonna get to the bottom of things around here, we'll need the villagers' help. That'll be a lot harder to do if we keep acting hostile and suspicious. The map sent us here for a reason, I'm sure of it!"

Applejack humphed and let out an impatient huff, swishing her tail in visible frustration. "Well I say we rushed off to the end of Equestria before we even knew what that map was or what it was for! You were the one who thought it meant somethin'!"

Pinkie Pie couldn't help but snicker. "Ah come on, guys. This can't be the end of Equestria. If it was, we'd all be sitting on a big A! Get it?!"

Rarity scoffed and retorted. "Please, Pinkie Pie! This is no time to be joking! Applejack is right: We've come all this way and for what?"

"Are we just going to ignore the fact that everypony in this village apparently decided to give up their cutie marks?" Spike remarked. "That can't be a coincidence, especially not with the way Starlight was talking earlier. It sounded like she thought cutie marks were a bad idea. Can't imagine what would make her think that."

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Twilight hastily insisted. "She may have a very good reason not to like cutie marks. It would be wrong to judge her before we know everything. Maybe something's happening here that even she isn't aware of. Just because she says there isn't trouble doesn't mean there can't still be something wrong in this village."

"Yeah, that and two bits'll get you a cup of cider." Applejack grumbled.

As the friends began to discuss and debate whether it was a good idea to have come out to this mysterious village, a unicorn mare wearing a dusty, scratched white apron started to whisper to them. "Excuse me, is this a bad time?"

Fluttershy still seemed to believe there was nothing at all off-putting about the village, and saw fit to scold her friends for their suspicions. "We shouldn't be bickiering like this in front of them, they just want to be our friends. Honestly, Applejack, you're almost as bad as Rainbow Dash!"

"Hey, don't drag me into this!" Rainbow snapped back!

The unicorn mare from before then spoke up in a slightly more audible tone. "Is your friendship ending?" It was now possible to see that she had reddish-violet eyes that seemed innocent and unsuspecting, a coat so light a shade of pink that it almost seemed void of color all together, and a dark gray mane and tail styled the same way as Double Diamond and Party Favor's manes and tails.

Pinkie Pie quickly retorted! "Are you crazy?! We'd never let a disagreement get in the way of our friendship, or food."

The response seemed to satisfy the unicorn mare, who cleared her throat. "O-kay, well, my name is Sugar Belle. What can I bring you?" She lit up her horn, casting a dull pink glow as she held up a note pad and a pencil while informing the patrons. "We have: Muffins." There was a long pause as she did not list anything else, indicating that muffins were all she made and all she sold.

"Oh," Twilight blinked in realization. "Then I guess we'll take seven muffins."

Pinke spoke up in protest! "No, we'll take thirteen! Make it a baker's dozen!" And when all her friends looked at her, she replied with a simple and innocent. "What? I'm hungry!"

Sugar Belle, for her part, just smiled and went to bake the muffins. That left her customers outside to further discuss things among themselves.

The self-proclaimed and self-annointed Princess of Friendship looked to her friends, and in a hushed tone of voice she sought to encourage them. "Listen, all of you. This is no time to be fighting amongst ourselves," She firmly insisted. "We've got to stick together. It doesn't matter what happened before, we're here now."

The stetson wearing earth pony let out a sigh and relented. "I guess you're right, Twilight. You tend to have a good sense when it comes to these things. The last time we doubted you, it didn't end well for any of us," She then added. "Besides, the sooner we figure out why that map sent us here, the sooner we can go home."

At that very moment, Sugar Belle returned. And she seemed rather surprised by what she was hearing. "Forgive me for overhearing, but just a moment ago you were all disagreeing, and now it sounds like you're... agreeing."

"Uh-huh." Applejack nodded.

The baker unicorn blinked as she seemed to lose her cheerful and innocent facade. "Well, you had such differing opinions – and cutie marks. Heck, one of you doesn't have a cutie mark. But you're acting like it's no big deal."

"Because it isn't," Rarity pointed out. "Why should Spike be treated any different just because of who he is? Besides, we were just having a disagrement, that's all. We have differing opinions all the time, darling. It's part of who we are."

Sugar Belle only seemed to grow more confused by the minute. "But you look like you're friends."

Twilight nodded back. "Because we are friends. Even a heated argument or two won't change that. Friends can disagree sometimes, it doesn't mean we can't get along. Sometimes, we argue because we're concerned about each other, that's all."

The baker unicorn had to shake her head as she tried to recover. "I'm sorry, I'm just having a hard time understanding. None of that is what Starlight told us. She was quite clear when she founded this village:" She recited with stern determination and focus. "Different talents lead to different opinions, which lead to bitterness and misery."

At that very moment, Pinkie Pie spat out one of the muffins that she had just bitten into! But it quickly turned out it had more to do with the taste of the muffins than because of any reaction she might have had to Sugar Belle's remarks. As all eyes turned to her recoiling in visible, audible disgust, she tried to save face by adopting a sheepish smile and muttering through teeth stained with crumbs. "Mmmm... good..."

Spike eyed the muffins, only now taking notice of how poorly made they appeared to be. They did not look appetizing at all. "Those are some... interesting muffins." He said as he tried to avoid upsetting Sugar Belle's feelings.

Sugar Belle didn't seem to be hurt by the feedback, she just said with a nervous smile. "It's all right. You don't have to lie. I know I'm not a very good baker. But at least, I know I'm not any better than anypony else in the village," As she finished speaking those lines, she happened to look across to Double Diamond who was watching her with suspicion and disapproval. His stern glare conveyed more than words that he wasn't happy with her behavior. She hastily began to back away as a result. "Well, I... hope you enjoy our little village, for however long you decide to stay!" Yet before she disappeared completely into her bakery, she hastily whispered. "Come inside before you go! Meet me downstairs! I'll be waiting!" And she slammed the door to her cottage quite loudly behind her.

"Okay, that was weird too," Rainbow Dash couldn't help but remark. "Just what's up with her?"

"I don't know," Twilight said in reply, before adding in a hushed tone of voice. "But for now, let's just sit here and eat these muffins quietly. I think we're being watched."

"Ya think?" The rainbow maned pegasus pony proclaimed, drawing attention to the fact that everypony in the village appeared to have their eyes drawn towards the bakery all of a sudden.

The alicorn princess protested. "That's not what I meant! I think somepony here," She gestured to Double Diamond (who was eating a muffin rather ominously while fiddling with a newspaper held in his hooves). "Doesn't want us talking to Sugar Belle. We have to find a way to go inside without attracting any more attention to ourselves."

"And how are we supposed to do?" Rarity debated. "I think they might be onto us, waiting to report us to Starlight. Who knows what she'll do to us if she thinks we're causing trouble in her village?"

The freckled earth pony pondered the predicament for a moment, then suddenly a thought struck her. "I have an idea!" She proclaimed, then turned to the pink party pony sitting next to her. "But you gotta eat all of them muffins, Pinkie."

"What?! Why me?!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed in horror, shaking and shuddering visibly at the idea.

"Sorry, but you've got a stronger stomach than the rest of us," Applejack pointed out. "And that mare back there," She gestured to the door behind her. "Might be our best chance of figurin' out what the hay's goin' on around here."

Spike then offered. "I'll try to help too, Pinkie. But you are the one who ordered the baker's dozen."

The pink party pony reluctantly agreed. "Fine," She sighed as she resigned herself to her fate. "I'll do it. But I won't like it."

Somehow, Pinkie managed to stomach and down most of the muffins. Spike tried to help too, but he quickly found he had very little appetite for them and could only manage at most three before he was certain he could eat no more. "Sorry, Pinkie," He whimpered as he started to briefly turn green about the gills. "It's all up to you. You've got to eat the last one."

The pink party pony and part-time baker managed her difficult task, even as she felt certain she was going to more or lose her lunch. Her face was such a sickly, pale shade of green that it looked like a miracle she hadn't already gotten sick to her stomach. With a great deal of straining and visible disgust, she swallowed the last foul tasting mouth and groaned and moaned with displeasure.

Applejack, for her part, tried to sound as sincere as possible as she said loudly. "I can't believe you ate all our muffins, Pinkie Pie! We'd best go inside and get some more!" And she and the others mares quickly rose from the table to do just that. Spike and Pinkie Pie followed them inside, albeit at a considerable slower pace.

"Good job, Pinkie," Twilight said afterward. "And you too, Spike. You took one for the team."

"I'm never doing that again!" Spike protested. "Those muffins were the worst thing I've ever eaten!" And he had to pause and wait for his stomach to settle.

Meanwhile, a very pudgy (and still very sickly looking) Pinkie Pie stumbled down the steps into the basement of Sugar Belle's bakery. And after tumbling off the last step she lamented. "I've accidentally eaten cardboard tastier than that..." She trailed off as she felt herself start to retch. Fortunately, she recovered quickly, even though she wished she had something to wash the foul taste of the muffins out of her mouth.

Once Pinkie and Spike had recovered, Twilight looked all around and called out to the darkness within the basement. "Hello? Sugar Belle? You wanted to see us?"

Sugar Belle trotted forward, maintaining a smile that didn't seem innocent even if she wanted it to be. "Yes. Thank you for coming! I was hoping you would!"

Nervously, the alicorn princess questioned the baker. "Why did you want us to come down here? Is something wrong?"

"Oh no, nothing's wrong," Sugar Belle giggled, before ominously added. "I wanted you down here so that nopony else could see what's about to happen!" She then turned to the darkness and gave a whistle. "It's okay, guys, the coast is clear." She called.

Suddenly, from the darkness emerged not only Party Favor but also a pegasus mare who sported sky blue eyes, a white and whiteish-blue mane and tail, and a very dull grayish-blue coat. They joined Sugar Belle in quickly approaching and surounding the unsuspecting visitors, smiling as they did so.

Twilight took a step back and began to stutter, certain that she had unknowingly gotten herself and her friends in trouble! "W-we're sorry, really!" She tried to plead! "We didn't mean to cause a fuss back there! We'll go home now, and we won't tell anypony about this place! We promise!"

However, the three smiling ponies quickly broke from their cheerful facade as they started laughing quite audibly and nervously. "Relax, we're not going to hurt you," Sugar Belle insisted. "You already know Party Favor, and the pegasus with us is Night Glider, a friend of ours. We're all friends."

"Yeah," Party Favor chimed in. "Double Diamond has no idea. He only works for Starlight because he's known him longer than the rest of us. He was one of the first ponies to come to this village, back when it wasn't even established," He then proceeded to ask the alicorn standing before him. "Are you really the princess of friendship? Are these ponies really your friends? Is Spike really your son?"

Night Glider saw fit to ask a question of her own. "Do you girls know Princess Celestia? Did she send you here to investigate this place?"

Sugar Belle then pressed herself up against Pinkie Pie's flank, excitedly exclaiming! "I LOVE your cutie mark! It kinds reminds me of the one I used to have."

Night Glider then inquired. "I don't get it. How can you all be friends with such different cutie marks and personalities? Don't you ever end up hating each other? It sounds like you fight a lot, but you always stick together."

The baker unicorn, meanwhile, continued admiring the cutie marks of the six mares who had yet to give theirs up. She seemed utterly fascinated by them, especially as she audibly fawned and awwed over them. "Oh, look at this one! It's so colorful! And this one's great too! They're all great!" She let out a sigh and lamented. "What I'd really love is to have my cutie mark and my special talent back, even just for a day! It'd be nice to make something besides those disgusting muffins I'm forced to bake..."

"At least you actual know what your special talent is supposed to be," Party Favor glumly remarked. "Night Glider and I had no idea what to make ours, and Starlight convinced us we were better off without them. It sounded like the right idea at the time, but now I'm not so sure it was."

Rainbow Dash skeptically remarked. "Well what's stopping you? If you guys miss your cutie marks and special talents so badly, go get them back! Why would Starlight be opposed to that?"

"Because she's in charge around here. You do what she says, and nopony gets hurt," Party Favor retorted, kicking at the ground. "Trust me: You don't wanna know what happens if you get on her bad side. More than once she's had to 'correct' villagers who've stepped out of line. As long as she's around, trying to get your cutie mark back once you've given it up is a huge no no. Plus, how would we even put them back on? There's no way Starlight would agree to that."

"That's Starlight for you," Sugar Belle unhappily sighed as she hung her head in dismay. "She wants us all to be the same, even in our misery. For the longest time, I thought that was acceptable as long as everypony else was happy. But now I'm starting to wish I'd never listened to her. All she did was replace my cutie mark with a feeling of hopelessness."

Twilight saw fit to question. "So Starlight convinced you all to give up your cutie marks? But why? And more importantly, how do you even take somepony's cutie mark away? Magic can't make a cutie mark appear, so how can it make it disappear?"

Night Glider's eyes briefly seemed to light up as she explained. "Well, the cutie unmarking as Starlight calls it is a beautiful experience! A real lights show! Starlight uses an enchanted item called the Staff of Sameness to magically take away our cutie marks, and replace them with these." She gestured to her flank, pointing to the equal sign emblazoned upon it.

The alicorn princess could only shake her head in disbelief. Nothing about that process sounded right to her. "But nopony should ever keep you from your cutie mark. It represents such an essential part of who you are."

The pegasi pony then proclaimed. "Oh, we're not actually kept from them. All our cutie marks are stored in a vault up in the cave nearby. And we can visit there any time we want, but only if we wish to remind ourselves of the heartache of a life with special talents."

"So, what, you want us to go up to that cave and take back your cutie marks?" Twilight questioned with concern. "How would we even do that without Starlight finding out?"

"Please, you have to find a way!" Sugar Belle pleaded as she all but threw herself at the princess' hooves. "Starlight has made our lives so miserable and hopeless! We thought we could live without cutie marks, but we can't! You have to get them back for us so we can get out of this place!"

The young, studious alicorn could only sigh. She could only think of one way that would even begin to make what Sugar Belle wanted possible. "I don't suppose we could ask Starlight to let us 'visit' the cave?"

Party Favor put a hoof to his chin. "Well, you could. She's always happy to give guided tours of it. Maybe you can get her to spill the beans about how she's able to take away cutie marks, and force her to undo it. If there's anypony who can do that, it's got to be you girls. You're not like the others who've come here, there's something special about you, I just know it!"

"Then I guess that's what we'll do," Twilight decided. "One way or another, we'll get Starlight to talk and get her to return your stolen cutie marks. I just hope she'll understand that what she's doing is wrong."

"Great!" Party Favor happily exclaimed as he kicked his back legs! "I'll pass word along to Double Diamond, and he'll pass word along to Starlight! And don't worry, I'll make sure not to tell either of them about this secret meeting we had!" He ran off to do just that.

Night Glider then commented. "You're gonna have to stick around for a while, though. It's getting late, and Starlight is probably not gonna give you a tour of the cave until morning."

Spike snorted, a flame escaping his nostrils. "Well there's no way I'm sitting around, waiting! I at least have to see for myself what that Starlight Glimmer is up to!"

Twilight became anxious. "Spike, that's not a good idea! Let's just wait until morning before we try anything! Starlight doesn't know anything about us yet. Let's not do anything that would tip her off!"

The little dragon would not be persuaded for even a moment. "Twilight, relax! I don't have a cutie mark, so she can't take it away. And no matter what she might try, I'll never talk! But it won't matter, because I won't get caught! I'll be fine!"

"Just please promise me you'll be careful," Twilight pleaded with Spike. "The one time I tried to solve a problem on my own, it backfired on me. I don't want the same thing to happen to you."

Spike gave a salute. "I promise, I'll be as careful as I can be." And with that, he slipped away to carry out his little mission.

That night, while the six mares stayed at a small cottage provided for them on the outskirts of the village, Spike carefully crept along as he slowly but surely made his way up to the cave that Sugar Belle, Party Favor, and Night Glider had all mentioned. He had no idea how it might be connected to anything Starlight was planning, but he aimed to find out as best he could.

At last, as the little dragon drew close to the cave, he could see it giving off a bright glow that illuminated its interior. He crept closer, and his green eyes beheld a truly unbelievable sight! A magnificent vault made of solid glass stood at the back of the cave, displaying a variety of different cutie marks in neat little boxes. No doubt, all of them belonged to the villagers. But which ones belonged to whom, he couldn't tell. What really drew his attention, though, was a long stick that had two prongs at the end of it. Was that the "Staff of Sameness" Night Glider had mentioned?

Before the green spined dragon could do anything or even think about what his next move should be, he was surprised to hear an ominous yet familiar voice calling out to him. "Well well well, what do we have here? Seems like a nosy little mouse snooping around," From the darkness emerged none other than Starlight Glimmer, who did not look the least bit happy to see Spike. "You should be careful, little mouse. Or you might step on a trap."

Spike jumped back, trying not to show how frightened he was. "I... I'm sorry!" He tried to apologize. "I didn't know about the vault or about the cave, really! I just stumbled across it by accident!"

Starlight wasn't fooled, she just trotted forward with narrowed eyes and a disapproving frown. "Likely story. This vault is a well kept secret, not just anyone can find it," She approached the little dragon and picked him up with her magic, pulling him close. "Now, you're going to tell me how you learned about this place, and who sent you. I can't have anypony in my village trying to undo my carefully crafted plans."

Wiggling and squirming in vain, Spike still defiantly shouted at the unicorn! "I'll never tell you! NEVER!"

The unicorn mare with an equally styled mane and tail could only shake her head in disapproval. "Well that's too bad. I guess that means you'll never see those pony friends of yours ever again," She then smirked as she eyed the vault and the staff, a rather sinister idea was starting to come into her mind. "Perhaps they will give me the answers I seek. Unlike with you, I know a way to make them talk!"

And the very next morning, Starlight approached the six mares with a smile. She pretended to have no idea about why they had asked to be shown the vault. "I'm delighted that you've taken an interest in our cutie mark vault," She said as she led them along. "We hope someday everypony in Equestria will make a pilgrimage here to our little village to have their cutie marks removed too."

Twilight, however, began to whisper to her friends. "This must be the reason why the map called us here."

"To make a pilgrimage?" Pinkie Pie whispered back in confusion.

Twilight shook her head and whispered again. "No, helping those ponies get their cutie marks back. That's what we promised Sugar Belle and her friends."

Fluttershy saw fit to question in a whisper. "Are you sure that's a good idea, Twilight? They said they all gave up their cutie marks willingly. I doubt Starlight will return them if we ask."

"That's not our only problem," Twilight replied in an even softer whisper. "Spike didn't return last night. Starlight's probably got something to do with that. We have to be on guard, we can't let Starlight know we're on to her! There's no telling what she might be capable of!"

"Ah, here we are. Just through here," Starlight Glimmer called as she brought the ponies before the vault in all its glory. "Behold! Our cutie mark vault! Our pride and joy!"

Twilight and her friends had their eyes widen in surprise! The vault was unlike anything they'd ever seen before!

Meanwhile, with an exceptionally bright smile, Starlight trotted over to a nearby wooden object and held it aloft with her magic. "And this here is the Staff of Sameness. It was one of the great Mage Meadowbrook's nine enchanted items. We are incredibly fortunate to have it here. This is the tool that allows us to free ourselves from our marks!" Then, even as her tone of voice didn't change in the slightest, she saw fit to ask. "I'm curious: How did the subject of the vault come up? Who told you about it?"

"Oh, well someponies were telling us how much they missed their cutie marks," Pinkie Pie unintentionally started to say. "And so they-" But then she clammed up as she hastily realized her mistake! "I mean... forget I said anything!"

But it was too late, the secret had slipped out! And to say that Starlight was disappointed by the news would be an understatement. "Really?" Her overall expression started to change: Her posture became much grumpier, her eyes narrowed, and a frown formed on her face. "Well, I can't have that. It seems like you inspire all sorts of free thinking. It can't be a coincidence that some of my villagers started getting ideas after you showed up."

Rarity gulped and started to back away slowly. "W-well, we're ever so sorry. R-really," She stuttered. "We certainly didn't mean to do anything to your charming little-"

Brandishing the Staff of Sameness and pointing it towards the six mares, Starlight growled in a low tone of voice. "Good. But let's just make sure of that, shall we?"

Twilight quickly unfolded her wings. Like it or not, her hoof had been forced! "This has gone far enough, Starlight!" She furiously demanded! "Can't you see you're making life miserable for everypony in that village?! You tricked them!"

"I did no such thing!" Starlight coldly hissed! "It's you who've been lying to them, making them think that their lives are better off with cutie marks than without them! I won't have you ruin everything I've worked so hard to build up! I'm creating a better Equestria!"

"Enough, Starlight!" Twilight pleaded. "Please, there's no need for anypony to get hurt. We don't want any trouble. Just give the villagers back their cutie marks and leave them alone. Just because you think cutie marks are bad doesn't mean you can force that opinion onto others."

Starlight just flashed an evil grin. "You're in no position to be making demands, princess. After all, I have something that you want."

A horrified look flashed in the alicorn princess' face as the realization dawned on her! "You didn't!"

Sure enough, Starlight brought up Spike who was all tied up and bound within the hold of her magic. The little dragon squirmed and sighed. "Sorry, Twilight."

To make matters worse, several of the villagers started amassing around the cave, blocking off the exit! And before Twilight or her friends had a chance to react, they were struck by a blast from the Staff of Sameness! In the blink of an eye, their cutie marks were pulled right off their flanks and thrust into empty slots in the vault. Meanwhile, their cutie marks were replaced on their flanks by the black equal signs, which dulled the six mares' coats, manes, and tails, and prevented them from flying or using magic.

With a satisfied smirk, Starlight Glimmer said to the six mares. "Aw. I don't blame you for what you tried to do here today. Really. You've spent your whole lives thinking those marks are a good thing. Well now you can spend the rest of your lives here with me. You'll learn to see it my way soon enough: Life is better without cutie marks! Everypony will be equal, whether they like it or not!"

Author's Note

I'm not necessarily opposed to redoing "The Cutie Re-Mark" eventually now that leaks have confirmed what the original plans for it were, even though I'm quite proud of how I rewrote it all the way back in 2017. In the meantime, I'll settle for finally rewriting Starlight's debut.

Aside from maybe a few instances of the mane six's personalities being on display as reminders, this two parter (particularly in it first half) is pretty solid. My decision to add Spike was a personal one since, even knowing he'd get a big role in the next two two parters, it kind of feels odd to have him excluded here. Then again, I could see why he'd be removed since without a cutie mark it'd be harder for Starlight to do anything to him. I tried to work with that here.

The only other detail that seems off is that Night Glider is not named on-screen, and no reason has surfaced as to why that is. Plus, not only does Starlight raise a red flag unintentionally that goes ignored, but Fluttershy repeatedly refuses to see how the villagers might not be cheerful even after she's presented with direct evidence that they're not happy with their lives. And there is the fact that the village is never given a proper name.

Lastly, for clarification for those of you who are new to this series, I've written Twilight and Spike as having a mother/son bond ever since my rewrite of Owl's Well that Ends Well all the way back in 2015 (the rewrite can be found here if you're interested). Keep in mind that this was long before "Sparkle's Seven" clarified their bond as sister/brother. I've been trying to tone down on its inclusion in more recent rewrite volumes, including it only when I feel like it will be relevant.

S5 E8: The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone (What If?)

For Pinkie Pie, the day started out as a day not at all out of the ordinary. A day where she had nothing to do: No parties to plan or gather supplies for, nothing related to any of her friends, and no need to foalsit the Cake Twins. Which for her meant it was the perfect day to do something she'd been wanting to do for a very, very long time! She was going to bake a cake. Not just any cake, though. She was going to bake a very special cake, made from a very special recipe that had been passed down from her Granny Pie.

So the pink party pony went about gathering up the ingredients and the baking instruments, creating a bit of a mess in the kitchen of Sugarcube Corner in the process to the point where her own coat was covered with splatters of batter and cake mix. But she didn't care in the slightest, she would clean up the mess in due time. For right now, there was baking to. And the only thing better than baking by herself was baking with Gummy. She could always count on him to keep her company during things like this.

And as Pinkie went about the process of baking the cake, she started humming a cheerful little tune to herself. "This is gonna be so great, Gummy! We have absolutely nothing to do today except bake!" She said to the baby alligator.

Gummy, for his part, just blinked and did not move in the slightest from the countertop he was currently on.

Pinkie's smile grew brighter as she went on talking to herself. "I've been waiting for just the right time to finally try my hoof at making Granny Pie's super-special triple-chocolate, fifteen-layer marjolaine recipe! It's gonna be amazing! This will be a true taste of my baking abilities! Everything the Cakes have ever taught me are going to come in handy here!"

Again, Gummy just blinked. And then he used his tongue to lick some of the batter and frosting off his face.

"Alright, let's see here," The pink party pony said to herself as she began listing off the ingredients in her head. "We've got: Nutty meringue, chocolate ganache, praline and nuts, cocoa-flavored buttercream... yup, I think we're good to go! Wouldn't wanna have to go out and gather more ingredients midway through, that would be a total disaster." As she began baking, she was unaware that her cutie mark was glowing and start to buzz ever so faintly.

If he was aware of what was happening to his earth pony master, Gummy didn't show it or make any effort to bring it to her attention. It seemed that not even seeing her cutie mark glow could prompt a reaction from him.

So Pinkie kept on talking and kept on baking, even as she thought she could feel a faint tingling sensation on her flanks. "An hour per layer: That's fifteen hours of pure baking bliss! Good thing I planned ahead and cleared my schedule in advance, eh, Gummy?" She asked the baby alligator, only to (of course) receive no reply of any sort.

After opening and closing the oven and pulling out a finished layer of the huge cake, the pink party pony said to herself. "Okay, Gummy, I think we're ready to start prepping the second layer!" Yet it was then that she finally became aware of the fact that her cutie mark was glowing, vibrating, and ringing audibly. She hastily cleaned off her flanks, realizing at once what this meant! "Oh, my gosh! My cutie mark! You know what this means, right, Gummy?!" Leaning in close to the baby alligator, she whispered. "The map!" And she quickly moved to clean herself up, wanting to look presentable when she reached Twilight's castle.

However, Pinkie Pie realized that if she went to go see what the map was calling her for, she would have to leave behind her planned baking project. Not wanting to pull the plug on it after she'd already gotten everything all set up for it, she hastily placed a whisk in Gummy's mouth before opening the back door and saying to him. "Uh, Gummy? Could you take over for a bit, please? I've already measured the baking powder for you," With a happy squee, she added. "And when the first layer cools, you can drizzle some of the ganache over it. And don't forget to beat the egg whites for the meringue!"

The ringing and glowing of the cutie mark didn't cease. The map was clearly not willing to wait for Pinkie, so she prepared to depart. Still, she looked back to Gummy and said to him in encouragement. "I know you can do this, Gummy! You're the best alligator baker I've ever met! I promise, I'll be back as soon as possible! It'll be like I was never even gone! If this really takes a while though," She blushed. "Feel free to ask Mr. or Mrs. Cake for help." Then after kissing him softly on the forehead, she zoomed away!

Gummy, for his part, just continued to hold the whisk in his mouth as he slowly lost his balance and fell onto the kitchen countertop with a creek and a thud. It didn't look like he would be able to do any sort of baking at all.

Pinkie Pie, meanwhile, was already racing across town to Twilight's castle! This was the first time the map had been active since the time it had sent Twilight and her friends to a village at the far end of Equestria. The pink party pony had no idea where the map would be calling her to, or who she might be going with. But she knew that the map's call was important.

What the pink party pony couldn't have anticipated, though, was that the map was going to not only send her to someplace she'd never been to before, but that it was also going to specifically be up to her to ensure the mission was a success.

When at last Pinkie Pie arrived at Twilight's castle and was ushered into the throne room, she was able to see with her own eyes where the map was calling her. Her cutie mark, along with that of Rainbow Dash's was hovering around a place high atop a mountain that appeared to contain several huts stacked on top of each other not unlike nests. Unlike the last time the map had done this, however, it did not show the cutie marks of anypony except for her and Rainbow Dash.

Twilight happily explained what this meant. "This is so exciting. The map is summoning you to Griffonstone, the very heart of the griffon kingdom! You're so lucky, I've always wanted to visit a place like that," As her smile grew brighter, she explained. "I did some research, I read and re-read 'Bygones Griffons of Greatness'. It's a fantastic book, I highly recommend it. It says that griffons were known to be-"

Rainbow Dash grumbled and rolled her eyes as she interrupted. "-Rude, insensitive jerks? Because that's what Gilda turned out to be. She seemed nice enough during her time at Junior Speedsters, but when she showed in Ponyville a few years back she'd changed completely. If Griffonstone is where she's been all this time, then either she was always a jerk and I just never noticed, or something about Griffonstone changed her for the worse."

"Funny," Twilight remarked as she blinked her eyes. "That's not at all what my research reveals, Griffonstone has a very rich history. It's a shining city on a hill if all my books are to be believed."

"What do they say exactly?" The brash speedster questioned as she sat up in her throne, locking eyes with the book loving alicorn.

The princess proudly explained as she held up a well worn book and flipped open its pages, showing off detailed illustrations that could've been mistaken for the stained glass window displays in Canterlot. They depicted griffons of various colors all flocking together and gathering around, admiring a griffon who wore a crown atop his head. "In ancient times, griffons were known to be as greedy as dragons, always hoarding their bits and other treasures. But all that changed when King Grover found the mysterious golden Idol of Boreas."

"Never heard of it." Rainbow retorted with indifference.

"Is it like those treasures Daring Do finds in her books?" Pinkie Pie questioned, suspecting a possible connection.

Twilight shook her head from side to side. "Daring Do's never been beyond the borders of Equestria, there's no way she would ever know about something like this," She then flipped the page, showing off a depiction of the golden idol in all its shining, shimmering glory, and she continued. "Legend says the Idol of Boreas was made from the dust of golden sunsets, blown across the mountains by the north winds. Possessing the Idol of Boreas filled the griffons' hearts with pride, and with it they were inspired to build Griffonstone into the envy of all the kingdoms in all the world!"

Rainbow Dash's eyes began to light up like stars in the night sky, suddenly intriguing. "Okay, that's definitely caught my attention. Wonder why Gilda never brought it up. If I came from a place as awesome as Griffonstone appears to be, I'd make sure everypony knew about it."

Pinkie could only shrug her hooves. "I guess maybe griffons didn't want other nations to feel jealous. Or maybe they feared their idol would be stolen? Seems kind of ridiculous if you ask me, who would want to steal from griffons just because they have some legendary idol?"

"Well, obviously, something is amiss in Griffonstone. The last time the map called us to somewhere, we discovered that things weren't as cheerful and peaceful as they seemed," Twilight concluded as she closed the book, then sighed. "Even so, you two get to go to Griffonstone all by yourselves. I can't help but feel a little jealous, I wish I could go with you."

"Why not?" The brash speedster inquired. "There's nothing that says you can't go. And Spike didn't get called by the map last time either, but he still went."

The book loving alicorn could only shake her head in disapproval. "We don't know what the situation is in Griffonstone. I wouldn't want to risk an international incident. Besides," She lamented as she began to prattle on at length. "If the map really wanted me to go to the coolest kingdom of all time and tour the palace and see the actual idol that unites an entire species, which would be super amazing, I'm sure it would've said so," She then lit up her horn, deactivating the map as she said to her friends. "I'm sure you two can handle whatever the map might be calling you for. Plus, you already know a griffon in Griffonstone, so that should be a big help."

"Then it looks like it's up to us to do... whatever it is we need to do in Griffonstone!" Pinkie Pie excitedly exclaimed as she turned to the throne room doors! "Come on, Dashie! This is gonna be fun!"

The rainbow maned pegasus remarked with a shrug of her hooves. "What the heck, I had nothing better to do anyway."

The pink party pony happily kicked her back legs in satisfaction! "That's the spirit, Dashie!" And she blew on a party horn as she and her occasional prankster partner set off on their important mission.

As luck would have it, there were train tracks that led out to Griffonstone. Well, not Griffonstone proper, but close enough to where one could walk into the kingdom without having to journey too far. So Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash bordered a train out to that location, and were soon on their way as the train departed from Ponyville with a blast from the whistle and a puff of steam.

Since the train ride to Griffonstone would take quite a while, Pinkie Pie opted to pass the time by looking out the window of the train car she was in. But as she prepared to do so, she noticed that Rainbow Dash seem preoccupied reading what appeared to be a book with a pink colored spine. And that was something that struck the party pony as most odd. "Say, whatcha reading, Rainbow?" She questioned.

With a groan and a moan, Rainbow frowned and said with a sigh. "Twilight literally wrote a book on what she thinks we need to do in Griffonstone."

Pinkie shot her friend a puzzled look. "You mean like a guide on how to figure out what problem we're supposed to fix?"

The rainbow maned pegasus lamented as she placed the book over her head. "And then some. It's like Twilight herself in book form. Listen to this:" She cleared her throat and styled her mane to look like Twilight's as she read aloud: "Always carry plenty of bits. The griffons are sure to help you as long as you share the wealth." She stopped reading just in time to see that Pinkie had already plopped down a huge stack of bits to pay for a dessert from a small snack stand that had just passed through.

Sheepishly, the pink party pony asked. "Uh, can I borrow some bits?"

Rainbow Dash could only put a hoof to her forehead. Whatever enthusiasm she might have had for going to Griffonstone was starting to fade. Between Twilight's book and Pinkie having already spent a lot of bits, it seemed like the mission the map was calling them for was going to be a lot more difficult than first anticipated.

Fortunately, the rest of the train trip passed uneventfully. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash got off the train when it stopped at a station near the bottom of a tall mountain. Presumably, at the top rested Griffonstone.

The two friends set off to finish their journey to Griffonstone, all the while they occasionally consulted Twilight's book to see what else she had written down for them as not so secret suggestions. "Upon arriving in Griffon Gorge, be sure to pause and cast your eyes northerly, up the Hyperborean Mountains, taking in the breathtaking beauty of Griffonstone. Once you're in Griffonstone proper, go immediately to the palace and introduce yourself to the king."

Pinkie and Rainbow scaled the mountains and made their way across the gorge without fanfare. Everything seemed to be just fine right now, though it seemed a little odd to them that Griffonstone's supposed majesty and wonder was not visible to them from afar. One would've assumed that a kingdom as splendid as Griffonstone was said to be would surely make itself known long before reaching its outskirts. That did not seem to be the case.

But it seemed that Twilight had anticipated just such a problem, because the book she had written said. "'Bygone Griffons of Greatness' was written a long time ago, and it ends with the coronation of the fourteenth king of the griffons, King Guto. I have no idea who's in charge now. If for some reason the king can't help, I'd try the Griffonstone library next. It's a little known secret that if you befriend a librarian, you can usually find out anything. Plus, as a bonus, there's a statue of King Grover outside that makes for a great photo-op!" It concluded by saying. "Oh, and don't forget to sample some famous griffon scones. They're supposed to be the best."

Suspecting nothing, the two friends made their way across a rickety rope bridge and at last they approached the gates of Griffonstone. They were ready to be greeted with the most splendid sight that would ever greet their eyes.

"Twilight really should've come along!" Pinkie Pie said to Rainbow Dash as they entered the kingdom. "Then she could see first-hoof that Griffonstone is..." But almost immediately upon entering, she and her prankster partner saw that Griffonstone appeared to be run down and neglected, far from the majestic kingdom it had been said to be. And that made the pink party pony finish her sentence by saying. "A total dump! What's going on here?!"

Once the initial shock of seeing Griffonstone in such a sorry state had worn off, Rainbow and Pinkie tried to process what was going on. "Are we sure we're in the right place?" The rainbow maned pegasus questioned aloud as she and her friend roamed the streets, noticing how even the dwellings for the griffons were of very poor quality. "Maybe the map should've called Rarity instead, because this place needs a makeover."

"Maybe we took a wrong turn somewhere?" Pinkie Pie nervously asked as she rushed up to a griffon who had a light brown coat, dark brown feathers around their neck and atop their head, and orange eyes. "Excuse me," She asked the griffon. "This is Griffonstone, right?"

The griffon just replied by brushing the pink party pony aside with a wing, then walking away as if it had never seen her in the first place.

Pinkie could only remark to the rude reply. "Well, that wasn't very nice."

Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, retorted with. "I can't say I'm shocked. This is exactly what I feared: Gilda wasn't the odd one out, she was just like every other griffon. Living in a place like this, I guess you have to become rude and grumpy just to survive." And she swished her tail in protest.

The pink party pony didn't want to give up hope so easily. "W-well, I'm... sure we can fix that... somehow," She sheepishly proposed. "Maybe we should focus on finding the palace so we can ask the king what's going on. Whoever it is, I bet they'll know how we can make this place be as great as it was said to be."

But a rude, almost condescending voice sharply snapped! "We don't have a king anymore, losers! We haven't had a king for a long time!" And sure enough, who should then show up but a griffon with light, brilliant amber eyes, gold talons white and grey feathers on her face, and brown colored wings and lighter brown colored feathers underneath?

Recognizing the griffon at once, Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and frowned in disapproval. "Oh, hello, Gilda."

"Dash." Gilda snarled back.

"Pinkie!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, breaking up the tension for but a brief moment.

"I should've known I'd run into you here, Gilda," Rainbow bitterly remarked. "I can see now why you never wanted to talk about where you came from."

Gilda just growled in a low, bitter tone. "You never cared anyway, Dash. You forgot all about me the moment I left Junior Speedsters," She then saw fit to complain. "What are you even doing here? Who invited you dweebs?"

Pinkie jumped in to defend her pegasus friend, proclaiming. "Hey, these 'dweebs' are here to help Griffonstone!"

"Is that so?" Gilda hissed. "Help it with what, exactly?"

The pink party pony sheepishly replied as she shrank from Gilda's harsh gaze. "W-Well... we're not sure, exactly," She gave off a nervous laugh. "But we know it's got something to do with a map, and our cutie marks, and a problem. So we were just thinking of-"

The griffon only retorted by turning her head and raising a claw. "-Bored now! I don't care! We don't need your help, and we don't want your help! So why don't you just scram already?!"

"Hey, wait, don't leave!" Pinkie pleaded as the party pony jumped in front of Gilda, trying to block her path. "You said you don't have a king, right? So if you don't have that, can't you at least point us in the direction of the Idol of Boreas?"

Gilda rolled her eyes. "That old story again?" She gave off a mocking laugh. "Don't tell me you puny ponies actually believe in that silly legend."

"It's no legend, you'd better believe it's real," A raspy, wheezy voice croaked out from afar. "I'm old enough to remember when we actually had that idol, and old enough to remember how we lost it long ago," Then, out strolled a griffon with an ash gray coat, medium grey feathers around his neck, dark grey wings, and black eyes that looked tired yet apparently full of knowledge. Atop his head rested a red hat with a yellowish-green line running through it near the bottom. "Let me tell you something, whippersnappers! That idol was the best thing that ever happened to us griffons!"

Gilda groaned, putting a claw over her face. "Oh great, now you've got Grandpa Gruff started on his stories! Hardly anyone cares what this old gezer thinks. He hardly ever does anything anymore, aside from occasionally look after orphaned fledgelings."

The considerably aged griffon didn't seem to care what Gilda had just said. He simply slowly strolled and stumbled his way towards the ponies, then stretched out a claw. "I'll gladly tell you the whole tragic tale, for a couple of bits that is."

Sensing that the old griffon was not going to be satisfied without payment, Rainbow Dash reluctantly hoofed over some bits to him.

Grandpa Gruff took possession of the bits, even putting one into his beak and bitting into it. He appeared to be satisfied with the payment, as he cleared his throat and started to speak. "It was a long time ago, before any of you youngin''s were ever born," He started picturing the events in his mind as he recalled. "The first griffon king, King Grover, united our kind like we've never been united before or since! And he did it all with that incredible Idol of Boreas. Yes sir, that idol brought pride and joy to the heart of every griffon that saw it! From one king to another, Griffonstone had our golden idol. We were the envy of all other species."

As the elderly griffon prattled on, he was uanware that Gilda was mockingly imitating him, right down to the mannerisms and the gestures. And it made Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash both chuckle and snicker ever so slightly.

Grandpa Gruff, undeterred and unaware of the mocking, just continued his story. "It held us together – it gave us an identity to be proud of – right up until the reign of King Guto. It wasn't long after he took the throne that everything went wrong," He shut his eyes, recalling what was known about the day everything had changed for the worse. It had all begun during a sudden, intense thunderstorm. Lightning had flashed, thunder had clapped, the wind had roared and howled, and the rain had poured down with a ferocity unlike anything any griffon had ever seen before. "That's when the creature known as Arimaspi came to steal our griffon treasure, right in the middle of the worst storm any griffon had ever known! King Guto tried to fight him off, but Arimaspi managed to get away with the idol! And then it got worse!"

As the memories continued, the old griffon could recall how Griffonstone's fourteenth king had pursued the idol thief even as the storm grew more and more intense with each passing minute! He made an attempt to fight back against Arimaspi, briefly managing to wrest the idol away from him. But at that very moment, a bolt of lightning struck the ground on which King Guto and Arimaspi had been standing! It gave way, plunging them into the abyss below as the idol fell with them! King Guto flapped his wings, managing to get back up. But alas, he could not retrieve the idol as it faded from his view, swallowed up by the darkness.

Grandpa Gruff opened his eyes as he snorted and remarked with bitter indifference. "King Guto spent the rest of his life trying in vain to get that idol back from the Abysmal Abyss it had fallen into. But all the griffons lost confidence in him, telling him not to bother coming back without the idol. They say that when our treasure fell into the Abysmal Abyss, our pride went with it. That good for nothing King Guto was the last king of Griffonstone, once he left there was no one willing to take his place. Thanks to him, Griffonstone fell into decay and despair. And we all lived miserably ever after. The end!"

Pinkie Pie was the first to react once Grandpa Gruff had finished speaking. With tears in her eyes, she whimpered. "That was the saddest story I ever heard!"

"Well tough tailfeathers, missy!" Grandpa Gruff snapped. "No refunds! You asked for my wisdom, and you got it!" He turned his back to the ponies. "Now you know why Griffonstone is so bad. But we don't need your pity! We've been carrying on as best we can on our own. Someday, maybe, some griffon will find something worthwhile to replace that idol with. Until then, we'll just have to muddle through somehow." He slowly limped back into his house, slamming the door shut behind him.

The pink party pony blinked, turning to Rainbow Dash. "It's no wonder Twilight's book ended with the coronation of King Guto, and no book was written after that. Who'd ever want to record a history so sad?"

Gilda snorted. "It's not sad! Do we look sad to you, ponies?!" She unfolded her wings! "You know what: I've wasted enough time talking to the both of you! Do whatever you want, I don't care!" And she quickly flew away with an audible screech.

Rainbow just sighed and looked down at the ground. "Guess nothing's changed with her, unfortunately."

"But we can't just go back! There has to be a reason why the map called us here!" Pinkie protested.

Then, suddenly, it came to Rainbow Dash as she let out an audible gasp! "Wait a minute, Pinkie! Grandpa Gruff's story has given me an idea! I know what we gotta do to bring Griffonstone back to its former glory!"

Pinkie's eyes began to light up. "You do?"

The rainbow maned pegasus happily nodded. "Of course I do, it's so obvious. We need to find the Idol of Boreas! When we do, we'll bring pride and glory back to Griffonstone!" She unfolded her wings! "So we need to find some griffon to take us down to that abyss. I'm sure I can find the idol, I've flown through Gastly Gorge, an abyss shouldn't be any tougher to tackle."

The earth pony mare with a pretty pink coat was rather skeptical of her pegasus friend's proclamation. "I don't know, Rainbow Dash. It can't be that simple. If it was, some griffon would've gotten the idol back by now."

Rainbow rolled her eyes in disbelief. "None of them cared enough to bother trying. That's where we come in!"

"But what about Twilight's advice?" Pinkie Pie spoke up as she remembered the book Twilight had given her and Rainbow Dash earlier.

"What? Taking pictures? In case you haven't noticed, Twilight's information was way off!" The brash speedster retorted. "There's no king here, and I doubt there's anything else worth checking out," She groaned. "If you wanna spend all your time snooping around, looking for something to do, be my guest."

The pink party pony suddenly proclaimed. "Wait, what if Gilda's the reason why the map called us?! We both know her."

"Maybe you'll have better luck with her than I did," Rainbow grumbled in frustration. "I think it's clear to me she doesn't want anything to do with me. And the feeling's mutual. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going off to search the Abysmal Abyss to find that lost idol! This'll be just like one of Daring Do's adventures!" And with that, as if to make herself heard, she took to the skies and flew away as fast as she could.

Rainbow Dash wasted no time in heading towards what looked like a promising shop for an adventure loving pony like her. Upon entering the shop, she boldly proclaimed! "I'm here to find your missing idol and save Griffonstone! You're welcome!" But the only reply was the sound of rushing wind and a door falling off its hinges. So that made her continue in a far less excited and more matter of fact tone of voice. "So uh... I'll need some rope, a grappling hook, and a guide to take me down to the Abysmal Abyss."

A brown feathered griffon with dull blue eyes, light brown feathers around her face and neck, and wearing a bluish-green cap and matching jacket just bluntly replied. "And I'll need some bits. I'm not running a charity, you know."

Rainbow sighed and had to resist the urge to roll her eyes again. The one thing that Twilight's book wasn't wrong about was that the griffons would be happy to help anyone as long as they were willing to "share the wealth". Still, at least it seemed that everything was going well for her. With a little luck, she would soon find the Idol of Boreas and with it would rekindle the pride and joy the griffons had felt when they had possessed it long ago.

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie quickly spotted Gilda as the grumpy griffon strolled alone through the impoverished streets of Griffonstone. Despite what had happened the last time the two had met, Pinkie was determined to stay in a cheerful mood with Gilda and hopefully get some information out of her. "Heya, Gilda!" She greeted as she bounced over to the griffon.

Gilda groaned with annoyance and frustration. "Not you again."

"Hey, come on, there's no reason to be a gloomy gus about things," Pinkie said with a smile. "Twilight always says it's never too late to make amends and be friends."

The grumpy griffon just groaned further. "I don't want to be your friend. I'm not interested in friends anymore, they're just a waste of time," And she questioned. "What do you want from me? Make it quick, will you?"

The pink party pony's smile just grew brighter. "Word on the street is that Griffonstone has an amazing library chock-full of answers!"

Griffon pointed a claw to the burned down and worn down remnants of a building outside of which rested a large stone statue of King Grover. "It's right over there, you dweeb. Why don't you get lost in the books and leave me alone?" And she quickly walked away.

Pinkie Pie was horrified to discover what was left of Griffonstone's library! Just how bad had things gotten in Griffonstone that they no longer had a king or a world famous library? "Oh Twilight, it's a good thing you didn't come here. You'd have hated to see what's become of this kingdom," She then approached the statue of King Grover, eyeing it and talking to it as if it were alive. "It's sad what happened to your kingdom, King Grover. At least you weren't around to see it. But I don't think Rainbow Dash is right, this can't just because of some missing idol of gold. It doesn't even sound like it was magical or enchanted."

The party pony then not so subtly made the statue's stone beak move, and threw her voice to sound like what she thought a famous king of old would sound like. It sounded naturally kind of high pitched and squeaky, not that Pinkie seemed to care. "You are right, Pinkie! You're so smart, and you've got amazing hair too!"

Blushing ever so faintly, Pinkie giggled and waved a hoof. "Aw, King Grover, you old charmer! You sure are a sweet talker." But as soon as she had finished saying those words, the statue's beak broke off and fell to the ground, shattering into tiny stone fragments. It was clear that the library (or what was left of it) would be of no help at all.

Did that stop the earth pony mare with a poofy pink mane and tail? Not even for a second. She may not have had an exact idea of what was wrong with Griffonstone, but she had a pretty good idea in her head about how to fix it. "Wait a minute, I see what's going on here! I know just what Griffonstone needs!"

Gilda happened to be nearby, and overheard what Pinkie was saying. "What? Less ponies?"

"No, silly," The pink party pony giggled. "A song! I've got a super song about smiling that's sure to make even the most grumpy griffon grin! I'll even teach you the words so you can join in too!" She took a deep breath and inhaled, ready to burst into a song.

But Gilda immediately clamped a claw over Pinkie's muzzle and coldly pointed to a sign as she said quite bluntly. "Can't sing here, dweeb." Sure enough, the sign had a red circle drawn over musical notes coming out of a griffon's mouth.

Pinkie frowned ever so faintly. "What?! Who even made up such a silly rule? How do you break into uplifting musical numbers with no singing?"

The grumpy griffon just growled and sarcastically retorted. "Yeah, sure, that's Griffonstone's biggest problem: A lack of uplifting musical numbers," Then she added. "In case you haven't noticed, this isn't Equestria. We don't do things the way you ponies do."

Undeterred, Pinkie Pie just asked. "Well if I can't sing, how about a party?" And she explained. "Parties are an even better way to spread joy and cheer than singing. So where's your party store? You at least have to have that."

"What party store?" Gilda blinked. "We never had one, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. What other useless ideas are you gonna come up with, you bozo?"

Pinkie just gasped! "No party store?! Don't you griffons ever have anything to celebrate?!" And she quickly and nervously asked. "Well... uh... how about cake? Nothing cheers folks up like cake! Please tell me you've got a bakery! You've got shops, so you've gotta had a bakery!"

Gilda just shrugged her claws. "We do all our baking in-house. Griffons don't really do sweets."

The reality slowly sank in for Pinkie Pie about just how bleak and dreary Griffonstone was. "No singing, no party store, no bakery?! What even is this place?!"

The grumpy, grouchy griffon growled and roared! "You're welcome to leave it at any time! Don't you know how to read a room?! Are all of you ponies this dense, or is this just your thing, Dorky Pie?"

The pink party pony ignored the insult, instead retorting. "Well that just takes the cake. Wait, no! It can't take the cake 'cause there is no cake! Or muffins! Or griffon scones!"

Much to Pinkie's surprise, Gilda replied. "Oh, we got griffon scones. That's my specialty," She quickly whisked some of the aforementioned baked goods out from a wagon she'd been hauling. "It's the one thing I know I'm good at."

Pinkie's mouth watered and she licked her lips in anticipation! "Why didn't you just say so?! I'll buy one!"

"Bits first!" Gilda impatiently demanded. And only gave the pink party pony a scone once she had forked over the bits to pay for it.

Pinkie Pie wasted no time in devouring the scone, doing so with an audible crunch.

"Well?" The grumpy, brown feathered griffon questioned. "Do you like 'em? They're Grandpa Gruff's special secret recipe. Even that old coot is good for something."

But the pink party pony and part time baker could only groan as she reacted to how hard the scones were. "I think I broke a tooth!"

The grouchy griffon snapped back. "Well, whatever. No refunds. I don't even care anyway. I just want to sell enough of these so that I can leave this lousy place for good."

Pinkie Pie spat out the scone she had just tasted, and said to Gilda. "Hey, I can help you with that! I am a baker too, you know!"

As Pinkie was preparing to help Gilda improve her scones so that they'd taste better, Rainbow was currently making her way to the edge of the Abysmal Abyss. Even to a pony like her who was used to living life on the edge and being in dangerous situations, the depths of the abyss were enough to unnerve her. But she wasn't about to turn back. Rainbow Danger Dash was not a quitter.

Still, the brash speedster felt obliged to make extra sure that every piece of safety gear she had on her was working properly, including the rope and her yellow safety helmet. Looking back to the shop keeping griffon who had accompanied her, she asked. "Uh, you think you could tighten the strap on my helmet a little?"

The shop keeper griffon only coldly retorted. "You got any more bits?"

Rather than pay what seemed like a bribe, Rainbow just sighed and tightened the strap herself as best she could. "Never mind, I've got it," She stared down into the abyss once more, taking notice of the wind gusts that rose up from it at regular intervals. And that prompted her to ask a nagging question that wouldn't leave her alone. "So... how deep is this abyss, exactly?"

The shop keeper griffon shrugged her claws. "Depends. How deep are your pockets?"

"Do you ever talk about anything besides bits?" Rainbow Dash grumbled with impatience.

The griffon replied with indifference. "Give me some bits and I might answer that. Otherwise, stop wasting my time. I don't have to help you, you know."

The rainbow maned pegasus sighed, groaning and mumbling under her breath. "No wonder Gilda's such a delight." It seemed that she would be getting no further help from this shop keeping griffon, or from any griffon at all. She could only hope that her occasional prankster partner was having better luck on her end with befriending the griffons.

Unaware of what her pegasus friend was up to, Pinkie Pie was taking a closer look at Gilda's scones. To her dismay, she found them all to be incredibly rock hard, which is not how scones' should be. She tried to frame it in a better way, though, by saying. "Well, Gilda, I think I know the problem. Grandpa Gruff's recipe is good, but it's missing one important ingredient."

"Let me guess: Friendship?" Gilda rolled her eyes at what seemed like such an obvious statement from a fun loving pony.

But Pinkie shook her head from side to side. "No, silly, baking powder," She reached into her mane and pulled out a large container of the aforementioned substance. "Lucky for you, I never leave home without it! A good baker must always come prepared for any baking emergency!" She quickly poured a generous helping of baking powder onto the scones, then instructed. "Now just pop 'em in the oven, and you'll have scones worth their weight in gold!"

The scones took very little time to bake, and Gilda soon pulled them out of a small oven. They rested on a tray, and the scent of them started to waft through the air.

As it just so happens, the scent caught the attention of a griffon with sea green feathers around her eyes and who was wearing a greenish-gray colored scarf. Because of that, she forgot to pay attention to where she was going. She collided with another griffon and fell to the ground, more dazed than outright hurt.

"Greta!" Gilda exclaimed and rushed over to help the dazed griffon to her paws, only to be coldly and rudely brushed off as soon as she had done so.

Pinkie Pie, however, was quick to comment! "Aha! I saw that, Gilda! You may act like a gruff, grumbling griffon, but inside you're gracious and great! You can't fool me!"

"What are you talking about?" Gilda asked, appearing to feign ignorance.

Pinkie pointed out. "You just helped your friend up when she got knocked down. I saw the whole thing."

"You mean Greta over there?" Gilda gestured a claw to the griffon she had just helped. "We're not friends, not really. We just know each other, that's all. We don't have friends here!" She let out an unhappy sigh. "Well, I did have a friend once, but you saw how well that turned out," Then she grumbled. "Why am I even telling you this?! Why should you care?! You don't know me!"

"Well I'd sure like to get to know you better, Gilda," Pinkie Pie said with an innocent smile. "If Twilight were here, I'm sure she say that it's never too late to start again and make new friends," Then, suddenly, it dawned on her! It was like a lightbulb had been switched on inside her brain! Her eyes went wide as she gasped and jumped up, shouting happily! "That's it! It was staring us right in the face all along!" Then a realization struck her and she sped away! "Oh my gosh! I gotta tell Rainbow Dash!"

As it just so happened, at that very moment Rainbow Dash was preparing to make her descent into the Abysmal Abyss via a rope. Over the roar of the winds, she called out to the griffon who had accompanied her. "You sure we can't just fly down there?" And she unfolded her wings, only for a strong current of wind to push her back and prevent her from descending at all! "Whoa! Never mind, totally got my answer there." She remarked, then carefully made her way down the side of the abyss, clinging tightly to the rope tied to her body.

How long the pegasus pony spent down in the depths of the abyss, she couldn't tell. She just going, descending deeper and deeper, all the while her surroundings grew darker and it became more difficult to see. She kept scanning her surroundings with her eyes, looking for any sign of the idol. She wasn't having much luck, though. The idol continued to elude her. If the stories were true and King Gluto had never found it despite a lifetime of searching, the Idol of Boreas had to be very far down into the abyss, perhaps even at the very bottom.

Suddenly, however, the brash speedster heard a horrific snapping sound! "Whoooa!" She screamed as she lost control and slipped off the edge of a cliff as her rope broke! The wind currents caught her, tossing her around for a bit and then throwing her against one of the walls of the abyss! Her entire body flooded with pain, and she soon knew where the source was as she looked at herself! "My hoof!" She exclaimed as she eyed her back left leg, noticing its bruised and red marked state. Then she hollered, hoping to be heard up above! "Help! Throw me another rope!" There was no reply. Either she hadn't been overheard, or the shop keeper griffon who'd accompanied her had left.

Whatever was the case, Rainbow was immediately faced with a grim reality! She was trapped down in the abyss, too badly hurt to climb back up on her own, and unable to fly due to the strong wind currents blowing all around.

Pinkie Pie wasn't too far away. She had already been making her way towards the Abysmal Abyss as it was. But when her ears picked up the faint sound of screaming, her journey became much more urgent and frantic! "Rainbow Dash?! Rainbow Dash?!" She called again and again, finding that there was no trace of her friend at the abyss' surface.

"Down here! HELP!" Rainbow Dash hollered, apparently having overheard her friend despite her current location. In the brief amount of time she'd been left to her own devices, she had managed to hastily bandage her injured hoof.

Pinkie looked down, and managed to catch the faint outline of her friend, resting a ways down into the abyss itself. "There you are!" She exclaimed! "You can forget about finding the idol! I know what the real problem is and how we can solve it! We'll need more scones!"

"Nevermind that!" Rainbow protested. "Get me out of here! Toss me a rope or something! Hurry!"

The pink party pony looked all around. "I can't see a rope, Dashie," She called, and quickly got a new idea. "We need help, and I know just the griffon who can help us. Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back!" And she zoomed away once again!

The rainbow maned pegasus groaned. She didn't know what her friend was doing running away like this. "Where do you even think I'd go, Pinkie?" She remarked, before suddenly feeling and seeing some of the cliff face she was perched on start to crumble! That terrifed her enough to make her say outloud! "I hope I don't go anywhere!" And she began to panic, terrified of the prospect of plunging all the way down to the bottom of the abyss!

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie had raced back to Gilda's location, nearly out of breath! She was relieved that the grumpy griffon was still there. "Gilda, you're just the griffon I wanted to see!" Pausing for only a moment to catch her breath, she then urgently stated. "Rainbow Dash is stuck on a ledge in the Abysmal Abyss, and I need your help to save her!"

Gilda coldly replied. "Not my problem!"

"Whaddya mean?! Of course it's your problem!" The pink party pony pointed out. "She's your friend!"

"Was my friend," Gilda admitted. "But that was a long time ago."

Pinkie then pleaded. "Well, don't you remember that time? Come on, you just gotta! Rainbow Dash never forgot about you."

And just like that, the griffon began flashing back to the day she had met Rainbow Dash. It was the day Gilda had, as a young griffon chick, begun attending Junior Speedsters flight camp.

Not long after having arrived at the camp, little Gilda had found herself the target of three pegasus colts who seemed intent on mocking and teasing her relentlessly.

"Doesn't that griffon know she's supposed to fly at the Junior Speedsters Flight Camp?" A young Hoops had cruely taunted, making poor little Gilda all but tear up.

Fortunately, young Rainbow Dash had come swooping in and showed up the bullies, quickly dismissing them by teasing them with confidence. "Well maybe she just doesn't want to make you look bad!" She then approached the little griffon chick and introduced herself. "Hey there, I'm Rainbow Dash! And you are...?"

The young, considerably less confident and sure of herself Gilda nervously replied. "Uh... G-G-G-G-Gilda."

Rainbow happily extended a hoof. "Well just stick with me, Gilda, and those guys won't give you any more guff. Come on!" She then took to the skies, inviting Gilda to follow her. The filly was quickly impressed by what her new friend could do. "Whoa! You're awesome, Gilda!"

"You too, Rainbow Dash!" Gilda laughed in reply. And then together she and her new friend started to chant:

Junior Speedsters are our lives!

Skybound soars and daring dives!

Junior Speedsters, it's our quest,

To someday be the very best!

The flashback ended as a wave of guilt washed over Gilda in the present. Try as she might, she had never actually forgotten about the one pony who had befriended her when no one else would. The one creature in the world who'd never cared about where she had come from, and had given her the confidence to believe in herself. Now that pony needed help, and Gilda knew she couldn't live with herself if she stood by and refused to do so. She even wiped a tear from her eyes as she said. "Alright, fine, I'll help you rescue her! But it doesn't mean she's my friend."

Pinkie Pie nodded. "Duly noted," Then she looked aside and winked as she whispered. "Except it does!"

Pinkie and Gilda raced to the edge of the Abysmal Abyss as fast as they could! When they arrived, even over the roar of the winds they could hear the sound of rocks crumbling! They didn't have much time.

"Hang on, loser! I'm coming for ya!" Gilda shouted as she hastily tied a rope to herself and strapped on a helmet, ready to begin her descent into the abyss.

Rainbow Dash hollered back! "What took you so long, doofus?!" She then pressed herself up against the wall, trying to get as far away from the edge as she could as it continued to collapse.

As soon as Gilda and Pinkie Pie were certain they were secure, they began their descent. The pink party pony boldly took the lead, all but jumping down the sides of the abyss in an attempt to reach her pegasus friend. In the process, she was inadvertently pulling the griffon down with her.

Rainbow saw her rescuers approaching, and was very grateful that they had come when they did. She reached out a hoof to grab Pinkie's, ready to be hoisted up and to safety.

But unfortunately, it was at that very moment that the last of the cliff face the rainbow maned pegasus was on gave way! She didn't have a firm enough grip, and thus tumbled further down into the abyss, screaming all the way! In doing so, she ended up pulling Gilda and Pinkie down with her!

Gilda only just thought to unfold her wings to slow the descent, finally managing to come to a rest on a cliff face that was just across a small gap from another. Then, she saw a sight that made her eyes widen! Resting next to a large skull and what was left of a crown, was a golden idol that still shone brightly despite all the years that had passed. She realized at once what it was! Grandpa Gruff had been right all along. "The Idol of Boreas!" She exclaimed, and delicately reached out a claw to try to grasp it.

Rainbow Dash, however, was fast losing her grip on the cliff face on the other side from where Gilda was. Try as she might, she couldn't hang on! "I'm slipping!" She cried, desperately extending her hooves and unfolding her wings in the hopes it might stop her perlious descent.

Gilda, meanwhile, was so close to the Idol of Boreas that she could almost touch it. Just a couple more seconds and she was sure she'd have the idol safely in her clutches. Yet as she became aware of the tugging sensation on her rope, she realized that those were seconds her pony partners didn't have to spare. There was no way she could retrieve the idol and rescue them both. So, reluctantly, she made her decision on the spot. She turned away from the idol, watching as it slowly started sliding away. Then, gritting her teeth, she began to climb back up the side of the abyss with all her might!

Rainbow, however, managed to get a glimpse of the idol as it began to fall! She hurridly reached out a hoof to try to grab it, and for a second or two she did. But alas, her grip was not quite firm enough to maintain it, especially since it was coming from her injured hoof. She winced, and dropped the idol, watching it tumble further down into the abyss while fading from view.

There was very little time for anyone to catch their breath, however, because it still took a very long time to climb back up out of the abyss and to safety. Only once that had been accomplished did all three climbers remove their safety gear, pausing to catch their breaths.

Gilda was the first one to speak up, now filled with regret for her earlier behavior. "I'm really sorry about how I treated you two. Especially you, Dash. I know that doesn't make up for the way I behaved in Ponyville. If you can't forgive me right now, I understand."

Rainbow Dash, however, waved a hoof. "Eh, it's in the past. And you came back to save me, so I'm thankful for that. Maybe we can still be friends after all."

And Pinkie Pie added with a smile. "I accept your apology too, Gilda. Looks like I was right: You do care about others."

The griffon blushed ever so faintly. "Yeah, I guess I do. Feels kind of... nice, actually. But it's definitely going to take some getting used to."

The brash speedster just sighed. "Well, I'm just sorry that because of me, you lost your only chance to get the idol back," She hung her head in shame. "Thanks to my attitude, Griffonstone lost its last chance at fixing that problem."

But the pink party pony giggled and grinned. "Dashie, I've been trying to tell you: That idol wasn't the way to fix the problem. The map didn't send us here to retrieve it, it sent us here to replace it with something better: Friendship!"

"Friendship?" Gilda blinked in surprise. "How is that better? Nothing's more valuable to a griffon than gold."

Pinkie pointed out. "That's because you've never given friendship a chance. If you can learn to care about each other again, Griffonstone could be a mightier kingdom than it ever was before! And you don't need some golden idol to do that. You just need each other," She then encouraged the griffon. "So go on, Gilda, give it a try! Make a new friend!"

Hesitantly, the no longer grumpy griffon replied. "A-alright. Here goes nothing!" And she quickly set her sights on Greta, the griffon she had helped earlier. Deciding that the best way to appease someone who might be suspicious of you was by offering them something tasty, she opted to give Greta one of the scones that Pinkie Pie had helped her to bake earlier. That seemed to do the trick, Greta smiled and thanked Gilda for her kind gesture. Gilda then came back, a smile slowly creeping onto her face. "Okay, so Greta was really weirded out until I gave her that scone. Then she tried it and said it tasted good! That's the first nice thing anygriffon's ever said to me! I can't believe it worked! You ponies truly are amazing!"

Just then, both Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash felt their cutie marks start to glow and tingle. It was possible to see them flashing brightly. And to them, that meant only one thing: They had accomplished the mission the map had sent them out to do.

"Whoa, Pinkie! Guess you were right after all!" Rainbow said with a bright smile.

The pink party pony grinned from ear to ear while saying. "It's like I always say: Baking powder makes baked goods and friendships fluffy and delicious!"

The rainbow maned pegasus then declared. "Well, guess our work here is done. Time to head home. Twilight's definitely going to ask for details, and boy will she be surprised to learn how much Griffonstone has changed."

Gilda was taken by surprise by the sudden announcement! Her earlier optimus now became replaced by worry! "W-wait, you're leaving, now?!" She received two strong, confirming nods! "A...and you're leaving me to spread friendship here all by myself?! How am I supposed to do that when I haven't even made one friend yet?!"

"It's easy, Gilda. You haven't made one friend, you've made two!" Rainbow Dash pointed out. "And I know that if there's anygriffon who can pick up where Pinkie and I are leaving off, it's you!"

The no longer grumpy griffon replied. "But... you'll still come back and visit someday, right?"

Both Pinkie and Rainbow nodded, before Pinkie promised. "Of course we will, Gilda. And in the meantime, feel free to write to us."

"You bet I will!" Gilda vowed! "I know it's gonna take a long time to get Griffonstone to change. But I'm not going to give up! By the time you next come and visit, you'll see just how much of a difference I can make!"

"I don't doubt that, Gilda," Rainbow Dash proclaimed. "Go get 'em!" And then she and her occasional prankster partner headed for the entrance to Griffonstone, ready to depart and head back to Ponyville.

Briefly, the pink party pony looked back to the staute of King Grover, and winked at it while whispering. "Hope I'll see you again, you old charmer."

"Did you say something, Pinkie?" Rainbow questioned in reply, apparently having partially overheard.

Pinkie quickly feigned ignorance and replied. "Who? Me? Nah," And she quickly changed the subject. "Now come on, let's go home and see how Gummy did with Granny Pie's marjolaine recipe!" She had no way of knowing that Gummy had (of course) not been able to do anything by himself. The recipe would have to be attempted again some other time.

Author's Note

The overall story structure didn't need to be changed that much, the only real problems lie in Rainbow Dash's attitude throughout most of the episode and the fact that Griffonstone ultimately doesn't change whenever the show comes back to it.

There is also the occasional bit of stupidity from Pinkie Pie, mostly during the climax when she throws herself down the side of a cliff without securing herself. Even if it's in character, it's a stretch that serves mostly to get Gilda into a situation where she has to scarifice the Idol of Boreas to save the ponies. And there had to be a better way to go about it then that.

I did also want to acknowledge the fact that, given my rewrite of "The Cutie Map", I had someone not called by the map go on a map mission.

~~Stare Master~~
~~Pinkie Apple Pie~~
~~The Cutie Map, Parts 1 and 2~~
~~The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone~~
Hard to Say Anything (Bonus Chapter)
A Health of Information
Uprooted
The Royal Apologies (The Point of No Return)
The Big Mac Question (Bonus Chapter)

S7 E8: Hard to Say Anything (What If?) (Bonus Chapter)

Even after everything they had been through together over the years, and even though they had now turned their club into a business, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were still children at heart. So when an opportunity to just have fun together and not worry about anything presented itself, they were more than happy to take it.

Such was the case when, one day by chance, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo came over to Sweet Apple Acres to see Apple Bloom. And they brought with them a fairly large box containing what appeared to be various costumes that'd gone a long time without being used.

Sweetie Belle happily explained the reasoning behind her gift. "Hey, Apple Bloom! Guess what?! Rarity's reorganizing her shop, and look what she found! Old costumes from the talent show! She said we can keep them, because otherwise she was just going to donate them."

Scootaloo then added. "We thought they'd come in handy in case we ever help a pony put on a play or need to make a quick escape. Plus, we could always use some disguises. You never know when we might need to do some undercover work."

Apple Bloom grinned from ear to ear. "I like your thinkin', girls. We should always come prepared for any emergency," Then she turned her attention to something else: Namely a huge wagon loaded with barrels and boxes full of apples. "Excuse me for a moment," She said as she trotted over to the wagon and pushed one last barrel onto it. And just in time, because at that very moment her big brother happened to come trotting out. "Here ya go, Big Mac. Got the wagon all loaded up for ya for another one of your," She delivered the next line with a whisper and a knowing wink. "'Secret deliveries'."

Big Macintosh said nothing as he hitched himself to the wagon. He just maintained an exceptionally bright smile.

"This is another delivery for Starlight's old village, right?" The farm filly questioned. "What was its name again: Cutie Markless?"

"Eeyup!" Big Mac firmly replied.

Sweetie Belle seemed to be surprised by the news. "All by yourself? That's an awfully long way for a pony to go, isn't it?"

Again, Big Mac just said. "Eeyup."

Apple Bloom then pondered. "Come to think of it, you've been makin' an awful lot of delivers there lately. But you never say why," She saw fit to ask. "This is, what, your fifth trip out there this week? Do the ponies out there not have any apple trees or orchards of their own?"

"Eeyup." Big Macintosh said once again, refusing to elaborate any further. Whatever the reason might be for his many trips out to that village, he seemed intent to keep said reason to himself.

Rather than press her big brother further, the bow wearing earth pony filly just replied with a sincere smile. "Okay, well, have fun," And she turned to her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders, and to the box that Sweetie Belle had brought. "So, Sweetie Belle, what other costumes did you bring?"

Scootaloo, however, protested. "Are you crazy?! We can't talk about costumes at a time like this!"

"Whaddya mean? What's wrong with now?" Apple Bloom blinked in surprise.

Scootaloo had to resist the urge to groan. "Don't you get it, Apple Bloom? It's so obvious: Your brother's hiding something, something to do with those delivers to Cutie Markless. And for some reason, he doesn't want anypony to know about them."

The farm filly sighed. "I've tried askin' him again and again, but he won't ever tell me what the reason is. The first time I caught him doin' this, he made me promise not to tell anypony else or ask him why. He just said it was a 'Need to know basis' kind of thing, whatever that's supposed to mean."

"Come to think of it," Sweetie Belle put a hoof to her chin. "Have you noticed Miss. Cheerilee acting differently lately? I thought that whole love poison thing was fixed long ago."

"That can't be a coincidence!" The tomboyish pegasus pony protested! "I'll bet you anything that whatever Big Mac's doing out in Cutie Markless, it's related to Miss. Cheerilee," She then questioned. "But how are we going to find out?"

Sweetie then proposed. "There's only one thing I can think of," She gestured to the wagon. "We need to get onboard, and quickly before Big Mac pulls out." And so she and her fellow Crusaders raced to do just that. Little did they anticipate that their unplanned visit to Cutie Markless was going to not only answer the questions they had, but was also going to have them help a pony they never would've suspected needed help.

The three Crusaders hastily scrambled to get into the back of the wagon Big Macintosh was pulling before he could leave Sweet Apple Acres! They only just managed to do so before the wagon wheels started to turn, and the wagon began to move.

The three fillies struggled to stay silent as Big Mac pulled the wagon, heading towards his destination. They didn't want to give themselves away, thus thwarting their attempt to find out what he was up to. It was harder than it sounded not to make a sound, because the wagon was not only filled with apples but there was almost no room to move around within it and it was very dark and dusty.

At last, however, they heard the sound of the wagon wheels screeching and slowing. Sure enough, the wagon came to a stop. That meant Big Macintosh had probably made it all the way out to Cutie Markless.

Indeed, that seemed to be the case as the Cutie Mark Crusaders could hear whistling and the sound of hooves trotting around to the back of the wagon. It also sounded like there were giggles, and the faint sounds of a conversation between two ponies. It sounded like one of them was Big Mac, but the other was a complete mystery to the fillies.

"Big Mac's comin'!" Apple Bloom shrieked in a hushed tone of voice! "Quick, act like apples!"

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were unsure how they would carry out Apple Bloom's request, but nevertheless they tried to do it as best they could.

Suddenly, the wagon was wheeled inside with the CMC still inside it. If the three Crusaders listened closely, they could just hear a faint "Thank you, Big Mac." and hear the stallion reply with his usual "Eeyup.". Then there was the sound of hooves trotting away, followed by a door being shut tight. The next thing the fillies knew, the wagon was being tipped over with them inside of it!

A shocked, startled gasp escaped the lips of somepony, as Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo now found themselves inside of what could best be described as some sort of bakery! It had a small, wooden counter and a cash register, but other than that it had no decoration whatsoever aside from its stone walls.

As they slowly got their bearings, the Crusaders looked up and found themselves face to face with an unfamiliar (to them at least) unicorn mare. She had a dazzling pink coat, a bushy mane and tail dark purplish-pink in color and supported by sea green colored beads, reddish-violet eyes, and a cutie mark that depicted a cherry topped cupcake and four jellybeans. Her horn was sparking with a very strong cyan colored glow. "What in Equestria are you girls doing here?!" She exclaimed, sounding more annoyed than genuinely upset or even surprised.

"W-we're sorry, really," Sweetie Belle nervously stammered and profuesly apologized. "Please, don't tell Big Mac we're here! We didn't mean to spy on him, or on you!"

Apple Bloom, meanwhile, blinked slowly as she recalled something she had heard once. "Wait a minute," She commented. "Applejack told me about this old village once," She turned to the unicorn. "You must be Sugar Belle. Applejack told me about how you were the first one to tip off Princess Twilight and her friends about how things weren't so perfect here."

The unicorn mare smiled, relaxing her overall posture slightly. "Yes, I am Sugar Belle. And I know who you are: You're Apple Bloom, one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Big Mac has told me all about you. After all, he's been coming to see me for quite some time now," Her smile grew brighter. "And I really appreciate him doing it."

The farm filly gasped as her eyes went wide and she put her hooves to her face! "Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed in disbelief! "I think my brother has a crush! Now it all makes sense!"

But Sugar Belle giggled for a brief moment, before seeming to shrink back a bit. "Oh, no no no, it's nothing like that. I mean, we were kind of dating for a little while. But it just didn't work out. That hasn't stopped him from coming to see me, though. He always volunteers to deliver wagons full of apples to me," She let out a sigh. "I used to just bake nothing but terrible muffins. But ever since I got my cutie mark back, I've had dreams of becoming something greater. And thanks to Big Mac, I'm really branching out! I'm experimenting with apples in ways I never would've thought possible."

"Oh!" Apple Bloom commented quite slowly as the realization dawned on her. "Then that must mean he and Cheerilee..."

"-Oh no!" Scootaloo cried! "Somepony must've secretly brewed up the love poison and gave it to them!" She leaped to her hooves! "There's no time to waste! We've got to pull them apart and keep them from looking at each other for an hour!"

The baker unicorn corrected. "Don't be silly, there's no love poison. Big Mac and Cheerilee love each other, but they're not head over heels crazy for one another. Everything's under control."

The tomboyish pegasus filly breathed a small sigh of relief. "Whew, thank goodness for that. It was really hard to keep 'em apart last time, and they were only 'pretending' to be so madly in love," She shuddered and gagged. "It was creepy, and kind of gross too."

Sweetie Belle, meanwhile, commented with a bit of a blush. "Well, now I feel really silly. We came all the way out here, and we really didn't need to. Nothing's wrong with anypony. We should've just left everypony alone, like we promised to do the last time we got into trouble for invading other ponies' privacy," When Sugar Belle shot her fellow unicorn a concerned and confused look, the unicorn filly sheepishly replied. "Long story. Big Mac could probably tell you about it."

Sugar Belle opted not to press for any more information. She just flashed a knowing wink at the Crusaders. "Well don't worry, I won't tell anypony about you playing stowaways in Big Mac's wagon. He's probably already headed back to Ponyville by now."

"Then I guess now's as good a time as any to see the sights," Apple Bloom commented as she pressed her face up against one of the bakery windows. "Cutie Markless sure is a nice place, Sugar Belle. I can see why you'd call it home even after Starlight stopped runnnin' it."

"Yeah, lots of peace and quiet," Scootaloo observed. "If you're into that sort of thing, anyway."

The unicorn mare with a pretty pink coat just casually and somewhat glumly replied. "Yeah. It doesn't have much, but we make the most of what we have. But I don't know if I'll be hanging around here for much longer."

That statement struck all three Crusaders as most odd. Sweetie was the first to ask. "What do you mean? It seems like you're doing quite well for yourself. I can't imagine any reason why you'd want to leave."

Sugar Belle, however, pointed a hoof and drew the attention of the three fillies to a unicorn stallion and a pegasus mare sitting at a small table just outside the bakery. A flower vase was placed atop the table, and the two were currently gazing into one another's eyes while talking to each other. The stallion had a bright grayish-blue coat, a curly mane and tail in shades of bright, light blue and cornflower blue, light cobalt blue eyes, and a cutie mark depicting a balloon animal and streamers. And the mare had a coat the same dark blue as the night sky, a wavy mane and tail a dazzling white and grayish-blue, brilliant light blue eyes, and a cutie mark depicting a crescent moon surrounding by two curved feathers. "You can see it for yourself, can't you? Party Favor and Night Glider?"

"I thought you were all friends." Scootaloo shot Sugar Belle a most puzzled look.

The baker unicorn mare nodded. "We were, and we still are. It's just that," She unhappily sighed and hung her head. "It doesn't take a genius to see what's going on. They've been this way for at least a year now." Despite her lowered head, she could still see her friends sitting there together, talking and getting lose in each other's gaze. They even seemed to briefly nuzzle one another on the snouts.

"Aren't you happy for them, though?" Apple Bloom pondered. "I know I would be if it was one of my friends who were that close to somepony else."

Sweetie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'd feel the same way."

"And me too!" Scootaloo chimed in, her wings buzzing ever so faintly.

Sugar Belle sighed anew. "Oh, I'm happy for them. But part of me can't help but feel jealous. For the longest time, I always felt like Party Favor and I were close. Really close. We were the first ponies who ever shared with one another how unhappy we were living under Starlight and her forced equality," Her lips started to curl into a frown. "Looking at him now, though... it seems like he's found somepony else to be really close to. They've never told me directly, probably because they're just trying to spare my feelings. And I wish they'd just come out and say it instead of pretending it's just friendship. It's something more, I'm sure of it."

"Didn't you ever think of tellin' Party Favor how you really felt about him?" Apple Bloom questioned the unicorn mare.

The baker unicorn shook her head from side to side. "I just could never work up the courage. It always sounds so simple in my mind. But whenever I even think about doing it in real life, something always gets in the way."

It was then, however, that Sweetie Belle seemed to get an idea. "Will you excuse us for a moment?" She said to Sugar Belle and hastily huddled in a corner of the bakery with her fellow Crusaders. They whispered to one another in secret for a moment, preventing Sugar Belle from overhearing them. Then, Sweetie turned back to her fellow unicorn and said with a sincere smile. "You're in luck, Sugar Belle! We, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, are here to help you!"

"Yeah!" Scootaloo eagerly encouraged! "Operation Woo Party Favor is a go!"

Once the initial enthusiasm and excitement about helping Sugar Belle confess had worn off, the CMC quickly faced the daunting task of deciding how best to help the baker unicorn win her fellow unicorn's heart.

"So, what exactly are we going to do, Crusaders?" Sugar Belle pondered. "I can't think of anything that would really make a big splash with Party Favor."

Sweetie Belle seemed to have an idea, using the sap green glow of her horn to pull up an old yet still fairly pristine book. It had a red and yellow colored spine, and depicted what appeared to be a pegasus stallion with butterfly wings and a crown atop his head holding the hoof of a unicorn mare who wore a tiara atop her head. "Well, when I was younger, I remember really liking these old fairytales Rarity used to read to me." She explained.

"But isn't the prince supposed to be the who charms the princess, not the other way around?" Scootaloo questioned. "And aren't you a little too old to still be believing in fairytales?"

Sweetie blushed. "Okay, so maybe it won't be exactly like the storybooks. But there's nothing that says a fair maiden or damsel can't perform romantic gestures in order to win the heart of a prince. Rarity actually met a prince once and tried to court him. It just... didn't quite work out the way she'd hoped," She quickly reassured Sugar Belle. "Don't worry, you'll have much better luck than Rarity did. If nothing else, at least we can use this for ideas."

Apple Bloom put a hoof to her chin. "Are we sure this is a good idea, Crusaders? Remember what happened the last time we tried to play matchmaker for somepony?"

Scootaloo waved a hoof, dismissing the concerns. "Nopony got hurt, and it all worked out in the end. Besides, if it wasn't for that little mishap, who knows if Big Mac and Miss. Cheerilee would've ever started dating?" She was quick to add. "As long as we're not mixing up love poisons, we'll be fine. All that matters is that we help Sugar Belle confess to Party Favor. We're here now, so why not give it a shot?"

Sugar Belle was quick to lend her approval to the plan. "Borrowing from fairytales is a lot better than anything I could come up with. Besides," She looked at Party Favor and briefly blushed as a dreamful sigh escaped her lips. "He's such an excellent prince charming, whether he realizes it or not." As she spoke, she briefly seemed to imagine him dressed up not unlike a storybook prince, even down to wearing a fine suit and having a rose held in his mouth.

"Exactly!" The unicorn filly happily nodded. "What have we got to lose? If we could help Big Mac and Miss. Cheerilee realize how perfect they were together, we can surely help Sugar Belle woo Party Favor and win his heart."

"Okay," Apple Bloom agreed. "So, what should we try first?"

Still holding the book firmly with her magic, Sweetie Belle flipped it open and started scanning the pages. "Let's see:" She said to herself as she went from page to page, briefly looking at the images and words contained within them. "We can't do the one where the brave knight slays a fercious dragon. There aren't any dragons we can borrow."

"Except for Spike," Scootaloo pointed out. "And I don't think he'd want to play the part."

Frowning, Sweetie flipped through the pages further. "Well, a lot of these seem to involve monsters or evil creatures that the prince rescues the princess from in order to obtain their 'happily ever after'. There must be something we can use," At last, her sap green eyes spotted something that caught her attention! "Aha! Here we go:" She cleared her throat, holding up an image. "Since the roles are going to be reversed, we just need Party Favor to be put in some kind of danger or just have something bad happen to him. Then you come dashing in to help him, and that's when he's sure to fall in love with you, Sugar Belle."

The tomboyish pegasus filly commented with concern. "How are we going to do that? Party Favor's a unicorn. He can do magic. If he gets into trouble, couldn't he just teleport to safety?"

"Rarity's never been able to pull off a teleportation spell," Sweetie Belle protested. "She says it's something that only high levels unicorns can do: Like Starlight Glimmer, or Princess Twilight before she became a princess."

"Besides," Sugar Belle chimed in. "I know Party Favor. He actually isn't capable of using his horn at all. He's the only unicorn I know who can't, he can't even make it spark."

"I know what that feels like." Scootaloo admitted while briefly looking to her wings. True, her wings still somewhat functioned as intended. But being a pegasus pony who had yet to do anything other than briefly hover above the ground had to be pretty similar to being a unicorn who couldn't do magic of any sort.

Apple Bloom, meanwhile, was looking at Party Favor more closely. Or more specifically, to a small saddlebag that was strapped around his haunches. "Well, I know just what sort of trouble we can make him run into," And a grin spread across her face. "It looks like those old costumes are goin' to come in handy after all."

Only a short time later, Party Favor was unaware that he was being watched from afar. But high on a hill overlooking the village, that was exactly what was happening.

Sugar Belle was standing nearby, waiting for the designated opportunity for her to come swooping in and save the day. She took some deep breaths to try to calm her nerves. The hard part was going to be not losing her cool in front of Party Favor after she helped him out. The CMC seemed to think that their plan was a good one, if only she could share in their optimism and confidence.

"Okay, is everythin' ready?" Apple Bloom asked as she briefly turned a set of binoculars away from the unicorn stallion and pegasus mare who were still sitting at that table.

Sweetie Belle flashed a satisfied smile. "Yup!" Gesturing a hoof, she motioned for the intended "distraction" to come out. "Just do it exactly like we planned, Scootaloo."

Scootaloo grumbled as she came trotting out wearing a rainbow wig and glasses with a goofy looking nose and mustache. "I look ridiculous!" She complained aloud.

"Who cares how you look? As long as nopony recognizes you, that's all that counts," The bow wearing earth pony protested, pointing a hoof down the hill. "Now go on! Do it now, while Party Favor's distracted!"

Sighing deeply, Scootaloo obeyed. "Fine." She raced down the hill as fast as she could and ran straight towards Party Favor, her sights locked completely onto the saddlebag he still had strapped to his haunches.

Party Favor was busy talking to Night Glider, giggling at something she had just said. As a result, he almost didn't notice when he felt a tug on his sides. Looking down, he noticed that the small saddlebag he'd brought with him had gone missing. By chance, his wandering eyes happened to see a strange looking little pegasus running away with it. "Hey! Thief!" He cried and leapt to his hooves, preparing to give chase!

"Now's your chance, Sugar Belle!" Sweetie dramatically encouraged! "Hurry!"

Plucking up what courage she could muster on such short notice, Sugar Belle ran down the hill, all the while cursing under her breath about her inability to teleport.

As for Scootaloo, she just kept running and held on tightly to the saddlebag she'd just snatched.

Unfortunately for Sugar Belle and the CMC, their plan was thwarted when Night Glider just so happened to see what was going on. Without even a second's hesitation, she sprang into action! She unfolded her wings, took to the air, then swiftly swooped back down on the saddlebag thief and effortlessly snatched the aforementioned item away before landing.

Party Favor was nearly out of breath when he saw Night Glider holding his saddlebag. "Here you go, Party Favor." She sweetly told him.

Party Favor, for his part, was greatly relieved to have his saddlebag back (even if it didn't seem to contain much inside of it). "Oh, thanks, Night Glider," He said with a sweet smile. "What would I have done without you?"

Night Glider just replied by waving a hoof, then running it through her mane. "Your guess is as good as mine. But you really should be more careful with it in the future."

The unicorn stallion nodded back. "I'll keep that in mind. I would hate to have to rely on you all the time."

Night Glider chuckled. "Hey, I didn't mind the action. I was getting a little bit bored of sitting around anyway," She then trotted away, though not before saying to the stallion. "Guess I'll see you later, Party Favor. I'm gonna go back to practicing my dives and turns."

Party Favor nodded. "I can't wait until you perfect that new trick. It's sure to be even more spectacular than your last one. I still can't believe you never made it into the Wonderbolts. With flying skills like yours, you should've blown all the other candidates out of the water."

The pegasus mare with a dark blue coat seemed to grin even while shrugging her hooves. "It just wasn't in the cards for me, I guess." And then she and Party Favor went their separate ways.

Only after the two friends had left did Sugar Belle and the CMC (including a still in disguise Scootaloo) meet up themselves. To say that things had not gone the way they had planned them would be an understatement.

Sweetie Belle kicked at the ground in frustration! "That was perfect! And then Night Glider had to ruin everything with her flying! Now Party Favor's going to be even more in love with her!"

Sugar Belle sighed in dismay and disappointment, wiping the sweat from her brows. "If only I could've teleported, then it would have been perfect." She started to hang her head.

Immediately, Sweetie stomped her hooves and growled! "Hey! That's exactly the kind of attitude I don't want to see! We can't give up now!" After taking a moment to compose herself, she added. "We just need to try something that Night Glider can't ruin with her wings."

A little later, Sugar Belle was dressed up in a rather fancy, long and flowing dress. "I look ridiculous." She complained.

"No you don't, you look just like a princess," Scootaloo encouraged. "If you dress up for the part, you'll feel the part. Right?"

The baker unicorn mare didn't appear to be convinced by the argument. Nevertheless, she opted not to protest. "I guess so. But I still don't like this dress: It's so stuffy, and so hard to move around in." Sure enough, the dress made her waddle about in a somewhat clumsy fashion, almost as if she was going to lose her balance and fall to the ground.

Sweetie Belle, meanwhile, was keeping an eye on Party Favor. And as she did so, she explained to Sugar Belle. "Some of the fairytales mention a prince who wakes up a princess who falls under a sleeping spell. It's something to do with true love's kiss."

"Party Favor's not under a sleeping spell, though." Sugar Belle protested.

The unicorn filly just replied in a matter of fact tone. "No, but he is asleep. Look," She pointed a hoof off to a cot in the distance resting between two trees. And sure enough, Party Favor was sound asleep on the cot, snoring quite audibly while the cot rocked gently back and forth. "Just pretend he's under a spell and wake him up. I'm sure he won't mind, much."

The unicorn mare with a pretty pink coat felt her face grow hot as her cheeks turned bright red. "You want me to kiss him?! Just like that?! I don't know if I can do it."

Apple Bloom began to nudge Sugar Belle towards the sleeping stallion. "Come on, you at least have to try," She turned towards Scootaloo. "Any sign of Night Glider?"

Scootaloo peered through the same set of binoculars Sweetie Belle had earlier used to spy on Party Favor and Night Glider when they were together. She scanned one direction, then another, but saw nothing. "Nope. The coast is clear!" She encouraged. "This is gonna work!"

"No turning back now!" Sweetie eagerly encouraged to her fellow unicorn. "Go on! He's waiting for you!"

Slowly and clumsily, Sugar Belle stumbled her way towards the object of her affection. It was just one kiss. No big deal, right? Right?!

Party Favor continued to snore loudily, unaware that Sugar Belle was approaching him. He might as well have been under a spell given how deeply he was sleeping. But with any luck, a single kiss would change all of that.

The finely dressed unicorn mare at last reached her fellow unicorn, still trying to work up the nerve to kiss him and wake him up. The thought of doing it was wreaking havoc on her already fragile nerves. She could do this. She had to do this.

Yet it was at that very moment that Party Favor suddenly woke up! It appeared that he had suffered a nightmare, given how quickly he shot up and his eyes widened in horror! Fortunately, he quickly calmed down once he realized where he was. And as he did so, he noticed Sugar Belle standing almost right in front of him, wearing a large, stuffy dress that made her look absolutely ridiculous. That was his first clue that something was up. "Sugar Belle?" He blinked in confusion.

Sugar Belle's blush deepened as she suddenly found herself at a loss for words. It was as if her whole body had frozen, she couldn't move a muscle. She just stood there in stunned silence, too stiff to say or do anything.

Seconds seemed to tick by in agonizing slowness as Party Favor continued to stare at Sugar Belle, who for her part was too intimidated to even blink. One could've been mistaken for thinking that she was in fact a statue.

At last, the awkward and uncomfortable silence was broken up when who should show up on the scene but Night Glider? In fact, she literally seemed to come swooping down from out of nowhere, and didn't seem to have noticed Sugar Belle at all. "Hey, Party Favor," She greeted with a flick of her mane and a swish of her tail. "Is everything alright?"

The unicorn stallion with a curly mane and tail nodded. "It is now that you've showed up, Night Glider," He then gestured a hoof. "I think something's wrong with Sugar Belle. She's been acting weird all day."

Night Glider shrugged her hooves and turned to her fellow mare. "You feeling okay, Sugar Belle?"

Sugar Belle stammered, forcing out. "Y-yes."

"Really? Then what's with the get-up?" The pegasus mare with a wavy mane and tail questioned. "Nightmare Night's not for at least another couple of months."

"O-oh, I just... wanted to try on a new look," The baker unicorn mare insisted with a nervous laugh. "Obviously it's... not working out." And she slowly started walking backwards, shrinking from Night Glider and Party Favor's gaze. She could thus only watch as the two walked off into the distance together, occasionally looking at each other with smiles on their faces.

"Oh come on!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in disbelief! "Now they're walking off into the sunset together?! Why is nothing working?!"

Scootaloo remarked and had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. "It's the dress. I told you it was too fancy!"

"I don't think that was the problem." Apple Bloom blinked in reply.

Sweetie sighed and groaned. "Whatever it was, it wasn't good enough. We're only drawing Party Favor and Night Glider closer together. We need to find a way to stop that, and we need to find it now!"

Sugar Belle gulped. "What else is there to try?"

The unicorn filly put a hoof to her chin and began scanning over the fairy tale book again. "There's only one thing I can think of. I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this, because even I have to admit it's cliche. But desperate times call for desperate measures."

The baker unicorn swallowed hard. She didn't like the sound of that suggestion at all.

Compared to the previous two attempts, it took considerably longer for the CMC to get everything ready for Sugar Belle's third try. That's because they were going all out, even going so far as to set up a small stage for Sugar Belle to stand on.

Try as she might, though, the baker unicorn mare was a nervous wreck. Her legs were shaking and wobbling, despite her best efforts to keep them steady. "Do I really have to do this?" She asked the Crusaders as she watched them put the finishing touches on the stage on the outskirts of the village.

Scootaloo firmly nodded. "You want to win Party Favor's heart more than anything, don't you? Well there's no better way to do that than with a rocking musical number! All the storybook princesses are known for their great singing."

Sweetie Belle smiled, chiming in with her own sentiments. "Exactly. So just sing from your heart, and Party Favor's sure to notice you. No way Night Glider can top something like that."

"But, what am I supposed to sing?" Sugar Belle questioned with concern.

Apple Bloom just replied. "Whatever comes to your mind. It just has to come from the heart and sound good," She then looked out into the distance, and leaped up in excitement! "Ooh, here comes Party Favor now! And he's all alone! This is it, this is your big moment, Sugar Belle!"

So it was that the unicorn mare with a pretty pink coat nervously and clumsily made her way onto the stage. She took a few deep breaths to try to calm her nerves. It wouldn't do her any good to be so nervous. She could do this. She had to do this! There would never be a better opportunity than right now. At least, that's what she was thinking to herself, even as another part of her wanted nothing more than to run away.

Party Favor, for his part, came trotting down the path with what appeared to be wide eyed wonder once he saw Sugar Belle on the stage. "Sugar Belle?" He blinked and ran towards her, hoping to get a good look.

"H-hi, Party Favor," Sugar Belle swallowed hard. "I've... got a little song for you." Then she cleared her throat, and sang the first thing that came to mind. It was something she recalled Big Macintosh having sung to her once. It was better than nothing. And it sounded something like this:

Let's take a walk down by the river,

Watch the sunset from the field.

Then we'll plant a seed of love together,

And water it right for a really good yield.

But then, suddenly, the unicorn mare hesitated and seemed to freeze up. "Um... how did it go, again?" She mumbled to herself as her nervousness started to show.

The CMC were watching from afar, and were stricken with a sense of dread. Sugar Belle was blowing it!

Quickly realizing she had to keep singing while she had Party Favor's attention, the baker unicorn mare continued:

Party Favor, when I look into your eyes,

I see the color... blue.

And it reminds me of the sky above,

Which is also... blue.

I'm singing this song for you,

Searching for the perfect rhyme.

For the words I wanna say,

Something... something... something... be mine!

Then, just as abruptly as she had started, Sugar Belle stopped. For a moment or two, she just stood there in silence. Why was this happening?! Why couldn't she bring herself to move?!

Party Favor blinked in surprise. "Is... that it?" He questioned, surprised by the sudden stopping of the singing. It had sounded like it might have been going somewhere.

Sugar Belle then started to tear up, shaking and shuddering. "I can't do this!" She said aloud.

"Can't do what?" The unicorn stallion with a curly mane and tail asked with concern.

The baker unicorn mare whimpered, turning her back to Party Favor as she then bolted and ran from the stage without a word! All she could do was sob and cry!

The Cutie Mark Crusaders, for their part, were left speechless! They could not believe what they had just seen. And they quickly decided they should go after Sugar Belle to make sure she was alright.

Sugar Belle ran as far away from the village as she could. She had no particular destination in mind, she just wanted to be alone with her thoughts. Only once her body started screaming at her to stop did she do so, sitting down on a hill overlooking Cutie Markless. The tears flowed from her eyes without end. It was all over, she'd blown her last chance.

"Sugar Belle?" The CMC called out as they all ran up to her.

"Just leave me alone!" The bitter baker unicorn complained in between sobs. "I'm hopeless! No wonder Party Favor likes Night Glider more, I can't even be around him for five minutes without making a fool of myself! I wish I had her confidence, her courage."

Apple Bloom blinked in confusion. "Whaddya mean? You had a ton of courage tellin' Princess Twilight and her friends about your desire to get your cutie mark back. And I hear you showed a lot of courage helpin' to get their cutie marks back from Starlight."

"But when it comes to telling somepony I love them, I can't do it. I just can't!" Sugar Belle whimpered as she put her hooves up to her face. "Just what's wrong with me? How hard is it to say a few simple words?!"

Sweetie Belle let out an unhappy sigh, holding up the book she'd been using for advice. "You know what, maybe the fairytales have it all wrong. Real life is a lot more complicated," She tossed the book aside. "I just thought that maybe if we followed the stories, we could give you that nudge you needed to win Party Favor's heart. But all we really did was make things more awkward."

Scootaloo saw fit to add. "I'm sorry we roped you into those elaborate performances and gestures, Sugar Belle. I guess when it comes to romance, there's still a lot we don't know. Maybe it's just something you get better at when you're older. Or maybe it's something you'll never really understand. It just seems to happen."

Apple Bloom slowly nodded. "I think maybe you're right, Scootaloo. And you too, Sweetie Belle. We were goin' about it all wrong. We were tryin' to make Sugar Belle into somethin' she's not: She's not some fairytale princess waitin' for her knight in shinin' armor to come and rescue her. She's a real live pony, and so's Party Favor. Real life doesn't always work out like the story books."

Sugar Belle sighed deeply, slowly drying her tears. "Cant believe it took me so long to realize that," She turned to the Crusaders. "You girls were just trying to help me out. From what I hear, helping other ponies is what you do best."

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean we'll always have all the answers to everythin'," Apple Bloom admitted. "We certainly tried our best, Sugar Belle. But maybe it's just meant to be this way: For Party Favor and Night Glider to be together. Maybe sometimes, the princess doesn't always win the prince's heart."

As those words slowly sank in for the baker unicorn mare, something to spark deep inside of her. She rose to her hooves with newfound confidence. Suddenly, she seemed to know what she had to do. "You're right, Crusaders. Maybe there's nothing I can do to make Party Favor love me no matter what I try. But the least I can do is try to be happy for him, be glad that he found somepony else to be his special somepony," She trotted off, heading back towards the village. "I just hope there's still time to let him know that."

The sun was slowly but surely starting to set as Party Favor was making his way back to his cottage. All in all, today had certainly been rather interesting to say the least. He still wasn't sure just what was up with Sugar Belle or why she had run off so suddenly. Maybe she just wasn't feeling like herself today for whatever reason.

Well, the stallion wasn't going to let that bother him. He was confident his fellow unicorn would tell him eventually why she had done what she'd done. There was always a reason behind her actions. And if she just wanted to have some space to be herself, he was certainly not going to pry.

Yet suddenly, Party Favor felt something brush up against his tail. He turned around fast and found himself face to face with Sugar Belle, who seemed surprisingly more calm and content now compared to when he'd last seen her. "Oh, hello again, Sugar Belle," He commented while blinking slowly. "It's funny how we seem to keep bumping into each other like this today."

Sugar Belle didn't laugh, giggle, or do anything other than just clear her throat and speak clearly. "Listen, Party Favor, there's something I'm sure you wanted to tell me. You don't have to lie to me or keep it a secret. I can see what's going on."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" Party Favor questioned.

Sugar Belle just pressed on, her expression not changing in the slightest. "I know about you and Night Glider. I've seen the way you two act when you're together. I know I can't compete with that, and I don't want to anymore. I don't want there to be a competition," She paused, sighing slightly. "You should know that, even if I'm sad that we didn't work out, I still want you to be happy with Night Glider. She's an excellent special somepony. And no matter what, I hope we can all still be friends."

Much to the surprise of the baker unicorn mare, however, Party Favor just replied by saying. "What are you talking about? Night Glider and I aren't together."

"But... but... I've seen you together!" Sugar Belle protested. "I know you've been dating!"

"Sure, maybe once or twice," Party Favor willingly admitted. "It doesn't mean we're a couple yet. I think there could potentially be a spark between us, but then again there might not be," He looked into Sugar Belle's eyes. "If I'm being honest, I always felt like we had more of a connection. We knew each other before anypony else in the village. But after a while, I guess I just figured that if you weren't going to ask me out then that meant you didn't love me as anything other than a friend."

Sugar Belle shook her head from side to side. "Oh Party Favor, that's ridiculous! I wanted so badly on so many occasions to tell you how I really felt! I just could never work up the courage until now."

The unicorn stallion with a bright grayish-blue coat just smiled, nuzzling Sugar Belle on the side a little bit. "Well, I'm glad you did now," Looking at her more clearly, he said with a smile. "There's still some time left. What would you say to a nice little walk into the sunset together? Just you and I?"

The baker unicorn mare dreamily sighed. "Thought you'd never ask." And she and Party Favor then walked off together, holding hooves.

From afar, the Cutie Mark Crusaders observed the whole thing. And they couldn't help but smile.

"Guess maybe we did help after all." Sweetie Belle concluded.

"Sure," Apple Bloom agreed. "Now we just gotta figure out a way to get back to Ponyville. Our families are probably startin' to worry about us."

Scootaloo let out a gasp of realization! "You're right! We've gotta find a wagon or something to hide in, and quick! If we're not back by sundown, we're gonna be in so much trouble!" And she and her fellow Crusaders raced off to try to find some means of getting back to Ponyville.

Author's Note

As I've mentioned in countless rewrite volumes already, a bonus chapter is when I rewrite an episode in a way where a character or characters not present or not in the focus of the original episode are made the focus of the rewrite. In this case, this particular rewrite is one that's been on the backburner for a very long time, because I kept putting off deciding wheter to stick with SugarMac like in the show canon, or go with CheeriMac.

As you can tell from this rewrite, I've finally settled the question in favor of CheeriMac and pairing up Sugar Belle with Party Favor. I've nothing against SugarMac, but given that we only got three episodes devoted to the ship, we really needed more time to see their relationship grow before jumping to them getting married. Plus, I've always felt that Sugar Belle and Party Favor had stronger chemistry.

Putting aside the shipping debate, this episode is pretty good as it is. The only thing that really needed to be fixed was the CMC thinking that love works like a fairytale. At this point in the show's canon, given all that they've dealt with, they should be above such thinking and should know better. So I wanted to change it to them trying to help Sugar Belle gain the confidence to tell Party Favor how she feels.

~~Stare Master~~
~~Pinkie Apple Pie~~
~~The Cutie Map, Parts 1 and 2~~
~~The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone~~
~~Hard to Say Anything (Bonus Chapter)~~
A Health of Information
Uprooted
The Royal Apologies (The Point of No Return)
The Big Mac Question (Bonus Chapter)

S7 E18: A Health of Information (What If?)

In a small, swampy section of the Everfree Forest, Fluttershy and Twilight were working together to collect a generous helping of something known as crisscross moss. It was a slimy, slippery substance. But between Fluttershy's knowledge of the forest, and Twilight's magic and flying skills, collecting the moss was proving to be no trouble at all.

Fluttershy was most grateful for the help from her alicorn friend, as she carefully filled up a large cloth sack with the moss. "Thanks again for helping me on such short notice, Twilight," Fluttershy said as she set the sack down. "I would get it myself, but it's hard to do that and hold the sack."

Twilight just smiled as she continued flying around, using her magic to pull up large amounts of the moss with relative ease and float it over to Fluttershy. "You're more than welcome, Fluttershy. I'm glad I could help," She then saw fit to ask. "But what exactly do you need all this crisscross moss for?"

The animal loving pegasus explained. "Oh, it's for a pack of otters that are staying at Sweet Feather Sanctuary. They really love this stuff! They can't get enough of it."

The alicorn princess nodded. "So I can see," She proceeded to float over more of the moss. "So, think this'll be enough? It feels like I've gathered almost all the moss there is to be had around here."

Fluttershy looked at her sack, seeing that it was filled up quite aways but not quite all the way. "Just a little bit more, Twilight. I want this pack to be filled up completely. That way I'll know for sure I have enough."

Twilight frowned ever so faintly. "Well, that might be a problem. I don't see a lot more crisscross moss on the trees. And it doesn't seem like there's anywhere else in the Everfree Forest where it grows," She gazed down towards the swamp. "Although, maybe I can find some a little bit closer to the ground."

"Be careful, Twilight!" The pegasus mare with pretty pink bangs cautioned as she stood up, setting the sack aside and unfolding her wings. "I can get the moss from there easily."

The book loving alicorn shook her head from side to side. "It's okay, Fluttershy. You asked for my help. Besides, it's just water. It never hurt anypony." And she flew down to the swamp's surface, eyeing some lillypads that appeared to have a strange bright green glow to them.

Then, suddenly, a small, white, bulb like plant with pink petals dropped from one of the trees. It landed on a lillypad close to where Twilight was, then opened up as it emitted an orange colored mist. The mist completely enveloped the unsuspecting princess, causing her to cough as she tried to dispell the mist.

"Twilight!" Fluttershy exclaimed in concern! She immediately ran to the edge of the swamp, just in time to see her alicorn friend slowly but surely stumble onto the bank. She appeared to be a bit frazzled. "Are you okay?"

The studious alicorn mare nodded, albeit in a very weak and unconvincing way. "I... think so," But then she started coughing, and as she brought up a hoof to cover herself, she was shocked to discover that it had bright orange spots that she knew hadn't been there a moment before! And they seemed to be spreading with alarming speed! She proceeded to add. "Huh, suddenly I don't feel so good!"

A horrified Fluttershy immediately rushed to her weakened friend's side, preventing her from falling down. There was only one thing she could think to do in a situation like this. "We need to get you to Zecora! She'll know what's wrong with you!" But even Fluttershy couldn't have anticipated the dreadful news Zecora was going to give. As it would soon turn out, the orange spots were the least of Twilight's concerns.

Luckily for both ponies, the trek to Zecora's hut passed without incident for either of them. However, as the journey progressed it was possible to notice a strange and concerning detail: Whenever Twilight coughed, bubbles would come spewing out of her mouth. That was definitely not normal.

Upon reaching the hut where the zebra enchantress lived, Fluttershy wasted no time in knocking on the hut's door. Zecora had to be home, she just had to be!

And indeed, Zecora was. And soon as she got a good look at Twilight, she became just as concerned as Fluttershy.

"Zecora, do you know anything about this?" Fluttershy questioned. "Please tell me you do! Please!"

Zecora was silent for a moment, eyeing the spotted alicorn princess very carefully. Then, she gave a firm nod and motioned for both ponies to come inside. "This situation is most urgent, I believe. You must come inside and listen to me."

"Come on, Twilight!" Fluttershy encouraged as she helped the alicorn into the hut.

Twilight was soon standing before Zecora as the enchantress examined the alicorn carefully. She seemed to be especially concerned about the coughing up of bubbles and the orange spots that had spread all over Twilight's body with alarming rapidness. At last, she held out a vial and brought it before Twilight, who without even meaning to coughed into it.

Zecora then sealed the vial shut and started shaking it vigorously. "Hope for your sake that the color does not turn red. If so, you will be filled with more than dread." After shaking the vial for about a moment or so, she stopped and let the liquid settle. To the shock and horror of all inside the hut, the vial's contents quickly turned a most ominous shade of red.

Twilight swallowed hard. "What does this mean, Zecora? How bad is it?"

The zebra enchantress began to explain. "This confirms my worst fear. You've caught swamp fever, my dear."

"Swamp fever?!" Twilight and Fluttershy exclaimed in unison as their eyes went wide!

Fluttershy nervously questioned. "What is swamp fever, Zecora? I've never heard of it before."

Zecora ominously replied. "Neither have I, I must confess. I have only heard stories from ponies in duress," She promptly retrieved an old book and flipped it open, showing horrifiyingly detailed images depicting ponies stricken with the aforementioned disease. "It starts when a pony gets too close to a certain flower. The spores are unleashed, and the pony finds their health turning sour. Soon come the spots and the coughing of bubbles. But that is the least of your troubles," She turned the page, revealing that where a pony had once stood there was now only a tree. "Eventually, a pony can't even sneeze. They turn into the very trees that spread the disease."

The afflicited alicorn princess let out a gasp! "What?! That's what going to happen to me?!"

The animal loving pegasus, meanwhile, was remarking to herself. "I can't believe a flower did all of this. I take back thinking it was nice!"

Twilight then grabbed ahold of Zecora, desperately pleading with her! "Please, you must know something! You can whip up a cure for just about anything, I know you can! How do we get rid of this before I turn into a tree?!"

But Zecora swallowed hard and confessed. "There's nothing I can do, I must admit. My attempts at a cure have caused me a fit. I'm afraid I cannot be of more help to you. I must be careful, or I will be afflicited too."

Fluttershy was stricken with horror and dread upon hearing the news! "No, that can't be! You can't turn into a tree, Twilight! There's gotta be a way to cure you!"

"But how?" Twilight pondered. "If even Zecora only vaguely knows about it, what chance is there that Equestria's best doctors will know? Even I didn't know swamp fever was a thing until now."

The zebra enchantress then spoke up as something suddenly came to her mind, prompting her to gasp. "Oh. There's a healer of legend who never would fail. But I only know of her from ancient folktales. Mystical and masked, she came in the night, and cured everything from hoof cough to fur blight. What became of the healer, nopony knows, for she disappeared ages and ages ago."

Hearing those words stirred a realization in Fluttershy, causing her to exclaim! "Of course, The Mystical Mask! My parents would tell me about her whenever I was sick in bed. She could cure anything, even diseases nopony else knew about."

Zecora gave a firm nod. "There's so many accounts of her power to heal. She can't just be a legend. I think she's real."

That was when Fluttershy decided. "Then we need to find her, wherever she is! She's our only hope!"

"But how are we going to find her?" Twilight questioned. "She could be anywhere. She might not even exist anymore for all we know."

The pegasus mare with pretty pink bangs protested. "We'll just have to search every book we can find! It's my fault you're like this to begin with." And she was already flashing back to what had prompted her to recruit her alicorn friend in the first place.

Only hours earlier, Fluttershy had come literally rushing up to Twilight's castle! There was something she needed the book loving alicorn's help with, and on very short notice too. Pushing open the castle doors, she was a bit dismayed to discover that her friend was nowhere in sight. "Twilight?" She called, but there was no reply. Undeterred, she started searching the whole castle from top to bottom, looking for any trace of her alicorn friend.

At last, the pegasus mare's search brought her to the castle's kitchen. And that's where she found Twilight, who alongside Spike seemed to be covered in flour whilst wearing a chef's hat. "Oh, I'm so sorry to bother you!" She exclaimed, before taking notice of what was happening. "Wait-are you... cooking?"

Twilight beamed with pride and answered. "Yeah! Spike and I are having a cook-off!"

Spike happily replied while pulling a tray out of the oven. "My cauliflower bites blow your sweet potato muffins out of the water, Twilight!"

With a grin on her face, Twilight declared. "I'm glad you're here, Fluttershy, because we're gonna need a second opinion on that. I was gonna ask Starlight, but when I mentioned the cook-off she ran off and said she had something more important to take care of," She then added in a bit of a concerned tone of voice. "There's nothing wrong with my cooking, right? Sure, it's nothing compared to Pinkie Pie or Applejack's, but it's still good, isn't it?"

Before Fluttershy could protest, she had her face stuffed full of the aforementioned muffins, followed by a generous serving of Spike's cauliflower bites. She quickly swallowed them. "Um, they're both delicious, really. But..."

"But what?" Spike questioned. "You're gonna pick the cauliflower bites, right? Right?!"

The animal loving pegasus just explained. "Actually, I was hoping I could borrow Twilight for a little while. I could really use her help right now."

"Well, I always have time for a friend," The alicorn princess insisted as she took off her chef's hat and carefully set it aside. "What's wrong, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy explained. "Nothing's wrong, really. I just need some help gathering something for my sanctuary. It's for some visiting otters. And there's only one place we can gather it," She began nudging Twilight towards the door. "I'll explain on the way. Rainbow Dash is with the Wonderbolts, so you're the next best flyer I could think of."

As for Spike, he could only stand there and stare in disbelief. "Aw come on, that's not fair!" He complained. "If you don't like my cauliflower bites, you can just say so." But no one heard but him.

The flashback ended as Fluttershy unhappily sighed. "If I hadn't insisted on you helping me, Twilight, you wouldn't have gotten sick. And I won't rest until we find a way to cure you!"

Twilight shook her head from side to side. "You didn't know this was gonna happen, Fluttershy. It's not your fault. And beating yourself up about it won't help either," She slowly started trotting over to her friend. "For now at least, I'm fine. I'm not sure how much time I've got exactly. So let's not stand around here, feeling sorry for ourselves. If this Mystical Mask you mentioned is real, maybe we can find out where she went and what happened to her," She put a hoof to her chin. "Somehow, I have this strange feeling that I've heard of this pony before. And not just through stories."

"Well, the only way to find out is to hit the books!" Fluttershy firmly declared. "We'll search your castle's library from top to bottom! There has to be something in there that can help us!" And she quickly led Twilight away. "Come on, let's get to searching before you start sprouting leafs!"

It fortunately took very little time for the friends to get back to Twilight's castle, largely because Twilight was still able to use her horn for the time being.

Spike was waiting when the two ponies returned. And as soon as he got a good look at Twilight, he became very frightened and very concerned! "What happened to you, Twilight?!"

"It's nothing to worry about," Twilight tried to insist. "Fluttershy and I are already looking for the cure."

"Cure?! To what?!" Spike frantically inquired. "What's going on?!"

Fluttershy let out a sigh and confessed. "Twilight's got swamp fever. It's all my fault. She was helping me gather crisscross moss, and she got too close to a flower that infected her. And if we don't find a way to cure her, she'll turn into a tree."

"Oh, is that all?" The little dragon remarked, before the realization of Fluttershy's confession hit. "Wait, turn into a tree?!"

"That's not going to happen, Spike!" Twilight furiously insisted. "This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you."

Spike was anything but convinced and started to whimper with tears in his eyes. "Oh please, please, you just can't turn into a tree, Twilight! Without you, I don't know what I'll do! Please, tell me you'll be okay!"

The young alicorn had to fight back the urge to tear up herself. "Spike, you're old enough now. I'm not going to lie to you. I can't promise you that everything will be okay," She looked him firmly in the eyes. "But you getting all upset like this isn't going to make anything better. So please, help Fluttershy and I with our research. We're trying to find more information about a pony called The Mystical Mask. Apparently, she could cure anything."

"Isn't she just an old pony's tale?" The little dragon replied with a puzzled expression. "Then again, that's what Nightmare Moon was supposed to be, and she was real."

"The only way we're gonna find out is if we get to researching right away," Twilight insisted as she coughed up a few bubbles. "So come on, Spike. It'll go much faster if there's more of us doing the searching."

And soon, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Spike had all made their way to the library inside of Twilight's castle. It was stocked with multiple shelves of books on every subject that was known to ponykind. If there was any sort of lead or further information about this magical curer, Twilight's library seemed like as good a place as any to start.

Hours ticked by as the three friends hastily pulled books off the shelves and read through them. They soon amassed a large pile that grew only larger as the hours passed. Eventually, they had built up so large a pile that it all but reached up to the ceiling.

Unfortunately, however, the three had very little to show for their efforts. Book after book had been tossed aside and discarded. No new information had come to them, which did little to ease their nerves. All the while, Twilight would remind Fluttershy and Spike of her condition with audible coughs, followed by several bubbles floating out.

At last, Twilight seemed ready to give up as she unhappily sighed and tossed away yet another book. "Well, that's the last book there is on ancient ponies. And still nothing on The Mystical Mask."

"Really?" Fluttershy remarked in disbelief and questioned. "Did we think to check the unabridged versions?"

Twilight reluctantly replied. "Yes, and the books on rare diseases, the books on rare plants, and the entire section on bog habitation. None of them even mention swamp fever, let alone this Mystical Mask," She groaned, planting her forehead on a desk. "I swear I heard about her once, and for the life of me I wish I could remember where it was. Any lead's better than no lead at all."

"So that's it, it's hopeless?!" Spike exclaimed in dismay! "There's nothing we can do to stop Twilight from becoming a tree?!"

Fluttershy would hear nothing of such a suggestion! She furiously stomped a hoof down and with a look of firey determination she vowed! "No! I can't give up! I won't give up! We might have to look through every book in this entire library, but I know we'll figure it out. And if that doesn't work, we'll search every library in Equestria! The information we seek has to be somewhere, I just know it!"

The young alicorn let out a sigh as she felt her eyes start to grow heavy. "Maybe we should take a break, Fluttershy. I hate to admit it, but I'm getting tired. And you probably are too. It'll be eaiser to continue our search once we get some rest."

"No, Twilight!" Fluttershy shook her head from side to side. "I said I wouldn't rest until you were cured, and I meant it! I'll stay up all night if I have to! One way or another, I'll find that cure even if it's the last thing I do!"

"I'll stay with Fluttershy, Twilight," Spike insisted. "I know this library a lot better than you do. Plus, if we hit a dead end, I can try to contact Princess Celestia for help. She might know where to look next."

Twilight slowly stood up, struggling to do so as she tried to keep her eyes open. "Well... alright. But please, don't stay up all night, you two. I've got enough to worry about as it is," She yawned and trotted out of the library. "Goodnight, Fluttershy. Goodnight, Spike. I'll see you both in the morning," Under her breath she hesitantly answered. "I hope." She had no way of knowing how fast swamp fever progressed. So far her symptoms hadn't progressed beyond the spots and the coughing of bubbles. But who knew how long it would be before she would begin growing branches?

Sleep did not come easy for Twilight Sparkle that night. Concerns about not only her own well being, but also the well being of her friends and her son kept her awake for quite a while. She dreaded the possibility that she might go to sleep and never wake up, transformed overnight into a tree.

Despite this, the alicorn princess eventually managed to fall asleep. And to her relief, she was able to wake up the next morning, albeit while mumbling in her sleep. "9-by-13-inch pan..."

"Twilight?! Twilight, wake up!" Fluttershy frantically called to the still sickly alicorn!

Twilight woke up with a start, falling off her bed as she screamed! "Nonstick pans!" Then she shook her head and came to her senses. Looking at herself, she could see that although her coat color had started to dim, she did not yet have any branches or leafs anywhere on her body. For now at least, there was still hope. And much to her surprise, Fluttershy and Spike were standing over her bed, looking down at her with smiles that seemed optimistic and full of promise.

"We figured it out!" Spike happily exclaimed! "Well... Fluttershy did, mostly. I just helped a little with some of the translations."

Fluttershy nodded, and explained. "It was all so simple: All we had to do was cross-reference a book about masks with another book on ancient Equestrian healers, then use a third book to translate it all from Olde Ponish, and there it was! Zecora was right! The Mystical Mask wasn't just a legend. The Mystical Mask was none other than Mage Meadowbrook!"

An excited gasp escaped the alicorn princess as the realization struck her! "You mean the ancient sorceress from Hayseed Swamp? We studied her at Celesta's School for Gifted Unicorns. Why didn't I think of it before?!"

Fluttershy just continued to smile, excitedly proclaiming! "It's okay, Twilight! I figured it out for you! Mage Meadowbrook wasn't just a sorceress. She was also a healer, and back then, healers wore masks so they wouldn't get sick themselves! Nopony ever knew who she really was because she was always wearing her mask."

"We couldn't find anything about her enchanted items, though," Spike admitted. "That's still the one thing we don't know about her."

"That's okay," Twilight replied as she slowly stood up. "I'm so proud that the two of you were able to use your research skills to figure out the answer for yourselves," She then hesitated, however, as a concerned look flashed across her face. "But didn't Mage Meadowbrook disappear a long time ago, like before Princess Celestia banished Princess Luna to the moon?"

The pegasus pony with pretty pink bangs proclaimed. "Maybe. But I bet if we went to Hayseed Swamp, we can find something she left behind! Something that could lead to a cure! She has to have found a cure for swamp fever, I'm sure of it!"

The studious alicorn pondered the proposal for a minute, then decided. "Well, it seems like a long shot, but I guess it's possible. It's as good a lead as any. Alright, let's go to Hayseed Swamp, wherever that is!" Yet only seconds after saying that, she felt her legs betray her as she fell to the floor. She struggled to get back up, coughing long and loud as she did so. The bubbles she emitted from her mouth also seemed to take on a much more sickly color.

Spike immediately rushed to Twilight's side, taking hold of her by the claw and insisting. "You're not going anywhere, Twilight! You're sick! You need to rest!"

"But... but... I have to go! I can't let Fluttershy do this all by herself!" Twilight tried to protest.

"It's okay, Twilight," Fluttershy insisted as she watched Spike help her alicorn friend back to bed. "I already mapped out where to go. I can handle it by myself. You need to stay here where I know you'll be safe. Spike can go with me for backup."

The little dragon quickly shot down the idea. "No! I'm staying here with Twilight. She's always been there for me when I was sick, now it's my turn to do the same," When he saw the concerned and anxious look on Fluttershy's face, he insisted. "Don't worry, she can't infect me. Ponies can't get dragons sick any more than dragons can get ponies sick. Trust me, I speak from experience."

"Spike, please, I'll be fine on my own!" Twilight tried to plead. "Fluttershy might run into danger in Hayseed Swamp. She probably doesn't even know where Mage Meadowbrook might have lived."

The animal loving pegasus immediately replied. "I don't. But I'm sure there's somepony I can ask there who will know. Mage Meadowbrook was a real pony, not just a legend. If she's as famous as the legends make her out to be, ponies are sure to have known about her," And she locked eyes with Twilight, firmly declaring. "This is not up for debate. I'm doing this whether you want me to or not, Twilight! And I won't come back until I have the cure!"

The sickly alicorn groaned in frustration, sensing that there was nothing she could say or do to change her friend's mind. She sighed deeply. "Guess there's no convincing you otherwise, Fluttershy. Just please, please be careful! If anything happens to you, you'll be of no help to anypony. It's not a bad thing to worry about yourself, you know."

Fluttershy just raced to the bedroom door. "I'll be fine, Twilight! You would do the same for me, that's what friends are for," She then turned to Spike. "If I don't come back with the cure before Twilight starts sprouting leafs or branches, contact Princess Celestia right away!"

Spike gave a firm salute. "You've got it, Fluttershy!" And then he and Twilight watched as their animal loving friend departed.

The journey out to Hayseed Swamp didn't seem to take very long for Fluttershy. It was a ways from Ponyville, to be sure, but it felt to her like she covered that distance in no time. And this was despite the fact that she wasn't used to flying long distances on her own power (that was really Rainbow Dash's thing).

Upon arriving in Hayseed Swamp, however, the animal loving pegasus' hopes were all but dashed as she took in her surroundings. All around her, there seemed to be nothing but abandoned huts built on wooden planks. The only sound that could be heard was the croaking of frogs and the buzzing of mosquitos.

Undeterred, Fluttershy pressed on. She hadn't come this far just to be defeated. She wasn't leaving without a cure for swamp fever. If nothing else, if she could just find where Mage Meadowbrook lived, maybe she could find out what the healer knew about swamp fever and how it might be cured.

Suddenly, the pegasus mare's cyan blue eyes spotted something up ahead. Tucked away into a corner of the swamp, far from any other dwellings, was a long and tall tree. And what luck, there was a door that had clearly been carved out of the tree's trunk. That meant somepony had to have lived there. The realization struck her all at once, as she remembered what else she had learned about this ancient healer mistaken for a great sorceress. "Yes! This has to be it! It's just like the illustrations of her home!" She said to herself and quickly raced up to the door!

Try as she might, however, the pegasus pony couldn't get the door to budge an inch. All she accomplished was expending a great deal of effort, growing steadily more exhausted in the process. She groaned and grit her teeth. "Alright, have it your way!" She said aloud as she stepped a ways back from the door. "If you're not going to open willingly, then I'll just have to break you down!" With eyes narrowed, she rushed up to the door and raised her hooves into the air, preparing to throw her entire might against the door to force it open!

Yet just before Fluttershy could make any sort of assault on the door, a gust of wind caused it to creak open ever so faintly. She had no time to react to this, however, and ended up rushing through the door as it swung open. She then tripped and stumbled, tumbling to the floor in dusty darkness. It took her a moment to rise back to her hooves and regain her senses. All around her, there seemed to be no light of any sort. And everything looked as if it had been abandoned for over a thousand years or so.

Then, out of the corner of her eyes, Fluttershy spotted something in a jar! Racing up to it, she recognized at once what it was: A small, white flower with pink petals that rested on a lillypad. There was no mistaking it, it was the very same type of flower that given Twilight swamp fever! "I was right!" She exclaimed in hopeful joy! "Meadowbrook was looking for a cure for swamp fever! But did she find it?"

As if answer to that question, there suddenly came the sound of audible rocking and squeaking. And the pegasus pony knew it hadn't come from her. She turned around fast, and to her horror she saw an ominous looking figure rocking back and forth on an old rocking chair! She wasn't alone inside this old tree after all! And that made her scream in fright!

The figure soon emerged from the shadows, revealing himself to be a short, stout earth pony stallion. He had a bright brown colored coat, eyes a dark bluish-violet, and a mane and tail that were a greenish-brown. He had a beard and a mustache that hung beneath his snout, and a cutie mark depicting two cattail reeds crossed over in an x while the sun hovered above them. He was wearing a brown top hat with two green leafs in place of a scarf, and a red bandana underneath it. "It's okay," He greeted his unexpected guest, speaking in an accent that indicated he was an inhabitant of the swamp village. "I didn't mean to scare ya," A somewhat nervous chuckle escaped his lips. "I tend to do that."

"Do what? Scare ponies or rock creepily in the dark?" Fluttershy questioned.

The stout stallion replied with a shrug. "Well, both I suppose," He lifted off his top hat and cleared his throat. "Name's Cattail. Pleased to meet ya, miss."

"Name's Fluttershy," Fluttershy answered. "And the feeling's mutual, Cattail. But uh, what are you doing in Mage Meadowbrook's home? I thought it was abandoned."

Cattail chuckled a bit. "Oh it is. Really, I'm just more of a caretaker for this place. I ain't really much of a cleaner, but from what I hear, my kin wasn't either. So I doubt they'd mind a few cobwebs in our ancestral home."

The pegasus pony's eyes went wide! "You're related to Mage Meadowbrook?!"

Cattail gave a firm nod. "Mm-hmm. Not directly, mind you. She never had any foals before her disappearance, too busy to ever settle down and start a family. But one of my cousins was her mom's sister, and that's as good a connection as any."

The animal loving pegasus struggled to keep herself from getting giddy and overwhelmed with excitement! "Oh my gosh! This is my lucky day! Not only did I find Mage Meadowbrook's home, I also found one of her descendants!"

The stout stallion replied as he put his top hat back atop his head. "Well, I reckon if you came all this way, you must be lookin' for a cure. Swamp fever, was it?"

Fluttershy gave a firm nod. "Yes. One of my friends caught it yesterday. I was told there wasn't a cure, or at least not one that was known."

Cattail put a hoof to his chin, contemplating. "Meadowbrook had a book of cures she apparently always traveled with. But when she disappeared, so did it," He then suggested. "But I know she was always known to always be writin' in her journal. She might have written about discoverin' a cure in there," He trotted over to a small bookshelf and pulled out a dull brown book covered with dust. "Here ya go." He said as he blew the dust off the cover and presented it to his guest.

Holding the journal carefully in her hooves, Fluttershy opened it up and started reading aloud from the first passage she saw. ""Today, my mom made me eat peas. Peas are yucky, I hate them.'" She blushed and quickly skimmed through the rest of the words before deciding. "I should probably skip that one. It's not like she found the cure as a foal. Nopony's that talented."

The stout stallion nervously chuckled. "Yeah. From what I gather, healin' was a family trade. She learned it from her mother, but not until after she got her cutie mark. And that took a while."

Fluttershy read a little further, spoting a passage that made her blush. "Oh my!" In spite of her better instincts, she read aloud. "'I met a colt in school today. He pulled my mane, so I put a frog on top of his head. Mother wasn't too happy about that.'" She gave off a nervous laugh. "I'll just... pretend I didn't see that. Probably was just a crush or something."

Cattail sheepishly replied. "Meadowbrook didn't have much schoolin' either. Sorry you had to read all that stuff. She had that journal for a really long time. Maybe skip ahead a little more."

The animal loving pegasus skimmed through several more pages of the journal, then at last she spotted something that caught her attention in a good way. "Wait, I think this is it," Clearing her throat, she began to read. "'Today, I tried again to brew an unsniffle elixir...'" And as she continued reading, it was like she was Mage Meadowbrook herself, reliving the events as they happened.

Mage Meadowbrook was an earth pony, not a unicorn. She had a pale light blue coat, bluish-green eyes, a pink and moderately light red mane and tail done up in swirls, and a cutie mark reflecting her desire to be as great as a healer as her mother. But it was covered up by a green skirt that she wore around her flanks. And around her head, she proudly wore a dull yellowish-white headban that came down to beneath her ears.

"-And I've finally got it right!" Mage Meadowbrook proudly proclaimed as she held up a spoon containing a green colored liquid brewed from a large pot inside her house. Her mother was watching her the whole time: She was an earth pony mare with a darker blue coat, orangish-yellow eyes, an amber brown mane and tail in a bushy style, a two toned purple skirt and matching purple head dress, and a pink head ban and scarf.

Of course, the real test of the concotion had to come from giving to an afflicited patient. In this case, it took the form of a squirrel that had a noticeably reddened nose. It sniffled loudly and sneezed. But as soon as it took one sip of Meadowbrook's brew, its stuffy red nose disappeared completely, and it breathed a sigh of relief.

Meadowbrook's mother had observed the whole thing, and her smile couldn't possibly have been bigger. "Meadowbrook," She said with pride as she presented a small box to her daughter. "I think it's time you had this."

The excited earth pony with a green skirt happily lifted up the lid of the box, and discovered a large mask roughly shaped like a bird. It had blue stripes alternating throughout it. She recognized at once what it was! "My very own healer's mask!" She looked to her mother and excitedly asked. "You really think I'm ready to be like you, Mother?!"

Meadowbrook's mother happily nodded. "Yes indeed, Meadowbrook. I've taught you all there is to teach you about being a healer. Now it's time for you to put everythin' I've taught you to good use. With you by my side, I'm confident we'll be able to find a cure for everythin'."

Seconds after saying that, however, Meadowbrook's mother was surprised to hear a knock at the door. She immediately went to go answer it, and upon opening the door she was greeted with a most unusual sight: There stood a bluish-gray coated earth pony mare with faded yellow eyes, and a grayish-white mane and tail that were in a very rough cut. She was wearing a tattered greenish-brown cloak over her body, which was covering in orange spots. And when she coughed, bubbles spewed out from her mouth.

Immediately, the elder earth pony was stricken with a sense of dread! One look on her face conveyed more than words that this ailment was quite serious. "What caused all this?!" She demanded of her patient. "How did you contract it?!"

The patient replied by producing a small, white, bulb like plant with pink petals. She couldn't speak a word because she was coughing so much, but it was clear that she was suggesting that the plant she held was responsible for her sudden affliction. To make matters worse, it seemed as if several other ponies had also come down with the illness, because all of them had the same orange spots and were coughing up bubbles every few seconds.

Meadowbrook quickly found herself pressed into service helping her mother try to figure out how to cure the disease that was spreading through Haysweed Swamp with alarming rapidness! "Mother calls it swamp fever. And we've found out that if a pony isn't cured, they eventually become the very trees on which the flowers that spread the disease grow. There's nothin' we can do once a pony reaches that stage. Once they're a tree, they're a tree forever. We've been tryin' to find a cure, but it hasn't been easy. That bulb we obtained refuses to give up its secrets, and we've tried just about everythin'."

Worse was to come for Mage Meadowbrook. Only a few days after she and her mother had first learned of swamp fever, and soon after they attempted an experiment in which they dropped a tiny potion of an elixir into the bulb, Meadowbrook's mother fell ill with the disease herself! And within three days, she was so sick that she couldn't even leave her bed, all the while the orange spots spread across her whole body and she constantly coughed up bubbles. With each passing day, the bubbles' colors dimmed, and the spots became darker and darker in shade.

Now things were truly taking a turn for the dire. Meadowbrook was the last pony in Hayseed Swamp who had not yet contracted swamp fever. "That fever spread like wildfire," She wrote in her journal. "I fear that if we don't find a cure soon, it'll be too late for our little village. There won't be a pony left, we'll all be nothin' but trees. And with Mother sick, I don't see how I'm gonna find a cure by myself. At least, that's what I thought. But then, today, I observed some local wildlife. And I noticed somethin'."

Sure enough, the earth pony mare with a dull light blue coat was watching the lillypads on which the bulbs responsible for the spread of swamp fever rested. She didn't dare go near them, least they emit their mist and infect her too. Yet to her surprise, she saw a bunch of yellow and blue striped bees with similar patterns to the ones on her healer's mask. They swooped down onto the lillypads, and were not affected in the least when the bulbs released their orange mist. "That's it, the flash bees!" She exclaimed as she ran off after them!

While following the flash bees, it seems Meadowbrook had explained why she had done so, because she had written in her journal later. "I realized that if the flash bees weren't affected by swamp fever, their honey could be the cure! I had to obtain some of it for myself! It was the only lead I had!"

Unfortunately, try as the earth pony mare might, she was unable to get close enough to the flash bee hive to take some of their honey. Whenever she got close, they would zap her with their natural electricity, and it stung! It even went so far as to temporarily char the sides of her flanks black, that's how powerful it was. "But those flash bees were so darn aggressive defendin' their hive, I didn't know how I was gonna get it. It was a miracle I found the answer when I did."

Indeed, Meadowbrook only just thought of the solution after several failed attempts to get the flash bees to give up their honey. "Here goes nothin'!" She said to herself as she stood on a branch nearby, holding up her mask as she did so.

Luckily, this time around, the young healer had much better look. And her hunch was right, the flash bee honey was indeed the cure. Once she had brewed some of it up and placed it into a vial, she gave it to her mother. And when her mother had consumed every last drop of the honey within, her spots disappeared and she stopped coughing. The color returned to her coat and she rose from her bed, smiling as she did so. "You did it, Meadowbrook! You have saved us all!" She proudly proclaimed! "There's no doubt about it! You'll be an even greater healer than I am now!"

And it wasn't long after that that Meadowbrook and her mother had obtained enough honey from the flash bees to cure every afflicted pony in the village. "So it was that today, I cured Mother..." She had begun to write in her journal, proud of her great accomplishment.

"...And the rest of the bayou!" Fluttershy read aloud as she reached the end. "It was the greatest feeling I've ever experienced, and I promise to dedicate my life to curing ponies all over Equestria!"

Cattail smiled. "And she did just that. Right up 'til she disappeared without a trace. It's good to know her legend still inspires ponies to this day."

Fluttershy nodded. "It most certainly does," Then she declared. "Now I just have to find those flash bees and convince them to give up their honey," She then gulped. "But it sounds like the flash bees won't do it even if I ask nicely," Flipping through the journal, she continued. "And it doesn't say what Meadowbrook did to convince them otherwise."

The stout stallion swallowed hard. "I reckon that information must've been in the cure book Meadowbrook took with her when she disappeared all those years ago. She probably never anticipated anythin' happenin' to her, so she never wrote it down anywhere else." Then he noticed a more troubling detail as he turned to Fluttershy, eyeing her with concern.

The animal loving pegasus pony was most surprised and confused by Cattail's sudden, strange behavior. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" She questioned. "Is my mane messy? I mean... I know I haven't slept in a while, but..." By chance, as she was speaking, she happened to spot a mirror. And when she observed how she looked, she nearly recoiled in shock and horror! The same orange spots that had appeared on Twilight were now appearing on her, and her coat color was already dimming! That meant only one thing! "Oh no!" She cried in dismay! "I've caught swamp fever!"

Cattail jumped back! "I was afraid you'd say that!" Yet he was most surprised when Fluttershy suddenly flew about the abandoned cottage, snatched up a mask that had sat neglected and forgotten on a shelf, and placed it over his face. "Is this really necessary?" He questioned as he lifted up the mask to speak.

Fluttershy immediately moved to force the mask back down! "Yes! I won't risk infecting you too!" She firmly insisted! "Now it's even more important I get that honey from the flash bees!"

The stout earth pony gulped. "I wouldn't recommend it, especially not in your state. Those flash bees are nasty creatures. Trust me, I speak from experience. I'm not sure what it is Meadowbrook did to win 'em over, and I ain't too keen on tryin' to find out."

The pegasus pony with pretty pink bangs refused to be persuaded. She trotted to the door while turning back to Cattail and saying to him. "You don't understand, Twilight is counting on me! I promised her I'd come back with the cure, and I'm not about to break that promise! I have to help her, just like Meadowbrook helped her mother and all those bayou ponies long ago!"

Cattail sighed. "Meadowbrook took care of herself too, I'm sure. You should rest, let me figure out how to get that honey."

Fluttershy just smirked, boasting. "Well, you don't know this about me, Dogtail..."

"It's Cattail." Cattail corrected.

The animal loving pegasus went on. "-I'm pretty good with animals. I've never met an animal yet I couldn't charm. Those flash bees will be no different," She then raced for the door! "You're not going to change my mind! Either help me, or get out of my way!"

The stout stallion could only groan and shake his head as he remarked. "For bein' sick, she sure is stubborn." And he reluctantly followed her as she headed out the door.

It was a very good thing that Cattail chose to follow Fluttershy in her frantic rush out of Meadowbrook's home and out into the wilderness near Hayseed Swamp. He hadn't gotten very far before he realized his unexpected guest didn't know which way to go. In just the short amount of time she had visibly displayed symptoms of swamp fever, she was already apparently starting to become disoriented.

"If you're lookin' for the flash bee hive, it's just up yonder," The stout stallion explained as he gestured a hoof to a tree off in the distance. Sure enough, it was possible to see vivid displays of static electricity, and the sound of loud and ominous buzzing. "You sure you wanna do this? I'll gladly take a few stings if it means gettin' some of that honey for ya."

Fluttershy immediately shot down the proposal. "No, Cattail! I've already gotten one friend in danger because of me, I won't risk it happening to you too!" She took a few deep breaths. "I can do this. I know animals."

Cattail gulped as he watched the pegasus pony slowly fly towards the hive. "I hope you know what you're doin." He remarked with concern.

Meanwhile, as the animal loving pegasus mare approached the hive, she attracted the attention of the flash bees. They swarmed towards her, buzzing angrily and refusing to let her come any closer. Undeterred, Fluttershy tried to talk to them. "O-oh, hello, flash bees!" She greeted. "I was hoping I could get some of your honey. I only need a little bit, it's for a friend."

The bees just buzzed loudly and angrily, and they did not part.

Fluttershy kept on pressing and pleading. "Oh! I see. You don't let others have any. Well, I'm sorry, but I really need it. You see, my friend is sick. And your honey is the only thing that can cure her. Please, you must understand."

Still the flash bees buzzed around, refusing to leave. They didn't appear to be moved at all by the pegasus' plea. One even zapped the pegasus just to make it clear how angry they still were with her.

With a yelp, the pegasus pony with pretty pink bangs squeaked! "Well, I didn't want it to have to come to this, but you leave me no choice. I'll just have to use: The Stare!" She glared harshly at the flash bees, unaware that in her sickly state she couldn't maintain it for very long. As a result, it had no effect on the flash bees. Worse was to come. The flash bees did not appreciate being subjected to The Stare, and they thus turned their full fury on Fluttershy. They buzzed around audibly and angrily, zapping and stinging her repeatedly.

Fluttershy, for her part, could only cough and sputter as she felt herself growing dizzy and lightheaded. "Oh... dear!" Was all she could force out, before all of her strength left her, and the pegasus pony plunged to the ground! Her entire world went dark.

How long Fluttershy was unconscious for, she could not tell. All she knew was that she awoke later within the confines of Meadowbrook's abandoned home. And there was Cattail standing at the foot of a bed in which she had been placed. His face conveyed more than words how anxious yet relieved he was to see her awake.

"W-where am I?" The animal loving pegasus pondered as she moved to sit up in the bed.

Cattail immediately tried to shoot down the attempt. "Easy, easy! You've been out for a very long time. I was startin' to worry you might never wake up. That was quite a fall ya took back there. I told ya, those flash bees don't mess around."

"No kidding," Fluttershy remarked. "I don't know why I can't get them to listen to me, or why my stare isn't working. I've never had this kind of problem before."

The stout stallion just sighed. "I wish I could help ya. But I've tried just about everythin': From disguises to..." He shuddered and shivered as he shut his eyes. "Things I won't even mention. I've been through a lot over the past day."

Upon hearing those words, the pegasus pony with pretty pink bangs gasped in horror! "What?! I've been asleep for over a day?!" And when she received a confirming nod, she questioned with concern! "What about Twilight! Have you heard anything from her?! Is she a pony?! Please, please tell me it's not too late!"

Cattail let out a long, sorrowful sigh. "Got word from Ponyville just before ya woke up. Apparently, your friend's started sproutin' leafs. Princess Celestia's been contacted but..." He trailed off, ultimately saying. "It's not lookin'. The end must be near, I reckon," And he apologized. "I'm sorry. Wish there were somethin' I could do to help. If Meadowbrook were here now, I reckon she'd know what to do. But I ain't her."

Almost immediately, a sense of urgency came over the still sickly pegasus pony. "No! It can't end like this!" She protested! "I won't break my promise to Twilight! There has to be a way to get that honey from the flash bees! There just has to be!" Then, suddenly, she noticed something out of the corner of her eyes. One of the flash bees was resting astop the yellow and blue striped mask with a beak. The very same mask that had once belonged to Mage Meadowbrook, but had been left behind after her disappearance. That sparked a realization. The answer came to her at once. "That's it!" She exclaimed as she sat up all the way! "I know how she did it! I know how Meadowbrook got the honey!"

There was no time to waste. Fluttershy had to get back to the flash bee hive right away!

Cattail, against his better judgement, brought his guest back to the flash bee hive. And he was most perplexed by her insistence on taking Meadowbrook's healer's mask with her.

Fluttershy explained her reasoning when she got near the hive. "This is how Meadowbrook got the honey from the flash bees! I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner."

"What? By throwin' a mask at them?" Cattail blinked in concern. "I wouldn't recommend that if I were you. "

Fluttershy shook her head from side to side. "I'm not gonna throw it, I'm gonna wear it," And she explained further. "The male bees aren't aggressive around the queen bee. And this mask has the same stripes as her," She then let out a sneeze, causing a bolt of electricity to shoot out from her mouth, nearly singing Cattail in the process! Her smyptoms were getting worse! If she didn't hurry, not would Twilight become a tree but so would the pegasus. "There's no time to waste! Mind over matter!" She insisted, as she slipped the mask onto her face and quickly scurried up the tree towards the hive!

Sure enough, when the flash bees drew close, they were drawn to the mask on Fluttershy's face. And as a result they did not retailiate the way they had last time. They seemed to believe the pegasus pony was their queen. They parted, and let her approach the hive, dipping a hoof into it.

Once the pegasus pony had gotten a generous helping of honey from the hive, she swooped back and lifted up her mask as she excitedly exclaimed! "It's working, Cattail! I've got the cure!"

The stout stallion blinked in amazement and disbelief. "I never thought of touchin' that mask. It just didn't seem right usin' somethin' that belonged to Meadowbrook."

"If she were here now, I have a feeling she'd understand," Fluttershy replied. "Now I've got to get back up there! I need to get enough honey to cure myself and Twilight! I just hope it's not too late."

And luckily for the animal loving pegasus, it was indeed not too late. Once she had been cured, she was able to race back to Ponyville in time to cure Twilight. Never were both ponies more relieved than when they saw the spots and branches on Twilight's body disappear. The cure had worked. Swamp fever had been defeated.

Afterwards, Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, even as she opted to remain in her bed for the time being. "Thank you, Fluttershy," She spoke slowly and sincerely. "If it wasn't for you, I'd surely be a tree by now."

"Don't thank me, Twilight," Fluttershy replied in a regretful tone of voice. "It's my fault you got sick in the first place."

The studious alicorn protested. "Fluttershy, I already said it's not your fault. It could've happened to anypony. What matters most is that you found the cure and all is well," Then she added. "And I hope you learned something from this ordeal."

The pegasus mare firmly nodded. "I most certainly did, Twilight. I certainly learned that if you don't take care of yourself, you won't be able to take care of anypony else. It never even occured to me that I might catch swamp fever too. And not resting probably made it worse, it meant I wasn't thinking clearly."

Twilight nodded back. "Well, at least it's all behind us now. And if swamp fever ever infects anyone else, we'll be ready for it and know how to cure it," Then she looked to the pegasus pony and asked her. "By the way, did you learn anything interesting about Mage Meadowbrook during your trip?"

A bright smile crept over Fluttershy's face. "Oh, I definitely did. Just wait 'til I tell you all about it. It'll blow your mind!"

Author's Note

This episode was both a low priority and a backburner for quite a long time. There were some things I knew I wanted to do differently, but the biggest thing holding me back until now was something I didn't realize until LittleshyFiM's Cinemare Sins video on this episode just recently. I realized that Twilight could easily use her magic to get the honey from the flash bees while Fluttershy was unconscious. And that meant I'd need to find a way to remove Twilight from at least that portion of the episode.

I ultimately decided it was best to have her be infected in place of Zecora, and have Zecora be the one who diagnoses Twilight with swamp fever. That way I could write Twilight out of the majority of the episode and preserve the stakes for the climax. Pacing is probably the biggest issue with the episode, namely when it's revealed that Fluttershy was unconscious for three days, and neither Twilight or Cattail tried to call for additional help. But there is also the problem with the episode sometimes opting not to treat swamp fever like a serious disease, even though they state that it has a fate worse than death. It's as if they feared that if they were too serious, the episode wouldn't work. And for something like this it was better to treat it seriously when the disease has a fate worse than death.

Spike being immune to swamp fever because he can't be infected by ponies is something that was established in the Friends Forever comic series, the issue in which he teamed up with Zecora to combat a mysterious plauge afflicting Ponyville. As for Mage Meadowbrook in the flashback, all I really needed to rectify was why she didn't write down how she obtained the cure for swamp fever. Obviously, it was done for the sake of the plot, but in-universe there is no stated reason for her to omit that vital information.

~~Stare Master~~
~~Pinkie Apple Pie~~
~~The Cutie Map, Parts 1 and 2~~
~~The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone~~
~~Hard to Say Anything (Bonus Chapter)~~
~~A Health of Information~~
Uprooted
The Royal Apologies (The Point of No Return)
The Big Mac Question (Bonus Chapter)

S9 E3: Uprooted (What If?)

For Silverstream and her friends, everything seemed to have happened at once. In the blink of an eye, everything had changed. They had been preparing to go their separate ways for the summer when they had received a suddon summons from the Tree of Harmony. The next thing they knew, they were captured by the monster known as Lord Tirek and held as prisoners within his phantom zone. Only upon his defeat and his demise were they set free. And only after all of that did they learn that the Tree of Harmony had been destroyed, reduced to a charred out stump by Lord Tirek after he had captured them.

But there was very little time to grieve, because Silverstream and her friends were soon told that they were going to be sent back to their respective nations as originally planned. "Your leaders won't be too happy if they find out I kept you here longer than was promised," Headmare Twilight had told them in no uncertain terms. "You can all stay the night at the School of Friendship. But first thing in the morning, you're all going back to your respective nations for the summer. My decision is final. I won't risk your safety yet again for the sake of Equestria. My friends and I can protect harmony just fine in your absence."

That night, sleep proved difficult for the six friends. Just like that, their adventures together were coming to an end. But even with all the uncertainty surrounding them, they still eventually managed to fall asleep. And once asleep, they began to dream. The dreams were all very unusual too.

Silverstream suddenly found herself in what appeared to be Ponyville, only to notice it seemed a lot darker and stormier than she remembered it being. Wind howled, lightning flashed, thunder clapped, and rain poured down from the skies! Could it be?!

The young hippogriff's worst fears were realized when, almost literally out of the blue, she saw Professor Rainbow Dash swoop down and land in front of her. She was clad in her Wonderbolts uniform, and appeared to look very desperate and concerned. "Silverstream, thank goodness!" She exclaimed! "The Wonderbolts need your help, and so do I! The Storm King has returned, you're the only one who can help us defeat him for good!"

"What?! Me?! I... I can't! I'm not ready!" Silverstream protested!

Rainbow Dash just tossed a uniform to Silverstream and helped her into it. "You're as ready as you'll ever be! Now come on! If we don't hurry, there won't be a Ponyville left to save!" And as quickly as she had appeared, she disappeared into the tempest.

Ocellus, meanwhile, was facing a predicament of her own. She found herself surrounded by books that seemed to be piling up all around her, growing taller and taller with each passing second! "W-what's going on?! What's happening?!" She gasped as she looked all around, searching in vain for a way out.

Then, standing atop a tall tower of books, who should appear but Headmare Twilight? And was it Ocellus' imagination, or did the headmare seem to have a disapproving scowl on her face? "You want to prove you're better than Chrysalis? That you're not here just to spy on me?" She sternly lectured as more books came down. "Well there's only one way to be sure, Ocellus. Prepare for your final exam!"

"Now?!" Ocellus exclaimed in disbelief! "Please, Headmare Twilight! I need time to study!"

Headmare Twilight only shook her head and remarked with disapproval. "I see. I guess I was wrong about you. And so was Thorax. You're a disappointment, and no better than Chrysalis."

"NO!" Ocellus cried out in horror as her body began to morph into Queen Chrysalis!

As luck would have it, Smolder wasn't too far away. But she was facing her own problem. She was once again glad in a long, flowing, sparkling blue dress and wearing pink eyeliner and lipstick. "What the-?!" She exclaimed as she tried to rip off the dress, only to find that it was somehow glued to her body and refused to come off. To make matters worse, all around her she could hear ponies laughing and jeering at her. It made her feel small, isolated and alone. Why was this happening to her?!

Gallus was also finding himself trapped in a situation that was rapidly detoriating. He was inside of a small cage that just barely held him, and it was hovering over flood waters that were rising rapidly! He banged repeatedly on the iron bars, trying in vain to break free! "Get me out of here! Quick! I can't swim!" He cried out!

At that same moment, Yona found herself falling through the sky with alarming rapidness! "Ahhhhhhhhh!" She screamed, flailing her hooves about in a vain attempt to stop or even slow her descent. But just as she was about to impact the ground, she felt something take hold of her by the legs. It was something sticky. Looking up, the yak saw to her dismay that she was trapped inside of a giant spider's nest, completely webbed up and unable to move! And there was the giant spider that had spun the web, advancing towards her slowly but surely!

And while all of this was unfolding, Sandbar found himself being hastily rushed to safety by two of his professors: Namely Applejack and Rarity. And neither of them would let him go even when he squirmed and tried to break free of their grasp. "It's not safe for you here anymore, sugarcube." Professor Applejack said to the colt.

Professor Rarity chimed in with her own sentiments. "Your friends will just have to fend for themselves. There's nothing more we can do for them. We must think about our own needs for the time being. You can always make more friends later."

"But I don't want to make more friends! I like the friends I have now!" Sandbar pleaded in protest! "Please, professorrs, you're making a mistake!" Then, suddenly, the realization dawned on him. "Wait a minute: This has all happened before!" And as he spoke those words, they echoed everywhere, being picked up by all of his friends.

Just as suddenly, their surroundings changed. The six creatures were set free from their nightmares, finding themselves standing on solid ground in a blank, white landscape that stretched on forever and ever.

"Okay, does someone wanna tell me what the heck is going on here?" Gallus snorted. "This is not my idea of a good time."

Ocellus could only shrug. "Your guess is as good as mine. But this is all starting to feel vaguely familiar."

Then, sure enough, who should appear before the six students but a sparkling, glowing form of their headmare? They knew at once who it really was. It was the spirit of the Tree of Harmony. But something was different, her form was shaking, as if it was struggling to maintain its presence. It opened its mouth to speak, and its voice was slow and stilted. "My friends," It whispered ominously to them. "I... need... you. My time... grows short." And just like that, it glowed brightly, flooding the vision of everyone present!

Inside their dormetries, the six students all woke with a start! All they knew was that they had been summoned by the Tree of Harmony once again. For what purpose, they did not know. But they were going to answer the call and help it out as best they could. In doing so, they were unknowingly going to reveal something their headmare had already begun to suspect.

The very next morning, all six students immediately made a beeline for their headmare's office. They had to speak to her right away!

To say that Twilight was surprised by the sudden arrival of her six most promising students would be an understatement. She hadn't even been planning to stay at the school now that classes were done for the summer. To have any of her students come rushing in so suddenly was something that had to be seen to be believed.

"Please, Headmare Twilight! Don't send us back! Let us stay!" The six students all pleaded at once, creating quite the cacophony in the process!

Trying her best to maintain her patience, the young alicorn raised up a hoof and motioned for the students to be quiet. "One at a time, please!" She instructed, and waited until silence fell over the room again. "That's better," She sighed in relief as she sat back in her office chair. "Now, what's this all about? What has gotten into you six?"

Surprisingly, it was Ocellus who was the first to speak up! "Headmare Twilight, the Tree of Harmony appeared to us last night in our dreams. It said it needed our help."

"A dream? Are you sure about this?" Twilight questioned. It sounded as if she believed her students, where they would've expected her to be rightfully skeptical.

"It was so weird! But it happened!" Silverstream desperately insisted! "One moment we were all experincing a nightmare, reliving our worst fears. It was just like when the tree tested us the first time. Then it stopped. And that's when we saw the Tree of Harmony. It looked just like you, but it was glowing!"

Sandbar chimed in. "Well, it was for a moment. But then it started to fade. It must be because Lord Tirek destroyed the Tree of Harmony. And now, it wants us to help it somehow."

For a moment, the alicorn princess was silent as she let the information sink in. It wouldn't be the first time strange and unusual events had happened to this group of six creatures. In the year she had known them, so much had unfolded that she never would've believed if you had told her about it before hoof. "You're all quite certain of this? That you saw the tree in your dreams, and that it looked like me?"

"Come on, headmare!" Gallus rudely remarked. "Would we make something like this up? Even if I wanted to stay here with you and the ponies, which I do by the way, I wouldn't make up a story like this."

Yona thrust her hooves onto the headmare's desk! "Headmare Twilight has to believe us! She has to! Yona not want to go back if Tree of Harmony say it need Yona and Yona's friends."

Twilight lifted her head slowly, blinking as she processed the information and gathered her thoughts. "If you're all sure of this, then perhaps I could let you all stay a little longer here in Equestria."

Smolder excitedly cheered when she heard the news! "Awesome! Thank you, headmare!"

The studious alicorn quickly protested. "I wasn't finished," She cleared her throat. "I could let you all stay. But only if your leaders are all okay with it. You'll have to convince them. They're the ones who let you come here in the first place. I don't want to get into any trouble with them, especially when some of them took a lot of convincing to allow you to be here."

Silverstream just smiled and started chirping. "Don't worry, headmare. We can take care of that, no problem! The Tree of Harmony reached out to us, which means it's up to us to help it out! We'll convince all our families and guardians to let us stay. You'll see!"

"Well, if you can get their permission, I'll let you all stay here for as long as it takes," The young princess agreed. "Which means that for now, we need to get you all down to the train station right away. The sooner you get back to your lands and speak to your elders, the sooner we can sort this whole thing out. I don't know how or why exactly the Tree of Harmony contacted you, but I'm sure that it must be important. The tree never spoke to anyone else."

So it was that the six students temporarily went their separate ways. Each of them went back to their respective nations, eager to talk to their families and/or designated guardians and explain to them in detail about why they had to be allowed to return to Equestria so soon. Even Sandbar had to go before his parents and ask for their permission. For his part, it took very little convincing. They had no reason to doubt their son, and having seen for themselves the friends he'd made they thought it was an encouraging sign that he wanted to be with them even after school let out.

As for the other students, they all had to perfrom specific tasks before they could convince their families and/or guardians to let them go back to Equestria. Their headmare had sent each of them home with a permission slip to be signed, but to get it signed they each had to do something significant.

For Smolder, it was only once she'd successfully proven herself by defeating every other dragon in the dragon lands a arm wrestling that Ember happily signed her permission slip.

Yona's task was a bit simpler, though by no means less difficult. She had to collect rugs hung out on racks, plow paths through thick layers of snow, and deliver pillows and blankets to yaks resting in their huts. Once she had done this, her parents agreed to sign her permission slip, and Yona eagerly raced away! She couldn't wait to meet up with her friends again!

Ocellus had to help pitch in and look after some of her younger cousins, who were only hatchlings. Luckily, it was easy to entertain them by giving them paper and colored pencils with which to doodle. And once that matter was taken care of, it was a piece of cake to get her permission slip signed by her parents.

And as for Silverstream, she took the liberty of setting up a series of hastily made sketches to explain to her parents and to her brother Terramar about why she had to go back. It took a lot of explaining on her part about what each sketch was supposed to represent. Still, her parents needed very little convincing afterwards. And the permission slip was signed with very little fanfare.

Meanwhile, Gallus found that all he really had to do to get his permission slip signed was go to Grandpa Gruff and start speaking. That did the trick. Grandpa Gruff was more than happy to do what Gallus asked of him if meant not having to listen to the young griffon prattle on at length about it.

So it was that, with permission slips signed and hearts full of hope, the students met back up in Ponyville within a day of having parted from one another. Now they just needed to figure out why the Tree of Harmony had summoned them, and what they could do to help it.

Once they were all together again, the friends wasted no time. They raced through Ponyville and into the Everfree Forest, recalling that the tree had once stood proud and strong in a gorge not far from the abandoned Castle of the Two Sisters. Despite knowing the dangers that still lurked in the forest even after it had been tamed and calmed down, they set off into it. And with luck, their journey through the forest passed unimpeded.

At last they reached the gorge where the tree had been. But that was when they were met with a stark reminder of the reality they were in. Whereas there had once stood a beautiful, shining tree, now stood only a blackened, burnt, and chared stump. Its remains were sitting there, forelorn and casting a gloomy shadow over the entire chasm. In just the few days it had been like this, it had deteriorated rapidly.

"Oh, I forgot the tree was like this," Silverstream commented as her happy mood faded. "It looks so sad now."

"And we were supposed to protect it," Ocellus remarked in an equally glum tone, looking down at the ground. "But we failed. The tree helped us, and yet we couldn't be there for it when it needed us the most."

Smolder somewhat hesitantly asked. "So... what? We came all this way out just to feel sorry for ourselves? The tree called out to us for a reason."

"Maybe it was just trying to say goodbye," Sandbar concluded. "Whatever magic it might have had must've disappeared when it was destroyed by Tirek."

Gallus growled, kicking at the dirt! "I hate feeling useless like this! This is just like when that no good Tirek trapped us in his phantom zone. There must be something we can do for the tree. There just has to be!"

"Yona want to ensure tree not scarifice itself for nothing," Yona spoke up. "Tree helped bring Yona and friends together. Tree special, like Yona and her friends."

Sandbar could only shake his head. "There's nothing more we can do for it now. It's gone, and it's never coming back. The pillars probably planted a seed for a new tree already," He turned and prepared to leave. "Whatever it is the tree still needed us for, I don't think we're gonna find it here. Maybe we should try somewhere else."

But it was then that Ocellus gasped as an idea came into her mind! "Wait a minute, that's it! This is the place! We're here to honor the tree's memory."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Gallus pondered. "It's nothing but a smoking ruin now."

Silverstream, however, excitedly and chiperly chimed in with her own sentiments! "I get it, Ocellus! We can build a memorial, a monument or something! Something that'll honor the tree's memory and what it stood for! That way, everyone who comes here after us will know what used to be here. It'll be the perfect way to ensure the tree scarifice is remembered."

"Now we're talking!" Smolder cheered as she briefly jumped into the air! "That sounds way better than just standing around, feeling sorry for ourselves."

Sandbar turned around slowly, eyeing his friends as they all seemed to suddenly find themselves on the same page. "You guys thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" He said to them as his eyes slowly drifted upward.

Gallus smiled, his grin slowly spreading from ear to ear. "Oh yeah, I think I do. This is gonna be fun!"

And all at once, the six friends shouted in unison! "We'll build a clubhouse!"

"Yeah, just like the one the Cutie Mark Crusaders have!" Sandbar proposed. "And I know the perfect place we can build it in: The Castle of the Two Sisters."

Ocellus' excited mood faded as the realization of the proposal sank in. "Wait, we're going to build it there? Not down here in the gorge where the tree used to be?"

"Why not?" The blue feathered griffon pointed out in an indifferent tone of voice. "We'd have more space to work with. And it's not like anypony's using that old castle anyway. We could turn it into a museum, and ponies will come from miles and miles away for the chance to have a guided tour."

"And we can erect sone kind of carving, a permanment memorial that'll be the envy of everyone who sees it!" The orange scaled dragon eagerly exclaimed!

"Ooh, and we'll use lots of bright and pretty colors too!" The pink feathered hippogriff chimed in. "Maybe we could even put up some of our own sketches about our memories, and add them to the castle hallways! They'll fit right in."

The light green changeling reluctantly and skeptically proposed. "W-well, as long as there's a place for ponies to reflect on what the tree meant to us, I guess that could work."

The earth pony colt with a sandy yellow coat then turned to the only member of the group who had yet to speak up about the proposal. "How about you, Yona? I'm okay with just building the clubhouse inside the castle. Doesn't really matter to me what we put into it. I'm thinking we just give everycreature a space to put their own things in."

"Sandbar not want to add anything?" The young yak questioned.

"Well, maybe a few poems about my thoughts," Sandbar confessed. "It's not like we have pictures we could place inside the castle. Feel like that would be better. And maybe we can all do a group picture when we're done so ponies remember who built it."

Hesitantly, Yona proposed. "Yona could... put up quilts about tree and hang them in castle. Professor Rarity have some spare threads Yona could borrow."

At that, Sandbar happily exclaimed! "Great! It looks like it's a deal! So let's stop talking and start building! After all:" He said with a wink. "Canterlot wasn't built in a day."

With a plan of action agreed upon, the friends all left the gorge and headed over the wooden rope bridge that led to the abandoned castle. It looked almost as forelorn and neglected as the tree's remaints, to say nothing of the fact that it seemed all but ready to collapse.

"What's the deal with this place?" Gallus remarked as he and his friends made their way inside the Castle of the Two Sisters. "Why's it abandoned? It's not like ponies to build something so magnificent and then just forget about it."

Ocellus pointed out. "Weren't any of you paying attention in our history classes that Headmare Twilight taught? This was the sight of the battle between Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon. This was the very spot where Princess Luna was banished to the moon for a thousand years. And it's where the Elements of Harmony rested until Headmare Twilight and her friends rediscovered them."

"I think Headmare Twilight and her friends were planning to fix up this place. They spent a lot of time here just before she got her new castle," Sandbar pointed out. "But afterwards, I think they unintentionally forgot about it. It's a shame, because I've heard stories that it's full of trap doors and slides, and used to be haunted."

"Haunted?!" Yona gulped.

Sandbar chuckled and waved a hoof. "Oh relax, those are just old pony's tales. There's no such thing as a haunted castle."

"But you've seen the Tree of Harmony speak to us and talk to us in dreams." Ocellus pointed out.

The earth pony colt replied with indifference. "Ah, that's different. The Tree of Harmony is magical, this castle isn't. Besides, the real magic's in us," He proudly boasted. "Don't forget, we helped Headmare Twilight and her friends save all of Equestria once. The tree asked us for help because it knows we're special. And by the time we're finished with this castle, all of Equestria will know that too."

"Assuming this castle holds up long enough to let us do anything," The griffon with blue feathers pointed out. "Are we sure this place is safe?"

"It's no more dangerous than anything else we've been in," Ocellus reluctantly commented. "And if we fix it up while we're converting it into a clubhouse, it should be safe for everypony."

Smolder unfolded her wings! "Great! Let's start planning out what's going to go where, then we'll get the supplies we need and get to work!" She quickly began flying all about the castle, admiring the detailed scenery and how spacious it seemed to be. "Wow! This castle is a lot bigger on the inside! I bet it'd be the perfect place to have a game of hide and go seek!" She exclaimed!

Silverstream's eyes were soon transfixed by something that she hadn't been expecting to see. As she was strolling through the castle at a lesiurely place, she suddenly saw what appeared to be an old, rusty pipe organ. "Oh my gosh! An organ?! This place has got everything!" She promptly placed a paw on the keys, and to her amazement the organ briefly came to life as she moved her paws across said keys. "I gotta find a way to make use of that! Live music will be just the thing to make this place even more magical!"

Ocellus, for her part, was fascinated by the tapestries. "Wow!" She exclaimed as she flew closer to look at them in detail. "These tapestries look like they haven't aged a day! What kind of magic makes that possible?!" She quickly decided. "That settles it. This place is the perfect spot for my reflection grotto. Maybe I'll even put in a small fountain."

Even Gallus, as cynical and skeptical as he usually was, had to admit that the old castle had a certain charm to it. In particular, he really liked the ramparts and the towers, both inside and out. "These will be excellent places to set up photo stands," He said to himself. "Ponies can come here and take pictures. Maybe we could even charge them for the privilege of taking them, in order to ensure this place stays open of course. It's not like we're running a charity, after all," Then he shook his head. "Huh, where did that thought come from?" He shrugged it off, quite unconcerned about it.

"See guys?" Sandbar happily exclaimed as he joined them in the castle's front courtyard. "Is this the best idea I've ever had or what?!"

"I gotta hoof it to you, Sandbar," Ocellus happily replied. "Choosing the Castle of the Two Sisters as the sight of our memorial to the tree is an excellent idea. It's practically right on top of where the tree used to be! It's the perfect place to tap into its magic."

"And I already know exactly where I'm gonna put up my monuement!" Smolder firmly insisted. "It's going right here, right in the courtyard. That way, it'll be the first thing ponies see when they walk in."

Gallus was quick to protest. "Hey, wait a minute! The courtyard's supposed to be where the tour groups meet up. Where else do you suppose we have them start off?"

Ocellus huffed. "Guided tours? Gallus, have you lost your mind?! This is supposed to be a private and quiet place. A place to honor the tree's memory, not to profit off of it."

The blue feathered griffon snorted and folded his claws across his chest. "Who said anything about profit? I just don't see the point of keeping it all to ourselves. The tree's memory will best be kept alive if we spread it to everyone. Other ponies and other creatures have to know how magical and important the tree is."

"We haven't even gotten a chance to decorate it yet," Silverstream spoke up. "This clubhouse needs to look as enchanting on the outside as it does on the inside. Otherwise, no one will bother to come around."

"The clubhouse was my idea!" Sandbar loudly protested! "And this place used to belong to some very important ponies! We all agreed to pick a part of the clubhouse to put our own things in. What does it matter if Gallus wants to give tours, or Smolder wants to erect a monument? Can't they all just go wherever as long as we build something together? I haven't even had time to think up what poems to put into my little corner. It's going to be down in the dungeons, where it's nice and cool."

"Yeah, sure, put your silly poems in the dungeons. Just keep your bright and shiny colors and your peace and quiet away from my stone monument!" The dragon with orange scales rudely remarked!

"And you keep your rock away from my tour meeting spot!" The blue feathered griffon growled! "You can put it wherever else you'd like, but the front courtyard is my designated area."

"We don't need tours or monuments!" The light green coated changeling protested. "We're supposed to honor the tree's memory, not glorify it or turn it into a tourist attraction."

The pink feathered hippogriff then spoke up. "If poems are going to be in the dungeons, and a rock is going to be in the courtyard, I don't know if I can arrange enough musical soundtracks to fit all those different locations. And I don't know if I have enough paints to reflect all those different things. Plus, I wanna have some paints left over for my own paintings. I wanna tell the tree's story my way, so everyone understands how important it is."

"We don't need to repaint the castle. We haven't even started building the clubhouse yet," The earth pony colt with a sandy yellow coat complained. "I'm starting to think we should just build our own memorials somewhere else. I'll build a clubhouse on my own!"

Just like that, it seemed as if the friends were apart to reject the idea that had seemed so promising. It looked as if each was about to try to do whatever they wanted with whatever parts of the castle they could lay claim to.

But it was at that very moment that Yona (who had remained uncharacteristically silent up to this point), spoke up and hollered at the top of her lungs! "STOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPP!" That made all her friends turn their attention to her. And when they did, they could see how visibly upset the young yak was. She seemed to be all but on the verge of tears.

"Yona, what's wrong?" Sandbar was the first to question.

Yona plucked up courage and protested. "Yona not like seeing friends fight! Fighting not the way to honor Tree of Harmony. Tree of Harmony brought us together, now friends threatening to drift apart, forever!"

"Yona, that's crazy talk!" Ocellus replied in disbelief. "We're having a disagreement, that's all. We'll still be friends when this is over. We all want to honor the Tree of Harmony. We just don't agree on the best way to do it."

The yak only stomped a hoof down and stood her ground. "This not what tree would want. Tree not want to see fight. Yona just want to make spirit of tree happy. But Yona not see how friends do it when they all try to do their own thing instead of working together."

That seemed to spark a realization within the five other creatures, who only a moment or so prior had been fighting and arguing amongst themselves. Now, suddenly, they all began to look and feel rather guilty. They'd been thinking about themselves, not about the tree. How had they lost track of what was most important?

"I hate to admit it, but you're right, Yona," Gallus glumly relented as he hung his head. "If we're all just thinking about how we want to honor the tree, we're not thinking about what made that tree so special in the first place, or why it reached out to us when it did. The Tree of Harmony meant a lot to us, and it meant a lot to Equestria."

"Yona believe that anything we build should honor that," Yona concluded. "But Yona want to do it with friends, and only if friends all agree to work together, not try to do their own thing."

After looking at each other for a bit, the five other creatures all found themselves agreeing. They needed to build a memorial, a mounement to the tree that reflected what had made it important and what they all remembered it for. It wasn't about them, it was about the Tree of Harmony and what it had stood for.

"Well..." Ocellus commented after a long contemplation. "I think Sandbar had kind of the right idea from the start: Building a clubhouse right here on the grounds of the Castle of the Two Sisters. But maybe we don't need the clubhouse. Maybe we just need to fix up this old castle and make it as good as new. Then it can be like a clubhouse to us, and a permanent memorial to the Tree of Harmony."

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Silverstream excitedly chirped! "Let's all come together and work together! Because together, we'll make this castle into the perfect memorial!"

It took the better half of at least a day, but the six students managed to clean up the castle grounds and start working on repairing and restoring it to its former glory. It was like they were picking up from where their professors had left off all those years ago. And working together helped them all to remember the good times they had shared with one another, the memories that would always be with them even when they could no longer stay in Equestria and be together. Their bonds were strong enough to survive the long distances. Theirs was a bond that would not be broken no matter what!

"Well guys," Sandbar sighed at last, wiping the sweat from his brows as he and his friends stared longingly at the setting sun. "I think we've done all we can do today. We should probably start heading back to the school so Headmare Twilight doesn't start worrying about us."

Ocellus frowned, observing the current state of the Castle of the Two Sisters. "But we're not even close to being done yet, Sandbar! It feels like we've only just scratched the surface."

With an excited smile, Smolder replied. "Hey, that just means we can come back tomorrow! And the next day. And the day after that. We can keep coming back as long as it takes to finish our little project. Maybe it'll even take us until the end of summer vacation to complete it. And that means we won't have to go back to our home lands before school starts up again."

"You think our leaders will let us?" Silverstream asked with hopeful optimism.

Gallus shrugged his claws. "I'm more worried about how we'll convince Headmare Twilight. She probably wasn't planning on us staying for more than a day. But I'm sure we'll find some way to get her to understand."

Yona, meanwhile, just fondly and happily proclaimed! "Yona just glad to be with friends again! When Yona with friends, Yona feel like she can do anything!"

Sandbar smiled and seemed to faintly blush as he stared at Yona. "I feel the same way, Yona. That's just what I like about you."

"What Sandbar say?" Yona asked, apparently not having overheard.

The earth pony colt quickly recovered, couging into a hoof. "O-oh, it's nothing," He turned to the others. "Now come on, let's get out of here. There's nothing more we can do today."

Just then, however, the ground began to shake and rumble quite omionusly! The vibrations forced the six friends to huddle close to the ground for safety!

"W-what's happening?!" Gallus exclaimed! "I-is it an earthquake?!"

Seconds later, there came a sudden, blinding flash that forced the six creatures to shut their eyes! They opened them up once they were certain the harsh light had faded. And when they did so, they could hardly believe the sight that greeted them!

There stood the Castle of the Two Sisters, looking almost as good as new. You could hardly have known a battle had taken place there, because it was bright and full of color, and whereas before there had been nothing there now stood a splendid roof with gleaming spires and towers. Tapestries depicting its former occupants flapped happily in the breeze, inside and out.

But it was what was standing right next to the castle that commanded attention. It was a tall, sparkling tree made of solid crystal. Its leafs were a dazzling, beautiful shade of pink. And within the tree itself was a large, splendid treehouse whose colors matched the trunk of the tree and its leafs perfectly. It rose high into the sky, apparently having sprouted from out of nowhere.

Hesitantly, the friends approached the treehouse, and once they got inside they were surprised to find the glowing form of the Tree of Harmony as it had appeared to them before. "Thank you, my friends," It said to them. "Though I am no longer part of this world, I can rest in peace knowing that you are here to carry on my legacy. Harmony is changing in Equestria, and with you six I am confident that the future is bright."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gallus questioned. "Are we going to have to fight more baddies like Chrysalis or Tirek?"

The glowing figure just vaguely replied. "It is not for me to say. I cannot foresee or predict what the future holds. But I do know that you are all meant to play a very big role in whatever comes next. You will be tested, there will be hardships ahead. But so long as you stay together and remember that spark that united you, I am confident you will triumph over evil and right wrongs." Then, just like that, it faded completely from view, almost as if it had never been there to begin with.

"Guess that means we'll have to tell Headmare Twilight how important we are to Equestria," Ocellus concluded. "I just hope she'll understand."

"I most certainly do, Ocellus," The familiar voice of Headmare Twilight called, prompting all of her students to spin around. They saw her standing at the entrance to the new treehouse, alongside her friends. And all of them had bright smiles on their faces, some even shedding tears of joy. "It's just as I suspected: You six represent the future of harmony. The tree has chosen you to lead the way for the next generation."

Silverstream gulped and swallowed hard. "Gosh, talk about a big responsibility. After all we've been through already, I'm not entirely sure we'll be up to it."

But Twilight beamed and nodded quite affirmatively. "You won't have to do it alone. Your professors and I will be there to guide you and support you as best we can. I don't foresee anything happening to us anytime soon. But I do know that, should we fail or fall, you six will be there to carry on our legacy and the legacy of all who've come before us."

A gasp escaped Ocellus' lips as she realized what the alicorn was talking about! "You mean the pillars?! The ones who planted the seed for the Tree of Harmony?!"

"Indeed I do, Ocellus," Twilight nodded once again. "This is going to be a very interesting time in Equestria: The past, the present, and the future of harmony are all together. And not a moment too soon. I have a feeling that it'll be up to each of us to defend Equestria. Chrysalis and Tirek were just the beginning, more dangers lie ahead."

Sandbar immediately vowed! "We won't let you down, Headmare Twilight!"

The studious alicorn smiled. "I know you won't. I couldn't be more proud of you six if I tried. I'm honored to have called you my students." And just like that, as the sun set, the realization settled in. The torch had been passed to a new generation. Equestria was going to change, as would the world around it.

Author's Note

Like many other bad or otherwise disappointing episodes in Season 9, this episode seems to largely be despised because of its wasted potential. Given the role the student/young six would play in "The Ending of the End" in ensuring Twilight's victory over the Legion of Doom, this episode originally seemed like it was poised to be a passing of the torch. And it instead turned into a very bad rehash of "Castle, Sweet Castle".

There's also details such as the Treehouse of Harmony replacing the Castle of the Two Sisters entirely, destroying a set piece of untapped lore and replacing it with a setpiece used solely for decoration and to sell a toy since in-universe it never plays a significant role in any episode (the few times we see it afterwards, it's just window dressing). And the fact that the student/young six all apparently ran off to see the tree without telling anyone where they were going, even though they already almost caused their leaders to go to war the last time they did that.

I decided the best idea for this episode would be to focus more on each member of the group wanting to decorate a different part of the castle, rather than them all trying to build their own separate memorials after Sandbar carts off the tree's remains all by himself. And I felt it was necessary to have that passing of the torch be more or less made official.

~~Stare Master~~
~~Pinkie Apple Pie~~
~~The Cutie Map, Parts 1 and 2~~
~~The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone~~
~~Hard to Say Anything (Bonus Chapter)~~
~~A Health of Information~~
~~Uprooted~~
The Royal Apologies (The Point of No Return)
The Big Mac Question (Bonus Chapter)

S9 E5: The Royal Apologies (The Point of No Return) (What If?)

Author's Note

After I rewrote the 2017 movie within my "What If?" universe earlier this year, a lot of people really started asking to see Twilight and Tempest's apologies to Queen Novo be fleshed out and explored more in depth. And so, I decided to write in this rewrite volume, taking the place of "The Point of No Return" even though I'd already rewritten it to be an Ocellus episode. Having given Ocellus her own episode back in my rewrite of "The Break Up Break Down", giving her her own episode no longer seemed as necessary now that she did have one. "Sweet and Smoky" was also a candidate for replacement, but having rewritten that episode to have Garble consider joining Grogar, that felt more important to the overall narrative of Season 9.

I know that this sort of episode probably never could've taken place in actual show canon, because they would've had to either lure back the movie voice actors or find suitable show replacements for Queen Novo and Tempest Shadow (ironic given that "Make Your Mark" and "Tell Your Tale" replaced the entire voice cast from "A New Generation" just a few years later). But this is what could be said to be a dream episode, as in something that if they could've done it just once it would've been cool to see.

I also have yodajax10 to thank for the idea to have a flashback within the flashback story, it being related to the headcanon of Princess Luna being Spike's dragonsitter. It is a headcanon I've already worked into a few other rewrites and rewrite volumes.

And as for Diamond Tiara, I should clarify that her being Twilight's student is an idea I ran with ever since my rewrite of "Celestial Advice", making it into a two parter. Around the time I started getting ready to write it, I saw a comment on Equestria Daily saying Diamond Tiara could've been Twilight's student in Season 7, and the idea stuck with me.

~~Stare Master~~
~~Pinkie Apple Pie~~
~~The Cutie Map, Parts 1 and 2~~
~~The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone~~
~~Hard to Say Anything (Bonus Chapter)~~
~~A Health of Information~~
~~Uprooted~~
~~The Royal Apologies (The Point of No Return)~~
The Big Mac Question (Bonus Chapter)

S9 E5: The Royal Apologies (The Point of No Return) (What If?)

Ever since turning over a new leaf, Diamond Tiara had been trying her hardest not to look back on who she used to be. She really wanted to keep moving forward, to be better than she had been during the years when she'd only ever thought of herself and had convinced herself that acting the way her mother told her to would bring her happiness.

And Diamond knew she had made a considerable amount of progress since that day. Sure, she wasn't perfect, sometimes she could still make mistakes. But she really felt like she was trying.

Even so, the headgear wearing filly could still sometimes feel downhearted and dismayed when presented with reminders of what she used to be like. Not everypony had so easily forgiven her. As Silver Spoon alone could attest, it took a lot more than an apology or two and a few acts of kindness to convince ponies that Diamond Tiara was in fact a changed pony (one that had changed for the better at that).

Today was one of those days as the earth pony filly with a dazzling magenta coat had her head hung low as she trotted up to the School of Friendship and made her way to the headmare's office. Being a student of the princess of friendship meant that Diamond had easy access to the alicorn whenever she wanted it (or needed it).

Without even bothering to knock on the office doors, Diamond Tiara trotted inside. If nothing else, a pep talk with the princess would take the filly's mind off her troubles.

So imagine Tiara's surprise when she found that Twilight was currently occupied talking with Silverstream, the hippogriff appearing to hang on every word her headmare said.

"So, do you understand now, Silverstream?" Twilight asked the pink feathered hippogriff. "It's okay to still be afraid of the Storm King sometimes, or to be afraid of other things. No one's brave all the time. What's important is that you don't let that fear control you or hold you back. Whenever you feel afraid or scared, talk to your friends or to someone you trust. And know that sometimes, even when it can be the most difficult thing to do, we must face our fears head on."

Silverstream nodded. "Thanks a ton, Headmare Twilight. I'm so lucky I get to talk to you all the time," She giggled and remarked. "I still remember how my Aunt Novo originally had to be convinced to even let you appear before her. Now, it's like the two of you never had that disagreement in the first place."

Twilight sheepishy blushed, her cheeks turning a shade of pink. "Well... time can ease most wounds. But it certainly took a lot of apologizing on my part before your aunt could trust me again. And I'm not the only pony who had to work hard to regain that trust."

"Ooh! I know, you're talking about that pony without a horn!" Silverstream excitedly exclaimed! "What was her name again? I think Cousin Skystar said something about her once, but I can't remember 'cause it's been so long."

The alicorn princess replied. "She was a different story, Silvertream. The things she did were a lot worse than me simply trying to steal a magical pearl."

Just then, Diamond Tiara opted to clear her throat, announcing to all that she was also in the room and that she wished to be noticed.

"Oh, Diamond Tiara," Twilight Sparkle blinked as she turned her attention to the headgear wearing filly. "What an unexpected surprise. I know you're not here for another lesson. You've been very good at keeping up with my lessons when we have scheduled them," She saw fit to question. "Did you get into another argument with your mother?"

Tiara looked down at the ground and hung her head in shame. "Unfortunately, yes. I've tried to give her space, like you said. Tried to hold out hope that maybe she can change the way I have. But it seems like she's too set in her ways. She keeps claiming that when I get to be her age, I'll understand. That's not the problem, though."

Hesitantly, the alicorn inquired. "Then what is?"

The earth pony filly with a lovely magenta coat let out a long, unhappy sigh. "Be honest, Princess Twilight. Do you think I really have changed?"

Twilight blinked in surprise. "What makes you think otherwise, Diamond? Everypony can see it for themselves, can't they?"

Diamond glumly confessed. "It's just... I was talking with Silver Spoon earlier. And it made me realize something: There's a lot of other ponies besides just the CMC that I wronged when I acted like a bully. I was a terrible, horrible pony. I do so many bad things that I can't even keep track of them all. I've tried to make amends as best I could but..." Her lips quivered in spite of her best efforts to the contrary. "Some ponies are still afraid of me. And I don't blame them. I was a bully for so long, it's hard for them to see me as anything else. Sure, lots of ponies will say I've changed. But what if they're wrong? What if I haven't really changed and deep down I've just been going through the motions because I felt sorry for myself?" She looked up to the princess. "How do you do it, Twilight? How do you convince not just other ponies but also yourself that you are a good pony?"

At that, Twilight Sparkle seemed to get an idea. "Well, Diamond Tiara, your timing actually couldn't be better. My talk with Silverstream here," She gestured to the hippogriff sitting in front of her desk. "Has reminded me of something very important that happened in my life not too long ago. And it's an experience that taught me a lot about what it means to truly forgive and be forgiven. By the time I'm done telling it, maybe you'll come to understand yourself just a little bit better." And so she prepared to begin her story, one that was directly related to Queen Novo, the hippogriffs, and a pony who had once helped bring the kingdom of Mount Aris to ruin.

Without hesitation, Twilight gathered her thoughts and began to speak. "Like all stories, I'll start at the beginning. Shortly after the Storm King was defeated, I found that the map in my castle had expanded."

"Oh, I remember that. Pinkie Pie started talking about it," Diamond Tiara spoke up. "Almost nothing stays secret for long with her, unless she wants it to stay secret."

"Yes. Well, anyway," Twilight continued as she began picturing the events in her head. "That led me to decide to create my own School of Friendship. The way I saw it: Instead of traveling to the ends of Equestria and beyond whenever there was a friendship problem, what if there was a way to bring friendship to the problems and stop them before they could start? And of course, what good would any school be if it didn't have students?"

Silverstream excitedly interrupted! "That's what led you to invite me, and all my friends! I remember my cousin Skystar really wanted to go, but my Aunt Novo said she was too old to attend. The first time I came back to Mount Aris and Seaquestria after the school opened, she insisted on having me tell her everything about it so that it was like she was there herself."

"You're so lucky to be able to attend a school like this," Diamond couldn't help but chime in as she looked to the hippogriff. "No offense to Miss. Cheerilee, but she just can't compete with something as amazing as this!"

The young alicorn then cleared her throat quite suddenly, attracting the attention of both the hippogriff and the earth pony filly. "I appreciate that you both have your own senitments and opinions about my school, but I'm the one telling the story. School may not be in session right now, but that doesn't mean I can keep you both all day. So please, try to keep the commentary to a minimum," She waited a moment for the silence to settle, then resumed. "You're quite right, Silverstream. Opening my school's doors to other creatures meant that inevitably I was drawn to your kingdom. Or kingdoms, I should say. But of the two, Mount Aris was the one that most commanded my attention when I visited it," Putting a hoof to her chin, she began to recall. "If I remember correctly, it wasn't even half a year after the Storm King's defeat that I came to Mount Aris. And what I say blew me away."

Just like that, the memories came flooding back to the alicorn. Memories of a time and an experience she would not soon forget.

"Wow!" Twilight happily exclaimed as she gazed out of the window of her train car. Just from her limited viewpoint, she could see that Mount Aris was much brighter and full of life compared to the hollowed out shell it had been when she had visited it with her friends. "I can't believe how fast they've turned everything around here! I probably won't even recognize the kingdom now!" And she turned to Spike, jokingly asking him. "Tell me, Spike. Are you sure we got on the right train? Because this doesn't look like the Mount Aris I know."

Spike sighed, folding up the newspaper he'd been reading. "Yes, Twilight, this is the place," And he couldn't help but remark. "I know you're nervous about meeting Queen Novo again for an official apology, but you need to relax."

The alicorn princess' happy mood faded, causing her to frown ever so slightly. "I can't help it, Spike. I did a terrible thing to Queen Novo while we were down in Seaquestria. I tricked her and used my friends as a distraction. I wish more than anything I could take it back," She hung her head in shame. "But I can't. I've had to live with that guilt."

The little dragon could only retort. "Well, you're not the only one who's living with that kind of guilt. And something tells me you're not going to be the only pony coming to apologize to Queen Novo."

"At least if she was here now, I'd feel just that little bit better about having go through it," Twilight admitted. "I wonder if she's as nervous as I am."

Spike shrugged his claws. "Your guess is as good as mine," And he then went on. "But let's not worry about that. We may be here to apologize to Queen Novo, but we're also here on official School of Friendship recruiting business. You insisted on being the one to talk to the hippogriffs and the seaponies, even though any one of your friends could've done it for you."

Stepping off the train, the studious alicorn swallowed hard. "This is something I have to do, Spike! I can't keep putting it off forever! If I keep waiting for a better time, a better time may never come. Like it or not, coming here means I can't run away from the issue. And when all is said and done, I just hope Queen Novo isn't the kind of creature who holds a grudge. From the way she talked about the Storm King," She shut her eyes and shuddered, remembering the conversation she'd had with the queen of both the seaponies and the hippogriffs. "It seems like she can hold on to bad feelings for a really long time, maybe even forever."

Waving a claw, the little dragon protested. "That's absurd, Twilight. You're part of the reason the Storm King is no more. Queen Novo would have to be a fool not to see that. Now come on: You already scheduled your apology, didn't you?"

Gulping ever so slightly, the princess nodded. "Yes."

"So, let's just pass the time until then taking in the sights. And while we're at it, maybe we can see if there's any hippogriffs who might be in need of what your school has to offer." Spike proposed. And just like that, he and Twilight left the train station and began to ascend the long, winding staircase that led up to the summit of Mount Aris. It was there that the newly refurbished kingdom of the hippogriffs resided, now bearing no signs that it had ever once been attacked and abandoned.

Pony and dragon eventually reached the outskirts of Mount Aris proper. And they were utterly astounded by how vibrant and full of life it was. Hippogriffs of all colors and sizes, from all walks of life were roaming about within the kingdom. Some were flying overhead, others were walking on their paws, and some were standing by stands or tents and talking to other hippogriffs.

Yet almost as soon as Twilight Sparkle had stepped hoof into their kingdom, every hippogriff stopped what they had been doing and turned to look at her.

For a moment, everything was silent. Then, as if the proverbial floodgates had been opened, every hippogriff there was seemed to be rushing towards her. "It's her, the slayer of the Storm King!" One male hippogriff could be heard exclaiming with great joy! "Thanks to her, our kingdoms can thrive again!"

Twilight had to fight back the urge to blush. Being showered with such affection would normally be nice, but right now it just made her feel awkward and uncomfortable. Had they all forgotten what she'd done in Seaquestria on her last visit?

Suddenly, a very familiar regal voice could be heard saying about the noise of the crowd. "So, you've come back after all, princess. I must admit, I had my doubts. But it seems you were indeed sincere about wanting to make amends." And sure enough, who should emerge from the crowd of hippogriffs but a tall, slender looking hippogriff wearing a golden crown? She had a coat white as snow, eyes a strong shade of magenta, and a mane and tail consisting of two shades of light to medium purple. There was no mistaking her identity: It was Queen Novo.

An awwed hush fell over the crowd as they all parted ways, allowing for their queen to approach the alicorn. Twilight, for her part, tried not to show outwardly how intimidated she was. She stood as firm as she could, even though every part of her body screamed at her to run away.

Queen Novo had a very stern expression upon her face, a very harsh glare that seemed almost judgemental. Even though it had been a few months since the incident in Seaquestria, it seemed that time had not altered her overall impression of the event. It was the sort of look that could easily kill if looks were capable of doing so.

Twilight and Novo spoke not a word as they sized each other up. The tension was so thick you could've cut it with a knife.

At last, it was Novo who spoke up, grabbing Twilight by the hoof and pulling her close. "Well, princess, it would be a shame for you not to see how far Mount Aris has come since you saw it last. And I'm quite curious as to why you have sought me out again so soon. Didn't I make it specifically clear that I would need time before I saw you again?"

Twilight Sparkle swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, your majesty. If circumstances weren't what they were, I wouldn't have come here just yet. But I knew I couldn't put this off any longer, because I couldn't get away with coming here and not seeing you," She bowed her head. "Whatever you decide to do to me as punishment, I will not run from it. I will accept it."

Queen Novo seemed to smile ever so faintly. "We can discuss that later in a more personal setting. I'd rather not make a public scene out of it, especially since you're not the only one who has come here to make amends."

A gasp escaped the alicorn princess' lips! "Tempest is here too?!"

"Yes," Queen Novo explained. "Much to my surprise: It would seem that my daughter is far more forgiving than I am, perhaps because she mostly remembers Tempest as a playmate rather than an intruder," She put a claw up to her face. "Sometimes, I really admire that free spirited nature of hers. But at times like these, it just gives me a headache."

"I'm sorry if this is a bad time," Twilight apologized and hesitated. "I could come back some other day. My visit here isn't urgent urgent."

The queen would hear nothing of such an argument. "Nonsense, Princess Twilight. You're here now. We've put this off long enough. One way or another, our... past disagreement must be resolved," And she led Twilight away. "But for right now, it's only fair for you to see how far we've come in so short an amount of time."

With the hippogriff queen leading the way, Twilight and Spike walked around Mount Aris, taking notice of spacious a kingdom it appeared to be. Lush, green hills stretched on all the way to the horizon, or so it seemed. Sea breezes whistled past huts and tents that looked to be as good as new. And all the ruined, abandoned structures from before had been demolished. You never would've guessed that the Storm King had attacked it, or that it had ever been abandoned.

"As you can clearly see, princess," Queen Novo explained to her guest. "We hippogriffs have rebuilt Mount Aris up to tis former glory. Our first step was demolishing all traces of the ruins the Storm King left in his destructive wake. We wish to move forward and not dwell on the past."

"I see." Was all Twilight could bring herself to say. She wanted to say more, but she couldn't work up the courage or the nerve.

"Did you really manage to rebuild everything so quickly?" Spike questioned as he looked around. "When Twilight and I were here last, it looked to us like Mount Aris had been abandoned for years."

Novo smiled. "Even I'm impressed by how quickly we were able to restore the kingdom of old. Aside from my still under repair palace, all of the structures in which my subjects and I dwelled needed very little work done before they could be made safe for living again. And once my subjects started living on the land once more, many of our previous traditions and customs returned: Including of course the annual 'Glad To Be a Hippogriff' festival," She gestured a paw to a flagpole nearby. "And our pride and joy: The Harmonizing Heights," Off in the distance, one could see a stone path that led to a set of secluded hills from which beautiful music seemed to echo. She also added. "And before you ask, yes, we fully restored our electricial and water lines. The latter especially was a top priority for us during the first few weeks up on Mount Aris."

The studious alicorn blinked and commented. "It's amazing you could all do this without magic. Back in Equestria, even with magic, it can sometimes take half a year or more for construction projects to be completed. I haven't seen a kingdom turn things around so quickly since Thorax became king of the changelings."

"Interesting," Novo couldn't help but remark. "We've only just begun making contact with the nations and kingdoms Equestria has allied itself with. We had no idea there existed such places as Yakyakistan or the dragon lands. Much has changed since we were forced to abandon Mount Aris years ago."

Spike chuckled a bit. "I guess time really does make all things possible."

The hippogriff queen nodded. "Indeed it does. And hopefully, this time Mount Aris will remain beautiful and peaceful forever," She briefly moved a paw over her heart. "If nothing else, it would be the best way to honor the memory of those who gave their lives to protect this land."

"I'm sorry." Twilight sincerely apologized.

Novo only shook her head from side to side. "Don't be. You weren't here when the Storm King attacked, you had nothing to do with my husband's decision to scarifice himself so that the rest of us could escape," She sighed. "And try as I might, I can't bring myself to hold it against Tempest either. She may have brought the Storm King to our very doorstep, but she took no part in the invasion itself. No doubt, the Storm King did so to punish her for failing to retrieve the Pearl of Transformation."

"Speaking of Tempest," The little dragon saw fit to reluctantly inquire. "Where is she right now? Is she up here on Mount Aris somewhere? Or is she down in Seaquestria?"

The queen coldly remarked. "The crimes she committted on behalf of the Storm King were crimes against Mount Aris, not Seaquestria. Therefore, I have her under heavy guard within the ruins of my old palace. I was just about to have a talk with her about her punishment, when I got word that you were here for an unannounced visit. So I saw fit to take care of both of my outstanding problems in one day."

The young alicorn could only sigh and sorrowful look at the ground while bowing to the hippogriff queen. "If it's come to that, your majesty, then I'm ready to discuss and debate with you about what sort of punishment you wish to inflict. I know it's not my place to advise you. And I know that nothing I say or do can make up for what Tempest did, or what I did. All I ask is that you think carefully about the matter."

"Oh believe me, I've had a lot of time to think about this," Queen Novo remarked in a very ominous, somber tone of voice. "Niceties are over with, princess. It's time we get to the heart of the matter."

And just like that, Twilight found herself being ushered away as several of Novo's hippogriff guards appeared and pushed her along at near spearpoint.

"Wait a minute, Princess Twilight!" Diamond Tiara spoke up, abruptly cancelling out the flashback. "Whatever it was that Queen Novo ended up doing to you and to... er... Tempest or whatever her name was, obviously she still gave permission for Silverstream," She gestured to the hippogriff seated next to her. "To come to your school. And didn't you say that Tempest took out an entire army of scale traders all on her own?"

The alicorn princess nodded, not the least bit upset about having her story interrupted for the time being. "I did, yes. Queen Novo may have had authority to punish us, but she couldn't have kept us prisoner or held us against our will. Princess Celestia would never have let her get away with it. She most certainly knows a thing or two about forgiving others."

"You're talking about how Princess Luna used to be Nightmare Moon, aren't you?" Diamond blinked. "But I thought that was all just an act, like she does every nightmare night. She wasn't actually banished to the moon for a thousand years just because she was jealous of Princess Celestia, right?"

"Wait, you can actually banish someone to the moon?!" Silverstream exclaimed in horror! "You'd never do that to me if I did something bad, would you, Headmare Twilight?!"

Twilight quickly moved to calm down the easily frightened hippogriff. "Of course not, Silverstream. And I couldn't even if I wanted to. The power to banish anyone to the moon is a power that only Princess Celestia and Princess Luna possess. It's not one that they wield lightly," Turning to the headgear wearing earthpony, she then explained. "And I'm afraid that all of what you just said is true, Diamond Tiara. Even if Nightmare Moon was a separate pony from Princess Luna, Princess Luna still chose to give herself over to the darkness and allowed Nightmare Moon to take control. We're still responsible for the actions others take if we give them the chance."

Tiara's ears fell flat against her face as the realization struck her. "Oh."

A smile crept onto the book loving alicorn's face as she continued. "But that's all in the past. Princess Luna came back, was purged of her darker self, and made amends with Princess Celestia. All's well. She has accepted her responsibility for her past mistakes, and has become a better pony as a result."

Spike began to smile too as he fondly recalled. "Yeah! Don't forget, she became my dragonsitter after that first Nightmare Night! And I couldn't be happier to know I have her watching over me."

"Wait, when did that happen?" Diamond asked. "I think I was out of town on that Nightmare Night. I only heard stories about it after the fact."

Suppressing a grin, Twilight explained. "It was just after Princess Luna had stopped posing as Nightmare Moon." And now her mind began flashing back to a very different set of events from the one she had been focusing on before.

Having returned the fake fangs she'd used as part of her "costume", Princess Luna had the biggest smile she had ever known upon her face. "Well, Twilight Sparkle," She said to the pony who was then just a unicorn. "Much as I have enjoyed myself on this Nightmare Night, I cannot stay any longer. My sister will surely be worried if I'm not back in time for the lowering of the moon. I've only been back for about a year now, no reason to start filling her head with terrible thoughts unnecessarily."

Twilight nodded to the alicorn princess with a dark blue coat. "Yes, we wouldn't want that. But I hope you'll come back to Ponyville before next Nightmare Night. I think there are many ponies would like to get to know you better now that they understand you're not really Nightmare Moon anymore."

The moon princess snickered a bit. "Indeed. Besides, I wouldn't want them to keep showering me with candy. I'll have to be careful not to eat too much of the candy stash I've already accquired."

"Yes," Twilight agreed. "Now if I can just get Spike to write down that friendship lesson for you to deliver..." But she trailed off as her wandering eyes noticed that the little dragon was nowhere in sight! "Oh no! Where did he go?!"

"Is something wrong, Twilight?" Luna asked upon noticing the unicorn mare's fast growing concern.

Hastily, the studious unicorn explained. "It's Spike... he's not here, and I thought he was. He must've wandered off somehow while I wasn't looking. He's like family to me," She frantically pleaded in desperation! "Please, you must help me look for him! There's a lot of dangerous things that lurk in the Everfree Forest, especially at night! I have to make sure he's not in any danger!"

The princess of the night quickly lifted a hoof, pulling Twilight close and looking firmly into her eyes. "You have my word, I will not hesitate to join the search party. Go and inform your friends so that they can join in too. The more ponies we have looking for him, the sooner we can find him."

"Great idea!" Twilight agreed and ran off to do just that! As she did so, however, she kept scanning her surroundings and calling out! "Spike?! Spike?! Spike, where are you?!"

"Amazing how she can have so much attachement to a creature she hatched unintentionally," Princess Luna thought to herself as she unfolded her wings and took to the skies, believing that it would be easier to spot Spike from above rather than by wondering aimlessly through the forest. "Perhaps I should ask my sister if she knows how that egg ended up in Twilight's test. There must be a fascinating story about it."

And quite soon, the alicorn mare with a beautiful dark blue coat spotted the very dragon she had been tasked with helping to locate. She swooped down towards him, finding him as he appeared to be stumbling and wandering near the forest's entrance, still wearing that dragon costume of his. As she got closer, she could see that he wasn't merely wandering, he was in fact sleep walking and appeared to be muttering to himself. "No! No! Please don't send me away, Twilight! It was just an accident, I swear! I won't hurt you again!"

Princess Luna knew the signs of a nightmare when she saw it. And she was grateful that she had managed to regain her ability to enter the dream realm and help others when they were struggling with nightmares. If only she had made better use of that power a thousand years ago. So she lit up her horn, casting its soft, blue glow. Within seconds and with her eyes glowing, she entered the dream realm. It took her only slightly longer to find Spike's dream and enter it. "Fear not, dragon youngling," She spoke in a warm, comforting tone. "This is but a dream. It will not come to pass."

A short time later, a very frantic Twilight had returned to the Golden Oak Library! She only intended to stay long enough to shed her Starswirl the Bearded costume before going back out to continue looking for Spike. But what she saw when she flicked on the lights made her change her mind.

There was Spike, still clothed in his dragon costume, and curled up entirely within the hooves of Princess Luna. His eyes were shut and he was snoozing happily, completely at peace and completely unharmed.

Seeing the sight made the book loving unicorn breathe a much needed sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness, he's okay," She whispered as she approached the heartwarming scene. "Where was he?"

"I found him sleepwalking near the forest's entrance," Princess Luna explained, taking care to keep her tone of voice low so as to avoid waking Spike. "He was suffering from a nightmare. Fortunately, I was able to purge it from his mind. But I was hoping I could stay the night here."

"Are you sure that's wise, Luna?" Twilight Sparkle questioned with concern. "Princess Celestia will worry if you're not back by morning."

The night princess reassured Twilight. "I'll inform my sister when I visit her dreams tonight. I am in no rush to return to Canterlot tonight, not with this young dragon I've taken such a strong liking to," She smiled, reflecting. "I've always felt more at peace around young ones, even though they are often the ones who miss out on most of what my night has to offer," Then, suddenly, she let out a light gasp and turned to the unicorn. "Say, Twilight, I've just had a brilliant idea."

The book loving unicorn mare questioned. "What is it, Princess Luna?"

The princess of the night sweetly and softly explained. "Would it be alright with you if I became Spike's dragonsitter on a go-to basis? He is very much still a child himself, his nightmares come from a place of deep concern and regret from what I can tell. But if you let me, I can stay and comfort him, and ensure he's safe and loved when he can't go with you on your journeys."

Twilight smiled. "I'll have to talk it over with Spike in the morning. But I'm sure he'll say yes." And so it would be arranged. From that night onward, Princess Luna was officially made Spike's dragonsitter.

"Wow!" Silverstream exclaimed with wide-eyed wonder as Twilight finished the explanation. "That's absolutely incredible! I never knew there was a princess who had power over dreams!" Even so, she happily stated. "But you'll always be the best princess in my heart, Headmare Twilight. If it wasn't for you, I would've never come to learn just how fascinating life on the surface really is, or made so many incredible friends I never could've made on my own."

"Don't thank me, thank your aunt," Twilight pointed out. "I obviously had to get her permission to let you attend. Even if you're not the heir to the throne, you are still technically royalty."

The pink feathered hippogriff giggled. "Hey, that's never stopped me! I don't care if others know that or not! All I care about is doing the best I can to make you and my Aunt Novo proud!"

Diamond Tiara, meanwhile, began to ask the alicorn princess. "So, how did your apology with Queen Novo play out exactly? Did you have to really beg her to forgive you? Even before I turned over a new leaf, I always thought begging was beneath me. The only time I even thought about doing it was when I tried to convince Mother to let me attend this school."

Twilight informed the filly. "I didn't have to beg, I can tell you that much. But Novo's forgiveness was anything but easy to earn. And keep in mind, this was all happening less than a year after the Storm King's defeat. If it had been happening just recently, after all the time that has passed, I think things could've gone a little bit more smoothly."

"Why? What did my Aunt Novo do to you?" Silverstream asked with renewed concern. "She didn't turn you into a newt or something, did she? I heard a rumor that she did to somecreature once, a long time ago."

The studious alicorn replied. "She didn't turn me into a newt, and she didn't do it to Tempest either," She put a hoof to her chin, recalling. "I was ultimately able to apologize to her, and the same was true for Tempest. I still can't believe it all played out the way it did. I really didn't plan for things to unfold the way they did." And just like that, she was once again picturing those events from a little over a year ago in her mind.

Compared to all the other buildings atop Mount Aris and within the hippogriffs' kingdom, the royal palace (or rather, what was left of it) was a drab, scorched, neglected, and ultimately forelorn mess of weathered pillars, missing bricks, and crumbling wood. The air was musty and dusty, and almost no natural light shone through it even though the sun was by now directly overhead.

"Don't worry, this place is safe. It's been stablized," Queen Novo reassured Twilight as she ushered the trembling alicorn princess into the palace courtyard. "As we speak, I'm having a brand new castle built to reflect the joint nature of my two kingdoms. Mount Aris and Seaquestria are two sides of the same coin."

The princess pondered aloud. "So if you're here, who's in charge of Seaquestria?"

"Technically, I run them both," Novo proudly boasted, before adding in a more serious and matter of fact tone. "But for emergencies where I can't be there, my sister serves as the queen. She almost never goes up to Mount Aris, except for special occasions. Meanwhile, my brother-in-law leads my armies up here on Mount Aris, and rarely goes down to Seaquestria."

"Is that why all of your subjects were wearing those funny necklaces?" Spike inquired, taking notice of a similar necklace that hung around the queen's neck.

Novo nodded, holding up the necklace and gesturing to the tiny silver object hanging from a chain. "Yes indeed: A bit of clever thinking on my part. I was able to break the Pearl of Transformation into small shards. With it, all my subjects can change back and forth at will. Some of them even go back and forth between the two kingdoms on the same day," Then she climbed up onto what appeared to be a worn out, tattered throne and sat down. "Now, enough beating around the bush. We both know why you've come here."

Twilight breathed deeply, kneeling and bowing before the queen as best she could. "I know there's nothing I can say and nothing I can do that can make up for how badly I misused your trust in me, your majesty." She began in a sorrowful, regretful tone of voice.

"That's putting it mildly." The queen coldly replied.

The alicorn princess swallowed hard and continued. "You said back at the Festival of Friendship that you wanted to be alone, to be allowed to rebuild your kingdoms in peace. I granted you that request."

Queen Novo humphed, shifting the paw on which her face rested while questioning quite bluntly. "Then why did you come back to see me so soon? It's only been about three months at best. And I find it hard to believe it's not coincidence that Tempest Shadow showed up here just a day before you did. It seems you're both intent on forcing the issue."

"Please, your majesty," Twilight firmly and desperately protested. "I have no control over Tempest's actions! I wasn't aware she was coming here! You can't keep her here against her will! If you do, you're as bad as the Storm King!"

Yet it was then that a regretful, somber toned voice spoke up from the distance. "Thank you, Princess Twilight, but I don't need you to fight my battles for me. This is what I deserve. I should be treated no less after all the pain and suffering I inflicted onto the hippogriffs." And sure enough, who should come trotting up on the scene but Tempest Shadow herself? She was still clad in that black full body armor that covered up her cutie mark, much to Twilight's shock and surprise!

"So, you still have the courage to show your face in my presence even after your surrender to me yesterday," Novo remarked in a noticeably bitter tone of voice. "I can't tell if you're really brave, or just really stubborn."

Twilight's eyes went wide in disbelief as she turned to the hornless unicorn now standing next to her! "Tempest, I can't believe you're doing this! I know you want to make amends as badly as I do, but this is not the way to achieve it!"

Tempest frowned and turned her head. "Spare me the prepared friendship speeches, Twilight. The magic of friendship can't help us here. We've both done wrong, and must accept whatever fate awaits us. That's the only way we can hope to atone for the mistakes of our past. Besides, if it hadn't been for me, you'd never have felt the need to lie to Queen Novo in the first place. You were only doing what you thought you had to do to protect Equestria," She looked down at the ground and in a low tone of voice she confessed. "I have no defense. I knew the Storm King's orders were wrong, but I followed them anyway. And innocent creatures paid the price."

The alicorn princess desperately pleaded! "Tempest, please! You can't dwell on the pain of the past! It won't change anything!"

"Maybe not, but at least it means I won't repeat those mistakes," The hornless unicorn said while refusing to raise her head. To Queen Novo she then declared. "Do whatever you want to me, I don't care. But let Princess Twilight go in peace."

"No, Tempest! I'm not leaving here until I've formally and properly apologized!" Twilight firmly insisted! "You didn't force me to do anything I didn't already decide to do! When I tried to steal the Pearl of Transformation, I was just as bad as you were. Both of us misplaced and misused the trust Queen Novo placed in us."

"So you admit it," Queen Novo remarked even as her tone of voice and overall expression did not change in the slightest. "To be honest, I've been thinking a lot since the Storm King's defeat. It's funny how it only takes one small thing to change your entire world," She paused for a considerable length of time, blinking only occasionally as the two ponies who had so wronged her stood there, hanging on her every word and waiting to hear what she would say next. "I was hoping to put this off a lot longer: Like a year or two. There's no easy answer I can come to. Everything I've considered comes with risks and drawbacks."

Twilight glumly apologized. "I'm sorry, I didn't know this was a bad time! I originally only wanted to come here to see about recruiting one of your younger subjects to be a student for my new School of Friendship. I'm planning to open it up in a few months to help teach other nations and other creatures more about the magic of friendship."

The queen's eyes went wide as she exclaimed! "So you didn't come here just because you wanted to apologize to me?!"

Nodding, the alicorn continued. "Yes. But I quickly realized that I wouldn't be able to do that without your permission. And if I was going to come all the way out here, then there was no way I could get away with not apologizing to you," She let out a sigh of regret. "Once again, it seems that I've visited you at a very bad time."

"Twilight." Spike commented with concern.

With a nervous, the book loving princess proclaimed. "It's funny: I've gotten so used to giving speeches about friendship and forgiveness. Lately, it's whenever I've been trying to defend forgiving someone that others say doesn't deserve to be forgiven. Never thought I'd end up on the other end of it, having to ask for forgiveness rather than granting it to someone else."

"Funny's not the word I'd use to describe it." Queen Novo protested with a slight snarl.

Twilight swallowed hard once again, forcing back a gulp. "What I keep coming back to in the end is that this situation is mostly out of my hooves," She looked Novo in the eyes very slowly. "If you still wish to punish Tempest and I for our actions, that's your right. However, I would like to point out that Tempest and I have, at the very least, shown remorse and regret for what we did. We know now how our actions hurt you and your subjects. Maybe we'll never be able to completely make up for what we did. Some hurts never truly go away."

Tempest wanted to speak up further, to say something herself about how she felt. But when she looked at the hippogriff queen, she found that the words wouldn't come out. It was as if she were intimidated into silence.

So it was that Twilight Sparkle was left to conclude as she slowly lifted her head. "But just because we can't change the past doesn't mean we can't change how we let it affect us. Dwelling too long on the past can be a bad thing, because it means we're not focused on the future that we can change. Maybe it's too much to ask you to forgive us right now. All I ask for is that you understand how much Tempest and I have been willing to atone for what we did."

Once Twilight had finished speaking, silence fell. No one said a word. And Novo, for her part, just eyed the two ponies before her with suspicion. She appeared to be deep in thought, though her face gave no indication of what she was thinking.

At last, the hippogriff queen opened her mouth. The words were slow to leave her lips. "I suppose...." There was a considerable pause. "You have a point, princess. I'd have to be a fool to pretend not to notice the lengths you and Tempest have gone to show how sorry you are. They do appear to be from a place of sincerity."

Hesitantly and against her better judgement, Tempest Shadow questioned. "So, does this mean you forgive us? There's no punishment you wish to inflict on us?"

"A publicly apology, perhaps. But Twilight is right," Queen Novon admitted and said with a smile. "It's not good to dwell forever on the past. Things have changed, you're not the same ponies you were the last time I saw you," She was quick to add. "If you ever betray my trust again though, I will never forgive you. So I hope, for your sakes, it never has to come to that."

Twilight gave a firm nod. "Don't worry, your majesty. We've learned our lesson. And thank you for being willing to grant us this second chance."

Stepping down from her throne, the hippogriff queen smiled again. "You don't have to thank me. I'm doing what I believe is best for all of my subjects," Then she approached the alicorn princess and asked her. "Now then, you wished to speak to me about letting one of my subjects be one of your students? I happen to know a hippogriff who would be the perfect candidate."

"And that is how I was able to obtain your Aunt Novo's permission to let you come here, Silverstream," Twilight explained as she finished her story. "And of course, it's also how Tempest Shadow was able to bury her troubled past and make amends."

Silverstream sat straight up, her eyes filled with wide eyed wonder. "Wow! That was such a great story, Headmare Twilight! Almost as good as all those history lectures you give that I totally was paying attention during."

The princess chuckled a bit. "You don't have to lie, Silverstream. Remember, honesty is an important part of friendship too. I admit that some of my lectures can get a little long and can seem a little boring. You're not the only student who's struggled with them. All the same, you're one of the best students I've ever known. You've taken to friendship like a duck takes to water."

Diamond Tiara then questioned. "But what does this all have to do with me, Princess Twilight? It was a good story, but I don't see how it helps me."

With a smile, Twilight turned her attention to the headgear wearing filly. "The point I was trying to make, Diamond Tiara, is that redemption and forgiveness are an ongoing process. Every day is a chance to better than who you were before, a chance to make a fresh start. But it's up to you to take advantage of those chances. In the end, you are the only one who allow yourself to change. Unless you're willing to take that first step, there's nothing anyone can do to get you to improve. You have to be willing to better yourself."

Diamond put a hoof to her chin, contemplating what the princess had said. "...I think I get it, sort of," She said sheepishly. "Even if I'll be reminded of who I used to be, I have to remember that I don't want to be that pony anymore. And as long as I think that, I can change."

"Exactly!" Twilight Sparkle beamed with pride. "I'm pleased to see that all my time spent giving you those friendship lessons has been paying off. I'm proud of how far you've come in so short an amount of time, Diamond Tiara. And I know you'll continue to impress me and everypony else as long as you continue to strive to better yourself."

With newfound confidence, Tiara leapt from the chair she had been sitting in! "I won't let you down, Princess Twilight! You'll see: I'll be the best I can be, and nothing and nopony can stop me from being my best self!" And with a look of firey determination in her eyes, she trotted out of the headmare's office, ready and eager to spend the rest of the day trying to be the very best that she could be!

Twilight watched the filly with a lovely magenta coat trot away and couldn't help but smile. "As long as you believe in yourself, Diamond Tiara, there's nothing you can't do. You'll go far, I'm sure of it!" She thought happily to herself.

S9 E23: The Big Mac Question (What If?) (Bonus Chapter)

An event of great significance was slated to begin at Sweet Apple Acres very soon. Big Macintosh was finally getting married to his special somepony: Cheerilee. It wasn't intended to be a very big and dramatic event, in contrast to Shining Armor and Cadence's royal wedding and even the wedding of Cranky and Matilda, the overall attendance was much smaller. Aside from a few close friends and honorary family members, the only guests at the wedding involved Mrs. Cake, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Spike, and even Discord.

Applejack was serving in the role of best mare (to the surprise of no one), and had gotten all dressed up for the occasion. Her outfit for the big day consisted of a mostly green, flowing dress with red trim for accents. Around her neck was a red heart shaped to look like an apple. She had even swaped out the stetson she usually used, replacing it with one that a few string lines to make it look more fancy. She couldn't be happier for her brother if she tried.

However, the farm mare was currently concerned with some details that had come to her attention about how the wedding had come to be, and what had transpired while she'd been working to get Sweet Apple Acres all set up for the occasion. Looking over the guests who had not yet taken their seats or otherwise assumed their place at the altar in the orchard that contained the intertwined apple/pear trees, she asked them in a serious but not necessarily harsh tone. "Let me just start by sayin' that I'm not mad with any of y'all," She said to them while speaking slowly. "Let me repeat that: I'm not mad with any of y'all."

That helped to defuse the tensions just a little bit, putting the ponies, dragon, and lord of chaos at ease. They now knew this wasn't an interrogation.

Applejack cleared her throat. "However, that doesn't mean I don't have a ton of questions about what the hay y'all got up tryin' to make this weddin' happen," She looked over the group. "So, who wants to be the first to explain themselves so that I can start piecin' it all together?"

Spike opted to speak up first, sighing a little as he did so. "I just wanted everything to be perfect. I mean, this was a big deal. But when Discord insists on being involved... well, I guess you have to expect chaos. But even I didn't think he'd mess up as badly as I did."

Discord saw fit to protest with the most annoyed expression upon his face. "Regardless of what Spike might say, that not so little dragon begged me to help. And let me tell you, he can cause plenty of chaos all on his purple scaled lonesome. Besides, it's not like I meant for any of this to happen. Even I'm allowed to mess up every once in a while, right? Right?!"

Mrs. Cake spoke up next, sounding and looking rather guilty as she did so. "I pride myself on baking under pressure, but I just... Oh, dear... Guess this is what I get for trying to juggle so many responsibilities all at once."

Scootaloo then remarked. "We were only trying to help. We never meant for things to get so out of control."

Apple Bloom added with a nervous laugh. "It's funny. You'd think we would be used to stuff like this in Ponyville."

And Sweetie Belle shuddered. "I still have nightmares about it. It's kind of a long story."

Applejack could only sigh. "Well, the weddin' won't be startin' for a little while still. Reckon I've got time to hear a shortened version of it." Yet even she could not have imagined the story she was about to hear.

So it was that, with Applejack listening, Spike opted to tell his story first. "It all seemed so simple when it started. Just a proposal, nothing more." And just like that, he was flashing back to where everything had begun. It had only been a day or two ago, when he'd visited Big Macintosh at Sweet Appe Acres.

Having called Spike over, Big Mac opened up a box and proudly presented a huge diamond ring that sparkled and glistened in the sunlight!

"It's... beautiful!" Spike exclaimed with wide eyed wonder! In spite of his better instincts, he found himself unable to keep from dooling.

Big Macintosh quickly closed the box and put the diamond ring away while scolding. "Nope!"

The dragon with light purple scales and green spines groaned. "Aw, come on! I'm not gonna eat it, I swear!"

Just then, who should show up from literally out of nowhere but Discord himself? "Eat what?" He questioned, completely unaware of the conversation or its context. He soon saw the box, and with his curiosity piqued he asked. "Hey, what is it?! I want to see it!"

But the earth pony stallion with a bright red coat protested. "Nope!" And he held the box shut, refusing to open it back up.

The wity draconequus groaned in annoyance and frustration. "What? Why not?"

"Because you can't keep a secret. You have a big mouth," Spike protested with narrowed eyes. "And Big Mac clearly wants this to be a surprise."

Discord quickly took offense to Spike's suggestion. "And who says I can't keep a secret? I keep tons of secrets! Like Fluttershy's secret fear of clowns. Or that time I caught Twilight sleep-trotting through town. Oh! And did you know that Octavia once went on a date with Bulk Biceps?" He chuckled to himself. "Talk about an odd couple. I heard that-" But then he realized what he had said and done, proving Spike right. "Oh, all right," He said with a sigh and groan. "Point taken. I guess I'm too much of a chatterbox for my own good. But I can learn how to keep a secret. Isn't that what friends do: Help each other learn?" He snapped his talons, summoning up various costumes as he proclaimed. "But we're pals, right? Comrades. Amigos."

Reluctantly, Big Macintosh relented, sensing that Discord wouldn't be satisfied until he saw what was inside the little box. So after looking all around to make sure the coast was clear, he lifted up the lid and once again showed off the diamond ring he had purchased.

When the reformed chaos maker saw the huge diamond in the diamond ring, even he could not believe the majesty of the sight! "You mean Big Mac's FINALLY going to propose to Cheerilee?!" He exclaimed as his voice echoed everywhere in spite of himself.

Spike rolled his eyes in disbelief and put a claw to his face. "Nice going, Discord. Now half of Ponyville probably knows about it."

All Discord could do in response was blush. "Oopsie!" He hurridly clamped a paw over his mouth, literally zipping it shut for the time being.

"So, yeah, we were the first ones to find out," Spike explained to Applejack in the present. "I guess it never occurred to us that we should maybe tell you."

Applejack shrugged her hooves. "Hey, you guys were just tryin' to help him out. I would've found out eventually regardless of whether you told me or not," Then she asked. "So, how did things go with the proposal? What did you do that caused such a ruckus?"

The not so little dragon insisted. "Well, Big Mac asked Discord and I to help out with his proposal. And of course I said yes. I'm not just a good friend, I'm the most romantic dragon I know."

Discord, meanwhile, let out an impatient sigh. "It really is a curse having infinite powers. Everypony is always asking you to move a couch or help with a proposal. I didn't even want to do it, really. But when my paw was forced, what other choice did I have?" And he started thinking about how everything had quickly escalated and gotten out of control despite what he and Spike had been tasked with doing.

With the secret no longer a secret, Spike had quickly begun trying to press Big Macintosh for more information. "Alright, spill it, Big Mac! And don't leave anything out, tell us every little detail! What's your plan?!"

But Discord groaned and let out a drawn out sigh of protest. "Ugh. Do we really have to hear all the little details? Is that a 'friend' thing? Some of us have places we'd like to be and things we'd like to get done today."

Undeterred, the stallion with a beautiful red coat agreed. "Eeyup," He waited as Discord snapped his talons and sat down in a chair that had just been summoned up, then explained. "I still don't really talk much. So instead of just showin' up and givin' her the ring, I wanna show Cheerilee how committed I am. And I can't do it alone," He cleared his throat as he trotted over to a wooden bench he had built. "First I..."

Spike interrupted, appearing to guess what Big Mac was doing. "-You're building a picnic table just like the benches in the school yard," Looking over it and taking notice of what was on top of said table, he added. "And you're setting up a romantic meal overlooking Sweet Apple Acres?"

"Eeyup." Big Mac proudly proclaimed with a smile.

The wity draconequus eyed Spike with suspicion. "Hey, how did you know what he was going to say? Did you read the script or something?" He briefly conjured up a scroll, then made it disappear after throwing it at Spike.

The dragon with green spines snorted. "Don't be silly, Discord. I'm not a mind reader. If you were a helpless romantic like I am, you'd recognize that that was the only logical choice. You do have a brain in that head of yours, right?"

"Of course I do." Discord grumpily remarked and folded his arms in protest.

The earth pony stallion, meanwhile, cleared his throat as he continued. "Well, that's just one part of it. I know it's silly, but I want my proposal to really mean somethin'. So I'm also-" He began to trot over to a large barrel.

Spike flew over to the barrel, eyed it, and pulled out an apple inside of it as he seemed to realize. "-Painting apples to leave around Ponyville with little riddles tied to the stem that will lead her up here to meet you for a picnic lunch?"

"Eeyup!" Big Macintosh declared as his smile grew wider and brighter.

"Seriously?! I don't see why that's all necessary," The reformed chaos maker complained. "You've been dating her for quite a while, haven't you? What, you afraid you'll mess it up somehow if you don't go all out for her?! I could easily just teleport her up here for you."

The winged dragon flew up to Discord's face and told him off. "Then you'd ruin the mood! Don't you know anything about romance? Elaborate proposals are part of what makes love so special."

Again, Big Macintosh said. "Eeyup," Then he cleared his throat once again. "So now I-"

But the wity spirit interrupted with his own insistence. "-I know! You need a giant rhino named Dolores who can knit a romantic sweater for two!" And he promptly conjured up just such a creature, who knitted what seemed to be a perfect sweater. It even had crudely drawn images of Big Mac and Cheerilee inside of a heart.

Big Mac could only shake his head. " Uhhh... nope."

Unhappily, Discord made the giant rhino disappear with a snap of his talons.

Spike then pointed out. "He needs food for the picnic. That was a gimme," He turned to the stallion and immediately vowed. "Okay, Big Mac. You finish your table, I'll pick up whatever you need to eat, and Discord will put all the apples in place."

"What? I will?" The draconequus blinked in surprise.

"Eeyup! Thanks for volunteerin'!" Big Macintosh smiled, and then set to work on building the picnic table. It was already almost finished, it just needed a few more planks of wood added to it and for said planks to be painted.

Spike then turned to Discord, quickly pressing the draconequus. "Come on! Big Mac's counting on us, and we're not going to let him down!"

Relcutantly, the reformed spirit of chaos snapped his talons, making himself, Spike, and the apples with the messages inside them disappear.

"We went straight to where we thought Cheerilee would usually be," Spike explained to Applejack in the present, pausing his recollections for the moment. "I got the hard job. All Discord had to do was place the apples."

Discord grumpily remarked while gesturing to Spike. "Oh of course, you volunteered me for the job knowing that I'd feel guilty if I backed out. It's not my fault Cheerilee was so distracted. If she'd just noticed the first apple, everything would've been just fine."

That prompted Mrs. Cake to shoot both Spike and Discord a most unusual expression, conveying that she knew something neither of them did. But for the moment at least, she opted to remain silent and let the two guys continue telling their side of the story first.

"So, after you guys went to the school house, what did you do next?" The stetson wearing earth pony questioned.

Spike put a claw to his chin. "Well..." And he resumed his reflection, remembering how the events had unfolded from there.

Discord had teleported himself and Spike right outside of the Ponyville schoolhouse. It was a day where class was not in session. But even when that wasn't the case, Cheerilee still sometimes stayed there.

"You sure she's here, Spike?" The wity draconequus questioned while shooing away a bunch of noisy farm animals that he'd accidentally teleported along.

The dragon with wings nodded. "Yeah. There may not be classes today, but Cheerilee always comes for at least half the day in those cases so she can work on her lesson plans and catch up on grading tests. It's amazing she still finds time for other things like seeing concerts or going on picnic dates with Big Mac," He then turned to the chaos maker. "Are the apples okay? You didn't bruise any of them, did you?"

"Of course not!" The spirit of chaos complained as he pulled one out and read aloud the message printed on the little paper strip inside of it. "'From the school house here, look for your next clue. Red, delicious, sweet like you. Find it; you'll know what to do. At the end, a special treat shall be your gift. Meanwhile, these riddles will test your wit.'" He frowned, narrowly resisting the urge to crumple up the piece of paper. "He really should stick to bucking apples. Even I could write better poetry than that."

Spike just rolled his eyes. "Stop whining, Discord. It's supposed to be romantic, it doesn't have to be the best poetry ever. What matters is that Cheerilee loves it."

The chaos maker frowned. "At least when I did this, it was part of a game."

"This is no game! This is serious! We're talking about true love!" The winged dragon protested and scolded as he turned to leave. "Look, I'll go get the food. Sugarcube Corner shouldn't be too busy at this time of day, and Pinkie and the Cakes should have everything under control. You just focus on placing the apples. Think you can handle that by the time I get back? Or does the Lord of Chaos think that such a simple task is too much for him?"

Discord literally rolled his eyes for a moment and groaned. "Quit trying to get under my fur. I'm only doing this for Big Mac's sake, so please don't make me regret it." He hurridly snapped his talons and made all the apples disappear with a poof.

Nervously, Spike questioned. "Are you sure you put them all in the right spots?"

Annoyed by the dragon's constant pressing and prodding, the spirit of chaos bitterly insisted. "Those terrible riddles on the apples were very clear on their locations. I'm sure that they were placed properly," When Spike shot him an annoyed, skeptical look, the draconequus somewhat nervously added. "I-I-I think. Maybe. Does it really matter as long as she gets where she's supposed to go in the end?" Still, Spike continued to look at him, further unnerving Discord and making him finally agree. "Oh, okay, fine! I'll double-check."

Just as the lord of chaos was about to do so, however, the school house door suddenly swung open. And out strolled Cheerilee, who had the most carefree and unsuspecting expression upon her face. In fact, she was so happy go lucky that she paid no attention at all to her surroundings. As such, she completely missed the apple that was resting in a neat little basket on a fence by the school yard. She trotted right past it without noticing it, and went on her way unaware of Spike and Discord's presence nearby.

No sooner had Cheerilee disappeared from sight then did Spike and Discord approach the apple that had been left out for her to find. "I don't believe it! She didn't see the apple!" He exclaimed and broke out into a nervous sweat! "What are we gonna do now?! If she doesn't find that apple, the whole plan's ruined!"

The crafty draconequus swiftly proposed. "Well, we could just give it to her."

Spike immediately rejected the idea. "Are you dense?! That's not romantic! She needs to discover it! It's all part of the plan!" And he pointed to his temporary partner. "Do I have to explain everything?! You need to make her see it, no matter what it takes!"

Discord had to resist the urge to groan again, even as he complained. "Oh, don't be such a drama dragon. You know qhat I'm capable of. If I can steal the Elements of Harmony right from under Celestia's nose, make it rain chocolate milk from cotton candy clouds, and bring an Ogres & Oubliettes game to life, I can certainly make a pony see an apple," He snapped his talons and lifted up the apple, dangling it from a string. "You leave Cheerilee to me. Go get the food, like you said you were going to."

The not so little dragon sighed in dismay, but reluctantly agreed and set off for Sugarcube Corner. "Does he have to make everything so complicated?" He thought to himself as he walked away in a rather grumpy mood.

Suspecting that nothing was out of the ordinary and believing that Discord more or less had things under control on his end, Spike made his way across town to Sugarcube Corner. Strangely enough, as he did so he happened to see Cheerilee trotting away with an exceptionally bright smile on her face. He found that odd, but had very little time to dwell upon it as he saw a very frantic looking Pinkie Pie was not only working the counter but also tending to customers that seemed to have taken up every able table within the bakery!

The pink party pony was rushing to and fro in a blur, alternating between ringing up orders at the counter and delivering various baked goods to tables as soon as they came out of the kitchen! Even for a pony like her, it seemed as if this juggling act was very overwhelming!

Spike quickly came up to the counter, just as Pinkie came back to it for a brief moment. "Hey, Spike!" She called in a hurriedy fashion. "Sorry, can't talk, very busy right now! It's lunch rush time!" And she then zoomed away to pick up some pies and pasetries that had emerged from the kitchen during the brief time she was talking to the dragon!

"It's alright, I'm just ordering some food for a friend. It's a pick-up order." The dragon explained.

Pinkie Pie just proclaimed as she kept up her frantic pace! "Can't take any orders right now, talk to Mrs. Cake!"

So the winged dragon did just that, making his way into the kitchen where he found a rather frazzled Mrs. Cake stirring a bowl filled with some kind of batter, all the while she had a pot on the stove and something cooking in the oven as the timer dinged, signaling that the object in the oven was ready to be taken out.

"What is it?!" Mrs. Cake asked when she briefly laid eyes on Spike, before turning her attention to the oven and pulling out what looked like a very hastily made cake. "I'm afraid I'm very busy at the moment, as you can see!"

"What is going on here?!" Spike questioned as he observed his surroundings, taking notice of chaotic everything seemed to be in the kitchen. "This isn't like you, Mrs. Cake! You're always so well organized."

The plump baker sighed. "I'm filling an important order. Carrot took the twins to go shopping, and Pinkie's managing the store. I didn't expect all these baked goods to take so long to make. But they had to be just right." She gestured a hoof to some pies, a few cupcakes, and various apple themed baked goods that were all set off to the side on a counter. All the while, she kept stirring her batter.

The dragon quickly offered. "Well, how about I take some of those off your hooves? That way I'll have time to tell you about an important order I need you to fill."

Mrs. Cake refused to let Spike even touch the baked goods on the counter, swatting away his claw with a wooden spoon. "No! The pony who ordered them is coming by later to pick them up! It's for a very important occasion."

Spike blinked his green eyes in surprise as he listed off the number of baked goods one by one. "All of them? There's... one, two, three, four—"

"-Twenty one!" The earth pony baker interrupted in a harsh tone of voice. "And yes, all of them!"

The winged dragon was rendered near speechless by the admission. "But who even needs all these baked goods anyway?"

Mrs. Cake shook her head from side to side and nervously insisted! "I can't tell you! It's a secret! You'll just have to come back later!'

"But later won't work! It has to be now!" The dragon with light purple scales and green spines furiously and stubbornly insisted.

Mrs. Cake immediately pressed him on that. "Why?"

And Spike only replied by saying. "I can't tell you. It's a secret."

The plump baker just groaned and mumbled something under her breath. Whatever it was that had caused her to bake all those apple themed treats, it was clearly putting a lot of pressure on her. And with Spike refusing to explain what he needed her to make for him, it only made things that much worse.

Meanwhile, the winged dragon sampled some of the nearby desserts, and gagged at how badly they tasted! "Ugh! Man, did somepony else bake these?"

"No. Why?" Mrs. Cake nervously asked as she spun around, suddenly looking very concerned.

Perhaps realizing what the baker earth pony was implying by such a question, the dragon sheepishly and hesitantly answered. "Uh... no reason."

As all of that was going on, Discord had followed Cheerilee as the now off-duty teacher was wandering around Ponyville with seemingly no destination in mind. She even stopped at the flower stand, apparently interested in buying flowers all of a sudden.

Sensing that he might not get a better opportunity, Discord not so secretly lowered the apple on a string as he tried to dangle it in front of Cheerilee and make her notice it.

But Cheerilee didn't. Instead, she tossed over a few bits to pay for the flowers and then went on her way again.

The chaos maker groaned in annoyance as he set the apple down. He had to resist the urge to tear out the hairs on his head due to how frustrated he was becoming with the whole ordeal! "Ugh! Why do these ponies always insist on making everything so difficult with them?! All I want is to help a friend with a silly proposal!" Then, looking at the apple, he got an idea. "You know what: If she's too busy to read all these horribly written clues, then maybe you should just tell her yourself."

And that's exactly what the draconequus did as he snapped his talons, causing the apple to sprout legs and a mouth. It began to chitter audibly in the process. He quickly did the same thing to the other apples, all of which started to chitter at the exact same time. Ponies who were nearby and witnessing the display did not know what to make of it.

Satisfied with his work, the witty spirit of chaos snapped his talons again and dawned a green military uniform, complete with a hat that gold stars resting atop it, and a bubble pipe hanging from his mouth. He pulled down a large banner from out of nowhere and instructed to the newly sentient apples in a gruff tone of voice. "Alright, you apples, listen and listen good! Each of you has a job to do! Take a look at your stems!"

The apples did so without hesitation. And they all seemed to react the same way, chittering and groaning in protest before they started to complain.

Discord only replied. "I know, I know. I don't like it either, men. Regardless, your messages must be delivered. Failure is not an option!" And he tapped a wooden staff against the banner while declaring. 'Now all of you spread out! Go to your assigned destinations, deliver your messages, and make me proud!" Then with a sharp, sudden whistle he declared. "Dismissed!" And once the apples started chattering, he snapped his talons once more and sent them on their way. Satisfied with his work, he sat down to rest and said to himself with a content sigh. "You're really lucky to have me as a friend, Big Mac. What would you do without me?"

"Ah, so that explains the commotion I was hearing while trying to help Mrs. Cake," Spike realized as he looked across to Discord, once again pausing his reflecting and recollection in the process. "Of course you'd try to take the easy way out. Maybe we should've swapped roles."

Discord just grumbled and huffed. "If you were in my position, dealing with the same frustrations and setbacks that I was dealing with, you'd be just as annoyed as I was. I didn't even want to help Big Mac, but I did it anyway because I was told that's what friends do."

"Enough, you two," Applejack spoke up, quieting down an argument before it could start. "I think I got a pretty clear picture of what happened now. Or at least half of it."

Discord then grinned. "Oh, but you would not believe what happened next! Even I couldn't have planned it to unfold the way it did."

And Spike, for his part, looked down at the ground in shame as he started to recall. "Yeah, it wasn't exactly my finest moment. I was only trying to help," He sheepishly added while twiddling his claws. "It just... didn't quite work out that way." And he once more began to remembering memories from just the other day.

Mrs. Cake had finally managed to set down that bowl of batter she was stirring and mixing. And that gave her time to focus on a few other things that were more immediate in concern. "Everything going okay out there, Pinkie?!" She hollered out from the kitchen.

Pinkie Pie briefly stuck her head into the kitchen and replied. "Yes, Mrs. Cake. Everything's under control. You just keep baking those treats for Che..." But she quickly stopped herself when Mrs. Cake shot her a look that (to Spike at least) seemed strange. "-Er, never mind." And she went back to tending to the counter and to the costumers at the tables.

As for the plump baker, she just sighed and put a hoof to her forehead. "I really bit off more than I could chew with this one. Still, at least now I'm finally making progress. Just a few more apple treats, and then I'll be all caught up."

Spike, meanwhile, got an idea as he turned his attention to the bowl of batter he'd seen Mrs. Cake set down on the counter next to the other treats. He grabbed the bowel, eyeing it carefully. "If you won't let me take any of those finished treats away, the least you can do is let me help you bake. I cook for Twilight all the time. Heck, I even gave her a few lessons. And between you and me," He said with a knowing wink. "She really needed them."

The plump earth pony mare with a cobalt blue coat insisted with a huff. "I don't need help! I can do this!"

Not one way to just take no for an answer, the winged dragon simply concentrated on the bowl. "You most certainly do. A little dragon fire will cook whatever you pour this batter into," He hurridly poured it into a nearby pan. "Watch!"

"NO! DON'T!" Mrs. Cake hollered in horror! But it was too late!

Taking a deep breath, the green spined dragon spewed flames out of his mouth and directly over the pan. It worked a little too well: The heat caused the batter to cook all the way through until it had turned into a charred, black, hard as rock like substance. Smoke billowed up from it. "Oops." He realized with a slow blink, wiping the soot from his brows.

The plump baker only groaned in annoyance and frustration. "And I thought burnt cupcakes during Diamond Tiara's cute-ceañera was the worst thing ever."

Just then, both pony and dragon heard the sound of panicked screams coming from outside! Without hesitation, they dropped everything they had been doing and ran outside to see what was the matter! They soon saw that the disturbance was the result of sentient apples on legs, all of them running back and forth while chasing after various ponies and all but shouting at them.

One of the apples could be heard shouting at a pony who was just passing by. "Hurry hurry, there's no need to sneak!"

And another apple a little farther away was causing a cream coated earth pony and a sea green coated unicorn (who had just finished a proposal of their own to scream), running away as the apple chased after them and said. "The next apple is at Carousel Boutique."

A third apple off in the distance was spooking several ponies all at once as it hollered. "At Twilight's castle, take a right! The next apple sits in plain sight!"

"What in the wide world of Equestria is going on?!" Mrs. Cake exclaimed in disbelief!

Spike groaned, he already knew who was likely to blame for this turn of events. "Discord." He grumbled and groaned.

Sure enough, Discord appeared but a second later, floating on a cloud and drinking a smoothie through a straw. "Oh!" He exclaimed when he saw Spike, removing the straw from his lips in the process. "Are you finally finished? I've been done for a while. You sure took your sweet time."

Just then, two of the apples happened to run into each other. And as they did so, they grew bigger and their voices became much lower in pitch.

With Spike and Mrs. Cake eyeing him, the draconequus admitted. "You know, thinking back, I probably could have been clearer which pony to deliver the messages to."

"You think?" Spike sarcastically quipped.

Having been confronted and exposed for how little thought he'd put into his plan, the witty draconequus snapped his talons and made all the talking apples disappear. "There, happy?" He humphed as he stood up and got down from his cloud. "It's not my fault apples are so bad at taking directions. They couldn't even stay in one place. Now if they were bananas, this wouldn't have happened. Bananas are so much better at listening." He briefly held one up to his ears to demonstrate that fact.

As luck would have it, Cheerilee happened to come trotting by seconds later. And when she saw the carnage and the chaos that had been caused in Discord's wake, she could only blink her eyes in disbelief. Things had not been like this earlier. "What happened here?" She questioned, completely unaware of Spike and Discord watching her from afar.

The winged dragon was utterly astounded and in disbelief about Cheerilee's presence. "Seriously? All those apples running around, and she still didn't see the poem to go to the hilltop?"

"Honestly, you should be thanking me. Not seeing the poem is a blessing if you think about it." The chaos maker insisted as he snapped his talons again, conjuring up a blindfold that he put over Cheerilee's face before teleporting her to the top of the hill near Sweet Apple Acres (along with himself, Spike, and Mrs. Cake).

"What are you doing?!" Spike snapped as he looked at Discord! "You're gonna ruin everything! It's too soon!"

And at that very moment, Big Macintosh happened to spot his friends off in the distance. He was most surprised to see them again so soon. "Spike?" He blinked as he trotted over.

The not so little dragon gave off a nervous laugh and flew in front of Cheerilee, trying to block her from Big Mac's view. "O-oh! Uh, hey there, Big Mac. Heh. I bet you're wondering what—"

But Big Mac interrupted as he happened to see a still blindfolded Cheerilee come trotting out from behind Spike (completely unaware of where she was). "Cheerilee?!" He exclaimed in shock! He had most certainly not been expecting to see her so soon or in such a state as she currently was.

"Big Mac?" Cheerilee questioned. For the moment, it didn't occur to her to take off her blindfold since she was still trying to process everything that was happening to her.

The earth pony stallion then growled at Discord and accusingly shouted! "Discord!"

And Discord replied by shouting out! "Mrs. Cake!"

"Huh? What did I do?" Mrs. Cake remarked, surprised by the sudden accusation.

The chaos maker innocently insisted. "Nothing. I just thought we were all saying each other's names. But I guess we're not playing that game after all."

Spike just unhappily sighed as he watched Cheerilee reach up a hoof to remove her blindfold, now suddenly finding herself on a hilltop overlooking Ponyville. "Great, the surprise is ruined," He complained, before shrugging his claws. "Oh well, at least it can't get any worse."

The lord of chaos rather omionusly warned the winged dragon. "As the Lord of Chaos, I'd advise against saying things like that. Things can always get worse."

As if to prove Discord right, at that very moment the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Granny Smith started running past, and all of them were screaming at the top of their lungs!

"It's comin'! Save yourselves!" Granny Smith hollered as she continued to run!

Before anyone had a chance to ask for more details, the ground began to shake. The vibrations grew louder and more intense by the second. At last, with a thunderous boom, emerging over some trees was a gigantic, sentient apple! "Cheerilee!" It roared, its mouth appearing to have some kind of pie stuck in it!

Cheerilee, upon seeing the huge apple, did the only thing she could think to do in her situation: She screamed and ran off as fast as her legs could carry her!

And Big Macintosh, Spike, and Discord could only look at themselves and wonder how it had come to this. Not only was Big Mac's secret proposal ruined, but now Cheerilee was so frightened it seemed she might not be in a mood to let Big Mac propose to her at all.

"Even if it worked out in the end," Spike confessed to Applejack as the flashback ended. "At that moment, it looked like everything had gone wrong. Guess maybe it's not entirely Discord's fault. I was just trying to help Mrs. Cake, when I should've been keeping a better eye on Discord."

Discord looked down at the ground in something akin to shame. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel bad about the chaos I caused. I really did want to help," He looked across to Spike. "And it seems I wasn't the only one who ran into trouble. Is this how it always is with you ponies? You make the simplest of things so needlessly complicated?"

The winged dragon, meanwhile, pondered aloud. "The one thing I still don't get is what the heck was up with that pie in the giant apple's mouth."

At that point, Mrs. Cake spoke up and confessed. "I must apologize. Big Mac wasn't the only one who had a secret proposal he was working on. Cheerilee asked me to help her confess to him," She sighed in regret. "Of course I said yes. How was I to know Big Mac already had a proposal of his own ready to go?"

"Hey, don't forget about us!" Apple Bloom remarked, drawing all attention towards her and her fellow Crusaders. "We played a part in this too. And we most certainly didn't mean for things to get so out of hoof," She gave off a nervous laugh. "We have a bit of a reputation for gettin' carried away."

Sweetie Belle added with an innocent smile. "Especially when romance is involved. We're definitely not matchmakers, even if we've had a few successes."

Scootaloo then insisted. "But we were just helping Miss. Cheerilee with her plan. She asked us specifically. And... well... we tried our best."

Applejack now turned her attention to Mrs. Cake and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Alright, time to hear your half of the story. What exactly did y'all get yourselves into?"

The bow wearing earth pony filly put a hoof to her chin as she started to recall. "It all started when Miss. Cheerilee called us to the school house. And that's when she told us about how she planned to propose to Big Mac." Just like that, it was her turn to start flashing back to the events that had taken place only a day or two prior.

When the Cutie Mark Crusaders had arrived at the school house on that day, they were quickly ushered inside by Cheerilee. Whatever it was she wanted to talk to them about, she clearly wanted it to be a secret.

Apple Bloom was extremely giddy and full of excitement when Cheerilee revealed what the reasons behind the abrupt summons was! The currently off-duty teacher was finally ready to propose to Big Macintosh! "Oh my gosh! I can't wait to welcome ya into the family, Miss. Cheerilee," She smiled, before blushing. "Guess I'll have to get used to callin' ya just Cheerilee, instead of Miss. Cheerilee. That's gonna be so weird."

Cheerilee gingerly patted Apple Bloom on the forehead. "We'll all have to adjust, Apple Bloom. But that's okay. You'll be an excellent sister-in-law. You and your fellow Crusaders have been among my most talent students. I still owe you a lot of thanks for helping Diamond Tiara turn over a new leaf."

Scootaloo waved a hoof, playing it off like it was no big deal. "Hey, it's what we do," And she added. "We're so happy for you, Miss. Cheerilee!"

"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle excitedly proclaimed! "And we're glad you want us to help," Then she questioned. "But are you sure you want us to? The last time we tried to help you with your love life, it... didn't go so well."

"Girls, I've long since forgiven you for the love poison incident," Cheerilee sincerely replied. "And you've matured a lot since then. Which is exactly why I could use your help now."

The farm filly adjusted her bow and smiled. "Whatever you need us to do, we'll do it! So, what's the plan?"

"I've already got almost everything set up," The earth pony mare explained. "I remember how distraught Big Mac was when his pie for Sugar Belle got sent back because the ink label got all smudged. He really wanted to help Sugar Belle and Party Favor celebrate their first Hearts and Hooves Day together. So I decided to try my hoof af the concept myself. Except instead of just a pie, I'm gonna have a whole bunch of apple flavored desserts. And I've even written a little message to go with them, since I know he's still a stallion of very few words." She giggled as she said the last line with a knowing wink, then showing off the message that she had written onto a piece of paper.

Scootaloo examined the piece of paper and read the message aloud. ""I love you, Big Mac. Do you want to-spend the rest of our lives together? I hope that you say 'Eeyup'."

Sweetie smiled brightly, "Aw, that's so sweet."

Cheerilee nodded. "Almost as sweet as the pie I made," She carefully gave the aforementioned treat to the Crusaders. "It's a good thing Mrs. Cake is willing to give baking lessons. Without her help, I could've never gotten this pie to turn out so perfectly," She then added. "Now you girls go right to Sweet Apple Acres and give this to Big Mac. When you do, tell him to meet me back here at the school house by sun down. I'm going to pick up some flowers, and order the rest of the treats from Sugarcube Corner."

The bow wearing earth pony filly gave a firm salute while watching as Sweetie Belle carefully held the pie aloft with her magic. "We won't let ya down, Miss. Cheerilee! The Cutie Mark Crusaders never disappoint!" Then she and her fellow Crusaders raced for the school house door.

When the door was opened, however, Cheerilee happened to spot Spike and Discord off in the distance. And they seemed to be arguing about something. Gasping, she hastily shut the door and whispered to the CMC! "This could be a problem: Spike and Discord are outside. If they figure out what we're up to, they'll spill the beans to Big Mac! And I want this to be a surprise!"

Sweetie Belle, however, eyed the two through one of the school house windows and commented. "I don't think they suspect anything. If they ask, we'll just say the pie is for us."

Scootaloo even went so far as to remark. "Why would they even suspect we're up to anything?"

But Apple Bloom protested! "We can't take any chances! We gotta draw their attention, somehow."

Luckily, the earth pony mare with a dark reddish-violet coat had an idea. "I'll go first," She whispered to the CMC. "Then while they're busy looking at me, you girls slip away and go find Big Mac." And then, with a smile on her face, she set out to do just that. As a result, she passed right by Discord without even noticing the apple he had left for her.

The Crusaders, meanwhile, went out the school house door and then snuck around the back way before setting off for Sweet Apple Acres. Little did they know what was about to unfold in Ponyville.

"Ah, so that's why I didn't see you girls!" Discord realized, momentarily interrupting the flashback. "Very clever on your parts."

"And who says we can't be sneaky when the situation calls for it?" Scootaloo boasted with a grin.

But Apple Bloom just cleared her throat. "That's not important, Scootaloo," And she tried to gather her thoughts. "Now where was I?"

Sweetie Belle spoke up. "Uh, weren't you at the part where we were went to find Big Mac and give him the pie Miss. Cheerilee made?"

The bow wearing earth pony filly let out a gasp as she suddenly remembered! "That's right!" And she started recalling again while blushing deeply. "Even knowin' that we ain't the only ones that messed up, it's still embarassin' to think a simple pie delivery could go so wrong."

Just like that, the memories started playing again: The trio of fillies made it all the way to Sweet Apple Acres without incident. By a sheer stroke of luck, they had managed to miss all the chaos, carnage, and confusion that had been caused by Discord's attempt to deliver Big Macintosh's message to Cheerilee. And neither would they be present to see how badly Spike had messed up while trying to help Mrs. Cake at Sugarcube Corner.

Unbeknownst to the Crusaders, however, Big Mac was hard at work putting the finishing touches on the picnic table for his picnic lunch between him and his intended. Frowning, he noticed that he currently lacked the tools he needed to complete the job. And so, he wandered away from his spot on the hilltop overlooking Ponyville to go get his tool chest. He departed, missing the CMC by mere seconds (but with just enough of a time difference to where they didn't see him leave).

"Big Mac!" Apple Bloom called out as she pushed open the doors to the barn, only to find no trace of her big brother anywhere. "Huh, I thought for sure he'd be here. He's always in the barn at this time of day."

"Well he's not here now," Scootaloo impatiently spoke up. "Come on, let's find him, wherever he is."

Sweetie Belle, however, noticed something out of the corner of her eye. "Hey, is that a picnic table on a hill?" She questioned, squinting to try to get a better look.

The earth pony filly groaned. "We don't have time for sightseein', Sweetie Belle! We've gotta find my brother!" And she dragged her fellow filly away. Unknowingly, this prevented her or the other Crusaders from seeing him, because only a second or two after they left to go search elsewhere for Big Mac, the stallion came back up to the hilltop to finish his work and wait for Cheerilee to come and see him.

The three fillies looked all over Sweet Apple Acres and its immediate surroundings. But no matter where they searched, they could not find Big Macintosh or any trace of him. It was as if the stallion had vanished into thin air.

Eventually, the unicorn filly (who was still holding up the pie with her magic) started to complain. "This is ridiculous! How's Miss. Cheerilee supposed to propose to Big Mac if we can't even find him?! The pie's going to spoil at this rate!"

"Well, we should still have some time," The tomboyish pegasus filly asumed. "I doubt all those treats Miss. Cheerilee ordered are ready yet. Even Pinkie Pie can't bake that fast."

And the farm filly then proposed. "You know what: I bet Granny Smith will know where we can find Big Mac. Let's go see her." And she and her fellow Crusaders went to do just that.

It took the Cutie Mark Crusaders very little time to find Granny Smith. The elderly earth pony was snoozing happily while resting in a rocking chair near the barn.

"Granny Smith!" Scootaloo called out. A little bit too loudly, seeing as it made Granny Smith jolt awake with a start and nearly fall out of her rocking chair as a result!

"Gah!" Granny Smith exclaimed, before quickly realizing where she was. "Oh, it's just you youngin''s. Sorry 'bout that, you scared the willies of me," And then she started to say. "Actually, it's a good thing you're here: I just had the strangest dream. It was about me and Grand Pear, and Mudbriar was there too, and so was Discord."

"That's... nice, Granny Smith," Sweetie Belle commented as she tried her best not to sound annoyed. "But we're just trying to find Big Mac, so do you know where he is?"

The elderly earth pony mare shook her head from side to side. "Ain't see hide or hair of him all day long, I'm afraid," Then she remarked. "I wish he was here so I had somepony to talk to about that weird dream I was havin'. It must've meant somethin', 'cause we were all in outer space on some kind of mission to explore a new world." And she began to prattle on at length about it.

Apple Bloom could only sigh and lament. "Once Granny gets goin', there's nothin' in Equestria that can stop her from talkin'."

Yet only seconds later, it was possible to notice water in a nearby bucket start to vibrate as the ground began to shake. It was faint at first, but the vibrations became louder and more intense by the second. And then suddenly, the CMC and Granny Smith heard a loud roar as an ominous shadow appeared before them!

"OH MY CELESTIA?! WHAT IS THAT?!" Sweetie Belle shrieked as she lost her hold on the pie, only to see it be grabbed out of thin air and shoved into the mouth of something big, round, and red!

Thus, the CMC and Granny Smith ended up running away from what turned to be a giant, sentient apple that now had a pie stuck in its mouth.

As the chaos and confusion of that scene wore off, the apple began to bellow and holler at the top of its lungs! "CHEERILEE! I LOVE YOU! YOU LOVE ME! OUR LOVE WILL GROW LIKE AN APPLE TREE! SO LET ME ASK YOU: WILL YOU MARRY ME?!"

The realization slowly settled in for all who were still staring down at the giant apple. Two separate proposals had gotten mixed up due both unknowingly working against each other.

"Wait a minute, you two were working on a proposal too?!" Mrs. Cake exclaimed as the realization dawned on her! "That's what I was doing! Why didn't you just tell me?!"

"It was supposed to be a secret!" Spike shouted back in protest.

And Discord saw fit to ask the plump baker. "Who are you proposing to? I thought you were married."

Mrs. Cake groaned in frustration and annoyance. "It wasn't for me, Discord! It was for Cheerilee, she was trying to propose to Big Mac. And yet all this time, it seems Big Mac was trying to propose to her," She hung her head in shame. "Oh, I made such a mess of things. I never should've said yes."

The CMC, meanwhile, stopped running and screaming when they saw everyone else on the hilltop. "Hey, what's going on here?!" Scootaloo snorted as she eyed Discord! "Discord, what did you do now?!"

The draconequss protested and feigned ignorance. "Who? Me? Why is it that everypony always blames me every time something mysterious happens that can't be explained otherwise? Besides, it's not completely my fault."

Apple Bloom just lamented. "All we wanted to do was make up for messin' things up with Big Mac and Cheerilee with that love poison, even if it's what brought 'em together," She began to speak up. "Big Mac, Miss. Cheerilee, we're really-"

But then everyone else noticed that not only had Cheerilee disappeared, but so had Big Macintosh. And none of the remaining creatures on the hill had any clue as to where the two earth ponies had gone. "Hey, where'd they go?" Sweetie Belle pondered aloud.

All eyes fell upon the witty chaos maker, who insisted in a sincere tone of voice. "Okay, this time, it really wasn't me! I swear!"

Only later would the friends and associates learn that Big Macintosh and Cheerilee had found each other admist all the chaos and confusion. Cheerilee, for her part, had by now managed to recover from her initial state of shock and horror over seeing the giant apple. She had overheard everything, about how her proposal and Big Mac's proposal had gotten mixed up, setting off the chain of events that had escalated into the giant, sentient apple.

Big Mac, however, was anything but relieved by the fact that the truth had come out. In fact, his overall posture became gloomy and downtrodden as he began walking away.

The earth pony mare followed, quickly catching up to the stallion and saying to him. "Well, today has been... interesting, to say the least."

The earth pony stallion with a beautiful red coat could only sigh in unhappiness, lamenting. "Eeyup." He even kicked the ground, stirring up a bit of dust.

Cheerilee naturally found herself moved with pity and concern for her special somepony, especially considering they were near the spot where it was said his parents had proposed to each other in secret long ago. "What's the matter, Big Mac? I know this didn't go quite like you planned, but my proposal didn't work out well either. I still love you, and I still want to be with you. That hasn't changed just because of a few slip ups."

Big Macintosh did his best to fight back the tears as he lamented long and loud. "I...I'm really sorry, Cheerilee. Sorry you had to get mixed up in all of this. I wanted everythin' to go right today. I wanted our love to be as perfect as my parents' was when they planted these two trees together. Instead, it turned into a mess. No matter how hard I try, I always seem to mess up when it comes to you. I'd understand if you were havin' second thoughts about all off this. After today, I wouldn't blame ya."

But Cheerilee trotted forward, locking eyes with her special somepony and saying to him. "I meant everything I said just now. And your parents' love wasn't perfect either. Don't you remember?"

"Whaddya mean?" Big Mac asked even as his overall tone and posture did not change.

The off-duty teacher sweetly explained. "From everything you told me about your parents, they had to deal with things a lot tougher than a burnt dessert and an apple monster," She gestured to the intertwined apple and pear trees nearby. "This apple tree and pear tree are stronger together. They'll survive whatever comes because they don't have to do it alone. They belong together. Like your parents. And like us."

The stallion blinked slowly. "...Eeyup." He found himself agreeing.

The earth pony mare with a lovely dark reddish-violet coat then added. "Today was a disaster. But today was also the last day we're ever gonna have to do anything apart. From here on out, we'll be together. And we'll make sure everything always works out just right, even if it doesn't go exactly the way we wanted it to. Maybe there'll be some bumps in the road along the way, but I know we'll get through them," She smiled. "I'm ready to spent the rest of my life with you, Big Mac. And I know you're more than ready to do the same."

Then at the same time, the ponies deeply in love tried to ask each other the obvious question, and both apologized while blushing profusely.

Big Macintosh took the lead afterward. "On three?" He asked his marefriend.

Cheerilee nodded and agreed. "Sure," She and Big Mac then slowly counted to three. When they did so, they asked each other at the same time. "Will you marry me?" And they both replied with an affirmative "Eeyup." before they kissed each other on the cheek. Big Mac also took the liberty of presenting Cheerilee with a necklace that contained the diamond ring he'd bought for her.

Unbeknownst to either of the two earth ponies, their friends were all watching them from afar. They had long since sorted out the mess they'd inadvertently casued, and couldn't have been happier to know that things were working out just fine in spite of that.

The flashback ended as Apple Bloom told her sister. "And so, that's how we ended up bein' responsible for the perfect proposal," With a snicker, she added. "Or I guess I should said the perfect 'pear-posal'."

Sweetie Belle commented with a smile. "And to think, if we hadn't messed up so bad..."

"-It wouldn't have worked out the way it did!" Scootaloo finished, buzzing her tiny wings a bit.

Mrs. Cake saw fit to add her own sentiments. "I suppose it's just like baking. Sometimes, it's the mistakes that help you discover something truly special."

Spike then remarked. "And when all the planning and grand gestures go wrong, it reminds you the most romantic things are usually the simplest. Guess I'll have to take that into account."

And even Discord admitted. "Even if I kind of knew that all along, it's nice that I could help others learn that lesson too. See? Who says I don't really care?"

Applejack, for her part, just smiled. She could now piece together everything that had happened in the run up to the wedding. "Thanks, y'all," She happily told the gathered group. "Now come on, the weddin' will be startin' any minute now. We'd all better take our seats."

And in a very short while, the wedding did indeed begin to unfold. All the guests were seated in their assigned seats, and Applejack happily stood at the altar, ready to serve as the best mare for her brother. Cheerilee wore a lovely, long and flowing white gown. And Big Macintosh proudly wore a finely pressed tuxedo and matching top hat.

When at last the bride and groom were present at the altar, Mayor Mare cleared her throat and quickly proclaimed. "It is my sincere pleasure to say, for my second Apple family wedding, that I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!"

Big Mac needed no further incentive. He happily pulled Cheerilee close and kissed her as she kissed him back, and that made everyone in attendance cheer happily!

Unbeknownst to all in attendance, however, their joyous celebration was being watched over by a very crafty goat. Peering in through his crystal ball, he could ony comment. "Celebrate while you can, foolish ponies. Soon, you'll have nothing to be happy about. I will personally see to that." All the pieces were falling into place. He was almost ready to carry out a plan he had been hatching and scheming for almost a year at this point.

Author's Note

I knew I wanted to hold off on rewriting this episode until I'd rewritten "Hard to Say Anything" and settled the issue of SugarMac versus CheeriMac and which one I'd end up preferring. I ultimately went with CherriMac seeing as we saw them going on a picnic date in the background during "Just for Sidekicks" and saw Cheerilee swoon and faint at what she thought was Big Mac's voice in "Filli Vanilli", whereas SugarMac came completely out of left field with no prior build-up. Hence, why this is a bonus chapter.

The episode as it is feels very much like a rushed first draft, a case of hurry up and get it done that can infect Season 9 even at its best (especially from an animator stand-point). It's only at the very end of the episode that we learn that our characters have been talking to Applejack and not directly to the audience. And a lot of things feel like they were done just to fill time, such as Granny Smith rambling on about her dream that references Star Trek, or the CMC wandering all over Ponyville to find Big Mac only to decide to stay put.

Also, Mrs. Cake having to bake all the desserts for Sugar Belle's proposal not only makes Sugar Belle look bad when she isn't willing to help despite being established as Mrs. Cake's baking student, but they also never explain where Mr. Cake or Pinkie Pie were and why they aren't helping. And Spike trying to put the messages into the desserts via his flame breath feels like a very contrived way of making him mess up, because he would have to remember how messages usually arrive through him and how he usually sends them.

So I did my best to change those things, particularly by having the revelation about Applejack be at the beginning of the episode rather than the end in order to make the framing device work better, and better explaining why Mrs. Cake was left to manage alone on the desserts. Plus, Discord doesn't exactly apologize for the role he played in making things worse, even if in canon it would quickly be trumped by his masquerade as Grogar and the roll he played in helping the Legion of Doom obtain Grogar's bell.

Speaking of which, I should clarify two things for newcomers: One is that when I rewrote "Molt Down" I physically aged Spike up to about the same size as Smolder and Ember, hence why I don't call him "little" in this rewrite. And I have written specifically with the intent for the Grogar twist to not exist, Grogar will be the genuine article.

~~Stare Master~~
~~Pinkie Apple Pie~~
~~The Cutie Map, Parts 1 and 2~~
~~The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone~~
~~Hard to Say Anything (Bonus Chapter)~~
~~A Health of Information~~
~~Uprooted~~
~~The Royal Apologies (The Point of No Return)~~
~~The Big Mac Question (Bonus Chapter)~~