A Death of a Cutie Mark Crusader.
For a little while the harsh winter has brought icy cold winds and layers of snow onto Ponyville making it almost unbearable to even step hoof outside without feeling as if you were to freeze into an ice cube. Luckily today the sun’s rays glistened off the white snow in front of Rarity’s Carousel Boutique and throughout the town making it a very pleasant day. The ponies of Ponyville were hard at work preparing for the long winter to come as the sound of snow and ice crunching under the steel plows pulled by the stallions could be heard in the distance. All throughout Ponyville the smell of warm freshly cooked hot chocolate and tea emitting from Sugarcube Corner, could be smelled from a mile away.
At Rarity’s Carousel Boutique, we find an energetic little filly eager to get over and spend the night at Apple Bloom's with Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle quickly grabbed her saddle bag and cape, put on her winter boots and scarf and bolted out the door without saying goodbye to her sister Rarity whom was busy with her work.
The filly raced down the snow covered streets of Ponyville. The steam emitting from her mouth as she excitedly headed for Sweet Apple Acres. There were icicles hanging from the snow covered roofs of the shops and houses. She had so much energy even though she had not slept in a few days because of a bad case of insomnia. Rarity had tried talking her out of spending the night at Apple Bloom’s and to stay here and try and relax, but Sweetie Belle didn’t listen and Rarity soon just accepted it.
As Sweetie Belle continued towards Apple Bloom’s she never paid attention to the splotches of slush and ice on the ground which eventually caused her to slip. Sweetie Belle landed face first in the icy snow with a thud.
“OWW!” Sweetie Belle said as she stood back up and wiped the bone chilling snow off of her scarf and mane. The filly ignored and acted as if that never happened and continued towards Sweet Apple Acres. As she approached Sweet Apple Acres she trotted up the dirt path looking at all of the once blooming apple trees now left to only a skeleton made out of an icy bark. The smell of a warm fire was in the air. Sweetie Belle carefully trotted up the icy dirt path trying not to slip like earlier. Sweetie Belle approached Apple Blooms house which was right next to the large red barn. Sweetie Belle went to knock on the door but was put to a halt as Scootaloo and Apple Bloom opened the door with huge grins on their faces.
“Hi Sweetie Belle!” Both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said in excitement.
“Hi Apple Bloom, Hi Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle said in her ever most excited voice. Sweetie Belle trotted over to catch up with them as they trotted towards the stairs. The fillies all trotted up to Apple Blooms room so Sweetie Belle could get somewhat settled in and to discuss their new cutie mark crusading ideas.
“So what crusading are we going to do this time?” Scootaloo asked as she sat on the warm wooden floor. The others thought of ideas but came up empty.
“I got nothing,” Said Apple Bloom, “how ‘bout you Sweetie Belle?” The two fillies both looked at Sweetie Belle hoping she had thought of something. “Anything?” Apple Bloom said.
“We could try running?” Sweetie Belle said with some enthusiasm. The others stood up and smiled an odd smile towards Sweetie Belle which mad her think it was a stupid thing to suggest. To her surprise, they both agreed it was a good idea ignoring the fact that it was early winter.
“We could be cutie mark crusader track runners.” Apple Bloom said as she slowly trotted towards the door. “I have to ask Applejack to see if it’s ok if we use her training course.” Apple Bloom raced down stairs to find Applejack while the others followed behind. Having no luck inside they grabbed their scarves and boots and headed outside towards the barn. As soon as they opened the door the warmth that was inside was erased by the icy winds of the winter. As the three fillies stepped outside the crunch of the snow was heard under the boots.
Applejack came out of the barn carrying to empty buckets that were probably filled with scraps for the pigs at a time. As Applejack locked the barn and turned around she was startled to see the three fillies standing before her.
“Hay whatcha y’all doing?” Applejack asked as she was surrounded by the energetic fillies.
“Hey sis can we use your practice course for running?” Apple Bloom asked as she leaned and smiled towards Applejack.
“But it’s winter?” Applejack as she trotted towards the warm house. The fillies looked down at the snow in disappointment. Apple Bloom looked up in the direction of her sister.
“We’ll be safe I promise!” said Apple Bloom as she beamed an innocent smile towards Applejack. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo did the same.
“Please!” All three fillies said.
“Fine, but if one of y’all get hurt you’d best come inside…” Applejack had a stern look on her face which meant she was serious, “Ya hear?” The fillies nodded. Applejack headed back towards their house to warm up. The fillies bolted towards the track like a bullet exiting the barrel of a gun. The fillies approached the snow covered tracked. The obstacles on the track were removed last time Applejack was done using it.
Apple Bloom trotted around for a bit trying to find the starting line until giving up and making her own in the snow. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to their positions at the starting line, Apple Bloom did the same. “On three we race around the track and the first one here wins.” Apple Bloom said as she prepared to run. “One, two, three!” Apple Bloom said and in that moment only a cloud of snow could be seen at the start as the three bolted towards the finish. They all laughed and yelled as they ran.
Sweetie Belle wasn’t usually competitive but somehow this was different. She saw that Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had already almost finished so she decided to use her magic and attempt a teleportation spell. She had never done one before, but she knew how after looking at one of Twilight’s thousands of books on magic. Sweetie Belle put all her energy she had into the spell, her horn started to glow and spark. She thought she might do it, but it didn’t the spell backfired and instead of teleporting her it surged through her body and electrocuted her. Before she knew it she was on the ground unconscious, covered in snow.
“Anything!?” Scootaloo said as she crossed the finish line first. Apple Bloom came in second by not much time.
“Nothin.” Apple Bloom told Scootaloo in disappointment. Neither of them had gotten their cutie marks, but it was getting late and a snowstorm was picking up. “Hay where’s Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom asked as the two fillies looked around barley able to see three feet in front of them, because of the snow. The two back tracked along the track desperately trying to find Sweetie Belle before the storm got any worse.
“Hey Apple Bloom, over here!” yelled Scootaloo as she ran over towards Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle had just been lying there in the icy snow. Apple Bloom quickly ran over and tried to help Scootaloo. They both just shook Sweetie Belle until she finally regained consciousness.
“What… happened?” Sweetie Belle said as she slowly tried to get onto her hooves. As she stood up the others noticed that there was a chip in her horn.
“YOU TELL US!?” Yelled Scootaloo furious and worried about her friend.
“Scootaloo, there’s no reason to be mad at her.” Apple Bloom said as she steadied Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo wiped the snow off her mane and also tried to steady Sweetie Belle. The two fillies helped their friend to the house. Nopony could see a thing besides the small, dim glow of the fire whose warmth was emitting from the cabin.
As the three entered the cabin Sweetie Belle shook loose and slowly headed for the stairs. Her friends didn’t try and stop her only because they were going up stairs anyway. The two looked at Sweetie Belle as they followed close behind in case she fell. As soon as they all were upstairs and in Apple Blooms room Sweetie Belle went over towards Apple Blooms bed. She took off the blanket and pillow that Applejack had left for them. She threw the pillow on the ground, laid her head down, wrap herself in the blanket and just laid there.
“Sweetie Belle, are you alright?” Apple Bloom asked concerned for her friend.
“Yeah, I’m fine I just need some rest that’s all.” Sweetie Belle said as she dozed off. Apple Bloom looked at the time, it was 8 o’clock. “Wow, time really flies when you’re having fun right Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom said hoping to keep her friend awake unaware she hasn’t sleep for 3 days. There was no response Sweetie Belle was in a deep slumber. The others decided that it was getting late and they should get to bed as well. Scootaloo grabbed a pillow and blanket and went to sleep in front of Sweetie Belle just in case she might of needed anything. Apple Bloom crawled in to her warm bed and turned off the lights and looked back at the shivering Sweetie Belle and then went to bed. “Good night.” Both Scootaloo and Apple Bloom said before falling asleep.