Cutie Marks Are Confusingby TheKing2001ChaptersThis sucksWords of adviceMagicians entranceI get told everythingThat was terribleThis sucksMiss Cheerilee stood in front of the chalkboard as she wrote something on it that Dinky honestly didn’t really understand as she sat drawing little trees on her homework with a bored expression. To her left sat Ruby who was equally bored looking, Apple Bloom to her right, Button Mash behind her propping his head up with a hoof and Sweetie Belle in front of her paying attention intently. “This is boring,” Ruby whispered and rolled her marker back and forth along the top of her desk in an attempt to entertain herself. “Got that right,” Rumble agreed and Cheerilee turned around, fixing them with a stern frown as she set her ruler down on her desk. “Would the two of you like to share your discussion with the class?” Cheeerilee called out and a few students laughed. “No laughing you all or you’ll be in detention after school today.” The few laughing promptly shut their muzzles as Cheerilee turned back to her niece and Rumble, patiently waiting with a frown. “I see. I will be talking to your parents when they come to pick you up this afternoon,” Cheerilee turned away and Ruby cursed under her breath. “I heard that.” A loud ooooh came from her classmates till Cheerilee shot the students another dirty look and they shut up once again. Dinky spit out her marker and gave a tired sigh as she tried to pay attention to the lesson. Dinky briefly watched as Featherweight turned in a circle to examine his cutie mark as a few classmates crowded around as Cheerilee watched proudly and Dinky turned away with a sigh, kicking a rock down the road. “Why don’t I have my cutie mark yet?” Dinky wondered aloud as she trotted over to the swing set. The swing set was her favorite on the play ground. “Ah know how you feel,” Apple Bloom sighed as Dinky glanced at the earth pony laying on the ground on her back next to the swings. “It’s lame.” “Got that right,” Dinky agreed as she jumped up onto the swing and wrapped her hooves around the metal chains, idly pushing her hindlegs back and forth to start moving. “I haven’t really tried to get my mark but still. Everypony else is getting one. Why not me?” “Ah ain’t got one yet. Nor does Sweetie, Noi, Button, Scoots, Ruby and a few others,” Apple Bloom blew out some air to push some of her mane out of her eyes. “Dinky, right? The mailmares daughter?” “Uh huh,” Dinky confirmed and eyed Apple Bloom cautiously. “You’re not gonna make fun of me or her, right? Diamond Tiara is a jerk about her. Wish I could bop her in the nose one day.” “Heck no. Ah ain’t like that. They bully me and the other two just as much, if not more than anypony else,” Apple Bloom rolled onto her belly and pushed herself up. “You wanna come by the farm and Ah don’t know, hang out or something?” “Really?” “Yeah sure. You don’t got a mark, ah don’t either. You’re pretty nice and friendly, ah always like making new friends. Ah think AJ and Big Mac will be done in the fields when we get there.” Dinky looked around for a brief second. School was out, after all. If she just told Miss Cheerilee where she was going, she could always tell her mom for her. Dinkys mom was fond of the Apples and was often taking about Big Mac and AJ being trustworthy. “Yeah sure.” Dinky stared out of a window in the kitchen, staring at the rows and rows of apple trees with wide eyes. She didn’t really come out to this side of Ponyville well, ever to be honest. “So many trees,” Dinky muttered in awe as she rested her hooves on the window sill as Applejack and Apple Bloom chuckled. “It’s like they go on forever.” “It sure seems like that when you’re small like you two,” Applejack folded up her newspaper and set it on the coffee table before adjusting her hat. “Dinky, ain’t it?” “Yes Miss Applejack,” Dinky tore her gaze away from the apple trees and Applejack chuckled, smiling at her. “Just Applejack, AJ or Jack is just fine with me Dinky. Ah’m pretty close to your Ma,” Applejack leaned back in her chair and stretched out her legs. “What you two been up to today other than school? Does Derpy know you’re here?” “Yes. Miss Cheerilee told her for me. We’re just hanging out after Featherweight got his cutie mark,” Dinky answered and jumped up onto the the faded yellow couch next to Apple Bloom. “Just yet another classmate getting their marks before us. This sucks.” Apple Bloom nodded her agreement as she laid flat on her couch, her mane hanging over the edge with her red bow resting next to her and Dinky. “These things take time sugarcubes. You can’t rush fate, after all no matter how much ya wanna. Ah got my cutie mark late too. Just like Cheerilee did. Cheerilee was the last pony in our class to get her cutie mark,” Applejack told the two fillies. “In fact, Berry Punch got her cutie mark before her two sisters did. She made a grape juice as a project in front of us all one day to try and boom, she got her mark. Cheerilee and Cherry Berry were mighty jealous of her for a long time.” Apple Bloom and Dinky both shared a look. That didn’t sound like the Cheerilee they both knew. Cheerilee almost never got upset or jealous over anything. If she did, it certainly wasn’t in front of them. “Ah know what you’re thinkin. Cheerilee was a bit different back then. Same nice pony. Very softspoken then. Kinda like you are Dinky,” Applejack reached out a hoof and messed up Dinkys mane. “Yall’s marks will come when the time is right. Not before, not after. Dinner is soon. Are you gonna be staying to eat with us?” “I wouldn’t mind but I gotta go home. Mom is probably waiting for me,” Dinky jumped off the couch. “Thanks for inviting me Apple Bloom and thanks for letting me stay AJ.” “Anytime sugarcube. You’re welcome whenever,” Applejack nodded at her. “Big Mac! Make Dinky something to take home to her mom and Sparkler.” “We always have our guests leave with a plate,” Apple Bloom clarified at Dinky’s confused look. “Can I walk Dinky home?” “Sorry Bloom. Big Mac will,” Applejack answered and climbed off the chair as Big Mac trotted in with his saddlebags on and Dinky’s backpack on his back. “Eeyup. Right after you, Miss.” Dinky waved before trotting out the door with the stallion following after her. Dinky glanced at the setting sun and idly wondered if she could convince her mom to let Apple Bloom come over later in the week. Words of adviceSunset propped herself up at her desk, reading a new book she had gotten in the mail from her favorite book store in Canterlot. Sunset leaned forward and sniffed the pages, closing her eyes and sighing contently at the new book smell. Sunset opened her eyes at a knocking on her door and she looked up, tilting her head curiously before stealing a quick glance at her calender on the wall. She had specifically canceled at her meetings today just to read her book. “Enter!” Sunset called out and closed her book, sticking a red book mark on her page before sticking it aside. Sunset raised an eyebrow as Dinky pushed the door open and trotted inside. Sunset glanced at Silverspeed outside the door and the pegasus shrugged with an equally confused expression. “Hey Dinky. What’s up?” “Hi. Are you busy?” “A bit,” Sunset admitted before shrugging and winking at Dinky. “But for you, I’d make all the time in the world available.” Dinky gave a faint smile as she sat down on Sunset’s chair and the older unicorn levitated a cookie from a nearby jar onto a napkin in front of the filly. “So what’s going on that has you skipping school to be in my office?” Sunset asked pointedly and Dinky gulped. “Yeah, I know. You’re not the only pony in this room to have skipped school once in her life as a filly.” Dinky picked up the cookie and took a small bite before setting it down with a frown. “It’s about my cutie mark,” Dinky answered and glanced at her flank. “Or well, lack of one I guess.” “I see,” Sunset replied and shut her door with her magic. “Carry on.” Dinky sat silently and stared at her flank as Sunset frowned slightly. Dinky normally was a lot more energetic than this. “Did somepony say something to you?” Dinky nodded and Sunset growled softly to herself. “Who and what?” “Diamond Tiara,” Dinky answered and traced a hoof on the wooden surface of the desk in front of her. “I’ve been hanging out with Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle more recently. Apple Bloom came over to my house the other day.” “Having more friends is always a good thing,” Sunset commented and Dinky nodded as the orange unicorn rolled her hoof in a carry on gesture. “Diamond Tiara saw us hanging out on the playground and said something along the lines of me finding my group of misfits to be with,” Dinky answered and made air quotes with her hooves. “She’s really mean. I don’t like her and I like everypony. It’s my thing. She’s rude. What does that even mean? I fit in with everypony, don’t I? Is something wrong with me?” “No,” Sunset shook her head firmly. “There’s not a thing in this world wrong with you. You’re a perfect filly. Or well, you are when you have enough sleep according to Derpy.” Dinky felt her cheeks burn as she looked away with a guilty frown. She admittedly wasn’t the best behaved when tired. “Anyway. You’ll get your mark and I can wholeheartedly assure it’ll be just as perfect and important as you are to us,” Sunset reassured her and placed her hooves on her desk. “You know, I wasn’t the first pony to get my cutie mark in my class.” “Really?” “Really,” Sunset confirmed and nodded solemnly as she leaned back in her chair. “But you’re you! You’re awesome and the daughter of Princess Celestia. You’re a literal hero. If anypony should have been first, it’s you,” Dinky pointed at her. “I’m just like everypony else. Even I’m bound by rules of nature like cutie marks. I got mine by- well, the story isn’t important. The first pony to get his mark in my class was a colt called Sapphire Spirit. Then Twilight Sparkle, my rival. Then Moondancer and Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, Lyra. Minuette. Sea Swirl. Your sister, Sparkler even got hers before mine. I was there in our class when she got it.” “That’s cool. I never knew that.” “Yeah. Granted, I’m a bit older than Sparkler is but still. The point I’m attempting to make is it’ll happen to you too. The likelihood of you not getting a cutie mark is actually very slim. According the census from the last ten years, only five percent of adult ponies in Equestria don’t have a cutie mark. That’s a very small amount compared to the ninety five percent of ponies that do have cutie marks,” Sunset told Dinky and started opening drawers with her magic. “I think I actually might still have that report laying around somewhere. Granted, I didn’t get to pack much when I left Canterlot for here, but-” “That’s okay,” Dinky interjected hastily and Sunset paused her searching. Dinky didn’t want to induce a head ache from reading some charts she didn’t understand. “I couldn’t really go to my mom about Diamond Tiara. You were the first pony I could think of. Trixie was next.” “I’m honestly kinda touched,” Sunset admitted and rested a hoof against her chest. “Did you have any bullies in school when you were my age?” Dinky asked and Sunset chewed her lip before nodding finally. “Yeah, of course I did. There wasn’t many because of who my mom is, but there was some who bullied the heck out of me. Mainly because they thought it was favoritism of me getting in the school and all. I wasn’t a bully myself per se, but I definitely didn’t tolerate any disrespect. I used to shut down ponies hard publically in the most humilating way possible. Within reason, of course,” Sunset answered and levitated a cup of coffee to her lips. “Which I do not recommend.” “Why didn’t you just have your mom kick them out? She had the power, right?” “That’s exactly the problem. Ponies thought me being her daughter controlled their lives like if I didn’t like them, I could have them expelled. Or if I did like them, I’d make their lives easier in class. I chose to do neither.” Dinky hummed to herself as she wrapped her jacket around her tighter and Sunset stood up, tossing her own scarf and hat on. “Come on, I’ll walk you to school. And you can point out anypony giving you problems,” Sunset trotted around the desk and briefly nuzzled Dinky. “Really?” “Really, now let’s go.” Magicians entranceTrixie stepped out her wagon with her bathrobe wrapped around her and a cup of coffee held in her pink magic before she sat down on the steps of her wagon. The sun was over halfway in the sky and Trixie stretched out her forelegs above her head. “Hey Trixie,” Raindrops hovered casually above the mare and the pegasus flipped over upside down. “Morning or, good afternoon should I say.” “Hello.” Trixie wasn’t necessarily in the fondest of moods after her lack of sleep last night with the sounds of the Everfree keeping her up late. She had made plans already to move her wagon closer inside Ponyville today. “Late night out drinking again?” “No. Why must you assume it’s always Trixie getting drunk when she’s in a bad mood?” Trixie snapped with a frown. “Because you get drunk a lot?” Raindrops guessed and started lazily remodeling a piece of cloud she had grabbed with her hooves, turning it a bowl. She wasn’t as good as Cloudkicker as creating clouds into objects, the other mare got her cutie mark in that after all. “I’m not drunk right now, am I?” Trixie shot back and rolled her eyes. “I don’t drink too often, you airhead.” “You know, you’re lucky we’ve been friends long as we have otherwise I’d have been seriously offended by that,” Raindrops grumbled and tossed the cloud aside with a grunt. “Damn, I’m tired.” “Trixie can relate. She was up late because of this fucking forest. Trixie will be moving her wagon into Ponyville now. Fuck this forest and every Celestia forsaken fucking animal inside!” Trixie’s voice rose to a scream and Raindrops waited patiently with a raised eyebrow as Trixie glared at some ponies watching in confused silence. “And what the fuck are you looking at, shorty?” The two ponies took off running and Raindrops shifted her piece of straw to the opposite side of her mouth with her tongue lazily. “You’re good at making friends wherever you go,” Raindrops commented dryly and Trixie shot her a glare. “You haven’t gave me a dirty look like that in years.” “Trixie hates this town sometime. Can I crash at your place today for at least two hours?” Trixie pleaded and gave her puppy dog eyes as Raindrops tapped a hoof against her chin thoughtfully. “Yeah sure.” Trixie yanked her down from the air and Raindrops gave a startled yelp as Trixie hugged her. “If we weren’t best friends, I’d give you a night you’d never forget,” Trixie muttered in her ear and Raindrops turned a bright red hue in her cheeks. “I take it we won’t be sharing a bed like we did when we were fillies.” “Uh sure we can as long as you keep your hooves on your side of the bed,” Raindrops mumbled and Trixie snorted. “You love when Trixie cuddles you to sleep,” Trixie teased and Raindrops resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Yeah, yeah let’s go before ponies start watching us. You know the rumors about us.” “I’m bored,” Scootaloo announced as she laid on her back on the grass, idly pushing her scooter back and forth with a hind leg. Apple Bloom and Sweetie sat in a circle with Dinky and Twist playing a card game and occasionally eating some of the candy Twist had made. “We could try to get our cutie marks,” Sweetie Belle suggested and slapped a card down. “Uno.” Scootaloo shot her a unimpressed look. “The last time we tried that, we got barred from the library in town for accidentally smashing through the window with a baseball when we tried to get our marks in batting.” Sweetie Belle rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. She hadn’t meant to break the window. Rarity had yelled at her for almost an hour straight over the incident. That was the longest Rarity had yelled yet. Rarity didn’t really raise her voice unless she was really made or the situation needed it. “We can go make candy with my thither,” Twist offered and Scootaloo shrugged. “Bon Bon banned us from her kitchen after the chocolate ball incident with the candy coming to life somehow. Still haven’t figured out how that one happened. Apple Bloom shoving apples in her bag the other day certainly didn’t help matters,” Sweetie mused and Apple Bloom blushed slightly. “Well, it’s the town rejects,” the group glanced at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon standing behind them, Silver Spoon frowning as she and Dinky made eye contact. “Whaddaya want, Diamond?” Apple Bloom asked warily as she set down her hand of cards. “Just paying my favorite ponies a visit. Got the chicken, the sister of the most dramatic Ponyville, the grand daughter of the oldest dinosaur in town, the pyscho’s sister and the town retards daughter,” Diamond Tiara commented and smirked as they all glared at her as Dinky hugged herself with a frown. “Technically isn’t Roseluck and her sisters the most dramatic, then Rarity?” Scootaloo wondered aloud and scrunched up her muzzle. “Also, don’t talk about Dinky’s mom like that. She’s a much better pony than you or your mom will ever dream of being.” “Sweet Celestia,” Diamond muttered and rolled her eyes, nudging the scooter away with a smirk. Twist barely caught the scooter and frowned slightly. She didn’t necessarily get annoyed often unless it involved the two in front of her. “Run along back to your mom and dad.” Sweetie and Apple Bloom hastily caught Scootaloo as the pegasus glared, fluttering her wings in agitation as Dinky stared at Silver Spoon, the other earth pony avoiding eye contact as she shifted uncomfortably on her hooves. Next thing Dinky knew, she was standing over Diamond Tiara on the ground holding a bloody muzzle and Dinky’s hoof was throbbing as everypony stared in stunned silence. “Miss Cheerilee! Dinky just hit me!” Diamond shouted as the teacher set down her book on the bench and trotted over. “Is this true, everypony?” Miss Cheerilee asked and Sweetie, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Twist looked to each other. “No Mith Cheerilee,” Twist lied and shook her head, her curly mane moving with her. “Diamond fell.” “Yeah!” Scootaloo chimed in and nodded. “She tripped on her own hooves. Slammed right into the ground.” Cheerilee eyed Scootaloo before glancing at the ground where there was a small red stain with a few drops. “We’re telling the truth,” Sweetie added and the white filly wrapped a foreleg around Dinky. “This is Dinky we are talking about. She never hits anypony. She’s like, the definition of niceness.” “Silver Spoon, what did you see?” Cheeerilee asked and Silver Spoon gulped nervously as Diamond glared at her. “Dinky did hit her,” Silver Spoon admitted and stared down at the ground. “Hm. Four against two unfortunately. I’ll be keeping an eye on you girls for the rest of today. Come along, Diamond. Let’s get that nose looked at.” Scootaloo and the others watched as Miss Cheerilee trotted away with Diamond Tiara, the pink filly holding her muzzle. Silver Spoon watched Dinky with a small frown before sighing and scuffed her hoof against the grass before galloping to join Diamond and Miss Cheerilee. “What was that?” Apple Bloom spun to face Dinky. “You ain’t gotta hit her.” “I don’t even know what was happening. One minute I’m here, the next I’m standing over her. My hoof really hurts,” Dinky sat down and hugged her right hoof. “Gotta admit, that was one heck of a right hoof you gave her. That was impressive,” Scootaloo complimented Dinky and ignored the glare Sweetie gave her. “Thank Celestia the other kids are busy on the playground to have seen it. Where’s Liza, Ruby and Noi at anyway?” “Liza needed to help Lyra with something worked related. Miss Cheerilee dropped off the lesson and homework at her house. It’s for today only. Ruby was needed to help on her family’s grape fields to protect the trees for winter. Same with Noi. Carrot Top needed her to help finish harvesting the last of the carrots. Surprised Apple Bloom isn’t doing the same with her family,” Dinky explained and Twist examined her hoof. “AJ has Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Big Mac, Caramel, Apple Cider, Red Gala, Red Delicious and Sprinkle Stripes helping out other wise I would be. We ain’t gonna tell nopony what happened. Ever,” Apple Bloom added and they all went through the Pinkie Promise in unison. Pinkie’s tail twitched as she caught another apple with her mane, glancing in the direction of the schoolhouse. “Someponies made a big Pinkie Promise,” Pinkie muttered to herself as she tossed the apple into a basket. I get told everythingSilver Spoon set her bags down on the table as she tried to sneak upstairs to her room. After the day she had at school, Diamond Tiara bullying the other fillies and Dinky, Diamond getting punched hard in the face enough to bleed. Silver Spoon was still mindblown Dinky did that. Everypony has a breaking point, after all. It was that reason Silver Spoon was being as quiet as she could to avoid her sister potentially being at home. Silver Spoon knew Silverspeed would been furious, especially if she found out Silver Spoon had been there. With their parents being gone on their various long business trips, Silverspeed played the role of guardian to the filly, which included having to punish her occasionally. Word occasionally spread fast in Ponyville as they do in most, if not all, small towns. Silver Spoon had no doubt some word was going around, especially if Dinky talked to Liza, Ruby and Noi about what happened. “Silver Spoon.” Silver Spoon froze nervously before slowly turning to face Silverspeed sitting calmly on the couch with an unreadable expression, her helmet sitting on the coffee table with a bottle of polish. “B-Big Sis,” Silver Spoon forced a smile on her muzzle and Silverspeeds expression barely changed, if at all. “How are you?” “Doing just great. And how are you today? How was school?” Silverspeed asked and nudged a pillow on the couch back into position. “Did you learn anything today?” “Yeah. We did a lot of math today,” Silver Spoon answered and trotted to the couch, sitting down hesitantly. “And anything else you did today? How was the playground?” Silver Spoon gulped slowly. She definitely knew. Silverspeed was always smart of the two. Most grownups were, accordingly to Diamond. “You just realized I know what happened, didn’t you?” Silverspeed asked knowingly and her purple eyes hardened slightly. “You got three tries to tell me what happened. And the truth. Don’t you lie to me.” “Well uhm Diamond got into it with three of our classmates and uh Dinky,” Silver Spoon muttered and felt her older sisters gaze practically burning a hole into her back. “Hmph. And what did you do to stop it?” “Nothing.” Silver Spoon felt Silverspeed stand up and loom over her as Silver Spoon gulped nervously, slowly glancing at her sister’s face. “You’re a coward,” Silverspeed frowned and Silver Spoon flinched. “Even with my parents dislike of me joining the Royal Guard, we weren’t raised to sit by and watch ponies be mistreated. We were raised to act, not sit by and do nothing. You have no idea how angry I am.” “Pissed?” Silver Spoon offered weakly and Silverspeed gave a humorless laugh. “Pissed doesn’t even come close to describing my anger. Go pack your bags, we’re going on a trip to Canterlot. Sunset is already aware and supports it.” “Canterlot?” Silver Spoon gave her a confused look and Silverspeed nodded. “This is not a vacation. This is your punishment. You’ll see what I mean, now go pack before I pack for you.” Silver Spoon paled slightly before galloping up the stairs. She didn’t know how Canterlot could be a punishment. The capital of Equestria seems from a punishment, after all. Silverspeed landed on the ground a far distance from the castle, sliding Silver Spoon off her back onto the ground. Silver Spoon looked around anxiously before glancing at Silverspeed. The two had been airborne for almost two hours till they reached their destination. Silverspeed could have made it in an hour alone but Silver Spoon wasn’t that used to flying so high up. “Walk,” Silverspeed ordered and Silver Spoon felt her sisters cold golden shoes pushing her forward. “To where?” Silver Spoon asked and rolled her purple eyes slightly as Silverspeed pointed forward to a large, intimidating gray compound with the Equestrian seal above the doorway, fences with barbed wire going around, large towers inside the compound. “What is this place?” “You’ll see,” Silverspeed answered simply and kept trotting forward, pushing the door open and holding it open. “Hurry up.” Silver Spoon stared around inside the room in growing confusion. Royal Guards sat behind thick plastic windows, random ponies sitting on chairs with their hooves cuffed. “You’re going on a Scared Straight your today along with seven other kids,” Silverspeed told her finally. “Follow me and stay close. You don’t wanna get lost in the jail.” Silver Spoon gulped and shifted closer to Silverspeeds flank. Silverspeed smiled reassuringly before her expression turned stern. Silverspeed accepted a orange uniform and hoofed it so Silver Spoon. “Put it on. You’re gonna look like an inmate for the rest of the day until we leave.” Silver Spoon gazed in disgust at the orange suit. Orange wasn’t her color. It clashed horribly with her silver coat and her purple eyes. There had been a very brief period she genuinely wondered if her sister was really secretly her mom based on how similar they looked. “It looks so ugly,” Silver gagged into her hoof and Silverspeed rolled her eyes. “Put it on,” Silverspeed repeated more forcibly as some guards looked over. Silver Spoon sighed and watched as her sister spread her wings to block other ponies from watching as Silver reluctantly started dressing in the orange jumpsuit. Silver felt gross. Like if she hadn’t taken a shower in a week, got forced into one of her older sisters dresses and made to go out in public. She just hoped she would never be seen like this again. The orange was horrible, like she thought. A blue mare trotted down a row of similarly looking colts and fillies, eying them sternly before stopping in front of Silver Spoon. “Who is this?” The mare demanded and turned to Silverspeed. “You. I know you.” “I was in the papers. Uhm element of loyalty? This is my sister, Silver Spoon. She’s here for the Scared Straight tour.” Silverspeed always got a bit uncomfortable when ponies recognized her. It was surprisingly more and more common outside of Ponyville. “I see. Line up with the others. Staff Sergeant Guardian Angel,” Guardian Angel held out a hoof and Silverspeed shook it. “Pleasure to meet you.” “The pleasure is mine ma’am,” Silverspeed tossed her a hasty salute. “Silverspeed.” “What did your sister do? And are you sure this is what she needs? The inmates aren’t gonna be friendly. This isn’t a nice place, after all. I need to know you’re one hundred percent about this,” Guardian Angel glanced at Silver Spoon standing nervously in a line with the others. “Some parents get a bit upset about it.” “I’m certain. I’ve done all I can to try to make her stop bullying her classmates. I’ve taken her toys, grounded her, I’ve banned her for a week from seeing her friends. It works for a bit but then she’s right back at it. I just hope this works,” Silverspeed shifted her weight anxiously. Guardian Angel recognized the look on the other mares face pretty quickly. She had seen it often on other ponies faces when they brought their kids or other relatives through her program. Silverspeed had a tired expression on her muzzle as Guardian Angel rested a hoof on her shoulder. “We’re gonna straighten her out, don’t you worry about a damn thing. She’s gonna be completely different when she leaves her. Most kids see the inside of this place and quickly change their lives.” Silverspeed only hoped she was right. That was terribleSilver Spoon draped herself over Silverspeeds back, resisting the urge to vomit. Silverspeed didn’t look like she was feeling any better as she trotted up into a hotel room she had gotten. Knowing Sunset had it’s benefits and the amber unicorn pulled strings. “That was terrible and disgusting,” Silver Spoon moaned and Silverspeed nodded her agreement. “That was not even food!” “Yeah, it was gross. I tried it too. Never again,” Silverspeed deposited her sister onto the mattress with a FWOMP sound. “Almost makes me feel bad for the ponies in there. Almost.” Silver Spoon stretched out on the mattress and sighed contently. She was happy to finally get out of that itchy, orange uniform. She turned and watched Silverspeed taking off her armor piece by piece, setting the helmet down on the nightstand on her side of the bed. “Ughhhh,” Silverspeed groaned and flopped onto her back on the bed, stretching out her hindlegs with a pop. “That feels good.” “Mhm.” “So,” Silverspeed drew the word out and propped her head up with a hoof as she turned to look at Silver Spoon. “What did you learn today?” “That jail is a scary place. Guardian Angel is scary. Especially when she yelled at that one kid who was disrespecting one of her Guards. Scary mare.” “Well, she has to be,” Silverspeed chuckled and slid under the covers with Silver Spoon. “She works in Tartarus sometimes. Checking up on prisoners like Tirek.” Silver Spoon shuddered slightly at that and felt Silverspeed drag her closer to her with a foreleg. Silver Spoon leaned into the embrace with a smile. “I love you,” Silverspeed muttered softly into her ear. “Everything I do is for you. Tomorrow, we can get waffles and pancakes with fruit and syrup for breakfast. Make up for that horrible prison food we ate today.” Silver Spoon wagged her tail slightly at that and Silverspeed snickered slightly as she felt the tail slapping her thigh. “Are we gonna do anything fun here? Or just me going to all the jails in Canterlot?” Silver Spoon asked and gazed out the balcony window. “We will see. We’re going to see some friends of mine tomorrow after breakfast. Actually, maybe we should save breakfast until after. I don’t want you throwing up your food. And we only are visiting that one jail.” Silver Spoon sighed in relief and yawned quietly as Silverspeed nuzzled her neck. “Night Silver.” “Goodnight.” Comet Chaser stood in a empty field with a timer held in her left hoof, frowning down at it as she pressed a button. “Too slow!” Comet shouted and shoved her timer in her saddlebags. “We’re gonna keep doing this drills till we get under three minutes. I want to beat the ninety eighth battalion at the world record. We can’t do that if we can’t get under two minutes and thirty seconds in next year’s Equestria Games.” “I don’t think we can,” Thunder laid on his stomach panting as he watched Cobalt vomiting into a bush. “We can do anything we put our minds to. We’re the best of the royal guards, hoof picked by Princess Celestia herself to be her personal guards and fly her, Princess Luna and Princess Cadence around. The rest of Equestria looks up to us four personally. And I know we can put those snobs at the ninety eighth in their place,” Comet announced with her trademark cocky smirk before settling back down on the ground. “But first, take a fifteen and get some water. Rest. I have a friend to talk to and a foal to interrogate.” Artic collapsed next to his water bottle and laid on his back, panting with a tired sigh. Comet pushed a water bottle to Cobalt before holding her mane back so she didn’t get any vomit in her hair. “You know, when I said come find us in Canterlot whenever you need us, I didn’t expect it to be so soon,” Comet glanced back at Silverspeed and Silver Spoon. “How’s it going?” “Good, yourself?” “Good, just training. This the kid?” Comet asked and gazed down at the spitting image of Silverspeed. “Are we sure this is your sister and not your secret daughter?” “Everypony says that!” Silverspeed shouted and flung her hooves up in the air. “I’m absolutely certain Silver Spoon is not my daughter. I don’t have any kids, that I can guarantee you of considering they would come out of me.” “That sounds gross,” Silver Spoon stuck out her tongue and gagged. “Wait, is that how I was born?” “We will talk about that later,” Silverspeed told her with a blush. “Anyway, off topic. We’re gonna be training with them today. You’re gonna be going through only a small portion of what we go through at Westhoof. No Hell Week, no gas chamber, nothing like that so don’t worry.” Silver Spoon had heard all about her sisters experience in training and was not too fond to go through most of it. “What do you think they’re doing in Ponyville?” Silver asked and Silverspeed shrugged. “Don’t know. But I do know it’s time to get you,” Silverspeed tapped a hoof against her chest with an smirk. “Out with the others. They won’t be hard on you. Much.” Sparkler hummed to herself as she laid on the couch, reading a magazine as Dinky sat on the floor playing with Legos in front of her. “When does mom get home?” Sparkler glanced at the clock and gave a sigh. “About three more hours kid. Why don’t you invite Apple Bloom over again today? She seemed nice and a good influence. I like her. Mom did too,” Sparkler turned the page of her magazine. “Or Twist. She’s nice.” “Apple Bloom is busy with her sister and granny. Twist is baking with Miss Bon Bon and Liza. Can I invite Featherweight?” Dinky asked and Sparkler raised an eyebrow slightly. “Dinky, can I ask a weird question?” “Shoot.” “Are you and Featherweight just friends?” Sparkler flipped her magazine onto her lap. “You and Ruby are always talking about him.” “Well, yeah. What else could we be other than friends?” Dinky gave her a confused look before returning back to her Legos. “Look, I made a house.” “That’s very nice Dinky. It looks just like ours. Maybe you will get your cutie mark in architecture or something someday. Anyway, don’t worry about what I asked.” “Archi-what?” Sparkler opened her mouth to explain when somepony knocked on the door and Sparkler gave a frustrated whinny. “I’ll tell you later,” Sparkler told her sister and rolled onto her hooves. “Play with your Legos. I’ll be back.” Sparkler trotted to the door and opened it, staring down at the last pony she wanted to see. “What do you want?” Diamond Tiara made a circle with her hoof on the front porch nervously as Sparkler continued giving her a dirty look. “Is uh Dinky here?” Diamond asked and Sparkler raised her eyebrow again. “No, she’s not. She’s out with Liza and Ruby at Noi’s helping out with some recipe Carrot Top came up with. So run back home. Please and thank you,” Sparkler told her coldly. “I know what you said about my mom. I don’t like ponies who disrespect my mom or hurt my little sister. We don’t associate with ponies like you now get off our porch.” “I’m sorry,” Diamond mumbled and turned around. “Truly.” “I doubt that. I’ve heard all about how you treat ponies at school, like ponies without cutie marks, Twist for having a lisp, Ruby for her mom having had drinking problems. I’ve had bullies in my life and they haven’t changed as adults. Bullies like you don’t change just because one pony decided to stand up to you. Now leave before Dinky comes home and you hurt her again,” Sparkler glared at her coldly and pointed a hoof. “Now.” Diamond hung her and trotted off slowly back home as Sparkler watched. “Amethyst Sparkler Star.” Sparkler froze and looked up slowly at Derpy glaring at her. “What in Equestria was that?” “Uhm me protecting you and Dinky? That filly is bad news. She hurt Dinkys feelings. She called you that R word we don’t say. Somepony had to stand up to her. I’m not gonna sit by and let her hurt you or Dinky again. Miss Cheerilee obviously doesn’t care enough to,” Sparkler rolled her eyes and Derpy frowned. “There is a difference between protecting us and being rude to a kid. I’m an adult. I can stand up for myself.” Sparkler gulped and flattened her ears against her head. “It seriously doesn’t bother you what she called you?” “It does a lot. You don’t have to stoop to her level to protect me and Dinky. Which is a lesson I have to reteach her and apparently you once I finish this route.” “I’m grounded, aren’t I?” Sparkler glanced at Derpy again and Derpy tapped a hoof against her chin. “We will see.” Somehow, Sparkler knew that was the best answer she would get until later tonight.
This sucksMiss Cheerilee stood in front of the chalkboard as she wrote something on it that Dinky honestly didn’t really understand as she sat drawing little trees on her homework with a bored expression. To her left sat Ruby who was equally bored looking, Apple Bloom to her right, Button Mash behind her propping his head up with a hoof and Sweetie Belle in front of her paying attention intently. “This is boring,” Ruby whispered and rolled her marker back and forth along the top of her desk in an attempt to entertain herself. “Got that right,” Rumble agreed and Cheerilee turned around, fixing them with a stern frown as she set her ruler down on her desk. “Would the two of you like to share your discussion with the class?” Cheeerilee called out and a few students laughed. “No laughing you all or you’ll be in detention after school today.” The few laughing promptly shut their muzzles as Cheerilee turned back to her niece and Rumble, patiently waiting with a frown. “I see. I will be talking to your parents when they come to pick you up this afternoon,” Cheerilee turned away and Ruby cursed under her breath. “I heard that.” A loud ooooh came from her classmates till Cheerilee shot the students another dirty look and they shut up once again. Dinky spit out her marker and gave a tired sigh as she tried to pay attention to the lesson. Dinky briefly watched as Featherweight turned in a circle to examine his cutie mark as a few classmates crowded around as Cheerilee watched proudly and Dinky turned away with a sigh, kicking a rock down the road. “Why don’t I have my cutie mark yet?” Dinky wondered aloud as she trotted over to the swing set. The swing set was her favorite on the play ground. “Ah know how you feel,” Apple Bloom sighed as Dinky glanced at the earth pony laying on the ground on her back next to the swings. “It’s lame.” “Got that right,” Dinky agreed as she jumped up onto the swing and wrapped her hooves around the metal chains, idly pushing her hindlegs back and forth to start moving. “I haven’t really tried to get my mark but still. Everypony else is getting one. Why not me?” “Ah ain’t got one yet. Nor does Sweetie, Noi, Button, Scoots, Ruby and a few others,” Apple Bloom blew out some air to push some of her mane out of her eyes. “Dinky, right? The mailmares daughter?” “Uh huh,” Dinky confirmed and eyed Apple Bloom cautiously. “You’re not gonna make fun of me or her, right? Diamond Tiara is a jerk about her. Wish I could bop her in the nose one day.” “Heck no. Ah ain’t like that. They bully me and the other two just as much, if not more than anypony else,” Apple Bloom rolled onto her belly and pushed herself up. “You wanna come by the farm and Ah don’t know, hang out or something?” “Really?” “Yeah sure. You don’t got a mark, ah don’t either. You’re pretty nice and friendly, ah always like making new friends. Ah think AJ and Big Mac will be done in the fields when we get there.” Dinky looked around for a brief second. School was out, after all. If she just told Miss Cheerilee where she was going, she could always tell her mom for her. Dinkys mom was fond of the Apples and was often taking about Big Mac and AJ being trustworthy. “Yeah sure.” Dinky stared out of a window in the kitchen, staring at the rows and rows of apple trees with wide eyes. She didn’t really come out to this side of Ponyville well, ever to be honest. “So many trees,” Dinky muttered in awe as she rested her hooves on the window sill as Applejack and Apple Bloom chuckled. “It’s like they go on forever.” “It sure seems like that when you’re small like you two,” Applejack folded up her newspaper and set it on the coffee table before adjusting her hat. “Dinky, ain’t it?” “Yes Miss Applejack,” Dinky tore her gaze away from the apple trees and Applejack chuckled, smiling at her. “Just Applejack, AJ or Jack is just fine with me Dinky. Ah’m pretty close to your Ma,” Applejack leaned back in her chair and stretched out her legs. “What you two been up to today other than school? Does Derpy know you’re here?” “Yes. Miss Cheerilee told her for me. We’re just hanging out after Featherweight got his cutie mark,” Dinky answered and jumped up onto the the faded yellow couch next to Apple Bloom. “Just yet another classmate getting their marks before us. This sucks.” Apple Bloom nodded her agreement as she laid flat on her couch, her mane hanging over the edge with her red bow resting next to her and Dinky. “These things take time sugarcubes. You can’t rush fate, after all no matter how much ya wanna. Ah got my cutie mark late too. Just like Cheerilee did. Cheerilee was the last pony in our class to get her cutie mark,” Applejack told the two fillies. “In fact, Berry Punch got her cutie mark before her two sisters did. She made a grape juice as a project in front of us all one day to try and boom, she got her mark. Cheerilee and Cherry Berry were mighty jealous of her for a long time.” Apple Bloom and Dinky both shared a look. That didn’t sound like the Cheerilee they both knew. Cheerilee almost never got upset or jealous over anything. If she did, it certainly wasn’t in front of them. “Ah know what you’re thinkin. Cheerilee was a bit different back then. Same nice pony. Very softspoken then. Kinda like you are Dinky,” Applejack reached out a hoof and messed up Dinkys mane. “Yall’s marks will come when the time is right. Not before, not after. Dinner is soon. Are you gonna be staying to eat with us?” “I wouldn’t mind but I gotta go home. Mom is probably waiting for me,” Dinky jumped off the couch. “Thanks for inviting me Apple Bloom and thanks for letting me stay AJ.” “Anytime sugarcube. You’re welcome whenever,” Applejack nodded at her. “Big Mac! Make Dinky something to take home to her mom and Sparkler.” “We always have our guests leave with a plate,” Apple Bloom clarified at Dinky’s confused look. “Can I walk Dinky home?” “Sorry Bloom. Big Mac will,” Applejack answered and climbed off the chair as Big Mac trotted in with his saddlebags on and Dinky’s backpack on his back. “Eeyup. Right after you, Miss.” Dinky waved before trotting out the door with the stallion following after her. Dinky glanced at the setting sun and idly wondered if she could convince her mom to let Apple Bloom come over later in the week.
Words of adviceSunset propped herself up at her desk, reading a new book she had gotten in the mail from her favorite book store in Canterlot. Sunset leaned forward and sniffed the pages, closing her eyes and sighing contently at the new book smell. Sunset opened her eyes at a knocking on her door and she looked up, tilting her head curiously before stealing a quick glance at her calender on the wall. She had specifically canceled at her meetings today just to read her book. “Enter!” Sunset called out and closed her book, sticking a red book mark on her page before sticking it aside. Sunset raised an eyebrow as Dinky pushed the door open and trotted inside. Sunset glanced at Silverspeed outside the door and the pegasus shrugged with an equally confused expression. “Hey Dinky. What’s up?” “Hi. Are you busy?” “A bit,” Sunset admitted before shrugging and winking at Dinky. “But for you, I’d make all the time in the world available.” Dinky gave a faint smile as she sat down on Sunset’s chair and the older unicorn levitated a cookie from a nearby jar onto a napkin in front of the filly. “So what’s going on that has you skipping school to be in my office?” Sunset asked pointedly and Dinky gulped. “Yeah, I know. You’re not the only pony in this room to have skipped school once in her life as a filly.” Dinky picked up the cookie and took a small bite before setting it down with a frown. “It’s about my cutie mark,” Dinky answered and glanced at her flank. “Or well, lack of one I guess.” “I see,” Sunset replied and shut her door with her magic. “Carry on.” Dinky sat silently and stared at her flank as Sunset frowned slightly. Dinky normally was a lot more energetic than this. “Did somepony say something to you?” Dinky nodded and Sunset growled softly to herself. “Who and what?” “Diamond Tiara,” Dinky answered and traced a hoof on the wooden surface of the desk in front of her. “I’ve been hanging out with Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle more recently. Apple Bloom came over to my house the other day.” “Having more friends is always a good thing,” Sunset commented and Dinky nodded as the orange unicorn rolled her hoof in a carry on gesture. “Diamond Tiara saw us hanging out on the playground and said something along the lines of me finding my group of misfits to be with,” Dinky answered and made air quotes with her hooves. “She’s really mean. I don’t like her and I like everypony. It’s my thing. She’s rude. What does that even mean? I fit in with everypony, don’t I? Is something wrong with me?” “No,” Sunset shook her head firmly. “There’s not a thing in this world wrong with you. You’re a perfect filly. Or well, you are when you have enough sleep according to Derpy.” Dinky felt her cheeks burn as she looked away with a guilty frown. She admittedly wasn’t the best behaved when tired. “Anyway. You’ll get your mark and I can wholeheartedly assure it’ll be just as perfect and important as you are to us,” Sunset reassured her and placed her hooves on her desk. “You know, I wasn’t the first pony to get my cutie mark in my class.” “Really?” “Really,” Sunset confirmed and nodded solemnly as she leaned back in her chair. “But you’re you! You’re awesome and the daughter of Princess Celestia. You’re a literal hero. If anypony should have been first, it’s you,” Dinky pointed at her. “I’m just like everypony else. Even I’m bound by rules of nature like cutie marks. I got mine by- well, the story isn’t important. The first pony to get his mark in my class was a colt called Sapphire Spirit. Then Twilight Sparkle, my rival. Then Moondancer and Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, Lyra. Minuette. Sea Swirl. Your sister, Sparkler even got hers before mine. I was there in our class when she got it.” “That’s cool. I never knew that.” “Yeah. Granted, I’m a bit older than Sparkler is but still. The point I’m attempting to make is it’ll happen to you too. The likelihood of you not getting a cutie mark is actually very slim. According the census from the last ten years, only five percent of adult ponies in Equestria don’t have a cutie mark. That’s a very small amount compared to the ninety five percent of ponies that do have cutie marks,” Sunset told Dinky and started opening drawers with her magic. “I think I actually might still have that report laying around somewhere. Granted, I didn’t get to pack much when I left Canterlot for here, but-” “That’s okay,” Dinky interjected hastily and Sunset paused her searching. Dinky didn’t want to induce a head ache from reading some charts she didn’t understand. “I couldn’t really go to my mom about Diamond Tiara. You were the first pony I could think of. Trixie was next.” “I’m honestly kinda touched,” Sunset admitted and rested a hoof against her chest. “Did you have any bullies in school when you were my age?” Dinky asked and Sunset chewed her lip before nodding finally. “Yeah, of course I did. There wasn’t many because of who my mom is, but there was some who bullied the heck out of me. Mainly because they thought it was favoritism of me getting in the school and all. I wasn’t a bully myself per se, but I definitely didn’t tolerate any disrespect. I used to shut down ponies hard publically in the most humilating way possible. Within reason, of course,” Sunset answered and levitated a cup of coffee to her lips. “Which I do not recommend.” “Why didn’t you just have your mom kick them out? She had the power, right?” “That’s exactly the problem. Ponies thought me being her daughter controlled their lives like if I didn’t like them, I could have them expelled. Or if I did like them, I’d make their lives easier in class. I chose to do neither.” Dinky hummed to herself as she wrapped her jacket around her tighter and Sunset stood up, tossing her own scarf and hat on. “Come on, I’ll walk you to school. And you can point out anypony giving you problems,” Sunset trotted around the desk and briefly nuzzled Dinky. “Really?” “Really, now let’s go.”
Magicians entranceTrixie stepped out her wagon with her bathrobe wrapped around her and a cup of coffee held in her pink magic before she sat down on the steps of her wagon. The sun was over halfway in the sky and Trixie stretched out her forelegs above her head. “Hey Trixie,” Raindrops hovered casually above the mare and the pegasus flipped over upside down. “Morning or, good afternoon should I say.” “Hello.” Trixie wasn’t necessarily in the fondest of moods after her lack of sleep last night with the sounds of the Everfree keeping her up late. She had made plans already to move her wagon closer inside Ponyville today. “Late night out drinking again?” “No. Why must you assume it’s always Trixie getting drunk when she’s in a bad mood?” Trixie snapped with a frown. “Because you get drunk a lot?” Raindrops guessed and started lazily remodeling a piece of cloud she had grabbed with her hooves, turning it a bowl. She wasn’t as good as Cloudkicker as creating clouds into objects, the other mare got her cutie mark in that after all. “I’m not drunk right now, am I?” Trixie shot back and rolled her eyes. “I don’t drink too often, you airhead.” “You know, you’re lucky we’ve been friends long as we have otherwise I’d have been seriously offended by that,” Raindrops grumbled and tossed the cloud aside with a grunt. “Damn, I’m tired.” “Trixie can relate. She was up late because of this fucking forest. Trixie will be moving her wagon into Ponyville now. Fuck this forest and every Celestia forsaken fucking animal inside!” Trixie’s voice rose to a scream and Raindrops waited patiently with a raised eyebrow as Trixie glared at some ponies watching in confused silence. “And what the fuck are you looking at, shorty?” The two ponies took off running and Raindrops shifted her piece of straw to the opposite side of her mouth with her tongue lazily. “You’re good at making friends wherever you go,” Raindrops commented dryly and Trixie shot her a glare. “You haven’t gave me a dirty look like that in years.” “Trixie hates this town sometime. Can I crash at your place today for at least two hours?” Trixie pleaded and gave her puppy dog eyes as Raindrops tapped a hoof against her chin thoughtfully. “Yeah sure.” Trixie yanked her down from the air and Raindrops gave a startled yelp as Trixie hugged her. “If we weren’t best friends, I’d give you a night you’d never forget,” Trixie muttered in her ear and Raindrops turned a bright red hue in her cheeks. “I take it we won’t be sharing a bed like we did when we were fillies.” “Uh sure we can as long as you keep your hooves on your side of the bed,” Raindrops mumbled and Trixie snorted. “You love when Trixie cuddles you to sleep,” Trixie teased and Raindrops resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Yeah, yeah let’s go before ponies start watching us. You know the rumors about us.” “I’m bored,” Scootaloo announced as she laid on her back on the grass, idly pushing her scooter back and forth with a hind leg. Apple Bloom and Sweetie sat in a circle with Dinky and Twist playing a card game and occasionally eating some of the candy Twist had made. “We could try to get our cutie marks,” Sweetie Belle suggested and slapped a card down. “Uno.” Scootaloo shot her a unimpressed look. “The last time we tried that, we got barred from the library in town for accidentally smashing through the window with a baseball when we tried to get our marks in batting.” Sweetie Belle rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. She hadn’t meant to break the window. Rarity had yelled at her for almost an hour straight over the incident. That was the longest Rarity had yelled yet. Rarity didn’t really raise her voice unless she was really made or the situation needed it. “We can go make candy with my thither,” Twist offered and Scootaloo shrugged. “Bon Bon banned us from her kitchen after the chocolate ball incident with the candy coming to life somehow. Still haven’t figured out how that one happened. Apple Bloom shoving apples in her bag the other day certainly didn’t help matters,” Sweetie mused and Apple Bloom blushed slightly. “Well, it’s the town rejects,” the group glanced at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon standing behind them, Silver Spoon frowning as she and Dinky made eye contact. “Whaddaya want, Diamond?” Apple Bloom asked warily as she set down her hand of cards. “Just paying my favorite ponies a visit. Got the chicken, the sister of the most dramatic Ponyville, the grand daughter of the oldest dinosaur in town, the pyscho’s sister and the town retards daughter,” Diamond Tiara commented and smirked as they all glared at her as Dinky hugged herself with a frown. “Technically isn’t Roseluck and her sisters the most dramatic, then Rarity?” Scootaloo wondered aloud and scrunched up her muzzle. “Also, don’t talk about Dinky’s mom like that. She’s a much better pony than you or your mom will ever dream of being.” “Sweet Celestia,” Diamond muttered and rolled her eyes, nudging the scooter away with a smirk. Twist barely caught the scooter and frowned slightly. She didn’t necessarily get annoyed often unless it involved the two in front of her. “Run along back to your mom and dad.” Sweetie and Apple Bloom hastily caught Scootaloo as the pegasus glared, fluttering her wings in agitation as Dinky stared at Silver Spoon, the other earth pony avoiding eye contact as she shifted uncomfortably on her hooves. Next thing Dinky knew, she was standing over Diamond Tiara on the ground holding a bloody muzzle and Dinky’s hoof was throbbing as everypony stared in stunned silence. “Miss Cheerilee! Dinky just hit me!” Diamond shouted as the teacher set down her book on the bench and trotted over. “Is this true, everypony?” Miss Cheerilee asked and Sweetie, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Twist looked to each other. “No Mith Cheerilee,” Twist lied and shook her head, her curly mane moving with her. “Diamond fell.” “Yeah!” Scootaloo chimed in and nodded. “She tripped on her own hooves. Slammed right into the ground.” Cheerilee eyed Scootaloo before glancing at the ground where there was a small red stain with a few drops. “We’re telling the truth,” Sweetie added and the white filly wrapped a foreleg around Dinky. “This is Dinky we are talking about. She never hits anypony. She’s like, the definition of niceness.” “Silver Spoon, what did you see?” Cheeerilee asked and Silver Spoon gulped nervously as Diamond glared at her. “Dinky did hit her,” Silver Spoon admitted and stared down at the ground. “Hm. Four against two unfortunately. I’ll be keeping an eye on you girls for the rest of today. Come along, Diamond. Let’s get that nose looked at.” Scootaloo and the others watched as Miss Cheerilee trotted away with Diamond Tiara, the pink filly holding her muzzle. Silver Spoon watched Dinky with a small frown before sighing and scuffed her hoof against the grass before galloping to join Diamond and Miss Cheerilee. “What was that?” Apple Bloom spun to face Dinky. “You ain’t gotta hit her.” “I don’t even know what was happening. One minute I’m here, the next I’m standing over her. My hoof really hurts,” Dinky sat down and hugged her right hoof. “Gotta admit, that was one heck of a right hoof you gave her. That was impressive,” Scootaloo complimented Dinky and ignored the glare Sweetie gave her. “Thank Celestia the other kids are busy on the playground to have seen it. Where’s Liza, Ruby and Noi at anyway?” “Liza needed to help Lyra with something worked related. Miss Cheerilee dropped off the lesson and homework at her house. It’s for today only. Ruby was needed to help on her family’s grape fields to protect the trees for winter. Same with Noi. Carrot Top needed her to help finish harvesting the last of the carrots. Surprised Apple Bloom isn’t doing the same with her family,” Dinky explained and Twist examined her hoof. “AJ has Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Big Mac, Caramel, Apple Cider, Red Gala, Red Delicious and Sprinkle Stripes helping out other wise I would be. We ain’t gonna tell nopony what happened. Ever,” Apple Bloom added and they all went through the Pinkie Promise in unison. Pinkie’s tail twitched as she caught another apple with her mane, glancing in the direction of the schoolhouse. “Someponies made a big Pinkie Promise,” Pinkie muttered to herself as she tossed the apple into a basket.
I get told everythingSilver Spoon set her bags down on the table as she tried to sneak upstairs to her room. After the day she had at school, Diamond Tiara bullying the other fillies and Dinky, Diamond getting punched hard in the face enough to bleed. Silver Spoon was still mindblown Dinky did that. Everypony has a breaking point, after all. It was that reason Silver Spoon was being as quiet as she could to avoid her sister potentially being at home. Silver Spoon knew Silverspeed would been furious, especially if she found out Silver Spoon had been there. With their parents being gone on their various long business trips, Silverspeed played the role of guardian to the filly, which included having to punish her occasionally. Word occasionally spread fast in Ponyville as they do in most, if not all, small towns. Silver Spoon had no doubt some word was going around, especially if Dinky talked to Liza, Ruby and Noi about what happened. “Silver Spoon.” Silver Spoon froze nervously before slowly turning to face Silverspeed sitting calmly on the couch with an unreadable expression, her helmet sitting on the coffee table with a bottle of polish. “B-Big Sis,” Silver Spoon forced a smile on her muzzle and Silverspeeds expression barely changed, if at all. “How are you?” “Doing just great. And how are you today? How was school?” Silverspeed asked and nudged a pillow on the couch back into position. “Did you learn anything today?” “Yeah. We did a lot of math today,” Silver Spoon answered and trotted to the couch, sitting down hesitantly. “And anything else you did today? How was the playground?” Silver Spoon gulped slowly. She definitely knew. Silverspeed was always smart of the two. Most grownups were, accordingly to Diamond. “You just realized I know what happened, didn’t you?” Silverspeed asked knowingly and her purple eyes hardened slightly. “You got three tries to tell me what happened. And the truth. Don’t you lie to me.” “Well uhm Diamond got into it with three of our classmates and uh Dinky,” Silver Spoon muttered and felt her older sisters gaze practically burning a hole into her back. “Hmph. And what did you do to stop it?” “Nothing.” Silver Spoon felt Silverspeed stand up and loom over her as Silver Spoon gulped nervously, slowly glancing at her sister’s face. “You’re a coward,” Silverspeed frowned and Silver Spoon flinched. “Even with my parents dislike of me joining the Royal Guard, we weren’t raised to sit by and watch ponies be mistreated. We were raised to act, not sit by and do nothing. You have no idea how angry I am.” “Pissed?” Silver Spoon offered weakly and Silverspeed gave a humorless laugh. “Pissed doesn’t even come close to describing my anger. Go pack your bags, we’re going on a trip to Canterlot. Sunset is already aware and supports it.” “Canterlot?” Silver Spoon gave her a confused look and Silverspeed nodded. “This is not a vacation. This is your punishment. You’ll see what I mean, now go pack before I pack for you.” Silver Spoon paled slightly before galloping up the stairs. She didn’t know how Canterlot could be a punishment. The capital of Equestria seems from a punishment, after all. Silverspeed landed on the ground a far distance from the castle, sliding Silver Spoon off her back onto the ground. Silver Spoon looked around anxiously before glancing at Silverspeed. The two had been airborne for almost two hours till they reached their destination. Silverspeed could have made it in an hour alone but Silver Spoon wasn’t that used to flying so high up. “Walk,” Silverspeed ordered and Silver Spoon felt her sisters cold golden shoes pushing her forward. “To where?” Silver Spoon asked and rolled her purple eyes slightly as Silverspeed pointed forward to a large, intimidating gray compound with the Equestrian seal above the doorway, fences with barbed wire going around, large towers inside the compound. “What is this place?” “You’ll see,” Silverspeed answered simply and kept trotting forward, pushing the door open and holding it open. “Hurry up.” Silver Spoon stared around inside the room in growing confusion. Royal Guards sat behind thick plastic windows, random ponies sitting on chairs with their hooves cuffed. “You’re going on a Scared Straight your today along with seven other kids,” Silverspeed told her finally. “Follow me and stay close. You don’t wanna get lost in the jail.” Silver Spoon gulped and shifted closer to Silverspeeds flank. Silverspeed smiled reassuringly before her expression turned stern. Silverspeed accepted a orange uniform and hoofed it so Silver Spoon. “Put it on. You’re gonna look like an inmate for the rest of the day until we leave.” Silver Spoon gazed in disgust at the orange suit. Orange wasn’t her color. It clashed horribly with her silver coat and her purple eyes. There had been a very brief period she genuinely wondered if her sister was really secretly her mom based on how similar they looked. “It looks so ugly,” Silver gagged into her hoof and Silverspeed rolled her eyes. “Put it on,” Silverspeed repeated more forcibly as some guards looked over. Silver Spoon sighed and watched as her sister spread her wings to block other ponies from watching as Silver reluctantly started dressing in the orange jumpsuit. Silver felt gross. Like if she hadn’t taken a shower in a week, got forced into one of her older sisters dresses and made to go out in public. She just hoped she would never be seen like this again. The orange was horrible, like she thought. A blue mare trotted down a row of similarly looking colts and fillies, eying them sternly before stopping in front of Silver Spoon. “Who is this?” The mare demanded and turned to Silverspeed. “You. I know you.” “I was in the papers. Uhm element of loyalty? This is my sister, Silver Spoon. She’s here for the Scared Straight tour.” Silverspeed always got a bit uncomfortable when ponies recognized her. It was surprisingly more and more common outside of Ponyville. “I see. Line up with the others. Staff Sergeant Guardian Angel,” Guardian Angel held out a hoof and Silverspeed shook it. “Pleasure to meet you.” “The pleasure is mine ma’am,” Silverspeed tossed her a hasty salute. “Silverspeed.” “What did your sister do? And are you sure this is what she needs? The inmates aren’t gonna be friendly. This isn’t a nice place, after all. I need to know you’re one hundred percent about this,” Guardian Angel glanced at Silver Spoon standing nervously in a line with the others. “Some parents get a bit upset about it.” “I’m certain. I’ve done all I can to try to make her stop bullying her classmates. I’ve taken her toys, grounded her, I’ve banned her for a week from seeing her friends. It works for a bit but then she’s right back at it. I just hope this works,” Silverspeed shifted her weight anxiously. Guardian Angel recognized the look on the other mares face pretty quickly. She had seen it often on other ponies faces when they brought their kids or other relatives through her program. Silverspeed had a tired expression on her muzzle as Guardian Angel rested a hoof on her shoulder. “We’re gonna straighten her out, don’t you worry about a damn thing. She’s gonna be completely different when she leaves her. Most kids see the inside of this place and quickly change their lives.” Silverspeed only hoped she was right.
That was terribleSilver Spoon draped herself over Silverspeeds back, resisting the urge to vomit. Silverspeed didn’t look like she was feeling any better as she trotted up into a hotel room she had gotten. Knowing Sunset had it’s benefits and the amber unicorn pulled strings. “That was terrible and disgusting,” Silver Spoon moaned and Silverspeed nodded her agreement. “That was not even food!” “Yeah, it was gross. I tried it too. Never again,” Silverspeed deposited her sister onto the mattress with a FWOMP sound. “Almost makes me feel bad for the ponies in there. Almost.” Silver Spoon stretched out on the mattress and sighed contently. She was happy to finally get out of that itchy, orange uniform. She turned and watched Silverspeed taking off her armor piece by piece, setting the helmet down on the nightstand on her side of the bed. “Ughhhh,” Silverspeed groaned and flopped onto her back on the bed, stretching out her hindlegs with a pop. “That feels good.” “Mhm.” “So,” Silverspeed drew the word out and propped her head up with a hoof as she turned to look at Silver Spoon. “What did you learn today?” “That jail is a scary place. Guardian Angel is scary. Especially when she yelled at that one kid who was disrespecting one of her Guards. Scary mare.” “Well, she has to be,” Silverspeed chuckled and slid under the covers with Silver Spoon. “She works in Tartarus sometimes. Checking up on prisoners like Tirek.” Silver Spoon shuddered slightly at that and felt Silverspeed drag her closer to her with a foreleg. Silver Spoon leaned into the embrace with a smile. “I love you,” Silverspeed muttered softly into her ear. “Everything I do is for you. Tomorrow, we can get waffles and pancakes with fruit and syrup for breakfast. Make up for that horrible prison food we ate today.” Silver Spoon wagged her tail slightly at that and Silverspeed snickered slightly as she felt the tail slapping her thigh. “Are we gonna do anything fun here? Or just me going to all the jails in Canterlot?” Silver Spoon asked and gazed out the balcony window. “We will see. We’re going to see some friends of mine tomorrow after breakfast. Actually, maybe we should save breakfast until after. I don’t want you throwing up your food. And we only are visiting that one jail.” Silver Spoon sighed in relief and yawned quietly as Silverspeed nuzzled her neck. “Night Silver.” “Goodnight.” Comet Chaser stood in a empty field with a timer held in her left hoof, frowning down at it as she pressed a button. “Too slow!” Comet shouted and shoved her timer in her saddlebags. “We’re gonna keep doing this drills till we get under three minutes. I want to beat the ninety eighth battalion at the world record. We can’t do that if we can’t get under two minutes and thirty seconds in next year’s Equestria Games.” “I don’t think we can,” Thunder laid on his stomach panting as he watched Cobalt vomiting into a bush. “We can do anything we put our minds to. We’re the best of the royal guards, hoof picked by Princess Celestia herself to be her personal guards and fly her, Princess Luna and Princess Cadence around. The rest of Equestria looks up to us four personally. And I know we can put those snobs at the ninety eighth in their place,” Comet announced with her trademark cocky smirk before settling back down on the ground. “But first, take a fifteen and get some water. Rest. I have a friend to talk to and a foal to interrogate.” Artic collapsed next to his water bottle and laid on his back, panting with a tired sigh. Comet pushed a water bottle to Cobalt before holding her mane back so she didn’t get any vomit in her hair. “You know, when I said come find us in Canterlot whenever you need us, I didn’t expect it to be so soon,” Comet glanced back at Silverspeed and Silver Spoon. “How’s it going?” “Good, yourself?” “Good, just training. This the kid?” Comet asked and gazed down at the spitting image of Silverspeed. “Are we sure this is your sister and not your secret daughter?” “Everypony says that!” Silverspeed shouted and flung her hooves up in the air. “I’m absolutely certain Silver Spoon is not my daughter. I don’t have any kids, that I can guarantee you of considering they would come out of me.” “That sounds gross,” Silver Spoon stuck out her tongue and gagged. “Wait, is that how I was born?” “We will talk about that later,” Silverspeed told her with a blush. “Anyway, off topic. We’re gonna be training with them today. You’re gonna be going through only a small portion of what we go through at Westhoof. No Hell Week, no gas chamber, nothing like that so don’t worry.” Silver Spoon had heard all about her sisters experience in training and was not too fond to go through most of it. “What do you think they’re doing in Ponyville?” Silver asked and Silverspeed shrugged. “Don’t know. But I do know it’s time to get you,” Silverspeed tapped a hoof against her chest with an smirk. “Out with the others. They won’t be hard on you. Much.” Sparkler hummed to herself as she laid on the couch, reading a magazine as Dinky sat on the floor playing with Legos in front of her. “When does mom get home?” Sparkler glanced at the clock and gave a sigh. “About three more hours kid. Why don’t you invite Apple Bloom over again today? She seemed nice and a good influence. I like her. Mom did too,” Sparkler turned the page of her magazine. “Or Twist. She’s nice.” “Apple Bloom is busy with her sister and granny. Twist is baking with Miss Bon Bon and Liza. Can I invite Featherweight?” Dinky asked and Sparkler raised an eyebrow slightly. “Dinky, can I ask a weird question?” “Shoot.” “Are you and Featherweight just friends?” Sparkler flipped her magazine onto her lap. “You and Ruby are always talking about him.” “Well, yeah. What else could we be other than friends?” Dinky gave her a confused look before returning back to her Legos. “Look, I made a house.” “That’s very nice Dinky. It looks just like ours. Maybe you will get your cutie mark in architecture or something someday. Anyway, don’t worry about what I asked.” “Archi-what?” Sparkler opened her mouth to explain when somepony knocked on the door and Sparkler gave a frustrated whinny. “I’ll tell you later,” Sparkler told her sister and rolled onto her hooves. “Play with your Legos. I’ll be back.” Sparkler trotted to the door and opened it, staring down at the last pony she wanted to see. “What do you want?” Diamond Tiara made a circle with her hoof on the front porch nervously as Sparkler continued giving her a dirty look. “Is uh Dinky here?” Diamond asked and Sparkler raised her eyebrow again. “No, she’s not. She’s out with Liza and Ruby at Noi’s helping out with some recipe Carrot Top came up with. So run back home. Please and thank you,” Sparkler told her coldly. “I know what you said about my mom. I don’t like ponies who disrespect my mom or hurt my little sister. We don’t associate with ponies like you now get off our porch.” “I’m sorry,” Diamond mumbled and turned around. “Truly.” “I doubt that. I’ve heard all about how you treat ponies at school, like ponies without cutie marks, Twist for having a lisp, Ruby for her mom having had drinking problems. I’ve had bullies in my life and they haven’t changed as adults. Bullies like you don’t change just because one pony decided to stand up to you. Now leave before Dinky comes home and you hurt her again,” Sparkler glared at her coldly and pointed a hoof. “Now.” Diamond hung her and trotted off slowly back home as Sparkler watched. “Amethyst Sparkler Star.” Sparkler froze and looked up slowly at Derpy glaring at her. “What in Equestria was that?” “Uhm me protecting you and Dinky? That filly is bad news. She hurt Dinkys feelings. She called you that R word we don’t say. Somepony had to stand up to her. I’m not gonna sit by and let her hurt you or Dinky again. Miss Cheerilee obviously doesn’t care enough to,” Sparkler rolled her eyes and Derpy frowned. “There is a difference between protecting us and being rude to a kid. I’m an adult. I can stand up for myself.” Sparkler gulped and flattened her ears against her head. “It seriously doesn’t bother you what she called you?” “It does a lot. You don’t have to stoop to her level to protect me and Dinky. Which is a lesson I have to reteach her and apparently you once I finish this route.” “I’m grounded, aren’t I?” Sparkler glanced at Derpy again and Derpy tapped a hoof against her chin. “We will see.” Somehow, Sparkler knew that was the best answer she would get until later tonight.
