Accursed Mark.

The ponies felt a tingling sensation wash over their bodies as one typically experiences when transporting themselves through time. Upon opening their eyes, the four ponies looked around to find their surroundings appearing to be no different than before they casted the spell.

"Are you sure we're in the past Starlight?" Scootaloo asked.

"Things may not seem different, but we are in Vanhoover ten years ago." Starlight assured the filly. "OK, our first stop is to head over to the pharmacy and gather a bag of bonbons and a bottle of magical liquid laxative. Remember, we cannot afford any missteps, or else we could accidentally set Sour Grapes up for a worse timeline."

"We understand." Apple Bloom confirmed on her friends' behalf. "Now let's get ta it!"

Galloping as if it were the end of the world, the four ponies made a beeline to the pharmacy. When they got close to the entrance, Starlight spotted an employee carrying a large stack of boxes that obstructed his view. "Sweetie Belle, hold the door for him."

Following Starlight's orders, Sweetie promptly propped the door open with her entire body so the employee can walk through without bumping into anything. With that taken care of, the ponies resumed their mission of acquiring specific items needed to change Sour Grapes' future for the better, with Starlight and Sweetie heading to the aisle to retrieve the laxative, and Scootaloo and Apple Bloom heading to the aisle where a bag of bonbons can be found (but not before the two fillies each try a free sample of peanut brittle as per Luna's instructions).

With the essentials finally gathered, the ponies made their way to the counter to pay for them (and also offer a twenty-bit donation to the Filly Guides). Upon departing the pharmacy, the ponies trotted to a nearby bench where Scootaloo and Apple Bloom held the bag of bonbons open for Starlight to magically levitate and dip each one into the laxative bottle. Before they could head off to the elementary school, Starlight had to restrain Sweetie Belle from swiping a ladybug off of her muzzle until the insect flew off by its own accord.

Following Princess Luna's instructions, the four ponies the longest route that led to the school so they could be able to stop an old pony from walking onto a train track at the same time a train was speeding through and preventing a book reading pony from accidently walking beneath a ladder. It wasn't too long before the four ponies finally reached the elementary school in time for recess. Fortunately for them the school staff assigned to keep watch over the students were too engrossed in their private conversations to notice Starlight and the Cutie Mark Crusaders sneaking into school grounds. The search for Happy Grapes and his companions would've been smoother had the Cutie Mark Crusaders not needed to play hopscotch with a group of fillies who would complement all three of their respective cutie marks, or if Starlight not needed to react in time to save a pegasus filly--who more than likely suffers the same flight disability as Scootaloo--from falling face first into the gravel ground after leaping off a swing; but when a princess strictly states that you must perform certain actions while time traveling you can't disregard said actions.

In spite of the turbulence of children relishing their playtime, Starlight managed to pinpoint the sound of a child crying for help. Alerting the Cutie Mark Crusaders to her location, the four ponies had caught a glimpse of Firecracker and his gang (who all appeared to be the same age as the Cutie Mark Crusaders) teasing Happy Grapes and his friends (who all looked to be about Pipsqueaks' age).

"Give us back our ball you bullies!" Happy demanded. "It's not like we ever did anything to you!"

"We never did anything to the second graders either," Firecracker responded, "but that didn't stop them from picking on us for being blank flanks. You should be thanking us really; we never would've gotten our cutie marks had the second graders not motivated us, and now it's our turn to do the same to you."

"Hold it!" Starlight shouted with a tone of authority that left the three bullies trembling in fear. "My, what impressive cutie marks you three have. I believe the three of you deserve a little treat." Levitating the bag of bonbons towards the foals, their muzzles salivated as the bullies greedily munched upon every last one without a second's hesitation. "OK, I'll now leave you to your business."

When Starlight and the girls trotted far enough, Firecracker turned back to Happy as he encased him with a red aura. "You see, not even grownups care if a worthless blank flank like you gets picked on. I never had a teacher come to my rescue, and it looks like none are going to save you either."

As the little brute raised his hoof in preparation of laying a merciless beating on Happy, Starlight discreetly lit up her horn which triggered the effects of the bonbons Firecracker had consumed. His face changed from an expression of smug superiority to excruciating anguish as he felt a loud, painful rumble in his stomach that was compelling him to find a toilet. Lacking a stronger bladder, Firecracker frantically ran on his hind legs with his forelegs covering his flank with enough speed to leave a trail of dust as he darted towards the nearest bush and immediately unleashed a cacophony of farts that drew the attention of the other students, who each showed various degrees of disgust and mirth over Firecracker's humiliation.

"What happened?!" Cherry Bomb asked in shock.

"Oh, I forgot to mention something important." Starlight gladly explained. "Those bonbons you ate were coated with a magical laxative that'll give you diarrhea every time you say or do mean things to another pony."

"You serious?!" Cherry exclaimed.

"Mm Hmm," Apple Bloom confirmed, "and the effects are permanent; so you better start bein' nicer ta other ponies if y'all don't wanna end up like yer friend."

Seeing the crowd of classmates and teachers surrounding Firecracker was the reason Cherry and Peony needed to clean up their acts. "Here's your ball back, sorry for being mean to you!"

After Peony silently gave Happy a friendly hug, she and Cherry galloped away to check on their now laughingstock of a friend. Walking up to their four saviors, Happy was the first to ask, "Why did you help us?"

"Because nopony deserves to be treated like garbage just for not having a cutie mark." Starlight answered.

"But those meanies said that blank flanks are worthless." Violet replied.

"Don't you believe anythin' those bullies said ta you." Apple Bloom said. "Havin' a blank flank just means you've got plenty of potential for great things."

"Trust us, we used to be blank flanks too," Sweetie Belle interjected, "and it was just as hard for us to endure bullying as it is for you."

"But the important thing is that you have friends who will always be there for you through it all." Scootaloo added. "Even if my friends were still blank flanks, I wouldn't trade them for anypony else."

"They're right, guys." Lovely spoke up. "We should all promise that we will always be friends even if any of us are still blank flanks."

Putting out her pink hoof for the others to place their own other, Happy was of course the first to place his hoof on hers, and Blitz and Violet followed no sooner. After making their vow of friendship official, Blitz had something he needed to ask Starlight. "Do you think we could get other ponies to treat each other the same way we treat ourselves?"

Placing a comforting hoof on the little colt, Starlight told him with great sincerity, "If you are willing to be the change that you want to see in your lives, then you can accomplish anything you put your mind to."

Sensing the spell about to wear off, the four ponies had to leave the foals with a hasty farewell as they all galloped out of school grounds just as they found themselves being returned to the new future they just forged.