//------------------------------// // Chapter One // Story: The Pony Who was Once a Cat // by Little Brave Heart //------------------------------// The Pony Who was Once a Cat By Little Brave Heart Chapter One Bright morning sunlight filled Love Bugs room. It was a beautiful sight she rarely sees. She wasn't a morning pony, sleeping in till about noon. Love Bug was about the same age as Twilight Sparkle, and was also a unicorn. She had a black body and bright red hair, which was the style of Princess Luna's. Her cutie mark was a lady bug, which she admired everyday. Today she couldn't sleep in at all. Twilight Sparkle has told her to meet her at the library very early today. Something about a spell or whatever. Love Bug wasn't very happy with her, having to get up so early just to help her with a spell, but unlike her, Twilight WAS a morning pony, who didn't mind getting up very early. Love Bugs younger sister, Crystal, a dark blue unicorn with light blue hair which was the style of Vinyl Scratches, wanted her to help her find her cutie mark. Her friend, Epic Bloom, who was best friends with her and Scootaloo, had discovered her cutie mark a week ago. She was extremely jealous and wanted to find her cutie mark as well. She said it was so cool, a multi-colored explosion. Unfortunately, she wanted to discover her mark the same day Twilight Sparkle told her to meet her at the library. She would probably be pouting and whining this morning, but she promised she would help her tomorrow. It seemed pegasi always got their cutie marks before unicorns. Love bug sighed, and got out of bed. She walked passed Crystals bedroom, and the white unicorn wasn't there. Love Bug was prepared for a storm of whining and complaining from her younger sister, about not having her cutie mark and she couldn't help her today. She walked down the wooden stairs and went into their kitchen. Crystal was sitting at the table, waiting for her older sibling. "Love Bug! Why can't you help me find my cutie mark? I want to have one too! Epic Bloom has one!" She whined. "I know, I know. But these things take time." Love Bug informed her. "But....but....how come Epic Bloom and most of my friends have them then?" Crystal persisted. "Some fillies or colts cutie marks come later than others!" Love Bug said getting mad. "Well, that's not fair!" She exclaimed. "I know its not. I was one of the last fillies in my class to get a cutie mark." Love Bug said. "Really?" "Yeah." Love Bug replied getting some Derpy-O's out of the cabinet. "Should I get it soon then?" Crystal said full of excitement. "Maybe." the black mare replied. "Why don't you have Epic Bloom help you find your cutie mark? She has one." Love Bug added. "Oh, that's a good idea! See ya!" Before Love Bug could stop her, she bolted out the door, trotting in the direction of Epic Bloom's home. Love Bug sighed as she poured milk into her bowl of cereal. She also giggled a little, Crystal was so determined to get her cutie mark, she reminded her of herself when she was a small filly. She too, wanted her cutie mark. She made come coffee and sat down at the table to eat her breakfast. She levitated the spoon to eat the cereal and levitated the cup to drink the coffee. Love Bug had to eat fast, otherwise she would be late for Twilight Sparkle. In about 10 minutes the black and red unicorn had finished her breakfast, and it was time to go. It was about seven o'clock, and Love Bug was supposed to be there soon. So she figured she could get there a little early. Love Bug got up from the table and walked out the door. She didn't need to bring anything, just herself, Twilight told her. So she wouldn't bring her saddlebag or anything. Like last time, she had to bring paper and a quill because she ran out. Luckily, she did all her shopping yesterday with her assistant, Spike. Spike was the only one in Ponyville who understood her sleeping problem. Well, not the only one, Rainbow Dash understood too. Love Bug appreciated this. Soon, Twilight Sparkle's library came into view. It wasn't a very long walk to her place, being so close to it. She approached the library, which was also Twilight Sparkles home. Love Bug walked up to the door and knocked on it gently. After a few minutes, a purple mare appeared in the doorway. "Ah, there you are Love Bug! Your a little early. I didn't expect this from you." Twilight said a little surprised. "Please, come in." She gestured a hoof inside of the library. Love Bug nodded and stepped in, still a little bit sleepy. "Sorry to ask you to come so early." Twilight added. "But, we are doing a very special spell today." Love Bugs face lit up. She had a feeling this would be really fun. "Now, today I'm going to turn you into a cat!" Love Bugs face slowly started to fade a little. How would she survive as a cat? "Now, you stand right here, and I'll turn you into a cat. This isn't a very hard spell, but I've always wanted to try it!" Love Bug didn't want to disappoint her friend, so she stood where Twilight Sparkle wanted her to. The lavender unicorns horn began to glow with magic. Love Bug gulped. Twilight lowered her head so her horn would be pointing at Love Bug. A ball of magic began to form, and it got bigger, and bigger. After it got to a certain size, it blasted at Love Bug. She was encased in a ball of purple magic, undergoing physical changes to change her into a completely different specimen. After about five minutes of this, she fell to the ground, only to land gracefully on her hooves, no, not hooves, paws. She had turned into a red striped black cat. She tried to talk, but all that came out was a single meow. If Love Bug tried to say more words, all that would come was more meows, and sometimes hisses. "Oh, I don't think this was supposed to happen...." Twilight said looking back at her book titled, "Animal Spells." "Lets see...It says here, you should still be able to talk." Love Bugs face turned to a look of worry. "Don't worry, I'll go to the local library to find the sequel to this book. I never thought I would have to get it. You....just.... I don't know, do cat stuff." Twilight Sparkle ran out the door, all Love Bug could do was reply with a meow. She knew this day was going to be either a challenge, or a easy relaxing day. Maybe a little bit of both. She couldn't get anything she needed, and she didn't have any magic. More importantly, she couldn't communicate with any pony. If cats had a different way of communicating, Love Bug didn't really understand it. She wandered the library in search of what to do. However, she did find she could jump onto high places in a single leap. She figured this because cats weighed less than ponies. Whenever Love Bug fell, she didn't get injured, cats always landed on their paws. After Love Bug was done exploring the library, she decided she would go out into Ponyville. She wondered what the other ponies would think of a cat wandering around town. But then she remembered; how could she open the door when she was a lot shorter, and couldn't reach the handle? She spotted a window which was open, which Love Bug could easily leap up on and jump out. So, she did so. Love Bug found herself in Twilight Sparkle's backyard. She had seen cats in backyards roll around in the grass before, so she figured she should try it. Love Bug lied down in the grass and rolled around. It felt relaxing, now she knew why cats loved to do it. So, she decided to try out some more stuff. It was going to be a long day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Love Bug trotted out from the garden and into Ponyville. It seemed no pony knew what to think of a random new cat wandering the town. Some stared, others ignored her, and some gave her a friendly pat on the head or petted her. Then something horrible happened. Something that would be hard to escape. Love Bug was just walking around the town, now that she knew she was welcomed by other ponies. But then she saw the dark blue unicorn filly; Crystal. Epic Bloom was flying beside her, suggesting ways she could help Crystal get her cutie mark. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle followed closely behind them. They were all happy a filly with a cutie mark was helping them to search for their mark. Especially Scootaloo, since Epic Bloom had a few flying lessons from Rainbow Dash. They all stopped when they saw Love Bug. The problem was, they didn't know it was Love Bug. She would tell them, but she couldn't even talk, only meow. "A cat? I never noticed this cat before." Epic Bloom said picking it up. Love Bug desperately tried to squirm free from the green pegasi's hold, but she was tightly locked in her arms. "Ah think it doesn't like being held, Epic Bloom." Apple Bloom piped up. "Should we let it go?" Asked Crystal. "Nah. how bout we be....Cutie Mark crusaders pet caretakers?" Scootaloo suggested. The five fillies agreed. "Well, lets go and take care of it!" Sweetie Belle said. "It? Shouldn't we give it a name?" Epic Bloom said patting Love Bugs head. "Well, I guess. How bout....Shadow?" Scootaloo suggested. "But its also red." Crystal replied. "Oh yeah....how about...um...Red stripe?" The other fillies nodded and they agreed on this name. "Okay, well lets go take care of her! Can we go to your house, Crystal?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Yeah, sure. Love Bug isn't home. Shes with Twilight helping her with a spell." "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER ANIMAL HELPERS!! YAY!!!" They all screamed at the top of their lungs, causing Love Bug, or, well, Red Stripe to them, to flatten her ears back against her head. "Ah don't think she likes it when we talk loud." Apple Bloom said after seeing Love Bug flatten her ears back. "cutie mark crusaders animal helpers....yay...." They all whispered. They all walked off to Crystal's house, Epic Bloom still holding Love Bug in her arms, and she had given up struggling. She would face whatever they did to her.