//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: The Price of Loyalty // by Kasune //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash was mad. Furious. And somewhere in that boiling pot of rage that was her anger, was a bit of sadness at seeing so many ponies making fun of the meek yellow pegasus. It frustrated her to no end that Fluttershy wasn't, and would not, defend herself from those who would make fun of her. Lucky she has me. She scowled, hopping between Fluttershy and the bullies. "Back off, losers," she squeaked - Squeaked!? - as she puffed herself up to look intimidating, a feat made all the more difficult for being the smallest member of the impromptu group. "Oh yeah?" One of the bullies smirked. "Who's going to make us, Rainbow Crash?" "Take that back!" The filly took a step forward. "You're just jealous that we can fly circles around you." "Prove it." "What?" "Dash, we don't-I mean, we shouldn't-" "I said prove it." Rainbow Dash flashed a smirk. "You're on." "You, uh, don't have to do this, Rainbow Dash." The filly groaned from under her pink mane. "They weren't bothering me that much." "They shouldn't have been bothering you at all." "They were just words." Fluttershy shot a furtive glance at the three bullies preparing for the race. "We grow out of our words." "Well, I'm going to make them eat theirs." The blue filly smirked again. "We can be great, Flutters. But we can't let them push us around if we're ever to reach it." Fluttershy let her head droop. "Being pushed around isn't so-" "No one should have to be pushed around." Her smirk gave way to a genuine smile. "Least of all my friends." "Okay." The yellow pegasus grabbed the flag they'd brought along with them. "Done getting a pep talk from your fillyfriend, Crash?" One of the bullies stepped up next to her. "I'm ready to show you your place." "Then I hope you can put your bits where your mouth is." With a flash, the smirk was back on Rainbow Dash's face. Fluttershy hopped forward onto the cloud set aside for the flag pony, turning to face the racers. Shooting a worried glance at Rainbow Dash, she raised the flag into the air. A pause, then it flies in a downward, setting the racers off. The pegasus lets out a scream as she felt drift winds tug her from the starter cloud. "Applejack?" Naval Orange carefully opened the door, stepping inside the room. Over at the window, an orange filly was staring at the horizon, seeming to have ignored him. "Is something the matter?" The filly mumbled under her breath, resting her forehead against the glass. "You'll have to speak up." The older pony stepped fully into the room, within hoof's reach of the pony. "I didn't quite catch that." Applejack shifted slightly, eying her uncle. After a moment's hesitation, she replied, "Ah'm not happy." Her eyes dropped to the floor as she voiced her grievance. "Is that all?" Naval Orange stepped forward, wrapping a hoof around the filly. "That's not something to be ashamed of." "It's just, ahl this frou-frou stuff..." She sniffed. "It's not me. Ah'm not happy here." "Well, we simply cannot be having that." He smiled for his niece. "Do you want to go home?" Applejack shook her head after a moment of thought. "Ah wa'nt happy there neither." She wiped some tears from her eyes. "What if Ah don' belong anywhere?" "Oh, hush now. None of that." Naval hugged the filly to his chest. "I'll tell you something, you remind me a lot of your father." "R-really?" "Would I lie?" His smile grew a little wider. "I mean, he was a bit of a disgrace to the family, falling for an Apple, but-" "Apples are great." "You'll say the same thing about the Banana's someday, Celestia help us when that happens." He paused, waiting for her giggling to die down. "But your dad? We loved Blenheim, despite some of his faults. It led to you and your siblings, after all. However, for a long time, we thought he would never settle down." "Really?" Applejack broke away from the hug. "Didn't he love Ma?" "Well, that's not really it. He was a traveler." Naval sighed. "He was never really happy staying in one place, til he met your mom. Never felt like he belonged either, until he found someone he belonged with." "Oh..." She cast her gaze to the floor. "But what if I don't belong with anybody?" "Don't be thinking like that." He had a smile again. "No use worrying about it until you find out." He wrapped the filly in a hug again. "In the meantime, let's worry about finding you a somewhere you'll be happy. I've got this friend out west with a cherry farm. I think you might like her." This isnt happening. This is NOT happening. The purple filly scowled, forcing a bit more energy into her spell. "I think that is quite enough, Ms. Sparkle." "Nonononono!" She huffed in reply, grunting as the glow around her horn pulsed again. "I can do this. I just need-" "Ms. Sparkle." One of the exam proctors stepped forward. "The test is over." "I. Can. Do. This." A secondary glow started to grow from her first, the all of her focus on the dragon egg before her. Then her voice came out strained as the egg started to float over the trolley it had been resting upon. "Please. Oh, please. Hatch." "Ms. Sparkle, that is enough!" The test proctor stood against the energy flowing from the little filly. "Stop this instant, or you shall face a permanent ban from this Institution!" For but a moment, it seemed to all in attendance that the room would explode. Magical winds flew from the filly in the center of the room, forcing most of the ponies to struggle to remain standing. Then, she blinked, and the energies started dying away as she set the egg back down onto the trolley. "I'm sorry." She whispered, shaking a little. "I thought I almost had it." "Ms. Sparkle, if you and your family would wait outside for but a moment, we need to deliberate on your results." "But-" "Come along, Twi." A blue stallion walked up to the filly. "We can wait a minute." Twilight Sparkle froze for a moment, staring at the exam proctor, before nodding and following her parents out of the room. "Stupid rock." Rarity circled around the bit of earth that her horn seemed to refuse to let her leave. "This can't be my destiny. I refute you. You hear that?" She scowled skyward, tapping her own horn. "I won't have none of this. A rock simply cannot be my destiny. I refuse. There's no dignity to it." With that decided, the white filly with purple mane started walking back in the direction of Ponyville. However, before reaching fifty paces from the rock, her horn started to glow, dragging her back to the rock. "Ungh. Why!? It's just a stupid rock. Why would a rock be my destiny?" "Have you tried checking inside?" A small timid voice sounded from the other side of the rock. Rarity peeked around the rock, catching sight of a small pink filly. "I'm sorry. What was that?" The other filly mumbled, attempting to hide in her own mane. "I didn't catch that." Rarity shot an amused look at the younger filly. "Didn't say anything." "Oh." Rarity walked around the rock, moving towards the filly. "Well, what didn't you say?" The pink filly considered Rarity thoughtfully for a moment, then shook her head. "Ok." She sat down next to the rock. "My name is Fair Rarity." The filly shook her head quicker this time, but sat down beside Rarity anyways. "My destiny is a rock." She tapped her horn. "Or my horn is busted. Not sure which is worse yet." She waited for a response, but the pink filly seemed intent on watching the sun inch ever closer to the horizon. "I think I'll name it Tom. I always liked that name." She glanced over at the silent filly. "It has a certain...dignity to it." The other filly then gave her attention to Rarity. "I wonder if he's a rolling stone." She reached back and tapped the rock. "I cannot let my horn just keep dragging me back here, after all." She turned her attention back to the pink filly. "Hey, if you hit the road with me, we can be Thomas and the Rockettes." The filly returned her gaze to the horizon, letting a small giggle escape.