That morning, I was probably expecting today to be one of the best in my life. I had went down and practically ate my breakfast in just one bite. But as I got off my chair, my dad had stopped me and said, "Whoa Sheldon, what's the rush?"
I levitated my chalk and wrote on my board, "I'm heading to the train station."
"And just why do you need to go there?"
"The school's going on a field trip."
As I walked around him, my dad had immediately pulled me back and said, "Now hold it, I know just where this field trip is heading to, and I'm already going to tell you that you're not going."
"Why not?"
"Son, have you forgotten just why we had to move to Ponyville in the first place? it's because Celestia will have you killed if she were to find out just what kind of pony you are. She won't just take you away from your mother and I, she'll flat out take away your life. I know I shouldn't be telling you this until you're much older, but clearly you don't know just how serious the situation is."
"I do know just how serious it is; which is why I won't use any of my powers when I'm there."
"Well that's out of the question, Sheldon. I know that you like being with your friends, but this is your life that we're talking about. Do you really want to risk it just for a field trip?"
"It's not just that," I erased that little statement. "It's mostly for Apple Bloom."
"Now son, I understand that at your age you're just dying to get in touch with a filly. But you got plenty of time to make a girlfriend, and today's just isn't one of them. (Besides, Hearts and Hooves Day isn't until tomorrow.) But don't worry son, I thought of a better thing for you to do today. My boss has decided to let it be 'Bring Your Foal To Work Day' and I'm going to bring you along. Now isn't that more exciting?"
"Whoopee." Although my dad could tell by the scowl on my face, that I meant that word sarcastically.
Over at the train station, everypony at school was gathered near a train as they were awaiting for their departure. As it was getting closer for them to get going, Pecan said, "What's takin' Sheldon so long? he said he'd be here."
"I'm sure that he's just trying to make himself look good for Apple Bloom," said Rumble. "See, there he is right now."
As soon as they all noticed me, they were immediately calling me over. However, my dad soon put an end to it. "Sorry boys, but Sheldon won't be attending the field trip."
Right when that was brought up, I could hear Ms. Cheerilee's inner voice say, "Well, that crosses him off." And then she announced to everypony, "OK students, let's get on the train." While everypony rushed in with excitement, Rumble and Pecan both seemed to have been bummed out (except Button Mash, seeing as how he was staring at his gizmo the whole time).
...
After a twenty minute train ride, they all stood in wonderment at the royal city that is Canterlot. My friends however were very underwhelmed by this place--seeing as how they were hoping that I would be with them; even during the tour, they seem to think that it's not as thrilling when one of your buddies isn't around to share the experience.
"Would've been a whole lot better if Sheldon were here." Pecan said to Rumble.
"Yeah, he'd probably show us places that only he knows about." Rumble agreed.
"Oh who needs him," Diamond Tiara blurted as she and Silver Spoon walked beside him. "He wasn't that special to begin with!"
"You're just saying that because he told you two off." Rumble pointed out.
"Oh why don't you zip it," Diamond snapped, "I don't need to be taking any of this from a Blank Flank--let alone you!"
"Aw, what's wrong Diamond? you still cranky because I chose Scootaloo over you?"
"That's one way of describing how you broke my heart."
"You need to have one in order for it to be broken." He and Pecan both laugh while Diamond had a very bitter look on her face.
Silver was about to defend her, but then Diamond stopped her. "Don't even bother Silver, he's not worth it." And as she lifted her head up in that uptight fashion, she didn't see it coming when she bumped into somepony.
The pony she bumped into shouted, "Watch where you're going you little pest!"
But after what Rumble said to her, she just had to let her anger out. "Why don't you watch where you're going you blockhead?!"
After getting that tension out of their systems, they both got a clear look at one another as they suddenly feel as if they were searching for each other for a long time. "Pardon me, but I wasn't aware that I was in the presence of a lady."
Diamond was a bit taken back by this compliment as she said, "And just who are you?"
"I'm Highbrow Canterster. May I trouble you for your name?"
A blush slowly started to glow on her face. "I'm Diamond Tiara."
"Diamond, a rather fitting name for a lovely jewel such as yourself." She then let out a giggle after hearing his flattery. "And just what brings you to Canterlot?"
"My friend and I are here on a field trip."
Highbrow then decided to turn his attention to Silver Spoon. "And just what might your name be?"
Right when he was about to do that kissing somepony's hoof routine, she slipped it away and said, "Don't bother, I'm like not in the mood!"
"You'll have to excuse my friend," Diamond explained, "she just had her heart broken by the colt that she loved--and she's not exactly feeling like moving on at the moment."
Highbrow then said, "Well I must imagine this colt being an absolute fool for turning her down."
"Exactly. And the worst part is that he snubbed her for that Blank Flank over there." She pointed to Apple Bloom.
"He definitely must be foolish for wanting a farm hick over a filly with some class."
"Yeah, but what can you expect from a pony who can't talk?"
This suddenly sparked Highbrow's memory. "Was he wearing a chalkboard around his neck?"
"That's right, but how do you know that?"
"Because Sheldon Clopper happens to be my long time rival."
"You don't say?"
"You know it. I've always been wondering what happened to him after that day he got lucky over me. Where is he, anyway?"
"Ponyville."
"It figures that a pony of his intelligence would want to go to someplace as poor as Ponyville."
"Well I live there, and I'm not poor."
"Indeed, what's a jewel like you not living here?"
"I don't know, my dad just thinks that living here would be 'too expensive'. Anyplace would be better as long as I'm far away from those Blank Flanks--especially him." She then pointed to Rumble--who was kissing Scootaloo at the moment.
"Why him in particular?"
"Because he used to be my boyfriend, but then he left me for that Blank Flank he's smooching with."
"It only makes sense that a Blankius Flankicus would want to mate with one of its own kind."
That got a laugh out of her. "Oh Highbrow, I never met somepony as witty and charming as you. If only you were living in Ponyville, then I wouldn't have to settle with somepony like Rumble."
"Yes, it's rather complicated when you're the son of a rich tycoon who wants you to have the best education money can buy." An idea suddenly came to him. "However, if I could talk my father into it, I just might be able to find myself in Ponyville."
"You'd do that for me?"
"Of course I would. After all, we do have a saying in my family: a Canterster always pays his debts."
Diamond was so entranced by this colt version of herself that she had to ask him a favor. "You think that maybe you could pretend to be my boyfriend so that way I could make Rumble jealous?"
He then gave her--what she would consider--a charming smile as he held her hoof and said, "Why pretend when it can be for real?"
And so the two of them walked towards Rumble and the other crusaders as Diamond said, "Hey Rumble, meet my new boyfriend: Highbrow. He's rich, and has much better manners than you."
"You can definitely tell just by his taste in fillies." Highbrow gave a smug comment.
This caused Rumble to say, "What did you say about my filly, pretty boy?"
Highbrow had a cocky smirk on his face when he told Rumble, "You mean other than the fact that that piece of Blank Flank trash is only second rate compared to this lovely Diamond that you could've been with?"
Rumble raised his hoof in a punching motion, and that caused Highbrow to flinch and squeak like a little girl. It was then Rumble's turn to smirk. "Strong words coming from a flincher!"
While they were all laughing, Highbrow just turned to Diamond and said, "Come darling, let's go to the hedge maze where we won't have to deal with these peasants." As they were walking away, Highbrow turned and said, "One more thing, if by any chance you see Sheldon, be sure to send him my regards."
When they were gone, Pecan said, "How does he know Sheldon?"
"Don't know and don't care," Rumble remarked, "I just hope he's having a much better time than we are."
...
Meanwhile, me and my dad were pretty much walking for hours until we came to the gray, desolate wasteland that is the rock farm. "What do you think, Sheldon?" my dad asked.
Although the answer was pretty obvious, I still decided to write down my answer. "Seems kinda dull."
"Well what can you expect from a place that has nothing to do put carry rocks around." He then saw this gray mare with purple hair walking very slowly towards us. "Oh uh, Sheldon, this is my boss, Maud Pie. She's the one who runs the rock farm."
The mare known as Maud leaned her head towards me with a blank expression and said in a dull monotone, "Are you having fun coming to work with your father?"
I just took my chalk and wrote down, "What's so fun about a rock farm?"
My dad gave me that look whenever a kid says something that he shouldn't, while Maud just continued staring with her blank expression and said, "Sometimes we gather big rocks and crush them into pebbles; kinda like Boulder." She then took a pebble out of her pocket. "He's my pet rock. Do you have a pet rock?"
I shook my head, and for some reason I was hearing some random inner voice say, "Yes, look at them, gathering my army and multiplying by the second. As soon as these ponies are finished crushing every rock into pebbles, then I shall finally accomplish want I plan every night: try to take over the world!" it took me awhile to put it all together, but it would seem that these thoughts are coming from Maud's rock. Does that rock really have a mind of its own? I was about to doubt this, that is until I heard the rock's inner voice say, "Why is that foal staring at me like that?" yep, it's got a mind of its own.
As this sudden shatter of reality was starting to sink in, Maud made a very dull announcement. "OK everypony, let's get ready for camouflage."
I wrote to my dad, "What's camouflage?"
"It's kinda like hide and seek," my dad explained. "Except you're looking for a rock." I then let out a mental sigh as I thought to myself, that field trip to Canterlot is starting to sound much better at this point.
...
Back at Canterlot, everypony was on the edges of the castle and were watching the sunset. Rumble wrapped his hoof around Scootaloo as they both gazed off in the distance. "Never thought I'd ever be watching a sunset with my filly."
She gave him a smooch on the cheek and said, "You can be real sappy sometimes."
While that was happening, Sweetie Belle was nuzzling next to Button and said, "Oh Button, isn't this romantic?"
"Yes, new high score!" when he finally took his eyes off of the gizmo, he looked at the sunset and said, "Wow, when did we get a view like this?" and Sweetie gave herself a hoofpalm while an annoyed expression was on her face.
During all this, Apple Bloom was by herself as she was watching both couples savoring this romantic moment. She then heard somepony say, "Isn't as good as having somepony to like share the moment with you, is it?" she turned and saw that it was Silver Spoon.
"Shouldn't you be with Diamond and her new boyfriend?"
"They're in the hedge maze, kissing. And I just can't stand seeing those two together when I like have nopony of my own."
After an awkward silence, she then told Apple Bloom, "Listen, I never say this to you or your friends, what with peer pressure and trying to keep up on my reputation, but I just want to say how sorry I am for what Diamond and I did to you two days ago. I just didn't want somepony to take my special somepony away, and it turns out I ended up losing him all by myself. I know that Sheldon has a huge crush on you, and I want you to know that I'm totally OK if you start dating him."
"What makes ya think I'm even interested in him?"
"Well he did stood up for you after what we'd done, you'd think he just do that and not expect you to be impressed? have you even like once gave him a chance?"
"Not exactly. I mean, I did thank him fer walkin' me home, and I even gave him a kiss on the cheek, but the problem is that he's expectin' me ta do the whole 'confessin' yer feelings' thing all fer him. And how can I ever love somepony who can't even say 'I love ya' without havin' ta depend on me ta do the work fer him?"
"Hearts and Hooves Day is tomorrow, maybe he'll tell you how he feels then. All I know is that if you two don't get together, then you might end up like that colt other there." She pointed to Pecan--who was also watching the sunset by himself.
"Trust me on this. I know that there were times where I might've tricked or even lied to you and your friends, but I mean it when I say that you should give Sheldon a chance."
Well, the flower petal did say that he loves me. After thinking this over, Apple Bloom said, "All right, I'll see what happens tomorrow."
Silver then said, "I better get back to Diamond before she finds out that I'm being nice to you. And trust me, once you make Sheldon your boyfriend, you'll like have no regrets. (Especially with that cute flank of his.)"
Fer a rich girl, she's got some weird obsession. After she left, Apple Bloom went to Pecan and said, "Pecan, do ya think that Sheldon might do somethin' on Hearts and Hooves Day?"
"Well he lost his chances on this field trip," said Pecan, "so I guess he might try ta make up fer it tomorrow."
That's when Cheerilee shouted, "All right everypony, back to the train station!" they all let out disappointed sighs as their field trip finally came to an end.
...
Back at the rock farm, everypony was searching for Maud's rock for hours (it was nearly night time at this point). Seeing as how I wanted to get home as soon as possible, I decided to use my Mind Powers to see if I can't find the rock any quicker. After a couple of seconds of focus and adjusting, I was able to hear his inner voice.
"Ha ha ha, I love it when these pitiful ponies are wasting their time looking through piles of rocks! just wait until they find out that Maud had me hidden inside her pocket the whole time!"
So without wasting anymore time, I stepped towards Maud, reached in her pocket, and took out her rock. Maud grabbed it and said to my dad, "Your son found him."
My dad gave me a pat on the shoulder and said, "Good job son, usually nopony can ever find Boulder."
"Exactly," Boulder's inner voice was saying, "this colt is special. Therefore when I take over Equestria, I'll see to it that his death will be quick and painless."
Not wanting to hear anymore of this, I turned to my dad and wrote down, "Can we go home now?"
My dad then said to his boss, "Hey Maud, will it be OK if I left early? my son's just really tired."
And without even changing her expression, Maud said, "Sure, I'll even give you a raise and a paid week's vacation."
"Oh, uh...thanks." And with that said, my dad and I just turned around and went back home.