//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Pony Sematary // by LadyHorrible //------------------------------// Rarity and Sweetie Belle arrived to Fluttershy`s place. The pegasus was outside, waiting for Rarity. She smiled as she saw them coming. "Rarity! You made it!" she exclaimed happily. "I thought you weren`t going to show up anymore." "Well of course I did." Rarity replied, approaching the other mare. "Tough I wasn`t entirely sure I`d be here in time. But I`m glad I finished the dresses earlier so I didn`t make you wait for me too long." "I see you brought Sweetie Belle too." Fluttershy said as she saw the little filly behind Rarity. "Why yes, she returned home sooner and I thought she would enjoy to come along." The unicorn told looking at her little sister which was waving to Fluttershy. "So, would you like to help me feed the animals?" Fluttershy asked. "Sure-" "Yeah!!" exclaimed Sweetie Belle. "Maybe I`ll get an animal feeding Cutie Mark!" she grinned happily and ran to the backyard. Fluttershy and Rarity looked at eachother, then after Sweetie and they both giggled. "She never stops testing her talents, doesn`t she?" Rarity said to Fluttershy. "It seems so." the pegasus replied. "But I hope she gets her Cutie Mark soon, it must be exhausting to search for your special talent everyday..." "At least she`s having fun." Rarity replied and trotted over to the backyard along with Fluttershy. It was indeed fun to do so many different things a day. And there was also so much to do, Sweetie Belle and the other two Cutie Mark Crusaders never really got bored. If one of their attempts at getting a Cutie Mark failed, they`d always have another option to test. But it was also exhausting. Usually when they returned home they were too tired to do anything else than just sleep until late. Feeding Fluttershy`s animals took a while, but they still managed to do it in no time. When they were done, Sweetie Belle looked at her flank and she was disapointed that it was still blank. "Darn it!" she said. "I hoped to get my Cutie Mark now!" she slammed her hoof against the ground angrily. "Now now, Sweetie," Fluttershy approached. "I`m sure you`ll get your Cutie Mark soon enough. You just have to be patient." "But I want it! I want it now! I have been waiting for it so long, just HOW LONG to I have to wait?!" the angry filly shouted, causing Fluttershy to jump. "Well, you`ll clearly not get a yelling Cutie Mark..." Rarity rolled her eyes, already common with her sister`s constant whining. "Or will you?..." she wondered aloud. Sweetie Belle, now calmed down, sighed. "I don`t think so. I don`t think I`ll ever get it..." she lowered her head sadly. "I`m a blank flank, and I`ll die a blank flank..." she said, apparently giving up. "But Sweetie Belle, you are so young, there`s plenty of time for you to get your Cutie Mark! Just keep trying, I`m sure you`ll find your special talent soon, but you must not give up." Fluttershy tried to comfort the little filly which sighed again. "I know, but... the waiting`s driving me nuts." she replied. "I repeat: you just have to be patient. The Cutie Mark will appear when it`s the right time." Fluttershy said. "I keep hearing this, and it also drives me nuts too." Sweetie Belle said and got up. Then she trotted away from Fluttershy. The pegasus sighed. She felt sorry for Sweetie Belle. Seeing her unhappy, was also making her unhappy. (Where`s Pinkie Pie when you need her?) But there was nothing she could do about it. Fluttershy turned to Rarity. "About what you said earlier about her having fun while searching her special talent... I don`t think she is." "She`s always like this." Rarity replied. "But when she`s with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom they do have fun together. When she`s not with them she can get a little screwy." Suddenly, Sweetie Belle began to scream again. "Bee! Bee! BEEEEEE!" "Uh-oh.." Fluttershy started. "Sweetie got a bee sting!" Rarity rushed to her sister right away. "You might need some ice for that." a voice said. The mares turned to see an old stallion standing a few meters away from them. His Cutie Mark was an ax with a stump behind it. He was a forester. Fluttershy nodded and went to get some ice. "I`m sorry, but who are you?" Rarity asked politely. "My name is Jud, I work at the other side of Everfree forest, cutting trees. And I`m done for today. Now I was walking back home which is not far away form here." he told. Fluttershy returned but with no ice. "Oh, no, I`m afraid I ran out of ice!" she said worriedly. "Maybe I could help you." Jud said. "I have some ice back and my house." Fluttershy and Rarity followed the stallion as he turned to walk to his house, the unicorn carrying Sweetie Belle on her back because the sting still hurt. Jud led them to a path across Everfree forest and they were soon able to see his house which really wasn`t far at all. They waited for him outside as he went to get the ice. Rarity placed Sweetie Belle down and the filly rubbed her aching sting. Jud returned with a few ice cubes in his teeth. As Rarity placed the ice on her sister`s sting, Fluttershy saw something that made her quite curious. "Where does that path there leads to?" she asked as she pointed to a path near Jud`s house which she had never noticed before. She had a strange feeling about it. "Oh well, I could lead you there if you want." Jud replied. "It`s a really peaceful place at times." "Umm... okay... why not.." Fluttershy replied unsure. "Oh! Oh! I wonder if I could get an exploring Cutie Mark?" Sweetie Belle suddenly said, making it clearly that the bee sting wasn`t bothering her anymore. Rarity just laughed. "Well, let`s go then."