The mood on the soccer field was calm. On one side Button Mash was talking to Archer about some new game he'd just gotten called The Legend of Marelda Journey to the Sky. On the other Snips and Snails were in the middle of a game of rock paper scissors while Teddy and Truffle sat next to the goal net looking bored.
"I can't believe I got stuck with you babies on my team." The blue Earth Pony muttered as Rumble and I stepped onto the field.
"I'm back guys," Rumble said. "And I got Apple Comet to play for our team." Teddy snorted trying to hold back a laugh.
"Apple Comet? You got that crybaby to play for your side." Teddy burst into a peal of laughter. "Wow, you losers must be desperate." He turned his attention and walked over to me, a Cheshire grin crossing his face. "You scared little baby?" He said looking me in the eyes. "I promise I'll try my best not to kick the big bad ball too hard at your face." I imagined myself kicking the ball with such force that it collided with Teddy's head with a sickening smack. I saw his eyes rolling back in his head as the ball catapulted him headfirst into the schoolhouse wall. I swallowed hard.
"Aw, are you gonna cry again, crybaby?" He teased thinking his cheap taunts were getting to me. He didn't know how badly he was asking for it.
"Alright lay off Teddy!" Rumble shouted, "Did you come here to play or not?"
"Alright, you want to play? We'll play," he said still cocky as ever as he walked back over to his team.
"Don't listen to him," Rumble said to me placing his hoof on my shoulder. "Between us, Teddy may act big and scary but I heard he still sleeps with a nightlight. Come on let's cream these guys." I took a deep breath and put on my best game face.
"Yeah let's do it." I wish I was as confident as I sounded. I was sure we were going to win. I just wasn't sure we were going to do it without me accidentally smearing that loud mouth against the wall.
The game got off to a pretty good start. Thanks to my increased awareness It felt like everything was moving in slow motion. It felt more like taking a trot rather than playing a team sport. Teddy gained possession of the ball early and with Snips and Snails in the midfield made a drive for our goal. At this speed, I could've easily intercepted him but I wanted to get through this game without using my powers so I simply matched their pace. Luckily Snips and Snails didn't make for the best midfielders making it easy for Button Mash and Rumble to get around them and close in on Teddy.
"Snips Snails! What are you morons doing?" He shouted. "Get over here and watch my back." Snails quickly caught up to Rumble and tried to pass him but Rumble wasn't giving him an opening. Snips tried to pass Button Mash. Neither one of those two was in particularly great shape judging from their heart rate. I quickly closed in next to Snips to stop him from blocking Button Mash.
"Hey get outta my way!" The grey unicorn complained as Button was able to catch up to Teddy. Meanwhile, Rumble had managed to outflank Snails and was closing in on Teddy. Unfortunately, before he could intercept the ball Teddy kicked it straight at Archer's head. My instincts kicked in I charged headlong ignoring the ball and tackled Archer to the ground moments before it struck him leaving Teddy's team with the first goal of the game.
"Nice moves loser! You just gave us a free goal!" Teddy laughed heartily as I picked Archer up off the ground.
"Are you okay?" I asked him.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He said brushing the grass out of his coat. "I just sort of froze up back there. If you hadn't pushed me out of the way when you did."
"Hey we're teammates gotta watch each other's back," I said with a gentle pat on the back. "Now let's get out there and show those guys what we're made of.” Archer looked at me sternly and nodded.
The game got back underway with Rumble gaining possession of the ball. Teddy's team moved quickly to stop us from advancing but Snips and Snails weren't any better at defense than they were on the midfield. As for Truffle, he wasn't exactly made goalie for being fast on his hooves. We scored three goals in the span of just a few minutes And Teddy was not happy.
"What is wrong with you guys?!” He shouted at his teammates. "You're stumbling around out there like you have two left front hooves!"
"Sorry, Teddy." Snails said sheepishly. "We're trying our best out there."
"Yeah," Snips added. "It's not our fault. Apple Comet keeps getting in the way."
"Well try harder you idiots!" Teddy berated. "They're ahead of us by two goals! Do you want to lose to those babies?!" Snips and Snails shook their heads. "That's what I thought. And as for you." He said turning his frustration onto Truffle. "The next time you see the ball coming I expect you to block it with something other than your fat flank Understand?!" Truffle didn't say a word only sniffing and nodding his head.
"Good... now all of you get out there and beat those wimps!"
The game was quickly beginning to attract an audience. Other children stopped what they were doing and began walking towards the field to see the match. I could tell Teddy's team was taking this game a little too seriously for a simple playground match. They were putting in more effort than they had before, but not enough to make a difference against my brain's processing speed. I could tell every move they would make before they made it. Still, I held back only kicking the ball with gentle taps and giving myself a wide berth from the others. Teddy's team rebounded with an interception by Teddy from Button Mash followed by another goal shot at Archer's head that he thankfully managed to dodge in time.
"Time out!" Rumble called out. The Team captain's trotted up to the center spot.
"What are you babies crying about now?" Teddy sneered. "Come to forfeit?"
"You tried to hit Archer again!" Rumble shouted at him.
"I did not!" Teddy said. "It's not my fault your goalie can't block!"
"I saw you!" Rumble said. "You aiming right at him!"
"I was not!" Teddy argued getting into Rumble's face. "It was an accident!" The two of them were muzzle to muzzle, looking at each other like two timberwolves fighting over a kill. Right then I decided to step in before a fight broke out.
"Okay, everypony just calm down," I said stepping in between to push them apart. "There's no need to start a fight."
"Apple Comet what are you talking about?" Rumble said. "He was aiming right for Archer."
"I saw it, Rumble," I said. "He says it was an accident."
"Yeah, it was," Teddy interjected. I could see his heart beating faster, his pulse speeding up. His voice sounded hesitant. Teddy might have been a convincing playground bully but his lying skills left something to be desired.
"And you're going to take his side?!" Rumble said.
"No, I'm not," I argued turning my gaze over to Teddy. "I'm just saying that if it was really an accident like Teddy says it was then he should make sure it doesn't happen again." I'd been nose to nose with a Timberwolf King, some big kid on the playground wasn't going to scare me. If he tried something like that again I'd show him what he was messing with. I'd.....I stopped myself there. The image of Teddy broken and beaten, sobbing on the ground passed through my head. In his eyes, I saw myself standing over him hooves raised, a satisfied grin on my face. This wasn't me, I was raised better than this.
"Come on Rumble we've got a game to finish," I said ushering him back to the starting line.
It was three to two with our team leading. The ball was ours Rumble made a gallop for the goal with Button Mash and myself following alongside. It was looking good until Teddy closed in on Rumble blocking him from the goal with Snips and Snails coming at him from both sides. It wasn't looking good in a matter of seconds from my perspective at least Teddy's team would have the ball and could make a drive for our goal to tie the game. Suddenly Rumble turned to face me.
"Apple Comet! Heads up!” He cried as he kicked the ball toward me. This was it, It was all on me to score the goal. In slow motion, I could see Teddy breaking away from Rumble to pursue the ball. My eyes turned to their goalie. Truffle was standing on his hind legs, his forelegs held up to block any shots. He didn't realize he'd left an opening to the left the size of Trottingham. All it needed was a gentle tap. I dashed for the ball my hind leg swung back carefully and .......
"Go Apple Comet!"
"PPPPOOOOOOOOWWWWWWHHHOOOOSSSSHHHHHH!!!!!!"
My Sister's cheer threw off my concentration for just a fraction of a second. But that fraction was all I needed to kick the ball with enough force to send it flying off into the distance to the shock and undying memory of my classmates.
(Third Pony POV)
The stands were packed in the Cloudsdale Colosseum for the big soccer match between the home team Cloudsdale Cloudbuckers and the visiting Las Pegasus Pioneers. In the stands, a young cyan filly of about ten years old sat on her father's shoulders. Next to them sat a yellow lanky filly and a dark green colt alongside a dark green stallion and a yellow mare.
"When's the game gonna start already?" Rainbow Dash complained. "We already sang the Cloudsdale National Anthem!"
"Settle down Dashie." Windy Whistles said with a smile. "They still need to clear the field and make sure everything is ready." Windy loved her daughter with all her heart, even if she could be more than a hooful sometimes.
"You kids having fun?" Mr. Shy asked his two children.
"I-I guess so," Fluttershy whispered with a smile.
"Eh, I'll be more excited when the game starts." Zephyr Breeze replied with bored interest, as he rested his head with his hoofs on the rails.
His mother sighed and said. "Zephyr please we're here to have a nice family outing."
"Ugh... that's easy for you to say." He moaned. "I think my butt's starting to fall asleep."
Suddenly, the speakers in the stadium blared to life, with the sounds of a horn section.
"Mares and Stallions, Colts and Fillies!!!” The announcer's voice echoed through the seats. The crowd erupted with a roaring ovation. “Give it up for your home team The Cloudbuckers!!!!!" The stands erupted into a chorus of cheers, as the Cloudbuckers flew out onto the field, smiling and waving at the stands.
"Yeah Go CloudBuckers!!!!" Bow shouted.
"Kick some butt, you guys!!!" Dash cheered.
"She is your daughter isn't she?" Windy smirked
"That's right she's Daddy's little cheer partner aren't cha Dashie!" Bow said, looking up at his daughter.
"Dad!" Rainbow whined. "You're embarrassing me in front of Fluttershy."
"Oh relax Dashie." Windy cooed. "He's just playing with you because he loves you."
And their opponents for this match The Las Pegasus Pioneers. The fanfare and adoration gave way to boos and hissing as the Pioneers made their entrance.
"Boo, you stink!" Rainbow Dash jeered.
"Sweetie, what did we talk about good sportsmareship?" Windy scolded.
"That there's no point in winning if you're a bad sport." Rainbow finished.
"That's right and no filly is a better sport than you," Bow said as he smiled and pinched Dash's cheeks.
"Alright, the players are lining up at the center field." The announcer said. "The Referee is meeting with the Captains for the bit toss. Looks like it's going to be an exciting day for......Holy Celestia what's that up in the sky?!!!"
Everypony in the stadium looked up to see an unidentified object flying over the stadium at high speed.
"It's a bird!" Cried Bow.
"It's a shooting star!" Shouted Windy.
"No, it's a soccer ball kicked by an Earth Pony who's not really an Earth Pony because he's the last survivor of a distant planet that's long since been destroyed because his parents shot him here in a space rocket where he was found and adopted by somepony and he possesses strange powers far beyond those that any mortal pony has ever seen before!!!!" A Pink Filly with a balloon-shaped cutie mark looking through a telescope on a rock farm miles away said rapidly nonstop.
"Pinkie!" Her Mother hollered from downstairs. "What's going on up there?"
"I was coming inside, for a long tall glass of lemonade, after getting my chores done, when all of a sudden, my athlete's hoof started acting up like it always does when something unusual flies across the sky, So I grabbed my telescope and came up here, and sure enough a soccer ball came soaring thru the skies over Cloudsdale so fast it broke the sound barrier and It's contrail led right back to Ponyville, Therefore I concluded there's an alien among us who's really good at soccer Mom!!!" Pinkie's chest panted rapidly as she struggled to catch her breath.
"Well, when you're done I need ya to give me a hand with making dinner." Cloudy Quartz replied deciding not to question her daughter's eccentricities further.
"What are we having expecting the answer to be something rock-related?" Pinkie asked.
"Rock soup," Quartz answered, Pinkie's mane deflated on the spot.
"Sigh...yep, called it." Pinkie sighed. "Okay, I'll be right down!"
Silence hung over the soccer field, as my classmates stared into the distance with eyes wide open. Their jaws hung to the ground in shock not daring to say a word. In the distance, I watched as the ball soared over Cloudsdale without slowing down. At the rate it was flying it'd probably be in Yakyakistan by late afternoon. I just hoped nopony err no Yak got hurt.
"Whoa." Snips whispered finally breaking the silence. "That was awesome." That was enough to snap Teddy out of his trance, He frowned and stomped over in my direction like an angry buffalo.
"Alright, Spaz what did you do to the ball?" He hissed through his teeth. I could tell his blood pressure was beginning to boil, I only had one shot at diffusing this mess.
"I-I don't what happened Teddy?" I answered with the best innocent expression I could muster. "I got the ball went for a goal and It just took off." Teddy grabbed me by the neck and looked me dead in the eye.
"So the ball just took off by itself huh? Do I look like a sucker Apple? I know you babies did something to it and I want to know what?" He was getting colder good, If I could just steer him a little farther away, my secret would be safe.
"We didn't mess with the ball honest, we didn't," I said raising my hooves in front of my face. Teddy seemed to be buying my scared victim act, a smug grin spread across his face revealing a row of crooked teeth.
"I didn't ask if you messed with it." He said looking at me like a cat that had cornered a mouse. "Sounds to me like you've got a guilty conscience."
"That's enough Teddy, let him go!" Rumble cried out. We both looked over to see my teammates coming to my aid.
"Oh so it was you then, was it?" Teddy said as dropped me like a sack of potatoes and turned to face Rumble. "Thought you'd use your pegasus magic to cheat?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" Rumble said. "Pegasus magic doesn't work like that, Besides we don't need to cheat to beat you guys."
"Oooh, Shots fired!" Button Mash cried. Teddy's face turned red as a tomato, a remarkable feat considering his dark blue coat.
This was turning ugly fast. Getting to my hooves I forced myself in front of them.
"That's enough guys," I said pushing them apart. "Teddy I'm sorry about the ball, I don't know what happened but it's gone and you need to accept that." Teddy glared at me and tried to shove my foreleg aside but I wasn't going to budge. "And Rumble fighting Teddy isn't going to get us anywhere but in trouble, Just let it go."
Rumble sighed "You know what, you're right Apple Comet. This isn't worth it." He said, turning and walking away. I smiled as I felt a surge of pride flow through me. Not only had I kept a fight from breaking out, but by a miracle, I'd managed to keep my powers a secret. My satisfaction was short-lived as I heard Apple Bloom cry out.
"Apple Comet, look out!" I turned around just in time to see Teddy's hoof collide with the side of my jaw, the sounds of keratin splintering echoed through my ears. Teddy's sadistic grin vanished instantly as he fell to the ground crying out in pain. His teammates gathered around trying to help as best as they could.
"Are you alright Teddy?" Snips asked.
"You don't look too good." Snails added. Teddy sniffed and held his hoof in pain, tears flowing from his eyes. My X-ray vision showed he'd chipped his toe pretty badly. Several fractures ran up and down the pedal bone. It didn't matter that this happened because he tried to sucker punch me, right now he needed my help, and I'd promised on Pa's grave that I would use my power to help others no matter who they were.
"Snips, Snails, you two stay with Teddy, I'm gonna go get Ms.Cheerilee," I said.
"You're not gonna tell on us are you?" Snails asked.
"I'm gonna tell her the truth," I answered.
"But what if we get in trouble?" Snips asked.
"Right now Teddy's hurt and needs help," I said. "That's more important than any trouble any of us can get into right now." I turned and trotted off towards the front door. I wasn't sure how I was going to explain that Teddy managed to fracture his hoof, trying to buck me in the face.
The rest of the school day proceeded as normal, Ms. Cheerilee called in Nurse Redheart, to treat Teddy's fractured hoof. Nurse Redheart was baffled, to say the least when she examined my jaw and didn't find so much as a bruise, while Teddy's hoof looked like he'd tried to buck a brick wall. I played it dumb and told her I didn't understand it either. When I asked if Teddy would be okay, She told me he'd have to go to the hospital to get a cast put on it. She said I was okay to go back to class, but advised me to have Granny Smith schedule an appointment, to have my jaw x-rayed. She never would have guessed I could X-ray myself in the mirror when I got home. After Teddy's parents were called, Teddy was loaded onto the ambulance wagon and taken to the hospital, and our class got back on track after only two reprimands from Ms. Cheerilee, for talking about the fight.
After school was let out, I rode the cart home this time. Outrunning speeding trains may be fun, but it wasn't worth being consistently tardy. The only downside was that my "fight" with Teddy was all the other kids were talking about.
"Way to stick it to Teddy, Apple Comet!" Button Mash said.
"Yeah, you really showed him!" Cotton Cloudy said.
"I always knew he was a big crybaby." Namby Pamby said. "How'd you do it?"
I sighed and put my hoof on my face, shaking back and forth in disbelief.
"What's wrong Apple Comet?" Apple Bloom asked me.
"Ugh, it's nothing, Bloom," I told her. "I've just got a big headache." She looked at me in astonishment, then leaned and whispered in my ear.
"Y'all mean Teddy actually hit cha hard enough to hurt cha?"
"No." I groaned "He didn't hit me hard enough to hurt me."
"So then what is it if y'all don't mind me asking?" Apple Bloom looked concerned at me.
"I'll tell ya when we get home," I answered. I manage to kick a soccer ball to the ends of the earth, probably breaking every world record known to ponykind, and the second I get into a fight, everypony conveniently forgets about it.
I supposed I should be glad that they weren't asking about how I kicked the ball that hard, or how I got away unscathed while Teddy went to the hospital. But I just wasn't in the mood to appreciate the irony.
"Granny we're home!" Apple Bloom called out as we walked through the front door. The farmhouse was quiet, the only sound being the tick-tock of the clock on the wall. "Granny, are ya there?"
"Hold on Bloom, I'll find her," I said, My X-Ray vision would make this child's play.
"Ya know A'h never got an answer from ya about what it's like having powers?" Applebloom asked me.
"Well, I guess it feels kind of natural in a way," I answered. "Like when I see through walls, everything in front of me just disappears and I can see what ponies are doing."
*Flush!*
“Ahhh!!!!" With a blood-curdling scream I shut my eyes and covered my face with my foreleg.
"What is it?" Apple Bloom asked looking concerned. "Is Granny in trouble?"
"Mac...upstairs...bathroom...must look down... must not look up...can not unsee," I answered shaking my head back and forth in a futile attempt to wipe the image from my head.
Apple Bloom snickered "Did Y'all see Mac making horse apples again?" I face hoofed and shook my head harder.
A minute Big Mac came downstairs to find Apple Bloom and Me sitting on the couch.
"Hey, Mac." Apple Bloom greeted him while trying to keep from bursting with laughter.
"Hello, John... I mean Poop... I mean how was your day pooping Mac?" I said to him. Apple Bloom exploded into hysterical laughter. Smooth Apple Comet, real smooth. Why don't ya just tell him, you saw him flush his feces down the pipes while you were at it? Mac looked at me puzzled for a minute before putting two and two together.
"Sorry, Y'all saw that." He said.
"It's okay," I replied. "If anything it'll teach me not to go pooping err I mean peeping on other ponies' privacy." Apple Bloom fell off the couch and began rolling on the floor. Weren't Fillies supposed to think this stuff was gross or something?
"So how was your day at school?" Mac asked attempting to change the subject.
"I'd like to say it was uneventful, but I'd be lying," I answered.
"Am A'h correct in guessing that this has to do with that UFO that was spotted flying over Cloudsdale earlier?" Mac inquired.
"If you mean the class's soccer ball, It was an accident," I said. "I also sort of got into a fight."
Big Mac's interest was piqued. "What happened?” He asked looking at me with suspicion.
I explained what had happened at school. Mac stood and listened
"Seems to me this colt Teddy was itching for a fight." He said when I was finished. "Ah'm proud of y'all for standing up to him and not fighting, Y'all did the right thing."
"So does this mean I'm not in trouble?" I asked.
Big Mac sighed and said. "Well that's up to Granny Smith, not me, But A'h think she'll understand when ya tell her what happened."
"Where is Granny now?" I asked.
"Last time I saw her she mentioned something about setting up the obstacle course," Mac answered pointing his hoof out the window.
"What were they doing out there?" Apple Bloom asked curiously.
"Ah don't know." Mac Shrugged. She just said it had to be ready by the time you got home from school." A lightbulb lit up in my head. This had the Apple Family Way written all over it.
"Thanks, Mac, We're gonna go see what this is all about."
"It's what Ah'm here for." He smiled and said. "And Apple Comet?"
"Yeah?" I said turning around.
"If y'all don't see her there, Don't go looking through the outhouse." He said with a smirk. Apple Bloom fell to the floor, laughing herself into a fresh fit of hysterics.
"Thanks, Mac," I said irritably. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
Some days it's hard having these powers, You see things you can't unsee and ponies never let you forget about it.