The Royal Apple

by Mister E-Nonymous

Chapter 12: Crystal Empire Field Trip

It took about three days that Mom and her friends to leave and come back. When I woke up that day, Mom was there to wake me up. I was happy to see her. I got up and hugged her. For the last four days, Mom, Apple Bloom and I did a lot of things together. Especially at the Summer Carnival on Saturday and Sunday.

Today, Miss Cheerilee said that we were going to have a guest come today.

"Alright class," said Miss Cheerilee. "Today, we have two special guests with a very special announcement! Everypony, welcome the head of the Equestria Games, Ms. Harshwhinny!"

Just then, an orange pony with a blonde mane and tail, wearing a purple blazer, a pink scarf, a coin necklace and a trophy cutie mark comes into the class. She reminded me of a strict substitute teacher back in my old world.

"Thank you," said Ms. Harshwhinny. She even sounded strict. "Now, I'm sure you all know about the Equestria Games, where ponies from all over the land compete for glory in various athletic pursuits. Well, now you littlest ones will have the chance to compete for a weighty responsibility of your very own."

"Oh, come on! Tell 'em the fun part!" we all heard a voice from behind us. We turned around to see Rainbow Dash flying in through the window. Making the other students go "Ooh" or "Aah". "That's right! All you gotta do is show Ms. Harshwhinny the coolest, most spectacular, most rocking routine and you're going to the Games! So who's going to be the lucky ponies?!"

"It's gotta be me!" Diamond Tiara said.

"Maybe it's me!" said that one classmate, Aura.

"Maybe it's us!" said Scootaloo. She, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were smiling. When they looked at me, I got a little nervous.

"Maybe it's us!" came the voices of Snips and Snails. We turned around to see Snips standing on his desk holding Snails above him with his forehooves. Snips lost balance, and the two of them fell onto the ground. That had to hurt.

Snips then said, "Hey! It could happen!"

Everypony then shook their heads and then looked towards the front of the class.

Rainbow Dash was flying excitedly, saying, "So, the winning team gets to carry the Ponyville flag at the Equestria Games! Oh, you are gonna love this!"

"Ms. Dash, will you please curb your over-enthusiastic outbursts?" Ms. Harshwhinny asked in a scolding tone. Now she reminds me a lot of that one substitute teacher from my world. "Now then, let me be clear on the rules. You ponies will form teams. Each team will create their own flag carrying routine." She then pointed at the chalkboard with three images. "Everypony will be judged on grace, style and originality." There were images of a young pegasus, Rarity's face and... I'm guessing that pony juggling rubber chickens balancing on a ball is something Pinkie would do. "There's a most complicated scoring system, which I will elaborate upon now. Firstly—"

"Aw, get to the nitty-gritty later," Rainbow Dash interrupted, making Ms. Harshwhinny angry. "Tell 'em the important stuff! Like who's the coach!" She then put on a baseball hat and a whistle around her neck. She then blew on the whistle. " That's right! Me! And you know why I'm qualified to coach you? Guess who carried the Cloudsdale flag in the Games when she was a little filly?" Me! I'll never forget it—" Rainbow Dash started flying, showing off her flag waving skills, making Scootaloo awestruck. "I burst into the stadium, spreading my wings, the flag flapping in the breeze. I did tricks with that flag the likes of which nopony saw before and nopony's seen since!"

Ms. Harshwhinny stomped her hoof and said, "Professionalism, Ms. Dash." She then got in Rainbow's face. "I must insist. If you want to keep your job as coach of these ponies, you must maintain a professional attitude and keep your emotions in check! Am I making myself absolutely, one hundred percent crystal clear?"

"Yes, Ms. Harshwhinny," said Rainbow Dash. "Y'know, 'professionalism' is my middle name. Rainbow Professionalism Dash." I smirked and shook my head.

Ms. Harshwhinny humphed and then said, "Well, in three days time, Ms. Dash will accompany anypony competing to the Crystal Empire, where you will demonstrate your routines for me and the other judges, who will judge you very professionally."

Rainbow cleared her throat and said, "Yes. Quite, quite correct." She then started getting excited. "In the meantime, get ready to train, and train hard, because I know this opening ceremony is the single most important thing that will ever happen in your young lives! But, I know you're up for the challenge. And so am I! Wooho—!" She was doing a back flip until Ms. Harshwhinny glared at her. She then stopped, cleared her throat again and said, "Meet me after school tomorrow at 1500 hours. Sharp. And show me your flag carrying skills." She was about to fly out of there until she looked back at Ms. Harshwhinny. She then said, "Professionally. See how professionally?" She then walked out of there.

I shook my head and giggled quietly.

"Ponies, the most important thing is this;" said Ms. Harshwhinny. "Your routine needs to show what your town means to you. So, do Ponyville proud. Work hard, be bold, wow me. That is all!" She then walked out of there.

We arrived back at Sweet Apple Acres. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo then started working on the routine.

"So, how are we going to do this?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"I was thinking," said Scootaloo. "If we're going to do this, we should do it that represents what Ponyville has?"

"A lot of open space?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"The best apples across Equestria?" Apple Bloom asked.

"No!" Scootaloo said. "We all have three different types of ponies." She then looked at me and said, "Correction. Four, since we now have two alicorns. Twilight and Apple Shine."

"Oh, yeah," said Apple Bloom. "That's a good point. Just imagine. Enterin' the stage for Ponyville, showin' off what makes us great, in front of thousands of ponies. We'll be showin' how much it makes us great." As Apple Bloom was explaining it, I was getting really nervous. I was imagining that I was being watched by lots of eyes surrounding me. I then bolted out of there, but not before leaving something. I wet myself before bolting.

I ran into my room, closed the door, and pressed my back up against it. I was remembering some old memories that I didn't want to haunt me. I started remembering my most embarrassing moment. I don't like to talk about it. I then walked up to my bed, and jumped onto it. I thought getting onto my bed prevented me from hyperventilating. It did not.

Just then, my bedroom door opened, and in came Mom, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

"Apple Shine?" Mom asked. "The girls told me what happened. Ya wanna explain what's goin' on?"

"I... I don't wanna talk about it," I told them.

"Not even how ya wet yerself earlier before runnin' in here?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Ew!" said Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

I blushed deeply. I then sighed and said, "Okay. It went down like this. When I was still... Dylan Rider, in kindergarten, my class was put into a singing show for the Christmas play."

"Oh, is Christmas yer world's version of Hearth's Warming?" asked Applejack.

"Yes," I told them. "I was going to be okay. But when the curtains opened up, I saw a lot of eyes staring at me. I got so nervous, I wet myself and ran out of there. The foster mother taking care of me then took me home so I could be cleaned. Since then, I haven't been wanting to be in front of people where a lot of people weren't watching me. Just the thought of it makes me wet myself."

"Which means you aren't open to being a part of our act," said Scootaloo. "I guess we can manage. We'll just tell Rainbow Dash that you won't be participating."

"Okay," I told them.

"Ah know ya'll grow outta that phase," Mom told me. "Ah'll go tell Rainbow and Cheerilee that ya won't be able to compete. Ah'm sure they'll understand."

"I hope so, Mom," I said.

For the past couple of days, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were working on their routine. Their routine was actually very good. That was until Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon got into Scootaloo's head. Scootaloo then tried changing the act and trying to fly. When they finished their new routine, they were too exhausted and Scootaloo still couldn't fly. Then today, Scootaloo said that she couldn't be able to do their routine and went home.

Applejack went with me and the girls, and Rainbow came up to us, admitting that the girl's first routine was the best one out of all the other ones. But when she heard that Scootaloo wasn't going to be in it, she stopped the train, then she, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle went back to Ponyville to try and convince Scootaloo not to give up and go back to their old routine.

We arrived at the Crystal Empire, and we headed to the arena where the Equestria Games are going to be held for the contest. I just then thought of something. I looked over at Ms. Harshwhinny talking to a unicorn stallion and... Wait. Is that a pink alicorn?

"Mom? Who is that?" I asked looking up to Mom, then pointing at the alicorn.

"Oh, that's right," Mom said. "That's Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. But she goes by Princess Cadance. She rules the Crystal Empire with her husband, Prince Shining Armor. He happens to be Twilight's older brother."

"I didn't know that Twilight had an older brother," I said.

"Tell me about it," Mom said. "We didn't know 'bout him until we got put in charge of their weddin' preparations. Then we found out that the princess was replaced by a changelin'. A bug like pony that can shape shift inta anypony then feed off their love fer them and their power. The real Cadance and Shining Armor stopped them. Haven't seen any fer a long time. Then they came here to be the rulers of the Crystal Empire after it came back and King Sombra was defeated after doin' some dark deeds of evil."

"Okay," I said.

"C'mon," Mom said. "Let's go 'n' meet 'em." Then we headed over towards the Princess, her husband and Ms. Harshwhinny.

The Princess looked over at us and smiled at us. She then said, "Ah. There they are. We were wondering when we were going to meet the new princess. I'm Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. But, I go by Cadance, usually. And this is my husband, Shining Armor."

"Ah already told her 'bout the two of ya," Mom said. "Anyway, it's always a pleasure ta see ya."

"Of course, Applejack," said Prince Shining Armor. "It's a pleasure to see you again. And meet the new princess."

"Yes, yes," said Ms. Harshwhinny. "Anyway, Rainbow Dash told me about your... well... your predicament. So, you don't have to do this."

"Okay," I said. I then motioned a foreleg so she would lean in so I can whisper into her ear. "I have a question. Is it allowed for one group to interfere with another group's performance or routine?"

"Actually," Ms. Harshwhinny said, "there is a rule where you can't interfere with the routines of other groups. It's an instant disqualification if one group messes up another."

I then said to her, "Two ponies in my class got into the head of one of my friends."

"Which ones?" asked Ms. Harshwhinny. I then pointed towards Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. She got angry and walked over towards Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. They looked over at Ms. Harshwhinny. Then she said, "You two are not allowed to perform for interfering with another group."

"WHAT?!" shouted Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

Princess Cadance put her horn on the tip of my horn and said, "Don't worry. I learned this spell from Princess Luna. Ah, there it is." She then walked over to Ms. Harshwhinny, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Then she lit up her horn and a part of my memory appeared on a magical screen. Showing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon mocking Scootaloo about her not being able to fly. "Because of that, you two are not allowed to perform in this competition."

Then the two of them looked over at me, growled and said, "You! You messed up out chances of winning this competition!"

"You'll pay for that," said Silver Spoon. They then ran up to me, and about to attack me, but Mom used her lasso, and then hogtied them together.

"Nopony messes with mah daughter!" Applejack said. "Ah have the right ta tell yer parents as soon as we get back ta Ponyville!"

Just then, right behind us, Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo walked up to us. Rainbow Dash then asked, "What happened while we were gone?"

"It would seem that these two fillies have been disqualified for messing up another group's routine," said Ms. Harshwhinny.

"Shoulda known," said Rainbow Dash. "I was pretty sure that I let out the rules of the competition before everypony started performing their routines."

"What?!" asked Diamond Tiara. "We didn't hear that! You never told us anything!"

"Oh, she did," said Sweetie Belle.

"The two of ya were late ta hear it," said Apple Bloom.

"I told you we shouldn't have gone for the fashionably late show up," said Silver Spoon, angry at Diamond Tiara.

"Oh, shut up!" said Diamond Tiara.

Me, Mom, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were staying in the same room together. The Cutie Mark Crusaders won the competition, and will be waving the flag for Ponyville.

"This was the best day ever!" said Apple Bloom.

"Too bad that Apple Shine wasn't able to join us," said Scootaloo. "We woulda been a bigger hit having a princess on our team."

"It woulda helped," said Mom. "But, she couldn't handle havin' all them eyes lookin' at her and wettin' herself."

"I know that she'll grow out of that phase," said Sweetie Belle.

"I hope I do," I said. "I just don't like it when I'm being watched by more than a hundred eyes."

"What about them baseball games ya played in when ya were still human?" asked Mom.

"It was little league, and only one parent or guardian showed up to each game," I told her. "It wasn't that much."

"Well, hope ya get outta that phase," said Mom. "Wait. Everypony showed up fer yer welcome party, and ya didn't mind then."

"I didn't even eat anything all day before then," I said. Just then, my tummy growled. "Speaking of which..."

"Good idea," said Mom. "Let's get some grub. C'mon, girls." We then headed out of the room, and went to the dining area for some dinner. I heard that the Crystal Empire has amazing food, probably more delicious than the food back home. Probably not the apples, but still, it had to be good.