“Fluffball, it’s time for school!” Fluffball woke up to the sound of her mother, Screwball, who was standing at the door to Fluffball’s room. The purple filly smiled and hopped out of bed.
Fluffball had told her parents two nights before about her and Jany’s new best friend, Sun Ray Dash, and how they all became the new Cutie Mark Crusaders. Last night she had told her parents all about their time-traveling adventure and how cool it was to see Sun Ray’s cousin, Icy Breeze, looking so young.
Screwball and Mothball both were very excited that their daughter had great friends and that they all had something in common: they all wanted their cutie marks
Fluffball grabbed her saddlebag and flew downstairs to see a plate of chocolate waffles!
“Chocolate waffles, my favorite!” She said. She ate all of the waffles in one bite and then she saw Mothball standing next to her.
“Good morning, Fluffball! I’m glad you liked the waffles I made!” He said. Fluffball smiled, “Yeah! They were so chocolatey and delicious!” She hugged her changeling Dad and he hugged her back. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Fluffball said bye to her dad and ran over to the door. She opened it and her cousin, Jany, was standing there.
“Good morning! How are you doing today?” Jany greeted.
“Good morning! I’m doing fantazzlistic!” Fluffball responded. The two fillies giggled at the made-up word. Back when they were toddlers, Fluffball had made up that word when Jany asked how she was doing, and they had both used the word ever since.
“Should we fly to school or teleport there?” Jany asked. Fluffball didn’t even have to think about her answer.
“Fly, duh! My parents always say that I need to exercise! Well, that’s mostly my Dad saying it. My Mom just says that chaos magic is the coolest thing ever but sometimes you still need to do things yourself.”
“But we flew there yesterday!” Jany whined. Fluffball rolled her eyes and then looked back at her own house. It was a tall brown cottage with forest trees surrounding it. Fluffball absolutely loved her house, especially because of the trees.
“Fluffball, are you daydreaming about getting married to your house again?” Jany teased. Fluffball turned to glare at the pearly-white filly, who started laughing.
“Kids, you’ve got to go to school! It starts in just a few minutes, so you should just teleport!” Fluffball heard her Uncle Zany’s voice. She looked around but didn’t see anypony.
“Wait, I just heard Uncle Zany’s voice but didn’t see him…” Fluffball said, confused. Jany had a mischievous look on her face that only Fluffball could interpret. t
“Seriously, Jany? Fluffball said with a raised eyebrow. You just tried to trick me into teleporting to school by making me hear your dad’s voice,” Fluffball said, annoyed. Even though it was annoying, Fluffball thought it would be a really good prank to play on other ponies. Then, she noticed Jany doing the puppy-dog eyes look at her. Those adorable blue swirly eyes, those chubby little cheeks. Fluffball couldn’t resist it.
“Fine, we can teleport to school,” Fluffball agreed reluctantly. Jany jumped up and down with joy and then they both used their chaos magic to teleport in front of the schoolhouse.
Fluffball looked around the schoolyard to find Sun Ray. She saw a rainbow of fillies and colts scattered everywhere chatting and playing, and then she looked up at the tree. Fluffball loved that tree. She would stare at it often during recess and absolutely loved how it looked during the fall. Those red, yellow, and orange leaves falling from the tree. She loved the sound they made when they crunched under her hooves as well.
“Fluffball! Quit making heart-eyes at that tree and transform to your disguise! You can kiss the tree later. I know it wants to marry you,” Jany teased. Fluffball rolled her eyes and then transformed into her disguise, the red filly with a brown mane. How had she forgotten to transform? It usually was the first thing she did before she arrived at school.
“Good job. Now you can go back to fantasizing about you and that tree,” Jany said.
“Stop shipping me with inanimate objects!” Fluffball hissed. Jany giggled and then Sun Ray walked up to them.
“Hey, guys! How are you? I didn’t see you guys arrive today,” Sun Ray greeted.
“We just teleported here. Oh and Fluffball has a crush on that tree,” Jany said.
“I do not!” Fluffball angrily yelled. Jany laughed again and Fluffball rolled her eyes. Fluffball’s obsession with trees had always made Jany tease her about having a crush on anything made of wood, which was very annoying. Fluffball couldn’t wait to get a coltfriend so she could finally prove that she wasn’t attracted to trees.
Sun Ray looked confused at Jany’s comment and Fluffball really hoped that Sun Ray didn’t think that Fluffball actually had a crush on the tree.
“...Anyways, do you guys have any ideas on how we should get our cutie marks?” Fluffball asked to break the silence. Jany immediately forgot about teasing Fluffball and responded, “Yeah! We should be mountain climbers!”
“Mountain climbers? But we’re in school, dummy!” Fluffball protested.
“Oh yeah,” Jany turned to Sun Ray, “Do you have any ideas?” Sun Ray looked deep in thought when she finally spoke, “What if we try to climb the tree instead! Since there’s no mountain. Cutie Mark Crusaders tree climbers!”
“Yeah!” Fluffball yelled. She yelled it a little too loud because other ponies were looking at her with funny looks on their faces. Fluffball chuckled and her cheeks got a little red before they looked away.
“Oooh, Fluffball has a crush on the tree!” Jany said. Fluffball glared at Jany, “If you say that one more time, I will turn you into a chocolate waffle and then eat you!” Jany looked startled from the serious tone in Fluffball’s voice, and then the bell rang. Fluffball snickered and then the three fillies trotted inside of the schoolhouse.
“Good morning, fillies and colts! Wow, the first week of school is already halfway over! Go ahead and take your seats. Today, we’re learning about multiplication!” Cheerilee exclaimed. Cheerilee looked so old. She had graying hair and walked awkwardly, but she was one of the most cheerful and enthusiastic ponies Fluffball had ever met.
Fluffball took her seat and looked to her right, past Jany, and saw Sun Ray sitting at her desk with a nervous and scared expression. She knew that Sun Ray had trouble with math, so she felt bad for her friend. She wondered what it was like, not being able to do math like that. Fluffball found math simple and easy, but she knew that Sun Ray found it one of the most difficult tasks..
“Psst. Sun Ray!” Fluffball heard. She saw Jany whispering to Sun Ray. Fluffball assumed that she was going to help her with math since she had already learned this before. Fluffball started paying attention to the teacher, who made math fun. She didn’t know how any teacher could make anything about learning fun, but Cheerilee was amazing at it. Another reason why she was the best teacher.
The class went by in a breeze and before they knew it, it was time for recess. Fillies and colts from their class poured out of the building toward the playground. Fluffball, Jany, and Sun Ray stayed in a group and walked over to the tree.
“Jany, thanks for helping me with my math!” Sun Ray said.
“No problem! I already learned this before last year. I was held back a year since I failed science. Science! How am I supposed to remember what the electrolytes and the microbiolgies do!?” Jany ranted. Sun Ray laughed in response.
“Okay, girls! It’s time to climb the tree!” Fluffball excitedly said. Jany gave her a smirk which Fluffball responded to with a glare. But then she saw a light brown earth pony walking up to them. Uh oh. She knew that colt. That yellow mane. Those blue wall-eyes. It was Cinnamon Apple, their bully.
“Hey, Sun Ray!” He greeted. Sun Ray turned towards him and visibly became happier. Did Sun Ray know him? Was she friends with this pony?
“Cinnamon! Meet my best friends, Fluffball and Jany! Girls, this is my cousin, Cinnamon Apple,” She introduced. Cinnamon turned to the chaotic cousins with his eyes narrowed.
“Oh, I know these two fillies. They’re freaks, I tell you! They are heartless beings! Evil and cold-blooded,” He said, coldly.
Sun Ray narrowed her eyes, “They are my FRIENDS! And if you can’t accept them, then I won’t consider you as a part of my family anymore. You are now my LEAST favorite cousin!” Cinnamon Apple looked offended.
“YOU TAKE THAT BACK, SUN RAY! OR I’LL TELL EVERYONE ABOUT YOUR STUPID DISABILITY!” He yelled. Sun Ray looked hurt and Fluffball became very angry, “DON’T MESS WITH MY FRIEND! Or I will knock this tree down on your head!” Fluffball screamed. She started transforming. She didn’t know what she was changing into, but she knew it was something big and evil. Or at least she hoped so.
Her hooves turned black, holes appeared in them, her pupils turned into slits and her tongue turned long and slithery. She felt bug-like wings growing on her back. Her mane turned into a cob-webby texture, similar to her normal mane, but even more cob-webby, like her father’s. She knew exactly what she had turned into. A real un-reformed changeling.
“Get away from my friends, or I will EAT ALL YOUR LOVE! Well, it’s not like you have any,” She hissed. Cinnamon looked terrified and he galloped away, tripping over the sandbox as he ran. Fluffball was exhausted. She turned back into her default form, the purple filly with changeling wings and swirly green eyes.
“Woah… That was SO COOL!” Jany said, hugging her cousin, “Wait, why didn’t you turn back into your disguise? Oh, I know. It’s because you used up all your energy to turn into a changeling! Do you want some of my power so you can change back?” Jany offered. Fluffball smiled. Since both fillies had chaos power, they could “transfer” it to each other when one of them became exhausted. It wasn’t like they were actually giving away their power, just letting the other recharge.
Suddenly, Fluffball felt normal again. She wasn’t tired at all anymore, so she knew Jany had given her some chaos power. Fluffball quickly transformed back into her disguise and then looked over to Sun Ray, who was sitting on the ground looking sad.
“Sun Ray, what’s wrong?” She asked. Sun Ray looked up to her and responded, “I can’t believe that my favorite cousin is a bully! I’ve known him forever and he’s always been the sweetest pony ever. And… He made fun of you guys! And my disability…”
Fluffball hugged Sun Ray, “Aw, it’s okay, Sun Ray! At least you have us and your other cousins, Waterfall and Icy Breeze!” Sun Ray smiled and then Jany joined the hug.
“You said you’ve known him forever and he was nice to you, but we’ve also known him forever and he’s always been mean to us. Fluffball’s parents and his parents are best friends, so we’ve known him since we were in diapers,” Jany explained.
“Yeah. He thinks we’re creepy and doesn’t like our parents either, but he always acts nice around them and then turns mean when they aren’t looking,” Fluffball added.
“Wow. I’ve never known him to be like that! But this means our families have even more in common!” Sun Ray said happily. Fluffball guessed she was trying to brighten the mood again.
“Guys, who’s that?” Jany asked. Fluffball and Sun Ray turned towards a handsome dandelion-colored colt with a curly sun-colored mane and bright orange eyes. He was the most good-looking colt Fluffball had ever seen. His handsome face dazzled her and it was like she was in a trance.
“Hi,” He greeted. His voice was enchanting. It was the most perfect voice Fluffball had ever heard. It was adorable like a kid’s but also sounded a little deep, like a stallion’s. He said something else, but she didn’t hear it because it felt like she was cast under a spell.
“Hello? Earth to Fluffball?” Jany was waving her hoof in front of Fluffball’s face and Fluffball shook her head.
“Huh?” She asked. Jany chuckled and responded, “This colt was talking to you.” Fluffball’s head moved toward the colt as quickly as lightning strikes the ground, and she made her attention 100% towards him. He smiled and repeated his statement, “I saw you turn into a changeling and scare off that bully. It was really awesome.” Fluffball blushed at his compliment.
“Th-thanks,” she stuttered. Jany and Sun Ray looked at Fluffball with a confused expression. They were probably wondering why she was acting so weird.
“My name’s Cheeseball. What’s your name?” He asked. Fluffball’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open.
“What? Did I say something wrong?” He asked, sounding worried.
“No! You said nothing wrong! It’s just that my name is Fluffball! Our names match!” She cheerfully said. Cheeseball smiled and responded, “Wow, that’s so cool! Usually, ponies think my name is odd.”
“Yeah, me too, especially since I’m not fluffy. Well, I guess my hair kind of is,” She said. He looked up at her main, confused. She remembered that she was in her disguise.
“Oh, oops! I’m disguised as an earth pony. I’ll transform to my default form,” She said. She knew he wouldn’t mind her look since he had complimented when she turned into a changeling. She looked down at her hooves as they turned purple and felt her wings grow back and her mane change its shape.
Cheeseball looked at her in astonishment, “Woah. You’re even more pretty than you were in your disguised form. You should be un-disguised more often.” Fluffball blushed once more and responded, “Aw, thanks. But I just don’t want to get bullied.” Cheeseball nodded in understanding and said, “Well, I think you look as lovely as a spring flower.”
Fluffball giggled in response and replied, “Thanks. You’re really handsome.” She saw a blush appear on Cheeseball’s cheeks.
“He isn’t a tree,” Jany whispered. Cheeseball looked confused at Jany’s comment and Sun Ray giggled at it.
“Shut up!” Fluffball whispered back to Jany, who laughed in response.
“Oh, by the way, this is my cousin, Jany, and my best friend, Sun Ray,” Fluffball introduced. They said hello to each other and then the recess bell rang signaling that it was time to go back inside.
“Well, I’ll see you around,” Cheeseball flashed a smile at Fluffball which put her back into a trance.
“Why do like him? He’s goofy and looks weird,” Jany asked.
“No he doesn’t! He’s the most handsome colt i’ve ever met. And why are you saying he looks weird? We’re the ones who look weird,” Fluffball responded. Jany laughed and then said, “Somepony’s in love!”
“No, I’m not!” Fluffball protested.
Jany smirked, “Then why were you making heart-eyes at him and blushing when he complimented you?”
“I wasn’t!” Fluffball said. Jany knew she was lying, even though she didn’t have Screwball’s 6th sense to tell when other ponies were lying. Fluffball was just too flustered to tell a good lie. But she didn’t have a crush on Cheeseball, did she? They had only just met.
Throughout the rest of the school day, she was staring at Cheeseball who happened to sit in front of her to the left. After school ended, Cheeseball walked up to Fluffball and her two friends, who were chatting in front of the schoolhouse.
“Hi, Fluffball!” He greeted. Fluffball blushed and responded, “Hi Cheesy!” She changed back into her regular form and he smiled. The two kids talked while Jany and Sun Ray gave them knowing looks.
“Hey, Cheeseball!” Fluffball heard. She looked towards the voice and saw a yellow-orange stallion with a floppy orange mane and dark orange eyes. Cheeseball waved and said, “Hi, Dad! This is my new friend, Fluffball!” Fluffball smiled and then Cheeseball’s dad looked angry.
“Is that the half-changeling!? You can’t talk to her! Changelings feed off love! She’ll kill you!” He yelled. Cheeseball looked confused and then Fluffball became mad.
“My dad is a reformed changeling! He’s just a different type of reformed changeling who looks like an un-reformed one. He eats chocolate, not love! And I don’t even know how to feed off love! It’s a dumb thing to do,” Fluffball explained.
“You’re lying, filly. I know that only the real reformed changelings can’t feed off love. The fake ones are just pretending,” He sneered. Fluffball shrank down and felt sad. Cheeseball was still confused but now he looked mad, too. Fluffball really hoped that he was mad at his dad and not at her.
“Dad, we learned about this in History class! I know she isn’t faking it,” Cheeseball said. His Dad rolled his eyes and then looked a different direction. His eyes narrowed and he looked even angrier. Fluffball was confused and looked to where he was looking. She saw her dad flying towards them.
“Hi, Fluffball! How was your day at school?” He asked. Cheeseball’s Dad glared at Mothball and said, “You’re only here to feed off the love of all the fillies and colts having fun! I can’t believe I let my son come to a school with un-reformed changelings.”
Mothball looked offended, “I am a reformed changeling! I just am a different type than the one you’re used to! Ever since I was a little kid I thought that feeding off of love was wrong and then I met Screwball, who helped me realize that I actually have a heart.”
“You’re just lying to Screwball. It’s obvious that you just feed off her love and teach your daughter to do the same,” He retorted.
“What!? But I eat chocolate! And Fluffball does, too! And I love my wife and daughter with all my heart,” Mothball said.
“I want you and your family to stay away from my family!” Cheeseball’s dad yelled. He stormed off with Cheeseball sadly following him.
“Can I still be friends with Cheeseball? He’s super nice and I don’t think that he believes a word that his dad is saying,” Fluffball asked. She was nervous that her dad wouldn’t want her associating with someone who’s Dad hated their family.
“And Fluffball has a crush on Cheeseball,” Jany added.
“No, I don’t!” Fluffball responded, blushing. Mothball smiled, “Of course you can still be friends with him! I remember when Screwball and I met. Our parents hated each other and we weren’t allowed to talk. I don’t want my daughter to live through the same thing,” He explained. Fluffball hugged him, “Thanks, Dad!”
“Now, who’s up for some gigantic chocolate Milkshakes?” Mothball asked.
“Me!” The three fillies yelled. They all laughed and started flying towards Fluffball’s house to make some delicious milkshakes.