Equestria Girls: Love Is Magic

by onekface

A Prelude to Disaster

Fluttershy knew her brother well.

Well enough to know what kind of person he was.

He’s normally a sweet, social and at the same time lazy and cunning. The boy dangled a fine line between the laws and somehow managed to keep himself afloat. He’s the kind of guy who would con his own family to make a quick score. If he had the charisma, he’d probably be able to sell sand in the dessert.

But this time however, he took a little too far. Which is exactly why the boy in question was on his knees in front of her with a stash of illicit items forked out of his pockets.

It all started roughly… ten… fifteen minutes ago. Fluttershy was having a nice and relaxing chat with Flash when her brother showed up gawking like the idiot that he was. The boy was holding onto what looked like a stash of jewelries and other goods that were clearly not normally found with teenagers.

Zephyr practically got a fanny pack filled to the brim with stuff with tools to put the odds in his favor. A coin with two heads, loaded dice, trick cards, infrared goggles courtesy of Pinkie Pie, and a wad of play money that’s almost indistinguishable from the real thing if you look close enough.

Oh Zephyr. You are totally in for it now.

“Ow! Easy!” The boy in questioned whined as she pulled his ear like a den mother who caught her child in an embarrassing situation. “I’m a lover, not a fighter. You know, for a family member, you’re not exactly acting very family-like.”

“I think I’m acting very family-like right now.” Fluttershy countered, folding her arms while glaring sternly back at him. “You’re gambling again aren’t you? I told you that if I ever catch you doing something shady again, I’ll tell mom and dad.”

“Oh you wound me, Flutter Butter.” Ugh… that ridiculous nickname. She hated it. “I would never betray your trust. Ever. Scout’s honor. I swear, I put all my bad habits behind me. I’m practically a model citizen.” Yeah… no one was gonna believe that. “I’m just providing some light entertainment for the fellow people enjoying our fair… uh… fair?”

“Really? And what are these?” She grabbed a fistful of jewelries that she picked out of his pockets.

“Oh… those.” He began to sweat. “Those are just some items I’m holding onto… for… a friend.”

“And these?”

“Lottery tickets. All legitimate, but expired. The numbers Fido gave me were bogus. That’s the last time I count on his predictions. Pfft.”

“And this one?”

“Hey! Don’t touch that! That’s my spread sheet for my fantasy football league! The quarterback for the Griffonstone Feathers just came back from a leg injury! Gilda. My star player just went through knee surgery after she was tackled down by four other players, winning the little league. Now she’s back and better than ever. I’m thinking about raising her stats for the next game.”

“Zephyr!”

The boy scoffed in defeat. “Alright alright. I give. I… may have been dabbling in a few… dozen… side activities. But it’s all just good fun. I’m even planning to donate 1… erghh… tenth of… a quarter to the fundraising pot.”

No he wasn’t. A rough guess would say that he was about to bail out of there with all his winnings and no one would be the wiser. If there was anything he was gonna donate, it would be time. And even then he’d find a way to make a profit.

“You are returning all of this to their proper owners, right now.”

“But I won those fair and square!” Her glare made the boy shiver. “Come on sis. Can’t you look over this little thing for once? I’m not exactly hurting anyone here.”

“You’re cheating people off their stuff.”

His head shook around. “I prefer to call it, a sucker’s deal. They’re the ones who set the rules. I just… bend it a teeny tiny bit to make a profit. Come on now. We’re all family here. Surely we can come to a compromise. I’ll even let you keep one of the rings.”

“Ugh… you’re unbelievable.”

“I think what you’re trying to say is: Unbelievably awesome. Ahehehe.” Wow… he’s really something. And here he thought Rainbow Dash was egotistic.

“Oh brother.” She whined, patting her forehead shallowly.

But then the boy beamed up, as if he found a compromise. “How about this then? I’ll be willing to play ball with you, if you give me a little something in return.”

“Oh no you don’t.” Fluttershy shut his offer down without a second thought. “We’re not making any deals here. I’m very upset with you right now, buster.”

“Relax big sis. It’s nothing major. Just hear me out for a second here.” He wiggled his brow while flashing a charming yet mischievous smile. “I’ll turn over everything I have in my pockets to the fundraising pot right now. In exchange, you give me a the deets on your… ‘New friend’ over there.” His brow wiggled over to the corner where Flash stood by, out of earshot. She asked him to give her a moment with her brother which she was thankful that he agreed without question. She’d rather not have other folks knowing about Zephyr’s bad habits. Even worse knowing that the two of them were related at all.

“You mean… Flash?” She gave a questionable brow to his suggestion not really understanding the point. Flash was pretty much known to the whole school. He was crazy popular with everyone. More so than he actually realize.

“Yes, him.” Zephyr nodded. He had that look of a schemer. Someone who had a plan to come out on top. “I was wondering what kind guy my big sister was in to. Turns out you pick the cream of the crop, reaching out for the stars, going for that full-court shot!”

Those metaphors were just bouncing off her nose like brick wall.

“Are you trying to distract me again? It’s not going to work.”

“Absolutely not. This is all genuine sincerity here, big sis. All I want is the juicy words between the two of you?”

Her head tilted. “Between the two of us?”

Zephyr’s eyes rolled while that coy smile of his grew even wider. “Oh please. There’s no need to keep it a secret, Flutter Butter. It’s obvious that he’s the guy you’ve been dating all this time.” Her head jerked back.

“What!? Me? Flash?!” She wasn’t entirely sure if she should smack him or pull his hair off. “No!”

“It’s ok. You can come clean with me. We’re all family here. It was super obvious.” He wiggled his brow a third time. “I mean two love birds roosting in a quiet corner, sweet talking away from the crowd, and holding hands? That sounds like my classic Fluttershy technique to me.”

Fluttershy dragged her hand down her face. It was clear her brother simply caught them in a situation and came to the wrong conclusion. Again.

“Listen Zephyr…”

“No need to give me the spiel. I totally get it.” He interrupted. “This whole relationship is totally new territory with you. It’s scary, and seeing how you’re all just staying away from folks, you want to keep it a secret. Well lucky for you, your little brother found out about it first. This is totally awesome news.”

“No. Zephyr. It’s not like th…”

“Honestly I’m kind of relived. I was thinking you might’ve fallen for an actual bad boy or goodie two shoes. But you went for the top shelf and got the good stuff.”

“Zephyr. Will you please list…”

“Man, I am stoked. It’s no wonder you turned down Feather Bang so quickly. Hooooo-wee. I feel sorry for that guy. He clearly doesn’t stand a chance.”

Her brain snapped back to attention. “Wait… Feather Bang? He’s been asking about me?”

“Yup. He’s been asking about your new boyfriend ever since you gave him that big ‘Oh no’ rejection the other day. From what I hear: He’s been writing a new poem for you, working some kind of angle. He thinks he still has a chance with you.” Oh come on! Rarity said that a firm rejection would deter people from trying. He was not supposed to come back for round two. “Heh. I’d like to see his face when he sees the competition.”

“Competition? What do you mean?”

“Come on sis! This is Flash Sentry we’re talking about here. No one would dare try to compete with him. You got like… the holy grail of hotties around here. Everybody knows that he’s the biggest fish of them all around here.” He paused a thought. “Well… 2^nd biggest fish. Yours-truly is still number 1. Though Big Mac might be a close contender with him and Ms. Cheerilee. How that country bumpkin like him got a gal like her is anyone’s guess.”

She snapped her finger at his nose. “Focus Zephyr! What do you mean by ‘No one would dare compete’?”

“What? Because you and Flashy boy over there?” He scoffed like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Well ain’t it obvious? He’s like… super popular right now. No one would dare come between you and him. Not even Feather Bang would be dumb enough to tango with big blue over there. That’s social suicide at its finest. Besides, there’s like an unspoken rule about this whole thing. You just don’t go stealing another guy or girl from another. That’s just all kinds of wrong. Can you imagine the drama?”

Fluttershy toned the boy out when he began to ramble. Still… there was some merit in his words. That little lie she told Feather Bangs has blown out of proportion. Even her friends were beginning to ask for details. Some were even speculating that she was even dating a teacher. The scandal of it all. It was a mystery everybody seemed bent on finding out one way or another. And the longer it persists, the greater the rumors will grow.

But if it’s known that both she and Flash were sort of together, the mystery would disappear and people will move on with their lives. And if her brother’s words were to be trusted, even Feather Bangs would have to give up his quest for her affection.

Yes… that’s it! Just a little game of pretend. Just for a short while. And just long enough to put these ridiculous rumors to rest. No one else will find out and no one will even get hurt.

And thankfully Fluttershy knew just the person to spread the word. Her eyes fell on her brother as a delicious plan brewed in her head.

“Say…… Zephyr. How about you and I make a deal?”

The boy unsurprisingly looked surprised.

Ugh… just how big is this place? They already crossed through three dorms and two auditoriums.

Seriously. When Sunset heard about Everton Academy, she imagined it would be similar to Princess Celestia’s school for Gifted Unicorns. But unsurprisingly everything seemed a whole lot bigger in the human world. It felt like they were trying to compensate for something.

For a bunch of non-magical creatures, they sure know how to build.

“Ugh… this is getting boring.” No one really reacted when Rainbow Dash whined just out of Thorax’s ears. The girl slouched lowly, unable to take the stillness for much longer. “You know. When you guys asked me to get into this job, I was expecting something more like what happened in Freefall Island.”

“Not every adventure needs to have death defying adventure Rainbow Dash.” Rarity countered. “I prefer a quiet adventure full of beauty rather than danger.”

“I know. But still. I don’t mind a little excitement. Don’t you remember the thrill of it all?”

Sunset eyed her wearily. “Do you mean the part where we endangered a hundred people in Hoity Toity’s pageant? Or the part that we were nearly crushed by a falling castle? Or maybe the part where Twilight and Flash got teleported to the other side of the world and we had to spend a whole week lying to their parents?”

“Ok ok. So there might’ve been a few… mishaps. But it all worked out in the end, didn’t it? We stopped Hoity from taking over the city, and Twilight and Flash got back safe and sound.”

The fashionista didn’t agree. “That’s putting it mildly darling. I was tense the whole time. I for one, do not wish to experience such a thing ever again. All that stress and excitement is a gateway for wrinkles and pimples. And someone as gorgeous as I cannot be seen with any.”

“And this might also be a trap.” Sunset reminded them. “I still don’t trust Neighsay. For all we know, this could just be a scheme to lure away from him.”

“And has he done anything?”

“W… well no. Applejack just gave me a text. Everything seems fine back in CHS.”

“Duh. Of course everything’s fine.” Rainbow stated. “That’s because Neighsay is a Red Herring.” The two girls stared blankly at her. “A Red Herring is something that misleads or distracts…”

“We know what a Red Herring is.”

“Great! Then you should probably know that Neighsay isn’t your guy.” She sounded confident. Like she saw it coming a mile away. “Hey don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t go near that guy with a ten-foot pole. But think about it. Just because he’s the most suspicious guy out there, doesn’t mean he’s necessarily THE bad guy. It’s all just a clever ruse.”

“He’s working with Cinch and Hoity Toity. I think that qualifies him as more than just suspicious.”

“True, true. But~ that’s the whole point. He’s too suspicious. That’s how they get you. While you’re out here thinking about Neighsay, the real bad guy is probably out there pulling the strings from behind the scenes just so they can make a dramatic revelation near the end of the scene. Trust me. I fell for it in Fangshire 2, where they portray Count Vladcula as the villain. But in actual truth, it was the Night Hunters.”

Ugh… of course. Sunset rolled her eyes. “Rainbow. Not everything in your movies are real. I know we brought you in for your expertise, but this is the real world.”

“That’s what you said back in Castle Hoofbeard.”

“Th… that was one time!” Sunset snapped.

“Suit yourself. But when things go south, don’t say I didn’t told you so.”

“Like that would ever happen. Come on Rarity. Even you have to find this ridiculous.” The redhead waited for a supportive answer, which sadly didn’t come. “Rarity?”

“Uh… sorry Sunset. But I’m afraid I might have to side with Rainbow Dash on this one.” She gawked. “Don’t get me wrong. While I do find Neighsay’s approach to be rather distasteful, his fashion sense especially, you have to admit that he seems too obvious a villain. And despite what we might think, even Rainbow Dash’s vast knowledge of tropes can be helpful. And even a broken Rainbow Dash can be right once a year. And with this being the New Year, I am not taking any chances.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“I’m not getting any of my outfits torn by any more traps, thank you.”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but grin triumphantly as Sunset’s face crumpled to a frown. To think that she would be outmatched and outvoted by her of all people.

“Ugh… fine. If Neighsay really is a ‘Red Herring’, who do you think is responsible?”

The sports gal gleefully yelp. “According to my well-crafted ‘Research’ the real culprit would be someone who we’d least expect. He’d be someone who would pose as the most innocent looking fella. It would likely be a side character, or one of the main characters who’s actually a double-agent!” That was stretching it. “But knowing that none of us would be the bad guy. *Cough*! Present company excluded.” Sunset’s mean glare went ignored. “We can narrow it down to those that we’re close to, but not enough to be a suspect. Someone like… Thorax here!”

“Yes?” The tour guide turned to them with an expectant expression like a puppy wagging its tail giddily for attention.

The three of them stared for a moment and concluded that it couldn’t be him.

“Ok… so maybe not him. But it has to be someone we know, and it has to be someone from Everton. And it has to be a teacher. Oh! And he must have an evil lair hidden inside. An evil lab where she conducts all of her evil experiments. He must also have an evil laugh to boot! And a grand master plan to take over the world using the power of magic!”

“And~~~~ you lost me.” Sunset groaned. “I don’t think real villains will have actual lairs or secret labs. You have to be more realistic. Even if there is one, we don’t even know anyone in Everton.”

“We know Shining Armor.”

Huh… touché.

“Ok so we may know one or two. But honestly. Do you really expect Twilight’s own brother to be the mastermind behind all of this?”

“Hey I’m just saying what I know. But it would certainly make for an awesome twist!”

And just like that, she lost all attention.

“Speaking of Twilight.” Rarity leaned in to whisper while they followed the tour guide as he rambled on about the science building. “Is it just me or is Twilight acting a little strange to you?”

Her eyes wandered to the back of the group to the said girl. And no… it hasn’t escaped her noticed.

Twilight’s behavior was becoming oddly suspicious and Sunset could tell. Ever since they got out of the library, she’s been acting weirder than normal which wasn’t like her at all. She kept lagging behind in the tour, gripping the handle of her bag tightly, talking to herself and staring into empty spaces like she was trying to scold a ghost. She appeared to be completely out of focus. Was she upset that they didn’t find magic at all? I know she can be a bit overly dramatic but she couldn’t take it that far.

“You did it! You actually did it!” Midnight could not stop laughing. The dark angel was wheezing endlessly like a child. If she didn’t have her wings, she’d probably be rolling on the floor holding her aching stomach. “This is the best day EVER! I honestly didn’t think a goodie-two-shoes like you would actually go for it, but you did! Twilight Sparkle. The rule book, the law-abiding-citizen, the one who could do no wrong… has actually committed a crime!”

“I did no such a thing!” Twilight hissed back though it was mostly ignored. “I simply took possession of an artifact that was misplaced. This tome is obviously from Equestria. So it never belonged to the library or Sophia Hope to begin with.”

Her evil counterpart leaned in, touching nose to nose metaphorically, with a plastered grin. “Sure sure. You can sugarcoat it all you want, sister. Whatever makes you sleep at night. But in the end, you took something from someone. It’s a small step, but you took it anyway. That makes you: A bad girl.”

“I am merely doing my part in protecting others. This book contains a hint of Equestrian Magic. Who knows what kind of shenanigan this thing can cause if we left it around here?”

“Uh-huh. And you still took it anyway.” She laughed. “Oooh! Maybe from now on you can call yourself Twilight, the Book Thief! No wait. That sounds redundant. The Page Pincher, The Tome Taker, The Grimoire Grifter, Sticky Fingers!”

“What!?”

“No. You’re right. That last one sounded too much like a pickpocket. And you’re way above that. I’ll come up with something better next time.”

“Hey! This was your idea after all!”

“Oh? So we’re playing the blame game now? You’re the one who did the deed.” The Angel snickered. “But if you’re saying that I can somehow influence you. Then maybe I can take control of your body right now.” Her host froze as her ghostly finger dangled dangerously close to her nose. But like before, it merely phased through, which prompted her to laugh. “Ha! Oh boy. You should’ve seen the look on your face. Haaa~~ I can’t remember the last time I laughed this hard. Oh the sweet joys of small evils. If this goes on, I might have to consider myself your mentor.”

“You are not my mentor.”

Ah… still so innocent, so childish. But then again, everyone is at some point. Trying everything to excuse her actions and pinning the blame on me. Was this how pride feels like? Probably not. But hey. Seeing her miserable face was always worth the effort.

Hmm?

“Hey! Don’t ignore me! I’m trying to…”

“Shh. Be quiet for a minute.” She hushed the girl down. “Is it me or does that woman over there look familiar to you?”

Twilight followed her finger and quickly noted the lady with an authoritative posture. There was little doubt about it. She could recognize that hairstyle in a minute. Not to mention her face was pretty much in the whole briefing. She appear to be supervising some construction workers on the field building what looked like a massive stage.

“That’s Chrysalis.” She mumbled. “She’s the one who was at the dig site with Shining Armor.” Her eyes beamed. “This is perfect. If we can get a magical reading from her, it’ll prove to Sunset that there is magic here.” Easier said than done. “Alright Midnight. Go get her.”

“Me!? Why me?”

“Because you have a better magic detection than me and it’s less risky this way.”

The angel gasped feigning hurt. “And just because of that I’m being volunteered to go on a dangerous mission?”

“Well… yeah. Exactly.” Ouch. Direct but not wrong. “I don’t know why you’re scared. It’s not like you can get hurt anyway.”

“I do have feelings you know.”

“Just go already!”

Yeesh. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.

297, 298, 299… 300!

Applejack beamed as she finished counting the money in her box. The apple fritters and cupcakes she baked with Pinkie the other day has sold out leaving nothing but empty trays for her to take home.

“Alright. That’s the last one.” She declared proudly. “Thanks for advertising Pinkie. You can come on back now.”

“Awww… is it over already? But I was just getting my groove on.” The Pinkette groaned. “I haven’t even done my quadruple flip slam dunk touchdown dance! I’ve been practicing that move all week.”

“Why don’t you save it for a better occasion?” She chuckled. “Like… graduation.” Or more like never. “You think Fluttershy’s alright? She hasn’t called in ever since we sent her to spy on Neighsay.”

“Oh she’s totally fine. I should know. I put a tracking device on her just in case.”

Applejack jerked back. “You… have a tracking device?”

“Yeah. Mrs. Cake gave them to me. When the twins came, they were such a hassle to deal with. Always crawling around nooks and crannies, sneaking into hard to reach places, and constantly getting kidnapped by wild animals. But after they baby-proofed the whole house, they didn’t need them anymore.”

“O…k?” She croaked. “Uh… just for a peace of mind. Did you happen to…”

“Put one on all my friends so that I’d know where everyone is at all times?” Pinkie grinned innocently. “Yup. I put yours on your hat.” Applejack took a look at her Stetson and found the strange gizmo quickly enough. How she managed to plant it there without her knowing is anyone’s guess. “Don’t worry. This thing only has like a 10 kilometer detection radius. It’s just to let me know that one of you is nearby. And according to my Baby Tracker 2000. Fluttershy is right by the… Crystal Prep big selection section.”

“Is that the part with that raffle on that super expensive looking car?” She caught a glimpse of the thing when they first opened the stall thinking that it was some kind of joke set up by the students of Crystal Prep. But nope. That thing was real. Doubly real. And shiny too. Prettier than anything the Apple Family could ever afford with a year’s worth of harvest.

“That’s right. Pretty cool eh? It’s an old model donated by Superintendent Sombra to support the fundraising event.”

“Well… if you’re gonna go overboard with something you may as well do it right.”

“Oh totally. It pretty much raised over two-hundred thousand according to my calculations. I even got myself six tickets just to put the odds in my favor.”

“Aren’t each of those tickets worth like…… a lot? And why would you want to win a super-expensive car? You don’t even drive. You don’t even have a driver’s license.”

Pinkie simply shrugged. “Oh come on Applejack. We all know that it’s not about the prize. It’s about the rush you feel when they call out the number. The sensation of victory when you walk up to that stage and know that everyone would be envious of you! Plus my dad could use something new. His old steam roller is really putting on the years. Oh! Speaking of which. I gotta go. They’re gonna pick the winner in a few minutes!”

And without even waiting, the energetic bubbly gal dashed off in her mascot costume dodging every obstacle in her way with graceful style.

“I guess I’ll just close up here then.” But before she could even start stacking trays, she noted a familiar trio coming her way. “Well hey there Sugar Cube. You and your friends enjoying the fair?”

“Sure am!” Scootaloo answered for them. “We went to all the booths and played all the games. It was awesome!”

“We even went to this fortune teller.” Sweetie Belle added munching on a corndog. “She was amazing. And she gave out free liquorish too.”

Apple Bloom on the other hand, folded her arm and pouted. “Meh. I guess she was ok. Too much on the rhyming for my taste.”

Applejack noticed the bitter look and tone on her sister’s face, which Scoots gladly explained. “Oh come on Apple Bloom. Don’t be mad just because you didn’t like her prediction.”

“It was way off the mark and she knows it!”

The elder Apple laughed. “Now now. Don’t take another guy’s word too seriously. It’s probably just some silly hocus pocus nonsense. Remember what Uncle Cobbler used to say. We Apples make our own future.”

“That’s what I said!” Scoots agreed wholeheartedly. “It’s all just fun and games. You don’t have to take it word for word. Just because she paired you up with Snails, doesn’t mean it’ll come true. I mean… the guy really isn’t that bad to be honest.”

“Snails?” Applejack raised a curious look. “As in Snips and Snails? What’s this about?”

“Apple Bloom asked the fortune teller about her future love life. And the lady paired her with Snails.”

“Love life!?” AJ stammered, jerking back a bit like she was hit by a brick.

“It was just a silly prediction.” Apple Bloom countered. “She told me I could ask her anything so I asked: Who am I likely to be with? And she chose him? Pfft. As if.”

“Why in tarnation would my little sister be asking about that?” Applejack panted. “I don’t mean to sound like Granny, but you’re way too young to be interested in such a relationship.”

“I was just curious. I didn’t mean much about it. I mean… with Big Mac and… ugh… Ms. Cheerilee getting along, and you and Flash mphhh!” The girl’s mouth was hushed by her sister.

“Hey! Ex-nay on the Flash-ay!” The two non-Apples snickered.

“Relax sis. They know.”

They do!?

She face palmed. “Apple Bloom. That was supposed to be a secret.”

“It won’t be much of a secret if you ask him out already.” She scoffed lowly which made her big sis turn a tad bit red. “I mean come on. If you like him so much, you should go for it.”

Since when did you get so invasive? “It’s… ain’t that easy.”

“Oh my stars, it’s true.” Sweetie Belle restrained a squeal from her mouth. “You really are into Flash!”

“Shhh! Not so loud.” She shushed them, her cheeks turning a shade darker, which emphasized her freckles. “And… well… yeah. I guess I am in to him. Though it’s kind of one-sided at the moment.”

“How did it happen?” Scootaloo asked, pulling her face into the booth with a grin widening with each question. “Was it really love at first sight? A romantic gesture? Did he sweep you off your feet and flew you across the city on a magic carpet?”

The two of them leaned in closer, eyes turning beady like they were expecting a spectacular answer.

“Well… none of the above.” Applejack admitted, blushing oh so slightly. “It sorta just… happened. It was a while back right before the New Year. I was in a bad place one day and… well… he came by and saved me.”

“Just like that?” The two asked expecting a little more.

“Well… there were other things that happened too. But yeah. That’s pretty much it. If it weren’t for him, I’d probably be in a tough spot. So… I guess you could say it was the 2^nd one.”

“Aww~. Like a Prince saving a Princess. That’s so romantic.” Sweetie Belle crooned dreamily. “I am so jealous right now.”

Scootaloo on the other hand looked somewhat tad disappointed. “I dunno. I was kind of hoping for a little bit of action. Like the two of you got caught in a fight between you and a giant monster. And then after you beat it, you two fell madly in love. Like Daring Do and The Prince of Saddle Arabia.”

Ha! Wouldn’t that be something? Having Flash whisper poetry in her ears while they sit by the fireplace, cuddling like an actual couple. That would probably be the most romantic thing ever. But sadly her romantic moment with Flash wasn’t so dramatic or magical. It just sort of happened. Like her heart striking a beat at the most unexpected moment.

“Sorry fellas. But real life ain’t exactly like what you see in them movies. Believe me. I’ve had firsthand experience.”

“So… when are you gonna ask him out?” Apple Bloom followed up making her sister blush a third time. “You know you’re gonna have to ask him out eventually, right?”

“I know. But I’m waiting for the right moment. And right now I got a lot on my plate.”

“But you guys are perfect for one another. I mean come on. The other day, you two were alone together for hours.”

Scoots and Sweetie gasped. “Alone!? Together!?” Awww apple fudge. “What did you do!?”

“Did you cuddle?”

“Did he whisper in your ear?

“Did you kiss?”

“No!”

Scoots whined. “Boooo! Lame!” Lame!? Since when were these young’ins so judgmental? “I was hoping for something more… steamy. Oh I know! How about you try Zecora?”

“Zecora?”

“The fortune teller.” Sweetie Belle explained pointing over to the large purple-ish tent at the far off corner by the bleachers. “Maybe she can tell you if you and Flash are meant to be together or not. She’s really good at it. And it might just solve your whole love life. Oh! We can all go together.”

“You guys just wanna get more of that liquorish, don’t ya?”

“It’s delicious!” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes at them.

Are they serious? Do they really expect some random fortune teller to simply tell them their futures just because of some magic ball or some lucky pull of tarot cards? It sounds interesting, and probably lure in some easily charmed fellows, no doubt about it. But even Applejack knows how silly and ridiculous it sounds. The last thing she needs is someone spoiling the future.

“Sorry kiddos. But I don’t believe in fate or destiny. I’m more of a… down to earth kind of gal. That whole mumbo jumbo is nothing more than a bunch of baloney. Besides, I got stuff to do here.”

“Oh come on. Pretty please?” Scoots pleaded, eyes blinking rapidly to imitate a cute animal. “Just one time? We promise it’ll be fun.”

“Please Applejack?” Sweetie followed, tilting her head aside. “For us?”

Ugh… these kids have grown devilishly devious and wisely manipulative. If they follow this path, they’ll be able to manipulate anyone to do their bidding.

“Oh alright. If you insist. I suppose I can give it a shot.” All but Apple Bloom cheered. “But you all gotta promise to keep this whole Flash business a secret. I don’t want any of my friends finding out just yet.”