Chapter 14: Light of the Cutie Marks
At the Ponyville Schoolhouse, Dusk, Nyx and Daylight ran in and headed for their desks, just before the school bell stopped ringing.
"Cutting it kind of close, aren't we?" Cheerilee asked.
"You have no idea," Nyx said. "Our usual path got a bit of a road block."
"Well, you three made it just in time," Cheerilee said. "Now, everypony, get out your history books and..."
Hold on just a second," came another voice. The class looked towards the door and there stood Spoiled Rich.
"Mother?" Diamond Tiara asked, a little scared.
"I have come here for an announcement," Spoiled Rich stated. "Ever since a certain little colt has arrived here in Ponyville..." She then gave a glare towards Dusk, making him shrink down in his seat, seeing the glare coming from Spoiled Rich. "...there have been a lot of disturbances towards this school. A fight among other students, disturbances between classmates, partial damage to the schoolhouse, and making my own daughter looking like a fool in front of multiple ponies."
"WHAT?!" Dusk and Nyx asked in unison.
"As of now, these ponies whose names I will say will no longer be students at this school," Spoiled Rich said. "Dusk Shine, Nyx, Daylight Savings, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo."
"What?!" the six foals called up shouted in unison.
"Miss Cheerilee, you can't let her do this!" Nyx said.
Cheerilee looked over her students, then towards Spoiled Rich, who gave her a glare. Cheerilee then said, "I'm... sorry, Nyx. But... there's nothing I can do."
Then Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo got out of their seats, getting their stuff. Dusk, Nyx and Daylight looked at each other with worried faces.
Later that day, Dusk, Nyx and Daylight were sitting outside of the schoolhouse, waiting for something. Nyx was getting antsy about this.
"This shouldn't be happening," Nyx said. "We didn't do any of those bad things. Diamond Tiara made herself look like a fool for the flag carrying competition for the Equestria Games for not hearing all of the rules."
"Don't worry, Nyx," Dusk said. "Mom will do whatever it takes to get us back in school."
"Yeah," Daylight said. "We'll be back in school by tomorrow." Just then, the door to the schoolhouse opened up and out came Twilight.
"I thought you would be more supportive to your students, Cheerilee," Twilight said. "I know they wouldn't do anything like that." She then used her magic to slam the door. She then looked over at her kids with a frown. She then said, "I'm sorry, kids. I tried everything. But there was no way of getting you three and your friends back into school. Spoiled Rich is head of the school board, and there was no way of convincing her not to kick you out."
"So... we're not going back into school?" Nyx asked, the corners of her eyes starting to get full of tears.
"I'm sorry, Nyx," Twilight said. Nyx and Daylight ran up to Twilight, the three of them hugging. Dusk then sighed.
"I need some time alone," Dusk said, walking away from the schoolhouse, leaving Twilight, Nyx and Daylight there. As he was a good distance away from the schoolhouse, he turned to look back. Just then, he noticed something. He saw Spoiled Rich coming out of the back of the schoolhouse with a big sack on her back. She then looked around, seeing if anypony was spying on her. Dusk then gave a suspicious look.
Dusk followed Spoiled Rich through the streets of Ponyville, making sure she didn't see him. Along the way, he got a camera with the strap around his neck.
"Good thing I asked Pinkie if I could borrow her camera," Dusk said, silently, that way Spoiled Rich couldn't hear what he said. He then saw Spoiled Rich heading into a building that was marked, "Stone Carver's Sculpture Emporium." Dusk raised an eyebrow. He then prepared the camera and took a photo. He then asked, "Why would she go in there with that bag?" He then teleported to get a closer look. He then peeked his head inside to see Spoiled Rich heading towards the front desk.
"Excuse me!" Spoiled Rich called out. "Can somepony come out here?!"
"Hold your horses!" came a stallion's voice. Dusk then snuck in and hid behind some statues, trying to hide from Spoiled Rich who looked back. She then turned her head to see a stallion coming towards the counter with the cash register. "Spoiled Rich, how may I help you this fine afternoon?"
"Good day, Stone Carver," Spoiled Rich said. "My daughter has been elected Student Pony President, and with that, I would like to have a carving of her made."
"Ah, of course," Stone Carver replied. "How big would it be?"
"At least twice the size of a stallion," Spoiled Rich said.
"Alright, then," Stone Carver said. "It would take me at least three weeks to be made and sent over to your house. It'll cost you at least 200 bits." Spoiled Rich nodded and tossed the bag onto the counter. Dusk took another picture. As soon as he did, he teleported out of there before Spoiled Rich looked over towards the clicking noise.
Later, Spoiled Rich returned to the schoolhouse with an almost empty sack. She looked around to see if there was anypony watching her. She then opened up a drawer that was marked, "School funding", and dumped what was in the bag into it, and out came four bits. Dusk was on one of the rafters of the schoolhouse, using an invisibility spell. He then took another picture of Spoiled Rich. Spoiled Rich then left the building, not knowing that Dusk came down.
"What was that about?" Dusk asked. He then looked over at the class calendar, and saw that the election for Student Pony President was three weeks from that day. "What?" He then looked towards the door. "You got to be kidding me." He then sighed. "I hope this is enough proof to get her to change her mind." He then got a different idea. "Or better yet..." He then teleported out of the room.
Three weeks had passed. It was the day before the election. In the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Nyx and Daylight were sitting in the middle of it, still a little upset to be kicked out of school.
"Ah still can't believe that Spoiled Rich kicked us out," Apple Bloom said. "Granny tried reasonin' with her, but there was nothin' that could be done. Ah swear, she must've been a descendant of minotaurs."
"Yeah," Scootaloo replied. "She's really bullheaded."
"I still wish there was something we could do to get back," Sweetie Belle said. "All we've been doing is trying to get our Cutie Marks just ta clear our heads."
"I'm sure we'll be brought back into the school," Nyx said. "Twilight has written to Princess Celestia about this. Hopefully, we'll be back in school as soon as possible."
"Cutie Mark Crusaders! Help!" came the voice of a colt with a British accent. The five fillies looked towards the door, and in came Pipsqueak.
"What's wrong, Pipsqueak?" Apple Bloom asked.
"I'm running for student pony president, I was hoping you five would be my campaign managers," Pipsqueak said. The five fillies in the clubhouse looked at each other.
"But... we've been kicked out of school," Nyx said. "How can we be your campaign managers if we're not students."
"Hang on," Daylight said. "I watched an old show back in my world, and I saw these twins both competing for class president in their school, and their campaign managers were older friends of theirs and they don't even go to that school. I think we can be Pip's manager, even if we're not technically students of the school at the moment."
"That's right," Pip replied. "The rules say that we can choose anypony to be our campaign managers, whether they're students or not."
The girls looked at each other with smiles on their faces. Apple Bloom then said, "We've never tried gettin' our cutie marks in campaign managin'! What do ya say, Crusaders?"
"Yeah!" the five of them said in unison, before high hoofing. Pipsqueak wanted to get in but he was too small. Sweetie Belle used her magic to lift Pip up, having him join in the high hoof.
Meanwhile, at the schoolhouse's newspaper print, Dusk was showing Featherweight the photos of Spoiled Rich he took when she didn't know she was being spied on. The room was locked up, all of the window's were covered, and the room was covered in a red light.
"So? What do you think?" Dusk asked.
"I don't believe it," Featherweight said. "She stole from the Ponyville Schoolhouse funds to pay for a statue of Diamond Tiara for winning the election for Student Pony President. Even though the election isn't until tomorrow. That's illegal, you know."
"What should I do?" Dusk asked.
"As soon as these photos are ready, you got to show these photos to Princess Celestia as soon as possible," Featherweight replied. "Also, alert the authorities."
"Meh, my uncle is the captain of the Royal Guard," Dusk said. "One letter to him, and he'll be on his way immediately."
"Oh, that's right," Featherweight said. "I'm sure that you'll be ready for back up, huh?"
"Oh, yeah," Dusk said. "And if we expose Spoiled Rich for this, then me, my sisters and the rest of the Crusaders will be back in school and she'll be arrested."
"The pictures will be ready soon enough," Featherweight said. Dusk nodded and smirked.
The next day, Dusk was waiting for a reply from Princess Celestia, Spike was watching him pace back and forth in front of him. Spike was worried for Dusk.
"Hey, Dusk, don't worry," Spike said. "I'm sure that Princess Celestia will get on it as soon as possible."
"I hope so," Dusk said. "Those photos I sent her, and what I heard from her, proves that she's nothing but a..."
"I believe it's called 'Embezzler'," Spike said. "Those bits didn't belong to her, they belonged to the schoolhouse. Although, last year, it does explain how that stained glass window showed up the next day after Diamond Tiara won the election. Something like that takes a lot of time just for it to be made in that size." Just then, he gagged, and then belched out a letter, it landing in front of Dusk. Dusk lifted it up with his magic and levitated it over to Spike. "Thanks." He then unrolled it. He read it and smiled.
"What is it?" Dusk asked.
"Check this out," Spike said. Dusk came to Spike's left side and he read it alongside Spike, who was reading it out loud. "'Dear Dusk Shine, I have shown the photos you have taken to both the EEA, the Equestrian Education Association, and to your Uncle, Shining Armor, and we are shocked to see that the head of the school board for the Ponyville Schoolhouse has taken some highly drastic measures. We will be there tomorrow for the official dishonorable discharge and arresting of Spoiled Rich. You, your sisters and the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders be at the Ponyville Schoolhouse by 3 o'clock tomorrow. Signed, Princess Celestia.' Dusk, you did it!" Then the two of them high hoofed/clawed.
"Spoiled Rich, you're going down," Dusk said. Just then, his sisters and the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders walked into the room. "Hey, girls. What's going on? Who won?"
"Pip did," Sweetie Belle said. "But... there was... a bit of a problem with Diamond Tiara."
"What happened?" Spike asked.
"She only got one vote in the election," Scootaloo said. "Not even Silver Spoon voted for her, even though she was trying to help Diamond. She got angry and broke up their friendship."
"And not only that, but Spoiled Rich scolded her fer losin' the election," Apple Bloom said. "Some school board pony she is."
"Well she's..." Spike was about to say before Dusk covered his mouth.
"Hang on," Dusk said. "Why not go check up on her tomorrow? Make sure she's doing okay? See if she needs some company?"
"Really?" the five fillies asked.
"You all should try to cheer her up," Dusk said. "Try to find something that'll make her open up."
"Are you kidding?" Nyx asked. "In the Equestria I came from, she sent me into the Everfree Forest."
"Nyx," Dusk said. "She just lost a friend. She could really use one, and you know that."
Nyx thought about that, sighed and said, "You're right. We'll go talk to her when she gets out of school." Then the five fillies walked out of the room.
"So, when are you going to tell them about Spoiled Rich?" Spike asked.
"Oh, I think it'll be clear when they all arrive at the schoolhouse tomorrow," Dusk said.
Spike thought about it, smiled and said, "You may be onto something. Hopefully, things will start to get better." Dusk nodded and headed out of there.
The next day, at the Ponyville Schoolhouse in the afternoon, Diamond Tiara arrived back there, about to give out to the school ponies some news. Earlier, she learned that the schoolhouse didn't have enough bits for what Pip wanted to do with the funding, to replace all of the broken playground equipment, so the schoolponies would be able to enjoy recess again. Diamond Tiara thought with that news, Cheerilee would have no choice but to make Pipsqueak unqualified to be Student Pony President and give the title to Diamond Tiara, but the Crusaders were trying to convince her to change her ways.
"Diamond Tiara!" Apple Bloom called out as the six fillies entered the schoolyard. "Think hard about the choice you're makin' right now!"
"You can be a better pony!" Scootaloo said. Just then, the door to the schoolhouse opened.
"Diamond Tiara!" came Spoiled Rich's voice. She was coming out of the schoolhouse. "I just happened to be here for the school board meeting, and this is what I see when we adjourn? My daughter associating with confused, insignificant lowlifes? Socializing with their kind is not how you move up in Equestria!" She was heading towards the exit of the schoolyard. "Come, Diamond Tiara!"
Diamond Tiara was upset that her mother was speaking to her in an annoyed tone, but then, Diamond Tiara finally snapped. "No, mother!"
That made Spoiled Rich stop in shock. She then turned to Diamond Tiara with an angry look, asking, "Excuse me?!"
"You've spent your life acting like a high horse and raised me to follow in your hoofprints!" Diamond Tiara said, walking up to Spoiled Rich with an angry look. "At first I thought this was fine, but then I finally realized I wanted something you don't have... friends!" That made all of the ponies around them gasp.
"That's enough, Diamond Tiara!" Spoiled Rich said to Diamond. "Step away from those blank flanks and that monster of a filly! It's their enthusiasm that's lowering down your status to common ponies!"
"These are the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and they are my friends!" Diamond Tiara snapped back. "You need to stop calling them such mean and hurtful names! They are working harder to get their cutie marks than anypony I've ever seen! And they will get them exactly when they discover their true talent, which I guarantee will be amazing!" She then started walking up to Spoiled Rich with something. "Now, will you please deliver this to father?"
Spoiled Rich took it and looked at it. She looked at Diamond Tiara to see her looking back at the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She then said, "No." That made Diamond Tiara stop and look back at her mother. "You shouldn't be socializing with those useless ponies. They have no determined fate, and should never be around you. Come with me, Diamond. You're grounded."
Just then, a flash came from outside of the school yard. All of the ponies there looked to where the flash was and all of them saw Princess Celestia, Shining Armor, Dusk Shine, a bunch of guards and a unicorn stallion wearing a red robe.
"Princess Celestia?!" Spoiled Rich asked. "What are you doing here?!" She then cleared her throat and composed herself. "I mean, what brings you here?"
"Two days ago, I had received a letter from young Dusk Shine here," Princess Celestia explained. "A letter that came with pictures of something very interesting."
"Well, I have no idea what you are talking about," Spoiled Rich said, sweating a little.
"Dusk Shine has taken pictures of you embezzling from the Ponyville Schoolhouse, and prepaying for a statue of Diamond Tiara for winning the election for Student Pony President for this school, even though she just lost yesterday," Princess Celestia explained. "Embezzling is a major crime, you know. And I assume you did the same last year when you paid for that." She then pointed at the stained glass window of Diamond Tiara.
"I knew that my Diamond would win that election and I assumed she would win this year as well," Spoiled Rich explained.
"That doesn't matter," said the unnamed stallion. "I am Chancellor Neighsay of the EEA, the Equestrian Education Association. And learning what you have done, you are no longer head of, nor a member of the Ponyville Schoolhouse School Board."
"What?!" Spoiled Rich shouted. "You're firing me?!"
"And arresting you," Shining Armor came up to her. "Stealing is stealing, even if you knew something was going to happen. Guards, arrest her." Then the royal guards charged at Spoiled Rich, tackling her.
"You can't do this to me!" Spoiled Rich screamed as she was being dragged away. "I know what's best for all of the students of this school!"
"Even if it meant kicking out my own nephew and nieces and their friends?" Shining Armor asked.
"The EEA has made a decision," Chancellor Neighsay said. "The six schoolponies that you kicked out are back, and you are no longer allowed to step on any school grounds anywhere in Equestria."
"NO!!" Spoiled Rich said as she was being dragged away. Princess Celestia, Shining Armor and Dusk walked up to the Crusaders and Diamond Tiara.
"So, you contacted Princess Celestia about this?" Nyx asked.
"That's right," Dusk said. "I couldn't just let Spoiled Rich get away with this."
"And with that, I have made a major donation to this schoolhouse to replace all of the stolen bits so the schoolhouse can pay for new playground equipment," Princess Celestia said, making the schoolhouse ponies cheer in excitement.
The next day, a delivery pony brought all of the new playground equipment to the school. Now with Dusk and the Cutie Mark Crusaders back in school, things are starting to look up. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were talking to each other.
"Ah've been thinkin'," Apple Bloom said. "We spend an awful lot of time fussin' and frettin' tryin' to discover our true talent. But when we take a little time off, we end up helpin' other ponies figure out their true talent!"
"Yeah, and I think that's way more important than worrying about our cutie marks, don't you?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Absolutely!" Scootaloo said. "I don't care if I ever get my cutie mark as long as I get to hang out with my best friends."
"It was actually fun for us to help out other ponies," Daylight Savings said. "Even if we couldn't get our own Cutie Marks."
"So what do you say, Crusaders?" Apple Bloom asked. "Want to just focus on helpin' others find their cutie marks?"
"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Daylight said as the four fillies high hoofed together. But then some pink lightning surrounded their hooves, then it surrounded them. Then the four of them were lifted off the ground, all four of them glowing.
"What's happening?" Nyx asked.
"I don't know," Dusk said.
Just then, the four Crusaders were set down gently, and all of their class mates looked at them in amazement.
"What happened?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"What's goin' on?" Apple Bloom asked.
"It's your cutie marks! They're amazing!" Diamond Tiara said.
The four Crusaders looked at their flanks to see a Cutie Mark on each of their flanks. All of them very similar. The same kind of shield of the exact same colors, and some symbol on the inside of the shield. Apple Bloom's mark was an apple with a heart on the inside. Sweetie Belle's mark was a star with a music note on the inside. Scootaloo's mark was a wing with a lightning bolt on the inside. And Daylight's mark was of a sun with a crescent moon on the inside. All of them gasped in a happy way.
"We all got the same cutie mark! Cutie Mark Crusaders forever!" the four fillies said in unison. Then Dusk and Nyx came in and all six of them got into a group hug.
"I'll go tell the news to Mom and her friends," Dusk said, about to head on out to the Castle of Friendship, but his tail was pulled back.
"Hold on, Dusk," Cheerilee said. "Let me get you something so you have permission to leave the schoolhouse." She then gave Dusk a pass so Dusk could leave. He took it in his magic and headed on out to the Castle of Friendship.
Dusk arrived at the Castle of Friendship, and headed into the throne room. The Mane 6 and Spike were all sitting in their thrones around the Cutie Map. Twilight looked towards the door with a confused look.
"Dusk?" Twilight asked. "What are you doing here from school? You just got back into school."
"Cheerilee gave me permission to leave so I can give you some news!" Dusk said. "The rest of the Crusaders finally got their Cutie Marks!"
"WHAT!?" the Mane 6 and Spike asked in unison. Then they all smiled. Pinkie bigger than anyone else.
"Cute-ceñera Time!!" Pinkie Pie shouted.
The next day, Pinkie Pie had a party for the Cutie Mark Crusaders for getting their Cutie Marks. The families of the four Crusaders were there. Well, most of their families. Apple Bloom had her siblings and her granny, Sweetie Belle had her parents and Rarity, Scootaloo had her two aunts, Lofty and Holiday, and Daylight had her brothers and Nyx, her adopted mother, Twilight Sparkle, her uncle Shining Armor, her aunt Cadance, and her grandparents, Twilight Velvet and Night Light. All of them were proud for the Cutie Mark Crusaders all having their Cutie Marks.
They all spent as much time with their family members for finally getting their Cutie Marks. Shining and Cadance then stepped away from their family, heading over to a corner of the room so nopony could hear them.
"You think we should tell them?" Cadance asked.
"Oh, no," Shining said. "Twylie enjoys surprises, and I'm sure that Nyx will enjoy this as well. Since she missed that one event that happened in her Equestria, we might as well make it happen in this one."
"Oh, yes," Cadance said. "It would be nice for her to be surprised about this." Her stomach then growled. "Looks like it's time to eat."
"Alright, honey," Shining said. "Let's get you fed." Then the two of them headed on over to the snack table."
Twilight was talking to Dusk, Nyx and Daylight about something.
"So, the school board has gotten somepony to replace Spoiled Rich, but we don't know who it is yet," Twilight said. "They said it's somepony who knows what's best for all of the students of the Ponyville Schoolhouse, and not at all like Spoiled Rich."
"Of course they did, Twilight," Velvet said to her. "It's me."
"You?" Twilight asked, looking at her mother.
"Of course," Velvet said. "After everything that mare has done to the school, not to mention her own daughter, she deserves to be behind bars."
"And apparently, Spoiled Rich has also been arrested for aiding in trying to get rid of Nyx," Night Light explained. "She's gonna be in prison for a long time."
"Thanks, Grandma," Nyx said.
"C'mon, everypony!" Pinkie Pie called out. "It's time for 'Pin the Tail on the Pony'!" Then all of the fillies and colts joined in. Except for Dusk and Daylight.
"What happened to 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey'?" Daylight asked.
"I asked myself that when I got my Cutie Mark, and my wings," Dusk replied. "Then I saw that Pinkie Pie invited Mister Cranky Doodle Donkey." That made Daylight laugh as they headed over to the group of young ponies to enjoy the game.