"So there's a school here huh?" Sparkle said. "Didn't realize there was one. Too bad they don't allow hamsters as students."
"It's a good thing ya can get around that by being a hamster and all." Apple Bloom said. "Means you get to be in the hamster cage while class is going on." She said.
"I'll be honest, a talking hamster in the room will be interesting. But at the same time, the E.E.A. can't get shut down this school if your being seen as the class pet." Cheerilee said. "After all, if your registered as the class pet, then by all legal rights, your not a student. Therefor, anything you learn from watching the classes, well then that's just coincidental."
"Hmph. Nice loophole." A male voice said. The two earth ponies turned around to spy Chancellor Neighsay.
"Chancellor Neighsay..." Cheerilee said.
"Admittedly, I did hear that these hamsters managed to sneak into Canterlot without any pony noticing them just so that they could convince Princess Celestia to give tickets to all the Elements of Harmony. So, it'd be very difficult to encource the policy when they can apparently get anywhere undetected." Chancellor Neighsay said.
"Geez, this is so akward. Still, you can't do anything even if you did overhear that. Because like they said: I'm technically registered as the Class Pet. You can check the documents." Sparkle said.
"I don't need to. I don't need to worry about forgery. All the same, this is a loophole, and unfortunately, trying to undo it is too much of a headache." Chancellor Neighsay said. "It's not like I can suddenly discriminate against a species that normally cannot talk."
"Actually, ah did notice that a few of the hamsters Fluttershy keeps around aren't able to talk because they aren't the Ham Hams. Ah can't help but wonder if this is because they orginally lived in a completely different world." Apple Bloom said.
Chancellor Nieghsay blinked. "...You may actually be onto something there. Still, technically the Ham Hams are still part of a species that isn't normally this intelligent. So I can't really do anything. There is no president for this after all." He said. "I suppose I'll allow this, but only because I can't make a move without suddenly bringing up the animals Applejack keeps at her farm or the animals Fluttershy looks after." He then left.
"...That was Chancellor Neighsay, head of the E.E.A." Cheerilee said.
"Boy am I going to have to tell the others to look out for him later." Sparkle said.
The lesson that day was about Cutie Marks, which had initially caused a classmate known as Diamond Tiara to try and make fun of Apple Bloom, only for Sparkle to speak up.
"Hey, you really shouldn't be singling her out. Just because she doesn't have a cutie mark yet, doesn't mean she won't eventually get one. I'm sure those of you who do have cutie marks remember when you were trying to get yours." Sparkle said. That had shut up the class quite quickly.
"That'th going to take thome getting used to; having a talking hamthter in the class." Another filly known as Twist said. She also didn't have a cutie mark.
"What would a hamster who can't even get a cutie mark know about them anyways?" Diamond Tiara asked.
"I may not be able to get a cutie mark, but let's just say that, right now, I'm no different than Apple Bloom right now. I'm not exactly sure what I'd be good at. Sure, I know something I can do, but I can't exactly do it. So, you could say right now, I'm starting over from scratch as if I had a cutie mark, but do to certain circumstances, I no longer have one." Sparkle said.
"Really Sparkle? What did you do back in your world? Eat Sunflower seeds?" Diamond Tiara asked. But only she alone laughed.
"Actually, that is a good question Diamond Tiara: Sparkle, what exactly did you do before you came to Equestria? Perhaps it'll give our students who currently lack cutie marks some insight into something they can persue talents in." Cheerilee said.
"Believe it or not, I was an Actress; being on par with the human actors. I starred in a lot of movies and was essentially THE biggest Hamster star ever. All this, without the humans understanding." Sparkle said. "That's a brag by the way."
Diamond Tiara suddenly found herself speechless. "And yet, since hamsters can't get jobs in equestria, now she's looking to see if she has a secondary talent. So, she and I have decided to look for our talents together." Apple Bloom said.
And then Diamond Tiara fell out of her chair by faitning. "...Silver Spoon, would you mind helping Diamond Tiara?" Cheerilee asked.
Wow, one mention of fame, and that filly got floored. Litterally. Sparkle thought to herself. But then she realized something. ...That's...that's not far off from me...and...I don't want to be a bully like that... She thought.
"Sparkle, you seem distracted now? School's over and we're headed to try and discover if there's anything we could become talented at." Apple Bloom said.
"Hmm? Oh sorry. I was thinking about Diamond Tiara." Sparkle said. "I'm...not ashamed to admit that I flaunted my Hollywood actress status around like a weapon. And Diamond Tiara made me realize that, I was quickly becoming no different than her." She explained. "And I...I don't want to get like that. That's not me. Sure I can be kind of prideful, but never to that point."
"Guess yer starting to realize that the glitz and glamour wasn't all that it was cracked up to be, huh?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Yeah. I'm starting to realize that it's lonely at the top if you treat everyone else as being below you. I'd rather have friends then looking down on others. I think I owe the Ham Hams an apology sooner rather than later." Sparkle said.
"Well, Diamond Tiara still invited us to her cutecenara tomorrow. Want to come?" Apple Bloom asked.
"You sure you want to go? She could just make fun of you again." Sparkle said.
"Well, why don't you come with? You'll reign her in, if she tries something." Apple Bloom said. "After all, you just said that you know the way she thinks."
Sparkle smiled. "Heh. That's no lie. Thanks Apple Bloom. Really appreciate that." She said.
Turns out Diamond Tiara did still try something, only for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to step in before Sparkle could tell her off, prompting the other two fillies to bound with Apple Bloom.
"Hey, I think I saw you around Rarity's shop a few times." Sparkle said to Sweetie Belle.
"That's because she's my sister. My older sister." Sweetie Belle said.
"Rainbow Dash isn't quite my sister; we're really just cousins. Yet, she is practically more like my older sister." Scootaloo said.
"Do you actually have any siblings?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Nope. But it's nice to still have that familial bond huh?" Scootaloo asked.
"Heh. What are the odds the three of you would get related to three of the elements of harmony?" Sparkle asked. "That's gotta be some kind of fate thing."
"So, Sparkle, even if your not able to get a cutie mark, still want to work with us in finding our special talents?" Apple Bloom asked.
"You can't get rid of this hamster that easily. But this group needs a good name." Sparkle said.
"Talent seekers?" Sweetie Belle suggested.
"Cutie Mark Four?" Scootaloo asked.
"Only you ponies can get cutie marks--"
"What about the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" Apple Bloom asked, interupting Sparkle said.
"But I still can't--" Sparkle was about to say she can't get a cutie mark, but then she realize the name could imply something beyond just cutie marks. "...Actually, that's a good one." Sparkle said.
"I like it!" Scootaloo said.
"Then we're all in agreement then?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Ah think we are." Apple Bloom said.
"Cutie Mark Crusaders it is." Sparkle said.
