//------------------------------//
// Elbow Room 
// Story: Sprout 
// by TheHumanAspiration 
//------------------------------//

	“SHH! Do you hear that, Reggie?”
…
“There's a pony! How? Nopony ever comes here. Not ever!”
…
“I don’t know exactly how long it’s been, I know we’ve been counting but…”
…
“20 years, 9 months, 22 days? Are you sure?”
…
“I guess I may have skipped a few days then.”
…
“Okay okay, I’ll call out to it. Ahem. Hello?”
…
“Well maybe he or she can help us finally bust out of here.”
…
“What do you mean more than one? Oh no! What if… what if they aren’t even ponies?! Who knows! The world could have underwent a chaotic nuclear war which morphed every pony into an asymmetrical beast with a hoof sticking out of there chest, which they use to pummel all that they oppose!”
…
“You’re right. We haven’t had any nuclear contact since Discord ruled over and filled the local pools with it nuclear waste… BUT WHAT IF HE CAME BACK TO REEK HAVOCK ON ALL AND-“
…
“Sorry.”
…
“Yeah, it sounds like they are digging us out!”
…
“I can almost hear their voices now. They sound… rather young. Maybe time has altered everyponys’ vocal chords.”
…
“Hey, it’s more logical than the whole discord thing.”
…
“Uh huh, they moved all of the rocks… Wait, they just want to leave. No no no! I have to get out of here!”
…
“This is the closest I’ve been to freedom Reggie! I’m not letting this oprotunity pass like this!”
…
“Okay, I’ll start digging, you stay there in case something goes down.”
…
“Grrmph. Oof. Hmmpf. Just. A bit. More.”
CRASH!
CRASH!
…
“Huff huff huff… I’m… free.”
THWAK!
The mysterious mare was pulled out of her comatose déjà vu dream by an unusual sensation. Her head felt as if it was floating around, drifting freely while her body felt limp and stationary. It was a pleasant feeling at first, until she noticed another more concerning sensation.
She couldn’t breathe.
The pony started thrashing her hooves about, triggering the fillies to pull her head out of the glowing liquid pool. They flopped the mare on her back, and she instantly started shuffling away from her guests.
“I knew it was a bad idea.” Apple Bloom yelled. “Jus’ look at her. She probably thinks we’re psychopaths now!”
“She hadn’t moved at all” Scootaloo retorted angrily. “We weren’t just gonna leave her there and hoof it back to Ponyville.”
“Girls.”
“This wouldn’t even be an issue if ya didn’t go all wild with that club a’ yours.” Apple Bloom snapped. “I mean, if I woulda known you’d be beatin’ down anypony who startled ya, then I wouldn’t have even made it for ya.”
“Girls?”
“Well excuuuuse me for trying to save your hide missy.” Scootalo snapped back. “Don’t worry, next evil monster we see I’ll be sure to just stand in the bushes and watch it beat your-“
“GIRLS!” Sweetie Belle cracked. Both of them looked at her, and saw her staring at the pony they were arguing about. Slowly, they did the same.
For a moment, the ponies just stared at each other, eyeing the other up, looking for any potential threat that the other may pose. Neither parties seemed to feel in danger, but the silence continued. The quiet was awkward and somepony had to break it.
“Sooo… what’s your name.” Apple Bloom asked carefully. The mare looked at her hooves, evaluating the question in her head. “I’m Apple Bloom, this is Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.” She motioned to each as she said there name and put an over exaggerated grin on her face. The mare was silent. “Erm, hablo Española? Umm, el name-o?”
The mare looked up at them. “I…”
“Irene?” Scootaloo interpupted
“Iris?” Sweetie did the same.
“Iroquois” Apple Bloom suggested
“Iceland?”
“Isotope?”
“Ice capped latte?”
The mare stammered “I… I don’t know.”
The three girls looked at each other and frowned. What kind of pony doesn’t even have a name? 
Or a cutie mark?
“If ya don’t mind me askin’, where’s your cutie mark?” Apple Bloom asked curiously, trying not to offend the pony. “I mean every mare your age is supposed to have one.”
The mare blushed in embarrassment and Apple Bloom apologized. “I… I’ve trapped in that little hole since I was a little filly.” She began to explain as she motioned a hoof towards her living quarters. Her voice was soft, but also rough due to all of the dust intake. The fillies looked at the small area where the mare emerged. It seemed to be big enough to only fit four ponies, and had the height of about 2 and a half stallions. “I was never able to get out, so I was never really given the chance to find a special talent I guess.” The mare was still blushing furiously. This was obviously not something to be proud of.
“How’d it happen?” Apple Bloom asked. “I mean, how’d you end up trapped in there in the first place”
The mare glanced away, her eyes were glossed over with tears she was trying to fight back. “I was on a trip here with one of the local Baltimare orphanages. I… never really knew who my parents were.” She shut her eyes tight and continued. “I was fortunate enough to be in one of the more well-funded orphanages. We were able to take a tour of the Everfree forest, under the guard of several ponies capable of fighting off any danger. I wasn’t interested in the lame tales the tour guide was spouting, so I walked away from the group, off of the path.”
“DANGER!” Sweetie Belle burst out, waving her arm wildly. They all looked quizzically at her, and she just blushed and shrugged.
The mare continued. “That’s when I found this cave. It was amazing! Much more interesting than the actual tour, that’s for sure. I saw an opening in the side of the cave wall and I just had to investigate. I crawled in to find that it was pretty spacious. It was lined with the same glow as the outside walls. That’s when it happened. I had forgotten that one of the activities on the tours itinerary involved make some kind of tool to protect yourself. I guess on of the more rambunctious foals managed to make a bomb of some sorts, set it off, and had this part of the wall collapse” She furrowed her brow and threw her hoof in the air, speaking angrily now. “I mean seriously! What kind of organization would allow young colts and fillies to make weapons!” She sighed and bowed her head. “Yeah, so the rocks tumbled down and I’ve been trapped in hear for over 20 years. No one really felt the need to come back for me I guess.” Despite her efforts, a single tear managed to escape the mares eye and roll down her cheek.
“Also, how are you even alive?” Sweetie Belle asked a little too insensitively. She did not even look remotely close to starving, slender, but not starving.
A small cheery smile formed on her face. “Well, that’s easy. You see Reggie and I-“ The mare stopped talking, her eyes widened as she looked back at the hole she came out of. “Reggie.” She said quietly. “Reggie!” She galloped back and jumped in the hole she emerged from. “We did it! We’re free!” She said happily from inside. They could hear her shuffling around. “Now don’t move, I’m gonna get you outta here, okay?”
The girls looked at each other, confusion in each of their expressions. “Umm… Do you need some help?” Apple Bloom asked.
“No no! We’re fine.” The mare called back.
“We?”
“Alright, here we go?” The mare said eagerly. There was a quick faint sound of dirt being flung. “Oh quit being such a baby. You’re fine! We’re fine!”
“I don’t think this mare is quite all there.” Scootaloo whispered to her friends. They agreed with silence.
The pony trotted out of the opening with a smile on her face. She was faced directly in front of the three girls. “Girls, I would like you all to meet Reggie.”
The confusion was over-whelming as the mare turned her body to show a beautiful flower sitting on her lower back in a small mound of dirt. Its petals were a stunning light violet colour, which curved themselves counter-clockwise around the flower, never crossing over one another. The petals surrounded a vibrant orange-red center, all supported by a healthy green stem.
“Reggie, this is Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle.” The mare gestured her hoof at the dumbfounded fillies.
They all just gaped at the sight. This mare was absolutely bonkers.
“Umm, hello?” Sweetie greeted.
…
“He seems great.”
“Yeah, great.” Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Can I side bar with you gals for a sec?”
They made sure they were out of her hearing range before talking.
“So she’s nuts.” Scootaloo stated.
“She’s been locked up in there for her entire life pretty much.” Apple Bloom countered. “We can’t judge her for trying to give herself some company.”
“She’s talking to a flower.” Scootaloo retorted.
“You’re both missing the big picture here.” Sweetie Belle interjected. “She’s a blank flank.”
Scootaloo waved her hooves in front of her. “Woah woah woah. Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
The mare could only hear faint whispers from the girls. She thought nothing of it until the turned their heads to stare at her, and then carried on whispering. They did this a few times before they were actually done and trotted back over. The mare put a gleeful little smile on her face.
“So, uh, Reggie.” Apple Bloom stammered. “How did you, umm… How’d you two meet?”
“Well like I was saying, after I realized I was trapped and there was no escaping, I actually looked at my dwindled surroundings.” The mare explained cheerfully “Only then did I notice a lone flower. It was the only thing in the cave besides myself. I didn’t really think much of it at the time. Days past and I was getting extremely hungry. The flower was the only other thing there and I would not resort to chewing on my own hoof. So I ate it. And then there was nothing, nothing but the tiny roots. I went to sleep, my hunger barely satisfied. When I awoke, I found it there, the same flower that I had devoured the day before. I was hungry and fully rested, so I carefully bit of the top. I didn’t need to wait long before the petals and all sprung into existence before my eyes. It had to be some sort of regenerating plant, that’s how I got the name, Reggie, one that is only found in the Everfree forest. Or who knows maybe this is the only one in existence. Anyways we were both quiet at first, but eventually we got to talking and he agreed to let me eat him regularly if I kept him company. He had been there far longer, you see. So there you go. That’s how I survived all this time.”
The three again stood with mouths dropped open at the grinning mare. They collected themselves and gave each other approving looks.
“Well.” Sweetie Belle spoke. “We have a name for him, so what should we call you?”
Apple Bloom started. “How about we call you… Rodent!”
“Why rodent?” Sweetie asked.
“Because she’s like a bat! Dwelling in caves and what not.” Apple Bloom explained. How did they not see the logic? The mare didn’t seem to enjoy the name, so she let it pass.
“What about Boulder?!” Sweetie suggested. “We did move a lot of boulders to get to her. It seems appropriate.”
“She doesn’t even look like a boulder.” Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “I know the perfect name.” Everypony leaned in for her thrilling reveal. “ROCK BOOGER!” They all just looked at her, surprised by her ridiculousness.
“How about… Sprout.” The mare suggested. They all gave her a puzzled look. She looked from side to side, worried that her suggestion was insufficient. “Because I sprouted from the wall?” She explained, hoping for their agreement. The girls nodded at each other and they all smiled.
“Sprout. I like it.” Sweetie Belle smiled.
“We got a little surprise for ya waiting back in Ponyville, if you’re interested.” Apple Bloom approached her and put a hoof on her shoulder.
Sprout frowned and looked back at the empty lot where she had spent over twenty years of her life. “Well I sure ain’t going back in there.” She said to the girls, giving them a little smile.
The girls jumped up and slapped one of their hoofs together with the other. The mare just looked at them oddly. They were disappointed that she had never experienced a hoof bump. In time.
They exited the cave in a single file line. “I can’t wait for the initiation!” Scootaloo exclaimed with delight.
“The what?”
“All in good time, Sprout.”
The four made their way out of the Everfree forest. The light was over-whelming for Sprout, but she slowly got used to it. They followed the path all the way out of the forest, but Sweetie still found it necessary to remind them repeatedly not to wander off.
Once they made their way out of the forest, they decided to go around Ponyville to get to Sweet Apple Acres, rather than through it. They though it would be best not to give Sprout any unwanted attention. Sprout inhaled the cool clean air of Equestria deeply through her snout, and out through her mouth.  She missed the air. She had been breathing the same room full of air for twenty years, and this was a very welcome change. She had almost forgotten what these familiar colors looked like. It was good to be out. It was good to be free.
After a long walk along the borders of Ponyville, they finally reached Sweet Apple Acres. They ignored introducing their new friend and went straight to the Cutie Mark Crusader Clubhouse. Their they found a pot to place Reggie in so Sprout wouldn’t have to balance it on her back anymore.
“You’re heavier than you look.” Sprout winked at the plant. The girls shared a concerned look, but it was quickly replaced with smiles.
“Why don’t you have a seat over there?” Apple Bloom said as she pointed towards a chair that Sweetie Belle had moved into place for her. 
The chair was the fit for a filly, so she sat on it as gently as she could. Despite her grace, the chair collapsed under her and she was left sitting on the floor in a pile of wood, shifting her eyes as if nothing had happened. The three girls gave her delightfully awkward little smiles.
The room suddenly went completely dark. The shutters were slammed shut and the lamps were put out. Sprout was sitting in the dark, confused and frightened. She tried to focus in the darkness, but her eyes had already adjusted to the natural light. A single lamp was suddenly turned on above her. She could see the faint image of the three fillies, laced in hooded robed, their eyes were covered so only their snouts were visible. 
“Sprout!” Apple Bloom boomed in a low and sinister voice. “You have faced much hardship in your lifetime. More than anypony should ever experience, and yet this cruel land has still denied that most special mark on your flank, even as a full grown mare! We have brought you here because we think you qualify more than anyone to be a part of this most prestigious of clubs!” She pointed a hoof to sprout. “Do you agree to be a part of this cutie mark obtaining association? Do you agree to be…?”
All three fillies announced in unison. “A CUTIE MARK CRUSADER!”
Sprout was still for several seconds, only able to blink. A smile started to appear on her face. Slowly it was increasing, and as it did, the fillies smiles grew as well. There was no way she could refuse; this was one of the best initiations yet. Sprouts smile grew wider and wider, almost ear to ear.
In a moment it was gone. “A what now?”
The lights flashed back on and the shutters reopened. The fillies groaned. “We’re a club that makes an effort in obtaining our cutie marks together.” Apple Bloom explained reluctantly. “We noticed that you were a blank flank just like us, so we figured we’d invite you to join our club.”
Sprout didn’t know what to say, she knew that getting your cutie mark was a really big deal, but the idea of trying to do so with three little fillies was just crazy. She considered asking Reggie if this was a sane idea or not, but the thought of actually getting a cutie mark had her pretty excited.
“Okay” She smirked. “I’ll do it.”
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sighed in relief and they dropped to the floor. All that effort was worth it.
Apple Bloom motioned for the to rise to their feet for the honorary hoof bump. They each raised a hoof in the air, and motioned for Sprout to join. This was a momentous occasion indeed. She just stuck her hoof out and let the fillies do the rest.
Apple Bloom put her foreleg around her neck and led her outside of the clubhouse cheek to cheek. They exited onto a balcony which was able to overlook a portion of Ponyville.
“Alrighty Sprout.” Apple Bloom said with joy.
“Let’s go get your cutie mark.”