//------------------------------//
// Start of the Weekend 
// Story: Starbloom Chronicles 
// by L_Wolf 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 5


        Starbloom was up early the next morning sitting up and looking around yawning softly, wondering if this was going to become a habit. Slipping out of bed, she made her way downstairs, since it was the weekend she didn't have to rush to go to school.

        Getting to the main hall of the library, she saw Twilight was asleep, slumped over a book. Starbloom smiled and rolled her eyes lightly before going to the kitchen as quietly as she could to make some tea and toast.

        She sat at the table quietly sipping her tea and nibbling on her toast as she thought about what she should do today. Since she didn't have school, she figured she could go to the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ Headquarters and have fun with her new friends. 

        As she thought about what to do, Twilight came into the kitchen yawning. Looking over she saw Starbloom blinking at her. “You’re up early, I figured you would sleep in since there is no school today.” she stated as she went to get herself a cup of tea and join her at the table.

        “Yea, I woke up early again today.” Starbloom replied smiling as she slid over the last of the toast to Twilight. “Starting to wonder if it's gonna become a habit. Speaking of, you must have been up late studying again.”

        Twilight blushed softly at Starbloom nodding slowly. “Yeah I feel asleep at the desk.” Twilight said as she floated over a piece of the toast and took a bite smiling. “Do you have plans for today?”

        “I was thinking about that when you came in actually.” Starbloom said smiling. “I thought about going to the crusader's club house and spend time with my friends. If that’s alright.” She smiles looking at Twilight.

        “Of course, if you want to go spend time with your friends that's fine with me. I wont be here around lunch time though. I'll be at the train station to pick up Spike.” Twilight said smiling back at Starbloom taking another sip of her tea.

        Starbloom nods but had a light tinge of guilt wash over her at the mention of Spike, she was still a bit uneasy at the though of seeing him as much as she missed him. “Oh yeah, he's coming back today.” She smiled trying to hide the feeling of guilt.

        Twilight gave her a soft smile as she looks at the small filly, “Don't worry Starbloom, I'll be here to help you.” She said giving her a reassuring look.

        That did make Starbloom feel better and she nodded, taking another drink of her tea, “Thank you Twilight that makes me feel better.” She got to her hooves and cleared away her dishes setting them in the sink.


Twilight's Day


        Twilight watched as Starbloom cleared away the dishes smiling. Starbloom had adapted very well to not having magic to rely on. Twilight herself had practiced using her muzzle and hooves more than her magic for basic tasks because she wanted to be able to help Starbloom if she needed it. Not that Starbloom seemed to need any help with how well she had adapted.

        She sat at the table quietly sipping her tea while Starbloom finished clearing the table before leaving the kitchen and going into the main library hall, mentally going over what she had to do today in her head.

        She gets up from the table and clears it with her magic before heading into the library, looking at Starbloom who was sitting over in a corner of the library's main hall reading a book. Twilight made her way over to her desk and cleans it up, saving her spot in the book she was reading last night using one of her bookmarks. 

        She took down one of her parchments, quill and an ink well before starting to make a list of stuff she had to do today. She made out her list and checked each item as she did to make sure she didn't miss anything.

        Twilight knew she had to get Spike from the train station, get more ink for her ink wells and she wanted to go talk to Rainbow Dash about Scootaloo's family situation. Rainbow Dash knew the most about Scootaloo, and was the best person to ask.

        Twilight was double checking her list when Starbloom got up and checked the time before grabbing her saddle bags and heading to the Library's front door calling to Twilight, “See you later Twilight.”

        Twilight looks over at Starbloom smiling at her. “Have fun Starbloom and try not to cause too much trouble.” she called back to her with a soft giggle. She shakes her head lightly and smiles before heading upstairs to her bathroom to wash up. Sleeping at her desk did little for her mane. She could just image what Rarity would say if she saw her like this. 

        She giggles softly looking at herself in the mirror, doing her best Rarity impersonation she told her reflection. “Darling look at your mane! This simply must be taken care of immediately!” She starts the shower and waits for the water to warm up, brushing her teeth before getting into the shower to wash herself off.

        Once she had got herself washed off she turns off the water and shakes herself off before coming out of the shower stall and dries herself with a towel, and going back to the mirror smiling as she brushes out her mane and tail nodding and still in her Rarity voice, “Much better darling.”

        She giggles softly to herself again and makes her way back down stairs. She levitates her saddles bags over to her and on her back before heading out the door. She first made her way to the train station, checking the time on the large clock. Spike's train should be arriving pretty soon so she decided it would be best to wait for him.

        She didn't have to wait that long, the Friendship Express was almost always on time. She watched as the train pulled into the station and came to a stop watching as ponies started to leave the train. She spotted Spike and smiles waving a hoof to him, “Over here Spike,” she called out to him.

        Spike looked over and smiled big running over to her, carrying his bag. “Twilight! I never expected you to come and pick me up,” he said wrapping his arms around her right foreleg looking up at her.

        She smiled at him, “Of course I would come and get my number one assistant,” she replied with a grin lifting him and on her back, taking his bag and putting it in her saddle bag. “Did you have a good trip?” She asked as she made her way out of the train station.

        “Yep it was great, I had a lot of fun and your parents are doing good,” Spike said riding on her back as they left the station. “I hope you had fun without me here in Ponyville.” He smiles looking around the town as Twilight made her way to the store to get the stuff she needed.

        “I had a good time but I am glad you’re back Spike,” Twilight smiled but changed directions instead of going to get the ink, parchments and quills she headed to Sugar Cube Corner to get a snack first. She needed to tell him about Starbloom and even though she had thought about what to tell him, she was still nervous about it.

        “Sugar Cube Corner?” Spike questioned as he notice her change directions and head to the bakery instead of the office supply store. Twilight wasn't really known for spontaneity like this and it got his attention. “What's wrong?”

        Twilight raised an eyebrow and looked over at him but smiles. “Don't worry Spike, nothing is wrong. But I do have something I need to tell you.” She answered him as she heads into the bakery looking over the choice of sweets trying to decide what she wanted. Spike himself was practically drooling all over her mane and back.

        “Can I have one of those fire ruby cupcakes?” Spike asked looking at Twilight with big hopeful eyes licking his lips. Twilight just smiled at him and rolled her eyes a bit turning to look display again before making her own choice.

        “Hey Twilight! What brings you here?” Pinkie asked smiling from behind the counter. “Hey Spike welcome back from Canterlot!” She gave Spike a big grin before looking back to Twilight.

        “Hi Pinkie, just stopping in for a snack. I'll have one of those banana nut muffins and Spike wants a fire ruby cupcake.” Twilight smiles at her friend before she tilts her head slightly “Hey do you know where Rainbow Dash is today?”

        Pinkie Pie starts to get what Twilight asked for before pausing to think for a minute. “I think Rainbow Dash is moving some clouds in from Cloudsdale for an upcoming rain shower.” She said looking over at Twilight smiling as she brought over a small bag with the muffin and cupcake in it. “Here you got, that will be 5 bits.”

        “Oh so she might be gone for a few hours.” Twilight nods at Pinkie and smiles floating her money from her saddle bag and giving it to Pinkie. Despite her happy-go-lucky attitude Pinkie was a diligent worker. “Thank you very much Pinkie.”

        “Yep I'll tell her you're looking for her though if she stops by,” Pinkie smiled at Twilight taking the bits and passes the bag over to Twilight. “You’re welcome Twilight, have a great day!” Pinkie beamed at Twilight waving a hoof at her.

        Twilight smiled back and waves as she starts to make her way out of the bakery passing the bag to Spike to hold for her. But after leaving the bakery she frowned softly, she might have to wait and ask Rainbow Dash about Scootaloo later. Even with her speed Rainbow Dash wouldn't be back for a few hours since moving rain clouds took time.

        Twilight made her way over to a bench nearby and took a seat after Spike hopped off her back. She considered who else she could ask about the little filly’s home life. She looks at Spike and smiles, but she had other things to do today, she can wait to find out about Scootaloo later.

        “So what is it you wanted to talk to me about Twi?” Spike asked smiling up at her as he opened the bag to take out his cupcake and took a big bite of it. “Mm delicious fire ruby.”

        Twilight giggles softly at him smiling as she took out her muffin and took a bite of it. Considering her words carefully before speaking. “Well Spike, we have a new friend here in Ponyville named Starbloom. She's a little filly who has lived with me at the library for the past few days.”

        “S.. she isn't going to replace me is she?” Spike asked looking up at her with big sad eyes. “I'm still your number one assistant aren't I? You know I always do my best and I'll work h...” He blinks at Twilight's hoof in his mouth.

        “Calm down Spike, she isn't here to replace you. She does help out around the library but she has school so it wouldn't work out if she was my assistant.” She said trying to calm him remembering the same thing happened with Owlicious when she brought him in. To be honest, I adopted her so she's my daughter now..... Spike?”

        When he heard the word daughter he fainted and Twilight blinks at him tilting her head faintly. “Well that was unexpected. Spike wake up,” She shakes him lightly to wake him up. After a moment he sits up with a groan looking at her.

        “You adopted a filly, Twilight?” He was surprised and more than a little stunned at the revelation. “Is she a good pony at least?” He asked finishing his cupcake in one last big bite looking up at Twilight. “Who is she, where did she come from?”

        Twilight sighed a bit at Spike but smiled at him again softly. “Yes Spike I did, she has no one else. She is a very good pony and I know you'll like her a lot. Like I said, her name is Starbloom and she is an earth pony from Canterlot.” She decided to hold off on telling him who she really was and where she really came from for now.

        Spike nods at Twilight but wasn't sure about how he felt yet. “I trust you Twilight of course, and if you say she's a good pony then I'm sure she is a good pony.” He smiled up at her and hugged her foreleg again. It had been such a sudden surprise to him. He found it hard to imagine Twilight raising a young filly. “When do I get to meet her?” He asked after a few moments.

        “Later today, she's off playing with Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle right now. She should be home around dinner though. She is looking forward to meeting you though.” She smiles at him and took another bite of her muffin.

        Spike nods at Twilight sitting next to her on the bench again looking up at the sky, a few pegasi were busy flying around moving rain clouds around and into place for the upcoming rain storm. “Why did you want to know where Rainbow Dash was?” He asked looking up at Twilight.

        “Oh, I just wanted to ask her some questions. Nothing you need to worry about though,” she answered him smiling finishing her muffin getting off the bench and waits for Spike to get back on her back. “Let's hurry and finish up my checklist for today and get back before the rain starts.

        “Alright Twilight,” he said smiling as he got back on her back taking out the checklist and a quill marking off a few things on the list. “I have missed this, I actually got a bit bored in Canterlot without you and your daily tasks.”

        Twilight just grinned and rolled her eyes up at him before making her way to the office supply store to get the stuff she needed. “I've missed having you here to help with these lists.” Twilight admitted to him.


Starbloom's Day


        Starbloom finished clearing away her dishes and went out of the kitchen into the library's main hall. First she heads up to room wanting to get everything ready for her day out with her friends. She searches around before finding another of Twilight's old saddle bags. She didn't want to use the same one she used for school, not wanting to have to repack it for school.

        She tried to think of what would be the best items to bring with her. She gets some old but clean towels, some bottles she had filled with water, a first aid kit. She looks in her bag after packing the first few items thinking. "Hmm what else should I bring," She thought as she puts her cape in the bag. She tosses a handful of bits Twilight had given her in the bag as well before picking it up and heads downstairs, looking around.

        Twilight wasn't in the main hall of the library so she figured she was either still in the kitchen or upstairs. She puts the saddlebags by the door before looking at the time. It was still early so she took down the book on Equestrian history she had been reading before and settles down in her spot to read.

        Shortly after getting settled in and started to read she could hear movement from the kitchen before Twilight came out. She heard Twilight move across the main hall and to her desk and heard the shuffling of papers. She looks over to see what she was up to before going back to her book, seeing that Twilight was cleaning up the desk she had been at when she came down stairs.

        She finished up the chapter she had been reading and checked the time again. Smiling she put the bookmark back into the book and put it away getting up looking over at Twilight who was double checking her list. She smiled and went to get her saddlebags opening the door. "See you later Twilight," she called over.

        Twilight looks over at Starbloom and smiled at her. "Have fun Starbloom and try not to cause too much trouble," Twilight called back to her and smiled hearing the giggle before she went out the door and closed the door trotting down the street. 
        She planned on meeting Sweetie Belle at Carousel Boutique first then suggesting they go get Scootaloo at her house. It was a good chance to try to find out if Scootaloo had a home. She made her way to the Boutique quickly and knocked on the door waiting quietly.
        "Good morning Starbloom," Rarity said as she answered the door, "What brings you here at this time of morning?" She asked looking down at the small filly smiling at her, moving to let her come inside.

        "I came to get Sweetie Belle, and then go pick up Scootaloo before going to meet Apple Bloom." Starbloom said as she went inside smiling back at Rarity looking around inside the Boutique's sales floor, it looked about the same as the Carousel Boutique in her world. "I hope I'm not too early."

        "Not at all darling, I'll let Sweetie Belle know you’re here." Rarity said with another genuine smile before heading up to Sweetie Belle's room to let her know her friend was here. "Feel free to look around."

        Starbloom nods and smiles watching as Rarity headed up the stairs to get her sister. She looked around the sales floor quietly as she waited, marveling at the dresses Rarity had for sale. She opens her saddlebag and pulls out her cape tossing it over her back and ties the neck so it wont slip off, she hears Rarity and Sweetie Belle coming down the stairs. She turns and smiles up at them.

        "Good morning Sweetie Belle," Starbloom said, Sweetie Belle smiled at Starbloom following her sister. She was also wearing her cape. She pushes passed her sister and trotted over to Starbloom.

        "Morning Starbloom!" Sweetie said bouncing in the air with a cute little squeak in her voice. Before blushing as her sister gave her a slightly annoyed look at being pushed. "Sorry Rarity." Sweetie Belle said with a grin.

        Rarity just sighed and smiled, "It's alright Sweetie, just be more careful. Now, feed Opal before you go please." Rarity said watching the two. "And do try not to cause too much trouble or get dirty."

        "Alright Rarity," Sweetie Belle said heading to the kitchen getting out Opal's food, Starbloom followed after Sweetie Belle to watch and offer some help if needed. Sweetie Belle seemed to be able to handle it though, filling up Opal's bowl and putting the bag of food back in the cabinet.

        Starbloom was still amazed at how Rarity liked to keep everything neat and organized. She wasn't sure if it was because she was a filly but she seemed to notice things differently then when she had been Twilight. "Ready to go Starbloom?" Sweetie Belle asked bringing Starbloom out of her thoughts.

        She looks over at Sweetie Belle and smiles at her nodding. "Yep, I'm ready." She answered following her out of the kitchen and back to the sales floor. "Have a good day, Rarity." Starbloom said smiling.

        "Thank you Starbloom, have a good day. You be good Sweetie Belle, and be back before it gets dark." Rarity said to the two small fillies by the door.

        "I will Rarity," Sweetie Belle said grinning as she opens the door. Both she and Starbloom walking out of the Boutique Rarity giving Sweetie Belle a doubtful look as Sweetie Belle closes the door. Sweetie Belle started to walk to Sweet Apple Acres and Starbloom blinks at her.

        "Shouldn't we go get Scootaloo?" She asked as she moved to catch up with Sweetie Belle tilting her head faintly.
        "She normally meets us at the club house. She's always there before anyone else," Sweetie Belle said grinning at her as she kept walking to the farm. 
        Starbloom didn't look convinced but nods at her as she walks with her tilting her head again faintly. It didn't make senses to her, why would Scootaloo always be there before everyone else. She started to wonder if Sweetie Belle or Apple Bloom have ever been to Scootaloo's home. She did consider that, since Scootaloo was a pegasus that she might live in a cloud home. But the only cloud home she knew of in the area was Rainbow Dash's house, and Scootaloo couldn’t fly, making living in a cloud home rather dangerous.

        "What are you thinking about, Starbloom?" Sweetie Belle asked noticing the serious look on her face. She blinks at her but kept walking with her to Sweet Apple Acres. "Your not still worried about Twilight coming to Family Appreciation Day are you?"

        "Huh? Oh no I'm not worried about that," She said smiling at Sweetie Belle, walking next to her breathing in the clean air looking up at the sky. She noticed some pegasi moving clouds around. She took another breath, catching a hint of moisture in the air before looking back to Sweetie Belle.

        Trying to avoid any further questions about what she was thinking, she tried to change the subject, "Looks like we're gonna get some rain soon.  Hope it won’t mess up our crusading." She smiles at her as they reach the farm, letting Sweetie Belle lead as they start towards the clubhouse.

        Sweetie Belle looks up at the clouds being moved in and looks over at Starbloom nodding at her smiling. "Yea I guess so, but it shouldn't mess up our crusading Scootaloo and Applebloom had a great idea." Sweetie Belle grins big before trotting towards the clubhouse. Starbloom blinks at her before charging after her quickly to keep up, wondering what she had got herself into.

        The quickly reached the clubhouse when they started running across the fields. Once they get to the clubhouse they head up the ramp leading to the door and Sweetie Belle opened the door. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were already inside talking about the plans for today. Both looking over at the door smiling at them. "Mornin’ Sweetie Belle, mornin’ Starbloom." Apple Bloom said smiling. Scootaloo waving a hoof towards them.

        "Good morning Scootaloo, Apple Bloom." Starbloom said waving back heading inside and over to them removing her saddle bag. Scootaloo giving the saddlebags an odd look. Sweetie Belle follows Starbloom and takes a seat. "I wasn't sure if I should bring anything so I brought a few things."

        "You didn't have to bring anything Starbloom, but thank you." Scootaloo said smiling at her and wiggles her wings heading to her saddle bags to see what Starbloom had brought. Looking at the towels, pausing to look at Starbloom. "What are these for?"

        "I figured if we get dirty or something we can use these to get cleaned up." She nods at Scootaloo, smiling at her watching as she unpacked the saddle bags. "The water is for if we get thirsty, and first aid kit is if we get a cut or something." She smiles at all three of her friends.

        "That's good thinking Starbloom," Apple Bloom said smiling at her getting one of the bottles of water and removes the top taking a drink from it. Getting to her feet, putting the bottle of water down. "Time for yer initiation since it keeps gettin’ put off." Apple Bloom said smiling at her before moving to stand next to a podium. Scootaloo heading over to a drum and Sweetie Belle makes her way to stand behind the podium hopping up on a box and moves to her back legs putting her forelegs on the podium.
        Starbloom moves to stand in front of the podium looking up at Sweetie Belle with a big smile on her face. It was similar as to when she got accepted to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Sweetie Belle looked at her revised speech and cleared her throat before speaking. "We are gathered here today to welcome Starbloom as member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, our goal is to crusade so we may one day get our cutie marks. We pledge to stand beside our fellow sister in our crusade." Sweetie Belle spoke in a rather over dramatic tone. She continued speaking, looking at Starbloom. "Now repeat after me. I, Starbloom, promise to do my best to help my fellow crusaders in the pursuit of our Cutie Marks." All three of them was looking at smiling big.

        Starbloom took a deep breath and smiled big before repeating what Sweetie Belle said. "I, Starbloom, promise to do my best to help my fellow Crusaders in the pursuit of our Cutie Marks." She said smiling at her friends with a grin looking. All three stomp their hooves on the ground smiling big at Starbloom.

        "You are now an official member and sister of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Welcome to our little family," Apple Bloom said smiling at Starbloom and the other two nodding still with big grins on their faces. "An’ now that the initiation is out of the way, let's do some Crusadin’! Me an’ Scootaloo got it all worked out while you two was comin’ over. Gem huntin’!"

        Starbloom blinked at Apple Bloom as the other two come over and all three shouted at once. "Cutie Mark Crusader Gem Hunters! Yay!" Then clapped their hooves together before looking at Starbloom.

        Confused at first she went over and clapped her hoof with the other three and added her own "Yay?" The other three grinning at her when she does that. She wasn’t too sure if it was a good idea, but gem hunting was pretty safe. She just hoped they didn't run into any Diamond Dogs.

        The other three started to gather up what they would need to dig in the ground. So Starbloom repacked her saddle bags and put it across her back. Sweetie Belle came over smiling and tucked a folding shovel into one of the saddle bags. "Here you'll need a shovel to dig with." Sweetie Belle said smiling at her before going to get her own shovel.

        Once all of them had their stuff ready, they left the club house. The clouds were a bit thicker than earlier but it hadn't gotten dark. The crusaders headed out from the clubhouse and Sweet Apple Acres, the four of them making their way out to the gem fields. Something had been bugging Starbloom though about the gem hunting idea. As they got to the gem fields, Starbloom asked a question that popped into her head. "How are we gonna find the gems?"

        The other three stopped and looked at each other before looking back at Starbloom grinning a bit. "We'll just dig around ‘til we find them." Scootaloo said, the other two nodding firmly, giggling as they head out into the gem fields. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom getting out their shovels and start to dig around. Sweetie Belle also takes out a shovel and start to dig as well, Starbloom rolling her eyes lightly before smiling and sighs taking off her saddlebags and removes her shovel joining them in the hunt for gems.

        They spent about an hour digging around and they did manage to find a few small pockets of gems but no large collections. They took the gems they found and put them in Starbloom's saddle bags since she was the only one that brought one. After digging around a bit more and not finding any more gems, or getting a Cutie Mark, they decided that was enough. "Gem huntin’ ain’t for us I guess." Apple Bloom said helping Starbloom get her saddle bags on.

        Sweetie Belle jumped hearing a noise. "What was that?" She asked looking at the others who started to look around suspiciously. "I swear I heard something." She said moving to stand with the others. "Like a rustling sound, in the bushes."

        Starbloom started to feel nervous and peered over at the bushes watching them quietly the other three standing to her left also looking into the bushes before she felt something pull her saddle bag. "Hey!" She reared back and bucked hard at what grabbed her saddle bags from behind. She heard a loud wail and they turned to face who it was, it was a diamond dog holding his stomach, glaring hard at Starbloom.

        "Give us the gems in the bag!" He demanded, two other dogs coming out from behind a rock, another one coming from the brush they had looked at. "Give them now!" He demanded peering at the small group of fillies.

        Starbloom and Scootaloo both growled, peering back. Apple Bloom had her eyes narrowed as she looked at the one coming to them from the bushes ready to fight if she had to. Sweetie Belle tried to look as threatening as she could, but the effort just made her look a little ill.
        Starbloom wasn't sure if they would stand a chance in a head on fight with the diamond dogs. She thought quickly and remembered how Rarity handled them before. She couldn't reach the high pitch whine like Rarity but she glanced at Sweetie Belle and got an idea. "Sorry about this Sweetie." She said and quickly before Sweetie could response she bit her on the ear, firm but not hard enough to break the skin. The bite made Sweetie Belle squeal loudly in pain and wail in a high-pitched voice.

        The other two crusader looked at Starbloom and Sweetie Belle with a shocked look on their faces. The diamonds dogs hissed loudly and held their ears, scrambling off quickly to get away from the high-pitched squeal of Sweetie Belle. Starbloom quickly let go of Sweetie Belle's ear. "Run!" She told the other crusaders before bolting as fast she could, looking back to make sure the other three followed after her, which they did.

        It didn't take long before they reached the clubhouse. Oanting hard Starbloom shrugged the saddle bags off and checked Sweetie Belle's ear, apologizing profusely for biting her. "I'm so sorry Sweetie Belle, I didn't want to hurt you but it was the only way I could think of to make them leave." She said, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both looking upset at Starbloom.

        Sweetie Belle sniffed softly and flicked her bitten ear lightly, wiping her eyes with her hooves before hugging Starbloom. "I.. I understand, I remember Rarity telling me Diamond Dogs don't like high-pitched sounds." She blinked her eyes clearing the tears from them. "But... how did you know that?" She asked looking at Starbloom confused.

        The other two look at Starbloom as well, also confused and wondering the same thing now. Their anger at Starbloom for biting Sweetie Belle forgotten now. "Ya, how did ya know bout that?" Apple Bloom asked taking a seat next to Sweetie Belle waiting for an answer.
        Starbloom had to think quickly, she didn't think they would buy it if she told them Twilight had told her about it. "I read it in a book in the library." She said nodding quietly and smiling, hoping they would believe her. The other crusaders looked at her for a moment and she felt nervous, thinking they wouldn't believe her.

        "You must read a lot of books then," Scootaloo said nodding and smiles. "Lucky for us you're an egghead. I don't think Sweetie Belle would have thought about whining in time to save us." That earned her a nasty look from Sweetie Belle still massaging her ear.
        "I would have thought about it, eventually. Besides I didn't see you coming up with any ideas." Sweetie Belle said huffing a bit and puffing out her cheeks in a pout. "All that and still no Cutie Mark either. At least we got some gems though." She said reminding the group about the gems they had found. "How many did we get?"

        Starbloom blinks as the group looked at her, she goes over to the saddle bags and opens it up checking inside before taking out the gems they had gotten. "Let's see here. One, two, three..." she went on counting them out carefully as the others watched her intently.

        "Forty-six. Not too bad, really." She said smiling at her friends. She splits the gems out evenly between herself and her friends, giving each eleven of the gems that were close to the same size. "Hmm but we got two left over, what should we do with them." Everyone looked over at Apple Bloom waiting for an answer.

        "Why ya'll looking at me?" Apple Bloom asked blinking at her friends before thinking for a minute trying to decide. "I think, we should give em Sweetie Belle and Starbloom, since they did save us from those dogs." She said after considering for a few minutes. Scootaloo nodded in agreement smiling.

        "I agree we should let Sweetie Belle and Starbloom have them." Scootaloo smiled taking the two leftover gems giving one to Starbloom and the other to Sweetie Belle, both of them looking a little confused but nodded.

        "Thank you Scootaloo, Apple Bloom." Starbloom said smiling but takes Sweetie Belle's extra gem and replaced it with the one Scootaloo gave her. "I think Sweetie Belle should have the bigger one, since she got hurt" Scootaloo and Apple Bloom smiled at Starbloom's gesture.

        Sweetie Belle looked at Starbloom, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo for a moment before smiling and gives them a big group hug. "Aww thank you, you didn't have to do that." Sweetie Belle said before sitting back. The other three crusaders hugging back in the group hug smiling.

        Starbloom breaks loose of the hug after a moment and looks out the window wanting to check on the weather. The clouds where thick and were threatening to rain. "Looks like we're gonna be in for a good rain shower soon. If we want to get home before the rain comes I think we should call it a day." The sky was dark, making it hard to judge what time it was. She could just make out the sun though so she figured it was close to three in the afternoon, maybe even four.

        "Good idea, we don't want to be caught in this on the way home, Rarity would have a fit if I came home soaking wet." Sweetie Belle said getting up and gathering her small gems into a pile. "She’s already gonna be pretty mad at me for coming home dirty."
        Starbloom watched for a minute before getting some towels from her saddle bags and passed them out to her friends. When they looked at her confused, she unfolds one and puts Scootaloo's gem in it before folding it back up and smiles "To carry your gems in, this way they won’t get scratched." Starbloom said smiling. The others getting the idea and grinned doing the same thing.

        Starbloom herself put her gems in her saddle bag before pulling it on and waited for the others to be ready before walking with them to Apple Bloom's house. "See you later Apple Bloom," her friends said.

        "See ya'll tomorrow." Apple Bloom replied, before the trio walked back towards Ponyville. Starbloom got an idea as they walke.

        "Hey Scootaloo, want us to walk you home first?" She asked looking over at Scootaloo smiling at her, hoping she would say yes so she can get an idea of how she lived.

        "Nah you two better head on home. Don't want to be caught out in this if starts to rain." Scootaloo said, she had a good point and Starbloom mentally facehoofed at her logic. "I'll see you girls tomorrow," Scootaloo said cheerfully and broke away from the group heading off on her own. Starbloom made a mental note of the direction she headed.

        "See you tomorrow." Sweetie Belle said with a smile before also making her way home. Starbloom looked at Sweetie Belle smiling.

        "See you tomorrow, girls." Starbloom said smiling before sighing to herself and turned to walk to the library. She had really hoped Scootaloo would have let her go with her to her home, if only to make sure she had a home to go to.

        She kicked a rock as she walked before flinching at the rain started to come down. "Scootaloo had a point." She groaned softly and  started to run quickly as she could, carrying the heavy saddle bags on her back, her cape fluttering behind her, once she got to the door she opened it and quickly came inside shaking herself off sending a spray of water around her.

        "Hey! Do you mind?" a familiar voice said and it caused Starbloom to pause and look seeing Spike standing near the door soaked from Starbloom shaking herself off and holding a soggy scroll. "Wait, are you Starbloom?" He asked looking at the filly who was staring at him with an odd look on her face.