//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - A Gift and a Choice // Story: A Heart of Change // by SilentBelle //------------------------------// A Heart of Change – Chapter 1: A Gift and a Choice By: SilentBelle Soft and distant. That's how the clouds looked to her. Such a sharp contrast to her own inner feelings, it was almost mocking. Her stomach clenched and tightened inside of her as a sickening feeling filtered through her body. In an attempt to sooth the building uneasiness, she turned, only to see those soft, white clouds floating so far away. I can do this, she told herself in an attempt to suppress the rising feeling of her nerves. This is my dream, and I've trained as hard as I can. I know I'm ready. She glanced to her left and right. Numerous fit, young pegasi flanked her. They were all waiting at the start line, some doing some last-minute stretching. She noticed they nearly all had cutie marks that had to do with wings or lightning. Of course, her own cutie mark did as well. Regardless of that fact, Scootaloo gulped at her own rising doubt. I hope I'm ready. With her legs threatening to quake beneath her, she directed her gaze outward toward the distant clouds, upon which, numerous splashes of colours could be seen. A large crowd of family and sports enthusiasts lined the cloudy parapets, which marked the three mile long course. A short race, to be sure, and Scootaloo knew she had to beat the three-minute mark if she had any hope of beating out the rest of the competition. Don't think about it! she mentally chastised herself and tried to occupy her mind with looking at the crowds. It took her only a moment to spot her mentor and honorary big sister. Rainbow Dash was easy to spot with her particular mane and her choice of the highest perch in the whole arena. I'll catch up to her! I'll show her I'm ready today! Scootaloo didn't let her gaze linger, and instead scanned the rest of the crowd. There's a lot more ponies than I thought there'd be. With each colourful figure in the distance, she felt that weight in her stomach strengthen in intensity as their joyful shouts filtered over the distance and reached her ears. Each sound spun a small thread across her vision, each distinct in their colour and barely visible, but enough to cause her to shake her head to try and free it of the spectral lights. Ignore them. They don't matter, she hoped to convince herself, although that sinking sensation seemed more present than ever before. Why won't they just start the race already? “You can do it, Scootaloo!” A distant, familiar voice caused a singular emerald strand to flicker through her sights. She barely distinguished the voice from the rest of the crowd. Sweetie Belle? But, that's not possible! The crowd was sitting upon clouds. A feat that only pegasi were capable of. Quickly, she set her attention to sifting through the masses of bodies, and tried to pinpoint where the voice came from. But there were too many colours, and the noise didn't help at all. She couldn't spot her friend. “Racers! On your mark!” The voice sparked like a red lightning bolt across her vision. It nearly caused Scootaloo to jump out of her own skin. She scowled at the uniformed representative who had shouted the words. He was a strikingly-indigo stallion with eyes as red as his voice had been. He brought a whistle to his lips, and as he did, Scootaloo forced herself to drop her emotions, and quickly tensed her muscles in preparation for the beginning dash. The whistle blew suddenly and jarringly, but her reflexes kicked in and she leaped forward quickly with a practiced grace. She was no pushover. She had something to prove today. She allowed her mind to block out the world around her and focued on what she had to. Get to the front of the pack as fast as possible. She buzzed her wings as quickly and powerfully as she could. The short wing-strokes sped her past the bulk of the competition, and before twenty seconds had passed, she was in the lead. This is where I to be. But that position came at a hefty price. Even for a young mare as well-trained as she, a sprint of acceleration would take its toll before the end of the race. Her lungs gulped in the cool air, yet craved mroe with every breath. The muscles on her back burned with a familiar fire of exertion and quietly begged her to stop. She wore her body's pain plainly upon her face in a tight, open-mouthed scowl. It's nothing, she told herself.I've been through worse! Now, just stay ahead. Come on wings, keep on beating! It felt like only a moment had passed. She was flying so fast, and the course twisted so quickly, she barely had time to register when the finish line came into view. Her wings burned as they pumped away furiously, and she pointed her fore-hooves as far forward as she could. When suddenly, from the brim of her periphery, she saw the figure of another pony pass her in the last possible instant. Scootaloo could just barely register the yellow blur that streaked past, followed by a green blur, then a blue one. And in the next second she felt tears sting her eyes and her wings give out as she crash-landed across the finish line. The crowd around erupted in cheers, with many of them hopping up and down in the stands. It echoed in Scootaloo's ears as a haunting melody. I lost? Through blurred vision, she could make out the forms of happy pegasi hugging each other. How could I have lost? A sickening sensation gripped the orange pegasus. Quivering, she leaped from the cloud stadium, and in an instant dove off the side toward the distant field below. * * * Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom strode unsteadily upon the clouds, trying to reach the finishing area before the contestants could finish the race. “Did you see how fast she took off? That was amazing! She was moving faster than one of Twilight's teleportation spells! I hope we make it down there before she does,” Sweetie Belle said breathlessly to her companion, while making sure to keep her boxed present and attending crystals firm and safe in her green magical aura. The present was a small little thing. An orange box with purple lace wrapped tightly around it. But what was inside was of great value, and Sweetie Belle was extra careful when handling it. For if she let go of it with her magic, the gift would tumble through the clouds in the blink of an eye. Floating alongside the box were three small gemstones, glittering in the sunlight: a topaz, a ruby, and a sapphire. “Yeah, she was somethin' else alright. Ah could hardly believe that was Scootaloo. Ah've never seen her move so quick in mah life, and hay, we see her practice all the time. Oh look, here they come!” They watched as their blur of a friend bounded the last turn, and began slowing down in the last few seconds. They couldn't help but elicit a gasp in unison as they saw three other blurs, which had been close behind, suddenly speed up and pass their friend. In the last three seconds of the race, they saw Scootaloo go from first to fourth amidst a band of blurry colours. “What just happened?” Apple Bloom asked her friend, hoping that what they saw wasn't true. “I don't know.” “Look, they're putting the names up!” Following the yellow earth pony's pointing hoof, Sweetie saw the names being written on the board. Sure enough, Scootaloo was in fourth place. “Sweetie!” Apple Bloom said in urgency. “Look!” Sweetie turned just in time to see Scootaloo leap from the edge of the cloud stadium. Sweetie ran toward where she had just seen her friend jump. “Shoot! Apple Bloom, we gotta go after her! Look, I learned a 'Feather' spell a while back. Let's go!” “Woah, hold it! Yer askin' me ta jump off the clouds with ya? We're nearly a mile off the ground. Can't we just take the balloon? Ah mean, no offense, but what if yer spell doesn't work?” Apple Bloom had been nervous enough just walking on the clouds. The idea of jumping from them made her outright blanch. “Well, you trusted my cloud-walking spell well enough. Come on, we have to go now or we'll never catch up to her!” “Ah'm not jumpin' off of a cloud at this height,” she said firmly, lowering her voice nearly to a whisper. “You know ah'm scared o' heights.” “Oh, right, I forgot. Sorry, Bloom. You take the blimp down. I'm going to follow Scoots!” With that, Apple Bloom watched as her impulsive friend bolted off before she could convince her otherwise. Sweetie made her way to the edge of the cloud and leaped, her present and the gemstones floating beside her all the while. The topaz gem shimmered as she made her move, and half of it dissolved into an emerald haze. Sometimes, I wonder how my friends can't have a lick of sense between the two of 'em. Shaking her head, Apple Bloom made her way toward the blimp they had borrowed for the day. As she walked, she remained exceedingly focused upon her footing. The spongy cloud would sag like freshly fallen snow with every step, forcing the action into an arduous task. The quicker I get back on solid ground, the better. Peering over her shoulder she cast one last look to the finish line. Ah sure hope Scootaloo's alright. * * * Once the only the sound she could hear was that of the wind thrashing through her ears, Scootaloo screamed as loud as she could. As painfully as she could. It was her dream, the one thing she always knew she was going to do, the one thing she always knew was the truth of her life, her reason of being, and she had just let it slip through her hooves. Snapping out her wings in anger, she moved to pull herself out of her fast descent. The sudden force caught her strained muscles painfully. With a slight yelp, she struggled to pull herself out of the dive and came a lot closer to the ground than she intended before she managed to break free from the dangerous dive. Three seconds later and that could have been a disaster, she thought to herself. The pegasus wiped her brow nervously as she hovered in place, staring at the ground where she had nearly made herself into an impromptu crater. Three seconds? Her anguish quickly returned, but it was of a quieter sort, dark and brooding and pocked with feelings of doubt. Three seconds... I was so close! How could I mess that up? I should have tried harder! I should have-- “Scootaloo!” The emerald voice shattered her thoughts and her brooding was quickly replaced with a sense of confusion. “Sweetie Belle?” the pegasus asked as she spun on point to look upwards. Sure enough, the unicorn in question was above her, falling and twirling head over hooves in a rather strange manner. Scootaloo dashed toward her falling friend as quickly as she could and caught the tumbling mare. Sweetie Belle was surprisingly light to the touch, almost as if she weighed as much as a cloud. “Thanks, Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle said happily, giving her friend a light hug. “I didn't expect to be caught.” The pegasus, however, did not return the gesture as she set the other mare down on the ground. “What were you thinking?! You could have died! What were you doing up there anyway?” “Oh, don't be silly, I used a 'Feather' spell to make it so I wouldn't hit the ground very hard. I know what I'm doing,” Sweetie Belle replied with a light smile. “And it wasn't just me up there. Apple Bloom was there too.” Scootaloo let out a sigh of relief. “I swear, Sweetie, you can cause so much commotion at times, it's almost like you're Discord himself,” she said with a shake of her mane and a hollow laugh. Sweetie Belle had always seemed to be able to distract others with her antics, and the trouble she got into had only escalated after the unicorn had discovered her cutie mark and a certain knack for troublesome spells. And now, five years later, the young mare before her was as mischievous as ever, and with a whole arsenal of magical tricks to choose from. It actually brought a small grin to the pegasus' lips as some distant memories surfaced in her mind. “Well, he did teach me magic,” Sweetie Belle pointed out with a laugh. “Yeah, but did he teach you to jump off of clouds a mile off the ground?” “I believe he would have found the action to be entirely reasonable and wholly entertaining. It was like that time we tried to get our skydiving cutie marks, only this time I knew I was perfectly safe.” Scootaloo merely shook her head at the memory of assuring both her friends that skydiving would be 'entirely safe' so long as they wore helmets. It had been the last time the Cutie Mark Crusaders had ever tried to get an extreme-sports cutie mark. As the memory faded, so too did her smile, and she took on a more somber demeanor. “But really, Sweetie, you and Bloom were both up there? Then that means you saw--” “You were amazing!” Sweetie Belle interjected. “I've never seen you fly so fast before. It was so much better than all your practice flights!” Each word registered as a blow to Scootaloo, and from those blows she felt guilt flow outward, as if blood from freshly opened wounds. Scootaloo turned her gaze away from her friend in shame. She couldn't look at that sweet smile or those innocent eyes any longer. “Oh, here, look. I got this present for you.” Scootaloo managed to turn in time to see her friend catch a slowly descending box, as it floated down from the open sky as lazily as a flake of snow. Sweetie Belle scooped it up easily in her magic aura and fished the trailing three gemstones out of the open air as well. The unicorn then grabbed the present in her hooves while standing on her hind legs, presenting it to her friend with a smile. It was an orange box with a simple, purple ribbon lacing it together. Such colouration identified the purpose of the present. “It's from me. I made it myself,” Sweetie Belle stated proudly as she extended her hoof even farther, toward the pegasus. “Just for you.” “No,” Scootaloo interjected firmly, knocking the box out of her hoof. The gift presented itself to the ground with a soft thump. “I don't something like this. Sweetie, you saw me up there. I blew it! That was my dream. That was everything. I trained and trained so hard, and in that moment, I just let it get away from me! I see it now, so clearly. I can't do it! I'm not good enough, and I never will be good enough to catch up to her. She's beyond my reach. I've been deluding myself for so long, thinking that I had a shot at being the next best flier, the next Rainbow Dash. But, I have to face it. I'll never be able to top her. Never. Some ponies are just better than others, and that's the way it's always been. I'm sorry, but, just leave me alone for now. Please...” Her last words were choked out as a whisper as she turned and fled the scene. She didn't dare to spare a glance back at her friend to see how she reacted. * * * Apple Bloom lowered the balloon with care and it landed right beside Sweetie Belle. The earth pony noticed her friend was frowning slightly. She was holding the present easily in in her magical grip while her trio of gemstones spun around it in an irritated helix. “So, ah imagine things didn't go as ya planned?” “Scootaloo can be such a hothead!” Sweetie Belle retorted, jumping into the balloon's basket with her inventory in tow. “She prolly just needs some time ta cool off. Besides, if yer sayin' Scootaloo's got a temper, well then that's callin' the kettle black.” “Hey! I don't have much of a temper,” she replied with a halfhearted pout. “Well, maybe temper ain't the best word fer it. But ah'll give away mah tools if you two ain't the most impulsive ponies ah know.” “Impulsive? How?” Apple Bloom gave her friend a questioning stare in response. “Do ah really have ta mention that y'all both jumped right off the edge o' the stadium in the blink of an eye, not twenty minutes ago?” “That's not impulsive,” Sweetie Belle tried to rebuke her friend, the comical tone her own voice betrayed her. “It was just a quick tactical assessment.” “Right. Ya keep tellin' yerself that why don't ya?” “Very well, I shall,” Sweetie Belle replied, concluding the conversation by sticking her tongue out. They both shared a laugh as they rose from the ground in the blimp. Apple Bloom made all the necessary alterations to the craft to steer it back towards Ponyville, though she decided to keep the altitude as low as possible, just in case something went wrong. No sense fallin' farther than we have ta. The ground always had a way of giving her the feeling that it was pulling at her whenever she was a sizable distance away from it. She wrapped one of her hooves a little tighter against one of the corner ropes. Before too much of a silence had set in, Apple Bloom cleared her throat lightly. “So, uh, what happened anyway?” “She said something about all her dreams failing or something. She sounded pretty angry too. Heck, she even threw away my gift.” Sweetie waved the present around with her magic to further accentuate her point. “And to think of all the effort I went through to make it for her.” “Now Ah know ya told me ya wanted it ta stay a secret 'til Scootaloo opened it herself, but now Ah'm seriously worried. Ya made it yerself?” “Hey, what's that supposed to mean?” “Well... yer not much of a craft-pony,” Apple Bloom replied bluntly. “Heck, ah'm surprised ya actually managed to wrap it properly.” “Hah, yeah, I know. But all those times back then, I was never really serious. I was always more focused on getting a cutie mark than the actual task at hoof. But this was something that only I could make for her. Also, trying lace seems to be a lot easier after spending about five years shaping magic into its different patterns.” “Now yer just makin' me more curious,” Apple Bloom replied, but let the topic drop with a single shake of her head. The movement was curt and her braided mane only served to accentuate the simplistic motion. “So, you think she'll be okay? Sounds like that race was pretty important to her.” “Oh, she'll be fine, I think. Scootaloo's tough, and you know it, but she needs to cool down for a bit. She has more going for her than she realizes, but it might take her a while to see it. And maybe a bit of effort on my part.” Apple Bloom couldn't mistake that glimmer in her friend's eyes. “Sweetie, what are ya plannin' this time?” “That's a secret,” she said with a wink as she placed her two fore-hooves upon the side of the basket and looked over the edge. She watched as Ponyville swiftly came into view beneath them. “Home sweet home!” she exclaimed with a mischievous smirk and pulled the present close to herself. “Thanks for the ride, Bloom!” “Sweetie, ah told ya before, not to--” “Jump off?” she asked and leaped from the basket. Her horn glowed for merely a moment, and the rest of the topaz diffused into a haze of magic. She let out a hoot of joy. The orange and violet gift trailed behind her, flanked by the remaining two crystals. “--while it's still flying!” Apple Bloom finished her sentence as she moved to stabilize the now-swaying basket. Has she always been this reckless? Regardless of the answer, a smile came unbidden to her lips. She shook her head one last time and got to work bringing the blimp down near the library. She had a feeling Twilight would appreciate getting her hot-air balloon back sooner rather than later. Wait. Why in the hay am Ah the one that has to bring it back? Sweetie was the one who borrowed it in the first place! * * * Scootaloo hovered over the small building. Looking down at it, she winced inwardly. Home... She didn't feel like going home now. That's where they'd look for her, she was certain. That's where Rainbow Dash would confront her. Turning from the sight, she left toward the outskirts of Ponyville. She needed some time to think. Flying down to the ground, she began pacing between the apple trees of Sweet Apple Acres, trying to stop herself from thinking. A long time must have passed. It was past suppertime and the sun was just slipping under the horizon, but she had no appetite. She didn't see any point in eating. She let her suppressed thoughts flow forth and tears of frustration filled her eyes. It's all over. This was my one shot and I didn't get it. I'll never be able to get the recognition to get into the Wonderbolts Academy. They only take the best of the best. What can I do? she asked herself in doubt, giving her own cutie mark a glance. Two purple wings, with a purple triangle at the center. Even my cutie mark amounts to nothing. I'll just become some weatherpony who's only good for moving clouds. Hours and hours of training, of seeking the sky, of chasing after Rainbow Dash, begging her to help me train, and I never even came close to catching her. Admit it, Scootaloo, she told herself firmly, you always knew she was out of reach. Like a dream you knew would never be fulfilled. Then what can I do? What do I have left? She glanced about, looking for some sort of answer or sign, but the twilight sky with its faint streaks of colour only served to bring back memories of her teacher. Her big sister, her idol, and her dream. What will she say to me? Will she just brush it off like Sweetie Belle did, pretending that I didn't just mess everything up? Will she give me sympathy or laugh it off like some joke and tell me 'better luck next time'? Or will she stare at me with those magenta eyes in silent disappointment? The image made her cringe inwardly. I tried as hard as I could. I was in peak form, I let out all the stops, I gave it everything I had. I just wanted her to be proud. I told her that I'd show her, that I'd beat out the rest of the competition. But now, I feel so lost. She continued to wander around for a while until all traces of the sun had disappeared, and eventually the pangs of thirst and hunger were enough to break her free from her self-centered melancholy. With her head hung low, her body aching, and her misery worn like a cloak, the pegasus slunk back toward her house to get some food, drink, and some much needed rest. She stopped just outside the door, when a flicker caught her eye. Somepony's inside. There was a light filtering out from the side window, faint and blue. Instead of entering through the door, she peered in, searching for the light source. Craning her neck, she managed to spot the intruder. Sweetie Belle sat in a chair and was slouched over the kitchen table, fast asleep. Beside her, a sapphire crystal glowed consistently. With a soft sigh, Scootaloo opened the door as quietly as she could, so as to not wake her friend. Taking to the air in a graceful step, she hovered over to the kitchen and looked at her friend in the dim lighting. The curly two-toned mane splayed out in a chaotic snarl, and her tail was just as disorderly. Her cutie mark: a heart, as emerald as her eyes. Then, she noticed that Sweetie Belle wasn't wearing the golden necklace that she normally did. Scootaloo frowned. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen the unicorn without it. As Scootaloo continued to scrutinize her friend, she noticed: at the center of the table, just beside the mare's head, was the box of orange with purple lace holding it closed. Although it looked slightly worn, and one side was slightly dented, it lay there all the same, beckoning to her. After a moment of hesitation, she settled down into a chair beside her friend and eased the box into her hooves. I don't deserve this, she told herself, but lifted the box firmly in spite of her thoughts. Reaching forward, she worked at the tied knot with her mouth. After a moment, it slipped free with a soft whisper of fabric. She opened the box. A piece of parchment lay immediately beneath the lid slightly crumpled. With a swift motion, she slipped the paper onto the table and gave it a quick glance. A poem by the look of it. Blinking a couple times and squinting, she made out the words by the light of Sweetie Belle's small, glowing gemstone. I remember days when we were small, You'd always be there, looking to the sky. I knew it then, as now do we all, How your passion ever was to fly. So I made this gift as a memory to hold tight, As the embrace of the best of friends. So please accept it now and continue your bold flight, While chasing your true dreams until the end. My true dreams? she wondered doubtfully and, had Sweetie Belle not been sleeping there, she would have laughed mirthlessly. Regardless, her body shook from the silent, bitter laughter. She then looked inside the box and gingerly felt between the paper filling. Something cool and metallic clicked against her hoof. Gently, she drew the gift out from the box. It was a silver amethyst bangle, and it looked to be sized perfectly for one of her forelegs. There was a pattern engraved along its metallic surface, creating a series of intricate lines between the amethysts. She wondered for a moment at the precise hoof-work. Sweetie Belle made this? But, she glanced at her friend's sleeping form, she's never been good at making anything simple, let alone something as complex as this. “Do you like it?” Sweetie whispered with a smile, her eyes snapping open. “Ah!” Scootaloo shouted, as the green voice sparked across her sight, causing her to dart into the air out of reflex. She fumbled with the bracelet as she did so, nearly dropping it. “Sweetie Belle, you were awake?!” “Hmm?” she murmured contentedly. “Oh, I was very much asleep, and waiting for you to open the present.” She then began rubbing her eyes with one of her fore-hooves and let out a soft yawn. “So, do you like it?” The pegasus settled back down into her chair and collected herself with a single large breath. “It's beautiful. I love it,” she replied honestly, but not without a look of confusion. “But why give me a gift? I just failed--” She was interrupted as the unicorn's hoof pushed firmly against her lips. “You didn't fail!” she insisted firmly, her eyes wide, staring earnestly at her friend. “You flew the best I've ever seen you fly, and I'm proud to have you as my friend. That's why I made the bracelet for you.” “But I didn't make it--” “That doesn't matter! What matters is that you tried. I saw it. You tried your hardest out there. Harder than any other pony I know. Harder than I've ever tried. It was a sight. It was inspiring and beautiful. It wouldn't have mattered if you came in last or first. I saw that expression you wore, proud and certain as you chased after a dream that was far beyond your reach.” The pegasus only turned her head slightly, cringing at the feeling her words brought forth. “You know, Scootaloo, I've always looked up to you as a friend, and I still do. Honestly, if it weren't for the way you were always chasing your dream, looking to the sky and following in Rainbow's hoof-steps so diligently and enthusiastically, if you weren't so focused, and so pure in your efforts, I think I would have lost my own dreams long ago.” “What do you mean?” Scootaloo voiced her confusion. “Well, I remember after I got my cutie mark, I had a focus. I threw myself into learning magic because I wanted to be sure that I'd never lose anypony dear to me again due to my own inadequacy. And learning magic was, and heck it still is, an amazing and fun thing to do. But I still felt as though I was missing something, something important. I realized it when I was hanging out with you. I saw it every time you looked at the sky and the way your wings would flick subconsciously. That drive I saw in your eyes: that's what I was missing. And it was that which made me realize that I should have a dream, a goal to strive for too. I couldn't just dwell on my regrets forever. I had to spread my own wings, so to speak,” she said with a light smile. “That's what helped me decide my dream.” “Your dream?” It was the first time Sweetie Belle had ever mentioned having a specific dream of her own, at least as far as Scootaloo knew. “Yeah. I never told anypony else before, but I have a nice and simple dream. I want to make jewelry.” “Jewelry?” Scootaloo asked with a quirked eyebrow. “Seems kind of sudden, but then again...” She lifted the amethyst-studded bracelet in her hoof. “You made this all by yourself?” Sweetie Belle gave a proud smile and nodded to her friend. “My first piece of jewelry.” “But when did you learn how to do make it? No offense, but you were always awful at making things. Especially apparel.” “Well, I may not have the best fashion sense,” the unicorn admitted readily, “but when I heard that you were going to be entering the 'Best Young Fliers' Competition', I just knew I had to do something. It was around that time when I found some neat books on metal manipulation spells. I also asked my sister to teach me her gem-finding spell. I came up with this idea. Perhaps there was something I could make that had real value. It took six months to make it from when I initially planned it. I had to buy a lot of the supplies and learn how to manipulate and heat the metal properly. I broke a few of them by accident and I almost gave up after the first try, but eventually I got the hang of it.” “It certainly is high-quality,” the pegasus admitted as she turned it over in her hooves. “Wait, it took you half a year to make it?” “Well, it was a learning experience. Besides, you probably wouldn't notice it, but it's no ordinary jewelry. Go on, wear it.” Now quite curious, Scootaloo complied with her friend's request. She pulled gingerly at the delicate silver latch with her teeth. After a moment of fumbling, she opened the bracelet and slipped it onto her right foreleg, then lightly pushed it closed. The metal bangle clasped firmly closed and rested snugly against her fur. A perfect fit. How did she... ? Her thought was interrupted as she felt something; it was a jolt that made her fur stand up, almost as if she had rolled around on a carpet in the midst of winter. With a light shiver she threw her friend a questioning gaze. “Sweetie, what was that I felt? It was... I dunno how to describe it, it just felt weird.” Sweetie Belle smiled broadly. “It's from the pattern I made with the amethysts and the lines that run through the silver. It's called a spell formula, a sigil, or a pattern. Whatever you want to call it. Most unicorns only ever use them in rituals, but I can see them in every spell, so I decided to see if I could kind of make a more permanent form of ritual, a more practical one. So I got rid of the catalyst agent and...” She trailed off, giving Scootaloo a sheepish look. “Well, what it really comes down to is that I enchanted it, and it will keep you safe.” “Yeah, I never really understood all the technical bits of magic, no matter how many times you explained it to me,” Scootaloo said with a shake of her head. She held her right leg up and examined the bangle. Keep me safe, huh? “So you want to make magical jewelry? I've never heard of anypony with a job like that.” She let out a small laugh. “But I'll be wing clipped if it doesn't suit you. Thanks for the gift, Sweetie. It means a lot.” She gave her friend a quick hug. “No,” the unicorn replied kindly, “thank you for inspiring me. I'm proud to have you as a friend.” Scootaloo's eyes widened at the words, and a few tears caused her vision to blur. She only strengthened her embrace, lest her friend catch a glimpse of the sight. * * * Apple Bloom was breathless as she approached Scootaloo's small bungalow. Apple Bloom was still a little unclear as to how her friend had managed to secure the property as her own. She knew it had something to do with Scootaloo's parents, but she didn't like to pry too much into her friend's affairs, especially where her parents were concerned. It was a touchy subject for the pegasus, and one Apple Bloom avoided bringing up herself. Though it did serve as a firm, unspoken bond that the two could share. The young mare opened the door to her friend's abode. Even in her rush, the door opened smoothly and levelly. Its hinges didn't make a sound, which spoke volumes to Apple Bloom of the craftsponyship that went into making the building. Even as she trotted through the dark hall of the small abode, her hooves creating an echoing call with each step she took, she could barely make out the shadows of a couple discarded pillows which lay upon the floor haphazardly. This spoke volumes more of the actual resident. How Scootaloo manages to make a mess out of so little is beyond me. Can't she get around to cleanin' up once in a while? She passed by the shadowy forms of neglect in but a moment, and noticed a soft, blue light glowing from around the corner, in the kitchen. She came to a sudden halt when she reached the corner. She spied her two friends: Scootaloo was munching on a late meal, while Sweetie Belle was twirling a ruby around in the air idly. They were talking in hushed tones and it all came together to Apple Bloom as quite the unusual scene, considering how she tended to be the most 'hushed' out the trio. The opened box on the table didn't escape her notice either. They both turned their heads at her arrival. “Why are you running, Apple Bloom?” Sweetie Belle asked with a hint of concern in her voice, though neither of them had deemed it necessary to get up from their spots at the table. The shine of the sapphire gently increased in luminosity to cover the entirety of the kitchen. “Ah've got some big news!” the earth pony exclaimed in a winded voice as she stepped into the room. “You sound like you ran right across all of Ponyville,” Scootaloo said off-hoofedly with a small yawn. Sweetie Belle only opted to squint at Apple Bloom as if studying something behind her that nopony else could see. That look gave Apple Bloom the shivers. “Ah did. Twice!” she stated as she tried to ignore the unicorn's stare. “Huh, why would you do that?” Scootaloo asked and seemed to perk up a bit as she did so. “That's just it. Twilight an' Spike, AJ, an' even Fluttershy. They're all gone. Ah didn't check on all of 'em but ah imagine that the rest of 'em are gone as well.” “Rainbow too?” Scootaloo asked. “Yeah, ah imagine so. Mah brother said that AJ left just 'fore sunset, sayin' that she had to go north. Somethin' ta do with the Crystal Empire. Said it would only take a couple days.” “Hmm,” Sweetie Belle piped up. “It sounds like an adventure to me. Why don't we ever get asked to go on quests at the princess' beck and call?” “Ah thought you'd be happy, just with Twilight bein' out o' town.” “What makes you think that?” the unicorn asked with a scowl. “Well, aren't ya always complainin' 'bout her and how she reprimands ya whenever ya use yer magic in a reckless manner?” “Hey, I don't use my magic recklessly. She just doesn't understand. Magic isn't something that's meant to just be studied and kept in mind for a moment when you might need it. It's something that should be used as often as it can be, so that we can practice it and find ways for it to be more practical. It's a skill like any other, so why wouldn't I use a 'Feather' spell to jump off of a flying vehicle, or a fire spell to cook my meals? It's quicker and more efficient. She's a good teacher and all, but I just think she spends too much time reading when she could be out finding better applications for spells.” “Maybe she's just annoyed with how many o' those crystals ya go through in a day. They don't grow on trees ya know.” “Of course they don't. They grow in the ground. I've studied how they're made. Besides, she has tons of these things,” the unicorn protested as she waved around the unblemished ruby. “Just think of it as my way of making sure that Spike doesn't overeat.” “Whatever,” Apple Bloom said dismissively. She didn't really feel like arguing with the mare. “In any case, Ah figured y'all should know that they'll be gone for a little while.” Scootaloo groaned bitterly to herself as she turned her gaze away from the two. Must be thinking about Rainbow Dash... Apple Bloom reasoned as she spared a glance at her friend. Well, she looks like she's doin' better than ah figured she'd be. Sweetie's plan must've worked. “I've got it!” Sweetie Belle announce, a hint of a grin forming on her muzzle. Apple Bloom cringed slightly at the words. What's it this time? “We're going to go to the Crystal Empire too!” “Huh? What?” Scootaloo and Apple Bloom responded in unison. “I'm tired of them always getting to be a part of the neat adventures. They always have tons of stories to tell afterward, and I'm tired of never getting to witness them myself. We should go tomorrow!” “Really?” Scootaloo deadpanned. “Well, you weren't going to do anything else, were you?” “Not really,” the pegasus admitted. “Sweetie Belle!” Apple Bloom protested. “What in the hay are ya talkin' 'bout? We can't just up an' decide ta leave Ponyville all of a sudden. Ah have a 'pprenticeship startin' in a week and a bit. What if Ah miss that? 'Sides, with mah sister gone for a few days, mah brother's gonna need some help on th' farm.” “Doesn't he have that new fiancee over there? What's-her-name? Can't those two handle things?” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. She can't understand. We Apples help each other out and share each others' work when we have ta. It's an obligation, and Ah won't back out of it without a good reason. 'Twouldn't be fair to mah brother or mah sister. “Well...” the unicorn continued, the grin still evident on her lips. “I suppose just Scootaloo and myself could head up to the Crystal Empire, while you're stuck here helping your brother and soon-to-be-sister pick apples all week.” Apple Bloom considered the thought of Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle heading to the Crystal Empire. Those two are even less responsible than when we were just fillies. And, she had to admit to herself, Ah know Big Macintosh can handle the farm just fine fer a couple o' days. And there's no way Ah'd let those two trouble-makers have a summer vacation without me. 'Sides, they need somepony to keep 'em in line. She let out a sigh. “Fine,” she said, “we'll go tomorrow, but not fer long. Ah still have my 'pprenticeship lined up.” “You should just admit it, Bloom,” Sweetie Belle said sweetly, leaning in close to her friend. “You want to go on another adventure just like the old days, when we were still Cutie Mark Crusaders. Besides,” she whispered in a suddenly serious tone, “I think Scoots could use a bit of a vacation to keep her mind off of things. She needs a change of pace.” * * * Sweetie Belle was heading back to her house for the night. She had a few things to prepare for the trip tomorrow. She had been planning on a camping trip, but a train-ride to the northern country was a good substitute; it was even better than her original idea. Besides, maybe, just maybe, they would get to play a part in one of the many adventures her sister and the rest had taken part in. With a grin of anticipation, she made her way into the house, not even bothering to cast a light spell; she could see well enough in the darkness. The world around her glowed with its latent magics. It was alive to her in a way that other ponies never would understand. She had only ever tried to explain the feeling to Scootaloo, who had in turn asked questions about it. The whole scene had been reminiscent of when she had tried to get the pegasus to try and explain what it felt like to fly. She soon concluded that trying to explain the feeling to anypony else would be a waste of her breath. Granted, she did let Twilight know she could see magic, but she never got into the details of just how wonderful even a bland night like this could look. Sweetie Belle was convinced that it would have been akin to explaining what sight was to a blind pony; she'd never be able to do it justice. After all, the only real way to understand would be to experience the sense themselves. So over the past five years she had decided to keep the unique feeling to herself as a veritable treasure that livened up her days. Rummaging through her parents' house as quietly as she could, to keep from waking them, she cobbled together a quick meal of a few apples and a banana that had been left on the counter. With the snack in tow, she made her way up the creaky staircase. Once at the top of the racket-inducing stairs, she tip-hoofed down the hallway and made her way into her room. Most ponies would consider the sight before her to be a mess; however those ponies were wrong. To her, it was chaos given order, right down to the earthen-coloured book with the simple title 'Geomancy' peaking out from under the heaping mass of bedsheets and covers she had tossed off in her excitement that morning. Everything was where she had left it. Before she dove into the task at-hoof, she let her senses extend outward until she held, in her mind's eye, the eight inscriptions she had scrawled into the corners of the room. With a huff of breath, she shot her magic out into eight separate paths from her horn, making sure to each line of the spell formed its proper insignia before it hit its mark. It only took a second, and the beams of energy quickly disappeared as they hit their respective corners. In the next moment, she smiled to see the spell matrix affix itself in the air before her eyes, and felt it pass over her skin with a light shiver. A spell matrix was something of colour and light that no pony else she knew of could see. Some unicorns could feel them and their gut told them what it was, but to Sweetie Belle, the patterns that ran through their ethereal structures could be read as readily as the written word, provided, of course, that she had seen the spell performed before. “Silence spell,” she announced with a slightly winded voice, “complete!” Her eyes darted to the two remaining gems she had been carrying with her the whole time. Maybe I should have used their magic instead of my own. She considered for a moment. She could siphon the energy from one of the small crystals to replenish her own, but decided against it. Nah, I've got food. I'll be back to full energy in an hour anyways. In spite of her choice, she couldn't help but glance at her own pool of inner magic and let out a sigh. No matter how much she had practiced magic for the past five years, her own inner source of magic seemed to remain as miniscule as it had always been. Scootaloo's words came to her mind unbidden. Some ponies are just better than others, and that's they way it's always been. Ridding her mind of the thoughts with a vigorous shake of her head, she brought herself back to the task at hoof. She had to pack. Not worrying about making a sound, she dove into her chaotic pile of possessions and began fishing out the most useful of them. After many minutes, a now-fully packed pair of saddle-bags lay on the end of her bed. She sat down contentedly and began munching on her snacks. Once she was done with the fruits, she levitated the window open and floated the cores and banana peel out onto the compost heap. Suddenly, she sensed something faint from behind her, which caused a slight shiver to run up her spine. Like a small static shock, it was over in an instant. She turned her gaze and looked at where the sensation had come from. Her emerald, half-heart shaped amulet lay on the end-table, neglected. She had forgotten that she wasn't wearing it all day, as she normally would have been. Frowning, she scooped up her treasure with her magic and floated it right before her. The stone looked as innocuous as ever under her magical vision. Its emerald surface barely glowed at all, as always. Was that just my imagination? she wondered doubtfully. “Scoddri?” she whispered the name tentatively, feeling a wisp of hope kindle in her heart. But no voice returned her question, so she sat on her bed and let her hope disappear as suddenly as it had appeared. He's gone, she reminded herself firmly as she set the amulet back down upon the end-table. The young mare let out a sigh and closed her eyes. Thoughts of the Crystal Empire began inevitably taking center stage as she let the embrace of sleep wrap around her mind. It wasn't the active sort of sleep that she chosen to fall into at Scootaloo's place; that was the kind of sleep that allowed her to sense the world around her as her body rested. No, this was what she called 'regular sleep': the type that allowed her to rest both her mind and body. Some time after her breath had settled into the regular rhythm of sleep, the emerald flashed slightly, and raucous laughter echoed softly through the room quieter than a whisper. * * * Scootaloo arrived at the station last of the three, walking in with not an item to her name, save for the amethyst bangle displayed upon her foreleg. She noticed Sweetie Belle carried a pair of saddle-bags, and from the look of it, they each held a single book and a couple scrolls. Apple Bloom had bulging saddle-bags, filled with enough stuff for two ponies--if those ponies were stranded in a desert for a week. Scootaloo shook her head. It's not like we're going camping, why would they need so much stuff? Granted, Sweetie is a bit of a book worm when it comes to magic, but heck, the train tickets came with a free meal. What else could a pony need? She then let her eyes rest on Apple Bloom's cutie mark: an apple resting atop of three interlocking gears. I suppose she might have a project that she's tinkering with. Looking back at her own cutie mark, she gave a small shrug with her wings. All I really need are my wings. “So are we ready to go?” she asked her friends as she approached them. “Just waitin' on you,” Apple Bloom replied with a smirk. “Ya know, fer the fastest of us, ya sure didn't make it too quickly.” “It's not like it was a race,” Scootaloo replied with a grin. “Unless that's a challenge.” “It might just be,” Apple Bloom said with a laugh. “Though Ah'm sure Ah'd lose.” “You never know until you run it,” Scootaloo said sadly, her grin faded as memories from yesterday filled her mind. It was painful, but she shot a quick glance at the bangle and noticed the weight of the metal on her leg. It was comforting; almost as if it were Sweetie Belle's own reassuring hoof, instead of just a band of metal. “Oh, come on you two!” the unicorn herself interrupted, pointing her hoof at the train. “We don't have time for a race. The train leaves in five minutes.” “We can have a race after the train-ride,” Apple Bloom offered. “If ya want to.” Scootaloo shook her head. “I'd rather it not be a race. But maybe we can all share a run together.” The two shared a small smile. “Sounds good ta me.” Well, the pegasus thought to herself, turning her attention to Sweetie, who was still waving a hoof at them. I wonder what Sweetie Belle's going to drag us into this time. With her smile staying firmly upon her lips, she ran forward with Apple Bloom and came to a sudden halt before their friend. Scootaloo couldn't help but notice the simple movement of running felt considerably lighter than it had in the past half year. “I won,” she joked to the earthpony, sticking out her tongue. “Yeah right. Ah was a mile ahead of ya!” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes as she listened to her friends bicker, but the smile on her face betrayed the action. Together the trio boarded the train to the Crystal Empire in high spirits. Spirits that might have been dampened had they known what awaited them. End of Chapter 1