//------------------------------// // Abridged History // Story: Bass Clefs and Sapphires // by Crispn //------------------------------// I was leaning up against the wall underneath Rarity’s window, smoking a cigarette, thinking about what had gone on at AJ’s. Inhaling in the smoke, I thought about what Apple Bloom said about her friend, Scootaloo. I swear I had heard that name before, not really sure where I had though. I wondered what happened there, Big Mac mentioned someone named Diamond Tiara. Maybe the library had a news article about it in the archives. I’d have to ask Twilight about it tonight. From what it sounded like, this Scootaloo had to leave. Big Mac mentioned someone named Diamond Tiara and court proceedings. Maybe the library had some article on the event in the archives. Make sure to ask Twilight about that tonight, since she lives there. Blowing out, small rings of smoke danced on the wind as I flapped them away from my face, chuckling. Scootaloo sounded a little like me when I was in high school. Probably got into a fight with this kid and got sent to a family member out of town. Oh, that’s where I heard the name. Sweetie Belle mentioned that Scootaloo broke her wing doing something with a cannon. And how the two of them and Apple Bloom were in a club together, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, or something like that. Wait, I somewhat recall Dash saying her sister was also in this club... “Crisp? What are you doing out there?” Rarity called out from her window. I looked up and saw her looking a bit worried. “Just getting a smoke in before heading out. Hey, are you ready to go yet? I swear, if you make me late to something again today, I’m leaving you.” I said, smiling up at the sapphire eyes above me. I laughed as I jumped up in the air, floating in front of Rarity. Kissing her softly and pulling away, I took her hands in mine and whispered in her ear, “Just kidding.” Rarity smacked me in the shoulder, causing me to drop a couple feet. She smiled sweetly at me, “Oh honey, I love you, but if you do that again, I tell my father about how you dashed his eldest daughter against a rock in the stormy sea of your affections.” “Oh that’s just cruel.” “And to answer your question, yes, I am just about ready, just need to change my outfit.” She said closing the window and blinds. “You have ten minutes before I leave. With or without you!” I shouted at the window. Landing back on the ground and pulling out the box, I lit up another cigarette. I tried to remember what I was thinking about, but nothing was coming to mind. Before I realized it, I had gone through the cigarette. Well damn, I would run out at this point. Once again, I reached for the lighter after drawing another cigarette out of the box with my mouth, something about Scootaloo and Apple Bloom was causing me some unneeded stress. Flicking open the lighter, I attempted to light it, but before I had a chance to hit the striker, a blue aura encircled the Zippo, pulling it out of my hands. Giggling from behind, “I think that’s enough for now. If I am going to keep you around for awhile, you should stop being such a chimney.” “Oh like you are one to talk, Miss Bums Cigarettes every chance she gets.” I laughed as I ducked under the onslaught of snowballs. I turned around to face my maker, but again was stopped in my tracks. She was wearing a long black peacoat with a silver hat and scarf. My wings sprung open as my face started to heat up. “Wow, you look amazing.” “Well, of course darling,” Rarity said sliding up and wrapping her arms around my neck, “something I just threw together last week. Black and silver goes well with my hair so well, don’t you think?” “Yes, yes it does. But to be honest, what doesn’t go well.” “Green hair and anything where brown is the main color in an ensemble.” “Stories behind those?” “This illusionist at the Heart Warming Eve festival. Oh, the festival is beautiful, you are going. And we shall see this illusionist, and this year, this year that woman will not make a fool of me.” I laughed as offered Rarity my arm, “Perhaps, but pegs don’t usually fare well against unis, so I may just make a fool of both of us.” She sarcastically laughed, but took my arm just the same. “Oh just one second, you almost forgot this.” Rarity pulled out my scarf out of her pocket. She wrapped it around my neck and pulled me in close. “It makes you just that much better.” Wrapping my arms around her waist, “It’s because you made it that way.” Rarity and I walked down the path from her apartment along the newly frozen river. Kids and their parents were ice skating along the glass surface, cutting long grooves, creating shapes and designs, all unknowingly creating a masterpiece in the ice. I couldn’t exactly focus on the beauty of it though. I kept seeing a shaking Apple Bloom in the swirls and lines. What about this Scootaloo kid made her so emotional? “Hey, can I ask a random question without fear of repercussions?” I asked Rarity as we passed a large section of screaming teenagers. “Of course, darling. What do you wish to know?” “Who’s Scootaloo? I have heard the name mentioned a couple times and it just piqued my curiosity.” Rarity looked as though she had an electric shock go through her. “Why do you want to know?” “Apple Bloom was talking about her. Saying how she would come back someday. Big Mac said something along the lines of she got in trouble with some Diamond Crown person?” “Diamond Tiara? That’s a name I haven’t heard of in a long time. Almost a year now.” Rarity stopped at a bench and brushed the snow off with her magic, sitting down and prompting me to as well. “Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. The Cutie Mark Crusaders they called themselves. They dedicated all of their free time to finding out what they would be best at. Now about last October, Sweetie received her mark for being an outstanding soloist. I remember her coming home the next day, crying. She said Scootaloo yelled at her for getting her mark before Apple Bloom and her. That they were all supposed to get it together. From what I heard from my father, Scootaloo got into a fight with Diamond Tiara at school, apparently fed up with all the bullying and being called a ‘bareback’.” “Bareback?” “A slanderous name, meaning someone that has yet to discover what makes them special. We always told our sisters that it was acceptable to have a blank slate. That they would find their talents eventually. Apple Bloom just earned her’s a month ago. Patience was key for her. But I don’t know about Scootaloo. She was shipped off to a correctional school by the court system.” I just sat there thinking about this girl. She was almost exactly like me. Anger issues from bullies, teased about not being able to be special. I get it, I get her. “So, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle haven’t seen her for a year then?” “Dash told AJ and me that she was only to be away for a month, but evidently the sentence lasted a little longer than previously determined.” “That’s a shit deal. For all of them.” “Yes, yes it was. Sweetie Belle managed to move past it with the help of Spike, but I don’t believe Apple Bloom ever got over Scootaloo not being there.” We walked the next few minutes in silence, the only sound coming from either of us was the crunch of snow underneath our shoes and boots. I couldn’t get the thought of Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo out of the front of my mind. Pretty much rocked by what happened over a year ago. Maybe I would ask Spike about it tonight as well. I know my situation wasn’t the same as theirs, but I did go through something similar, so to speak. Could throw some advice their way. When did I get all older brotherly? Turning the corner, Rarity and I came into view of the library where Twilight lived. Man, they were not kidding about it. It really was built into a massive oak tree. Twilight lived in a literal treehouse. Five year old me was becoming increasingly jealous. The large branches concealed large circular windows, lights warmly glowing with an inviting light and a massive balcony. The doors on said balcony opened as Twilight and two tall figures strolled out onto it, discussing something it looked like. The tall female was wearing stark white with large white wings and flowing hair, followed by...was that Uncle Disc? Both vanished in a small flash. He did say something about meeting Twilight before he left for his conference, but the woman threw me a bit. Walking up to the door, Rarity knocked on the large red door as I brushed snow off both our coats. From inside, we heard what sounded like a freight train crashing into a china shop. “Spike!” we heard Twilight yell from inside, “why did you leave the stack of Alchemy and Other Useful Transmutations on the staircase? Some of these books are hundreds of years old.” The doorknob twisted and the top half of the door swung open, revealing Twilight. Her usually straight was slightly mussed, strands of purple and fuschia hair going out in multiple directions. Rarity just about fainted as she looked upon her friend, pulling open the door with her magic and pushing her friend into the library, brush in hand. “Rarity,” Twilight protested as she was forced down into a chair, “you know I do not have time for this. It’s already twenty after and people are going to be here any moment and everything is not ready.” “Oh, please darling. As if I would allow one of my best friends to appear unkempt on the first soiree that she put together.” Rarity said in between pulls on Twilight’s hair with her brush. I walked over to the bookshelves of old musty books. Had always enjoyed a good book every once in awhile, usually going for the more fantasy adventure or political intrigue type things. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a sheen from over on the small desk. Walking over to it, I found the source to be a large tome, with three large crystals embedded into the leather cover. Flipping it open, I inhaled a significant amount of dust from the yellowing fraying pages, causing me to sneeze violently. Eventually, the sneezing subsided, allowing me to focus on the first page. Just a blank filler page, so I casually flipped to the next, landing on the title. “History of the Crystal Empire...” Crystal Empire? Wonder if it was some sort of compendium for a fantasy series, or a reference guide. I knew it couldn’t be real, never heard of any crystal empire before. Maybe Twilight knew, she pretty much knew everything. “Hey Twilight, what’s the crystal empire?” Twilight shot up straight in her seat, eyes wide with panic. She looked at me and then down at her desk, where the book laid open. In a flash the book slammed shut and shot off into a cabinet that then locked itself. The key hovered over to Twilight, who took it out of the air and stashed in her pocket. “Uuuuuum....that was-” “Weird. Yes, I know. But that book is very old and I can’t just having you manhandle it. Besides Dean Celeste and Professor Kaos just dropped it off and I have not had a chance to catalog its entry into the library’s system.” Twilight stated as she walked over to her desk, shooing me away from her computer. “What she means is, she don’t want noone ta read it b’fore she gets the chance ta.” AJ laughed as she waltzed in, shortly followed by everyone else, except Dash. “Oh my gosh, everyone is here and the place is still a mess.” Twilight basically wheezed out as she started to bend over in panic. Looking around, I couldn’t figure out what she was talking about, only a couple of books left on the rack. In a haze of fuchsia, the entire library filled with books as they zoomed off the shelves, flying around and finding new homes. A table floated in from what I could guess was the kitchen, completely covered in all manner of treats and drinks. After a few seconds, Twilight’s magic dissipated from the room, leaving it pristine and ready to party. “Let’s get this party started!” Pinkie shouted, as she bounded into the middle of the room, perfectly throwing a cd into the player. I sat off on the side of the party, taking in what was probably the strangest thing I had seen. It was like we were all six and at a birthday party. Pin the tail on the donkey, Twister and all sorts of games were brought out. The food was good, as always. Dash stopped by only for a minute, to tell us that she would be out of town for the next couple of days. Going up to the mountains with her dad to inspect the machinery and figure out why it only started snowing last night. The party was still lively without her. Even Apple Bloom looked like she was having a good time, premiering some of the ales and ciders I had tasted this afternoon. After a couple of Apple Bloom’s Honey infused Cider, I pulled Twilight over to the side. “What can I do for you?” “Actually, I was hoping you could clear a couple of things up for me. First, I wanted to know what happened with this Scootaloo I keep hearing about and two, why was my uncle here?” Twilight’s eyes widened yet again as she was put into an awkward position. Her fingers wrapped nervously in her sweater strings as she darted back from me to the group of teenagers over by the table. “Well, something happened between Scootaloo and Diamond Tiara. Can’t say much about it though. Spike said something about a fight and how Scootaloo was sent away to a correctional facility. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were told she went to a relative on the coast. And....wait, did you say your uncle?” She asked, now inquisitively looking at me, causing me to back up slightly into a wall. “Yea, I saw him and a woman disappear from the balcony as we arrived.” “Oh, well that was nothing,” Twilight nervously stated, “Professor Kaos and Dean Celeste were dropping off some advanced reading materials for me. That book you were looking at was one of seven they dropped off. Want me to read them all and have a report ready by the time vacation is over.” “Looks like school is never done with you.” I laughed, wondering what the books were about. “Oh well, if you wanted to read them, I would gladly let you...except I am not allowed.” “What?” “Professor Kaos said it was imperative that no one be allowed access to those books. Said that I was the only one advanced enough in my studies. I wonder what is in those old marvelous books. Maybe a new spell, or...” Twilight began to drone on about the possiblities of what the tomes contained. But if one was a history book, I bet all of them were history, and I found my curiosity start to slip. All except for one book. History of the Crystal Empire. Something about that book seemed to beckon me. I wanted to read it but I guess I would talk to Uncle Disc about that later. From outside a loud whine came into earshot. It sounded like a motorcycle of some sort, but not as powerful. All I know is that AJ shot up at the noise and made a beeline for the door. Apple Bloom did the same, while Sweetie Belle and Spike shot nervous glances at each other. Rarity walked over to the door, blockading AJ from the exit. Not that it stopped her. AJ easily picked up Rarity and placed her off to the side, much to her dismay. Well my curiosity just got turned on again. “What’s going on?” I asked Rarity, as I made it to the door, narrowly dodging Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. “It looks like someone decided to crash the party.” Rarity said, her eyes leading her to one of the windows next to the door. Outside, it looked like AJ was yelling at the small person on a scooter. Ha, I knew it, my ears were never wrong. She was also standing in between Apple Bloom and mystery kid, holding her back with her arms. I couldn’t make out what either were saying, but Apple Bloom took a few steps back and then darted off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, with Sweetie Belle and Spike in hot pursuit. I opened the window slightly so Rarity and I could possibly make out something, It was barely audible, but it sounded as though AJ just told the kid to get the hell out of here and if she ever saw her near Apple Bloom, cops would be involved. Apparently that was enough for the scooter girl, as she sped off in the direction of the apartments where Rarity lived. AJ came back inside and walked right up to Rarity, fuming. “Why didn’cha back me up out there?” AJ said, grabbing Rarity’s arm and pulling her so their faces were right up against each other. “My position on this has not changed,” Rarity calmly stated, staring daggers at AJ, “Although I believe we have been involved long enough. It is not our lives to meddle with.” “What are ya talkin’ bout? Ya love ta meddle in ev’rybody’s business. Always gossipin’. Tomorrow, you and I are going ta talk to AB and Sweetie Belle about putting an end ta this, once and fer all.” AJ finished as she stormed out of the building. Rarity seemed more calm about this than I would have previously guessed. All she did was straighten out the arm on her coat. “What was that all about?” Rarity looked up at me with sad eyes. Sighing, she knew that I had learned one thing from her, that I would keep asking until I got an answer. Rarity walked over to Twilight, mumbled something to her and then proceeded to pull me out of the library. I thanked everyone for the fun time. “You going to tell me why AJ just went off the hinges at that stranger?” “That girl was no stranger. It appears to me that Scootaloo is back.”