Twilight P.O.V.
This has got to be one of the biggest decisions that I have ever made... Is this a good idea? I’m not even sure anymore. What if something bad happens to her? What if--... I was cut out of my train of thought. “Mom? I’m ready for school...” Crystal said with her bag on. Well, my bag that I’m letting her bring to school.
“Are you sure about this?” I asked. “I mean, I could teach you what you need to know here at the library...”
“I’m sure mom.” Crystal said with a slight smile. “Besides, this will be the first school that I’ve ever been to...”
“I guess that’s true...” I said with a huff.
“Don’t worry mommy... I promise I’ll make a lot of new friends here too!” she exclaimed. How can she be so calm and collective like this...? It’s a school with only ponies... she would be signaled out by the others easily. “Something wrong mom?”
I just looked at her for a moment and shook my head. “No, no, everything’s fine...” I smiled opening the door. “Come on, let’s get you to school...” I said as me and her walked out of the library. As we were walking through town, we weren’t really getting strange looks like we did last time... in fact some of them seemed happy for some reason. Some even waved. Did I miss something...?
As we were walking, Bon Bon walked in front of us. “So, this is Crystal?” she asked.
“Huh?” I let out. “How did you know who she was?”
“Well, Pinkie Pie let us know... in fact, she let us all know!”
“Pinkie Pie?” Crystal asked. “Why would she say anything?”
“Well, she didn’t have to.” Bon Bon started. “When Pinkie Pie throws a party for somepony, we know right away.”
“Wow...” Crystal let out.
“I have to say, you are really cute...” Bon Bon said with a smile. “And I think Lyra would really like you too.”
“Well, I could see her a different day... I have to go to school.”
“Oh, that’s okay... School is more important after all.” Bon Bon smiled and looked at me. “I’m a bit surprised though, I thought you would be the one teaching her.”
“I would have.” I said putting a hoof on Crystal. “But she insisted that she wanted to go to school like the others.”
“Well, I hope you have fun with school then.” Bon Bon smiled walking away.
“She was nice...” Crystal said as we continued walking toward the school. But as they were walking, the school bell rang.
“Uh oh!” I exclaimed. I picked up Crystal and galloped the rest of the way to the school. After a few minutes we got to the entrance to the school. “Okay, we’re here...” I sighed putting Crystal down. “You have all your books, right?”
“Yeah, I have them.” Crystal said.
“Quills?”
“Got them too.”
“Extra ink?”
“Mhm.”
“Okay good...” I sighed and kissed her on the forehead. “Have a great first day of school...”
“I will mom.” she smiled and ran inside. “I love you!”
“I love you too!” I exclaimed back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Crystal P.O.V.
My first day of school... I feel so nervous... But hey, at least Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom are there. Maybe school will be fun. I walked into the classroom, and as soon as I did, everyone looked right at me in shock. “Uh... sorry I’m late.”
“Oh, you must be Crystal... you’re Twilight’s daughter?” the dark red pony asked.
“Um... yes.”
“Well, it’s very nice to meet you Crystal.” she said. “My name is Miss. Cheerilee.” she said turning to the rest of the class. “Class, I’d like you all to meet our new student, Crystal Sparkle.”
Everyone just stared at me... well, everyone except the friends I already had. The other crusaders were waving at me and smiling. I smiled and waved back. “It’s... nice to meet all of you.” I said slowly walking and sitting in the seat closest to Sweetie Belle. “I feel really nervous...” I whispered to Sweetie Belle.
“Don’t worry.” she whispered back. “There’s nothing to worry about...”
“You sure...?”
“Trust me. Just stay with us, and everything will be just fine.”
“I hope you’re right...” I said turning my head to Miss. Cheerilee. For the next 45 minutes, I wrote down notes as she spoke to the class. Some things were pretty neat. Things about Equestrian history and some other stuff... It was hard for me to write all of it down though. I guess I can ask the teacher later for some help. But something felt weird... As the class was going on, I kept getting looks from two ponies. One was pink with a tiara on her head and cutie mark. The other was gray and had glasses, and had a spoon for a cutie mark.
“Alright class, time for recess!” Miss. Cheerilee exclaimed. Just before I walked outside with Sweetie Belle, Cheerilee went in front. “Hold on Crystal, do you mind if I have a word with you for a moment?” I nodded and Sweetie Belle walked out with the rest of the class. “How are you enjoying your first day?”
“It’s really great Miss. Cheerilee.” I said smiling at her. “All the stuff you said in close, I wrote it all down.”
“I’m glad to hear that. And I’m also glad to hear that you are already friends with Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Applebloom.” she said and looked at the time. ‘Oh, I shouldn’t keep you. Go have fun at recess.”
“Thanks Miss. Cheerilee!” I yelled running outside. Of course when I went outside, I went straight to where my friends were. They looked at me and smiled brightly. “Hello fellow crusaders!” I giggled.
“Hey Crystal!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “You up for a game?”
“What kind of--...” Before I could even finish, I heard two ponies laughing behind me. “Huh...?” I said looking behind me. It was the same two ponies that were giving me weird looks before.
“You’re... a crusader?” the pink one asked.
“That’s right!” I exclaimed. “What’s your name?”
“Silver Spoon...” the pink one looked at her friend. “I didn’t know they let animals come to school, did you?”
“Huh...?” I let out.
“No Diamond Tiara, I didn’t... maybe she should go back to the pound where she came from.” the other pony said, which led to them both laughing. I just looked down and felt like I was about to cry...
“Hey!” Scootaloo spoke out. “Don’t talk to our friend like that!” she exclaimed. “She is not an animal!”
“Oh please...” Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “From what I’ve heard, she can’t even get a cutie mark. That’s admittedly even lower than you three.”
“Stop it! She didn’t do anything to you, why are you being so mean to her??” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
“Oh, she’s not getting any special treatment. It’s how I always treat animals.”
“Why I oughta...” Applebloom walked closer to Diamond Tiara. “Stop talkin’ to her like that!! Ya talk all the time about how you’re the best pony in the school! But right now, I think Crystal deserves that title!”
“Are you kidding me? All she deserves for a title is mangy, because that’s all she is, and that’s all she will be!”
I couldn’t take it anymore... I just lost control and... broke down in tears in front of everyone... “I-... I’m not mangy...”
“Oh look, we made the mangy girl cry...” Diamond Tiara let out a smug smile.
“Is that so...?” a voice said from behind Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. When they looked back, they were surprised to see it was my mom... who looked angrier than ever. “Would you mind explaining to me why you’re talking to my daughter like this...?”
“Uh... w-well...” Diamond Tiara barely let out. “She’s--...” she didn’t even let her finish. She used her magic to levitate her! I just watched.
“I’m only going to say this once... LEAVE... CRYSTAL... ALONE!!” She exclaimed. “If you don’t, you will be hearing from me, AND your parents! Is that clear!?” Diamond Tiara just rapidly nodded her head, and Twilight let go of her. When she turned to me I was still crying though... “Crystal...?”
“I-... I don’t want to come to school anymore...” I sniffled. “I just wanna go home!” I ran up to mommy and just kept crying. She sighed and carried me to Miss. Cheerilee.
When Miss. Cheerilee looked at me, she quickly looked shocked. “Crystal, what happened??”
“One of your students happened!” Mom exclaimed. “That pink filly with a tiara for a cutie mark!”
“Diamond Tiara...” Miss. Cheerilee sighed. “What am I going to do with that filly?”
“I’m taking her out of school, and I’m going to teach Crystal myself.” mom said.
“Wait!” Cheerilee said. “Please Twilight, it’s only the first day... and I promise, I will do something about those two fillies... starting off with a detention.”
“Well, it’s not my choice here. It’s Crystal’s.” mom said looking back at me. “What do you think Crystal? You wanna try again tomorrow?”
I just looked at mom again for a little bit. Do I really want to be in a school where I’m made fun of? But then again... my friends are here too... “I guess I can try...” I sniffed. “I just really don’t want to stay today...”
“Is that okay Miss. Cheerilee?” Mom asked.
“That’s perfectly fine.” she said. “Take some time to relax.”
“Thank you so much Cheerilee...” Mom said with a huff. After that, mom carried me out of the school. “I’m really sorry that your first day wasn’t so good...”
“It’s okay...” I said wiping my eyes.
“Come on,” mom said. “Let’s go to Sugarcube Corner for some sweets. Does that sound good?”
I smiled at mom slightly. “Yeah, I’d love something sweet right now...”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Diamond Tiara P.O.V.
“That mangy animal is lucky that Twilight was around...” I growled sitting in my desk for detention. “If it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t be in this!”
“Diamond Tiara!” Miss. Cheerilee said angrily.
“Well,” I whispered to Silver Spoon. “We’re going to get her back... by taking it out on Crystal.”
“Crystal?” Silver Spoon whispered back. “Won’t Twilight freak out on us?”
“Oh, don’t worry. What I have planned, she’ll have no idea it was even us!” I snickered.
“What did you have in mind Diamond Tiara...?” Silver Spoon asked in a confused tone.
“We’re going to send Crystal on a little trip... and by trip, I mean, get her lost in the Everfree forest...” I snickered again.
“Oohh...” Silver Spoon said. “Good plan.”
“Alright, you two...” Miss. Cheerilee said opening the door. “I hope you two learned your lessons...”
“Oh, we most certainly did Miss. Cheerilee...” I said with a grin. “In fact, we’re going to go apologize to Crystal right now...”
“Now, that’s what I like to hear...” Cheerilee said with a slight grin.
“Now...” I said walking out of the door with Silver Spoon. “Time to put out plan into motion...”
“And how do we do that?” Silver Spoon asked.
“Easy... we get to Crystal when she’s all alone.” Me and Silver Spoon just started laughing at the plan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Crystal P.O.V.
“Thanks Pinkie Pie for the cupcakes...” I said sighing.
“Aww...” Pinkie said. “Don’t let those fillies get you down, turn that frown upside down!” she flipped into the air and fell straight down.
I giggled watching her. “Thanks Pinkie Pie. You really are a great friend.”
“Anything to help a friend in need!”
“Well, we better get going Pinkie.” Mom said. “It’s getting a little late.”
“Oh, okay.” Pinkie said. “Bye Twilight! Bye Crystal!” she waved as we walked out of the corner.
We were almost back at the library, but I didn’t really feel like going inside yet. “Hey mom?” I said and she looked at me. “Is it okay if I play outside a little bit first? I don’t really feel tired.”
“Oh,” Mom said. “Sure, you can play outside.” she yawned. “Just be careful, alright? I’m going inside for now. I’m kind of tired.” she kissed my cheek and walked in. “Have fun Crystal.” she said slowly closing the door.
I smiled as I walked through town. There were a lot of ponies that smiled when they saw me. But for some reason, some ponies still had a weird look when they saw me. I guess they haven’t gotten used to me yet. As I’m walking and thinking to myself, I see two familiar fillies in my path. “What are you two doing here...?” I asked a little nervous seeing as how it was Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in front of me.
Diamond Tiara looked at me and sighed. “Look Crystal, we want to say that we’re sorry for what we did before...”
“Huh...?”
“It’s true.” Silver Spoon spoke up. “And we wanna make it up to you now.”
“It’s okay, you don’t have to...” I said.
“But we insist...” Diamond Tiara said putting a hoof on me. “Near Fluttershy’s house is the Everfree forest. In there is going to be something hidden... a treasure. But you have to find it!”
“A treasure...?” I said.
“Yes! But you have to hurry! Run as fast as you can before somepony else finds it!” Diamond Tiara exclaimed as I then started running toward the Everfree Forest near Fluttershy’s house. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon just started laughing when I was out of hearing range. “What a sap!”
After a lot of running, I soon saw the opening to the forest. Should I really go in here...? It looks dark and scary... Come on... stay focused Crystal, find the treasure! Without thinking further, I just started running into the forest. I would keep running and running, confident that I would find the hidden treasure... but soon I started to slow down, and the forest was only getting darker. “Hello...?” I said looking around. “Is anyone out there...?” I looked around, only to jump as I heard rustling from behind me. “Who’s there!?”
Something or someone came out from hiding. It was a Zebra with gold rings around its arm. “Well what do we have here? An unusual creature filled with fear?”
“Oh uh... Hello. My name’s Crystal Sparkle... I come from Ponyville.”
“Crystal Sparkle you say? Funny, for I spoke with a Sparkle the other day.” the zebra rhymed.
“Oh, you know my mom, Twilight?” I asked.
“Indeed I do my little friend. My name is Zecora, friend until the end.” she said with a smile.
“Zecora... I like that name.” I said walking with her. “Hey, could you show me where the exit to the forest is? I’m kind of lost...”
“Fear not young one. For your searching and whining will soon be done.”
With that, Zecora started leading me out of the forest. As we were walking, we were talking about ourselves and our pasts. I told her all about my life before Twilight found me, and she told me all about her life. Eventually, we reached the Everfree Forest exit. “Thanks again for everything Zecora, I would've been lost for hours in that forest.”
“It was a pleasure helping someone as kind as you. I can see, that in your heart it is true.”
I nodded and waved at Zecora as she walked back in the Everfree Forest. I guess there is no treasure after all... which means... they tricked me...! I can’t believe I fell for that... I was just about to head toward Diamond Tiara’s house until...
“Crystal!!” Mom yelled running up to me and holding onto me. “Oh my gosh, you had me worried sick! Where were you??”
“Um... in the Everfree Forest...”
“What!?!?” she exclaimed. “Why in Equestria would you go in a dangerous place like that??”
“I was... trying to find something...” I could feel tears coming from my eyes. How could I fall for that trick?? Before I knew it, I just ran off, crying.
“Crystal, wait!” Mom exclaimed.
I didn’t listen. I just kept running... I don’t want my mom to know that I just went into that forest to find something that Diamond Tiara told me to find. She would be so upset with me... But I can’t keep this to myself, I have to tell someone... and I know just the friends to tell...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Crystal P.O.V.
“She did what!?” Applejack and Applebloom exclaimed.
“It’s true...” I sighed. “And I fell for it like a big dummy...”
“Of all the...” Applebloom said getting angrier. “That tares it!” Applebloom stomped her hoof down. “I can’t take this anymore! Bullying you is one thing. But makin’ you go into the Everfree Forest!?”
“Did you tell Twilight about this yet?” Applejack asked.
“No... I’m afraid of what she’ll say if I told her...” I said hanging my head down.
Applebloom sort of just growled to herself. “Come on Crystal! We’re gettin’ the other crusaders!”
“Huh...?”
“We’re gonna get back at those two for trickin’ you like that!” Applebloom exclaimed.
“Uh... and how in tarnation is that going to help, Applebloom?” Applejack stepped in front of Applebloom.
“They deserve it! I’m tired of those two always bullyin’ us!” Applebloom exclaimed getting in her sister’s face.
"Applebloom, getting into a fight isn't gonna resolve this..." Applejack said putting a hoof on her. "Just try to ignore her."
Applebloom just sighed "I guess you're right, sis..." Applebloom hung her head down. “But we’ve tried ignorin’ her! She doesn’t leave us alone...!”
“Well then, just try to stay away from her.” Applejack said. “Try stayin’ next to the teacher. I don’t think they would do anything in front of her.” she turned to me “That goes the same for you sugarcube.”
“Alright Applejack...” I sighed.
“And my advice... you shouldn’t keep this from Twilight...”
“Huh?”
“Trust me sugarcube, it’s best if you tell her the truth... honesty is an important thing to have, especially with family, and Twilight is your mother now after all.”
“So, when should I tell her?”
“As soon as you see her...” Applejack grinned. “Trust me Crystal, I promise you that everything is gonna be just fine...”
I looked up to her and smiled “Thanks Applejack...”
“No problem sugarcube, and if you need help with anything else, just come down by the farm, okay?”
“Okay Applejack,” I said starting to walk home. I saw both Applejack and Applebloom wave at me so I waved back.