//------------------------------// // The Send Off and Cheerilee's Silly Plan // Story: The Cutie Mark Crusaders Do Manehattan // by Diablomuerte2 //------------------------------// The Send Off and Cheerilee's Silly Plan It was a glorious morning in Equestria when a large group of ponies went to the train station. The group consisted of mostly fillies and mares. Each pair of filly and mare were related in some form or another. The reason for all those ponies being at the train station was to send off their little fillies as they went to Manehattan. Cheerilee had planned a field trip to Manehattan since the students all did well on an important mandatory test. It was her way of congratulating them, she felt they deserved it. The trip would be part educational and part recreational. They had reserved spots to a museum that they were to all meet up at, and had been given maps and itineraries to bring home to make sure their families agreed with allowing them to go. The students would be monitored while in a group but were able to go off as long as they met up in the allowed settings when the time called for it. It was an expensive trip, but she didn't mind spending her bits if it was for a good cause. She was smiling when she saw all the fillies and mares at the station. She was a bit hesitant about proposing the trip since most fillies were unfamiliar with areas outside their own home. Big Mac had decided that he would be the chaperon for the trip and help Cheerilee with handling the colts. He knew that they could get rowdy when they felt adventurous. He was also there because he was sweet on the school teacher. He never had the courage to ask her out but felt in this way he could at least be close. Applejack was there to send off her sister Applebloom, she had made sure that the little filly had been prepared and ready for the day. "Ya sure ya got everythin' little sis?" She asked one last time, just in case. "Yeah big sis, I got everythin'," Applebloom replied with a huffy tone. She didn't feel it was necessary to triple check everything, it almost felt like she had Twilight for a sis at that very moment. "Jus' makin' sure sugarcube." The older sister replied before nuzzling the younger one. Rarity was a bit more worried than Applejack about Sweetie Belle. "You sure you packed everything? I mean hair brush, curlers, clothing..." She was sounding off useless items to the little filly. "Rarity... I don't use those things." Sweetie Belle said in a bemused tone. She wasn't as into being feminine as her sister, she was more into singing and hanging with her friends. "A lady must always look her best though Darling." The whiny unicorn complained. Rarity gently nuzzled her little sister as a tear dramatically fell from her eye. She didn't like send-offs and was a very dramatic unicorn. Fluttershy was fussing about Scootaloo, which confused most of the mares there. They had known that Rainbow Dash became a sort of sister to Scootaloo, but they didn't get why Fluttershy was so worried about the filly. "Oh, oh my... did you make sure to pack everything you need Scootaloo? I made sure to list off what I put in your pack, but you never told me what you needed." She said, worried. Rainbow Dash chuckled a bit but knew better than to make her marefriend anxious. "Shy... don't worry, she is alright, I made sure to quadruple check her bag." Rainbow Dash said with her chest puffed out. "Yeah, again, why are you two here... I mean, don't get me wrong, I love you both, but I thought my foster parents would see me off." Scootaloo said, a bit saddened. She hadn't been able to shake the feeling that her foster parents were not interested in her anymore ever since Rainbow Dash had come over one night to talk to them. "Well don't you worry about that Scootaloo. I promise you, when you return from your trip, your 'foster' parents will be here waiting for you." Rainbow Dash said with a wink. Scootaloo didn't get the gist of that message, but she was about to have a life changing experience when she returned from her trip. Since she was ready and the train was ready for boarding, she met up with her friends and they all had a group hug. "Alright, we are going to have a Cutie Mark Crusader kinda trip, aren't we," Scootaloo said while smiling. "Well I sure hope we do," replied the farm filly. "Yeah, we are going to have fun together," chirped the sweet voiced unicorn filly. Filthy Rich was one of the few stallions at the station that day. He had to send off his daughter, Diamond Tiara , who meant the world to him. He may have all the money a pony could want, but his daughter was the true gift that was bestowed upon him. "Now you be careful and promise you won't let yourself get lost." He requested softly. "Dad!... I am not a little filly. I can take care of myself," Diamond said with anger. Diamond Tiara was a filly who felt she ran the world and could do as she pleased because she was rich and therefore superior. She had a bad attitude about life and it showed with her sadistic nature and her mean streak. "Alright Pumpkin, just remember that Daddy loves you." The father said gently before watching his daughter bolt off to her only friend. It saddened him to think she hasn't made any others. It was probably due to the fact that Diamond Tiara was spoiled rotten by her father. He was a busy stallion and had to keep up his extended hours to deal with his business. That left him unable to be there for her other than with his money. "Hey Diamond ... your dad brought you here?" Silver Spoon questioned while looking at the stallion behind her friend. "No, he came on his own, can you believe that, it's not like we are foals...I am practically a mare." The crowned filly responded with an ego. "Oh well, at least we will be on our own for awhile today, I told my mom not to bother coming since I was capable of doing things on my own," Silver Spoon said with a grin. "Yeah the only issue with today will be the blank-flanks... I just hope we don't have to be in a huge group because the less I see them the better." Diamond Tiara stated with a snotty tone. "You still on about them?" Silver Spoon asked, confused. "Wait, don't tell me you think it's okay to be a blank-flank?" Diamond Tiara was hoping her friend hadn't gone soft, it would mean she would be the only one against the three fillies. "Well... no... still I mean, they... nevermind, you are right." She said with a fake grin. Silver Spoon had matured over the last weeks and didn't think it was cool anymore to pick on the fillies for not having their cutie marks. She didn't want to upset her only friend though, so she went along with her ridiculous beliefs. Derpy Hooves, the local mail-mare, was sending her daughter Dinky off. She had packed her daughter's pack full of essential items and muffins. "Muffin, you gonna to be alright without momma?" She asked while her eyes were moving around oddly. "Yes momma, I will be fine." Replied the unicorn filly. She loved her pegasus mother and didn't care what anypony in the world had to say about the mail-mare's condition. Just because her mother was a little off didn't mean she wasn't the best mother anypony could ask for. "Okay Muffin, I am going to miss you." The mail-mare nuzzled her daughter and smiled. She loved her daughter regardless of the filly being a unicorn. Even if it meant being grounded, she would spend a thousand years on the floor just to spend one moment with her little muffin. Twist was escorted to the station with Dinky since she was friends with the unicorn. It wasn't like her parents didn't want to be there, it was just that Twist wanted to get going, and not having a parent to fuss over her would make it easier. She and Dinky went on the train together. The rest of the fillies and colts, and their respective relatives, all did their last minute checks. It was hurried by the conductor's call, "All aboard." That call sent the fillies and colts into overdrive and they all got on the train, accompanied by Big Mac and Cheerilee. ____________________________________________________________ When the train started moving the fillies and colts waved their hooves out the window and smiled as they headed off to Manehattan. The train ride was slow and boring for most of the fillies and colts, the only fillies having fun were the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They were huddled together in their own part of the train, making plans for their trip. They had all decided they would visit Babs Seed since they all missed her. Babs Seed was a bully who became a friend after the Cutie Mark Crusaders found out she was being bullied herself. While they were planning their own itinerary they were interrupted by Cheerilee. "Excuse me all my little ponies, I have an announcement to make." She said excitedly while all the students gathered up in front of her. "I have a special idea about how this trip will work and I am hoping you colts and fillies won't disappoint me." She was a bit hesitant about her idea, knowing some students didn't get along. "I have decided that we will be doing a buddy system for this trip so that way no one is alone, along with the buddy system we will have a designated spot that we shall all meet at before we go home so no one gets left behind." She said while eyeing their faces, some of the fillies seemed confused and others were still smiling. "Alright, when I call out your names that means you are to pair up with the filly or colt mentioned." She was looking at Big Mac before she went on to speak. She was glad he was there to keep the colts in line since they respected him. "Alright ..." She called a list of names pairing colts together for the male group, and the fillies together for the female group. Big Mac was responsible for the safety and well being of all the colts and Cheerilee was responsible for the fillies. After most of the names had been called out, it left six fillies to wonder who they would be teamed up with. "Applebloom and Twist..." Cheerilee hesitated before continuing. The CMC were upset about being split up, but Applebloom decided it would be a nice change of pace to get to know someone new. After all, she and Twist were both blank-flanks before Twist found her talent. They decided to go off together and talk. "Sweetie Belle... and ... Silver Spoon." She closed her eyes and waited for the resounding angry cries of two fillies but got no such thing. Diamond Tiara was supremely angry that Silver Spoon didn't raise heck about it. "Silver Spoon, you heard what she said?" She asked her friend. "Yeah I know, I just don't want to make a big deal out of it, don't worry, it's not like I will become friends with Sweetie Belle." She said nonchalantly. She decided to go towards Sweetie Belle and just get on with it. When she got close she could see Sweetie Belle looked a bit sad. "Please don't be mean to me Silver Spoon." Sweetie Belle begged. She wasn't in the mood for being picked on, and without the other two to help her out, it could make her just breakdown and cry. Silver Spoon felt a bit crestfallen, she never realized that she was that ill perceived. "Don't worry Sweetie Belle, I will have no reason to be a jerk to you on this trip." She said with a soft tone. "Really?" The unicorn filly replied with glee. "Yeah really..." she replied softly, unable to be as brave to say it loud enough for her only friend to hear it. The two fillies decided to walk off on their own as well, they found a spot to talk alone and become comfortable with each other. Silver Spoon decided it would be a good chance to get to know Sweetie Belle. This made Cheerilee feel more enthused about the whole idea. She wanted each student to make new friends and try to get along. She was tired of their constant fighting or being standoffish, it seemed to work so far, until she noticed the last two students were eyeing each other with dangerous intent. "Scootaloo, you and Diamond Tiara are the last two, that means you two are paired up for the trip." Cheerilee explained. This time she got the anger she was expecting. "What?" An angry Scootaloo yelled out while flaring her wings out to display her emotion. "Yeah I agree with her... What?" Diamond Tiara questioned. She didn't like the idea of being paired up with a blank-flank. She had noticed Scootaloo was more of a threat than the other two since Scootaloo had been training with Rainbow Dash. She didn't like the possibility of being hurt if she got out of line. "Well listen, I am tired of the fighting and the unnecessary drama. All the other students are getting along just fine... and I know if you two hang out and try to understand one another, you can be friends or at least be amicable with each other." She stated with her tone getting authoritative. The two fillies decides to just play along and went off together to interact. They made a pact with each other to uphold a truce until the trip was over. Scootaloo wasn't excited about a truce since she was looking for a reason to finally trounce the spoiled brat. "Alright, for the remainder of this trip we have a truce, and that doesn't mean that we have to talk or like each other, but it does mean we have to be together ... in close proximity I mean." Diamond Tiara explained. She didn't enjoy being close to the intimidating pegasus. She could tell the pegasus felt the same about her, except Scootaloo had no fear of Diamond Tiara. "Fine! Let's just play along and act all 'nice' until the trip is over, and then, when we get back, it's back to square one." Scootaloo was somewhat okay with the truce since it would mean not being called a blank-flank by the evil witch of a filly. As the train kept going, the fillies and colts were all tired, some of them had parted from their assigned partners and went to rest, others stayed and chatted until they passed out. The early morning had activities and taken it’s toll; from all the packing and getting up at the crack of dawn, it had left them with barely any energy, and with them being young, they needed their rest. Scootaloo was still talking to Diamond Tiara, who was slowly drifting off to sleep. She had no idea the filly was going to stay near her, and it felt awkward just leaving her there alone. She also noticed the other filly was getting cold as the train had gone through a tunnel. Scootaloo unconsciously wrapped a wing around her, it never left Diamond Tiara's body until the train stopped at Manehattan.