//------------------------------// // Get Set ... // Story: On Your (Cutie) Mark... // by Scantrel //------------------------------// Shadows moved within shadows as the clouds drifted in front of Luna's moon. Three small figures crept through the streets of Ponyville, edging closer to the Golden Oaks library. As the clouds parted and the moon shone forth again more brightly, the three figures dove for cover behind a nearby bush. They had to ensure they were not seen, and even though the streets were deserted at this late hour, their mission depended on absolute stealth. In a voice barely louder than a whisper, one of the figures asked her accomplices, "Are you really sure we won't get in trouble for breaking into the Library like this?" Pulling up her night vision goggles that they had borrowed from Pinkie Pie, Scootaloo replied, "Relax, Sweetie Belle, it will be fine. After all, Twilight did say we were welcome to use the library at any time to help us figure out our cutie marks." "Yeah, an' besides, how're we gonna earn our cutie marks as spies if we don't try to inful...infoaltra...sneak in?" Apple Bloom added. "I guess so," Sweetie Belle conceded. The three fillies had gotten the idea after borrowing a Haymes Barn trilogy of Goldfilly, On Celestia's Secret Service, and The Mare With The Golden Horn from the library. While it wasn't quite as adventurous as Daring Do, the stories had given the Cutie Mark Crusaders several new ideas for things to try and earn their cutie marks. Scootaloo pulled the night-vision goggles back down over her eyes and peered through the leaves of their hiding place. "I don't see anypony around, let's go!" she urged. As silently as they could, the three girls crept up to the front door of the library. Apple Bloom took out a small set of picks from her saddlebag and furrowed her brow as she set to the task of opening the lock. "Uhmm...Apple Bloom?" Sweetie Belle whispered. "Not now, I'm tryin' to concentrate." Apple Bloom hissed. "But, Apple Bloom, it says..." "Not now!" Apple Bloom snapped, ignoring Sweetie Belle's interruption. Scootaloo suddenly reached past Apple Bloom and turned the handle, pushing the door open. "I did it!" Apple Bloom said proudly. Her moment of triumph quickly faded as she saw Sweetie Belle pointing to a small sign that had been posted next to the door. Twilight Sparkle and Spike are currently away in Canterlot, please help yourself to the library facilities. There is a sign-out roster for any books borrowed. --Twilight Sparkle, Head Librarian "Aww, ponyfeathers!" Apple Bloom cursed. "It was open all along?" "C'mon, we can still go take pictures of the books onto microfilm," Scootaloo offered. "Maybe that will work?" The three fillies slunk past the door and went inside, taking off their night vision goggles before lighting one of the lanterns to see better in the near darkness. The library looked pristine, clearly Spike had worked hard to get things arranged and tidy before he and Twilight had departed. "Everypony fan out and search around," Scootaloo suggested. "See if you can find a book or parchment or something that looks secretive for us to photograph." The other two Crusaders nodded their heads and split up to reconnoiter the shelves. Sweetie Belle headed to the back room of the library, squinting her eyes to adjust to the semi-darkness as she pushed open the door. This room of the library didn't get that much use, and she could still see the patch on the wall where Spike had broken through with his greed-induced Dragon strength. Sweetie Belle still couldn't believe how big Spike had gotten and how much damage the town had suffered. It had taken nearly everypony to get things put back together again, and she had worked extra hard with Rarity to get Carousel Boutique in order. A darker shadow under one of the low tables caught her attention, and Sweetie Belle walked over to investigate. Sitting under the table was a trunk with a large padlock on the front. On the table above, Sweetie Belle saw a parchment, which she leaned in to read. From: Dusty Tome, Canterlot Library, Ancient Arcana Division To: Twilight Sparkle, Head Librarian, Golden Oaks Library, Ponyville Dear Miss Sparkle, Princess Celestia recently came into possession of the grimoire within and her Highness has asked that you examine it to determine if it should be added to the Antiquities archives, or perhaps the Starswirl the Bearded wing. I would appreciate your response as soon as possible. Respectfully yours, Dusty Tome, Assistant Archivist "Hey guys!" Sweetie Belle called out excitedly. "I think I found something!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo practically galloped to Sweetie Belle's side. "What did ya find?" Apple Bloom asked excitedly. "There's supposed to be a book in this trunk, all the way from the Canterlot Library!" Sweetie Belle gushed. "They asked Twilight to look it over, it has to be something important." "Oh yeah!" Scootaloo piped up. "I bet it's some secret book of spells or something. If anything in here will get us our cutie marks, that's it!" She reached into her saddlebag and drew out the miniature camera they had gotten from Pinkie Pie. "Let me at that lock!" Apple Bloom growled, gritting her teeth and once again taking out her picks and tools. The other two girls watched eagerly as Apple Bloom manipulated the picks in the tumblers. Eventually there was a barely audible click as the padlock opened. Apple Bloom beamed with pride as she used her mouth to work the lock out of the latch. The three of them tugged together to slide the trunk out from under the table far enough to pry open the lid. Sweetie Belle pushed the trunk open, and holding a little lantern in one hoof, gazed down inside the trunk. Inside was a single book, a large bound volume covered in black leather, with hoof-tooled symbols and sigils worked into the cover. Scootaloo poked Sweetie Belle and said "What is it?" "I can't see it too well, it's too dark. One of you go get another lantern." Sweetie Belle answered. Apple Bloom dashed off and returned in moments with another glowing lantern. She held it up to shine the light toward the bottom of the trunk. "That's better...now I can read the title." Sweetie Belle said, looking back down toward the book. "Neighcronomicon" she read aloud. "I wonder what that means?" Scootaloo asked. "Can you lift it out?" Sweetie Belle considered that, and said "I think so, hold on." She started to reach for it, but stopped as Apple Bloom nudged her. "Wait, wait, don't do that!" Apple Bloom stated emphatically. "Spies don't leave no hoofprints!" Scootaloo looked around, finally her eyes lit on something and she grinned. "Hold on, I have an idea!" With that, she trotted back out to the main room and then returned carrying one of Spike's feather dusters in her mouth. She dropped it down at Sweetie Belle's hooves and said "Use the handle of this to turn the pages." Sweetie Belle beamed at her friend, "Great idea!" She picked up the duster and pushed the handle down toward the book. "Hold the light a little higher," she instructed Apple Bloom. With that, Sweetie Belle opened the cover and started to slowly flip through the pages. "It's really old," Sweetie Belle commented. "It's hard to read anything, but I can see some faded pictures on some pages." She turned a few more of the pages, and finally saw that one of them appeared to be legible. "Give me a little more light, Apple Bloom! I think I can make out the words on this one." Apple Bloom nodded and pushed the lantern closer, turning her head so as not to be blinded by the glare. "Awesome! Let me get the camera ready!" Scootaloo chimed in, turning to fiddle with the little device. Sweetie Belle glanced back at the page, it looked like a short poem. Without thinking about it, she read the words aloud to herself under her breath. Mentor, student, sister, brother A mark of passage to another Fates intertwined, for a moment of time Until only one remains unsundered Sweetie Belle didn't notice the slight opalescent glow that encompassed her horn as she read, nor did Scootaloo or Apple Bloom. As soon Sweetie Belle had finished reading, the glow flashed once, then faded. Scootaloo finished her preparations and leaned up over the edge of the trunk, pointing the miniature camera to take a picture. As soon as she had, the three young girls swung their flanks around, hoping to see something to reward the night's efforts. When it was apparent that no marks had appeared, they all slumped a little with a chorus of "Awwwwww"s. "I guess we aren't meant to be spies," Sweetie Belle said with disappointment. "Well, maybe that's fer the best," Apple Bloom countered. "I mean, how much spying would we really get to do, anyhow?" Scootaloo put the camera back in her saddlebag and said, "Maybe tomorrow we can try to do a cart chase, like in the book?" The others looked back at her skeptically and finally Scootaloo nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I guess that wouldn't be to easy to do, who would we chase after?" Sweetie Belle yawned and said "I don't know about you two, but I'm beat. I think I'm going home and get some sleep." Apple Bloom quickly agreed. "I should head back to the farm, I have to get up early t'morrow an' help Applejack with a whole bunch o'chores." Scootaloo eased the lid of the trunk shut and reached down to pick up the padlock and secure it back in place. "OK, Crusaders," she said, motioning for the three of them to shove the trunk back under the table. "I'll meet you at the clubhouse around lunchtime. Rainbow Dash said she should have some time in the morning to work on flying lessons." The three fillies put everything they had taken back in its place, then made their way out of the library. With a final "Good night!" to each other, they made their respective ways home for the night. Rarity had long since gone to bed when Sweetie Belle got back to the Boutique. Not wanting to wake her big sister, Sweetie Belle went to her room as quietly as she could. Her eyes were already starting to droop as she climbed into bed and snuggled up under the covers. As Sweetie Belle slipped into dreams, she never heard the whispered voice that echoed quietly from the darkest corner of her room.