//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 The 13 Stars 
// Story: Leaving Our Mark In History 
// by DoodleJay1208 
//------------------------------//

Applebloom collapsed onto the soft playground grass, trying to catch her breathe. She lied on stomach with her legs sticking straight out on each side. She was so tried she didn't want move a single hoof. She looked around and saw that every pony was still in the playground. Class was should have started by now. Applebloom turned her head and noticed Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo over by the swings. 
"Hey guys!" she shouted "Over here!" 
They turned and waved, before walking over.
"Hi, Applebloom." said Sweetie with a cheeky smile on her face.
"Why are you lying like that?" asked Scootaloo.
"I ran all the way from home cause I thought I'd be late. Why hasn't class started yet?" she asked as her friends helped her up.
"We can't go in yet. Miss Cheerilee is busy getting ready for today's lesson." answered Sweetie "We don't what it is, but it must be really exciting if she's taking this long!" 
"I don't really care." Scootaloo shrugged. 
Applebloom gave a sigh of relief. Great, she ran all the way for nothing.
"So what're we gonna do to earn our Cutie Marks this weekend?" asked Scootaloo.
Applebloom was about to answer, when she just remembered Babs letter. how could she have forgotten? Babs is  her favorite cousin after all. 
"Oh I almost forgot. Babs is coming this weekend!" She said while jumping up and down.
"Wow, really?" asked Sweetie Belle. 
"Yep. She's coming this afternoon. A'm so excited; it's been so long since I say her." said Applebloom
"It's hasn't been that long." said Scootaloo. "You saw her two months ago for your reunion."
The reunion had indeed been two months ago. But to Applebloom, it felt like forever. She and Babs had become so much closer since they first meet that fateful summer. Every letter, every card and every gift they've sent to each other, made it seem like they never were apart. 
Just than, the school bell rang and Miss Cheerilee steeped out out. The students gave a puzzled look as they saw what she was wearing. Miss Cheerilee was wearing an unusual, long, white gown. It went all the way down to her hooves, in fact it was nearly impossible to even see them.  
"Good morning, Everypony." She said smiling "Sorry I took so long, but I was getting everything ready for today's special lesson." 
"What are you wearing?" Diamond Tiara called out rudely, as she walked up the steps to the classroom. The Crusaders gave her a look that meant she was annoying them. Even though she couldn't see them. 
" This is called a peplos." Cheerilee explained as she pointed at the gown "It was a very common piece of clothing mares wore back two thousand years ago. But I'll explain more of that once we get class started.
The foals made their way into the class room. Many stopped at the entrance as they gasped in amazement as they gazed around the room. The entire classroom was decorated to look like the night sky. There were paper stars hanging from the ceiling, pictures of constellations all across the walls of the room, and all the windows were draped to make it look dark. At Miss Cheerilee's desk was a lamp with holes that shined on the ceiling and made it look like stars. The students galloped  around exploring the beauty of the decorations. 
"Alright, Everypony. Please take your seats and we can begin today's lesson." called out Miss Cheerilee.
The students hurried to their seats and sat down. Naturally, the Crusaders sat next to each other, as they did everyday.
"Does anypony know what special event is happening tonight?" Asked Cheerilee as she walked up to the front.
The students all looked at each other in confusion, than looked back to Cheerilee. Some of them called out no.
"You might have not heard of it. Tonight is the alining of the thirteen stars." said Cheerillee. 
The very mention of the name sent a shiver up Applebloom's spine. She didn't know why, but it sounded kind of... bad. She didn't even know what it was, and already she had a bad feeling about. Like something terrible was gonna come from it. 
"Whats that?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"It's an extraordinary event that only happens once every two thousand years. When thirteen of the brightest stars in the sky form a perfectly straight line. Each of those stars are named after the thirteen ancient gods."
Miss Cheerillee pulled out a painting and clipped it to the board. It was an old painting of thirteen tall unicorn ponies. Each of them were wearing armour that looked quiet odd. Unlike the guard armour today, the armour they wore was white and sliver. Also it covered nearly they're interior body. Even their legs were completely covered by armour.
"The King of the gods, Epifanio, was believed to have given birth to our world and many others. His wife, Zena, gave birth to ten children; each of their children were seperated across the sky. Looking down upon the worlds.    
Applebloom wasn't paying any attention to Cheerilee. She was focused on the picture of the gods. The unicorn stallion standing in the front of picture stood tall and fierce. Still, it was hard to make out his face due to the dim light. Applebloom got a piercing feeling in her stomach as she looked at the picture. It almost felt like he was really looking at her. As Cheerilee continued to talk and answer questions, Applebloom leaned over to Scootaloo. 
"Do notice anything strange about about that picture?" whispered Applebloom. 
Scootaloo raised one of her eyebrows. "No. Why?" she asked.
Applebloom let out a sigh. "It's nothing. Just forget it." 
Applebloom kept looking at the picture. Like she was waiting for Epifanio to do something. Then something in the corner of the picture caught her eye. A goddess at the edge of the picture, that was not wearing any clothing... had no cutie mark! That can't be she thought. Maybe it was the dim light that was making hard to see it. She rubbed her eyes, and opened them, still no cutie mark.
"Excuse me, Miss Cheerilee." said Applebloom raising her hoof. "I just noticed that the goddess in the corner of the picture has no cutie mark. Is it some kind of mistake?" 
Cheerilee walked over to the picture. "No, Applebloom. No pony is really sure of this theory, but it's believed that ponies back then did not possess cutie marks." She answered.
All the students in the room gasped as soon as they heard the answer. 
"How can that be?" asked Diamond Tiara. "Ponies have always had cutie marks." 
"Well, that might not be true, Diamond Tiara." said Cheerilee. "But old paintings and sculptures are the only things that tell us about the past."
"Than where did the cutie mark come from?" asked Sliver Spoon.  By the look in Cheerilee's eyes, you could tell she was getting tried of these questions. 
"No pony really knows. Though there is a belief that the 13th star is what gave ponies cutie marks."
"Hows that possible?" asked Scootaloo.
"I dont' know. There many things in this world we sometimes can't explain. Like the cutie mark. The truth could be out there somewhere, but no pony has found it yet." Cheerilee answered. "Maybe the future generations might have better luck than us." She said looking back at the class with a encouraging smile. 
The class looked around a bit chatting a bit before Cheerilee stomped her hoof to get ever pony's attention. 
"Alright, class now back on topic."
The class grew silent as Cheerilee began talking more on the stars. But Applebloom still couldn't help to stare at the picture. 
What could it mean? she thought. She shook her head than focused her attention onto Cheerilee.
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After school ended, Applebloom walked down the road slowly. She still was thinking about that picture. What was it about it that made it stand out, other than it being clipped to the board. 
"Hey, Applebloom. Where ya going?" called out a familiar voice.
Applebloom turned around seeing Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo trying to catch up to her.
"You were going the wrong way." said Sweetie 
"Yeah, I thought we were heading to the clubhouse." 
"Oh. Sorry girls. It's just that I have something' on my mind that won't go away."
"Is it about that dumb painting?" asked Scootaloo. "Cause you were staring at it for a little while." 
"I don't know why but it feels strange to me. It's like that picture was trying to tell me something."
"Oh don't be silly, Applebloom. It's just a painting." said Sweetie 
Applebloom felt an unsettling feeling down her hoofs that made them feel weak. She nearly fainted, but Scootaloo helped her keep her balance. 
"Relax, Bloom. You'll be fine." said Scootaloo with a brave grin on her face. 
Applebloom smiled back. "Thanks, Scoo. I don't know what I'd do without your help.
Then, popped into her head. BABS. Her train would be arriving in less then ten minutes. Applebloom quickly got back on her hoofs.
"Darn it! I forgot again. We gotta head to the train station. Babs will be here in less than ten minutes!" she shouted back.
"Hang on! Wait for us!" shouted Sweetie as she raced after Applebloom.
"Yeah, we wanna she Babs too!" Yelled Scootaloo as she chased after the others.
The three fillies ran toward Ponyvillie as fast as they could. Little did they know that they were being watched. From the shadows a tall, dark figure wearing a black cloak, was hiding in an ally.  He watched as the fillies ran across town with his piecing grey eyes. He snickered while making a strange, toothy smile.
"So...thats them, eh? Not quite what he expected them to be... but it'll just make his job easier." the figure said. "Live while you can, little ones. Because it will soon be all over. "
The figure turned and disappear into the shadows.