//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Cutie Mark Crusaders Nightmares, Yay! // by LostUmbrella //------------------------------// A couple of days later, the three crusaders were spending their lunchtime indoors. "It's so unfair!" protested Scootaloo slamming a hoof on her desk. "Yeah, but what can we do?" asked Apple Bloom in a dejected tone "Ah mean, they're our families, we cannot go and buck them like we did with the timberwolf..." "Bloom is right, we just have to endure this punishment..." sighed Sweetie Belle. "Oh, I thought Ponyville had become a quieter place," said a voice behind them, a malevolent mirth in its tone "The fact that the cutie mark calamities were grounded certainly explains that!" The trio turned to se Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon and three older colts snickering at their fate. Of course, it was Diamond who had talked. "Yeah, it took long enough but your families finally realized how dangerous your childish play are for Ponyville" added Silver Spoon. "Git away ya all, we're not in the mood!" said Apple Bloom. "Yeah, come back the day after nevermore," suggested Sweetie Belle. I hope they go away soon, thought Scootaloo I'm dying to beat some sense into those bullies and I'm starting to consider the option... Hold on Scoots, beating Diamond will be great but it will worsen our punishment, thought Sweetie Belle. "And why should we listen to what you blank flanks want?" asked Silver Spoon crooking an eyebrow behind her glasses. I should endure... "Silver, don't say that: it's offensive to the other blank flanks!" said Diamond Tiara in a obviously fake concern "Those three are far worse than blank flanks: a weak earth pony, a unicorn without magic and a dodo!" Endure... "Yeah, I bet your families are ashamed of you!" commented one of the colts, a bulky earth pony with dark brown coat and hay-colored mane, laughing with his friends. At those words, the supposed dodo spread her wing and bolted to the colt who had talked, hitting him hard on the jaw with both her forehooves. "You know what? They can ground me forever, but at least I'll enjoy myself kicking your flanks!" said Scootaloo without landing. "Bark! Gal, you're gonna pay for this!" said one of the other two colts, this one bright red with azure mane and skinnier than his friend. They grabbed the pegasus and pulled her down: even with Night's help, she was still a pegasus filly, with little chances of overpowering two bigger, older male earth ponies. A second later, both the colts let Scootaloo go, one after receiving a solid buck in the barrel, the other thrown by Sweetie's emerald magic. Apple Bloom helped Scootaloo on her hooves, then the three crusaders turned towards the other two fillies. "H-how?" stammered Diamond Tiara, her eyes wide as saucers as she watched the three colts on the floor. "D-Diamod, look at t-their eyes..." whispered Silver Spoon, dread in her voice. The pink filly's eyes widened even more as she asked: "What are you?" "Uh? What are ya talkin'bout?" asked in return Apple Bloom raising an eyebrow. The crusaders looked at each other, finally understanding what was so disturbing for Diamond and Silver: their eyes were featuring slit pupils like those of dragons and cats. "Well, that's strange," commented Apple Bloom. "I like them," said Sweetie Belle "I kind of look like Spike, I guess..." "Any idea on how did this happen?" asked the first one. "Who cares? We have a pair of fillies to deal with!" exclaimed Scootaloo pointing at the two bullies. "I will tell miss Cheerlilee! And my dad too!" threatened Diamond Tiara, but her shaky voice cut the effectiveness of the menace. "Tell them, I've beaten a timberwolf some days ago, they shouldn't be too much of a problem..." said the pegasus as she and her friends closed on the other two fillies. "Please, don't hurt me! I was mean only because she asked me to!" revealed Silver Spoon as she started crying. "Silver!" "Don't worry Diamond, we already knew," said Sweetie "And we did not plan on sparing her." --- A couple of minutes later, the cutie mark crusaders were contemplating the fruits of their work: five young ponies were lying fainted at their hooves, two of them where fillies showing some bloody cuts and bruises on various parts of their bodies. "Ya know girls, Ah never thought that hurting somepony would feel this good..." said Apple Bloom looking at their victims. "Yeah, it felt... Right somehow, didn't it?" asked Scootaloo. "Girls, do you realize what you just said?" asked Sweetie Belle as if she had just noticed an important particular. "Yeah, this shouldn't have made us feel good, Ah know..." said Apple Bloom lowering her head. "Not that! Well, maybe also that, but now it's unimportant! It felt right, do you understand what this means?" The other two exchanged a confused look, then Scootaloo admitted: "No." "That's the reason why we haven't got our cutie mark yet, because we did the wrong things!" explained the little unicorn "It felt right because it was what we're supposed to do!" "Bullyin' other ponies?" asked Apple Bloom. "Beating bullies?" asked Scootaloo. "No, those are means, it the result that counts! We beat those that ruled the school, we rule now," patiently explained Sweetie "We are born to rule other ponies!" "But we still didn't gain our marks..." protested Apple Bloom. "Because we're still not ruling enough ponies!" continued the unicorn with calm "Now, who has more ponies under her rule than us?" "The mayor?" suggested Scootaloo. "It's a start, and who's above?" "Princess Celestia!" exclaimed both the others in unison. "Precisely," said Sweetie Belle with a malicious smile that the other two soon mirrored. --- While the three crusaders were leaving the school via teleport spell to retrieve their armors and to hatch a plan to confront and win Celestia, another mare was teleporting. That mare was princess Luna, rushing to her sister to inform her of a great threat: in fact, thanks to her link with Night and to her superior alicorn senses, she had felt the return of the nightmare, even if she couldn't put her hoof on where the parasite was. She flew, trotted and teleported through the many halls of the palace, cursing her sister in her mind for having left their old castle in the Everfree. "Tia," she said finally entering the throne room "We shall borrow some of thy time to discuss a matter of the outmost importance!" "Oh, good morning Lulu," saluted Celestia wearing her usual motherly smile "Of course we can talk, just let me finish with those two petitioners." In front of the golden seat where the white alicorn was, there were two stallions, certainly nobleponies Luna judged from their looks and the way they were disputing over the ownership of some piece land. Celestia solved the problem after fifteen minutes of arguing, dividing the land in two halves and giving one to each stallion, an idea that neither of them liked but both accepted. "Very well," said Celestia rising and pacing towards her sister "Now that this is settled, what did you need to tell me?" "We sensed a grand threat for Equestria: the nightmare has come back!" explained Luna pacing with her fellow alicorn around the room. "Has it come for you again?" "No, we have sensed it in Ponyville; it is weak, but it is gaining power by the minute." "Any idea on what is it planning?" "We fear that it will come for us and thou, for it always yearned a position of power." "Fine," said Celestia after a short pause "I'll take the elements of harmony to the bearers, you stay there." "As thou ask, sister."