//------------------------------// // The Six Friends Go Out For A Picnic // Story: Little Jewels // by Shadowmane PX-41 //------------------------------// Nice ta have ya back, Babs." Applebloom said as she let her friend into the house and helped her with her bags. There was only two of them but it still turned out to be an arduous task for both the mares, "Geez, what's in these things? Cinderblocks?" "Just a few essentials for my time here in Ponyville." Babs said as she hauled the other bag up the stairs into the spare room with her bare hooves, "When you're born in a a big city like Manehatten, you gotta be prepared for any trips outta town, ya know what i'm sayin?" "Ah guess yer right." Applebloom agreed since she knew Manehatten covered 1/10th of Equestria in size. "Speaking of which, Babs. How are things going in Manehatten besides the incident with the Marefia?" Sweetie Belle asked as she was reading her letters (Mostly bills and other things) "Fine i guess you could say." She started once she was unpacking her 1st bag, "Same old business with the Manehatten CMC, i've handed down my priorities to a strong-hearted filly named Skyrocket. She's quite hyperactive and very optimistic, you could say she's just like Applebloom here." "So this Marefia..." Scootaloo started, "What kind of beef do they have against you?" "For someponies in Manehatten, telling friends and families about urban bullies ain't enough. So the Marefia started this protection business for ponies of all ages." Babs began, "They vowed to keep you and your friends safe from pain and suffering, for a small fee of course." "Don't know why they'd want ya dead thou-" Applebloom was stopped. "But there's a catch too. If you can't pay the Marefia within the deadline, they just decide to turn on you and side with the bullies to make your life a living hell. Someponies including me leaked their latest hideout and called the cops on them. But when the Marefia broke out of jail, they sent out letters to their clients. They all said, We're gonna have your flanks cut off for your crimes! And they started stalking the very customers they worked with." "Jesus, how many ponies were hunted down by this Marefia?" Applebloom asked. "I think i'm the only one left on the kill list. The Marefia always have a 2 month time limit every time they take down another target. And since their last kill was yesterday, i thought to myself I need someplace to hide for the next two months, but where? And that's when it hit me. I could stay with my girls until the time passes over. The Marefia only leave Manehatten if it's crucial business matters. So as long as nopony in Ponyville asks for their assistance, i'm fine here." Babs finished both her sentence and unpacking her last bag at miraculously the same time. "I've noticed there's a lot of food here that you've taken out." Applebloom began, "Is there a reason for that?" "Well it's such a nice day here in Ponyville so i brought some food for a little picnic." Babs started once she got her vest on, "After all, it's the first day of summer and it would be ideal for us to have a picnic. Seeing as the grasslands get quite busy at summertime." "That sounds like a great idea." Sweetie Belle began, "Nopony would want to stay cooped up indoors on a sunny day like today." "It sounds like the perfect opportunity to spread my wings and try out some new moves i've been working on" Scootaloo agreed, "What about you, Applebloom." "It sounds like a nice choice fer an activity." She said as she was looking through a closet, "Now where did i put it... AHA!" She pulled out a double foal carrier and equipped it to her back, "I could bring Diamond and Silver with me. They've always wanted to see the outside world up close and personal." "Alright then, a picnic it is." Babs announced, "And i have the perfect spot already in mind." Diamond and Silver were playing hide-and-seek as the four mares came down the stairs and into the living room. Silver was looking carefully for Diamond who was hidden underneath the coffee table, silently letting out a few giggles when Silver passed by. Once Applebloom unlocked the door, Diamond said, "Awe yoo going somewhewe, Mama?" "Found yoo!" Silver said once Diamond had stopped speaking and revealed herself. "Howsefeathews." Diamond said as Applebloom came closer to them both. "We're all going out fer a picnic and yer both comin' with us." Applebloom said as she leaned her head closer to them, "Now who wants upsies?" Both Diamond and Silver were flailing their hooves in excitement once Applebloom asked the question. Applebloom quickly picked Silver up first and strapped her into the left side of the carrier. Before quickly leaning back down and picking up Diamond into the right side. Once both foals were content with their seating positions. The 6 girls were heading outside. "Siwvew?" Diamond spoke as Applebloom was traveling with her fellow mares. "Yes, Diamond?" "I don't want to weave dis Equestwia. I feew happiew as a foaw. And i'm even stawting to wike Mama and her fwiends. What about yoo? Do yoo wanna weave and go home?" "Actuawwy, no. I tink dis is a fwesh stawt for both of us, and hopefuwwy tings get bettew from here." "Good to know yoo feew dat way, nice to have yoo back Siwvew Spoon." "Nice to have yoo back as weww, Diamond Tiawa." _____________________________________ The sun was beating down on the grasslands vigorously, but not to the point where sunscreen was required for everypony who came out for picnics and other summer stuff. There were some other groups of ponies in the fields, mainly fillies and colts playing with balls and kites and other related summer stuff. There was also someponies playing in a nearby stream of water, splashing their friends or playing tag or mainly to wash the dirt off their hooves. Once Babs and the CMC found a good place, they quickly laid out the blanket and got some food out of the bag. "The pegasi are really doing their job today, huh?" Scootaloo said as she could feel the sunlight wrapping around her face. "Alright then you two. Play nice and don't wander off." Applebloom said to Diamond and Silver as she let them out of the foal carrier and let them go and play with the other fillies and colts. She quickly took the carrier off and set it down someplace safe before sitting down with Babs and Sweetie Belle and tucking into some food. "Applebloom i've gotta ask." Babs started, "Why are your family's apples the greatest tasting apples i've ever tasted?" "I can't tell ya, trade secret. ya know what i mean?" Applebloom responded. "Don't you find it a bit worrying that you're letting Diamond and Silver off by themselves? I mean they're just foals for Celestia's sake." Sweetie Belle asked. "Don't worry, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo is keeping a watchful eye on them both." Applebloom said, "Besides, she likes to work herself up to a reward such as picnic food." Applebloom turned to face the sky, "Speaking of which. HOW ARE YA DOING UP THERE, SCOOTALOO?" "Fine!" She called from the cloud layer, "I can't really see anything dangerous or suspicious over Diamond or Silver's area right now. and by the looks of things, they're really having fun with the other fillies and colts." "GOOD TA HEAR IT!" Applebloom then turned towards the other two mares, "Cloud layers, ya have ta yell ta pegasi on the ground when one of those is in the area. Suddenly, from afar, Sweetie Belle saw a pink speck falling towards the pond underneath it. It might looked like a speck to her, but she could quickly make out that it was a pony falling towards the water, "SCOOTALOO! SOMEPONY'S ABOUT TO HIT THE POND OVER THERE!" "Don't worry, i'm on it." Scootaloo said before dashing off towards the falling speck, "Keep an eye on Diamond and Silver whilst i'm gone!" The three mares followed orders and made sure that Diamond and Silver were out of harm's way. Whilst they were busy, Scootaloo gathered speed with her wings and flew like a jet towards the falling pink speck. The speck was almost about to splash down onto the water floor below when it was stopped by an orange and purple blur. Scootaloo made a successful catch and lifted the pony back up to the top of the hill, "You shouldn't wander off the edge of a cliff, silly little filly. You could have gotten hurt or worse." Scootaloo saw another picnic once she arrived at the top of the hill and returned the pink pony to its owner. There was 6 foals, including the one she had just caught on the hilltop. They were playing tag whilst their caretakers were eating food and conversating with each other. The six foals were all fillies, with different coloured hairs and coats. there were 2 unicorns, one white and one purple. two pegasi, a blue and a yellow one, and lastly there was two earth ponies. An orange one and the pink one she had saved from a rather nasty fall. "Is this filly yours, ma'am?" Scootaloo asked one of the older ponies. She was caught off guard once she had noticed the two alicorns looking at her. They were of course, the princesses of Equestria, Celestia and Luna, "Princess Celestia?" Scootaloo said with her jaw dropped before closing it up again, "I never thought i'd see you and your sister here in Ponyville today." "Pinkie Pie." Celestia said to the pink foal as she took it back in her aura, "You shouldn't be that close to cliffs like that. You could have met a bad ending if this courageous mare here hadn't stepped in." The foal hung her head in shame once taking Celestia's words, "Promise me this won't happen again, OK?" "Otay, Mama." The foal said. this caused Scootaloo to drop her jaw again. She had just saved a talking foal, something she'd never done before. Sure she'd saved a ton of other foals in the past, but this one was talking. And everpony could understand her. "She can talk?" Scootaloo asked once she picked up her jaw again. "All foals can talk." Luna said, "Grown ponies don't understand what they say though. A little hinder in the art of mothering." "Do you have foals then?" Celestia asked. "No Your Highness, but my friend has some." Scootaloo began, "We all live together, but technically she filled out the adoption papers herself because she wanted to make a good impression on the orphanage ponies. My friend Applebloom has two beautiful earth ponies, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon." "And can they talk?" "Yes, but none of us can decipher their words. It's mainly nothing but foal gibberish to us." "That's a shame, it's actually a blessing to have foal talk normally, it makes the job much more easier and cute for motherly ponies and their friends." Luna said with a smile growing "Sorry, i forgot to introduce myself. My name's Scootaloo. How did you get your foals to talk?" She asked once she stood up from her bow. "Well first you should meet them. Then i'll tell the story." Celestia said as she picked up all 6 foals with her magic and set them down in front of Scootaloo, "Scootaloo, i'd like you to meet, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity and Twilight Sparkle." She said as she pointed each one out to them with a spotlight spell. "Hold on, Applebloom said that Applejack was away in Fillydelphia attracting business to the apple farm there." Scootaloo said looking a bit confused, "How is it that she's a foal again?" "I suppose i have some explaining to do." Luna said, "I entrusted a special spell to Princess Twilight a few weeks back. A special age spell that only Alicorns like Celestia and me can accomplish without burning our magic out. Each of Twilight's friends was called to try out her spell on a few things in particular. So we entrusted them to make a cover story for each of them, just in case they had any family or friends. It was hard to convince Applejack to lie to your friend Applebloom, but she did it nonetheless." "OK, you're making sense so far." Scootaloo stopped them, "But that doesn't answer the question on how they're all talking foals?" "The spell proved to be too powerful for even Twilight to handle." Celestia followed up, "It grew wildly in power, it escaped the hold of Twilight's magic, and it ricocheted off the library's walls like a pinball on walls and bumpers. all six ponies were caught up in the spell's power, reverting them to their foalhood states. At the same time, they'd also been teleported to my castle since Spike had a bad case of the hiccups at the same time. I was surprised myself that they could talk, but i was even more surprised that no counter-spell could cure it. So it fell upon me and Luna to raise the Spirits Of Harmony ourselves until they grew up all over again. An arduous task, but a fun one nonetheless." "So these foals were already full grown mares?" Scootaloo finally pieced the story together in her mind. "That's right. How they retained the ability to talk is still a mystery to us." Luna said. "That's so cool!" Scootaloo said, her wings flapping wildly, "But aren't they gonna keep you from performing your royal duties?" "We made a fair decision upon agreeing to take care of them, Whilst i watch over Equestria in the daylight, Luna spends her time with the foals, vice versa, when Luna's overlooking Equestria, i'm overlooking the Foals Of Harmony." Sounds fair, don't you think?" Celestia told her. "That sounds more than fair, but won't Applebloom and Sweetie Belle get worried that their sisters have been turned into foals though?" Scootaloo asked. "They haven't seen them since?" "No, and they're starting to get a little worried about it." "Oh, i didn't account for this." Luna started. "I'll make sure that they know this has happened, by writing them a letter." Celestia then materialized a scroll and quill and began writing a letter describing how Rarity and Applejack were age-regressed. Once she had finished writing, Celestia cast a powerful magic, leaving a perfect copy of her cutie mark on the bottom of the paper, so as to validate that it was from her. Once she was satisfied with her work, she rolled up the scroll and placed a wax seal over it before hoofing the letter to Scootaloo, "I hope this makes it clearer to them." "It sure will, Your Highness." Scootaloo said as she put the scroll in her flank pocket and started to take off back towards the picnic area, "I'll see you all soon someday." __________________________________ "Scootaloo's been gone fer far too long!" Applebloom said once she had finished another sandwich. "Maybe the Marefia captured her and are keeping her hostage until they get information on where i'm hiding!" Babs started to panic, "The Marefia has very... Convincing methods on extracting information." "Calm down, you two. Here she comes now." Sweetie Belle said as she pointed towards Scootaloo heading back towards the picnic food. "So, ya caught the pony?" Applebloom asked. "Yeah, sorry it took me a while to get back." Scootaloo said as she pulled out Celestia's Letter, "I met some very special ponies up there and one thing led to another." "Who was it?" Babs asked. "Princess Celestia and Luna." "No way!" Sweetie Belle squeed. "It's true, they gave me this letter to give to you and Applebloom, just to clear up any suspicion." Applebloom and Sweetie Belle took the letter and broke the wax seal with their hooves. The letter had an icon of Celestia's cutie mark on it, a way of validating that it was indeed from Celestia. To my subjects, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. It was brought to my attention that you miss your sisters a lot recently. Well this letter is kind of a confession to you both. Applejack and Rarity are with me and Luna right now, as well as the other Spirits Of Harmony. You see, an aging spell of Twilight's got... out of hand, and turned them all into talking foals. So they're all gonna spend some time with us until the effects wear off. I just want to warn you all that you may never see them as your eldest sisters again. But i'm sure you'll find this letter as an Ok Apology. Sincerely, Princess Celestia. "Ah can't believe it." Applebloom said as she dropped the letter out of her hooves. "What is it?" Babs asked, clearly dumbfounded. "Applejack and Rarity were turned into foals due to a spell caused by Twilight." Sweetie Belle began, "So we're probably never gonna see them again for a while now. Nor any of their friends." "That's a tough blow." "Then that means that only Big Mac went off to Fillydelphia." Scootaloo said, "He must have bought that cover story as well." "Cover story?" Applebloom asked, "What cover story?" "Celestia and Luna persuaded Applejack and Rarity to make up a phony cover story for you and Sweetie Belle to believe." Scootaloo started, "It wasn't easy to convince Applejack, but she did it nonetheless." "Then that means." Applebloom hung her head, "The burden of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon is on my hooves now. Since Big Mac never leaves his post until satisfied." "I'll have to run my sister's business now." Sweetie Belle also hung her head, "Thank Celestia it's the weekend or i'd have to be working my flank off right now." "I've got jobs working with the Wonderbolts on specific weekdays so, forgive me if i'm out of the house for a while." Scootaloo said as she took a bite of an apple from the bag, "What about you, Babs?" "Me, raising foals?" Babs started, "Geez, i thought i'd only have foals with a very special somepony someday but..." She sighed, "Looks like i've got some training to do." "Glad ta hear it!" Applebloom leapt up in delight, "After all, you know the old saying: Many Hooves Make Light Work!" "Speaking of which, where's Diamond and Silver?" Scootaloo asked. "Oh, they're over there playing tag with some other foals." Applebloom said as she pointed towards Diamond and Silver playing with two earth ponies and a pegasus. "I wonder what they're saying?" Scootaloo said as she watched Diamond land a sucessful tag on Silver, "If only we could understand foal talk..."