//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Cutie Mark Abandonment // by Luna1337 //------------------------------// Twist awoke with a crick in her neck from sleeping on the floor the night before. Around her lay the destruction from the party: empty cupcake wrappers, ripped streamers, and countless half-finished sleepover activities. Silver Spoon lay a few feet away, cradling an empty punch glass like a teddy bear. Diamond Tiara sat on Twist's bed, eating a muffin. "Your mom makes really good peppermint muffins," she noted. "She said school is in about an hour, so we should get ready." Twist carefully picked her way out to the bathroom, managing to not step on the worst of the painful small items scattered across the floor. ************** Applebloom aimed the threaded needle straight through the fabric, almost-but-not-quite not pricking her mouth. She spat it out in surprise. "Dang needle. Why can't ah be a unicorn? Unicorns don't have to deal with this!" "You were the one who volunteered to make us new saddlebags," Sweetie Belle logically pointed out. "Well, whattaya expect me ta' do? Ours are rippin' apart at the seams! Plus, I really think this might be mah special talent! Can't yeh just see me, stitchin' away in a dress shop like Rarity's? In fact, I think this might be what ah want to do with mah life!" She stared hopefully at her flank, but no image appeared. "You can't just say that. Rarity says you have to really mean it!" Applebloom managed to finish an awkward bag-shaped lump. "We'll just have to use our old ones then," she said, her ears drooping. "Say, Scootaloo, yer parents are okay with us stayin' the night, right?" "Even if they were here, they wouldn't care," Scootaloo answered, strapping on her scooter helmet. "All they care about is their department store in Canterlot, and they're always away on business trips." "Ah thought it's illegal to leave ponies under the age of thirteen alone?" "I'm eleven, for Celestia's sake. I can take care of myself. Besides, I technically have a foalsitter. We have an agreement that she is not actually responsible for me. She's out shopping right now. By the way, it's past eight. We'll be late for school." ****************** "So, what do you want to do after school?" Diamond Tiara asked over the ringing school bell. "Like go to the arcade or something?" "You jutht want to thee Button Math," Twist said. Diamond Tiara suggested they go to the arcade every Thursday, which happened to be also the day when Button Mash, his entire allowance in quarter bits, spent the day toggling joysticks and pressing buttons. Whenever they were there, Diamond Tiara always managed to find an excuse to play the game next to his. Her character usually died within five minutes while she applauded his every gaming achievement. "I do NOT," Diamond Tiara said, her ears turning dark pink. "Just because he's like really handsome, talented, and single does not mean I have a crush on him!" "Who thaid anything about a cruth? Bethideth, I heard he hath a thing for Thweetie Belle." As they walked into the classroom, towards their seats, Cheerilee put a hoof out to stop them. "Diamond Tiara, Twist, Silver Spoon, Cutie Mark Crusaders, I'd like to speak with you," she said. Twist shivered. Miss Cheerilee only said that when someone was in trouble. Cheerilee led them outside to the picnic benches. "I'm aware that usually the first of the month is a half-day. However, as I reminded you several days in advance, the half-day was rescheduled for Professor Dusty Tome's lecture on the history of Wingland. If you have to leave before class is dismissed, please ask permission first." "We're sorry, Miss Cheerilee," Applebloom said. "It's just that we had some crusadin' to get to, and it slipped our minds." "You had 'crusadin' to do?" Silver Spoon spat in an insulting imitation of Applebloom's accent. "Well, that makes everything better!" "Silver Spoon!" Miss Cheerilee gasped. "Need I remind you that bullying is a cruel practice? If you need to talk to someone about something that's bothering you, just tell me and I'll help you! But I will simply not tolerate harassment or violence!" "Oh, like you even care!" Scootaloo stomped her hoof on the picnic table. "They've taunted us on a nearly daily basis and you've never lifted a hoof to help! They could literally break my wings in front of you, and you would just ask if we brought our homework!" "That is it! I can be sympathetic, but you two have crossed the line! You are suspended! As for the rest of you, if I ever see you fighting again, you will be lucky if all you get is a suspension!" Cheerilee stormed back into the school house, her tail switching in sync with her heavy hooffalls. ****************** Scootaloo stood there, her mouth slightly agape and her cheeks flushed from her outburst. Suspended? She knew she should be ashamed, but instead her heart raced and thoughts churned in her mind. This could possibly attract her parents' attention, even get them to come out from Canterlot. The last time she had messed up badly enough for that to happen was when she staked a squirrel to a post to terrify her shrink while Fluttershy was in Canterlot with Twilight. The shrink had quit and moved to Trottingham. The squirrel had lived a full four years after that, but Fluttershy insisted he was never the same. Scootaloo had a sneaking suspicion that she had never forgiven her. She waved goodbye to her friends as they trotted into their classroom. "This is all your fault, blank flank!" Silver Spoon growled. "If you hadn't sassed Miss Cheerilee, I would be in the classroom by now!" "Well, you were the one who started it!" "Maybe if you didn't try every single stupid idea that comes into your head, you would have a cutie mark by now!" "That doesn't even make sense!" Silver Spoon adjusted her glasses and smirked. "I got my cutie mark by trying things I was already good at! Unlike you, I actually had a strategy!" Things I was already good at. Even though she would never admit it to Silver Spoon, Scootaloo realized that maybe they were doing it wrong. After all, Rainbow Dash had earned her cutie mark by racing, which she was already good at. Twilight Sparkle was already good at magic. Every single pony Scootaloo could think of was already good at their special talent when they were a filly. Which meant... She smiled and picked her scooter helmet off the ground, and clicked on the straps. Scootaloo would have her cutie mark in no time.