“And that, students, is why Ponyville has had the same Mayor for forty years,” Cheerilee finished her presentation with a flick of her hoof, closing the heavy book and waking every sleepy student in an abrupt manner.
“Well class, that is all for the week,” the teacher smiled as a colt in the back row rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “I hope that you have a good weekend.”
The air was soon filled with the chatter of several fillies and colts who were anxious to get back home. “Now now, kids,” she walked towards the door and opened it before continuing, “remember that on Monday you have to give a short presentation on your favourite heroes,” she said before leaving the room.
Everypony in the room groaned in protest at the prospect of a ruined weekend, except for a particular group of fillies, who promptly gathered their bags and left the schoolhouse
“This assignment sure seems like it could be fun,” Apple Bloom said, trotting happily off the porch of the building.
A frown formed on Scootaloo’s face “At least seems more fun than the last one." She shuddered before following her friend.
“I liked the last one,” came the squeaky voice of Sweetie Belle behind them.
“Of course you would, we just had to sit for hours taking care of that caterpillar,” answered the little pegasus, “I think my brain turned off for the three days we had it.”
“But we managed to see it turn into a butterfly!” reprimanded the unicorn in a happy voice “Didn’t you like it when she flew off?”
“That I did like,” Scootaloo smirked before continuing. “seeing her go away was nice.”
“See? That’s what I— Hey!” Sweetie Belle scrunched her face and was about to talk again when she was interrupted.
“Girls, enough with the butterfly!” Apple Bloom stepped between them to prevent a fight. “Cheerilee got mad at us because we were supposed to bring it back.” She glanced aside in embarrassment “Miss Fluttershy nearly had a heart attack when she found out that it had gone missing.”
“Yeah…” said Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle in unison.
“That’s why we must make sure that Monday’s presentation is amazing!” she said as she continued to walk down the dirt path. “We can’t let her be disappointed with us again.”
“Do you know who you’re going to talk about?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“Who else?” Scootaloo put a hoof on her chest and batted her wings with enough strength to raise her on the air for a few seconds. “Rainbow Dash, of course! The most awesomest pony in the history of Equestria!”
The girls giggled at her friend’s reaction. They knew she was going to choose Rainbow Dash, she had always admired the pegasus for as long as any of them could remember.
“How about you Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo asked after a moment of silence.
“Not yet, but I think I can decide on someone today, there’s still time, after all.” she answered. “What about you, Apple Bloom?”
“I’m not entirely sure either, but I was thinking about—” her answer was interrupted by an laughter they all recognised. The trio then turned around to see the familiar faces of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon coming their way.
“Well, I know who my presentation is going to be about.” Diamond Tiara said with disdain as they got closer to the Crusaders. “Who else but my daddy.”
“Uh… Good for you?” ventured Apple Bloom.
“Are you doing that just because Miss Cheerilee said you couldn’t make the presentation about yourself?” asked Sweetie Belle.
Diamond Tiara ignored them and continued. “Yes, my dad, the best and smartest businesspony in all of Ponyville.
The crusaders smiled and backed away slowly, only to be startled by Silver Spoon’s voice.
“It sure is nice to have such a good influence in one’s life, wouldn’t you agree?” said the gray filly with a smirk on her face. The duo then proceeded to circle around the fillies.
“I guess so?” Said Sweetie Belle with unease.
“Where are you getting at!?” Scootaloo jumped in front of them and glared at them.
Diamond Tiara recoiled slightly at the bluntness of the pegasus, but went back to her usual self almost immediately. “Oh, why should there be a hidden motive to what we do?” she asked in an innocent tone.
Sweetie Belle raised a hoof “Because there always is one?”
“Well, not this time.” Diamond Tiara turned around and walked away with Silver Spoon close behind. “I just wanted to share that with you.” They both giggled before Diamond Tiara continued. “And that you shouldn’t bother with your presentations.”
Both of them walked away before turning once again and yelling “Blank flanks!” before leaving while laughing.
“Is it just me or their teasing has been getting lamer?” asked Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle nodded and started walking, “Yeah, who is Silver Spoon going to talk about?”
“Just ignore them, girls.” Apple Bloom replied cheerfully “Our presentations are going to be amazing!”
“Our presentations are going to be a disaster!” Apple Bloom cried as she opened the door to the Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse.
“Don’t say that, Apple Bloom.” Sweetie Belle said, following her friend. “Miss Twilight gave us a lot of info on famous ponies from history.”
“Yeah!” Scootaloo tumbled into the the Clubhouse, pulling a bag full of books. “But those are ponies Ms. Twilight admires.” She kept pulling but the bag got caught in the doorframe, causing it to fall down, scattering the books, and sending Scootaloo flying away towards the opposite wall.
“I know what you’re saying, Scoots,” Sweetie Belle said as she helped her friend stand up. “It’s nice knowing about all the things that Starswirl made for magic, and how Cotton Cloud revolutionized cloud… making, or whatever.” She absentmindedly grabbed one of the books lying around the floor. “It sure is good to know that, but I don’t really admire them.”
Apple Bloom walked towards the window and looked through it “They sound like cool ponies, but I don’t really...” She moved her hooves in the air “consider them my heroes.”
“I know right?” Scootaloo cleaned the dust off her body. “That’s why I’m making my presentation on the most awesome pony alive! Rainbo—” she was suddenly interrupted by Apple Bloom, who was still looking though the window.
“Y’know? I think Diamond Tiara was right about what she said yesterday.”
“Uh… I think I misheard you there, ‘Bloom,” Scootaloo said with some concern in her voice.
“Yeah, I don’t think I can be a good substitute for a squeaky toy,” Sweetie Belle said as she looked down and softly kicked a book with her front hoof.
“Not that,” said Apple Bloom as she turned around “she said she would make her presentation about her dad!” she finished enthusiastically.
“So, you’re saying we should make a presentation…” Scootaloo said “About Mr. Filthy?”
Apple Bloom slammed her face against her hoof. “No, not that.” She then went to a shelf and grabbed a picture of her family at the last Apple Family Reunion. “She said she’d be doing the presentation about her dad, and really it makes sense.”
The other two crusaders looked at each other before looking back at Apple Bloom.
“Of course Diamond Tiara would admire her dad, he’s got a big business and he’s rich,” Apple Bloom looked at her photo before continuing. “He can give her daughter everything she wants, why wouldn’t Diamond Tiara look up to him and consider him her hero?”
“Ok, I guess I can see that,” Scootaloo said “but how does that apply to us?”
“Well, that’s easy.” Applebloom traced the faces on the picture with her hoof. “We were so focused on thinking about famous ponies that we forgot about our closest heroes.”
Her friends looked at her expectantly, “Our family!”
Sweetie Belle brightened at Apple Bloom’s words, but Scootaloo blew a raspberry and sat on her haunches.
“That’s great!” chimed Sweetie Belle. “I can make my presentation about Rarity!”
“Really? Rarity?” asked Scootaloo. “She’s your hero?”
“Of course!” she said as she jumped in excitement. “She may often be busy with her dresses, but she does her best to make time so we can spend it doing things together.”
Scootaloo looked down and rubbed her foreleg with her hoof as Sweetie Belle continued.
“And even though I may make messes every now and then, or do things I shouldn’t do, she’s always willing to forgive me and give me another chance.” Sweetie Belle’s smile grew as she spoke, and she closed her eyes as she remembered the times she had spent with her sister. “She is strong and sure of herself, but she is also very kind and gentle.”
Sweetie Belle looked at her friends. “That’s why Rarity is my hero.”
“I guess she is pretty cool, huh?” Scootaloo said softly.
“Oh! And she took over a den of Diamond Dogs on her own,” the little filly said with a smile.
“Yeah, there’s that too,” Apple Bloom chuckled.
“How about you, Apple Bloom?” the pegasus asked her “Will you make the presentation about Granny Smith again?”
“Nnope” the youngest Apple said matter-of-factly. “I did consider it, but I think my real heroes are Applejack and Big Mac”
Scootaloo remained silent, so Sweetie Belle made a question. “Why them?”
“They always worked in the farm since they were very young, y'know. They… kinda had to.” Apple Bloom’s shoulders sagged for a second, but she quickly regained her composure and kept talking. “They didn’t have a lot of time for fun and games when they were young, and now they work really hard so I can have what they didn’t.”
Scootaloo looked at her friend with sad eyes.
“Sure, I’d like to help them in the farm more, but I understand the sacrifice they do for me,” Apple Bloom looked up at the other crusaders, “That’s why they are my heroes,” She finished with a smile.
“Awww, that’s so nice, Apple Bloom,” cooed Sweetie Belle.
“Then it’s settled?” Apple Bloom said as she left the picture on a nearby table. “I’ll do a presentation on my brother and sister, Sweetie Belle will do hers about Rarity, and you’ll do yours for Rainbow Dash, right Scoots?”
“Actually, I think I won’t.” Scootaloo said.
Time came to a sudden stop in the clubhouse, the little unicorn and the little earth pony stood with open jaws; none of them dared to move or say anything.
“Uh… Could you repeat that, Scoots?” asked Sweetie Belle.
Scootaloo gave a heavy sigh before answering. “I said… I think I won’t make my presentation about Rainbow Dash.”
“B-but you admire Rainbow Dash!” exclaimed a thoroughly surprised Sweetie Belle.
“Yeah!” added Apple Bloom “You’ve always looked up to her.”
Scootaloo stood up and walked towards the picture of the Apple Family. “I do admire her,” she chuckled “ who wouldn’t? She’s the greatest pegasus alive.”
“Then, what changed?” Sweetie Belle asked her.
Scootaloo remained in silence for a while, looking at the picture.
“My parents are always working, and they return very late into the night,” she started, “I can only spend time with them on the weekends, and even then they’re very tired from their week.”
Scootaloo put down the photo and looked through the window, her friends didn’t know how to react. The pegasus seldomly talked about her parents.
“But even then they always try to be cheerful, and spend as much time as they can with me on their days off.” She placed her hoof on the window before continuing. “They always ask me how I did in school, and what did I do to get my cutie mark that day.”
A sniffle was heard.
“They don’t really have time to give me flight lessons, but my mom promised me that once they had vacation time, they’d spend all their time teaching me how to.”
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom slowly stepped towards their friend.
“And a couple of years ago,” she continued “my dad b-bought me my scooter.” Scootaloo felt hooves rest on her shoulders. “He said told me to use it to practice my moves... and t-to strengthen my wings.”
“My parents really have done a lot for me, despite always being busy,” A tear made its way down Scootaloo face as she kept talking. “I guess I’m happy to know they love me.”
“Scoots…” Apple Bloom said. Soon after, the three little fillies joined in an embrace, and let the silence speak amongst quiet sobs and tears.
Soon, the day came to an end, and the three little fillies went home, knowing that coming Monday, they would all go to school with their heads held high. And would talk to their classmates about those who they admired.