//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Star Swirl Strikes Again // Story: See Who I Am: A Crusaders' Tale // by SilverMuse //------------------------------// Somewhere nearby, a rooster crowed. Small orange hooves grabbed the pillow and shoved it on top of their owner’s head, muffling the sound. It couldn’t possibly be anywhere near what decent ponies would call morning. The sun hadn’t even cleared the horizon, and her large four-poster bed was just too comfy right now. Scootaloo bolted upright, her eyes frantically scouring the unfamiliar room. Her bed was pink, to begin with – such an un-cool color. The walls were painted green instead of blue, her blankets had apples on them…. Wait. The room suddenly became very familiar and, before she could scramble out of the nest of covers she’d worked herself into, the bedroom door swung open. “Mornin’ sleepyhead!” Applejack called, grinning widely. “You ready for th’ firs’ day of Applebuck Season, Scoots?” “The first day of…” Scootaloo’s voice died in her throat. Why did it not seem strange to Applejack that she was sleeping in Apple Bloom’s room? Also, the first day of Applebuck Season had been yesterday… right? “Yep, firs’ day o’ th’ season!” Applejack trotted over to her bed. “Thought Ah’d give you a few extra minutes since you were so eager t’ help out this season.” The farmpony tousled the filly’s dark pink mane affectionately. “Breakfast’ll be ready lickety-split, so y’ better get movin’!” Scootaloo blinked rapidly as Applejack vanished from the room in a blur of blonde and orange fur. She rubbed her eyes with a hoof, convinced this had to be a dream. What had happened before she’d gone to sleep again? Her eyes widened as her memory came back to her. The spell. But the spell was supposed to-- Frantically, she fought her way out of the blankets surrounding her, falling with a thump onto the floor. Her flank! She twisted her head around to see from her awkward position, her rear still half-swaddled and suspended from the ground. Was it still…? Blank. Her ears folded back as she saw the unblemished, unmarked orange fur that was quickly becoming the most disappointing sight of her young life. She sighed loudly, her head beginning to pound painfully. Apparently spells had uncomfortable side effects, a fact she wished the book had mentioned. How was it even possible for Applejack to be so cheerful so early, spell or not? A loud grumble from her midsection interrupted her thoughts, reminding her of the promise of a breakfast she didn’t have to scrounge for – that somepony was preparing for her. Magenta eyes danced as Scootaloo allowed a wide smile to lift her muzzle. Maybe living as an Apple wouldn’t be so bad. She followed her sensitive nose into the hallway and toward the staircase. Something smelled amazing! No wonder even Pinkie Pie agreed that the Apple Family’s baking and cooking skills were unrivaled. Her small hooves began to descend the staircase, but her eyes were on the wall. Scootaloo perused the photographs she’d never much paid attention to when galloping to and from Apple Bloom’s room. After all, who spent time looking at family portraits when there was crusading to be done? The first picture showed two ponies Scootaloo had never seen in what seemed to be a special section of the orchard. A yellow mare who looked strikingly like Apple Bloom, down to the yellow fur, red mane, and red-orange eyes, smiled gaily out of the frame. She sported a familiar cowpony hat, and a pink bow bound her braided mane. Next to her stood a large stallion with a rusty-colored coat, a sandy mane and vibrant green eyes, a yoke resting upon his shoulders. He had an easy smile, reminding her of Apple Bloom’s big brother. The next picture showed the entire Apple Family at the big reunion she remembered Apple Bloom talking about a while back. Another growl from her stomach urged her to move along before she could look too closely. The last picture near the bottom of the staircase showed just the four Apples of the household. Granny Smith sat in her rocking chair, Big Mac stood stoically as ever in the background, and Applejack smiled proudly in front of him. Apple Bloom was… wait, that couldn’t be right. Apple Bloom wasn’t in the picture – Scootaloo was in her place. The young pegasus couldn’t stop staring at her smiling face in the photograph. She was surrounded by family. She didn’t even realize her mouth was hanging open until a small gnat buzzed into it and tickled her tongue. Spitting and rubbing her muzzle, she finally tore her gaze away. Her brow creased in thought. Something must have gone very wrong with the spell they had cast. “Hey Scootaloo!” Applejack hollered from the dining room. “Are y’ comin’ t’ breakfast by way o’ Vanhoover?” Jolted by the sudden realization that there was breakfast waiting for her on the other side of the wall, the filly scrambled down the last couple stairs and into the dining room. She was greeted with the sight of Big Mac and Applejack sitting at the table, both eyeing her with confusion. “Thought maybe y’ weren’t hungry or somethin’,” Mac rumbled. “Sorry!” Scootaloo apologized. “I’m here now, but I have to ask… where’s Apple Bloom?” “Apple Bloom?” Applejack cocked her head, green eyes suddenly full of concern. “Ah reckon she’s at home. Why d’you ask?” “Well...” The young pegasus suddenly felt uneasy. “She’s your sister and, as nice as it is to be here right now, she should be sitting here.” Applejack exchanged a worried glance with Big Mac, a frown on her face, before focusing on the little filly. “Ah don’ understand what you’re tryin’ t’ say, Scoots. Ah’ve told you that the Sisterhood Social deal was jus’ a one-day thing. You’re our sister. Apple Bloom has Rarity t’ take care o’ her.” She scratched her head with a hoof. “Are you feelin’ sick t’day?” “I don’t feel sick...” Scootaloo tried to explain, trailing off as her mind tried sorting through all of the confusing new information she’d gathered in the last 30 minutes. “Don’ reckon y’ ought t’ be out buckin’ t’day,” Big Mac said firmly. “Ah agree.” The orange mare surveyed the filly closely. “Ah don’t s’pose you got a concussion while you were out crusadin’ the other day?” “No!” the pegasus gasped in exasperation. “I’m fine! I guess I just need to talk to Apple Bloom later.” “Well, you’ve got the perfect chance at the meteor shower t’night - Ah think Ah remember Rainbow Dash sayin’ she’d bring Sweetie Belle, too.” Scootaloo felt her eyes bulge in shock. “Rainbow Dash is bringing Sweetie…” She felt a pang of jealousy that her idol would now be spending time with Sweetie Belle, who was arguably the least cool of the crusaders. She swore her heart stopped beating, however, as she realized that the young unicorn must have woken to her empty house, alone, without food, and extremely confused. “Ah’m thinkin’ we may need t’ call Nurse Redheart in t’day, jus’ t’ be safe.” Scootaloo heard Applejack mutter to Big Mac. “Ah’m a mite worried.” “Eeyup,” Mac agreed. Scootaloo sighed, eyeing her bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal. Whatever it was that had gone wrong, there was no need to try to figure it out on an empty stomach. This evening couldn’t possibly come soon enough. After the filly had cleaned her second bowl of oatmeal, which had been every bit as delicious as the first, she took the dirty dish to the sink and washed it quickly and thoroughly. She put it in the dish rack to dry, not hearing the hoofsteps behind her. “So Ah reckon y’ might need some bedrest t’day, Scoots.” Applejack’s voice still held a note of concern. “O’ course, you can still come t’ the meteor shower - Ah don’ reckon that’ll hurt anythin’.” “Applejack,” Scootaloo begged. “Please don’t make me spend all day in bed! I’ll go crazy! Let me help with apple bucking.” She did her best impression of Apple Bloom’s most irresistible puppy dog eyes, even adding in a lip quiver for good measure. “Don’t think Ah don’t know where you learned that from!” the older mare warned, though her muzzle twitched with the beginning of a smile. Scootaloo held firm, feeling her eyes begin to water from the effort. The farmpony let out a heavy sigh. “Fine.” She gave the pegasus a stern look. “But if’n Ah see anythin’ that makes me think you’re not feelin’ well, it’s straight up t’ bed with ya!” “Deal!” Scootaloo beamed, prancing out the door of the farmhouse. Applejack shook her head and trotted over to the sink where her brother was starting the rest of the dishes. “Mac, you gotta stop teachin’ that filly your bad habits.” The large stallion’s answer was the very same facial expression Scootaloo had just displayed. Unfortunately, it was ruined by the dishtowel his sister threw in his face as she exited the kitchen with a chuckle. ~*~ The bed felt extra soft and comfortable, Apple Bloom remembered thinking as her consciousness drifted in and out of sleep. Her instincts told her that the sun hadn’t risen yet - after all, Apples always rose before the sun. She allowed her mind to dispel the fog of sleep, remembering that Applejack had asked for her help in the orchard today as well. Eyes still closed, the little filly stretched her whole body out with the expectation of feeling like she’d been hit by a wagon after all the hard manual labor she’d done yesterday. Her eyelids popped open as she realized she felt absolutely no pain, no indication that she’d done any work on the farm at all. Bewildered, she looked around her bedroom only to realize that it most certainly was not within the farmhouse. Everything was done up in pinks, blues, and purples - diamond shapes everywhere - and decorated with so much flair that Apple Bloom felt slightly nauseous. The yellow filly crawled out of the too-soft bed, which she made grudgingly, her mind frantically working. Finished making the bed, she put a hoof to her chin. She frowned, realizing that she might have a better idea of what was happening if she actually knew where she was. As she made her way to the door of the bedroom, something clicked in her mind. The spell! That’s what had happened most recently in her memory. But, it had been a spell for Cutie Marks not for… whatever it was that happened. Bracing herself, she turned her head to look at her flank, hoping it showed anything at all - even a turnip would be better than nothing. She sighed as she saw that it was still, unsurprisingly, blank. “Stupid magic,” she muttered under her breath. With a sigh of resignation, she raised a hoof to the door and pushed it open, revealing a small, circular corridor, another door to her left, and a stairway to her right. The same pink and purple diamond theme continued for as far as she could see. Unfortunately, she still wasn’t sure what building she was in - if it was even in Ponyville…. With a decisive nod, she trotted toward the staircase and began to make her way down. Everything in this place was elegant, there was no denying, which also meant that it was probably quite expensive. “Who do Ah know who could possibly enjoy all this?” Apple Bloom mused to herself as she reached the ground level of the building. Her eyes widened as she took in the familiar scene around her and everything suddenly made sense. Ponykins, mirrors everywhere, pedestals, curtains and… dresses. She was at Carousel Boutique. The sound of hoofsteps upstairs caused her ears to twitch, and the filly realized that Rarity must now be awake. Honestly, she wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Before she could decide, however, Rarity waltzed out of her room and began descending the stairs, her mane already perfectly coiffed. She didn’t even notice Apple Bloom standing in the middle of the Boutique in bemusement until she reached the last step. “Oh! Apple Bloom, you’re already awake?” Her azure eyes widened in shock. “O’ course Ah’m already awake!” the yellow filly huffed. “Apples are always up afore the sun!” “You made your bed and everything?” Rarity’s face now held a look of skepticism. Apple Bloom groaned. “Yes!” she cried with exasperation, before the realization hit her. “Wait. Mah bed? Ain’t it Sweetie Belle’s bed? An’ where is she?” The white unicorn turned and walked toward the kitchen after giving a satisfied nod, seeming not to have heard Apple Bloom’s questions. “Well, then I shall begin breakfast for us - it shan’t take long, but you can go give your mane a good brushing in the meantime. A good day can’t happen without a good beginning, after all.” Under her breath, so Rarity wouldn’t hear, Apple Bloom muttered, “For two ponies who ain’t got a thing in common, she’s certainly startin’ t’ sound a lot like Applejack….” “I can’t hear whatever it is you’re muttering, but it is hardly ladylike to speak behind ponies’ backs!” Rarity’s scolding voice floated out of the kitchen. “Ah take that back,” Apple Bloom said to herself as she scrambled up the stairs again to brush her mane. Once she was back in what she now knew was Sweetie Belle’s room, the earth pony looked around a little bit more critically. Everything was extremely tidy - well, except for the bed. Apple Bloom had hastily thrown the comforter back over the mattress, and she could see wrinkles and lumps in it. She shrugged, dismissing the thought that it ruined the feel of the room. She made her way over to the filly-sized vanity opposite of the bed, and picked up a brush. Lazily, she ran it through her hair as she gazed at the other items resting near the mirror. There was an ornate music box on one side, a lifelike pony ballerina on top stuck in an everlasting pirouette. The rest seemed to be porcelain, painstakingly painted swirls and accents standing out in relief. The words “With love from Prance!” were inscribed on a small golden plate at the base. Apple Bloom shook her head, amazed that Sweetie knew anypony who had been to Prance - much less given her such an expensive gift! Her eyes continued to peruse the items in front of her, mostly mane-do supplies, none of them catching her eye until she reached a photograph on the other side of the mirror. The mane brush dropped from her hoof and fell to the floor with a clatter as she stared back at her own face in the picture. She was smiling, held close between a couple of white unicorns. The yellow filly suddenly realized she’d never even met Sweetie Belle’s parents. Could they have been the ones to get her the fancy music box? Is that why they were never around - because they were always traveling? She shook her head in bewilderment as the biggest question of all surfaced. Why was she in the picture instead of Sweetie Belle? Before Apple Bloom could wrap her head around the change she assumed was caused by the spell, she heard a rap on the door. “Knock-knock!” Rarity sang as she pushed the door open. “Breakfast is ready, darling!” Her eyes narrowed as she glanced around the room. “Apple Bloom, you told me you made the bed.” “Ah did.” Apple Bloom frowned, still reeling from the discovery of the photograph. The older unicorn gave as ladylike a snort as the filly imagined could exist. “There are wrinkles everywhere! Once you’ve made the bed properly, you may come down and eat.” She exited the room without further comment. The filly sighed as she trotted over to fix the bed. She needed to meet up with Sweetie and Scootaloo - and fast! She doubted how much time with Rarity she could stand for longer than the usual few hours when she watched over some of their Crusades. After smoothing out as many wrinkles as she could in the two minutes she tried, Apple Bloom made her way back downstairs and into the kitchen. She had to admit that, from the delicious smells wafting in her direction, Rarity must at least be a somewhat accomplished cook. “Ah, there you are,” the unicorn said, as she noticed the filly enter the kitchen. “I made crêpes! There’s some jam and nutella here.” She gestured at each jar on the table as she mentioned them. A blue aura surrounded a glass of juice, and it floated gracefully over to the place setting opposite from Rarity’s. “And there’s your orange juice.” She smiled graciously at the filly. “A good breakfast to get you through until lunch, and then we’ll eat at the meteor shower tonight.” “Uh, thanks,” Apple Bloom said, mentally steeling herself as she sat down. Orange juice was not on the menu for any meal at the Acres. She had been told that it was a fruit rivalry that had begun when her parents had separated, and she’d never questioned it. She reached toward the glass slowly to take a sip of the devil-liquid, and had just begun drawing it close to her muzzle when Rarity interrupted yet again. “Manners, Apple Bloom,” she said lazily, as if correcting such trivial matters was commonplace. “Napkin first.” The filly sighed and she threw the napkin down into her lap. Today was going to be extremely long. ~*~ Dappled light filtered through the curtains on the window and danced on Sweetie Belle’s eyelashes. The filly yawned and stretched out her white hooves, letting the warmth of the sun greet her. Birdsong echoed in her ears and made her smile pleasantly. It was nice to have the birds rouse her rather than Rarity’s ever-humming sewing machine. There was no smell of breakfast in the kitchen or sound of her sister shuffling about downstairs in her office, so either it was so early Rarity had not yet begun her work, or so late that Sweetie Belle had slept through it all. Smacking her lips, she rolled over and let a hoof dangle over the side of the bed. It bumped into something roughly, jarring her from her pleasant slumber. “Ouch!” Sweetie Belle cried and shook out her hoof. She frowned and leaned over to see what she’d hit, only to find a blue scooter sitting on the floor beside her bed. A scooter? What’s a scooter doing in my room? Sweetie Belle slowly pulled back and turned around only to freeze in shock at the sight that met her eyes. This wasn’t her room. Posters of famous pegasi hung on the blue walls around her. Papers lay scattered across a tiny desk shoved in the corner of the room, and a helmet dangled precariously from a peg near the door. A couple action figures lined the shelves, set up in a dramatic battle. It took her a moment to realize where she was because she did not visit this room frequently. What am I doing in Scootaloo’s room? she wondered and furrowed her brow. She jumped out of the green-checkered bed and started to trot out of the room until she noticed a calendar on the wall. The days had been crossed out, and what should have been yesterday, the first day of Apple Buck season, wasn’t crossed off at all. Maybe Scootaloo had forgotten. Maybe, after they’d cast the spell, they’d gotten so tired last night that they’d just decided to stay at Scootaloo’s place. But then why am I in her bed, and where are Scootaloo and Apple Bloom? All thoughts of her friends suddenly slammed to a halt when she remembered why they had cast a spell last night. Sweetie Belle spun in a circle to look at her flank. It remained blank. “Oh, come on!” she cried and slapped a hoof to her face. Sighing, she slowly let it fall back down to the ground. “Well...we tried,” she commented dryly and started to hop down the stairs. “Girls?” she called. She really couldn’t remember what had happened after they’d read the spell. She had been quite tired for certain, but surely she would have recalled walking all the way across town to Scootaloo’s home. It’s really strange, though, she realized. Scootaloo never invites us here. In fact, the first time we actually saw her home was when we apologized for abandoning her while we were practicing for the opening flag ceremony for the Equestria Games. And even then we didn’t stay long! Scootaloo is just so private about this place, but I don’t know why. It’s very pretty. Yet, it didn’t really feel homey. At Sweetie Belle’s place, pictures of her and Rarity, their parents, and other family members lined the walls. Here, there was nothing. Sure, there was the random painting of a flower or a boat, but there was nothing to suggest that a loving family lived here. Scootaloo really didn’t talk about her family much, and Sweetie Belle had naturally assumed that maybe they traveled a lot, just like her parents. Maybe there’s more to it than that, she thought. She looked into the living room and dining room, hoping to find Apple Bloom or Scootaloo but no pony was about. In fact, it appeared as if no pony had actually been in these rooms for...well...years. The living room felt more like a museum than a pleasant place for somepony to live. There was no dust, so somepony had been in here, but the furniture looked otherwise untouched and cold if Sweetie Belle could find the proper term. In fact, the only room that had personality and appeared to have been treated with love was Scootaloo’s room. “Girls?” she called again with a slight tremor in her voice, but still there was no reply. She wandered into the kitchen and looked around but there was very little there. Mice wouldn’t even find a crumbly morsel on the floor because, really, there wasn’t any food that Sweetie Belle could see. She looked in the cupboards but they were as empty as the counter. “That’s strange…” she murmured to herself. Knock, knock Sweetie Belle jumped when she heard the sound at the front door. She closed a cupboard and hesitantly trotted over to it. The peephole was too high so, instead, she slowly opened the door and poked her head around to find Mr. Cake standing in front of her. “Well hello there, Sweetie Belle,” he said pleasantly and with a warm, yet cautious smile. Sweetie Belle opened the door all the way and cocked her head. “Good morning, Mr. Cake.” She would have said more, but she didn’t know why he was there in the first place. Still, she wanted to be polite. “Are you looking for Scootaloo?” Maybe her friend had placed an order. Mr. Cake looked confused for a moment. “Scootaloo? Oh, no, no. She’s probably busy over with her family since it’s the first day of Applebuck Season. I can’t wait for Applejack to bring some of those fresh apples to my door. Ohhh, the turnovers and pies I could make with those!” Mr. Cake rolled his eyes back dreamily. Sweetie Belle blinked in surprise. “But...why would Scootaloo be with the Apples? Where’s Apple Bloom?” Mr. Cake blinked at her in confusion. “With her sister, Rarity, of course.” He leaned forward and reached out to touch her forehead. “Are you feeling okay, Sweetie Belle?” Sweetie Belle stood there in shock, her mouth dropping open so wide it could have caught flies. What does he mean Apple Bloom is Rarity’s sister? I’m Rarity’s sister! What in Equestria is going on?! Sweetie Belle drew back and shook her head, sending her purple and pink tresses flying around her face. “I...don’t understand. Rarity’s my sister.” Sweetie Belle didn’t understand the grief and sympathy that suddenly crossed Mr. Cake’s face. He settled a gentle hoof on her shoulder and smiled. “I’m sure that Apple Bloom and Rarity have taken you in like their own. You’re such a sweet little filly.” He reached back and pulled a pack off of his back and handed it to her with his teeth. “Here,” he said, muffled, and Sweetie Belle was forced to take it. “I brought a little treat for you. I didn’t see you in town today, so I got a bit concerned. You sure you’re feeling all right, there?” “What? I...oh...um. I’m fine,” Sweetie Belle stuttered, though she was most certainly anything but fine. The tall yellow stallion blew a tuft of orange mane out of his face. “Did you want to do some chores for me today?” Chores? How can I think of doing chores when I have to find the girls and figure out what’s going on! What did the spell do? It’s like all of Ponyville has gone crazy! She set the pouch down and shook her head urgently. “I...I actually need to meet with my friends. I think we have to figure something out and….yeah…” Mr. Cake blinked then nodded quickly. “Oh, of course. Well...if you feel like it, you’re welcome to stop over tomorrow morning for some chores.” “Yeah, sure, that’s fine,” Sweetie Belle said absently and backed up a step. “I...need to go,” she whispered. Mr. Cake furrowed his brow but did not protest. Instead, he bowed his head in farewell and walked away. As Sweetie Belle reached out to close the door, she noticed him glance back at her before he trotted off towards Sugarcube Corner. Sweetie Belle turned to the bag next to her and opened it with a tiny flicker of magic. Inside were a few pastries as well as two bits. She stared at the small treasure and looked back at the window, not understanding in the slightest what was going on. Something had gone very wrong with the spell last night, and she didn’t know what. I know Twilight had a bad time when she used one of Star Swirl’s other spells, but that one hadn’t been completed; this one was. So what happened? She had to find Apple Bloom and Scootaloo fast! Sweetie Belle made to leave, but her stomach suddenly rumbled loudly. She frowned and looked back at the cherry pastry. Quickly, she grabbed it and gobbled it up in two bites before she ran out the door. She trotted for her actual home first, hoping that Rarity might recognize her. It was the best thing she could think to do. And if Rarity didn’t recognize her, then maybe Apple Bloom could help. The trip to her real home wasn’t far, but as she neared it, she noticed a few ponies waved at her cheerfully as she passed...more cheerfully than usual. They seemed very warm and welcoming to her, which surprised her a little since she didn’t know some of them. Had Scootaloo somehow become acquainted with them? Sweetie Belle shrugged and turned down the road. Something zoomed over her head and she skidded to a halt as a blue pegasus with a multi-colored mane descended in front of her. “R-Rainbow Dash?” Sweetie Belle asked in surprise. “Hey, Squirt!” Rainbow Dash called in greeting and touched down. “Are you ready for the meteor shower tonight? You’ll be there, right?” “The meteor shower?” Sweetie Belle asked in surprise. So it really was the same day… “Oh, I...don’t know. I need to find Apple Bloom and Scootaloo and-” “Well, they’ll be at the meteor shower too, goofy,” Rainbow Dash replied with a smirk. She poked Sweetie Belle gently in the chest. “I was going to train some of the young fliers from your school. I don’t think I have to ask if you want to come along,” she said with a wink. Sweetie Belle looked over her shoulder at her home. “I don’t think I should. I really-” “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed and put her hooves on her hips. “What’s gotten into you, Sweetie? You’ve been begging to come watch me for weeks, and now you’re suddenly gonna bail? What’s gotten into you?” “I don’t know!” Sweetie Belle squeaked in distress. “I woke up this morning in Scootaloo’s room and then...then...Mr. Cake told me that Apple Bloom is Rarity’s sister instead of me, and that Scootaloo’s living with the Apple family, and all we wanted to do was get our cutie marks, and then he asked me if I wanted to do chores, and then you’re begging me to go to training session and I..I...I...justdon’tknowwhat’sgoingon!” she whimpered, her words gushing out of her mouth like a fountain. Rainbow Dash blinked her magenta eyes once, twice, and a third time before she sat back on her haunches. “Uh...okay...so...when did you hit your head?” she asked with a half smile as if a joke would fix everything. “Sweetie, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you aren’t Rarity’s sister, and Scoot’s with her family so...Yeah.” She rubbed the back of her rainbow mane. “You want to go get a check up or something? Maybe you’re coming down with something.” “No, I’m not!” Sweetie Belle cried then hung her head. No pony was going to believe her...they all thought she was crazy, and if she went to the hospital, she might not get out to see her friends for quite some time. She lifted her eyes and saw the concern on Rainbow Dash’s face, a concern that had mirrored Mr. Cake’s. Uttering a sigh, Sweetie Belle mustered her bravery and sat up a little taller. “Okay...I’ll go with you,” she said. “Well don’t sound too excited,” Rainbow Dash replied with a roll of her eyes. She reached out and scooped Sweetie Belle into her arms. “Wh-what are you doing?” Sweetie Belle gasped. Rainbow Dash plopped the filly on her blue back and glanced over her shoulder. “What do you think? Flying, silly. By Celestia, you must have really hit your head or somethin’. Hang on!” Rainbow Dash shot from the ground like a bullet. Sweetie Belle squealed in fright and wrapped her hooves around Rainbow Dash’s neck tightly, though not enough to strangle her. She buried her head into the pony’s mane and just prayed they’d actually make it to the ground in one piece. Sweetie Belle had never been so scared of heights in all her life. I hope Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are having better luck than I am!