The next day came with another big sleep in for Applebloom, very happy her sister who she wasn’t the best of friends with right now wasn’t forcing her to wake up. Even Applejack’s friends knew she was much more dejected and her usual high spirit had been diminished. She almost had to tell them straight away what happened on the last Friday night. Applebloom felt extremely guilty now, but she was stubborn like most of the workmares in the Apple family and wouldn’t give up and apologise so easy. It was ten o clock once Applebloom had woken up, so she quickly scrubbed herself clean, brushed her mane and teeth scrupulously. She remembered Dinky was coming over, and then spotted some perfume on the sink counter, probably Applejack’s. She didn’t mind if Applejack was mad at her right now, so she sprayed a good quarter of sweet smelling candied apple perfume all over every corner of her body.
Since Rarity’s little sister was coming to the farm, Rarity also dropped in for a visit, Rainbow Dash decided to randomly visit too. Applebloom knew Scootaloo would probably be fussing, fanfillying and gushing over Rainbow Dash for most of her visit, but she couldn’t really change the way things turned out. Rainbow Dash also brought her long-time friend Fluttershy, which Applebloom was happy about. Rarity arrived first with Sweetie Bell, the sisters were always polite and early, Rarity never believed in being fashionably late.
“Hey Applebloom! You smell great, what’s that perfume? Why are you wearing perfume?” Sweetie Bell asked a good question as she was the only one out of their group who liked really girlish things like dresses and perfume, something she shared with her sister. “Apple perfume. Ah have a…special visitor.” Applebloom sheepishly replied. “Oh who is it?! Hoity Toity? Hayonce?” Sweetie Bell asked excitedly, not quite getting her point. “No, silly filly! It’s a pony Ah…like.” Applebloom said, blushing slightly. “What, another friend? We’re ponies you like. I don’t’ get it.” Sweetie Bell said, still not picking up the hint. “Pony Ah like? As in, crush?” Applebloom explained carefully. A little light-bulb went off in her head. “Oh! Who’s the lucky colt?” Sweetie Bell assumed. “Uh…you’ll see who the pony is.” Applebloom said, trying to be vague.
The next filly to arrive was Scootaloo, who was so shocked and excited when she saw Rainbow Dash. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! RAINBOW DASH!” She bellowed, pushing past Sweetie Bell and Applebloom. “Well, that was a nice greeting.” Applebloom sarcastically remarked to Sweetie Bell. Rainbow Dash chuckled at her enthusiasm. “Hiya kid.” She ruffled Scootaloo’s hair. “Hi Rainbow Dash! I love your routines and the Sonic Rainboom is so awesome! Can I show you some tricks on my scooter?” Scootaloo babbled at a hundred miles per minute. “Woah, slow down.” Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but laugh at her awestruck face. “Darling, I think Rainbow Dash wants to be with her friends at the moment.” Rarity reminded her. “It’s fine Rarity. Let’s see them tricks Scoots.” Rainbow Dash followed Scootaloo outside to see her scooter tricks, and Sweetie Bell and Applebloom followed, having nothing else to do.
Scootaloo set up her scooter on the usual practicing ground for Applejack’s rodeo practice, backing up a few steps and then going into full speed. She jumped over the first hurdle whilst spinning in the air. “Woah!” Applebloom and Sweetie Bell cheered, and even Rainbow Dash had to gasp at the expert aerodynamics. Then there was a set of two bars, one higher and one lower in quick succession. Scootaloo jumped high in the air, and then did a full body flip over the two poles, timing it just perfect so she cleared both of them. “Yeah Scootaloo! Woo hoo!” The two young fillies cheered, Rainbow Dash clapped at that one. Scootaloo, spurred on by her idol’s approval, came to a triple bar. How is she gonna clear that one? Rainbow Dash wondered to herself.
She got on the scooter again, gaining a lot of momentum before jumping high for the bar, then she jumped off the board and with two perfectly timed and executed full body flips to land back on the scooter just in time, otherwise she would have met with a painful landing on the hard ground. Applebloom and Sweetie Bell were cheering Scootaloo’s name with pride over and over again, and Rainbow Dash yelled “Woo! Yay Scootaloo!” while applauding. Scootaloo beamed, but then remembered there was one more pole to conquer, the quadruple pole. She decided she would wow Rainbow Dash with her most complicated trick she had yet made up. She hoped she’d get it, because not unlike the Sonic Rainboom, it was something very unbelievable but painful and scary if you messed it up. It was her paterned Loop-de-Loop of Death.
Scootaloo gulped, getting the momentum as hard as she could get it in a short space of time, focusing very hard. Rainbow Dash put a hoof over her mouth, realising she was going for a very high four-tier bar. She hoped the hopeful fan filly would be ok. Scootaloo jumped, getting just the right amount of height to clear the four-tier bar. Rainbow Dash gasped. She then immediately jumped off, going into quick body flips which were so fast they created a unique, fluorescent, shining purple light, the colour of her mane. Applebloom and Sweetie Bell tried counting the flips, but the full body flips were getting too fast and by the second bar she had transformed into an orange ball with a purple light not unlike an aura surrounding her. Then she landed on the scooter again, giving a big zoom to the scooter, as it went five times faster almost immediately.
The three watching were shocked, awed by this amazing trick. But that was only the build-up.
The orange ball circled in circles, upwards. It went up and up, slowly building a hurricane formation. Rainbow Dash shook herself, but it was apparent this filly had an amazing speed power that she mistook for a simple trick. When the orange glowing purple hurricane form was finished, the scooter went down the hurricane formation, until…a purple light, faint but shining out of the hurricane shone through. The three witnessing could only gasp. Then…the hurricane imploded! A huge shower of purple and orange flattened out, spreading it’s sea across the town, as the scooter spun at lightning speed. Eventually the scooter spun slower, and slower, and slower, until finally Scootaloo emerged out the ball, panting, dizzy, sweat-beaded and exhausted.
“YAY SCOOTALOO! SCOOT-A-LOO, SCOOT-A-LOO, SCOOT-A-LOO!” The fillies cheered with a lot of volume as they threw the orange filly up and down in the air. Rainbow Dash rushed to the filly. “That was awesome! Where’d you learn that?” Rainbow Dash asked curiously. “Um, I kind of made it up myself when I had nothing to do.” Scootaloo explained shyly. “You made that up? Kid, you just gained your first fan.” Rainbow Dash hugged Scootaloo. “Aw yeah!” Scootaloo shouted. “Hey Applebloom, I saw the purple and orange lights all the way from Cloudsdale! What happened?” A familiar voice piped up from behind them. Applebloom turned around, and there was Dinky.
“Scootaloo here just pulled off an amazing trick. But I think she’s too tired to do it again.” Sweetie Bell explained. “Hey, are you Derpy’s kid?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Yes. Dinky Hooves.” Dinky answered, hoping the blue mare with a rainbow streaked mane wouldn’t make fun, but she just gave a friendly small smile. “Rainbow Dash. I know Derpy, she delivers my mail! She talks about you all the time.” Rainbow Dash said. “Cool.” Dinky replied. “Well, I’m going to go hang out with the other mares now, but thanks for showing me those awesome tricks, Scootaloo. Keep practicing; maybe you should enter the Ponyville Scooter Competition someday!” Rainbow Dash waved as she went back inside.
“Hi again, Dinky!” Sweetie Bell greeted. “Yeah, hey.” Scootaloo mumbled, still not completely sure about this new friend. “Ok, so now that we’re all here, we have a new member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.” Applebloom announced. Dinky gasped, putting her hooves to her face. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS NEW MEMBER YAY!” The four of them bellowed, with Scootaloo being less than enthusiastic. “I have to make you a cape! I’ll bring it to school tomorrow!” Sweetie Bell noted. “Now, what can we do?” Scootaloo wondered out loud, looking around. She spied an orange tabby cat in a tall apple tree. “Oh look, there’s a orange tabby cat in an apple tree. NEW CUTIE MARK CRUSADER TEST, YAY!” Scootaloo bellowed by herself, getting a worried look from Dinky. “Isn’t that tree a little tall?” Said the frightened filly. “Hey, Ah didn’t have to do something that drastic when we started up the Cutie Crusaders Scoo-“ Applebloom’s mouth was plugged by Scootaloo’s hoof so she couldn’t stand up for the new member. “Applebloom doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She had to do the same thing. Now, climb the tree.” Scootaloo ordered.
Dinky’s ears folded back, but she began climbing the tree anyway, her hooves slipped a bit, but as soon as she concentrated, keeping her eyes on the cat, she began powering up the tree. Scootaloo gasped, “Huh?” she said out loud. This Dinky sure was a gutsy filly. Dinky managed to get to the top of the tree, and then she called, “Kitty, kitty, kitty.” as she got there. The cat didn’t respond, so Dinky used her horn to magically levitate the cat to her. “Ok, you passed that part. But now, you have to get down. Hey, ow!” Scootaloo drew her hand out of Applebloom’s mouth when she bit on it.
“Don’t worry Dink! I’ll catch you!” She rushed forward to the side of the tree. “I don’t know Applebloom. What if you don’t catch me?” Dinky cried from the top of the tree. “Ah promise you Ah will! Ah Pinkie Promise! Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye, see?” Applebloom called out. “Ok, I’m gonna jump!” Dinky cried. She saw the height from the tree to the ground, and flinched looking back. “Just trust me, I’ll catch you Sugacube!” The affectionate name slipped out of Applebloom’s mouth. “Sugarcube?” Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo raised an eyebrow at the affectionate name, but Applebloom ignored them, focusing on the task at hand. Dinky counted backwards from three and fell closing her eyes. “AAAAAHHHH!” She screamed, but her falling suddenly stopped.
She realised she was in the arms of Applebloom as she opened her eyes. “You alright Sugacube?” She asked softly. “Well, the cat is safe. I passed your test Scootaloo, how you like me now?” Dinky said with a touch of cockiness.
“You’re kind of brave. I guess.” Scootaloo softened her toughness just a bit. “Thanks, I guess.” Dinky said with more apparent friendliness. Suddenly the cat jumped right out of Dinky’s arms. “Uh oh!” She exclaimed. “Hey, this looks like a job for…” Sweetie Bell started off, “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CAT CAPTURERS AND RESCUERS!” They all bellowed, even Dinky who was beginning to catch on. They chased the cat over the training area, into the expanses of the farm, up the green hills. But they stopped, hobbling over the edge of a cliff on the other side of the hill. “Woah!” They cried, almost falling off of the cliff, but Applebloom gasped as Dinky fell fast. “No! Sugacube!” She cried, running straight down the cliff immediately after her.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell cried out in terror. “Oh no, she’s trying to save Dinky again, and this time if she fails, they’ll both get splattered!” Sweetie Bell squeaked. “Come with me!” Scootaloo announced as she grabbed Sweetie Bell onto her scooter, backing up with lighting speed, letting go of the scooter and pushing forward into the orange ball again as fast as she could, over the edge of the cliff. Sweetie Bell thought quickly and cast a spell to create a soft bed levitating over her head that could catch the two ponies, grabbing tight onto the spinning ball. Meanwhile Applebloom was running madly down the cliff, tripping over herself and falling every few metres but getting back up again and working her workhorse muscles, even through the pain of falling on the cliff. Dinky was falling faster than she was running, so she leapt off the cliff, screaming loudly.
But she reached Dinky and they held hooves spinning around flat in the air. Applebloom and Dinky closed their eyes, each filly hoping their hardest they wouldn’t plunge to the ground. But then--they fell onto a soft bed like object, jolting forward. Applebloom looked to see it was a bed levitating on Sweetie Bell’s head, and Dinky successfully saved the cat, who had it’s arms wrapped around her back and shoulders. “Thanks Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo.” Applebloom grunted through her pain. “Yeah, I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you guys!” Dinky thanked them. “No problem!” The two fillies chorused, although Scootaloo was still in a ball shape, but Sweetie Bell noticed something. “Hey, Scootaloo! Your wings! They’re open! Hey, we’re flying! Woo hoo!” Sweetie Bell cheered, and the two fillies on the bed looked out at their surroundings.
They were flying on a scooter, over the great cliffs, and towards the town of Ponyville. “Woah…” The ponies except for Scootaloo who couldn’t see because she was still a flying ball, awed at the way Ponyville looked from their flying scooter. Everypony looked like ants from the wide, landscape view of the township of Ponyville.
The town got closer and closer, so Sweetie Bell and Dinky quickly worked together to create a wooden plane-like structure around Scootaloo’s wings, combining their powers to make it complete with seatbelts, and safety measures such as extra wings in case Scootaloo’s stopped working. Scootaloo’s scooter plane spun around a few times before unwinding Scootaloo’s power and landing rather gracefully for a flying scooter in the middle of the Ponyville marketplace, where people looked on questionably. When the magic powers stopped, they looked at the fillies huddled together on a scooter even more questionably, wondering how in Equestria they got there.
“Hey, you fillies! You found my cat, Snookums! Oh, how can I ever repay you?” An elderly mare Earth pony coloured pink with a curly pink mane with some grey streaks, and deep purple eyes called out the fillies. She had a party planner’s cutie mark, which was three balloons with the addition of a list on her flank. She liked the organization of parties as well as the parties themselves, organizing all kinds of events when she was still working for the upper class ponies who paid her well for her services. Royal weddings, fancy balls and dances, royal birthdays, and even prom nights across all of Equestria for the higher level teenage ponies had all been frequented and organized by this pink elder mare. “It’s nothing really, although your cat has a very strong will.” Dinky commented. “Hey, you look very familiar. Do you know a pony called Pinkie Pie? Friendly party pony? You look exactly like her!” Applebloom said.
“I know her very well silly fillies. In fact I am related to her.” The pink pony smiled goofily, talking in a low but squeaky girly voice. “How?” Sweetie Bell asked curiously. “I’m her Grams. Granny Pie to Pinkie though.” Granny Pie explained. “Oh, awesome! Do you have any bandages on you by the way? My friend has cut herself up a bit.” Scootaloo mentioned. “Oh, you poor thing. Come to my apartment in Ponyville. I’ll get you fixed up, and we can have a great tea party!” Granny Pie said, glancing at Applebloom who had a number of bruises and cuts. Granny Pie led them back to her temporary place, very swanky for a retired Grandmother. The fillies oohed and aahed at the various amenities she had, such as spacious spas, TVs that took up a whole wall, and waiting butler ponies.
“You like it? Princess Celestia, my old gal pal let me rent this swanky upscale place for a while to repay me for all those wild parties I used to throw for her palace. It was so much fun! But I’m getting off track. Doctor!” Granny Pie clapped her hands and an on demand doctor came to Granny Pie’s service. “At your service Ma’am. Any medical worries?” Doctor Stethoscope, a brown unicorn pony with a Stethoscope cutie mark and brown shoulder length mane with white streaks running through it answered. “Stethoscope, I have here a filly that’s cut herself up a bit. Can you take a look at her?” Granny Pie ordered. “Right away Ma’am. So, what seems to be the problem?” Doctor Stethoscope asked.
“Well, Ah was running down a cliff to save my friend and Ah tripped quite a few times. Don’t think anythings broken though, Ah can still walk, thank Celestia.” Applebloom said.
“Follow me.” Doctor Stethoscope brang her to an examining table. “Ok, while that silly filly gets fixed, how about you join me for my famous Pie recipe cupcakes! I just put some in the oven before going to town!” Granny Pie giggled and practically shoved the girls in the kitchen. The fillies noticed that even though she was old, it was clear she hadn’t and wouldn’t slow down and mature completely. Hopefully, Pinkie would be the same. She took the cupcakes out of the oven. “Help me ice these girls!” Granny Pie spread icing around the table, and rainbow cupcakes too to ice. “Thanks for the cupcakes and everything Granny Pie, but…what are you doing in Ponyville anyway?” Sweetie Bell wondered. “Visiting my favoritest pink party pony granddaughter of course!” Granny Pie replied with a hyperactive bounce. “Granny Pie, is Granny your real first name?” Dinky asked, while busily icing a cupcake. “No! Where’d you get that idea silly filly?” Granny Pie jabbed playfully. “There aren’t any elder ponies where I live.” Dinky replied. “My real first name is Minnie. So my name is really Minnie Pie! But, out of respect people usually call me Granny Pie because of my status as an ol’ grams. They do that with most Grannies in Equestria. Otherwise, there would be an awful lot of old mares called Granny!” Granny Pie explained. “Ok.” Dinky replied.
“By the way, does any one of you know where Pinkie stays?” Granny Pie queried. “I know! My sister is very good friends with her, she lives in the top part of the bakery in Sugarcube Corner.” Sweetie Bell pitched in. “Thanks…” Granny Pie trailed off not knowing her name. “I’m Sweetie Bell. The orange Pegasus is Scootaloo and this grey unicorn is Dinky. The little yellow Earth pony who fell over, her name is Applebloom.” Sweetie Bell introduced. “Applebloom? Is she part of the Apple family, as in Granny Smith’s granddaughter Applebloom?” Granny Pie asked excitedly. “Yeah.” Scootaloo answered.
“Oh my gosh! My bestie Granny Smith! I thought I’d never see her again! She’s my bestest friend in the whole wide world, even closer than me and Celestia are now!” Granny Pie bounced around the kitchen as she babbled on hyperactively. “Ok, ok slow down! Do you want to see her after we finish these cupcakes? Applebloom lives with her; in fact Applebloom is one of her Grandchildren.” Sweetie Bell suggested. “Hay yeah!” Granny Pie agreed enthusiastically and Applebloom emerged a few seconds later with more supporting bandages around the hooves she already hurt on Friday, and a couple on her arms, legs and back in different patches. But she looked noticeably happier. “Ok, let’s get this cupcake party started!” Granny announced, handing a few finished cupcakes to the fillies who devoured the cupcakes, later dancing to some upbeat dance pop music blasting constantly on Granny Pie’s stereo.
About half an hour later they all decided to return, because the older ponies would probably be wondering where they were. When they got there, Dinky stopped them. “I just want to say thank you, for treating me well. I haven’t been treated that good in forever, it puzzles me why you guys haven’t all got cutie marks in friendship yet.” Dinky told them. “Aww…” Sweetie Bell and Applebloom chorused, giving a group hug to Dinky. Scootaloo waited behind them, and then decided “You know what? You’re alright Dinky.” And she gave her a small hug for a few seconds pulling away quickly, even though she didn’t really like that touchy feely stuff all that much.
When they got back to the farm the guardians and other mares were waiting for the littler fillies to come back. “Howdy! We’ve been waiting for you fillies to return. What took you so long?” Applejack wondered. “We were out adventuring. Granny Smith, there’s someone I’d like for you to see.” Applebloom talked just civil to Applejack, but happily to Granny Smith. She pushed Granny Pie in front of the group of fillies.
“Applepie!” Granny Pie cried out Granny Smith’s first name which was used when she was young. “Minnie!” They reconciled over a bear hug and a greeting nuzzle. “So how’s life ‘Pie?” Granny Pie asked Granny Smith. “Great Min’.” She replied and they had a long conversation over in the longue room. “Wow. I didn’t know Granny Smith was friends with Granny Pie.” Rainbow Dash said. “Well, it’s only natural they became friends. They were both friendly silly fillies in their day, and to escape their early hardworking lives, they visited each other from their farms. That’s how Ah know Pinkie.” Applejack explained. “Muwfin, we’ll go. Thanks everyone.” Derpy farewelled. “Bye, and it’s good Derpy. Ah think Dinky here had a great time.” Applejack said, as Derpy and Dinky waved them off while flying back to their Cloudsdale home. “Bye!” Applebloom cried extra loud.**