//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 New Friends // Story: Such A New Place // by ILIKEBOOKS //------------------------------// Dim Sum, Spike and Twilight walked along the gravel trail. Dim Sum noticed that ponies were staring. Blood rushed to her cheeks making her face look slightly violet. She covered her face with her tail and averted her gaze. Spike noticed and tapped her shoulder. "Are you okay Dim Sum?" He asked. She closed her eyes and hugged her tail tighter. "Everypony is looking at me." "It's okay Dim Sum, nopony is judging you. They're just surprised to see another dragon besides Spike in town," Twilight said trying her best to sound motherly an act that she wasn't very experienced in. "Yeah, Twilights right you just gotta get used to the town," he put a finger on his chin and grinned "I think I know just the fillies to make you feel at home," Spike cupped his hands around Twilights ear, he whispered something to Twilight which made her crack a smile. "That's a great idea," she placed a wing on Dim Sum's shoulder. "Spikes going to take you to meet some friends," Twilight said softly. "They're nice fillies I'm sure you'll have alot of fun." "O-okay," she flinched when Spike grabbed her hand, her cheeks began to feel hot again. "Come on Dim Sum this'll be great," Spike said enthusiastically. Dim Sum nodded and began to walk with him. Three fillies sat in a small treehouse pondering on what crazy stunt they'll attempt to try to get their cutiemarks. Unfortunately they are yet to realize their own talents that everypony knew but somehow they were oblivious to it. Scootaloo threw a ball against a wall and caught it just to throw it again. Sweetie Belle was drawing in a notebook and Apple Bloom was looking over a long list which compiled a multitude of various activities which could possibly lead to their calling in life. "Scuba ponies?" Apple Bloom asked. "We did that last week, plus we're banned from ever going back anyways" "That poor instructor," Sweetiebelle said. "How was I supposed to know the difference between helium and oxygen?" Scootaloo asked. "It doesn't matter, he won't touch water again, ah also learned alot of swear words" "Yeah I didn't know their was more than two words for a mare's private parts." Scootaloo said. "Anyway, how about parachuting?" "Parachuting? I think we did that a few weeks ago" Scootaloo blew her mane out of her face. "Is there anything we can do to get our cutiemarks? Apple Bloom sighed "Nothing really comes to mind" "How about rope swinging?" Sweetie Belle said. Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. "That sounds too dangerous, especially for you Sweetie Belle, heck you might even drown," "I guess so," Sweetie Belle put her face on the table and groaned. "I don't know what we could do," her ear raised when she heard a knock on the clubhouse door. "Who could that be?" Apple Bloom walked towards the door and opened it. Infront of her was a familiar face. "Hiya Spike whaddya need?" She asked. "Well I have a new friend and I was hoping you would make her feel a bit more comfortable." "Of course we love making new friends right crusaders?" "Yeah!" The pair said together. "So who's your new friend?" Sweetie Belle asked. Spike stepped through the door and behind him was Dim Sum. The girls stared at her. Dim Sum's cheeks began to turn red. "So you're a dragon like Spike," Apple Bloom said, Dim Sum nodded. "Wow you're beautiful" Sweetie said while admiring Dim Sum's shiny scales. "Do you really think so?" Dim Sum asked. The three fillies nodded. "Th-thank you," Dim Sum felt warm and happy inside which made her flutter her wings. "Wow you have wings!" Scootaloo put a hoof on them, "Why don't you have wings Spike?' "I don't really now why, I just don't" he shrugged, "I'm fine with walking anyways" "That's lame," Sweetie Belle punched her shoulder. "I mean uhh." "It's fine," he cleared his throat "So what were you girls doing?" "Right now nothing, just trying to find someway to get our cutiemarks," Apple Bloom groaned. "Well we got no ideas" "You girls still hung up on that?" Spike asked. "You don't understand, do you have any idea how it feels to not know what your destiny is in life?" "Of course Dim Sum and I are dragons we can never get our cutiemarks. But you know what? It doesn't matter, all it means we can't get tied down to one talent. We can be more than well a one trick pony," Spike said smiling at his new friend. "Wow we never thought of it that way," Apple Bloom hugged her friends. "Without our cutiemarks we can become anything we want to be" she flashed a toothy grin. "You're right, thanks Spike" Scootaloo put her helmet on. "You know instead of staying here thinking about stuff, let's do something fun." "Ooh let's go to pond I wanna go swimming!" Sweetie Belle said. The three fillies walked out. "That sounds fun," Spike glanced over his shoulder at Dim Sum. "You coming or what?" "Um yes," she walked out of the clubhouse. Spike hopped down and Dim Sum lowered herself with her wings. "This is going to be so cool!," Scootaloo put her front legs on her handle bars. "Well let's get going!" Scootaloo sped off leaving her friends in a cloud of dust. "That filly I tell ya, everything's a race" Apple Bloom giggled. "Well come on I don't wanna be the last one there!" She began running. Sweetie Belle groaned. "Why can't we ever walk!" She yelled as she ran after them. Dim Sum turned towards Spike and he just shrugged. She started running as well. Spike grinned. "Well I think I'm doing a pretty good job so far." He ran after her laughing as he ran. Twilight stepped into Dim Sum's room. Last night she and Spike cleaned it out and decorated it specifically for Dim Sum. She carried Dim Sum's suitcase and placed it on the bed. Despite Twilight not wanting to invade Dim Sum's privacy something was eating at her. She just had to see what was in the suitcase. Her horn lit up and her magic covered over the suitcase's latches. In two clicks the suitcase opened. Inside of the suitcase there was an assortment of items ranging from recipes to small origami swans. The item which really caught her eye was a picture frame. The picture had Dim Sum with one eye winking and her hand doing a peace sign. She was smiling and next to her was a blue stallion with black hair and brown eyes. Both of them appeared to be happy but the stallion's eyes told a different tale. The stallion looked old and weathered. His smile was merely a facade. Twilight saw these eyes before, they're the eyes of a pony who doesn't have long on this world. Twilight cheeks became wet with tears. She remembered where she had seen it before. It was her grandfather's eyes before he had succumbed to old age and passed away in a hospital bed. Twilight realized why Dim Sum moved here, it was to get away from a place where she would remember the pain of losing a love one. Twilight placed the picture back in the suitcase. She sat down and quietly sobbed. "Poor Dim Sum," she wiped her eyes. "I'll be the best mother I can be," She stared at the suitcase. "I promise"