//------------------------------//
// Once Upon A Time... 
// Story: Pinkie Tales: Cindershy 
// by Magpiepony 
//------------------------------//

Once Upon A Time…
In a kingdom not so far away there lived a humble widowed merchant and his daughter Cindershy. Cindershy was a kind-hearted filly beloved by her father and all the little animals of the forest near their home. 
As the years passed, Cindershy grew lovelier while her father grew lonelier. Since the passing of Cindershy’s mother, he had sought out a new mare to wed. To his misfortune, he happened upon the Lady Rarity and her two horrid daughters, Piella and Spikina.
“BAHAHAHAHAHA Spike… in a DRESS~! It’s Princess Trixie Sparkle all over agai-- HEY WHO ARE YOU CALLING HORRID?” Piella said.
The merchant married Lady Rarity and introduced her to Cindershy as her new Stepmother. On the surface, Lady Rarity was a poised gentlemare with refined tastes and impeccable manners. However, she spent most of her time doting on her two daughters. Try as she might, Cindershy’s attempts to grow close to her new Stepmother had failed.
One tragic evening Cindershy’s father had grown gravely ill. His faithful daughter stayed close at his bedside caring for him as best she could while his new wife kept her distance. He declared his undying love to his daughter before passing away in her embrace. This angered Lady Rarity and a newly formed hatred for Cindershy had begun to grow in her cold and cruel heart. She seized the family’s fortunes and squandered it on her daughters, forcing Cindershy to be a servant in her own home.
Despite the cruelty of her new step family, Cindershy maintained her kind heart and loving nature. She cooked and cleaned without even uttering a word of complaint and kept a secret hope in her heart that someday this nightmare would end and she would be happy at last.
Early one morning in Cindershy’s tiny attic bedroom three mischievous little mice scampered and scurried around the floor searching for something. When the clock tower tolled the hour, the three mice squeaked in surprise.
“Quick! We gotta hide before she wakes up!” the first little mouse said to the others before the three of them darted into what appeared to be a long pink shawl.
Cindershy had woken from the toll of the clock, but was caught off guard when she felt three little critters bury themselves into her tail.
“Oh my…” she said, lifting her tail with her hooves to see the three little mice dangling from it.
“Great hiding place Whisker Bloom” one of the mice muttered sarcastically.
“How was I supposed to know this was her tail?” Whisker Bloom shot back bitterly.
“Maybe we can jump and make a run for it!” the third mouse suggested.
“H-hold on there, don’t worry little mice, I won’t hurt you.” Cindershy whispered, setting her tail and the mice down on her bed. “I’ve never seen you three here before, my name is Cindershy what is yours?”
“My name’s Whisker Bloom!” 
“I’m Cheesy Belle!”
“Oh so we’re just going to trust this pony who can talk to animals right away, huh?” the third mouse muttered.
“And what about you?” Cindershy asked waiting patiently for the mouse’s answer.
The third mouse sighed and muttered under her breath “I’m… mouse-a-loo”
“That’s not yer name!” Whisker Bloom protested
“Did you forget your own name?” Cheesy Belle asked
“Fine! it’s… Rat-a-loo… BUT I AM NOT A RAT!” Rat-a-loo clarified giving Cindershy a dark glare.
“I think that name is lovely” Cindershy said with a smile. “What brings you three to my attic?”
“We’re the cutie mouse crusaders!” Cheesy Belle said
“And we’re on a quest!” Rat-a-loo added.
“Oh? A quest for what exactly?” Cindershy asked.
“We have no idea!” Whisker Bloom answered cheerfully.
“But we’ll know it when we see it…” said Rat-a-loo.
“Oh, well then you are more than welcome to continue your quest here, though I must warn you my stepmother has a dreadfully awful cat. Perhaps you should keep your quest to the attic.” Cindershy cautioned.
“Or… we could just go to a different house.” Cheesy Belle offered.
“Nah, I like it here!” Whisker Bloom said.
“What kind of quest would it be if we didn’t have to defy a little death now and again?” Rat-a-loo added.
Before Cindershy had the chance to respond, a loud and annoying call could be heard from downstairs
“CINDERSHYYYYYYYY!” Piella shouted.
“CINDERSHYYYYYYY!” Spikina called.
“Oh dear, looks like the others are awake. You three stick close by me, just in case. I have to get breakfast started right away.” Cindershy said, letting the mice climb back into her tail while she busily got dressed.

Cindershy raced down the steps of the attic to begin her daily routine of chores. While she prepared the breakfast as quickly as she could, she had to endure the incessant screams of her impatient stepsisters.
“CINDERSHY! CINDERSHY!”
“Geez… do they ever shut up?” Whisker Bloom asked.
“They’re hurting my ears!” Cheesy Belle added.
“How’d they like it if we screamed at them all morning?” Rat-a-loo offered.
“We don’t know how you can stand it Cindershy” Whisker Bloom said.
“Oh… it… it’s not too bad…”
“CINDERSHY!” Piella and Spikina cried in unison.
“Coming!” Cindershy said racing back up the stairs
“WOAH!” the mice shouted, barely able to cling onto Cindershy’s tail as she hurried up the stairs.
“I’m sorry little friends! But please, don’t let them see you!” Cindershy whispered before pushing the bedroom door open.
“Look who finally showed up!” Piella said crossly. “What were you doing anyway?”
“Just making your breakfast, Piella” Cindershy said meekly as she placed the tray of food on her step sister’s bed. 
“Well you need to be faster, MUCH faster. I like my breakfast hot and ready for me when I wake up is that so much to ask? You make it seem like baking is so hard-- Ooo look pancakes!!” Piella said face-planting into the pancakes. 
The cutie mouse crusaders popped their little heads out of Cindershy’s tail to get a good look at her ungrateful sister.
“What is she wearing?!” Cheesy Belle whispered.
“I’m a mouse, and even I have better table manners than that!” Rat-a-loo said 
“Check out that crazy mane.” Whisker Bloom added with a chuckle
While Piella ate, Cindershy tip-toed towards the door.
“Hey! I wasn’t done yelling at you! … where was I? faster… breakfast… baking! that’s right, baking! I could bake circles around you! It’s not that hard, you know!” Piella shouted.
“Oh yeah? why don’t you try it sometime.” Rat-a-loo muttered faintly.
“I don’t need to try it, I HAVE tried it and I’m much better thank you very much, but I’M not the servant here, I’m the antagonist and that means I have to be impossible and rude.” Piella answered matter-of-factly.
“Huh?” Cindershy asked.
“Wait…” Rat-a-loo whispered.
“What?” Piella replied. “I… mean… uh… LAUNDRY! yes, I have laundry I need done.”
“Of course Piella but um… what needs to be washed?” 
“Isn’t it obvious? my… oh… no that’s clean. Well how about my… hmm… Laundry? I never said Laundry! I said my party cannons need to be… cleaned.”
“Right away.” Cindershy said, slipping out of her sister’s room quietly.
“Did… did you girls hear that? She heard me! from way over there… does this entire house of ponies understand us?” Rat-a-loo said.
“That was… just a coincidence Rat-a-loo, only Cindershy can understand us.” Whisker Bloom pointed out.
“What?! But I JUST heard her--” Rat-a-loo protested.
“Shh! We’re going into the other sister’s room!” Cheesy Belle said. The three little mice ducked back into Cindershy’s tail as she entered the other bedroom.
“It’s about time!” Spikina said crossing her arms.
“I’m sorry for the delay Spikina, I have your breakfast for you.” Cindershy said.
“Wow. that is one UGLY looking pony.” Whisker Bloom said
“Uh huh” the other two mice agreed.
“Those sure are interesting uh… hooves?” Cheesy Belle whispered.
“Check out that tail!” Whisker Bloom snickered. “What do you think Rat-a-loo? Rat-a-loo?”
Whisker Bloom and Cheesy Belle searched around Cindershy’s tail until they heard Rat-a-loo’s shout from inside Spikina’s bedroom.
“I fell out! Wait! DON’T SHUT THE--”
Cindershy shut the door and moved on to the third bedroom. She paused and took in a deep breath. Although her stepmother did not shout at her as her stepsisters had done, it was her wrath that frightened her the most.
“You three best wait for me out here, Opalescence is in there with Stepmother and she’ll spot you for sure.” Cindershy whispered. Whisker Bloom and Cheesy Belle leapt from her tail and raced back towards the second sister’s room.
“We’re comin’ for ya Rat-a-loo!” Whisker Bloom shouted.
Cindershy tapped lightly at her stepmother’s door and gulped.
“Come in.” came the cold reply
“Good morning stepmother.” Cindershy whispered. She passed by Opalescence who snarled and swiped at her with her paw.
“I’m not so sure there’s anything good about it.” Lady Rarity said, examining the food that was placed before her. “Did you remember to finish the sweeping?”
“Yes stepmother, I finished last night before I went to be--”
“Good. today I need you to polish the silver, clean the carpets and the drapes, dust the furniture, clean the sheets and the blankets on the bed, and groom my wittle Opal-wopal.” 
Before Cindershy could give her response she was interrupted by the loud and terrified scream of her stepsister Spikina.
“A RAT! A RAT IN MY ROOM! DISGUSTING LITTLE CREATURE! A RAT! MOTHER!”
Spikina burst into the bedroom and ran up to her mother’s bedside, she pointed a claw at Cindershy accusingly.
“SHE did it mother! SHE brought the little vermin in here! I’ve seen her with all kinds of animals! Punish her!”
“What’s going on? Why wasn’t I invited?! ARE WE SCREAMING? I LOVE SCREAMING!” Piella demanded appearing from the hallway.
From the doorway the four of them could clearly see the little mouse crusaders assisting Rat-a-loo, who it appeared had been through quite an ordeal.
“A rat? A RAT? I’M A MOUSE!” Rat-a-loo said
“Let it go, Rat-a-loo!” Whisker Bloom whispered.
“Vermin!” Lady Rarity screamed she turned to her cat and pointed in their direction. “Get them Opal! Get them all!”
“Oh no!” Cindershy said. “Run little friends!”
The mouse crusaders darted away quick as lightning, Opalescence was not too far behind.
“Oooo you’re in so much trooooooouble” Piella cooed.
“I-I have no idea where they came from” Cindershy whispered.
“Clearly, this place just isn’t clean enough if you’re letting vermin in our house. In addition to your regular chores I expect you to sweep again, wash and scrub every inch of floor, not a crumb of food out of place, not a spec of dust to be found, nothing. Do I make myself clear?” Lady Rarity said sternly. Cindershy hung her head and nodded softly.
“Yes ma’am.”
“Oh and Cindershy, dear?” Lady Rarity added. “If my daughters or I find another creature in this house again by your doing, you’ll go without supper for a week.”
“Ooooooooooooooooooooh snap!” Piella laughed just as her mother used her magic to slam the door on Cindershy.
Hours later, Cindershy was hard at work while the cutie mouse crusaders did what they could to help. It wasn’t difficult for them to outwit Lady Rarity’s cat and they took great pride in their ability to do so. They felt terrible for causing Cindershy so much grief with her awful family so all three offered to help with her chores. 
Sometime that afternoon there was a short knock at the door. Cindershy opened it curiously to find one of the prince’s royal messengers.
The messenger struggled to hold onto her trumpet and blasted it right in Cindershy’s ear.
“HIS MAJESTY THE PRINCE--” 
“You um, don’t have to shout… I can hear you just fine.” Cindershy said hoping that would quiet the messenger before she got a migraine.
“Oops, my bad! Ahem. His majesty the prince invites all eligible mares to attend his royal gala this evening!” she said then handed Cindershy a little envelope with the royal seal.
“A gala? Oh how exciting I must inform my stepmother right away, thank you!”
The messenger smiled and fumbled to pick up her trumpet, flying to the next home where Cindershy could hear her blowing her horn loudly in somepony else’s face.
Cindershy was so elated at the possibility of the gala she didn’t even notice the glares her family gave her when she barged in on their lunch to tell them the news.
“Cindershy! What’s gotten into you? You know not to disturb our meal!” Lady Rarity scolded.
“Yes, stepmother I know I just…”
“Ooo what’s this?” Piella said snatching the invitation from Cindershy’s hoof.
“Let me see!” Spikina objected
“No it’s mine! Give it to me! Hey! Let go of it you CLOD! Give it back! I wanna see it!” 
As the pair of them fought over it, Lady Rarity calmly levitated the invitation from her daughters and read it silently to herself. 
“Oh my! This IS wonderful news, girls? Girls! Stop this bickering at once! it’s a message from the prince!”
“The prince?” Piella and Spikina gasped.
“He’s inviting us to his royal gala this evening!” Lady Rarity announced.
“A PARTY? I LOVE PART-- galas!” Piella said gleefully
“Ooo I’ve always DREAMED of marrying the prince” Spikina said dreamily
“Um… did you read the part on there about all the eligible mares…” Cindershy asked softly.
“Yes, indeed I did.” Lady Rarity answered, setting the invitation on the table gently.
“What?! That can’t be true!” Spikina cried reaching for the invitation. “Mother you can’t let HER go with us!”
“Now now, girls, Cindershy has a point. I’ll tell you what Cindershy, if you can finish all of your chores AND help your sisters get ready… provided you can find something to wear… you may come with us as well.”
“Of course! I will stepmother, thank you thank you!” Cindershy exclaimed happily.
“YAY! I-I mean Booooo” Piella said.
Cindershy’s happiness soon faded however when she realized the length of the chore list she still needed to complete. Every moment she got closer to finishing, her stepsisters demanded her attention in helping them prepare for the gala. The closer the time came, the less cheerful Cindershy became. Therefore, the cutie mouse crusaders took matters into their own paws.
“Cindershy needs our help, crusaders! We have to find a way of getting her to the gala!” Whisker Bloom announced.
“But… how can we do that? We’re just three little mice…” Rat-a-loo said, emphasizing the word ‘mice’.
“Maybe WE can make a dress for her!” Cheesy Belle said.
“Us? Make a… dress? Are you sure about that Cheesy Belle?” Whisker Bloom asked.
“Ah come on Whisker Bloom, how hard can it be? We just gotta use one of her old ones and make it look…” Rat-a-loo said trailing off
“Better!” Cheesy belle finished.
“Yeah, better!”
“Well, alright then if you think so…” Whisker Bloom shrugged.
The crusaders made their way to Cindershy’s meager closet to find nothing but old rags. They looked at them and then back at each other unsure which to ‘beautify.’
“Oh wow… so many choices…” Rat-a-loo said sarcastically.
“How about this one? It doesn’t have as many… holes… as the other ones do.” Whisker Bloom said.
“It’s perfect!” Cheesy Belle said.
“It is?!” the other two answered in shock.
“Yeah! All we need is some ribbon… maybe some lace… sequins…” Cheesy Belle droned on.
“And where in the hay are we supposed to find all that stuff?” Whisker Bloom asked.
“In her stepsisters’ rooms of course! If they can’t be nice to her… they may as well be useful for something.” Cheesy Belle answered. “Well, what do you think?”
“If it means ripping apart some of that ugly pony’s dresses… I’m totally in!” Rat-a-loo said
“Me too!” Whisker Bloom agreed.
“Let’s make a dress she’ll never forget! … and destroy personal property in the process!” Cheesy Belle cheered
“YEAH!” all three said.
By early evening, Cindershy had lost all hope of going to the gala. Even though all the chores had been completed and her family was all ready to go, she knew that she didn’t have time to modify anything from her wardrobe. Her hoofsteps were slow and her ears matted against her head when she finally reached the attic.
Cindershy opened the door and was taken aback when the three mouse crusaders jumped from their hiding places shouting:
“SURPRISE!”
Cindershy gaped at the gown before her, unable to find the words.
“Do you like it?!” Cheesy Belle asked eagerly
“Oh my… um… it’s…” 
“Amazin’?” Whisker Bloom finished.
“Well, I’ve never seen anything like it…” Cindershy said, trying her best not to hurt their little mouse feelings. 
The truth was, the dress was a mess. Ribbons and lace were roughly sewn in awkward places, gemstones were haphazardly placed throughout the dress, and random chunks of fabric were sewn onto it. It was apparent that three very different mice designed three very different dresses and then combined it together to create the horror before her now.
“Try it on! Try it on!” Cheesy Belle rejoiced.
Not wanting to hurt their feelings, Cindershy obliged. She modeled the dress for the three mice; two of whom were overjoyed.
“You’re beautiful!” Cheesy Belle said
“Ready for the gala!” Whisker Bloom added.
“Wow… we REALLY suck as seamstresses.” Rat-a-loo said.
“Oh, it’s not that bad Rat-a-loo, besides it’s the thought that counts” Cindershy said with a smile
“Come on, it’s time to go! Look, the carriage is waiting!” Cheesy Belle urged.
Cindershy looked from the dress to the door. She hesitated, but decided it was worth a try. She hurried down the steps calling out to her step family.
“Wait for me! Please wait!”
Lady Rarity and her daughters were just on their way out when they turned to see Cindershy racing towards them.
“Cindershy, don’t be silly, you couldn’t have had time to make yourself present...able…” Lady Rarity said trailing off. She and her daughters stared unblinking at Cindershy’s dress until Piella broke the silence with laughter.
“BAHAHAHA YOU... YOU LOOK WORSE THAN SPIKINA! And that’s saying something”
“Hey!” Spikina growled
“Does that mean I can’t come?” Cindershy asked.
“I… I don’t even know where to begin darling.” Lady Rarity said
“I think you were better off in the rags” Spikina commented.
“Do… do I rip it up ‘cuz the rats used some of my stuff on it?” Piella asked.
“MICE!” Rat-a-loo shouted from the banister above, alerting Opalescence. “oops…”
“No no… I think that might actually improve it. I think that gown already slaughtered itself, come girls the prince awaits!” Lady Rarity said, she and her two daughters laughed themselves silly as the carriage pulled them away from the house, leaving a broken-hearted Cindershy behind.
Cindershy burst into tears, running from the house to the backyard where she finally collapsed crying on a little stone bench. Moments later she was joined by the cutie mouse crusaders, out of breath from their chase with Opalescence.
“But… I don’t get it! I thought we did a good job!” Whisker Bloom panted.
“Maybe we gave it too much lace…” Cheesy Belle said.
“Or ribbon” Whisker Bloom added.
“Or everything.” Rat-a-loo said.
“It’s not your fault little friends” Cindershy said between sobs, “You were just trying to help me. I guess I’m just not meant to go to the gala, or meet the prince.”
“Now I wouldn’t go thinkin’ that just yet!” An unfamiliar voice said.
Cindershy lifted her head from her hooves and looked around for the source. Much to her amazement, a pony appeared out of thin air before her in a shimmering dress and holding a bright sparkling wand.
“... there are no “appropriate” words to describe how I feel about this here get up. But that’s not the point. Cindershy I have heard your cries and have looked into your heart, because you are so kind and pure I will grant you your heart’s desire.”
“Wait… who are you?” Cindershy asked in awe.
“Oh, right. Why, I am your fairy applemother of course.”
“I didn’t know I had a fairy applemother!”
“Apparently you do!” The fairy applemother said. “Have you thought of what you most desire, Cindershy?”
“Yes! of course!” Cindershy said without hesitation.
“You have but to ask.”
“I want my parents back!”
“You want.. wait WHAT? Woahhhh now hang on a second, I thought you’re supposed to want to go to the gala!”
“But you said what I most desire. I want to see my father again above all else.”
“Well uh… gosh I guess that’s quite the plot hole here… Can we just… pretend that you most desire to go to the gala?”
“I… I suppose. I do want to meet the prince…”
“GREAT! Now, THAT I can do! but before I do, I’m gonna need me some supplies… now let’s see here… Do you got an apple tree here somewhere?”
“Yes, it’s right over there.”
“Good good, go pick one would ya?”
Cindershy didn’t hesitate, she retrieved the apple and held it up to her fairy applemother.
“Go ahead and put that on the ground there and give me some room.”
Cindershy and the crusaders backed away from the apple while her fairy applemother held her wand above it.
“Now there are some words I hafta say… bibbidi… no no, wrong network. Uh… applety bapplety zap!”
Fairy Applemother waved her magic wand and the apple on the ground began to shake and mutate. It grew larger and larger, hollowing itself out and growing all sorts of new features. By the time it was done, the apple had become a marvelous carriage. Cindershy gasped in awe and excitement reaching out her hoof just to make sure it was real. It still resembled an apple and smelled just as sweet as one too. 
“Do ya’ll happen to have any little critters about? What am I talking about, you’re Fl-- Cindershy, of COURSE you have critters nearby. I need some mice…”
“What do you need mice for?” Cindershy asked nervously
“Don’t worry, no harm will come to ‘em.” she reassured her.
“Come on out little friends” Cindershy encouraged.
“With a wave of my magical do-hickey and reciting the magic words I will transform these mice into… wait a minute. I can’t turn ‘em into horses because that’d just be ponies, right? Well shoot… I guess that wasn’t completely thought through. What else can pull ponies… er… how about…”
“Dragons!?” Rat-a-loo suggested excitedly.
“An apple carriage pulled by dragons? Eh. I’ve seen stranger. Dragons it is! Applety Bapplety Zap!”
In a flash of light the mice were transformed into large sleek-looking dragons.
“Wow Cheesy Belle, you look positively terrifyin’!” Whisker Bloom said
“And look at you Whisker Bloom, I’ve never been so scared of you in my life!” Cheesy Belle replied.
“Hey! What about me?! Why didn’t your spell work on me!?” Rat-a-loo objected, still on the ground.
“Cuz I used a spell for mice of course, don’t you worry Rat-a-loo I have just the thing in mind for you!” Fairy Applemother explained.
“But… I AM a mouse!” Rat-a-loo objected
“Applety Bapplety Zap!”
Rat-a-loo opened her eyes slowly, excited and afraid to see what she had become only to find that she hadn’t changed.
“Wait… you didn’t do anything?” Rat-a-loo asked.
“Of course I did! Yer much bigger now! You can be the coachrat… er… coachmouse. Ya know, guide the others and such?”
“THAT’S IT!?” Rataloo objected before she was magicked away to the apple-slice seat on top of the carriage holding the reins for her two newly-dragonified friends.
Now let’s see, I’ve got the carriage and the dragons and the… coach-mouse-thing… what am I forgettin?”
“Um… maybe if you don’t mind…”
“No no, I can remember don’t help me! huh… what was that last thing…”
“It’s not that don’t appreciate the dress the mice made for me but--”
“Oh right! The dress! Maybe I can just clean up the one you’re wear--- WOAH. What uh… what happened to this thing? You live in a house with Rarity and she let you walk out looking like that?!”
“Um… yes?”
“Guess you see something new every day! Alright uh… how about we um… turn it… green? No purple… no uh… what’s in this season? Plaid? Sweet Celestia I made it worse! Uh… maybe we should make it short-- LONGER definitely longer…  uh… shoot, I was NOT cut out for this role… heck, unicorns wouldn’t need no magic stick or silly words…”
“Okay Okay STOP STOP STOP”
“What just happened? Why is everything black and white… and not… moving...P-Pinkie? Pinkie… where did you come fr-- how did you get here!?”
“4th wall. Not important… HERE! I got you this! It’s the design for a dress for Cindershy!”
“fourth… what? Oh hey this does look good. Who drew this?”
“Rarity, duh!”
“But I thought…”
“DON’T QUESTION IT APPLEJACK. I gotta go, it’s almost my turn to dance with the prince *squee* GAHH HE'S JUST SO HANDSOME! Bye!”
“Pinkie?! Where’d she go…”
“Um… are you saying the dress should be pink?” Cindershy asked.
“Uh… nope, looks like it’s supposed to be blue. Alright let’s just go with it. Applety Bapplety Zap!”
The magic surrounded Cindershy and she was lifted off the ground. Moments later she reappeared wearing a beautiful gown with matching glass horseshoes.
“This is beautiful! I’ve never felt so amazing in all my life! Thank you! Oh um… the glass horseshoes are kind of… um… fragile don’t you think?”
“Are you complain’ about this dress too?”
“No! No I… I can make it work, it’s beautiful.”
“Good! Hop on in, Cindershy, your prince awaits! Oh oh oh wait, I forgot to tell ya, you need to be home by the stroke of midnight ‘cuz that’s when all this magic is gonna wear off.”
“Midnight? May I ask why?” Cindershy wondered aloud.
“I don’t know! Ask Piella when you see her, she seems to know all the ins and outs of what’s goin’ on here. For some reason my magic isn’t permanent like unicorn magic, all the more reason why I shouldn’t be playing this part. Anyway, you best be going now!”
“Thank you! Thank you so much!”
“Don’t mention it sugarcube.” Fairy Applemother said as the carriage pulled out of the garden and began its journey to the castle.
“Good. Can I take this here dress thing off now? I shoulda just given her mine!”
Meanwhile, at the royal gala, the prince was about to make his royal appearance. His right-hoof pony, the Grand Duke, made his way to the center of the grand staircase and cleared his throat. the royal trumpets sounded and the gala guests all directed their attention to him.
“My lords and ladies, I am pleased to welcome you here to the prince’s gala! As many of you are aware, the prince has been charged by the king to select his bride from those eligible mares in attendance tonight. At the prince’s request, every mare is to line up around the ballroom and wait her turn to dance. By the gala’s conclusion one lucky mare will be selected as his bride. Without further ado, I introduce you all to this evening’s festivities… the Prince!”
The mares in the crowd gasped and giggled in anticipation as the royal trumpets sounded once again to announce his arrival. After a long moment of silence, all eyes shot back to the Grand Duke in confusion.
“Ahem, His royal majesty… the prince!”
“You forgot awesome - spectular - radical - ific - mazing”came a quiet voice from behind the curtain at the top of the stairs. The Grand Duke sighed.
“His royal majesty, the awesome spectacular radical… something… amazing Prince!”
“AWWWW YEAH!” The Prince burst out from behind the curtain in flight and was met with thunderous cheers from the ponies below.
“HELLO RANDOM FAIRYTALE KINGDOM! IS EVERY PONY READY TO HAVE THE BEST MOST AMAZING GALA EVER?”
More cheers were heard in the great hall as the Grand Duke rolled his eyes.
“Your highness! I’m sure you remember the king’s request to be cordial, kind, and professional this evening? He expressly forbade you to--”
“Aw come on, Dukey, I’m just having a little fun.” Prince Dash said as he walked past a throng of adoring mares. “Hey there, how you doin’. Lookin’ good…”
“I am the Grand Duke, not ‘Dukey.’ Perhaps if we organize each eligible mare in a line we can give each of them time to dance with you before you make your selection…”The Grand Duke offered, following close behind Prince Dash and having to keep other ponies from getting too close. “It’s like I always say, your highness, organization is the key to any successful…”
“Yeah yeah yeah, books and learning and magic and stuff. Tell you what Dukey, you do that and I’m gonna go mingle with those cute mares over there.” Prince Dash said, zipping away from the Grand Duke quick as lightning to cozy up to a pair of mares. “Anypony want to dance with the heir to the throne?”
“But that’s what I’m saying! We must go about this in an orderly fashion or every mare won’t get a chance to…”
“Lighten up old timer, would ya? It’s a gala, go drink some punch, dance, or something. You do dance, don’t you Dukey? I’m sure one of these mares will wanna be swept off her hooves. Don’t worry ‘bout a thing, I’m awesome, I got this.”
As the mares swarmed around the prince, Cindershy had finally reached the gates of the castle. She made her way to the entrance and smiled, taken in by the beauty of the castle ballroom. From not too far away, Prince Dash caught a glimpse of Cindershy as she entered and his mouth fell open.
“Who… is… THAT?”
“I don’t know! You’re the one who said not to take names when the guests arrived, despite my several protests…”
“That was a rhetorical question. Here, take my crown it’s just getting in the way. Oh and uh, take care of these mares for me too, Thanks.” 
Prince Dash’s depature was met with a chorus of disappointed sighs and grumbles and all eyes quickly zeroed in on the Grand Duke looking for an explanation.
“Haha… um… there’s no need to get upset ladies, I’m sure the prince will return very soon…”
Soon?! What do you mean Soon? I want him now! Where did he go? Why do YOU have the crown, you’re not the prince! Tell me where he his! Do you even KNOW who I am?!”
Prince Dash made his way to Cindershy with single-minded determination. He’d never seen a mare so lovely. Once he’d flown to her side, he bowed low before asking,
“May I have this dance?”
Cindershy smiled, honored that a stranger would be so forward with her. Although she still didn’t know where the prince was, she was taken by this stranger and accepted his offer. Cindershy had never learned to dance, but it didn’t seem to stop her from gliding across the ballroom with Prince Dash. 
As the pair of them danced, the other mares could only stare in disappointment, none more so than Lady Rarity and her two daughters.
“Who does she think she is, anyway? She’s being incredibly selfish if you ask me. Other ponies want a turn too!” Spikina muttered.
“Strange… I can’t quite place it, but I feel as if I’ve seen her somewhere before…” Lady Rarity wondered aloud.
“That’s because you have silly! That’s Cindershy!” Piella said.
“Hush Piella mommy’s concentrating. Who could that be?” Lady Rarity said.
“Oh come on, she’s not even wearing a mask! It’s not that hard to tell that’s our sister, Cindershy!” Piella emphasized.
“You’re just jealous that somepony else is dancing with him, you’re making up wild stories for attention like you always do Piella!” Spikina teased.
“Shut up Spikina, you’re stupid.” Piella said.
“Am not! Are too! Am not! Are too!” the siblings bickered.
“QUIET! the both of you! Perhaps the Grand Duke will know who she is, come along you two and PLEASE try not to embarrass me” Lady Rarity said
“Yes mother.” the both replied.
Lady Rarity approached the Grand Duke who looked as if he’d been through an ordeal.
“Excuse me, you there, duke fellow?”
“NOT THE FACE! Oh, please forgive the outburst, Prince Dash had me mitigate a few angry mares and I fear they got the better of me. How is it I can help you?”
“That mare, the one he’s dancing with, who is she?” Lady Rarity asked.
“I have absolutely no idea, madame. I TRIED to get him to be more organized about all this, but would he listen? No! He’d rather call me ‘dukey’ or ‘egghead’ and go galavanting off on another one of his quests to slay some monster or other and I’m left to endure the king’s wrath. is it fair? Most certainly not! I’m a duke, not a babysitter!”
“Someone’s got to know who that is!” Lady Rarity fumed.
Meanwhile, Cindershy and the Prince had danced themselves away from the jealous crowds and into the castle gardens. When they finally looked away from each other Cindershy gasped in delight at the beauty around her.
“I take it you like the garden?” Prince Dash asked.
“Like it? It’s the most exquisite garden I’ve ever seen! Oh, I’d bet you get all kinds of little animals running around.”
“Yeah, you know, if you’re into that sort of thing.” Prince Dash shrugged.
“I am, I really am.” Cindershy said dreamily.
“Cool. Well uh… then you should come here whenever you’d like.” Prince Dash offered.
“Oh how I’d love to. I’d spend all day exploring the flora and fauna of this magical place.”
“You know… there’s this thing I have to do tonight and it’s kinda lame, but after meeting you I think maybe I might have actually made a decision about--”
Prince Dash was cut off suddenly by the chime of the clock tower. 
“Its midnight?!” Cindershy gasped in horror.
“Yeah? So what?” Prince Dash answered.
“Oh no, oh no oh no oh no!” Cindershy exclaimed. “I… I’m sorry but I have to go! I have to go now!”
“But… why?” Prince Dash asked sadly.
“Uh… the… prince! I haven’t met the prince yet and I was so looking forward to that. Um, thank you for a wonderful evening!”
“The prince? but don’t you know that I’m--”
“Goodbye!” Cindershy called, running as fast as she was able in her glass horseshoes.
“Wait!” The prince called after her. He had almost caught up to Cindershy when he was bombarded by all the other hopeful mares asking to dance. “No don’t go!” he cried above the noise. When Cindershy had reached the entrance, Prince Dash panicked and took off in flight so quickly that it knocked over the mares that had been swarming him.
Cindershy knew the handsome stranger wasn’t far behind. She continued running, her heart beating faster with every toll of the clock tower’s bell. She raced down the front steps, but in her haste she had forgotten how fragile her footwear was. She stepped down hard on the stone and one of the glass horseshoes shattered.
“Oh my!” she shouted.
Thinking fast, Cindershy removed the other horseshoe before it too would shatter. From behind her she could hear Prince Dash gaining. She squeaked in fright and continued down the steps.
“Whisker Bloom? Cheesy Belle? Rat-a-loo? Where are you?” Cindershy called out once she had reached the base of the stairs.
“We’re here!” Whisker Bloom said as she and the other mouse crusaders ran up to Cindershy.
“Oh my, you’re mice again! the magic must be wearing off faster than I thought.”
“Come back!” came a frantic cry from behind them.
“Who’s that?” Rat-a-loo asked aloud.
“Nevermind, I can’t let him see me like this. Quickly friends, climb onto my tail we must flee before he sees me…”
“Sees you in what, the dress we made you?” Whisker Bloom asked narrowing her eyes.
“Awww yeah! Show him how pretty you are in that one!” Cheesy Belle said.
“No time!” Cindershy said. She scooped her little mice friends into her hooves and ran along the path back to her home. Moments later Prince Dash had finally made it outside but to his disappointment, the mysterious mare had vanished. The Grand Duke was not far behind, gasping and wheezing for air.
“Your… Highness… what about the… other mares who--”
“Nevermind the other mares, Dukey. I want that mare. The mysterious mare who has stolen my heart. Look! She has left one of her horseshoes behind! It’s a sign!”
“A sign? More like a sign that those shoes were a clear hazard to begin with.” The duke said examining the broken pieces of the other shoe still remaining on the stone steps.
“No matter what it takes, i will find that mare and I will make her my princess!”
“Alright, if you’re sure. What is her name?”
“I don’t know”
“Where does she live?”
“No clue.”
“How about her mane color? Her coat color? THE COLOR OF HER DRESS?”
“That’s funny, I don’t remember”
“... THEN HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO FIND HER?”
“I don’t.”
“But you just said…”
“I expect US to find her! Come with me Dukey, we will scour the kingdom looking for the mare whose hoof fits this glass horseshoe.”
“What?! Are you crazy!? There’s bound to be hundreds of mares with that hoof size in this kingdom!”
“But only one of her” Prince Dash said dreamily.
“Yes but… that doesn’t solve our problem at all!” The Grand Duke objected, then sighed. “Alright, I will have the royal stable hooves get your carriage my lord, and we will set out to find the mare of your dreams… who you only danced with for ten minutes and know nothing about.”
“We leave at dawn!”
“Dawn? why dawn?! She can’t be far from here, sire, and with all the other guests still in a ballroom don’t you think it will be easier to find her if we left now--”
“DAWN, DUKEY!” Prince Dash declared aloud and took to the sky once more, clutching the only remaining clue to his new beloved mare.
“I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS!” The Grand Duke called bitterly after him.
The next morning Prince Dash and the Grand Duke began scouring the kingdom for the mysterious mare. As the Grand Duke had predicted, many mares’ hooves could fit into the glass horseshoe. Those whose hooves did fit were promptly sent to the castle to await Prince Dash’s decision.
“Your Highness, please, we have not slept since the night before the gala, we are tired, we are delirious, you just sent three mares to the castle who had completely different eye colors, I’m beginning to think this is a lost cause.”
“Their eye colors might have been different but they could be my love!” Prince Dash declared.
“One of them was in her eighties, sire!”
Prince Dash gasped in horror at the Duke’s remark. “I do NOT discriminate based on age, Dukey! You should be ashamed of yourself, degrading older mares in such a way.”
“But we’re looking for the mare you danced with last night! I know for a fact she was young, even I could tell you that much!”
“We can rule out some of them later Dukey, for now let’s just go to the next house. Besides, there can’t be THAT many houses in the kingdom, right? We’ve been to like… 40 already!”
“There are 100--”
“Only 100 houses? pfft. we can totally do that.”
“No, your majesty, 100… thousand… houses in your kingdom.”
“Woah… uh… on second thought… this’ll be the last house.” Prince Dash said to which the Duke sighed.
Fortunately for Cindershy that last house that the Prince was going to visit was her own. Unfortunately, however, she would not be able to see him when he arrived as her evil stepmother had cruelly locked her away in her attic before his arrival. She didn’t want Cindershy to have any chance at all of marrying the prince, and was worried that her pretty face would distract from her own two daughters.
Unable to do anything, Cindershy wept in her attic prison while her little mice friends watched sadly from below.
“We’ve got to do SOMETHING!” Cheesy Belle said
“That Prince sure does sound a lot like the handsome stranger that Cindershy danced with last night…” Whisker Bloom pointed out.
“That’s it! The handsome stranger MUST be the prince!” Cheesy Belle exclaimed.
“Yeah? How do you know that? You didn’t see the prince or the handsome stranger.” Rat-a-loo pointed out.
“But don’t you see, girls? We’ve been on a quest for something and never knew what that quest was… maybe our quest is to reunite Cindershy with her love, and the only way to do that is to get the key!” Cheesy Belle said.
“Well… it’s worth a shot!” Whisker Bloom answered.
“I’m in!” Rat-a-loo nodded. “But… what’s the plan?”
“I’ve got one!” Whisker Bloom announced then pulled her friends closer to whisper it to them.
Meanwhile, downstairs the prince and the duke were letting Spikina try on the glass horseshoe.
“I’m telling you sire, the shoe does not fit this one…” The Duke said bitterly.
“Of course it fits! I wore it last night, how could it possibly not fit me this morning!” Spikina declared.
“She has a point, Dukey. Why wouldn’t the shoe fit the next morning?” Prince Dash asked.
“Oh for the love of Celestia, will the next pony please try it on now?” The Duke said impatiently.
While every pony was distracted, the cutie mouse crusaders had made their way down towards the stepmother. They noticed she had hung the key to Cindershy’s room on a hook on the wall. Sadly, the hook was too far to reach.
“Now what?” Cheesy Belle whispered to Whisker Bloom.
“Now we wait for Rat-a-loo to wake up Opalescence. Trust me, Cheesy belle! This is going to work! Just make sure to stand right here under the key.” Whisker Bloom said confidently. 
Not too much longer the pair of mice heard the sound of Rat-a-loo’s screaming and Opalescence chasing. Rat-a-loo did as Whisker Bloom had intended; she provoked Opalescence to chase her around outside before cleverly directing her towards the wall that held the key. When Opalescence jumped to attack her, Rat-a-loo dodged her claws causing opal to crash into the side of the house shaking the key free from the hook inside. Whisker Bloom and Cheesy Belle were ready and caught the key before it hit the ground. Moments later, an exhausted Rat-a-loo joined them still panting for air.
“Did… you… get the… key?” she asked.
“Sure did! Great job Rat-a-loo! Let’s get this to Cindershy quick!” Whisker Bloom said.
“Oh good.” Rat-a-loo said helping the others with the key. “You know what I found out, girls? I can move a lot faster than you two can and I’m a lot stronger too… I wonder why that is.”
“No idea RAT-a-loo.” Cheesy Belle said, straining under the weight of the key.
“It’s like your an entirely different kind of animal.” Whisker Bloom added.
“Huh, that’s weird. Come on, what are we waiting for? Let’s get this key to Cindershy!”
“IT FITS IT FITS IT FITS! THANK YOU HASBRO FOR KEEPING EVERYPONY THE SAME BASIC SHAPE AND SIZE!” Piella exclaimed bouncing around the room wearing the glass horseshoe.
“Be careful with that!” The Grand Duke cautioned as she did so.
“At last! I may have possibly found my beloved!... again! Would you be so kind as to join me at the castle, my dear? Our fairytale ending awaits!” Prince Dash declared.
“Don’t you mean you and about 20 other mares’ fairytale ending?” The Grand Duke asked.
“Oh yes… that… I forgot about that. Well, surely one of them is my beloved. I am sure I can tell them apart once I see them all once more.” Prince Dash said.
“You won’t have to” Lady Rarity said.
“Yeah! The glass horseshoe fits ME! I’m obviously your princess!” Piella exclaimed jumping into Prince Dash’s hooves. “Oh Dashie, we’re going to be together forever and ever and ever!”
“M-my you sure are… a lot more energized than you were last night my love.” Prince Dash pointed out.
“That’s because I always wake up to a nice cup of coffee, puts the bounce right back into my… well… my bounce!”
“Actually, your highness, I was not referring to my daughters.” Lady Rarity said seductively.
“Huh?” Everypony in the room said at once.
“I was referring to me, as it is I, your beloved princess-to-be”
“B-but… mother!”
“Hush child and give me the horseshoe at once!” Lady Rarity said, taking the horseshoe from Piella before she could protest.
“See? The horseshoe so clearly fits me, my love! Whisk me away to our happily ever after!” Lady Rarity cried.
“I’m… pretty sure my love wasn’t a unicorn… in fact, come to think of it, I’m sure she was a pegasus… we did dance in flight after all.” Prince Dash said.
“You’re just remembering that detail NOW?” The Grand Duke asked 
“I flew with magic of course!” Lady Rarity said.
“But I’m your love!” Piella protested.
“No, it’s me!” Spikina insisted.
“No!” a new voice cried. “I am!” Lady Rarity and her daughters gasped when they say Cindershy enter the room. Lady Rarity growled under her breath and realized she was still wearing the glass horseshoe. Thinking fast, she slammed her hoof down on the ground shattering the horseshoe to pieces.
“NO!” the Grand Duke cried. “That was the only REAL clue we had!”
Lady Rarity smiled smugly “You don’t need any more clues, clearly the horseshoe fit me and therefore I must become the princess.”
“You’re wrong” Prince Dash said, approaching Cindershy who blushed fiercely. “I could never forget the face of my one true love”
“You… could… WHAT?!” The Duke shouted.
“I’ve searched all day for you, would you… be my princess?” Prince Dash asked, ignoring the Duke’s outburst.
“I… I don’t know what to say!” Cindershy exclaimed
“SAY YES!” the cutie mouse crusaders whispered from within her tail.
“Is no pony going to point out that the magic wore off on everything else except the shoes?” Rat-a-loo asked
“Shh! Don’t interrupt the love scene!” Piella
“Sh-she… SHE CAN UNDERSTAND US!”
“SHH!” the other mouse crusaders said in unison.
“Yes! Yes of course I will marry you!” Cindershy cried, throwing her hooves around Prince Dash in a hug.
“Nooooooooooooooooooo” Lady Rarity cried.
And so it was that Cindershy’s dreams finally did come true. She was soon wed to the Prince and became a princess, never again having to work for her wicked stepmother and stepsisters. The cutie mouse crusaders had finally accomplished their great quest and decided to live their lives in the castle with Cindershy where they could be pampered and treated like the little heroes that they were. Cindershy’s family eventually apologized for their behavior and begged to be allowed into the castle. After lengthy teachings of kindness, they were finally able to live in the castle alongside Cindershy; whom they accepted as their family.
And so they all lived happily ever after
The End.