To Be Magical

by Lux

Challenge

Chapter 9 – Challenge

The rest of the day in school went without much fanfare. It was still the same routine of lessons, projects, and a few quizzes thrown into the mix. But something did change. Sweetie Belle felt an overwhelming sense of confidence of what she had done in class during Show and Tell. She had proven to herself, Miss Cheerilee, her friends, and all the other classmates that she wasn’t some silly blank flank who couldn’t do magic. She was now powerful and important, and she liked that feeling. The fact that Diamond Tiara didn’t say a word to her other than a grumble every time the white unicorn looked at the pony was an added bonus. Sweetie wasn’t a pony to gloat on any of her skills though and just kept the feelings of success to herself letting her new success with magic speak for itself.

During recess though, her classmates who saw what she had done in the morning asked Sweetie Belle to perform a few more magic tricks which the white unicorn was happy to do so. She began to try and juggle a few small items like some stones and leaves. She even played with a red ball along with some other foals, using her telekinesis to move. All the while Diamond Tiara looked like a tea kettle ready to explode. How could a worthless blank flank filly get the best of her? Then the spoiled pink earth pony got an idea to try and make Sweetie Belle the failure again.

At last the school day ended as the three Cutie Mark Crusaders made their way out of the school. Sweetie Belle was absolutely beaming with pride at the reception her class gave her. Gone were the days that she felt like this insignificant pony. She was now powerful and that power felt good. Deep in her mind, she felt a growing urge to do more than just practice her telekinesis that she wanted to learn more spells. She knew what Twilight Sparkle said about not learning the more advanced spells without the Princess’s permission and that being a good spell caster required practice of the basic. Yet that small voice that wanted to learn and do more wasn’t easily silenced and actually the more she did the louder it grew.

“That was so awesome,” Scootaloo said speaking to the white unicorn.

“Yeah, Ah’m really happy for you,” Apple Bloom replied, “You really gave quite a show for the class. Why, even Miss Cheerilee was amazed!”

“Thanks girls,” Sweetie said feeling even happier that her friends acknowledged her progress, “I’m a little tired after doing all that magic, but I’ll be better with practice.”

“So what’s next?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yeah, what new spells are you going to learn?” Scootaloo replied.

“Gee I don’t know,” Sweetie said thinking about where she wanted to do. The desire to try another spell grew stronger in her mind, driven by that one word: more.

“Congratulations Sweetie Belle,” a familiar voice was heard behind the three. The Cutie Mark Crusaders turned to see Diamond Tiara standing there smiling like a cat that ate a canary.

“What do you want?” Apple Bloom said defending her friend and fellow Crusader.

“Yeah, if you think you’re going to upset Sweetie Belle again you got another thing coming,” Scootaloo said, ready for a fight with the proud pink earth pony.

“Well, if you two lame brain ponies must know, I’m not trying to upset her. In fact I came over to congratulate Sweetie Belle.”
“For what?” the white unicorn said, confused that her archrival was being somehow nice, or at least nicer than normal.

“For your magic of course,” Diamond said, “I didn’t think you had it in you but you were inspired by what I said a few days ago and learned magic. You should be thanking me for that.”

“Inspired,” Scootaloo said angrily, “You made fun of her in front of the whole class!”

“Yeah, why should she thank you?” Apple Bloom replied.

“I wasn’t talking to you was I,” Diamond Tiara growled at the two other Crusaders before adjusting her face into the sweet smile, “In any case, you proved me wrong Sweetie. In fact you have done something that I will never be able to do. So, congratulations again.”

“So you came here to actually congratulate me?” Sweetie Belle asked utterly confused as she turned to her friends to see if she really was hearing what they heard. The other two fillies seemed just as confused as the unicorn, but at least Sweetie wasn’t imagining it.

“Ugh, you still think this is a lie,” Diamond said wondering how a pony could be so dense, “Listen to me, I am congratulating you Sweetie belle. Don’t read into this like one of your books you always are seen with your nose in.”

The stuck up filly paused slightly before saying, “There is something else I wanted to ask you though.”

“What’s that?” Sweetie Belle said nervously as her friends stood by her hoping that the filly wasn’t opening herself up to more bullying.

“What spell are you planning on doing next?” Diamond Tiara said, “You know, with your magic? I heard you and your friends talking about it as you left the school. Inquiring minds must know.”

Sweetie Belle paused to analyze the question. There didn’t seem to be any malice involved, just a simple question that was on the white filly’s mind as was on the other Crusaders. Finally she replied saying, “Gee I don’t know. I’ve only been practicing for a while.”

“Let me give you a little free advice, and don’t say that I never helped you,” Diamond Tiara said, “If there’s one thing I know, it’s about trends. I’m sure you know what those are since your sister is Rarity, right?”

“Of course I do,” Sweetie Belle said, “It’s when something is really popular for a short time and then becomes unpopular when something else becomes popular. Rarity always is checking new trends and talking about making new fashions to start a trend or fit with a current trend.”

“Good,” Diamond Tiara said, “I can see your sister taught you well. But trends don’t just deal with fashion or some lame toy. It can deal with ponies too, especially their skills.”

“What do you mean by ponies being trends?” Sweetie Belle said.

“Well, take your sister,” Diamond Tiara said, “If she did the same fashion every time without changing not only her clothes would be out of style, but she wouldn’t be popular anymore. Trends are all about survival of the fittest, like what we learned in class from Miss Cheerilee. If a pony doesn’t adapt and do something new they aren’t considered popular anymore. You, Sweetie Belle, are a trend right now.”

“Me?” the filly squeaked.

“Yes, you are,” the pink pony said with a smile, “Your magic act made you popular today, but what about the next day, next week, or the next month? The fact is every unicorn I know about knows telekinesis. So right now you may amaze the class, but soon they will see you as just another unicorn in the herd doing the same thing. That is, of course, unless you learn another spell. Not just any spell, but one that will dazzle anypony for a long time, one that can’t be matched, not even by Princess Twilight Sparkle. So think hard about that spell Sweetie. Otherwise you’ll be back to where you started as an unpopular filly. You don't want to be that again, do you?”

Sweetie Belle stood silently taking in all that the pony said. She knew not to trust the bully, not after the countless things that she did to her and her friends. But there was something about what the earth pony said that made sense, and as much as her brain tried to disprove Diamond’s logic, it was as solid as a rock. Her desire to never be just another filly lost in the herd further fueled that inner desire to want to learn and do more, growing stronger than even Twilight’s advice on sticking to the basics.

“What’s the big idea?” Scootaloo said interrupting Sweetie’s thoughts.

“Yeah, why are you saying such mean things to Sweetie?” Apple Bloom asked.

“For your information, I’m not saying this to be mean,” Diamond said growing tired of having the goody four-hooves Crusaders come to the unicorn’s aid, “I’m merely stating a fact. After all you three were talking about it, and I wanted to add in my two bits. Of course you know that I’m right. The facts don’t lie. So again Sweetie Belle think about what you want to do to be a popular pony. See you three tomorrow.”

With a smile the pink earth pony trotted home, leaving the three ponies to wonder what happened.

“She was telling the truth from what I heard,” Scootaloo said, “I know Rainbow Dash is always trying new tricks to show how cool she is.”

“As much as Ah’ hate to agree with her, Diamond Tiara’s sounds right about trends and things,” Apple Bloom said, “Of course Ah’ don’t really follow the trends of fancy ponies, an’ neither does my sister or my brother.”

“Well I sense a trap,” Scootaloo said.

“It’s a trap?” Sweetie Belle said.

“Yeah,” the orange filly replied, “Think about it, if you don’t do a new spell, that that’ll give Diamond Tiara what she needs to bully you again!”

“You’re right Scoots,” Apple Bloom replied, “Ah guess you’re between a rock and a hard place Sweetie. What are you going to do?”

Sweetie Belle realized that her success was not without the consequence that she had to do something different, something better than just a simple display of telekinesis. She had to learn something new, even if it meant going against Twilight’s wishes.

“I’m going to learn something else girls,” Sweetie finally said, “I, don’t know what, but I’m sure I’ll figure out something. I have to get home right away though!”

“Awwww…” Scootaloo complained, “I thought that we were going to go Crusading today!”

“Come on Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom said giving the orange Pegasus a glare, “Sweetie Belle needs to learn more magic. She can Crusade with us later.”

“Sorry girls for not being able to go with you,” Sweetie Belle said upset that she was exchanging her time with her friends for practicing magic.

“That’s ok,” Apple Bloom, “Ah’ bet we’ll be crusading in no time with us!”

“Yeah,” the orange filly said, “We’ll see you some other time.”

“Sure I will,” Sweetie Belle said feeling a little better, “Well I have to get going now, so see you tomorrow then.”

“Bye,” the two friends and fellow Crusaders replied as they watched Sweetie Belle leave the school yard. The white unicorn was now on a mission to learn a new spell, one that was forbidden by Twilight to know. She knew what she had to do in order to keep her popularity and to fuel her growing need for more knowledge and power, and there wasn’t anypony who was going to stop her.

Comments

[mapu]

Ehh here we go again. Person that is being bulled usually don't want to be at center of attention, but I guess that comes from writers mentality. Also everyone that has been bulled and has half a brain, knows not to do what bully tells them(unless they are the "I want the bully to accept me" tards, ugg those people deserve to be bullied for being so dumb, and they parents should be castrated, and never allowed to rise children). Sweetie Belle might not be in the half a brain category tho. So be careful about portraying her with any sort of intelligence/common sense after this.
Anyhow good luck writing, and try to make characters consistent(or give them depth, but you really can't do that with CMC, they lack depth even in original).
Good luck writing.

[SuperPinkBrony12]

You just don't know when to give up do you Diamond Tiara?

[tirilee]

Do we see a potted plant Diamond Tiara soon?

[Lux]

Well, Sweetie is not stupid but she doesn't want to be the target of bullying either. It's not about pleasing Diamond Tiara but making sure she is not ridiculed again.

There's a few more chapters to go, so stay tuned for the fun. I'll give you a hint: next chapter will have something in it that Twilight once experienced that will happen to Sweetie Belle.

[DarthWill3]

Why does poor cute little Sweetie Belle have to be the target of future ridicule?

[SeventhBrony]

“Bye,” the two friends and fellow Crusaders replied as they watched Sweetie Belle leave the school yard. The white unicorn was now on a mission to learn a new spell, one that was forbidden by Twilight to know. She knew what she had to do in order to keep her popularity and to fuel her growing need for more knowledge and power, and there wasn’t anypony who was going to stop her.

oh this can only end well

[SuperPinkBrony12]

3447848 If Sweetie Belle's going to do what I think she's going to do Diamond Tiara will be lucky if that's the worst that happens to her. Not that she doesn't deserve it.

[TechSavii]

InB4 Nightmare Belle.