The life of a prankster

by fluttershylover357

Chapter 1

"Wake up little sis! It's April Foals Day!" Apple Jack shook her sister violently, making the little filly's head spin. Apple Bloom's eyes spun, and she felt very dizzy.

"Ugh... Could 'ya please stahp shakin' me? I'm startin' to feel sick..." She put a hoof in her mouth to prevent herself from vomiting. Apple Jack let go of Apple Bloom, and she fell backwards to the head of her bed with a thud. "Ow..." She rubbed her back where it had hit the bed. 'Ya could've been gentler, 'ya know, She thought to herself.

"Sorry, but today's a big day! Plus, 'ya gotta get up 'fer school anyway!" She gave Apple Bloom a noogie, wrapping her arm around her after she finished. "Don't 'ya wanna see Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle?" The moment the orange mare finished her sentence, Apple Bloom was gone, already out the door. "Wait!" She called after the small yellow filly. "'Ya gotta eat some breakfast first!" Apple Bloom dashed back in the room, grabbed her saddle bag, and was back out the door before anyone could stop her. Apple Jack sighed. She'll never learn, She thought.

Apple Bloom galloped down the street, her saddle bag barely staying on her. She smiled, feeling the breeze in her mane. 'Ah can't wait to get to school! 'Ah wonder what Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo have planned for today... When she arrived at the school, she stopped so suddenly that a huge cloud of dust was thrown into the air, causing her to cough. Once the cloud had cleared, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were standing right in front of her, both of them smiling wide. Apple Bloom couldn't help smiling herself. She took a breath, then greeted them. "Hey guys! What'cha got planned 'fer today?" She asked.

"Something big," Scootaloo jumped into the air, her small wings fluttering excitedly. Sweetie Belle looked at her, puzzled.

"What do you mean? I thought the plan was_ mmph!" Before she could finish, Scootaloo stuffed a hoof in her mouth. The moment she licked Scootaloo's hoof, Sweetie Belle swallowed wrong, and she began to cough furiously. Scootaloo quickly pulled her hoof away, wiping it on the ground.

"Eeww..." She said, wiping it as hard as she could to get Sweetie Belle's spit off of it. After she had finished, she turned to Apple Bloom.

"I think we should tell you later. It's really big.... and Sweetie Belle almost spoiled it." Scootaloo gave Sweetie Belle a small kick. After she had finished coughing, Sweetie Belle bit her lip in pain.

"Ow! What was that for?" She exclaimed, her back leg stinging.

"Well... 'Ah'll see 'ya in class then, 'Ah guess," Apple Bloom sighed, walking towards the school in a slump. She wondered why her two best friends would hide something from her. They were her best friends after all, what was there to hide? Maybe they didn't have somethin' big after all? Or... maybe Scootaloo just wanted to surprise me at lunch... Or... She went over all of the possible options in her mind as class began, sighing as she rested her head on her hoof. Meanwhile, in the back of class, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were still arguing about earlier.

"That really hurt, you know!" Sweetie Belle whispered angrily, eyeing Scootaloo with a glare.

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" Scootaloo glared back, her eyes just as sure as Sweetie Belle's.

"You made me cough!"

"Well you licked me!" The two continued to argue, not noticing Ms. Cheerilee had long ago started the lesson.

"Girls..." She said, her voice at a medium volume. Because they didn't stop, she tried again, a bit louder this time. "Girls...!" Still arguing. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "GIRRRLS!!!!" She shrieked, her hoof rapping on her desk as she shouted it. Both fillies looked up, silenced immediately by her yell.

"Yes Ms. Cheerilee?" They both asked innocently.

"Please don't interrupt class with your arguing!" She gave them an angry glare. "You will both serve a detention at lunch today," She said, looking at both of them as she said it.

"B-But..." Sweetie Belle stuttered, her eyes starting to water. She had never seen Ms. Cheerilee this angry before. It really upset her.

"No buts!" She slammed her hoof on the desk again, startling both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. She then looked around at the class. "Now, can anyone tell me how to solve this problem?" She picked up a small pointer stick, pointing to a problem on the chalkboard.

"I can!" The filly most call The Teacher's Pet called, raising his hoof and waiting patiently to be called on. Eventually, he was, and Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at each other with shocked looks on their faces.

"I've never seen Ms. Cheerilee so mad at us...." Sweetie Belle's eyes filled with tears, the waterworks threatening to overflow down her cheeks. Scootaloo looked back at her, not responding with words, but with an expression that displayed all of her mixed emotions at once. It read, 'I'm sorry.' Sweetie Belle could not hold in her tears. She tried her best, but they still slid down her cheeks, despite her efforts. Soon, her entire desk was covered in tears, and she was still bawling like a little foal.

Scootaloo looked down at her hooves. She just couldn't bear to see either of her friends cry, it made her feel really guilty and sad, although she couldn't explain why. Her life wasn't exactly full of sunshine and lollipops and rainbows. But... that still didn't explain why she felt like it was her fault.... She shook her head, clearing all of the bad memories that had popped to the surface. No, I won't think about that right now. I need to comfort Sweetie Belle. But.... how... after all, I was the whole cause of the argument.... She looked down at her hooves, a very depressed look beginning to come onto her face. She felt as though she had no purpose in life... until she realized that she had a great way to cheer Sweetie Belle up. Her face brightened a bit, and she knew it was perfect. I'm sure Ms. Cheerilee was just playing a prank on us anyway, She thought. Now I just have to tell Sweetie Belle... She waited until Sweetie Belle's crying became whimpering, and then she began to tell her.

"Sweetie Belle, what if all of this is a prank she came up with?" She tried, hoping it would cheer Sweetie Belle up before she fell into the deep abyss that was her sadness and guilt.

"Really?" Sweetie Belle wiped her eyes, her face brightening almost immediately. Suddenly, it darkened again. "But... what if it isn't? What if she meant what she said?" What would Rarity say? She thought.

Scootaloo sighed. Her one attempt... Had failed miserably. Well.... I can try again after lunch... If we even have one with Apple Bloom... She sighed again, laying her head down on her crossed hooves and blinking back tears. Before she could stop herself... She dozed off. She hadn't slept all night, and she was exhausted. The last thought she had was of Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, and her past.

Sweetie Belle looked over at Scootaloo. She was... asleep? I thought she liked class, Sweetie Belle thought, thinking of how intently she usually listened. I wonder why she.... She yawned, interrupting her thoughts. Why did I stay up all night helping Rarity with her boutique again? She wondered. She yawned again. Maybe I should get some sleep too... She laid her head down on her desk, and fell asleep.

Apple Bloom sighed, looking down at her notes. Her teeth ached from holding and moving the pencil for so long, wondering when they would get a break. She sighed again, looking back at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. 'Ah wonder what they were arguin' about... She thought. Was it really somethin' worth disrupting class? She then noticed their heads were both down. What are they doin' back there? Are they.... asleep? She looked at them again, focusing on their expressions this time. Yes, they were asleep. But... why? She suddenly remembered it was April Foals Day. She really wanted to play pranks on them.... But... she couldn't. Not now. She looked at Ms. Cheerilee, suddenly extremely bored of the subject the lesson was on. It probably isn't that important anyway... She laid her head on her desk, sighing, then dozed off.

---

Scootaloo's Dream

---

Scootaloo opened her eyes to find herself in Ponyville, in her usual lot in the alley. A snowflake gently touched her flank. She shivered under her newspaper blanket, her small body extremely cold. If the little orange filly didn't warm up soon, she would get hypothermia. She shivered again, curling up into a small ball to keep warm. Suddenly, she saw a filly in a green hat and scarf and green socks standing in front of her. Her eyes were green, her fur was white, and her mane and tail were pink and purple. Scootaloo shivered again, still struggling to get warm. She watched the filly run away from her towards a white unicorn with a purple mane and tail and three diamonds for a cutie mark. The two ponies came back, and the purple maned unicorn grabbed the box Scootaloo was still in with her magic, making her levitate in the air. Scootaloo sighed, not moving inside the box, but still shivering. The moment the white filly saw her shiver, she took off her scarf, placing it on Scootaloo. She warmed up a little, but still shivered. Suddenly, she felt exhausted, and with one last shiver, she fell over, unconscious.

Scootaloo opened her eyes again, her body much warmer than it had been. She tried to get up, but was forced down by the white filly, who then placed a bowl near her. Scootaloo stared at the bowl for a minute or so before realizing it was soup. Immediately she picked up the bowl, gulping down every drop she could without choking. The filly giggled, watching her. Her laughter was gentle, yet sweet, like silver bells ringing on Christmas Eve. The filly looked at Scootaloo with a smile.

"My name's Sweetie Belle," She said. After she had finished her soup, Scootaloo gently set down the bowl, smiling at her.

"My name is Scootaloo," She said in a really raspy voice. The filly smiled, gently placing a small glass of water near her. Gladly, Scootaloo gulped it down.

"I'm nine," Sweetie Belle said, smiling. "How old are you, Scootaloo?"
"I'm nine too," Scootaloo guessed. She didn't know her real age or birthday.... She usually just assumed it was close to other fillies'. About half a year earlier, she had been in an orphanage, but then some mean stallions chased her away from it, and she hadn't found her way back. She had lived in her box in the alley since then, digging through the dumpsters near her for food scraps.

"Sweetie Belle," A mare's voice called. "Could you be a dear and come help me prepare the guest room, please?" Sweetie Belle jumped to her hooves.

"I'll be right there, Rarity!" She called. "I'll be right back," She said, looking at Scootaloo with a smile. The moment Scootaloo smiled back, she ran off to who knew where.

Scootaloo sighed, looking at her hooves. If only she had known....

---

Sweetie Belle's Dream

---

Sweetie Belle opened her eyes to find herself on the couch of her sister's work room. She looked up to see her sister smiling down at her. Oh no... she thought. That look can only mean one thing.... she wants me to do something for her. As usual, her guess was correct.

"Darling," Rarity said, her voice sweet as honey, "Would you mind doing me a teensy tiny little favor?" She looked down at Sweetie Belle with the pouty face she knew her sister would never ever deny. As usual, it did it's job.

"Ugh.... fine," Sweetie Belle forced out, defeated. "What do you need?" Rarity gave her the biggest of smiles.

"I need you to try this on..." She put a small saddle bag on her before she could object. It fit Sweetie Belle perfectly, as though it was made for her (which it was). Rarity then put a small pair of light pink glasses on her.

"Um... Rarity?" She looked up at her sister, her vision now clearer than before.

"Yes, Sweetie Belle?" Rarity smiled, her red glasses (Looking pink in the lighting) seeming to match Sweetie Belle's perfectly.

"How long is this going to take?" She regretted saying the words as soon as they left her mouth. Rarity looked at her, a hurt expression on her face. She frowned, then sighed.

"As long as it needs to," She answered, still not answering Sweetie Belle's question. Now it was Sweetie Belle's turn to sigh. She put on every piece of clothing Rarity put in front of her, but Rarity still wasn't satisfied.

"Hmm..." She thought out loud, "It seems as though it needs... and... yes, just a tinge of that, and maybe... ah! Yes! Perfect!"

Sweetie Belle was pushed in front of a mirror, her mane in the same style as her sister, with the same color. Her eyes were now blue, and her glasses were red. She looked as though she was a clone of her older sister. The moment she realized this, she screamed so loud the entire boutique shook. Rarity laughed so hard that Sweetie Belle felt like a real fool. It was the first prank, and she had fallen for it.

"April Foals!" Rarity giggled.

---

Apple Bloom's Dream

---

Apple Bloom looked around the room, her entire body sagging as she did so. All around her were the bullies and mean ponies she had dealt with since magic kindergarten. She heard all of the names she had been called, saw all of the moments when they embarrassed her... and she wanted to cry. Her entire life had been nothing but bullying, sadness, and pain. That is... until she met Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. The moment she thought about them, a bright white door appeared in front of her, and she opened it, peeking inside curiously. Inside was an almost completely empty room.... Except for Discord and her. She looked up at the Draconequus, startled at his sudden appearance. She gave him a sour look, remembering what he did to her sister.

"What do 'ya want?" She asked him, her voice echoing in the emptiness that was Discord. He laughed, looking down at her with an evil grin.

"I'm here to give you a riddle," He said, walking around her. He then began to twist, turn, and swerve around her, making her head spin.

"It's April Foals Day, a day for a prank. And perhaps, with my help, you can fill up your flank. If you wish to say no, I will know how you feel. But with one little prank comes a cutie mark that's real." He snapped his fingers, and a poison joke flower appeared. But it wasn't just any poison joke flower.... it was a cutie mark of one.... Apple Bloom felt herself beginning to slip away as her desperation began to take over. But before she did, she heard him finish his offer. "You, little filly, could be a Prankster so clever. And with a touch to this flower, your life will change forever." As the word 'forever' rang in her ears, her vision became blurry, her desperation completely overwhelming her. She couldn't resist or control herself, she simply had to get a cutie mark. And the sooner the better... right? Her hoof reached out, touching the flower before she could stop it. Discord laughed and danced around her, circling her... making her feel quite dizzy.... until....

Comments

[Prince Gray]

The story flow needs to be a lot smoother, I honestly couldn't read the whole chapter (stopped about midway) because the transition was unstable.

Also only female foals like the CMC are called fillies, males are called colts. Like adult females are called mares and adult males are called stallions.