Training Day
I want to thank Vates Despero for proofreading and editing this chapter.
Training Day.
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The thought was pure, and the plan was good. The execution however, not so much. No sooner had they completed their trademark yell, than a serious problem presented itself to them. Mainly, they were still grounded. They knew they had to come up with some way to be allowed to do their "sleepover" tonight, and in their clubhouse.
Apple Bloom… Well, her sister would prove to be a problem after what they had done with the manticore, and she knew it was pointless to even ask. But, there might still be a chance, small as it was, if she asked her big brother.
Scootaloo's situation was difficult as well, and it would best be described as a wildcard. Her foster mother, although looking out for her, never sat right with Scootaloo. It wasn't so much over what she was doing, as it was what she was trying to be to Scootaloo. That had never sat right with her, and she often didn't listen to her, just going her own way.
But the most difficult of them all would be Sweetie Belle. There was no way she could go into town, or to her sister for that matter, like this. She would turn invisible at a whim, only for her to turn herself back with an annoyed frown. Not to mention the sinking through the ground, or the sporadic transforming. That would prove to be difficult to keep hidden.
Still, better to solve the two easiest problems first. Then they could focus on the larger problem at hoof.
That is why Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had left Sweetie in the clubhouse for a second time. And the two of them were each heading in their separate ways, hoping against all odds that they were going to be allowed to hold their "sleepover". They had to hurry, though. The sun was already going down, and there would only be a few more hours of light left.
And so, Apple Bloom was galloping as fast as she could to the farmhouse, hoping to find her brother Big Mac while he was returning home after a day of hard work. She left a cloud of dust hanging behind her as she sped over the sun dried path twisting in between the trees, formed over the course of years by ponies walking over it repeatedly.
No matter what, her friend needed her help, and she would make sure she would be there to help her. After all, she's an Apple. And when an Apple says they're going to do something, by Celestia, they’re going to do it.
Trees passed by in a blur, and Apple Bloom's eyes were narrowed in intense focus as she pumped her legs as hard as she could, passing by the trees so fast, that if you blinked you would miss it. She knew this land like the back of her hoof. How could she not, she grew up here. And, using this knowledge, she practically flew back home, using every shortcut she knew.
Slow, heavy hoofsteps reverberated through the area, and Apple Bloom locked her legs in place, grinding to a halt as she recognized the sound as her brother walking. Turning to the sound, she leaped forward, moving as if she'd never stopped at all.
Her eyes widened a bit as she saw a small bush obstructing her path, but she wouldn't let this slow her down. Narrowing her eyes, she jumped as far and high as she could, going over the foliage almost without any problem… almost.
Her tail got caught by a branch, and it brought a sudden stop to her soaring flight.
But her forward momentum couldn't be completely as her tail broke free from the sudden pull, and Apple Bloom found herself tumbling through the air, and over the ground a mere moment later. Coming to a stop right in front of her big brother, she was left looking up at him, lying in a heap with her legs tangled up.
"Hey Big Mac," she said lamely, giving him an awkward smile. "Could you help me?"
"Eeyup," he replied with a small sigh, and helped his younger sister back on her hooves.
"Thanks," she said with a smile, receiving only a nod in response.
Having helped his sister back upright, Big Mac resumed his trudge back to the barn, pulling the large cart full of apples he was hitched to along with him. Apple Bloom, still trying to figure out exactly what to say, ran beside him, needing to go a lot faster than him, as each one of his steps were equal to four of hers.
"Say, big brother," she began, and one of his ears twitched, showing he was listening. "Ah was wondering if Ah was allowed ta have a sleepover at tha treehouse with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle?" she asked hopefully, giving her brother a large smile.
"Eenope," Macintosh answered, not even slowing down in his walk.
"Because Ah'm grounded?" she asked as her hopeful expression fell.
"Eeyup."
"But Ah won't even leave tha orchard."
"Eeyup."
"So Ah can go?" she asked, sounding just a bit hopeful after her brother's somewhat confusing answer.
"Eenope."
"Aaw, please?"
"Eenope."
"Pleaaaase?"
"Hhrrm. Eenope," he repeated with an irritated groan.
"Please, please, please?" Apple Bloom almost begged while hugging his right front leg, which didn't seem to slow down Big Mac at all.
"NO!" he said forcefully as he continued to walk, ignoring his little sister still clinging onto his leg.
Apple Bloom frowned as she was rocked back and forth with her brother's walking. She would have to pull out the big guns she now realized. Something so persuasive, her brother wouldn't have any choice, but to let her go. Something she discovered when she was going through his room some time ago, looking for something else entirely that she was going to use during one of her crusades. Something that he would most certainly try to keep hidden from Granny Smith and Applejack. Something she found underneath his mattress.
"Say, big brother," she began innocently, despite the devious smile etched her face. "Did you know that Ah was looking through yer room some time ago?" she asked, and Big Mac looked down at her with an angry glare, telling her that she shouldn't have done that. Apple Bloom, however, knew he couldn't stop her now.
"And you won't believe tha thing I found that day, hidden away under yer mattress."
Macintosh came to a sudden stop, several apples falling from the cart from the jolt. His trademark wheatstalk fell from his mouth, and sweat started to form on his forehead.
"Ah didn't know you were even interested in those. And those images, heck, Ah wonder what Granny Smith would say?"
Big Mac stood there nervously, his eyes shifting around, making sure nopony else was around to hear them.
"So, a sleepover you said?"
Apple Bloom couldn't have a bigger grin even if she tried.
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Scootaloo was going through her room, picking up the things she thought she needed for her "sleepover". Of course, she also packed her pillow and sleeping bag, just to keep up appearances. What she didn't do, however, was ask permission to do so. Which drew the attention of Bellflower, the pony who took Scootaloo in after her parents passed away.
Standing in the doorway, she looked at the young pegasus filly busy packing all kinds of things. Stepping forwards, she saw Scootaloo's ear twitch in response of her hoof steps, telling her that Scootaloo knew she was there.
"Scootaloo, what are you doing?" she asked with a kind, caring voice, which always made Scootaloo grit her teeth.
"Packing for a sleepover," Scootaloo answered quickly without looking at her, her voice flat, uncaring.
"Scootaloo, dear. You know you can't do that. You're grounded."
Scootaloo only shrugged in response, continuing packing her stuff.
"Scootaloo, please look at me while I talk to you."
Scootaloo didn't listen.
"Scootaloo!"
With a sigh that turned into an annoyed groan, Scootaloo turned around, finally looking at the earth pony standing behind her. Looking at the light blue pony with a lilac mane and tail, Scootaloo only felt resentment, and she didn't make much of an effort to keep it hidden.
"What?" she asked, her voice still flat.
"Scootaloo, although I am glad to see you and your friends spend so much time together, you are still grounded, and you can not just go out like that. Am I clear?"
"Crystal," came the monotone reply, and Scootaloo continued packing her things.
"Young lady! You will listen to what I say, right now!"
"Or, what?” Scootaloo said, pulling her bag on her back. "You're not my mother. You'll never be my mother. I'm going, no matter what you say," Scootaloo said, anger clear in her voice, as she walked past Bellflower.
The door slammed shut behind her, and tears fell down on the ground. A quiet sob sounded in the now too empty room, and Bellflower wiped her eyes with her leg.
"Why won't she open up to me?" she sobbed as she sat down, looking at the framed picture standing on Scootaloo's nightstand. "I'm trying so hard, but all it does is push her further away."
The ponies shown in the photo gave no reply.
"I know she is angry over what happened to you, but it just feels like she is blaming me for it." she said, and she stood up and slowly walked to the photo standing on the night stand. "All I want for her is to be happy, but, ever since you left her, she's just been so sad…. She cries herself to sleep sometimes, you know that?" she sighed sadly, and picked up the photo, looking at the smiling faces of Scootaloo's parents, and the little filly being held by her mother. "Please, watch over her." she whispered as she held the photo of her foalhood friends, knowing that it was a pointless wish.
But her words held the power of a force many do not know about, even if they think they do. Love. She loved the filly dearly, as if she was her own daughter. And her whispered wish carried on the winds, reaching places no living being has ever been.
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As they had agreed on before leaving the clubhouse, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo met up at Rarity's boutique. They would have to find a way to convince Rarity to allow Sweetie Belle to stay for their "sleepover", which was easier said than done.
Scootaloo, living in town, was obviously the first to get there, and she sat waiting for her friend, hoping she would show up. Her frown and bad mood over Bellflower vanished like snow in the sun as she saw Apple Bloom run over to her, a bag filled with various supplies carried on her back as well.
"Apple Bloom," Scootaloo shouted excitedly, "you made it."
"Yep, so did you," Apple Bloom replied excitedly as the two of them hoof bumped.
"Did you have any trouble leaving?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Meh, you know, the usual," Scootaloo answered vaguely. "You?"
"Ah had some trouble with mah big brother, but Ah managed ta convince him ta let me go," Apple Bloom told her, the devious grin coming back to her face.
"Convince him, how?" Scootaloo asked, curious about what she had done.
"Let's just say Ah told him 'bout a certain something Ah found underneath his mattress. Something he really wouldn't want anypony else ta know about."
"Wait, what? What was it?" Scootaloo said, gawking a bit at her friend as she told her she basically had blackmailed her bigger brother.
"One of those mag-o-zines, or whatever they're called."
"Ehh, what? Why would he hide something like that underneath his mattress? What was it about?" Scootaloo asked, cocking her head to the side.
"Pears," Apple Bloom answered simply.
"Pears?"
"Hhmmhmm." Apple Bloom hummed with a nod.
"I will never be able to look at him the same way again," Sweetie Belle said with muted shock as she faded back into view. Sitting on her rump, eyes wide and staring into forever over this little bit of news.
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom screamed out as they reared back, their bags bringing them out of balance, causing them to fall backwards.
Both lying in a heap of the items spilled out of their bags, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom glared at Sweetie Belle, who didn't notice this at all, as she was still too lost in thought over what she had just learned.
"Sweetie, what the hay!" Scootaloo shouted, then flinched as she looked around, hoping nopony had heard her, or seen Sweetie doing what she just did.
Fortunately, it would seem the streets were mostly empty, though she could still see a few ponies walking through the streets. She just hoped none of them saw what happened.
"What are you doing here?" Apple Bloom asked as she pulled herself back up.
Shaking her head to clear her mind, Sweetie looked at Apple Bloom. "You were going through all this trouble for me, I just wanted to do something myself as well."
"But what if somepony sees wh—" Apple Bloom started, but was interrupted by the door of the boutique opening.
"What is all that ruckus?" Rarity asked loudly, looking around with a displeased frown, before spotting the three fillies to her side. Two of them sitting in a pile of various items scattered over the ground, and dirt covering their coats.
"Girls," she said flatly, "what did you do this time?"
"Nothing, miss Rarity," Apple Bloom said, and all three of them gave her a large, innocent smile. And Sweetie Belle's left rear leg turned invisible as well.
Seeing this, Apple Bloom quickly moved to block Rarity's line of sight, making sure she wouldn't be able to see the missing limb.
"Nothing, you say. Then why are all those things lying around, making a complete mess around my home? And, for that matter. Why are you two covered in dirt?"
"We fell," Scootaloo answered simply.
"And our things fell out of our bags as well," Apple Bloom continued, looking out of the corner of her eye to see if Sweetie's leg had come back. Which it hadn't.
"And, do tell, why would you have need of all these things? Aren't you two supposed to be back home, being grounded, just like Sweetie Belle is supposed to be, right now!?" Rarity argued back, not trusting these three fillies, as they have proven to be rather capable of causing a lot of trouble as of late.
"Ehh, for the sleepover we were going to hold back at our tree house," Sweetie said, stepping forwards.
"A sleepover? Oh, no no no no. That is not going to happen," Rarity said, not seeing anything out of the ordinary, and Apple Bloom gave a mental sigh of relief as Sweetie's leg had turned visible again.
"You three are still in a lot of trouble, and I won't allow you to go out like that. And I won't believe either one of you two are allowed to do so either," she said as she turned her attention to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.
"But Ah am," Apple Bloom countered, "Big Mac told me it was alright." Although it was a struggle to keep the devious grin off of her face.
Blinking several times in surprise, Rarity looked down at the yellow filly, not knowing how to argue against that. So, she just did what she did best when presented with such a dilemma. Focus her attention on another.
"Well then. Be that as it may, I am still sure Scootaloo is not allowed to be out tonight."
"Yeah, that's why I am here right now," Scootaloo said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"I beg your pardon?" Rarity said, taken aback.
"They let me go," Scootaloo lied, "telling me to have fun."
"Why, I never. Don't those ponies know how to enforce a punishment. I will have to have a word with both your brother and Miss Bellflower," Rarity said indignantly, looking at Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. "But I won't be so easy on Sweetie Belle. She is grounded, and she will remain so until I say otherwise," she continued, stomping her hoof on the ground to reinforce her point.
"Sweetie Belle, go to your room! And you two, go home, Now!" Rarity said with an authoritative voice, not taking no for an answer.
Apple Bloom's and Scootaloo's ears folded flat against their heads, not knowing what to do now. Sweetie Belle would certainly be found out, and then they would be in real trouble. But, with her back turned to Sweetie Belle, Rarity didn't see her younger sister giving a conspirative wink to her friends, telling them she had a plan.
"Okay Rarity." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said simultaneously, slowly walking away and around the boutique, and out of her sight.
"Good," Rarity huffed with a nod. "Now, Sweetie. Bed, now!"
"Fine!" Sweetie groaned, and slowly dragged herself to her room, carefully hiding her invisible left front hoof, as well as her smirk. The night was still young, and she had a lot of training to do.
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"So, pears?" Scootaloo asked, sitting hidden underneath a tree close to the boutique with Apple Bloom for some time now.
"Yep, pears."
"Huh. I thought it to be something else."
"What do you mean, something else? What else could a stallion keep hidden underneath his mattress?"
"I dunno," Scootaloo said with a shrug. "Just something else."
Silence.
"Corn, maybe?"
Silence.
"Pfft Hahaha, what?!" Scootaloo said, trying to contain her laughter.
"Ah dunno," Apple Bloom managed to get out through her own giggles.
The sound of a pony struggling made them stop, and turn to look at the boutique. One story up, at the bedroom of Sweetie Belle, the two ponies could see their friend climb out of her window with a complete lack of grace. Stumbling around, and making more noise than any of them would have liked, Sweetie managed to pull herself up and out of the window. Only for her to tip over and fall down.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo didn't waste any time in trying to rush to their friend’s aid, hoping to be able to catch her before she could hit the ground. The feared crash, however, never happened.
Eyes closed in intense concentration, Sweetie Belle hovered in the air half a meter above the ground. Not feeling the crushing pain from hitting the ground, she carefully opened one eye, seeing that she had managed to keep herself from falling. A smile broke out on her face, and she let go of her concentration. Realization only had a split second to settle in, before she hit the ground.
Groaning, she lay with her face firmly planted in the dirt while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were both glad she was alright, and having trouble keeping their laughter down, lest they alert Rarity.
Placing her front hooves firmly next to her head, Sweetie pulled her face free from the ground, which seemed to be stuck to it. Spitting out some of the dirt that she had the misfortune of eating, she scraped off her tongue with a hoof.
"Not a word," she said as she glowered darkly at her friends, seeing the laughter in their eyes.
"Let's just go," she muttered, and the three of them walked out into the gathering night. Sleep, however, was not something they were planning on.
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"Targets?"
"Check."
"Helmets?"
"Check."
"Midnight snacks?"
"... Check."
"Sweetie?"
"Ready, I guess."
"Check."
"Tree sap removal kit?"
"Check."
"Okay, I guess that's all of it," Apple Bloom said in a pleased tone as she checked off the last thing on the list of preparations. Scootaloo, having called out if everything was there, stood ready with a few simple targets made from straw for Sweetie Belle to shoot at. Which, surprisingly, looked somewhat like a human in design.
A grin showed on Scootaloo's face as they were finally about to see what Sweetie was really capable of. Or, if not that, at least help her find out how to use these weird powers.
Zipping around, Scootaloo placed the targets around the edge of the small clearing around their clubhouse, making sure there was enough distance between the simple straw structures.
"Okay, all set up," she said with buzzing wings, more than ready to get this show on the road.
"Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom turned to her friend, "ready when you are."
"Yeah, show us just how much damage you can do!" Scootaloo almost shouted, bouncing on the spot.
"But I don't want to do any damage. I just want to control this stupid thing, nothing more," Sweetie Belle said, alarmed. Taking a step back.
"We know," Apple Bloom said, placing a leg around her friends neck. "But tha only way ta do that, is by learning how ta use it. Just like Granny Smith taught me how ta use tha stove ta make zap apple jam."
"I guess," Sweetie Belle muttered unsure, holding up a hoof and making it glow.
"So, are you going to shoot something now or what?" Scootaloo asked, somewhat impatiently.
"Yeah, sure. I'll do it," Sweetie Belle answered, and she took her place in the center of the clearing. Her friends standing behind her so they wouldn't be hit, and the both of them watched eagerly as Sweetie Belle held up a hoof, aiming it at one of the straw targets.
A faint toxic green glow surrounded her hoof, which was shaking slightly. "Well, here goes," she said, and a small, weak glowing beam shot from her outstretched limb, and into one of the targets, leaving behind a small burn mark on its torso.
"Wait, that was it?" Scootaloo said disappointed. "Can't you do anything more… more..."
"Devastating," Sweetie Belle finished flatly, remorse showing in her face. "Yes, I think I can. Afterall, I did hit one of those Pinkies with something like this. I'm not sure what happened to her, though. Only that she was lying unmoving on the ground."
"Yeah that," Scootaloo said, completely missing the point Sweetie Belle was trying to make. "Do something like that."
"No!" Sweetie Belle said, shocked. "I will not do something that might get others hurt!"
"She does have a point there." Apple Bloom said, glancing sideways at Scootaloo.
"Ow, come on! I just want to see her shoot something, nothing more. Besides, how else are you going to learn to use these things if you won't even try?"
"She's making a good point as well," Apple Bloom said, turning her attention to Sweetie Belle.
"But, what if I hurt somepony?"
"Duhu. That's what the targets are for," Scootaloo said with a roll of her eyes.
"Right, the targets," Sweetie Belle muttered, unsure.
"Ah, pony up Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom said cheerfully. "It's just practice after all. There ain't no pony you can hurt, and you'll only learn how ta control this if you try ta use it first."
"Fine," Sweetie Belle said with a sigh, "Fine, just... step back, okay?"
Doing just that, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo stood several meters away from Sweetie Belle, watching with rapt interest.
"And don't hold back!" Scootaloo said loudly.
Only breathing in deeply in response, Sweetie Belle closed her eyes, feeling the strange energy deep within herself.
Bringing up a hoof, she channeled the energy into her outstretched limb, holding nothing back. Which, as she didn't know how to properly control all of this, caused her to unleash a massive beam of glowing green, completely vaporizing three targets at once, and burning a path through several of the trees.
She jerked her hoof back in shock from the incredible surge of power, and the destructive beam ceased to be. Her hoof smoked from the tremendous amount of energy it just released, and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo sat on their rumps in paralyzing shock, their mouths hanging wide open, and their eyes as large as dinner plates.
Silence.
"Girls?" Sweetie Belle said, uncertain. Looking at her friends with fright.
Silence.
"Girls?"
"Th-that..." Scootaloo muttered weakly.
"Yo- You're... You're a..."
"I’M A FREAK!" Sweetie Belle wailed as she fell flat on the ground, her hooves covering her face while she cried.
"THAT WAS-"
"YOU ARE-"
"AWESOME!"
Both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo yelled, and Sweetie Belle looked up at her friends as if they were mad.
"W-what?" Sweetie Belle croaked.
"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo yelled again, albeit a bit less loud.
"You really think so? You don't think I am a freak?" Sweetie Belle asked as she pushed herself up a bit.
"A freak? Why would we think that," Apple Bloom said with a puzzled tilt of her head.
"Yeah. That was totally awesome. Not as awesome as Rainbow Dash is, but still totally out there," Scootaloo said with a frantic pace, almost jumping on the spot.
"Although..." Apple Bloom began hesitantly as she stepped towards the singed and burned trees, "Ah'm not too happy with this."
Sweetie Belle flinched as she saw the damage done to the apple trees, knowing all too well what these wooden giants meant to her friend and her family.
"Sorry," she muttered as she looked down.
"Don't be," Apple Bloom said reassuringly. "Sure, they’re singed, but they'll live. They’re just as tough as we Apples are, so no worries there."
"But what are we going to tell your brother and sister when they find out?" Scootaloo asked, casting a worried glance at the blackened bark. "There is no way they'll believe this came from us merely crusading."
"Don't worry," Apple Bloom said again, with a wave of her hoof. "These trees were bucked weeks ago. It won't be for some time before either my brother or sister will come back ta check up on them."
"And when they do?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Don't worry, Ah got this."
"If you say so," Scootaloo said doubtful, then she turned back to Sweetie. "So, what's next?"
"Ehhh..." Sweetie Belle managed, only now realizing what it was she'd gotten herself into.
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"Okay, to fly there are several things you need to know," Scootaloo said like a drill instructor as she slowly moved from left to right, and back again.
"Wind speed, aerodynamics, and powerful flaps of your wings to take..." Scootaloo said with force, before drifting off as she looked at Sweetie Belle, who, along with Apple Bloom gave her a flat look.
"Right, no wings," Scootaloo said awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck.
"You don't say," Sweetie Belle said sarcastically.
"Well, I'm out of ideas," Scootaloo said, as she sat down on the ground.
"Great, now what?" Sweetie Belle muttered.
"Well, why don'tcha try what you did all those other times before. That seemed ta work," Apple Bloom said thoughtfully, holding a hoof against her chin.
"But I barely know what I am doing to begin with," Sweetie Belle told her.
"Well, it did work. So why don't we just work from there?"
Sweetie Belle looked at Apple Bloom, then at Scootaloo, who only shrugged in response. Sighing, she readied herself, and began to concentrate on the energy she felt inside of her.
"Okay, here goes."
Eyes closed in concentration, Sweetie Belle could feel herself become lighter and lighter. It was a difficult thing for her to do, as it went against her natural instincts. But, ever so slowly, she could feel her hooves lift off the ground, and soon she was levitating several centimeters above the ground.
"You're doing it!" Apple Bloom shouted excitedly.
"Can you go even higher?" Scootaloo asked, urging her on.
"I'm not sure," Sweetie Belle muttered through gritted teeth, intently focusing on just staying in the air. "This is harder than you think."
"How so? You're not even flapping any wings. It seems easier to me," Scootaloo said questioningly, not fully understanding how less work could be more difficult.
"It just is!" Sweetie Belle grunted, "Now be quiet, I'm trying to concentrate."
’Come on, higher, go higher.’ Sweetie Belle thought, focusing on the mental image of herself flying. And, to both the amazement of Apple Bloom, and a bit of jealousy from Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle slowly gained more and more height. And, as her sole focus was on her flying, her body changed to accommodate this wish. Unnoticed her hind legs and tail became translucent and shapeless, moving around in an unfelt breeze as they became an intangible tail. She realized, to her surprise, that somehow her attempt at flight had become a whole lot easier, and it didn't take as much concentration for her to maintain. Feeling a bit more confident, she opened her eyes, looking down to see how high she really was.
Her eyes turned to pinpricks as she saw she was hanging above the trees, and her sudden lapse of focus caused her to drop several meters before she caught herself. It was then that she noticed the change of her legs and tail, as the jolt of her sudden stop caused the tail to whip into her face.
She wanted to freak. She wanted to panic. But there was something holding her back. A realization that made her look at her legs with a renewed sense of confusion. Somehow, for reasons she didn't understand, it would seem that her legs being like this helped her with her flying, and she moved from left to right to see the tail trail behind her.
"Hey girls, look," Sweetie Belle said excitedly. "Somehow this is helping me to fly," she continued as she flew around in a slow circle.
"You go, Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom shouted excitedly.
"Yeah, what she said," Scootaloo replied, but a hint of jealousy was mixed in with her tone, and her smile was just a bit forced as she watched her friend fly around.
"WOOHOO!" Sweetie Belle shouted excitedly as she flew around, becoming more confident with every second. Her speed picked up, and the distances she flew increased bit by bit. Before long she was circling around her two friends at a dizzying speed.
Which did cause her to spin out of control, and crash head first into one of the trees.
Slowly sliding down the tree with her front legs wrapped around it, she slid down the trunk before falling backwards and onto the ground. Stars filled her vision as she looked up at the night's sky, but a large smile etched her face.
"SWEETIE BELLE!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo yelled as they ran to their downed friend, "Are you okay?"
"Girls..." Sweetie responded in a haze, "I just flew..."
"I JUST FLEW!"
She shouted it loud and proud, jumping up from the ground and hovering in the air, green sparks of magic shooting from her horn in her excitement.
Apple Bloom, too, was excited for her friend, and she was jumping around as if she was trying to catch Sweetie Belle's intangible tail. Scootaloo however, although glad for her friend, also felt jealousy and resentment toward her friend.
'Why can she fly, while I can't?'
Shaking it off, she quickly joined her friends in their small celebration, looking forward to finding out what else Sweetie Belle could do.
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"Come on, just try it again!" Scootaloo urged on.
"I just did, and I couldn't do it. It's just too hard," Sweetie Belle shot back, sweat on her head from the strain she put herself through.
"Just give her a break, Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said, stepping in between the two. "We don't even know what this is ourselves, so how can we expect Sweetie Belle ta do it just like that."
"But she is doing it just like that, see," Scootaloo countered, and pointed a hoof at Sweetie Belle, who was slowly sinking through the ground.
"I'm not even going to say it anymore," Sweetie Belle muttered bitterly as Apple Bloom pulled her back by the front legs, only for her front legs to turn intangible as well, which then extended to Apple Bloom as she was holding her.
"WHAT THE!?" Apple Bloom shouted as she found herself sinking through the ground, and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at her with surprise and fright.
"How are you doing that!?" Sweetie shouted.
"Ah don't know. Ah'm only holding on to you!" Apple Bloom replied in panic as she tried to pull herself out of the ground, "Scootaloo, help!"
Rushing to her side, Scootaloo grabbed Apple Bloom around the waist and pulled her out of the ground. And still holding on to Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom dragged the unicorn with her.
Finally free from the ground, Apple Bloom let go of Sweetie Belle, and her legs turned solid again.
Lying on the ground with her legs splayed to the sides, Apple Bloom was panting loudly from the fear she'd just felt.
"What just happened?" Scootaloo asked dumbfounded as she looked at her friends, "Did… How did you do that? I thought Sweetie was the only one that did these weird things."
"Ah don't know," Apple Bloom answered weakly, "Ah only grabbed hold of her, nothing more."
"Wait!" Sweetie Belle shouted, "Does that mean I can share these things with others?" She looked at her friends, fear, curiosity and even some excitement showing on their faces with this possibility.
"Ehhh… Maybe you can try it out?" Scootaloo offered.
"Not on me!" Apple Bloom said immediately, not wanting to go through something like that right now.
"Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked as she held up a hoof, "Maybe it also works with the invisible thingy."
Scootaloo hesitantly held out a hoof of her own, and took Sweetie Belle's offered hoof.
"You sure about this?" Scootaloo asked her friend.
"Nope," Sweetie Belle said with a shake of her head, and a disappearing leg.
"GHAAAA!" Scootaloo yelled out as she saw her own leg turn invisible as well, followed moments later by the rest of her body.
"It works. It really works!" Sweetie Belle shouted excitedly, breaking the hold she had with Scootaloo, making her visible again.
"That was soooo weird!" Scootaloo said with shocked awe, looking at her leg with wide eyes.
"APPLE BLOOM!" came the angry call of none other than Applejack, and the fillies turned to look in the direction the shout came from.
"Uh oh," Apple Bloom muttered.
"What do we do now?" Scootaloo asked. "We can't just stay here like this. We'll be grounded for life."
"We don't have to," Sweetie Belle said with a devious grin, "I think I am starting to like these powers, and they might help us out right now." Her hoof glowed green and she shot a beam of energy into the small lamp they had placed nearby to illuminate the clearing, destroying it.
"Quickly girls, hold on to me!" she said immediately after that.
Scootaloo quickly placed a hoof on Sweetie Belle's back, followed a moment later by a hesitant Apple Bloom.
"Okay, I hope this works," she said, staying quiet as they could hear the angry stomping on the ground as Applejack came closer to them.
Focusing intently on turning invisible, Sweetie Belle's body faded out of view. And, as they were holding on to her, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo saw each other fade out of existence as well.
"Now, let's get out of here," Sweetie Belle muttered.
"But what about all the stuff still here? And the trees?" Scootaloo asked quietly.
"Don't worry," Apple Bloom replied, "it's too dark ta see much. And if she doesn't find us here, big sis will go look someplace else."
"And we will be back in our beds when she does," Scootaloo finished, a grin on her face, which none of them could see.
"Exactly," Apple Bloom said with a nod, not realizing it couldn't be seen. And slowly the three of them moved away from their clubhouse and into the orchard, missing the angry Applejack as they were no longer there to feel her wrath.
Yes, these powers could be very useful indeed.
<<>><<>><<>>
"APPLE BLOOM!" Applejack shouted loudly, closing in on the treehouse her sister and her friends used for their little meetings.
Stepping into the small clearing, she had a hard time seeing anything in the dark. If only she had taken a flashlight with her, instead of angrily storming off when she found out her sister was not in her room as she was supposed to be. She would have a word with her brother as well, seeing he was the one that allowed Apple Bloom to do so.
Stumbling around a bit in the dark, she found the treehouse her sister and her friends were supposed to be in. Walking up the ramp, Applejack stood before the door, listening intently to see if she could hear her sister and her friends. She didn't, and she frowned as she slowly opened the door.
"What the hay! Where are they?" she spoke in the dark building, seeing neither her sister nor her friends.
"Alright missy, Ah know you're here somewhere," she said with narrowed eyes. "Don't think you'll get by me that easily."
Storming off the ramp, Applejack moved back into the orchard, determined to find her sister, who, with the help of her friends, was already climbing through her bedroom window. And Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo moved away into the night, invisible for all.
<<>><<>><<>>
"Ah can't find her anywhere!" Applejack shouted as she practically kicked in the door of the farmhouse.
"Have you checked their treehouse?" Macintosh offered, earning him a glare from his sister.
"You know Ah have. And if it wasn't for you, Ah wouldn't have needed to go out and look for her in tha first place."
"Eeyup," he answered meekly.
"Don't you eeyup me mister. You're in a lot of trouble, just wait for Granny Smith ta wake up."
"Applejack," Apple Bloom said with a fake sleepy voice, standing at the top of the stairs while rubbing an eye. "What's with all the noise?"
Silence.
"Where tha hay did you come from?"
"... My room. Where else?" Apple Bloom answered after a moment, having trouble keeping a straight face.
Applejack could only stare at her younger sister, wondering how in the world she could have missed her the first time she looked in her room.
"Then why did Big Mac say you were out at tha treehouse having a sleepover with your friends?"
"Because Ah asked him if I could. But Sweetie Belle couldn't come, so we called it off," Apple Bloom said, being as truthful as she could so her sister wouldn’t catch on. "Just ask Rarity. She wouldn't let Sweetie Belle go. So Ah just came back and went ta bed."
"Did you know about this?" Applejack asked her brother.
"Eenope."
"Humph. You are still in a lot of trouble. Tha both of ya'll. Apple Bloom, go back ta bed. Ah'll have a word with Rarity in tha morning ta see if you are telling tha truth. As for you," she said as she turned to her brother, "Ah will leave Granny Smith ta decide what ta do with you."
Big Mac gulped loudly, his life flashing before his eyes.
<<>><<>><<>>
Scootaloo didn't bother trying to be quiet, and the moment she was brought home by Sweetie Belle she walked right in through the front door, closing it with a push of her hind leg. Walking up the stairs to her room, she saw the empty rooms in the guesthouse. Another feeling of emptiness that haunted her, as she didn't like living in a house full of empty rooms. She sighed as she dragged herself back to her room, closing the door behind her with a slam, telling her 'mother' that she was back home.
Jumping on her bed, she sighed sadly as she found herself back again in a mostly empty house. This was not where she felt at home. No, home for her was a place with friends and family. Not here.
Looking out of a window in her room, she saw Luna's stars shine in the inky darkness of the night. A last sad sigh escaped her lips before sleep took hold of her, a tear streaming down her face.
<<>><<>><<>>
After having dropped Scootaloo off at her home, Sweetie Belle rushed back to her own. Moving through town unseen, she didn't take long to reach the boutique. But, looking up at her bedroom window, she wondered how she could best get up there.
Of course she then remembered her new ability to fly, and she flew up to her window with almost no problem. Save for a drop in height when she thought she heard somepony, and fell down in fright.
Fortunately, it turned out to only be Opal, Rarity's cat, who didn't seem to see Sweetie Belle.
Flying up again, Sweetie Belle hovered before her bedroom's window. Opening it quietly, as she still didn't know how to turn intangible at will, she moved through her room and into her bed.
It had been a long day, and sleep wasn’t long in coming, but one worrying thought came to her before sleep claimed her.
’What will happen at school tomorrow?’
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Not a bad start for Sweetie Belle training. Well, I still don't have the theme song for Sweetie Belle in her ghost form but I'm still working on it. Can't wait to see how school goes, and who knows? You might have her fight a ghost. Like Danny did when he got his powers.
Awesome!
Them discovering how Sweetie's powers work is the most adorably-cool thing EVER!
Editor's Note:
Remember this chapter ends with Sweetie Belle going to bed the night before the chapter 'Training Day' in Guilt of a Phantom.
Because it was only a photo... and they were dead. Completely and totally dead and unable to communicate with the living in anyway.
What part of "They're dead and can't hear or respond to your desires" do you not get?! LET IT GO!! They are gone forever and they can never come back!
... or not.
And easier thought than said, and easier ignored than thought. And thus the problem was ignored! YAY FOR EASYNESS!!
It had lived with Rarity for years, it knew when it was time to get the hell out of Dodge.
No no no Sweetie, you have to make the Nicholas Cage face when you say that, do it again.
So ghost intangibility is like clouds? Pegasi can touch them?
4206364 And the crazy blast of energy Sweetie shot during her improvised training was the flash of light mentioned at the ending of the previous chapter of Guilt of a Phantom
4278188
I'm silently screaming. Don't ask why because I don't know.
4282761 Probably because I apologized on the internet. It is not as bad as dividing by zero, but close.
One question comes to mind. Why did you name her Silver Spirit?
Danny Fenton=Danny Phantom.
Vlad Masters=Vlad Plasmius.
Sweetie Belle=Silver Spirit?
Whenever someone became part ghost, they gave themselves new names, but those names still had part of their real names in them. Silver Spirit would be a much more appropriate name for Silver Spoon.
I think it would have been better to keep my original idea of Spirit Belle.
4297610 Perhaps. But it is the whole covered in gold dust, then having it turn into silver as Sweetie became a spirit. So, Silver and Spirit. I can see how it would make sense to keep a part of her original name, and I tried a couple variations, yours included, but I just liked the way this sounds. Besides, it might just be part of a greater whole in this story.
will danny find out and help train sweetie belle
4299130
derpicdn.net/img/view/2014/1/20/529727__safe_solo_animated_derpy+hooves_upvotes+galore_rainbow+falls_spoiler-colon-s04e10_wall+of+faves_shrug_shrugging.gif
Spoilers.
It been awhile since my last post but I have come to problem with Sweetie Belle Theme for this story. I FORGOT IT!
Ugh, with only the start of the song written down, I never got around to working on it. Can some one help me? Oh, and how the next chapter coming Powerdrainer?
4356322 My editor is currently busy correcting the next chapter. Don't know when it will be done, but I don't think it will be that long. Couple of days give or take. Maybe less. I'm making no promises though.
4357922 Ok, thanks. I was wondering.
Pears
I wonder if Sweetie will have any unique abilities? Maybe something cute and terrifying? Anyway I love it so far.
4297664 Spirit Belle actually works pretty well... The toll of the Spirit Belle sings in the distance... sounds really mysterious.
Pear corn.
Translation: Pony porn.
Hmm, wonder if when she wakes up she's halfway through her bed.
Well, you have a nice Dash (funny how that works) in Diamond, but I'll be damned if I know who is gonna be the Paulina analog.
I still think she should yell out TIME TO DIE!
Applebloom used blackmail. It's super effective
Ironic considering apple parents were pears
Ahhh blackmailing family just like my house.
9563990
Apple mother was a pear