Forbidden Sugar (Cube)

by Alottapony94

How It All Began

The clouds the pegasi had pushed over Ponyville were clearing as the weather ponies up the very earliest did their work to clear the sky to show off Celestia’s warm sun taking the place of her sister’s cool moon. Morning was here. Fluttershy’s birds chirped, her roosters crowed and her animals chattered. The chickens and roosters from Fluttershy’s set off the roosters at Sweet Apple Acres as per usual every morning, and a certain orange country-style pony with a Stetson hat perched on a straw blond mane and three red apples gracing her flank was already up and stretching her legs out in the glow of the morning light from her window. “It sure is a beautiful morn’. Well, time to get the family up.”

She strolled leisurely to her brother’s room which was opposite of hers. He wasn’t the deepest of sleepers, and got up with ease after a few shakes of the shoulder. “Big Mac, up and at ‘em.” She said loudly, and he quickly rolled out of bed.
She then went to the next room a small way up from Big Mac’s, Applebloom’s room. Applebloom was harder to get up, always a challenge because she loved her sleep. “Applebloom? Appleblooooom?! APPLEBLOOM!” She bellowed right in her sister’s ear while shaking her frantically. “Huhuhwhatsit?” She shouted just as loud, very surprised when she was woken up like this. “Hush now ‘Bloom. You’ll wake Granny Smith. You know how she likes her sleep. Just like you. Now, up and at em. There’s no time for sleep-ins.” Applejack gave and took no nonsense with little fillies, and her approach worked just right with Applebloom. After all, she was her sister and mother all in one, since Mom…well she’d rather not think about that.

“But ‘Jackie! Ah was having the most wonderful dream. And only crazy people like waking up at dawn.” Applebloom whined loudly. “Quit that whining. Ah didn’t raise you for that kind o’ whining. Come on, I’m doing this for your own good. You sleep in, you get lazy. Now Sugacube, be good and get ready real quick and I’ll fix you up whatever breakfast you like.” Applejack promised her. “Apple pancakes? Please please please pretty please with sugar on top?” Applebloom pleaded, begging further with her eyes. Applejack laughed at the filly’s dramatics. “Oh, ok ‘Bloom. Now you get ready now, alright? That’s our deal.” Applejack smiled, softening up her hard edge completely and giving her a motherly hug. “Ok!” Applebloom said sprightly and went to the bathroom to have a quick bath before breakfast. While Applebloom was bathing her yellow coat, brushing her mane and tying a ribbon in her hair for school, Applejack worked on some delicious cinnamon and butter slathered pancakes in the kitchen for the family breakfast. Applebloom loved apple pancakes, they were her favourite breakfast.

Right on six thirty, Applebloom bounced playfully down the stairs like Pinkie Pie would, and Big Mac followed slowly and steadily walking the steps. “Hold on there little ‘Bloom. Stop that jumping, Ah don’t want to you to hurt yerself, ok?” Applejack stopped her bouncing. “’Jack! Can Ah bounce anywhere?” Applebloom whined. “Of course, on solid ground, sugar. Just not on the stairs. You know, if you fall off, you could break a hoove, or even yer head, or sometimes if yer not careful..” “..You can fall off and injure yer spine, crack a back hoove, crack your back. Ah know, Ah know!” Applebloom groaned. “Ah’m just worried about you Sugacube. Ah’m…Ah’m practically your Momma right now.” Applejack reasoned with her. “B-b-but you’re not Mom! You smell like apples. Mom smelled like sweet berries and chocolate. She used to sing the best songs. Ah can barely remember her. How can you say yer my Momma? Yer just my Sis!” Applebloom looked down with wet eyes.

“Oh, Ah’m sorry sugar. Ah know what you’re saying. We can’t ever replace Momma. Ah know that. But remember she gave me this, she said: you run this farm now, and take care of Applebloom as if she was your own. Then she gave me this here hat. See here, property of Chocolate Berry.” Applejack showed off her hat. Applebloom groaned. “Applejack, Ah was only excited when Ah saw the hat the first time. Ah’m ten years old ya know!” Applebloom complained. “Ten?! My, time sure does fly. Well maybe you’re becoming a teenager that explains all the whining an’ complaining. When Ah was your age, there was no time for dilly-dallying like you can do as a filly. Ah was running the farm! You can’t even pick an apple, so think about that before you complain, Sis. Now on a nicer note, come, ‘Bloom, breakfast is ready, and Ah think it will taste better warm.”

They went to sit on the long table where Big Mac was powering through his breakfast. “Now Big Mac, you silly colt. Eat slower; you’ll get a tummy ache!” Applejack chided. “Hey! Applebloom may be your sister but I’m yer big brother. You don’t get to boss me around.” Big Mac replied. “Uh uh. Who is head of the farm? Who wears the Stetson?” Applejack proved her point. Big Mac sighed. “You.” He groaned. “That’s right!” Applejack smiled and dug into her breakfast, while Applebloom shovelled hers. It was safe to say that manners had no place in the Apple Family. You worked hard, and worried later. “Bye little ‘Bloom! I got farm business to take care of, but Big Mac is taking you to school as always.” Applejack told her sister.
As soon as she left, Big Mac sighed and put the dishes away in the sink to wash later. Applebloom walked up to him. “Big Mac, why is Applejack so bossy?” Applebloom complained. “Ah don’t know, little ‘Bloom. Ah think Momma gave her more responsibility than she needed. It goes to her head sometimes.” Big Mac responded thoughtfully. “Why didn’t she give you the farm? Yer the older pony; you were a teenager when she left us!” Applebloom wondered. “You what happened, with Pop, it made Momma less trusting of colts. She kind of distanced herself from me before she died.” Big Mac looked down. “Ah’m sorry Big Mac.” Applebloom hugged one of her brother’s forelegs. “It’s ok little one, what’s done is done. Now, Ah better be getting you to the ol’ schoolhouse.” Big Mac picked up his sister on his back, then backed up a few steps and burst out the door, galloping.

“Weeeee!” Applebloom cried happily, and she started giggling as Big Mac sang the tune of William Tell while he was running to the ol’ schoolhouse as he would have called it. He even passed through the town singing the tune; he didn’t really care of what people thought of it because he wasn’t that sociable, anyway. He stopped, panting at the destination. “Hoo-wee! That was some run. You’re getting bigger.” Big Mac said. “Hey! Ah’m not fat!” She shoved her brother. “Ow! Hey, Ah wasn’t saying that! You’re just growing, ‘Bloom.” Big Mac told her. “Oh.” Applebloom shrugged. “So Ah guess Ah’ll pick you up at three? Any friends coming along?” Big Mac asked. “Three, and Ah’m not sure, but maybe.” Applebloom said. “Eeyup. Well, have fun.” Big Mac said as he waved. “Ah will.” Applebloom responded.

“Hi Miss Cheerilee!” Applebloom happily greeted. “Hello Applebloom. Always bright and early.” Miss Cheerilee smiled at her early student. “So, before Ah start, you have anything that needs fixing?” Applebloom asked. “Applebloom, today I thought you could say hello to a new student. Her name is Dinky Hooves, she’s another early bird.” Cheerilee suggested. “Wait a minute. Dinky Hooves, as in Derpy Hooves’ kid?” Applebloom asked sceptically. Cheerilee frowned and sighed. “I thought I’d get this reaction. Derpy, although she has funny looking eyes, is a very nice mare, I met her the other day. Dinky is quite the same. I know this will affect her socially, so please just try to be nice at least.” Cheerilee whispered to her student.

Dinky looked down and sighed herself, sitting on the carpet in front of the two chatting in the frame of the front door. Her Mom was the greatest Mom ever, but also because of having a Momma like Derpy, people tended to poke fun and stare, especially when they saw she had a horn and Momma had wings. They sometimes thought either that her Mom was so stupid that she thought Dinky was hers when she actually wasn’t, or thought Momma had been taken advantage of because of her ditzy state. She knew, because people had the nerve to come up and ask her and poke fun at her, especially little fillies and colts. But sadly, the second was the truth. Her mother was the nicest, most genuine mare in the world but even Dinky knew that her mother was far from the brightest crayon of the bunch. She was manipulated by a smart but notoriously mean unicorn stallion into producing Dinky.

“Uh, hi. Ah’m Applebloom.” Applebloom said after being prodded enough from Cheerilee. “I’m Dinky. Nice to meet you.” Dinky held out a hand, and Applebloom suddenly wanted to impress the pretty, sweet looking unicorn filly. “Uhm, a pleasure making your acquaintance.” Applebloom gave a hard firm shake, learnt from observing Applejack meet new people so many times, but she shook a little too hard because of her nerves which came out of nowhere. “Woah, don’t shake my hand off! So, Applebloom, where do you live? I come all the way from Cloudsdale.” Dinky started the conversation. “Ah’m a local. But Ah live on the farm, Sweet Apple Acres with my sister, my brother and my granny. Say, if you have a horn, what are you doing in Cloudsdale?” Applebloom was genuinely curious. “My Mom has wings, so I’m living up with her in the clouds until I’m a grown mare, and I’m old enough to move to Ponyville or wherever I like. So how old are your sister and brother?” Dinky replied. “My brother is 25. My sister is four years younger, she’s 21. Is this your first time at school or…are you from somewhere else?”

The words echoed in Dinky’s head. When she heard from somewhere else she saw flashbacks of the kids being mean, shoving, pushing and jeering at her at her past two schools because of her Mom and her horn and looked terrified for a second. “Hey, are you ok?” Applebloom brang her back to life, and Dinky quickly switched back to a friendly smile. “Yeah, don’t worry about it. I’ve been to two schools, one near the Weather Factory and one on the outer skirts of Cloudsdale.” Dinky answered, leaving out why she left. “Why’d you leave so much?” Applebloom asked innocently. Dinky looked down. “Well actually, they didn’t like me. It was because I had a horn and they had wings. And Mom…has funny eyes. Derpy, you’ve probably heard of her, she’s the dark grey mailmare with bubbles on her flank. Now that I’m here, hopefully they won’t be able to make fun of my horn.” Dinky explained solemnly.

Applebloom softened to the poor pretty unicorn filly’s plight. “Yer alright Sugacu- I mean Dinky.” Applebloom covered her mouth when the affectionate name slipped out of her mouth. Why do I wanna call her Sugacube all of a sudden? Get yerself together Applebloom. But, she is a pretty filly, maybe I just can’t admit I want to call her Sugacube. Wait just a cotton-picking minute…do I have a crush? On a filly of all ponies? Applebloom thought to herself, an inner conflict taking place in her head. “Uh…Applebloom…wakey wakey.” Dinky waved her hand in front of her face while giggling the sweetest giggle Applebloom had ever heard. If you think you don’t have a crush, yer just kidding yerself, Applebloom thought as she sighed inwardly. “Oh, yeah. Yer alright Dinky. It’s still a while before the other kids come. Do you wanna play tag?!” Applebloom proposed. “No one’s asked me that before. Of course I’ll play with you, you’re the only filly that’s ever treated me nicely!” Dinky agreed whole-heartedly. Applebloom’s heart sank again momentarily. She really felt for the poor filly, and hoped to cheer her up.

Applebloom and Dinky enjoyed a fast paced game of tag outside of the school, running and jumping in the morning sun. Cheerilee smiled as she took a glance at the fillies running and shouting “You’re it!” playfully at different intervals. After half an hour, the two panting fillies came in when everyone arrived for class. “Good morning Class.” Miss Cheerilee started. “Good morning Miss Cheerilee!” The class cheered back. “Ok, now for today’s lesson, we’ll be talking about, intelligence.” Miss Cheerilee said. Diamond Tiara and her best friend Silver Spoon looked around the class as they pranced in late. “Hey look. It’s Derpy Hooves’ kid!” Diamond Tiara whispered to Silver Spoon, pointing in Dinky’s direction. “Oh this is rich. And they’re talking about intelligence!” Silver Spoon agreed, laughing. “This will be so funny. Watch.” Diamond Tiara whispered back, taking her seat.

“Excuse me Miss Cheerilee?” Diamond Tiara said with a pompous tone of voice, volunteering her hand. “Yes Diamond Tiara, is there something you’d like to share to do with intelligence?” Miss Cheerilee asked. “Yes as a matter of fact. I think it would worth pointing out that some certain ponies don’t have much intelligence at all. In fact, they have none, this unicorn is a disgrace to all unicorns, she’s probably as stupid as her stupid Mom! Right, Dinky Hooves?!” Diamond Tiara took perverse pleasure in seeing the fearful teary-eyed reaction on the new kid’s face. Silver Spoon laughed heartily, and in turn half the class laughed with her. “Students! How can you be so rude? Diamond Tiara, walk up to Dinky Hooves right now and apologise!” Miss Cheerilee ordered Diamond Tiara.

The filly marched dragging her feet on the ground. “Dinky Hooves, I’m so not sorry.” Diamond Tiara blew a raspberry in the face of the crying filly. “Diamond Tiara, apologise.” Miss Cheerilee ordered more forcefully. “I’m sorry…that you’re a retard!” Diamond Tiara emphasised the word retard and the same sheep in the class laughed their heads off to the poor bawling filly. Applebloom meanwhile was reddening in the face. Diamond Tiara annoyed her before, but now this was more than just annoyance. Applebloom was angry. “Diamond Tiara! You are getting a detention, young mare for saying that word!” Miss Cheerilee punished the out-of-hand filly.

“I don’t’ care, Miss Cheerilee. And I will not apologise. Ever ever ever.” Diamond Tiara said. “Miss Tiara, I think I also need to talk to you and your father after class. He will not be happy about this.” Miss Cheerilee remained calm despite her most challenging student. “Ok.” She sighed and walked off to her seat but a yellow filly stopped her, walking her backwards. “Apologise Diamond Tiara!” Applebloom shouted at the filly, pushing her smoothly because she already had the muscles of a good workhorse.

“Girls…” Miss Cheerilee started. “No.” Diamond Tiara answered. “You apologise or I will bust you up something good!” Applebloom threatened. “No, are you a retard too?” Diamond Tiara asked. “Don’t you call me that, you big meanie!” Applebloom growled, pushing her faster. “Girls! Stop!” Cheerilee ran fast to the other side of the room to keep track of them. A dust cloud formed around them as kicking, biting and whimpering sounds were heard from the two. Cheerilee held the two fillies up with her hands, sighing as Applebloom tried to leap out of her grasp to fight Diamond Tiara more, who was cowering because of Applebloom’s brute strength.

“You two, time out during lunch and detention and a talk with your parents for both of you.” “But Miss, Applebloom is a stinky orphan. She doesn’t have any parents. Loser.” Applebloom especially tried to struggle to get out and challenge Diamond Tiara after this. “Diamond Tiara! Your parents or guardian in Applebloom’s case.” Miss Cheerilee corrected herself. She put the fillies down in their respective spots. The next chunk of the class, thankfully, went rather quietly. Applebloom was rather annoyed and glum, until her friends said a quick hello. But the thing that really cheered her up was the pretty filly’s appreciative smile. “Thanks for standing up for me, Applebloom.” She said quietly and hugged her tight, making the yellow filly in question blush and feel warm and fuzzy inside. Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell nearby gave the pair a strange look from a distance. Where did this filly come from and why did Applebloom like her so much all of a sudden? They gave each other a silent look that said they wanted to find out at lunch time.

As the fillies and colts filed out to play at lunchtime, Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell followed close behind the new kid Dinky. “Hello, Dinky.” Scootaloo said with suspicion. Dinky jumped. “Woah!” She quickly turned around to find the source of the voice and found it was an orange Pegasus and a white Unicorn. “Hey, you scared me. Who are you guys?” Dinky asked. “I’m Scootaloo and this is Sweetie Bell. So, how do you know our friend Applebloom?” Scootaloo asked with her suspicion still evident. “Oh, I just met her this morning! She’s great.” Dinky said, smiling. “I know. Are you a spy?” Scootaloo scrutinized. Sweetie Bell pushed her back, rolling her eyes.

“I’m so sorry Dinky. Scootaloo isn’t the most well-mannered Pegasus out there. She’s always just so paranoid of new people, she’ll get used to you. A friend of Applebloom’s is a friend of mine. You wanna play hopscotch? Or ball?” Sweetie Bell suggested. “Hopscotch sounds great!” Dinky agreed. Sweetie Bell and Dinky walked to the hopscotch court, with Scootaloo shrugging and tagging along, still with narrowed eyes. “So, don’t worry about Diamond Tiara. All she’s good for is being a professional brat. Ha! She’s the bully around here, that’s why people laugh with her. But they probably don’t really think you’re stupid.” Sweetie Bell reassured her. “Thanks Sweetie Bell, but that doesn’t make me feel much better. The fact that they laugh at me is enough. It’ll just be like my old schools.” Dinky looked glum. “What happened there?” Sweetie Bell asked gently. “They were mean to me, laughed at me, same old story. But at least there is one difference.” She said with a sigh. “What?” asked Sweetie Bell as they approached the hopscotch court. “I have friends.” She smiled slightly.

“Oh no. I didn’t know ponies could be so mean.” Sweetie comforted her. “I’m just unlucky, I guess.” Dinky sighed, and then cheered up momentarily during a rousing game of hopscotch, where even sceptical Scootaloo joined in and got a little friendly with Dinky during the game. It was safe to say this was the most welcoming school she had been at.**

Comments

[Blank Flank]

This is pretty good. But I do have one thing, you keep on using the word hand. I'm not sure if you meant for this story to be a humanized pony story or you just put hand instead of hoof. Other than that though good job!

[Lux Rune]

Great story so far, I can't wait to read more, but I agree with Blank Flank, the use of the word hands makes the story a bit off, other than that, I love it.

[Nebula Swirl]

pretty great! but hand? Okay i don't find that too bad, but others.... the pain you will get from them. BUT! I can't wait for more chapters and then more things to happen

[Alottapony94]

Thanks everypony for the awesome comments and favs.

[Alottapony94]

Oh, and don't worry you guys, lol. I will fix up the hand issue next chapter. I made a bit of a stupid mistake. Hehe, stupid me.

[Lux Rune]

423361 WE all make mistakes, don't worry about it

[indy4s]

This marks my first comment on this website, and I gotta say, couldn't of found a better piece of writting to post it on. Great story kid; nice use of backstory with Dinky, you really got me there.

[Dubs Rewatcher]

How is Dinky living in the clouds if she's a unicorn?

Also, when a new person is talking, start a new paragraph.

[TheEPICpony]

Can you do theparagraoh thingy when pepoltalk uzsometimes i cant tell whos talking