Gifted

by RayneTheSkunk

Making Plans

Gifted

Making Plans

Ponyville- Whitetail Woods
8:43 AM

Scenery rushed by as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle weaved through the dense Whitetail Woods. Stray beams of light struck their faces in the dark, roofed forest as they blitzed through the small cracks between the looming trees . The dense myriad of trees opened up to a ring in the center of the forest. Scootaloo skidded to halt, the wagon bumping against the back of the scooter. “Apple Bloom wanted us to meet her here, right? I don’t see her anywhere.”

“Maybe she isn’t here yet.” Sweetie Belle responded as she pulled a video camera out of the scooter wagon. “I wonder why she wanted me to bring my camera though. I’ve never used it before.”

“Look up!” The two fillies directed their attention to the source of the call. Roughly thirty feet above them Apple Bloom sat atop a wide, sturdy branch. Stray pieces of leaf littered her red hair, and her bow had a large tear in it. “Sweetie Belle, start up the camera! There’s somethin’ I really ought to show ya.”

Sweetie held the camera with both hooves and did her best to keep the camera steady on Apple Bloom, “But how in the world did you get up there? You look terrible.”

“Trial an’ error!” Apple Bloom shouted as she inched towards the branch’s edge.

“We’ve already tried daredevil cutie marks, Apple Bloom! It was my idea. It didn’t work! How’d you even set up a safety net by yourself anyway?” Scootaloo questioned, shouting much louder than Apple Bloom or Sweetie.

“There’s no net and this ain’t about our cutie marks! This is ‘bout me, as a pony. I have a gift, somethin’ special! Sweetie Belle, just keep the camera rollin’ an’ don’t miss anythin’!” Apple Bloom’s front hooves were now only half on the tree.

“Okay... just be careful” Sweetie Belle’s voice and camera work became increasingly shaky. Apple Bloom closed her eyes. She froze her muscles and let herself be victim to gravity’s influence. Her hooves tilted forward until they slipped over the branch’s edge.

“Apple Bloom!” both girls screamed as the farm girl fell face first towards the ground. A heavy, yellow dust cloud rose the moment she collided with the ground, and the sound of her impact was composed of a loud collection of snaps and cracks.

Apple Bloom lay spread on her back, coughing as the dust settled. Her yellow coat patterned with various cuts and bruises; three of her legs bent in awkward, unnatural directions; her bloody snout caved in towards her skull.

The camera fell to the ground. Sweetie stood frozen, staring blankly at her friend’s mangled body, only manage to make short, broken breaths. Scootaloo rushed past her screaming Apple Bloom’s name. Scootaloo fell to her haunches before the young farm girl, tears begining to roll from her eyes

“A-appple B-b-blooom are you—” Scootaloo’s voice cut off. With a loud pained cough Apple Bloom’s eyes forced themselves open. She took a brief examination of herself, cringing at the way her legs looked. “You’re alive!” Scootaloo screamed to the whole forest, her hoof sitting close to her heart.

“Yup!” Apple Bloom said with a smile as she used her good foreleg to force her other one back into place, making an incredibly loud crack. Her snout made quiet squelchy noises as it was pushed outward. Her cuts mended themselves and her bruises faded away like mist.

Apple Bloom sat up, her face still bloody. “So,” she grunted as she straightened one of her hind legs, “cool or not cool?” The leg made another unnervingly loud cracking sound.

Sweetie Belle crept over to her friends, her legs still stiff, “Did you just?”

“Yup.” Apple Bloom grunted as she pushed her last leg into its socket. “ I fell ‘bout three times tryin’ to get up there.” Scootaloo helped her up onto all fours. She winced a bit as she used her hind legs getting up. “It is cool, right? Y’all don’t think I’m freaky or anything?”

“Freaky? That was flipping amazing! I mean it was disgusting, but it was seven different kinds of awesome! You had me so scared! But this- this is- I don’t even know what to call it but it was cool.” Scootaloo threw her hooves around Apple Bloom despite the blood.

Sweetie Belle kept her distance, simply glaring at Apple Bloom “Don’t ever scare us like that again! You could have just told us instead of giving me the most terrifying moment of my life,” she said

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to make it big! Ever since, I was hit by that rock, I’v been healin’ from just about everythin’. I had to do somethin’ special for y’all!” Apple Bloom said, rubbing her back legs..

“Fine. I’m still angry though, but about the healing thing. You have no idea where it came from?” Sweetie Belle’s voice rang with concern through her frustrated tone, as closer to wipe the blood from Apple Bloom’s face. “Aren't you scared? I’d be, what if you try something and you don’t get better?”

“Nope, not at all. My body’s been fixin’ itself up from every single thing since then” Apple Bloom gently pushed aside her friend’s hoof. “I don’t think anypony knows why. And I thank ya should go pick up the camera. I wanna watch that later.”

End recording 7:45 AM.

“It’s off now. Why’d you want me to record in the first place?”

Apple Bloom shrugged, looking down at where she made impact.“I ain’t too sure really. I just thought it was somethin’ we need to keep. Like when ya take a picture to remember somethin’. I was thinkin’ we could tape some more stuff, just to see how much I can do. What y’all think?”

“I’m in! Watching you do more of the crazy mutant stuff will be awesome!” Scootaloo paused “... mutant in the most positive way ever.” The three shared a short laugh. Sweetie Belle took the camera as Scootaloo re-hooked the wagon up to the scooter. “So what do you got in mind?” she asked as they put on their safety helmets.

“ I don’t know yet.” The buzzing hum of Scootaloo’s wings forced Applebloom to speak a bit louder than before. The trees of the forest passed by like a blur. “But, I just want y’all to remember even though we’re recording stuff we ain’t showin’ ‘em to nopony unless I say so. Promise?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “That sounds pretty backwards to me. You get an awesome power and we aren't showing it off? If we aren't showing anypony why are we even gonna bother?”

“‘Cause I promised Doc Rosemary!” Apple Bloom snapped, “Big Macintosh taught me to never break a promise. Ever. I’m only telling y’all cause we’re bestest friends I got to. So ya have to promise not to spread a single breath of it, or what I’m ‘bout to tell you.”

“Promise!” the two fillies said, pointing a hoof to their eyes.

“Thanks,” Apple Bloom gave a relieved sigh, “Doc Rosemary called my healin’ thing a Gift, an’ said there’s other folk like me. All that fuss yesterday was just Princess Celestia lookin’ for special ponies. ”

“I knew there was something fishy about those doctors! ” Scootaloo pumped her hoof. “ I told mom it was weird, but she didn’t believe me.”

“An’ I figure if they’re really lookin’ that means they want to find us for somethin’!” Apple Bloom jumped, causing the wagon to shake and rumble.

“Us?” Sweetie said, desperately holding on to her seat.“You mean ponies like you?”

“Yeah, Celestia wants to find us because we have Gifts!”

The wagon ground to a halt as Scootaloo’s buzzing stopped. The wheels tore up the dirt before coming to a full a halt in behind Rarity’s boutique. Sweetie hopped off, leaving her helmet behind the wagon. “See ya, Sweetie Bell. We’ll talk more about Apple Bloom’s crazy cool power stuff later .I’ll swing by around twelve to go to Cooly’s, and don’t forget to pack for the New Yoke field trip tomorrow,” Scootaloo said. With a quick rev of her wings the scooter dashed off, kicking up the dirt yet again.

“Don’t worry, I won’t. See ya later,” Sweetie called as she wiped her hooves on the doormat. “Rarity, I’m here! Scootaloo messed up your dirt again!” Her hoof steps echoed through the empty hallway, without any response from her sister. “Rarity, are you home? I said I’d be coming today.” Yet again she was unanswered as she took increasingly cautious steps up the stairs. She crept over to Rarity’s door.

“Three thousand thirty-two, three thousand thirty-three...” Sweetie sighed in relief recognizing her sister’s voice. Rarity’s counting droned on like an emotionless machine. Sweetie nudged the door open as quietly as possible. Rarity sat on her bed, her back turned to the door. Her manikins were covered in half finished projects and assorted cloth. Tools were scattered across the room as if she was working on something and kept stopping.

“Rarity, hello? You okay?” Sweetie said slowly, as she tapped her sister’s back. Rarity’s ears sprang up in response. “What are you doing?”

Rarity turned to her sister. She gave her a blank empty stare for a moment before blinking a few times. “Oh, umm, terribly sorry. You were calling my name weren’t you?” Sweetie nodded. “Well, I was, uhh,” she chuckled, “sort of distracted with counting all these threads in my bed sheets.”

“The threads? How can you see that?” Sweetie dug her face into the red fabric. She held her eyes wide open directly against the fabric. After a few moments she let out a short groan and gave up. “There’s way too many of those to count! You’re not even wearing your glasses! There’s no way you can count them all.” She grumbled with a glare.

Rarity’s white face flushed with red. Her eyes darted to the floor as her hooves rubbed against each other. “Sweetie, would you believe me if I told you something a little... out of the ordinary?”

Sweetie’s glare immediately softened. She took a seat beside to her sister. “I saw something today that can make me believe anything. Shoot!”

“I think my eyes have some sort of, umm...” Her tone got quieter as her mouth continued to mumble. Her eyes darted about the floor before she forced herself to look at Sweetie Belle,“I think somepony put a curse on my eyes! L-like the threads. No other pony can see those, lately I’ve been able to look close enough to see every single one, a-and all the dust! The dust in the air, everywhere! I can see each one of those little specks individually. And I- I can...” Rarity snatched up Sweetie in her hooves, dragging her towards the window. “You see those windows all the way other side of town?” Sweetie nodded. “I can look into those!”

“Can you hear them too?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Sweetie, don’t patronize me! I’m being serious.” Rarity's voice nearly breaking as she raised her volume.

“I am too.” Sweetie pointed towards an open window a few house lengths away. Two unicorns leaned over the window seal talking to each other about something “Those two over there. What are they talking about?”

Rarity’s ears twitched frantically before draping the sides of her face. “Nothing. It’s just my eyes, but the stallion is hiding a glorious engagment ring tail.” She let out a sigh before tossing herself back onto the bed. “You’re not just humouring me, right? You truly belive I’m cursed don’t you?” Rarity stared at her sister with desperate eyes.

“I believe you, but I don’t think it’s a curse.” Sweetie hopped on the bed beside her sister. She stroked her hoof through Rarity’s silky mane. “Apple Bloom and Scootaloo will be coming to pick me up later. I think they’ll have something great to show you.”

Princess Celestia & Princess Luna
Starlight Center, Canterlot
9:36 AM

Luna and Celestia’s shoes made light taps as they walked on the balcony that overlooked the biology laboratory. Celestia glanced over the labs below her. Plenty of black boxes with lit screens and tables laid with equipment were prepared across the room, but none of it was in use. The scientist ponies sat idle in their stations chattering amongst themselves. “Hmm, they’re getting restless. They’re going to start questioning what’s going on soon. Where is Knightly?” Celestia mumbled to herself.

“Sister, those caravans were supposed to be here at least two hours ago, were they not? What could possibly postpone so many guards for so long?” Luna stared at the screens as she spoke. Here eyes were fixated on the lights and bars displayed on the small squares. “Sister, what are those?”

“Computers. They’re a new technology we discovered a few years ago. They do many things, but these are for exclusively science. They should help the scientists look at the research samples once they arrive. I left Twilight with a special one. I doubt she’s gotten the opportunity to actually use it.”

“I’d like to learn more about them later. Now sister, please explain again exactly what you believe is going on with our subjects?”

Celestia rest her for legs atop the cold guardrail. “I’m not quite sure, but it seems as though ponies are having strange changes that give them unnatural gifts and abilities. We have sightings of flying earth ponies and foals who’ve spontaneously healed from injuries. That’s why I’m sparing no expense in arranging this study as secretly as we can. We’re going to find these ponies and find out what is wrong with them. With any luck we can discover a cure.”

“Hmm, so strange magics?” Luna asked as her gaze switched over to the research equipment. “If we are to collect these ponies, what shall we do with ones whose magic is too dangerous?”

“Keep them secret and locked down as best we can. As much as I’d hate to do something like that to our citizens, it’s the only solution I have come to so far. And besides sister,” Celestia rubbed her hoof against sister’s head, “It’s too early to assume it’s just magic. We’re more advanced now. Science and magic are more linked than you’d think. That’s why this installation is called the Starlight Center of Science and Magic research.”

“Princess Celestia, I’ve been looking for you!” The loud clopping of Knightly’s hooves grew closer. He kneeled before Celestia, gasping for breath. “Princess—urgent—news.” He continued to pant as he stood up.

“You really like that word. Do you know that?” Celestia smirked for just a moment then quickly replaced it with a flat expression. “What is it that you have to report?”

Knightly beat a hoof against his chest and took a few moments to breath. Once he was standing straight with composure regained he took a deep breath. “It’s about the caravans.” He said with a heavy weight of grief. “I’ve just learned why they’re late. Some pegasi guards came to me with reports on what they saw. Many of them are drastically different from each other, but they all have one thing in common. The caravans they found were completely destroyed. The samples either destroyed as well or stolen depending on which one.”

“How many reports of this exactly?” Luna asked shifting her attention away from the odd technology.

“There were fifty-two caravans. I have reports on roughly thirty-seven of them. I’m not sure about the rest, they’re either from the farther away cities, or they haven’t been found. If it’s the former then they are likely in danger Your Highness.”

“Hmm,” Celestia’s eyes glanced back over towards the scientists. Her hoof tapped gently against her lip. “That means some one else knows about this. They’re organized and have subordinates at their disposal. Even worse they’re likely based somewhere here in Equestria if they were able to dispatch units so quickly.” She looked back towards Knightly, who’s eyes pointed to the ground. “What of the caravan guards?”

“Out of the thirty-seven discovered caravans, twenty-nine of them were found with dead guards. The remaining are either completely unharmed or injured. Also based on what I’ve been told about the different ways the caravans were found and some of the bodies. I have reason to believe that the agents that carried this out had” He coughed “Gifts. Your Highness, if I may give my own opinion to the matter. I believe this may have been an issue for longer than we’ve known.”

“You’re probably right, but I think this new shadow organization may be a bigger issue than Gifts are. Luna.” The dark alicorn’s ears snapped to attention,“Luna,I’m leaving you in charge of handling the study of Gifts from now on. I shall take care of our new issue.”

Luna’s eyes opened completely. Her mouth hung open as she tried to take in the sudden request. “Sister, I have not been part of many royal duties since I’ve returned to my proper self. Are you sure you want me to manage such a paramount operation? I don’t know if I am prepared for such a responsibility.”

“I have faith in you. If you’re handling this I can put my full attention into protecting our citizens from hostile threats. Knightly and the Starlight center are at your full disposal.” Celestia planted a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “I’ll be here if you need help.”

A loud cough erupted from Knightly. “I’d hate to interrupt a sister moment, but I need to know. Princess Luna, Your Highness, we still have the Canterlot hospital samples. Since there's reason to doubt anymore will make it here I’d suggest we have the scientist start their studies while it’s available.”

A faint blush pierced through Luna’s Dark fur. “Right, o-of course. Have them commence immediately.

Spitfire & Star Sparkle
Lower Canterlot
11AM

“I’m glad you could make it Spitfire. I was starting to think you’d never take up my offer. I’ve heard you’ve been locked up in your room for a while,” said Star’s soft, contemplating voice. She sat in a ornate wooden chair across from the fiery coloured Wonderbolt. Two empty porcelain teacups sat on table. The walls were decorated with dozens of framed family photos.

“I guess I was having my own personal pity party for a bit. Soarin’ helped me snap back to normal,” Spitfire said idly tapping at her cup. “But after all that thinking I figured I might as well help your research. I mean how many other ponies have pyrogenesis? I never have any use for it anyway.” She smirked as she lit a small fire in the cup, which quickly petered out.

“Actually I don’t need to study your powers. I need you to be an assistant of sorts. Just somepony to help around and do some jobs for me. Jobs other ponies couldn’t do.” Star’s ears flicked at the sound of a wailing whistle. “Finally the tea is done. Just a moment, I’ll be right back.”

“Fine, I can wait.” Spitfire watched her host leave the table, before staring back to her awkward empty cup. “Jobs, eh? Thats nice and vague.” She chuckled as she lit another short lived flame in the cup. “Any excuse to use my Gift for something I guess.” Her eyes wandered around the room and across the wall of pictures. The sound of hoof steps snapped her out of her bored glancing. Star slid back into her seat levitating a steaming tea pot with her.

Star poured a gentle stream of tea into Spitfire’s cup as she started talking, “It’s nice to see you never grew out of talking to yourself. Mine didn’t either.”

Spitfire reclined in her seat. “Which one? Twilight Sparkle or Shining Armour?” The tea stopped flowing as Star merely blinked for a moment.

She had a short laugh as she started filling her own cup. “You know, in all the years I’ve helped you I don’t remember ever once telling you the names of my children.”

Spitifire leaned in and took her whole cup of steaming tea in one go. “I just recognized them in the pictures. I’ve seen them both before, I just never noticed they look so much like you. Me and Soarin’ went to Shining’s wedding. And I’ve seen Twilight a couple times near a pony named Rainbow Dash. You heard of her?

“I’ve seen her before in the newspaper before.” Star took a quiet sip of her tea. She wore a simple pleased grin on her face. “It’s pretty convenient that you know who Shine is already. I sort of use his position as captain to help make what I do easier,” The grin shrunk down to an emotionless expression, “Only problem is somepony has started following him. All I want from you right now is for you to find whoever is stalking my boy and handle it.”

Spitfire poured herself another cup of hot tea. “That sounds simple enough. Stalk a cute guy to find out who’s stalking him. I get a show and a job, what’s not to love about this? One question, what do you want me to do with his stalker?”

“Just rough him up a bit, get some information out of him, and make sure he never follows my son again. I can’t possibly ask a celebrity to kill now, can I?”

“If you ask really nicely I’ll consider it,” Spitfire flashed a devilish grin, “cremation absolutely free. Okay, enough joking. I’m game for handling whatever you want, but I want to know about your research. Did you find out anything yet?”

“I knew you’d be interested in that.” A short sigh escaped Star’s mouth. “Honestly, I don’t really know too much. My friends and I don’t have the money for the sort of research breakthroughs we’re famous for. All the serious tech I need belongs to the Starlight Center. The prices are way out of our league.”

“So... nothing?”

“No, we’ve found a bit. It’s just that without those exclusive machines my work is stuck, but I’ve managed to find out that Gifts are in the blood. There's traces of magic in it. Probably in the DNA as well. While normal ponies do have magic in their bodies, it’s not part of blood or DNA. We’re trying to analyse the magic, but we don’t have the tech to get proper images of the magic particles. Then we will be able to compare it to normal magic particles and then we can probably learn something.” Star took a loud, long sip of tea followed by another disappointed sigh. “You understood all that, right? I have some papers in my room, but I don’t think they’ll tell you anymore than what I already said.”

“I understand just fine. Magical blood, no idea where it comes from yet. Pretty simple. So when do you want me to start the job?”

“Tomorrow.”

Gilda, Sterling, & and Orich
5PM Knossan time

“Okay, my serve!” Orich stood at the end of a pingpong table positioned in the center of Gilda’s cluttered basement. Gilda sat on a wrinkled couch that sat against the wall. Drops of sweat rolled across her beak. Her eyes hyper-focused on the paddle floating opposite of Orich. The paddle floated just above the table with a few spastic shakes and short dips. Gilda’s open claw commanded the paddle, quaking just as much as the paddle itself.“Ready to get served!”

“Make that pun one more time tonight, and I swear I will throw something sharp at you!” The paddle swung like a sword as Gilda yelled.

“Fine, fine. Don’t get your feathers ruffled.” Orich tossed the ball skyward, his paddle ready. Thump, thump, thump. The ball dropped to the floor. “What was that? Because whatever it is it totally messed up the best serve ever.”

“It’s just the door stupid. Go let Sterling in.”

“Tch, fine.” After a few moments Orich returned to the basment with Sterling in tow. She carried a thick white book. Orich leaned against the tennis table while Sterling took a seat next to Gilda.

“What’s up with the book?” Gilda said as she yanked the book with a pull of her wrist. It flew straight into her open talon. Sterling simply glared as Gilda examined the book’s exterior. The back was blank, the binding was bare, and the cover only had a set of purple stars. “Heck kind of book is this? Theres no title or anything.”

Sterling snatached the book out of Gilda’s claws. “I got it from my professor and if you snatch something from me like that again I’ll get you in the gut! Anyway, I think it’s the answer to your little telekinetic problem”

“Sterling,” Orich interrupted with a beat of his claw against the table, “seriously, it’s not a problem. Gilda’s powers have been pretty awesome. She beat me three to one today. Course we had to stop when she got that nosebleed.”

“Nosebleed? Why’d you get a nose bleed?”

Gilda pointed to a (insert number and weight) dumb-bell sitting against the wall.“We knocked over one of Orich’s weights and I tried to pick it up. It was just... heavy. My head hurt, I dropped it, and my nose started bleeding. I guess I overworked or something.”

“So it’s like a muscle then?” Sterling paused for a moment as she stared at the dumb-bell. “I’ll make sure to tell that to Dr.Sparkle.”

“Who?”

“This book is a collection of research on studies by the Equestrian scientist Twilight Sparkle. She’s made breakthroughs in the science of magic and biology. The ponies she used to work for don’t fund her research anymore so there’s nothing too recent, so I asked Pr. Nickel, and he told me about her visit here last month. He said she started a brand new world changing project. So-” Sterling’s voice was muffled as Gilda’s claw clamped her beak shut.

“Okay I’m already getting tired of listening.” Gilda released the grip and wiped her claw against her feathers. “What’s the dang point?”

“Well I think we should go to see Dr. Sparkle. If anyone can help it would be her, plus your telekinesis won’t be too strange over there.” Sterling pulled three tickets from the book’s pages. “Pr. Nickel already paid for us. Come on, you both get a month out of classes for free!”

A grin lit up Orich’s face “Free? I’m in!”

Gilda snorted as she plucked out one of the tickets. “You’re really lucky I hate class, you know that?”

Rarity and the C.M.C.
Carousel Boutique
12PM

The spring sun hung in the middle of the sky without a single cloud to dampen its rays. Ponies trotted about the town with hats and levitated fans. Rarity and Sweetie Belle relaxed in front of the boutique on a set of lawnchairs; each had a pair of sunglasses sitting over their eyes. The umbrella between them cast an artistic, red tinted light over their faces through the radial designs in the red fabric.

“So can you see them yet? Scootaloo should be heading from straight head. At least she said she’d come at twelve,” Sweetie Belle said, not even bothering to turn towards her sister. She lay on her back, letting her body take the full warmth of the sun’s rays as the umbrella kept her face cool.

Rarity tilted her neck forward, lowering her sunglasses. Narrowing her eyes, she focused her vision straight ahead. After a few seconds of staring she once again reclined her head against the seat. “She’s close, you should see her in just a moment.” Rarity let out a soft yawn and folded her hooves over her chest. Sweetie Belle glanced over at her sister’s pleased smile, then looked forwards herself. She saw nothing but indistinct pony-shaped blurs for about a minute. In the center of her vision one of the blurs become larger and more defined. She could see the orange colour fade in as Scootaloo became more recognizable.

“Nice work sis!” Sweetie Belle said as she pulled herself upright.

“What, you doubted me?” Rarity said with a glare, lowering one her shades just so Sweetie could see the disappointment in her eyes. “You promised you believed me!”

“Relax, it’s only a compliment, sheesh. You are such a drama queen,” the filly chuckled as she hopped from her seat and set aside her glasses. “So about what I said earlier. I recorded something with Apple Bloom this morning. If she’s okay with it then you can see it.” Sweetie checked her backpack that sat against her lawn chair. “Yep thats everything but the camera. That’s still in the wagon.”

Scootaloo’s wheels dug up the earth in Rarity’s yard for the second time leaving a new tire trail in the dirt. Apple Bloom sat in the wagon with the camcorder already in her hooves. “Hey Sweetie Bell!” they both called.

“Just sit here Rarity.” Sweetie said, putting a hoof on Rarity’s chair before rushing towards her friends.

“I didn’t plan on moving to be honest.”

The little unicorn greeted her friends with the most excited smile on her face.“Hey girls! Listen I have just got to tell you something.”

Scootaloo removed her helmet and shook her mane back into place as Sweetie talked. “Sure what is it. Cooly’s can wait. Just not for long.”

“I think it might have to do with Apple Bloom’s gift thing... you know earlier today.” The words stumbled out her mouth as she tried to figure out exactly what she was saying. “What we recorded!”

“Huh,” Apple Bloom’s eyes lit up with anticipation, “Whaddya mean? Did you find somethin’!? A clue, or anythin’!?” Apple Bloom’s voice raised in excitement. She was nearly jumping out of the wagon, at the mention of her gift and the possibility of news.

“It’s my sister. I’m pretty sure Rarity has some kind of seeing gift. She told me earlier that she can see stuff from super far away, and things that are super tiny. She even saw you two before I could even see anything.”

“Ohmygosh, ohmygosh ohmygosh.” Apple Bloom bounded out the wagon, leaving behind the camera. She rushed towards Rarity as soon as she touched her hooves to the ground, still repeating, “Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!”

“Okay... I wasn’t expecting her to be that excited.” Sweetie stared at Apple Bloom as she began to jump on Rarity’s chair. “So anyway, Rarity thinks she’s cursed or something silly like that. I was thinking maybe if we show her Apple Bloom’s tape, then she’d feel better. Maybe she’d even help. Although I think she’s already getting over it...”

“I don’t know.” Scootaloo tossed her helmet into the wagon, and stepped down from her scooter. She looked back at Sweetie then glanced over to Rarity. “How am I really supposed to believe her? I mean I saw what Apple Bloom could do.”

“What are you being like that for? She’s my sister, why would she lie to me?! She nearly cried!” Sweetie pressed her face snout to snout with Scootaloo.

Scootaloo put a hoof the Sweetie Belle’s forehead, pushing the unicorn out her personal bubble. “Calm. The hay. Down. I just want to see for myself. I’ve already got an idea, you got a pencil and paper?”

“Uhh sure, in my bag. What’s your plan?”

“You’ll see.” Scootaloo said with a smile of pure pride across her face. The two trotted towards Rarity, who was now completely blocking out Apple Bloom’s jumping. “Apple Bloom, get down! You’re being embarrassing.” Immediately the farm girl stopped with a deep blush on her face and a nervous laugh. “How did you ignore that?”

“Pinkie Pie practice.” Rarity responded plainly . She levitated the sunglasses off her face and turned on her side towards Scootaloo, who was rummaging through Sweetie’s backpack. “So um, Sweetie told me that you had something to show me on her camera.”

“Sure, I just want to see it in action first.” Scootaloo drew the utensils she wanted from the backpack. “Don’t you want to see it Apple Bloom?”

“Yeah, it’d be amazin’!” Apple Bloom squealed.

Scootaloo talked as she used her mouth to write on the paper. “Thisth, thesthh ish shimple. I’mth going tho wrife this, andmth, thenth youf read it.” As the filly wrote she covered the paper with her body. Her completion was punctuated with spitting the pencil to the ground, “got that?”

“I think so. You want me to read whatever you wrote from a distance, right darling?” Rarity, said as she pulled herself into upright position.

“Exactly!... And don’t call me darling!” Scootaloo’s wings sprung with anger as she shouted. “I already had to tell Applejack about the stupid sugarcube stuff.” Scootaloo took the paper under her wing and trotted back towards her scooter. The others watched as she scooted off into the distance till Apple Bloom and Sweetie Could hardly even see her. She had to be at least a hundred meters away by her own estimate. “Read it now!” she yelled, it was faint when it reached Rarity’s ears, but she snapped alert, concentrating on the paper.Rarity’s eyes went through minor dilation as she kept zooming her vision in until the paper was the only thing she could see. Scootaloo’s mouth-writing was crooked, and she had purposely written in tiny letters that most ponies could hardly read up close. Rarity mouthed the words as she read. She leapt back in her lawn chair with gasp, covering her mouth as she read the last bit. “Oh my.... I-I’m done.” Rarity looked down with a deep blush on her face.

Without much of a wait Scootaloo returned to the lawn chairs, skidding to a halt the second she realised the red covering Rarity’s cheeks. “Oh crud, I didn’t think you could read it!”

“Wait...” Apple Bloom raised a brow and turned towards Rarity. “What’d it say?”

“Well it said”—Rarity restlessly rubbed her hooves together —“I think Rarity is...” She looked away as the last word hung on the tip of her tongue.

“Is what?” Sweetie prompted with a gesture of her hoof.

“It doesn’t matter!” Scootaloo screamed loud enough to force each pony to recoil. “I mean, she passed!” She snatched up the camera under and tossed it to Apple Bloom. “Your call.”

Applebloom set the camera atop Rarity’s belly, setting it to the beginning of the recording. Rarity stared at the low quality video on the camcorder screen. The tape started with a ground view of Apple Bloom standing atop a tall tree branch. “Apple Bloom what were you doing up the- oh my gosh!” Rarity cringed and covered her mouth with a hoof on instinct. She stared at Apple Bloom, the smiling filly was perfectly fine now, but then back to the broken mess she was on tape.

“Apple Bloom you’re—” said Scootaloo’s recorded voice said moments before Rarity vomited on the ground. Her head hung over her chair as she took deep breaths. Hesitantly, she glanced back to the screen her lower mouth still smeared with bile. “Oh....” her voice shook like a light earthquake, “My... ho- how...?”

“I heal.” Apple Bloom said plainly. “It’s just what I do lately. I’ve got no clue where it came from, but nothin’ lasts anymore when I’m hurt. Your seein’ stuff is the same, right?”

Rarity looked away from the camcorder, the turning the video off where it was. “Correct. My curse started about three days ago while I was working on a client’s dress. I didn’t realise how closely I was seeing the threads and how much more magnificent my work was until after I’d already finished. I’ve been distracted by small specs of dust and really, puny details the whole time, but I think I have control of it now.”

“It ain't a curse!” Apple Bloom said with a firm, sure tone. “These are gifts. The doctors from yesterday said so! They want ponies like us for somethin’. Rarity, you should come with us to look for other ponies with their own gifts!” Apple Bloom gripped Rarity’s hoof like a vice. She wore the brightest, most hopeful smile on her face. “Come on, please! It’ll be like helpin’ the princess!”

“Well, working with children might be a tad strange, and I’m not even sure if we can do this, but... it sounds fun. And I must admit, I’m a bit curious to find out whether it’s a curse or a gift.”

“Hey Rarity, I’ve got an Idea!” Sweetie said as she tucked the the camera into her backpack. “You should chaperone for us on the New Yoke field trip!”

Rover

Center Den Tunnel 12-F

2 PM

Rover sat on the ground, legs crossed. All the eyes of his colleagues were on him, judging with their menacing, yellow glow. He fidgeted with his digits and glanced across the room several times. A dozen other alphas, some much bigger than him, sat around a deep depression in the floor. The depression was illuminated by the majestic, red glow of a fire ruby. Directly across from him was the alpha minister, who carried a scepter lined with various perfectly cut gems.

The Minister beat his scepter against the stone floor. The sound bounced several times off the walls bringing every dog to attention. “I, Minister Scoob, initiate this meeting of the alphas. This meeting has been Summoned by Rover, alpha of sector D.”

Rover gulped, his finger pads tapping against his toe pads in disjointed rhythm. “Well I have some great news,” he shouted with a wide, shakey grin across his face, “And I have bad news. The great part is that we found a giant gem. Big. Real big. You’ve never seen a gem that compares to this.” Rover cringed as the minister tapped his staff against the cold floor.

“I would like to take a look at this gem. You speak highly of it.” The minister tapped his staff a second time harder. “Now, bad news!” He shouted.

Rover’s tapping grew louder “My dogs have become strange. One became invinc-. No, believed he was invincible, and died trying to prove that he could survive decapitation. Fido is screaming at diggers, shouting accusations, and just acting strange for no reason. This started after we found the gem. I think it might be have some sort of insanity magic jumbo.”

Many floors below the other dogs of the F tunnel system continued their monotonous work. The treasured gem was guarded by two tall, muscular dogs adorned in steel armour plating. They blocked the only opening to the gem’s chamber.

“Hey, Arfer. I was wondering. You ever want to mark the gem? You know, as yours.”

Arfer looked at his partner, unamused. “No. Not at all. And I’m sure the boss would have your head if you even tried.”

The other guard began to backstep into the crystal chamber. “Oh come on. Just watch my back and I'll do it real quick. Then you have your turn, and it’ll be like the thing is ours.”

“Sure whatever go ahead. Thing will probably give cancer or something with that glow.” Arfer sidestepped into the center of the chamber opening. “Idiot.” Arfer turned around to see his partner standing before the towering monument of a gem. “I can’t believe you are actually doing thi-” A blinding white flash of light accompanied by a piercing whine forced him to cover his eyes and fall to the floor.

He lied on the ground, shaking and deafened. He opened his eyes. The gem had reverted back to normal, no light or noise, but his friend was gone.

Comments

[Snow123]

Hm... Next thing you know Diamond Tiara will appear with a craving for pony blood and the power to stop time.

[Late_Night]

i thought this would have been a Worm crossover