Cor Tuum Audire

by Darkswirl

Chapter One

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

I found your report on the Alicorn Amulet very intriguing, although I must remind you that scrying techniques can often skew the truth or be far from it. However, given what we already know about ancient Unicorns, if what you found is true, then perhaps those ancient Unicorns could have had their hooves far deeper into pockets than they should have.

In regards to that, I have safely enclosed another item of interest retrieved from the Canterlot vaults: a small ring of some sort. I can only guess as to what its purpose may have been, but it is definitely enchanted, and I am willing to bet it was made during the same era and by the same Unicorns, judging from the craftsmanship and the signature red gem.

As usual, please report your findings to me when you have the time. Again, you have my sincere thanks in helping Luna and I 'take inventory' of the vaults; there's no telling how long these things have sat here collecting dust, let alone what they do.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia of Equestria

---

"Who would have thought graduation would be so boring?" Scootaloo groaned as she lay on her back in the clubhouse. It had been two months since the Cutie Mark Crusaders graduated high school. Two months since they were officially free of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon's scorn of still not having their cutie marks. Throughout that time, the three crusaders had grown exceptionally: Apple Bloom had taken up woodshop in high school in order to help out with repairs around the farm, Scootaloo had been adopted by Rainbow Dash, officially, although the relationship appeared to be more like roommates rather than mother and daughter, and Sweetie Belle earned a part-time job helping her older sister in the Boutique, and had even taken a fancy to jewelry.

Throughout the years, the Cutie Mark Crusaders grew and learned. But now, with high school over, the three were bored out of their minds. The last exciting thing to have happened was when a castle magically grew out of the ground for Twilight, and that was years ago. Since then, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had tried everything imaginable to earn their cutie marks, from dangerous skydiving to simple and calm sewing.

"You know, if you'd apply at the Weather Facility, you might be able to earn enough bits to take a vacation somewhere." Sweetie Belle replied as she began stitching another part of Apple Bloom's work boots. "Get out of Ponyville for a while like we've all been talking about, you know?"

"Yeah, but the Weather Facility is so boring." Scootaloo continued. "All they let part-timers do is fluff the clouds. We don't get to work on the big projects like Winter Wrap-Up or bringing the water up to Cloudsdale; that's all for the experienced Weather Ponies."

"If you'd keep the job fer more than a month then you can actually move up." Apple Bloom retorted with a roll of her eyes. "Rainbow Dash worked hard to get you a position there, and you just threw it away."

"Because that position is holding me back!" Scootaloo scoffed. "I can do better work than cloud fluffing, and Rainbow Dash knows it."

"But the ponies who run the Weather Facility don't know that, Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle chipped in, softly. "They can't take somepony's word on something like this; they have to see that you're responsible and careful, first."

"Man..." Scootaloo sighed. "I wish Rainbow Dash had her own business, like Rarity or Applejack. That way I wouldn't have to put up with a job that holds me back."

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom shared an unamused look before sighing. "I'm almost done with your boots, Apple Bloom. Do you guys want to go see Twilight after this? Maybe she can help you out, Scootaloo."

Scootaloo remained on her back and gave a half-hearted shrug. "I guess. Do you guys mind if I go get Rumble?"

"So long as you don't forget we exist with him here." Apple Bloom said.

"That was one time!" Scootaloo defended as she trotted out the door. "Meet you guys at Twilight's?"

"It's all the time." Sweetie Belle mouthed to Apple Bloom as Scootaloo spread her wings and took off towards Ponyville.

---

"Rumble, hey!" Scootaloo called out with a smile on her face as she trotted after the light-gray coated pegasus.

"Oh, h-hey, Scootaloo." Rumble replied with a nervous smile and blush.

Throughout high school, the two pegasi had grown closer to each other as the years went on. They found comfort in each others' presence from the bullying of not having a cutie mark or parents, anymore. And although Rumble had already earned his cutie mark as a cloud mechanic for the Cloudsdale Weather Facility, he didn't let a silly thing like that get in the way of his feelings for Scootaloo.

"How was work?" Scootaloo inquired as she gave his cheek a little nuzzle.

"Well, you know how it gets." Rumble explained, still holding his goofy smile. "Some clouds dissipate here, a hole gets punched through there. I'm just glad it's easy to repair clouds."

"Heh, maybe, but you make them all look smooth and neat; like they were made out of marble."

"I-It's not that big of a deal. They're just clouds, after all." Rumble explained as Scootaloo leaned into his side as they walked.

"Hey, the girls and I are going to see Twilight in a few minutes. Want to come?"

"S-Sorry, Scoots, Thunderlane wants me home as soon as I get off work from now on; he says you're too much of a distraction during the week for me."

"Oh, come on, he's head of the thunderstorm department and you're practically an adult." Scootaloo snorted. "Why does he get to say who you can and can't see?"

"Because he's my brother and my boss, Scootaloo." Rumble explained. "The thunderstorm department does a number on the facility, and he needs me to keep focused in order to repair everything. Plus, he's not telling me I can't hang out with you at all, just not during the weekdays because I have work."

Scootaloo rolled her eyes with a little huff. "He sounds really controlling. See you Saturday, then?"

"Saturday." Rumble nodded in confirmation as he lay a wing over Scootaloo's back.

"I love you, featherbrain."

---

"Rumble didn't want to come?" Sweetie Belle inquired, confusedly.

"Thunderlane doesn't want me seeing him during the work week; he says I'm too much of a distraction." Scootaloo explained as she dropped down from the sky to join her friends outside of Twilight's castle.

"He's not wrong." Apple Bloom teased with a nudge to Scootaloo, who replied by sticking out her tongue as the trio approached the castle.

"Halt." ordered the Royal Guard outside the door. "Princess Twilight Sparkle is not currently at home."

"Well, where is she?" Apple Bloom asked. "Can we wait inside for her?"

"I do not know where Princess Twilight Sparkle currently is." the guard explained. "I am not permitted to allow anypony, with the exception of the five Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, into the castle without the Princess being present."

"Oh, come on!" Sweetie Belle pleaded. "We're three young mares out here in the cold! Plus we're all related to one of the Bearer's!"

"Yeah, Rarity is Sweetie Belle's sister, and Applejack is Apple Bloom's sister." Scootaloo added.

"And who are you?" the guard questioned.

"Oh, me? I live with Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo replied with a big grin.

"Wait a second, I know who you three are." the guard started with a chuckle. "You're the Cutie Mark Crusaders, aren't you? Those three mares who won first place for comedy three years in a row at the Ponyville High talent show?"

Sweetie Belle gave a soft groan and hid her snout in her hoof as Scootaloo glared at the guard.

"Yep, that's us." Apple Bloom sighed.

"Oh, man, you three were hilarious with that song about cutie marks!" the guard laughed. "My daughter and I kept referencing it all night for a week!"

"Oh, that's great." Scootaloo mused sarcastically. "So can we wait inside?"

"Heh, yeah, sure. Everypony in town knows you're harmless. Go on in, just don't touch anything." the guard chuckled as he opened the door for the three mares, who quickly stepped inside before the door shut behind them.

"I can't believe ponies are still talking about that..." Sweetie Belle groaned.

"'Best Comedy Act' three years in a row..." Scootaloo joined. "My pride, it hurts..."

"Oh, quit yer bellyachin'." Apple Bloom interrupted. "Just because we didn't get what we were after doesn't make us losers. We still got an award in the first place."

"Tell that to Diamond Tiara." Scootaloo replied as the trio began walking through the short halls of the small castle.

"What ever happened to her, anyway?" Sweetie Belle wondered aloud. "During elementary school we used to see her all the time out in Ponyville, but after High School it's like she just vanished."

"I heard she and her dad moved to Canterlot." Scootaloo said.

"I doubt it." Apple Bloom added as they stepped through the doorway and into the library. "Her house still has lights on every now and then, and the same gardening pony still does their lawn."

"Stalker." Scootaloo teased with a chuckle.

"It's not stalkin'. Her house is literally the only one between the farm and Ponyville. Hard to not notice things that go on there." Apple Bloom explained.

"Hmmm." Sweetie Belle mused in a matter-of-fact tone. "So, how long do you think Twilight will be gone?"

"Hopefully not too long." Apple Bloom answered. "I have to get home by nine to fix the barn door in the morning."

"Yeah, she's not usually gone long, anyway; she really only leaves to go talk to one of the other Bearers." Scootaloo added as she settled down onto the floor next to Sweetie Belle.

"Now who's the stalker?" Apple Bloom joked with a chuckle.

The trio shared a short laugh as they got comfortable on the floor while waiting for Twilight to return. After a few minutes, however, they grew bored, and eyes began to wander as books were plucked from the shelves. Sweetie Belle, however, was not as interested in the books as she was an odd piece of jewelry that she noticed lying under the table. Curiously, she grabbed it with her magic and levitated it closer; turning it over in the air to study it. It was a peculiar ring, no bigger than a coin. The band was solid gold with a sapphire trench around it, topped with a small, shining ruby centerpiece.

"What's that?" Scootaloo piped up upon noticing Sweetie Belle's distraction.

"It... Looks like a horn ring, but Twilight doesn't wear jewelry." Sweetie Belle replied. "In fact, she kind of hates looking fancy."

"Maybe it's your sister's? I mean, I did see her over here, yesterday. Did she drop it and forget about it?" Apple Bloom wondered.

"Probably. It does look like something that Rarity would wear." Sweetie Belle said. "I'm going to go run it over to her, you guys want to come with me?"

"Nothing better to do here." Scootaloo replied.

"Eh, I should probably get home." Apple Bloom said. "I kind of want to wake up early to get the barn out of the way so I can get my chores finished early. Are ya'll still coming to the clubhouse tomorrow?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Sweetie Belle promised as she stood up and stretched her legs.

"Yeah, count me in." Scootaloo added as she jogged in place, excitedly.

"Alright, see ya'll later." Apple Bloom said as she hurried off through the castle,leaving Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to take their time trotting through the halls as they neared the exit.

"I can't imagine Rarity leaving something this pretty without realizing it was gone." Sweetie Belle said as she continued to study the ring, before slipping it onto her horn.

"Eh, if I had to wear something like that all the time I'd be happy if I 'misplaced' it." Scootaloo teased.

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes with a smile as she shook her head softly. "I bet if Rumble gave something like this to you we'd always see you wearing it."

Scootaloo stumbled over her hooves for a moment as she imagined Rumble gifting her anything. "N-Not true! If he gave me something ugly like that'd I'd probably..."

Sweetie Belle smiled smugly over at Scootaloo as she stopped talking; a dark blush highlighting her orange face. "Just as I thought."

The two remained silent as they exited the castle and said their goodbyes to the guard, before heading into Ponyville as the sun began to set on Equestria. "You know, out of the three of us, I always thought it'd be you who fell in love, first." Scootaloo began.

"I mean, think about it: Rarity has stallions staring at her all the time wherever she goes, even when she's not all dolled up. And you, you're practically the spitting image of her."

Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow at Scootaloo as they began passing through the marketplace, where shops were closing and carts were being pulled out of the street for the night. "Have you seen the two of us, side by side? Rarity's beautiful, yes, but she has an aura or something. She comes off as high class even though she's not, just from the way she talks. Don't you remember that one year at the Gala Pinkie told us about?"

"Well, yeah, but come on. That's Pinkie Pie we're talking about, the same mare who finished telling us how she got her cutie mark with 'and that's how Equestria was made'." Scootaloo scoffed. "You may not think so, or even notice it, but I've seen a few colts looking your way once or twice. Maybe they just think you're out of their league because of your sister?"

"Maybe..." Sweetie Belle began. "Although, truth be told, I'm not really interested in finding somepony to settle down with. I mean, I'm happy for you and Rumble, but I just have so much to do in my life. I'd rather spend my free time just hanging out with Apple Bloom and you."

"Oh, well, that makes sense." Scootaloo admitted as she rubbed the back of her head in slight confusion as the pair came to a stop at the entrance to Carousel Boutique. As Sweetie Belle's horn flared up to turn the knob and open the door, her magic made a detour out through the ring on her horn; creating a glowing map with two flashing red symbols. Out of shock, however, Sweetie Belle cut short her magic, and with it the map.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle slowly turned their heads to face each other, mouths wide in shock and awe, before they sped off through Ponyville towards Sweet Apple Acres.

Comments

[Chaodiurn]

[Super57]

Pretty interesting indeed.

[Professor Tacitus]

Well, you've certainly caught my attention. Nothing better than three teenagers discovering an ancient artifact of unknowable power. This can only go well

[DNA Hochburger]

I like the story so far, but I have one problem. Nothing with the story itself, but more with a mistake you do. And because I don´t know how to explain it here the link to the writing guide where it´s explained. http://www.fimfiction.net/writing-guide#Said-tags

[Pankrazius]

Twilight Is The Best recommended this story to me.
And, the first chapter is very promising. Straight on my tracklist with it.

[CommanderX5]

"Heh, yeah, sure. Everypony in town knows you're harmless.

Is this not alternative universe by any chance? Oh wait, it is, but to find out that CMC are actually harmless is rather unexpected, no matter what universe they are in.

Also, a small nitpick. I noticed that you often use word "Man," may I suggest using alternative like "Oh come on" or "Just great."