Sweetie Belle Tastes Like Marshmallow

by Wiimeiser

Class of 3000 Stares

"Let's see...
Cutie Mark Crusaders Space-Divers?
Cutie Mark Crusaders Iron Chefs?
Cutie Mark Crusaders Indie Game Developers?
Cutie Mark Crusaders RPG Protagonists?
Cutie Mark Crusaders Ice Cream Salesfillies?
Cutie Mark Crusaders Used Car Dealers?
Cutie Mark Crusaders Tampon Advertisers?
Cutie Mark Crusaders Eldritch Abominations?"

The seven fillies talked for the remainder of the pre-bell period. Introductions, getting to know each other, typical girl stuff. At one point Twist passed by, congratulated Apple Bloom and served a strange but delicious red rice with beans that Plot Coupon had called 'sekihan'. Scootaloo tried to convince Plot Coupon, Tabula Rasa and Wipeout to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"Maybe later."

Just then, Sweetie Belle remembered she had something to ask.

"Hey, Apple Bloom..."

Apple Bloom turned her head, "Yeah, Sweetie Belle?"

"What have you been doing lately? That box, frequent bathroom breaks, gala dress, horseshoes, earrings, and now this 'sekihan'. Something's up, and I'd like to know what."

Apple Bloom looked stunned. "Sweetie Belle, are ya really that innocent and naive?"

"Come on, Apple Bloom, we're friends, right? Don't be such a secretive filly!"

"Technically, Sweetie Belle, Ah ain't a filly no more."

Sweetie Belle's jaw dropped. Suddenly she realized what was happening.

Apple Bloom had grown up. Too fast.

The taste of fried blood entered her mind.

"Ya wanna see this?"

Apple Bloom held out a piece of paper. On it was a crude picture of Apple Bloom staring at a pony twelve times her height as it raised a hoof above her. The Apple Bloom in the picture had an awkward expression on her face, as though she was actually looking forward to being crushed.

"What does it mean?" Sweetie Belle cried in confusion.

"Ah dunno. All mah dreams lately have been about aliens, giant ponies and this weird pink slime stuff. Mostly giant ponies though. Ah feel strange around 'em, as if Ah just wanna crawl up 'em and sleep. Applejack says they're called 'fantasies' or somethin'. Ah dunno. All Ah know is we have a lot more laundry now. Though with all these typhoons the cloth gets messy real quick."

Sweetie Belle handed the paper back to Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo spoke up, "Rainbow Dash said my fantasies are too dangerous. I mean, come on! What's wrong with a bit of pain?"

"Lots, that's what!" Plot Coupon stared wide-eyed at Scootaloo.

"She took me to see Twilight last night. She said I'm a masochist... Whatever that means. On the way out I fell down the front stairs and she said I might have climacophilia. I'm scared, really, I am! I don't know what any of that stuff is!"

The group continued talking. Eventually the bell rang.

"Well, let's go!"

The group walked into class and took their seats.

---

"Roll call!"

Sweetie Belle braced herself. She wanted to pay attention to the list. Were there any more new students or just those four?

Cheerilee called out each student's name, to which the student in question would respond verbally. "Apple Bloom."

Silence.

"Apple Bloom Appletower!"

Apple Bloom spoke up, "Sorry, Ms. Cheerilee, Ah'm not feeling the best. Ah have a nasty cramp."

Cheerilee smiled and continued the roll call.

Sweetie Belle thought things over throughout the roll call. About how her friends had actually accepted her for her weirdness. Hey, Scootalo thought it was awesome. Apple Bloom didn't mind either. And her four new friends, while not quite fully in the loop, seemed to understand.

But some things were still unexplained.

What's with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon lately? They're acting out of character. They usually take pleasure in squeezing every last drop of fear out of the Crusaders, but have they gone too far this time? Just what were they up to last night? What is Silver Spoon hiding? What's up with Apple Bloom and giant ponies all of a sudden? She won't shut up about them! It's scary! I don't want to meet a titan! She wants to what a titan?

And what's with Scootaloo? She likes pain? Who would like pain? Pain's scary! Did she really throw herself down a flight of stairs fur fun? That's not fun, that's torture!

My Synesthesia... Scootaloo's Climacophilia, Apple Bloom's... What did she call it, again? Macrophilia? Maybe we're all a bunch of freaks...

A sudden outburst of laughter snapped Sweetie Belle out of her trance.

"Lastly, Lily Giggle."

Loud giggling came from the back of the classroom. Lily was here, alright.

"Okay, class, today we'll be splitting up into small study groups. Sweetie Belle!"

Sweetie Belle started sweating. Please not with Silver Spoon, please not with Silver Spoon...

"You'll be with Plot Coupon and Cotton Cloudy."

Sweetie Belle was relieved. The other two fillies approached her.

"Yeah!" Cotton Cloudy cheered, "Fat-bottomed girls for the win!"

Fat-bottomed? Sweetie Belle thought, Do I really have such a big butt?

---

Everything went better than expected.

Cheerilee had selected Silver Spoon as the odd one out, deciding to talk to her in private outside. Did she hear about what happened yesterday or last night? Or did something else happen? Sweetie Belle didn't want to know.

The topic of the day was legends. One legend Sweetie Belle found herself intrigued by was that of a half-pony, half-dragon who was sealed in the Earth with a magic tiara. Unfortunately, the tiara had since been lost.

There was also a story of an inverted continent in the sky, home to the sun and moon, and a race of creatures with the heads and hooves of ponies but the bodies and claws of dragons, who walked upright and traveled in metal airships.

But most interesting was the legend of the Lagnisher goddess Ilisapesi, who lived in the sun and judged the dead in a cavern deep underground at night. There was also the tale of her appearing with an army of 250 and slaying an unslayable monster that had the ability to steal souls. The legend stated that her coming would be signaled by the arrival of a dragon from a realm above the heavens. A metal boat bearing six shields, three on each side, would appear from within and from it would emerge an immense monolith, able to destroy that which could not be destroyed.

All of this was fascinating stuff.

Better yet, her group hadn't asked about her Synesthesia. She'd asked them lots of questions. She was surprised to learn that Plot Coupon's dad owned a real estate company that was responsible for parts of Ponyville's up-and-coming housing. She was quite rich because of it, however, unlike Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, she was quite generous and kind, if a little temperamental, especially with her weight. Meanwhile, Cotton Cloudy had just gotten her ears pierced yesterday, and had been in right after Apple Bloom, in fact. She was hoping to get more, though she couldn't afford it right now.

Sweetie Belle feared they were bound to figure her condition out eventually though. And she was right.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle," Cotton Cloudy asked, "About what happened yesterday, with the word tasting..."

Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh Tartarus no!

Sweetie Belle felt a shiver run down her spine. Plot Coupon looked confused. She didn't know...

"What's it like? What does my name taste like?"

Sweetie Belle gathered her thoughts. She explained everything. The Synesthesia. How it was discovered. What had happened that afternoon. How 'Cotton Cloudy' tasted like the cloud 'n' candy Scootaloo gave her last Hearts and Hooves day, and 'Plot Coupon' tasted like a rich wholegrain bread. The other two fillies were baffled by all the different taste sensations Sweetie Belle always felt. They just couldn't understand. Sweetie Belle couldn't understand, but for a different reason. She didn't know how they felt. She didn't know how it felt.

Being normal.

Nonetheless the two were surprisingly understanding. A few odd reactions, but nothing malicious. Unlike what could be said for the words of...

"Silver Spoon!"

At Bloo's shriek of terror all activity in the classroom ceased and turned to the silver filly standing in the doorway. An eerie silence

"Sweetie Belle!" The bully screamed at the top of her lungs, "The time is now! Your actions have caused me enough grief! I won't stand for it any more! It's time to end this!"

Silver Spoon walked towards Sweetie Belle. The unicorn freaked. Where's Ms. Cheerilee?

Plot Coupon, Cotton Cloudy, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Cardio and Lily Giggle got up and formed a wall around Sweetie Belle. Wipeout and Tabula Rasa had Silver Spoon cornered in the doorway.

"We won't let you get to her!" Scootaloo shouted at the bully.

Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle and whispered, "Just run! Jump out the window or somethin'!"

Sweetie Belle took a look at the window she was cornered against. Weighing her options, she decided escape would be the best option.

Sweetie Belle forced the window open with her magic and jumped out. At this, Silver Spoon turned around and ran out the door of the schoolhouse.

Sweetie Belle ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Being in the Crusaders had made her quite good at this. As she turned around, however, she saw to her surprise that Silver Spoon was catching up. She needed a hiding place.

Throwing all common sense aside, she ran straight toward the Everfree Forest.

Author's Note:

Is something being foreshadowed here? We may never know.

Lily Giggle is the filly on this box, in case anyone's wondering.

Comments

[Wiimeiser]

6512925
I still need to find cover art. Well, off to Gmod it is, then.

[RowanSkie]

6513061 Best cover art is NOT Gmod cover art.

Best cover art is from those deviant arts or you should try to make your own.

[tsaukpaetra]

So Apple Bloom is into unbirthing? Huh.
Running is probably the worst thing she could have done... Oh well.
Keep going! ;)

[Wiimeiser]

6514399
No, she's into macro.

[tsaukpaetra]

6514482 oh derp on me, it was mentioned right there! Whoops!