Diamond Tiara Better Lay Off or Else!
With the end of summer comes the beginning of the school year. Much to the disappointment of many my age, the schoolhouse survived the parasprite swarm intact. But after the hectic summer, I'd had, I was ready for the structured classroom environment.
As I stepped off the school cart and breathed in the fading summer air, I felt tranquil for a moment.
"Hey Astrodork move your flank, we're gonna be late!" I looked behind to see Diamond Tiara glaring impatiently at me. With a snort, I stepped aside to let her pass. That filly had some nerve, even before she got her cutie mark. The way she held her snout up as she walked, she acted like she was the queen of everyone. Her shiny coat and well-hooficured nails made it obvious she'd never had to break a sweat in her life. Her 'friend' Silver Spoon followed behind like a well-pedigreed dog.
I took a deep breath and ignored her. She wasn't worth my time.
As the school bell rang, everypony filed in and took their seats. The class was abuzz with the chatter of what everypony did on summer break.
"Let's quiet down please," Ms. Cheerilee said. "We have a very important lesson to get to." The class settled down and turned their attention to the teacher. "Thank you, today we are going to be talking about Cutie Marks."
Diamond Tiara let out a "Bo-ring as Ms. Cheerilee removed the blank card from the easel in front of her, revealing a card depicting several different cutie marks.
"You can all see my cutie mark can't you?" Ms. Cheerilee showed everyone the image of three smiling sunflowers on her flank. "Like all you ponies, I wasn't born with a cutie mark, my flank was blank." She lifted the card to show the class a picture of herself when she was a foal.
"Aww...! She's so precious!" Peppermint Twist cooed.
"Then one day when I was about your age," Ms. Cheerilee continued. "I woke up to find that a cutie mark had appeared." She showed the class a picture of herself when she was about Applejack's current age.
"Look at her hair!" Aura cried out in shock pointing to her younger teacher's wavy mane.
"Yes I know," Ms. Cheerilee shrugged it off with a wave of her hoof. "But that was how everypony was wearing their mane back then. I had decided to become a teacher and the flowers symbolized my hope that I could help my future students bloom if I nurture them with knowledge. The smiles represented the cheer I hoped to bring to my little ponies while they were learning. Now can anyone tell me when a pony gets his or her cutie mark?"
Twist raised her hoof excitedly. "Oh! Oh! Oh! When she discovers that certain something that makes her special."
Or when he hears his grandmother calling for help from the cellar and lifts an entire cask of cider by himself to save her. I thought to myself.
"That's right Twist." Ms. Cheerilee said. "A cutie mark appears on a pony's flank when he or she finds that certain something that makes them different from every other pony." As she continued, I noticed Diamond Tiara leaning in close to Apple Bloom. She was clutching something in her hoof, a blank folded piece of paper.
"Psst, Psst," Apple Bloom tried to ignore her, but Diamond was persistent. So I decided to lean in.
"Hey down in front," I hissed in her ear.
"Apple Comet is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?" Ms. Cheerilee stopped her lecture to ask me.
"Just that I saw Diamond Tiara trying to pass a note to Silver Spoon," I said with a smug grin on my face. Ms. Cheerilee narrowed her eyes at Diamond Tiara.
"Diamond Tiara, is this true?" She asked. The rich filly's face went white with fear.
"No, it isn't I swear," She denied pointing her hoof at me. "He's lying to get me in trouble."
"Then what is that in your hoof?" Ms. Cheerilee pointed to the slip of paper in the hoof she was pointing with. Diamond Tiara's ears fell flat as she realized she'd been caught.
"Uhh..." Her face turned beet red as she realized the entire class was staring at her.
"Would you like to read it to the rest of the class?" Diamond slumped back under her desk.
"No." She whispered embarrassingly like she'd been caught with her hoof in the cookie jar.
"Then in the future, I suggest you wait until after class for that sort of thing." Ms. Cheerilee turned and went back to her lesson.
"I'll get you for this," She whispered as she glared at me.
The school day came and went and before long the bell rang letting everypony know that class was dismissed.
"Want some peppermint ssssticks?" Twist asked us as we filed out the door. "I made them myself.
"Sure sounds good," I said.
"Mm-mm," Apple Bloom shook her head no. It was clear something was bothering her.
"They'll make you smile-i-le," Twist lisped hoping to entice her.
"No..." she moped. I was about to ask her what was wrong when the answer appeared next to me.
"I don't know why we had to sit through a lecture about getting a cutie mark." Diamond Tiara whined to Silver Spoon in her doornail to a chalkboard voice. "I mean waiting for your cutie mark is so last week. You got yours, I just got mine, Even Apple Vomit got his years ago." So 'this' was her getting me for earlier huh?
"Apple Vomit, ha that's funny because that's what hearing you talk makes me want to do," I said to the two spoiled brats. Diamond Tiara looked at me like she was about to blow a gasket.
"Yeah well just for that, you're not invited to my cuteceanera this afternoon!" She snapped poking her hoof into my chest.
"I wasn't planning on going anyway," I said.
Realizing she wasn't going to get her way with me, Diamond turned her attention to Apple Bloom and Peppermint Twist.
"Don't worry you two are still invited if you want to come," She said.
"It's going to be amazing," Silver added.
"It's a party celebrating me and my amazing Cutie Mark, "Diamond gloated. "How could it not be?" She and Silver Spoon did their super special hoof shake or whatever. "Bump! Bump! Sugar lump, rump!" The three of us were not impressed.
"Remind me what exactly did you two do to earn your cutie marks again?" I asked pretending to be interested.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" She said snobbishly as she and Silver Spoon walked away.
"See you this afternoon," Silver sneered before she and Diamond followed up with "Blank Flanks." The sound of their teasing laughter made me seriously contemplate using my powers for less than altruistic reasons.
"Apple Bloom you can't let those brats get to you," I said to her as we walked home. "Those cutie marks are as shallow and self-absorbed as they are."
"It's not that," Apple Bloom moped as she hung her head down. "Everypony else in our class has his or her cutie mark except for me."
"What about Twist?" I pointed out.
"What about her?" Apple Bloom mumbled.
"Maybe we can talk her out of going to that dull party and the three of us can do something fun together instead."
"Like what?" Apple Bloom looked up at me.
"Well," I suggested. "we could go to the movies or the bowling alley or get some ice cream. Does that sound good to you?"
"Ah guess," Apple Bloom sighed her tone still somewhat reluctant but we were making progress.
"Tell you what, when we get home, why don't you talk to Applejack about it and I'll head over to Twist's house and see if I can't set things up."
"But don't you have chores to do?" Apple Bloom reminded me. To which I smiled at her.
"I'll be back with plenty of time to spare," I said with a wink.
In record time, I made it back to town and headed for Peppermint Twist's house. When I knocked on the door, I was met by an amber-white mare who could almost be an adult version of Twist without glasses. Everything about her was just about the same except for her eyes which were a minty green instead of fuschia and her cutie mark which depicted three wrapped peppermint candies of different colored stripes.
"Why hello young colt," She said in a warm inviting tone. "What can I do for you today?"
"Is Twist home?" I asked her.
"She's busy in the kitchen right now," She explained. But I'm sure she wouldn't mind a visitor. I'm Peppermint Stick, Twist's mother, it's nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too, I'm Apple Comet."
"Such fine manners for a colt your age, come in, come in."
She led me into the kitchen where Twist was busy folding a candy mixture on a cooking sheet with a spatula.
"Twist there's somepony here to see you,"
Twist looked up from her work. "Apple Comet? What bringsss you here?"She asked putting down her spatula.
"Hey Twist, can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure, while you're here can I offer you a homemade candy cane?" She pointed to a jar of them sitting on the table. "I made them myself."
"With my supervision of course." Her mother added.
I sat down at the table and gently lifted the top off of the jar. The smell of fresh peppermint hit my nose, reminding me of Hearth's Warming Morning. "Mmm smells good," I said selecting a pink and white cane from the jar.
"How doesss it tassste?" Twist asked me as her confectionary touched my taste buds. A smile spread across my face as I imagined myself in an endless forest of candy cane trees with peppermint leaves.
"Mmm, it's delicious," I said.
"Thanks, I love making my own sssweetsss at home," Twist said. Suddenly a flash of light appeared on her flank. What was once just a blank flank now showed a pair of crossed candy canes. Twist's eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh! My cutie mark! Look Mom I finally got my cutie mark!" Peppermint Stick scooped her daughter up off the kitchen stool and embraced her tearfully.
"Oh my little candy cane, you're growing up so fast." She said overcome with emotion. "I can still remember when you were just a newborn foal." Meanwhile, I was left sitting there with my jaw hanging open. My candy cane fell from my lips to the floor shattering into a million crackly pieces.
"Mom, you're embarrassing me in front of Apple Comet," Twist whined.
Peppermint Stick turned to me. "You'll have to excuse all this emotion," She said. "It's just I've dreamed about this moment since the day she was born."
I stood up from the table and pushed my chair back in. "I'll just...come back some other time," I said turning to walk out.
'Well, that couldn't have possibly been timed any worse,' I thought to myself as I walked away from Twist's house. How was I gonna tell Apple Bloom that another friend had gotten her cutie mark before she did? Should I tell her at all? I could just say that Twist already had plans for the weekend. No that wouldn't work, she'd find out the truth sooner or later and when she did she'd be crushed knowing I lied to her.
"Look out coming through!" I looked behind to see an orange pegasus filly riding towards me on a scooter. As I stepped to the side to let her pass, I got a closer look at her. Her eyes were grayish purple and her tail was magenta. But the most obvious detail to me was her flank was blank.
"Hey, wait," I called out to her. She put her hoof out to stop, then turned to face me.
"Yeah?"
"Are you new around here or something?" I asked her. "I don't think I've seen you before."
"Kinda," She answered. "I just moved here."
"What's your name?"
"Scootaloo," She said.
"I'm Apple Comet,"
"Apple Comet?" She raised an eyebrow. "That's a funny name, What do apples have to do with comets?"
"It's complicated," I said to her.
"Oh, well it was nice meeting you Apple Comet, but I gotta get going now."
"Wait before you go, do you have any plans for this afternoon?"
"Are you asking me on a date or something?" She looked at me with an expression of disgust.
"No no no, it's not like that," I waved my hooves in defense. "It's just my little sister is having a bit of a bad day, and she could really use some friends to cheer her up."
Scootaloo scratched her chin. "I'll think about it," She said as she got back on her scooter and rode off.
On my way home, I happened to walk by the Carousel Boutique. Nothing out of the ordinary, except for who I saw was there when I looked in the front window.
"Ugh, how much longer is this going to take?" Diamond Tiara asked impatiently rolling her eyes with disgust.
"I know right, it's just two dresses." Silver Spoon said agreeing with her like a good little toady.
From the floor above, I heard a yelp of pain in a squeaky voice. "Yeow! Watch it will ya?" I looked up through the spire on top to find Rarity making adjustments to a pink and purple dress with white spots worn by a white unicorn filly I'd never seen before. Her eyes were a pale light green and her mane was a swirl of mulberry and rose pink streaks.
"Urrgh this is taking forever." She groaned. in a voice so sweet it gave my ears cavities.
"Yes, well you should've thought of that before you destroyed that ponnequin." Rarity scolded.
"I just tried to move it with my magic a little," The filly argued. "I didn't know it would spontaneously combust like that." I looked over at the corner where a charred, half-melted ponnequin stood.
"Yes well, luckily I keep a fire extinguisher up here for just this sort of thing. Now hold still, the more you move the longer this will take."
I felt a pang of sympathy for the filly. For I too knew the pain of being scolded for immolating things I wasn't supposed to.
"Did you hear Rarity's little sister earlier?" Silver Spoon said teasingly to Diamond Tiara. Oh right, for a moment I'd blissfully forgotten they were there.
"Yeah, when I first heard her speak I thought she was a mouse." Diamond laughed cruelly.
"I'm Sweetie Belle, do you have any cheese lying around?" Silver said sticking her front teeth out like a mouse. Diamond Tiara doubled over laughing.
My eyes burned red as I glared at them. Who were they to mock somepony's voice for sounding different when theirs made me want to tear my ears off? I was so angry that I just wanted to...
WHOOSH!
As fast as I could, I ran back to the orchard, took off into the sky, flew all the way out to Rambling Rock Ridge, zeroed in on the biggest rock formation I could find, wound back my foreleg, and hit it as hard as I could.
KRAKOOOOW!
With a deafening crack, the rockface exploded in a shower of splintered gravel. clouds of rock dust filled the air as the formation crumbled like a house of cards. Birds scattered to the skies as the shockwave washed over the area. Anypony out there that day would've seen a red comet collide with the rock formation, only to emerge from the ash and dust like a phoenix.
Having found an outlet for my stress, for the time being, I stopped by Saddle Lake to wash the dirt and dust from my coat before flying on home grateful that I had managed to keep from losing my temper. By the time I touched down my coat was air-dried and I was feeling much calmer. "Okay no more sidetracking," I told myself. "Time to find Apple Bloom." But she wasn't here and neither was Applejack or the cart. "They must've gone to the market already." I deduced. And so using the orchard for cover, I sped off to the market.
When I arrived, I found Applejack apologizing to a bearded stallion holding a tennis racquet covered in apple chunks.
"I don't care how eager she is," He berated her. "You need to tell your sister she needs to learn to respect other ponies' property! I was on my way to a match that I'm going to have to forfeit now while I have your apples washed out of my racquet."
"Yes sir, A'h understand," Applejack nervously bowed her head at him. "and A'h promise A'h will have a talk with her about this."
The stallion huffed and turned his head away. "I'll send you the cleaning bill in the mail." He said walking away.
"What was that all about?" I asked her.
"Apple Bloom got a little bit carried away with trying to earn her cutie mark selling apples," Applejack said.
"I'm guessing it didn't work?"
"E'yup, Ah'm afraid so."
I noticed the trail of shimmering yellow hoofprints leading away from the cart. "Do you know where she went?"
"She said something about visiting her friend Twist," Applejack said.
"Oh no."
"Why oh no?" Applejack raised her eyebrow curiously.
"I have to find her fast," I said as I took off after her.
Galloping as fast as I could through mid-afternoon hoof traffic, I arrived at Twist's house only to discover I was too late. She'd already answered the door. Worse still, I could see Diamond Toilet and Silver Scrubber at the other end of the street. This was a recipe for a disaster.
"So I was thinkin...maybe we could do something together this weekend since I don't have a cutie mark and you don't have a...
"Apple Bloom wait!" I called out. She and Twist turned to look at me.
"Oh, Apple Comet, you're back!" Twist closed the top half of the door and reached for the bottom knob.
"Where have you been?" Apple Bloom asked. "You said you'd come home as soon as you were done here."
"I'll explain everything later, right now we need to get out of here," I said as the door opened and Twist stepped out.
"You're leaving already?" Twist asked us. Apple Bloom gasped when she saw her friend's cutie mark.
"T-Twist your flank!"
"Oh, I guess Apple Comet didn't tell you yet."
Apple Bloom scowled angrily at me. "No, he didn't," She said.
"Actually on second thought," I said getting behind Apple Bloom. "Why don't we go inside and discuss it?" I stood on my hind legs and gently tried to push Apple Bloom through the door by her um...' hindquarters' "You haven't lived till you tried of Twist's candy canes."
"Hmpf," With a huff, she sat down and crossed her forelegs. "A'h ain't going nowhere until you start explaining."
"This doesn't mean we can't all go to the cuteceanera this afternoon does it?" Twist asked worryingly. "You're still gonna be there right Apple Bloom?"
"Of course she will." I turned my head to see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walking by. Instinctively I stepped in front of Apple Bloom.
"It's not like being the only pony there without a cutie mark would be like the most embarrassing thing ever." Silver Spoon laughed teasingly.
At that moment I wondered if anypony would care if I airmailed those two to Saddle Arabia. They'd probably get sent back with a return to sender stamp on them.
"Sniff...sniff...sniff...sniff." My anger quickly melted when I saw the look on Apple Bloom's face. Her eyes were moist and her ears folded down. She trembled and shook as she tried her best not to cry.
"Apple Bloom." I embraced her, holding her head to my chest. "It's okay, Don't listen to them."
"Why?" She whimpered into my coat.
"Why what?" I asked her. She looked up at me, her teary eyes filled with anger.
"Why didn't you tell me that Twist had already gotten her cutie mark?" Her tone shifted from melancholy to hurt.
"I'm jussst gonna give you two some privacy," Twist said awkwardly closing the door.
"I was going to tell you as soon as I found you," I said.
"And when were you going to do that huh?" She snapped. My ears folded down as what she said began to sink.
"Look, Apple Bloom, I know I let you down and I'm sorry."
"Ye'r darn right y'all let me down! A'h thought A'h could rely on you. A'h thought A'h could trust you. But apparently, A'h was wrong!"
With that, she ran off galloping on three legs, holding her fourth to catch her tears. It would've been easy to blame Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, but the truth was I shared some of the blame too.
"Would a peppermint stick help?" I looked behind to find Twist poking her head out the slightly open door.
"No thanks Twist," I said solemnly. "I don't think there's enough candy in the world that would make me feel better right now."
I wandered aimlessly through the streets, trying to find anything to take my mind off my troubles. But no matter where I looked, I couldn't get my mind off of what Apple Bloom had said. Her words cut through me like a knife. I knew all too well how painful it could be to feel like an outcast. To want to be like everypony else, only to be reminded constantly how different you were.
I looked at the red comet on my flank. It wasn't even a real cutie mark. Just some family crest according to Jav-El. Just another reason I could relate to the pain that Apple Bloom was feeling.
"Hey Gloomy Gus, why the long face?" Asked Pinkie Pie who suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of me. I let out a surprised neigh as I reared up and fell flat on my back.
"Oof! Pinkie Pie? Where did you come from?" More importantly, how in Kolton did I not see or hear her coming?"
"Well, I was born on a rock farm out west." She began. "I was the second youngest of four sisters...
"No, I mean just now."
"Oh," She reached out her hoof and helped me up. "I was just out running some errands for Mr. and Mrs. Cake. See Diamond Tiara is having her cuteceanera at Sugarcube Corner this afternoon and...
"Yes, yes I know about all that, Diamond Tiara told me I'm not invited."
"Gasp!" Pinkie Pie recoiled in shock. "Not invited? But why wouldn't she invite you?"
I could think of many good answers, but Granny Smith had taught me better than to say them in public.
"It's not a big deal," I sighed. "I wasn't planning on going anyway." I flicked my tail and began walking away when Pinkie suddenly cried out and wrapped her foreleg around her neck.
"It is 'too' a big deal!" She argued. "Nothing damages a young pony's tender psyche like being uninvited to a party. But don't you worry, your best pony pal Pinkie Pie has a plan to turn that frown upside down! Kay?"
With that, she lifted me by the barrel and carried me back to Sugarcube Corner.
"Ta-dah!" Pinkie Pie thrust open the doors to Sugarcube Corner's kitchen. "Brace yourself, for this is where the magic happens!"
"It's a kitchen I see that, but what does that have to do with me?" I asked her.
Pinkie Pie set me down and placed a hoof on my back. "Well, baking always cheers me up when I'm feeling sad and blue, so I thought maybe it would do the same for you." What was with the rhyming all of a sudden? Was she turning into Zecora or something?
"You want to help you bake things?" Pinkie Pie nodded her head like it was a tin can with an acorn in it, her grin never wavering. I sighed and figured 'What the heck?' It was not like I had anything better to do today.
"Alright, where's the recipe?" No sooner had I asked than Pinkie Pie had the recipe card held out in front of me.
"Here you go!"
I smiled back nervously at the eager pink pony as I read the card. Three-layer Triple Chocolate Cherry Torte. Wow, that was a lot of calories. "Well, let's get cooking then," I said hesitantly trying to match her enthusiasm.
And so for the next hour, I became a baker's apprentice. Pinkie Pie showed me how to measure, pour, mix, bake, and decorate. She quickly took notice of how fast of a learner I was.
"Wow, you catch on pretty quick don't ya?" She said as I measured a tablespoon of sugar.
"Well, I have had some practice with Granny Smith and Applejack in the kitchen," I humbly admitted.
*Ting*
"Now why shouldn't we take a cake out of the oven too soon?" Pinkie asked me.
"Because the sudden shift from hot to cold air will deflate it," I answered.
"Rightarooney," Pinkie said.
"And now we get to my favorite part, decorating," Pinkie said excitedly as she offered me a bowl scraper. "Before we get started is there anything special you want to add?"
In my mind, I imagined what Diamond Tiara's reaction would be when she saw the cake read, 'Happy Cuteceanera to Porcelain Throne along with an image of a diamond-studded toilet.
"No, not really," Though I smiled cheekily from ear to ear.
Everything was set, the tables were decorated and covered with tons of delicious desserts. The rafters were covered with banners and streamers. Games had been put up, and goody bags had been filled. All that was missing was the Cuteceanera brat.
A well-dressed elderly stallion opened the front door. Diamond Tiara walked in wearing her Cuteceanera dress. Behind her entered her father Filthy Rich, and her mother Spoiled Rich. I could feel the middle-class contempt in the air already.
Mr. Rich wasn't so bad, he could be pleasant for conversation and he was a good friend of Pa. Spoiled, however, lived up to her name with her haughtier-than-thou attitude toward anypony who wasn't as wealthy as her. It was obvious who did the foal rearing in this family.
"What are you doing here?" Diamond Tiara demanded indignantly as soon as she saw me setting tables. "I thought I uninvited you?"
"I've been busy helping Pinkie Pie get things ready for your Cuteceanera," I answered with a huff. "Don't worry I don't plan to stick around this snob fest."
"What's this all about Diamond Tiara?" Filthy asked his daughter. Diamond put on her best lip wobble and gave him her best crocodile tears.
"Oh, Daddy," She sobbed. "It was horrible, at school today, he framed me for passing notes and got me in trouble."
"He what!" Spoiled Rich gasped glaring sharply at me.
"And that's not all," Diamond continued. "After school, he kept pestering me no matter how much I asked him to stop. So finally I told him he was uninvited to my Cuteceanera."
Spoiled had heard enough. "Young Colt, I have half a mind to have you expelled for this. Not only did you get my daughter in trouble for something she did not do, but you've reduced her to tears with your relentless bullying. Such low-class delinquents such as yourselves should be taught to keep away from your betters and...
BUCK!
CRRAAAASSH!
Diamond Tiara and Filthy Rich watched in shock and horror as I kicked out with my hind legs, sending Spoiled Rich crashing through the roof and flying straight into the sun.
"AAAAIIIIIIEEEEEE!"
Poof!
...Are you listening to me?" Spoiled's question snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Huh? Did you say something just now?" I asked back. "I was counting all the balloons in my head and sorting them by color." And calculating how much it would take to use up all the hot air you just blew. I thought privately. Spoiled's right eye began twitching. She clenched her teeth and snorted angrily.
"Okay, dear," Filthy said putting his hoof on his wife's wither. Even Diamond Tiara looked scared of her mother. "Let's go talk to the Cakes and thank them for all the hard work they put into our little Diamond's party," he suggested leading her over to the kitchen. I took that as my cue to leave.
"Leaving so soon?" Or I would have if Pinkie Pie hadn't been standing there when I opened the door.
"Gah! How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough," Was her answer. "Where are you going? The party is just about to start."
"Home," I told her. "Diamond Tiara's made it obvious she doesn't want me here." I tried to go around her, but every time I did Pinkie would just step in front of me. "Pinkie Pie cut it out and let me through."
"Not unless you tell meeee," She said in a sing-song voice.
"Tell you what?" I asked her. My patience was beginning to wear thin.
"What's really bothering you today?" She replied. My mouth fell open in stunned silence. "I can tell it's more than Diamond Tiara."
We went upstairs to Pinkie Pie's bedroom and sat down on her bed. I explained to her what happened at school and Twist's house. I left out the part where I smashed a rock formation though. That would've been hard to explain.
"And then she ran away crying." I sighed sadly. "She was right though, I did let her down."
Pinkie Pie placed her hoof on my wither. "That's where you're wrong," She said comfortingly.
"What do you mean?" I asked her.
"There was no way you could've known Twist would get her cutie mark this afternoon. Or that Apple Bloom would head over there after you'd already left. Sometimes things just happen that we can't anticipate."
'Easy for her to say,' I thought. She can't see objects traveling in slow motion the way I could. Still, she had a point.
"Yeah, you're right, but how do I make it up to her?" I asked. To which Pinkie wrapped my neck under her foreleg and pressed her cheek against mine.
"Leave everything to me," She said. "You just go downstairs and enjoy the party." What was she talking about? I
"But I wasn't invited." I again reminded her.
"Then crash!" Pinkie suggested throwing up her other hoof.
The party downstairs was in full swing. Every colt and filly in our class was there, along with parents as well as ponies who were just stopping by to congratulate Diamond Tiara on getting her cutie mark. While everypony else was busy dancing, playing party games, and enjoying the desserts, I did my best to remain inconspicuous. Luckily with all the noise and activity nopony seemed to notice me duck over to the punch bowl. Especially the Cuteceanera girl was busy having her ego stroked by everypony she spoke to.
As I poured myself a cup, my X-ray vision spotted two ponies hiding under the table.
"Scootaloo?"
"Oh, no, busted." Sweetie Belle whispered as I leaned down.
"Oh, hey heh heh, what's up?" The orange pegasus said nervously.
"What are you doing down there?" I asked.
"We're hiding so no notices we're mmph," Sweetie Belle said before Scootaloo muzzled her.
"Oh, well, in that case, do you mind if I hang out down there with you?" I asked. Both of them blinked at me.
"Why?" Asked Scootaloo.
"I was kind of uninvited by Diamond Tiara, and I don't want her to know I crashed," I told them. The two fillies scooched aside to make room. "Thanks, my name's Apple Comet by the way," I said introducing myself to Sweetie Belle.
"That's a weird name." She said looking confused. "What do apples have to do with comets?"
"That's what I asked him," Scootaloo said.
"It's a long story," I said.
"I'd like to hear it," Sweetie said enthusiastically.
As I pondered how best to explain the origins of my name, I heard a door open from the kitchen.
"A'h can't believe A'h didn't think of this. A cupcake-eating cutie mark. It's sooo obvious."
"Apple Bloom?" Through the kitchen wall, I saw my sister talking with Pinkie Pie about eating cupcakes.
"Apple Bloom?"
"Can you girls excuse me for just a minute? I'll be right back."I slipped out behind the table and made my way to the kitchen.
"What was that all about?" I heard Sweetie Belle ask Scootaloo. To which Scootaloo shrugged her wings and said, "Must be a colt thing or something."
"I guess a cupcake-making cutie mark could work too," Apple Bloom looked up at the chef's hat Pinkie Pie had placed on her head as Pinkie began to sing.
"All you have to do is take a cup of flour, add it to the mix,"
"Apple Bloom!" My sister looked from the mixing bowl as the record player on the kitchen counter continued to play instrumental music. "I'm not interrupting anything am I?" I asked.
Pinkie Pie pressed the stop button. "No, not at all, we can just take it from the top. "She said pressing the rewind button.
"Actually, Pinkie I'd like to have the music off for just a minute. There's something important I have to say."
"Oh, okie dokie." She set the needle aside and resumed baking, humming the song to herself as she did.
"Apple Bloom, I just want to say I'm sorry I let you down. I know what it feels like to not fit in. To want to be like everypony else, only to be reminded that you're different. But not having a cutie mark does not make you any less of a pony.
"You're still the brave, independent, helpful sister I know and love."
Apple Bloom threw herself into my embrace. "Oh, Apple Comet Ah'm so sorry for what A'h said to you. Can you forgive me?"
I smiled and looked down at her teary-eyed face. "How could I say no,"
"Sniff sniff sniff sniff"
We both looked up to see Pinkie Pie wiping tears from her eyes. "That was beautiful," She picked up a napkin and blew her nose into it. Both of us cringed back at the sight of it.
"Come on out to the party there are some ponies I think you'll want to meet."
"The party!" Apple Bloom suddenly lunged out of my grip. "How could A'h have forgotten the time? How could A'h have forgotten Pinkie was hosting it? How could A'h have forgotten it was at Sugarcube Corner?"
"Hey," I placed my hoof on her wither and smiled. "It'll be fine, I won't let you down a second time." She smiled back and hugged me.
"You're the best Lil' big brother ever."
"Sniff, don't forget your party hat, Forgetty Forgetterson." Pinkie sniffled as she placed a party hat on Apple Bloom's head.
We walked out of the kitchen together. Apple Bloom hanging close to my side. Her eyes darted back and forth as she kept watch for you know who.
"So where are these ponies you wanted me to meet?" She whispered. I smiled when I looked at the punch table and saw Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were still there.
"Over by the punch bowl," I said. "Just stick close to me."
"Y'all don't have to tell me twice."
We crept over to the punch bowl, using the other partygoers as cover.
"Hey! What are you still doing here?" We'd almost made it when we were caught. Diamond Tiara stomped over to us like an angry bull. Her face turned from pink to red as steam came out of her snout. Apple Bloom crouched down behind me trying to make herself as small as possible. "I thought I made it clear you weren't invited to my cuteceanera!" Diamond leaned her face in, pressing her hoof into my chest.
"Actually, I was just leaving, but now that you're here, there's something important I've been wanting to tell you," I said standing my ground. I'd faced off against an Ursa Major, a full-grown Dragon, and even Nightmare Moon herself. I wasn't about to be intimidated by a petulant bully.
"Oh, yeah, what's that?" Diamond sneered.
"Stop bullying my sister you spoiled brat!" Diamond Tiara shrank back from my surprising outburst.
"What did you just say?" She hissed. So I leaned in a little closer and repeated myself.
"Stop, bullying, my, sister, you, spoiled, brat."
"You can't talk to her that way!" Said Silver Spoon coming to her friend's defense.
"Oh, I can't call her a spoiled brat, but it's perfectly okay for you two to tease Apple Bloom for not having a cutie mark?" It was at that point that Diamond Tiara noticed who was behind me.
"Well, well well, look who's hiding behind her big brother again Silver. Oh, that's right, he's not even your real brother. He's adopted because his real parents obviously didn't want him." Okay, that was low even for her. At that moment something came over Apple Bloom.
"Raaaarrrrgh!" Without warning, she charged out from behind me and tackled Diamond Tiara to the ground. As her namesake headpiece tumbled to the floor. Diamond Tiara looked up to see Apple Bloom mounted on top of her.
"Holy Celestia!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed from under the table.
"Don't you dare say that about my brother!" Apple Bloom roared as she raised her hoof to pummel her. With lightning reflexes, I grabbed her by her foreleg and yelled, "Stop!" Apple Bloom looked and Diamond Tiara looked at me.
"She isn't worth it, let it go," Apple Bloom looked down at Diamond Tiara who was shivering with fear. With a sigh, she took my hoof and dismounted my tormentor. I pointed her in the direction of the two fillies crawling out from under the punch table. Then I turned my attention back to Diamond Tiara.
"You were very lucky that I was here," I said picking her tiara up off the floor. "I didn't think Apple Bloom could do what she almost did. But you sure as sugar found a way. I pulled her up off the floor and gave her back her tiara. She checked it over for damage and placed it back on her head.
"Whatever, thanks, I guess." She huffed trotting off as if the whole incident had never occurred.
"Well, that's gratitude for you," I said to myself before turning and walking over to the punch bowl. "Hey, you girls want to get out of here and have some real fun?"
"I thought you'd never ask," Scootaloo said with a grin.
"Hey guys, wait up!" Peppermint Twist said running up to us. "Room for one more?"
Apple Bloom smiled at her friend and said, "Sure." She turned to me and asked, "What did you have in mind?"
"I smiled and said, "I think you're all gonna like it.
The moon shone brightly over the farmhouse. Inside Apple Bloom's bedroom, four fillies lay sprawled across the floor on their sleeping bags.
"It was a great idea your brother had to have a sleepover at your house, Apple Bloom," Sweetie Belle said.
"And it was cool, he let us borrow his telescope," Scootaloo added. "Though he is certainly taking his time in the bathroom, isn't he?"
"Maybe he needs more fiber in his diet, one of us should go check on him?" Twist suggested.
"A'h wouldn't if A'h were you," Apple Bloom warned her. "My Lil big brother's dookie stinks could put a skunk to shame."
The other three fillies shared a collective, "EWWW!"
"On second thought, maybe he needs less?" Twist held her nose at the thought.
Unbeknownst to her and the others, I wasn't actually in the bathroom, but instead floating above the farmhouse roof in my costume. I could see and hear everything that was going on.
"So Apple Bloom, what exactly are we gonna search for with your brother's telescope?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"A'h honestly don't know," Apple Bloom answered. "He just said to point it above Ponyville at exactly nine o'clock."
"Well it's 8:57 so he better hurry," Scootaloo pointed out.
"So anyway, Ah've been thinking, now that we're friends...A'h mean we are friends now right?"
"Sure, I mean how could we not be? We're totally alike." Scootaloo pointed out. "We, well us three don't have cutie marks, no offense Twist."
"None taken," the frizzy-maned earth pony raised her hoof and said.
Scootaloo continued, "Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon drive us crazy."
"Totally crazy," Sweetie Belle agreed.
"Well, now that we're friends, what if the three of us work together to find out who we are and what we're supposed to be?" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo pondered Apple Bloom's proposal. "
"Ooh, ooh, we could form our own secret society." Sweetie Belle suggested.
"I'm liking this idea," Scootaloo said.
"A secret society, yeah." Apple Bloom's face lit up with excitement. "We need a name for it though."
"The Cutie Mark Three?"
"The Cutetastically Fantastics?"
Then Apple Bloom came up with the name that would eventually go down in Ponyville history.
"How about the Cutie Mark Crusaders! You'd still be welcome to pal around with us too Twist,"
"Sounds good to me Apple Bloom," Twist said.
"This is gonna be so great!" Scootaloo cheered.
"We're going to be unstoppable!" Apple Bloom said. That might've been overestimating things, but it was still nice to see her confidence back.
Bong Bong Bong Bong Bong Bong Bong Bong Bong
The grandfather clock downstairs struck nine, it was time. I took to the night sky.
Third Pony POV.
"Look, up in the sky!" Scootaloo gasped. The four fillies crowded around the telescope and took turns looking into it.
"It's an assteroid!" Lisped Twist.
"It's a Meteor!" Cried, Sweetie Belle.
"No, it's a Comet!" Apple Bloom said with a grin on her face.
"It's the Red Comet of Ponyville!" Twist said in realization.
"Red Comet of Ponyville?" Sweetie Belle looked at her with one eyebrow raised.
"You mean you haven't heard about it?" Twist asked in shock.
"Not really," Sweetie admitted.
"Hey you guys, be quiet!" Scootaloo said. "I think it's writing a message in the sky."
"What does it say?" Asked Sweetie Belle.
"Good night my little Diamond!" Filthy Rich kissed his daughter on the forehead as she lay down in bed.
"You still love me, don't you Daddy?" She asked.
"Of course I do pumpkin, it's just your behavior this afternoon was honestly a bit troubling."
"The only troubling behavior I heard about was that blank flank and her delinquent brother. No doubt he put her up to it." Spoiled argued with her husband.
"Now dear we went over this, I talked with Applejack about it and she said she'd give that filly a stern talking..." A flash of light outside the window interrupted him. "What was that?" Filthy Rich walked over to the window.
"Filthy, what is it?" Spoiled asked.
"Girls come quick!" He said. "There's something in the sky, and it's writing some kind of message."
Diamond Tiara scrambled out of bed to join her parents at the window. "What does the message say, Daddy?" Filthy Rich pointed up to where the message was. Diamond's eyes lit up when she saw the object was writing her name in big red letters. "Look it's spelling my name in the sky!" The rich filly jumped up and down in excitement.
"Looks like somepony or something up there knows what we already know." Spoiled said with a smug grin. This event would surely make the morning paper.
"That we have the most special filly in the whole wide world." Filthy smiled with pride.
"Wait it's spelling out something else!" Diamond said eagerly. She waited excitedly to see what the rest of the message said about her.
DIAMOND DAZZLE TIARA IS A BIG FAT-FLANK!
Filthy Rich stood frozen in shock. Spoiled fainted to the floor. As for Diamond Dazzle Tiara, she just stood there, one eye twitching. That thing had just written in big bold red letters in Luna's night sky for everypony in town to see, that she Diamond Dazzle Tiara, was a Big Fat Flank!
The joy on her face contorted into pure rage as she let out a deafening ear-splitting "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" While at a farmhouse outside town, four fillies laughed long into the night.
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Wait why is he in school again. Is he that young I kinda lost track of the age of AC
9964173
Yes. He IS that young. He is ten years old at this point in time. Quite literally just a few months older than Apple Bloom.
Excellent job on this latest chapter. Yeah, it took a while, but it was WELL worth the wait. Love the work that went into the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up in all the right places. LOVED how Comet tried to help out Apple Bloom while she was being bullied (including introducing her to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle and helping keep her friendship with Twist strong). And, yeah, the stuff with Comet standing up to Diamond AND Spoiled was beautiful too. As for the prank at the end, I have to admit, I was laughing my rear off and, at this point, there could be very little doubt that Diamond DEFINITELY deserves it.
Anyway, I will VERY definitely be looking forward to more of this.
And Happy Thanksgiving.
Wow they are nearly an hour late! I think Comet would have reminded them of the time a bit more if they where being this late.
As for the prank at the end, that was a bit too far. I think if she had kept up being a bully, like after Babs had shown up then it would've been cool. Still I think you can make an interesting villain out of Spoiled Rich as she has not earned any redemption, yet.
Great story. Really enjoying it. Keep up the good work.
When I read this, I kept imagining Vera's voice.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ...(inhale)... HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA!!!!!!
9964173
He is about the same age as Apple Bloom.
When will you update?
Thanks, Comet.
DT totally had it coming!
Also, when is the next chapter coming ?
perfect now we just need the green mare er lantern to show up^^ the justice herd! away
I just love this story! Apple Comet is great, and I love the interaction with his family.
I am however still rooting for a Apple Comet X Scootaloo ship. Why? Because she can't fly, and she it I could easily see her as one to often get in trouble in order to be as brave as Rainbow Dash. An unwilling damsel of sorts, and Apple could show her how it feels to fly. Like the scene from the movie with Superman holding Louis's hand.
*SIGH* So romantic....
Well... that's a description.
Is this gonna be the explanation for Sweetie Belle's cooking skills?
For better or for worse.
This is more complicated to answer, because it's not that simple. Comet certainly didn't go too far, because Diamond Toilet had that coming. However, I think that "The Red Comet of Ponyville" went too far, because it's a little too telling of who he is. Almost anyone who knows about Porcelain Throne would've gladly older her off in a similar way. So nearly the entirety of Ponyville has a motive. However, calling her a "fat-flank" is telling about what age he is.
I was kinda hoping that the Rich family would've left the window before the message was finished that way they could go to bed all high and mighty before going to school and getting laughed at by the entire class.
Also, this technically makes it the second time Apple Comet had saved Diamond Tiara. And she's still a little twat to him? Then again, considering who her mother is... Actually, I think Diamond would be humble in comparison. Comet could save all of Equestria, and Spoiled would think that Comet saved her specifically because he knew that she was better than anyone else. Then again, the shadow of a single leaf could blow across her for less than a second, and she'd complain about her perfect tan being ruined.
You missed spelled her name it’s supposed to be Spoiled Bitch.
Oh brother.