Renaming Starlight's Village

by Brass Polish

1. Hunting Cutie Marks Part 1

Author's Note:

Apple Bloom finds a cutie mark flying around, which may belong to a member of Starlight’s old cult.

While the potion sat in the cauldron in Zecora’s Hut and slowly formed a skin over the top, Apple Bloom joined Zecora outside in the bushes. Each had a butterfly net, and were on the watch for Glowasps; the recipe called for the skin to be punctured by a Glowasp’s stinger.

“I cannot help but notice since summer began,” Zecora said quietly to Apple Bloom, “visiting me every day seems to be your plan.”

“I’m kinda lonely,” admitted Apple Bloom. “Remember a few years ago I was all worried about my friends’ hobbies pulling them away from me? Now it’s worse. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle are always leaving town. I’ve got even less to do these days. And I ain’t even got work to keep me busy. Applejack doesn't need me much on the farm right now.”

“I find that surprising, considering your brother,” remarked Zecora, “has moved away to be with his significant other.”

“I know,” said Apple Bloom. “You’d think Applejack would need me to pick up the slack… especially since Granny Smith’s mind is…”

*****

Apple Bloom spotted something glowing nearby, and lunged for it with her butterfly net. She missed, but pursued it as it hovered away from the Hut. She wasn’t as small as she used to be, and so couldn’t move as quickly through the overgrown Everfree trees and bushes, but she was catching up to the bright yellow glow. She was careful not to stray too far from the Path Of Least Resistance (as it was now known to Ponyville residents opting to visit Zecora’s Hut or the Castle Of The Two Sisters). She took a running jump off of an old rotting log, and swung her butterfly net.

“Got it!” she exclaimed.

Apple Bloom straightened up, peered into her net, and gasped.

“Well, well, what’s this you’ve caught in the dark?” Zecora asked, walking up to the now rather dirty young earth pony. “Why… I can scarcely believe it… it’s a cutie mark!”

*****

For almost a minute, Apple Bloom and Zecora gazed at the two-dimensional yellow apple sitting in the butterfly net. Apple Bloom didn’t know if she should be excited or glum. As a Cutie Mark Crusader, the discovery of this cutie mark mysteriously floating around the Everfree Forest signaled the beginning of a mission. But Apple Bloom didn’t much fancy tackling this mission on her own. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were both due home soon, though; surely she could wait. The last time her two best friends and fellow CMCs were away, Apple Bloom was approached by an out-of-towner who had a cutie mark conundrum, and couldn’t come up with a solution. This was still eating at her, so the chance to undertake a big task like this alongside Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle was getting her excited. It would of course be several hours from now, so she could still stick around and continue helping Zecora.

Zecora lunged sideways and swung her own net. “Aha! I’ve captured the creature I desire! Thank you Apple Bloom, your assistance I no longer require.”

Given what Apple Bloom had just found, Zecora thought this was just what she’d want to hear. But Apple Bloom’s abrupt retreat towards Ponyville without a farewell greeting suggested otherwise.

*****

“Not that you aren’t welcome here any time,” Starswirl The Bearded said when Apple Bloom showed up at the front doors of Twilight’s Castle, “but why so early in the morning?”

“I was in the Everfree Forest trying to help Zecora catch a Glowasp,” Apple Bloom explained to Starswirl and Stygian, “and instead, I caught this.”

She showed them the flat yellow apple, still glowing in the early morning darkness, sitting in her butterfly net. Starswirl and Stygian were speechless.

“I want to talk to Starlight Glimmer about this,” Apple Bloom went on. “I think this cutie mark might belong to a member of her old cult.”

*****

The sitting room in Twilight’s Castle was well lit, so the cutie mark in Apple Bloom’s butterfly net wasn’t glowing as brightly as it had been outdoors. But upon being woken by Meadowbrook and escorted to the sitting room to meet Apple Bloom, Starlight Glimmer still found it an arresting sight.

“I think you’re right. It might belong to somepony who was in my old cult,” Starlight said, examining the flat yellow apple. “But… I don’t recognise it. It’s been a while since I ran that Village and lorded over the Cutie Mark Vault. I can’t recall anypony who had a cutie mark like this.”

Apple Bloom watched as Starlight continued to gaze at the cutie mark, attempting to remember who might’ve owned it. It was understandable; trying to distinguish ponies who’d been compelled to look alike must be difficult.

“I’ve got an idea,” said Apple Bloom. “Can you swap my cutie mark with this one?”

“Huh?!”

“Let’s see what talent and ability it gives me,” suggested Apple Bloom. “Maybe it’ll jog your memory.”

“Well… okay,” Starlight nodded. “Just… don’t tell Twilight about this. If she finds out I’ve been removing cutie marks again, I’m toast.”

*****

Apple Bloom braced herself; she’d been told that having your cutie mark torn off is painful. It took great effort, but she managed not to yell. The pain was over quickly, but the feeling when the replacement cutie mark was pasted on her flank lingered. It felt weird; partly because when she tried to look at it, the shade of yellow caused it to blend in with her coat. If you were to see her from a distance, you’d think she was a blank flank again.

“Are you alright, Apple Bloom?” asked Starlight.

Apple Bloom considered.

“Yeah. I’m fine. I feel… warm and comfortable.”

Starlight was suspicious at first, but then she had a thought.

“I wonder if that cutie mark belongs to a member of the Apple family.”

“Yeah! Maybe!” Apple Bloom was excited. “I’ll go ask Granny Smith. Maybe her cousin Goldie Delicious will know who’s mark this is.”

She zoomed towards the door.

“Hey! Don’t forget your own cutie mark.”

Apple Bloom halted and looked back to see Starlight magicing her cutie mark into a small glass jar and levitating it towards her.

“Thanks, Starlight,” she smiled, and left the sitting room with the jar.

*****

Hours later, the Sun was up, and a passenger train pulled into Ponyville Station. No sooner had Scootaloo left her coach and stepped onto the platform, she was tackle-hugged.

“I didn’t know you were on this train as well!” exclaimed Sweetie Belle. “Where were you hiding?”

“Oh, hi Sweetie,” Scootaloo grinned. “Sorry I didn’t see ya. Where’d you get on?”

“Hollow Shades. I went up and down the corridors, but I never saw you,” said Sweetie.

“I might’ve been curled up on my seat,” Scootaloo admitted. “I spent most of the weekend with Bow and Windy, trying to create the ultimate pasta and potato sandwich. We ended up using fried dough instead of sourdough.”

“Wow. I wonder if Rainbow Dash could even get up in the air after eating that,” chuckled Sweetie.

“She still pulled it off. The Wonderbolts Vanhoover Show was great,” Scootaloo smiled. “How about the concert? How’d that go?”

“Not bad,” Sweetie Belle shrugged. “The backstage afterparty was fun. Sapphire Shores give me the ankle bracelet she was wearing on stage.”

Scootaloo glanced down at Sweetie’s hooves; there was no bracelet.

“Yeah, I kinda lost it,” admitted Sweetie Belle. “In the station cafe at Hollow Shades Junction. But oh well. I might be friends with Sapphire Shores, but I’m still not exactly the biggest fan of her music. I’m sure somepony’ll find it; somepony who’s a bigger fan of Sapphire than I am, so can appreciate it better.”

*****

Rarity was taking hers and Sweetie Belle’s luggage to Carousel Boutique, and Scootaloo had been travelling light, so the two of them went straight from the Station to Sweet Apple Acres to see Apple Bloom. When they arrived at the orchard, Sweetie Belle went straight to the CMC clubhouse, while Scootaloo spotted Granny Smith and talked to her.

“Ouch!”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders weren’t too big for this tiny wooden treehouse just yet, but having a horn, Sweetie Belle was always scraping the ceiling lately.

“Maybe we should renovate this old thing this summer,” Sweetie said to herself.

She looked around at the dusty interior, and saw a circle of hoofprints on the floor.

“Oh come on, Apple Bloom,” frowned Sweetie Belle. “Don’t tell me this is all you do when me and Scootaloo aren’t around.”

She heard Scootaloo call her, and stepped outside onto the clubhouse balcony.

“Granny Smith said Apple Bloom hasn’t been home since yesterday evening,” Scootaloo reported. “She went to do some potioneering at Zecora’s.”

*****

So the two of them marched off to the Everfree Forest and followed the Path Of Least Resistance to Zecora’s Hut. Zecora lost no time in informing Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle that Apple Bloom had found a cutie mark floating around the forest last night.

“Somepony’s cutie mark was just flying around?!” exclaimed Sweetie Belle. “Wow. How could Apple Bloom not have been at Sweet Apple Acres? She must be bursting to tell us about it.”

“I guess she just couldn’t wait,” suggested Scootaloo.

“But where would she be then?” asked Sweetie.

“Starlight’s Village, I bet. That cutie mark she found must belong to somepony from Starlight’s old cult.”

*****

For the second time that day, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were riding the rails. They boarded a stopping train heading north, intending to catch Apple Bloom up at Starlight’s Village. Along the way, the Guard walked along the corridor shouting the name of the train’s next stop.

“Hollow Shades Junction ahead!”

Sweetie Belle rubbed her chin. “Should I look in the Lost & Found at Hollow Shades? See if Sapphire’s ankle bracelet’s there? I know I said I’m not a fan, but that bracelet was still a gift from her.”

“Go ahead,” nodded Scootaloo as the train slowed.

So during the three minute stop at Hollow Shades Junction, Sweetie Belle disembarked for the Lost Property Office. Scootaloo couldn’t see the station building from her window, so when the train started up again, she felt a twinge of panic. It quickly went away when she saw Sweetie Belle racing up the coach corridor towards their seat.

“Did you find the bracelet?” asked Scootaloo.

“No,” replied Sweetie Belle. “I found this.”

And she showed Scootaloo a glass jar containing Apple Bloom’s cutie mark.

Comments

[readsponies]

Okay, that is a strong start. You have my interest.

[leifj2009]

It's been a long time to read a story from you.

[Gyro Pony]

And the tangled web has already begun to be weaved.

Ha. Misconceptions

[Yoshifan30]

Whoa this is A pretty good start to the story and what happened to Apple Bloom

[Blast]

My Little Pony: The Ultimate Crusade.