Renaming Starlight's Village

by Brass Polish

10. The Grand Tour

Author's Note:

Marble and Limestone spend their Pie Sister Surprise Swap Day this year in Starlight’s Village.

“Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if Feather Bangs’ fillyfriend moved to this Village,” Sugar Belle said one day at lunch time.

The Crusaders looked up from their quiches with interest.

“What makes ya say that?” asked Big Macintosh.

“I could hire her to wait on the customers sitting outside,” said Sugar Belle. “I always forget to check if there’s anypony out there. I hate to imagine how long I’ve kept those two waiting.”

As Sugar Belle stepped out of the Cafe, Big Mac and the Crusaders looked out of the window to see who was waiting for some service.

“Hey, it’s Marble and Limestone Pie!” exclaimed Apple Bloom in surprise.

“Eeeyup, sure is. Wonder what they’re doing here,” said Big Mac.

*****

“Oh, so you’re Big Mac’s probable relatives.” Sugar Belle had gotten talking to the visitors while taking their orders.

Curiosity had driven Apple Bloom and Big Mac out of the Cafe to visit the two Pie sisters.

“Hey, Limestone. Hey, Marble,” smiled Apple Bloom. “Whatcha doing here?”

“We’re spending our PSSSD in this town this year,” said Limestone.

Sugar Belle blinked.

“Pie Sister Surprise Swap Day,” Big Mac clarified in an undertone.

“Oh.”

“We opted for this town because it seemed small, low-key, and out of the way,” said Marble. “It’s great to meet you, Sugar Belle. I guess we’re probably kinda sisters-in-law. And Big Mac, congratulations on your success. Me and Limestone heard all about your marriage and your new apple orchard from… Pinkie.”

Apple Bloom had never known Marble to be so talkative.

*****

Marble turned to Apple Bloom. “So you’ve set up shop in this Village, eh?”

“Uh, well not really,” said Apple Bloom. “We’re only spending the summer here.”

“Oh. Well hey, after we’re done lunch, do you think you could give us a tour?” Marble asked.

Apple Bloom turned to look out at the street. She was tempted to say “This is it.” But she wanted to make a real effort at it. The trouble was she’d only been staying in this Village for about a month. Surely a Village resident would have a better chance at giving a proper tour. Then she remembered what Scootaloo had told her when she’d asked Sugar Belle for a tour that one time when she was masquerading as Shimmering Spectacles.

“Well, Sugar Belle’s still got customers, and Big Mac’s still got a lot of apple trees to buck,” said Apple Bloom. “So okay.”

*****

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle could see the conversation going on outside.

“Looks like Apple Bloom’s gonna show Limestone and Marble around,” said Sweetie Belle. “Should we join them?”

Scootaloo considered. “I was kinda hoping to talk to Sugar Belle about what she said earlier. Remember a month ago when she was worried about having competition in this town?”

“Yeah. Now she’s not against the idea of having some help,” nodded Sweetie. “I mean, maybe she was just joking when she said she’d like to hire Hail Stone, but it couldn’t hurt to see if she’d seriously consider it.”

“Okay. We’ll leave Apple Bloom to show the Pie sisters around,” Scootaloo agreed. “She knows them better anyway. She’s spent entire Hearth's Warming Eves with them.”

*****

After Marble and Limestone were done lunch, Apple Bloom began to lead them up the street.

“Well, this Village used to be a cult colony,” Apple Bloom told them. “In those days, every cottage in town looked the same. After the cult fell apart, the Villagers started altering and accessorizing their cottages.”

“Ooh, I love spot-the-difference games,” beamed Marble, scratching her hoof.

She and Limestone looked around at the cottages, taking in the differences between each one, ranging from front or back gardens, lawn ornaments, weathervanes, drapes, awnings, and paint jobs of various colours to the door and window frames.

“Say,” said Limestone, “do some Villagers decorate their front porches with old mares in rocking chairs? I can see one over there, and I swear I saw another one when we first came to town.”

“Uh, no, it’s the same one,” sighed Apple Bloom. “That’s Old Lady Cooper. She’s always turning up rocking in front of somepony’s house.”

*****

Marble bounced away from the “tour group” to say hi to Old Lady Cooper.

“Uh, sorry, I didn’t order any pizza,” said the old mare as soon as Marble approached her. “You must have been prank called by some hoodlum.”

Marble chuckled. “I’m not related with any pizza ponies. I’m just visiting this Village with my sister and wanted to say hi.”

Apple Bloom glanced at Limestone, who appeared happier than she’d ever seen her.

“It’s great,” Limestone said, catching Apple Bloom’s eye, “to see her so content and talkative. ...I only get to see her like this once a year.”

“Isn’t she like this at home?” asked Apple Bloom. “It’s mostly just the two of you working, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but what’s there for us to talk about when we’re quarrying rocks?” Limestone shrugged. “But when we’re out and about, it’s a whole other story.”

*****

When Marble rejoined them, Apple Bloom took them to the end of the road, and showed them the tree that had been planted in place of Starlight Glimmer’s old cottage.

“Oh, is this where you’re gonna build your new CMC clubhouse?” asked Limestone.

“Uh, well like I said, we’re only spending the summer here,” said Apple Bloom. “We’re still in school, you know.”

Limestone seemed puzzled. “I’d have thought moving here would be the logical next step for the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

“Yeah. So what if you’re still young?” put in Marble, scratching her hoof. “Lots of ponies start work as soon as they know what their lot in life is. Look at… Pinkie.”

“Okay, let’s move on,” said Limestone hastily.

*****

As they turned and went along the road in the other direction, Apple Bloom and Limestone noticed that Marble was scratching her hooves every few seconds.

“Have you got itchy hooves?” asked Limestone.

“Yeah,” Marble admitted.

“Uh, oh. There might have been some mosquitoes under that table,” frowned Apple Bloom. “This town does have a bit of a bug problem during the summer. But I know who can help with that.”

She veered away from the Pie sisters, and knocked on the door of a cottage with a neat back garden.

Mussel answered the door. “Hi, Apple Bloom. What’s up?”

“Hi, Mussel. I think there are some mosquitoes under the tables outside Sugar Belle’s Cafe,” said Apple Bloom. “Do you think you could plant a spider or two under them?”

Mussel raised his hoof, which Apple Bloom only now noticed had several spiders crawling all over it.

“No problem,” he said confidently.

*****

Marble was intrigued by Mussel’s little friends crawling all over his leg, and followed him to the Cafe.

“I’m Marble,” she said. “Apple Bloom’s showing me and my sister Limestone around town. Who are you? And why do you have spiders on your leg?”

“I’m Mussel,” said the colt. “I plant spiders wherever there’s a mosquito problem. Apple Bloom and her friends helped me. I used to have trouble with these memories from when I was a yearling and being told that trying to earn a cutie mark was bad.”

“Oh, I know what that’s like,” said Marble as Mussel reached the Cafe and started depositing spiders under the outside tables. “When I was a filly, I felt like I was living in the shadow of my four-minute-older sister. I’m a grown mare now, but I still struggle with this. I know full well that… Pinkie has no qualms with me speaking for myself, but my foalhood memories always seem to stop me from saying much whenever she’s around. But it’s no big deal. I still love her.”

“And I love collecting spiders and dealing with mosquitoes,” smiled Mussel.

The two shook hooves (Marble didn’t even flinch when a spider crawled from Mussel’s hoof to hers), and Mussel went to work while Marble returned to Limestone and Apple Bloom.

“So,” said Limestone, “how about we see the Cave next?”

*****

Apple Bloom hesitated. She’d never actually been to the Cave herself.

“Okay,” she nodded, and began to lead the way.

Along the way, she recalled what Applejack had told her Starlight had said when she showed her and her friends the Cave.

“Well, half of that sounds like a good idea,” said Limestone.

Apple Bloom stared.

“I mean ponies all over Equestria could make a pilgrimage here,” Limestone went on, “but not to have their cutie marks taken off. Rather to get help from the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

*****

The Cave was dark. The Cutie Mark Vault was still there, and the grid was still in place, but the vault was empty, and the grid was not emitting any light. Glass shards littered the cave floor. Lying amongst them in front of the Vault, still in tact, was the so-called Staff Of Sameness.

Marble chuckled when she saw it. “Look at that. It’s like a hoofball goal.”

“Careful!” Limestone exclaimed as Marble started to walk further into the cave. “There’s glass everywhere.”

“Exactly,” grinned Marble as she negotiated the glass shard minefield.

She stood the Staff Of Sameness on its end, and took some cautious steps away from it. She found a large shard of glass, and flung it off the ground towards the Staff. It sailed through the prongs.

“Goal!” Marble’s voice echoed around the Cave.

She looked around the ground for more large pieces of glass.

“That does look like fun,” said Apple Bloom as she watched Marble gleefully fling glass shards at the “goal post”.

She started to walk forward, watching her step to avoid any pieces of glass.

*****

“Ow!”

“On second thought,” Apple Bloom frowned, making a retreat.

Marble limped away from the Vault.

“How bad is it?” asked Limestone.

Marble showed them the wound. It was only a sliver, but it was bright red and throbbing. Apple Bloom gaped as Limestone gave the wound a kiss.

“Thanks, Limestone,” smiled Marble. “Sorry about that.”

“Well, I know we don’t get many chances to play at home,” sighed Limestone.

“We’ve got horseshoes in our backyard,” said Apple Bloom.

“Ooh, yay!” exclaimed Marble, and she quickly bounced out of the Cave as though there was nothing wrong with her slit hoof.

“Our backyard? I thought you said you weren’t living here,” grinned Limestone.

*****

“How did you get this cut?” Sugar Belle asked as she bandaged the wound on Marble’s hoof.

Marble told her about her attempt at a hoofball game.

“So we thought we should try playing a less dangerous game,” she said. “Can we throw heavy rusty metal objects in your backyard?”

*****

During the game of horseshoes, whenever Limestone’s turn came, Marble would saunter off to talk to Big Mac, or Sugar Belle, or Apple Bloom. At one point, she even popped in on Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

“She sure is good at bouncing between conversations,” Sweetie said to Apple Bloom.

“I know,” grinned Apple Bloom. “So how was your day?”

Sweetie and Scootaloo told her about the conversation they’d had with Sugar Belle.

“Sorry we left you to put up with Limestone,” said Scootaloo.

Apple Bloom chuckled. She had invited Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to her brother’s wedding, and the Pie family had been invited as well. She’d noticed that her Crusader friends hadn’t gotten on well with Limestone.

“I may be closer to her than either of you,” she said, “but really, she’s a lot sweeter than even I thought. I guess it’s easy to misread her cutie mark.”

*****

Limestone had heard everything.

“Are you certain you’re not going to set up shop in this Village?” she asked, her sudden appearance making the Crusaders jump. “You three are the only ponies I know outside my family who picked up on what mine and Marble’s cutie marks are about. I mean, we never doubted what they’re for, and I can’t really blame anypony for thinking I’m a stresscase and Marble’s quiet and shy, but you three picked our marks’ meanings up in a flash.”

“Oh,” said Apple Bloom modestly, “anypony could figure all that out if they got to know you two better.”

But the more Limestone suggested it, the more Apple Bloom found the idea of staying in the Village and having ponies come from all over Equestria to get cutie mark help from the Cutie Mark Crusaders attractive.

*****

“♪It’s the Pie Sister Swap Day Song!♪”

“Hey.”

That evening, Marble and Limestone set up a picnic blanket beneath the tree at the end of the road. It was time to exchange presents. Limestone went first.

“Ooh,” said Marble when she took that lid off the little box Limestone gave her. “A bracelet.”

She picked it up and examined it. It was decorated with little black stones that looked almost like washers and nuts, which had been threaded through the holes with red ribbon.

“When me and Maud had our PSSSD earlier this year,” Limestone explained, “we went to the Changeling Hive.”

Marble grinned. “So you made this out of fragments of Chrysalis’ destroyed throne?”

“Yeah. King Thorax didn’t mind,” said Limestone. “I tell ya, Maud was awfully interested in that throne. It had been made of a powerful stone, I suppose.”

Marble tried on the bracelet. “I love it.”

*****

Limestone unwrapped the present Marble gave her.

“A photo album? Hm. What’s…?”

She opened the album and gasped. Inside were photographs of Limestone and Pinkie. Limestone flipped through the pages for a minute, then looked to Marble.

“I know you’re not happy it’s because of Pinkie that I don’t talk much, but never forget,” said Marble, “that she loves everypony, and that it was all thanks to her that we all cracked a smile for the first time.”

Limestone looked back at the album. There was a photo of herself and Pinkie as fillies at the first party they ever had.

Limestone was overwhelmed. “Thanks, Marble. I swear, I’ll let Pinkie Pie know how much I love her when my next PSSSD with her comes up.”

*****

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle could see the two Pie sisters from the table they were sitting at in front of Sugar Belle’s Cafe. It was hard to write letters home to ask permission to remain in the Village indefinitely when there was such a touching site up the road.

“Hey!” shouted Sweetie Belle when she saw a spider crawl onto the table. “Get back under there. There are no mosquitoes up here.”

Comments

[Yoshifan30]

Aww thats a sweet moment between Marble and Limestone And I do love how marble Is more talking this time And starting having conversation with other people or ponies I did read a comic when she was talking more

But anyway this was a pretty sweet chapter