The Cutie Mark Mares

by deadpansnarker

Chapter 2: The Journey Home

“B-But that can’t be possible!”

“I-It was only supposed to be for a day, s-so we could go to the fair…”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle reeled from the shock news that they wouldn’t be returning to their filly selves anytime soon, tears evident in their grown-up eyes and looking as if their stronger, longer legs were about to buckle from underneath them.

Scootaloo was the exception to this rule. She seemed to be doing some rough calculations in her head and then, having finally reached a conclusion, set her sights on a completely mollified Biscuit, still standing next to his bestie Spur.

“You!!”

Biscuit’s demeanour quickly turned from surprise to horror as the queen-size Scootaloo unhesitatingly charged him, pinning him down under muscular orange hooves and screaming into his ear hysterically.

“You’re the reason we’re stuck like this! If you hadn’t made that stupid wish, we’d be back to normal by now! Do you even realise what you’ve done? How are we supposed to go home, looking like this? What will my parents think? My aunts? Rainbow Dash? W-Why didn’t I take her advice, and just stay in Ponyville today…?”

Without needing to be told, Scootaloo got off a trembling Biscuit at that point, as if realising further anger directed towards the teenage stallion would be futile.

After all, when all was said and done it was just an accident, and no amount of cross words would change her or her friends' fates now.

“Um, I don’t mean to interrupt a tense moment…” Fluttershy chimed in by making a signal to the rest of the grim-faced group. “But the train is about to arrive, and we’ll miss it if we’re not careful.”

“Understood.” Twilight nodded to the yellow pegasus, before turning back to the notably paler Crusaders. “Listen to me: even though you three must be going through all kinds of emotions right now, we won’t be able to get anything done by just staying here. Let’s get on the train shall we, and on our return I’ll personally go to each of your houses to explain what happened, and what the next course of action should be. Things might seem impossible now, but one thing I can be sure of is that you have a lot of ponies who care about you…”

“D’ya really think Applejack’s gonna treat me the same way again, when I look like this?!”

“Rarity would always tuck me in when I stayed with her. Now I probably can’t even fit in my own bed!”

“What’ll my parents say when they find out I’m too old for school? How am I supposed to get a job?! I can’t even do basic math yet!”

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo interrupted Twilight’s solemn speech to share their very real concerns, whilst everypony else at the station just stood and stared at this odd mismatched group led by a Princess.

Looks like dealing with this unfortunate incident will be my top priority for the foreseeable future, whether I like it or not. Twilight realised, attempting to keep an optimistic expression on her face even if her actual mood was anything but hopeful. Why oh why did you have to send me that accursed flower, Star Swirl? You’ve really landed me in a sticky situation here, that keeps getting stickier with every passing second.

…………………………………

The journey back to Ponyville was conducted in relative silence, as you’d probably expect. The Crusaders needed time to come to terms with their new appearances and loss of youth, whilst Twilight and Fluttershy couldn’t say much more to reassure them everything would be fine without resorting to outright lies.

They might not be as honest as Applejack, but they knew that giving the fillies-turned-mares false hope would not be a great long term strategy.

Speaking of the orange farm pony, she was the one currently occupying Apple Bloom’s tempestuous thoughts. What’s she gonna do when she finds out I disobeyed a direct order not to go to Appleloosa, the results of which are obvious just by lookin’ at me now? Lecture me something fierce, and work me extra hard, that’s what. And in the body I’m in right now, the sad truth is I can probably handle it.

Sweetie Belle was equally in two minds about the new outlook she found herself facing. Good news: No more modelling stupid baby clothes for Rarity! Bad news: She’ll probably move you onto the adult line. Also, I might be old enough now to start a professional singing career, but without going to talent camp for years as a filly, will I really be good enough? I just don’t know.

As for Scootaloo, she was more concerned with the here and now. I think Biscuit accepted my apology in the end. But maybe that was more because he was scared of me than anything. Him and Spur left really quickly afterwards, and I can’t say I blame them. What must they have been, finding out they spent the day with children in adult bodies and then being threatened by one? Pretty darn freaked out would be my guess.

As each CMC member sat deep in thought about what exactly would happen next, they didn’t even hear the whistle of the train to indicate the vehicle had come to a screeching halt.

“We’ve arrived in Ponyville! Could all passengers who want to get off here please depart the train now!” The driver announced loudly, which finally roused the Crusaders from their shared state of contemplation.

With Twilight and Fluttershy taking the lead, the five mares wordlessly began to leave the vehicle via the nearest entrance…

...Only to find there was a little welcoming committee waiting to ‘greet’ them on the sidelines.

Applejack, Big Mac and Granny Smith to be exact (Winona the dog made it four).

The orange earth pony stepped forward first. “We came as soon as we got the message about the young un’s gallopin’ off to Appleloosa, though you didn’t really go into a lotta detail. Big Mac was sick earlier, but he insisted on comin’ cos he said nothing would make him sicker than his littlest sis goin’ missing. Anyway, Did’ya find them in the end… wait, who are your new friends? They seem familiar somehow… h-hold up, those Cutie Marks… it can’t be…”

Author's Note:

Thanks to everyone who followed this story in the few hours since I published it. As a special treat, here's a quick upload of the next chapter. Enjoy, and don't forget to comment!

Comments

[Foxhelm]

well... this doesn't bold well

[Northguard]

cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/723260532865630328/727630906768228383/oh_no.png

[deadpansnarker]

10320466
Somepony has some explaining to do...

10320574

[StarzGecko]

I like how Scoots seems to know the Reality of being adult. Like getting a job

[Halira]

10320328
That is disputed by the fact that by the time the CMC used the flower it had already lost most of its petals. Meaning they weren't the original users either. They were just the most recent to make a wish.

[SuperPinkBrony12]

[deadpansnarker]

10320980
We all get to that stage, I'm afraid.
P.S Long time no see!

10321038
That's what I thought.

10321138
I miss this show so much...

[StarzGecko]

10321158
Indeed, been some time since I was on here. How have you been?

[deadpansnarker]

10321166
Not too bad. I took a mini-break from this site myself, but now I'm back and busier than ever. What did you think of the series finale?

[StarzGecko]

10321225

I’m mixed about it. I didn’t really like how Groger was handle or used at all... The whole Discord building a evil team just to make Twilight look good or relearn something didn’t work for me and the ending was a bit sad to see only one of the M6 having one kid... I would think at least Rarity would find a Prince or Applejack a Strawberry farmer

With the whole series about redeeming villains I’m surprise that a filly was turn into stone forever!

I was really liking the villain friendship building but sad they had to be turn into stone instead of saving Equestria from Groger.

I liked the Friendship school but felt it should have been its own spin off series at least. That way it could have more episodes of the young M6

There were some good episodes like Apple Parents one which was really good. But overall I felt like the last 2 seasons (even though there are some good episodes) felt rather disappointing.

Boy, I wish they kept Sombra longer...

[Halira]

10321239

Others may have had kids. Pinkie wouldn't even have shown up with hers if she had managed to find a sitter.

Also, don't assume the villains are stone forever; they took Discord out of stone, they'll probably make reformation attempts on each of them. This is because they could all prove useful if reformed. Cozy Glow could be made useful if reformed as a diplomat and administrator. She wants authority over others, and there are ways of giving her that, provided she uses that authority to Equestria's benefit rather than hers. Tirek could be useful as a weapon against powerful magical creatures. And the changelings probably want to have their big queen back at some point if she can be reformed, and the ability to rule them again is a good personal incentive for her to make reform.

[Unseenvision]

Meanwhile, Biscuit is hanging a life size adult Scootaloo poster on his bedroom wall.

[deadpansnarker]

10321239
I really liked the Grogar twist, but it would be interesting to see if he had been real. Never mind, that's what fanfiction is for.

Overall though the quality dipped in places I'd say the show was pretty consistent. Better than others I could mention, anyway...

10322596
The latest convert to her fanclub I'm sure.

[Yoshifan30]

Cmc

[Lunatic God]

Plot twist: Their bodies were swapped with long lost cousin look alikes the whole time, and said cousins are experiencing their own crisis in their filly forms