Episode 5: One Bad Apple
Episode 5:
One Bad Apple
At Sweet Apple Acres, Apple Bloom is in her room frantically looking for a good outfit to wear when her older sister Applejack comes inside clearly annoyed with how much of a big deal she is making right now.
“Scoot your boot, Apple Bloom. It's not like it's the Harvest Day Parade! We're just goin' to the train station!” Applejack tried to urge her to calm down on deaf ears since she is now currently trying on outfits.
“Too casual. Too summery.” She self-commented before Applejack decided to intervene to reiterate what she said.
“Your cousin isn't gonna care what you're wearin'. Just pick somethin'!” Applejack told her with sigh.
“This is my first time meetin' her, and she's from Manehattan. I wanna make a good impression!” Apple Bloom argued still not easing up before trying on new outfits while looking at herself in a mirror.
One was a casual farmer’s outfit and another was an inflatable ball float with black sunglasses and a small blue hat. She rejected them both because she felt the former was too casual and the latter was too summery for her.
“You know what would make a good impression?” Applejack asked her while approaching her from behind while she is trying on a white cloak with purple sunglasses.
“What?”
“Bein' on time to pick her up!” She answered before dragging her by the cloak.
“Aww.” Apple Bloom whined while finding herself briefly tied up by the cloak before it unraveled and freed her to continue pursuing her ideal outfit.
“You got nothin' to worry about, sugarcube.” Applejack again assured her. “Y'all are gonna get along great. You already have somethin' in common.”
“Oh, yeah? What's that?” Apple Bloom asked through her snorkel when trying on another summer outfit.
“Neither of you have your cutie mark.” She answered to which got her charging out of the room not caring about her personal appearance.
“What?! How could you forget to tell me somethin' like that?” She demanded while running out of the room.
“Well, I–“ Applejack tried to explain which fell on deaf ears when she rushed off ahead.
“Oh, this changes everything! Meet you at the train station! I'm gonna go tell Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo!”
“You know, your cousin is supposed to sleep in here!” Applejack reminded her while calling out in vain to her when she ended up leaving the designed guest room a mess with scattered clothes placed all around the floor.
Knowing that she is going to invite the equally energetic Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo along for the trip, Applejack reluctantly allowed them to accompany them there. And all she could do during the duration of their newfound excitement was stand and frown in annoyance with their constant chattering and bouncing around.
“Do you really think she'll wanna join?” Scootaloo eagerly asked Apple Bloom.
“She doesn't have her cutie mark. Of course she'll wanna join the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” She replied with great certainty.
“I'm just so excited I could burst!” Sweetie Belle expressed while literally bursting a sparkle of magic from her horn just when some of her Pride Lander friends came walking by.
"Burst about what?" Shauku asked.
"A magical cutie mark?" Gumba added while approaching the group.
"No..." The little unicorn replied with her prodding hoof on her chin on the thought "...although that does sound like an interesting idea."
"My cousin, Babs Seed is coming." Apple Bloom answered their question while briefly hopping into the air like Pinkie Pie normally would.
"Babs..."
"...Seeds."
The two answered looking both wee-stricken for a second.
"You mean to tell us you're waiting for a bad apple..."
"...coming from the train...?"
"No, silly." Apple Bloom corrected. "A filly whose name is Babs Seed and is coming all the way from Manehattan to come and visit."
"Oh...I get it." Shauku spoke up feeling so...
...But his partner didn't buy it. "No you don't."
Shauku groaned. "You got that right."
"Don't worry you two..." The Guard's Honest assured. "...you'll both get it soon enough."
And no sooner than she said it, the oncoming train approaches the station with a loud whistle signaling it’s arrival.
“Is that the train from Manehattan?” Apple Bloom asked her older sister.
“Yep.”
Once the train arrived to a complete stop at it’s station, Apple Bloom wasted no time looking around the train cart in front of her to try to find her.
“That's her! Oh, wait, no, no, that's not her. Oh! No, tha-tha-that's her! Um, no. Oh, wait, tha– that's not her either, uh...”
She searched and looked around but was unable to spot her to which had her big sister sighed with slight annoyance before deciding to make sense to her so she’ll understand. “Apple Bloom, you've never met Babs Seed, remember?” She calmly reminded her to which her nervously grinning.
“Oh... Yeah.” Apple Bloom gave a slight chuckle out of embarrassment upon realizing that.
“Ah, that's her!” Applejack then said upon spotting her finally come out of the train when smoke from the whistle blows towards her exit.
The smoke cleared to reveal a dark orange coated filly with a short red mane and tail, and emerald green eyes.
“Babs! Babs! It's me, your cousin, Apple Bloom!” Apple Bloom quickly and eagerly greeted much to her surprise of the sudden greeting of her along with her friends. “And this is Sweetie Belle, and this is Scootaloo, oh, oh..." She remembered her other two friends who happily waved in her direction. "...and this here is Shauku and Gumba, great friends of ours, and we are so, so, so glad you're here!”
“Thanks, I'm happy to–“ She kindly returned slightly nervous before being cut off by the energetic trio one at a time.
“This is gonna be the best week of your life!” Sweetie Belle commented.
“Sure hope it's gonna be–“
“Seriously, we are gonna have a blast.” Scootaloo added to which Applejack chuckled before picking up her cousin’s suitcase and led the way back to the farm.
"Can't wait!"
"New friend of ours!"
Both the mongoose and baboon cheered while high-fiving each other thinking they are off to a great start with the Apple Sister's cousin.
“The Summer Harvest Parade's going on while you're here!” Sweetie Belle said while they starting walking. “You'll get to ride in a float!”
“Really? I've never been on a float before.” Babs responded.
"Well if anything neither me or Gumba have been here before nor ridden a float before so if anything we're on the same boat here." Shauku kindly said to Babs encouragingly.
"Welcome to the club." Gumba added in the same tone to which had Babs feeling slightly comfortable seeing that she has common ground with them.
“And we've got a really big surprise for you!” Bab's cousin added eagerly.
“Yeah... uh... a surprise?” Babs questioned completely unsure of what to expect from the three because the next that happens is her eyesight is covered for the rest of the walk up until they arrive in the inside of the Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse.
“I give you... the Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse!” Apple Bloom proudly presented with a very bright smile.
“A club devoted to helping ponies get their cutie marks!” Scootaloo proudly added. “We're its founding members.”
While the girls proudly showed their blank flanks, Babs Seed quickly covered hers with her tail finding their pride mortifying to which both the mongoose and baboon took notice of.
“Technically, we're its only members aside from the assistance of the Lion and Pony Guard fan club.” Sweetie Belle added while reminding her friend’s.
“But we're always looking to expand, and you seem like the perfect candidate!” Apple Bloom then told her cousin that are looking to for her to join.
“I do?” Babs asked.
“Well, yeah, since you don't have a cutie mark and all.” Scootaloo replied while rubbing her flank against hers with the uncomfortable filly pulling her flank away out of embarrassment.
“Oh, yeah...That...” She replied while looking aside and covering her flank again with her tail.
Clearly, the Manehattan filly is pretty uncomfortable of being seemingly forced into spending time with them but she is not able to get a word in due to their over-excitement.
"Babs, is there something you want to say?" Shauku asked the filly.
"Because you look like you want to get something out." Gumba added with open ears to which had the filly ready to do so until her cousin interrupted while not picking up the cues her friends are trying to get out of the visitor.
“Allow me to show you just some of the highlights of our clubhouse, should you choose to join us.” Apple Bloom then began the tour of their place while having to gesture to her friends to start presenting her of their place. “This is where we do our roll call...” She presented them their poster with check marks next to the hand-drawn images of their faces on them before gesturing her to their picnic table. “This is where we eat our lunch...” The girls pretended to eat and drink before gesturing Babs to the open space around inside. “Sometimes we stand here and think of great ideas.”
“Yeah, uh...” Babs Seed tried to speak her mind but hardly anything could come out of her mouth with how much in control of the conversation there are.
“Uh, could you excuse us for a moment?” Apple Bloom asked of her cousin.
“Sure...”
The girls and boys then quickly huddled together before discussing amongst themselves.
“Thought she'd be more impressed.” Apple Bloom commented in a hushed tone.
"Maybe she is just nervous about trying to fit in." Shauku suggested.
But Scootaloo wasn't keen that was the case. “She's from Manehattan. If we wanna impress her, we need to really wow her!”
"Okay..." Gumba returned looking confused. "How?"
“Hmmmm.” They pondered deep in thought of their best approach until Scootaloo suddenly gasped with an idea in her head.
“The float! She can ride with us on our Summer Harvest Parade float!” She immediately suggested.
“That's perfect!” Apple Bloom liked this suggestion. “This really is a good spot for thinking up great ideas.”
“Mm-hmm.” The others nodded in agreement before acting on that approach.
"Well...okay." Gumba spoke going along with the plan. "Not what I would have done but it's still a way to help make new friends."
"It sure is." Scootaloo asserted happily.
The three then take her to the Apple Family Barn where they keep their already constructed float inside.
“Here it is!” Apple Bloom proudly presented them a giant orange pumpkin float. “The official Cutie Mark Crusaders float for the Summer Harvest Parade!”
“As a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, you'd be able to ride on it with us! It'd be totally fun.” Scootaloo added while flapping her tiny wings on the last part eager that she’ll say yes even though Babs was still laughing nervously and hesitant about the idea just when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon their school time nemesis’s show up…
“More like funny...” Diamond began before they both finished together.
“...looking!”
The girls and boys glared at the two snobbish ponies when they come inside to further mock them again.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon..." Shauku spoke just as condescendingly back towards their rivals.
"...kick a few flanks around on your way over." Gumba snarkily asked.
"Like that matters to you." Diamond smugly returned undeterred before she and her friend turn to the Crusader's creation.
“What is that thing, a giant orange?” Silver Spoon asked before she and her friend share another laugh.
“It's a pumpkin. Thank you very much.” Apple Bloom retorted. “And don’t you have anything else better to do other than coming by and picking on other ponies like us?”
“Nope!” Diamond shook her head still smugly smirking at them before turning to her cousin. “Who's the new blank flank?”
Babs Seed quickly covered her flank again in embarrassment from that remark.
"None of your business, smart flank." Shauku responded while getting in the pony's face who likewise returned a mocking head scratch to him before walking aside.
“She's mah cousin, Babs. She's from Manehattan!” Apple Bloom answered.
“Manehattan, huh? Well, I guess you have that going for you."
“Suppose you're gonna join their little club?” Silver Spoon then asked the Manehattan visitor. “What's it called? The Cutie Mark Crusaders?” She added in a babyish mocking tone.
After a moment of glancing at both groups, she then made her decision of who side and join after blowing aside her mane hair on her head aside. “More like the Cutie Mahk Crybabies!” She said with a mean chuckle which shocked the Cutie Mark Crusaders along with their mongoose and baboon friends.
"What?!" The Pride Landers gasped.
“Hey!!” Apple Bloom exclaimed in slight betrayal while both of their bullies smile greatly liking her attitude.
“Oooo, heh, big city attitude! I like it!” Diamond voiced feeling very pleased while Silver Spoon nodded in approval.
“Oh, yeah? Well there's more where that came from!” Babs Seed added on while approaching the Cutie Mark Crusaders parade float. “Check this out!” She kicked the wheel off of the float which caused it to roll out of the barn and crumble into multiple broken pieces. “Looks like somepony's pumpkin just got squashed!”
“When ah tell Applejack–“ Apple Bloom warned her cousin who still remained unfazed that’ll she fall through with her threat.
“You gonna tell Applejack what? What're you, a snitch?” She retorted which left the girls speechless due to her sudden betrayal.
"That you're suddenly siding with ponies who have no place to be mistreating kids." Gumba bravely retorted back while facing the two smug fillies. "And I think you two should get out of here before we start calling for backup and you owe these girls an apology."
"I don't think so." Babs refused while turning away to her new friends.
“Come on, Babs, you should hang with us! Y'know, the cool ponies, not these babies!” Diamond Tiara offered to which she gladly accepted before they all made their leave.
“What... just happened?” Apple Bloom asked her friends.
“I think Babs just went to the dark side.” Scootaloo answered.
"And just sent your pumpkin to be turned to squash." Gumba added while looking on at the pile of pumpkin guts and seeds along with the destroyed material used to put the float together.
"I can't believe she just did that!" Shauku voiced in shock. "She's your cousin for pony's sake!"
“We have to tell Applejack!” Sweetie Belle voiced with what must be done upon the mention of family.
“No!” Apple Bloom rejected the idea. “We're not snitches!”
“Yeah! And we're not babies!” Scootaloo yelled in agreement.
"Huh?" Both the mongoose and baboon were mind-boggled by their refusal to call for help.
“Then... why do I feel like crying?” Sweetie Belle sadly asked feeling hurt to which Ono spotted while flying by having witnessed the whole scene from the skies.
“Oh, no.” Ono said to himself with great worry seeing the girls don’t have the courage to report this. “I better tell Kion about this too.”
While Ono flew off ahead to find and tell both Applejack and Kion the girls and boys went back to their clubhouse to reflect on what the Manehattan visitor had just did and treated them.
“I still can't believe she ruined our pumpkin float.” Scootaloo expressed in disbelief while pacing around the room.
“I still can't believe I'm related to such a big stinkin' bully!” Apple Bloom expressed in a disheartened tone while Sweetie Belle sighed while sat on a crate at a loss of how to deal with this.
“What are we gonna do?” She wondered while covering her eyes.
“We're gonna build a new float, that's what.” Apple Bloom confidently stated to which Scootaloo wasn’t convinced it will make a difference.
“Why bother? She'll probably just ruin that one, too.” She pointed out to which Apple Bloom sighed in agreement with her sudden confidence suddenly deflated.
“We could always tell Applejack.” Sweetie Belle reminded. “Along with Kion.”
"We could do that." Shauku agreed with her suggestion.
“No!” Her friends immediately rejected it upon remembering Bab’s earlier words to them.
"No?" Gumba questioned back trying to understand why not.
“We're not gonna be a bunch of tattle-tales!” Apple Bloom asserted while walking up to their clubhouse window. “Besides, she's only here a couple of weeks. We'll just avoid her like the plague until she goes home.” She added while closing the window and clubhouse door before the three all grouped together and sat down for a small group circle.
“Avoid her. Yeah, how hard can that be?” Scootaloo said thinking it shouldn't be so.
"Probably quite hard if they are that serious of giving you girls a hard time." Shauku voiced his opinion on the matter.
"And I suppose we could help serve as your eyes and ears whenever they decide to give you a hard time." Gumba added in proposal.
"Thanks." Apple Bloom happily returned liking the idea before she and the girls all sang about how much Babs Seed sucks now that she is here and ready to continue bullying them whenever she gets a chance.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.”
The girls sang together before they each sing one by one while they make their way to Sugarcube Corner.
“First, we thought that Babs was so really, really sweet
A new friend to have, and it seemed like such a treat.”
Apple Bloom sang her initial high praises while trying to enjoy their treats until Babs showed up with both her new friends accompanying her.
“But then, we found the truth; she's just a bully from the east
She went from Babs, yeah, to a bully and a beast.”
Scootaloo sang when she bumped the girls away from their treats for her, Diamond, and Silver to enjoy themselves. But both boys from the honorary Lion Guard crew were there with the mongoose giving them a tail to the face before confiscating back the Crusader's drinks.
“Everywhere we turn, she's just a step ahead.”
Apple Bloom sang while they attempted to retreat from them before being intercepted by Babs yet again who spit apple seeds in their face before they all moved to try to avoid her at all costs with Gumba using his partner as a machine gun to return the favor back at the three mean fillies.
“Babs Seed, Babs Seed, what we gonna do?
Got a bully on our tail
Gotta hide, we gotta bail
Babs Seed, Babs Seed, if she's after you
Gotta run, we gotta flee
Gotta hurry, don't you see?
Babs Seed, Babs Seed, she's just a bad, bad seed
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah”
The girls sang together with their attempts falling in vain since she is relentlessly pursing them even with the two boys trying to stay a step ahead of them and come to their defense at every turn.
“Hiding from a bully, we know it isn't right
But the Cutie Mark Crusaders, we aren't lookin' for a fight.”
“Oh, she'll go home soon, and then we'll have some peace again
But for now, we're staying out of her way 'til then.”
“Everywhere we turn, she's just a step ahead.”
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo traded before they all sang in unison once more.
“Babs Seed, Babs Seed, what we gonna do?
Got a bully on our tail
Gotta hide, we gotta bail
Babs Seed, Babs Seed, if she's after you
Gotta run, we gotta flee
Gotta hurry, don't you see?
Why so mean? Why so crude?
Why so angry? Why so rude?
Can't you be nice? Can't we be friends?
Isn't it sad? Is this how it all ends?
Babs Seed, Babs Seed, she's just a bad, bad-
Babs Seed, Babs Seed, she's just a bad, bad-
Babs Seed, Babs Seed-“
“She's just a bad, bad seed!” Scootaloo added for emphasis before they are forced to retreat once more while pelted with bananas by the little mean three.
But both Shauku and Gumba got the last laugh on the mean three by placing said banana peels in their path to trip them up just so they can wipe the smug looks off of their faces.
“Babs may have run us out of town, but at least we still have the club–“ Apple Bloom before making their way to their clubhouse only to be intercepted by her mean cousin yet again.
“Hey! What're you doing at my clubhouse?” She demanded of them.
“Y- y- your clubhouse?! This is our clubhouse!” Scootaloo rightfully pointed out while briefly flapping her wings and jumping into the air in anger with her behavior at this point.
“Well, it was yours, and now it's mine.” Babs smugly returned before Diamond and Silver moved to join her.
“And mine.”
“And mine.”
They repeated which left the girls very hurt by what she has done to them with this being the one that hurt them to the core.
“That's not fair, Babs! We never did anything to you!” Apple Bloom returned with lowered ears with her voice slightly cracking unable to understand why she is doing this to them.
"Yeah! Why are you doing this?!" The young mongoose spoke in their defensive.
"Nothing that considers you two rodents. And let's keep it that way. Now scram, crybabies!” Babs coldly returned before joining Diamond and Silver in their signature hoof shake before laughing at making their way inside.
And that was enough to get Sweetie Belle crying her eyes out to which Apple Bloom quickly opened up an umbrella to shield herself and Scootaloo from the torrent of tears she was producing. By then Kion had just arrived in time with Ono and the rest of the kids to see what had just happened.
“Hevi Kabisa! What happened?!” Kion began while alarmed upon seeing the little unicorn cry her heart.
"And why is she crying?" Kwato asked while Kambuni is reduced to tears just seeing that.
“It’s a long story.” Scootaloo answered with a sigh when her unicorn friend rushed over and latched her hooves onto the lion she looks up to as an older brother. “How about we take this somewhere more privately.”
“Okay.” Kion agreed without second thought before making their way back home where the three explain to him and Ono with what had happened and their predicament.
“So let me get this straight…” Ono began after being caught up with what they had just told them “…your cousin from Manehattan who is here for a brief stay has been constantly bullying you along with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon ever since she got here?”
“Yes.” Scootaloo confirmed. “Kicked us right out of our own club house.”
“And even after you have done nothing but trying to make her feel welcome here.” Kion asked the filly still sobbing and hugging onto his forelegs ever since she saw him.
“Yes!” Sweetie wailed while Kion patted her on her back to further comfort her while sitting alongside her on her bed. “She did!”
“That Babs has really gone too far this time!” Apple Bloom exclaimed in frustration.
“Kicked out of our own clubhouse!” Scootaloo repeated.
“And my own bed!” Apple Bloom added.
“Seriously?” Ono asked with a quirked eyebrow that she really did that.
“Super-seriously.” She repeated while crouching onto the floor feeling pretty upset with this sudden back-stab from her own family.
“Wow!” Ono stated seeing with how personal this is.
"Yep it's that bad, Ono." Gumba confirmed.
“I’m sorry to hear that, girls.” Kion sympathetically said to them. “And you all did the right thing telling me about this.”
“We did?” Both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo questioned in surprise to which Sweetie Belle smiled feeling she was right asking for help.
“Of course.” He nodded. “Now we just need to talk to Applejack about this.”
“No!” Both girls immediately shot it down again.
“Why not?” Kion asked with a surprised expression upon their outburst.
“Because then we’d be considered snitches just like Babs Seed.” Scootaloo replied.
“Really?” Ono questioned finding it rather baffling they would think that considering he just told Kion about it while the others are having a hard time understanding why it's so hard to do.
"That's what we said too." Shauku whispered to the egret.
“Yes!” Apple Bloom stated. “And even if we did, she’d dismiss it thinking we’re making this up.”
“Why would you say that?” Kion asked trying to understand why they are treating this as something that’s impossible to do.
“Because of all of the times we landed ourselves into trouble with our constant cutie mark pursuits.” Apple Bloom admitted. “And the fact Babs can make herself look and act nice to her whenever she wants to.”
“Well that probably would make sense.” Ono said in a slightly understanding tone.
“But Applejack is your big sister.” Kion quickly countered. “She can tell and know when you’re telling the truth and I’m sure she’ll come to help you out if you tell her.”
“I’m afraid I can’t take that chance.” Apple Bloom refused. “If we want to settle this we need to fight back!”
“Yeah! Fight back!” Scootaloo agreed before drawing a blank of what she meant by that. “How're we gonna do that?”
“By makin' her the guest of honor at the Summer Harvest Parade!” Apple Bloom answered with a devious grin while gesturing to the many floats being put together for the upcoming parade. “When you look up 'embarrassed' in the dictionary... Her face will be there!”
"What?!" The kids minus Shauku and Gumba all voiced in disbelief who began to feel it is time to give the fillies well-deserved payback after seeing and feeling they crossed the line by hijacking their clubhouse.
“Are you girls serious?” Ono asked now feeling mind-boggled as Kion.
"Yes!" The girls exclaimed confidently.
“Apple Bloom!” Kion quickly chided. “If you do that you’ll be just as bad as her. You’d be stooping down to her level.”
“Oh relax..." She quickly dismissed. "...it's just a one time thing to ensure she gets what she deserves for mistreating us."
"And after this, we'll go back to being straight." Scootaloo vowed before she and the other Crusaders rushed off ahead to carry out their plan of revenge against their new bully.
"Girls!"
"Wait for us!"
The boys quickly rushed off ahead to join them in their little revenge scheme much to their friends further surprise.
"What?!" Ono commented now stunned that they have more supporters in their revenge scheme now cooking up. “Well this sure won’t end well.” Ono then remarked to his friend with a defeated expression.
“Yep.” Kion nodded with the same expression before heading out. “Let’s just go talk to Applejack ourselves about it.”
“Let’s.” Ono followed after his friend while making their way to Sweet Apple Acres wondering what payback plan they have in store for her.
Later that night, Apple Bloom is sitting awake in bed which was a hay pile bed with only a newspaper with a resentful frown towards her more comfortably relaxing cousin when she hears the signal.
“Moo! Moo!” Sweetie Belle called out through a faint whisper from outside with Scootaloo, Shauku, and Gumba standing beside her with saddle bags and buckets in tow.
For a moment she thought they had a fake cow disguise on while turning to one of the cows having hay who shakes her head in response before directing her to the true source and direction of the voice.
Upon seeing them, Apple Bloom fetches her saddlebag and lantern before sneaking out to join her friends so they can enact their plan of revenge on the sleeping bully. But she had to freeze for a second when Babs Seed yawned and stretched her back for a moment before resuming to sleep.
The girls went to the barn where they all got started on creating on parade float starting with the blueprints Sweetie Belle had pulled from the Carousel Boutique.
“Are those from the Carousel Boutique?” Apple Bloom asked while she unrolled the papers.
“Yup.” Sweetie Belle confirmed with a nod.
“Excellent.” Apple Bloom said very pleased with this when Scootaloo blows some powder into the air and on Sweetie Belle which had her now sporting a golden color on her fur coat to which the unicorn looked pretty pleased with her golden appearance.
"Cool!" Gumba voiced liking the gold glitter sighting.
"What is it?" Shauku asked.
“Luster dust from Sugarcube Corner. They use it for decorating cakes.” Scootaloo explained.
“That must be what Rarity uses on her emergency edible boots!” Sweetie realized upon learning more about it.
“The gears and bands for the moving mechanism, my tools and stuff...” Scootaloo then presented the items before asking Apple while placing a hoof on her chest. “Did you bring the thing from the place?”
Apple Bloom nodded while presenting and handing Scootaloo an apple shaped timer.
“What's that?” Sweetie Belle asked since she wasn’t filled in on that part.
“Granny Smith's kitchen timer.” Apple Bloom answered.
“What's that for?” Sweetie asked wanting to know how that will work in their little scheme.
“You'll see!” Scootaloo replied in a sing-song tone while chuckling mischievously along with Gumba.
"This ought to be good."
"I can't wait!" Shauku snickered at the devious idea she is planting in their trap for Babs Seed.
“C'mon, y'all, let's get to it.” Apple Bloom told the others they need to get working with both the guys ready to get to work with the tools in their paws. “We only got a few hours before mornin', and this thing has to look so good, Babs won't be able to resist wanting to ride in it!”
The girls and boys got to work in building the float while making sure that everything was running smoothly.
It took hours to put it together while making sure that everything’s in place from Scootaloo and Apple Bloom nailing down every board and plank together, Sweetie Belle putting on all of the necessary fabric. After Apple Bloom helped finish the building part, Scootaloo wrenched together the float before putting plaster paint on it.
During the wrench and oil adjustments to the float, both Scootaloo and Gumba got oil on their fur wit the former's coat and flank sporting a stain that was wrench-shaped. Scootaloo briefly smiled with great hope thinking she got her cutie mark until, Apple Bloom regretfully wiped it off to reveal that it was a stain to which she frowned in annoyance.
“Why does this keep happening to us?” Scootaloo grumbled in her mind before pressing forward.
Once that was done, they painted it with gold-colored luster dust on and by the time Scootaloo and Shauku were both placing the final adjustments on the wheel, it was time for Celestia’s sun to rise.
“Is this it?” Sweetie Belle asked with a yawn.
“I think... we're a go.” Scootaloo confirmed with a nod when Sweetie Belle yawns again.
"Finally." Shauku yawned.
"Just in time." Gumba added equally exhausted.
“Good, 'cause we'd better get out of here before Babs finds us.”
“Cutie Mark Crusaders, ho!” The girls and boys all fist and hoof-bumped together in a tired matter due to being up all night putting their float together.
If it meant an opportunity, to get payback against Babs Seed for her ill-treatment of them, it was worth a sleepless night to put their plan together.
Later that day, came the day of the Summer Harvest Festival where every pony in Ponyville gathered together to watch the floats created drive by down the main road.
Babs Seed along with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon both arrived before finding the Cutie Mark Crusader’s newest float creation.
“Whoaaaa...” Babs Seed remarked in awe upon seeing their float just when they were polishing it.
“It’s amazing Isn't it?” Sweetie smugly remarked.
"Nothing like you've ever seen before." Shauku added in the same manner.
“Well, don't even think about riding it, Babs.” Scootaloo added while placing a hoof on Babs’s chest in a warning manner while winking at the boys and other Crusaders to make the final touches on their float.
"Because this is something you "don't" want to do." Gumba voiced with reverse psychology to further tempt the filly.
It took a nudge from Apple Bloom to remind Sweetie Belle to get it starting up and set the timer before pulling out a mattress herself. Once they did so they winked back to Scootaloo that they’re ready for her to continue.
“You had your chance.” Scootaloo told Babs while jabbing her chest before moving towards the float ready to get on.
After a moment of hesitating again, Babs Seed quickly bumped the girls out of the way and onto the float while the girls landed on the mattress Apple Bloom had set out for them to land on. But the girls didn’t mind since they counted on it.
“See ya later, Cutie Mark Crybabies!” Babs taunted them before taking control of the float after shutting the door.
"Ok, you asked for it." Shauku responded with a simple smile of satisfaction upon seeing she took the bait.
“The timer set?” Apple Bloom asked Sweetie Belle who winked in response to let her know it is.
“Yep!” Sweetie nodded with a mean smirk in Babs Seed’s direction. “That ought to teach her to fool with the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”
"Along with her friends." Shauku added with an equally mean look and chuckle directed at the filly who is about to have the surprise of her life. "I can't wait to see the look on her face when that float drives off the rails crazy."
Just when the girls are preparing to watch in anticipation for Babs Seeds humiliation she is approached by Applejack and Kion who both started off by asking the girls a serious question.
“Girls, boys…” Kion began.
“…what did you do?” Applejack finished expecting an answer out of them.
“Nothing.” Apple Bloom responded with a forced grin to act innocent.
“Everything’s fine.” Sweetie Belle added the same nervous grin.
"All's good." Shauku added.
“Why do you ask?” Apple Bloom couldn’t help but wonder with the approach her older sister and the lion prince are going with this.
“Because from what Kion told me yesterday is that you girls were planning to get revenge on your cousin.” Applejack answered to which sparked shock into their hearts realizing that she is in the loop of what was going on that day. “And we were hoping you could tell us what exactly you did to that there float Babs is riding in.”
“Aw, come on now, listen to yourself, Applejack.” Apple Bloom tried to keep up the act in front of her big sister. “This is your honest little sister, Apple Bloom. We wouldn’t even dream of sabotaging that float so it would drive out of control and explode.”
"Yeah, nothing like that." Gumba said to try to back them up to no avail since the two weren't convinced at all.
“Is that right?” Kion asked finding that she ended up saying some elements of truth in her denial. “You rigged the float so it would blow up and humiliate her.
“Well I wouldn’t say that...” Apple Bloom said with shifty eyes to the side of her head. “After all, we thought she deserved to be the... center of attention.” She and the other crusaders and boys couldn’t help but chuckle in amusement out of that pun before quickly shutting up upon facing the stern looks from Applejack and Kion.
“Okay, okay.” Sweetie dropped the act and confessed. “Yes, we did rig it, but we only did because Babs Seed started bullying us once Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon showed up again.”
“Even when we’ve done nothing but try to make feel welcome here.” Apple Bloom added.
"And we couldn't take them constantly picking on our friends and making Sweetie Belle cry like that." Shauku also added in their confession.
“Well, that would make sense considering the heartache she’s been havin’ in Manehattan.” Applejack then said with a softened tone.
“Heartache?” Apple Bloom inquired in surprise hearing this. “What do you mean?”
“Back in Manehattan, she’s been having bullies there that have been really teasing the heck out of her. All because of her blank flank.” Applejack explained.
“T-t-t-teased?”
“B-Bullies?!”
"Blank flank?!"
Both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle along with the boys all asked very shocked and disheartened with what they are hearing.
“But why didn’t you say that from the beginning?!” Apple Bloom demanded.
“I didn't say nothin' 'cause I didn't want her to feel singled out.” She answered with a mixed look in surprise that she would ask her like that yet at the same time deserved to hear that. “Anyways, she came up to the farm to get away from all her problems.”
“So that's why she jumped in when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon started giving us a hard time.” Scootaloo said in realization.
“She didn't want to be bullied like at home, so she decided to be a bully instead!” Apple Bloom added while getting why she acted the way she did.
“And now we've turned into bullies too!” Sweetie Belle added in horror.
“Well, I wouldn’t say that.” Ono commented.
"Considering this was only a one time thing." Shauku sided while trying to downplay and justify it.
"That you and Gumba had the choice not to join in on." Ono said to the two with a disappointed look which had them both defeated and no good comeback or excuse to give back.
“What do we do?!” The girls cried in unison before Kion approaches them.
“It’s okay.” He calmly said to them. “We’ll help you stop this before it gets out of control.”
He then gathers the rest of the Guard together before pulling the girls in for quick instructions of how to quickly put an end to this before they all split up and set out with their tasks.
The parade was all ready to get started when Babs drove the golden apple by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon while waving to the many ponies in the crowd still sporting her mean smirk.
“Nice float, Babs.” Diamond complimented.
“Snagged it from those whiny baby blank flanks.” Babs bragged of how she got it.
“Too cool for mule, Babs.” Diamond added while unaware that an actual mule nearby heard that remark while briefly pulling down his shades in offense.
Most of the Guard made their way through the crowd on foot in pursuit of the apple float all while having to politely excuse and force themselves through the crowd. Fuli was just barely able to manage speeding through to the front of the field with her super sprinting speed while carrying the Cutie Mark Crusaders along with Shauku and Gumba on her back. Rainbow was also able to keep pace with Fuli easily with the aerial advantage.
Once the Cutie Mark Crusaders were able to get Babs Seed’s attention, they quickly tried to warn her with the timer now ticking its last sixty seconds.
“Babs! You gotta get out of that float!” Apple Bloom first attempted while shouting.
"You're not safe if you stay!" Gumba added in shouting.
“You're not getting your float back, crybabies!” Babs refused thinking they are actually trying to take back control of the float while driving the float with the intent to run over the cheetah running alongside her.
“Whoa!” She screamed while backing off to avoid contact before playing catch up. “Hey watch where you’re driving girl! You could have hurt somebody!"
"We're not trying to take it back!" Shauku warned. "We're trying to save you!"
Before Babs could respond to that, the timer went off which led to the float going out of control due to the timer being hooked onto the steering wheel that sent the float driving fast and swinging wildly and of the main road before it could make the hairpin turn up ahead.
“What the–“ She exclaimed in sudden fright upon seeing that she can’t steer the float back on course.
“Babs! Babs!” Apple Bloom cried out to her cousin who is panicking with the float on a collision course into the nearby mud pit down the hill. “Oh, sweet applesauce!” She exclaimed upon seeing what’s in store for the terrified filly.
Acting quick, Fuli bumped the kids into the float who quickly shoved Babs out of it followed by Rainbow Dash quickly scooping the kids back out of the float.
Everyone all made it out of that safely with the float about to be sent flying into the mud pit. But before it did, it was quickly lassoed up by Applejack who along with Kion worked together to firmly plant their hooves and claws into the ground to work enough strength to be able to skid along and force the float to come to a complete stop.
“Phew!” The kids all sighed in relief upon seeing Babs safely in Rainbow’s hooves.
“That was close.” Sweetie was the first to comment upon being to be able to save Babs Seed and themselves from thoroughly going through with the biggest mistake of their lives.
“I’ll say.” Scootaloo agreed with looking down with regret.
"No kidding." Shauku agreed.
“Maybe we'll get our cutie marks in stupidest ideas of all time.” Apple Bloom suggested when Fuli comes to a complete stop just before going down the hill towards the mud pit nearby the lake.
"Well...never mind." Gumba tried to say something otherwise but sadly couldn't come up with anything to say to make her feel better.
“Are y'all okay?” Applejack asked when she and the rest of the Guard arrive on the scene.
“Yeah... we're fine.” Sweetie Belle answered.
“No sweat.” Scootaloo added when Rainbow Dash flies down to place Babs safely on the ground.
And needless to say, she was left very astonished that the girls she bullied came to her rescue. “After I'd been so mean to ya... you saved me!” She spoke up to her cousin while unaware of the role she and her friends played in it.
“About that...” Apple Bloom began with a shameful sigh before confessing to her cousin to their scheme.
“I don't get it!” Babs commented unable to comprehend any of this. “I saw it all happen! You pushed me out just when the float was about to head into the lake!”
“Except... we were the reason it was headed into the lake.” Scootaloo further explained.
“We booby trapped the float.” Sweetie Belle added before Apple Bloom approached her cousin to explain to her why they did it.
“Y'see Babs, we were tryin' to get you back for bein' a big bully...”
“But then Applejack told us about how you were being bullied back in Manehattan.” Scootaloo added to which Babs looked aside in shame while using her tail to cover her flank again.
“And we figured out you were just doing it to avoid getting picked on in Ponyville. But, by then... we were the ones being bullies.” Sweetie Belle concluded. “And...” Then groaned with how things turned out. “Oh, why does life have to be so ironic?!”
“Guess what we're trying to say is...” Apple Bloom then said before she and the other girls together said.
“We're sorry.”
"Us too." The boys said together before they explained their reasons why starting with Gumba.
"For joining in on their plan to get back at you after making Sweetie Belle cry yesterday."
"And for forcing us to come to their defense when you sided with those two rich and obnoxious ponies who have nothing better to do with their lives."
“I'm sorry too.” Babs returned with the same amount of regret for her ill-treatment of them. "And truthfully I deserved every second of payback you gave me for when I was picking on the girls."
"Well..." Gumba began before seeing the stern look Kion is giving him. "...never mind."
“Y'know, this all could've been avoided if y'all just came to me in the very beginning.” Applejack said to the girls sympathetically. “I mean sure it would have sounded a little hard to believe at first, but I would know deep down you were telling the truth deep down.” She then turned to both Kion. “It’s a good thing you have another big brother like figure looking out for you.”
“That's what I kept on saying!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed in an “I told you so.” manner when Kion speaks up with her thoughts about the situation.
“And you girls aren’t bullies for what happened.” Kion said to the girls. “You were just trying to get back at them.”
“And granted, while this little scheme of yours is pretty clever, it admittedly wasn’t the best approach.” Fuli added her thoughts to which the girls looked aside not proud of it now. “But to be fair, you didn’t know at the time and I would have done the same if I was in your hoof steps.” She gently added with an approving smile to which the girls felt pleased to hear and see, especially Scootaloo.
“Really?” Scootaloo asked her idol.
“Yes.” She nodded while accepting a hug from the filly.
“So... can we... start over?” Babs then turned to her cousin and her friends while offering them her apology.
“Definitely.”
“Yeah.”
Both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo replied to accept her apology.
"We forgive you." Shauku added on behalf on himself and Gumba before getting together with the girls for a hoof and fist bump together as a gesture and token that all is forgiven much to both Kion and Applejack’s delight before they turned to both Shauku and Gumba with something to say to them.
"And you two can start by helping the girls clean up the mess you helped make." Kion then said to the kids while gesturing to the float just standing over the edge towards the mud pit down below.
"Of course." Shauku gulped with a forced and nervous grin.
"Whatever you ask of us so we learn our lesson about seeking revenge." Gumba added in compliance with his order's before they along with the girls moved to help carry the float back on over to Sweet Apple Acres under the Guardest Keenest of Sight's close watch on them.
When the four girls and two boys all got back to the clubhouse, the Cutie Mark Crusaders donned their capes before beginning their ritual which consisted of Sweetie Belle standing in front of their speaking podium ready to give the speech. Apple Bloom is standing on her right hand side and Scootaloo is on her left tapping the drums to indicate the beginning of the ritual. During which she tapped on the drums rapidly near the end before Sweetie Belle began.
"We, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, elect Babs Seed to join us as a sister, friend, confidaynte, alley, boss-om buddy, gal pal, compader, chum of chums..." Sweetie read from the written notes Scootaloo had put together as briefly evidenced when she clears her throat to move it along on some of the expressions she wrote on there by mistake. “Well you wrote this.” She briefly returned to her friend before continuing.
“Oh, uh, yeah...” Scootaloo said slightly embarrassed.
"Homegirl... Amiga..." Sweetie Belle then decided to skip straight ahead to the oath. “Oh, yes, here. "...and fellow Cutie Mark Crusader! You are solemnly sworn in, here this day, in witness of your fellow sisters, friends, confidantes... boss-om buddies... compadres..." She then ended up stumbling upon a long list of adjectives to which Scootaloo clearly didn’t mean to include to the point she got straight to the point.
“Congratulations!” Scootaloo quickly finished. “Gotta remember to revise that.” She whispered to Sweetie Belle before they handed her very own official Cutie Mark Crusaders cape accompanied with confetti while the boys watched from the back with a proud look towards their new friend before being brought in for a group hug by the Manehattan filly.
Sometime later, it was time for Babs Seed to go back to Manehattan, only now she is ready to move forward now that she’s got new friends she can trust and rely on. The Cutie Mark Crusaders who forgave her for her bullying episode along with Kion, Applejack, Ono, Shauku, and Gumba who all accompanied them on the way over to the train station.
“So you promise you're gonna start our Manehattan branch of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, right?” Apple Bloom asked of her cousin.
“Yeah, and I promise to keep talking to my big sis about the teasing back home.” Babs agreed while facing both Applejack and Kion to assure them she’ll make good on that.
“Good. And if you have any problems, we've got your back too, y'hear?” Applejack said to her cousin.
“Along with the Lion and Pony Guard’s.” Kion added. “When you really need it.”
"Don't forget the honorary Lion and Pony Guard fan club." Shauku reminded.
"Because any friend of our's is our duty to protect them from bullies who have nothing better to do with their lives." Gumba vowed on behalf of their friends.
“Affirmative.” Ono nodded in agreement just when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon arrive at the train station.
“So you're leaving huh? Great! Now we're stuck here with these lame blank flanks.” Diamond complained upon seeing this sight to which had the fillies older friends frown at them each ready to give them a stern talking to until Babs Seed spoke up in their defense.
“Hey! That's not how you talk to my friends!“
“F-friends?” Diamond questioned in surprise by this sudden 360 change while Silver is left stuttered when Babs approachs them.
“Yeah, you got a problem with that?”
“Well, what if I do? What are you gonna do about it?” Diamond tried to say to get her to change her mind to which didn’t even sway her for one second.
“Tell your mothers about your bad attitudes!” She said while further approaching them which forced them to back away with Diamond Tiara falling into the puddle of mud behind her with Silver Spoon quickly moved away to tend to her friend not wanting anymore trouble along with mud in her mane.
The girls all high-hoof each other while Kion, Applejack, and Ono give very proud smiles towards the reformed filly while she makes her way onto her train ride back home.
“I'm sure gonna miss that bad seed.” Sweetie Belle commented with an intended pun on her name.
“Bad seed? I thought y'all were friends now?” Applejack questioned not understanding the joke while smiling and waving to her when they see her from her train window.
“No, see, first we called her 'bad seed' as in actually a bad seed, but now she's bad as in good.” Sweetie Belle returned explaining the joke. “Get it?”
“Yea... No.” Applejack is still confused.
"We do!" Shauku responded with a laugh.
"And I believe we just said she was just when we met her." Gumba added while finding the irony of the whole situation.
“Probably better not to explain the joke sometimes.” Ono dully advised before turning to the farm pony in a whisper. “Especially if some don’t have a keen sight on the meaning of those words.”
Kion laughed along with the girls and boys in amusement with his egret friend’s sense of humor while getting the name pun too just when the train departs from the station because in the end one bad apple ends up turning good in the end. Thus, along with what she went through up to this point was never really a bad apple to begin with.
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Awesome job, and while that was dead for the cmc and babs fee to be even for the outcome, it was the good thing the guard was there to tell applejack and help the young ones out of there in time. Awesome job there, keep up the great work and I am wondering what will happen between twilight and trixie in Magic Duel, because with twilight scar making her dark self surface with that attitude of hers and with Trixie alicorn amulet, I think it will be a intense duel there
10933719
There probably is, but magically removing everything means no one learned anything
Well, this chapter went slightly differently than I thought.
I was expecting the other three LG club members to be more involved. Then again, if they picked on Moto those brats would have both an angry hippo and angry mother elephant after them. And that would be their finale.
Still, I did enjoy seeing Gumba and Shauku defending their friends. They clearly show the spirit they’ll need if/when the passing of the torch comes.
Any way: next chapter. I’m concerned, for Trixie. Ponyville has two unstable and frankly untrustworthy alone sorcerers, and I’m expecting one of them to do major damage if Twilight doesn’t already.
10933883
But, you still have the scarred memories from it and all? Sssssooooooo, you can still physically repaired it?
10933889
No kidding.
Things aren't exactly going well, what with Twilight's scar corrupting her. Add an Alicorn Amulet corrupted Trixie to the mix, and things are going to get EXTREMELY messy to say the least.
On the bright side, the dark magic in Twilight's scar "might" give her the edge over Trixie, ....maybe.
10933719
Frankly, I don't care if Twilight always has that scar.
I just want her to get rid of the dark magic inside it.
10933937
I also meant to have that dark magic removed too. Not just to repair the scar.
10934646
I know, I was just clarifying
In the next chapter, I have a feeling daddy’s gonna snag the alicorn amulet the moment trixie throws it away.
10934667
Okay.
10934722
What did I say about keeping your comments about "loving' that MONSTER to yourself?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOBODY cares about Scar!!! and even if they do, they still don't approve of his actions.
10935226
Stark, there is nothing wrong with liking or loving villains especially if the walk the lines of Evil is Cool, so leave her be because everyone's thoughts and comments are welcome here. Thank you.
10935632
FYI, I’m a girl
10935943
Oh, sorry