> The Time Of Equestria > by Bronydude981 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The Summer > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A gentle morning summer breeze blew into the Carousel Boutique, a loud thump could be heard from inside. A young Unicorn leapt around the residence practically jumping off the walls. "Hey Rarity where's my backpack I wanna hurry up with today so I can go play" It was the Cutie Mark Crusader Sweetie Belle who yelled. "Calm down Sweetie Belle or else I'm going to have to do your mane all over again"The sassy older Unicorn said in an angry tone. Sweetie Belle was stopped by a small white cat yowling in pain as Sweetie Belle's hoof had stepped on her tail "oops, sorry Opel"The filly said as she removed her hoof from the cat's tail. "Sweetie Belle I can't simply say that I'm glad mom and dad are going to take care of you for the Summer or else the Boutique would be in shambles from your 'play' " Rarity snorted as she dropped an empty backpack onto the ground. "My backpack! Now let me just get my stuff" She walked over to the leather pack as she filled it with books, an apple, and her Cutie Mark Crusaders Cape. The older mare rolled her eyes "honestly Sweetie Belle how long are you going to keep at this Crusader game? You're a growing filly that needs to play more mature games" "What if it's not a game?" "Then it's pathetic" "What if it's not pathetic?" Rarity stomped her hoof and looked strictly at Sweetie Belle "Just go to school!" Sweetie Belle walked down the dirt road of Ponyville as she looked around at the magnificent views; The townhall where the mayor would give her speeches, Sugarcube Corner which made one of the best pastries in Equestria, Twilight's library where the famous Alicorn Princess used to live, and of course Carousel Boutique where Rarity worked on her fashion dresses but to Sweetie Belle it was famous for having the best sister in the world there. Just when she wasn't as mad as an Ursa. She walked a few blocks to get to the school just in time.As she opened the door Miss Cheerilee was doing roll call for every filly and colt. "Oh Sweetie Belle you're here, I'll just mark you present so go to your desk"The magenta mare muttered. Something's got her in a bad this morning Sweetie Belle thought as she walked to her seat. She looked around for her fellow Crusaders Where could Scootaloo and Applebloom be? They're never here after me it's like I- and before she could finish her thoughts the door swung open with Applebloom and Scootaloo rushing in. "Girls, where have you been? And what's wrong?"Miss Cheerilee demanded at the two panicked fillies. "Ursa Minor! Rampaging in Ponyville! Sweetie Belle forgot to pick up those apple cores!"Applebloom panted trying to regain her breath. "Oh darn it Applebloom that was your job!"Sweetie Belle leapt up onto her desk shouting at the yellow filly. "What in the name of Celestia is going on!"Cheerilee asked again. "Last night when we went to visit Zecora she let us see the Ursas but she warned Applebloom not to leave a trail behind for them to follow but her apple cores fell out of her backpack!" Scootaloo explained. Both Cheerilee and the class was in shock of the story "You girls are in such big trouble when this is over!"Cheerilee shouted. "It wasn't the first time those blank flanks have gotten into trouble"From the back of the class Diamond Tiara snickered with Silverspoon. "Hush up Diamond Tiara! we won't be blank flanks for long and we'll make you eat your own words!"Applebloom yelled. So much yelling and drama today for me, what's going on with everypony? Sweetie Belle wondered Under Celestia's own orders the Wonderbolts came to take the Ursa Minor back to the Everfree Forest and under Cheerilee's own orders, a history project for the girls over the summer. "A history project! Oh Come on! That's going to take all summer which means we won't have any time to play" Sweetie Belle complained. "Sweetie Belle if you'd just stop complaining maybe we could finish just in time for the rest of the summer"Applebloom told the annoyed filly.Sweetie Belle looked down at the dirt road, would her cutie mark just be for failure or would she be a blank flank all her life? "Hey Scootaloo where're we goin, remember we gotta go get Babs from Sugarcube Corner"Applebloom said."Babs? when did Babs get here?"Sweetie Belle asked. "This morning, we took her to Sugarcube while we had to lure the Ursa away from her"Scootaloo explained "And yes I know Applebloom, we're taking um... a shortcut, yeah a shortcut". The Crusaders took a trip around Ponyville under Scootaloo's lead until they finally found their destination "See, I told you I knew a shortcut! "Scootaloo bragged. "You got lost didn't you?"Applebloom questioned. Scootaloo paused for a quick "yes..."she sighed heading for Sugarcube corner. The doors swung open to a crowd of ponies gathered around somepony. "Psst, what's going on?"Sweetie Belle asked a blue stallion "That little filly over there just got her cutie mark right in front of us, she's got a special talent a tells ya and I hear she's one of them Manehattan Ponies, those are the tough ones. Filly? Manehattan? Just got Cutie Mark? That'd could only mean... "Babs!"Applebloom squealed "You got your cutie mark!" > The Book > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- All eyes turned to Babs Seed's flank. six small black seeds were her cutie mark, though it didn't look as amazing as Sweetie Belle thought a cutie mark should be but, it was hers. "Babs how in Equestria did you get your cutie mark that fast!" Scootaloo demanded the Manehattan filly. "We've only been gone to school for a couple of hours and now you get your cutie mark?". "Not to mention your false sense of direction took us two more hours to get here" Applebloom sighed reminding Scootaloo of extended time. "Yeah but now you got your cutie mark how unfair is that as soon as we turn our backs you-" "Wait, wait, wait girls. You should be happy that Babs got her cutie mark. It's better than nobody did" a voice came from the crowd. The huge swarm of ponies uncluttered as a white unicorn with an electric-blue mane and purple shades made her way into the scene. "Thanks Scratch, you're really growing on me and that's for sure!" Babs said. "No problem Seed, any friend of those Apples is a friend to me too" Vinyl hoof bumped Babs Sweetie Belle looked in amusement as Babs had made a new friend in Ponyville but she would have never guessed it would be Vinyl scratch the DJ. Though it wasn't her decision to make Babs have friends with ponies like Rarity would say 'uncoot'. Vinyl was very friendly with everypony in Ponyvile and her wits were as just as strong like Babs'. The Crusaders, Babs, and Vinyl left Sugarcube Corner, next destination: The Library. "Why does she have to be here? doesn't she have anywhere else to be instead?" Scootaloo complained about the grown mare. "Where's Octavia huh?" she started a mean tone. "Woah filly just chill. Octavia is at home making dinner, It's steamed carrots with hay fries" "Then how come you're not helping her?"Applebloom asked Vinyl looked around as if she was making sure nopony was around, she bent down and whispered into their tiny filly ears "Right now, she thinks I'm at work making some bits" she whispered. The fillies stood back shocked. "You lied to Octavia!?" Sweetie Belle's jaw dropped. "Hey at least I didn't lure an Ursa into town!" Vinyl quickly defended. Everypony looked around just as like Vinyl did, it was clear this was outta be kept a secret. Scootaloo cleared her mind from distractions and continued leading the ponies towards the library. "Ugh, it's all dark and dusty here. No wonder nopony ever comes here anymore" Sweetie Belle said; the library was cold, dark as night, and more dustier than usual. "You think we'll go more faster if everypony split up and took different sections to go faster?" she asked. "Eh, it will do for a start" Vinyl shrugged and trotted over to one of the shelves. Scootaloo went over to a shelf labeled 'History' on the top. Applebloom and Babs walked over to the 'Geography' shelf. And finally Sweetie Belle walked over to Twilight's desk, surely if Twilight had read them all the time then there had to be plenty of information in them. The books were much more bigger than Rarity had described them. About how her friend Twilight used to read huge books and was Celestia's own student for being wonderful at magic and being so smart. Sweetie Belle looked at an open book Hopefully Twilight doesn't mind anypony reading her books. The book was full of spells and everything about them, this wasn't what Sweetie Belle needed. She walked over to a shelf labeled 'equestria' and there were plenty of books; The Places Of Equestria, The Rulers Of Equestria, The Towns Of Equestria. Sweetie Belle needed something that was made for telling history. "Stupid Shelf!" she kicked the wooden shelf in anger causing a big red leather book to come falling down at her feet. She looked at the book, it was flipped over backwards "Please..."she begged herself as she flipped over the book and read the title. "The-The Time Of Equestria?" Was this the book Sweetie Belle had been searching for?