A talent unknown
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were sitting in their usual seats in Sugar Cube Corner drinking their usual milkshakes. It was summer vacation and school was about to start in only two weeks. Diamond Tiara looked out the window, sad and slightly angry that school was starting again so soon.
"I can't believe that this summer has been so short," Diamond Tiara sighed. "We hardly got to do anything we wanted." Silver Spoon looked on at her friend in agreement.
"Yeah, I know. It's as if this school is trying to kill us," Silver Spoon replied.
"Well, school may be starting soon, but we've still got two weeks left, I suppose. Let's make the most of it," Diamond Tiara said with determination.
"Well, what do you suppose we do?" Silver Spoon asked with boredom in her voice as she finished her milkshake. Diamond Tiara paused for a moment as she finished hers.
"Well, I guess we do the same thing we usually do. Come on Silver Spoon; let's see what our blank flank friends are up to."
Silver Spoon sighed, but followed Diamond Tiara out of Sugar Cube Corner anyway. It wasn't long before they spotted Sweetie Belle just outside Carousel Boutique. Diamond Tiara was the first to confront her.
"Hey, Sweetie Smell," Diamond Tiara said with a sneer. "Got any new rats nests your sister calls hats?" Silver Spoon laughed, but she only laughed out of habit more than anything. It wasn't that she felt particularly bad for making fun of Sweetie Belle or the other Crusaders, but Silver Spoon was tired of picking on them. It had grown boring and they only kept repeating the same things over and over, but she also had nothing better to do.
"Hey! Don't make fun of my sister!" Sweetie Belle shouted. "You can make fun of my blank flank all you like, but my sister is a brilliant designer!"
"I'm sure she is," Diamond Tiara said with a yawn, "But I'll believe it when I see it. My dad only orders me the best of the best dresses from Canterlot, and I don't see any of your sister's dresses in my closet."
"That's because you don't deserve to wear her dresses," Sweetie Belle retorted. Diamond Tiara glared at her.
"That's because I don't order dresses from someone associated with a blank flank! Come on Silver Spoon, this conversation is going nowhere."
Silver Spoon followed Diamond Tiara with a sigh. She normally liked to tease the Crusaders and anypony associated with them, but there was an empty feeling growing inside of her. "Why is it worth it to pick on these losers?" she thought to herself, "It's not like making fun of them will change my status or anything. I already know I'm special." As soon as she thought that, she stopped walking for a moment. She began to wonder what made her so special to begin with.
"Silver Spoon! Stop being such a slow poke!" Diamond Tiara broke Silver Spoon out of her trance. "We've got stuff to do and ponies to see!"
"Coming!" Silver shouted as she ran to catch up with her. Though the thoughts continued, she decided to ignore them. It was for the best, and she knew nothing could really change her status or her friendship.
"Besties for life?" Diamond Tiara asked Silver Spoon playfully.
"You bet," Silver Spoon replied with a smile.
Another beautiful day had passed at the school where Cheerilee had taught, and Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were making plans for the day, no doubt bored out of their minds after the teacher's lesson. They talked idly as they walked out of the building.
"Ugh, can you believe those lame blank flank Crusaders?" Diamond Tiara prattled on, "It's so embarrassing to even be associated with them as classmates. Applebloom especially; what a lame country bumpkin!"
"I know, I bet she can't even read," Silver Spoon added as she nodded in agreement. They eventually stopped by Sugar Cube Corner and bought milkshakes with some bits that they stole from Pipsqueak, though goodness knows that they didn't need the extra money.
"And to think that those lame-o Crusaders won that flag waving contest," Diamond Tiara huffed as she drank her milkshake, "Why, it's enough to make me hurl!"
"Come on, you're still mad about that?" Silver Spoon sighed in exasperation, "That dumb contest has been over for months! Besides, just because they won, it doesn't make them better than us."
"Well it wasn't so dumb for you just a short while ago either," Diamond Tiara replied with a pout, "You were the one that planned our routine. It would have been so fabulous at the Equestria Games." Silver Spoon smiled reassuringly at her friend.
"Look, I know it would have been amazing if they chose us for the Equestria Games, but like you said, a blank flank is still a blank flank, and we have our cutie marks while they don't." Diamond Tiara started to smile.
"Yeah. And a blank flank is still a blank flank even if they know a princess!" They laughed together for a while at this and left Sugar Cube Corner, concluding with their not so secret hoof-shake.
"Please, as if we even need to doubt our superiority over those lame Crusaders," Diamond Tiara said pointedly.
Another day had passed at school, and Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were strutting down the school stairs when they saw Scootaloo walking past them with Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. Diamond Tiara put a hoof in front of Scootaloo's hoof and she fell on her face.
"Oops," Diamond Tiara sneered. "Looks like someone couldn't dodge that one, if you get my drift!"
Silver Spoon laughed habitually as Scootaloo picked herself up and shouted, "You think you're so hilarious?! Just you wait! Somepony, somehow is going to put you bullies in your place!"
"Why thank you, dodo, I do think I'm rather funny," Diamond Tiara replied with a smirk, "And you know what else I think? I think I might be starting to feel sorry for you. It must be so excruciating having no cutie mark and being a pegasus reject."
"Let's leave these losers, Diamond," Silver Spoon said smugly, "We have better things to do." As Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walked away laughing, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle comforted Scootaloo.
"Just do your best to ignore them," Applebloom said.
Sweetie Belle added, "They may have cutie marks, but they'll never be as awesome as you, flightless or not!"
Applebloom glared at Sweetie Belle, and Sweetie then chimed in sheepishly, "But you'll maybe fly someday, right?" Scootaloo put on her toughest face, but it was evident that Diamond Tiara had visibly offended her. She was used to being teased about her blank flank, but she was still very sensitive about her underdeveloped wings.
"That's easy for you to say," Scootaloo said with annoyance in her voice, "You're not a disappointment to your pony races."
"Scootaloo, we've talked about this," Applebloom said gently, "You're not a disappointment to anyone! Don't you remember your part in our flag waving routine? We won, and we won because of you!"
Sweetie Belle chirped, "And who else can ride a scooter like you can anyways?"
"Yes, yes, I know," Scootaloo sighed, "But I just want somepony to put those two jerks in their place once and for all. I, for one, am sick of their bullying!"
"We all are, Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle said, "But like I said: they'll never have the kind of friendship that we have!" The three fillies hugged one another as they headed off to Sugar Cube Corner.
When they arrived at Sugar Cube Corner, they ordered their usual cupcakes and sat down at a booth by a window. As they were sitting and eating, they noticed another filly that they had never seen before enter the store. She was a small, brown eyed, green unicorn with a curly, ivory white mane with a curly tail to match, but the first thing that the Crusaders noticed was that she too was a blank flank.
"Oh boy!" Sweetie Belle piped excitedly, "We should introduce ourselves and see if she wants to be in our club!" "Not so fast, Sweetie Belle,"
Applebloom interjected, "We don't know if she's sensitive about being a blank flank. We shouldn't advertise that to her."
"You're right," Scootaloo said, "But we should still welcome her to Ponyville and try to befriend her."
Scootaloo had no sooner said that last sentence than the unknown filly walked up to their table and said, "I heard you guys talking about a club! What kind of club is it?"
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were very surprised to see her there, but Applebloom took initiative and explained, "Well, we made this club called the Cutie Mark Crusaders. What we're trying to do is find our special talent and our cutie marks. I see you're also a blank flank, so would you like to join us?" Applebloom paused, and then immediately blushed at her faux pas.
"So much for not advertising it to her," Sweetie Belle said curtly.
The green filly laughed. "It's fine, really," she said reassuringly, "I know I'm a blank flank! There's no getting around that. Now, is there any special thing I have to do to join or something?" The Crusaders were startled by her cavalier attitude about her blank flank, but they carried on with introductions.
"Well, I'm Applebloom," said Applebloom, "And this here is Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle," she continued as she pointed to them.
"I'm Swan Song," the green filly replied, "And it's really nice to meet other fillies like me around. I just came to Ponyville yesterday from Fillydelphia, and it's already so different here."
"Well I hope you're enjoying it so far," Scootaloo said excitedly, "Because this town has so much to offer!"
"You bet it does!" Swan Song replied happily, and Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Swan Song talked in the café for hours on end.
After several days, Swan Song became an integral part of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Though she wasn't directly involved with planning the activities, Swan Song did come up with many suggestions that made it into their list. One day they had a sandwich eating contest and Sweetie Belle won, though Swan Song came in at a close second.
"Ugh, if this doesn't get me a cutie mark, I don't know what will," Sweetie said as she lay on the floor of the clubhouse. Applebloom and Scootaloo groaned in agreement.
"Come on, you guys," Swan Song said enthusiastically. "We still have ten more things to do for today's list! So what about fishing? Or tree climbing? Or bearhunting! I've always wanted to go bear hunting!"
Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo groaned. "Maybe tomorrow, Swan Song," Scootaloo moaned. "I don't know about you, but I ate way too many sandwiches."
"Fine," Swan Song said sadly, "but we can at least go to the park and just chill there. What do you think?"
The rest of the Crusaders were reluctant at first, but they eventually relented after several minutes of good digestion. Swan Song, though also stuffed to the gills, bounced along and led the way. When they got to the park, they saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon there as well. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo did their best to look away from them, trying not to grab their attention.
"Hey, what gives?" Swan Song asked the Crusaders. "They're just two ponies. Nothing to be afraid of."
"Yeah, but they're Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon," Sweetie Belle whispered. "They're the sworn enemies of the Crusaders."
"Sworn enemies, huh?" Swan Song said with a laugh, "What can they possibly do to us that hasn't been said or done already?"
"Well for one thing, they bully Scootaloo on her inability to fly," Applebloom said harshly, "And they've been calling us blank flanks since the first day we came to school."
Swan Song rolled her eyes. "Really? Blank flanks? That's the best they can do? I've been called a blank flank before; it's a mild annoyance at its worst, but don't worry. I know a really good way to get under their skin; I've done it before and it works every time," she said as she was eyeing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.
"Really? How?" Scootaloo asked curiously. Swan song simply smiled.
"You'll see soon enough. They'll all see."
Two weeks had passed, and Swan Song was introduced as the new filly in their school. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looked on with malicious curiosity.
"Ew, check out that NEW blank flank," Diamond Tiara whispered to Silver Spoon, "Her mane is so gross."
"Ugh, I know," Silver Spoon whispered back, "And do you see those hideous brown eyes? Disgusting." They giggled amongst themselves during the school day about what they were going to do to Swan Song. After school, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon approached Swan Song and the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
"Well, if it isn't the new blank flank!" Diamond Tiara jeered, "I see that you're a pretty ugly unicorn as well!" Swan Song didn't react the way that Diamond Tiara had planned. Swan Song didn't cry, or even get visibly upset. She just looked at Diamond Tiara the entire time, no visible expression on her face. Diamond Tiara was startled by her reaction, or lack thereof, and Silver Spoon tried to go in for the kill.
"Are you really associating yourselves with the Cutie Mark Goof-saders?" Silver Spoon asked harshly, pointing a hoof at Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.
"You're only embarrassing yourself! But it's not like you have that much dignity being a blank flank and all," Diamond Tiara snarled.
"Don't listen to those jerks!" Scootaloo interjected, "We've got your back!" Swan Song ignored her just as easily as she was ignoring Diamond and Silver. However, the whole time Swan Song was studying their cutie marks.
"What do your cutie marks stand for, anyways?" she asked them curtly.
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were taken aback by this question; nopony had ever questioned the merit of their cutie marks.
"Well," Silver replied, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice, "It means that we're better than you. Nopony wants to hang out with blank flanks!"
"Oh yeah? Says who?" Swan Song challenged them, "It's better to be a blank flank than having a lame cutie mark like yours anyway!" Silver Spoon was visibly taken aback, and before Diamond Tiara could interject, Swan Song went on, "You know, you must live very sad existences if you have to make fun of blank flanks like me just to justify the existence of your own lame cutie marks. What is your special talent? Wearing a hat? Sucking a spoon? Man, I'd really hate to have a cutie mark like that! At least my future hasn't already been destined for failure, unlike some ponies I know."
"Now listen here!" Silver Spoon said indignantly, but trailed off after thinking of nothing to say. The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked on at Swan Song with inspired awe.
"If you can prove that you have a special talent that warrants your cutie marks," Swan Song said with a smirk, "I'll leave you alone."
"We don't need to prove anything!" Diamond Tiara shouted, "We earned these cutie marks!"
"So you admit that you have no special talent?"
"We do too have special talents!" Silver Spoon shouted, "And they're twice as special as yours will be!"
Swan Song smiled malevolently. "Prove it."
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon struggled to think of special things they could do on the spot. After five excruciating minutes, the only thing that they could come up with was their not so secret hoof-shake. Swan Song yawned.
"Just as I thought. You may have your 'precious' cutie marks, but you have no special talent. Your 'special talent' is as worthless as the dirt on my hooves." Swan Song turned to Scootaloo and said, "We should leave before these wannabes squander our REAL special talents." Scootaloo cheered her on as they left, but Sweetie Belle and Applebloom only walked silently beside them.
When they were gone, Diamond Tiara said indignantly, "Well, the nerve of some ponies! At least we're not stupid blank flanks like Swan Song, right Silver Spoon?" Silver Spoon only looked listlessly at her cutie mark. "Silver Spoon!" Diamond Tiara broke her out of her trance, "Don't tell me that lame-o actually got to you! You're much better than that! We have our special talents already!"
"But do we really?" Silver Spoon thought, "What if Swan Song is right?"