> Sweetie Belle Tastes Like Marshmallow
>  by Wiimeiser
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> In Poor Taste
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The foals in Ponyville Schoolhouse were sitting quietly in their seats. Or, Cheerilee wished they were. In reality, most of them were reading comics or playing with paper planes. The only student paying any attention whatsoever was Diamond Tiara. Cheerilee didn't mind, it was a dreary day, recess was inside, class hadn't started yet, and she still had to hand out the results of last week's test.

The pink bully went first.

Cheerilee passed the pink filly her test results, "Diamond Tiara, your essay on the words 'economy', 'motorway' and 'bazaar' was almost flawless. Your only error was that you forgot to put a period at the very end. A+, indeed. I guess I could use a few pointers from you, myself!"

"Why, thank you, Ms. Cheerilee." Diamond Tiara responded, "I guess you really could."

Cheerilee moved over to a silver filly nearby. "Silver Spoon, your essay on the words 'retina', 'bivalve' and 'minion' was also top notch. You had a few errors here and there, mostly spoonerisms, but considering how much effort you put into making the longest essay in the whole class, you deserve this A. Well done."

Silver Spoon smiled, "Well, apologies for those random errors, Ms. Cheerilee, but you know I have trouble with words sometimes."

Cheerilee turned to the filly sitting behind them. A yellow filly with a red mane and pink bow. For some reason she was wearing her gala dress, even though it didn't fit her too well anymore, and was holding a blue box. 

Both of them groaned. They knew what was coming.

Cheerilee passed the paper over. "Apple Bloom, your essay on the words 'apple', 'rabbit' and 'navel' was... How do I put this... Mediocre. Your spelling and grammar are okay, a few errors, mainly, you misspelled 'etymology' every single time, and you also seem to be forgetting the golden rules of joining compound words together. Otherwise, you did a good job on your language. Unfortunately, it appears you didn't do any significant research, so I can only give you a C+. Keep it up, Apple Bloom, and you'll pass this time."

Apple Bloom lowered her head, saying, "Sorry Ms. Cheerilee, Ah don't have the net for now, and Ah left it to the last second because of that typhoon. You forgive me, right?"

"Yes, I do. I always say you must encourage students, not punish them."

Makes sense, Apple Bloom thought, After all, Ah've never seen you punish those two. She glanced at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon with disdain.

Cheerilee moved over to an orange pegasus. "Scootaloo, I'm afraid your essay on the words 'uvula', 'bachelor' and 'overindulge' was barely passable. Even after I decided to ignore all the times you misspelled the word 'dictionary', which wasn't even necessary to include to begin with, and your mixing up the dictionary with your Sex Education textbook and confusing the uvula with the cervix in your first draft which you didn't even erase properly, I can only give you a D-."

"What?" Scootaloo shrieked, "A D-? Do you know how hard I worked on that essay?"

"Well, to your credit, you did do your research, but it was insufficient. Also, it's spelled 'C-O-N-S-O-N-A-N-T-S', the velum is not the name of a town in Horstralia and beer is made by fermenting hops, not rice. Fermenting rice makes sake. On that note, including the entire history of Springfield, [redacted], no matter how well-researched, does not count and will only drag your grades down further, and, for future reference, it's 'Cargill', not 'Carson'. Overall, you passed by half a point."

"That's not fair! I get higher grades than that!"

"In Physical Education, yes. You're the best at that. In fact, only Apple Bloom, Cotton Cloudy and Rumble can even keep up." Cheerilee raised her head, "Did anypony get that? Work harder at the Gym, students, and you'll pass!"

Cheerilee then turned to Sweetie Belle. The white unicorn filly gulped. She was never one for writing. How can I write a word without ketchup? she thought, Ooh, Ms. Cheerilee's gonna fail me for sure...

Cheerilee looked at Sweetie Belle, and asked, "Sweetie Belle, may I speak to you at my desk?"

"Oh, sure" Sweetie Belle squeaked with a little anxiety.

The two walked over to Cheerilee's desk and sat down.

Cheerilee lowered her head to Sweetie Belle's eye level, and stated, rather matter-of-factly, "Sweetie Belle, your essay on the words 'robot', 'carpet' and 'magic' was mediocre at best. You spelled every single word correctly, and you used proper though not exactly perfect grammar, but that's about the only thing you did right. The rest is a mess. Where do I begin?"

"Um, well, Ms. Cheerilee, let's see..."

"Don't interrupt me, Sweetie Belle."

"Sorry..."

"Well, first of all, song lyrics, footnotes, headers, HTML markup, links, quotes, random pop-culture references and the like don't count towards the minimum of 1000 words, Sweetie Belle. Secondly, it's very dangerous to hurt yourself with needles to prove you're not a robot. Third, do not try to levitate your sister by her horn. Fourth, you used your full name more than necessary. It's simply unnecessary to write out 'I, Sweetie Belle Thrackerzod Topaz, am not a robot' more than once. Fifth, this might be a bit personal, but... Um..."

"What is it, Ms. Cheerilee?"

"Well, describe to me how the word 'carpet' tastes like cherries."

Sweetie Belle froze. "Y-You mean it doesn't?"

"No, it doesn't." Cheerilee replied nonchalantly

"But... But every word has a taste, right?"

"Words don't have taste, Sweetie Belle. That's why I find it unusual that you think they do."

"But they do! Really!"

"Sweetie Belle..."

"Okay, tell me, does 'robot' taste like blood? Because it should taste like blood, right?"

"How would I know?"

"Whenever you see or her 'robot' you get a taste of blood. You don't get that?"

"I can't taste any words that way, Sweetie Belle..."

"You can't?"

"Nopony can, Sweetie Belle, as far as I know, anyway."

Sweetie Belle hung her head down low. Stifled laughter suddenly broke the silence. Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle looked up and saw Diamond Tiara holding back laughter.

"You can taste words?" The pink filly smirked, "I always knew you were a robot dictionary!"

Cheerilee glared at Diamond Tiara and grabbed her by the sides of her head. "Diamond Tiara! You don't eavesdrop on private conversations!"

The bully snorted, "Oh, I'm sorry. But I couldn't help but overhear the fact that this blank flank is a freak! I mean seriously, tasting words? What's next, seeing music? She's a freak, simple as that! She's gonna die cold and lonely on the streets! Just like---"

"Enough of that! Diamond Tiara Merchant, I'm sick and tired of your constant bullying! You are suspended for a week, and have detention for the rest of the month!"

"But Ms. Cheerilee, it's the third!"

"My point exactly! And once you've returned, I don't want to hear another offensive comment from you about dictionary-tasting robots, chickens, or ethnic minorities. Do you understand?"

"No, I don't." Diamond responded sarcastically, "Can you teach me about this whole 'friendship' thing?"

Cheerilee scowled, "Just for that, I'm extending your detention until Nightmare Night!"

"But it's August!"

"I'm calling your father right now, and telling him everything you've done today. You can forget about passing fourth grade if you keep up this behavior!" Cheerilee turned to Sweetie Belle, who looked like she was about to burst into tears, "Sweetie Belle, please return to your desk. I'll handle this."

Sweetie Belle did as she was told. Once seated, several thoughts ran through her head at light speed. 

I'm a freak.

I can taste words.

I thought everypony could taste words.

Am I really the only pony who can?

Does that make me a freak?

I... Have no idea...

And with that, the distraught unicorn burst into tears.






> I Wanna go Home Now, I Left My Sanity on My Desk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

While most of the foals were happy to finally get out of the boring torture that was school, Sweetie Belle was still reeling from the revelation earlier. The fact that she was an abnormal freak. Though the revelation had caused many stares from across the class, only Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Silver Spoon had bothered to say anything. After that incident Apple Bloom excused herself to use the bathroom, something she'd been doing all day. But that didn't bother Sweetie Belle. Sitting down in the middle of the schoolyard, she burst into tears again. She tried to deny the whole thing.

I'm not a freak... Am I?

No... Everypony tastes words. Cheerilee's just upset with me because my essay was shet.

Isn't that right? Words... Taste... 

Everypony can, right?

As she buried her face in her fetlocks, all sounds around her were drowned out by her wailing. She had been distraught since learning the fact, and wanted to deny it. She wished this whole thing had never happened. She just wanted comfort. However, Rarity was late, as usual, and her parents were away attending a convention in Foalconbridge, a small rural community in New South Walers, just across the Neigpean river from the city of Sydneigh. She still remembered the full details. It had always been a dream for her to go to Horstralia; see the towers of Bolting Bridge (she had always liked towers for some reason), eat some Veggiemite, pet a koala, maybe even travel across the country to see Fremanetle, stopping at Farriayers Rock on the way. All of that was currently just a pipe dream. Her parents wouldn't let her get a passport. Sweetie Belle thought of how many dreams had been shattered. She could add one more to that list now.

Her dream of just being a normal pony.

Familiar shouting disturbed her thoughts. She looked up and saw Diamond Tiara being led away from the schoolhouse by her father, Filthy Rich.

"Diamond Tiara Dazzle Princess Applesparkle Equestria Silver Nugget Mystic Cutie Mark Merchant, do you know how disgusted I am with you right now?" The stallion had his unruly daughter on a leash. Sweetie Belle couldn't help but giggle. This was the first good thing to happen all day.

"But, Daddy..." Diamond Tiara yanked the leash attached to her.

"No buts, Diamond. First you bully others, then you blame it on them, then you lie to me, now you make fun of a classmate for being different. I'm cleaning out your room when we get home."

"But--"

"No supper until Winter Wrap Up!"

"You can't--"

"And you're grounded until menarche."

"Until what?"

"And if you dare question the punishment, you can forget about being in my will, or the family for that matter."

"THIS IS UNFORGIVABLE!"

"One more outburst, missy, and it's the doghouse for you!" He picked up Diamond's namesake tiara and threw it across the schoolyard, where it landed right in front of Sweetie Belle.

"GIVE THAT BACK!" the pink filly screamed.

"I think not." Filthy Rich glared at his unruly daughter, "I'll get you a new one for your birthday, if you behave."

"But my birthday's not until March!"

The two walked out of earshot.

Sweetie Belle checked the watch Rarity got her for her birthday. 3:27. Where was Rarity? Had something come up?

She took one look at the jeweled tiara resting on the ground. Levitating it with her magic, she threw it onto the roof of the schoolhouse, where it bounced off the bell and landed back in front of her. She levitated it again, this time sending it straight up into the air and catching it in her magic again. She thew it again, down the street this time. 
Good riddance, she thought, But that doesn't make me feel any better...

She broke down into tears again.

Tears, what a salty word. Tears are salty too.

Sweetie Belle cried for what felt like an hour before a sudden nudge awoke her.

"Hey, you alright?"

Sweetie Belle opened her eyes and looked up at the two ponies in front of her. The first was a moss green earth pony mare, about Rarity's age, with a lavender mane tied into a ponytail hanging off her left side and a cutie mark of a dumb bell. She was impressively muscular, comparable to Bulk Biceps, though a bit smaller overall. Her eyes shone a dazzling emerald green. Next to her was a filly around Sweetie Belle's age - perhaps a bit younger, even - also green, but more "Jungle" as Rarity would describe it. She had a similar lavender mane, this time in two ponytails. Her eyes matched the mare's. She had a cutie mark, a trapezoid 1T weight. Most surprisingly, she was also impressively muscular, similar to the mare, though not as much. A filly this musclebound blew Sweetie Belle's mind.

"Why are you crying?" the bulky filly asked, "Did somepony tease you, too?"

""Y... Yeah..." Sweetie Belle replied softly. "Do they tease you, too?"

"Yes... Yes, they do..." The filly looked to the side, then back at Sweetie Belle. "My name's Cardio, and this is my big sis Cross Country."

"Sweetie Belle." The unicorn replied.

"This yours?" Cardio asked, holding out a familiar tiara. "Did you throw this out onto the street just now?"

"Yes... I threw it out there..." Sweetie Belle paused for a second, "I... I just found it here, though..." she lied.

"Hmm... I see. I thought it belonged to that filly with the tiara cutie mark?"

"Oh..." Sweetie Belle sighed, collecting her thoughts before continuing, "So, are you new here?"

Cross Country answered, "Yeah, we're new here. Cardio should be starting at this school tomorrow, if I'm not mistaken."

"Please, sis, it's not like their chairs could even hold me, anyway..." Cardio let out a huge sigh, as if she'd had problems with them before.

"Oh, you must be one of the new students."

Sweetie Belle looked behind her to see Cheerilee looking at the two green ponies.

"Yes, we're starting tomorrow, correct?" Cross Country walked over to Cheerilee.

"Should be. Now, would you mind coming over here and --." Cheerilee noticed Sweetie Belle was still sitting there, "Sweetie Belle, why don't you come back inside if your sister's running late?"

The four ponies walked into the schoolhouse. 

Sweetie Belle had something to ask. It was curiosity at best, and confirming her biggest worry at worst...

"Hey, Cardio..." Sweetie Belle was noticeably sweating.

"Yeah?" The green filly turned her head.

"What does the word 'carpet' taste like?"

Cardio looked confused. "You mean actual carpet, or the word carpet?"

"The word."

"...Is this some kind of joke?"

"...Sorry..." Sweetie Belle lowered her head, "It's just, I..."

"You're weird..."

They arrived at the classroom. All the ponies sat down except Cardio, who was busy examining Truffle Shuffle's desk.

"I don't think this will hold me..." she lamented, closely examining the flimsy chair.

"I don't see why it wouldn't..." Cheerilee said, looking at the desk and chair, "It's really sturdy. It even holds the... Bigger students, like..." Cheerilee paused, thinking, "Apple Bloom, for one. I'd say Diamond Tiara, but..."

Apple Bloom? Bigger student? Sweetie Belle thought, How does Scootaloo even lift her then? She knew Apple Bloom was the biggest out of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but was she really a "bigger student"? Diamond Tiara was a tub of lard, sure, but had Apple Bloom always been so big?

Cardio cautiously eased herself onto Truffle's seat. It audibly groaned under her immense frame, but to her surprise it held... At least for now.

"S.. See?" Cheerilee chirped, "N... Nothing to worry about..." 

Sweetie Belle could see Cheerilee sweating and gritting her teeth. She didn't sound sure, her words were having a sour taste to them.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. A lavender unicorn stallion opened the door.  "Hey, Cheerilee"

Cheerilee turned to the stallion, "Oh, you must be the new Principal, Fountain Pen." 

The stallion nodded, "Yes. Yes, I am."

Sweetie Belle was confused. "Principal? What's that?"

"A Principal is somepony who is in charge of a school." Fountain Pen stated, "This school is getting an extension soon, to accommodate a larger number of students. A new building will be built next to this one, after which the old one will eventually be torn down."

Sweetie Belle felt a bit of shock. Build a new school? Destroy the old school?

Fountain Pen continued, "Furthermore, students will be separated by grade, with multiple classes per grade, each class with its own teacher."

Cheerilee interjected, "I'll be teaching first grade next school year, so I won't be your teacher any more, Sweetie Belle. Of course, I'm still teaching you for the rest of the current school year, but after that you'll be taught by somepony else."

Sweetie Belle could feel only worry and confusion. Somepony different next year? The thought was unfathomable to her.

"Why are all these new ponies coming here?" she asked. 

"Well..." Fountain Pen looked over to his side, "Because of the new castle, Ponyville is now a prospective boom town. Lots of ponies have bought land here recently. The developers are going to build mostly to the east and north, essentially making Ponyville a bridge of sprawl connecting the metropolitan areas of Canterlot and Manehattan, though this will take several years. Because of Ponyville's development, we'll also need to deal with traffic. Due to this, Ponyville is going to have a motorway-grade bypass built along its outskirts so traffic that doesn't want to stop there can just pass by without getting into traffic jams. Oh, and the rail's going to be electrified, too. You can see the plans on this map."

Fountain Pen placed a brochure on the table and unfolded it. Sweetie Belle looked at the paper. It was a familiar map of Ponyville, but the outskirts had numerous mazes of black lines. A thick green line labeled 'Ponyville Bypass' stretched from the highway near her house to the highway near where Snails lived. Where it crossed a thicker black line, it appeared to have legs sticking out in the shape of a diamond, with one of the quadrants featuring a small circle. Near her house, two black lines followed the highway, one bulging outwards and enveloping the thick green line. Most of this was going over her head. Motorway? What was that? The green line?

"I... I don't understand."

"It's okay." Fountain Pen stated, "Now, to introduce you to my daughter, Tabula Rasa."

As if on cue, a mauve unicorn filly with a fuchsia mane tied into two gigantic ponytails sticking out to the side and curving up, out and back in in a crescent moon shape walked through the door, her massive mane getting caught on the sides of the door frame, but with no burden to her, they simply sprung back into place once she was through. She looked a little timid and shy, as if she'd run off in terror at any second. Her eyes were a deep purple, and she had no visible cutie mark. 

Looks kind of familiar... Sweetie Belle thought.

Immediately behind her, though, was somepony Sweetie Belle knew.

Her sister, Rarity.

"Rarity!" she cried, and ran out to embrace her sister. "Oh, Rarity, it's awful! Ms. Cheerilee told me I'm a freak."

Rarity's eyes widened. "Cheerilee, is this true?"

Cheerilee walked over to Rarity, stating, "Well, you see, it's kind of complicated. First why don't you tell me why you're so late?"

"Rarity sighed, "Well, there was another parasprite infestation, and Pinkie needed to fix her bagpipes, so I obliged. Then, a giant otter wandered into town so I went to get Fluttershy. Then I had to help Twilight fix a dust jacket for Rainbow Dash, for whatever reason I have no idea. Then I bumped into Apple Bloom and got lost. Any more questions, Cheerilee?"

Cheerilee sighed, and continued, "No, not really."

"So... What's this about Sweetie Belle being a freak?" Rarity asked, noting the sobbing filly gripping her forelegs.

"Well..." Cheerilee began, "As I was grading her homework from last week, I noticed that she seemed to describe how the words tasted. I asked her about this, and she said she thought everypony knew what words tasted like. I told her it was... Unusual... And she kind of took it too hard. And then there was an incident with Diamond Tiara... She's been on and off crying ever since."

Rarity looked like she was about to explode, but she quickly calmed down. The room was silent except for Sweetie Belle's sobbing and the awkward groans of Cardio's chair struggling to support the huge filly's weight.

Rarity looked down and asked her sister, "Sweetie Belle, answer me. Do you 'taste' words? What does 'Rarity' taste like? Please tell me, Sweetie Belle, I'm curious."

Sweetie Belle calmed down a bit, "Marshmallow."

"Marshmallow?"

"Yes, marshmallow. So does 'Sweetie Belle', though it's different."

"Hmm, unusual..."

Suddenly, a quiet voice piped up.

"I think I know..."

The ponies in the classroom looked at Tabula Rasa in confusion.

The shy filly continued, "I read something in a magazine once about senses becoming cross-linked. I think it's called Synesthesia..."

"Sinus-what?" Sweetie Belle asked in confusion.

"Synesthesia."

Rarity's eyes widened again. "Oh, I think I've heard about that. It's where you see music, right? I think Octavia's second cousin has it."

Tabula Rasa continued, "That's one kind, but there are many more. For example, I have an uncle who sees numbers as relative points in space. The article even mentioned a rare form where words have taste."

Rarity's interest piqued. "So, you're saying Sweetie Belle might have this?"

"Possibly, though you might have to get a doctor to check on that. I'm just a filly. I really don't know."

"Well, Sweetie Belle does have an appointment for today, just a checkup. I'll have to ask while we're there."

Sweetie Belle suddenly remembered she had an appointment this afternoon. "Of course! Let's go, Rarity!"

"Of course, Sweetie Belle." Rarity turned back and asked, "Mind telling us your names, then?"

"Tabula Rasa." The quiet filly mumbled

"I'm her father, Principal Fountain Pen." The stallion reached out a hoof to Rarity.

"Cross Country." The musclebound mare chirped energetically, "And that's my sister, Cardio."

Cardio was trying to make herself comfortable. She was surprised the chair had held out this long with all her fidgeting in it, they usually broke by now just by her sitting on them. Granted the legs were bent slightly and it looked like it could collapse any second, but it was still standing with no noticeable cracks.

Rarity looked at Cardio with an awkward expression, and said, "Well, I suppose I'll be off, then. See you another time!"

The two unicorn sisters walked outside and down the street. Sweetie Belle was anxious. Was she really a mutant freak? Or just weird?

She wanted answers.
> Doctor, WHAT? Doctor, WHY?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetie Belle had learned several new words today, each of which had its own developing taste in her mind.

Motorway. Tasted like the almost equally new scent of gasoline.

Navel. Kind of fuzzy, like a wool dress, possibly a red one.

And the mother of them all: Synesthesia. It brought to mind a cheap pesticide for some reason.

But it wasn't the word or its taste that was getting to her. It was what it had to do with her. Am I a freak? Or just weird? I want answers.

Her routine checkup had gone well, nothing wrong. Even her horn was fine, considering the shenanigans she got into with her friends. But she still had one lingering question on her mind. Something she was too afraid to even ask.

"And that's that." The doctor, an aged unicorn stallion, had started on Sweetie Belle's paperwork, "Your next routine checkup should be in about four months, if I'm not mistaken."

The doctor had noticed that while Sweetie Belle was obedient and still through the whole ordeal, there was clearly something on her mind that was stressing her out.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle, is there something bothering you?" The doctor asked, pretty certain that there was something wrong.

Sweetie Belle didn't choke this time. "Doc, I have a question." She paused for a bit before continuing, "Is it normal to taste the words you see and hear?"

"...What makes you say that all of a sudden?"

"Well, my teacher said she doesn't taste words... Is it true? Am I really a freak?"

The doctor held a hoof under his chin, thinking for a few seconds before responding, "Sweetie Belle, are you implying you have... Synesthesia?"

The sudden taste of bug spray irked her, though it wasn't as bad as she had feared.

"That's the word!"

"Well, I recall reading about different kinds of Synesthesia a few weeks ago in a magazine, which if I recall is still in the waiting room. It mentioned the fact that the condition varies greatly from pony to pony, for example, some see sounds, while others see numbers as points in space, or time as a clock. One could even taste words like you say you can. I think it'd be a great read. You can even take it home with you. I've been thinking about getting rid of it for a while, now. Just out with the old, and in with the new."

"Thanks."

"I believe the magazine's called Healthy as a Horse. Do try and find that article."

Sweetie Belle walked back into the waiting room and over to the magazine rack. Sure enough, Healthy as a Horse was resting there. Levitating the magazine with her magic, she opened it and followed Rarity outside. She flipped through the pages, skimming through tips on weight loss and filly beautification, stopping only to look where she was going. She briefly touched on an article observing the warning signs of a variant of Insomnia that could potentially trigger murderous hallucinations. There was also some disease where ponies believe they're robots. Bleeding mud, water, or mysterious glowing blue fluid: Turns out it's magic leakage. A notorious school bully who was later diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder and Panic Disorder all at once? Didn't see that coming! Another bully had died in a tragic accident, and the article followed their father trying to cope with the loss. Another bully developed amnesia following a similar accident in the mountains, and had been re-raised by a close friend of her family.

Finally, she found the article she was searching for. She quickly skimmed through, hoping to find some information on her condition.

Seeing Sounds and other strange sensations
...
Synesthesia...
...
Number lines...
...
Sometimes, Thursday is a bully...
...
The taste of words?
...
This condition has been dubbed Lexical-Gustatory Synesthesia

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened. Though it tasted like that time the Cutie Mark Crusaders had tried for a pest control cutie mark, it didn't bother her any more.

"Hey, blank flank!"

Sweetie Belle snapped out of her reading trance. That voice. That horrible, metallic voice. She turned around, and saw Silver Spoon staring at her with wide eyes. Sweetie Belle looked around, she'd separated from her sister at some point, though she knew where she was in Ponyville. Just behind the bowling alley.

"Stupid blank flank! Thanks to you, I've lost my friend! I hope you're happy!"

Sweetie Belle turned towards the metallic filly, stuffing the magazine in her saddlebag. "Oh yeah?" She scoffed, "It was her fault for making fun of me! Not that it matters since you can always sneak out and hide somewhere, like a trash can. After all, Diamond Tiara really loves trash cans."

Silver Spoon slapped Sweetie Belle with her foreleg. "Don't talk shet about Diamond Tiara, you dweeb! You're just some useless circus freak! I mean, who eats words, anyway?"

"How dare you!" Sweetie Belle screamed. 

At that, Sweetie Belle felt something boiling inside her. She felt the all-too familiar urge to punch Silver Spoon in the face. This time, however, it felt stronger. An irresistible urge to snap the bully's neck. An urge to which she couldn't help but oblige.

Sweetie Belle reached out with her left foreleg and punched Silver Spoon clean in the nose.

She all to quickly realized her error.

The bully punched her back with full force, then charged into her, pinning her to the wall. Through her pain and blurred vision she saw Silver Spoon charging up another punch with her right hoof and using her left hoof to pin her to the wall. 

Thinking quickly, Sweetie Belle bit into the pastern next to her. She then thrusted her head forward, digging her horn into Silver Spoon's shoulder, sending the bully falling onto her back.

It was then that Sweetie Belle thought she saw something unusual on the underside of Silver Spoon's barrel, though the bully flipped over too quickly for her to get a good look.

"You saw it, didn't you?" Silver Spoon screamed.

"Saw what?" Sweetie Belle was confused, she saw something, but she didn't get a good look.

"You saw it! Don't lie to me!"

At that moment, she noticed her nose was bleeding from the punch. Fearing for her life and seeing her chance, Sweetie Belle quickly picked up her saddlebag in her telekinesis and ran away screaming in agony.





Rarity was standing in front of the bowling alley, talking with its owner. Well, more arguing with its owner.

"What do you want to do with my sister's friend?" Rarity cried and slapped the stallion across the face.

"Do you know how much that brat cost me? I had to sell my prized piano to pay for it! That was a treasured family heirloom!"

"That doesn't mean you can do horrible things to that innocent filly! You should know better than--"

Suddenly she heard a familiar high-pitched scream coming from behind her.

"Excuse me."

She turned around and ran after the source of the scream.

"Sweetie Belle Thrackerzod Topaz! Come back here right now!"

Silver Spoon emerged from the alleyway and paused to watch the brief bit of chaos before she slithered away, clutching her bleeding muzzle.





Sweetie Belle ran and ran down Mane Street, not looking where she was going, and crashed into a large red object.

After gathering her senses, she looked up and saw Big Macintosh. Next to him was Apple Bloom, who was trying but failing to hold back tears. She looked bigger than when she was in school last. As if she wasn't big enough already. It only just hit Sweetie Belle just how big her earth pony friend had gotten in the last week. 'Bigger student', indeed.

The earth pony filly switched to a puzzled expression, "Uh, Sweetie Belle, what happened? Did ya get into a fight with somepony?"

Big Macintosh gave Sweetie Belle a concerned look. "Well?" he asked.

"Silver Spoon happened, that's what!" Sweetie Belle spat out, turning to her friend, "Apple Bloom, I'm sorry about before. Really!" She tried to hold back her tears, but a few slid down.

"Seriously? Your fault?" Apple Bloom, got a puzzled look on her face, "Ah'm the one at fault, Sweetie Belle."

"Really?"

Apple Bloom grinned, revealing her unkempt braces, "Eeyup. Ah ain't cryin' cause ya yelled at me, Ah'm cryin' 'cause Ah got these."

Apple Bloom raised her hooves, one by one, revealing horseshoes. "Ah went to the farrier and got these. Ah also got these." She pointed to her ears. In each one was a small piece of metal. "AJ said if Ah was good Ah could get these. Thinkin' about the navel next. On the way there Ah kinda bumped into-- Speaking of which..."

Sweetie Belle turned around. A worried and angry Rarity was standing right behind her.

"Sweetie Belle Thrackerzod Topaz! What were you thinking running off like that?"

Sweetie Belle broke down, "Well, I got sidetracked, and I ran into Silver Spoon..."

"And got into a fight, I see. Well, I'm taking you home right now!" Rarity glanced at Apple Bloom, and scrunched her face in disgust. "Ugh! Apple Bloom, those piercings are seriously tacky!"

Apple Bloom tilted her head in confusion. "Really? Ya wear 'em all the time, Rarity. Ah don't see no problem with 'em. You're such a hypocrite, whatever that means."

Rarity scoffed, "Of course, I'm a naturally elegant beauty queen."

"Like that redhead on that TV show who throws those explodin' penguins around?"

Rarity's eyes widened. "Apple Bloom! You're too young to be watching such uncouth shows!"

"Netherworld Nights ain't bad! Applejack watches it all the time!"

"That's an awful series to be watching! It's very violent and uncouth! Why, I shudder at the thought of the influence it's having on you!"

"Hey, Scootaloo watches it, and she's all fine. She also watches Call to Summons, and that show's scarier than Nightmare Night!"

Sweetie Belle felt her fur stand on end. Call to Summons was the scariest show ever. The main character was a sobarica, a summoned familiar of a gospodar, and they fought all sorts of scary monsters, from bunyips to a tsurube otoshi, and even a dullahan and its pet badb. She didn't know what they were, but from what she'd seen of the show she probably didn't want to know.

Rarity flared her nostrils at Apple Bloom. "You shouldn't be watching that stuff! I'm surprised you're not a nervous wreck!"

"Hey! Ya ain't mah Ma! Not ta mention she's dead!"

"Because you're such a big fat loser! She died because you couldn't fit through her---" 

"ENOUGH!" The shrill voice of Sweetie Belle screamed, "THAT'S ENOUGH, RARITY!"

"Sweetie Belle! Don't interrupt me!"

"Well, don't insult my friend! You don't go around calling other ponies uncouth!"

"I was critiquing her fashion sense, Sweetie Belle! Sometimes I think you're color blind!"

"I might as well be! Just tasting everything I read isn't enough? Then I'm color blind! Simple as that! Besides, what the buck is opera mauve, anyway? Why not explain viridian, pewter, cerulean, lavender, vermillion, fuchsia, saffron, celadon, cinnabar, indigo, cherry, violet, gold, teak, olive, cyan, mahogany, rust, mauve, moss and soot while you're at it? I don't know any of those and you use them all the time!" Sweetie Belle turned around. Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh were gone. She turned back to Rarity, "And you think I'm uncouth! And I can't cook! And you'd be better off without me! And--"

Rarity raised a hoof. "Sweetie Belle, that is quite enough. We are going home right now and cleaning up, and if you don't stop misbehaving you're not getting dessert!"

Sweetie Belle hung her head in shame. "Okay, Rarity."

She noticed her nose had stopped bleeding. How long ago, it didn't matter.

"Okay then, sis."

The two unicorns headed home. On the way, Sweetie Belle thought about recent events.

Do I really have... Lexical-Gustatory Synesthesia? I must. Everything points to it. I'm a freak. A freak! What will everypony think of me?

Her thoughts then drifted to other matters.

Apple Bloom's been acting weird today. Did something happen? First she shows up in her gala dress like it's nothing. Then she says she's more worried about getting her cutie mark than ever before. Then she said she was too fast. What's with that? And that box. What's in it? And now horseshoes and piercings? Something's going on, I just know it. 

I'll have to ask her tomorrow.
> Things That Go Pronk in the Night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetie Belle stared at the filthy filly in the mirror. She was bruised, battered, and worse. Now sporting a black eye and a huge clotted wound on her cheek. Her fur was a mess of dried blood and sweat, and she had a missing tooth. Fortunately, it was one that was already loose, but that didn't change the fact that she'd probably have to get it checked out later. Today had not been a good day, that much was certain. First she had nearly failed a test, been beaten senseless, and worst of all told she was a total freak. Things couldn't have been worse.

"Buck that piece of shet Silver Spoon. I hope she gets Laminitis." She mumbled in her internal fury.

Looking closely, she noticed the fur on her chin was forming a beard. How long has that been there? she thought. Ignoring the fuzz, she levitated a pair of scissors and snipped out the bits of fur clotted with blood. She then grabbed a cloth, wet it, and rubbed it across her face. Looking back in the mirror, her appearance had improved drastically, though she was still a mess.

Sweetie Belle opened the medicine cabinet and levitated a small bottle. She unscrewed the lid and tipped out a small green pill which she then proceeded to swallow.

Stupid aegisalt supplements... Do I seriously not get enough?

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it, Rarity!"

Sweetie Belle opened the door to see Scootaloo standing there in a sorry state. While she didn't appear to be as bad as Sweetie Belle was before, there were several bloody gashes all over her body. Most of them had stopped bleeding, but that didn't help her appearance in the slightest. For some strange reason, she had a huge grin on her face.

Sweetie Belle stared at her friend in shock. "Wh- What the buck happened, Scootaloo? Th- That looks painful!"

"The thorn bushes just outside," Scootaloo sounded like she was indeed in agony, "But don't worry, it feels good."

"Feels good?" Sweetie Belle shrieked, "You're in agony! You need to go to the hospital, right now!"

"Sweetie Belle, what's going on?" Rarity called out, approaching the front door. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

"Scootaloo..."

"Yeah?" the pegasus replied weakly

"What sort of accident did you..."

"It... Wasn't an accident..."

"It wasn't?"

"I... I was hiding from Silver Spoon..." Scootaloo appeared to have gotten a bit better already. "It looked like somepony beat her up really bad, though.

Sweetie Belle turned to Scootaloo, "That was me, Scoots. I beat her up. I... I didn't know what I was doing. B- But she said horrible things to me! Horrible, bad-tasting things!"

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity cried, "What were you thinking?"

"I don't know..."

"Well, wanna help me out?" Scootaloo interjected, "Of course, I'd like to jump in those brambles again sometime, if you don't mind. Being in crazy agony is actually quite fun, now that I think about it."

With those words, both unicorns went pale and passed out.

"...Too soon?"





"I think she saw it, Sunny."

The metallic filly sat on a stool as her maid treated her injuries from before.

"I know she saw it, I know! She got a weird look on her face!"

"Mistress Silver Spoon, she most likely didn't see it for more than a split second. Now, hold still. I'll apply a bandage."

Sunny grabbed a large bandage out of the medicine cabinet and held it firmly against the middle of Silver Spoon's midriff. She then grabbed some soft-stick tape out of the cabinet and cut it into several pieces with her teeth before sticking it to the sides of the bandage and Silver Spoon's fur before patting it down.

"There we go, mistress. Feeling better?"

"No..." Silver Spoon sighed in disgust, "Not if she's seen it..."

"Perhaps you could confront this... 'Sweetie Belle' about this. Surely she can be reasoned with."

"She's just some stupid blank flank, Sunny. Talking won't help unless it's aggressive talking."

"Be that as it may, perhaps she should be given a chance nevertheless?"

"...Goodnight, Sunny."

"...But, Mistress, it's not even dinner time!"

I said, goodnight!"

SLAM!





After dinner and a shower, Sweetie Belle decided to just head straight to bed. Gently closing the door to her room behind her, she hung up her saddlebags and grabbed a nightcap off the hook. All done with her magic, which she was getting quite good at.

As she lay prone in bed, several thoughts ran through her mind.

Apple Bloom's been behaving strangely lately...

The gala dress, horseshoes, ceremonies, frequent bathroom breaks, even more cutie mark anxiety...

Just what's her beef, anyway? There has to be something...

I need to ask...

Sweetie Belle flipped over onto her back.

Scootaloo likes being in pain? What a weirdo.

The way she jumped into thorns for fun, that's not good. If I jumped into nice, lettuce-ey thorns I'd feel really bad.

Not as bad as Silver Spoon, though. I feel for her, losing her only friend, even temporarily, must be heart breaking...

Still doesn't change the fact that she's a complete curple-hole though. I mean, seriously, she seems so nice, but she hangs out with Diamond Tiara, and Diamond Tiara's the biggest brat on this planet since Rudolph Bitler... Maybe even worse!

But... There was something odd about her. I saw it when she fell. Something about her underbelly seemed out of place. I wish I could get a better look...

Sweetie Belle levitated her novelty Bluestone Ore night light for a few seconds before setting it down. She then levitated her plush Wallbreaker and Explodineer over to her and hugged them tightly. Then, she levitated a few of he assembly blocks and made a crude house. 

She remembered how she became so fascinated with Blockbuild. For a while, she had been at the mercy of a crippling fear of dying. While in the waiting room one day, she met a colt, about a year younger than her, who was playing a strange game about building blocks. Thirteen days later, she had started playing. After a rocky start she become obsessed with it. Sweetie still wondered what that colt, Button Mash as far as she remembered, had been in for. She wondered what he'd think of her now that she was a freak...

She observed her 'masterpiece'. Truth be told, it looked as though it'd collapse if as much as a butterfly landed on it. 

Still, though, the thoughts kept coming.

How does one not taste a word, though?

It's strange... All I did was say I liked the word 'carpet' because it tastes like cherries, Ms. Cheerilee says that's not normal, and that means I'm a freak.

But this... Synesthesia... Is it real? Or am I a robot that's glitching out? Are the Cutie Mark Crusaders golems? Are we immortal? Is just one of us? Perhaps Apple Bloom? Am I even alive? Am I dead? If so, how did I die? Did it have something to do with Scootaloo? Was I born dead? Or braindead? Was I born a pony? Were the Crusaders born ponies? What are we? Golems? Geodes? Gravel? Sobaricas?

A trio of Sobaricas separated from our masters? Call to Summons is the scariest show ever! Why does Scootaloo even watch it? For the characters?

Characters? Are we perhaps characters in a story? Maybe a story written by some guy who takes pleasure in the psychological torture of fillies? Maybe we're just vectors strung together and moved like digital puppets for the amusement of fat, middle-aged neckbeards...

What is a 'man'? A miserable little pile of secrets? Does it talk enough? Does it have at me?

Man. That word tastes like Rarity's mane in heavy rain.

Rain. A bland taste, not unlike the water it is made of.

Bland. Pretty much the same. That 'walking' crouton Rarity cooked for dinner tasted bland. That sweet thing it was carrying was sugary though. What a strange meal indeed. A walking crouton Rarity bought at the market.

Market. That's a spicy word. But am I the only pony who thinks it is?

I must be.

I must be a freak.

Sweetie Belle looked up again, this time staring at the Touhorse figurine Rarity got her for her birthday.

As she released her plushies and pulled the covers over, her thoughts became more hectic and random.

Going overseas has always been my dream...

But Dad said I have to have my cute-ceañera before he'll give me a passport.

Cute-ceañera. Tastes like cut grass.

So does 'Diamond Tiara'.

But why? Is there a reason?

Oh no, when she comes back, what will she do if she learns that?

Will everypony hate me because of what their names taste like?

What do they taste like, anyway?

Hmm...

Sweetie Belle. Marshmallow.

Rarity. Also marshmallow, though different.

Apple Bloom. Like licking the skin of an apple found buried in snow.

Scootaloo. Chicken salt.

Silver Spoon. Metallic and yet surprisingly rich, like when she punched me in the mouth before.

Twilight Sparkle. Paper and bread.

Applejack. That nasty stuff I drank one night that made me really sick. It had her name on it, so there's definitely a connection.

Cotton Cloudy. The cloud 'n' candy Scootaloo gave me one time.

Trouble Shoes. Sand.

Derek. Earwax.

Ms. Cheerilee is cherry, as are 'cherry', 'carpet', and I believe 'Touhorse' and that 'hy-something' I read about in my Sex Ed textbook. They all taste slightly different but similar. Like how words relating to electricity taste like garlic.

Tabula Rasa doesn't seem to have an obvious taste, though. Maybe because it's a new word to me? Maybe because I know I'm a freak I'm not tasting these new words?

But, I can taste Synesthesia... And I learned that word afterwards... Maybe I'd heard it before?

Hmm...

Tabula Rasa...

Tabula Rasa...

Weird, spongy... Metal? Wait, what? What the buck, brain?

...

Tabula Rasa...


...

That stuff I ate out of that bone? No, it's more like Pinkie's sponge cake mixed in with Silver Spoon's taste, which I think might be blood? Weird...

...

I've never thought of the tastes before...

But words I think are bad taste bad...

Is there a connection?

...

...

What?

What was that? A noise? White noise?

...Talking?

Must be somepony talking. It tasted like persimmon. What tastes like persimmon?

Kitchen. That does.

Kitchen.

I'm so bad at cooking.

Really.

In fact, I'm bad at everything.

Except tasting words. And maybe singing. Maybe cleaning.

Possibly throwing crowns with my magic.

Like that stupid tiara.

Why am I even keeping it in my saddlebag?

To spite her?

I don't know...

I... Don't... Know...

Help!

I need a hug!

Save me from this torment!

Please!

I want it to end!

I just want to be a normal pony!

Sweetie Belle Thrackerzod Topaz, a normal pony!

Failing that, I want to be an oompa loompa!

Or maybe a biker gorilla?

With a hook hand?

I'm scared!

So scared!

Power overwhelming...

Need... Crystal... To... Recharge...

Dying...

Scootaloo... Why did you... Have to... Crash into...

Save me... Derpy...

Without knowing it, Sweetie Belle had fallen into a restless sleep...





Silver Spoon looked at her essay from earlier. The words 'retina', 'bivalve' and 'minion' stared back at her, taunting her relentlessly. Not figuratively, literally. One instance of 'muscle' writhed around like a worm cut in half, encircling a 'pearl' clockwise. 

She shook her head. Looking back at her essay, all the words were back where they were supposed to be. For now, anyway.

Turning left, she noticed Scarf had fallen asleep. Typical of the creature.

Further left was a picture of her and her local extended family from the reunion a few years ago. She was between her older siblings Vinyl and Octavia, just below her parents. Silver Nugget, Silver Coin, Golden Ticket, Wooden Spoon, Hoity Toity, Photo Finish, Hazelnut, Silverspeed, Silver Spanner, Rocky, Midnight, Derpy, Starsong, Silver Tiara, Diamond Spoon, Cousin Ike, Delicacy, Snowdrop, Fat Chance, Scootaloo-Marie, Mackerel, Beanbag, Gus, and Richard were all there. Only Warden and Plot Twist were missing.

The sound of a foal crying snapped her back into reality. Plot Twist was awake, and would need to be fed. She knew her maids would be onto it.

She missed having the maids do everything for her. Sunny Milk, Fancy Rose, Silver Shimmer, and all the others.

Stupid adult responsibilities, she thought, Why do I have to be the one who reads the record books? Doesn't Hoity know I have a disability?

...

...

Silver Spoon let out a long, frustrated sigh. She'd been grounded for a week and told to not go near Diamond Tiara ever again.

Like she'd listen to that.

She looked out her bedroom window, then at Scarf, then back out the window.

Out of the corner of her eye, she swore she saw something pink by the fence. Suddenly, something passed by, heading in the general direction of the Everfree Forest. Whatever it was, it looked like aliens on a scooter. She brushed it off as just being the stress.

Looking back at the pink object, she had to squint to make it out in the dim twilight. It was a pony... But she couldn't get any detail.

Suddenly, a paper plane flew in through the window, nearly giving her a heart attack.

Catching the projectile with her mouth, she dropped it on the floor and opened it.

Inside was Diamond Tiara's familiar hoofwriting, the words glaring at her like Babs Seed having a bad hair day.

Silver, you lunk.

Those blank flanks have done it this time.

Meet me at Carousel Boutique at სამი ოცდაათი გარეთ სამზარეულო.

მოუტანს ცეცხლი და აფეთქებები თვითმკვლელი ამწე შემთხვევითი პირადი ნივთები ირონია ქალწულობა რუსეთის მძიმე რეჟიმი წიგნაკი საერთო წარუმატებლობისა კითხულობს მყარ დისკზე


--ალმასის გვირგვინი ბოროტი


The words just laughed at her. Normally she was quite good considering her circumstances, she even regularly placed high in principality-wide calligraphy competitions. But she was just too stressed out to concentrate.

Buck this. I'll have to ask her personally.





Sweetie Belle awoke to what she thought was the sound of a massive explosion. Or was she dreaming? As she ran downstairs, she found Carousel Boutique was deserted. She looked at the clock on the wall. 3:27. Early? Was this a dream?

All of a sudden, she heard hoofsteps outside the kitchen window. Looking outside, she saw the familiar silhouettes of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon standing right in front of her. They were talking, though she couldn't understand most of what they were saying.

"Oei jxeictd'k ro xoho, Diamond, av eih fuhodkj vadt ij eik xoho..." The voice of Silver Spoon

"Jxik if. A ted'k suho, Silver. Kxuk rcudb vcudb tojkheoot mo cavo. A tomudt oei tojkheo xoh ad kihd."

"Rik, Diamond, eih tutj ted'k nudk ij ke ro kewokxoh udomeho... A'm jsuhot ev nxuk mawxk xuffod av kxoo veidt eik..."

"Je? Jxo jun oeih duloc! Oeih joshok jxumo, homomroh? Oei xulo u mekalo, kee!"

"Xix?"

The two turned toward the window. Sweetie Belle quickly ducked out of sight.

"Nuj ak xoh?"

"Muoro. Teirk ak, kxeiwx. Av jxo'j if uk kxaj xeih, jxo'j erlaeijco shijutadw eh jemokxadw."

Hoofsteps faded away into the distance.

Sweetie Belle ran straight back into her bed and wished she hadn't heard those mysterious voices or seen those mysterious silhouettes. She wished she hadn't gotten into that fight with Silver Spoon. She wished Cheerilee had never told her how she was wrong.

She wished it was all just a nightmare.
> Morning and Melancholia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetie Belle awoke the following morning, feeling exhausted and downtrodden. She simply couldn't understand the concept. Synesthesia. A word that tasted like the foul metal of pesticide.

And only she could taste it.

Her... Synesthesia... It made her a target. An easy target.

She really didn't want to go... Did her need to have questions answered outweigh the possible teasing, and/or retaliation from Silver Spoon? She remembered the stares of yesterday. The mere thought chilled her to the bone. Assuming she had bones.

As she got prepared for school, she didn't see her sister. Just where was Rarity? She had obviously left sometime last night, but without a note? Did something happen? Sweetie Belle knew of the Cutie Map, perhaps it had summoned her? But why would she leave on such short notice, even if it was the map? She recalled hearing an explosion... Were they related?

Sweetie Belle knew she couldn't worry about it. She had questions she needed the answers to.

Levitating her saddlebag on, she closed and locked the door behind her and went off.





While she walked she couldn't help but think of things. Her cutie mark. Synesthesia. Her friends acting weird.

None of this is making any sense. It sounds like bad fanfiction written by some perverted weirdo. Next thing you know I'll be a rampaging robot destroying an underground lab and getting struck by lightning. Or maybe somepony will die. I hope it's Diamond Tiara. Not Derpy. Anypony but Derpy. Maybe there'll be war. Probably involving a cricket. And Scootaloo will be trapped outside the shelter. Maybe I'll misfire a spell and kill somepony, or send Twilight to another dimension. And I'll have to become a robot nudist blood mage to save her. Maybe the crusaders are golems. I could even get the hiccups!...

...I can only hope something good happens. Maybe Twist will win a contest. Maybe Silver Spoon will stop being such a buckwheat and kiss me. Maybe Applejack will own a bar. I might even get to ride a carousel!...

...I wonder if somepony else in my class is a freak. Maybe somepony has Dyslexia?

As if on cue, she turned the corner onto Pelt Lane and bumped into the last two ponies she wanted to see.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

This didn't make any sense. Wasn't Diamond Tiara grounded until... What was the word again? Menarche? That word tasted like fried blood. Sweetie Belle knew what it meant, but she dared not think of it.

"Hey, blank flank!" Diamond Tiara's insult snapped Sweetie Belle out of her trance. "All thanks to you I'm grounded for the rest of my life! And I'm no longer in my dad's will!"

Sweetie Belle was stunned by the bully's words. "That was your fault! Don't you ever learn? Bullying is wrong!"

"So? You're the freak!" Tiara spat out that last word like it was the worst possible thing, "You taste words! Is that normal? No! You're a freak! Poor magic, no cutie mark, and now you're tasting words? Puh-leeze! You're a bigger freak than that dodo!"

Sweetie Belle couldn't decide whether to burst into tears or practice pyromancy. She was simply too stunned to think straight.

Silver Spoon continued, "Sometimes, revenge can be bittersweet. If you want to know my darkest secret, here you go!"

Silver reared up and opened a zipper on her underbelly, revealing a dimensional portal not unlike the one Discord opened at the gala last week. A bony hand emerged from within and grabbed Sweetie Belle by the neck.

"Well, blank flank, your time here is over! Let's see your magic bring a great big smile now!"

"There's a special place in Tartarus for freaks like you!" Diamond Tiara added.

"Poroporoaki, patea taha!"

The hand pulled Sweetie Belle through the gap.





Sweetie Belle was falling through a strange, trippy void. A strange electro beat resonated in the background. Wait... Was it... The robot music from Mareio Paint?

To Sweetie Belle's surprise, another Sweetie Belle passed by and floated next to her. She looked older, about fifteen, and had a cutie mark of a pink heart and yellow bell. "Hey, have you seen that cur Diamond Tiara? She'll pay for what she did to my friend!"

Another Sweetie Belle fell down. She looked normal, except she was missing her right foreleg. "Hey, is this the train to Curpleville, Ponesylvania?"

Another Sweetie Belle fell down. At least, Sweetie Belle swore it was her. She looked borderline inequine, and sported a fatter horn and a manestyle similar to Twilight Sparkle's cousin Midnight Glisten. "Does my magic give you a great big smile?"

Yet another mirror Sweetie Belle appeared. Or, in this case, Sweetie Bot. The sight of a robot freaked the real Sweetie Belle out. They were so scary she just had to do an essay on it. But was she a robot? "Confusion. Multiple specimens of 'Sweetie Belle' detected."

Another Sweetie Belle appeared, this one appeared normal. However, she then spoke, "I am a normal pony. Are you an oompa loompa?" 'Her' voice sounded demonic and masculine.

Another Sweetie Belle passed by. She was inequine, though had a familiar face. She appeared more upright, her hind legs were longer, and in place of her forehooves were claws resembling Spike's though more rounded. Hands? She was wearing a rain jacket and long pants. "Are you girls hiding from Babs, too?"

A seventh other Sweetie Belle fell down. She resembled the sixth, but looked about twenty years older, and had enormous hips and two large lumps on her chest. She was clad in what appeared to be some kind of hyper-advanced bodysuit. "Note to self, never eat guavas right before using the brain tumbler. If you do, expect to cross dreams with an ogledalo or seven."

"Ogledalo? What's that?" Sweetie Belle reluctantly asked.

"Us! Other versions!" 

The group separated and slowly drifted apart. Sweetie Belle looked around as her various versions, or 'ogledalos', scattered and slowly vanished.





The sky suddenly turned a bright cyan. Sweetie Belle had to shield her eyes from the glaring sun.

After falling for a bit more, she landed in what felt like smooze.

Looking around, she was in a strange purple goop. Smooze? Was this smooze? Just the word tasted like gak.

She looked above her and saw two rainbows appearing. Before long, they were overlapping.

A mysterious light appeared where the rainbows crossed. From it, a familiar figure emerged.

"Rainbow Dash always dresses in style!" The rainbow-maned pegasus flew off behind Sweetie Belle and performed a sonic rainboom."

Somehow, the rainboom created a massive sinkhole which the smooze started flowing into. Treading smooze and fearing for her life, Sweetie Belle attempted in vain to swim against the current. As she sank into the abyss and her vision faded to darkness, all she could think about was what Cheerilee had told her yesterday.

"Ponies don't taste words, Sweetie Belle."





Sweetie Belle suddenly awoke in a small pool. Looking around, she appeared to be alone. Or so she thought. Turning around, she saw Jewel, one of the main characters from Call to Summons. Her lavender horn glistened in the moonlight. Her pink mane blew in the wind. Her cutie mark, a ᚦ, made Sweetie Belle think of Twist for some reason.

This has to be a nightmare... Sweetie Belle thought, This is too surreal...

Jewel raised her left forehoof. 

"Povratak na vaš poziv!"

Her sobarica, Melchoir, a rusty brown pegasus with a white mane, had descended. His cutie mark, a magic bow, shone in the darkness.

"Well, well, well," He said, "Looks like we have a kirin to deal with..."

With that, he flared his wings, creating a mighty gust of wind. Sweetie Belle felt herself get dizzy.

No... NO!

Drowning. Tied for her worst fear.

The world grew black as Jewel raised a staff and muttered something resembling a spell incantation.





Sweetie Belle awoke on the beach, with Apple Bloom looking down at her.

"Sweetie Belle Thrackerzod Topaz!" Apple Bloom sounded like she was going to spank her.

"Apple Bloom Applesparkle Appletower!"

"Ah should've just left ya out there!"

"Maybe you should have!"

Apple Bloom gestured to her left. Sweetie Belle turned to see Scootaloo had been impaled by a large sword straight through her underbelly and emerging out her back. She was sitting in a pool of her own blood, bleeding profusely from her wound, the pool growing larger every second. 

"This is so awesome!" Scootaloo squealed, holding her forelegs to the side of her head. She sounded like an obsessed fangirl.

Sweetie Belle was aghast. She's enjoying it?

Sweetie Belle got up and turned to Apple Bloom. "Apple Bloom, what are you up to? Please, I must know!"

Apple Bloom just dissolved into blood, leaving behind a small lump of gore.

Sweetie Belle ran along the beach, away from her two friends. She just ran. Her mind was a complete blank, like her flank. Eventually, however, thoughts surfaced. 

What's going on? What's happening to me? Why has everything changed so suddenly? Where am I? What is this place? 

She ran for what felt like a whole day, not stopping even to catch her breath. Maybe she was a robot. There was no way anypony could have this much stamina.

Suddenly she tripped over something. Getting up and turning around, she saw a small blue box. Levitating it in front of her, she saw it was the box Apple Bloom had yesterday. The words "for heavy magic" stood there in bold letters, but the rest was too blurry to make out. 

Suddenly voices spoke out.

"「Mcüezŕôx」!" A gruff male voice...

"Yai?" This one sounded like Mare Corlett, AKA Sweetheart, an awful character on that awful show Rarity watches.

"Eka ogledalo!"

"Hi eç noa?"

Sweetie Belle turned around. The other Sweetie Belle she saw before with the jumpsuit and large chest lumps was talking to what appeared to be a fat robot or suit of armor. She pressed a button on her front... Fetlock? Hands? Those appendages looked strange. Were they hands? Lyra and Spike had used the word before. And it tasted like salty lettuce. But she was a pony, right? She had the face. Why hands? It didn't make any sense.

All of a sudden, things started to go dark.

"Futo ċi kazrn, Ðuul."

"Oki."

A voice with a Braelic accent spoke, "Caputþto Śafnsatorinoatxcçäþ Ein-Zun-Fumi-Koŋ-Art-...

Everything suddenly went black and silent.





Sweetie Belle awoke to find herself surrounded by stars.

She had been here before. She knew this place.

The Dream Dimension.

Was all that just a dream?

It was just a dream. Thank the stars...

Looking around, she saw Princess Luna descending to her platform.

"Princess Luna!" Sweetie Belle cried, leaping into the alicorn's forelegs as she burst into tears.

"It's okay, Sweetie Belle. I'm here." Luna's voice was calm but still regal.

After what felt like an hour of sobbing and mumbling, Sweetie Belle finally gained the courage to truly speak up.

"Princess Luna..."

"What is it, Sweetie Belle?"

"Luna... Do you know what Synesthesia is?" The taste irked her, but she was getting used to it.

Luna put a forehoof to her chin. "Is that what it is called?... 

"...I see..."

Luna placed her hoof back on the ground. "Sweetie Belle, in one thousand and seven hundred years, you are the first pony I have ever seen with this... Condition of yours, where words feature distinctive taste. While I believe you are not the only one with this... Ability, you are the only one I know." Luna levitated a clipboard and quill in front of her. "Might I ask, what does 'Luna' taste like, just out of curiosity?"

Sweetie Belle thought for a second. "A really sweet cheese. Like, too sweet."

"I see." Luna teleported the clipboard away. "Sweetie Belle, what you have is unusual, but not unique. Your variant I was unaware of, but there are others."

"But what do I do? I'm a freak!"

"Be that as it may, you are still you and yourself. You are not the only pony I've met with... Synesthesia... Nor are you the only one in fear of the stigma that comes with it." Luna turned around. "My suggestion, since we're short on time now, is to just talk with your friends about it. Hopefully they can understand."

Sweetie Belle smiled for the first time since recess yesterday. "Thank you, Luna. I will."

With that, Luna stomped the ground, and everything faded to black.

Mysterious voices echoed from the distant corners of the realm.

"But Dad..."

"Shut up, Chica!"

"Ceci n'est pas une pipe."

"Немам жељу да посете овај ... 'Косово'"

"მოდი აქ!"

"もこたんインしたお！"

"「Mcüezŕôx」, 「Cáèqþ M!ârwa」..."





Sweetie Belle awoke to the sounds of a familiar Gensokyan punk rock group.

Ugh, why now?

It had been a rough day yesterday, and a rough night last night. She wasn't looking forward to going back to school, but she had to. The Princess said she had to face her fears. And more. She needed acceptance. She needed answers. She needed to find out what was going on with her friends and Silver Spoon. The three had been acting strangely yesterday. Sweetie Belle could understand Silver Spoon's aggression considering her only friend was suspended, but that didn't explain why she appeared to be so protective of her underside after the fight. Apple Bloom wasn't any better, taking frequent bathroom breaks, holding a mysterious blue box all the time, getting horseshoes installed, and being even more worried about her cutie mark than ever. Not to mention her sudden growth spurt, especially toward the back. Then there was Scootaloo... Did she really enjoy being sliced up by those brambles? What a weirdo. Nopony likes being in pain.

Just like nopony can taste words. Except me.

Her... Synesthesia... It made her a target. An easy target.

She really didn't want to go... Did her need to have questions answered outweigh the possible teasing, and/or retaliation from Silver Spoon? She remembered the stares of yesterday. The mere thought chilled her to the bone. Assuming she had bones. But Luna's words echoed in her mind. She had to go. She had to face her fears.

As she got prepared for school, she didn't see her sister. Just where was Rarity? She had obviously left sometime last night, but without a note? Did something happen? Sweetie Belle knew of the Cutie Map, perhaps it had summoned her? But why would she leave on such short notice, even if it was the map? She recalled hearing an explosion... Were they related?

Sweetie Belle knew she couldn't worry about it. She had questions she needed the answers to.

Brushing off the strange deja vu, she stepped outside. Levitating her saddlebag on, she closed and locked the door behind her and went off.





When Sweetie Belle arrived, she noticed that the large field next to the school had been fenced off for construction. She then saw her friends sitting on one end of the metal see-saw just outside the schoolhouse. She decided to walk over and greet them. Here goes nothing...

"Hey, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo!"

"Sweetie Belle?"

"Girls, look, I... I'm sorry about yesterday." Sweetie Belle sat down next to the two. "It's just... I..."

"Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo interrupted, "Don't blame yourself. Actually, I think it's awesome you can taste words. You're kinda like a robot dictionary! I'm kinda jealous! Really! I wanna know what it's like to taste words!"

"Well," Sweetie Belle began, "It's an involuntary thing. I can't control it. Whenever I see or hear a word, I just feel its taste. For example, 'Sweetie Belle' tastes like marshmallow. Whenever I hear my name, I taste marshmallow, like I'm actually eating one. It's not all nice things either. Remember that disgusting stuff the adults drink? That's what 'Applejack' tastes like. 'Synesthesia' tastes like bug spray."

"Sinners-what?"

"Synesthesia." At this point the taste, though disgusting, was no longer an issue.

"What are you, a dictionary?"

"Actually," Apple Bloom interrupted, "What do 'Apple Bloom' and 'Scootaloo' taste like?"

Sweetie Belle put a hoof under her chin, "Well, 'Apple Bloom' is like licking an apple found in the snow. Remember when we did that to try and get our cutie marks?"

The other two nodded.

"And 'Scootaloo' tastes like chicken salt."

The pegasus looked like she was going into shock. "Ch... Chicken...."

All of a sudden the three fillies were lifted into the air. Looking to the other end of the see-saw, Sweetie Belle saw a familiar teal filly.

"Oh, hey, Cardio."

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked over, and nearly fell off. Just one musclebound filly was keeping the three Crusaders perfectly balanced. She, too, was in complete shock.

"Whoa..." Scootaloo couldn't help but stare at Cardio's bulky frame. All four fillies were in awe of how the see-saw hadn't snapped in two yet.

"Hey, that's super freakshow, girls!" a mysterious voice called out.

The quartet turned towards the schoolhouse. Standing in front of it was a dark blue pegasus filly with a light blue mane styled in a rock star mohawk and deep teal eyes. Her flank was blank, no cutie mark in sight.

"The name's Wipeout." The pegasus chirped, "Wanna see something really cool?"

With that, Wipeout vanished in a blue blur.

"Over here, girls!"

The Crusaders and Cardio hopped off the see-saw and looked down the street, where Wipeout was standing upright against a street light half a block down. She ran towards the schoolhouse and in just four seconds had skidded to a stop face-to-face in front of another new filly who had just entered the school grounds from around the corner. Said filly was a beige earth pony blank flank with pale brown eyes, quite fat especially in her rear, and had her light brown mane tied into four spiraling drills.

The new filly spoke up, "Holy mother of Celestia, that was fast! You need to watch where you're going! You'll get hurt!"

Wipeout scoffed, "Heck yeah, I need to be more careful!" Her voice sounded slightly sarcastic. The two fillies walked over to the Crusaders as Tabula Rasa appeared around the corner.

The beige filly spoke up, "My name's Plot Coupon. Nice to meet you."

Sweetie Belle extended a hoof out. "Sweetie Belle. It's a pleasure."
> Class of 3000 Stares
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Let's see...
Cutie Mark Crusaders Space-Divers?
Cutie Mark Crusaders Iron Chefs?
Cutie Mark Crusaders Indie Game Developers?
Cutie Mark Crusaders RPG Protagonists?
Cutie Mark Crusaders Ice Cream Salesfillies?
Cutie Mark Crusaders Used Car Dealers?
Cutie Mark Crusaders Tampon Advertisers?
Cutie Mark Crusaders Eldritch Abominations?"

The seven fillies talked for the remainder of the pre-bell period. Introductions, getting to know each other, typical girl stuff. At one point Twist passed by, congratulated Apple Bloom and served a strange but delicious red rice with beans that Plot Coupon had called 'sekihan'. Scootaloo tried to convince Plot Coupon, Tabula Rasa and Wipeout to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders. 

"Maybe later."

Just then, Sweetie Belle remembered she had something to ask.

"Hey, Apple Bloom..."

Apple Bloom turned her head, "Yeah, Sweetie Belle?"

"What have you been doing lately? That box, frequent bathroom breaks, gala dress, horseshoes, earrings, and now this 'sekihan'. Something's up, and I'd like to know what."

Apple Bloom looked stunned. "Sweetie Belle, are ya really that innocent and naive?"

"Come on, Apple Bloom, we're friends, right? Don't be such a secretive filly!"

"Technically, Sweetie Belle, Ah ain't a filly no more."

Sweetie Belle's jaw dropped. Suddenly she realized what was happening.

Apple Bloom had grown up. Too fast.

The taste of fried blood entered her mind.

"Ya wanna see this?"

Apple Bloom held out a piece of paper. On it was a crude picture of Apple Bloom staring at a pony twelve times her height as it raised a hoof above her. The Apple Bloom in the picture had an awkward expression on her face, as though she was actually looking forward to being crushed.

"What does it mean?" Sweetie Belle cried in confusion.

"Ah dunno. All mah dreams lately have been about aliens, giant ponies and this weird pink slime stuff. Mostly giant ponies though. Ah feel strange around 'em, as if Ah just wanna crawl up 'em and sleep. Applejack says they're called 'fantasies' or somethin'. Ah dunno. All Ah know is we have a lot more laundry now. Though with all these typhoons the cloth gets messy real quick."

Sweetie Belle handed the paper back to Apple Bloom. 

Scootaloo spoke up, "Rainbow Dash said my fantasies are too dangerous. I mean, come on! What's wrong with a bit of pain?"

"Lots, that's what!" Plot Coupon stared wide-eyed at Scootaloo.

"She took me to see Twilight last night. She said I'm a masochist... Whatever that means. On the way out I fell down the front stairs and she said I might have climacophilia. I'm scared, really, I am! I don't know what any of that stuff is!"

The group continued talking. Eventually the bell rang.

"Well, let's go!"

The group walked into class and took their seats.





"Roll call!"

Sweetie Belle braced herself. She wanted to pay attention to the list. Were there any more new students or just those four?

Cheerilee called out each student's name, to which the student in question would respond verbally. "Apple Bloom."

Silence.

"Apple Bloom Appletower!"

Apple Bloom spoke up, "Sorry, Ms. Cheerilee, Ah'm not feeling the best. Ah have a nasty cramp."

Cheerilee smiled and continued the roll call.

Sweetie Belle thought things over throughout the roll call. About how her friends had actually accepted her for her weirdness. Hey, Scootalo thought it was awesome. Apple Bloom didn't mind either. And her four new friends, while not quite fully in the loop, seemed to understand.

But some things were still unexplained. 

What's with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon lately? They're acting out of character. They usually take pleasure in squeezing every last drop of fear out of the Crusaders, but have they gone too far this time? Just what were they up to last night? What is Silver Spoon hiding? What's up with Apple Bloom and giant ponies all of a sudden? She won't shut up about them! It's scary! I don't want to meet a titan! She wants to what a titan?

And what's with Scootaloo? She likes pain? Who would like pain? Pain's scary! Did she really throw herself down a flight of stairs fur fun? That's not fun, that's torture!

My Synesthesia... Scootaloo's Climacophilia, Apple Bloom's... What did she call it, again? Macrophilia? Maybe we're all a bunch of freaks... 

A sudden outburst of laughter snapped Sweetie Belle out of her trance.

"Lastly, Lily Giggle."

Loud giggling came from the back of the classroom. Lily was here, alright.

"Okay, class, today we'll be splitting up into small study groups. Sweetie Belle!"

Sweetie Belle started sweating. Please not with Silver Spoon, please not with Silver Spoon...

"You'll be with Plot Coupon and Cotton Cloudy."

Sweetie Belle was relieved. The other two fillies approached her.

"Yeah!" Cotton Cloudy cheered, "Fat-bottomed girls for the win!"

Fat-bottomed? Sweetie Belle thought, Do I really have such a big butt?





Everything went better than expected.

Cheerilee had selected Silver Spoon as the odd one out, deciding to talk to her in private outside. Did she hear about what happened yesterday or last night? Or did something else happen? Sweetie Belle didn't want to know.

The topic of the day was legends. One legend Sweetie Belle found herself intrigued by was that of a half-pony, half-dragon who was sealed in the Earth with a magic tiara. Unfortunately, the tiara had since been lost.

There was also a story of an inverted continent in the sky, home to the sun and moon, and a race of creatures with the heads and hooves of ponies but the bodies and claws of dragons, who walked upright and traveled in metal airships.

But most interesting was the legend of the Lagnisher goddess Ilisapesi, who lived in the sun and judged the dead in a cavern deep underground at night. There was also the tale of her appearing with an army of 250 and slaying an unslayable monster that had the ability to steal souls. The legend stated that her coming would be signaled by the arrival of a dragon from a realm above the heavens. A metal boat bearing six shields, three on each side, would appear from within and from it would emerge an immense monolith, able to destroy that which could not be destroyed.

All of this was fascinating stuff. 

Better yet, her group hadn't asked about her Synesthesia. She'd asked them lots of questions. She was surprised to learn that Plot Coupon's dad owned a real estate company that was responsible for parts of Ponyville's up-and-coming housing. She was quite rich because of it, however, unlike Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, she was quite generous and kind, if a little temperamental, especially with her weight. Meanwhile, Cotton Cloudy had just gotten her ears pierced yesterday, and had been in right after Apple Bloom, in fact. She was hoping to get more, though she couldn't afford it right now.

Sweetie Belle feared they were bound to figure her condition out eventually though. And she was right.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle," Cotton Cloudy asked, "About what happened yesterday, with the word tasting..."

Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh Tartarus no!

Sweetie Belle felt a shiver run down her spine. Plot Coupon looked confused. She didn't know...

"What's it like? What does my name taste like?"

Sweetie Belle gathered her thoughts. She explained everything. The Synesthesia. How it was discovered. What had happened that afternoon. How 'Cotton Cloudy' tasted like the cloud 'n' candy Scootaloo gave her last Hearts and Hooves day, and 'Plot Coupon' tasted like a rich wholegrain bread. The other two fillies were baffled by all the different taste sensations Sweetie Belle always felt. They just couldn't understand. Sweetie Belle couldn't understand, but for a different reason. She didn't know how they felt. She didn't know how it felt.

Being normal.

Nonetheless the two were surprisingly understanding. A few odd reactions, but nothing malicious. Unlike what could be said for the words of...

"Silver Spoon!"

At Bloo's shriek of terror all activity in the classroom ceased and turned to the silver filly standing in the doorway. An eerie silence

"Sweetie Belle!" The bully screamed at the top of her lungs, "The time is now! Your actions have caused me enough grief! I won't stand for it any more! It's time to end this!"

Silver Spoon walked towards Sweetie Belle. The unicorn freaked. Where's Ms. Cheerilee?

Plot Coupon, Cotton Cloudy, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Cardio and Lily Giggle got up and formed a wall around Sweetie Belle. Wipeout and Tabula Rasa had Silver Spoon cornered in the doorway.

"We won't let you get to her!" Scootaloo shouted at the bully.

Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle and whispered, "Just run! Jump out the window or somethin'!"

Sweetie Belle took a look at the window she was cornered against. Weighing her options, she decided escape would be the best option.

Sweetie Belle forced the window open with her magic and jumped out. At this, Silver Spoon turned around and ran out the door of the schoolhouse.

Sweetie Belle ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Being in the Crusaders had made her quite good at this. As she turned around, however, she saw to her surprise that Silver Spoon was catching up. She needed a hiding place.

Throwing all common sense aside, she ran straight toward the Everfree Forest.
> 742: Everfree Forest
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetie Belle knew the Everfree Forest well. She had been on many adventures there with her friends. She had traveled with Apple Bloom to see Zecora a few times. She figured Silver Spoon didn't know the place much, if at all.

Sweetie Belle made a sharp turn left and ran for a few seconds before diving into a bush to her right. It was a secret trail she knew all too well. Looking back at the main path, she saw Silver Spoon skid to a stop.

"Where'd that blank flank go?" Silver Spoon groaned in frustration. "That little shet's gonna get her comeuppance when I find h- urk!"

Silver Spoon was tackled by a blue blur and knocked flat on the ground. As she turned over she came face to face with Wipeout.

"Stop this farce, Silver Spoon!" The pegasus cried, "What did she ever do to you, anyway?"

"What did she do to me?" the bully spat at her opponent, "Well, for one, she had my only friend taken away from me! You saw that empty desk next to mine!"

"So? Why not make new friends? You can keep the old ones. At least that's what I've been told."

"She's the only pony I can trust!"

"Well, if you had friends, maybe you could trust them as well. And get rid of that stupid bandage! It looks ridiculous!"

With that, Wipeout gripped Silver Spoon's bandage in her teeth and tore it clean off. Silver gave a pained yelp as the tape pulled her fur.

All three fillies were shocked to the core.

Silver Spoon's underbelly was normal... Save for one noticeable difference. In place of what should have been the pit of her navel was a small lump of flesh just slightly sticking out of a small crevice. It looked like some sort of pink, fleshy button.

"You saw it!" Silver Spoon screamed, "You monster!"

Silver made a leap at Wipeout, however the pegasus had started running away and the bully ended up with a face full of dirt. Seeing as her nemesis was distracted, Sweetie Belle made a break for it, following her secret trail.

Unknown to her, a now tearful Silver Spoon had overheard her movements.





Cheerilee silently observed the chaos in the classroom. Silver Spoon had 'somehow nicked off detention and scared Sweetie Belle away', according to Pipsqueak. 

In return for this information, Cheerilee secretly promised Pipsqueak a spot in the next class president election.

Having left Derpy and Big Macintosh in charge of the class for the time being while Fountain Pen, Truffle Shuffle, Button Mash and that new super-strong filly whose name she couldn't remember stayed behind to clean up, Cheerilee took Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Cardio, Plot Coupon, Wipeout and Tabula Rasa with her and left the schoolgrounds.

"They ran into the Everfree Forest!" Wipeout cried, "I tried to stop them, but all I did was make Silver upset!"

Cheerilee nearly fainted. As she regained her stability, "The Everfree Forest? She'll get lost in there! Or worse!"

Apple Bloom turned to Cheerilee, "Don't worry, Ah believe Ah know where she went."

"You do?" Cheerilee sounded relieved, "Where would she have gone?"

"There's a hidden path off one side a the main road. It ain't a secret, really, but it's well-hidden and few ponies know about it. We go down there sometimes for kicks."

"Girls, that's very dangerous, you know."

"Yeah, we know."

"I just hope you're right, Apple Bloom..."

Just then, a faint, high pitched scream came from the forest.

"Sweetie Belle?"





Before long, the group had arrived at the hidden path. The trip was largely uneventful, until...

"Oki, twät door berdo käzģ."

"Did you say something, Apple Bloom?" Scootaloo turned to the yellow filly.

"No, Scoots, Ah didn't! Ah'm too busy tryin' ta distract mahself from these cramps!"

The group continued walking, but only a few seconds later...

"Ei! Okei, 「Mcüezŕôx」!"

"Seriously, Apple Bloom, quit it! We already tried getting our cutie marks in ventriloquism, remember?"

"Ah didn't say anythin'! Ah'm in too much pain!!"

"Yeah, sure you--" Scootaloo suddenly tripped and fell, "Whoa! What did I just trip--"

The group stopped and looked down. A railway line crossed the path at a diagonal angle.

"That's weird..." Plot Coupon commented, "Why is there a railway line all the way out here?"

Apple Bloom wrinkled her nose, "That wasn't there before, Ah swear!"

Suddenly, bushes to the left rustled. Fearing the worst, Cheerilee jumped in front of her students and stood her ground.

A familiar figure eased its way out of the bushes screaming its head off, "What is your problem, horn?! I followed you all the way out here for-- Ms. Cheerilee?"

"Rarity?"

"Oh, Rarity, thank Faust!" Cheerilee cried, about to burst into tears, "It's horrible! Silver Spoon chased Sweetie Belle deep into the forest! They could be anywhere!"

Rarity cringed, "Wait, Sweetie Belle..." The mare looked like she was going to faint, "Quick! Somepony get me a couch!"

"This is serious, Rarity!" Scootaloo screamed, "Sweetie Belle is out there, lost and probably crying! Leave the goofing off to Pinkie and help us look!"

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom added, "There's a clearing a way away. Once we get there we can split up and meet back there. Easy!"

"Rarity," Cheerilee continued, "Please help us. She's your sister, after all." Something struck Cheerilee's mind. "Wait, why are you out here anyway?"

"Well," Rarity began, "It all started at three in the morning. My cutie mark--"

"ENOUGH!!!"

A familiar scream echoed from further down the path.

"「Rñòŕhĭùð」?"

"Twät śinka lu, 「Nitori」, lu rkaċśä!" 

"That sounded like Silver Spoon!"

"After her!"





Sweetie Belle was lost. Alternating between swearing she took a wrong turn somewhere and insisting she was going in the right direction, she ignored the strange sounds of construction, drills and mysterious voices and pushed forward.

This is the right trail... Right? Several thoughts ran through her head. It has to be...

Maybe I took a wrong turn somewhere...

I mean, I swear I saw a railway running through the forest just now, that certainly wasn't there before...

I must be lost...

Better not think about that for now...

What was up with Silver Spoon's belly button? Is she a robot? Maybe that's her plug... Why else would she be so secretive about it? It has to be some sort of plug. She's a robot. Definitely.

But then how does she feel emotion? She was clearly angry and surprised. I think I even heard her crying as I left.

But if robots can feel emotion... Does that mean I could still be a robot? A... Sweetie Bot? A robot... Going on a rampage, destroy a secret underground lab or two...

How would I know?

It's just not fair! Why isn't Rarity telling me about this?

In her haste she tripped over a raised tree root and fell to the ground. Picking herself up, she saw a strange, somewhat cubic hut in the middle of a clearing. It wasn't one of Zecora's, that much was certain. This one appeared to be some kind of derelict spacecraft. Approaching the left wing, the side featured some strange text under the wing:



Above the wing lay a trio of strange shields:



Sweetie Belle shuddered. Something seemed out of place with those shields. Just looking at them made her feel a strange mix of emotions. These strange symbols were unknown to her, but she felt a strange sense of deja vu. At the same time, she felt a sense of accomplishment, like she'd achieved a task she didn't even know she was trying to achieve. She also felt a strange sense of... Friendship? Looking at each symbol, the one on the left, featuring a music note inside a star, elicited extremely powerful emotions compared to the other two. It felt like a part of her that could never be taken away. A strange chill went down her spine. Had she seen this particular symbol before? In a dream, perhaps? Sweetie turned to her blank flank. But why? Was this symbol influencing her somehow? What was happening?

Sweetie Belle shuddered again. What kind of symbols were these?

She looked around the structure, heading clockwise. The next side was shaped like a cone, and appeared quite aerodynamic. A vehicle, alright. There was what appeared to be a window of some kind. The cockpit, perhaps? She couldn't see inside, there was just black space. On the sides of the nose were two tubes with strange rings around them. Some kind of weapon, maybe?

The third side was similar to the first, but the shields were in the reverse order and appeared to be closer together. below them were even more strange runes.





Six large shields, three on each side? Was this the herald of Ilisapesi?

The shields were the strangest part of the whole thing. Especially the one with the music note. It called out to her, like it wanted to absorb her.

Looking closely at the shield again, a voice called out to her. "Mlp... Fim... Mlp... Fim..." The voice sounded strange, to say the least, unlike anything she'd ever heard before. Almost demonic, even.

"Me... You... Me... You..."

Her heart started beating faster. She felt scared, but at the same time the symbol seemed to calm and sedate her.

"Xîpmyá, fim ìįïí mlp? Xîpmyá, fim ìįïí mlp?"

Mysterious noises spread throughout the air.

"I am your cutie mark, remember?"

Sweetie Belle jumped and turned away from the ship. She was breathing heavily. Her heart was racing at an alarming pace. What was this weird emblem? Why was it talking to her? What was this "I am your cutie mark" business? Was this a horrible portent? Did it have something to do with that nightmare last night? In particular the strange bipedal creature, clad in a high tech jumpsuit, that she only just noticed had had the shield there all along?

It made her head hurt.

After a quick breather, Sweetie Belle moved to the fourth and final side. On the rear was what looked like a door, though there appeared to be no visible way to open it. Twelve symbols adorned the door, four on either side and four in the middle. On the left were a checkered flag, a currency sign, a 1T weight, and an eye. In the middle were the three shields again, along with...

No, that couldn't be right.

A pair of barbers scissors. The handles were apple themed.



Babs Seed's cutie mark? What the Sleipnir of Frigg is this doing here?

On the right were a familiar tiara, a familiar spoon, and two familiar candies, along with what appeared to be a strange yellow fish surrounded by croissants.

More cutie marks? Could the others be cutie marks as well?

She saw a strange device to the door's left, high up, but not too high for her to reach. She looked at a pipe on the device, focusing one eye on it. Suddenly, a bright light entered her eye, briefly blinding her. The device beeped twice, then spoke in a strange language, resembling the Braelic accent from last night.

"Nercäċuqa tseşiṕra. Ḃuśkr mvaqi mväśtra: 「Mcüezŕôx Þwlhĩím」."

The last two words induced a strange reaction in Sweetie's mind. The first tasted strangely like marshmallows, and the second like honey, even though this was the first time she'd heard them. None of the other words noticeably tasted. Even most of the sounds were foreign to her. Yet, despite that, both words' taste and meaning were strangely familiar...

Looking to her right, she saw the door had opened, revealing a dark room.

Brushing off the strange deja vu, she stepped inside. Nothing but a blank screen and another door. What is this place? Why was I let in? Why did those last two words taste familiar?

Suddenly, the door closed. She was trapped.

Sweetie Belle screamed.
> Mcüezŕôx Koṕ ni Qiln Fasa hri ni Nitä
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver Spoon groaned. Following that blank flank was becoming tedious. Did she stick to the trail? Did she just see a railway track out here? Were those voices and construction noises she was hearing?

None of it mattered to her. Those blank flanks had seen her secret shame.

Her outie.

She remembered it like it was yesterday...


***


Silver Spoon lay on her back. She was pinned down by Hammertime, a colt a year older than her. He had just got his cutie mark -a large hammer- earlier that day. And he was proud of it.

"Leave her alone, you creep!" Diamond Tiara screamed, being pinned down by Hammertime's lackeys Iron Anvil and Loose Stirrup.

"Hey, Anvil, Stirrup! Look at what we have here!" Hammertime's words echoed through Silver Spoon's mind even in the present day.

Iron Anvil and Loose Stirrup turned toward their friend, dragging the blank flank Diamond Tiara along the ground.

"Hey, nice find, Hammer!" 

"Looks like the kid's a freak!"

The three colts began chanting "Outie girl!" over and over. In seconds, Silver Spoon had been reduced to tears.

On the other hand, Diamond Tiara grew increasingly furious. Her rage built up until she snapped. But the colts were just too strong for her.

Eventually the fight was broken up by Cheerilee. However, the damage had already been done. Silver Spoon would never see herself the same way again. She resorted to hiding her secret shame with a bandage. Diamond Tiara took her in, serving her the most delicious meal she ever ate, giving her impressive and royal comfort, and trying and ultimately failing to talk Silver into seeing herself for who she was. Feeling so spoiled, it was a few minutes until Silver Spoon noticed she had gotten her cutie mark.

But Hammertime's words echoed in the back of her mind.

She was a freak.

A freak.


***


A freak...

A freak...

A freak...

She couldn't take it anymore.

She had to let it out.

"ENOUGH!!!"

Creatures scattered through the forest.

"「Rñòŕhĭùð」?"

"Twät śinka lu, 「Nitori」, lu rkaċśä!" 

Those voices again.

She had to get out of this Faustawful place.





Sweetie Belle awoke to the sound of a loud and yet strangely familiar scream. She didn't know how long she was trapped in the hut for.

Turning around, she saw the other door had opened into a room filled with clutter. The only light in the room was from the one active screen. Walking over and looking at it, Sweetie Belle noticed it was security footage of the area just outside Zecora's hut. At the top were twelve symbols, with the second, resembling a て, being highlighted. The first vaguely resembled a そ, the third vaguely resembled a ラ, and she couldn't care about any of the others. She assumed they were numbers, with the て being 1 or 2. Based on her knowledge of other languages, it was probably a 1, but she couldn't be sure. It appeared to be, however; looking at a list below two symbols after the last were てそ.

Looking down below her, Sweetie Belle saw a hundred tiny buttons below her. How can anypony use these? They're so small! Looking closely at one row, she saw a line of symbols resembling the twelve symbols at the top of the security display. Should she touch one of those? If so, how? They were so small!

Looking across the desk, Sweetie Belle spied a photograph. It contained four bipedal yet strangely pony-like characters; the first an orange-furred girl with purple hair and eyes and small wings; the second a white-furred girl with green eyes and curly lavender and rose streaked hair and a horn on her forehead; the third a slightly older-looking, rather chunky brown-furred girl with green eyes and red hair in a sort of smooth mohawk with bangs falling down one side of her face; and the fourth a freakishly tall yellow-furred girl with brown eyes and red hair tied with a huge pink bow.

It can't be...

Sweetie Belle's mind snapped.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders? How is this even possible? Does that mean I'm just a robot clone, or...

No, this is ridiculous! There's only one of me...

Unless I am a robot clone...

Though, that's probably why I was let in.

The Sweetie Belle looked like the figure from her dream... There was no way that could be coincidence.

But what were these strange creatures? Could they be the monsters inhabiting the inverted continent? They certainly resembled the description in her textbook...

Sweetie Belle had an idea. Using her magic, she levitated the picture above the buttons and pressed down on the ラ.

As she suspected the picture on the screen changed.

She was now looking at...

Wait...

No way! That's the inside of Sugarcube Corner! Pinkie Pie was serving cupcakes to Derpy, Sparkler and a black and purple unicorn stallion with a police badge that she didn't know.

She used the picture frame to press the (presumed) 3.

The footage changed to a shot of the patch of poison joke near Zecora's hut. Nothing unusual.

4. Some building somewhere? What appeared to be an overhead view of a large dirigible landing pad with a huge door at the bottom, with a tower in each corner. At the bottom of another tower, she could make out...

Wait, what was Diamond Tiara doing there? Messing with something in the tower, no doubt.

The security footage inexplicably cut out and was replaced with static.

What did she just do?

5. An aerial view of the Everfree Forest. Whatever the camera was attached to, it was moving at high speed. 

Sweetie Belle started to feel sick. She quickly pressed the 6, revealing...

Cheerilee's office? It looked like there'd been fighting going on in there. Fountain Pen and Truffle Shuffle were cleaning up. Button Mash passed by, visible through the open door.

7 looked kind of like a £. Pressing it revealed the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters in the middle of the forest. A vehicle of some kind was parked outside, but it looked strange. Where were the wheels and shafts? How was it supposed to work? What was it for? Sweetie Belle didn't have to wait long to find out some of the answers. The orange girl from the photograph entered a door on the front left. After a few seconds, the vehicle began levitating, and drove off. But how?

8. Looked like a mine shaft, the camera focused on a track leading to an elevator. A minecart full of strange red football-shaped gems was being wheeled onto the elevator. Next to a lever stood...

A Sweetie Bot?

Sweetie Belle couldn't believe what she was seeing. That's it, I'm definitely a robot clone if that other one's real...

9. An overhead view of the Cutie Map. Things seemed dire. Sirens were blaring, and five cutie marks hovered above the map flashing red like an emergency situation. Twilight Sparkle's was missing... Any particular reason?

Were the M and arrow numbers? Was てそ ten or twelve? It made her head hurt.

She pressed the presumed 10. The inside of the Crusaders' Clubhouse? Why would they put a camera in there?

11 was...

No way, it was her bedroom at Carousel Boutique! Through some devious calculating, Sweetie Belle deduced the camera was inside the plush pony she got from the Appleloosa Rodeo market three days ago. 

But why?

In her shock, Sweetie Belle dropped the frame on a right arrow. The footage changed to Apple Bloom's room, the camera being below the closet Scootaloo had hidden in once. And was that Big Macintosh playing with Apple Bloom's new My Little Human dolls? Specifically the CMC... He'd certainly have something to say for himself...

Sweetie Belle noticed there were more cameras. She kept pressing the right arrow, until the chevron on the right of the row of moon runes went grayed.

13. Scootaloo's room, from behind one of the Wonderbolts posters.

14. A fancy bedroom that looked like it had been torn up in a violent tantrum. The tiara above the bed indicated who it belonged to.

15. A similar but less fancy bedroom, also ransacked. Spoon imagery decorated the walls, and a snake slept near the camera.

16. A sorry-looking bedroom. Scissors were piled up on a table. Suddenly, the door opened and Babs entered. This was her room?! Why are they spying on us?

17. Pinkie's room in Sugarcube Corner.

18. Rainbow Dash's room.

19. Rarity's room.

20. Sweetie Belle's room back at home, looking out towards the windmill.

21. Twilight's room

22. Inside Fluttershy's cottage

23. Applejack's room.

24. Above the entrance to the town hall.

25. Was that Appleloosa?

26. The inside of a vehicle. Looking closely at the driver, it appeared to be the vehicle she saw before.

27, 28, 29 and 30 were watchtowers. The last was occupied by some massive armored thing. The others were empty.

31 was another view of the mines. A drilling sound could be heard.

32 was a shot of a huge circular mineshaft ending in molten magma below.

33 was displayed all weird and distorted. Magical energy was extracting what appeared to be football-shaped objects from a large metal surface. Were these the same ones those robots were gathering before?

34. Another view of the mines. Was that aegisalt they were mining there?

35. A change of pace. Was this a rock farm? Pinkie's, perhaps?

36. Some building in the forest somewhere. 37 through 42 were more shots of the same building. 

43. The classroom. It seemed strangely empty.

44. An apple farm.

45. Ponyville Post Office

46. Celestia's throne room.

47. A hall of doors in an underground cavern. It looked like there'd been a fight.

48. Outer space? Why? The camera turned to reveal a huge dragon. Sweetie Belle quickly switched over.

49 was... The weird beach from her dream? But how? Strangely, the whole footage was in black and white.

50 through 79 were bedrooms and other places she'd never seen before. Only 62 and 77 had anything familiar, namely Thunderlane and Discord respectively.

80 was what appeared to be the bedroom of somepony of high prestige. A saxophone lay at the base of the bed. Who sleeps here? Sweetie Belle wondered.

The last one, 81, was the interior of the shack itself. Looking closely, Sweetie Belle saw it was looking directly at her butt, which it turned out was indeed quite large.

"What the Faust?! Has my butt always been that huge?!"

In the following shock she dropped the picture frame again, this time on a button with a む-like character.

The video replayed everything since switching over to the current feed.

"What the Faust?! Has my butt always been that huge?!"

Sweetie Belle was shocked to the core. Was that what her voice really sounded like? It was horrible, to say the least. She sounded like Mare Corlett in her younger years. She couldn't stand her now, nor then.

She remembered there was one more camera. Pressing the right arrow again, the screen snapped to the そ. Zero turned out to be security footage of the area just outside, more specifically where she'd entered the clearing. Looking closely at it, she saw movement in the bush. 

Suddenly, a figure emerged. Sweetie Belle cringed. It was Silver Spoon. She had been followed. It wouldn't be a problem as long as Silver didn't figure out how to operate the device and get in, but her being right outside was still a terrifying prospect.

Silver Spoon approached the building and punched it with her left foreleg. Sweetie Belle fell over from the sudden noise and landed her head on the desk.

The screen right in front of her suddenly turned on. On it, Sweetie Belle could make out Silver Spoon's ugly countenance.

Oh no. Ooooh nooooo!

Silver Spoon closed one eye and moved the other towards the camera.

Shet...

The mysterious runes appeared on the screen. Two beeps. The machine knew both fillies.

"Nercäċuqa tseşiṕra. Ḃuśkr mvaqi mväśtra: 「Rñòŕhĭùð Âhôsmnpék」."

Nononononononononononono!

The familiar metallic taste of blood in her mouth. Sweetie Belle suddenly knew what those familiar words were.

Names.

The door opened, and Silver Spoon walked in.

"Ooh, the blank flank. What a pleasant surprise! Looks like this is my lucky day after all!"
> Belle's in the Cradle With Silver Spoon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetie Belle stood her ground. Silver Spoon was approaching. If she could get past she'd have an advantage, as she could unlock the door and hopefully trap the bully inside the ship. But she was trapped like a rat. Things couldn't possibly get worse. This was the worst possible thing. Worse than Synesthesia. Or being a robot. Or having the front half of her skin burned off. Or losing a leg. Or dying in a horrific scooter accident. Or becoming a mare way too fast. Or developing a phobia of red stallions. Or anything else, really. Even spinach.

Sweetie Belle tried to keep the situation under control. "Hey, Silver..."

"Yeah? You're sorry? It's too bucking late for that, blank flank! I'm just here to whup that oversized butt of yours!"

Silver tackled Sweetie Belle, launching the hapless unicorn into the front of a small cage.

The fight continued, neither side gaining any ground. Hooves and small objects went flying everywhere.

Eventually, though, Silver started taking the lead.

"Have at this!" Silver Spoon made her next attack, swiping Sweetie Belle across the face with both forehooves.

Sweetie Belle felt something strange in her eyes, like something was stuck in them. Shaking her head, it felt like a weight had been lifted. 

Looking up at Silver Spoon, she saw the earth pony filly suddenly go aghast. She looked like she'd just seen a ghost.

"Sweetie Belle... Your eyes... What the..."

Sweetie Belle turned toward the mirror. What she saw shocked her to the core.

She was bruised and battered, as bad as she had been after her fight yesterday, if not worse. But that wasn't the surprising part. Looking at her eyes, she almost had a heart attack. In place of the familiar green irises, her left eye (her reflection's right) was a deep blue, matching her sister. Her right eye, however, was a bright shade of pink. Both also retained faint hints of their familiar green. She screamed loud enough to knock a coffee mug off the table. Her eyes were mismatched? And she never even knew? Was this proof she was a robot?

She backed away from the unfamiliar filly in the mirror. In doing so, however, she accidentally hit a big red button on the wall.

Several alarms went off. Lights flashed red. Sweetie Belle tried to make sense of everything, but became confused. 

"What have you done, blank flank?" Silver Spoon cried, "What did you press?"

"I have no idea!" Sweetie Belle screamed in panic.

"Well, fix it!"

"I can't! I don't know how!"

She pressed the button again. The alarms only worsened.

"Klomþkato śaifnbarnślori."

A second alarm, different from the first set, suddenly started up. This one sounded even more dire.

"Şuuk. Şuuk. Śaifnbarnślorirulcaahatdoor ŋuvra. Źeŋmoŋ. Utsuhoterco źuðara. Źeŋmoŋ. Śaifndens ŋuvra. Utsuhosaki naolin. Utsuhosaki hri tri, zel, ein..."

Just then, a massive, deafening, fiery roar was heard a moderate distance away. The ground shook violently, knocking both fillies to the floor. Both of them could hear only a faint ringing noise as their vision faded to black amidst flickering lights.





Sirens and alarms blared in the distance. Whatever it was, it seemed dire.

"Follow those alarms!" Wipeout ran ahead.

"Şuuk. Şuuk. Śaifnbarnślorirulcaahatdoor ŋuvra. Źeŋmoŋ. Utsuhoterco źuðara. Źeŋmoŋ. Śaifndens ŋuvra. Utsuhosaki naolin. Utsuhosaki hri tri, zel, ein..."

Just then, a massive, deafening, fiery roar was heard a moderate distance away. The ground shook violently, knocking the group to the ground as a large pillar of light appeared to the north.

As the group reoriented themselves, the alarms and sirens faded. 

Wipeout ran towards the rest of the group, "Hey, you guys, I found something!"

The group continued forward along the trail. After a minute or two they reached a clearing featuring what appeared to be a spacecraft of some description, straight out of a science fiction movie.

The group stared at the metallic object in confusion. While there appeared to be an entrance, there was no visible way to open it.

"Silver Spoon is looking at expulsion at this rate." Cheerilee looked down at the ground.

Rarity sighed, "I feel bad about Sweetie Belle. I should've been there for her."

"No, Rarity," a dejected looking Cardio sighed, "It wasn't your fault. Silver Spoon looked like she was out for blood."

Apple Bloom's voice suddenly echoed. "Hey, Ah found somethin'"

The group ran to the north side of the ship, where Apple Bloom was examining a strange machine on the wall.

"What is it, Apple Bloom?" Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah, what is it?" Wipeout also asked.

"Looks like some kind of scanner..." Plot Coupon concluded.

Apple Bloom focused on the device with one eye. Suddenly, she fell back.

"Whoa! That light!"

The machine beeped twice.

"Nercäċuqa tseşiṕra. Ḃuśkr mvaqi mväśtra: 「Mƥlxòyc Mƥlzéñĝè」"

The door slid open.

"Ah got in!" Apple Bloom got up and entered the door. "Whoa! Hey, y'all, come and look at this!"

The group quickly ran towards the door. Inside, Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon were getting up after what appeared to be another fight.

"Sweetie Belle Thrackerzod Topaz!" Rarity cried, "What were you thinking, running off like that?" She ran over to her sister and helped her up.

As Rarity looked into Sweetie Belle's face, she froze in horror. Her sister's contact lenses had fallen off.

"Sweetie Belle... Your eyes..."

"I know! I know!" Sweetie Belle cried, closing her eyes as tears welled up inside them, "I'm a freak! I'm a blank flank, I taste words, and now this!"

"So..." Plot Coupon interrupted, "You have... Heterochromia?"

"Yes, yes she does," Rarity confirmed, "And it looks horrible, too! Very unpleasant! Our parents paid dearly for magical contact lenses that would stay attached. I guess they didn't pay enough."

"How could you do this to me, Rarity? I'm a robot freak!"

"Sweetie Belle, you are not a robot. I can prove it when we get back home."

The two sisters held each other as the rest watched.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo approached the two unicorns.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom touched a forehoof to one eye, then the other. Scootaloo did the same.

Sweetie Belle looked at her friends. Their eyes... Were different. Apple Bloom's left eye was the same light, golden hazel it had always been, but her right eye was a brilliant green matching her sister's. Scootaloo's left eye was also the same purple hue as before, but her right eye was a strange hybrid of bright gold and a sickening blood red.

"You too..."

Sweetie Belle burst into tears.

Eventually, she calmed down. "I'm so sorry for all this, Rarity," Sweetie Belle choked between sobs, "But Silver Spoon wanted to do something really nasty to me. Even kill me!"

"That's because you saw it!" Silver Spoon snapped from behind a fallen coffee mug, "You saw my secret shame!"

"What?" Wipeout quipped, "Your outie?"

Silver Spoon's jaw dropped. "How dare you!" she screamed, "That's supposed to be a secret! You cheeky little shet! I'll kill everypony in this room if I have to!"

Cardio charged at Silver Spoon and pinned her against the wall. Moving to the side, she revealed Silver Spoon's secret shame: Her outie.

Everypony looked at Silver Spoon. The silver filly burst into tears. Cardio let go and the two returned to the ground.

Cheerilee walked over to Silver Spoon, grabbed her, and escorted her out of the building as the others were walking away. "That's your problem?" Cheerilee scolded her in an uncharacteristically angry tone of voice, "Just because you have an outie? What were you thinking, trying to kill another student? You're looking at expulsion! This is truly unforgivable!"

"I... I wasn't trying to kill her..."

"Save it for the court! This attempted murder won't go unpunished!"

"But... I- It wasn't-"

"I don't care! Silver Spoon Bishop, you are--"

"Expelled?" A familiar voice called out from behind.

Everypony froze as a familiar pink filly emerged from the bushes.

"Diamond Tiara?" half the group all said almost in unison. It was very clearly her. In place of her usual crown was a new one with three raised sections, each featuring a jewel, the middle one featuring a large, round green gem emanating immense power.

"The whole thing was my fault!" the pink filly confessed, "I wanted Silver Spoon to bring Sweetie Belle to me so I could punish her personally!"

"It's true! Really!" Silver Spoon cried between sobs. "We both wanted revenge, and she promised it for me..."

"And now," Diamond Tiara continued, "My moment of revenge is now! Diamond Tiara Dazzle Princess Applesparkle Equestria Silver Nugget Mystic Cutie Mark Merchant will not be stopped!"

Apple Bloom tilted her head in confusion. "Diamond Tiara Dazzle Princess Applesparkle Equestria Silver Nugget Mystic Cutie Mark Merchant? And Ah thought Apple Bloom Appledoor Applepsi Applesparkle Applehoof Appletown Applebell Appletower was excessive."

"No matter. Now, would you please move out of the way? I have business to finish with this runt!"

Scootaloo scoffed, "Huh. That's the first time I've ever seen you even remotely nice!"

Tabula Rasa shivered. "You plan to take her in?"

Diamond Tiara turned to the timid filly. "And you know this how? Tell me!"

"Well, you see--, I can read minds, and..."

"Enough chitchat! I suppose if you know I'll be a good villain and give my monologue."

At this, Scootaloo and Wipeout exchanged winks and skulked off to the sides. Apple Bloom, Plot Coupon and Cardio headed towards back. Cheerilee, Rarity and Tabula Rasa surrounded the crying Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon.

Diamond Tiara cleared her throat, "Ahem, as I was saying, I'll explain my plans.

"You see, my desire is to rule this filthy mudhole of a planet as its glorious queen! Why, you ask? Because I deserve better! Diamond Dazzle Tiara, Queen of All! Doesn't that sound absolutely glorious? With Silver Spoon as my sidekick and Sweetie Belle as my source of power, I'll conquer this pathetic rock and--"

Suddenly, as if by karma, a fishing net fell out of a nearby tree, trapping Diamond Tiara underneath and dislodging her crown. Apple Bloom, Plot Coupon and Cardio jumped out of the nearby bushes and sat on three corners of the net while Scootaloo and Wipeout dropped a rock on the other corner. 

Scootaloo walked up to the trapped bully and snorted.

Sweetie Belle spoke up from behind the adults, "How does it feel, huh?" She, Silver Spoon and Tabula Rasa walked over to Diamond Tiara. 

The pink bully scoffed, "Well, I suppose my secrets are coming out of the bag now?"

Sweetie Belle smirked, "Like the fact your accent is fake?"

Diamond Tiara's eyes widened, "Wha-- That's a lie! Don't believe don't believe her words!" 

"And I heard she wets the bed and sleeps with a nightlight!"

Diamond Tiara lost it. She broke into tears, buried herself in her fetlocks, and wet herself in sheer terror. "Ah'm scared, Daddy!" True to Sweetie Belle's words, the pink filly spoke with an obvious southern drawl.

Cheeilee and Rarity stood there, jaws dropping.

"A little... Unorthodox, but it worked." Cheerilee sounded like she'd witnessed a murder. 

Rarity simply fainted in the fashion of a myotonic goat.

Cheerilee walked up to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. "What am I going to do with you two?" She lamented.

Plot Coupon put a hoof to her chin, "Maybe a special summer camp for the unruly..."

The bullies stared at each other through the net, then at Cheerilee.

"How did she know my secrets?" Diamond Tiara pondered.

Apple Bloom spoke up, "Oh, they're well known now. Not to worry though, Ah wet the bed 'til Ah was nine. Yer just slow. Like us and our cutie marks!"

"But who told you?"

"Take a guess."

Diamond Tiara pondered for a second. Then it hit her.

"BARBARAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
> You're Unique, Just Like Everypony Else
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetie Belle's life would never be the same.

Not that it bothered her.

True, she was a weirdo. A freak that tasted words. Weird.

But her Synesthesia was the least of her worries. She had better things to worry about. Like bullies. Or being a robot. Or having the front half of her skin burned off. Or losing a leg. Or dying in a horrific scooter accident. Or becoming a mare way too fast. Or developing a phobia of red stallions. Or anything else, really. Especially spinach.

Though only she had Lexical-Gustatory Synesthesia, as far as she knew, she was surprised to learn she wasn't the only pony in Ponyville with a similar condition.

The local DJ, Vinyl Scratch, could see her music. One of the more common variations, and what most ponies thought Synesthesia was. Still very fascinating, especially considering she'd been deaf in one ear from birth and her other ear wasn't much better. What she heard, she preferred to see.

Mayor Mare could look at a calendar and describe a personality for each day, or a list of numbers and find a personality for each. Seven was a personality closely resembling Sweetie Belle's, a fact which had the filly's jaw open for days.

Even her own classmate Piña Colada Raintrap had something similar. Different sensations on different parts of her body had different smells, for example, tickling her fore-left frog smelled like sweat.





The recent events had changed much of the classroom, if only temporarily. for a while, talks of Synesthesia echoed among the students, though eventually things settled down and mostly returned to the status quo. Sweetie Belle had learned to accept herself for who she was, and that being a bit different shouldn't change how she saw herself. She simply resumed life as normal, a little older, a little wiser, and fascinated by the legend of the inverted continent.

During the incident in the forest, Lily Giggle had gotten her cutie mark: a comedy mask. Her jokes and laughter soon became all the rage. 

Pipsqueak kept his little secret a secret. Of course, he'd eventually spill the beans. But not now. Now was not the time.





Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had been sent to military school to try and get them on the straight and narrow. Surprisingly, Silver enjoyed it. Diamond, on the other hand, was often seen tucked away in the corner, speaking in tongues, muttering things in a strange language or claiming she was the reincarnation of a human woman named Chantal Strand. The instructors were concerned, but ultimately ignored her and her mentions of dragons returning to scorch the planet with their voice. Silver Spoon believed that she was simply broken by the events that transpired in the Everfree Forest that day.

But one unicorn, General Rommelwood, feared much worse.

"The usual notes, Sir."

"What did she say this time?"

"Something about a magic key at the intersection of the white unicorn of generosity and the system whose fourth hosts a worm and a hunter. I don't get it. Frankly, I don't think I want to know."

"Hmm... Unicorn of Generosity?"

"Yes, sir. That's what we deciphered from the recording."

Rommelwood gave the officer a concerned look. "Major Hedgend Maze, you may take your leave now."

"Yes, Sir!" Hedgend Maze slowly backed out of the room.

"Could it be...?" Rommelwood muttered, "The key to the City of Phar Laputa, the capital of the legendary land of Balneighbari? Perhaps in relation to Fillyput and Brobdingneigh?"





***





After Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had recovered and returned, Cheerilee had decided to forgive them. It was only a few days until Nightmare Night, and Diamond Tiara had been bribing herself back to the top, to the point of running for class president. Cheerilee was not amused. However, the lingering fear of being sacked allowed her to let it slide. Just this once...





The Crusaders decided to leave their contact lenses off from now on. The cat was already out of the bag. Besides, it was just their irises, surely it wouldn't affect the usual canon, right?

The trio sat in their clubhouse, brainstorming ideas to help them get their cutie marks.

Apple Bloom began, "Okay, Crusaders! Back to the business of earnin' our cutie marks! Any suggestions?"

"No, we've tried everything!"

"We've run out of ideas..."





***





I wonder how long it will take for them to figure it out?

Their special talent?

A mysterious cloaked figure stood facing the sunset, or rather, Ponyville's sunrise, before turning to observe a floating landmass above.

Project Aikavaikutus... The end of Reality as we know it...

Heh heh. Even they will not stop me.

The inverted continent shall fall!

Ha ha ha ha ha!





***





The unicorn girl tilted her head in confusion. "So, according to Nicole, the nuke exploded in the silo? Thank Celestia it was contained." 

The amazonian cyborg ducked under a tree branch. "Eyup, 'parently the door jammed. Security footage showed a pink filly with a tiara cutie mark messin' with the power supply. Looks like Ah'll hafta redesign the silos again." 

"Don't feel bad, Abby. One failure in six thousand launches... That's gotta be a record."

Abby ducked under another branch, "Belle, who fixes the weapons? Me. Not ya, not Lu, not cuz' Babs. Yer in charge a' robots, Belle."

"Yes, Abby, and Luanne handles the vehicles. I honestly don't see why you're blaming me for this mishap."

"Ah'm blamin' ya 'cause Nicole said ya were the one who launched the damn thing in the first place. An' ya know how the Captain gets pissed when we have mishaps like this!"

"Must've been an ogledalo. You know, counterpart?"

"Probably," The orange girl added, stretching her mechanical wings out before folding them back in, "But are we really that similar? It's an eye scan, for Reina's sake! Does an ogledalo really have an identical iris? When are houyhnhnm and ƥoni even sharing the same domain?"

"It's an ogledalo, Luanne." Belle pointed out, "Why, I bet these ones even won a talent show for an act they didn't even rehearse! Know what I mean?"

"Including the scenery nearly killing them?"

"Yes! Exactly!"

"Three preteen girls who founded a secret society?"

"Exactly! Exactly like us!"

"Girls, dis is stupid, ya know?" A bulkier girl in the back raised a pair of scissors, "An ogledalo, take it or leave it!"

"Shut the fuck up, Barbara! I've had enough of your complaints!"

"Well," Belle continued, "You lost my contact lenses! How can anyone see me like this?"

"Belle," Luanne interrupted, "The scanner will know it's you with or without the contact lenses, Patchouli programmed it that way. Besides, the four of us all have heterochromia."

"But were those ogledalos up to something?"

"Maybe."

"I swear that pink filly had the Soul Gem..."

"You gotta be joking, Babs. There's no way a normal houyhnhnm could survive approaching an Infi--"

"Quiet, y'all! We're here!"

"Well, whatcha waitin' for, cuz?"

"Nothin' really..."

Abby observed the ship docked in the middle of the Everfree Forest. Still standing. Good. 

"Povratak na vaš poziv!" Her sobarica had appeared by her side. A yellow houyhnhnm with a red mane, dressed in a black jumpsuit with white stars and a matching skull bandanna, carrying a glass tube on her back tied with a strap, and holding some kind of vacuum.

Abby approached a small device to the left of the door. Due to her abnormal height, she had to crouch to activate it.

The machine beeped twice. Then the door swung open.

"Nercäċuqa tseşiṕra. Ḃuśkr mvaqi mväśtra: 「Mƥlxòyc Mƥlzéñĝè」."