A Calm and Collective Time for Thinking
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo walked over to a pond they had long gone familiar with. It was a memory to them, which some ponies, even their friends and loved ones, could never wrap their heads around. The trio always liked coming here. They all have their different perspectives on it.
Apple Bloom’s reasoning for her enjoyment of the simple, but seemingly crucial, pond was, as she put it, “It helps me clear mah thoughts, it just gives that calm feeling, ya know?”
Scootaloo, although she could side with Apple Bloom on her explaination, or put parts of her ally’s into her own, Scootaloo simply puts it as, from her words, “It’s funny looking into your own reflection, watching yourself have certain reactions, and I guess realizing they aren’t right or aren’t necessary, so it makes you quit.”
Sweetie Belle’s always loved being complex, using larger and more confusing words that her friends either had a hard time pronouncing, or didn’t understand the meaning of it, or both altogether. To quote from Sweetie Belle herself for her reason, “It feels like as if you are watching an alternate version of yourself, going through different things, emotions, anything. Then you come to the idea of, ‘Wait, that’s me. I am reacting like that. What kind of reasonable action should I take to put a stop to it?’ Then, in a way, you figure out the solution to a perplexing question like that, and it all helps one go back to their normal, peaceful self.”
It wasn’t always the three of fillies together looking at the pond, however. One could go to it just by themselves, or two of them, or all three if they felt it was required. To summarize all of the answers, they liked looking into the pond because it calms them down. Whether they actually say it does or not doesn’t really matter, the idea, however, does.
One of the famous quotes known by anyone is, “The eyes are the window to ones soul.” In a way, to these three, cheerful, young ponies, it helps them notice that, by looking into their own soul (if you were to be assuming that, that is), then you could see how worrisome, or upset, or down right angry about something that shouldn’t technically be too much of a bother.
That shouldn’t go without a few exceptions, however. The loss of a loved one, while there will be lots of emotion over it, we shouldn’t be sad or mad about someone’s unfortunate passing. Instead, we should be happy, hoping they are resting peacefully up in the heavens, and are awaiting for our arrival.
“What does that have to do with three fillies, roughly the same age, looking into a pond?” You’re probably wondering. Well, I can tell you right now, it relates to something later along down the line in their lives.
Yet as of now? Today they are looking into it... because it feels right. No negative emotions bottled up, only to realize they won’t help, or for the comfort to one who is trouble. Nope, none of the above. They are looking into it because they love that feeling of peace. It feels, right, it feels... great to them.
“Hey girls, I’ve been wondering...” began the pegasus of the group, “...when did we start coming here?”
The unicorn and earth pony turned to their ally, confused about the question that was just asked.
“What do ya mean Scoots?” The farmer earth pony responded, only for it to be another question.
“Well, we know why we stare at this pond, but when did start just running over here. Whether or not we were upset we just... came.”
The explanation Scootaloo seemed to have a solid point to Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. While the explanations seemed valid, it didn’t quite add up their... inspiration for just walking, running, or even trotting over to a simple pond that looked it served no purpose, other than to be stared by the three fillies... apparently.
“Well... that’s a hard one... actually,” Sweetie Belle spoke, finding herself dumbfounded.
“And for once she doesn’t speak in another language!” Scootaloo yelled in a joking manner, only to be elbowed by the white unicorn beside her.
“Just because the words are big, doesn’t mean they are a different language, Scootaloo!” scolded Sweetie Belle to her orange friend. Apple Bloom chuckled at the two’s small argument.
Sometimes, whether it be Scootaloo or Apple Bloom, they would joke about their bookworm friend’s vast vocabulary, which seemed to tick her off in a funny manner, to them to say the least. One would start up the argument, meanwhile the other chuckled or down right laughed, not even caring if Sweetie Belle heard or not. Even if it did seem rather rude, Sweetie Belle knew in the end, it was all a joke. It was harmless, the only harm it could do was irritate her. Even that in of itself was harmless, so nothing was too wrong with the occasional teasing.
The trio were always careful how to put their words, as one incident reminds them simply of that.
What had started out as another simple argument, quickly escalated into a heated argument. It not only hurt the friendship between the three, but it also taught them to choose their wording wisely.
You are most likely wondering, “what was the faithful day of this lesson?” Well, allow me to explain. It was all but a year ago, however, they are still reminded of it as if it happened just last week. It was actually when they had just started going to the pond when the incident occurred.
One year prior...
Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo we’re sitting near the pond, staring into it yet again. They weren’t alone, however.
Today, they had decided to ask some classmates if any of them would like joining them after school in the activity. Surprisingly, to them, at the very least, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, along with Dinky Hooves had decided to join them. Dinky wasn’t a real surprise, as they had grown quite fond of her, and even made her a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
The real shocker was Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, whom of which, despite have recently forgiven their former bullies most recently, were slightly confused why they had decided to join. Their explanation, which seemed really simple when you think about it, was a way of forming a better bond with their former victims. Even becoming friends with them.
Forgiveness is one step towards a bright future. You have to make the correct choices if you want to have a good road ahead of you. Forgiving others, and mainly yourself at that, for your wrongs is one way to start.
The three additional fillies followed the other fillies, who invited them along, to their special pond. Once they arrived, Diamond Tiara seemed rather... confused.
“You brought us to a pond? What’s so special about it?” Diamond Tiara asked the former targets of her and Silver Spoon’s relentless bullying. At the time, they didn’t have their answers like they did in the present, so it really left them in thought.
“Well, now that you mention it, we don’t have a clear idea of it, actually. It just seems as if we are, I don’t know, enraptured in the energy it gives off. Calm, and relaxing. If that doesn’t explain it, then I don’t what will,” Sweetie Belle explained in her vocabulary-expanded ways.
“Well, I guess that makes sense. And I can see what you mean, in a way. Feels really relaxing, if you ask me,” commented Silver Spoon amidst the conversation, trying to sound as least offensive as possible. After all, it had only been days since they had apologized for all of their troubles to these three fillies.
“Here we go...” muttered Scootaloo under her breath. She originally thought of it in a joking manner, but something with her tone made it seemed like she was annoyed.
“I like it! Like Silver said, if you don’t mind me calling you that by the way, it feels relaxing. But to me it also feels nice! If that makes any sense,” Dinky agreed.
“I don’t mind at all if you call me Silver, Dinky. Just as long as you don’t call me by a nickname that only Diamond calls me by...” Silver Spoon trailed off, before adding the last part, only to herself however, “...only to annoy me.”
“Well, I think the word you’re looking for, Dinky, is ‘refreshing’? And I guess you’re correct in numerous ways, more than a pony could count at that,” added Sweetie Belle, slightly correcting Dinky, but not in a mean way, which Dinky herself understood.
“I get you like to be ‘expressive’, Sweetie Belle, but sometimes I can’t make any sense of what you’re saying half the time!” yelled Scootaloo suddenly. However, she was trying not to sound like she was yelling.
“What do ya mean, Scoots?” inquired Apple Bloom, as the orange pegasus rolled her eyes.
“It’s really confusing when she’s stuff like, I don’t know, like ‘enraptured’, ‘perplexing’, ‘simpli-..’ simpla... sim-.” Scootaloo struggled with saying the last difficult word that came to her mind.
“Simplistic?” finished Sweetie Belle for her struggling friend.
“Y-Yeah! That word. You get my point! Half the time, me, and probably you at that, Apple Bloom, don't even understand what you’re saying or even what they mean!”
“Uh, girls...”
“Well it’s not my fault you don’t look in a dictionary like I do!”
“Well yeah! Of course I don’t because I like to have and explore! Not sit in a house all day and read some book to words I can’t even pronoo- pronu- SAY half of the time anyway!”
“Well, then a dictionary can help you with that, Scootaloo, just pick one up and-!”
“And how would that help me?!”
“Girls... please just...”
“While it may or may not help you pronounce things, it CAN at least help you learn the definition, or meaning to put it in your terms, of those words so it won’t be hard on you to understand!”
“I don’t care about the definitions!”
“But you just-!”
“GIRLS!” Apple Bloom snapped, having had enough of the argument that evolved from the two. “Why is it that the moment we decide to bring along guests, y’all are acting crazier than when a dog and cat are fighting!”
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle went silent, as did the others. Apple Bloom took a deep breath, as she began to walk home. Today, for some reason, even she knew that the pond wouldn’t calm her this time.
“Ah-ah gotta go girls, talk to y’all tomorrow,” Apple Bloom said quietly, continuing her trek by to her home.
Oddly enough, the pond was right in between all of the Crusaders homes. It was about the same walking distance to get to any of their homes, if they so desired to go back that is. Normally, they sat their for what seemed like hours, channeling their inner thoughts, and sometimes recalling moments that either were interesting or funny at the time.
Today wasn’t one of those days however.
Sweetie Belle decided to take her leave as well, without needing to say anything else. Well, she didn’t WANT to say anything, because she felt like it would add fuel to the wrong fire.
Diamond Tiara thought her hardest about saying something, while trying not to sound rude at that, to help light up the situation. She raised her hoof to speak, but Scootaloo dismissed it.
“Just.. let us have time to think about this. You can leave if you want,” Scootaloo stated plainly, before grabbing her scooter (which was placed on the ground near the pond) and left.
Diamond Tiara, Dinky Hooves, and Silver Spoon all stared at each other, wondering about the events of what had just transpired. Perhaps more importantly, wondering if they’ll be able to talk for a while after this.
Even if, yes, some arguments were easily forgiven the next day, sometimes they stuck with them. This, unfortunately, was one of those days.
The next day...
Dinky Hooves expected to see her friends together and happy, having done forgot what happened the previous day. That wasn’t the case, sadly, as the three fillies seemed rather distant at school that day, much to Dinky’s dismay.
At recess, Dinky decided to gather Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, to help her get the three seemingly unbreakable friends to talk, feeling concerned for them.
However, what they told her shocked her, as if they had witnessed it before (which to be fair, they had seen some of these affairs before, even having some of their own at that).
“Give them time, you can’t rush something so quickly. If it’s been over a week since they last talked to each other, then you should be concerned. Otherwise, leave it the way it is. Let them figure it out,” was all Diamond Tiara had to say. Silver Spoon didn’t need to add anything, either that or she didn’t have the urge to do so. Either way, the point was clear.
Dinky decided to follow Diamond’s advice, and give it a week. Despite her worries and fears for her recent allies, she thought this could give them time to think, not just about what they did, but about what they shouldn’t do in the future. Mainly to prevent another hiccup like this from happening again.
Thankfully Dinky had followed the pink filly’s request. If she hadn’t, who would’ve known what could’ve happened. Three days after the incident, each of the three fillies stepped up and apologized and forgave each other, group hugging at the end of it. They promised to never have something like this happen ever again. They even Pinkie Promised it, to show how important it was.
This was, without a doubt, much to Dinky’s pleasure. Later on that same day, she thanked Diamond Tiara for the simple, but helpful advice.
Back in the present...
The three fillies stared at the pond, letting its seemingly never ending calmness seep through their young minds. It was, and still is, an appreciative feeling to have. It’s as if you just walked into a perfume, as Sweetie Belle once put it. The pool is like the fragrances, as sometimes it pulled you into a sense of refreshment. The pool acted as if it was the perfect scent, and the only scent at that, that anypony would want all to themselves.
The cold, winter breeze finally managed to snap the fillies out of the small area of water’s trance it had on them. Even when it was frozen, it seemed all the same, if not, maybe a little more, calm to young Crusaders. It was about dusk, and they had to go their separate ways.
Waving to each other a final goodbye for the evening, they all made their separate treks back to their homes, ready to enjoy the warmth and love from their siblings back at home.
They knew exactly what tomorrow held. After crusading for their Cutie Marks, if any trouble boiled within any of them, even if it was just one, two, or all three of them, or if they just wanted to, they could come back and stare into their little pond, even if it was a puddle of ice in winter.
It didn’t matter, as long as it was there, that’s all that matters.
Fin~