> Plan D
>  by Kai the Brony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> What if I Fall?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


	Chapter 1







	Apple Bloom looked down at the mess in front of her, a frown on her face. “Granny Smith’s quilts don’t look quite like that.” 



	



	“Well, at least we can say that we’ve tried Cutie Mark Crusaders: Quilters now.” Sweetie Belle looked down at the pile of Rarity’s scraps of fabric. They had been crudely stitched together without the benefit of a needle. She still wasn’t quite sure how she had actually done that.



	



	“You mean you and Apple Bloom tried it. I don’t know how you lasted so long. It was so boring!” Scootaloo lay sprawled out on the floor. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m running out of ideas.”


	



	“We could always try Cutie Mark Crusaders: Fashion Models.” Sweetie Belle suggested.


	



	“NO!” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo shouted.


	



	“Carpenters?”


	



	“We’ve already tried that.”


	



	“Performers?”


	



	Apple Bloom scoffed. “That went well.”


	



	“What about-”


	



	“We’ve tried everything!” Said Scootaloo. “Face it, girls. We’re never going to get our cutie marks.”


	



	“I know! Librarians!” Sweetie Belle shouted.


	



	Apple Bloom sighed. “We’ve done that too, remember?”


	



	“No, that’s not what I meant. Librarians have libraries, and libraries have books on magic!”


	



	“Sweetie Belle, you’re the only unicorn.” Apple Bloom reminded her. “Besides, Twilight tried that. Magic ain’t gonna get you a cutie mark.”


	



	“Well I know that. But remember the field trip to Canterlot Gardens?”


	



	Scootaloo groaned. “Yeah, and we nearly doomed Equestria. If Rainbow Dash hadn’t been there Town Hall would still be upside down.”


	



	“Well maybe we can bring Discord back.”


	



	“Sweetie Belle! Why would we do a thing like that?” Apple Bloom exclaimed, shocked that her friend would say something so risky. Usually Sweetie Belle was the first to back away from danger.



	


	“We’ll only bring him around for a moment.” The unicorn amended. “I’ve been thinking, remember Screw Ball? She was a blank flank until he came around. I think Discord can give us our cutie marks.”


	



	Discord was dangerous and manipulative. Sweetie Belle should know that better than most. He made her sister believe that a worthless heap of slag was a pristine, pre cut diamond. He had granted Screw Ball her cutie mark, but ever since then she had been... strange to say the least. But how else were they supposed to get their cutie marks? It seemed that there was nothing left to do.


	



	“So I was thinking that maybe magic could wake him up.” Sweetie Belle mumbled to fill the silence. “I don’t know, maybe it’s not as smart as I thought.”



	


	“Sweetie Belle, that’s brilliant!”  Said Apple Bloom. “So, how’re we gonna get to the gardens? Do you know the spell yet?” 


	



	“Well, I did some reading at Twilight’s library earlier today and I memorized the spell when I got tired of reading about designing. I guess Rarity’s just good at it, because it’s really hard. And Rarity’s going to Canterlot soon to design a dress for a special client. I’m sure I could talk her into letting us come too. I could tell her we wanted to come back because it would be a good way for me to get inspiration for dresses. I really wanna be like her when I grow up.” She smiled broadly, eager to prove to her sister that she was a competent pupil.


	



	Scootaloo looked excited for a moment and then skeptical. “It can’t be that easy. You’ve never used magic before and it can’t be simple to make a statue walk and talk.”



	


	“Oh, well, the spell uses dark magic. It doesn’t work like regular magic.”



	


	Another unsettling silence filled the room. “Isn’t black magic, like, bad?” Asked Scootaloo.


	



	“Well, I guess it’s not as good as regular magic, but it could be worse. Besides, it’s an easy way to get our cutie marks.”



	



	“I guess if it’s for our cutie marks...” Apple Bloom consented.


	



	Sweetie Belle looked up cautiously. “So Cutie Mark Crusaders: Plan D is a go?”


	



	Apple Bloom nodded. They gave each other a look and shared a hoof bump as they shouted: “Cutie Mark Crusaders! Yay!”


	





	



	Convincing their parents to allow them to go to Canterlot with Rarity was easy enough. They were pleased that their foals were excited to go someplace new and frankly they were worn out from the Crusaders’ constant antics and found the break a welcome relief.


	



	Within a week the three friends were in a train car on the Friendship Express with Rarity on their way to Canterlot and their cutie marks.


	



	“Now, girls,” Rarity began but was promptly interrupted by the fillies’ excited exploration of the cab.


	



	“Wow! This is so cool! I’ve always wanted to sleep in a bunk bed.” Apple Bloom looked up at the top bunk of a bed with eagerness in her eyes.


	



	“Ooh! Check this out!” Sweetie Belle squealed, looking out the window. “It’s like the whole world’s going so fast!”


	



	“Girls,” Rarity tried again but was interrupted once again, this time by Scootaloo.


	



	“Woah! The floor’s shaking!” She pressed her ear to the ground and her face lit up with delight. “I can hear the train moving!”


	



	“Girls!” Rarity snapped. The fillies gave her their full attention this time. “I know you’re all very excited to go to Canterlot, but I’m not going to be around much, so we need to set a few rules. You’re free to explore the sculpture gardens and the city.


	



	“In fact,” She beamed at Sweetie Belle, “I think that looking around the city is one of the best things you can do. You won’t find the same style or sophistication anywhere else, especially not Ponyville. It’s so elegant!” She cooed, ignoring Scootaloo’s gagging. “I think you’ll love it. Now go ahead and unpack your things. We have a long train ride ahead of us so we’ll be sleeping in here tonight.”


	


	



	“I claim the top bunk!” Apple Bloom bounced up and down in excitement.


	



	“No fair!” Scootaloo glared at her friend. “I’ve got wings!”


	



	“Yeah, you fly like a chicken.” The earth pony rolled her eyes. 


	



	The orange pegasus flapped her wings but remained on the ground. “Why you little!”


	



	“Easy, Scoots, I was just teasing. If it bothers you that much I won’t bring it up.” Apple Bloom appeased her friend.


	



	“Pinkie promise?”


	



	“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Apple Bloom recited, using the appropriate gestures.


	



	“Well, okay.” Scootaloo conceded. “But I still want a top bunk.”


	



	“I want one too!” Sweetie Belle whined. 


	



	Rarity sighed inwardly. She too had wanted the coveted bunk. It was much quieter, far more ideal for beauty sleep. “Well, I’ll take the bottom bunk, I suppose. But only two of you can have a high bunk so one of you will simply have to either share a bed or sleep on the bottom. Excuse me, I’m going to freshen up. Be good while I’m gone.”


	



	Sweetie Belle immediately climbed the ladder to a top bunk, ignoring her friends’ immediate complaints. “Ha ha! Looks like I get this...” She looked down to the others and gulped. “One?” Was Apple Bloom really that small? Come to think of it, this bunk was moving an awful lot. What if the train jolted in the middle of the night? She pressed her back against the wall. The train hit a small bump and she squealed in terror. “Eek! I’m gonna fall!”


	



	“What’s the matter with you? Are you scared?” Scootaloo laughed a little.


	



	Sweetie Belle shook her head. “No.” She had wanted this right? She was going to stick with her decision no matter what. Right? She looked back down and almost immediately felt her head beginning to spin.


	



	“You’re absolutely sure?” Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow.


	



	“Uh huh.” Sweetie Belle whimpered. She wasn’t giving up the top bunk just because she was scared. Didn’t just about everybody say that being brave meant doing things when you were scared?


	



	She looked down again and gasped. “Maybe a little...” She admitted.


	



	“It’s okay, Sweetie Belle, just climb back down.” Said Apple Bloom. It looked like their argument was more easily resolved than they had thought.


	



	“Okay...” She inched toward the ladder and watched the floor spin for a moment. “Um, how do I get down?” 


	



	“Just climb down the ladder. It’s easy if you don’t look down.” Apple Bloom suggested.


	



	Her friend whimpered. “What if I fall?”


	



	“Then I’ll catch you.” Scootaloo stepped forward. 


	



	“No you won’t!” Sweetie Belle held on to the rails of the bed. “You’re just saying that!”


	



	“Sweetie Belle, are you going to trust me or not? Walk down the ladder and you’ll be safe.” 


	



	Sweetie Belle gulped. “Okay. I can do this.” Slowly she inched one hoof onto a rung. Her forehead broke out into a cold sweat. 


	



	“You’re doing great! Whatever you do, don’t look down.” Scootaloo called.


	



	Of course Sweetie Belle did just that. And while she was overcome with the sense of vertigo yet again she let go of the ladder. “Eeeee!” She squealed. In her blind panic she let go of the ladder and fell a terrifying four and a half feet onto Scootaloo.


	



	“Oof!” Scootaloo groaned. “What did you eat for breakfast? Cement?”


	



	Sweetie Belle smiled apologetically. “Sorry.”


	



	But Scootaloo had forgotten about Sweetie Belle landing on her already. “Did you see that? I said I’d catch you and I did! I was like, awesome!”


	



	“Now girls, it’s unladylike to use ‘like’ in such a manner.” Rarity stepped in, her mane wrapped up in a towel. “Terribly unrefined.” She had heard all of their conversation through the door and couldn’t resist correcting Scootaloo’s grammar. The fillies stared at her, slightly surprised by her sudden interruption. Rarity grinned and blushed. The awkward silence stretched a bit too long. “Well, ah, I think I hear my water running, I guess I’ll just be going now.”


	



	The Crusaders watched as their friend (or sister in one Crusader’s case) left. “Do you think she?” Apple Bloom gave Sweetie Belle a significant look.


	



	“Was snooping again?” Sweetie Belle shot an annoyed glance at the door. “Yes, yes she was.”


	






	



	After the four were settled in they went to the diner car for a light snack before dinner. The Crusaders were sorely disappointed that instead of jumping from car to car via the roof Rarity had insisted that they walk to the cab like the rest of the customers. Nonetheless they bounced inside the diner, chattering excitedly about what they would order. They drew one or two strange looks in their direction, but they were not much more than quick glances. 


	



	Rarity found a table with four chairs next to a window at Sweetie Belle’s request. The menu boasted of the same treat that could be found at Sugarcube Corner, but at a somewhat higher price. “I think that the eclairs sound wonderful.” Rarity told the waiter. 


	



	The waiter scribbled in his notebook and looked at the fillies. “And what can I get for you, hmm?”


	



	“Hay fries!” Scootaloo declared.


	



	“Can I have a milkshake?” Sweetie Belle asked.


	



	Apple Bloom looked at the menu for another moment before settling on apple fritters. The waiter wrote their orders down and walked into the kitchen to fetch their pastries and print a receipt. After a moment he returned and placed the tray of sweets on the table. “That will be twelve bits.” He gave Rarity the slip of paper with their orders and the appropriate price tags.


	



	“Twelve!” Rarity exclaimed. “Doesn’t that seem a bit much for a snack?” She struck a dramatic pose and felt in her pockets, making a great show of having difficulty finding the money. “I suppose I could just give you eight. That does seem like a fair price, doesn’t it?”


	



	The waiter was unswayed by her affected pathos. “Twelve bits, lady.”


	



	Rarity rolled her eyes. “Oh all right, have it your way.” She shoved her money into the table. “See if you get our business again.”


	



	The waiter took the money and left. Rarity pouted. “That usually works.” She poked dismally at the soggy danish in front of her. “He didn’t even get my order right.” The Crusaders, on the other hand, had never eaten train food before, and were thrilled with the experience, though the hay fries were floppy, the milkshake had been stirred instead of shaken, and the filling in the apple fritters had soaked through the would-have-been flaky crust.


	



	Rarity decided to look out the window instead of staring at the squishy lump. She reached inside her saddlebag and put on her new designer sunglasses. Yes, showing off her new sunglasses was part of her reasons to watch the trees fly by. And she could pretend to be asleep so she could listen in to the fillies’ conversation. They always talked about the most darling things. Well, not always, just usually.


	



	The Crusaders were eager to earn their cutie marks as always. “I can’t wait! We’re sure to earn our cutie marks this time!” Sweetie Belle said excitedly.


	



	“Mine’s gonna be so cool! Rainbow Dash is sure to notice me when I get mine.” Scootaloo had high hopes as always. Her confidence couldn’t be denied, that was certain.


	



	“I’ll bet mine has something to do with apples.” Apple Bloom was eager to continue her family’s traditions. Her family bonds were stronger than most would expect with the absence of a mother and father. Sometimes it was their absence that drew the family together.


	



	Rarity felt herself nodding off. The last thing she heard was Sweetie Belle saying that when she got a mark in design Rarity might let her help more. Rarity smiled a little. Her sister was so eager to please. It was precious, really. Perhaps she would give her a little input on her next dress. 

	
> Nothing but Trouble
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2






	Sweetie Belle prodded her sister with her horn. “Rarity! Wake up. It’s been hours since you fell asleep. We’re so bored!” She complained.


	



	“And hungry.” Apple Bloom threw in.


	



	Rarity blinked sleepily and glanced out the window. A glorious sunset was drawing to a close and some farmer ponies were coming inside to eat. The mountains were coming closer with every clattering noise the train made. Around her ponies were eating various soups and sandwiches, chattering with their friends. She had slept for perhaps two hours. Her stomach growled. The danish she had left alone was gone and she could guess who had eaten it.


	



	Scootaloo looked guiltily at the rug on the floor. “What?”


	



	Rarity smiled a little. “Never mind, darling, I didn’t want it anyway. Come on, I brought some food with for dinner. I’m sure there’s something you’ll like.” She stood up  and walked towards the door. Sweetie Belle followed suit, followed by Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.


	



	The train rattled down the tracks growing ever closer to the capital city of Equestria. The crusaders felt it shaking under their hooves, thrilled by the sensation. They raced down the corridors, nearly knocking over several other passengers and leaving Rarity to apologize for their carelessness. “Terribly sorry,” She muttered. “It’s their first train ride.” The passengers usually pardoned the mild offense, though a few simply stuck their muzzles in the air and moved on. Rarity decided that they were on their way home. Only a Canterlot elite would be quite so haughty.


	



	One pair of the elite seemed very familiar. “Do I know you?” Rarity asked after a moment.


	



	The stallion looked down at her over his nose as if she wasn’t worth the effort of lowering his head. “You should. I’m Jet Set, owner of the leading pegasus transportation company. I have Very Important Pony status at all the clubs and especially on this train.”


	



	The mare butted in. “And I’m Upper Crust. Jet Set, darling, how can you forget Fancy Pants’ favorite?” Her voice had a snooty overtone that grated on Rarity’s nerves.


	



	Jet Set narrowed his eyes. “Ah yes, Miss Rarity. How silly of me. I tried to forget you ever since you stole our chance of winning over Fancy Pants. If we had his endorsement my company would be an economic explosion!” He gestured wildly with his hooves to demonstrate the explosion. “Yes, silly me. Hmph!” He sniffed.


	



	“Well I wouldn’t say I was trying to steal your chance for success.” Rarity laughed nervously. “I just acted like my usual sweet little self. It’s not like I can help who I am. Besides, your company hardly needs any more attention. As you said, it’s the leading transportation industry.”


	



	“Yes, quite.” Upper Crust flipped her mane. “It’s not like you did anything on purpose. All you had to do was give him that look and he was wrapped around your dainty little hoof.”


	



	Rarity gasped at the implication. “I beg your pardon! I did not manipulate Fancy Pants to earn high status.”


	



	“Just like you didn’t set those little brutes on us to make us look like fools.” Upper Crust tilted her hat so she could see Rarity better. “Those children are nothing but trouble, mark my words.” She and her husband stormed off to the diner car.


	






	



	The Crusaders bounded into the room they were staying in a few minutes before their guardian. “Honestly, girls, I had expected you would be a little bit more considerate.” Rarity glared at them. “I know you’re excited, but that’s no excuse to knock over complete strangers without apologizing. Do you realize who you ran into?”


	



	Apple Bloom blushed pink. “Was it somepony important?” She asked.


	



	“Yes, it was somepony important! I just got away from an argument with Jet Set and Upper Crust.” Rarity snapped. “They didn’t seem very happy with you and it doesn’t help that they have a bone to pick with me.”


	



	“I hate Jet Set and Upper Crust.” Sweetie Belle grumbled from her bed.


	



	Rarity gasped, astonished that such a phrase would come from the mouth of her little sister. “Sweetie Belle! Hate is a very strong word. A lady should never use it.”


	



	“But it’s true! After the way they treated you I don’t see why you don’t hate them too.” Sweetie Belle retorted.


	



	“Well I’m not the Element of Kindness, so I can’t really say that I like them. But you know about Equestria’s history and hatred.”


	



	“I guess. Sorry, sis.” Sweetie Belle sighed.


	



	“Yeah, we’re sorry.” Said Scootaloo.


	



	Rarity sighed. “It’s all right. No real harm done, just a few insults swapped. So,” She smiled teasingly. “You’ll never guess what I brought for dinner.”


	



	“Apple dumplings?” Apple Bloom’s eyes sparkled.


	



	“No, even better.” Rarity glanced at her pile of luggage.


	



	Apple Bloom sat down, baffled. “What could be better than apple dumplings?”


	



	Rarity levitated a box to her side. “That’s for me to know and for you to find out.”


	



	“Ooh! Ooh! I know!” Sweetie Belle bounced up and down in excitement. “Chocolate cake!”


	



	Rarity gave her sister a sidelong look. “Were you spying on me while I packed?”


	



	“Maybe...” Sweetie Belle flashed an innocent smile.


	



	Rarity opened the box to reveal the treat. “Now don’t think this will be a regular thing.” She warned the trio. “It’s just for this once. Hopefully it will be better than the horrendous food they had in the dining car. Oh, what am I saying? I got it from Sugar Cube Corner, it’s sure to be fabulous.”


	



	By the time dinner was over the conductor was announcing the nine o'clock curfew. He systematically knocked on all the cabin doors and made sure the passengers turned out their lights and understood that conversation was to be held quietly, if at all.


	



	“Evening ma’am.” The conductor poked his head into Rarity’s room. “Lights out until 7:30 tomorrow.” His gaze wandered to the crusaders. “Ah, are these the young rascals causing all the fuss?”


	



	“We’re sorry,” Said Apple Bloom. “We didn’t mean to cause trouble, honest.” 


	



	The conductor laughed. “I believe you. Jet Set has had it in for me ever since the waiter got his order wrong.” He turned around to leave. “I’ll give you your privacy. Remember, lights out!” He closed the door behind him.


	



	“At least somepony around here has manners.” Said Rarity. “Come along girls, brush your teeth and go to bed.” She took out some curlers from one of her suitcases. “I’ll be a while, don’t bother staying up for me.”


	



	The Crusaders obeyed Rarity without question for once, tired out by the day’s misadventures. But they did ignore one instruction and stayed up waiting for Rarity to go to bed. When she left the bathroom they feigned sleep rather convincingly. Quietly, they waited for the rhythmic breathing indicating that Rarity was sound asleep. When the desired sound was forthcoming the Crusaders gathered on a rug in the middle of the floor.


	



	“So, what’s the plan?” Apple Bloom whispered. “We’ve already decided to use dark magic to wake up Discord, but how does that even work?”


	



	Sweetie Belle was happy to explain. “You see, magic is connected with a unicorn’s mind and emotions. Regular magic is more powerful when you’re in a good mood, so if a unicorn did something they were proud of they might be able to levitate a really big object. If they’re sad for some reason then they’d have trouble lifting a piece of paper.


	



	“Dark magic’s different. It runs on negative emotion, especially anger, so you have to be  extra careful. If you’re really angry then it could go out of control and lead to things you never wanted to happen. Make sense?”


	



	Scootaloo stared for a moment and shook her head. “Kinda. If you get it that’s what’s important.”


	



	“Great, but how are we going to get Discord to give us our cutie marks?”  Apple Bloom asked Sweetie Belle.


	



	“I don’t know, why do I have to do all the planning?” Sweetie Belle glared at her friends, embarrassed that she didn’t have an answer.


	



	“One does not simply walk up to Discord and say, ‘Hey, what’s up? You’re a nice guy, we were wondering if you had any extra cutie marks in the back of that ice cream truck.’” Scootaloo quipped.


	



	Sweetie Belle giggled. “When you put it that way, it’s kinda funny.” She gave a lopsided smile. “Okay, so I haven’t planned that far. Maybe the spell will use mind control or we can convince him somehow. Don’t know how yet, but we’ll figure that out later. I already know what mine’s going to be.” 


	



	Apple Bloom and Scootaloo inspected their own flanks. Maybe there would be a symbol on it right now for brilliant planning! No such luck. Apple Bloom yawned. “I don’t know about you two, but I’m a mite tired. I’m going to go to bed, see y’all in the morning.”



	


	The other Crusaders followed suit, wondering what they next day held in store.



> I'm Not A Normal Earth Pony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3





	Apple Bloom woke with the sunrise as she always did. The train was still chugging along, but Canterlot was closer than ever before. At most it would be another hour before they arrived. The clock on the wall spelled out 6:30 AM. Apple Bloom would have to trust it because there was no rooster crowing to be her clock. Every morning without fail the rooster crowed at the sun, greeting the new day. Apple Bloom had only missed it once. Without the familiar, regular sounds the world felt chaotic and unstable. 


	



	She watched the sun come up over the mountains for perhaps half an hour before waking up her friends. She climbed down her ladder and up Scootaloo’s stealthily as a cat. She extended her neck and- ever so carefully- plucked one of her friend’s down feathers.


	



	Scootaloo woke with a start. “Ow!” She lashed out with her hooves, groggily aiming to hit whomever had disturbed her sleep. She stopped as soon as she heard Apple Bloom whisper “Watch it!”


	



	The pegasus glared at her friend. “Why’d you do that?”


	



	“Shhh!” Apple Bloom clapped a hoof over Scootaloo’s mouth. “Waking up Sweetie Belle. Come on.”


	



	Scootaloo rolled her eyes and followed Apple Bloom down the ladder. “What does this have to do with my feathers?”


	



	“You’ll see.” Apple Bloom giggled and waved the feather around. “You’ll see.” She crept over to Sweetie Belle’s  bed. “Hide over there.” She gestured towards the pile of suitcases. 


	



	“Whatever.” Scootaloo mumbled. At least it was dark down there. Maybe she could go back to sleep.


	



	Apple Bloom nudged Sweetie Belle roughly. “Sweetie Belle! You’ve gotta get up! It’s about Scootaloo!”


	



	Sweetie Belle sat up, bumped her head on the bunk above her, and yawned. “What about her?”


	



	Apple Bloom made a great show of being panicked. “Well, you see, I got up this morning because I always do, you know how it is, and I looked over at Scootaloo’s bunk and this is all I found!” She waved the feather around wildly, accidentally dropping it on Sweetie Belle’s nose.


	



	Sweetie Belle sneezed. “What? Slow down, all I heard was a big long blur.”


	



	Apple Bloom sighed and complied with her friend’s request. Sweetie Belle gasped. “What! Where could she go? I thought she liked being around us. Why would she leave?” Her eyes were wide in panic.


	



	A sort of echoing growl came from inside the pile of suitcases. Sweetie Belle squealed. “A monster ate her! And now it’s going to eat us! Rarity!” She huddled inside her blankets.


	



	Rarity slept blissfully on, her ears plugged with cotton.


	



	Apple Bloom couldn’t take it any more. She burst out in a mad fit of the giggles. Sweetie Belle was bewildered. “Why are you laughing? This is serious!”


	



	“Ha ha,” Apple Bloom rolled on the rug. “I got you so good! She’s hiding under the suitcases. Sounds like she fell asleep again to me.”


	



	Grmph! Sweetie Belle gave an angry grunt, but gradually began to smile, and then to giggle, and then she laughed outright. She couldn’t be mad at her friends for long. It went against her nature.


	



	The girls woke Scootaloo up again and shook Rarity out of her slumber. After stretching and bumping her horn against the bunk above her she brought the girls to order. She tidied her rich purple mane and meticulously curled it before walking out the door, the fillies at her tail, saddle bags strapped to their backs. A bellhop carried their luggage, straining under the weight. He was an extremely bulkily built stallion, with a picture of a weight on his flank. His veins bulged beneath his albino skin, yet he seemed eager to do his job. 


	



	“Now, darling, are you sure you have a good grip on all that?” Rarity asked, seeing him stagger beneath the weight of the luggage.


	



	“YEAH!” He cheered. The fillies shrank back a little and Rarity winced at the volume of the sound.


	



	“Yes, well, I suppose that is a good thing.” She flipped her mane casually to hide her nervousness. “Could you lead the way to Canterlot? I need to keep an eye on these three to make sure nopony wanders off.”


	



	“YEAH!” He cheered once again. 


	



	“Marvelous. Come along, girls. This will be like a sandwich. Our bellhop will lead us, you three will be in the middle, and I’ll take the rear. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”


	



	“SANDWICH!” The stallion cheered for a third time.


	


	



	They made a surprisingly quick trip to their hotel, only half an hour of walking, stopping once for breakfast at a small cafe. The stallion waited patiently outside the cafe, saying that he had already eaten a hearty breakfast earlier that morning. The cafe food was a vast improvement over the train fare by any standard.


	



	The hotel room was nothing short of a luxury suite. Two doors lead to two bedrooms, one large and one small. A kitchenette was set next to the door, though the hotel was a bed-and-breakfast, and a sort of living room composed of plush carpet, a squashy couch, and an overstuffed arm chair. A balcony overlooking the palace completed the picture. 


	



	The stallion carefully dropped their luggage in the smaller room. Rarity gave him a generous tip for his efforts and he left to take care of the next passenger.


	



	Rarity smiled at the fillies. “Well, now that we’re here we can start unpacking. Let’s take a look in your room, shall we?” She lead the Crusaders into the larger room. 


	



	“Woah!” Scootaloo looked around the room, amazement sparkling in her eyes. “This is awesome!” 


	



	Her excitement was understandable. While the room was arranged the same way Rarity’s was, it had much larger features. The bed in the middle of the room was likely the largest one she had ever seen. Large, fluffy pillows were topped with little pieces of chocolate. A brightly colored blanket was spread out over the bed and a curtained window overlooked the Canterlot streets. The bathroom was generously sized, with big fluffy towels hung from the racks. 


	



	“Well, I’m glad you like it.” Rarity took in the room, making careful note that their chest of drawers was big enough to hold their things. “When the duchess offered to provide a place for me to stay while I worked on her dress, I never expected that she would give us rooms here!” She helped them unstrap their saddle bags. “I’ll give you a map of Canterlot once you’re done settling in so you can find your way around.”


	



	“Okay.” Sweetie Belle readily agreed to the terms and conditions. Rarity walked out to prepare her own room. The three fillies sat all in the same attentive position, one ear twitched upwards in a listening stance. The instant they heard Rarity close her door they shoved their possessions hastily in the drawers. 


	



	Sweetie Belle giggled. “Rarity would kill me if she saw me making such mess.”


	



	“Applejack wouldn’t unless we had company.” Apple Bloom laughed a little. “That’s when I’d be in trouble.”


	



	“Meh,” Scootaloo shrugged. “My mom doesn’t really care. It annoys her, but she doesn’t do anything about it either.” She looked inside the drawer. “A teddy bear? Seriously? Who brought that?”


	



	“I did.” Sweetie Belle grabbed the bear. “And his name is Mr. Fuzzles, so don’t hurt his feelings.” She defended the toy’s honor with vigor.


	



	Scootaloo tried not to snicker. “Mr. Fuzzles? What kind of a name is that?”


	



	“I think it’s a fine name.” Apple Bloom rose to her friend’s defense. “Don’t think I didn’t see that blankie in your saddle pack.”


	



	Scootaloo’s orange cheeks flushed pink. “How did you-”


	



	“It fell out of the drawer when you were stuffing your things in. You need to be more careful if you’re trying to keep a secret.”


	



	“Oh.” Scootaloo shuffled uncomfortably. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for a distraction. Truth be told she felt a little bit bad about insulting Sweetie Belle. Not that she’d ever admit it. Movement out the window caught her eye. “Hey, what’s that?” She scampered over to the window. “What?” She turned back to her friends. “You might want to see this.”


	



	Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom ambled over. 


	



	“What the heck?”


	



	“That aint even possible!”


	



	“I know, right?”


	



	Pinkie Pie sat on a cloud outside their window. “Hey girls!” She grinned at them, seeming to be unaware of the unusualness of an Earth Pony on a cloud. “What’s going on in there?”


	



	Apple Bloom poked her head out the window to see a twenty-nine story drop below. “Okay, what’s going on?”


	



	Pinkie giggled. “Silly! I just asked you that. You’ve got to tell me first.”


	



	Apple Bloom sighed. “We’re visiting Canterlot with Rarity.” She frowned as a thought hit her. “How’d you get on that cloud?”


	



	“Now that I know what you’re doing, I’ll tell you what I’m doing.” She waved her hooves in a carefree manner. “I have no idea!”


	



	The three fillies blinked in unison. “Seriously?” Apple Bloom gave the impossible pony a look of disbelief. “You just woke up and you’re floating around on a cloud?”


	



	“Yup!”


	



	“Absolutely no idea how you got there?”


	



	“Absolutely!” Pinkie thought for a second. “Actually, I think Rainbow Dash might be pranking me and a freak wind blew me over here.”


	



	Scootaloo stared for another moment, still confused by Pinkie’s presence. “You forgot one detail.” She flapped her wings together. “How the hay have you not fallen twenty-nine stories? Aren’t you even a little nervous?”


	



	Pinkie considered this. “Nah. I don’t bother with physics after I failed that class. If I ever fell that far, I’m sure I’d be fine.”


	



	“Okaaay,” Sweetie Belle stretched the word out like taffy. “I guess I get it. She’s just being Pinkie Pie.”


	



	“You guessed it!”


	



	The other two fillies did not understand, but accepted the answer. “You wanna come in or something?” Apple Bloom gave Pinkie a look of concern. “Whether you’re worried or not, I still don’t think a cloud is the safest place for an earth pony.”


	



	Pinkie shrugged. “I’m not a normal earth pony.” A gust of wind nudged her cloud. “Whoops! Looks like I have to go now.” She laughed and began to sing a little as the wind sent her to her next destination.



	I’m just a little pink rain cloud,



	Hovering over the small ponies


	Everyone knows that a pink cloud


	Pours chocolate milk, but no whipped cream.


	


	After a moment of baffled silence Apple Bloom spoke up. “Well that was... strange.” 


	



	“I don’t think I’ll ever understand her.” Scootaloo walked back to the bed and jumped onto it with a satisfying floomf! noise. “So, do you guys want to get Rarity so we can look around?”


	



	Sweetie Belle shrugged. “Sure. Maybe I can find a place to practice the spell.” She walked into Rarity’s room and returned with a neatly folded sheet of paper with colorful landmarks painted on the outline of a city.


	



	Apple Bloom eagerly grabbed the map from her friend’s hooves. “I love maps! Let me see.” 


	



	Maps are remarkable things. No matter where you are going, or where you come from, they give you a path to wherever you could possibly imagine on the face of the earth. On the one hand it is a sheet of paper, nothing remarkable. But on the other, it is a guide. 


	



	The remarkableness and value of the map were lost on the Crusaders. To them it was just a picture leading to their cutie marks. Canterlot was just a quarter of a mile down. They could probably dig the hole by the end of the week!


	



	“No, not down. That means south.” Apple Bloom corrected Scootaloo.


	



	“Oh.” Scootaloo felt like a fool. “I knew that.”


	



	Sweetie Belle scribbled a note on a scrap of paper and put it in a place it would be seen. “What’s up?” Scootaloo asked.


	



	“Shhh!” Sweetie Belle clapped a hoof over her friend’s mouth. “Rarity’s sleeping,” She whispered. “I left her a note since I figured we’d be leaving right away.”


	



	“Good plan.” Scootaloo nodded. “Cutie Mark Crusaders: GO!” The three whispered as loudly as they dared, shared a hoof tap, and crept out the door as stealthy as a cat.



> He's Perfectly Safe
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Chapter 4


A long flight of stairs later, the Crusaders tumbled onto a rug and trotted out the door, giggling excitedly with anticipation. The noonday sun warmed the sidewalk, and more than one upturned nose showed signs of sunburn. Yet the elite refused to lower them a tick, and so allowed them to burn and peel.

The Crusaders remembered not to knock down any spiteful elite this time, sparing Rarity the trouble of dealing with another pretentious nonentity. The side of the road was practically speckled with signs pointing to Canterlot, its very pride and joy. Apple Bloom pulled the map out of her saddlebag frequently, checking their path.

“I don’t know if this is the right way.” Said Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo tapped her on the head. “Uh, yeah it is. I can tell.”

“Uh huh.” Apple Bloom kept her eyes on the map. “What makes you say that? I’ve got the map.”

Scootaloo grabbed her friend’s face and tilted it upwards. “Oh.” The palace stood in front of them, tall and proud. “That’s a pretty good reason.” Apple Bloom admitted.

Sweetie Belle ran in place on the tips of her hooves. “Let’s go!” She darted ahead of her friends. “Last one to the gardens is a pickly pluff nugget!”

Her pegasus friend laughed. “It is on!” She sprinted through the gates, leaving Apple Bloom in the dust. 

“Huh?” Apple Bloom looked down at the map again. The gardens were in the same place they’d been the last time they’d come, and the statues were in their same positions. When she looked up, she was alone. “Wait up!” She started running after her companions.

“No way!” A faint voice sounded from behind a wall. Apple Bloom groaned and sped up. Surprisingly, she caught up with them within a minute of sprinting. The fillies ran neck to neck, the vibrant colors of Canterlot flying past in a blur of sights and sounds. Signs pointed the way to the sculpture gardens and the fillies followed.

Panting, the fillies slowed down and finally stopped at the hedge of the gardens. 

“Who won?” Scootaloo gasped, her sides heaving.

“I did!” A chirpy voice announced.

Sweetie Belle looked up, baffled. “You have to be kidding.” Up there, on the same cloud, Pinkie Pie perched, as happy and random as a pony could possibly- or impossibly- be. 

“Oh, and Sweetie Belle’s a pickly pluff nugget. No offense.” Pinkie was pushed a little way into the garden by the wind. “Where are you three off to in such a hurry?”

“We wanted to look around the gardens again.” Apple Bloom decided not to mention Discord. Pinkie would tell them not to go and they’d have to ignore her.

The wind puffed again, nudging the impossible pony further in. “Looks like I’m going in the same direction. Wanna go with me?”

Sweetie Belle shrugged. “I don’t see why not.” She walked into the maze. “Come on, guys. It’ll be fun.”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo glanced at each other, then followed suit. It still struck them as somewhat bizarre that they were following a cloud, but decided not to dwell on it for long.

“This way girls! Looks like we’re going to see, um,” Pinkie squinted down at the gardens below her. “I think that one’s Victory. Whoops! Looks like we’re not seeing that one. Turn left! Uh, I think that one’s Wisdom or something.” The Crusaders looked at a statue of two ponies bouncing a ball under a bright orange flag embroidered with flowers. The plate on the pedestal read “Joy”. 

“You sure you know what you’re doing? That plate doesn’t say Wisdom.” Scootaloo asked.

“What!” Pinkie turned around on her cloud to face the filly. “Are you saying I don’t know how to do my job?”

“I thought you were a baker?”

“That may be true, but as a filly I always dreamed of being a tour guide at the rock farm.” Pinkie polished her hoof against her coat. “Any other questions? Oh, looks like we’re going to see something else, no time for questions. Better keep up! Hey,” Her eyes widened. “I know this one! Stop here.” The Crusaders sat down to listen and as luck would have it the wind stopped as well.

“Did she just tell the wind to stop?” Apple Bloom whispered to Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie Belle was equally baffled. “I have no idea.”

Pinkie continued her lecture as if she hadn’t heard them. “This little gem right here is incredibly rare. The only one of its kind here in Equestria, and thank Celestia for that. Take a good long look at it. Celestia left him here because he’s perfectly safe. It would take the Elements of Harmony to unlock him, and that’s not going to happen.”

The statue was the most detailed in the gardens. Carefully chiseled features gave the creature a grotesque, terrified facade. His strange face looked at his stone arms with horror etched in every line. But the oddity lied not in his expression, but his very body. He had the arm of a lion, a dragon’s tail, a face that gave the impression of a misshapen horse’s head, and an assortment of other creatures. Overall, he looked like something from a strange dream brought on by eating too much ice cream. The statue was so lifelike it was hard not to imagine he heard every word being said about him- and he despised it.

“This creature is a draconequus. He’s got the head of a-”

“I know, and he represents Discord.” Scootaloo butted in. “We know all about that, Miss Cheerilee told us when we came last time.”

“Well, I’ll bet you haven’t heard about what it was like when he was released.”

Apple Bloom stood up to see the self-appointed tour guide better. “Actually, we were there.”

Pinkie blew a strand of hair out of her face. “You guys take all the fun out of this. I didn’t even get to talk about all the chocolate milk. I can’t believe he didn’t even make whipped cream come out of the ground. Do you realize how much better chocolate rain is with whipped cream?” She sighed dreamily. “But the cotton candy clouds made it all worth it.”

The three fillies shared a glance then turned their attention back to Pinkie.

“Not that I wish he was back.” Pinkie clarified. “I mean, come on. He made us all hate each other. There’s a reason we changed him back to stone.”

“Oh,” Sweetie Belle looked down. She felt as if a wave of guilt had washed over her. “Right.”

Another draft of wind pushed Pinkie onwards, higher this time. “Looks like I’ve got to go!” She shouted down to the fillies. “Been fun talking!”

Apple Bloom frowned. “What did she say?”

“Books like Blythe to glow?” Sweetie Belle suggested.

“Nah, it sounded more like crooks bike Winona’s bow.” Scootaloo was equally bewildered. “Not that it makes more sense.”

“Yeah.” The trio sat in silence for a few moments. Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle. “So, are you going to cast that spell?”

“Not yet.” Sweetie Belle shook her head. “There might be other ponies in the gardens. I don’t want anyone to see me using dark magic. It’s probably illegal, and I don’t want Rarity to find out.”

“So when will we do it?”

“Tonight.” Said Sweetie Belle. “We can sneak in when nobody’s around. If we’re careful, this will work. Let’s go back to the hotel room to brainstorm.”




“This is a terrible spot to think up brilliant ideas.” A muffled voice came from inside the squashy arm chair.

“You don’t have to sit there.” Sweetie Belle set her quill down. “There’s plenty of room on the couch.”

“I’m good.” The chair replied.

Apple Bloom glared at the blank sheet of paper in front of her. Grumpily, she shoved it aside. It reminded her of her flank. It was waiting to be marked with something of importance, but no matter how hard she tried, nothing came. “Got any ideas, visible Crusaders?”

“I’ve got one.” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. 

“Really?” Apple Bloom jumped from her spot on the couch.

“What?” The armchair squirmed around.

“Be really cute!” Sweetie Belle grinned.

Apple Bloom sighed. “No. That’ll never work.” She scribbled the words down on her paper anyway.

	How to slip past guards: 
- cute smile	

Scootaloo poked her head out of her chair. “I’ve got one! Ninjas!”

Apple Bloom wrote:

How to slip past guards: 
- cute smile
- Ninja	

“Seriously?” Sweetie Belle tilted her head. “I thought smiling would work.”

Scootaloo shook her head. “No. Infiltration takes something much more epic. We need to be sneaky. Here’s how it’ll work:




Three dark figures crept through the dark. Their inky silhouettes were only visible to discerning eyes searching for them. Luckily for them, nobody expected them.

Like liquid shadows, they slid down a fire exit twenty-seven stories down, leaping the final two and rolling in compact balls. Uninjured, they leapt to their feet, shared a glance, and disappeared from sight, taking refuge behind rubble in the ally. A moment later three black spots could barely be seen a few hundred yards away, only to vanish into the night and appear in another location.

Masters of stealth, fighters trained to an art, these were the ninjas. They had a goal, a prize if you will, and they would stop at nothing to retrieve it. But what might this prize be? You may well ask. You can ask, but the ninjas will tuck into a ball and be gone in a blink of an eye. Secrets will not be told.

The royal palace was the purest example of peace and tranquility. In her chambers, Princess Celestia rolled over beneath silk sheets, mumbling something about chocolate cake. Slowly, the window raised high enough to allow three small shapes to slip through. The perfect peace was left undisturbed. Melting into the shadows once again, the ninjas left the royal chambers and walked into a bright hallway. 

A burly stallion was walking up and down the corridor, a guard no doubt. In the ninjas’ eyes, an enemy lumbered up and down their path to their prize. The stallion turned around, his ears pricked upright. He could have sworn he had heard the Princess’s door open. 

The hall was empty except for him. He shrugged and muttered he had been at his job too long. A small hoof slowly rose up behind him, then struck him on the back of his skull, knocking him out instantly. He fell without even a groan.

With few other obstacles, the ninjas were inside the garden-





“Scoots, there’s no way that would ever happen!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “We can’t walk on walls. And there’s no way I could knock out a stallion. We’re all still fillies, remember?”

“Besides, we don’t have any black suits.” Sweetie Belle added.

Scootaloo sank back into her squashy chair. “All right, fine, what’s your brilliant idea.”

Apple Bloom scribbled on her paper:

How to slip past guards: 
- cute smile
- Ninja
- Statue Costume	

“We can find some ashes in the ally so we can turn grey. The guards will think we’re statues if we close our eyes. It’s dark, so they won’t be able to see that we’re coated in ashes.”

After a silence, Scootaloo sighed. “That makes sense, I guess.”

Apple Bloom glanced out the window. The sun was already beginning to sink into the horizon and the moon was creeping out from among the stars. “We can do it in a few hours. Rarity’s almost done making the pattern for the dress, so she’ll be tired after dinner. When she goes to bed, we can sneak out the fire escape. If we take the elevator somepony will ask where we’re going.”

“Good point.” Sweetie Belle agreed readily. “So we’ll do it tonight.”

At that moment, the door opened and Rarity walked in. “Evening, girls.” She greeted them. Her saddlebags bulged with fabric. “I’m sorry I took so long coming back. I tried several designs, but the duchess didn’t like any of them. As it would turn out, she had wanted a dress like the one I made for Twilight’s birthday. She didn’t make that very clear in my opinion, but the customer’s always right.”

She rambled on about her day and the Crusaders started to tune out. “So I should be able to make the dress tomorrow and we’ll go home in two nights.” Rarity concluded.

Six ears pricked up. “So soon?” Said Apple Bloom. 

Rarity winced. “Yes, I’m afraid so. Terribly sorry, I had planned on a much more elaborate dress. Apparently the latest fad in Canterlot is minimalist designs. So, what all did you three do today?”

“We went to the sculpture gardens.” Scootaloo mumbled from inside the squashy chair. “And we came up with plans to sneak past the guards tonight so we can wake up Discord.”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened and Scootaloo was glad Rarity couldn’t see her face pale. To their surprise, Rarity laughed. “You girls are absolutely adorable! Is this your list of ideas?” She read it over. “Statue costumes. Very clever. Well, if it’s all the same to you, I’m going to bed now.”

“Good night!” The crusaders chorused. After a brief moment of silence they judged that they could safely leave. Almost silently, they crept to the window. Hesitantly, Sweetie Belle pushed against the window frame. To their surprise, nothing happened. 

“Try again.” Apple Bloom suggested.

Sweetie Belle jiggled the frame again, this time with Scootaloo’s help. No luck. Sweetie Belle looked up to see what could be blocking their path to their destinies and groaned. “Foal-proof lock.”

Scootaloo groaned as well. “Now what?”

Apple Bloom gave Sweetie Belle a sidelong look. “You’re a unicorn.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sweetie Belle’s voice raised an octave.

“What do unicorns use?” Apple Bloom smirked.

Sweetie Belle frowned. “Horn socks?”

Apple Bloom face-hoofed. “Magic. Use magic to open the window. You’ll need to practice anyway.”

“Oh.” Sweetie Belle turned to face the window. “Okay.” She shifted uncomfortably. I don’t know what I’m doing. A voice nagged from a corner of her mind. This is dangerous. I shouldn’t do this. She frowned for a second, then elected to ignore the voice. She racked her brain to remember how dark magic worked. Two primary words came to mind: Anger and hate.

As she stared at the lock, she found herself feeling desperate. That one dumb piece of plastic was the only thing standing between her and her cutie mark. Why couldn’t it just move? Why did it have to be there? 

Frustration began building in her chest and the whites of her eyes began to turn green. 

Why? What did they think they were? Foals with crazy magic spurts? The frustration swelling in her chest began to ripen and turn into anger.

Why couldn’t the stupid lock be gone!

Sweetie Belle felt a tap on her shoulder. For an instant, she saw her reflection. Or so it seemed. What she saw was an entirely different filly. Her eyes glinted poison green and blood red, dark splotches of magic growing from her horn like mould on an old tomato. The magic spilled out the corners of her eyes, waving in an unfelt breeze.

It seemed so wrong.

The changes began to fade away and Apple Bloom pointed to an empty spot on the window where the lock had been. 
Sweetie Belle sat down, stunned. It had actually worked.

“Crusaders, go!” She pushed the window open.

BBBRREEEPPP! BBBRREEEPPP! BBBRREEEPPP!


> Hate is a Very Strong Poison
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5

BBBRREEEPPP! BBBRREEEPPP! BBBRREEEPPP!

The fillies jumped out of their skins. They hadn’t thought that the fire escape would set off an alarm. For a second they were stunned. 

Then they heard footsteps pounding up the stairs.

“Go! Go, go, go! Move!” Scootaloo pushed her friends out the window. A great thumping and clatter was heard as they tumbled down the stairs. Scootaloo grimaced then poked her head inside Rarity’s room. The diva was a perfect Sleeping Beauty with cotton in her ears.

She sighed with relief then jumped out the window, sliding down the rail to the ground below. She grimaced when she saw her friends at the bottom.

“What was that all about?” Apple Bloom rubbed her leg. 

Sweetie Belle rubbed her horn and moaned. “That really hurt.”

“Sorry.” She apologized. “We had to move. And we have to keep moving, the fire truck will be here soon.” She felt a twinge of guilt for the extra trouble she was about to give Rarity.

Apple Bloom stood up and tested her legs. “Aagh!” She collapsed. “I can’t keep moving, I think my leg is broken.”

A siren blared in the distance. Scootaloo frantically looked around the ally. Under a pile of ashes, an old, rusty wagon was abandoned. In another corner sat a damp, wooden scooter next to a coiled up rope. That was lucky.

She threw the ashes over her friends and tied the scooter and wagon together, taking time to roll in the ash herself. “Hop on.” She jumped onto the scooter.

Sweetie Belle looked at the contraption. “Are you sure about this?”

“No.” Scootaloo confessed. “But it’s the only way. So please, just get on.”

Reluctantly, Sweetie Belle complied, followed by Apple Bloom. The sirens grew ever closer and Scootaloo buzzed her wings. The scooter moved forward and pulled the wagon behind her. She pressed on an extra spurt of speed to get a good start, then sped through the night, leaving the wailing sirens and panic behind.





“We’re here.” Scootaloo stopped the scooter for a moment. The hedge of the Canterlot Gardens loomed in front of her, its leaves seeming to reach up and scratch the cloudless skies. During the day it had seemed cheerful, but now only harsh and forbidding. Three grey fillies stared up at it, filled with uncertainty for a moment.

The sound of hooves crunching against gravel was just audible over the howling wind. Scootaloo gasped. The sound was coming closer. She tugged Apple Bloom out of the wagon and laid her on a pedestal. “Lay perfectly still.” She whispered. She motioned to Sweetie Belle, who took a dancing position next to Apple Bloom. Satisfied, Scootaloo hid the wagon inside a bush and struck a candid pose next to her friends.

Two guards walked past. They paid no notice to the statues, but then a third came up behind them. 

“I don’t remember this statue being here.” He grunted.

One of the guards probably rolled her eyes. “Don’t you ever read the newsletter, Thunder Storm? The garden’s getting another statue. It probably just came early.”

The stallion scuffed his hooves in the gravel. “I... Yeah, I knew that.”

“Whatever.” The mare laughed. “Come on, we have five minutes in this shift. If we hurry we can get out a few minutes early.”

They doubled their pace and raced away, much like the fillies had earlier. Scootaloo sighed with relief. “You can move now.” 

Sweetie Belle gasped. “I couldn’t breathe back there. I was so scared they’d see me.”

Scootaloo wiped her forehead. “We got lucky. If we– Waugh!” She jumped. “How’d he get here?” She checked behind her back to make sure Pinkie hadn’t materialized behind her.

“I don’t believe it.” Apple Bloom hobbled towards the statue. “I could have sworn he was further in the maze.”

“It’s like he’s drawn to us.” Sweetie Belle stood in awe of the massive statue.

Discord stood before them in all his gnarled glory. Surely he had not been so close the last time they had been to the gardens. Yet there he stood.

Apple Bloom nudged Sweetie Belle in the ribs. “Ready?” Apple Bloom whispered.

Sweetie Belle took a deep breath. “Ready.” At least now she knew what she was doing. She turned back to her friends. “You might want to stand back. I don’t know what will happen.”

The pegasus and earth pony readily complied.

The unicorn closed her eyes. Last time all she had to do was to get angry and the lock had disappeared. So the only key she needed was anger and Discord would be unlocked.

This is ridiculous. Why would her sister, the Element of Generosity, lock him away? He was obviously the only way to the most important part of pony’s life. Why? Why...

“This isn’t working.” She mumbled. Her friends crept out of the bushes. “I don’t know what I’m doing here. Last time I got angry at the lock and it just disappeared. But– I’m not mad at Discord. And I don’t want him to disappear. Maybe if I could be angry at somepony else and channel the energy to the spell it would work better. But I can’t think about anyone besides Rarity and I can’t get mad at her.”

Scootaloo sat silent for a moment. “What about Diamond Tiara?”

“What do you mean?” Sweetie Belle shuffled her foot in the gravel. “I don’t hate her. She annoys me, and I don’t really like her, but I don’t think I hate her.”

“Think about it.” Scootaloo walked back into the hedge. “Try to hate her.”

Sweetie Belle frowned and turned back to the statue. She thought of all the things about Diamond Tiara that she didn’t like. She was an annoying brat. She didn’t care what happened to anypony but herself. Her talent was useless, she didn’t even know what it was. All that mattered was that she was now “cool” because she had a stupid tiara on her flank.

And worst, she never left Sweetie Belle and her friends alone! It was so stupid, the way she lorded it over them. A pony without a point, thinking that she had a right to pick on her superiors. They were superior because unlike her they had a purpose. They had something to fight for, all she did was allow herself to be pampered.

Sweetie Belle began probing the darkest corners of her mind, finding more than she had known existed. Anger is strong, and it leads toward hate. 

And hate is a very strong poison.

And that was all she felt now, hatred towards Diamond Tiara. The transformation took form in her body. Her eyes were pure poison green, the centers redder than fire rubies. A veritable storm of dark energy poured out the corners of her eyes, swirling in a hurricane of hate that only she could feel. Her horn was coated in purple blots and stains, sweat pouring down her forehead. Her face, normally composed of a cheerful smile, was contorted in a scowl of pure hate.

Apple Bloom’s eyes widened, and an icy claw of fear gripped her heart. Perhaps this wasn’t the way. There had to be other things to try! But... There wasn’t anything she could do right now. If she interrupted the spell, who knew what would happen?

Sweetie Belle’s head began to spin wildly, and her strength began to fade. Her legs grew wobbly, so she allowed herself to sit to complete the spell. From their corner in the hedge, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo watched, horrified and fascinated by their friend’s newfound power. They too began to feel weak. A curtain fell over their minds, mercifully allowing them escape from the horrors they would have witnessed.

Sweetie Belle’s mind began shutting down and she fell into a trance. Finally she flopped down on the ground, worn out by her struggles. 

The moon shone down on a peculiar scene that night. Three fillies, two hiding in a bush, lay in a deep sleep. One of them, an earth pony, was injured. Next to her a pegasus laid unknowing of the guards outside the gates. A small unicorn lay before a grotesque statue, her body covered in small scrapes and a few bad bruises. 

A lifelike statue sat, the moon gently illuminating his cold face. Nobody knew how close the unicorn had come to releasing utter chaos into the world. Nobody knew anything about what had happened the night before.

Then a whisper sounded. It wasn’t much, little more than a breath. It said one word: “Free.” Then the silence was left undisturbed. Or the silence of the physical world at least. The unicorn stirred a little as a voice inside her mind told her strange things.





“It was you, wasn’t it? The small ones always carry the greatest surprises, now, don’t they?” The voice was light, teasing, and yet malicious at the same time.

Sweetie Belle looked around. She was in a black void, face to face with a being of unknown, possibly unlimited power. “I’m not all that little.” She complained.

The being materialized so that he could roll his eyes. “Oh, please. Don’t make me laugh.” He cackled anyway. “You’re not even half your full size. You’re like a little powerhouse.”

Sweetie Belle looked into Discord’s mis-matched eyes. “I can send you right back to the gardens in a second.”

Discord hesitated for a moment. Sweetie Belle smirked. “That’s right, you owe me something and I’m going to collect my dues. I have a little bargain, if you’re interested that is.”

The draconequus crossed his arms and glared at the filly. “Who’s the all-powerful being here? You or me?”

Sweetie Belle thought for a moment. “I’d say it’s me.”

“And just what, little miss, makes you say that?” Discord scoffed.

“Well, I just did what the Elements of Harmony can all by myself. I just changed you back from stone-”

“I beg to differ.” Discord interrupted. “I’m still a statue, you just set my spirit free. But now I’m interested. What could interest a little filly as yourself so much that she would generate so much hate from your tiny heart?” He tapped his claw against her chest. His tail coiled and uncoiled with a life of its own and he draped an oversized paw over her shoulder.

Sweetie Belle tried to scuff the ground with her foot, but in the void there was no ground. Hate. It really was strong. The word almost sounded as if it had claws and a life of its own. A strong word for a strong poison. “My cutie mark.” She mumbled. 

Discord nodded understandingly. “Ah, yes. I can remember the time when I was searching for mine. I can do that. Tell you what, I’ll offer the bargain and you will be the one to accept.”

“But what if I don’t want to accept?”

Discord extended his neck so his head was at eye level. “Believe me, you won’t be able to resist.”

Sweetie Belle looked down (if it could be called that. In this shadow world there was no direction). “What’s your offer?”

“If I give you your cutie mark, would you be willing to give me a piece of your soul?”

“What!” Sweetie Belle squeaked. “What do you want that for?”

Discord stood up again. “That’s my business. I’m not asking for much, really. Just a small, tiny bit of your self. Think for a moment. Isn’t a cutie mark worth the loss of a little personality? Isn’t the gain so much more than your loss?”

“I guess...” Sweetie Belle consented. 

“So you agree?” Discord began to grow in size.

Sweetie Belle nodded.

“Excellent.” He stepped back and shrank down to the size of the filly. “Look into my eyes.” He commanded.

Reluctantly, Sweetie Belle stared into the creature’s strange, yellow eyes. They seemed to stare into her soul, which, in fact, they did. Within a second she was snared in their deadly trance, allowing him do do whatever he pleased.

She felt a stirring in her heart as Discord rummaged through its contents like a child deciding which toy to play with. “Fascinating.” The child became a scientist dissecting an animal to find how it worked. “A humble heart, full of talent waiting to shine into the dark world we live in. You could do the world a lot of good, you know. But why waste it on the world? It is your talent, so why not use it to your advantage? You only have two friends. If you’d allow yourself to be the star you can be, you would have so, so many more.”

A tugging sensation, then her flank began to hurt. It felt as though it was about to go up in flames, and then a symbol was forced onto her flank.

Discord snapped his claws. “You can look now.”

Sweetie Belle shook her head vigorously, then looked on her flank. A simple, black music note had appeared. “Are you serious?” She complained. “I thought it would have looked better.”

Discord lazily played with a cat’s cradle made of pink and purple yarn. “Oh, quit whining. It’s there, isn’t it. Maybe you’ll be noticed for your talent. Better friends than a simple farm girl and a pegasus who can’t even fly. They’re beneath you now that you’ve found your destiny.” He put a special emphasis on the last word. “You have an entire life of happiness in front of you. Don’t bother thanking me.” Then he disappeared.


> A Maker of Dreams
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Chapter 6

“Oh my, what now? A little farm pony. This won’t be as easy as I had thought.” A voice whispered in a dark void. 

“Excellent.” He purred. “I love a good challenge. She will fall from this state of sleep to the next, where I can begin work in just a moment. I can enter the subconscious of this little earth pony, then I shall go deeper. Tap into her deepest fears, and work from there. Then the time to weave dreams shall begin.” He chuckled with dark delight.
_________

Apple Bloom was back home at Sweet Apple Acres. It was a foggy day. So foggy, in fact, that she could barely see the ground in front of her. She stood cautiously and was surprised to find that her leg no longer was giving her pain. She squinted ahead and saw the Crusaders’ Clubhouse and heard Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo laughing about something or other. Instinctively, she walked towards it. She couldn’t be late for her meeting.

A cold, wet drop hit her between the eyes. She shook her head in annoyance, then walked on. Another hit her back and she sped up a little to avoid the rain. The rain began to pick up and she finally got a good look at it. But it wasn’t rain, it was... mud? But how could that be? She stared up at the clouds in confusion, and noticed for the first time they were a soft, fluffy pink. Upon further inspection, the rain proved to be chocolate milk.

For the first time, she noticed the popcorn growing from corn stalks, and the gigantic rabbits and shrunken barns. The farm felt like it was in a dream. How had she gotten there in the first place?

Apple Bloom sat for a moment on a soft rock, trying to figure out what was going on. A mouse-sized Winona crawled onto her lap, but Apple Bloom barely noticed, so deep in thought was she. Yes, how had she arrived here? The last thing she remembered was... was...

“Funny thing about dreams, you never start at the beginning” An almost jolly voice said. Apple Bloom couldn’t pinpoint where he was, left, right, above or behind. Winona began to growl, then suddenly tucked her tail between her legs and scampered off, whimpering like a puppy.

“Who said that?” She stood up. “I can hear you.”

“Well I would hope so.” The voice said. “I wouldn’t be talking unless I wanted to be heard.”

Apple Bloom’s heart began to race. That voice sounded horribly familiar. “Who are you?” She demanded.

“See for yourself.” A creature appeared before her. Apple Bloom gasped in horror. It was the statue from the garden, but alive! “Excited that I’m finally making an appearance?” He asked.

“Uh,” Apple Bloom stammered. “I don’t know... I don’t think so anyway.”

“Ah, yes. You were the one who didn’t want to see me after all. Happens every time. Somebody always changes their mind.” He waved his claws in lazy circles. “Same cycles, so predictable, so boring.” He huffed a sigh. “But talking about it is almost as bad. So lifeless and changeless, almost like being a statue. I speak from experience, you know.” He pulled a glass of chocolate milk out of who-knows-where and crunched on the glass. He pulled a face. “Blech. Cherry flavored.”

Apple Bloom sat down again, baffled by the beast’s antics. “Who are you?” She repeated.

Discord smacked himself upside the head. “Where are my manners? Discord Pandemonium Esq.” He clapped a top hat on his head. “Here’s my card.” He handed Apple Bloom a bright green slip of paper. Still confused, she read it. Mathematician Chaotician for Hire. Call: 1800-iWon-thelp for contact. Apple Bloom turned the card over

Got you! Was emblazoned in large, bold letters. She looked back at him in confusion. He grinned. “Bet you didn’t see that one coming.”

Apple Bloom rose to her feet and began to back away nervously. “Listen, it was nice getting to meet you and all, but I’ve got to get back to my family.” She pulled a weak grin and began to turn.

Then she was surrounded. At least eight chaoticians for hire circled around her, each the same as the last. Discord stepped into the middle of the ring holding a briefcase. His expression was devoid of any amusement. “You’re not going anywhere. I have a special bargain and I’m sure that if you’ll hear me out you won’t be able to resist.”

Apple Bloom tried to run away, but the clones packed closer together to form an impenetrable wall. She gasped and spun around in panic. Discord grabbed her and snapped his claws. Apple Bloom tried to will herself to move, but found that her limbs had been turned to lead.

Discord backed away a little, a resentful, perhaps even spiteful glint in his eye. “Even I don’t turn ponies to stone when I want them to stand still and listen.”

Apple Bloom tried to shake her head, but found that she couldn’t even do that. She had lost so much freedom and realized that you don’t miss something until it is taken away from you. “I don’t understand.”

“Of course you don’t!” Discord huffed and a fire lit in his eyes. “Nobody can. Nobody should know something like that but Celestia.” He took a moment to calm himself down. “But enough about that. I’m here to talk to you about your family.”

Apple Bloom frowned. “What about them? I love them, and they love me back. Course Applejack can be real protective, but–”

Discord perked his ears. “That’s exactly what I was going to bring up. What has the Apple family always done? I’ll give you a hint, they harvest apples. They use apples. They eat apples. They breathe apples, you can smell it on their breath.”

“Well that’s just out tradition,” Apple Bloom began.

“Exactly!” Discord waved his paws in exasperation. “No variety. And what would happen if you happened to have a talent without apples? Would you still be a part of the Apple family?”

“Well–”

“I’ll tell you. No. Well have I got a surprise for you.” He reached into his bag. “I’ve seen the future, Apple Bloom. You’re an inventor, a maker of dreams. And it has nothing to do with apples.” He tossed some odds and ends out of the bag in his search. The usual things peddlers sold, buttons, badges, kitchen appliances, a live parakeet, and the squashy chair from the hotel.

Apple Bloom tried to see what else was in the bag, but was hit in the face by an airborne kitchen sink. “Ouch!” 

“Here it is!” Discord pulled out a sticker, but kept covered in his hands before Apple Bloom got a good look at it. “What I have here is the key to your destiny. I can’t just let you see it. You have to give me access to a part of you. Deal?”

“Deal.” Apple Bloom found herself forced to say. 

“Excellent.” He grinned. “Look into my eyes.” He grabbed Apple Bloom with his gaze. She felt a strange lurching in her stomach, then a syrupy sleepiness.

“Interesting.” He mumbled. “But just what I expected. A strong bond with family, a respect for tradition. Honey, you’re not an Apple by destiny. You need to alienate yourself, doctor’s orders. A new look, a new identity. A new path for your life. There we go, all done.” He placed the cutie mark, a simple, black gear, on her flank and snapped his fingers again. “You can move now. Here’s a secret, your little unicorn friend got her mark too. Rather lame if you ask me, all she can do is sing. Not very productive. Hardly what you could make a life out of. You’ll have friends now, you can show up the bullies.” He tied some red yarn to a pink and purple strand. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.” He packed his bag and waved his clones away. The world began to shimmer, then smear, then fade away all together. The dream was over.

_____