chapter one- Click your heels, wish real hard...
Her alarm clock went off, as it did every morning-with the sound of a single loud blare, and then a male pony's voice saying in smooth tone, "Good Morning, Ponyville, Bridleburg, and Phillydelphia, this is your wake up call from The Voice, your one and only station with all the news you need to know, and let me tell you Broadway is booming-" Dazedly, the young unicorn turned slightly in her sleep and mumbled in response, "Oh?"
"That's right! A new actor has been cast at the last minute for the Manehatten production of Phantom of the Opera. While their director wouldn't share with us why stud and well known actor, May Folly, who was the last known pony playing the Masked Mane was either fired or left the cast, he did share with us the new actor-"
The pony didn't stir as the voice spoke, quietly snoozing while it chattered on.
Other voices about the cottage began to stir from outside of her room, most vividly trying to compete with her radio was a television and a humming mare.
The pony in bed should of been up when the alarm went, as she found herself abruptly disliking the sudden brightness in her room, and the loud humming in her ears. "Darling~ My little carnation. Ruby~ Up, up, up~ It's time for school, and you'll be late if you don't hurry..."
Ruby Red stirred marginally, sitting up in her bed with a small wince as she tried to make out her room in the blinding sunlight. The room was as it always was, immaculate, wooden, pink and purple, with the furniture amounting to a small dresser, posters, a beside table/lamp, a little desk, and a large bed. To most it would feel empty with overly crowded walls, but Ruby enjoyed the space she had. The pink unicorn filly yawned, mumbling, "Morning, mama. You seem nervous." This stopped her mother dead in her tracks, the mare holding onto the second set of curtains covering her daughter's windows rather tightly. Quickly, the pony covered it up with a smile, throwing the curtains open, "Silly thing, now why would you say that? Your mama is very happy today. She'll get to come home early and see you when you get home today..."
Ruby nodded, now adding this to the knowledge that her mother had a 'very important meeting' at her work today. Ruby Red simply smiled, pulling herself out of bed, mumbling, "Okay. I'll get ready for school." If she was lucky, her mother would do alright today, and she would sell the house on Haystack Circle to the nice ponies that had come over for dinner last night.
Then Ruby wouldn't have to worry a bit.
Ruby trotted towards her vanity, blinking at her bedmane and ruffled tail, and grabbed at her brush to remedy both problems. As she brushed, and brushed, and brushed, she listened to the main headlines, and let her bright forest green eyes wander around her room once more. Her posters were hanging perfectly now, rearranged after her father had sent her a new one from Manehattan, from a new imaginative play he was part of called Wicked, that featuring a pair of new stars. She was rather intrigued by them, two budding unicorn actresses: Spring Glory and Trixie.
The letter had had sent her sat on the dresser, and he had told a bit of their rivalry: on stage and off, of how funny Glory was, how life in Manehattan was busy, how the play was an adaption of a book (one Ruby still wasn't old enough to read), and how as always: he missed her. She hoped he sent her a new letter soon-and perhaps a video of the play she could watch. Ruby always delighted in watching her father dancing around in the backdrops with other ponies...
Never did a day pass did Ruby miss him. Mommy was wonderful, but she was so stressed, worked so hard now that he'd left, and kept trapped by an emotion Ruby could not name or verbally describe... that she often did things that kept Ruby away from other ponies. She idolized her father-for after for so long writing plays and hiding in Ponyville, being depressed and weighed down with melancholy, could stand it no longer, and had left for Manehattan... the big city-where the opera, Broadway, and movies were at their highest, to do what he was meant to: become an actor.
Her mother had been less understanding, and less idolizing, it was easiest to say.
Ruby placed her brush down, smiling at her reflection for a moment, watching the movements of her face, after opening her maw to check her teeth, the pink hued pony trotted out of her room and into the living room of their family's snug one floor cottage, working her way to the kitchen.
She picked up her breakfast from the table, the slice of toast hanging in her mouth, and pulled her backpack onto her back. She waved to her mother-who was on the phone, and chewed on her toast as she started out the door.
It was the usual day, bright and boisterous with birds and small talk from the ponies about her street, and Ruby found it very nice. She finished her toast half way down the street, and kept on, not even bothering with the toast crumbs around her muzzle. With her happiest smile, Ruby dashed down the street in a canter, not even bothering to pay attention to her surroundings as she went.
It was simply the way she usually went, without care or worry of accident. That day, however would have it that fate would place a group of giggling, loud, and snarky ponies somewhere between her and the school, and they would have to be going the exact route she took. Ruby found herself trotting slowly behind a group of odd ponies, a pair of pinkish ponies like Ruby, a gray looking filly, and a big gruff gray and white pony. They all sported fashionable backpacks, the girls wore matching headbands, and they all had cutie marks.
She trotted slowly behind them, matching their pace, and watching carefully for pauses in their speed or steps. Ruby couldn't help examining their peculiar marks and began to listen to their conversation, placidly. "Well, Silver, my dear, I know that short hair cuts are all the rage in Canterlot-but let's be honest. With all the blank flanks with their short, shabby little hair cuts, do we really want to give into the craze? We should be looking for the next big thing... Something fabulous. We just start studying upcoming trends. It shouldn't be too hard."
"Well, curly hair and hair dying might be on the up and up, Tiara."
"Purple hair dye! Dark deep lilac."
"Oh~ That sounds splendid. We could get matching highlights. What do you think, Marble?"
"You'll look pretty, babe, if you curl it, straighten it, or whatever. Your friends too."
The pony following them couldn't help but wonder why he sounded so sincere, when he certainly didn't feel that way. Her own hair she indeed, kept shabby and short, and in return the mop of coarse dark pink fur hardly ever gave her trouble. She trotted on, forgetful of her surroundings.
Another point, they had mentioned her in masse with so many others... with such spite, she almost wanted to walk ahead now. In fact, she made a point to move left to pass them-and walked right into a street lamp. With a loud sharp clatter, that made her wobble and fall onto her tail.
The four ponies ahead of her turned about, with sharp surprised whinnies-probably assuming they were in some sort of trouble. One of the pony's wings had hopped off her back, and were positioned perilously, indicating her fright... but she soon retracted them snorting, "Oh. It's you. Ruby, wasn't it?"
"What are you doing?" Said one of the others, with a annoyed huff, "Stupid blank flank..."
Ruby opened her mouth for a moment, before closing it. The last time she'd told the truth about what she was doing to a group of older fillies and colts-they had all been furious, and rather amused by her odd hobby. She pulled her ears back, blinking. "... going to school." She said quietly... hoping that they would accept that she'd been distracted for but a moment.
All three girls snorted, and turned back around, "What an airhead. Worse than my brothers."
"Not to mention, a blank-flank."
"Watch where you're going, stupid. Before you crash into important ponies."
They started off, but the guy stood there for a moment, and slowly offered Ruby a hoof.
Ruby, not used to kindness from his sort, glanced towards the girls, and hurriedly took his hoof. He pulled her back onto her haunches, and she mouthed, "Thank you." quietly at him. The big fellow turned around trotting quickly to catch up with the three fillies. "Wait up, ladies. Marble Arch just had to have a private laugh at the morning's expense..."
Ah. How kind.
Ruby went on, slower now, and more worried about the day ahead.
Perhaps... perhaps, the day wouldn't be as good as she hoped.
Ruby's day worked out alright, much better than the morning had warned. None of her classmates had noticed her intently watching them, none of the teacher ponies had remarked on her lack of focus on her assignments, nopony had regarded her with a glare or sharp reprimand, and nothing had quite ruined the day yet. The morning went well. No incidents, and she hadn't hurt anypony's feelings.
As the final bell rang, and the ponies all excused themselves in a crazed way, Ruby stayed behind to get her lunch and backpack from her locker...
For lunch she kept to herself as usual, and decided to eat lunch at an abandoned picnic table after she told her teacher adieu. Some ponies went home for lunch, older ponies trotted to the nearby restaurants, but most stayed at the little school house-munching around the playground or in the classroom until their mothers or older siblings came to pick them up.
Setting the plastic box down, she popped the lid open, and found herself immensely let down. The box, despite feeling heavy, contained only an empty thermos. Drooping her ears, she closed her lunch box, and set it beside her, debating wether or not to begin the trek home so soon. Her mother might be home by now-or she might still be signing papers with ponies, and that left the house locked. She sunk into the table a bit, looking out onto the playground.
Ponies sat about eating, while others hung out by the playground, the youngest of them messing around the slide, playing hop-scotch, while others were drawing with chalk on the sidewalk. Ruby took to watching three particular ponies, the emotions in the air spiraling about in the air around them bemused her, such a vivid, determined mix of emotions she could never recall feeling from others this way.
The olive pony was excited, waving a piece of paper around and her lips moving far to fast for Ruby to try and read. Her friends, a orange pegasus and a pale unicorn were a bubble with interest, most of it positive, some of it negative-but the faith felt between the two for their olive friend was entertaining, and Ruby held them in high regard. Their emotions were all over the place, nervousness, unsureness, determination, happiness; it was a web Ruby carefully untangled and named to herself. She settled down at the table, and glanced about for other ponies after she was finished, seeking similar complexity...
The younger ones were a happy bunch, the older ponies displaying simple emotions as well, but Ruby found herself a few prime ponies to stare at and entertain herself with.
A yellowish colt surrounded by fillies much older than he, waving his hooves around and holding their attention...
A green teacher pony who was scolding a blue earth pony with funky white hair...
Some odd gray pegasus nickering at a little red pony...
Ruby hummed, feeling much better now, though still rather hungry. She lost herself to her powers, the unicorn settling easy into the warmth of the day and the ease of just sitting back.
"What are you doing~?"
Ruby almost jumped out of her fur, turning her head towards the speaker. She firstly met with the horizon, and glanced left and right to no avail-until a hoof waved itself in her vision. There was a small light purple unicorn filly sitting on the picnic bench with her, smiling brightly. Ruby's ears laid flat as she stared uncomfortably at the little child, unsure if she should answer.
After a moment she decided to tell the truth, quietly saying, "I'm... pony-watching."
The seemingly first-grader seemed to think about this, tapping her hoof to her lips a few times, "That's cool!" She declared, holding her hooves up, and brightly smiling. Ruby, unsure if the filly was sincere, took the time to draw on the little filly's emotions. What she got back was so bright, honest, and heart warming she instantly threw her doubts and questions about the filly to the wind. "Anyway, I saw you looking kind of sad when you got your lunch out-and I figured that meant your mommy or daddy must of forgot your lunch like my mommy does some times-"
Ruby blinked, dazed at the sentence that was uttered,
"So I brought you one of my apples, so you wouldn't have to be sad or hungry before you went home!" The fellow unicorn bounced about, holding up a green apple and setting it down in front of Ruby. With this the unknown pony dashed off, smiling and waving, making a bee-line for the ponies starting a jump-rope game.
For a long moment Ruby could do nothing but stare at the pony, green eyes appreciative, as she wondered who she was, and why she would give up part of her lunch for a strange, older, sort of odd unicorn. Delighted with the waxy skin of the apple in front of her, she took a bite. Acts of random kindness shouldn't be questioned, she decided, the crisp sour bite of the apple settling her growling stomach.
Back to watching the frolicking ponies that were her fellows.
Pressing her nose and an ear against the door to the cottage, Ruby listened carefully, her mind bubbling anxiously. It was a little after noon, and the sun was soon to wane from the sky ever so slowly... Ruby couldn't get a read on what was behind the door, and simply couldn't decide if it would be better to stay outside, play in the garden where it was safe, and come up with an excuse for coming home late, or simply enter her own house and begin work on her homework.
It all depended on her mother's mood.
She could smell wine from where she stood-and was already weary of the situation.
Eventually, being unable to think of her mother in such a way, Ruby opened the door, quietly calling, "I'm home, mama." The reply was not verbal, but Ruby could feel the emotions through her bones, and nervously closed the door behind her, lightly as she could.
She walked into the living room, stared at the sight before her, and in turn softly smiled at the snoring pony on the couch. Her mother turned on the couch in a restless sleep, grumbling quietly, and Ruby understood the projected feelings as unhappy and oddly mournful. The little pony walked over towards one of the house's many closets, pulled a blanket out of it, and then returned to drape it over her mother's plum colored coat.
It would be best if her mother slept off the whole bottle of red wine and the half bottle of white wine she'd ingested.
Best for Ruby Red, best for Berry Red, and best for the neighbors too.
Little Ruby then corked the half full wine bottle, stole the two empty glasses off the coffee table, and carefully extracted a third red stained glass from her mother's teeth and her hooves-taking the objects to the kitchen with a soft hum of One Last Hope, the song fresh on her mind.
She did her chores, did a few things her mother had forgotten to do in her self-pity, and then around four o'clock began to trot to her room to start her homework.
The doorbell, loud, invasive, and far too loud for Ruby's liking rang, however...
Leaving Ruby to shakily stand between the door to her room, her mother, and the cottage entrance's door. She, glanced towards her mother, cursed quietly under her breath with a nervous shutter, and went for the door.
Please don't wake up, please don't wake up-
"Are you sure about this, Apple Bloom? I mean, there's got to be a reason the kid avoids everyone at school." Scootaloo questioned the other, staring at the deep redwood siding of the little cottage before them, inspecting the handmade shutters, noting the little realtor sign depicting a plum and mulberry pony shaking hooves with the mayor, frowning at the extensive garden to the side, ... and seeming rather unenthused by the whole ordeal by doing all these things. Apple Bloom puffed her chest out, tapping a hoof to it, "I'm sure as a sugar plum, Scootaloo. I want to ask her to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders."
They were all in uniform, and by Sweetie Belle's side was a basket, containing a few pieces of colored printer paper, and a good dozen apples from the Apple Family's farm. "To consider joining." Sweetie Belle said, smiling slightly, "At least, right?"
Apple Bloom nodded determinedly.
They had learned of Ruby Red from Cheerilee, their former teacher describing the pink pony as very distant from the other students, noting that she was the only pony in her class this year without a cutie mark. It wasn't that Ruby avoided the other ponies, like Scootaloo had just said, it was more like she made an effort to make herself unnoticed by the other ponies. Cheerilee told the girls of her numerous attempts at getting the class to socialize, study groups, partner projects, and little get-to-know-you activities that were usually implemented at the start of the year. All had been cleverly avoided by Ruby after a time, as the first few times the filly had been in a group-she'd seemingly alienated them into "voting" her off the team.
Ruby was apparently a good student, so Miss Cheerilee worried about her lack of ponyskills and friends, especially since Ruby seemed to be getting worse as the year went on. The teacher had even tried scheduling a parent-teacher conference to discuss the troubling issue with Ruby's mother, but still hadn't managed it. Miss Red wasn't an easy pony to get a hold of...
Apple Bloom, her thoughts returning to when she only had Twist in Miss Cheerilee's class, couldn't stand to think of what it would be like to go through a whole year without a friend in class. She wanted to help the filly, with an offer of friendship, with a touch of guidance, ... well, just being able to help would be nice.
To offer friendship for the sake of friendship.
"So, are we ready?" Apple Bloom asked, turning towards her friends.
"I've got... the apples, the guidelines, rules, and the calendar, ready, Apple Bloom." Sweetie Belle chimed, proudly nodding after she checked the basket. Scootaloo rolled her eyes, and nodded, "I've got a dozen arguments, and a good few ideas in my head. Ready to roll."
"Right, then'. I've got my speech down." The olive pony sighed, steeling herself to meet this new pony.
She leaned towards the door and rang the bell.
They waited at the door impatiently, a whole five minutes passing before a pony came to the door, looking as shaky as a newborn just on his legs. The carnation pink unicorn drew back slightly when she saw them, looking nervous when taking in their faces. It was as if she'd seen them before... or perhaps heard of one of their mishaps.
That put a kink in Apple Bloom's plans.
"Uhm... this really isn't a good time." Ruby said, stepping outside of her house and closing the door behind her in a hurry, "... And, uhm-" Apple Bloom, not one known for her sale's pitch, still knew this was a step back. "Sorry' Ruby... We won't take up much of your time, I promise, we just wanted to talk for a moment." She said, nodding towards Scootaloo, "I'm Apple Bloom, this is-"
"Scootaloo."
"And-"
"... I'm Sweetie Belle... nice to meet you."
Apple Bloom went on, "And we're the-"
"Cutie Mark Crusaders!"
The three struck a pose that was quickly disbanded when Ruby let out a terrified, "Oh, shhhh, please..."
Scootaloo tilted her head slightly, pointing at Ruby, "And why should we quiet down?" Ruby backed against the door slightly, put off by Scootaloo's aggressive tone, "My mother's sleeping." She said quietly, "And you mustn't wake her..."
Apple Bloom took this into consideration, and with some difficulty, she brought her voice down a few notches, "We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders. You may have heard of us, or seen us in town doing a couple of crazy things..."
"Yes. I... seen you before. If you're selling cookies like the Coltscouts or popcorn like the Fillyscouts, I can't help you... mom doesn't buy into the hype or delight of either..."
Sweetie Belle giggled at this, "No, no, silly. We're not here to sell you anything."
Scootaloo nodded, boldly stating, "Yeah! We want to offer you the honor of becoming one of us."
Apple Bloom nodded, her excitement betraying her wishes to stay quiet, "We want to ask you, Ruby Red, to join our organization-The Cutie Mark Crusaders!"
Ruby stared at them, seemingly confused.
"You want to offer me what?"
Sweetie Belle stepped forward, placing three sheets of paper down in front of Ruby, and then two apples atop the sheets. She smiled at the younger pony saying after a moment, "We want you to consider joining The Cutie Mark Crusaders."
Ruby blinked at them, as Scootaloo stepped up a bit, "Letme' explain, kid," She used a term of endearment often placed upon herself, trying to make the filly more comfortable, "You see, The Cutie Mark Crusaders are all about self discovery. We want to help each other discover our cutie marks, and we'll go to the ends of Equestria and beyond to do it. Since before this, we've been rather exclusive, it's an honor to even be considered... And you're our first round pick." She grinned, nodding toward's Apple Bloom, "Or, Apple Bloom's first round pick."
After a long moment of sudden uncomfortable silence, Ruby said, "Oh, uhm... gee."
The pony scuffed a hoof, unable to look any of them in the eye, "I'm not... sure my mother would let me join an organization. I mean, this is very honoring and all, and I'd... I'd ... like... to..." She faltered, and shook her head, "I hate to disappoint you. I hate to make you sad..." Her voice was very quiet, and reminded Apple Bloom of Shutterfly, "I don't think I'd be able to. Not now. Not with things as th-they are-please don't be mad-"
Sweetie Belle, the only one of them that didn't seem too off put by the pony's insistence that she couldn't join them, said softly, "Just think about it, before you turn us down outright." She smiled, "We'll see you at school tomorrow. Or you can call Apple Bloom, or me, or Scootaloo and tell us-"
Scootaloo nodded, and Apple Bloom nodded as well before she said, "We'd be plum tickled if you'd be part of our group, friend'."
"... f-friend?"
"Ruby Carnation Red!"
Ruby jumped, turning towards the door when it swung open and winced.
Well.
"G... get in the 'ouse. Go'n yur room." The larger pony in the doorway said with an angry snort, "Dun't you talk to m' trouble makers..."
All four fillies wrinkled their noses, Apple Bloom suddenly seeing perhaps why Ruby didn't socialize much, "Mother-" The pink pony sputtered, "You should be inside. You still have that headache. You must be feeling unwell... please..."
"Room." Her mother stomped her hooves, "N'aow."
The pink unicorn was seen fleeing inside-and Sweetie Belle couldn't help but smile when she saw Ruby carefully snatching the papers off the porch before she did so. The plum colored adult pony in front of them glowered, "... git out' 'eerr." She snarled, "My car... carnation ... I wun't let her mingle... with... riff-raft.. weedy... likes... you!"
Scootaloo glared right back, quite likely to snarl right back, but Apple Bloom was already tugging her by a wing off the porch. "C'mon girls." She said, with a nod, "It's all right'..."
Ruby locked the door to her room, shivering for a moment.
She let out a sigh when she heard her mother stomping past her room, and going off towards the kitchen. After a long moment, she pulled the papers away from her pounding heart, and smoothed them onto the floor. A red piece, a blue piece, and a gold piece... all with typed print upon them.
The red piece of paper was a set of guidelines, things like: Mandatory meetings are held on Fridays, from one to four., Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, or Sweetie Bell may call a meeting at their own discretion as needed; At events you must be accompanied by a guardian, or checked in by a guardian! Sleep-overs will be well overseen by Apple Bloom's sister, and Sporting Events require proper equipment! Check with Scootaloo for a run down of what you might need! littered the list, setting up something that looked very interesting. It gave an oath and then stated the Equestrian Pledge to finish off the guidelines... stating to: know and study these...
The blue was a calendar for that month. It reminded her of their capes, the background of the calendar a recreation of the emblem on their backs. It showed, indeed, the mandatory meetings-and she noted that on the calendar was written in perfect script: "Your first meeting!", just next week.
The gold was something of a small listing of rules. They weren't restrictive, but laid down a sort of... ground rules for meetings, who would be speaking, when it was alright to talk, when was the right time to bring forth an issue or something in need of discussion...
After a long read, Ruby went back to the calendar. She stared at it, her mind wandering...
Not many ponies would walk up to her and act as nice as could be... and well...
Mean it with their hearts.
Pity was something she was often on the receiving end of, so, she was used to ponies acting nice because of her home situation. Oh, you poor thing, mother's driven to drink, father's left them for acting... Poor, poor, Ruby. She needs us. Her perception of people was clouded by the emotions they felt. She would act in response towards them-making for an awkward clash of expectations.
So someone walking up, smiling brightly, and wanting to be friends because of something in their souls that just pushed them to...
Ruby wasn't used to that sort of offer.
After a while, she glanced outside, towards the sinking sun, and the beginning of a stormy night. She gathered up her papers, set them all but the calendar on her vanity, taking the blue piece of paper towards an empty space upon her wall. She pinned it up-right next to her father. She stared at him, the silly pony with fake whiskers on his face, his mane pouffy and griffon like, the motivational words, "Have Heart, Cowardly Lion" above his head, and the production name beneath him: "The Wizard of Oz". One of his first jobs on stage.
Ruby nodded at the poster, trotting towards her closet.
"I ... I will try, papa." She mumbled, pulling a flashlight out of the closet. "I'll try."
She braved the oncoming storm as well as the night, with nothing but a flashlight and a thin jacket.
Ruby found herself at the Apple Family's residence, standing under their porch, and staring at the front door with her nerves tense. Perhaps, perhaps this was a bad idea... She just couldn't bring herself to knock, even though she'd been brave enough to sneak out of her house... something that would likely result in disaster and being grounded for life.
She winced and insisted inside of her mind—it'll be worth it...
"I'm tellin' ya-if ya forgot to get the mail it's probably soaked now, Macintosh. N' I'll get it, don't you worry 'bout gettin' wet ya'-"
Ruby blinked at the door as it opened, and sat firmly in her spot, as a pony stopped in front of her-"What in tarnation?" The orange earth pony stared at her, mouth half open, "What in this good earth are you doin' on our porch, darlin'?" Ruby stuttered for a moment, before being oddly calmed by the presence of the pony.
Honesty...?
Ruby tilted her head, and mumbled, "I w... I was hoping to speak with Apple Bloom."
The pony stepped away from the door, pulling it open wider, "Come on in', sugarcube'. I'll get you a towel..."
With a deep breath, and a nod, Ruby stepped into the house, observing the homey... earthy feel of the house, of how in place everything felt. She sat for a moment, feeling safe in the warmth of the work pony house, and could see a flash of olive dashing down the stairs at the orange pony's beckoning, "Apple Bloom, visitor fer' ya."
Apple Bloom blinked at her... blinky, blink, blink...
Opened her mouth, with a curved smile, and said, "Uh, well, howdy, Ruby."
Ruby could not help herself. She beamed right back.
"I... I came to apologize for my mother's behavior towards you all. I will be telling Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo the same in the morning. I... I also... the meeting's next friday, right?" She said, looking about nervously, for a moment looking into Apple Bloom's eyes.
Apple Bloom took a minute to register what Ruby was saying.
The earth pony jumped slightly in joy, "You mean it? You want to join? Yes! The meeting's next Friday, seein' as how we figured everybody'd need time to convince their maws' n' paws to let 'em come to it-and well-I needed time to figure everythin' out-" She just let loose a whirlwind of words, absolutely enthusiastic.
Ruby, warmed at the heart by the joy in Apple Bloom's, smiled and nodded.
"An' I was gonna have to make snacks and make sure ever'pony fits into the clubhouse, n'-" Apple Bloom took in a deep breath, and then thought for a moment, "... do ya' want to stay for dinner? Til the storm blows over, at least, Ruby? I can get to know ya' a bit better! And ya should meet Macintosh n' Granny Smith-and you've met my sister Applejack-"
The orange mare draped a towel over Ruby, saying, "Yep'. That's me."
"N', well-"
Ruby laughed slightly, cutting Apple Bloom off with a definite, "Yes."
"Yes, I'd like that..."
author notes ;; For anyone saying, "TCH, but we know Ruby has a cutie mark it's-" NO, IT'S NOT A SLED, STOP-I'm well aware she's shown up in a shot or two with her cutie mark in the show. However, she has been seen lacking one in others. So, due to creative license, I can shake my rainicorn horn about and say, "Blank-ala-Flank' and expect her backside to be lacking... things.
Don't ruin it by mentioning what cutie mark she has in your review you silly Celestias-
or I'll be forced to hit my head on my desk and change it, see?
Several of the little ponies have caught my eye, and she's not the only one I might add...
As for School ending at lunch time-I figure it's sort of like... well. Germany? I think it's Germany where that happens-go home, eat a big lunch, and study my little ponies. -nod- Something like that. Luna would like that...
OH, I forgot to mention last time so... I love you Hasbro... and Lauren. So, I own not these ponies, all that claim-less shtick-this is for fun, motivation, and to combat Pinkiepool's desire to keep the manecast on top.
I am not being paid, or anything.
(Though if you're offering-) fffttt, no, I'm not old enough to be employed...
Normally, this is where I would reply to questions, queries, comments, and stupid dance remixes-
Though, I know it's early for that, and I have nothing else to ramble about so...
WAIT. wait. Someone gave me a review. -squee- I can thank him or her in elaborate fashion. As, indeed, reviews make me a happy rainicorn.
iPinkNinja - Glad you like what you see. Hope it continues to please. ^-^
Now, to our scheduled programing,
I hope you like ponies.
I hope you like them a lot.
...
Next week, on Destined Crusaders,
Children's toys!
Mechanic nonsense!
Record Labels!
Musical inclinations!
Until next time, I'm your host, Penn & Paper.
Thanks for readin', bronies.
Reviews = super happy rainicorns!