Romance and the Fate of Equestria

So, Romance and the Fate of Equestria. That's the title of the story, and those are definitely two main themes I'm going for here. But it's not the only thing of relevance that's going to happen, I should think. Not everything falls into just those categories… after all, I've been known for fics that don't have a plot so much as they are a series of events. And I see no reason to change my ways, least of all with a "slice of life" series such as this.

Chapter Five

RING!

"Okay, my little ponies," Cheerilee said through a smile that was a bit forced, unusually for her. "Class is out for the day… I'd like to thank Powder Keg and Short Fuse for that very spirited session of the debate team…"

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo trudged down the stairs of the schoolhouse, covered in ashes.

"Ugh, my mouth was open and everything," Scootaloo complained. "I'll be picking splinters out of my cheeks for months…"

Twist and Truffle Shuffle bobbed happily after the trio. "Hi, girlth!" Twist said cheerfully. "Doing thome cruthading?"

Apple Bloom winced. "Ugh, not today, Twist. We spent the weekend running mini-triathlons, and we're plumb tuckered out."

Twist tilted her head. "Mini-what?"

"A mini-triathlon," Apple Bloom said. "A hundred feet of swimming, a mile of biking, a thousand feet of running." Seeing that Twist still looked confused, Apple Bloom protested, "Well, I'd like to see you do a real triathlon!"

"One for the history books," came the lilting sneer of Diamond Tiara. "At least you've proved something: that there's no cutie mark that represents sucking."

Apple Bloom snorted. "Is that all? Not cool, Diamond Tiara. This is no time for your B-grade material. We expect real zingers from you."

"Please, you know my good stuff would send you home crying," Diamond Tiara sneered, shoving past them.

Silver Spoon came level with the Crusaders and their friends. "I've just about had enough of her," she whispered confidentially.

"Really?" Sweetie Belle said, surprised. "Then why do you still hang out with her?"

"She's my best friend, isn't she?" Silver Spoon retorted. "But I swear, if she goes, like, completely all queen bee on me, gets her own chariot or a nose job or whatever, I am so out. Will you guys be my backup friends?"

"Huh?" Apple Bloom said, alarmed.

"You know, for when I get sick of Tiara."

"Yeah, we'll get right on that," Apple Bloom said snidely.

"Hmph!" Silver Spoon said. "Fine, be bitchy."

"Come ON, Silver Spoon!" Diamond Tiara shrieked from up ahead.

"On my way," Silver Spoon growled, trotting ahead.

Truffle Shuffle stepped in front of the Crusaders and unloaded his saddlebag. "You ladies need some cheering up!" he said. "Anypony want a slice of wedding cake?"

He whipped something out of the saddlebag, a huge slice of cake, with a second, smaller slice mounted atop it, and a third, and a fourth…

"Whoa…" the Crusaders said in unison, gaping up at it.

Twist giggled. "I can make a tathtier treat than that."

"Is that so?" Truffle Shuffle said. "Well, then, let's go to Sugarcube Corner—I bet they let us use the kitchen again."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Sweetie Belle left the other Crusaders at the table, crossing over to the counter to get some muffins.

"Be just a minute, dear," Mrs. Cake told Sweetie Belle, departing for the kitchen.

Spike spotted his opportunity. He hopped up onto a stool next to her.

"Hi, Sweetie Belle," he said.

"Oh… hi, Spike," she said, surprised.

Spike grinned, brushing back the spikes on his head. "So… you come around here often?"

She blinked, surprised. "Um… you know I do, Spike."

"Mm-hmm," he said, bobbing his head. "Well, uh, I picked the music, you know." He nodded to the record player. "It's Przewalski. You know, the new alternative band that came out of Canterlot?"

"Yeah, my mom got me that record."

"Oh," Spike said, disappointed. "So you've already heard the whole thing… Still, it's good."

"Yeah, good music," Sweetie Belle agreed. "So, Spike… what are you up to?"

"Been reading."

"Yeah?"

"Totally."

Sweetie Belle waited for him to elaborate, but he didn't. "Reading what?" she pressed.

"Oh, you know… stuff. And… junk. What's up with you?"

"I'm in the school play," Sweetie Belle said proudly.

"Ooh, is it a musical?" Spike said eagerly.

"Uh, yeah, but I'm not singing," Sweetie Belle mumbled. "You know how I am with crowds…"

"That's crazy," Spike said. "Is my face too close for you?"

Sweetie Belle turned her head, and was surprised to see Spike's nose pressed right up against hers.

"Erm… yeah?" she said nervously.

"Cool," he said, not shifting his position at all, but wagging his eyebrows to the beat.

Mrs. Cake placed a tray of muffins on the counter, and Sweetie Belle tore her eyes away from Spike's. "I'm gonna go," she said.

"Okay," Spike gushed.

Sweetie Belle grabbed a few muffins and began the walk back to her table. She turned to see Spike, still staring after her with a goofy grin.

"That certainly is odd," she muttered to herself.

At the table, Scootaloo sidled up to Apple Bloom. "So," she said. "What are we doing this week?"

"I dunno," Apple Bloom said absently. "Waiting, I guess."

"Waiting?"

"Y'know, maybe everypony's right," Apple Bloom said sadly. "Maybe we can't force the whole cutie mark deal on ourselves."

"But Apple Bloom, we've been working so hard with no results!" Scootaloo said in disbelief. "How is not working for it gonna improve the odds? That's just bad logic!"

Apple Bloom shook her head. "Maybe by all this trying for cutie marks, we're just tempting fate into holdin' out on us. We're defyin' nature by not waiting. I'm just so… tired." She pressed her forehead against the table. "I'm ready to just start waiting, like a pony's s'posed to."

"But… but… you can't!" Scootaloo gasped. "You can't just give up! How else are you going to know what you were put on this world for?"

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. "This is about how you still can't fly, isn't it?"

"It's connected," Scootaloo snarled. "When I get my cutie mark, I'll start zipping around like the dickens, not a minute earlier or later, I can feel it."

"Well, good luck to ya, then," Apple Bloom said. "But I'm done." She pushed away the table and dropped to the ground. "I'm out of the Crusaders."

"What, again?"

"But Apple Bloom…" Sweetie Belle began.

"You two should quit too," Apple Bloom interrupted. "Let's just live our lives. Aren't you tired of all pain, no gain? I'm for real this time—I've had enough of cutie marks. I'll see you gals at school tomorrow."

Apple Bloom tromped gloomily out of Sugarcube Corner.

"Easy for her to say," Scootaloo said, annoyed. "She knows she's gonna work the apple orchards, am I right? Basically, it's guaranteed! Me… I don't know what my destiny is. I don't even know what I'm gonna do now."

"It's okay, Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle said. "She's still our friend… she'll come back. Unless this 'waiting' thing actually gets her her cutie mark."

Scootaloo chuckled. "Yeah… that would be pretty silly."