“What're yer plans for today, AB? Y'all are meetin' the other Crusaders, ain'tcha?” Applejack asked, leaning against the window sill and staring out into the orchard.

“Yep, dat's da plan,” Babs mumbled through a mouthful of toast, throwing Apple Bloom a wink.

Apple Bloom stared into her cousin's face, feeling her pulse quickening. The previous night was still very fresh in her mind. After all, she and Babs had only just woken up, albeit very late. It was around 10:30 AM. She hastened to spoon the rest of her porridge into her mouth; she had chores to do before she would be able to leave.

“Don't choke, Apple Bloom!” Applejack warned her.

“I ain't a baby, I know how to ea-haa, haa, haaack!” Bloom's spoon clattered to the table. Babs casually dropped her toast, reached over, and thumped her on the back. “T-thanks...” Bloom wheezed, reaching for a napkin to wipe the porridge from her mouth.

“So, what didja learn?” Applejack shot the filly a sly smile.

“Horseapples, that's what!” Bloom huffed, folding her arms and glaring away from her sister.

Applejack strolled out of the dining room in the direction of the adjoining living room, ruffing Bloom's mane as she went. Bloom threw her hooves into the air, trying to wave her sister off as Babs snickered. The city pony returned to the toast, still smirking at her.

“Not my finest moment,” Bloom sighed, picking up her glass of milk and taking a carefully measured gulp. “C'mon, y'all been stuffin' yer face long enough! I wantcha to help me clean my room, since y’all have been been sleepin' there, too!”

Babs Seed's smile faded quickly. The filly swallowed, blew her hair from her face, and laid down the piece of crust she was holding. Bloom didn't think anything of it as she pressed her hooves against the table and shoved her rump backwards, sliding the chair across the floor so she could get up. She gingerly got to her hooves, reaching back cautiously to her backside and groaned.

“At least the colour's starting to go away... almost,” Apple Bloom said, moving carefully away from the table. “Still tender as all hec... C'mon, Babs!”

“Oh!” Babs jumped down off her chair, wincing somewhat. “Y-yeah, sawwy, Cus...”

“Uh, you okay?” Bloom asked, concern in her voice. She heard the front door open and close.

“I'm fine,” Babs assured her quickly, blowing the pink strands of hair from her eyes again. “Faget about it.”

“Are you sure?”

“I sed I was FINE!” Babs snapped, bumping her aside with her head.

“Wait!” Apple Bloom called after her, blinking as her eyes started to water. She slowly dropped her rump on the floor, flinching, watching with sorrow as her cousin's short pink tail whipped out of sight. “B-Babs...” She closed her eyes, bowing her head and letting out a shuddering breath, feeling warm tears welling in her eyes. “C-come b-b-back...”

It felt as though someone was clenching a giant claw around her stomach. What had she done to upset her cousin? Rack her brain as she might, she was drawing up blanks. All she could think about was how much they had cuddled and kissed the night before. Everything was ashes.  She had never felt this way after an argument with a friend before. The heavy steps of her cousin echoed from the hallway as Babs climbed the stairs to the second level. Bloom’s tears were dripping onto the hardwood.

The sound of Applejack opening the front door again reached her ears. She quickly got to her hooves, racing back to the table for a clean napkin to dry her face with. Being interrogated was nothing Bloom wanted to deal with right now. She didn't want to talk to anyone but Babs Seed. Moving quickly towards the hallway and trotting up the stairs, her worry closed in around her like a curse.

Her bedroom door was closed. She approached it cautiously, all too aware of the fact she had left it wide open before they had come downstairs to eat. Twisting the knob slowly, she pushed it open inch by inch, peering carefully into the room. The moment she spotted her cousin, she threw the door open and moved inside the room.

“Babs!” Bloom gasped in surprise, closing the door behind her.

Babs was sitting down on the bed, her face buried on her knees, her body shaking with sobs. Apple Bloom was dumbstruck by the scene. It just didn't make sense. Babs was so tough yesterday, yet here she was, breaking down for no reason. Why? Bloom thought miserably.

Bloom lifted her head up, twisting it around to stare at her. She closed her eyes once, which seemed to severe the streams of her tears like a faucet being shut off. Her cousin was looking simultaneously hurt and furious.

“Babs, what's wrong?” Bloom asked, approaching the bed. She felt so empty inside. “Why did you get mad at me?!”

“How could yas say dat to me?! I THOUGHT YA LIKED MEEE!” Babs roared in a furious sob, throwing her hooves against Bloom and shoving her back.

“B-Babs!” Apple Bloom repeated, starting to cry herself as she nearly overbalanced. “What did I do wrong? P-please, tell me, I'm sorry!”

“Ya d-don't knows?” the other filly whimpered, voice cracking.

Babs stared into her eyes, as though she were trying to catch her lying. Her face was starting to lose its fury, replaced with a terrible sorrow.

“No! I don't!” Bloom cried in earnest. “What's wrong with ya? Why did ya push me?”

“Nevamind...” Her cousin's voice was low and somber. “Sawwy.”

That was it? Bloom thought furiously, but she had no desire to do anything else to upset her cousin. She wasn't happy with how she was being treated, not one bit, but she didn't want to lose her new best friend, either.

“Cus’n, do ya wanna... talk to me? Or kiss, or somethin' to make ya feel better?” she asked hopefully, wanting things to be right again.

Babs shook her head. “I don't wanna kiss,” she said, ignoring the other suggestions. She slipped off the bed, drying her eyes on her arm. “I'll help yas clean up.”

Apple Bloom wanted to start crying again. She didn't know what she could have done to upset her cousin this way.

“She didn't, did she?!” Scootaloo exclaimed in surprise, jaw dropping as she gawked at her oldest friend.

“Yeah, she did... with a slipper, too...” Sweetie Belle twitched uncomfortably as she sat side by side with Scootaloo at the round table in the clubhouse.

“So, you all got it last night... but me! Ha!” Scootaloo boomed very smugly, giggling. “The orphanage doesn't punish us!”

Sweetie's face turned into a furious scowl. Bloom herself, already in a bad mood, shot the pegasus filly a look of pure venom. Babs, sitting next to her, leaned across the small table and jabbed a hoof hard in Scootaloo's chest.

“Keep up dat attitude and I'll do it meself!” she warned, sitting back down.

Scootaloo gave a little squeak of terror, looking very nervous. “Calm down...” she said cautiously, backing away from the three of them. “I was only kidding! Look...”

Scootaloo twisted around and blushed softly, pulling aside her Crusaders' cape, revealing the warm shades of a well-tanned rump. Apple Bloom immediately thought of how her cousin looked following her punishment.

“What?” Sweetie asked in disbelief, shielding her eyes. “How’d that happen? You said the matron doesn’t spank?”

“She doesn’t spank, yeah. Too bad Rainbow Dash does...” Scootaloo sighed, grinning in embarrassment. “This morning, she caught up to me, and... yeah. Why do you think I thought it a good idea to wear my cape today?”

Apple Bloom was feeling a little more satisfied. “I never thought about the whole cape thing, since, y'know...” She tugged at her own, throwing a look to Babs beside her and Sweetie across from them. “We're all wearing them. They're awesome for butt-hiding! Still, serves ya right for jokin'.”

“How? That doesn't make sense!” Scootaloo argued.

“Whatever!” Bloom shrugged. “But I guess Rainbow Dash is taking the big sister thing seriously, huh? That's good!”

“Yeah, real good,” Scootaloo mumbled, face still scarlet as she sat back down with a quiver.

They all fell silent and Apple Bloom immediately went back to thinking about her cousin. Babs Seed wasn't angry toward her anymore, but what was truly upsetting Bloom was the fact that Babs was still acting like she was holding something against her. Apple Bloom would have thought that after the way they cuddled and kissed last night, her cousin would at least be acting more like a best friend.

“I guess this is all behind us, huh?” Sweetie asked the group at large. “I mean, we've all been punished and you aren't upset with us because of us booby-trapping the float, right, Babs?”

“'Course not,” Babs said quickly, fidgeting uncomfortably.

“Uh... are you?” Bloom asked her seriously, noticing the restlessness. She really hoped Babs wouldn't explode at her.

“No... I ain'ts.” The city filly shook her head. “But I still feel bad fa da whole ting, with me hurtin' yas all, I mean.”

“Why?” Scootaloo asked, cocking up an eyebrow. “Didn't Applejack whup you two senseless?”

“She didn't whup us senseless!” the yellow filly huffed, aggrieved again. “That's my sister yer talkin' 'bout, Scoots...”

“Sorry!” Scootaloo apologized hastily. “But she did get spanked, didn't she?”

“Yeah, I did... But I ain't hurts Applejack.” Babs slowly stood up, starting to shake nervously, staring down the two fillies across from her. “I still feel bad for treatin’ yous gals like trash.”

“It’s not that big a deal, Babs...” Scootaloo gave a shrug. “We don’t really care.

“Maybe,” Babs started with a gulp, “m-maybe you gals could punish me for yaselves?”

“WHAT?” they both yelled simultaneously while Apple Bloom's eyes widened in shock.

“That's not fair, you already got punished!” Sweetie squeaked uneasily. “Why do you want us to do it again?!”

“'Cause I still feels bad...” Babs mumbled softly, moving half-way around the table. “But I'm n-nervous...”

“Don't be nervous, 'cause we're not gonna hit ya, Babs!” Scootaloo said, shaking her head.

“It ain't dat... I'm just afraid yas might make fun of me...”

“Why would we make fun of you?” Sweetie asked her, starting to look very uncomfortable.

“Well, it's 'cause I'm... big.” Babs' voice dropped to a whisper on the last word and she bowed her head, blushing.

“You're older than us!” Scootaloo laughed. “Of coure you're bigger!”

“No, I means...” Babs shuddered, steeling herself. “Fat. Ponies back home bullied me... 'cause I'm fats. I want yas to punish me, but...”

“You're worried we'd make fun of your butt, or something?” Sweetie enquired sweetly, extending a hoof to her. “We won't, Babs! You're our friend and you're not that fat!”

Apple Bloom just sat there in silence as her friends and cousin talked, still lost in her own depressing thoughts. Why didn't Babs Seed ever tell her that she was bullied for her weight on top of being a blank flank?

“So, yas won't poke fun?” the dark orange filly asked.

“No, we won't! But we shouldn't have to hit you...” Scootaloo explained.

Sweetie Belle nodded. “That seems cruel, really cruel...”

“C'mon, be tough!” Babs Seed said. “Please? It would helps me feel betta.”

The pegasus and unicorn looked at one another for a moment, sighing.

“Fine...” Sweetie Belle said with a frown. “But Scoots goes first!”

“Alright...” Scootaloo shrugged as Babs Seed moved half-way between Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom. She removed her cape.

Bloom was having trouble breathing. It wasn't that she didn't want her cousin to get spanked. Well, she reasoned with herself, she half wanted it to happen and half didn't.

The simple fact that was grinding up her insides was that Babs had asked Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. It had been a joke, really. She had been joking, she was certain of it. She wasn't really going to give Babs Seed a spanking. But nevertheless she felt betrayal in her heart as she watched her cousin leaning over the table, lifting her tail high away from her slightly-coloured rump. Bloom's eyes moved down to her own lap; she had no desire to watch this.

My cousin doesn't like me anymore, she thought to herself, now staring at a spot in the far corner of the clubhouse. What did I do? Oh, gosh, what did I do?!

“This is so weird...” Scootaloo said. “Well, here goes anyway!”

Apple Bloom heard her take a step back. Stepping forward again, the noise of a hoof slapping flesh echoed throughout the small structure. Scootaloo repeated the action twice more, Babs giving a yelp on the third.

“Okay, uh...” Scootaloo hesitated. “Hope ya... learned your lesson, young lady! You gonna try, Sweetie?”

“No, I don't want to...”

“Please...” Babs repeated. “I'd feel betta.”

“Fine,” Sweetie sighed heavily. Apple Bloom glanced up in spite of herself when Scootaloo nearly stumbled, as she moved gingerly to sit down again.

Babs glanced sideways, locking eyes with her. Her cousin looked almost sorry. It didn't matter to Apple Bloom, she had a horrible stitch in her chest similar to an exhausting day spent apple-bucking. She could have easily taken the look to mean 'are you jealous?' if she wanted to.

Sweetie was in position behind the city filly, looking as though she'd rather be sitting down with Scootaloo again. She gave Babs a cautious three or four swats as Bloom looked down again.

“That hurt me more than you, I bet...” Sweetie shivered. “Don't make me do it again.”

“No, dat works. Thanks, gals...” Babs said, pushing herself off of the table. She caught Bloom's eye and quickly glanced away.

“Right, so...” Scootaloo trailed off.

“Cutie Mark Crusader go time?” Sweetie asked, brightening up at once.

And so, the day of crusading for cutie marks began proper. They tried to be weathermares, but found they couldn't reach the clouds, not even Scootaloo. Next they hit up the Ultra Pony Roller Derby rink, all having failed dismally except for Scootaloo, who managed to avoid wiping out completely. Bloom, of course, did as bad as she did her first time trying it. They tried masonry and got covered in cement. They were too young to be process servers. Their lemonade stand ended up in a catastrophe when Scootaloo drank all the lemonade and Sweetie fell asleep while trying out for her pillow-fluffer mark.

By six in the evening, they gave up on the day’s crusade and returned to the clubhouse, Bloom feeling dejected now on top of everything else, glaring at her blank flank. If she had been in a better mood, she would have enjoyed the failed attempts due to the simple expedient that crusading was fun.

The Crusaders decided to call it a day and resolved to meet the following morning, a little earlier this time. As tomorrow was Babs Seed’s last day in Ponyville, they had to take full advantage of their time. With the prospect of fresh attempts to hold over her friends, Apple Bloom watched Sweetie and Scootaloo depart. With a quick glance at Babs Seed, she left the clubhouse herself and made her way to the nearby farmhouse, heading for home with Babs Seed following behind her.

Their walk together was in virtually total silence. In fact, it had been the same during their crusading. Bloom had been hovering on the verge of tears most of the day, jealous that her cousin and her best friends had gotten on so well, yet Babs did nothing but throw her confused looks the entire time.

No, I can’t take this anymore... Apple Bloom took a deep breath, stopping dead in her tracks and whipping around to face her cousin. She closed the gap between them with a quick canter.

“Stop it! Ya can’t keep doin’ this! I can’t keep doin' this! Why are you so angry at me?!” she demanded, stamping a hoof hard on the dirt.

Babs stopped. For a moment it looked to Apple Bloom like she was going to just push the smaller yellow filly out of her way. Bloom glared her in the eyes as Babs moved forward, head low to nudge her aside. She blinked once to get the blurry tears out of her eyes and Babs seemed to notice, almost stumbling as her hooves dug into the ground.

“Cus...” Babs began, lifting her head to stare at her. “Why did you say that at breakfast?”

“WHAT DID I FREAKIN' SAY?!” Bloom exploded at her, slamming her hooves down against the dirt road and pushing her face almost agains the orange filly’s. “WHAT'S YOUR STUPID PROBLEM?” Tears were running down her cheeks.

“WHY DID YA MAKE FUN OF ME?” Babs bellowed back, leaning her muzzle against that of Bloom’s. “I thought we sed we'd be startin' fresh!”

“I... what?” Bloom felt the anger drain away, replaced with shock. She tried to stem her tears by holding a hoof to her face as she took a pace back. “I didn't... make fun of you...”

“Yes, ya dids!” Babs spat, her own tears now spilling. “Sed I was stuffin' my face! What's next, huh? 'Fats Seed', like da jerks back in Manehattan?”

“I wasn't makin' fun of your weight!” Bloom said earnestly. “That's what me 'n' Applejack say to each other when the other takes too long to eat, even if they didn't eat a lot! Babs, y’all aren't even that fat!”

“F-fat enough to be bullied f-for it. C-came home every day, and my Ma would asks me w-what was wrong, 'cus I was usually crying!” Babs whimpered, turning away.

Apple Bloom mouthed wordlessly at her cousin, even though Babs wouldn't see it unless she was looking at her. A whole day of misery because of one silly little line?

“I was s-so upset! Wanted to cry all days... after last night, everything with you... it hurts so much! I’m leavin’ tomorrow and I thought we would neva be friends again!”

“Babs...” Bloom's said gently. “I never intended to hurt ya, honest... Y’all overreacted. I wanted to cry, too, the whole day, because ya got angry with me and I didn't understand why!”

“I'm... sawwy, Cus...” She sounded it. Babs looked directly into her face, her light green eyes glossy.

“I am, too, I just thought everypony said stuff like that,” Bloom sighed, her sorrow washing away like the tide. “I thought ya didn't like me anymore, it sucked.”

Babs Seed walked to the side of the road and sat on the grass. Apple Bloom went to her side and held out her hooves as her cousin wrapped her own around her back. The feeling was similar to reconciling with Babs Seed for the first time, just after the Summer Harvest Parade the day before. She just clung to the darker filly, nuzzling her cheek against her cousin's. It was the best she had felt all day.

“I'm sawwy I got mad at yas, I really am...” Babs apologized, squeezing her tight. “Of course, I totes still like ya... dats why I got so upset, I loves spendin' time with yas. E-even when I thought ya wanted to bully me today, I still liked being with yous...”

“Babs...”

“I'm so happy we got to be friends, Cus, I never meant to act like a jerk again...”

“It doesn't matter.” Bloom beamed at her as she pulled away, blowing her cousin's hair away from Babs' face. “'Cause we're gonna stay friends, right? Promise?”

“Promise,” Babs said, leaning forward. Apple Bloom imitated her and they shared a very quick kiss. “And I don't feel bads about kissin' yas again!”

Bloom giggled. “Good! One thing that's been botherin' me, though... how come you asked Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to spank ya, but not me?”

“Well...” The city pony hesitated. “I didn't lies when I sed I wanted to be punished to feel betta, so I wanted them to try.”

“And? Did it work?” Bloom asked, curious to see where this was going.

“Nope. Yous call dat a punishment? Get outta here!” Babs sighed. “Didn't even hurts. But... ya told me you would gimme...” She stopped to gather her courage. “Uh, gimme a s-spankin', Cus. And... a part of me really hoped yas would anyway, even if I thought ya stopped likin' me...”

“I dunno if I really wanna do... that to ya, Babs... that was kinda a joke, y'know. Sounds a bit harsh, just to make ya feel better. You know I forgave you!” Bloom explained, kissing her cousin's cheek.

“No, no, ya don't undastand...” Babs sighed, looking at her seriously. “Being punished to make me feel betta about hurtin' all of ya’s feelin's only occurred to me as we walked to da clubhouse. Look, dis got nothin' to do with feeling better about that... I was happy when ya suggested giving me a... a spanking... phew, it’s hard to even say! I actually just wanted another ones today. I liked the idea, really liked it, of yous pullin' me over your lap and spanking me until I cried.”

“Wait...” Bloom was sure she had misheard her. "What? Babs, do you... actually like being spanked?!”

“I... I dunno!” Babs shrugged. “I mean, it hurts and I'm scared of bein' spanked, but sometimes, um, sometimes I get in trouble on purpose, just so Ma would punish me. I want her to make me feel bettas when I do wrong, even if I gotta do wrongs on purpose first. The spankings themselves always suck, but when I thinks about dem aftawads... standin' in the corner last night was exactly da same. I knew it was comin' and I knew it was for a really good reason, it's not as good if I don't feel really bad about what I did. That helps me cry and feel betta.”

“I’m really, really confused... ya said it had nothing to do with feelin’ better, right?” Bloom asked, still dumbfounded at this news.

“I guess it does have something to do with how I feel afterwards, but right now, it’s something totes different. I wants one... and I wants it from you. So... can you spank me? Now?”