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Pony of the Stars

By: Phoxxy Pwny The Great and Powerful Trixie™

Chapter One: Stranger Nights

          Comet woke up late that evening, or at least what could be considered late for her. On normal nights she would wake a short time after the sun had set in the sky and begin her night making her way down the stairs of her small home, setting a hoof down in her living room with a large bay window looking out into the streets of Ponyville.

         She did the same this night, making her way over to the window looking up at the night sky a thought crossing into her mind as she did so ‘the local pegasai have done a lovely job of clearing the sky tonight’ she thought as she let out a high pitched giggle of excitement turning and trotting off into her kitchen just through a doorway behind her.

         Comet began gathering food and various other items she would normally take with on her weekly trips like this, she opened her fridge and grabbed a bag of tea leaves, oatmeal, some homemade hay fries and some oat bread counting off each item in her head as she placed them into a large saddle bag sitting on her kitchen table.

          “Hm, I think that is everything....” She said quietly to herself before taking a look at the clock “...Oh Celestia! I am late.” Comet hurriedly closed her saddle bag up tight tossing it onto her back and rushing for the door, heading out on the town.

          Ponyville was strangely quiet this time of night, that is for any pony that is used to it during the day, Comet however was more of a night pony. She enjoyed the solitude of being out at night under Luna’s moonlight when it was quiet. Ever since she could remember Comet was always attracted to the night her parents even noticed it, which is a large part of how they decided upon her name. The fond memory of acquiring her name played over in her head as she continued trotting excitedly down the street.

 ‘ ‘ ‘        

          “No, no, I’ve got her this time sweetheart.” spoke a deep voice echoing in Comets memories followed by a softer more feminine one. “Are you sure darling? I am already up as it is.” Comet knew this voice to be that of her mother, and the deeper of her father. Her mind slowly drew the picture of her parents both entering the room where she lay, just a little newborn filly looking up with big shining eyes not at her parents however but at the window beside her bed.

          “Oh you little filly, what ever are we going to do with you?” her mother spoke a small laugh escaping her mouth as she looked down at her yet to be named baby.

          “I have never seen a pony with such a fascination to the night, perhaps we should call her Sky, or...Night, or Moon...” her father suggested, an audible neigh of disgust bursting from the baby filly as tho she refused such names.

          “Looks like that’s a no, hehe...” Her mother spoke once more, her head in thought as she tickled her child with her hoof, the fillies eyes still fixed out the window. “I want her name to have meaning. I want it to be a reminder of something, something important.” Her mother said turning to the stallion “After all darling, she is important.”

          The stallion nodded to the mare before something caught his eye. He looked over as a bright light burst through the window, illuminating the filly, both mare and stallion quickly looked out the same window to gaze upon an amazing sight. A bright white comet was stretching across the sky, lighting up the entire town in a luminescent glow that seemed to be as bright as Celestia’s sun.

         Just as the spectacular event was reaching their peak the whole family was now outside to watch. The filly was resting comfortably with its mother while still wide awake, her mother turned to the stallion beside her with a loving gaze, the stallions attention turning to meet her eyes, then both turning down to their little pony each parent knew what the other was going to say and they spoke it together “Comet....”

‘ ‘ ‘

         A loud noise broke Comets train of thought. Her heart jumped and she dashed for cover, not used to hearing anyone or anything around the town at night she didn’t want to be seen for fear of being looked at strangely, not to mention she wasn’t exactly the best at speaking with other ponies.

          She found a near by alley that was dark enough she could stand in and not be seen, she perched herself up on a barrel to get a better look out at the street. From her hiding place she could hear a voice from the near by darkness. That voice getting louder as the pony attached drew closer to her.

 “....But how does it work Twilight?” a boyish voice asked.

“...What do you mean how does it work? Ugh, Do you want me to explain it again Spike?” Comet was finally able to make out, not one but two figures approaching her. One a small, upright, green and purple dragon close on the hooves of a light purple mare with a dark purple and pink streaked mane.

        Twilight stopped and snorted in frustration “Alright. A star is made up of a large ball of gas, surrounding a central point, the gravity in that point is so strong it pulls all the surrounding gases in and compresses them creating heat. The heat from the gas is what causes the glow.”

        Spike looked at Twilight ‘Oh...uh, huh?” Twilight grunted her own hoof smacking her in the face as she shook her head “Oh forget it.”

          Twilight and Spike’s attention was suddenly pulled from their conversation by a loud thunk and the rolling lid of a barrel slowly making its way out to where they were standing, spinning a few times on the ground in front of them before coming to a rest. Their eyes which were watching the lid moved up to find a blue pony with a white mane laying over an empty barrel before them.

          “Oh my gosh are you alright?” Twilight spoke trotting over to the cowering pony laying in the dark alley Spike close behind her but remaining cautious, even he knew it was strange to see other ponies out this late. Comet looked up at Twilight struggling to find any words to say she just winced and nodded slowly making her way up to her hooves.

          Twilight did her best to assist this new pony “I have never seen you around here before. I am Twilight Sparkle, and this little guy is Spike.” Comet looked at Twilight then over to Spike whom was giving a dirty look at Twilight and mumbling something to himself about not being that little, his arms crossed in front of him.

          Comet forced a smile, trying to ignore this pony as she began walking down the road again hoping to avoid having to interact with this unwanted acquaintance for any longer. But Twilight and Spike were quickly behind her, their curiosity getting the better of them.

        “Hey wait! I never got your name, are you new here? and how come you are out so late? and why were you in that alley?” Spike nudged Twilight to get her attention “Twi, Give the pony a break.”

         Comet sighed softly and stopped walking, taking in a deep gulp trying to muster the right words “M-My name is Comet.....” her soft but shy voice barely making out the words, but Twilight was able to understand such shy speaking. Being around Fluttershy all the time had given her a keen ear for such a thing.

          “It is a pleasure to meet you Comet!” Twilight said excitedly Spike nodding in agreement with Twilight. Comet nodded back and continued walking in hopes the two would get the hint and be on their way. But to no avail, Comet thought to herself ‘Why won’t this pony leave me alone....why is she so interested in me?’

         Twilight suddenly gasped and stopped dead in her tracks, Comet let out a quiet shriek at the surprising gasp and jumped quickly turning to Twilight whose eyes were dead set on the flank of Comet. A deep and painful blush crossing Comets face as the horrifying words slipped from Twilight’s mouth seemingly in slow motion “You don’t have a cutie mark?!”

          Comet sighed, her face still deep red, she nodded unable to hide it and not thinking she would have to it was the biggest reason she came out at night rather than during the day. After all how many other fully grown ponies didn’t have their cutie marks? It was naturally strange and she had dealt with a life of teasing and ridicule from those around her.

          She had expected the teasing to stop when she left school but it never did. As long as her flank was blank she was a target for attack. Comet winced waiting for the bombardment of mocking and insults from this new purple pony.

          “That is so amazing! I have never seen anything like this! I didn’t think it even existed!” Comet looked at Twilight, her blush still there but now mixed with a confused stare “Y-You aren't going to...M-Make fun of me?” Comet spoke with some fear in her words wincing again expecting such a question would trigger taunting.

          Twilight looked at the cowering pony and shook her head “Why of course not! Why would anypony do such a thing? You are lucky. you still have the chance to be somepony! Oh this is so exciting!” Twilight was nearly bouncing around like Pinkie Pie before a party. Comet was still confused but a shy smile managed to creep across her face as she listened to the words of this pony “I-I suppose you are right...that is kind of exciting.”

         Spike sighed over the giddiness of Twilight before turning to Comet “Sorry. She gets like this sometimes. Its kind of embarrassing” Comet’s smile was larger now, seeing that for once she had found a pony that wasn’t going to make fun of her for the lack of a cutie mark

          “It’s quite alright um, Spike is it?” Comet asked, Spike nodded turning his attention back to Twilight who was now sitting and clapping her hooves together gushing with giddiness “Oh, I would love to be there when you get your cutie mark! Its one thing when a filly gets it, but for a grown pony! Oh my.”

         Comet began blushing again her shyness returning with force and she shook her head “Oh...well...um...I don’t think I will get it anytime soon. After all its been so long and...well...” Comet had run out of words, her shy tendencies seemingly choking her of the ability to speak at all.

          Twilight’s smile left her face she looked somewhat concerned. It was only now she had realized just how much this particular pony must have gone through growing up. After all she knew how much young fillies had to deal with for not having their cutie marks when others did, it was no wonder Comet was out this late at night, and trying so hard to avoid Twilight.

          “Oh, I see....” Twilight wasn’t sure what to say to defuse the situation so she picked the first thing that came to mind upon noticing the saddle bags on Comet’s back “Hey, what are the bags for?”

          Comet nearly fell over at the question her eyes going wide “Oh my Celestia! I almost forgot! I am late, I-I am sorry, um, T-Twilight I really must go!” without another word or a moment of explanation she turned and began galloping away her head looking up at the sky as she thought to herself ‘oh, I hope I don’t miss anything good, I would hate to miss anything good!’

          Twilight sat confused a moment a puff of dust left in the trail of the pony that she could have sworn was just right in front of her. Spike also stood dumbstruck at the speed of the pony he giggled and turned to Twilight “Hey Twi! Maybe she can get a cutie mark for her ability to run from awkward situations” Twilight’s hoof again smacked her on her face as she looked over at Spike.

          Comet was at a full sprint, now outside of town and in the grassy hills, the moonlight beaming down onto her making her white mane sparkle in the night air as it whipped behind her, The green hills passing by her in a blur as she moved along the dirt path finally reaching the bottom of the tall hill she had been running to. She slowly started her climb to the top now at a stable walking pace. Her eyes fixed on the sky, the stars twinkling down at her and Luna’s moon brightly commanding center stage of the dark theater of night.

          Upon reaching the top of the hill Comet pulled off her saddle bag laying it down next to her, her stomach begging her for just a taste of the morsels hiding away in the pack. She giggled and obliged it pulling out a bag of hay fries and munching on them as she sat looking up at the stars, counting them off in her head and nodding at the ones she recalled seeing a week before.

         A soft breeze rushed along the hillside gently caressing her mane. Comet closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of the sweet night air, its welcoming chill like a fresh summer breeze on a hot day. The grass around her swayed in the gentle whirlwinds.

         Comet opened her eyes and smiled speaking quietly “I knew I wouldn’t be too late” she lay her head down nuzzling the grass before rolling over onto her back to watch the few clouds left in the sky pass by as if they were also late and in a hurry to be somewhere.

          Comet rolled back over to sit up, by watching the moon in the sky she could gauge how much time was passing, or rather how much time she had left before the ponies in Ponyville would begin waking up. She took in a deep sigh recalling her earlier run in with that purple pony and nodded to herself “Well, at least that is over with, I won’t have to worry about her again.”

          Comet giggled, happy to be rid of her strange acquaintance. She was never good with other ponies and while it was nice to talk to another she was just as happy being alone with the night sky, the one friend she truly felt she had. But suddenly the smile and joy all faded as she heard an all too familiar voice carried by the wind from the bottom of the tall grassy hill “Hey Comet, What are you doing?”

End of Chapter One.

Pony of the Stars cover art: http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j125/balls_04/PonyUniverse.jpg

Pony of the Stars

By: Phoxxy Pwny The Great and Powerful Trixie™

Chapter Two: Secret Stars

          Comet could hardly move, her mind racing with words and thoughts but her body ignoring every single one aside from a very cold chill that moved along her spine. The night wasn’t cold at least not to her she was used to the nights chill. It was the echoing voice and hoof beats of the other pony making her way up the hill behind Comet that sent this chill.

          Again the voice called out “Comet...?” and again the chill crawled along her spine this time accompanied by a shiver.

        Twilight finally reached the crest of the hill, she looked out past the blue and white pony before her at the amazing vista. Why had she never known of this hilltop before in her many adventures around Ponyville?

          The edge of the hill fell off into a long cliff, Twilight taking note to stay clear of the edge knowing her many near disastrous run ins with cliff sides. But the view pulled her ever closer to the blue pony. There was more stars than Twilight had ever recalled seeingin the night sky, a bright crescent moon beaming down on the two ponies and a billowing cloud with a rainbow waterfall drizzling down into a mist.

“Wow...” Twilight exclaimed as she collapsed on her haunches just behind the blue pony.

Comet flinched upon hearing Twilight plop down behind her. She took in a deep sigh closing her eyes and deciding to acknowledge this intruder to her place of solace “I-It’s beautiful isn’t it?”

          The words themselves, though spoken from her own mouth, were like daggers in her heart. This place, these stars, it was like Comets own diary pages laying open before the eyes of a stranger. All of the secrets and stories she had shared with this sky the many nights she would come here all of it seemed to lay bare before her.

          Twilight looked over at Comet, caught off guard by her sudden voice breaking the concentration she had on the view laid out before the two of them. Twilight smiled and nodded though Comet never saw, her head hanging down and still facing forward.

         “Yes, it is quite a spectacular sight.” Twilight stated rather joyously. Comet felt an overwhelming embarrassment, the same way she would feel when the other ponies would mock her for not having her cutie mark. She could feel her blush coming on again. But the gentle caress of the night wind was cooling her face as if to comfort her and remove her embarrassment.

         Comet swallowed hard turning to face Twilight trying to muster up what courage she could to talk with this emotional invader of a pony. “Look um...I kind of...This is sorta my special place and well...I never meant to share it with anyone and um...”

         Comet wasn’t the type to be rude. In fact it was quite hard for her, she was never able to defend herself when taunted and often times just ran away and at this very moment she could feel that overwhelming urge to run though she had no safe haven to escape to with this purple pony here. She simply let out a deep sigh giving up as she often did. “...But I suppose...You can stay if you like” Comet weakly stated as she sighed.

          Twilight was confused to say the least. Not only because it was the most she had heard this obviously shy pony say so far, but the amount of mixed emotion that was blatant on her face when saying it. Twilight sat for a moment thinking before a small frown appeared on her face.

          In the time Twilight had spent learning about friendship here in Ponyville she had picked up a few nifty traits such as how to read other ponies nearly as well as she would read her books. Twilight stood, moving over next to Comet sitting herself down once more. “You know, If you want me to leave I will. But I just want you to know that sometimes having somepony to talk to that can talk back and give advice, it’s alot nicer than holding it all in.”

          Comet sat for a moment, thinking on Twilight’s words. She didn’t speak for some time she just simply turned her head to look back out at the sky, once again trying to ignore Twilight as she had done before. Though she found it quite unnerving, not to mention somewhat annoying that this purple pony who had not only followed her to this place, now would not stop staring at her and was desperately trying to coax her into conversation.

          ‘Why couldn’t she just call me a blank flank or tell me I would never get a cutie mark like all of the other ponies?’ Comet thought to herself. Her eyes drifted over to the ever focused Twilight, whom was still staring directly at her, as if trying to burn a hole in the side of her head with an expecting look painted across her face.

“What...?” Comet asked in an annoyed tone. The purple ponies expression melting away at the cold response.

“Nothing I suppose. It was a pleasure meeting you Comet. I hope I get to see you again sometime.” Twilight stood and turned as she began to walk back down the hill to a rather impatiently waiting Spike.

         Comet moved her head straight again looking out off the cliff side keeping her body sitting upright and straight to a point of near aching as she waited for this pony to leave her so that she could add yet another page to her cosmic diary.

          “Well, are you finished?” Spike said frustratedly tapping his foot as Twilight moved closer to the bottom of the hill, a dejected look on her face looking over to Spike “I told you we should have left her alone Twilight. The only ponies that come out at night are weird ones, and boy was she strange I mean, a grown pony without a cutie mark? That’s nuts!”

          Twilight scowled at Spike, causing him to take in a gulp as if swallowing the next words he planed to say. “Just because she doesn’t have her cutie mark does not mean we should treat her any differently, she is a pony just like any other pony.....she just needs a friend.”

          Twilight turned looking back to the top of the hill, a breeze causing the lone figure at the crests mane to wave in the air, sparkles of moonlight glittering off as it did. Spike sighed climbing up onto Twilight’s back as she stood for a moment, watching the blue pony remain statuesque she let out her own sigh and began her walk back to the library.

          Comet reached a hoof up to her face, wiping away the tears, she leaned forward laying face down and covering her head as she sobbed. ‘All those years of taunting, all those years of hate and pain, why now? why now was I only offered a friend, why not years ago when I truly needed one and what’s more, why did I turn this friend away?’

          Comet hated herself at this moment, she had a chance to change things and blew it, she looked up into the night sky, the tears blurring her vision as she spoke.

“What should I do now? She seemed nice but what if she is like all the other ponies? What if she hurts my feelings like them, Is it worth the risk?”

Comet sobbed to herself a few more moments before finishing her questions to the moon an stars above, a tear streaming down her face as she gazed back up at them accusingly.

“Why didn’t you do something? Why aren't you ever there when I need you? Why Mom...Why Dad?” Her tears flowing freely now as she lay in the grass trying to control her sorrow to no avail.

          The winds began to shift, a warm breeze moving across the green hills, wrapping Comet in a spinning embrace, she could swear she heard whispers on the breeze, but couldn’t make out any words, though the warmth was familiar to her, she stood wiping her tears, looking back up to the sky, she stood a moment as the wind enveloped her.

          Giving a nod as she leaned down and collected her things, tossing her bag on her back “Alright....I will do it, I will try and make some friends.” her tears of sorrow now turning to near joyful ones, she knew what she had felt.

 ------

          Twilight opened the door to her library quietly, walking inside and magically lighting a near by candle, she walked up the stairs slowly and gently slid Spike off her back and into his bed being careful not to wake him seeing as he had finally fallen asleep on the trip back.

          Once he was safely covered up and undisturbed she quickly walked over to her desk and with a glow of her horn picked up her writing quill, opening a piece of parchment and starting her letter, softly speaking the words as she wrote them down.

      “Dear Princess Celestia,

          Today I met a rather strange pony, one that happens to have an anomaly I have only heard stories about. This particular pony is roughly the same age as me and my friends yet she has come this far in her life without finding her cutie mark, I have also found that this pony appears to have no friends and upon talking to her and trying to show her just some of the magic of friendship she turned me away. I am unsure on what to do and seek your council in this situation.

                                                                Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.”

          Twilight smiled reading over her letter once more before rolling it up and wrapping a red ribbon around it to show Spike that sending this letter was part of his chores in the morning. She looked out the window in front of her writing desk to gaze up at the moon that was slowly falling in the sky, a soft smile came across her face as a warm breeze squeezed its way through the cracks in the window edges, whirling around Twilight like a warm blanket, she suddenly became rather tired as though the days events all hit her at once.

Twilight blew out her candle making her way over to her bed and crawling under the blanket drifting off to sleep.

-----

          Comet was walking her way back home her mind racing in thought as she looked to the sky, judging by the area of the sky the moon was now in it was getting very late, she stepped up her pace so that she wouldn’t catch the early birds of Ponyville still being a good distance from her own home, the thoughts of the night playing over in her head, what a strange night it had been, but at least it was coming to a close and she could go home and rest thinking about what she was going to do the next night.

         A gasp escaped Comets mouth as she trotted into town coming to a grinding halt, she had misjudged the time of night or perhaps was just unlucky enough to have comeback as the early risers awoke, because before her eyes were three ponies dotted on opposite sides of the street out preparing their shops for the day to come, and just at the end of this long street, lay the front door to Comet’s home.

         Comet groaned ‘As though my running into one pony wasn’t bad enough, but now the count has grown to four, plus a dragon, what was next?’ She thought as she shook her head collecting her thoughts as she looked around for an alternate route to her home.To the left of the main road she spotted a familiar sight, a dark alley with a knocked over barrel, she smirked as she darted into the alley following its winding corridors behind each shop.

         The loud noise of a wooden door to the back of one of the shops creaking open caused Comet to dive behind a near by trash can, ducking down to hide from the large baker pony adorning a white apron likely throwing out last weeks baked goods that had hardened and gone stale.

         To Comet’s good fortune the trash can she had elected to hide behind was not that of the bakers, so she was able to remain there until he had gone back inside and then continue her stealth mission back to her front door.

           Finally Comet had reached her front door without further incident, the sky now a dark blue with slight shades of pink as the sun was indeed starting to rise ‘Just in time’ Comet thought a sly smile crossing her face, she stepped inside undoing her saddle bag and letting it roll off her back and fall onto the floor as she plopped down onto her sofa in front of her bay window, dust and feathers bursting out from under her as she did so, she looked out at the rising sun, her smile still fresh on her face as her eyes slowly started to close, a whisper escaping her mouth before she drifted to sleep “....Friends....”

End of Chapter Two.

Image of Comet sitting on the hilltop.

Pony of the Stars

By: Phoxxy Pwny The Great and Powerful Trixie™

Chapter Three: A New Dawn

         Comet awoke to a loud knock on her door, at first she had thought it was part of this strange dream she was having involving an odd likeness of Princess Celestia that seemed to delight on taunting and antagonising her.

          Again the knock came, Comet groaned despising being woke before the moon had risen, she opened the curtain on her bay window only to be greeted by bright rays of sunlight, her eyes squinting as she looked out and see who it was but could see little more than a large pink bow sitting rather low to the ground.

          Comet slowly crawled from her sofa, making her way over to the door before opening it. The bright and shiny face of a small yellow filly with indeed a pink bow upon her red mane was staring up at Comet with some of the largest eyes she had ever seen.

          “C-Can I help you little filly?” Comet spoke with some grogginess to her voice she felt very little shyness being much to tired, not to mention this was a filly after all, quite a different story than making conversation with a grown pony.

          “Errr Hiya there miss! I’m Applebloom!” The little yellow filly spoke with so much energy it nearly knocked Comet on her haunches though she kept her footing slowly trying to shake off her sleepiness and focus on the guest she apparently had.

          “Alright then....*Yawn*....Go on Applebloom, Is there something you needed?” Comet asked as sweetly as she could, though her mind was more focused on being back on her comfy sofa  asleep and awaiting the night to arrive.

         “Ah was wonderin, Do ya’ll have any old wood or tools ah could barrow for the day?” Applebloom sat down on the steps in front of Comet’s home looking up with the same large adorable eyes she had come to the door with and now a smile to match obviously trying to butter up Comet with her cuteness.

          Comet found it hard to even consider turning this little filly away as she nodded. “I believe I do, give me a moment to have a look will you?” Applebloom nodded in excitement as Comet smiled turning away from the door, bumping it closed with her flank.

         She went to the door leading under her staircase and pulled out a few small planks of old wood she had stored for any home improvement tasks she may need as well as a hammer carrying them back to the door and sitting them down next to Applebloom. “Here you are little filly, but what does a little pony like yourself need with this stuff anyway?”

         Applebloom’s smile nearly reached all the way across her face at the question, her eyes sparkling as she spoke “Mah friends and ah are gonna be makin a racin carriage, and we are gonna be the best carriage racin team in all of Equestria!”

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS RACIN TEAM, GO!!”

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS RACING TEAM, GO!!”

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS RACING TEAM, GO!!”

       Comets heart jumped as her attention was drawn to two more fillies hiding behind a red wagon attached to a scooter just out in the street. The three little ponies all yelling in unison and startling not only Comet herself but some of the other ponies nearby as each passing pony had stopped dead in their tracks to look at the little fillies.

      Comet giggled, now wide awake she looked at the three fillies that were now all sitting in front of her starting to gather the supplies she had generously offered them. “So what in Equestria are the Cutie Mark Crusaders?” She asked curiously.

“Well....” Said the orange filly. taking up some wood and carrying it over to the wagon.

          “We are sorta like....uhhh” Applebloom continued where the orange filly left off as she trotted over reaching for the hammer but stopped to think a moment before looking over to the white filly who was now walking up to the steps of the house “....Say Sweetie Belle, just what are we exactly?”

          The white filly gave Applebloom a blank stare and then sighed “We are a secret group....duh!” Sweetie Belle reached down taking the last few pieces of wood in her mouth and walking them over to the wagon.

          The orange filly walked back up, a rather confused look on her face “But wait, If we are a secret group.....why did we just tell this pony what the cutie mark crusaders are?”

          Comet giggled at the conversation unfolding before her, not wanting to interrupt being that it was the most entertaining thing she had seen in some time, not to mention she had yet to really figure out what these ponies were doing.

        Sweetie Belle walked back to the other two fillies after placing the wood in the wagon, shoving the orange one aside as she spoke “Scootaloo, we are only secret to other fillies. Do you really think a pony that already has a cutie mark is going to care about a secret group looking for theirs?” Applebloom nodded with a very ‘matter-a-fact’ smile looking over at Scootaloo who quickly pointed a hoof over to Comet “But....She doesn’t have a cutie mark!”

-----

          Twilight slowly woke pulling herself from her bed as Celestia’s sun beamed in through the window beside it, she groaned a moment shaking her head and rubbing her eyes with her hooves before making her way down the stairs.

          Spike was already awake and well on his way with his chores as he turned to look down at Twilight from the top of a ladder, sliding a book into its resting place “Hey Twi! You slept in kinda longer than I expected.”

          Twilight looked up at Spike with no real expression, making her way into the kitchen she poured herself some oatuccino having a sip out of her favorite mug, the side of it read “All Hail The Great and Powerful Trixie” with an image of Trixie herself adorning it, a small memento she had acquired when the showmare left Ponyville.

         Spike climbed down from the ladder and followed Twilight into the kitchen, cleaning some of the dishes from his own breakfast out of the sink. “Hey Twi, Can I ask you something?” Spike asked intently as though he had been waiting to talk to Twilight since he woke.

          Twilight groaned and shook her head laying it on the table. “You know the rule Spike, no talking to me until I have had my oatuccino.....” Spike sighed cleaning up the kitchen to pass the time as he waited for Twilight to finish her drink. Finally taking up the mug and cleaning it in the sink once she had.

          “Can I talk to you now?” He asked pressingly. Twilight sighed and nodded hovering a near by brush over to comb her bed mane. “Well, I was wondering why you wanted to get to know that pony from last night so bad. I mean when you first came to Ponyville I could barely get you to talk to another pony let alone follow one and try to make them your friend.”

         Twilight raise her eyebrow at his statement, Spike actually had a good point. She had never stopped to consider the reason she was so intrigued by this other pony, she just knew there was something about her that she needed to know.

         “Well Spike, As you know Princess Celestia sent us here to study the magic of friendship, and I feel that the more friends I acquire the easier it will be to research just why it is that friendship is such a powerful force.” Twilight stated with a smile.

         Spike simply stared at Twilight with a lost expression on his face. “Now I know why you tell me not to talk to you when you haven’t had your oatuccino.....”

-----

          Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo all sat at the base of Comet’s front steps their mouths agape and eyes wide, dead set on the blushing blue pony before them.

          Comet looked at the three fillies and tried to gather her thoughts. ‘Now Comet, you are turning over a new leaf. Come on you can do this. It is just a few fillies after all...’ she nodded to herself before getting ready to speak but just as she prepared to do so she was hastily interrupted by the orange filly.

          “That is soo cool! Maybe she can join the crusaders and help us find our cutie marks too! I bet she knows tons of stuff about how we can get them!” Scootaloo stated with some excitement as she walked over to get a closer look at Comet.

 Comet looked over at Scootaloo and prepared to speak once more. “Now girls I don’t thi-”

          “Ya’ll mean to tell me that even grown ponies don’t have their cutie marks? Awww, Ah’m never gonna get mah cutie mark!” Applebloom whined as she leaned down and covered her head interrupting Comet once more.

          Comet sighed, a concerned look crossing her face as she watched Applebloom before leaning down in front of her. “It is alright little filly. Everypony gets their cutie mark at some point, I just haven’t gotten mine yet. But it’s not like I have been searching for it either. There is no need to be upset it will come eventually.”

          Sweetie Belle stepped forward nudging Comet a smile on her face. “Then does that mean you will join us? We can all help each other get our cutie marks!”

          “Yeah join us! It will be fun, I bet having a grown pony in our group will get other ponies to let us do a lot cool stuff to get our cutie marks! Like Griffin wrestling! Or Sky Diving!” Scootaloo was lost in her own thoughts spouting out suggestions more to herself than anypony else, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

          Applebloom looked up at Comet from under her hooves and smiled sweetly wiping a tear from her cheek “So, will ya help us find our cutie marks then? pleeeese!”

         Again came the adorable stare, but now at least twenty percent as cute as before because Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had joined in. Comet had no choice but to say yes to the three fillies picking up the last pieces of supplies and taking it to their wagon before smiling and yelling “Cutie Mark Crusader’s Carriage Racers. Go!”

End of Chapter Three.