Being Brave Part I

Chapter 4

     "Today's the day, Cutie Mark Crusaders." proclaimed Applebloom.

"Today we get our makeshift band cutie marks"

"Aw Yeah! This is gonna be soooo awesome!" cried Scootaloo as they rummaged through the junkyard.

      It was another day of exploration and discovery for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Here at the local junkyard they searched for certain objects and tools that would best suit their soon to be ready made instruments.

"So what should we call ourselves after this?" said Sweetie Belle.

"Hmmm..." thought Scootaloo as she glided on her scooter. "How about the Junk Funk?"

All three thought for a moment.... "Naaah"

"ooo..ooo...How about Appleblues plus two?" asked Applebloom

The other two just stared at her disapprovingly

"Heh, Heh, Or maybe not." she chuckled sheepishly as they continued walking

"Gasp. I know!!" Squeaked Sweetie Belle "ROCK, LOCK AND TWO APPLE BARRELS!!"

"Yeah!!" said all three as they high hooved in the air.

"We could totally get Babs Seed to be in our band." Said Scootaloo

They all nodded in agreement

"Now if we can just find some used trash lids and chopsticks," thought Applebloom " we'll be in business."

She thought for a moment and then, "Sweetie Belle, you search for any used up piano chords."

"Aye Aye, maam" she responded as she headed one way

"And Scootaloo." continued Applebloom, "You find any pieces of worn out cloth that could make for a great band patch."

 "You got  it maam." responded Scootaloo as she headed the other way on her scooter.

        Meanwhile, Cory could overhear the conversation from up above. He covered his mouth and tightened his body into a ball, so as not to be heard. He could feel the hoof steps stomping right above him. They were coming closer and closer. His heart began to pound; sweat fell all across his skin; he was literally scared stiff. Then, suddenly, the hoofing from above stopped. He looked up and saw Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looking straight down at him.  It felt like the longest stare he had ever endured.

"uhhh...Howdy?" Applebloom murmured

"AAAAAHHH" shouted Cory

"AAAAHHH" shouted the CMC.

     Two of them ran a few yards while Applebloom looked on. She had only seen such a creature in sketches and photos that Twilight received and drew from her experiences. She had never expected to see a human up close and personal, nor did she expect one to be so fragile and shakey.

"W...What is that thing?" whimpered Scootaloo from a distance.

"It looks like some kind of...two legged stick creature." thought Sweetie Belle

     As Applebloom looked closer at Cory (who now had his back against a heap of trash) a little smile enveloped her face.

"Hey, don't fret girls!", she said to her friends, "Princess Twilight told me all about these critters. She calls them HU---MAN's"

"Humans?" squeaked Sweetie Belle as she and Scootaloo approached the hole

"What are humans?" asked Scootaloo

"Twilight encountered them in another world she visited." answered Applebloom. "She says they exist all over, and this here's one of them."

      The three gazed down on Cory, who was scared stiff and shaking from all this sudden realization. He was still getting used to fact that these ponies we're talking. Not only that, but even had their own personality and distinct color scheme to them.

"Awwww. We must have frightened the little guy." thought Scootaloo.

Sweetie Belle leaned and slowly thrust her hoof forward.

"Come on up, don't be shy." said Sweetie Belle. "we're not gonna hurt you."

Cory took a deep breath and staggered towards the three of them.

"What's your name?" asked Sweetie Belle.  There was a long pause. "Can you speak?" she asked.

      His mouth quivered. He was never taught how to properly introduce himself. So he thought up of the first words that came out of his mouth. "Y...yes....C...C...Cory...Cory Agees." The words fell out like a can of alphabet soup.

       He grabbed on to Sweetie Belle's hoof as all three pulled him out of the hole with one big thrust. The three gazed in curiosity as he staggered to his feet. They had never seen such an abnormal creature in their lives.

"Sooooo where do you come from?" asked Scootaloo.

Cory just looked at them blankly,

"Do you know where you live?" asked Sweetie Belle.

He shifted his only working eye back and forth as if the question was foreign to him.

"Do you have a place to stay?" asked Applebloom affectionately

He stared down as if he was ashamed to answer that. The three fillies then huddled into their own private circle.

"What should we do with him?" whispered Scootaloo.

"I don't know, I've never dealt with a human before." squeaked Sweetie Belle.

"Well it aint right to just leave him here." said Applebloom. The three nodded in agreement and thought for a moment with their forelegs to their chins. Then, simultaneously, they came up with idea. Applebloom approached Cory.

     " If don't have a place to live, your'e welcome to stay with me. My family and I over at Sweet Apple Acres are looking for a new stable boy if you want to volunteer." As she waited for an answer, Cory looked around for a moment. Realizing he had little to no options, he nodded in agreement.

"Great!" replied Applebloom. "Let me just take you to where I live."

      He followed the three of them until they reached the edge of the junk yard, much to his relief .

"Oh, by the way, I'm Applebloom." she proclaimed

"I'm Sweetie Belle" Sweetie Belle added

"and I'm Scootaloo" said Scootaloo

"And together we're: THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS." they said as they gave a high hoof in the air.

"But enough about us" said Applebloom. "Lets take you to the ranch."

      So, they carried on their walk towards Sweet Apple Acres. For the first time in so long, Cory was greeted with a welcome wagon. It seemed so familiar, yet at the same time surreal. Perhaps in this new found world he would be able to find a second chance in his life. After all, less than 24 hours ago he was sprinting away from a threatening force, next thing he knew he was being greeted warmly by the most most unexpected of individuals.