“Cutie Mark Crusaders, I have an announcement to make!” the young yellow filly with the red mane announced. Apple Bloom was one of the founding members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, a group dedicated to the discovery of its member’s special talent. She was also one of the only kids in her school without her Cutie Mark.
She was speaking to her fellow founders and members, Sweetie Belle, the younger sister to the seamstress unicorn Rarity, and Scootaloo, a young eager Pegasus who has idolized Rainbow Dash.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders had held a special meeting, which older ponies would call ‘hanging out with friends’ or ‘a play date’. However, to these three ponies, it was their mission to help each other discover their hidden talent and become the ponies they were destined to be.
“Today’s the day we finally earn our Cutie Mark!” Apple Bloom declared.
The two other fillies just stared at one another. They had been a part of this group for some time. They had tried dozens of ways to earn their Cutie Mark, but not one of them had theirs or even a clue how to get it.
“What makes today any different than another day?” Scootaloo asked.
Apple Bloom gave a big smile. “I’m glad you asked.” She reached into the saddlebag she had been carrying around and pulled out a long scroll. She rolled it out until it was completely flat. It was only a couple hoof sizes wide, but it was as long as the entire length of their clubhouse.
“What is this, Apple Bloom?” Sweetie Belle wondered.
“This is a list of all the things we haven’t tried yet.” Apple Bloom responded. She trotted up to her friend’s sides. “Surely, one of these things has got to be our special talent.”
“Wow, Apple Bloom. Did you make this list?” Scootaloo asked.
Apple Bloom raised her head high. “Yep, and I just know we’re gonna find our special talent.”
“Well, what are we waiting for?!” Sweetie Belle cheered. “Let’s earn our Cutie Marks!”
The trio darted out with wide smiles on their faces, feeling that today would finally be the day.
Their first stop was at Sugar Cube Corner. They had made previous attempts before, making taffy, cupcakes and other such sweets. But this time their attempt had nothing to do with cooking, baking, catering, or cuisine.
This time, the list they had designed had led them to attempt to become ‘Cutie Mark Crusader Dishwashers!’
Not exactly a fun Cutie Mark, but they realized they had to try everything. That meant even the not so fun stuff too.
Mr. and Mrs. Cake had always been big supporters of the crusader’s cause, so it was only natural that they would again. The Cakes agreed to let the fillies try their luck at dish washing. It seemed an easy enough job.
They found out how wrong they were.
First, there was Apple Bloom at dishwashing. She would scrub the dish or plate quickly and move onto the next one without even a second thought. However, that carelessness would cause the dish to not be properly cleaned. Debris would cling to the dish like a stain.
Next, there was Sweetie Belle. She was in charge of rinsing. She dipped the dishes in ice-cold water after their hot bath in Apple Bloom’s. It would cause the dishes to crack under the sudden change of temperature. Not that most of what Apple Bloom washed was considered clean. Sweetie Belle seemed too distracted to notice.
And finally, there was Scootaloo, as the one who put the ‘clean’ dishes away. At least the ones that survived.
Scootaloo would pile her hooves with so many dishes that she couldn’t keep balance as she attempted to place them back on the racks to be used. Plate after plate, dish after dish, they shattered to the floor. Scootaloo was fortunate if one or two dish survived the carnage.
With productivity dwindling, the Cutie Mark Crusaders decided to switch positions in hopes of changing the result.
While it did change the results, it was not in a good way. Even less dishes were able to survive the massacre, something even they had not thought possible.
When the Cakes returned to see the girls’ progress, they came to a battlefield of broken plates, glasses, and even shattered silverware. How the Cutie Mark Crusaders managed that, the Cake’s were too frightened to ask.
Mr. Cake nearly went into shock at the mere sight of the devastation.
The girls apologized and even offered to clean up after themselves. However the Cake’s insisted that they would clean up as long as they promise not to help them with the dishes again.
The Crusaders departed from Sugar Cube Corner, their heads down low and their flanks still blank.
Their next destination took them to one of the window cleaners. After ‘borrowing’ several pieces of window cleaning equipment while the window cleaner was away, such as a pail of water and three pairs of brushes, the Crusaders decided to give it a shot.
After climbing aboard the scaffold, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo pulled the on the ropes with their jaws to lift them to the top floor. After locking the scaffold into place, the Crusaders began their work.
The harsh sunlight beat down on the glass, heating it. When the Crusaders wiped the brush against the glass, it evaporated almost instantly. However, the fillies were distracted by thoughts of what their window cleaning Cutie Mark would look like to notice. As such, splatter marks and streaks appeared on the glass before them.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo released the scaffold lock and began their descent to the bottom floors. However, while Apple Bloom stopped at the second floor, Scootaloo was continuing towards the first set of windows below them, causing the scaffold to tilt.
The Crusaders slid down and off the platform. Scootaloo hit the grass first, followed by Sweetie Belle on top of her and finally Apple Bloom on top of them.
The bucket of water was the last to fall, soaking all three of them with its contents.
They slowly got out of their pile up and noticed a dark shadow above them. It was the shape of the window cleaner whose equipment they had ‘borrowed’. He looked pretty upset. He mentioned that he had just finished cleaning those windows and now they had spots and streaks all across them.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders continued on their way, their eyes diverted to the ground in shame, their rumps still bare.
The next destination was the park. There was always something going on there. Ponies playing with their pets, children playing with their parents or friends, or just a group of ponies being together. But no matter what time of day it was, the park was always bursting with activity.
Like today, a group of elders decided to hold a chess competition in the park.
However, there the competition wasn’t just limited to chess. There were all sorts of games to be played. Match-Memory, checkers, backgammon, and more.
The Crusaders knew that if they were going to find their special talent, it would be in the park on that day.
Apple Bloom was first to try her luck. She decided that she could try out a game of chess against an elderly stallion.
Apple Bloom approached the table with confidence, feeling certain as she sat down to play.
As she moved her first piece, she couldn’t help but feel excited. Her thoughts raced as she tried to picture what her future Cutie Mark would look like.
While the filly was imagining her Cutie Mark, the old stallion had moved his first piece and urged Apple Bloom to take her next move. She concentrated hard to come up with her a move that would stop the stallion in his tracks. She moved her next piece with confidence.
A big grin appeared on her face as she placed her piece in its final place. Then the stallion started to smile. He picked up his queen a moved her to the edge of the board. Apple Bloom looked down at the board and frowned. Her king was in checkmate. She lost.
Her head started to sag in disappointment.
Next it was Scootaloo’s turn, but rather than playing chess, she decided to try checkers since it was much simpler. She sat at the table across from a slightly older mare. She put every ounce of focus and concentration she had into each move, analyzing each corner of the board carefully.
Turn by turn, pieces on both sides left the board. Only a few remained on each side. Scootaloo was concentrating harder than before. She was in a tight situation. She would move pieces back and forth in her mind, bearing in mind the area around them.
Finally, she placed her hoof on one of her pieces and moved it to its destination.
A nervous sweat began to build on her face as she took her hoof off it, ending her turn. The mare picked up on of her pieces and without even thinking about her move, she jumped; not one, not two, not three, but four of Scootaloo’s pieces. This left Scootaloo with one piece left and her next move would end the game, but not with her victory.
As Scootaloo realized this, she smashed her head against the table in frustration.
Finally, it was Sweetie Belle’s turn.
Sweetie Belle figured it would be best to start with the simplest game possible. Match-Memory, a simple game where one must only reveal the tiles of the exact same type to score points. Sweetie Belle felt confident that she would succeed where her fellow Crusaders failed.
Sweetie Belle sat across from her opponent, a young filly with a flank as blank as Sweetie Belle’s. Sweetie Belle knew her from school, but they weren’t in the same class. Her name was Lucky Star.
The game started with Lucky taking her first turn. She flipped up one tile to reveal a brown square. She took a moment to think, much to Sweetie Belle’s annoyance. She wanted a chance to try her luck.
Finally, Lucky picked up another piece, revealing a brown square that perfectly matched her first piece. A match on her first try. Lucky leaped with joy. As per the rules of the game, Lucky got to go again, because she got a match on her turn.
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes in annoyance as Lucky flipped over another piece revealing a red circle. A moment later, she revealed another red circle.
A second match on her first turn. Sweetie Belle rubbed her forehead in annoyance, believing it to be just dumb-luck. She waited as Lucky flipped over two more pieces to reveal another match. Then another. And another. And another.
As the pieces flipped over, Sweetie Bell began to wonder what would run out first, Lucky’s luck, the cards on the table, or her patience.
After a few minutes, the table was left bare of cards, with the exception of what was on Lucky’s side of the table. The entire deck was on Lucky’s side. She leaped off the stump and skipped around with joy as her flank began to glow in a white aura of light.
When the light disappeared, three four-leaf clovers appeared on Lucky’s rump. She cheered to the sky as her Cutie Mark appeared.
Sweetie Belle turned to her flank, hoping that, like Lucky, she discovered her special talent. But alas, as was the days before, her rear was still unoccupied.
After an entire day of window washing, dish washing at Sugarcube Corner, playing chess at the park, and other activities, they found themselves wandering around the park of Ponyville with their heads hung down.
“I can’t believe we still don’t have our Cutie Marks.” Apple Bloom stated. “I thought if anything, I’d get my Cutie Mark in list making!”
Scootaloo gave her a stern look. “Half of the things on that list were things we’ve already tried.”
“Well, you try keeping track of all the stuff we’ve tried!” Apple Bloom snapped.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were often the ones who got into the heated arguments and Sweetie Belle was often the one who got to calm them down.
“Well, look on the bright side, at least Mr. and Mrs. Cake will still let us come to Sugarcube Corner, just as long as we promise to stay away from the kitchen.” Sweetie Belle stated. “And we helped Lucky earn her Cutie Mark.”
Scootaloo shot a glare at Sweetie Belle. “She’s a year younger than us. How does that make us feel better?”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders continued on their path, when they heard two voices laughing at a distance.
The trio looked to their left to a nearby street corner. They took note of two colts, who looked only slightly older. The two colts were performing stunts with their scooters, leaping off a ramp they had built.
They performed each of their tasks, effortlessly. One, who was rather thin, performed a tail whip, spinning the deck of his scooter in a 360 spin.
The other, who was quite large and overweight, executed a 180 turn with a bar spin.
The skinny one strolled down to railing on the side of one of the buildings and started to grind down it.
The larger one zoomed down the road. He headed straight for a wagon that was taxiing two passengers. The fat pony zoomed up a ramp made by a convenient placed piece of wood that lay on a block. He flew over the wagon, but only barely. The passengers were forced back into the cart, ducking their heads for cover.
As the large pony started to dart away, the passengers and the one pulling the wagon shouted in anger.
The two started to slide by one another, giving a high hoof as they passed by.
The two finally stopped next to their little ramp.
“Well, Slink,” the skinny colt said. “Looks like another boring day in Ponyville.”
Slink gave a chuckle. “Yeah, Slim. Complete dullsville.”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders finally approached the duo, now known as Slink and Slim. “That was some pretty fancy moves,” Apple Bloom said.
“Yeah!” Scootaloo injected with a bright smile on her face. “You mind teaching us those moves some time?!”
Slim gave a blank stared at Slink and started to laugh. “Sure, sure. We could teach you, but we’d have to get some training wheels for the babies here.” Slim pointed to the Crusaders.
Slink started to laugh at Slim’s insult.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders felt their hearts sink as the two colts continued to laugh.
“Come on, Slink. Let’s get out of here.”
The two colts went on their way, not even taking note of the Crusaders.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders met the very next day at their clubhouse. They were at a loss of what to do.
Sweetie Belle sighed deeply. “Another day without our Cutie Marks.”
Apple Bloom continued to pace back and forth, mumbling to herself. She was going through all the things they had tried in an effort to come up with something new to try.
“How about hang-gliding?”
“Already tried that,” Sweetie Belle stated.
Apple Bloom’s mind took a moment to remember such a time. And indeed, they had. They attached a glider to each of them and attempted to ride the winds. And rode them they did, right into a gathering of trees, only to be covered in tree sap.
“How about Bowling?” Apple Bloom suggested.
“We’ve done that too,” Scootaloo reminded.
“Well, I don’t see you coming up with any ideas,” Apple Bloom snapped.
Scootaloo placed her hoof on her chin. Then an idea came to her. “I know! We could be Cutie Mark Crusader Stunt Ponies!”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle exchanged a confused look towards one another. “Cutie Mark Crusader Stunt Ponies?” they asked.
Scootaloo nodded excitedly. “Yeah, and we should totally ask those two ponies from yesterday!”
Sweetie Belle bit her lip and took a step forward. “I don’t know, Scootaloo. Do you really think that’s a good idea?”
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom agreed. “I mean, those two were awfully mean.”
“Girls, they are just a little older than us,” Scootaloo stated. “If anypony knows how to get their Cutie Marks, it’s them.”
She then made her way towards the others. “Isn’t a little nuisance worth getting our Cutie Marks?”
Apple Bloom started to look away. “Well, when you put it that way…”
Scootaloo couldn’t have been outside faster. She jumped onto her scooter, impatiently waiting for Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. “Come on, let’s go!”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other with nervous expression painted on their faces, not sure they liked what they were getting into.
The Crusaders made their way around Ponyville, attempting to find the two colts they met earlier.
They searched the city high and low, but they couldn’t find a trace of them. Instead, the trio decided to try their luck as Cutie Mark Crusader Stunt Ponies on their own. Apple Bloom put on a set of roller skates, pads for her elbows and a helmet.
At first, she seemed to be doing well. At least, until she started to stand up right. She fumbled around, her legs desperately trying to gain a balance stance, only to end up on her chest.
Scootaloo skated straight towards her, almost effortlessly. She stopped just short of Apple Bloom. “You okay?”
Apple Bloom slowly started fumble to her feet, the skates on her hooves making it really difficult. Scootaloo offered her own hoof to give Apple Bloom extra balance.
“Gosh, Scootaloo, you sure are pretty good on skates,” Apple Bloom pointed out.
“It’s not that hard,” Scootaloo replied. “Just keep your knees bent, you won’t fall down as much.”
Apple Bloom nodded and did as Scootaloo told her.
Scootaloo then looked off to her right to see Sweetie Belle, gliding down the road. “You’re doing great, Sweetie Belle!”
Sweetie Belle looked as if she wasn’t so sure. Her face was racked with fear as she was quickly gaining speed. “Scootaloo, I don’t know how to stop!”
Scootaloo rushed over to her side in an attempt to help her. However, as she darted down the path to help her, she failed to notice an oncoming cabbage cart right in their path. Scootaloo finally made her way side to side with Sweetie Belle only as they plowed into the cart.
The cart rolled down the street, gaining speed as it headed straight for the hill. The cart zoomed past several ponies, nearly hitting many of them. They screamed in panic diving out of the way. The cart smashed into one of the buildings, sending the cabbages in every direction.
“My cabbages!” a nearby pony shouted. The cabbage salesman darted down the street, passing Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, who were silently slinking away.
Just then a pair of cackling voices came from a few feet from them. They turned around to see the two colts from the other day. Slim and Slink. The two howled with laughter like a pair of hyenas.
“Now, that was funny,” Slim stated.
“Yeah, pretty sweet,” Slink followed.
Scootaloo finally approached them, with Sweetie Belle not far behind. Scootaloo put her hoof out to stop Sweetie Belle before she ran into them.
“We’ve been looking for you ponies all day!” Scootaloo snapped.
“Oh and um…”Slim put his hoof on his chin. “Who are you again?” Slim asked.
Scootaloo slid forward. “We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”
Sweetie Belle glared at them. “We’re gonna find our special talent!”
Apple Bloom appeared in the distance, finally sliding on her roller skates, but she overheard every word.
“And earn our Cutie Marks!” Apple Bloom stated before she lost her balance and toppled to the ground once more.
Slim put his hoof on his chin and started to grin.
Slink however gave a slight chuckle. “Blank Flanks.”
Slim then put his hoof on Slink’s shoulder. “Hey, hey. Big guy, don’t call the Blank Flanks Blank Flanks.”
Slink raised his eyebrow and turned his head towards his skinny partner. “Uh, you okay?”
Slim started to whisper something in his ear. The Crusaders couldn’t hear what, but whatever it was, it made Slink give another one of his chuckles.
Slim then turned his attention to the Crusaders. “Well, kids, let me tell you something. I think I know what your special talent is supposed to be.
The Crusader’s eyes lit up as they heard those words. Smiles appeared on their faces. “You do?” they asked simultaneously.
Apple Bloom, finally making it to the side of her friends, was in just as much awe and suspense as the others.
Slim nodded. “Yeah, yeah… You guys look like… um… uh… Daredevils. Yeah, a daredevil Cutie Mark.”
“YAY! CUTIE MARK CRUSADER DAREDEVILS!” the trio shouted.
Slim rubbed his ears and gave a nervous smile. “Yeah, let’s keep the shouting to a minimum, okay?”
The Crusaders smiled and nodded as their hopes and dreams of earning their Cutie Mark was within sight.
The Crusaders were taken to the edge of the town where a single tree was in the distance. A beehive hung on one of its branches, peaceful and motionless.
“Are you sure this is safe?” Apple Bloom asked.
Slim nodded. “Of course it’s safe. Besides, even if it wasn’t, daredevils aren’t afraid of anything.”
Sweetie Belle bit her lip. “Are you sure this is what daredevils are supposed to do?”
“Relax, you three.” Slim pointed to the hive out in the distance. “Just go up there, knock the hive out of the tree, and bring it back here,” Slim explained as pointed back to where they were. “It’s easy as pie.”
The Crusaders simply glanced at one another as if they were expecting somepony else to make the first move. Silently, they agreed to head towards the tree together.
Slink tapped on Slim’s shoulder and leaned in to a whisper. “Dude, what are you doing? Why are we hanging with the Blank Flanks?”
Slim turned his head with a grin. “Just watch and enjoy the show.”
The trio made their way to the tree as the hive hung over their heads. When they tilted their heads up, the hive didn’t seem to have any activity going on. However, that didn’t mean any pony was ready to jump at the chance to knock it out of the tree.
Apple Bloom bit her lip. “Okay, Scootaloo, you should just go fly up there and get it.” She got behind Scootaloo and pushed her to towards the tree.
Scootaloo started to force herself back. “I can’t fly! And even if I could I’m not going up there!” She escaped Apple Bloom’s grasp and started to push Sweetie Belle towards the tree. “Sweetie Belle, just get it down with your magic.”
A look of terror appeared on Sweetie Belle’s face. “I’m not using my magic on that.” Sweetie Belle performed the same escape Scootaloo performed on her and made her way behind Apple Bloom. She then started to push her towards the tree. “You get it Apple Bloom. You were raised with animals.”
Apple Bloom struggled against her. “I was raised with farm animals! Not bees!” Apple Bloom escaped Sweetie Belle’s grasp and the three stood underneath the tree at an impasse.
The three contemplated on what to do. They didn’t want to climb the tree for fear of bees. They needed something to keep their distance, but could knock the hive down. They were ready to give up, but if Slim was right and they were supposed to be daredevils, they couldn’t let this pass by.
Apple Bloom then spotted a long branch on the ground. The Crusaders agreed that using the branch to bring the hive down was as good a plan as any.
The each clamped their teeth onto the branch. “Uh-kay, un he kount uh hree!” Apple Bloom said with the branch in her mouth.
Scootaloo dropped the branch from her mouth. “What?”
Apple Bloom spat out the branch from her mouth. “I said, on the count of three.”
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom put their mouths back on the branch. With that, Apple Bloom began the countdown. “One… ftoo… hree!”
With that, the Crusaders swung the branch with all their might hitting their target on their first try. The hive was torn from its resting place as it was sent into the air. The hive crashed into the ground, splitting in half as it landed.
The Crusaders spat the branch from their mouths and gave a joyous cheer.
But that delight was short lived as a swarm of bees appeared from the hive, forming an ominous dark cloud.
The Crusaders screeched in terror and darted off as the bees charged at them, stingers at the ready. The Crusaders pushed themselves to run faster as the stingers of the bees dug into their flesh, causing them to burn in pain.
The Crusaders finally found a mud puddle they could escape the bees in. With all their might, they pushed themselves towards the pond of mud, ignoring the pain as best they could. They leaped into the sludge, sinking into it like a pool of water.
The bees hovered over it for a moment, before losing interest. They flew off to the distance, ignoring the Crusaders.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders dug themselves out of the mud pond and started back towards the tree. When they arrived, they found Slim and Slink digging through the hive for the honey. They smiled as they slipped the gooey honey into their mouths.
“Well, how did we do?” Apple Bloom asked.
Slim took another sip of honey from the hive before pulling it away from his face. “How did you do?” he asked with a smile. He then started to laugh hysterically, as if somepony had just told him a hilarious joke. “You three are priceless! That takes some real guts to do that!” He continued to laugh uncontrollably.
The Crusaders smiled as he complimented them. They looked back at their rumps, hoping with all their hearts that their Cutie Marks would appear. But alas, they were still as bare as yesterday, except for the bee stings that were beginning to swell up and the spots of mud.
Their joy turned once again to disappointment.
Slim picked up on their sadness quickly. “Hey, hey, hey. Don’t look so glum.” Slim stood up. “That was only test one.”
Slink then picked himself up off the ground, honey hanging from his chin. “Yeah, couple more tests like this, and you three will have your Cutie Marks in no time.”
“We will?” the Cutie Mark Crusaders asked, a smile appearing on their faces.
Slim nodded. “Yeah, easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Tomorrow we’ll have you take on test two.”
“CUTIE MARK CRUSADER DAREDEVILS TEST TWO! YAY!”
Slim gave a nervous chuckle. “Yeah… seriously, though, let’s stop with the yelling.”
The next day, the Cutie Mark Crusaders met with Slim and Slink to face their second challenge. When they heard what the challenge was, it was not what they had pictured it to be.
Slim appeared before a dozen ponies who were just minding their own business. “Fillies and gentlecolts!” he shouted, catching the crowd’s attention. “Gather round to see a show like none you’ve ever seen.”
The crowd murmured as Slim’s words reached their ears.
“Introducing Slim and his amazing dancing chickens!”
From out of the bushes behind Slim, the Cutie Mark Crusaders leaped out, dressed in giant chicken suits. They then began clucking out loud, acting like normal chickens.
The crowd roared in laughter. Apple Bloom snuck over to Sweetie Belle, still trying to stay in character. She whispered in her ear, “This is humiliating.”
“How is this being a daredevil?” Sweetie Belle asked, still hopping around.
Slim placed a container in front of him. “How about a little charity for the chickens at work, huh?”
With that, the crowd began to place bits in the pail. One by one, somepony new would join the crowd. They would laugh and some would even throw a bit into the bucket.
Scootaloo finally made her way to Apple Bloom, after noticing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in the crowd. They were laughing just as she expected. But it didn’t look like she recognized them through the costumes. “It’s a good thing nopony recognizes us.”
A beat later, a high pitch voice cut into the air. A voice that the Crusaders knew all too well. “Hi, Scootaloo! Hi, Apple Bloom! Hi, Sweetie Belle!”
Pinkie Pie. The three shifted their gaze to the crowd and there she was in all her pink, smiling glory, waving straight to them. “I love your costumes, girls! But I thought you already tried entertainers as your special talent?!”
The Crusaders’ hearts sank as the crowd began to laugh once more. They even stopped hopping around for a moment, as the weight of what was around them began to sink in.
They turned their gaze toward Diamond Tiara as she spoke. “Maybe they're trying to earn their Cutie Marks as chickens.”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked at one another with a confused and hurt look on their faces. They weren’t sure what to do. Their dancing was humiliating and they were being made fun of. Was all this going to get their Cutie Marks?
“Hey, hey!” Slim’s voice snapped them back into reality. “Let’s keep dancing my little chickens.”
“Yeah! More dancing chickens!” Slink shouted from the crowd.
The Crusaders continued to dance and cluck throughout the day, secretly wondering if what they were doing was going to earn them their Cutie Marks. As the day went on, they slowly were losing faith.
The next day, Sweet Apple Acres was bustling with activity. Big McIntosh was already out in the field and Applejack was just about to join him.
Applejack finished up her breakfast and was about to grab her hat and get to work. However, Apple Bloom walked into the room sporting her hat.
“Mornin’ Applejack. Can I borrow your hat?” Apple Bloom asked. “Thanks.” She responded, as if her question has already been answered. She started to hurry out the door, when Applejack finally stopped her.
“Hold on there, sugarcube,” Applejack said.
Apple Bloom turned around with a nervous smile on her face.
“What do you need my hat for?”
Apple Bloom thought for a moment, fumbling her words as she attempted to speak. “Sun gets in my eyes.”
Applejack gave a slight chuckle. “Well, Rainbow Dash said that the weather calls for cloudy, so you won’t have to worry about that. Give us a break from this heat wave. So, could I get that back?”
“NO!” Apple Bloom shouted in fright.
Applejack took a step back in shock at her sister’s reaction. “What in tarnation is the matter?
Apple Bloom looked down to the ground. “Um… I’m sorry, Applejack. I just… I really wanted my Cutie Mark, and I figured if I wore your hat, since you have your Cutie Mark, maybe I’d get mine.”
Applejack smiled and nodded. “Alright then. But just for today, okay. I’ll need it back for tomorrow.”
Apple Bloom gave a slight smile. “Thanks, Applejack.” She then darted out the door. “Gotta go.” She darted passed Big McIntosh as she sprinted for school.
Applejack made her way to McIntosh’s side, scratching her head. “That pony has sure been acting strange lately.”
“Eeyup,” Big McIntosh replied.
Apple Bloom gave a sigh of relief as she made her way out of sight of Sweet Apple Acres. Apple Bloom readjusted the hat on her head, trying to keep it out of her eyes. It was quite large compared to her head, but she didn’t see much of a choice.
She finally made her way outside of her school, meeting up with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
Scootaloo wore a helmet that covered her head. Sweetie Belle wore an extravagant hat with a feather at the top, mostly likely borrowed from her sister, Rarity.
“You too?” Apple Bloom asked, her head sinking into her hat.
The two nodded as the bell rung for class to begin. The Crusaders made their way into the classroom, taking their seats. They made a quick glance towards Diamond Tiara, who was snickering at them. They assumed it was because of the events of yesterday.
Finally, Miss Cheerilee appeared before them. “Good morning, class.”
“Good morning, Miss Cheerilee,” the class responded all together.
Miss Cheerilee made her way to the center of the classroom. “Now, let’s not waste too much time. We have a very important lesson to get to.” Her gaze then focused on the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, would you remove your hats, please?”
Apple Bloom started to stammer her words,a cold sweat came down from her face.
“We can’t!” Scootaloo quickly replied.
Cheerilee shook her head. “You know I don’t allow hats to be worn during class. Please take them off.”
Apple Bloom started to speak. “We can’t…because … um… we…”
Sweetie Belle then spoke. “Glued them to our heads!”
The other Cutie Mark Crusaders gave her a confused look, like what she said didn’t make sense.
A laugh was heard in the room. Nopony knew who it was, but it made Sweetie Belle’s statement all the more ridiculous. Not that the truth was too far off.
Sweetie Belle simply shrugged as if to say it was the best she could do under pressure.
“Girls, this is the last time I will ask nicely. Please take them off.”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders sunk in their seat. Reluctantly, they reached for the hats on top of their heads, removing them.
Cheerilee gasped as she looked to the Crusaders’ heads, which were completely bear of any mane. Every single one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ manes was gone.
Diamond Tiara gave a smirk and a cruel chuckle. “Look, now their heads are as blank as their flanks!”
Almost the whole classroom roared in laughter. Cheerilee took a step forward with a glare. “That’s quite enough of that!” she snapped. She then took a step towards the Crusaders. “Girls, put those back on and come with me.”
The Crusaders did as they were told, being laughed right out of the classroom.
The girls were taken to the home of the zebra, Zecora, where they hoped to regrow their manes.
“Thank you for seeing the girls, Miss Zecora,” Cheerilee said to Zecora as Zecora trotted towards a shelf, taking several jars from it. “With Princess Twilight being so busy, I didn’t know who else to turn to.”
Zecora nodded with a smile. “For a shaved mane, I know just what to do.” She placed the jars on the table in front of an old caldron. “A simple taste of my special brew, and their hair will grow as good as new.”
One by one, Zecora carefully dumped in the contents of each jar, pouring slowly as if being careful not to overdo it.
Just then the door to Zecora’s hut swung open to reveal Applejack, who was panting.
“I came as soon as I could.” Applejack took one look at Apple Bloom and her jaw dropped. Not a single hair was on her head.
Apple Bloom’s head sunk into her shoulders in shame. “Hi, Applejack,” she said weakly.
“Apple Bloom? Is this why you were acting so strange this morning?” Applejack asked, raising her eyebrow.
Apple Bloom could barely nod, but it was noticed.
Applejack made her way to her sister’s side and placed her hoof on her shoulder. “Apple Bloom, why in Equestria would you three shave your manes like that?”
Before the trio could answer, a voice came from outside. “Am I too late?! Please tell me I’m not too late!” Within a moment, Rarity burst into the hut. Rarity took one look at her sister, Sweetie Belle, and nearly fell into tears.
“Sweetie Belle!” Rarity darted her way to Sweetie Belle, embracing her tightly. “You poor, poor thing! How could I, as your older sister, have let such a thing happen?”
“Hi, Rarity…” Sweetie Belle moaned, feeling a combined sense of guilt and embarrassment.
“You had the most beautiful mane in all of Equestria,” she paused for a moment. She smiled slightly flipping her own mane. “Well second, but still! And now… it’s gone!” She embraced Sweetie Belle even tighter, releasing a series of sobs.
Applejack simply raised her eyebrow. “Um… Rarity, it’s just hair.”
Rarity whipped her head back towards Applejack. “JUST hair?! How DARE you?!”
“Rarity,” Sweetie Belle moaned again.
“Don’t speak, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity interrupted. “You need to be strong for both of us.”
Cheerilee finally took a step forward. “Girls, why would you three shave your manes like this?”
Scootaloo bit her lip and started to scratch the back of her neck. “Well, we did it because we wanted to earn our Cutie Marks.”
Applejack and Cheerilee simply stared at each other with a blank stare. They then turned back to the Crusaders.
“As barbers?” Applejack asked.
Apple Bloom shook her head. “We wanted to get our Cutie Marks as daredevils.”
“Why would shaving your manes make you daredevils?” Applejack asked
“Because these two colts said it would,” Sweetie Belle explained. “He said that we would get our Cutie Marks if we were fearless.”
“What else have these ponies made you do?” Rarity asked, taking a step back from Sweetie Belle, allowing her to tell what had happened.
Applejack sighed when the story was finished. “Look, I know you three want to earn your Cutie Marks more than anything, but do you really think that doing humiliating and dangerous things is what you are supposed to do?”
“Well… no,” Scootaloo finally responded.
“But-“ Apple Bloom started, but then Zecora finally spoke.
“It is unwise to give in to a simple taunt, for following boldly will not give you what you want.”
Zecora placed three small cups in front of the Crusaders. “Drink my friends, regrow your hair, but do not attempt another dare.”
Cheerilee took a step forward. “Zecora is right. I want you to promise me, you won’t get involved with those two. They’re nothing but trouble.”
The Crusaders tried to argue, but Applejack stopped them.
“No, buts. They ain’t the kind of ponies you three should be around. Promise us?” Applejack asked, trying to be stern and concerned at the same time.
The Crusaders hung their heads down staring straight at their cups. “We promise,” they moaned.
The three then placed the cups at their mouths and started to drink Zecora’s concoction. Within a moment, their manes grew back almost instantly.
The trio smiled as their manes returned to their heads in all their previous glory. Rarity leaped with joy, embracing Sweetie Belle tightly. “Sweetie Belle, you are beautiful again!”
Sweetie Belle her shoulders sunk and her heart dropped like a rock. “Thanks, Rarity.”
“You are very welcome, little sister,” Rarity replied, not seeming to catch Sweetie Belle’s sarcasm.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders met the two at the usual spot, just outside of Ponyville. They found Slim and Slink sitting under a tree licking their ice cream cones. Slim gave a big smiled as they approached.
“Hey, hey! Look who grew back their manes!” Slim nudged Slink. “Seriously though, I thought you girls look way more daredevil-like without those things.”
Apple Bloom took a step forward and started to speak, but was fumbling her words. “Um… Slim… We um…”
“So where were you three yesterday? You do want to earn your Cutie Marks, don’t you?” Slim asked.
“It’s just that…” Sweetie Belle started, “We don’t think we can hang out any more.”
Slim stood up, still trying to carry a smile on his face.
Slink just raised his eyebrow. “What?”
“We don’t think that we should be doing humiliating stuff just to earn our Cutie Marks!” Scootaloo finally snapped.
Somehow, Scootaloo had given Apple Bloom the courage to step forward once more. “Yeah, and we’re done doing dangerous stuff too!”
Sweetie Belle stepped forward as well, feeding off of Apple Bloom’s courage. “Yeah! And um… uh… Yeah! What they said!
Slink just stood in his spot, dumbfounded. Slim, however, was not as quiet, but still kept his smile up. “So, you don’t want to hang out with us anymore, huh?”
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said. “We made a promise.”
Slim was silent as a glare came to his face. The Crusaders started to back in terror. There was stillness in the air as his glaring eyes pierce towards them.
“Okay.” Like magic, his glaring eyes vanished, and a smile reappeared on his face.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders raised their eyebrows with a confused look on their faces.
“Hey, it’s totally okay if you don’t want to hang out anymore,” Slim stated. “You made a promise that you wouldn’t do anymore daredevil stuff. I respect that.”
Slink leaned in to Slim. “You do?”
Slim elbowed Slink in the gut with his foreleg.
Slink started to fumble his word as he started to think. “I mean… Uh… yeah.”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders exchanged a glance at one another and smiled.
“Well, okay then. See ya later.” Apple Bloom said.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders turned around and started to walk away.
“You know, it’s just a shame, though,” Slim said as the trio trotted away. “I mean, you three were so close to earning your Cutie Marks.”
Those words stopped the Crusaders in their tracks. They turned around with big smiles on their face. “We were?!” they said in unison.
Slim nodded. “Yeah, I mean, one more test, and I would have seen three beautiful Cutie Marks, no doubt about it.”
Slim then turned around and headed back towards the tree. “But, if you three want to be Blank Flanks the rest of your lives, then who am I to stop you?”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders huddled up, whispering to each other.
Apple Bloom bit her lip. “Should we trust them?”
“We made a promise to Miss Cheerilee,” Sweetie Belle pointed out. “I don’t think we should break that.”
“But what if they are telling the truth about our Cutie Marks?” Scootaloo asked.
“But what if they only want us to do something stupid or dangerous?” Apple Bloom asked.
Scootaloo scratched her head. “I know, we just listen to what it is, and if we don’t think it’s dangerous, we do it.”
The trio nodded their heads in agreement.
They then turned to face Slim. Scootaloo took a step forward. “Hey, what kind of test are we supposed to do?
Slim smiled. “Oh, it’s an easy one. Trust me.”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders were taken to the Everfree Forest for their final test. They expressed their fears about the forest, considering their pasted experiences with a cockatrice, a creature that could turn its victims to stone.
Not to mention all the other times their older sisters were attack by various other creatures, such as dragons and manticores.
However, Slim convinced them they wouldn’t go far in the forest and they would be “in and out before they knew it”.
Despite their concern, the Crusaders followed them.
Slim and Slink led the Crusaders to a cave. The cave’s entrance was huge and just beyond its entrance, only dark could be seen.
The Crusaders’ hearts sank at the mere sight of such an enormous cave.
Slim walked over to the entrance. “Here’s what you three are going to do. Go in there and bring back one of those shiny rocks from the back of the cave.”
“Shiny rocks?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Slim nodded. “Yeah, they’re really smooth and really bright.”
Apple Bloom bit her lip and took a step back. “I don’t know about this.”
Scootaloo mimicked Apple Bloom. “Doesn’t this seem kind of dangerous?”
Slim rolled his eyes. “Look, listen, you three. There is nothing in there to worry about. Me and Slink checked things out earlier. There is nothing in there, but those shiny rocks I want you to get.”
He made his way to the Cutie Mark Crusaders and started to push them towards the entrance of the cave.
“If you were just in there, why didn’t you get the rocks?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Because I didn’t think about this when I… I mean… I knew that you three would be destined to get them from the cave. Get that shiny rock from the cave and you will have yourself your Cutie Marks.”
Apple Bloom took a deep swallow. “Okay.” Her hooves shook as she started to trot forward, finally leaving Slim’s grip. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo followed her and within a few moments, they vanished into the darkness.
Slim and Slink sat outside the entrance of the cave, waiting for the Crusaders to make their way into the cave. Slim then gave a smile as he turned to Slink. “You got the masks, big guy?”
“Yep,” he then gave a cruel chuckle. “Got um right here?” He revealed two hideous looking masks from his pack.
The mask had horns atop their heads and mouths with long fangs. One of them had a long grey beard that hung down the front. The other was larger one with fins at each side of the face. They looked familiar to what a gargoyle would look like.
“I knew we’d need those someday,” Slim stated as he took one of the masks. He began to place it on his head and adjusting it to fit. “We are going to scare the pants off those little twerps.” He giggled.
Slink started to laugh with him. However, he stopped for a moment as the gears started to turn in his head. “But… they’re not wearing pants.”
Slim heaved a heavy sigh. “It’s an expression, pudgy. Now come on.” Slim started for the entrance to the cave.
Slink readjusted his mask and started to follow him.
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo slowly trotted into the cave, barely able to see their hoof in front of their face. They bumped into one another several times as they fumbled through the cave.
They eventually started to see some light as the rocks slowly started to glow, the deeper they set hoof in the cave.
The rocks gave off a blue light that seemed to get brighter with each step they took.
“Wow, this is awesome!” Scootaloo said.
“Yeah, Rarity would love this place!” Sweetie Belle stated. “Well, if it wasn’t so dirty in here.” She quickly corrected herself.
Apple Bloom pointed forward. “Look up there!”
The Crusaders diverted their eyes to the far edge of the cave to see a gathering of stones that illuminated the entire section of the cave. The light would fade in and out, but no matter the intensity, it was enough to light the surrounding area perfectly.
“Now, we just have to get one!” Scootaloo pointed out. She rushed over to where the stones were gathered. She placed her hooves on one of them and started to pull. However, the stone wouldn’t budge. She tried again giving it everything she had, but still it wouldn’t move.
“Come on, girls. Give me a hoof.”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle made their way to Scootaloo’s side and started to pull on the rock, but even with all three of them working together, it wouldn’t move.
After a moment, they sat down to rest. “I’m starting to think this isn’t what we’re meant to do,” Apple Bloom said.
Sweetie Belle made her way to one of the nearby rocks, picking up a dull ordinary rock. “Maybe we can chip it off!”
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom nodded in agreement and made their way back to the stone.
They hammered the rock against the shiny stone again and again, finally able to jar it loose from its foundation.
With that the Cutie Mark Crusaders cheered, collecting their spoils. However, as they started to trot away with the stone in tow, the rocks behind them started to crackle and scrap against one another, as if they were moving. They Crusaders turned around to see a glowing blue eye pointed towards them. The shiny rocks began to connect together forming a pony-like creature. The creature towered over them with a threatening glare.
The Crusaders screamed as their hooves abandoned their prize, making for the exit instead.
Slim and Slink headed deeper into the cave with every passing second. The cave was familiar to them, so there was little need for light.
They heard hoofsteps coming their way. Quickly, they each hid behind a tall stalagmite.
Slim noted that the area around them was getting brighter. He thought the Crusaders must have retrieved the shiny stone he sent them in for. The sounds of the hoof steps came closer, but he thought they were quite loud for fillies’. Despite this, he readied himself.
With a quick nod to his partner, the two jump out, yelling like mad ponies through their masks.
The Crusaders ran passed them screaming, not even taking notice of them.
Slim looked back at the Crusaders as they continued through the cave, not even looking back at them. Slim removed his mask. “Hey! Hey! What’s the big hurry?!”
The sound of large hoof steps suddenly shook the entire cave. Slim and Slink spun around to see a giant pony comprised completely of stone, glaring down upon them.
They screamed as they followed the Crusaders, with the stone creature not far behind.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders ran as fast as their legs could carry them. Slim and Slink quickly passed them, leaving them in the dust they left behind. The sound of stomping hooves filled the air as they turned around to notice the behemoth was still chasing them.
“What is that thing?!” Apple Bloom shouted to her friends through her deep breaths.
“I’m not turning around to ask it!” Scootaloo replied, continuing her pace.
The creature was slowly gaining on them. Its dark shadow loomed over the Crusaders, as they fear for the worst.
Just then a small stone collided with the creature, causing it to stop and divert its attention to a pony atop a tall cliff.
“Over here, ya varmint!” Applejack shouted, bucking another stone at the creature.
The creature darted for the cliff, climbing it by digging its hooves into the side.
Applejack darted away from the creature as it continued to scale the cliff side with ease.
Applejack made her way to the other side of the cliff, which dropped down a mile further than the one the creature had climbed. She hoped to bait the creature into falling down that cliff.
Applejack turned around to see the creature still on her trail. The creature had turned from a furious march to a stampeding charge. Applejack looked up to the sky to see a blue and rainbow colored streak heading straight towards her.
“Don’t worry, Applejack. I got your back!” Rainbow Dash declared.
Applejack readied herself squinting down to her knees. Just before the creature could reach her, she leaped up into the air as high as she could, her forelegs straight in the air.
Rainbow Dash swiftly grabbed Applejack’s hooves, dragging her away from the creature’s path.
The creature attempted to turn, but its momentum forced it over the side of the cliff and down towards the ground below. The creature shattered into several hundred pieces as it hit the ground. The rocks disbanded each other, landing all over the surrounding area.
Applejack smiled towards Rainbow Dash. “Thanks for the lift, partner.”
Rainbow Dash returned her smile. “Don’t sweat it. What are friends for?”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders after escaping the creature, met up with Rarity stating that they needed to get back to Ponyville. She looked quite annoyed at what they had done. But she embraced Sweetie Belle, stating that she was thankful she wasn’t hurt.
The Crusaders noticed Applejack and Rainbow Dash coming their way and they looked rather disappointed, and yet relieved.
“Applejack! You were amazing!” Apple Bloom shouted as she darted towards her sister.
“I’m just glad you’re safe, sugarcube.” Applejack put her hoof around her sister. “But I gotta to say, I’m a bit disappointed in you three.”
The Crusaders lowered their heads in shame.
“I thought you girls promised you would not hang around those ponies anymore?” Rarity asked.
“We’re sorry, Rarity,” Sweetie Belle stated. “But we thought if we did this one thing, we would earn our Cutie Marks for sure.” She looked back at her flank, which still bared no Cutie Mark.
“We just thought if we were brave, then we’d get a Cutie Mark for being a daredevil,” Scootaloo stated.
Rainbow Dash put her hoof on Scootaloo’s shoulder, causing her to look up. “Look, there’s being brave and then there’s doing stupid things because somepony told you too.”
Applejack took a step forward. “Rainbow is right. Just because somepony dares you to do something, doesn’t mean it’s safe or that they’re worth listin’ too.”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders lowered their heads again. “We’re sorry,” they replied in unison.
Apple Bloom raised her head. “We promise that we won’t do any more dares!”
Scootaloo nodded in agreement. “Yeah, and we’ll stay away from those ponies!”
Sweetie Belle nodded. “Yeah and we’ll… um… yeah, what they said!”
Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack then started to escort the Crusaders home.
Apple Bloom looked up to her older sister as they trotted back to Sweet Apple Acres. “Applejack, how did you know where we were?”
Applejack smiled. “That’s what big sisters do, lil’ sis. They look after the youngins.” She gently patted Apple Bloom’s head. Apple Bloom smiled as they made their way home.
