The Cutie Mark Crusaders’ Woodland Adventures

Chapter 1

“How did this happen?” Cheerilee sighed as she placed her bag down, signaling to all the fillies and colts that now was a time for rest. Cheerilee needed time to think, so she told everypony the obvious and they began to talk to each other.

Cheerilee, her class, and some other family members were camping out in the woods. She got the idea a couple of months ago and planned out all the different activities they could do together. After getting permission from the class’s respective families, she gathered them all up to enter a safer part of the EverFree Forest.

Unfortunately, something went a little wrong. After a while, Cheerilee got tired of reading the map, so she gave it to her good friend Twilight Sparkle, who got tired of it and gave it to Apple Jack, who gave it to Rainbow Dash who couldn’t read it, so she just gave it to one of the foals, telling them to give it to their teacher, and it somehow ended up in the hooves of Derpy. The gray Pegasus had led the entire troop far off from their predetermined trail. It was getting late and they needed to camp out for the night before continuing on tomorrow. Maybe Cheerilee will have a clearer head then and finally come to grips with their location.

“Alright, class!” The class stood at attention. “It seems that we’re running a bit late, so we’ll be camping out in that clearing over there.”

The class wearily cheered in excitement. They were getting exhausted from all the hiking they did. As they were unpacking their things and setting up their tents, Cheerilee remembered when she first told her class about the trip.

“Alright, that’s it for the lesson.” Cheerilee smiled at her class.

The students were somewhat confused. They still had a good fifteen minutes left of class and Miss Cheerilee always has something for them to do.

“I have some wonderful news for you all!” Cheerilee said. The class seemed intrigued about what she had to say. A few of them were worried it was going to be another pop quiz or some other insane thing teachers like to call ‘wonderful news’, like essays.

“Well, what’s the news, Miss Cheerilee?” Dinky Doo asked. The other fillies silently prayed to Celestia to bless Dinky for her bravery.

“Well, Dinky. What do you think about camping?”

Many eyes in the room lit up. All past anxiety gone with one simple question. Applebloom looked like she was going to bounce off her seat with excitement. Scootaloo leaned forward and Sweetie Belle had a big foolish grin.

“Groan.” Diamond Tiara sounded out the onomatopoeia. “Do you really expect me to roll around in dirt all the time? It’s very unbecoming of a young and beautiful filly such as myself. Right Silverspoon?”

Silverspoon nodded and smiled in agreement.

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that, Diamond Tiara. For the rest of you that want to go, pick up the permission slip on my desk before leaving today. If you’d like, you can invite a family member to come, too.”

Button Mash raised his hoof obnoxiously.

“Yes, Button?”

“Are you bringing anypony along with you?” Button squealed in a high-pitched voice that made everypony around him cringe.

“Actually, Button. Thanks for reminding me. I am bringing along a friend. How many of you heard of Princess Twilight Sparkle?” Cheerilee put in extra emphasis in ‘princess’ as she looked in the general direction of Diamond Tiara.

The members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ already peaked interests became much more focused than before. Applebloom could hardly contain her excitement and fell out of her chair. Diamond Tiara actually looked somewhat interested in this new information.

“Silverspoon,” she whispered. “If there’s going to be a princess there, then maybe this trip won’t be such a bad idea.”

Silverspoon secretly disagreed for she knew that Twilight Sparkle didn’t act anything at all like a princess, but nodded and smiled as if they thought in tandem.

Cheerilee smiled at that memory, and then remembered she still had to take roll call.

“Can I have everypony’s attention?” Cheerilee said cheerfully. “I need to make sure everyone’s present.”

The foals and some of their family members gave Cheerilee their attention. Twilight trotted right next to the teacher and gave a giddy smile.

“When I call your name, please answer and indicate the adult, if you brought one, that came with you. Okay? Applebloom.”

“Howdy, Miss Cheerilee. Ah’m here with mah sister Apple Jack.”

“Aura.”

“Here. I came alone.” Aura is a light purple earth pony with a turquoise mane.

“Berry Pinch.”

“Here! I came with the best sister ever: Berry Punch!” the magenta unicorn smiled at her sister who suspiciously smelled of alcohol.

“Button Mash.”

“I’m here. My mom got sick, so she couldn’t come with me.” Button looked like he was about to cry, until a Pegasus named Rumble put a hoof on his shoulder and told him everything was going to be alright and that he was going to see his mother by the end of the week.

“Diamond Tiara.”

“I have come to grace you all with my presence. I also have daddy here, so none of you morons can touch me.” She stuck out her tongue at everypony. Her father put a hoof on her shoulder and told her to be a bit more polite.

“Diamond Tiara, you actually have to say his name.”

“But you didn’t ask about Button’s mom!” Diamond Tiara protested.

“That’s because she’s not coming with us.” Cheerilee answered.

“Ugh, some ponies are just picky.” Diamond Tiara answered dejectedly.

“Sweetheart,” her father stepped in. “Maybe I should answer. My name is Filthy Rich, but you already know that, Cheerilee.”

“Nice to meet you, Filthy.” Filthy Rich glared at her. “Umm, anyway, is Dinky Doo here?”

“I’m here!” she shouted happily. “And my mother, Derpy Hooves, is here, too!”

“How can she refer to her own mother by first name?” Diamond Tiara asked Silverspoon. “It makes no logical sense to me.”

Silverspoon nodded in agreement.

“Featherweight?”

“Yes, I’m here, but I’m alone.”

“Noi?”

The light orange earth pony smiled at Cheerilee and spoke, “Present. I’m here with my sister, Golden Harvest.”

“Piña Colada?”

“Here. I actually came with Noi and Golden Harvest.” The light pink pony smiled at Cheerilee, and then glanced at Aura, who suddenly became very interested in her hooves.

“Princess Erroria.” Cheerilee always found it odd that her parents named their foal ‘Princess’ and a word that was unbelievably similar to the word ‘error’. It seemed like an oxymoron to her.

“What? Oh, I’m here, uh, Cheerilee… and I… came alone.” Princess stuttered, as she kept glancing at Diamond Tiara, her face red at seeing the beautiful filly.

“Rumble?”

“I’m here with my brother, Thunderlane.” Rumble said in a small voice.

“Scoota…”

Scootaloo interrupted her teacher. “I’m here! And I brought the coolest Pegasus ever: Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow Dash puffed out her chest triumphantly while some of the former members of the currently disbanded Rainbow Dash Fan Club, Noi and Piña Colada, stared in awe at the cyan Pegasus. Aura, another fan, looked away from Rainbow Dash, as if to avert her eyes.

“How in the name of Celestia did Scootaloo get so close to Rainbow Dash?” Piña Colada whispered to Noi.

“I really don’t know. I am a bit curious, though. We should check that out.” Noi answered.

“That’s nice and all, Scootaloo, but we need to finish the roll call.” Cheerilee told the Pegasus filly. “Is Silverspoon here?”

“Does Cheerilee really think that I would come without Silverspoon?” Diamond Tiara asked, annoyed. Princess Erroria savored the appealing sounds of the filly’s voice.

“I’m here, Miss Cheerilee. I came with Diamond and Filthy.” Silverspoon answered in a sweet voice. Filthy Rich looked annoyed, while Diamond Tiara put her hoof around Silverspoon. Princess Erroria looked away.

“Sweetie Belle?” Cheerilee asked.

“What?” Sweetie Belle looked confused.

“Sweetie Belle?” Cheerilee asked again.

“Sweetie Belle, she’s taking roll call.” Applebloom whispered.

“Oh! I’m here!” Sweetie Belle shouted.

“Did you bring anyone with you?” Cheerilee asked.

“No, but Rarity brought me.” Sweetie Belle answered.

Cheerilee’s ears flattened in annoyance. She ultimately decided to ignore that comment.

“And finally, Tornado Bolt.”

Tornado Bolt is a new student that recently moved from Canterlot. She’s a gray Pegasus with a purple mane. At first, she was shy, but after being treated with mostly positive attention, she became friendlier with the other students.

“I’m here,” she said confidently, with a grin that rivals the sun. “And I’m not alone, as long as I’m with you guys!”

Most of the class couldn’t help but smile at Tornado's absolute cheesiness. Only Diamond Tiara and Scootaloo were unimpressed.

“Well, since everypony’s here, finish setting everything up.” Cheerilee moved towards the purple mare next to her. “Come on, Twilight. Let’s set up our tent.”

“Right behind you, Cheerilee.” Twilight answered.