“Why the long faces,” Apple Jack asked her little sister, Apple Bloom, and her two friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, or the Cutie Mark Crusaders, as they like to call themselves
“We’ve tried everything and we still can’t get our cutie marks!” said the crusaders in unison.
“Shucks, you gals are still going on ‘bout this, you know this just takes time, an’ you can’t force yourselves to get it,” she glared and her sister, “remember when you took that potion from Zecora.” The young earth pony looked down in shame.
“Ah, have an idea, the school talent show’s coming up, why don’t ya’ll enter it, n’ maybe you'll find your special talents doing that.” The Crusaders entered the talent show last year and the whole stage literally fell in on top of them.
“Urg, we tried that already, it was a disaster!” exclaimed the tomboyish pegasus, Scootaloo.
“And none of us got our cutie marks!” continued the unicorn, Sweetie Bell.
“Just try, but this time maybe do things a little differently.” suggested Apple Jack.
“What do ya’ mean?” inquired Apple Bloom.
“Ah mean, that ya should do different things, things you’re good at, not stuff ya wanna be good at.” She turned to Apple Bloom, “like Apple Bloom, ah know that yer good at buildin’ stuff, ah’ve seen all those contraptions ya’ve made. Ya should make the props and whatnot.” She turned to the pegasus, “Scootaloo ah’ve seen the way ya move, and ah’m sure you could make some pretty nifty dance moves.” She turned to Sweetie Belle, “and Sweetie Belle, all of Ponyville knows how good you sing. Now you gals better go wash up, you’re covered in tree sap and pine needles again.”
That night at the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse, located in an unused part of the Apple family farm, Sweet Apple Acres, the trio of ponies convened.
“What are we going to do!?” Sweetie Bell said in exasperation, “At this rate will never find our cutie marks!”
“I don’t think we’ve tried bungee jumping yet,” suggested Scootaloo.
“Why don’t we try doing what Apple Jack suggested,” added Apple Bloom, the voice of reason. She was greeted with unenthusiastic looks. “Come on gals what’s the worst thing that could happen?”
“If Rainbow sees me doing something completely uncool like dancing, she might think that I'm uncool and wouldn’t want to take me under her wing, teach me everything she knows and be like my big sister anymore,” Scootaloo nervously blurted.
“Scootaloo, now ya just talking crazy,” Apple Bloom put a comforting hoof on her friend’s shoulder.
“That sounds like a great idea Apple Bloom!” piped up Sweetie Belle, “How do we start?”
“Well first, ya need to come up with a song so we know what I’m buildin’ and what kind of choreography Scootaloo will be comin’ up with.”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were so caught up with the new plan they forgot all about their friend’s fears.
“What kind of song should I make?”
“Ah don’t know, maybe somethin’ that represents us, as the Cutie Mark Crusaders”
“Good idea! I already have an idea!” she looked out the window and saw the moon well above the horizon, “it’s getting late, we should probably head home now, see you two in school!” the white unicorn proceeded to hum as she hoped down the step like ramp that leads to their tree house.
“Scootaloo, are you ok?” asked Apple Bloom turning to the crestfallen pegasus.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she forced a smile as she silently left the clubhouse, got on her scooter. This time she went at a normal speed, not using her flightless wings for extra thrust.
The school bell rang, signaling the end of class. All the fillies and colts were packing their saddle bags and rushing out the door. “Remember class,” Ms. Cherrelee, their teacher called, “the school talent show is coming up, and I’d love to see all of my little ponies partake in it!”
“Sweetie Belle, did ya come up with anything for the song yet?” asked Apple Bloom.
“Yeah! I have the whole thing planed out!” exclaimed Sweetie Belle.
“Then what are we waiting for?” Scootaloo rode her scooter, with a small wagon attached to the back, “hop on!” the fillies put on their helmets and hoped into the wagon. “Hold on!” Scootaloo took off as fast as she could, using her little wings to increase her speed. In no time the trio had crossed Ponyville and made it to their clubhouse near Apple Bloom’s home, Sweet Apple Acres.
“I’m glad you're feeling better Scootaloo,” said Apple Bloom as she climbed out of the wagon.
“Heh, of course I'm feeling better why wouldn’t I be?”she forced a wide smile.
“Ok, then,” Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle, “So let’s hear that song of yours.”
“Ok,” she dashed on top of a nearby picnic table cleared her throat and began to sing:
the song
So young and irresponsible
Reckless and undefeatable
Trying so hard to understand
Where we fit in the master plan
We’re willing to try anything
Endure the pain and suffering
United by the common goal
The one secret we need to know
Though the dark and the unknown
We will persevere
Until we know
Exactly what our future holds
Blank flanks from all across the land
Now is your time to take a stand
Pushed back together we are one
We will not rest until were done
We have a chance to rise above
Those who think that we’re not good enough
Take a chance and come with me
Find who you were born to be
Though the dark and the unknown
We will persevere
Until we know
Exactly what our future holds
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom just stared in awe at their friends’ spectacular performance.
“That bad, huh?” Sweetie Belle lowered her head in shame as she climbed down from the table.
“Bad! That was awesome!” announced Scootaloo. Apple Bloom nodded her head in agreement. The unicorn blushed at the complements
“What’s next Apple Bloom?”
“Well now that we have the song, I know what kind of props to make and Scootaloo can work on the choreography.” Scootaloo cringed slightly at the word choreography. “I know exactly what to make but I need some supplies. The pegasus got on the scooter and her friends piled into the wagon, and they sped off towards town.
“Thanks, Mr. Spectrum!” Apple Bloom said as the paint salespony piled the last of the paint into the wagon. “That should be it gals,” announced the young earth pony.
“But what are we gonna do with all this!” the pegasus got off the scooter to take a closer look at what they’ve gathered. “I don’t even know what half this stuff even is!”
“Oh that’s an air piston,” Apple Bloom said pointing to it, those are gears, and those are chains an-“
“-And what’s that?” asked Sweetie Belle, pointing her hoof at said object.
“Uh, Sweetie Bell that’s, a paint brush,” Scootaloo said.
“I knew it looked familiar!”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Come on, let’s get this stuff back to the clubhouse.” The other two fillies nodded their heads and then zoomed off towards Sweet Apple Acres.
The girls spent the next few afternoons doing their own tasks to get ready for the upcoming show: Apple Bloom was busy designing and sewing together costumes and constructing the sets. Scootaloo was working on coming up with a dance routine, that wasn’t too lame, while Sweetie Belle was singing her song to her friends so they know what they’re supposed to be making dash dancing to.
Finally the night of the talent show arrived and the crusaders, costumes covered by black hooded cloaks, waited backstage for their act to be announced.
Scootaloo was hopping from hoof to hoof, “Is she there?”
“Who? Rainbow?” questioned Sweetie Belle. She got a nervous nod as a response. “Don’t worry I’m sure she’s there. She’s pretty much you're big sister, she pretty much has to come.”
“Her coming is what I'm worried about,” Scootaloo lowered her head.
“What’s wrong, don’t you want her to see you dance?”
“I don’t, dancing is not cool and to Rainbow cool is everything.” Scootaloo pouted.
“Cutie Mark Crusaders!” their teacher announced, “you're up next!”
“No time to worry, it’s our time to shine!” said Sweetie Belle, “Come on!”
The Crusaders threw off their cloaks revealing their costumes: gray shirts with the sleeves ripped off and ripped black denim pants covered by their Cutie Mark Crusader capes. The capes are red with a golden underside, over their flanks they have blue patches with a yellow pony on them.
Sweetie Belle hoped on the center platform grabbed the microphone and began to sing, Apple Bloom went to work starting up her mechanical props as Scootaloo began to dance.
The song finished and the Crusaders’ sets did not fall apart on them, like last time, and they happily hopped off the stage giddy with their accomplishments.
“Girls!” their teacher announced, “It's time for the award ceremony!” the girls were thrilled because this time they might actually win an award in the area they actually were attempting.
All the participants lined up awaiting awards. “And the award for best theatrical performance goes to… the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Cherrelee placed a necklace with a golden comedy-tragedy masks pendant on the necks of each of the crusaders.
Once backstage the girls realized that they haven’t checked to see if they earned their cutie marks; so they ripped off the costumes and low and behold they were no longer blank flanks, they have gotten their cutie marks. For Scootaloo there were dancing shoes imprinted on her flanks. Apple Bloom’s mark was of interlocking gears, and for Sweetie Belle there were music notes floating over a stage.
“We did it girls! We finally got our cutie marks, I guess we can’t be the Cutie Mark Crusaders anymore.” The unicorn announced gleefully.
“But we’ll still be best friends!” announced Apple Bloom. Scootaloo didn’t share in the excitement of her friends.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle’s sisters, Apple Jack and Rarity, and Scootaloo’s sort of sister and role model, Rainbow Dash, came to congratulate the girls.
“What’s wrong squirt?” asked Rainbow Dash in a concerned manner.
“My cutie mark!” sobbed Scootaloo.
“What’s wrong with it?
“its dancing, which is totally uncool, isn’t it Rainbow?” she continued sobbing looking away, and through her sobs she quietly muttered: “since my talent is so lame, I’d understand if you don’t wanna take me under your wing, teach me everything you know and be like my big sister anymore.” The young pegasus looked down, defeated. Rainbow dash started to laugh.
“Now where in the wide, wide world of Equestria did you get that idea!?” She put her hoof under Scootaloo’s chin and forced her to look her in the eyes. “Now even if that was lame, which it totally wasn’t, I’d never abandon you, or any of my friends, I'll always have your back squirt.”
“Really Rainbow?” Scootaloo said though her slowly fading tears.
“Really Scootaloo,” Rainbow said with a smile, as Scootaloo flapped her flightless wings as she ran to her idol giving her a big hug.
“I think that this will make a great letter to the princess, don’t you think so Scootaloo,” Twilight suggested. The young pegasus nodded in agreement.
Author's Note
Dear Princess Cellestia,
Today I learned that a true friend doesn’t care about what your special talent is, and that doesn’t make you either cool or uncool. A true friend will care about you no matter what.
Your subject,
Scootaloo
