Crusaders of the Lost Mark
Episodal Aftermaths
by Jonathan “KnightMysterio” Spires
Aftermath 1: Crusaders of the Lost Mark
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Ponyville Elementary...
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To say that Spoiled Rich, mother of Diamond Tiara, was vindictive would be like saying that Rainbow Dash had a colorful mane. And she certainly planned to take out her frustrations on the so-called Cutie Mark Crusaders.
Wretched blank flanks. How dare they turn her daughter against her? Oh, she would show them. The school board was her personal dominion, and...
“Mrs. Rich,” said Mayor Mare, “before we begin, we were swearing in a new member today?”
Spoiled blinked. “Ah, yes...” she said, looking over the agenda. There WAS that to deal with, wasn't there? She smiled. Oh, what a coup it was convincing her to join... now if she'd just show up. “Well, once she gets here, we can...”
“SORRY!” Twilight said, the alicorn grinning sheepishly as she entered the room. “Sorry! I got distracted. This nice stallion and his wife wanted to meet me, and since I remembered how nice he was from a party I went to....”
Spoiled started to say something, but the words died in her throat. Fancypants, THE Fancypants, one of the most influential stallions in Canterlot, entered the room after, followed by his wife, retired supermodel Fleur Dis Lee.
“Hello everypony!” Fancypants said. “Sorry to be a bother and detain the Princess, but we've been in town the past few days considering a place to put a new summer home!”
“Here in Ponyville?” Cheerilee asked, surprised.
“Oui, madame,” Fleur said, smiling warmly. “We've heard so many wonderful things about Ponyville, we've decided that we would love to spend our summers here.”
Twilight Sparkle grinned. “If you'd like, you can sit in on the meeting,” she said. She blinked, and said, “Oh, unless that's against the rules?”
Spoiled immediately pounced. “Oh, I'm certain for someone as well-known as Fancypants and Fleur Dis Lee, we can make an exception, right?” she said, chuckling merrily. The other members of the town schoolboard just muttered amongst themselves, eventually agreeing.
“Quite,” Fancypants said, frowning briefly at Spoiled. Oh dear, a social climbing sycophant... he thought, taking measure of Spoiled Rich immediately. He glanced to Fleur, the former model rolling her eyes in amusement, having come to the same conclusion. “Ah, before we begin, there was something I was wondering,” he said.
“Oh?” Mayor Mare asked. “Ask away.”
Fancypants smiled. “There was one of those delightful random musical numbers that seem to occur in our society yesterday. This town always seems cheerful, but yesterday it was rather jubilant. What was that about?”
Twilight and Cheerilee traded grins. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders finally got their cutie marks yesterday!” Twilight said.
Fancypants beamed. “Well well! How wonderful!”
Fleur grinned widely, clapping her hooves. “Tres bon! My nephew will be overjoyed to hear this!”
Spoiled blinked, confused and more than a little frightened by this reaction. “I'm... sorry, do you know them?”
Fancypants smiled. “We know OF them,” he said. “Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, correct?” Twilight nodded. Fancypants grinned, and continued. “Rumors of their efforts to find their marks have spread ever since a branch of them started up in Manehattan. Apple Bloom's... cousin, I believe, is the leader there.”
Fleur nodded. “Word gets around. Plus, Rarity, the last time she came to Canterlot to design a dress for me,” she said, “she could not stop bragging about her sister and her friends. Something about helping a 'Troubleshoes' or something with his problems.”
Fancypants chuckled. “Indeed. There's an unofficial group of Crusaders in Canterlot, and if I recall correctly a Crusaders branch is forming in Cloudsdale as well! Fleur's nephew is a member of the Canterlot group!”
Fleur beamed. “When it gets out that the original Crusaders actually have their marks? Oh, membership will skyrocket!”
Spoiled, throughout this entire exchange, found herself developing a nervous twitch in her left eye. A pulsing headache was starting to form as well. How? HOW?! They were NOTHING! A farmer, the sister of a gold digger, and a runt no one cared about!
“This is great news!” Twilight said, beaming. “I'm so proud of them! And I know Princess Luna will be as well!”
Spoiled just barely managed to resist the urge to shriek. “A-a-and what would Her Majesty Luna know about the Crusaders?”
“Hm?” Twilight said. “Oh, she's helped them with some problems they've had recently. She sometimes asks me about them, I let her know how they've been doing, what they've learned in Twilight Time...”
“'Twilight Time?'” Fleur asked.
Twilight blushed. “S-Sorry... A little nickname for the private tutoring sessions I've been having with them. Apple Bloom's got the makings of a great alchemist.”
Spoiled felt dizzy. How could those little rodents have so many connections?
Fancypants smiled. “My my. I assume that Luna gave them special attention because their older sisters, yourself, and two others played a part in freeing her from the Nightmare's curse?”
Fleur blinked. “I thought Scootaloo was Rainbow Dash's daughter,” she said.
Twilight shook her head. “Neither, actually. Scootaloo's parents like to stay out of the spotlight, so that's why no one mentions them much. Scootaloo herself is basically Rainbow Dash's protege.”
Fleur nodded. “Still, to be protege to the Wonderbolts Rookie of the Year,” she said. “That's tremendous.”
Twilight blinked. “So that's official, then,” she said. “I don't follow sports news all that much.”
Fancypants nodded. “So that's all three of the original Crusaders with famous families,” he said.
“What?!” Spoiled shouted before she could stop herself.
Fancypants and Fleur gave each other amused looks. They were really enjoying her misery too much. They'd probably feel guilty about it. Eventually.
“Indeed,” Fancypants said. “Scootaloo has the ear of a famous Wonderbolt rookie. The Apples are amongst the oldest and most respected families in Equestria. And Rarity...” He chuckled. “I'm actually a little envious... Rarity's more well-connected than I am at this point. Her dresses are in high demand amongst the highest echelons of society.”
Spoiled looked ready to throw up. She had come into this meeting expecting to pull her authority over the schoolboard, as well as the fact that she was the school's main financial benefactor, to get the Crusaders expelled, perhaps even go after their families a bit. And now, in just a few minutes of conversation, she found out that she was nothing in comparison! How little did she actually know?!
“Oh my,” Fancypants said, chuckling. “In all this, I didn't think to ask... What are their cutie marks for?”
Twilight grinned. “Believe it or not, their cutie marks are for helping others find their own cutie marks, or understanding what their cutie mark is! They helped their longtime nemesis, Diamond Tiara, figure out the real meaning of her own cutie mark.”
Spoiled jerked, as if struck. “Wait... Diamond was uncertain of her mark's meaning?” she said. “She never mentioned that to me.”
“You do tend to react badly if you think she's failed in any way,” Cheerilee said, the schoolteacher clearly enjoying the wannabe socialite's discomfort.
You smug little... Spoiled thought, glaring at Cheerilee.
“Still, you must be very proud of Diamond, Mrs. Rich!” Twilight said, oblivious to the animosity between the two. “She's become a much better pony since figuring out her mark's true meaning!”
Cheerilee looked thoughtful for a moment, and nodded. “Indeed. It's been just a day, but she's become a lot more popular, and respected.”
“Popular and respected,” Spoiled Rich said flatly. By being nice. By ignoring everything I've ever taught her and by being nice.
“And actually,” Twilight said, reaching into the saddlebag she had brought with her, “that reminds me. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, especially Luna, wanted to be there for their cute-ceañera, and the girls wanted to have her there, so they convinced Pinkie Pie to have it this weekend, when they had some time free.” Twilight pulled out several colorful invitations, giving them out amongst the group. “You're all invited, of course. And while I don't have ones for you two,” she said to Fancypants and Fleur, “I'm sure no one would object to your coming as well.”
Fancypants looked to Fleur, who nodded, grinning. He smiled himself, and said, “We'd be honored. It sounds like a smashing good time.” Everypony else in the room
Spoiled sat down. Her thoughts were a jumble. Everything she thought she had known was shattered in the course of... she looked at the clock. Good heavens, has it really only been fifteen minutes since Princess Twilight showed up? Her daughter, her position in society, the position of others in society, especially those she once thought her lessers...
She looked down at her own cutie mark. She tried to remember when she got it, when she had discovered her true destiny, what her mark meant... and drew a complete and total blank.
Blank.
Blank flank.
She suddenly began to laugh. A sickened, frustrated laugh that welled out of her throat unbidden.
“Mrs. Rich, are you okay?” she heard a voice ask. She turned, and saw everypony else in the room giving her a concerned look. She glanced at her reflection in a nearby window and saw that she had started to cry.
Wiping her eyes, she shook her head. “No... No, I'm not,” she said.
Fancypants came forward, genuinely concerned. He had been dismissive of her before, but he wasn't about to stand idly by when somepony was in distress. “Is there anypony we can call for you?” he asked gently.
Spoiled shook her head. “No, I... I'll be fine, I just need some time to myself... Time away from Ponyville,” she said. She thought about it, and nodded. “Yes, I think I need a bit of a vacation. Time to think and do some personal re-evaluation.” She straightened herself out. “I'll be taking a leave of absence. Effective immediately.”
Princess Twilight frowned. “I'm... I'm not chasing you out, am I?”
Spoiled shook her head. “No. No, I assure you I'm doing that all by my self,” she said, chuckling weakly. “I just... need to rethink a few things.”
With as much dignity as she could muster, she trotted out of the room. Cheerilee frowned. “I hope she's okay...” she said softly.
Mayor Mare quirked an eyebrow. “As much bribery, blackmail, and outright threatening as she's done to keep that brat daughter of hers out of trouble, I'm surprised you can show concern for her,” she said quietly.
“I wasn't kidding when I said Diamond's made a huge turnaround,” Cheerilee said softly. “And yes, I quite frankly detest her. That doesn't mean I wish her to be miserable.” Out loud, she said, “Well... perhaps we should get started with the meeting?”
As the schoolboard settled in to talk, Fancypants and Fleur politely excused themselves. They looked around for Spoiled, wanting to talk to her.
"Oh dear..." Fleur said. "Perhaps we took our schadenfreude too far?"
Fancypants shook his head. "Dear me..." he said. "We try so hard to avoid the behaviors of those we disdain and look what we just did..."
As for Spoiled herself, she was already making her way back to her mansion. In such a short time, her entire worldview had been shattered to pieces. And now? She didn't know what to do. She needed to think, needed to get away...
Proud. “You must be very proud of her, Mrs. Rich!” Twilight had said. She had been proud of her daughter, at what she perceived as her strength, her dominance. And yet, in one day, through the happy silly magic of 'friendship,' Diamond was now not just dominant, but also liked.
“If I've been wrong all this time... what does that mean for me?” Spoiled said softly. She shook her head, and continued on home. She needed her family right now, needed some stability.
And boy, did she ever need that vacation...
THE END
Next Aftermath: Brotherhooves Social
Author's Note
All characters not original copyrighted to their original owners, used without permission for non-profit amusement reasons. If you like what you see and are able to do so, please support me on Patreon! This chapter takes place the day after Crusaders of the Lost Mark.
Episodal Aftermaths
by Jonathan “KnightMysterio” Spires
Aftermath 2: Brotherhooves Social
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Sweet Apple Acres...
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Big Macintosh quietly whistled to himself as he finished up his chores for the day, checking the various trees in the orchard to see if they were ready to harvest.
“A few more days yet,” he said to himself. “Almost Applebuck Season.” He nodded. Now that was some good, satisfying work.
Once he was finished, he went over to where he had a canteen set up, taking a long drink and sitting down to relax, looking over the fields. He smiled warmly. The orchard had never looked better, he thought.
And then came a disruption.
Thunderlane came up, dragging Time Turner and an irritated-looking Caramel with him. “Bro, you got a minute?” Thunderlane asked in a concerned tone.
“Eeyup,” he said, calmly taking a drink.
Thunderlane looked to Time Turner, who seemed quite interested in some of the new fallen apples, and Caramel, who just glared back at him, and nodded. “Okay. Um... We were wanting to talk to you about what went down recently.”
Big Macintosh blinked. “What do ya mean?” he asked.
“At the Sisterhooves Social, I mean,” Thunderlane said, smiling nervously.
Big Macintosh frowned. “...What about it?” he asked.
“Well... With what all happened during the Social...” Thunderlane, looking to Caramel and Time Turner for support and getting none. “...Is there anything you want to tell us, bro?”
Big Macintosh frowned, confused. “....Nnnope,” he said.
“You sure about this?” Thunderlane asked.
“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh said, wondering where his friend was going with this.
“Welp, we're done. Bye now!” Caramel said with faked cheerfulness, turning to leave. Thunderlane grabbed him by the tail and dragged him back. Caramel glared at him. “This is so stupid, Thunderlane.”
“Look, we gotta do this!” Thunderlane said.
“Why!?” Caramel snapped.
“You know why,” he stage-whispered. “Somethin' weird happened and we need to talk to him about it. As bros.”
“Bros. Do you know how stupid that sounds?” Caramel asked, scowling.
“We have to do this,” Thunderlane said. “For Big Mac. We just have to ask him...”
“Allow me,” said Time Turner, coming forward with a small sack of five apples. “How much for these?” he asked, smiling pleasantly.
“Six bits,” Big Macintosh said. Time Turner handed over the bits and put them in a canvas shopping back, trotting off with them and whistling.
“Dude, really?!” Thunderlane shouted after him.
Time Turner rolled his eyes. “IF Big Macintosh has made a lifestyle change, then it's his business. If not, then it's still his business. I refuse to participate in this inanity any further,” he said. “Now if you'll excuse me, I have a mixed fruit pie with my name on it and these apples are just what I needed to finish it.” The Earth pony trotted off, whistling, leaving a fuming Thunderlane behind.
Now Big Macintosh was really confused. “Lifestyle change? What are y'all talking about?” he asked.
Thunderlane facehooved. Caramel glared at the pegasus. “Just ask him,” he said.
“This is kinda awkward, y'know,” Thunderlane snapped.
“Only because you're making it awkward by beating around the damn bush,” Caramel countered. “ASK HIM.”
“You can't just ask another guy that!” Thunderlane protested.
“Why not!?” Caramel demanded.
“Because... Because you just can't!” Thunderlane sputtered.
Big Macintosh was confused. And he was getting a little annoyed. “Boys, I'm right here...”
Caramel glared at Thunderlane. “Just ask him, damn it,” he said. “All this hemming and hawing around the issue is doing is just making you look like an idiot.”
Thunderlane squirmed uncomfortably. “Then you ask him, you're so dead set on it.”
Caramel shook his head. “Oh no,” he said. “You're the one who wanted to make an issue out of it. YOU ASK HIM. Or I tell your little brother you wussed out.”
“HEY!” Big Macintosh snapped, sitting forward and stomping a massive hoof. “Cheap shot, Caramel! Don't go bringin' youngins into adult business. Y'hear?”
Caramel flinched, his ears lowering as he backed away a little. “S-Sorry...”
Thunderlane shook his head, sitting down and rubbing his temple. “No, no, he's right... I feel stupid just standing here...”
Big Macintosh frowned. “Then just ask me,” he said. “I ain't got nothin' to hide.”
Thunderlane stared at him for a moment, and sighed. “Okay, okay... Mac, are you gay?”
Big Macintosh went wide-eyed, and then began laughing. “Now where'd you get a dumb idea like that?”
Thunderlane's ears lowered. “Well... you wore all that drag stuff at the Social,” he said.
“First off,” Big Macintosh said, chuckling, “Bein' gay and dressin' in mare's clothes don't always go together. I got a cousin in Whinneyapolis who's been married to a fine mare for goin' on ten years now. A fashion designer. He models her dresses for her.”
“Oh...” Thunderlane said, feeling stupid.
“Told you,” Caramel said, smirking.
“Secondly,” Big Macintosh continued. “I had my reasons for wearing that getup.”
Thunderlane frowned. “Well, what were they?” he asked.
“Before you ask, it ain't because I like wearin' mare's clothes all the time or anything related to wanting to change my gender or previous changes to my gender.” Big Macintosh said, smirking at Thunderlane. Then he sighed. “Well... When you got a sister who's a superhero, it's hard to stack up just bein' a farmer against all that. Apple Bloom's been wanting to spend time with AJ more and more... I was feelin' lonely. When Applejack got called off on some friendship mission the day before the Social, I figured that'd be a good opportunity. So I gave Apple Bloom a big sister to compete with – Orchard Blossom.”
“Mac?” Caramel said.
“Eeyup?” Big Macintosh replied.
“Absolutely nopony was fooled,” Caramel said.
Big Macintosh sighed. “Yeah, yeah, I know...”
“Plus, the Social allows for substitutions. Brothers fall into the allowed category,” Thunderlane added. “Your family hosted the one before that, you'd think you'd know that...”
“I forgot, okay? I was desperate to get Apple Bloom to look up to me like she looked up to AJ and I made a mistake,” Big Macintosh grumped.
“Sorry, bro...” Thunderlane said, grimacing.
“Yeah...” Caramel said. “We really don't mean to make fun. It's pretty cool that you're willing to go that far.”
Thunderlane smiled a little. “Plus, I kinda understand where you're coming from. Rainbow Dash and I aren't related, but it's a little hard to compete for role model status when you've got someone like her for a little brother to look up to.”
Big Macintosh smiled, and offered Thunderlane a sip from his canteen. Thunderlane politely declined. “Nah, bro, I'm good. Thanks, though,” he said.
“Guess that settles things,” Caramel said.
“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh said.
“Yeah...” Thunderlane said, looking sheepish. “Sorry about the trouble, Big Mac.”
“Don't worry about it,” Big Macintosh said, going back to relaxing.
Thunderlane chuckled. “And maybe next time, get Rarity to help you so you actually look like a mare.”
Big Macintosh blinked. “Now, wait just a minute...”
“Oh here we go...” Caramel muttered, facehooving.
Big Macintosh frowned at Thunderlane. “Now, I thought I was gosh durn pretty. It was my first time lookin' like that, but I think I did a pretty dang good job.”
Thunderlane smirked. “Bro, nopony was buying it. None of the judges thought you were a mare,” he said. “And neither did anypony lookin' at you.”
Big Macintosh scowled. “And I suppose you think you could do better?”
Thunderlane thought about it. “Yeah... yeah, I could,” he said, grinning confidently. “I'd definitely be a prettier mare than you.”
“Shots fired, shots fired,” Caramel muttered, slowly walking away from this growing train wreck. “Evacuate immediately...”
Big Macintosh scoffed. “Yeah right,” he said. “You are too dang macho to pull off a female look. I, on the other hand, have the prerequisite sensitivity and gentleness of soul that makes my feminine side more prominent.”
“You're built like a bulldozer, Mac,” Thunderlane said, scowling. “Me, I got the smooth curves and sleek lines that make for a truly fine mare. I put on a dress, I look so damn good I get guys asking me out almost immediately.” It would not be until much later that Thunderlane would realize what he just said.
“Anypony who mistakes YOU for a mare would have to be drunker than a skunk swimmin' in Zap Apple Cider!” Big Macintosh sneered.
“Anypony who mistakes YOU for a mare would have to be blinder than a blind flea crawling in the blackest part of Nightmare Moon's fur!” Thunderlane growled.
The two glared at each other for a long moment.
“Crossdressing contest this weekend?” Thunderlane suggested.
“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh agreed. “Loser buys the winner's lunch for a month.”
“I'm fine with that,” Thunderlane said, grinning viciously.
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Later...
Carousel Boutique...
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Rarity shook her head, chuckling. “Good heavens,” she said as she stitched a hem together. “I can see Thunderlane agreeing to such foolishness, but I thought your brother more intelligent.”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “So did I. I asked him about it and he just mumbled something about 'a stallion's pride,'” she said, giggling.
Rarity giggled as well. “Well, that covers those two. Why are the others participating?” she asked.
Applejack finished off her milk and set the glass down on a coaster. “Well. Firstly, they all got involved because Rainbow Dash overheard things and decided to make the competition 'more interesting.'” Applejack shook her head.
Rarity rolled her eyes. “Naturally, she lacks to tact to discern when to mind her own business...”
“Eeyup,” Applejack agreed. “Anyway. Bulk Biceps is in it because he likes feeling pretty, apparently.”
“I always knew Bulky was a sensitive sort,” Rarity smiled.
Applejack chuckled. “Yeah, he's one of the nice ones. Mr. Rich is participating just to use the contest as a publicity stunt.”
Rarity grimaced. “His wife must be livid,” she said.
Applejack snorted. “His wife can go suck an egg,” she muttered. “Anyway. That Letrotski guy from the bowling alley's in on this because he lost a bet with his friends and had to do something weird.”
“And so he chose this,” Rarity said, nodding. “And Discord is participating...”
“...because Discord,” Applejack said.
There was a long silence in the boutique. “...Honestly, 'because Discord' really is the explanation for half of what he does,” Rarity said after a moment.
“Eeyup,” Applejack agreed.
Rarity glanced out her window, seeing Twilight Sparkle, the chosen judge for this upcoming fiasco, was explaining to Discord that yes, actually becoming female would be cheating.
“I love this town sometimes, don't you?” Rarity said, giggling.
“Eeyup,” Applejack agreed, smiling.
THE END
Next Aftermath: No Second Prances
Author's Note
All characters not original copyrighted to their original owners, used without permission for non-profit amusement reasons. If you like what you see and are able to do so, please support me on Patreon! This chapter takes place the day after Brotherhooves Social.