Blank Flanks

The Cutie Mark Crusaders, on their way on the next adventure awaiting them, trotted with glee around the grassy fields of Equestria. They believed that they could sprout even more ideas if they do the crusading around more than just Ponyville. All of Equestria was known for its vast lands of adventure. To discuss this matter of need, they had held a meeting at their beloved clubhouse.

"Attention, Crusaders!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, to her fellow mates. "We need more ideas of gettin' our marks! Any of y'all gotten any ideas?"

Scootaloo was the first to yell out with pride and enthusiasm, immediately sprouting an idea. "Maybe we could try some sports!"

Apple Bloom replied with rather a disagreeing emotion. "Well, me and Sweetie Belle aren't really athletic, but maybe something calmer?"

The Crusaders discussed for about 20 minutes, with Sweetie Belle being the most quiet. They all suspected that she had been brewing her idea into motion overtime. Sweetie looked unexpectedly nervous among the gaze of the other Crusaders, as she would think they would recline in a heartbeat. But it was getting late, luckily, so she would have to wait one more cold night to tell that dark thought sitting in her mind.

"Um..It's getting late," Sweetie announced. "Why don't we tell tomorrow, alright?"

The Crusaders replied in agreement, and all went off to their homes until dawn.

____________________________________

Sweetie Belle waved goodbye to her friends recently after being dropped off by them, and went inside her sisters Boutique. Her thoughts were still centered on her little "idea". She had many mixed feelings of how they would react. Of course, she would have to tell them because of a promise. She had never broken a promise, and tomorrow wouldn't be her first time. But she just couldn't bring herself to tell them.

Later at night, Sweetie Belle said goodnight to her sister, only to head towards her bedroom. She wasn't planning to sleep, however. She grabbed her notebook from her nightstand on the left, and levitated a red pen with her magic. She wrote to calm herself down from all those feelings of fear and denial.

Dear Diary,

I've been waiting to tell the Crusaders my plan for a while now, maybe even a few weeks. I mean, stealing other Cutie Marks? They wouldn't be that greedy to accept that. It was my only option, since I had to think of something fast. Alright, I'll write down the steps.

1. Gather up fillies. 2. Take to hideout. 3. Take cutie marks from flank.

Not by magic, but by weapons.

I knew this was a bad idea.

_____________________________________

The next morning, Sweetie Belle stashed some knives into her saddle bags, along with some other supplies just in case. She also had brought along the list of steps for the other Crusaders. They probably wouldn't be interested at all, though. Her mind was racing with fear and wonder, with the fear of rejection, and the wonder of which path she will take: do this alone, or give it up for the sake of her friends.

...

At the Crusaders' clubhouse, Sweetie Belle encountered Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. She gulped in that fear that was about to double. Her friends had already noticed the knives falling out her bags. She worried even more, but was prepared to establish her plan with the others.

With absolute hesitation, Sweeite opened her mouth to speak those words forever kept deep inside her no longer.

"I have an idea."

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at Sweeite Belle with still expressions, staring at the knife-covered floor with their eyes. They glanced now at Sweetie, longing for a response. They sat in silence at the fact of Sweetie Belle doing nothing at all, when she finally took the paper with the procedure, with her friends reading.

DAILY PLAN:

STEP 1: GATHER FILLIES

STEP 2: TAKE TO ROOM

STEP 3: REMOVE CUTIE MARKS

REPEAT

The Crusaders all surprisingly grinned at this plan. They realized that they could get A cutie mark instead of just earning one themselves. They could all now understand the reason for knives on the floor, also the other supplies including a scalpel, and some gloves. Obviously, this could refer to surgery work, with the removal of cutie marks in all that.

"Sweetie Belle, this is AMAZING!" Yelled Scootaloo in delight. "We could get someone else's mark instead of waiting for one ourselves! SO AWESOME!"

"Now hold on a second!" Apple Bloom interrupted. "We can't just kill other ponies like that. It's cruel and the wrong thing! Mah' sister is the element of honesty, and to be honest, we don't want nothin' to do with it!"

"But what about ponies who deserve it?" Scootaloo asked. Apple Bloom's gaze turned from an angry frown to an amused smirk. "Yeah..." She said. "Like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, they deserve all that they can get."

"Well, I brought some other things, too," Sweetie Belle jumped in the conversation. "A book on dark magic for me, some ropes for Scootaloo, and some tools for Apple Bloom, apart from our own knives. For example, I'll learn how to interact with different parts of the inner body, Scootaloo will help tie up the ponies, and Apple Bloom will help with cutie mark removal. Got it?"

"It's a deal!" They all yelled in unison. "This will be our future destinies, Crusaders," Apple Bloom announced. "So get ready!"

"But, what about our hideout? What will we do this in?" Asked Sweetie Belle.

"I know a secret passage back at the barn behind it that only I know about, which is covered up with a fake garden patch of carrots," Apple Bloom spoke. "None of mah family ever suspects it, so we should all be safe. We shouldn't bring fillies over too often though, maybe that would bring suspicion."

The Crusaders nodded in agreement, only to meet the next morning at the schoolhouse.

__________________________________

At the playground of the schoolhouse, the Crusaders approached Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, but not before they discussed the procedure.

"Alright," began Apple Bloom. "We'll say that we want them to come over to the barn with lots of bits in it. They'll do pretty much anythin' for bein' rich. Once we knock them out with the drinks we offered them, we will take them to the barn. Have you all practiced your duties?"

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo nodded in response. "Yup," Sweeite said. "Scootaloo tied up fake ponies on tables, and I preformed my dark magic, and I assumed you set up the room?"

"Right," said Apple Bloom. "Tables for the victims, weapons, cleaning supplies for afterward, and somethin' to hide the bodies. Okay, let's go."

The three trotted over to Diamond and Silver, with smirks on their faces. Apple Bloom spoke to them first.

"So.." She began. "I bet you girls would like some free bits at the barn. After all, cider season selled 100,000 cups, with about 9000 bits!" Obviously, that had been a complete lie, but they had seemed to believe it for the money. They grew towards the Crusaders, looking interested in the offer.

"We don't usually go to losers' house, but just for a second. BUT THIS DOESN'T MEAN WE ARE FRIENDS!" The Crusaders were amused, and lead them to the barn.

...

"Where is the money?" Asked Silver Spoon. "We want it NOW!"

"Oh, we'll show you alright," spoke Apple Bloom. "But it's a hot day, so have a little..drink first. Sweetie Belle brought the silver platter with two glasses of purple liquid to the two greedy foals.

"Ugh. Fine." Said Diamond Tiara. "But then, SHOW US THE MONEY!"

They chugged down the small amount of liquid, and started to feel slightly light-headed. Apple Bloom had whipped up this at her home the day before, adding a pinch of sleeping powder to the mixture. That would make sure that nopony they kidnapped noticed of their secret.

Eventually, they passed out cold. With them unconscious, Sweetie Belle, with practice, easily rose the two fillies with her magic. The Crusaders walked to the back of the barn, then opened the door under the faux carrot patch. With wooden stairs leading down to a cold basement, they carried the foals down to the hideout.

With Scootaloo strapping the ropes down on the rusty tables, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom dressed in gloves from the hospital down south of Ponyville. All it took was an explanation that their house was in bad shape.

With Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon tied up, all three Crusaders dropped the knives into the pockets of the surgery gowns, they were finally ready for the first time they would sacrifice a pony.

This would be THIER new destiny forever.