“Okay, that cake was really good,” Scootaloo said with a roll of her eyes as they left the bakery, “anyway, let’s go to the Clubhouse!”

The other CmC cheered, Silver Spoon smiled and nodded, and Diamond Tiara moved beside Silver Spoon. “Silver,” Diamond asked quietly.

“What do you want, Diamond?” Silver replied curtly, ready for something negative to be said.

“Am I really allowed to tag along… after everything I did,” she asked and looked at the ground.

Silver bumped Diamond’s neck with her head. “Cheer up, it’s not a bad place and this is your chance to be a new pony, the one you were gonna be at your cutecinera.”

Diamond nodded and stood up tall. “Yeah, new Diamond Tiara is gonna be better than what my mom says I have to be.” Diamond walked to the CmC. “Hey,” she called attention to herself. “I know I was mean before, but I’m gonna do better to be a better pony, and…” she softened her voice and looked to her grey friend behind her, “I’d like your help to be that better pony.”

Diamond was hugged again, each pony sharing their growing affection with her. “DT, you’re gonna be fine,” Snickers said backing away, “but first, we’ve gotta do some hunting for our cutie marks,” he said and joined his fillies as they led the group of five to the outskirts of the city.

“Hold it right there!” A filly shouted from a side street stopping the group.

Snickers groaned and looked up to the sky. “Now what?!” He shouted at the filly down the way and lost his frustration as the lavender filly stomped towards him and blew her blonde mane from her face.

Her look was as intense as a filly’s could be and she stopped two paces away, looking slightly up into his eyes. “I know what you are,” she said.

“Oh yeah, what’s that?” He asked just as firmly.

She looked at the fillies around him and her brow furrowed even further. “I’m not gonna say, because you’re just gonna make me into one of your thralls… but I’m gonna stop you before you take over the school, before you take over the world!” She shouted and turned tail, running back the way she’d come and turning right out of sight.

“So, I know her from class,” Snickers said as he noticed her running the other way from the corner of his eyes, “but who is she and what’s her deal?”

Silver Spoon rolled her eyes. “She’s ‘the Dink’.”

“Super spy, paranormal investigator, monster hunter, and super sleuth,” Diamond Tiara said with a smile.

“And detective!” The filly shouted back from around the corner of the nearby house before gasping and ducking back.

“I can still see your horn!” Snickers shouted at the Dink. When she moved back a little more, out of sight, he looked at Diamond. “So, her name is literally ‘The Dink’?”

“No, dummy!” Dinky shouted, her head around the corner of the house again. “I’m Dinky Doo, and don’t you forget it! Or… do forget it! I’m not enraptured by your spells, evil minion of darkness!”

Snickers gasped and raised a forehoof to his chest. “Is this because I’m brown?!” Dinky fell silent, mouthing nothing as she didn’t have anything to say at that moment. “Colorist!”

“I am not!” Dinky shrieked and ran away down the main street.

Snickers laughed and shook his head, turning back to the unhappy faces of five fillies and, looking over them a dozen or so adults with the same expression. “Okay, what’d I fuck up now?”

Apple Bloom walked up to Snickers and he leaned forward and squeezed his eyes shut, trembling for what was about to happen. “Ah’m not gonna whack yet snout this time, but next time ya cuss, be ready,” she said tapping his snout. “Now, why in tarnation did ya have ta use such a hurtful word on the Dink?”

“What?” Snickers asked seriously. “I didn’t know colorism was a real thing, I was just joking,” he sighed, “I’m gonna apologize to her the next time I see her, I promise; I really didn’t know.”

The crowd of adults started moving again while the fillies turned and started to head to the Clubhouse again. Snickers started to follow, then stopped. He looked back to where Dinky had ran and then to the fillies he was with. “Hey, I’ll catch up. I really wanna apologize to Dinky, she didn’t deserve to be called that, it was a bad joke from where I’m from and it’s just as bad here, if that’s okay with you.”

Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara nodded. “I’m coming, too. You shouldn’t go alone,” Scootaloo said. “Especially with all the trouble you make happen,” she winked as she reached him.

“You better not be going off to kiss,” Silver Spoon said flatly.

“Nope, we’re better now. Friends only, no lovey dovey kisses,” Scootaloo said. “Let’s go, she’s probably at one of her hideouts.”

“Lead the way,” Snickers said and walked beside her. “So, we’re really nothing but friends now?”

Scootaloo nodded. “Yeah, I hope. I mean, I think you still really like me, but then you kinda helped me love myself… not like that,” she giggled at his snickering, “but you know what I mean. You were right, and I’m not ready to be a mare until I’ve been a filly first.”

“Oh… so, no more kissing?” Snickers asked.

“Nope, only as friends. I know what we both know, and how much better you probably are at making a filly feel good in ways only some mares know; but I have to stay strong for both of us.”

Snickers nodded. “Yeah, you’re just the first filly I’ve really fallen in love with, and it was right after you fell out of love with me.”

Scootaloo stopped him with a foreleg and looked at him. “I never stopped loving you, but the love I had was different. I can’t explain it good, because I don’t know how, but my body wanted you so I wouldn’t be alone, I guess. Now, I love you like a best friend that I’d do anything for, but not lift my tail,” she said with a swish of said appendage.

“What if--”

“No medical cutie marks,” Scootaloo preempted his question and smirked when his ears fell. “You have to chill yourself, or that thinking will get you in trouble with somepony,” Scootaloo teased and then gestured for them to start walking.

“Fine, but you started something in me that wasn’t really there the other night, and now… I dunno what to do to make it go away.”

Scootaloo bumped her hip against his. “Duh, rub it away like every pony does. Fillies and colts are different, but Miss Cherrilee says that rubbing the urges away is the best way. That’s why there was the filly only class on ticking our tails and you colts had your class with Pinwheel.” Scootaloo looked at Snickers. “Oh, yeah… you didn’t have that class. Well, I’m not gonna talk about it with you, so you’ll have to ask a colt, or Miss Cheerilee about it.”

“Okay, fine, I’ll wait till later. Whatever, how far until we get to the Dink’s hideout?”

“Should be a minute or so, some of her hideouts aren’t very… hidden, see,” Scootaloo pointed to a tree with a box leaning against it. “It’s a hideout for one, she calls it. There’s a secret knock to get her to come out safely, I’ll do it.” They walked silently through the grass between houses to the lone tree and Scootaloo rapped on the tree.

“Who is it? This is a very important note I’m writing, it could be my last, so this better be important.” Dinky shifted the box from against the tree to expose a slot large enough for her to walk out through. “Oh, Scootaloo…” Dinky’s eyes narrowed. “Are you here with a message from your puppet master?”

“Oh, Snickers? Nah, he’s right th--”

Dinky noticed the colt and screamed, turned back to her box, and ran into it tumbling over herself before getting on her hooves and screaming as she galloped away.

“That is one crazy filly,” Snickers commented as he looked in the box. The inside was colored with crayons to look like an office room. “Wow,” he said setting the box upright and looking in, “this is actually really neat. There’s a light gem on top and, oh,” he pulled his head back and stepped away. “Her notepad is in there, too.”

“Really?” Scootaloo said hopping ahead and reaching in.

Snickers tried to stop her. “Hey, you can’t read that, it may be personal.”

“Too late, let’s see… ugh! Why you?!” Scootaloo stepped back and glared at Snickers. “Why does every single filly like you? Huh?” She pressed and looked away. “I’m not mad, or jealous… it’s just weird, okay?”

Snickers sat and looked at the box. “What was on the notepad?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll write a note saying you’re sorry and are willing to negotiate terms of a treaty, that’ll get her to calm down a little.”

Snickers snickered again. “I get why she started the whole ‘thrall’ thing, and why she ran away screaming… she wants to be chased and dominated, I bet.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “I don’t know what that means, but I bet it’s something gross and inappropriate that only you’d get.”

Snickers shrugged, still smiling. “Me and most adults, from what I’ve learned about sex in this world.”

“Let’s keep it that way. Whatever dominated means for you should probably stay with you, especially with the Dink, okay?” Scootaloo said as she entered the box.
Snickers did his best to not look at her tail as it swayed from side to side and teased him with sights he both wanted to see and didn’t.

“Hey!” Snickers’s attention was brought to Scootaloo’s narrowed eyes looking at him over her shoulder. “Stop checking me out, it’s making you show,” she told him and then went back to the note.

Snickers looked down and crossed his forelegs over his budding problem as thoughts of babies crying and old mares smiling filled his mind and quelled his urge. “Thanks, Scootaloo. That could have been bad.”

Scootaloo backed from the box and walked past Snickers, knocking him on the head once. “Get your mind off fillies for a while and it won’t be a problem. Now, let’s get back to the others.”

Scootaloo and Snickers left the box and from a nearby bush, Dinky peeked through the leaves and watched them go, specifically him. “I’ll defeat you and break the hold you have on my mind, vile demon,” she whispered as she lifted the fake bush and slowly moved to her hideout to retrieve her notes and plans.

“Hey, Dink?” Another filly called as Dinky started rooting through her box uncovering hidden notepads and letters to various ponies of local importance.

“What, Pinch? I’m in the middle of saving Equestria, here.”

Berry Pinch stopped and leaned against the tree. “What’s on the agenda this time? Plague, vamponies, aliens?” She asked wishing she had brought her shades for effect.

“The last one… they got my fake notes and left me this ‘peace treaty’ offer,” Dinky said backing out from her box with a string in her lips. She balanced a cloth bag on her back and yanked the tiny rope collapsing the box into a space outside reality.

“Isn’t it expensive to keep destroying your hideouts?”

“We’ve been over this, Pinch; the safety of Equestria and the world has no budget… and my mom gets me the spell scrolls from somepony she used to know. It can’t be that expensive, right?”

Pinch shrugged. “Anyway, I’m here because my sister’s gonna have a sleepover and we want you to come over.”

Dinky dropped the sack and smiled. “As long as you agree to help me when the time comes to stop the alien menace. Their front line has already started affecting the fillies in class, how long until other schools in Equestria are infected and infiltrated with their tentacle eye balls of soul suckingness?!”

Pinch shrugged. “I’unno. Maybe a couple weeks… let’s go and have some fun before we take them down, ‘kay?”

“You’re the best friend I could have ever asked for,” Dinky said picking up the sack and setting it on her friend’s back. “And be careful with that, it’s got a week’s worth of field notes.”

Pinch rolled her eyes behind Dinky’s back. “Yeah, I bet the aliens are totally after it, so we’d better hurry,” she said trotting faster and eventually racing Dinky to her house.

***

“Okay, Crusaders,” Apple Bloom announced from the podium in the Clubhouse, “today we’ve got two guest members and one official member. Our plans are set up, but new ideas are always welcome. The floor, is… open,” she said tapping her hoof on the lectern and stepping down.

“Why don’t you just do something you’re really good at, like planning?” Silver Spoon suggested.

Scootaloo sighed. “Nah, we tried that. We can’t go near the foreman’s tent or his blueprints ever again.”

“Ah didn’t think changin’ a dot or two would make any difference,” Apple Bloom added.

“Girls,” Sweetie said, “the building fell over after it was done! Dots are really important, I told you that.”

“What about mimes?” Diamond suggested with a smirk that they all caught on.

“Nope, that time there was a swarm of bees that stopped on their travels on near the fountain and we couldn’t stop ponies from gettin’ too close before they got stung.”

“How about beekeepers?”

“That’s how we learned that bees migrate and rest in places.”

“Dentists?”

The three filly members of the Crusaders winced. “Ah have appointments every three months through next year on account’a that one.”

“Us, too,” Sweetie added.

Snickers looked out the window and then gasped. “Oh, yeah! Here,” he ran to his saddlebag and pulled out his cape, putting it on dramatically. “What’d’ya think?” He asked taking the same pose from the morning.

“Wow, it’s great! It’s just like ours, only newer!” Scootaloo cheered and ran to his side with the others to check his cape over.

“It’s stitched so nicely, it has to be a Rarity original,” Diamond stated.

“Oh, and the hem is so even… more proof Rarity did this,” Silver complimented.

Snickers grinned at the praise. “Yeah, I know, Mom’s great at sewing… but I make this look good, right?”

“Yeah, kinda,” Silver Spoon said looking at the collar buckle. “Wow, is this real gold? Fancy.”

“Hey, gals,” Scootaloo said, “let’s focus on what matters here. And that’s getting our marks and finding our place in the world. Snickers, you’re up. What’ve you got in that big head of yours to get us our marks?”

Snickers paced for a few seconds, thinking intently. “How about babysitting?”

Sweetie looked at their ideas wall and the marked off plans. “You mean foal-sitting, and… well, we haven’t really tried that one, yet. I guess we can schedule it, right?”

“Ya bet, Ah’ll ask a couple ponies ta see if they’ll let us watch their young’ns.”

Silver Spoon sat up. “Um, I have a better and safer idea. The town hall as a care center where adults drop their yearlings off every Friday, you can do that there and be supervised by adults while you do it.”

Snickers pointed at Silver Spoon. “Fact! Do that, don’t let foals watch over infants. I don’t know what pony foals are like, but I imagine they’re just as bad as human kids.”

Diamond snapped her head to face him. “What? You read those colt comics? I thought you were cooler than that.”

Silver placed a forehoof on her friend’s back. “I think there’s something you should know, but you have to Pinkie Promise not to tell anypony, or anyone, ever.”

Diamond Tiara looked between the fillies and their nodding. “Okay, whatever,” she went through the motions, “there, now tell me what the big secret is.”

Snickers opened his mouth to tell, then stopped and held a forehoof out. “Wait, I know what’s gonna happen next,” he walked to the door and opened it, stepped out onto the balcony, and made a full circuit.

“Hey, Dink? What’re you doing here?” Sweetie Belle shouted happily.

“You won’t take me alive!” Dinky shouted as she leapt from the center of the ramp to the ground and galloped into the orchard. “The truth will come out,” she shouted before she darted behind a large tree and clearly hid. Snickers watched for a few seconds and when the lavender filly peeked out their eyes met and she clearly shrieked, galloping away even further.

“I thought she was gone earlier, why would she…?” Snickers noticed a purple filly under the Clubhouse leaning on the tree, wearing sunglasses and chewing gum. “And you are?”

“Nopony ya need ta know, less ya wanna some troubles, ya heah?”

Scootaloo descended and looked at the filly. “Oh, hey, Scootaloo. How’s it goin’?”

“It’s good, Pinch. Ya on another mission with the Dink?” Scootaloo answered casually as she moved on and reached the ground. Scootaloo and Pinch bumped hooves.

“Yeah, another week, another invasion. At least it’s fun, right?” Pinch giggled and lifted her shades to get a good look at Snickers. “You’re the new guy in class, that’s why she’s on your case. There’ll be a new crisis in a few days, just don’t act too weird and she’ll move on to the next big thing.”

Snickers looked down at them. “So, she’s a conspiracy nut?”

Pinch grinned. “And she’s great at it! If she doesn’t get a mark related to investigating stuff, I’ll be amazed.”

“Pinch, don’t let him get to you! Keep your glasses on so he can’t suck your eyeballs out!”

Pinch lowered her sunglasses and blew a large bubble. “Nyea, I’m in character, so ya didn’t see nutin’, punks, righ?” She walked away from the treehouse until Dinky said something that got Pinch galloping. “We can’t be late, it’s lasagna night!”

Snickers looked at Scootaloo and then up to the fillies on the balcony. “This is one weird town.”

Scootaloo draped a leg over his back. “And you live here now, too. It’s gonna be a fun year, I can feel it.”

Author's Note

Bringing in a couple new friends... soon, he's gonna get a bro to hang with, though. Finally, right?