Staring woefully toward the dark sky, storm clouds shrouding the night, Princess Luna looks out over the evening. The clouds themselves threaten to open at any moment, covering the quiet landscape of Ponyville with chilly rainfall. A sigh escapes her lips, as she digs her hoof deep in the Earth wondering what to do next.
As the Princess of the Night, it is Princess Luna’s sacred duty to bring about the beautiful of the evening. To present the art of the evening hour to every pony in Equestria and display the sheer beauty of the moon which rivals that of her sister’s golden sun. Only now, there seems to be no way for any pony to see it not with all the clouds gathering around. Just as Luna flies back to her palace, a trio of voices stops her in her tracks. Turning her head, she sees three figures climbing the hill just behind her.
<>
Meanwhile…
Three little fillies, each without their cutie marks, march along the hill on this dark, silent night. It is none other than the self-proclaimed ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’: Apple Bloom the Earth pony; Sweetie Belle the Unicorn; and Scootaloo the Pegasus. Reading the map, hovering it in the air with her magic, Sweetie Belle herself studies the directions as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo follow closely behind.
“Are you sure you’re readin’ that right, Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo asked.
“Of course I’m sure!” Sweetie Belle answered. “I’m following the directions exactly.
“Ah sure hope so!” Apple Bloom sighed. “We don’ wanna get lost out here, ya know. Ya never know what we’ll find out here at this hour.”
“Especially on a night like this.”
A new voice draws the three young fillies to quickly turn, as Princess Luna approaches the trio from behind.
“And where did you three come from?” She asked them. “And why are you three out here this late, alone?”
The girls, wide-eyed and open mouthed, exchange glances toward each other not knowing at first as to how to respond. In the meantime, Luna returns her attention to the gloomy clouds that begin to obstruct the moon.
“Um… excuse us, Princess Luna,” Sweetie Belle spoke up. “We were just coming from the Ponyville library. My sister and her friends are having a slumber party, so we just thought—”
“Your sister…?” Princess Luna asked wearily.
“Hey, I know you!” Scootaloo cried out, pointing her hoof. “Aren’t you Princess Celestia’s evil sister? The whole ‘Mare in the Moon’ thing?”
Princess Luna, taken aback, lowers her head in shame.
“Um…”
“Scoot!!!” Apple Bloom shouted angrily. “Princess Luna’ ain’t evil… anymore! She was just misguided by jealousy that’s all!”
“Misguided?” Scootaloo faced Apple Bloom. “She tried to bring eternal night to all of Equestria! To make it so that it’ll be nighttime forever, or has every pony suddenly forgotten!”
As Scootaloo and Apple Bloom argue, Sweetie Belle merely watches from the side and rolls her eyes. But little do the three fillies realize, Princess Luna sinks lower and lower to the ground with guilt.
“Um…”
“Scootaloo… that’s wut Nightmare Moon wanted!” Apple Bloom argued. “That’s what my big sister, Applejack told me!”
“I know Applejack…” Princess Luna interjected carefully.
Princess Luna tries not to recount the Summer Sun Celebration, any more than she’d like to. Still, she can’t help but look up towards Apple Bloom, particularly how this little pony knows of one of Twilight Sparkle’s friends. Apple Bloom turns toward the princess, forgetting her argument with Scootaloo.
“You knew my sister?” Apple Bloom exclaimed excitedly.
“Um… why yes, I most certainly do,” Princess Luna stood up.
“Ooh! Ooh! What about my big sister, Rarity?” Sweetie Belle asked eagerly.
“Heh-heh… yes, her too,” Princess Luna smiled.
“Um… not to be rude and jump in between,” Scootaloo butted in happily. “But you wouldn’t happen to know the coolest pony in all of Ponyville, would you?”
“Yes, I do know Pinkie Pie…”
Scootaloo stares at Princess Luna, completely dumbstruck.
“No, no! I mean—”
*BOOM!*
The thunder rumbles along the overhead, sending the fillies lowering toward the ground. Wide-eyed and slack-jawed, they gaze toward the sky as the thunder fades in the distance. For a moment they stay perfectly still… for about four seconds.
“AAAAHHHHH!!!!”
Each of the Cutie Mark Crusaders release an ear-piercing scream, running around Princess Luna in a complete circle. Showing concern, Luna steps forward attempting to intervene.
“Girls, girls—” The Princess spoke, growing louder. “Girls!”
But even at a louder ranger, it is all to no avail. The girls have their eyes closed; their screaming too loud to hear her. As the raindrops start to fall into a heavy downpour, Princess Luna gathers up all her inner strength reaching for something rather desperate.
“GIRLS!!!”
Through the sheer force of the Royal Canterlot Voice, Apple Bloom skids to a halt… just as Sweetie Belle ran into her, and Scootaloo into her.
“OOF! OW! OOH! MY TAIL!!!”
The three fills fall head over heels, over one another. They land in a pile, one atop of the other, their eyes rolling around as they moan in pain. Princess Luna looks upon the three fillies, hiding a soft smile behind her hoof.
“Girls,” Luna spoke. “We need to get out of here; it’s going to rain soon!”
“But Princess Luna… it’s already rainin’,” Apple Bloom pointed out innocently.
The heavy rain is so strong, it makes her bow droop under the weight.
“Quite right,” Princess Luna nodded. “Come on, every pony!”
In an instance, Princess Luna spreads her wings out, covering the three fillies like an umbrella. Together they trot down the hillside, their hooves digging into the mud.
“But we can’t leave yet!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, looking at herself. “Ooh… Rarity is not going to like this…”
“She’s right!” Scootaloo concurred.
“About being dirty?” Apple Bloom asked.
“No… about leaving right now. We were just about to discover the Cutie Mark Treasure Trove, remember?”
In that instance, Princess Luna stops in her tracks along with the girls. She keeps her wings outstretch, covering the girls as the heavy rain continues to fall.
“The… what?”
“The Cutie Mark Treasure Trove!” Sweetie Belle said excitedly.
Sweetie Belle’s horn begins to glow a soft blue light. The map floats before over the fillies and hovers before the eyes of Princess Luna herself.
“According to this map, the fabled treasure is located just across the river… right through… the Everfree Forest.”
Sweetie Belle gulps nervously, as if she discovers a piece of information she did not take under consideration.
“I’m not afraid of going through the Everfree Forest!” Scootaloo scoffed.
“I-I-I didn’t say I was—”
“Girls…” Princess Luna spoke, trying to be patient. “What is this Cutie Mark Treasure Trove you speak of?”
“You don’t know what that is?!” Apple Bloom gasped.
“Um… no?”
*CRASH!*
A bolt of lightning lights up the dark clouds, flashing off the few rocks a few feet from their location. The princess cringes slightly over how close the lightning is.
“It’s this huge treasure trove that is said to be full of Cutie Marks,” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “We found this map in one of Twilight Sparkle’s books at the library!”
“The map alone could be worth a fortune!” Scootaloo agreed, nodding her head.
“And that explains why you’re running about during a rainstorm?” Princess Luna questioned, raising a brow. “To go to… this place?”
“Well… yeah!” Scootaloo said enthusiastically. “How else are we going to earn our Cutie Marks in treasure hunting… if we don’t have the treasure to prove it?”
Princess Luna is quick to see these three fillies are determined to get their marks by any means, regardless of how reckless (But mostly dangerous) this venture will be. The princess sighs in defeat, as if imagining herself in their place.
“Okay…” Princess Luna nodded. “But at least let me venture with you.”
“You… on an adventure… with us?” Apple Bloom questioned, facing her friends. “I dunno… this is a Cutie Mark Crusader adventure. Seeing as how you already have your Cutie Mark—”
*BOOM!*
The thunder crashed over the sky above their heads. The three girls scream and rush toward Princess Luna, pressing themselves as close to her body as possible. She keeps her wings out, keeping them dry from the rain. But Scootaloo’s body shakes violently, either because of the cold… or she is fighting the urge to admit she’s scared.
“On s-s-s-s-second thought…” Scootaloo chattered. “One more set of hooves won’t hurt. It’s not every day we get to have an adventure with a Princess. Sweetie Belle… still have that map of ours?”
“Uh huh… yeah?” Sweetie Belle nodded, staring at the map. “According to the directions, it says we must go north from here… or is that south? Hmm… girls, I might be reading this map wrong!”
“Look!” The princess cried suddenly.
The fillies stop and look toward the princess’s direction. Their eyes grow wide as they gaze upon a giant black rock sitting on a bed of grass.
“What? The rock?” Scootaloo asked. “What about it?”
“Better have a closer look, little one,” Princess Luna said mysteriously.
The four ponies trot toward the rock. While the fillies are distracted, Princess Luna’s horn glows a soft lavender color. Slowly the map begins to change: New routes form along the parchment, among it new locations and directions. By the time the magic fades, Apple Bloom turns back toward Luna.
“Nope… just a rock,” Apple Bloom confirmed.
“Oh… what a pity,” Princess Luna shakes her head. “Sweetie Belle… care to check the map again please?”
“Hmm? Oh! Now this makes more sense!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed triumphantly. “C’mon guys! This way!”
As the four sally forth, Apple Bloom eyes the dark clouds swirling above them. Driven by childlike curiosity, she turns toward the Princess of the Night. Princess Luna, meanwhile, keeps a sharp eye on Sweetie Belle’s map. As if making sure the map itself allows for only ONE possible route to take.
“Hey Luna, how about a story?” She suggested.
“A story?” Princess Luna echoed.
“Yeah! Like, how’d ya get yer Cutie Mark?”
“Oh! Well… it’s not really interesting really,” Luna shrugged.
Yet Luna can’t help but glance over her shoulder, to the dark crescent moon upon her flank.
“Aww! C’mon, please?!” The fillies begged in unison.
“Oh… all right,” Princess Luna smiled, with a chuckle. “I suppose ‘one’ story is more than enough to pass the time.”
This pleases the Cutie Mark Crusaders, as they trudge along the muddy pathway. Princess Luna makes one final glance at Sweetie’s map. As expected, despite hovering in front of her face, the little unicorn fails to notice that all the trails and locations shift slowly to carve a path to Ponyville. What’s one final distraction before all is said and done?
“Let’s see… I first got my cutie mark the night I raised the moon for the first time,” Luna began, smiling at fond memories. “My father, who ruled Equestria before my sister and I, taught me the secret to doing it. I’d spend hours every night watching him, studying all the tricks. Then finally, when I was able to pull it off myself, my Cutie Mark appeared… just like that.”
The fillies listen to Luna’s story while dodging the higher rain drops above. Bigger mud puddles slowly rise at various spots along the way. Scootaloo glances silently toward Princess Luna, blowing a few strands of her wet mane from her face.
“Oh… well that doesn’t sound exciting,” Scootaloo scoffed.
“Finding your Cutie Mark doesn’t have to take you far from home,” Princess Luna replied. “Sometimes, the answers you see are closer than you think…”
“There’s the library!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
“What?!” Scootaloo shouted.
Scootaloo tries to rush from beneath Princess Luna’s wingspan, only for the princess to draw her back with her teeth on her tail.
“Sweetie Belle… have you been reading the map wrong this whole time?!”
“How can the map to the Treasure Trove lead us back to the library?!” Apple Bloom piped in.
“I don’t know…” Sweetie Belle quivered. “Maybe… the treasure’s actually in the library?”
Sweetie Belle looks up toward Luna, using the cutest facial expression she can possibly form.
“How’s about we go inside?” Princess Luna suggested. “We could use some warming up.”
The fillies wanted to protest so badly…
*BOOM!*
But another bit of thunder shakes the very Earth itself. Screaming again, the girls race toward the warm safety of the library. Luna glances toward the girls and smiles fondly.
<>
Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle stares through the window. A single sigh escapes her lips, as she shakes her head. She turns back to the remainder of her friends, collectively known as the Mane Six (With Twilight included).
“The moon isn’t out tonight, girls,” Twilight Sparkle declared disappointedly. “Not that it matters, not with this weather.”
“Yeah… sorry bout that,” Rainbow Dash said sheepishly. “Us Weather Ponies were trying to make up for that little dry spell… guess we kind of got a bit carried away.”
“That’s too bad,” Fluttershy said quietly. “I was hoping to stay up and see the moon tonight.”
“Hey, Rarity…?” Twilight spoke up.
“’Hey’ is for horses, Twilight Sparkle,” Rarity replied, flicking her mane over her shoulder.
“Um, yeah… anyway, are the girls still upstairs?”
“They should be sleeping; they’ve been ever so quiet. Why do you ask?”
“Because how come they’re running toward the library door?”
“Oh, what nonsense! They would never—WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!?!”
*BAM!*
Suddenly, the Crusaders burst through the door one by one. And the last to enter is a rather disheveled Princess Luna trailing behind.
“Princess Luna!” Twilight exclaimed, bowing before her.
The other ponies quickly do the same, before facing the three little fillies.
“Sweetie Belle!” Rarity rose up. “What have I told you about sneaking out late at night? Just look at Apple Bloom’s bow! My dear, you look simply ghastly! Oh Sweetie, how could you worry your beloved sister so?”
“Sorry sis,” Sweetie Belle sighed, sitting along the rug. “We were just trying to find the Cutie Mark Treasure Trove. Then it started raining—well, we started arguing and then it started raining—”
“No, no!” Rarity cut off. “I don’t wish to hear any more excuses. “Now you hop right into the tub, young lady… and do watch out for Gummy. Pinkie Pie was bathing him earlier… frightful thing.”
“Hey! Gummy needs a bath every now and then!” Pinkie cried out, offended.
“In any case,” Twilight spoke. “There’s no such thing as a Cutie Mark Treasure Trove. It’s just a subject of a popular book series. That map you took… that’s from the novel, not a guidebook. And besides, if there was such a thing as a Cutie Mark Treasure Trove… we’d have known about it.”
Needless to say, the Cutie Mark Crusaders look at Twilight Sparkle with a look of despair.
“Oh…” Scootaloo sighed. “Well… least we had some fun out there, right? Right?”
“Apple Bloom, come ‘ere this instant!” Applejack cried suddenly.
Reluctantly, Apple Bloom wanders toward her older sister, who wraps a thick blanket round her younger sister’s back.
“Do I even haveta say anythin’?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Alrighty then… you get yerself in that tub too. Don’t want y’all catchin’ a chill.”
Apple Bloom trudges behind Sweetie Belle and into the bathroom; her heavy blanket falling off her back and onto the floor.
Scootaloo, the last of the crusaders, stands in the library’s doorway. The Mane Six turn toward the young Pegasus, a huge smile stretching along her face. A smile matching her wide, happy eyes. She stares back toward Rainbow Dash, waiting for her to say at least something. When Rainbow Dash says not a word, the atmosphere turns awkward rather quickly.
“So… Rainbow Dash, about that huge thunderstorm!” Scootaloo broke the silence. “It was so cool; I wasn’t afraid at all.”
“Yeah… that’s great kid,” Rainbow Dash said awkwardly.
“Uh…” Twilight Sparkle spoke. “How’s about we get you all warmed up too, Scoot?”
Twilight Sparkle leads Scootaloo into the bathroom, while the rest of her friends wait for Twilight to return.
“Thanks ever so much for bringing them all back, your majesty,” Rarity bowed before Luna.
Applejack shakes the excess water from the blanket and drapes the slightly cold fabric across the princess’s shoulders.
“If I may ask, what the hay were y’all doing outside on a night like this?” Applejack asked.
“Oh!” Princess Luna replied softly. “I thought I’d bring out the moon tonight. It got so cloudy; I thought no pony would be able to see it.”
Applejack shoots a look toward Rainbow Dash, who scuffs her hoof along the wooden floor trying not to draw attention. Fluttershy stands by Luna’s side, patting a hoof along her shoulder.
“Yeah… sorry Princess,” Rainbow apologized, sheepishly. “It was my job to clear the sky tonight… didn’t think to run it with you first.”
“That’s quite all right…” Princess Luna assured. “But, um…”
Luna trails off shyly, looking around at all the books in Twilight’s library.
“Go on,” Fluttershy prompted gently.
“I was wondering if it’s possible to maybe help clear the sky. So I can bring out the moon tonight? Then maybe, we could have—”
“A Moon Viewing Party?!” Pinkie Pie squealed, bouncing up and down. “Great idea, Loo-Loo!”
“Well alright then,” Princess Luna smiled softly. “Rainbow Dash, would you do us the honor of clearing the sky for tonight?”
“Sure thing princess!” Rainbow Dash smirked. “C’mon Flutters!”
“Oh, I just know the moon will be beautiful!” Fluttershy sighed dreamily.
The two Pegasi fly through the library door, leaving the remainder of the group inside the library.
“Well, c’mon every pony!” Applejack cried. “We got a moon to watch and three youngers to get back to bed—”
“And a party to put on!” Pinkie Pie added, excitedly. “Don’t forget the party part!”
And so, the four remaining ponies set about their tasks. Twilight Sparkle stays behind, turning her gaze out the window. Before her very eyes, she looks on as the dark, gloomy rain clouds dash away. And in its place, a bright… beautiful moon assumes its rightful place along a beautiful star-filled sky for all Equestria to see.
