Unmarked Once Moreby gamernerd717ChaptersOpportunitiesIndependenceUnmarkedGuidanceTeamworkPaybackAftermathHelpOpportunitiesThe Cutie Mark Crusaders had just finished helping another pony find their purpose, and it was a delight to see. As the young filly thanked the Crusaders for their help and went off to show their friends and family, the Crusaders couldn’t help feeling proud of what they had accomplished ever since acquiring their beloved cutie marks on that fateful day of the class election. “You know Crusaders, with all the success we’ve been havin’ with helpin’ ponies, sometimes even I can’t believe it”, Apple Bloom said. “You said it”, Scootaloo replied. “Yeah, especially with how clumsy we used to be at trying to get our cutie marks in the first place”, Sweetie Belle jokingly added. The Crusaders all laughed at the reminder of their past failures. While the goal of obtaining their cutie marks had been a tiring and frustrating one, it was also one rife with so many ridiculous failed attempts, that one couldn’t help but chuckle at how crazily some of their attempts had backfired. “Well, we don’t have to worry about that now, Sweetie. We actually do have our cutie marks now, and nothing will ever change that”, Scootaloo confidently proclaimed before hugging her two best friends. If Scootaloo had known about what would happen later that day, she’d have never opened her mouth. None of the three fillies could’ve known, nor would they have wanted to in the first place. To say she’d have to eat her words later on would be an understatement. Elsewhere, a sorcerer in a black and purple longcoat, magical cane in one hand, nothing in the other, was carefully gathering information on the place called Equestria. All the ponies had lived there as far as he knew, but this place in particular had been the source of quite a few interesting developments. The sorcerer’s interest was already piqued, but it would only grow when studying some of the ponies that lived there. In particular, a set of three fillies: A white unicorn, an orange pegasus, and a yellow earth pony. The fillies looked rather unremarkable at first glance, but on their flanks were a set of three matching cutie marks that were identical in color, with only a picture in the center separating the three marks from one another. He needed to get a closer look to study them, and could only think of one easy solution. He had heard of a pony who wreaked havoc by magically taking away cutie marks before, but now it was his turn to cause trouble and add his own little twist on things. Author's Note This is my first ever story, so it’s obviously not perfect. Paragraphs may be a little wonky, even after deleting a portion. This is an idea I’ve had for a while now. I know the show has dealt with this plot line before, but never with the CMC’s. I tried to keep their personalities consistent and accurate, but I may slip up now and then. IndependenceThe Crusaders were all doing their own thing. Apple Bloom was doing work over at Sweet Apple Acres, Scootaloo had been practicing stunts on her scooter, and Sweetie Belle was helping Rarity with designing the latest in fashion. They may be a trio at heart, but they can’t do everything together. Unbeknownst to them, the sorcerer had been mulling over plans to get the Crusaders’ identical marks for his own ends. The problem wasn’t physically separating the marks from the ponies, that was easy. The problem was trying to lure them in without them catching on. Foals, whether they be colts or fillies, were normally gullible, but these three may be more cautious if his pre-existing studies were anything to go by. The fact that they had been the only ponies he’d seen to have matching cutie marks was enough for him. “While these three may be more gullible than I anticipate, I still cannot afford to make premature assumptions. I shall get to work on how to lure them in, and strike when the time is right.”, he thought to himself. The more he studied to see what made them tic, the better. His efforts would most certainly pay off in the end. He just needed to look deeper, and see something he could exploit. Perhaps, it would be best to get a little more information on what their social lives were like; How they talked to other ponies, or what they liked to do. Maybe then, he would get what he wanted. Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Apple Bloom had been on the receiving end of Applejack’s excessive attempts to help or aid in some way. She had always hated being treated like a baby, but this instance was more irritating than usual. “I don’t need your help, Applejack! I can take care of myself! You don’t need to help me with absolutely everythin’.” Apple Bloom told her big sister. “I just thought you would need some extra help is all. After all, you can’t do everythin’ by yourself just yet. You never know when you might need the extra-“ Applejack was cut off by her little sister’s sudden outburst. “I SAID I DON’T NEED YOUR HELP!” Apple Bloom snapped. Realizing what she had said, and looking at her big sister’s shocked expression, she quickly took it back. “I’m sorry, Applejack. It’s just…with everythin’ that I’ve been doin’ by myself and with the Crusaders, I just feel like I can be a little more independent, now. I got my cutie mark. I’m not a little filly anymore”. Apple Bloom’s apology reached her sister, who took the words to heart. “I know sugarcube. I’m not tryin’ to intrude on your life. I just want you to know that I’ll always be there to help you through thick and thin, if you need me. I know you got your cutie mark, and I couldn’t be prouder of you, but it’s always nice to help once in a while”. The two Apples shared a hug, and went back to their work on good terms. If Apple Bloom ever found things to be too tough for her to handle, Applejack was always a little trot away. Listening just out of sight, the sorcerer was spying on the Apple family and knew he had struck gold. Now, he knew what he had to do. With one down and two to go, everything was slowly falling into place. Author's Note I know it’s a pretty slow start, but I just wanted to do some character moments for this chapter. If anything, it serves to better build up your story. The conversation between AB and AJ was partly inspired from the first book in the “Ponyville Mysteries” chapter books. I loved those books, so I thought I’d incorporate some dialogue from there into this story. Next chapter might come tomorrow or the day after. I’ll need some time to decide where to go next. UnmarkedScootaloo was hard at work on her scooter, practicing stunts to try and show off, while also trying to just better her natural scooter skills in general. Rainbow Dash was watching her number one fan, and clapped when Scootaloo finished. They weren’t sisters by blood, but the relationship they had was close enough that it could probably fool the average passerby. “That was awesome, Scootaloo!”, Rainbow complimented the young filly. “Keep practicing, and you might be able to be even more amazing in the future!” “Yeah, I know.”, Scootaloo bragged. “I’ve always had a thing for thrills.” Rainbow was obviously proud of what Scootaloo had accomplished, and so was Scootaloo herself, but Scootaloo knew she couldn’t let her ego get too big. At least not so big as to mask some of the confidence and insecurities she couldn’t hide as well as her idol. “I shouldn’t get ahead of myself, though. I still have a ways to go before I can truly be as great as you. I don’t even know if that’s entirely possible, but I could try”. Rainbow was slightly off-put by Scoot’s sudden decrease in bravado. “Don’t say stuff like that, Scootaloo. You shouldn’t worry about being as great as me, because you’re great in your own way. You haven’t forgotten what I told you, have you?” “Oh yeah, right. Not sure what I was thinking there. You said I was my own foal and I could make my own decisions.”, Scootaloo recalled. Rainbow nodded, “Yup. Don’t you ever forget that.” Unknowingly, Dash and Scoot had given an eavesdropping sorcerer the ammunition he needed to make his grand plan a reality. Now all he needed was one more, and the rest would work itself out. ———— Sweetie Belle was helping Rarity with the latest in fashion. Her big sister may’ve been a little demanding at times, but Sweetie learned to handle it. If she couldn’t, she very well knew from personal experience what would happen. Shuddering from the memory of her sabotage of Rarity’s costume for Sapphire Shores, she pushed the thought out of her mind. “Rarity, I know we may not agree on everything, but I just want you to know that I’ll always be your little sister. No matter what.” Slightly confused by Belle’s sudden declaration, Rarity agreed nonetheless. “Well, that’s…awfully nice of you, Sweetie Belle. I’ll always be your big sister as well, no matter what happens.” Rarity knew she couldn’t treat her sister as a little filly anymore, but she would still protect her no matter what. After all, that’s what sisters do for each other. Ever the keen listener, the sorcerer had finally obtained the third piece of the puzzle with a picture that displayed his victory. With all three Crusaders studied, the diabolical schemer knew what he had to do. ———— The sorcerer waited until he was out of sight from anypony and watched as the Crusaders passed by. With a gesture of his cane, he conjured up fake versions of the trio’s sisters. The Crusaders recognized the voices of their sisters calling out. “Apple Bloom, do you need any help with what you’re doing?” A fake Applejack asked. “Hey Scootaloo, have you figured out how to be better than you already are?”, A fake Rainbow Dash asked Scootaloo. “Sweetie Belle, you said you’d always be my little sister, right?” A fake Rarity asked a very real Sweetie Belle. The Crusaders all answered accordingly; Apple Bloom answered “No”, Scootaloo responded with a somewhat-confident “Yes”, and Sweetie Belle responded with an “Of course”. As the fake ponies dissipated, the magic took effect. Before the Crusaders could react, they were forcefully pulled into the sorcerer’s dark lair, lifted into the air, and felt the forced separation of their cutie marks from their bodies. Utterly helpless and unable to do anything, the three fillies watched as their matching cutie marks floated into the sorcerer’s glass casings. Apple Bloom was the first to speak up, and had only one question: “What did you do to us?!” Author's Note I’m not proud of that Rainbow/Scootaloo conversation at all. I wanted to avoid the topic of flying as best I could, so I tried to make do with material from other episodes like “The Washouts”. The Sweetie Belle/Rarity conversation was short because I felt the chapter was getting overlong. I wanted the unmarking to be done by this chapter, so I wanted to get to it as quick as I reasonably could at this point. Next chapter will be more balanced out. Guidance“Of course!”, each sister of the trio replied. “What do you need help with?”. Each of the Crusaders explained their dire situation to their siblings. “He did WHAT?!”, Rainbow Dash exclaimed in total shock. “I know. I could hardly believe it myself. It just didn’t feel real.”, Scootaloo agreed. “Now I’ve heard a lot of crazy stuff in my life, but that’s gotta be one of the craziest things I’ve heard.”, Applejack told Apple Bloom. “I’m still wrapping my head around it. It’s just so unbelievable.”, Apple Bloom said. “Why, no sorcerer does that to my little sister!”, Rarity said. “Well, this one did.”, Sweetie Belle corrected her big sister. “None of us are happy about it.”, Sweetie added, stating the obvious. After regrouping, the Crusaders and their respective sisters notified Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie about their situation. If they were going to fix this, they would need the help of their friends as well. “Wow, I never thought we’d have to deal with another magical unmarking.”, Twilight stated while recalling their visit to Starlight Glimmer’s town. Their experience with this strange occurrence undoubtedly meant for an easier time than when they themselves had their cutie marks taken away. However, they knew that this was still different. “Yeah, except this is happening with the girls now!”, Applejack told Twilight. “I’m aware. We have to be careful. Who knows how different this sorcerer is from Starlight”. Twilight told Applejack and the others. “I just can’t believe he’d want to do such a thing. These little fillies worked so hard to earn their cutie marks. I still remember the day they got them, and that was the happiest day of their lives. Now, he’s just going to take that away from them?”, Fluttershy commented on their predicament. The Crusaders had been right behind them the entire time, and hearing about their accomplishment and the joy that they felt in that moment only made them feel more depressed and upset. “Oh sorry, I didn’t meant to…” Fluttershy tried to apologize, but couldn’t find the right words. “It’s okay, Fluttershy. You were just as confused as we were at the time.”, Sweetie Belle reassured the pegasus. “We can’t keep being confused and upset at this.”, Rainbow Dash said. “All that matters is that we take it to that sorcerer and get those girls their cutie marks back!”. “Yeah!”, Scootaloo agreed, finally mustering up a smile. “Alright!”, Apple Bloom followed suit. “Sure.”, Sweetie Belle agreed. Though, she was the most hesitant of them all. She couldn’t shake the bad feelings she got from the sorcerer, even without taking the unmarking into account. Finally reaching the sorcerer’s lair, Twilight undid the magical barrier that guarded the entrance and trotted up to the sorcerer with her friends, and the Crusaders behind her. “I’ve heard that you stole the cutie marks of three young fillies. I highly suggest you return them to their rightful owners.”, Twilight demanded the sorcerer. “Princess Twilight”, the sorcerer addressed the alicorn. “I’ve heard about your little run-in with Starlight Glimmer before. How you managed to turn her over to your side and make her give up her evil ways. Whatever trick you were planning to make me give up these intriguing marks isn’t going to work”. “Then, I guess we’ll have to do things the hard way.”, Rainbow Dash said. Engaging into battle, the six ponies rushed the sorcerer. The Crusaders were secured in a spot where they would remain unharmed while their big sisters and the others tried regaining what the fillies lost. The sorcerer faced little challenge as he quickly dispatched each pony. Whether it be via his incredible magic, cunning that allowed him to outsmart them, or the comparatively rudimentary method of a melee assault via his cane. “Now, I’ll say this once and one time only: Get out of my lair”. “We’re not going until you give us out cutie marks back!”, Scootaloo suddenly spoke up to the surprise of everypony there. “Yeah!”, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle agreed simultaneously. “An act of defiance? Fine. Then, I shall whisk you away and out of my lair as I did before. And you can just be content with never seeing your precious cutie marks ever again”. The last sentence struck a major chord with each of the Crusaders. Before they could process it, they were once again forced out of his lair. “Never see our cutie marks again?”, Sweetie Belle asked incredulously. “He was joking, right?”, Scootaloo asked. “I hope he was. I can’t imagine not bein’ able to help any more ponies. I can’t accept that. I just can’t. Not after everything we did to get to that point.”, Apple Bloom said, nearly on the verge of tears. “Don’t worry, girls. We’ll be with you every step of the way to help you get those cutie marks back. That’s a promise.”, Twilight reassured the three fillies as her friends gathered around her. The journey to get the Crusaders’ cutie marks back was going to be a long one, but it’s nothing that can’t be accomplished with a little teamwork. Author's Note Double and triple negatives are tough. Never had as much trouble writing as I did with that last section. Writing the confrontation was hard, cause I tried to keep it short without running it for too long. I honestly don’t know where to go for the next chapter, but I’ll think of something. Teamwork“So, how are we gonna do this?”, Applejack asked Twilight. “This situation is different this time around. We can’t try to trick him into giving them up. He’s too smart and too powerful.”, Twilight told Applejack. “Well, that’s just great.”, Rainbow Dash said, frustrated at their situation. “I say we just go in there and take them by force.” Applejack looked at Dash with a confused and annoyed look “We’ve already discovered that that obviously wouldn’t work. Did you not see what just happened back there?” “Of course I did!”, Rainbow replied. “Come on, you two. This isn’t helping and you know it.”, Twilight intervened in the two’s bickering. “Now, what I propose is that we sneak in without being noticed and try to get the cutie marks back that way. There’s no way he hasn’t improved the strength of the barrier, so we’ll have to find another way in”. “Okay, so we get the cutie marks and then what? How do we deal with the sorcerer and make sure he doesn’t do it again?”, Rainbow asked Twilight. Twilight thought for a bit “We can’t take his magic away because it’s too strong. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it”. “What bridge? I don’t remember crossing a bridge to get in there.”, Pinkie asked. “It’s just an expression, Pinkie.”, Twilight reminded her pink friend. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go and get their cutie marks back!”, Rarity said. The six ponies and three fillies snuck into the sorcerer’s lair, unbeknownst that he’d set up a trap for them. The trap was triggered, trapping everypony inside an impenetrable cage, immune to any magic. “I told you to stay out of my way. You didn’t listen.”, the sorcerer told the ponies before him. “Of course we didn’t! Did you think you could just take our cutie marks and get away with it?”, Scootaloo asked with fury. “Like we’d ever let you take away all our hard work and not do somethin’ about it!”, Apple Bloom told the foe that stood before them. “I couldn’t agree more!”, Sweetie Belle followed. The trio’s three sisters looked on with pride as they witnessed their younger siblings’ resolve. They may not’ve had as much experience with dealing with threats to Equestria, but they could still know when to not back down. “I don’t care one whit about what you think. Neither you, nor your sisters or cutie marks, are going anywhere.”, the sorcerer told them with a dead serious tone. “You’re gonna have to try harder than that to scare the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”, Apple Bloom said. “Wastin’ all that time and magic creating fake copies of our sisters to get our cutie marks? How sad could you possibly be?” Applejack signaled to her little sister to lay off and not push any harder, but the little filly wouldn’t listen. “Why do you even care about our cutie marks anyway? What could they possibly mean to you?”, Apple Bloom asked. The sorcerer undid the magic surrounding Apple Bloom, grabbed her by her mane, and dragged her to the center of his lair in front of the other ponies. “What are you doin’ to her?! Let go of her right now! You hear me?!”, Applejack commanded their foe. “She’s our friend! Give her back this instant!”, Sweetie Belle also commanded. “She was just talking! Bring her back!”, Scootaloo followed Sweetie Belle. The sorcerer again used his magic to hold Apple Bloom in place before finally opening his mouth again. “It seems that in order to keep you in check and not be any more of a nuisance, you’ll have to go through a little pain”. “Wh-what do you mean by that?”, Twilight asked worriedly. “You’ll see.”, the sorcerer addressed the Princess’s question. Without another word, the sorcerer swung his cane right across the young Apple’s face, knocking her tooth out in the process. As Apple Bloom held her mouth and cried out in pain, the magical barrier surrounding Applejack was the only thing stopping her from galloping up to that sorcerer and giving him a peace of her mind. She couldn’t stand seeing her little sister in such pain. The other Crusaders shared the bigger farm pony’s feelings. Scootaloo had bitten her tongue hard as to not lash out and get what Apple Bloom had just received, and Sweetie Belle was also upset, but also simultaneously shocked at the punishment her friend had been dealt. The sorcerer scolded the yellow filly “That’s what happens when you press me too hard.” He then grabbed Apple Bloom by her mane once again, and re-summomed the barrier he had put up. However, Apple Bloom was in too much pain to put up any sort of resistance. Rainbow Dash piped up “Once we get out of here, you’re gonna wish you hadn’t done all this”. The enemy that stood before her simply turned away, not paying her any mind. Rainbow’s fellow pegasus Fluttershy spoke up as well and asked the question that had been plaguing everypony’s minds since the Crusaders’ cutie marks had first ended up in the sorcerer’s possession. “What are you going to do with their cutie marks?” The sorcerer replied “What I plan to do with them shouldn’t be important to you, but if you must know, I’m going to keep these marks forever for my studies. Nopony seems to know why they are similar, but my purpose for obtaining these girls’ cutie marks is simply to understand them. To understand why their close friendship warrants their similar cutie marks, and to understand why a set of ponies can have similar cutie marks if the very nature of them is to represent individuality amongst a pony’s special talent. That is why I currently have them in my possession. I have no delusions of equality amongst ponies with cutie marks”. “Our cutie marks bein’ the same has a reason that you can’t ever understand. That reason is our crusade to get them and the bond that we built up along the way, as well as the friends we helped and made while we tried to get our cutie marks.”, Apple Bloom told the sorcerer. “Did I not say that your friendship warrants your marks’ similarities?”, the sorcerer asked. “You said it alright, but you left out one important part: The effort we put in to get our cutie marks and the lessons we learned allowed us to finally earn what was rightfully ours, and it wasn’t until we stopped worryin’ about ourselves and started thinkin’ about other ponies that we finally got our cutie marks, and I couldn’t be more thankful of how it all happened”. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”, Scootaloo complimented her earth pony friend. “You nailed it, Apple Bloom.”, Sweetie Belle added. “That’s my little sister.”, Applejack said proudly. “Save your sentiments. These cutie marks are too rare and intriguing to give up, and no amount of friendship, effort, or learning you display will ever change my mind.”, the sorcerer told the filly and her friends. “We’ll see about that.”, Scootaloo said determinedly. *** After an hour of racking their brains, the Crusaders huddled together along with the 6 ponies and worked out a plan. The Crusaders would work as a distraction, while the main six would take the opportunity to retrieve the girls’ cutie marks. It would take some effort, since he was smarter than some of their other adversaries, but with the workings of a team, it could most definitely be pulled off. Apple Bloom started the distraction, wailing in pain in the most convincing manner she could. “Ow! Maybe you shouldn’t have broken my tooth so hard!” Scootaloo started her bit of the plan, as she tried to set up a stunt she could execute to make as much of a racket as possible. She purposely tried using the walls of his lair as a way to get some air, and knocked over some items that made lots of noise as they hit the ground and broke. Sweetie Belle’s task was simply to try and disrupt the sorcerer’s magic to further the distraction. With all of this noise going on, the sorcerer had reached the end of his rope and turned to the three girls. “What is this chaos? Trying to escape? You should know very well by now that escape should be impossible for you to achieve”. While the sorcerer was occupied, the main six snuck behind him and reached for the glass casings holding the Crusaders’ cutie marks. Hearing the sound of hoofsteps and following the Crusaders’ eyes as they tried to uphold the distraction, he turned to see the six ponies in the act and stuck out his cane in their path to obstruct their progress “You’ll have to try harder than that to fool me. If you really want the cutie marks so badly, then come and take them.”, the sorcerer challenged. The lone villain rushed the ponies standing before him as a fierce struggle began. Author's Note I wanted to make this chapter longer than the shorter previous ones, and present some character moments and physically active moments for the characters. I might try to incorporate a tad bit more of the Mane Six next time. Any criticism is welcome, of course. PaybackThe sorcerer fended off the 9 ponies as best as he could, but the combination of a larger number than their last bout and the mild confusion caused by the distraction earlier allowed the 9 to emerge victorious. “How much longer are you going to keep stalling until you give these girls what they came for?”, Rainbow Dash asked their foe. “Get over yourselves. Why are you getting so angry about what I’m planning?”, the sorcerer asked Dash. “YOU TOOK AWAY THEIR CUTIE MARKS!”, Rainbow shouted, pointing out the obvious. “Yeah, so what? Why do you girls care so much? They’re just cutie marks, are they not?”, the sorcerer asked the Crusaders. Utterly flabbergasted by their enemy’s dismissal of what their identical cutie marks mean to them, the three fillies laid it all out for him in the hopes that he would understand. “Why do we care? WHY DO WE CARE?! We worked so hard to earn those cutie marks! Why do you think we came here to get them in the first place?”, Scootaloo answered. “Do you know what it’s like to be the only ones in your class without cutie marks? It’s one of the worst feelings in the world. Not to mention getting bullied and picked on for it.”, Sweetie Belle chimed in with her own answer. “I thought I explained this well enough, but you just didn’t get the message. With our cutie marks, we help other ponies earn theirs and discover their purpose.”, Apple Bloom answered last, echoing some of what she told him earlier. “Your personal experiences mean nothing to me, just as mine shouldn’t mean anything to you. Now, if you’ll leave my lair at once, we shouldn’t have any problems ever again.”, the sorcerer demanded. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash butted in. “Not happening! There was no chance of us leaving after you took away these girls’ cutie marks. Now, give them back!”. Rainbow grabbed the sorcerer by his cloak and held him high in the air, hoping to somehow intimidate him into giving them up. The pegasus’s efforts were in vain, however, as their adversary got free of her grasp by way of knocking her teeth in with his cane and safely descended onto ground. Twilight attempted to help with her magic, but the sorcerer countered with magic of his own. Though his was not as strong as the princess’s, it was enough to keep her and her friends at bay. Applejack and Pinkie Pie aided by using their strength as earth ponies to damage the lair in hopes that the debris would trap their enemy inside. And lastly, Rarity and Fluttershy attempted two different methods of attack: Rarity used what she could of her unicorn magic, and Fluttershy attempted to fly above their adversary and attempt to keep him occupied while airborne. Meanwhile, it was up to the Crusaders to retrieve their stolen cutie marks, and some of their pride as well. The chaos that resulted from the Mane 6 attacking the sorcerer sent everyone involved flying. The force at which every blow had been dealt sent the sorcerer flying towards the trio of unmarked fillies. Mere inches away from reclaiming what was rightfully theirs, the Crusaders stood face to face with the one villain who had taken away their beloved cutie marks. As the sorcerer attempted to repeat what he had done to Apple Bloom to the other two, Scootaloo grabbed his cane and pulled it from his grip. Apple Bloom then did the honors of snapping it in two. “I don’t need a cane to take care of you three.”, the sorcerer told the trio unfazed. Sweetie Belle realized he was preparing to use magic, and attempted to use magic of her own, but the much more experienced sorcerer easily overpowered her. Stuck in a rut, the three devised a plan; Apple Bloom and Scootaloo would keep the pressure on him, while Sweetie Belle would levitate the glass cases that hold their cutie marks right towards them. The young earth pony and pegasus began their distraction. “Bring it on, sorcerer. See if I even lose.”, Scootaloo goaded. “Yeah, come and get us!”, Apple Bloom followed suit. The sorcerer came rushing at the two, and they attacked him as best as their tiny selves could. Sweetie Belle levitated the casings to her friends, and everything stopped as the sorcerer, Sweetie’s fellow Crusaders, and even the Mane 6 who had recently regained consciousness from their own battle looked at the floating cutie marks that were inside. The sorcerer attempted to wrest them back, but the Mane 6 restrained him and rendered him unconscious, so as to not start anymore trouble. Then, with all the force she could muster, Sweetie Belle slammed the glass casings down and watched them shatter on the ground. The Crusaders’ cutie marks emerged from the pieces and floated back to the three young fillies that they belonged to. With a flash of light, and with a brief black silhouette encasing each of the three girls, the Crusaders had finally reclaimed their cutie marks. With the reclaiming of their cutie marks, the Crusaders felt an emotion that could only be matched by when they first earned their cutie marks. After working so hard to earn their cutie marks, only to have them be taken away, and then reclaim them after a hard-fought and long journey, the emotions running through them were indescribable. “WE FINALLY GOT OUR CUTIE MARKS BACK!”, the Crusaders shouted in unison as they hugged each other tightly. The trio’s sisters, along with the rest of the Mane 6, looked on with pride at what the three had managed to accomplish, even with the extra help. “I’m so proud of you girls!”, Twilight told them. “We all are!”, Rainbow Dash told Scootaloo. “How could we not be?”, Rarity asked Sweetie Belle rhetorically. “Especially me!”, Applejack told her younger sister. “I know I told you that you might need help, and you did, but you were able to handle yourself. I couldn’t be more proud of you if I tried”. The three fillies thanked their older sisters for their help, and embraced them. They couldn’t have done it without them, and they knew it. Later that day, the Crusaders talked with each other about the events that had transpired over the course of the day. “Hey girls, do you remember when I said we had our cutie marks and nothing would ever change that?”, Scootaloo asked her friends. “Yeah?”, the others responded confusedly. “I really wish I hadn’t said that now. It feels like I brought a curse on us or something.”, Scootaloo told the two with visible worry and regret. “It’s okay, Scootaloo. You couldn’t have known.”, Apple Bloom reassured her pegasus friend. “Yeah, nopony can predict when things like that will happen. It was just a case of bad luck is all. Besides, we got our cutie marks back and that’s all that matters.”, Sweetie Belle reassured her friend as well. “Yeah, you two are right. You really are the best friends a pony could ever ask for.”, Scootaloo told her two companions. The Crusaders then reopened their services, ready to put their regained cutie marks to use as they helped out the pony they had scheduled to help out earlier in the day. Watching their newest client earn their cutie mark felt like the greatest thing in the world, and allowed the girls to finally rest easy knowing that everything was as it should be, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders would continue helping ponies as long as they could. With everything at peace, the Crusaders made one last familiar declaration. “Cutie Mark Crusaders forever!” Author's Note This one was a long time coming. I had to think of the most fitting way to end it, and actually had a few different endings in mind, but what you see here is what I’m most happy with. I tried not to have the Mane 6 usurp the spotlight from the CMC, so apologies if the ending to their story may seem a little abrupt. I’m truly satisfied, having finally completed this story. The CMC’s are my favorite characters in the show, and I wanted to do right by them with this story. Credit also goes to the Ponyville Mysteries chapter books for inspiring some of the dialogue in this fic. It was a pleasure to finally get all my ideas out there, and I appreciate any critique that may come my way. Aftermath“I took away your cutie marks.”, the sorcerer answered Apple Bloom’s question. “I needed them for my own ends, and manipulating you girls was all I needed. Now, I implore you to go on your way and never come back here”. “Give us back our cutie marks!”, Sweetie Belle demanded. “Yeah!”, Scootaloo followed suit. Without another word, the sorcerer whisked the Crusaders out of his lair and sealed off the entrance, as to ensure the fillies would never be able to re-enter the place. Even in their worst nightmares, the Crusaders would’ve never imagined they’d be blank flanks once again. Everything they worked for, their entire life achievement, what motivated them to push forward, all gone in an instant. The trio tried to hold it together once they got to the clubhouse, but it was too much for them to take. “This can’t be happening!”, Sweetie Belle cried. “Not again…..not again!” Apple Bloom cried in a mix of rage and sadness. “No no no!”, Scootaloo cried out along with her companions. The Crusaders all let out their tears at the same time. They had no idea what they were going to do. There was a pony they were supposed to help today, but they couldn’t do it without their cutie marks. “What are we going to do? What about all the ponies who need our help? What are we going to tell them when they come to our clubhouse?”, Sweetie Belle asked in a rapid-fire manner. She had so many questions, and couldn’t think straight in her panicked state. “Calm down, Sweetie. There has to be something we can do. Right, Apple Bloom?”, Scootaloo turned to Apple Bloom in an attempt to reassure Sweetie Belle. “Girls….I don’t know. I just don’t know”. Author's Note I was looking forward to writing this one. The Crusaders’ reaction to losing their cutie marks is always something I’ve been curious about. I tried my best to think about how each one of them would react and keep it accurate. I hope I did a good job. HelpStill recovering from their run-in with the sorcerer, the Crusaders were at a loss at what to do next. “We can’t just sit here.”, Scootaloo said. “I know, Scoot. But we have no cutie marks, ideas, or plans.”, Apple Bloom told her pegasus friend. “I’m still shaken up from that sorcerer. He wasn’t messing around at all.”, Sweetie Belle recalled with noticeable unease. Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Apple Bloom’s head as she remembered what her big sister told her. ”I just want you to know that I’ll always be there to help you through thick and thin, if you need me”. Apple Bloom quickly got Scoots and Sweetie’s attention. “Girls, I think I’ve figured out the answer to our problem!” “What is it?”, Sweetie Belle asked. “We could just ask our sisters for help. I can’t believe I didn’t immediately think of that!”, Apple Bloom told the others her plan. “As much as I hate to say it, I guess we are in over our heads if we try to solve the problem ourselves.”, Scootaloo admitted dejectedly. The Crusaders closed down their services for an unspecified amount of time before leaving to consult their sisters. After all, there was no point in keeping it open if there was no way the Crusaders would be able to actually help any ponies with their own problems. One by one, the fillies asked their older siblings one question: “Will you help me?” Author's Note I was contemplating making this one longer, but I’ll save the planned dialogues for the next chapter. Sorry for the short chapters lately. Just been struggling with motivation.
OpportunitiesThe Cutie Mark Crusaders had just finished helping another pony find their purpose, and it was a delight to see. As the young filly thanked the Crusaders for their help and went off to show their friends and family, the Crusaders couldn’t help feeling proud of what they had accomplished ever since acquiring their beloved cutie marks on that fateful day of the class election. “You know Crusaders, with all the success we’ve been havin’ with helpin’ ponies, sometimes even I can’t believe it”, Apple Bloom said. “You said it”, Scootaloo replied. “Yeah, especially with how clumsy we used to be at trying to get our cutie marks in the first place”, Sweetie Belle jokingly added. The Crusaders all laughed at the reminder of their past failures. While the goal of obtaining their cutie marks had been a tiring and frustrating one, it was also one rife with so many ridiculous failed attempts, that one couldn’t help but chuckle at how crazily some of their attempts had backfired. “Well, we don’t have to worry about that now, Sweetie. We actually do have our cutie marks now, and nothing will ever change that”, Scootaloo confidently proclaimed before hugging her two best friends. If Scootaloo had known about what would happen later that day, she’d have never opened her mouth. None of the three fillies could’ve known, nor would they have wanted to in the first place. To say she’d have to eat her words later on would be an understatement. Elsewhere, a sorcerer in a black and purple longcoat, magical cane in one hand, nothing in the other, was carefully gathering information on the place called Equestria. All the ponies had lived there as far as he knew, but this place in particular had been the source of quite a few interesting developments. The sorcerer’s interest was already piqued, but it would only grow when studying some of the ponies that lived there. In particular, a set of three fillies: A white unicorn, an orange pegasus, and a yellow earth pony. The fillies looked rather unremarkable at first glance, but on their flanks were a set of three matching cutie marks that were identical in color, with only a picture in the center separating the three marks from one another. He needed to get a closer look to study them, and could only think of one easy solution. He had heard of a pony who wreaked havoc by magically taking away cutie marks before, but now it was his turn to cause trouble and add his own little twist on things. Author's Note This is my first ever story, so it’s obviously not perfect. Paragraphs may be a little wonky, even after deleting a portion. This is an idea I’ve had for a while now. I know the show has dealt with this plot line before, but never with the CMC’s. I tried to keep their personalities consistent and accurate, but I may slip up now and then.
IndependenceThe Crusaders were all doing their own thing. Apple Bloom was doing work over at Sweet Apple Acres, Scootaloo had been practicing stunts on her scooter, and Sweetie Belle was helping Rarity with designing the latest in fashion. They may be a trio at heart, but they can’t do everything together. Unbeknownst to them, the sorcerer had been mulling over plans to get the Crusaders’ identical marks for his own ends. The problem wasn’t physically separating the marks from the ponies, that was easy. The problem was trying to lure them in without them catching on. Foals, whether they be colts or fillies, were normally gullible, but these three may be more cautious if his pre-existing studies were anything to go by. The fact that they had been the only ponies he’d seen to have matching cutie marks was enough for him. “While these three may be more gullible than I anticipate, I still cannot afford to make premature assumptions. I shall get to work on how to lure them in, and strike when the time is right.”, he thought to himself. The more he studied to see what made them tic, the better. His efforts would most certainly pay off in the end. He just needed to look deeper, and see something he could exploit. Perhaps, it would be best to get a little more information on what their social lives were like; How they talked to other ponies, or what they liked to do. Maybe then, he would get what he wanted. Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Apple Bloom had been on the receiving end of Applejack’s excessive attempts to help or aid in some way. She had always hated being treated like a baby, but this instance was more irritating than usual. “I don’t need your help, Applejack! I can take care of myself! You don’t need to help me with absolutely everythin’.” Apple Bloom told her big sister. “I just thought you would need some extra help is all. After all, you can’t do everythin’ by yourself just yet. You never know when you might need the extra-“ Applejack was cut off by her little sister’s sudden outburst. “I SAID I DON’T NEED YOUR HELP!” Apple Bloom snapped. Realizing what she had said, and looking at her big sister’s shocked expression, she quickly took it back. “I’m sorry, Applejack. It’s just…with everythin’ that I’ve been doin’ by myself and with the Crusaders, I just feel like I can be a little more independent, now. I got my cutie mark. I’m not a little filly anymore”. Apple Bloom’s apology reached her sister, who took the words to heart. “I know sugarcube. I’m not tryin’ to intrude on your life. I just want you to know that I’ll always be there to help you through thick and thin, if you need me. I know you got your cutie mark, and I couldn’t be prouder of you, but it’s always nice to help once in a while”. The two Apples shared a hug, and went back to their work on good terms. If Apple Bloom ever found things to be too tough for her to handle, Applejack was always a little trot away. Listening just out of sight, the sorcerer was spying on the Apple family and knew he had struck gold. Now, he knew what he had to do. With one down and two to go, everything was slowly falling into place. Author's Note I know it’s a pretty slow start, but I just wanted to do some character moments for this chapter. If anything, it serves to better build up your story. The conversation between AB and AJ was partly inspired from the first book in the “Ponyville Mysteries” chapter books. I loved those books, so I thought I’d incorporate some dialogue from there into this story. Next chapter might come tomorrow or the day after. I’ll need some time to decide where to go next.
UnmarkedScootaloo was hard at work on her scooter, practicing stunts to try and show off, while also trying to just better her natural scooter skills in general. Rainbow Dash was watching her number one fan, and clapped when Scootaloo finished. They weren’t sisters by blood, but the relationship they had was close enough that it could probably fool the average passerby. “That was awesome, Scootaloo!”, Rainbow complimented the young filly. “Keep practicing, and you might be able to be even more amazing in the future!” “Yeah, I know.”, Scootaloo bragged. “I’ve always had a thing for thrills.” Rainbow was obviously proud of what Scootaloo had accomplished, and so was Scootaloo herself, but Scootaloo knew she couldn’t let her ego get too big. At least not so big as to mask some of the confidence and insecurities she couldn’t hide as well as her idol. “I shouldn’t get ahead of myself, though. I still have a ways to go before I can truly be as great as you. I don’t even know if that’s entirely possible, but I could try”. Rainbow was slightly off-put by Scoot’s sudden decrease in bravado. “Don’t say stuff like that, Scootaloo. You shouldn’t worry about being as great as me, because you’re great in your own way. You haven’t forgotten what I told you, have you?” “Oh yeah, right. Not sure what I was thinking there. You said I was my own foal and I could make my own decisions.”, Scootaloo recalled. Rainbow nodded, “Yup. Don’t you ever forget that.” Unknowingly, Dash and Scoot had given an eavesdropping sorcerer the ammunition he needed to make his grand plan a reality. Now all he needed was one more, and the rest would work itself out. ———— Sweetie Belle was helping Rarity with the latest in fashion. Her big sister may’ve been a little demanding at times, but Sweetie learned to handle it. If she couldn’t, she very well knew from personal experience what would happen. Shuddering from the memory of her sabotage of Rarity’s costume for Sapphire Shores, she pushed the thought out of her mind. “Rarity, I know we may not agree on everything, but I just want you to know that I’ll always be your little sister. No matter what.” Slightly confused by Belle’s sudden declaration, Rarity agreed nonetheless. “Well, that’s…awfully nice of you, Sweetie Belle. I’ll always be your big sister as well, no matter what happens.” Rarity knew she couldn’t treat her sister as a little filly anymore, but she would still protect her no matter what. After all, that’s what sisters do for each other. Ever the keen listener, the sorcerer had finally obtained the third piece of the puzzle with a picture that displayed his victory. With all three Crusaders studied, the diabolical schemer knew what he had to do. ———— The sorcerer waited until he was out of sight from anypony and watched as the Crusaders passed by. With a gesture of his cane, he conjured up fake versions of the trio’s sisters. The Crusaders recognized the voices of their sisters calling out. “Apple Bloom, do you need any help with what you’re doing?” A fake Applejack asked. “Hey Scootaloo, have you figured out how to be better than you already are?”, A fake Rainbow Dash asked Scootaloo. “Sweetie Belle, you said you’d always be my little sister, right?” A fake Rarity asked a very real Sweetie Belle. The Crusaders all answered accordingly; Apple Bloom answered “No”, Scootaloo responded with a somewhat-confident “Yes”, and Sweetie Belle responded with an “Of course”. As the fake ponies dissipated, the magic took effect. Before the Crusaders could react, they were forcefully pulled into the sorcerer’s dark lair, lifted into the air, and felt the forced separation of their cutie marks from their bodies. Utterly helpless and unable to do anything, the three fillies watched as their matching cutie marks floated into the sorcerer’s glass casings. Apple Bloom was the first to speak up, and had only one question: “What did you do to us?!” Author's Note I’m not proud of that Rainbow/Scootaloo conversation at all. I wanted to avoid the topic of flying as best I could, so I tried to make do with material from other episodes like “The Washouts”. The Sweetie Belle/Rarity conversation was short because I felt the chapter was getting overlong. I wanted the unmarking to be done by this chapter, so I wanted to get to it as quick as I reasonably could at this point. Next chapter will be more balanced out.
Guidance“Of course!”, each sister of the trio replied. “What do you need help with?”. Each of the Crusaders explained their dire situation to their siblings. “He did WHAT?!”, Rainbow Dash exclaimed in total shock. “I know. I could hardly believe it myself. It just didn’t feel real.”, Scootaloo agreed. “Now I’ve heard a lot of crazy stuff in my life, but that’s gotta be one of the craziest things I’ve heard.”, Applejack told Apple Bloom. “I’m still wrapping my head around it. It’s just so unbelievable.”, Apple Bloom said. “Why, no sorcerer does that to my little sister!”, Rarity said. “Well, this one did.”, Sweetie Belle corrected her big sister. “None of us are happy about it.”, Sweetie added, stating the obvious. After regrouping, the Crusaders and their respective sisters notified Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie about their situation. If they were going to fix this, they would need the help of their friends as well. “Wow, I never thought we’d have to deal with another magical unmarking.”, Twilight stated while recalling their visit to Starlight Glimmer’s town. Their experience with this strange occurrence undoubtedly meant for an easier time than when they themselves had their cutie marks taken away. However, they knew that this was still different. “Yeah, except this is happening with the girls now!”, Applejack told Twilight. “I’m aware. We have to be careful. Who knows how different this sorcerer is from Starlight”. Twilight told Applejack and the others. “I just can’t believe he’d want to do such a thing. These little fillies worked so hard to earn their cutie marks. I still remember the day they got them, and that was the happiest day of their lives. Now, he’s just going to take that away from them?”, Fluttershy commented on their predicament. The Crusaders had been right behind them the entire time, and hearing about their accomplishment and the joy that they felt in that moment only made them feel more depressed and upset. “Oh sorry, I didn’t meant to…” Fluttershy tried to apologize, but couldn’t find the right words. “It’s okay, Fluttershy. You were just as confused as we were at the time.”, Sweetie Belle reassured the pegasus. “We can’t keep being confused and upset at this.”, Rainbow Dash said. “All that matters is that we take it to that sorcerer and get those girls their cutie marks back!”. “Yeah!”, Scootaloo agreed, finally mustering up a smile. “Alright!”, Apple Bloom followed suit. “Sure.”, Sweetie Belle agreed. Though, she was the most hesitant of them all. She couldn’t shake the bad feelings she got from the sorcerer, even without taking the unmarking into account. Finally reaching the sorcerer’s lair, Twilight undid the magical barrier that guarded the entrance and trotted up to the sorcerer with her friends, and the Crusaders behind her. “I’ve heard that you stole the cutie marks of three young fillies. I highly suggest you return them to their rightful owners.”, Twilight demanded the sorcerer. “Princess Twilight”, the sorcerer addressed the alicorn. “I’ve heard about your little run-in with Starlight Glimmer before. How you managed to turn her over to your side and make her give up her evil ways. Whatever trick you were planning to make me give up these intriguing marks isn’t going to work”. “Then, I guess we’ll have to do things the hard way.”, Rainbow Dash said. Engaging into battle, the six ponies rushed the sorcerer. The Crusaders were secured in a spot where they would remain unharmed while their big sisters and the others tried regaining what the fillies lost. The sorcerer faced little challenge as he quickly dispatched each pony. Whether it be via his incredible magic, cunning that allowed him to outsmart them, or the comparatively rudimentary method of a melee assault via his cane. “Now, I’ll say this once and one time only: Get out of my lair”. “We’re not going until you give us out cutie marks back!”, Scootaloo suddenly spoke up to the surprise of everypony there. “Yeah!”, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle agreed simultaneously. “An act of defiance? Fine. Then, I shall whisk you away and out of my lair as I did before. And you can just be content with never seeing your precious cutie marks ever again”. The last sentence struck a major chord with each of the Crusaders. Before they could process it, they were once again forced out of his lair. “Never see our cutie marks again?”, Sweetie Belle asked incredulously. “He was joking, right?”, Scootaloo asked. “I hope he was. I can’t imagine not bein’ able to help any more ponies. I can’t accept that. I just can’t. Not after everything we did to get to that point.”, Apple Bloom said, nearly on the verge of tears. “Don’t worry, girls. We’ll be with you every step of the way to help you get those cutie marks back. That’s a promise.”, Twilight reassured the three fillies as her friends gathered around her. The journey to get the Crusaders’ cutie marks back was going to be a long one, but it’s nothing that can’t be accomplished with a little teamwork. Author's Note Double and triple negatives are tough. Never had as much trouble writing as I did with that last section. Writing the confrontation was hard, cause I tried to keep it short without running it for too long. I honestly don’t know where to go for the next chapter, but I’ll think of something.
Teamwork“So, how are we gonna do this?”, Applejack asked Twilight. “This situation is different this time around. We can’t try to trick him into giving them up. He’s too smart and too powerful.”, Twilight told Applejack. “Well, that’s just great.”, Rainbow Dash said, frustrated at their situation. “I say we just go in there and take them by force.” Applejack looked at Dash with a confused and annoyed look “We’ve already discovered that that obviously wouldn’t work. Did you not see what just happened back there?” “Of course I did!”, Rainbow replied. “Come on, you two. This isn’t helping and you know it.”, Twilight intervened in the two’s bickering. “Now, what I propose is that we sneak in without being noticed and try to get the cutie marks back that way. There’s no way he hasn’t improved the strength of the barrier, so we’ll have to find another way in”. “Okay, so we get the cutie marks and then what? How do we deal with the sorcerer and make sure he doesn’t do it again?”, Rainbow asked Twilight. Twilight thought for a bit “We can’t take his magic away because it’s too strong. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it”. “What bridge? I don’t remember crossing a bridge to get in there.”, Pinkie asked. “It’s just an expression, Pinkie.”, Twilight reminded her pink friend. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go and get their cutie marks back!”, Rarity said. The six ponies and three fillies snuck into the sorcerer’s lair, unbeknownst that he’d set up a trap for them. The trap was triggered, trapping everypony inside an impenetrable cage, immune to any magic. “I told you to stay out of my way. You didn’t listen.”, the sorcerer told the ponies before him. “Of course we didn’t! Did you think you could just take our cutie marks and get away with it?”, Scootaloo asked with fury. “Like we’d ever let you take away all our hard work and not do somethin’ about it!”, Apple Bloom told the foe that stood before them. “I couldn’t agree more!”, Sweetie Belle followed. The trio’s three sisters looked on with pride as they witnessed their younger siblings’ resolve. They may not’ve had as much experience with dealing with threats to Equestria, but they could still know when to not back down. “I don’t care one whit about what you think. Neither you, nor your sisters or cutie marks, are going anywhere.”, the sorcerer told them with a dead serious tone. “You’re gonna have to try harder than that to scare the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”, Apple Bloom said. “Wastin’ all that time and magic creating fake copies of our sisters to get our cutie marks? How sad could you possibly be?” Applejack signaled to her little sister to lay off and not push any harder, but the little filly wouldn’t listen. “Why do you even care about our cutie marks anyway? What could they possibly mean to you?”, Apple Bloom asked. The sorcerer undid the magic surrounding Apple Bloom, grabbed her by her mane, and dragged her to the center of his lair in front of the other ponies. “What are you doin’ to her?! Let go of her right now! You hear me?!”, Applejack commanded their foe. “She’s our friend! Give her back this instant!”, Sweetie Belle also commanded. “She was just talking! Bring her back!”, Scootaloo followed Sweetie Belle. The sorcerer again used his magic to hold Apple Bloom in place before finally opening his mouth again. “It seems that in order to keep you in check and not be any more of a nuisance, you’ll have to go through a little pain”. “Wh-what do you mean by that?”, Twilight asked worriedly. “You’ll see.”, the sorcerer addressed the Princess’s question. Without another word, the sorcerer swung his cane right across the young Apple’s face, knocking her tooth out in the process. As Apple Bloom held her mouth and cried out in pain, the magical barrier surrounding Applejack was the only thing stopping her from galloping up to that sorcerer and giving him a peace of her mind. She couldn’t stand seeing her little sister in such pain. The other Crusaders shared the bigger farm pony’s feelings. Scootaloo had bitten her tongue hard as to not lash out and get what Apple Bloom had just received, and Sweetie Belle was also upset, but also simultaneously shocked at the punishment her friend had been dealt. The sorcerer scolded the yellow filly “That’s what happens when you press me too hard.” He then grabbed Apple Bloom by her mane once again, and re-summomed the barrier he had put up. However, Apple Bloom was in too much pain to put up any sort of resistance. Rainbow Dash piped up “Once we get out of here, you’re gonna wish you hadn’t done all this”. The enemy that stood before her simply turned away, not paying her any mind. Rainbow’s fellow pegasus Fluttershy spoke up as well and asked the question that had been plaguing everypony’s minds since the Crusaders’ cutie marks had first ended up in the sorcerer’s possession. “What are you going to do with their cutie marks?” The sorcerer replied “What I plan to do with them shouldn’t be important to you, but if you must know, I’m going to keep these marks forever for my studies. Nopony seems to know why they are similar, but my purpose for obtaining these girls’ cutie marks is simply to understand them. To understand why their close friendship warrants their similar cutie marks, and to understand why a set of ponies can have similar cutie marks if the very nature of them is to represent individuality amongst a pony’s special talent. That is why I currently have them in my possession. I have no delusions of equality amongst ponies with cutie marks”. “Our cutie marks bein’ the same has a reason that you can’t ever understand. That reason is our crusade to get them and the bond that we built up along the way, as well as the friends we helped and made while we tried to get our cutie marks.”, Apple Bloom told the sorcerer. “Did I not say that your friendship warrants your marks’ similarities?”, the sorcerer asked. “You said it alright, but you left out one important part: The effort we put in to get our cutie marks and the lessons we learned allowed us to finally earn what was rightfully ours, and it wasn’t until we stopped worryin’ about ourselves and started thinkin’ about other ponies that we finally got our cutie marks, and I couldn’t be more thankful of how it all happened”. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”, Scootaloo complimented her earth pony friend. “You nailed it, Apple Bloom.”, Sweetie Belle added. “That’s my little sister.”, Applejack said proudly. “Save your sentiments. These cutie marks are too rare and intriguing to give up, and no amount of friendship, effort, or learning you display will ever change my mind.”, the sorcerer told the filly and her friends. “We’ll see about that.”, Scootaloo said determinedly. *** After an hour of racking their brains, the Crusaders huddled together along with the 6 ponies and worked out a plan. The Crusaders would work as a distraction, while the main six would take the opportunity to retrieve the girls’ cutie marks. It would take some effort, since he was smarter than some of their other adversaries, but with the workings of a team, it could most definitely be pulled off. Apple Bloom started the distraction, wailing in pain in the most convincing manner she could. “Ow! Maybe you shouldn’t have broken my tooth so hard!” Scootaloo started her bit of the plan, as she tried to set up a stunt she could execute to make as much of a racket as possible. She purposely tried using the walls of his lair as a way to get some air, and knocked over some items that made lots of noise as they hit the ground and broke. Sweetie Belle’s task was simply to try and disrupt the sorcerer’s magic to further the distraction. With all of this noise going on, the sorcerer had reached the end of his rope and turned to the three girls. “What is this chaos? Trying to escape? You should know very well by now that escape should be impossible for you to achieve”. While the sorcerer was occupied, the main six snuck behind him and reached for the glass casings holding the Crusaders’ cutie marks. Hearing the sound of hoofsteps and following the Crusaders’ eyes as they tried to uphold the distraction, he turned to see the six ponies in the act and stuck out his cane in their path to obstruct their progress “You’ll have to try harder than that to fool me. If you really want the cutie marks so badly, then come and take them.”, the sorcerer challenged. The lone villain rushed the ponies standing before him as a fierce struggle began. Author's Note I wanted to make this chapter longer than the shorter previous ones, and present some character moments and physically active moments for the characters. I might try to incorporate a tad bit more of the Mane Six next time. Any criticism is welcome, of course.
PaybackThe sorcerer fended off the 9 ponies as best as he could, but the combination of a larger number than their last bout and the mild confusion caused by the distraction earlier allowed the 9 to emerge victorious. “How much longer are you going to keep stalling until you give these girls what they came for?”, Rainbow Dash asked their foe. “Get over yourselves. Why are you getting so angry about what I’m planning?”, the sorcerer asked Dash. “YOU TOOK AWAY THEIR CUTIE MARKS!”, Rainbow shouted, pointing out the obvious. “Yeah, so what? Why do you girls care so much? They’re just cutie marks, are they not?”, the sorcerer asked the Crusaders. Utterly flabbergasted by their enemy’s dismissal of what their identical cutie marks mean to them, the three fillies laid it all out for him in the hopes that he would understand. “Why do we care? WHY DO WE CARE?! We worked so hard to earn those cutie marks! Why do you think we came here to get them in the first place?”, Scootaloo answered. “Do you know what it’s like to be the only ones in your class without cutie marks? It’s one of the worst feelings in the world. Not to mention getting bullied and picked on for it.”, Sweetie Belle chimed in with her own answer. “I thought I explained this well enough, but you just didn’t get the message. With our cutie marks, we help other ponies earn theirs and discover their purpose.”, Apple Bloom answered last, echoing some of what she told him earlier. “Your personal experiences mean nothing to me, just as mine shouldn’t mean anything to you. Now, if you’ll leave my lair at once, we shouldn’t have any problems ever again.”, the sorcerer demanded. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash butted in. “Not happening! There was no chance of us leaving after you took away these girls’ cutie marks. Now, give them back!”. Rainbow grabbed the sorcerer by his cloak and held him high in the air, hoping to somehow intimidate him into giving them up. The pegasus’s efforts were in vain, however, as their adversary got free of her grasp by way of knocking her teeth in with his cane and safely descended onto ground. Twilight attempted to help with her magic, but the sorcerer countered with magic of his own. Though his was not as strong as the princess’s, it was enough to keep her and her friends at bay. Applejack and Pinkie Pie aided by using their strength as earth ponies to damage the lair in hopes that the debris would trap their enemy inside. And lastly, Rarity and Fluttershy attempted two different methods of attack: Rarity used what she could of her unicorn magic, and Fluttershy attempted to fly above their adversary and attempt to keep him occupied while airborne. Meanwhile, it was up to the Crusaders to retrieve their stolen cutie marks, and some of their pride as well. The chaos that resulted from the Mane 6 attacking the sorcerer sent everyone involved flying. The force at which every blow had been dealt sent the sorcerer flying towards the trio of unmarked fillies. Mere inches away from reclaiming what was rightfully theirs, the Crusaders stood face to face with the one villain who had taken away their beloved cutie marks. As the sorcerer attempted to repeat what he had done to Apple Bloom to the other two, Scootaloo grabbed his cane and pulled it from his grip. Apple Bloom then did the honors of snapping it in two. “I don’t need a cane to take care of you three.”, the sorcerer told the trio unfazed. Sweetie Belle realized he was preparing to use magic, and attempted to use magic of her own, but the much more experienced sorcerer easily overpowered her. Stuck in a rut, the three devised a plan; Apple Bloom and Scootaloo would keep the pressure on him, while Sweetie Belle would levitate the glass cases that hold their cutie marks right towards them. The young earth pony and pegasus began their distraction. “Bring it on, sorcerer. See if I even lose.”, Scootaloo goaded. “Yeah, come and get us!”, Apple Bloom followed suit. The sorcerer came rushing at the two, and they attacked him as best as their tiny selves could. Sweetie Belle levitated the casings to her friends, and everything stopped as the sorcerer, Sweetie’s fellow Crusaders, and even the Mane 6 who had recently regained consciousness from their own battle looked at the floating cutie marks that were inside. The sorcerer attempted to wrest them back, but the Mane 6 restrained him and rendered him unconscious, so as to not start anymore trouble. Then, with all the force she could muster, Sweetie Belle slammed the glass casings down and watched them shatter on the ground. The Crusaders’ cutie marks emerged from the pieces and floated back to the three young fillies that they belonged to. With a flash of light, and with a brief black silhouette encasing each of the three girls, the Crusaders had finally reclaimed their cutie marks. With the reclaiming of their cutie marks, the Crusaders felt an emotion that could only be matched by when they first earned their cutie marks. After working so hard to earn their cutie marks, only to have them be taken away, and then reclaim them after a hard-fought and long journey, the emotions running through them were indescribable. “WE FINALLY GOT OUR CUTIE MARKS BACK!”, the Crusaders shouted in unison as they hugged each other tightly. The trio’s sisters, along with the rest of the Mane 6, looked on with pride at what the three had managed to accomplish, even with the extra help. “I’m so proud of you girls!”, Twilight told them. “We all are!”, Rainbow Dash told Scootaloo. “How could we not be?”, Rarity asked Sweetie Belle rhetorically. “Especially me!”, Applejack told her younger sister. “I know I told you that you might need help, and you did, but you were able to handle yourself. I couldn’t be more proud of you if I tried”. The three fillies thanked their older sisters for their help, and embraced them. They couldn’t have done it without them, and they knew it. Later that day, the Crusaders talked with each other about the events that had transpired over the course of the day. “Hey girls, do you remember when I said we had our cutie marks and nothing would ever change that?”, Scootaloo asked her friends. “Yeah?”, the others responded confusedly. “I really wish I hadn’t said that now. It feels like I brought a curse on us or something.”, Scootaloo told the two with visible worry and regret. “It’s okay, Scootaloo. You couldn’t have known.”, Apple Bloom reassured her pegasus friend. “Yeah, nopony can predict when things like that will happen. It was just a case of bad luck is all. Besides, we got our cutie marks back and that’s all that matters.”, Sweetie Belle reassured her friend as well. “Yeah, you two are right. You really are the best friends a pony could ever ask for.”, Scootaloo told her two companions. The Crusaders then reopened their services, ready to put their regained cutie marks to use as they helped out the pony they had scheduled to help out earlier in the day. Watching their newest client earn their cutie mark felt like the greatest thing in the world, and allowed the girls to finally rest easy knowing that everything was as it should be, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders would continue helping ponies as long as they could. With everything at peace, the Crusaders made one last familiar declaration. “Cutie Mark Crusaders forever!” Author's Note This one was a long time coming. I had to think of the most fitting way to end it, and actually had a few different endings in mind, but what you see here is what I’m most happy with. I tried not to have the Mane 6 usurp the spotlight from the CMC, so apologies if the ending to their story may seem a little abrupt. I’m truly satisfied, having finally completed this story. The CMC’s are my favorite characters in the show, and I wanted to do right by them with this story. Credit also goes to the Ponyville Mysteries chapter books for inspiring some of the dialogue in this fic. It was a pleasure to finally get all my ideas out there, and I appreciate any critique that may come my way.
Aftermath“I took away your cutie marks.”, the sorcerer answered Apple Bloom’s question. “I needed them for my own ends, and manipulating you girls was all I needed. Now, I implore you to go on your way and never come back here”. “Give us back our cutie marks!”, Sweetie Belle demanded. “Yeah!”, Scootaloo followed suit. Without another word, the sorcerer whisked the Crusaders out of his lair and sealed off the entrance, as to ensure the fillies would never be able to re-enter the place. Even in their worst nightmares, the Crusaders would’ve never imagined they’d be blank flanks once again. Everything they worked for, their entire life achievement, what motivated them to push forward, all gone in an instant. The trio tried to hold it together once they got to the clubhouse, but it was too much for them to take. “This can’t be happening!”, Sweetie Belle cried. “Not again…..not again!” Apple Bloom cried in a mix of rage and sadness. “No no no!”, Scootaloo cried out along with her companions. The Crusaders all let out their tears at the same time. They had no idea what they were going to do. There was a pony they were supposed to help today, but they couldn’t do it without their cutie marks. “What are we going to do? What about all the ponies who need our help? What are we going to tell them when they come to our clubhouse?”, Sweetie Belle asked in a rapid-fire manner. She had so many questions, and couldn’t think straight in her panicked state. “Calm down, Sweetie. There has to be something we can do. Right, Apple Bloom?”, Scootaloo turned to Apple Bloom in an attempt to reassure Sweetie Belle. “Girls….I don’t know. I just don’t know”. Author's Note I was looking forward to writing this one. The Crusaders’ reaction to losing their cutie marks is always something I’ve been curious about. I tried my best to think about how each one of them would react and keep it accurate. I hope I did a good job.
HelpStill recovering from their run-in with the sorcerer, the Crusaders were at a loss at what to do next. “We can’t just sit here.”, Scootaloo said. “I know, Scoot. But we have no cutie marks, ideas, or plans.”, Apple Bloom told her pegasus friend. “I’m still shaken up from that sorcerer. He wasn’t messing around at all.”, Sweetie Belle recalled with noticeable unease. Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Apple Bloom’s head as she remembered what her big sister told her. ”I just want you to know that I’ll always be there to help you through thick and thin, if you need me”. Apple Bloom quickly got Scoots and Sweetie’s attention. “Girls, I think I’ve figured out the answer to our problem!” “What is it?”, Sweetie Belle asked. “We could just ask our sisters for help. I can’t believe I didn’t immediately think of that!”, Apple Bloom told the others her plan. “As much as I hate to say it, I guess we are in over our heads if we try to solve the problem ourselves.”, Scootaloo admitted dejectedly. The Crusaders closed down their services for an unspecified amount of time before leaving to consult their sisters. After all, there was no point in keeping it open if there was no way the Crusaders would be able to actually help any ponies with their own problems. One by one, the fillies asked their older siblings one question: “Will you help me?” Author's Note I was contemplating making this one longer, but I’ll save the planned dialogues for the next chapter. Sorry for the short chapters lately. Just been struggling with motivation.
