My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: A New Journey Together, Season 1

Chapter 19: The Show Stoppers

Somewhere on Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack began to lead the Cutie Mark Crusaders down a particular path towards something that she believed would be something special. However, only the orange pony knew what it was and had only asked the three fillies to follow her.

"Where are you takin' us?" Apple Bloom asked curiously as well as puzzled.

"We're almost there, young'uns," Applejack called out ahead of the group as the three fillies followed her in single file. Applejack then pushed a large branch aside as she went by, Apple Bloom did the same, but pushed the branch away too hard that it smacked Scootaloo right in the face.

"Ouch!" Scootaloo groaned.

"Oh. Sorry," said Apple Bloom as she moved the branch out of the way and getting a good view of Scootaloo's annoyed face.

"Are we there yet?" the young Pegasus asked impatiently as they continued on their way.

"There? Where? What?" Sweetie Belle as she passed by the branch, somehow left completely clueless as to what was going on, "I don't even know what we're doing!" It wasn't much longer before they arrived at nearby tree that had a very run-down little tree house on its branches and a ramp leading to its entrance that was in the same condition.

"Here we are!" said Applejack excitedly as she looked at the tree house happily. The three fillies didn't see what was so exciting. To them, they just saw a rundown wreck.

"What are we lookin' at?" said Apple Bloom, not getting what they should be excited about.

"I have no idea," Scootaloo answered in annoyance. For her, this was not worth getting smacked in the face for.

"What is that thing?" Sweetie Belle asked. While she could tell it looked like a house, she wasn't sure if you could call it one.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders, welcome to your new clubhouse," Applejack presented to them. She had expected them to be excited but instead just got a cold unamused silence.

"Well, don't all thank me at once," said Applejack sarcastically as she approached the tree house and the three fillies soon followed her up the ramp.

"This was my clubhouse when I was your age," Applejack told them as she made her way towards the old balcony, "Sure, it hasn't been used in a while, but it's empty and on a secluded, private part of the farm. And it's all yours. It just needs a little, uhh...TLC."

"TLC as in Tender Loving Care," said Scootaloo curiously before adding sarcastically, "or Totally Lost Cause."

"Applejack!" said Apple Bloom, "We're supposed to turn this into our new clubhouse?"

"Well," said Applejack, "maybe y'all will get your cutie marks when you discover your talent for...waaah!"

CRASH!

Applejack had just learned a fore-hoof into the side of the wall, when it collapsed and she tumbled inside, her stenson hat the only thing that hadn't fallen inside.

"Uh...house cleanin'?" Applejack finished woozily. The three fillies just looked at each other, knowing this was going to be a challenge to fix.

*Main theme*

Apple Bloom continued to survey the wreck that was now their wreck as she continued to jot down what she might need for repairs. Sweetie Belle just watched quietly, though she was getting rather bored waiting. Scootaloo had taken off to do something for the time being.

"Okay, so we need plenty of wood, hammers, nails, etc...and some paint," said Apple Bloom to Sweetie Belle as she showed her the list.

"It's gonna take us all day to get that stuff!" said Sweetie Belle.

"Most of it is back at the barn," said Apple Bloom, "the problem is gettin' everything we need from there ta here."

It was just then Storm was doing a little exercise by jumping from tree limb to tree limb.

"Oh Storm!" Sweetie Belle called out in a sweet tone. Not even a second later, Storm had returned and stopped before the two fillies.

"You called Sweetie Belle," said Storm giving a smile.

Sweetie Belle giggled, while Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “We need to gather some stuff to fix up this ol’ clubhouse,” Apple Bloom explained. “Think you could lend us a hoof?”

“Yeah, it’s a huge mess!” Sweetie Belle added, swooning slightly as she gestured toward the damaged structure.

Storm turned to assess the collapsed wall, his expression thoughtful. “Yikes, that’s seen better days,” he remarked. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve got planned.”

"I already wrote down what we need and I actually have another paper of what I want to do," said Apple Bloom, showing a second paper with some very precise drawings featuring her projects for their clubhouse.

Storm took the papers, scanning the precise sketches. “Wow, Apple Bloom, this is really impressive,” he said, nodding appreciatively. “You’ve got a great eye for detail.”

Apple Bloom beamed at the compliment, while Sweetie Belle chimed in with a dreamy sigh. “He’s amazing, isn’t he?”

“Focus, Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom muttered before looking back at Storm. “Think you can help us haul the stuff over here?”

Storm grinned. “No problem. I’ll grab everything you need and bring it here. But once you’re done, make sure whatever’s left goes back to the barn, alright?”

“Yes, sir!” the fillies said in unison, saluting playfully.

Storm gave a short laugh before darting off, moving with the kind of speed and agility that left Sweetie Belle completely starry-eyed.

“He’s sooo cool,” Sweetie Belle whispered, her cheeks pink as she rested her chin on her hooves.

Apple Bloom groaned. “Sweetie Belle, we’ve got work to do, not daydreamin’!” trying not to let the "Sweetie Belle Crush Show" distract her from the task at hoof

It wasn’t long before Storm returned, pulling a one-pony wagon loaded with everything Apple Bloom had requested—wood, nails, tools, paint, and even some extra supplies just in case.

“Wow, thanks, Storm!” Apple Bloom said as they began unloading the wagon.

“Anything for my favorite crusaders,” Storm replied warmly. “You’re sure you don’t need any help putting this together?”

Sweetie Belle looked like she was about to jump at the offer, but Apple Bloom cut her off. "Nah, we got this. Right, Sweetie Belle?"

"Uh, yeah, totally!" Sweetie Belle agreed, although she was clearly more enthusiastic about Storm sticking around than actually working on repairs.

Storm chuckled, his gaze flicking between them. “Alright, but if you run into trouble, don’t hesitate to call me. I’ll be close by.”

“Thanks, Storm!” Apple Bloom said, while Sweetie Belle watched him leave with a dreamy smile.

As Storm trotted away, he glanced back over his shoulder. “And Sweetie Belle,” he called teasingly, “you might want to focus on the project more than me. It’s harder to build when you’re distracted.”

Sweetie Belle’s cheeks turned bright red. “I-I wasn’t distracted!”

“Sure, you weren’t,” Storm said with a playful smirk before disappearing into the distance.

Apple Bloom snickered as Sweetie Belle huffed. “Come on, Sweetie Belle, quit swoonin’ and grab somethin’! We’ve got a lot to do.”

Sweetie Belle reluctantly picked up a paintbrush, though her mind was clearly elsewhere.

Scootaloo soon arrived, skidding to a stop on her scooter. “Hey, what’d I miss?”

"Storm just dropped off the supplies," Apple Bloom said.

"Of course he did," Scootaloo said with a smirk, noticing Sweetie Belle's love-struck expression. "Let me guess, Sweetie was swooning again?"

"Ugh, not even!" Sweetie Belle protested, her face turning pink.

"Riiiight," Scootaloo teased. "Well, I’ll leave the romantic stuff to you. I’m here to build!"

With that, the Cutie Mark Crusaders set to work, each tackling a different part of the project. Apple Bloom took the lead on construction, Scootaloo handled the painting, and Sweetie Belle... well, she tried to help but mostly daydreamed about a certain unicorn stallion.

(Scene changes)

Meanwhile, Scootaloo was busy drawing up a map as some birds were chirping from above. She carefully finished a rough sketch of what appeared to be the Library and Twilight's home. She nodded to herself as she rolled up her map. It should be noted that she was also wearing a helmet as she hopped onto a special scooter that was very dear to her.

Flapping her small Pegasus wings, she revved herself up and took off at high speed. As she made her way past pony after pony, she notices a wooden board that is set up like a ramp. Scootaloo makes a determined smirk as she rides up the ramp and launches herself into the air. Ponies gasped as Scootaloo literally goes into the air and made a smooth landing on the other side. As she continued her pace, Granny Smith was using her walker when Scootaloo zoomed by, startling Granny Smith as the elderly mare spun around.

"Soup's on!" Granny Smith yelled as Scootaloo zoomed away out of town and down the path to Sweet Apple Acres. Suddenly, a branch that was too low for her to duck under appeared and some birds were chirping on it. Scootaloo just smiled. In slow motion, Scootaloo made a good two-yard jump off her scooter, clearing the branch as her scooter went under without a problem before landing back on and continued to move forward.

"You're not the only one with awesome skills, Storm." said Scootaloo to herself as she made her way back towards the clubhouse.

Apple Bloom was busy putting the last coat of paint on the ramp when she saw Scootaloo coming at her. Apple Bloom flinched since Scootaloo was coming at her so quickly that she feared being run over. However, Scootaloo was in full control and brought her scooter to a complete stop just beside the yellow filly.

"Whoa!" said Apple Bloom impressed, "Hi, Scootaloo! Back already? You're amazing on that scooter. You should totally race Storm!"

"Thanks!" said Scootaloo and then noticed their clubhouse, "Wow, Apple Bloom! You did all of this?" Apple Bloom apparently was more skilled in carpentry than she had shown back at that sleepover at Fluttershy's cottage. The clubhouse looked like it was brand new.

"Yep!" said Apple Bloom, "I fixed the broken shutters, sanded off the splinters, rebuilt the roof, painted..."

"That's so cool," said Scootaloo, "What's Sweetie Belle up to?" Apparently, the little marshmallow filly wasn't really much help with construction and had just gone off on her own. She was currently just using her tail to sweep a lone picnic table and the surrounding area.

[Sweetie Belle]

We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders... She just continued to hum the rest to herself for a bit.

...Never stop the journey...She hummed some more.

"There you are, Sweetie Belle," said Apple Bloom as she and Scootaloo came out of some bushes nearby, "I told you we could find her by following her totally awesome voice."

"What's that sweet tune you're singing?" Scootaloo asked.

"Oh, I was just working on our new Cutie Mark Crusader's theme song," Sweetie Belle replied.

"Cool!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said together.

"Teach us?" Scootaloo asked.

"Well, I've only come up with one part," said Sweetie Belle, "but okay!"

The three fillies were soon settled into their new clubhouse as Sweetie Belle began teaching them the lyrics to their theme song. Applejack had just arrived to check up on them with Storm right behind her. The orange pony had wasted no time asking for his help with the farm chores when she saw him collecting materials for Apple Bloom.

[Sweetie Belle]

They all say you will get your mark

When the time is really right

[Apple Bloom]

And you know just what you're supposed to do

Scootaloo Making Applejack and Storm flinch.

And your talent comes to light

"Well, uh...I'll be, Cutie Mark Crusaders," said Applejack from outside the clubhouse window, "You've done a fine job with this place."

“Gotta say, Apple Bloom, you’ve got a knack for carpentry,” Storm added, his gaze scanning the newly repaired clubhouse with clear admiration. “Can’t wait to see what else you’ll build in the future.”

Applejack smiled proudly. “That’s my little sister for ya.”

“So, what’s next for you three?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow at their newfound enthusiasm.

"Well, now that we have a real life clubhouse..." Apple Bloom began.

"...and a map of Ponyville..." Scootaloo added, showing her the map she had drawn earlier.

"...And a Cutie Mark Crusader theme song..." said Sweetie Belle.

"Theme song?" said Applejack surprised.

“I didn’t know you wrote songs, Sweetie Belle,” Storm said, his tone genuinely impressed. “That’s a pretty cool talent to have.”

Sweetie Belle blushed, her cheeks turning a faint pink. “Oh, it’s no big deal,” she said shyly, her voice trailing off. Then, brightening up, she added, “I could even write one for you, if you want!”

Storm tilted his head with a smile, clearly amused. “Really? You’d do that? That’d be sweet of you, Sweetie Belle.”

Sweetie Belle’s face turned even pinker, and she stammered, “I-I could start on it right away! I’ve got a ton of ideas already!”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes dramatically. “Later, Sweetie Belle. This isn’t ‘impress-your-boyfriend’ time—it’s ‘Cutie Mark Crusading’ time!”

Sweetie Belle’s blush deepened as she shot Scootaloo a sharp glare. Meanwhile, Applejack turned to Storm with a knowing smirk.

“Boyfriend, huh?” Applejack teased, nudging him with her elbow.

Storm immediately waved a hoof in protest, his voice quick and defensive. “We’re just friends, AJ, good friends. I mean, I can’t exactly stop her from having a little crush, can I?” He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

Applejack let out a hearty laugh. “Relax, sugarcube, I’m just teasin’. No harm done.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Storm muttered, shaking his head with an exasperated grin.

"Anyways," said Apple Bloom, "We're gonna go out in the world and discover our talents."

"A new adventure!" Scootaloo said boldly.

"And earn our cutie marks," Sweetie Belle added excitedly.

"We'll leave no stone unturned!" Apple Bloom declared.

"No mountain unclimbed!" Scootaloo added in the same tone.

"No meal uncooked!" said Sweetie Belle with determination.

"No sock unworn!" Apple Bloom added.

"Well, okay then!" said Applejack, leaning back from all the declaration and determination, "Sounds like you have a plan. I gotta, uh… leave no apple unpicked! See y’all later.” She tipped her hat and gestured for Storm to follow.

“On it,” Storm said, trotting after her. He glanced back over his shoulder. “Good luck with the crusading, girls. Just don’t burn the clubhouse down, alright?”

“We won’t!” the fillies chorused, giggling.

As Applejack and Storm disappeared toward the orchard, Scootaloo turned to the others. “Are we ready to get our cutie marks, ponies?”

"Ready!" said the three fillies together. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were ready for action.

(Scene changes)

The first attempt involved them trying to be pig feeders. They worked together to load up the slop for the pigs to eat. Then Sweetie Belle rang the dinner bell. Just as they had opened the sliding barn door, the three fillies were overrun by dirty, muddy pigs. Sweetie Belle hadn't even gotten back on her hooves before a lone pig began to lick her cheek. Once they checked their flanks, which were still blank, they crossed Sweet Apple Acres off the map, and moved on to something else.

(Scene changes)

The second attempt brought them to Sugarcube Corner. Gathered around a large mixing bowl that was used for taffy making. They dumped package after package of baking ingredients into it. It should be noticed that the packaging paper hadn't been removed either when they turned the mixer on. Things seems alright at first, but then the large beater caught Scootaloo's tail. The young filly tried to pull her tail out. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle tried to give her a hoof but all three were sucked into the mixer and were now being mixed into the rainbow colored concoction. Fortunately, they weren't hurt, but they walked out of Sugarcube Corner stuck together, sticky fur, manes, and tails, and covered in torn up scrapes of packaging. They checked their flanks again. Once again, still blank. They cross off Sugarcube Corner and moved on to the next idea.

(Scene changes)

Their next task was setting up their own beauty parlor in the main area of the Carousel Boutique. Apple Bloom rang a bell to attract customers. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were busy helping their first customer relax as they tried to create their own mane dying mixture. The poor pony, whose name was Vera, left crying like a baby with a multicolored afro on her head. Yet all the three fillies cared about was checking their flanks again, which were still empty, and moved on to something else.

(Scene changes)

Next came something a bit more subtle as they sat somewhere outside of town. They set up a special two-sided stand. One side had some buttons with shapes on it. The other side had a collection of cards. Apple Bloom was on the side with the button selection panel while Sweetie Belle had a deck of cards. Sweetie Belle picked a card with a heart. Apple bloom thought for a moment before guessing a yellow circle. Sweetie Belle shook her head to tell Apple Bloom she was incorrect. Next card had a blue star on it. Apple Bloom made another selection and both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo shook their heads. The next card had a green clover. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo both gasped as Apple Bloom was sweating hard, trying to figure out what the card could be. She ended up hitting all six buttons at once. The result was a collection of cards shooting out and smacking both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo on the face. The two fillies glared at Apple Bloom, who was already checking her flank. Still blank and the same was said for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. They crossed out the outskirts/park and move on.

(Scene changes)

Their next endeavor involved them doing some high mountain climbing through some snowy weather. Tied together with a rope, Apple Bloom took the lead and reached the top of the mountain peak first. Scootaloo was next as she wobbled up to the peak. The two worked together to pull Sweetie Belle to the top. Just as the young unicorn got to the top, she knocked the others off the tip, causing them all to the tumble down the mountain. This would have been fatal...if the mountain they were climbing on wasn't only a few feet tall and sitting on a giant tree stump that was even taller than the "mountain" itself. The snow storm was just a single snow cloud. With their flanks still blank, they crossed out mountain climbing.

(Scene changes)

Next, they tried doing some deep-sea swimming. Or deep lake diving to be more precise. With some flippers and snorkel masks equipped, the three fillies began to swim about casually. But then they were forced to swim away at high speed when a giant squid started swimming after them.

(Scene changes)

With that idea crossed out, the three fillies finally made their way towards the library. Storm, Twilight and Miss Cheerilee were making their way inside. Twilight was the first to enter the library when she gasped.

"I had nothing to do with this," said Spike as he crossed his arms indignantly.

"What is going on here?" Twilight asked as she saw the three fillies in a large pile of books.

"Hmm...Well, we sure aren't gettin' our cutie marks for bein' librarians," said Apple Bloom as she closed another book.

"Huh. I should think not," said Spike, earning a few glares, "What?"

Storm just shook his head. "Oh boy."

"Girls," Twilight addressed the three, trying to stifle her frustration, "I think you're going about this the wrong way. Instead of trying to do things you're not familiar with, why not try focusing on things you're already interested in?"

"And I have the perfect place to start," said Cheerilee as she placed a poster on the floor for the three fillies to look at.

" "Showcase your talents..."," Apple Bloom read aloud.

" "...for all to see"," Scootaloo continued.

" "Perform in the Ponyville School Talent Show"," Sweetie Belle finished.

"There'll be all sorts of awards," said Cheerilee, "Best dramatic performance, best magic act, best comedy act...Surely you can find your talent."

"This would be the perfect place to discover our talents," said Apple Bloom, "Jugglin'!"

"Acting!" Scootaloo suggested.

"Magic tricks!" added Sweetie Belle.

"Square dancin'!" added Apple Bloom.

"Tightrope walking!" added Scootaloo.

"Tiger taming!" said Sweetie Belle.

“Girls!” Storm’s voice cut through their chatter like a lightning bolt. The fillies froze in place, turning to look at him with wide eyes.

Storm stepped forward, his gaze steady but kind. “I think you might be missing the point,” he said calmly. “You don’t need to pull random ideas out of the air.”

"He’s right my little ponies," said Twilight, "You're missing the point. Think about the things you already enjoy doing. Think about what you're already good at."

"Sure! We can do that," said Scootaloo.

"Yeah! Sure we can," Sweetie Belle added.

"Well, whatever we do," said Apple Bloom, "we'll so it as..."

"...The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" they all shouted at once and then made their way out of the library.

As the door swung shut behind them, Storm let out a long breath, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Why do I get the feeling your advice went in one ear and out the other?” he asked, glancing at Twilight with a faint smirk.

Twilight sighed, using her magic to lift a stack of books back onto a shelf. “Probably because it did.”

“Figures,” Storm muttered, shaking his head. “Well, I’ll brace myself for whatever ‘brilliant’ idea they come up with next.”

(Scene changes)

Meanwhile, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were busy collecting materials. Their first stop was Rarity's boutique where Sweetie Belle had collected various fabrics for their costumes. And judging by the fact Rarity came storming out was an obvious clue she didn't ask Rarity about it first.

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity said angrily as Scootaloo took off pulling the young unicorn and Apple Bloom in a wagon with her scooter, "I told you not to touch my things! Come back with my supplies!"

"We're just borrowing them for the talent show," said Sweetie Belle as they moved away from the boutique, "Don't worry Sis, I promise we'll bring them back." Their next stop was a local fan store where Scootaloo came out holding a fan.

"Thanks, Mr. Breezy," said Scootaloo, "We'll return the fan to you real soon."

"What do we need this fan for?" Apple Bloom asked curiously.

"Trust me on this one," said Sweetie Belle before they went on their way again. Once they had collected their supplies. Scootaloo pulled over to check off their items.

"Okay, so that's six wooden planks, four-by-eight plywood, a box of nails, four cans of paint, and four paint brushes," said Scootaloo, "Anything else?"

"Yeah," said Sweetie Belle, "Instructions on how to use six wooden planks, four-by-eight plywood, a box of nails, four cans of paint, and four paint brushes." All that earned was a death glare from both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo as the latter hopped back on her scooter and took off, startling her two passengers in the wagon. Their final stop was the library where Twilight and Spike were standing outside as Twilight gave them a book.

" "Ghosts, Goblins, and Ghoulish Figures"?" said Twilight as she handed them the book, "Good heavens, girls. What do you need a book like this for?"

"You'll see," Scootaloo answered simply, "Thanks, Twilight. We'll give it back as soon as we're done with it." Twilight and Spike watched them take off with concerned looks on their faces.

"What do you think they're up to?" Twilight asked Spike.

"I have no idea," Spike answered, "and I don't know if I should be excited or scared to find out."

“Hmmm probably both,” Twilight said

(Scene changes)

Scootaloo continued to pick up her speed when she noticed that she needed to stop as some larger wagons were passing by. She had searched for a launch ramp, but couldn't find anything that would let her jump over the wagons with her friends riding the attached wagon so she waited impatiently.

Storm stood nearby, observing the scene with a smirk. “You know, the clubhouse isn’t going anywhere,” he remarked casually. “What’s the big rush?”

Scootaloo shot him an impatient look. “We’ve got to work on our idea for the talent show! And these wagons are taking forever to move!”

Storm chuckled lightly. “Those wagons are heavier than they look, Scoot. Patience is a virtue.”

Scootaloo scoffed. “I bet I could still get there faster than you, even with those wagons in the way. You may be the second fastest pony in Equestria, but all your fancy moves won’t help you now!”

Storm raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “Oh, is that so? You’re calling me out, huh? Alright, Scoot, you’re on.”

Apple Bloom groaned. “Here we go.”

Sweetie Belle sighed. “She’s really doing this, isn’t she?”

As the last wagon cleared the path, Storm glanced at Scootaloo with mock seriousness. “Alright then, kiddo. On my count—ready, set… Hey, look! Rainbow Dash is giving autographs!”

“Where?!” Scootaloo squealed, spinning her head around eagerly.

In that split second, Storm took off like a bolt of lightning, his laughter echoing behind him.

“Hey, no fair!” Scootaloo growled, realizing her mistake. She kicked her scooter into high gear, zooming after him.

“She walked into that one,” Sweetie Belle said, shaking her head.

“You can say that—AHH!” Apple Bloom yelped as Scootaloo accelerated so fast that they nearly lost their supplies.

Scootaloo gritted her teeth, wings buzzing furiously as she pushed herself to top speed. Storm, meanwhile, was already a speck in the distance, leaping gracefully over creeks, dodging trees, and weaving around obstacles with ease.

After a while, Storm glanced back and noticed Scootaloo starting to close the gap. He smirked and eased up slightly, letting her inch closer. Scootaloo’s eyes lit up as she surged ahead, her scooter roaring across the final stretch.

“I’m gonna win! I’m gonna—” Scootaloo called out triumphantly, turning her head back to gloat—only to hear a loud whoosh ahead of her.

She skidded to a halt in front of the clubhouse, panting heavily and practically collapsing off her scooter. “I… I did it,” she gasped between breaths, “I beat Storm!”

“Did you now?” came Storm’s voice.

Scootaloo’s ears perked up, and she slowly turned her head. There, leaning casually against a tree just a few steps from the clubhouse, was Storm. He was inspecting his hoof like he’d been waiting for hours.

“Nice try, Scoot,” he said with a playful grin. “You’ve got the determination, I’ll give you that. But speed? You’ve still got a ways to go.”

Scootaloo groaned dramatically, flopping onto the grass. “You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

“Hey, you did pretty good,” Storm said, trotting over and patting her mane. “Just keep practicing. One day, you might even be fast enough to give me a run for my bits.”

“She was awesome,” Sweetie Belle said as she hopped out of the wagon.

“She was,” Storm agreed, earning a wide-eyed look from Scootaloo.

“Wait, you mean that?” Scootaloo asked, sitting up slightly.

“Absolutely,” Storm said with a genuine smile. “You’ve got the heart of a racer. You just need to refine your skills. Work smart, not just hard, Scoot.”

Scootaloo beamed at the compliment, despite her earlier frustration. “I’ll get you next time, Storm. Just wait!”

“I’m counting on it,” Storm replied with a wink. “Now, I’ll leave you three to your crusading. Good luck with the talent show.”

“Thanks, Storm!” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle chimed together.

As Storm trotted off toward his training ground, Scootaloo watched him go, her competitive spirit reignited. “I’ll beat him next time,” she muttered to herself, hopping back onto her scooter.

“Sure you will,” Apple Bloom teased as the three fillies headed into the clubhouse to get back to work.

"I'm glad we're doin' this as a team," Apple Bloom remarked as they set the materials inside the clubhouse.

"Me too," said Sweetie Belle as she lay the tall fabric rollers against the corner of the clubhouse, "Um...so what are we doing again?"

"A super awesome dramatic song for the talent show, of course," Scootaloo answered.

"Right!" Sweetie Belle nodded, "With super-cool scenery. And amazing costumes!"

"This is gonna be soo amazing!" Scootaloo said excitedly.

"Sweetie Belle, I think you should be the singer," Apple Bloom suggested.

"What?" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, "No way I'm singing in front of a crowd. Twilight said do something we like to do, and I'd like to be like my big sister, and she's a designer."

"Fine then," said Scootaloo, "You can do the costumes and the scenery."

"And Scootaloo, you're great in maneuvers on your scooter," said Apple Bloom, "So you should do all the choreography. Y'know all those dance moves." Scootaloo nodded but then her eyes widened and she shook her head.

"Nah, I'd rather sing a wicked rock ballad," Scootaloo answered, "Why don't you come up with a dance routine, Apple Bloom?"

"Hmm...I'm not much of a dancer...but I do like kung-fu," said Apple Bloom, "That's kinda like dancin'. Hi-ya! Hah! Hah! Yeah!" Apple Bloom demonstrated a few moves to prove her point.

"Then it's settled!" said Sweetie Belle as she stood on her hind legs, "Let's get started!"

Within a few minutes, they began to get to work. Apple Bloom had borrowed a music player and was trying to come up with some dancing moves. She soon found out that simple kung fu moves wouldn't exactly go well with music. She then attempted to try a simple spin.

"One...two...three...Oh! Oh!" Apple Bloom wobbled as she lost her balance and landed right on Scootaloo's tail. The young Pegasus was sitting nearby trying to compose some music lyrics with a sheet of paper and a miniature piano.

"Ow, Apple Bloom!" said Scootaloo annoyed, "What are you doing?" Scootaloo then helped Apple Bloom back to her feet.

"Oh, I feel like I have four left feet," said Apple Bloom sadly, "I can't even spin right."

"Don't be silly," said Scootaloo, "You just gotta keep your head forward until the very last minute, like this..." Scootaloo then demonstrated a spin for Apple Bloom, "...See? Easy-peasy. You just gotta practice a bunch, that's all."

"Wow! That does look easy," said Apple Bloom, "Thanks. Okay. Let's try this again." Apple Bloom then tried to do a spin herself, but she was soon overwhelmed.

"Oh! Ouch! Ow," said Apple Bloom as she crashed somewhere in the distance, "I'm okay."

"Keep practicing!" Scootaloo called out.

"Will do," Apple Bloom replied as she continued to dance. Scootaloo was trying hard to figure out both the lyrics and music for their performance.

"We fight the fight, walk the walk," said Scootaloo as she tapped the piano keys in a discordant manner, "eat the...uh...food like a celery stalk? Ugh! I'll never come up with anything! Never, never, never!"

Scootaloo banged her head on the piano keys as she finished her statement in frustration. Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle was working on a costume using a miniature sewing machine. She seemed to be managing herself alright, until the roller of fabric began rolling down a nearby slope.

"Come back! Come back!" Sweetie Belle shouted as she chased after the roller but the roller ended up getting away from her.

"Ugh, dumb fabric," Sweetie Belle muttered until she saw the young Pegasus nearby looking rather frustrated, "Hey, Scoot! How's the song going?"

"Pbbbt," Scootaloo answered with a raspberry.

"Pbbbt?" Sweetie Belle repeated, "Oh my! Sounds serious."

"I'm just no good at lyrics," said Scootaloo sadly, "Coming up with words is like..." There was a brief pause. "...really hard."

"Oh it can't be that bad," said Sweetie Belle as she read what Scootaloo had so far, " "With our cutie marks, we rock Equestria. We use our stomachs to...digestia"? Umm...Well...These are...um...good, but...How about after, "We fight the fight..." Sweetie Belle sang the next part.

There is nothing that we hear

We'll have to figure out what we'll do next

'Til our cutie marks are here

"Wow! That's so awesome!" said Scootaloo, "Did you come up with that just now?"

"Yeah...kind of," said Sweetie Belle modestly.

"Thanks, I'm totally using that," said Scootaloo as she wrote down what Sweetie Belle sang on her sheet of paper.

"Oh no!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed when she saw the end of the fabric had rolled into a small pond. Sweetie Belle wasted no time cutting up the drenched end and hung it along a laundry line to dry as she continued to make her first costume. She lifted it up once she had finished sewing the main pieces to it.

"One, two, three, four, five?" Sweetie Belle moaned and sighed at her mistake as Apple Bloom twirled by and landed on her back.

"Ouch!" said Apple Bloom as she sat up.

"How's the spin coming along?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"I think I gotta just stick to punches and kicks," said Apple Bloom and then noticed the five legged costume, "You know, ponies only have four legs." Sweetie Belle moaned in frustration.

"I'll never be a designer like my sister, Rarity," said Sweetie Belle sadly.

"Hey it's no big deal," said Apple Bloom, "Why don't you use the dress form?" Apple Bloom pointed to a nearby mannequin they had borrowed, "It'll help you with your patterns and help you put all the pieces in the right places."

"Oh, is that what that's for?" said Sweetie Belle. Apple Bloom then noticed that all the paints and colors for their set were all in the colors of browns and blacks.

"Uh...maybe you should also clean your paintbrush between each color," Apple Bloom suggested as well.

"Oh, I was wondering why all the colors looked like mud," said Sweetie Belle.

"You're not using power tools, are you?" Apple Bloom asked her. Sweetie Belle's silence could have implied she was considering it, but thankfully she didn't.

(Scene changes)

A couple of days later, Applejack and Storm made their way toward the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse to check on the girls. Applejack trotted along with a confident stride, while Storm walked beside her, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern.

“The talent show’s just around the corner,” Applejack said with a cheerful tone. “I reckon those fillies are workin’ hard. Wonder how they’re doin’.”

“Me too,” Storm replied, though his voice carried a hint of unease.

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “You’re worryin’ about ‘em again, ain’t ya?”

Storm sighed. “I can’t help it. I’m not saying it’s bad for them to try new things, but… they’re so caught up in experimenting with stuff they don’t know, they’re completely ignoring the things they’re already great at. It’s like they’re running in circles chasing the wrong goal.”

Applejack chuckled softly. “Storm, it don’t hurt to try somethin’ new now and then. Sometimes ya gotta stumble a bit before ya find your footing. Let’s see how they’re doin’ before we get all worked up.”

Storm gave a noncommittal hum but followed her lead as they approached the clubhouse. The two ponies peeked through the window, and the scene inside made both of them freeze mid-step.

"Oh! Sorry Scootaloo," said Apple Bloom.

"That's okay," said Scootaloo, "Ugh!"

"Oops! Sorry, Scootaloo," said Sweetie Belle.

“Oh, my bad, Sweetie Belle,” Scootaloo muttered, rubbing her head. “Let’s sing the chorus again!”

Applejack and Storm cringed as a cacophony of off-key singing and mismatched choreography filled the air. Applejack’s hat nearly slid off her head as her expression became a mix of disbelief and secondhand embarrassment. Storm pinched the bridge of his nose, his shoulders slumping.

“Good to try new things, huh?” Storm asked dryly, his voice laced with reluctant sarcasm.

Applejack winced. “Well, uh… I sure wasn’t expectin’ that.”

"I think that sounded pretty good," said Apple Bloom. Both ponies could hear the three fillies from outside.

"Me too," said Sweetie Belle, "you think we're ready?"

"Ready as we'll ever be," said Scootaloo.

Applejack and Storm exchanged a wide-eyed glance. “Speechless” wasn’t even the word for it. Storm gestured silently toward the path, urging Applejack to retreat before they got roped into an unwanted critique session.

They’d barely taken a step when the clubhouse door burst open, and the three fillies came bounding out.

"Hey! Did you see us practicing?" Scootaloo asked as they all rushed outside before either pony could disappear.

"Uh...Yeah," Applejack answered simply.

"We...saw..." Storm added, neither pony turning around.

"Well? How'd we do? How we'd do?" Apple Bloom asked eagerly.

Storm’s mind raced. “That was so terrible you’re all setting yourselves up for disaster! Have you even listened to Twilight’s advice?” He desperately wanted to say it, but one look at their hopeful, gleaming eyes made him bite his tongue.

He glanced at Applejack, hoping she’d say something—anything—but she looked just as lost as he felt.

“Uh…”

"Speechless!" Scootaloo said excitedly, "See, girls? I told you that's what we're gonna do. We're gonna leave them speechless."

"Yay!" the three fillies cheered as they dashed away, leaving a distraught Applejack and Storm behind.

Applejack shook her head, muttering, “‘Speechless’ is right.”

Storm let out a deep sigh, his expression a mix of frustration and resignation. “Those three are setting themselves up for an onstage disaster. We need to—”

“Sugarcube,” Applejack interrupted gently, “sometimes the best lessons in life come from makin’ mistakes. I doubt they’d listen even if we tried to warn ‘em.”

Storm frowned but nodded reluctantly. “I know. It’s just… hard to stand by and watch, you know? I hate seeing them set themselves up for failure.”

Applejack smiled sympathetically. “That’s your big heart talkin’, Storm, but ya gotta let ‘em figure this one out on their own. They’ll bounce back, you’ll see.”

Storm grunted softly and began walking away.

“Now where in tarnation do ya think you’re goin’?” Applejack called after him.

“To get some ice cream,” Storm replied over his shoulder, his tone laced with dry humor. “If I’m gonna watch this train wreck at the talent show, I’m at least gonna have something sweet to soften the blow.”

Applejack laughed, tipping her hat. “Well, don’t forget to grab me a scoop while you’re at it!”

Storm gave her a small smile before trotting off, his mind already drifting back to the fillies and their looming performance.

(Scene Change)

Soon, the day of the talent show had arrived and lots of ponies had arrived just outside the Schoolhouse grounds to watch the show. At the moment, Snips and Snails were both doing a magic act routine.

"And on the count of three," Snips explained as he lowered the hat over a rabbit, "this rabbit will disappear, and something tasty will reappear in its place. A one, a two, and a three!" Snips lifted the hat. The rabbit had disappeared, but there wasn't anything underneath the hat.

"Hey! Where are they?" Snips wondered, "Snails, where are the...carrots. SNAILS!" Snails had apparently put the carrots in his mouth and was munching on them dumbly before Snips took after him.

"Uh, how about a round of applause for the S&S magic act," said Cheerilee as some applause was made in the crowd, "Now for our next act, we have Sunny Daze and Peachy Pie reciting their favorite poem...on roller skates!"

Backstage, the three fillies were dressed and ready to go as they wore some black cloaks over their costumes and sat on a large crate waiting for their turn as Sunny Daze and Peachy Pie went skating by them.

"Break a leg!" Sweetie Belle shouted.

"Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom exclaimed in shock, "What a thing to say!"

"No, no, no," Sweetie Belle explained, "You see, in the theater, it's considered bad luck to say "good luck". So you say "break a leg" instead."

"My little ponies!" said Twilight as she appeared next to them with Storm alongside of her, "how are you doing?"

"Nervous..." said the three fillies at once.

"Don't worry," said Twilight cheerfully, "You're gonna be amazing. Remember, just stick to what you know best. I can't wait to hear you sing, Sweetie Belle."

"Why does everypony always think I'm gonna sing?" Sweetie Belle whined.

"Don't worry, Sweetie Belle. Just try to be yourself and you'll sing beautifully." Storm encouraged her as Twilight nodded in agreement.

"Actually, Twilight Sparkle," said Scootaloo as she stood up on the crate, "I'm the main singer tonight." Twilight blinked.

"Oh?" said Twilight stunned.

"And I'm the main dancer," said Apple Bloom, "Hi-ya!" Apple Bloom did a kung fu chop.

"Oh?" Twilight repeated.

"And I'm in charge of..." said Sweetie Belle.

"Costumes?" Twilight guessed wearily.

"And sets and props," finished Sweetie Belle, "How'd you know?"

Storm gave her a look, reminding her what he had said earlier. Twilight just glanced at him first before looking back at the three fillies.

"Really, girls?" said Twilight in disbelief and uncertainty, "Are you sure..."

"Cutie Mark Crusaders, you're up on next," said Cheerilee as she walked by, "Break a leg!"

"Break a leg-"

"Ugh!" said Apple Bloom annoyed at Twilight as the three fillies zipped away as they tossed their black cloaks behind them.

"Uh...good luck!" Twilight called out but was worried. She then saw Storm looking worried.

"Storm, don't worry, they’ll do just fine." She placed a hoof on her friend's back.

"I hope you’re right about that." Storm remarked, still worried.

[Scootaloo- It didn't take them long before Sweetie Belle had their props set up and the entire stage went dark. Soon three lights were shinning on the three fillies’ heads. They had spiked their manes and put on make up and reggae style outfits to make them look like punk rockers. Their background music resembled a fusion of both late 1980s rock n roll and pop music.]

Look, here, are three little ponies,

Ready to sing for this crowd,

Listen up, 'cause here's our story

I'm gonna sing it

[Cutie Mark Crusaders-literally yelling]

Very loud!

[Scootaloo- The lights shined, showing some very amateurish backdrops and scenery. The ponies in the audience just stared at them with their faces hanging out. Poor Applejack tips her hat forward and ducks her head, feeling embarassed for both herself and the three fillies.]

When you're a younger pony

And your flank is very bare

Feels like the sun will never come

When your cutie mark's not there

So the three of us will fight the fight

There is nothing that we fear

We'll figure out what we'll do next

[Cutie Mark Crusaders- As she sang, Sweetie Belle single handedly tried to pull up various types of props from a sun to some hanging spiders. Apple Bloom just continued to stand in place, using kung fu kicks and chops to dance.]

'Til our cutie marks are here!

We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders

On a quest to find out who we are

And we will never stop the journey

Not until we have our cutie marks

[Scootaloo- Things began to go wrong at this point. For starters, as Scootaloo sang, the fog machine went on the fritz, spreading the smoke around Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom found she couldn't see and bumped into Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. Apple Bloom then made a chop, causing her hind leg to get stuck in the scenery. The yellow filly smiled sheepishly before she tried to get her leg out of the hole she had made.]

They all say that you'll get your mark

When the time is really right

And you know just what you're supposed to do

And your talent come to light

But it's not as easy as it sounds

And that waiting's hard to do

So we test our talents everywhere

Sweetie Belle was supposed to cover a hanging spotlight with a blue visor to make the light beam turn blue. But her visor was too small for it to cover the entire light. So Scootaloo had to move for only her face to be bathed in the blue spotlight.

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]

Until our face is blue

Things went from bad to worse as one of the dropped props from above hit the giant fan they had borrowed, blowing the three fillies off the stage while they were singing. Some of the props began to teeter about as they continued to sing. Sweetie Belle rushed to try and prevent one prop from falling, but soon the others were wobbling about as well.

We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders

On a quest to find out who we are

And we will never stop the journey

Not until we have our cutie marks

We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders

On a quest to find out who we are

And we will never stop the journey

Not until we have our cutie marks!

As they finished their song, all the back props fell into the three fillies, smashing into pieces on top of them. The crowds were silent for another second...before they burst out laughing at them. The three fillies popped out of the mess and saw everyone laughing. Their laughter didn't make them feel good at all. It wasn't much longer before the broken props and other items were cleared from the stage. The three fillies were feeling glum and embarrassed.

"Wow," said Scootaloo, "That did not go as well as I expected."

"I can't believe they're laughin' at us," said Apple Bloom.

"Was it that bad?" Sweetie Belle asked out of the blue when Miss Cheerilee arrived.

"Back on stage, girls," said Cheerilee, "It's time for the awards."

"Back on stage? No," Sweetie Belle protested.

"They'll just laugh some more," Apple Bloom added sadly.

"Yeah, what's the point?" Scootaloo replied.

"Now girls, let's be good sports," said Cheerilee, "you made a great effort. You should be proud. Now come on!" The three girls just exchanged worried glances with each other before sneaking into the stage behind the other ponies who had participated in the talent show.

"Let's hear it for all our talented fillies and colts," said Cheerilee as the ponies all stomped their hooves to make it sound like they were applauding.

"Our first award goes to...Snips and Snails for best magic act," Cheerilee announced at the two unicorn colts made their way to the stage.

"Hey! Mine's at least shinier!" said Snips smugly.

"Well, mine's bigger," said Snails as they walked away.

"Oh yeah, well...Well, mine is, um...heavier," Snips shouted back. Spike and Cheerilee just roll their eyes at them before moving on.

"The next award goes to...Sunny Daze and Peachy Pie for best dramatic performance," Cheerilee announced. The two fillies smiled excitedly as they went to claim their medals. The three fillies quivered nervously as they waited for the next announcement.

"And finally, the last award of the night goes to..." Cheerilee announced. The three fillies continued to quiver nervously. Even Applejack was looking very nervous, unsure of what to do if the three fillies were left with no award despite their performance.

"The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" said Cheerilee as she rose off her fore-hooves.

"What?" said the three fillies in complete shock.

"For best comedy act," said Cheerilee as they gave them their three medals. The ponies cheered for them as the three fillies smiled. They still couldn't believe that they had actually won an award.

"Can you believe it?" said Apple Bloom once they were backstage, "We won!"

"I knew our act was awesome," Scootaloo replied.

"You know what would be the best?" said Sweetie Belle, "If we won and we got our cutie marks." The three fillies smiled as they tore off their costumes and checked their flanks. They were still blank and they let out a long moan.

"Congratulations, ponies!" said Twilight happily as she and Storm stood before them, "Job well done."

"Thanks," the three ponies said rather sadly.

"Hey, you don't sound too excited," said Twilight concerned.

"We worked really hard and won a prize, but we still don't have our cutie marks," said Scootaloo with a sigh.

"Which is the prize we really wanted," said Sweetie Belle in a dreary tone.

"Oh, girls..." said Twilight and Storm together.

"But we think we know why," said Apple Bloom.

"Yes. We know why," said Sweetie Belle.

"Oh? Tell me,” Said Twilight, "I'd love to make a special report to the princess."

Storm smirked faintly. “Let’s hear it. Enlighten us.”

"Well, maybe we were trying too hard," said Sweetie Belle.

"Yes? And?" said Twilight, hoping to hear more.

"And instead of forcing ourselves to do something that is not meant for us...," Scootaloo added.

"Yes? Yes?" said Twilight growing more excited.

"We each should be embracing our true talent!" Apple Bloom finished.

"And that is...?" Twilight asked them with a smirk on their faces.

Storm raised an eyebrow. He had a bad feeling about where this was headed.

"Comedy!" the three fillies said aloud.

Before they could revel too long in their declaration, Storm gently jabbed them with his hoof in just the right spots to make them squeak in surprise.

“With teamwork and without letting it go to your heads,” he added, his tone firm but not unkind.

“Right, right!” the fillies quickly amended, rubbing the spots where Storm had poked them. “With teamwork!”

“That’s better,” Storm said with a small grin, shaking his head. “You three have a knack for enthusiasm, I’ll give you that.”

"Apple Bloom! You did it!" said Applejack excitedly as Rarity and Rainbow were standing next to her.

"Did you see our award?" the three fillies asked excitedly, "weren't we funny?" They took off to speak to the three ponies, leaving a stunned Twilight and Storm behind.

Twilight just blinked a few times before smirking at the three.

Twilight blinked a few times before she started giggling. “One day... they’ll figure it out. One day...”

Storm groaned, rubbing his temple. “One day can’t come soon enough. Those three are gonna put me in an early grave at this rate.”

Twilight smiled, finding his exasperation endearing. “They’ll learn eventually. Besides,” she added with a teasing lilt, “I think you secretly enjoy being their mentor. You’d miss them if they didn’t cause a little chaos.”

“Don’t push it, Twi,” Storm muttered, though his lips quirked upward in a faint smirk.

Twilight’s eyes sparkled as she glanced at him. “Speaking of which, how about some dessert at Sugarcube Corner? My treat.”

Storm blinked, taken aback. “Wait—you’re offering to treat me? No strings attached?”

Twilight rolled her eyes playfully. “What is it that shocking I want to treat by best friend?”

Storm hesitated for a moment, but his smile grew warmer. “Well, when you put it like that... Alright, lead the way. But fair warning—I don’t hold back on dessert.”

“Good,” Twilight said, laughing lightly as they began walking together. “You’ll need the energy for the next Cutie Mark Crusaders crisis.”

Storm chuckled, his earlier frustration fading away. He fell into step beside her, hopeful that this wouldn’t just be a one-time "treat."