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

Chapter 21: The Cutie Mark Chronicles

On a clear sunny day, three familiar fillies found themselves at the top of a tall tree. They were all linked together by a rope that was connected to another tree. They were also donning some helmets for safety.

"Are you about this, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle gulped, "I've never even heard of a pony zip lining before. I mean...I know Storm told us it is really dangerous for kids like us..."

"Never mind your boyfriend," said Scootaloo, "As for zip lining, neither have I, but Spike told me it was awesome."

The three then took off down their zip line, but soon realized that they had tied the rope to the other side a little too high since they came to stop in the middle of the two trees. Another mistake they had made was using a rope that was not made specifically for zip lining. The rope they used became heated as their metal connectors grinded on it, making the rope catch fire and break.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The three fillies screamed.

"Whoa!"

"Oh!"

"Wah!" Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle said in succession as they honked, bonked, and tumbled through several tree branches until they all crashed onto the ground, covered in leaves and sticky tree sap.

"Ow!" The three fillies groaned.

"See anything?" Apple Bloom asked before either of them had gotten back onto their hooves. Scootaloo was the first to get up and checked her flank.

"Tree sap and pine needles, but no cutie marks," Scootaloo reported.

"Plan B?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Yeah," Scootaloo answered, "You know where we can find a cannon at this hour?" The other two fillies just looked at the orange Pegasus with fearful eyes. Scootaloo then removed her helmet and slammed it onto the ground.

"It's no use," said Scootaloo angrily, "No matter what we try, we always end up without our cutie marks. And, surprisingly often, covered in tree sap."

Apple Bloom had wasted no time providing the three girls with some buckets of water so they could wash off the leaves, twigs, and tree sap.

"Maybe we should do something less dangerous," Sweetie Belle proposed as she finished cleaning herself off, "like pillow testing or flower sniffling?"

"This town is full of ponies who have their cutie marks," Apple Bloom pointed out, "Why don't we ask them how they did it?"

"That's a great safe idea," said Sweetie Belle.

"Yeah!" said Scootaloo in agreement, "And we can start with the coolest pony in Ponyville."

"Applejack!" said Apple Bloom.

"Rarity!" said Sweetie Belle, "oh, oh...let's not forget...Storm!" Sweetie Belle sighed happily to herself as Scootaloo made a face.

"Come on, guys, I said "cool"!" said Scootaloo as she flapped her small wings so she was hovering a few inches off the ground, "You know who I'm talking about. She's fast. She's tough. She's not afraid of anything!"

Scootaloo hovered about trying to fly like the said pony before returning to the group and stood on her hind legs.

"Pinkie Pie?" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle guessed.

"No!" said Scootaloo, "The greatest flyer ever to come out of Cloudsdale."

"Fluttershy?" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle guessed next.

"No!" Scootaloo snapped, "Rainbow Dash!"

"Oh! Yeah, that makes much more sense," said Apple Bloom.

"Of course," said Sweetie Belle.

"Let's do it," said Scootaloo, "Let's find out how Rainbow Dash earned her cutie mark!"

"Yeah!" said Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle together as they high-hoofed each other. Only to realize that the young Pegasus's fore-hooves were still covered in tree sap.

"Aah! Uuh!" Sweetie Belle grunted as she and Apple Bloom tried to pull their hooves apart, but the sap was too sticky.

The three fillies just groaned as they were now stuck together...for the moment.

*Main theme*

With the sound of a motor revving, Scootaloo rode her scooter down a dirt path with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle being pulled in a wagon behind her. Scootaloo was rather focused on keeping up her speed when three bunnies carrying apples appeared in the middle of the road. Scootaloo gasped as she applied the brakes, causing her scooter and the wagon to screech to a stop just a foot away from the apple carrying bunnies.

"Get back here, you thievin' varmints!" That was the sound of Applejack.

Apparently the three bunnies had taken the apples from her and she was chasing them down.

"Thievin' what now?" Apple Bloom said out of the blue.

Applejack popped out of a nearby bush and tried to pounce on the bunnies. But her aim and timing were off and she ended up crashing right into the three fillies. When the dust had settled, Apple Bloom was on top of Applejack and Sweetie Belle somehow found herself on top of Scootaloo.

"Hey sis!" said Apple Bloom, "How'd you get your cutie mark?"

"I never told you that story?" Applejack asked her little sister in surprise.

"Hey! I thought we were gonna ask Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo protested as Applejack just smirked to herself.

"We need all the help we can get," said Apple Bloom as she and Sweetie Belle waited eagerly to hear Applejack tell her story.

"Ugh, fine," said Scootaloo with much reluctance.

"Why, shoot," Applejack began, "I was just a little filly. Even littler than y'all."

Flashback

Young Applejack leaves the Apple farm carrying a small sack on a stick as a younger Big Mac and Granny Smith watch her leave. Both of them are shedding tears as they see Young Applejack disappear into the distance.

"I didn't want to spend my life on a muddy old apple farm," Applejack continued, "I wanted to live the sophisticated life like my Aunt n' Uncle Orange. So I set out to try my luck in the big city, Manehatten! The most cosmopolitan city on all of Equestria.

Young Applejack is amazed at all the tall buildings and a ponified version of the statue of liberty.

"Hey! Outta the way, you rube!" said a pony named Count Caesar rather rudely as young Applejack simply stepped out of his way.

"I knew I'd find out who I was meant to be in Manehatten," said Applejack.

Young Applejack then stood before an apartment door that had an orange on it and knocked on it. It wasn't long before both her Aunt and Uncle opened the door and invited her inside.

"Aunt Orange! Uncle Orange!" young Applejack said excitedly, "Thank y'all so much for lettin' me stay."

"Y'all," said Aunt Orange with a laugh, "Isn't she just the living end?"

"How quaint," Uncle Orange added with a chuckle of her own.

"Don't worry," said Aunt Orange as she began to rub Young Applejack's mane with a fore-hoof, "We'll have you acting like a true Manhattanite in no time."

Young Applejack just smiled.

(Scene changes)

Soon she was placed before a dinner party with her mane now done in an updo. She sat between her Aunt and Uncle as they were chatting with their dinner guests and sipping some sparkling juice (could say orange juice but not sure).

"And how are you finding good old Manehatten?" said a pony named Tall Order asked the young filly.

"Oh, it's simply divine," said young Applejack, trying to sound proper.

"Very well said, my dear," said Aunt Orange.

"Although, I must admit the city noise took some getting used to," young Applejack continued, "Where I'm from, nights are so quiet, you seldom hear a peep until the rooster wake you up."

Tall Order and another pony sitting nearby named Dane Tee Dove just looked stunned.

"The...what?" Dane Tee Dove asked, giving young Applejack a weird look.

"I say, my dear," Tall Order replied to Dane Tee Dove, "what in the world is a "rooster"?"

Aunt Orange just smiled sheepishly and nuzzled young Applejack's mane with a fore-hoof.

"What's he talking about?" young Applejack asked nervously, "What did I say? I don't want to look like a fool."

Young Applejack didn't have to ponder long before some ponies arrived placing some dinner plates on the table. Each of them covered with a serving dome.

"Dinner is served," said the pony.

"Thank goodness," said young applejack, "Being a city pony's hard work. I'm so hungry I could at a..."

Young Applejack was surprised to see just a tiny morsel of food no bigger than her hoof was sitting on the plate. She just sighed to herself.

The next morning, young Applejack was sitting quietly leaning against the outside boarder of her city bedroom window.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo...," said young Applejack quietly, "Oh, I wonder what Granny Smith and Big Macintosh are up to. I bet they're applebuckin' their way through the Red Delicious trees. Oh, what I wouldn't give for just one bite..."

Young Applejack sighed to herself as a small tear left her eyes.

"I never felt so homesick in all my days as I did right then," said Applejack.

Suddenly...

BOOOOOOOOM!

Young Applejack was startled as she looked out of her window.

"It was amazin'!" said Applejack, "A rainbow pointin' right back to...home. In that moment, it all became clear. I knew right then just who I was supposed to be."

Young Applejack then runs all the way back home. Big Mac and Granny Smith are there waiting for her as she embraces them happily. As she does, a flash of light appears on her flank as her cutie mark appears.

End Flashback

"That's when this here appeared," said Applejack pointing at her cutie mark, "I've been happily workin' in the farm ever since."

Then the moment was spoiled at the apple carrying bunnies gave Applejack a raspberry.

"There they are!" said Applejack, "Get back here, ya thievin' varmints!" Applejack then took off towards the bunnies, leaving the three fillies alone.

"Aw, that was such a sweet story!" said Sweetie Belle.

"Sweet? Try sappy," said Scootaloo as she made a grossed out face and climbed onto her scooter, "Come on! We've got to find Rainbow Dash and hear the cool way to get a cutie mark."

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle climbed into the wagon and Scootaloo took off right away.

(Scene changes)

It wasn't long before they were racing down the path again when Fluttershy suddenly landed in front of them. Scootaloo immediately tried to put on the brakes as Fluttershy stood on her hind legs to get them to stop.

Scootaloo stop so quickly that the three fillies were all sent flying in the air and landed in a pile just a few feet away from the yellow Pegasus. That was when they saw why Fluttershy had stopped them. A small family of ducks needed to cross the road and get to the other side.

"All right, little ones. This way. This way," said Fluttershy before turning to the three fillies, "You really should be more careful. Somepony could get hurt. Why are you in such a hurry anyway?"

"We're trying to find Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo answered, "so we can hear how she earned her cutie mark."

"Oh, that would be interesting," said Fluttershy, "You know, I wouldn't have gotten my cutie mark if it weren't for her."

"Rainbow Dash?! Really?!" said Scootaloo excitedly as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle stood beside her.

"Oh yes," Fluttershy answered, "It all started at Summer Flight Camp."

Flashback

Fluttershy's story takes place at the Summer Flight Camp grounds in Cloudsdale. Where the young yellow Pegasus was just alone watching some other Pegasi fly through some cloud shaped rings.

"You'd never guess, but when I was little I was very shy," Fluttershy told the three fillies, "and a very weak flyer."

Young Fluttershy slowly tried to fly up to one of the cloud rings. Taking her time, she slowly rose off the ground and went through. She smiled at her little accomplishment until she accidentally tripped over the bottom of the ring. Young Fluttershy yelped as she tumbled forward, slid down a steep cloud slope, launches into the air, tearing off a flag as she flew into it and crashed into some clouds below with the flag on top of her. It was then two familiar, but much younger Pegasi colts started laughing at her.

"Nice going, "Klutzershy"!" said a young Dumb-Bell, "They outta ground you permanently."

"Ha! My baby brother can fly better than you!" added young Hoops.

The two colts continued to laugh at her as poor young Fluttershy just cowered back.

"It was the most humiliating moment of my life," Fluttershy continued, "And then, out of nowhere..."

It was just then a familiar blue Pegasus appeared, zooming through the sky. Her high speed flying caught the attention of the other two colts as they looked up and then saw the young Rainbow Dash make a landing in front of them.

"Leave her alone!" said young Rainbow sternly.

"Ooh, what are you gonna do, "Rainbow Crash"," young Hoops jeered.

"Keep making fun of her and find out!" young Rainbow threatened as she got into the colt's face.

"You think you're such a big shot?" young Dumb-Belle sneered, "Why don't you prove it?"

"Whaddya have in mind?" young Rainbow asked curiously. It wasn't much longer before the three Pegasi were lined up at the starting grid for a race around the Flight Camp Obstacle course. Some other adult and younger Pegasus ponies had arrived to watch the race. Fluttershy was already on her own cloud, holding a checkered flag.

"You're going down!" said young Hoops.

"In history, maybe," said young Rainbow, "See you boys at the finish line!"

It was then Fluttershy lowered the flag and the three Pegasi took off. They flew so close to young Fluttershy that she was spun about out of control...and right off her cloud toward the ground below.

Young Fluttershy screamed as she continued to fall, flailing her legs for dear life, and with no other Pegasi even bothering to go rescue her. As she got closer to the ground, a large migration of butterflies appeared below and caught her.

"Huh?" said young Fluttershy as she realized she wasn't falling anymore and saw the large collection of butterflies underneath her as they carried her about what appeared to be a woodland area. She couldn't help but smile.

"I had never seen such beautiful creatures," said Fluttershy, "Butterflies don't fly as high as my cloud home. And I'd never been near the ground before."

It was then young Fluttershy began to sing.

[Young Fluttershy - It was then each creature she sang about began to appear around her as she flew just above the butterflies. Some squirrels poked their heads out of a tree, three bunnies stopped hopping to look at her, three birds flying in the air came down to see her.]

What is this place

Filled with so many wonders?

Casting its spell

That I am now under

[Young Fluttershy - Some bees were buzzing through some flowers when she sang that part.]

Squirrels in the trees

And the cute little bunnies

Birds flying free

And bees with their honey

Hooooonneeeeeeey!

[Young Fluttershy - All the creatures surrounded her as she continued to sing.]

Oooh, what a magical place

And I owe it all to the Pegasus race (She looked up to the sky where the Flight Camp Obstacle course was and the three Pegasus ponies were still racing.)

If I knew the ground had so much up its sleeve

I'd have come here sooner, and never leave

[Young Fluttershy - The creatures were now just swaying to her singing and the view panned around the area just as young Fluttershy finished her little song.]

Yes, I love ev-er-ythiiiiiiing!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Suddenly, a loud explosion and a large ring of color appeared in the sky. All the creatures and birds began to run for cover. Fluttershy watched as three bunnies ran by before she narrowed her brow and went to go find them.

"Shhh, it's okay," young Fluttershy said to the frightened bunnies.

"You can come out," young Fluttershy told some frightened squirrels by knocking lightly on their tree. Fluttershy then stuck her head underwater to see some startled frogs.

"Everything's okay," she told the submerged frogs. She then flew up towards some startled birds.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," young Fluttershy told some birds in the sky and soon all the birds and animals were surrounding Fluttershy as she smiled and sat down in the middle of them.

"Somehow I had the ability to communicate with the animals on a different level," said Fluttershy.

It was then young Fluttershy's flank was decorated with her well known three butterflies cutie mark. A young bunny just looks at it curiously.

End Flashback...abruptly

"Wait, wait, wait," Scootaloo interrupted as Fluttershy was now sitting on the grass near the road, "what happened to Rainbow Dash? What about the race?"

"Oh, well, I wasn't there," Fluttershy answered, "So I don't really know what happened."

By now Scootaloo was already back on her scooter.

"Come on Crusaders," said Scootaloo, "We've gotta find her. Besides, I can't take anymore singing."

"Maybe my sister knows where she is," said Sweetie Belle as she and Apple Bloom climbed back into the wagon, "Bye Fluttershy!" Apple Bloom waved as well as Scootaloo just began to accelerate on her scooter.

"Bye, girls!" said Fluttershy as the three fillies made their way down the road to the Carousel Boutique.

(Scene changes)

It wasn't long before Scootaloo had a long face as she and the other fillies were now acting as models for Rarity as she was creating some filly sized dresses.

"How did we get roped into this?" Scootaloo complained, "Oh, we'll never hear Rainbow Dash's story."

"Are you girls still obsessing over your cutie marks?" Rarity asked them curiously.

"Of course," said Sweetie Belle, "Most of the fillies at school already have theirs."

"Mmm, I know how you feel," said Rarity, "For the longest time I couldn't figure out why I didn't have mine."

Flashback

Just outside of the Ponyville schoolhouse, a stage has been set up for what appears to be some sort of play. As some music plays in the background, several young ponies are dancing and wearing some handmade costumes made by the young fashionista...at this time...in training.

"Well done Rarity," said the teacher, "your costumes are very nice!"

"Nice?!" young Rarity exclaimed, "They need to be spectacular! And the performance is tomorrow!"

(Scene changes)

Back in her old bedroom, which looked similar to the interior decor of her Boutique, she was busy working at her sewing machine.

"I tried every trick I could think of, but nothing seemed to work," Rarity continued, "The costumes just weren't right and the play opened that night."

Young Rarity sighed to herself.

"Maybe I'm not meant to be a fashionista," young Rarity said sadly.

Suddenly, her horn began to glow brightly and she suddenly found it pulling her out of the house, through the woods, and beyond. Young Rarity tried to stop herself from being pulled, but the magic was too strong for her to control.

"I had no idea where my horn was taking me," said Rarity, by now her younger self had giving up resisting the pull and was just apathetically enjoying the ride as she was pulled through the desert and up and down some hills, "but unicorn magic doesn't happen without a reason. I knew this had to do with my love of fashion and maybe even my cutie mark. I knew that it was...My destiny!"

It was just then Rarity arrived in a rocky area and crashed right into a large tall rock.

"A rock?!" young Rarity exclaimed angrily, "that's my destiny?! What is your problem, horn? I followed you all the way out here for a rock?!" Young Rarity groaned.

"Dumb rock!" she muttered when...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Young Rarity screamed as she saw the ring of color from the Sonic Rainboom. Suddenly the rock in front of her began to crack and then split down the middle. Inside the rock was a large collection of...precious gems.

"Ooh!" said young Rarity. Soon the night of the play had arrived and the costumes the young ponies were dancing in were now decorated in the beautiful gems she had discovered.

(Scene changes)

Every pony in the audience smiled and awed in amazement, even her teacher. Young Rarity smiled, feeling very pleased with herself, as her three diamond cutie mark appeared on her flank.

End Flashback

"Ugh!" Scootaloo grumbled, "These namby-pamby stories aren't getting us any closer to our cutie marks! They're all about finding who you really are and boring stuff like that."

"Yes Scootaloo, that's exactly..." But Rarity was cut off as the young Pegasus was already pushing her two best friends right out of the Boutique.

"Come on, girls!" said Scootaloo, "We need action! We need Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo loudly slammed the door shut.

(Scene changes)

But she was going to have to wait a little longer. With much reluctance and irritation, she found herself sitting at a table getting ready to listen to how Twilight got her cutie mark. Storm was sitting next to her, but he wasn't paying much attention.

"As a young filly in Canterlot, I always wanted to go see the Summer Sun Celebration," Twilight began, "Where Princess Celestia raises the sun."

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle listened eagerly as Scootaloo rolled her eyes and faceplanted the table.

"And I saw the most amazing, most wonderful thing I've ever seen," said Twilight.

"Storm?" Sweetie Belle guessed as Scootaloo groaned loudly and Apple Bloom snickered.

Storm was surprised to hear that from her, but ignored it as he kept silent.

"No, silly," said Twilight, "I didn't meet him until after he and I got our cutie marks."

"It was when I calmed you down from that magic disorientation." Storm added.

"Yes it was." Twilight agreed with him, not noticing him looking away.

Flashback

The stage is set for the opening of the Summer Sun Celebration. The royal guards blew their trumpets. The crowd gathered around as young Twilight pushed her way through some ponies to get a better look and smiled excitedly. '

It was then Princess Celestia rose high into the air majestically and raised the sun. Everyone cheered and young Twilight smiled in amazement.

(Scene changes)

"I poured myself into learning everything I could about magic," Twilight continued.

Young Twilight was now in her bedroom with stacks of various books. As she was reading one, she grunted a bit to make her horn spark. Then used her magic to turn the page of her book. She gasped excitedly and kept on reading, and reading, and reading. She was clearly enjoying herself and being surrounded by all her books.

"My parents decided to enroll me in Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns," said Twilight, "It was a dream come true."

Young Twilight sees the paper with her acceptance that her parents were holding and jumps up and down excitedly.

"Except for one thing..." said Twilight, "I had to pass an entrance exam!"

Young Twilight was now standing at the bottom of what appeared to be a lecture hall, looking rather nervous as a pony rolled in a cart with a giant purple spotted egg. Her parents kept encouraging her smile from the sidelines as Twilight gave a shakey smile.

"Well, Miss Sparkle?" said one of the administrator ponies named Crystal Clear. Twilight simply looked at the purple spotted egg and giggled nervously.

"Well, Miss Sparkle?" Crystal Clear repeated.

Another pony named Arpeggio just coughed in reply as they waited impatiently for young Twilight to begin. The purple filly groaned as she tried to light up her horn, but she wasn't able to get anything to happen. Another administrator pony named Top Marks yawned to himself as the others started taking notes.

"We don't have all day," said Crystal Clear. Young Twilight was now sweating nervously.

"I knew it was the most important day of my life," said Twilight, "my entire future would be affected by the outcome of this day and I was about to blow it!"

As present Twilight spoke, her younger self was trying various poses and stances to try and get her magic to do something. But after all her efforts, all she could generate was a small spark from her horn before she plopped onto her stomach in exhaustion. She felt very sorry for herself as she rose to her hooves.

"I'm sorry I wasted your time." said young Twilight when...

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A sudden explosion and a giant ring of color appeared outside the classroom window. The explosion startled Twilight so much that her horn began to glow brightly. Her inner magic begins to grow dramatically as she fired a magic blast that hatches the egg into what was actually baby Spike.

Young Twilight just yelped in panic as her eyes glowed white and she was surrounded by a powerful magic bubble. Her overcharged magic caused her to levitate the administrators into the air while also turning her parents into potted plants (the mother became a regular house plant while the father became a cactus).

Her magic also caused Spike to become a giant fully grown dragon. He became so big in size that his head broke through the roof. Princess Celestia noticed the giant dragon head in the distance.

Poor Twilight was fearfully trying to regain control but failing miserably...until a gentle hoof was placed on her shoulder. She turned her head to see a young Storm Shadow looking at her with a calm smile, telling her that's okay.

Twilight was finally able to calm down as her eyes returned to her lavender gaze. She gently lands on the ground as her magic stops, but everything doesn't return to normal. Storm and Twilight gaze into each other's eyes for the moment before a blinding light appears in the room as Princess Celestia has entered.

The two unicorns witnessed her using her magic to return the instructors back on the ground, restored her parents back to being ponies again, and Spike returned to being a baby dragon, now sitting on a destroyed wagon and sucking his tail innocently.

She walks to them as Twilight had a guilty expression on her face while Storm looked away sadly.

"Twilight Sparkle, Storm Shadow." Princess Celestia said formally.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," said young Twilight nervously, "I didn't mean..."

"You both have a very special gift," said Princess Celestia, "I don't think I've ever come across a unicorn with your raw abilities."

"Huh?" Said young Twilight and young Storm puzzled.

"But you two need to learn to tame these abilities through focused study," Princess Celestia continued.

"Huh?!" Young Twilight and young Storm repeated again.

"Twilight Sparkle and Storm Shadow, I'd like to make you two my own personal protégés here at the school," said Princess Celestia.

"Huh?!" Said young Twilight and young Storm, still unable to process what was happening.

"Well?" Princess Celestia asked as young Twilight finally put two and two together, she looked at her parents, who were nodding excitedly for her to accept.

"Yes!" said young Twilight as she jumped high into the air.

"Absolutely!" Young Storm shouted in excitement.

"One other thing, Twilight and Storm." said Celestia, stopping her in mid-air.

"More?" Young Twilight exclaimed with big eyes before landing on the floor while Storm looked stunned for the moment.

Twilight and Storm looked at her curiously as Princess Celestia pointed to their flanks. Twilight smiled excitedly when she saw her magenta sparkle star cutie mark. Storm saw his weapon end with the red gem at the center overlayed by two swords as his cutie mark.

"My cutie mark!" said young Twilight as she bounced in circles around Princess Celestia while Storm smiled at his own with a tear smile, "yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes..."

End Flashback?

"Yesyesyesyes!" Twilight chanted, hopping excitedly around the three fillies in a way that would have been endearing if it weren’t for the sheer intensity of her enthusiasm.

Storm groaned, placing a hoof over his face as the other fillies exchanged awkward glances, clearly unsure how to respond.

"Okay, okay," Apple Bloom finally said, attempting to rein Twilight in.

"We’re happy for you, Twilight," Sweetie Belle added, though her tone suggested she was more concerned with ending the spectacle.

"Yeah, thrilled," Scootaloo said dryly, her words dripping with sarcasm. "Let’s get out of here while we still can."

Just as they started to leave, Sweetie Belle’s eyes lit up as if she’d remembered something important. "Wait! We didn’t get a chance to hear Storm’s cutie mark story!" she exclaimed, looking at him expectantly.

Storm stiffened slightly, his eyes narrowing as a shadow of discomfort crossed his face. "Eh, not really in the mood to share," he said flatly, avoiding her gaze.

Sweetie Belle pouted, but Scootaloo wasted no time tugging her along. "Okay! See ya later!" she shouted, and the trio bolted off, leaving Twilight and Storm alone.

"Finally," Storm muttered with a sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing now that the fillies were gone.

Twilight, still bouncing with excitement, seemed entirely oblivious to his tension as she continued her chant. "Yesyesyes... yeeees!" She abruptly stopped mid-bounce when she noticed the three fillies were gone—and that several nearby ponies were now staring at her. Her cheeks flushed as she gave a nervous laugh.

"Are you... okay?" asked Cherry Fizzy, one of the bystanders.

Twilight giggled awkwardly. "Um... yes," she replied, trying to regain some composure.

Storm, smirking faintly, stepped forward. "Ease off, everypony," he said in a relaxed tone. "She’s just being adorable."

The ponies around them chuckled softly and went on their way, leaving Twilight to glare at Storm, her cheeks still bright pink.

"Did you have to say that?" she asked, her tone half-annoyed, half-embarrassed.

Storm met her gaze with a calm, steady expression. "I just did you a favor," he replied, his voice sincere. After a pause, he added softly, "And for the record, I wasn’t making fun of you."

Twilight blinked at him, her annoyance fading into concern as she tilted her head slightly. "Are you okay?" she asked gently, stepping closer to him.

"I’m fine," Storm said, though his tone lacked its usual confidence.

Twilight didn’t miss the subtle shift in his demeanor, but instead of pressing, she offered a warm smile. "You want to walk with me to Sugarcube Corner?" she asked, her voice light and inviting. "We can get something to eat there."

Storm hesitated for a moment, his eyes lingering on the ground before they flicked back to hers. He managed a small, genuine smile. "Sure," he said simply.

Twilight beamed. "Come on. Our friends are probably waiting for us there," she said, trotting ahead with a slight bounce in her step.

Storm remained still for a moment, glancing briefly at his cutie mark. His expression turned contemplative as he let out a quiet sigh, but the sound of Twilight’s hoofsteps snapping him out of his thoughts. With a small shake of his head, he hurried to catch up.

As they walked side by side, Twilight glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "You know," she began softly, "if you ever feel like sharing your story, I’d love to hear it. No pressure or anything—just whenever you’re ready."

Storm looked at her, surprised by her sensitivity. He chuckled lightly. "Thanks, Twi. I’ll keep that in mind."

(Scene changes)

Meanwhile, the three fillies were still zooming about the town. But their effort to find Rainbow Dash was proving fruitless and as more time passed, Scootaloo was getting grumpier and grumpier.

"Ugh!" Scootaloo groaned loudly, "Why don't we ever smash into Rainbow Dash?"

"You're looking for Rainbow Dash?" said a familiar bubbly voice.

The three fillies looked behind themselves to find Pinkie wearing a helmet as she sat in the wagon. She had apparently invited herself for a ride.

"If I was her, I'd be at Sugarcube Corner," said Pinkie, "Of course, if I was anyone, I'd be at Sugarcube Corner. Hey! I have an idea! Wanna go to Sugarcube Corner?"

Pinkie raised her fore-hooves and nearly fell out of the back of the wagon. Fortunately, both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom grabbed a hoof to keep her from falling.

"Well, we're sort of looking for Rainbow Dash," Sweetie Belle answered, "so we can hear how she got her cutie mark."

"Cutie Mark?" said Pinkie excitedly, "Come with me and I'll tell you how I got mine." Scootaloo just sighed in irritation.

"Why not?" She replied sarcastically.

"All right!" said Pinkie as Scootaloo kept driving.

Flashback

Pinkie's old home was actually a dark and gloomy farm where the sky was cloudy for most of the year. Her two sisters, Limestone and Marble, who were both young fillies in this story, were hard at work loading rocks into a cart as their father, Igneous Rock Pie, was supervising them from a distance.

"My sisters and I were raised on a rock farm outside of Ponyville," Pinkie explained, "We spent our days working the fields. There was no talking. There was no smiling. There were only rocks."

Her younger self just sighed as she moved a rock with her nose, her hair and mane straight and her face looking rather glum.

"We were in the south field, preparing to rotate the rocks to the east field when all of a sudden..."

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

Young Pinkie was shaken a bit as a huge gust of wind blew away all the grey clouds, causing Pinkie's straight mane and tail to gain its now trademark cotton candy appearance. Though it was a lot messier in her younger days. As a rainbow graced the sky, young Pinkie's eyes widened in amazement as her frown slowly curved in a joyful smile.

"I'd never felt joy like that before!" Pinkie told the fillies, "It felt so good that I just wanted to keep smiling forever. And I wanted everyone I knew to smile too, but rainbows don't come along that often. I wondered, how else could I create some smiles?"

As the rainbow in the sky faded, young Pinkie pondered to herself before she got an idea. She quickly took off to who knows where for the moment as the sun set, the moon rose, then set, and the sun rose into the sky once again. The rooster crowed as Igneous Rock Pie, his wife, Cloudy Quartz, and Limestone and Marble came outside.

"We better harvest the rocks from the south field," Igneous Rock Pie told his family when they all suddenly heard some accordion like music from inside the silo.

"Pinkamena Diana Pie!" said Cloudy Quartz from outside, "Is that you?"

It was then Pinkie opened the silo door as some confetti and two balloons came floating out.

"Mom! I need you and dad and the sisters to come in," said young Pinkie excitedly, "Quick!"

The music continued to play as the family walked inside. They all gasped in shock at what was inside. The interior of the silo had been decorated with a giant cake sitting on a table.

"Surprise! You like it?" young Pinkie asked, "It's called...a party!"

She then blew a party tweeter as the family was left in a state of shock. Igneous Rock Pie's jaw dropped, causing the piece of wheat he was sucking on to fall out of his mouth. They just looked at the decorations as their mouths quivered. Pinkie looked worried, assuming that their twitching mouths meant they were not pleased.

"Oh. You don't like it," she said sadly, until she gasped when she saw that what their mouths were struggling to do was...smile! They were now all smiling excitedly.

"You like it!" said young Pinkie as she and her mom began to dance together, "I'm so happy!"

As their dance continued, Pinkie's yellow and blue balloon cutie mark appeared on her flank.

End Flashback.

"And that's how Equestria was made!" said Pinkie out of the blue.

"Wha...huh?" said Scootaloo in confusion as she brought her scooter to a stop...right in front of Sugarcube corner.

"Look! We're here!" said Apple Bloom.

"Maybe on the way home I can tell you the story of how I got my cutie mark," said Pinkie as she casually made her way inside, "It's a gem!" Scootaloo just had a weirded out look on her face.

"Oh, come on," said Sweetie Belle, "She's just being Pinkie Pie."

"Ugh..." said Scootaloo with an eye roll as the three fillies removed their helmets and headed inside. They found all of the Mane seven inside, including the one pony Scootaloo had been looking for.

"Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo exclaimed, "You're here!" The blue pony turned around and gave them a confident smile as she stood before them.

"I hear you're looking for my cutie mark story," Rainbow said to the three. Scootaloo sighed.

"You have no idea what I've been through today to hear that story," said Scootaloo as she sat down. Rainbow just smiled shyly for a moment before recomposing herself.

"It all happened during a race at Flight Camp..." Rainbow Dash began.

Flashback

Young Rainbow stood at the starting line for a race against young Dumb-bell and young Hoops.

"...where I stood along against all odds to defend Fluttershy's honor," Rainbow continued.

The two colts began to drags their hooves on the cloud surface and leaned forward. Young Rainbow looked at them as they did so. Fluttershy was just standing on her own cloud with the checkered flag raised.

The two colts repeated their little hoof dragging. Young Rainbow did the same, leaning forward, licking her lips as sweat began to form on her brow. They all raised their wings. Young Fluttershy then waved the flag for the race to start. The three young ponies took off and flew past young Fluttershy so fast that she yelped, spun about, and fell off her cloud.

Young Rainbow just gritted her teeth as she pulled ahead with the two colts right behind her as they flew through one cloud ring after another. Young Rainbow begins to increase her speed. As they reached a turn, she and young Hoops made the turn without any problem. However, young Dumb-Bell missed the turn completely, crashing into a cloud, which later disintegrated and showed that the young colt had crashed head first into a denser cloud pillar.

"I've never flown like that before," Rainbow told them, "That freedom was unlike anything I've ever felt. The speed, the adrenaline, the wind in my mane...I liked it."

As present Rainbow described the moment, her younger self was just embracing the rush and adrenaline with a smile on her face...until young Hoops bashed her out of the way.

"Ow!" young Rainbow groaned.

"Ha! Later, Rainbow Crash!" young Hoops teased as he flew ahead.

"Hey!" young Rainbow shouted as she chased after him.

It was then the race track started to descend downward at a sharp angle. Rainbow flew past Hoops so fast that he was sent into a tailspin and left far behind screaming. It was then young Rainbow began to fly as fast as she could, going faster and faster as a slipstream appeared around her body. Soon she was pushing herself to the limit and her slipstream began to form a V shape.

"Turns out that only thing I liked more than flying fast...was winning!" said Rainbow.

It was then her younger self reached a cloud ring just a few yards above the forest below. As she went through and headed upward...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

"Most people thought that the sonic rainboom was just an old mare's tale," said Rainbow, "But that day...The day I discovered racing...I proved that the legends were true. I made the impossible...happen!"

Young Rainbow looked back and smiled excitedly at making a sonic rainboom and put on a determined look on her face as she zooms across the finish line, creating a large rainbow as she flew by. The other young Pegasi ponies are left surprised and soon cheered for her. As young Rainbow continued to fly, her flank was graced with her cloud n lightning bolt cutie mark.

End Flashback

"And that, little ones, is how you earn your cutie mark," said Rainbow proudly, showing her cutie mark to the three fillies.

"Whoooaaaa..." said the three fillies in amazement.

"Wait a second," said Fluttershy as she stood beside Rainbow, "I heard that explosion. And I saw a rainbow too. Rainbow Dash, if you hadn't scared the animals, I never would have learned I could communicate with them and gotten my cutie mark." Rainbow just looked at Fluttershy in surprise.

"I heard that boom!" Pinkie Pie added, "And right afterwards, there was an amazing rainbow that taught me to smile." Rainbow was starting to feel a little frazzled.

"When I got my cutie mark," said Applejack, "I saw a rainbow that pointed me home. I bet it was your Sonic Rainboom!"

The three fillies smiled excitedly as Rainbow is still too stunned at everything being said. Before she could react, Pinkie happily tackled Rainbow to the floor.

"There was an explosion I could never explain when I got my cutie mark," Rarity added as she stood above the blue pony.

"This is uncanny!" said Twilight in surprise as she put two and two together, "If that explosion didn't happen when it did, I would have blown my entrance exam. Rainbow Dash, I think you helped me earn my cutie mark too!"

"Whoa!" said Rainbow, still overwhelmed at the idea.

"We all owe our cutie marks to you!" said Pinkie.

"Do you realize what this means?" said Fluttershy, "all of us had a special connection before we even met."

"We've been BFFs forever and we didn't even know it!" said Rarity.

Everyone turned their heads to see Storm sitting silently in the corner.

"What?” Storm asked.

Scootaloo couldn't take it as she shouted.

"Ugh...okay, okay!" Scootaloo bellowed, "Storm, can you tell us your cutie mark story?"

Storm looked at them for the moment before he sighed to himself as he turned his head away from them.

"Ya know, sugarcube," said Applejack, "Just because you didn't get your cutie mark from the sonic rainboom doesn't mean..."

"I did get my cutie mark as a result of the sonic rainboom." Storm interrupted in a plain tone.

The others gasped.

"Really? How?" said Pinkie, "Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!"

The others nodded as well, wanting to hear his story. Storm couldn't help but chuckle as he sat beside Sweetie Belle. The little filly couldn't help but rest her head on his fore-leg.

"Alright." Storm said. "Though I will admit, it's hard to follow up after a story like Rainbow's. Mine's more on the violent side."

"We still wanna hear it," said Apple Bloom before glaring at Scootaloo, "Don't we?"

"Yes..." Scootaloo replied through her teeth.

Storm rolled his eyes.

"As far as I can remember, I went about finding my cutie mark in the same way that I always do." Storm began. "I was always practicing in the dojo, mastering my breathing style…"

Flashback

Young Storm stood in the center of his family’s dojo, the calm serenity around him juxtaposed by his intense focus. His mother and father watched from the side, proud smiles gracing their faces as they observed their son’s dedication. Storm, breathing deeply, was preparing to strike. He remembered his mother’s words clearly, a mantra that echoed in his mind:

"Just keep your eyes closed and your mind quiet, Storm. If a thought pops into your head, just let it go."

In his mind’s eye, he pictured the calm koi pond just outside the dojo, the fish gliding effortlessly in the water. The memory helped center him. With a powerful exhale, he unleashed his Lightning Breathing, the air crackling around him as electricity sparked to life. His form became a blur as he darted towards the wooden dummy. A series of precise punches and kicks followed before his signature move tore the dummy in half, sending splinters flying.

Yet even with this display of strength, Storm’s thoughts turned inward. “There were times where I wanted to give up,” his voice narrated, reflecting on his younger self. “Times when I thought I’d never become stronger than I was, only knowing one move. I saw myself as a failure…”

The scene shifted to him sitting by the pond, his reflection wavering on the water’s surface. His mother’s voice soothed him during his lowest moments. She always had faith, even when he didn’t. “You’ve got more power inside you than you know. Your father and I don’t care if you’re powerless—as long as you keep moving forward, you’ll get better.”

Inspired by her words, Storm threw himself into his training, determined to get stronger. He wanted to be like his parents and siblings, whose mastery seemed effortless. "So I kept going," he narrated. "I may have only been able to use the first form of Lightning Breathing, but with my mother’s encouragement, I trained even harder. That’s when I decided to put my skills to the ultimate test."

(Scene changes)

The scene shifted again, now outside the courtyard of Canterlot, where Storm stood, breathing heavily from his practice. His horn glowed brightly as he prepared himself for the challenge. Meanwhile, nearby on a bridge, a group of colts and fillies were talking when they spotted Storm. Their eyes widened in amazement as they saw a massive dragon spirit materialize in front of him.

The dragon spirit let out a thunderous roar, and the young ponies hurried closer, curiosity and awe filling their expressions. Storm glared at his ethereal opponent before charging, his hooves sparking with electricity. The dragon lunged at him, its claws swiping through the air. Storm dodged with practiced precision, sliding under the beast’s belly before jumping up to deliver a powerful uppercut to its chin. The spirit roared in pain but quickly recovered, lunging again.

Storm’s horn flared, his hooves surrounded by glowing magic as they transformed into auric hands—his family’s secret technique. He raised his magical fists, determination etched into his face.

The young unicorn colt shouted, "Let’s see if you can handle this!" as he unleashed a barrage of punches, each blow crackling with lightning. He ducked, dodged, and weaved through the dragon’s attacks, each movement more fluid and confident than the last. Finally, he summoned a blast of energy from his hooves and sent the spirit flying back into a tree with a loud thud.

"Wow, check out his moves!" one of the colts exclaimed as they cheered him on.

“Look at him go!” a filly added, her eyes wide with excitement.

Storm leaped into the air, his final strike bursting with magic as he made the dragon spirit vanish in a flash of light. Panting, he landed gracefully on the ground, wiping sweat from his brow.

Cheers erupted behind him. Storm turned, surprised to see the growing crowd of ponies clapping and cheering for him. Among the onlookers was none other than Princess Celestia herself, her face marked with curiosity and intrigue as she observed the young colt.

Unknown to him, Storm had caught the attention of more than just the colts and fillies of Canterlot. Celestia’s gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, a proud smile slowly appearing on her face. “Impressive,” she whispered to herself, before stepping back into the crowd.

(Scene changes)

"Then one day while I was busy studying, my parents received a letter for me to enroll in Princess Celestia's school for gifted unicorns." Storm narrated as his younger self was reading a book on magic.

His parents presented him a letter, inviting him to enroll the school of magic. He smiled with excitement as his parents were proud of him.

(Scene changes)

"But there was one thing I had to do to be in this 'fancy school'... I had to pass one of the entrance exams by hatching a phoenix egg." Storm narrated.

The scene showed Young Storm at the lecture hall as a pony rolled up a cart with an orange phoenix egg on it.

"Hmmm." Storm hummed, uneasily before he glared it.

He focused for the first shot as he tried to hatch it, but failed. Breathing heavily, he shook his head before he became determined.

"Okay, Storm. Just focus and concentrate." Storm said to himself before closing his eyes tightly.

Then his horn lights up as he focused all of the magic in him as his horn sparked up a bit before he fired at the egg, striking it in an instant. Then suddenly, the egg broke open to reveal a new born phoenix flapping its tiny wings and chirping cutely.

Young Storm was stunned at this as the spectators were shocked beyond words as the phoenix flapped in front of Storm before perching itself gracefully on the unicorn colt's back as Storm smiled.

"Hey, little guy." Storm greeted the baby with a gently nuzzle to the new born phoenix's head as the baby cooed at the affection.

The spectators clapped in his direction.

"Well done, Mr. Shadow." Crystal Clear congratulated him.

"Would you be willing to observe the next observation to take notes?" Top Marks asked him.

Young Storm looked at him before thinking to himself. Then he faced them.

"Well, I've got nothing better to do so I'll be happy to watch." Storm said as he went to take a seat before turning to the newborn phoenix. "How about I call you Aegis, little buddy?"

The newly named Aegis chirped in agreement as he nuzzled Young Storm's cheek, making him smile. Then he turns his attention to the pony bringing in another cart that had a purple dragon egg.

The doors opened as Young Storm turned to the new comer, only to make his eyes go wide as his jaw dropped.

"That was when I saw Twilight coming in." Storm narrated.

Coming into the lecture hall was a unicorn filly with such a lovely shade of magenta and purple, and her eyes… Those beautiful lavender eyes.

"Welcome, Mrs. Twilight Sparkle." The female spectator addressed her name.

"Wow, that's a beautiful name." Storm thought to himself as he stared at the unicorn filly with a dreamy look as if she was a beautiful piece of art work.

"Well, Miss Sparkle?" said one of the administrator ponies named Crystal Clear.

Twilight simply looked at the purple spotted egg and giggled nervously.

"Well, Miss Sparkle?" Crystal Clear repeated.

"We don't have all day," said Crystal Clear. Young Twilight was now sweating nervously.

Young Storm felt sorry for the poor unicorn filly.

"I saw her so desperately trying to impress the administrators, but it was of now use." Storm narrated.

As present Storm spoke, Twilight's younger self was trying various poses and stances to try and get her magic to do something. But after all her efforts, all she could generate was a small spark from her horn before she plopped onto her stomach in exhaustion. She felt very sorry for herself as she rose to her hooves.

"I'm sorry I wasted your time," said young Twilight when...

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A sudden explosion and a giant ring of color appeared outside the classroom window. The explosion startled Twilight, along with Storm, so much that her horn began to glow brightly. Her inner magic begins to grow dramatically as she fired a magic blast that hatches the egg into what was actually baby Spike.

Storm dodged the magic sparks and used his magic to conjure a shield. Her magic also caused Spike to become a giant fully grown dragon. He became so big in size that his head broke through the roof. Princess Celestia noticed the giant dragon head in the distance.

Poor Twilight was fearfully trying to regain control but failing miserably...until a gentle hoof was placed on her shoulder. She turned her head to see Storm Shadow looking at her with a calm smile, telling her that it's okay.

Twilight was finally able to calm down as her eyes returned to her lavender gaze. She gently lands on the ground as her magic stops, but everything doesn't return to normal. Storm and Twilight gazed into each other’s eyes for the moment before a blinding light appears in the room as Princess Celestia had entered.

She walks to them as Twilight had a guilty expression on her face while Storm looked away sadly.

"Twilight Sparkle, Storm Shadow." Princess Celestia said formally.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," said young Twilight nervously, "I didn't mean..."

"You both have a very special gift," said Princess Celestia, "I don't think I've ever come across a unicorn with your raw abilities."

"Huh?" Said young Twilight and young Storm puzzled.

"But you two need to learn to tame these abilities through focused study," Princess Celestia continued.

"Huh?!" Young Twilight and young Storm repeated again.

"Twilight Sparkle and Storm Shadow, I'd like to make you two my own personal protégés here at the school," said Princess Celestia.

"Huh?!" Said young Twilight and young Storm, still unable to process what was happening.

"Well?" Princess Celestia asked as young Twilight finally put two and two together, she looked at her parents, who were nodding excitedly for her to accept.

"Yes!" said young Twilight as she jumped high into the air.

"Absolutely!" Young Storm shouted in excitement.

"One other thing, Twilight and Storm." said Celestia, stopping the unicorn filly in mid-air.

"More?" Young Twilight exclaimed with big eyes before landing on the floor while Storm looked stunned for the moment.

Twilight and Storm looked at her curiously as Princess Celestia pointed to their flanks. Twilight smiled excitedly when she saw her magenta sparkle star cutie mark. Storm saw his weapon end with a red gem at the center of it with the two unknown swords crossed.

"My cutie mark!" said young Twilight as she bounced in circles around Princess Celestia while Storm smiled at his own with a tear smile, "yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes..."

Young Storm looked at his cutie mark with a smile as tears ran down his eyes before he whispered. "I did it, Grandpa. I got my cutie mark."

End Flashback

Storm just sat quietly as the girls looked at him, beyond amazed from what happened in the past.

"Wow, I can't believe Storm actually calmed Twilight down from my rainboom." Rainbow Dash said with an impressed look.

"I can't believe that you took on a dragon's spirit without any worry." Fluttershy said, amazingly.

"I still can't believe I had forgotten that you didn't have anything to be afraid of from the blast I made." Twilight said.

Storm let out a small chuckle. "I didn’t know what else to do," he admitted. "You were about to lose control, and I couldn’t just stand there. I jumped in, hoping I could help."

"But why would you give up your right to be Celestia's protégé to somepony you didn't even know?" Twilight asked, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Unless..." She froze, realization dawning on her. "Unless you had a crush on me."

Storm’s cheeks turned pink, betraying him before he could respond. He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes avoiding Twilight's.

"You had a crush on me, didn’t you?" Twilight asked again, her voice soft but persistent.

"Yeah," Storm confessed, glancing down at the floor. "When I was younger, I did. But over time, that crush just... faded away." He sighed, feeling the weight of the truth. "To be honest, it’s probably because you were so focused on your studies. I tried to be your friend, along with our old friends back in Canterlot, but... you always seemed too busy. At best, you saw me as somepony to help with your research.”

Twilight frowned, guilt creeping into her expression. "Storm... I’m sorry," she said softly. "I didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I was so caught up in everything… I didn’t see what was right in front of me."

Storm shrugged lightly, his tone calm and forgiving. "It’s in the past. I never gave up trying to be your friend, and that’s what matters now, right?"

Pinkie Pie, always one to lighten the mood, popped up behind Twilight with a mischievous grin. "Soooo... does that mean you're free to be my date to the Gala?" she asked with a hopeful bounce.

Storm sighed, though his tone remained gentle. "Pinkie, I'm sorry, but I’m not interested in that way." Pinkie's face fell as she groaned in frustration, but Storm quickly pulled her into a warm hug. "Hey, maybe in another life, who knows?" He smirked. "I may only see you as a sister, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care and love you. And trust me, I love you for being you."

Pinkie brightened a little, returning the hug before backing off, content with Storm’s response.

Fluttershy then came to him and gently placed a hoof on Storm's shoulder with a smile.

"Don't feel too bad, Storm. I'm pretty sure that your family was very proud of you for getting your cutie mark." Fluttershy said, softly.

"Yeah, it must've been quite an honor to get it the way you did." Applejack added.

But Storm had something different to say.

"To be honest, that’s not the whole truth." Storm said solemnly.

The others looked at him with confusion. What did he mean?

"What are you talking about, darling?" Rarity asked, confused by this.

"I didn't just do it for my family." Storm responded back as he bowed his head in sadness with his eyes closed. He kept himself silent… until he finally turned to them as he opened his eyes and said. "I did it for my grandfather."

The girls gasped in surprise and shock.

"Your grandfather?" Fluttershy asked in great shock.

"What exactly is so special about that old coot, he couldn’t be that great?" Rainbow asked with a smirk.

Storm’s eyes widened in anger, and his voice exploded. "OLD COOT?!" he shouted, his sudden fury startling everyone in the room. Rainbow recoiled, realizing her mistake too late.

"I-I didn’t mean it like that!" Rainbow stammered, backing away as Storm’s fiery gaze bore into her.

"Calm down, Storm," Twilight urged, stepping forward cautiously. "She didn’t mean any harm."

Storm’s gaze lingered on Rainbow for a moment longer before he sighed deeply, turning away. His shoulders sagged as his anger gave way to frustration. "You don’t understand," he muttered.

"What exactly was that about?" Pinkie asked, her usual energy muted by the tension in the room.

Storm was quiet for a few moments, his face still tense. Then, in a soft but strained voice, he answered, "I wanted to join the Royal Guard, okay?" The girls all gasped again, their eyes wide with surprise.

Storm continued; his tone sad but determined. "When I was little, my grandfather would tell me and my siblings stories—stories about how he led the Royal Guard’s Hashira, the elite warrior group. He was a hero to my family. A legend."

"The Hashira?" Rainbow’s eyes lit up. "You mean the Hashira? The Royal Guard’s most elite warriors? That’s awesome!"

Storm nodded but remained somber. "Yeah... but then, one day, he just disappeared. No one knows what happened to him. He was sent on a mission to some unknown region of Equestria, and we never saw him again." He paused, his voice shaking slightly. "I wanted to be like him. I wanted to carry on his legacy, to honor him."

Twilight stepped closer, her expression softening. "That’s why you didn’t want to talk about your cutie mark before... because it’s tied to him."

Storm nodded again. "Yeah. It’s why I pushed myself so hard to train and get better. I wanted to be worthy of his legacy. It’s also why I became friends with all of you."

The room was filled with a heavy silence as Storm’s words sunk in. After a moment, he stood up and headed for the door, stopping just as he reached the exit.

"I need to keep honoring my family's legacy," he said quietly. "I have to make sure I never become weak. I can’t let anyone I love get hurt you guys matter too much." He looked back at them, his expression resolute. "It’s the only thing that matters."

With that, he walked out, leaving the others behind, their hearts heavy with concern for their friend.

Twilight turned to the others, her voice soft and worried. "We need to help him, don’t we?"

"Absolutely," Applejack said firmly, her eyes following where Storm had exited.

"Yeah, we do," Rainbow added, her earlier mistake forgotten as she nodded in determination.

"I just hope he’ll let us," Fluttershy said softly.

Twilight stared at the door, her mind racing. Storm, I won’t let you carry that burden alone. Not anymore.

(Scene changes)

Storm was in his home, meticulously sharpening the blade attached to his bo staff with his magic, the rhythmic scrape echoing softly in the quiet room. His movements were precise and deliberate, a reflection of his inner focus—or perhaps, his attempt to maintain it.

As he worked, he heard footsteps descending the stairs. His ears twitched, and he stopped, his gaze shifting toward the source.

“Who’s there?” Storm asked, his voice calm but edged with caution. He turned, only to see Twilight leading the others down the stairs. Pinkie waved enthusiastically from the back, her signature smile lighting up her face.

“It’s just us, Storm,” Twilight assured him, stepping forward with a drink levitating in her magical grasp.

“Oh, hey,” Storm replied, his tone softening as he turned back to his work. He resumed sharpening his blade, though his focus was no longer entirely on the task.

Twilight approached him, holding out the drink. “We brought you something,” she said, her voice tinged with care.

Storm glanced briefly at the beverage before shaking his head. “Yeah, thanks anyway, but I—”

“It’s not apple cider,” Twilight cut in quickly, anticipating his objection. She threw a quick glance at Applejack, who let out a small groan of disappointment. Clearly, she had wanted to bring her favorite drink to brighten the mood.

Storm paused for a moment, his gaze flickering between Twilight and the drink. Twilight took a sip through the straw, demonstrating. “See? Regular lemonade,” she said with a reassuring smile.

He let out a quiet sigh, his expression softening as he accepted the drink with his magic. “Alright, fine,” he said with a faint smile, taking a small sip. The tart sweetness spread across his tongue, offering a momentary reprieve from his heavy thoughts. “Thanks.”

“We just wanted to check in and see how you were doing,” Fluttershy said gently, her soft smile full of compassion. The others nodded in agreement, their concern evident.

“I’m fine,” Storm said, though his tone betrayed a hint of sadness. He set the lemonade down and straightened his posture, his gaze firm but distant. “Listen, guys. I know what you’re thinking, but... I don’t want to talk about my grandpa. Not right now.”

“Well, he’s said it! Come on, let’s go!” Scootaloo blurted out with an awkward grin, only to be shushed immediately by her friends. She groaned, muttering under her breath, “What? I was trying to help.”

Twilight stepped forward again, undeterred. “That’s not why we came,” she said, her voice calm and reassuring. “We brought you something.”

She gestured to Pinkie, who quickly bounced forward, a large bag balanced on her back. Setting it down beside Storm, Pinkie beamed, gesturing for him to open it.

“What’s in the bag?” Storm asked, raising an eyebrow as he eyed it skeptically.

“Go on, open it,” Applejack encouraged, her excitement evident.

Storm hesitated for a moment before using his magic to open the bag. Inside, he found an assortment of books, herbs, and trinkets. His eyes widened slightly, surprise flickering across his face.

“It’s your grandpa’s stuff from his younger days,” Twilight explained with a warm smile. “I wrote to your family, and Mythic and Sapphire sent this over. They thought it might help—whether it’s for your training or just... feeling closer to him.”

The others nodded, their faces bright with hope. But as Storm stared at the bag, his expression grew distant. He pushed it away gently, his voice quiet but firm. “Thanks, but... it doesn’t work that way.”

The atmosphere grew heavy as he rose from his seat, walking over to the weapons rack. He carefully placed the bo staff on its mount, his back turned to them. His voice, though steady, carried a weight of frustration and resolve. “I still need to get stronger. I’m not ready for this... not yet.”

The group exchanged glances, their earlier excitement now replaced by concern and sadness.

“Oh,” they murmured in unison, their voices barely above whispers.

Storm stood silently for a moment, his gaze fixed on the rack of weapons before him. He finally spoke, his tone softer but resolute. “I appreciate what you all are trying to do, really. But there are things I have to face on my own.” He turned slightly, just enough for them to catch the flicker of vulnerability in his crimson eyes. “I’m not trying to push you away, but... I just need time.”

"And why are you all still here, anyway?" Storm snapped, his voice now laced with anger. "I lied to you all, kept secrets about my past, and then blew up in your faces. Why are you still being nice to me?"

Twilight walked over to him and placed a hoof on his shoulder as she gave him a warm smile.

Twilight, unfazed by his outburst, walked over to him and placed a hoof on his shoulder. Her eyes met his with a gentle intensity. "Because, Storm, you weren’t being selfish or mean when you got angry. You were speaking from your heart, and we know you hate hurting any of us. You’ve been carrying so much inside, and we understand that. We’re here because we care about you, no matter what."

Storm stared at her for a few seconds before he smiled at Twilight.

"In the end, our friendship is something special because all seven of us were meant to be friends before any of us ever knew it," said Twilight and everyone smiled.

“Come here, y’all,” Applejack said, stepping forward and gesturing with her hoof. “Let’s have a group hug. And Storm, you’re in the middle. No arguing.”

Storm raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. “The middle, huh? Sounds like I don’t have much of a choice.”

“You don’t,” Applejack said with a smirk.

Before Storm could protest further, he found himself surrounded by his friends, their hooves wrapping around him in a tight, warm embrace.

“Alright, alright,” Storm muttered, a faint blush on his cheeks. “You’re all ridiculously clingy. But... I guess I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

"AWWW!" said the seven ponies together.

"I'm so glad we're friends!" said Fluttershy.

"Me too," said Storm.

"I love you guys!" said Pinkie.

"Awwww..." said Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle happily, touched by the moment.

Scootaloo was just irritated and grossed out.

"Ewwww...Gimme a break," said Scootaloo as she got to her hooves, "Come on, Crusaders! Maybe we just need to try zip lining again."

Scootaloo was then pulled back and sandwiched between Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom for a group hug. Scootaloo just looked rather annoyed.

"Hey, How about a song?" Fluttershy proposed.

Everyone gave some cries of approval, except for Scootaloo grew rather uneasy.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Scootaloo screamed as Fluttershy began to sing another tune.

Storm just listened quietly with a smile on his face as Applejack approached him.

"Feelin’ better, sugarcube?" Applejack asked Storm quietly.

"Yeah," Storm said, his voice calm. "I mean... I thought you all would’ve been upset after everything, but you guys really are the best friends I could ask for." He paused, his expression becoming more thoughtful. "One day, I’ll tell you everything... but for now, I just want to enjoy the bond we have."

Applejack nodded, wrapping a foreleg around his shoulders. "That’s the spirit. And don’t worry, Storm. I reckon your grandpappy would be proud of the stallion you’ve become."

Storm smiled as he and Applejack rejoined the others, the warmth of their friendship filling the room. They enjoyed the moment together, even as Scootaloo sulked in the corner, mentally recovering from yet another song

(Scene changes)

Later at the Grand Oaks Library, Twilight was having Spike write down their latest letter to Princess Celestia. Storm was there as well, busy wiping his katana swords clean.

"Dear Princess Celestia," Twilight recited,

"Today we learned something amazing. Everypony everywhere has a special magical connection with their friends, maybe even before they've met them. If you're feeling lonely and you're still searching for your true friends, just look up in the sky. Who knows? Maybe you and your future best friends are all looking at the same rainbow."

Twilight had started pacing about as she began to recite the letter but then finished by sitting against her window and looked out of it to see a rainbow in the sky. Spike was a little disgusted.

"Gross!" Spike remarked, "When did you get so cheesy?" Twilight just continued to look out her window.

"Just write it, Spike," said Twilight with her fore-hooves to her face as Spike just shrugged his shoulders and wrote her letter.

Storm chuckled from the table, glancing up as he slid his swords back into their sheaths. “I thought it was kinda poetic, actually. But hey, maybe I’m just a sucker for sentiment.”

Twilight turned her head toward him, her lips curving into a small smile. “Thanks, Storm,” she said before looking back out the window. A moment of silence passed before she spoke again, her tone more casual this time. “Storm.”

“Yeah?” he replied, standing up and stretching before heading toward her.

“Why don’t you take a break and sky-gaze with me for a bit?” she offered, gesturing to the space next to her on the ledge.

Storm tilted his head, surprised by the invitation, but then smiled warmly. “Alright, you talked me into it,” he said, walking over to join her. He leaned against the window, crossing his forehooves as his crimson eyes scanned the vibrant sky. “Not a bad view.”

They sat quietly for a moment, the soft rustle of Spike’s quill the only sound in the room.

“I wanted to tell you something,” Twilight said, breaking the silence. Her voice was calm, but there was a hint of nervousness in her tone.

Storm turned his head slightly, intrigued. “What’s on your mind?”

Twilight hesitated for a second, her gaze still fixed on the rainbow outside. Then she turned to face him, her expression sincere. “I never really said it before, but... even though you got over your crush on me, I want you to know that what you did back then—standing up for me during that test—was incredibly brave. And… I like you.”

Storm blinked, her words hitting him unexpectedly, yet warmly. He let out a quiet sigh, happiness bubbling up inside him. He wasn’t sure if she meant it as a friend or something more, but hearing those words...

"I like you..."

...made him feel like he was floating on clouds.

A quiet chuckle escaped his lips as he turned his head to meet her gaze. “I guess you’ve got a way of surprising me, Twilight,” he said, his voice soft but filled with warmth. “And hey... I like you too.”

Twilight smiled, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush as they both turned back to the sky. They sat in comfortable silence, side by side, watching the rainbow fade into the horizon.

(Scene changes)

Meanwhile, far away from the peaceful scene, Nemesis was watching from his orb. A sinister smirk spread across his face as he observed Storm and Twilight's tranquil moment.

"Don’t worry, Storm," Nemesis whispered, his voice dripping with malice. "You’ll be seeing your grandfather sooner than you think. It’s time to move forward with my plan."

Nemesis strode across the room, his dark cloak billowing behind him as he approached a small, eerie figure of Spike. He picked it up with his left hand, turning it over with a cruel smile.

"These fools think their friendship is so special, so untouchable..." he sneered, squeezing the figure in his grip. "I’ll take one of them away from Twilight. Starting with her precious little assistant. The baby dragon, Spike."

With a dark, satisfying crunch, Nemesis crushed the figure in his hand, letting the pebbles fall to the floor. His grin widened as he imagined the fear and desperation that would consume Twilight and her friends.

"When you're all alone, little Spike," Nemesis hissed, his eyes glowing with malice, "I’ll personally take you away from Twilight, and then… I’ll set the perfect trap for Storm. Once and for all!"

His wicked laughter echoed throughout the desolate, ancient ruins of Hallow Shades—the abandoned village where Nemesis had made his lair. The darkness of the village seemed to pulse with his sinister glee, foreshadowing the chaos he was about to unleash.

Next Chapter