Lightning Blossom

Chapter 8: A New Crusader?

After a few weeks of treatment Rainbow was let out of the hospital, on the condition that she stay with Big Mac at the farm. Obviously she didn't want to do that, seeing as Applejack most likely hated her guts now, but she had no choice, it was that, or stay at the hospital forever. When she left the hospital they gave her a coat, mainly to protect her from the cold rain that had been scheduled for that day, but it was quite helpful as it covered her missing cutie mark from anypony who might see it. Rainbow decided to cut through the trees on her way to Sweet Apple Acres, hoping that it would mean that no pony would see her at all, thereby keeping her missing cutie mark a complete secret, with no chance of anypony finding out. Yet, things don't always go as planned, and today things were certainly going to go awry.

Just as Rainbow came close to the farm she heard somepony's hoofsteps behind her, and when she turned around they stopped, yet no pony was there. She felt like she was being watched from all over, and all of them were staring at the coat that she had on, as if they knew it was covering something up. Ignoring it for the time being she continued on her way, but after a few minutes the hoof steps became obvious again. Right then she felt something heavy land on her back.

"RAINBOW DASH!" Scootaloo shouted happily as both her and Rainbow fell to the ground, getting a pained grunt out of Rainbow. Rainbow continued to lay on the ground in pain as Scootaloo hopped off, taking the coat with her by accident.

"Hey, guys, isn't there something missing there?" Sweetie Belle asked, and Rainbow knew she was pointing at her blank flank. The girls quickly started to examine Rainbow's flank, trying to find the cutie mark they had all grown to know and love, or any sign that she had put something on it to cover it up, but after a few minutes they realized the truth.

"She's a blank flank?!" the three of them cried, Scootaloo being the loudest. He idol's cutie mark was missing, she felt as if her life was a lie now, but the surprise quickly wore off as curiosity crept into their minds.

"How could she lose her cutie mark?" Applebloom asked, now noticing that Rainbow's wings were missing as well, "Is it because she had her wings amputated?" The three Crusaders thought about how that would work, but eventually they all came to the same conclusion. It didn't matter, Rainbow could now join their club and it would be totally awesome and fun.

"Hey Rainbow, want to become a Crusader?" Scootaloo asked happily, barely able to contain her excitement. If Rainbow became a Crusader they could hang out all the time, and have lots of fun, maybe they'd even get cutie marks together! Scootaloo actually started to shake as she thought about how much fun it would be, which earned her a few confused looks from the other Crusaders.

"Yeah, wouldn't it be fun, trying to get our cutie marks together?" Sweetie Belle said, trying to ignore Scootaloo as she bounced up and down like a mini Pinkie Pie. Rainbow looked at the three of them like they were crazy, but she knew why they were asking, especially Scootaloo. She was their idol in a ways, and the chance to spend time with her like this was something of a dream, mainly for Scootaloo, so she really couldn't blame them, but it was still a strange offer.

"Let me think about it okay?" Rainbow asked, giving the three of them a hopeful look, which they returned with smiles. They knew that this wasn't a no, or a yes, it just meant that there might still be a chance that she'll join the Cutie Mark Crusaders if she's given a good enough reason to do so. Content with her answer the Crusaders ran away, probably to try some absurd thing to try and get their cutie marks. From the sounds of it, they were currently trying to get their marks in cloud watching, a pass time that Earth ponies had created so they could catch the hilarious cloud shapes that Pegasi would make when they got lazy or bored.

"I wonder what it'd be like, to be a Crusader like them..." Rainbow thought out loud as she turned to head onto Sweet Apple Acres, running right into Big Mac and Applejack having an argument.

"When were ya plannin' on telling me she was stayin' here from now on?!" Applejack shouted, her southern accent really coming out the louder her voice was. Big Mac stood his ground against his sister's shouting, which surprised Rainbow, usually he would back down and try to appease her.

"I didn't know until today!" Big Mac shouted back, "If I had known I woulda told ya earlier!"

"Oh come on, we both know that's a load a..." Applejack continued to shout, trailing off as she saw Rainbow in the corner of her eye, "Looks like it's too damned late, she's already fucking here!" Big Mac turned to see Rainbow giving him a worried look, and he started to walk over to her, but not before shooting Applejack a look that said that they'll talk later. Rainbow loved Big Mac more than anything in the world, but she couldn't stand seeing his family falling apart like this over her. Although she knew he would always pick her side in a fight, even against his sister, this couldn't keep happening, it had to stop now.

"Mac, can you please stop fighting with your family because of me?" Rainbow asked before giving Big Mac a kiss, which she hoped would soften his mood. Sadly it didn't and her statement only made him angrier.

"Rainbow, you know Applejack's not going to let you stay here, even if I'm the one who owns the farm" Big Mac said seriously, looking Rainbow right in the eyes so the point could easily get across.

"Then I'll show her that I deserve to stay here!" Rainbow said arrogantly, "The zap apple harvest starts in a few days, right?" Big Mac nodded slowly, not quite understanding why she was asking until everything she said clicked in his head. Rainbow planned to use the zap apple harvest as a way to show Applejack that she could stay on the farm, and that it would be beneficial to everypony.