Meanwhile, as the little fillies at Ponyville Elementary, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were currently discussing their next plans. As they got to their seats, they saw Ms. Cheerilee enter the building with another young filly trailing behind her. She was a blue coated pony with a tan colored mane and tail. Her greenish blue eyes were curious yet shy. The rest of her clothing, which was a vest, coat, shoes, and papercolt hat were all green.
"Who's that?" Scootaloo whispered, which was exactly what all the other young fillies in the room were thinking.
"Probably someone new," Sweetie Belle whispered back as an answer.
"Okay class," Ms. Cheerilee said, "Before we get started, I'd like to introduce you to our new student, who just moved here from Canterlot."
'Canterlot?' the crusaders thought in union.
"Hi everybody," the new pony said shyly. "My name is Shoter, and I hope that we can become the best of friends!"
"We will," Diamond Tiara said, "but we aren't newspapers." Most of the class started to laugh at it Diamond's obvious insult to Shoter's papercolt hat, a hat which Shoter loved. She started feeling hurt by her words, and her whole frame drooped.
Just then, D.T.'s laughing was cut off, by a ball of crinkled paper that was thrown at her head. Diamond Tiara then turned around to glare at whoever threw it. The Cutie Mark Crusaders sat behind her, whistling and acting nonchalant, an obvious sign of trying to act innocent. Diamond Tiara then heard Shoter giggling behind her, soon growing irritated.
"Alright, Shoter, your seat is next to Applebloom," Ms. Cheerilee started. "Applebloom, please raise your hoof."
Shoter saw a blond coated pony with a red mane held by a huge bow at the back wave her hoof. Quickly trotting as fast as she dared to without tripping, she avoided the stares that were at her.
"Haven't got a cutie mark either?" Apple Bloom whispered at her. A slow shake from Shoter answered her question. The two were cut off at Ms. Cheerilee.
"Applebloom, since Shoter is new to Ponyville , you can show her around."
Applebloom nodded wholeheartedly as she thought of an idea to include a new member to the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
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By the end of the school day, Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Shoter were close friends, something that Shoter was glad of. It was comforting to know that you had friends to count on.
Applebloom had discussed with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle about having Shoter as another member to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They didn't have a problem with it, as the more ponies in their group, the more ideas they would have to get their cutie marks.
"I'm really glad to have been friends with you guys," Shoter said, "I never been part of a club before."
"We're just glad to have a new member," Scootaloo said, "Especially one from Canterlot!"
"You know," Sweetie Belle said, "My sister's a friend of someone from Canterlot, and is the princess's faithful student, too!"
"Well, that nice," she said in a normal tone, "I guess that makes two people who are faithful students of the princess."
The crusaders, save for Shoter had then stopped in there tracks, eyes wide and confused. Shoter then turned around, to see them in their frozen state.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!" Applebloom stammered, "There's another faithful student of Princess Celestia?"
"Well, she can't just have one, can she?" Shoter said.
The three fillies were baffled by what they just heard. They then shook their heads and were about to continue on, when they saw a big and anonymous stallion, with a dark hood, started to approach them. Shoter was a bit confused at her friends' faces, more shocked then before, and turned to see what they were staring at.
As Shoter's face enlightened, she ran up and hugged his leg tightly.
"Hey Daddy!" she exclaimed.
The crusader's faces were even more shocked, when they heard Shoter. Hydra looked down at them, and smiled a bit.
"Shoter," Applebloom started, "This giant is your father?"
"Hey!" Shoter said, offended, "He's not fat!"
Hydra chuckled at his daughter's remark, as he patted her head.
"Shoter," he said, in a low, but calming voice, "It's alright. Besides, I don't think that's what she meant. But I'm at least glad you made some new friends."
"Oh yeah," Shoter said, releasing her father's leg, and gestures towards the crusaders, "Daddy, these are my friends. Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle."
"Well, I can definitely say, it's nice to meet you," Hydra said, removing his hat and bowing to them, showing his scarred face better.
The crusaders then gasped at the scars, and backed up a bit.
"What happened to your face?" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
Hydra then put his hat back on, and looked at them with the same calm expression. But as he was about to speak, they heard a trumpet blow, coming from town square.
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Right in town square, the citizens were on two sides. The pathway had been painted by the local pegasus of Ponyville, to show where it was going. Rainbowdash was confident and prepared to get on the move, but couldn't resist mugging for a couple pictures by the photographers. The newcomer looked at Rainbowdash, grunting at her, which she heard. She then turned with a bit of a glare, which didn't seem to affect him.
"What, you got a problem with something?" she said with a bit of harshness.
"Yeah," the challenger said, "You're too cocky. Keep that up, and you're bound to lose."
Rainbowdash grew angrier about that, and turned away to her path of travel, just begging the race to start. She saw that Twilight and the others had front row seats to it. Twilight was the only one who had a worried expression on her face, so she was very uncertain about the race.
"You okay, Twi?" Applejack asked, concern.
"Yeah," Twilight said, barely a whisper, "I just hope Rainbowdash doesn't get too full of herself, racing this guy."
"I know!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, "He may be fast, but he's really selfish!"
"Well, I knew that from the start," Rarity said, getting the others interested and a bit confused, "I mean, look at him. His wardrobe is so...lifeless."
Rarity then saw her friends facehoof, in annoyance.
"Hey, Rarity, Applejack," Fluttershy said, pointing over to the other side, "Aren't those your sisters over there?"
The others then turned to see that on the other side, Hydra and the crusaders where pushing and shoving their way through practically all of the citizens, to see the race go on.
"Probably, making friends with the new family in town," Pinkie Pie suggested, then looking at her watch, "Ooh! I almost forgot! I have sky duty in a few minutes. See ya!" With that, Pinkie left.
As for Twilight, she could detect the crusaders, but couldn't make out who the figure they were on was. She couldn't see him well, due to his hat and cloak, but his aura had a slight presence to him.
'Who is that?' she thought, 'I know I've seen him before, but from where?'
On the other side, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo had no idea who the challenger was, but when they Hydra's solemn expression accompanied by Shoter's worried one, they assumed that they knew who he was.
"This can't be good," Hydra's low, husky voice was barely above a whisper, but the "mystery challenger" could hear him clearly.
The challenger then turned to where he heard the voice, to see Hydra, Shoter, and the young crusaders. His eyes softened a bit, but quickly faded, when he heard the horns signal for it to be ready. Right up at the podium of Town Hall, Spike approached it, tapping the microphone, testing if it works.
"Fillies and gentle-colts!" he started, "This race is set to determine the fastest of all of Ponyville! Our challengers consist of Ponyville's very own, Rainbowdash and the mysterious newcomer!"
Everyone had then started to cheer for Rainbowdash, as the pegasus couldn't help but wave to the citizens. She was interrupted, however, by a sudden grunt from the challenger.
Scootaloo, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle looked at Hydra, who was not pleased about the situation, and Shoter, who looked very intrigued by the race.
"Excuse me, Mr. Mythro," Applebloom said, getting Hydra's attention, "but do you know that pony racing Rainbowdash?"
Shoter quickly caught on to what her friends just asked, and started to grew a bit nervous. Hydra kept the same expression on his face, as he turned to the trio.
"Apparently, I do," he said, in a low tone, then turning back to the race, "He's my son, Bishop."
The crusaders were then wide-eyed, as they turned back to the race. The young looking stallion, Bishop, is Hydra's son, and Shoter's Brother? They thought, this would be an interesting race then.
Suddenly, Derpy came up in between the racers, holding a flag in her mouth.
"Racers, in position!" Spike announced.
Rainbowdash then positioned herself, flapping her wings at a fast rate, digging her hooves into the ground a bit.
"Don't flap so much," Bishop stated, calmly adjusting his wings at a certain point.
"What are you talking about?" Rainbowdash exclaimed, irritated.
"You're over-preparing yourself. You'll only make yourself slower."
"Oh, what do YOU know!"
Rainbowdash then turned back, getting prepared.
"On your marks..."
She was eager to win this.
"Get set..."
Derpy then raised the flag up, as the sun shined down upon them. Soon, Derpy lowered the flag down to the ground...
"GOOO!"
And with that, the two of them were off, leaving a huge dust cloud behind them. As it cleared up, with many citizens coughing, Twilight then noticed a hat in the road. Using her magic, she brought the hat to her, to examine it. The more she did, the more her eyes widened.
"Isn't that the guy's hat?" Applejack asked.
"Let me see!" Rarity exclaimed.
After Twilight finished examining it, Rarity had quickly snatched the hat, and was looking at it with awe.
"I don't believe it!" she exclaimed. "I've never seen such a piece of felt put so well together, WITHOUT any sew marks!"
"Actually, I've seen them many times before," Twilight stated, "They're usually given to members of the Equestrian Army."
Rarity and the others were then wide-eyed at what they heard.
"Wait...does that mean..." Applejack started, but couldn't.
"That's right," Twilight said, "Rainbow's up against a member of the Equestrian army!"