//------------------------------// // Learning From The Masters // Story: Cutie Mark Crusaders: The Next Generation // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// It had been a full year since the new Cutie Mark Crusaders had banded together. Everything they had tried to discover their special talents, every opportunity they had taken, had all failed miserably. Under normal circumstances, the anniversary of the day three friends first met would be cause for jubilation. For the Cutie Mark Crusaders however, it was just a reminder of their constant failures. "A whole year of searching for our special talents, and what do we have to show for it?" Pound asked despondantly. "Nothing!" "At this rate, we'll never get our Cutie Marks." Pumpkin sighed. "Everypony else in our class has one. Heck, Rainbow Flash and Thunder Storm got theirs nearly two months before we even met!" "I wonder what the original Cutie Mark Crusaders did at a time like this?" Cream Puff wondered out loud. "That's it!" Pound leapt up. "Cream Puff, you're a genius!" "I am?" Cream Puff asked. "She is?" Pumpkin asked. "She is!" Pound smiled. "I can't believe we never thought of this before; We ask the original Cutie Mark Crusaders how they got their Cutie Marks!" "I see what you're getting at, bro." Pumpkin grinned. "There's nothing like learning from the masters, is there?" "Well, what are we waiting for?" Cream Puff asked. "Let's go!" The first of the former Cutie Mark Crusaders was easy enough to find: Apple Bloom still made her home in Sweet Apple Acres. In fact, it was she who answered the Crusaders knock on the door. "Well, well." She smiled. "Ah wus wondering when y'all'd come a'knockin'." Apple Bloom led them to the living room. After the young ponies had taken a seat, Apple Bloom brought in four slices of zap apple pie from the kitchen. "So, yer the new Cutie Mark Crusaders, huh?" She asked, one eyebrow raised. "We, uh, didn't to, you know, rip off the name, or anything..." Pound rubbed the back of his head. "Relax." Apple Bloom smiled. "Ta be honest, we're actually honored you three took on the name. It's good ta know yer carryin' on with our noble cause." "Thanks." Cream Puff smiled. "We came here because we were hoping that you'd tell us-" Pumpkin started. "How ah got mah Cutie Mark?" Apple Bloom finished. "With pleasure. When ah was a filly, me and mah friends searched high an' low, lookin' for our special talents. What ah didn't know wuz that mah special talent wus right under mah nose the whole time!" "What do you mean?" Pound asked though a mouthful of zap apple pie. "Well, one day, there wuz this nasty storm, and our poor barn wuz torn right in half!" Apple Bloom comtinued. "Then Big Mac and Applejack got to work fixin' it. But it wus such a big job, they needed me to help out. Cuz ah was still a young filly at the time, mah big bro and sis didn't let me near the ol' hammers an' saws, mostly havin' me carry stuff, but once the barn was up on all four walls, they pretty much let me do all the interior decoratin' by mahself! By the time ah was done, we ended up with the best-lookin' barn in Equestria! Everypony wus congratulatin' me on a job well done, and then it finally hit me: Decoratin' was mah special talent! A second later, this little number popped up on mah flank!" Apple Bloom pointed out her Cutie Mark: An apple surrounded by flower petals. "So ya see, sometimes your special talents could be somethin' you already have, but don't recognise fer what they are." She finished. After finishing their pies, the Crusaders thanked Apple Bloom and departed from the house. "That was such a neat story." Cream Puff smiled. "Not all that helpful, though." Pound grumbled. "Could be something we already have, but don't recognise... Pretty zen, but kinda lackin' in the ol' specifics department." "I know where to go next." Pumpkin led the others. "I guarantee she'll give us a straight answer." The Crusaders headed for a small cloud house on the outskirts of Ponyville. They intended to call their intended target down, but she came to them first. "Look out below!" Cried out the purple-and-orange blur as it rose over the cloud's edge, and down towards them. Pound pushed Cream Puff out of the way just in time, landing awkwardly on top of her. "Um, sorry." He blushed. "Don't be." Cream Puff smiled, her own face a tad flushed. "I mean, you did save me after all." "Sorry about that, kid." Said the purple-and-orange blur, usually known as Scootaloo, as she dismounted from her scooter. "Guess that new trick kinda got away from me, huh?" "Hello, miss Scootaloo." Pumpkin greeted her. "We're-" "The new Crusaders on the block." Scootaloo smirked. "I've heard some good things about you guys." "We were hoping if you could tell us how you finally got your Cutie Mark." Cream Puff asked. "Want a few pointers, do ya?" The tomboyish pegasus chuckled. "Then listen up: When it came to flying, I was a real late bloomer. My folks got me my first scooter so I could take my mind off it. I got the hang of that lump of wood pretty quickly. Before I knew it, I was pullin' off all kinds of stunts. One day, I woke up with this funny twitch in my wings. I didn't think much of it, 'til I was on my scooter. I accidentally made a jump bigger then I could handle. Just before I could go splat, my wings starting twitching like crazy. I opened 'em, and next thing I know- flap, flap! I was flying! I flew up, still hanging on to my scooter, and once I realised just what I had happened, I pulled off a few a few victory moves. Swooping, diving, spinning, the works! Pretty much the second I landed my scooter, a bunch of ponies came up to me. They'd seen the whole thing, and thought it was awesome! They asked me if I could do it again for some friends of theirs. Next thing you know, I'm pulling all kinds of tricks for my adoring public, and 'POOF!' This little baby finally appears!" Scootaloo pointed out her Cutie Mark: A scooter with wings. "And that's how yours truly became Ponyville's first scooter stunt flier!" Scootaloo declared. "Sometimes, your special talent is a mix of a new trick with something else you already know. Now, since you came all the way out here, I think you've earned these." Scootaloo gave each of the Crusaders an autographed photo of herself. "Wow, thanks!" Pound smiled. "You can thank me by never giving up, kiddo." Scootaloo winked. Mounting her scooter, she flew back up to her cloud home. "Well, that was a little more helpful." Pumpkin smiled. "Just one more stop to make!" Cream Puff declared. The final member of the original CMC was slightly more elusive. Her career sent her all over Equestria; Fortunately, she liked to come back to Ponyville as often as possible, and it was common knowledge where she liked to visit during that time. Knowing this, the CMC made a beeline for Carosel Boutique. "Well, hello." Rarity answered their knocking. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" "Could we speak with your sister, please?" Pumpkin asked. "I'm afraid Sweetie Belle has had a long trip, and cannot-" Rarity started. "It's okay, sis." Sweetie Belle appeared at the door. "I think I know what they're after." After letting the Crusaders in, Rarity retired to another room, giving them some privacy. "Let me guess, newbies." Sweetie Belle smiled. "The story of how I got my Cutie Mark?" "Yes, please!" The three nodded. "Okay, then." Sweetie Belle smiled. "When I was a filly, I had a pretty good singing voice. But I was terrified of singing in public. Well, one day, our whole class was going to sing in a show for the whole town. We would be going one at a time. I was sooo nervous, I did everything I could to get out of it. All my plans failed, so I decided to just run and hide. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo found me, and convinced me to go on stage, telling that they believed in me, and so did Rarity and our parents. I got up on stage, looked at everypony out there, and was still terrified. But I didn't want to let my friends and family down, so I started singing. It was a little rough at first, but once I realised everypony was enjoying my singing, I really got into it. Once I finished, practically the whole town was cheering. I'd never felt more happy in my life. It was then that I realised my Cutie Mark had finally appeared." Sweetie Belle pointed out her Cutie Mark: A bell with a pink ribbon tied around it. "So you see, you musn't let fear hold you back." Sweetie Belle smiled. "If I had, I'd never have become one of the best singers in Equestria." "That was a great story!" Pound smiled. "Thanks!" Pumpkin grinned. "It's getting late, guys." Cream Puff stated, noting the setting sun. "We should be getting home." "Goodbye, and good luck!" Sweetie Belle called after the Crusaders as they departed. "Okay, we got ourselves some great advice from old pros." Pound declared. "Tomorrow, no matter what, we are finally gonna earn our cutie marks!" "Hear, hear!" Pumpkin cheered. "See you then, guys." Cream Puff smiled, trotting over to her house. The Crusaders went to bed that night with a sense of impending destiny; They truly believed they were on the brink of discovering their special talents.