//------------------------------// // Ch. 5- Moonlight and the Cutie Mark Crusaders // Story: My Little Pony: The Rise of Warfang // by XFangHeartX //------------------------------// Meanwhile, at Sugarcube Corner, Moonlight was enjoying a batch of some freshly baked cupcakes, courtesy of Pinkie Pie. The filly lifted her head up from the pastry, a bit of pink buttercream icing on her nose, and the sight made Twilight and the others laugh. Starlight then used her magic to make a napkin levitate and wipe off the icing from Moonlight's nose. "Thank you, Starlight," said Moonlight. "How are the cupcakes?" Twilight asked. "They're yummy!" Moonlight exclaimed. "Thanks, Pinkie Pie!" "You're welcome!" Pinkie chirped. "Just don't eat too many. The last pony who did that popped like a balloon!" Moonlight froze just as she was about to eat another cupcake. "...That's not true, is it?" she asked. "Relax, kid," Rainbow Dash assured, putting a hoof on the filly's back. "Pinkie likes to kid around." "Phew!" Moonlight sighed in relief. "But still," Applejack began, "just be sure to how many you eat, or your belly's gonna be aching worse than my Granny Smith's back after lying on a rock." Just then, SMASH!! A soccer ball suddenly smashed through the window, causing everypony to yelp as they ducked under the table. The ball ricocheted off the table, against the display case, bumped against the railing of the stairway, and even off the ceiling before Rainbow Dash suddenly flew out and caught it in her hooves, just as a little bright red pegasus filly with a wavy, light orange mane and tail and a soccer ball for a cutie mark came running in. "This yours, kid?" Rainbow Dash asked as she handed the ball to the pegasus filly. "Yeah, thanks," said the filly. "Sorry about that. My name is Thumper! And guess what!" She then showed her cutie mark to the group. "I got my cutie mark, today!" "No way!" exclaimed Spike. "Congratulations!" Twilight praised. "Thanks!" Thumper replied. "I realized I wanted to be a great soccer player when I grow up, and teach other ponies about being a good sport! The Cutie Mark Crusaders helped me!" "The who?" Moonlight asked. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Thumper answered before she noticed Moonlight's flank. "Hey! You don't have your cutie mark yet, do you?" "Uh...no," answered Moonlight. "You should talk to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, then!" said Thumper. "They can help you get your cutie mark!" "They can?" Moonlight inquired. "Sure!" Thumper answered. "If they helped me, they can help you! Anyway, I gotta go! See ya later!" On that, she buzzed her little wings and flew out the door, but then stuck her head back in and said "Oh, and don't worry about the window! My Mom can fix that!" Then she left. "Good to see our local Cutie Mark Crusaders are still keeping busy," said Fluttershy with a slight giggle. "But who are they?" Moonlight asked. "Oh, they're three little fillies that are about your age," Twilight said. "They help fillies who haven't gotten their cutie marks yet find their hidden talents or what they want to be later in life." "There's Apple Bloom, my little sister," Applejack said with a bit of pride. "And there's Sweetie Belle, my sister," Rarity added. "And my little buddy, Scootaloo," Rainbow Dash chimed in. "Those three are always together, just like us!" Pinkie piped up. "Why don't you go and talk to them, Moonlight?" Starlight suggested. "I dunno," Moonlight said with slight hesitance. "I'll tell you what," Twilight said. "I'll go with you so you can talk to them. Sound okay?" "...Okay," Moonlight smiled. "And I'll go, too," Starlight added. "We'll all go," said Applejack. "As soon as we're done with these cupcakes!" Pinkie exclaimed before she swallowed the whole batch in one gulp. "Okay! We're ready!" The sight caused the group to laugh before they paid for the cupcakes and headed out to the Cutie Mark Crusaders' headquarters. XXX "Here we are," said Applejack as they all arrived in the "secret area" of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' headquarters. The group could hear giggling coming from inside it, so they knew that their three favorite fillies must be inside, perhaps revelling in their success that they had helped another one of their friends find her purpose, once more. "Well?" Twilight asked Moonlight, who looked up at her with hesitance, once more. "Go on and knock on the door." "...What if they don't like me?" Moonlight asked. "You never know until you go up and talk to them," said Twilight. "Besides," Rarity began, "what's not to like about you, darling?" "And if ya need anything, we ain't too far away," Applejack said. "We'll be on the farm if ya need anythin', sugarcube." A pause came, but then Moonlight took in a deep breath and walked up the ramp leading to the door, then knocked her hoof on it. "Umm...hello?" she called. "Just a minute!" a voice answered before the door opened, revealing Apple Bloom. "Hi! I'm Apple Bloom! Welcome to the Cutie Mark Crusaders headquarters! How can I help you?" "Uhh...well," muttered Moonlight. "I-I'm Moonlight Essence, and..." "Yeah?" Apple Bloom asked. "...Never mind," Moonlight said before she turned and walked away. "No, no, wait!" Apple Bloom called, causing Moonlight to stop and look at her. "It's okay! Don't leave!" "I'm sorry," Moonlight said as she turned to face Apple Bloom. "I just never talked with other foals my age...I'm not from around here, so..." "Oh, I see," Apple Bloom said with a kind smile. "Don't worry! I don't bite! Why don't ya come on in?" Moonlight looked to Twilight and the others, who all nodded their heads at her, which caused her to smile before she looked to Apple Bloom. "I'd love to," Moonlight said before she walked inside, which prompted Apple Bloom to shut the door. "So, anyone up for apple cider?" Applejack asked as she led everypony back to the farm. "Uh, YEAH!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "I'd love apple cider," Starlight answered. "Me, too!" Pinkie agreed. As they left, Twilight glanced back at the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse. "Twilight?" Spike asked, causing the alicorn to look at him. "She'll be okay, you know." "I know," said Twilight. "Still..." "You've grown really fond of her, haven't you?" asked Starlight. "And you haven't even known her that long." "I don't know why," said Twilight. "I guess...she's grown on me, somehow. I can't explain why." "Maybe you'll figure it out over time, Twilight," Rarity said...although she, along with Applejack, seemed to have these knowing smiles on their faces. Even Rainbow Dash had one, to Twilight's confusion. "What?" asked Twilight. "Oh, don't worry about it," Rainbow Dash answered. "Come on! Let's get some of that cider!" On that, the group headed back to the farm for the delicious drink. XXX "So your name is Moonlight Essence, huh?" asked Apple Bloom as she and Moonlight entered the clubhouse. "That's right," said Moonlight. "That's a pretty name!" Apple Bloom answered before she gestured to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, who were giggling together. "These are my two best friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo!" Upon hearing themselves being mentioned, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle turned and smiled. "Hi!" Sweetie Belle greeted. "How's it goin'?" asked Scootaloo. "Hi," Moonlight greeted back. "So...you guys are called the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" "That's right!" Scootaloo answered. "We help other fillies and colts get their cutie marks!" "And by the looks of it," Apple Bloom said as she observed Moonlight's blank flank, "it looks like you still haven't gotten yours yet." "Yeah," said Moonlight. "I'm still waiting for it to show up...but so far, nothing's happened yet." "Well, you can't just get it by waitin'!" Apple Bloom said. "Ya gotta find out what yer special talent is, or what yer meant to be when ya grow up!" "Twilight and...my sister said the same thing," said Moonlight with a bit of sadness in her voice, but not enough for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to notice. "So...how did you guys get your cutie marks?" "We got ours at the same time!" Scootaloo answered, showing off her cutie mark along with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. "See? They even look the same!" "But...what do your cutie marks mean?" asked Moonlight as she looked at them. "At first, we thought we had to find our cutie marks by finding out what our special talents were," Sweetie Belle answered, "but then we helped out one of our friends, Diamond Tiara, realize what her cutie mark is meant to do." "That's when we found out that our special talent is helping others discover what they're meant to be," said Apple Bloom. "We even started a summer camp to help other fillies and colts find their cutie marks!" Scootaloo added. "Wow...!" Moonlight whispered in amazement. "We just got through helping Thumper get her cutie mark, today," Apple Bloom said. "And we'll help you, too, if you want!" "And don't worry," said Scootaloo. "There's no big rush, right?" "...No," said Moonlight, a smile forming on her muzzle. "I guess there's not!" "See?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I think we're all gonna be really good friends!" "Oh! That reminds me!" Apple Bloom exclaimed before she went to a nearby box and picked up a familiar red cape with a blue emblem resembling a foal rearing up on their hind legs with a smile on their face. "Here! Put this on!" "What is it?" Moonlight asked. "It's the official Cutie Mark Crusaders emblem!" exclaimed Scootaloo. "Sweetie Belle made it herself!" "It's just something for you to wear until you get your cutie mark," said Sweetie Belle. "Wow, for me?" asked Moonlight as she put it on. "Thanks, you guys." "Just one more thing," Apple Bloom said as she went up onto the podium and banged the gavel. "We hereby nominate Moonlight Essence to be a new member and friend to the Cutie Mark Crusaders! What do ya say, Moonlight?" "...I'm...I'm honored," Moonlight said. "Thank you!" "Anyone opposed to this, say 'neigh'!" Apple Bloom said, and yet Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had no objections. "That settles it! Welcome to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Moonlight Essence!" "Yeah!" Scootaloo cheered. "Congratulations!" Sweetie Belle said as she hugged Moonlight, who seemed a bit taken back by the gesture, but then she laughed. "Boy," Moonlight said. "I can't believe it...first Twilight lets me stay at her castle...then she and her friends show me around and play with me...and then you guys wanna be my friends, too!" She then looked down at her necklace. "It must be my sister's lucky necklace." "Ooh~!" Sweetie Belle chirped. "It's pretty!" "Is that thing real gold?" asked Scootaloo. "Did yer sister really give that to ya?" Apple Bloom asked. "Uh-huh," Moonlight nodded. "She gave it to me to...to remember her by..." She then sighed sadly. "What's the matter?" asked Scootaloo, worriedly. "Something wrong?" "...I just...really miss my sister," said Moonlight. "She...and my parents...they're all..." Almost instantly, Apple Bloom approached her and gently put her hoof on her shoulder. "It's okay," Apple Bloom said. "You don't have to explain...my parents are gone, too." "Oh," Moonlight said. "I'm sorry, Apple Bloom." "Don't be sorry!" Apple Bloom replied. "They're in a better place, now, and that makes me feel better, even if they're not around, anymore. Besides, I got my big brother and sister, and my Granny to look after me!" "...You're lucky then," said Moonlight. "At least...you have someone to look after you, still...but I'm all alone." "No you're not!" Sweetie Belle countered. "You have us now, and Twilight and Applejack and Rarity, too!" "And don't forget Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo added. "She'll always have your back, and so will we!" Hearing that caused Moonlight to smile at the trio, who smiled back before they all gave her a reassuring hug. "Thanks, you guys," said Moonlight. "Hey!" Applejack exclaimed. "How about some nice, cold apple juice to celebrate?" "That sounds nice," Moonlight answered. "Yeah, and maybe tomorrow, we can work on you getting your cutie mark!" Scootaloo said as the fillies headed out the door. "Is there anything you like to do?" Sweetie Belle inquired as they all carefully walked down the ramp. "Well, I do like reading," Moonlight answered. "Oh! And I also like to paint!" "Readin', paintin'," Apple Bloom listed. "Hmm...those sound pretty good. What else do you like to do?" Moonlight opened her mouth to answer...but then her eyes caught sight of something from behind the bushes: a pair of icy blue eyes, glaring at her through the foliage, growling viciously...and she saw several others, looking through the shadows as well. "...Run...!" she whispered as she began to back away. "Ooh, running!" Scootaloo exclaimed, not really seeing the anxiety in the filly's eyes. "Maybe you could be a track star!" "Uh...Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked as she and Apple Bloom glanced back with nervousness. "I think she means-" Before the young pegasus could process what Moonlight meant, all of a sudden, a pack of wolves suddenly leapt out from the bushes with vicious barks, which caused the fillies to shriek as they began to gallop away, but the wolves were in hot pursuit and gaining fast. One of them even snapped at Sweetie Belle's tail, which caused her to yelp in fright as she kept running. "What are we gonna do?!" Moonlight questioned. "There's only one thing to do!!" Apple Bloom cried before she took in a deep breath and screamed at the top of her lungs, "APPLEJAAAAAAAACK!!!!" XXX Applejack put down a tray of apple cider for her friends, when all of a sudden, she gasped as she heard the sound of her sister, screaming her name. "That sounded like Apple Bloom!" she exclaimed. "RAAAAARITYYYYYYYYY!!!" "Sweetie Belle!!" Rarity cried in shock. "RAINBOW DAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!!!!" "Scoots!!" Rainbow Dash called, and on that, the group hurried outside. Once there, they found the Cutie Mark Crusaders, along with Moonlight, running right towards the barn as fast as they could, and not too far from them was the wolf pack! "Wolves!!" cried Starlight. "And they're wearing armor!" Spike added. "Just like Shining Armor warned us about!" As the Cutie Mark Crusaders kept running, the wolves began to draw closer and closer behind Moonlight, who gasped as she tried to pick up speed to get some distance away from them. Twilight gasped, as well, but then she growled as she flashed her horn, which caused her to vanish, before she then reappeared in between the wolves and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Then, she aimed her horn at the wolves and fired a beam at them, causing a cloud of smoke to appear...but when it dissipated, Twilight gasped upon seeing that the wolves looked entirely unfazed by the magic. They snickered, mockingly, as they began to advance toward Twilight, who gulped as she backed away, but just when one wolf lunged at her and the fillies...BAM!! A rainbow blur blitzed by and tackled him out of the air, causing him to grunt in pain as he felt to the ground. "Nice try, wolf breath!" Rainbow Dash shouted, and not long after, Applejack came charging with Big McIntosh, the former delivering a forceful kick to another wolf's jaw while the latter tackled them away with his strength. "Good job, Big McIntosh!" Applejack praised. "Eeyup," Big McIntosh replied. However, they didn't give up yet, for they got right back up. The ponies stood their ground while Rarity, Starlight, Pinkie Pie, and Spike joined them. As for Fluttershy, she hurried to get the fillies to safety. "Three earth ponies, three unicorns, a pegasus, and a puny dragon," said one of the wolves with a cocky smirk. "And there's 6 of us. Maybe you outnumber us...but as long as our Mage Slayer armor cancels out your silly magic, you unicorns don't have a chance." "Hahahahaha!" laughed another wolf. "Yeah! How do you think we slaughtered all those unicorns that were on their way to Canterlot?!" "So it was you," said Twilight. "What do you wolves want?!" "That's none of your business," said a third wolf before they wolves began to advance. "Let's just make this quick. So, boys, let's take our pick." "I'll take the white unicorn," said a wolf as he licked his chops. "She looks pretty dainty...should make for some tender eating." "Oh, well, how flattering," Rarity said, nervously. "The pink one should make for a nice dessert," said another wolf. "Uhh...which pink one?" asked Starlight as she glanced at Pinkie. "I dunno," said Pinkie. "Maybe he's talking about me?" "How about we save the princess for King Warfang?" asked the wolf leading them. "Who?" Twilight asked. "Look, you fleabags!" Rainbow shouted. "Nopony here is on the menu!" "Yeah, so y'all can just get back to where ya came from!" Big McIntosh demanded, stomping his hoof on the ground for emphasis. "We got enough trouble as it is with timber wolves, showin' up 'round here, now and then," said Applejack. "We don't need wolves like you around, makin' more of a ruckus!" "We weren't asking your permission," said the lead wolf. "Spike," whispered Twilight. "Get ready." Spike nodded his head before he glared at the wolves, who growled as they got ready to lunge. "Now!!" Twilight shouted, on that, Spike took in a deep breath and blew out a stream of green flames, causing the wolves to yelp in fear before they turned and fled. One wolf even had his tail caught on fire, which forced him to drag his hindquarters along the dirt in order to put it out. "Hahahahahaha!!" Rainbow Dash laughed as she pointed after the wolves. "See ya later, you mangy wastes of fur!!" "That was close," Applejack said as she and her brother stomped out any stray embers that might've gotten on the ground. "Thank you, Spike," said Rarity, causing Spike to blush as he scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, well...y'know," the little dragon said. However, it seemed that their victory was short-lived, for soon, the group could hear screaming coming from town. "WOLVES!!! THERE ARE WOLVES IN PONYVILLE!!!!" "...Uh-oh," Twilight whispered before she looked to Fluttershy and Big McIntosh. "There's trouble in town! Stay with the girls in case those wolves come back!" "We understand," Fluttershy answered. "Go." On that, Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Starlight, Pinkie, and Spike headed towards the town while the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Moonlight watched them, the latter looking very worried. "...Please be careful...!" she whispered.