The next day, the school bell rang, and several fillies and colts scrambled to get home. And as promised, Sketchy Clouds and Rainbow Light instead went to the Cutie Mark Camp.
When they got there, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were setting everything up. Scootaloo trotted forward to the pair.
"We're so glad you're here! We mostly get younger fillies and colts," she said while waving a hoof behind her to the other fillies and colts currently present.
"So, how does this all work?" Sketchy asked.
Sweetie Belle walked forward and replied. "We do several different activities, like painting, races, poems, etc."
The two markless pegasi nodded in understanding. "So let's get to it!" Rainbow exclaimed, but Apple Bloom shook her head.
"We can't get started until we make the banner, but we can't seem to make it look right." True to what she said, the banner had a bunch of blobs that were almost impossible to understand.
Sketchy's wings opened and fluttered. She took the paint brush and dashed up to the banner. In no time, the banner was painted, this time it was able to see what it had on it.
Sketchy gently glided down, her eyes closed. When she opened them, her face was met with a bunch of gaping ponies, staring at the piece of art.
"Uh, are you guys okay?" Sketchy asked.
Apple Bloom snapped out of her daze by shaking her head. She turned to Sketchy, eyes full of awe. "You just made the best piece of art I've ever seen!"
Sketchy blushed and scratched the back of her head. "Awe, it's nothing. I just have a thing for art. My mother says I might as well get a cutie mark outta it."
That gave Apple Bloom an idea. "So your talent is art, huh? Hm."
Sweetie Belle interrupted the conversation by getting the camp started. Sketchy and Rainbow sat down at an empty table just for their own sake - the younger ponies might laugh at them for not having their cutie marks.
Apple Bloom walked up to Sweetie Belle and whispered to her ear about her idea. “You know how Sketchy Clouds is good at art?” The yellow filly asked. “Well,” she continued, “Let’s give all the fillies and colts an art class.”
Sweetie Belle nodded, “Great idea Apple Bloom.” Sweetie got up on the stage of the camp and announced the first activity. “Here hee, here hee fillies and colts!” She exclaimed. “First of all, at our Crusaders Camp we’re all gonna do art first!” She then got down with Apple Bloom after she finished her announcement.
All the fillies and colts then squealed in delight as the CMC got out several different paints, along with brushes, and paint canvases.
“Ok fillies and colts, here is what you get to paint; it can be anything ya want,” Apple Bloom explained.
“You can all start painting now,” Scootaloo said.
Sketchy Clouds then picked up the paint brush. “So who should go first?” She asked Rainbow Light.
“You should, Sketchy. You're the one who’s amazing at art. Plus you're holding the paint brush,” Rainbow said in return.
“But what should I paint?” Sketchy asked.
“I've got an idea, paint me,” Rainbow Light replied. She then went in front of Sketchy. “I’ll stand here in a pose and you’ll paint me."
“Okay, then this seems easier now,” Sketchy Clouds replied. She started painting, which took longer than before.
After a while, the CMC got on the table once again. "Okay everypony! Time's up! Did anypony get a cutie mark, discovering what they're meant to do? Sketchy, how about you?"
Sketchy did show that she heard Apple Bloom, only the twitch of her ear showing that she at least heard something.
Sweetie Belle walked up to the focused pegasus slowly. She poked her side, but still getting no response. She glanced at Rainbow Light, who only shrugged her shoulders.
The room was quiet as they watched Sketchy Clouds paint, oblivious to the world around her. Suddenly, she shot up from her daze and exclaimed, "Haha! My best piece yet!"
Rainbow Light got up from her position she was in and stared at the portrait of her.
She gasped at what she saw. The colors were almost perfect, the mane and tail spot on, it was beyond Sketchy's skill level. At least that was what she thought before.
"Sketchy... this, this is amazing!"
All of the other kids gathered around to look at the piece of art, and were all in awe. The CMC stepped in the front, and even Apple Bloom was surprised.
"Thanks. Though the shadowing is a little too dark. And the background doesn't look as realistic as it should. But here, Rainbow. I want you to have this."
Rainbow's mouth dropped in surprise. "But you said this was your best piece yet!"
Sketchy nodded. "Yes, but I've realized after how everypony reacted after seeing my art that I know what I want to do." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle leaned in with a huge grin plastered across there face, hoping that their plan worked.
"I want to live to be an artist. Give away my art and see everypony smile and be happy. I feel like I need to do this. Just focus on making people happy with my art. So, I want to give this to you so you can smile."
As soon as she gave Rainbow Light the portrait of her, Sketchy's flanks glowed. Everypony gasped and stared.
When the light faded, everypony gasped again. Sketchy stared at her flank and smiled big enough that even would rival Pinkie Pie's smilies.
"My cutie mark..." Sketchy whispered, tears streaming from her eyes. "I, I got my cutie mark. I GOT MY CUTIE MARK!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!"
Tattooed on both sides of her was a paint brush leaving a trail of gold paint, with gold sparkles sprawled around the cutie mark.
Rainbow stared in awe. "Oh my Celestia! Good job, Sketchy! I'm so happy for you!" Rainbow Light looked away feeling sad.
Sketchy Clouds had no idea why Rainbow Light felt sad all of a sudden. “Hey, Rainbow? Are you ok?” She asked.
“Yeah it’s just that you got your cutie mark now and I haven’t,” Rainbow Light answered.
“Well what do you enjoy?” Sketchy asked.
“Well I wish I could do karate y’know go for a karate lesson since my mum thinks I’m tough and that one day I’ll become the world champion ship one day!” Rainbow explained.
“Y’know, Rainbow Light we Cutie Mark Crusaders might give you a karate lesson,” Apple Bloom said.
“Really?” Rainbow asked.
“Oh yeah, really! Totally!” Scootaloo replied.
Sweetie Belle went up to the Clubhouse again. “Here gee! Here gee! We will now fillies and colts!” Sweetie Belle was running out of breath she took a deep breath in and continued. “We will now do a karate lesson!” When she finished her announcement everypony went inside the dojo.
“Ok y’all fillies and colts let’s start off with some bassic moves,” Apple Bloom said.
After the karate moves everypony lined up to do their karate moves on the punching bag. Rainbow Light was doing very well she had really good techniques she was even top of the class and when the class was finished everypony lined up in the dojo and finally, something interesting was happening. Rainbow Light’s flank glowed and then something appeared near her flank it was her cutie mark it looked very nice it was non-chucks spinning around.
Rainbow Light jumped up and down. “I finally go my cutie mark! Sketchy! I finally got my cutie mark!”
“There you go, Rainbow Light and Sketchy Clouds you both got your cutie marks now you don’t have to worry about those bullies ever again!” Sweetie Belle said.
“Thanks, Crusaders!” Rainbow Light said.
“You’re welcome!” The Cutie Mark Crusaders said.
“Friends?” Sketchy asked.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders nodded. “Friends!” then they continued, “You’re now one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”
“Really?” Rainbow Light asked.
“Yeah!” The Crusaders replied.
Everypony put their hooves in and high fived. “We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders and here we come! Yeah!”
“Well we had fun with you guys hope to see you again,” Sketchy said.
“Yeah! Bye hope to see you again too!” Apple Bloom said.
“Bye!” Sketchy and Rainbow said.
“Bye!” The Crusaders replied.
As Rainbow Light and Sketchy Clouds went out of the Crusaders Camp they saw their two bullies that bully them and they saw Rainbow Light and Sketchy Clouds they walked over to them. “Hi, blank flanks!” The two bullies said.
“Who are you calling, blank flanks!” The two fillies said.
“We are!” The two bullies replied.
Rainbow Light and Sketchy Clouds showed their cutie marks. “Well we got our cutie marks too!” They both said.
“This can’t be!” Angelfire said.
“Yeah!” Shadowfleek replied.
“You see my cutie mark!?” Rainbow Light asked, “Yeah that’s right I know karate and if you don’t stay away from us I’ll have to do my karate moves on you!” Rainbow Light done her karate kick on them.
“Ouch!” The two bullies said.
“Ok, ok we’re sorry!” Angelfire said.
“Yeah! We’re sorry!” Shadowfleek said and the two bullies ran away.
“Yeah that’s right! You better run away fast to your, mummy!” Rainbow Light said.
“Good job! Rainbow Light!” Sketchy said and high fived Rainbow Light.
“Thanks! We better get home and tell our parents about this!” Rainbow Light said.
“Yeah! They’ll be so proud of us!” Sketchy replied.
“Bye, Sketchy!” Rainbow Light said.
“Bye, Rainbow!” Sketchy Clouds replied and they both hugged each other and both went home. “See you tomorrow!”
“You too!” Rainbow Light replied.