After it was decided that the Cutie Mark Crusaders needed to act on their own in order to accomplish their multiple objectives, they quickly acted. While Sweetie Belle was going to deal with retrieving the magic watch that was dropped by the mysterious stallion, while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo would take care of Sunny and Atlanta.
By lunch time, the students were at the cafeteria eating. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo stood by the entrance, looking to their respective missions.
“Ah can’t wait fer Sunny tah go tah the greenhouse so Ah can start helpin’ her in getting’ her Cutie Mark” Apple Bloom said, looking to Sunny talking with Midnight, Silver Wind, Gust and Gallus.
“You’re excited because your mission is easy… compared to mine, at least” Scootaloo said, watching Atlanta with her friends. “Why couldn’t Sweetie Belle work with that brat? After all, she was the one to help Diamond Tiara, so she already has the experience.”
“Come on, Scootaloo, a little challenge doesn’t harm anyone” Apple Bloom replied. “And here was Ah thinkin’ ya lov’d dares.”
“Hey, there are dares and then there are impossible missions” Scootaloo said. “I’ve already seen that filly do things Diamond Tiara wouldn’t do… I think.”
Apple Bloom chuckled, while rolling her eyes.
During the afternoon, the targets of their respective missions ended their classes of the day. While Scootaloo decided to watch Atlanta from afar in order to discover in what she needed help with, Apple Bloom went to the greenhouse, where she found Sunny and Midnight trying to decide which magic plants they would going to grow.
“Howdy, gals” she greeted.
“Apple Bloom!” the twins exclaimed, surprised.
“What are you doing here?” Midnight asked.
“Well, Ah’ve been told that ya had this Enchant’d Gardening club an’ Ah decid’d tah come observe it” Apple Bloom said. “Who knows if Ah can turn this into an activity for all the students.”
“Really?” Sunny asked, staring to get excited. “That’s good, because my knowledge about magical plants is not that big and it appears nopony else wants to join in.”
“Yeah, and with Silver Wind out to be with her dad, this place is a little… empty of ponies” Midnight said. “I think gardening is not very interesting to anycreature.”
“Well… what if we made Enchant’d Gardenin’ appear even more interestin’?” Apple Bloom suggested.
The twins traded a look and Sunny asked:
“And how do we do that?”
“Well, Ah heard from Professor Knotgrass that ya possess a wood nature” Apple Bloom commented.
“So what?” Sunny asked.
“So this” the Crusader replied, summoning her dream cloak.
Looking at that cloak, Sunny recognized it from that time at the cave when Gallus and Gust were captured by those zombie pirates.
“I saw that before…” Sunny said.
“It’s a dreaming cloak” Midnight explained to her sister. “Each of the Cutie Mark Crusaders has one. Allows them to search for talents in need.”
“Really?” Sunny asked, impressed. “Wow…”
Apple Bloom was relieved that Midnight explain it to Sunny without mentioning her mission and the others’ regarding Neverland. After taking a breath, she continued:
“Mah cloak also reveals some ov mah hidden abilities, like wood nature” Apple Bloom explain, while making some branches from nearby plants approach her and then making some flowers to bloom.
“That’s… amazing!” Sunny exclaimed. “I also want to do that.”
“Well, Ah can give ya a few tips on dah subject” Apple Bloom told.
“Really?!” Sunny asked, excited. “Great!”
“Let’s get start’d, then” Apple Bloom said, smiling to see everything was going according to plan.
Meanwhile, Scootaloo was observing Atlanta, waiting to see something that could told her what talent related problem she had. However, she couldn’t find anything that could lead her to that. The only thing she saw Atlanta doing was hanging out with her friends and trash talking with them about some students, including the twins. But why would their dream vision tell them to help Atlanta when she didn’t look like needing any help?
“Why me…?” she said to herself. “Why do I have always to get the boring tasks?”
It was then that she saw Atlanta saying goodbye to her friends and then moving away. That caught Scootaloo’s attention, as she was heading away of the academy and towards the woods around it.
“Hello there…” she said, taking off and following her. “But where a snobbish filly like you is going to in the woods?”
She followed Atlanta for some time until they reached a small outbuilding. Landing quietly on a branch, Scootaloo observed the filly taking a key with her magic and then opening the outbuilding, getting inside and closing the door.
“It would appear little Atlanta just got a little more interesting…” Scootaloo commented.
She landed and approached quietly the outbuilding. Stealthily, Scootaloo looked through the window and become amazed for what she saw. The all room was filled with different kind of clocks and watches. Even from outside, Scootaloo could hear their tic tac. It was then that she saw Atlanta, sitting at a table… doing what appeared to be fixing some clocks. But that was not the most unsettling part, but her Cutie Mark that had changed into a clock surrounded by gears.
“Oh… my… Celestia!” Scootaloo exclaimed.
It would appear that Atlanta heard that slightly, as she turned her head around to the window. Fortunately, Scootaloo was fast enough to low herself and avoid being detected. Atlanta, thinking she must have imagined things, continued what she was doing.
“I can’t believe it…” Scootaloo said. “Atlanta is a watchmaker and is hiding her talent and real Cutie Mark from everyone… Okay, now I don’t think this task is boring.”
Back at the greenhouse, Apple Bloom was trying to teach Sunny to use the wood nature, however it would appear the latter was having a few difficulties. After failing to control some vines, she said:
“This is useless! I can’t do it!”
“Of course ya can” Apple Bloom said. “Ya jest have tah be patient an’ perseverant.”
“You’ll see you’ll get, Sunny” Midnight said. “You have a great talent for magic, just like mom and Star.”
“Well… perhaps you could give a tip” Sunny told to her sister. “After all, you already used your double nature.”
“If you have forgotten, I used her in a moment of anger” Midnight replied to her. “And even if I remembered how I did it, I would not use it to show you how it is done. After all… I hurt you with it, remember?”
Sunny noticed she upset Midnight by remembering her what happened and so said:
“I’m sorry, Midnight. I forgot that you…”
“It doesn’t matter” Midnight replied, making a reassuring smile. “But I feel bad to not be able to help you.”
“Maybe ya can’t give Sunny some advice, but perhaps Ah can” Apple Bloom said, turning then to the older twin. “Ah was hopin’ ya would be able tah perform dah wood nature by instinct, but Ah guess it was a long shot. Here some advice that was given tah me: close yer eyes an’ try tah feel dah plants around ya. Try tah reach them with yer magic an’ let them get one with it. Once that happens, yall be able tah command them. As long yer magic an’ dah plants are one, yall be able tah control them with yer wood nature.”
Sunny did as Apple Bloom told her. Closed her eyes and focused, taking deep breaths as she tried to connect with the plants around her. Slowly, she accessed to her magic, making her horn to glow, and extended that magic to the plants. Feeling the magic reaching the plants, Sunny tried to make them absorb it and then implanted on them her will. As soon she did that…
“Sunny, you’re doing it!” she heard Midnight shout.
The light twin opened her eyes and saw with great glad that some plants started to extend her branches to her.
“I’m doing it!” she exclaimed happily. “I’m really doing it!”
But then all stopped.
“Oh no…” Sunny said, disappointed. “Looks like I talked too soon.”
“Don’t ya worry” Apple Bloom said. “Ya’re doin’ it right. It is difficult tah control a nature like this one. Ah can use mine ‘cause Ah’ve learn’d tah use it in times ov need. Ya’re doin’ okay, Sunny. Jest keep goin’ and yall get there.”
She nodded and then proceeded to repeat what she had just done.
Scootaloo, while watching Atlanta fixing clocks, decided it was for the best to confront her. She headed to the door and knocked. Atlanta became nervous after hearing that. She thought that no creature knew about that isolated outbuilding that she was using as her office.
“Come on, Atlanta, I know you’re in there” Scootaloo said. “Open up, I need to speak with you.”
It took a few moments, but eventually the door opened and Atlanta appeared.
“What is this? Now the assistant coach is following me?”
“Not exactly” Scootaloo replied, while getting inside. “I saw you getting out of the academy’s ground in a way it looked you didn’t want to be followed and… Well, let’s just said curiosity is one of my biggest traits.”
Now that she was inside, Scootaloo could now see the room with better attention. Now that she gave a closer look, she noticed that many of the clocks that were there were broken.
“Wow… are these clocks yours?” Scootaloo asked.
“I don’t want to be disrespectful to a member of the school staff, but that is not of your business” Atlanta replied, keeping her arrogant look.
“And I believe that is not of my business that you have a different Cutie Mark than the one you show to everypony?” Scootaloo asked.
That observation caused some discomfort to Atlanta.
“Why do you hide your Cutie Mark from everyone, Atlanta?” Scootaloo asked. “Are you ashamed of it? Or… it’s your uncle and aunt?”
“No!” Atlanta replied, a little offended. “They… They don’t even know that… this is my real Cutie Mark.”
There was a pause and then Atlanta sighed and told:
“I got my Cutie Mark when I was in Canterlot and found an old clock in an antique store. When I saw it there, broken, I don’t know why, but I couldn’t help but…”
“Try to fix it?” Scootaloo asked, while Atlanta nodded with her head. “But, Atlanta, that’s amazing. You know how your talent is quite rare? I mean, you can fix antique clocks.”
“Yeah, but try to tell my family that my talent isn’t… Well, anything that the elite can really appreciate.”
“Wait, they told you that or that is just in your head?” Scootaloo asked.
Seeing that Atlanta didn’t say anything, she said:
“That was what I thought.”
“So?” Atlanta asked, coldly. “That is not your business, so do you mind in leaving so I can get some peace and quiet?”
Scootaloo realized that her mission was to make Atlanta appreciate her talent and Cutie Mark and help her reach her full potential. But how could she do that when Atlanta was refusing her help for that? It was then she got an idea. The pegasus Crusader advanced to the exit, but then stopped and said:
“You know, the academy’s clock tower is in need of a fix. The headmistresses were to fix with magic, but the gears appear to be resisting their magic.”
“So what?” Atlanta asked. “It’s not like it’s my job to maintain the academy.”
“Yeah, but I thought you’d be up to the challenge” Scootaloo replied. “But I guess I overestimated your ability, right?”
Scootaloo prepared to get out, confident her words had reached Atlanta’s ego. When she was about to get out, she heard Atlanta saying:
“Okay, okay… Show me the way.”
The pegasus mare made a smile and turn to the young filly, telling her:
“Follow me, then.”
At the greenhouse, Apple Bloom has been teaching Sunny how to use the wood nature. After a few tips and some tries, Sunny was finally doing it. Her control over the plants in the greenhouse using the wood nature had grown considerably, with them sprouting and spreading their branches and their flowers blooming.
“That’s it!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “Ya’re doin’ great!”
“Keep going, Sunny!” Midnight incentivated.
“I can feel it…” Sunny said, while using her magic. “The plants… It’s like I can do more than just controlling them. I can… hear them, feel what they feel. It’s amazing!”
There was a flash of light on her flank and Midnight, seeing that, called:
“Sunny, look!”
She look at her flank and what she saw caused her to cease her magic, making the plants to return to their original state. Sunny had got her Cutie Mark, with it being a sunflower looking like the sun.
“My Cutie Mark! I got my Cutie Mark!”
“I’m so happy for you, Sunny!” Midnight exclaimed, going to hug her.
“Thanks, Midnight” Sunny thanked, while finishing the hug and turning to Apple Bloom. “You knew this would have happen, didn’t you? That was the reason why you came here, to help me, right?”
“Guilty” Apple Bloom admitted. “Sorry, but Ah couldn’t resist. Ah saw a great potential in ya fer plants after gettin’ tah know about yer wood nature, so Ah decid’d tah take a leap ov faith.”
“And for that I have to thank you” a voice said.
The three of them turned around and found Smee that was with three of his zombie pirates.
“You just matured another talent for our beloved Queen” Smee added.
Seeing them, Apple Bloom positioned herself in front of the twins and said:
“Ah can’t believe that ya dar’d comin’ here tah dah academy.”
“Well, we heard that you Crusaders had gone different ways and that Prince Star Knight wasn’t here, so we decided to take our chance” Smee said. “Now, step aside from the Light Twin.”
Sunny got a little nervous when she heard Smee referring her.
“Ah think ya know mah answer tah that”Apple Bloom replied, preparing to fight.
“Yeah, I was expecting that answer” Smee replied. “Let’s see if you can deal with my zombie pirates all by yourself. Go!”
And the zombie pirates advanced to face Apple Bloom.
At the clock tower, Atlanta was trying to fix it, with Scootaloo watching. As she was doing it, Scootaloo noticed that Atlanta seemed to be having fun while doing it and that caused her to get happy for her. After some time, Atlanta ended up finishing with the gears and then said:
“Okay, let’s see if it works.”
She pulled the lever that allows the clock to work and the gears started to move. When the big pointer reached the number twelve, the figures of the clock started to move, managing to make them work properly.
“Yes!” Atlanta exclaimed, turning then to Scootaloo. “See, I told you I could fix it.”
“Yes, you did” Scootaloo replied. “And tell me, did you have fun doing it?”
“I…” Atlanta started to reply, but then hesitated. “Actually, I did.”
“You know why you had fun?” Scootaloo asked. “Because fixing clocks is part of you. It’s what makes you happy. You can’t let anyone make you think otherwise.”
“But my family…” Atlanta started.
“You didn’t told them about what your true talent is” Scootaloo said. “You don’t know if they would really react the way you think they would. Besides, even if they did, what’s deal about that? Your talent is what makes you… well, you.”
Those words from Scootaloo made Atlanta think a little and then she said:
“And… since I’m amazing, so is my talent.”
“Well, that’s not what I…”
“You’re right, coach Scootaloo, I must not be ashamed of my talent” Atlanta said with confidence.
Despite that didn’t had the result she expected, Scootaloo was, nevertheless, happy, as she was able to show Atlanta how important was to not be ashamed of our talent.
It was then that Scootaloo got a strange feeling, as if something was wrong. Knowing how Tinkerbell and her servants would normally after the talents she and the other Crusaders helped, she knew Atlanta would be somehow in danger, mainly now that she had truly embraced her talent.
“Hey, why don’t you check the clock again?” Scootaloo asked. “I… have things to do. You know, a training to plan.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure” Atlanta replied, uninterested, while going to check the gears.
Flapping her wings, Scootaloo descended the clock tower and, getting to the base, she found two of the zombie pirates.
“Hey, just you two? I thought there were more of you.”
The two zombies prepared to attack.
“Oh, well, it will be only easier for me” Scootaloo said, summoning her dream cloak. “Let’s dance, douchebags.”
Back at the greenhouse, Apple Bloom was doing her best to fight the zombie pirates. But it was a hard task to do. Without Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo there to help her, but she had to endure it, as she couldn’t let them take Sunny.
The twins observed the fight.
“I don’t understand” Sunny said to her twin. “But what do they want?”
“Don’t worry, Sunny” Midnight replied. “Apple Bloom will do everything she can to protect her.”
However, little they know Smee had been able to sneek himself around and was approaching the two fillies from behind. And so, with a quick movement, he was able to take Sunny.
“Sunny!” Midnight called.
Apple Bloom noticed that and tried to do something, however the zombies launched their ropes and prevented her from moving.
“Let me go, yer monsters!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, turning then to Smee. “Put her down, Smee. Don’t ya there!”
“And what are you going to do, cast a flower against me?” Smee asked, laughing then. “I don’t know if you have noticed, but you’re a little… tied at the moment.”
“But I am not” Midnight starting to charge her horn.
“I don’t think so” Smee told her. “You wouldn’t dare to harm me, not when I have you’re dear sister.”
After Smee said that, Midnight remembered the last time she used her blacklight nature, ending up hurting her sister and that caused some anxiety to her that made her to freeze.
“That’s what I thought” Smee told. “Honestly, I don’t know why you’d save her, anyway. Aren’t Twins of Light and Darkness supposed to hate each other?”
He drop a chuckle and then said:
“Okay, let’s go home.”
He took his magic watch and opened the portal to Neverland.
“Let me go!” Sunny exclaimed, flouncing.
Instinctively, Sunny called upon her magic and the plants of the greenhouse started to go on her defense, attacking Smee.
“Stop, you stupid plants!” he exclaimed, while trying to shoo them. “How dare you to attack Smee?!”
He then take a hoof of pixie dust that he poured on Sunny, causing her to fall asleep. Once that happened, the plants also stopped attacking Smee.
“No!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, trying to get rid of the zombie pirates’ ropes. “Smee, stop!”
He approached the portal and prepared to cross it. But, before doing it, he turned to Apple Bloom and made a mocking smile. Smee passed through the portal and, once he did that, the zombie pirates dropped Apple Bloom and quickly passed through the portal as well. Recovering from being subdued by the zombie pirates, Apple Bloom run as fast as she could in order to reach the portal, but, when she was inches away of passing through it, the portal closed.
“No!” she shouted, frustrated for not being able to protect Sunny from Smee and his zombie pirates.
At the edge of the clock tower, Scootaloo was still fighting the two zombie pirates and she seemed to be winning. Hoovering at the air, she told them:
“Okay, knuckleheads, time to end things with my gale nature.”
But before she could do anything, a portal opened nearby and, seeing that, the zombie pirates went to it and passed through, with the portal closing behind. Scootaloo got confused by that and said, after landing:
“That was weird. Even more that only those two were here.”
At that moment, Scootaloo realized something. The zombie pirates normally attack together and yet she only faced two, which means the others should be elsewhere and the only place they could be was…
“Oh no…” Scootaloo said.
She flew to the greenhouse where she found Apple Bloom comforting Midnight and a big confusion.
“But… what happened here?” Scootaloo asked.
“Smee an’ dah zombie pirates attack’d us” Apple Bloom said. “He took Sunny.”
“What?!” Scootaloo asked. “How?!”
“How do ya think?” Apple Bloom asked. “Ah fought alone dah zombie pirates, but they were too much an’ were able tah subdue me.”
“And I… I… tried to prevent him from taking her, but… I failed” Midnight said, with tears on her eyes. “I was a coward.”
“Don’t say that, Midnight” Apple Bloom said. “There was nothin’ ya could do. If ya us’d yer powers, ya could have hurt Sunny.”
“But now Tinkerbell has Sunny” Scootaloo said. “I wonder what’s going on in Neverland.”
In Neverland, Smee had arrived to Tinkerbell’s throne room with Sunny with him. The young filly started to wake up and she saw Tinkerbell sitting on her throne.
“As you requested, my queen, I brought you the Light Twin” Smee said, bowing to her.
“Good” she replied, turning then to Sunny and smiling at her.
The young Light Twin got nervous for seeing such mean looking fairy looking at her like that. Tinkerbell then summoned a bell she rang. A green bubble was created around Sunny and it then arose in the air passed through the ceiling with the young filly.
“At least you made something good at last” Tinkerbell commented to Smee.
“I wouldn’t have made it if you haven’t suggested in dividing the Crusaders, my queen” he replied. “But I got surprised when I saw Apple Bloom alone.”
“Yeah, it would appear Sweetie Belle has gone on a different mission” Tinkerbell said. “My shadows have told me that she allied herself to Hook and now they are heading to Mount Everhoof to fix the watch he stole from the Shaman.”
“Let me guess” Smee said. “You want Smee here to go there and stop them.”
“Yes, prevent them from reaching the Watchmaker” Tinkerbelle said. “If the watch is fixed, they will have a way to reach Neverland and try to save the talents we collected. That would be… unpleasant. However, that’s not I want the most in this mission of yours.”
“And what is it?” Smee said.
“This is for the remote eventuality of you subduing them” Tinkerbell said. “Because of the Shaman, I don’t have a prodigy in my collection… and I hate having holes in my collections.”
Realizing what she meant, Smee smiled and then said:
“As you command, my queen.”
And he opened and portal and crossed it.