The school bell rang loudly, signaling that class had finally ended for the day. Everypony packed their saddlebags, turned in their end-of-class assignments, and bid their farewells to Cheerilee as she packed her things up. They all chatted among themselves, excited about the coming weekend. Rumble demanded a rematch in hoofball against Featherweight’s team on Friday, Peachy Pie, Dinky Doo, and Sunny Daze discussed how happy they were that the gray filly finally got her cutie mark, and Snips and Snails were… being themselves.
As such, it should come as no surprise that the Cutie Mark Crusaders were planning the rest of day out. The three fillies couldn't wait to continue their duties of helping foals find their special talents, and were talking about just that as they headed toward the clubhouse.
"So who should we help first?" Sweetie asked.
"Well, Dinky Doo just got her cutie mark," Apple Bloom answered. "Maybe we could help her figure out what it means."
"Yeah," Scootaloo added. "What’s a smiley face supposed to mean?"
"Maybe being happy and having friends?" Sweetie suggested.
"But ANYPONY can be happy and have friends," Scootaloo said.
"Maybe she's just... better at it?" Sweetie said.
"How can you be better at being happy?" Scootaloo asked.
"Well, we'll figure that out when we help Dinky," Apple Bloom said.
Just then, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon caught up to the Crusaders.
“Hey, girls,” Sweetie said.
“We just wanted to thank you again for bringing us back together,” Diamond said.
“Yeah,” Silver chimed in. “Di told me about how you girls helped her make that scrapbook. And now thanks to you, we’re besties again!”
“We’re just glad to see you two are friends again,” Sweetie said.
“No problem,” Scootaloo added. “We’re your friends now. It’s the least we could do.”
“And I also wanted to say I’m sorry,” Silver said, scraping her hoof on the ground. “Y’know, for bullying you.”
“Don’t worry,” Apple Bloom said. “If we forgave Diamond, we forgive ya too.”
With a smile, she turned around to head back home, but not before whipping her head back. “Oh, and tell Twist I’m sorry too.”
“We will,” Scootaloo said as the Crusaders strolled off.
“I’d better get going, too,” Diamond said. “Mother and Father probably want me back at the mansion now.”
“We can walk back together if you like,” Silver suggested.
Diamond happily nodded, and trotted alongside her gray friend for the first time in a week. Thanks to the Crusaders, she could finally hang out with her best friend again, and as a bonus, she didn’t even have to abandon her new friends. Now she had FIVE friends instead of one, and she loved it.
“I’m still sorry I was a bad friend,” Diamond said.
“I know you are,” Silver said. “But now, we can be REAL friends.”
An awkward moment of silence passed, as confusion filled the two fillies’ heads.
“What exactly to real friends do?” Diamond asked, breaking the silence.
“I… don’t know,” the gray filly answered. “We haven’t been real friends for so long, I don’t know what we’re supposed to do. I mean, all I remember doing before was bullying other foals, and I don’t wanna do that again.”
“Me neither,” Diamond said, nodding in agreement.
“Maybe we should ask the Crusaders for advice,” she said.
“You probably can,” Diamond said, "but I don’t think Mother will let me anywhere near them.”
“Oh right, your mother,” Silver said. “You should probably ask her anyway.”
“What!?” the pink filly responded. “Mother almost NEVER gives me what I want. And besides, this is the Crusaders we’re talking about. You saw what happened after that election!”
“Well, if you don’t ask her, you DEFINITELY aren’t going,” Silver pointed out.
“I guess that’s true,” Diamond said as they approached Diamond’s home. “I’ll see if I can get Father to let me go when Mother isn’t around. I just hope he isn’t away.”
“Alright,” Silver said as she continued walking to her family’s mansion, which was conveniently next door. “I’ll see you later.”
“Bye,” Diamond said, waving to her best friend. She then turned around and rang the doorbell, prepared for Randolph to answer the door. Much to her surprise, Filthy Rich was the one who answered.
“Welcome back, Diamond,” Filthy greeted his daughter.
“Hello, Father,” Diamond said as she walked in and set her saddlebag down. “Where’s Mother?”
“Oh, right,” Filthy said. “Spoiled wanted me to tell you she is off on a trip to Manehattan for your training. It’s very important that you learn the ways of our family if we want you to inherit our legacy.”
Diamond only then remembered that she was gonna be learning how to handle her family’s fortune. How taking a trip to Manehattan would have any role in her “training”, Diamond didn’t know. Regardless, the same stress she had felt from yesterday when Spoiled first mentioned Diamond's future role rushed back upon her. However, she pushed the thought aside, thankful that her mother was away on a trip for who knows how long. This meant that she wasn’t in the way of her and her new friends.
“Oh, guess what?” Diamond said. “Me and Silver Spoon are friends again!”
“That’s wonderful, Diamond,” her father said. “I always knew you two would make up someday.”
“Well, I couldn’t have done it without the Crusaders’ help,” the pink filly said.
“Ah yes, that group of fillies who are now helping other ponies find their special talents?” Filthy asked. “Some fine girls, I’ve heard.”
“They are,” Diamond agreed. “So can I go play with them? Please?”
“Well, if they helped you and Silver make amends, I don’t see why not,” Filthy said as he sat on the couch with a newspaper. “Just be back before sundown.”
“Thank you, Father,” Diamond said as she zipped out of the front door. Just as she was about to start the trip to Sweet Apple Acres, she bumped into Silver Spoon, causing both fillies to fall over. They collided so hard into each other, in fact, that Diamond’s tiara ended up on Silver’s head and the gray filly’s glasses somehow switched places from on her nose to Diamond’s nose.
“Oops,” Diamond said. “Sorry.”
“It’s alright, but can you hand me back my glasses?” Silver asked, waving her hoof aimlessly in front of her, barely able to see two inches in front of her nose.
“Here you go,” Diamond said, taking off the glasses and handing them to Silver. Now being able to see clearly, she returned Diamond’s tiara.
“So what are you doing here?” Diamond asked.
“My parents said I could hang out with the Crusaders!” Silver answered.
“So did Father!” Diamond replied. Both fillies began jumping in excitement
“Wait,” Silver said. “What were we going to do with them again?”
Apparently all the excitement had made them forget why they were going to Sweet Apple Acres in the first place. “Oh yeah, we were going to ask them what real friends are supposed to do!” Diamond said.
“Oh right!” Silver said. With that, the two fillies left for the Crusaders’ clubhouse.
Sweet Apple Acres was a good few minutes away, but nothing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon couldn't handle. They took the shortcut that Apple Bloom showed Diamond earlier that morning, and they were at the clubhouse in no time. Just when they were about to open the door though, the two overheard the Crusaders talking in the clubhouse with… Twist? Curious, they creeked the door open and took a quick peek inside.
“So wait,” Scootaloo said. “You’re saying you know this new student?”
“Yup,” Twist answered. “We’re neighborth. Her name ith Thipporwhill.”
“I think I heard that name before,” Sweetie pondered. “Rarity said she and the Pony Tones performed at her cute-cenera.”
“Ah heard Big Mac say somethin’ ‘bout that, too,” Apple Bloom added.
“Uh-huh, and I wath there,” Twist said.
“Zipporwhill, huh?” Scootaloo said. “And she’s moving to our school tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” Twist answered. “Thee was getting bullied for being thmaller than the other foalth. I gueth it wath too much for her.”
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon inwardly kicked themselves in the stomach, as memories of them bullying the Crusaders came flooding back. They hadn't really meant anything by it, but what if they had actually driven the Crusaders away from Ponyville Elementary? It could very well have happened, if things had continued the way they were going. The two fillies grew sick in the stomach at the very thought.
“Hey,” Apple Bloom called. “What are you two doin’ here?”
Diamond and Silver looked back, and saw the Crusaders and Twist were looking at them.
“Well,” Diamond began as she walked inside, "we WERE going to see what you girls did as friends since we forgot what good friends do together.”
“But then we heard Twist say a new student was coming,” Silver finished.
“Yeah,” Twist sighed. “Thee’th had a pretty rough time at her old thchool. I’m jutht hoping thith thchool won’t have any bullying problemth for her.”
“Well aside from Diamond and Silver, there aren’t really any bullies here,” Sweetie said. “And they’re good fillies now.”
“So this new student moved schools because she was being bullied too much?” Silver asked.
“That’s what Twist said,” Scootaloo answered. “She must have had a REAL rough time for her to change schools.”
“Ah can’t imagine how bad bullies would have to be to drive somepony to changin’ schools,” Apple Bloom said, sorry for Twist’s friend.
“Me neither,” Diamond said. “I don’t think I could live with myself if I drove you girls away.”
“I’d be devastated,” Silver added.
“So how did you find out she’s coming to our school?” Scootaloo asked.
“My dad and her dad are good friendth with each other,” Twist answered. “My dad ith actually the one who thuggethted Thipporwhill thould come to Ponyville Elementary.”
“Don’t worry, Twist,” Apple Bloom said. “Now that Diamond and Silver aren’t bullies, there ain’t no chance of that happenin’.”
“And we could probably make a new friend!” Sweetie said happily, a small burst of magic coming out of her horn.
“We’ll try to be good friends, too,” Diamond added.
“Thankth, girth,” Twist said. “Now I KNOW Thipporwhill ith gonna have a great time here!”
“And if somepony TRIES to mess with her, they’ve got another thing coming,” Scootaloo said, pounding her hooves together.
The other fillies simply laughed at Scootaloo, who joined in the laughing mess as well. Then Apple Bloom, struggling to calm herself, tried to get the others’ attention.
“Hey, y’know somethin’?” the farm filly asked. “How come we let Diamond, Silver, and Twist in here when they’re not Crusaders?”
“APPLE BLOOM!” Sweetie shouted, offended. “Why would you say that to our friends!? That’s so mean!”
Scootaloo was confused, but then her smile grew in a size that could match Pinkie Pie’s. “I don’t think that’s what she meant…” she said
“Then what…” Sweetie started, but then realized what Apple Bloom was trying to say. “OH! NOW I know what you mean!”
“Eeyup!” Apple Bloom said, winking at the three fillies in front of them. They were dumbfounded by what was going on, but then it hit them like a ton of bricks, and their eyes went wide.
“Whoa whoa whoa WHOA!” Diamond said. “Are you saying… what I think you’re saying?”
“I think they are,” Silver said.
“Are you thaying we can be Cruthaderth too!?” Twist asked.
“CRUSADERS!” Apple Bloom called. “HUDDLE!”
With that, the three fillies huddles in the corner of the clubhouse, looking back to make sure the other three fillies weren’t listening. As they were whispering, Diamond, Silver, and Twist were waiting anxiously. Were they actually going to be Cutie Mark Crusaders? Diamond and Silver were especially surprised - just a week ago, they were bullying the Crusaders, and they only just came. Even Twist looked shocked, and she was a friend of Apple Bloom.
About a minute passed, and the three fillies turned to their friends. “How would ya’ll like to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders?” Apple Bloom asked.
“You really mean it!?” Diamond asked.
“Tho we can actually be Cutie Mark Cruthaderth!?” Twist asked. When the fillies nodded, she drew Apple Bloom into a hug.
“So, do we have to do something special to get in?” Silver asked. “Like, get stung by a bee on our tongues?”
“That sounds painful,” Sweetie said.
“Nah,” Apple Bloom answered. “Just an oath and an initiation speech.” She then shot a look at Scootaloo. “Ah just hope a certain somepony remembered to shortened it.”
“Oops,” the orange pegasus said, blushing a bit. “I forgot.”
“That’s alright,” Apple Bloom said. “We can just improvise.”
The others agreed, and Apple Bloom went back to the farmhouse to grab a stand to use for the initiation, while Sweetie Belle went to get some spare capes Apple Bloom had in her closet (they had a tendency to tear them during various escapades). When both fillies came back, the white unicorn took her position on the stand as the other Crusaders stood to the side, while Diamond, Silver, and Twist were up front and center.
“Alright,” Sweetie began after clearing her throat. “We the Cutie Mark Crusaders elect Twist, Silver Spoon, and Diamond Tiara to join us as our friends, sisters, and fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders! Everypony in agreement raise your right hoof and say ‘I comply.’”
“I comply,” Silver Spoon said first, raising her hoof.
“I comply,” Twist followed.
“I comply, too,” Diamond said last.
“Great!” Sweetie said. “You three are now solemnly sworn in, here this day, in witness of your fellow friends and sisters as Cutie Mark Crusaders!” After the three fillies gave their applause, Sweete turned to Apple Bloom. “So… what happens now?”
“We give ‘em their capes,” Apple Bloom answered.
“Oh, right,” Sweetie said. She then reached into her saddlebag and pulled out three Cutie Mark Crusaders capes. “So are you girls ready for your capes?”
The three soon-to-be Crusaders rapidly nodded their heads.
“Alright,” Sweetie said, getting off the stand, capes in her hoof. She went over to Silver Spoon first, and took off her glasses so she could put the cape around her, tying it. “There you go,” Sweetie said as she put Silver’s glasses back on. She repeated the same process with Twist. Then, she trotted over to Diamond Tiara, and put her cape on.
“Congratulations!” Sweetie Belle said. “You are now Cutie Mark Crusaders!”
Twist was jumping up and down in excitement, while Diamond and Silver were checking out each other’s capes. They were now officially Cutie Mark Crusaders.
“So now we have SIX Crusaders,” Apple Bloom said, who couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.
“Wait, Di,” Silver said. “Didn’t we come here for a reason?”
“Oh yeah, I remember!” the pink earth pony said. “We were wondering what actual friends were supposed to do, since me an Sil only became ‘real friends’ today.”
“Well, what did you usually do?” Sweetie asked. “Besides mess with everypony.”
“We sometimes went to Sugarcube Corner after school,” Silver answered.
“And we sometimes visited each other,” Diamond followed.
“Then do what you do usually, minus the bullying,” Scootaloo said. “And since you guys are now Crusaders, we can help you out if you need.”
“Yup,” Sweetie said. “Crusaders always stick together!.”
“Thanks, girls,” Diamond said. “So Twist, tell us more about Zipporwhill.”
“Well,” the peppermint enthusiast began. “Thee hath a white-colored coat like me and Thweetie, and thee altho hath gold mane. Oh, and thee altho wearth a tiara all the time.”
“A tiara?” Diamond asked. “Like mine?”
“Well yeah,” Twist answered. “Only it’th bigger and gray. Thipporwhill altho wearth glatheth like me and Thilver, though they’re purple.”
“Sounds like a cute filly,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Oh, and thee’th altho GREAT with petth!” Twist added. “Thee hath a cutie mark for it and everything. It’th three paw printths. Thee’th altho a pegathuth and flieth like a hummingbird.”
“Gee, way to rub it in,” Scootaloo said, a little jealous.
“I can’t wait to meet her!” Diamond said.
“Yeah,” Silver agreed. “Why would anypony bully her? Especially for something like being smaller than the others.”
“Well, you two would have done the same thing if she came before the election,” Scootaloo pointed out.
Silver wanted to say against that statement, but knew the orange filly was right.
“Ah hate to ruin the fun,” Apple Bloom said, sitting by the stack of letters. “But what do ya’ll say we take our new members out for their first crusade!”
“I’m in!” Diamond chirped.
“So am I!” Silver said.
“What are we doing firtht?” Twist asked.
“First thing we always do is take a look at our letters,” Sweetie Belle said as she pulled one from the stack in the corner. She opened it up and read it.
“What’s it say?” Apple Bloom asked.
“It’s from a dark-blue unicorn named Smooth Comb on the south end of Ponyville,” Sweetie called.
“Got it,” Scootaloo said. “I think I’ve seen him before. Follow me!”
Scootaloo rushed out of the clubhouse and took her scooter, with the other fillies barely catching up. Diamond and Silver were bringing the rear as the group sped past Ponyville, avoiding one collision accident after the other. They knew the Crusaders were a rambunctious bunch, but the new members were quickly realizing just how reckless they were.
Suddenly, Scootaloo pulled up by a tree and stopped in front of a creek. Apple Bloom skidded to a stop, but Sweetie Belle bumped behind the yellow earth pony, and Twist bumped behind the white unicorn. Then, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon collided with the group, sending everypony careening into the creek below. The soaked fillies climbed out of the water, while Scootaloo couldn’t help but fall over in a fit of laughter.
“OK,” Diamond Tiara coughed, pulling a twig out of her now-ruined mane. “Starting to regret joining you guys.”
“I’m gonna need a bath after this,” Silver whined, fishing her glasses out of the water.
“Oh c’mon, it’s not THAT bad!” Apple Bloom said.
“That was too funny!” Scootaloo said, recovering from her laugh. “Anyways, we’re here!”
Scootaloo gestured to the house in front of them. It wasn’t particularly big, it was a one-story building, but it did look nice and clean. Outside was a blue unicorn colt, matching the one the letter described. He caught sight of the fillies and ran to greet them.
“You must be the Crusaders!” the colt said. “My name’s Smooth Comb, I guess you got my letter?”
“Sure did!” Apple Bloom said. “Me and mah associates promise that we’ll help ya find yer cutie mark, guaranteed!”
“Say… there’s a lot more of you than I thought,” Smooth Comb said.
“Well, we had a couple new recruits earlier today. Lucky you, you’ll be their first customer!” Scootaloo said. “Meet Twist, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon!” The three fillies waved at him.
“Cool!” Smooth Comb said. "More help I get, the better."
“So what’s the problem?” Silver Spoon asked.
“Uh, isn’t it obvious?” Scootaloo deadpanned, gesturing to Smooth Comb’s cutie mark-less flank.
“Oh,” Silver said, blushing. “Right.”
“Hey, since his name is Smooth Comb, you think he could be good at… harvesting honeycombs?” Scootaloo asked.
Apple Bloom answered her with a punch in the shoulder.
“What!?” Scootaloo asked. “It was just a suggestion!”
While the other Crusaders and Smooth Comb pondered and tossed around ideas, Diamond Tiara couldn’t help but notice how clean the house and backyard were. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say she even saw it sparkling from how clean it was. No trash, no cobwebs, not even any collecting dust on the windows.
“Your house looks really clean,” Diamond complemented.
“Thanks,” Smooth Comb said, rubbing the back of his head. “I clean it a lot. Don’t wanna live in a dirty home.”
Then, an idea popped in the pink earth pony’s head.
“Hey Smooth Comb” she asked. “You think you could clean off my cape? There’s a bunch of grass and twigs caught in it since I fell in that creek.”
“Is this really the best time for that?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“And ya can’t just ask our client to-” Apple Bloom began before being interrupted.
“No, it’s fine,” Smooth Comb said. “I’d be happy to.”
He walked up to Diamond Tiara and used his unicorn magic. Dark-blue aura covered her cape, and all the leaves and sticks stuck in it were pulled off. On top of that, he even gave Diamond herself a clean-up, drying her up and taking all the junk caught in her mane from the creek.
“Wow, thanks!” Diamond said, relieved she was no longer dirty.
“Don’t mention it,” Smooth Comb said. Just then, his entire body started glowing as he rose into the air, and a big mark appeared on his flank: a big brush. Everypony stared in awe.
“Well would you look at that?” Smooth Comb said, showing off his cutie mark. “How couldn’t I have known my special talent was helping other ponies get cleaned? It was right in front of me!”
“Believe me, we’ve all been there,” Diamond chuckled.
“And here’th a peppermint thtick for thuch a good job!” Twist said as she pulled out a treat from under her cape. Smooth Comb beamed and grabbed it. “Don’t worry, it’th clean.”
“Thanks for your help Crusaders!” Smooth Comb said. “I’m telling my dad right now!” The blue unicorn ran back into his house, ready to show off his cutie mark.
“Way to go, Diamond!” Apple Bloom congratulated. “Sorry Ah douted ya, Ah didn’t think ya’ll would be so good at it!”
“Hooray for Diamond!” Sweetie Belle cheered as she jumped in place.
“Nice move on giving him a candy cane too,” Scootaloo said. “We could probably make this a regular thing.”
“Thure!” Twist said. “I have plenty at home!”
“You know, I think I could get used to this!” Diamond said, feeling proud of her accomplishment. Who knew helping other foals would feel so good?
“Yeah, it feels good!” Silver Spoon followed. “But uh… you think we could get Smooth Comb to clean the rest of us?”
The rest of the evening was some of the most fun Diamond Tiara ever had. After helping Smooth Comb, they decided to help more foals: they helped their classmate Dinky Doo find out her cutie mark was for helping her friends after finding out she caught Sunny Daze when she flung off the swing on accident, helped a pegasus filly named Cabbage Patch find her special talent in harvesting vegetables, and even helped an Earth pony colt named Buzz Buzz discover his special talent in beekeeping... an activity that went about as well as you'd expect, but thankfully no fillies were stung. Just a couple passersby while the bees were on the loose.
Deciding to put aside the rest of their clients until the weekend, the Crusaders spent the rest of their free time playing a game of hoofball in a makeshift field by the clubhouse. They split into teams of three, with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Twist on one end and Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and Scootaloo on the other end. The game went on until they tired themselves out, and headed back to the clubhouse. Now, they were chronicling the days events on scroll paper.
“And then we had our first game of hoofball,” Apple Bloom said as she wrote. “Team Apples takes the game against Team Tiaras, 4-3.”
“No no no,” Diamond interjected. “You said we would continue the game tomorrow!”
“Fine,” Apple Bloom said as she scribbled out what she wrote. “Team Apples LEADS against Team Tiaras 4-3. The game resumes Friday.”
“Where did you get all that scroll paper anyway?” Silver Spoon asked.
“Twilight Sparkle let us have it,” Sweetie Belle answered. “We’ve used it ever since we founded the club, it’s like keeping memories of all our adventures.”
“Ah think it might finally be time to ask Twilight for some more though,” Apple Bloom said. “We’re finally startin’ to run out.”
Needless to say, Diamond Tiara was growing quite fond of her new position as a Cutie Mark Crusader. Not only was she able to help other ponies, but she also had a ton of fun doing it with her new group of friends. She really wished things could have been like this from the beginning.
She looked out the window and noticed the sun beginning to set. Then she remembered that Filthy Rich wanted her back home soon.
“It was fun, uh, crusading with you girls,” Diamond said. “But Father wants me back at the mansion by sundown.”
“I should get going too,” Silver Spoon said. “My parents are probably wondering where I am.”
“Have fun, you two,” Scootaloo said.
“Thee you tomorrow!” Twist waved.
“Wait!” Apple Bloom said, stopping Diamond from leaving. “Ya forgot yer cape! Aren’t ya gonna bring it home with ya?”
“And risk Mother finding that?” Diamond said. “Absolutely not. Celestia knows what she would do if she found out I was ‘sinking to your ranks’ as she would put it.”
“Oh yeah, forgot your mom,” Sweetie said.
“That’s OK,” Apple Bloom said. “Ah’ll keep it with mine. You can have it next time we go crusadin’.”
“Thank you, Apple Bloom,” Diamond Tiara said as she and Silver left the clubhouse. On the way back home, the two rich fillies thought about the day they had, and were happy they got to spend it with each other and their new friends.