//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 - Cutie Mark Crusader? // Story: The Traveller // by LavenderRain24 //------------------------------// Zecora searched for something to say but Sapphire bet her to it, "Um.. I'm sorry but what is a Cutie Mark Crusader?" she raised an eyebrow at the young filly. Sweetie Belle was a little shell shocked but guessed she didn't know because of being new around Ponyville. "Oops I should probably explain what it is... hehe..." Laughing nervously feeling rather stupid about skipping that part she cleared her throat, "The Cutie Mark Crusaders are made up of ponies who haven't found their cutie marks yet and so we go on adventures to find out what our special talents are. It's a lot of fun! So far... only 3 of us are in the group." she shrugged her shoulders at the small number of members, "But that's ok we could have 4 if you join us! We could help you!" Sapphire felt a little overwhelmed by the process of having a cutie mark in the first place since she only just learnt about them. I guess they're a very big deal in this world... like earning a trophy but it's deeper than that.... more... personal, she thought quietly. "I guess I could join... but perhaps I could meet the others in this group?" Zecora was surprised but happy that Sapphire seemed to becoming more open to the ideas of their world. "Would you like to follow Sweetie Belle while I continue shopping? We can meet by The Great Hall in the middle of town, it would be good for you to make some more friends while you're here." Sapphire thought for a moment and decided that the zebra mare was right. If she was going to be stuck there until they find a way for her to go back home, she might as well get familiar with the ponies in the area. "Uh ok... I guess I can go with Sweetie Belle was it?" the young white unicorn filly nodded happily. Zecora smiled, "Great! I'll see you in half an hour then? It's the tall domed building in the middle of town. Hard to miss it really... Not as big as the castle but still bigger than the other buildings in Ponyville." and with that she turned round waving goodbye to the two ponies and headed to the market stalls lined with all sorts of items from food to clothing. Sapphire felt suddenly awkward standing with a strange new pony. A unicorn none the less! Zecora was at least somewhat familiar being a zebra but a unicorn is practically unheard of... especially to actually exist! "Um Sapphire Stone are you ok?" she tilted her head to the right slightly wondering why the lavender coloured mare with black curly mane and tail was staring into space. Sapphire shook her head back to reality, "Hu? Oh sorry... it's just... I've never seen a unicorn... well a real one." Sweetie Belle was confused, "How come? Aren't there ponies where you come from? And unicorns?" Suddenly Sapphire realised what she was saying and wondered if she could trust the filly with her secret. "Hey... um, if I join your group, are you able to keep a big secret?" "Of course I can! I've kept secrets from my big sister before, how hard could this be?" at this reply Sapphire was still unsure so asked another question to act as almost a guarantee. "Can you promise me not to tell ANYONE unless me or Zecora say so? It's important that you can do this for me." Sweetie Belle was more intrigued at what big secret she was keeping the more they spoke. She raised her left hoof and said aloud, "I solemnly swear on my honour as a Cutie Mark Crusader never to tell anyone your secret unless you say so!" Ponies passing by glanced over at the filly but thought nothing of it. Little did they know that a stallion unicorn was watching from the shadows of an alleyway with great interest in the purple pony. "We will meet one day soon Sapphire Stone. Just you wait... it'll be your turn." Sapphire looked towards the same shadows of the alleyway but saw no one there. It was too dark to see them there anyway. She shrugged it off and looked back at Sweetie Belle with a sigh of relief, "I get the feeling your Cutie Mark Crusader group is very important to you so now I know I can trust you with my secret." She looked around, "But perhaps somewhere a bit quieter?" The filly nodded and gestured the mare to follow her through the streets. "We can talk at the clubhouse. But Apple Bloom and Scootaloo will have to be told too. They're the other members of the club." Sapphire flinched at the idea of others knowing the secret so soon into her time being there. But decided if they're part of the club then they can be trusted just like Sweetie Belle. "Ok I guess that's alright since you know them." the filly smiled at her answer. After 10 minutes of walking and trotting the two of them made it to a large clearing with a building ahead of them. It was fenced off by a white wooden fence. "Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres! My friend Apple Bloom and her family live and run this farm and supply apples to Ponyville." A large beautiful red barn with white trimmings and big double doors that were wide open stared back at them as they walked through the fence entrance. Sapphire stared in awe, "Wow! It's amazing! I've never been on a farm. I live in a hot dry place so we don't have farms like this." she smiled warmly as she inhaled the smell of freshly grown apples and what smelt like apple pies baking in the distance. Walking around the back of the barn they came to a grass field surrounded by apple trees full of ripe red apples ready to be picked. "APPLE BLOOM, SCOOTALOO!" cluttering could be heard from up ahead and when Sapphire looked up at a large tree, she saw a cute little house built into the tree with a ramp leading up to it from the side of the hut. That's actually quite a cool little tree house for ponies. They have building skills just like people back home but without the heavy machinery. Incredible... she thought watching two other fillies race down the wooden ramp. "Sweetie Belle!! You're back!" the yellow filly with strawberry red hair called out as she raced to the white unicorn. "We missed you!" Squeezing their friend in a tight hug the 3 fillies laughed and giggled together. "Girls! I've only been gone for 20 minutes! Geeze!" The two ponies let go of the filly and grinned cheerfully when the orange winged one with dark pink short hair looked up at the mare. "Hey um Sweetie Belle, who's the new mare?" the 3 of them looked at the purple mare making her give an awkward smile. "Oh! This is Sapphire Stone. She's new in town! I met her with Zecora." Scootaloo and Apple Bloom 'oohed' at the same time looking curiously at the mare with black hair. "Nice to meet ya Sapphire! I'm Apple Bloom and this here is my family's farm!" she said proudly with a very strong Western accent that made the young mare smile. "Oh and this here is Scootaloo!" Scootaloo waved gently at Sapphire, "HI! I'm friend's with Rainbow Dash!" She said in an starstruck tone of voice. Rainbow Dash? Who's that I wonder? she thought to herself and smiled at the young filly whom Sapphire had noticed had wings. "You're a pegasus?!" Sapphire blurted out in surprise; shocking the fillies. "Um yeah but I can't fly yet... stupid wings are too small!" she tried to fly by rapidly flapping her tiny wings making a whirring sound but she only gained a few inches of height off the ground before collapsing back onto her hooves. "Psst... Sweetie Belle why is she acting weird? I mean... who hasn't seen a pegasus before?" Sapphire's right ear twitched at Apple Bloom whispering to Sweetie Belle. "Oh right, she's not use to being around lots of ponies let alone unicorns and pegasus because of living alone I'm guessing." Sweetie Belle whispered back and Apple Bloom seemed to understand the situation. "Speaking of which! Girls, what do you say to Sapphire Stone joining the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" The 2 fillies stared blankly for a minute before saying in unison, "WHAAAT?!"