Chad walked to Rarity's boutique and knocked on the door. Rarity answered.
"Oh! Good Chad, you're here for Sweetie belle's sleepover!" She said as she pulled him in.
"Oh, not yet, Right now I'm here for-" Chad tried to say before she placed him next to Sweetie belle before continuing her business.
"Where'd I put that?" Rarity muttered, running while magically carrying three balls of different colored thread. "Ohh, I thought I already…" She set them on a table and ran back for fabric. "Ohh, and I can't forget I've got to… oh, how am I ever gonna get this done?"
“Um, Rari-” Chad was trying to call.
"Are you sure I can't help?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I could-"
"No!" Rarity shouted, running past with the fabric.
“Rarity, can I please say-”
"Maybe just a-"
"No thanks!"
"How about-"
Rarity paused while folding up some fabric to look at her little sister. “Why don’t the two of you go play in your room?”
"But-" Sweetie Belle began.
"Where you'll both be out of the way," Rarity interrupted up and dropped the fabric when she realized that she'd forgotten something important.
“My extra silk fabrics! Where are the other silk fabrics!?” Rarity exclaimed. Chad pulled three folded stacks of silk out of his hoodie.
“Bandit told me to run this over here. He saw it was for you at the post office and since I’m trying for my delivery cutie mark, it worked out.” Chad told her. Rarity snagged it and continued to rummage around, she then realized she forgot something else important.
"Ribbon, ribbon! Where's the ribbon?!"
Sweetie Belle looked around and spotted the item on a high shelf. "I got it!" And she quickly climbed onto a chair and tried to reach it while leaning on the sewing machine, which began tipping. She began to fall towards the ground.
"Whoa!" She exclaimed. Chad dove and caught her before she hit the ground. “Thanks Chad.”
The ribbon wound up knocking over a mannequin, and then it caused a chain reaction of items being sent flying. Sweetie Belle clinged to Chad as everything crashed, clanged and clattered.
The chaos came to an end and the ribbon rolled over to Sweetie belle. Chad was about to walk towards the mess to help fix it, but Sweetie belle grabbed his hoof.
“Uh, I-I think we’ll go play now. Where we’re out of the way.” She said as she ran with Chad in hoof.
My Little Pony,
My Big Changeling too
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahhh…
[Bandit]
(My Little Pony)
We used to wonder what friendship could be
(My Big Changeling too)
[Twilight Sparkle]
Until you all shared its magic with me
[Rainbow Dash]
Big adventure
[Pinkie Pie]
Tons of fun
[Rarity]
A beautiful heart
[Applejack]
Faithful and strong
[Fluttershy]
Sharing kindness!
[Lightning Sprint]
Motivate the team
[Bandit]
Heroics makes it all complete
You have my little ponies
Do you know you're all my very best friends?
Some time later, Rarity was finishing up cleaning the mess that was made. Sweetie Belle had came back as Chad was fishing around for a game for the two of them to play.
"Won't you at least let me help you clean up?" she asked.
"No." Rarity said sternly while magically putting away the fabric she didn't need. "You've helped me quite enough."
"I'm sorry, sis!" Sweetie Belle apologized. "I just thought that if I could help, I might find my special gift and finally earn my cutie mark." And she looked wistfully at her blank flank.
"I understand," Rarity said sincerely, for she recalled how frustrating it could be for some fillies waiting to get their cutie marks, and her own frustration, too. "It's just that… I need this time to fill this order without any… complications," she added, setting up the last of the mannequins. "Okay, all done. Now, back to work. I've lost a lot of time, and I cannot have any more interruptions." She went to her sewing machine to start sewing when the doorbell rang, and she groaned. "Oh, what now?!"
The door was heard opening.
“Oh, hi Fluttershy.” Chad was heard saying. “Yeah she’s here but she’s really wrapped up in her work right now…….Yeah, I can take Opal to her…..Oh come on, she can’t be that bad.”
Rarity gasped and she started to run to the door.
“No Chad wait-” Rarity exclaimed before Chad walked through the door with Opal purring on his back. Fluttershy was right behind him. Rarity was taken aback by how Opal was with Chad and vice versa.
“Oh…Well, she looks great!” Rarity said before turning to Fluttershy as Opal kneaded Chad’s hoodie. "I just don't understand how you're able to do it! I can't get near her without getting a swipe from her claws," she remarked, stepping close to her cat, only to have Opalescence hiss and swipe at her. "Ahh!" She jumped back. "Did you use… the Stare on her?" She asked Fluttershy.
"Oh, no!" Fluttershy gasped. "I wouldn't! I couldn't! I-I don't really have any control over when that happens. I-It just happens. No, I'm just good with animals. It's my special gift, you know?" she added. She turned to see Chad moving his tail that Opal was swiping at playfully. “Looks like Chad has the special gift too.”
"Well, maybe Chad would have a picture of Opal as a cutie mark." Rarity said, which gave Sweetie Belle an idea. She ran over and glomped Chad .
“Ooh, ooh, oh, oh, oh, oh! Maybe I can be good with animals, too!" She said. Not taking lightly to her playtime being interrupted, Opal took a swipe at Sweetie Belle’s mane. The part of the mane fell off and Opal smirked at her. “Or not.”
She got off Chad and went to the other side of the room. Chad sat up, grabbed the fallen mane and ran over to Sweetie Belle to fix it. Somehow, he managed to do so.
"I'm sorry I can't invite you to stay and chat, Fluttershy." Rarity told her friend, sighing. "I've bitten off a bit more than I can chew with this order."
Sweetie Belle stared at her sister, confused. "But you're not eating anything."
“Sweetie Belle it’s an expression. It means taking more than you can handle.” Chad said. Rarity began to walk past.
“Chad’s right. I've got twenty of these special robes to make tonight! They're due in Trottingham tomorrow morning." She then unfolded some beautiful gold fabric Chad had brought in earlier and Fluttershy gasped with amazement. "See? I've lined them in a special gold silk," she added, looking fondly at her handiwork. "It took so long to make, but I think it adds just the right touch, don't you?"
"These are lovely, but twenty by tonight?" Fluttershy asked while admiring the fabric. "How will you get it all done?"
“I could ask Bandit to call Tailor Coat to help.” Chad suggested.
“That would take too long darling, and I’m already behind schedule.” Rarity responded as she lifted the fabric yet again.
"Oh, oh, oh!" said Sweetie Belle, jumping up and down with a new idea. "Maybe I could… just…" Rarity shot her a look. Sweetie belle gave a sheepish smile and grabbed Chad’s hoof. “Take Chad over here…..to play.” She walked over to a corner as Chad.
"I'll manage." Rarity said to Fluttershy, who began walking towards the door.
"Well, maybe I should get out of your mane so you can work." Fluttershy said before a couple of blurs zipped inside. Those blurs belonged to Skeedaddle, Rumble Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Pipsqueak.
"Hi, Fluttershy! Hi, Rarity!"
“Hello, uh, kids.” Rarity said, a little uneasy with the additions of foals.
“Hey Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo and Apple Bloom exclaimed.
“Hiya Chad!” Rumble, Skeedaddle and Pipsqueak exclaimed.
"You ready for tonight?" Scootaloo asked eagerly.
"Yup!" Sweetie Belle replied happily. "Cutie mark planning session is a go!"
"Tonight is the night we each try to find our own special talent." Pipsqueak confirmed.
"Even if it takes us all night!" Rumble added.
"I'm ready! You ready?" Apple Bloom asked.
“Very ready!” Skeedaddle exclaimed.
"Cutie Mark Crusader sleepover at Rarity's! Yay!" All but Chad exclaimed, who had to cover his ears. However, he looked up with a smile.
"And… look what I made us!" Sweetie Belle announced. The group watched as she put a red cape with a blue patch with a yellow pony wearing a cape on it.
“Wow!” The two fillies said.
“Whoa!” The guys all said, as they looked at the cape. Fluttershy walked over as the patch caught her eye.
"What does that patch on your cape mean?" Fluttershy asked.
"The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" The six foals shouted together, Chad covered his ears again.
“We're on a crusade, a mission!" Rumble announced.
"To find our cutie marks!" Apple Bloom added.
"Yup. And look," said Sweetie Belle, lifting up her cape to reveal the underside, which was made out of a familiar gold fabric. "I lined them with this special gold silk. It took sooo long to make, but I think it adds just the right touch, don't you?" she asked her friends "Oooooh!" over it.
Chad tilted his head as Rarity eyed it, considering it looked familiar.
“Hey, isn’t that Rarity’s golden silk she needs for the special robes she mentioned?” Chad asked. That was what did it.
Rarity stared in horror to see that the fabric her sister had used was her own, and she raced over to pick up a section lying next to her sewing machine, discovering that seven squares had been cut out of it.
"Sweetie Belle! What have you done?!" Rarity shrieked as Sweetie Belle gave off a sheepish smile. "I still needed that gold silk! Oh, now I'll have no choice but to make more! Oh, I hope I can make more in time. I'm gonna have to work all night! Which means…" She took a breath and faced the seven young creatures. "Sorry, everyone, I'm afraid the Crusaders sleepover is cancelled."
“What?!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
"I just won't have any time to watch you if I want to get these robes delivered on time." Rarity pointed out.
"But-" Sweetie Belle began, having been looking forward to the sleepover.
"No buts this time." Rarity told her. "I'm sorry, Sweetie Belle. It's just the way it has to be."
“Aww….” The crusaders said. Fluttershy saw the saddened looks on their faces. Then she got an idea.
"I, uh, I suppose I could take them for the night," she offered. The six pony crusaders looked at her with hopeful smiles. Chad’s tail began to wag.
Rarity was surprised to hear Fluttershy make an offer like that.
"I couldn't ask you to do that." She attempted to decline.
"Oh, it's no problem at all," Fluttershy said reassuringly.
"Have you met my sister and her friends?" Rarity asked skeptically. "The only one I know isn’t gonna be an issue is Chad."
"Did I have a problem with Opal?" Fluttershy reminded her friend. "You've seen how well I handle small creatures."
Rarity knew that Fluttershy had a point and was one of the few ponies around who could get her cat to behave. "I suppose that's true… and I do have a lot of work to do…"
“I think it’ll be fun!” Chad said happily. Although Rarity was still unsure.
"I assure you, they're quite a handful."
"These sweet little angels?" Fluttershy asked and the seven all smiled innocently. Haloes appeared over their heads. Chad looked up and grabbed his and held it.
Rarity sighed. "Well… all right."
"Cutie Mark Crusader sleepover at Fluttershy's cottage! Yay!" They cheered and raced out the door.
"So cute." said Fluttershy before flying after them. "W-wait for me!"
Rarity could only look on in slight discomfort as she felt Fluttershy was doing the exact same thing she did with the dresses.
Chad came back and held out the halo, he let out a whistle for Opal and patted the ground. Opal looked at him and then the halo, ran over and jumped through the hoop. He ran back out and Rarity looked completely shocked.
Fluttershy flew after the foals as they ran ahead, giggling, and she already planning fun activities to do with them.
"Oh, won't this be ever so fun? We can have a nice little tea party, and braid each others' tails, and sit quietly and color, and tell each other fairy tales, and-" she stopped when she realized that she'd lost sight of the foals and Nymph. 'Oops!'
Twilight was trotting through town before almost getting run over by the six foals, resulting in her spinning. Chad got to her and stopped her.
“Thanks Chad.” She said as she looked down at him.
“Hey, Twilight. The sleepover has been moved to Fluttershy’s cottage. Are my bags still at home?” Chad asked.
“Sure are.” Twilight told him before seeing Fluttershy. “Oh, hello fluttershy.”
"Oh! Hello, Twilight." said Fluttershy, hovering in the air. "Where are you off to?"
"I'm heading to the Everfree Forest to Zecora's to get some of my favorite tea." Twilight answered.
"Th-The Everfree Forest?" Fluttershy repeated nervously. "Ah, you'll be careful, won't you?"
"Of course!" Twilight Sparkle promised. “Chad told me you’re taking over as the host to the Cutie Mark Crusader sleepover. Taking care of those three colts, fillies and Chad all by yourself? You sure you can handle it?"
"What? These sweet little angels?" Fluttershy asked as the six foals zipped up next to her with innocent smiles on their faces, and more haloes popping up, which Chad grabbed and placed into his hoodie. "They'll be no problem at all."
Twilight nodded and then looked at Chad.
“You want to bring Spike with you?” Twilight asked.
“I would, but he’s playing Castle-Maneia right now, and the Gorgon heads keep resetting him. I don’t wanna be around when he breaks and asks Bandit for help. Because the controllers will suffer.” Chad answered.
It was nightfall by the time everyone arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage. Chad was placing his sleeping bag onto the ground. Angel hit his hoof with a carrot.
“Oh. Still hate me huh?” Chad asked him. He kept doing it making Chad roll his eyes. “Look, I’m sorry about wanting to eat you before. I promise this maw won’t touch you, okay?”
Angel went to hit him again, but stopped and instead offered him the carrot. Chad smiled and eats the carrot and then pet angel.
"Wow! Look at this place!" Sweetie Belle said when she saw there were more animals inside the living room, along with some small staircases.
"What's that? Are those chickens?" Skeedaddle asked as he also looked around, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Rumble, Pipsqueak and Scootaloo ran around, looking at everything, startling the animals so much that they hid themselves to keep from getting run over. Chad picked up Angel to move him away from the antiques before joining in on the zipping around.
"No… problem at all," Fluttershy whispered to herself, hoping that she hadn't bitten off more then she could chew.
"Okay, everyone, uh, what should we do?" She asked, but the foals weren't paying attention since they were more focused on getting their cutie marks.
“I'm gonna get my mark first!” Scootaloo started, which began an argument.
"Hello?” Fluttershy asked, but she was talked over.
“Nuh uh!” Skeedaddle argued, though in a joking manner.
“Should we-" She tried to get their attention.
“I am!” Pipsqueak interrupted.
"Everyone, now settle-"
"I'm staying up all night!” Rumble exclaimed as he jumped onto Angel’s bed.
“Same here!” Pipsqueak added. The other Crusaders all agreed, except Chad.
“Take it from me, staying up all night isn’t all that’s cracked up to be.” Chad told them with a smile.
"I-I know you're excited, but – kids, oh, oh, careful with the – oh, ah, kids-"
Apple Bloom was on a tilting chair, resulting in Fluttershy running over to fix it so she doesn’t call.
“Careful with the-” She was interrupted when she saw Sweetie Belle’s head stuck in a bird house. Chad climbed up the stairs and pulled her head out.
“Foals.” Fluttershy called. Rumble zipped by her head, resulting in her having to fix her mane.
"So! What do you wanna do? Play a game?" She asked semi loudly, finally getting their attention.
Scootaloo thought about that for a moment and had a different idea. "We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"
"And we want to crusade for our cutie marks!" Skeedaddle added.
“No matter what it takes!” Pipsqueak added. Sweetie Belle climbed on Chad’s back to contribute to the excitement.
“And, and, and, we, um- yeah! What they said!" Sweetie Belle said as she nuzzled Chad’s mane.
“I think I agree with Chad with not staying up all night. How about a nice quiet little tea party?"
"Or… we could go adventuring in the Everfree Forest!" Rumble suggested.
“Yeah!” The other crusaders, except Chad, exclaimed.
“I’m okay with either one.” Chad said with a smile.
"Oh, no!" Fluttershy objected positioning herself in front of the door to keep them from getting out. "The Everfree Forest is much too dangerous. It's filled with far too many strange creatures."
"But you could go with us and we could catch those creatures," Sweetie Belle pointed out. "We could be, umm… creature catchers!"
“Chad caught a.... Tirig....Trig....uh…" Apple Bloom failed to pronounce.
“Bandit already said to call it a TCO.” Chad told her.
“A TCO. Chad caught one before, which means we can too!” Apple Bloom answered, which also added to the CMC’s excitement.
"Yay! Cutie Mark Crusader creature catchers!" The group all said excitedly.
Scootaloo grabbed a basket that she put on her own head, snatched up a big rug, and she hopped onto Skeedaddle’s back, covering themselves with the rug.
"Arrrr! I am a dangerous creature from the Everfree Forest! Rrrarr!" She growled. Chad smirked and played a long.
"Halt, dangerous creature of the Everfree Forest." Chad announced. "I am Kama Chadwickson! The catcher of all creatures of the everfree, and I am here to catch you!”
Sweetie Belle smirked as she slid off his back and stood to his side.
“And I’m Sweetie Belle! His catcher sidekick.”
Apple Bloom slid over as well. “And I’m Apple Bloom! His other sidekick!”
Pipsqueak put a pair of fake teeth in his mouth and Rumble mimicked a hiss.
“You might catch her, but you won’t catch all of us.” Pipsqueak told them.
“You cannot run from us.” Apple Bloom announced before giving chase. The group began to chase each other back and forth. Laughing as they did so.
"Um, oh, maybe that's not such a – [they ran by again] now, kids, how about we do some nice coloring? Doh-" She whimpered as Sweetie Belle hopped off her back.
“Come back, dangerous creature, so I can catch you!" Sweetie Belle called out, chasing her friends. Chad pounced into the air and managed to drag Rumble down to the ground mid flight.
"Never!" Scootaloo declared, laughing.
"Careful… you don't…" Fluttershy began and flinched as she saw the object in question, a blue table. "…break anything”
"Sorry, Fluttershy." Sweetie Belle said, filled with guilt. Scootaloo looked towards Fluttershy, with the basket still on her head.
"Yeah, sorry." Scootaloo agreed, Skeedaddle took the basket off Scootaloo’s head and began to put the rug away.
Apple Bloom hung her head in shame. "I guess we aren't creature catchers."
"Oh, little one, it's okay. I-" Fluttershy began.
"I know!" Pipsqueak said, getting an idea. "We could be Cutie Mark Crusader carpenters!"
"C-carpenters?" Fluttershy repeated.
“Oh, Bandit taught me about carpentry.” Chad said as he took a tool belt out of his hoodie and put it on.
“Chad, is there anything you can’t do?” Rumble asked.
“Watch Titanic without falling asleep.” Chad answered. Confused looks hit him.
“Really?” Skeedaddle asked.
“Yep, that’s a movie I will never understand how so many ponies like it.” Chad told him.
“Let us give this a shot at Carpentry.” Apple Bloom said as she wrapped hooves around Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. The trio zipped off and came back with stethoscopes and head mirrors on, observing the table like a patient.
“Hammer.” Apple Bloom requested.
“Hammer.” Scootaloo repeated, grabbing a hammer and passing it to Sweetie Belle, who passed it to Apple Bloom. The trio looked at it again.
“Hammer.” Sweetie Belle requested.
“Hammer.” Scootaloo repeated, grabbing another hammer and passing it to Sweetie Belle.
“Hammer.” Scootaloo requested. There was a silence before Skeedaddle reached over and picked up another hammer.
“Um...Hammer?” He said, slightly confused.
It didn't take them very long, but when they were finished, they were confused by what they'd done with the remains of the table, which didn't look like a table anymore.
"Um … that doesn't look like a table." Sweetie Belle said, frowning.
“You guys were building a table?” Pipsqueak asked.
“Somepony needs to put this thing out of its misery.” Rumble suggested, resulting in a slap to the back of the head from Apple Bloom.
Scootaloo shook her head. "We are definitely not Cutie Mark Carpenters."
Chad walked over and started to repair the table the correct way.
"Who wants a picture of a hammer on their flank anyway?" Sweetie Belle grumbled.
“Well, Gullfaxi has a cutie mark like that.” Chad answered as he finished the table.
“Who’s that?” Pipsqueak asked.
“The youngest of the Faxi triplets. I’ll get into that later.” Chad said as he looked back at Fluttershy.
"Well, now that we've gotten that out of the way, how about a game?" She suggested, leading them over to the couch.
"A game?" Apple Bloom asked as they seated themselves on the couch. Fluttershy nodded.
"It's called "Shhh!"
"What's that?" Rumble asked, looking both confused and slightly disgusted at the suggestion.
“Well, it's a game about who can be quiet the longest. Sound fun?” Fluttershy asked. The only one who looked interested in the slightest was Chad. Everyone else, even Pip, was unamused at the suggestion. “I'm the world champ, you know. I bet you can't beat me!" She then took a deep breath and held it.
The six foals all exchanged looks.
“I lose.” Scootaloo said, everyone else followed suit, except Chad.
"Me too!"
"Me three!"
“Me four!”
“Me five!”
“Me six!”
Fluttershy let out a sigh of disappointment as she looked at the antics the foals were doing this time.
"Okay, now what can we do?" Scootaloo asked as she jumped up and down on a nearby bed. Skeedaddle came down from the chimney after climbing up.
"Oooh! How about Cutie Mark Crusader coal miners?" Skeedaddle asked.
“Yeah!” The other CMC, except Chad all cheered.
"No!" Fluttershy said firmly.
“Aww.” The sextet said as they looked down sadly. Chad grinned at Fluttershy.
"I mean, it's time for bed, don't you think?" Fluttershy said suggested as she herded the fillies to the staircase. “Aren't you excited to get all toasty and warm in your snuggly-wuggly widdle beds?"
“Snuggly-Wuggly? What are we 5?” Rumble asked. Apple Bloom came back from the staircase to slap him in the back of the head.
“I for one am. I get to go to sleep the new ‘Shh’ world champion.” Chad said with a happy grin. Fluttershy gasped as she realized she spoke before Chad during the game.
“We have more crusadin' to do!" Pipsqueak said.
"We've got plans!" Scootaloo agreed.
"And capes!" Skeedaddle added, pulling the capes out of their bags.
Briefly ignoring the loss of her championship, she herded the fillies up the stairs as the colts plus nymph stayed downstairs. “Um, okay, um. Maybe the crusading can wait until morning? When it's light? And not so… dark?"
Upstairs, Fluttershy was preparing the fillies for bed.
"How are we gonna find our special talent in our sleep?" Apple Bloom wondered, not wanting to sleep.
Fluttershy blew out the candle and turned to the three fillies. "Maybe you'll have a lovely little dream about your special talent," she suggested.
"But we're not even tired!" Scootaloo complained as Fluttershy placed a cover over them.
"How about I sing you a lullaby?" Fluttershy offered and the Cutie Mark Crusaders all agreed eagerly.
Downstairs, Chad was fast asleep while the other three colts had a little too much on their minds to head to sleep at the moment.
“Ugh. How can I go to sleep?” Rumble asked as he planted his pillow over his own face.
“There are so many things to try for our cutie marks, we could be doing any of that instead of sleeping.” Pipsqueak added.
Skeedaddle looked up at the others with his head under his pillow. “Maybe we’ll get our cutie marks in sleeping.”
“Doubt it.” Rumble said. He then looked at Chad. “I don’t know how Chad is able to sleep.”
Seconds after he said that, Sweetie Belle was heard singing loudly, which woke Chad up.
“Hush now! Quiet now!
It's time to lay your sleepy head!
Said hush now! Quiet now!
It's time to go to bed!” Sweetie sang loudly.
Upstairs, Fluttershy was trying to keep Sweetie Belle quiet.
"Okay Sweetie, that was…" she began.
“Driftin' (driftin') off to sleep!
Exciting day behind you!
Driftin' (driftin') off to sleep!
Let the joy of dream land find you!” Sweetie continued to sing.
"Thank you Sweetie, um…" said Fluttershy, trying to get the young unicorn's attention. Chad got upstairs and looked through the door way. Skeedaddle stood on his back to peek in, Rumble stood on Skeedaddle’s back to peek in, and Pipsqueak stood on Rumble’s back to peek in.
“Hush now! Quiet now!
Lay your sleepy head!
Said hush now! Quiet now!
It's time to go to bed!
Ow!” Sweetie Belle finished singing. As Fluttershy turned to look at the mess and began cleaning, the three fillies heard flapping and clucking outside.
"What is that?" Scootaloo asked. As Fluttershy finished cleaning the mess, she turned back to the bed and saw that the fillies weren’t there. She turned to the door way, where the colts and nymph pointed to the window.
Fluttershy opened the window wider and looked outside.
“Girls!” She called. Chad and the colts walked downstairs and got outside to see what the fillies were seeing.
"Fluttershy, your chickens are on the loose!" Apple Bloom called out to her as the chickens were running around the fencing.
"I wonder what could have caused that…" Sweetie Belle wondered.
“Not what. Who.” Skeedaddle said as he glared at Sweetie Belle, who gave off a sheepish smile.
"Don't worry, Fluttershy." said Scootaloo to Fluttershy as she still looked on from the window. "the Cutie Mark Crusaders will handle this!"
"Cutie Mark Crusader chicken herders! Yay!" Sweetie Belle cheered and they all ran inside the fence, chasing after the chickens. Chad slid to a stop, pulled a bag of grain out of his mane and shook the bag. As a result, some of the chickens were chasing him right back into the chicken house.
"No, I don't think that's a— ah, come back. Please!” Fluttershy called, though not loud enough. The foals continued to chase the chickens, except Chad who was feeding grain to the chickens that followed him. Fluttershy came out of the house and landed near the group. “Kids, the chickens are fine.”
The foals were still giving chase. Fluttershy then went with her big filly voice.
“KIDS!” She exclaimed, which got almost all of their attention. A chicken landed on Fluttershy’s head. She clicked her tongue to get the chicken’s attention and the chickens followed her back to the coop, where they stopped and looked at her.
"Come on, in you go." She requested, but when they didn't move, she sighed and fixed them with the stare, and they marched backwards in the coop. They looked a bit nervous at first, but when hearing the bag of grain that Chad was shaking got them running inside.
"There's some good chickens." She said pleasantly and then turned to the foals as Chad walked out and shook his messy mane back to normal. “Okay everyone, Isn't it about time you got into bed?" She asked.
"But-" The six Foals began.
"Please?" Fluttershy asked them
“I’m feeling tired.” Chad said with a yawn. The others reluctantly agreed and got back into the cottage.
Upstairs, the fillies were tucked back into the bed.
So, no more crusading for tonight, all right?" She requested.
"Yes, Fluttershy!"
"We promise, Fluttershy!"
"Good night, Fluttershy!"
Fluttershy smiled as they all shut their eyes. "Okay, good night.” She said, blowing out the candle once again, and she went back downstairs. As soon as she was out of sight, the trio opened their eyes and looked at each other to begin talking again.
"Okay, so what kind of crusading do we do next?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"There's not much we can do from this room… unless we become Cutie Mark Crusader cottage cleaners," Apple Bloom suggested.
Sweetie Belle shuddered at the suggestion. "N-no, thanks."
Apple Bloom went to the window and rested her forelegs on the edge, thinking.
"Well, we have to think of somethin'. We can't just waste this opportunity to find out what our special talents are," she grumbled and then noticed that there was a gap in the fence surrounding the chicken coop, and there were chicken prints leading away from the gap.
"Hey, girls! Look! Some of the chickens may have escaped!" She exclaimed and her friends joined her to see that she was right.
"Into the forest!" Scootaloo pointed out. The trio then looked at each other.
"Cutie Mark Crusaders chicken rescuers are go!" They whispered and quietly headed for the stairs.
In the living room, Fluttershy was curled up on the couch, exhausted from chasing the fillies, and she let out a content sigh.
"It really wasn't that hard … I mean, all I needed to do was just show them who's in charge." she mumbled, curling up to go to sleep and was unaware that the three fillies were sneaking past her. "Nothing's gonna get past Fluttershy! Good with animals, good with kids."
The fillies began to sneak past the back door, before seeing the colt members of the group sneaking to the door too.
“Hey, what are you guys doing?” Sweetie Belle whispered.
“We couldn’t sleep, and we saw the chicken coop was torn.” Skeedaddle whispered back.
“We were doing the same thing.” Scootaloo whispered excitedly.
“Where’s Chad?” Apple Bloom asked.
“He’s asleep. He’s impossible for us to wake up without also waking Fluttershy.” Pipsqueak answered in a whispered.
“Aww.. He’s not joining us?” Sweetie Belle asked disappointed, still whispering.
“Let’s hurry before Fluttershy wakes up.” Pipsqueak said as he and the crusaders ran out of the cottage. Scootaloo’s cape got caught on the fence, and she had to tear to keep up with her friends.
"Wait up!" Scootaloo called before they all disappeared into the forest to find the missing chicken, hoping to get their cutie marks.
Back in the cottage, Fluttershy was dozing on the couch, mumbling to herself.
"Mmm, peace and quiet." She sat up with a gasp. "Too quiet."
She zipped over to the room the colts were supposed to be sleeping in, only to see Chad being the only one in his sleeping bag. She then zipped upstairs to the room the fillies were sleeping in, and saw that they weren’t there. After calling for them, she wound up checking the chicken coop and saw that one of her chickens were missing.
"Elizabeak! She's missing!" She exclaimed before seeing he gap in the fence and both the chicken prints and hoof prints.
"Capes?!" She gasped flying until she reached the fence and found a piece of red fabric from one of the capes.
"Oh, no! They must have gone looking for my missing chicken! Which mean… they must have gone into…" she gulped. "The Everfree Forest!"
"Those foals have really done it this time!" Fluttershy grumbled. “They've really bitten off more than they can chew! Oh, just like me! I never should have offered to watch them.”
She looked at the path and then at the cottage, she grabbed the cloth and ran back inside.
After waking up Chad, Chad sniffed the cape and picked up Scootaloo’s scent before running towards the forest. Fluttershy was hot on his trail.
Meanwhile, The group of six was still looking for the chicken.
"Here, chick-chick-chick-chick-chick!" Apple Bloom called out and began making clucking noises. "Brawck, bawk-bawk-bawk, brawck!"
"What are you doing?" Scootaloo asked.
"Callin' for the chicken!" Apple Bloom replied
“That is not how you call a chicken.”
“You would know.” Rumble said with a smirk. Scootaloo stopped and looked at him.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Scootaloo confronted.
“That you’re a chicken.” Rumble answered. Scootaloo growled.
“I am not a chicken!”
"Oh, wait, now I know how to call a chicken! Scootaloo! Scoot-scootalooooo!" Rumble mocked. Apple Bloom silently snickered at this.
“That's so funny I forgot to laugh." Scootaloo said as she walked by a cave with glowing eyes inside.
"You also forgot how to call a chicken!" Rumble teased, blowing a raspberry at her.
“Why you…”
“Come on, guys.” Pipsqueak started. “We're not gonna find the chicken or our cutie marks by arguing."
“I mean….we could if we tried hard enough.” Skeedaddle suggested.
“Could not.” Scootaloo began to argue.
“Could too.” Skeedaddle argued back.
“Could not.”
“Could too.” Skeedaddle then moved his cape. “Anything yet?”
Scootaloo looked at his flank and then her own. “Nope.”
“Daww.” Skeedaddle said disappointed. Scootaloo patted his back as he walked by. The two share a laugh, joined by Apple Bloom and Rumble.
“Heeeere, chick-chick-chick-chick, baaawk, bawk-bawk-bawk-bawk-bawk-bawk-bawk, b-baaaaawk!" Apple Bloom continued to call.
“Maybe we should go back and grab a bag of grain. I saw Chad do something like that earlier.” Sweetie Belle suggested.
Chad was sniffing the ground and following the smell of the crusaders he could smell.
“A-anything Chad?” Fluttershy asked him, looking around nervously.
“Well, I can still smell them. But the wind is making it a little harder for me to track them.” Chad answered. He continued to smell before Twilight’s smell caught him off guard. As he went to investigate, Fluttershy was trying to give herself a pep talk.
"Oh! Get a hold of yourself, Fluttershy." She scolded herself. "Just put one hoof in front of the other." She then stepped on a twig that snapped, and she yelped, jumping backwards.
"Ahh! What was that?" She then backed into a tree, and she ran forward screaming.
She ran before seeing Chad running towards her, causing her to slide to a stop.
“Fluttershy, we got a problem. A really really super gi-mega-normous problem.” Chad told her, using his hooves to express how big the problem was.
“What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked. Chad pointed towards Twilight’s silhouette. Fluttershy only took one step before seeing that Twilight was completely encased in stone, which made her gasp. She practically jumped when she saw the bushes rustle. Bandit was the one to walk out from the bushes.
“Fluttershy? Chad? What are you two doing out here? Aren’t the foals supposed to be asleep?” Bandit asked her.
“They came outside looking for one of my lost chickens.” Fluttershy answered. “W-why are you out here?”
“I’m looking for Twilight. She left a couple of hours to get some tea and hasn’t been back for hours. I was tracking her a couple of minutes ago, but the wind has been sending me all over the place.” Bandit answered. Chad and Fluttershy pointed to Statue Twilight. Bandit’s eyes went wide.
“Oh no. Fluttershy, you said the others came outside to find the lost chicken?” Bandit asked. Fluttershy nodded. “We gotta hurry.”
“I got a scent!” Chad called out as he sniffed the air. Bandit and Fluttershy began to follow Chad, Bandit doubled back and places a force field around Twilight so she doesn’t get cracked while he was gone.
Meanwhile, Skeedaddle and Scootaloo were still arguing.
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
“Skeedaddle, Scootaloo!” Pipsqueak snapped, which stopped them from arguing. “Our special talent is not arguing. Besides, what would the cutie mark of somepony whose talent is arguing even look like?"
Skeedaddle tapped his chin.
“Ever heard of a lawyer?” Skeedaddle asked. “My dad hangs out with a lot of them at work.”
“Skeedaddle, your parents ain’t got no job.” Rumble told him.
“But-”
“Over here!” Chad was heard saying. The other crusaders looked up and saw Chad running towards them with Bandit and Fluttershy flying in behind him.
“Fluttershy? Bandit?” Everyone but Sweetie Belle asked.
“Chad!” Sweetie Belle said happily and hugged Chad tight.
“Thank goodness we found you.” Fluttershy said.
“Okay, we need to get all of you back to the cottage asap, before that Cockatrice finds you.” Bandit told them.
"But… we haven't found the chicken yet.” Pipsqueak initially protested.
"There's no time for that," said Fluttershy quickly. "There's a cockatrice on the loose!"
"A cocka-what now?" Apple Bloom asked, a bit confused.
“A half snake and half chicken creature. A bit of a menace, so we need to go now.” Bandit told them.
“Half chicken half snake?” Scootaloo asked, before giggling. “That doesn’t sound menacing, that sounds silly.”
“Why, if I ever saw one of them cockathingies face-to-face, I'd laugh at how silly it was." Apple Bloom said.
“Oh no. A cockatrice isn’t an animal you want to challenge to a staring contest.” Chad told the group, who looked at him confused.
“You don’t wanna look one in the eye.” Bandit translated. Then they spotted the chicken run out of a bush. “"If you look a cockatrice in the eye-"
"The chicken!" Apple Bloom exclaimed and she chased after the chicken, followed by her friends, bar Chad.
“Hey! Wait!” Bandit exclaimed as he jumped and landed in their path, making them slide to a stop.
“Whoa. Bandit knows how to jump.” Rumble said as he looked at him. The chicken ran into a bush and popped her head out. Then another ‘chicken’ popped out his head.
"Two chickens?" Scootaloo wondered, confused.
“I thought only one escaped.” Pipsqueak said, sharing her confusion.
“Should we grab them both?” Sweetie Belle asked. The other ‘chicken’ opened his eyes, showing his fully red eyes as he came out of the bush and revealed the rest of his body, the body of a snake with chicken legs, and the wings of a dragon.
Bandit closed his eyes with his left hoof.
“Everyone cover your eyes!” Bandit exclaimed.
“Why? What’s wrong?” Skeedaddle asked as he and the other crusaders peeked out.
They see the Cockatrice fly after the fleeing chicken, land in front of it, and then fixed it with its' glowing red eyes. The chicken let out a terrified squawk before it was turned into stone and landed on the ground, its head stuck in the ground.
The next thing Bandit heard were the screams of all but Chad, who was plugging his ears. Bandit was forced to plug his ears next before feeling Chad plug his ears with ear plugs, who took some out of his pocket, also having ear plugs in his own ears as well.
Bandit looked around and saw the crusaders had scattered.
They kept running until Scootaloo tripped on a rock and they crashed to the ground in a heap. Sitting up, they saw the stone figure of Twilight with her own expression frozen in surprise, and they screamed again.
Bandit, Chad and Fluttershy got over to them.
“See? Now we have to-” Fluttershy tried to say, but the six all began screaming in terror and running around. Bandit used his magic to hold them all up, making them run in place.
“Hey! Kids! We need you to calm down and stop screaming!” Bandit said, amplifying his voice so he could hear himself. Fluttershy looked and saw the Cockatrice had followed the sounds of screaming in terror. She gasped and turned to Bandit.
“Bandit! Protect the kids!” She exclaimed, louded enough to be heard by Bandit.
Bandit brought the kids towards him and put them down behind them.
“Stay behind me!” Bandit told them. Chad sild by them and looked towards Fluttershy, who threw herself between Bandit and the cockatrice.
“You!" She scolded, startling the cockatrice. "Just who do you think you are, going around turning others into stone?" And when the creature's eyes glowed, beginning to turn her to stone, she used the Stare, scaring the Cockatrice. "You should be ashamed of yourself. I have a mind to find your mother and tell her what you've been up to, young man," she growled and the transformation stopped so that only her back half was stone. "Now you go over there, and turn Elizabeak and my friend Twilight back to normal, and don't ever let me catch you doing this again. Do you understand me?"
The Cockatrice did some dismayed squawking and it flew away to do as she commanded.
Her back half returned to normal and Fluttershy turned to check on the six crusaders, who were staring at her with utter amazement on their faces. "Are you all alright?" she asked. "I was so worried!"
"Yeah, fine!" Scootaloo answered. Bandit and Chad took the ear plugs out of their ears.
"Thanks to that stare of yours.” Sweetie Belle added, clinging to Chad.
“You're like the queen of stares.” Skeedaddle said before gasping. "You're the- Stare Master!"
"We're sorry we snuck out of the house and into the forest." Rumble began to apologize.
“And we’re sorry we didn’t bring you with us Chad.” Apple Bloom apologized to him. Chad hugged her before Pipsqueak spoke up again.
“We'll listen to you from now on Fluttershy." Pipsqueak said.
"We promise." Skeedaddle promised.
"Oh, you do, do you? Well, you better, or I'll give you… the Stare!" Fluttershy teased, pretending to give them the Stare and they all giggled while the Cockatrice flew past.
Bandit and Chad heard Twilight tapping on Bandit’s forcefield. Bandit dropped the field and she walked over.
“What… what happened?" She asked and they all turned when the chicken began squawking frantically, no longer stone and its' head was still stuck in the ground.
The next morning, the six foals plus Nymph were running around the front yard, giggling and having fun while Fluttershy, Bandit and Twilight were seated at a table, drinking tea, and Fluttershy was telling the Twilight, who was writing it all done for her report, about the encounter with the Cockatrice.
“And that's when it brought you back from stone," Fluttershy concluded.
“This is gonna make quite a letter to the princess." Twilight remarked. "I was wrong about you. You certainly do know how to handle those kids."
Fluttershy flushed a little. "Oh, I wouldn't go that far." she said softly.
"Hmm? How so?" Twilight Sparkle asked.
“Let me guess, you thought that since you were so good with animals, you’d be good with kids?” Bandit asked her. Fluttershy looked at him and nodded.
“Y-yes. How did you-”
“Personal experience.” Bandit chuckled out. “But, go on.”
“Bandit’s right, I assumed that I'd be just as good with kids as I am with animals." Fluttershy confessed. "Boy, was I wrong. I really learned the hard way not to bite off more than I could chew."
Twilight nodded, writing it down before magically setting both the report and the quill on the table. "You and Rarity both.”
Chad was wrestling with Skeedaddle before seeing the letter. He ran over to them and delivered it. Bandit looked over and saw Rarity walking over with a box.
“Hey Rares.” Bandit greeted.
“Good morning Rarity.” Twilight greeted as she looked up.
“Did you finish all those capes?" Fluttershy asked.
Rarity nodded and sighed. "Just delivered them," she answered. "I have to admit, if you hadn't come along, I might not have. Thanks again."
Twilight then looked at the box.
“Hey, what’s that?” She asked.
“Oh.” Rarity took the box and put it on the ground. “I saw this box at the post office and it said it was for Chad, from Tailor Coat.”
Chad opened the box and jumped inside. He came back out with a couple of red hoodies with a blue patch with a yellow pony wearing a cape on it, and gold silk on the inside.
“My Cutie Mark Crusader hoodies came!” Chad exclaimed.
“Won’t you stay for some tea?” Fluttershy asked.
Rarity politely declined. "I really must get back to the shop and clean up," she said and then she called out to the six foals. "Kids! Get your things. Time to go. Kids!" But the Cutie Mark Crusaders were too busy giggling, calling to each other, and running around.
Bandit turned to look at Chad.
“Chad, how did you pay for the hoodies? They don’t look cheap.” Bandit asked.
“Remember my RaspCherry cupcakes? Mr and Mrs Cake gave me some bits after the party.” Chad answered. Bandit did the numbers in his head and smirked and noogied his brother.
“Kids!” Rarity exclaimed to try and get their attention. Fluttershy got up from the table and joined her.
"Allow me." she requested and she cleared her throat. "Kids?" She called softly.
"Yes, Fluttershy?” Apple Bloom asked, zipping up with the others.
"You called?" Rumble asked.
"Go and get your things," Fluttershy requested. "Rarity is here to see you home."
“Of course, Fluttershy, right away!" Pipsqueak said as he and the others zipped inside. The colts were the first ones out and gasped as they saw the new hoodies.
Rarity blinked a few times, trying to make sense of what just happen.
"Ah, huh, ah, how did you… how did you do that?" She asked very shocked.
Fluttershy looked behind her, winking at Twilight and Bandit, who smiled or winked back.
"I guess I'm just as good with kids as I am with animals." Fluttershy answered. The Cutie Mark Crusaders ran past with their bags packed, the colts were wearing the new hoodies.
"Thank you, Fluttershy!” “Bye!” “Thank you, Stare Master!" They all said as they ran by.
"Ah, uh, speaking of which," said Rarity, "I could use your help with Opal."
"Of course," said Fluttershy. "How about later today?" She blinked when she heard Opalescence yowled nearby. "Huh?"
Rarity turned to reveal that Opalescence was clinging to her flank. "How about now?" she suggested, wincing and straining while her cat yowled again, her claws digging into the unicorn's side. Fluttershy giggled a little and walked over. Twilight walked over to Bandit.
“So, did Spike have to ask you for help to beat the Gorgon heads?” Twilight asked.
“Yes.” Bandit answered immediately. Twilight rolled her eyes as she and Bandit let out a chuckle.