August 10th, 996 CE
It was a little over a year past when Lightning and his family had moved to Ponyville. Summer vacation was just about to end with school starting at the beginning of next month with half-days for the first few weeks to let the farm foals help with the harvest. He had found his days mostly spent exploring the town and playing the occasional game with any free foals he found.
Currently, it was late afternoon and he was reading a book in the living room when he heard a knock on the front door. Curious as to who could be knocking right before supper time, he listened in as his mom opened the door to Filthy Rich and stood in the doorway.
Sounding polite, Stellar asks Filthy, “How can I help you this evening Filthy? Did Diamond complain about Lightning again?”
“No,” Filthy responds just as politely, “Diamond just got her Cutie Mark and I was inviting her classmates to her Cuteceañera.” He then passes over a note adding, “Here are the details on when and where it is. I hope to see you and Lightning the-”
“I don’t want to go to that bully’s party mom,” Lightning rudely interjects before continuing, “She always makes me feel bad. Where does she get all that hate from?”
“Now Lightning,” Stellar answers Lightning firmly, “I’ve told you before, friendship is magic and Diamond could use a friend. Besides, she doesn’t seem that bad and Filthy hasn’t found anyone telling her the things you’ve been claiming she’s been spreading, isn’t that right Filthy?”
“That is correct Stellar,” Filthy says proudly before continuing, “I’ve even sat in on the lessons she gets from her tutors and haven’t heard any of what you’ve said she’s said.”
“Now you will be going there Lightning and offering Diamond an apology,” Stellar admonishes Lightning. “Seriously I don’t know where you get such ideas from. Sorry about what he said, Filthy.”
“That’s ok,” Filthy politely responds. “I have to get going to invite the rest of her class so have a good evening Lightning and Stellar.”
“Good evening Filthy,” Stellar answers back as she starts to close the door before pausing to gently glare at Lightning.
Spotting the glare and not wanting to be under that mom look anymore, Lightning hurriedly mumbles out, “goodnight Mr. Rich,” before the door is finally closed.
Turning to look at Lightning, Stellar attempts to soften the blow by telling him, “At least Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom will be there to keep you company at the party with free food. Now come on, I think supper’s about ready.”
Approaching Sugarcube Corner a few days later where the party was being held with his mom, Lightning attempts to give his mom puppy dog eyes so she’ll stop. Unfortunately for him, she ignores them and continues approaching where the party will be held, so with a sigh he continues following her into the building.
Entering the building he sees the place is decorated with banners all featuring a diamond tiara while the tables are loaded down with cakes and cupcakes also decorated with a diamond tiara. There are several foals and adults present playing party games while he spots Diamond Tiara next to her mom and Silver Spoon at the center of the party.
It seems his mom has also, unfortunately, spotted her as he feels her nudge him and using a glance pointedly gestures for him to approach Diamond and give her his apology.
Giving an unhappy sigh, Lightning approaches the trio and halfheartedly says, “I’m sorry for claiming you were a tribalist Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. I also want to say I’m glad you got your Cutie Mark and thanks for inviting me to your party.”
Snootily, Diamond Tiara responds with, “You’re welcome. Maybe someday you’ll even get your own cutie mark,” before whisperingly tacking on with an evil smirk, “Blank Flank.”
Looking up at Spoiled Rich, expecting her to correct her daughter for her name-calling, he is instead dismayed to see and feel pride coming from her at her daughter’s choice of insult. Scurrying back to his mother before he has to hear any more insults, he looks about for his friends Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.
Eventually spotting them, he heads over to them and says with relief, “I’m glad you two are here. Let’s avoid Diamond Tiara for now, she’s found a new insult to call us now that she has her Cutie Mark.”
“I think I spot some ice cream over there we can rescue from my sister Rarity,” Sweetie says with gleaming eyes as she looks at the treats.
“Ah agree we should avoid her. Mah big sis didn’t believe me that she was bullying us,” Apple Bloom adds while looking around at all the party games Diamond Tiara wasn’t playing.
It wasn’t too much later that the trio spotted an altercation near the center of the party. Listening in while hiding underneath a table, they hear Diamond Tiara angrily shout out, “What is a blank flank like you doing at my party getting cake on me by barging in here riding on your scooter‽ I bet you can’t even fly with your tiny wings.”
Popping their heads over the table, the three spot an orange and purple pegasus filly facing Diamond Tiara defiantly while standing upright on a scooter. The mystery filly defiantly responds, “I so can fly, I just enjoy riding my scooter and performing tricks.” Despite the confidence in her voice, Lightning can feel the hurt in her voice letting him guess that part of what she said wasn’t true. Probably the flying part if he had to guess given her wings did look a bit small.
Thinking quickly, Lightning calls out, “Good to know we aren’t the only blank flanks here. You look cool on that scooter and I bet with you we can have some fun at this party.”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle look a little concerned at Lightning’s words for a second before nodding in agreement. Spotting the support, Scootaloo wheels her scooter over to the group but not before they hear a quiet good riddance from Diamond Tiara.
Leading the way to one of the corner tables with the three fillies following him, Lightning sits down and asks with a smile, “What’s your name as I didn’t see you at school last year.? I’m Lightning Sunrise and my parents run the library.”
Smiling, Apple Bloom says as she sits down, “Ah’m Apple Bloom and my family sells apples.”
Sitting down at the table like a noble lady, Sweetie Belle says, “I’m Sweetie Belle and my sister runs the boutique in town where Lightning got his outfit.”
Roughly but enthusiastically Scootaloo hops up into her own chair and introduces herself, “I’m Scootaloo and I just moved here with my parents. They’re adventurers who look for artifacts.”
Again there’s that sense that something Scootaloo said was slightly off, but Lightning brushes it off saying, “Well it’s nice to meet you Scootaloo. What do you three say we form a club to find our own Cutie Marks so Diamond Tiara can stop holding that over us?”
Scootaloo agrees by saying, “I bet we’ll get to do some cool things so I’m in.”
Apple Bloom thinks for a moment before giving her own reason to join, “Ah can maybe find a Cutie Mark that isn’t apple-related.”
Sweetie Belle politely finishes by saying, “Maybe we’ll find them in something gracious.”
Lightning then brings up the next point, “We still need a name, however. Emblem Explorers?”
After that is rejected along with a plethora of similar sounding names, Sweetie Belle finally suggests, “What if we call ourselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders?”
With agreeing sounds all around, the CMC ended their first meeting a few years earlier than fate had planned and Ponyville would never be the same.