The next day James had awoken to Sweetie Bell cuddled up to him in his bed, James laughed a little and tried to get out of her grip.
“No, don’t go,” she moaned quietly.
“I’ll be back later,” James said trying to sit up.
“But I feel lonely,” said Sweetie Bell.
“You’ve got Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to keep you company,” said James.
“I’m not letting go,” Sweetie Bell said.
“You’re gonna have to eventually,” James said.
“No I won’t,” said Sweetie Bell.
“Let go,” James said poking Sweetie Bell in the ribs, she giggled a little and loosened her grip. James poked her again and she giggled once more and loosened her grip enough so James could escape.
“What did you do there?” Sweetie Bell asked rubbing the spot where James had poked her.
“What? A little ticklish are you?” James said as he went into the bathroom. He came out a few minutes later and saw that Sweetie Bell was prodding the spot where James had poked her.
“How come I’m not getting that tingly feeling?” Sweetie Bell asked.
“Because it’s you who’s doing it,” James said, “The reason you reacted when I poked you was because you’re not used to it, it’s natural.”
“Oh, okay then,” Sweetie Bell said.
James left about a half hour later, the Crusaders were all awake by ten. They were watching TV and eating their breakfast when Apple Bloom remembered that they still had to search for their Cutie Marks.
“Are you sure that matters now?” Scootaloo asked, “I don’t think were capable of getting any Cutie Marks while we’re in this world.”
“We can try,” said Apple Bloom.
“But where do we start?” Sweetie Bell asked, “We don’t know where anything that could help is.”
“Maybe we should look around the neighborhood,” said Scootaloo.
“I don’t think we should without James,” Apple Bloom said, “Don’t you remember what he told us about those bad people who might hurt us?”
“I guess we should wait,” Sweetie Bell said.
Just as they were finishing eating Katherine came downstairs.
“Hey girls, how about you come with me so you can meet the people who live on our street?” she asked. The Crusaders looked at one another.
“I don’t know if we should,” said Sweetie Bell.
“Would James allow it?” Scootaloo asked.
“I’m sure he’ll make an acceptation,” replied Katherine.
“We might as well,” Apple Bloom said as she stood up.
Later that day after Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo had met everyone who lived on the street the Crusaders minds switched from Cutie Marks to the neighbors’ pools. Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of James. They saw him open the door, and toss his bag to the side, but there seemed to be something wrong.
“James?” Apple Bloom said, “Are you alright?”
James panted and staggered over to the kitchen sink, he filled up the sink with freezing water and ice cubes from the freezer.
“What are you doing James?” asked Scootaloo.
“Give me a second,” James said as he held out one hand to shush the questions of the girls. He then gulped up a lungful of air and plunged his head into the water and held himself there for several seconds, James then came up took another breath and dunked himself again.
“James!” said Sweetie Bell, “What are you doing?”
James shot up from the water and panted again.
“Worst-day-of-my-life!” he gasped. James then calmed down and went over to the refrigerator and plucked a bottle of water from the stack in the door.
“What happened?” Apple Bloom asked.
“I don’t want to talk too much, I’m a little dehydrated,” James said.
Just before anyone could say anything else James' mother came downstairs.
“Why are you all wet James?” she asked.
“The whole bloody school snapped,” James said, “They made us stand outside for four hours.”
“What are you saying?” his mother asked.
“Hold up while I drink this, I haven’t drank anything all day,” James said before he drank the entire water bottle, James breathed a little and explained what had happened.
“For some reason, I don’t know how or why, the principle ordered every single student to the football field and stand in the sun for four hours. It wasn’t until we got outside that we found the humidity was really high, and about an hour later people started to faint and suffer from heat sickness. I don’t know what the teachers were thinking of; they wouldn’t allow anyone to help the others who had fainted and they pepper sprayed students who did try and help others or escape, I was lucky to have that small water bottle in my bag. If I didn’t, I might be dead.”
James stopped and held the sides of his head.
“You okay?” Sweetie Bell asked.
“My head hurts and I kind of feel sick,” James replied.
“How about we go to Rita’s and get some water ice,” said Katherine.
“That’ll help,” said James, “Nothing like water ice to beat the heat.”
One hour later James and the Crusaders were at Ritas, James had gone to a shaded area so he could recover while the girls stayed with Katherine. James was halfway through his water ice when he heard someone call his name, James looked around and saw a few of his school friends walk over to where he was.
“Yo James,” Alfred asked, “What the hell happened today?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care,” James said as he scooped out another helping of water ice.
“Why did the teachers make us stand outside?” asked Pete.
“Did someone do something stupid?” Jones said.
“No more talking!” James said loudly, “I don’t want to think about it. I just want to get better.”
“Why? What’s up?” Pete asked.
“I’m bloody dehydrated, that’s what’s up,” replied James.
“How would you know? You don’t look it,” Alfred said.
“I took a leak earlier and I clearly knew I was suffering,” James said.
“You can tell by your piss?” Jones asked.
“Well if it’s the same color of root beer then yes,” James said. Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell then came over from the car.
“James, your mother said that we have to go now,” Scootaloo said.
“Are these your friends?” asked Sweetie Bell.
“Yeah, they are,” James said getting off the wall he was leaning against.
“Are these the kids you helped?” Jones asked.
“Two of them,” James said, “Susie and Samantha are the names of these two, as for Abigail, she’s over by the car.”
“I saw them with you on the news,” Pete said, “Are you going to take them with you on your vacations?”
“Why not? They’ve probably never been anywhere farther than the town they live in,” said James.
“Say James, you want to come on a Avengers Run with us?” Alfred asked.
James clearly knew what an Avengers Run was, students would find the homes of teachers who gave them a hard time during the year and make a mess of their property. James had been on two Runs and each time they were nearly caught or killed, but James always had something funny to say during each defacement of an unlikable teachers house. He looked back at the car and to Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo, James sighed and turned back to his friends.
“I’ve got something much more important to take care of,” James said. Pete shrugged and left with Alfred.
“Are you sure? I mean, we’re going to fill the teachers’ cars with foam,” said Jones.
“Judging by the magnitude of what happened today I think the entire school might join you,” James said.
“Okay then,” Jones said, “You take care of those kids now.”
“I have promised to get them home, I will not break it,” said James. Just as Jones was leaving James grabbed him and Jones span around.
“One more thing,” James said, “Defile the grave of the twat know as Bob, he almost killed me and I want to make sure he suffers.”
“I’ll make sure of that,” said Jones, James then went back to the car with Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo. James' mother was waiting for James with Apple Bloom.
“Where you taking with your friends?” James' mother asked.
“They wanted to invite me to a get together,” James said.
“Why didn’t you go?” his mother asked James.
“Because I’ve got these girls to take care of, I think they’re a little more important,” James replied.
Katherine started the car as James folded the seats forward so Apple Bloom could get in the back of the car, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo then sat in the seats that were placed back to the original positions. Back home again James went to the den and sank down on the couch, he was still tired from standing in the sun.
“Now the summer really starts,” he said.