//------------------------------// // Part 4: Phase Four. // Story: They Grow Up... // by overlord-flinx //------------------------------// Phase one: divert the target's sights away from the pursuer. Simple really. Ahead of time, the target is fed information that would have them believe that their would-be pursuers would be occupied with another matter. They must believe that their pursuer will not be around for the duration of their prerequisite time that they've been led to believe. Example: telling your foster son that daddy will be off causing mischief while mommy will be overseeing her chefs' work so dinner will be well made. It's not lying, just misleading through untruthful notions. Phase two: assume a persona that the target would not suspect. Adorning heavy clothes, dyed coats, or cloaking your cutie mark is the norm for this step. As well as that, you must also choose a name that is far unrelated to your own name and will not clue in your target if you draw too close. Extreme example: morphing yourself into a goat named Disarm Honey and a black unicorn named Crystal. In most cases this would not be even close to adequate, but it is key to always take into account the target's naivety. Phase three: locate and worm your way into the target's day. Once more, simple in theory as well as execution in most cases. By now, you will most likely know one or two items that will allow you to strike up an entry into the target's inner circle very quickly. The key here is to be poise, graceful, and cool as you make your advance. Example: strike up a joke at their place of work with them and be friendly at word one. This leads us to phase four: studying the target's 'targets'... "And this here is the good ol' schoolhouse. Been 'bout half a dozen years since I was but a wee little colt taking Equestrian history class here," Crystal and Disarm Honey nodded while Pipsqueak gestured to the red, wooden panel building. Pipsqueak continued to recant small bits of history about the school. Such as how there was once a press in the basement of the school, but was recently replaced by that of a miniature library; to prevent burdens on Twilight Sparkle and her own collection of books. However, as much as Pipsqueak seemed to be enjoying his talk to the two new guests in town, the very two seemed to only be paying slightly attention. Once in a while the two would nod so as to not draw too much attention to their other motives. Whenever Pipsqueak looked away to better point out another site of the school area, 'Crystal' would snap her eyes away and begin to look around the area as if searching for something. 'Disarm Honey' did quite the opposite in the way of just setting his eyes on Crystal, waiting for something. When Pipsqueak turned to them this time, they ended their searching and looked at him with overly friendly smiles; to which Pipsqueak easily returned a smile to. "That 'bout covers the ol' stompin' grounds. Be lying if I said I didn't miss it at all," a dreamy sigh passed through Pip along with a drop of his head, "but ya' got to grow up sometime, right?" "Most definitely," 'Crystal' agreed while also shifting a dagger eyed look to her goat partner, "though, growth becomes stilted for some... Regardless, this tour has been very informative. We thank you for such an educational time," Disarm rolled his eyes a bit, but was caught in the corner of the mare's eye. Pipsqueak chuckled a bit as he saw the dark mare give the odd goat a swat to the back of the head, not once seeing her drop her graceful stance. "Thanks. I really enjoy h'story, it's my great love. Comes with the call for adventure, have ya' know." "Yes, yes, call of the wild and such..." Crystal dismissed everything he said, only now focused on the golden egg of that statement. "Speaking of great love--" Before she could carry on, Disarm began to cough wildly, trying to cover his mouth while he wheezed. Through the mixes of sounds his throat made, Crystal heard a distinct "Subtle!" thrown in between the coughing. "Speaking of great love..." dismiss it for now and deal with it later was all she had on her mind to quell the fires of wrath inside her, "...Do you have a -what are they called these days?- gal pal?" When Pip opened his mouth to answer, Disarm fell to the ground and started coughing again much louder. Intermixed with his coughs was yet another message, this time of "this is beyond subtle!" in one quick stroke as he pounded a hoof against his chest to stop his 'coughing'. "Is... Is he alright?" Pipsqueak finally asked with all his concern and worry. "He's fine... He was just born with horribly structured lungs," Chrysalis looked through her own disguise to glare at 'Disarm Honey', "Isn't that right, Disarm?" After another long, drawn out cough, the goat nodded and staggered back to his feet. "Ba-a-a-ad lungs, yeah. So..." those yellow eyes went to Pipsqueak with a roused brow. "You're a handsome colt; you probably have a lot of ba-a-a-a-abes nipping at your tail. You digging what I'm slinging home biscuit?" That urge to swat over come Chrysalis once more, but it had to be subdued for now. "Nippin' at me tail?" Pipsqueak chuckled a little at the phrase, "that's a new way to say it. Might have ta' pass that one by Scoot' when I see 'er..." Mark! A name! Time to nip this in the bud. "Scoot?" Crystal spoke up, cutting off any attempt to ruin this that Discord could drum up, "A friend of yours, perhaps...? Maybe...?" "Possibly?" Disarm's tone was nearly identical to Crystal's, just with a slight pitch to it as he gave a scrunched face. The young colt withheld a little laugh and looked to answer his new mare friend. "That she is..." 'she', bingo, "Scootaloo, me partner and fellow cartographer," similar interests and already well acquainted, "I know she don't much care for map making like me, but she does love thrill seeking and climbing to reaches I can't reach me'self," Scratch that, but still promising, "She an--Disarm? Why is she lookin' at me like that?" Crystal's eyes were locked in place on Pipsqueak with bursting excitement as if she was drawing sweet nectar from each word he spoke. "Her? Psh, it's normal for her. She's just got this kink about... friendship. Right, Crystal?" Disgrace... Now she was being accused of derailing the plan. Her eyes readjusted and she fixed herself up, returning to her normal posture. "Yes, indeed... Friendship is the magic that- does... good..." friendship is that of a means to an end is what she wanted to say, but 'Crystal' wouldn't say that. "Hmmm... Agree with ya' there," Makers, thank you for making him so unassuming, "Since I moved 'ere so many calendars ago, I've made lots of good friends and a few loved ones that I wouldn't trade fo' a map of the wide, wide world!" Loved ones!? El Dorado! This is the most golden of golden opportunities one could have! Just one simple question and-- "Good friends, huh? We've got some time, tell us about them," in a moment, that golden opportunity was snatched away as 'Disarm' opened his sick, yellow, ugly mouth. "Really? Wouldn't want ta' bother ya' with me own life story..." Serendipity! Pipsqueak's kind, modest nature shines through Discord's attempts! The opportunity has be offered once more, all she needs is to-- "Oh go on! We love to hear about new ponies. It's kind of our ba-a-a-ag..." Thoughts of strangling consumed Chrysalis as she heard Discord's voice an intent trickling through each of that goat's words. "Well... If you really want..." Pip moved a bit, stretching his front legs a bit, "Best talk an' walk I say... See more town, keep the limbs movin', and keeps the mind limber," the two made not a single objection outside of Crystal snarling silently at Disarm as Pip passed between them. Down the school road the three went, Pipsqueak returning to his regaling stories of all his friends and the amazing traits they all had. And while Disarm Honey paid the greatest of attention to each word and every pause for more, Crystal could feel her soul slowly killing itself. The tests of time have done a great many changes to Equestria as it always had. The roads had been repaved, new tracks had been set up to reach to other towns and cities, even nations; houses had been raised far outside of what used to be the outskirts of Ponyville with a growing rise of residents to accompany them. The Carousel Boutique had long since been remodelled into a studio an passed on to the next of kin. Ponyville itself was no longer a village, it was a budding town; though it's quaint nature never was put into question and perhaps never would be. But one thing that had never changed aside from a few repairs and readjustments was the Cutie Mark Crusader Headquarters; still nestled in that same tree, in the same stretch of Sweet Apple Acres, and housing the same three fillies-now mares. The principle reason for the Cutie Mark Crusaders was -of course- to get their cutie marks. That was their pact, their bond, and their pledge to one another; one none of them would ever break. And it was that very pact that once they gained their marks they remained in that clubhouse and remained true to their name. Only now, they had to change their oath. "When your flank is blank and all your plans have pretty much sank, look to our rank and our unstoppable think tank!" No matter the call of Cutie Mark duty, they would always lend a hoof. Apple Bloom, now sporting a Cutie Mark of a plank of wood with a screw laying across it and a wrench propped against the side of the plank, found her calling in something that built the clubhouse to how it was now. Carpentry, landscaping, and inventing. She personally keeps the clubhouse always in shape and ready for near anything; rain, snow, even lightning. Not long after her discovery, she started sporting goggles around and a satchel of tools; always ready for the muse or call of her Cutie Mark to overcome her. Though her red mane had long since become filled with sawdust and at times grease, she now always carries the appearance of a mare who knows just what she wants. Sweetie Belle, her flank marked with a silver bell that had a purple ribbon strung through the top of it, came upon her calling as her voice and the music it could bring. Of the original Crusaders, she had become the most unsatisfied. Granted, she was beyond happy to know that her singing was her greatest talent, but she at first did not know how to apply it to the world around her. It wasn't until her elder sister Rarity passed on her house to her little sister that she began to organize her own theatre -and the first theatre in Ponyville- that she could perform at. The fillies and colts of Ponyville adore her and the shows she puts on for them all; as well as many stallions that her beauty draws in. Perhaps it was true what they said, good looks easily run in the family. Scootaloo, given a cutie mark of a crimson hummingbird with white wings, discovered her knack as a born performer. Not in the way of acting; but in the form of dance, aerial acrobatics, and daredevil acts. It was this call of dance that bound her to the ground far after her days as a young filly; saving the air for her more demanding and creative arts. Once her talent was discovered, she began to pass it onto anypony else that wanted to use it by teaching fillies how to dance and show pegasi that they can still do a lot even without flight. Even though she found her talent, she never grew out of her ruffian nature or look, but her body still grew out all the same into that of a fine acrobatic flier. The three of them were crusaders through and true, never once breaking their bond with one another as sisters, partners, gal-pals, and so on. They of course aren't without faults with one another now and get into some arguments; but their bond is that of the kind that not the test of time nor the beating of trouble can break. However, their latest crusade and disagreement came to a more heated debate... "Order! Order!" Sweetie Belle's gavel clacked loudly against the stand she put herself behind, "I call this meeting of the Cutie Mark Crusaders- Ponyville Branch, to order! Starting with roll call..." for a minute, the young mare gleamed her eyes down at a piece of old, yellow paper, "Scootaloo?" A single orange wing flipped into the sky from the body of a lounging pegasus. "Present!" "Good... Apple Bloom?" Sweetie Belle wasn't answered this time, prompting her to call the name once more. "Apple Bloom? Where is she?" "She wanted to stay back home a little to catch up on her latest craft," Scootaloo's answer came calm and softly as she continued to lay slumped on the couch in the corner of the room. "Huh... Well, good enough reason for me," a quill slipped across another piece of paper, marking an 'X' by Apple Bloom's name crudely written in crayon. "And I'm here... So we're not missing too many ponies today. Good turn out if you ask me." "It's usually just you, Apple Bloom, and me anyway. The others never show up..." "And that's why I called this meeting, Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle walked out from behind her stand with long strides until she loomed over the resting Scootaloo. "What does it mean to be a Cutie Mark Crusader?" A laboring sigh passed through Scootaloo as her wings furled against her sides. "It's something like advancing ourselves and testing the endless possibilities of what's ahead, right?" "Stupendous answer!" Scootaloo cringed a bit as Sweetie Belle's voice cut against her ears, "That's exactly what we do! After we got our Cutie Marks, we helped younger ponies get their marks too. But now..." "Now?" "Now I think it's about time the three of us -other being Apple Bloom if she ever shows up- start to advance into the next stage of our growing up," Sweetie Belle turned to look out one of the windows of their clubhouse. The sky was still a beautiful blue and very few clouds still hung against the sky. A fillies mind could wonder once again to flights of adventures in their wild and wide-eyed youth. To know that the world before them was filled with chances and possibilities; and once the right set was found, it would only allow for more adventures. "So... What's this next stage of growing up?" Scootaloo spoke up, breaking Sweetie Belle out from her view into her own personal looking glass. The lingering image stuck with Sweetie Belle for just a moment, a moment that didn't come or remain often enough. Growth always has to come, but to know this is different than to expect it. "Scootaloo... Are you doing anything for Hearts and Hooves Day?"