//------------------------------// // Problems Arise // Story: The Cutie Mark Quest // by Rose_Bud //------------------------------// “Apple Bloom!” “Sweetie Belle!” “Where are you?!” Apple Jack emitted a small sigh. “Those girls could be anywhere.” Rarity whined. “How are we ever going to find them?” “Now lets stay calm, Rarity.” Apple Jack tried to hide the worry in her voice. “They couldn’t have gotten far.” “Don’t worry.” Fluttershy tried to reassure her friends, hiding her own fears of the forest. “We’ll find them.” “Yeah!” Rainbow Dash nodded. “And we’re not leaving ‘till we do!” “We’re here to help.” Twilight added. “Yeah!” Pinkie Pie hopped up and down. “Like how recipes help you bake things! Like cakes! Although, the recipes don’t actually help you do any of the baking. They just tell you what to do. How rude!” “Uh, anyway.” Twilight said. “we should head over to Zecora’s place.” “Do you really think the girls we be there?” asked Rarity. “I’m not sure but it’s a place to start.” “We’ll come on ya’ll!” said Apple Jack. “We got to find those youngins before they get into trouble.” She ran off towards Zecora’s, the other five ponies following behind her. **** “Remind me again what we’re supposed to be doing out here.” Apple Bloom asked her unicorn friend. “We need to ask that question to Scootaloo.” Sweetie Belle huffed. “If she would get back here.” The young unicorn flopped down and lied on her stomach, her legs stretched out in every direction. Apple bloom sat down next to her, her eyes scanning the wreckage of their wagon. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had entered the forest, Scootaloo using her wings to propel her scooter through the trees, while Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle rode in the wagon attached. As Scootaloo increased her speed, she failed to notice a surfaced tree branch in her path. She hit the branch, the force stopping her scooters movement, and sent the three fillies and their supplies flying forward. The Crusaders were left sprawled out in the dirt, their wagon turned upside down with all it’s contents scattered around it. As the girls picked themselves up off the ground, making sure nopony was hurt; Scootaloo had discovered that one of the wheels of her scooter had been torn off. She went off to try to find it, leaving her friends to dust themselves off. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked up as the herd a rustle in the bushes. A few seconds later, Scootaloo emerged from the plants a frown on her face. “I couldn’t find the wheel.” She sighed. It must have rolled off somewhere. “Now what are we supposed to do?” Apple Bloom whined. "We could start by cleaning up.” Sweetie Belle suggested. The three fillies looked at each other, then, together, flipped the wagon right side up again, and began reloading their supplies. “So why are we here again, Scootaloo?” Apple Bloom asked. Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “To earn our cutie marks, duh.” “We know that!” Said Sweetie Belle. “But how are we going to earn them?” Scootaloo was slightly annoyed. “Did you guys learn anything from the stories we heard?” Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked at each other, then back at Scootaloo. Scootaloo shook her head, speaking in an annoyed tone. ‘”Fine I’ll tell you again. Apple Bloom, you’re sister earned her cutie mark by going somewhere far away, and same with your sister Sweetie Belle. Twilight and pinkie pie earned their cutie marks by trying something new and working hard. And Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash earned theirs by taking a risk in an area they were unfamiliar with, and fell in love with it.” “That still doesn’t answer our question.” Sweetie Belle stated. “If we try everything they did, were sure to earn our cutie marks! And what better far away, new, risky place to do it then the depths of the Everfree forest!” “I don’t know if this is such a good idea, Scootaloo.” Apple Bloom said. “We aren’t off to a very good start.” Scootaloo finished putting the last of the supplies in the wagon, and then threw her scooter in too. “We can’t stop because we hit a bump in the road. Rainbow Dash wouldn’t quit! And I won’t either! Now come on!” She said as she began pushing the wagon from behind. “We have some forest crusading to do!” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other again, then walked over and helped Scootaloo push the wagon. **** Twilight walked up to Zecora’s door and gently knocked. “Hello? Zecora? Are you home?” Zecora answered the door and greeted the ponies. “Welcome my dears, may I ask what brings you here?” “Apple Bloom and her friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, ran off in the forest.” Twilight explained. “Have they come by here?” Zecora looked surprised. “The young fillies have run off in the forest you say? Unfortunately I can not tell you that they have come this way.” “Now what are supposed to do?” Rainbow Dash complained. “We don’t even know which way they went! How are we supposed to find them?” “’We’re just going to have to start looking.” Twilight sighed. “We’ll head in one direction and hope we can find them, or at least traces of them.” “Yes. We must find them.” Rarity said. “Even if it takes all night.” Only for Sweetie Belle would Rarity ever give up her beauty sleep. “All-all night?” Fluttershy squeaked. “You ponies had better scurry, and find those fillies in a hurry.” Zecora said. “Tonight the forest is no place to be, because tonight is when the Roc feeds.” “A rock?” Pinkie Pie said confused. “Why would a rock need to eat? They don’t even have mouths.” “Not a rock, Pinkie.” Twilight informed her. "A Roc. R-O-C. I’ve read about them. They’re giant birds that are a mix between a vulture and eagle.” “Two mighty birds combined together, with a razor sharp beak and dark feathers.” Zecora began. “It is a fierce predator who will spook, anypony who catches a look. One night a week it leaves its nest, hungry after a long rest. It flies through the forest in between the trees, and it will eat whatever it sees. If something catches the Rocs’ eye, that creature might as well say goodbye.” “Oh no.” Apple Jack’s ears went down and her eyes widened. “We have to find them fast!” “Sweetie Belle!” Rarity called. “Come on girls!” Twilight said. “Thank you, Zecora.” She said as the group left. “Beware of the forest night!” Zecora called out. “The Roc knows how to stay hidden from sight!” Not sure if I really wanted to hear that… Twilight thought.