Three fillies with blank spots on their flanks where their cutie marks would go sat with their heads resting on a table in Sugar Cube Corner while the party went on around them. Despite a number of attempts by Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and several other ponies to cheer them up, the trio remained despondent over their failure to acquire their cutie marks.
"I truly did not ever expect to see a party with fillies as sad as you three," said Zecora as she approached the Crusaders' table. The three girls looked up at her briefly, then back to the table without saying so much as a word. Zecora pursed her lips and then hung her head a little as well.
"In truth I wanted to apologize to you," she told them. "I went along with Twilight's plan, it's true. I did not like her plan at first and I feared things would turn out for the worst."
"It's like we told Twilight, Zecora," Apple Bloom said without picking her head up. "We don't blame any 'o y'all for tryin' to help us."
"Yeah, we're the ones who screwed up," Sweetie Belle added.
"I must ask: why do you feel so bad?" Zecora asked them. "If it were me, I would instead be quite glad."
"What's to be glad about?" Scootaloo shot back, looking up at the zebra somewhat angrily. "We didn't just fail to get our cutie marks this time; we failed with what was like half of Ponyville trying to help us out! If we couldn't figure it out with that kind of help, what hope do we have of ever getting our cutie marks?"
"You must pardon me for this remark, but I have never understood your fascination with your marks," Zecora replied. "In my native land we value them too, but not nearly as much as the friends we hold true. Of years ahead you all have quite a few and you all have much growing up yet to do."
"But…what about all 'o our classmates who keep laughin' at us an' makin' fun 'o us for bein' blank flanks?" Apple Bloom asked worriedly. "Sometimes it gets hard to just keep takin' everythin' they say 'bout us."
"Steel your heart and remember your friends," Zecora told her. "And know that they will always be with you to the end."
With her peace said, Zecora began to leave the table only to stop after a few steps and look back at the fillies with a smirking grin.
"Of course if that thought is not quite enough, tell them old Zecora will hex them with some truly nasty stuff," she told them with a wink before leaving them.
Silence fell back over the table as the fillies continued to stew over their predicament. It was broken just a few moments later as Sweetie Belle began trying to stifle her giggles.
"What's so funny?" Scootaloo asked her.
"I was just thinking of the look on Silver Spoon's face if I told her Zecora was going to hex her because she wouldn't quit bugging me," Sweetie replied while still giggling. "It'd be priceless."
"That would be pretty funny," Apple Bloom added as she started to laugh as well.
"Not to mention how bad Diamond Tiara would freak out," Scootaloo added with a smile. "I'm liking this idea."
"I'm also likin' what else Zecora said," Apple Bloom said while looking at both of her friends. "Friends 'n family are what really matters, an' like I said back at the temple…you two are the best friends I could ever hope for."
"That goes double for me," Scootaloo said with an emphatic nod. "If I didn't have you girls with me I don't know what I'd do."
"No matter what, we'll always be friends," Sweetie Belle said resolutely. "And we'll always have fun together."
"Still, we should keep at the crusading," Scootaloo told them. "But maybe we shouldn't try so hard at it. I do still want my cutie mark, but I want to have fun getting it."
"Agreed!" Sweetie Belle said. Apple Bloom nodded her agreement as well.
"For now, though, let's stop mopin' and get to partyin'," Apple Bloom said. "All this adventurin' has made me somethin' fiercely hungry."
"Betcha I can eat more pie than you, Bloom!" Scootaloo told her with a challenging look in her eyes.
"Oh it is on!" Sweetie Belle added, trying to sound like her sister as she said it.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS COMPETITIVE EATERS! YAY!" all three fillies cried out as they headed for the buffet. They not only had a renewed zeal for their collective goal, but also a renewed dedication to each other and the friendship they shared and treasured above all else.
The End.