Episode 8 Long way to the top, if ya wanna rock
Zepplin awoke in his bed on another crisp fall morning. Even after the windstorm plenty of leaves were still attached to the trees. The air was starting to get cold as winter was coming to Ponyville. Knock, knock, knock, Zepplin heard somepony pounding at his door. He rushed out of bed and downstairs where he then flung open the door to see… nothing.
Zepplin looked around when a small voice shouted “Hey! Down here!” Zepplin with a puzzled look on his face looked down and saw three little fillies, Applebloom, Sweetiebell, and Scootaloo.
“Oh geez uh look…uh I don’t want any filly scout cookies…alright, I mean to be honest they taste like crap, not to mention you mark up the price.” Zepplin proceeded.
“NOO!” Sweetiebell said in a whiny tone.
“That’s not why we’re here.” Scootaloo said.
Zepplin cocked his head “Well, um why are you here?”
Applebloom wrapped her arms around Zepplin’s front leg “hee hee. Because you’re gonna help us get our cutie marks!”
“What, girls I don’t think…wait how did you get up here?”
“BOUNCED!” all three responded in unison.
“Well then how are you standing on a cloud?”
Sweetiebell spoke up “Princess Twilight enchanted your cloud so that all your friends can come visit.”
Zepplin put his head in his hoof letting out a sigh. “Well how in Equestria am I supposed to help you get your cutiemarks?”
Scootaloo’s eyes widened “You’re like the most talented pony in all of Equestria… except for maybe Rainbow Dash.”
Zepplin rolled his eyes.
“Yeah you got to help us. With all you know about talent it’ll be a piece of cake.” Applebloom shouted.
“I don’t know…” he said as the three fillies looked at him tearing up with a sort of puppy dog look.
“Pleeeeaaaassee?” They all said together.
Zepplin looked disappointed as he sighed “Fiiiiinne, we’ll start tomorrow.”
All three’s eyes sparkled “Really? YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! They screamed as they ran into Zepplins house and started jumping around.
Zepplin turned around and looked at them as he was now feeling overwhelmed. “Well… at least they got energy.”
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Applejack was walking back from the fields at Sweet Apple Acres when she saw Zepplin trotting toward the farmhouse. “Well hey there Zepplin now what are you doing around here?”
Zepplin responded, “Oh hey Applejack. haha I’m on my way to the Cutie Mark Crusaders club house.”
Applejack looked at him. “uhh I don’t think your elegable to join that club.” She said staring at his flank and his gold and pink cutiemark.
“Hahaha. I’m not looking to join, your sister and her friends said I can help them get their cutiemarks. According to them I’m the most talented pony in Equestria, except for Rainbow Dash” Zepplin grunted.
“You’re gonna… aha…aha…ahahahahahahaha” Applejack burst out laughing “You’re gonna help… them get their cutiemarks,ahahahaha” Applejack fell over on her side holding her stomach laughing so hard she was nearly at tears.
Zepplin knelt his head down near her “Uh are you alright?”
Applejack, still laughing, “Ye…yeah I just, Zepplin you’ll never get those ponies their cutiemarks.” Zepplin took this as a challenge.
“Oh really I bet I could get them their cutiemarks by the end of the week. That gives me three days.” Applejack looked at him and smiled.
“heehee Well shoot if you’re that confident, let’s make a bet on it. Now I got a whole new field that I need plowed for the winter Zap apple season. But Big Mac threw out his back again, so if you can’t get my little sister or one of her friends their cutiemark by the end of those three days, You gonna be my work horse.”
Zepplin glared at Applejack as she took her hat off. “And what if I win and I do get them their cutiemarks?”
Applejack scratched her chin and thought “hmm… I tell you what, if by some miracle you do manage to pull this off I’ll clean your house for a month, I’ve seen you rockstars partying then livin' like pigs!”
Zepplin extended his hoof. “Deal!” he said as Applejack shook his hoof. “Well then I got to go get some fillies their cutiemarks.” He said boastfully as he trotted off.
Applejack yelled “Good luck!...Work Horse hehehehehe.” as she waved goodbye with her hat.
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Zepplin trotted along till he finally entered a clearing with a small tree house perched in a large oak tree. It was fixed up to look like a small humble cottage and had a sign that said CMC HQ over the front door. Zepplin climbed up the ramp leading to the front door. “Hello. Is anypony home?”
The door swung open and Scootaloo looked out and welcomed him. “Come on in we’ve been expecting you.” She said. Zepplin entered greeting Applebloom and Sweetiebell.
“SO… do you have any idea what your cutiemarks might be?” Zepplin asked.
“Nope we’ve tried everything and the stupid marks just don’t appear.”
“Hmm” Zepplin thought to himself when Scootaloo shouted.
“Hey Zepplin you’re a Rock Star, we can get our cutiemarks in rocking.”
“No way Scootaloo.” Applebloom shouted. “Don’t you all remember when we entered the talent show?”
Zepplin looked at her “You were in a talent show?”
Sweetiebell trotted up to him. “Yeah and we sucked, ooh but we didn’t have a real Rock Star to train us.”
Zepplin again stared at all three of the little fillies. “Well why don’t you all show me what you got.”
The CMC set up a stage out behind the clubhouse as Zepplin flew up and grabbed a cloud to act as a chair. “Ok you three get into your costumes or whatever and then hit me with your best shot.”
The three shouted “OK!” as they ran back stage. A few minutes later the stage lights dimmed and they started to perform. Zepplin Eyes widened.
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When it was over Zepplin did a… slow clap as he processed what he just witnessed. He thought to himself “Well… it’s still better than that one show I did back in St. Luna.”
“Yay” he said out loud, subtlely sarcastic.
“You really thought it was good?” Scootaloo said running up to him.
Zepplin, not wanting to hurt their feelings, complimented their performance. “I think you three did a fantastic job!... But there’s some room for improvement.”
Sweetiebell shot over towards Zepplin “Do you really think we can get Rock Star cutiemarks?”
Zepplin looked at the three little fillies running a hoof through his mane and flipping his forelock back he sighed and said “We’re gonna try.”
Inside the club house Zepplin paced back and forth in front of the three fillies “Now look.” Zepplin said “The basis for all rock is the headbang. If you do not master this you will not be a rocker.” Zepplin turned on some music and started banging his head up and down to the beat. The music blared from the boombox next to him as the little ponies covered their ears. Applebloom looked up at Zepplin with her hooves over her ears and started banging her head along with his. Sweetiebell and Scootaloo looked at their friend and followed her lead. As all were headbanging Applebloom along with the other members of the CMC’s eyes started to swirl from dizziness soon they all collapsed on each other seeing stars. Zepplin shook his head.
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Outside the clubhouse on the makeshift stage Zepplin proceeded with his instruction. “Now any rocker will tell you that what really makes a show… is…TOTALLY SICK TWISTED PYROTECHNICS!!!!!!” Zepplin stomped his hoof as his horn lit up and a column of fire rose on each side of him “I outfitted your stage with flame jets just stomp on this red button to activate them. Here Scootaloo try it.” Scootaloo cautiously stepped up on stage. She was scarred of the fire jet Zepplin stood near it as he directed her to the button “Now when I say hit it, you hit it” Phoosh The fire jet shot up and gave Zepplin a facefull of suit and singed his mane.
Scootaloo looked at him “You said hit it.” She said bashfully. Zepplin coughed up black smoke.
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Zepplin lied in the clearing with the three fillies “Now music is great because you can make it your own. You can have lyrics that are meaningful in more ways than one and even make you realize your dreams.” The three fillies eyes brightend. As they smiled Zepplin continued. “But that’s the crappy way to do it…YOU GOTTA SCREAM YOUR HEART OUT!!!!! (GASP)YYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” The three fillies gave an awkward smile and backed away slowly while Zepplin was still screaming at a tree.
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Later in the day Zepplin took Applebloom Scootaloo and Sweetiebell for cupcakes at sugarcube corner. “Don’t feel bad Zepplin” Sweetiebell said patting him on the back with her hoof.
“Yeah so we’re not meant to be rockers.” Scootaloo said.
Applebloom spoke up “Hey I know what’ll cheer us up. CMC slumber party! We can have a sleepover in the clubhouse and brainstorm other ways to get our cutiemarks.”
“Oh yeah that’s a great idea!” Scootaloo said hoof-bumping Applebloom.
“Yeah and we can invite Zepplin!” Sweetiebell announced.
Zepplins eyes widened “Uh… no thanks I actually have stuff I need to do.” The three ponies moaned. “Maybe some other time.” Zepplin said trying to reassure them.
“Well it’ll still be the three of us. What ya say we meet at my house at around seven.” Applebloom shouted.
“Sounds great.” Scootaloo and Sweetiebell agreed.
“I should go pack” Scootaloo said.
The three fillies got up from the booth and went to go prepare for the slumber party. Zepplin sat alone thinking about how many hours he would have to work to plow that field. He put his head in his hooves. All of a sudden a wet piece of paper slapped him on the arm. “AHH” startled he looked over and saw Pinkie Pie staring him in the face smiling.
“heehee Got ya!” She said as she removed the piece of paper revealing a yellow star shaped ink mark on Zepplins leg.
“Pinkie what is this?” Zepplin asked.
Pinkie looked at him “Hee hee. They’re rub-on tattoos silly. Aren’t they neat it? Looks just like a cutiemark. I’ve been tatting myself all morning.” She raised her other foreleg displaying a gallery of different colored shapes and symbols. Zepplin looked at the star on his arm.
“A rub on tattoo eh, that’s pretty cool, say… Pinkie you don’t suppose I could borrow a few of those do you?”
Pinkie grinned “Of course. I got like a million of em, here.” She handed Zepplin three rolls of sealed paper each containing a pair of different colored marks.
“Thanks Pinkie, so I just rip the paper and press?”
“Yeparooni” She skipped off back to her business. A wide smile came over Zepplin.
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“I’m tellin you we are not going to be cutiemark rocket scientists!” Applbloom shouted. Her and her two friends were pacing around in the clubhouse. There were three sleeping bags scattered on the floor.
“Oh why not? Think. We could go to space where no pony has ever gone before.” Scootaloo said throwing her hooves up in the air.
“Do you even know how to build a rocket?” Sweetiebell questioned.
“Let’s just hit the hay girls maybe we’ll think of somthin tomarra.” Applebloom said as she yawned. The small fillies trotted to their sleeping bags as the sun set into the night. One by one they collapsed in sleep as their heads hit the pillow. Except for Sweetiebell, who hit her head on the floor. “OW!” she exclaimed. With that the cutiemark crusaders turned in for the night, eager to work tomorrow on getting their marks.
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Zepplin approached the clearing and gazed upon the clubhouse. The moon was riding high in the black sky shining a brilliant light down through the trees. Zepplin being dark blue was nearly impossible to see at night. His golden eyes were the only beacons of his presence. He tip-trotted toward the clubhouse, being careful not to step on any loose branches on the ground. He hugged the tree with his back taking a final look to make sure nopony followed him. He then very carefully made his way up the ramp, where he then peeked in through the window and saw the three fillies sound asleep. He smiled as everything was going according to plan. Gently he grabbed the doorknob and slowly twisted as each tumbler turned and the door swung open. Zepplin stood in the doorway grinning and standing imposingly. His golden eyes lit up the night. Ever so easy he snuck in to the clubhouse right up next to Appleblooms sleeping bag. The little filly smiling as she slept on her side. Zepplin pulled the flap back, revealing her flank that was still blank as the day she was born. Zepplin carefully ripped open the pack and removed the piece of paper with the tattoo. As he was about to press it to the fillies flank, he stopped. Zepplin looked around in the dim light of the moon as the walls nearly came to life with child’s drawings. Sketched in crayon there were hundreds of drawings covering the walls of the clubhouse. Each one depicted three small fillies showboating their flanks, and each one had a different mark on it. Life guards, dancers, musicians, librarians, firefighters, bakers, house cleaners, doctors, party throwers, everything. Zepplin took a step and felt something under his hoof. Quickly he pulled it up and looked down. At his feet were some crayons including a dark blue one. Next to them was a piece of paper with three little fillies and in the center a large blue alicorn. Zepplin leaned in to examine the drawing. All of the ponies had smiles on their faces As the crayon versions of Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetiebell, all had a cutiemark related to rocking. Drumsticks a guitar and a microphone. Zepplin stared at the drawing for a moment before gently smiling. He then glanced around the room at the sleeping fillies of which sweetiebell’s head was on the rock hard wood floor as she had a very uncomfortable facial expression. Zepplin then looked at the tattoo and thought. He glanced at the now faded mark on his arm. “If they were to find out these weren’t real.” He whispered to himself. He threw the tattoos out the door as he turned around and walked out of the clubhouse.
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At the end of the week Zepplin went to Sweet Apple Acres. Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetiebell were sitting in the dirt near Applejack who had a smug look on her face. Zepplin went into the barn as Applejack hooked him up to the heavy plow. “Now get ta work!” She said. Zepplin, straining heavily, trotted out to the field with the heavy iron tool on his back.
The day of plowing came to an end and Zepplin wasn’t even halfway done with the field. The Cutiemark Crusaders ran up to him as he strained to finish the row. “Zepplin, Zepplin!” They all shouted.
“What is it you guys?”
Applebloom went up closer. “Hey-uh you wouldn’t have happened to have seen a drawing floating around would ya.”
“No sorry, can’t say that I have.” Zepplin replied.
“Oh- well thanks anyway.” The three fillies galloped off.
“We’ll just have to draw it again!” Sweetiebell yelled as they all ran off.
“Yeah” the two friends replied.
As Zepplin watched them he thought of his home, and in his bedroom on the wall near his desk, where a new drawing hangs in a wooden frame, of him and three of his new friends. “heh heh heh” he chuckled with a smile.