//------------------------------//
// The First Cutie Mark 
// Story: The Return of Nightmare Moon 
// by birdyluvmccool 
//------------------------------//

"I can't believe that we STILL haven't gotten our cutie marks yet," complains Applebloom as she paces around Fluttershy's yard, kicking a rock. She accidentally kicks the rock too hard, and it smacks Sweetie Belle in the face. 

"Ow, Applebloom!" she yells. She magics the rock over the fence.

"You okay?" calls Applebloom. Sweetie Belle smiles and nods.

"Whoa! Look at that!" exclaims Scootaloo, pointing her hoof towards the Everfree Forest. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle turn around a see light in the distance. "Let's go check it out! Maybe we can get our cutie marks in adventuring!" suggests Scootaloo.

"Are you sure? Don't you remember the last time we went in there?" asks Sweetie Belle.

"Of course I remember! But that was last time. This is this time," replies Scootaloo.

"If you say so," says Sweetie Belle. The Cutie Mark Crusaders step into the Everfree Forest and start walking towards the source of light. Scootaloo bounds ahead, whereas the other crusaders lag behind.

"Come on, slow pokes! We're almost there!" exclaims Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom gallop to catch up. Scootaloo pushes away the last few branches and comes face-to-face with the castle of the ancient pony sisters.

"Look! The light is coming from in there!" exclaims Applebloom.

"Well, let's see what's going on!" says Scootaloo. She gallops onto the bridge.

"Wait, Scootaloo! I don't think the bridge is safe!" calls Applebloom, but she is too late. Scootaloo's front hooves fall through a crack and get stuck.

"Help!" cries Scootaloo, terrified. Applebloom gallops over to where Scootaloo is and grabs her by the tail. Applebloom yanks Scootaloo out of the hole. Unfortunately, they both go flying off the side of the bridge. Scootaloo's protective instinct kicks in, and she flaps her wings as hard as she can.

Sweetie Belle runs over to the cliff and attempts to levitate Applebloom. Then she magics Applebloom up onto the cliff. Scootaloo flies up and lands softly.

"Scootaloo, this happened because you didn't think ahead! Let's walk across the bridge SLOWLY this time," yells Sweetie Belle.

"But I learned to fly!" protests Scootaloo.

"I leaned mah own strength, and you learned your magic abilities! Although, I was super scared. Thanks for saving me, Sweetie Belle!" Applebloom adds while hugging Sweetie Belle. The crusaders make their way across the bridge and stop in front of the castle.

Scootaloo gulps and says, "We're here. No turning back now." The crusaders step carefully into the castle. The floor creaks, and Scootaloo screams. She takes off and flies straight into Nightmare Moon. "N - Nightmare M - Moon!" stutters Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom come running in.

"Scootaloo, are you o- N - Nightmare Moon!" says Applebloom.

"Ha ha ha ha ha. Stupid little fillies. Trying to trespass in MY castle?" sneers Nightmare Moon. She flies off, leaving the crusaders in the dust.

"GET HER!" screams Scootaloo.

"Wait, Scootaloo! We can't fly! I'm going to try a spell. Princess Twilight Sparkle told me that it is really hard, and that she only did it once. Remember when Rarity had wings?" says Sweetie Belle. Applebloom and Scootaloo nod their heads. "That is the spell. But I'm going to try to make feathered wings. Stand back," finishes Sweetie Belle. She braces herself and grunts. Magic comes to her horn, and she and Applebloom start floating off the ground. Suddenly, a flash of blinding light is emitted from Sweetie Belle's horn. Light curls around them. Suddenly, it all vanishes. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom fall to the ground.

Applebloom stands up and rubs her head. She realizes that she has wings. Real feathered wings.

"Sweetie Belle! You did it! AND you got your cutie mark!" cries Applebloom. Sweetie Belle stands up and stares first at her wings, then at her cutie mark.

"It's five blue stars! A magic cutie mark! But who cares about cutie marks? We have Nightmare Moon to deal with!" exclaims Sweetie Belle.

"Yeah!" replies Scootaloo.

"WAIT! Look at those three necklaces! They're diamonds. One is blue, one is yellow, and one is red! Let's put them on!" says Applebloom.

Sweetie Belle magics the the necklaces over and says, "I'll take this one. It's blue, like my cutie mark." Applebloom puts on the yellow one, and Scootaloo takes the red one. Then the crusaders fly out of the castle and head back to Ponyville.