In present day, there were three little kids: Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom. Those three were different kinds of ponies, but they had one thing in common: they didn't have their Cutie Marks yet. A Cutie Mark is supposed to show you found your true passion and purpose. These three fillies were working together on finding their Cutie Marks. Together, they are the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
The beginning starts in Rarity's Boutique. There, Rarity looked and saw Scootaloo in her kitchen.
“Scootaloo,” Rarity asked. “What are you doing in my house?”
“Sweetie Belle let me in,” Scootaloo said.
“Yeah, I guessed that,” Rarity said. “What I mean is, why are you in my kitchen?”
“Well, last night, me, your sister, and Apple Bloom had an idea,” Scootaloo explained. “Before we became the Crusaders, we all had individual methods of finding out Cutie Marks. We're trading the jobs we all had. If an didn't work for one Crusader, it might work for another. Then, I remembered that Apple Bloom once tried to cook. I took that job.”
“Why do you have to use my oven,” Rarity asked. “Why not use your own?”
“My oven's not working,” Scootaloo said. “We're thinking of buying a new one.”
“Well, why not use Apple Bloom's,” Rarity asked.
“Applejack's using it for an upcoming fundraiser,” Scootaloo replied. “Don't worry, I promise we won't burn down your shop.”
“Wait, did you say, we,” Rarity asked.
Rarity looked and saw her sister and Applejack's sister trying to reach the shelves.
“Sweetie Belle, are you sure you should be doing this,” Rarity asked.
“Absolutely, sis,” Sweetie Belle answered.
“Don't mind me,” Apple Bloom said. “This didn't work for me. I'm just supervising.”
“I'm just a little nervous,” Rarity said. “After all, I've got a big order coming and you three always seem to break something.”
“Relax,” Apple Bloom said. “If anything goes wrong, we'll just handle it calmly and as a team.”
Suddenly, there was a big fire. Scootaloo's frying pan was holding a ball of fire.
“EVERY PONY FOR HERSELF,” Apple Bloom shouted before running outside.
Rarity quickly levitated a fire extinguisher and put out the fire. She looked in the pan and examined it. She had a confused look.
“Why would you want to cook ice cream,” Rarity asked.
“That is a story for another day,” Scootaloo answered.
“Just... why don't you go outside and... watch TV,” Rarity asked nervously.
“You can't watch TV outside,” Sweetie Belle said.
“DON'T SASS YOUR SISTER AND WATCH TV OUTSIDE,” Rarity shouted.
The Crusaders got out and walked down the street.
“Well, that's a check on the cooking category,” Apple Bloom said. “We're running of ideas faster than apples on Fruit Bat Season.”
“You'd think we'd find our destinies by now,” Sweetie Belle said. “Instead, we're finding other ponies who give complaints about us.”
“I know,” Scootaloo said. “And we've tried many ways to get our Cutie Marks. For example...
“We tried to go bowling
We tried martial arts
But our sides are still so blank
We still have aching hearts
A pony needs a cutie mark
But what could mine be
I've got to find my destiny
So when will my Cutie Mark come to me
We each tried writing books
Or being carpenters
But we couldn't get the attention
Of any customer
The Cutie Marks are waiting
But how long do we need
I've got to find my destiny
So when will my Cutie Mark come to me”
“Don't get me started on selling fruit,” Apple Bloom sang,
“You see, selling things are not a hoot
And when I tried, my sister gave me the boot
An Apple kid gets their Cutie Marks
It's in our family tree
I've got to find my destiny
So when will my Cutie Mark come to me
I cannot stand this pressure
My patience is at its peek
Whenever we go and try to search
There's always a little tweak
One day, we'll have our future
I promise as we speak
I've got to find my destiny
So when will my Cutie Mark come to me”
“We've hearts strong as horses,” Sweetie Belle sang,
“And nerves as hard as steel
One day, our dreams will come true
And our fantasies will be real
The Cutie Mark Crusaders
Will go through all things dangerous
We've got to find...”
“Got to find...” Applebloom sang.
“Our destiny,” Scootaloo sang.
“Our destiny,” they all sang,
“So when will our Cutie Marks...
When will our Cutie Marks...
So when will our Cutie Marks come to uuuuuus”
Suddenly, the three heard laughted behind them. They looked and saw their rivals: Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.
“You think you can find your Cutie Marks,” Diamond Tiara asked with a chuckle. “Please, if either of you were destined to have a Cutie Mark, you'd have had it by now. You'll always have blank flanks.”
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon left the scene with their heads held high and throats laughing.
“I do not like them,” Scootaloo said. “They think they're two of the best ponies around, but if you ask me, they're two of the worst.”
“You took the words out of my mouth,” Apple Bloom said.
“Hear, hear,” Sweetie Belle agreed.
“Preaching to the choir,” an unfamiliar stallion said.
The Crusaders gasped in fright when they saw the grown stallion standing over them.
“Who are you,” Apple Bloom asked.
“Billy Bones,” the stallion answered. “I'm a traveling merchant from here to Saddle Arabia. I collect the rarest of the rare. I couldn't help but overhear your song.”
“Well, thanks,” Scootaloo said nervously. “We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders, dedicated to helping each other find our destinies.”
“Well, maybe I can help,” Billy Bones said. “Perhaps one of my merchandises can inspire you.” He reached into his bag and pulled out a hammer. “Ah, this little tool was used by the pony who was in charge of building Canterlot Castle. Perhaps you can be... Cutie Mark Crusaders: Carpenters.”
“Nah, we tried that,” Apple Bloom answered. “We ended up turning a table into something that not even a Changeling would like.”
“What else do you have,” Scootaloo asked.
“Maybe... this pocket-watch,” Billy Bones said pulling out a watch on a chain. “You can be Cutie Mark Crusaders: Train Conductors.”
“We already tried that,” Sweetie Belle said. “We ended up crashing a train. Instead of Cutie Marks, we got grounded.”
“Kids, you are pushing me against a wall here,” Billy Bones said. “Give me a moment.”
Billy Bones reached into his bag and dug through. Suddenly, Scootaloo pointed at a scroll sticking out of Billy Bones' back pocket. They saw a faint, red X through the back of the paper.
“What about that thing,” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Hmm,” Billy Bones asked. “What thing?”
“The scroll sticking out of your pants,” Scootaloo asked. “If I didn't know any better, I'd say it looked like a treasure map.”
At the sound of those words, Billy Bones widened his eyes and quickly spun around. He had a very nervous, not-so-subtle smile across his face.
“Hahaha,” Billy Bones chuckled nervously. “What treasure map? You kids and your wild imaginations.”
“But we saw a scroll out of your pants,” Apple Bloom asked. “Is that a treasure map or what?”
“Oh, that,” Billy Bones said even more nervously. “That's my...” He took a moment to think. “Grocery list?”
The Crusaders looked at him suspiciously.
“STOP PRESSURING ME,” Billy Bones shouted. “I SAY RANDOM STUFF WHEN I'M STRESSED! BROCOLLI! PAJAMAS! MONKEY! AAAAAHHHH!”
At that moment, Billy Bones grabbed his bag and ran away quick as a flash. But right before he vanished, the scroll in his back pocket fell to the floor. Sweetie Belle picked it up and read it. She gasped.
“It IS a treasure map,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Really,” Apple Bloom asked.
“Of course,” Sweetie Belle said. “See? There's an island. There's a red X. There's a list of instructions. And there's... a horned head with a beard?”
“That looks like that Tirek guy,” Apple Bloom said.
“You mean that jerk who tried to take our strengths a couple months back,” Scootaloo asked.
“No, she means the clown from Fillydelphia,” Sweetie Belle said sarcastically.
“What does he have to do with a treasure,” Scootaloo asked.
“I don't know,” Sweetie Belle answered. “There are markings here that's like another language.”
“You know who might understand it,” Apple Bloom asked. “Zecora! She might be able to tell us something about it.”
“Good idea,” Scootaloo said. “Let's pay her a visit.”
What they didn't know was that they were watched. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were eavesdropping on them from around the corner.
“Did you hear that, Silver Spoon,” Diamond Tiara asked. “They actually found a treasure map.”
“What if it's a fake,” Silver Spoon asked.
“It's not,” Diamond Tiara said. “Otherwise, that old guy wouldn't be so freaked out about it. It's definitely real and we're going to take it from them.”
What THEY didn't know what that they were being watched also. A giant, walking dog watched from the ground and went through the underground tunnels. They then approached the main Diamond Dogs, dogs who hunt for uncovered gems and hoard them for themselves.
“BOSS, BOSS,” the little Diamond Dog called to the leading dog.
“Ah, Fido,” Rover said. “What news from Ponyville?”
“Tirek's Treasure map is found,” Fido screamed. “Tirek's Treasure map is found!”
At that moment, Rover shouted, “DOGS, PACK UP AND FOLLOW THE PONIES WHO HAVE THE MAP! WE'RE TAKING WHAT OUR ANCESTORS BURIED!”
The Diamond Dogs seen all across the catacombs cheered in excitement.