Main Characters: Stormy, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom
Cameos: TWP, Rei, Inkie, Twilight, Applejack
Original Write Date: 01/31/2012
Carousel Boutique is closed for a few days. Rarity is away with her family for a religious holiday leaving Stormy home alone. This also means that the Cutie Mark Crusaders are down a Crusader. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom are outside of the shop, looking into the living quarters.
‘Ah don’ see ‘im!’
‘Keep looking. I know he is in there.’
On cue, Stormy slides into the kitchen on his hind legs and poses in front of the refrigerator. He levitates a carton of milk out and drinks straight from it. He turns around and spits the milk all over the kitchen when he sees two young fillies making faces at the window. Stormy returns to standing normal and gallops to the door.
‘What the hell!’ Stormy shouts.
‘Why were ya walkin’ funny?’ Apple Bloom asks.
Stormy snorts. ‘Let’s just say, when you are my age, I hope you get Lyra for a teacher.’
‘My dad says she and Bon Bon are...’ Scootaloo starts.
‘He’s wrong,’ Stormy interrupts. ‘He is wrong about a lot of things. Especially that and everything else.’
Scootaloo looks away. ‘I know...’
‘Anyway, what do you squirts want? Sweetie Belle ain’t here. She’s out with Rarity.’
‘That is why we need you!’ Scootaloo cries. ‘We need a unicorn to balance the party.’
Stormy’s eye twitches. ‘Balance the party?’
‘We learned it from Dream Maker when we tried Cutie Mark Crusader Table Top Gamers,’ Apple Bloom explains.
‘Right...’ Stormy turns around. ‘I’m going back to bed. Maybe then I will be able to wake up.’
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom dive and catch Stormy’s hind legs.
‘Please!’
‘Ya have t’ help us!’
Stormy stops and growls. ‘I already have my cutie mark... How can I help?’
‘Y’all can help us with the stuff that Sweetie Belle wouldn’ do.’
Stormy shudders. ‘She’s the smart one... I hate to think what she won’t do...’
‘So, you’ll help us?’
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom look up at Stormy with the biggest puppy dog eyes.
Stormy groans. ‘Fine. If just to keep you out of trouble.’
‘Honorary Cutie Mark Crusader Stormy! YAY!’
Stormy cringes at the cheer.
Stormy has taken the CMC to The Power Block. The younger fillies are going over the games while Lucas keeps an eye on them from the counter.
‘Remember the rule for being in the store!’ The Wandering Physicist calls.
Scootaloo rolls her eyes then picks up one of the demo games.
‘Ah understand. Ya told me enough times,’ Apple Bloom grumbles as she joins Scootaloo.
The Wandering Physicist huffs then turns to Stormy.
‘So, how can I help you? Bioshock pre-order? If you’re looking for Rei, she is doing some work with Kaeko today.’
Stormy groans. ‘Actually, I am here with them. I came to ask some advice about something I can do with them that won’t cover me in tree sap or something.’
‘Why me?’
‘Well... You are most responsible pony I know.’
Instantly, The Power Block is filled with the loudest, most rancorous laughter. It is so loud that Marvel comes out of his shop next door to investigate. Once The Wandering Physicist calms down and stops laughing, he takes a deep breath and looks back at Stormy.
Stormy glares at The Wandering Physicist. ‘Are you quite done?’
‘Sorry.’ He thinks for a moment. ‘Hey. Did your cutie mark change to a comedy one?’
‘Funny. Just give us advice or I’ll consider suggesting they do some gaming.’
‘Fine.’ The Wandering Physicist thinks. ‘Why not do some physics?’
‘Ya mean somethin’ like that relativity stuff ya taught us?’ Apple Bloom asks.
‘Not necessarily relativity since that is hard to test on the small scale, but there are all sorts of applied physics in everyday life,’ The Wandering Physicist explains.
‘Great. Here we go.’ Scootaloo rolls her eyes.
‘You can do astronomy and cosmology just by gazing through a telescope. The simple act of surfing is practical use of oceanography. Every rock we see is the product of geology and vulcanology, all of which are governed by everything from basic mechanics to thermodynamics even to quantum interactions. There is a whole world of physics around us!’
‘Cool!’ The young fillies cheer.
‘Boss, you’re drooling again,’ Lucas mumbles.
‘We should totally do something with science!’ Scootaloo cheers.
‘Yeah! We can be the smartest ponies at scientificating,’ Apple Bloom agrees.
‘That is not a word...’ Stormy moans.
‘Great! Wait right here!’ The Wandering Physicist gallops to a back room.
‘We should ask Twilight and Inkie. They’re always sciencing something,’ Apple Bloom suggests.
‘Good call. Come on, Stormy!’
‘CUTIE MARK CRUSADER PHYSICISTS! YAY!’
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom gallop away. Stormy sighs and trots after them. The Wandering Physicist returns with a box of items.
‘Okay. Here is a kit of simple physics experiments that...’ He looks around. ‘Where’d they go?’
‘That will do, boss. That will do,’ Lucas sighs.
At the library, Twilight is about to head out to do some errands. Right as she opens the front door, two young fillies shoot into the library.
‘Hi Twilight!’ the two CMC cheer.
Twilight turns and smiles. ‘Hi girls!’
Both of the young fillies react to bad memories of the last time they heard that phrase. Apple Bloom just shudders while Scootaloo suffers from what can best be described as a Vietnam flashback.
‘How can I help you?’ Twilight asks.
‘Inkie about?’ Stormy asks as he trots in.
Twilight looks between the older and younger ponies before turning to Stormy. ‘She is down in the lab. Just make sure Rei is careful this time.’
Stormy sighs. ‘Don’t worry. I am not her with her.’
Apple Bloom darts to the door to the basement lab. ‘Come on! Let’s go see what she is workin’ on!’
‘Last one down is a rotten egg!’ Scootaloo taunts.
The two fillies starts bumping each other back and forth as they go through the door. Stormy grumbles and follows.
‘Kill me now,’ he mumbles to himself.
Twilight shrugs and continues out the door. In the lab, Inkie is working at a table and making notes in a notebook. The younger fillies stand at either side of the older filly looking at her notes.
‘What are you working on?’ Scootaloo asks.
‘Looks all fancy-like,’ Apple Bloom comments.
‘It really is,’ Inkie agrees. ‘I am currently running some chemistry and biology experiments on samples I collected from the Everfree Forest.’
‘Neat! Ah bet Zecora would love t’ talk plants with ya!’
‘Actually, I consult her for known uses for the plants before I begin my work. I have found a lot of additional uses for a number of plants.’
‘What have you found out?’ Scootaloo asks.
‘Well, recently, I learned that the Heart’s Desire plant can be distilled to make a mild aphrodisiac.’
Stormy barely stifles a snort. ‘I’d love to see your notes on that experiment.’
Inkie blushes deeply. ‘N-n-no peeking until they are published.’
‘What’s an afro-whatever?’ Apple Bloom asks.
‘N-never you mind!’ Inkie stammers as she looks for a place hide.
Stormy laughs again. ‘Where are you being published? Playcolt?’
‘Is that a big important magazine?’ Apple Bloom asks, looking up at Inkie cheerfully.
Inkie looks down and gives a shy squeak.
Scootaloo giggles. ‘Try checking the back of Big Mac’s closet. That is where I found my dad’s stash.’
Stormy starts laughing even more as Apple Bloom gets even more confused.
‘S-so! What was that you needed? Is Rei in trouble?’
‘Why does everypony keep askin’ that?’ Apple Bloom ponders.
‘It is a great mystery,’ Stormy groans.
‘Mr Wanderer suggested we get science cutie marks, and you are the most sciency pony we know.’
‘Why thank you, Scootaloo,’ Inkie smiles. She thinks for a moment. ‘Well, I have mostly been collecting samples in the Everfree Forest... but that is definitely not safe for young ponies.’
‘Aww!’ The fillies moan.
‘But we could help you find more of that afro-thingy you were talkin’ about,’ Apple Bloom offers.
Inkie hides her face with her hair. ‘Um... Well... Actually! I have to go out and collect samples on my own!’ She stumbles up and starts pushing the others out. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me. I have work to do.’
Inkie pushes the group straight out of the library. Stormy giggles at the situation. The young fillies grumble.
‘Shoot. Time for Plan B?’ Apple Bloom asks.
Scootaloo smirks. ‘Time for Plan B.’
Several hours later, the two CMC and their honorary member are sitting in the middle of the park washing off the tree sap from their last attempt to get their cutie marks. Stormy is showing a lot of stress and wear from the day babysitting the two energetic fillies.
‘Ah swore we’d make good pig wranglers,’ Apple Bloom pouts.
Stormy grumbles and tends to a bandaged leg where he was bitten.
‘We should have had it with bullwhipping,’ Scootaloo complains.
Stormy sneers as he touches a fresh cut on his cheek.
‘What is next on the list of things that Sweetie Belle won’t do?’
‘Let me see.’ Apple Bloom gets out a sheet of paper and looks it over. ‘It says here...’ She glares at the paper then looks up at a grinning Scootaloo. ‘We ain’t doin’ that yuri thin’ again. Ever.’
Scootaloo frowns while Stormy facehoofs. Apple Bloom returns to the list.
‘Says here, we have... pi-ro, pyrotechinic techin... firework maker.’
‘Cool!’
‘Okay. We’re done,’ Stormy says as he snatches the paper from Apple Bloom.
‘Hey! Give that back!’
‘Nope. We’re done doing crazy stuff. Let’s just go back to Rarity’s shop, and I’ll teach you some crazy baking recipes instead.’
‘You can’t tell us what to do,’ Scootaloo complains. ‘We’re a group, and we do what the group says.’
‘Yeah, well, I’m the closest thing we have to an adult, and I say you are going to come with me back to my place now. ... And that sounded a lot creepier than I intended.’
‘We don’ wanna do borin’ bakin’ stuff. We tried that already.’
‘If you want your cutie marks, it is not about trying something once and quitting. You have to do it again and again until you find out if you have a talent there or not.’
Scootaloo glares up at the older pony. ‘Are you questioning our methods? You’re not allowed to do that.’
‘I’m allowed to because I know what I am talking about from experience.’
‘Well, uh, shut up! We are doing what we want to do!’
‘All right. Fine.’ Stormy starts trotting away. ‘You want to go off and do something crazy and get hurt, you’re doing it without me.’
‘Good! We don’t need you!’ Scootaloo shouts.
Stormy growls and trots faster. Scootaloo turns and starts trotting away too, leaving a befuddled Apple Bloom to catch up.
‘Where’re ya goin’?’
‘We’re going to do that plant science thing for Inkie. Come on. Let’s get to the forest.’
Scootaloo starts galloping with Apple Bloom trying to catch up.
…
Stormy is grumbling at the ground while angrily trotting back to Carousel Boutique. The Ponyville denizens are keeping clear of the grumpy unicorn until he is stopped by a pair of ponies. He looks up to see Rei and Inkie. Rei has a Pocky stick in her mouth.
‘Hi!’ Rei cheers.
‘We finished work early,’ Inkie explains. ‘Want to come over to Twilight’s and hang out?’
‘I’m bringing Pocky!’
Stormy gives Rei a questioning look. ‘Weren’t you working with Kaeko today?’
‘Yep!’
‘So you bought the Pocky there?’
‘Nope!’
‘Why were you working for her again?’
Rei glares. ‘Just for that, I am not letting you have any of the manly flavors.’
‘Where are the kids?’ Inkie asks.
Stormy scowls. ‘We decided to part ways for the day.’
‘Oh. Okay.’ She thinks for a second. ‘Come on! We can play games, read and eat Rei’s stolen snacks.’
‘They are not stolen. They are future payment for the next time I work for her.’ Inkie and Stormy roll their eyes. ‘What? I thought we went over that the last four times I worked for her.’
With the evening setting in, the two young plant collectors are getting tired and their tempers have cooled as well. Apple Bloom pulls a plant from the ground and puts it in her pack.
‘Is that enough? Ah don’ think we saw half as many plants in Inkie’s lab.’
Scootaloo wipes the sweat from her brow, leaving a streak of dirt behind. ‘I guess that will do. We can science them tomorrow.’
Apple Bloom goes through her pack. ‘Shoot. Ah think we have more plants than the last time Applejack had a garden party.’
Scootaloo thinks. ‘Hey. If we don’t get a scientist cutie mark, we could try for our gardening cutie marks too!’
‘Yeah! Jus’ like Carrot Top!’
The fillies give a loud cheer and start trotting away in opposite directions. They return to where they split.
‘Why are you going that way?’ both say. ‘What are you talking about? Follow me!’
The two fillies glare then it hits them. They look around in fear then grab each other.
‘Oh, no,’ they say in unison.
At the library, the RSI Adventure Team is hanging out in Twilight’s entertainment room. Rei and Stormy are playing games on one of Twilight’s consoles while Inkie is reading a book. The door to the room opens and Twilight and Applejack enter.
‘Stormy, can we talk to you for a moment?’ Twilight asks.
Stormy groans. ‘Ugh. Fine.’ He sets down his controller. ‘Getting my flank kicked anyway.’
Rei snorts. ‘That is just an excuse for getting your flank kicked.’
Stormy rolls his eyes as he gets up and goes over to the mares.
‘How can I help you?’
‘As Ah understand, y’all were with Apple Bloom earlier. Ah haven’ heard from her and its gettin’ dark. Ah just’ wanna know if she is stayin’ with Scootaloo fer the night and jus’ fergot t’ check in.’
‘She isn’t back yet? I haven’t seen either in a few hours.’
‘Do you have any idea where they could be?’ Twilight asks.
‘I hope they didn’t think I needed help with my experiments,’ Inkie says.
Stormy’s eyes go wide. ‘Oh no.’ He turns back to his friends. ‘RSI! Time to move out!’
‘Hey!’ Rei shouts. ‘You’re not our leader! Rei-team!’
‘RSI...’ Stormy sighs.
‘RSI Adventure Team! Move out! … What are we moving out to?’
Stormy shakes his head and turns to the adults. ‘I think the kids may have gone to the Everfree Forest. They might be in trouble.’
‘Wait a tic. Y’all let mah sister go t’ the Everfree on her own? What in Equestria made ya think that was a good idea?’
Stormy looks away. ‘I... had a fight with Scootaloo. I sorta... sorta told her she could go get hurt for all I cared... We split up afterwards.’
Applejack glares. ‘You and Ah are gonna have a talk tomorrow, but first we have t’ find the kids.’
‘RSI to the rescue!’ Rei cheers.
Rei takes off and flies right into the window. She tumbles backwards as the window resists the force of the speeding pegasus.
‘Hmpf,’ Twilight snorts. ‘Guess she forgot that Mr Wanderer put in shatter-resistant glass because of her and Rainbow.’
The glass cracks and falls to pieces. Twilight cringes as Rei just moans and rubs her head.
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom are nervously making their way through the forest. They quickly go from tree to tree after making sure there are no monsters about.
‘Are you sure this is the right way to Zecora’s?’ Scootaloo asks.
‘Ah am pretty sure,’ Apple Bloom replies. ‘We stayed on the path, so we will either get t’ her place or get home.’
‘Then let’s hurry.’
Scootaloo looks around then darts to the next tree. Apple Bloom quickly follows. Seconds later, a dark shape creeps after the small ponies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Four ponies are charging down the path to Zecora’s hut. Twilight is leading the way while lighting the path with her magic. Stormy is using his magic to scan the surrounding area. Suddenly, his magic surges across the crack and he is knocked back a step. Inkie helps him up.
‘Don’t push yourself so hard,’ Inkie warns. ‘You don’t want to open your wound again.’
‘It is my fault they are missing,’ Stormy grumbles. ‘I shouldn’t have left them alone knowing what they were thinking.’
‘Now don’ blame yerself. Y’all may have had a fight, but ya weren’ the one that pushed them t’ come out here. Shoot. Apple Bloom knows the way t’ Zecora’s better than Ah do. She’s smart enough t’ head t’ safety when it gets dark.’
‘Let’s just hope Rei finds them there,’ Inkie says. ‘She should be there by now... if she doesn’t have a concussion.’ Stormy’s magic surges again. ‘Don’t give yourself a concussion too!’
Twilight lands, allowing the others to catch up and to relieve Stormy’s scanning efforts. She closes her eyes as she tries to sense the ethereal flow of the forest.
‘Is yer alicorn sense a-tinglin’?’ Applejack asks.
‘I am detecting something... It feels like it has almost as much magic as me or the other princesses.’
‘Is it me?’ Rei asks from beside Twilight.
Twilight notices Rei and jumps in shock. ‘Ack! No! It is not you. You’d have to be a really strong unicorn or have one of the princesses as your parent.’
Rei and Applejack briefly make eye contact then look away.
Twilight focuses again. ‘Gah! Whatever it is, I can’t easily pin down Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.’
Inkie pulls a flashlight from her pack. She offers it to Rei. ‘You can borrow my torch if you want to scan the trail from above.’
‘No thanks. I have my own light.’
Rei stomps the ground and electrical charge flows over her hooves. She lifts off and flies away leaving a trail of plasma in the air following her path. Twilight reignites her light spell.
‘Come on. It cannot be too much longer.’
The others nod and start galloping down the path, Twilight flying ahead of them.
‘Don’t worry, Stormy. We’ll find them.’ Inkie calls back. ‘Stormy?’
Inkie looks back to find a definite lack of Stormy.
‘Miss Twilight!’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom hide in a hollowed-out tree as a large beast stalks around the hiding spot. They are screaming for help as loud as they can.
‘Why does this happen to me every field trip!’ Scootaloo cries.
The creature reaches a scaly claw into the tree but gets bit by Apple Bloom instead. The beast roars and slams the tree. The flimsy fortress collapses and the two fillies tumble to the ground. A two-meter-tall bipedal lizard creature stands over the shattered stump. It roars and starts charging the fillies only to get blasted aside by a purple bolt of magic. Stormy steps out of the darkness with a trail of magical smoke coming from his horn.
‘Girls! Twilight, Applejack and the others are back the way I came. Go!’
The fillies do not have to be told twice. They quickly scramble to their hooves and gallop away. Stormy starts backing away, covering the retreat until he determines it is safe to flee himself. The creature slowly stands, shakes off the magic and bounds after the ponies. Stormy notices, turns, powers up a spell and CRACK! His spell backfires, and he is sent flying into a tree with the magical smoke trail and a small trickle of blood comes from his horn. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom stop their retreat to watch their friend from a safe distance. The lizard creature approaches its larger prey slowly to make sure it is safe. Seeing that Stormy is not moving, the creature licks its lips and moves in for the kill. A loud crack is heard from above and a white bolt strikes the ground.
Rei looks around from atop her reptilian landing pad. Seeing Stormy, she trots over to her friend. ‘Stormy! Where have you been?’ She looks at the fillies. ‘Remember: the buddy system saves lives. Come on, Stormy. Everypony is waiting for us. ... Stormy?’
Stormy groans and opens his eyes to see a familiar sight.
‘I hate the hospital,’ he grumbles.
‘Stormy’s awake!’
Stormy is instantly glomped from three directions. He looks down to see Rei, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom wrapped around his chest awkwardly.
‘What hit me?’ Stormy asks.
‘I told you not to overuse your magic.’ Inkie grumbles as she approaches. She has a small jar in a hoof. ‘Now hold still while I apply this treatment Mr Wanderer gave me for you.’
Stormy’s eyes go wide. Inkie takes a small dab of ointment and starts reaching for Stormy’s horn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Outside Stormy’s room, a nervous Applejack and Twilight are facing a furious-looking, darker-orange, stallion version of Scootaloo. One of the loudest yells in Equestria history comes from the room.
‘Ah!’ Twilight holds a hoof up to make a point. ‘And there will be the punishment for letting your daughter enter the forest without an adult.’
The next day, Stormy is convalescing in his bed. His horn is wrapped in a bandage once more. Rarity has returned, but they are taking the day off from working to get ready for more orders. Stormy is recounting the past day’s events and grumbling to himself as he reads a comic his friend Image dropped off as a gift. There is a knock on the door.
Stormy sighs. ‘Yes?’
The door opens, and the reunited CMC peek their head in.
‘See. I told you he wasn’t dead,’ Sweetie Belle says.
‘What do you want?’ Stormy snorts.
Scootaloo looks down and kicks the ground. ‘We wanted to apologize for all of the trouble we put you through.’
‘Yeah. We shoulda never made ya do thin’s ya didn’ want t’ do.’
Stormy sighs. ‘You two are safe now, and I just can’t use my horn for a couple days. It is better than if something really bad happened.’
‘So... y’all fergive us?’
Stormy takes a deep breath and motions the girls in for a hug. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom leap to the bed and return the hug.
‘Best honorary Cutie Mark Crusader ever!’ Scootaloo cheers. ‘But now that Sweetie Belle is back, we can do some real crusading again.’
‘Rarity made us costumes too!’ Sweetie Belle squeaks.
Sweetie Belle uses her magic to levitate small, white hats with a red cross on them to herself and her friends.
‘CUTIE MARK CRUSADER NURSES! YAY!’
Stormy screams and scrambles for the door as his caretakers close in.
