Trust

by everbrony

Crusading

Chapter 4: Crusading

A family is seen strolling through Equestria. They seem ordinary enough, yet there is something about them that feels...off. The "family" consists of a boy and his parents. The father has a light coat mane that is almost gray in its lightness along with a pure white mane. The mother's coat is a dark violet and has a mane of sickly green. Lastly, the boy has a crimson red coat along with a mane that is black. Although the father's face posesses a smile, in that face resides a pair of dead eyes that betray the nonthreatening visage's illusion. The mother and son also posess disconcerting eyes, but there's harbor a cruel and malicious glint instead. "I'm getting real sick of trying to track that pesky foal all over Equestria." the boy stated with a much more raspy and adult voice than should be possible.

"It just makes me want to kill him more each time he gets away." said the mother in a decidedly unfeminine voice.

"Yeah, but I'm tired of having to search for days and weeks just tryin' to find him again." the boy replied. He had been complainong for quite a bit now and the father had had enough of it.

"The casing over the item makes it difficult to track, we will keep searching until we find him as the queen commanded, and," he said with particular coldness " if you do not stop complaining I shall skin you alive and turn you into a flag to so that anyone who complains over the queen's orders will know what awaits them." By the end of this tirade the boy had become so frightened that he appeared to be trying to curl up inside of himself.

"I-I'm sorry Commander, i-it won' t h-happen again." he stammered.

"No. it won't." was the reply. The trio began moving once again, slowly but surely, tracking their way to Ponyville.

"Thanks again for showing me around." Burst Stream said to Twilight as they sat on the porch, waiting for Apple Jack to take a break."

"No problem." was Twilight's reply. Twilight had shown Burst Stream all over the farm, and had even given him some tips on how not to get lost on the expansive farm. However, there was something that she noticed about Burst that was rather disconcerting. Although he was always friendly and nice while they chatted, he seemed to always be holding back, not trying to make any real or personal connections with her. Now maybe he was just shy, but it seemed more like something intentional and practiced. As Twilight noticed this, Burst was going over why, he couldn't make friends with this mare that was so nice and friendly and casual with him.

"You can't be friends with her or anypony else, you'll just have to leave them eventually; the less attachments the better." he reminded himself. And yet, he sorely wished his life was different. A life where he could become friends with all these ponies and goof off and play, or just hang out. But, as much as he dreamed, he knew they would only be just that, dreams. Now, once againwe return to Twilight and Burst sitting on the porch, when Apple Bloom walks straight up to Burst with a single goal in mind.

"Will you join the Cutie Mark Crusaders." she said as formally as she could.

"The what?" Burst said, confused as to why Twilight was giggling behind her hoof.

"The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Me, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle formed ahrselves a club." she said proudly "Where go on quests to find our cutie marks, and since yer' the oldest and the biggest pony we've ever seen who don't have no cutie mark, we'll be able ta' go on even more dangerous quests." she said animatedly. Burst now saw the humor of it, and yet he was also kind of touched by it. He didn't want to dissapoint the excited little filly after all he reasoned with himself.

"Well, if you want me too-" he began to say.

"YAAHOO!" Apple Bloom yelled and then proceeded to drag Burst at speeds that would have given him a ru for his money. In no time they were at the Cutie Mark Crusaders treehouse. Apple Bloom began to climb up as a bewildered Burst got his bearings. "Well, come on then slowpoke." Apple Bloom called to Burst. "Ladies n' gentleman. I present to you, th' newest member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders...Burst Stream!" the two other fillies applauded vigorously as Burst walked in sheepishly. Then, after Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle introduced themselves, they began to proceed with the days plans. And so it was that Burst spent the day going on "quests" with the Cutie Mark Crusaders as they searched to find their cutie marks. Their escapades also helped Burst unwittingly advertise his abilites to the people of Ponyville as he did what everyone thought was impossinble for anypony (except maybe Pinkie Pie), keep up with the Crusaders. Everpony in town had experienced, at least once, the speed with which the Crusaders rushed from place to place in search of their special talents. They had dismissed the idea as impossible for anypony to keep up with their manic energy-induced speed. But Burst kept up with them with ease, and the residents were very glad to have somepony who was a bit more mature to help reign in the Crusaders and their wild antics. In the end, the day passed by with remarkable speed, until the Cutie Mark Crusaders finally got tired and Burst headed of with Apple Bloom back to the farm as it beagan to dawn on Burst that in all the commotion he had accidentally ditched his job. All he could hope for was that Apple Jack wasn't too mad at him.

Author's Note:

So, another chapter done, Ta-Da! I apologize for all of the filler, but I want to incorporate a few more aspects of Burst Stream's past along with the reast of the main characters before I get to the climax, so sorry if it gets drawn out.

Also, more obvious hints as to who's chasing Burst Stream and if I can I'll put some more hints as to what they're after and why later on in the story.

Finally, I won't be able to write any new chapters for a week because of family-related reasons. And one more thing, PLEASE, I beg of you, tell me what you think of the story so far and what I can improve. I seriously want to know how I'm doing so stop ignoring me and comment, I promise I'll answer back.

Next Chapter: FlutterShy and Rarity