The Magic of Belonging

by Angelpony723

The Unaccustomed Advent

My Little Pony: The Magic of Belonging

By: Angelpony723

Ch1: The Unaccustomed Advent

On a nice, cloudy day with a nice gentle breeze around the outskirts of Ponyville, a lofty wooden tree house stood tall, yet lifeless for most of the day. The refined wooden home at times served as a clubhouse for three particular fillies; young female ponies that were on a ‘crusade’ to find their own talents in life, otherwise known as a cutie mark where that talent takes the form of a symbol on their body. Their crusades often cause a lot of trouble for other ponies or get themselves in a mess, therefore were always unsuccessful no matter where they went, but the three fillies never stopped and gave up in their determination. This is what made them valuable friends to one another and always had fun along the way.

Today, the three fillies were on their way along the path outside of Ponyville after a morning full of crusading, feeling slightly exhausted during their trek back. The dark orange one with a scruffy purple mane and small wings was on her prized scooter riding alongside her two friends slowly. “Well that didn’t go well as planned! Forget being cutie mark hoofballers, we can barely work as a team since Sweetie Belle here can’t even pass a ball right.” She retorted.

The white unicorn with a purple and pinkish mane gave a disappointed look, “Look I’m sorry Scootaloo, I didn’t think such a sport would be so hard.”

The yellow filly with a red mane and bow on her head sighed as they were in sight of the clubhouse. “Well may as well go back to the drawing board, no use fighting over it and-“

“Whoooooooooa!!!!!” Screamed a voice followed by a sudden crash that startled the crusaders.

Applebloom was cut off in midsentence as the three fillies jumped in surprise from the loud noise they heard. “What in tarnation was that?!” Applebloom shouted as they heard the loud noise that came from their clubhouse.

“Look the roof!” Sweetie added pointing with her hoof where there was a large hole in the roof of the clubhouse.

Scootaloo went ahead quickly on her scooter, jumping off of it after stopping abruptly to land on the porch. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom followed behind her anxious to find out what happened. They saw a dust cloud in the middle of the room along with some broken wooden pieces near the corners of the room. The three fillies were nervous, yet upset as they saw the hole in the roof as well wanting to know who caused this.

As the dust cleared, a figure in the shape of another pony started to come into view. Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle gasped seeing an unconscious Pegasus colt they have never seen before at all. “Who…is this? And why did he wreak the roof of our clubhouse?” Sweetie Belle shyly says stepping a little closer followed by the other two, who circled around him to examine.

The Pegasus stallion’s green medium-sized wings were ruffled from the crash on the floor; his coat was green with red stripes all around the body, hooves, and face. Lastly, both his brighter green mane and tail was short, bushy, yet a mess. The size and shape of him seemed middle aged, yet still a little young and looked a little stronger than the average pony. He laid there almost lifeless, but the three fillies could feel the warmth from his body. What caught Scootaloo’s attention was there was no symbol at his flank area either, making her gasp. “Oh my gosh! He’s a blank flank too!” she said surprised, disregarding that part of their clubhouse is now in a state of repair.

“Where did he come from anyway?” Applebloom asked as she looked at the hole in the ceiling that ironically looked like the pegasus that laid there before them.

After another moment, the Pegasus started to stir while Sweetie Belle looked at one of his eyes closely. “Is he ok?” she wonders as suddenly his eye flashed right open making her jump away yelping.

The pegasus struggled to get up as he groaned from the pain induced on him from the fall and got up slowly. He shook his head as he felt dizzy and then he observes his surroundings. “Oh…my head” he says as he tries to compose himself noticing the three curious looking ponies in front of him.

“Where…am I?” he asks seeing he was in quite a strange place talking to unfamiliar figures in front of him.

Scootaloo walked forward confused “Are you sure you didn’t hit your head too hard?” she starts. “You’re just outside of Ponyville in our clubhouse, that you just so happened to drop. Were you trying to do a flying trick or something?” she sternly added.

“What? Ponyville?” the mysterious pegasus asks back trying to figure out his current situation as he then realizes he was definitely in an unfamiliar place. “So I was brought here…I don’t remember what happened…was I chased here?” he spaced out a little.

Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle had no idea who they were talking to. While they observed this pegasus, it was clear to them that he was confused. The three fillies, especially Scootaloo, disregarded that part of their roof needed fixing and just wanted to know who this pegasus was. The only reason they didn’t throw him straight out of the clubhouse was because for a pegasus his age, it was quite rare see someone like him with a blank flank.

“Hellooooo! Earth to weird zebra pegasus?” Scootaloo said waving a hoof in front of his eyes.

“Scootaloo, don’t be rude! And he’s not a zebra, even if his stripes may seem that way.” Applebloom protested as she immediately apologised to the pegasus afterwards.

He came back out of his thoughts and tried to walk around a little, shortly realizing he was even struggling to do that and fell flat on his face. He blushed in embarrassment as he got back up immediately to see the three fillies even more confused and felt like he had to start a conversation. “Who are you three anyways?” he asks with a lack of questions as his mind was in a tailspin.

Sweetie Belle spoke up with a bit of pride in her voice, “We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders, scouring Equestria to find our special talent in the shape of a cutie mark. I’m Sweetie Belle, and this is Applebloom and Scootaloo.” She added pointing to the other too with her hoof.

“That’s right. We were on our way back to think up another plan and then you showed up in our clubhouse…through the roof.” Applebloom added pausing as she was still baffled on how a middle aged pegasus fell through their ceiling.

The male pegasus looked up blushing more in embarrassment yet curious to the shape of the hole in the roof. He also understood Sweetie Belle’s words as it meant perhaps a symbol of purpose engraved on them. In his mind he was familiar with the concept as he thought, “So it must be like the symbol I had before perhaps, but different. So this place must be Equestria, a land full of...”

He suddenly looks back down realizing he was at a fault, worried as he did not want to make a bad first impression. He was breathing a little heavily as he slightly bows down to them apologetically saying, “Oh! I’m so sorry, I guess I forgotten how to fly for a moment. I’ll make it up to you somehow.”

Scootaloo gave an odd look examining his wings and thought of an idea. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Applebloom will fix it later, and there might be something you could help us with, but first, what’s your name?” she asked casually with a grin on her face as she was a little excited to meet another pegasus without a cutie mark.

The words reached the pegasus’ ears like a ton of bricks as he felt somewhat hesitant over the subject. “My name?” He said shyly feeling uncertain for a moment.

“Yes, your name, or did you forget that as well, is that the reason you don’t have a cutie mark either?” Scootaloo pried.

“Scootaloo!” Applebloom protested.

“My name…is Austin Angelus…but you can call me Austin.” The pegasus then answered as he felt there was no harm done by saying his name for the most part to the three fillies.

Curious enough, the name had a strange weight to the three fillies, but Scootaloo wanted to know more. “Austin huh…quite a strange name, but It’s alright, but what’s a Pegasus like you doing here, not to mention not have a cutie mark?”

Austin somewhat blushed again in embarrassment, but not so much seeing the three fillies before him didn’t have any either. He looked around his body and realizes he looked like a pony as well and sees his green wings curiously. He tried flapping them a little to test them, but grunted in pain as he still felt sprained from the fall. Being in the shape of a pony felt completely foreign to him, the only thing that felt familiar to him was the ability to fly. “I don’t know…I guess I just don’t. I hope that isn’t a bad thing…” he shook a little nervously as he had no idea what the possible taboos of this place are.

Scootaloo looked back to Applebloom who came up to Austin, “Of course not, that means you have a lot of potential. We are looking for ours too and that’s why we are crusading, and good friends.” she said with a smile.

Austin sighed in relief and spent another moment walking around the Clubhouse, looking outside smelling the fresh scent of apples, looking up as he found himself in a tree house nested at some branches of a tall apple tree.

“Friends…that’s good.” he nodded, glad for the three fillies as he took a look at his own front hooves.

Austin then turned around to face the crusaders again with a curious look in his eyes, “I sure would like to help if it makes up for the crash. What is it you want me to do?” he asks trying to be casual now after he brushed his own mane with a hoof.

The three fillies looked at each other and Applebloom nodded as she looks onto Austin , “Well we were thinking of perhaps continuing our crusading towards the Everfree Forest, and inside perhaps find some ingredients for Zecora, the zebra, to make up for some ingredients we took for making a potion that did not work out to well.” Applebloom said with a sly grin on her face.

"I figure these girls get themselves into trouble from time to time…I may as well keep an eye on them while I gather some information of this place.” Austin thought to himself pondering towards the entrance.

“Are you sure Applebloom? I am still not used to going into that place…” Sweetie Belle shook herself adjusting her mane from being frazzled from the thought.

“What are you, scared? We have been there loads of time Sweetie.” Scootaloo said bluntly.

“Hey!” Sweetie retorted as she saw Austin just on his way out of the club house.

He took a glance back at the other three as he stood at the entrance. “Sure, I reckon you would like my supervision since the place sounds kind of dangerous from what I can collect here.”

The three fillies followed him outside as Scootaloo bounced ahead, “Oh it’s not that bad, however it doesn’t hurt if somepony like you could come along with us. Please follow us this way.”

“At least they didn’t ask me for directions…” Austin thought as he followed the three fillies, taking in the gentle breeze outside as they passed through a field of apple trees along a pathway.

On the way to the Everfree Forest, Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle exchanged pleasantries to Austin briefly explaining a little bit about them; however Austin did not understand any of it, but could collect quite a number of things they said. They sure had high hopes of getting their cutie marks, a little bit about Ponyville, Applebloom meaning well to her sister, the same for Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo looking up to her Idol, somepony named Rainbow Dash. Austin was unfamiliar to all of this, but took each comment the young fillies spilled on him casually taking in some of the information they had to offer and walked on, taking in the sights.

After a few more minutes still bright in the day, they passed a lustrous looking cottage near a thick forest in the distance. The fillies explained to him that it belonged to somepony named Fluttershy, saying they spent a few sleep overs there for fun when Austin asked. He was happy knowing that such young girls like these could be unique friends.

From what they could gather, Fluttershy did not seem to be home right now so the four of them walked towards the entrance to the Everfree Forest. Scootaloo walking along side Austin kept starting at him and his wings on multiple occasions, wondering why he didn’t try to fly. It was also curious to her that he did not have a cutie mark for somepony his age. “By the way Austin, where did you say you came from? You’re not from Cloudsdale are you?” She asked.

Austin winced knowing that the question had to be asked of him sooner or later if not multiple times. He struggled to think of an answer, but was pondering over this on the way. He was not one to make excuses, but he certainly did not want to lie either. “No sorry, I uhh…come from somewhere far away outside of Ponyville. I just came here to visit for a while and I kind of screwed up on an aerial trick with my eyes closed.” He said nervously as he had some sincerity in his voice.

Scootaloo however was a little unconvinced and was about to ask more questions, but Applebloom nudged her with a hoof implying to stop prying on Austin seeing him looking troubled. They trekked into the large forest along the path, seeing the dense thick forest with plants that looked very unfamiliar to him as he and the others stayed clear of them.

As they walked deeper, Austin felt a chill down his spine the deeper he went as the forest gave an unsettling feeling. The Cutie Mark Crusaders told him to stay clear of odd looking blue plants called Poison Joke, and also mentioned they were looking for a certain flower that thrives in certain areas of the forest typically down a large ravine. They described the flower would look dark green with a hint of brown spots on it, and had a name that none of them could pronounce, so they called it the Spotted Ditch Flower.

It felt as if a couple hours have passed as the sun was starting to set, seeing the sky turning orange. The sounds of life started to stir as Austin flicked away some bush leaves as the path became narrower, and the tree cover started to thicken more and more. The trees started to get taller and more aged as the bark was thicker and darker coloured. “Getting quite crowded in here…you sure we’re going the right way?” he asked as he tried to keep his composure.

Applebloom and Scootaloo grunted every time they crawled under a branch or two that got in their way ahead of them. Sweetie Belle stared at Austin replying, “I’m sure we are close by now, Zecora said they were this far into the forest away from any monsters or anything else dangerous.”

“Is that so…” Austin says as he looks around hearing more of creepy sounds, yet sounded quite a distance away, and as he looked up, he started to notice some thick green vines that stretched across a canopy of tall trees.

After a few more minutes passed while the four of them argued through another canopy of thick bushes, they were starting to see a clearing as it slowly came into view. Austin looks at her a little worried, “Hey don’t get so far ahead Scootaloo. I don’t want to lose you.”

Scootaloo, acting hastily trying to get ahead as she could not stand being inside of the bushes. “Relax; I think I can see a –Whooooa!” She was cut off as Austin saw the front of Scootaloo’s body kneel over.

Scootaloo’s wings were flapping violently and Austin could hear her front hooves sliding on something rough. The shout caused Applebloom and Sweetie Belle to gasp worried for their friend’s safety. Austin reacted quickly as he leapt forward, grabbing one of her hind legs with both of his front hooves, struggling to do so as he felt unfamiliar using hooves. His face was on one side of her flank, grunting as he gritted his teeth as part of his mane was in front of one of his eyes.

“Come on Scootaloo! I got you!” Austin stressed.

“Help me Austin! I can’t fly!” she yelled flailing her front hooves around in panic.

Austin flapped his own wings violently as well trying to lift himself up and pull Scootaloo while the other two behind Austin tried to help pulling him as well. He realizes they were hanging off a cliff that led into a large ravine, looking like a few hundred feet down and a couple dozen feet wide. On the way down, it was surrounded by other tree branches that may have come from the roots of the other trees around it. Falling down here would spell doom to almost anypony.

Slowly but surely, Austin and the other two ponies managed to pull Scootaloo up and over right back into the thick bush canopy as Austin landed on his back while Scootaloo landed onto Sweetie Belle and Applebloom sliding back a little from impact. The four ponies were gasping for air as Austin’s wings and front hooves were laid out on the ground while looking into the sky through a hole through the bushes above him.

It was starting to get dark he realized as he looked back to Scootaloo, getting up before the other two, looking embarrassed, yet surprised at the same time. “Are you alright Scoots?” Austin asked breathing heavily.

Applebloom got up and prodded Scootaloo and looked upset with a worried look on her face, “Darn it Scootaloo! We told you not to get far ahead and look what almost happened to you!”

Scootaloo blushed and was at a loss for words. She could not contemplate and was surprised she was saved from the possible doom that could have befallen her. Knowing she deserved a tongue lashing after that near horrific event, she turned to Austin with lack of proper words to express her gratitude, “Sorry Austin…I should of listened to you. Also thank you very much for saving me. I wouldn’t know what to do without you here with us.”

Sweetie Belle got up with Applebloom shaking the dirt off their manes as they both said their own gratitude as well. Austin got up staring at the three fillies. “Well it would definitely be bad if the Cutie Mark Crusaders got disbanded this early. Aside from that, I’m just glad you’re safe Scootaloo.” He says trying to lighten the mood a little.

“A-anyways I think we found what we were looking for I believe.” Scootaloo remarked as she slowly pushed through the bushes to look over the ravine trying to be more careful this time.

Austin and the others followed to examine the area, noticing the ravine best fit the description the crusaders gave when talking about the location of the Spotted Ditch Flower. The four ponies were well hidden in the bushes in case anything unfriendly decided to pass by as they realize it was getting darker inside the forest, too dark to see far dawn into the ravine. The surroundings consisted of more overhead vines and other trees that covered the majority leaving almost no room for light to shine in from the sky.

“Is there a way down aside from flying? Because I doubt we would be sent here if it wasn’t accessible to you three.” Austin asked in speculation.

“There is a pathway down somewhere; we just have to find it. It should be farther that way.” Sweetie Belle replied pointing her hoof in the direction in front of them towards a path on one side of the ravine.

The air was getting colder bringing a shiver down Austin’s spine while the feeling at the same time felt mysteriously nostalgic as the air brushes along his face. Unsure if the feeling was either positive or negative, he looked back at the crusaders spreading his wings nervously, as he wasn’t sure if he would be able to fly. “I could try flying down there for you three and try finding the flowers there seeing as there’s no other way down from this location.” He offered.

Just as Applebloom was about to answer, she jumped as they heard a voice not too far off from here. They hid in the bushes to try and listen where the voice was coming from and what it was saying. “What do you think it could be?” asked Sweetie Belle whispering.

“I don’t know, but keep your voices down so we can see who it is.” Austin replied whispering as well.

For a moment, the voice became louder and clearer until the point where the Cutie Mark Crusaders flinched as the words started to sound like their names. In the distance on one side of the ravine appeared three other ponies that the crusaders recognized right away. It was hard for Austin to get a good look in the dark, however he saw one of them being a purple unicorn that shone some light from her horn, another an orange earth pony with a stetson hat, and lastly a cyan Pegasus with a rainbow coloured mane and tail.

The three fillies were dumbstruck on the situation they found themselves in now. “Oh gosh, we overstayed our welcome here as the time is most likely past our bedtime! Sis is going to ground me for sure!” Applebloom panicked still trying to keep her voice down.

“See I knew we shouldn’t have taken a wrong turn too early getting us lost for another hour about half way here, if you had just listened to me!” Sweetie Belle said worried as well.

“Even Rainbow Dash is here, I certainly don’t want to be caught like this.” Scootaloo added shaking a little.

“I wonder how they knew where we were.” Austin wondered confused on the matter.

After waiting for another moment, Austin and the crusaders saw the three other ponies approaching their location. The crusaders gasped as they recognized them immediately as Twilight Sparkle, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. The three mares were possibly trying to find the crusaders after dark as Twilight held a map floating in front of her with her magic. “Hmm, according to this map, they should have arrived around here as Zecora said they were searching for a particular flower.” She said in a calm voice.

Twilight’s voice sounded intelligent like to Austin’s ears as he and the crusaders could see them slowly closing in near their location.

“Oh pleeeease be here sister! Y’all ought to be out here somewhere!” Applejack calls out in an odd accent Austin wasn’t familiar with.

“Look if Zecora says they will be here, I can find them in ten seconds flat!” Rainbow Dash added in her own bravado while hovering over the other two trying to look around as well.

To Rainbow Dash, despite the tone of voice Austin heard, he felt that she deep down, felt just as worried about the crusaders.

Austin wasn’t sure what to say to the crusaders except he figured this was not a favourable position to be in anymore. “Well I hate to say it, but it may be end of the line here.” He says in disappointment looking back at the three fillies.

Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Scootaloo dipped their heads down a little disappointed as well, “Yeah…but sure was quite something while it lasted.” Scootaloo replied implying about their venture.

Before they could say anything else, they heard the three mares talking once again while getting even closer to them failing to notice them while speaking. “Oh come on Twilight! Just give me five seconds and I’ll find them in no time!” Rainbow Dash said starting to feel impatient as she started to fly over the ravine zooming upward.

“No Rainbow! We need to stick together since we are this far out in the forest!” Twilight called back.

Rainbow Dash turned her head to stare back at the other two mares while flying in the same direction “Geez Twilight, you have no faith in-“

“Look out sugarcube!!!” Applejack yelled as Rainbow Dash wondered what they meant as she turned her head back around, but as soon as she did, the next thing she knew her body was then entangled in vines over the ravine.

“Oh my gosh!” Rainbow Dash panicked as she struggled to get out of the overabundance of thick vines that hung from the trees over the steep drop below.

The four ponies behind the bushes were not sure how to react to this, but to Austin, he was becoming concerned as he stretched out his wings again.

“Hold on I’ll get you loose from there Rainbow.” Twilight called as she put down her map and her horn began to glow as did some of the vines Rainbow Dash was entangled in all around her body.

The vines shuffled from Twilight’s magic and Rainbow Dash struggled inside while Twilight tried her best to untangle them. “Come on please work!” she grunted.

However something seemed off as the magic from Twilight started to cause the vines wrapped around Rainbow Dash’s wings to tighten and Dash cried out in pain while this happened. “Ugh Twilight what’s going on?!” she yelled kicking her hooves about.

“I don’t know! Please don’t be the very vines Zecora warned us about in this area.” Twilight struggled with her magic sparking from her horn some more trying to get Rainbow Dash free.

“What do you mean Twi?!” Applejack asked hesitantly as she got out her rope from her saddlebag.

Twilight peered over with one of her eyes at Applejack while still casting her magic replying, “These vines are special plants that are resilient to my magic!”

As soon as she said those words, and Applejack was about to swing her lasso around, they heard a snap from above fearing the worst. The next thing they saw was the vines that supported her weight from falling down were cut loose while the ones that were strapped around her body were stuck there, causing her to plummet down into the ravine helplessly. “Ahhhhh Twilight! Applejack!” she shrilled she could not move her wings at all as she was immobilized by the tight vines.

“Hang on Rainbow!” Twilight stresses once again trying to use her levitate spell onto Dash’s body, but the vines caused a reaction in her horn that cut off the link completely after the amount of power placed on them, knocking Twilight aback onto the ground.

“Twi!” Applejack grew more worried as she attempted to spin her lasso in attempt to catch her the old fashioned way.

Rainbow Dash was already below Applejack’s position as she attempted to throw her lasso in her mouth dexterously towards her. Scootaloo could not take it anymore as the crusaders were scared as well. “Rainbow Dash!” she called out to her.

At that moment, Twilight picked herself up hearing Scootaloo’s voice “Girls?!” she called in surprise, trying to compose herself as she felt dizzy.

Applejack threw with her lasso at the same time towards Rainbow Dash, and for the one time she didn’t want to miss, the rope only grazed one of Dash’s hind legs and slipped right off.

“No Rainbow!!” Applejack cried out as she helplessly watched her close friend fall.

“This is so not cool!!!” Rainbow Dash screamed out in panic.

It was only then that Austin aside from all hesitation and doubt, he had to try to fly down there. He reared himself up and sprung himself right down the ravine spreading his wings. He stretched his front hooves out to try and balance himself and pick up speed as he felt the chilled air throughout his body.

“Go Austin! Save her!” Scootaloo yelled as she and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders also called out to him as they watched helplessly.

Their voices in Austin’s mind were blotted out as he knew what he had to do. “Please wings, don’t fail me now!” he gritted his teeth in anticipation as the bottom of the ravine was closing in.

The adrenaline increased dramatically for Austin as he picked up the pace trying to flap his wings rapidly. Both him and Rainbow Dash were soon equal in height while she screamed in peril unable to fathom what was really happening to her. She couldn’t notice him as her eyes were shut while she was struggling vigorously, trying to break free from the vines clutches. Austin was desperately hoping he would gain some ground as he started to feel an updraft under his body from his wings, barely able to dodge some of the gorged out branches further down the ravine.

Rainbow Dash was in the free-fall of her life and Austin would not let her die on his watch. With a few more strokes of his wings as the bottom started to get dangerously close, he could soar towards her at an angle, keeping his hooves in front to attempt to catch her, but was not sure if he could make it in time as he only paid attention her. The closer they were, his mind started to feel time was slowing down from the rush coursing within his body.

Inches away from Rainbow Dash, Austin gritted his teeth barely able to keep his eyes open as the ground was only but a few feet away containing a pool of dark coloured flowers and mud. With a last vicious stroke of his wings, it helped propel him enough to catch the vines she was trapped in, flapping even harder feeling a lot of stress from the fall earlier.

Austin, struggling to create enough upward force to simply fly back up, simply caused them to drop at a slower rate down the remaining few inches to the ground. Upon impact was a burning sensation and the wind was being knocked out of his body as he slid in the pool of mud and flowers, while Rainbow Dash was to his surprise rolling forward bouncing minimally as the circular formation of the vines that encased her.

The whole world was spinning in Rainbow Dash’s eyes as she felt unsure of what was happening. She was only able to get a glimpse in of the green Pegasus that tumbled out of control a second after impact as she was breathing heavily rolling until eventually she came to a complete stop a distance away from him.

“Wha…huh?” Rainbow Dash gasped for air for a moment as she was not emotionally stable yet; trying to figure out whether she was alive or not, more importantly, how.

Her mind reeling with questions, she took a moment to look around, and found herself at the bottom of the ravine. She could hear her friends calling down to her and also looked to her side and realized she was not alone, seeing a green and red stripped Pegasus with a muddied up mane. “Who?...” she winced as her eyes watered from the event.

Austin looked into the eyes of Rainbow Dash from a distance barely, only to vaguely have another strange nostalgic feeling once again in the dark recesses of his mind. Unable to breathe properly, he was only able to show a soft smile on his face as his own world was blacking out, hearing muffled voices in the darkness.