Wing and a Prayer

by Timbre Pitch

Chapter One

Wing and a Prayer
Chapter 1

“Okay, so what you are saying is without the help of the ponies of Combai you won’t be able to beat up the Algexis of Homgolia or something like that?” asked a young colt. He sat on a cushion in Button Mash’s bedroom. The colt had a coat so pale it appeared white, though the slightest hints on green could be seen if you looked hard enough. His mane was green like the grass outside near the Ponyville Square. A small pair of wings adorned his side, marking him as a young Pegasus pony. The length and fluffiness of his tail gave many ponies the impression that he was a filly instead however, and was nothing short of demoralizing to the poor colt. He turned his head to look at his play friend.

Button Mash was a small brown colt with a lighter brown mane and tail worn in a short style that, when you took into account the propeller beanie on his head, made him look every inch the young colt. Button Mash didn’t even glance away from the screen as he replied.

“Pretty much, Timbre. It’s very important to make sure in any game that you are as prepared as possible because you never know what could happen. That’s what makes them so fun!”

Timbre Pitch just looked at him. He’d come over to Button’s home earlier that morning to play with him, but was disappointed that very little of what Button did for fun was made for more than one pony to play. He had a few toys that they were able to play with together, but most of the time together they had spent that day involved Timbre watching Button play some RPG game he didn’t really understand the point of. He didn’t mind spending the time with Button, but their friendship was more based on the fact that their mothers were friends than anything else.

“Well, it’s getting close to dinner time, and my mother wanted me home before then. I need to get going. Good luck with your game.” Timbre walked out of the house, catching a ‘goodbye’ from Button’s mother as he left.

Slowly Timbre walked back to his new home. He and his mother had moved to Ponyville from Cloudsdale just before the school year started. Because their home was not far from the train station Timbre didn’t get out to all of the places to see in Ponyville. The few weeks they had been there were mostly spent unpacking everything and preparing for the start of school. Aside from Button and his family, the only pony whom Timbre had really spoken to was the hyperactive Pinkie Pie when she held a party for her mother after they first showed up.

Timbre attended the last of three classes at the school in Ponyville and was glad for it. Button was in his class, so he knew someone in it, and he had heard the morning class had two fillies in it that had the attitude of high society; tending to brag about how special they were. Timbre wasn’t sure he would be able to handle dealing with fillies like that. According to Pinkie Pie he was ‘almost as timid as Fluttershy’, though he had not yet met anypony with that name.

“Ms. Cheerilee was talking about Cutie Marks at the beginning of the school year,” Timbre thought aloud quietly. “Aside from Button and me, I think the whole school has their cutie marks already. It’s a wonder Button doesn’t have his yet. He’s good at those video games he plays. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him with a cutie mark that looks like his controller one day.”

Timbre looked back at his flank. His mother insisted on keeping him well groomed and the feathers of his wings were preened to perfection. He didn’t mind it; it made him look his best after all. However it also, along with the length and fluffiness of his tail, was what made ponies mistake him for a filly all the time. Tied with his lack of cutie mark and it was little wonder he was insecure. Timbre knew it was not so much shyness as feelings of inadequacy that made him a little withdrawn from most ponies. He just wanted to make some good friends with the ponies of Ponyville, but wasn’t sure how to. His flank did nothing to help his courage.

“I wish I just knew what my special talent was…”
XXXXX

“Welcome home, my little songbird!” Timbre’s mother was a young pegasi mare with a medium blue coat and the same green mane and tail as her son. Her voice was light and clear as a bell. The image of a musical note and feather quill crossing each other lay on her flank. Timbre’s mother wrote and occasionally performed music with the Canterlot Orchestra. Timbre often saw letters in the mailbox for his mother with a return sender marked ‘Octavia’; another of his mother’s friends. Timbre looked at his mother as he walked in.

“Hello, mom. Do you have a minute?” She set down a large wooden spoon.

“I have more than that for my little chirper. Dinner is ready, so let’s set the table and we can talk while we eat.”

Timbre set out some bowls and glasses for two. Looked like a simple meal tonight. Tomato soup if the smell was any indicator. A fresh mini loaf of bread was on a rack cooling nearby the small oven. The family was not poor, but since her husband’s accident the two of them had been more careful of what they spent their bits on. Saving up to be sure you could handle the money should the worst happen was not a happy reminder to either of them, but it was wisdom to do so ever since that day.

Timbre sat at the table and his mother served him a warm half of the loaf and some soup. She made the best tomato soup he’d ever had. Granted, he’d never had anypony else’s so maybe he was biased. They both quietly began to eat.

“Mom,” Timbre started after a bite of soup dipped bread. “Is it normal to not have any idea what your cutie mark will be?” His mother smiled warmly between sips of the soup.

“Timbre, I know you are concerned about not having a cutie mark yet. I don’t blame you for being worried, but for some ponies it is easier to spot than with others. My parents knew what my special talent was before I did, and for many ponies others get glimpses of what it will be before you will.” She took another sip.

“But mom, I’ve never really shown a talent or special interest in anything. What if I don’t get a cutie mark until I’m a stallion?”

The question was one she expected to hear. Rumors in Cloudsdale told of a mare that didn’t obtain a cutie mark at all until her first foal was born. Such things were unheard of, and she understandably kept it a secret for as long as she could by covering her flanks with capes or dresses all the time. Even her very special somepony didn’t know until they were married. Still, it was a Cloudsdale secret now, kept among the pegasi.

“I wouldn’t worry your little head. Most ponies don’t start getting cutie marks until your age, and for some it is as much as surprise to anypony as it is to them. You will find your special talent with time, don’t worry.” She paused thoughtfully. “In fact, I’ve seen three little fillies your age that go around town trying out new things to earn their cutie marks. Do you remember the talent show that the school had after we arrived? They were in it.”

Timbre remembered. They looked like they were having so much fun, even if their performance was really strange. He couldn’t remember much what their song was supposed to be about though. The outfits and the antics kept him too distracted to really understand the lyrics the one filly was singing. Seeing him think about it, his mother continued.

“You can usually see them after school is out if they are together. They are often somewhere near the apple orchard on the other end of town. Maybe it would be a good idea for you to start trying out a few different things like they do to help you discover what it is you like. Once you find out what you like most you may have a good idea of what your cutie mark will represent.”

“Thanks mom,” Timbre said, finishing his meal. “I’m going to go for a walk, okay?”

“Just be back before dark, little nightingale.”

Timbre rolled his blue eyes as he walked out the door into the late afternoon air.
XXXXX

It was a calm afternoon breeze that blew through Ponyville as Scootaloo looked back to the wagon attached to her scooter. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle helped Babs Seed up and into the wagon and put a helmet on her head. Seeing her fellow crusaders ready, Scootaloo began flapping her wings as fast as she could go and pushed off with a hind leg to get them going. In short order they were zooming down the road from their latest attempt at getting their cutie marks. It was really nice to have Babs with them for the weekend, but her suggestion to earn cutie marks by bungee jumping didn’t pan out as well as they had hoped. Luckily they put a large tub of water along the side of Town Hall to land in just in case the cord broke, which it did. Sweetie Belle was still quite wet.

“Scootaloo, can you go a little faster? Rarity said I needed to come home soon and I don’t want to show up wet. I don’t want to have another lecture about being a proper lady again.”

Scootaloo turned her head to make her reply.

“I’m trying, but I’ve never pulled all three of you at once, let alone the tub of water. It’s a lot harder.”

“I hope you aren’t sayin’ I’m too heavy ta pull, Scoot,” Babs said with a mirthful overtone in her voice.

“Not at all, Babs. I’m just getting tired from a full day of crusading.”

“LOOK OUT!” Applebloom pointed ahead of them where Scootaloo was no longer looking. Scootaloo whipped her head forward and saw a pretty little white Pegasus pony with a fluffy green tail walking head down, not seeing them coming. They were going too fast to stop in time, and too close to avoid hitting her. Scootaloo pulled as hard as she could and frantically flapped her wings to slow down and lessen the impact. She heard Applebloom behind her yell ‘sweet applesauce’ just as they hit the unsuspecting filly.

The crash sent them all flying. The tub of water completely soaked Scootaloo and a large patch of fresh dirt that Rose was preparing a new bed of Calla Lilies for, creating a very muddy landing for the strange filly. The four Crusaders groaned from the impact and got up shakily. It was Applebloom that first recovered enough to see the unconscious form of the filly they had struck. She was almost completely covered with mud and leaves from the crash. Applebloom looked over to Babs and beckoned her over.

“Ah think she hit her head. We should take her to the clubhouse an git her cleaned up.”

Babs nodded in agreement and together they picked up the filly and moved her toward Sweetie Belle whom was righting the wagon. Just above the bed of the wagon Applebloom’s hoof slipped along the filly’s flank, dropping her but clearing some of the mud off.

“Look, crusaders! She’s a blank flank like us!”

This caught Scootaloo’s attention especially as she and Sweetie Belle rushed over to look for themselves. Although a muddy mess, it was still clear to see that the unknown filly certainly lacked a cutie mark, just like them.

“Ah didn’t know there were any other fillies in Ponyville that didn’t have their cutie marks. But ah haven’t seen her around before. Have you, Sweetie Belle?” They began making their way back to the clubhouse, albeit at a much slower pace.

“I think I’ve seen her once or twice. She goes to the afternoon class with Dinky. I believe Ms. Cheerilee said something about a transfer pony coming in before school started.”

“Oh cool,” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Think she’ll want to join the Crusaders?”

Applebloom piped up at the question. “Why wouldn’t she? She doesn’t have a cutie mark either, and maybe she’s got friends where she’s from and we can start a branch there.”

“YEAH!” they all shouted.

“Oh, I have an idea!”

“What is it, Sweetie Belle,” Babs asked.

“We can nurse her back to health at the clubhouse!” The other three crusaders took hold of that idea and they all shouted together.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADER PONY HEALERS! YEAH!”
XXXXX

Timbre woke up in pain. He wasn’t sure what had happened. He was just taking his walk and he heard somepony scream something just before something hard hit his head and everything went weightless and black. As his senses returned to him he heard a voice nearby say something. He wasn’t sure what they said, but it sounded like a filly. He groaned a little from the pain.

“Are you sure this is what we’re supposed to be doing, Scootaloo? I’m not sure a hammer is what we need to wake up somepony.” The voice was quite high pitched. Something about what she said told Timbre he should be alarmed, but he wasn’t quite sure why.

“Of course I am, Sweetie Belle. Doctors use hammers all the time. They hit you with it and it makes you move! It’s like magic! Now let me have the hammer so I can wake her up.”

‘Oh, they are talking about somepony else,’ Timbre thought. He mentally sighed before realizing that with his track record, they were probably talking about him! The pause was too late however, and before he could do anything he felt and heard the resounding crack of a hammer on his head.

“Ow!” Timbre yelped and started scrambling away from the source of the pain. He was quickly against a wall and with wide open eyes found he attacker. An orange coated Pegasus filly with a cerise colored mane and tail grinned at him, hammer still in her mouth.

“See? I told you hammers wake ponies up!” The filly with the hammer looked awfully smug for somepony who just hit somepony with a hammer. Timbre rubbed his head and groaned again. The blow wasn’t too hard, but it still hurt. He looked around to gain his bearings.

He was in a small but well-made clubhouse that had a few accents to it that suggested it belonged to fillies. He didn’t mind the fillish touches that adorned the clubhouse; they were few enough anyway and added more charm than a regular old clubhouse would have anyway. Judging by the branches and leaves he could see out the window, he guessed this was in a tree and not on the ground. Looking at himself revealed him still being covered in mud.

The sound of a hammer dropping caught his attention and he looked at its source to see the orange filly dropping it in a toolbox that had a medical cross poorly painted on the side. All three of the fillies expectantly looked at their flanks only to droop their heads when they discovered them as blank as ever.

‘These must be the trio mom mentioned,’ Timbre thought to himself.

“Well hey now,” one of the fillies started. “You can go git yerself all cleaned up outside, we got a hose you kin use.” The filly was yellow with a pink bow in her red mane. Not as tomcolt as the bludgeoner, but still a little more so than the third filly in the room. The third had a coat almost the same color as he had, just without the slightly green hint, and a pink and lavender mane that looked like it had natural loose curls in it. A small horn poked out of the filly’s mane.

“Ah… Thanks, I’ll go do that.” Timbre staggered a little as he left the clubhouse. Seeing a gently sloping ramp down made him grateful that he was not going to make his headache worse while trying to get to the ground. He wasn’t sure he’d land well if he tried to glide with how his head was still a little dizzy. While he cleaned himself off he could hear some of the fillies’ conversation through the clubhouse’s windows.

“So, what do you think?” “Definitely.” “Ah’ll git everything ready.” “We still have to ask first though.” “Have you revised the speech yet?”

Timbre was not sure if they weren’t making sense or if it was just his headache making it difficult to understand. He finished cleaning himself though and took a drink from the hose before turning it off and heading back inside to find out what had happened.

“Hey,” Timbre started as he entered the room. “Um, how did I end up here?”

The orange filly, Scootaloo he guessed, answered his question.

“Ah, well… We accidentally ran into you on my scooter. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt anypony. I guess I should pay more attention to where I’m going.” Scootaloo laughed nervously. From behind him he heard a scraping noise and turned to see a fourth filly pushing a large drum into the clubhouse. This one spoke with the accent of a Manehattener.

“I brought the drums; did we get a yes outta the newbie?” The filly was slightly stockier than the other three, with a light brown coat and a mane that resembled a strawberry candy cane.

“Nope, we were just about to ask,” the unicorn filly replied.

“Ask me what?”

Though the new arrival was busied with moving the drums next to a podium that Timbre was sure wasn’t there when he first woke up, the other three exclaimed at the same time, “To join the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”

“…the what now?”

Between the four fillies they explained how the Cutie Mark Crusaders was their own little ‘secret society’ that was devoted to helping ponies to get their cutie marks. They described the features of the clubhouse and a few examples of things they’ve tried to get their cutie marks. Although some of the attempts were very humorous, Timbre admired their dedication. He thought in his mind that maybe joining them actually would help him find his special talent someday.

“So what do ya say,” the yellow filly asked.

“Yes, that would be great. I would love to join you all.”

A resounding cheer came from all four of the fillies and Applebloom walked over to a small chest and opened it. What she pulled out was revealed to be five capes, and each of them donned one, holding the fifth one aside. The Cutie Mark Crusaders formally introduced themselves.

“And what is your name,” Sweetie Belle asked at the end.

“It’s Timbre Pitch.”

Sweetie Belle sounded it out carefully, having never heard of that name before. “Tam-bur, huh? Well, okay then, let’s get started!” She pulled up a scroll from inside the podium and looked at Scootaloo who started drumming up a tribal sounding rhythm.

“We, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, elect Timbre Pitch to join us as a sister,” Sweetie Belle started. Timbre tuned out the speech for a moment at the word ‘sister’. ‘Oh sweet Celestia, they think I’m a filly too. What am I going to do? I don’t want to risk losing their friendship. Oh I just don’t know…’

“…and fellow Cutie Mark Crusader!” Timbre was brought out of his thoughts as he felt the cape thrown over his back by Babs. They gathered around him and all had a group high-hoof. He nervously stuck his hoof into the group. ‘Oh what have I gotten myself into?’

Author's Note:

First attempt at a MLP Fanfic. Constructive Critique is appreciated, as well as any review. Trolling/Flaming isn't helpful to me, so please don't bother if that's what you plan to do.

And yes I am fixing errors as I find them and/or have them pointed out. Thanks for the help.