Champion of Equestria

by Buddy Hooves

Chapter 10: Cutie Mark Crusaders Assemble

"Uuhhhggh! Come on you on you stupid knot!" I cursed, as I tried to tie my CMC cape around my neck. Using hoofs were harder then it looked. How the hell do stallions put ties around their necks? I thought in frustration, as I was finally able to finish.

It was the day after the big party Pinkie & the others threw, and the start of a brand new week. It was a Monday, and I had been in Equestria for a whole week now. I was starting to get used to being a pony, and Ponyville was starting to feel like home. Even Twilight's castle was starting to feel homey, and I was no longer wondering around the halls lost. I'd call that progress!

Anyway, today the CMC were on their way to pick me up soon, to take me to their to clubhouse. It's located just on the outskirts of Sweet Apple acres, in what Applebloom called a secluded part of the farm. Apparently, it used to be Applejack's when she was a little filly, and had giving it to her sister for her and her friends to play in. That's cool. I remember when I was a kid, how I'd always visit my cousin Eric every summer to spend a few weekends at his house. His family lived in the country area, away from the city, so it was always a blast hanging out with him. We'd do lots of stuff together: From playing video games inside, or watching scary movies at night. To swimming in his pool or hanging out in his clubhouse. His dad built it for him when he turned ten, on an old tree just behind their house. It might not have been the best looking clubhouse in the world, but to us, it was the world. Ahh.... those were good times! Hopefully I'd have just as much fun hanging out in their clubhouse.

If anything else, I'd just enjoy going to Sweet Apple acres. I haven't been there yet, and I did promise Applejack that I'd stop by sometime to meet her family. So far in Equestria, I had only been to two locations so far, Ponyville and the Everfree Forest. There were still many places on my travel list to check off yet, and Sweet Apple acres was first.

Suddenly, there was a knock on my door.

"Sir, the Cutie Mark Crusaders are in the entrance hall, waiting for you." One of the maids said through my door.

"Coming!" I answered, checking myself one last time in the mirror before giving my reflection an approving nod. Let's get this show on the road! I thought to myself, as I exited my room and made my way down stairs to greet the CMC.

As I rounded the hall and prepared to head down said stairs, I saw a sight that I couldn't help but laugh at. Down the stairs, in the main hall, was the girls. Having a grand old time at the expense of Rosebud, who was trying to keep them from trashing the place. Scootaloo was running up the stairs, only to jump on the top rail and slide down. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were running around playing tag, and bumping into vases and other rich breakable looking things. Poor Rosebud looked like she was at a cross between wanting to pull her hair out, or break down and cry. I better step in. I thought with a smile, before clearing my thought.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS, ATTEN HUT!" I yelled, in my best military sounding voice.

As soon as the girls heard me, they stopped what they was doing, looked up the stairs at me, and ran to the front of the bottom stairs. Forming in a single file line.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders reporting for duty!" They all said at once, giving me a salute. As I made my way down the stairs to them, they smiled up at me, eager to start the day. Rosebud let out a sigh of relief, as she straighten the vases and looked up at me.

"Oh, thank Celestia!" She said, before turning her gaze at the girls. "They don't pay me enough to deal with a force of nature like them!"

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. I guess even some ponies can't tolerate kids. I thought before turning my attention back at the girls. "Okay girls, you ready for our day of fun?" I asked them.

"Yeah!!" They all screamed, hopping in the air with glee.

"Okay, okay. Let's get outta here before you girls run poor Rosebud here up the walls." I stated, before walking towards the front door. The girls were soon right behind me.

"Thank you." Rosebud said to me as I walked by.

"No problem. Just make me some grilled cheese sandwiches when I get back, and I'll call us even."

"Done." She replied.

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"This going to be so awesome! You're totally going to dig it!" Scootaloo proclaimed as she hopped around us, fluttering her wings.

"Yeah, our clubhouse is the best! Just wait, ya'll see." Applebloom said, looking up at me excitedly.

"We even cleaned the place up for you. I hope you'll like it." Said Sweetie Belle, staying close to my side the whole time.

"Don't worry girls. I'm sure I'll love it." I replied.

We had left Ponyville and were now on a dirt road, as we made our way to Sweet Apple acres. As I looked around us, I noticed today was another beautiful sunny day. The grass was lush, the birds were chirping, and everything looked so peaceful. It was the kind of peace you'd never find in the city, and could only experience out in the country. I loved it. Another thing I noticed was that it hardly ever rained, as only a few clouds were in the sky. Twilight explained that the pegasi controlled the weather, and only had it rain every now and then to help crops grow and help the environment. I wish earth could do that.

"We're almost here." Applebloom said as we neared a area that had a white fence around it. "Welcome to Sweet Apple acres, Mark."

As we walked near the entrance of the fence, I noticed an archway, it had bushes on it with apples in it. Hanging under the arch, was a wooden sign with an apple on it. But as we started to pass the archway, I couldnt help but stop and marvel at the sight before me. Off to the left of us, near the entrance archway, was an old style well, comeplete with a bucket and rope on it. Barrels were stacked next to it, and I assumed they werre filled with water. Over to the right of us, was a chicken house, which I could tell not just from the sounds of chickens inside, but a sign with a picture of a nest and egg was hanging above it's door. Everywhere around us I saw crop fields of every type stretching all around the place. Way ahead of us stood what looked like a combo between a red barn & red house, as it was huge, about three floors high, complete with windows and barn doors. Off to the right of it was little red pens type houses that looked like it was meant to house pigs, sheeps, and a few cows. Surrounding it was a white fence with loads of hay behind them. Far off to the right I saw another Red building, but this time I could tell it was a normal type barn, as it only had a few barn doors and no windows. Off not far from it was a weird looking orange type building that had a carrot looking thing on top of it.

But behind all that, was apple trees. Apple trees as far as the eye could see. Starting from behind the red house/barn, and going clear over to the hills behind the place. Now, I had seen a few farms on my way out of town before, small simple ones that were always next to the roads. Hell, even when I was a kid our school took us to a dairy farm as a field trip, but it was nowhere near as big as this place. This place is huge! I thought to myself, as my jaw almost hit the ground in awe. How do they gather all those apples from those trees? It must take them forever just to cover only half of them.

"Come on, the clubhouse is this way." Applebloom said, before her and the other girls started moving forward. I just nodded my head in response, before trailing behind. I was still blown away by the sheer size of the place.

As we made our way though the fields, I noticed far of to the side was a big red stallion with a blonde mane & tail plowing the fields with a rack type thing strapped behind him. As he used nothing but his seer strenght to drag it behind him.

"Who is that?" I asked in amazement.

"Oh, that's my big brother, Big Macintosh. But we all just call him Big Mac. He's really strong, but he doesn't talk much." Applebloom answered.

Note to self, don't piss this guy off! I thought as we continued to walk past him. He only looked up at us for small moment to smile, at Applebloom I assumed, before continuing his work.

We soon, passed the crop fields and were making our way to the house/barn to head through the apple tree forest, when I heard a familiar voice yell out. It was also followed the sounds of bahhing sheep and the barking of a small little dog.

"Yeeeeeehah! Come on Winona, let's round up these critters!" Applejack yelled, as she herded a group of sheep over the hill and towards the animal pens. A small brown and white dog with a red collar followed right beside her.

I watched her an amazement as she and her dog herded the sheep, keeping them all bunched together and from running off in the wrong direction, as they lead them to the pen. If one of them did get start to break from the group, Applejack would just bump into that one and get it to move back into the herd. The dog happily barked as it also keeped the sheep in the line, running on the other side to keep them in order. The way she and the dog herded the sheep in a type of pincer attack, told me she had done that type of thing at least a million times before. Like clockwork, the sheep ran into the pen without any trouble, and once the last one was inside Applejack closed the pen door. She then turned to place her right front hoof across her left one as she gave a smug smile, pleased with her work.

"That was awesome!" I said out load, as I walked up to her. The girls had long since stopped walking forword when we saw Applejack herd the sheep, and now that I was walking over to where she was, they decided to follow behind me.

"Mark, fancy seeing ya here. So what'cha doing, spending time with the girls?" She asked with a smile, as she pointed at my CMC cape.

"Yep. I told the kids I'd hang out with them today." I replied.

"Oh, is that so?" AJ asked with a friendly smirk.

"Yeah sis." Applebloom answered, as her and the other girls walked up to us. "We're showing him our clubhouse so he can become an official member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"

"Oh, well then. I'd better not keep ya waiting." AJ said with a giggle.

Just then, the dog came up to me, and started sniffing at my leg. Which I must admit, was a little unsettling. Not because I was afraid of dogs or anything, but usually when a dog sniffs around on somepony like that, it only meant two things. Either it was going to pee on my leg, start humping my leg, neither outcome was not good. So it came as a big surprise to me when the dog jumped up on me, knocking me on my back, and starting licking me in the face. The whole scene reminded me of the Flintstones, when Dino knocked Fred down and licked him.

"It seems Winona sure has taken a liking to ya, Mark." Applejack laughed. The other girls busted up laughing at the sight of me trying in vain to pull the dog off me.

"Yay for me." I said sarcasticly, as the dog continued to lick my face happily. Back on earth, I was always a dog lover, as it seemed dogs were more friendlier to me then girls. But here....well....

"Okay Winona, get off him. He has someplace to go, and we still have work to do." Applejack told the dog.

Winona gave me one last lick, before hopping off me and standing next to Applejack. Giving a happy bark. Thank god for that. I thought, as I whiped the dog saliva from my face.

"Ya'll have fun now." AJ called out before her and Winona run off.

"Come on, Mark." Scootaloo said eagerly. "We're wasting daylight!"

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"Well, it sure seems.... cozy." I said, looking up at the clubhouse in a big old apple tree. It was a nice sized clubhouse, with a ramp on it's side for ponies to walk up on. Which was good, because I didn't know how to climb up ladders as a pony yet. I also notice on the top of the clubhouse, above the leaves and branches was a lookout post. They sure have this place decked out. I thought as I studied it's outsides.

"Come on up, Mark." Sweetie Belle said as she started making her way up the ramp.

"Yeah. It gets even cooler on the inside." Scootaloo explained, as she and Applebloom also began walking up the ramp.

Following the girls up to the inside of the clubhouse, I started walking up the ramp as well. But as I made it halfway up, I stopped at a wonderous sight. Down the hill and past all the apple trees, I could see Ponyville in the far distance. What a view! I thought, looking at the town from my spot on the ramp. No wonder the girls like coming here. The view is great, it's nice and quite, and the place is like a small fortress!

Once inside, I got a good look at the place. Pictures and crayon drawn maps covered the walls. The place had a few chairs, a table, and a speaking stand all inside it. I also noticed off to the sides were a small table with a chemical set, a shelf with several books on magic, and a workbench with a scooter and it's parts on top of it. And there, standing in the middle of the clubhouse was the CMC, looking up at me for approval.

"Well, what do you think?" Sweetie Belle asked eagerly.

"It's pretty snazzy, girls. You really did a great job to the place." I said truthfully. "You orginized this place better then some of the adults I know that try to decorate their houses."

"Ya really think so?" Applebloom asked, her eyes gleaming with hope.

"Yep." I nodded.

"Oh yeah!" Scottaloo shouted excitedly. "I told you he'd dig the place."

"So..." I began, as I walked over to the chemistry set to give it a look. "Now that we're here, what do you girls plan to do?"

"Figure out a way for us to get our cutie marks!" Scootaloo decleared.

"What?"

"That's why we founded the cutie mark crusaders in the first place." Sweetie Belle said. "For us to figure out how we can get our cutie marks so we won't feel different from everypony else."

"Yeah, and now that your here, we can come up with a way ta get our cutie marks for sure." Applebloom said, as they all looked up at me with hope. "You're an adult who doesn't have a cutie mark. But look at all ya done!"

"Yeah! If someone as talented as you doesn't have his cutie mark yet, then it gives us hope that we might get ours someday." Sweetie Bell said with a smile.

"Uhh....how so?"

"Because, you defeated a monster in a single blast, not only that, but when you did, you had a cutie mark for a few seconds before it disappeared." Scootaloo exclaimed. "If you came that close to getting your cutie mark, then chances are we all might be able to get ours as well!"

"Okay..... So how does a pony earn their cutie mark?" I asked, still not understanding where they were going with all this.

"Simple. By finding out your special talent. Duhh." Sweetie Belle said, rolling her eyes.

"And we have a plan on how we can all get ours!" Applebloom said. Before they all began to explain their many plans to me.

Well, at least this is better then having me play tea party with them.

I take it back, this is far WORSE then that! I thought as I listened to the girls nineteenth crazy plan they had for us to earn our cutie marks. They made no sense and over half of the them were WAY too dangerous. Bungee jumping off a cliff, shooting ourselfs out of canons, starting a salon to trim the fur off a manticore. Hell, there WAS even a plan to throw a tea party. That one was Sweetie Belle's idea, while all the ones that could kill us came from Scootaloo. Applebloom's was no better. Having a dog slid race, become painters, starting a company that made cheese flavored syrup, the list when on and on. I just hung my head as I was hit with one crazy scheme to the next.

"Let me get this straight." I began, trying not to have my head pop by all the crazy plans the girls were coming up with. "The best way for a pony to get their cutie mark, is for them to find their special talent, right?" I asked.

They all nodded their heads.

"Okay, then why are you coming up with all these crazy ideas when you could be focusing on your special talents?!" I asked, trying to hold back my frustration to keep from slamming my hoof onto my forehead.

The girls glanced at each other before hanging their heads low in shame.

"We don't know what that is." Applebloom answered.

"What?" I blinked at them in surprised.

"We don't know what o..." Sweetie Belle started to repeat.

"I heard what you said. My question is how do you NOT know what your talents are by now?" I asked, totally amazed by that fact.

"What do you mean?" Sweetie Belle asked, curiously.

"I mean, everypony I've met so far has had a talent related to their names!" I began to explain, surprised they haven't figured it out by now. "Think about it. Pinkie Pie's is having fun and throwing parties. Fluttershy's is caring for animals and being... well, shy. Rarity's is designing clothes and looking pretty. Rainbow Dash's is being a fast flyer and brave pegasus. And Twilight's is freaking magic! Do you get what I'm trying to say here?"

"We get that, but how does that help us?" Applebloom asked, puzzled by my words.

"Yeah? What do our names have to do with our talents?" Scootaloo asked, completely not getting it.

"EVERYTHING!" I yelled, causing them to look up at me in surprised. I then started pointing a hoof at each of them as I made my point. "Scootaloo, you're always going on how you want to be like Rainbow Dash and fly someday, right? And you're always zipping around on that scooter of yours. Well, THAT is your special talent! Your skill at riding scooters and need for speed is the key to unlocking it.

Sweetie Belle, you tell me how much you like music and putting together little plays, right? Well, yours is preforming in plays, singing and shining in the spotlight. Applebloom, you told me how you like to go over to Zecora's and help her gather herbs and brew potions, right? Well, I bet yours has something to do with that. See girls, It has everything to do with your names!" I finally finished, feeling triumphant at what I just said.

"Then what about you?" Applebloom asked me, catching me off guard.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, if our talents are related to our names, then what would yours be?" Sweetie Belle ask.

I sat there and pondered on that for more then a few minutes. My now pony name was Mark Less Stevens. So what did that say about me? Was I destined to be a pony without a cutie mark because I was really from another world?! The whole thing was making my head wanting to explode,

"Nahhhhh....It can't be that easy." Scootaloo dismessed my theory with a wave of her hoof. "If it was that easy for us, we'd have our cutie marks by now."

I couldn't hold it back anymore. The topic had put a stretch on my brain, and the fact that these girls just didn't get it was too much. I face hoofed.

"Hey ya'll!" Applejack's voice called from the outside, causing us to walk over to the nearby window. She was standing there giving us a friendly smirk while she used a cloth to wipe the sweat off her forehead.

"Ya'll been up there for a few hours. Why don't ya come down and we'll go have lunch?" She asked as she looked up at us.

"Not right now, sis." Applebloom answered. "We're trying ta figure out how to get our cutie marks."

"Well... okay then." She said as she started to turn around.

"Hey, wait!" I called out. No way I was sticking around and listening to another one of their hair-brained ideas. "Some food would sound great right now." I said as I all but jumped off the ramp to get to her.

"Alright then." AJ said with a smirk. And with that, we left the girls to their plans as we made our way back to the farm.

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"Would ya like another slice of apple pie, youngin?" Granny Smith, as she took my empty plate.

"No thanks, Ma'am." I answered as I patted my full belly.

"Just call me Granny, youngin. Everypony else does." She said with a smile, walking over to the sink. "Your coltfriend sure is nice, AppleJack."

"He's not my coltfriend!" AJ protested, as she crossed her arms. She was trying to hide it, but she was blushing a little. "He's just a friend."

We where inside the kitchen, sitting at the table and talking as we ate fresh baked apple pies. Granny Smith was quite a funny old mare, as she had been talking my ear off ever since we came into the house. She was a light green, with silver-gray mane & tail that came from age. Her face was covered with wrinkles, and the way she walked said that she had a bad hip, but her heart was young. I never knew my grandparents, so it was kinda cool getting to know Applejack's. I asked her tons of questions about her past, and in return, she asked me questions as well. Mostly about Applejack and me!

"I don't see what problem is, hon. He's your friend, and he's a colt, so that makes him your coltfriend." She said with a smirk, as she sat back down at the table with us. AJ was using her hat to hide her face from being embarassment. "So, Mark was it?" Granny Smith asked.

I nodded yes.

"Applejack told me you're from another land far from here. Tell me, what's it like?"

"Well..." I began. "It's pretty much alot like Equestria. Except instead of ponies being the main race, it's more of a mixing pot of different species." I lied.

"Like what?" She aked curiously.

"Ummm, well, Zebras, griffins, minotaurs and goats." I said. Using the creatures as a substitutes for the different human races back home.

"I see." Granny Smith said, buying my explanation. "So, I've being hearing all about how ya stopped that rock monster from destroying Ponyville and saving my girls. Ya must be very brave."

"Nahh, I just did what I could to help." I replied. Having heard praises like that for the last several days now was starting to get a little old. Honestly, All I really did was get lucky!

"Just think how Romantic it is ta be rescued by a stunning stallion like that, Applejack." She said elbowing AJ in the arm. "Just think how you'll be able ta tell ya'lls little ones about it."

"WHAT?!" Me and AJ both yelled in surprise. Now both of faces were beat red.

"Reminds me of how my folks met each other long ago. Say, would ya'll like ta see our family photos? I got some cute pictures of Applejack as a filly." Granny Smith said with an almost sly smirk.

"Uhhh......No thanks, Granny!" AJ said as she shot up and grabbed me by the arm. "Me and Mark here have ta get going to Ponyville ta....run a few errands!"

Before I could even say anything, Applejack pulled my up from my chair, ran me out the door and had us running down the field. Her hoof never let go of my arm.

"What was all that about?" I asked in confusion.

"Trust me, ya don't want to know!" AJ answered, never looking back.

Author's Note:

I just want to take a moment to think the viewers who were kind enough to point out my spelling errors, while still being nice about it. Having your help goes a long way! I was never a good speller, and even in a word with computers that can help correct my words or where I can look up words I can't spell, I still slip up ever now and then.
Anyway, thanks for reading my story and kindly pointing out my faults so I can improve. I hope ya'll read more of my chapters and have a great day!

Comments

[Bob Market]

so what are the races in earth in goats and stuff? and was this like 20 min ago?

[Buddy Hooves]

to answer your questions, I did finish this chapter over an hour ago (by the time this is read, it'll be longer.), and to answer the other question...... i don't know. The reason the charater was saying that was because he he nervous and was talking out his ass to advoid Granny learning about earth. But, if I could make ref-er-rinse:
Ponies: Americians
Griffions: Asians
Zebras: Africans
Minotaurs: Russians
goats: whatever you want it to be.
Just to point it out, I'm not being Racist, just saying everyone is different. But that doesn't make then bad! So again, don't get mad at this part. The character, and me, was just having a brain fart.

[PinkiePieFox]

"Uuhhhggh! Come on your on you stupid knot!" I cursed, as I tried to my CMC cape around my neck.

Come on yout on you stupid knot! I do not understand.

As I tried to my CMC cape around my neck,

Tried to tie?

That cool.

that's

"We ever cleaned the place up for you. I hope you'll like it."

ever = even

smirk whlie she used a cloth to wipe the sweat off her forehead.

while

Sweetie Bell

Belle

Chapter 10 Edits

[cosmosain]

Can destroy a golem
Can't tie a knot

[Buchernov2012]

It's forwArd not forwOrd