We Are The Cutie Mark Crusaders

Apple Bloom awoke groggily. Her unkempt red mane obstructing her view. She stretched out her forelegs and let out a yawn. With her hooves, she wiped away the debris from her eyes. She moved her mane out of her face. On the bed stand was her pink bow that Sweetie Belle gave her. It had been almost a year since she had last saw her two best friends. She missed them dearly and began to think back to the last day she saw the crusaders

The former cutie mark crusaders stood on the platform of the train station. Each of their faces bore a sad expression. Each had a suitcase by their sides.

"We're still the crusaders, right?" Sweetie Belle said with a handkerchief in her aura, she had been crying all morning.

"You know it Sweets." Scootaloo said though her tone said otherwise. She tried her best to put on a happy face but to no avail.

"We'll still see each other in the summer right?" Apple Bloom asked hopefully.
Scootaloo flared open her wings and began to hover in the air. "One last ride?" She suggested. They gave her a weak smile

"One last ride." They confirmed. The two mares both managed to fit on her back as she flapped her wings. The view of Ponyville from above had changed over the years. From the rebuilding of Golden Oak Library to the renovation of the town hall. Twilight's castle overlooked the whole town. The crusaders would miss the town that they had spent their childhoods in.

"Remember the time we first met?" Apple Bloom asked the other two. With a giggle Sweetie Belle replied. "Yeah, at Diamond Tiara's Cute-ceañera." They shared warm memories of the formation of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Apple bloom looked down at her own cutie mark. An apple over a hammer. Her mane tied into a braid flowed in the wind behind them. She had gotten it one day on her first pie delivery. Her cart's wheel axle came off and she had to fix it. Being in the Everfree forest, she knew the dangers from last time. She worked quickly to repair the cart as not to linger for too long. Unfortunately the flash of light from her cutie mark appearing attracted the Chimera. Her single pink bow had been burned off that day.

Scootaloo's cutie mark had come after she won her first extreme sports competition in Manehattan where she got it. Sweetie's cutie mark came from her winning best musical act in the talent show last year. She had sung beautifully.

They weren't the crusaders anymore. They were growing up and going their own ways. The thought brought a tear to Sweetie Belle's eye. Apple Bloom was going to trade school to become a mechanic in Manehattan and Scootaloo was going to flight school in Cloudsdale. She herself was going to a music academy in Canterlot.

After a short fly in the sky, they touched back down on the platform. Rarity was waiting for them. The train to Canterlot was just pulling in. She had closed down the boutique to open one in Canterlot. It seemed as if everything is changing. Rainbow Dash was out with the Wonderbolts and Scootaloo dreamed of joining her there.

"Come on Sweetie darling, Canterlot is waiting." Rarity said cheerfully. It was obvious that Rarity was sad about leaving her friends but she knew that sadly it was best for her business. Rarity dragged the two's bags along with her aura.

"Coming Rarity." She said. She was about to leave the group until she was stopped by Scootaloo's wing. The three pulled each other into an embrace.

"We are the cutie mark crusaders." Sang Scootaloo.

"On a quest to find out who we are." Apple bloom continued.

"And we will never stop our journey." Sweetie Belle finished. "Sweetie Belle!" Rarity called out.

"Coming!" She called back. "I'll miss you guys." She whispered back to the group. Scootaloo still held her tight though.

"Scoots? Scoots are you crying?" Apple Bloom asked.

"No!" She replied defensively. They shared one last laugh together.

"Ooh I almost forgot!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. With her magic she pulled out three items out of her saddlebag. A bandana, a bracelet, and a bow. With her magic she tied the bow in Apple Bloom's mane and the bandana around Scootaloo's neck. She slipped the bracelet over her front left hoof with her right one.

"We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders." She said to the two. They shared one last embrace before Sweetie Belle ran to board the train. As the train's whistle blew and began to accelerate, the two remaining crusaders ran to the edge of the platform.

"Bye Sweetie Belle!" They yelled in unison. Out the window Sweetie Belle waved her hoof.

"Bye guys!" Sweetie Belle yelled from the train although soon she was obscured by the horizon.

"We'll miss you!" Called out Apple Bloom. The mood in the station once again became sad. The train to Manehattan would be arriving shortly and the crusaders would officially be separated.

"It won't be the same without you guys." Scootaloo said.

"Hey, don't worry 'bout us. Just keep your pretty little head focused on getting into the Wonderbolts." Apple Bloom shot a weak smile to Scootaloo. "Applejack'll be here soon."

"We'll keep in touch right?" Scootaloo said unsure if they would have the time to.

"Gosh Scoots, your acting about twenty percent less cool." She said using the words of Rainbow Dash.
Applejack walked into the station with a brown paper bag in the mouth. She made her way to the two mares. She set it in Apple Bloom's saddlebag. "Y'all be safe now." She said as she gave a nuzzle to Apple Bloom. "I'll miss you sugar cube."

"I'll miss you Sis." She returned the nuzzle. Eventually the Manehattan train had to come and yet again The two crusaders exchanged a hug.

"Knock 'em dead Scootaloo." Apple Bloom whispered into her ear.

"I will Apple Bloom." She said back with even more tears in her eyes.

"All aboard!" An earth Stallion shouted from the train. Apple bloom picked up her suitcase and balanced it on her back.

"Bye."

She stepped out of her bathroom. She trotted over to her bed where the bow Sweetie Belle gave her was. She expertly tied it in her mane as she walked out of the door of her apartment. The brisk summer mornings were always a good time to jog around town. To her surprise this time though there were two familiar face.

"Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo!" She exclaimed as they pulled each other into an embrace.

"I missed you guys so much." Apple Bloom said to the two. They each wore the items Sweetie Belle had given one year ago. A bracelet, a bandanna, and a bow.

Author's Note:

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