Rice and Hay Don't Mix

by Kairi_Yajuu

Chapter 3: The Cutie Mark Crusaders - Son Gohan, a Blank Flank?!

“Welcome to Equestria, Son Gohan!”

Gohan smiled nervously. “Y-yeah. Wow, when you said you were a pony, I didn’t expect the purple or the uh wings...or the horn.”

“Yes, well, I’m an alicorn. Sorry for not telling you about that. I suppose being a princess is something I should’ve mentioned.”

Gohan’s eyes grew wide in shock. “A p-princess? Really?” Now that he REALLY didn’t expect. Then again, he shouldn’t be so nervous. After all, his mother is a princess to the Ox Kingdom. Wait, didn’t that make his father a prince? Ah, whatever, that was another topic for another day.

“Yes, well, I’m not the only one with a horn, it seems. Looks like the portal translated you into being a unicorn.”

Gohan tried to look up to see what Twilight was talking about but he didn’t see anything. “Uh-huh. I’ll just take your word for it then.” Gohan took another look at his hooves and hummed. “Looks like I’m blue now, too. Didn’t expect that.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow in confusion. “What, you’re not that color in your world?”

Gohan shook his head. “Uh - no - it’s a little more complicated than that.”

Twilight trotted around Gohan, studying him carefully. “Well you are now. Oh - it looks like you don’t have a cutie mark. That’s strange for someone of your age. Do you not know your destiny yet?”

“Cutie mark? You mean a birthmark or something?” Gohan asked, his eyebrow raised in confusion.

Twilight nodded. “Yeah. A cutie mark. See, mine represents magic.” She moved to the side ever so slightly in order to give Gohan a good look Something he found rather awkward considering where the mark was placed. “It’s a mark that everypony earns that tells you what makes you special. But you have to earn it.”

“Earn it how?”

“By discovering for yourself what your place in the world is meant to be. You know, I could introduce you to some really good friends of mine that would love to help you figure yours out, if you want. Oh, I’m getting ahead of myself. I bet first you want to learn how to use magic, don’t you?”

Gohan laughed nervously at all the new information. It was a LOT to take in. He wasn’t exactly sure how to process it all. “Uh - how about we start with just a tour around the world? While we’re walking you can tell me how this magic of yours works.” ‘I’ll bet it’s a lot like ki.’ he thought to himself.

The two began to walk down a path towards what looked to be a small town with...flying ponies...and other ponies walking around enjoying their day. Unicorns were levitating objects as they walked, pegasi were sleeping on the clouds, this world was an adventure, alright.

Gohan was amazed but before he could open his mouth, a bright pink pony zoomed by before coming to a full stop in front of him. Gohan stared at her as the pony got uncomfortably close and stared right back. “Um… hello?” She gasped and finally backed off, bouncing up and down as she smiled gleefully.

“Twilight! This is a new friend to ponyville! I’ve never seen him before! We need to throw a party for him! Just like the one I through for you when you first got here! Hopefully he’s not a cranky one like you were and he’ll love to join in on the games!”

Twilight giggled at her friend and turned to Gohan. “Sorry about her. She gets really excited when meeting someone new. She makes it her job to learn everypony’s name that she can.”

“Yup! I’m Pinkamina Diane Pie but you can call me Pinkie Pie! I’m one of Twilight’s best friends in the whole wide Equestria!”

Gohan lifted a hoof in a sign of giving a hand shake as best he could. “Um… I’m.. Son Gohan but just Gohan is fine. Actually, I’m not just new to this town, I’m new to this whole world.”

“Ooooo!” Pinkie Pie grinned. “Another world, huh? Twilight, is this one of your friends from that High School where you met the mysterious Flash Centry?”

Twilight blushed slightly but then shook her head. “No, different world. We met through the diary Celestia gave me. Anyways, Pinkie, I don’t think we’ll need any parties. Just a tour around the town is enough and maybe a visit to the Cutie Mark Crusaders."

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders, huh?” Gohan blinked. There was that word again.

“Well,” Pinkie Pie stood straight finally ceasing her bouncing. “It’s weird to see someone so old without a cutie mark but if anyone can help it’s the CMC!”

Gohan nodded slowly. “Is it, uh, is it really that important?”

“Well,” Twilight began to answer, “you want the full pony experience, right? And besides, not having a cutie mark means you’re questioning your destiny, right?”

Gohan blinked once more in confusion. “I guess that’s what you said but are some people - er - ponies I’ve never meant before supposed to be able to help?”

“That’s their special talent, after all. Hm.. You know what, Pinkie, how about we have that party with all our friends. I want to introduce Gohan to them.”

Pinkie Pie let out a loud gasp and then as quickly as she appeared she was gone.

Gohan raised an eyebrow “Well that was something.” Twilight giggled. “What?” He said.

“Nothing, it’s just that’s what I said when I first met Pinkie Pie. Don’t worry, nopony else is quite as wild as her. So, how about those Cutie Mark Crusaders?”

They walked through the town stopping by a cake shop to snack on some cupcakes before finally heading towards what looked to be a big apple farm. An orange pony with a yellow mane and tail could be seen bucking at some trees and putting the apples that fell into the baskets that lay next to them.

Twilight walked up to her as though she knew her so Gohan followed behind at a polite distance.

“Howdy Twilight!” The orange pony exclaimed. “What brings you and your new friend here?”

“Applejack, this is Gohan. He’s from another world that we’ve ended up coming in contact with.”

The pony known as Applejack let out an impressed whistle. “Well, Twilight, I’ll be as sour as a green apple, you’re always so full of surprises.” Applejack trotted past Twilight to grab Gohan’s hoof and shake it. “We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do love making new friends. Hiya, Gohan, I’m Applejack.”

“Uh hi. Yeah. Nice to meet you.” Gohan returned the hand - hoof? - shake, wondering how they managed to hold something in those hooves without having any thumbs. He thought it best not to question it, though.

Twilight stepped up. “Applejack, I was wondering, have you seen Applebloom and her friends? We need their help with something.”

Applejack nodded towards the back of the barn. “They’re in their clubhouse bored as ever. How come?”

Gohan, sick of being like a dead weight in the conversation, spoke up, “Apparently it’s imperative that I earn a “Cutie Mark”, was it?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes. A Cutie Mark. I figured it’s the least we could do to help you out.”

Gohan laughed nervously. “Help out… right. Cause I reallyneedthis Cutie Mark.”

Twilight looked to Gohan before walking off, expecting him to follow. And follow her he did. They made it to what looked like a childrens treehouse in the middle of the farm after a good while of walking.

“Alright. Here we are.” Twilight called out, “Cutie Mark Crusaders, somepony has a problem with their Cutie Mark!” Gohan frowned. Was that really supposed to get their attention? Why not go up there and knock? But sure enough, the door slammed open and three little ponies popped out, one small unicorn on one side, one small regular pony on the other, and a small pegasus standing on top of them both.

“Problem? Somepony? Cutie Mark?” They all stared with eyes glowing bright with excitement.

Gohan couldn’t remove his frown. These were obviously children. Was it really their place to put such an important task? He brought a hoof to his face. “Important task?” he mumbled to himself. “What told you that it was an important task, Gohan?”

Twilight looked to Gohan and smiled. “I know they seem young but trust me, I would trust nopony else.”

“Nopony else. Right.”

The CMC all came running down their clubhouse steps, running in front of Twilight and Gohan as they tried to contain their excitement.

“Who’s the pony that needs help? Or is it another Griffin? Or a Hippogriff?” The pegasus gasped as she interrupted regular pony “Oo oo is it a big fire breathing dragon?!”

Twilight laughed lightly. “No, my little ponies. It’s nothing like that. It’s my new friend Gohan, here. He doesn’t have his Cutie Mark yet. We were wondering if you would be able to help him.”

All three girls salutted and in unison they yelled. “You can count on us!” They then began surrounding Gohan.

“Let’s see.” The unicorn started as she circled around the stallion. “A grown pony with no cutie mark. I’ll bet your heart is torn into several different places, isn’t it?”

Gohan flinched nervously. She wasn’t wrong when he thought hard enough about it but still… “That’s a little personal, dontcha think?”

“Of course it’s personal!” The regular pony with the country accent responded. “A Cutie Mark is the most personal part of a pony!”

Twilight pulled a book out of her bag and went to go sit by a tree. “I’ll be right here if you decide you want to do something else, Gohan, but I promise you, these girls will help you figure your life out for sure.”

Gohan sighed. Looks like he’s roped into sharing his most personal thoughts with three little ponies. “Say, I don’t even know your names. Think you could help me out?”

The orange pegasus flapped her wings and hovered off the ground. “I’m Scootaloo! This is Applebloom,” she said, pointing to the yellow regular pony, “and the unicorn is Sweetie Belle.”

“Nice to meet you.” Sweetie Belle responded. “Now tell us why you haven’t picked your one special place yet.”