Obligation to the World

by Tranquil Stone

Courage

"So Gabby, would you mind coming along with me?" Gabby titled her head in confusion to my remark.

"Sure, but why me?" she asked.

"Well, you're the only non-pony to have a Cutie Mark, you have experience and stuff" I explained, pointing at her mark. Gabby sighed, brightness in her eyes dulling.

"I mean, I would have liked the real deal, but this is as good as it gets, right?" Gabby said, eyes slowly regaining colour, "But of course I can help!"

I grinned in excitement. This was perfect. I'd take Gabby with me, ask AJ and Fluttershy about those cutie marks, and bamn! It'll all work out! I gave a quick nod towards Gabby, "Let's do this!"

---

"A cutie mark?" Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. We had arrived over in the heart of Ponyville. I spun around to marvel the view. So many ponies of different colour, hair, different jobs. Most of all...different cutie marks. From gaming consoles to feathers, this town had cutie marks of all different types.

I nodded, "I really need one"

I laughed to myself in my head. It sounded like I was shopping for cutie marks or something. Is that how it works? You purchase them...? Applejack chuckled.

"It's not really something you just get randomly. It's when ya find yer calling, like my apples here" Applejack dusted off her cutie mark with her tail to show three sparkling apples on her flank.

"So when will I find my calling? I'm old enough, right?" I asked. Fluttershy and Applejack shared a look. It didn't look very positive.

Fluttershy spoke up, "The thing is; no other creature except ponies have ever got a mark"

Gabby nodded, "But we could go to three little fillies with your case"

"Who?"

"Us!" I heard a loud buzz behind me and saw three fillies speeding down the hill. In the center was an orange pegasus, with rough purple mane and a determined look. A sweet faced filly was behind her, with purple and pink curly hair, and finally, a filly very similar looking to Applejack, with gleaming orange eyes.

"The Cutie Mark Crusaders" The orange pegasus grinned proudly. The other two took off their helmets, and the orange eyed one ran over to Applejack.

"Autumn Blaze, this here is Applebloom, my little sis" Applejack ruffled her sisters hair, "And that's Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo"

I shook Sweetie's hoof, and gave a warm smile to Scootaloo. I coughed, "Not to be rude or anything, but how are these kids gonna help me?"

Scootaloo frowned, "Excuse me- we help ponies get their cutie marks, but if you're not interested..."

Scootaloo turned to leave, and I quickly extended my hoof to call her, "Wait!"

"Uh, sorry about that. Would you three help me? I'm looking for a cutie mark" I explained, blushing. The girls all shared a look.

"Autumn Blaze, the CMC are on your case" Applebloom said, then sharing a high hoof with her friends.

"Woo hoo!" I yelled, to join their excitement. Silence dawned on us, and I blushed, “Uh, sorry”

Sweetie giggled, “No problem. How about you join us in our clubhouse and we can go from there?”

This is was perfect. This girls worked for Gabby, so why wouldn’t they work for me? But a question still pondered in my mind...what happened to Hayseed? Did he still live in Ponyville? I had to ask about my brother, so my mustered up some courage and asked.

“Has anyone here heard of Hayseed Blaze?”

Applejack scratched her head, “The name doesn’t really ring a bell. Why?”

“He’s my brother. He came to Ponyville for adventure, and he’s never returned home after that” I felt my eyes sting with tears. Hayseed and I were so close, and it pained me that I didn’t know whether he was alive or dead. And I do see where my parents are coming from- loosing both their children would be a nightmare. But something in me told me Hayseed was still alive. I just knew it. I quickly blinked back my tears, and looked up again.

“Oh. I’m so sorry” Fluttershy said. I gave a small smile.

“Okay, I’m gonna go with the CMC now” I bid Applejack and Fluttershy goodbye. As I went towards Gabby for a hug, she whispered in my ear, “Answers will be revealed in time. Don’t worry”

I brushed off the cryptic remark from my new friend and went with the three fillies.

---

“So, Autumn, what are you good at already?” Scootaloo asked, grabbing a checklist.

“Not that many things to be honest” I replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“Not a problem. It makes our job easier to be honest” sighed Scootaloo, scribbling onto the clipboard.

Applebloom threw aside her drink, “Why do you want a Cutie Mark in the first place?”

I shrugged, “I guess I don’t feel content with life at this point. And really don’t have much to look forward to in the morning. I don’t feel like going back to my old village and just staying in there. I believe there is so much more to me than taking over my family’s farm”

“I understand that” Applebloom nodded, “Any interests?”

I hurriedly bounced up in my seat, “Yeah! I love theatre!”

The three shared a grin, “Perfect”

In what felt like a flash, I found myself in a theater hall with hundreds of ponies looking at me as I was standing on stage. I anxiously looked towards the CMC who were backstage. Sweetie moved her hoof as to say, ‘Go on’

I took a deep breath in, “Hey everyone...?"

I heard a hoof-palm from backstage. As I looked awkwardly at the tons of staring eyeballs, an actor walked on stage. He wore a freaky half mask thing, and was playing the organ a lot from time to time and as the play went on, and he got all broody 'cause the singer was in love with another dude, so he took her away on this underground gondola. I mean, who doesn't love musical theater?!

Anyway, while that all played out, I stood on the side of the stage, just grinning creepily at everypony. I bit my lip, and turned around to see the actors belting out a song. Since I didn't have much to do, I took my opportunity and climbed up to the top backstage area where a bunch of lights and stuff were. The large spotlights caught my attention among the thousands of cables surround it. I tried to carefully walk towards spotlights, but all of a sudden, I felt a tug at my hoof. Glancing down at my foreleg, I saw a wire caught around it. There wasn't enough time to untangle it, so I just lunged forward to reach the spotlights, falling onto the large lights. I stumbled forward, and heard a loud thud behind me.

Scared not to look, I closed my eyes shut, and hoped for the best. Silence. A loud yell erupted from the crowd as several angry scream and shouts came from below me. I slowly poked my head below, and saw a huge boulder lying in the middle of the stage, destroying the wooden creation. People were yelling and screaming at each other, some even getting into fist fights. Hair and makeup and mess of the ponies, I slowly tried to escape from the mess. A teal stallion pointed his hoof at me.

"Hey! That Kirin ruined the show!" I let out a small yelp and ran for it as the hundreds of ponies scurried after me as I ran across town for my life.

Yep. This turned out just perfect.

Author's Note:

I'd been slowly working on this for a while, but I'm finally done with this chapter, yay! Things aren't turning out so well for Autumn, but hopefully it gets better...or perhaps worse

He wore a freaky half mask thing, and was playing the organ a lot from time to time and as the play went on, and he got all broody 'cause the singer was in love with another dude, so he took her away on this underground gondola. I mean, who doesn't love musical theater?!

Got the reference??
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that chapter, be sure to give a like and comment, because I really appreciate those comments people leave, they really help

~Tranquil Stone

Comments

[Anon E Moose]

Well, can't say that's far off from the CMC's usual half-baked plans.

[Tranquil Stone]

9315285
Hah true xD

[Viper Pit]

i think Autumn needs more info on pony culture given the kirins lack of contact with them

[Tranquil Stone]

9315490
Yeah and that's why she has pony friends to help her

[Yoshifan30]

Wow it looks like things did not turn out as she expected so Autumn Blaze and Gabby finally made it to Ponyville ask Fluttershy and AppleJack how they got their cutie marks but they still don't know how creatures get a cutie mark which they don't but it looks like the Cutie Mark Crusaders are going to help her situation but before they were going she asked them about where his brother is cuz the last time they heard from him was he was in Ponyville but they don't know but she has faith that he still alive out there so the Cutie Mark Crusaders ask her what she likes to do and she told them about she likes theater which it did not turn to well because she kind of made a mess what a way to start out to find your cutie mark 😅