2022)

July 21, 2020

Ponyville School

It was a special day for the 2nd-grade class at Ponyville's school. Rather than their regular lesson plan, today's class was to focus on a special topic. With over half of the class having already found their special talents, the time had come for a lecture on cutie marks. Diamond Tiara had obtained hers the day before, leaving only Rumble, Featherweight, Pip, Twist, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and of course, Jack without one.

The school bell rang as the students happily chattered, and Cheerilee walked to the front of the room. “Let's quiet down, please. We have a very important lesson to get to," she said, waiting for the class to settle down. "Thank you. Today we will be talking about cutie marks," she informed as she pulled up a picture of several marks.

“Bo-ring," Diamond Tiara sighed as Applebloom pulled out a pencil.

"But before we can begin our lesson, we have a new student joining us," Cheerilee said. “You can come in now!” she called.

“Arigatō, Cheerilee-sensei," a pink filly said as she stepped into the classroom.

The filly in question appeared to Jack to be a strange-looking pegasus. Instead of the normal bird wings, she had the wings of a bat, and her tail reminded him of the stereotypical depiction of the Devil. Her cutie mark was a flaming Heart.

“Kon'nichiwa, everypony," she said with a bow upon reaching Cheerilee's side. "My name is Sakura Blossom."

Cheerilee had the foals introduce themselves to the new student. Curiously a few of the colts in class seemed to recognize the new filly. The introductions lasted around fifteen minutes before it came time for Jack to introduce himself. "My name is Jack. Where are you from exactly?"

“I’m from Neighpon," Sakura answered. "It’s so lovely to be in Equestria, and it's even more lovely to meet you, Jack-Sama," she added with a wink.

“There's something off about her," Jack thought to himself. “Meh, it’s probably nothing.”

"Now that introductions are out of the way, we can begin with our lesson," Cheerilee said as she turned her right flank to the class. "You can all see my cutie mark, can't you?” she said, flipping her easel to a photo of herself as a filly. “Like all ponies, I wasn't born with a cutie mark. My flank was blank.”

“Aww...! Thee's tho prethious!” said Twist.

Cheerilee moved the picture aside to reveal one of her as a teenager with her cutie mark and an 80’s style haircut. “Then, one day, when I was about your age, I woke up to find that a cutie mark had appeared.”

“Look at her hair!" Silver Spoon exclaimed, causing the other foals to laugh.

“Yes, I know, but honestly, that's how everypony was wearing their mane back then,” Cheerilee said, slightly embarrassed. “I had decided to become a teacher, and the flowers symbolized my hope that I could help my future students bloom if I nurture them with knowledge,” she continued as Apple Bloom and Jack diligently took notes as Sakura stared intently at him. “The smiles represented the cheer I hope to bring to my little ponies while they were learning. Now, can anyone tell me when a pony gets his or her cutie mark?”

Jack raised his hand. “From my understanding, it’s when you find something you're good at.”

"You're very close," Cheerilee said. "A cutie mark will only appear when a pony finds that talent that makes them special. Discovering what makes you unique isn't something…”

As Cheerilee continued explaining the basics of cutie marks, Diamond Tiara began pestering Apple Bloom, who was still taking notes.

“What?!” Apple Bloom finally asked.

Diamond Tiara held out a note while Silver Spoon beckoned for Applebloom to pass it to her.

“Apple Bloom! Are you passing a note?” Cheerilee asked as Applebloom grabbed the paper with her teeth.

Apple Bloom dropped the note. "Uh, Ah... Um…”

Cheerilee walked over to Apple Bloom. “What could be so important that it couldn't wait until after class?” she let out a small gasp upon seeing the note. “It's blank.”

Diamond Tiara laughed. “Remind you of anypony?” she asked as Silver Spoon joined her in laughter.

Apple Bloom looked away, her face as red as the apples her family harvested.

24 minutes later

Soon after the school bell rang, most of Cheerilee's class stampeded out of the door. However, a few students stayed behind.

Apple Bloom glumly walked out of the school as Jack and Twist tried to comfort her.

“Want some sweetth?” Twist asked cheerfully. “I've got thome peppermint stickth. I made them mythelf.”

“Mm-mm," Apple Bloom declined.

“They'll make you thmi-i-le!” said Twist.

“No...” Apple Bloom replied quietly.

“I don't know why we had to sit through a lecture about getting a cutie mark. I mean, waiting for your cutie mark is sooo last week,” Diamond Tiara said as she and Silver Spoon walked by. “You got yours; I just got mine," she continued as Silver Spoon proudly showed hers off to Apple Bloom. “We all have them already. I mean, almost all of us have them already," she corrected, looking at Twist. “Don't worry, you two, you're still totally invited to my cute-ceañera this weekend," she said. Looking at Jack, she hissed, "you, on the other hand, are not welcome."

“It's going to be amazing," Silver Spoon said.

“It's a party celebrating me and my fantastic cutie mark,” Diamond Tiara said as she circled her victims. “How could it not be?” she asked as she walked back to Silver Spoon.

“Bump! Bump! Sugar-lump, rump!” the two bullies chanted as they did their secret hoofshake and giggled.

“Gimme a break,” Applebloom muttered as they walked ahead.

“See you this weekend...” Silver Spoon called before she and Diamond burst into laughter.

“Blank flanks!” they shouted as they left.

“Don’t let those bullies get to you, Bloom," Jack said. "I'm sure you'll get your mark soon enough.”

"But Ah want it now," Apple Bloom complained.

“Wanna go take a dip in the pond?” asked Jack. “Might take your mind off of it.”

"No thanks, Ah think Ah'll jus go home," Applebloom said dejectedly.

“Alright…” Jack said as his friend walked off. “See you tomorrow, I guess,” he added with an unenthusiastic wave.

Unbeknownst to Jack, he was being watched.

“Apple Bloom-San could be trouble,” said Sakura Blossom, as she watched from the playground.

“What do you want us to do?” asked Rumble.

"Keep Jack-Sama away from her," she answered.

July 25, 2020 AD

Ponyville Marketplace

Jack calmly strolled through the marketplace. He hadn't heard much from Apple Bloom since Tuesday and was starting to get worried. When Fluttershy told him that Apple Bloom would be helping Applejack in the marketplace, he offered to pick up an order of apples to get a chance to speak with her.

“Fluttershy said Apple Bloom would be helping with the stand today.” Jack thought to himself. “I hope she’s feeling better.”

He was nearly at the stand and could see Apple Bloom talking with her sister. It looked like they were having an argument. As he rushed towards the stand, he slammed right into a skinny pegasus colt from his class, scattering a pile of papers the colt had been carrying.

“You alright?” Jack asked the pegasus.

"I'm alright," the pegasus said as he got up and started gathering the papers.

"Let me help you with that, uh…" Jack offered, not remembering the colt's name.

"Featherweight," the colt said.

“Let me help you with that, Featherweight.”

"Thanks," Featherweight said as Jack gathered the scattered pages and handed them back.

“No need to thank me. It was my fault for not paying attention to where I was going," Jack said as he left for the apple stand. "See you around."

Applejack’s Stall

“How are you today, AJ?” Jack asked once he arrived at the stall.

"Ah'm doin' all right," said Applejack. "How 'bout you, Jack? Here tuh pick up Fluttershy’s order?”

"Yep, I heard you were letting Apple Bloom help you today," Jack said. "Where is she?"

“Apple Bloom went a little too far trying tuh bring in customers, so Ah had tuh send her away," Applejack answered.

"That's a shame. I guess I'll just pick up Fluttershy's order and be on my way then," Jack said, pulling out the pouch of bits Fluttershy gave him.

“About that...” Applejack chuckled, awkwardly avoiding eye contact.

“What's wrong?” Jack asked.

"Ah'm out of apples," Applejack admitted.

“Already? How did that happen?” Jack asked in astonishment.

Applejack explained how Apple Bloom had tried to sneak some apples into a pony’s bag to force her to buy them, and as an apology, she had given the pony all of her apples for free.

"That sucks," Jack said. "Do you know where she went? She seemed a little stressed out about the whole cutie mark thing yesterday."

"She went off tuh play with Twist," Applejack answered. "Ya jus' missed her."

"Thanks, AJ," Jack said as he handed her the bits. "I'll come back tomorrow to pick up the apples."

"Hey, Jack?" Applejack asked as the human turned to leave.

“Yeah?”

“Do you think ya could talk tuh her 'bout the whole cutie mark thing?”

“I guess I could, but I don’t know how much help I’d be, considering I’ve never had one.”

“Ya might not have a cutie mark, but ya’ve been around long enough tuh have found yer special talent, right?”

“I guess you could say that.”

"Then ya'd be the perfect one tuh talk tuh her," Applejack said. "Please, she trusts you enough to listen."

Jack pondered Applejack's request. Sure he was technically 21, at least mentally speaking, but it wasn't like he was some well of knowledge that could find the solution to any problem. He didn't know the first thing about what it was like to wait for a cutie mark. Then again, it couldn't be all that different than some other coming-of-age experience. He'd taken his sweet ass time getting a driver's license after all. Perhaps if he thought of it like that... "Sure thing, AJ," he agreed with a smile.

Down the street from Twist’s House

“I hope Bloom isn’t still worried about that whole cutie mark thing," Jack thought as he walked down the street. "Although, if she is that would explain…”

“Hey, Jack!” shouted a pegasus colt from across the street.

"Um… hi?" Jack responded, unsure as to why the colt was talking to him.

“Want to check out my Wonderbolts trading cards?” the colt asked.

“He's in my class too," Jack thought. "We've never really talked before, though. Why would he want to hang out now?”

"Check it out," the colt said as he held up a few cards. "I've got Fleetfoot, and Misty Fly, and Soarin…"

"That's cool, Randal, but I have somewhere to be right now," Jack said.

“Who’s Randal?”

“Damnit," Jack thought as he facepalmed. "What was your name again?"

"Rumble."

“Alright, Rumble, maybe some other time?” Jack offered.

"Ok," Rumble said as the human walked off.

Twist’s House

Jack arrived to find Twist already outside with a brand new cutie mark.

“Good morning, Twist," he greeted.

"Morning, Jack."

“Is Apple Bloom here?”

"No, thhe just left," answered Twist. "I think thhe'th a little down in the dumpth over not getting her cutie mark. Thhe athked me if I wanted to go to Diamond Tiara'th party with her thinthe we're both blank flankth, but…" she glanced at her cutie mark. "You know.”

“I see…” Jack said. “Do you know where she went?”

"I think thhe went back to the market."

"Thank you, Twist," Jack said. "Congrats on getting your cutie mark!"

"Thankth for notithing, Jack!" Twist said, pointing to her mark of two candy canes shaped like a heart. "I've alwayth been good at making delithiouth thweetth, but I never would have guethed that would be my talent."

"Well, I'm glad everything worked out for you," Jack said as he left.

Ponyville Market

After thirty minutes of searching the marketplace, Jack had found no trace of Apple Bloom. He was about to give up when he noticed Rainbow Dash by a tree.

"Hey, Da…!" He started

“Excuse me?” asked an English accented colt.

“What now?” Jack wondered as he gritted his teeth. “Yes?”

"I'm a little new here and don't know my way around," the colt explained. "Could you show me how to get to Sugar Cube Corner?"

“He’s that new student from Trottingham," Jack realized. "What’s with today? This is the third time in a row some kid from class I never talk to has interrupted me.” He sighed, “I’m in the middle of something right now. Why not ask someone else?”

"Well, it's just you're in my class and all, so I figured that you might be willing to help me."

“Ah don’t even know yer name,” Jack said in agitation.

"It's Pipsqueak," the colt responded. "But most ponies call me Pip."

"Listen, Pip, my friend Rainbow Dash is right over there," Jack said as he pointed across the street. "I need her help with something, so you're just going to have to ask someone else."

"But there's nopony there," Pip pointed out.

“What?” Jack asked. Looking to where he was pointing. Sure enough, Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be found. “Damnit.”

"Since your friend isn't here, do you think you might be able to help me out?" asked Pip.

“Oh, all right," Jack conceded. "It's not like I was all that likely to find her here to begin with. Besides, Diamond Tiara’s having her party at Sugarcube Corner. Bloom’s bound to show up eventually.”

Outside Sugarcube Corner

Pip had done a decent job distracting Jack, or at least he thought he had. He had prevented him from finding Apple Bloom in the market. Now he just had to keep him away.

"Here we are," Jack said as he pointed to the shop.

"Thank you, Jack," Pip said before he noticed Snips and Snails by the door. “Um, I’ll see you later!”

"See ya," Jack said as the Pinto Colt ran off.

Inside Sugarcube Corner

“Did you bring him here?” asked Snips.

"I did, but I don't really understand why Sakura wanted us to do this," Pip answered.

“Why question it, eh?” asked Snails. “If she wants something done, I say do it.”

“Where’d she go, anyway?” asked Pip.

Outside Sugarcube Corner

“The party should be starting soon," Jack thought as he looked at his phone. “She’ll probably show up soon.”

“Ano?” asked a voice from beside him.

Looking up from his phone, Jack saw the new student staring at him. "Oh, hey there. It's Sakura Blossom, right?"

“Hai!”

“YES!” Jack shouted, pumping his fist in joy. “I actually remembered someone’s name without having to ask!”

Several nearby ponies stopped what they were doing and gave him perplexed looks.

Jack's face flushed red as a tomato. "Sorry!"

"You're funny," Sakura Blossom giggled.

“You think so?” Jack asked with a nervous chuckle. “At least she doesn’t think I’m weird.”

"Hai, I do, Jack-Sama."

“What can I help you with?” Jack asked politely.

Sakura smiled. “I was just wondering if you might want to go swimming with me.”

"I'd love to, but I'm kinda waiting on someone right now," Jack explained.

“You mean that aka-maned filly from class?” Sakura Blossom asked.

"Yes," Jack confirmed. "Apple Bloom's a good friend of mine."

"I think I could be a good friend too, Jack-Sama," Sakura said, sliding a hoof down his side.

"Uh, why are you touching me?" Jack asked uncomfortably.

Sakura Blossom’s eyes began to glow. “Why don’t you forget about that blank flank and be mine instead?”

“What are you talking about?” Jack asked, face scrunched in indignation. “I don’t know much about how cutie marks work, but I don’t see any problem with not having one. So what if she hasn’t figured out what she wants to do with her life? Most humans don’t figure that out until their twenties." With a glare, he added, "and I’m not going to be yours. I'm not into ponies, and even if I was, I certainly wouldn’t date someone who makes fun of my friends.”

"We'll see about that, Jack-Sama," Sakura said as she walked away.

“Well, that was weird," Jack thought as he rechecked the time. "It looks like she’s not coming. Oh well, even if I can't hang out today, I can still crash Diamond's party. That'll be fun!"

Inside he found Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon conversing with Apple Bloom, who had a tablecloth wrapped around her flank.

“When did she get here?” Jack wondered.

“Nice outfit," Silver Spoon giggled.

“Just sumt'n Ah, uh, pulled together last minute," Apple Bloom replied.

“It really shows off your cutie mark. Oh wait, that's right; you don't have one," Diamond Tiara said smugly.

“Uh, Ah have a cutie mark," Apple Bloom said.

“What do you know, I guess there wasn’t any reason to worry after all,” Jack thought with a sigh of relief.

“Eh, what?” Silver Spoon asked in shock. “Since when?”

“Since... Um... Earlier today," Apple Bloom said as the bullies glared.

“Oh, really?” Diamond Tiara asked. “Let's see it.”

“Ah shouldn't. Ah couldn't. Mah cutie mark is so unbelievably amazing, Ah'm afraid that if I show it off, everyone will start paying attention tuh me instead of you,” Apple Bloom explained as the bullies gave each other nervous glances. “Outshined at yer own cute-ceañera. Can you imagine how embarrassin' that would be?”

“Uh, forget it, I didn't really want to see it anyway," Diamond Tiara said.

“Ok, well, Ah'm gonna go mingle," Apple Bloom said as she walked off. “Enjoy yer party," she said with a sigh.

Unfortunately for Apple Bloom, a misplaced hoofstep resulted in her skirt ripping off as she crashed into a record player.

“Oh no," Jack cringed as he saw her now exposed to flank. The cutie mark Apple Bloom had been bragging about was nowhere to be found.

The bullies quickly honed into her predicament and closed in with smirks on their faces.

“Wow, that is an amazing cutie mark," Silver Spoon mocked.

“Nice try...” Diamond Tiara started.

“Blank flank!” they finished together, bursting into laughter.

“Hey!...” Jack started.

“You got a problem with blank flanks!?”

A couple fillies let out a gasp and moved to reveal Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle hiding under a table.

“I said, you got a problem with blank flanks?” Scootaloo asked as she and Sweetie Belle got out from under the table.

“The problem is, I mean, she's like, totally not special," Silver Spoon said.

“No, it means she's full of potential," Sweetie Belle argued as she and Scootaloo moved to Apple Bloom’s side.

“It means she could be great at anything,” said Scootaloo. “The possibilities are, like, endless," she continued mockingly.

“She could be a great scientist, or an amazing artist, or a famous writer," Sweetie Belle explained as the crowd listened intently, and the bullies glared. “She could even be mayor of Ponyville someday.”

“And she's not stuck being stuck-up like you two," Scootaloo added, eliciting laughter from the crowd.

“Hey, this is my party; why are you two on her side?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“Because...” Scootaloo said as she and Sweetie Belle turned their flanks to the bullies.

“You don't have yer cutie marks either?” Apple Bloom gasped. “Ah thought Ah was the only one.”

“She seriously never noticed she isn’t the only one in class without a cutie mark?” Jack wondered, with a sweatdrop.

“We thought we were the only two," Scootaloo said.

“I, for one, think you are three very lucky fillies," said Twilight as she walked through the cloud.

“Lucky? How can they be lucky?” asked Diamond Tiara.

“They still get to experience the thrill of discovering who they are and what they're meant to be," Twilight explained.

“And they got all the time in the world tuh figure it out, not just an afternoon," Applejack said.

The foals at the party crowded around Apple Bloom, talking about how lucky she was.

“Hey, what's everypony doing? This is my party; everypony is supposed to be paying attention to me," Diamond Tiara stated jealously.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have acted like such a bitch?” Jack offered, making his presence known.

“What are you doing here?” Diamond Tiara snapped. “I thought I told you. You aren’t welcome.”

"You did, but why should I care about that?" Jack asked as he walked towards his friends, leaving Diamond Tiara seething.

“Whatever. We still think you're a dirty ape, right, Diamond Tiara?” Silver Spoon asked before beginning their secret hoofshake. “Bump, bump, sugar... lump...”

“Shut up, Silver Spoon," Diamond Tiara hissed before she stormed off.

“Hey, Scoots, Sweets, Bloom," Jack greeted. "What's up?"

“Where’ve you been?” Apple Bloom asked. “Mah sister said ya went looking fer me hours ago.”

"It's a long story," Jack sighed. "But I'm here now, and I'm glad you're feeling better."

A few minutes later

Jack, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle sat around a table as the party continued.

“So Ah was thinking, now that we're all friends... Ah mean, we are all friends now, right?” asked Apple Bloom.

“How could we not be? We're totally alike. We don't have cutie marks, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon drive us crazy…” Scootaloo answered.

“Totally crazy!” Sweetie Belle agreed.

“Well, now that we're friends, what if the four of us work together tuh find out who we are and what we're supposed tuh be?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Ooh! Ooh! We could form our own secret society," Sweetie Belle agreed.

“I'm liking this idea," Scootaloo said.

"Yeah, it sounds like fun," Jack concurred.

“A secret society," Applebloom repeated. “Yeah. We need a name for it, though.”

“The Cutie Mark Four?” offered Scootaloo.

“The Cutastically Fantastics?” offered Sweetie Belle.

"The Fantastic Four?" Jack said jokingly as Pinkie Pie stood behind the counter furiously pointing to a sign with TM written in bold red letters.

“How about... The Cutie Mark Crusaders?” Apple Bloom offered.

“It's perfect!” Scootaloo agreed.

“This is gonna be so great!” said Sweetie Belle.

“We're gonna be unstoppable!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

Jack chuckled at the fillies’ enthusiasm and grabbed a cupcake from a nearby counter. “Just like old times," he thought, remembering the Circle of Bros. He took a bite out of his cupcake, spitting it out almost immediately. “Ewww! These are burnt.”

"Sorry about that," Apple Bloom blushed. "Ah tried tuh get mah cutie mark makin' cupcakes with Pinkie Pie but…"

"It's fine," Jack said. "If there's anyone to blame, it's Pinkie Pie for putting them out. I just need something to get the taste out of my mouth."

“Why don’t we go see if there are any cookies?” asked Sweetie Belle.

"Great idea," Jack agreed.

Everfree Forest

Her spell having failed to enthrall Jack, Oni-Hime was now forced to inform her father of her lack of success. Returning to the pool in the forest, she cast the spell to contact Blutknochen. “I have run into a bit of a problem, Otō-San."

“Und was would das be?” Blutknochen asked impatiently.

"My Yūwaku no Noroi won't work on Jack-Sama."

"Das ist ein problem," Blutknochen agreed. "Keep watching him. I'm sure if you observe him enough, you’ll be able to win Herr Jager over without your curse. Und if nicht, we can always take him by force."

Oni-Hime bowed. “Hai, Otō-San.”

Author's Note:

Sorry this took longer than usual. With the new semester starting up, I've had less time to write.
Next Time: After a lesson on the foundation of Equestria, the Cutie Mark Crusaders decide to get their cutie marks in founding a country. With permission from their legal guardians, Twilight agrees to take the crusaders to Charleston. Unknown to them, they aren't the only ponies in the Lowcountry.

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