> My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic: Tales From The Stallion Six
>  by SuperPinkBrony12
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Tale of The CMC
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                "Are you really sure about this Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked nervously. She and her two friends Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were currently positioned high above the ground. Along with their friend Rumble, they were attempting to earn their cutie marks in zip-lining. Soarin had told them that this would be an ideal spot to try it.

"Of course I'm sure. You all agreed to this." Scootaloo replied "Besides, don't you wanna get your cutie mark so Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon will stop teasing you?"

Sweetie Belle didn't answer. She knew how much Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon enjoyed picking on ponies who didn't have their cutie marks. That was the whole reason she, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom (along with Rumble) had decided to form their own secret club called The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Their goal, was to get their cutie marks, no matter what it might take. Scootaloo had appointed herself leader, much to the objections of Rumble, who thought Scootaloo was too reckless. Considering what the pegasus filly usually came up with, Sweetie Belle was starting to think that perhaps Rumble was right.

"Hey? You gonna answer my question?!" Scootaloo asked impatiently "We don't have all day you know."

"I just don't think this is a good idea." Sweetie Belle spoke up.

"Yeah, I've never even heard of a pony getting a zip-lining cutie mark before." Rumble added.

"All the more reason for us to try." Apple Bloom stated "Besides, we've got all the proper safety gear. We'll be fine."

"I couldn't have put it better myself Apple Bloom." Scootaloo replied "Now then Rumble, why don't you go first?"

"What?! Why me?!" Rumble asked anxiously.

"So we know it's safe." Scootaloo explained.

"Oh no, I'm not going first this time. Not after what happened with Pinkie's party cannon!" Rumble protested.

"I said I was sorry." Scootaloo apologized "How many times are you gonna keep bringing that up?"

"Stop arguing you two!" Apple Bloom interrupted "All this quarrling isn't gonna get us our cutie marks."

Rumble sighed "Fine, I'll go first. But I won't like it. And next time, you girls have to go first."

"Yeah, yeah. Now go!" Scootaloo encouraged, and pushed Rumble across the zip-line a little to get him started.

To Rumble's surprise, the zip-line held up as he zoomed across the tree tops. The wind whistling in his ears, providing a relaxing Spring breeze that carried the scent of fresh pollen into the air.

But before he made it all the way across, Scootaloo decided that it was safe enough for her, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle to zip across as well. That's when the trouble began. The zip-line couldn't take the weight of four ponies, and it began to sag. The poles that held the four young ponies in place began to overheat, eventually burning through the rope. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Rumble, all came tumbling down. A few seconds was all it took for their unexpected free-fall to end.

"Is everyone alright?" Sweetie Belle asked, as she stood up. She was covered in pine needles and tree sap from head to hooves, but otherwise she was unharmed.

"I think so." Rumble replied.

"Same here." Apple Bloom added "Did we get our cutie marks?" Each of the four ponies checked their flanks, hoping to find a cutie mark. But they found nothing.

"Tree sap and pine needles, but no cutie marks." Scootaloo complained "Guess it's back to the drawing board again."

"You know something, call me crazy, but a lot of our 'bright ideas' for cutie marks have ended up as busts." Rumble said with a sigh, then he added "And strangely enough, they also seem to end with us cover in sap."

"I've noticed the same thing." Apple Bloom replied "This seems to be a pattern for us for some reason. At this rate, we're never gonna get our cutie marks."

"We can't think like that." Sweetie Belle said firmly "Rarity always says that you never get anywhere in life by giving up. You just have to keep trying until you succeed."

"That's some pretty sound logic there Sweetie Belle." Apple Bloom stated.

"So, got anymore 'bright ideas' Scootaloo?" Rumble asked.

"Sure I do!" Scootaloo said eagerly "Do you know where I can find a cannon at this hour?"

"Couldn't you just use Pinkie's party cannon again?" Apple Bloom asked.

"After what happened last time, I don't think Pinkie Pie's ever going to let me near that thing ever again." Scootaloo explained "I told her was an accident. I don't know why she had to get so bent out of shape."

"Probably because it took her months to repair it." Rumble said, remembering that dreadful accident with it "I never should've let you talk me into being the test subject. I told you it wasn't for launching ponies, but you wouldn't listen!"

"Oh yeah? Well you're the one who dragged me to those ballet lessons because you said they'd make me better at balancing." Scootaloo argued back "I hated every second of them. I am so glad Rainbow Dash wasn't around to see me in a tutu or I would've died of embarassment."

"That would've served you for the time when you gave me the feather flu and I had to stay in bed all day!" Rumble complained.

"I told you, it wasn't me, it was Featherweight!" Scootaloo protested "He's always getting sick!"

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle began to worry, they didn't like where this was going. "That's enough guys." Sweetie Belle said, her words fell on deaf ears.

"What about the time you made me take the fall for giving Diamond Tiara a swirly?!" Rumble argued "You were the one who did it!"

"It was your idea, and you could've talked me out of it!" Scootaloo argued back.

"Guys." Sweetie Belle said again, a little louder. Once again however, she was ignored.

"Don't forget about the time when we were at Fluttershy's cottage, and you cheated at hide and go seek by hiding in the chimney!" Rumble argued.

"Well, you found me anyway didn't you?" Scootaloo asked.

"Only because you had to use the bathroom!" Rumble argued.

"I couldn't help it! You try holding it in for over an hour and tell me how that feels!" Scootaloo complained "Besides, I was gonna come out eventually."

"GUYS!" Apple Bloom shouted. That was enough to get the attention of both Rumble, and Scootaloo. "That's enough! All this arguing does is waste time that we could spend doing more important things!"

"Like washing off this sticky sap." Sweetie Belle suggested.

"Sorry." Scootaloo and Rumble apologized. They promptly joined both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, and forgot about their arguement.

"Hey, I just thought of a great idea." Rumble said, when the four ponies had cleaned themselves up.

"What is it?" his fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders asked.

"I was just thinking, this town is full of ponies who already have their cutie marks." Rumble explained "So, why don't we ask them how they got their cutie marks? Maybe we'll learn something that can help us on our crusades."

"Sounds good enough to me." Apple Bloom said with a smile.

"And me." Sweetie Belle added.

"Me three!" Scootaloo replied "And we can start with the most awesome pony of all!"

"Applejack or Big Macintosh?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Rarity?" Sweetie Belle suggested.

"My big brother?" Rumble considered.

"Oh come on, it's like you haven't even met me!" Scootaloo complained "You know who I'm talking about, Rainbow Dash!"

"Why am I not surprised?" Rumble asked.

"Do you even know where she is?" Sweetie Belle asked Scootaloo.

"Well actually, no." Scootaloo admitted "Does anypony any have ideas?"

"Why don't we ask my big brother?" Rumble suggested "Thunderlane and Miss. Rainbow Dash are on the same weather team. He should have a good idea of where she is."

"I guess that's a start." Scootaloo said with a shrug, and went to retrieve her scooter "Now come on guys, let's get a move on. The sooner we find Thunderlane, the sooner we find Rainbow Dash, and the sooner we hear her story!"
> The Tale of Big Macintosh
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Rumble headed into town. They were hoping to find Thunderlane, and learn from him where they could find Rainbow Dash. All the while, Scootaloo constantly asked her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders if they were as curious as she was about how Rainbow Dash got her cutie mark.

Suddenly, a small group of bunnies strayed onto the dirt road directly in front of them. Scootaloo braked hard, grinding her scooter to a halt just seconds before it would've collided with one of the bunnies.

Then, Apple Bloom noticed something "Wait a minute, those are our apples!" she exclaimed, when she saw what the bunnies were holding in their mouths "They're stealin'!"

"Come back here you no good apple thieves!" a familiar voice shouted, leaping out of a bush. Unfortunately, the bunnies quicky fled. The voice's owner, a stallion with a familiar red coat, an orange mane and tail trimmed short, and a trademark shoulder harness, ended up accidentally plowing into the wagon attached to Scootaloo's scooter. Knocking Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Rumble out of it. The resulting impact throwing Scootaloo off her scooter.

"Big Mac, what the hay are you trying to do?!" Apple Bloom complained. She wasn't hurt, but she was upset.

"Sorry sis." Big Macintosh apologized "I was chasin' after those sneaky little bunnies that were tryin' to make off with some of the apples I just harvested. You're not hurt, are ya?"

"Of course not." Apple Bloom replied "Same goes for the rest of my friends."

"Good, I'm sorry if I caused you and your friends any trouble." Big Macintosh spoke up.

"Eh, we'll be fine." Rumble shrugged "We were on our way to see Thunderlane though."

"We're hoping that he'll know where Rainbow Dash is. It's kind of important that we talk to her." Sweetie Belle explained. She decided not to mention that Scootaloo was really the only one to whom it was important.

"I'm afraid I haven't seen him." Big Macintosh admitted "As a matter of fact I haven't seen much of anypony today. Spring's a very busy time of year for the farm."

"We know." Scootaloo replied.

"Say, Big Mac, how did you get your cutie mark?" Apple Bloom asked, observing the big green apple depicted on Big Macintosh's flank.

"You really wanna know sis?" Big Macintosh asked "Don't you need to see Thunderlane?"

Apple Bloom ignored Scootaloo's protests and said "Not right away. I think my fellow crusaders and I would really like to hear you story. That's not a problem for you, is it?"

"Of course not." Big Macintosh replied with a shake of his head "It's quite an interesting story actually. Do you remember when Applejack told you how she went away to Manehattan for a time following Ma and Pa's death?"

"You bet I do." Apple Bloom nodded "I still can't believe she nearly became a high society pony like Rarity."

"Well, my cutie mark story begins around that time." Big Macintosh explained "Life was pretty rough on the farm for Granny Smith and I after Applejack left. We had to balance runnin' Sweet Apple Acres, with raising you. You were only a foal back then, and you were quite the hoofful. Anyway, I was really struggling. Not a day went by that I didn't miss Applejack, and long to see her again." As he continued his story, Big Macintosh began to think back to that time. He found that he could remember the events, as if they were yesterday.

Big Macintosh woke up, as usual, with the sound of the rooster crowing. He yawned, and rose from his bed, putting the shoulder harness that he had recieved as a gift from his parents back when they were still alive. It was hard to believe how long it had been since the accident that had claimed their lives.

After his usual morning visit to the little stallion's room, and a quick shower, he headed downstairs. Granny Smith was in the kitchen, feeding Big Macintosh's little sister Apple Bloom a bottle of milk. The yellow coated foal happily sucked down the milk as if there were no tomorrow.

"Good morning Big Macintosh." Granny Smith greeted, as she picked Apple Bloom up and burped her.

"Good morning Granny Smith." Big Macintosh said in reply, a smile forcing its way onto his face. With his sister Applejack off in Manehattan living the sophisticated life, Sweet Apple Acres felt empty. Sure, there was his Granny Smith, and his baby sister Apple Bloom. But with Granny Smith spending almost all her time looking after Apple Bloom, neither of them were able to fill in the hole in his heart that had formed following his parents' deaths. His sister Applejack deciding to leave for Manehattan had only made things worse.

He should've said something, anything. He should've told her how he really felt about her leaving. But instead, he had said nothing and let her run off. Granny Smith told him that it was for the best, but Big Macintosh wasn't so sure.

After breakfast, Big Macintosh headed out into the fields to begin his daily chores. "Why do I have to be the only one who does all of these things?" he thought to himself "I know Apple Bloom's not toilet trained yet, but that never stopped Applejack and I from helpin' out Ma and Pa when we were little ponies. That's part of the reason why Pa had that outhouse built."

Most of his chores were completed before too long. And in the meantime, Big Macintosh said nothing. His thoughts kept drifting back to Applejack. How was she doing in Manehattan? Was she already impressing those high society ponies that took so much pride in their own appearances? Were Aunt and Uncle Orange treating her with the love she deserved? Had she already forgotten about Sweet Apple Acres, and about all the fun times she and Big Macintosh had shared back when Ma and Pa were alive?

Big Macintosh worried so much about this, that he forgot to pay attention to what he was doing. A storm had blown through last night, and some of the trees in the orchard had been weakened. For such an average sized colt, Big Macintosh packed quite a lot of power. So much power in fact, that Granny Smith had warned him not to use all of it at once. Especially not when the tree he was bucking had been weakened. 

By the time he realized his mistake, it was too late. The tallest tree in the orchard couldn't take the powerful kick that Big Macintosh had given it. Time seemed to come to a standstill, as the tree began to fall. Big Macintosh was too frozen in fear to move, not that it would've done him any good. There was nowhere he could've run to.

"Well, I guess I'm going to see Ma and Pa again much sooner than I expected." Big Macintosh thought to himself, as the shadow of the tree began to envelope him.

But then suddenly, there was a tremendous roar, and in the blink of a eye a small protective magical barrier appeared around Big Macintosh. It was pinkish-violet in color. Big Macintosh had little time to question where it had come from however, because just a moment after the barrier appeared, the tree crashed into it. To Big Macintosh's surprise, the tree bounced harmlessly off of the barrier, and crashed to the ground in the opposite direction with a massive thud! The noise echoed everywhere.

Big Macintosh was incredibly surprised, and he almost didn't notice when the protective barrier faded away a moment later. Looking at the ground, Big Macintosh was relieved to see that the tree had crashed in the middle of the field and hadn't hurt anypony. He was quite amazed to think that one kick from his legs had managed to do that. No wonder he was called Big Macintosh.

Then, he noticed a single apple resting near the tree's trunk. Apparently, it had been perched up high, but the kick from Big Macintosh (and the subsequent fall) had knocked it loose. It seemed a bit bruised, but otherwise there wasn't a single mark on it.

When Granny Smith heard the thud, she had come running as fast as she could. Apple Bloom clinging tightly to her mane. "Oh, thank goodness you're okay Big Macintosh. When I heard that thud, I thought for sure somethin' awful had happened to ya. I don't think I could've handled losin' another family member so soon."

"Sorry if I made you worry Granny." Big Macintosh apologized.

"You very well should be." Granny Smith scolded "This old ticker really doesn't take kindly to scares like this. There's a reason why the doctors say I can't help you out in the field. Not to mention, you made your little sister really upset. I had to resort to my secret weapon to get her to calm down."

Apple Bloom suddenly began to shout, drawing Granny Smith's attention to the apple near the trunk of the tree. It was the same one that Big Macintosh had freed as a result of his powerful kick. "Well I'll be a donkey's uncle!" Granny Smith exclaimed "Big Macintosh, did you do that?"

"I sure did Granny." Big Macintosh replied.

"That there apple's been stuck up there tighter than the lid of a zap-apple jar. Nothin' I could think of would get it down." Granny Smith explained "You've got some pretty strong hooves Big Macintosh. Now I can see why you and your sister always liked to play wrestle."

"I knew I was strong, but I didn't think I was that strong." Big Macintosh admitted "I guess I really don't know my own strength."

"Well, you'll just have to be extra careful from now on. Don't need ya knockin' down all the trees as if they were bowlin' pins." Granny Smith replied, then there was a flash of white light. When it had faded, Granny Smith noticed something on Big Macintosh's flank. She blinked, and rubbed her eyes.

"Is something wrong Granny Smith?" Big Macintosh asked nervously.

"You got your cutie mark Big Macintosh!" Granny Smith cheered.

"What?! Really?!" Big Macintosh asked, and checked his flank. Sure enough, a giant green apple with white sparkles all around was present were there had previously been nothing.

"I realized that my cutie mark reflected my strength, and the benefits it could have for Sweet Apple Acres." Big Macintosh explained, as he finished his story "And ever since that day, I've been happily workin' the orchard without a fuss."

"Big Macintosh, what the hay are you doing?!" a familar voice asked in a cross tone. It turned out to be none other than Applejack, and the farmpony was anything but happy "While you were sitting there, mouthing off, you let those bunnies slip away!"

"Applejack, I can explain!" Big Macintosh protested.

"There'll be time for that later!" Applejack said crossly "For right now, you're coming with me, and together we're going to track down those apple stealing bunnies!" And with that, Applejack led Big Macintosh away.

"That was a really nice story." Apple Bloom said happily "I had no idea that my brother had such an interesting tale to tell."

"Sappy's more like it." Scootaloo complained, hopping back onto her scooter "Now come on, we've got to find Thunderlane!"

Rumble, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom, climbed back into the wagon and put on their helmets. Scootaloo did the same, and then she sped away as fast as she could.
> The Tale of Thunderlane
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                The Cutie Mark Crusaders searched all over town for Thunderlane, asking whoever they thought could help them. But they all had the same answer, they hadn't seen Thunderlane around at all.

Then, Rumble got the idea to ask Fluttershy. Especially seeing as the two of them were childhood friends.

"Hello Miss. Fluttershy." Rumble called sweetly, as he and his fellow CMC approached her cottage.

"Hello to you too Rumble." Fluttershy replied "It's always a pleasure to see you. Is there something I can help you with, if you don't mind me helping that is."

"As a matter of fact, yes." Rumble explained "We're looking for Thunderlane, have you seen him?"

"Why are you so eagar to find him?" Fluttershy asked "Wouldn't you rather be out and about, enjoying this lovely Spring day?"

"We're hoping that Thunderlane can tell us where to find Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo replied "But it seems like the both of them have just dropped off the face of Equestria. You wouldn't happen to know where we could find either of them, could you?"

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, but I haven't seen either of them at all today." Fluttershy apologized "I've been very busy tending to all my animals. Spring is a very important time of year for them you know."

"What do you mean?" Sweetie Belle asked innocently.

"Trust me, you're better off not knowing." Apple Bloom replied.

Scootaloo decided to change the subject before Sweetie Belle asked something that she would regret learning about "Do you at least have some sort of idea as to where we could find them?"

"Well, maybe you could try checking town hall." Fluttershy suggested "After all, the Ponyville Weather Team reports directly to Mayor Mare. Chances are, if they're on duty, that's where you'll find them. And if not, then The Mayor may at least be able to point you in the right direction."

"Sounds like a plan." Rumble replied "Thanks for your help Miss. Fluttershy, see you around."

"Goodbye Rumble." Fluttershy called, and waved until he was out of sight. She couldn't help but smile at how gentle and kind he was. "He's just like his older brother when we first met." she thought happily.

"There's town hall, straight ahead!" Rumble shouted, a short time later.

"I see it. Hang on tight!" Scootaloo called, and began to speed up. Her wings buzzing fiercely. She had never gone this fast before, while also towing three other ponies that were about her age. Needless to say, as town hall drew close, she began to feel exhausted.

Suddenly, a voice called out "Stop!"

Reacting quickly, Scootaloo braked as hard as she could. As she did so, she saw who it was who had shouted the warning. It was none other than Thunderlane, and he seemed rather concerned. Unfortunately, Scootaloo was going too fast to stop in time, and she and the other CMC shot past Thunderlane. They grinded to a halt a second later.

"Are you alright?" Thunderlane asked, as he rushed over to the wagon.

"I'm fine big brother." Rumble replied "You don't have to ask."

"I'm just trying to keep you safe. You and your friends were going too fast." Thunderlane scolded.

"So, I don't see what the big deal is." Scootaloo shrugged.

"The big deal is that you or someone else could've gotten hurt!" Thunderlane said seriously "If you want to do that sort of stuff, do in a place where there's a lot of open space. That way you won't crash into anything, or anyone."

"I'll keep that in mind for next time." Scootaloo said reluctantly "Say, have you seen Rainbow Dash anywhere?"

Thunderlane shook his head "I'm afraid not. When I went to her cloud house, she left a note saying that she'd gone out to practice her flying skills somewhere. She didn't say where, or when she'd return. The only thing her note did tell me, was to come here and pick up the weather schedule for the next week."

"Just great." Scootaloo complained "If only I could fly!"

"Hey, I can't fly yet either, and you don't hear me whining about it!" Rumble snorted.

"Don't start you two!" Apple Bloom interrupted.

"Say, Thunderlane?" Sweetie Belle asked "How did you get your cutie mark?"

"Yeah, you never told me." Rumble added "And Mom and Dad never said anything. They only said that you got your cutie mark just after I was born."

"You really wanna hear my story?" Thunderlane asked. Rumble, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom nodded. Scootaloo said nothing, she wanted to hear Rainbow Dash's story, but she figured it was no use arguing with her friends. "Well, it all started back when I was living in Cloudsdale." Thunderlane began.

As anypony will tell you, growing up in Cloudsdale can be quite rough. The city is among the finest in Equestria, and that gives it quite the ego. There is often a sense among the pegasi to ensure that only the best of the best make into the coveted jobs of being a Wonderbolt, or one of its many athletic teams. From the time they're out of diapers, pegasi are expected to live up to the high standards that Cloudsdale society places on them. Those who can't handle the pressure and the competetion are usually frowned upon, and mocked and tormented to no end.

Such was the life of young Thunderlane, who was one of the pegasi that struggled to keep up with the others. He lagged behind his classmates in just about everything, including flying. And this to led to an almost un-ending stream of bullying.

What was even worse was the fact that Thunderlane's mother had, until recently, been part of The Wonderbolts. She'd been a great friend of the new captain, Spitfire, who had become the youngest leader of the elite flight team since its founder, General Firefly I.

But upon learning the news that she was pregnant, Thunderlane's mother had decided that the time had come for her to retire. And so it was, that one faithful day, she took her son with her to Wonderbolt H.Q.

"Now Thunderlane, you stay right here until I get back." Thunderlane's mom said seriously.

"Don't worry mother, I'll be good." Thunderlane replied.

Thunderlane's mom simply smiled, and headed into the building to fill out the necessary paperwork to make her retirement official. That's when the trouble began. A trio of pegasus colts, known as Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score showed up, and began to make fun of Thunderlane.

"Well, well. Look at what we have here." Dumb-Bell said to his two friends "It's weak link Thunderlane."

"What's a second rate flyer like you doing in a place like this?" Hoops asked "This place is for Wonderbolt recruits only, and last time I checked, you weren't on the list!"

"We don't need trash like you hanging around, giving this place a bad name!" Score said crossly "Leave now!"

"I can't." Thunderlane said weakly "I promised my mother I'd stay right here until I got back. And I'm not about to break my promise."

"Aw, did you hear that guys?" Dumb-Bell teased "Little baby Thunderlane promised his mommy he'd stay here until she got back. Isn't that just the cutest thing?"

"I'm not a baby!" Thunderlane protested.

"Oh yes you are." Score chuckled "I bet you still drink from a sippy cup!"

"I haven't done that since I was a year old!" Thunderlane said crossly, tears starting to form in his eyes.

"Aw, does wittwe baby Thundewwane not want to pway?" Hoops teased "Does he need his mommy to come and take him home for a nap?" He, Score, and Dumb-Bell, began to laugh and laugh.

"Stop laughing at me!" Thunderlane said, in between sobs "It's not funny!"

"Leave him alone!" an unfamiliar voice bellowed. Thunderlane looked up, and gasped. Standing in front of the bullies was a pegsasus colt that Thunderlane had never seen before. The colt had a coat that was light cyan blue, a bushy mane and tail that was midnight blue in color, and emerald green eyes that seemed to potray an aura of great confidence.

"Butt out Soarin, this is none of your business!" Score said crossly.

"Oh, it is too my business!" Soarin said seriously, standing between the bullies and Thunderlane "It looks to me like you were bully this innocent little colt."

"And what if we were?" Dumb-Bell asked "What are you gonna do about it?!"

"Keep making fun of him and find out!" Soarin threatned "I'm not looking to start something here, but you know I'll finish it!"

"Ooh! Sounds to me like someone's got a death wish!" Hoops said menacingly "You wanna fight all three of us at once?!"

"Whoever said anything about fighting?" Soarin asked "If you three are so confident in your flying skills, then what's wrong with a little 'friendly competetion'?"

"What are you suggesting?" Dumb-Bell said crossly.

"It's simple. I'm going to be participating in the next Wonderbolts try-out. And I want you three to sign up as well." Soarin explained "I'm going to be defending the honor of this colt you guys were picking on. If I win, you three will leave him alone, and never show your faces in my prescence ever again!"

"And what if we win?" Hoops asked.

"Yeah, what's in it for us?" Score added.

"If you win, then I'll give up my dream of becoming a Wonderbolt. I'll leave Cloudsdale forever, and you three can pick on that colt as much as you like." Soarin explained "So, do we have a deal?"

"You betcha!" Dumb-Dell smirked "And after we win, you're going to become the first ever pegasus to be banished from Clousdale forever!" He, Hoops, and Score, laughed and flew off.

"Hey, are you alright?" Soarin asked Thunderlane, as he helped him to his hooves.

"I will be." Thunderlane replied "But you didn't have to do that you know. You don't have to risk your dream for my honor."

"And let those three bullies keep on picking you, fat chance!" Soarin said firmly "Something tells me that no-one bothered to teach those guys manners. And I'm just the pony to do it."

"Well, if you're sure." Thunderlane said nervously.

"I'm more than sure." Soarin said boldly "I will win, and those three will know the meaning of humility! By the way, I didn't catch your name.  What was it?

"Thunderlane." Thunderlane said shyly.

"I'm Soarin." Soarin replied "Nice to meet you Thunderlane. Say, how would you like to be the flag holder for my Wonderbolt's tryout race?"

"I'd love to, but I promised my mother I'd stay put until she got back." Thunderlane spoke up.

"Relax, you'll only have to hold that flag for a moment at best." Soarin explained "I'll see you at the race."

A short time later, Soarin, Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score, were gathered at the start line. Thunderlane was perched on a nearby cloud, holding the checkered flag that would officially begin the race.

"You're going down Soarin!" Dumb-Dell threatened.

"In the history books probably!" Soarin boasted "You, on the other hoof, will fade into obscurity!"

"We'll see about that!" Dumb-Bell said seriously.

"Let's just go, already!" Hoops complained.

"Yeah, start the race!" Score demanded, glaring at Thunderlane.

Sighing, Thunderlane raised the flag into the air. The race had begun. Unfortunately, all four racers sped past him so quickly that they knocked him off the cloud he was perched on. Thunderlane began to plummet to the ground. But he didn't get very far, when a sudden burst of violet-pink magic pushed a nearby cloud into his path. Thunderlane landed on the cloud with a thud, and was quite surprised when he didn't fall right through it. Strangely enough, the cloud still felt as soft as ever.

Then, the cloud began to carry Thunderlane safely to the ground. Thunderlane looked around, but he didn't see anyone. "That's strange." he thought to himself "If no one is around, then why did that cloud come to my rescue?" Hoping to find some answers, Thunderlane began to study the cloud, as well as the ones around them. As he did so, he was unaware that he was working with thunder clouds. That was, until he kicked them, and the clouds gave off a loud bang!

The noise ended up frightening a pack of butterflies. Thunderlane felt a little bit embarassed. "I didn't mean to scare them like that." he thought to himself "I hope no one was around to see that."

"Uh, excuse me?" a female voice called shyly. Thunderlane looked down, and saw a pegasus filly about the same age as him. The filly had a yellow coat that matched quite nicely with the pink mane and tail styled into bangs, and behind them were a pair of innocent cyan eyes. Thunderlane couldn't help but blush slightly, as he thought that the filly was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. His thoughts were interrupted as the filly began to speak. "You startled my butterfly friends with your thunder clouds." the filly explained "They just wanted me to tell you, that they don't like it, and they want you not to do it again. If that's not a problem for you, that is."

Thunderlane was about to question how the filly could understand the butterflies, when he spotted a trio of pink butterflies printed on her flank. Apparently, her cutie mark symbolized her ability to communicate and understand animals. If he hadn't seen it for himself, he never would've believed that it was possible for a pegasus to obtain such a cutie mark. "Sorry about that little filly." Thunderlane apologized "I didn't mean to startle them."

"My name is Fluttershy." the filly responded.

"Well, I'm Thunderlane. It's nice to meet you Fluttershy." Thunderlane said, as he came down from the cloud.

"What are you doing down here?" Fluttershy asked.

"I was about to ask you the same question." Thunderlane replied.

"I've been coming down here ever since I got my cutie mark a few days ago." Fluttershy explained "The animals on the ground understand me better than the pegasi in Clousdale do. They all look down on me and make fun of me."

"Welcome to my world." Thunderlane said seriously "I've had to put up with non-stop bullying for more than 2 years now. In fact, I was being picked on a trio of bullies not that long ago.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that." Fluttershy said kindly "I guess we're both kind of misfits."

"I wouldn't say misfits." Thunderlane replied "We're just different from everyone else, that's all. I'm sorry I startled your butterfly friends. I promise I won't do that again, unless I absolutely have to do so."

"I know what you mean." Fluttershy nodded "Kindness is always a good virtue to live by, but there are times when you have to put your hoof down and stand up for yourself. My friend Rainbow Dash taught me that."

"Rainbow Dash huh?" Thunderlane asked "Isn't she the same pegasus that they say pulled off the thought to be impossible Sonic Rainboom?"

"Maybe." Fluttershy explained "I didn't actually see it for myself, but Rainbow Dash says she did it. Then again, she's always a bit full of herself. Don't tell her I said that."

"I won't." Thunderlane said honestly "Do you think we can be friends?"

"Of course we can." Fluttershy replied "It's always nice to have friends that understand you, and friends that appreciate you for what you are."

"Well, this has been nice. But I really need to get back to Cloudsdale." Thunderlane explained "My mother is going to throw a fit if she finds out I'm not where I'd say I would be."

"You'll never be able to make back to Cloudsdale on your own." Fluttershy said seriously "But I think I know somepony who can help us. My uncle is   a balloonist, and he's in charge of the balloon that runs from Ponyville to Cloudsdale."

"And he'll give me a lift back to Cloudsdale?" Thunderlane asked "I don't have any money."

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll overlook it just this once." Fluttershy explained "After all, he's the one who's bringing down to the ground everyday. He's a very nice stallion."

"I hope she's telling the truth." Thunderlane thought, as Fluttershy escorted him into Ponyville.

"By the way, I think you might want to check your flank Thunderlane." Fluttershy pointed out.

Thunderlane looked, and saw a storm cloud with a lightning bolt shooting out of it depicted on his flank. He was amazed. "My cutie mark!" he exclaimed "I've finally earned it! Oh, I can't wait to tell everyone!"

"And from that day forward, Fluttershy and I have been firm friends." Thunderlane explained, as he finished narrating his story.

"Wow, I never would've guessed that you earned your cutie mark like that!" Rumble exclaimed "You're so amazing big brother!"

"So, what about the race? Did Soarin win?" Scootaloo asked, everyone else looked at her. They were shocked to see her expressing such interest in it. "I mean, not that I care about that, or anything." Scootaloo said bluntly, hoping to throw everyone off.

"I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that." Thunderlane admitted "By the time I made it back up to Cloudsdale, Mom was already looking for me. I never got the chance to find out the results. And I didn't see Soarin again until just before The Summer Sun Celebration."

"So, if we want to hear the rest of the story-" Apple Bloom began.

"Then we've got to see Soarin!" Sweetie Belle finished "Come on Scootaloo, let's go find him!"

"Do you know where Soarin is, big brother?" Rumble asked Thunderlane.

"Now that, I do know the answer to." Thunderlane replied "He should be over by Rainbow Dash's cloud home. Chances are, Rainbow Dash has stuck him with housesitting once again."

"Sounds great, let's go!" Scootaloo said eagerly, and once the rest of the CMC had climbed back into the wagon and strapped on their helmets, she took off as fast as she could.
> The Tale of Soarin
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                "I can't wait to hear how the rest of that race went." Rumble said excitedly, as he and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders raced towards Rainbow Dash's house.

"Me either. It must've been exciting!" Sweetie Belle said happily.

"How much do you wanna bet that winning that race is what gave him his cutie mark?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I just hope Soarin can tell us where we can find Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo said with concern "I'm getting tired of these really sappy stories."

"They're not sappy." Apple Bloom spoke up.

"Whatever, let's just keep moving." Scootaloo shrugged. A few moments later, the familiar site of Rainbow Dash's cloud house came into view. Scootaloo had been over only once before, but she'd been quite impressed. If only her parents would let her have sleepovers at Rainbow Dash's place more often, instead of having them at Carousel Boutique with Rarity, or with Fluttershy at her cottage. Heck, one time, they'd even dumped her off for the night at Sweet Apple Acres.

"Do you see anypony?" Sweetie Belle asked Rumble.

"No, not yet." Rumble replied, shaking his head.

"You don't think Thunderlane was lying, do you?" Apple Bloom whispered to Sweetie Belle.

"I heard that!" Rumble said crossly "My big brother would never lie to me!"

"I was just asking a question was all." Apple Bloom defended "No need to get all hostile."

"Hey, there he is!" Scootaloo shouted, as she brought her scooter (and the wagon that was attached to it) to a halt. Sure enough, there was The Wonderbolt Co-Captain, right where Thunderlane said he would be.

"Hey Mr. Soarin!" Rumble called, having to shout at the top of his lungs to make sure he could be heard.

"Rumble? What are you and your friends doing here?" Soarin asked, as he descended to the ground.

"We're trying to find Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo explained.

"And we were also hoping that you could tell us how you got your cutie mark." Sweetie Belle added.

"Thunderlane told us that you once defended his honor in a Wonderbolt Tryout." Apple Bloom explained "Is that true?"

"You bet it is!" Soarin said happily "I'll never forget that day!"

"Oh boy, here we go again." Scootaloo muttered under her breath.

"It all started when I was just a colt." Soarin explained "Back then, Captain Spitfire and I were childhood friends. We hung out occasionally, even shared a good laugh or two. But after flight school, everything changed. Spitfire was a few years older than me, so she was chosen to replace the retiring Captain Dizzy Twister."

"Say, Dizzy Twister is my mom's name!" Scootaloo interrupted "She never mentioned that she use to be captain of The Wonderbolts!"

"Well, she was fairly young when she retired." Soarin explained "Most Wonderbolt captains don't retire until their 50's, some even serve for life, like Captain Firefly I our fonder."

"I thought her name was General Firefly?" Rumble asked.

"That's what her name was prior to forming The Wonderbolts." Soarin explained "In any case, Spitfire became the new captain, but I was too young to apply with The Wonderbolts for a couple of years. In the meantime, I'm not ashamed to admit that I became a huge Wonderbolt fanboy. I had Wonderbolts posters, Wonderbolts t-shirts, Wonderbolts flags, even Wonderbolts pajamas. It still amazes me that I had time for anything else, let alone school. But I managed to achieve good grades. As soon as I was old enough to apply, I did so. And you all know about what led up to my race to defend Thunderlane's honor."

"So what happened after the race began?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Did that race cause you to earn your cutie mark?" Apple Bloom asked.

"It most certainly did." Soarin explained "And this is how all it went down."

The instant Thunderlane waved the flag, Soarin's mind was focused on one thing, and one thing only. "I have to win, for Thunderlane's sake." Soarin thought to himself "I've got to put those bullies in their place!"

Soarin was unaware that he had knocked Thunderlane off of a cloud, but even if he had been, he wouldn't have cared. There was little he could've done, and if he went back to help he would've lost. Besides, Thunderlane seemed like a strong enough flyer. And there was suppose to be a magical barrier in place beneath Cloudsdale for these types of races.

As Soarin rounded the first bend, he was in the lead. But Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score, weren't too far behind. "Give up Soarin, you'll never beat us!" Dumb-Bell taunted.

"The three of us are unstoppable!" Hoops boasted.

"You can't win!" Score said firmly.

Soarin took no notice, and kept on flying as fast as he could. "I've got to win! I've got to win!" he said to himself. He was flying faster than he had ever flown before. It was a good thing he'd been practicing, or by now his wings would've likely cramped up. Even so, Soarin wasn't certain if he keep up the pace all the way to the finish line.

"No! I can't think like that! I've got to keep my eye on the prize!" Soarin thought to himself "Pops always said that a true Wonderbolt NEVER give up, no matter what! If I can't handle the pressure now, then I'll have no right to call myself a Wonderbolt!" And he kept up the positie thinking, as he rounded the second bend.

By now, Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score, were starting to tire out. But Soarin seemed to have plenty of energy left. And his lead began to widen, as the race continued.

"I hate to admit it, but that Soarin is really good!" Hoops said serioulsy "He might be as good as that pesky Rainbow Crash that kicked our butts at flight school."

"If that's true, then what can we do?" Score asked.

"What we do best!" Dumb-Bell smirked "If we can't win this race fairly, then we'll just have to win 'un'fairly!"

"So, what's the plan?" Hoops and Score asked.

"It's simple, we take out the competetion by any means possible!" Dumb-Dell explained.

"Sounds good to me." Score chuckled.

"That Soarin has met his match!" Hoops smirked.

"This isn't over yet Soarin!" Dumb-Dell said with determination "Not if I can help it!"

Soarin continued to fly as fast as he could. He rounded the final corner with ease, and in the distance he could see the finish line with a crowd of ponies waiting to see the results. Among the faces, he swore he could make his childhood friend, Spitfire. Even if she was now Captain of The Wonderbolts, she was certain to recognize Soarin's face as soon as she got a good look at him. "I'm going to win!" he exclaimed happily. His victory seemed all but assurred at that this point.

"I don't think so!" Dumb-Bell shouted, suddenly appearing besides Soarin.

Soarin was surprised "What?! But how did you-"

"Now!" Dumb-Bell shouted, interrupting Soarin. Hoops and Score suddenly flew out, blocking Soarin in front and behind. Soarin tried to shake them off, but they wouldn't budge.

"You're not gonna get away with this!" Soarin growled.

"On the contrary Soarin, I already have!" Dumb-Bell smirked, as he bumped into Soarin, sending him spinning out of control and away from the finish line.

All hope seemed lost for Soarin, but then suddenly, there was a burst of violet-pink magic. It washed over Soarin like a wave, creating a small forcefield that managed to bring him back under control. Soarin had little time to wonder how this was possible however, as he saw that Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score, were about to cross the finish line first. "Oh no you don't!" Soarin shouted, the determination inside of him providing the adrenline he needed to catch up.

"What?! You've caught up?! IMPOSSIBLE!" Dumb-Bell exclaimed.

"Oh, it's possible all right." Soarin smirked "Just try and sabotage me now."

"With pleasure." Hoops said fiendishly, and slammed into Soarin with all his might. He bounced harmlessly off of the forcefield, the force of impact knocking him into Dumb-Bell and Score, causing them all to wipe out.

As the chaos was unfolding, Soarin, with one last burst of speed, whooshed through the finish line and skidded to a halt. The crowd went wild, and the judges were most impressed.

"He's done it mares and gentlestallions, give him a hoof!" the loud-speaker encouraged. That was all the motivation the crowd needed to give Soarin a thunderous round of applause.

"I did it. I really did it." Soarin panted. He had won the race, and now he was practically guarnteed a spot on The Wonderbolts. After years of practice and determination, his dream had become a reality.

"Very impressive Soarin." Spitfire said happily "I expected no less from you. I've been waiting for this day for a long time, the day when you and I would be a part of the greatest stunt flyers in all of Equestria." Then, she noticed something on Soarin's flank "And that's not all. It seems like you've earned something else as well."

"What?" Soarin asked.

"Just look at your flank, and see for yourself." Spitfire encouraged.

Soarin did so, and when he did he saw a yellow lightning bolt depicted on his flank. He had earned his cutie mark! He was amazed "I can't believe it! This is the greatest day of my life!" he exclaimed happily. And he gave Spitfire a tremendous hug.

"Settle down Soarin." Spitfire pleaded "I know you're excited, but you're kind of crushing me with this killer hug of yours."

"Sorry." Soarin apologized, as he released Spitfire from his arms "Guess I got a little carried away."

"No kidding." Spitfire chuckled.

"As a result of my impressive skills, and come from behind victory, Spitfire was able to get me into The Wonderbolts as Co-Captain." Soarin explained, as he finished his story "I realized that it was my love of flying, and being part of The Wonderbolts, that given me my cutie mark. And since that day, I've been determined to do my best to live up to the reputation that comes with being Co-Captain of Equestria's ace flyers."

"That, was, amazing!" Rumble exclaimed.

"That story was even better than I thought it would be." Sweetie Belle said happily.

"So, was that too 'sappy' for you Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom teased.

"Okay, okay. So it was a good story." Scootaloo admitted "How could anypony think otherwise?"

"See, I knew you had a soft side." Rumble said, chuckling slightly.

"That's so funny, I forgot to laugh." Scootaloo muttered, and she quickly changed the topic "So, have you seen Rainbow Dash anywhere?" she asked Soarin.

"Sorry, havent' seen her." Soarin apologized "I've been stuck house sitting since early this morning. Not exactly how I'd want to spend my day, but whatever."

"Do you have any idea where we could find her?" Scootaloo asked.

"Nope." Soarin said with a shake of his head "Odds are she doesn't want to be found. Now, if you'll excuse me I need to get back up to Rainbow Dash's house, and make sure nothing's been stolen."

"Well, that's just great." Scootaloo sighed, as she watched Soarin take off "If even Soarin doesn't know where we can find Rainbow Dash, then I don't know where to look."

"Maybe we could ask my sister Rarity." Sweetie Belle suggested "Perhaps she'll know."

"It's worth a shot." Apple Bloom encouraged.

"Yeah, what have we got to lose?" Rumble asked.

Scootaloo couldn't think of a good counter arguement, so she merely hopped onto her scooter. Once Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Rumble had climbed into the wagon, and put on their helmets, she took off as fast as she could. "I just hope Rarity doesn't try to put a dress on me." Scootaloo thought to herself, as she headed for Carousel Boutique "I hate dresses!"
> The Tale of Fancy Pants
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                "How did we get roped into this?" Scootaloo asked. She and the rest of the CMC were currently modeling some dresses that Rarity had created. Rumble couldn't believe his poor luck when his size made it possible for a dress to fit him as well.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Rumble replied "I just hope Thunderlane doesn't find about out this, or I'll never live it down."

"You just had to drag us along to see your sister, didn't you?" Apple Bloom complained to Sweetie Belle.

"Hey, how was I suppose to know she was gonna do this to us?" Sweetie Belle asked "Besides, I think you look good in a dress."

"Are you kidding me? The only time I've ever worn anything so fru-fru was for that school dance a few months ago." Apple Bloom complained.

"I sure hope that this doesn't turn out to be our special talent." Scootaloo said outloud "If it is, then I'm going to hate myself for the rest of my life. Assuming I don't die of embarassment first."

"Are you all still hung up on that whole cutie mark thing?" Rarity asked the CMC.

"Of course, have you been living under a rock for the past half a year?" Sweetie Belle complained "Most of the colts and fillies in our class already have theirs."

"I know how you all must feel." Fancy Pants sympathized "For the longest time, my cutie mark evaded me even while all my classmates earned theirs. I never actually formed a secret society like you four did, but I did do some rather crazy things to try and get my cutie mark. Nothing I tried worked however, and I thought I was going to be a blank flank for the rest of my life."

"So, when did that change?" Rumble asked, eyeing Fancy Pants' clearly visible cutie mark.

"It's quite an interesting story actually." Fancy Pants explained "It all has to do with Miss. Rarity, and why she and I have been business partners for so long."

"I thought you said you were a co-owner of this place?" Sweetie Belle said, clearly confused.

"Indeed I am. But that isn't the whole truth." Fancy Pants admitted "The truth is, I've known Miss. Rarity since before I met my much loved wife Fleur."

"Oh Fancy Pants, are you really going to tell them that story?" Rarity asked.

"You bet I am Miss. Rarity." Fancy Pants replied "I can't say no to such eager little ponies after they've been so co-operative. Besides, Sweetie Belle was bound to find out sooner or later."

"What are you talking about?" Sweetie Belle demanded "Were you and Miss. Rarity-" she paused for a moment, as if considering the implications of what she was about to say "special someponies?" she blurted out.

Fancy Pants stared, then he laughed "Oh don't be silly, my relationship with Miss. Rarity has been always been a friendship of the professional level, since we first met. But Miss. Rarity has been running Carousel Boutique, for far longer than you might think."

"Oh good, I can't stand mushy love stories." Scootaloo cringed "I don't understand what it is my folks see in those romance novels that I see them reading all the time."

"As I was saying." Fancy Pants said seriously "Miss. Rarity has been running this place for quite some time. In fact, she's been in charge of it since you were in diapers, Sweetie Belle. I must admit, you were quite the mischevious foal. Always running around, getting into trouble. Anyway, my story begins in Canterlot. Make no mistake, growing up in Equestria's capital city was quite difficult for a colt like me. From day one, you have high expectations placed on you by everyone. And if you fail to live up to those expectations, things are anything but easy for you."

Fancy Pants was right about Canterlot. Being born into a wealthy family had its privelages, none the least of which was access to the finest things money could buy. But it also carried great risks, due to the high expectations that would be placed on you. Even if it wasn't your fault, not living up to those expectations could make life very difficult for you. It didn't matter whether you weren't potty trained fast enough, or were a slow learner in class, or even one of the last in your class to earn your cutie mark. If the rich and famous had any reason to believe you wouldn't amount to anything, they would see to it that your life would be filled with hardship. And it would take a lot to change that impression.

Such was the society that Fancy Pants was raised in. And as each of his classmates got their cutie marks one by one, while he remained a blank flank, it was quick to turn its back on him. He still had some friends, none the least of whom was the future heir to Barnyard Bargains, Filthy Rich Tiara. But  their support did little good against bullies such as Prince Blueblood, and Jet Set and Upper Crust, who would become Fancy Pants' rivals in business.

"Maybe I should just move to Ponyville and make a fresh start." Fancy Pants thought to himself, as he made his way home from another day of school. His best friend (and fellow blank flank) Filthy Rich, had gotten his cutie mark. And the whole school had been overjoyed. This made it even harder on Fancy Pants, because now he was the only colt in his class that had yet to earn his cutie mark. That would undoubtly be used against him by Prince Blueblood. "What I wouldn't give to punch his lights out." Fancy Pants thought angrily.

When Fancy Pants got home, his father had important news for him. It was customary for colts Fancy Pants' age to start learning about business and how to manage it. When one is born into privelage, it is expected that they continue the legacy of those that raised them. The Pants family were bankers of the highest rank. It was said that Fancy Pants' great grandfather had served as head of The Royal Treasury. Needless to say, such a reputation put great pressure on the young colt.

"Remember son." his father told him "You must invest your bits wisely. If you do, then by the time you are my age you will have access to a wealth that few would dare to dream of. But I also want you to consider what you wish to symbolize when you make your investment. For the business that you invest in will undoubtly see you as a backer, and your reputation will be tied directly to the reputation of said business. If you invest poorly, then you will bring shame and humilation to the Pants family line. Do you understand?"

"Yes father." Fancy Pants replied nervously, as he and his father boarded the train to Ponyville. Mr. Pants had read an article in the newspaper about how Ponyville was becoming a major center for business. It was speculated that it would be The place for the next generation of business tycoons to get their start. Naturally, Mr. Pants was convinced that Ponyville would be the perfect place for his son to make his first investment.

It didn't take long for Fancy Pants to find a place where he wanted to invest to his bits. A local merchant that ponies visited frequently showed great promise. "If only I had a few more bits, I could upgrade my shop into a full blown store." the merchant stated "I could offer products from all over Equestria, at a great price! Ponies would come from all around to buy my goods! I'd be rich!"

"Well, I guess he'll make an okay first investment." Fancy Pants thought to himself "It's practically risk free. And if he gets as many customers as he has today, he'll probably have the foundations of a trade empire at his hooves. Father will be pleased."

But as Fancy Pants prepared to fork over his bits to the merchant, there was a sudden burst of violet-pink magic. The shockwave blew through town, knocking unsuspecting ponies off their hooves. It did more than that for Fancy Pants however, who had the bits he had intended to use scattered onto the ground.

"Oh my, are you alright darling?" an unfamiliar voice asked, as Fancy Pants bent down to pick up his investment money.

"I'm quite fine, as you can clearly see." Fancy Pants said, as he used his magic to start collecting some of his bits.

"Here, let me help you with that." the unfamiliar voice asked. Suddenly, a light blue aura surrounded the bits that Fancy Pants had yet to pick up. When Fancy Pants looked up, he was greeted with the sight of a unicorn filly with a coat as white as winter snow. Her curly indigo mane and tail were only surpassed in beauty by her blue eyes, which sparkled like diamonds. On her flank was a cutie mark consisting of three gems.

Fancy Pants had never seen a unicorn like this before, and he had to admit that she looked gorgeous. Alas, his heart already belonged to another. "Thank you for your help." he said kindly, as he retrieved his bits from the filly "I don't believe I caught your name. What is it?"

"I am Rarity." the filly replied "I must say, you are absolutely stunning. A true gentlecolt if I ever saw one."

"I appreciate the compliment Miss. Rarity." Fancy Pants said honestly "Since you told me your name, it is only fair that I tell you mine. I am Fancy Pants. My father brought me here so I could make my first official investment into a business."

"A business you say?" Rarity asked "I believe I know of the perfect place. Come with me, and I will show it to you." Before Fancy Pants could reply, Rarity grabbed him by the hoof and escorted him away. They arrived a short time later at a building that had seen better days. The sign read "Carousel Boutique, Now under new management." Looking at the exterior, it was quite easy to see where the building had gotten its name. It looked like a worn down version of a carousel ride one might expect to see at a carnival or amusement park.

"Why have you brought me to this place Miss. Rarity?" Fancy Pants asked "I hate to be captain obvious, but this place is quite clearly falling apart. Whoever is in charge of it must have their work cut out for them."

"It's funny you should mention that." Rarity said, blushing slightly "The thing is, I am the new mangement that the sign is talking about."

Fancy Pants was quite surprised "But you're just a filly. How could you possibly be running a business at your age?" he asked.

"I might be a filly, but I assure you that I am old enough to manage my own business." Rarity explained "I'm going to be moving into high school next year. My parents bought me this as a birthday present."

"I see." Fancy Pants stated, turning his attention back to the unattractive sight in front of him. Rarity quickly took notice.

"Not that I mean to call mother and father's judgement into question, especially now that they have my baby sister Sweetie Belle to take care of, but it's quite obvious that this place is far from the best present a filly could get." Rarity explained "But I cannot bring myself to sell this place to somepony else, not after mother and father worked so hard to buy it for me. I just wish I had enough bits to cover the cost of renovation."

"Is that why you brought me here?" Fancy Pants asked.

Rarity shook her head "I am above taking advantage of the generosity of strangers." she said firmly "There is a much better place to invest in just across the street. A clockmaker called Time Turner has moved into town, and already he is looking to expand his shop so he can build a new clocktower. I have already donated quite a lot of bits to him, but he still needs more. I believe that your bits could be just the ticket."

Fancy Pants looked at Time Turner's shop. It seemed rather humble, and the clocks seemed to be of the highest quality possible. But he found that he couldn't get his mind off of the run down Carousel Boutique. It was quite obvious that, even if Rarity herself didn't think so, her business would benefit more from his bits. And so he made the choice to invest into Carousel Boutique, he even expressed his intent to become a permanet financial backer.

Rarity was quite surprised "I couldn't ask you to do that for me Fancy Pants." she insisted.

But Fancy Pants was insitant, and he refused to change hs mind. "I am firmly convinced that you posses the know how to turn this place around and turn it into something great." he explained, as he filled out the necessary paperwork to make his investment official.

Just after he did so, Rarity gasped. "Fancy Pants, look at your flank!" she exclaimed.

"Whatever do you mean?" Fancy Pants asked.

"Just look!" Rarity insisted.

Fancy Pants did so, and when he did he was shocked at what he saw. His previously blank flank now had three yellow crowns with jewels in their centers. He had gotten his cutie mark! He couldbarely believe it! "After all these years, I finally have my cutie mark!" he said happily "And I owe it all to you Miss. Rarity."

"Oh, you're just saying that." Rarity replied "I'm sure that even if I hadn't shown up when I did, you still would've gotten your cutie mark."

"Maybe so, but I hope I never have to find out." Fancy Pants said seriously "I don't want to imagine a world where the two of us are not business partners, or even friends."

"You want to be my friend?" Rarity asked.

"Why of course I do." Fancy Pants replied "After all, if I'm going to constantly be investing into Carousel Boutique, I should make it a habbit to get to know the owner."

"Oh Fancy Pants, thank you! Thank you so much!" Rarity said happily.

"And since that day, Miss. Rarity and I have been the closest of business partners, and the best of friends." Fancy Pants explained to the CMC "I realized that my cutie mark symbolized my ability to spread my wealth to those who needed it most, as well as my ability to turn failing business into thriving companies."

"And it was thanks to this business that Fancy Pants was able to meet Fleur." Rarity added "I even got to be best mare at his wedding."

"Well, that's great. But I think I've had enough of fashion and business for one day." Scootaloo shrugged.

"Don't tell me you didn't like the story." Rumble stated.

"It was okay." Scootaloo said with a shrug.

"Okay? Okay?! That was a wonderful story, and you know it!" Apple Bloom said seriously.

"I quite liked the part where Rarity and Fancy Pants met." Sweetie Belle added.

"Well that's because one of them is your sister, and the other is your sister's boss." Scootaloo explained "Not to mention, your foalsitter."

"Fancy Pants is a wonderful foalsitter." Sweetie Belle replied "He's always so nice to me."

"Can we please just go back to looking for Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo pleaded with her fellow CMC.

"If it's Rainbow Dash you're looking for young mare, then might I suggest you go to Sugarcube Corner?" Fancy Pants suggested "Even if she isn't there, Pinkie Pie will surely know where to find her."

"Sounds great!" Scootaloo said happily, and pushed Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Rumble, out the door "Come on guys, let's go find Rainbow Dash!"
> The Tale of Braeburn
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                "This better not turn out to be another dead end." Scootaloo complained, as she sped towards Sugarcube Corner "How hard can it be to find one pegasus?"

"You know Scootaloo, just because you really look up to Rainbow Dash, doesn't mean you need to know everything about her." Rumble replied "Did you ever stop to think that, maybe there are some parts of her life she would rather keep secret?"

"You don't understand." Scootalo snapped back "Rainbow Dash and I are so close that we're practically sisters. And sisters know everything to there is know about each other."

"Really, because Rarity and I know very little about each other and yet we're happy." Sweetie Belle stated.

"And although Applejack and I don't have the tightest of a bond, we're still close." Apple Bloom added "Are you sure you're not just making that last part up?"

"What is this, 'Educating Scootaloo Day'?" Scootaloo complained "It is perfectly healthy for me to want to know as much about Rainbow Dash as I can."

"Even if you still haven't told her about the fact that your mom's a retired Wonderbolt?" Rumble teased.

"She's never asked." Scootaloo explained "Besides, my mom is so embarassing. She's always finding ways to make me feel publicly humilated. Same goes for my dad."

"I'm sure they're not doing it on purpose." Rumble replied.

"Oh really, well then why don't you come over to my place sometime and see for yourself?" Scootaloo asked "After the first hour, you'll be sorry you ever asked."

"Can we just focus on getting to Sugarcube Corner?" Apple Bloom asked crossly.

"I wonder what sort of story Rainbow Dash will have to tell about how she earned her cutie mark?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Cutie marks you say?" Braeburn asked, suddenly appearing in the wagon.

"Braeburn?! How?! What the?! Why?!" Apple Bloom stuttered, completely confused by her cousin's sudden appearance in the wagon.

"It's a little trick Pinkie Pie taught me." Braeburn explained "Anyway, you guys are interested in cutie marks, right?"

"Of course." Sweetie Belle explained "As a matter of fact, we're on our way to Sugarcube Corner to see if we can find Rainbow Dash and here how she got her cutie mark."

"Sugarcube Corner eh? Sounds like the perfect place to be right about now." Braeburn replied happily "Maybe if you're lucky, Pinkie Pie will tell you her cutie mark story. She says it's a real gem."

"Say, Braeburn, how did you get your cutie mark?" Apple Bloom asked her cousin.

"I thought you'd never ask." Braeburn replied happily "Get ready, because my story is going to blow your mind!"

"Is it?" Rumble asked.

"You bet it is." Braeburn said with a smile.

"Whatever, just make it quick." Scootaloo shrugged, under her breath she added "Because your extra weight is slowing us down."

"Well, like all good stories, I'll start from the beginning." Braeburn stated "This may come as a surprise to some of you, but Appleloosa wasn't always my home town."

"What?!" Sweetie Belle gasped.

"I had no idea." Rumble said, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Oh yes, I remember. Granny Smith said that Appleloosa was built just about a year ago." Apple Bloom replied "And she said that prior to that, you lived in Applewood."

"You got that right." Braeburn said happily "And let me tell you, Applewood was quite the place. I think you would've really liked it if you'd had the chance to visit."

And indeed it was. Applewood, despite its location, was a perfect place for farming. Many families headed out there in the hopes of making a fresh start, and when the railroad line came through the town quickly began to grow. In a matter of a few years, it underwent an amazing transformation. Changing from a small settler town with only a few houses and a general store, to a bustling city that could rival the likes of Manehattan and Canterlot. Despite that, the town maintained its roots. The roads were not paved, the buildings continued to be built with wood, and a sheriff instead of a police department enforced the law. 

It was a peaceful little place where everypony knew each other. And it stayed that way for many years. In the meantime, a thriving movie business was established when it was discovered Applewood provided an ideal location to house a major production studio. Before long, theaters all across Equestria were streaming the new motion pictures called "Westerns". They involved things such as daring train robberies, high speed carriage chases, showdowns at high noon, and wandering strangers with no name. In fact, one colt became so inspired by these movies, that he would go on to adopt a persona that would be right at home in those movies. But that's another story.

Unfortunately, the peaceful was eventually disrupted when a group of cattle rustlers showed up in town. Led by a stubborn bull called Longhorn, they terrorized the citizens of Applewood. When the local sheriff attempted to stop them, he was humilated and driven out of town. Sheriff after sheriff took over, but they had little luck.

In the meantime, the movie business was shut down. And as the shipments from the railroad line became less and less frequent, ponies began to pack up and leave. Those who stayed were left to the mercy of the cattle rustlers, and Longhorn seldom granted mercy to anyone.

Such was the life that a young Braeburn came to know. Day in and day out, he was made aware of the fact that his very way of life could be threatened at any time.

"I wish there was something I could do to get rid of those cattle rustlers, especially that Longhorn fellow." Braeburn thought to himself, but he didn't know what that something was.

Eventually, the situation grew even more dire. "The railroad company has completely suspended service to this town." Braeburn's father said at dinner time one evening "Princess Celestia is attempting to change their minds, but she's having little success."

"But what will we do without the shipments from the railroad?" Braeburn's mother asked.

"We will have to rely on the food that we grow ourselves." Braeburn's father replied gravly "It's a good thing that this land is suitable for farming, otherwise we'd be up the river without a paddle."

"Is there anything we can do Pa?" Braeburn asked.

Braeburn's father shook his head "I'm afraid not. As long as that no good Longhorn is around, those cattle rustlers will continue to be a threat."

"Then we should stand up for ourselves!" Braeburn insisted "Show them that they can't push us around!"

"Certainly not!" Braeburn's mother said sternly "Those cattle rustlers haven't directly attacked us yet, and picking a fight with them will just make them angrier. An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind."

"Can't we all just get along?" Braeburn asked "Maybe if we try to show the cattle rustlers that we want to be friends, the magic of friendship will make them see the error of their ways."

"That's some wishful thinking, but I'm afraid it'll do us no good." Braeburn's father said seriously.

But Braeburn was determined to give it a shot, and so the next day he headed out to where he knew the cattle rustlers had set up camp. "Uh, excuse me?" he asked one of the cattle rustlers.

The bull looked at Braeburn, and eyed him suspicously "What do ya want kid? Better make it quick, for your sake."

"I just want to talk to your boss, Longhorn." Braeburn said nervously "That's all."

"Well, I don't know. The boss doesn't take kindly to strangers." the bull replied.

"Please?" Braeburn pleaded, dawning his best pair of puppy dog eyes.

The bull wasn't able to ignore the eyes, and reluctantly he agreed to speak with Longhorn.

A moment later, Longhorn arrived. He looked at Braeburn, and snorted furiously "What sort of nonsense have you come to yack my ear off about little colt?" he asked furiously.

Braeburn gulped, and plucked up courage "Well Mr. Longhorn sir, my name is Braeburn." he said polietly, after all Ma had always raised him to be a gentlecolt.

"Braeburn huh, an interesting name for a colt such as yourself." Longhorn replied "But you are only a blank flank, why have you taken it upon yourself to speak to me? Have you come here for revenge? To drive me off this land that your fellow Applewood citizens claim is theirs?"

"Certainly not." Braeburn said with a shake of his head.

"Then what is it?" Longhorn asked "Out it with already, I don't have all day!"

Braeburn sighed, and took a deep breath. This was it, the moment of truth. "Well sir, I was just wondering, can we be friends?"

"What?!" Longhorn bellowed "Friends?!"

"Well, yes." Braeburn said nervously "You could still live off of this land, but you and your fellow cattle rustlers wouldn't have to constantly stampede through town, scaring everypony into intimidation. You'd be kind of like neighbors to us all. We could live together in peace and harmony, and things could go back to how they were."

"Me?! Make friends with ponies?! NEVER!" Longhorn shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Pretty please?" Braeburn pleaded "Maybe if you gave it a try, you would like it."

Longhorn was silent for a moment, then he threw back his head and laughed. "Friendship is nothing but an excuse for you ponies to keep us weak so that you can boss us around." he spoke up.

"That's not true!" Braeburn defended "Friendship doesn't work like that!"

"So you say, but I don't believe you!" Longhorn said crossly "You ponies don't understand life the way I do! The only one you can ever truly depend upon is yourself! Others will only get in your way and take advantage of you. Friendship is nothing but a bold faced lie!"

"But" Braeburn protested.

"Silence!" Longhorn interrupted "My decision is made! Now get out of my sight!"

"No!" Braeburn said seriously "You can't just walk all over me!"

"You're in no position to be making threats my little pony!" Longhorn said crossly "I'm only gonna say this once! Get out of my way, or you'll be sorry!"

"I'm not moving!" Braeburn insisted "I tried to be nice and offer you a peaceful solution! But I will not stand by and let you continue to pick on my friends and family! You bullies have terrorized this town for long enough!"

"Idiot! Perhaps I need to teach you a lesson in respecting your elders!" Longhorn bellowed "We'll see how tough you are after you've had a close encounter with my horns!" Longhorn backed up, and began to stomp his hooves on the ground. He snorted, blowing puffs of air out of his nostrils. If Braeburn was worried, he showed no signs of it and continued to stand his ground. "This is it! You're finished!" Longhorn shouted, and he charged forward as fast as he could. Determined to ram Braeburn with his horns.

But just as he was about to be struck, a wave of violet-pink magic washed over Braeburn. A shield formed around him, protecting him from any and all attacks.

"What?!" Longhorn gasped "Impossible! You should be laying on the ground, begging for mercy! How are you still standing?!"

"Simple." Braeburn bluffed "This is the magic of friendship. The very magic that you rejected. This is why you should've just taken up my offer to be friends."

"You think I'm afraid of your shield?!" Longhorn asked, trying not to show how afraid he truly was.

"Indeed I do." Braeburn said with a smile "So I'm going to say to you, what you said to me. Get out of my way, or you'll be sorry!"

Those words hit Longhorn like a sack of bricks, but instead of making him afraid, they only made him cross. "I don't care if you have a shield! You shall learn discipline, and pain will be your teacher!" He backed up, and charged straight at Braeburn once again. But this time, not only did his attack bounce harmlessly off of the shield, but the force of impact was turned against him. It was powerful enough to send him flying over the horizon. "I'll remember this!" Longhorn shouted, as he disappeared with a twinkle.

The other bulls grew frightened, this colt had singlehoofedly defeated their leader as if it were nothing. And from the looks of things, he wasn't finished just yet.

"Leave now and never return!" Braeburn shouted to the bulls "I will not allow you to defile this town with your prescence!" The bulls didn't need to be told twice, and they sped away as fast as their hooves could carry them. As soon as they did, the violet-pink shield disappeared.

When word got out that Braeburn had managed to drive away the cattle rustlers, Applewood went wild. The citizens quickly decided that a hero party was in order, and despite it being for him, Braeburn helped out with the preparations.

After a few hours, the party was ready. The newly appointed Sheriff Six Shot lead off the celebration, by appointing Braeburn junior sheriff. Then, he turned to the crowd and said "Three cheers for Braeburn!"

"Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray!" the crowd cheered.

"You were very brave out there son." Braeburn's father said with a smile "Few ponies would've had the courage to do what you did."

"Even so, I hope you won't try to pull a stunt like that again." Braeburn's mother scolded "You had your Pa and I very worried."

"Yes Ma, yes Pa. I'm sorry." Braeburn apologized.

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, there's something else you did today." Braeburn's mother said, as she glanced at her son's flank.

"What do you mean?" Braeburn asked.

"Look at your flank and see for yourself." Braeburn's father instructed.

Braeburn did so, and when he did he gasped. A bright red apple was depicted where there had previously been nothing. He'd finally earned his cutie mark. Braeburn was so happy, he let out a cry!

"That sure looks like fun." a mysterious colt said to himself, watching the hero party/cutecenara from a distance "If only she were here to see it too." and his thoughts drifted back to a filly he had met not too long ago.

"How come you got an apple cutie mark for defending your town?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Because that apple symbolized my passion for justice, and friendship." Braeburn explained "I realized that I had the ability to make a difference, and solve problems without resorting to violence. It also probably symbolized my bravery in the face of danger, and my refusal to back down from a just cause."

"That makes sense to me I guess." Apple Bloom shrugged.

"Same here." Sweetie Belle and Rumble replied.

"Eh, whatever floats your boat." Scootaloo said, and she grinded to a halt "Oh, would you look at that? We're at Sugarcube Corner, and it only took 15 minutes to make the trip."

"Hope you all liked my story." Braeburn said with a smile, as he got out of the wagon "Well, I hope you find who you're looking for. Goodbye."

"Call me crazy, but I can't help but notice that there's been a pattern of some sort in each of the cutie mark stories we've heard so far." Rumble said to Sweetie Belle.

"I've noticed the same thing." Sweetie Belle replied.

"So have I." Apple Bloom nodded "Talk about a most unusual coincidence."

"Coincidence? I think not!" Scootaloo said seriously "The odds of five stories having something in common are extremly low. Something must be up."
> The Tale of Shining Armor
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                Once inside Sugarcube Corner, The Cutie Mark Crusaders began to search for any sign of Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo searched the hardest of all, refusing to believe that her search would turn out to be in vain.

"You guys looking for someone?" a familar voice asked.

"None of your business, now go away!" Scootaloo said crossly, not bothering to turn around and see who it was.

"Say, what's with the attitude?" the voice asked "Turn that frown upside down."

"Don't mind her." Sweetie Belle replied "Scootaloo's just in a bad mood because she can't find Rainbow Dash."

"Is that all?" the voice asked "Sounds like an awful lot to get bent out of shape over. Heck, getting bent out of shape in general sounds like a really bad idea. Trust me, I know."

"Well, you wouldn't happen to know where Rainbow Dash is, would you?" Rumble asked.

"Actually, I do. She came here this morning to tell me." the voice explained.

"What did she say?" Apple Bloom asked.

"She said that a family emergency had come up, and that she had to leave at once." the voice replied "She didn't say when she'd back though, cause she took off before I could ask her. That's just like Dashie though, to rush off to help somepony at a moment's notice."

"So that's where she's been all day long?" Rumble asked.

"Yes indeedy." the voice replied, then its owner noticed something "Say, you look familiar. Where have I seen you before?"

"What do you mean?" Rumble asked, then he realized something about the voice "Wait, you're the one that owns that party cannon that Scootaloo shot me out of!"

"That's right, and I'm sorry to say that my party cannon is still off limits." Pinkie Pie said seriously "It's for decorating for parties, not for launching yourselves into the sky."

"It wasn't my fault." Rumble complained "It was Scootaloo's idea to go through with it, even though I told her not to."

"Oh sure, blame it all on me." Scootaloo argued back "If you really wanted to you could've backed out, but you went along with it."

"What is it with these two?" Pinkie Pie asked "Why are they constantly arguing and bickering?"

"It's been like this all day." Sweetie Belle whispered.

"I think Scootaloo's just taking out her frustration because she's been looking for Rainbow Dash." Apple Bloom added "We came all this way here, hoping to find her. Instead, we've heard stories about how my big brother Big Macintosh, Thunderlane, Soarin, Fancy Pants, and even my cousin Braeburn got their cutie marks."

"There's just one more pony who's story we have yet to hear about." Sweetie Belle explained "Have you seen Shining Armor around by any chance?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." Pinkie Pie said with a smile "He came over here with Twilight just a short time ago. Apparently, this is the first time in weeks he's been able to spend time with her. His devotion to his sister reminds me of my sister Maud."

"You never mentioned that you had a sister before Pinkie." Rumble spoke up, having long since ceased his arguing with Scootaloo.

"Well, if you guys have time after talking to Shining Armor, you should hear my cutie mark story." Pinkie Pie encouraged "Let's just say that my past wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, literally." Pinkie Pie then bounced happily away, humming a tune that Apple Bloom could swear she'd heard before.

"So, are we going to hear Shining Armor's story, or are we just going to sit around here doing nothing?" Scootaloo asked.

"Well, I must say I'm surprised." Shining Armor spoke up, coming over to the table that the CMC were seated at "If Pinkie Pie is anything to go by, you guys really wanted to hear my story. Is there something you're not telling me about all of this?"

"Let's just say that your story may solve a question we've had since we started asking ponies for their cutie mark stories." Apple Bloom explained "But we're still going to listen to the whole thing."

"It's been such a long time already. I'm not sure if I really remember all the details." Shining Armor admitted.

"Awwwww!" the CMC complained.

"However, I'll see what I can recall." Shining Armor added.

"Yay!" the CMC cheered.

"As I remember, from a young age I always wanted to be part of The Royal Guard." Shining Armor recalled "There was just something so appealing about it. Maybe it was because my grandfather had served in their ranks as an Admiral, or maybe it was because I was so brave. Even as a foal, my parents said that I feared nothing though I'm certain that's not true. Eventually, I became old enough to sign up with The Royal Guard, and I did so eagerly. Unfortunately, I soon learned that the so called 'proctectors of the throne' didn't take kindly to newcomers."

And Shining Armor couldn't have been more right. Until Captain Gleaming Shield became aware of it, and put a stop to it, The Royal Guards tended to subject their newest members to the harshest amount of hazing possible. They claimed that it was to help build character, and teach the new recruits discipline, but that was just a lie to make them feel better about themselves.

It started off harmlessly enough, with Shining Armor being asked to do things like scrub the floors, wash the dishes, and clean the windows. Shining Armor complained a little bit at first, but when the guards threatened to tell Gleaming Shield about his so called "attitude problem" he decided to just grin and bear it.

But before long, the "harmless chores" became much more cruel. Shining Armor would be asked to clean the bathrooms, even when it wasn't his turn to do so. Or he'd be asked to polish all the helmets and suits of armor in the barracks. Other times, he'd be forced to assist the other guards when they participated in archery or jousting competetions (whenever Shining Armor tried to enter the guards would lie, and say he was too young to take part).

Neither Princess Celestia or Captain Gleaming Shield were aware of the hazing, and so it went on for quite some time. Meanwhile, Shining Armor grew crosser and crosser. The other Royal Guard members retaliated by uping the cruelty of their torment and abuse. They would delibertly drop dishes on the floor, or spill food and drinks onto the dishes. They even went so far as make Shining Armor wear his own suit of armor, do 50 push-ups in the mud, and then make him clean the mud from said suit with only a toothbrush. Then, when Shining Armor had showed up late to his assigned post, they took his helmet and hung it from the flag pole. When Shining Armor tried to take it back, they laughed and played a game of keep away with it.

One faithful day, that would all change. That day started out like any other, with Shining Armor being forced to wash all of the dishes from the latest meal in the mess hall. "I just don't understand it." he thought to himself "Why would The Royal Guard be filled with such bullies? Princess Celestia would never allow such jerks to protect and serve her." He vowed to somehow get even with them, but he didn't know how.

A familiar voice interruped his thoughts. "Please give me back Smarty Pants, she's my only friend." the voice pleaded.

"Sorry kid. Finders keepers, losers weepers." a royal guard member taunted.

Shining Armor looked out the window, and saw two of the royal guards that most frequently harassed him. Only now they were picking on his little sister Twilight. One of them was currently using his magic to hold Smarty Pants, Twilight's favorite doll, so that Twilight couldn't reach it. Normally, Twilight would have more than enough magic to fight back, but she was burned out from her classes.

Shining Armor couldn't believe what he was seeing, this was the same filly that had recently gotten her cutie mark and become Princess Celestia's personal student. And yet, even she was not safe from the cruelty of these bullies that dared to call themselves royal guards.

"That does it!" Shining Armor said to himself "Those guys have crossed the line! I don't care if it costs me my dream, I will not allow them to pick on my little sister!"

"I said, give me back Smarty Pants!" Twilight said crossly "She's mine!"

"Correction, she was yours, but now she's ours." one of the guards teased, as he held the doll aloft with his magic "Now, what should we do with this eyesore?"

"Smarty Pants is not an eyesore, she's my friend!" Twilight cried, tears forming in her eyes. The guards took no notice.

"Let's flush it down the john! It belongs in the sewers anyway." the other guard suggested.

"No! Please don't flush Smarty Pants down the potty, she'll get all dirty!" Twilight pleaded "You're not suppose to flush things that don't belong in a potty, it can cause problems."

"Shut up kid, unless you'd like to see what the inside of a toilet looks like." the first guard threatened "I can assure you, it won't be pretty."

"We should totally just do that anyway, and then make Shining Armor fish her out." the other guard suggested "That'll serve him right for saying we're a disgrace to our uniforms."

"I don't want to go inside a potty." Twilight gasped "It sounds all icky and disgusting."

"Well, perhaps instead we can just flush your doll and then retrieve it for archery practice." the first guard taunted.

"Yeah, your doll would make the perfect target." the other guard chimed in.

"You can't do that, Smarty Pants is a gift from someone very close to me." Twilight said, in between sobs "I'll do anything, just please give it back to me."

"Cry all you want, your doll is still going to be taking a ride into the sewer system." the first guard laughed.

"And if you don't stop your crying, you'll be seeing what happens when you flush the can with a filly inside it!" the second guard threatened "Have fun learning from that experience."

"That is enough!" Shining Armor said crossly, as he yanked the Smarty Pants doll away with his magic and gave it back to his sister. "You guys should be ashamed of yourselves! Picking on a defensless filly, don't you two dunderheads have any shame?!"

"Butt out Shining Armor! You don't belong here!" the first guard said crossly.

"This is none of your business, you're overstepping your boundries!" the other guard snapped.

"Be that as it may, I refuse to let you continue to pick on my little sister!" Shining Armor said seriously "You two are acting like a bunch of immature brats!"

"Oh yeah, and what are you gonna do about it huh?!" the first guard asked.

"You try anything, and we'll report you to Captain Gleaming Shield. And I'm sure she'll be anything but pleased when she learns that you started a fight with two of your superiors." the other guard threatened.

"Go ahead and report on me to Gleaming Shield for all I care!" Shining Armor said, standing between his sister and the two guards "I don't want to be a part of The Royal Guard if it means turning into a bully like you two!"

"A bully? Us? Now you've gone too far Shining Armor!" the first guard snapped.

"And you should know, we don't take kindly to others telling us how to do our jobs!" the other guard replied.

"Uh B.B.B.F.F, not that I mean to question your bravery, but are you sure you know what you're doing?" Twilight asked.

"Twily, listen to me very carefully." Shining Armor whispered "When I tell you to run, run! Run away, and don't look back!"

"What?" Twilight gasped.

"Run! Now!" Shining Armor instructed.

"But I-" Twilight began.

"Do as I say right now, while I still have some sense of reason left in me!" Shining Armor bellowed. That was enough of a motivation for Twilight, who took off as fast as her legs could carry her.

"Now it's just you and us Shining Armor." the first guard snickered.

"Say your prayers!" the second guard said ominously.

But before either of them could do anything, Shining Armor's horn surged to life. In a matter of seconds, a familiar violet-pink aura had appeared. Everything seemed to happen at once. Shining Armor shouted at the top of his lungs, and unleashed a powerful blast of defensive magic. The magic inside of him was so powerful that it actually lifted him off of the ground, and into the air.

"B.B.B.F.F?" Twilight gasped, as she looked back. She was incredibly worried.

The two guards were worried as well, but before they could run away, Shining Armor grabbed them with his magic. He brought them up close to him, and the guards beheld a sight that would haunt them forever. 

Shining Armor's eyes were completely white, his eyebrows slanted to show just how angry he was. "Listen to me very carefully!" he said loudly, his voice echoing all around "If you dare so much as hurt my little sister again, you'll regret it for the rest of your lives! Get out of my sight and never show your faces in my prescence again if you know what's good for your health! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

The guards gulped "Sir, yes sir." they said at the same time.

"Good." Shining Armor replied, and used his magic to push the guards away. The force channeled into the push was so strong that it was enough to  bring them to their knees. They were pushed so far back that they ended up out of Canterlot. Deciding to cut their losses, they ran away and were never heard from again. Later, when it was found out what they had been attempting to do, they were dishonorably discharged. And Captain Gleaming Shield vowed to put an end to the hazing rituals, a promise that she kept for the rest of her tenure.

"Are you okay Twily?" Shining Armor asked, when the magic surge wore off. The last time such a thing had happened to him was that time as a school colt when he'd gotten the blue flu, and the illness had severly affected his magic.

"I am now, thanks to you B.B.B.F.F." Twilight said happily, then she gasped as a white flash appeared on Shining Armor's flank. "B.B.B.F.F, you got your cutie mark!"

"Nice try Twily, I'm not falling for that one again." Shining Armor said with a chuckle.

"No, I'm serious." Twilight insisted "Take a look for yourself." She held up a mirror with her magic, and showed it to Shining Armor. Sure enough, Shining Armor found out that his littler sister was telling the truth.

On his flank was a shield that was the same blue tint as his mane. Surrounding it were three lighter blue stars, and emblazoned upon the shield itself was a six-point star that was the same magneta color as the star from his sister's cutie mark. He didn't even need to ask what it symbolized, it was quite obvious that his special talent was protecting others.

But although Shining Armor was normally a very calm and collected pony, the excitement of getting his cutie mark made him as giddy and lighthearted as a school colt. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" he cheered, bouncing all around. Twilight couldn't help but join in on the fun.

"And from that day forward, The Royal Guard's reputation had no where to go but up." Shining Armor explained "I suspect that this was also what got Princess Celestia's attention, and why she took such an interest in me." By now, all of his friends, and his sister, had gathered round to hear the story. They were quite amazed.

"Looks like my little hunch was right after all." Sweetie Belle said to Scootaloo.

"Beginner's luck." Scootaloo replied.

"Well, she is more skilled in magic than you." Rumble taunted.

"Alright, I get it! You don't have to rub it in!" Scootaloo complained.

"She has a point there." Apple Bloom stated "So knock it off already. I, for one, have gotten sick of all this arguing. It's driving me up a wall."

"But I thought the saying was 'When two ponies fight, they really care about each other.'" Sweetie Belle said, obviously confused.

"Normally's that the case, but there are always exceptions." Apple Bloom explained.

"You know, I never really thought about it until just now, but if you hadn't stood up to those bullies right then and there, I never would've gotten my cutie mark." Big Macintosh said to Shining Armor "Heck, I probably wouldn't even be sitting here, having this conversation with you."

"Same goes for me." Braeburn admitted "If that surge hadn't come from you when it did, I would've been sqaushed flatter than a pancake by that Longhorn fellow. And I certainly wouldn't have gotten my cutie mark."

"I certainly wouldn't have survived that fall, or met Fluttershy, if your magic hadn't pushed that cloud into my path." Thunderlane added "And all this time, I thought it was some sort of supernatural event."

"Without that spell of yours, I would've lost the race and my cutie mark would've never appeared." Soarin said gravely "And that stand against those bullies would've all been in vain. I would've hated myself for the rest of my life if that had happened."

"This is so uncanny it almost hurts." Fancy Pants spoke up "If your magic hadn't knocked my bits away, I never would've met Miss. Rarity or Fleur. And I would've never gotten my cutie mark. And yet, until this day I've never known who to thank for making this all possible."

"Well, now we do." Shining Armor replied with a smile on his face "I suppose that on that faithful day, fate was similing upon us. I can't help but wonder though, what might have happened had any of those events turned out differently?"

"Let's not think about that shall we?" Soarin suggested.

"Soarin's right, let's think about what did happen." Big Macintosh said firmly "That burst of magic brought us together, even if we didn't know it back then."

"You know what this calls for!" Braeburn said happily, a massive smile forming on his face.

"Group hug!" the six stallions all said at the same time. They each embraced each other, and smiled happily. They had come to realize just strong their friendship truly was, and the thing they had that made it so unique.

"Aw!" Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Rumble cooed.

"Ew! This is so cheesy!" Scootaloo complained "If I want this kind of sappy stuff I can just talk to my parents, they're always acting like this!"

"Come on Scootaloo, you can't deny that it's cute." Rumble replied.

Scootaloo tried to think of a good counter-arguement, but she couldn't come up with anything. She sighed. "Fine, whatever. But if anypony starts singing, I'm out of here!"

"Group hug?" Sweetie Belle asked. Apple Bloom and Rumble nodded, and then looked to Scootaloo.

Scootaloo sighed once again and said "Group hug." And she reluctantly took part in the group hug with her fellow CMC. Anyone that saw this scene would've thought it the most adorable thing to ever exist. Of course, Scootaloo would deny it, being the tomcolt that she was.

At the end of the day, Shining Armor and his friends went their seperate ways, as did the CMC. Scootaloo reluctantly decided that Rainbow Dash's cutie mark story would have to wait for another day.