Destined Crusaders: Awakening

By Penn & Paper

prelude - more than what we are

Apple Bloom was the sort of pony that over-thought her problems. It was a nasty habit that not many ponies had, nor would want to have. Often when she over thought her troubles... she made them worse in her mind than they already were. The particular instance of this being a good thing, happened amidst a party for Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and herself. Or rather, for the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Pinkie had decked the Sugarcube Corner in crusader gold, parchment yellow, red, and blue decorations; Applejack and Rarity had brought in a mass amount of photos of the group doing crazy things and hung them on the wall; Pinkie made all sorts of cute little snacks she had dubbed Fit for Equestria's finest knights!; and everypony had utterly surprised the gang of three by having their sisters (or idols) get them all "dolled up", and shuffled into the bakery for some unknown shenanigans. The banners hanging about declared cheerfuly, "Happy Second Birthday Cutie Mark Crusaders!", celebrating the fact that today was indeed, the mark of the second year their group had been together. An anniversary more than a birthday... but, Pinkie had insisted on calling it a birthday party for the "club" itself.

Apple Bloom had been thrilled and excited at first, but as the night went on-her thoughts turned towards her fears, her wishes for the club, and her uncertainties. Now she was a bit weary in her thoughts.

It had started with how un-Pinkie-like the party felt. You see, when Pinkie threw a party, she invited everyone, their grandmothers, and their second cousins. With the guest list for this party amounting to The Cutie Mark Crusaders, The Elements of Harmony, Spike, Macintosh, Granny Smith, a slice of her visiting cousins from the Apple Family, and all the parents who could show up-it felt more than lacking. It felt downright empty in the bakery, when it came down to it.

That hadn't bothered Apple Bloom at first, it was a simple, personal get together of friends and family to celebrate the birth of an idea bold and cute enough to just work. She'd eaten cake with Sweetie Belle, snorted at Spike nearly overheating when Rarity asked him to dance, joked around with Scootaloo about how they could get "Party Goer" cutie marks, and jammed about with every pony to the sweet beats Rarity's friend Vinyl Scratch was laying down. She hadn't worried a bit, until she started staring at the pictures on the wall.

They were wonderful testaments to how energetic, fun loving, and absolutely random their group could be-trying their hooves at wrestling pro-ponies, interior designing in their rooms, writing stories only to laugh their little flanks off at the insanity within them, trying to catch mythical creatures, rodeo bucking, and for some hilarious reason-accounting. Yet, it also showed in the process how childish they were, how their methods were lack luster and not... quite... right.

Apple Bloom couldn't say she hated the wild and aggressive way that the club went about trying to find their cutie marks, because every time they went to try something-it was always thrilling, fun, or exciting... even if it didn't always turn out so well, or the 'talent' they were attempting was a bore... Her friends always made the simplest of things exciting.

But, the little filly had been thinking mighty hard.

Perhaps, they'd formed the club on a false pretense, or fallen short somewhere...

The Crusaders weren't a bunch of fifth grade fillies anymore, as their club aged, so did they. It needed... growth. It needed to change, like Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were changing-getting a bit bigger, changing hair styles, becoming more responsible... It really did.

Apple Bloom's thoughts were darkened by this, and also lightened. She had issues. She had fears about the future, and she addressed them quietly in her mind as a jumpy pop song hummed in the background. She worried that with all their tryin', the club might run into some bitterness of not finding their marks within all the time that they'd spent without seeing the physical fruits of their labor. She knew, she so hoped, that they wouldn't run into that bitter shallowness, and that they would continue to have fun with all their sleep overs, mark crusading, and little field trips. Yet, there was this fear-a fear of seeing the club shut down in front of her eyes because of too much negativity, a fear of herself growing apart from her friends in the higher grades.

She didn't want that.

Then, there was also the fear that one of them would find their cutie mark. Before all the others, without the others. While that would be wonderful, for a crusader to have found themselves... Apple Bloom worried about what would happen after. Would they stick around to assist the other two? (She knew she would.) Would they still be friends? It troubled her a lot, but it was something she would just have to deal with...

And another thing: the club felt more than a little shallow, in some way-it was beginning to feel empty. It was childish in a way, it was made up of three friends, exclusive and sort of slow moving, and yet it was all about finding themselves. Acting in the manner they did had been fine a year ago. It had been fine, she felt, until they had left Miss Cheerilee and gone to the next grade, and were being watched like misbehaving griffons by Miss Sharp. For some reason, it just... didn't feel perfect, or right anymore.

Her old classmates were oddly more abrasive of their marklessness now, and their class was much bigger because Miss Sharp was the only grade sixth teacher at their little school. Their new classmates however, were much worse: snickering and acting absolutely mean spirited about their blank flanks. There were several others in their class now, others without cutie marks, and she could see it in their eyes-they were treated the same way. Scootaloo would have none of it, not on the first day, and not during their third month of class. She'd smacked two colts with her scooter for remarking about Sweetie Belle in ... a distasteful manner.

The older grade schoolers to made fun and jeered at them, though they weren't so bad. All the big ponies, most of them, had no problem with Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, or any of the unmarked ponies. It was just, aggravating, it tore at her heart and her mind to see ponies acting so stuck-up, to see ponies feeling as if they were placed on a pedestal above herself-claiming, "Oh, ho, ho, ho, I knew what I was good at in first grade." It made her mad at the ponies with marks sometimes...

Their club was facing adversity or laughter at every turn, and that immensely irritated her.

She was just one pony, and couldn't change that though...

But, she could convince her friends to help change their club for the better.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the pop music slowed to a stop, and Rarity stepped forward a hoof on the DJ's shoulder, clearing her throat as Scratch offered her a mic, "Gentlecolts... Briddlemates... Dearest family, and friends. Might we have a moment of quiet? I have a, hahah, small speech to give, and I would love to have our little Crusaders up on stage with me." Her voice swelled with pride, as she waved at the three, "Yes, up here girls."

The room cleared a path for the three little ponies, and they all went forward. Scootaloo beamed, grinning at her older brothers and her mom, she returned the look they both offered her as she passed, the little cheering sounds cheering her spirits. Sweetie Belle took a moment to look up from her table, blushing and slowly coming forward after she realized they wanted her up front. Apple Bloom was the last to trot briskly over, smiling slightly at her friends. They, being the fillies they were, started whispering through their teeth, "What's your sister got planned, Sweetie Belle?" Asked Scootaloo, still grinning for the crowd.

The pale unicorn blinked, "I'm not sure. She wouldn't let me... in.. the shop... for... weeks... because I accidentally..." She bushed sheepishly, and stared forward, her mouth barely moving, "I broke a sewing machine by getting my hair caught in it. She was so mad I'd gone near it, and so mad I'd gotten myself hurt nearly... I didn't... go back for a while... haven't been brave enough."

Oh. That was why she'd cut her hair so short and interestingly... Not just because it was the "newest" style in Canterlot. Apple Bloom chuckled, almost missing the start of Rarity's speech. "Everyone, these three ponies, I feel, will inspire and bring about a change to our little town. They are dazzling, sharp, curious, and relentless little terrors who have found a place in my heart. I know they have captured your hearts, as well as infuriated your senses from time to time-"

Several ponies laughed, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle pulled their ears back with a blush. Scootaloo was impervious to this however, and beamed all the more. Apple Bloom carefully intermixed her words with Rarity's, mumbling, "Maybe it's just a speech. Motivational, n' all." Scootaloo held back a smile and a snort, and Sweetie Belle whispered, "It's not. Knowing my sister..."

"As they grow, I think we will see them do great things for this town, as we hope for all of the young foundlings, the little colts and fillies of Ponyville. Right now, they're just a tiny part of our town, but-the greatest things come in small paper wrapped, string-tied packaging. Sweetie Belle. Darling, you drive me mad at times, but I love you all the same. You are a star in the sky, a song from the sea. You're sweet and kind, and while you aren't the fastest pony around, you always know how to make me feel better, you always know the right thing to say. You love helping me in the shop, and you're always trying your hardest, dear. Mother and Father have told me, they are immensely proud of you, and that no matter what you do, that will never change, dear. Not for them, and not for me." Rarity steadied herself, almost sniffling, "Ah, hmn, Rainbow Dash, you wanted to say something?"

"Hay, yeah, I did." The speedster declared loudly, rising above the other ponies, and zooming slowly over to the stage. Rarity tossed her the microphone, which Dash snatched out of the air with a flair. "Ponies, dragon, fillies and colts... hold your applause." She waved towards Scootaloo, "This is Scootaloo. Scootaloo, wave to your bronies, my friend-" The little pegasus filly did so, smiling brightly as her idol went on. "Scootaloo is a ragamuffin. A rebel. A terror of which the world at large has only heard whispered about on the streets... oh, no it's the enemy of fruit carts, the clearer of street ways, the master of the scooter! Dang' we're in trouble. This kid has more potential in her wing tips than most athlete ponies have in their whole bodies. And, she knows how to use it!" She paused, and leaned on the air in a way that suggested she was thinking, "Like Rarity said-these kids are part of Ponyville's future. And, Miss Roo', I know you're saying in your head," She made a mock face of frowning aspiration, which made Scootaloo's mother laugh loudly, "No, Rainbow Dash. If you tell her that she's the queen of the moon she's gonna believe you! Don't encourage her antics!" Rainbow patted a hoof to her chest, before holding it out to the air, "I know, Miss R', I know. ... but, I calls 'em as I sees' em. Even though your girl is a spitfire, you can handle her and her brothers like nobodies' business, so I'm not worried. You just gotta be worried about the fellas, Miss Roo, cause, Scootaloo is an amazing pony and they've gotta be lining up, right about now, ready to tussle over her. Anyone that knows me is a great pony, but Scootaloo pushes the envelope."

Dash landed next to Rarity, grinning still, "Any pony that can pull a three-sixty no scope barrel lunge across the town fountain with nothing but a scooter is dang cool in my books. Scootaloo, keep up the good work." She paused, shaking the mic, "Yo', Applejack! Get your flank up here, girl."

"Hold ya' horses, Dash. I ain't got wings, you-"

Apple Bloom half giggled, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were also grinning and laughing as Applejack proudly moseyed up on stage, taking the mic from the impatient Rainbow Dash. She trotted over toward Apple Bloom, nudging herself in the middle along side the filly. "I wanted Big Mac to tell ya' what a special little filly ya' are, Apple Bloom, but he's mighty stage shy."

There was a small chuckle amongst the crowd, from those that seemed to recall something, and Apple Bloom could see her big brother nodding with a small smile on his face. "Granny, you awake over there?" Applejack called, smiling, "Cause I don't want ya' to be missin' this."

"Hggnnnnn. Zzzhhh. Nhh? Ahhh-yess... deariee..." Mac had nudged Granny Smith, chuckling, and their grandma waved slowly at the two on stage. Applejack nodded, ruffling Apple Bloom's hair slightly. "Apple Bloom, you're a might bit stubborn, always sweet and sour, and you can never ever let something go once you start thinking about it. I worry about 'them boys Dashie was talkin' bout." She smiled slightly, chuckling, "You'll get one stuck in your noggin' and never let the poor boy be."

Apple Bloom shifted uncomfortably at the idea, blushing and shrugging, as her sister laughed and went on, "You're the apple of our eye, of us Apples. Ain't that right gang?" Where Rainbow Dash had gotten the crowd to yell out a various amount of "Woo" and "S' right Scoota', you go girl", Applejack raised a loud unanimous, "Yeeeesss'mam! Yeeeehawww-" from a good half of it. "My little sister is a smart little cookie. She's the most curious of these three fillies, and I know it's gotten her and them into a lot of trouble. Apple Bloom, just remember, if you ever need help, Applejack will be there."

She paused when she heard a snort and a whinny in the background, and added, "Macintosh will be too."

Nodding, Apple Bloom smiled, then mumbling, "I know."

Applejack chuckled. "Our family is a big one, and a tight knit one. We love you with all our hearts, and we think you're gonna do amazing things, Bloom'. I know ya' don't need to hear it from the lips of honesty to know it rings true, and will never change. I can't really top Dash," There was a brief moment where the earth pony and the pegasus exchanged expressions, Applejack's tongue stuck out and her face unimpressed with Dash grinning manically all the while, "But I'll tell you this. Ain't no pony that's ever made me feel prouder in my life."

Applejack nudged the filly with her nose, in a momentary hug, before she smiled and trotted towards Rainbow Dash and Rarity, "I suppose that leaves me to 'hoof it back to Rarity."

"Simply smashing~ you two..." She said, with a nod, before trotting forward a bit, "Spike~ Twilight, bring it in, would you?"

The Crusaders shared a look for a moment, Scootaloo blinking and saying, "Oh, boy."

"To commemorate this, the second year of our little Crusaders, I decided, while I could not do much for them, I would do what I could." Rarity said happily, "With the help of my fellows, Twilight and Fluttershy, I have managed to come up with the perfect idea, and I have implemented it flawlessly."

Twilight was struggling a bit-until Rarity joined in, to float a large wooden crate across the room, Spike following behind with a similar, smaller box. It landed in front of Rarity with a small clatter, and Spike shimmied up to her side, holding the small box very much like a ring bearer might. The Crusaders watched with interest, quite like the crowd did, all a bubble with a mix of excitement and worry.

Applejack opened the crate with a swift kick, and Rarity floated three of what it contained out into the air. The capes fluttered and shimmered slightly with magic, and Apple Bloom stared at them for a moment. All three of the fillies glanced backwards towards their backs, towards the capes Sweetie Belle had first made them. They were slightly in shambles, Scootaloo's cape scruffy and torn, Apple Bloom's slightly scorched, and Sweetie Belle's slightly faded from the wash.

The capes were still important, very important to them, and they were proud of them.

Rarity seemed to know this, immediately starting with, as she dropped two of the capes into the hooves of Applejack and Rainbow Dash, "Now, I know how important your capes are to you, darlings. I know you love them, and wouldn't replace them for anything in the world because Sweetie Belle made them." She smiled approvingly, "I have dresses like that, that I keep to remind me of old. However, I can't wear them anymore. I can't show how proud I am of them by wearing them, because I, frankly, would look silly trying to wear them now. As would I destroy them in the process." She messed with her hair, flipping it over her shoulder, "I keep them on display in my workshop. Your capes are in such... a condition my dears, I'm afraid they'll be lost if you don't retire them. They are a testament to the year past."

She then beamed, "I think you will find their replacements not a mockery, but..."

"Twenty percent cooler," Rainbow Dashed chimed in, grinning as she held it up.

"Mhn, yes." Agreed Rarity smiling. "Shall we girls?"

Applejack nodded, pulling a bottle from under her hat, "I've been dying to see why ya' asked me to do this." Rainbow Dash nodded, "Me too-cause, I'd never do this otherwise."

With a loud sound that scared half the room, Dashie tore into the cape-pulling it in half with a strenuous effort. Rarity did the same, dicing the cape in the air up with her horn into tiny pieces, and Applejack, murmured, "Oh, sweet cider. Sorry 'bout this," and poured half the bottle onto the cape she'd placed on the floor.

This mutilation and obvious disrespect of the Cutie Mark Crusader's uniform had obvious meaning behind it, as Sweetie Belle knew that Rarity would neverneverever do such a thing without reason. So she waited, with intrigue, leaving Scootaloo to stare at her questioningly-as if wanting the other to explain why she wasn't freaking out, and Apple Bloom to sit there with her mouth hanging open.

"Not Granny Apple's cider! That'll never come out'." She sputtered, as the three older ponies stepped away form the capes.

For a good twenty seconds nothing happened, and after a minute-the capes almost twitched-and came alive, shimmering with a blend of purple magic. Rainbow's cape flew up off the floor, and started pulling itself back together at the tear, Rarity's following suit-piece by piece repairing itself. Applejack's almost acted peeved that the earth pony had taken a half cup of cider and sloshed it on it, and reared off the floor-twisting itself into a tight roll, throwing cider at the pony.

"Hey!" Applejack sputtered in surprise, as the cape shook itself off (rather amusing the audience), and puffed up for a moment-before gently falling back into the pony's hoof. Applejack felt at it, raising an eyebrow, before she sniffed it. "... washed' an' dried. Not a hint of my cider." Rainbow Dash whistled as the fabric fell back into her hands, unscarred by her attempts to destroy it. "That's some trick!"

Rarity smiled, "Not so much as a trick as a bit of enchantment. Twilight helped me find the spell, and Fluttershy helped me sew all of them." Beaming, she turned towards her little sister and asked, "What do you think?" She floated one over to them, and let Sweetie Belle take it.

It was... different. It was better made than Sweetie Belle's attempt, but that was to be expected. Not a stitch was out of place, and their emblem was dead center, embroidered against the red cape flawlessly. The underside was the same fabric as the originals, and while Rarity had changed the fabric for the top-it was likely do to a magically complication in her spell. It was also a touch bigger, as their own capes were slowly showing their age by "shrinking".

"... It's beautiful," Sweetie Belle said, with a soft smile, as she let it float back to her sister.

After a bit of though, she slowly pulled her own cape off, staring at it for a long moment. Trotting over to Scootaloo, she blinked at her, until the pegasus gave her cape up, with reverence. Apple Bloom blinked, and half gasped when Sweetie Belle pulled both capes carefully apart with her magic, struggling with the task. Eventually she managed it, now holding four bits of fabric. She twisted the reds and golds together, and bound the two capes together, making a sort of rope with the four pieces.

She then brought the rope over to Apple Bloom, placing it on the floor. "Do you mind if...?" She asked, her hooves already undoing the knot where Apple Bloom had tied the cape about her neck-"Uh-Sweetie Belle, you gotta ask that before you start untying things-" Scootaloo said, holding back a smile. Apple Bloom just blinked, her thoughts over taking her for a moment.

Sweetie Belle then attached Apple Bloom's cape to the ropes of her own and Scootaloo's, making something of a easily hung banner of arms. She draped it across where some of Pinkie Pie's streamer decorations were, and beamed at it. "We can hang it in the club house later! To remind us of our first year of Crusading!"

It hung slightly lopsided, right over one of the pictures Applejack had brought in.

Apple Bloom found herself falling back to the image the picture showed, the huge bonfire, Applejack and the Crusaders, singing and dancing about it. The bonfire had been so much bigger than them, but Apple Bloom hadn't felt alone until it'd gone out, and they'd slept in the field under the stars in an awed silence. She'dnever felt more alone. She'd been with her friends, her big sister, but all those stars...

All those stars made her think of all the other ponies and creatures out there... How she was so small... just a small piece of Equestria was Ponyville... and...

That was what was missing.

Her eyes sharp, and her focus back on track, she began to reel-thinking and thinking fast. She knew what she wanted, and she knew what sort of change she would be asking of Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

She didn't even notice when Applejack tied her new cape around her neck, and then slipped something else over her ears, over her bow, and tucked it under her hair. Apple Bloom's mind was in an entirely different place, a place with blueprints and wood, and a foundation she wanted to fix.

Sweetie Belle squealed slightly as she stared down at what hung around her neck, and Scootaloo was holding the secondary object (which had been contained in the smaller box Spike had been toting about) and was either contemplating if it was cool enough to be on her neck, or if it was too girly to wear after this. The white unicorn hopped about for a moment, "Swapsleek pendents! All the rage in the city." She cheered, examining the tiny intricate shield that hung on the gold chain about her neck. Scootaloo's golden chain was sporting a silver sword, which was indeed cool, but it was girly being jewelry... she was internally debating, and trying to think back to find a time where Rainbow Dash had worn jewelry...

They also took note of Apple Bloom's-a golden helmet with a plume on a silver chain, simple but stylish.

Rarity beamed, stepping away from her sister, "Well, we're going to wrap this up, dears. Nearly past your bedtimes. I suppose we should end as we planed-with a few last words from the Cutie Mark Crusaders themselves."

Scootaloo's eyes sparked, and she grinned, "That sound so cool! Yeah! I think I've got something." With that statement in mind, Rainbow Dash handed her the microphone, and pushed her slightly in font of the crowd, "Then have at it, kid'."

"... THANK YOU PONYVILLE. GOOD NIGHT EVERYBODY! ROCK ON, SCOOTALOO IS, OUT! Peace, bronies," The shriek of a ecstatic pony with adrenaline pumping in her veins, and no time to waste, it was fitting for Scootaloo to shout such odd, fitting, perfectly fun things.

She handed it off to Sweetie Belle, who was very frank and polite, given that she'd had time to consider what she wanted to say, "Thank you for coming out to celebrate our club's second ana-"

"Birthday!"

"... birthday." She said, shyly, "I had a really good time, the popcorn cake was really really good Pinkie... and... uhm. Thanks to Apple Bloom for really starting this whole thing. She and Scootaloo are the best friends I could ask for, and our club will hopefully go forward and into more great times with them." She smiled, "Souhmthanksyouguys, and I've simply got to go now..."

She tried to hand off the microphone to Apple Bloom, who was still spacey, and not quite there.

"... Uh, Apple Bloom. Hello in there?"

"Apple Bloom? Are you okay?"

"Hey! Wake up! Heyyyy!"

"Oh, what shall we do? Has she fallen asleep?"

"Apple Bloom can't sleep with her eyes open, Rarity."

Apple Bloom came to, and stomped a hoof. Her frown silenced everyone-and she loudly proclaimed, needing no microphone: "I want us to change! I want the Cutie Mark Crusaders to be the best that they can be. No, I want the Cutie Mark Crusaders to be... more than we can be! I want us to be more than we can be!" She hollered, on some sort of inspired kick as she reared back, then landed.

The earth pony turned towards her friend, tucking her ears back nervously, "I want to change us for the better. How we are right now... It don't feel right. I know you might not see, might not feel it-but we have to change before it's too late. I want us to do a lot of things," She went on boldly, her nerves almost getting to her, as well as Scootaloo's surprised look, and Sweetie Belle's confused one.

"... But the first thing I want to do is recruit. I want us to find new members. Other ponies that want to find themselves, but just simply have been down on their luck." She said, wincing-then opening her eyes to see if Scootaloo had started arguing or yelling back yet.

She, having seemingly paralyzed her sister, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, went on-with a whole lot of care, "Our group is fun... and wonderful... but I think we've been going about it the wrong way. So we need to change from the foundation up-and we need other ponies there so that we don't fall into habit, and go back to our old ways. We're just three ponies, but we could do so much more if there... if our group was bigger, Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle." It was a rough translation of what she wanted, but it was hard to form words beyond "change" and "new members" at the moment.

After a long bout of silence, she could hear Pinkie Pie, "That sound soooo super! Heee~ Next year's party is gonna be even more awesome!"

Sweetie Belle, after a thought nodded. Without elaborating too heavily she said, "I... was going to ask... for a friend of a friend of mine... soon... if this fellow might join us..." Scootaloo was still staring oddly, but then broke down, "Well, if you think it'll help us get our cutie marks, I'm down with it."

Apple Bloom beamed, "You'll see, I promise. I'll mill it over, every thing I think needs adressin', and we can meet in the clubhouse about it tomorrow!"

They all trotted into the now slowly moving mass of ponies, who were all on their way home.

Applejack watched as the girls left the building, hanging out somewhere outside it awaiting their families, and thought to herself... More than what you are? It was a hay-silo high of a dream. She turned to Rarity, and smiled, "Thanks, for all this Rarity. It was a great idea, it looks like'."

Rarity stared at the box of spare capes, and capes she'd made for the future, and turned one over in the box with a small sigh and a happy smile, "Well, it's nice to know these capes won't be sitting idly by and waiting for the girls to grow up..."

"It seems they've already started." Chuckled Applejack.

author notes ;; I've been looking for a good Crusader central story for a while, one where they expand their horizons, become bad asses, beat the bad guy, rescue that princess, and even go on adventures outside of Ponyville like the older manecast. Where's it been? So, I've decided Pinkiepool destroyed that which was epic and fantastic, since I can't find one I truly enjoy, and has hidden the last remaining epics for the Cutie Mark Crusaders in my brain.

Which was terrible judgement on her part, because I am well in tuned to the fourth wall and the limits of space so they were easily found within the deepest parts of my imagination and then translated by the vector sector of my brain as par-why are you staring at me like that?

[oh, god the stares-]

I congratulate you for getting through this brick of a "not even the first chapter".

(I kid you not, this is a prelude) Stop twitching?

This, as you may well tell, is going to be a long and bumpy ride that consists of three acts, roughly made up of eleven and two-third chapters each, the cast consisting of background ponies, our original crusaders, four original ponies or unicorns or pegasus, whatever, a villain that is not a pair of bullies or a group of bullies, Princess Luna with a secret, trollin' Princess Celestia, and several moments of insanity and longevity.

Or, at least-I told you this, anyway.

Thanks at my pre-reader & editor, Lexi. =3

I hope you like ponies.

I hope you like them a lot.

...

Next week, on Destined Crusaders,

Over protective single parent ponies for change!

Alcoholism.

Theater!

Glass slippers.

Until next time, I'm your host, Penn & Paper.

Thanks for reading, my bronies.

Reviews = happy rainicorns.