The Cutie Mark Crusades
Apple Bloom waited happily at the train station, Sweetie Bell jumping up and down next to her.
"I can't believe Scootaloo's finally back! Whoo-hoo!" Sweetie Bell swished her tail and jumped some more. "It's been so loooooong since we've seen you," Sweetie Bell sang, breaking out into song. Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, but she had a smile on her face. Around Sweetie Bell, you got used to impromptu ballads.
Thankfully, for Apple Bloom's ears (Sweetie Bell had a penchant for singing very loudly), the train chose that moment to pull into the station. Steam hissed and suddenly the air was foggy, but only for a second. Scootaloo, her pink mane flying, burst through the cloud of her scooter, catching four feet of air.
"WHOO!" she shouted, coming in for a perfect landing. She skidded to a stop. "How's it going, gals?"
It was Sweetie Bell who noticed first. She gasped dramatically. "SCOOTALOO!" Apple Bloom's eyes alighted on Scootaloo's flank.
"YOU HAVE YOUR CUTIE MARK!" They proclaimed in unison.
Scootaloo smiled as her friends danced around her. Sweetie Bell was singing something about cutie marks, and Apple Bloom kept repeating "Scootaloo has her cutie mark!"
They abruptly stopped.
"So what is it?"
"What's your talent?"
"Well I'd think it's kind of obvious," Scootaloo said with fake sarcasm. She smiled. "Now I think about it, it's like duh. It's a scooter!" She grinned from ear to ear. "While I was in Manehatten, I discovered that I love traveling, especially by scooter! When I grow up, I'm going to see the world."
"Woooooow," Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell said in awe.
"Well, it's not lion-taming," Apple Bloom said, with a knowing smile. "But hey, I guess that's pretty cool!"
"Not as cool as Rainbow Dash's story," Scootaloo said, wilting.
"It's alright, Scootaloo! You were the first out of the Crusaders to get your mark- that's really cool!" Sweetie Bell assured Scootaloo.
"I guess," said Scootaloo, smiling.
"Well let's celebrate!" Apple Bloom shouted. The three fillies began to rush off into town, when Sweetie Bell came to a stop.
"Aw…" she said. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo stopped a few feet away.
"What is it?" Scootaloo asked.
"I have to practice for my concert tonight," Sweetie Bell said. "I just remembered. It's some routine thing I have for my music class…" She frowned. "I'm sorry guys."
"It's okay- we'll celebrate later. It wouldn't be a Cutie Mark Crusaders party if all of us weren't there." Scottaloo nodded definitively.
Apple Bloom agreed. "Hey, there's going to be cake at your concert, right?"
"I guess so," Sweetie Bell said, unsure. "And all sorts of snacks. My teacher likes to make it a fancy occasion. Rarity's making me wear a dress." She stuck her tongue out.
"We could help you practice!" Scootaloo volunteered.
"Because everyone knows how awesome Scootaloo is with classical music." Apple Bloom winked.
"Ugh, classical?" Scootaloo asked.
Sweetie Bell nodded.
"I wouldn't be much help anyway, then." Scootaloo started up her scooter again, and the others followed. "But I'll be at your concert!"
"She just might not be awake," Apple Bloom completed. Scootaloo elbowed Apple Bloom and Apple Bloom elbowed her back, knocking her sideways on her scooter. Sweetie Bell left them arguing, and passed through the front door of her sister's boutique.
Sweetie Bell was glad to see that Rarity was nowhere in sight. The front room was empty, besides the few dresses Rarity had out on display. Sweetie Bell went through the kitchen a picked up an apple to eat, as well as a glass of honeyed water. Unsure of herself, she let her unicorn horn light up. She'd seen Rarity do this a million times. How hard could it be?
After dropping the apple a few times on her way to the outer shop, she finally got the hang of it. She was a little nervous about the glass, but she managed it without spilling a drop. She was getting better at this! All that practice was finally paying off.
Sweetie Bell had always been pretty bad at paying attention to her magic. When she was younger, she'd try to move something and forget halfway through what she was doing- much to Rarity's displeasure. Rarity had had so many things spilled on her; she hated to even be in the room when Sweetie Bell tried to use her magic.
Well now she'd show her! She'd use magic to move stuff tomorrow while they were making breakfast. But as for today, Sweetie Bell had bigger things to focus on. At least music and singing were something that her mind found hard to drift from. In fact, it always seemed to drift to those very same subjects. A potted plant or a scurrying beetle could inspire lyrics and a wisp of tune.
Sweetie Bell cleared her throat, softly. She then began to sing her scales, to warm up.
"La, la la la la la la…"
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were a little late for the concert. Most ponies were already there, shuffling to get inside, or even already in their reserved spots. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom squeezed through between an elderly pony and a stallion with a monocle. They found a space near the front, in the middle of everything. There were a lot of people! Apparently, this concert was some sort of charity event, and Sweetie Bell's teacher had signed her up as one of the performances. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shared a look. Wow! Their friend was going to be famous!
There wasn't enough time to sneak backstage and wish Sweetie Bell good luck- or, oops- to break a leg. Scootaloo noticed movement at the edge of one of the curtains. Sweetie Bell appeared around the edge of the curtain and looked around, apparently looking for them.
Apple Bloom waved energetically and Scootaloo bounced up and down. Sweetie Bell caught sight of them and smiled before disappearing backstage again.
"I'll wake you up when Sweetie Bell comes on," Apple Bloom said to Scootaloo.
"What makes you think I'm going to doze off?" Scootaloo asked huffily.
"Um, I know you?" Apple Bloom said in her Southern drawl. "Opera and pretty music puts you right to sleep."
"Whatever," said Scootaloo, scowling.
Sweetie Bell was nervous. It was almost her turn. It had been a half hour already since she'd waved to her friends. Good thing she could see them. She'd focus on them, and nobody else, like her teacher had recommended. She hadn't realized there were going to be so many people! Usually her concerts (with her teacher's other students) had drawn maybe 10, 20 ponies. But there had to be at least 200 out there tonight!
There had been an introduction, and that took forever. Then a few acts went on- first a puppet show, then stand-up comedy. Sweetie Bell wasn't one of the finale performances, but she wasn't one of the rinky-dink first ones either. She was somewhere in the middle, and she didn't really know what that made her. Mildly amusing? The stand-up comedy had been good, though.
"What am I doing here…" she sang quietly. "I don't know if I belong. The last time I was on a stage…well it's been so long."
Before she could think of more lyrics to describe her uncertainty, her teacher came up behind her and tapped her lightly.
"You ready, Sweetie Bell? You're next!"
Sweetie Bell nodded and swallowed. She let herself forget about all of her worries and stepped out onto the stage. Suddenly, there was a spotlight, and she couldn't see anyone in the audience. She picked out two small fillies by their shadows, and slowly allowed herself to smile.
"Countryside, green meadowed fields… Ponies living in harmony! Nature and natural laughter, sun and rain and trees!" she began.
Her song was about Ponyville, and its simple beauty and amicable ponyfolk.
"That's what Ponyville, oh that's what Ponyville…that's what Ponyville is all aaa bouuuuuuut!" She finished. She took a deep breath and stared out over the audience. For a moment, she thought the world had stopped, but then she heard this pounding thunder in her ears, slowly growing louder…
The ponies were applauding! They stamped their hooves into the ground and some even whistled. She could hear Apple Bloom and Scootaloo screaming her name, just barely, over the din.
They liked my song! A warm feeling burst in Sweetie Bell's heart. And…it was fun being here, on stage. I'm happy that…I could make them happy! I want to do this again sometime!
As she trotted slowly offstage, she shook her head slightly, smiling. They liked my singing too. Am I really that good? They were applauding…
"I'm good at singing," she said softly as a juggling act went on. The dark dimness of backstage enveloped her. "I like singing." She sat down- her dress crinkling- lost in thought.
"You were AMAZING!" Apple Bloom declared. "Wow! I mean, I knew you could sing but-"
"That was pretty great," said Scootaloo. She gave her friend a warm smile.
"Though I had to shake Scootaloo awake so she could hear you," Apple Bloom said, shaking her head. She's hopeless.
"Whatever," Scootaloo said. "I saw you nodding during the 'comedy' too."
"Why do concerts have to be so-" Apple Bloom yawned. "-late at night?"
"It's a tradition thing, I guess," Sweetie Bell said. She herself wasn't tired at all. Her entire body was fizzing with energy. "Hey guys…"
Scootaloo yawned too, no doubt train-lagged. "Yeah?"
"I got my cutie mark," Sweetie Bell said shyly.
"Singin'?" Apple Bloom asked. "Whoa!" She admired the shiny new music notes on Sweetie Bell's flank.
"Yup," Sweetie Bell said proudly. "I realized that I love entertaining people- and I especially love making up soooongs." She sang the last word. "So that's what I want to do."
"Wow!" Apple Bloom said. "That's so great! Both of you in the same day!" She danced around Sweetie Bell. Scootaloo was blinking lazily.
"That's awesome-yawn- Sweetie Bell."
"Yeah. Rarity said she couldn't believe it took me this long-" she imitated Rarity's affected accent. "- to realize I like singin'. I mean, I knew already I guess. I just didn't know, ya know?"
Scootaloo nodded knowingly. "Yeah. I get ya."
Apple Bloom stopped in her dance and sat on her rump. "Oh." She's just realized she was the only one in the group without a cutie mark.
"You okay, Apple Bloom?" Sweetie Bell asked, concerned.
"Yeah…uh. I'm fine." She put on a brave smile. "Hey! How about I throw you two a Cute-cenera! That'd be awesome!"
"Yes!" Scootaloo said, high-fiving Apple Bloom.
"Alright, if it won't be too much trouble," Sweetie Bell said.
"Huff. For you guys? No way! The Cutie Mark Crusaders always do things together!"
Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell exchanged a look.
"Well, I guess we aren't Crusaders anymore, huh?" Scootaloo said.
Apple Bloom frowned. "Yeah… I guess not."
"We could come up with a new name!" Sweetie Bell volunteered.
"The Scooting-Singing…" Scootaloo began, then she trailed off.
"Don't worry about it guys." Apple Bloom began to walk forlornly over to where her family was waiting to go home. "It'll be an awesome Cute-cenera! Just you wait," she called over her shoulder.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell exchanged the same look again. Poor Apple Bloom.
"We're the Crusaders. We were supposed to get our cutie marks together," Apple Bloom said sadly. She was drinking a tall glass of apple juice through a straw. Her family was lounging about in the living room, full of ice cream. They'd all enjoyed the concert, especially Granny Smith.
"Didja see all them talented ponies out there, I say," she was saying. Though Granny Smith didn't mean anything by it toward Apple Bloom, the comment still stung. Granny Smith had really enjoyed the performances. A.J. told Apple Bloom that she'd almost swallowed her dentures laughing so hard at some of the acts. The thought made Apple Bloom smile a little, and also grimace.
"Well, Apple Bloom, don't you think it's time you be getting to bed?" A.J. said, from where she sat in a beanbag chair.
Apple Bloom glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned. "I don't feel tired, Apple Jack."
Big Macintosh looked worriedly at A.J.
"Look, hon, I know it's hard when all your friends get their cutie marks-" Apple Jack started to say, talking a bit loudly over Granny Smith's sudden snoring.
"It's not that. I-" Apple Bloom frowned. "So maybe it is that. I'm happy for them! I am! It's all we ever dreamed of… I just. Kinda feel left out, you know?"
"Well it doesn't matter!" she said, before A.J. could reply. "I'm going to throw them the best Cute-cenera a filly ever had!"
"Two fillies ever had," Apple Jack corrected with a smile.
"I'll need all the help I can get, too," Apple Bloom said. "Can I count on you guys to help me out on Saturday?"
A.J. and Big Macintosh nodded. "Of course, little sis," A.J. said. "Eeyup," Big Mac reiterated.
Apple Bloom grinned hugely. "Thank you!" She yawned. "I guess I am feelin' a little tuckered. G'night."
"G'night," Apple Jack said with a sisterly smile. She watched little Apple Bloom trudge up the stairs and shook her head. They grow up so fast!
Apple Bloom woke up bright and early on Saturday. She pulled out her lists she'd made the night before and went to wake up her family.
They'd all been so busy with the orchard for the last week, none of them had had time to pick up supplies or do much preparing. So now, here they were, the day of the party, and nothing had been done.
Well, almost nothing. Apple Bloom scanned her list.
Charter a Rainbow Dash appearance for Scootaloo
Streamers and Balloons (Pinkie Pie)
Cake, muffins and cupcakes (Sugarcube Corner)
Veggie platters (Fluttershy)
Ice cream (Granny Smith)
Stage and Music (Apple Jack) Music?
Gazebo and lights (Big Mac)
Invites (word-of-mouth) check
Apple Bloom tapped the sheet with her pencil, thinking. Had she forgotten anything? In the end, all she had succeeded in doing was marking it up with bits of graphite. She put the list in her saddlebags and went off to town to pick up supplies. They would have had to get the food today anyway, and the rest was up to the others. She had full confidence in her family- if anyone could pull this off, the Apples could.
Apple Bloom went into town. Not many people were up yet, as the sun had barely risen. But Apple Bloom didn't have time to waste. She went to Sugar Cube corner first, pulling a small apple cart behind her. It was empty of apples today, and was behind put to use to carry party supplies.
Apple Bloom unhitched her cart and walked into Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie Pie was up already, bright-eyed and bushy tailed.
"And what can I do ya for?" Pinkie Pie asked cheerily.
"Well I'm here to get a cake for the party-"
"A party? A PARTY! I love parties! I love the lights, the candles, the cake, the dancing-"
"Do you have a half lemon half strawberry cake around here?"
"Ahhhh. No, nopeity nope-y loki. Sold the last one to Fluttershy earlier."
"Well, could you make another one and I could come get it later?"
"Mr. and Mrs. Cake are awful bogged down on orders today," said Pinkie Pie with a rare frown. "Sorry, pip-squeak. I've got chocolate cakes…" She gestured and then took a rabid bite of one. "Oops. Maybe you could convince Fluttershy to sell you the cake."
Apple Bloom nodded. She had to see Fluttershy anyway. "Hey…do you think I could buy some confetti off you-" Before she finished her comment, confetti was flying everywhere, and streamers fell from the ceiling.
"Oooh! I love confetti!"
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes.
Apple Bloom tugged her cart in the direction of Fluttershy's house. It was a little later in the morning, and ponies were starting to stir in their houses. Apple Bloom shook her head. How did these town-ponies ever get along without roosters to wake them? They'd lost a good hour of daylight already.
Apple Bloom struggled up the hill with her cart, trying not to let any of the party poppers roll out the back of her cart. She finally made it to the top, and unhitched it. She went up and knocked on Fluttershy's door.
"Fluttershy?" she called. "It's Apple Bloom."
Fluttershy opened the door. Her eyes were still tired from sleep and she wore a light and fluffy blue robe and slippers. A cup of coffee sat on the counter in the kitchen.
"Hi Apple Bloom," Fluttershy said quietly. "I have those veggie platters ready for you."
"Oh, thank you," Apple Bloom said, walking into the house after Fluttershy. Little critters were everywhere, eating their breakfasts. Some was lettuce, and some were little pellets. It appeared that Fluttershy fed her charges before she even ate anything.
"Fluttershy, I was wondering…" Apple Bloom began. Fluttershy had gone into the kitchen, and she emerged with a large platter of carrots and veggies balanced on her head.
"Yes?" she asked sweetly.
"Well, Pinkie Pie said you bought a cake today. It turns out that that's the only kind of cake that my friends will both eat, and see I don't have the budget for two cakes and…"
"Oh!" Fluttershy said, her eyes widening. "Yes, I see what you mean." Without explanation, she hurried into the kitchen. Pinkie Pie heard a smack and then Fluttershy returned, sadly, with a half-nommed cake, the dish bitten tightly and held upright.
"Oh…" Apple Bloom said. It appeared as if someone had just started at the very edge, and worked their way inward.
Fluttershy put it down on the counter. "Sorry about that. Angel bunny won't eat his breakfast until he's had cake…"
"It's not your fault, Fluttershy." Apple Bloom looked at the ruined cake. "I'm sure I can do something with it. Do you think I could buy-"
"Oh no! I wouldn't dream of it. You take the cake, Apple Bloom." Fluttershy smiled. "After all, you only have a Cute-cenera once."
Apple Bloom picked up the plate with her teeth. "Tnk ooo U-te-i."
She walked outside with the cake, and almost dropped it when she saw what had happened to her cart. It had rolled backward down the hill, launching the party decorations into the pond.
Apple Bloom put down the plate. "Noo!"
A half- hour later, Apple Bloom was trudging back to Sugarcube Corner with the half-eaten cake and some soggy party decorations. The only thing that was untouched was the plastic-wrapped veggie platters. A few of the carrots were nibbled, but for the most part they were okay.
"Pinkie Pie, is there anything you can do for this cake?" Apple Bloom asked, after she'd plunked down the plate on the counter.
Pinkie Pie stared wide-eyed at the lemon/strawberry cake. "I…don't know…"
"I have to run some more errands. Please! Do what you can!" Apple Bloom rushed out of the shop. She was running out of time!
Apple Bloom stopped by Rainbow Dash's usual tree, cloud, everything, but couldn't seem to find her anywhere. She stopped Twilight Sparkle in the street and asked, but Twilight hadn't seen her.
"Rainbow!" Apple Bloom called. She was wandering around the edge of the Everfree forest. The morning had aged into bright sunshine now, the sun slowly moving into the middle of the sky. "Rainbow Dash!"
Apple Bloom sighed. She was getting nowhere. She'd better head on over to Sweet Apple Acres and see how her family was getting along with preperations.
Apple Bloom's mouth hung open. Granny Smith's homemade ice cream was melted slush. Apple Jack had hired polka players for the music…and Big Macintosh had managed to accidently tear up Apple Bloom's carefully created banner with a pillar.
Apple Bloom took a deep breath. And then another one.
"We can fix this…" she said.
An hour later, the yard was a worse mess than it had been before, and the party was in a few hours. Apple Bloom, superbly frustrated, rushed to her room and slammed the door.
"UGHHH!" she screamed, throwing a pillow against the wall. Why was nothing going right? After a few minutes, she calmed down and pulled out her list once more.
Apple Jack, hire soft rock DJ, new batch of ice cream
Big Mac, reorder the pillars (she drew a picture for reference)
Granny Smith, stand back and make sure the pillars are just right
Apple Bloom, Rainbow Dash, supplies
New banner?
After writing all this down, Apple Bloom felt a lot better. She went outside again.
"Hey Sugarcube. Sorry things are a mess," AJ said. Big Mac nodded. "Eeyup."
"It's alright Apple Jack. We can fix this." Apple Bloom smiled. "If we can't, no one can."
"Happy to help," Apple Jack said. "Now what do you need me to do?"
Apple Bloom had already worked out the rest of the money side. "Talk to the polka players. Have them open for a soft rock DJ. It'll be kinda like a joke. Or, while we get food and stuff they'll be background music. Pinkie Pie'll love that. Now, we don't have a lot of money left to hire a DJ…but you know Vinyl Scratch right? Maybe she could cut us a deal?"
AJ nodded. "Good as done, sis." She accepted a few bits and galloped off. She ran off before Apple Bloom could ask her about the ice cream. Oh well.
"Big Mac," Apple Bloom said, turning to her older brother. He nodded. "Have Granny Smith spot you, and nudge a few of those pillars into this shape." She picked up the paper and gave it to him. "Also, could you whip up some of your famous chocolate ice cream?"
"Eeyup, I could do that."
"Thank you! I'm off to town again." Apple Bloom sighed. "Good luck!"
It took only a few minutes to get to town. Apple Bloom walked warily up the street to Sugarcube Corner. There were a lot of ponies about now, and their happy chattering didn't help her nerves. Sure she'd calmed down a little, but she was still on edge. And who knew what had happened to the cake…
Apple Bloom was pleasantly surprised to find her cart packed with party decorations. She went into the shop, and a bell dinged lightly above her.
"Hello Apple Bloom," Mrs. Cake said happily. "I hope you don't mind, but we brought in your veggies and put them in the fridge."
Apple Bloom smacked her head. How could she just leave the veggies outside? Well, she had been in a hurry.
"Thank you, Mrs. Cake! I can't believe I forgot them."
"No problem, my little pony. Oh- and Pinkie left this for you." Mrs. Cake nudged a cake box toward Apple Bloom. The filly walked over to the counter and popped the box open. Inside was a decidedly smaller, but well-frosted strawberry and lemon cake.
"Yes!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. "This is perfect. Hey…um. Have you seen Rainbow Dash around?"
"No, dear." Mrs. Cake frowned. "Sorry."
"Can I leave my stuff here while I go find her?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Sure, dear." Mrs. Cake smiled again.
Apple Bloom rushed out of the shop. It was lunchtime now. Rainbow Dash had to be eating somewhere. Hopefully not Cloudsdale. Apple Bloom cantered down the street, dodging ponies and pets and packages. She whisked underneath a cart and then continued to gallop until she reached the tree Rainbow Dash usually favored.
Empty.
"Ughhhh…" Apple Bloom breathed. Without Rainbow Dash, it just wouldn't be the same. Sure, she'd be there, but Apple Bloom had wanted to do something special…
"Were you lookin' for me, kid?"
Apple Bloom perked up and spun around. "Rainbow Dash!"
Rainbow smiled. "Hey, kid."
"I was just wondering if you'd do a super cool entrance at the Cute-cenera for Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo later. I have a fog machine…"
Rainbow Dash shrugged. "What do you have in mind?"
"Yes!" Apple Bloom jumped for joy. "Well I was thinking…"
It was afternoon now, and the party was going to begin soon. Apple Bloom grinned from ear to ear as she gazed out over the prepped lawn. There was a wonderful stage constructed near the orchard, filled with band instruments and surrounded by small pillars. The band was already warming up, and she could hear the accordion from where she was, on the porch. There was a light breeze, and it ruffled the lights strung up on and around the pillars that were square around the dance floor. Streamers and confetti were in place, thanks to Pinkie Pie. A whole row of tables was lined up just off the dance floor, and there were a few scattered to the other side too, where ponies could leave their plates and go dancing.
Apple Bloom looked proudly out at the sun-filled, grassy area, and realized that even though it had been such a hectic day, she was proud of her family. She loved working with her family. They always came through, no matter what. She loved being with them too. They were funny, hardworking, and even when times were tough- optimistic.
Apple Bloom also slowly came to realize, as a list fluttered by her, that she'd had a lot of fun organizing this, and budgeting and delegating. She was pretty good at it too… In fact, she had made all this happen. Without her planning, it may have never come together.
"I love this," she said softly.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell showed up five minutes late- "fashionably late", as Rarity would say. Apple Bloom rushed up to them and gave them both a big hug.
"Hi gals!" She smiled. "Get up on stage, come on!"
"My two best friends in the whole world. That's why we're here tonight. They have passed to a new stage in their lives! They know what they want to do- they know their talents and have embraced them. We're here to congratulate them, honor their achievements, because frankly…we love you fillies." Apple Bloom flicked away a tear as she finished her speech. She gave her friends another hug and the audience gave a thunderous applause.
"Now, everyone! Get yourself something to eat, and then get dancing!" Polka music struck up in the background, and everyone laughed and moved off to various activities.
"That was great, Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo shouted over the music.
"Thank you!" said Sweetie Bell. The three friends walked offstage. That's when they noticed.
"Apple Bloom! YOU HAVE YOUR CUTIE MARK!" Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell screamed in tandem.
Apple Bloom glanced down at her apple-themed cutie mark, and for some reason didn't feel surprised. While she had been up on that stage, she was proud of her work, and knew that all she ever wanted to do was organize and work with numbers. She was also proud of her friends, and the most genuinely happy for them she could ever be.
Apple Bloom squealed. "Think this party has room for one more?"
Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell beamed. "Of course! Cutie Mark Crusaders are go!"
The three friends rushed off to the dance floor, dancing- where they could get in edgewise with Pinkie Pie's crazy style.
Rainbow Dash showed up a little later. Fog started pouring onto the stage, and the sky grew a bit dark. Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning, and Rainbow Dash appeared on stage! Scootaloo screamed. The sky grew light again as the clouds floated away, and Scootaloo rushed up to Rainbow Dash.
"You came! To my Cute-cenera!"
"Hey, it's mine too," said Sweetie Bell.
"No problemo," Rainbow Dash said with a smile. "Now let's party!"
The three fillies laughed as Rainbow Dash went off to dance.
"This is awesome, Apple Bloom," Scootaloo said.
"Yeah!" Sweetie Bell agreed.
"Thank you guys," Apple Bloom said. "But you two totally deserve it."
"After all that Crusadin'," Scootaloo began.
"You do too, Apple Bloom!" Sweetie Bell said.
"I'm kind of glad we don't have to do crazy stuff anymore," Apple Bloom said. "Sometimes, it got pretty out of hand."
"Yeah."
"Totally."
"Hey," Scootaloo said. "Are we still up for white-water-rafting tomorrow?"
"Yeah!"
"Totally!"
Myyyy Little Pony (credits)