?
[hammering]
Apple Bloom: Hear ye, hear ye!
The first post-cutie mark meeting
of the Cutie Mark Crusaders is now in session!
Ahem.
Oh! I'm sorry Apple Bloom.
I was distracted by the radiance of my cutie mark.
Did you say something?
I mean, it's pretty amazing how the colors just pop off
your flank. It's kinda hard to look awa-[clunk].
Look. I know our cutie marks are amazing.
But is that all we're gonna do now?
Just spend our days staring down at our own flanks?
[sigh] I guess not.
Yeah. I suppose that could get real boring.
Yeah.
This is ridiculous! We need to go out and do somethin'!
Wow. You're right!
Yeah! We need to go try new stuff like we used to!
Exactly.
Like square dancing!
♪ [country violin]
Or mountain climbing!
♪ [yodel]
Or square dancing on the mountain we just climbed!
♪ [yodel and violin]
Yeah!
the more chances we'll have to finally get our cutie marks!
Come on!
Um... Apple Bloom?
♪ My little pony, my little pony ♪
♪ Aaaahhh
♪ My little Pony
♪ I used to wonder what friendship could be. ♪
♪ My Little Pony
♪ Until you all shared its magic with me. ♪
♪ Big adventure! ♪ Tons of fun
♪ A beautiful heart! ♪ Faithful and strong! ♪
♪ Sharing kindness ♪ it's an easy feat
♪ And magic makes it all complete! ♪
♪ To have my little pony
♪ Do you know you're all my very best friends♪ ♪
?
Apple Bloom: Wow. Did we really only ever do things
just to get our cutie marks?
I don't know. Maybe?
Aw, come on. We did lots of stuff
that didn't have anything to do with getting a cutie mark.
Of course we did.
Absolutely.
?
Huh. So, now that we don't have to do stuff
to get our cutie marks,
what is it that the Cutie Mark Crusaders actually do?
We do exactly what we got our cutie marks in.
Helping other ponies!
Ponies without cutie marks!
Or ponies who've forgotten their special purpose!
Exactly! We just have to find ponies
who need our help. Come on!
But are you sure you feel content?
Eeyup.
Not even a tinge of dissatisfaction?
Nope.
Not even the slightest nagging sensation
that you don't really know what your purpose is in life
or why you have a big apple as a cutie mark?
[grunt]
Nope.
The important thing to remember
is that there is no rush.
The three of us tried for the longest time,
but it just comes when it comes.
And it's totally normal to feel confused
and maybe even a little lost.
But being a blank flank is nothing to be ashamed of.
So if you're having even the slightest problem...
Or concerns or questions...
We want you to know that we are here to help!
I don't think they're too worried about it yet.
[baby coos]
♪ [lively music]
?
[pop]
?
This is gonna be a lot harder than I thought.
Who knew there were so few ponies
worried about their cutie marks?
Kinda makes you wonder why we made such a big deal
out of it for so long.
What?
The point is, helping ponies with cutie mark problems
is what makes us special.
But if we can't find anypony with a problem...
maybe we're not special.
Bulk Biceps: YEAH!
I know exactly what you mean!
You can't find a cutie mark problem.
I have a cutie mark problem. It's so confusing
and I feel like the solution
is staring me right in the muzzle.
What?
I see why you guys hang out here. It's cozy!
The Crusader Clubhouse is a safe place, Mr., um... Bulk.
A place where we've faced all kinds of cutie mark problems.
A place where we'll go on to solve even more,
starting with yours!
No matter how long it takes.
Or how hard it is.
We'll solve it because that's what we do!
Yeah!
[grunt]
YEAH!
So what's your cutie mark problem?
Oh! Right! Uh, well, my cutie mark is a dumb bell.
But I've lifted every dumb bell in Ponyville!
Have you tried lifting other things?
You mean, not dumb bells?
Yeah.
YEAH!
[crash]
[grunt]
I mean, no. I hadn't thought of that.
YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!
[crash]
But what happens when I run out of other stuff?
I guess you could teach other ponies to lift things.
Yeah! Yeah.
YEAH! Wow. You three really have a knack for this!
That was easy!
Maybe too easy.
What do you mean?
Well, it's looking like cutie mark problems
are few and far between.
And?
And what if we never find another one?
Well...
And even if we do, we could solve it so quick
it'll be like it never happened in the first place.
So?
Sooo... then the Cutie Mark Crusaders
don't have any reason to exist!
♪ [dramatic crescendo]
Sweetie Belle: The problem boils down to this.
We don't need to go out and do things anymore
to get our cutie marks.
Right! And...
Ponies with Cutie Mark problems are hard to find.
Exactly. But even when we find problems,
we're so good at solving them that most of the time
there's nothing for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to do!
So, I thought we should start figuring out ways
to search all of Equestria for cutie mark problems!
That kinda seems like a lot.
I don't think Rarity would let me travel
to the far reaches of Equestria
looking for cutie mark problems.
Yeah. I'm sure we'll come across them in Ponyville.
And when we do, we'll totally solve them
because we are so awesome at it!
Ha!
But what do we do until then?
Maybe whatever we want?
What do you mean?
Well, we used to only do stuff to get our cutie marks
or fulfil our destiny, but now we don't have to.
So, we can do things just for fun?
Are you girls thinking what I'm thinking?
Sure am!
Scooting! Singing! Making potions!
Just remember: Stomp. Kick. And roll.
After this, you two are gonna love scootering as much as me.
If you say so.
Ready? Stomp!
Kick!
AND ROLL!
Whoo!
♪ Ta-da!
[chuckle] I don't think I did it right.
♪ [pitch pipe]
Doh...mi...soh
It's just a simple harmony.
Harmony, huh?
[tap tap tap]
And, ah-one and ah-two and ah-one, two, three...
♪ [discordant voices]
Wow. That was simple.
[snap]
It's just a dash and a drop and a drip.
Just a dash and a drop and a drip.
[explosion]
And even though Scootaloo thinks bungee jumping
is the bees knees,
Sweetie Belle would rather keep bees.
Of course, I'm allergic.
Who'd have thought it would be so hard
to find something for us all to do together?
Well, I know this might sound crazy, but what if we didn't?
Do things together. Well, do everything together.
But we're the Cutie Mark Crusaders!
And we always will be, but I really wanna bungee jump.
The speed! The height! The fall!
And I know you two aren't interested,
but I wanna try crochet.
you've always wanted to do on your own?
I don't know.
I guess I figured we'd always do stuff together.
But bungee jumping sounds just as scary
as crochet sounds boring.
That's OK. Sweetie Belle and I can do the things we like
and you can do whatever you like.
Just as soon as you figure out what it is.
I guess.
Great! Then we can meet back here
and talk all about what we've done.
But I don't know what it'll be.
You'll find something!
Something awesome!
[sigh] Well, I guess now I have to.
♪ [acoustic guitar]
♪ I never imagined myself out on my own ♪
♪ Tryin' to find out what's next for me ♪
♪ The Cutie Mark Crusaders have always been my home ♪
♪ Maybe now there's more that I could be ♪
♪ I guess as time goes by ♪
♪ Every pony has to go out on their own ♪
♪ And maybe someday I'll have to try ♪
♪ Something new that's just for me, ♪
♪ a little something that could be ♪
♪ just my own and I won't feel so left behind ♪
?
♪ We used to say that we'd be always side-by-side ♪
♪ Maybe things are changing and this could mean goodbye ♪
♪ I always thought our friendship ♪
♪ Was all I'd ever need
♪ We've always been crusadin' what else is there for me ♪
?
♪ I guess as time goes by
♪ Every pony has to go out on their own ♪
♪ And maybe someday I'll have to try ♪
♪ Something new that's just for me ♪
♪ A little something that could be ♪
♪ Just my own and I won't feel so left behind ♪
♪ [song ends]
Russian accented woman: And a-one, two, three, four!
Two, two, three, four.
One, two, three four. Two, two, three, four--
Whatever kind of dancing y'all are doing,
you're doing it together and I want in!
I-I mean uh, [ahem], would it be OK
if I enrolled in this dance class?
Well, let's see what you can do.
We have a recital at Town Hall tonight
and a spot just opened up.
Tender Taps is a little too shy to perform,
but if you're ready to step into a partnered routine...
That sounds an awful lot like friendship
and I'm ready for anything I don't have to do by myself.
Well, then, dancing with partner will be perfect.
♪ [tango rhythm]
Whoaaaaaa!
Whoa. Whoaaaaa!
[crashing]
Whew. I feel like that went pretty good but
let's give it one more whirl because it's important
that I do a good job partnering
with my new group of friends.
Ehh. Now I'm think of it, you might be better as soloist.
Teacher: Ehh, partnering is a little advanced for you,
but there's still lots you can do on your own.
I'm sorry, but doing stuff on my own
is exactly what I don't want.
Sorry it didn't work out.
Trying different things with my friends was always fun,
even when we were terrible. Now it's just terrible.
You weren't that bad; you just need to learn a few things
on your own. Being a soloist can be fun.
?
[hums] Ha!
?
[laugh] You just have to do it with feeling.
?
[sigh] Thanks, but without my friends,
I don't think I'll ever feel again.
Good luck at the recital.
Oh, I'm not going do that. I mean, I want to.
It's kind of all I think about.
I bet someday my cutie mark will even be about performing,
but I could never dance in front of an audience
the way I do in class. That's t-t-terrifying.
Yeah. OK. Nice meeting you.
You, too.
Sweetie Belle, you are not going to believe this,
but I think I like bungee jumping
even more than scootering!
Seriously? That's amazing. Look what I did!
Wow. Uh. That's, um...
Horrible! But it was so much fun. Rarity showed me how,
even though she says "crochet is knitting's poorer cousin."
But I loved it.
Awesome!
Oh. Hello, girls. Have fun pursuing your own interests?
Apple Bloom? What are you doing sitting in the dark?
Yeah. We thought you'd be out looking
for things you like to do.
[laugh] Oh, I did. I looked all over town.
I looked and I looked and I looked
and you know what I found?
Nothing!
You tried every one of these?
And each one just made me feel more alone than the next.
I don't see how I'm supposed to be happy
that we're not hanging out anymore.
Wait. I never said that.
I just said we don't have to do everything together.
Like when there's something one of us wants to do
that the others don't.
Oh. Well, I guess that changes things.
I can't believe you thought
we didn't want to hang out anymore.
I can't believe you tried all this stuff
and didn't find one thing you liked.
Well, I kind of liked dancing.
Mainly because it looked like something
you couldn't do alone, but I wasn't very good at it.
You don't have to be good at something to have fun.
And being good doesn't always mean you will.
I know. I met the best dancer in the world,
but he was so shy, he couldn't bring himself to perform,
even though he really, really wanted to.
I don't suppose this dancing pony had a cutie mark, did he?
?
Apple Jack: You're here!
SHHHHH!
[cheering]
What are you doing here?
You told me that you wanted to perform more than anything,
but I was too caught up in myself to listen.
You're the best dancer I've ever seen
and I'm here to convince you to get out on that stage!
Um, didn't I also tell you
that dancing in front of other ponies is t-t-terrifying?
I don't know if you noticed...
...but that auditorium is full of other ponies!
I can't go out there. What if I'm bad?
We can go on together.
No matter what, you'll look good dancing next to me.
[cheers and whistles]
[sigh] All right. I'll do it.
But I don't have my costume and the backdrop is all wrong
and we don't have time to change it!
Leave everything to us!
I don't know about this.
Don't worry. You'll be just fine.
Here goes nothing!
[gulp]
♪ [fast jazz saxophone]
?
[laughter]
You can't be any worse than I was.
?
[music ends]
[panting]
[wild cheering]
I can't believe it!
It's just what I always imagined it would be!
And if it weren't for all of you, I wouldn't even have it.
No problem. It's what we do.
I only wish I'd realized what you needed right away
instead of moping around for no reason.
Well, either way, I hope you keep dancing.
You know, I just might.
It sure is a lot of fun and I'm pretty confident
I can only get better.
I'm sorry I was so silly about us all doing our own things.
If we hadn't, I might have never even tried dancing.
Or find out I needed help.
With each of us going out and trying things on our own,
we'll be three times as likely to find ponies to help.
And trying new stuff might even make us better
at helping them, like how I used my bungee jumping
to change the sets.
Or my crochet to make the costumes.
Well, one thing is for sure:
The Cutie Mark Crusaders will never be the same.
We'll be better!
YEAH!