?
[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.
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.
[expl*si*n]
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!