Marks and Recreation


 * Apple Bloom: Okay! let's see how your still life's comin' along, Kettle Corn!
 * [beat]
 * Sweetie Belle: Well, that certainly is... round.
 * Kettle Corn: I can make it rounder!
 * Apple Bloom: I'm afraid that's all the time we have today. We'll try somethin' else tomorrow.
 * Kettle Corn: But I like circle painting.
 * Scootaloo: And on the way to figuring out what you're meant to do, you'll find a ton more stuff you like. That's what makes looking for your cutie mark so great.
 * Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle: Mm-hmm.
 * [door opens]
 * Apple Bloom: Sorry, everypony. We're closin' up shop. We'll have to help you out tomorrow.
 * Foals: Awwww!
 * [door closes]
 * Scootaloo: I don't know if we can help them tomorrow. Working with blank flanks one at a time takes forever.
 * Apple Bloom: If only there was a way we could help a whole herd of them at once.
 * Sweetie Belle: That would be perfect! We'd save time and they could help each other!
 * Scootaloo: Just like we used to! Oh, but it'd have to be somewhere big enough to handle all those blank flanks.
 * Sweetie Belle: Somewhere outside, with tons of activities to try.
 * Apple Bloom: Are you two thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?
 * Cutie Mark Crusaders: Cutie Mark Day Camp!
 * Apple Bloom: And I know just the place, Applejack used to go there when she was little.
 * Scootaloo: Camp Friendship! Oh. Sorry. I thought we were all gonna yell that one too.
 * Cutie Mark Crusaders: [laughing]




 * Apple Bloom: Attention, all blank flanks!
 * Scootaloo: And blank flank affiliates! Come to our cutie mark day camp to find out what you're truly good at!
 * Sweetie Belle: Bond with other blank flanks and find out what you're meant to do together!
 * [ponies chattering]
 * Scootaloo: Hey, Rumble!
 * Rumble: Oh, hey, Crusaders. Look, I can't stop. I've gotta meet my brother for... something.
 * Apple Bloom: No problem. Just wanted to make sure you heard about our cutie mark day camp. The first session's tomorrow.
 * [paper being scrunched]
 * Thunderlane: What'cha got there, little brother?
 * Rumble: What? Oh, nothing. Come on! I want to show you a new dive roll I'm trying.
 * [whoosh]
 * [paper being uncrumpled]
 * Scootaloo: Come one, come all! Cutie Mark Day Camp is for blank flanks of all kinds!
 * Thunderlane: Hmmm...


 * [foals laughing and chattering]
 * Apple Bloom: Welcome, cutie mark campers!
 * Sweetie Belle: Who's excited to be here?
 * Foals: We are! [dissolves into excited chatter]
 * Sweetie Belle: Well, we're excited too! At Cutie Mark Day Camp, you'll be able to try all kinds of things!
 * Apple Bloom: Kayaking!
 * Scootaloo: Horseshoe-tossing!
 * Kettle Corn: Circle-painting!
 * Apple Bloom: You can try 'em all! But the most important thing is that you'll be tryin' them together.
 * Scootaloo: That's what worked for us!
 * Thunderlane: Then I bet it'll work for these little guys too!
 * [foals gasping]
 * [ding]
 * Rumble: I thought you said we were gonna go practice for the Wonderbolts Ponyville Extravaganza show.
 * Thunderlane: I'm going to Wonderbolt practice. You're going to cutie mark practice.
 * Sweetie Belle: And we're glad to have you!
 * [foals making awed noises]
 * Skeedaddle: I can't believe your own brother is a Wonderbolt!
 * [more foal chatter]
 * Scootaloo: U-Uh, Rainbow Dash is practically my sister, and she's a Wonderbolt too!
 * [beat]
 * [foals laughing]
 * Pipsqueak: Do you know Spitfire?
 * Thunderlane: I know she'll be mad if I'm late. [to Rumble] Now you have a good time and try some stuff. Who knows what you'll be good at?
 * [horseshoe clinking]
 * [foals wowing]
 * Apple Bloom: All right! Looks like we found the first activity of the day – the horseshoe toss!
 * [foals cheering]
 * Thunderlane: Well, wish I could stay and play, but it's time to fly. Have fun!
 * [whooshing]
 * [foals making awed noises]
 * [horseshoe clinking]
 * Sweetie Belle: Come on, Rumble!
 * Apple Bloom: Step on up and show us how it's done!
 * Kettle Corn: No way he's as good as his brother.
 * Rumble: Egh.
 * [clink]
 * Rumble: [unenthusiastic] Whoops. Aw, it looks like I won't be getting my cutie mark in the horseshoe toss...
 * Sweetie Belle: Don't worry about it, Rumble. Hardly anypony finds their calling on the first try.
 * Rumble: Eh, I wasn't worried.
 * Scootaloo: Good! 'Cause there's a ton of other stuff to try. We'll find you something you're good at.
 * [foals cheering]
 * Rumble: [sighs]


 * [montage music]
 * [thump, splash]
 * Rumble: Whoops.


 * [thunking]
 * [twing]
 * Rumble: Whoopsie.


 * [hooves thumping]
 * [foals laughing]
 * [thump]
 * Rumble: Whoops.


 * [pencil scribbling]
 * Skeedaddle:
 * The first and last lines
 * Have five sy-lla-bles but the
 * Mid-ddle has sev-en.
 * It's called a haiku.
 * [scribbling]
 * [pencil breaks]
 * Rumble: [spits]
 * [unenthusiastic] Whoops. I've tried it all.
 * Time to tell my brother this
 * Camp isn't for me.
 * Scootaloo: Come on, Rumble. Isn't it fun just trying stuff?
 * Rumble: Not really.


 * [shimmer]
 * [foals cheering]
 * Kettle Corn:
 * Haiku cutie mark!
 * And I never would have tried
 * Without Skeedaddle.
 * Apple Bloom: That's what Cutie Mark Day Camp is all about.
 * Sweetie Belle: Working together and helping each other.
 * [foals cheering]
 * Kettle Corn: But I can still come back, right? And maybe paint some circles?
 * Scootaloo: Of course! Let's all meet right back here tomorrow.
 * Foals: Hooray!
 * Sweetie Belle: Wow. I can't believe we got a cutie mark on the first day!
 * Apple Bloom: Yup. This camp was a pretty swell idea. Everypony's really enjoyed it.
 * Scootaloo: [sighs] Everypony except Rumble. He didn't have much luck with anything.
 * Sweetie Belle: Trying to find out what you're meant to do can be frustrating. You remember how long it took us to get our cutie marks?
 * Apple Bloom: [shivers] I remember the nightmares.
 * Scootaloo: Well, we can't let Rumble quit camp just because he didn't find something he's good at then.
 * Sweetie Belle: We'll just have to convince him to come back and try harder!
 * Cutie Mark Crusaders: Mm-hmm!


 * [whooshing]
 * [Wonderbolts motif]
 * Scootaloo: Hey, Rumble!
 * Rumble: What are you all doing here?
 * Scootaloo: We just wanted to apologize for not finding anything you liked today.
 * Rumble: Oh. Whatever. It's fine.
 * Apple Bloom: It's not fine. It's frustrating, and we know what it's like.
 * Rumble: I'm not frustrated!
 * Scootaloo: It's okay! We've all been there. But we won't give up on helping you.
 * Sweetie Belle: We know you'll get your cutie mark. Everypony does.
 * Rumble: Actually, I don't need your help. Because I don't want to get my cutie mark!
 * Cutie Mark Crusaders: What?!


 * Apple Bloom: I... I must have hay in my ears, because I thought I just heard Rumble say—
 * Rumble: You heard right! I don't want my cutie mark!
 * Sweetie Belle: [gasps] He said it again!
 * Scootaloo: Not wanting a cutie mark is like not wanting to breathe!
 * Sweetie Belle: Everypony wants to know what they're meant to do!
 * Rumble: Hmph! Not this pony.
 * Cutie Mark Crusaders: Why?!
 * Rumble: Because cutie marks are silly, and... a-and they just force you into one thing your whole life!
 * Sweetie Belle: That's silly. Having a cutie mark doesn't mean you can't do other things.
 * Apple Bloom: Yeah! Our cutie marks are in helpin' other ponies with their cutie marks, but I still like makin' potions with Zecora.
 * Rumble: And when was the last time you did that?
 * Apple Bloom: Um... I-I-I think it was, uh... Well, we've been pretty busy helpin' other ponies lately.
 * Rumble: Oh. You mean doing the thing you got your cutie mark for? The thing you're stuck doing for the rest of your life?!
 * Sweetie Belle: Okay. Maybe we will be doing that more than anything else. But we love being Cutie Mark Crusaders!
 * Rumble: Well, that's fine for you, but I'm not gonna be put in a box!
 * Scootaloo: A blank flank who doesn't want a cutie mark? That's gotta be the strangest thing I've ever heard.
 * Apple Bloom: Granny always says, "Some ponies have to find their own hay."
 * Scootaloo: Are you sure she didn't mean "find their own way"?
 * Apple Bloom: Oh. That would make more sense.
 * Sweetie Belle: I can't believe Rumble isn't interested in getting his cutie mark either, but we can't force him.
 * Scootaloo: And we've got a whole camp full of ponies who are interested in getting cutie marks.
 * Cutie Mark Crusaders: Mm-hmm.


 * [whoosh]
 * Rumble: [sighs] Here he comes. The fastest, most elite flyer in Equestria!
 * Thunderlane: Thunderlane!
 * Rumble: Whoa! [yelps] Urgh... I was gonna say me. You're not the only Pegasus in the family, you know.
 * Thunderlane: Oh, sorry, little brother. You're right. You might be the most elite flyer in Equestria some day. But for now, you should try other things, too! Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be at camp?
 * Rumble: [scoffs] That camp is for losers who can't do anything.
 * Thunderlane: Great, so there's no pressure. You can try everything and not be worried about looking bad.
 * Rumble: I'm not worried about that. I just don't want to get a cutie mark in any of their ridiculous activities.
 * Thunderlane: Well, you're still going back tomorrow. You can't be a blank flank forever!
 * Rumble: Huh...


 * [bell rings]
 * Sweetie Belle: All right, cutie mark campers, that's it for jam-making!
 * Pipsqueak: But this is fun, and I didn't get my cutie mark yet. What if I'm not good at anything else?
 * Scootaloo: You don't get a cutie mark just because you're good at something or even because you like it. There's more to it than that.
 * [splat]
 * Kettle Corn: I'm real good at painting circles, but I got my cutie mark in haikus.
 * Skeedaddle: Which is what I like! But... I'm still a blank flank like you.
 * Pipsqueak: So you can't get a cutie mark in something you like?
 * Apple Bloom: Now, we didn't say that.
 * Rumble: You don't have to!
 * Scootaloo: Rumble, you came back!
 * Rumble: Say bye-bye to painting circles. You'll be too busy haiku-ing from now on!
 * Kettle Corn: But... I like circles.
 * Apple Bloom: Come on, Rumble. That's not how cutie marks work.
 * Pipsqueak: So that's how cutie marks work?
 * Apple Bloom: Am I speakin' Olde Ponish?! I just said it wasn't!


 * Apple Bloom: Now wait just an apple-pickin' minute, Rumble. Where do you think you're leadin' our campers?
 * Rumble: They're not your campers anymore! I'm starting a new camp!
 * [digging noise]
 * Rumble: Everypony on this side of the line is in Camp Blank Flanks Forever!
 * [foals cheering]
 * Scootaloo: Whoa-whoa! You can't be a blank flank forever!
 * [foals gasping]
 * Rumble: That's just the kind of talk I'd expect to hear from Camp Cutie Mark! Which is why blank flanks need a camp where we can enjoy being blank flanks and appreciate our blank flankiness without being pressured to get a cutie mark!
 * [foals cheering]
 * Scootaloo: Now hold on, everypony.
 * Rumble: Blank flanks forever!
 * Foals: Blank flanks forever! Blank flanks forever! Blank flanks forever! Blank flanks forever! [cheering]
 * Sweetie Belle: What just happened?
 * Scootaloo: Has everypony gone mad?!
 * Apple Bloom: In a word: yes.


 * Sweetie Belle: I just can't see what we did wrong. I thought everypony was having fun.
 * Apple Bloom: They were until that Rumble came and made a mess of things. What are they doing now?
 * Scootaloo: It looks like whatever they want.
 * Sweetie Belle: Honestly, it's not all that different from what they were doing here.
 * Apple Bloom: Then what was the point?
 * Scootaloo: Point is that Rumble is a madpony who must be stopped!
 * Sweetie Belle: Now calm down, Crusaders. We just need to talk to him again. The key is to remain calm.


 * Sweetie Belle: [yelling] Cutie marks... make you... special!
 * Rumble: By putting you in a special little box!
 * Sweetie Belle: [yelling] Special!
 * Rumble: Box!
 * Apple Bloom: Come on, Sweetie Belle. I think you've "remained calm" long enough.
 * [foals chattering]
 * Sweetie Belle: Kettle Corn, you covered your cutie mark?!
 * Kettle Corn:
 * I'm blank flank again,
 * Keeping my options open.
 * I'm more than haikus.
 * Sweetie Belle: You just haiku'd right then!
 * Rumble: Don't let them get in your head! You're an open-ended question! Blank flanks forever!
 * Foals: Blank flanks forever!
 * [click]


 * Pipsqueak: Blank flanks forever! Blank flanks forever!
 * [horseshoes clinking]
 * Pipsqueak: Whoa! You're cracking great!
 * Skeedaddle: Thanks! [gasps] Oh, no! What if I get a cutie mark in it?!
 * Rumble: Then you'll be stuck doing it forever! Blank flanks, no more potential cutie mark activities!
 * [clink]
 * [thunk]
 * [thunk]
 * [tik]
 * [beat]
 * [painting noises]


 * Sweetie Belle: Well, Cutie Mark Day Camp is a bust.
 * Apple Bloom: No, it isn't! It's a swell idea! We just can't seem to talk any sense into that... that Rumble.
 * [rumble]
 * [whoosh]
 * Scootaloo: Maybe we can't, but I bet I know somepony who can.


 * [whoosh]
 * Thunderlane: Lemme get this straight. My little brother up-ended your entire camp? How in Equestria did he do that?
 * Sweetie Belle: Well, [inhales] [motor-mouth] it started when he couldn't toss a horseshoe or paddle a kayak or shoot an arrow or use a pencil, and we felt bad that he wasn't good at anything, but now he doesn't want a cutie mark at all because he's afraid he'll get stuck doing something he doesn't like forever, you know? [gasps]
 * Thunderlane: No, I don't. Rumble's good at all that stuff.
 * Apple Bloom: Well, that doesn't make a lick of sense. Unless... he was bein' bad at stuff on purpose!
 * Thunderlane: [sighs] I was afraid of this...
 * Scootaloo: Afraid of what?
 * Thunderlane: Ever since I became a Wonderbolt, Rumble's either watching me or trying to fly like me. He won't do anything else. That's why I thought your camp was such a good idea.
 * Scootaloo: I don't understand. If Rumble wants to be a Wonderbolt someday, what's wrong with that?
 * Thunderlane: Not a thing. But right now, he isn't even giving anything else a chance.
 * Apple Bloom: Sounds to me like Rumble isn't afraid of bein' put in a box at all.
 * Sweetie Belle: It doesn't?
 * Apple Bloom: Nope. I think Rumble's already picked out a box. He's afraid he'll get a cutie mark that'll keep him from it.
 * [whoosh]
 * [quick Wonderbolts motif]


 * [birds chirping]
 * Pipsqueak: I don't know how to say this, Rumble, but Blank Flank Forever Camp is kinda...
 * Skeedaddle: Boring?
 * Rumble: If we wanna stay blank flanks, we can't risk doing stuff.
 * Skeedaddle: What if I get a cutie mark in being bored?
 * Scootaloo: Attention, blank flanks of Cutie Mark Day Camp!
 * [thump]
 * [foals chattering]
 * Sweetie Belle: The Cutie Mark Crusaders are pleased to announce today's special guest – Thunderlane!
 * [whoosh]
 * Thunderlane: Hey, everypony! It's me!
 * [whooshing]
 * [foals ooh-ing and ahh-ing]
 * Apple Bloom: Anypony who's interested, gather 'round for a day of activities with a genuine Wonderbolt!
 * [thump]
 * Skeedaddle: Uh, sorry, Rumble. But cutie mark or not, I'm not missing out on this!
 * Foals: Whoa!


 * [foals straining]
 * [clink, spinning]
 * [zip]


 * Apple Bloom: All right, campers. It's time for our last activity of the day.
 * Sweetie Belle: A Wonderbolt obstacle course! Just like the one they'll fly through in their upcoming show!
 * Scootaloo: But on the ground, since not everypony has wings.
 * [foals cheering]
 * [bouncing noises]
 * Rumble: Thunderlane, aren't you gonna run the course?
 * Thunderlane: Nope! I know I'm a Wonderbolt and my cutie mark is all about moving fast, but I really like to cook!
 * Rumble: Since when?
 * Thunderlane: We take turns making the meals at Wonderbolts HQ. I didn't want to at first, but now I love it! I just wish I'd tried it sooner.
 * Rumble: You do?
 * Thunderlane: Of course! There's more to me than just flying, and I bet there's more to you, too.


 * Kettle Corn:
 * Obstacles are fun!
 * Running free through mud and dirt
 * Beats circle painting!
 * Apple Bloom: That haiku pretty well sums it up.
 * Scootaloo: Looks like Thunderlane was right about the obstacle course getting Rumble to come back over.
 * Sweetie Belle: Hey, Rumble. Aren't you gonna do our Wonderbolt course?
 * Rumble: I'm cooking today. Maybe I'll do the course tomorrow.
 * Apple Bloom: So you're comin' back tomorrow?
 * Scootaloo: You're not worried about getting your cutie mark?
 * Rumble: Nah. I already know I'm a good flyer. It kinda runs in the family. I guess it's time to see what other stuff I can do.
 * Thunderlane: Hm-hmm.


 * [credits]