“Are you sure about this, Scootaloo?” Sweetie belle nervously asked as she looked down at the pool of water far below them.
“Of course, it is perfectly safe.” Scootaloo replied with a grin.
“And we have yet to try diving, swimming or other watery things for cutie marks too. Let’s go!” Applebloom then added before tackling both of her friends from behind and throwing them all off the top of the high cliff. They let out a chorus of screams both excited and fearful before hitting the water with a great splash. A few bubbles rose and a second later they surfaced, the floating jackets they had been so wise to put on keeping them from sinking.
“That wasn’t so bad.” Scootallo admitted as they bobbed along gently in the cool river.
“Mighty shame we didn’t get no cutie marks though.” Applebloom added with a sigh.
“Maybe we need to go higher?” Scoots asked.
“Naa, what about something more fancy like swimming in line?” AB replied.
“Um… Girls…” Sweetie spoke up.
“You mean synchronized swimming?” Scoots asked.
“Yeah that, could not be too hard.” AB replied.
“Girls I think we should… “ Sweetie said a bit louder.
“What about underwater stuff? I always wanted to go look for treasure.” Scoots asked.
“Oh that sounds fun but what about-” AB said before Sweetie cut her off.
“Girls! Look!” Sweetie bell called out causing the others to turn their heads just in time to see the waterfall before all three of them went tumbling down it. They let out another scream as the sharp rocks below approached but just before they hit the bottom Futtershy dashed out from the trees and caught them. She made a loop, turned and landed gracefully on the ground.
“Fillies should not be in the Everfree.” Fluttershy said as she rose an eyebrow.
“Oh, heya, Fluttershy. Was just out having a swim.” Applebloom said meekly. Fluttershy’s look softened and she fluttered her wings to straighten the feathers.
“Still hunting for cutie marks yes?” She asked. They nodded. “We can respect the dedication of a long hunt, it was how we got our cutie marks too.” Fluttershy said.
“You did?” Scoots asked as they perked up in interest.
“Yes, now come. Fillies must leave woods or we will not be getting any bread.” Fluttershy said as she pushed leaves out of the way for them with her wings.
“But we want to hear about your cutie mark!” Scoots called out as she pranced over.
“Yeah yeah, if we hear how others got their cutie marks maybe we can learn how to get ours” Applebloom added as she gave Fluttershy her cutest little smile.
“Fine but only if you come with us and leave the forest.” Fluttershy said. “It all started when we was but a filly…”
It was a cloudy day in the Everfree and the rabbit gatherers had started to come back from their daily fruit hunt. Fluttershy was hard at work going over the selection to see what was good, what was bad, what could be used for other things like paint or juice. It was an important task and with fall coming soon they would need to have it all done lest they not have enough food to make it through the harsh Everfree winters…
“But why were you in this horrible forest in the first place?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“We have always been in the forest.” Fluttershy replied.
“Born in this dreadful place? But darling I thought nobody lived here?” Sweetie then asked.
“We… I… “ Fluttershy paused for a moment. “We remember the sky. Clouds and hoops but then we fell down to the forest and we found animal friends. They took care of me.” Fluttershy said before shaking her head. “Anyway…”
At first everything seemed to be going great. Almost everything that the rabbits had collected was usable, or edible, and many had managed to find rich spots just bursting with tasty extras but with the Everfree nothing is easy. A few of the rabbits had not returned home from the gathering trips and the scouts had not seen them in the nearby areas either. Worried about them Fluttershy set out to see if she could find them in some of the further areas, her wings allowing for a much greater field of view than those on the ground. She looked all over, from the shady river spots that the rabbits liked to rest at the many secret hidey holes that only natives to the forest can spot but she found nothing.
It was only when she landed on the ground to rest that she noticed some tracks. Her keen pegasi eyes were sharp but in the seas of brown and green something as the light paw print of a bunny could be easily missed. As the sun ahead was blocked out by the clouds she set off on the ground in search for her missing friends. Her young wings were weak and her legs not much better but the desire to see her warren whole again was truly mighty.
Fluttershy tracked those rabbits a good mile, across rivers, over logs and around trees. She did not slow, she did not stop, and without knowing it had started to embrace the wilder side of the world in new ways. It was not just a rescue mission, it was a hunt. If she rested then they would get further away from her, if she did not keep focused at all times then she could lose the tracks. It was intense and exciting. While Fluttershy had several mistakes along the way she did her best and eventually found them. It turns out the silly things had gotten lost and in their panic had been running all over the place blindly. For completing that first hunt she had earned her cutie mark.
“Happy now?” Fluttershy asked as she pushed the bush out of the way for them to leave the forest. Her cutie mark of a butterfly inside of a paw print making more sense now.
“Not what I was expecting to be sure.” Applebloom commented but left without a complaint. Now safe from nature again the girls headed into town with much to think about. They had not expected a cutie mark could come from something as simple as tracking an animal down, or something as abstract as that anyway. Deciding to make a plan they popped into sugarcube corner for a break and something sweet.
A round of milkshakes and cupcakes later, thanks to Sweetie’s allowance, and they had decided on what to do next. Applejack. Unlike most of the others she was almost always at the farm so finding her would not be difficult and on top of that Applebloom had long since been very curious about her sister. She did leave the farm at a young age and only come back in recent years after all. With the others agreeing they took some extras for the road and headed down the cobblestone back towards the orchard.
They found many of the farmers along the road to the farm already hard at work to get the springtime chores done but Applejack was nowhere to be seen. Heading further up they popped into the farmhouse for a moment but again did not see her around. Applebloom let out a hum and thought for a moment, ah, if she was anywhere it would be the factories. Going around the house they stopped as they found Starlight also heading down that way.
“Oh, morning girls.” She greeted happily.
“Morning Starlight.” Scoots replied.
“What are you lot up to, you sure do look like you are on an adventure?” She asked.
“We are tracking down Applejack and her companions to learn more about how they got their cutie marks so that in turn we may get ours as well.” Sweetie explained. Starlight’s eyes lit up and she pranced over closer.
“Oh I have a story for you then! It all started when I was but a small little filly and…” Starlight spoke without noticing that the girls had left her talking to the air.
The girls entered into the tall factory buildings and were promptly stopped by a guard at the front desk. He recognized Applebloom right away but still had orders not to let anyone other than workers in and especially not any foals. They quickly explained that they were looking for Applejack and just like that his stern expression turned to one of a warm smile. He pointed them down the corridors away from the production floors and into the offices. With a thanks given by Sweetie they picked up the pace and began to trot.
“Applejack!” Applebloom called out as they burst through the door to find her sitting in a chair mulling over piles of paperwork.
“Applebloom!” She called back just as enthusiastically before letting out a small giggle. “You came to visit your big sis?” She asked already stepping away from the desk.
“Sure did, we wanted to hear how you got your cutie mark.” Applebloom replied already getting excited but Applejack’s own smile disappeared. Her eyes glazed and for a moment she seemed to be seeing nothing at all but she shook it off.
“Aw we do you want to hear an old story like that. We could do anything else.” Applejack spoke as she turned away from them and walked slowly towards the window to let some air in.
“Come on sis, you have never told me, Mac or even Granny how you got your cutie mark. We all want to know!” Applebloom replied innocently. Applejack gave her a glance and then threw her head out of the window to take a deep breath of the refreshing spring breeze.
“Alright.” She replied. “If I remember…”
I was a little filly, even more little than you girls were, and I got the idea into my head that there must be more to life than the farm so I decided to go see uncle and aunt orange in the big city. They were nice, giving me my own room and letting me sit at the adult table whenever their many, many guests would come over for parties but I never really felt like I fit in much. They spoke all fancy and had multiple meanings to everything they said, even the smiles and laughs were fake I think, but back then I did not know that.
I remember one day sitting up in my room and looking out the window almost imagining that I was back at home and I will say that I had never felt more homesick but I toughened up and decided to stick with my choice. I don’t regret that. The schools of the city were hard, both in teaching and how the others acted but that just builds character. I learned to look after myself right quick and in turn how to deal with others even quicker.
Anyway so one night I heard something real strange coming from the other bedroom. Being the curious little filly I was at the time I crept out of my room and down the halls to see what was going on. I tell you that night changed my life. As I slowly opened the door and took a peek inside I found aunt and uncle orange with a few other ponies all playing card games. Fancy card games at that, the type with disks and a lot of numbers going on. I was amazed and uncle was so nice to introduce me to his friends, even teach me how to play. Turns out I have a knack when it comes to being lucky or maybe I just know what to say and when. Either way that is how I earned my cutie mark.
“See, just a boring story.” Applejack said as she looked to the apple stamped playing cards on her flank. She smiled, wide and cheery and being happy with the story the cutie mark crusaders thanked her for the time and left to chase down another of her friends. Applejack waved them off and once they were out of sight she sat down on her leather chair and sighed. Pulling out the bottom drawer of the desk she slammed down a large bottle of heavy cider.
“Not as crazy as I was expecting.” Scoots commented as they headed past the farm house.
“Yeah, bit strange though. I have never heard of an aunt or uncle orange being in the family before.” Applebloom added with a shrug.
“...And that is how I managed to turn several hundred pounds of icing into a single, perfect, ruby...” Starlight said just as the girls walked past her without a pause.
Returning to town they caught sight of Pinkie making her way down the street and so gave chase. She turned a corner and they followed but as they did so they only caught sight of her tail going around another one further down the way. They followed but everytime they thought themselves getting close to her she would always end up even further away. They went down streets, through shops, over market stalls and around more allyways than they could count until finally Pinkie disappeared fully. They stood confused but it was fun and no harm had been done.
The young fillies looked around the town square to see if they could spot the elusive pink mare but instead they caught sight of Rarity. Trotting over they were interrupted by Starlight who teleported in out of nowhere.
“Hey girls. What you are doing.” Starlight asked.
“Going to talk to Rarity.” Scoots replied as a matter of fact.
“About her cutie mark right, well I can tell you a few things about her past.” Starlight said.
“You know how she got her cutie mark?” Scoots asked.
“Well… Not exactly…” Starlight admitted.
“Cya later, Starlight.” Scoots then said with a wave of her hoof. Continuing on over the girls happy asked Rarity about how she got her cutie mark but at first she did not reply back. She stood thinking for a minute and then two before looking down at them.
“Why?” Rarity asked.
“So we can get ideas on how to get our own cutie mark.” Scoots replied.
“Why?” She asked again.
“Because getting a cutie mark is the most important thing ever of course!” AB spoke up.
“It is?” Rarity asked.
“Of course darling, it means everything.” Sweetie belle then added.
“Oh. I got mine when I found a diamond one day.” Rarity then said causing a quiet to fall between them.
“That’s it? No big adventure, no great mighty monsters. You just dug up a diamond?” AB asked.
Rarity blinked and looked around in thought. She was not the youngest of fillies when she got her cutie mark and had been a servant of the diamond dogs for quite some time before it happened but that did not seem the slightest bit strange to her. It was a day like any other, she had failed to find her daily quota of gems and crystals for a while and was near starving so she tried harder than normal to catch up. She found the diamond and things got easier, and at the same time she got her cutie mark.
“That’s it.” Rarity replied.
“Well at least we know that a cutie mark can be easy.” Scoots said with a shrug.
“True, but we still need to find Pinkie and others.” AB replied.
“You mean that Pinkie?” Rarity said while pointing across the market. Following the direction the cmc found that Pinkie was indeed standing behind a market stall talking to a mare. Thanking Rarity for the help they dashed off.
Pinkie had just finished talking to the mare and as she went to leave she found Applebloom standing with a cute smile. With no reaction given she turned straight around and headed out of the market stall via the other side but was stopped as she found scootaloo also blocking her way. Again she tried to not give the young fillies any mind but when she went for the last route she found Sweetie belle blocking the way. Her eyes looked all around to try and find a way out of this sticky situation but there was no escape routes left and she knew that they would only keep hunting her down if she did manage to slip away. She sighed.
“H-hey girls, what are you up to?” Pinkie asked with a crack in her tone.
“Hearing stories. We really want to know how you grew up, you hear, and how you got her cutie mark too!” Applebloom said.
“O-oh, oh… Oh.” Pinkie murmured as she looked over her shoulder for a moment. “Well, that is a um how to say. A long story?”
“Please?” Scoots asked as they three gave her a cute look.
“Um, alright. I suppose…” Pinkie muttered as her eyes darted around the town square for a moment. Right on que the three girls moved to sit down in front of her, all ready to hear her story. She coughed, a bead of sweat running down her brow as her mind raced for the words...
There was once a small farm in the middle of seemingly nowhere, it was a boring little farm for boring little fillies. Everypony who worked their were all the same as well, grey fur, grey eyes and a grey heart but for one little filly she found herself different. Deep down there was this tiny little spark of color, something nopony else had nor they could understand. Sure the others would play with her, they would be kind and friendly as much as any other but they never could truly understand the little colorful filly.
One day, now a big filly but a filly all the same, she was finally allowed to leave the grey farm and come with her parents to the grey town down the road. It was a wonderful place and despite the grey buildings the ponies here had some spark of color to them all the same. Some were strong, some just a flicker but for the colorful filly it was beautiful to see. As her grey parents would go to see their grey stones she would be left to wander, to explore and to play which she did with much joy. It was from this joyful wandering that she met a most delightful friend. He was full of color unlike any she had seen before and had a smile like a rainbow. As quick as a snap he showed her a special place behind the houses that was full of green and blue, a beautiful place where fireflies danced and the sun shone in golden threads. The colorful filly had never known such overwhelming, deep, joy.
Every week the colorful filly and her colorful friend would play together, for hours and hours, under the golden sun and across the heavenly grass. Oh the singing they would do together, such sweet harmony. But her grey parents did not like her colorful friend, no no not at all. They saw him as strange and told her that all ponies should be just as grey as they were but the colorful filly did not understand why. He had never done anything bad. Quite the opposite, every moment that they enjoyed together was such bliss and she tried to tell her parents this but they only got more and more mad the more she admitted. Not just at her colorful friend, but at herself too. The next morning she found herself not heading down to the grey town but rather much further than they had ever gone before. The grey towns slowly turned colorful, the ponies so much more sweet. It was in one such town of many hues that they dropped her off at a big old building. And with but a glance, they left. Never to be seen again.
The colorful filly was sad. Her parents were grey but they were kind and still her parents all the same and yet they left her so easily. The question ran long in her mind, why? Because she had a colorful friend? Because she refused to be grey? She did not know.
It turned out the big old building was a place for those who had no family to go to but they were not sad, oh no, the walls were bright, the faces colorful and the new dad of them all was the most colorful pony that the little filly had seen. Every word sparked joy. Everything he did was full of light. It did not take long however for her to learn that for every light there is a shadow. This colorful dad was cursed in that everytime he touched a filly a dot of darkness would sneak inside them. It was not fun at all. The brave and colorful filly however was strong and she wanted to help the colorful dad overcome the curse so that he could play sweetly with the other fillies. It was hard and it was long, much more so than anything else she had done, but she managed to take all his darkness inside of her… Only when she did, she realized she was no longer a filly at all but rather a colorful and strong mare.
Colorful dad now free from the curse and all her colorful friends singing sweetly she left to find a colorful place to settle down. Along her many travels she found many colorful ponies who would play, sing and dance so sweetly with her but eventually she found her place in the world. A lovely little cherry farm. A sweet place with the most candy of fruit all juicy and delicious. Her road so far had been a long one, and a hard one, so very long and hard, but it was here that she knew she had found her place in the world.
“And that is how you got yer cutie mark?” Applebloom asked as she looked to Pinkie’s flank. Sure enough, she had a cherry sitting inside of a heart. What else could that mean? “Cool!” Applebloom then said.
“Delightful story indeed and it makes me feel all warm inside to know that a cutie mark can come just as soon as you find that one thing where you belong.” Sweetie added to the nods of the others. “I must say, it is getting late. We must find the others quick!” She then called out causing the others to bid Pinkie a farewell before dashing off. Pinkie sighed and pulled a flask out of her boot. She downed most of it until her legs stopped shaking.
“I am so never having kids.” She muttered as she trotted in the direction of the Cherry Pie.
Rainbow Dash was doing what she did best, napping in the middle of the day and dreaming up new situations for her latest book, when all of a sudden a loud knocking shook her from her rest. Pulling her head up off the straw nest like bed she crawled over to the window and looked down to who was making all the noise. Peering down to the ground she found the cutie mark crusaders tapping hard on her door. Immediately she perked up and shook the sleep from herself.
“Hey girls!” She shouted down to them with a smile. “Up here!”
“Oh hey Rainbow, we wanted to ask you about your cutie mark!” Scoots shouted back.
“Awesome, come on in!” Rainbow then shouted before ducking inside. The girls looked at each other and gave the door a nudge to find it now strangely unlocked. Moving on they headed inside to find the library had a lovely cool breeze running through it. The many old books and aged wood giving it a refreshing scent too. For a minute they wondered why they did not come over more but then realized it was because books were boring.
Rainbow appeared but a moment later with freshly brushed mane and a coat still sparkling from a splash of water. She offered them a chair but they were not interested in staying for too long.
“We just wanted to hear about your cutie mark.” Scoots said.
“And your past too, that has been a right bit of fun to hear about.” Applebloom added.
Rainbow’s eyes lit up at the question and before she said a word she picked up the girls and placed each around the fire, which then lit up with a clack of her hooves. With a flutter of her wings she cleared her throat.
“Let me guess. You are all young and energetic girls looking to get your cutie marks as soon as you can?” Rainbow asked and the girls agreed. “Well then, I have a few pearls of wisdom for you and it all starts with this. Never think that whatever you are doing now could be your entire future. When I was but a little filly I was into sports and racing and going fast and you know what happened to all those dreams?” She asked but before they could answer she tapped the main feather of her wing and in turn it made a slight metallic ding sound. They were stunned. “I thought I would be a wonderbolt, a champion, but then I took one bad fall and it all fell apart… Like my wings did. And yeah sure I was upset for a while, lost with no idea of what to do, but then writing found me. All those fictional worlds, the things I could imagine and create. I am so glad that I took that tumble because if not I would not be Rainbow-Dash, quickest writer in equestria!” She said with a content smile. The story was short but it told them a lot including why her cutie mark was a rainbow colored quill.
“Wow. I have always loved your books but I never knew you used to be sporty.” Scoots said amazed.
“Yup. Anything can happen, anything can change. Your destiny might be in a place you could never even imagine.” Rainbow added.
“That’s strangely profound of you.” A new voice spoke up.
“Twilight! What are you doing here?” Rainbow asked.
“I heard that three curious fillies were running all over town for stories, so I thought I should come to them and see what was up.” Twilight replied.
“This is perfect, now we don’t have to chase her down.” Scoots said to her other friends who all happily agreed, they would have to go home soon after all and leaving before an adventure was done was never any fun.
“Miss Twilight, can you tell us how you got your cutie mark?” Applebloom then asked.
“I would love to and it's very smart of you girls to learn from your elders.” Twilight complimented as she took a seat. Clearing her throat she began as if reading from a book in her head.
Rainbow Dash was very much correct in that your destiny may not be what you were expecting. My own cutie mark I feel was much of the same but with a few key differences. See, while Rainbow’s cutie mark and purpose was found due to an accident while she was younger mine was found due to the acceptance of reality. When I was young, a little filly like you three are now, I studied long and hard in everything magical. For a time I even became quite good at it. Ponies called me talented and arcane and my parents took notice. Despite being younger than normal they signed me up for Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns, an attempt to better use my talent.
Even now I remember spending every minute reading, practising, learning new spells and history but in the end it is only one test that will get you into the school or not. I had to hatch a dragon egg. Now even then I knew this was silly as dragons are full of old magics that make them resistant to most spells but also the magical school of altering life was one of the hardest. To do both, as a filly, would be impossible. Still, I tried. Over and over I tried until I could not try anymore and in my frustrations I ended up teleporting out with the egg in hoof. I just needed to find a way to do it even if the test was over. My parents understood and helped me keep the egg.
It was over many months of magical study and practise that I finally realized however, not everything can be solved with magic. It was when I started to research into biology and physics that I started to understand that there are many ways to hatch an egg and sure enough after many more months I figured it out. All a dragon needs is heat. It took me a long time to build something with the heat needed I admit but I still did it and by doing so that is how I got my cutie mark. Not by accident, not random, just because I took the time and effort to try every option and find the right answer in it all.
“Do you girls have any questions?” Twilight then asked once she was done talking.
“That was not what I was expecting to be real.” Applebloom said.
“Makes sense though, kind of a standard way of doing it.” Scoots added.
“Hey girls, I finally caught up with you!” Starlight called out as she popped her head in through the window. “You left before I could tell you the rest of my story.” She said with such an innocent smile to her. The girls gave a look to each other and sighed.
“Ok, let’s hear what you have to say.” Scoots said as the girls went to get a seat. Starlight scrambled inside and bounced along to the fireplace ready to give her tale. With one big breath, she began.
