Cutie Mark

The day was like any other on the old family farm. The sun shined brightly, and the sky was cleared of any troublesome rainclouds. There was a soft wind that carried the scent of splintered wood and cider through the land, it was a familiar scent unique to Sweet Apple Acres. And it hadn’t changed for years, and perhaps will never change.

And although the scenery has been as it always been, the current generation of the Apple family certainly did show their age. Applebloom was now a lovely young mare, having inherited her sister's rustic good looks. Her red mane tied back with her red bow, happily trotting through the acres of apple tree’s she’s spent her entire happy childhood in. “Just this way Scootaloo, thanks for offering to help. This new apple stand really is a two pony job.”

Scootaloo smiled weakly, plodding along behind her. Her purple mane has long grown out, tail dragging against the dirt. She aged quite nicely as well, but not as happily as Applebloom. “Of course Applebloom- we don’t do anything anymore. I miss that.” Her tone was almost accusatory but her friend seemed oblivious to that.

“Oh? Well I have been busy recently I guess…” She trails off as they approach the old barn. There was an unfinished apple stand, still unpainted and bare with the wooden banner still on its side. “Once you get your special talent though, you’d be just as busy too I’m sure.”

Scootaloo winced at that. She was sure it wasn’t meant maliciously but being as old as she was now and still without her mark- it was a sore spot for her. Her friend couldn’t understand. She got her mark when she was still young, when she was still a filly. There was a school play and the stage was destroyed from a magical mishap- and Apple took it upon herself to repair the entire thing for her classmates. She earned her mark that day, a mahogany apple with a bright red apple flower blooming from the stem. It was fitting for so many reasons.

Meanwhile, the young pegasus never even managed to learn how to fly, let alone earn her own mark. After Sweetie Bell received her own mark, the crusaders slowly drifted apart. Everyone just got so busy. Too busy.

“Yeah, maybe...” She bit her lip and walked over to the stand, placing her hood on the banner. “You need me to help you put this up, right?”

“You got it!” Applebloom hopped onto the counter, nudging one of the posts. “Sis is off to Canterlot to visit Princess Twilight and Big Mac is bucking in the field somewhere- so I’m on my own here. At least I would be without you Scoots.”

Scootaloo clamped her teeth on the banner and picked it up, trying to lift it so Applebloom could get a hold of it. She doesn’t respond otherwise- Applebloom only called her when she needed help with something and never for anything else. She knew, she knew she must have been so embarrassed to be her friend now, with a blank flank. Twist had warned her about Appleblooms' shallow nature but… they were the best of friends then.

If only she had listened, this wouldn’t hurt as much as it does now.

“Look out!”

Scootaloo snapped from her thoughts hearing Applebloom cry out- just a little too late. In her distraction she failed to support the wooden board correctly, and it slid off the post. It all happened so quickly that at first, Scootaloo was sure she got out of the in time- but she didn’t.

She fell to her side, wings buzzing frantically in pain as she cried out. “Oh no, oh no, no, no…” From the corner of her eye, she saw a deep red gash in her flank- a nail, a nail in the board must have done it. It was deep and her blood was matting her fur. “Applebloom! I’m bleeding!”

Her friend only stood there, stunned at the wound. Scootaloo couldn’t understand it, but she collected her bearings well enough to get back on her feet. “Applebloom!” Couldn’t she see she needed help? That…

...that… why…

Why was she giggling?

“Applebloom…?”

“I-I’m sorry Scoots… lets go to the barn. It’s just that… it looks like ya got your cutie mark finally!” She giggled in the most insensitive manner. “Don’t be such  a baby, it’s not even that bad.”

Scootaloo whipped her head back to her flesh wound- sure enough the gash was exactly where her cutie mark would be, if she had one. She could see the irony but… “That’s… not funny Applebloom…”

“You’re just say’n that now. Just wait, an’ yer gonna laugh about it lat-”

“It’s. Not. FUNNY.”

Applebloom wasn’t sure what to make of her friend suddenly on top of her, pinning her against the soft green grass. She doesn’t fight back- why would she, this was just Scootaloo after all. “Alright! I’m sorry, geeze! Get off-”

But that wasn’t enough for Scootaloo- it only angered her further. She raises her hoof up and smashes it against Appleblooms face, once, twice- until finally she was thrown off by  Applebloom’s powerful legs, toned like her siblings from years of apple bucking. Scootaloo was thrown back, hitting her back against the unfinished apple stand, hitting her head against the edge.

“You hit me! You actually hit me!” Applebloom cried out, pressing a hoof to her bloody nose. “What is wrong with you? It was just a joke!”

Scootaloo lay unmoving where she landed, her unnaturally weak wings unfolded and limp. Applebloom paused, wondering if her friend was actually hurt or not. “Scoots? Are you… are you alright?”

No answer.

She trotted a little closer to inspect the seemingly unconscious pegasus. “Scoot…? ...Scoot, are you okay?” She was so focused on the mare’s emotionless face, looking for any signs of life, she failed to see where her hoof was going. And she failed to stop Scootaloo from taking the hammer off the ground, and failed to see the attack before it was too late.