Chapters I hope Rider was right about this place being a good place to start. Dot lifted her head from the window of the train. She could see the train station inching towards her. Her heart started racing. She lived on a farm her whole life, and now she’s going to live in a town. She’s been to bigger places before, like Canterlot and Manehattan, but those cities had an advantage that Ponyville didn’t have. Nopony would notice you. She knew, since she went to school in a small town herself, that everypony that lived in Ponyville will know that she’s a stranger from the minute she steps off the train. Everypony knew everypony, and she would stick out like a sore hoof with both her looks and her unique cutie mark.
The train screeched to a halt. This is it, she thought.
“This is Ponyville,” said the conductor. “Please check your overhead luggage rack for any personal belongings.”
Dot’s horn glowed purple as her luggage levitated towards her. That simple task reminded her of her vacations with her family. She would use her magic to carry things, while her family had to use their mouths and hooves. She was used to being the brunt of the family jokes being the only unicorn in the family until her youngest brother was born. Raised in a family of Earth Ponies, she was stronger than most unicorns. Both her parents were Earth Ponies, and her younger brother and sister were too. Only her youngest brother was a unicorn like her. She put her suitcases on the ground and swept her seat to make sure she didn’t leave anything behind. Using her magic, she picked up her suitcases and slowly walked towards the door.
“Have a great time in Ponyville,” said the conductor as she passed by him.
“Thanks”, she replied with a smile. I’ll try.
The smell of fresh air burst into her nose as she took her first step off the train. She was fixated by the homey sense that seemed to blanket the town. She looked around to see some ponies waiting for loved ones and going on or off the train. Darnit, Rain Rider, you’re late. She walked under the awning to shade herself from the sun.
She noticed a colt staring at her. His eyes were fixated on her backside. Dot had been used to this her entire life. Not only was her cutie mark something that no pony had ever seen before, she had a white blotch on her rump. It looked like someone had dropped a paint bucket on her. She was born with it, something nopony in her family had before. Her cutie mark made it worse with the staring. She and a few select ponies knew what her cutie mark actually was. It looked like a gray square with a silver pen hovering over it.
She was used to the staring, but felt comforted when she noticed the colt’s mother telling her son not to stare at other ponies. But she knew that the mother was probably staring too, just when she wasn’t looking. A flap of wings cut her out of her thoughts. A light purple Pegasus dropped down right beside her.
The sudden appearance of a pony startled her and she almost trip on her hooves. She knew who this pony was just by the mere scent of him. “Rider! Don’t do that!”
The Pegasus smiled a large toothy grin. “You know you still love me.”
Dot tried to look angry at the purple Pegasus, but couldn’t help but break a smile and let out a laugh. “You know my weakness. It’s good to see you again, Rain Rider.”
Dot leaned her head against Rain Rider’s neck. Her chin rested on his shoulder. Rain Rider was a tall Pegasus, but he called everypony else short. His head wrapped around her neck.
“It’s good to see you too, Dottie. I’m so glad we can live closer together now. My house isn't too far away, just a five minute flight, but it's a cloud house. I wish you could come see my house. Maybe we can ask Twilight if she could put a spell on you so you can walk on the clouds.”
“Like Twilight Sparkle?”
Rain Rider’s ear twitched. “Yeah. You know her?”
“Well, she was one of the ponies who helped me a few years ago with finding who I am. She lives here now?”
“She moved here just before I did. She’s an Alicorn Princess now.”
“She’s an Alicorn!?”
“Um… yeah… you didn’t hear the news in Hoofington? I’m know Hoofington is small, but even the smallest hamlets in Equestria heard the news.”
“My sister having two surgeries kept me out of the loop with things.” Dot had sudden flashbacks of her mother and her youngest brother waiting in a room for hours, knowing her sister was being operated on as they spoke.
Rain Rider lifted his head off Dot’s neck and looked into her purple eyes. “How is Daisy?”
“She’s doing really well. She’s officially fully recovered and is helping my dad on the farm.”
“That’s good. Well, I should show you your new place.” Rain Rider flapped his wings, lifting himself in the air. With his hooves, he grabbed both suitcases that Dot brought in.
Though Dot loved it when Rider carried her things for her, she knew that her bags were heavy and that Rider would hurt himself. “Rider, I can carry them, you’ll strain your wings! My entire room is in there.”
“Nope, you carried them to the train, and I’ll carry them to your house.”
“Rider!”
“Still gonna carry them.”
There was no use fighting with Rain Rider. He was always very persistent and stubborn when it came to helping his marefriend. Even though he struggles with reoccurring injuries, he would do anything for his mare.
Rain Rider flew ahead over a street while Dot walked behind him. She could feel the stares, but they weren’t aimed just at her rump. She’s the new pony. She was going to be noticed. Top that with her white rump defect and her unknown cutie mark, as well as her vibrant purple and red mane and tail, she seemed like an alien to them. The only thing that seemed normal about her was her purple eyes and her light blue body. She knew she would turn heads. She strained to hear if anypony was talking about her, but it was of no use. She had hearing problems ever since she was a little filly. She usually needed ponies to repeat sentences to her because she couldn’t hear them. She truly was a fish out of water here in Ponyville.
She noticed a blue blur fly above her and Rain Rider and stop almost right in front of him. It was a blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail.
“Is this your marefriend?” the blue Pegasus asked Rain Rider.
“Yes it is. Dot, this is my friend, Rainbow Dash. Rainbow, this is Doodle Dots.”
“Doodle Dots, hey? Mind if I call you Doodles?” Rainbow Dash asked. But Dot didn’t hear it. She knew Rainbow Dash spoke, but she didn’t understand what she said.
“Sorry, what was that?”
“Mind if I call you Doodles?”
“Well, normally ponies call me Dot, but you can call me Doodles.” Dot kind of liked the new nickname. It was better than the other names ponies would call her.
Rainbow Dash turned to Rain Rider, who were both hovering above the street. “We’re going to have our annual Running of the Leaves next week. I was wondering if you’d like to race me. No flying, though. It’s an Earth Pony tradition. I probably have an edge on you, since I actually race and you just shoot balls into a net and all…” Rainbow kept talking, but Dot couldn’t hear anything else. This Rainbow Dash seemed really rude and arrogant! She knew about the Running of the Leaves. They had it in Hoofton and her family participated in it all the time. Dot hated it. She wasn’t an athletic pony, despite all her siblings being athletic. She always was one of the last ponies to cross the finish line. She would try to get out of the race when her father had to stay and work in the fields during harvest. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t.
Rain Rider made a snorting noise and said, “You forget, Rainbow, that I grew up in an Earth Pony family. I did my fair share of running when I was little. And I never back down from a challenge.” Rain Rider and Rainbow Dash bumped hooves and she said something and took off, a rainbow streak following behind her. Dot didn’t hear what Rainbow Dash said, but she assumed Rainbow Dash said something along the lines of, “Good bye.”
Rain Rider landed beside Dot. She noticed that his shoulders, knees, back and wings were hurting, but she did not say anything. Rain Rider hated to be told that he was hurt. Rain Rider was always accident prone, so when his shoulders, back or knees weren’t bothering him, he would somehow hurt himself somewhere else. Usually his forelegs took the brunt of the accident proneness. He had many faint scars up to his elbows. His most prominent scar was a chunk out of his left ear. He also had some nicks on his back hooves, usually from tripping on a stone.
“Here’s your house.” Rain Rider said as he pointed towards a blue and pink house. The house very exquisite, seeming almost frilly.
“I’m living above a fashion store?” Dot said, sounding frustrated.
Rain Rider nudged her forearm. “Not just any fashion store. The Carousel Boutique. I figured that one artist should live near another artist.”
“I don’t design clothes. I draw pictures.”
“Don’t care, she’s still an artist. You’ll be living in the back of the building. There’s a spare room on the top floor. You’ll have your own bathroom. But you’ll have to share the kitchen. And one perk is that in this room, you’ll be closer to me.” Rain Rider grinned again. His grins always made Dot smile. “I’ll help you move in.”
“Thanks.” Dot picked up one suitcase before Rain Rider could pick it up and the two headed into the store.
Inside was pink all around. Mannequins in dresses and suits sat in different corners of the room. Clothing hung on hangers that were placed strategically to capture the eye and create a flow. A white mare with a purple, curly mane and tail stood by a bare mannequin, laying different coloured fabric on it. Rain Rider shut the door, and the slam of the door made the white mare’s ear twitch and she turned towards them. Her red glasses sat comfortably on her nose.
“Welcome to Carousel Boutique, home of the finest dresses you’ll find anywhere. My name is Rarity. How can I help you?”
“Hey Rarity, its Rain Rider.”
The mare, Rarity, seemed to suddenly get flustered and nervous, as if she saw a ghost.
“THE Rain Rider? As in the defense player on the Rain Storm Basketball team?” Dot had almost forgotten that Rain Rider made it on one of the top basketball teams. The Rain Cyclones were a group of Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies who played against other teams in Equestria. Rain Rider was the main Pegasus Forward on the team. In Equestrian Basketball, the rule was two unicorns, two Pegasi and one Earth Pony on the court at all times. Unicorn on Unicorn, Earth Pony on Earth Pony, Pegasus on Pegasus. The unicorns could only use their magic to dribble and throw the ball, while the Pegasus could only fly a certain height. If a Pegasus were to shoot, they had to have two of their hooves planted on the court. The Earth Ponies are usually at the disadvantage, for the Unicorns could use their magic and the Pegasi were high enough to dribble the ball with their hooves. Earth Ponies who play basketball have to learn how to run on three legs and dribble a ball at the same time, as well as use their chins to dribble. They usually had to bump the ball off their heads in order to throw the ball. Rarity smiled at Rain Rider and blinked her eyes. Dot felt slight anger towards the white mare flirting with her coltfriend. “Why, how can I help you? Do you need a suit for your next big game?”
“No, no, I’m not here for myself. I’m here for my marefriend, Doodle Dots. She’s the one moving into your spare room.”
Rarity’s smile faltered for a second before beaming again. “Oh, you are Doodle Dots! Welcome to Ponyville. My name is Rarity, and I’m going to be your landlord.” She extended a hoof towards her.
“Nice to meet you, Rarity,” Dot almost had to cough out as she shook Rarity’s hoof. Dot’s smile was fake, as she already seemed to dislike her new landlord.
With a whip of her purple bangs, Rarity smiled at both of them, saying, “I’ll lead you to your room. Sweetie Belle, keep an eye out for customers, okay?”
Out from a room came a small white filly with a pink and purple curly mane and tail. She was licking her lips as she trotted over to towards the door. “Sure thing, big sis.”
“Walk this way,” Rarity said as she made her way towards the room Sweetie Belle came out of. Dot’s horn glowed again as she picked up one of her suitcases. Rain Rider grabbed her other suitcase with his teeth and struggled to lift the heavy bag.
Rarity led the couple towards the kitchen. She lifted a hoof and said, “This is where we will eat. It is up to you whether you want to eat with us or not. We do expect you to pay your own groceries. That is where the second fridge is. You are free to use our appliances and kitchen stuff for cooking. Just make sure you clean it up after you’re done.” She walked towards the stairs and climbed up. Rain Rider took the opportunity to use his wings to carry the suitcase up the stairs. With a flap, he followed behind Dot who levitated her other suitcase with almost great ease. At the second floor, Rarity stopped and pointed towards three doors. “The door on the far right is Sweetie Belle’s room, the door in the middle is my room and the door on the left is our bathroom. You’ll have your own bathroom, so you do not need to worry about waking us up in the middle of the night. Your room is up here.” She continued up another flight of stairs.
Man, this is a nice place. Maybe I can learn to enjoy this place.
The flight of stairs came to an end to two doors. One was the bathroom, and one would be her room. Rarity opened the door into a large, room. The room was bare. The ceiling was cone shaped with a skylight just above. The walls were circular.
“This will be your room. As you can see, lots of room for you to do your art stuff.”
Yup, Rider told her I was an artist and didn’t specify what kind of artist I am. Good ole Rider.
“The view is wonderful from here. I hope you’re not afraid of heights.”
Dot chuckled, “I’m dating a Pegasus. I don’t have a fear of heights.”
“Perfect. Now the bathroom is ready for you. We do not have a bed, so you’re going to have to get yourself some things before you sleep. I hope that’s not a problem.”
“No, it’s not.”
Rarity smiled, “Perfect. The key is hanging on a nail by the door. I want you to use the backdoor when the store isn’t open. Also, my little sister tends to go to bed around 8 and I go to bed around 10. I don’t care when you go to bed, but just remember to be quiet around those times. We’re willing to make you supper tonight if you want to join.”
“Oh sure, I’ll try to make it. Rider and I will just do some unpacking and shopping.”
“Perfect. Well, I better get back to work. I’ll leave you two to unpack.” Rarity gave a quick glance at Rain Rider and walked out of the room.
Immediately, Dot unzipped her suitcases with her magic. A few dresses laid within one suitcase, but the majority carried her toiletries and items from her room. Another one was full of mechanical parts. Rain Rider flew up to the ceiling and tapped on the skylight. “Hm, doesn’t seem to open. Oh well, I can always get your attention just by knocking.”
“And scare me again. Actually, this skylight is perfect. It will be able to give my computer power. I just need to assemble it.”
Rain Rider landed beside Dot, examining the different parts. “I still don’t understand how you can use and fix that thing.”
“Well, it was made for me. All the experts in Equestria came to Canterlot to help the Princess and the top Magic students to create this computer and tablet for me. Only they and I know how to work it.” The pieces of the machine levitated as the parts started coming together to form a whole.
Rain Rider trotted over to her other suitcases and took out the few dresses she had. He spotted the door for the closet and started hanging them up. “How does that thing work again?”
“It works on the power of the sun and moon. There’s a charger that fills up from the sunlight and powers the computer. It can give me quite a lot of power to help me with my art. At night, another charger fills from the moonlight, in case the sun charger runs out. The moon charger is like a backup. I know I’ve had to use that moon charger before. Sometimes I’ll stay awake all night just to draw.”
“You’re a crazy mare,” Rain Rider said.
Rain Rider and Dot spent half the afternoon unpacking and putting her items into their place. All her clothes were in the closet. Her picture frames were all hung up. Her computer was assembled and sitting under the skylight. Attached to the computer was a gray rectangular board with a silver pen sitting right beside it. It was her tablet, the image of her cutie mark. Dot put her empty suitcases into the closet and the couple went to the furniture store. They got her bed and a desk for her computer to sit on. It just so happens that to their luck, a large, muscular white Pegasus with small wings and blonde mane and tail was there to help them carry the bed and desk to her room. Rain Rider and Dot assembled the bed and desk together. They put the bed sheets she brought with her on the bed and put her computer and tablet on the desk. Behind the computer were two canisters. One was glowing a faint yellow light. This was the canister that held the sunlight to give power to the computer.
Rain Rider left to go for practice, as it was the start of the new basketball season. Dot decided to join Rarity and Sweetie Belle for supper. They had made dandelion sandwiches with salad and had pop for drinks. For desert, they had Apple Fritters. Throughout the supper, Dot got to know Rarity more, and her dislike was soon gone. Rarity seemed like a very nice pony, though could be over dramatic and into herself. But she gave up her parent’s old bedroom just for Dot, so Dot had a good time. She noticed that Sweetie Belle was looking at her rump, and Sweetie Belle never brought it up.
The sun started to set as Dot headed towards her room. Now she was going to get started on her work. Her computer would have enough solar charge to keep it going until the lunar charge was complete. Her room felt like her home now. She decided to relax. Rain Rider would have a hard practice and would want to rest his wings, since he carried her suitcase. She started up her computer and her screen flashed to life. The screen went to a program, and Dot’s horn glowed to pick up the silver pen. Touching the pen to the gray rectangle, a cursor on the screen formed, following the movements of the pen. Soon the pen was moving all over the tablet, creating blue and red lines on the computer. Her scribbles turned into a rough outline of two ponies: one unicorn and one Pegasus. She then made her cursor smaller and made the colour black. She then outlined the scribbles into the fine lines of two ponies. She quickly threw in some detail, and she ended up with a cartoon lined art of her and Rain Rider.
The sketch didn’t seem to take a long time, but the moon was high in the sky when she finished. She decided to call it a night as she get herself into the bed. Squirming under the covers, she thought one last though before her fell asleep.
Welcome to Ponyville. I think I might like this place after all.
It was the day after Dot was told by the princesses about what would become of her in the future. When she got home, she tried to digitally paint pictures, but nothing came to her head. What was inspirational? How could she inspire other ponies who are markless to get their cutie marks in new things? She couldn't paint an autobiography of her life, that wasn't interesting enough. It would be about herself, and she didn't feel comfortable flashing her life in front of a insecure audience. She hovered her pen above her tablet for hours, the use of magic to hover the pen gave her a headache. She missed supper with Rarity and Sweetie Belle, and just decided to go to bed early.
The ordeal of the new found pressure put on her created some dreams that Dot didn't normally dream. Dot's dreams never made sense, always creating wild stories, either fun or dangerous, but this time, the dream became a series of flashbacks. She was in her classroom. She sat in the back row with seven other foals. The filly on her left was purple with a light brown mane, and the filly in front of her was light green with a dark green mane. The green filly and Dot were the only unicorns in the class. The fact that they weren't unicorns wasn't abnormal. Every class had at least one unicorn or one Pegasus. But the majority was Earth pony. The purple filly beside her was an earth pony. These were the only ponies Dot felt comfortable sitting beside. The green filly, Emerald Shine, or Emmy, was the smartest in her class, and it was expected, since she was a unicorn and unicorns were usually good at academics. She was the first in the class to get her cutie mark, which was three small emeralds on her flank. She wanted to be a teacher, just like Mrs. Heart, a unicorn as well. She and Dot got along well, but they didn't consider each other best friends. She was more a unicorn companion. The purple filly, Dapple Hooves was Emmy's cousin. Dapple Hooves was a confusing pony. One day she was Dot's friend, the other she ignored her. She also had her cutie mark, a hay bail and a heart. She wanted to be a mom and work on the ranch. These were the only tolerable ponies Dot got along with as a foal.
Although Dot was different, she wasn't bullied until that day came, the day when Shadow Mug moved to Hoofington. Although she would be the brunt of the jokes occasionally, Dot got along with her classmates. She was very shy, but she would play with them once she got her confidence. That day, when the foals were seated in their seats, a knock on the door sounded. Mrs. Heart announced that they were going to have a new student. Mrs. Heart opened the door with her magic and a small, grey filly walked into the door. She had a jet black mane and deep magenta eyes. At first, she was shy. She had a blank flank, just like five other foals in the class. She seemed lonely, and Dot wanted to say hello and befriend her, but her shyness stopped her. That recess, Dot was minding her own business, drawing on a notepad, when she noticed that the gray filly, who's name was Shadow Mug, came up to her. She had immediately befriended Redtag, a red filly with a brown mane and brown eyes. She approached Dot and Dot could feel those magenta eyes staring at the white spot on her flank.
"What is that?"
"Um... well... it's my marking" Dot stammered. Her shyness kicked in and she tried to back away.
"A marking hey?" Shadow Mug replied. "What, did you fall into a bucket of paint butt first? Only stupid ponies do that."
"I... I did not do that."
"Silly unicorn, paintings are for canvases, not butts."
Redtag then spoke, "She's always been like that. And get this. You know that unicorns are smart. Well this unicorn isn't." Dot was immediately hurt. She had always wanted to be Redtag's friend. Redtag was very pretty, as well as popular. She had a good sense of humour and she was a fun pony. The hurtful words from Redtag stabbed her hard. Dot was not an academic pony and felt pressured to be academic because of her race. Compared to Emmy, Dot was average, and average was not tolerated well to young Earth Ponies. All of the unicorns in the school were one of the tops in the class, and Dot wasn't top.
"I am smart," Dot whimpered.
"That thing on her butt kind of looks like a target, doesn't it, Red?" Shadow Mug asked her.
"I never thought of it like that, Shadow." Redtag replied. Dot watched in fear as Shadow Mug picked up a rock and threw it at her flank. The rock stung her flesh and Dot let out a sharp cry. She forgot her notebook and pencil and ran off, tears streaming down her face.
She hid behind the school, rubbing her hoof on the spot where Shadow Mug hit her. Why would Shadow Mug do that? No pony was every that mean to her. She was used to the occasional joke, but never was anypony physical to her. She hated Shadow Mug from that point on.
Another flashback came, and Dot was at home. Her mom was pregnant with her soon to be brother, and her younger brother and sister were playing outside. Her dad was working on the wheat fields while her mom held a duster in her mouth, dusting the house. Though she was heavily pregnant, it didn't stop her from cleaning. Dot was older now, Shadow Mug had been in the class for one year. Almost everyone got their cutie marks, except for her and a colt. Shadow Mug's teasing of her marking had started dying off, but Dot still felt lonely. That remark about her not being smart still hit her. And she never realized how being a unicorn was pressuring, especially when she was the only unicorn in her family.
"Mom."
"Yes, Doodles?" her mom asked. Only Dot's family called her Doodles.
"Why do I have a horn?"
Her mom was almost shocked by the answer, but calmly answered, "What do you mean? You were born with a horn."
"But why do I have a horn when Diesel and Daisy don't have one?"
"It's the way you were born. We have unicorn on our blood. You know your Nana is a full blood unicorn."
"Yeah, but why don't you and my aunties have horns, and what about Dad? Why doesn't he, uncle Blueprint and Aunty Petal have a horn, or Grandma and Grandpa?"
Dot's mother sat down beside her daughter. Her orange body contrasted with Dot's blue body. "It's hard to explain, Doodles. When it comes to me and my sisters, horns skip a generation. But horns aren't guaranteed. You are more likely to be born an Earth pony than a unicorn. You happened to be special and be born a unicorn. Do you feel lonely?"
"Yeah. Diesel and Daisy are Earth ponies. Does that mean that your baby will be an Earth pony too?"
Dot's mother put her hoof around the blue filly. "It's possible. It is more likely that this foal will be born an Earth pony, but because of unicorn in our blood, it also means that this little baby can be a unicorn, just like you."
"So why aren't Grandma and Grandpa unicorns?"
"Because their unicorn blood goes far back into the past. I think Grandpa's grandma, you're great great grandmother, was a unicorn. They don't have any unicorns in their family because they married Earth Ponies, and if the Earth ponies have no unicorn in them, it also hinders the ability to have a unicorn child. But the blood is still in them. And because both Dad and I have unicorn blood, you came into the world."
Dot put her head on her mother's large belly, feeling the small movements of her new sibling. "I hope this baby is a unicorn."
Another year passed, and Dot was the only one felt without her cutie mark. Mrs. Heart had called her parents, saying she was concerned because every pony had their cutie mark by that age. Dot's brother, Diesel Wheat was in school, and her sister, Daisy Dots had just started school. All the rest of her classmates had their cutie marks. Redtag recieved a graph cutie mark with an arrow shooting up. Twin siblings got a sports cutie mark and a barley cutie mark. One got a roll of film cutie mark, and one got a lightning bolt for a cutie mark. Shadow Mug had even gotten her cutie mark, an ale mug. They all knew what they wanted to be. Redtag wanted to be a salespony. The twins wanted to be a coach and a barely farmer. The film pony wanted to become a film maker. The lightning bolt wanted to be an electrician. Shadow Mug wanted to be a bartender. And Dot wanted to be an artist... but she didn't have her cutie mark.
One day, she sat outside under a tree. Dot was drawing some kittens that were recently born at her farm. Dot loved drawing animals, especially kittens and puppies. She had her pencil crayons and was colouring them with her magic. She was lost in her own world, until she noticed a pair of gray hooves by her notebook. She looked up to see Shadow Mug, by herself. Redtag didn't join her in the bullying since last year. She teased Dot, but never bullied like Shadow Mug did.
"Hello, blank flank."
"Hello Mugs," Dot responded, going back to colouring her kittens.
"I've seem to recall the teacher talking to your parents about your flank. Seems you're a little slow."
Dot had been trying to break her shyness, and so she sat up and looked Shadow Mug squarely in the eye. "Mom told me that my time will come, and it will be perfect. I just have to be patient and seek out other forms of art."
"Have you maybe considered that maybe art isn't what you're meant for?"
"Art is for me, Mugs. I just haven't found which art I'm talented in."
Shadow Mug swiped the notebook out from under Dot's nose. "Hey, give that back!"
"Hmm, kittens. You seem to draw kittens all the time."
"I draw dogs too."
"Hmm, an unintelligent unicorn who spends her time drawing only cats and dogs. Seems to me you haven't found your calling."
Dot clenched her teeth. "Please. Give me back my notebook."
Shadow Mug brought the notebook up to her mouth, and she ripped the page out of the book. Dot stood up and her purple eyes narrowed, and blurred with tears. "Don't you dare."
Shadow Mug smiled, and then ripped up the picture. Dot was devastated. Her picture of her favourite animal was destroyed after working hours on it. She stood silently as the pieces of the drawing fell to the grass.
"Face it, Doodle Dots. You don't have your cutie mark and you have an alien stain on your butt. You know who doesn't have a cutie mark and abnormal markings? Retarded ponies."
Dot was offended at the word "retarded". Her Aunt Valentine was handicapped, and the word retarded aggravated her very deeply. "Don't say that!" Dot shouted. "That is rude, and I am not handicapped." Tears were streaming down Dot's face.
Shadow Mug turned around, whipping her black tail into Dot's face. "The facts don't lie. You're not smart, you have an abnormal marking on your butt and you have no cutie mark when a pony your age is supposed to. You're retarded." Shadow Mug turned away. Dot started crying. The tears slid down her cheeks as the ripped up paper started blowing away. The thoughts raced through her head. Was she handicapped? Could that explain why she wasn't as smart as Emmy? Could it explain why she has tried various different art mediums and yet her cutie mark hasn't come? And could it explain the marking on her flank? Her sobs got louder and louder.
Dot jerked out of bed, tears rolling down her face. She had a nightmare. Shadow Mug's influence had hurt her deeply, and she had almost forgotten about Shadow Mug's taunting. Dot pulled the covers over her head as she tried to relax. She thought about where Shadow Mug was now. Shadow mug worked as a bartender, but also ended up becoming Hoofington's regular drunks. Shadow Mug's drunkenness got her pregnant. She was addicted to smoking and had very little money. But here was Doodle Dots who just moved to Ponyville, one of the most racially mixed towns in all of Equestria. She has a cutie mark that no one has, while Shadow Mug shares her cutie mark with hundreds of other ponies in the land. She befriended the Princesses, as well was Princess Twilight Sparkle. She is dating a team member from the Rain Cyclone Basketball team. Her life turned out great, and there was nothing Shadow Mug could do about it. Her marking was just a harmless genetic mutation that happened to one in ten thousand ponies, and Hoofington only had 500 ponies. But like Rain Rider has always said to her in the past, "Your white marking is what makes you special, and I love that so much about you. You're unique and you have something that is uncommon to a lot of ponies. Learn to love yourself, because how can I love a mare who can't love herself?" Comforted by those thoughts, she went back to sleep, and her regular, crazy dreams came back.
Dot stepped out of the shower, using her magic to dry herself off with a towel. This was her first night in the Carousel Boutique, and it was weird. She was in a new place that would be called her home, and it hasn't quite sunken in that it was home yet. Rarity was also getting up, while Sweetie Belle was still sleeping. It was the weekend, so Sweetie Belle didn't have school. Rarity was getting ready for another day of making dresses. Dot couldn't wrap her head around making dresses all day, but then again, Rarity would not be able to wrap her head around sitting at a computer drawing pictures all day either.
Dot wrapped the towel around her mane and set it on her head. She walked back to her room. Her room looked more homey now, with pictures of her family all over her walls, as well as some of her drawings, it felt more inviting. Her bed was messy. She didn't like making her bed. She always thought that the bed got messy every night, so why make it when it's going to be messed up in 12 hours?
The sun was streaming through the skylight in the roof. The computer would be able to recharge in solar power, while running on lunar power. She pushed a button with her hoof to turn the computer on. The screen flashed white and slowly faded up to her drawing program.
Sometimes it amused Dot how she was basically the only pony in Equestria who knew what she was doing. She had to do a lot of fiddling when the School of Gifted Unicorns fixed up the computer in the first place.
I can't believe that was only three years ago.
Dot shook the towel from her mane, and used her magic to grab a brush. She walked over to a mirror and she watched the mirror as she brushed her mane. The purple and red mane started forming into her normal mane shape, her bangs sweeping towards her right eye. She's had the style since she was a filly, but still loved it.
I wonder what Mom and Dad are doing right now. She continued brushing her mane as she thought about her family back in Hoofton. It had been an interesting year for her family. Her dad did not have the greatest time with his oats, wheat and peas. The year was a bit harsh, with summer being too dry and winter being too long. Small villages like Hoofington did not have a lot of Pegasi, so it was a lot of work for the Pegasi to get the weather correct. Luckily the Pegasi did not get much criticism because everypony understood why they couldn't keep up. The Pegasi would create a lot of storms to catch up for the rain, and sometimes that harmed the crops. Not only did the farm not do so well, her sister had a hole in her heart, which caused two open heart surgeries. Because of the delays of the surgeries, she had not been able to find her cutie mark. Her mom had to stop working as a nurse to take care of her sister. One of her brothers helped her dad in the harvest while the other brother would sneak away to play video games.
As Dot's mane and tail began to dry, she walked over to the picture hanging on her wall of her family.
Despite being different from her family, she loved them. She had two devoted parents and three loving younger siblings. And they did everything they could to help her find out who she was.
Next to that picture was a picture of her and Rain Rider.
Dot had met Rain Rider only a couple years ago. They were both in Manehattan at the same time at the same university. Dot became a case study for the top students and Rain Rider was trying out for their basketball team. He didn't make it, but because their similar circumstances, they became good friends. They both went to Canterlot, where he made the local basketball team and where she finally found out who she was. He had asked her out just a few days prior. They had been dating for three years now, and Dot was happy.
A sudden knocking rapped at the door. She jumped at the sudden noise. She cleared her throat, "Yes?"
The door opened to Rarity's head poking through, "My friend Twilight Sparkle wants to see you. She says it's urgent."
Twilight!! Dot had hoped that she would see Twilight, especially now that she had wings. "Okay, I'll come down."
"I tried yelling at you, but obviously you didn't hear me."
Dot's ears twitched. How long was Rarity yelling at her? She did not hear Rarity's voice one bit. But then again, she was think and day dreaming. "Sorry, I have hearing problems."
Dot followed Rarity down the two flights of stairs and through the kitchen. One quick glance at a piece of toast and Dot realized she hadn't eaten breakfast yet. But there was no time for that, Twilight Sparkle wanted to see her.
Through the door, Dot peered over Rarity's head to see the purple Alicorn standing by the door. She looked just the same as she did three years ago, except with a new pair of wings.
Twilight's smile beamed, "I knew it was the Doodle Dots I was thinking of! It's so good to see you again." Twilight trotted over to Dot and gave her a hug. "How has life been?"
"Crazy, Twilight, very crazy."
Rarity just stared at the two mares. "You two know each other?"
Twilight spoke, "She was a case study for me when I was in Canterlot. We became close friends from it. I moved to Ponyville shortly after she went home. Well, you certainly don't live in Hoofington anymore."
"That is true. Why do you need me?"
"Oh right. I got a letter from the Princesses, and they want to see you. I will escort you over there, since we know each other. A chariot is waiting for us. I'll explain a little more while we're heading there."
"Can't you teleport, or fly?" Dot shut her mouth right after, "Wait... you just became an Alicorn, I bet you don't know how to fly yet, I'm sorry, I'm sorry if I offended you."
Twilight put her off over Dot's neck, "It's okay, Dot. Normally I would teleport, but the Princesses were so kind to bring a chariot for us that I just can't refuse."
Twilight and Dot trotted towards the white and gold chariot, with two Pegasi guards at the end. They quickly got on and the chariot lifted into the air.
"So, what's going on?" Dot asked as Ponyville got smaller and smaller.
"From what the Princesses have written in the letter, they are still amazed at your talent. They love that you're the only one who does what you do, and they want to meet with you for an event. I guess to show who you are to Equestria because there could be more like you out there in need of encouragement."
Dot looked towards the front of the chariot, with the Canterlot towers slowly approaching.
"So I'm basically going to be a motivational speaker?"
"Not necessarily. At least, the Princesses haven't told me that. We'll just have to see for ourselves."
Dot eyed Twilight's new wings. It was hard to imagine that her old friend wasn't a unicorn any more. He had heard from the local newspapers about the new Princess of Equestria, but her exact title was unknown. What would she be the Princess of? Celestia and Luna were the main Princesses who ruled all of Equestria and who raised the sun and moon. Cadence was the Princess of Love and her domaine was the Crystal Empire. But what would Twilight be? The Princess of Magic? The Princess of Friendship? And where would she live? Where was she living now?
Dot finally opened her mouth, "You've gotten used to those wings yet?"
Twilight raised her wings as if she was going to take off, but she held them for a second or two and folded them back to her body. "Not really. I still need to learn to fly, Rainbow Dash is going to teach me that. I have to switch my mindset now, I don't have to use my magic to reach that tall book from the shelf, I could just fly up. But I still use my magic. But then again, Cadence told me it took her a long time to use her magic. She was originally a Pegasus, you know?"
"No, I didn't know that."
"Yeah, she had just gotten her horn before she started foalsitting me. So I'll be the same way, these wings will eventually come naturally."
"I see."
Dot felt the chariot lower, and she noticed that the castle of Canterlot was just in front of her. It wasn't a long time ago that Dot was in Canterlot. When her sister, Daisy Dots, was starting have chest pains, her mother took her to the Hoofington clinic, a small medical clinic with one doctor who travels throughout the other villages everyday, mainly run by nurses. The doctor noticed something was wrong when he listened to her heart, and send Daisy and her mother to Manehattan, the closest city to Hoofington. Manehattan was the place where the doctors told Dot's mother and Daisy that she had a hole in her heart and needed surgery, and only Canterlot did surgeries on foals, so in six weeks, the entire family went to Canterlot and waited for the surgery to be done. And the surgery was a success. But weeks after, Daisy showed signs of a dangerous, rare post-surgical symptom, fluid build-up in her heart. The doctors in Manehattan tried to stop the fluid for a year with many prescription drugs, but it did not help. A year after her first surgery, Daisy had a second surgery in Canterlot to stop the fluid build-up. And that had only been a few months ago.
The chariot landed on a strip of road for flying chariots. The Pegasi landed on the strip and trotted toward the stalls on the side. When the chariot stopped, Twilight got off onto the sidewalk beside them. "Thank you, sirs," she said, giving them a bit each. Dot didn't bring money, so she avoided eye contact and followed close behind Twilight. Dot didn't know where she was going, and just followed Twilight. Dot looked up to see the castle just steps away from them. They crossed the moat and came into the entry way.
Dot got lost in thought as memories flowed back to her. She remembered in the winter when both her parents brought her here to be presented to the Princess. This was back when Celestia was the only Princess. The guards had escorted her and her parents to the throne room where they presented Dot's case. The Princess was baffled, but was determined to fix Dot's problem. She had gotten her School of Gifted Unicorns on the case, with Twilight Sparkle leading the case. Dot and Twilight became friends, but Twilight's importance on learning and books hindered their friendship to only talking when they were trying to help Dot. It took 2 months, until Celestia had suddenly gotten two machines from her travels, asked the Unicorns to create something similar.Another month later, Dot had her computer and drawing tablet.
She got lost in her thoughts while following Twilight that she suddenly realized they were in the throne room with Celestia and Luna standing in front of them.
"Welcome, Twilight Sparkle and Doodle Dots. It is good to see both of you again."
Twilight flapped her wings once, her face beaming, "It's good to see you again, Princess. I hope you're doing well."
Celestia looked at Dot, eyeing her cutie mark. "You may be wondering why you are here, Doodle Dots."
"Yes, I am."
Luna came towards Celestia, "We brought you here because of your story. We are in a new age, where ponies are using more machines to do what they do best. There could be other ponies like you who are adults and don't have a cutie mark because the thing they love isn't available. We want you to be an advocate to this new age by drawing pictures for a huge art convention that will be held in Ponyville this year."
Dot's jaw dropped, "You want me to draw? I haven't showed anyone my art except for my family and my coltfriend."
Celestia smiled, "But you can be an inspiration to those ponies who are searching and searching for what they want to do. You searched for years. You knew you loved art, but everything you tried something different, your cutie mark never came. You became an adult with no cutie mark. And it wasn't until we discovered your computer and tablet that your cutie mark came. You aren't the only pony who has come to me and they have no cutie mark."
I'm not the only one!?
"How disheartening must it had been for an adult with no cutie mark to walk around and have no idea what they are meant to do," Luna said. "I see their pain in their dreams. They like to do the things they love, but without the technology available, they are lost. They feel hopeless."
"You are the first pony in all of Equestria to have the talent that you do," Celestia spoke. "There may be other ponies out there with a future involving technology, and you will open their minds. Show them your digital art, show them that there is hope."
Dot was amazed. The Princesses were asking her to advocate technology into everypony's life. That there are others out there, maybe even older than her, who don't have a cutie mark because the technology isn't available. How she struggled to find what she was meant to do as a filly and growing into a mare. She tried charcoal, paints, sculpting, carving, pencils, pens, everything Equestria had to offer for art, but her cutie mark never came. For an entire year, she stopped searching, hiding in her room with her concerned family struggling to make her happy. She had contemplated suicide. She thought that she was handicapped, for the only ponies she knew who didn't have a cutie mark were severely handicapped ponies like her aunt. Her aunt couldn't talk, she could barely walk and she had the mind of a toddler. Her grandmother sends her aunt to a special place where handicapped ponies would build furniture and sell it. And although her aunt was good at making furniture, her mind could not process that this was what she wanted to do and that it was her special talent; therefore, she had no cutie mark. Dot had felt useless. She was a normal pony with an abnormal marking on her rump who was full grown and had a blank flank. She should have found her talent when she was a foal. But she didn't. How much bullying and teasing she went through as everyone in her class but her had their cutie marks and graduated. She had been to doctor after doctor trying to figure why she didn't have a cutie mark. She went to all the western cities: Manehattan, Fillydephia and Baltimare, but with no answer. Then in the winter three years ago, her parents took her to Canterlot, where her problem finally had been fixed.
"I'll try." Dot softly said.
"Excellent," Celestia said. "I am so excited for everypony to see your talent. You'll be an inspiration for foals and markless ponies all over."
Dot couldn't grasp the idea. She had always felt alone with her problem, and now she could inspire those who are in her exact same position.
Twilight had brought Dot home, and Rain Rider came to check up on her. Dot told him everything that happened.
"Wow, Dot. The princesses see so much potential in you. And that means you have to get to work."
"Yeah, but what should I draw? I have a month to draw inspiring pictures to show to the public, and how do I inspire others? There aren't many ponies out there who are markless."
"You were markless. I'm sure there are others out there too. And even if they aren't markless, I'm sure you can inspire other ponies out there even if they have cutie marks. I trust you, Dot. You have a way with ponies to know what makes them special. And I'm not just talking about how you make me feel special, but how you can make others feel special. How about for the next three days, go out and about in Ponyville. Find ponies that inspire you so you can inspire them with your drawings."
"I'll try," Dot shrugged. Rain Rider leaned in and kissed her cheek.
