How Did You Get Your Cutie Mark?

Spring Fresh

"Who should we do next?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Same as last time," Scootaloo replied. Sweetie Belle nodded.

"Oh. Okay."

"Let's head to the market," Apple Bloom suggested cheerfully. "There are bound to be some good stories there."

"I hope so." Scootaloo's wings flittered. "I don't want to sit threw ten more sappy stories."

"I'm sure somepony has an adventurous story," Apple Bloom told her as they began walking.

"Who has an adventurous story?" A green unicorn popped out from behind a free.

"AAAAAAAAAH!" Sweetie Belle screamed in alarm. Scootaloo sighed.

"It's just another pony, Sweetie Belle."

"Whoops, sorry," the mare walked around to face them fully. "My friends say I have a tendency to scare someponies like that. I'm Spring Fresh. What were you saying about an adventure story?"

"Scootaloo here wants to here a action story about how somepony earned their cutie mark," Apple Bloom explained. Spring Fresh nodded.

"My cutie mark didn't exactly come in an adventurous way, but it was still exciting," she commented.

"Could you tell us the story?" Sweetie Belle asked excitedly. Spring Fresh nodded.

"Of course. I was a filly a little older than you...

"I was curious about the woods surrounding Ponyville, so one day, the day before Winter Wrap-Up, I snuck out of my house. I ran away to the forest. I didn't mean to stay out as long as I did, but I got lost and confused. I couldn't find my way back.

"Instead of panicking, I decided to collect some plants. It hadn't snowed heavily, and the ground and plants were covered with a thin layer of frost. I picked some ferns, and I learned a little bit about plants.

"Late at night, I finally found my way out of the forest. My parents had been worried sick, and they got me warm and everything. I hadn't thought to wear a scarf, and it was still winter.

"Anyways, that's not the point. The next day, I insisted on helping with Winter Wrap-Up. Thanks to my little adventure the day before, I knew about ferns and everything like that, so I helped with planting new ferns. It's not like the ones I had seen were fresh, you know.

"I discovered that I had a talent for planting ferns and plants. Quite unusual for a unicorn to have plant talent, must be the Earth Pony in my blood. I love planting for Winter Wrap-Up. The new plants are so pretty. And that's how I got my cutie mark."

Spring Fresh lifted her saddle to reveal a single fern as her cutie mark.

"Nice story," Apple Bloom commented.

"It's an improvement," Scootaloo admitted.

"Thanks for talking to us," Sweetie Belle added. Spring Fresh smiled.

"Anytime. See you girls!" She trotted off towards Ponyville.

"Come on girls," Apple Bloom exclaimed. "Let's go hear more stories!"

"I wonder who we'll meet next!" Sweetie Belle commented.