Chapters How Did You Get Your Cutie Mark?
Tropical Spring
Sweetie Belle sat with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo in their clubhouse, kicking her back hooves idly.
"I am so bored," Scootaloo groaned, rolling onto her back. "We haven't done anything !"
"We could always help our sisters," Apple Bloom pointed out. "Maybe we could get our talents in Apple bucking!" Scootaloo rolled her eyes.
"I think that's an Apple thing, not a Scootaloo thing," she answered. The three fillies fell into silence again.
"We could listen to other ponies' cutie mark stories," Sweetie Belle suggested. "Wasn't it fun listening to Rarity and Applejack and Fluttershy and Twilight and Pinkie and Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo made a gagging noise.
"Not more of those namby-pamby stories!" She exclaimed. Apple Bloom giggled.
"They might not all be bad," she replied. "What if there's a great, adventurous story like Rainbow Dash's?"
"I'm in!" Scootaloo yelled, jumping up. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom stood up as well.
"Who should we ask?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"The first pony we meet!" Scootaloo suggested. Apple Bloom nodded. Sweetie thought for a moment.
"Alright!" She exclaimed. The three fillies skipped out of their clubhouse.
They didn't have to go very far before they met an orange pony with shaggy pink hair. Her cutie mark was a blue flower and a lavender flower. Sweetie Belle remembered seeing her around at the market before.
"Who are you?" Apple Bloom asked. The mare looked up from the flowers she had been admiring.
"Oh, hi! I'm Tropical Spring!" She introduced herself. "You must be Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo!"
"How did you know?" Sweetie Belle asked. Tropical Spring laughed.
"Your sisters and their friends are some of the most well-known ponies in Ponyville! Of course I've heard of their little sisters!" She replied in a light, cheerful voice. Sweetie Belle blushed, and Scootaloo puffed her chest our with pride. Apple Bloom scratched her mane.
"Tropical Spring? Can we ask you a question?" She asked. Tropical Spring tilted her head, still smiling.
"Sure!" She replied.
"How did you get your cutie mark?" Apple Bloom asked. Tropical Spring looked surprised.
"Oh, of course I'll tell you about that!" She exclaimed. "Now, let's see...
"When I was a young filly, I lived in Tall Tale, a city on the coast. I had lots of friends, but I didn't have one good friend. The friends I had were nice, really fun, but they weren't ponies I could confide in, or anything like that.
"That changed when I met Jet Stream. She and her family were on vacation to Talk Tale for several months, so she had to go to my school for a short while. We were almost instantly friends. I kept my old friends, of course, but Jet Stream and I were almost inseparable.
"When she left, we continued to write letters to each other. It was around that time that I realized, while it's great to have loads of good friends, it's even better to have several close friends who you can trust with anything. And as soon as I realized that, I got my cutie mark. It represents that idea."
"That was great!" Sweetie Belle clapped her hooves when Tropical Spring had finished. Scootaloo yawned.
"Namby-pamby," she commented. Apple Bloom glared at her.
"Thank you for sharing with us, Tropical Spring," she said gratefully. Tropical Spring beamed.
"My pleasure, Apple Bloom. See you around!" The Crusaders waved as she trotted off on her way.
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.
How Did You Get Your Cutie Mark?
Bitta Blues
The first stall Sweetie Belle saw was the cherry stall.
"Look! There's a pony over there!" She exclaimed, raising her hoof to gesture at the pale blue mare at the stall. "Let's go ask her!"
"Good idea!" Apple Bloom agreed. The fillies cantered over to the mare. She turned and stared at them with dull eyes.
"Can I help you?" She asked.
"Hi! I'm Apple Bloom!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.
"I'm Scootaloo!" Scootaloo chimed in.
"And I'm Sweetie Belle!" Sweetie added. The mare stared at them.
"I'm Bitta. Bitta Blues," she told them in a dreary voice.
"Nice to meet you! And we were wondering, could you tell us how you got your cutie mark?" Apple Bloom asked. Bitta Blues cast a glance at her flank, which bore a single red ladybug.
"You want to hear my cutie mark story?" She asked. The three fillies nodded. Bitta sighed.
"Alright, fine...
"When I was a filly, I was depressed. I didn't like playing with the other foals. My siblings were always fighting with each other, and my mom... anyways, I was depressed.
"Sometimes, I wanted to run away. I thought anything would be better than the life I was living. But, one day in school, that all change.
"My teacher showed us a film reel on foals like us living on the streets, homeless. Some fillies and colts lived with young griffons in the not-so-nice parts of Griffonia. I realized that I should be thankful for the life I was given. I also decided that I wanted to do charity work and help homeless foals. When I knew that was my destiny, my cutie mark appeared. Just like ladybugs decrease the pests in gardens, I want to decrease the amount of foals living on the streets.
"I got over my depression soon after that, too. I convinced my older siblings to stop fighting. Life was much more enjoyable."
"Wow," Sweetie Belle whispered. "Miss Cheerilee hasn't mentioned that to us yet." Bitta Blues gave a small smile.
"You should ask her how you can help make a difference," she suggested.
"Hey, why are you so serious?" Scootaloo asked. Bitta Blues stared at her.
"It's just my personality, I guess," she replied. "It was nice talking to you."
"You too!" Apple Bloom answered. Bitta Blues stood up, waved, and trotted away to another stall.
How Did You Get Your Cutie Mark?
Deep Blue
"Who's that pony over there?" Scootaloo asked, pointing to a blue Pegasus flying in circles. Apple Bloom tilted her head.
"She looks familiar," she decided. "Should we go and talk to her?"
"Sure!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. Scootaloo kept a skeptical expression. Sweetie Belle put on a pouty face.
"Alright, Sweetie Belle." The three fillies ran over to the mare.
"Hi kids!" The mare greeted them cheerfully. "What can I do for you? A performance at a birthday party? Wait!" She stopped flying and halted mid-air. "Aren't you Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo?"
"That's us!" Apple Bloom confirmed. "What's your name?"
"Hey, what did your brother teach you about talking to strangers?" The mare asked, sticking her face right up in Apple Bloom's. Apple Bloom shrank back. The Pegasus giggled.
"I'm just kidding! My name's Deep Blue. You're probably looking for a cutie mark story, right?" Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle nodded. Deep Blue flew up higher.
"Well, it's pretty cool. You see, I was just a filly in Ponyville...
"And I wanted a fish for a pet. That might not seem big, but I didn't want just any fish! I wanted a flying fish, one I could play with if I ever visited my family in Cloudsdale. They were uncommon, but not impossible to find. I was a very good little filly, and I was very responsible when taking care of my little sister. So my mom and dad decided I could have one! They told me they would go to Baltimare to pick one up for me. I was so happy!
"While they were gone, I practiced my arial tricks. I could perform as well as any fish could! My sister watched me. Sometimes I let her ride on my back. I was very careful, of course.
"When my parents got back, I got my fish! I named her Shallow Blue, to match my name, see? I taught her all sorts of tricks. It was so fun! Then I decided to start performing with Shallow Blue. I performed for my sister's birthday. Everypony loved it!
"I realized that my special talent was performing, and arial performances, and stuff like that. Pretty cool, huh?"
"Yeah," Apple Bloom agreed. "It's cool! Maybe I'll ask you to perform for my next birthday!"
"Me too!" Sweetie Belle added. "Thanks a lot, Deep Blue!"
"No problem, kids!" Deep Blue waved, then returned to her circular routine.
"What did you think, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked as they walked away.
"I think... I think it was wonderful," Scootaloo whispered in an awestruck tone.
"What?!" Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom exclaimed in shock.
"A story about a pet, and you think it's the best thing since Rainbow Dash?" Sweetie Belle asked. Scootaloo nodded.
"It's inspiring how she worked with her pet. Do you think I could perform with Rainbow Dash?" She asked. Apple Bloom smiled and rolled her eyes.
"You ain't her pet, Scootaloo. I have to run home now. Applejack needs help with the chores."
"Yeah! I wanna catch some scooter practice!"
"Bye!" Sweetie Belle called to her two friends as they departed.
"Now I can go ask Cipher Splash what the real deal with her cutie mark."
How Did You Get Your Cutie Mark?
High Spirits
"Okay! Ready for my cutie mark story? I'm telling you, it's a doozy ! I'm so happy to be talking to you!" Sweetie Belle couldn't help wondering if the yellow Pegasus dancing around her was related to Pinkie Pie, she wouldn't sit still . High Spirits had been the next pony they had encountered on the way to Ponyville.
"Alright, tell us!" Apple Bloom exclaimed impatiently. High Spirits blew her coral mane up.
"Alright! I'll start! It was way back in Cloudsdale...
"My friend Merry May and her brother Cerulean Skies were playing with me in Cloudsdale. Cerulean had been trying to cheer up Merry May, but nothing was working. When I came over, I was so full of energy, and I challenged them to a game of tag. Merry May forgot her trouble and she and Cerulean began to play with me!
"While we were playing, Cerulean told me that I had lots of energy, and that was a good thing. I realized that was true, and I totally realized I could use my enthusiasm to cheer up others and help others!
"At that moment, Merry May yelled and pointed at my flank. I had my cutie mark of two clouds!
"I didn't see a lot of Merry May and Cerulean. They moved to Ponyville, and, wait! I'm here! So I can totally visit them! Won't that be a surprise!"
"Thanks!" Apple Bloom called as High Spirits excitedly flew off.
"That wasn't a doozy," Scootaloo commented.
"Always the critic," Sweetie Belle remarked. Scootaloo sighed.
"What do you think counts as a doozy?" She asked. Sweetie Belle thought for a moment.
"Something big?" She suggested. Scootaloo rolled her eyes.
"Why is everypony out in the woods?" She asked. "Let's hurry to the Market. I'm sick of being here."
"Alright," Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom agreed. Scootaloo flipped her wings and led Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom to town.
How Did You Get Your Cutie Mark?
Cipher Splash
Scootaloo pointed to an orange unicorn buying apples.
"Let's go ask her for her cutie mark story!" She suggested. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom exchanged glances.
"Alright," Apple Bloom agreed. The three fillies trotted up to her.
"Aren't you... Cipher Splash?" Sweetie Belle asked. Cipher looked at her and nodded.
"Hi! I'm Sweetie Belle, and these are my friends Apple Bloom and Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle pointed at herself, then at her companions. Cipher smiled and shook Sweetie Belle's hand.
"It's nice to meet you," she said cheerfully.
"We were wondering, could you tell us your cutie mark story?" Apple Bloom asked. Cipher nodded.
"One day, I woke up, and I had my cutie mark," she explained. "I'm a champion roof-jumper. The end." The fillies stared at her.
"Being a roof-jumper is an actual talent ?" Apple Bloom asked. Cipher nodded.
"Wait, that's not a story!" Scootaloo interjected indignantly. "Why did your cutie mark appear?" Cipher shrugged.
"I realized my special talent." Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo rolled their eyes at the obvious answer.
"Cipher! What's your cutie mark anyway?" Sweetie Belle suddenly asked. Cipher smiled, then began laughing and laughing.
"What?" Sweetie Belle asked. "What's so funny?" Cipher Splash moved her saddlebags aside to show Sweetie Belle her mark.
"What the hay is that?" Sweetie Belle cried. Cipher's cutie mark was indecipherable. Cipher smiled, as if she was pleased.
"Oh, nothing," she answered. Cipher turned around to leave, but Scootaloo pulled on her tail.
"Hey, lady! Tell us how you really earned your cutie mark," she demanded. Cipher stared at her.
"I am a scientist who uses potions to create apocalyptic results. I am also a champion surf-boarder, the runner of a casino in Las Pegasus at night, and the secret protege of Princess Celestia."
"You're pulling our legs, aren't you?" Scootaloo asked. Cipher nodded.
"Bye," she said to them, and then turned and walked away.
"I'm never mentioning that conversation to anypony," Apple Bloom remarked. Scootaloo sighed.
"Let's just stop. Nopony has a great story like Rainbow Dash," she suggested. Sweetie Belle shook her head.
"Come on, Scootaloo, just one more pony!" She exclaimed. Scootaloo stared at Sweetie Belle for a minute.
"Alright," she agreed.
"Yay!" Sweetie Belle sang out.