"How deep are these stupid caves?" Starlight wondered aloud as she walked in silence across the dank darkness of the caves in the mountains near where she called home. "Maybe going in here wasn't such a hot idea. I had to get away from those traitors." She paused as she said that. Traitors? Is she really sure she means that? Sure they did turn their backs on her really quickly when they found out her little secret. However, at the same time, they did sound like they were going to accept her back anyways regardless of how long she lied to them. They were ready to "forgive her for her sins". So does she really mean the whole traitors thing?
She sat down to both take a rest and to actually stop and think about that. They were her friends for years, even if she did lie to them, it doesn't mean she didn't really consider them her friends. Did she? When she first started it was for selfish reasons, to be the only one special, but over time...did they really become her friends? Memories of her past suddenly came to fruition as her mind wandered more as she gazed upon the beauty and darkness of her surroundings.
She was just a filly, attending a school in some far off village somewhere. She was the only one who didn't have her cutie mark yet. It's okay though, she knew she would find out who she was eventually. However, her classmates were not kind, at the playground they always mocked her, all the time, "Blank Flank, Blank Flank, Blank Flank" Over and over and over again she heard them say that. It drove her crazy
Ah she remembered it like it was just yesterday, her real purpose in life. Well, discovered by accident really. She was a grown mare who still hasn't discovered who she was yet, so she drew an equals sign on her flank to stop the mocking. Claiming it was her destiny to be average. However, that day...it was certainly not average.
It was a sunny day and Starlight was carrying about her business, not really doing much but wandering around. She then paused as she felt something thick hitting her on the head forcing her into some water. Her fake cutie mark came off, and this stallion near by say and couldn't help but to start laughing at her. His words were cruel, and the anger in her eyes showed. She looked down and saw that it was a book that was right in front of her, and a spell book of all things. She paused as she looked right at the stallion who kept laughing at her mocking her for having no cutie mark despite being a grown pony. Suddenly, her horn started to glow as she said in a fury, "I am so sick of Cutie Marks! They've brought me nothing but trouble!" Her horn blasted ahead and it hit the stallion in front of her taking his cutie mark from him. Her eyes were wide with shock as she saw his cutie mark floating to her. She paused as she looked at her flank and saw her cutie mark finally forming. It was of a star with two waves leaving from it. She slowly smiled as she ran off, as the wheels in her head started to turn. A world where every pony was equal? That would be amazing.
Well it was amazing at first, but over time she started to realize her talent of Cutie Mark theft, had a bit of a flaw in it. If every pony should be equal, than that means her cutie mark is a bad thing. That thought was always in the back of her mind as she started her village of equal ponies, with the mocking stallion as her first resident, after all he didn't have anywhere else to go and Starlight decided to help him, after he begged for her help. It felt so good. So gratifying that after years of abuse a pony was on bended hooves practically kissing her flank begging for help. She liked that feeling, more came and they all wanted help. The more they wanted Starlight's help the happier she got. Starlight smiled to herself as she remember those traitors Sugarbell and Party Favor begging her to take their cutie marks away. True, there was some ponies who were resistant to her idea, but to be honest that didn't matter. A few days in her realization shack would fix that. They eventually came around, it just took more time for them to accept her ideal world.
She blanked out for a second having to stop mid thought as she started to realize something. That way of thinking is a little messed up? Sure, she does want the ideal world where every pony is equal, but forcing ponies like that. It's almost barbaric if the outcome wasn't so wonderful. She thought to herself, what right did she have to force her ideals upon others? She then stopped and thought back to those...strangers that created those traitors. That purple alicorn, she was going on and on about her little fantasy world. However, what if she was right? What if a cutie mark...if different talents...can make a good world?
As she started to process it she say aloud "NO!" She stood up in a fury and said, "Equalism is the perfect world. If all ponies are equals that means all ponies won't have to fight each other or have to prove they are better than others with some pathetic contest of talents" She glared and said "I despise cutie marks, and that little idiot princess shouldn't have ruined everything!" She glared down and stormed off in a huff as she said in a mocking tone "Oh you're cutie mark is who you are." She glared "She knows nothing about the reality of it all." She then stomped around as the cave's echoes seemed to amplify her fury more and more. "Differences create conflict, equalism is the true path to victory. So what if I still have my cutie mark!" Her horned glowed as she tried to relieve her anger by blasting the cave with magic. "It was a necessary evil! I chose to still have the curse and to make ponies happy." She panted as she started to tire out. "So what, some strangers come and show I still have my cutie mark" She looked down and said "I still was their friend, for the most part." She then said "So why did they just abandon me like that?"
She then glared as she got up. "it's Talent's fault!" She screamed in fury. "They always have to have talent. Talent, talent, talent, talent!" She repeated that word getting angrier and angrier as she said it. "Talent poisoned those strangers minds, made them turn my friends into traitors. Well fine! They can have their stupid talents!" She then started to remember how much she liked being above others, how much that power made her happy. "They'll soon find out, after I get out of here, that there are some talents." She looked straight forward down the cave network. "That should have never been seen." She walked forward slowly, as her shadow covered the cave.
