Applejack smiled as she pulled the thermometer out of her sister’s mouth. “Well would ya look at that!” She said, tussling Apple Bloom’s mane, “After an entire week of the flu, yer finally better!”
Apple Bloom couldn’t share her sister’s excitement. After a week, what if she was the stupidest filly in Ponyville? What if everypony else moved on to the next grade without her? W-What if when she got there, she was called on for a question that she couldn’t answer, and the entire class would laugh her out of town?! “Uh . . . Applejack?” She asked, groaning softly as she let out a small cough, squirming back under the covers. “A-Are ya sure ah don’t have . . . measles?” The filly looked up exhaustedly, throwing in another hacking cough for good measure.
“Nope!” Applejack said, pulling off the covers of her bed and opening the blinds. She smiled as Apple Bloom squirmed, searching for refuge from Celestia’s morning sun. Unable to find any, she begrudgingly rolled out of bed and onto the floor. “There, now ya don’t wanna be late on yer first day back, no?” She asked, giving Apple Bloom her saddle bag. “Hurry along now so ya can go meet up with yer friends.”
Apple Bloom nodded and made her way outside. She took her time walking into Ponyville, enjoying the breeze and the scenery that seemed so new to her. The forest of trees in the apple orchard she remembered had transformed into a sea of bronze as the first frost slowly crept closer. The filly closed her eyes as a cool breeze washed over her. Apple Bloom’s ears perked as she heard laughter, and realized that the school was slowly approaching. Forcing away her daydreams of being completely humiliated in front of the class, she began looking for her friends.
Among all of the chattering fillies and colts, she couldn’t find either Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo where they usually were before class. Out of options, she made her way to the playground. Of course they aren’t here! This is where-
“Hey Blankflank!” Came the shrill shriek of perhaps the most annoying, most hated pony in all of Equestria. Groaning, Apple Bloom turned to meet Diamond Tiara as she approached. What could she possibly want now? “So you didn’t trot of and join the circus after all! What happened, did they reject you because your blank flank blinded them?” Of course –right on que- came the cackling of her lap dog Silver Spoon.
“Do ya need something?” Apple Bloom asked irritably, glaring at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in turn. “The other Crusaders and ah have a lot of catchin’ up ta do, and they’re nowhere ta be found!”
The two fillies shared a look and turned away, flicking their tails in what looked like a highly rehearsed maneuver. “You Cutie Mark Lamesaders have fun!” Called Diamond Tiara as they began walking into the schoolhouse as Ms. Cheerilee rang the school bell.
Taking her time, Apple Bloom walked inside the schoolhouse with all the other fillies and colts, but stopped in her tracks as she overheard a conversation the teacher was having with a new student. “- ring it every day Ms. Cheerilee? It was so much fun!” She rolled her eyes as she watched the young colt she recognized as Silver Bell yap on to the teacher. Why would anypony want ta ring a dumb old bell every morning?
Of course, Ms. Cheerilee found the colt’s enthusiasm much less annoying then she did. “Of course you can Silver! It’s so nice to see something make you so happy! You’ve been quiet ever since you got here two weeks ago, and I was beginning to get a little worried that you would never warm up to Ponyville, or . . . “
Apple Bloom stopped listening. She couldn’t worry about the new colt now, all she wanted to do was talk to her friends! She made her way to her seat quickly and sat down, sighing as she took off her heavy saddle bags, weighed down with her missed homework. Struggling to pull out all of her books, she gasped as she looked up, Sweetie Belle appearing right next to her.
“A-Apple Bloom!” She squeaked. What was with her voice? The last time she heard her friend like this, Ms. Cheerilee caught her passing a note that read ‘Diamond Tiara has a stinky flank!’ “W-When did you come back?”
“Just today!” Apple Bloom says happily, looking back to Scootaloo curiously. What’s up with them? Why’re they actin’ all strange around me? Apple Bloom looked back at Sweetie Belle only to realize that she was wearing a dress. Before she could ask what was going on, Ms. Cheerilee finished her conversation and walked into the front of the room and begun class.
All day Apple Bloom’s attempts at sending her friends any type of messages were thwarted. Slips of paper and crumpled balls were left untouched by either of them, only earning her a scowl or two from the teacher. Soon, Apple Bloom gave up. She didn’t need to get scolded by Apple Jack for falling even farther behind with her school work, and besides, they could hang out afterwards . . . right?
Lesson after boring lesson dragged on before it mercifully ended shortly after noon. “Silver, you want to ring the bell for the end of class?” Ms. Cheerilee asked, surely dragging out the end of the day as long as possible to make it harder on all the squirming foals in the class.
The gray unicorn filly jumped out of her seat and trotted to the front of the room, flailing the bell about wildly. Chiming loudly, the entire class leaped from their seats and scrambled for the door, ignoring the small filly as a tiny bell appeared on her flank.
Apple Bloom glared at Silver. What kind of special talent was ringing a bell? That wasn't special at all! A real special talent is something special like being the best herder in all Equestria! Maybe even being the best barn maker! Something nopony else could do! Anypony could ring some dumb old bell! Ms. Cheerilee does it herself all the time! What kind of talent was something that wasn't special? Instead of being able to talk to Sweetie and Scoots like she planned, Diamond Tiara appeared in front of her, snapping her out of her thoughts.
“Hey Apple Bloom?” She asked, smiling as her eyes glared at Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. “I was wondering, if I could ever join the Cutie Mark Crusaders?”
Apple Bloom scoffed in surprise, glaring back at the pink filly. “What kinda question is that?!” She asked, trying to figure out where she was going with this. “Of course ya can’t! Only us blankflanks can be Crusaders, ya hear?! Nopony with Cutie Marks allowed!”
The spoiled filly’s eyes widened and a smirk appeared on her face as fast as zap apples. Apple Bloom’s ears drooped as she realized that she was obviously up to something no good. Right on cue, Diamond Tiara gasped. “But Apple Bloom!” She said, resting a hoof on her shoulder, “What about Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo over there?”
“Shut up Tiara!” Scootaloo shouted, staying glued in her chair.
“What about em? Of course they can! How else will we go crusadin’?”
Diamond Tiara gasped and clicked her tongue. “You mean they didn’t tell you yet?! That these two went on without you and got their Cutie Marks?!”
Apple Bloom’s heart sank. They couldn’t have gotten their marks without her! It doesn’t work that way! They all said from the very beginning that either they all would get them at the same time, or nopony would get anything! How could they break their promise like that? Her mind scrambled as it tried to search for an answer to every question she was coming up with, but there were far too many for her to keep track of. Her friend’s went crusading without her, and the moment they did, they got their marks. It was her fault, wasn’t it? Was she holding them back?
“What do ya mean . . . they got their cutie marks?” She asked quietly, looking at Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, who were looking away, ashamed. “When were ya gonna tell me about it?! How come ya won’t talk ta me?”
Sweetie Belle turned to her, and showed her flank; instead of white, it was adorned with a pink musical note. “Apple Bloom, we just wanted to wait until you were better, that’s all! We didn’t even go crusading!”
Scootaloo rose from her seat and looked to Apple Bloom. “Look, Sweetie Belle got hers because she was traveling to Canterlot with Rarity, and she was just humming! And this,” She showed her friend a flaming blue wheel on her flank. “I got this just riding around Ponyville!” Scootaloo groaned as Apple Bloom looked at her, confused. “Listen, the whole crusading thing doesn’t work! There’s no scheme for getting one faster, or just doing random things! You need to-“
“Stop talking down ta me!” Apple Bloom shouted angrily, standing up from her desk. “Ya aint any bigger cause ya got yer marks, so stop acting like it!” In a hurry, she picked up her saddle bags and stormed out, not caring if they were calling out to her.
The filly growled as she galloped down the dirt path, ignoring the sweat stinging her eyes and the burning in her lungs. It’s not fair! How come they got their marks already, and she didn’t? Not a day went by where she tried every single thing she could imagine, and all she ended up with was nothing! It doesn’t make any sense! If you try to do something, you fail, but when you don’t do anything you get what you want? Confused, Apple Bloom burst into the house and stormed into her room, bawling into her sheets.
Apple Bloom heard the faint sound of hoofsteps and creaking floorboards. It was usually a comforting sound, Applejack making her way slowly to her room in an attempt to comfort her, but now she hated it. There was no point in trying to comfort such a failure. It was apparently so easy that three ponies earned their cutie marks doing absolutely nothing!
Her sobbing stopped instantly as the door creaked open, and she shifted as the hoofsteps approached her bed. “Sugarcube, what’s got ya throwing such a fuss?”
Apple Bloom sniffled softly as her older sister pet her mane gently. Looking up at Applejack with teary eyes, she took a shaky breath. “S-Scootaloo and Sw-eety Belle got their marks!”
“Well ain’t that grand! Ah thought ya would be happy about that?”
“They keep babying me Applejack!” She said, sitting up, wiggling free of her sister’s hoof. “They won’t stop talking ta me like I’m stupid, and like they’re big ponies who know everything!”
Her sister sighed and sat next to Apple Bloom, giving her a hug. “So the whole Cutie Mark Crusaders thing ain’t working out after all . . .”
Apple Bloom shoved herself away from her sister, glaring at her. “Why do ponies keep saying that?! First Scootaloo, then Sweetie Belle, and now you! What’s wrong with being a Crusader? What’s wrong with working hard every day ta earn your cutie mark?”
Applejack shook her head. “Sugarcube, ya can’t work on getting yer mark. Ya can’t go after it like working on a shopping list. It’s something that ya just realize. Mac got his mark because he realized he was meant ta hold the family together. Our family’s good at realizing our purpose, not necessarily a special talent. It’ll come ta ya after time, ya just gotta be patient.”
Apple Bloom laid down and huffed slightly, curling up into her blanket. “But how long is it gonna take? Ah can’t be a filly forever!”
Applejack got up and sighed. “We’re always here for ya, no matter when ya get yer cutie mark. It doesn’t matter nearly as much as ya think it does, and it has nothing ta do with becoming a mare.”
With their conversation finished, the mare left the room and closed the door, leaving her sister alone to be swallowed up by her dream.
A stupid butt symbol, that’s all it was. What was it about such a tattoo that made ponies think they were so much better than others? A prison, binding you to a single talent, a single task for the rest of your life, like forcing a boulder up an endless hill . . . the only purpose of staying with it is so it won’t roll back down and flatten everypony you love. A curse.
Applejack and Big Macintosh and Granny . . . they’re bound to the farm. They’ll stay here until a harsh winter or when apples aren't as important anymore. Once that happens, they’ll follow the ship down into Tartarus because they don’t know how to get off. No matter how well he does it, the family won’t stay together forever, it doesn’t matter what Macintosh does, Granny will die and I . . . hopefully I’ll move on. I will move on; someplace else –it doesn’t matter where- as long as I’m not stuck here.
Dash is trapped too. Going fast all the time must be exhausting, and now that she’s spending more time with Fluttershy . . . neither of them can keep up with the other. One’s too fast, and the other is too slow. But what would hers mean, the three pink butterflies? At least she can know that she doesn’t earn anything, that she is not special at all. Pinkie Pie, she’s fine with it. The day she can’t party will be the day after she’s buried.
B-But what about Twilight? Surely she's not cursed too? She has everything anypony would want when it comes to a talent, and even has her very own assistant to help her! Not to mention Princess Celestia made her a Princess! Was that her special talent after all, being a Princess? Hers is a real talent. There's not a pony in all of Equestria who could match her now that she has super Princess powers! Anypony could do what she does if they were gave the power like she was!
Rarity doesn't even get it yet! If what makes you special is finding gems, then why do you do it only part of the time? Stupid mare not knowing what her special talent is . . . she must have gotten hit in the head or something.
There was one thing that they all had in common though: that picture. No matter how stupid it was, they all had a cutie mark and she didn't. But. . . why do you need one to become a mare? Surely Princess Celestia won't keep you a filly forever if you don't have a cutie mark . . . right?
