“Diamond Tiara! Think about what your doin!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“Diamond Tiara!” The same mare who I think was called Spoiled Rich pushed her way through the crowd. “I came here for a school board meeting and this is what I see when we adjourn? My daughter associating with insignificant lowlifes!” I stomped a hoof on the ground and it cracked slightly under the force.

“You show some damn respect you stuck up bitch,” I growled. “They have more of a life and a future than you ever will!”

“Sunset!” Mom admonished. “While I don’t approve of the language, my daughter is right. You should show some more respect.”

“I hate meddling ponies,” Spoiled Rich grumbled. “Come along Diamond Tiara!”

“No mother!” Diamond retorted and we stared in surprise. I wasn’t expecting that.

“Excuse me?” Spoiled spun around.

“These are the Cutie Mark Crusaders and they are my friends. They will get their marks when they find out their special talent and I guarantee it will be amazing! I decided I want what you don’t have. Friends! You raised me my whole life to follow in your hoof steps and be a high horse but not any longer. Now will you please deliver this to father?” Diamond held out a piece of paper.

“Good shit. I wasn’t a fan of the kid but I am now,” Lyra smiled.

“Of course dear,” Spoiled took the paper in her mouth and trotted off.

“I have to thank you Crusaders,” Diamond faced the three. “Ever since I got my cutie mark, I’ve know my talent was getting others to do what I want. I just asked Father to buy the new playground equipment!” She winked at Pipsqueak and high hoofed him. “Bet you didn’t see that coming, did you? Everything is going to work out just fine Mr. President!”

“We’ll build a playground for all of us to enjoy. So full of games, there’s enough for each girl and boy. I want to help and do everything that I can. I’m here to show you I changed. Listen up, here’s the plan.”

“When she isn’t singing about blackmail, she’s actually pretty good,” I muttered as a wagon stopped at the school and I levitated the boxes out.

“Wow they work fast,” Lyra mused.

“Probably paid them to.”

“Bring it in! That’s right, keep it coming! Hey there, you with the amazing strength. Can you help them move that merry-go-round across the lawn?” Diamond approached a filly. She quickly nodded and lifted it up with her back.

“Woah,” Vinyl pushed her glasses up in shock. “Didn’t expect that.”

“Thank you so much! And you with the super teeth, we need you to help with that teeter-totter. You got it! That’s the spirit! There’s so much I can do, to help everypony else. I see the light that shines in me. I know I can be my better self. I can free the past. ‘Cause now the future’s bright for me. My cutie mark has set me free. To do what’s right and be the pony I want to be. And be the pony I want to be!” Diamond lifted a board Silverspoon was hammering.

“We have a Diamond Tiara at our school right?” Bon Bon asked Mom.

“Yeah we do. Her mom is pretty much a witch,” Mom confirmed as the two started opening boxes. I levitated a flag to a waiting green pegasus who stuck it in the top.

“Makes sense,” I muttered. Once again another thing to check up on.

“So Crusaders ah was thinking.”

“Dangerous for you,” Scootaloo piped in and Apple Bloom glared at her.

“This is serious Scoots.”

“Okay we’re listening,” Sweetie Belle quickly intervened.

“When we help others, they find out their special talent and their role in Equestria and that’s so much more important than finding our marks. Don’t yall agree?”

“I totally agree! I don’t care if I ever get my mark as long as I’m with you three,” Scootaloo smiled.

“Absolutely!” Sweetie Belle agreed.

“So what do you say Crusaders? Wanna focus on helping others now?” Apple Bloom asked. The three high hoofed each other.

“Yeah!” A swirling light surrounded three as they floated in the air.

“W-whats happening?” Octavia asked hesitantly. I smirked at the others nervous expressions and gave a knowing wink.

“Wait and see.”

"W-what happened?” Apple Bloom rubbed her as the school ponies and Equestrian Cheerilee crowded around them.

“It’s your cutie marks,” Diamond said in awe. “They’re amazing.”

“We all got the same cutie marks!” They hugged each other and I maintained my smile.

“You knew that was happening?” Octavia asked me curiously.

“Yep. Reminds me of when I got my mark.”

“We’ve been searching for out cutie mark for a while now. Trying to find out how we fit in. So many ways we’ve tried before
But we kept on trying more. Cause the Cutie Mark Crusaders don’t give.”

“Now we know what it took all along,” Scootaloo sang.

“And our journey here is never really done,” Sweetie Belle added.

“For it is more than just a mark. It’s a place for us to start,” Apple Bloom chimed in.

“An adventure that has only just begun.
We’ll make our mark, show the world what we can do. We’ll make our mark, helping fillies to break through to the ultimate reward of a cutie mark.”

“Cutie Mark Crusaders, I’ve got something I need to say. I was headed down a path that was leadin’ me astray. But now, I’ve changed my ideas. You helped me see I care. I’m gonna show the world how much I have to share. You’ve made your mark and showed me a better way. You’ve made your mark helped me see how I could change all I thought I ever knew of my cutie mark!” Diamond Tiara hoof bumped the three eagerly.

"All right, everypony! Get ready for the biggest cute-ceañera celebration ever!” Pinkie screamed. The others had gotten back early last night from their friendship problem thing. Apparently it was a crazy one according to Dash.

“How did we get here so fast?” Bon Bon asked.

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” Lyra winked.

“What’s a cute-ceañera?” Mom asked me.

“It’s a party fillies and colts get when they earn their cutie mark. Everypony gets one. Rich, poor, homeless. Nopony is left out. I had one.”

“Oh, sugarcube, if Mom and Dad were here, they’d be so proud of ya,” Applejack hugged her sister as her brother wiped away a tear.

“Never thought I’d see Big Mac cry,” Vinyl mused.

“Oh thanks Applejack,” Apple Bloom turned faintly red.

“Now go on and party with your pals!”

“I’m so proud of you little buddy. You’ve taught me a thing or two,” Rainbow hoofbumped Scootaloo as Equestrian Lyra and Equestrian Bon Bon hugged the filly.

“You’ve inspired everypony around you
And you’ve inspired me too,” Rarity held Sweetie Belle chin up with a hoof as the filly blushed.

“You’ve made your mark. Done Equestria so proud. You’ve made your mark, and we’re here to sing it loud. For the ultimate reward of your cutie mark.”

“This is insane,” Lyra muttered. “So cutie marks just appear?”

“Yep! Only when you find what you’re meant to do in Equestria!” I explained as we crowded around a table in Sugarcube Corner.

“Well, what do you think, Crusaders? Were these cutie marks totally worth waiting for or what?” Apple Bloom announced.

“Yeah! I can’t wait to see who we’re gonna help next!” Sweetie Belle agreed as she bit a cupcake.

“We started out just three Crusaders driven to see what we find in our hearts, discover our destiny. And here we are, best friends about to start it again. An adventure that never will end. We’ll make our mark, helping fillies most in need. We’ll make our mark so each one of them succeeds. Cause the ultimate reward is a cutie mark.”

“Where to next?” I asked the others curiously.

“Where you grew up!” Mom suggested with a grin.

“I have dinner at Lyra’s tomorrow night. We can go then,” I promised. Hopefully I didn’t get judged too much when I took them there.

“Sounds good.”

“Pretty amazing right?” Equestrian Cheerilee asked as she stared at the CMC and wiped a tear away.

“Are you okay?” Mom asked.

“Yeah. It’s just I watched these three grow up. I’ve known them practically their whole life. When I lost my daughter, they filled that hole. And now they got their cutie marks. They’re growing up. And I can’t help but wonder if my daughter would have had her mark by now. What she would be good at. It’s hard to see this but at the same time I’m so proud of those three.” Mom sighed and looked away as her counterpart absentmindedly rubbed her stomach with a hoof.

“Let’s go get some tea,” Mom suggested.

“Okay.” Mom looked back at me as the two started to trot away.

“I’ll meet you all back at the castle. Have fun and stay safe.”

Author's Note

Fun fact: a cut part of We'll Make Our Mark had Diamond Tiara singing. It came before Pinkie Pie spoke and was cut for time. https://mlp.fandom.com/wiki/We%27ll_Make_Our_Mark