Mandatory Motherhood: Short Stories

Cutie Mark

Mia’s boyfriend sat down at the table with a thick notebook and several pens, the seat under him creaked from his weight. He looked at Colgate and scowled. “Colgate, I have a name. It’s Aaron, please stop referring to me as Mia’s boyfriend all the time.”

Colgate squeaked. “S-sorry! Oh uh… Aaron. Sorry we don’t talk much, you are usually busy with that project from the HPI and you seem to use your free time for other projects, why are you interested in speaking with me? You and Archie seemed to have hit it off well.”

Aaron eyed Colgate keeping the blank stare of a soldier up as he opened the notebook. “I’m three units ahead of schedule and Mia told me you mentioned an interesting topic to her so I wanted to do a bit of research of my own. And Archie doesn’t know much, plus he has a hard time speaking with those bird vocal cords so our conversations don’t usually last long.”

Colgate nodded. “Alright, I’ll try to answer what I can. Ask away.”

Aaron nodded and began writing in the notebook. “Tell me about these cutie marks, tell me everything. Do all races have them? I don’t appear to have any and neither does Chris or Starla but you and Mia do.”

Colgate smiled, worried that she was going to get asked about something she was forbidden to speak about. “Oh of course. Well, let's start with who gets them. So unfortunately you won't get one. Only pony races get cutie marks. So threstals, earth ponies, unicorns, pegasi, and alicorns get cuteimarks. The pony races.”

Aaron was scribbling in the book as she spoke, he stopped and scratched his chin. “What about zebras, hypogryphs, sea ponies, and what were they called again? Kirin?”

No sea ponies and hypogryphs don’t get them but they are essentially the same species they just can switch back and forth. But considering how the spell worked I don’t know what carried over… I guess it’s possible if anyone appears as a sea pony they could get a cutie mark as I don’t know if they received the transformation trait. Zebras don’t… or do they? I only know one and she doesn’t have a flashy cutie-mark but where ponies have them she has what appears to be a symbol of sorts so maybe they do? Honestly, I never asked her. As for Kirins, I have only met them a couple of times and they don’t appear to have them.”

Aaron took notes gracefully and quickly despite his large hands. “How does one go about getting them? Why doesn’t Chris or Starla have one but Mia does?”

Colgate smiled warmly, glad to be asked something she could answer openly for once. Well, normally you would get your cutie mark when you discover your special talent. Mia already knows what her talent is so when she changed her cutie mark was already there. Starla is just a baby so of course she wouldn’t have one, usually ponies discover their special talent between the ages of six to twelve. As for Chris not having one? She hasn’t found or at least realized what her special talent is yet.”

Aaron stopped scribbling and chewed on his pen for a moment. “So are you locked into doing something related to your talent then?”

Colgate hummed in thought before answering. “No, mine is related to time yet I’m a dentist. Some ponies do believe they represent your destiny and your job and future are molded by your cutie mark.”

Aaron points his pen at Colgate. “I’m curious. Are you certain that a cutie mark is just a singular talent?”

Colgate looked at Aaron’s question. “Yes? As far as I know, it is since that is what we were taught in school”

Aaron spun around his pen before pointing it at Colgate. “Are you sure?” Colgate’s confusion deepened. “Mia is a Psychiatrist and loves her work, so I understand the brain. But surprisingly she is an amazing seamstress as well as sweet and kind, an amazing chef and baker. I feel like the candy stripes fit her personality and cooking talents, and the wrapping represents her tailoring.” He set his pen down and tapped his fingers together... “I believe cutie marks may be more abstract in that they can abstractly represent multiple talents.”

Colgate was taken aback by this viewpoint on cutie marks. “I guess that is possible. We were taught otherwise but I see where you're coming from.”

Aaron smirked and began to write again. “Now…” Colgate realized she wasn’t going to get away from this conversation anytime soon