//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Paper Struck: 
// Story: Cutie Fixation 
// by WondersparkOfHope 
//------------------------------//

Another night alone. 

The maroon Earth pony sat sadly in her room, grading the essays from her class. The topic; If they could have anything, what would it be and why? A hackneyed topic, but a classic nonetheless. 

Answers varied; from all the chocolate in the universe to a high-tech saddlebag or even to join the Wonderbolts. 

She envied their free imaginations; no responsibilities, no cares, no worries. Limitless. How she missed the days when she, too, had not a care in all of Equestria. As for what she wanted most in the world, she knew; she wished to have a filly or a colt to call her own. But it was impossible. 

For one Cheerliee couldn't find a stallion who thought she was attractive. Even if Big MacIntosh did, he was too busy working at the Apple farm. Another solution was adoption, if she had the resources. A teacher salary was minimal, only enough for basic resources for one pony. 

Sighing, she turned her attention back to the essays. Her eyes glanced over until they stopped on three fillies named Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. They all wanted the same thing; their cutie marks. 

"No surprise there," she said to herself. 

She gave them a read-through. Perhaps their antics could amuse her even on paper. What she read did not disappoint. All three of them wrote that they would do anything for a cutie mark. Sweetie Belle even capitalized and underlined the word "anything" in her essay. 

"I wonder if they really mean anything," Cheerliee chuckled.

Slowly her laugh began to trail off. Something clicked inside her mind. Perhaps she could give them what they wanted. And, in exchange, give herself something she wanted. 

"I suppose it's worth a try?" 

She sounded incredibly uncertain. Wouldn't it be illegal? On one hoof, it wouldn't be sincere. But on the other, they were all going to win. 

"And no pony has to know," she said.

Taking a deep breath, Cheerliee commented on the essays. Then she began on an extra assignment for the three special fillies.