"Lo and behold if it ain't my favorite booty-mark crusader," came a lazy voice overhead, the owner hidden in the branches of the lone tree atop Horlick's Hill. Scootaloo rolled her eyes, grinning none the less as she reached the summit of their hangout spot.
"Hey D. Any bites tonight?" the orange pegasus asked as she reared back on her hind legs and rested her front hooves on the trunk. As per usual, a silver hoof drifted down, from the branches above, offering Scootaloo purchase so that she might find herself a semi-comfortable branch to rest on while she looked for shooting stars in the night.
"Naw. It's been pretty quiet up there," Diamond murmured softly, shaking her head in turn. "If there WAS a shootin' star, though, I'd have made a wish for both of us, ya know?" she smiled quietly. Scootaloo, who had managed to find a branch that was adjacent to Diamond Dancers, looked over at her companion and grinned.
"Yeah, I know, but it's more fun when we can make them together. Hey, I've been meaning to ask you about your 'booty-mark'," she snickered. Diamond raised an eyebrow, glancing down at her hip, where the image of a shooting star permanently resided.
"You've been meaning to ask me about my tramp-stamp? Do go on," Diamond chuckled dryly. Scootaloo leaned over, wings spreading ever so slightly to maintain her balance, and pointed a hoof at Diamond's hip.
"So, what's the deal with it? I mean, you said you got it when you were super young, right?"
"Yeah. I was like, seven, I think,"
"Right. Right. And you got that because you were super charged about winning that Wonder-bolts contest, right?"
"Uh...no. Not, not quite. I mean, I don't think so? I was really really focused on winning, but I didn't care about the contest. I just needed to get the money to help my friend in the hospital,"
"Well, ok. But, why is it a star?"
"What?"
"Well, I mean, what is it about stars that made it so your cutie-mark would end up being one? Isn't that kinda odd? I mean, it's not like you knew how important stars were going to be to you back then, right?"
"Geez, I don't know. Cutie-marks is weird. Like, I think there's a direct connection between them and names. I've been thinkin' about 'em and names, right?"
"You've been thinking? Did that hurt?"
"Har-har, Scoots. You'se, is, a card. But, for real, names, right?"
"Names?"
"Yeah. Like, Me? I'm Diamond Dancer. You're Scootaloo, right? I used to dance with the stars in the sky, like diamonds. You like your scooter!"
"...Yeah? So...?"
"Sooooooo, did our parents, know we'd like that stuff and that's why they named us that way, or, or, ooooor do we like that stuff because we were named after those things?! Think about it, Scootaloo! Lyra is good with a Lyre, right?! And, like, Bon-Bon makes candy, right? You'se ever think that maybe we're jus' products of our environment, or like, like maybe our destinies are predetermined by our Cutie-marks?"
"...Diamond, have you been drinking out of the birdbath in the park again?" Scootaloo asked, sitting up and leering at the silver filly next to her thoughtfully. Diamond gave a snort and quickly shook her head, her cheeks flushing a faint tint of scarlet at the question.
"N-noooooooo, that'd be...that'd be weird. And I maybe only did that once. It was hot out..."she mumbled. Scootaloo shook her head anyway.
"...Right. Well, Sweetie Belle really likes singing and that has nothing to do with her name,"
"What if she sings as clear and pretty as a bell?"
"Alright, Apple Bloom,"
"Well, she's, uh, blooming? Into...an...Apple. A fully fledged 'Apple' on the apple farm! Ha!"
"Alright, but what happens after she's done 'blooming'?"
"She changes her name to....Apple....Bloomed,"
"..." Scootaloo slowly raised an eyebrow.
"...This theory is a work in progress,"
"It sounds like the work of a mad mare,"
"Pffft, jus you wait. There's a naming conspiracy out there Scoots! I'm sure of it! Big Sister is watchin' us! They're controlling' our thoughts with Cute-ceañera's and makin' us into robots Scootaloo!!" Diamond squealed.
"This? This is what you spend your time thinking about?"
"That and bagels,"
"You need a hobby," Scootaloo giggled. Diamond gave a rough snort and waggled a dismissive hoof into the air.
"As if I had any time for a hobby. Workin for Luna is a full time job, ya know? But in all seriousness, yeah. I think Cutie-marks have to do with obsessions. Something that totally fills your mind night and day. I mean, all I ever cared about back then was getting a family and I figured if I caught a star, I could wish for one. And you and your friends? Apples and Sweetie? You'se guys was super obsessed with gettin' cutiemarks," Diamond explained. Scootaloo shook her head.
"Naw, that can't be it. My cutie-mark is a shield with a pegasus wing through it. Whats that supposed to mean?" she asked. Diamond opened her mouth to respond, paused, and then shook her head, curiously glancing down at the star on her flanks. What WAS that supposed to mean? Was her symbol just there because she liked stars? That seemed superficial to say the least, especially since the deeper purpose of her obsession in the first was for a family. Not to mention, now that she actually had a star, she often found herself wishing she did not.
"...I...I dunno...what if...huh. What if my Cutie Mark doesn't mean what I think it means? Like, I always thought it was because I liked stars, but now that I've got one and I'm not super fond of it, it can't be that," Diamond sputtered quietly. Scootaloo shook her head.
"Well, lucky for you, I know some ponies who can help you figure that out," she grinned. Diamond nodded her head, but continued to peer at the emblem on her flank. Stars. What symbol did a star possible have? To her? What was it supposed to mean? Did she have some say in the matter? Did it mean anything at all? Was it supposed to mean something different than she originally thought? Or worse, did it mean nothing at all, and Diamond was simply feeding into what she wanted it to mean. The silver filly frowned, and shook her head glumly, her skull suddenly felt heavy.
"But if you want my take on it, I think it means wishes. Like, maybe you help fulfill ponies wishes? You certainly fulfill Luna's wishes, right?" Scootaloo said softly. Diamond shook her head.
"No, that can't be it. I mean, it's not like mom wished she could have a foal just to get rid of it," Diamond grumbled. Scootaloo sat up straight and pointed a hoof at the other girl.
"And just how do you know that? What makes you think she just 'gave you away' You don't know that do you? How do you know you weren't like, kidnapped or something? Or, maybe you two somehow got separated and shes out there looking for you right now? Maybe, if she found you, her biggest wish would come true!" Scootaloo barked, her voice loud enough to echo into the distance with the passion behind her voice. Diamond bit her lower lip, giving Scootaloo a misty eyed smile, before she simply nodded her head.
"And I bet you Luna wished she could have some pony help her pick flowers, or fetching things she'd lost in the past before she was banished. I bet she wished she could have a court like her sister! And I know I wished I could have more friends back even before I met Sweetie and Applebloom. You're one wish after another after another D!" Scootaloo theorized, watching Diamond's frown die and a smile take its place.
"See? I knew there was a reason I liked you so much. Ha. Thanks, Scoots...that really helped! I wished for a best friend, and I got you. I guess, granting wishes, is a thing with me, huh?"
"You're a regular genie, Diamond,"
"If that's the case, then I'll wish you could fly," she said quietly, neither of them noticing the shooting star that soared over head.