Starlight sat quietly, scanning through a textbook by the faint light of her horn. She shivered as a cold night breeze swirled through the opening in the broad dome above her. A large telescope jutted out into the night sky, faintly illuminated by the stars. At the eyepiece of the telescope, the starlight reflected faintly off Midnight, casting a shadow of her form on the wall behind her.
Starlight's eyes wandered back and forth between her roommate and the book. Roommate, book, roommate, book, roommate, roommate…
She turned away from the telescope and started reading aloud, quietly, though the dome amplified and echoed her speech all the same.
Midnight flinched and looked over, but promptly returned to her work. The faint sound of pen on paper mingled softly with Starlight's murmuring. Eventually the writing stopped.
Starlight looked back over. She closed her textbook, stood, and walked to the platform where Midnight was working. Up close, and looking up at her from below, Midnight's coat faded into the night sky, her mark blending in with the stellar array behind her.
"Done studying?"
Starlight jumped, but recovered quickly. "Yeah. How's the stargazing going?"
"Great. Take a look!" Midnight floated her notes down to Starlight. The page was filled with lines connecting dots, the margins filled with incomprehensible jargon. "I think I've figured out what the magic connecting one of the star clusters in Middy represents."
"What does it represent?"
The next few minutes blurred in Starlight's mind as Midnight spoke at length of star magic, and how to interpret the lines of magic that connected the celestial bodies. Starlight nodded politely, only understanding a few vague references to lunar cycles.
"So, what do you think?"
"It's… really interesting!"
"What do you really think?"
"I didn't understand anything except for a few things about the moon."
"That's pretty much it. The magic has something to do with the moon." Midnight hopped down, then wrapped a foreleg around Starlight, guiding her toward the telescope. "You should try taking a look. Maybe you'll be able to make out Middy now with that spell Professor Gazer taught the class."
Starlight shrugged, then put her eyes up to the visor-like protrusion at the base of the scope. She had to squint slightly as the concentrated starlight blasted her eyes, but they soon adjusted. Starlight could hear the clicking of years turning, and saw the stars zoom in and out as Midnight made small adjustments to the scope.
"Alright, now cast the spell."
Starlight focused, the barely familiar magic coursing its way out her horn. After some struggling, she could see faint lines connect the stars in the sky.
"Woah."
"I know, right?"
"It's beautiful!"
Midnight giggled. Starlight pulled away to see her holding her hoof to her muzzle, as she continued, "I'll have to teach you some of the more advanced astronomy spells at some point. I knew all this stuff coming in."
"Must have been easier for you, huh?"
"Yeah. It all sort of clicked for me." Midnight gestured for Starlight to come to her, back farther from the sights. She gestured broadly to the skies. "It's… I mean…"
Starlight put a hoof on Midnight's shoulder. "I think I get it."
Midnight smiled. The two stood for a moment, gazing at the stars, before Midnight gave a small cough.
"I should probably get back to work, or I'll be here all night. Again."
"Right. Want me to hang around?"
"Sure."
Starlight woke with a start. Her face stuck to the pages of her textbook, peeling away as she stood up. A blanket slid off her, falling to the floor. The gentle rays of the morning sun washed the dome of the observatory in a sea of pink. As she approached observation platform, she could see Midnight slumped over onto the control panel for the scope, her eyes baggy, as soft snoring carried across the room.
Starlight nudged Midnight awake.
"Wuh?" Midnight rubbed her eyes, but the bags remained. "Oh. G'morning, Star."
"Morning. Did you stay up all night?"
"Yeah… but I got the stuff… star stuff…" Midnight started leaning forward before Starlight took her in her aura, helping her out of the chair. "Mmm. Thanks." She looked at the aura quizzically. “How much can you lift?”
Starlight levitated Midnight out of her chair to hover slightly above horn height.
"Ok, that answers that." Midnight struggled for a bit, wiggling in midair as she tried to orient herself before giving up. "Mind putting me down?"
Starlight gently set Midnight down. "Yeah, it's not all that comfortable."
Midnight yawned. "Tempting as it'd be to grab a nap on the way back, I think I'd get sick." She grabbed her saddlebag and set it down on her back, but when she tried to walk, she stumbled into Starlight.
“Need some help?”
“‘preciate it.”
Starlight supported Midnight as they left the observatory. The observatory was situated atop a ridge slightly up the mountain from the university, and the morning air combined with the mountain breeze made the air miserably cold. Although she had to support Midnight's weight while they walked, Starlight appreciated the extra warmth.
"So… do you–" Starlight started to ask a question, but a glance at her friend revealed that she was somehow sleeping while walking upright. As they walked, Midnight began muttering.
"No, no… that's not the butter, thaz Starlsz…"
Starlight fought the urge to laugh. Midnight muttered about various topics as they walked towards the dorms, occasionally muttering Starlight’s name. When they arrived back at their room, Starlight lifted Midnight into her bed and sliding the covers onto her before heading into the center of campus.
"Maybe I should have come up with a plan instead of just hoping they'd be here."
Starlight stood at the confluence of paths outside Saltlick Cafe. It was empty but for a few students going back and forth between morning classes. She looked around, but gave up on her search soon after. As she approached the cafe counter to buy herself a pity bottle of mylk, a flyer on the cafe’s bulletin board caught her eye.
"Sociology Seminar Series: Cutie Culture
"Join Prof. Bridle Wind and the rest of the sociology department as we present a seminar series on cutie marks and how they've influenced our culture."
The remainder of the flyer listed dates and names of guest speakers. Under the day’s date, a seminar titled “Technology and Fate: Understanding Technology-Related Marks” was listed. A glance at the clock revealed she had just enough time to make it. She bolted out the door, nearly knocking down a couple of ponies on her way out.
She arrived at the hall with minutes to spare. Despite her last-minute arrival, the lecture hall was only half full. The audience seemed to consist primarily of graduate students and members of faculty. The few undergraduates in the audience stood out as the only members of the audience that looked awake. Starlight took a seat at the rear of the hall as an orange-brown pegasus approached the podium at the front.
“Good morning! I’m Professor Bridle Wind, and I’d like to thank you all for coming to the tenth seminar in our series on cutie marks, especially those of you for whom attendance is not mandatory.”
A beat passed. Someone in the audience coughed. The graduate students who were awake shuffled in their seats awkwardly. Professor Wind gave a cough of his own before continuing.
“Today, we have a very special guest speaker: Doctor Hazy Days from the Manehattan Institute of Technology." He gestured to a middle-aged earth pony standing to the side of the hall, who came to the microphone. After a brief introduction, Doctor Days launched into his presentation.
It began with a long, dry analysis of the rates of acquisition of technologically-related cutie marks in various areas of Equestria. Large, modern cities like Manehattan had higher rates, apparently. Slide after slide went by, with charts upon charts flying across the projection screen, as Starlight's attention waned and waned.
Eventually, however, the presentation pivoted.
"We believe this data presents some interesting questions and avenues of research relating to 'destiny' as a quantifiable entity. Though research into cutie mark magic goes as far back as the time of Star Swirl the Bearded, only in the technological boom of the last century have we been able to witness the en masse acquisition of cutie marks depicting technologies invented after the birth of the marks' bearers.
"Take, for instance, the case of Carriage Rider." An image of a unicorn driving a sleek, sporty carriage slotted into the projector. "Magically-driven carriages have existed in some form for about thirty years, so a pony whose talent lies in driving such a carriage was bound to exist. But," said the doctor as a close-up of Carriage Rider's flank slid into place, "Carriage Rider is forty years old." On the projector screen was a cutie mark resembling a magic carriage.
"Of course, ponies get marks for inventing new things all the time, but despite his name, Mister Rider was not involved at all in the development of the carriage he earned his cutie mark driving.
"Looking at the current state of research into the magic of cutie marks thus presents a question. If we are able to predict the cutie mark a foal will receive, can we take a glimpse into the future? Alternatively, are cutie marks predominantly creations of circumstance? Both are exciting possibilities in the future of cutie mark research.
"And that's the end of my slides. Now, I'd like to open the floor for discussion. Does anypony have any questions?"
A unicorn sitting in the front row raised her hoof.
"How would we be able to tell the difference between destiny and circumstance?”
“This is a little outside of my expertise–you’d have to ask my colleagues in the magic department for a better explanation–but to my understanding, the difference is largely in whether or not a foal’s mark can be discerned or characterized before the circumstances under which they would receive their mark occur.”
“But even if you can’t tell in advance, isn’t destiny still destiny? It just means we can’t tell the future, right?”
“If cutie marks are influenced by circumstance, that raises a number of ethical questions surrounding allocation of educational funding, among other resources. Imagine the implications of your actions changing someone's fate!" Doctor Days coughed and lowered his voice before continuing. "Some of that obviously delves more into the realm of philosophy than science, but it is inarguably important to have as much context as possible for questions of societal importance."
Starlight interjected. "Wait, if your situation growing up affects what cutie mark you get, then what does that mean for ponies who get worse cutie marks?"
The mare who'd been talking with the speaker whipped around, searching for the new questioner. "What exactly is 'worse cutie marks' supposed to mean?"
"I mean, my talent is in magic; there's lots of career opportunities there, and I can do all sorts of fancy spells. Imagine that versus something like… a cutie mark for liking jelly. Where's the use in that?"
The audience murmured as the mare up front finally made eye contact.
"My best friend's cutie mark is a jar of jelly!"
"There's no work in liking jelly! He might enjoy jelly, but is he fulfilled by jelly?"
Professor Wind tried to step in. "Ladies, please–"
"Who are you to judge him? He's the sweetest colt I know, and just because he's not some fancy wizard doesn't mean he isn't happy!"
The ponies near Starlight were glaring at her. Professor Wind moved to the podium. "Everypony, please settle down. We'd like to move on to anyone else who might have questions."
The members of faculty were able to steer the conversation back to the core of the presentation after a pregnant silence. Once the seminar had ended, Starlight tried to leave quietly, avoiding the uneasy gazes of the ponies near her. However, Professor Wind was waiting in the hallway for her.
"Would you mind coming to my office, Ms…"
"Glimmer. Starlight, that is." Starlight's tongue twisted at the professor's sudden appearance. "Starlight Glimmer."
"Ms. Glimmer. Second floor, room 213. I'd like to talk to you briefly."
The professor glided back into the lecture hall while Starlight trudged her way up the stairs. Her heart sank as she saw the pony standing in front of the professor's office. The pale orange unicorn with whom she'd argued stood before Starlight, apoplectic with rage.
"You!" she spat. "You're that jerk who thinks she's so much better than everypony else."
"Hey, I don't think I'm better than everypony!"
"Coulda fooled me! Come to brag about your talent again?"
"That is not–"
"Just go away! The professor asked me to see him, and he'll probably be here soon. I'm sure you'd rather not be here for that anyways."
"He asked me to come see him, too."
"Ha! He probably invited me to watch him knock you down a peg."
"I did no such thing." The professor had appeared beside the two mares at some point during their screaming match. "Inky Quill, I'm not terribly happy with you either."
"What?"
"I've asked you not to draw the speakers into philosophical debates during the question period. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but this is not the forum for open debate!"
"Oh, come on!"
"Now both of you, in my office!"
The professor's office could be called, charitably, cozy. Starlight and Inky sat in two small armchairs facing the room's single window at the back. Bookshelves on the walls of the office pushed the two into the center of the room, forcing them to sit close. Professor Wind tried to squeeze past them, grunting and stretching, before he gave up and flew over to the other side of his desk. Starlight felt nervous as Professor Wind stared at her.
“I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before.”
“Me?”
“Wait, weren’t you protesting at The Confluence a few days ago?”
“Uh–”
“Yes! I remember there being a couple students without marks in the crowd.”
Inky’s jaw dropped. “That was you?!”
“Ah, haha… yes?” Starlight shrank into her chair.
Inky nervously clapped her hooves together. “You, uh… you don’t happen to read the student paper, do you?”
“What? Why?”
“No reason.”
Professor Wind tapped his hoof against his chin. A smile slowly crept onto his face.
"I have an idea. Inky, I know from your column in the student paper how passionate you are on the subject of cutie marks–”
This time, Starlight’s jaw dropped. “Wait, that was you?!”
Inky covered her face with her hooves.
“–and while I could bar you from returning to the seminar series, I’d hate to stomp on your interest in the subject matter.”
“What are you suggesting?” asked Inky.
“I’d like to set up a discussion group for students interested in the subject of cutie marks in Equestrian society, and I’d be happy to overlook any previous disruptions to the seminar series. You’d continue to be allowed to attend the seminars, and you’d have a place to debate about or discuss them afterwards.”
“And the alternative is?”
“You’d be barred from the seminar series.”
“Wait, not both of us, right?” Starlight’s voice had an edge. “I didn’t even–”
“I know this is your first time, and I'm planning to let you off with a warning, but I would strongly suggest you join as well. You're clearly passionate about the subject, and having a place to discuss it will make it easier not to…" His eyes searched the room for the words. "...derail the seminar.”
Starlight and Inky were speechless.
“So, do we have a deal?"
Inky gave a long sigh before replying. "Fine."
"Alright, I'll join. How would this work?" asked Starlight.
"Keep coming to the seminars. I'll find some space in the building–not my office, obviously–and we can talk about the seminar series or anything you'd like to share, if there's time."
Inky asked flatly, "Do we at least get credit for this?"
"It's too late in the semester for that, but I'd be happy to make it official next semester if you decide to continue."
"Fair enough."
"Starlight, any questions?"
"Nope."
"Then I think we're done here. I'll see you two next week!"
Professor Wind shooed them out the door, closing it quickly behind them. As they made for the exit, and to Starlight's chagrin, Inky was walking in the same direction.
Inky's eyes were glued to the floor. "So, you read my column in the paper, huh?"
"Yep."
"I hope you're not too upset." Inky tittered as she looked at Starlight sheepishly.
"Oh, no, of course not!"
Inky breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good, I–"
"I'm sure anypony would be happy getting called a delinquent just for trying to express themselves."
"Okay, so maybe I went a little over the top–"
"A little?!"
"Alright! I'm sorry!" Inky stopped and turned to face Starlight.
Starlight lifted a hoof to walk away, but stopped and turned. "You… are?"
"Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with anything you're saying, but…" Inky was on the verge of tears. She took a deep breath before continuing. "I was mean, in that column. I… I–"
"Why, though? What did we do?"
Inky gulped. "I–it was my first time getting published as a member of the paper and I wanted to impress everypony and… there's…" Inky sputtered for a while, but couldn't bring herself to say anything more.
Starlight squinted at Inky. There was a long pause. Finally, Starlight sighed. "Fine." She turned to walk away.
Inky followed, quickly catching up with her. "I'm not going to stop writing the column, though, just to be clear. If you're going to push this weird stuff about cutie marks, I'm gonna push back."
"Whatever."
The two kept walking together. Starlight felt her blood boiling. She asked Inky, "Why are you following me now?"
"This is the only way out of this building other than the fire escape."
Starlight grunted.
"Relax, I'm not following you for a scoop or anything."
"You know what, Inky? I think I have a solution to our little situation."
"And what is that?"
Starlight's horn glowed and she disappeared with a pop. Inky's jaw dropped.
"Of course you can… why didn't you just do that earlier?!"
Starlight arrived outside of the sociology building. Suddenly, the combination of the efforts involved in repeated teleportation and a lack of sleep from her night at the observatory hit her. An intense bout of vertigo overcame her momentarily as she stumbled onto a nearby bench. In the minutes it took her to recover, she saw Inky walk out of the building. They made eye contact. Inky broke into a run.
Starlight got up from the bench. She could barely think as she put one hoof in front of the other, marching back to her dorm.
Midnight was still asleep. Starlight lay down in her own bed; she was asleep before her head hit the pillow.