//------------------------------// // Cutie Markless // Story: Lunar Soul // by ShadowedKnight68 //------------------------------// The sun shone over the town of Ponyville, ponies enjoying their daily lives and going about their business, and within the crystal castle at the edge of town six mares were about to begin their own business for the day. The mane six walked through the doors into the throne room, although Twilight didn't like to call it that it was better than the chair room... Spike lay in his own thrown arms and head resting in the right armrest as he snored softly from a nap the small dragon usually partook in. Pinkie bounced across the room hopping into her own throne causing the replica of her cutie marks upon it to glow a glittering light. Rainbowdash flying over to her own as well causing the same effect as pinkies when she laned and sat on the throne. Both mares cutie marks glowing as well before their thrones did. "Let's go through this one more time" Twilight stared with a hoof under chin, a pondering expression on her face. Rainbowdash sighed exasperated and stood back on her hooves in the chair to look at the purple pony "We've been over it like a million times, Twilight! We found all six keys, defeated Tirek, and got this sweet castle! End of story!" "Yes, but why?" Twilight asked, still puzzled by it all. "I dunno, sugarcube. Maybe it's just your new house and there ain't nothin' more to it than that." Applejack said as she walked to her throne and climbed onto it sitting with a gentle smile. "I must say," Rarity started as she sat on her throne "speaking strictly on aesthetics, there really doesn't need to be more to it. It's all simply divine!" Flurtershy was mid step onto her throne but looked back at her friends "I agree with Twilight. And Rarity. And Applejack. And Rainbow Dash. And Pinkie Pie. Oh, and probably Spike" She finished as she'd gotten on her throne while talking. Spike snored now moved into a position on his back in the seat of his throne, little limbs rucked close to his body. "As princess, I've been chosen to spread the magic of friendship across Equestria. So why would the Tree of Harmony want us to sit in a castle in Ponyville? It doesn't make any sense." She said while pacing in the open middle of the room where her friends and respected thrones circled. Ending it by hopping into her own throne with Spike on her left, as she did her star cutie mark glowed and the replica upon her throne lit up like the others before and sparkled a magical glow. Each if the girls looked up in aw as they each noticed the glowing makings grow brighter with a magical hum, the sparkling increasing before condensing to the center for each marking and shooting out a colored beam towards the center point of the room in a triangular shape, each light fitting together much like a pie slice as soon a whole circle was made from the light. The floor rumbled as each throne suddenly erupted from their base crystalline growths which grew towards the center the light shined upon, each thronws crystal trailed met at the center and then twisted as one and built up where a circular platform began to grow at the top spinning around as it's bad twisted and upon it a imagery lay, as it grew and widened it's light shined brighter and brighter to a blinding degree until finally in a slow flash it faded just as quick it had started. Spike groaned out a yawn waking up, looking tiredly forward before his eyes went wide seeing as now in the middle of the room before them all was a huge table with a map of all of Equestria on it "Is that new? I like it." All the surrounding mares looking towards the new map in different expressions of awe and surprise. Spike hopped up into the table walking across it to look at it all more closely as he smiled at the spectacle "This is incredible! It's got all of Equestria!" His small deer passing through the holographic imagery that was the map. Pinkie Pie leaned din close spotting her family's rock farm and smiled "Hi, Mom and Dad!" Spikes foot suddenly stomping downro the farm accidentally, Pinkie's eyes filling with tears. Twilight jolts as a feeling washes over her, lifting her alicorn wing and looking towards her haunches she finds her cutie mark is flashing with a pulsating glow, sparkles spreading out from its center each pulse. Pinkie Pie giggles as same happens with her own cutie mark. Each girl looking to theirs as the same occurs before soon glowing versions of their marks fly off of them and into the air spinning around together surrounding Twilights like planets around the sun. The marks slowly then descend down to the map before moving over to a specific spot and float above it. Twilight lights her horn grabbing spike in a levitation spell before carrying him off of the map so they can look at it more clearly without the baby dragon atop it. Fluttershy looks at the map, going from the crystal castle to where the marks now reside "But if this is Ponyville, why are our cutie marks over there?" She pointed with a hoof. "I don't know. But it seems like the map wants us to find out" Twilight said, now puzzled once more and gently taps her hoof on the table's surface "The Tree, the chest, this castle, and now the map. How can we not follow it?" Rainbow Dash floars over the map upside down as she looks closely towards where cutie marks pointed out, a smirk on her face " Y'know what? There's a ton of room for dangerous adventure along that route, Count me in!" "Aw, shoot, I reckon you're right" Applejack replied, smiling. "Well, I was planning on organizing my baking sheets, but okay!" Pinkie said tilting her head left and right before smiling excitedly. Rarity sighs with a smile "Very well." Her and Pinkie Pie quickly moved over to the remaining members of their friend group. Fluttershy blinks as her two friends suddenly hurry up to her smiling, looking then to the right as Rainbow Dash flys over smiling as well "Um, maybe I'll just stay here with Spike." "Awesome!" Spikes exclaimed now already wearing a gem cup har and foam dragon claw finger on his little claws "Me and Big Mac have a huge weekend ahead of us talkin' hoofball, and... and trading hoofball cards, and arguing about hoofball stats..." Fluttershy cringes at the little dragons listing of a subject she really didn't have all to much interest in "O-o-on second thought, m-m-maybe I'd better go with them. In case they need me." Twilight walks up smiling "Looks like it's time for a road trip." The girls all walk together towards the doors to leave. "Well, suit yourself, But he's got a Hock Fetlock rookie card I plan to sweet-talk right into these hot little claws." Spike smirks. As the girls open the doors to step out they all stop in their tracks as they are greeted to the sight of a familiar tired looking mare. Blake blinks looking at them, and then past them towards the new table "woah, Is that new? I like it." "Oh Blake! I had almost forgotten you were staying here, the girls and I were just about to go out and investigate something the um... Cutie map pointed out to us" Twilight said, "Really? More magic huh? Cool" Blake replied with a soft smile. Fluttershy blinked sr the reaction and gently nudged Twilight, she blinked in response before looking at Blake's reaction and gained a smile of her own "since we'll be going out of town why don't you join us? See more of Equestria for yourself?" "Wait really? You want me to join?" Blake looked surprised before rubbing the back of her neck "I... don't know, I guess it'd be cool to see more of Equestria, it is a once in a lifetime experience...hopefully" she muttered the last bit under her breath before looking at the girls and nodded with a smile "sure, I'll tag along." "Yay!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, hopping up into the air excitedly. Blake's smile only grew from Pinkie's reaction. The seven mares now leaving the castle and headed for the Ponyville train station together as a new adventure awaited them all. The train engine chuffed and chuffed as it went up and over hills on tracks across the land, within numerous ponies were either sitting in their seats or walking to different cars, a pony pushing a cart down the isles with snacks and beverages hoofed out items to those who wanted them. In one of the cabin cars, the seven mares sat in the room talking. "Wait wait wait, so you fought a huge red fist centaur dude, days before I even showed up??" I exclaimed. "Yup" the girls nodded, smiling. "Man I really missed a lot.." I muttered to myself scratching my head, not only did I miss twilight becoming an alicorn, apparently I missed a whole season villain! Hearing his description I'm a bit happy I only ended up on all fours, six limbs sounds like way too much...however hands may have made up for it. "Um Blake, if you don't mind me asking? How did you sleep last night?" Fluttershy asked. I blinked "oh um well...I slept well..." I lied, I hadn't slept at all last night, on my own account. Sleeping meant dreaming, and dreaming meant nightmares, and nightmares meant no rest, so by not sleeping I was getting to the same point as I was now. Applejack made a face but chose to go back to chatting with Rarity. "Well that is good to hear" Fluttershy smiled. "Yeah..." I muttered, feeling bad for lying to her, but if it told the truth then they'd all worry about me, try to help with the nightmares...but unless there's a magic spell to help with nightmares, there was nothing they could do. Staring out the window I watched the scenery pass by, a whole magical world I've never seen. So many things I've dreamed of seeing, pony's, places, just things in general. Even now sitting in the body alien to me I can't help but be caught by wonder of what was new to me... The train passed from region to region, leaving the green forest filled lands to more yellow desert plains, rocky mountains and ridges lay scattered about, the train going across a bridge into a tunnel on a mountain. Rounding and coming back out and traveling across mor eleven ground as soon it entered a clearer desert plain with distant large rock mountains and formations. The train squeaked to a stop as it reached the end of the track, smoke pluming out from the top of it. "Alright girls, let's go" Twilight said, getting up from her seat and heading for the door, the girls following her. I tried to ignore being looped in with the term girls, just assume she was used to saying it with her fiends...The seven of us step out of the train into the desert land, and immediately I crinf from the heat "oof...it's hot.." Twilight lights her horn and the seven are engulfed in a pink glow before it faded, and in that moment I no longer felt not. "Woah! You got an ac spell?? You have to teach me that" I smiled. "Oh! I'd love to" Twilight smiled, she then pulled out a map and looked at it before rolling it up and looking forward as she walked followed by the group. The travel took us into jungle-like land, huge hills in the distance and twisted trees. As soon we came across a rickety bridge, the girls went across easily but I was a bit more cautious and flew over it with Rainbowdash. Traveling through the jungle-like land we came over a hill seeing below... A grey desert with a small town sitting in the middle of what was just an empty path of land, large dark grey rocky formations sitting around. "That's it! That's the place on the map!" Twilight smiled looking to Applejack. Rarity to Twilight's left parting dust out of her hair "Right. Let's get down there and find the spa." She steps forward. Twilight teleports in front of Rarity in a purple flash hoof extended to stop the mare, surprising her in the process" Wait" she put her hoof down turning back towards the town "We don't know why the map sent us here. We shouldn't just walk right in. It could be dangerous." "Yes!" Rainbowdash cheered hoof pumping. "Well this place is colorful" I replied sarcastically "also where the heck did this town come from? There's one road which just leads to us and ends, but no railroads to bring supplies, and the trees that are here are so thin they may as well be twigs" I said looking at a nearby tree. Pinkie rushed up in a pink blur "Stay behind me, everypony! I'm on it!" She pushed her friends aside and leaned forward towards the cliff edge. " Careful, Pinkie!" Applejack called. Pinkie fell over the cliff and rolled down it in a pink blob all the way to a rock where she came to a stop back to it, peering around the side towards the town with a squint she waved her friends down before going around the rock towards the town. Pinkie zipped to a rock getting under it to hide, and then to another larger one, before rushing to a much larger rock and grunted as she lifted it upwards over herself, she then smiled waving the girls over before the rock slammed down onto her hood still extended our from under it, she then kept waving them over and pulled her arm back under before she began moving the rock while under it. I watched jaw dropped as she was crushed her still survived "what the..." Pinkie moved the rock before she stopped and squeezed out like toothpaste before climbing up it to peak around, the girls following her and I joined as we all looked over the side of the rock at the town now closer. "This is where the map sent us? It looks like the most boring place in Equestria." Rainbowdash asked, flying above the rock and girls. "It's just an ordinary village full of ordinary pony folk." Applejack said. "It could certainly use a few more architectural flourishes, Or any architectural flourishes." Rarity added. " I think it's lovely." " Fluttershy flew a bit down to Rarity. "I think it's a cult..." I replied looking at the creepy town noticing now all the houses were the same as well as the ponies in the sense of hair and tail styles, also their smiles were really creepy. I don't like it, I don't like it one bit, I know smiles, And those smiles? They're just not right." Pinkie said glaring suspicious. "I'm with Pinkie on this one" I replied surprised with even myself. "Forget the smiles. Look at the cutie marks" Twilight pointed out. Focusing on that I realized they all had the exact same curie marks! "Okay, that's weird" Rainbowdash said, now weirded out pointing at the town and looking at her friends. "An entire village with the same cutie mark? How can that be?" Twilight asked, puzzled once more for the day. "I bet there's some sort of horrific monster behind it." Rainbowdash said looking at the town. "What makes you say that?" Twilight questioned. "Cause fighting a horrific monster would be super-awesome!" Rainbowdash smiled. I rolled my eyes at the blue flyer pony, she was too much of an adrenaline junkie... "Ah reckon we just ought to head into town and talk to some locals, find out what's goin' on." Applejack suggested. " Great idea, AJ" Rainbowdash flew down between her and Twilight "Let's go!" She rushed off towards town, the girls following her. "Those smiles are bad news." Pinkie said slowly sliding down the rock. I nodded in agreement as I followed the pink pony. Entering into the town the residents turned their focus towards the seven of us, each sporting those eerie smiles as their focus solely laid on us all. "Welcome!" A brown stallion greeted. "Welcome!" A pink mare greeted. "Welcome!" A blue stallion greeted. "Welcome!..." Another pink make greeted more eerily than the others. "Welcome!" Another pony greeted. "Welcome!" Mare greeted happily. "Welcome!" Three fillies greeted with the mare smiling towards them proud. "This must be the most pleasant place in Equestria!" Fluttershy smiled. "This is a cult" I replied unnerved. " Welcome!" A pegasus mare greeted Fluttershy flying up to her making Fluttershy giggle. "Ugh. Thanks a lot, map." Rainbowdash groaned, disappointed. "Am I the only one seeing the cult themes here?" I replied looking at the girls. "Cult?" Rainbowdash asked. "Welcome! Pardon my forwardness, but are you both Alicorns?" A greyish blue stallion wearing a brown messy down hood walked up greeting them all before focusing on Twilight and I. Twilight put on her best smile. Pinkie squinting suspiciously at the stallion and town. "That there's the Princess of Friendship! And our friend Blake" Applejack stared proudly. I looked down at her, while I understood Twilight was a princess and her title was more grandiose, being the follow up to that and labeled just friend certainly made me feel lame in comparison. "Well, you've certainly come to the right place for friendship." The stallion smiled. " What brings you to town?" A all white stallion suddenly said beside the first making me jump "Jesus Christ! Where did you come from??" I look around quickly for any more surprise ponies. Twilight blinked at Blake's outburst but looked back to the white stallion who did just appear and di surprise her too but she was able to restrain herself "We're not entirely sure." She replied to his question. All while the greyish blue stallion put space between him and the white stallion standing in front of Rarity smiling, Rarity getting uncomfortable leaning back away at the unblinking stare. "I see, Well, all are welcome here in our little village, My name is Double Diamond, and this is Party Favor." The white stallion now known as Double Diamond responded gesturing to the other stallion named Party Favor. "Howdy, Double Diamond, I'm Applejack, and this here's Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Blake, and Twilight Sparkle" Applejack replied pointing out each of the group. "And you all have your own unique cutie marks" Double diamond said leaning in close looking at each of their marks but when he got close to me I moved away as my tail instinctually moved to cover my flank, not even noticing Pinkie doing the same. "ha yeah, stay away from me please" I replied looking at the cult pony, it was like a f'ing cult of oompa loompas with my height. "If you don't mind, has there been any sort of... trouble here, lately?" Twilight asked looking at Double Diamond. "Trouble? Why, I don't think we've ever had trouble in our little village" Double Diamond smiled. It's true, You'll see, Hm." Party Favor smiled as well but closed his eyes as he did. "Perhaps you'd care to speak to our founder Starlight Glimmer." Double Diamond said turning walking down the street, Party Favor following. "Hey hol' up can we circle back to that last thing Party said?? That was ominous as F" I spoke up looking at the girls who just shrugged and followed along. "I wish everypony in Equestria was as friendly as these ponies are." Fluttershy said, smiling as she followed. "I've got my eye on them, Something's rotten in... whatever the name of this village is that we're in right now!" Pinkie said, looking back to the ponies behind them who were now following. Oh my god the whole town's following us, this shows supposed to be cute not culty!! The two stallions lead us to the single house at the end of the street before both simultaneously knocking on it with their hooves before pushing it open "Starlight, we have some new visitors." Double Diamond said with a smile similar to Party Favor. The girls followed them filing into the house "Be ready to fight. We don't know what's gonna come through that door" Rainbowdash said ro Applejack. The green door opened revealing a dark inferior with a dark silhouette within, it moved closer before stepping out into the light revealing a light pinkish purple unicorn mare with a three-toned purple, light purple, and blue mane and tail "Welcome! I'm so pleased to have you here." Rainbow Dash groaned in disappointment again. "This is Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Blake, and Twilight Sparkle." Doublediamond announced pointing to each of them. Pinkie looked towards the new mare more suspicious. Starlight Glimmer puts a hoof to her chin inspecting the two mares before lifting her head "Forgive my bluntness, but I'm assuming it's Princess Twilight Sparkle and Blake? We don't get many Alicorns around here." She replied looking at the two alicorn mares. "Yyyes, but "Twilight" is fine." Twilight smiled. "ditto...Wait I mean as in just my name not that you call me Twilight too…" I said and fumbled with my words. "So! How did you hear of our little village?" Starlight Glimmer leaned forward towards them smiling. "It's kind of a long story, Let's just say we found it on a map." Twilight smiled. "Technically, it's a Tree-chest-castle-map!" Pinkie smiled before it immediately dropped back to the suspicious glare. "Well, however you found us, we're happy to have you! We're happy to have anypony who wants to experience true friendship for the first time." Starlight Glimmer replied smiling. "Say what?" Applejack asked half lidded eyes looking a bit annoyed. "Oh, indeed, That's what's so unique about our village, you see, Around here, we don't flaunt our special talents because we don't have any special talents to flaunt." Starlight Glimmer spoke walking over to a picture of an equal sign which she straightened from a crooked position. "Is that why you all have those cutie marks?" Twilight asked, pointing towards Starlight's haunches. Starlight Glimmer looked at her cutie mark with what I swore was a glare but when she turned back to us she was smiling "Perhaps it would be easier to understand if I gave you a tour of the village!" She smiled head upturned. Marching drums began to emanate from seemingly nowhere, I looked around opening my mouth to say something before suddenly Starlight pushed open the door outside. "Heads high, ponies! Marching proud!" Starlight Glimmer ordered as she marched into town head held up and eyes closed, a whistle then blew "All together now! Every one of you! No pony left behind!" She said towards a house where a mare stepped out smiling Flutes and whistles played in a rhythmic tune as all the ponies marched and followed along with Starlight Glimmer. "Oh my god it's a song" I blinked in awe. " Life is so grand in Our Town, We're always filled with cheer, We never have to look around, To know that we're all here" Starlight sang acting out each description she sang. "In Our Town, in Our Town We don't have to wait To find out that our destiny Is just to emulate" the towns ponies sang along together walking along the edges of the road encircling us all as we stood in the street, all while Starlight Glimmer nodded to the beat watching. "Let's see those big, happy smiles! Life is a smile in Our Town, Our cutie mark's the same, Because we do not separate Ourselves by more than name" Starlight Glimmer sang as a group of mares lined up smiling. "In Our Town, in Our Town We dare not compete Winning only breeds the worst Ego-filled conceit" two pegasus stallions flew to Rainbowdash's sides and lowered her to the ground with everyone else. Rainbowdash sporting an uncomfortable expression as they sand and lowered her down before giving an exasperated look. "You see? Now everypony wins!" Starlight Glimmer cheered popping out from behind Rainbowdash surprising the mare before marching off down the road "Life is a joy in Our Town We're all equal here No one is superior And no one shakes in fear" she used her magic to braid a mares hair into twin pigtails from the flowy hairstyle it had been. "In Our Town, in Our Town We work as a team You can't have a nightmare If you never dream" the ponies marched in a line together in groups of fours, mares and stallions in separate groups. I blinked at that last line now feeling very very uncomfortable, I already didn't like this cult song, but now it felt like it was calling me out specifically.The girls all looking uncomfortable as well Starlight walked up to Fluttershy and a glaring Pinkie "Other ponies argue Do you ever wonder why? When you think your talent's special You don't see eye-to-eye" Starlight walked to Twilight an doubled her head down till they were literally seeing eye to eye due to to Twilight having been taller There's just too many differences That lead to disarray But when you learn to act as one It's like a holiday" Starlight Glimmer walked over to some dancing mares with one dancing off near who, seeing Starlight Glimmer, quickly got back into rhythm. "In Our Town, in Our Town We don't complicate When you learn to simplify Life is oh, so great Join in our utopia Come out of the dark Banded by equality By our cutie mark!" Fluttershy rocked to the rhythm of the song before Pinkie looked at her glaring and shaking he these, Fluttershy tearing up. The town ponies circled the group before split on the two sides of the road in two lines making a equal sign, they each turned to face away from the roads so their equal sign cutie marks showed and they smiled towards the group, pegasi flew up spinning before posing in the air, two more flying over head holding a equal sign banner as Starlight Glimmer sat at the far end in the middle smiling. "Buck this" I turn to leave the town but Applejack holds my tail preventing me. Rainbow Dash laughed flying and holding her stomach "You're kidding, right? Give up our cutie marks?" She pointed to hers to emphasize "No way!" "Rainbow Dash, don't be so rude, I don't think we should judge them, They all seem perfectly happy with their choice." Fluttershy scolded. "Don't believe their smiles, Fluttershy." Pinkie said looking at the town ponies. "I'm sorry, I guess we're just a little confused by all of this." Twilight said walking up to Starlight Glimmer. "We have no judgments here in our village. Each of us was confused once as well, blinded by the false promise of our cutie marks." Starlight Glimmer said and hung her head frowning, ponies behind her following. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Is she for real?" Rainbowdash asked, smirking. Twilight glared at her friend before walking to Starlight Glimmer smiling "When we were sent to this village, we assumed it was to help in some way. But, well, it doesn't seem like you need any help." Starlight Glimmer began walking towards them smiling " Have you considered perhaps that you might have been sent here so we could help you?" She put her hoof on Twilight chest before turning and walking away "After all, nopony has ever come to our village and wanted to leave, Why should you be any different? But that is entirely your choice, Please enjoy our little corner of Equestria, We're all quite fond of it, No doubt you will be as well" she walked back towards her house but turned back " Double Diamond, please help our guests with whatever they might need." "Of course." Doublediamond said and smiled towards the group making us all jump. As Starlight Glimmer walked away my ear twitched hearing her saying something to herself, squirming I watched her leave very suspicious of the mare... "Welcome!" A stallion greeted. "Welcome!" A maee greeted. "Welcome!" Another rmare greeted. Twilight was walking puzzled again as she tried to process all that she's learned "A cutie mark is a representation of a pony's unique talents and skills, How is it possible to-" Rarity gasped, cutting Twilight off " What in the name of Equestria is that?!" She pointed at a hanger with three unpleasant cloaks. "Welcome! Care to sample some local fashion? We've got cloaks this month!" A bulkier stallion greeted. Rarity gagged "Wha- Ooh, er, perhaps another time, good sir, thank you." She backed away with Twilight following her as they made their way to a table to sit "No wonder nopony's wearing anything!" She whispered to Applejack. Fluttershy spoke in a hushed tone "Really, girls! They may do things a bit differently than we're used to, but that's no reason to be rude." "No, the reason to be rude is that they all keep staring at us!" Rainbowdash said in a hushed voice as well. "Need something?" Doublediamond asked from across the street at another table. "Uh, no! We're good!" Twilight replied before looking at her friends and spoke in a hushed tone "Fluttershy's right. If we're going to get to the bottom of why the map sent us here, we'll need the help of these ponies." "Are you two insane?? How many times do I have to say it?! This. Is. A. Cult!" I whisper yelled hitting my hooves in the table to extenuate my words to Twilight and Fluttershy. "Blake they're just different, I would think you or all ponies wouldn't like to be judged for being different" Fluttershy said. I glared at the yellow pony "my situation is far different from theirs Fluttershy, I'm not part of some cult in the middle of who knows where, I'm in another world, and if I hear you defend these freaks one more time.." I growled at the pony I normally would never but she's been rubbing me the wrong way since we came to this cult town. Applejack pulled Blake back to sitting down to cool tempers "ah think what Blake is trying to say is, we ran off to the end of Equestria before we even knew what that map was!" "If we were at the end of Equestria, we'd be sitting on a big 'A'!" Pinkie giggled " Get it?" I blinked at her before processing "oh you meant the-okay gotcha.. " "Oh, please, Miss Pie! This is hardly the time for jokes! We've come all this way and for what?" Rarity said, crossing her hooves over one another on the table. "Maybe you're right, But we're here now, and it sure feels like something's wrong." Twilight said, looking to her friends. "That and two bits'll get you a cup of cider." Applejack said. "Is this a bad time?" The waitress pony asked " We shouldn't be bickering like this in front of our new friends, Really, Applejack, you're almost as bad as Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy said. " We're not friends with them" I growled. " Don't drag me into this!" Rainbow yelled slightly. A mare and stallions in the road covered her children's ears. "Is your friendship ending?" The waitress mare asked in a comforting tone. "Are you crazy?!" Pinkie put her hooves on the table standing up in her seat "We'd never let a disagreement get in the way of food!" "O-kay, well, my name is Sugar Belle. What can I bring you? We have: muffins..." Sugar Belle trailed off looking at them with a soft smile. The girls exchanged awkward glances "Then I guess we'll take six muffins!" Twilight said. "Make that twelve!" Pinkie reached her hoof up, but looked at the gazes of her friends at her "What? I'm hungryyy!" She whined before sliding her hooves down the table till she had her chin on the table. "Come on, girls, We've got to stick together. It doesn't matter what happened before, we're here now." Twilight whispered. "Ah guess you're right, And the sooner we figure out why, the sooner we can go home." Applejack said. Sugar Belle pushed a stack of steaming muffins onto the table, surprising Applejack "Forgive me for overhearing, but just a moment ago you were disagreeing, and now it sounds like you're... agreeing." "Uh-huh..." Applejack said monotone. "Well, you had such differing opinions...and cutie marks." Sugar Belle said. "We have differing opinions all the time, darling." Rarity said with a smile. "But you look like you're friends." Sugar Belle said confused. "We are friends. A simple disagreement wouldn't change that." Twilight stated. Sugar Belle's ears folded back against her head "I'm sorry, I'm just having a hard time understanding." She suddenly went into a stoic expression" Different talents lead to different opinions, which lead to bitterness and misery" she fell out of the stoic expression back to her gentle one " So... why aren't you bitter and-?" Pinkie chokes and spots the muffin she was eating back out as she coughs and hadis over the side of the table only to stop as all eyes were on her, she then out on a fake smile "Mmmm... good..." "It's all right. I know I'm not a very good baker. At least, I know I'm not any better than anypony else in the village" she frowned somberly before getting tense and looking back towards Doublediamond" Well, I... hope you enjoy our little village!" She walked back towards the door to her shop. Pinkie groans holding her tongue out and scraping off muffin bird with her hooves. Sugar Belle hurried over between Twilight and Pinkie "Come inside before you go! Meet me downstairs!" She whispered in a hurried tone before looking to Doublediamond smiling and quickly went inside. The girls all sat with confused glances "Okay, that was weird too." Rainbowdash said pointing to the door. Twilight spoke in a whispered tone "Let's all sit here and eat these muffins and act normal, I think we're being watched." Ponies all over the street even while doing their business were watching them with the same large eerie smiles on their muzzles. "You think?" Rainbowdash said sarcastically. "You figured that one out on your own, didja Sherlock?" I add "No, not like that! I mean somepony here doesn't want us talking to Sugar Belle." Twilight whispered and gave a head tilt across the street. Double Diamond took a bite out of his muffin smiling towards them. Applejack rubbed her chin thinking before putting her hoof down on the table "I got an idea. But you gotta eat all of them muffins, Pinkie." "Me?! Why me?!" Pinkie exclaimed in dread as she grabbed her mane crumpling on the table. "You got a stronger stomach than any of us, and that filly in there might be our best chance at findin' out what the hay is goin' on round here." Applejack explained in a whisper. Pinkie frowned looking at the stack of elven muffins. Pinkie laid her head in the table face green as her body was pudgy as she sweats sickly from eating so many gross muffins, she reached sluggishly towards the last remaining muffin before eating it. "ah can't believe you ate all our muffins, Pinkie Pie! We'd best go inside and get some more!" Applejack said stiffly, the girls smiling and nodding as they got up and stepped inside the shop. I blinked at her as I followed, good lord she was bad at lying. "Nice work, Pinkie." Twilight said as they descended the stairs. Pinkie bounces and thumps against the stairs rolling down it till coming to a landing on her rump "I've accidentally eaten cardboard tastier than that..."" "You've eaten cardboard? Also no way they were that bad.." I said looking at Pinkie. Pinkie nodded "it was an accident, It was a fake cupcake with some real ones.." Twilight looked around the dimly lit basement "Hello? Sugar Belle?" "Wait a minute...why the heck did I agree to come down here??" I suddenly realized this is where murders happen, parents literally tell kids not to follow strangers and we went into some weird dark basement!! "Thank you for coming!" Sugar Belle said from the darkness walking out with a large smile on her face. My ears pinned back as I backed towards the stairs, I knew it!! Murder ponies!! "Why did you want us to come down here?" Twilight asked nervously. "So nopony could see what's about to happen" she smiled ominously as soon party Favor and another maee walked out from the left and right encircling us smiling those large eerie smiles. Twilight lit her horn preparing a spell to defend herself and her friends. Party Favor moved in close to Twilight "Are you really the Princess of Friendship?" Twilight blinked confused as the ominousness faded. "Do you know Princess Celestia?" The new mare asked, leaning towards Twilight. Sugar Belle quickly grabbed pinkies haunches "I love your cutie mark!" I blinked more surprised that pinkie was suddenly no longer bloated or sickly. "How can you be friends with different cutie marks? Don't you end up hating each other?" The mare asked Rarity and Fluttershy. Sugar Belle grabbed Fluttershy's haunches "Oh, look at this one! This one's great too! I'd love to have my special talent back even just for a day!" She pulled back looking reminiscent "Make something besides those disgusting muffins..." She hung her head sadly. "So what's stopping you? Go get your cutie marks back." Rainbowdash said. " Daydreaming is one thing, but you mean actually having it put back on? That seems extreme." Party Favor said nervously. Rainbowdash rolled her eyes. Sugar Belle frowned "I'm not sure Starlight would like that. She wants us all to be happy in our sameness." Twilight stepped forward "How do you take somepony's cutie mark anyway?" "The cutie unmarking is a beautiful experience! Starlight uses the Staff of Sameness to magically take them away and replace them with these." The mare said showing her equal sign cutie mark with the other two. "That sounds made up" I said aloud looking at the three ponies "Oh no, I assure you it's real, we've seen it" Party Favor smiled. "Right...much like how everyone is happy here" I muttered. "But nopony should keep you from your cutie mark. It represents such an essential part of who you are." Twilight explained, looking disturbed by the idea. "Oh, we're not kept from them. They're in the vault up in the caves. We can visit them any time we like to remind us of the heartache of a life with special talents." The mare explained. Twilight made a perturbed expression before an idea came to her and she smirked "Can we visit this cave?" Starlight Glimmer lead the seven down a path and over a hill "I'm delighted you're interested in our cutie mark vault, We hope someday every pony in Equestria will make a pilgrimage here to our little village to have theirs removed too, and our message of perfectly equal friendship can finally spread across the land." She talked on as Twilight and the group began to whisper to one another "This must be the reason we're here." ""Pilgrimaging"?" Pinkie asked, confused. "No, helping those ponies get their cutie marks back." Twilight whispered looking forward at the still talking Starlight Glimmer. "Oh, are you sure, Twilight? Maybe they miss them a little, but even they didn't seem all that unhappy." Fluttershy defended. "Fluttershy..." I groaned, face hoofing "when a cult takes you, they do everything to make sure you think like them, they don't want you for you, they want more of them, it's like bacteria or cancer...it only cares about growing..." "And then why did they want to meet us in secret? And why did they ask us not to tell Starlight who told us about the vault? Something's not right." Twilight said but took more of Blake's reference. Starlight Glimmer walked up to the mouth of a cave turning back to the group "Just through here!" She stepped in. "Yeah also, people don't usually put things in caves unless they're hiding them or an animal" I said looking at a totally not suspicious cave, before glancing at the girls realizing they were animals just not by normal standards. As we entered into the cave we were soon beheld by the sight of a huge glowing blue shelf like wall, rows upon rows of cutie marks lay within glass containers a wooden frame surrounding it and set upon a podium in front of it was a twisted forked stick. "Behold! Our cutie mark vault!" Starlight Glimmer presented a hoof extended towards it. Twilight Sparkle looked on in awe, not of the cutie marks but that it was even possible "I've never seen anything like it!" Starlight Glimmer walked up to the podium with the stick " And here is the Staff of Sameness" she picked it up in her horn a teal flow surrounding the stick as she floated it over facing us "It was one of the great Mage Meadowbrook's nine enchanted items." Twilight made a face looking to the side as she thought for a moment before looking towards Starlight Glimmer suspicious. "We are incredibly fortunate to have it here, This is the tool that allows us to free ourselves from our marks!" Starlight Glimmer said as she looked at the stick, before gaining a humored expression and looking towards them putting a hoof to her chin before pointing it at them "I'm curious...how did the subject of the vault come up?" " Oh, some ponies were telling us how much they missed their cutie marks, and-" Pinkie exposed as I quickly put my hoof to her mouth, shutting her up, but it was too late. "Pinkie!" Twilight scolded. "Oofs..." Pinkie replied muffled by my hoof which I let drop as I sighed heavily and spread my wings knowing exactly where this was going. Starlight Glimmer gave a faux gasp "Were they? Well, it seems you inspire all sorts of free thinking, don't you?" She walked towards them furrowed brow but smiling as she spun the staff around in her magic and sneered dropping the smile. Rarity laughed nervously "Well, w-we certainly didn't intend to cause any disruptions to your charming little-" Starlight Glimmer cut Rarity off as she leaned in towards her " Good...Let's just make sure of that, shall we?" Rarity backed away from Starlight Glimmer only to stop as she backed into Doublediamond who stood smiling eerily behind her. More towns ponies walked out from the surrounding cave tunnels encroaching around the group of them, surrounding them all as the ponies smiled eerily. "It's a trap!" Twilight exclaimed. "You are just full of astute observations Twilight" I remark looking around at the enclosing ponies. Twilight lit her horn and teleported off the ground and up into the air before charging up a magical blast at her horn with a sparkling purple ball of magic. Starlight Glimmer held the staff out towards Twilight as it fired our a blue beam of magic from the forks and strick Twilight making her jolt and squirm in the air, the spell she was preparing fizzling out as her body seemed to become restrained from the offending magic. Her cutie mark then began to peel off like a sticker as Twilight groaned and cried out in pain trying to resist the magic, but it was futile as the magic tore the cutie mark away, purple string attached to it before it broke away and flew towards the staff landing between the forks. Starlight pulled the staff closer, smiling before her smile grew as she looked at the cutie mark in her hold, she then looked to the wall of cutie marks and flung it over as a glass box opened and the cutie mark floated in closing behind. On Twilight's haunches a equal sign cutie mark faded in sitting where her stars used to, the magic leaving her as she fell downwards and collapsed to the ground with a thud too weak to catch herself. The five girls look towards Twilight in shock before suddenly the same blue beam collided with them and they are all engulfed in the magic, they strained and struggle to break free but like Twilight the magic is too strong as it restrains them all and begins to pull at their cutie marks. One by one the markings which represented the five mares' special talents and what made them who they are, were pulled off and sent to the wall of stolen cutie marks where they then became sealed behind glass. Each of the girls looked to their nare flanks before the grey equal signs faded in, each looking tired and exhausted from the spell as soon their colors dimmed to a greyish tone. Starlight Glimmer walked up to them "Aw, I don't blame you for what you tried to do here today. You've spent your whole lives thinking those marks are a good thing." She said with mock sympathy. Twilight pushed herself to her hooves, wobbling weakly as she glared towards Starlight Glimmer "Give them back!" "Well, now you can spend the rest of your lives here with us! And we'll teach you just how much better life can be without your cutie marks!" Starlight Glimmer smirked towards the six mare-she blinked and looked around quickly at the towns ponies and the girls "where's the tall one?? The one the tlooks like nightmar-" I rushed down from above, tackling Starlight Glimmer to the ground and grabbing the staff, she however wrapped her own hooves around it as we wrestle with it "forgot about me huh?? Figured you would with your attention set on Twilight" I smirked as I reared back flapping my wings to pull the staff away. Starlight Glimmer growled as she kept her hold "your smarter than I thought!" Her snarl turned to a smirk "but not much" her horn glowed. My eyes went wide before I was blastwd by a teal beam of magic sending me flying backwards, hitting the ground I winced in pain as my body was forcefully gripped and restrained, grunting as I felt the pulling sensation on my hips, a burning pain spreading through me as I felt it begin to peal off like a bandaid, the resistance of it only adding to pain before it soon popped off from my thigh and floated over to Starlight, my body being released as I flopped down, glaring and weakly lifting my head I looked to the cutie mark in her hold as sweet ran down my head. Starlight Glimmer smirked before she quickly lifted the staff making the cutie mark sit between the forks. I raised a brow but refocused on her and the cutie mark, the white crescent moon surrounded by purple splotches sitting in the blue glow, glancing down at my bare haunches I saw for the first time in my life my birthmarks were gone "I would not call that a beautiful experience" I grumbled rubbing my sore flank. Starlight Glimmer sent the cutie mark to the vault as she walked towards the mares smirking "welcome to the village." The towns ponies surrounded us on our left and right lined up creating the image of an equal sign with us all trapped between them. To be continued…