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// Cutie Marked at Last 
// Story: The Legend Reborn 
// by Sky on Fire 
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	Scootaloo continued to stare at her brand new cutie mark as if she couldn't quite believe what she saw. She had her cutie mark! This was her destiny! But it wasn't original. This was somepony else's cutie mark too. Had that ever happened before? Had anypony ever gotten their cutie mark, only to realize it was the same as another's? 
"Oh Scootaloo, you did it! You found your cutie mark! But...what does it mean?" Apple Bloom inquired, peering in to tale a closer look. 
"I...I don't know. This is the first time I've seen it. But this cutie mark is from another pony." Scootaloo began. 
"What do you mean?" Sweetie Bell asked.
"I mean, this cutie mark is the same one that was on the pegasus in the storybook I was reading last night." Scootaloo ran inside and dragged the huge book out. She flipped it open to the page that had a picture of Silverwing's cutie mark on it. "Look. It's the exact same."
Sweetie Bell and Apple Bloom looked down at the drawing and then back at Scootaloo's no-longer-blank flank. 
"Well I'll be...I ain't never seen anything like that before!" Apple Bloom concluded. "What do you think you're talent is? Is it readng?" Apple Bloom snickered a bit.
"Hey it's not funny! If it was reading, wouldn't it be a book or something?" Scootaloo wondered aloud. 
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell shrugged. "How should we know," Sweetie Bell replied softly. "We still don't have our cutie marks." She looked down at the ground for a moment and traced the wood with her hoof. 
"Well I didn't ask for this. It just happened. And I don't even know what it means." Scootaloo responded huffily. She really needed her friends to help her out with this and all they cared about were their own absent cutie marks. 
The three were silent for a few moments. They wouldn't look at each other. Finally Apple Bloom broke the quiet. "Well I should probably go help Applejack. It's almost time for the spring harvest." 
"Yeah. Rarity said she would teach me how to sew some hoof slippers today." Sweetie Bell chimed in. "But, we'll come see you later Scootaloo. Ok?" 
"Yeah, of course. I'll see you ponies later." Scootaloo smiled half-heartedly and grabbed her book again. "Have fun."
Sweetie Bell and Apple Bloom trotted off as Scootaloo shut the door behind them. Great. Now my friends are jealous because they didn't get their marks. We were supposed to do this together. Scootaloo thought dejectedly. What should I do now?
Scootaloo looked down at the picture in the book again and at her cutie mark. "Maybe this means I can finally fly!" She exclaimed, suddenly exuberant with the thought of finally having a chance to use her wings. She sprinted outside and climbed up to the closest tree. Puffing out her chest, Scootaloo stepped lightly from the branch and spread her small wings. 
Crash! She was crumpled up in the dirt in two seconds flat.
"Well, that didn't go so well." She remarked dryly. 
"Hey Scootaloo! What're you doing?"
Scootaloo looked up as she untangled herself. Rainbow Dash had just flown past and landed on the branch she had just tumbled from. Scootaloo blushed and shook the dirt off her coat quickly. 
"Oh hey Rainbow Dash! I, uh, was just testing out my new talent!" Scootaloo smiled her biggest smile.
"Is your talent falling?" Dash flew closer and brushed a leaf off Scootaloo's ear. 
"Oh, er, no. I don't know. It could be." Scootaloo muttered as she looked back at her mysterious cutie mark. 
"You got your cutie mark!" Dash exclaimed. "Scootaloo that's awesome!" 
Scootaloo smiled and stood up a little straighter. "Yeah I just found out this morning!" She said.
"Well, what does it mean? What's your special talent?" Dash exclaimed, hopping from foot to foot with excitement. 
"I...I don't know. I was just reading this book about a legendary weather pony that Twilight was...oh. Um. Wait. Nevermind." Scootaloo stopped abruptly, remembering the book was meant to be Rainbow Dash's birthday present. 
"What? A legendary weather pony?! No way! You have to show me!" Rainbow Dash sped into the house before Scootaloo had a chance to reply.
Well I guess I messed up there. Scootaloo trotted in after Dash and pulled the book into the middle of the room.
"The story's about this old pegasus that became the best flyer and was the first pony ever to control the weather." Scootaloo explained as she pointed to the picture of the cutie mark. 
"It's the same as yours!" Dash looked closer at the drawing and back at Scootaloo.  "Wow. So...what does that mean?"
"I don't know. But I still can't fly yet. So I don't know what it means." Scootaloo sighed.
"Huh. I don't know either. But I do know somepony who probably would know a bit more about it. Lets go visit Twilight." Rainbow Dash grabbed Scootaloo's scooter and handed her her helmet. Scootaloo looked uncertain at first but eventually hopped on and followed Dash out the front door and across town to Twilight's treehouse. 
"Hey Twi, come here!" Rainbow Dash called before she even got to the door.
Twilight opened the door as Scootaloo motored up to her. "Oh hey Scootaloo! Hey Dash. What are you guys..."
"Twilight, Scootaloo got her cutie mark!" Dash interrupted. 
"What? Scootaloo, congratulations!" Twilight stepped into the sun and turned her head to look at Scootaloo's new mark.
"Well that's a very nice looking cutie mark! It's strange, but it seems familiar for some reason..." Twilight began.
"That's because it is! It's the same cutie mark that Stormfront Silverwing has! Oh and I accidentally showed your book to Dash. I'm sorry, I just didn't know how to explain it and..." Scootaloo apologized.
"It's ok Scootaloo. That isn't important right now. I've never seen a pony that has the same cutie mark as another pony. Lets go inside and see if I have any books about it." Twilight stepped to the side and allowed Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo to come in.
"Spike! I need your help for a bit!" Twilight called up the stairs. 
Spike wandered down the stairs look ruffled and sleepy. "Hey guys. I just woke up from a long nap. So I'm all good to go now. What's going on?"
"I need you to help me find a book on twin cutie marks. Scootaloo's new cutie mark is the same one that the weather legend Stormfront Silverwing had." Twilight began taking out books and stacking them around her. 
"Oh really? Well that's weird. I didn't know that could happen." Spike jumped down and walked over to Scootaloo, examining her flank.
"I didn't either. That's why I need to see if we have a book on it. I should also probably send a letter to Princess Celestia. Just in case." Twilight used her magic to bring forth a piece of paper and a quill.
"Do you really need to write to Princess Celestia? That seems a bit extreme, doesn't it? Is this really that serious?" Scootaloo worried.
"It's ok Scootaloo. I write to her all the time. I'll just check in with her and see if she knows anything. I'm sure she'll be extremely helpful." Twilight said. 
Scootaloo looked les than reassured, but began to help Twilight pick through the books. Rainbow Dash started in as well, flipping lazily through the pages. 
"I have to admit I've never seen a book about anything like that. But there is a lot of knowledge here. I'm sure we can find something. You guys keep looking while I send out this letter." Twilight began to scribbled elegant notes on the parchment paper as the other ponies and Spike pulled out book after book.
The names on the covers of each book flashed in front of Scootaloo as she searched. There was all kinds of stuff in here. Maybe going to the library every once in a while wasn't that bad of an idea after all. The library! Where Sweetie Bell and Apple Bloom were yesterday without her. And when they came to apologize this morning and saw Scootaloo's cutie mark, everything turned upside down and now they probably wouldn't even talk to her. But it wasn't her fault she got her cutie mark. Why couldn't they just understand that? She would still help them find their cutie marks. I mean, how could she not? They were still best friends, weren't they? 
"Alright Spike. Send it off." Twilight levitated the scroll over to Spike as she began searching through the shelves with them. 
"Sure thing Twilight." Spike created a flame around the scroll and soon it disappeared into nothing. 
"We'll just keep looking for hints while we wait. Don't be too concerned Scootaloo. Having a cutie mark is a good thing! And this could be a really unique experience! I mean, you have the same cutie mark as one of the greatest fliers of all time!" Twilight said.
"So, no pressure kid." Rainbow Dash chuckled and rubbed a hoof across Scootaloo's short mane. 
"Yeah...no pressure." Scootaloo murmured, visions of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell tossing an apple back and forth and running through Sweet Apple Acres playing on repeat in her mind. 
The four of them continued to skim through book after book for the next half hour in near silence. Rainbow Dash occasionally yawned loudly and stretched her wings while Twilight was hard at work, methodically reading the first and last line of each paragraph to ensure her search was thorough.
All of a sudden there was an unexpected plume of smoke by the staircase and a red scroll fell to the floor. 
Twilight levitated the scroll closer and began to read aloud. "Dear Twilight, though this letter is not entirely urgent, it is important that you receive it in a timely manner. If Scootaloo's cutie mark is indeed identical to Stormfront Silverwing's cutie mark, than there may be some big changes in Scootaloo's future. I'll notify Captain Spitfire immediately. I'm sure she will want to know about this. Tell young Scootaloo not to worry. She'll be in good hands. I wish you both well. Let me know if you need anything else. Princess Celestia." Twilight finished reading and looked at Scootaloo over the letter. 
"Captain Spitfire? The leader of the Wonderbolts?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, leaping up and soaring to the ceiling. "She's going to tell Captain Spitfire about this?! OMG! Scootaloo! Do realize how amazing that is? I mean, she is the captain of the Wonderbolts!" 
"Come on Rainbow Dash. Don't scare Scootaloo. We need this to be a normal, calm experience for her." Twilight chided. 
"Twilight, Scootaloo is going to get to meet the captain of the Wonderbolts! I didn't even get to do that until recently and she's just a filly!" Dash landed next to Scootaloo and examined one of her wings. "I don't get it. She can't even fly."
"Rainbow Dash! Stop. You're not being helpful right now. Why don't you head on home for today. I guess we don't need to search through these books anymore." Twilight closed the cover of the book currently in front of her and looked over at Scootaloo. "You can stay here tonight if you'd be more comfortable. Whatever you feel is best for you." 
"Thanks Twilight, but I think I'll just head home and think for a bit. This is all kind of overwhelming." Scootaloo smiled and tucked her small wings into her sides, suddenly very self-conscious. "Thanks for the help guys."
Rainbow Dash and Twilight smiled encouragingly as Scootaloo turned and trotted out the door. She needed to get her head cleared. 
Scootaloo didn't know where to go. She couldn't go see Sweetie Bell because she was probably still upset from earlier, and she was busy anyways. Apple Bloom probably wouldn't want to hang out either. With her tail and mane hanging a bit low, Scootaloo wandered dejectedly through town. Maybe she would just have to figure this one out on her own. Her hoofs clomped across the cobblestones and the sun felt too bright behind her. Why did this have to be my cutie mark? Why couldn't I just have a normal cutie mark like every other pony? Scootaloo wondered. 
Caught up in her own thoughts and not watching where she was going, Scootaloo nearly bumped into Diamond Tiara as she sauntered past. 
"Hey! Watch where you're going blank-flank!" She snapped, flicking her tail agitatedly.
"Wait hang on," Silver Spoon said, peering closer. "Looks like she doesn't have such a blank flank after all."
"What? Finally got your cutie mark? Well, then why are you being all mopey! You did it! You found your talent." Diamond Tiara trotted around to get a better look at Scootaloo's flank. 
"Huh. Interesting. So...what's your talent? Flying through lightening?" Diamond Tiara scoffed.
"I don't know." Scootaloo said through gritted teeth. She angled herself away from the two ponies and tried to stretch her wings to cover her mark, but they were too short. 
"You don't know? Really?" Diamond Tiara sniffed dramatically. "How does a pony just get a cutie mark and not know why? I bet you don't even have a talent. I bet you just painted that on or something."
Diamond Tiara leaped to Scootaloo's side and rubbed her hoof against her side. 
"Hey! Cut it out! It's real, alright? I just don't know what my talent is, yet. But I will. And I bet it'll be so much cooler than yours." Scootaloo puffed up her chest indignantly. 
"Fine. It's real. Still doesn't prove you have a talent. Come on, Silver Spoon. Don't want to catch cutie pocks from this weirdo." Diamond Tiara lifted her nose into the air and trotted away with her tail raised. Silver Spoon followed right behind, flicking her tail with disdain as she left. 
Feeling even worse than before, Scootaloo trotted along a path that ran out of town. She didn't want to risk having to explain anything to anypony else. Maybe she could just go sit under a tree and take a nap for a bit. She groaned as she realized she forgot her scooter all the way back at Twilight's house. How could she forget that? It was so important to her. And what was wrong with her? She'd never felt this upset before. Without Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell to cheer her up, she felt lost. She trotted up the hillside and settled down under a huge oak tree. Not much had changed, and yet she was a completely different pony. She had always thought getting her cutie mark would make her feel mature and wiser somehow. Like, with a ponies cutie mark came all this knowledge and confidence that initiated you into the world of grown-up ponies. But why was it she felt even more like a silly young filly? nothing made sense and to make matters worse, she was the only one of the cutie mark crusaders to actually get a cutie mark. And she hadn't even wanted it. She thought again of her friends and wondered how they were doing.
Scootaloo closed her eyes and tried to shut out all the thoughts in her mind. There were far too many things to think about just now. She had almost fallen into a light slumber when she heard someone call her name. Pricking her ears and opening her eyes, she glanced down the hill to see Sweetie Bell and Apple Bloom galloping up the hill towards her.
"Scootaloo! There you are! We've looked all over Equestria for you!" Sweetie Bell exclaimed as they joined her under the tree. "We both feel so awful about being jerks to you this morning. We should be celebrating with you and instead we got all jealous of your cutie mark. Which makes us really terrible friends. Can you forgive us?" 
"Of course I can! You guys have no idea how glad I am to see you. I ran into Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon and they were being so mean and saying I didn't have a real talent. It was awful." Scootaloo explained.
"Yer darn tootin you have a talent! Who would ever think you didn't? But...have you figured out just what it is yet? I mean, the talent that gave you your cutie mark?" Apple Bloom asked politely. 
"No." Scootaloo admitted. "I've been skimming books all day and Twilight sent a letter to Princess Celestia and she said she was going to tell Captain Spitfire from the Wonderbolts. But the thing is, I still can't fly! What if Spitfire gets here and I'm still wobbling around on these baby wings?" 
"Those wings are pretty small." A sharp voice startled Scootaloo and she whipped around to see Captain Spitfire standing before her, accompanied by her fellow Wonderbolts. 
"Captain Spitfire! Oh! Hi! I didn't expect you to fly all the way over here to Ponyville!" Scootaloo stuttered.
"Of course we came right away. That's Stormfront Silverwing's cutie mark on your flank. You have to say goodbye to your friends. We're taking you to the Wonderbolt Academy right away. You have a lot of training and testing to do." Spitfire informed her.
"The Wonderbolt Academy? But, I can't fly! Do I really have to leave right now?" Scootaloo flapped her small wings uncertainly.
"Yes, right away. We'll get you there don't you worry. And we'll explain on the way. You just need to know that it is extremely important that you come with us immediately." Spitfire asserted.
Scootaloo looked back at her friends as they stared at her with open mouths. "I guess I'll see you guys later. I'm glad I got to see you before you left. I'll really miss you guys."
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell rushed up to Scootaloo and pressed themselves close to her. "We'll miss you too. And we'll find a way to come and visit you. We promise." Sweetie Bell whispered. 
"We'll bring you all kinds of fun stuff. And we'll send you care packages. And look on the bright side, Rainbow Dash can come hang out with you anytime." Apple Bloom nudged her and winked.
Scootaloo blushed. "Yeah...ha ha. Don't you guys do anything really cool until I get back!"
"Alright, alright. Time to go." Spitfire stepped in to break up the hug.
"Buy guys! See you soon." Scootaloo waved goodbye and stepped closer to the Wonderbolts. One of them lowered her sunglasses to get a better look at her. 
"You're riding with me, kid." She sad as she lowered her wing for Scootaloo to climb up. 
As soon as she was securely on, the Wonderbolts took off at full speed. Scootaloo wrapped her hoofs around the mare's neck as they soared into the clouds. 
"It's about time you came home to Cloudsdale." Spitfire said as she pulled up alongside. "We've been waiting for Silverwing's mark for a while now."
Scootaloo widened her eyes. They knew about this. They had been waiting for her. This truly was her destiny. This was who she was meant to be. And she was going to own every second of it.