"As I was saying, I gathered all these cutie mark stories, but interesting and sometimes exemplary as they may be, they remain mostly just stories. I need to put them in some more organized context. I need to examine what studies have been made on cutie marks in the past and to check what theories have been brought up to confirm or to disprove and to establish my own theories. It was for that reason that I requested access to the Royal Library in Canterlot."
Twilight nodded. This was the academic talking.
"But as Princess Celestia may have told you, there is very little of any substance to be found on the matter of cutie marks even in the largest and most profound library of Equestria."
Frank's voice echoed his frustration about the lack of success in his search and Twilight could relate to that frustration very well. Remembering the time when Spike had been insecure about his identity as a dragon she said: "Once Spike and I tried to do some research about dragons and were surprised how very little there was to be found about them in our library."
Frank nodded. "Yes, dragons are another subject treated with borderline criminal negligence in scientific context. But at least the high risks for anypony conducting field studies on the subject of dragons offer a bit of an excuse for this negligence. But cutie marks? I just don't understand how it is even possible that something that affects literally everypony and that has always played such an important role has been almost completely ignored."
Twilight noted that there was a little change in the way Frank was talking. It wasn't just the enthusiasm and zeal he had shown all along when talking about his studies, nor was it the frustration about the lack of previous interest in the matter. There was an air of urgency in his tone as if he was desperately trying to get a point across which he had seen discarded many times before.
"Just think of all that we don't know about cutie marks! What exactly are cutie marks and where are they coming from anyway? Ponies just aren't asking about this any more than they are wondering about why ponies happen to have hooves and heads. Why are some cutie marks so precise they leave little room for interpretation, while others are so undefined that they leave their owners the freedom to decide for themselves what to make of it? And speaking of freedom, how come that some cutie marks seem to control their owners to the point of determining their actions while in other cases the actions of the holder seem to determine the cutie marks? Think of the implications, Twilight! Could it be that we are controlled by our cutie marks rather than having a free will? And if so, whatever is it that is controlling cutie marks?"
Twilight stared at the colt who had half stood up, his forehooves set on the table. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times trying to think of what to say. She wanted to disprove this creepy implication, but raking her brain images of recent events popped up which supported rather than contradicted them.
Rarity desperately trying to sort out the weather while being utterly clueless about what she was doing; Rainbow Dash more at a loss than she had ever seen her before or since while being overtaken by the animals in Fluttershy's home, whom she was trying to handle; timid Fluttershy struggling against all her basic instincts to act as Ponyville's entertainer; Pinkie Pie toiling and failing miserably on the Apple Farm and Applejack shedding bitter tears while utterly convinced that her desperate attempts to create fashion were her life's calling.
Not only had the cutie marks been in control of their actions, but even of their memories while not actually affecting their talents. "But that was different", Twilight told herself. "This was a special case of cutie marks being against all nature torn from and imposed upon ponies who had no link to them whatsoever."
But further images popped up in Twilight's mind. Apple Bloom, same as her friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo so desperate to get her cutie mark at last. When she had come down with cutie pox the resulting marks had not only given her random talents she didn't have any experience with at all but increasingly forced her to act out these talents against her will.
Twilight swallowed and shuddered a little. She felt as if the temperature in the room had dropped a little. Her mouth felt dry but it was also the need to bridge the uneasy silence after Frank had finished that made her reach for her still half-filled tea-cup which Spike had left standing on the table. She took a sip while she let the implications Frank had pointed out sink in and tried to decide what to make of them. Frank was clearly waiting for a response and she wasn't sure what kind of response he was expecting or what response she was going to give.
"The ends…", Twilight mumbled quietly before she looked up at Frank who had sat down again and asked: "To what ends are your studies to lead? Is it all about knowledge and your questions?"
Frank smiled wryly: "You want to know if there is any practical purpose of my studies?"
"Well, yes", Twilight admitted seeing no point in denying it.
"I hope so", Frank said. "If we know more about cutie marks, if we even start learning anything more about them at all we may end up finding ways to help those ponies I mentioned. The ones who don't know what to make of their cutie marks, the ones who don't get a cutie mark, the ones who are totally at odds with their cutie marks. Maybe we can give them some answers. Maybe ends unforeseen at this time may help to allow for ponies to easier develop talents they hope to develop but which their cutie marks seem to deny them. And if the most sinister implication I mentioned should indeed... well, perhaps there may be ways to achieve a little more freedom of will."
Twilight hoped for this impression to pass, after all she had hardly ever heard any pony at all expressing any dissatisfaction with his or her cutie mark, but at the moment she felt that what she had expected to be thoroughly enjoyable study of academic interest spiced with anecdotes about cutie marks and their holders was to be something much more serious than she had expected and certainly not mere quirkiness.
"Very well", she said, not really knowing how to continue and decided to pass the ball to Frank. "You probably have a lot of questions and I may have a lot to tell you. What would you like to know?"