//------------------------------//
// Racing for the Mark 
// Story: Finding True Talents 
// by Rakoon1 
//------------------------------//

	The news about Apple Bloom’s Cutie Mark quickly spread all over the village. Everypony was quite happy that the little filly finally got her Cutie Mark after several attempts. But who were happier were her family and her two inseparable friends.

When Apple Bloom showed up at school with her Cutie Mark, she soon found herself surrounded by her colleagues who were flabbergasted with the news.

"You're very lucky, Apple Bloom" Scootaloo said. "You were the first of us to get the Cutie Mark."

"Yes, and it's beautiful" Sweetie Belle said.

Everypony seemed share the same opinion. Feeling all that attention, Apple Bloom didn't know if she should be proud or embarrassed.

"Oh... thanks” she thanked.

"Well, well, well" a terribly familiar voice said. "But what do we have here."

Hearing that voice, all students have fallen silent and paved the way. It was Diamond Tiara, the bully in school who everypony was very afraid of (except maybe the Cutie Mark Crusaders), who approached, followed by her best friend and accomplice Silver Spoon.

"It seems that the leader of the blank flanks finally got her Cutie Mark" Diamond Tiara said, displaying her evil smile before the gruff look of Apple Bloom and her two best friends. "But I don't think it changes the fact that you're a loser."

"Yeah, just because you found your talent doesn't mean you're better than us" Silver Spoon said.

"Ah never thought Ah was better than anypony" Apple Bloom said. "Well, at least Ah'm so much better than ya when it comes tah character."

That comment made Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo provide laughs and some of their colleagues seemed to be holding back the laughter. Diamond Tiara, irritated by the reaction of her colleagues because the insult Apple Bloom made to her, she told her:

"Be careful, Apple Bloom. You may have your Cutie Mark, but I will always consider you a lower blank flank."

"And is there somepony ya don't treat it that way?" Apple Bloom replied, causing more laughter from their colleagues.

Diamond Tiara was getting irritated, but before she could say or do anything, the school bell began ringing, indicating students had to get in.

"It seems that luck is on your side" Diamond Tiara said, turning back and starting to move away. "Come on, Silver Spoon."

And the two annoying fillies moved away.

Apart from Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, everypony were happy for Apple Bloom.

Despite having already won her Cutie Mark and technically no longer be part of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Apple Bloom helped Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo in getting theirs, although their effort didn't bear fruit.

However, an event would change their luck.

When they were all in the classroom, Cheerilee said to her students:

"Everypony, before we start class, somepony have an announcement that you would like to hear."

"Who, Miss Cheerilee?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Before the teacher could say anything, somepony entered in the classroom, leaving a colorful trail. It was Rainbow Dash.

"Well, it's me, who would it be?" she said, in midair. "An announcement so important could only be announced by somepony even more important."

“Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo exclaimed, full of excitement.

The other students also started getting excited, though not quite as excited as the young pegasus. If it was something involving Rainbow Dash, so it could only be something truly exciting.

"Okay, take it easy" Cheerilee said to her students. "Let Rainbow Dash saying what she has to say. You can save your excitement for later."

Thus, the students took silence and Cheerilee said to Rainbow Dash:

"Very well, Rainbow Dash, you can tell them."

"Well, as you all know, in a couple of days there will take place the Great Ponyville Fair" Rainbow Dash said to the students. "The las fair last didn't go exactly as expected because of the monster the Lord of Chaos sent, but this year the fair will be so awesome that it will compensate for the last one. And for that, I will put on a spectacular event: a race for young pegasi."

When they hear it, the pegasi in the class became excited, mainly Scootaloo.

"It will be a race where all the young pegasi who know how to use their wings can show what they are worth of" Rainbow Dash explained. "The race will go through the whole village and only has one rule: you can only use your wings as mover. Furthermore, this race may include other young Pegasi from other villages. In this way, not only the race will become more interesting, but you will be able to create new friendships. If you want to subscribe, you can speak with Cheerilee."

Scootaloo couldn't believe it. That was the ideal way to show what she could do to her favorite heroine. At the end of the class, she and others who were Pegasi signed up in the race. When she and her two best friends get out of the schoolhouse, she told them:

"I can't wait for the day of the Great Ponyville Fair. I'll make everypony eat my dust and leave Rainbow Dash proud of me."

"That's right, Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. "An’ we will support ya."

"You bet" Sweetie Belle said. "And when you cross the line in first place, our standing ovations will be heard in Canterlot."

"I don’t thing that’s going to happen" Diamond Tiara’s voice said.

The three friends turned and saw her with Silver Spoon.

"You will never be able to win the race, Scootaloo" Diamond Tiara said. "I don't even know why you bothered to sign up."

"What do you mean?" Scootaloo asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Silver Spoon asked. "I think it's pretty obvious."

But then she turned to Diamond Tiara and asked her:

"What did you mean exactly?"

Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes before the slowness of thought from her friend and then she turned to Scootaloo, saying with her evil smile:

"What I mean is that you can never win, since you're the only Pegasus in all the village who can't even fly."

That nasty observation from Diamond Tiara seemed to have some effect on Scootaloo that started to get worried. Her friends, however, intervened to help her.

"An’ what does that have tah do with anythin’?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Scootaloo may not know fly very well, but there are many other ways she can do to win the race" Sweetie Belle said.

"Of course there are, if all competitors have cramps on the wings and are unable to lift themselves off the ground" Diamond Tiara said. "But you know, it's sad, because a pegasus of her age should know how to fly."

"Yeah, Pound Cake is just a baby and he already flies a lot better than her" Silver Spoon said.

The two bullies gave mock laughter, which made affect Scootaloo even more. And the two moved away.

"Those rascals..." said Apple Bloom.

"Don't listen to them, Scootaloo" Sweetie Belle said, turning to her friend Pegasus.

She then saw her looking distractedly to others pegasi of their class taking off to go home. She couldn't help but think that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon could be right.

"Scootaloo” Sweetie Belle called. "Are you okay?"

Scootaloo looked briefly to her small wings and then replied:

"Yeah, I am. You know, I think I'd better go home. You know... to rest to the big day of practice tomorrow."

And, having said this, she quickly got her scooter and, after putting the helmet, she flapped her wings quickly and ripped on the scooter at high speed.

"But what just happened?" Sweetie Belle asked to Apple Bloom.

"Ah don't know, but Ah have a bad feelin’ about this” she replied.

The next day, as they had no lessons, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were planning to do what they do: find their Cutie Marks ... at least for most of them. As Scootaloo would train for the race, Sweetie Belle was the only left to get a Cutie Mark. She and Apple Bloom headed to the tree house.

"So do ya know what ya'll do tah get yer Cutie Mark?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Well, I have some ideas, but nothing concrete" she replied. "I just need to check out our list of everything we've done to not repeat anything. It is a pity that Scootaloo won't join us today."

"Yeah, but ya know how it is when she has an opportunity to impress Rainbow Dash" Apple Bloom said.

"Of course, she gets really obstinate" Sweetie Belle said. "I just hope what Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon said yesterday didn’t affected her."

"Don't worry, our Scootaloo is strong and will not let herself be carri’d away by what those two said" Apple Bloom assured.

They then arrived to the tree house and were surprised when they saw Scootaloo’s scooter by the ramp leading to the entrance of the tree house.

"Is that Scootaloo’s scooter?" Apple Bloom asked.

"What's she doing here?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I thought she was training."

And then they heard the sound of a loud crash and then a groan of pain they recognized.

"Ah think we're going tah find out" Apple Bloom said.

The two followed the sounds and then they saw Scootaloo. She went up to a branch of a tree and then she jumped, while trying to flap her wings. However, instead of moving foward, she simply fell.

"Scootaloo, are you okay?" Sweetie Belle asked, while she and Apple Bloom arrived to her edge.

"Yeah" she replied, while rising up, rubbing her head.

"But what are ya doin’?" Apple Bloom asked.

"What does it look like?" Scootaloo asked. "I'm trying to fly. You know, for the race."

"But we thought you'd use your scooter" Sweetie Belle said.

"I can't use it" Scootaloo said. “Rainbow Dash said I have to use my wings."

"But don’t ya use yer wings to move your scooter?" Apple Bloom asked. "Ah don't think that goes against the rule."

"I don't care" Scootaloo said. "There’s one thing I'm sure of. Flying is the only way to win the race. So, I'm going to practice until I get it. You can help me, if you want."

She gave a great boost to the front, while flapping the wings. Despite having been risen off the ground a few inches, she ended up falling. And she tried again. 

Sweetie Belle turned to Apple Bloom and asked:

"Is this a good idea?"

They looked at Scootaloo who returned to fall once again and said:

"I just have to work four times harder."

"Probably not" Apple Bloom answered Sweetie Belle’s question. "But we are her friends, right?"

And so, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle helped Scootaloo trying to fly, but it seemed like nothing would work, as the young pegasus just fell every time. Hours went by and the sun began to set, after another failed attempt, Scootaloo said to her friends:

"Come on, girls, once again!"

"We would like to help you, Scoots, but we're tired" Sweetie Belle said.

"Yeah, we skipp’d lunch and spent continuous hours tryin’ tah help ya tah fly" Apple Bloom said, while Sweetie Belle yawned. "We're exhaust’d."

Despite her frustration being influencing her to make her two friends to help her, her judgment and her heart said she should save her friends from more efforts. Scootaloo sighed and said to them:

"Okay, you can go. I'll keep training."

"Are you sure?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Of course" Scootaloo said. "I can't let my pride drive you to exhaustion."

Uncertain, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle traded looks, but eventually they went back home. Scootaloo, on the other hoof, remained there, still trying to fly, but always failing. Then, when the night had fallen, she let herself be carried away by tiredness and stopped the practice, saying:

"It's no use! I will never be able to fly."

She sat against a tree and began to imagine the look of disappointment that Rainbow Dash would have. She never should have signed up to the race, when she couldn't even fly for more than five seconds.

"Sorry, Rainbow Dash. Looks like you're not going to be proud of me after all."

And tears began to appear in her eyes.

"But what's with the long face?" a voice asked.

Scootaloo lifted her head and came across with Purple Smoke.

"Purple Smoke?" she asked, wiping the tears from her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just passing through, but then I heard your cry" Purple Smoke said, sitting by her side. "Can you tell me what's going on?"

"The thing is that I signed up for a race between pegasi when I can't even fly" Scootaloo said.

"Well, that's a problem, but I don't think it's a problem that deserves your tears" Purple Smoke said.

"Not when at the end I will disappoint everypony" Scootaloo said. "Mainly Rainbow Dash. I wanted to win this race so that she could feel proud of me. But it seems that I'm not going to do that."

"You know, Scootaloo, I think Rainbow Dash is not the problem" Purple Smoke said. "I think you’re the problem."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that you know that, regardless of the result of the race tomorrow, Rainbow Dash will always feel proud of you, as long as you give your best. However, here you are, taking yourself to your limits just to do something for which you're not ready yet. So I gotta ask you, Scootaloo: why are you doing this?"

It was then that Scootaloo understood what Purple Smoke meant. She wasn't doing that for Rainbow Dash be proud of her. She was doing that to prove that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were wrong. She had left their nasty words to make her lose focus.

"You may not be able to fly like other pegasi, Scootaloo, but I'm sure you can overcome this limitation by using the skills you already have."

Then Scootaloo notice her scooter and realized what she should have done from the beginning.

"You're right, Purple Smoke" she said, getting up. "And that's exactly what I'll do."

And she walked away, going to pick up on her scooter and then moving away with it at high speed. Purple Smoke stood up and said, smiling:

"I'm really good at this."

And, having said that, he turned into a purple smoke and left.

The next day, everypony was immensely excited for the Great Ponyville Fair. Tents with games, food and drink were placed, including Pinkie Pie’s cupcakes tent (whose cupcakes were checked carefully by her in case they had again some poison that turns ponies into dangerous mutants). 

But the pivotal moment that year was the race that Rainbow Dash was organizing. The participants were already doing heating and position themselves at the starting line. However, Rainbow Dash couldn't see her protégé, Scootaloo. She knew that the young pegasus had subscribed herself on the race, but she couldn't see her. Finding Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, she went to them and asked:

"Does any of you know where Scootaloo is? The race is starting."

"No, we don't know" Sweetie Belle replied.

"Tha last time we saw her was durin’ her trainin’" Apple Bloom said.

"Ok, thanks" Rainbow Dash said, flying away.

"You don't think Scootaloo quit, do you?" Sweetie Belle asked to Apple Bloom.

"If she did, then it seems she is getting smarter" Diamond Tiara said, while she and Silver Spoon passed by Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. "But it's a shame. I really needed a good laugh during the race."

And she and Silver Spoon began laughing as they moved away. Apple Bloom, feeling her anger growing, tried to go after Diamond Tiara to teach her a lesson, but Sweetie Belle prevented her from doing so.

Rainbow Dash has returned to the starting line. The stands were already filled with ponies trying to watch the start of the race. The mare realized she had to start the race, with or without Scootaloo. She then said:

"Let's start the race!"

"Wait for me!" a voice exclaimed.

And so, much to the amazement of everypony, Scootaloo appeared with her scooter, advancing at high speed and stopping right on the starting line.

"Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle exclaimed at the stands, happy to see their friend.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were disappointed to see that Scootaloo had come, but that does not discourage them, as they thought that she would lose.

"I'm sorry I had to come in on such short notice, but I had to make sure my scooter was ready" she said. "I hope I can use it."

"Since the mover is your wings, there's no problem" Rainbow Dash said, happy to see that Scootaloo was there to race. "All right, let's start the race. Competitors, take your places."

The young pegasi placed themselves in position, with Scootaloo putting one of her hooves at the base of her scooter.

"Get set..." Rainbow Dash said, while the young pegasi stretched their wings. "Go!"

And the race started with young pegasi taking off. Due to the fact that she had to raise the other hoof to go, Scootaloo ended up behind the others, but she soon started making up for the lost time. As the competition progressed around the town, Scootaloo started to surpass her adversaries one by one. Those who were watching the race during the course supported the participants, but soon most of these supports were for Scootaloo. 

Finally, Scootaloo managed to reach the second position, but the finish line was next and the one who was at first was still a considerable distance away. Briefly, she thought she couldn't win. But then Scootaloo remembered the conversation she had with Purple Smoke and remembered what he said about using her skills to overcome her limitations. 

Then, further, a few meters from the finish line where everypony cheered the participants who were coming, she saw a wooden board up against a house forming a ramp. That was her opportunity. Advancing as fast as she could, she went by that board and, giving impetus, she made a huge jump. All those who were watching were speechless, as she had given a jump so high that it looked like she was flying. This jump was so high that Scootaloo managed to pass above the opponent who was in front of her and take the first place in time to cross the finish line. 

After she passed the finish line, everypony who were present rose to acclaim Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were who acclaimed the most. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were the only ones not cheering, getting just quiet and with a bad face.

Scootaloo got off her scooter and said:

"I made it... I made it!"

"Yes, you made it" Rainbow Dash said, approaching with a little trophy. "I have to say, Scoots, I've never seen anypony do something so awesome... except for me, of course. And that jump was even more than awesome! No one can match you when it comes in using a scooter. Congratulations, you earned the victory with distinction... and also my respect and pride."

And she extended the trophy to Scootaloo who received it, thanking:

"Thank you, Rainbow Dash. That means a lot to me."

She looked at the trophy and she thought about everything she did to the win. Then she looked to her scooter. It was thanks to it that she managed to win. Purple Smoke was right. It was her skills in using that scooter that allowed her to overcome her limitations and win the race and Rainbow Dash respect.

Suddenly, a momentary light appeared on her flank and, when it disappeared, it left... a Cutie Mark: a scooter wheel in motion with a dust cloud and lightning behind.

"My Cutie Mark!" she exclaimed. "I got my Cutie Mark!"

"Yes, you got, kid" Rainbow Dash said, misaligning her mane. "Thanks to your efforts."

Scootaloo couldn't stop smiling and then she went to her friends who were happy to see that their friend had gotten her Cutie Mark.