Marevelous Manehattan

by StageQuill

Babs the Blank Flank

"Hey, Babs!" I greeted my friend's little sister.

"Hey, Stagelight." Babs Seed was really fun to foalsit for. She had the deepest of New York accents. And was a blank flank. Her cousin, Applejack, lived in Canterlot and was one of Princess Twilight Sparkle's best friends. She was better friends with Applejack's little sister, though.

"What's going on in your life?"

"We're doin' a school play." Babs said. "I'm starring."

"Really!" I loved hearing about amateur theatre. "What of?"

"Founding of Equestria. I'm the Chancellor of Earth Ponies."

"Cool! I was the princess of unicorns when my class did that play." I grinned. "Want to work on your lines?"

"Sure!" Babs smiled back.

"Okay!" I looked over the script. The same one I'd used. "Okay. So when the Pegasus swoops down here, you say...?"

Babs frowned. "I hate the guy who plays the Pegasus captain. He's really mean! And the girl who plays the unicorn princess..." She hung her head.

"What do they do?" I asked, sitting on the couch. She plopped down next to me.

"Tease me for being a blank flank." She said. "I got a group of fillies with only blank flanks together, but then they
all got their cutie marks." She gritted her teeth. "The only ponies I know who don't have cutie marks are my cousin and
her friends. And they live in PONYVILLE!" A tear rolled down her cheek.

"Oh, Babs." I patted her head. "Do you know what I see when I look at blank flanks? What anyone with any brain would see?" I looked into the filly's eyes.

"What?" She said.

"Potential." I said. "Maybe you'll like being in plays. Or maybe you'll have to direct and like that. You could even be
a doctor or a famous- racer! Or scientist!" I grinned. "The possibilities are endless. The fillies in your class with cutie marks don't have that. They have their destiny in their flank. Yours is unwritten. It's in your heart." I grinned at the filly. "You know, I got my cutie mark early. I love what I do. It's my life. But sometimes, I wonder if there's a passion I could have had, but missed, or a chance, because I got it too soon. You'll get a chance, Babs. And whatever you choose, you'll be amazing." Babs looked at me.

"That's nice. But it doesn't really help me with the teasing, does it?" The tears were gone, but she was still upset. "I want my cutie mark now!"

"I know. But who you get it, you'll be that much more grateful for it."

"I guess." Babs said.

"And you won't bully other people. You'll be stronger from this."

Babs looked embarrassed. "I did hurt my cousins feelings in Ponyville when I went there. But we made up."

"How about some cookies? Your mom said I could bring some." I changed the subject.

Babs smiled. "Great. You let me eat a lot."

"Well, I certainly don't skimp on myself." We both grinned as we went into the kitchen for my bag and I opened the package of our favorite brand of chocolate chip.