Starlight's Dawn

by The Lord Thunder

Chapter 3

“And so, fillies and gentlecolts, use your words wisely, for they define who you are. Say, and so you shall be!”

Orator Lecture finished his speech with that, eyes closed and smiling as he basked in the applause. It had been the most powerful and moving speech of the night. A bright flash at Orator's side pried his eyes open again and revealed that a megaphone cutie mark had appeared on his flank, indicating a talent for public speaking. Everypony rose to their hooves, offering a standing ovation to this colt’s life changing event. Chest held rigid in pride, Orator stood on the stage, soaking in the cheers for a few for moments until Crayola Wonder stepped on stage from behind the curtain and ushered him backstage.

“Top that, blank flank,” Orator said to Starlight as he trotted past her in the waiting area backstage.

You got your cutie mark, so what? That doesn’t make you better than me or anypony else!

“Next up is Starlight Glimmer!” Starlight heard Crayola’s voice come over the microphone.

Starlight gulped down the nervous lump in her throat. The whole town was here, and she was about to step in front of all of them and give them her message. She took a deep breath to gather her courage. This wasn’t the time to get scared. This was the time to get her point across. She walked onstage from behind the curtain and positioned herself in front of the microphone. In front of a hundred or so ponies, all staring at her in anticipation. After another deep breath of courage, Starlight began.

“Good evening, fillies and gentlecolts. I’m here tonight to talk to you about my research project: cutie marks.”

The crowd murmured a bit in interest. It was a universal topic that everypony could relate to.

“I know what you must be thinking. ‘I know everything about cutie marks. Everypony gets one sooner or later. They’re what make us special and a representation of what makes us unique.’ Or are they?”

A confused hush fell over the audience. Starlight felt her confidence budding; she had their attention.

“Cutie marks: are they all that they seem? Well, tonight, I’m telling you; no, they’re not! I’ve come to learn this: cutie marks are evil!”

Everypony in the audience glanced around, exchanging confused glances with one another amidst an intangible chorus of whispers.

“My life is a perfect example of this. I was a normal, happy filly until the day my dad ran away on my mom and me. He ran out on us, betrayed us, because he met a rich mare who had a pile of bits for a cutie mark. I know, for sure, he had his sights set on this mare from the first time he laid his eyes on her cutie mark and all that easy money. And that’s where I’ve drawn my conclusion: if nopony had cutie marks, my dad would never have moved out on us. And Sunburst, my best friend, my only friend, would certainly not have been taken away to Canterlot if he’d never gotten his. Cutie marks ruined my life!”

More glances were exchanged. The whispers grew louder, but not above the rising beacon of Starlight’s soul, desperate to get her message out.

Starlight grabbed the microphone with her magic and began pacing the stage, pointing to the audience. “Think about it. How many of you have been hurt by a cutie mark? How many of you were teased when you were a foal by the other kids who had theirs when you didn’t? How many of you have lost a friend because their cutie mark called them down a different path than yours? How many of you feel held back in life because you have a cutie mark in pet grooming or party planning while others have theirs in more important things: in medicine, in teaching, in politics, or fighting to defend Equestria? In a world with no cutie marks, where everypony was the same, none of that would happen!”

All eyes were glued to her now; all she had to do was keep building the momentum.

“And it’s not just me, I’ve researched several other ponies whose lives were ruined by cutie marks. There was once a soldier named Spearhead, who left his wife and son behind when he had to be stationed at Canterlot. He was there for six long months, not once being able to see his family, but he sent them almost all the money he earned, keeping just enough to feed himself. Just when he was getting ready to go on leave, all travel to and from Canterlot was suspended due to a terrible blizzard. He missed his chance to see his family again, but his superiors promised to move it to another date. Again, just when his delayed leave had arrived, there was an emergency in Manehatten and he had to go there instead."

Starlight shook her head sadly for dramatic effect. “How did his wife and son repay his sacrifice and bravery? By moving on with another stallion who could be home more often. Spearhead’s letters to his father confirmed that it made him hate his cutie mark for calling him to war.”

A chorus of sympathetic “awwww’s” came from the audience. Starlight’s heart was racing now; she had them in the flat of her hoof.

“There was a pony with a hard hat for a cutie mark; a construction worker who fell from the building he was working on. He hit his head on the ground and suffered memory loss so badly that memory spells couldn’t fix it. This stallion had a wife and three kids. He didn’t recognize any of them. He didn’t even recognize his own mother. You moms out there, can you imagine what that must feel like, your own child not recognizing you? Those of you who are married, how would it feel if your spouse was in an accident related to their cutie mark and didn't recognize you anymore?”

Many eyes in the crowd were now glittering with tears. At that moment, Starlight knew she’d touched them.

“Many of you probably remember the diamond mine in Saddle Lake that collapsed, killing all the miners whose cutie marks had called them there. What about them? What about their families and friends? In a world without cutie marks, who knows where those miners would be now? Their loved ones would never have known that kind of heartache.”

Sniffles and eye-wiping overcame the crowd.

“Why should we allow ourselves to be defined by our cutie marks? When you leave this room, I want you all to remember what I’ve said tonight, and remember that our cutie marks aren’t as good as we think they are! Thank you very much, fillies and gentlecolts!”

Everypony rose to their hooves, stamping them and cheering. Starlight couldn’t fight the smile as she offered them a responding bow. Her message had been sent, loud and clear.

Comments

[Bluecatcinema]

That was quite a speech, with a lot of good points.

[The Lord Thunder]

8391386
She's %100 convinced that cutie marks are evil, and she'd have to be a good speaker to lure in all the ponies of Our Town.

[Bluecatcinema]

8391767
True, but I wasn't expecting her to have that kind of skill at such a young age.

[Ellington]

Does Starlight REALLY believe that not having a cutie mark will make the difference? I'm sure it's the point of this fic and all but sheesh.

[The Lord Thunder]

8391991
She pretty much says so in "The Cutie Re-Mark." It had to have started somewhere.