The Cutie Map Part 2
Pony's Log Number 502: My friends and I are living proof that we don't need our cutie marks to feel special or stand up for what is right...
(I repeat for those who skip chapters. I don't do the "previously on My Little Pony" segments.)
(Main Theme)
Back in Starlight's village, the Mane seven had been imprisoned against their will inside one of the houses. Starlight had set up this particular house for...converting non-believers to the cause by wearing them down. Starlight has also recorded a little voiceover that played continuously inside the room.
"Free yourself from your cutie mark," said the speaker set up high above the room, "Choose equality as your special talent." Meanwhile, Rainbow was trying to press against the door in a feeble attempt to open it and escape.
"Difference is frustration," the speaker continued, "To excel is to fail." Rainbow grunted angrily before she slumped to the floor in defeat.
"Hey, this is pretty good!" said Pinkie as she showed them a book that had nothing but black equal signs inside pretty much every single page.
"Be your best by never being your best," said the speaker.
"Ugh, we've gotta find a way out of here!" said Twilight as she and Applejack paced about the small room, "I can't take much more of that voice!"
"I don't think Mario can either," said Rainbow as he pointed to a corner where Mario lay on his stomach with his face planted into the floor with his back against them all.
"The poor darling hasn't said a word since we got locked up in here," said Rarity sadly.
"Can you blame him?" Pinkie remarked, "Starlight really hit Mario where it hurts! And I'm not talking about getting slugged in the face!" Twilight then slowly approached her motionless husband.
"Mario," Twilight said gently and lightly nudged his shoulder with a fore-hoof, "honey, are you okay?"
"GONE!" Mario shouted overdramatically and in a very dorky but broken tone as he sat up, making Twilight jump back in fright, "It's all gone! Oh, it's gone! Bye-bye! Woo! See ya! Heh..." Mario looked at the six girls with wide eyes and a smile of a pony who was on the brink of completely losing his mind.
"Oh sweet Celestia," said Applejack worriedly as the others cringed.
"One minute your defending all of Equestria," Mario continued and then stamped a hoof firmly and then raised his voice a bit, "then suddenly you find yourself wasting away and dealing with..." Mario then grabbed two books.
"The great Princess Celestia," Mario said in a deep voice before whispering in a falsetto, "and her little sister!" Mario then chuckled in a broken manner before face-planting the floor once more. The six girls were left speechless for a few moments, unsure of what to do.
"O-kay...well...I think you've done enough reading for today," said Twilight gently as she pushed the two books aside with her fore-hoof and helped her husband back to her fore-hooves, "Let's just have you come sit over here and..."
"Don't you GET IT!" Mario snapped as he pulled away from Twilight and pointed to his so called cutie mark, "You see THE FLANK?! I'm just an...Equal! BA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Mario just continued to wobble his head about and laughed like a lunatic.
"Snap out of it Mario!" Twilight yelled sternly before removing his beret.
SQUEE!
Yes, ladies and gentlecolts, Mario's head squeaked when Twilight smacked it hard with a fore-leg and put his beret back on.
"I'm, I'm, I'm...I'm sorry," said Mario, now sounding normal as he shook his head a bit, "You're right I'm just a little depressed that's all...I...I can get through this." Mario walked off about two steps before he couldn't take another step forward and his face scrunched up.
"Oh, I'm a sham!" Mario shouted as he slumped to his hind knees and then babbled in his broken voice and started to cry, "Look at me! I probably can't even fly out of a window! (sob). The mane looks good? Tell me my mane looks good! The beret is a bit iconic..." The rest of Mario's dialogue made no sense as he sobbed and babbled utter nonsense. The rest of the Mane seven just looked at Mario with disturbed and worried looks on their faces. The sight was too much for Rarity's heart and she, too, started to cry.
"Oh, this is horrible!" Rarity sobbed quietly as Fluttershy walked up to her.
"There, there, Rarity..." said Fluttershy gently as she patted the marshmallow mares back, "It's not so bad..."
"Yes, it is!" Rarity retorted as she pointed to some gray and poor quality drapes by a window, "Look at those drapes! I have no idea if they're tacky or not!"
"Well, I think they're nice," said Fluttershy plainly. Rarity's equal mark then pulsed, which made her whimper and her tears fell a little faster.
"So do it!" Rarity bawled. Now crying as heavily as Mario was. Yet neither pony bothered to comfort each other. Fluttershy just backed away nervously until she noticed a magenta bird nearby.
"Oh, thank goodness!" said Fluttershy as she walked up to the bird, "Can you help us, little birdie?" The bird tweeted in reply and Fluttershy's equal sign pulsed making her give the bird a puzzled look for a moment.
"Go on, now!" Fluttershy said confidently, "Fly away and get us help!" The bird just tilted his head and tweeted again.
"Oh, even tweets don't make sense any more!" Fluttershy said sadly as the bird flew away. Rainbow just slumped against the door sadly until she heard Applejack charging for the door and hovered out of the way as Applejack tried to do a hard buck to the door. But the magic of the equal cutie mark had weakened her natural Earth Pony strength and caused the orange mare to fall onto her stomach.
"This door's shut tighter than a...summer of..." Applejack stuttered as her equal sign pulsed as Rainbow hovered behind her, "uh, piglets in..." Applejack swiped a fore-hoof sideways, "...shoot! I can't even make countryisms no more!"
"I don't know! Maybe it'll be super fun to be all the same!" said Pinkie cheerfully until her equal sign pulsed and she said rather bluntly, "Sort of. More pleasant than fun, I guess..." Pinkie just turned away and sat down quietly to keep reading.
"Something odd about that staff," said Twilight as she walked past Rarity, who was sitting on the floor next to Mario, who had gone back to just laying on his stomach and his face on the floor, "I haven't studied Eastern unicorns as much as I should have, but I'm pretty sure Meadowbrook only had eight magical items, not nine. And I don't remember any of them. What about you honey?"
"I don't know," Mario said in a dorky voice as he lifted his head, "Me not know anything! Isn't it obvious? Our efforts are wasted! Our talents wasted! Years of Magical School TRAINING WASTED!" Mario went back to crying heavily as Rarity sadly patted his back sympathetically.
"Well, it look like you'll have plenty of time to try to think about it," said Applejack to Twilight as she lay on the floor on her back and put her stenson hat over her face. Everypony else had pretty much taken to the outer edges of the room.
"...Choose equality as your special talent," the Speaker continued, "Difference is frustration. To excel is to fail. Be your best by never being your best. Conformity will set you free. Accept your limitations, and happiness will follow. You're better than your friends..." As the speaker continued its endless speech, the Mane seven started shuffling about the room. It was clear as day that the girls were all feeling bored. Twilight continued to pace about. Pinkie kept reading the books. Rainbow sat around looking bored. Mario just sat quietly on his stomach for a bit. Then he opened his wings and made sounds like he was airplane before crashing landing face first and doing a loud raspberry. Twilight just sighed to herself. Later on, Applejack was just playing around with her stenson hat. Eventually, Twilight's pacing got more determined as her face showed that she was putting all her energy trying to focus and tune out Starlight's endless speech. Until...
"This is the lecture that never ends!" Mario began to sing with wide eyes and goofy smile on his face as he lay on his back, "And it goes on and on my friends! Somepony started singing it no knowing what it was..."
"CAN IT!" Twilight screamed, her patience at its limit. Mario sniffled sadly before turning away.
"Can't even sing anymore either..." Mario whimpered as he curled into a little ball. Twilight snorted and got back to her concentration. By nightfall, everypony was fast asleep as Twilight sat in the middle of the room, still trying to think. By the time, the sun had risen in the sky, Twilight had her fore-hooves over her head, then was grinding her teeth, and just when she felt like a bad headache was coming on...
"I've got it!" Twilight exclaimed, making everypony around her wake up and shouted exclamations of surprise.
"GAH!" Mario yelped as he sat up with a start, "IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD! NOW IS THE TIME TO PANIC! QUICK! MARES AND PEANUT BUTTER FIRST!" Mario then tumbled into his back and passed out. Twilight and the others just blinked.
"Wow, and I thought I was random," said Pinkie bluntly. Twilight just rolled her eyes before she got back to her train of thought.
"I know how we can get out!" said Twilight. Rainbow sighed sadly.
"Forget it, Twilight," said Rainbow as Applejack stood up, "This door's not opening."
"And I'm afraid the windows are much too small for escape," Rarity added.
"No, it's cause I'm fat!" Mario remarked before saying sternly, "I like...cupcakes! Okay! Okay?!"
"Mario, please..." Rarity said gently, but then Mario sat down and started batting his lips. Rarity was at a loss for words.
"But there is a third way," said Twilight, getting the subject back on track.
"Of course!" said Pinkie eagerly as she stood amongst a giant pile of books with equal marks inside of the pages, "Eventually the wind and the weather will wear down the walls until they start to crumble! Then all we have to do is wait for a big enough hole to form and we can just walk out! It's the perfect plan!" Pinkie's equal sign pulsed, nuking her cheery demeanor.
"I guess," said Pinkie drearily.
"We don't actually have to escape," said Twilight with a sly smirk on her face, "They'll just let us out when they think we've accepted their philosophy!"
"But they're never gonna believe we switched over in just one night," Applejack pointed out.
"There's one of us they might believe," said Twilight as she looked over to...Fluttershy. The yellow Pegasus turned to see everypony looking at her. Twilight had a devious smirk on her face.
"Hehhhh-uuuuuuuugh?" Mario grunted cluelessly as he looked at Fluttershy with a goofy looking face. The others gave Fluttershy smiled, especially Pinkie who stuck her face in front of everypony else and smiled widely.
"Oh! Me?!" Fluttershy spluttered, making her wings open in surprise.
"You've been saying how great this place is since we got here!" Rainbow retorted sternly.
"But that's because everypony's so nice and their village is so pretty and, and..." Fluttershy protested and began to see why the others picked her. She lowered her head in defeat, "Oh, you're right. They probably would believe me. I hate to lie to them. They've been so welcoming and friendly...aside from locking us in here and trying to brainwash us into abandoning the things that make us special..."
"I used to be special!" Mario retorted in his broken tone and wide eyes, "But not anymore! I'm just an equal! I'm nothing! NOTHING!" Mario then plopped into his back with his legs spread out and his tongue sticking out from the side. Fluttershy just blinked before a stern look crossed her face. She couldn't stand seeing Mario falling apart anymore.
"Okay," said Fluttershy, "I'll do it!"
"Woo-hoo!" Pinkie cheered and jumped into the air. Then her equal cutie mark neutralized her again, "I mean, cool."
"But what do I do once I'm out?" Fluttershy asked as she walked up to Twilight.
"You gotta find a way to get our cutie marks back," Twilight told Fluttershy. Fluttershy gulped nervously when Twilight pulled her aside.
"Also," said Twilight, "I need you to take Mario with you." The two mares turned to see Mario holding his hind legs with his fore-legs.
"I'm a little teapot short and stout..." Mario sing sang with a squeaky tone to himself as he rocked back and forth.
"I hate to see him acting like this..." Fluttershy told Twilight as they both turned away, "But why do I need to..."
"I don't know how to help him," said Twilight sadly, "Starlight really hurt him emotionally and if there's anypony who understands being emotionally scarred it's you. All I could do was smack his head and that only made him feel worse! I think you have a better chance of snapping him out of it than me." Fluttershy wasn't too sure about it until she saw that Twilight began to cry.
"Please help my husband," Twilight pleaded desperately as her tears streamed down her cheeks, "I don't know what to do and his behavior is scaring me." Fluttershy started for a moment, then turned to see Mario was still rocking back and forth and humming to himself slightly off key. She gave Twilight a firm nod. Twilight gave Fluttershy a hug when they heard the screeching of the loudspeaker above them.
"Oh, good morning!" said Starlight from the loudspeaker. Then the door opened to show the lilac unicorn herself with her over the top smile on her face.
"I trust you had a pleasant night?" Starlight asked in a tone that was anything but sweet.
"Not really," Twilight remarked, "look what you did to my husband!" Mario stood beside her laughing in spurts while smiling like a pony who had gone completely insane. Starlight just smirked and said nothing.
"This way, please," said Starlight as she exited the room, "There are some friends who'd like to see you." All but Mario glared, but then the six girls shared smiles with each other as Mario giggled like an airhead until Pinkie put a fore-hoof to his mouth to make him stop.
"Gather around, friends, gather round!" said Starlight as the other villagers arrived before the Mane seven, "We've come to ask if any of you are ready to join us! There are so many friends to be made once you realize you don't need your cutie marks or the talents that come with them." All the girls but Fluttershy glared. Mario was just battling his lips again.
"Just look at this pathetic fool," said Starlight as she started to showcase Mario. He just sat there with a goody face and tongue sticking out from the side, "This is what happens when you become too dependent on your cutie marks. You get reduced to big heap of worthlessness and madness. Again I say to you, just like this poor, pathetic soul." The rest of the Mane seven glared at her bitterly for openly degrading Mario like that.
"We have a welcome ceremony for new friends!" said Double Diamond as the rest of the villagers stared at them with their over the top smiles, "The whole village joins together to build you your own cottage-"
"Not interested!" Rainbow interrupted sternly as Pinkie and Applejack gave the villagers stern looks, "You may have them now, but we're going to get our cutie marks back!"
"Y'all don't understand, do ya?" Applejack added, "You can't force nopony to be friends! It don't work like that!"
"And we'd appreciate it if you'd stop mocking Mario!" Pinkie added.
"Is it my fault his obsession for cutie marks made him a loser?" Starlight asked innocently.
"I'm just a...loser!" Mario retorted in his broken tone and started laughing again before face-planting the dirt.
"See? I'm only speaking the truth," Starlight remarked smugly. Twilight groaned and face-hoofed herself.
"Please, join us!" a pony named Sunny Song asked.
"We love new friends!" a pony named Rosemary added.
"It's all right, everypony," said Starlight as she turned to face the other villagers, "This is perfectly normal part of the equalization process for those who haven't...quite seen the light yet."
"You call what happened to Mario part of the equalization process?!" Twilight exclaimed in disbelief. Starlight just shrugged her shoulders arrogantly.
"We'll try again tomorrow once you've had a bit more time to consider our philosophy!" Starlight told the villagers and then faced the Mane seven. They were quickly ushered, or rather "welcomed" back into their little prison hold. Mario tried to bounce inside Pinkie Pie style and smacked into a wall, leaving him dizzy. Twilight then stopped moving and exchange a look with Fluttershy.
"My brother and I would like to join!" Fluttershy blurted out and then covered her mouth in shock. The other villagers looked stunned and then chattered excitedly. Starlight seemed rather pleased...until something clicked in her head.
"Wait...Mario is your brother?" Starlight asked. Fluttershy cringed a bit before coming up with a quick cover up.
"Why yes he is," said Fluttershy, "He used to be a Pegasus before turned into an alicorn." She then walked over to the still woozy Mario, "As you said, he's suffering side effects from the equalization process. I can help you get him adjusted to a life where he won't be a loser anymore! Wouldn't you like that, Big brother?"
"No more loser?" Mario said in a goofy tone, "YAY!" Twilight and the others pretended to be in shock.
"Fluttershy?" said Twilight, pretending to feel betrayed, "How could you?! You can't take my husband away!"
"If giving up my cutie mark means I get to stay in this lovely village with these lovely ponies," Fluttershy said firmly and then rushed and pulled Mario next to her, who was back just having a goofy face, "And it means I get my brother back, then I'll do it! You're clearly not doing him any favors." While Twilight knew Fluttershy was just acting, that last sentence really stung her heart. Fluttershy exchanged a smile with Starlight as Twilight gave both mares a dirty glare. Starlight then shut the door once Twilight was back inside.
"We have two new friends, everypony!" Starlight announced. The villagers gasped and surrounded Fluttershy and Mario. Fluttershy smiled as Mario giggled and clapped excitedly. Then the villagers broke away as Starlight approached from behind the two ponies.
"Now, there's one more order of business," said Starlight as she wrapped a fore-hoof around Fluttershy and said rather dramatically, "it seems some in our midst might be...dissatisfied with the village life!" The villagers gasped.
"Unfortunately, it's all too true, my friends!" Starlight continued as Fluttershy looked nervously to the sides. Starlight then got into the yellow Pegasus's face since she figured asking Mario would be pointless, "Will you kindly tell us the names of those friends who so desperately miss their cutie marks that they would sneak around in the shadows talking to strangers about it?" Sugar Belle, Night Glider, and Party Favor exchanged nervous looks before trying to smile innocently.
"Just so we can be sure your intentions are indeed pure," said Starlight as she stared Fluttershy down. The yellow Pegasus gulped.
"B-b-but," Mario protested in his dorky tone worriedly, "Friends not like that we tattle. They won't be friends with us no more!"
"Oh you poor, stupid little pony," said Starlight in a motherly but yet condescending tone, "You're telling me so we can help them. They'll still be your friends because you're doing what is best for the rest of us, which is making sure everypony is happy."
"Happy!" Mario chanted and clapped giddily like a dummy.
"Um, we don't know who they were," said Fluttershy shakily before Mario could speak and looked at the smiling ponies, "Um, I'm sorry. We don't know your names and faces yet." Starlight clearly didn't believe her.
"Nonsense!" Starlight replied, "Obviously these ponies must have asked you directly. Kindly point them out." Mario just went back to rocking on his back and hadn't heard so Starlight focused on making Fluttershy point the culprits out. Sugar Belle, Night Glider, and Party Favor shared worried looks. Party Favor looked at Sugar Belle and Party Favor before a determined look appeared in his face. Poor Fluttershy was getting stared down.
"It was me!" Party Favor shouted, surprising everypony else. The crowd parted to let Party Favor approach Starlight, leaving Sugar Belle and Night Glider stunned, "It was only me! But I only wanted it back for a little while!" He knelt before Starlight to plead for mercy.
"And you're quite certain it was only you?" Starlight asked as she lifted Party Favor's chin so they were making direct eye contact.
"I just wanted to remember what it was like," Party Favor said sadly but as honestly as he could.
"And no thought to the pain you'd cause your friends," Starlight said dramatically, making Party Favor sink to the ground, "Such selfishness!" Some other villagers gave Party Favor dirty looks.
"I'm sorry everypony!" said Party Favor as he was put into the room with the rest of the Mane seven, Fluttershy watched worriedly, Starlight smirked, and Mario just looked completely clueless, "I never wanted to leave the village! I love all of-"
SLAM!
Party Favor got the door slammed in his face before he could finish. Night Glider and Sugar Belle shared worried and guilty looks with each other.
"What was I thinking?!" Party Favor lamented as he stuck his horn into the door, "I can't believe I even considered asking for my cutie mark back."
"Don't worry," said Rainbow confidently, "Fluttershy will have us out of here in no time!"
"Don't y'all mean Fluttershy and Mario?" Applejack asked. Rainbow blinked.
"Do you really think Mario of all ponies is gonna help us?" Rainbow asked, getting fierce glares from all the other girls, making her wince, "I...I...I didn't mean he can't. It's just..."
"Just what..." said Twilight, clearly offended, "Just because he doesn't have his cutie mark or any of his skills and abilities that he's completely worthless?!" Rainbow bit her lip.
"I...I was concerned about the fact he seems to have gone completely screwy," Rainbow said honestly. Twilight just snorted.
"Fluttershy said she'd help Mario, then together, they'll get us out of here," Twilight said firmly.
"Didn't you see what just happened out there?!" Party Favor said in a panic, "Your friends have accepted our way! You will all accept our way! It's only a matter of time!" Party Favor nearly started crying before he recomposed himself and sat on the floor in defeat.
"This guy's a barrel of laughs," Rainbow muttered to the others.
"Laughs don't come in barrels," said Pinkie so flatly she could have been mistake for Maud, "They come from inside you as your body's response to delight." The group just gave Pinkie funny looks for a moment.
"So what are we gonna do while Fluttershy, and hopefully Mario too, are out there looking for our," Applejack then lowered her voice to a whisper, "cutie marks?"
"We have to stay positive as we can," Twilight told the others, "If Party Favor sees how much we really do like each other even though we're all different, maybe we can use him to spread our message to the rest of the village." The others smiled in agreement until they heard the loudspeaker crackle.
"To excel is to fail," said the speaker as the same speech began all over again.
"Let's hope they don't convert any of us first," said Rarity as the other girls shared worried looks of agreement.
Back outside, several ponies stood in line giving Fluttershy and Mario their over the top smiles.
"Welcome!" said a pony named Rocky Storm.
"Welcome!" said another Pegasus mare.
"Welcome!" said another unicorn stallion.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Mario repeated, now smiling just like the villagers.
"Gosh, you really are the nicest ponies my brother and I have ever met!" said Fluttershy. Mario nodded up and down rapidly.
"Come," said Starlight, as she led to two "Siblings" to her cottage, "All new friends stay with me until their cottage is completed. Let's get you settled, and then you can enjoy all that our little village has to offer." Fluttershy and Mario looked back to see both Sugar Belle and Night Glider smiling and waving at them.
"YAY!" Mario chanted before bouncing inside. Fluttershy looked worried until she noticed Starlight looking at her skeptically. Fluttershy just smiled sheepishly and followed the lilac unicorn inside. Starlight smirked deviously before shutting the door.
Later that night when Starlight was busy downstairs. Fluttershy was just sitting quietly in the guest bedroom. Unfortunately there was only one room available so she and Mario were once against stuck in the same room. Starlight was still making an effort to degrade Mario as she set down newspapers on the floor and declared it his bed, which Mario took by panting like a dog. Fluttershy found it hard not to roll her eyes when Mario even circled around three times before laying down. Fluttershy groaned at the memory as she climbed quietly out of bed.
"Mario? Mario! Are you awake?" she asked, but the alicorn stallion said nothing and kept his back away from her. Fluttershy then rolled him over to see that Mario was awake and had a very bored look on his face.
"Why didn't you answer me?" Fluttershy asked irritably. Mario said nothing and turned away with a loud exhale.
"Mario, what is going on with you?" Fluttershy demanded, "Why are you acting like this?" Mario raised a fore-leg and pointed to his flank. Fluttershy rolled her eyes.
"Is having a equal sign for a cutie mark really an excuse to act super stupid?" Fluttershy asked sternly, "and let Starlight talk down to you all the time and treat you like a dog?"
"It's all I'm good for now..." Mario replied quietly in sober tone that showed he wasn't insane anymore, but just flat out depressed. Fluttershy blinked.
"What?!" Fluttershy said in surprise. Mario didn't bother to elaborate as he lay on his back.
"Mario that is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" Fluttershy retorted, "Now let's go find a way to sneak out of here. Then we'll free our friends, get our cutie marks, and make a run all the way back to Ponyville!"
"Ponyville, Starlight's Town, what's the difference?" Mario said sadly.
"Mario, I don't think you're thinking clearly," said Fluttershy bluntly.
"No Fluttershy," said Mario quietly, "For the first time I am thinking clearly, Starlight was right all along, without my cutie mark, I'm just...nothing. A stupid, worthless, insignificant nothing."
"Mario Star you listen to me!" Fluttershy scolded in a motherly tone, "You are anything but worthless."
"But it's true," said Mario as he looked at Fluttershy with tears in his eyes, "The whole reason I'm so close to all your girls is because of all those talents. We got closer because I learned to talk to animals and care for them. I bonded with Rarity over sewing and fashion; Rainbow with my speed and agility; Pinkie with my baking, business, and recon skills; Applejack my natural strength and ability to pull trains; and my wife...because I learned to organize books, make schedules, cook her good meals, and do parkour together! There's no reason for any of you to stay my friends anymore. My wife now has a reason to end our marriage and leave me..." Mario broke down and wept. Fluttershy wanted to cry as well, but wiped her eyes and looked at him sternly before pulling him up.
"Now you listen to me, Mario Star," said Fluttershy firmly to the still crying alicorn Prince, "Just because you lost your cutie mark doesn't mean you are worthless or that we are all going to just leave you. Your talents are special, but they are not what makes you special!"
"Then...what does?" Mario sniffled as his tears continued to fall.
"Your kind and loving heart," said Fluttershy, "That is what we all love about you and why we're your friends. You are always there for us when we need a friend. You don't need to have your cutie mark to be our friend. We love you whether you have your special talents or not. You still love us don't you?" Mario whimpered.
"I want to say yes," said Mario sadly as he looked at his equal sign, "but...I don't know if this...thing will let me. I did get my cutie mark from giving Twilight selfless love after all and all I can feel right now is just this...emptiness...darkness...everything feels so hopeless. I can't even connect with you guys with my love magic anymore..." Mario sniffled as his tears increased.
"Are you really going to let that keep you from feeling loved? From loving and caring about us?" Fluttershy asked as she pointed at her own equal sign. Mario just looked worried but then looked at Fluttershy, who just gave him a kind smile. Mario then narrowed his eyes and slowly pulled her into an embrace. Mario's body shook nervously as he felt his equal sign pulsing as he held Fluttershy, trying to neutralize his ability to share and feel the natural warmth that came from holding somepony who loves and cares about them. After all, the equality magic worked on keeping Pinkie from being overly happy. Fluttershy could tell Mario was struggling to share some brotherly love with her.
"I love my big brother!" said Fluttershy happily as she held him, "He's my best friend and makes me feel special! It's thanks to his loving and caring heart that I'm married to my special somepony!" Mario began to cry harder as a soft smile appeared on his face as he fought harder to resist the equality magic.
"I...I love you too my little sister," Mario sobbed shakily before saying firmly as he felt his horn glow pink, "You are my best friend! And it's thanks to you that I held onto my hope that I would finally be married to the girl of my dreams and it came true!" To Mario and Fluttershy's surprise, a heart appeared from Mario's horn and it floated over his equal sign and made the cutie mark stop pulsing!
"My...love magic," said Mario as they pulled away as he saw his horn was still glowing pink, "That Staff of Sameness didn't take it away and it countered the equality magic! Then maybe that means..." Mario then stood on his hind legs and tried to do a side somersault...only for the equality magic to neutralize him and made him fall flat on his stomach.
"Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked worriedly.
"Ugh, I guess it was wishful thinking my love magic would let me use my abilities and talents," said Mario as Fluttershy helped him get back on his hooves.
"But at least you don't have to be stuck in that pit of darkness and hopelessness anymore," said Fluttershy, "You can have hope again and feel the love that you share with all of us." Mario smiled but then sighed.
"That's good and all," said Mario, "But I still don't know what I can do to help. I'm still without any of my agility or athleticism. I don't know how useful I can be."
"That doesn't mean you can't be helpful at all," said Fluttershy, "I can't do this alone, big brother. Will you help me?" Mario gave her a worried look.
"We might not have alot of skills to work with," said Fluttershy, "but we've got determination to help our friends. I think you'll agree that is all we ever needed." Mario began to think about his wife and the rest of their friends. He remembered seeing how distressed and sad they all looked without their cutie marks and being trapped in that room. He felt his horn glow pink once again as he was now able to sense their distress and worry from the prison room. He gave Fluttershy a determined smile.
"You're right, Fluttershy," said Mario, "There's no way I'm just going to leave our friends to suffer any longer, even if I don't have my talents. I love them whether they have cutie marks or not." They shared another hug.
"Now let's go save our friends!" Mario said confidently.
"Yay! Now that's the big brother I know and love!" said Fluttershy excitedly.
It wasn't long before some rumbling was heard and Fluttershy popped out of the cottage chimney, coughing and spluttering while covered in soot.
"Brrrrrrr!" Fluttershy babbled as she shook her head to get the soot off her face and mane and then sighed.
"Get the cutie marks back," said Fluttershy nervously to herself, "That's all we gotta do, Fluttershy. Just sneak through the dark up to that spooky old cave with the scary magical staff and get the cutie marks back."
"I'm happy you understand the plan, Sis," said Mario from underneath the yellow Pegasus with a strained voice, "but please get out cause I'm slipping and I need help cause I'm gonna fall!" Fluttershy yelped as she jumped out and used her wings to hover down and help Mario climb out of the chimney. He coughed a bit before shaking the soot off of himself.
"Thanks Sis," said Mario quietly as he noticed the pulsing on his equal sign had finally stopped, "stupid equality magic. It was certainly doing its job making sure I couldn't learn how to climb chimneys! How does Santa Hooves do this thousands of times in just one night?"
"We can discuss that later," said Fluttershy, "think you can hover without a problem?"
"I hope so," said Mario, "it's a basic skill that any pony with wings can do!" Mario said his statement at his flank sternly before he and Fluttershy hovered away.
"Okay, you're doing great," Fluttershy told herself nervously as she slowly moved forward, "The cave's gotta be close now..."
"Uh, Sis," said Mario softly as the view zoomed out to show they were still on the rooftop, "We've only moved ten feet." Fluttershy glared when they heard a familiar voice that made both of them flinch.
"Excellent work, Double Diamond," said Starlight as Fluttershy and Mario peeked from the rooftop to see what was going on. They noticed that Double Diamond had brought a crate filled with jars.
"Of course," said Double Diamond as Starlight picked up the box with her magic and Double Diamond spoke as he walked inside the cottage, "but I don't understand why you wanted me to bring them here. Fluttershy and Mario are one of us now. Surely they can be trusted."
"These two belong to a prince and princess," said Starlight as she held two jars that had Mario's and Twilight's cutie marks inside, "It could be very important to our cause." Mario and Fluttershy watched the conversation from outside the window.
"I don't know if it's my equality mark or not, but I really loathe her with passion right now..." Mario remarked quietly.
"Shh!" Fluttershy hushed so she could heard the conversation.
"But if Twilight Sparkle becomes our friend, then why do we care about this old cutie mark? Mario's clearly joined us and won't be needing his cutie mark anymore," Double Diamond asked as Starlight carried the crate and Twilight and Mario's cutie marks.
"I just want to keep them close until everything is...settled," said Starlight, leaving Double Diamond stunned, "You may go, Double Diamond." The white stallion walked away without another word and let the door shut behind him. He couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about Starlight holding into the cutie marks of the Mane seven. Fluttershy and Mario dashed behind the cottage wall just in time to avoid being spotted. They watched as Double Diamond walked back to his own cottage.
"Gotta hand it to Starlight," Mario whispered as he and Fluttershy continued to watch Starlight from the window, "She's smart enough to think one step ahead of us."
"Oh, dear," said Fluttershy as Starlight disappeared upstairs, "how are we ever going to get the cutie marks back now?"
"I don't know," said Mario quietly as his horn glowed and he remembered how sad and worried their friends and his wife were, "But we can't give up! There has to be something that we can-"
CRASH!
"Ow!" Starlight yelped. Fluttershy and Mario looked up, exchanged nods and quickly and carefully hovered up to a second floor window. The two ponies noticed a bucket rolling across the floor and Starlight was partially wet.
"Ugh! Starlight, you clumsy foal!" the lilac unicorn scolded to herself as she set all seven cutie mark jars on top of a dresser drawer and grabbed a nearby towel. She quickly dried herself off and, to Fluttershy and Mario's shock, they found that Starlight's equality cutie mark...was a fake! Fluttershy and Mario's jaws hung open as Starlight used some make up to cover up her real cutie mark and paint on a new equal sign.
"GASP!" Fluttershy and Mario gasped loudly, which caught Starlight's attention. She turned around quickly and looked out of her window, but Fluttershy and Mario hid themselves just in time underneath a balcony. They waited until they heard Starlight to walk away and turn her light off before getting out of their hiding place.
"Oh no..." said Fluttershy.
"We need to tell the others," said Mario quietly, "come on!" He and Fluttershy headed over to the room where the others were still captive. Mario groaned when he heard the loudspeaker inside.
"I wish I could smash that thing," Mario muttered when Fluttershy lightly tapped against the window. Twilight peeked out to see Fluttershy and Mario standing beside her.
"Hi honey," said Mario softly and gave her a smile. Twilight shed a pair of tears as she gave her husband a warm smile.
"I'm glad to see your okay now," said Twilight as the others gathered around the window and smiled at him.
"I'm sorry for getting a little cuckoo before," said Mario sadly, "Starlight's words really got to me. Plus I thought that without my cutie mark and all my skills and abilities, I thought you guys wouldn't want me for a friend any more. Or...Twilight wouldn't want to stay married to me."
"Heaven forbid, darling!" said Rarity, "Mario just because you lost your cutie mark and all your talents doesn't mean we don't want to be your friend anymore."
"Nor does it mean that we will stop lovin' you," Applejack added.
"Why would I walk away from the perfect stallion?" Twilight told him, "I love you, cutie mark or no cutie mark!" Mario smiled as his eyes watered as he wiped his eyes with a fore-leg.
"Thanks everypony," said Mario and made his horn glow pink, "I might not have my abilities back, but my love magic has allowed me to regain my connection to all the love that I share with my wife and my friends. I gotta try and do all I can to help those that I love and care about, which is all of you and this entire village too!
"Which means big brother's back and he ready for action!" Fluttershy added as she wrapped a fore-leg around his shoulder. The rest of the Mane seven cheered...softly.
"Cutie marks or not, nothing is impossible as long as we work together," said Twilight.
"True," said Rainbow, "But we'll be even more prepared with our cutie marks back. So did you guys get our cutie marks back?"
"We've got bigger things to worry about, Dashie," said Mario, "Turns out that Starlight's equality cutie mark...is fake!"
"What?!" said the rest of the Mane seven in shock.
"Wait, Starlight's cutie mark is fake!" Party Favor exclaimed from behind the group, "but...but...she said we all had the same cutie marks and that we're all the same."
"Hate to disappoint you, Party Favor," said Mario, "but it looks like Starlight deceived us all."
"There's gotta be a way to show the entire village that Starlight's cutie mark is a fake," said Twilight.
"I wanna help too," said Party Favor.
"Why should we believe you?" Rainbow asked skeptically.
"The whole reason we let Starlight take our cutie marks is because we believed that being the same would be better," Party Favor explained, "Starlight lied to us all and I want to know why!" Twilight started but then smirked as she got an idea.
The next morning, Starlight had gathered the village once again as the rest of the Mane seven were led out of the prison room. Unlike last time, the five girls looked rather glum.
"I've got a good feeling about today!" said Starlight optimistically as Fluttershy and Mario stood beside her. Starlight didn't seem to take notice that Mario wasn't acting goofy anymore and was watching with a blank face, "So, do any of you have anything to say?" Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie just looked glum and worried. Twilight just remained composed and firm while Rainbow scoffed at Starlight and looked away bitterly.
"Aw, pity," Starlight remarked, "Well, let's try this again tomorrow, shall we?" She gave Fluttershy and Mario a smirk, which both ponies just smiled to keep Starlight's attention off of them.
"No new friends today, I'm afraid!" Starlight told the villagers as the rest of the Mane seven headed back to their room.
"Sis, do something!" Mario whispered as discreetly as he could. Fluttershy began to sweat when she got an idea.
"Wait!" said Fluttershy, "I'd like to lock them in." Starlight blinked for a moment and then smiled.
"Marvelous, Fluttershy!" Starlight replied, clearly impressed as Fluttershy smiled bravely, "That's the spirit! Party Favor, will you join us please?" Party Favor wasted no time running out of the room as Fluttershy guided the Mane seven into the room.
"I'm sorry, Starlight," said Party Favor dramatically as he hugged one of Starlight's fore-legs, "I'm sorry, everypony! I've seen the error of my ways! I never want to look at my cutie mark again!"
"It seems there's a cause for celebration after all!" Starlight announced to the villagers.
"Hooray!" the villagers cheered excitedly.
"They tried to break me!" said Party Favor, "They wouldn't stop talking about how different they are, and that somehow makes their friendship stronger!"
"And ponies called me dramatic," Mario murmured soundlessly to himself before putting on a large smile the moment Starlight turned and looked at him. Then she turned away suspecting nothing. Mario wanted more than anything to stick his tongue out at Starlight.
"Such backwards thinking," Starlight replied to Party Favor's statements.
"But I didn't listen!" said Party Favor proudly as she stood up, "I knew what they were up to, and I didn't listen!" He then smiled widely.
"Well done, Party Favor!" said Starlight, "We welcome you back with open hooves!"
"Um, Starlight?" Fluttershy called out from outside the main room, "I think we might have one more friend joining us today." The crowd gasped when they saw Twilight walk out of the room.
"Twily!" Mario squeed with glee. Since he was being sincere, Starlight still thought he was still acting like an insane pony. Starlight smiled excitedly before shoving Party Favor to the side.
"Is this true?" Starlight asked skeptically.
"I-I think so," said Twilight slowly, feeling a bit unsure, "But I just want to be sure. If I agree to leave my cutie mark in the vault, I'll really be happier?"
"Just look around," said Starlight, "Equality has given us more happiness than you've ever known! Just look at your husband! He was nothing, but now he's a winner because he knows being same means everypony wins. Isn't that right, boy? Who's a stupid pony? Who's a stupid pony?" Starlight patted his head like a dog. Mario just smiled widely but deep down he wanted to bite Starlight's fore-leg hard.
"And you wouldn't let me just live here in the village with my old cutie mark?" Twilight asked as she lifted her wings and looked at her equal sign.
"Out of the question," said Starlight, "A pony with a different cutie mark in our midst would destroy our entire philosophy. We are all equal here!" The villagers all muttered in agreement.
"Then how do you explain this?!" Fluttershy interjected as she hovered into the air and tossed some water from a bucket at Starlight. But Starlight jumped out of the way.
"Shoot," Mario muttered.
"I knew you couldn't be trusted!" said Starlight.
"Yeah, well you're not exactly a pony who can be trusted!" said Mario, making Starlight looked at him in shock as the alicorn stallion glared at her.
"Hey! I thought you were nothing but a worthless, pathetic blob!" Starlight shouted.
"My sister brought me back to my senses," said Mario sternly, "but it doesn't take a genius to realize you're nothing but a hypocrite!"
"Excuse me?!" Starlight interjected. Party Favor than noticed that Starlight hadn't completely missed the water and a drop has removed some of the equal sign makeup on the unicorn's flank. He boldly walked up to Starlight and wiped the cutie mark off clean.
"No! Get away!" Starlight protested. The crowd then gasped. Starlight then looked to see that the entire village could see her true cutie mark and winced as she used her tail to cover it up.
"Wha...what are you looking at?!" Starlight said nervously, "They're the problem, not me!" Twilight glared as the rest of the Mane seven stood by her. She gave them all a smirk.
"The jig is up Starlight Glimmer," said Mario as he walked up to her, "We found out about your fake equality cutie mark last night and now everypony else knows that you lied them! Time for you to tell everypony the truth." Starlight growled as she picked Mario up with her magic and brought him over to her.
"Hey...what do you think you're..." Mario protested when.
POW! POW! POW! POW! THUD!
Starlight beat Mario up relentlessly before bucking him hard toward the rest of the Mane seven. The villagers and rest of the Mane seven cringed painfully at seeing Mario get beaten up. When he landed, Mario looked battered, his left eye was black, and he held his stomach with his fore-legs since Starlight had literally bucked him in that very spot. Starlight glared at the Mane seven angrily.
"How could you?" Party Favor asked, looking hurt and betrayed.
"You said cutie marks were evil!" Double Diamond added, "You said special talents led to pain and heartache!"
"They do!" Starlight protested, "Don't you see?! Look at them!" Unfortunately, none of the villagers did.
"Then why?" Sugar Belle asked as she walked up to the unicorn, "Why did you take ours and not give up your own?"
"I...I had to, you fools!" said Starlight, no longer showing any remorse about getting caught, "How could I collect your cutie marks without magic?"
"But the staff has all the magic we need!" Night Glider protested.
"The staff is a piece of wood I found in the desert!" Starlight admitted as she got into the Pegasus's face, "It's my magic that makes all this possible! You'd all still be living your miserable lives thinking you're better than everypony else if it weren't for my magical abilities! I brought you friendship! I brought you equality! I created harmony!" Starlight didn't resist getting into the face of a pony or two before shouting at the villagers.
"You're wrong, Starlight," said Mario in strained tone. Starlight was taken aback as she turned to see Mario struggling to get to his fore-hooves. Twilight offered him help, but he put up a fore-hoof to say no thank you. Mario stared Starlight down with a stern look on his face.
"You never wanted to create friendship or harmony!" said Mario sternly, his voice strained at first, but got stronger, clearer, and angrier as he spoke. Starlight snarled as she slowly walked up to him, "The society you established isn't one of equality. It's a pyramid! And you've put yourself right on top and made sure the rest of us stay at the bottom! Why? Not because you believe in everypony being the same! But because YOU only wanted to have ponies to rule and control every aspect of their lives! So...so who's the real fool here? We don't need you telling us how to live our lives! Or taking away our cutie marks! We don't need you! It's YOU who need us!" By now Starlight had gotten into Mario's face, seething with fury, when she heard murmuring from the rest of the villagers and looked back.
"You think we're so weak now that we don't have our cutie marks," Mario continued, "But together we're alot stronger than you say we are." Mario then got into Starlight's face and said in a low voice, "And you know it...don't you?" Starlight was a bit intimidated for a moment before she snarled in rage and used her magic to throw Mario over herself and slam him hard to the ground. Mario groaned as he landed painfully in front of the other villagers, but was too winded to get up.
"Mario!" Twilight cried out as Starlight charged her horn to blast Mario to kingdom come. But before she could fully charge her horn, Sugar Belle stood in front of Mario with a stern look on her face as Mario let out a painful groan.
"Get out of my way!" Starlight warned in a low tone.
"No!" said Double Diamond, "Mario is right! You lied to us!"
"So what?" said Starlight dismissively as she made the glow on her horn disappear, "E-everything else I said is true! The only way to be happy is if we're all equal." The villagers glared and Sugar was checking to see of Mario was unconscious or not.
"Except for you," Party Favor called out as Starlight snarled in rage once more and lit up her horn, ready to charge up a new magic blast.
"Everypony has unique talents and gifts," said Twilight, making Starlight break her concentration again, "and when we share them with each other, that's how rea-"
"QUIET!" Starlight bellowed in rage, making Twilight flinch back.
"Hey!" Mario shouted in rage at Starlight as Sugar Belle helped him sit up, "Don't you EVER yell at my precious girl like that! You hear me!" As much as Twilight knew it was a bad time, she couldn't help but giggle and cry at being called Mario's precious girl.
"You can't have a cutie mark, Starlight!" Sugar Belle said firmly as she glare at the lilac unicorn, "Either we're all equal, or none of us are!" Starlight was most indignant, but was soon overwhelmed as the villagers and Mario glared at her and then surrounded her. Starlight tried to back away, but she ended up backing into the rest of the Mane seven. Just as Starlight was completely surrounded, she created a magic dome to knock them back enough so she could make a run for it. But she still made an effort to bash Mario to the ground as she ran away. All but Mario watched as Starlight ran back into her cottage and slammed the door.
"Come on!" said Double Diamond, "Let's get our cutie marks back!"
"Yeah!" said the rest of the villagers as they charged toward the cutie mark vault, but took care not to run over Mario, who was groaning painfully from getting beaten up and knocked down so much. He was too tired to get up anymore. At least, not until Rarity and Applejack helped Mario to his hooves. Twilight gave Mario a good two second kiss on the lips and gave him a gentle hug.
"I'm so proud of you, honey," said Twilight happily to her battered husband, "you were very brave standing up to Starlight like that. Even if she gave you quite a beating for it. Are you okay?"
"Ugh...Starlight's gonna pay for this," Mario groaned as his entire body ached.
"Come on!" said Rainbow, "Let's go get our cutie marks!" She turned to go fly to the cave.
"Our cutie marks aren't in the vault!" said Fluttershy, "They're in there with her!" Fluttershy pointed fearfully at the cottage.
Back at the cutie mark vault, the villagers were banging and pounding on the cases to try and break the cutie marks free, but it was no good.
"Stand back everypony!" said Double Diamond as he grabbed the so called Staff of Sameness and tossed it at the vault as hard as he could. The staff hit the wall, causing it to crack a bit, which caused a chain reaction as the cracks expanded. Then the seal shattered, and released all the cutie marks contained inside each cubby. Double Diamond's cutie mark landed back on his flank, rising him into the air and brightening his coloring and even his mane style was altered a bit so it was more relaxed and bushy. The other villagers had the same effects and alterations. They all smiled excitedly at getting their cutie marks back. A few more cutie marks flew out of the cave and restored the ponies who stayed at the village as those inside the cave ran out.
"Even without my cutie mark, I can tell this is beautiful," said Rarity.
"You can say that again," Mario added. Inside her cottage, Starlight watched the ponies get their cutie marks with a bitter look on her face.
"They think they can come to my village and disrupt my life?" Starlight accused angrily, "Let's see how they like spending the rest of their lives without their precious cutie marks!" Starlight then picked up the jars containing the cutie marks of the Mane seven and used her magic to reveal a secret passage underneath her bed. She quickly took off down the staircase with the cutie marks in her magic grip.
Outside the cottage, Applejack tried to buck the front door down. Rarity tried scratching the door with her fore-hooves, but it was no good. Twilight and Pinkie were just peeking through the windows.
"Stand back everypony!" said Mario as he knelt forward and dragged a fore-hoof on the dirt from a good several yards away, "It might be a slim chance, but maybe I can charge the door and bash it down!"
"Mario, don't!" said Twilight.
"Yeah, you silly stallion," said Pinkie and then picked Mario up, "I'll charge and use your head instead." Pinkie then grabbed Mario so he was on her back and charged the door, using him as a battering ram.
"But I don't want to use my head!" Mario cried out.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Pinkie and Mario cried out together.
"Pinkie! No!" Twilight shouted.
WHAM!
"Oooooooooooooooooh!" Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy winced as the two ponies crashed into the door...and didn't break it down.
"OW!" Mario cried out painfully as he and Pinkie laid on the front step on their backs, "Haven't I suffered enough?"
"Sorry," said Pinkie, feeling a little winded herself. Twilight just felt sorry for Mario when the Mane seven all heard a whistle. They looked up see, Sugar Belle, Party Favor, Night Glider, and Double Diamond standing above them. Just like Double Diamond, Night Glider, Party Favor, and Sugar Belle had different mane and tail styles. Party Favor's mane and tail were now light poufy. Same with Sugar Belle's mane and tail except she had a beaded hair tie on her mane and tail similar to Applejack's. Night Glider's mane and tail had a more streamlined wave to them and her mane style as similar to Spitfire's.
"Stand back, everypony!" said Night Glider as she hovered into the air and then power dived at the door, knocking it down easily. The six girls and their four new friends rushed inside and began to search the house, not caring if they knocked things over and smash things as they did so. Mario just wobbled inside a few seconds later since he was still feeling a light headache.
"Are you alright, Mario?" Sugar Belle asked, "I'm sorry I didn't ask earlier. Starlight really gave you a beating."
"Battered, but not beaten, Sugar Belle," said Mario bravely when he felt something being put onto his back.
"Sorry for taking it earlier," said Double Diamond, "but for some reason I can't open them. Neither could Starlight."
"It's because I put a magical lock on the flaps before you took it away," Mario explained, "Sadly though, until I get my cutie mark back, I can't access any of my items and they would really be helpful right about now." Mario huffed as he headed upstairs. Fluttershy had just made her way upstairs to check the bedroom when Mario appeared behind her.
"They're gone!" said Fluttershy as she noticed the empty table, "They were right over there!" She then noticed the deconstructed bed and the secret passage way. The Mane seven and the four villager ponies slowly made their way toward the entrance.
"Come on!" said Mario as everypony picked up their pace and headed down the passage way. The group later came out of a small cave just a short distance away from the village. They quickly began to scope the area to see which direction Starlight had headed.
"Look!" said Rainbow as she pointed into the distance. The rest tried to look but they couldn't see anything. Party Favor then got an idea as he pulled out a yellow balloon and tied it up into some multi-colored binoculars. He then caught sight of Starlight. She had a wagon hooked up to herself that had the Mane seven's cutie marks and was running as fast as she could away from the village.
"She's headed for the pass!" Party Favor worriedly, "If she makes it into those mountains, we'll never find her!"
"Oh no!" said Mario worriedly. Pinkie then took the balloon binoculars and looked through them.
"These are amazing!" said Pinkie as she used the binoculars.
"There's a whole network of caves up there!" Sugar Belle pointed out, "Your cutie marks will be gone forever!"
"What I wouldn't give for my speed back," said Mario sadly, "I could catch up to her quick!"
"We know, big brother," said Applejack, "Then let's get moving, y'all!"
"Wait, I thought Fluttershy was Mario's big brother," said Double Diamond.
"Technically, Applejack and Mario are the only ponies who are siblings," said Twilight, "But Mario is so close to everypony else that they call him big brother. Except for me cause I'm his..."
"Can we discuss how much we love Mario later!" Rainbow protested impatiently, "We need to move now!" The group then took off. Or at least their four village friends took off. Rainbow tried to fly fast, but her pulsing equal mark prevented her from flying any faster than the six ponies just marching at a very slow pace below with stern looks on their faces.
"Oh, come on!" Rainbow cried out in frustration.
"Dashie, there's no use crying over the loss of speed," said Mario sternly, "This pace is the best we can do under our circumstances." Rainbow just groaned irritably to herself.
Meanwhile, Starlight was running quickly down the path. She looked back to see Double Diamond, Party Favor, Sugar Belle, and Night Glider behind her.
"Are you all so willing to give up everything because of these strangers?!" Starlight asked bitterly before she fired a magic blast at some snow, causing it to fall right on top of Night Glider, who had been hovering just behind the lilac unicorn. Night Glider glared as she shook the snow off her head.
"We gave up everything for you," Sugar Belle shouted back as she ran past Night Glider, "because we thought you were our friend." Party Favor and Double Diamond were right behind her. The Mane seven, however, were getting further and further behind.
"I can't believe we have to count on these other ponies to save our cutie marks!" Rainbow whined.
"I can't believe you're still complaining about it," Mario retorted. Rainbow snorted.
"If we hadn't come here to help them, they'd still be living under her rules!" Twilight reminded them, "Now it's their turn to help us!"
"And I know they can do it!" Fluttershy said confident.
"As soon as they do," said Mario to himself and then narrowed his eyes, "Starlight Glimmer, I've got a score to settle with you!"
Back with the group of four, Starlight rushed across a narrow bridge. As she looked back, she saw Double Diamond, Party Favor, and Sugar Belle still giving chase. Sugar Belle then looked at her cutie mark and got an idea. She smiled as she made her horn glow and created a pie made out of snow.
"My newest recipe," said Sugar Belle, "snow pie!" She then tossed the pie at Starlight. While her toss came up short, it wasn't a bad thing. The snow pie ended up smashing the harness connecting Starlight to the wagon. Starlight fell down and the jars with the Mane seven's cutie marks fell out of the wagon and into the chasm below. Starlight quickly used her magic and caught the jars just inches before they could shatter and ran off with them. She quickly turned around and fired a magic blast to destroy the narrow bridge while still holding the jars. Double Diamond, Party Favor, and Sugar Belle just barely stopped in time to avoid falling off the edge as Starlight took off into the distance. Double Diamond and Sugar Belle then noticed Party Favor working with some balloons. With some fast moving hooves, he created a balloon bridge long enough for them to cross. Night Gliders helped him secure the balloon bridge in place before he, along with Double Diamond and Sugar Belle, bounced across it to the other side. The Mane seven then noticed that Starlight was still on the run.
"She's gonna get away!" Rainbow shouted.
"Come on, you guys! Get her!" Mario shouted worriedly.
The four ponies continued the chase when Double Diamond came to a stop when he noticed a pair of skis stuck in the snow.
"Whoa! These are my old skies!" Double Diamond exclaimed, "This is where I first met Starlight."
"Maybe you can reminisce another time!" said Night Glider as she hovered above him, "She's almost to the caves!" Double Diamond then got an idea.
"Feel like an air drop?" he asked Night Glider. Starlight was just yards away from the caves. When suddenly Double Diamond and Night Glider overtook her thanks to the latter carrying the former, who was now wearing his skis. Night Glider let go so Double Diamond could use his skis to make a large drift of snow crash right on top of Starlight, burying her. Party Favor and Sugar Belle stopped before the fallen snowdrift. The buried snow made Starlight lose her magic grip on the jars. As soon as they hit the ground, they shattered and the Mane seven's cutie marks were released. Twilight and Mario were slowly approaching when they saw some glowing object flying toward them.
"Ha-ha! They did it!" Mario shouted excitedly, "Here's they come everypony! Here they come!" Twilight's cutie mark landed right on her flank, causing her body to glow and rise into the air. With a bright flash of light, Twilight's cutie mark and coloring were restored. The others smiled excitedly as their cutie marks and coloring were restored as well.
"Yee-haw!" Applejack cheered as she did several strong bucks in the air with her hind legs, "I can buck like a five-bit snake herder in an Appleloosa ranch horse again!"
"And you got your countryisms back too!" Fluttershy added.
"Oh yeah!" Mario shouted after his own cutie mark was restored and the others looked at him. Restoring his cutie mark had also healed him off all the injuries he had gotten earlier that day, "I am back and ready for action!" Mario then did a classic triple jump with multiple forward somersaults. Then he curled into a ball and rolled away at high speed. Twilight and the others soon followed after Mario as they went to catch up with the others.
Back at the snow drift, Double Diamond came to a stop on his skis when Mario arrived. They were glad to see he had his cutie mark back and was healed as well.
"Thanks everypony," he told them, "Great job!" He got genuine smiles from the four ponies. Starlight had finally recovered and peeked out from under the snow drift. She glared furiously as the four ponies and Mario. All but Mario cringed and backed away fearfully as Mario glared back at her.
"Bring it on, Starlight," said Mario with an angry smile on his face, "Time for me to take you down!" Starlight then charged her horn and then fired a massive blast of magic at all five of them. Since Mario removed the magic lock from his saddle bags, Mario was ready as he made a hoof pump and a tennis racket appear in his fore-hoof. The four ponies watched in awe as the magic blast slowed down tremendously and the surroundings darkened except for Starlight and the magic blast.
"Yah! Wah! Waa-hoo!" Mario grunted as he used his magic to make some illuminated walls appear for him to wall jump on then did a side somersault in the air in front of the magic blast. Mario then focused so he was looking directly as Starlight and reeled back his now glowing tennis racket as time slowed down. Then with a fierce swing of his tennis racket...
THWACK!
...he sent the magic blast right back at Starlight as time and the surroundings returned to normal speed. Starlight gasped and jumped out of the way at the last second to avoid being hit. The magic blast exploding somewhere in the cave behind her. Mario landed softly on the ground in front of the four ponies.
"Whoa...nice move!" shouted Night Glider. Mario smiled in reply as Starlight went to fire another magic blast. Mario got ready to return it, but Twilight then arrived and created a force-field to block the magic blast. Mario was grateful since Starlight fired a more constant stream of magic this time around. The others winced nervously, but then saw that Twilight's shield had blocked the magic blast easily.
"Wh-I studied that spell for years!" Starlight interjected, "How can you-"
"I studied magic for years too!" said Twilight, "So did my husband! How else can he return a magic blast with just a tennis racket?" Starlight growled.
"But what I didn't know and my husband knew from the start is that studying can only take me so far," Twilight continued as she and Mario walked up to Starlight, "Each of my friends has taught me something different about myself! Same goes for Mario, too." The two alicorns then looked back to see the rest of the Mane seven had joined the four villager ponies.
"It was their unique gifts and passions and personalities that helped bring out the magic inside of us!" Twilight continued as the five girls and four village ponies shared smiles with each other, "I never would have learned that I represent the element of magic without these five! I wouldn't have learned my husband is the Element of love, the most powerful element of all! And we certainly wouldn't be here to stop you now!" Starlight seethed with fury and gave the two alicorns an eye roll.
"Spare me your sentimental nonsense!" Starlight snapped angrily, "I gave these ponies real friendships they could've never had otherwise!"
"Yeah right!" Mario retorted, "You call treating me like trash being a real friend?"
"Well, that's all you've ever be, cutie mark or not!" Starlight yelled, making Mario growled at her fiercely and made his horn glow. Twilight titled his head and shook her own as she gave him a firm stare. Mario just snorted and took a deep breath to calm down and made his horn stop glowing.
"How do you know that?" Double Diamond yelled as he threw off his helmet, "You never gave us a chance!" Starlight glared angrily, making her horn glow, which caused a giant magic orb to expand around her.
"Oh no ya don't!" Mario shouted as he tried to strike with a homing attack, "UGH!" Mario was jolted and knocked back. When the magic orb disappeared, Starlight was gone. Rainbow then heard hoofsteps inside the caves as well as tracks from the snow.
"She's getting away!" said Rainbow.
"We'll never find her in there!" said Double Diamond as Mario walked toward the cave entrance. He revved his hooves to go after her.
"No, Mario, let her go!" Twilight shouted before speaking to everypony else, "We just have to hope that when she's had a chance to think it over, she realizes that you all have taught her something."
"It's you who have taught us something," said Party Favor as he walked up to Twilight, "We all came to this village because we were searching for something missing from our lives. We thought Starlight had given it to us, but now..." He then walked over to Night Glider, Double Diamond, and Sugar Belle, who were sharing worried looks with each other, "now it seems it was in front of us all along. It's us!" The four ponies shared a group hug with each other.
"Does that mean you'll stay in the village?" Twilight asked.
"It's our home," said Night Glider, "I'm not going anywhere."
"This is a chance for all of us to get to know each other again for the very first time," said Double Diamond.
"And I finally have a chance to bake something besides terrible muffins," Sugar Belle said happily and everypony laughed. However, nopony noticed that Mario was still staring at the caves. He was gritting his teeth angrily as he looked at the left behind hoof-prints.
"You better keep running, Starlight Glimmer," Mario said under his breath and narrowed his eyes, "Because if I ever see your face again, you're gonna regret it!"
Back in the village, banners were now set up as the villagers were celebrating and chatting with each other. Party Favor was tossing a beach ball with another pony. Sugar Belle was serving various, and now high quality, baked goods to the other ponies to eat. Double Diamond was chatting with two cute mares when the beach ball bounced off his head. Just outside the village, the Mane seven were smiling and watching everypony having a good time.
"Now those are real smiles," said Pinkie happily.
"Indeed they are," said Mario. It was then Applejack heard a humming sound and looked to see that her cutie mark was glowing. In fact, all of the Mane seven found that their cutie marks were glowing.
"I'll never get used to that," said Applejack wearily.
"I think it's divine," said Rarity as she admired her glowing cutie mark.
"Does this mean that the map is calling us somewhere else?" Fluttershy asked Twilight, "I really want to get back home to my husband. I miss him something awful." Fluttershy tried hard not to cry as Mario pulled her close for a gentle hug to calm her down.
"I have a feeling it means our work here is done," said Twilight. It was then something sparkly above them. It was another Flower Sprite! But not just one, but seven! Each one floated right above a pony's head.
"Well I'll be," said Applejack, "A Flower Sprite for each of us! These are definitely different from the Power Hearts."
"But they are still collected in the same way," said Mario as he looked at the Flower Sprite, "On the count of three, everypony...one...two...three..." They all jumped up and collected their Flower Sprite.
(Cue "You got a Flower Sprite" fanfare)
As if the ponies had practiced a choreographed routine for years, the ponies all picked up their Flower Sprites, twirled on their hind legs, and then held their Flower Sprite above their heads with a fore-hoof.
"Waa-haa!" Mario cried out as the others gave their own cheers of victory. Then all seven Flower Sprites went into Mario's body for safe keeping. Nopony seemed to mind that the Flower Sprites had picked Mario instead of one of them to be their caretaker.
"Looks like you were right, Twilight and Mario," said Applejack, "The map did have a reason for bringing us here. We brought real friendship to these here ponies. Guess that's why you two are the Princess and Prince of Friendship."
"But the map didn't send me or just my husband or even just the two of us," Twilight pointed out, "You're all a part of us, all of you. And there's no doubt you're a part of our mission to spread friendship too." Everypony laughed as they shared a group hug.
"This feels like an ending!" said Pinkie as she pulled away worriedly, "It doesn't have to be an ending yet, right? 'Cause that Sugar Belle can bake!"
"Maybe we can stay a little while longer," said Twilight, "Come on!"
"Lead the way, honey," said Mario eagerly as the rest of the Mane seven followed their Prince and Princess into the main area of the village.
It might have been just a small village, but they all could agree that this had turned out to be quite the epic adventure.
And that concludes the Equality Arc. I wonder how many of you were surprised to see Mario have a mental meltdown. You got parodies and references from Toy Story 1 and 2, Lion King, and A Bug's Life. There was even an Avatar the Last Airbender joke if you can find it! And Mario's tennis return of Starlight's magic blast is a parody of a special move from Mario Tennis Aces.
Anypony who's seen seasons 7 and 8 will know that I didn't just pick Sugar Belle to protect Mario out of randomness. :)
It looks like Mario's got a grudge against Starlight. This is gonna make the Time Travel Arc at the end of the season interesting.
Also...that ending song to Lamb Chop's playground...I hate that song! But I lost a bet with my sister and she made me promise her to put the song in my story at least once for her sake. Ugh! The things I do to be a good big brother...
Plus it seems I've found a new groove with my note taking so I'm glad my chapters are coming out quickly and in good quality. Thank you for all the support! I still can't believe I'm so close to 100 chapters for this story!
Next time, Mario and Twilight will need to face their...castle problems...
Peace Pony Fans!