Time to get my head game and my fingers on the keyboard. Since there was a push to update my other MLP story, I thought I should update this one as well. It is my first MLP story after all. I need to give it a little love. And that's what this is. It is a short chapter, but it is necessary to keep up with the flow. I do have a thank you to give out from the last chapter. Thanks go out to ERODE. My thanks also goes out to all those that taken their time to read my story and stick with me. Please enjoy this short, but hopefully sweet chapter.

Chapter Nineteen

Cheer up Trinny

There really wasn't much left to say. Trinny didn't want to talk anymore about what happened to her Cutie Mark. There were still a thousand or so questions that they wanted to ask, but they dare not make Trinny more upset than she already was. In the short amount of time that they've known her, she never seemed to get down about anything. Though she did get a little heartbroken when she talked about her daughters, but she managed to smile at the memories she had of them. Not now though… whatever happened a long time ago still filled her with sadness.

She just lied there; deep in thought they assumed. Occasionally she would signed, but that's all that would come out of her mouth. The Crusaders weren't sure what they could do for her. It was one thing to help a fellow get their Cutie Mark, but Trinny had given hers up… How does a pony even do that?

Apple Bloom looked back to Trinny's covered flank. What could have happened that caused Trinny to do something like that? A Cutie Mark was something that was a part of a pony. It was their special talent or gift or whatever was unique to that pony. To have a Cutie Mark… was to know a piece of one's self… that maybe they didn't know they had.

To give it up? Apple Bloom looked to her own blank flank, I don't know if I could do that. I've been waitin' forever for it… Hmm, she thought a little bit more deeply, if Trinny gave hers up… does that mean she gave up a piece of herself? Did she give up that special piece of her that made her… her…?

"…," Sweetie Belle stood up, "Trinny…," she looked down at her hooves, "Is… is there something… we can do… To get your Cutie Mark back?"

They were all thinking that, but Sweetie Belle was the first to find her courage.

Trinny smiled and gently patted Sweetie Belle in the head, "That is sweet of you to ask, but I couldn't… even if I really wanted to. No," she shook her head, "My Cutie Mark is where it should be…"

Sweetie Belle wanted to know more… they all did. To ask though… it just didn't feel right to press her for something that caused her pain.

"Girls," Trinny smiled, "I know it's a lot to take in, but you have to understand that sometimes you have to do difficult things for the ones…," she seemed like she didn't want to say anymore, "… Girls," she sat up, "promise me… promise me that you'll never give up trying to find your Cutie Mark. Promise me that you will always help those that have yet to find or understand theirs. Promise me this."

They looked to one another. There were no words that needed to be exchanged.

"We promise," they all said at the same time.

Trinny gave a little contented sigh, "Good. I know that Equestria is in good hooves then," she stood up and stretched, "Let's not spend the day lying around, feeling sorry for ourselves… well," she thought for a moment, "Me feeling sorry for me and you girls feeling sorry for me…"

"It's a day of possibilities!" they all yelled at the same time.

"That's my girls," she pulled them all close for a big hug.

They all squeezed each other for a moment or two before Trinny set them all down. There were a few giggles and a bit of laughter, but they all settled down eventually.

"Alright girls," Trinny stopped giggled long enough, "Why don't we see what's going on in town. It's still early," she looked up at the sun, "I bet there's plenty of ponies out there that could use a helpful hoof…," she thought for a moment, "Or we can just have some fun until story time at two."

With a unanimous vote, it was decided that it was time to play. Helping others was good and all, but right then they needed to help out a very special pony. There was nothing they could do about the past, but they were going to make sure that the future was bright. Just like the afternoon sun that shined down upon them. Off they ran to a field they knew. There they could romp around with care or worries. There they could just be in the moment. There they could just be blank flanks together and not worry about what others thought of them. There, they could be themselves

They should have looked around before they left…

"Did you SEE that!?"

"Of course. I'm not blind."

"But how is that possible? She's a grownup. All mares and stallions have their Cutie Marks. How could she not have one?"

"I don't know… but this gives me an idea. We're going to the library… we need to do some reading… something about a Cutie Mark Thief… ha ha ha..."