"Every pony - and I only mean ponies this time; dragons and griffins and sea serpents don't work the same way - every pony has a special talent that's unique to them. With some ponies it's more like being good at chess or fashion or dancing, and with some ponies it's more like being able to talk to animals or cast a special spell nobody else can do, but everyone gets one. Most ponies start to figure out their special talents when they're a little older than me, and when they know what it is, they get a little picture on their flanks that represents it. The picture is called a cutie mark."