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Original Description:

For some reason I recently became enthralled with the idea of ponies having grim/unsavory talents and cutie marks, and so I thought, what if this applied to the mane 6? So here’s the Unfortunate AU, where the mane 6’s cutie marks and talents are more grim or unsavory, and their backstories have also changed to revolve around them. This seems pretty dark on the surface, but this version of the mane 6 might actually be even more well adjusted than their cannon versions.

The Rainboom:
Who knows what let little Dash preform the sonic rainboom in the first place, maybe it was pure talent, maybe some surge of magic that also rippled through the rest of the 6, or maybe it was some mysterious third force that called upon a set of new heroes. No matter the cause, things don’t go as well in this universe. The rainboom goes horribly wrong, causing a magical burst and shockwave that was too strong, and it’s effects were felt by the entire mane 6. Some of their lives were exactly the same up until the rainboom, and some of them have changed a lot more.

Serenity - Generosity - Mortician

Serenity had a love of fashion even before she got her cutie mark, and it was clear this was going to be her talent. Things took a turn once the school play came along, and Serenity had hit a creative roadblock. Suddenly, a pain seared through her horn, whisking her away at a high speed to a random location. One of her friends at the time, Cheerilee, saw her, and ran after her. Once Serenity had reached her destination, she was furious. All this for a stupid rock? Cheerilee was right behind her, about to check if she was OK, until the rock suddenly exploded, sending debris and gem shards flying. Cheerilee was hit by the shrapnel, injuring her greatly. Cheerilee went into a coma from the incident, and the school play was canceled.

As Serenity watched Cheerilee’s parents and loved ones grieve, including herself while feeling immense guilt, she felt like she had to do something. Taking some of the gems from the incident, Serenity wanted Cheerilee to at least look nice, and felt that maybe that would help everyone else feel better too. Sneaking in before visiting hours, Serenity brought some of her makeup, along with some jewelry and clothing made with some of the gems. When her parents arrived, they were shocked to see their daughter now looked beautiful in her bed, and couldn’t help but start crying. Serenity stepped out from behind the bed, apologizing for what she had caused, and hoping that this could make her and them feel better. Cheerilee’s parents smiled through tears, hugging the little filly as she earned her cutie mark.

Serenity now works as a mortician, and she enjoys the happiness she brings her clients from being able to see their loved ones again, as beautiful as they remembered them. She still has an immense passion for fashion, doing her hair, makeup, and hooves on a daily basis, and she could still pursue being a conventional clothing designer if she wanted to. But as grim as her job may be sometimes, and how rare it is to see, its hers, and she wouldn’t give it up for the world.

Applejack - Honesty - Packaging Apple Goods

Applejack’s life on the farm was great, with so many hooves around to harvest apples, and a big family to support her, she was happy. She had one gripe though, she was still too young to help out around the farm. Her parents wouldn’t let her harvest apples (she couldn’t buck the trees properly even if she tried), and many of the other chores were already covered. In searching for her own way to help, Applejack leaves home, and gets a small job packaging goods. Until suddenly, a shockwave and a rainbow shoot across the sky, right above her home, and Applejack realizes that her real place to be and help her family was at home.

Applejack races back, staying up all night putting apples into crates, sealing jars of apple jam, and making boxes for pies and other baked goods. In the morning, Granny Smith and wakes up to a whole bunch of goods (almost) ready to sell, and a very tired Applejack. The rest of the family wakes up, and embraces Applejack as she earns her cutie mark.

Applejack now works on the farm as an apple goods processor and packager. Surprisingly Applejack enjoys the monotony of packaging and preparing, it gives her time to think on her own, and it’s fairly calming when the days of work may be stressful. She still loves a good traditional day’s work on the farm bucking trees when it’s time to harvest, but her real passion is churning out goods like its nopony’s business, ready to sell to support her family. It’s not the most conventional talent, but it’s good honest work, she’ll tell ya.

Rainbow Crash - Loyalty - Disability Activist/Physical Therapist

Rainbow Crash’s original name was actually Rainbow Dash, and her parents had supported her as enthusiastically as ever. Then the day comes where it’s time for her to defend Fluttershy, with a race. Dash was confident she would win, she was the best racer ever, the best at everything actually, like her parents had told her. Hoops crashes into her, suddenly pushing her to the back of the pack. Determined to be the best, she flies down as fast as her little wings could take her, trying to gain more speed from the downward momentum. Her lips are flapping in the wind, and a cone is starting to form in front of her hooves. Suddenly, a huge rainbow explodes from her location as she reaches the second to last cloud ring, performing the legendary sonic rainboom. But there is no rainbow in the sky to follow it.

From the force of the boom, and her downward momentum needed to cause it, Dash’s little wings weren’t strong enough to bring her back up that close to the ground. She crashes hard into the ground, injuring herself greatly, losing one of her wings. Lots of time passes as she recovers, and Dash is now markless, and flightless. The name “Rainbow Crash” is now cemented with her, despite the bullies who came up with the name having to take the blame for the incident. Eventually, Dash’s parents save up enough money to give her a wing prosthetic, something that is very rare and very expensive to find. But Rainbow Dash at this point is still very emotionally scarred from what happened, and refuses to undergo training to try and fly again. That is, until Fluttershy comes around. She was scared of flying too, in her own way, and with a friend to cheer her on, Rainbow tries to fly again. After weeks of trial, Dash finally takes to the skies, and suddenly, something clicks. Her eyes fill with tears and she’s ecstatic to be in the air again, despite her hardships, setbacks, and disability. She wants to keep this feeling, and… help others like her feel this too. A very faint rainbow trails behind her as her cutie mark appears.

As an adult, Rainbow Crash has fully accepted and embraced her childhood nickname meant to belittle her. She laughs in the faces of her bullies, because when you crash, you can just get back up again. She speaks up for those with disabilities (like Scootaloo, who she now has a much closer bond with because of it), and helps those who have experienced accidents get back on their hooves again, literally or metaphorically. She still has her dream of being a wonderbolt, despite her fear of high speeds, and will become Equestria’s first disabled wonderbolt, just watch her.

This was originally going to be one part but I’ve gone overboard with the explanations so this will now be TWO parts! Also hello it’s been a while, I’m still thinking about figureverse but I’m a little stuck on where to take it next so take these concepts for now :P I’m not sure if I’m gonna expand on this besides the mane 6 but I’ll see if people enjoy it!