Yeah so... I'm gonna be taking a break from social media for a while (like 3 weeks or so). It's for many reasons, but mostly I've been feeling tired lately, and I think a break from social media will give me a much needed breath of fresh air. I'll come back when I'm ready, but just wanted to give a heads up. ✨️👍
Sorry for the rather abrupt notice- but yes! My Ko-fi Art commissions page will be closing again!
I've got some things to work out behind the scenes & in my personal- not art life, so commissions will be temporarily closed. I'm not sure exactly when they'll reopen, but I will post about it when I've decided.
I will still be working on some other art stuff, videos, etc. so I'm not going away just because commissions are closing ;)
But in the mean time I'll be designing some new examples for the commissions page, changing up pricing and maybe even adding some new commission types 👀
And, as it says in the picture, commissions close on January 3rd (Saturday!)
The castle's library was quiet, still, and serene. Sunset knew that wouldn't last for long. In just a few minutes, four very loud, very enthused foals would rush into the room, killing any silence that resided there before.
Sunset didn't hate foals... but generally, she preferred the company of adults- ponies who she could have meaningful conversations with.
Moreover, she had never been particularly gifted at babysitting- that was more of the "perfect pink princesses" realm.
Even now, as Sunset sat, sipping a cup of black coffee, looking over her teaching notes, clipboard in hoof- she didn't know why Celestia picked her for this role.
The role of advisor had already seemed like a stretch, given the circumstances. And now here she was, the sole teacher for a group of foals that Celestia believed to be... important, at the very least.
Sunset was still a bit fuzzy on the details. She suspected Celestia didn't entirely understand her vision either, though she tried not to let it on. Whatever the reason, Sunset was here now. And there wasn't much she could do about it.
Unless... she teleported herself to an isolated wing of the castle and waited out the foals until they left. Sure, Celestia would find her, eventually, and there'd be no real reason she'd have for disappearing.
Other than the crippling fear that she was making the worst decision of her life.
Sunset shook her head and took another, longer sip of coffee, the bitter drink jolting her awake.
No, it wasn't a good idea.
...Probably.
Sunset looked up at her chalkboard again, scanning the words and charts for any possible error. Any possible miss-spelling or grammatical mistake. Anything a foal without a filter could point out in half a second.
Finding no such error, Sunset gulped down the last of her coffee speedily. She tapped a hoof on the small table she was leaning against and sighed.
As much as she dreaded the sound of the foals bursting in through the doors, waiting for them to do so was somehow more draining. She held her mug in a magical grip and swirled it around, watching as the tiny grains of coffee slide against the porcelain bottom. She wondered if she had enough time to sneak to the kitchen and refill her mug.
The double doors to the library creaked open, and Sunset sighed.
Nope.
Her time was up.
She quickly set the mug down and looked towards the door. The foals ran into the room, rushing toward the desks in the center of the room with an excitement Sunset wasn't prepared for.
They bolted to the desks, scrambling over each other to find their seats. Sunset's eye twitched.
A final burst of chaos erupted from the students, and finally, they sat down. Sunset's attention shot to a slight movement that came from the library doors.
Princess Cadence was lingering in the doorway, quietly laughing to herself as she viewed the foal's clumsiness. Cadence made eye contact with Sunset and smiled at her, her sunny demeanor almost making Sunset roll her eyes.
She waved a dismissive hoof to Cadence, and looked to her outline on the table below her.
"Thanks, we're good here."
Cadence made a small noise of surprise and nodded.
"Right! Of course- have fun!"
With that, Cadence quietly pulled the double doors shut, her smile still peering through the doors as they closed.
Sunset blinked hard and looked at the small group. She wasn't sure if only four foals even counted as a classroom. More like a glorified tutoring session. Regardless, these four were more than likely to be a hoof-ful on their own.
She rubbed a hoof on her temple, suppressing an on-coming headache.
"Alright, well..." Sunset scanned over the students, only faintly smiling as her eyes passed over her kid brother.
He was grinning like a foal on Hearthswarming- and it was making her a little uncomfortable.
"No- don't just hold it in the air. Move it to the basket over there, see?"
Sunset chided, trying her hardest not to reveal how much this situation was stressing her out.
Moondancer gave Sunset an uneasy look and used her magic to throw a small beanbag into a basket across the floor, tipping it over.
Sunset took in a deep breath and held it for a moment. She lifted the basket with her own magical grip and placed it upright.
"Just... PLACE it in there, alright? You don't need to throw it." Sunset grumbled, through gritted teeth.
This isn't buckball for Celestia's sake. She thought to herself, trying her hardest to make sure she didn't blurt the words out.
Sunset nodded to Starlight and watched uneasily as the filly stepped up to the line Sunset had made of rulers on the floor. The basket sat, awaiting its next tormentor.
Sunset had prepared a series of seemingly simple tasks for her "students", just to evaluate where they were in their abilities. But she was continually baffled at how little they seemed to understand basic instructions.
Starlight looked frustrated, as she was clearly struggling to lift the small beanbag. It floated, uneasily, wobbly, about halfway, and Starlight grunted as her magic lost its grip a few inches from the basket.
It landed on the floor with a delicate *plop*. Sunset looked back at Starlight, and was caught off guard by the foal's angry expression. She huffed, stomped a hoof, and quickly shuffled back, still glaring at the fallen sack.
Sunset marked her clipboard, and looked up to the last foal in line.
"Twilight, you're up."
She watched as Twilight sucked in a big breath of air, and walked up to the line of rulers. Sunset lifted the beanbag to her, and gently placed it on the floor in front of Twilight.
The foal scrunched her face up in a way that almost made Sunset laugh. Her horn sputtered, then finally lit up in a faint aura. It was weak, but it might be enough to get it a few feet across the floor.
Maybe.
Lifted in a magical pink glow, the bag floated wobbly to the basket. Sunset could see the magic beginning fading from the bag, even as it neared the basket.
Glancing back at Twilight, sweat was starting to form on her forehead. Sunset sighed and made a quick note on her clipboard. The beanbag landed on the lip of the basket, not going in and not falling out.
Twilight looked defeated at the basket, and without a word stepped back and took up her previous position. Sunset scanned over the group of foals, who looked greatly disappointed. Either in her or themselves, Sunset couldn't tell.
Perhaps the rest of the testing phase could wait, just for a moment. Sunset rested her clipboard on a nearby table and looked to the foals.
"How about we move on to something a little more fun?"
The foals' eyes lit up at her question, and they nodded with excitement, a smile spreading across their faces.
Sunset had planned on this section of her lesson plan to come later. But it was clear these kids needed a "pick-me-up", and she was more than happy to move on from the monotonous task of marking down their progress every few minutes.
She gestured to the cluster of desks and began stepping away from the students.
"Just- sit there for a moment. I need to grab something."
They gave her a curious look, but complied.
Sunset dashed off to a nearby corridor of the library. Though the planned activity wasn't for a few weeks, she had already prepared all the needed materials far ahead of time. Upon reflection, that intense planning was helping her greatly in this current moment.
She pulled open a dark wooden door and began wheeling out a large, cloth-covered cart. Once the cart was pulled far enough out, she quickly pushed the supply door shut. The sound echoed in the small open room.
The wheels squeaked in defiance as Sunset rolled it out, and she shoved it with her hoof when it caught on the dark red rug on the floor.
"There's really no telling what a foal is good at till they've tried it." Sunset began, using her magic to slide the chalkboard and surrounding tables just out of the way.
"So, one of the oldest and best methods many teachers have used over the years..." Sunset pushed the large, bulky cart to the center of the room.
Obscure shapes of dozens of items- of varying sizes were hidden under the cloth.
"Is exploration."
Sunset pulled the cloth off the cart, revealing the golden metal top. The cart was divided into two layers, each sheet of metal piled with dozens of empty and full potion bottles, scrolls, quills, mechanical pieces, books, cauldrons- an entire menagerie of magical paraphernalia.
The foals beamed at the sight, their eyes lighting up with pure, unfiltered joy. Sunset let out a smirk, happy that the mood finally changed.
"Alright, now I will still be watching what you're doing-" Sunset addressed the four unicorns, waving a hoof at the loaded cart.
"Mostly so you don't hurt yourselves." She muttered to herself.
"But otherwise, start exploring, experimenting- whatever. Have fun." Sunset concluded, giving a slight smile.
The four bolted from their seats and began examining the cart like it was a candy store.
Twilight slowed down once she got close to the cart and paused. She gave a hesitant look to Sunset, and spoke up for the first time that day.
"Um... Miss Shimmer?" She asked.
Sunset's attention snapped to Twilight and she blinked. It occurred to her only in that moment what the foals would address her as.
"Uh, yeah, Twilight?" She replied, still getting used to being considered an authority figure to these kids.
Twilight scratched one leg nervously with another, and she eyed the cart anxiously.
"What... what if I'm not good at anything here?" Her purple eyes looked like they were on the verge of tearing up.
Sunset gulped. She wasn't the best with others' emotions, let alone her own. After a moment too long, she replied.
"I... I don't know." She relented, hating she didn't have a better answer.
If Celestia, or Cadence were in her spot, they would probably be able to console this foal, and let her know that everything was going to be alright.
But she didn't know how to say that. She wasn't even sure if everything WAS alright. She wasn't sure if she should even be here at all.
Twilight blinked rapidly, her dark purple eyes filling with sorrow. The foal stepped back slowly from the cart. Her ears drooped.
Sunset leaned forward, unsure of what to do.
"What if... what if I'm not good at anything?" Twilight asked, her voice trembling.
The other three foals had stopped their enthused search of the cart by now, and were watching Twilight with tense worry.
Sunset felt her heart break a little. She hadn't realized that foals could feel this much worry- this much anxiety. She could hardly handle it when she felt that way, at her grown age. But a kid with so much potential shouldn't have to feel such misery.
"That's not true kid-" Sunset began.
Before she could get any more out, Twilight turned and bolted. She ran past the group of desks and pulled the library doors open with more force than Sunset expected. Her rapid hoof-steps were fading fast.
Crap.
Sunset glanced back at the other foals, a thick bead of sweat already forming on her forehead.
"Uh..."
The foals stared back at her with a mix of surprise and worry. Clearly none of them had expected that reaction either. And Sunset had done little to quell the situation.
She stood frozen, her mind racing for what to do. She needed to find Twilight; goodness knows she couldn't let the kid run around the castle like that. BUT, she also needed to keep an eye on these ones.
Sunset rolled her eyes and drew in a deep, annoyed breath.
"Okay- class is paused for now."
She gestured for the students to come closer.
"Everyone get in line behind me. We need to go find Twilight and... help her." Sunset exhaled.
She REALLY didn't want to take them with her, but she saw no other choice.
She just hoped they could find Twilight in a timely manner.
Canterlot castle's garden provided the much needed tranquility and touch of nature that the surrounding buildings otherwise didn't provide. For as long as she could remember, Princess Cadence had always enjoyed coming out to the gardens to relax. Whether her day had been good, bad, or anything in between- she felt much better once she was surrounded by the tall green shrubs, and she could feel the soft grass beneath her hooves.
At her request, last spring, wildflowers had been scattered throughout the garden's many patches of greenery. Before, the flower types had been very uniform. Color-picked, and snipped to perfection. It had taken very little convincing, but Cadence was proud of the outcome. Now, flowers of all colors, sizes, and shapes littered the grass. They could be seen peeking through bushes and around tall stems.
Cadence was curled up against a particularly large hedge, watching a breeze roll over the treetops, dancing through the leaves. Fresh, crisp air filled her every breath. The breeze lightly brushed her mane, before quickly traveling off through the rest of the garden.
She had seen the four foals off to their first session with Sunset a little over an hour ago. In that time, she already taken care of her duties for the day. Although her list of "to dos" as princess of the castle wasn't a long list to begin with. She wasn't sure if that was because there wasn't much to being a princess... or they simply didn't want to "overwhelm" her with too much work.
Cadence closed her eyes and leaned against the hedge, breathing in the scent of the leaves and flowers that surrounded her. Her head slid, then slumped down onto her hooves. Her chin rested just above the grass, taking in the scent of the soil.
She wasn't really tired; her day had only barely begun. Even so, she found herself welcoming sleep, a want to slip away into dreams. To not worry about the waking world. The grass was so soft, the sun was warming her fur. She blinked, then let her eye lids fall shut once more. Perhaps a small rest in the grass wouldn't hurt. Nopony would notice her missing, for a little while.
*sniff*
Cadence's eyes shot open. The colorful world came back into focus slowly for her. She hadn't fallen asleep quite yet, but the haze of almost-sleep was still wearing off.
She had heard something, a small noise that was enough to pry her eyes open again. She paused, stilling her breathing. She wasn't entirely sure her mind hadn't made it up.
*sniff*
No, she had defiantly heard something. Cadence lifted her head and brushed a few loose grass strands from her mane. As she rose, she could hear more noises, and finally realized they were the sounds of someone crying.
She heard another sniffle and a slight whimper. It was certainly a foal that was crying. The voice was high and fragile. Cadence stood, looking around. The sounds were close by.
She unfolded her wings and began flapping gently into the air. She scanned the surrounding foliage carefully. It was generally easy to spot a grown pony in the garden. But foals were much smaller than the hedges and bushes. They could be hiding anywhere.
Another small, and deeply saddened noise emanated from Cadence's left. She floated to the top of the hedge she'd been leaning against, and peered over the edge.
Twilight Sparkle was curled up against the same hedge, tucked in among the leaves on the other side. She was crying and tinting the grass below her a darker green. Her tears rolled off the blades like morning dew.
Cadence gently flew down and landed on the grass beside Twilight. The foal gasped, and looked up at her former babysitter in surprise. Cadence sat next to Twilight and gave her a sympathetic look.
"Twilight, what's wrong?" She asked, her tone smooth and welcoming. "Why aren't you in your class?"
She hardly meant for Twilight to be in trouble. But she was sure that Sunset wouldn't appreciate any of her students running off.
Twilight trembled and lifted a hoof to wipe her tears. In one quick motion, she lunged towards Cadence and gripped the princess in a tight hug. Twilight held onto Cadence's leg, and she could feel the warmth of Twilight's tears.
"...I'm not good at anything." Twilight finally whispered, her voice partially muffled by her face being pressed against Cadence's leg.
Cadence paused, Twilight's words stinging like a spider bite. After all she'd gone through, she still doubted herself? Cadence lowered her head, her mouth hovering above Twilight's down-turned ears.
She lifted a wing and gently rubbed Twilight's back.
"Now I know that's not true." She replied.
"The Twilight I know is amazing at all sorts of things."
Cadence pulled her wing back and gently pried Twilight off her leg. Cadence held Twilight's hooves in her own, looking her in the eye as she spoke.
"She's a hard working student, a great story teller, and a great little sister." Cadence grinned, and fluffed Twilight's mane with her wing.
Twilight let out a small giggle, a genuine smile briefly appearing.
"And best of all, she doesn't give up."
Twilight frowned at the last compliment, taking her hooves from Cadence and looking down at the grass in shame.
"I ran away from class." She relented, her eyes pinned to the ground.
Cadence sighed and tilted her head in a knowing way.
"I figured."
Twilight finally looked back up at Cadence, her expression back to a worried one.
"Am I gonna get in trouble?" She asked.
Cadence shook her head.
"No, I'll make sure you won't." Her expression changed slightly, and she leaned down to make eye-contact with Twilight.
"But I would appreciate if you told me why you ran off from class." Cadence concluded, making sure to give a soft smile.
Twilight pursed her lips and hesitated. She glanced around the garden for a moment, then looked back to Cadence.
"I got... scared."
Cadence raised an eyebrow.
"I mean..." Twilight nervous dug a hoof into the ground. "I already failed a magic test before. And... if I do bad again, then I'll get sent home again."
Twilight blinked back tears.
"I don't want that to happen again."
Her small voice was beginning to crack.
"I don't even know why I'm here..."
Cadence frowned, and she lifted a wing to gently brush over Twilight's head. Cadence understood her sorrow, her fears, thoroughly. She knew the exact pain this foal was feeling.
She just needed to figure out how to get her through it.
"Twilight."
The foal looked up at Cadence, her eyes glistening.
"You're not going anywhere. You're not getting sent home, and you're not in trouble, alright?" Cadence commented, looking expectantly at the foal.
Twilight gently nodded her head. Cadence began standing up, and gestured for Twilight to stand with her.
"You're being given a second chance, and that's something most ponies aren't afforded." She continued.
She wanted these words to stick.
"And that means you need to make the most of it. You've been given a wonderful opportunity; I don't want you to run from it. I know it's scary. But I promise you that the outcome, what you'll achieve -what you're capable of," Cadence smiled, and laughed gently.
"That will make it all worth it."
Cadence glanced behind her at the castle walls a short distance from them.
"So, let's give it another chance, okay?"
Twilight leaned past Cadence and stared at the castle for a moment. She blinked, took in a breath, and pulled back to face Cadence.
Cadence had a wing draped over Twilight as they walked through the halls of Canterlot castle. They had initially stopped at the library, but when they found no one there, Cadence realized Sunset and the other students were likely on the search for Twilight.
That had done little to reassure Twilight of her fears. But Cadence calmed her down, and reminded her that she wouldn't be in trouble. She would make sure of it.
A guard standing outside the kitchen tilted his head as Cadence and Twilight approached. He lifted a hoof to address the princess.
"Your majesty," He began, nodding his head in a quick motion of respect.
"Advisor Shimmer was just through here; she informed me she was looking for... that one." The gaurd's tone was calm but stern.
Cadence nodded politely back.
"Thank you."
The guard nodded and turned back to the kitchen doors.
Cadence heard a small noise from Twilight, and she gently tapped her wing on the foal's back.
Down the winding hall, Cadence could hear the faint sound of Sunset's voice. She wasn't quite yelling, but to an already anxious foal, it sounded a lot like it.
The two walked around a final corner and stepped into a large open corridor that led into the castle's ballroom. Sunset was standing a little ways off, speaking rather loudly to another guard. The three other students stood in line behind Sunset Shimmer.
"-Just if you see her, please come get me- or send someone to get me. I've already checked nearly every room in this darn place. I don't want her getting lost or hurt- or whatever!" Sunset huffed.
Cadence stood in the entrance way, and lifted her wing from Twilight's back. Twilight stepped closer to Cadence, brushing up against her side.
The guard that Sunset was speaking to dully glanced past the orange unicorn and nodded towards Cadence.
"She's over there." He replied.
Sunset whipped her head around, and even Cadence felt a tinge of fear as the unicorn glared back at the two of them. The guard calmly walked out of the corridor, nodding to Cadence as he passed.
Sunset trotted up to Cadence and Twilight; her mouth hung open in what Cadence could only guess was a mix of annoyance and shock.
"How-" Sunset began, and was cut off by Cadence raising up a hoof.
"She's sorry, and I promise you she won't be doing this again." Cadence declared.
Sunset pulled back, as if offended by Cadence's words. Her bright green eyes looked down at Twilight, who Cadence felt push against her more.
Sunset's expression softened, and she closed her eyes for a long, tense moment. Finally, she opened them, huffing out a breath of annoyed air.
"Okay, fine." Sunset looked to Twilight, and gestured a hoof to her.
"Let's just get back to class, alright?" She asked, giving Twilight an expectant look.
Twilight glanced up at Cadence in worry. Cadence smiled back and nodded her head toward Sunset. She heard Twilight gulp, and the foal stepped forward.
Sunset looked behind her at the foals still gathered further away. They were staring up at the massive ballroom in awe.
"Alright, everyone back in line." She called out.
The foals galloped to the group, and they greeted Twilight. Twilight's worry seemed to melt away, and she began smiling and talking with the others as they walked.
Sunset guided the group out of the corridor and back into the castle halls. Cadence hesitated for a moment, but an idea struck her, compelling her to move. She trotted up past the foals and began walking at Sunset's pace.
The unicorn gave her a weary side-look, but said nothing.
"Would you like some extra help while you're teaching?" Cadence asked.
Sunset looked surprised at the offer, blinking rapidly. After a moment, she nodded, a slight smirk creeping to her lips before quickly vanishing.
"Yeah, sure. If it keeps that one from running off again- I'll take all the help I can get."
The typical chatter, laughing, and playing of foals resonated around Rainbow Dash, as she sat on a lone swing. The schoolyard was filled with foals, galloping around, some merely fluttering their wings, and some hovering above their friends as they played.
Raindow would normally be one of the dozens of foals running around the soft cloud ground. But today, her mind was occupied, and the only thing she could bring herself to do was sit on the swing and stare up into the bright blue sky. It had been a few weeks since she'd seen the amazingly 'awesome show' -as she'd put it- with her father. And it was all she could think about these days. Her schoolwork showed as much.
It was like when she'd seen her first Wonderbolts show... but this experience felt different. More personal. Everypony knew the Wonderbolts- and why wouldn't they? They were awesome! But the team she'd seen perform weren't as well known. Popular enough in their own right, but it was enough for Rainbow to feel as though it was special.
An lesser known, but still amazing phenomenon. A show that was as awesome, colorful, and daring as any foal could dream of. Rainbow clung to the swing's rope, being gently rocked by a timid breeze. She stared up, watching the clouds that passed by, and imagined herself flying- falling- diving through them, while bursts of fireworks and color illuminated her wings and shimmered in her mane.
"...no- it's right there, see? On her back." A whisper sounded from just behind Rainbow.
Her ears pricked up, and she turned her head, peering behind her. Three other fillies -ones she recognized but couldn't recall the names of- stood a little ways behind her. She watched as the one who'd spoken lifted her hoof to her mouth and had started to speak to a foal on her left. The green pegasus paused upon making eye-contact with Rainbow, and promptly dropped her hoof to the ground.
"S-sorry!" The green foal gasped.
Rainbow gave her a puzzled look and hopped off the swing.
"Were you talking about me?" Rainbow questioned, her tone already annoyed.
"It wasn't anything bad!" The purple foal to the right piped up.
Her dark blue mane swept over one eye, and she stumbled slightly as Rainbow glared at her.
"Well- what were you saying? Are you making fun of me?" She asked again, hating that her voice was already starting to crack.
"No! I wasn't- I promise!" The green foal insisted, taking a step towards Rainbow.
"It's just... well, my friend wanted to know why you have that scar on your... back." She continued, gesturing to a pink foal on her left.
"Oh." Rainbow replied.
She hadn't given much thought to the small lightning-bolt shaped scar on her back. She had thought it was cool at first, but being forced to leave flight camp had distracted her thoughts from it all together. She tried not to think about the race she lost.
"It's... not-"
"It's so cool!" The green foal interrupted.
Rainbow startled as all three pegasus foals leaned in closer, their eyes sparkling in anticipation.
"How'd you get it?" The pink foal asked, beaming.
Rainbow blinked, unsure of what to say. The spot on her back seemed to tickle her fur and skin. She rolled a shoulder, attempting to quell the sudden itch.
"Uh... it was..." Rainbow watched as some other foals began looking her way. She'd never been immensely popular amongst other foals- but anypony would have been stunned by their sudden interest.
"I... I got hit with a lightning bolt!" She exclaimed.
Not entirely untrue. A stray lightning bolt had hit her while she was racing- however small it was. Not to mention colliding into the clouds surrounding the race track.
A smile crept to her lips as she saw the three foals' jaws drop in awe. Rainbow turned around and spread her wings out, showing off the small mark.
"Did it hurt?" A foal asked.
Rainbow couldn't tell which one now that she was facing away.
"Only a little- but I got over it." She smirked.
In truth, it hadn't hurt that much at first. However, for days after her "crash," the mark stung immensely. Her mother had continually been putting a wet cloth on her back until it healed over into the pale scar that now resided on her back.
"Was it scary?" Another foal asked.
Rainbow turned back to the three foals- and paused. More had gathered around the three girls. Other colts and fillies were watching the scene in interest.
"It doesn't hurt at all anymore- not that it really did!" Rainbow beamed.
"So yeah- that jerk made me lose the race, but I got a wicked cool scar instead- so who's the real loser?"
A few foals 'ooohed' and 'awed' as Rainbow showed off her small scar. More colts and fillies had gathered around- though not an astonishingly huge number. But the small crowd was enough to make Rainbow feel as though she were at the top of the world.
That was until-
"That didn't happen- you made that up!" A colt protested.
Rainbow turned sharply and glared at the colt that had spoken up. He in turn glared back at her.
"How do you know?!" She yelped, furious that anypony would question her story.
...Even if a few points were a bit... exaggerated.
"Were you there?!" She questioned, stomping closer to the colt.
Once she was a few steps away, she realized how much taller he was than her. But that did little to dissuade her.
The colt blinked at her response, then furrowed his eyebrows.
"Well- no, but-"
"Then you can't say it didn't happen!" Rainbow snapped, acutely aware of how loud her words rang in his ears.
"Yeah well- I still don't have to believe you! And you're a jerk anyways." The colt hissed, an ear twitching in defiance.
Rainbow's attention was drawn to a few foals gathered around, that had begun whispering amongst each other. Casting doubtful glances her way. She didn't have to hear their words to know what they were saying.
They didn't believe her- or if they did before, now they were questioning her.
All because of THIS blockhead.
"What do I have to do to prove it to you?" Rainbow asked, stepping away from the colt and addressing the small crowd.
"Huh?" She asked.
She scanned the crowd. Most foals cast their eyes away when she looked at them, while others gave pitiful glances.
Rainbow turned, and a glint of reflected sunlight caught her eye. The metal pole attached to the top of the swing set was shimmering in the mid-day sun.
An idea struck her, and a grin spread across her face, a grin that could give any parent a heart attack- one that was all too familiar.
Rainbow pointed her hoof straight to the swing set and looked towards the doubting colt.
"If I can make the swing spin all the way around- a full circle- then you'll HAVE to believe me!" She announced.
The surrounding foals gasped, a few putting a hoof to their mouths.
The colt scowled at Rainbow as he walked up to her. He puffed his chest out and fluffed his wings like a disturbed pigeon.
"Fine!" He barked, then lowered his head to be eye-level with Dash.
"But if you don't, then I'M RIGHT. And you'll have to tell all these dumb foals that you're a liar."
Rainbow glared back, her magenta eyes glistening with contempt.
"Deal."
Her lip curled, and she shot one final glare towards the colt before turning to face the swing set. It had always been a dream- a legend- that a foal could get the swing to spin around in a full circle, with them still attached. Many foals had tried it; none had been successful.
Rainbow was never one to doubt a reckless action she was about to take, but even she felt nervous as she approached the swing. In the heat of the moment, it seemed like the perfect challenge. But now, as she approached the seat she'd been previously occupying... she wondered if she should have chosen a simpler dare.
She climbed onto the seat and stole a glance back at the foals who were behind her. She scanned the small crowd, and her eyes landed on the colt- a sickening grin spread across his face.
No- no, she HAD to beat him.
If for no other reason, then to wipe that disgusting look off his face.
Rainbow faced forward again, and took in a deep breath. She kicked her back legs; the swing began to move. She kicked harder, gaining more speed. The motions became longer, she began lifting higher.
Another kick- higher up.
A harder kick, she could feel a breeze tickle her mane.
She swung forward, feeling the exhilaration of lifting off the ground. She flapped her wings, staying in the air for a moment longer. She stopped, and she swung backwards faster than before.
As she moved forward, she flapped her wings harder- faster. The swing moved higher. She stopped flapping her wings. The descent was getting faster. But it still wasn't enough. She suddenly thought of something- and quickly changed tactics.
Mid-swing, she let go of the ropes and grabbed the underside of the seat. She had to move fast, or she'd go flying off and lose her chance. She flopped onto her belly and gripped the bottom of the swing with her back legs, wrapping her body around the swing seat.
She flapped her wings faster and harder. She swung forward, getting higher. Her wings paused as she swung back down, and she kept repeating the process; each time she reached the peak of her swing, she could feel and see she was getting higher up.
Soon on her ascent, she could see straight up into the blue sky above. For a moment, she forgot what she was even competing for, reveling in the rush of the wind and the calming sight before her. But only for a moment.
The descent was quick. Her mane was becoming a tangled mess as she swung up and down. She didn't mind it though. She swung up again, and she felt her body begin to turn upside down. She looked up and saw the top of the swing set.
She was getting close.
The wind rushing around her was the only thing Dash could hear at first. But the higher her swings got, the more she began to hear the small crowd of foals awing at her efforts. The sounds were muffled for her, but she was sure she could hear them.
She swung back down fast, and saw the ground splayed out before her. At the peak, she saw the hooves of her classmates, and she grinned. She unfolded her wings and flapped them as hard as she could. The speed of the wind against her face made her blink, a few stray tears being ripped from her eyes.
Again.
Forward, backward, gaining more speed and getting higher and higher. The sounds were getting louder; she could feel her heartbeat racing- pounding in her chest. She was almost there.
One!
She descended fast; she could see her classmates' faces from above.
Two!
She unfolded her wings and flapped, harder than before. They felt like they might snap off.
Three!
She swung forward, and at her highest peak, when the world turned upside down, she flapped her wings as hard as she could. Her breath hitched, and she felt herself beginning to fall- but not backwards.
She began to fall forward. The poll connecting the top of the swing set was the only thing she could see as she began to spin, picking up speed at an alarming rate. Even so, her wings kept pace, and she flapped them in rhythm with her spin.
The world around her blurred into a mess of colors and shapes she no longer recognized. The one constant was the alluring blue of the sky that surrounded her.
One spin, then two, then three! She spun faster and faster, her mind reeling from the feeling. It was dizzying, true, but also exhilarating. She held onto the seat for dear life, tears streaming out of her eyes- though she was far from feeling down. Her heart was racing, the speed, the force, the sights- it was all so much!
To an outsider, observing the scene, Rainbow was nothing more than a speeding blur of iridescent colors, spinning in an infinite loop.
She could only faintly hear the cheers of her classmates now, their sounds blanketed by the rush of wind that kept her ears pinned to her head. She'd lost count of the amount of times she'd been spinning now- but she seemed to be going faster every second she spent on the swing.
She had never felt more alive.
Rainbow's heart dropped, however, when she felt a distinct jolt from her seat and an ominous *snap* that accompanied it. She looked up, trying to focus her vision on the swing's two rope attachments. The lines of rope finally came into focus, and her excitement quickly vanished as she saw that one of the ropes was beginning to unravel, the other one quickly following suit.
Her eyes widened, tears streaming out in greater force. She watched as the ropes unraveled and gave out in a final, deafening *SNAP*!
Thinking quickly as she was flung forward- she pulled her legs onto the swing's seat and braced her hooves against the board. For a moment, she surfed across the air as the swing propelled her forward. The fear she felt mixed with the exhilaration of being launched through the air was a complex but intoxicating feeling.
The momentum she gained from being flung sent her flying across the schoolyard, soaring above the heads of her classmates. She heard a few screams and yelps of surprise. She felt herself smiling once more.
The seat finally descended towards the ground. Rainbow ducked as it landed, bumping and skidding across the cloudy ground. Puffs of clouds kicked up in her wake, showering nearby foals in a thin mist.
"LOOK OUT!" Rainbow yelped, as foals jumped and stumbled out of her path.
Rainbow's hoofs clung to the board, and her body wobbled as the board skidded to a halt. Still, she remained on the board, maintaining her balance. Her heart was still racing when the seat slid and finally stopped. She stared down at the wood beneath her hooves for a moment, reveling in the feat she'd just pulled off.
She'd certainly proved herself. And any potential consequences of her actions were far from her mind.
She turned back to the small group of foals still gathered by the now partly broken swing set. Their eyes were wide, eyebrows raised, and jaws hanging open in shock. A genuine smile spread across Rainbow's face as she saw the one colt- jaw hung open and eyes just as wide as the rest.
"What in Celestia's NAME?!"
Rainbow flinched and looked to her left, where a teacher was trotting over fast. The mare's face was already pinched in an aggravated expression, and Rainbow could've sworn there was a storm cloud surrounding the teacher's head.
"Rainbow Dash!" The mare yelped, her head frantically looking around at the disturbed ground, the seat Rainbow stood on, and the trailing ropes, and finally, on the disturbed swing set.
The mare returned her attention to Rainbow, sighed deeply, and scowled down at Rainbow.
"You're in BIG trouble, young filly!"
Rainbow's head lowered as she followed the teacher off the playground and into the school's building. The two walked swiftly through the school's halls, and the teacher walked into the school's office ahead of Rainbow, slamming the door behind her. Rainbow stood in the hallway and shifted her legs in discomfort.
She pricked an ear towards the door as she took a seat on a nearby stool. She could already hear the ravings of the teacher inside, ranting to a surprised principle. Despite the impending consequences, Rainbow's mind was far from her current circumstances.
Her thoughts were filled with the memories of her thrilling swing and short flight. It had been terrifying and dizzying- but thrilling, exciting, and wonderful. It was all she could think about it.
And it had been worth it.
While consumed with her thoughts, Rainbow looked around the hallway. Her eyes drifting over the various flyers attached to the walls, the colorful decorations. Her eyes fell down, down until-
She noticed something entirely new.
Her eyes fell upon her flank, seeing a mark now adorning it. She grinned, ecstatic, and jumped off the stool. A red, orange, and yellow fireball blazed a trail, with sparks of green, blue, and purple following it. Rainbow smiled, then erupted into laughter. Her cutiemark seemed to radiate light the longer she stared at it.
It had been several days since Rarity had ventured into the backroom of her family's home. But every now and then -particularly whenever she was beginning to feel bored- her mind drifted off to the various boxes, filled with unique odds-and-ends.
She often thought about the small box of lovely brooches that had belonged to her grandmother. She had only met her grandmother a small handful of times, but she had always been dressed in the prettiest of clothes and adorned with the shiniest of trinkets.
Rarity remembered her grandmother had been one of the first ponies to encourage her fashion journey. But with how that ended... Rarity was almost glad her grandmother wasn't here to see the embarrassment she'd become.
Rain was drizzling quietly outside, and Rarity sat in her family's kitchen, gazing out the window. Her mother was off at the market, and her father was busy preparing dinner. And her baby sister... well, she was probably just asleep. Rarity thought about asking to visit her, but thought it best to leave a sleeping infant alone.
She could still remember the sleepless nights she and her parents had not too long ago- when little Sweetie Belle refused to fall asleep at normal hours. As of the last few months, though, it seemed her sister had finally realized the nighttime was for sleeping.
Rarity turned her attention to her father, who was busy chopping vegetables, slicing them incredibly carefully. Ever since her mother had bought an all-new knife set, Hondo had been taking his time cutting vegetables- which made dinner take all the longer.
Rarity huffed a sigh and turned back to the window, the dreary scenery outside the same as she'd left it. Even for a foal who wasn't highly energetic or playful... today was excruciatingly boring.
A bolt of magic shot through her horn, making her jump. She quickly gripped the table in front of her, steadying herself. A few stray sparks of magic fluttered down from her horn, some landing on the tip of her snout. She shot a glance at her father, who was still carefully dissecting a carrot across the room.
Rarity pushed against the table, sliding her seat back, and she rushed off into the dimmer-lit hallway. She looked up, as far as she could without lifting her head, and waited. After a moment, her horn sparked again, and she felt the familiar tug pull her towards her family's storage room.
She didn't argue, didn't fight it this time. At least now, her horn's persistence would alleviate her boredom. She walked up to the door and quietly began turning the nob. It didn't move. She pulled back, confused. She tried again, wondering if her hooves were too slippery. Nope- it didn't move at all.
She tried turning it the other way, and no such luck. Her parents- at some point over the last few days- had locked the door! Her horn sparked, sending more magical specks cascading through the open air.
"I know!" She muttered, gritting her teeth.
Rarity paused, and turned to see her parent's bedroom door slightly open. She quietly crept towards their room, peeking down the hall and into the kitchen to see her father still cooking- thought now he'd moved on to pilling vegetables in a pot.
She quickly pushed the door open, just enough for her small frame to fit inside. Their room was dark, and she found herself squinting as she looked around. She took a step, and her hoof collided with a small ball that rolled across the room and tapped against the crib next to her parent's bed.
She inhaled sharply, praying it wouldn't make a sound. Only a soft, barely noticeable *tap* was heard. Rarity sighed, and placed a hoof on her chest, feeling her quickened heartbeat. If her sister began wailing like a siren while she was in here, her father would come rushing in- putting an end to her little stealth mission.
She didn't like having to sneak into her parent's room just in search of spare keys- that might not even be in here. But she felt it unfair that she was locked out of the room containing her grandmother's treasures. It wasn't right.
Rarity strained, focusing her energy on her horn. It sputtered, then finally lit up in a pale blue glow. Now she could see her surroundings. Her parent's room was fairly simple, and seemed smaller than hers. Though many things were scattered about, and it seemed that an entire wardrobe's worth of items was piled on top of the dark brown dresser in the corner of the room.
Rarity walked towards it and stood up, searching through the items. She looked to her side and saw a large, pale red ottoman. She dragged it over and hopped on top of it, getting a better view of the dresser.
Rarity quietly looked over the items piled there. Boxes, stacks of papers, pens, quills, bags, hats, makeup kits- you name it. She reached a hoof forward and began shifting through random trinkets- some of which she didn't recognize- or hardly understood what they were doing in her parent's bedroom. Items slid and shuffled out of place as she searched.
Rarity paused, lifting her hoof. If she wasn't careful, the entire pile of things would come falling down on her, crushing her in a junk-filled avalanche. She pushed boxes around carefully and lightly brushed her hoof over anything vaguely metal-looking.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, her hoof made contact with a smooth ring, and she heard the familiar *cling* of keys. She quickly pushed her hoof through the ring they were attached to, and began lifting her hoof. The keys were being pulled through a pile of envelopes, tubes of lipstick- and other objects she couldn't decipher.
Rarity was reminded of when her father had played a difficult crane-game to win her a sparkly stuffed doll. She felt like that in the moment; carefully and slowly navigating her hoof to earn a "prize". She moved slowly, precisely, so a landslide of miscellaneous objects wouldn't crush her. Or wake up the baby. Or both.
The last of the objects slid- and stayed in place. Rarity sighed in deep relief, and stepped off the ottoman. She shoved her body against the side of it, pushing it back in place. Or as close as she could get it.
She began walking towards her parent's bedroom door, elated she'd survived that "dangerous" venture. She peeked her head outside, turning to look down the hall. Her father was at the stove, stirring and watching a few different pots. His attention still seemed to be far from whatever Rarity was doing.
She looked down at the keys in her hoof and smiled. She took a step back and began pulling the door open a bit more-
*achoo*
Rarity jolted and quickly turned to face the crib. Her horn illuminated the room as she moved, casting the area in a small circular glow. Her light rested on the side of the crib, where her baby sister was now sitting up. Her large green eyes stared at Rarity through the bars, and she tilted her head to the side.
Rarity stiffened, and she stared back at her tiny sister. She lowered her head and began stepping back towards the door.
"shush, please- please be quiet..." She whispered.
Sweetie Belle stared back at her, tilting her head to the other side as she watched Rarity slowly exit the room.
"and don't tell mom and dad I was in here- got it?" She whispered again, nodding in affirmation at the baby.
Sweetie Belle blinked, and Rarity hoped that meant 'yes'.
Rarity peered through the bedroom door and down the hall again, seeing her father fiddling with the pot's lids. He would pick one up and quickly stir it, then move onto another one. She rushed down the hall and began fumbling with the keys. There weren't many on the ring, as not many of the doors in their house had a need for locks and keys. But there was enough metal to make a discernible *clinking* noise from where she stood.
Rarity just hoped that the noise her father was making as he moved pans and pots around was enough to drown out the noise. Finally, on the third key, the lock *clicked* and she felt the door shift slightly. She grinned and turned the handle, quickly stumbling inside the darkened room.
The thin curtains in the room's only window were letting in a dim, filtered light. It painted the room in a gloomy turquoise light and cast deep blue shadows in areas of the room the light couldn't reach. Rarity shut the door as quietly as she could muster, and flipped the room's light on. The gloomy scene was transformed, now covered in a soft yellow glow from above. She blinked, letting her eyes adjust, and looked around the room slowly.
A few steps away, sitting on the floor, just where she'd left it, was the small pink and green box. Containing a portion of her grandmother's forgotten treasures.
Actually- this entire room was filled with her grandmother's things. Rarity set down the keys on a nearby box, draped in a dusty white sheet. As she walked over to the small colorful box, she wondered how many other precious items were in this room- being neglected and collecting age.
The foal sat down and pulled the box close to her. She opened it and reveled once more at the beautiful items the box contained. Well- as much beauty as could still be seen in their aged metals and rhinestones.
Rarity quickly pushed past the collection of brooches to the one that had first caught her eye. Just as she remembered it, the dark blue gem of the brooch was hardly noticeable, coated in a thick layer of dust... and other substances she couldn't discern.
The intricate golden design that framed the gem was also quite aged, with dirt caked in it's crevices. Some parts on the outer edge were even bent in awkward places, poking out too far or pushed in too deep. Rarity frowned as she stared at the brooch, just knowing in her heart that this was once a thing of pure and true beauty... like her grandmother had been.
She was long gone now, but her things, her precious things that she had given Rarity's mother, were still here. But they were aging more and more, collecting dust and grime and decay.
She couldn't stand to see it. And she knew her mother couldn't stand it either.
Rarity suddenly sat up; an idea bolted her to action, and she carefully set the brooch down on the box's lid. She rushed out of the room and down the hall. She moved quickly, not really paying any mind to staying quiet. She ran into her room and threw open her closet door.
Ever since her failed attempt at making costumes for her school's play, she'd thrown all her sewing items into her closet- hoping to forget them. All the tools and supplies she'd begged her parents to buy her were now sitting, unused, in a dark and depressing corner.
She dug around for a moment before lifting up a smaller, dark purple pouch. Her mother had gifted it to her when she had first started to learn sewing, the pouch being a small and simple kit. But it was the tools inside that Rarity suddenly felt inspired to use.
Yes- inspired! That was what had been pulling her around this whole time, what pushed her to move, and what her thought's had been filled with as of late.
She'd sworn that she had lost her inspiration when she'd lost the show. But it was still there, as alive and creative as ever.
Levitating the pouch in her magic, she rushed back out of her room and into the storage room. She didn't bother closing the door this time, and instead bolted to the brooch box.
She plopped down on the center rug and lifted up the blue brooch with her magic. She picked up her bag, and began pulling out all the items she was sure she would need. A small pair of pliers, tweezers, cotton swabs, and a bundle of cloth.
It hadn't even occurred to Rarity that her horn was levitating several items with ease- something she hadn't been able to do just a few weeks prior.
Using the tweezers and cotton swabs, she began picking at the dirt that was dimming the brilliant gold frame. Normally, she'd have been disgusted at even the sight of such filth.
But something about the brilliant gold underneath, and uncovering it as she worked, kept her thoughts from being grossed-out. She scrubbed with the cotton swab, carefully and slowly revealing the shining metal underneath. Once she was satisfied with the frame being restored to its former beauty, she looked to the navy blue gem embedded in the center.
She lifted the cloth scrap and began wiping the gem, working from the top and moving down. Deep shades of marbled blue were revealed as decades of dust and grime were stripped away. Once the cloth reached the bottom, Rarity folded it inside-out and began at the top of the gem again. Polishing it over and giving it a smooth shine.
The brooch sparkled in the room's warm light, reflecting its restored beauty in Rarity's eyes. She sat staring at it for a moment longer, pride welling in her heart.
But her attention was torn from her small project when she heard the sound of voices from down the hall. The words were muffled, but she recognized her mother and father's tones. She suddenly remembered where she was- and more importantly- that she wasn't supposed to be in there at all.
She quickly began cleaning up the various supplies scattered around her on the rug. She stuffed the items back into the pouch and moved over to the still open box of other, still un-clean brooches. Rarity silently hoped she could sneak in here again and restore the other ones. Assuming her parents would allow her back in here at all.
She shoved the now closed box back with a back leg. She dashed to the keys, which were still lying on some nearby draped furniture. She picked them up with her magic, while holding the cleaned brooch and sewing pouch. She glanced around the room once more, checking if she'd left anything else that could incriminate her.
Seeing nothing, she reached for the door, hoping she could sneak back into her room before her parents realized she wasn't there. The door suddenly pushed open, both her parents standing in the doorway in front of her. Rarity jumped at the sight, dropping her items in surprise. They clattered to the floor, and Rarity stumbled backwards. She was too late. Her mother gave her a surprised look, then furrowed her eyebrows.
"Rarity! This room is locked for a reason, young lady!" Cookie scolded.
Hondo glanced over his wife's shoulder and frowned when he saw that things were disturbed in the room.
"There's a lot of old, delicate things in here, and I don't want you to break them! Or for you to get hurt!" Cookie continued.
She moved to pick up Rarity's dropped items and lifted up the fallen brooch. Cookie froze, staring at the deep blue gem as if entranced.
Rarity stepped forward, giving her mother a pleading look.
"I'm sorry!" Rarity picked up her small sewing pouch and fallen keys.
"I just... I thought Nana's stuff should be... pretty again." Rarity looked up at her mother, who was still frozen, her eyes fixated on the brooch.
Rarity tilted her head, a pit forming in her stomach. If she'd upset her mother by doing this, by going in the room and 'messing' with her grandmother's things... Rarity wasn't sure how much trouble she'd be in, but she sensed it couldn't be good.
Hondo pushed himself to stand beside Cookie, and raised a weary hoof to her shoulder.
"Hun?" He asked, tilting his eyebrows in worry.
Cookie stared for a moment longer, then blinked. Her lashes fluttered again, harder, and tears began pouring down her face. She started to speak, but was cut off by a deafening roar of thunder that sounded echoed off the house's walls.
At some point, the rain outside had gotten worse. The thunder rung in Rarity's ear, and just as the crashing sound vanished, Sweetie Belle's distinct cry sounded from her parent's bedroom.
Cookie held the brooch in her magic, and rushed down the hall into her bedroom. Hondo watched her as she trotted away, and glanced at Rarity.
Rarity looked back at her father, with confused and concerned eyes. She had thought maybe her mother would be upset, or a little mad... but she hadn't expected tears.
Rarity and Hondo rushed after Cookie, pushing open the bedroom door and following her inside. Cookie sat next to Sweetie's crib; one hoof was placed inside, gently brushing her daughter's mane and soothing her cries.
Cookie had placed the brooch on the nightstand beside the crib, and she would occasionally glance at it while soothing Sweetie. Rarity hesitantly walked up to her mother, whispering a "hello" as she entered the room. Her father stood back in the doorway and watched.
"...Mom?" Rarity took a final step forward, facing the crib. She sat down and stared up at her mother.
Cookie blinked, and a few small tears formed in the corner of her eyes.
"I'm sorry. I... I don't want to see you cry." Rarity continued, choking up as she spoke.
Cookie shook her head and looked up from Sweetie Belle, locking eyes with her eldest child.
"It's alright, dear. I'm not mad at you." Cookie sighed, glancing at the brooch that sat on the nightstand.
"It was just... difficult to see it again. To see it like I remembered it being." Cookie lifted the brooch up in the air and held it up for Sweetie Belle to see.
Cookie playfully shook the brooch in the air, waving it around playfully above Sweetie Belle. The infant lay on her back, and giggled softly. She waved her tiny legs in the air, following the path of the brooch as it danced above her.
Cookie laughed softly, her tears slowly fading. Cookie continued swinging the brooch around, and turned her attention back to Rarity.
"This was your Nana's favorite brooch; she would wear it every time we went out." Cookie commented. "She said it matched her eyes."
Cookie smiled and set the brooch back down on the nightstand. She chuckled as Sweetie Belle rolled around, attempting to see where the shiny object went.
"It hasn't been this clean, this pristine since... well, in a long time. A lot of Nana's things haven't been this nice in a long time." Cookie concluded, lifting Sweetie Belle from her crib and into her arms.
Cookie moved Sweetie Belle to one arm and spread the other out, gesturing to Rarity. Rarity smiled and allowed her mother to scoop her into a tight hug.
Hondo chuckled from the doorway and waved a hoof to his wife and children. Rarity stared at him, and raised an eyebrow.
"What?" She asked.
Hondo chuckled again and pointed a hoof towards Rarity. She pulled herself from her mother's grip and stumbled back.
"You've found your spark, kid." He replied smiling proudly at Rarity.
Rarity gave another, puzzling look and Hondo pointed a hoof, gesturing to her side.
The foal whipped her head around, and jumped at the sight of a mark adorning her flank. A brooch, similar to the one she'd just restored, was seen, with one half shiny and new, and the other aged with dirt and dust. Rarity crinkled her nose at the sight.
She glanced back to her parents and shook her head.
"I... I don't know what it means." She asked, worried her mark was earned just because she cleaned an old brooch.
Her parents laughed together now, and even Sweetie Belle gave out a few infantile giggles. Rarity pouted, upset that her family was treating this all like some big joke.
Cookie finally responded, chuckles cutting in between her words.
"It means, dear, that your talent is restoration."
"...What?"
"Like this brooch," Cookie continued, lifting it up with her magic and levitating it to her daughter. "You restored it's beauty; you made it look like it was brand new, even though it's quite old."
"It's a wonderful thing, Rarity." Hondo commented, nodding his head.
A hissing sound erupted from the kitchen and Hondo twitched. He turned his head, and panicked as he looked down the hall.
"AH! Pot's boiling over-" He barked, quickly rushing out of the doorway.
Rarity watched him leave and glanced back at her mother, who was putting a now sleepy Sweetie Belle back into her crib.
"I still think it's a boring talent." Rarity whined, stealing another glance at her mark. At least half of it was pretty.
"I think you'll find that your talent is going to help a lot of ponies." Cookie replied, brushing Rarity's curls with her hoof.
Whenever Ponyville experienced any kind of weather, the Everfree forest that bordered it seemed to experience the same weather, in harsher, larger amounts. A lazy, light rain that covered Ponyville came down in heavier drops over the Everfree forest.
A cold wind rolled through the trees, forcing any animal above ground to shiver. Including Fluttershy.
The pegasus foal shuddered, and nestled further in the bush she'd been napping underneath. Drops of water trickled down, weaving between the leaves, and finally landed on her head in a quiet *plop*. She shook her head, her ears twitching as the droplets rolled across her mane.
Peering up through the bush, she could see that more rain was coming down- and it was getting faster. She stood and crawled out of the bush, stretching her legs as her mind began waking up. She looked around the misty forest, seeing more rain flooding in from above the trees.
It seemed the leaves could do little to ward off the oncoming storm. The rain had started out rather timid, but she could see puddles forming quickly in dips on the forest floor.
Fluttershy's stomach rumbled, and her thoughts were set on finding food. She dropped her head low and began inspecting the forest floor, keeping an eye out for any mushrooms, flowers, or berry bushes.
Starving out here was one of the first major concerns she'd had when she discovered she'd been lost in the forest. And the first few days were tricky when it came to finding edible flora.
But, after observing the behavior of the herbivore animals in the forest and quietly following them to where food would be, suddenly it wasn't too hard to find something to eat. Like the forest's inhabitants, she just needed to know where to look.
Fluttershy trotted slowly, her eyes focused on the ground below her. She snatched up a few stray dandelions as she walked, carrying them in her mouth. Her ears stayed pointed up, and flicked at any sound she heard as she walked.
Fluttershy caught the scent of something- musty and earthy. She stopped and turned sharply towards the scent. She wasn't certain if it was just being surrounded by nature- but she swore that her sense of smell and hearing were far better here than they had ever been before.
The scent drew her in further, and she realized what it was.
Mushrooms!
And by the alluring, earthy scent, these ones were safe to eat.
The foal trotted quicker through the foliage, gracefully gliding over roots and dips in the dirt. Finally, she reached a patch of the forest where the trees were far thicker, only minimal amounts of rain water seeping through the treetops.
The additional coverage made the patch darker, and logs of long dead trees were scattered about here. The perfect breeding ground for mushrooms.
Fluttershy walked up to one log, that was partly broken on one side, and peeked inside. She could see a few mushrooms scattered inside, clinging to the sides of the log. She leaned against the side and put a hoof in. She tugged gently, and pried the white and gray mushroom from the log's interior. She reached for some larger ones and pulled them off. But she left enough in case another hungry visitor like her happened to stop by.
Fluttershy turned and leaned her back against the outside of the log. She sat on the forest floor, and happily ate the dandelions and mushrooms. It wasn't exactly the meal she'd been used to, growing up in Cloudsdale.
But in a forest- where she was all alone, who could complain?
Fluttershy blinked, and tears welled in her eyes again. She'd been crying a lot lately- although for her it wasn't much of a record. Even so, the memories of her family brought tears to her eyes every time she thought of them. She hadn't heard or seen a pony in weeks... she wasn't sure she could ever get home at this point.
Her heart hurt thinking about how much her parents must miss her. How much she missed her little brother- even as annoying as he could be.
She sniffed, and finished the last of the mushrooms she'd plucked.
She sighed, and leaned further against the log, leaning her head back. She closed her eyes and let the sounds of the forest calmed her mind.
The faint whistle of birds in the distance.
The trickling of rain against the leaves.
The rustle of ferns and long grass as they were brushed by a gently breeze.
And... the rippling of a river... that seemed to be growing steadily louder.
Fluttershy sat up and opened her eyes. She thought she might have heard the faint sounds of a river when she'd entered this darkened forest patch. But now, she distinctly heard the river's sounds growing louder.
Letting her ears guide her, Fluttershy followed the sound of the river. Diving over more fallen logs, climbing up shallow clusters of rocks, and traversing over more foliage finally brought her to a riverbank.
The water sloshed and flowed roughly against the riverside. Fluttershy startled as a wave of water crashed against the foliage near her, sending up a thick mist of water. The tree clusters thinned above the river, allowing heaps of water to pour into the river, adding more water than it was used to.
Fluttershy watched, her stomach twisting in a nervous knot, as further down the river, the water knocked against a small grassy cliff. The edge of the land fell away in massive chunks, being swiftly carried off by the violent waves.
Fluttershy yelped as the water sloshed angrily towards her again, reaching for her hooves. Where she stood was already so far up from the river. But it was clear these fierce waters wouldn't be held by the bounds of the riverbed for much longer.
Fluttershy turned quickly, and began galloping back the way she came. Her wings fluttered in response, carrying her as she ran.
She burst from the darkened patch of forest and began scanning the environment as she went. Her mind was panicked, almost frenzied. She wasn't sure what to do- only that she needed to get to higher ground... if she could even find it.
She stumbled to a stop as her eyes landed on a burrow, where a family of the small, long-eared animals were cautiously crawling out of it. Fluttershy watched as the animals lifted their snouts to the air and began sniffing frantically, their tiny pink noses twitching. Fluttershy looked back in the direction of the river and nodded frantically to the small animals.
As if knowing what she meant, the animals finished crawling out of their hole and bounded off into the forest, far away from the river's reaches. Their long back legs carried them well. Fluttershy wished she could run as fast as them.
It occurred to her that there were many animal friends who weren't able to run as fast as these long-eared ones. Many resided in homes underground, ones that would be the first areas flooded with water. They were in just as much danger as she was- if not more. Despite the anxiety she felt, knowing that the river's waters would be upon them soon- she knew she had to do something!
Fluttershy galloped through the forest, stopping every moment she came across an animal. She informed them of the oncoming flood, urging them to find higher ground. The animals didn't hesitate, flying, running, bouncing off- however they could get away, they did.
The crushing sounds of the water remained an ominous reminder in the distance. Never far enough to forget that it was coming- but just distanced enough to provide a glimmer of hope. A chance to escape it.
The more animals Fluttershy came across, the more she realized she would need to find higher ground for them- and for herself. There was only so long she could run around the forest warning them.
As she was galloping through a particularly dense area of the forest, her hoof caught on something and she tripped. She collapsed to the forest floor, grunting as her legs wobbled in exhaustion. She looked up and saw what she'd tripped over.
An animal encased in a dark green shell was looking at her, with a mix of fear and surprise. Fluttershy blinked and wobbled to a standing position. She waved a hoof weakly.
"There's a..." She hissed, the hoof she'd tripped over stinging from the fall.
"A flood's coming- we have to get to higher ground!"
The animal blinked at her, and lifted one of its legs and began walking away. Very, very slowly. Fluttershy lifted her own leg to begin moving, but paused. This animal would hardly be able to get away on its own. She sighed and stooped down next to it.
Gently using both hoofs, she lifted the animal from under its shell and placed it on her back. She grunted slightly at it's weight and shifted her legs to accommodate the extra body she was carrying. She lifted her wings to hold the animal in place, and began galloping through the forest again.
She continued scanning the environment as she ran, desperate for something- anything that could be of some use.
As she ran, a thick wall of bushes to her left began thinning, and through the treeline, Fluttershy saw... something. The cloudy day was hardly as dark as the night, but the thick clouds still hindered having clear sight.
Even so, she saw the silhouette of something starkly different from the forest's natural shapes. It looked like something pony-made. A large, intimidating silhouette surrounded by trees and foliage.
Fluttershy leaped over a cluster of bushes and broke out into a small clearing. The rain continued to pour down, but Fluttershy could see clearer now that she was past the trees. A tall ravine stood in front of her, and across the way, she saw what looked like a fairy tale castle. Partly broken, gray and forgotten, ivy, ferns, and trees sprouting out of every corner. It sat atop a small hill, with a few towers still tall enough to pierce into the dark, cloudy sky.
The only structure connecting the two chunks of land was a wooden rope bridge, swinging gently in the wind. Her eyes shimmered, and she knew that the castle would be the perfect place to wait out the storm. It was far enough away from the oncoming river water to keep any land-bound animal safe.
A fluttering of tiny wings sounded from above, and Fluttershy saw a pale blue bird begin to fly past her.
"Wait! Um, please?" Fluttershy called out, waving a hoof out to the bird.
The bird swooped down and landed on her outstretched hoof. Fluttershy brought a wing over to shield the bird from the rain, as well as she could.
"Have you seen the water coming in?" She asked hesitantly.
The bird tweeted, in a high chirp, fluffing its little wings.
"Well, there are a lot of other animals that don't know about it yet, and I don't want anyone getting hurt."
Fluttershy tried not to think about what being crushed under heavy pounds of water would feel like.
"Can you please fly around, and let everyone know to meet me here at this bridge? Please?" Fluttershy pleaded.
The bird didn't answer for a moment, hopping slightly on her hoof and seeming to wrestle with the idea.
Finally, after an agonizing moment, the bird chirped it's response, and Fluttershy let out a deep sigh of relief. She folded her wing back down and watched as the bird flew off and back into the thick forest.
"Oh- and make sure to tell your friends!" She called out, hoping the bird heard her final request.
Fluttershy sighed and walked towards the wooden bridge. She cringed, realizing just how far down the ravine went. She could barely see the bottom of it, most of it shrouded in shadows.
She grimaced, and placed a hoof on one of the posts that held the bridge up. It was clear that this bridge and the castle that lay on the other side were very old. She hoped they were still strong enough to carry her and everyone else to the other side.
Fluttershy flinched as a crack of lightning lit up the clouds above, with the rumble of thunder following close behind. Even if there wasn't a flood approaching, she realized she would still feel safer inside a pony-made structure than out in the woods alone.
Fluttershy's attention drew back up to the castle that sat a short ways away. She wondered what princesses lived there, if any had at all. Looking around the forest, she also wondered if a village had been made close by, however long ago. She hadn't come across any other pony-made structures in her time spent in the Everfree, so she wasn't sure if that was ever the case.
Still, it was something to keep her mind off the terrifying circumstances.
The shelled animal on her back made a small noise, and Fluttershy turned her head to look at it.
It's snout was pointed towards the forest, and Fluttershy saw the dark silhouettes of animals approaching. They burst from the surrounding bushes, forest animals of all kinds. They moved quickly to the bridge, and looked to Fluttershy with expectant eyes.
An enormous, brown animal with large claws came barreling through the woods, moving far faster than Fluttershy would've expected. It huffed and sat down in the clearing, clearly upset that it had to be here at all. She smiled worriedly at the large animal and looked anxiously at the bridge behind her. She hoped the bridge could stand the weight, for everyone's sake.
A few more stray groups of animals came running into the clearing, some hesitating when laying eyes upon the large animal sat nearby. Still, they came through, and waited at the edge of the clearing.
The same pale blue bird from before fluttered through the trees and came up to Fluttershy. It chirped urgently at her.
Fluttershy nodded in response.
She looked to the sizable group of animals gathered around her, and turned to the bridge. She couldn't risk everyone going at once; she didn't trust the structural integrity of the bridge that much. But she could hear, and she knew everyone else could as well, the distinct sound of the water, coming closer and closer.
Fluttershy nodded and she pointed a hoof at the bridge.
"We have to go in little groups- no pushing!" She instructed.
She heard a defiant chatter from the animals, and she stomped a hoof to the wet grass in response.
"I know you don't like it- but it's the only way we can stay safe." Fluttershy bit her lip, hoping her words would get through.
The animals sounded again, quieter and compliant this time.
"Good."
Fluttershy pointed to a nearby group of tiny, round-eared animals.
"You all go first, and no pushing. Wait for us on the other side."
The tiny animals bounded off without protest.
Once they reached the other side, one animal waved a paw to Fluttershy. She nodded, and she looked to a group of fluffy gray animals with striped tails.
"Now you."
She continued on, letting each animal group pass over once each previous group made it to the other side safely. The bridge would occasionally groan in response to an animal bounding across it. When the animal would hesitate, standing still at the sound, Fluttershy would speak encouraging words, assuring them to the other side.
Fluttershy's legs were tense, her entire body frozen as she watched the large brown animal lumber across the bridge. Every time the boards creaked, her heart pounded in her chest. But the animal made it across fine, and plopped itself down on the grass, lazily waving a paw to Fluttershy.
She smiled and let out a long breath- realizing she'd stopped breathing once the animal set foot on the bridge.
She slipped the shelled animal off her back and watched as it slowly made its way across the bridge.
Incredibly slowly.
Eventually, one of the long-eared animals rushed onto the bridge and pushed the shelled animal the rest of the way, huffing impatiently as it did so.
Only one group of animals remained, and she ushered them onto the bridge. The small group of gray animals, with black and white striped faces, stepped onto the bridge, waddling as quickly as they could. Fluttershy stepped onto the bridge after them. She gave a tense look back at the forest. She could see the water coming closer, and she could hear it far louder than before.
The animals shuffled along, with Fluttershy walking close behind them. She winced, hearing the water approaching. She didn't want to look at it again. She knew it was getting closer. The waves seemed to even drown out the sound of the rain above.
The animals stepped, one by one, onto the land mass as they reached the end. They weren't particularly large animals, but they took up singular spaces on the bridge. And Fluttershy didn't blame them. No one wanted to risk being pushed off.
Her legs were trembling as she walked across the bridge, even despite seeing all the other animals- some far larger than her- make it across safely. Every step felt like a nightmare.
And that was when she heard a deeply concerning sound.
Fluttershy turned, the noise originating from behind her. The flood water was rushing towards them at a concerning speed, and began cascading down the side of the ravine once it met the cliff's edge.
The stone pillars that held up the bridge began sliding, the bridge trembling from the sudden movement. They shifted again, and Fluttershy watched in horror as their bases- which had been dug into the ground- began surfacing as the dirt melted into mud, pulling away from their foundations.
The bridge wobbled again, more violently, and a concerned noise from one of the animals sounded right beside her. Fluttershy snapped her attention to the animal, and saw that it was the last one on the bridge with her. The animal shook, and looked at the edge of the ravine with terrified eyes.
The bridge began leaning, turning on it's side, forcing Fluttershy and the animal to slide unwillingly to the left. Gravity was quickly pulling them down.
Fluttershy dove for the animal, just as it slid towards the edge of the boards, and held it tightly in her hoofs. She spread her wings and began flapping them as hard as she could. The two lifted off the uneasy boards and Fluttershy grunted as she held the animal- only now realizing how heavy it was.
Regardless, she kept flapping her wings, and she guided the two back towards the safe side of the ravine. She landed on the grass with a grunt, and let the animal scurry out of her arms. She sat up, and turned back in time to see the bridge on the other side finally lose its grip on the ground.
The stone pillars slid out of place, and the bridge fell, swinging down and out of sight. Though Fluttershy heard it smack against the cliff side she was on, resounding in a terrifying *CRUNCH!*
Fluttershy shivered, and looked up at the group of equally soaking animals. It was clear they all needed a night of safety and warmth. Fluttershy stood, her hooves shaking uneasily. The same group of gray animals rushed towards her, and used their paws to help her stand up.
Fluttershy smiled and thanked them. She pointed to the castle that stood only a short walk away, its dark stone walls oddly inviting.
She and the animals quickly ran towards the castle doors. Together, they pushed the heavy stone doors open and scrambled inside. Though once inside the walls, they quickly moved to the nearby corridors connected to the former "main hall", as most of the roof had been broken away, letting in more rain than was wanted.
The groups of animals began settling themselves in their own corners, now finally away from the rainfall. The stone floor wasn't even remotely comfortable, but the exhaustion of the day made Fluttershy hardly notice. She sank to the floor and rested her head in her hooves. Her eyelids felt heavy, and her mind began to fade into the obscure fuzz of sleep.
She noticed, though only slightly, as a small bunch of animals piled next to her on the floor, their small bodies radiating heat.
And she certainly didn't notice the cutiemark that now resided on her flank, earned in a fleeting moment of bravery.
A pink paw-print, with a turquoise heart centered in the large bottom pad, and large yellow claw marks.
Fluttershy sighed, and drifted off to the realm of dreams. Unaware of her new role, as a protector and keeper of this forest's inhabitants.
The noises of the city were quieter on the weekend, and became only a dull hum in the background. Applejack had been pleasantly surprised to find that this morning was especially peaceful. The backyard garden of her Aunt and Uncle's home seemed the perfect spot to spend her time. The patch of green grass and cluster of orange trees were nothing compared to the sprawling apple orchard from home. But it made for a satisfying get-away when the buzz of the city was too much.
She sat, nestled in some taller strands of grass, a few sheets of paper tucked under her front hooves. She held a pencil in her mouth, mindlessly chewing on the rubber tip as she stared at the blank page. Applejack was behind in writing her weekly letter and had been putting it off until now. Life was always busy here, with her Aunt and Uncle bustling around, making orange treats of all kinds, and running in and out of the heart of Manehatten, where their store resided.
But nothing ever truly changed. It was the same, constantly busy day as before. Applejack had been used to routine work, sure. But the farm always had something new. Each day brought promises the one before hadn't. Here, in Manehatten, that never seemed to be the case. So what could she possibly write home about?
The slightest, smallest noise whipped past Applejack's ear. But it was enough to stir her from her thoughts. She turned her head, letting the pencil drop from her mouth and tumble onto the paper below. She saw, just as she'd heard, a bee hovering close by. It danced in the air for a moment, buzzing around her golden mane, as if inspecting it. Applejack remained still, remembering Granny Smith's words the first time she'd been stung while out in the orchard.
"You don't go buggin' them; they won't be botherin' you."
The bee swung around Applejack's head then darted off. She watched as it hovered over a nearby flower, a small white daisy. Her Aunt didn't care much for flowers in general, but she let the odd daisy spring up in the garden if they decided to plant themselves there.
"They match the orange blossoms!" She'd claimed.
The bee landed, somewhat clumsily, and quickly began its work on the flower. Applejack turned back to her paper, still blank. She wondered if the bees would like the orange blossoms too. The trees probably had more flowers than the sparse daisies littered about.
She moved to pick up the pencil, then hesitated. She didn't know what to say, and it seemed the longer she was away from home, the less there was to share. The city was no longer as shiny and new as it was when she first arrived. Her necklace shifted, and she placed a hoof on the small golden heart, gently caressing the cold metal. She wondered if she asked about it- whether Granny Smith would tell her anything about her parents.
Another bee whipped past Applejack's ear, compelling her to stand up. The bees didn't bother her as much as they would any other Manehattenite, but she was still wary of getting stung. She looked about the garden once more and noticed that there seemed to be even more bees buzzing about.
She wondered if their hurried nature was in part because the last of the summer heat was waning. Autumn would be coming in soon. Applejack felt her stomach drop slightly, realizing she was going to miss her family making and pouring their mugs of hot apple cider. She already missed the spiced taste of cinnamon and nutmeg.
The back door clattered open, with Aunt Orange balancing her large, empty basket on her back as she stepped out. Applejack noticed her mane was pulled back and tied up tight. Applejack remembered how her aunt fussed over her mane when she first arrived- fluffing, tossing, and curling Applejack's pale golden hair.
Applejack quickly began gathering her papers and pencil, heading towards her aunt. As she approached, her aunt smiled kindly and nodded to her as the two mares passed each other. Applejack continued on into the house, carrying her pencil and paper in her mouth.
She carefully gripped the paper between her lips, focusing on not soaking the page beyond use. She faintly heard the sounds of her aunt trotting through the summer grass behind her. Maybe she'd have better luck writing her letter inside, where there were less distractions.
"AAAAAGH!"
Applejack jumped and whirled around, accidentally dropping her paper and pencil in the process. Her aunt was across the garden, shaded under the large orange trees. She'd fallen to the ground, and was lying on her back. She had one hoof pulled up close to her chest, and the other waving frantically in the air, at something Applejack couldn't see.
Applejack hopped over her dropped supplies and dashed into the garden. Her aunt was blubbering and beginning to cry, mascara already rolling down her pale cheeks. She continued to wave at something, getting louder and more frantic with every passing second. Applejack rushed to her aunt's side and began looking around, trying desperately to see what was terrifying her aunt.
"What- What's wrong?" Applejack huffed, placing a cautious hoof on her aunt's shoulder.
"B-bb-bb- BEE! There's a HORRIBLE BEE HERE!" Her aunt wailed, kicking her back legs into the grass and shoving herself backwards.
Applejack choked down a laugh, and instead looked up at the air again, leaning in to listen. Like before, she could hear the busy buzz of the bees, and evidently, they had decided that the orange blossoms were a far better choice than the daisies.
She looked back at her aunt, who had now covered her face with both her hooves, glaring up at the sky with terrified, watery-blue eyes.
"They ain't gonna hurt ya, Auntie." Applejack commented, trying to sound sincere.
Her aunt yelped again, and closed her eyes, covering them with her hooves.
"OOOH- I HATE those PESTS!" Aunt Orange cried out. She shivered as one drew close, then flew away from her.
Applejack took a step towards the tree, where she could hear more buzzing- faint, but busy. She stood up to one of the lower branches and plucked a stray bloom from the tree. She held the white blossom in her mouth and pointed the petals out. A bee buzzed forward, zigg-zagging its way towards the foal.
Applejack's nose crinkled slightly as the bee approached, but she held as still as she could. The bee fluttered a moment, then landed on the flower, busying itself in the bright yellow pollen. Applejack watched in fascination as the bee coated its fur and bunched the pollen up into small balls. Once it gathered as much as it needed, it buzzed off just as quickly, carrying its golden treasure with it.
Bees seemed to be constantly busy little critters, Applejack thought. She liked that they had that in common.
She turned back to her aunt, and gently took the blossom out of her mouth, and grinned. If she, a foal, could be near a bee and not get stung, then her aunt should be just fine. Or, at least- that's what Applejack hoped.
Her aunt had removed her hooves from her face, but she remained on her back, her back legs still pushing into the grass and dirt below. Aunt Orange was staring- just staring at Applejack, her blue eyes opened wide.
One of Applejack's ears twitched, and she took a step towards her aunt.
"What's wrong now?" Applejack asked, worried that her aunt might think her 'contaminated'.
Her aunt stood, and brushed the dirt from her hooves as she did so. She continued to stare, but a small smile crept onto her face.
"My dear- Applejack sweetie!" She beamed, pointing at Applejack. "You have just earned it!"
Applejack stared back, confused. She glanced to her side, and then back at her aunt.
"Earned... what?" She asked.
Her aunt began taking a step towards her, and then ducked when a bee buzzed by too close. She groaned and stumbled back a few steps, but Aunt Orange quickly returned her attention to Applejack.
"Your cutiemark, dear!" Aunt Orange called out.
Applejack's heart flipped in her chest, and she whipped her head to the right, straining her neck to see. Upon her flank lay a small patch- small, white flowers and two bees lightly flying above, with orange and golden arches behind them.
...It wasn't apples.
Why wasn't it apples?
Applejack looked back at her aunt, who was still beaming with pride. Well- pride that was tarnished with the remaining fear of bees. Applejack galloped towards her aunt, and wrapped her hooves around her aunt's leg.
Her aunt gasped, mostly in surprise, then carefully patted Applejack's back with her spare hoof.
"Applejack, sweetie. Aren't you happy? Every foal adores getting their cutiemark- is something wrong?" She asked.
Applejack sniffed, and wiped a hoof across her face. Her aunt let go of her hug and guided the two back towards the house. Aunt Orange gathered up her basket, and Applejack's dropped supplies. She quickly shut the door, praying none of those 'flying demons' got inside.
"It isn't an apple- it doesn't have ANY apples!" Applejack stuttered, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
It was Aunt Orange's turn to suppress a laugh.
"OH- my... Applejack, dear girl- who CARES if you're cutiemark is an apple?" She chuckled, grabbing a cloth and cleaning the grass and dirt from her hooves.
"I CARE!" Applejack wailed back, tears rolling down her small, freckled face.
Aunt Orange paused. She had never heard Applejack speak with such furiosity. She was almost offended... almost.
Aunt Orange sighed, dropping her cloth and walking up to Applejack. She sat down, mentally shaming herself for bringing grass and dirt into her home.
"Applejack."
The foal looked up at her. Her tears had ceased, but the pain was still evident in her large, vulnerable eyes.
"I said 'who cares' because it doesn't matter what cutiemark you get. It doesn't matter if you are just like your family- or completely different from them." Aunt Orange stole a glance at her own cutiemark, and remembered the shouts- the accusations thrown when she'd earned hers.
She placed a hoof on Applejack's chin and raised her head slightly.
"Your cutiemark does not define you- but it does represent you. It is part of who you are, and it does not matter if that's an apple- or an orange or a..." Aunt Orange trailed off and shook her head.
"You are you. That's all that matters, alright?"
Applejack sniffled again, and Aunt Orange brushed a stray golden lock out of her face.
"As long as I'm here, you are free to be whoever- or whatever you want, understand?" She asked, smiling just a little.
Applejack nodded, and leaned in again, wrapping her small hooves around Aunt Orange's leg once more. Her aunt wasn't startled this time, and instead embraced her back.
"I... I don't know what to tell Granny Smith. Do ya think she'll be mad?" Applejack whispered.
"I should hope not. And if she is, I'll have some stern words for her." Aunt Orange contested, brushing Applejack's mane with her hoof. "Why don't I help you write your letter, hm?"
A few weeks later, Granny Smith sat down with her grandson and granddaughter to read Applejack's latest letter:
"Dear Granny Smith,
How are you? And Big Mac and little Apple Bloom?
I'm doing just fine here. Actually, I'm feeling really great. I just earned my cutiemark, and it's really pretty.
It's not an apple, or anything like that. It's not an orange either, or any other kind of fruit. But I'm happy with it, and I earned it for taking care of bees!
Aunt Orange says that she can help me learn how to harvest and jar honey, and she says ponies in Manehatten will love buyin' fresh honey. I'm excited to learn it too.
Oh, and one more thing. I wasn't sure if Applejack was right for me, on account of not really being a full-apple anymore.
So, Aunt Orange helped me pick a new name. She said my mama picked a new name when she married pa.
I'm called, Honeycrisp now. I remember you said they were the sweetest kind of apple you could eat.
I love you, and Big Mac and Apple Bloom. And I miss you. I'll send over a jar of honey, just as soon as I can.
The occasional clattering of the roof's loose tiles and the low whisper of a late-night wind were the only sounds Pinkamina could hear. She shifted under her covers, pulling them up closer to her neck. It was late, and she knew she should have been asleep hours ago.
She'd been tossing and turning all night.
She rolled over on her left side, facing the wall. Above her, she heard the faint sounds of Marble beginning to snore. It was a tiny squeaking noise. Pinkamina nestled further into her pillow, hoping the semi-soft cushion would lull her to sleep.
Her tail twitched.
She grumbled quietly and pulled her blanket up further, covering her head. Her tail had been twitching all night and most of the day. She wondered if there was something wrong with her, but she hadn't mustered up the courage to ask her parents about it. She hated when they called the town doctor in for a visit. She could still taste the bitter herbs and medicines the doctor would prescribe.
Her tail twitched again.
Pinkamina sighed deeply, and rolled over once more, not caring how her blanket tangled around her. She turned to her right side and stared across the dark room. The faint glow of the various crystals scattered about the room illuminated the sleeping silhouettes of her two older sisters. Maud and Limestone were fast asleep. Marble was fast asleep. Her parents were fast asleep.
Every other pony in the house was sleeping as heavy as boulders. So why couldn't she?
Her tail twitched again.
Pinkamina rolled onto her back, and mumbled. It wasn't just her tail twitches that were keeping her awake. Her thoughts had been occupied entirely by that small crack in the side of the cliff she'd discovered. She wanted nothing more than to burrow into dirt and rocks and discover whatever lay beneath the earth. She wondered often- far too often lately, what lie underneath.
A secret world? Treasure? ...Rocks!?
She wanted to know- so desperately and truly wanted to know. It was driving her crazy. Her tail twitched again, this time forcing her to sit up in bed. Her hooves were tingling- they felt like they were in icy cold water. The thoughts of the cliff crevice were only making her symptoms worse.
Pinkamina carefully glanced around her shared bedroom. Her older sisters were still asleep, and heavily so. Her tail was twitching like crazy, rustling and tossing her blanket.
She couldn't do it- they weren't supposed to leave their bedrooms after dark.
She shook her head and looked towards the window. Her skin prickled, and she swore she saw a faint, warm light dart past the glass and wisp off into the distance.
Her tail practically danced at the sight, and she finally gave in.
Carefully, and quietly, she leaned over the side of her bed and glanced up at the top bunk. Marble was still asleep. Stealing another glance across the room at the other bunk bed, where Maud and Limestone lay fast asleep, Pinkamina began crawling out of bed.
She swiftly moved to the stairs and stepped delicately, taking special care to avoid the creakier boards. Once, she accidentally stepped on a rather squeaky board, and she felt her skin ice over. But, after a moment of tense waiting, when she didn't hear a pony stir, she continued on her way.
Pinkamina reached the living room, and wanted to gallop out the front door- but stopped herself short. Her tail twitched, and she felt it pulling her towards the supply closet a few feet away from the front door.
"Oh, right!" She thought, remembering the tools for digging and excavating her family had at the ready.
"If I'm going to sneak out of the house in the middle of the night, I might as well be safe about it!" She reasoned, carefully pulling open the closet door.
As she rummaged through the supplies, Pinkamina was vaguely aware of the trouble she would get in, should her family catch her. But she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind. She had to know- and whatever trouble she could get in was far from her mind.
She fastened the strap to her father's mining helmet as tight as she could. The helmet still sat awkwardly on her small head, but she didn't mind that it occasionally slipped. Just so long as she had some light with her as she traveled. Pinkamina turned her head and tightened the strap to the small satchel she'd picked. Stuffed inside was a small shovel, mallet, and small pickaxe.
She had remembered the Hearthwarming when her sister Maud re-gifted Marble and Pinkamina her old tools, small enough for their little hooves. Pinkamina had been thrilled to be gifted them, and now she was determined to make use of her precious tools.
Feeling like a hero, armed for battle, Pinkamina rushed to the front door and quietly crept outside. Adrenaline surged through her, carrying her tiny hooves as she galloped across the stony field.
Her thoughts were far from the home she'd left behind. The night air seemed to carry her in its soft breeze as she ran. The light on her helmet was off, and the only illumination of the ground beneath her came from the blue moonlight.
But she didn't need the helmet's light or the guidance of the moon. Her hooves carried her forward, her tail tugging her where she needed- and wanted to go. She could have closed her eyes and ran, and would still have arrived where she desired.
She'd never felt so alive.
Before she realized it, her night sprint was over. She'd arrived at her desired spot. She fumbled for a moment with her father's oversized helmet. It slipped down, over her eyes, and finally, she heard a small *click* as her hooves found the light switch.
She pushed the helmet back up on her head, feeling her mane inside frizz up from the friction. The mystery crevice was now illuminated in a soft yellow glow before her. Her lip quivered, and she felt a small smile beginning to form.
She walked up to the crevice and ran a small hoof over it. Feeling every bit of the rough, cool surface. Pinkamina took a step back and stood up on her hind legs. She then plowed her hooves down and made contact with the cliff-side. The wall crumbled easily, and chunks of stone and dirt fell away, dust puffing up in the wake. Pinkamina didn't need to pack her best tool- it was one she'd inherited.
Her tail was twitching like crazy now, and Pinkamina began to feel a familiarity with it. The more it happened, and guided her towards adventure, the less she felt annoyed by it. She stood up again and bucked at the cliff side once more. A few more chunks gave way, and a small cave entrance was beginning to form.
Mina could see- just barely- a low, glistening tunnel leading deeper into the cliff-side. If a grown-up wanted to explore this cave- they'd have been fresh out of luck. The tunnel was barely big enough for a foal, and Pinkamina was more determined to get inside. She turned, and pulled the small pickaxe from her satchel, and began picking away at the remaining chunks of dirt and stone.
She picked at the cave side with intense dedication and shoved away larger chunks with her hooves. Within a matter of minutes, the opening was large enough for her to fit inside. She stooped down and began crawling into the deep blue tunnel.
Her father's helmet scraped against the stone above her head, and grinded to a halt as she tried to push in further. She grunted, and quickly backed out of the entrance. She hurriedly tore off the strap and shook her satchel off her waist.
Her tail twitched as she entered the cave, and she squinted as she moved further. She wished she had the light of the helmet, but chose to let her tail and hooves guide her to where she wanted to go. She sensed she could trust them.
The cave opened slightly wider as she traveled deeper, and further down. The walls were cool and smooth, and Pinkamina glimpsed stones that looked out of place from the rest of the natural walls. Some stones were square-cut and had clear marks of carvings in them, though faded and of shapes and symbols she didn't recognize. Finally, the tunnel opened enough for her to stand on her four legs, and she stepped carefully over smooth, ebony stones.
A large, flat stone she stepped onto began to wobble beneath her. She pulled back at first, worried. Her tail stopped twitching, and she felt a wave of calm wash over her. Carefully, she stepped onto the stone, quickly moving all four hooves onto it. The stone wobbled then began to slide out of it's place.
It swooped down, and began sledding through the remaining length of the tunnel, carrying Pinkamina with it. The cool night air blew past her, rustling her mane in a delicate brush. She smiled, a little wider than before, and watched as a faint, blue light drew closer and closer.
The flat stone flew through the cave's underground opening and skidded to a halt just outside a large, oval-shaped arch. Pinkamina stared up in wonder at the oval arch, which led into a large, circular cave. High up above, a small hole poked through the far side of the cliff, moonlight piercing into the dark dwelling. Coating the stone walls in a beautiful pale blue.
She stepped through the arch, and felt every hair on her body stand on end. She felt as though she was stepping into another, mysterious world. The oval archway connected to a circular, short wall of stone, similar to the square-cut stones she had caught glimpses of earlier.
The walls looked as though they had once been much larger, perhaps connected to a whole building. All that remained now was a low wall, and a few stray pillars. Beautifully carved markings, drawings, and signs Pinkamina couldn't decipher lined the stones around her.
She walked slowly to the center of the circular cave, staring up at the massive cave walls and the strange remains that surrounded her. She felt her hoof collide with something on the ground, and she stumbled slightly.
Looking down, she saw a small, carved object, also made of the same, deep blue-gray stone as the remains around her. She picked up the object, and clumsily began wiping the dirt off it. It looked like a small earthpony, standing proud with it's chest out.
Its face was slightly worn, and parts of its carved mane were chipped. It reminded Pinkamina of the carved gifts her family made every Hearthswarming. Though this one was much prettier than any ones she'd ever made
It was only then that Pinkamina noticed her tail had stopped twitching. She had found what she had been looking for- and she was grateful for it. She smiled at the little carved pony, and put it gently in her mouth to carry out of the cave with her. She couldn't stand the thought of leaving it down here, hidden away forever. She just knew Maud would love this little stone pony. Pinkamina hoped Maud would love it so much, she'd decide to take it with her to Preparatory School.
She turned and began making her way back to the tunnel's entrance. Slowly, and even more carefully (so as to not fall back down into the ruins), Pinkamina began making her way back through the underground tunnel. She gripped the little pony in her mouth, sniffling as she could smell the strong scent of old dirt & dust. Her traverse back through the tunnel moving upwards this time was slower than her initial venture into the tunnel.
She slipped, only a few times, walking and crawling her way back up. But, each time she moved her hooves quick enough to not fall all the way back down. When at last she saw the entrance to the tunnel, she felt a sudden rush of fear- and excitement.
The sky was no longer a dark, midnight blue. It had begun to light up with the first signs of dawn approaching. She could see the warm glow of sunlight begin peeking its way through the entrance. Pinkamina began scrambling through the tunnel a bit faster- pushing her way through the dirt and rocks.
She gave her final push, and popped out of the crevice entrance. She quickly grabbed at her satchel and placed the carved pony inside. She then threw the bag onto her back, only loosely fastening the strap. Her hooves grabbed at her father's helmet, and she scrambled to place it back on her head. After several failed attempts, where the helmet kept sliding over her eyes, Pinkamina resorted to biting into the straps and running with the helmet bouncing at her side.
The sun was making its way higher and higher into the sky, and she knew by now her parents were already awake. They'd be starting on breakfast, and sending for their children not long after. Pinkamina had very little time to rush back home and put everything back.
She slowed down as she neared the house, huffing hard through gritted teeth that were biting hard on the helmet strap. She dove behind a large nearby rock and watched. She heard the front door creak open, and watched as her father walked out, carrying a bucket in his mouth. He kept walking, heading towards a nearby spigot. Pinkamina decided that the back door of the house was the only safe way inside.
She slowly moved towards the back entrance, and clumsily began fiddling with the back door. They hardly used the back door, on account of it's constantly jamming hinges. She grunted, and pulled hard on the door handle. It finally gave way after a struggle, and the door pushed open with an ancient ~cReeEEaaAAk!
Pinkamina rushed inside, hoping she could pretend to have been in the washroom while everyone else was waking up. Without looking, she rushed into the house and collided with Limestone's back leg. Her elder sister whirled around, and glared down at the pale pink foal.
"Hey! What are you-" Limestone choked, her glare turning from anger to surprise as she noticed the condition Pinkamina was in.
Covered in dirt and dust- a messy mane! Their father's mining helmet- and a bulky satchel!
Limestone stared in shock for a moment, an eruption boiling just below the surface. Pinkamina yelped and dove past her sister into the kitchen- where her Mother and Marble were already hard at work cooking breakfast.
Pinkamina shrunk back, the fear of impending consequences heavy in the air. Her mother, Cloudy Quartz, blinked hard and rushed over to her daughter.
"What have you done?" She asked in a hushed but serious tone.
"She's obviously done something stupid!" Limestone erupted from behind, her face already turning a shade of red.
Cloudy stole a glance at Limestone, one that made Limestone take several steps back and regroup with Marble.
Cloudy turned back to Pinkamina and picked up Igneous' mining helmet, which had fallen on the floor. She inspected it for a moment, then began walking out of the kitchen towards the living room. Pinkamina followed cautiously behind her mother; her head hung low.
Cloudy came up to the supply closet door, and noticed for the first time that it had been partly open. She looked back at Pinkamina, disappointment clearly written on her face. The front door creaked open again, and her father stepped in, carrying a mostly full water bucket. He paused at the scene he walked in on, and his eyebrows raised at the sight of his second youngest daughter standing, ashamed, in the middle of the room.
He carefully set down the bucket and shut the door with a back leg, looking anxiously at his wife. Cloudy's eyes met his, and she lifted up his dusty mining helmet.
"Pinkamina, it seems," she began explaining, glancing at her daughter as she did so. "Snuck out of our home, and took some of our supplies with her."
Igneous looked at Pinkamina again, who's glossy blue eyes were avoiding his.
"Pinkamina Diane Pie." He announced, taking a few steps towards her. "An explanation is required forthwith."
Pinkamina stole a glance up, the guilt nearly crushing her tiny body.
"I- I'm sorry." She squeaked.
"I just wanted to know- I needed to know..." She blubbered, tears beginning to form and blur her vision.
She knew there wasn't any way to explain what she'd seen without sounding crazy.
Unless... she didn't have to explain!
She turned and shoved a hoof into her satchel bag. She dug around for a moment, and she retrieved the carved pony figure. She held it up and showed her father, desperately hoping that the sight of it would make him understand.
Igneous glanced down at the figure, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. He opened his mouth and began pushing the object away, but Pinkamina persisted.
"I found it! In a cave, father it was in a weird- but pretty place! In the cliff side!" Pinkamina gushed, waving the carved figure enthusiastically.
She heard the slight shuffling of hooves and glanced back towards the kitchen to see Limestone and Marble poking their heads out. Both sisters pulled back slightly when Pinkamina saw them. She turned back to Igneous and pushed the figure towards him once more.
"What's all the commotion?" Maud voiced from the stairs, her monotone voice only traced with concern.
Pinkamina leapt up from her spot on the floor and rushed towards Maud.
"Maud!" She yelped, rushing up the first few steps towards her sister. She grasped Maud's leg and began spewing her tale.
"I found a weird pretty cave- and there were these short little walls- and a bunch of square rocks- and my tail was twitching, and I-" She lifted up the carved pony figure to Maud's face. "I found this little thingy."
Maud's hoof gently grabbed the figure, and she stood staring at it, not saying a word. Pinkamina slumped on the stairs, the satchel bag sliding down her back and resting with her on the floor.
"And... I thought you would really like it." Pinkamina sighed, realizing she didn't have any good reason for sneaking out.
She was sure she'd be punished with cleaning the entire house for... probably the rest of her life.
She looked towards her other two sisters again. Marble looked terrified, and Limestone's expression had softened... slightly.
Cloudy joined Igneous in the center of the room, and the two began walking towards Pinkamina. She glanced up at them, then hung her head low, her ears drooping. Pinkamina began handing her satchel bag to her mother when Maud spoke up.
"This is an authentic ancient ponish artifact." She noted, directing her words to Igneous and Cloudy.
"There have only been a few found over the last century, and none in this good of a condition." She stated flatly.
Maud turned to Pinkamina, and lifted the figure up, hovering it between the two of them.
"Where did you find this?" Maud asked.
"In a cave. A pretty underground one." Pinkamina sniffled.
"The historians in town will want to know about it." Maud replied.
She lifted the figure again, turning it around gently in her hooves.
"They'll want to know about this too."
Maud glanced at her parents, and the three shared a silent conversation that Pinkamina couldn't understand. After a moment, Cloudy and Igneous nodded and patted Pinkamina gently on her head.
"You should not have left the house nor taken any of your father's belongings, Pinkamina." Cloudy commented, placing a hoof on her daughter's chin.
"Though it seems your... deviance has yielded some good." Igneous remarked.
"Come," Cloudy gestured, walking back to the supply closet. "Place them back where they were."
Pinkamina stood up and quickly trotted to the door, slipping off her satchel bag. As she did so, she heard a small, hardly noticeable gasp emanate from her family. She looked up at them, scared she'd done something else wrong.
"What?" She asked, gripping the satchel in worry.
Cloudy and Igneous blinked and pointed a hoof at their daughter, their faces painted with mild surprise. Pinkamina turned to look in the direction they were pointing, and her eyes met with a colorful mark on her flank.
She bounced up, dropping the satchel, and spun around in a circle, trying her best to see her mark. The image was of a deep purple rock cut open, revealing a brightly colored inside, with pale swirls that reminded her of the carvings in the cave.
"Whoa!" She mumbled, stumbling and plopping down on the floor, dizzy from trying to see her mark.
Her entire family joined her in their living area and nodded in approval at her. Marble's face was mostly covered by her long, dark mane, and Limestone rolled her eyes before nodding. But she knew what they meant- what they were all really saying. They were proud of her.
Pinkamina smiled- a tiny and hardly noticeable smile, but a smile nonetheless.
Some weeks later, Stellar Flare was sorting through the morning mail. She was desperately hoping for a letter from her daughter- no matter how many months she went without finding one... she never lost hope of eventually receiving one. If she didn't have Sunburst to look after, she would drop everything and take a train out to Canterlot to visit. Sunset couldn't avoid her mother if they were face-to-face.
Her heart leapt in her chest when she saw an envelope addressed from Canterlot Castle- and stamped with the Queen's official sign! Stellar grinned ear-to-ear and tore open the letter, not wanting to waste another moment. Her smile grew from one of motherly joy to one of motherly pride! Stellar clapped her hooves together and quickly stood from her seat at the kitchen table.
FINALLY! Her boy had been recognized to be as talented as his sister! (Something Stellar always knew, but until now, had no way of proving) He hadn't even earned his cutiemark yet- and here he was, receiving an official summons by the Queen! Stellar gripped the table as she stood. Her head was reeling from such great news. She was just as proud as the day she learned her own daughter was the private student of Celestia.
To think- BOTH of her children were offered such glorious opportunities!
"It's not fair!" Sunburst cried out, covering his head in his hoofs in a duck-and-cover fashion.
Starlight Glimmer, who'd only just come over to play with Sunburst, was... confused, to say the least. She gave her friend a curious look and sat on the floor beside him.
"Uh... what's not fair?" She asked hesitantly.
Starlight wasn't sure she wanted an answer. She'd come over to play games and have fun! Not... whatever this was. But Sunburst was her friend, and he had always asked her what was wrong whenever she felt sad.
Sunburst lifted his head, his mane ruffled from his hooves pinning it down. Starlight giggled at the sight, and quickly stifled her laugh, feeling embarrassed for him. Sunburst ignored her and sat up.
"I have to go do some stupid... school thing." He answered, glaring at the floor in front of them.
"I have to go to school too!" Starlight chuckled, poking Sunburst playfully. "I mean, I don't like school either, but we'll be toge-"
"That's not what I meant!" Sunburst interrupted. He turned his gaze to Starlight, looking more defeated than mad.
"I-I mean-" He continued, "I have to go where my sister went... I'm gonna be really far away... from you..." Sunburst trailed off, looking down at the floor again.
Starlight blinked and sat quietly, processing. After a moment, she nudged him again.
"So... are you... Are you going away forever?" She asked, tears threatening to fall.
Sunburst didn't reply, simply shrugging, still staring at the floor. Starlight lip quivered, and she felt that crying was inevitable. She just didn't want Sunburst to see.
"I-I have to go home now." Starlight said, her voice cracking slightly.
"But we can still play-" Sunburst started, and was interrupted by Starlight standing and galloping out of his family's living room.
Starlight galloped past Sunburst's mother, who was carrying a tray of snacks towards the area she'd just fled from. Stellar Flare stumbled slightly as the small purple foal ran past her and out the front door.
Just as the sun was setting over Sire's Hollow, Starlight's father returned from work. Firelight rested his coat on a nearby chair as he walked through the entrance way of his home and into the kitchen. He jumped slightly, hearing a sound echo down from the hall of his home.
"Hello?" He asked, fearfully holding up a wooden spoon with his magic.
Sneaking his way towards the hallway, he held the spoon up higher, as though it would protect him from any on-coming attacks.The door at the end of the hall opened, and Firelight stood taller, trying his best to look intimidating. Starlight stepped out from the room and gave him a curious look.
"What're you doing?" She asked, eyeing the wooden spoon her dad was still holding up.
Firelight breathed a sigh of relief and lowered the spoon.
"Oh good, it's just you." He chuckled, walking back towards the kitchen.
"Yeah... who else would it be?" Starlight replied, half-whispering the last part.
Whether Firelight heard her sarcastic comment or not, he didn't to respond. Setting the spoon back in its spot in the kitchen, he looked at Starlight over his shoulder.
"Well, now what are YOU doing here alone?" Firelight asked, pulling two mugs down from a high-up shelf. "You're supposed to be at Sunbursts, aren't you?"
Starlight took in a deep sigh and pulled out a chair from the kitchen table.
"Yeah... I know." She muttered, folding her hooves over and resting her head on them.
"It's just- honey-bun, I don't want you being at home alone; it isn't very safe, you know!" Firelight continued, digging around a cabinet in search of hot cocoa mix and marshmallows. When he finally found them, he let out a small "Aha!"
"I knooow..." Starlight replied, rolling her head to the side.
Firelight set a pot to boil, and finally turned to face Starlight. He was just about to make another point, about safety and trust... but after looking at Starlight a moment longer, he decided to put off that mini-lecture... for now.
He pulled out a chair across from Starlight and sat down. He too folded his hooves over and rested his head on them, lowering himself to look Starlight in the eyes.
"What's wrong sweet-pea?" He asked.
Starlight glanced away for a moment, and he could see the reluctance in her gaze. But, after a moment, her pale blue eyes returned to him, and she sighed before answering.
"Sunbursts going away... FAR away." She breathed, her eyes glued to the brightly colored tablecloth beneath her head.
"Oh." Firelight replied. He couldn't remember if Stellar or Sunspot had mentioned anything about moving... then again, he hadn't had a full conversation with either of them in recent memory.
"Are Sunburst and his parents moving away?" Firelight asked.
"No." Starlight mumbled, pulling her hooves in closer.
"So... where is Sunburst going?" He asked again, hoping the next response would be more conclusive.
Starlight hesitated for a moment, and when she finally did respond, she began to cry as her words tumbled out.
"He's- He's going to that school thing his sister went to- he's going far, FAR away! I'm never gonna see him ever again!" Starlight cried, hiding her face behind her hooves.
Firelight leaned across the table, his heart shattering at the sight of his daughter crying. He brushed a hoof over her mane and began soothing her cries.
Starlight lifted her head up to him, and her light purple coat had been stained by her tears. Firelight looked at her for a moment longer and breathed a deep sigh.
The next morning, Firelight was barely awake, and incredibly worried. He'd been up most of the night, watching over Starlight, and contemplating what to do. He sat in their small, cozy living room, mulling over possible solutions to this dilemma.
Starlight's only real friend was Sunburst... but maybe she could make new friends...? She wasn't the best at socializing with the other foals, Firelight had noticed that much. But perhaps there were others out there who could understand her like Sunburst did... Firelight desperately hoped there were.
He held his head in his hooves and quietly sipped at his lukewarm mug of coffee. Maybe he could ask Sunburst's parents if he REALLY needed to go this school year. This apprenticeship- or whatever it was- could probably wait until next year, or later... right?
Firelight shook his head, verbally responding to his own thought.
"No, Stellar would kill me for even suggesting that."
The metal flap of the front door's mail slot clinking open ripped Firelight from his thoughts. He looked up and saw a small pile of envelopes be pushed through the door and fall to the floor. Firelight took one final sip of his coffee, then stood and trotted over to the door.
He was barely paying attention to the mail as he flipped through the envelopes. His mind had returned to "dad-fix-it" mode. He flipped through the pile and was about to set them down on a nearby shelf, and then paused.
He lifted them back up to his face with a spark of magic and flipped through them again, going in reverse order. One envelope in particular was far larger than the others, and had a stamp seal on the front. Checking the address, he was surprised to see that it had been sent from Canterlot.
Without thinking, he dropped the other letters in his grip and walked with the letter to where he'd been sitting. He quickly flicked on a lamp and sat back down in his armchair. As he slowly peeled back the wax stamp, it hit Firelight where he'd seen that symbol before.
Years back, when Stellar and Sunspot's older daughter had been accepted into the School for Gifted Unicorns, Stellar had been flaunting the acceptance letter for weeks- including the envelop it had been sent it.
"Stamped by Queen Celestia herself!" Is what she'd said. Stellar had made sure everypony in Sire's Hollow knew what her daughter had achieved.
Firelight was hesitant as he opened the envelope and paused for just a moment, staring at the folded paper inside. Was this something similar for his daughter? Or even the same offer? Did he want that for Starlight?
The unopened letter stared back at him, not judging nor pushing, simply waiting to be opened.
"Fine." He muttered, relenting and pulling the folded paper from it's sleeve. Even in the dim morning light, he could see the several lines of dark ink, contrasted against the pale white paper.
Firelight's eyes skimmed over the page at first, only catching a few stray words as he scanned the page. He started back at the top and began reading, slowly and carefully. After reading and re-reading, he slowly lowered the letter back down. He set it on a side table, and lifted a hoof to his head.
His daughter's problems had just been taken care of... but he now held a dilemma of his own.
The high-up city of Canterlot was beginning to experience fall weather sooner than the rest of Equestria. The days were beginning to grow shorter, and the tips of leaves were changing from luscious greens to shades of gold and red. The changing seasons also brought about a sharp, chilly breeze, particularly towards the evening time.
And on this evening, a bitterly cold breeze rolled its way through one of Canterlot's many neighborhoods. The breeze blew down the streets, and rolled over two sisters who were making their way home. Moondancer, and her elder sister shuddered at the sudden chilly breeze, both regretting not bringing a scarf or jacket.
"C-C'mon, we're almost there." Her sister stuttered.
Together, mare and foal began trotting faster down the sidewalk, motivated to return to the warm sanctuary of their home. Just as they arrived at the gate of their yard, her sister stopped and pulled open their mailbox with her magic. Moondancer stomped a small hoof in protest, looking up at her sister in annoyance.
"Nooo! It's cold- let's go inside!" Moondancer squeaked, her tiny voice doing its best to sound demanding.
Her sister rolled her eyes and pulled out the several envelopes stuffed into the mailbox. She held them up with her magic and waved them at Moondancer.
"There- done." She commented, continuing to the gate and opening it, letting Moondancer rush ahead of her to the front door.
Moondancer's sister took her time walking up to the door and unlocking it, rolling her eyes every time Moondancer stomped her tiny hooves in protest. Finally, the door opened and Moondancer dashed inside, happy to be out of the cold. She excitedly ran to the nearest lamp and prodded it with her hoof, trying to turn it on.
When she was unsuccessful at doing so, Moondancer gave a pleading look to her older sister. Her sister rolled her eyes and set down the mail she'd been looking over. Using her horn, she flicked the light on and returned her attention to the stack of envelopes and thin packages. Moondancer hopped up onto a nearby ottoman and wobbled on the overly-stuffed cushion. If she were any smaller, she'd have sunk into the cushion and disappeared entirely.
"You make it look so easy." Moondancer commented, glancing back at the lamp. She marveled at it for a moment- how the light glowed through the brightly colored lamp shade, bringing life to the scene of stars and clouds it portrayed. She heard a "humph" from her sister's direction, and then a reply.
"You'll learn it someday, kid. And besides, turning on a lamp is not some great feat." Her sister replied.
She was about to continue her train of thought when she paused and held up one particular envelope above the rest. It had the royal crest stamped on it's front. She flipped over the envelope several times, wondering what to do with it. Better wait until their father returned, she thought.
"What're you looking at?" Moondancer asked. She'd moved from her seat on the ottoman to standing beside her sister, standing on her hind-legs to see above the table-top. She could only barely see the stacks of papers from her spot.
"Nothing." Her sister replied. "C'mon, let's get cleaned up before Dad gets home."
"Twilight, sweetheart! Could you come in here?" Velvet called, her words echoing through their home.
Twilight only mildly reacted to the call, setting down the books she'd been reading. Since her failed exam, Twilight had found it hard to read about magic and spells anymore. The only literature she found herself enjoying was stories and fairy tales. They at least provided an outlet for her to escape to.
She considered ignoring her mother's call altogether. Her father and mother had been encouraging her not to give up- to "keep trying" at magic. Their words had fallen on deaf ears. If Twilight couldn't be taught by the greatest magic teachers out there- she didn't see the point in trying.
"Twilight?" Velvet called again, her voice sounding closer.
Twilight sighed and stood up from her seat in her window. The late afternoon sun had been warming her coat, and now that she'd left its light, she felt the coolness of the rest of her room.
Twilight trotted out of her room and down the hall and stairs. Her parents were sitting in their pseudo library room- which was really just a living room with several bookshelves lining the walls. They called it their own "library" for fun.
Twilight slowed her trot as she entered the living room. Her parents were... smiling? Well, more grinning, ear-to-ear kind of smile. They smiled a lot, or at least a lot as Twilight saw it. But THIS grin was more one that was only seen on special occasions, like when her brother had been accepted into the Canterlot Guarding Academy.
She continued into the living room and jumped onto their couch. She kept eyeing her parents suspiciously. Just as any other foal would do in her circumstance... Twilight decided voice her main concern.
"...Am I in trouble?" She asked. She didn't have any real reason to ask this, but her parents' behavior was... slightly off-putting.
Their grins slipped as they chuckled, Velvet waving a hoof as if she'd just heard a hilarious joke.
"No! No Twilight, it's alright." Night Light laughed. As he laughed, the paper he was holding crinkled slightly, bringing it to Twilight's attention.
"No, nothing like that." Velvet replied, sitting down next to Twilight on the couch. She lifted a hoof and brushed it over her daughter's mane.
"It's actually wonderful news." Night Light continued, lifting up the paper with his magic and floating it over to Twilight. He held it in midair for a moment, allowing Twilight to scan it over. It was written at a higher reading level than she understood. But it looked important.
As she read down, she felt her heart jump at seeing the signature. This paper had been written by Queen Celestia- it was signed by her! Had she been re-considered for her magic school?!
Twilight shot her eyes up to her mother, pointing at the paper with enthusiasm.
"W-what is that? Am I going to her school?!" Twilight squealed.
Velvet chuckled again, more softly this time. "No, sweetie, it's not that. It's something better, actually."
Twilight's eyebrow twitched, and she gave her mother a curious look. "What could be better than that?"
Night Light floated the paper back to himself, and held it in his hooves as he responded.
"Well, kid, this paper here says that you've been chosen for..." He lifted the paper up to his eyes and squinted slightly. "An exclusive apprenticeship under the guidance of Queen Celestia, and her consultants."
Twilight blinked, still somewhat confused.
"It means, Twilight, that you're going to be training under Queen Celestia and whatever teachers she chooses. Instead of being in a classroom, you and a few other chosen foals are going to be taught by her!" Velvet said, her previous proud grin returning as she spoke.
Twilight sat, starry-eyed, her mind reeling from this news. She'd failed- she hadn't passed her test, and yet- here it was! The most amazing offer she'd ever been given!
...Was it real?
Twilight looked to her mother, then her father, excitement and anticipation bubbling up inside her.
"I'm- I'm awake, right? This is real- it's not a dream?" She asked, feeling so overjoyed- she'd swear she could fly.
Night Light and Velvet smiled, and laughed lightly.
"You're right, kid- it's all a dream!" Night Light laughed.
"How dare you!" Velvet replied, grabbing a throw pillow from the couch and playfully tossing it at Night Light. He laughed harder at that.
"You're not dreaming Twilight; this is real." Velvet reached a hoof over and pulled her daughter into a hug. Twilight squeezed her back, ecstatic over what she'd just heard.
"When can I go- when do I start?!" Twilight asked, letting go of her mother's grasp.
"When the next school year begins." Velvet replied.
"So in um..." Twilight stared at the floor, trying desperately to remember when the school year was set to start.
"Three weeks." Velvet commented.
"Oh! Yeah, three weeks!" Twilight replied, as if she'd just been on the verge of the same answer.
"Three weeks. Three weeks..." She trailed off, losing herself in thoughts of what the future would hold.
Sunset Shimmer stood in front of two large wooden doors that led into the foyer of the Castle. Not unlike several months back, when she'd first been appointed Celestia's advisor, she was... uneasy about what stood on the other side. Though this time, for very different reasons.
Sunset had tried not to let on how unsure she was of Celestia's whole... project. She'd thought it was just something Celestia felt guilted into doing, after receiving her supposed vision. But when Sunset finalized the letters and saw them off, she realized how serious Celestia was taking this idea of hers.
Sure, it was probably important that Celestia find a new personal student. It made sense- Sunset was no longer in that position; she'd been promoted. But FOUR students- and all at once- it didn't make sense.
Until Celestia brought up that Sunset was to be an additional teacher to these students. Now Sunset had personal stakes in this whole affair. Truthfully, she didn't hate the idea of being a teacher... but she wasn't sure she had the... patience for it.
But, if Celestia truly saw them playing a part in saving Equestria again, and if Celestia truly trusted Sunset like she said she did... Then it wouldn't hurt to give it a try. After all, Sunset had been taught by the wisest magical wielder in all of Equestria. SURELY she was capable of passing that knowledge and talent down to newer generations.
She hoped she was, anyway.
"Are you ready, Sunset?" Celestia asked.
Sunset blinked, returning to reality from the deep well of her thoughts.
"Um, yeah. I am, I am ready." She replied, lighting her horn with magic, and pushing open the large wooden doors.
She and Celestia walked out and nodded to the ponies gathered in the foyer. Of course, there was one thing that bothered Sunset greatly about this whole arrangement.
Before either mare could get a word out, a small, bright orange colt bolted to Sunset and wrapped his hooves around her leg. Sunset grunted, and looked down at her younger brother, grimacing slightly. For some reason Sunset couldn't fathom... her brother had been chosen by Celestia.
And that meant having to see her mother.
"Sunburst, really!" Stellar Flare yelped, rushing over to her two children. She quickly pulled Sunburst back from Sunset and nodded nervously at Celestia.
"We're in the presence of ROYALTY- we need to have good manors!" She hissed, pulling Sunburst as she walked back to where her husband stood.
"But it's-" Sunburst started, before Stellar cupped a hoof over his mouth.
"I am SO sorry your majesty!" Stellar winced, glancing at Celestia nervously.
Celestia smiled, laughing faintly as she replied. "That's quite alright, I can understand his excitement."
With that, Celestia queued Sunset to begin their opening remarks.
"As I can understand the excitement all of you must be feeling. You are being presented with an amazing opportunity. Under my guidance, and the guidance of my faithful advisor," Celestia lifted a wing and unfolded it beside Sunset.
Sunset lifted a nervous hoof and waved to the gathered families, smiling slightly.
"Your children will learn to wield the magic inside them and be faithful in their studies and work. It is in them that the future of Equestria lies." Celestia remarked, her voice strong and passionate as she spoke.
Sunset cleared her throat and stepped forward. "There is no greater honor for us than to teach, train, and guide your children into becoming the powerful ponies that they have the potential to be."
The gathered parents clapped their hooves, and Sunset spotted tears in the corners of some parents' eyes. As she suspected, though, there were none in her own parents. They were not the senti-mental type, especially not her mother. Instead, her mother wore the same, over-joyous beam of pride that Sunset had seen often enough to know the trouble it came with.
"We will give you time to say your goodbyes. The student's luggage will be brought in by Castle staff. If you wish to send letters, please leave your addresses with me before you leave." Sunset called out, making sure she made eye-contact as she over viewed the room.
With that, each parent looked to their own child and began speaking to them. It touched Sunset to see how the parents spoke to their children, their expressions soft and compassionate. The mild joy Sunset received from this was quickly extinguished, when she saw her mother approaching her again.
"Mom." Sunset sighed.
"Advisor!" Stellar chirped, lifting a hoof to admire the sash and broach Sunset wore. "I didn't know you were PROMOTED!"
Sunset slowly pushed her mother's hoof away and breathed deeply, trying her best to ignore the urge to speak her true inner thoughts.
"Yeah, Mom. I'm her advisor. It's not that big of a deal." Sunset mused, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
"NOT a big deal? Ha! I beg to differ!" Stellar chortled, brushing at her own pale blue sash. "Why didn't you write to me about it- when did this even happen? Last time I heard from you, you were still just her student!"
"It- Does it really matter, Mom?" Sunset huffed. "I mean- this is about Sunburst- not me, right? Let's just be proud of him, okay?"
Stellar lifted her eyebrows, and Sunset saw her contemplate whether she would let that slide. Stellar turned and looked back at Sunburst and Sunspot. From the distance, neither could hear their conversation, though both could tell they were happily talking.
"Hmph." Stellar relented, and turned back to Sunset. "Fine. But I expect you AND your brother to write to me once a week, EVERY week, alright?"
Sunset caught herself before she cold roll her eyes. She leaned her head back and uttered, "Okay."
Stellar seemed to take that as a final answer.
"Good, good." Stellar commented. She hesitated for a moment, lifted her leg, then drew it back down.
"Well... I suppose your father and I should be heading back. It's quite the trip back to Sire's Hollow." With that, Stellar began to walk away. She stopped after a few steps and turned back to Sunset.
Sunset met her mother's eyes, and for just a moment, glimpsed a mare who was vulnerable... or at least capable of it. Then, just as quickly, that mare vanished, and her mother as she knew her took her place.
"Take care of your brother- and don't give him special treatment just because he's related to you. It's vital he learns the importance of hard work." Stellar said, lifting her head high as she spoke.
Sunset simply nodded, hoping that would be enough to satiate her mother. It was.
Stellar nodded back, and smiled as she returned to her husband and her son. Sunset watched as Stellar gave Sunburst an exasperating hug. She swore he turned purple for a second from the force of the hug.
Before long, the parents all filed out of the foyer and were guided back to a set of carriages by the castle guards. Sunset and Celestia now stood before the four chosen students. It was awkward for Sunset, and she figured it would be that way for quite some time. Aside from her brother, she hadn't spent much time around foals... she really didn't know what to expect from them.
They each looked at Sunset and Celestia with wide, curious eyes. They were so small, and none had their cutiemarks yet. Their innocent stance reminded Sunset of her own test at Celestia's school all those years ago. Sunset wondered if she'd looked like them, innocent, small, and curious of the world around her.
Slowly, another thought began to enter. SHE was responsible for them, for their training and their minds. SHE was to teach and guide them in their magic... and their future lives. If Celestia's vision was true, they were to be the answer to Nightmare Moon's return.
A tea cup levitated by magic settled onto a similarly decorated plate with a small *clink*. Celestia sighed and returned her attention to the paperwork before her. That was one thing she never found she enjoyed doing as Queen, even after all these years as ruler. And it seemed to her, that as the years went on, and ponykind advanced in technology, the amount of paperwork to be done just kept growing.
"Let's see..." she mused, using her magic to lift up a cup of quills.
The revisions to the west wing needed to be underlined in this form... and the approved projects needed to be circled in red. Now what about the budget reque-
"AH!"
Celestia dropped the quill cup, and lifted a hoof to her head. A sharp, stabbing sensation hit her, jabbing right on her temple, where her horn connected to her skull. She reeled away from her writing desk, her large white wings flailing out in response.
Her horn lit up in a burst of uncontrolled magic. Celestia opened her eyes, hoping to gain some control of this sudden attack. But when she opened her eyes... she was no longer in her study.
She stood in a dimly lit room, the walls composed of old stonework, and the ground beneath her was a faded red carpet. The pain in her head suddenly subsided, now only a dull ache. The room was... familiar. Ahead of her, the room grew bright; several colorful lights were moving towards her, and fast.
As they drew near, she recognized them as the Elements of Harmony. Their small gem-cut shapes became clearer. They flew up to- and then through her! Celestia turned as they flew through her, only feeling a slight chill as they did so. As she turned, the scenery changed around her once more.
Now facing the direction the elements were flying towards, Celestia stood in a dark, overwhelming forest. But, this time, she was not alone. All around her stood silhouettes of ponies, though she could not see them clearly. Their figures were hazy and dark.
Turning her attention back to the elements, she saw them stop some distance ahead of her. They stood still, floating in midair. And from the dark forest, she began to see a figure appear, walking towards the soft glow of the elements.
Her blood ran cold, chilling her entire body. From the deep shadows of the woods, emerged the figure of Nightmare Moon. Like the other ponies, she was not entirely clear in her appearance. But, as she drew nearer to the elements, her figure became more defined. And that same vicious expression... was just the same as it had been nearly one thousand years before.
Celestia watched, drenched in fear, as Nightmare Moon approached the elements. With swift vengeance, she stood and came crashing down on the elements, shattering them into a thousand sparkling pieces.
"NO!" Celestia wailed, bolting forward.
As she lifted her hooves, the scene changed once more. Celestia reeled from the sudden shift, and stumbled as the dark forest faded away. Like watercolor bleeding onto a page, a new scene took over, washing the former darkness in pale sunlight.
Celestia now stood in a room again, this one resembling a hallway from the castle she resided in now. The walls were the same off-white color, decorated in deep purples, vibrant golds, and rich reds. She stood facing a large wooden door, also closely resembling any that could be found in Canterlot Castle.
The door began creaking open, and from it, a bright light poured out. Celestia lifted a wing up to her face in response, squinting. The door creaked open a little more, and from it, four foals came galloping out of the light.
Celestia lowered her wing slowly, letting her eyes adjust to the bright light. They were four unicorn foals... and she recognized one of them... she thought. But, where had she seen them before? This sudden vision held Celestia's mind in a slight daze... she couldn't recall specific details at the moment.
The three other foals, she was sure, she hadn't seen before. They galloped around her, as if she didn't exist at all. They were giggling and bounding around each other, talking excitedly and laughing. Celestia couldn't hear anything they were saying. Their voices were muffled, as though speaking underwater.
She watched them gallop off and out of her sight. They felt... familiar to her, in a way she couldn't describe. She turned back to the open door, each wooden slab now fully open. Celestia closed her eyes, and walked into the brightness. She felt the warmth of the light wash over her, calming her and refreshing her mind.
When she opened her eyes again, she was in her study once more. The vision was over. Celestia lifted her knocked over quills, and gathered the papers she'd been working on, setting them on a nearby shelf. They would have to wait until later.
Sunset sat on a particularly comfortable chair on one of the many balconies lining Canterlot Castle. A small pile of papers and schedules sat on a side table, as well as a sweet, fruity drink she'd requested before the kitchen staff left for the night. Despite the work she was doing, Sunset found she was actually quite comfortable with this evening's setting.
It was surprisingly warm for how late it was, and the schedules she was presented with all seemed to be lining up in her favor. The eraser end of her pencil was clenched between her teeth. Sunset had been so involved in her work, she hadn't even noticed that she'd been chewing on the pencil eraser. She only noticed when she had to remove it to mark down a note on her personal schedule.
"Oh." She remarked, a little grossed out by the chewed rubber bit.
Sunset sighed and set the pencil down, stretching and shifting in her seat. The sun had set only a few minutes ago, and there might still be some more work to do... But Sunset felt it alright to call it a night and settle in for bed. Just as she was lifting her cup to finish the last of her drink- a bright flash of light startled her, and she looked in the direction it came from.
Celestia was now standing on the far side of the balcony. She knew it was a large castle and a lot of ground to cover... but really? Teleportation? Sunset sat upright, desperately hoping that Celestia couldn't read thoughts.
"What is it?" Sunset asked, already gathering up her papers and clipboard. "Is something wrong?"
Celestia smiled and shook her head.
"No Sunset, everything is alright." Celestia replied, opening the glass doors of the balcony with her magic.
"But there is something of importance that I wish to discuss with you, if that is alright." Celestia continued, walking through the door, and holding it open for Sunset.
"Um, yes? I mean- I AM your advisor... after all!" Sunset replied.
Of course, she still wanted to crawl under her sheets, BUT her duty to her queen came first. And although Celestia's tone was calm, Sunset was still weary of her sudden appearance. Something was clearly going on.
Sunset followed Celestia all the way to Celestia's study, placed just above the castle's library. Sunset set down her papers on a small table and continued to Celestia's writing desk. Celestia had not spoken a word as the two walked, and it was beginning to worry Sunset.
Celestia levitated an armchair next to her desk, and sat down. Sunset, eyeing Celestia suspiciously, took a seat on the stool at Celestia's writing desk. When she had still been a student, Celestia often let Sunset use her desk for writing assignments or studying. It was usually a comfortable place for her. Now... not so much.
Sunset cleared her throat and glanced at the desk, noticing a pile of blank scrolls, envelopes, and Celestias' personal wax seal stamp.
"Sunset, do you remember the night that... That I asked you to stay and become my advisor?" Celestia asked.
"You mean the night I was going to betray you?" Sunset thought.
The sting of her "almost-betrayal" coming back in full force. She wondered whether she'd ever be able to move on from that night.
"Yes, I... How could I forget?" Sunset replied, trying her best to keep her tone calm and collected.
"I had mentioned that the day Nightmare Moon... my sister, will return to Equestria... It is not far off from now." Celestia continued.
"Mhm." Sunset replied, unsure of where this was leading.
That information- in the wake of Sunset's breakdown and subsequent promotion- was admittedly brushed aside. Sunset had found it to be of slight interest when Celestia had brought it up, those many months back. But since then, Sunset truly had not given it any further thought.
"I received a vision of her return." Celestia conceded, her eyes sharpening ever-so-slightly as she said this.
"Oh! ...Really?" Sunset stiffened slightly at this mention, her full attention on Celestia's words.
"What did you see?" Sunset asked cautiously.
Celestia's gaze fell, landing on the floor for a moment, then lifted back up to meet Sunset's eyes.
"I saw her destroy the Elements of Harmony." Celestia replied, her tone certain.
Sunset felt her skin tingle, and her hairs stand up. That wasn't possible, right? The Elements of Harmony can't be destroyed; they're meant to be the ultimate magical protectors! Or so everypony had been taught.
"A-are you SURE that's what you saw?" Sunset asked, lifting a hoof onto the desk to steady herself. "Maybe you just had a bad dream?"
"No, Sunset. It was a vision of events yet to come." Celestia lifted a hoof to Sunset's chin, and gave a warm smile.
"But, I believe I also received a vision of how we can prevent that future from taking place." Celestia sighed, lowering her hoof again.
Sunset blinked, mentally resetting herself. None of this was making much sense to her, and Celestia's mostly calm demeanor certainly wasn't helping anything.
"Your highness- Celestia, how- what are you talking about?" Sunset asked, still holding back her full confusion on the matter.
Celestia laughed faintly and stood from her seat, walking around the room slowly, though still addressing Sunset as she did so.
"It is confusing, I understand." Celestia remarked. "It would be a lie to say that I fully understand the vision I received. Visions, in my limited experience, are often like that."
Celestia stood before a tapestry hung on a far wall. A scene of ponies of all kinds playing and living together displayed on it.
"They are not always so obvious. I do not always know what they mean when I receive them." Celestia walked away from the tapestry, and back towards Sunset.
"But, I find that in time... I understand their purpose. Their symbols, their imagery... in time are fully revealed to me." Celestia came up to another tapestry, this one far older and paler than the one before. Two alicorn sisters decorated it, their bodies encircling an intertwined sun and moon.
"I do not wish them to always be that way." Celestia uttered, more to herself than Sunset. "But it is a miracle that I receive them at all."
Celestia returned to her seat beside Sunset, sighing deeply. "Whatever lies ahead... I cannot say for sure; I do not know exactly what lies ahead. But I do know who I trust, and who will help me to understand these things."
Sunset smiled, and glanced at the stack of papers once more. Celestia nodded and settled down in her seat.
"Now," Celestia remarked, "I need you to draft some letters."
Gentle beams of sunlight washed the halls of Canterlot castle, painting the walls and floor in a pale, golden light. Soon it would be time to set the sun, but for now, Queen Celestia was intent on strolling through the halls of her home. As she passed through a smaller corridor, it's rooms harboring storage shelves of spells and books, she heard a faint clatter come from a room whose door was marked with a warning sign.
Her ears pricked at this, and she felt a burst of anxiety sprout in her. The sound had come from the room in which she stored spell-books on the dark magic of Equestria. She took a tentative step forward, taking sudden caution to ensure she made no noise herself, so as to not alert the potential trespasser of her presence. Carefully, she leaned forward and looked through the small gap of the barely open door.
Inside, was of course walls lined with spell-books, potion vials and artifacts. In the center of the dimly lit room was a table, on which was sprawled various scrolls and book pages, all scattered about in a chaotic manner. Sat at that table, surrounded by the various enchanted pages and dark cloud of black magic spilling from her horn, was Celestia's own faithful student, Sunset Shimmer.
The brief pang of fear in Celestia bubbled into a sickening feeling of dread, and betrayal. Sunset, and any student whom Celestia had taken under her wing, were forbidden from studying dark magic. It was in part from the dangerous nature of the magic itself, and in other part the intention of dark magic. The way those spell books and artifacts called out to ponies, enticing them, seducing them, and then corrupting them... She couldn't let that happen again- she WOULDN'T let that happen again.
Forgoing all intentions of staying quiet, Celestia slammed open the door to the small room. The bang of the wooden door against the wall startled Sunset, who dropped the book she was so closely studying, and whipping around to see what, or who caused the disturbance. The unicorn's face quickly changed from frustration to dread as she saw the Alicorn queen standing in the doorway. Her massive white wings drawn, closing any remaining gaps in the entrance that her mane and body didn't already.
The voice that Sunset had been hearing for those past weeks shrieked in her mind, raging and calling her to "Take action now!" "Fight her now!" "Take over now!" Sunset yelped, raising a defense hoof to her head, the sharp words stinging and stabbing the inside of her skull. Celestia's guard immediately dropped as she saw Sunset clutch her head in pain, and the dark cloud of magic begging to swirl and boil into a fierce storm. Celestia knew she had only moments to stop Sunset, before the magic that was holding her fully took over.
The Alicorn rushed to Sunset, and gripped her shoulder, pulling the smaller Unicorn into an embrace. It was in part because she feared for the safety of her student, and in part because of what she needed to do next. Celestia's horn lit in a heavenly glow as her magic sparked, and reached its way to the dark cloud surrounding Sunset. The storm resisted, lashing back at Celestia, and sending tiny sparks of magic flying off into the room.
Celestia ignored this, and concentrated harder, pushing her magic into the cloud. Her skull rang as she did so, as if she was pushing head first against a mountain side. Still, she persisted, her magic sparking and sputtering its way through the black magic, until finally reaching the tip of Sunset's horn. At this Sunset cried out, and leaned into Celestia harder. Celestia was sure she felt the warmth of tears against her chest as Sunset cried out.
The voice was screaming, unearthly sounds at her now, forfeiting all understandable language. The shrieks stabbed and rattled her mind, she wanted it to stop, she wanted it to end. Celestia felt her magic grip onto the cloud, and without a moment's hesitation she flung her head back. Her magic ripped the cloud from Sunset's horn, and flung it up and into the air. Celestia let go of Sunset for the moment, and focused on the entity. She scowled as she looked at the wriggling thing, it's dark, shapeless form writhing in the grip of her magic.
From the base of her horn, Celestia lit a spell that would terminate the thing. The pure magic swelled from the base, and shot its way through her horn, blasting into the cloud, and dissolving it in a bath of pure, bright light. Once not an ounce of the cloud could be seen, Celestia drew her attention back to Sunset. The Unicorn lay crumpled on the ground at Celestia's hooves, her head pressed against the floor. Celestia could see from the way her shoulders shuddered, that she was sobbing intensely.
The Alicorn leaned down slowly, and rested on the floor beside Sunset, drawing her legs in and spreading her wings across the floor around her. Gently, she lifted one wing, and brushed Sunset's back. Sunset shot her head up and looked at her mentor, tears staining her cheeks and pinning her coat to her face. Her large turquoise eyes pleaded with Celestia as she looked at her. Celestia felt her heart break slightly as she saw her student's expression, so much fear and deep sadness.
"I- I'm sorry!" Sunset's voice cracked as she finally spoke. Her head fell to the floor once more, and her eyes clamped shut. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Her breathe shuddered as she pleaded, letting herself sob intensely. "Please- please forgive me your majesty! I didn't know what I was doing..." She heaved more tears with her final words, the floor drowning in a small puddle under her face. Celestia let her own emotions take over for the moment, tears peeking their way out of her eyes as she replied.
"Sunset..." She spoke, looking down at her student with such care and worry. "It's alright, you're okay. It will BE okay. I forgive you." Sunset opened her eyes once more, looking up at Celestia with worry and confusion. "I... was going to do something bad." Sunset said. Celestia blinked and nodded. "I know, but it wouldn't have been you who was in control."
Before Sunset could reply, Celestia continued her explanations, looking around the room of dark magic as she did so. "It tells you things, things you want to hear, or might even believe. It draws you in, makes you promises. And, when it's done enough, when it has you fully in it's grasp, it takes you over. You're still in there, somewhat, and you can see everything. But it makes you do things... things you might not've done otherwise."
More tears peeked their way through as Celestia spoke, falling daintily down her face. Sunset noticed this, and felt more pained, realizing how much trouble she'd caused her teacher, mentor... her friend. Sunset lifted her head, and pulled her hooves in close to her body, suddenly feeling inadequate to be so close to Celestia. "But I do not blame you, Sunset Shimmer." Celestia drew her attention away from the objects in the room, and back to her student. Celestia lifted a hoof delicately to Sunset's face, lifting the Unicorn's chin to meet her own.
"I made a promise to teach and guide you... but I clearly have not done enough to keep you safe. For that, I am sorry Sunset. I never wish for you to feel as though you are not enough, or that I do not value you." Celestia lowered her hoof, and began to rise. Sunset hesitatingly rose with her. "No-one can replace you, my student." A sudden thought occurred to Celestia and she gestured for Sunset to walk with her. "There is something that I should tell you... that I should have told you long ago."
Celestia walked out of the room, Sunset quickly following after her. Celestia looked back at the door, shut it and quickly put a binding spell on it, so that no-one else would be tempted by those dark spells. The Queen walked down the halls of the castle, and finally into the throne room, Sunset Shimmer following closely behind. Celestia stopped in the middle of the room, quietly observing the sunlight, as it cast its light into the stained glass murals in the halls, bouncing brilliant colors across the room.
Celestia turned to face Sunset, and breathed in a small sigh. Her student stood before her, her head hung low in fear and shame. "Sunset... I am sure that as a foal you were told the tale of the Mare in the Moon?" Celestia asked. Sunset's head pricked up in surprise at this, looking at Celestia inquisitively. "Yes... My father would read it to me and my brother before bed." She wasn't sure why Celestia was asking about a foals tale, considering all that had just happened, a bedtime story didn't seem to be all that important.
Celestia looked out at the sun as she spoke, her horn lighting with magic as she began lowering the sun. "The tale it speaks of, is more than true. My younger sister... Princess Luna, fell to the call of the dark magic. It saw the pain in her heart, and festered in it. I was forced to banish her, and I have ruled the day and night in her absence." The sun vanished behind the horizon, and in the opposite section of the sky, rose the pale glowing moon, clearly plastered on its surface the silhouette of a mare's head.
Sunset watched as the moon crept its way into the night sky, the deep blue being speckled with dots of tiny stars. "I lost my sister to the dark magics... I do not wish to lose anyone else so close to me to its clutches again." Sunset gulped, the guilt of her almost taken actions still holding a tight grip on her psyche. "Your highness... why are you telling me this?" Celestia's magical grip vanished from her horn, and she took a few steps closer to Sunset. "It may seem wrong for me to say..." Celestia breathed in quietly, "But I... do not wish to be alone anymore. It was hard for me, ruling without my sister all those years." Celestia's gaze softened as she spoke.
"It will not be long until Nightmare Moon... my sister, is freed from her prison. I do not have long left until I have to confront her once more, until she wishes to fight with me again." Celestia looked intently into Sunset's eyes. "I wish for you to stay my student Sunset Shimmer. And... I ask that you assist me when the time comes that Nightmare Moon is freed. I do not have the same power I did before, the Elements have been lost to me for some time." Sunset nodded in understanding. "And... if you can't defeat her, she will have enough power to take over, wouldn't she?" Sunset croaked, unsure if it was her place to state what she did.
Celestia nodded. "Do you accept, Sunset? I will not force you to stay in the Castle if you do not wish to do so. You may return home if you like. But I do not hate you, and I wish that as your teacher, that I can guide you and protect you, the way I promised from the start." Sunset's eyes traveled down to the deep red velvet carpet the two stood on.
Averting her eyes from Celestia gave her the briefest moment to asses her options. She believed her mentor, that she did not hate her, despite all that Sunset had done, and was about to do. But she could never make up for her wrong-doings against Celestia if she left the Castle and returned home to Sires Hollow. If she stayed her student, perhaps... just maybe over time she could makeup for all that she had done, and gain Celestia's trust once more.
Finally, Sunset returned her gaze to Celestia, nodding her head as she gave her answer. "Yes, your highness. I will stay your student." Sunset gave a bow, leaning her head down far enough to point the tip of her horn to the floor. "I promise to makeup for all that I have done, and earn your favor once more. I will be faithful, loyal and hard-working, your majesty." As she rose she saw a warm smile spread across Celestia's face.
"There is no need for all that, Sunset." She chuckled. Sunset gave a sheepish smile, but shook her head. "I know, but please, let me agree to those terms your majesty. I have wronged you, even if I didn't do anything... I was planning on it. I have to make it right... at least in my mind I do." Celestia's wing gently brushed Sunsets shoulder. "Well," Celestia spoke, "Alright then. I agree to your terms as well, Sunset Shimmer."
Celestia began walking towards the large doors of the throne room. "But for now, let us both get some rest... it has been a long day. We will have much to do in the morning, but for now we both need a goodnight's sleep." Sunset nodded in agreement, suddenly realizing how exhausted the whole ordeal had left her. There was much she needed to do, to makeup for the wrong that she had almost done... Sunset wasn't entirely sure what she would do to makeup for it... but she was sure that whatever was in store, she would stand by her Queen's side, no matter what.
The first thought to enter Fluttershy's mind as she awoke was that one of her legs was numb. She shifted and pulled her leg out from underneath her. As she felt her leg tingle and come back to its senses, her mind began to awake further. She felt the soft, dry grass beneath her, and reveled in the smell of a freshly rained-on forest. It was one of the most delightful scents she had ever witnessed, so fresh and so calming.
The bold scent, of wet pine and moistened dirt, is what jolted her fully awake. The scent all at once reminded her where she was and how she wound up there. Her large teal eyes shot open, and she stood up quickly, looking frantically around her. The few animals that had gathered by also sat upright, looking at her with startled expressions.
She was in the same small patch of grass as before... that made sense; where else would she be? A small part of her had hoped, while she slept, that all she'd experienced that day was a bad dream, and she would wake up in her soft cloud bed. Even as nice as it was to meet all these furry creatures, she was so far from home. Flying all that way back... scared her.
Fluttershy stood up on shaky legs and took an uneasy step. Her numb leg was still tingling its way back to functionality. She continued to look around her, and realized her fading vision was because the forest was steadily growing darker.
"Oh NO!" She thought, seeing the last shimmer of sunlight passing over the tops of the trees. Like a timer ticking down for her chance to return home.
She began galloping through the forest. She wasn't sure where she was going. At times, she would stop and try to see where the sunlight was coming from, as if it were a signal to find home again.
The sun seemed to mock her with its descent. She swore it was moving faster than any other sunset she'd ever seen. Before long, the forest was shrouded in deep purples and blues. Fluttershy could hardly see where she was going. She flapped her wings, though the small bit of air she gained didn't help in the slightest. If anything, it seemed to slow her down.
Fluttershy yelped as a thick, stray branch caught her hoof, and she slammed into the greenery below. She lay still for a moment, and fought back tears. She didn't think she was hurt... but that didn't matter to her in the moment. She curled her legs around her and gave a weary look up.
Through a gap in the leaves above, Fluttershy saw a bright sky, still touched by the warmth of the sun. Pinks, oranges, and purples displayed themselves proudly, painting the sky in a wonderfully colorful sunset. The forest, with its endless trees and immense shrubbery, was cast into darkness before the rest of the world. What had once seemed so mystical and alluring before, now seemed intimidating and unkind.
Fluttershy whimpered, and at last let the tears fall. They fell heavy, darkening the plants and dirt below her. They fell on the petals of wildflowers, dripping on them like fresh dew. She shivered as an evening breeze blew through the forest.
After a moment more of crying, Fluttershy sniffled and lifted her head once more to the sky. The scenery above was now a deep purple, speckled with stars. She lifted a hoof and gently wiped away some tears. Even in this moment of fear and despair, she could acknowledge how truly beautiful nature was. As her eyes fell back down to the earth, she froze. Her skin turned chilly and prickly, and every muscle in her stiffened.
Sitting, just a few paces ahead of her, was an animal. Like all the other ones she'd seen today, she didn't know what it was, but it didn't resemble the smaller ones she'd seen. It had a narrow snout, ending in a small black nose. It had pointy ears, of which were perked, and pointed in her direction. And even in the dark, Fluttershy could see it had a vibrant orange coat, with a patch of white fur that traveled from its mouth, down to its chest and stomach.
The large golden eyes of the animal stared at her. At first, it didn't move. Fluttershy was both impressed by, and concerned about how still it sat. She hoped desperately that it would not decide she looked like food. After a moment more of lingering stares, it stood and slowly began approaching Fluttershy.
She felt a chill of fear roll over her once again. She didn't want to get hurt... or worse. She didn't know ANYTHING about these creatures! She was already so scared, and so lost!
As thoughts of panic ran through her head, Fluttershy paused mentally. She quelled the panicked voice in her head, for just a moment. She looked at the animal- really looked at it. She glanced at it's eyes, which were still locked on her. She noticed its slow, deliberate movements. How easily it stepped over brush and twig. Its fluffy tail, swishing gently over the tips of grass.
Somehow, someway, she felt suddenly calm about it approaching her. Despite the potential danger she was in, and despite the fear that she'd just been in, only seconds prior, she felt- or rather KNEW that this animal posed no threat to her.
She remained still as it stepped closer, trying in her own way to mimic the animal's previous stance when staring her down. The animal drew closer, and stopped just in front of her. It remained standing, but lowered its head and began sniffing frantically. Slowly, the animal walked in a circle around Fluttershy. Sniffing at her, and the ground around her all the while.
As Fluttershy understood it, the animal was working things out in its head as it did this. Perhaps putting together what she was, and perhaps even where she came from. It knew she wasn't from around here. She could also tell that as it paced, the animal's guard was being let down. Its fluffy tail wagged again, and it began to prance, rather than walk. She hoped this meant that the animal had, like her, concluded that she meant no harm.
Once the animal circled back around to her front, it sat and looked at her again, with a softer expression this time. More curious, less cautious. Fluttershy felt as though she wanted to say something, though no words came to her. For the first time that day, Fluttershy felt... at peace.
The entire day had been a flurry of emotions and terror. But, despite all that it had brought, the delightful and the frightening, she found solace in this small moment. With the sun completely gone, the night took hold of the forest. She found the dark frightening... but it was also mysterious and even calming. Chirps and calls of various insects were heard, filling the dark with sounds of life.
Interrupting the sounds of the night- a rustling of foliage was heard, from somewhere nearby. She and the animal whipped their heads in the direction of the sound, their ears perking up in sync. Fluttershy couldn't see a thing, but when she turned to glance at the animal beside her, it's eyes seemed fixated on something not too far off.
With swift quietness, the animal lowered its head and began to trot away from Fluttershy. Its steps were quick, but made no noise as it left. Fluttershy felt a sting of panic set in, terrified of being left behind. Without hesitation, she began to mimic the animal's movements, though with some struggle.
She cringed at every small noise she made as she followed the animal, hoping it was heading in a safe direction. Still, her pace of crawling along the forest floor was markedly quieter than the galloping she'd been doing earlier. She tried to keep a similar pace to the animal, though it moved far quicker than she could hope to. Fluttershy winced as her mane and tail were tugged on by the twigs and branches that lie on the ground. Thankfully, none tugged so hard as to stop her in her tracks.
After some time of crawling, and the occasional pause from the animal, which in turn made Fluttershy pause and listen with it, the animal rose to its standing height, and walked more casually. Fluttershy took this as a sign of safety, if only for the moment, and stood up as well, walking alongside the animal. If it had any protest to her walking with it, it gave no indication.
Her fear quelled once more, Fluttershy began to look around her again. She was still in the forest, and from the looks of it, the small field and pond where she'd first found herself were nowhere in sight. Although the darkness could have easily hidden them.
She realized just how confusing the forest was. All of it seemed to look the same at first, but really, it was always different in little ways. She wondered whether she should have taken her chances flying in the rain. But, the reminder of lightning crashing through the storm-clouds quieted that thought.
After some more time of the animal trotting along, it stopped and turned sharply to the left. Fluttershy quickly stopped as well, and followed along this new path. She acknowledged that this animal wasn't really going in any specific direction. It simply traveled where it felt compelled to go. Still, she found comfort in following it.
The two came to a small stream, and the animal leapt over it with ease. It paused on the other side, and tilted it's head as it looked at Fluttershy. She scratched one leg with the other nervously and looked at the stream. It truly wasn't that large of a space to cover, but...
"I-I've never been good at... um... jumping. Or anything athletic, really." She mumbled, her voice even more tender after not being used for several hours.
The animal sniffed and kept trotting along, its fluffy tail wagging as it walked away. Fluttershy whimpered, and looked again at the stream.
"W-well... if that little guy can do it..." She reasoned, steadying her hooves and folding out her wings.
She backed up a few steps, then galloped lightly- and jumped! She saw the ground on the other side of the stream coming towards her. She yelped and flapped her wings sporadically. She awkwardly floated for a moment, then landed on the ground. Glancing behind her, she had cleared the stream and then some. She smiled, feeling just a little bit proud of herself for being able to do that. If she'd been required to do something like that in flight camp, she probably wouldn't have even tried.
Fluttershy turned back towards the animal, who sat on a nearby rock, its head tilted again. She smiled as she walked up to it.
"Did you see?" She asked, her wings fluttering with excitement.
In response, the animal licked its nose. She took that to mean "yes". The animal then dropped down from the rock and began walking towards the base of a massive tree. Fluttershy hadn't noticed, as her attention had mostly been on the animal as they walked, but they'd been under the shade of this tree for quite some time. She looked up and saw it's long, elegant branches, reaching high up and very far out.
The leaves of this particular tree were different from the others she'd seen in the forest. Its branches where long and thin, the leaves hanging down in long streams. They reminded her of a ponie's mane when it gets wet. It seemed that every new thing she came across in this forest was mighty and beautiful.
Looking back at where the animal trotted off to, she saw it stop at the base of the tree and begin wiggling its way underneath. Fluttershy tilted her head as she watched it disappear. Carefully and quietly, she followed the animal. There was a small gap between the tree and dirt, and in that hole was where the animal was now. It had curled itself up and seemed to no longer have interest in whatever Fluttershy was doing.
Fluttershy backed up from the hole, and took a moment to look around, once again taking in the scale of the tree she was under. She decided that if this animal deemed this tree a safe place to stay... then perhaps she would find safety here as well. She backed up further and looked closer at the tree. Its body was bent and twisted in a unique shape. And, not far up the tree, was a small nook that Fluttershy hoped would be just enough room for her. She steadied herself, and took a deep breath.
"Okay Fluttershy... you can do this..." She whispered.
She folded out her wings and began flapping them. She was unsteady, but began to lift off the ground. Slowly. Once she felt all four of her hooves lift off, she began flapping her wings harder. She groaned, feeling her wings growing tired already. She looked up, seeing the nook of the tree not too far away. She strained, and began flying towards it.
She wobbled in midair, scared at every moment that her wings would give out, and she'd fall. Her back began aching along with her wings, and she wanted to give up. Seeing the nook only a few steps ahead of her, she reached out a hoof and touched the bark. Not wanting to fall onto the grass and rocks below, she flapped her wings harder, giving herself the final push she needed.
Finally, both her front hooves grasped the base of the nook. Then a third hoof, and finally, she landed, albeit a bit shakily, on the tree. She sighed in relief and exhaustion, letting herself fall onto the solid bark. It wasn't as comfortable as the clouds she was used to, but it was safe. And for tonight at least, that was all she needed. She hoped that morning light would guide her way back home.
Several days later, Fluttershy was beginning to lose hope of ever seeing Cloudsdale, or her parents again. She had learned many things about surviving in the woods since then, but she still wished to be home. She was worried about her parents and younger brother.
The only bright side to her being lost in this seemingly endless forest was all the animal friends she'd made. The animal she met and followed that first night had left before she'd woken up in the tree. But she had seen him around since then. He would greet her with a polite sniff or wag of tail. Though he never lingered around her too long.
She had met other animals as well. She'd even helped some who were stuck in foliage or who couldn't find food on their own. She'd met some local ducks who lingered by a small pond. She enjoyed seeing them so close; in Cloudsdale, the ducks never flew up into the city and only lingered below or outside it. She especially enjoyed holding the ducklings and watching them swim.
She met more of those small, fluffy animals with long back legs and large ears. They seemed to recognize her, and would hop up around her, though only if the larger, orange animal wasn't present. In the absence of other ponies to talk to Fluttershy began telling the animals about her life. She told them all about her younger brother and her parents. She told them about the young rainbow-haired filly who'd stood up for her that day in camp.
On this particular afternoon, Fluttershy was lying in the grass beside the animals with big feet and long ears. She was lounging in the grass on her back, her legs swinging in the air as she told them about how fun, but also how scary it was to meet them all, that first day.
"I just..." She wondered aloud, looking up past the gaps in the trees to the sunny blue sky above. "I just wish I knew how to get back home."
One of the animals beside her made... a noise of some kind, a squeak of some sort. And yet, despite it's nature, she responded.
"Well, I suppose if I could just find that little field and pond again, then I could find my way back home from there... maybe." She replied.
She returned her attention to the sky... then paused. Had she understood the noise it had made? Fluttershy looked again at the animal. Its bright blue eyes stared back at her, and its tiny pink nose twitched. She might've thought she was going crazy.
"...I'm sorry. Um, did you say... something?" She asked, weary of even asking the question to begin with.
The animal chirped again, its small nose twitching faster. It baffled her. Fluttershy knew it had only made a noise, it hadn't really said anything. But she understood it, the intent of the noise it had made.
"Um..." She replied, unsure of what to do with this discovery.
Fluttershy rolled over and sat up, still looking at the small animal. She and it sat in silence for a moment longer, simply staring at each other. The animal scratched its ear, still eyeing Fluttershy.
"So... um. Do you- or would you, happen to um... know where that little field is?" Fluttershy asked hesitantly.
The animal stopped scratching its ear and squeaked again, this time thumping one of its back legs on the ground.
"Oh!" Fluttershy exclaimed, "I mean, um really?"
The animal thumped its foot again.
"Oh, okay." Fluttershy lightly scraped her hoof on the ground. "Do you think that maybe, um, you could take me there?"
She looked solemnly to the side, avoiding the large blue eyes of the animal.
"I've just been so lost, and I don't even know where I am." She glanced at the other small animals that were grazing in the grass nearby.
"I really have enjoyed spending time with you all... but I really need to get home. I-I miss it." The last few words came out strained, and Fluttershy felt her voice begin to crack.
The animal twitched its nose, and without another sound, began bounding off. Fluttershy followed, galloping to keep pace. The animal wasn't moving as fast as it was capable, as Fluttershy learned that these particular ones could run very fast if they wanted to. She appreciated it running at a slower pace for her to keep up with.
The animal leapt over branches and fallen logs. It bounded through shrubbery and trampled over ferns. Fluttershy followed suit, copying the animal's movements rather closely. Her ability to adapt to their methods of movement and lifestyle was what kept her safe and fed in the forest.
Gaps in the tree leaves speckled her coat with spots of sunlight, temporarily warming her as she dashed through the cool, shadowed forest. In the distance, she began to see a sunlit field, a bright green signal drawing her ever closer. Just as they reached the border between the shaded forest and brightly lit field, the animal skidded to a stop.
It stood and sniffed the air, and turned its large blue eyes towards Fluttershy. She too came to a stop on the border of shade and light, and slowly leaned her head forward. Sunlight delicately touched the tip of her snout and shimmered on her pink hair.
The field looked the same, at least as far as she could tell. The same small pond glistened in the afternoon sun. Vibrant flowers were scattered about, freckling the grass in pinks and yellows. Sans the animals that had been there the first day she arrived, the field looked just as inviting and colorful as she remembered.
Fluttershy would have let herself get swept up in the beauty of it all again, if she had not been determined to make it home. And speaking of...
Fluttershy looked up at the blue afternoon sky, hoping to see the silhouette of Cloudsdale at least close by. Surely it would still be floating above... right?
The only clouds she could see were small, thin ones, that couldn't have housed any pegasus. She couldn't see a single pony in the sky... or on the ground. Her heart began thumping in her chest, and she could feel tears beginning to form. She dashed from the edge of the forest out into the field.
She whipped her head around in every direction, looking for any sign of Cloudsdale. She whimpered as tears stung her eyes, blurring her vision. She couldn't see anything. Her home wasn't anywhere in sight.
They couldn't have left already! She was still here! They had to know she was still here... didn't they? Did they even notice she'd fallen out of camp? Did they know she was all the way down here?
Did they know they left her?
Fluttershy whimpered again, and let the tears fall freely. She had finally made it back to where she got lost... Only to find they'd abandoned her anyway. Surely her parents were looking for her. But how would they know to look for her here? No-pony knew she was here, on the ground. She was alone.
Fluttershy was startled from her cries when she felt something brush one of her legs. She looked down to see the small animal, who was currently nestled in the grass by her leg.
Maybe she wasn't entirely alone. These animals had been very kind to her since she'd been lost. They'd shown her how to survive, and she'd helped in turn.
Fluttershy lay down in the grass beside the small animal, and sighed deeply, the last tear running down her cheek and leaving a warm trail on her face.
"I... I don't know how to get home." She sighed, looking up again at the sky.
"But... but I promise I'll help take care of you." She continued, looking at the small, fluffy animal, and lifting a hoof to pet it's back.
"A-and maybe, we can take care of each other. At least... for now."
The bright blue comforter and matching cloud-shaped pillows had been the only bright thing in Rainbow's life as of recently. Oh sure, she'd tried to go outside and enjoy the day, but she never seemed to make it longer than a few minutes without getting inexplicably bored. She hated this feeling, though she couldn't understand what it was.
She still got out of bed, but it took her far longer than it ever had before, and as each day dragged on, she found it more and more difficult to leave her soft, welcoming sheets. Her parents had tried their best to encourage her, to help her, in their own unique way. They'd even gone as far as bringing board games into her room and chatting with her, on the days she'd found it hardest to leave.
But, despite these efforts, it still hadn't worked. By the time Bow and Windy had felt it safe enough to allow Rainbow back into the summer flight camp, the season had ended. Rainbow had already been frustrated at being taken out early- but this had been the clincher.
Her parents had assured her that "there was always next summer!" but that hadn't done enough to soothe her pain. She hated being home, but she couldn't stand being outside either. It was driving her crazy. In her bed was where she lay now, curled up in the soft safety of her blankets, her rainbow mane strewn across the lumpy shape of her pillow.
Rainbow was staring at the small sliver of sunlight that was peeking through her curtains, shining the bright beam on the opposite wall. Through the sliver, she could see the blurred silhouette of clouds floating along, casting a deep blue shadow temporarily over the light as it floated by.
She got so lost in the beam of light that the sudden knock on her bedroom door nearly made her jump out of her skin. She yelped, and immediately felt ashamed at doing so. Rainbow turned, well more tumbled, to her other side and sat upright in her bed.
"Yeah?" She called out, her voice cracking.
"Rainbow dear- are you alright?" Her mother's voice called from the other side, muffled slightly by the door.
Rainbow huffed a sigh, but replied. "Yeah... I'm okay."
She bunched her blankets up closer to her, and wrapped the excess cloth around her head and shoulders.
"Well, um, sweetie, your father has a surprise for you downstairs. I-if you'd like it, I don't want you to do anything you don't want to." Windy replied. Rainbow could tell by her tone that she was in a worrying mood.
For as generally upset and isolated Rainbow had felt these past few weeks, she also had begun to see the ways in which her parents tried so hard to help her. And, although she really didn't want to get up today... well, heck, what would be the trouble if she entertained them for a moment?
"Okay." Rainbow replied, shoving off her comforter and shuddering at the static the cloth rippled over her mane and coat.
"Okay, what?" Windy replied.
"Like- okay I'll go downstairs." Rainbow huffed, momentarily considering rejecting the offer, and crawling back under her blankets.
"Oh! Okay- alright. Well, I'll see you downstairs, sweetie." Windy chirped, and Rainbow heard her hooves receding back down the hallway.
Rainbow took her time walking to her door and opening it. She noticed the brightness of the rest of the house compared to her room. It hit her in that moment that she didn't actually know what time it was.
Burying that thought, Rainbow continued out of her room, leaving her bedroom door open just a crack. Slowly, as if preventing something, she made her way downstairs. She had expected to hear her parents talking in the usual, excited way that they did. But she didn't hear that, or even any hushed whispers of excitement, like they'd done to spoil her "surprise" birthday party last year.
The silence made her pause, standing still on the final step of the stairs. To her right was the open living room, and no-one sat in there, as far as she could see. To her left was the wall and doorway leading into the kitchen, where she suspected her parents were. For some odd reason, she felt as though she was in trouble, though she hadn't done anything recently to warrant that fear.
The tension in the air kept her there on that final step, hesitating. After a moment, she leaned forward, and peered around the corner of the kitchen entrance. Her parents sat at the table, her mother solemnly sipping a mug of tea. Windy had been looking more and more worried ever since the accident at flight camp.
Rainbow's father sat with his back to her, looking down at something on the table. He held his head in his hoof and let out a deep sigh.
"I think it was a good idea." Windy sighed, taking another slow sip of her drink.
"Yeah... I just... I don't know." Bow replied, tapping his hoof on whatever sat on the tabletop, just out of Rainbow's sight.
Rainbow decided to kill the tension. She pulled back from her looking spot and loudly stomped on the step she was on. She continued her louder hoof steps as she walked off the step and into the kitchen doorway. She noticed how her parents perked up as she entered the room. They both turned to look at her, smiles spreading across their faces as they did so.
"Hey kiddo!" Bow called out, waving to Rainbow Dash as she walked into the room.
Rainbow suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and continued her slow trot to the table. She hopped up onto a nearby seat and gave her father a weary look as he slid the mystery item towards her. She glanced down and immediately recognized them to be two tickets to a flying event, a piece of paper that she'd become intimately familiar with after years of attending Wonderbolt shows. She'd even begun pinning them to the walls of her room.
Rainbow's glance shot back to her parents, a small spark of joy shimmering in her eyes. Her dad smiled back, and he patted the top of her head, ruffling her multicolored mane.
"I was hoping that would cheer you up!" He chuckled, glancing at Windy, who was smiling at the two of them, relieved that it had seemingly worked.
Rainbow sat up in her seat and looked closer at the tickets. Her heart sank a little as she read the name of the team performing, it wasn't any Wonderbolt troop she was familiar with.
"Now- it isn't a Wonderbolt show," Her dad interjected, noticing her declining mood. "They're off performing in Las Pegasus right now." Bow continued.
"But I've heard these guys put on a real good show- fireworks and stuff, I guess." He concluded, hoping his sales pitch would work.
Rainbow Dash squinted as she stared at the tickets, mulling over whether she wanted to bother with a group who weren't the Wonderbolts. She glanced at her parents, their eyes wide with anticipation. From their expressions alone, Rainbow was ready to call it quits and head back to her room and warm bed.
But, in spite of herself and the temptation to return to her room, she nodded and set the tickets back on the table. She couldn't stand the looks they'd been giving her, but she hated hurting their feelings even more.
"Okay, I'll go." She said, leaning back in her seat.
Her Dad yelped with delight, and swiftly swept her up into a bear-hug. Rainbow knew it was coming, though she still groaned in frustration when her mother flew over the kitchen table to join in. She only shoved them away when her face was pressed so hard against their hoofs, that she could feel her face turning pink.
Whoever these "Wing-Wreckers" were, they better have been worth it.
A few hours later, Rainbow's mane was brushed, and she felt mildly excited to go. Sure, she would've been 100 times MORE excited if it was the Wonderbolts- but, a show with fireworks and "crazy" stunts was probably the next best thing. She sat in her family's living room and was lazily running her hoof over their fluffy cloud carpet, leaving lines of circles brushed through the material.
She was just about to call out to her Dad when he appeared in the room, carrying a large, suspicious box in his hooves. Rainbow raised an eyebrow at this, and cringed when she saw the contents of the box as he set it down. Inside were the various pieces of wearable sports memorabilia that her father had been collecting over the years. (Most of which had been around since before Rainbow was born.)
She groaned and reeled away from the box. "Dad- I don't wanna wear any of this." Rainbow said, regretting her decision to attend the show.
"Aw come on kiddo," Bow replied, lifting an eyesore of a foam hat onto his head and wearing it with pride. "We haven't been to a show in months! It'll be fun!"
Rainbow tried (and failed) to pull away as Bow lifted a worn, but loved denim cap out of the box and placed it on Rainbow's head. Faded patches for teams past and present lined the bulk of the hat and added to the weight of it, making it sink on Rainbow's head. Well- that and it was one size too large for her smaller, foal-shaped head.
"Okay- okay!" Rainbow squeaked, hating how high her voice seemed to get whenever she was frustrated. "Can we go now?"
Bow beamed at Rainbow, lifting the brim to look her in the eye. "Yeah, we can go- we wanna make sure we get to our seats on time."
Rainbow muttered to herself in annoyance as they walked to the front door and left their home. "I wasn't the one wasting time with the stupid hats."
The walk to the smaller stadium on the outskirts of Cloudsdale was short, but had taken long enough for Bow to offer Rainbow a ride on his back the last stretch there. Rainbow accepted, though she still noticed the looks some ponies gave her father and his ridiculous foam hat. She buried her face behind the denim cap as they walked.
Finally, they arrived at the stadium, just as the sun was beginning to set, far off in the distance. The heavy shadows cast from the lowering sun were dramatic, the cloud architecture around them taking on a more suspenseful tone. Despite the embarrassment of the day, Rainbow once again felt excited for the event.
Ponies finished filing into their seats as the last rays of sunlight disappeared, bathing the stadium in deep purples and blues. Rainbow squinted and leaned forward as she saw, faintly, figures moving to the center of the stadium grounds.
Bright, multicolored lights suddenly flared on, their loud clicks and electric pulses making Rainbow jump slightly in her seat. The light illuminated a group of four pegasi standing in the center of the stadium grounds. They stood in choreographed poses and waved to the audience as cheers passed through the stadium seats. They all wore brightly colored red and blue costumes, with name tags on their shoulders that Rainbow couldn't make out from the distance.
"How's everyone doing tonight?" One of the performers called out, lifting a microphone in her hooves as she addressed the audience. The attendees called back with various hoots and hollers, clearly excited by the question.
"We're gonna expect a lot more noise from you after we're done here tonight!" Another performer called out, flying above the other and sweeping a hoof over his head in exaggeration. The crowd responded louder this time, roaring up in excitement and cheers.
"Alright!" The two performers called out again, both flying up into the air, as the other two pegasi with them rushed off to the sides. Together, all four began performing a flying routine, involving swooping as low as they could go without hitting the ground, and flying so close they almost- but never did- collide with each other.
Rainbow hadn't even noticed that during the routine, stadium workers had rushed out various props for the oncoming show, as the team dazzled the audience with their flight routine. Which is why she'd been surprised when the performers each landed on four separate pedestals positioned on opposite corners of the grounds.
For the next hour and a half, the audience- and most importantly, Rainbow Dash- was wowed with the various stunts and tricks performed by the Wing-Wreckers. Dodging lightning bursts, spinning around mini cyclones, leaping over fire pits- it was all so much to take in, and Rainbow was loving every second of it.
She'd always known that flying was awesome, and performing for an audience was awesome too- the Wonderbolts did it all the time. But she'd never thought that shows could be so exhilarating or dangerous.
At one point in the show, a performer flew so close to the audience that Rainbow lurched forward in her seat, grabbing onto the denim cap to prevent it from flying off. She'd nearly been thrown by the wind created by that one pegasus- it was amazing! And, just when Rainbow was sure she'd seen all the epic-ness she could, she looked on eagerly as the stadium workers pushed out a large crate of fireworks.
The audience cheered, Rainbow and her father joining in, as two of the performers held active sparklers in each hoof and began flying in a slower routine. Twirling and spinning the sparklers, the lights dazzled and illuminated the dark night. Rainbow grinned ear-to-ear, her heart racing, wondering what they would do next.
While the two flying performers spun the sparklers, the other two raced to their respective pedestals. The fountains began sparking to life, shooting off sparks of color and bright light, casting a colorful array over the audience. The two flying performers moved off to the side and began slowly flying in circles, still illuminating the crowd with their sparklers.
As their light died off, the standing performers dramatically unfurled their wings and leapt up into the air. They dived just above the fountain sparks and then soared back up into the sky, kicking up sparks in their wake. The colors swirled with their movements and followed them as they flew. The circling performers beside them tossed down their dead sparklers and joined in.
Together, all four performers dove back down towards the fountains and flew around them in a circular motion. They flew faster and faster around the fountains, and slowly began flying back up into the sky, their wings and created wind pulling the sparks up with them. They flew up and up, carrying the sparks on the tips of their wings, making the colors rise higher and higher into the sky, a beam of vibrant blues, greens, pinks, and yellows casting an amazing light over the crowd.
The energy was high enough to cheer, but everyone in the audience was silent, watching the act before them in awe. The night was already plenty dark and somewhat chilly, but Rainbow didn't notice. The sights before her spreading a warmth from her heart throughout her entire body.
Finally, the beam of light rose to a point as the pegasus performers neared each other, so close to touching. But, just as they flew so close, each performer turned and soared downward, taking their own stream of sparks and light with them. The sparks bloomed and spread across the sky, dimming and turning to small specks of ash once they reached the audience down below. The entire night was illuminated with colored sparks falling down like colored rain, sparkling and shimmering against the dark sky.
The fountains died down, spitting out a few, final bits of light as the pegasus performers flew back to the center of the grounds, and settled themselves in front of the fountains. They waved to the audience, who immediately erupted in cheers. Rainbow joined in with them, feeling as though she'd just experienced the most amazing thing ever to be seen by pony-kind.
Rainbow's heart was still pounding, and her mind still reeling from the amazing show when she arrived home. And that adrenaline-fueled energy continued long into the night, even after she'd been tucked in and her lights turned off. She couldn't stop being excited, the show with its lights and stunts and glamour had captured her entire attention. She hadn't been this excited since her first ever Wonderbolt's show. She couldn't place it entirely, but she knew that what she'd experienced that night would stay with her for the rest of her life.
Summary: "Fluttershy has been tasked with befriending, and hopefully reforming the Lord of Chaos, and she takes her job very seriously. Though it isn't always easy, she begins to find joy in teaching this estranged being the ways of friendship. Fluttershy is determined to reform this Draconequus, and help him discover the potential that friendship holds."
A mini-series of short stories of Fluttershy and Discord's Friendship, over the course of the series. Some elements are connected to events within the series, and some simply take place in-between major events.
These stories can only be read on AO3 and FimFiction!
Rarity was still sniffling when she set hoof back into her family's home. Tears still streaming down her small, pink cheeks, turned that color from the stress and crying. Not only had her one chance at a grand opening in the school's play been ruined by the rain, but she'd embarrassed herself completely in front of her entire class.
Her mother quietly shut the door behind the two of them and placed a gentle hoof on Rarity's shoulder. Cookie had arrived at the school not long after Rarity's own arrival. The rain, combined with general motherly worry, had sent her looking for Rarity to bring her home.
Now within the familiar walls of her home, Rarity felt even more compelled to tears. She'd missed her one shot at a life she had dreamed endlessly about. Rarity shuffled away to her room, wanting to be alone to grieve her flower costumes and hopes of flamboyant fashion.
As she sulked in her room, tears and bitter thoughts eventually gave way to heavy sleep. And before Rarity could position herself under her comforters, the tiny unicorn foal had drifted off into a strange dream. One of stressful situations and questionable fashion choices, events that, inevitably, her mind would forget come the waking hours.
Rarity wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep for when her dreary mind returned to the waking world. But, as she rolled around her bed and stretched, she figured she must have slept the entire evening and night, as the early glimpses of sunlight peeked through her curtains and danced across her floor.
She rubbed at her eyes and tried to remember what had woken her up in the first place. Just as she climbed out of her bed and began walking to her dresser, she heard it again. The mumbled conversation of her parents, echoing from down the hall in their room. She tried not to pay attention to it as she began brushing her purple mane back into place.
She frowned at the mess her sleep had turned it into, and made sure to tug hard at the stubborn knots. Despite her dis-interest in her parent's conversation, she found herself listening to it anyway. Her waking mind turning the mumbles into actual understandable words. She even found herself leaning slightly to her left, towards her partially opened bedroom door.
"-what to do with it all." Cookie was muttering, her voice hitching with tears she was suppressing.
"...I... Don't know, love." Hondo replied. His own voice carried a kind tone, though also one of indecision.
"I don't want her things just to sit there and rot... But I can't bear going in there." Cookie sputtered, her suppressed tears welling up in her voice.
"I know." Hondo replied back.
Rarity was... puzzled by this conversation, but finished brushing her mane and "fixing herself up", as her mother would say. She heard miscellaneous shuffling noises emit from her parents' room before they quickly left their room and disappeared out of hearing range.
Rarity stood in front of her bedroom door, wondering what she should do. She hated hearing her mother so upset, though she wasn't sure what comfort she could possibly provide. Her indecisiveness was cut off as her horn began spritzing tiny sparks of magic, in the same way it had the day before.
Rarity gasped at this and ran to her bed. "Oh no, you won't!" She snapped, grabbing a pillow from her bed and stuffing it over her horn. "I won't have you distracting me again today!"
Rarity had still not been able to figure out why her magic had led her to the house's spare storage room. And in truth, she had no interest in knowing. Nothing important was in there... right?
As if answering her internal question, her horn lit up in a brighter burst of magic, levitating the pillow off her head and throwing it back onto her bed.
"What?! Oh! Rude!" Rarity yelped, glaring upward at her short horn. "You can't do that without my permission!"
Defiantly, the magic warbling around her horn jolted forward, causing Rarity to stumble forward as well, her tiny hooves stumbling across the floor. Deciding it would be best to give in, given the mysterious nature of Unicorn horns, Rarity complied.
She let her hooves go limp and allowed her magic to drag her wherever it seemed to be adamant on taking her. And again, like the day previous, the magic guided her out of her room, down the long hallway, and to the same storage room. Her magic pushed its way through the partially opened door and into the room, releasing her once she was standing in the middle of the room.
Rarity huffed and looked around the room. Old pieces of furniture were shoved to the back of the unlit room, their miscellaneous shapes covered by white cloths. Boxes were also piled around the walls of the room, some of a particularly big size. As Rarity looked around the room, she realized the familiarity of the hidden objects and suddenly remembered why her mother must have been so distraught earlier.
Just the week prior, while Rarity had been solely focused on sewing her costumes, her parents had moved all of these items into the spare room. One that she had been told would eventually be her infant sister's room, when she was old enough. The items and furniture had belonged to Rarity's grandmother.
Rarity approached a nearby, small sealed box. It was a beautiful pale green and pink box, with a matching lid. She gently opened it and marveled at the brooch collection inside. In particular, one large oval-shaped one towards the bottom of the box caught her eye. She lifted it out of the box, looking it over. She couldn't tell what the color had been before the layers of thick dust and grime that were on it currently.
She curled her lip at the muddied coloration of the brooch and set it back into the box, wiping her hoof on the side of the box afterwards. She'd remembered how sad her mother had been, and though she tried not to show it now, Rarity knew her mother was still very sad. She suspected she would still be sad for a while longer.
Rarity stared at the brooch box before her. Quite a few of the other beautiful pins also shared the unfortunate dis-coloration of the one she'd picked up. It was a shame, really. Rarity was sure they were so pretty before the dust and dirt. She wanted to know what they'd looked like before the wear-and-tear of use had brought them.
She stared curiously at the box for a moment longer, almost feeling a sense of... creativity? Wonder? She wasn't sure. She was pulled from her thoughts when she heard her father calling for her. The distance of his voice clearly calling to her from just outside her bedroom.
"I'm coming!" Rarity called out, quickly setting down the box, though she felt the urge to take it with her.
She quickly left the spare room and trotted down the hall, where her father stood just outside her bedroom door. He gave her a curious look, but shook his head and began walking back towards the entrance of the hall.
Rarity happily followed along with him, the scent of a freshly prepared breakfast enveloping the space they were in. Despite the terrible night she'd had previously... and the lingering feelings of disappointment, Rarity felt oddly happy. Excited even, though she couldn't understand why. She wasn't sure why she'd been drawn to that room, but it had her in a curious grip now. And, well, since her dreams of being a fashionista were clearly stomped into the ground, maybe she would have enough free-time to inspect that brooch box properly... just maybe.
Pinkamina's bunk bed thunked and rattled as her slightly younger twin sister crawled down from the top bunk. She was further pulled from the gentle lul of sleep as she heard her other two sisters- both older than her, arise from their own beds. Soon after Pinkamina also rose and began brushing her mess of a dark pink mane into its usual plain shape.
She followed her sisters downstairs and into the family dining room, where their mother had already prepared their pebble porridge for breakfast. As her family sat in silence, and ate their usually boring array of rock-themed foods, Pinkamina felt her mind wander. She wasn't particularly imaginative, as her dull surroundings provided little to imagine with.
And yet, she found that she wanted to let her mind wander. She wondered about the greenery and plant life she'd seen in town. About the ponies that lived there, and the lives they had. What they did for fun- and if their lives were as dull as hers.
Pinkamina was, unfortunately, snapped back to reality as her elder sister, Limestone, prodded her and silently nodded to Pinkamina's mostly full bowl of porridge. Pinkamina sighed and continued eating her breakfast. She hadn't realized in her day-dreaming that she had been neglecting her food, and she knew her parents never approved of wasting meals.
The eldest child of the Pie family, Maud, slowly and meticulously set her spoon and bowl off to the side. She rested her hooves on the table, one placed on the other, and lifted her head to address her parents, though she knew her younger sisters would hear her declaration.
"I was accepted into the Preparatory School of Sedimentary." She said flatly.
Pinkamina was elated that finally, someone decided to start a conversation this morning. Most breakfasts were spent in silence, besides the noise of eating and cutlery being used. Pinkamina was also elated at her sister's statement, though she took care to not reveal too much of her excitement. Still, she looked on at her older sister and parents, as did Marble and Limestone.
"Mm." Their father nodded, setting down his own spoon. "When do they desire you to join their congregation?"
Pinkamina was often confused about the phrasings her father chose, though she gathered that her father meant: "When will you be joining the school?"
"They begin classes next month. They will have an orientation week, and I am to attend that as well." Maud replied, her tone as mild and controlled as ever.
Pinkamina knew, though no sign could be seen on her voice nor in her tone, that Maud was as delighted as ever to join a school she'd worked so hard to be a part of.
"Then you shall begin your transition to this new venture. Your mother will help you gather your needed materials within the town." Their father replied. He picked up his utensil again and just like that, breakfast was silent once again.
After the table was cleared, the mares set out to complete their work for the day. Pinkamina was excited for Maud, though as she marched out the door of their home, and towards the south field, a realization hit her.
If Maud was leaving for school, Pinkamina wouldn't see her for a long, long time.
Pinkamina's pace slowed as she walked, reality setting in. She didn't hate, or even resent her life. Her family simply were, how they were. And she loved them for who they were, dullness and all.
But life weighed on her often, and Maud was one of the only lights consistently comforting in her dark moments. Pinkamina felt herself becoming overwhelmed by this sudden realization. She looked around her wildly. Her sisters weren't anywhere in sight, nor either of her parents.
They'd all gone off to complete their work for the day, and she knew that was also expected of her. She briefly considered running around the massive field to search for one of them- just to comfort her for the moment. But that idea was soon dashed as she knew none of them would console her the way she needed, and more than that, she would be told to get back to her work.
Solemnly, Pinkamina walked towards the mountain range that bordered her family's farm, and separated them from the nearest town. She walked, head hung low, until she felt her head bump into a solid stone wall.
The tiny, pale pink foal sunk to the dusty ground beneath her, totally defeated. She curled her legs up and silently wept. She didn't much care if one of her family found her in this condition, nor did she care if they berated her for neglecting her work. She didn't care about anything at the moment, except for the deep despair she felt.
After some several minutes of her silent tears, Pinkamina lifted her head and looked around her. She wiped her tears away and sighed. She felt only mildly better, though she knew the loss of Maud, if only for a time, would still weigh on her.
As she looked around at her surroundings she spotted a small, barely noticeable hole in the side of the cliff she was leaning against. Only a few paces away from her, a small crack in the rock gave way to a hole, barely large enough for a small foal to fit inside of.
Pinkamina stared at the opening curiously. And then, she felt a twinge of... something. The feeling made her stand up and snap to her senses. She looked around her again, her family's home barely visible in the distance. She looked back at the hole, and felt that same, sudden twinge of... something she couldn't understand.
But she felt... suddenly curious and aware. She had no idea what the hole in the base of the cliff could lead to... but she WANTED to know. Something, the twinge, made her want to know. This strange curiosity.... this weird foresight- it made her want to crawl down into the earth, and see what lie beyond.
Pinkamina approached the opening, and peered down into the crevice. The only thing visible was darkness, though Pinkamina felt- knew even, that SOMETHING was calling her down there. Something without a voice or sound, just a feeling. But a compelling feeling, that made her suddenly aware of all that was around her, every sight and sound, texture or smell.
And though her eyes only perceived the darkness in the stone beyond, she knew something- just something was worth finding. She stepped closer, and gently placed a single hoof into the void beyond. Nothing happened, though she had expected something to.
But the lack of anything also intrigued her. Her hoof hadn't touched stone, or dirt, or anything else common to the underground. That meant there was more space down there than she could see. That mystery further compelled her. She was sure she could fit down there- if only she would-
"Pinkamina!" A voice snapped behind her.
She didn't jump, but quickly whirled around to see two of her sisters watching her. One with a very annoyed expression, and one with a very confused expression.
"What are you doing!?" Limestone continued. She was harnessed to a sizable wagon of rocks. Marble stood beside her, holding in her mouth her own piled up basket of rocks.
Pinkamina quickly pulled her hooves from the strange crevice, and stood in front of it. Guilt mixed with shame made her more inclined to hide her actions... though there wasn't much to hide in the first place.
"Nothing..." Pinkamina replied. She was sure this cover up was fool-proof.
"Nothing doesn't keep you from doing your work!" Limestone snapped back. The young mare quickly unlatched herself from the wagon and rushed over to where Pinkamina stood.
"Move." She growled, her frustration at the situation only growing with Pinkamina's further denial.
Pinkamina swiftly moved out of her sister's way, not taking a chance at making her even more angry.
Limestone stared for a moment at the base of the cliff. She had expected something to be there, an animal or something else that would've distracted her head-in-the-clouds younger sister.
All that she could see, however, was a hole in the base of the cliff. She brushed a hoof over the area, and felt her anger quell slightly. Only slightly though, as now she was questioning her sister's sanity.
Limestone looked to Pinkamina, whose blue eyes stared up at her with a particular innocence. Limestone stared back, her green eyes bubbling with stress and confusion.
"Nothing's there." She finally commented.
Pinkamina nodded. "Yeah, I told you that." She replied.
Limestone's nostrils flared and she leaned in close to her younger sister. "Are you getting smart with me?" She hissed, her tone threatening to turn angry once more.
Pinkamina recognized this, and backed away, making her way towards Marble.
"N-no I'm not. I'm sorry Limestone." She replied, lowering her head and avoiding eye contact.
Limestone huffed and re-attached herself to the wagon. "Whatever." She snipped. "Since you can't get anything done without being watched, Marble is gonna help you on your side for the rest of the day." Limestone continued.
She looked to both her sisters, and gestured towards the field Pinkamina had entirely ignored. "I still got a lot more work to do- but if I catch you slacking off again..." Limestone trailed off.
In truth, she didn't have any threat to use, as the only "punishments" that her household dealt was doing various chores around the home. Which was often part of their regular work in a day regardless. But, she didn't need to remind her sisters of any future discipline, as both of them feared her anger enough to get their work done.
With that, Limestone departed from the south field, and began her workload once more. Pinkamina watched on as her elder sister walked away, and finally out of sight.
She looked to her younger twin, Marble. Marble nodded her head towards the field and Pinkamina nodded. She walked with the same, depressed pace as she usually did while working in the rock fields. But as the two sisters carried on, Pinkamina couldn't let go of that compelling feeling.
She didn't know what it meant, or why she wanted to know so much. It defied all logic or reason. The feeling was so strong, it compelled and pulled her towards the unknown. And, as she was dragged back into the safe, known reality she lived day-to-day, Pinkamina gave a final, desperate glance back at the crevice.
It was the first time since that previous day that she'd felt a spark of something new and exciting, and she wasn't going to let that feeling go ever again.
The sun was barely peeking its way past distant hills and yet, Applejack lay awake in bed. She'd awoken early, too early. An instinct left over from living and working on her family's Apple farm. The noise of the big city was still difficult for her to get used to, making it even harder to fall asleep in an already unfamiliar setting.
The early morning was one of the few, slightly quieter moments of the day- though not by much. The covers were still warm, and Applejack was tempted to simply try and fall back asleep. But, she didn't want to. So, she arose and pushed the covers off, facing the chilling cool-ness of the air around her.
She brushed her mane and tied her golden locks into two small ponytails. She stepped quietly out of her room and stopped just outside her Aunt and Uncle's bedroom. Their door was shut, and notably she could still hear the gentle sound of snores and rustling bedding.
Applejack made her way to the small kitchen, tucked away in a corner of the home. The dining area was far larger than the kitchen, and separate from it... unlike the conjoined one in her family's home. There were many small details like this that Applejack didn't understand about fancy livin'.
The filly looked around the cabinets and pantry, trying to decide what she could make for breakfast. She knew her Aunt and Uncle wouldn't be asleep for long, and she desperately wanted to lend a hoof in hospitality. If she was going to stay there, she might as well make herself useful.
She gathered eggs, flour, sugar and milk and began mixing together a simple pancake mix. Normally she'd be inclined to mix in applesauce, or serve them with apple slices. But, there were none here, and she wasn't sure how well oranges would go with pancakes.
Half an hour later, Aunt and Uncle Orange had risen and were getting ready for their day. Uncle Orange stopped brushing his mane into place and made a curious expression. He looked to his wife who was comparing different extravagant necklaces in front of a mirror.
"Do you smell that?" He asked, setting down the brush and walking towards their bedroom door.
"Hm?" Aunt Orange hummed, not noticing as her husband walked away.
Uncle Orange opened the door and the sweet, homely smell wafted into the room. Pancakes... he hadn't had such a simple food in a long time. He peered down the hall and heard the gentle clanging of someone working in the kitchen. He leaned back in the bedroom and looked towards his wife.
"I believe someone is treating us to breakfast." He called back, a cheeky grin spread across his face.
Aunt Orange finally tuned into what her husband was talking about, and she set down her necklaces on the dresser.
"What?" She asked, turning and looking puzzled. She stepped towards the bedroom door and also peered down the hall.
The sweet, alluring scent of pancakes enveloped Aunt Orange, and she felt a swell of emotions. The recipe she was sure her niece was using... she hadn't had it in so long, but the memories of family and days gone by flooded into her mind.
Compelled by memories, Aunt Orange rushed out of her room and down the hall. She stood staring for a moment, watching as her niece rushed around the kitchen. Applejack flipped the pancakes with professional ease, and quickly plated them in a pleasingly golden-brown stack. She had only been cooking for a short time, but the single plate she was using to store them was stacked considerably high.
Aunt Orange shook herself out of her shocked state, and quickly rushed over to her niece.
"Applejack dear- what is all this?" She asked, still bewildered by her niece's quick cooking skills.
Applejack twitched at her Aunt's sudden appearance, but quickly maintained her previous composure. She didn't even look over at her Aunt as she continued cooking.
"Sorry Auntie Orange- I'll clean all this up!" She replied, pouring the last of the batter onto a skillet.
"I jus' thought it'd be nice if I... well since y'all... you and Uncle have been so welcoming to me- I thought I should make some breakfast... as a thank you, I guess." The filly trailed off as she flipped and plated the last pancakes. She gave a weary glance to her Aunt.
Aunt Orange blinked and gave a small smile. "Well, that was very kind of you, dear." She replied. "I'm sure they'd go well with some fresh orange juice- or slices. Here, let me help you take them to the table."
Aunt Orange carried the plate with a practiced grace, the considerable stack didn't sway or wobble once as she set it down on the neat white table cloth. Applejack couldn't wait to dig in- all that work had made her hungry. Though she knew her Aunt and Uncle had a certain etiquette when eating their meals, even if there weren't any other guests around.
Uncle Orange appeared in the dining room not long after, and together the three had a nice, albeit quiet meal. Applejack thought of striking up a conversation many times. But in between her actively trying to remember her manners, and actually eating the food, she couldn't find a good time to break the ice.
Sometime after breakfast, Applejack sat alone in the living room of her Aunt and Uncle's home. Her Uncle had gone out to the market, and she was sure he'd be gone for quite some time. Everything seemed to take longer here, in the big city- and yet move at a rapid pace. She wondered how her family ever got used to it... she wasn't sure she ever would.
She sat staring at the various strange decor pieces and professionally done photographs of her Aunt and Uncle scattered about the walls. Well, scattered wasn't entirely the best word- everything was truly organized and thoroughly thought out.
Every decoration precisely placed, down to the color coordination of the entire room. The rest of their home was much in the same way, though to Applejack, was far more noticeable in the living room. She rubbed her leg nervously as she gazed around the room. She'd already helped out with chores and cleaned the dishes she'd used. Now... well she wasn't sure what to do, except take in the pretty- but odd scenery.
She heard a sudden clatter in the next room, and she quickly turned her attention to the noise. Glad to finally have something other than her surroundings to focus on. She promptly got up and headed towards the origin of the sound. The room just past the living room was a small washing room, of which the door was usually kept shut.
As Applejack rounded the corner she saw her Aunt hauling a basketful of fresh, shiny oranges in from a screen door. Applejack stole a glance behind her Aunt, and, for somehow the first time since being there- saw the green and luscious backyard just beyond the screen door.
She was curious about the yard beyond, but quickly drew her attention back to her Aunt. Aunt Orange was struggling with the basket strapped to her back as she moved past the washing bins. Her Aunts usually perfect mane was bundled into a tight braid that was propped up high. Her neck was twisted to look back at where the basket had been caught. She grunted as she scrapped it along the wall, trying to pry it free.
With the jerky motion, the oranges piled into the basket began to shake and roll. Applejack jumped forward as a single, stray orange fell out of the basket.
She quickly swiped the fruit before it fell onto the floor. She held it gently in her hoofs and looked up at her Aunt. Apparently her Aunt hadn't noticed her until that moment.
"Oh, thank you." She huffed, twisting her legs as she clambered out of the room and into the small hallway. Aunt Orange wiped a hoof across her forehead and sighed.
"It's such a pain to get this darned basket through here!" She huffed. She glanced back at the wall, thankful that the paint hadn't been scrapped off in the struggle. Though she was sure it was only a matter of time before that might happen.
"Why don't ya use a smaller basket?" Applejack asked, placing the runaway orange back in with the rest.
Aunt Orange began making her way towards the kitchen, replying as she walked. "I would love to, but unfortunately-" She gently tilted her hips and slid the basket onto the countertop.
"It is the only basket that will fit a full harvest of oranges from the trees." She stated. Aunt Orange began inspecting the oranges, ensuring nothing was rotten or damaged.
"Well, if ya need help bringin' them in... I can help with that." Applejack stepped forward. She wasn't sure how different harvesting oranges would be, comapared to apples. But, she was more than sure she was capable of it. She might even enjoy it. It'd be one more step to this place feeling like home.
Aunt Orange stopped her inspection and looked to her niece. She could see the hope in her shimmering green eyes, and Aunt Orange knew that even at this young age, Applejack was well versed in harvesting and preserving fruit.
In many ways, and in ways she wouldn't ever admit, the home that Aunt Orange forged for herself was incredibly similar to the life she'd left behind in Ponyville.
Aunt Orange sighed, and carefully considered her words as she spoke.
"Alright Applejack, I suppose that would be fine. The next time I need to harvest some oranges, I will enlist your help." Aunt Orange felt a small swell of pride as she saw her niece's eyes light up at her response. She supposed that if Applejack was to truly stay here long-term, that she ought to learn the tricks of the trade. She had much to learn about business in the big city.
Applejack leaned up and looked at the oranges, and the many supplies her Aunt had out to begin work.
"So... what do ya make with oranges, anyhow?" She asked. Applejack was sure that her Aunt had a similar gig that her own Apple family did back home- selling fruity goods to the local stores. She was sure of the WHY but not the HOW. She had never heard of an orange pie- or orange cider, or anything of the like.
In her mind, oranges were a more limiting fruit. But, it was her Aunt AND Uncle's talent... and they were related to her, so there must be SOME use these fruits had.
Aunt Orange replied, and began flipping through the pages of a recipe book she'd made herself.
"You're Uncle and I sell many treats and specialty foods at our store, most of which you can ONLY find in our store- that's the key to drawing ponies in." She replied, feeling herself become enthused with explaining her business practice.
"Treats?" Applejack questioned. "Like, candy?"
"Sometimes yes," Aunt Orange replied, flipping through the pages of her recipe book. "Although we make a lot more than that."
"We make cakes and preserves. If it's a very hot summer we sell popsicles and ice-cream. Ponies around here especially enjoy our marmalades and of course, candied peels."
Aunt Orange carried on for some time, telling her niece not only of recipes, but also new food ideas she'd been having, and thought of selling in their store. Applejack listened with great interest, gradually becoming interested in trying these foods, and wanting to learn to make them herself.
The day drifted by and Applejack had helped- though mostly watched- as her Aunt worked at making new treats to bring into the store. After many hours of hard and dedicated work, Aunt Orange packed up the supplies and left to drop off the goods. Though she had left Applejack with one of the chocolate-orange muffins she'd just baked.
Applejack had been put off by the flavor concept, but found it to be one of the best muffins she'd ever had. Still not as great as her Granny's apple-cinnamon muffins- but still good. Her Uncle had come home from the market not long after, and he began preparing dinner. Thankfully, no-one was expected to show up for the evening, so the meal would be considerably better than a pathetically small appetizer.
With her Aunt and Uncle preoccupied, Applejack found herself sitting alone in the living room once more. This time she took in more of the details of her surroundings. She noticed a large binder stuffed at the bottom of a nearby dresser.
The side exposed looked much like the many family albums back home, though considerably faded. Applejack quickly pulled the binder out of its spot, and laid on her stomach on the floor as she looked it over.
It was a family album, as she'd expected. Though the album was unlabeled, she was sure it held many great memories from her Aunt's life- probably some from her Uncle's side as well.
Applejack hadn't asked about her Aunts previous life when she'd arrived. She hadn't thought it right to ask, though she was immensely curious about it.
Applejack slowly opened the book, gently flipping the cover open, as if the book would crumble into dust if she was too rough with it.
Her eyes drew in the captured moments before her. Her Aunt and Mother as small foals, playing, hiding under covers, running through green fields and flower beds. Moments from their early life held still in a single frame. Applejack felt her eyes well up as she flipped through the pages, and took in the scenes before her. But one image made her pause, and the tears as well stood still, refusing to fall from her eyes.
She took a closer look, and was confused. She flipped back through the previous pages and took in more details she hadn't noticed before. She had only been focused on seeing her mother, and she had seen her- and her aunt at early stages of their life. But, a now glaring detail she'd at first missed was the scenery around the two fillies- and she had only noticed it when looking at the cutiemark of a stallion she didn't recognize.
Her Mother and Aunt were in an orchard, but NOT of Apples. Not a single apple tree- nor orange tree- were around either mare in any picture. And, prominently, any extra family member had a PEAR cutiemark. Applejack rapidly flipped through the previous pages- and the realization hit her like a fully-loaded apple cart.
It shouldn't be possible- heck she didn't even entirely believe it- but, it HAD to be true. Her Mother had been a pear?! The sudden realization ripped Applejack out of her melancholy.
How come she'd never been told this? How come Granny always showed such hatred for pears- knowing her Mother was one! Her parents could have told her- they'd had so much time to. But now they never could... she wondered if Big Mac knew. Would Granny even say anything? She'd been so distant since Ma and Pa were... gone.
Applejack rubbed her head and folded the book shut. She placed one hoof over the cover and sighed. The realization was a shocker to her, though it hadn't changed how she'd felt about her Mother.... though she certainly had questions.
Her Aunt wasn't a pear either though, Applejack noted. She was an Orange, and she had such a passion for the fruit. Yet how could she have gotten a different cutiemark? Did her family disapprove? So many questions filled Applejack's mind, and many of which she wasn't sure it was her place to ask.
Applejack turned her head to the doorway as she heard hoovesteps approaching. Her Uncle walked into the living room and smiled at her.
"Dinner is in the oven, it should be ready in about an hour." He announced, clearly proud of the meal he'd spent the last few hours making.
He noticed the binder Applejack held under her hooves and his body suddenly stiffened. "Oh..." he said, unsure of what he should say.
He slowly walked over to where Applejack sat and looked down at the dusty album. "You're um... thinking of your parents, right?" He asked, his tone hesitant.
Applejack nodded, and glanced at the binder beneath her. She slid it towards her Uncle and stood up from the floor.
"Yeah..." she replied. "I just... I didn't know my Momma... I didn't know she was a pear- or Auntie Orange." Applejack concluded, still feeling confused and a little betrayed.
"OH." Uncle Orange said, now feeling even more put on the spot. His wife's past wasn't something she liked to speak on- and he knew she only kept those pictures for the sake of her sister.
"Well... your Aunt doesn't really like to talk about... that. It wasn't a good life for her. Well, not towards the end anyway..." He trailed off. This entire scenario was incredibly uncomfortable for him. He could only imagine how Applejack must feel. Clearly the Apples hadn't talked about the past either.
From what he'd heard from his wife, he didn't hold it against them. That entire time the pear farm neighbored the apples... It wasn't fun for anyone involved.
"I'm sure your parents had good reason to not tell you." He still wasn't sure what to say- or if he even should. He had never met his wifes sister- or her family until Applejack had come knocking at their door. Though he had consoled his wife when her sister was gone. That was what sent Applejack here, after all.
"Their time at the Pear farm," Uncle Orange continued, "Your mother and your aunt- it was not an easy time for them. Circumstances... certain circumstances made their lives very difficult. For one reason or another." He wasn't sure this was going anywhere, or if it was bringing any solace to his niece.
Applejack stared at the carpet as her Uncle spoke. She was still confused... but if it was something painful for her Mother and Aunt to remember... maybe it was best she didn't know about it. Or ask.
Uncle Orange rubbed his foreleg nervously and looked at the album again. It was probably only a matter of time before Applejack would've learned about her messy family history. And maybe it was a good thing his wife wasn't here to deal with it on her own. Though he wasn't faring much better in comforting his niece.
As he stared at the cover though, an idea struck him. He promptly picked up the binder and began making his way towards the bedroom hallway.
"Hold on- I have an idea. Just wait here." He called back.
Applejack looked up as he left and watched him rush out of the living room. She was even more confused by this action, but she promptly took a seat on the couch again.
Ten minutes later, her Uncle re-emerged from the bedroom hall, carrying a shiny golden chain in one of his hooves. Applejack sat upright, and stared with intense curiosity as her Uncle walked over and presented the chain to her.
The chain was attached to a small love-heart shaped locket. Applejack gently took the necklace and held it in her hooves, inspecting it closely.
"I know you don't have much here left from your Mother or Father." Uncle Orange began. "But we did get a photo in the mail, not long after they got married. Your Aunt made several copies- she was so happy for them."
Applejack noticed a small groove in one of the sides of the locked, and gently popped it open. Inside, on either side contained a picture of her mother and father. They looked as happy and in love as they ever had. Her Father's mane shined a brilliant red... so close to the mane of her baby sister back home. And her mother was covered in the pretty yellow flowers that always seemed to be around her.
"It's not much, and anyway that locket needed to be used." Uncle Orange commented. "But, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a little piece of your home to keep here with you."
Applejack's eyes welled with tears as she stared at the images, and she promptly slid the chain around her neck. It was cold, but a stark reminder of something near and dear to her.
"Thank you." She replied, looking up at her Uncle. He smiled back, his smile hiding the worry that his wife might be upset at him cutting one of the pictures she'd been storing. He'd explain it to her, and he was sure she'd understand. Although he knew Applejack would likely have many questions when Aunt Orange returned home.
With that, her Uncle made his way back into the kitchen and began setting the dining table for dinner. Applejack gently shut the locket closed, and looked down at it as she held it in her hooves. Now her parents would be there for her, no matter where she was, or what she was going through.
Leaving home was hard... but maybe this new place- with all of its flashing lights and loud noises could be a new home, just as loving and caring as her previous one.
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