The purest love · 7:01pm Aug 19th, 2014
Yesterday, I spent some time at my local mall -- the first visit in a while where I've just had a chance to wander down the hallways and look over the new arrivals. One of the fresher Grand Opening signs belonged to Build-A-Bear -- which, in the States, is the franchise which will sell, stuff, accessorize, and help you adopt your chosen pony on the spot. It was my first real chance to look at the product, so I shrugged once and wandered in.
My attention was immediately caught by Trixie, who was staring at me from the central MLP display. Someone had dressed her in a caster's cape and hat, with shoes on the forehooves (but not the hind). The charge was $25.00 US -- for Trixie. And only Trixie, because where BAB gets you is in the accessories. It's $25 for Applejack, plus local sales tax. But if you want the hat... well, just head over to the accessory rack. And while you're there? Shoes. Possibly a lasso. Ask after the Gala outfit. In Trixie's case, call it ten dollars for the shoes (and that's by the pair, not the quartet), maybe thirteen for the cape, and the hat... yes, this adds up pretty fast.
I looked at her face. It was very well-crafted. If viewed closely from a carefully-chosen angle, her expression came across as being slightly arrogant.
A sales clerk approached. No, I'm just looking. Scouting trip only, thanks. Seriously, no four-packs on the shoes? Maybe it's a Barneigh's thing, just in case wearing two different pairs on four hooves ever comes into fashion...
And then I saw a flash of purple at the back. Along with one of light blue.
Build-A-Bear stuffs their creations on the premises, using a machine which slowly rotates fan blades through foam and places the results into your chosen piece. There were two little girls standing next to that machine, which had just finished its work. One was holding Twilight, in her alicorn edition. The other had Trixie. The older was perhaps five, the younger about three. And with the hand not clutching at their pony, they were each holding a tiny red plastic heart.
The attendant at the machine asked them to hold up the hearts and make a wish. A special, secret wish which only they could make. And then you add heart to pony, and...
...in reality, you add heart to pony, and there's a little bit of plastic floating around inside the foam, both contained by a fabric shell. And that's all.
But what does reality have to do with any of this?
Those little girls didn't know about fan sites. Art. Fiction. They wouldn't have cared in the least about shipping, and shouldn't. This is what they cared about: that one had Twilight, and the other had Trixie, and they were each about to make a wish. A special wish, one only they could make.
So they wished, and did so where most of us wouldn't have been able to, at least not with a straight face. They wished with sincerity and devotion, with every bit of belief present in non-plastic hearts reflected in wonder-filled shining eyes. For these were their friends, their friends from a land not so far away, the ones they saw every week without fail, and they were about to be real, born into a new world...
After the post-wish ceremony was complete, they each formally received their ponies again (while the mother got a receipt). They refused bags, of course, because you don't bag a friend and surely their new companions would want to see the rest of the mall. The quintet began to leave.
They knew nothing of any of us. Of the darker corners so many send those creations into, and part of me would be happy if they never found out at any age. The light irony of putting those two together didn't matter because there would be an eternal friendship there: after all, they wanted that to happen, and so it would. They've likely never heard of pegasisters, would be freaked out by the sights at a convention, but could hold a lively chattering conversation about the latest toys and might be thrilled for a chance to hear any S5 rumors -- if their parent didn't panic at the approach of an adult. And even with the most welcoming of gatherings, it would have been wrong to cross the circle and risk a chance of breaking their spell.
The little girls hugged their new friends all the way out, because those friends were newborn through the magic of a wish and so clearly needed hugs immediately just to let them know what the new world was going to be like. And I thought about how good it felt to know the show also happened to work for the original intended audience.
I got a final glimpse of Trixie's face as they all went off together.
She didn't look arrogant at all.
And now I feel all warm and fluffy inside. Godbless!
Two wishes that made a difference.
Expected cynicism.
Pleasantly surprised.
That was adorable and makes me want to go buy things from build-a-bear. And now I wonder if you're actually working for them...
2383146 But do you have a little plastic heart?
Today is a good day, really. I don't know why. It just is.
That was heartwarming. That's all there is to say.
Aw, that story put a smile on my face
Good heavens, Estee - even some of your blog posts make me cry
This is lovely, and mirrors some of my own thoughts, including why I so rarely indulge in Dark stories (and certainly not Gore). Shipping and clop, yes, since I'm a kinky wench, but I certainly don't discuss those things with my sweetie's 8-year-old niece, whose favorite Mane 6 pony, like mine, is Pinkie Pie.
We give each other pony-related gifts, and it warms my heart.
It's also part of why I adore Fluffle Puff's stories: they're sometimes a bit suggestive (and only a bit) but they always stay light and, well... fluffy.
Here's to happy ponies and everyone who loves them, and perhaps most especially the "true" target audience of the show.
Light and laughter,
SongCoyote
Manly tears happened
Now I'm going to go back to my scat-fetish lesbian hoers pron. And feel guilty about it. You asshole.
A beautiful little story.
Ah, for the innocence where one can sincerely wish on the heart of a new friend and not find it it laughable or mildly creepy...
A common refrain, one I hold dear to my heart, is "Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional." But sometimes you can't help it. Few ten-year-olds could do what those girls did without feeling self-conscious. Virtually no twenty-year-olds could.
And here we are, doing vastly less innocent things with those characters...
Yes, perhaps it's better that they never learn of us.
Damn it man, it's too early in the afternoon to shed manly tears.
That is clearly a post dinner emotion leak only.
Sniff. . .damn it.
Damnit Estee, here I'm trying to b alle cynical-like, and you just won't let me :<
Today my experience mixed with paranoia has destroyed that innocence in me, and yet, I see the innocence in others and desire that innocence in them live on forever. I know it won't, but something so precious and magical should be appreciated and preserved for as long as possible.
I love my friends. My real ones. And I'm glad we have these stories and shows to help us see how important it is to realize that.
Why can't I like a blog post?
Magic does happen in little hearts... all the time.
That was genuinely touching.
And then I couldn't stop smiling.
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There's nothing wrong with loss of innocence. As was once said, no one is innocent after governing, but not everyone is guilty.
Understanding the world and how it works is a good thing.
Now you've gone and made me want to write a fic where Twilight and Trixie are living in the library, and one day Trixie hides herself while crying. Turns out she cut herself, and stuffing came out, making her realize she is just a stuffed doll. Accuses Twilight. Tears are shed. (see how authentic the magic spell on her is) Twilight takes her upstairs to the kitchen, gets out a knife...and cuts into her own chest to show the stuffing there.
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And then one little girl says to the other, "Wow, we've gotten morbid in our old age."
2383768 Hey, just because I'm over 50.... by a few years... and one more tomorrow...
There you go again, making me feel things. Gosh darnit, Estee.
And if you were to ask me
After all that we've been through
Still believe in magic
Oh yes I do.
~Coldplay, "Magic"
...Damn.
2383161 Well said...
That was very sweet! You made me want to go to BAB and buy an Alicorn Princess for a child just to see her reaction.
(okay, and yeah, maybe I'd kinda pick up a Twilight and Trixie for myself when she's gone)
So, this is the plot to a happy story, right?
Because it feels like it.
It's wonderful when something like that happens, isn't it?
And the show totally works for the primary audience. I know several families with little girls (and the occasional little boy) who love the ponies, a lot.
Last weekend, me and my mother went to a flea market/tour of one of the city theatres. We were just walking down a narrow spiral staircase when we passed a family with children coming the other way. As we continued down I suddenly realized the little girl had seen the Rainbow Dash token on my bag, and was now talking loudly and excitedly about how amazing Dash is. This seemed to be a lot more fun than the tour of the theatre, and she seemed like she was ready to continue for a long time
Sweet story. Thanks for sharing!
Our society is really messed up, in so many ways and not just because of the bad things some people do.
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If you did that in person people would be highly suspicious of you and you'd get funny looks. Do the same thing through GoFundMe or some online site somehow and suddenly, in all probability, you're a wonderful person.