//------------------------------// // Optional Chapter 3-1: Skywishes' chapter // Story: Minty Image // by mintgreenconspiracy //------------------------------// Starlight Glimmer lay flat on her belly in her own re-education room, no less, her front hooves covering her eyes like a cowering dog as she took some time to take stock of her life. How had she been reduced to this? How had she ended up here, locked in the very room she had created to guide ponies back to the light? Why was she now being subjected to a warped version of the very message she had devised to guide ponies away from the cursed marks that had oppressed them, and towards reason? A voice other than her own bellowed over the magical loudwhinnyer that she had strategically placed in a not so discreet corner of the room to assist ponies that were 'slow' in accepting equality towards the light. However, instead of her sultry voice espousing the virtues of equality, an insidious female voice purred and hissed, her voice echoing the voices of the beasts that had come in and taken her paradise away from her. Though, at some level she suspected that it had probably never really existed in the first place... "The hive mind is peace! Individuality is a lie!" The voice purred, further corrupting the message that she had originally placed on the loudwhinnyer, way back during the first long cold nights of the colony, when all she could do was sit around and ponder Sunburst's betrayal. She sighed, why had her tormentors locked her in here again? She asked herself, smacking her front hoof hard against the floor. It just wasn't fair! She hadn't even done anything wrong! Did they lock her in her 'education cambers' because she had the audacity to point out the hive's inherent inequality... again? Or, was it because she had, somehow, insulted that fat, pompous, arrogant 'prince' that her keepers idolized so much? Her fur bristled at the mere thought of that word! After all, there was nothing in existence that she hated more than a pony who lorded their 'superiority' over their fellow ponies simply because of some meaningless title. A title, mind you, that she deserved, by far, over some arrogant tightwad who was simply born with a golden bit in his muzzle! Of course there was a chance that her current imprisonment might be due to some careless words that she had happened to have said criticizing the 'governor' that the hive had sent two years ago to 'manage' her settlement? But, even then, why the hay did she even care? This was unfair, and unjust, and everypony knew it! She shrieked to herself, on the verge of tears. This was so very wrong! This was utterly, totally wrong! This was the kind of unfair inequality that she had set out to stomp out in the first place! And yet, here she was, suffering under the boorish bit of an engorged autocracy! Oh, but not to worry, she would get even, and then it would be the hive who would be locked away in tiny cages, and forced to work, like she was... well... at least until they understood... fairness... The whinnyer boomed again, once again polluting her ears and mind with the pompous words of that arrogant bureaucrat. "Free yourself from your disloyal thoughts! Choose conformity as your special talent!" Words couldn't describe how much she hated it! And only Megan knows how many days she had already been suffering through it! And she just didn't know how many more she could take, she thought to herself as she slammed her hoof against the door, demanding to see her captors. A smile crept up her face. This would get their attention she thought, as she slammed her hooves, once again, against the door, this time with a lot more gusto. She was certain that somepony would certainly hear her and release her from this prison of inequality. However, it was not to be, and after a few minutes of ever increasing intensity, it became increasingly obvious that her jailors either weren't listening, or simply didn't care. She sighed,bravely fighting back the deluge of tears. They didn't care!!! They simply didn't care about her!! Not even her followers seemed to care!!! They didn't care about equality!!! THEY DIDN'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING!!! HOW COULD SHE LIVE IN SUCH A SOCIETY WHERE NOPONY CARED ABOUT ANYTHING!!! She sighed, covering her eyes, with her hooves as she, once again, performed a belly flop against the earth, and proceeded to flail around violently. It was hopeless! There was no way to win! She'd have to give up, she'd have to give in! Otherwise she'd die in here! After all, there was no way in tartarus she could take much more of this! Not by herself... Maybe the hive wasn't so bad? She shook her head violently. And give up equality? Whom was she kidding? She couldn't give up the dream! She had devoted everything she ever had to the dream of equality! She'd devoted her life to her vision of making ponies the same -- well except for her, of course. And she couldn't just give it up, simply because of some nonsense being shouted from microphone, no matter how loud! Not on her life! It would be a betrayal of everything she was, and everything she stood for! "Be your best by never being you!" The voice shouted, asking... nay demanding demanding her complete obedience! But she steeled her nerves, and doubled her resolve! She wasn't going to comply! And this was just all the more proof of her divine mandate! She had been out she had almost given up, but didn't and she remained resolute that she wouldn't! She slammed her head against the door, the one action that brought her any peace in this magically sealed prison. She wished, as much as anything, that they'd take off the inhibitor that they placed around her horn to ensure she didn't 'try anything' while she was in 're-education'. She scoffed at the voices! She'd created this system to bring equality, not to bend and melt the minds of ponies into mindless drones subservient to the greedy will of the changeling bushwahzee! There was only one word that she could find to adequately describe the situation! Unacceptable!!! But, in the end, it was all academic, as all she could do was stare down, and ask herself more questions. Like how'd she get here anyway? All she wanted was equality! An end to the fighting, squabbling, competing, and hatred brought about by the ponies' cutie marks! And an end to the betrayal, and drifting apart, of once loyal friends simply due to a symbols on their flanks. Instead, she was sitting in a cell, awaiting either the end of her dream, or pity from her corrupt overlords. She frowned, scratching against the floor with her hoof, maybe it was still here, her reminder to herself of her mission. In the beginning she had gone searching for equality, and instead had found darkness.... ********** Starlight Glimmer angrily galloped into her professor's office, her hooves stamping violently, dragging a firmly crumpled letter along in her magical field. The old professor looked up from the scroll he was so diligently reading, a concerned expression crossing his face. "Is everything ok starlight?" He asked, unsuccessfully hiding his concern behind a facade of formality. "You look agitated." He said calmly, pretending he wasn't already fully aware of what was going on. The light purple unicorn returned a sour expression, as she hastily uncrumpled the letter, ripping it in half in the process. "Well let me show you then, old stallion!" She snapped, furiously shoving the letter into his face. "Ahh yes, " the stallion replied, calmly. "Well, you see -- " He said, choking out only a few words from the mare's death glare, before she launched into a rage. "Will you tell me why my research proposal has been turned down?" She demanded, her face now joining the letter directly in the professor's face. "Do you want to tell me why you suddenly have a problem with fairness and equality, old stallion? Or are you just yet another greedy old stallion who's more interested in his personal gain then to advance society?" She exclaimed, crossing her hooves. "Oh I see what it is!" She exclaimed, her voice warbling slightly. "You just see us as tools! Tools to sacrifice once they're no longer needed for your advancement!" She exclaimed, the tears starting to flow, as a look of betrayal began to cross her face. "I thought you were going to support me in this!" She cried, turning her head. "I thought you were different!" She exclaimed, her hoof shaking vigorously as it hung in the air, as the stallion remained seated in his chair, his body frozen in place. "But, apparently, you were no different than the others!" She barked, furiously, her mood snapping back like a rubber band. The stallion shook his head, a sad expression beginning to break through his facade. "I'm sorry, to tell you this Starlight Glimmer, but -- " he said, stopping, for a moment to take a very pained breath. "Silence old stallion!" Starlight hissed back, having finally had enough of the old stallion's nonsense, and immediately proceeded to start shouting at the old fool at the top of her lungs. For several, long, minutes she preached at the old sellout, her voice filled to the brim with self righteousness. "How is it that Sunset Shimmer only needs to perform a few magical growth spells, and is immediately whisked off to study magic at the princess' lap. While I, despite the wondrous gift of equality that I'm bringing to the masses -- " she demanded, looking up, her hoof held tightly against her chest. "The gift of true friendship!" She announced, her eyes returning to the teacher. "Get turned down, and my research denied!" She hissed, the tears starting to flow again. The stallion frowned, looking down, a sigh, once again, escaping his lips. "Starlight..." He said, calmly, looking her straight in the eyes. "I understand what you must be going though, and I'm sure your pain is immense -- " He said, taking a moment to pause, and regain his composure. "-- But you have to realize!" He feverously exclaimed to his favorite student. "That your plan is insane!" He shouted, the facade, once again, breaking. "I understand your zeal, I was young once, but -- " Starlight stamped her hoof again, going into a blind rage. "No!" She shouted, the whirlpool of pain and anguish in her heart finally evacuating itself. "You're the one who's spouting nonsense!" She snorted, now making laps around the tiny room. "And I'm about to bring a new future of friendship!" She paused for a moment. "And I, not the princess, shall be the one to restore the true magic of friendship!" She shouted wistfully, looking up to the heavens, waiting for the bright light, and the heavenly chorus, as she puffed out her chest confidently, feeling more certain of her mission now than she ever had before. "And if I succeed, then we can finally rid ourselves of that which separates ponies most!" She announced, already planning her speech for when she accepted the title of 'savior of Equestria'. "And we can finally end the foolish reign of those who grow fat and lazy at the expense of other ponies. Ponies who go to bed hungry every night, barely able to feed themselves!" She said, a smile returning to her face. "Won't that be great?" She asked eagerly, turning back to her old magic instructor. The teacher responded with a frown, his brow furling, and his face growing stern, as he prepared to further rebuke his favorite student, and a mare who had practically been a daughter to him. "But what you're proposing isn't the solution to these problems!" He replied sternly, his face remaining stern despite his heart bleeding inside. "Starlight, " he continued, his voice regaining its tender softness. " Have you ever asked yourself what it would feel like to be stripped of your special talent?" He asked, pointing at his student's symbol with his hoof. "Or everything that makes you special and unique?" He asked, giving his student time to respond. Starlight stamped her hoof, having heard enough. "No! You're the fool, old stallion!" She announced, doing a quick one hundred and eighty on her back hooves, turning to leave, and proceeded to practically pull the door off it's hinges with her magic as she threw it open, with a deafening thud. "But you are living in the past!" She self righteously shouted, her face turning a beet red. "Blinded by the very greed I had thought you were above!" She cried. "But it turns out you, unlike me who does nothing but give to others, is just another greedy stallion! A stallion, mind you, who is driven mad by his own thirst for power!" She announced to the world, as she trotted through the door, her magic grasping it to slam it shut behind her. "However, I shall lead the ponies to freedom! And will rule over them, not as their 'Princess', but as a wise parent who will prevent them from ever, so much as, stubbing their hooves! And my rule shall be an eternal rule of fairness and equality!" "Starlight, please!" The stallion shouted, hurriedly galloped up, as he reached out to put a hoof on her wither. "Listen to me!" "No!" She shouted loudly enough for the whole hallway to hear, as her magic batted away the old stallion's hoof, and pushed him onto his flank with a repulsive crack, that sounded a lot like the fragile old stallion's hip breaking. "And I shall return to a triumph!" She announced, turning back for a few moments. "Once I have brought inequality to it's knees, and have started a new golden age of friendship! An age of equality!" It was official, a greedy stallion like him would not be permitted to enter her coming paradise... So help her Faust! ********** For Starlight Glimmer, the next decade passed by, seemingly, in only a few moments. Her life almost entirely consumed by her relentless search for the solution to life's ultimate problem: a spell that would finally, once and for all, rid ponykind, itself, of the cursed device that brought unfairness and inequality like no other -- the Cutie Mark! Such was her mission, and she would succeed, no matter how high the cost! Then nopony would ever find themselves in the situation she did when that wretched Sunburst left her all alone in their sad, sad, little town. Her work was too important to wait! And it wouldn't wait! And it wouldn't be delayed! For she wouldn't rest until she'd obtained what she had so long quested for: the end of inequality! The foals thought she was crazy, that her plans were deranged! But she was the only pony who knew the truth! And, the real truth was that she was the only true genius in a world of foals who would bring forth a glorious new future -- a future without hate or heartache! A future without animosity or descension! A true paradise! It may have taken her almost a full decade of continuous work and countless nights spent at Equestria's greatest libraries of magic, surreptitiously, studying forbidden magic wings of the great libraries of Equestria (the foals thought they could keep a mare of vision like her out, but they didn't succeed!) And then there was the numerous, distasteful, experiments that she had been forced to perform -- most of which had been done on the discarded 'lumps of tissue' that had been left over from her other job for the 'hospital' (and, naturally, there were the other magic experiments that she had been forced to perform by those without her vision on those mindless animals.) She perspired fiercely, her body shaking in abject rage. How dare that greedy old man deny her vision and force her to stoop this low! How dare he force her to resort to acting in a way unbecoming her status as the future leader of a new Equestria! However, the shame didn't last long as she shook her head -- such was the cost of equality! For when she had eliminated hate, envy, and greed all would be forgiven, all would praise her, and all would adore her as the true visionary she was! And then, one day, the 'lump of tissue' changed color. There could be only one cause of this: the day she had been waiting so long for had, finally, come -- the day in which she could test her 'staff of equality' on a real live pony! It has finally come! The day had finally come! She simply needed the right test of her 'staff of equality' and, if it worked, ponykind could take their first step towards paradise! But why just stop there? Soon all of Equestria would be filled with love and Equality! But whom would have the honor of being the first to experience equality? And, how was she going to find the right pony? Would she have to lurk around on a rooftop, like a bandit, and wait for somepony to pass by? Or maybe, she could go and search out one of the forgotten members of pony society? She stood there tapping the side of her head with her hoof. She would figure this conundrum out, somehow. Five hours later, she still couldn't come up with a solution... Starlight Glimmer stood there, on a rooftop, waiting around for somepony fat and pompous -- a pony most deserving of being brought down to equality -- to come around, so that she could cast her spell and perform the very first 'cutie unmarking' in Equestrian history! But the question still remained? Whom should be the first to experience the bliss of equality? On whom should she impart the gift of endless harmony? Preferably somepony that was used to exploiting the lesser ponies, and ... 'That would be the one...' She thought to herself, with an evil grin as a mare passed underhoof. Just looking at her made Starlight furious. Her dark brown coat was covered head to hoof in expensive furs, and her orange mane done over in a expensive (and very loud) style that made her look more like a cat then a pony -- probably a hidden acknowledgement to her predatory practices against her fellow ponies. And it didn't stop there! The furs were tied against her barrel using a rather expensive looking belt composed of a chain of multiple golden beads -- solid gold no doubt. And two, rather large, golden bracelets were placed around all four of her hooves. The sight absolutely sickened Starlight Glimmer! This pony went around flaunting her wealth -- and probably position -- while the ponies around her starved. And... She was the perfect candidate for equality. Starlight bet that even this pony would see the light once she was stripped of her cutie mark. She trotted underhoof, her face showing the superiority she obviously felt towards her fellow ponies! But no longer! Once Starlight completed this spell then this mare would be transformed from an agent of the exploitation of her fellow ponies to a beacon of equality. When the time was right, Starlight Glimmer fired off a teleportation spell, appearing in front of the mare -- who looked none too happy. "Excuse me, dearie, -- " she commented, her face scrunching in frustration. "But could you GET OUT OF MY WAY!" She hissed in outrage. "I have an important meeting with the dutchess!" She said, showing off her cutie mark -- a golden ring -- as she attempted to trot around Starlight, her green eyes giving the opinionated pony an incredulous expression. "Well -- " Starlight said, with a proud smile, " -- you will no longer!" She announced, 'powering up the staff of equality with her magic'. "For I shall free you from the inequality that binds you!" She shouted, for all to hear, as 'the staff' started to bathe the whole area in it's glow. The poor foal hadn't realized what was going on, yet, as her mark slowly lifted into 'the staff of equality' for safe storage somewhere else. She stamped violently. "Dang it! You made me miss the duchess!" She snorted as an equal sign appeared on her newly blank flank -- the symbol of her new equality -- and the colors drained from her mane and coat. Starlight gave a smile, without the nonsense fed to her, she was probably already feeling like a new mare, no longer being encumbered by all the thoughts and emotions that her mark of inequality had removed from her head. She walked over, looking her new disciple (forced, of course) in the eyes. "There! I have removed all that makes you special and unique!" She said proudly. "How do you feel that you are now free!" She crowed eagerly, the pride showing forth in her face. How splendid! Her spell had worked, and soon this pony shall stop talking and acting weird, and Starlight will have brought a new era, and -- The mare's mark vanished from her staff... "Say what?" Starlight asked, in utter confusion. "It was here a moment ago... What's going on?" The mare gave a smile, as her coat and mane began to peel off, along with the equals sign on her flank. "I feel fine my ppppprrrrrecious..." She purred, a wicked laugh billowing from her muzzle. "In fact, I think I may have just found something better then the duchess' hide!" She announced, giving Starlight a cocky smirk. What was going on? Starlight asked herself, shaking in fear. This was impossible! She's just brought forth equality! Nothing could make this new mark (or her old one, for that matter) disappear, unless... ********** Elsewhere, perhaps on the very same night... In a relatively large purple play house, which had, regrettably, lost it's large pink bow in a nasty downpour the spring before, in the back of it's owner's parent's backyard, four foals, each with enormous muzzles, squeezed in around a tiny pink table -- a table really only intended to seat three small newborn cuties, not four small fillies. Each resolving to stay until an important matter of business was resolved. The pony who owned the play house, Pinkie Pie, looked around at the other ponies, a frown adorning her face, well after the last pony had slid through the door to the playhouse, a door which ironically was only just barely large enough for an adult mare to squeeze through. Her playhouse felt a fair amount smaller now than when she used to invite her friends Rainbow Dash, Minty, Scootaloo and, of course, Scootaloo's older sister Cherry Blossom to play. Then again, they had all been newborn cuties at the time... Razzaroo had been strangely vehement that this meeting be held now, and that the matter being discussed was urgent. Pinkie wasn't sure what could be so urgent as to require an emergency meeting of the celebration symbol quintet. Could something bad have happened again, like the time where Sparkleworks burned off most of her mane off experimenting with a new glitter delivery source? Four of the five ponies sat around at the table conversed with each other, intently, as the pony that called the meeting's eyes darted about, an uncertain expression adorning her face. As she questioned whether she was as ready for this as she thought she was? After all, wasn't it normally Pinkie who called these meetings, and that happened to be the main reason that they normally held these meetings in her playhouse (though if their little club kept growing they'd probably need to find a better place to hang out.) Razzaroo gave a soft gulp, and softly tapped her hoof on the table, sending a subtle signal to the others to stop talking. But when they still didn't respond, she decided to raise her voice ever so 'slightly'. "Hello, friends!" She shouted to her friends, raising her voice, at the other four members of the celebration symbol quintet -- Pinkie Pie, Sweetberry, Sparkleworks, and Tink-a-Tink-a-Too. The other ponies turned to her, their startled faces containing a mix of surprise and embarrassment (well, at least they were paying close attention now.) Razzaroo took a breath, steadied herself, as she opened her muzzle. "I'm sorry to burden you all, -- " Razzaroo announced, her face hardening slightly, as her voice began to become much more stern and serious. " -- But I have very important thing to talk about! Yes! Yes! Yes!" "What is it Razzaroo?" Pinkie asked, curiously, putting a hoof on her friend's wither. "What did you need?" She added, her eyes peering straight into her friend's eyes,. "Is something the matter?" "Sorry about that!" Razzaroo said, looking away, her face giving a nervous blush. And, after an agonizing few moments pause she, finally, opened her mouth. "So I was thinking guys, -- " she said, twiddling her hooves, anxiously. " -- As you know, Skywishes' birthday is tomorrow, and because she has the same birthday as me I was thinking that, maybe, we could try something new, and organize an extra special party for her extra special day!" She exclaimed, eagerly, as she raised her hooves enthusiastically. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Sweetberry tapped her hoof on her muzzle, taking a moment to think. "But I was thinking that we could, maybe, make it a surprise party..." She exclaimed, frankly. "Sweet!" She shouted, eagerly. Sparkleworks took a moment before she, herself, opened her mouth. "Sweetberry makes sense, Razzaroo." She said, matter of factly. "After all, -- " she said, shrugging her withers. "Where's the pizzazz in a party that you know about?" She said, receiving a frown for a response from Razzaroo, the pony who had originally hoped to have a straightforward non-surprise party. Not that she didn't have reason to be concerned, they'd never even attempted to organize a fullsize party for anybody's special day before, let alone a surprise party... But these were her friends... And Skywishes did deserve an extra special birthday party... But... Finally Pinkie opened her mouth to speak. "Oooh..." She moaned thoughtfully. "That's all well and good, -- " she remarked, turning back to Sparkleworks, her voice still remaining quite calm, despite the overtones of concern. " -- but how do we plan to put on a surprise party for Skywishes when none of us have ever put on, let alone attended, a surprise birthday before?" She asked, her face starting to show concern. Razzaroo nodded vehemently, but remained resolute, her own concerns drowning out in a sense of duty, like a bell going off in her head. "I understand what you are saying, but I'm certain this symbol." She said, standing up, full one hundred and eighty degree rear, pointing at her flank with her hoof. "Stands for my love of parties and gifts," she said, sternly. "And not just that, but I'm certain that this is what I want to be doing with my life! Yes. Yes. Yes." Tink-a-Tink-a-Too gave a gulp, putting a reassuring hoof on her friend's wither. "Well... maybe I can... " She said, hesitantly. "try..." She said, her expression starting to break under the weight of her self doubt. "To..." Pinkie's face began to show a guilty expression, as if sympathetically parroting the nervous and guilty expressions coming from her friends. Maybe she should... Tink-a-Tink-a-Too continued, apprehensively. "I mean... it can't be any more difficult than the cards I send everyone to cheer them up, and tell them that I'm thinking about them..." She said, looking down, anxiously. "Right?" She said, her face growing sad. The ponies stood there with horrified expressions as Tink-a-Tink-a-Too started to turn around slowly, a look on her face face like she was taking the final walk towards the noose. Razzaroo gave a soft gulp, and piped up -- unwilling to let her friends suffer. "WAIT!!!" She shouted, causing all eyes to turn to her. "I can do this... " She said, her face resembling Tink-a-Tink-a-Too's. "Right?" She announced, her voice sounding uncertain. "Yes. Yes. Yes." She exclaimed, with false enthusiasm as she looked down, an unsure expression on her face. Now it was Razzaroo's turn to turn around to leave the play house. She steeled her mind, meditating on a few words. 'I can do this!' She thought, a false smile creeping onto her face. "Yes... Yes... Yes..." She said to herself, with a gulp. "I'm... a wiz... at... this..." She exclaimed, half heartedly, as she started to slowly shuffle her hooves out the door. 'Yes... Yes... Yes...' She only made it about halfway to the door before Pinkie joined in the fray, shouting over the room (something she almost never did, preferring instead to listen to the goings on around her, and then inject her wisdom at the last moment.) "I'll do it." Pinkie said resolutely, her voice holding steady. The other four ponies in the room (yes even Razzaroo, whom had just frozen in her tracks) looked back at her, with shocked expressions. "YOU WILL!?" They all shouted in unison, taking turns to look at each other -- Tink-a-Tink-a-Too giving an expression like she might faint straight out. Sweetberry gave the pink pony a concerned expression. "Are you sure about this Pinkie?" She asked, walking over to put a hoof on her friend's withers. "After all, this is something that none of us have ever attempted before." She said, in concern. Pinkie gave a quiet swallow, and passed between Razzaroo and the door, a vehement expression on her face. "Are you really sure Pinkie?" Razzaroo asked, looking back towards the pink pony, and the door, a concerned expression. "It's my idea, and I really should be the one to carry it out?" She asked the pink pony, but didn't give her a chance to respond. "You are, after all, normally so very reserved! Yes. Yes. Yes." Pinkie nodded, but she could handle this, she could feel it! Razzaroo may have had a point, but Pinkie wasn't going to give up, no matter what Razzaroo said, or did! She just knew she was the best person to do this! She cold sense it in every fiber of her being! "Why don't you four go and do party prep, ok?" Pinkie asked, calmly. "I'm the best pony to do this, and you know it." She said, acting the leader -- something she always came to naturally (that and acting as the voice of reason in a crowd.) The other four nodded nervously, Pinkie was right, but they were still unsure because of how reserved she could be. In the end, though, it didn't matter as the Pink pony had already left the room, and headed out. Pinkie took a breath, and took a moment to relax. The good news, though, was that Mama Pie wouldn't be back for another hour or two, so she had plenty of time to talk to Skywishes and get back -- though she suspected that she'd have to explain everything to Mama Pie when she got back (but better to apologize than ask permission.) ********** Pinkie cocked her head in contemplation as she stared out from behind a nearby bush at a pony sitting just mere feet away, in the tall grass right next to the lake. The pony she was staring at was Skywishes, who sat motionless in her usual spot, right along the river mere yards away from the bridge that mayor Frisco had built last year (the lake was a very pleasant place to sail down, especially in the mid spring.) But one question remained, how best to approach her? And how, for that matter, could Pinkie convince the foal to come to their own surprise party, without letting her know that there was even going to be one? Pinkie sat down for a minute to think, maybe she could.... No wait! That wasn't a good plan... She thought to herself, shaking her head. Maybe she could... Nah! That would be silly... The filly still didn't move, her head stuck in the clouds... Pinkie looked up, her face full of confidence. "I have it!" She shouted, causing all the ponies around to look at her funny, including a young red filly with a green mane,yellow highlights, and a apple and blanket cutie mark who passed by in mere fractions of a second. A wind blew through Skywishes' mane, but she still didn't stir, despite the roucas... Pinkie shook her head more vigorously this time, bowing it at the end. "No wait... That wouldn't be a very good idea." She said to herself with a sigh, only to realize too late that she'd said that outloud... Quickly she clasped her hooves against her mouth, desperately hoping that Skywishes didn't hear her... The filly, however, remained still, which was great news for Pinkie... Considering how her hearing Pinkie's muttering might have ruined the surprise... And it was probably a good thing Puzzlemint wasn't around or it might have been over before it started... However, after a few minutes, and a few false starts, she gave up thinking. She had to get this arranged before Mama Pie returned, and she was no closer now than she was a half hour ago. She contemplated turning around to go home, at first, but couldn't bring herself to do it! Her friend was counting on her, she couldn't let her down! Instead Pinkie gulped slightly and cautiously trotted up to the pink earth pony with the striped pink and purple mane, who just sat there motionless, her eyes closed as she looked off into the skies, and her kite and butterfly symbol obscured behind the tall grass. Pinkie always wondered to herself what the foal thought about when she stared off into space like that. She meant, what could she be imagining or daydreaming about so intently? Could Twinkle Twirl be right? Well she was the foal's only close friend, after all... She shook her head, there was no use in trying to get into the foal's head, instead she had business to finish in a hurry. She gave a gulp, and bravely trotted forward. How exactly was she going to do this again? She turned around. And why couldn't it wait till next week? She shook her head, and braced herself. She, very well, knew the reason. Tomorrow was Skywishes' special day, and Razzaroo wanted to practice her party planning skills on the mare, and give herself a gift in the process by making Skywishes' special day, extra special. Pinkie looked down nervously, and approached the foal from behind. Skywishes didn't move, instead opting to continue sitting around her eyes closed, taking in the breeze, and her head remaining in the clouds -- probably day dreaming, or wishing about something. Twinkle Twirl had told Pinkie that the foal's father had left her and her mother when she was still a newborn cutie, and she, kind of, blamed herself and had, since, taken up the bad habit of opting to sit and wish, rather than face her problems head on -- a habit which only turned into an obsession as she matured to a young mare. Pinkie finally worked up the nerve to speak. She, dearly, hoped Twinkle Twirl was right when she said, she heard that Skywishes had a gift for wishing, and an obsession with it. "So..." She asked quietly, causing the foal to turn around with a start, a spooked expression on her face. "Um, Skywishes..." Pinkie said, anxiously. 'Remember Pinkie! You can do this!' She thought to herself, as a forced smile slowly began to creep onto her face. "I heard, from Twinkle Twirl, that you were good with wishes, and I was wondering if I could have one of your special wishes for my friend?" She asked her smile beginning to grow, and her mood improving (for some reason being around other ponies and their emotions almost always made her feel better.) The pony turned her head away, insecurely, opting to remain sitting. "I don't know..." She said, turning her head to Pinkie. "I'm not sure if I can help?" She said sadly. "I mean, all I can do is wish... I mean all I'm good at is wishing..." She said, stopping herself, that didn't come out right either. "Oooh!" She moaned in frustration. "You know what I mean!" Pinkie nodded knowingly, and opened her muzzle. "Please!" Pinkie begged, uncomfortably, putting a hoof on Skywishes' wither, and looking her straight in the eye. "I need help for my friend, and you're the only one that can help me," she said, somberly. Skywishes looked Pinkie in the eyes, and gave a sigh. "It's not that I don't want to help," she conceded almost at a squeek, "It's just that I don't know if I should even call them special wishes," she whispered, with an uncertainty that made Pinkie's stomach want to turn inside out. Pinkie gave a sigh, and looked away in defeat. Maybe this wasn't possible after all... She thought to herself, as she started to saunter off. Skywishes rose to her hooves, feeling compelled to make the pink pony feel better -- for some reason --, and put a hoof on Pinkie's wither. "Please don't go away Pinkie." She asked, with an apologetic expression. "It's just I don't know if it's really a wishing skill, It's more like I just have skills with wishing..." She explained starting to get frazzled. "OOOH!!!" She exclaimed, feeling like she wasn't expressing herself well. "You know what I mean!" Pinkie shrugged, maybe -- but this just sounded to her like the sound of melancholy, and she really, really didn't like it one bit. "Please Skywishes!" She begged one more time. "I need a special wish oh so very urgently!" She pleaded, squishing her front hooves together into a praying position. "Tomorrow's Razzaroo's special day, and I could really use one of your special wishes to help me make the perfect surprise party for her!" She added, honestly. "It's my first surprise party, and I'm really worried that it will go absolutely, definitely, positively wrong!" Skywishes gave a sigh, she really didn't want to be giving the pink pony snake oil, but she seemed so determined, and she guessed one wish couldn't hurt. "Ok!" She conceded, a smile creeping onto her face -- the pink pony's optimism was positively infectious! "I'll give you a quick wish, and -- " She started saying, before Pinkie began speaking over her. "Oh..." Pinkie said, a sneaky smile creeping onto her face, one which was well hidden by a well placed hoof over her muzzle. "One more thing..." She said, with enthusiasm. "Oh?" Skywishes asked, curiously. What else could she even give Pinkie? "What could that be?" "Could you also do an extra super special favor for me?" Pinkie asked, with a smile. "What do you need? Urr heed? OOHH!!!" Skywishes shouted, in enthusiasm. "You know what I mean!" "So I was wondering if you could come to my playhouse tomorrow!" Pinkie said, with an enthusiastic smile. "I really need you to help me surprise Razzaroo, and I need to make the party positively super extra special perfect!" She explained gleefully. "After all, how better to make your wish extra strong then to wish it in person!" Pinkie explained, conspiratorially, with a sly giggle. "I suppose." Skywishes admitted with a smile, after all, this might be fun, and she almost never attended parties, especially big ones. Not to mention the fact that almost no one ever held parties for her -- well other than mama Skywishes, of course. "After all." Pinkie said, with a giggle. "This is my first big party, and my first surprise party and I could really use the help!" She exclaimed, her enthusiasm seeming almost infectious at this point. Skywishes nodded, a smile creeping on her face. "Ok!" She said, with enthusiasm, as she closed her eyes, and looked to the distance, as she started to make a wish (she could always tell when the right time to wish was by the movements of the air currents, and the positions of the stars -- at least that's what she always told herself.) "I wish! I wish! -- " She chanted, as she started to make her wish.