Twilight, Rarity, and the rest of their friends stood outside a large children's hospital, the wind billowing past them softly as they stood on the sidewalk. The group of ponies gazed up in awe at the large medical center, passersby paying them barely any mind.
"So, would ya mind explaining why we're here again, Twilight?" Applejack asked their resident egghead, not completely understanding what they were doing.
"Ohh, well, we're here to see a child," Twilight replied in kind. "A young boy by the name of Berry Stewart, we're going to cheer him up."
"Okay, that sounds pretty straightforward, but why does he need cheering up exactly?"
This time it was Rarity who replied, putting a hoof to her head in a sigh of dismay. "Ohh, it's an absolutely dreadful and heartbreaking story, darling. Young Berry was set to have the greatest birthday of his life when disaster stuck and he ended up breaking both of his legs. And then, to make things worse, he wound up catching a nasty case of that horrid virus going around."
AppleJack blinked. "Uh-huh," she began with a nod. "And just why exactly are you dressed like...that?" she asked in confusion, pointing a hoof at the unicorn and alicorn.
Twilight followed Applejack's gaze to the garments she and Rarity were wearing and gave off a quick laugh as she realized what she meant. "Right, these," Twilight spoke aloud, taking a hoof full of the robe she was wearing and pulling it out. "I should have led with that."
"These are Jedi robes darling," Rarity said as she flicked her mane and struck a pose. "The traditional, nomadic garments worn by the Jedi knights. Dashing aren't they?"
"This is how we're going to cheer Berry up," Twilight continued. "He loves Star Wars, his party was even themed after it. So Rarity and I are going to pose as Jedi and using our magic, we're going to make him believe he's a Jedi himself," Twilight said, a big grin on her face as she revealed her plan.
"Ohh. Ohh. Then once you do that I can go 'yer a Jedi Berry." Pinkie squealed, her face lighting up as she brought her mane down over her face to make it look like a thick bushy beard.
"But won't he know it's you once he sees ya using yer magic?" Applejack inquired, pointing out a flaw.
'I already have that covered," Twilight winked at the farmpony. "Before we go in to see him, I'm going to cast a spell that will make our magic auras invisible, so it'll look like we're using the Force."
Applejack shook her head, a faint smile creeping up her lips. "Alright, whatever you say, Twi."
"Come on girls, let's do this," Twilight said as the six ponies entered the building.
The large glass doors parted automatically to let them in, letting off a soft pneumatic hiss as they slid to either side. Moving through the lobby, the mares passed other visitors and approached the receptionist's desk.
"Excuse me," Twilight asked the lady working there, a stout woman with glasses. "We're here to visit a patient, a boy named Berry Stewart. Can you tell us his room number?"
"Hmm, give me a moment." The lady pursed her lips as she typed away at the computer, the keys clacking under her fingers as she searched for their inquiry. "Okay," the lady said after a few seconds. "Berry Stewart: age 8, broke both his legs and contracted covid. Is this the one you're looking for?"
Twilight nodded her head. "Yes. Yes, that's him!" she said eagerly.
The lady nodded. "Okay, you can find him in room 247, on the second floor. You'll need these to get up there" The woman handed them all a lanyard with a visitor pass attached to it.
"Okay, thank you for your help," Twilight waved as the group departed the lobby and made their way to the elevator.
Pressing the button for the second floor, they let the metal box carry them up to the next level. Stepping out, they made their way down the hall and began searching for the correct door. Eventually, they were approached by an employee, and once they showed him their passes, he was able to point them in the right direction.
Eventually, they found themselves at their desired location. However, before they went, Twilight stopped to explain her plan to the group and how she wanted them to play along. Once the others were all aware of their part, there was only one other thing she had to take care of.
"Okay, here we go." Said Twilight as she began to use her magic, her horn lighting up with her magenta aura. Preparing the spell, Twilight watched as magical tendrils leeched from her horn to Rarity's, whose own was also lit. After a few moments, the glow from their horns began to diminish and fade, until they vanished entirely. Doing a quick experiment, Twilight was able to verify and confirm that their magic was still working, they just couldn't see it - exactly as she had intended.
Taking a deep breath, Twilight raised her hoof and knocked on the door.
Knock Knock.
"Come in," she heard a youthful voice reply from the other side.
Adopting a collected expression on her face, Twilight pushed the door open and entered the room. It was filled with all kinds of medical equipment as one might expect. Over against the wall was a hospital bed, in which a young boy with short-cropped hair rested. He was dressed in a Jedi robe, and all kinds of Star Wars merchandise could be found cluttered around him - stuff like toys, as well as balloons and get-well-soon cards.
"Who are you?" he asked in confusion, cocking an eyebrow at them as the six ponies entered the room.
Twilight stepped up to the foot of his bed, bowing her head at him in greeting, "Hello young one. I'm Jedi Master Twilight Sparkle-" she nodded her head towards Rarity. "-And this is Jedi Knight Rarity Belle."
The boy's eyes lit up with wonder. "Real Jedi?" he exclaimed in fascination. "But-but I thought they were made up?"
"Ohh, trust me, darling, the Jedi are very real, and so is the Force," Rarity winked at him.
"Why are you here?"
"Well, we're here to see you," Twilight explained. "We can sense you are really strong with the Force."
At that, Berry's face began to fall, his smile breaking as he looked down in dejection. "I don't have the Force, I'm not special like that; my life is just one mishap after the next, the universe wouldn't give me a gift like that."
Unable to see him so depressed, Rarity made her way over to the side of the bed and placed her hoof over his hand. "Now you look at me, young Berry, I did not come all this way just to watch you beat yourself up. You are a talented boy, with a bright future ahead of him, so don't you dare tell me you aren't special."
"You see that cup," she nodded across the other side of the bed, at a nightstand with a hospital cup atop it.
"Yeah," he replied, turning his gaze to see what she meant.
"I want you to lift it."
"Okay," he said. He reached out for the cup, but Rarity stopped him.
"No. Not with your hands," she clarified. "With the Force."
He looked at her hesitantly. "I don't know if I can do it."
"You can!" she said firmly. "Lift the cup."
Giving her one last look, he shifted his attention back to the cup on the nightstand. He took a small gulp and gently reached out his hand toward the mug. He held his palm open, focusing on the object as he tried telling it to come to him.
Nothing happened.
"I can't do it!" he said in dismay.
"Again," Rarity ordered him. "Make it come to you."
Doing as told, he lifted his hand and once more reached for the cup. This time, however, Rarity used her magic to help him; grasping the mug in her telekinesis, she ever so gently moved it, just enough to get a reaction out of him.
He let out a shriek. "Ahh, I did it! I did it!" he exclaimed in excitement. "I made it move, did you see that?"
Rarity nodded her head, a proud smile on her face. "One more time, you can do this."
Berry reached out for the mug again, this time more feeling confident in his abilities. As he focused on it, Rarity once again used her magic to aid him. She lifted the mug, gently guiding it into Berry's hand before cutting her magic off.
Once the cup came to his hand, his face lit up again, lighting up with pride as he took in his accomplishment.
"What did I say," Rarity said smugly as Berry held the mug in his grasp. "I knew you could do it."
"Good," Twilight spoke from her spot at the front of the bed. "I'm pleased to see you're doing well, now set the cup down, I have another task for you."
Once Berry had set the cup aside, Twilight directed his attention to the window. "Next," she began. "I want you to open the curtains."
Giving her a nod, Berry reached out again and focused on the curtains. While Berry made a flicking motion with his hand, Twilight used her magic to open the blinds and let sunlight filter in.
"Great work Berry," Twilight congratulated him. "You have much skill indeed."
Berry blushed at the praise she was giving him. "Thank you miss Twilight."
As Twilight praised his work, Rainbow was busy opening up a box Twilight had given her before entering the room. Lifting the flap up, she found several cupcakes inside, licking her lips, she took one out and prepared to take a bite.
"Ohh, I want a cupcake!" Berry said wistfully, eyes bulging as he stared at the confectionery treat in Rainbow's hoofs.
Rainbow hesitated, looking from the cupcake to the boys longing eyes. She quickly broke contact, turning away from him as she pulled the treats closer to her. "Sorry kid, these are mine, and I'm not sharing them with anybody!"
Once Rainbow said this, Berry looked down in disappointment. Soon, Pinkie came sidling up to the boy and, whispering to him. "Hey kid, don't the Jedi have powers where they can make people do what they want?"
Once she said that his face lit up again as he came up with an idea. Getting Rainbow's attention, he stuck out an arm and waved his hand in front of her face while he spoke. "You will give me a cupcake!" he told her.
Rainbow looked at him in confusion, before all of a sudden her expression went blank. She took the cupcake she was about to eat and passed it to the boy. "I will give you a cupcake!" she spoke like a robot as Berry took the treat.
"Yer a Jedi Berry," Pinkie said to the boy, making her mane look like a beard again.
As he looked down at his prize, he didn't notice it when Rainbow winked slyly at her friends.
"Well Berry," Twilight began. "This has been fun, but I'm sorry to say we must be off."
Berry looked up in dismay. "Already?" he cried in disappointment. "But you just got here?"
"I know we did," she replied, looking at him with a saddened face. "But we're needed back at the temple."
He sighed, putting on a strong face as he looked at her. "I understand. Thank you for coming to visit me, Jedi Maser Twilight," he looked at the other robed figure in the room. "And you too, Rarity.
"It was our pleasure, darling," Rarity replied.
"Well, we have to go now," Twilight said as she opened the door, allowing her friends to filter out. "I hope to see you amongst our ranks one day."
"You really think I can become a Jedi?"
Twiight winked at him. "Of course, you're a talented young man with a bright future ahead of him, you can do anything you set your mind to."
With that, Twilight shut the door.