Sweetie Belle trotted out the door after graciously thanking Rarity for breakfast. "I wonder what AppleBloom's doing." She said to herself.
She galloped over to Sweet Apple Acres to find AppleBloom chasing after a muddy Winona. "Get back here, ya filthy doggy!" Applebloom shouted.
"Hi AppleBloom!" Said Sweetie Belle.
AppleBloom skidded to a stop. "Oh, hi Sweetie Belle!" She smiled.
"So, I was thinking we could go find Scootaloo and try and-"
"Sorry, I can't." Said AppleBloom. "I mean, I would, but it's Winona's bath day, and with AppleJack and Big Macintosh out in the fields, it's all up to me."
"Oh," said Sweetie Belle, trying to hide the disappointment in her face. "That's ok. Thanks anyway."
She trotted back towards PonyVille, wondering where she could find Scootaloo.
As a matter of fact, Scootaloo was in the middle of town, hammering nails into a large wooden board.
"Hi Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle grinned widely. "What're you doing?"
"Mkng uh rmp." Scootaloo said through a mouthful of nails.
"What?"
Scootaloo spit out the nails. "Making a ramp to jump on my scooter." She explained.
"Oh." Said Sweetie Belle, glancing up at the towering structure. "I guess you're too busy to hang out then."
"Yup." Said Scootaloo, trying to hammer in a few more nails.
"Okay." Sweetie Belle said dejectedly. "I guess I'll see you later then."
"Bye." Scootaloo called distractedly.
"What now?" Sweetie Belle said. She grumpily trudged back to Rarity's boutique.
"Hello dear," Rarity said, intently using magic to stitch her dress together. "Did you have fun?"
"No." Said Sweetie Belle. "I didn't do anything at all! My friends are too busy to play with me!"
Rarity tied off the thread and began cutting out pieces of fabric. "I'm sorry to hear that, Sweetie Belle."
Sweetie Belle sighed and walked out the door, not going anywhere in particular. Before she knew it she was at the edge of the dark forest.
"I may be bored," She said to herself. "But I'm sure not going in there!" She had turned around and was walking away when she heard a soft tinkling sound. "Huh?"
She turned back around to see a tiny, winged... pixie! The pixie danced in the air, bathed in a soft green light.
"A pixie!" Sweetie Belle gazed at the tiny creature, enraptured by it's delicate beauty. It had light green skin, thin, translucent wings, and dark round eyes. She wore a lovely green dress made out of leaves. "I've never seen one of those before!"
The pixie noticed Sweetie Belle watching her, and waved. Sweetie Belle waved back.
"What's your name?" Sweetie Belle asked.
The pixie did a loopy-loop in the air and pointed behind her, towards the dark forest.
"Dark Forest?" Sweetie Belle asked. "That's your name?"
The pixie shook her head and then nodded.
"Forest?" Sweetie Belle guessed.
The pixie nodded, putting a finger on her nose.
Sweetie Belle giggled. "I'm Sweetie Belle." She stuck out her hoof in greeting. "Nice to meet you."
The pixie placed a miniature hand on her hoof and smiled. She looked up and gasped.
"What're you- oh, my horn?" Sweetie Belle smiled. "That's right, I can do magic just like you!" The pixie danced excitedly. "Except I'm too little to do any real magic." Sweetie Belle frowned.
The pixie flew up to Sweetie Belle and landed on her nose. Sweetie Belle stared at the pixie, cross eyed and a bit confused. The pixie then hovered upwards until she could place a hand on Sweetie Belle's horn.
At once, Sweetie Belle felt her entire body hum with magic. What was going on? She felt her hooves leave the ground, and suddenly the ground was gone! Not only that, but the dark forest and the sky were gone too! Sweetie Belle looked around, but she saw only blackness.
And then, everything was back.
"What just..." Sweetie Belle trailed off. She was in the middle of the dark forest! "Forest?" Sweetie Belle asked the pixie nervously. "What just happened? How did we get here?"
The pixie didn't answer. Instead she flew past Sweetie Belle, towards a clearing that she hadn't noticed.
"Forest?" Sweetie Belle trotted after her, not wanting to be alone. "Wait, is that Zecora's hut?"
It was. Tiki masks and strange potions decorated the front of the hut. Forest beckoned for Sweetie Belle to follow and flew through the door. Sweetie Belle reluctantly entered.
"Of a second guest, pixie, you did not tell." Zecora smiled. "But I am always happy to receive Sweetie Belle."
Sweetie Belle smiled back. "Hi Zecora."
"Although you try to hide it in your poise, I sense the weariness of magic in your voice."
Sweetie Belle nodded, amazed. "I don't know how it happened!" She said. "One minute I was talking to the pixie and then it got dark, and then-"
"You are much too young for that type of magic, I see." Said Zecora. "Perhaps it was the work of a mischievous pixie."
Forest spun in the air and flew to Zecora, tittering in her ear.
"This pixie says that a bond has been erected," Zecora translated. "Through both of your magic, you are now connected."
"What does that mean?" asked Sweetie Belle. "I can do magic now?" She concentrated really hard on her horn; all that happened was a slight glow and a small puff of smoke.
"Not by yourself can you do it, unicorn. I believe that the pixie must touch your horn."
Sweetie Belle looked at Forest, who immediately understood. The pixie flew towards her and placed a gentle hand on her white horn. Sweetie Belle felt the magic hum through her body again, but this time she had power over it. She concentrated on a wooden bowl on the table; to her surprise, it rose into the air!
"I can do magic!" Sweetie Belle leaped into the air with glee.
The pixie folded her arms.
"We can do magic," Sweetie Belle said. "Thanks, Forest." The pixie grinned widely and zipped out the door. "Bye Zecora!" Sweetie Belle started to follow Forest.
"One more thing before you go," Zecora said. "There is something you must know."
Sweetie Belle turned around.
"Take care that this bond does not end," Zecora warned. "This pixie will get angry if it loses a friend."
Sweetie Belle nodded and trotted out the door. "Hey Forest, wanna try some real magic?"
The pixie nodded excitedly.