Friends for the Ages
The stars shone brightly over the kingdom of Canterlot. The air smelled of the sweet scent of spring, and Princess Luna’s night was clear for the big event. For it was the night of the Star Festival. Every year in Equestria, on the second week of spring, all the ponies in the land celebrated an oncoming meteor shower, along with a comet that passed by every year. The stardust from the meteors and comet would fall to the planet like snow. The stardust would be made into jewelry or into special desserts. The starflies, butterfly-like creatures that lived on the meteors, would fly down to play with the beings of Equestria, and then fly into space to become stars one day. It was a day enjoyed by ponies everywhere.
Tonight was a night when something peculiar would happen: Something not as peculiar as events that would happen in the future, but peculiar nonetheless. Two ponies, a mare and stallion, a husband and wife were walking to the festival. The sky was already lit up with the falling stars, the stardust, and the starflies. The mare was a goldenrod-colored unicorn with a long purple mane named Ursa. Her cutie mark was that of the big dipper. The stallion was an earth pony with a midnight-blue color, thick-rimmed glasses, and a short cyan mane. His cutie mark was a telescope, and his name was Orion.
Orion was an astronomer who worked at the Canterlot Observatory, while his wife made jewelry to sell to other ponies. They loved each other very much, and they met at the Star Festival two years ago. So today, in a way was their anniversary. Orion was carrying a picnic basket on his back, filled with food perfect for stargazing. In his mouth, he carried butterfly net, which held a jar for collecting stardust. Being the gentlecolt that he was, he didn’t have his wife carry anything.
“Isn’t it beautiful Orion?” Usra sighed.
The stallion, having his mouth full at the moment could only grunt out, “Mmmph hmm!”
“Oh I know! I just love the Star Festival so much.”
A few starflies had come down to say hello to the couple. The tiny butterfly-like creatures left a stream of stardust behind them. A pink starfly landed on Ursa’s nose.
“Oh look Orion! One of them wants to play!”
“Mmph! Mmm hm hmph hm!”
“Oh that’s right!” Ursa, somehow able to understand her husband’s incoherent sentences, reached into the picnic basket, and pulled out a jar. She cast a levitation spell on the jar and held it up to the sky, which was already raining down stardust.
Suddenly, a noise that caused Ursa to drop the jar, and Orion to drop the butterfly net pierced the air. It sounded like the soft cries of a baby. It was coming from a bush covered in stardust. The cries didn’t seem to be distressful, but rather like the baby was calling for someone.
Orion and Ursa rushed toward the bush to calm the infant’s cries. When they got to the bush, they saw that it wasn’t glowing because of the stardust, but because of the baby. It was a red-colored colt, with a golden mane lying in a makeshift bed of leaves and stardust. The colt glowed brighter than the stars around them, and it had a cutie mark. Even though it was just a newborn, it had an orange comet on its flank. But the most peculiar thing about this colt was that it had the wings of a pegasus, and the horn of a unicorn. It was a male alicorn!
The couple stared at the beautiful foal as it glowed so bright, it almost made the night day. Ursa’s motherly instincts kicked in, and she grabbed the picnic basket. She dumped the food out and grabbed the blanket from inside.
Orion was surprised, “Hey what gives?”
Ursa answered him by scooping up the colt, wrapping it in the blanket, and laying it in the basket.
“Shhh, hush now,” She said in a soothing voice. “It’ll be okay. I’m your new mommy.”
“New mommy?” Orion stared at his wife. “You don’t know anything about raising a foal!”
But Ursa wasn’t listening, “Cosmo,”
“What?”
“We’ll name him Cosmo, because he was covered in stars.”
“Cosmo” smiled at his new parents and at the starflies hovering above him
“Oh come on Orion!” Ursa beamed at her husband. “You’ve always wanted a son!”
Orion looked at the foal whom he was now the father of, and smiled, “Hey there Cosmo.”
Cosmo cooed at his new father.
“Hey there little buddy.”
…
Many years had passed, and Cosmo grew into a great adventurer. During his childhood he had explored many dungeons and caves. His whole life had been a lonely one so far. Being a male alicorn, he was ostracized by other ponies. The only way to keep him from getting too bored was to go on adventures.
Today Cosmo had tried to join the royal guard, but was rejected due to being an alicorn. Cosmo had taken it pretty roughly, and was sitting on the steps of his home. The sun had just set, and it was about time for dinner. Cosmo’s parents decided to make his favorite meal to cheer him up. But even the smell of home cooking wasn’t enough to lighten up his spirits.
“Cosmo,” Orion came out of the house. “Dinner’s ready.”
“Not hungry,” The alicorn mumbled.
“Cosmo you can’t take this too hard.”
“I have every right to!”
Orion was surprised by Cosmo's sudden outburst, but he let his son continue.
“My whole life, I’ve been left behind and rejected by everypony else, and I'm sick of it!"
Orion began to feel sad for his son. He knew the other foals were cruel to him as a colt. Now as an adult, he couldn’t find his place anywhere. He didn’t know where he belonged.
Cosmo sighed and stood up. “I just wish I wasn’t such a loser.”
“Cosmo, buddy,” Orion put his hoof on his son’s back. “You’re just different, you’re special.”
“We both know that’s not true.”
The alicorn sadly walked into his house and up to his room. When got there, he climbed out the window and onto the rooftop. It was where he came to relax and think; it was also where he could look at the sky and wonder what was out there for him.
Cosmo sat down and buried his face into his hoofs. He wanted to yell out to the world. He wanted to crawl into a hole and cry. He wanted to prove to everypony, and himself, that he was a special pony who had a purpose in Equestria.
As the sad alicorn was staring at the horizon, a starfly flew down and landed on his horn.
“Hello!” The starfly chirped.
Cosmo didn’t even look up.
“I said hello!”
Cosmo looked up at the yellow, glowing butterfly, “Hi Gallie.”
“There you go!” Gallie nodded.
Cosmo went back to staring at the stars in the sky and contemplating his day. The starfly he had raised from a cocoon noticed the sad look on Cosmo’s face.
“Why the long face?”
Cosmo shook his head and looked at his friend, “The royal guard rejected me.”
“Oh I’m sorry.”
“I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up,” The alicorn sighed. “I’ve been avoided ever since I was a colt, so what chances did I have to make it there?”
When he was a colt, the other foals avoided him like a disease. The adults ignored him as if he were invisible. And his only friend was a baby starfly he had found during the Star Festival one year, whom he named Gallie. He also was friends with a young filly, but before long she became too focused on her studies to play with him.
Gallie tried to make his friend feel better, “You just haven’t found your place yet.”
Cosmo merely looked away.
“Don’t worry, you’ll see.”
Gallie knew his friend was miserable, but he had no idea how much he hurt. The starfly tried to comfort Cosmo by tickling his nose like he used to do when the alicorn was little, but Cosmo was already climbing inside.
The comforting smell of his mother’s fresh bread and apple pie greeted his nose. For a moment he forgot his troubles and went to sit down with his parents. When he arrived at the dinner table, his parents had a surprise.
“Cosmo,” His father said reluctantly. “There’s something your mother and I need to tell you.”
His parents told him how they found him at the Star Festival, and how they adopted him as their son.
When they finished, the young alicorn had many questions. Like where did he come from? Who were his real parents? What was his real name? He was scared, excited, and sad all at the same time. He had always thought of Ursa and Orion as his parents; the fact that he came from somepony else made him feel dizzy.
“Who am I?” He asked to nopony in particular.
His mother smiled sadly, “I think the pony to ask is Princess Celestia.”
She was scared for her baby. She was afraid that he didn’t need them anymore, and that he would have to leave.
But Cosmo was determined to find answers. Even though he didn’t want to leave the only ponies who were there for him his whole life. He figured if he was going to leave, he wanted to spend a bit more time with his parents.
“Can you walk with me to the castle?”
…
The family walked up to the towering castle. The shadow loomed over the alicorn as he prepared to find the answers he was looking for. The apprehension returned as he had no idea what was to become of him. He started up the stone steps, but then looked back at the two ponies he called mom and dad. Ursa was weepy eyed, whilst Orion was looking at his adoptive son with a look that seemed to say, “Go on, this is what you need to do.”
Cosmo took a deep breath and knocked on the castle door. A royal guard answered.
“Yes?” He said in a gruff voice. “Oh, it’s you again.”
Cosmo swallowed a flash of disappointment and opened his mouth to say something. Nothing came out.
“Look I told you before,” The guard said. “You just aren’t royal guard material.”
Before Cosmo could reply, Gallie flew up to the guard and said, “Don’t you think you’ve made him feel bad enough?”
Cosmo tried to interject, but Gallie kept talking.
“He’s been sulking all day and it’s really starting to bum me out!”
The guard was surprised by the little starfly, “I didn’t mean too…”
“Yeah! You didn’t mean to!” Gallie continued to rant. “Well let me tell you something buster! Cosmo is the most special pony I’ve met and if you think he isn’t good enough…”
“Gallie!” Cosmo stopped his friend. “I’m flattered by your monologue, but this is going nowhere! I think it would be better if I spoke.”
Gallie felt his face flush with red as he fluttered behind Cosmo. The alicorn turned to the guard and continued.
“I’ve come to see Princess Celestia.”
“Sorry kid,” the guard shook his head. “The princess is out at the moment.”
As soon as he said that, Celestia’s voice sounded from the castle, “Grumby! Is someone at the door? Let them in!”
The guard sighed as his ruse was blown and Cosmo smiled at him hopefully, “Yes Princess Celestia, right away.”
The guard stepped aside and the two friends trotted into the castle.
“Well that went well,” Gallie grinned.
Cosmo stepped up to the throne of the Sun Princess with her sister, Princess Luna, by her side.
“Princess,” the young alicorn bowed before the two sisters.
“Cosmo,” Celestia smiled.
The young alicorn tried to find the words to say, but he was too nervous. He breathed in, but no words came out. His heart was racing faster; apart of him didn’t want to know the truth, but he knew it was the only way he could find his purpose. Lucky for him, he didn’t have to speak. Gallie did that for him.
“He just found out that he’s adopted,” Gallie said. “He wants to know where he came from.”
“Is that true?” The sun princess asked Cosmo.
“More or less,” Cosmo replied.
“I’m afraid we can’t tell you that,” Luna told the young alicorn. “Even we don’t know the answer.”
Cosmo felt a wave of relief and despair wash over him. In a way, he was grateful not to know. What he would have liked would be to go home with his parents. But instead he asked, “Who does?”
Princess Celestia had an answer for that, “The only pony to answer that is you.”
Cosmo felt confusion overtake him again. Why did everything have to be so difficult? He thought he would have to start all over again, but the two sisters had other ideas.
“I know that you have a purpose little one, but not here in Canterlot,” Celestia said to the young adventurer. “Instead, I will send you to Ponyville where you can make many friends. Who knows? Maybe your purpose lies there.”
Friends? Was that possible? After all, if he couldn’t make friends in Canterlot what luck would he have making friends in Ponyville?
Celestia continued, “You will find a mare you haven’t seen in years. She will help you find your destiny.”
Mare? Years? Find? Haven’t? Seen? In? Cosmo thought a mile a minute. It couldn’t be her now, could it?
“Gallie the Starfly,” Celestia turned her attention to Gallie.
“Yes princess?” Gallie fluttered forward.
“As his closest companion, you must aid Cosmo on his quest.”
“You can count on me! I’ll leave no stone unturned! I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to him. Like a hydra trying to eat him!”
Hydra? Cosmo looked at his partner for the journey.
Gallie continued to list the possible dangers Cosmo could face, “Or getting pounded by an ogre!”
“Uh, Gallie!” Cosmo began to grow nervous from the dangers Gallie was listing.
“Or maybe getting charred by a dragon guarding a dungeon!”
“Gallie!”
“Or maybe getting kidnapped by a…”
“GALLIE!!!”
The starfly turned to look at Cosmo, “What?”
“I think I get the picture.”
…
The sun began to rise as a ribbon of pink appeared above the horizon. Cosmo was outside his house with a bag on his back preparing to leave for Ponyville. Gallie fluttered onto the alicorn’s horn with a suitcase. Cosmo felt his heart throb as he realized he might never come back. He might never see Ursa and Orion again. But nonetheless, Cosmo was ready to go.
He looked back to his parents and began to contemplate not going. His mother was already sobbing even though he hadn’t left yet. His father was trying to look strong, but he still had some tears in his eyes. Cosmo walked to the two ponies he had called mom and dad his whole life, and embraced them. Cosmo felt the hot tears already streaming down his cheeks as he held them tight. Gallie flew off of his friend’s horn and began crying himself.
“No matter where I go,” He said softly. “You’ll always be my parents.”
“And you’ll always be our little buddy,” Ursa sobbed.
After one final hug, Orion released his son. But Ursa still held on for dear life. She felt her heart break as he gently pushed her off and said, “Mom, you can let go now.”
The red alicorn turned and got ready to take off with Gallie, but instead he looked back at the home he was leaving behind. His mother was reaching out for him as if she were trying to pull him back, while his father put his hoof on her shoulder to calm her. Cosmo fought the urge to rush back into her arms and never leave, but instead he took a deep breath and spread his wings.
“I’ll be fine,” he told his parents as he took off with Gallie. “I’ll make you proud!”
Orion watched his son fly off into the sunrise and whispered, “I know you will.”
Cosmo felt the fresh morning air blow past his mane as he flew away from Canterlot and towards Ponyville. The lovely sunrise warmed his heart and began to cheer him up a little. He would make sure to write to his parents every day to let them know he was still good. It was the best he could do for them.
After nearly an hour of flying, Gallie shouted out, “Ponyville dead ahead!”
The small town near the Everfree Forest glowed gold in the morning light. Cosmo sighed in relief and excitement, “We’re finally here!”
“No kidding! I thought my wings were going to fall off!”
“Well I hope you still have a little energy left in you.”
The two swooped down toward the small town bathed in the morning glow. Cosmo felt the thermals in the air rush against his wings as he landed onto the stone-paved street. He looked around at what would be his new home for a while. It was much smaller than Canterlot, and seemed less fancy.
“Cat got your tongue?” Gallie snapped Cosmo out of his trance. “You remember the Princess said we’re staying in the Ponyville Museum.”
“Right right!” Cosmo shook his head. “Where is that again?”
Gallie smacked his forehead with a tiny hand of his. “You didn’t pack a map did you?”
“Yeah, a map would be useful right about now,” the young alicorn blushed.
Gallie landed on Cosmo’s head and reclined backwards. “Greeeaaatt!”
“Hey come on! It could happen to anypony!”
Gallie yawned and fluttered in the air. “Whatever, you better ask for directions.”
“No way!” Cosmo shook his head. “Only girls ask for directions! Real men get lost!”
Gallie pointed to a young mare with a pink coat and a frizzy magenta mane skipping down the street. “It couldn’t hurt to ask right?”
Cosmo sighed and stopped the skipping pony. “Uh hi, excuse me? Sorry to bother you but I was wondering…”
Before He could finish his sentence, the mare gasped loudly and took off down the street.
“Didn’t see that coming,” Gallie remarked.
“Was it something I said?” Cosmo raised an eyebrow.
…
The two newcomers strolled around Ponyville looking for somepony to ask for directions to the Ponyville Museum. Gallie’s stomach rumbled in hunger.
“Getting hungry?” Cosmo retorted.
“Yeah, you?” Gallie replied.
Cosmo’s belly rumbled as if in agreement.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
As if on cue, they spotted an orange mare wearing a cowboy hat. She and a yellow fillie stood in front of a cart full of apples for sale.
Gallie licked his lips. “Apples for breakfast?”
Cosmo felt his stomach growl in hunger again, “Sounds good.”
The red alicorn walked up to the apple cart with Gallie and talked to the mare, “Hi there! I’m…”
Cosmo once again was interrupted as the orange mare began shaking his hoof like an earthquake.
“Well howdy doo stranger!” She said in a friendly voice. “Ah don’t reckon ah’ve seen you ‘round here ‘fore.”
“Yeah, I’m new in town,” Cosmo said as he regained his balance.
“What’s yer name sugarcube?”
“Uh, Cosmo,” He replied. “My name’s Cosmo.”
“Cosmo huh?” The mare looked at him. “That’s a nice name!”
“Thanks,” Cosmo looked away blushing.
“Ah’m Applejack!”
“I’m Gallie!” The starfly behind Cosmo chirped. “We actually wanted to buy some food.”
“Why sure!” Applejack beamed. “Since yer new folks in town, I’ll give ya’ll some apple pie on the house!”
Cosmo’s stomach growled and his mouth watered at the mention of apple pie, his favorite dessert, “Sweet! thank you!”
“Mah pleasure!”
The yellow filly, whom Cosmo assumed to be Applejack’s sister or cousin, trotted forward with two slices of warm apple pie. The sweet smell of apples and cinnamon drifted to the noses of the two hungry adventurers. Cosmo and Gallie grabbed the plates of apple pie, and began devouring the pie as if it were the only food they have seen in weeks. Within a minute the pie was gone, even Gallie had finished the pie which was bigger than he.
“Ya’ll liked it?” Applejack chuckled.
“Liked it?” Gallie beamed. “That was the best apple pie I’ve ever had!”
“Well sugarcube, don’t tell anypony that Ah done this, but how’d you like a fresh mug of squeezed apple juice?”
Cosmo raised an eyebrow, “You mean cider?”
Applejack got a scared looking expression on her face. “Sh! Sh! Sh! Don’t say that!”
“What? cider?”
After Cosmo said cider for the second time, a cyan pegasus mare zoomed toward them at the speed of light trampling the poor alicorn in the process.
“Well that hurt,” Cosmo mumbled as he rubbed his skull.
Meanwhile Gallie was trying not to laugh, and the pegasus was arguing with Apple Jack.
“Where did you come from?” Applejack yelped.
“I was in the middle of my afternoon nap!” The pegasus squinted her eyes. “When I heard a certain mare tell some stallion she was gonna give him the last of the brewed cider!”
“I wonder who this mare is?”
Cosmo stared at his attacker in confusion as she continued to bicker with Applejack. She was this upset over a mug of cider? Was it really that good? Cosmo raised the mug still clutched in his hoof to his lips and tried to take a sip.
“NOOOOOOOO!!!” The pegasus bodyslammed Cosmo before he could get one drop. The cider splashed all over Cosmo and Gallie soaking them both.
An irritated Cosmo licked some of the cider dripping off of his face. “Yup, that’s some good cider.”
“Oh nice goin’ Rainbow Dash!” Applejack threw her hooves in the air. “Now you done got cider all over the new pony!”
While the two mares were arguing over the cider, Cosmo stood up and snuck away with Gallie. He would rather not sit their and watch two mares argue over something so petty. After all it was just a little cider. What was with the ponies in this town?
Meanwhile Rainbow Dash had come to the conclusion that the red stallion was the one who ruined her chances of getting the last mug of cider. So she turned to give him a piece of her mind.
“Now listen here buddy!” She began. “You can’t just… where’d he go?”
…
“Who knew the ponies here took food so seriously?” Gallie giggled at Cosmo’s soaking wet mane.
Cosmo didn’t want to see those two, or another drop of cider in his life. He didn’t see what the pegasus’, or Rainbow Dash as Apple Jack called her, problem was. After all he was the one offered the cider. Life in Ponyville would be harder than he thought.
“Cheer up Cosmo!” Gallie told his friend. “Don’t be so gloomy!”
“Let’s just focus on finding the museum,” Said Cosmo. “I think once I wash up and get my mane combed we’ll find that mare I haven’t seen in years.”
Cosmo thought of who it could be. The only other pony he was friends with when he was little was a filly his age who would always play with him. They were as close as could be. You’d never seen two closer friends. However as they grew older the filly became too focused on studying her magic to spend time with him; they saw less and less of each other everyday. One day they stopped seeing each other altogether. But Cosmo never forgot her and always hoped he would see her again to make her laugh once more.
“You want to wash your mane do you?” Gallie fluttered toward fancy looking building.
“Gallie, what is that place exactly?”
The yellow starfly read the sign outside the door. “Carousel Boutique, sounds fancy!”
Cosmo shook his head. “Gallie I think that place is more for mares.”
But Gallie didn’t listen. Before Cosmo could stop him, the starfly fluttered into the shop.
“Why do I even bother?”
Cosmo followed Gallie into the boutique and was instantly greeted by the sweet, if not overpowering, smell of perfume, shampoo, and other things you would expect to find in a beauty shop.
“Gallie!” Cosmo called out for his friend.
When he got deeper into the shop, he ran into a snow-white unicorn mare with eye-shadow and a curled, violet-colored mane. She was very beautiful and Cosmo began to feel uncomfortable.
“Excuse me ma’am,” Cosmo said to the mare. “But did you see a yellow starfly come through here?”
“Oh hello darling!” The mare said in a friendly voice. “Yes I did infact.”
She led Cosmo over to a sink full of bubbles in which Gallie was relaxing in. His face was covered in a green facial mask, and over both eyes, a cucumber slice.
“Gallie?” Cosmo raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”
“Feeling my soul be lifted by the second,” Gallie sighed.
Cosmo shook his head and sighed in exasperation. They would have plenty of time to play around after they found their new home. Although Princess Celestia did say to make some friends, so maybe he better start. Though, Cosmo had a bit of trouble trying to strike up a conversation as never had to do so before.
“Sooooo,” The red alicorn rubbed the back of his head. “You come here often?”
“Well this is my home silly!” The mare laughed.
“Right! Right! So... nice weather we’re having.”
“Yes I suppose so.”
Cosmo blushed at how awkward and stupid he sounded. “So, um, have you heard of…”
Gallie cringed at his friend humiliating himself again. “Oh for the love of! Cosmo you’re worse than you were in Canterlot!”
The mare’s eyes lit up in excitement at the word Canterlot. Her excitement got the better of her, as she tackled and pinned Cosmo to the ground.
“Canterlot?!” Her face was inches away from his. “Oh my! How wonderful!”
The mare began to monologue about how much she adored Canterlot and how lucky he was to have been raised there.
“The glamour! The beauty! Oh you simply must tell me what it’s like to live there! Are you a part of the royal guard? Oh no you’re far too skinny! Are you a messenger? No no you’re too… simple-looking!”
“Actually I’m an adventurer,” Cosmo said in a small voice. “And could you get off of me?”
Once again the mare’s eyes lit up as she released the flustered alicorn. “Oh how wonderful! I love stallions who can venture through dangers to rescue their beloved! Or who brave a treacherous dungeons to find the most beautiful treasures in Equestria!”
Cosmo simply blushed at all of the praise she gave him. Although he had no ‘beloved’, and he had certainly never saved a damsel before. He had brought back a few gems, and a bit of gold one or two times. All of that he had donated to museums, or given to the needy. Nevertheless, he was beginning to feel that she was coming on to him. Nopony had ever wanted to date him before, and she seemed a bit… overzealous for his type. The thought made him blush harder.
“Um, thanks for the praise and all, but I don’t really think you’re my type… I guess.”
The mare laughed and said, “Oh darling you aren’t my type either!”
Cosmo felt a heavy weight lift off of his chest.
“I’m looking for a stallion of the more princely type! And, no offence, but you are more of a commoner.”
“Y-yeah!” Cosmo nodded profusely. “I’m a mess! Just look at me!”
“Oh I’m so glad you understand darling!”
“No problem! I was just here to pick up Gallie. C’mon cucumber-boy!”
“Urk!” The bathing starfly felt himself being levitated by Cosmo’s magic and pulled out the door. “Farewell Miss! Take care! Have a nice day!”
…
Cosmo and Gallie strolled along the streets, still looking for the museum. They were getting nowhere fast, and Cosmo was starting to feel slightly hacked off. It wasn’t just him wanting to relax, he also wanted to meet the mare from years ago once more. When he thought of her now, he couldn’t deny how much he cared for her. All those times exploring dungeons together, reading books together. Together was what he wanted again.
Suddenly, a yellow pegasus mare with a long pink mane covering one eye ran up to him. Only, she trampled him on accident and ran up to Gallie.
“A baby starfly!” she gasped in a tiny quiet voice. “I've never seen a starfly up close before. It's sooo cute!”
“Oh why thank you,” Gallie grinned. “I get that alot.”
“Oh my, it’s a boy! And he talks!” She was growing increasingly more excited. “I didn't know starflies could talk!”
“Um, excuse me?” Cosmo tried to get the attention of the intrigued pegasus.
“What’s your name little guy?”
“Gallie!” The pride-filled starfly landed on her head. “Gallie the Starfly! What’s yours?”
“I’m Fluttershy,”
“Excuse me? Flutter...Shy?” Cosmo tried to get her attention.
“This is sooo amazing! You have to tell me what the other starflies are like!” Fluttershy ignored the alicorn who was practically jumping up and down to get her attention.
“Well, I was actually raised by ponies since I was a cocoon.”
“Oh my! How did you get here?”
Cosmo finally lost all of his patience. First Applejack and Rainbow Dash, then the shallow unicorn, now this! “COULD SOMEPONY PLEASE JUST GIVE ME DIRECTIONS!!!”
As soon as he yelled that out, the pegasus let out a small squeak, and ran away crying.
“Wait!” Cosmo called after her. “I’m sorry!”
But he was too late. The yellow pegasus ran into a building and didn’t come back out. Cosmo covered his eyes with his hoof and slowly shook his head in shame. He was beginning to feel that he was just no good at making friends. If he was this awkward with strangers, how would he be when he reunited with Twi…
“Way to go Cosmo!” Gallie rymed.
“That could have gone better,” Cosmo sighed. “Man I have a lot to learn about this place.”
Cosmo walked on with Gallie toward the building where Fluttershy ran into. The building had a very big surprise for the two newcomers. On the sign arched above the two wooden doors read “Ponyville Museum”. It was there the whole time and they had been walking past it without noticing!
“Yeah that figures,” Cosmo mumbled. “That ‘Fluttershy’ mare probably owns this place, now she’s going to be too scared to let us stay here!”
“You shouldn’t have yelled at her!” Gallie reminded his friend. “That kind of stuff upsets chicks.”
“I was just trying to get directions!”
“How are you gonna get a marefriend at his rate?”
Cosmo shuddered at the word ‘marefriend’. He had his heart broken too many times to count, and he didn’t want to go down that road again.
“Whatever Gallie, let’s just get inside and I’ll try to apologize to her.”
Cosmo opened the two doors and walked into the pitch-black museum. Not a light shone throughout the building. Cosmo had to watch his step to make sure he didn’t trip on anything. The only source of light was the faint yellow glow given off by Gallie’s wings.
“Where’s the light switch?” Cosmo groped around in the dark. “Where’s the wall?”
Suddenly a loud kazoo pierced the air, the lights flicked on, and a bunch of ponies who were hiding in the dark yelled, “Surprise!”
Cosmo was startled as he let out a shrill yelp. Tons of ponies were there, including the ones he met earlier that day. The white unicorn, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and even Fluttershy.
Cosmo stared at the ponies with his mouth agape, “Do you all live here?”
The pink earth pony from earlier skipped circles around Cosmo, “No silly! We live in different places all over! Remember when i saw you earlier today and I was all “GASP!” and you were just standing there with your butterfly friend? I was all “GASP!” because I’ve never seen you before and I know everypony in town! I mean everypony! So I knew you were a new pony in town and I decided to throw you a welcome party! Oh! I’m Pinkie Pie by the way!”
As ‘Pinkie Pie’ continued talking a mile a minute, Cosmo couldn’t help but feel flattered, if not confused. Somepony he had never met before was throwing a party for him! Nopony had ever done that before. He had never even been to a party before. When he was little, every year on his birthday he had invited ponies to his parties but nopony came. The only pony who came for a while was Twi…
“What’s your name new pony?” Pinkie Pie asked interrupting his thoughts.
“Uh, Cosmo.”
“Oooh! That’s a nice name! You have to meet my friends! I just know they’ll love you!”
The hyperactive earth pony led him to the four ponies he met earlier that day. “This is Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy!”
Rainbow Dash held out her hoof to Cosmo with a sheepish look on her face. “Sorry about earlier, I guess I kind of overreacted.”
Cosmo shook her hoof and said, “It’s okay, it was some pretty good cider afterall.”
Fluttershy stepped up and said shyly, “I didn’t mean to waste your time. I don’t blame you if you’re mad.”
“No no, It was my fault! I shouldn’t have yelled.”
“Oh! You have to meet my other friend!” Pinkie walked Cosmo through the crowd. “Well she’s my other friends’ friend too!”
She led Cosmo over to a lilac unicorn standing in the middle of the room, and instantly all noise just stopped, at least to Cosmo. It was the pony from those years ago. The only friend, besides Gallie, he had made in his entire life! The mare who stood up to the bullies for him and made him feel special.
“Twilight?” Cosmo breathed.