First Flight
The first of the sun’s morning rays tentatively poked through the tiny window of Twilight’s bedroom. Twilight stirred slightly as the rays bounced off her face; while able to start the day, she was not quite yet willing to open her eyes, and her breathing subsided back into a steady, rhythmic pattern. As the light and heat of the bright, shining sun persisted, Twilight gave up her pursuit of extra sleep, and slowly but surely dragged herself out of bed. She let loose a huge yawn, stretched out her sore muscles, and stumbled down the stairs, groaning with each step.
“Spike!” she croaked from the bottom of the steps, hoping to raise the baby dragon from his slumber. She heard some mutterings coming from upstairs that collapsed back into snores. Twilight sighed and, walking into the kitchen, casually used her magic to prepare a light breakfast.
I suppose I should let Spike sleep, she thought to herself as she munched her morning fuel. Last night’s party was really crazy.
Said party had, of course, been hosted by Pinkie Pie. She had to admit to herself, it was a fantastic party. Possibly the greatest Ponyville had seen. It sure beat standing on a parade float and waving to the audience in Canterlot, that’s for sure.
At any rate, Twilight now felt mostly awake, or at least enough to go outside and start the day. She trotted over to the front door, opening it with a small burst of magic. She gazed out at the beautiful sight of central Ponyville and—
“Hey everypony! Look! It’s Twilight! Time for my Princess-Twilight-Is-Awake-So-Now-We-Can-Conga-Line Party!”
Twilight, watched, open-mouthed, as Pinkie Pie led a spontaneous conga line of Ponyville residents down the dirt path; the effect even came complete with appropriate music from Ponyville’s resident DJ.
Pinkie Pie beckoned Twilight over to the growing conga line. “Come on, Twilight! Join us!”
“Pinkie, have you been partying all night?” Twilight asked, after finally picking her jaw up off the ground.
“Yepperooni! This DJ is so superawesomazingly funnerific, I just couldn’t stop getting my groove thing on! Everypony’s partying like it’s going outta style! Outta sight! Ooh, this is my jam!”
As the next song started, Pinkie broke away from the now burgeoning crowd of partying ponies to dash over to Twilight, wrap a foreleg around her neck, and drag her over to the crowd. All the ponies around her were standing strangely still, except for Pinkie, on who was engaged in a hoof step dance. Everypony watched her expectantly. The music grew in intensity. Twilight sweated with anticipation. What was going on?
Then the music changed.
Everypony burst out into every type of crazy dance imaginable, from the Worm to the Cupid Canter. The crowd quickly deformed into chaos. The DJ even somehow managed a light show, despite the sun shining brightly in the sky.
“It’s the newest dance craze!” Pinkie shouted over the booming noise. “I can’t remember what it’s called, but you should try it Twi!”
Twilight stood on her back legs, staring at her forehooves in bewilderment. “What do I do?” Twilight shouted back, even more confused by Pinkie’s antics than usual.
“Ooh, that’s the funnest part! You do whatever you want! It’s a blast!”She bounced on her tail and back flipped, landing on all four hooves before standing on her hind legs and doing a hopping hoof shuffle that vaguely resembled the moonwalk.
“Uh, Pinkie,” she stuttered, getting back on all fours, “I gotta go, actually. I wanted to talk to Applejack. But uh, you keep on doing…whatever it is you’re doing. See ya!”
Twilight galloped out of the crowd as fast as her legs would carry her.
“So then Pinkie tries to get me to do this crazy new dance that every single crazy pony in this crazy town is doing! I just...” Twilight let her rambling drop off with an exasperated groan.
“Ah hear ya, Twi. Never did too much fancy those wild party antics of Pinkie’s. Love her ta death, but she’s too much for me to handle sometimes. Ah reckon’ you did right comin’ here to cool off.” She wiped the sweat from her forehead after knocking down the apples from a nearby tree.
“Uh, do you need help?” Twilight asked, as AJ stepped over to the next unharvested tree.
“Ah’m good, sugarcube. Big Mac and lil’ Applebloom’ll be helpin’ me out today, and that oughta be enough.” She idly kicked a stubborn nearby tree, rattling the last of its delicious red fruit from its branches.
“Are you sure? Because I can cast a quick Fruitfall spell to maybe—“
“Ah said ah’m fine. ‘Sides, you know I like to do things the earth pony way ‘round here. Remember the last time you used magic to help with the farm work?” Applejack gave Twilight a look before trotting over to the next unshaken tree.
“I got better!” Twilight burst out indignantly, flaring her wings for the first time since her visit to Canterlot. Applejack, hearing a distinct “pop”, immediately turned to see Twilight writhing on the ground.
“Gosh, Twilight! What happened?” Applejack immediately rushed to her side.
“I don’t—ow ow ow!—help me!” she wailed hysterically.
“Hold on, sugarcube, we’ll get you ta Fluttershy’s cottage. Ah reckon’ she knows what ta do!” She carefully picked up her friend and headed toward the edge of Everfree Forest.
Fluttershy gently placed a hoof on the joint of one of Twilight’s wings. “Does this hurt at all?”
“Ouch!” Twilight recoiled, awkwardly trying to fold in her wings to move them away from the source of the pain. She succeeded, if not in relieving the pain, then at least in collapsing on the cottage floor in a pile of legs and wings.
“Ooh, I’m sorry!” Fluttershy squeaked out, trying to help Twilight up without touching her wings.
“No, it’s okay—ow!—It’s okay Fluttershy. Just tell me what’s wrong.”
“Oh, um, it’s actually, well, that is…it’s a simple thing really. It’s just that, you know—“
“Good grief, spit it out!” huffed Applejack, causing Fluttershy to jump to the ceiling in fright.
“Twilight popped her wings out of their sockets.” She fluttered back down to the floor. “It’s easy to fix, really. But, um, it’s kind of painful, so….”
Twilight calmly brought a foreleg to her chest and extended it in front of her, breathing out to release all tension in her body. She then placed all four hooves firmly on the ground and shut her eyes tight. “Okay. Do it quick!” she said through gritted teeth.
Fluttershy, in one deft movement, struck at both wing joints in a chopping motion. Another loud “pop” reverberated in the cottage as the joints moved back into their proper place. Twilight breathed a heavy sigh and dropped to the floor.
“Oh, wow! Thanks!” she said, getting back onto all fours again. She gave an experimental flap of her wings; sure enough, they were back in place.
“Oh, I…it was nothing,” Fluttershy blushed. “Just, um, be careful, please, from now on. That is, just don’t, you know, flap your wings too hard.”
“Hoo wee!” Applejack shouted. “That’s enough excitement for me for one day. I’ll be at Sweet Apple Acres if you need me, Twi. See y’all later.” Applejack trotted out the doorway, leaving behind only Fluttershy and Twilight. They stared at each other in silence for an awkward moment.
“Where are your animals?” Twilight suddenly thought to ask. She looked around the room in puzzlement, seeking out some trace of Fluttershy’s furry friends.
Fluttershy blinked a few times and collected her thoughts. “Oh, yes. I, um, sent them to another caretaker for a few days. You know, with the trip to Canterlot and all that?”
Twilight nodded.
“…A-actually, since we got back early, I was going to spend the day at the spa with Rarity. Would you like to come along? You know, if you want to…you don’t have to…I mean if you’re busy—”
“I’d love to!” Twilight interrupted. “And, well…honestly, Fluttershy, I wanted someone to talk to. Maybe we could chat on the way there?”
“Sounds wonderful,” Fluttershy said, as they both clip-clopped out the cottage door and back towards Ponyville.
“…Oh, Fluttershy, I really do like being a princess and having wings and everything, but, I mean, what am I supposed to do? I sent a letter to Princess Celestia, but all I’ve gotten back so far is ‘Be patient, and everything will be alright’. But everything is not alright! I haven’t been given a ruling position, I don’t know what’s expected of me now that I’m an alicorn, I’m not sure whether or not I’ll be separated from you girls, and, and—“
Twilight took a moment to do her breathing exercise once again. Calmly, she continued: “I’m sorry Fluttershy; I’m just so stressed out right now. I’m confused and angry and I’m taking it all out on you. I…”
Twilight stopped as Fluttershy gave her a small, reassuring hug. She felt tears streaming down her face as she willed herself to remain calm. Why was she such a wreck right now? This wasn’t how a princess was supposed to act.
“It’ll be fine, Twilight. I promise that no matter what happens, we’ll all find a way to be together.” She stopped and looked Twilight straight in the eye, giving her the sincerest, warmest smile anypony had ever given her. Twilight’s gloomy expression brightened; she even managed a smile in return.
“Thank you Fluttershy. That means the world to me.” Twilight wiped the tears from her eyes and let out a few nervous giggles as she approached the spa alongside her friend. She opened the door with a burst of magic and held out a forehoof to allow Fluttershy to enter first. Fluttershy smiled meekly and went in ahead of Twilight.
“Hello!” announced the friendly spa-ponies, Aloe and Lotus, in unison.
“Princess Twilight!” said Aloe.
“It’s an honor to have you here!” said Lotus.
“Oh, uh…” Twilight shuffled her hooves nervously. “That’s fine, really. Just call me Twilight, please. Where’s Rarity?”
“As you wish, Miss Sparkle,” said Aloe.
“Miss Rarity is over in the hot tub. Perhaps you two would like to join her?” asked Lotus.
“Oh, yes,” Fluttershy interjected. The two spa ponies gave her little more than a glance before turning back to Twilight. Fluttershy suddenly became interested in the carpeted floor.
“Um, sure,” Twilight said, all too aware of the attention she was receiving. The two spa ponies nodded to each other and led Twilight to the hot tub. Fluttershy tagged along, eyes cast downward.
“Here we are, Miss Sparkle!” announced Aloe.
“Please, do enjoy your stay!” chimed Lotus.
“Thank you both, really.” Twilight gave a polite smile to the twin spa-ponies, before climbing up the stairs and stepping into the hot tub. A sensation of pure bliss passed through Twilight’s body as she immersed herself in the hot water. She took it in for a long moment; she could tell that the stress of her coronation was already catching up to her. Fluttershy followed right behind, taking a moment to test the water before stepping in.
“Rarity, I hope you don’t mind, that is…I brought Twilight along, you know, if that’s okay….” Fluttershy let her rambling drop off into incoherent mumbling, noticing Rarity’s lack of reply.
“Twilight?” Rarity removed the cucumber slices from her eyes. “Oh, Twilight. Nice of you to come. Fluttershy, would you like to follow me over for a hooficure?”
“Oh, sure. But um, what about Twilight?”
Rarity glanced over at Twilight, before turning toward the hooficure station. She trotted over and sat herself down. “It must be marvelous, being a princess, Twilight dear. What do you think, Fluttershy?”
“Oh, I uh…” Fluttershy stuttered.
Twilight rolled her eyes at Rarity. “Nothing’s changed, I see.”
“What do you mean by that, Twilight? Surely, you of all ponies must understand the appeal of being a role model.” She made herself comfortable in the reclining chair. “Aloe! Lotus?” she called politely. The spa-pony sisters trotted over, hoof files clenched between their teeth.
“No, actually, I wouldn’t,” Twilight complained.
“Of course not, I forgot who I’m talking to.” She held out a hoof to Aloe, who carefully began filing away at it.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Twilight demanded, hopping out of the hot tub and looking Rarity in the eye.
“Um, girls, this isn’t really the time or place to—“
“Humble Twilight, never wanted anything but to study and learn. Honestly, dear, you should’ve become a professor or something if you didn’t want all the attention.” Rarity breathed delicately at a hoof to blow away the filed off excess.
“I didn’t ask for this!” Twilight shouted.
“Well obviously not, seeing as your mannerisms haven’t changed,” Rarity pouted.
“Please, stop fighting. Girls? I—“
“What’s your problem?” Twilight retorted, trotting over to poke a hoof at Rarity.
“Maybe you’re my problem!” Rarity stood up from her reclining chair; Aloe and Lotus discreetly stepped away from the growing argument.
“Oh yeah? How’s that?”
“You know very well how that is, Twilight!”
“What are you talking about?”
“Will you two stop it!” screamed Fluttershy. Everypony in the building all started at once; Fluttershy sank to the floor and began to cry.
“I…I need to be alone,” Twilight said, her voice quivering uncontrollably. She walked away from the small crowd forming, then out the door of the spa.
“And here I thought everything was going to be okay….”
Twilight plodded downheartedly down the dirt path leading out of Ponyville. She didn’t know where she intended to go, nor did she care. All she wanted right now was some time to herself: no ponies hanging on her every word, no confusing quarrels between friends. Nothing but silence, and her own thoughts.
She sat herself down in a small clearing on the outskirts of Ponyville. After making sure no one was around to disturb her, Twilight gave a huge sigh and looked up at the bright sky. In celebration of the coronation, all scheduled weather was cancelled for today. It was meant to be a cloudless, sunny day.
Except, it wasn’t quite cloudless.
Twilight noticed a small tuft of cloud floating off in the distance. A tuft of cloud that was creeping closer. And closer. Until—
“Hey Twilight,” Rainbow Dash called down from atop the cloud. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief; of course it was Rainbow Dash. Who else could it be?
“Hi Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said in reply. “Napping on a cloud, I suppose? Must be nice,” she sighed, idly nibbling on the grass in front of her. “Where did you get that cloud, anyway?” she said through a small mouthful of grass. “Wasn’t today’s weather supposed to be cloudless, sunny skies?”
“Oh, this old thing? I found it hanging around the edge of the Everfree Forest. I suppose you could say I ‘borrowed’ it,” Rainbow Dash explained, followed by a little chuckle. Twilight swallowed her mouthful of grass and chuckled along with her.
“Well, don’t let me get in the way of your nap,” Twilight replied, resting her head on her forelegs.
“I’m done catching up on my sleep for now. Why, are you okay, Twi?” Rainbow Dash hopped off her cloud and floated down to ground level. She gave Twilight a concerned look. For a moment, Twilight thought of turning Rainbow Dash away; she wanted to just say that everything was fine, that she was just tired, anything to be left alone for a while. Yet…
“I really just haven’t been feeling myself lately. I don’t know what’s going on; nothing’s what it used to be.”
Rainbow Dash scratched the back of her head with a forehoof. “I dunno, Twi. I’m not too good with personal stuff like that.”
“But that’s just it.” Twilight stood up. “All of my…all of our friends, I just feel like I can’t connect to them anymore. Pinkie Pie is crazier than ever, Applejack is so busy, Fluttershy…I mean, I felt a little better after talking to Fluttershy, but then we met up with Rarity, and I don’t know what her problem was. I can’t deal with this anymore. I wish I had never become an alicorn.” She let a few tears fall, before blinking them away.
“Hey, Twilight.”
“Yeah?” She looked up at Rainbow Dash.
“Come with me. I’ve got something to show you.” Rainbow Dash flew high into the air. Twilight, unsure of what to expect, followed her upwards.
“Where are you going?” she asked, having finally caught up.
“You’ll see,” answered Rainbow Dash, edging forward and beckoning Twilight to follow.
“I don’t know about this, Rainbow Dash…”
“It’ll be fine, Twilight. Just remember to flap your wings to stay aloft. Ride the wind, that’s what the flying instructors in Cloudsdale taught us.” She stepped back, took a running start, and jumped into the abyss of sky below. Twilight swallowed nervously. She began running; slowly at first, then gradually picking up speed, until she was galloping across the cloud strip. Nearing the edge, she leapt off, extending her forelegs and letting gravity take her for a ride.
Her heart beat at a mile a minute as she dove through the air. She streamlined herself to pick up speed, giggling uncontrollably from sheer excitement. The cool, crisp air swept her mane back behind her. Straight as an arrow she fell, until at last she felt she was too close to the ground for comfort.
She extended her wings.
She felt the uplift.
Twilight’s heart soared as she directed the flow of the wind with her wings, climbing and diving and looping about the sky as free as a thought. Such liberation! Such freedom! How had she lived her entire life without this sensation?
“How do you like it?” Rainbow Dash asked, suddenly drifting up to glide alongside her. Twilight merely turned her head to face her friend; the goofy grin and tears of joy said everything Rainbow Dash needed to know. She nodded, and pointed down at the ground. Twilight returned the nod, following Rainbow Dash into a slow, spiraling descent.
Twilight laughed giddily as her hooves touched the ground. She immediately ran over and hugged Rainbow Dash.
“Rainbow Dash, I—you don’t know how good that felt.”
“I think I do,” she began, breaking away from the hug. “Whenever I’m having an off day, I come out here to cheer myself up. It’s awesome, isn't it? Just you up there, nothing holding you down, not even gravity. You just…feel so free.”
Twilight nodded. “Hey, what do you say we have another go?” she said, lifting up off the ground.
“I’m always game for a little flying,” Rainbow Dash replied, as they both flew towards the cloud strip of Rainbow Dash’s home.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I finally understand what you meant when you said that everything would be alright. Even though becoming an alicorn means dealing with a lot of changes in my life, I shouldn’t fret about it. I know that, no matter what, my friends will always be by my side to help me through anything and everything.
I also learned that change, while it can be scary, is not always bad. Your life, for better or worse, is what you make of it. Starting right now, I’m going to do what I can to make my life, and the lives of those around me, as bright as the sun in the sky.
Still Your Faithful Student,
Twilight Sparkle
“That ought to do it,” she said to herself as she finished writing her latest report. “Spike, would you mind sending this to the princess?”
“With pleasure,” Spike gleefully replied, snatching the letter from the desk and breathing his magical dragon fire onto it. The parchment turned into a puff of green smoke, which flew out the window, towards Celestia’s castle in Canterlot.
Just then, she heard a knock at the door.
“Who could that be?” she wondered. She wandered over to the door, opening it with a forehoof.
Standing outside were her five friends all gathered together, holding a large present.
“I’m really sorry about earlier, Twilight.” Rarity used her magic to give the box to Twilight. “Please, from me.”
Twilight telekinetically tugged on one end of the ribbon; the entire wrapping, paper and all, came away to reveal a cardboard box. She opened the flaps of the cardboard box to reveal…
“A cake? I mean, I’m flattered, but…why a cake?”
“Ooh, ooh! I can answer that!” Pinkie Pie bounced up and down excitedly. “You see, Rarity came to me, and she was all ‘Oh, Pinkie! I feel so terrible! Whatever shall I do?’ And then I said, ‘Don’t worry, Rarity, I know just the thing to make it up to Twilight!’ So I baked a cake and invited all the girls over to your house for a party!”
“Another one?” Twilight asked, rolling her eyes at Pinkie Pie.
“Oh, no, not like before. This one is for just the six of us. It’ll be splendorific!” Pinkie Pie brought in a small radio playing some dance music, and using her signature party cannon, created her very own miniature party inside Twilight’s house.
“It’s party time!”
“Yeehaw!”
“Oh, my!”
“Delightful!”
“Awesome!”
“Oh girls,” Twilight gushed, bringing them all in for a big group hug, “you know I love all of you, right?”
“We love you too, Twilight!” they all said together.