//------------------------------// // Celestia's School for Gifted Ponies // Story: My Little Academia: Friendship is Heroic! // by Fullmetal Pony //------------------------------// A cool wind prickled Twilight’s skin. Ponies from all three races marched forward around her and Moondancer. Their destination towered ahead. With the lengthy stairs leading up to its main entrance and its tall spires, the School for Gifted Ponies was like a miniature castle. Despite having been in the actual castle, in Celestia’s room no less, Twilight still felt butterflies rise up in her stomach staring at the School. Moondancer glanced down at her watch. “It’s getting close, you’d better get going. Got all your pencils?” “Yep,” Twilight replied. “Erasers?” “Check.” “Lunch before the practical?” Twilight pulled a daffodil sandwich, a bag of chips, and a bottle containing the medicinal brew she had been using all summer. Celestia has assured her that all the ingredients were allowable. As she stowed them back away, she gave her saddlebags a pat. “And quills, ink bottles, tissues, whiteout, ibuckprofen, and an umbrella. Trust me, my mom had me covered.” “I know. It’s just…” Moondancer pursed her lips. “I barely recognize you, Twilight. With all the stories you tell me about Sunset, I…” Before Moondancer could say anymore, Twilight grabbed her and brought her into a hug. “I’m sorry. I really wish we could have hung out more over the summer. I promise I’ll keep in touch more now.” Moondancer chuckled. “Think you’ll have time, hero?” Twilight smirked. “Well, I will need a manager.” “You got it!” “There, uh…” Twilight glanced to the side. “… might be a few specifics we need to work out.” Moondancer raised an eyebrow. “Like what?” “Hey, Twilight!” A purple claw sprouted up amongst the sea of applicants. “Like him,” Twilight replied with a sheepish grin. Spike wound through the crowds and joined Twilight and Moondancer. At the sight of a dragon, even a small one, Moondancer tensed up. Spike did not appear to notice. “Hey, know we’re not supposed to talk about things too much, but I’m guessing this is Moondancer, right?” Spike held out a claw. “How’s it going?” “Um…” Moondancer gawked at Spike for a moment before her head snapped in Twilight’s direction. “Explain, now.” “Oh…” An unsteady chuckle rose out of Twilight’s throat. She scratched her head while avoiding looking at either of her friends. “Uh, Moondancer this is Spike. We… met through the training lab. Yep, Spike is, uh, a transfer student from the dragon kingdom! And he… he also helped the lab understand dragon magic better!” Moondancer’s face twitched. With a shake of her head, she sighed and clasped Spike’s claw with a hoof. “Nice to meet you, Spike. I’m Moondancer. Time is short, so I’ll be frank, if it weren’t for Twilight, I’d be a bit more cautious around dragons, and she’s already making this a bad first impression.” “Little on the nose, eh?” Spike quipped as Moondancer let go of his claw. Moondancer pushed up her glasses. “Well, I’ve got a billion questions, but now is not the time to ask them. I’m guessing you’re applying for the School too based on that bag.” Spike gave his bag a pat in much the same way Twilight had. “Yep! Gotta make sure I get in so Twilight and I ca—“ “What in the name of the moon is this?” Moondancer, Spike, and Twilight stiffened. Sunset stood behind them. Despite it still being that last lingering days of summer, the air around Sunset’s face was visible and smoky. Sunset stomped closer, barely noticing Moondancer, lingering on Twilight’s new physique, but mostly focusing on Spike. She drew closest to him. “Mind explaining what you’re doing here, scales?” Before Spike could respond, Twilight stepped forward. “His name is Spike, Sunset.” “Out of my way,” Sunset snapped. A flaming hoof surged up to Twilight’s barrel, but it was stopped by a violet shield. Sparks flew off from the shield and the flames. Sunset’s brow furrowed. “So, you didn’t waste your summer then?” “I’m getting in, Sunset,” said Twilight. “And so is Spike.” “Yeah, we’ll see.” Sunset pulled back her hoof. With a snort, she bent down to Spike’s eye level. “Sounds like ‘Fizzle’ here knows you. My advice, dragon or not, is to stay clear. She’ll just weigh you down.” “And my advice, dragon on not, if for you to mind your own bucking business,” said Spike. Sunset’s horn blazed and her eyes turned fiery. Just then, a few other applicants passed by. “Hey, isn’t that the filly from the dragon attack?” one of them asked. “Yeah, pretty sure,” said another. The fire in Sunset’s eyes went out. Her horn dimmed. She spun, sending up a few sparks. Her glare remained on the group. “I don’t have time to waste on losers today.” Without another word, she stomped off, leaving hoofprints burned into the grass and the dirt. When Sunset vanished into the crowds, Twilight turned to Spike. “When did you learn that language?” “You really never notice how ‘colorful’ some stories can get with their curses?” Spike asked. “Do sailors and cowponies just spend their off-hours coming up with new swear words?” “I know, right? I mean, I get that it adds a little flavor, but if you’ve got more than five curses a page, just stop.” Both Spike and Twilight looked at Moondancer. She coughed into a hoof. “We, uh, should probably discuss this some other time.” The wind rustled. Moondancer traced a circle in the ground. Her lip tensed. Taking a breath she straightened up, but kept her eyes to the ground.. “But… I should say this now.” She gulped. “I’m sorry, Twilight.” Stunned for a moment, Twilight tilted her head and asked, “For what?” “I… I had doubts about you. Even after all the times you stood up to Sunset, I still didn’t think…” Moondancer sniffled, but then smiled. “I should have known you’d be a hero no matter what.” Twilight gave Moondancer a pat. “Well, this summer changed a lot of things. I’d be lying if I said I’d have as much confidence now if it hadn’t been for…” When Twilight paused, Moondancer looked up. With narrowed eyes, she asked, “For what?” A smile spread across Twilight’s face. “My great teacher and my partner!” Spike blushed. “C’mon, Twilight, we gotta get go—“ “Attention all applicants! a voice blared. A spell was magnifying it so that it reached everypony’s ears within walking distance of the School. Whatever spell it was, it also added a melodic tinge to the voice, so that every word sounded like it was part of a song record. “You have fifteen minutes to sign in and receive your exam block placement! Exams start in twenty-five minutes! “Guess that’s your cue.” Moondancer glanced down for a moment before giving Twilight a tap on the chest. “Knock ‘em dead, champ…” Her face grew hot. “Guh, that sounded way cooler in my head.” “It’s the thought that counts.” Twilight mirrored Moondancer with a bit more a steady bump. “Start thinking of places to celebrate at, cause tonight, we party like it’s Hearth’s Warming Eve!” “Party?” Moondancer gasped. “Who are you and what have you done with Twilight Sparkle?” All three of them then had a good laugh. With a wave, Moondancer made her way off to enjoy a few more days of summer. Spike and Twilight turned to face the School. Together, they marched up the steps. Some applicants stared. Whispers about a dragon and Twilight looking familiar wafted through the air. The duo moved ahead until they reached rows of snaking lines. At the front were tables where applicants confirmed their identities. The ponies handing out the ID badges made Twilight’s heart flutter and widened Spike’s eyes. Zecora, the Hornless Mage, sat at one table. At another, Donut Joe whipped out badges like they were the deceptive pastries he used to serve justice to the wicked. Other heroes checked everypony in, many of them recognizable even in civilian clothing, but some were unfamiliar to Twilight and Spike without their costumes. Peering ahead, Twilight saw that the mare manning the line she was in fit into the latter category. The three smiling flowers on her purple flanks provided no hint to who she was. Perhaps one of the more secretive heroes that hid their cutie mark to protect their identity. Before Twilight could ponder more about the mare, somepony tapped her on the shoulder. When she turned, she was met with a yellow pegasus shaking like a leaf. Even with most of her face hidden behind a lengthy pink mane, it was not difficult to see the nervousness etched onto it. “Oh… um… hello?” the pegasus squeaked. “Uh, hi? I’m Twilight. Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight held out a hoof. The pegasus grasped it with such a loose and quivering hold, Twilight could not tell if she was actually shaking it. “Are you feeling okay?” “J-just a little nervous. I… I’ve heard so much about the k-kind of tests they do.” The pegasus blushed upon the realization she was still holding Twilight’s leg. Her leg snapped back and she hid behind more of her mane. “I… I’m Flu…” The rest of the pegasus’s words were so soft Twilight could not hear them. She leaned closer. “Didn’t quite get that.” “I’m Flutte…” The pegasus’s words trailed off again. Twilight got within inches of her. “One more time?” “I’m Flu—“ “Hey!” somepony yelled. The pegasus went pale. A blur of blue with a rainbow streak darted through the crowd. When it came to a stop in front of Twilight, it sent up a blast of air that knocked back her mane and sent a bit of dust into her eyes. Blinking, she was greeted with the ruby-eyed glare of another pegasus. A hoof jabbed into Twilight’s chest. “You messing with Fluttershy?” “I…” Twilight gulped, unsure how to answer. At least with Sunset, she knew that a flaming hoof was likely to lash out at her. An unfamiliar and ticked off pegasus could attack in several different ways. Her sleek wings could be sharp enough to slice apart flesh and even shield spells. Her legs and barrel were well-toned, so a kick from her could be brutal. The biggest red flag in Twilight’s mind though was the scar that ran along the pegasus’s right side. It was particularly thick in one area, but unlike most scars that were just a blotch of discolored tissue, this scar sprouted roots that traced along the pegasus’s side. Lightning was the only force that could deal such a wound, and only an incredibly skilled or an incredibly lucky pony survived something like that. A pegasus with the proper training could redirect and discharge a fatal bolt, but that took complete mastery of weather manipulation and the reflexes necessary to use that mastery just as the lighting met flesh. A split-second off meant death. For a filly to have survived a strike and manage to get medical aid in spite of what must have still been life-threatening injuries was unprecedented. The scar spoke of talent even professionals struggled to attain. To her growing concern, Twilight spotted two more lightning scars just below the pegasus’s cutie mark. They appeared to have destroyed the lower part of it. Twilight could barely make out that something comprised of blue, yellow, and red streaks had once been there. The additional scars only confirmed Twilight’s fears: this pegasus did not just survive lightning strikes, she actively sought them out and trained to deal with them. Twilight had read stories and seen pictures of Wonderbolts that gained similar scars after accidents while training to combat massive storms. Pegasi that succeeded in this training method became true masters of the sky, able to soar at unrivaled speeds and summon phenomena that usually took several pegasi to call forth. Twilight was certain the inherent risks restricted the training to adults, and even then, only to professionals that could obtain a multitude of permits, but that had not stopped this pegasus. Twilight’s brain re-prioritized itself and designated this pegasus a danger on the scale of a concentrated and living storm. One wrong word, a single mistaken utterance, and Twilight imagined herself fried on the spot. “Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy shouted, shocking Dash, Twilight, and Spike with the sudden outburst. “I was just talking to her. You…” The anger dissipated from face and she shrank back from Dash, hiding behind her mane once more. “You know I like baby dragons, and when I saw T-Twilight stand up to the scary unicorn…” “Alright, alright,” Dash sighed with a shake of her head. “Just don’t want anything to screw you up today… if you’re still serious about this.” “Of…” Fluttershy gulped. A bit of resolve firmed up her face. “Of course I am!” “Then I’ll be waiting for you.” Dash held up the ID card dangling from her neck. A seven-digit number was written onto the top half while a blocky one dominated the bottom. “If you’re in my block, find me, okay?” Fluttershy lowered her gaze to the floor. “Right.” With a flap of her wings, Dash took off and vaulted over the crowds. As she did, she raised a hoof to her eyes and then jabbed it at Twilight. Then, Dash was gone. Fluttershy wobbled but Spike rushed to her side and propped her up. Catching her breath, she murmured, “Th-thanks.” Her pupils shrank and she bowed her head. “I am so sorry! Rainbow Dash is a really nice pony, but she can be a bit…” “Crazy overprotective?” Spike quipped. Fluttershy whimpered and nodded. “It’s okay. A little scary to meet a pony that talented, but this is the place for that sort of thing.” Twilight reached out and laid a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “I think we're all a little on edge. She had a point though, are you sure you’re okay?” “I’ll be fine.” Fluttershy took a deep breath. “Just gotta do my exercises.” “Oh?” Twilight grinned. “Like meditation? My teacher showed me a lot of te—“ “Next!” the mare at the table called out. Twilight blushed, realizing nopony else had paid much mind to the little encounter and had kept advancing forward in line. Everypony behind Fluttershy glared at the group. “Hee-hee, whoops.” Twilight moved so fast she left an afterimage of dust behind. At the table, she blurted out, “Sparkle,Twilight.Applicationnumbersixthreeoneninefour!” “Riiiggght… Could I get that one more time?” the mare asked. With a face as red as a tomato, Twilight repeated her information at an understandable pace. The mare looked through the list in front of her, made a check on it, and then handed a pass over to Twilight. “Good luck.” Twilight moved aside, but Spike glanced at her and then at the mare. “Twilight, didn’t you want to ask who she is?” “I think we’ve wasted enough time, Spike,” Twilight said in a hushed tone, eyes on the disgruntled masses piled up behind poor Fluttershy. “Oh no worries, I don’t have to look hard for this one,” the mare chuckled as she handed Spike his card. “You can call me Cheerilee, but get in and maybe you’ll see me in costume sometime, especially you, little drake.” The well-polished smile of a weathered teacher curved into a mischievous grin. Cheerilee licked her lips. “I’m curious how dragons fare against me.” Spike inched back. “We, uh, should probably get going.” “Uh, Spike?” Twilight pointed to his card. A large one stood at the bottom. Twilight levitated her own card close, revealing a two below her personal number. “Looks like I’ll see you after the exam.” “Aw, I was hoping we’d kick butt together in the practical,” Spike grumbled. “Hey, wonder where that Fluttershy pegasus got assigned? She said she was interested in baby dragons, so maybe…” He looked up, but Fluttershy had vanished. Twilight and Spike scanned the crowds, but saw no sign of her. “Hey, Twilight?” “Yeah?” “Are unicorns the only ponies that can turn invisible?” “Hmm…” Twilight brought a hoof to her chin. “Well, with the right manipulation of the temperature and the humidity, a pegasus could theoretically create a localized mirage around themselves. That would have to be a special talent though, and Fluttershy’s cutie mark appeared to be butterflies of some kind.” Twilight nibbled on the keratin. “Then again, cutie marks aren’t a surefire indication of what a special talent is. Even if that was the case though, in a crowd this size, somepony would have to have noticed the sudden atmospheric shi—“ “Five minutes to get to your testing location!” the voice rang again. “Right, can ask her later, maybe,” said Twilight. She gave Spike a jab in the shoulder. “Good luck, partner.” Spike tapped her back. “You too.” They smiled and then went off in opposite directions. Twilight followed the signs up some stairs and entered a classroom. She had read brochures and looked up pictures since she was little more than a foal, but actually stepping into the very classroom where the greatest heroes throughout Equestrian history filled Twilight with glee. The sight of other applicants in deep concentration, and the sealed boxes at the front of the room brought Twilight back to the present. Taking a breath, she scanned the room for an empty seat. While she looked, she spotted Fluttershy near the back with her eyes closed. Measured inhales and exhales filled and emptied her lungs. Recalling Rainbow Dash’s words and out of genuine worry for Fluttershy, Twilight quelled her curiosity and looked elsewhere for a seat. After a little more searching, she made her way over to a spot in a middle row by a window. She couldn’t help but steal a glance at the filly sitting to her left: an orange earth pony with a stetson hat that made her stand out. The hat had been part of what had led Twilight to notice the spot in the first place. Up close, Twilight saw that the three apples that served as her cutie mark sat atop pure muscle. Twilight could only imagine what those legs could do to an unfortunate villain. “Can I help you?” Twilight reeled back, lifting one of her desk’s legs. “Woah, woah, easy, girl.” In a blur, one of the earth pony’s legs whipped out and grabbed hold of the desk, steadied it, and set it back down. With a sigh, she looked up at Twilight. “Don’t you know it’s a might bit rude to stare though?” “Sorry.” Twilight bowed her head. “There, uh, aren’t that many earth ponies in Canterlot, and your, um, hat is a bit eye-catching.” “Well, I’d hope it is, what with it being a family heirloom and a part of my future costume.” She then raised up a hoof and clasped Twilight’s leg. Even having taken in the earth pony’s impressive frame, the strength of her grip still shocked Twilight. “Where are my manners? Name’s Applejack, pleasure to meet you.” “Twilight Sparkle.” When Applejack loosened her grip, Twilight hoped her relief didn’t show. Her leg stung a bit, though the genuine smile on Applejack’s face told Twilight any harm was unintended. “Twilight…” Applejack rolled the word around on her tongue. She then clanged a hoof on her desk. “Wait a minute, you ain’t one of those crazy fillies that got caught in that dragon attack, are you?” “Well, I…” Twilight glanced at the floor.  “I mean, Princess Celestia was…” Before Twilight could say more, Applejack chuckled. “Where I’m from, you do some crazy stuff on the farm, and you do some stupid stuff on the farm, but facing down a dragon has got to be the stupidest, craziest thing I’ve ever heard of. And, trust me on this, given my friend who came along, that is saying a lot.” “I know.” Twilight frowned. “My parents gave me the scolding of a lifetime.” “As they should.” Applejack grinned. “I’d take a licking from my Granny too though if my friend’s life was on the line like that.” Recalling the article making no mention of her relationship with Sunset, Twilight blinked. “How did you know that?” “Us Apples may not be the smartest bushel, but it doesn’t take a genius to guess what drives a filly to stare down a dragon like that. My honest opinion, they shoulda let you skip all this hoity-toity testing and just give you a license now. You’re a bona fide hero in my books, Twilight Sparkle.” “Th-thank you.” Twilight almost felt like crying. “Just telling it like it is. That being said, I’ve got plenty of grit too.” Applejack flexed a leg, enhancing the already defined muscles further. Twilight pondered how long it would have taken Applajack to clear the Everfree and bet it was less than her and Spike. “So, I think this whole exam thing is a load of bu—“ The door to the room slammed shut. A grey mare with a black, silky mane moved toward the front of the classroom. A purple bowtie wrapped around her neck, and a cello case rested on her back. Her hooves clicked against the ground in a steady tempo, like a metronome taking pace. “The Melodious Mare, Octavia!” Twilight squealed in as hushed a voice as she could manage. “Big hero fan, I take it?” asked Applejack. “Looks like we ain’t got any more time to chat, but why don’t we have lunch together? I got a pal who’s probably dying to meet you. Kinda impressed she didn’t burst out of her seat to come say hi.” “Oh, um, sure!” Twilight smiled. She could not recall the last time somepony had asked her to join in at lunch. Sunset had always ensured she and Moondancer were kept isolated in a corner of the lunchroom. Yet now, Applejack was not only going to have lunch with her, but so was somepony else. Twilight made a mental note to ask Fluttershy to join in too if she could find her after the exam. A string of notes brought Twilight’s attention back to the the front of the room. Octavia had pulled out her instrument and was in the midst of a captivating piece. Despite a lack of a horn, her clef note cutie mark and her bowstring glowed purple. An identical glow pulled the tops off the boxes, and the exams flew out to every applicant’s desk. The aura hummed as it brought out more and more exams guiding them along. “The exam shall start at the end of this performance,” Octavia said while continuing to play. “This is a closed-book exam. You will have an hour and a half to complete the exam. A five-minute warning shall be provided. If you need extra scratch paper or have to use the restroom, please raise your hoof. Your time begins…” Octavia slashed at the strings with a her bow, leaving a sharp tone to echo through the room. “Now!” ~~~ Ponies pushed and bumped into Spike. He did not mind that as much as the whispers he heard. “What is that?” “Why’s a dragon here?” “What are they thinking?” Spike flowed along with the crowd until he reached a gymnasium. With the wider space, Spike was able to take a breath and get a better look at the applicants as they made their way to a door leading outside. It was also harder to hear the them whisper. “Attention Block One!” the voice blared. Spike could now trace that its source was coming from beyond the doors. “You are scheduled for the practical exam first. Anything goes, so in regards to gear, take it or leave it! Wouldn’t mind seeing somepony score some points with an eraser! Time to see if you kids can handle this beat!” Just as Spike found an open spot and put his bags down, he felt heat flare up from behind him. “Well, well, well, so I get to see what a dragon runt can do,” Sunset mused. Spike spun and glared up at her. She grinned. “Just be careful not to get in my way out there. I’ve been training hard this summer to deal with dragon scales.” “That a threat?” Smoke curled from Spike’s mouth. “Twilight’s told me about you. She may be a bit more forgiving, but you’re a grade A jerk in my book.” “Well, seems dragons can use their brains then. I’m a ‘jerk’ because Twilight’s nothing more than a flea, clinging to other, better, stronger ponies, and now, dragons. It’s pathetic. When she fails today, you’ll see you’re backing the wrong horse.” Sunset snickered and strutted off. “Maybe you can join up with a real hero if you pass.” Spike smoldered on the spot for a moment. Recalling Celestia’s training, he closed his eyes and took a breath. His claws unclenched and his shoulders slackened. With his mind clear, he stepped forward. He should have opened his eyes first though. Without seeing where he was going, he slammed into somepony. “Eep!” came the cry of a filly. “Sor—“ Three diamonds floating in a white void filled Spike’s vision. He gave his head a shake, certain he had not bumped into the filly that hard. When he opened his eyes again, the diamonds were gone and Spike was left staring at the teeming crowds. He decided to take another breath. The faint scent of a gemstones, finely quality ones and different from the lunch Celestia had provided Spike with, wafted through the air. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Spike mumbled, “Focus. You’re here to pass.” Making sure to open his eyes first this time, he moved over to the doors and out into the practical exam test site. ~~~ Twilight could feel the warmth coming off her horn as she exited the classroom. Even with all her preparation, the exam had still taken her down to the last second to finish. A part of her was shocked at how difficult it had been even with Celestia’s mentoring, but another part of her told her that Celestia was not a mare that gave handouts. Still, she had not imagined she would already be thankful for her training. Had it not been for that, instead of her horn just being a little warm, it would be throbbing and useless in the practical. A reminder of how far she had come and the confidence that she had triple-checked her answers kept the growing number of butterflies in her stomach from multiplying exponentially. “Hoo-wee!” Applejack hollered and gave her hoof a flick. “Thought my head was gonna pop in there. Do we really gotta know all that just to rope varmints off the streets?” “Heroics requires a deep understanding and obedience of the law,” Twilight answered. “Having costumed ponies running around without regulation would be chaos for the Guard.” “Shoot,” said Applejack. “This hero stuff is a whole lot different than Big Mac said it would be. I probably ain’t scoring that many points on the essay. Oh well, I’ll just have to make up for it on the practical.” “I’m sure you did fine.” Applejack’s words flicked a switch in Twilight’s mind. “Wait a minute, Big Mac? As in ‘Barn Razer’ Big Mac?” “You really are a hero fan if you know him,” Applejack chuckled. “Well, I mean, I know he’s only part-time, but everypony in Equestria must have heard about the Great Timberwolf Incident.” A twinge of panic stifled Twilight’s excitement. Her gaze again shot down to Applejack’s hind legs. “I’ll, uh, be sure to stay far away during the practical.” Applejack glanced at her legs and then let out a roar of laughter. Before Twilight could react, Applejack slammed a hoof against her back. “Oh, that’s a good one, Twilight! Me? Pulling off bucks like Big Mac? I wish!” After a few more laughs, she let go of Twilight and straightened up. “Sorry, that was a bit rude. Probably still a good idea to stay clear though. I got my family reputation to uphold, and I don’t intend to hold back.” “Good to know,” Twilight said as the pair passed through the large doors leading into the lunch hall. “Now…” Applejack scanned over the room. “Woulda thought she’d come to us.” “Your friend?” Twilight asked. She swiveled her head around, trying catch a sign of Fluttershy. “What’s she look like?” “Aw, horseapples,” Applejack cursed while trying to peer over the thick crowd. “If you see anything pink, that’s probably her.” “Pink?” Twilight grinned at the coincidence. “Is your friend’s name Flu—“ “Flugelhorn?” a distorted voice blasted out from behind Twilight. Instinct forced Twilight to jump back, horn aglow. She dimmed her magic at the sight of a pink filly with an even pinker mane giggling at Twilight’s expense. With a flick of her leg, a horn featuring more loops than a rollercoaster flipped into the air and then sank into the filly’s poofy mane. In a blink, she closed the distance between herself and Twilight and had her in a hoofshake. While turning Twilight’s leg into a blur, she exclaimed, “Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie! I totally recognize you from the papers! You gotta tell me all about fighting that dragon! Or meeting Princess Celestia! Oooh, what’s your talent? Favorite food? What abo—“ Applejack crammed an apple into Pinkie’s mouth and shook her head. “Easy there, you’re gonna overload the poor girl.” Pinkie inhaled the apple whole. Twilight could have sworn she heard the sound of a vacuum cleaner rising out of Pinkie’s throat. “Um, why don’t we find some seats. Oh! And, uh, I’m Twilight Sparkle.” “Greaty-great-great to meet you, Twi!” Pinkie giggled. “It okay if I call you Twi? That way it rhymes with Pie!” “That’s, uh, that’s okay.” Twilight spotted a table and made a beeline for it. Pinkie darted ahead of her and plopped down three placards marked RESERVED from somewhere. “It’s better than a lot of other names I’ve been called.” A frown flashed across Pinkie’s face for a split-second. “Oh, I can call you Twilight then. I’d hate to be anything like a meanie-pants.” “No, no, it’s fine. It’s just…” Through the table, Twilight glanced Pinkie’s cutie mark: a trio of balloons. Another task was added to her mental backburner: find out if three-image cutie marks were growing in commonality. The thought only lasted a second as a million others, all related to the mass of energy calling itself Pinkie, vied for attention. “You’re quite perky for having just come out of the test.” “I’m just so excited!” Pinkie replied. A hoof shot up to her chin. “Oh no, wait, I’m nervous? Nervoucited? Yeah, let’s go with that.” “Probably shoulda given you a heads up, Twi.” Applejack pulled out another apple from her bag, two sandwiches, a third apple, a carton of chocolate milk, and an apple fritter. “Pinkie’s a great mare, but she can be a hooffull at first. I’ve been friends with her ever since she came to Ponyville and she still finds ways to surprise me.” “Surprise is the greatest element of battle!” Pinkie raised a fork high to the air and stabbed a salad that had appeared in front of her. Twilight blinked and glanced under the table. Pinkie had no saddlebags at her side or below her seat. When Twilight raised her head, there was now an array of pastries surrounding Pinkie’s salad. A cupcake had also materialized in front a Twilight while a donut rested beside Applejack’s milk. “And a good way to have fun with friends!” “You really don’t have to,” Twilight said out of politeness, but her mouth watered at the sight of the cupcake. She had kept to a strict diet all summer long, but hunger and the stress of the exam ebbed at her willpower. “But thank you.” “No problemo.” Pinkie leaned over the table. “Chocolate’s okay, right? I can do something else if it’s not. I just thought chocolate would be good cause it perks you up just a teensy-weensy bit.” “That’s very thoughtful of you, Pinkie.” Twilight grinned. Pinkie’s own smile widened. “You really like making other ponies happy, don’t you?” “Yep, yep, yep!” Pinkie squeeled. She then traced her hooves up from her lips and wide over her head. “I wanna be a hero that can turn any frown upside down, just like Mr. Ponygliacci!” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Who?” “Aw!” Pinkie slammed her head into a pie that was suddenly on the table. Pulling her cream-covered face out of the tin, she licked away the majority of the mess, but left two spots that resembled teardrops. “You’ve really never heard of the great Ponygliacci?” “Can’t say I have,” Twilight replied. “Is he a type of entertainment based hero?” “I think—no—I’m sure he is, or was.” Pinkie reached up and rubbed her temples at a blinding speed, producing twin trails of smoke. “Guh, why did he have to show up when I was so little?” “So who is he?” Twilight asked. “Only the greatest and most amazing party pony hero I’ve ever met! I would never have thought to use my talent to make ponies smile without him!” When Pinkie threw her hooves to the sky, confetti filled the air above her.  A serious look crossed Pinkie’s face. Her next words were in a put on gruff tone. “And trust me, I’ve been searching high and low since I was filly, and there’s nopony I’ve met that could match him.” “Given all the shows she been to, she’s not pulling your leg,” Applejack added. She then crossed her hooves against her chest. “Still think that was a bit of a mean joke telling you he was from Ponyville though.” “Maybe he was just tired from the trip out to my folks’ farm and made a mistake.” Pinkie flexed a hoof. “But no matter what, I’m going to find him someday and thank him!” “If he’s a hero, getting your license would give you the connections and the resources to do a more thorough search,” Twilight mumbled. Would it be too suspicious if I asked Princess Celestia and then told Pinkie? The thought gave her pause. Twilight was not a selfish pony in any sense of the word, but before this summer, she had rarely thought about doing things with others. Even her outings with Moondancer were rare for fear of running into Sunset or other ponies from school. Yet, here Twilight was, sharing lunch with two fillies she had just met and thinking of ways she could use her connections to help one of them. Staying partners with Spike, living up to Celestia’s expectations, and proving to Sunset she could be a hero had motivated Twilight to recall every scrap of text she had crammed into her brain throughout the written exam. Now, another motivation cemented her determination: to see more of Applejack, Pinkie, and hopefully, Fluttershy too. Maybe Pinkie was a little quick say it, but Twilight had a sense that if she got in and was able to spend more time with these fillies, they could become something Twilight had always wanted more of besides magic and a cutie mark: friends.