Sunlight passed though Twilight’s eye lids and into her pupils. She groaned grumpily, saddened to be torn away from her dreams, and angered at the sun for its crime. Turning away from the bright assault of her peace, Twilight smiles as she renews her journey into the beautiful paradise of slumber.
She waits in the darkness, and waits, and waits; but sleep never returned. With another groan, Twilight reluctantly lifts her eye lids when she acknowledges that her body has become sore for the lack of movement. But movement meant energy, energy meant wakefulness, and wakefulness meant no more wonderful sleep. But in the end her body won out the argument, so Twilight removed her warm blanket and moved her four hooves onto the hard cold floor that is her room.
instantly the soreness dissipated, and her body gave a cry of joy. Nevertheless, Twilight made her tiredness clear with a thunderous yawn. With her declaration of revenge voiced, the alicorn lugged her legs to her bathroom just pass the far left door.
Glancing into her reflection on the wall-hung mirror, she saw the bird’s nest that was once her hair, the rest of her mane transformed from smooth and flowing to not unlike that of a tree full of vines, thorns and all. It most certainly didn’t help to see two sickly dark spots haloing underneath her eyes.
Igniting her horn violet with her magic, she lifted her brush from the counter and directed it to her mane. The thick yet grass-like teeth scraped across the nest and resettled each stray back to its proper place. Once it is to her satisfaction, she then moved downwards to repeat the procedure on the vines climbing on her neck. Afterwords she places her brush back to the counter, only to lift another, smaller, brush from a small cup placed convently next to her sink; at the same time, she levitates a small plastic tube to float beside the smaller brush.
Placing the creamy substance onto the brush, she set it to work within her mouth. Time seemed to quicken though the routine, as already she spat out her mouthwash. She glanced back up to the mirror, the wild mare that was half dead was no more, now in the reflective glass was a perfectly good-looking alicorn. Her mane almost completely aligned evenly, along with her trade-mark pink stripe running though it from top to bottom. Her horn, now polished, twinkles from the candle light. Her eyes are no longer darkened, now they shine out with friendliness and greeting the new day, all form of revenge forgotten.
The only thing that wasn’t perfect were her new wings, spreading them just enough, she could see that her feathers weren’t preened as they were supposed to be. Twilight sighed, Rainbow Dash would have a fit if her wings weren’t preened, but they don’t have practice today so what’s the point? Besides, feathers taste terrible.
She continued to debate this with herself, when she heard a familiar cry coming from just out of her door. It was hard to make out, but there was very little doubt who was calling her. Opening the door into her bedroom and again into the vast chasm that was her hall way. She trotted though the maze like structure that became her home and now memorized by heart.
The purple alicorn stopped at one specific door and though it was a long room with a table just as long, unlit candles, Place-mats holding silver plates, and napkins decorate the table while surrounded by a total of forty-two chairs. A gleaming chandelier of gold, shown with crystals hanging from it’s branches, is suspended above the long table. It was all very beautiful and very formal.
Which is why Twilight ignored most of the room and swiftly entered though the door just next to the entrance. Within was a much smaller room with a humble round table with only four common chairs. Behind one of the chairs was a small purple drake and her Number One Assistant: Spike, with a pair of plates with a stack of syrup covered pancakes are laid on the table.
The dragon looks up as she enters, and shows disapproval on his young face. “Finally,” he stated grumpily, “I was about to breathe on our breakfast just to keep it hot.”
Twilight smiled sheepishly as she climbs onto a chair, “Sorry Spike, I stayed up last night studying.” She lifts a butter-knife and starts to carve into the pancake.
Spike responded with a partly sigh and partly groan, “Really, again?” he too starts to cut into his own pile. “I thought we agreed you would go to sleep earlier.” He expressed himself by pointing his fork at Twilight, before taking it to his pancake.
Twilight’s reply was a small sheepish grin with pleading eyes above it, “Sorry Spike. But I’ve found this research to be far too interesting, I forgot.” She takes a bite.
Spike raised a brow, though not of interest, “And what could be so interesting that you forget to get some sleep?” he grumbled. His judging stare continued throughout his chewing.
At this, Twilight’s shameful pleading dissipated, and transformed into glee, stars twinkling in her pupils. “A water spell!” she squealed.
Spike stop chewing, a second brow followed the first, and gave a blink three times. He swallowed, “a water spell?” he queered. “As in a spell made specifically for water, and not just manipulating it?” Twilight’s nod was inspired by Pinkie’s energy. “Details.” He demanded.
“As you know, the Spark Spell requires the user’s magic to stir up the atoms around his/her horn. By simply encasing the horn with the user’s magic, with a hole at the tip. The added energy would send the atoms at an frenzy, that energy will find an escape rout though the hole and ‘explode’ outward. This ‘explosion’ will come out as a spark similar to that of flint streaking steel. And by—”
“And by feeding the flame at that spark with raw magic, the fire would stay a-lit, and thus producing a fire spell.” Spike Interrupted, tapping his claws on the table impatiently. “Come on Twilight, every unicorn worth their salt knows that. Starting a fire isn’t that hard. In fact it is because it is so easy to start a fire that water is so difficult as water requires less energy and magic can only add energy.”
“Very true, but Star Swirl the Bearded disagrees.” Twilight says confidently.
Spike once again blinks thrice. “Star Swirl?,” he said, disbelief and curiosity in his voice. “I think we would have known if he made a water spell with his other two-hundred spells he created.”
“That is because he hasn’t.” Twilight confirmed, “It was one of his lesser known last theories before his disappearance.”
“Oh,” the little drake with understanding and a peek of interest both. “So, how is this spell supposed to work anyways?”
“Well, it’s just like you said: magical energy creates energy and that energy is used in specific forms to create spells. However, Star Swirl theorized that with great self control, a unicorn would be able to slow the atoms in the air with their magic, and turn it into a liquid!” She ends her lecture with a gleeful giggle, clapping her hooves together like that of a filly on Hearts Warming.
Spike was silent for a while, a claw pressed under his chin, a thoughtful ‘humm’ moved though his lips, while he closed his eyes to more easily view his admittedly young mind. Then he shrugged his shoulders, “Well, it goes against everything about magic that I know of, but if anypony is able to make it possible it’d be you and Star Swirl.” He said confidently.
“Aww, thank you Spike.” Twilight said gratefully. She was about to take a newly cut piece of the pancake, when a familiar sensation of dread struck her. Something was wrong, very wrong. She searched the walls from the left to the right until she found the twitching hands of the local clock. The long arm settled on six, while the short arm pointed to nine.
“Spike?” Twilight returned to the small dragon, whom was still eating his share, “What was on today’s schedule again?”
Spike held up a single claw in the air, and swiftly finished his food with a gulping swallow. “Hang on a second,” he replied as he jumped off the chair and ran off into the great hall way.
Twilight simply waited, watching the clock tick time away.
Tick.
Tick, Tick.
Tick, Tick, Tick.
Thankfully the long arm only reached between seven and six when Spike returned, a scroll in his grasp. “Okay lets see,” opening the scroll he scanned though the list, “Wake up at Seven-thirdy,” he gave the alicorn a minor stink eye, his victim could only reply with another sheepish grin, “Nope. Next, make breakfast at eight-thirdy, check. Eat said breakfast at nine o’clock, check. Re-shelf the library on ten-”
Twilight breaks Spike’s listing with a startled gasp. “Oh-my-gosh!” she yelled in quick succession, “It’s Re-shelf Day!” With a swift lighting of her horn, she lifts her Number One Assistant into the air; while at the same time leaping from her seat and made a run to the door and out of the small room.
“Twilight!” Spike gasped, “What about breakfast!?”
“Re-shelf Day!” she remotely answered. Wings flapping in her excitement, she took to the air and flew away, an alarmed baby dragon floating behind her.
The written language, a powerful and beautiful thing in truth. One would probably think that ink on a simple sheet of paper wouldn’t be that important, as it is so common it can be taken for granted. It is important, however, for without it it is doubtful that civilization would exist at all.
With pen dipped in ink, and a dry paper on a desktop, anything would be possible. Ponies could record everything they’ve witnessed on their day, and it could be seen again by little school fillies years in the future. Ponies could ‘say’ what they wish to say without letting out a word, then ‘speak’ what they said miles away, and the receiving pony would listen then reply the same manner. Ponies with the written word, with a fair bit of imagination, could become ‘gods’, for they can create worlds full of life and wonder.
If paper was wonderful, then books were majestic. All that writing, all that knowledge, imagination, and wisdom; expanded to fit a life time, yet small enough to read in a day or two. With the right book, a pony could master any occupation with only a month, become wiser in a day, inspired to do great things in their lives and return that inspiration to others.
Her friends make fun with her on Twilight’s love for books. Though, as she shelfed the last book into it’s proper slot, she smiled softly, books, as wonderful as they were, are worthless if not shared; and she loved sharing her library with them. Rarity and Applejack would come to read how to improve their businesses, Fluttershy would visit to review her knowledge on a certain animal, Rainbow was always a good reading partner as long it was fiction, and Pinkie Pie would enter looking for cake recipes, and when she leaves, Twilight almost always gains a new cooking book that she was sure she didn’t have before, though it was always better not to question it.
“Okay Spike,” Twilight said happily, “that should do it.”
“Good.” He sighed tiredly, he maybe a wonderful assistant, and a dragon to boot, but he was still a child and he tires easily. The alicorn smiled gratefully and found her chest full of pride as she watches the young one walk back to the main center of the library where the reading tables are. Once he was there he picked up the check list from the crystal surface.
Unrolling the scroll, Spike skimmed though the parchment, muttering ‘check’ all the way, until he stopped. “We’re suppose to meet up with the girls at Sugercube Corner for lunch today.” The universe must have been waiting for some catchword; because almost instantly, his dragon stomach gave out a monstrous growl. Spike replied with an apologetic grin and added, “Maybe around now?”
Twilight already had a hoof over her mouth, trying to hold back an attack of giggles at Spike’s expense, though not trying hard. Despite that, however, her own stomach called out in agreement with it’s dragon relative. Ending the attack and instead came flushed cheeks and renewed symphony for her assistant. “I think that would be best.” She said quickly, though she was unsure if the dragon did or didn’t hear her own embarrassment.
Ponyville wasn’t the most extravagant town in the country, nor was it the largest, or even the safest; but what it did had was pure beauty. Not the impressive beauty that was Canterlot, that was something else entirely. No, it was the warm air breezing along a pony’s fur coat, it was the trees and fields of grass surrounding humble buildings and their clean streets without conflict. It was the ponies talking of their day to one another, whom are happy with friends and family, who are willing to wave to a stranger as if they were friends forever, the kinds of ponies who seem to know that no matter what hardship happens, everything is going to end up fine.
All of this and more ran though Twilight’s heart as she walked down the street to Sugercube Corner, Spike on her back. Taking a deep breath, she could smell delectable flowers on Rose’s flower stand, the fresh apples stacked in Big Mac’s delivery cart, and a tint of oil from the local train station. She can hear the sounds of doors opening for friends, the fast trotting of little hooves running though the streets, and the songs choired by the birds over head. Twilight has been around Equestia several times as both as the apprentice of Celestia and as the newly crowned Princess of Equestia, and she can never find anywhere as wonderful as her home.
At the end of the block came Sugercube Corner, top pastry shop in all of Ponyville, of not the entire country. It’s brown cookie walls and frosting-like decorations makes the building look as good as its products, along with the doors that rarely ever close during primary daylight hours the place gave a sense of welcome that reflected the overall mood of the town. All of this made it the only residence for the pink party planer.
Walking though the open door, her vision was immediately flooded by a tide of fluffy pink, her nose was invaded by the rushing scent of cupcakes, and her ears were very suddenly bombarded with, “TWILIGHT, YOU’RE HERE!” While Twilight and Spike were trying to possess the past second, the pink vanished, and behind the counter popped Pinkie Pie. “May I take your order?” she asks casually, as if she didn’t deify the laws of space and time.
Being around Pinkie for years doesn’t make one immune to the comprehensions of her impossibilities, but it does help one recover faster than one exposed to it the first time. ‘It’s just Pinkie Pie’ goes a long way to help clear up a pony’s head from shock. The popular Ponyville phase automatically played in her head as Twilight stepped to the counter, “I’ll have a salad and a sundae on the side with any kind of toping you think best.” she said.
“Really?!” Pinkie asked with glee.
Twilight was happy to see such a friendly face almost every day, it really made life better to see it smile widen even at the littlest of things, “Yes Pinkie, I’m at full confidence at your capabilities,” she said honestly, “I’ll even pay for any inconveniences.”
“Oh Twilight,” Pinkie giggled, waving her off, “The Cakes have already took it out of my pay check, so it’s on the house!”
“What?” Twilight was less shocked and more concerned. Pinkie always was willing to pay more than necessary for her parties just to make sure that ponies and very rarely asked for payment, which is why she doesn’t even have her home and have to rent a room at in the building she works in just to makes sure she can have another party. Giving up money for something as small as a get together is asking too much.
“Pinkie, that is too much trouble for you, I have more than enough bits to pay-off a simple salad and some ice-cream.” Twilight protested.
“No can do Twilight,” the party pony persisted, uncharacteristically stern. “I already had this argument with Mr. and Ms. Cake and I’m not backing out now. This is the anniversary of us becoming the Elements of Harmony and I’m going to make it my duty that my closest friends are going to have a good time, and that is a Pinkie Promise.” She tapped the table to further her point.
Twilight sighed, when the party pony makes a Pinkie Promise there is no stopping her, all one can do is let her be Pinkie Pie and hope for the best. “Alright, but don’t make it a burden to yourself.”
“I’ll be fine, you worry about enjoying yourself.” Pinkie said confidently. “The others are at that table over there,” pointing her hoof behind the alicorn and dragon, three tables away from the door sure enough three other ponies with unmistakable blue, white, and yellow coats, “Applejack hasn’t arrived yet, but I know she’ll be here sooner or later.”
“Thank you, Pinkie.” Twilight said. She was on her way to the table, when her back suddenly became much lighter. Looking back, she found Spike at the counter, and flushed in embarrassment. It was too easy to forget the little dragon sometimes, especially around her friends. She noted to work better on it in the future.
“Can I have some Sapphire cupcakes, please?” ‘Aw, Dragons and their gems’ Twilight thought.
“No problamo! We just got a shipment of the stuff a few days ago!” the pink pony giggled cheerfully.
With that settled, Twilight resumed her stride toward her friends. Rarity was the first to noticed her and gestured her to sit next to the white unicorn. “Good afternoon Twilight, I trust that you have enjoyed your self re-shelfing your entire library, hmm?” She gave Twilight a knowing smile.
“I don’t think I showed anypony my schedule?” Twilight quired. She wasn’t really that surprised, Rarity always was a studious mare like she is, though instead of books it was ponies that she study thoroughly. She had to be with her businesses with the nobles who are always trying to swindle a cheaper price from ponies.
“No, darling, you didn’t.” Rarity clarified, “You do, however, let your legs give a lovely little bounce as you walk whenever some event involving books comes your way.”
“It could be that I just got a new book.” Twilight countered.
“Really Twilight, if that were the case you would already be out of your home. We all know how quickly you can read a new book, two hours at lest. You were in there well over four of them.”
Their playful debate was ended by Rainbow’s chuckle. “Dang Rarity, you can be pretty scary sometimes, you know that?”
“Naturally,” Rarity followed slyly, “it keeps the costumers in line.”
A burst of giggles spread though the four, they almost didn’t noticed Pinkie appearing behind Twilight and Rarity. “What’s so funny?” she asked rapidly, “Did I miss the joke again?” she asked just as swiftly and before anypony could answer she declared a passive “Darnit.” Before disappearing beneath the table where the four knew they wouldn’t find her where she was supposed to be.
For a moment Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow, and Fluttershy said nothing, staring at empty air where Pinkie once was. It didn’t take long though for a softer chuckle to encourage shaking heads, Pinkie was Pinkie.
The friends talked for a while, things weren’t all that unusual, Fluttershy’s animals were as healthy as ever, Rainbow’s Wonderbolt training as progressing well, “not that surprising” she bragged, and Rarity’s business was booming in Canterlot. Meanwhile, Spike pulled up a nearby table to touch the one they were sitting at and placed three extra chairs, one for each side. When Pinkie brought up the meals she took up a seat and joined into the conversation already filled with happy smiles and good times.
Pinkie was in her third joke, when the shop bell jiggled. Twilight and the rest looked over to see the familiar orange coat of Applejack, the Applefamily’s pride and joy. She was breathing deeply, sweat damping her fur from her neck to her chest. Twilight looked at her farmer friend with a hint of worry, but the prideful smile on her tired face dispersed any doubt.
“Dude!” Rainbow gaped, “You look like you’ve just ran though Ghastly Gorge!”
With a chuckle Applejack walked over to her spot just beside Twilight, “I might as well have, Rainbow.” She climbed onto the chair, and as soon as her rump was above the seat, her legs collapse and makes a crash landing on the chair. “Whew!” the orange pony breathed, “I’ll tell ya’ll what, tryin’ ta fix the pig pen while tryin’ ta keep all them critters in it was one hay of a doozy.”
“Is that what kept you?” Rarity asked.
“Eyup.” Was Applejack’s simple reply. She gazed over to find Pinkie’s strained smile and pleading eyes, the pink pony was fighting to the best of her ability not to jump to Applejack’s face. The farmer closed her own eyes and hummed thoughtfully, “I think I’ll have my self some apple-cake.”
With a great cheer, Pinkie once again disappeared into the kitchen, in which direction nopony knew as they all blinked.
Yet another round of chuckling, after which the friends continued their conversations. Eventually, Twilight was drawn out of the trading of words and simply watched her friends communicate without her. Her friends; there was a time where she couldn’t even fathom being around other ponies, never mind friends. All she cared about were her family, Celestia, and books; anything else was irreverent. Now, just thinking about being without her friends could drive her nuts. She owes then everything for showing her a better life than just knowledge.
“Is everything alright Twilight?” Fluttershy’s sudden comment gently tore though the alicorn’s life examination.
Seeing all of her friends looking at her, Applejack and Rarity with slight smiles, while Rainbow and Fluttershy gave concerned frowns, Spike was still in his comic, Pinkie grinned. It was only now that Twilight noticed that the chatter ended, only an embarrassing silence remained. Grinning sheepishly Twilight replied, “Sorry Fluttershy, I was just thinking when we all met.”
“Oh that’s good.” Fluttershy muttered. “I’m glad of that to-”
A loud squawk ended her sentience with it’s great suddenness. Startled, five ponies and dragon jerked their heads toward Pinkie, who was jerking in her seat incredibly rabidly. In a likely attempt not to spill her food, she lunched herself four feet in the air, did an professional somersault backwards, and landed gracefully back into the hall. Only to continue vibrating until she as a blur of pink.
Greatly worried for both her party friend and the strange implications of Pinkies wondrous ability to tell the immediate future, Twilight swallowed softly. “What’s going on Pinkie?” She asked nervously.
“I-I-I d-don’t kn-now!” Pinkie stuttered thorough the vortex, “I thhi-ink it’s-s a-a ne-w doz-zy!”
Twilight was about to tell the others to try and help her, before the rapid blur reformed into the pink pony. She and the others stared at Pinkie in silence. The only other time Pinkie went this wild with her Pinkie-Sense was when she tried to scientifically explain it, witch lead to her, Pinkie, Applejack, and Fluttershy to run from a Hydra deep in the Everfree. The mere memory still frightens her. What is gonna happen now?
“So, what’s up?” Rainbow asked nervously, finally breaking the silence.
“Don’t know.” Pinkie answered casually while giving an quizzed look as she tapped her chin, “Though I stopped, so that either means that I will comically jump back to it, or it will start happening around now.”
Twilight winced as a jolt of pain arced through her. It was like a small cloud of static electricity focusing down on her horn and into her head. With a small cry, Twilight grabbed forehead with her hooves and pushed against the pain. The electric pain left just a quickly as it came, however, it left her feeling nearly numb from the base of her horn to the tip, although she did notice some kind of force ‘hugging’ the tip of the horn.
It was only then that Twilight heard her friends crying out her name. Looking up she could see their eyes shine with compassionate concern. “I’m fine girls.” she said in an attempt to dis-sway too much worry to herself. Then she saw Rarity also had a hoof to the base of her horn, she also felt a little alarmed as her friends, “You felt it too?” she asked.
The white unicorn nodded, “Though clearly not as much as you did.” she added.
“Whoa, wait a moment ‘here,” Applejack said with a corked eyebrow, “What in the name of Celestia just happened?”
“I wished I knew AJ.” Twilight replied honestly. Whatever it was, it is clearly intertwined with Pinkie’s omen. Question is: what?
As she pondered this puzzle, she gazed to her left as many great scholars do when trying to find an logical answer. When she did so she tilted her head slightly toward the window, and the numbness hardened. It was not much, barely noticeable at the tip of her horn, but she could feel it. Twilight turned to her right and the feeling dissipated, the numbness weakened also. With inquisitive curiosity, she returned to the window to find the hardened numbness once more at her horn’s edge.
Whatever this was, it was clearly a magical force, and it was fading.
Twilight adopted a determined look as she turned to the other nearby ponies. “Lets go girls,” she directed as she stood from her seat and flew for the door. The very moment she left the bakery she knew her assumption was correct as the numbness only grew harder with every flap of her wings.
“Wait!” Came Rainbow’s voice, making Twilight stop in the air and turned to the Wonderbolt with a dazed Spike on her back. Behind them, were the rest of her friends whom are just exiting the building. “Where are we going?” Rainbow asked.
“I don’t know. But I do know that whatever Pinkie’s dozy is, it’s that way.” She pointed with her horn where the numbness is hardest, noting that was north-west, “And I need to find it before it’s gone.”
“Not without us you ain’t.” Applejack called from below. A chorus “yeah!” followed around her.
Twilight smiled as pride fill throughout her heart, her friends would be with her through thick and thin until the bitter end. Knowing that always made her feel that she could take on any challenge, against any foe, and everything will turnout fine in the end. “Alright,” she said; with the power that radiates from the six bodies behind her, she confidently gazes into the direction of the odd magic. “Let’s go find that magic!” she calls out as she and her friends head for White Tail Woods.