//------------------------------// // 0 - 01 // Story: Four Hooves // by destinedjagold //------------------------------// —and the flash of light vanishes just as quickly as it appears. Twilight blinks, her shining horn dimming. She blinks. And blinks. And blinks once again. She slowly and carefully brings a hoof on her chin. She's not hurt there. She slowly brings her hoof back down as she carefully processes in her mind that she's not hurt anywhere. She slowly looks down, staring blankly at the parchments on the table before her, slightly awash with the purple light from her glowing horn. She slowly stops emitting mana on her horn. The protective spell around her disappears, the fading sensation startling her— “Princess!” “Ahh—!” A rattle of clopping hooves on crystalline floor. “Thousand pardons, your majesty!” her royal guard says, bowing an apology. He looks back at her with a concerned frown. “I was passing by when I noticed you looked rather troubled. Is everything alright?” Twilight blinks at him. He blinks at her. She blinks back. “Uh ... what day is it today?” The guard blinks. “...It's Monday, princess.” Twilight blinks once again. She slowly, slowly nods her head. The guard awkwardly shifts in place. “Um...” Twilight looks out the window, staring at the bright afternoon sky. “Right.” She slowly looks back at him, and slowly nod her head. “...Thank you.” “N-no problem, princess.” The guard awkwardly bows at her. “Would you like further assistance in anything?” “I...” Twilight trails off. She looks down at the parchments. She blinks. She slowly gets herself off of her chair— She feels feathers brushing against her sides. Her feathers. “!!!” She quickly looks at them. She sees her wing folded on her side. She blinks at it. “Princess?” She slowly looks ahead. She slowly shakes her head. “I ... think I'm going outside for some air.” The guard nods his head. “Would you like to have an escort?” Twilight looks at him, and shakes her head. “Thanks, but I'd ... like to be alone with my thoughts, if that's okay with you.” The guard immediately nods nods nods his head. “Of course, princess.” Twilight takes a deep breath... ...holds it in... ...and lets out a very, very heavy sigh. She frowns at him. “...And please stop being so formal.” Twilight smiles a small smile and waves a small wave at the ponies who smile and wave at her. Other than that, the townsponies mostly ignore her as she slowly trots on one of the many earthen paths of Ponyville. She stops and looks at Sugarcube Corner. She notices the ‘Close’ sign hanging outside the bakery's door, and if she listens hard enough, she can hear Pinkie Pie's excited giggles as she busies herself with baking many baked treats for tomorrow's event. She continues her slow trot, heading towards nowhere in particular. Minutes fly by and she notices herself by the town's park. Her ears twitch, picking up Rainbow Dash's voice. She turns her head towards her voice and sees the daring pegasus doing lazy loopty-loops in the air in front of young foals. She stops and starts telling them something. The foals cheer, and those with wings start buzzing their tiny wings. Rainbow Dash notices Twilight outside the park. She smiles and waves a hoof at her. Twilight waves back with a small smile. Rainbow returns her attention to the youngsters. Twilight smiles and watches them for a few more minutes before she resumes her trot. She is so lost in her thoughts that when she finally returns to reality, she sees herself standing just a few more steps to her friend's boutique. A closed sign hangs on the shop's front door. Her ears twitch as she hears the sounds of Rarity's sewing machine. It stops, and she can hear her friend talking to herself in excitement. She stares at the boutique for a few more minutes before she resumes trotting once again. Minutes fly by. Twilight's lost in her thoughts once again. She bumps into the side of a wagon. She blinks, returning to reality. She hears a familiar chuckle. “Wow, Twilight,” Applejack says, smiling at her. “Is tomorrow's event getting to you?” Twilight smiles a small smile as she approaches the farm mare and gives her a warm and friendly hug. Applejack blinks and awkwardly returns the gesture. “Uuuhhh...” she uuuhhh's. “Something wrong, sugarcube?” Twilight soon breaks the hug and steps back. “Sorry.” She sighs a happy smile. “I'm ... just glad to see you, Applejack.” Applejack blinks at her. She chuckles. “Well, I'm glad to see you too, sugarcube.” She turns her gaze towards her farm. “I've heard from Rainbow the news, so I've closed shop early to prepare for tomorrow.” Twilight nods in understanding. “Sorry for keeping you.” Applejack shakes her head. “Naw... Don't stress yourself too much, sugarcube.” She places a hoof over her chest. “If you need help, just give us a holler, you hear?” Twilight smiles and nods her head. “I will. Thank you, Applejack.” Applejack returns the smile. “Well, I should get going. See you tomorrow, Twilight.” Twilight nods and waves a hoof goodbye as Applejack pulls the wagon, heading towards Sweet Apple Acres. Once again, Twilight resumes her trot. So lost in her own thoughts that she wakes back up to reality when a talon suddenly boops her on her nose. She blinks, staring at the claw as it pulls back from her nose. She looks up as Discord chuckles. “My my... Look who's out and about at this hour,” he says, looking at the setting sun in the horizon. He turns back to her. “I'd say, Twilight, it's rare to see you outside your little friendship castle.” He gags. He violently shakes his head. He looks down and smiles at her. “Care for some tea? Not by me, if you're worried about that.” He turns back and smiles at the cottage. “Fluttershy is preparing some, and I was patiently waiting on her cute-sie little sofa when my bookworm alarm started blaring and—” The Lord of Chaos stops and freezes when the Princess of Friendship suddenly hugs him, the mare not minding the draconequus' sudden frozen and cold state. He looks down, as best as he can in his frozen state. The ice around his mouth cracks and breaks. “...Well, it's not everyday that Miss Bookworm surprises the Lord of Mischief.” Twilight sighs a happy sigh. “Where were you?” she whispers, not hoping for him to hear nor for him to answer. Discord raises an eyebrow as the ice in his entire body disappears in thin air. “...Is this ... some sort of prank you read in one of your books or something?” She breaks the hug and shakes her head. She smiles at him. “Yes, I'd like some tea, please.” Discord's arched eyebrow flies up to the heavens. “...uh huh...” He quickly looks on his backside, trying to see if she stuck something there or something. He furrows his remaining brow as he looks back at her. “...Okay, I'm keeping a watchful eye on you, princess.” Twilight chuckles. Twilight sits down. Twilight giggles. She giggles and snorts as a tear or two runs down her face, her tears reflecting the setting sun's soft rays. In a panic, Discord teleports the confused Fluttershy beside him as Twilight continues to cry tears of joy and as Spike and four young fillies are running towards them from the Everfree Forest.