//------------------------------// // Ch. 1 // Story: Just One Wish // by shysage //------------------------------// I guess I do have a certain amount of notoriety... Well, a bunch of us do in this sleepy little town. I mean, if you was to wander across the oat fields and stumble into Ponyville, you wouldn't think much of it, just another ponytown. But we -- wow, we have our own Castle, our own Princess even! Notoriety, I don't care none for that. It doesn't really matter to me. My best friends, our Princess, we have been through a lot together, and really helped out, well all Equestria, a bunch of times, I don't know... To me that's just good ponies helpin' out, doing what we can to help against really bad ponies, which there are, sadly, way too many. But you can have that notoriety if you want; file it along with other big words that just don't mean much to me. My best friends, I like being around them. They don't mind that I treasure the truth, telling the truth, even when it is hard, or when nopony else even sees. Honesty... That is me; I live for that. And my best friends, they treasure that too, treasure that in me, too... That kinda' thing means more to me than a bunch of fancy words, ponies cheering, ponies stomping... I guess they mean well, but at the end of the day, after the latest angry pony fiasco or whatever is done... I go home to Sweetapple, walk the fields a while, be with kinfolk, maybe kick a few hay bales or apple trees around... I am content with that. Well, don't tell anypony, but I do have just one wish, hidden back behind a few hay bales in the barn... I ain't never told nopony, and probably never will. I think it is impossible anyway. But even if it never comes true, which I think likely... You can still have all that notoriety; enjoy it for me, I don't care. Summer is one of my friends. She is not officially part of our group (no Element), but, wow... She is quiet, a lot like her sister Fluttershy. But she is also, well the Phantom Alicorn, an' if that don't sound powerful... Well, that pretty little mare, I have seen her in action, helping us mop up bad stallions and such. I'm glad she's on our team. And I like this; when she ain't powerful, she's just a quiet, sensitive peace-loving mare, she and her Stallion both, good ponies. We get along just fine. And I still don't know what happened... We all believe in true friendship, but somehow, that broke, or something, and... Summer and Shysage got the worst of that. I still have no clue, even though I think they are allowed to come around again. And Summer, they have just tried to drop the whole thing, tried to forgive... One of life's un-answered, unanswerable questions though. But I really like being around them. Summer and I walked the fields some a few days ago, mostly just walked, chatted a little... We just spent time together enjoying our orchards, bein' together, even if we said little. But I knew I didn't have to say anything around her. Maybe that's why it was so relaxin'! Don't get me wrong; Princess Twilight, our little group, I love everypony so deeply. Rarity especially can quickly rub me the wrong way, but hey -- she is a part of the group, and accepting that, I accept her... We are all best friends, in this together, no matter what. I guess the Elements have seen to that. It seems the Elements selected us, so we really don't have much choice. Well, I reckon we really need each other, maybe even Equestia needs us to need each other. So, rough edges and all, we are all really close. And yesterday, Applebloom and I wandered into town. Applebloom led us to Rarity's boutique, then Applebloom and Sweetiebelle quickly ran off. It was ok; after finishing her sewing, Rarity took me to lunch, and we talked, and just enjoyed some peace. Well, maybe that is one difference... Horrible monsters, they scare me too, but I guess I am pretty tough inside. Rarity, on the other hand, she is pretty easily... Well, I think she pays a higher price than I do for what we have had to face together, maybe Pinkie too, I don't know. Aside from me having to tell Rarity a few times I didn't want her "sprucing up my mane", we had a nice lunch together. Afterwards, I stopped by the Castle, and visited with Princess Twilight a bit. I felt bad; I interrupted a magic lesson I think. But Princess was having "magic fun" she called it, with my new neighbor, also called Princess, that is her name. She is a good neighbor though. I don't know magic from a rock on the trail, but my neighbor Princess, also a Unicorn, has bailed me out a bunch using her magic. Such a nice mare, and her Stallion too, good neighbors as I said. Of course, we all hugged, chatted briefly, then I walked home. I don't worry too much about Applebloom. She is growing up, and our town is usually pretty safe. The first few times she didn't come home at night, I fretted, slept little, then found out the next morning she spent the night with Sweetiebelle, or something. I explained that once to my Equestria Girls Twin; she laughed and pulled out her cell thing. I don't think that would help me here. Applebloom, I have had to look after her for years, but I am learning to relax about that kind'a thing. It would be dark soon when I got home, so I found some sweets to snack on, then walked the fields at sundown like I often do, when it isn't freezing cold or really cloudy, anyway. Sometimes I snag Rainbow and have her clear me a hole in the clouds for a bit, if I see her flying over, or if she drops by for a visit. It is ok though, whether I can catch a shooting star or not. And after working hard usually since sun-up, I don't mind gettin' some sleep. Summer dropped by, well flew in, and landed near me, maybe halfway to lunch. I was kicking apples down, summer apples, and she would usually help me get 'em in the basket. But this time... Well, it, I sensed that something was up, I don't know. We hugged right away, then Summer said quietly, sounding like it was hard for her to even talk... "Please, you need to just trust me, and come with me to Princess Twilight's Castle." Of course, I would come; the apples could wait 'til tomorrow. We walked together into Ponyville. Little was said, except... Well, I had to know. "Summer, am I in trouble... or something?" Summer stopped, shook her head no, with tears in her eyes, and hugged me tightly. Well, ok. I would like to think that I am pretty used to handling suspense. And I knew, well Summer had never, ever lied to me. I was not alarmed at all. It was a nice walk into town, a nice warm, sunny day in Ponyville, an hour or two before lunch maybe. We headed past guards, into the Castle, to the Library. Summer led us right up to that Portal thing. Well, we usually use that Portal to go to the Equestria Girls world, and our Equestria Girls Twins can use it to come here too, from the other end. I am not real fond of my "people" form, but have come to terms with it, I guess. Wait... I do like playing soccer with Rainbow, and both our twins. Still, I have no clue how that Portal thing works or anything. But we can go back and forth via that Portal -- that is all I know. And, I guess Summer can go back to the past somehow with the Portal; I am not really clear on that part. Well, I guess Fluttershy has been to the past that way a few times, too. She told me once she met Princess Celestia many hundreds of years ago, and they became pretty close back then. I think that, with her sister Princess Luna banished, Princess Celestia needed all the friends she could get back then, and it sounds like ruling Equestria for over a thousand years all by herself... That does not sound fun. (See "Dark Melvain", sorry it is a long story...) As we walked right up to the Portal, Summer didn't say anything, but quickly changed into her Phantom Alicorn right away. Those huge white wings, that pearl white Alicorn horn, the low rumble -- well it all screams power if you ask me. I had no clue what was happening though, what was going to happen... Princess Twilight walked up just then, lookin' just a little alarmed. Summer told her basically the same thing she told me. Well, again, I doubt Summer has ever lied to Princess Twilight either. Wait, Summer added that she would explain to Princess Twilight in a minute. Maybe I would find out then too. Summer put one of her hands on my pony shoulder, then she wrapped her other hand around the smooth, wooden border of the Portal, maybe half way up from the bottom. I think she squeezed that border just a little... There was a bright flash, and Princess Twilight, Summer, the Portal... the Library... everything just... faded away...