//------------------------------//
// Bad Mare Day (A Letter to Celestia) 
// Story: Bad Mare Day (A Letter to Princess Celestia) 
// by Cpt. J. Applebee 
//------------------------------//



Bad Mare Day


(A Letter to Celestia)

Dear Princess Celestia,
Today, my friend Rarity and I learned two invaluable lessons about friendship. It's actually quite a long and ridiculous story, but I will, with Rarity's help of course, try to keep it short.
It all started two days ago, when Ponyville was throwing its annual Glamorous Manes pageant, and my friend Pinkie Pie, you remember Pinkie of course, dared me to take part. Can you imagine ME in a beauty contest? Anyways, after overcoming my own reluctance I signed up with Rarity, who's entered the last three years in a row.
At first, I felt silly, and embarrassed, I mean, I certainly didn't think I could compete with anypony let alone my very fashionable friend, but as the day went on I found myself not getting eliminated round after round, until, you'll never guess, but it was just Rarity and I left. I've never quite felt so confident and pretty as I did right then, but ‘twas not to last, and as Rarity was announced the winner, I felt my heart sink a little. I was happy for her, but it also hurt my new found pride in myself too.

Then I, Rarity, unaware of Twilight's feelings proceeded, in a rather immature and unbecoming manner, to flaunt my victory over my dear friend. I was simply too proud of myself, and could not think to humble my boasting. In the end, I realize I went too far, pushing poor Twilight to her limit.

All of Rarity's gloating really got under my skin, but rather than tell her, I tried to bottle it up. However, you can't bottle up bad emotions like that forever, and by the end of the day I was looking at one of my closest friends as if she were my bitter enemy. I decided, and I know now how wrong this was of me, but I decided I'd teach her a lesson, and cast a spell on her when she was unaware. The spell of the untamable mane. I thought maybe, if she was stripped of her glorious style for a little while, she might understand how she was annoying the hay out of me, pardon my language. I would soon learn though, that my reasons were far less noble. That I was simply sick with jealousy.

It turned out Twilight couldn't have picked a worse day to play this prank, as I had several obligations I simply could not afford to put off or ignore. So, after spending most of the morning desperately trying in futility to fix my mane, I simply donned my biggest and most concealing of hats and headed out to conduct my business. Quickly I discovered what a bad move this was, as everypony was gawking at me and whispering Luna knows what, to each other. All of this making me very uncomfortable and rather irritable, I must say, and by lunch time I found myself snapping at just about everypony in town, from colleagues like, Vynle Scratch, who DJ's for many of my fashion shows, to almost complete strangers like this fellow Walter Coltchak, who honestly kind of deserved it for some rather inappropriate comments. Even, our close friends Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were not spared my terrible mood.

It gets even worse, I regret to say princess. All during the terrible day I'd inflicted on Rarity, the bad magic I'd cast was feeding off her now sour mood and spreading to each pony she inevitably jumped down the throat of, and then as it turned out, to each pony they ruined the mood of. When I went out on the town for my scheduled get together with Pinkie, I found the town a mess of unkempt manes and poor moods. I found two ponies, one who refuses to be called anything but “The Doctor” and a local mail mare named Derpy, locked in a bitter quarrel over a fresh batch of blue berry muffins! All the while yelling about how only one of them was a real “hooves”? Normally, they are the best of pals, and when I spotted Pinkie nearby with a mane straight as can be, I knew something was wrong AND that it was all my fault.
Breaking my schedule, I decided it best to flee home and try to find a way to undo my mischievous spell, but hours later I couldn't find any answer to my dilemma and I could hear the town descending into anarchy outside. I panicked and resolved to hide as long as I could, but that was another failed plan, as soon Rarity came knocking on my door hoping that I would have a remedy to her and now seemingly everypony's problem. However, as soon as she laid eyes on my mane she knew that I had used a spell, and proceeded to tear into me, as I deserved, with accusations and interrogations. When I saw how hurt Rarity was, I HAD to confess my jealousy over her beautiful mane and losing the contest and how her gloating had made me feel awful and how I'd cursed her, my very own friend. I begged her for forgiveness, wishing I could fix everything once more.

I told Twilight how sorry I was as well, having no compassion for her feelings the day before and too asked her forgiveness, and as we made up, suddenly, just like that, my mane untangled and fell into its usual grace, and outside we could hear the town go quiet followed by cheers of merriment and relief. And thus, the town, like our friendship, was saved.

It's alright to be jealous of a friend, it just means you have feelings, but you shouldn't let that jealousy consume you and turn into a problem that can very quickly get out of hand. Don't hide it. Instead, talk with your friend and try to work through it.

Also, when you win any type of award or recognition, you should do so gracefully. Pride in one's self is fine, but you should also be aware of other ponies’ feelings and tread carefully as to not hurt them.

Lastly, never let anything turn you away from what's really important, the bonds of those you care about and who care about you.

You're loyal subject and faithful student,
Rarity & Twilight Sparkle