The question finally came one night, while Canopy was tucking Enterprise into bed. “When will I grow wings like all the other foals, mom?”
Canopy hesitated. She had been dreading this question, dreading the day she or Sky Spinner would have to explain to their little yellow filly that she was different. She had hoped it would be Sky Spinner who would have to answer it, even if he could be a bit… disoriented at times.
“You see, Enterprise,” she began, “There are three types of ponies. Some have wings, like dad and I. That's what makes us pegasi. But some don't have them.”
“Oh.” Enterprise frowned, looking at her back.
“But only some of those ponies have one of these,” Canopy added, lightly touching the horn in the middle of her daughter’s forehead. “Those ponies, the kind of pony you are, are called unicorns.”
“Unicorns…” Enterprise said the word softly, testingly, as though saying it just to see how it felt on her tongue. “But what good is that? I want to fly!”
“Oh, honey… I’m so sorry…”
Enterprise’s eyes began to water.
Canopy had to turn this around. “But you know what? A horn can be great too! Unicorns can't usually fly, but you know what they get to do? Magic.”
“Magic?” Enterprise looked at Canopy with eyes filled with wonder.
Much better that than water, Canopy thought. “Yes! Unicorns can do amazing things just using their horns.”
“Like what?”
“Like… well, all unicorns get to move things without touching them, and then they get a few things only they can do. I know one unicorn who can make plants grow, and one who can make things pretty--”
“Can't I have wings and a horn?” Enterprise interrupted.
“That… would make you an alicorn. Only Princess Celestia and Princess Cadence have both wings and horns.” Canopy had told Enterprise about the princesses before, but back then, she had left out the detail that they weren't pegasi.
“Then I want to be a princess too, so I can fly and do magic!”
Canopy frowned. This wasn't going as well as she'd hoped. But she couldn't bear to break Enterprise’s hopes again, so she smiled reassuringly and nuzzled her daughter. “Oh, sweetie... You'll always be my little princess.”
Enterprise fell silent for a moment, not returning the nuzzle. Then she spoke, quietly, “The other pegasi,” she caught herself, “The pegasus foals tease me. For not being able to fly.”
The words stung. “They do?”
“What's a ‘chicken’, mom?”
Canopy didn't answer immediately. She would have to talk to the teacher about this. “...a chicken is a bird that can't fly very far, so it stays on the ground most of the time. But next time the other foals call you a chicken, you know what you do?”
“What?”
“You ask them, ‘So what? What's wrong with being a chicken?’. And if they talk about flying, maybe you can tell them what I told you about unicorns and magic.”
“...I guess,” Enterprise said half-heartedly.
“Now let's get you all wrapped up,” Canopy said, throwing the blanket over Enterprise, “so you can have nice dreams and not worry about wings or mean pegasus foals.”
“Yeah…” There was still a tinge of sadness in the voice.
Canopy kissed Enterprise’s cheek. She had learned not to try to kiss the forehead early, when she almost poked her eye out on Enterprise's horn. “Good night, my little princess. I love you.”
“I love you too, mom. Good night.”
Canopy turned, blew out the lights, and left the room. But just before the door closed behind her, she heard one last murmur from the general direction of the bed. It was quiet enough that Canopy didn't think Enterprise had meant for her to hear it.
“I really wish I could fly…”