"The ball twitched!" A small shout briefly turned heads towards the two in the corner. Cotton and the filly were lounging on pillows in the common room of the orphanage. Cotton looked up from her book. "Yes! I finally got it!"
Cotton Ball smiled down at the little one, "Congratulations. One step closer to becoming an archmage. Can you do it again?" A nod in response.
"Let me try, gimmie a sec." The filly's horn slowly lit up and nothing happened. A few seconds later, the ball started faintly glowing and shuddered. Both glows went away suddenly.
"Yes, I did it again!" The little one put a hoof in the air before letting it drop with a clip.
"Good job! Is it tiring at all?" The filly was lightly panting with Cotton looking on in concern.
"Just a tad. I just need to use it often and ill get better. Thats what the book said at least. In time I'll be able to lift a... uhh, I don't know, something heavy for hours. Just gotta give it time. Well, that and practice. I'm gonna keep at it." The filly's horn and the ball glowed before the glow disappeared. Then reappeared on repeat.
Never really did understand magic. Cotton looked down at her book just in time to hear a commotion from the fronk desk. Looking up, she saw ponies bowing down towards somepony entering the front doors. A giant white mare strode in with a grace beyond mortality. Princess Celestia, ruler and mother to all, walked in while smiling at the fillies and colts playing. Cotton Ball dipped her head in a bow. The royal orphanage did occasionally get visits from The Princess. But, being busy ruling everything, it normally only happened once every few years.
The Princess began conversing with a Stallion at the front desk. Being too far to, even intentionally, listen, Cotton raised her head and looked. The Princess had two guards with her, standing at the doors. Even while conversing with the annoying stallion at the front desk, The Princess had a smile on her face. She really does love us all... Even the annoying ones. While speaking to him, she handed over a paper and got one in return. The stallion, Clear Water if I remember correctly, was fumbling about. The Princess smiled wider and nodded before saying something. The Princess turned around and slowly headed towards the door.
"Whoosh... That's... really exhausting. Like taking a run after eating a Than-" The filly cleared her throat, "a large meal. How's your book, Cotton?" She looked up at Cotton.
"Uh... umm, my book is nice, but I've barely read it. The Princess is here." Cotton looked back towards the entrance, only to see The Princess standing still, looking at them with a smile. While looking, Cotton saw something in The Princess' eyes. Wow... Just like mom...
"Oh! Wait, really?" The filly's eyes shot wide open, showing the grey, destroyed eyes. Head and ears turned around this way and that, attempting to locate said the princess. "Uhh... Should I be bowing or... uhh..." The Princess' smile shrunk and eyes widened upon laying eyes on the blue filly's eyes. Only a fraction of a second later, the smile was its previous size.
"Y-yeah." Cotton bowed her head to the floor she was sitting on.
"Oh." The filly closed her eyes and started bowing.
The Princess could be heard giggling suddenly. Cotton looked up to see The Princess was covering her mouth with a hoof while looking towards the two of them. Cotton turned to look at the filly.
The filly was bowing to a wall.
Cotton giggled.