//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: The quest to find the perfect gift // by Akataja //------------------------------// Creativity, passion, willpower, and joy, Twilight had read that these are the most memorable skills of an artist. Twilight tried herself in various arts before, it was supposed to be the best way to relieve some stress, except for a colt friend. Twilight never understood what the colts have to do with that. Twilight was the opposite of an artist, she was a scientist and she really like it that way. She enjoyed the fruits of arts, paintings, sculptures, songs, lyrics, and also the art of her friend rarity, the art of clothing. She never understood why it's art when Rarity makes a dress but it's only clothing when she sees a dress on the market, she could feel the difference when she was wearing or just touching or even looking at that dress. Twilight had learned that she didn’t need to understand everything to enjoy it a long time ago, but today was a day when she needed to learn how to do art. The situation was simple, hearths warming eve was coming up and Twilight needed a present for her parents. She was a princess now and had all the resources she needed, she could give them everything, even land if she really wanted to! But that wouldn’t do it, since the year when Flurry Heart was born Twilight knew there was only one thing her parents really wanted from her and that was more grand foals. They would never say it, but she could feel it. She couldn’t give them a grand foal, yet, but she wanted to give them something more personal, something she made herself, not with her magic, but with her very own hooves… and a little magic of course. That’s why Twilight was now here, inside the carousel boutique, with her very good friend Rarity. “I'm so grate full, I know you have a lot to do and it’s a very busy time for you.” said Twilight. She was very eager to learn from her friend and to archive her goal, to make the perfect hearth warming eve gift. Rarity was amused and flattered at the same time. She really liked to have Twilight around herself, ever since she came here the very first time, with this awful mane and her cute little dragon. Also, she loved her enthusiasm and her foal-like curiosity. Also, she had this exquisite tune of purple and the softest rump. Rarity had a livid past; she had dated a lot of ponies and had experience with colt- and filly friends, this had led her to the present, in which she exactly knew what she wanted. Rarity had dropped so many hints to Twilight, but that beautiful nerd brain was not able to take them. “Alright Darling, so you want to make something for your parents? What should it be? Do you see anything good here?” Rarity asked her while walking over to her sewing machine and gently touching Twilight's chin with her silky tail. ‘come on’ she thought ‘What more should I do?’ Twilight answered her with a smile “Your work is admirable Rarity, but I really need to make this one myself. I thought about a scarf. I have found pictures of my parents during their youth when they used to share the same scarf and a mug of hot cocoa during the hearth warming eve play… and I already know that Flurry Heart has made a new mug for them in her foals garden playgroup!” it was the ugliest brown little thing a pony could imagine, but at the same time, it was heart melting and beautiful! “Pleeeease, you have to help me!” Twilight was practically bagging. “Of course darling, I will help you to make the comfiest and fluffiest scarf for your parents.” “But wait! It can't just be any scarf, it has to be a special one! The best scarf ever!” Rarity enjoyed that time with Twilight, being close to her and putting her magic together with the magic of the princess. Twilight knew it was not necessary to work cheek to cheek to use your magic with another unicorn's magic, but she was way too focused on her goal to question Rarity's methods. It was a strange feeling when Rarity's horn touched hers, but it was also kinda nice. No other pony's horn, except her family, had ever touched her horn before. In the end, after five hours, it was done, a nice big and long scarf, two-toned in a gentle grey and dark blue. “But there is still something missing,” Twilight said after she watched the scarf and had to think for a long time. “But it looks really good.” Answered Rarity “It's clean and orderly made, a real fine work.” “but it's missing something special. What could it be? Maybe a special ingredient?” “You mean a special material? We used my best and fluffiest wool. Ouh! But wait, maybe I know what we need, a rare yarn, the golden hair. That’s a magical legendary yarn, so rare, that most sewers don’t even believe that it exists!” “And you can give me one of these?” Twilight asked with a gasp. “No. Because I don’t have it.” “ouh…?” “But I know how we can get it. And it’s not far away. You should pack a few things, darling, we will spend the night somewhere else, together.” Rarity rolled the last word really slowly over her tongue and looked directly into Twilight's eyes. Twilight looked at her and smiled “So we can get it done before Hearts Warming Eve? Great! Thank you Rarity, you are such a good friend!” She put her arm around Rarity and hugged her, not the Rarity wished for, but she took it. “I get my stuff and we meet here again!” She shouted as she left through the door. Rarity just sighed and looked after Twilight. “You dumb thick beautiful nerd.” She said while watching the princess flank from behind. The white unicorn got dressed in her best winter outfit, she loved these fancy boots with the warm soft lining and finely detailed décor, and it was surprising how good she was looking with this winter jacket and the big fluffy hat! The last missing detail was the scarf, but she decided not to take it, hopefully, Twilight would get that hint, so the two of them could share one scarf, like how she described her parents did.