//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: A Visit from the Princess 
// Story: My Little Pony: The Great Defenders of Friendship 
// by specialhoof2022 
//------------------------------//

After Ellagant Glare told me about her time in Bridlewood, we walked outside my house to talk more.

"Everypony wasn't happy to see me doing spells around them." Ella said.

"So, what do you do since you came here to Maretime Bay?" I asked Ella.

"I just kept my magic performance a secret, so I'd never be making fun of again."

"I understand." I said as I wrapped my arm around Ella. "You know, I like your performance when you showed me what you can do. It was the best thing I'd ever seen for years. When you know you're special, it doesn't matter what everyone else thinks or says; you can just be your true self."

Ella was listening to every word I said and feeling a little better.

"I'll see what I could do about it." Ella told me. "I'll see you around town, and around summertime too."

Then, Ella walked off. She walked across the street, turned left, and went into her new house not far from my house.

"Her new house was across the street?" I talked to myself.

I was excited to see Ella living across the street, I may visit there someday.

Hours later, it was dinner time at my house; my parents made spaghetti with garlic bread sticks on the side. I started telling my parents about everything at school.

"So Special, how was school today?" my dad asked me.

"Well, there was a new student in class." I say.

"A new student? Really? Was it another pegasus?" my mom asked.

"Actually, no. It was a unicorn filly from Bridlewood."

"Oh, I see."

"Right after school, she bumped into me, when I was at the boardwalk. We became close friends throughout our spare times."

Then, I my smile turned upside-down as I was going to tell my parents about her time in Bridlewood.

"But, she told me about her time in Bridlewood, and it turned out bad for her. She's more magical than any unicorn; she can perform some other magic spells from her horn. But, the other unicorns in Bridlewood were teasing her and telling her she's not like everypony else."

"That's not very nice to say that." my dad said.

"Well, I told her that she needed to be herself no matter what everypony said."

"Well, that's great of you to say." said my mom.

"I just hope she's okay, now."

Now let's go and visit Ellagant's new house. Ella was having dinner with her parents. They were having grilled cheese sandwiches with mozzarella sticks on the side.

"I made a new friend today." Ella was telling her parents. "His name was Special Hoof, and he's a pegasus."

"A new friend?" Ella's mom asked her. "I new you would make new friends at school someday."

"Was he friendly?" Ella's dad asked.

"Very friendly." Ella answered. "He's sweet, and the best thing about him is that he's literally a really special pony."

"How special is he?" Ella's mom asked.

"110% special. I told him everything about my time in Bridlewood."

"Do you told him about your unicorn powers?"

"Yes, and he also gave me an advice: be myself no matter what everypony else says or thinks."

"Well, that was very cool of him to say." said Ella's dad. "It's like he knows what's right and wrong."

Ella seemed to be enjoying her time in her new home and life in Maretime Bay. She hopes someday she could make a difference.

Nighttime fell upon Maretime Bay, it was time for everypony to close the stores and restaurants, head home, and get some sleep for the next day. I'd brush my teeth after I took a bath. Then, I put on my pajamas for the night. It was Friday night so I could stay up a little late tonight before I could go to bed. I went up to the roof to play for a while.

I was worried about Ellagant Glare since she had a rough time back in Bridlewood. I got out of the tent to see Ella's new house. I used my binoculars, so I could see far enough to see how Ella was doing. Ella was in her pajamas, going to bed. Her mother was tucking her in.

"I definitely love Maretime Bay, there's lots of sites to see." Ella said happily.

"Maybe we'll go on a tour tomorrow, it'll be fun." said Ella's mom.

"You're amazing. Thank you for being my mom."

You're welcome, sweetie."

Then, Blossom kissed her daughter goodnight, turned off the lights, and closed the bedroom door. Then, Ella went to sleep.

I've watched the whole scene to check on Ella, and it seemed she was doing okay. I was hoping she would cheer up more someday.

Now, as you can see, I was wondering why I'm the only pony with such gifts. Nopony mind about my skills, but I wanted answers. You may think it's a secret, but it's not, it'll be revealed throughout the rest of the story. But, other than myself and Ella, I was hoping everypony in Equestria stays friendly to each other, it was the only way to keep ourselves alive. We all used to distrust each other a few years ago. But then, when the ponies got back together, the magic came back. I just wished it stays that way. And then all of the sudden, I saw light coming from a big bright star in the night sky. When I looked at it, I started to make a wish to have everypony get a chance to make a difference. Then, I began to enjoy the night sky.

I was still looking at the night sky, when suddenly, the bright star starts to glow brighter. In fact, the star was approaching me, I started to back up a bit. As it was getting closer, it turned from white to magenta. Once it landed on my roof, the star changed into a pony. That pony turned out to be a pretty tall alicorn. She had purple fur, her beautiful wavy mane and tail had colors of purple, dark purple, and magenta, and her cutie mark was a magenta star. It was none other than Twilight Sparkle herself, Equestria's rightful ruler, and the Princess of Friendship.

"Special Hoof," she said. "I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle, ruler of Equestria, and princess of friendship."

"Princess Twilight? I've read about you." I say. " What are you doing here?'

"I've come to tell you something I want you to do." Twilight answered.

Then, she offered me her hoof, before I took it. She and I flew up into the night sky.

We were approaching a vortex full of stars and swirls. As we entered, we were zooming a little faster. It didn't take long enough to get to the other side. Then, Twilight and I were at strange, ethereal space full of stars and nebulae. We were walking on a trail of stars, it was like walking on a sidewalk to heaven. Twilight was telling me something while we were walking.

"Special, as you can see, the reason why you're here, is because I've chosen you for a quest." Twilight told me.

"A quest?" I asked.

Then, Princess Twilight used her magic to make a magic-like projector to demonstrate.

"A long time ago, When I was a principal of the school of friendship in Ponyville, a pegasus filly named Cozy Glow turned evil against Equestria. She was stealing magic at first, then she was freed to her secret hideout far away. She used the Bewitching Bell to make herself all-powerful to take over the land. Me my friends, and multiple allies from around and beyond defeated her. Then, Princesses Celestia and Luna, and Discord turned her into stone as punishment."

I listened to every word from the princess; I could see that it was an important quest.

"Why would a foal do anything like that?" I asked the princess.

"The answer to the question is unknown." Twilight said.

After she showed me the story of Cozy Glow, she turned towards me to tell me more.

"But the stone prison wasn't permanent, Cozy has returned to Equestria 15 years ago. There was no clue of where she went until now. She's at the old castle of the two sisters in the Everfree Forest."

"You want me to go to the castle and defeat Cozy, alone?"

"No Special, you will be going on this quest with a group of foals and Sunny Starscout and her friends."

"Thank you, Princess Twilight."

"One more thing: you should know, the answer of how you were with your gifts will be given to you on your trip, too."

"How will I know my answers will come to me?"

"You'll know, my little pony. Now tomorrow morning, go see Sunny and the others at the Crystal Brighthouse. They will be there to support and the foals."

I won't let you down, Twilight. I'll make everypony proud."

Then, Twilight led me back home, by using her magic to teleport me out of the ethereal space and into the sky above Maretime Bay. And, I flew back down on my roof of my house.

I got back inside my house, and went into my bedroom. I was feeling tired after seeing the Princess of Friendship. I climbed into my bed, pulled the covers on myself, rested my head on my pillow, and went to sleep for the next day to come.

That was the beginning of my very first friendship quest. Over a thousand years ago, Princess Twilight Sparkle was a guardian of harmony along with her friends; Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Parity, Fluttershy, and Spike. They protected Equestria from being destroyed by anything involving disharmony. Now, she's chose me to do the work for her.