//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10: Ponyville Site and Sleepover 
// Story: My Little Pony: The Great Defenders of Friendship 
// by specialhoof2022 
//------------------------------//

We finally made it to Ponyville. Sunny started giving us some instructions throughout town.

"Alright everypony," Sunny said. "we made it to Ponyville. This place may be a little unstable, so we all had to stay close together. Now, let's go look around.

Then, we all began to look around the old village.

It's been a long, long time ago,  a family of earth ponies were finding a new home. A teenage filly named Granny Smith made a living by "collecting new seeds and selling the old." When they came to Canterlot, Princess Celestia granted the Apple Family land near the Everfree Forest, where they planted their first orchard. But, the orchard didn't grow overnight, the family's running low on food. One night, Granny Smith ventured into the Everfree Forest by herself to look for good food. She discovered a really incredible apple tree that grew rainbow-colored apples. When she returned home with her bag full of apples, she and her father planted the first zap apple seeds. Drawn in by the jam made from the unique fruit, other ponies started coming to the land, such as Stinkin' Rich, who started a small market that sold zap apple jam. And before we knew it, we had ourselves a nice little town, bustling with all kinds of ponies. And, that is how Ponyville was founded.

Now, let's get to me and the other heroes. We were seeing lots of buildings around town. The houses were timber-framed with distinct thatched roofs and overhanging upper floors. There was a town hall at the center of town square. There was a schoolhouse for foals; exterior shots of it shows a bell on the roof, a flag in the front yard, and a sign on the lawn decipting on an open book and the sihouettes of two rearing fillies. There was also a hospital, a train station, a clock tower, a theater, a marketplace, a spa, and many more.

We found a great shop called Sugarcube Corner. It was a bakery operated by Pinkie Pie. It reassembled a gingerbread house. Next was a Carousel Boutique; it was where Rarity designed and crafted dresses for her costumers. Rarity does most of designing in the main workroom.

And last of all, we discovered Princess Twilight Sparkle's old Castle of Friendship. As Sunny remembered from her dad, the castle was created from a mysterious chest from the Tree of Harmony. Next to the castle was the School of Friendship. It was a private vocational school founded by Twilight as a way to educate different ponies and creatures from Equestria and beyond about the Magic of Friendship.

"Wow, that is some castle." I say.

"Come on, everypony." Sunny said. "We're be staying here for tonight."

Sunny was right, the sun was going down again, ending the day. So, we all went inside to relax. But, what we didn't know, is that Cozy Glow's thugs were following us, being ready to capture Sunny and her friends.

The day ended as the sun went down. It was dark, but luckily, the castle has some lights that are still able to work. We took out our sleeping bags and rolled them out for the night. Then, Color Carol just thought of something as we entered the library.

"Hey everypony," Color said. "I just thought of something. Since this quest is almost over, maybe we can make some paintings of our trip."

"That's a great idea." Izzy said. "I got lots of art supplies with me for everypony."

"Me too." Color replied.

Color and Izzy took out their art supplies: paints, brushes, paper, and easels. Now that we were all ready, we began to paint our own pictures.

We were all painting pictures of our times around trip. We been to 10 places to get to Ponyville, some of us painted some of favorite times at those places. And of course, a few of us were painting our favorite friend who came with us.

But for me, I painted a picture of of Ellagant Glare because she was my favorite friend. I thought of everything of her: her beautiful mane, and her magic from her horn. I just hoped she could embrace her magic. Next, I was painting all 10 locations we've been to, in boxes. First, I painted black lines to make boxes. Next, I painted a different location I've been to in a different box. I painted the locations in order of which I've been to from first to last. I used almost every color to make the picture look right. Ant then finally, I've finished my masterpiece. I washed my hooves to clean the paint off. Then, I began to show everypony my painting. Everypony was amazed, when they looked. My masterpiece was all the places I've been to: the prairie, the Big Pond, the Grassy Hills, the Big View Cliffs, the Gardens of Colored Blooms and Butterflies, the Valley of Big Drops, the Forest of Fall, the Winter Mountains, the Caves of Crystals, and the Cloudy Fields. The picture was a symbol of how beautiful the land of Equestria turns out to be.

"Wow Special, you're picture is amazing." said Sunny.

"I love your art." Izzy replied.

Then, Ellagant Glare her two paintings to us all. Her first picture was the Big View Cliffs since she loved camping there. And, her second picture was her favorite friend, me.

"Ella you made a picture of me?" I asked.

"Yes." Ella answered. "Because you're not only my friend, you're also my inspiration."

"Aww, thank you."

"How come your picture has all the places we've been to?"

"Because the places we've been to are perfect discoveries in Equestria.

After we all painted our pictures, we placed them in our backpacks. But, I placed my picture behind my wing instead.

"Alright everypony, picture painting was fun, but now it's time to get some sleep. We got a big day tomorrow." said Sunny.

Then, we all started to get ready for bed.

"Sunny, I'm so nervous of tomorrow." Pipp said to Sunny.

"Don't worry." Sunny told Pipp. "We got our problems solved for years. Now, we can stop Cozy Glow with the help from a bunch of foals."

"Yeah." Zipp agreed. "Those foals may be little, but they can do big things after all."

Sunny and her friends were about to go to bed, but then, they heard a sound coming from the castle doors. As Hitch was getting a closer look, something, or somepony popped out and snatched Hitch into a sack. It was Cozy's thug she sent to capture the Mane 5. Then, more bad guys came out and captured the rest of the adults in sacks. I heard the racket while I was going to join the other foals. As I checked it out, I saw the thugs. They were taking our friends away. I overheard them talking, while they were getting away.

"We did it, boys." said thug #1. "Cozy's gonna be happy about this."

"With these ponies secured, we'll be unstoppable to make Equestria friendless." said thug #2.

After I examine the situation. I ran back to the foals to tell them the bad news.

"Everypony, I have bad news!" I panicked. "A bunch of thugs had captured Sunny and her friends!"

And, everypony gasped in horror by the news.

"That's not good at all." said Disgusted Lex.

"CAPTURED?!?" Fearful Moe panicked. "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!!!"

"Special, are those thugs working for Cozy?" Cloudy Carla asked me.

"Yes." I answered. "They're now heading to the Castle of the Two Sisters."

"But, that means Cozy will get her plan all ready to make Equestria divided again." said Soccer Score.

"Everypony calm down." Daytime Darwin told us. "We just need to make a plan to save our friends."

"No." I say.

Everypony heard me and got confused of what I just said.

"We can't make a plan because we're not prepared at all."

"Special, what has gone into you?" Streamer Smooth asked me.

"Everpony, I know you appreciate my gifts, but one thing you didn't know, I was struggling with why I was born with them."

Everypony was listening to me, and they could hardly believe their ears.

"I kept on thinking why this happened to me everyday. It's like I'm growing up too fast. I couldn't stop doing this force of adulting and advancing myself."

After I expressed my feelings to the foals, they began thinking. Then, Needle Stitch stepped up to me.

"Special, we understand." said Needle. "But, we like you no matter how different you are."

"And Special, you helped me to embrace my magic throughout the trip. I'm happy to have you as my great friend." Ella said when she put her hoof on my shoulder.

"Gee, thanks." I said sadly. "But right now, I need some time to think and get some fresh air."

Then I left behind my friends and exited the castle.

I was walking through the old streets of Ponyville, feeling guilty about myself. Since I was a little younger back in Zephyr Heights, I was inventing a helpful invention that everypony was enjoying it. My parents didn't mind, but I felt like I was growing up so fast, which I am. I didn't get an answer why I was born with the gifts, I felt like I was clueless for now. Right now, I feel downhearted and discouraged by myself. Throughout the entire trip, I was hoping for an answer, but nothing happened. For now on, I was afraid I let Equestria down, that Cozy Glow is going to win. And now, my new problem is: I didn't feel special anymore.

I lowered myself to the ground, feeling guilty for not being a special pony. Then suddenly, I noticed something, the ground was lit up with pink light. When I looked up, I saw the same magenta colored star from a few nights ago. I backed up a bit as it was approaching me. After it landed in the ground, it was Princess Twilight Sparkle, coming the see me again.

"Princess Twilight?" I asked.

"Hello, Special." said Twilight. "You came a long way from Maretime Bay."

"Yes, but Twilight, Sunny and her friends were taken. And now, me and my friends were stuck on how to rescue them."

"I know." Twilight replied. "Special, is there something bothering you?"

"Well, you told me why I was born with all these gifts, but as I came here to Ponyville, I got no answer."

Then, I expressed more of my feelings about my gifts.

"In fact, I feel too discouraged that I couldn't be like the other foals. I don't feel special."

With a pain in her heart, Twilight leaned down to me.

"Special, I did tell you you can see why you have your gifts, and I never lie to you." said Twilight.

"True, a princess never lies." I say.

Then, Twilight laid down just like any mother would do, and told me more.

"One thing you need to know about me, when I was depressed, my friends were always there for me. My mentor Princess Celestia wanted me to learn about friendship and protect Equestria from anypony whose trying to make anypony mistrust each other. After I made the crystals to keep magic happening from mistrust, Sunny and her friends had to make sure nopony had to stay separate from each other. My job was to make sure harmony stays alive. And, Sunny was doing a very great job, I've been more proud of her. But, she knew she and her friends couldn't do it forever. That's why I choose you and the other foals to stop Cozy."

"We're gonna take Sunny's place to protect Equestria?" I asked.

"Not just Equestria, the whole world." Twilight answered.

"Well, I would be very cool being a hero." I say. "But, can I have my answer please?"

Then, Twilight and I stood back up. She took me to a stone platform. She told me to stand on it and I obeyed. Once I stood still on the platform, something magical happened: the platform was unleashing swirls around me.

"Now Special, there is somepony who can give you all your answers." Twilight said to me.

After I got Twilight's last words, I was lifted into the air without flapping my wings. I was being teleported to the sky.