//------------------------------// // The Test of Kindess // Story: Wool of Magic // by Zeprto678 //------------------------------// Cinna blinked as the pegasus mare suddenly found herself standing on a sidetrot in an unknown town full of unknown ponies. “Where is everypony?!” questioned Cinna. “One minute we were together, and then the next thing I know, I ended up here all by myself.”  Being in an unexplored place started to overwhelm the pegasus. She wasn’t sure if anypony she knew lived here or where anypony lived if they did. The mare did her best to try and calm herself down with slow, deep breaths. “I need to find out where I am and head toward Ponyville. After that, I’ll go meet up with everypony and help them deal with Nightmare Moon,” said Cinna. “Then once we’re done, I’ll go give Jasper the booping of a lifetime for doing this to me.” An evil glare appeared on the pegasus mare’s face.  She started looking around for clues. When Cinna couldn’t find any, the pegasus mare decided to try the next best thing: Asking around. Cinna decided to approach a random pegasus mare. “Excuse me, but-” she started, but was interrupted. Before Cinna could finish, the pony took to the sky. They stared as the mare retreated. “She was probably in a hurry to get somewhere. I’ll try asking somepony else,” Cinna surmised.  She decided to approach a unicorn businesspony. “Hi. Can you tell me--” the pegasus mare started but was interrupted again. His horn glowed, and then the unicorn stallion teleported away, leaving his briefcase behind, but reappeared quickly after. Cinna tried to ask him again. “Can-” they said, interrupted once more. The unicorn stallion levitated the briefcase into the air with his magic, and, just like before, disappeared in a flash of light. “...I’m going to guess he has to get to his job on time or else he’ll be late. I’ll try another one,” said the pegasus mare. She decided to be optimistic. “Maybe I’ll find somepony who could help me?” A Few Minutes Later Cinna had gone from being optimistic to being in a bad mood as she could not find anypony to help or was willing to help. Some of the ponies Cinna had asked had ignored the pegasus mare, while others either trotted, flew, or teleported away from her. This was starting to get on the pegasus mare’s nerves. Cinna glared at the ponies as she flew around the town. “This town is full of mean ponies. As soon as I find out where Ponyville is located, I’m never returning here ever again, and I’m telling everypony else to stay away from here too,” grumbled the pegasus mare. Cinna flew down to the ground so the pegasus mare could rest her wings. She decided to approach a random earth pony mare who was sitting on a bench. They were clearly doing nothing. “I swear, if she starts being rude to me, I’ll…” thought the pegasus mare, grumbling. Once she arrived at the bench, Cinna cleared her throat. “Excuse me? Can you tell me the name of the town and where’s Ponyville located?” The pony looked at the pegasus mare with an angry look. “Go away. Can’t you see that I’m busy?” said the earth pony mare, with a rude tone and bad attitude.  Actually, she wasn’t busy and had nothing to do but sit on the bench, like Cinna thought. She just wasn’t interested in talking. That was the last straw for her. Cinna decided that if the pony wanted to be rude, then she’d just be rude right back at the earth pony mare by mirroring the pony’s bad attitude. “There’s no need to be rude. Now, can you tell me the name of the town, and where Ponyville is located?” asked Cinna, in a rougher tone. “I don’t like your attitude,” said the unicorn mare. “Yeah, it's not so nice when someone does it to you, is it? Now, can you please answer my questions?” asked the pegasus mare. The pony was about to be rude right back again, but a shiver down her spine told her to maybe loosen up. The earth pony mare decided to answer the questions. “You’re in the only town where everypony cares only about themselves, ‘Trotting Valley’, and as for your other question, I don’t even know where Ponyville is, much less even heard of a place like that,” she answered. That surprised Cinna as the earth pony mare had never heard of Ponyville before. The pegasus mare had finally found somepony who could answer one of her questions but couldn’t answer the other one. “I’m guessing you’re a local from that ‘Ponyville’, which explains why you’ve never heard of this place before, right?” asked the pony. She rolled her eyes. “A cheesy name, that.” Cinna nodded. “Yeah,” they confirmed. “Here’s some advice: This town is full of ponies who are either rude or only care about themselves,” she explained. “I’ve heard that those who have moved out of this town end up becoming different ponies after being around the locals for long periods of time. They get to live out new, happy lives, far away from this town. Lucky.” the earth pony muttered at the end. Cinna decided not to bring up the frustrations. “Although, if you really do need help finding out where Ponyville is located, then you should go to the park’s entrance,” the pony informed.  That made Cinna confused. “Why?” asked the pegasus mare. “Out of everypony in this town, there is only one who’s nice out of all of us. Apparently, this one has traveled throughout all of Equestria before stopping at our ‘quaint’ little town to sell some of its items that it has collected during its journey,” she answered. The earth pony mare did the hoofquotes with her hooves. “If you go to the entrance, it should be there. It might know where your Ponyville is if you ask it.” While Cinna was happy, at the same time they had noticed that something was off about what the pony said. “Hold on. ‘It’?” asked the pegasus mare, confused. “Don’t you mean ‘they’?” She shook her head. “No. I mean it,” answered the earth pony mare. “We don’t know what it is, but it’s not a pony, and it’s not any kind of creature that we’ve ever seen or heard of that has visited this town. Luckily, it’s nice and harmless. Once you arrive at the park, you’ll know it once you see it.” Now Cinna was both happy and worried thanks to that.  “Thanks,” muttered the pegasus mare.  The pony shrugged. “It was nothing. Now, leave me be,” she said, frowning. “I have more nothing to do.” Before Cinna flew away, she had something to say. “I hope one day you’ll be able to leave this town and become happy, just like the others. I think somepony like you deserves to be happy,” Cinna said sincerely. Then, she flew off and headed in the direction of the park, which Cinna had seen earlier.Meanwhile, the pony had watched Cinna leave, a frown on her face. A few seconds later, the earth pony mare’s frown suddenly shifted into a smile. “Thanks,” she said sincerely. A Few Minutes Later The pegasus mare had arrived at the park’s entrance. Now, all she needed to do was find whoever it is she was looking for. CRASH!!! The sound had surprised Cinna and had come from her right, so the pegasus quickly looked in the direction to see that the source of the crash was an overturned cart with items that had fallen off of it. The crash had even attracted the pony passersby's attention. Over at the cart, picking up the cart itself by magic was a male Kirin, who kind of resembled her other coltfriend, Tom, except this Kirin had his hair, face, and scales, but they had lilac-colored eyes, was kind of chubby, and looked kind of scary too. Once the cart was upright, he looked around. “Can someone please help me pick up my items?” asked the Kirin. The ponies looked at him. “Looks kind of scary,” muttered a random stallion. “Let’s not, and just move on. They got it themself,” muttered a random mare. But before anyone could leave, Cinna jumped right ahead to help the Kirin out. The pegasus mare started picking up the items by hoof and placing them onto the cart. “Let me help,” she said. That surprised him. “You’re willing to help out someone as scary looking as me?” asked the Kirin. The pegasus nodded. “Of course. After all, everypony deserves to be treated with kindness,” answered Cinna. “Including you.” The Kirin, touched by her kindness, smiled. He started picking up the items as well. As for the ponies who were watching, they carried on with what they were doing. Eventually, every item was placed back on the cart. The Kirin decided to repay the pegasus mare. His horn glowed with magic as the kirin levitated a gem from out of his cart and over to Cinna. It was a heart-shaped gem that was blue on the left half, and pink on the right half. The kirin smiled. “Here, I want you to have this as a gift. It’s a token of my appreciation for helping me,” he said. Cinna smiled and decided to accept it. “Thanks for the gem. I love it,” said the pegasus. “I’ll always treasure it.” The kirin’s only response was a kind smile. As soon as the gem touched her hoof, it started glowing brightly. The pegasus was surprised. “What the…?!” said Cinna. The glow became brighter and brighter until eventually it died down. She became confused as the gem was suddenly gone. Cinna was about to look around for it but felt something heavy around their neck.  “Feels like there’s something metal around my neck,” said Cinna, confused.  He used his magic to levitate a somehow intact mirror over to her. “Here you go. Also, that necklace looks great on you, by the way,” complimented the kirin. That confused the pegasus. “What necklace?” asked Cinna. Their question was answered as Cinna had looked into the mirror and became surprised. “The pendant had become a necklace. But how?” questioned the pegasus mare, confused. He smiled. “That’s because you’ve passed the test,” answered the kirin. She looked away from the mirror. “What test?” asked Cinna, even more confused. He continued to smile. “The ‘Test of Kindness’. The Element of Kindness around your neck is proof of your accomplishment,” answered the Kirin. “Despite the ponies being rude to you when you went to them for help, you showed kindness to them, and the time when you were rude right back to that mare, you showed kindness to her by saying a kind word, by believing that even she would be able to find happiness. You show kindness to everypony, including to those that deserve it. That makes you more than qualified to wield the Element of Kindness itself.” Learning all of that surprised the pegasus mare as she touched the Element of Kindness’ gem.  There was one thing that made Cinna confused. “How do you know all of this?” they asked. The kirin smiled. “One day, you’ll find out for yourself, and when you do, you’ll know who I am,” he informed, cryptically. “Now then, you must wait as one of your friends is currently doing their test. They should be on their way to find you now.” That made the pegasus smile, knowing her friends were coming. “Great. I can’t wait to see all of my friends again,” said Cinna. They looked at the cart. “You won’t mind if I stay here with you until they show up?” The kirin nodded. “Go ahead,” he answered. So, until the pegasus mare’s friends arrive, she decides to pass the time by asking the kirin about his adventures.