//------------------------------// // Chapter I // Story: I Like You // by TheKing2001 //------------------------------// “Why do I need to make MORE friends? I got you, Spike and the others of the Mane Six. Isn’t that good enough?” I asked nervously. Why should I make more when I have all I need? Twilight gave a chuckle and gave me a warm smile. “Because. Making friends with the rest of the Elements was the first small test. Now you have the true test of going out and meeting a complete stranger and getting to know them. Isn’t this exciting!?” Twilight giggled. Making friends with the other Elements sure didn’t feel like a small test. “Oh yeah. Real exciting,” I rolled my eyes. “I know!” Twilight grinned. Somepony needs to teach that mare the definition of sarcasm because mine just flew over her head and out the window. She’s like Pinkie Pie right now. She doesn’t get sarcasm either unfortunately. Her lack of that skill has got me into some crazy messes, let me tell you. I shudder at the thought of us attempting to eat cake underwater. Who even thinks of something like that? I don’t even like cake! “Who do you think you’re gonna try talking to first?” Twilight was staring at me with a smile. I hope I hadn’t been accidentally ignoring her the whole time she was talking to me. “Uh I don’t know. I don’t really know anyponys names in town,” I admitted sheepishly and rubbed the back of my head. “Lucky for you, I have a whole scroll full of the ponies in this towns names, likes and jobs!” Twilight beamed as she levitated a few scrolls our way. “Of course you do,” I mumbled softly with an eyeroll. I really should have seen that coming. Twilight wrote down literally everything. Just the other night she wrote down how much water and time is used when Spike takes his daily eight hour bubble bath. That’s energy that can be used for something productive. Like flying kites or reading or napping. I never really liked napping until I met Rainbow Dash. Now I take one everyday. Quite refreshing, really. Thirty minutes of naps each day are actually proven to be good for you. “And then you can bring them for the dinner with Princess Celestia tonight!” “I’m sorry what?” I did a quick double take. If I had water in my mouth, I’d have spit it all over her accidently. Why do I need to automatically drag a friend to a dinner with the ruler of Equestria. Wouldn’t that be slightly awkward for a complete stranger who didn’t know he or she was getting into that? “Princess Celestia is coming all this way to see how I’m doing as a teacher and how you’re coming along. She’s very eager to test us both,” Twilight smiled. “I’m actually kinda nervous about it.” Now there was a shocker. Princess Twilight nervous about something? Never would have seen THAT coming. That was sarcasm, for the record. “You and me both sister,” I sighed as I sat down on my haunches. Twilight frowned and approached me, placing a hoof on my shoulder. “Starlight? Is everything alright?” I sighed and made eye contact with Twilight. “No it’s not. It’s just I’m fine with my friend group as is. I don’t want nor need more friends. It’s already a lot trying to keep up with all of you. Why add one more pony to the mix when my life is already going good and fine how it is? Why change a good thing? What is it that Applejack always say? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” I sighed. “I’m just confused about all this. Aren’t I doing good with everything else? Have I disappointed you somehow and this is a way to see me fail so you can get rid of me?” Twilight shoved her hoof in my mouth and my eyes widened. It tasted like ink and dusty books. Disgusting. “I’m not doing this to get rid of you, Starlight. You haven’t disappointed me either and you’re doing great. But I’m the Princess of Friendship. I teach more than just magic. All I want is for you to have more friends,” Twilight explained. I spit her hoof out of my mouth and gagged a bit. “First off, your hoof tastes like ink still from when you accidentally stepped in that inkwell Rainbow and Pinkie pranked you with. How they managed that I have no clue. And I’ll try to make friends I guess,” I sighed as I wiped my tongue off with a hoof. “Excellent!” Twilight beamed as she levitated me and carried me outside to the foyer and the main doors. She opened the doors and plopped me on the ground. “I have complete faith in you!” She waved as the doors shut. I didn’t expect her to just pick me up and drop me like that. I could have countered her spell but I was too stunned to do anything. I also didn’t expect her to make me do it right now. I wanted a nap. With a long sigh, I headed to town. ------------------------------------------------------------- “Top of the morning to ya!” A magenta earth pony with a lime green mane eagerly waved as I trotted past a flower stand. “Uhm hi,” I paused and made eye contact with the mare. “Want to buy a flower?” She asked hopefully with a smile. I overlooked the bright red roses and daisies. I’m not really knowledgeable about flowers but they look pretty I guess. Isn’t that the whole point of flowers? “Uh I guess?” I shrugged. “I’m not really sure about flowers or know much about them. I don’t know anything about plants really.” The mare giggled as she turned around. “Well I’ll help you. I’m the flower expert!” The mare announced. “I’m Daisy.” “Uh I’m Starlight. Starlight Glimmer,” I mumbled. Daisy gave a nod as she nudged some purple flowers with her muzzle. “Princess Twilight’s student, right?” She asked before grabbing a purple flower. “Uh huh,” I answered cautiously. Daisy turned around and spit the flower out, holding it in her hooves. “That’s cool. Lean forward please,” she replied. I raised an eyebrow in confusion but complied. She slid the flower into my mane and stepped back. She excitedly clapped her hooves together and beamed. “Excellent! It matches your fur perfectly! It’s a perennial.” I levitated a mirror in front of me and stared into it. “Wow. It actually makes me look not ugly,” I admitted in awe. Daisy frowned at me slightly. “Whoever said you’re ugly is wrong. Nopony is ugly and you certainly aren’t. You don’t need flowers to see that,” she chided. “Thanks. How much do I owe you?” I levitated my bits out of my saddlebags. “Ten bits,” Daisy announced as she nosed open the register. I plopped the bits on the counter and she counted them out, sliding them in the drawer with a hoof. Nervously, I decided to take a risk. “Uhm wanna go hang out later?” I asked cautiously. Daisy shut the drawer and frowned at me. “Sorry but I’m busy later,” Daisy shrugged and my face fell. This was stupid of me. “I’m sorry for asking. I’ll get out of your hair,” I muttered and she cocked her head to the side curiously. “Are you-?” I didn’t hear the rest of her sentence because I teleported away and leaned against the tree I was reappeared at in Applejacks farm. This was my favorite spot. The smell of apples calmed me down. I slammed my head against the tree and groaned. That really hurt, I should be careful. “I’m so stupid thinking Daisy would want to be friends.”