//------------------------------// // 1 // Story: Twilights Mane Passion // by Darkonshadows //------------------------------// A filly Twilight watched in awe as Princess Celestia flapped her wings taking to the sky and saw the sun rise. That’s the day that Twilight would say started the whole weird ball rolling, she really didn’t think that so many strange and wondrous things could happen to her. It was like the discovery of her special talent a week before her exam. She was young and very unsuspecting of what was in store for her back then, especially when she discovered her talent. Looking back on it Twilight subconsciously understood what her Cutie Mark meant and what it represented before it had even appeared. Her unusually gifted talent meant she could go anywhere and do anything like the stuff that happens in the books she has read or was read to her, even before she started heavily studying for that exam. Those books were her only friends aside from her beloved best big brother friend forever growing up; her childhood was not entirely a happy one considering how magic kindergarten turned out for her. Her special talent was magic and wherever she wanted to take it in her life. She could do anything if she truly put her mind and massive energy font to it. Speaking of books it was the next day after the summer sun celebration that Twilight would start studying for the exam and when her parents Velvet and Night took her to the library is where the rolling ball hit its first bump. “So many books…” Twilights parents just smiled at the sparkling eyes of their daughter who professed an interest in learning all the things she could about magic after watching Celestia raise the sun. Twilight wanted to learn so much and to get into Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns maybe to even possibly meet the beautiful princess Celestia herself. This was her first time in a library and she would make it count. Her parents thought this was something to finally stop their daughter from being a sad shut in, either that or it would make her more of a shut in but at least she would be accomplishing things even if she had troubles making friends. It was especially going to be problematic soon as their son was off to join Celestia’s guard and wouldn’t be there to stop the bullies from picking on her, much less continue to be Twilights only friend. The prideful parents hoped the school for gifted Unicorns will get her away from them and hopefully she could make some friends her age. There were only two types of unicorns that could get into the school for gifted unicorns, those who bought their way in just for the prestige of having said they’ve been enrolled in the school and those that truly are gifted by the power of hard work and or unique talents. Twilights parents let her run around on her own, she started picking up a lot of books and only required a little help with checking them all out. If only they had bothered to check on what Twilight was checking out, what possible danger could any of these books provide? The books that were any danger to ponies were held by Celestia. The librarian didn’t seem too nonplussed about the choices the filly made even if one of them was a bit odd and a different subject matter from all the books about magic. They quickly made way for home as Twilight couldn’t wait to figuratively eat the books; she was pretty advanced for her age mentally. Even then she was still only a filly so her interest in getting into the hobby of anything related to astronomy was quickly dashed as soon as she got to the odd book choice in question. Concerning the fact that she had read all the other books by this point the odd book was a surprise to Twilight as it had nothing to do with astronomy, astrology or anything relating to the stars at all. Instead of dismissing the book by what was behind the cover, which was slightly messed up and missing a single letter that wasn’t missed in the book’s introduction, she started reading out of curiosity. “Magical Cosmetology, I thought this book was supposed to be magical comet-ology?” The filly learned it was a book about hairstyles, hygiene and the like, but she powered through and continued to read. After while she became enamored with the book, it was unlike anything Twilight had read before as it was a different science all its own and the health applications and opinions were intriguing, she might even see a great application for learning alchemy from it. It made Twilight think back on the day she saw princess Celestia her calm demeanor, her elegance, her soft white coat, her crowning glory… and a small blush permeated Twilights childish face as she thought of her long colorful flowing mane. Twilight wasn’t a vain pony; well she at least knew what the word vain meant. She learned of the word having asked her mother what she meant when she called a lot of the nobles they lived close to vain and arrogant. Twilight closed the book and sighed, there was just something about the subject in the book that made Twilights cheeks burn up. Apparently earth ponies had the ability to control some of their manes and tails better than any other pony out there, the closest earth ponies were those who lived in Ponyville. It sounded like a good place to go to, Twilight wanted to meet ponies and socialize, but a lot of ponies in Canterlot were high class snobs. She knew she’d never start off very well by making friends her age in Canterlot since any pony her age disliked her, so she decided that when she grew up she would go somewhere friendlier. This was the start of Twilights wish list, top of the list was to see her brother again once he became all big and strong, second was to find a place where she could do whatever it was that would make her happy with lots of friends and the third wish was to have a family like her parents did with her and her brother. Twilight really looked up to her parents and brother, she idolized them all. They were kind to any pony that needed help; honest even if it was to their detriment, generous where they could be, loyally they all doted on her no matter what mess she made and loved her, they always tried to keep Twilight happy and filled with laughter. One day she would make her parents proud and show them how magical they made her life. The more she thought on it the more she considered that her life was already positively filled with magic and that it was already her special talent as far as she was concerned, the only thing she needed now was at least a friend to share the magic with. It was these thoughts that made her rear end tingle and upon Twilights flank appeared her Cutie Mark. The filly that Twilight was, having finished the last of her checked out books, she had to take them all back to the library knowing the importance of a late fee. So with a little green wagon and what little magic she could summon with her horn she dragged all the books back to the library. The librarian was congenial and friendly but still not directly Twilights friend. “Oh, back already?” The librarian would ask in a curious tone and then Twilight would answer. “Yes, but I want to check out more books… and maybe this one again please?” Twilight struggled to lift a book up to the librarian with her magic and the adult smiled at the honest effort that was put into it. “Deciding your future vocation a little early aren’t we?” The librarian chuckled lightly, but seeing the confused look on Twilights face she elaborated. “A vocation is another way of saying job that suits you.” “N-no… not really… I’m just really interested in this book for a few reasons.” One of the reasons being she really liked the pictures and several other things about the book, there was just something about all the pretty manes that she couldn’t explain. Other than that, it was the way the book talked about magic in less than technical terms that helped her childlike mind finally understand what it had read previously in the more technical books which she had some problems understanding. It helped her learn the average unicorn power of levitation and to light her horn. “It helped me figure out some things about magic that I really never thought of before…” “Well you can keep the book; I looked it up in the registry. No pony has checked that one out in the last fifty years and its way out of date and no one really wants to use it. Otherwise if we couldn’t find it a good home it might be destroyed…” The mare librarian smiled at the horrified look on Twilights face as she clutched the book to her chest and her fringe hung down in her eyes and she started to tear up while sniffling. “Now, now, don’t cry. You can have it for free; it’s just that some books that aren’t so important get repurposed into newer different books… though when that happens we lose some of the magic that even an old dusty book like that one might carry in their pages. In fact I might be able to give you a few books for free if you want them; unicorns haven’t really created too many innovations in that field anymore.” “Thank you very much. Oh, could you hold on to it for me while I go find some more books to read? I think I’ve learned to believe that there is magic in everything because of it and well… I truly believe that any pony can do anything they want to achieve even if it’s not their special talent. The book was written by a pony that didn’t have a talent for it but they made a life of it… I want to believe I can do anything just like that. I want to explore everything I can possibly do with my magic; Celestia helps every pony with her magic every day and I want to do something like that.” Twilight smiled up at the librarian with sparkling eyes, who naturally assented to the little filly’s exuberance and took the book levitating it behind the counter. The librarian didn’t know what the star symbol with five smaller sparks around it meant, but she had an idea that it was a glimmer of imagination and spirit that wouldn’t give up and it created a spark that would carry that little filly to many places. Sure that incredible spark may one day dull, but she believed it would never fully stop shining until the pony’s last breath. Smiling, the librarian didn’t even believe the stars were that little ponies limits… after all the librarian’s special talent had nothing to do with running a library and here she was trying to inspire the younger generations minds to read, expand, learn and continue building a brighter future. It wasn’t until later that Twilight found out that her cutie mark had appeared, her parents pointed it out to Twilight and she started bouncing around screaming the word ‘yes’ a lot. Her parents then began to start guessing what it meant and how she earned it. After about forty or so guesses, Twilight finally decided to interject. “My cutie mark doesn’t mean one single thing; it means a lot of things.” Twilight didn’t completely understand why her cutie mark appeared now of all times or even when it had, but she understood the meaning behind it. All kinds of possibilities were now open to her and it didn’t have to do with magic alone. Magic could be anything you like doing, for good or bad. “Now if you’ll excuse me I have a test to study for!” Twilights parents watched as the filly went upstairs to study more books on magic and to read a certain book that now belonged to her all over again. She now had spread her knowledge to things she wanted to do and not just to study for the sake of studying. She started looking into all kinds of branches of magic that existed, the kind of branches that she could use to help other ponies. Healing magic, alchemy, magical animals, magical plants and enchanting objects… they now had her interest instead of just magic in general. She wondered if she could improve on the things in the book that caught her interest. Her mind wanted to go to so many places and do so many things. Still though she didn’t know why, but she was attracted to the things she saw in the book whose subject might be just a passing fancy, maybe even something to study as a hobby or even possible her main vocation. All Twilight knew was that she really liked magic and for whatever reason hair. Who knew what the future would bring, she was still young and had plenty of time to decide what to do with her life.