//------------------------------// // Little Friends // Story: My Most Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle // by Greki //------------------------------// Little Friends "Where are we going, Princess?" Twilight had been called by Princess Celestia that morning, a mere week after her entrance exams. The Princess had said that she had something to show her and so they were now making their way through the castle. Princess Celestia leaned her head to look at Twilight sideways. "You'll see soon, my little pony," she said and smiled. They walked in silence for a few minutes. Twilight couldn't stop wondering about what she was going to see. They soon reached a hallway which led to a single door. The Princess stopped in front of it and her horn shone as she opened it with her magic. The room was warm, but not uncomfortably warm. Well illuminated with big windows off to a side. The walls and ceilings were painted light blue and there were several toys scattered across the cushioned floor. It was a nursery. On the other side of the room a door opened to somewhere Twilight couldn't see. A unicorn mare with a cradle on her flank suddenly appeared from within. "Your highness! Good morning! Oh, I take it you have come for our newest charge and—oh! And who might this little filly be?" Twilight was hiding behind Princess Celestia's foreleg. She had been startled when the mare had exclaimed and had ducked behind the Princess's leg on mere reflex. When she realized what she had done, she blushed and stepped out from behind. A quick sneak up told her that the Princess was smiling tenderly at her. Twilight blushed harder. "I… I am Twilight Sparkle miss, uhh… ma'am." The mare smiled hugely at her. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Sparkle. I am Nourish Wellspring, a nurse. You may call me Nurse Nourish, or Nurse Wellspring, whichever you prefer; although Nurse Nourish sounds a bit silly if I do say so myself… and oh! Are you here to see our young charge too?" "Um…" Twilight hesitated. She didn't know; she looked at the Princess. Princess Celestia nodded. "Yes, we are." Nurse Wellspring stomped lightly on the ground. "Excellent! Follow me, then!" And without further ado, she took off to the opened door. Princess Celestia stepped in front of Twilight and gently pressed a hoof to her lips, signaling silence. Twilight nodded, and they followed the nurse. The nurse led them through a small office, and then to another room. This one was even warmer. The floor was covered in the same cushiony material that the nursery was covered in, and there was a lot of hay on the floor. Some of the hay was packed tightly in blankets, making small bundles that closely resembled nests. The nurse led them all the way to the back. On top of a small bundle, a little further from the rest, lay a little ball of purple that somehow seemed familiar to Twilight. Twilight approached it with curiosity… And then hastily retreated as the purple ball uncurled and stretched. The purple ball, a dragon, had rounded spikes on its head and tail, and big adorable green eyes that blinked at her cutely before popping his tail into his mouth. Twilight recognized him. He was the baby dragon that she had hatched for her entrance exam. She suddenly felt very happy; she approached the little dragon with a skip on her steps, and sat on her haunches beside him. She reached out with her hooves and started stroking his head and his arms, and then poking gently his little stomach; making him gurgle and giggle happily with all kinds of other little sounds. She played with him. A tiny, gentle game of tag that used tiny hooves and tiny claws instead of tiny, little bodies as their game. He would reach for her hooves and she would tap his claws softly; then they would giggle as if that was the funniest game in the world. She would even close on him sometimes, blowing a raspberry on his forehead, on his stomach, and on all other ticklish places that would make him roll and squirm; a kind of sloppy kiss that was meant to be motherly and graceful, but was anything but. Eventually, the two new friends tired a bit, and the little dragon yawned before curling up slightly. Twilight yawned as well; settled her head beside him. The little dragon scooted closer and curled tighter against her head. Within seconds, they were fast asleep. One of the two onlookers, both of whom had remained silent during the whole exchange, giggled quietly to the other. "Oh, they didn't notice us at all." The Princess smiled very, very tenderly and approached the two youngsters. She settled beside Twilight and covered both of them with one wing, just barely touching. "No. No, they didn't." The Nurse giggled again. "What is it that they say? 'Love is blind'?" The Princess curled her head around the two and closed her own eyes. "Yes, love is blind." And the two new friends slept oblivious to the world.