//------------------------------//
// Chapter 9: Princess Twilight Sparkle 
// Story: The Silver Pony Slippers 
// by Nocturn Dreamwrite 
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	The Silver Pony Slippers
Chapter 9: Princess Twilight Sparkle

Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends reappeared the next instant inside Princess Twilight’s Friendship Castle. Twilight looked sternly at her friends. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rarity all looked as though they had a lot to say, but weren’t sure where to start. Fluttershy simply crouched down to the floor, worried that her friends were about to start shouting again, but they didn’t.
“Throne room. Now.” Ordered Twilight. The five ponies obeyed. Once each was sitting in her throne, Twilight spoke again.
“All right,” said Twilight. “Would anypony like to explain to me what happened back there?” Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity all started at once, but quickly became silent again when they realized they were all talking at the same time.
“Well I…” said Rainbow Dash,
“You see,” said Applejack,
“As I understand…,” said Rarity,
“What happened was…” said Pinkie Pie.
“One at a time please,” said Twilight. “Yes Applejack?”
“I’m sorry you had to see us actin that way sugarcube,” said Applejack, “but earlier today, I found this here set of pony slippers in one of my haystacks at Sweet Apple Acers. I used them when I was bucking apples, and then I accidentally lost them while crossing the road. When I came back for them, they was gone. Then I showed up at the party and found my slippers on the floor and we all started arguing over then.” Applejack stuck out her hoof to show Twilight the silver pony slipper she was wearing. Twilight observed that Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash were each wearing one of the silver pony slippers that were in question.
“Thank you Applejack,” said Twilight. “Now Rarity.”
“Early this afternoon darling,” said Rarity. “I bought these pony slippers from Fluttershy. I brought them home and was admiring them when I discovered that they were magic. The dress that Pinkie is wearing was the result of a simple wish I made while I was wearing them. I was going to wear it and the slippers to the Mayor’s party, but then Pinkie Pie paid me a visit. I must have been too wrapped up in my work though, because I accidentally allowed Pinkie Pie to take the dress and the slippers to the Mayor’s party, and now the dress is…” Rarity pointed over to Pinkie who was still wearing the tattered remains of the silver and white dress.
“Thank you Rarity,” said Twilight, “Your turn Rainbow Dash.”
“Twilight,” said Rainbow Dash, “This morning, I was flying over the Everfree Forest when I noticed that Zecora was being chased by a pack of Timberwolves. I saved her and as a reward she gave me this set of shoes, or pony slippers as everypony keeps calling them. Anyways, I was practicing my flying when I found out that if I wished to fly faster while I was wearing the shoes, they made me fly faster, and made could just suddenly appear out of nowhere. I flew so fast that I cleared the entire sky in less than five seconds. But then I did a sonic rain-boom, and I guess the blast knocked my shoes off. When I landed they were gone. I spent the rest of the day looking for them, and was just about to give up when I arrived at the Mayor’s party and found Rarity and Pinkie Pie arguing over my shoes.”
“Thank you Rainbow.” Said Twilight. “Now Pinkie Pie.”
“What happened Twilight,” said Pinkie Pie, “Is that when I finished passing out invitations to the Mayor’s birthday party, and was about to go back to Sugar Cube Corners to pick up my party supplies, when I remembered that yesterday Rarity suggested that I should wear a fancy get-up to the Mayor’s party, but I didn’t have a fancy get-up so I went by Rarity’s to pick one out. She was staring at the wall when I found her. Can’t imagine why. So I came in and woke her up, and told her that I wanted a get-up for the party. But then Rarity got so busy with the tie she was making for the Mayor when I told her that the party would start in half an hour, that she didn’t have time to help me find a get-up, so she offered that if I found something in her shop that I liked I could have it. I spotted this dress and the pony slippers with it and decided that I liked it so I took it. I asked Rarity if it was all right, and she said “sure, go right ahead.” So I took the dress and slippers to Sugar Cube Corners where I grabbed my party supplies, put the dress and slippers on and went to decorate the town hall for the party. Then the party started. I met Fluttershy, introduced the Mayor, and then shot myself out of my party cannon. I wasn’t thinking about the dress, and it kinda-got burned up, and I lost pony slippers. I came back inside to get them, and found Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack each holding one of my slippers and then Rarity started yelling at me, and well, you know the rest.”
“Thank you Pinkie,” said Twilight, “and now Fluttershy.”
“Um well,” said Fluttershy. “I was just on my way home after having a tea party with the woodland creatures, when I found four pony slippers in the middle of the road. They were stuck in a mud puddle. I had no idea where they had come from, but I didn’t think it was right to just leave them there. So I took them home and cleaned them up. I found that they were much more beautiful than I thought they would be so I decided to keep them. I wore them to market today to buy lunch for Angle bunny, and that’s where I met Rarity, who really, really wanted to buy them from me, so I gave them to her and she was happy. Then I went home to do some cleaning around my house, and I must have forgotten about the time because I didn’t stop until I realized I was going to be late to the mayor’s party so I hurried over and met Pinkie Pie, and then, oh, everypony started arguing. I’m sorry if I did anything wrong.”
“No need to apologize Fluttershy,” said Twilight. “But now I think I have the full story. “You were all arguing over the same set of pony slippers. Which, early this morning Zecora gave Rainbow Dash the slippers, but she lost them, and they landed in Sweet Apple Acers where Applejack found them. Applejack then lost them while crossing the road from her orchard to her barn, where Fluttershy found them. Fluttershy then cleaned them and sold them to Rarity, who was very busy and gave them to Pinkie Pie, who wore them to the Mayor’s Birthday Party, where we all met and you raised a ruckus over them.”
“Rackus.” Corrected Pinkie.
“Quite.” Said Twilight even though ‘ruckus’ was correct.
“You do realize how silly that was, right?” asked Twilight. Her friends nodded.
“We’re sorry.” Twilight, said Pinkie Pie.
“We sure made a spectacle of ourselves,” said Rainbow Dash.
“It was like we suddenly weren’t ourselves anymore,” said Applejack.
“And it definite wasn’t ladylike.” Said Rarity.
“I’m glad to see that you all realize that,” said Twilight. “But now the question is, who owns the silver pony slippers you were arguing over. By the information I’ve been presented with. It would seem that they belong to Rainbow Dash.”
“Yes!” exclaimed Rainbow flying out of her throne.
“Indeed not!” retorted Rarity standing up, “They belong to me!”
“Girls!” said Twilight.
Rainbow and Rarity sat back down and took control of themselves. “Sorry.” They said in unison.
“Better,” said Twilight. “Now I know all of you claim you own the slippers…
“I don’t,” said Fluttershy.
“OK,” said Twilight as she corrected herself, “I know four of you claim you own the slippers, but you can’t all own them, only their true owner, and coincidentally, I believe I can help with that. Something that I also pick up from your stories is that these silver pony slippers are magical. Rarity, you said that while you were wearing the slippers you wished for a dress and it suddenly appeared?”
“Yes darling.” Said Rarity. “It’s true and they glowed when I made my wish. I knew they had to have some sort of magic.”
“And Rainbow,” Said Twilight, “You said that while you were wearing them they made you fly faster.”
“Well, yeah.” Said Rainbow Dash.
“Come to think of it,” said Applejack, “I never really bucked any apples today. I kind-of wished for them to all fall off the trees and they did. And then I wished I had enough baskets to carry them all, and they just appeared.”
“Oh, I made a wish too,” said Pinkie Pie. “At the party, I wished for Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity to be there because I didn’t see them when the party started, and I didn’t see them until after I blew myself out of the cannon, which was after I made my wish.”
“Strange,” said Fluttershy, “I think I also made a wish. I didn’t have anything to give Angel bunny for lunch, so I desperately wished that I had something to give him and a carrot appeared out of nowhere. I didn’t think much of it, but I know I was wearing the slippers then.”
“Ah, ha. Just as I thought.” Said Twilight with a smile. “It thought so, and now I know so.”
“Know so what?” asked Applejack. She and the other ponies were just as confused. 
“Spike!” Twilight called. A moment later, Spike, Twilight’s faithful, number one baby-dragon assistant poked his head through the throne room doors.
“Yes Twilight.” Asked Spike.
“Could you bring me the Advanced History of the Canterhorn Empire? I was up late reading it last night, and it may still be on my bed.”
“Sure thing Twi,” said Spike as he hurried away.
“I was reading something in one of my books about ancient magical artifacts, and I think the pony slippers you found may very well be one of them.”
Just then Spike re-entered the room carrying the book Twilight had asked for. “Here… it…is.” Said Spike as he carried it over to the round table in front of the ponies. It was a big book and rather heavy. Spike was struggling with it a bit. When he reached the table he put the book down with a loud thud. 
“Thank you Spike,” said Twilight as she opened to book and began flipping through the pages with her magic.
“So, Twilight has a book about magic pony shoes?” asked Rainbow Dash to nopony in particular.”
“As I’ve said before,” Said Spike, “Twilight can find a book on anything.”
“Here it is,” said Twilight at last with a beaming smile. “It isn’t much, but right in the middle of the chapter concerning ancient alicorn artifacts the book mentions that there was a set of four silver pony slippers, that when worn would grant the reasonable wishes of their wearer. They would magically grow or shrink to fit the pony wearing them, but they would only sparkle whenever their true owner was wearing them. That’s pretty much it.” Said Twilight as she closed the book.
“Now Rainbow,” continued Twilight. “You said earlier that Zecora gave you the slippers?”
“Yes,” replied Rainbow Dash.
“Did Zecora say where she got them?” asked Twilight.
“Yeah, she said something about them falling out of the sky a long time ago, and being passed down from generation to generation until she ended up with them. She also said something about them being magic, but I didn’t pay much attention to that part until I found out for myself.”
“Very good,” said Twilight, “That more than less answers my question, but now if, you wouldn’t mind, may I see the pony slippers please?”
“Why,” asked Rainbow Dash. 
“I would like to make a quick scan over them with my magic to verify the facts.” Said Twilight, “and so we can determine once and for all who owns them.”
“Will I get them back?,” asked Rarity.
“If they are yours, then yes, you will.” said Twilight.
Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash each took off the one silver pony slipper they were wearing and placed them on the table in front of Twilight. 
Using her magic Twilight carefully scanned over the four silver pony slippers. At once she got her answer. She could feel the magic flowing in them.
“Yes,” said Twilight when she was finished. “There is no doubt about it what so ever. These slippers have magic. Now we need to determine who owns them.”
“How do we do that?” asked Pinkie Pie.
“Well,” Said Twilight, “it said in the book, that although the silver pony slippers will fit any pony who wears them, they only sparkle when their true owner is wearing them. So each of you will have to try them on, and if they sparkle then they’re yours. Fair enough?” she asked. The ponies all nodded in agreement.”
“Rainbow Dash,” said Twilight, “Since you were the first to have them today, you’re first, and in all probability, they should be yours.”
“You bet they are,” said Rainbow Dash as Twilight used her magic to place the silver pony slippers in front of her.
“Very well,” said Twilight “Then we will know in a moment.”
Rainbow Dash slid her hooves into the four slippers smiling ear to ear, but her smile faded when she realized that the slippers weren’t sparkling.
“I guess not,” said Twilight.
“But, but how?” she asked. 
“I don’t know.” Said twilight, “But I do know that they are not your slippers.”
Defeated, Rainbow Dash took off the pony slippers and pushed them back toward Twilight. Next it was Applejack’s turn. Twilight laid the pony slippers in front of her, and she tried them on. They didn’t sparkle.
“Ah, shoot.” Said Applejack, “but I guess that’s that.” She said as she removed the slippers.
It was then Fluttershy’s turn. She carefully slid her hooves into the slippers, but they didn’t sparkle.
“Oh, well, OK then.” Said Fluttershy as she took them off.
Rarity came next. “I’m sure they’re mine.” Said Rarity. “A set of pony slippers like these should always compliment a lady.” She said as she gracefully slid her hooves into the slippers. She closed her eyes and smiled, sure of herself, but when she opened them and looked down at the slippers they weren’t sparkling. 
“What? That can’t be,” exclaimed Rarity. She looked over at Twilight who had a patient look on her face. Rarity reconsidered the other option. “But…If they’re not mine, then they’re not mine.” She sighed as she took them off and passed them back to Twilight.
It was now Pinkie Pie’s turn. She didn’t waste any time at all. She jumped right into the pony slippers looked down. Just as with her friends, they still didn’t sparkle. 
“Ahhh,” said Pinkie, “Oh well,” she said as she lightly kicked them off.
“Well now we’ve settled the fact that none of you are the owner of the slippers,” said Twilight as she picked up the silver pony slippers and sat back down in her throne. “With that out of the way, I believe it is up to us to find the owner of the slippers and give them back to that pony. All the ponies agreed.
“Wouldn’t that be Zecora?” asked Rainbow Dash.
Twilight shook her head. “No. If Zecora was the true owner of the slippers, then when she gave them to you, that should have made you the new owner, and they should have sparkled when you put them on, but they didn’t so they are not yours, and in truth, they really were not Zecora’s to give, but from what I’ve heard, I seriously doubt that she knew that.”
“But,” Said Twilight, “I believe we do have a clue as to who the true owner of the slippers is.”
“We do?” asked Rarity.
“What clue?” asked Pinkie Pie.
“The answer is in the question.” Said Twilight. “These silver pony slippers are undoubtedly the silver pony slippers mentioned in my book, the Advanced History of the Canterhorn Empire. The Canterhorn Empire is where all the Alicorns used to live in olden days, back before Hearths Warming. The original ‘Equestria’ before it was Equestria.”
“That’s quite a long time ago.” Said Fluttershy.
“It was,” said Twilight, “but the point is, since these pony slippers are from the former Canterhorn Empire, I believe the true owner of the slippers is an alicorn.
The other five ponies looked at each other as they considered what Twilight had just proposed. Then they all realized what Twilight meant. “Oooooh,” they all said together.
“Well that sure brings down the list of suspects,” said Applejack.
“Applejack’s right,” said Rarity, “We only know of four alicorns. There’s you, Twilight, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna…
“Oooh, and Princess Cadence,” Finished Pinkie Pie.
“That’s right,” agreed Twilight. “So the owner of the slippers has to be one of those four alicorns.”
“And since you’re right here,” Said Pinkie Pie, “You should totally try then on first.”
“Me?” asked Twilight, “but I sure I’m not their owner. If fact, I don’t remember ever owning a set of silver pony slippers.”
“That may be so,” said Rarity, “but Pinkie does make a valid point. You are an alicorn, and like us, we won’t know for sure if they’re yours or not until you try them on.”
“Besides, sugarcube,” said Applejack, “If you try them on and they’re not yours then four possible suspects becomes three.”
“Well, you all do have a point,” said Twilight, “And when you’re right, you’re right. All right I’ll try them on, and we’ll see.”
Twilight slid her hooves into the silver pony slippers. The ponies all waited and held their breath in anticipation, but the slippers didn’t sparkle.
“Just as I thought,” said Twilight as she removed the pony slippers from her hooves and put them on the table. “I am not their owner, so now we have Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Cadence try them on.”
“It’s almost too bad we have to go all the way to the Crystal Empire to find Princess Cadence,” Said Rainbow Dash. “Especially if we go there and find out that they aren’t hers. Not that I don’t mind going, but it is quite a long ways away.”
“Actually, you won’t have to.” Said Spike, “Twilight just got a postcard in the mail today from Princess Cadence saying that she and Shining Armor are in Canterlot right now, and she invites Twilight to come visit her.” Spike showed them the postcard he was holding. He had been sitting quietly in his own throne next to Twilight’s reading the mail.
“Let me see that Spike,” said Twilight. She quickly read the postcard.
“Yes, he’s right,” said Twilight. “This is perfect, we can go to Canterlot tomorrow, and meet with Cadence, and Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna all in one day. I’ll arrange for seven tickets for the morning train to Canterlot tomorrow. That is, you are coming right?” she asked her friends.”
“Of course we are sugarcube,” said Applejack.
“We all agreed that we would find the owner of the pony slippers”, said Rarity, “So we’re going to Canterlot!”
All the other ponies cheered in agreement.
“Thank you,” Said Twilight.