Cinnamon Swirl couldn’t believe for one moment what she was trying to do. She knew the teal-colored unicorn mare was in bad shape by just looking at her. Dragging her along without the aid of magic or even a cart was becoming a monumental and time-consuming feat. Cinnamon knew if she didn’t act quickly and at least attempt to bring her back to town, Ukulele Moon could suffer more from her injuries. The earth pony grimaced as she struggled in vain to pull the injured mare along the wet sandy beaches sodden with the gales of the recent hurricane.
Her heart was pounding like a bass drum in her ears and she came to the realization that she was actually afraid that she was going to lose this mare before she made it to civilization. What was the unicorn thinking? She had heard from the others that Ukulele Moon had left the safety of the hurricane shelter and charged out into the full force of the monsoon. Cinnamon couldn’t for one moment find a reason why anypony would logically take such a risk.
Cinnamon Swirl let her mind drift for a moment. She was silently asking herself why she was even doing this in the first place. She had spent a lot of time and effort creating an aura of being anti-social so that the ever-pleasing Paisley Ponies would leave her alone. She was no hero, no friend to anypony on this Island. She had made it very clear to those who lived in the village that she came to town only to get supplies and not to socialize with any of the twiggy little mares that seemed to frequent the shops. She just didn’t care to be their friends.
It’s not like they didn’t make an effort to be her friend. So many ponies crowded her when she first arrived at the island. They couldn’t believe that someone other than a Paisley Pony would choose to live the hard island life that demanded so many practical survival skills. Paisleys were a close-knit group and seemed to have a connection to their island home that was so foreign to the rest of the ponies living in Equestria who seemed blissfully unaware of what was going on around them. Cinnamon Swirl had decided from that very first day of overwhelming attention that she would live somewhere far from the main village and only come to town as needed. The Paisleys really seemed to struggle with the concept of someone loving their island so much but being cold to their warm efforts of hospitality.
Although many tourists came to the Paisley Islands to see it during the winter months, very few stayed year-around because of the various dangers associated with residency. Not only were there hurricanes like the ones that put this unicorn mare in a coma, but there was the constant threat of pirate raids from the local species known as the Diamond Dogs. The villagers seemed to take these raids in practiced stride. They were a different breed than most ponies that Cinnamon Swirl had encountered in other parts of Equestria.
‘A different breed.’ Cinnamon Swirl snorted painfully as she began to remember why she had left the mainland of Equestria in the first place.
Her memories had turned to a bright summer day in her old haunt, Ponyville. Cinnamon Swirl spent her younger days as a very bright apprentice to a famed blacksmith. Anvil Hammer, her pegasus master, had shown the student everything he knew about blacksmithing and metal crafting. The two had grown very close over the years and genuinely enjoyed each other’s company. Anvil was extremely proud of the accomplishments of his only pupil. Cinnamon Swirl was not a social pony by nature, so finding a niche in society through an occupation was just what she needed to get her hooves dirty in a world that was based on friendship. For a time, the two enjoyed a father-daughter relationship that warmed the hearts of any pony that saw the two working together on the forge.
As Cinnamon advanced, more ponies were ever eager to have commissions completed by her. Late nights, stoking the forge and molding metal into ever changing landscapes of inspiring creation were how she passed time. Anvil Hammer was always reminding his young student to take it easy and pace herself. The young mare had captured inspiration from nature and couldn’t be stopped. Ponies began to visit Anvil Hammer’s shop and refusing his services in favor of the unique creations that Cinnamon Swirl dished out effortlessly.
Completely oblivious to the pain that Anvil was going through, all Cinnamon could do was just progress forward. Anvil Hammer knew in his heart that the student must always surpass the teacher, but the feeling of uselessness and impending age was wearing him thin. Anvil had all but given up hope that anypony would ever commission him for a piece of simplistic jewelry let alone a sword or bit of armor. It wasn’t the money, it was the feeling of complete misery that tormented the ancient grey pegasus.
It wasn’t until the invitations to the Summer Sun Festival arrived did Anvil Hammer find a glimmer of hope. Shoved carelessly through the mail slot in Anvil Hammer’s door by the ditzy grey pegasus mail mare, Cinnamon Swirl pounced upon the letters with youthful enthusiasm. Anvil managed to wrestle the invitations away from her though and read through the intriguing paperwork. Cinnamon Swirl sat in front of him like a young puppy waiting for a ball to be thrown. He could sense she was impatiently waiting for the contents of the letter to be read.
The old pegasus cleared his throat and spoke to the earth-pony mare. ‘The Princess has invited us to participate in a competition of sorts.’
‘A contest?’ Cinnamon Swirl answered back. She did this often to make sure she understood what she had just heard, a skill she had learned from her beloved master crafter and friend.
‘Yes, we are to each produce an armor set that will be judged by the Princesses themselves and the winning design will be worn by Princess Celestia as she ascends and raises the sun.’
‘Wow!’ mouthed Cinnamon with an aura of excitement that permeated the atmosphere.
‘It’s quite a challenge, I hope you’re up to it. The winner will also go on to be invited into the Royal Equestrian Blacksmithing Guild in Canterlot. It’s a lifetime achievement,” Anvil Hammer stared off just past the young earth pony mare.
Cinnamon Swirl’s mouth formed her famous broken smile. Lovingly, she put a hoof on the old Pegasus’ large, chipped hoof. She looked closely at how age, experience and dreams had formed those hooves that had taught her so much. The love for her teacher filled her being in that moment and a gleam formed in her eye. ‘Anvil, you’re going to win. I just know it!’ The mare shot back at her aged tutor.
Anvil Hammer laughed at her youthful pride. He could barely remember being that young and enthusiastic himself, but he knew wisely that it was a learning stage for the young mare. One day, she would have to come to terms with reality. Not everything in life would be a cake-walk. Indeed, sometimes betrayal and hard times were the things that truly shaped a young pony’s life like a piece of malleable metal under the practiced hand of blacksmith’s hammer.
‘Cinnamon Swirl, ponies from all over Equestria will be competing in this. There are some very talented applicants entering this competition. We’re not going to be the only one’s entering. We must prepare that we will not be the winners. We will work as we always have, with quality in mind. Don’t let fame cloud your abilities.’ He said in a stalwart tone of voice.
Anvil could already tell that his words were going right over the young mare’s high-pricked ears. She had that look that only youth could produce. She smiled at him and began to trot off. Before she left their small kitchen, she turned in the doorway and looked at him. ‘But not one of those applicants is you, Anvil Hammer. I believe in you.’ And with that, Cinnamon Swirl disappeared into the rest of the house.
Anvil sighed heavily. The compliment washed over him and nearly brought a tear to his eye. He fought off the overwhelming urge to hug her. Ever since he had discovered the young filly at the Ponyville Adoption center, he had been enchanted by her ever-willing attitude and quick-study abilities. ‘One day, reality is going to hit you, Cinnamon Swirl. Life will bring you down and define you.’ Anvil said to the lonely shadows of the kitchen.
A few days later, Cinnamon Swirl had enlisted the help of the town’s friendly mail mare to aid her in a special project.
‘Uhh, tell me why you wanted me to carry you again, Cinnamon Swirl? I’m not the most reliable flyer in Ponyville, surely Raindrop would be a better choice. I might drop you.’ Ditzy Doo said with her usual worried tone.
‘Anvil Hammer wants me to enter the armor competition alone. He thinks if I provide my own entry, it will help me develop my skills. I’m creating armor for a Princess of the Sun. I have to understand her element. I want you to carry me to the sun. I want to feel what it’s like to be a Sun Princess. You’ll do fine, Ditzy! You won’t drop me! Besides, Raindrop is sweet and everything, but you’re the only pegasus in Ponyville not helping clear the skies for the Summer Sun celebration.’ Cinnamon Swirl answered back enthusiastically.
‘Well that’s because of what I did last year,’ began Ditzy.
‘Never mind that! It’s the past, and Anvil Hammer always says the past is just that. In the past.’ Interrupted the filly. ‘You’re going to be great. I’m all suited up. Let’s fly!’ Cinnamon Swirl had created for herself an earth-pony harness with a small handle that a Pegasus could grab on to and easily carry a passenger. The design of the harness was unique in that it would allow for the weight of the occupant to be distributed evenly.
Ditzy sighed for a moment and grabbed on to the handle. Her wings, although a bit smaller than most of the other more experienced Pegasi, were muscled from mail delivery. She lifted Cinnamon Swirl off the ground effortlessly. She could hear the gasp of excitement escape from the lips of the earth pony.
‘Whoa!’ shrilled Cinnamon Swirl. ‘This is intense! It’s like I’m flying! You Pegasi are so lucky!’
Ditzy’s heart began to lighten at the youthful enthusiasm that seemed to make up the composition of her friend’s character. She relaxed and began to focus on her flying instead of being nervous about screwing up. ‘I guess it has to be hard for you earth ponies. No wings or magic to carry yourselves anywhere.’
‘But we have practical skill,’ Cinnamon Swirl said with the typical earth-pony pride which seemed to be a racial trait amongst the vast majority of them.
Ditzy laughed a little. ‘Yeah, I guess so!’
The pair ascended to the sky gracefully. Cinnamon Swirl felt herself struggling with a newfound fear of heights and the unbounded limits of her curiosity. It was early morning and Princess Celestia had already risen the glorious new sun. The wind was mild, even at their advanced elevation. Both ponies laughed and made small talk. As Ditzy approached the summit of her flying limits, the two beheld the radiance of the golden orb for which the celebration was being held.
‘Is this the inspiration you were looking for, Cinnamon?’ Ditzy asked in an astounded voice. Even though she had risen nearly every morning to work her usual route and had seen this sun many times before, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of wonderment as soft rays hit her face.
‘Oh yes,’ responded the young mare in a sort of half gasp. ‘So this is what it’s like to be a Princess!’ she roared.
At that moment, Ditzy became distracted in her friend’s new-found sense of existence. Her birth defect, eyes that did not always align properly, had missed one critical detail.
‘BIRD!’ Cinnamon Swirl shouted in fear.
‘Wha?!’ Ditzy said, but it was too late. The large pelican slammed into the side of the Pegasus mare and knocked her unconscious. She let go of the handle of the harness that housed her precious cargo and began to plummet towards the ocean.
Cinnamon Swirl screamed as she saw her friend drift away from her and she began to aimlessly plunge into a tail-spin descent. As she passed the cloud layer, she soon realized that they had flown over the ocean. She knew that the likelihood of either one of them surviving such a fall, even landing in water was pretty slim. She closed her eyes and began to have a panic attack. Swirl was as helpless as a newborn foal.
A gust of wind passed her suddenly and with a whoosh of motion, she felt the harness once again being held by someone. She looked up in surprise and saw Anvil Hammer struggling to keep himself, Ditzy and Cinnamon Swirl from diving into a death-fall. ‘You came for me, Anvil!’ She shouted in surprise.
‘Yes, but we’re not out of it yet. Damn it, wake up you clumsy mare!’ Anvil yelled to the stunned Ditzy Doo who was being ferried by his large, strong back. As lesser stallion would have not been able to carry that weight so effortlessly. Inertia alone would have knocked out most of his pegasus brothers and sisters as evidence from Ditzy Doo’s failure.
‘Huh?’ Ditzy began to regain consciousness.
‘GET OFF MY BACK YOU IDIOT!’ he roared at the blonde-maned mare in his usual gruff tone.
‘Oh! Right!’ Ditzy slid off his grizzled back and recovered her flight. Their plunge had slowed considerably as Anvil Hammer took control of the descent.
After a few minutes, Cinnamon Swirl’s hooves felt the soft impact of earth hit her hooves as the harness was let go gently from her teacher’s mouth.
Ditzy landed beside her and ran towards her friend. ‘Oh Celestia! Cinnamon, are you alright? I am so sorry!’ she began.
‘She’s fine, no thanks to you!’ roared Anvil Hammer as he landed. He came towards the couple with a few forceful hoof steps.
‘Anvil, please, don’t blame her. We both got distracted,’ Cinnamon Swirl started.
‘What were you thinking? With your handicap, somepony like you should never get to that elevation! You could have killed yourselves!’ He snapped at Ditzy. Everyone in Ponyville knew that Anvil Hammer, although a talented crafter also had a terrible temper. He loathed incompetence.
Ditzy began to cry. She had once more allowed herself to believe that she was just like everypony else at the youthful urging of Cinnamon Swirl. No, she wasn’t. She was her handicap. Huge tears welled up in her eyes. ‘I’m sorry, I am so sorry, okay?’ She cried. And with that fateful sentiment, Ditzy flew away, bawling loudly.
Cinnamon Swirl could barely believe what had just transpired. She didn’t let the situation color her admiration of the old stallion. She didn’t like how he handled things, but she also knew that he was right, in a way. He must have a reason for being the way he was, and it seemed to serve him in being the best Blacksmith in all of Ponyville.
Anvil Hammer glared angrily at his young apprentice and snorted. He was awash with fitful anger and fear for his beloved child. His child. Unable to voice the right words and unwilling to tear her apart as he did Ditzy Doo, he merely walked away from her, leaving the filly alone on the beach. Her head was full of the motions of the day and Anvil Hammer’s terrible words. But a glimmer across the horizon caught the gaze of the earth pony.
‘Ohhh’ exclaimed Cinnamon Swirl as her attention went back to the glory of the Princess’ bright new sun. Far across the ocean, Cinnamon Swirl saw the waves ripple and glimmer with sunlight. The inspiration for the suit of armor hit her like a ton of apples from Sweet Apple Acres. She took a moment to take in the scene before heading back to find her terrorized friend.
Later that evening, Cinnamon Swirl was working on the framework of her contest entry. She had to get the dimensions just right. She mentally argued with herself for taking so long to calm down her friend, Ditzy Doo from the earlier happenings of the day. Ditzy seemed alright but she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that her teacher’s words had somehow diminished the spirit of the clumsy mail mare. Sighing to herself, she almost burned a hoof as a voice pierced the air in the workroom.
‘Your teacher, Anvil Hammer, is a real jerk.’ A beautiful light-grey unicorn with fabulously styled mane entered the dingy mess of the blacksmith’s forge. She carried a small package with her light-blue magic field.
‘He didn’t mean it, Rarity.’ Cinnamon Swirl sighed heavily. Part of her knew it was indeed very true.
‘You don’t insult others. It was a mistake. Ditzy has been at Twilight’s all day, crying.’ Rarity said firmly.
‘I know,’ She said with a taste of regret in her mouth.
‘I know you love him, but he really should apologize to her. It was an accident after all, darling. Just because he’s a black smith, doesn’t give him any right to be so rude!’ Rarity gazed at the suit of armor that was quickly forming before her eyes under the skilled hooves of Ponyville’s newest rising star.
‘Do you have the gold filigree I ordered, Miss Rarity?’ Cinnamon Swirl said politely, attempting to change the subject from the current one at hand. She knew Rarity was as right as the rain. She had noticed that her beloved friend and teacher had grown more cold and callous lately for some unexplained reason.
‘I do indeed. The finest I could find for you, my dear. This armor is inspired. The Princess will no doubt pick you over your friend,’ Rarity interjected.
‘No! Never! Anvil Hammer is the finest Blacksmith in the land. I just know his entry will be perfect.’ Cinnamon Swirl’s tone changed to defensive. She faced Rarity’s clear blue eyes. They reminded her of the ocean she had seen earlier that day, and the far-off sparkle on the horizon.
The Element of Generosity smiled ambiguously at the filly. She used her pristinely manicured hoof to brush a lock of dingy hair aside so she could look into the fiery eyes of the earth pony mare. ‘Listen to me, Cinnamon Swirl,’ she said in an almost motherly tone, ‘You have a brilliant fire inside of you. You have a talent not only for molding metal, but also for molding the minds of ponies. Ditzy flew better today than she has ever flown before. Why? Because she believed the words you said. She told us everything. That is a beauty and grace that is absent from your teacher. That alone will carry you to heights you couldn’t imagine.’
Cinnamon Swirl stopped working for a moment and took in the unicorn’s words. They touched her deeply. She had never heard anything like that from her old teacher. Rarity smiled at her as she excused herself and left the filly to her great masterpiece. Cinnamon Swirl worked until early the next morning. The Summer Sun Celebration was just mere hours away and all entries should be brought to the staging arena to be judged an hour before the sun was set to rise and cover Equestria in a glorious, warm blanket.
Anvil Hammer entered the young mare’s workspace and gasped as he saw the tired mare finishing the last of a brilliant gold coat of arms. It was the most inspired piece he had seen in quite some time and definitely better than anything he had come up with for the competition. Cinnamon Swirl was loudly yawning as she finished the last part of the intricately woven design and barely noticed the soft hoof steps of her heavy-framed teacher.
‘You need to get a few hours rest, Cinnamon Swirl.’ He said in a stern, fatherly tone to the tanned mare.
‘I need to take our entries to the staging grounds.’ She yawned back, almost ashamed of how weak she was acting in front of the iron-grey stallion.
‘You need your rest, daughter. I will take our entries to the competition and make sure they are properly entered.’ He turned briskly away from Cinnamon Swirl as he gathered the pieces of armor and loaded them into a nearby cart.
‘Daughter?’ She woke up from her misty-mindedness. He had never referred to her as anything more than an apprentice or student. Even the concept of their friendship was little more than a theory in the young mare’s mind. She felt her eyes began to tear up with emotion.
‘I did adopt you, didn’t I? You are technically my daughter. Now don’t prattle. Get some rest.’ Anvil Hammer retorted.
Cinnamon Swirl knew better than to press the issue any further. She turned away towards the exit of the forge works and began to head to the house. In the dimness of the early morning, she could just see the outline of Anvil Hammer’s strong frame pulling the loaded cart towards the fair grounds. With a deep breath, she smiled at her friend, her teacher, her daddy.
Ponies had assembled from all over Equestria to witness the might and magic of their beloved Princess during the Summer Sun Celebration. The large crowds and gaiety of the festivities made Anvil Hammer feel very much out of place. He felt most at home in the dark, heated forge works honing weapons in peace. He grimaced as tourists were pouring from every angle and filling the grounds. He pulled the heavy cart up to the contest entrants area and met with a rather large red stallion with a hay-colored mane.
‘Is this where the armor for the competition is to be dropped off?’ He asked the earth pony.
‘Eeeyup.’ The stallion answered simply.
‘Ya’ll got to right place, that’s fer sure.’ Interrupted a smaller but well-muscled earth pony mare who bared a resemblance to the stallion.
‘Applejack,’ began Anvil Hammer. ‘Good to see a pony with some sense around here.’ He took a long, sideways glance at some of the visitors who were fumbling with lawn chairs and blankets on the grounds of the fair arena.
‘Oh don’t mind them ponies, they’re just a tad excited. Is this your entry, Anvil?’ Applejack said in a most hospitable voice.
‘Uh well,’ Anvil began to correct her. She had mistakenly thought that the brightly gilded suit of armor was his entry. The other suit, the one Anvil had created, was a more practical piece and less flashy. Applejack must have thought that the piece looked less inspired compared to the golden filigree and must be the work of the student, not the teacher.
Anvil Hammer was so angry in that moment. He had taught that young snot of a mare everything he knew and now he was going to be living in her shadow. Constantly upstaged by a filly that was just a fraction of his age and didn’t know her hindquarters from her withers. His business and reputation had suffered so much from his inspired student. He had to win this contest and prove to everypony in Ponyville that he was still the finest blacksmith in all of Equestria. A choice was made in that moment that was going to irrevocably change the course of many lives.
‘Yes, the golden suit is my entry. That one, the plain one, is Cinnamon Swirl’s entry.’ He said with a practiced tone of assertion.
‘Right. I’ll mark your names down. Now you just take her easy and enjoy the Summer Sun Celebration. I’m sure it will be a real dozy.’
‘Yeah, right.’ Anvil’s heart sank. The deed was done.
Just a few hours later, Cinnamon Swirl was awakened by Ditzy Doo who was tapping her window frantically. ‘Come on, sleepy head! The Summer Sun Celebration is just a few minutes away! We have to see if your entry won! Wake up!’ She shouted.
‘Oh my goodness! I overslept! Why didn’t Anvil wake me?’ Cinnamon Swirl wondered out loud. Still covered in the previous night’s grit and grim, mane styled by her sleep, she peeled out of the empty house and towards the fair grounds.
A hush had fallen over the land as the gilded orb ascended to the heavens. The Princess was wearing the gilded suit of armor that she and her sister Luna had picked from hundreds of applicant’s entries. The Princess was almost blindingly aglow with waves of freshly created morning sunlight. No pony present, even dear Luna, could remember a time when her sister looked so regal.
‘Oh that is just inspired,’ Rarity began, ‘Applejack, darling! The Princess picked Cinnamon Swirl’s entry. That young filly is going to be so excited!’
‘What? Rarity, you got that all wrong, Sugarcube. That’s Anvil Hammer’s entry.’ The pair looked at each other quizzically.
The two ponies were seated in the VIP section of the fair grounds that gave a fantastic full-view of the event. The shimmering unicorn carefully regarded the work-worn earth pony. ‘Oh, Celestia. He didn’t!’ Rarity shouted angrily and pierced the calm of the event grounds. Other ponies began to hush her as the unicorn began to throw one of her famous emotional fits.
Applejack’s cheeks were almost burning from embarrassment. ‘Rarity, calm down! What’s gotten into you? You’re acting like a wild bison stampede that tore into a hornet’s nest!’ She exclaimed.
‘Indeed!’ Rarity answered back and looked deep into the verdant eyes of her good friend.
A few of the Princess’s royal guards proudly took the stage just under their beloved Princess. After the sun had been raised, the Princess stood alongside them flanked by her younger sister. Another pony took her place in front of the Princess and respectfully bowed to the rulers of Equestria. ‘Thank you, dear Princesses, for blessing us with your presence.’ She began, eyeing not only the princesses but also the crowd.
Celestia and Luna coolly nodded their heads and smiled in a most regal way to the large crowd of assembled ponies. It was Celestia that really stood out. The crowd went wild for their Princesses and affectionately cheered their names. Celestia and Luna smiled at each other with mutual enjoyment coloring their timeless expressions. The sound of admiration had drowned out the angry fit of the unicorn mare whose heart cried for Cinnamon Swirl.
The announcer continued, ‘I suppose you are all wondering which applicant has won the contest. Our beloved Princesses have chosen the finest blacksmith in all of the land. This very special pony will be inducted into the Royal Equestrian Blacksmithing guild and create special pieces for all in Canterlot. That privilege has been awarded to the very creator of our Princess’ outfit, Anvil Hammer.’
‘Oh, Cinnamon, he didn’t,’ Ditzy said in a hurt one.
‘He took my entry,’ Cinnamon Swirl’s voice was colored with shock and disbelief. Her eyes were wide with disbelief. ‘He must have made a mistake… yes.’ She whispered to herself. Ditzy landed just next to her friend and put a comforting hoof on her back. The tears could no longer be walled up inside of her. A life time of trying to prove herself to her teacher, only to be so cruelly treated.
‘It was no mistake, Cinnamon,’ Ditzy said in a subdued tone.
The pair witnessed the old grey stallion trot up to the stage. In his eyes burned a pride that almost made the sun seem dull by comparison.
‘He betrayed you,’ Ditzy finished.
A light seemed to flicker off in her friend’s crushed gaze. Ditzy watched helplessly as her friend began to slink away, dejected by the entire circumstance.
And no pony in Ponyville ever saw Cinnamon Swirl again.
She knew she could no longer live with other ponies and trust them so much. Those words that inspired others, the wisdom that she had to give the world, must be snuffed out. Those were the dreams of a filly who had been wronged by some pony special to her. Cinnamon Swirl had wandered back to that fated beach and found a ship bound for the Ponynesian Islands. She walked along the length of the dock, completely silent, her hooves barely making a noise upon the hard wooden surface.
The filly glanced at the itinerary of the boat from the ticket master’s book. Her eyes fell upon a name. ‘The Paisley Islands, remote getaway.’
‘One ticket please. One way.’ She stated to the Ticketmaster.
The unicorn pony looked at her quizzically but didn’t question her. ‘Enjoy your journey,’ but the warm words sounded empty and hollow to her now. Where once she looked deeply into every pony’s eyes and saw them as they were, she could only see the lies and facades of others.
Cinnamon Swirl boarded the S.S. Sea Biscuit sullenly. She climbed to the main deck and stared out into the open water blankly. She was searching for the sparkle she had seen just over the horizon, the one that had given her the inspiration that once fueled her heart like the hot coals of her former forge. ‘Maybe one day again, I’ll find that. I will never trust another pony again,’ she said quietly to no pony in particular. The ship’s engines roared to life like an angry pride of lions and carried Cinnamon to her fated destination.
‘And here I am, helping this idiot mare,’ Cinnamon Swirl brought herself back to the current situation. The skies had cleared considerably since the end of the hurricane. She was quickly becoming exhausted from the effort of dragging the unicorn’s near lifeless body across the tropical sands. That same glorious sun that had once inspired her, had peeked out from behind the puffy, grey storm-clouds that had littered the sky just hours before.
Cinnamon Swirl took a deep breath and let the unicorn mare down gently as she could, not wishing to cause any further damage to the battered soul. She felt completely defeated. She had yet again failed. There was no point in carrying her any further. Ukulele was barely breathing and as good as dead in the eyes of any sane pony. The warm tropic breeze began to blow even more clouds away and it seemed as if the sun was chasing them away. As the rays began to illuminate the beach, they caught the purple, interwoven star and flower that adorned Ukulele’s flank. Cinnamon Swirl stared down at the purposeful looking cutie mark was temporarily blinded by a spark of light. ‘Ugh, why does your cutie-mark have to be metallic colored?’ She grimaced.
She inhaled for a moment and realized that she heard voices carrying over the sands of the long beach. She could make out a pink Pegasus with electric blue hair and another unicorn who looked very similar to Ukulele bounding down the beach towards her. ‘Great. Some help. Now maybe I can rid myself of you.’ She grumbled under her breath.
Nani Moku, Ukulele’s mother cried out in fear as she saw the lifeless body of her daughter being carelessly dragged by the island’s hermit as if she was a piece of driftwood. She ran faster than she knew she was capable of to her little girl’s side. She looked at Cinnamon Swirl and stared into her eyes. The earth pony turned away to face her companion.
‘Get your filthy hooves off my friend! You’re nothing but a scoundrel!’ Mai Tai exclaimed. The pink Pegasus shouted at the earth pony who rewarded her with a positively menacing stare.
‘That means a lot coming from the village trollop,’ retorted Cinnamon Swirl in a sinister tone. Mai Tai snarled at her and went to rush her with a flap of her powerful wings.
‘Mai Tai, please.’ Nani Moku spoke in a tone that caught her attention before total chaos broke out. Stern and motherly, Nani Moku, also known as ‘Pretty Island’ was a well-respected mare in the community. She spoke rarely and when she did, it was pretty important. Most ponies who had a lick of sense listened carefully to her advice. ‘Ukulele is still alive. We need to get her help.’
‘But,’ Mai Tai began to argue back.
‘She is badly hurt. Please, Mai Tai, let’s but differences aside and try to save my daughter.’ The usual cool tone of Nani was broken with a mother’s fears that were rising with intensity.
‘I’ll help you,’ Cinnamon Swirl found herself saying. She couldn’t believe what she had just agreed to, but a lot of things lately didn’t make any sense to her.
The three ponies began to work to pull Ukulele back to civilization without furthering her injuries. Silence swept over the group of unlikely allies as they all worked to save the life of a unicorn that had all touched them in some way. By the time they had reached the town doctor, Pineapple Passion, they found a long line of wounded ponies who had been caught in the storm just as Ukulele had been. A few nurses were quickly triaging the injured.
‘Everyone and there brother is here!’ Mai Tai growled in frustration. ‘Ukulele needs help now!’
‘Hey!’ shouted Cinnamon Swirl. Her voice pierced the air with a tone of command made all of the ponies present turn and stare at her. She felt an overwhelming urge to vomit as so many eyes reached her glance. ‘This mare here, she’s pretty badly injured. She needs help.’
Pineapple Passion appeared from the crowd, caked in the blood of her patients. She looked into the mouth of Ukulele Moon for a moment and exclaimed. ‘Dear me, she is! Get her on to my table immediately! I think she has internal bleeding. We have to stop it or she’s a goner.’
Worried friends gathered around as Ukulele Moon’s body was hauled into the office of the town’s doctor. Many of them were crying or speaking to each other in hushed tones as no one knew the fate of their companion. Nani Moku watched helplessly as the doors to the office were closed, surrounding her daughter like a tomb. She looked over at Cinnamon Swirl, eyes full of agony and feeling. It was almost unbearable to meet her glance.
‘What you did for my daughter,’ She started, ‘Thank you. May Goddess Pele rain blessings upon you, child.’
‘Uhh yeah. Right. Ummm,’ Cinnamon Swirl slowly backed away and used the crowd as camouflage to escape back to her hut near the mountains.