//------------------------------// // Hello Random Unicorn // Story: The Thing That Makes Me Special // by KartalTheWriter //------------------------------// “Twilight Sparkle has a lot of useful books, and she’s really smart. Plus she’s a unicorn too!” Apple Bloom is saying. I don’t know why, but the Cutie Mark Crusaders are being really nice to me. I can’t understand it still, but I decide it’s better to accept it then to assume it’s all the workings of my inner insanity. When we reach the home or library of the unicorn called Twilight Sparkle, I can tell it’s definitely a place where I’ll find answers. Maybe not the answers I want, but answers all the same. “Well, here we are at Twilight’s house!” Apple Bloom announces. Scootaloo goes up to the door and rings the bell. There’s a shuffling inside and then somepony comes to the door. It’s a purple unicorn mare, so I assume it’s Twilight Sparkle herself. She smiles at us. “Hello girls, what can I do for you?” Then she notices me there too. “Oh, hello there. What’s your name?” “I’m Thorn.” I say maybe a little bit softer, inexplicably making that same cute face the fillies made before. “It’s nice to meet you, Thorn. My name is Twilight Sparkle.” “Twilight, Thorn needs your help.” Sweetie Belle begins. Twilight looks over at me. Somewhere in my paranoid mind I don’t want to tell any more ponies about my problem. But then I see that unmistakable concern in the unicorn’s face. Who cares why she cares? “I want you to help me control my magic!” I burst out. As if to emphasize my point, a few sparks fly out of my horn at that moment. Twilight laughs endearingly. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’d love to help you, but you’re too young to do anything with your magic yet. You’ll have to come back when you’re at least a year older.” “What? You mean I’m going to have to keep doing this for a year?” I mumble pathetically. “I’m really sorry.” Twilight says more seriously. I sigh. More magic leaks out of my horn slowly. The fillies instinctively back away, having all already felt whatever horrors they experienced from the exposure. “Why are you all moving away?” Twilight asks almost to herself. She moves closer and inspects the phenomenon. --- Suddenly, Twilight remembers the terror she’d felt when she was trying to hatch Spike’s egg so long ago. The desperation, the yearning, the frustration. It’s a more intense feeling than it had been back then, she is sure, because it’s concentrated. --- “Now do you believe me?” I ask pitifully. Twilight had that familiar look of confusion and discomfort (to say the least) that I’ve grown to expect from anyone who comes near me. Twilight doesn’t answer me for the longest time, but I’m content to wait, for once. I figure if anyone could help me, it would be her. She seems to be arguing with herself, then she finally nods shortly to no one. Twilight turns back to me. “Go home and get a good night’s sleep. Then meet me here fresh and early tomorrow morning at 8:00. I’ll teach you everything you need to know.” If anything has ever felt real, it’s this moment, right when Twilight has just said she’d fix me. “Thank you! Thank you so much! Thank you!” Happier than I’ve ever been before, I run up and hug this unicorn I had just met. When I get home, I have trouble trying to convince Mother of the importance of me leaving to train with a unicorn I’ve just met. Mother wants me to stay home and help her do things. I tell her to ask Honey to help her. She says Honey is busy. I excuse myself to find Honey. Honey, being the understanding big sister that she is, agrees to help Mother while I go to see Twilight. I only neglect to tell her that I will be needing her assistance indefinitely instead of occasionally. But that can wait for another day. Tomorrow, I’ll be learning the thing I’ve longed for my whole life. --- “Alright, Thorn, focus your attention on my voice. There is nothing but my voice. Now open your eyes.” I open my eyes. “Good,” Twilight smiles. “Your energy is less erratic. You’re improving very well. Maybe your special talent will even end up being magic, like me.” Twilight seems excited by the idea. I’ve been coming to Twilight’s for a week already. Unfortunately, my big sister’s generosity doesn’t extend past one day. She’s been different since she got her cutie mark. Now all she wants to do is learn how to be the best doctor she can. She doesn’t have the patience for Mother’s ridiculous whims anymore. I can’t help hoping Mother will find another somepony special and I hope he’s a unicorn because I can’t stand carrying her stuff anymore now that I’ve got better things to do. This new arrangement means I’ve been having to go to Twilight’s at night now. Sure it’s cutting into our sleep, but it’s the only way.