Don’t you love when you overcomplicate things that could have been solved with simple solutions? That’s something Nitpick Bittersweet was asking on his head while trying to pay attention to Miss Cheerilee’s class of history. But he couldn’t pay her attention. His thoughts were sailing to the infinity of his imagination.
Yesterday, a small battle of arguments took place in the school fields. Everything ignited with a single complaint and suddenly it escalated into an exchange of insults and pettiness. The ruckus arrived to Principal Celestia’s attention and she immediately went to the mini battlefield of the school.
All of them gave to the empathetic Principal their complaints and she heard to every single student. With wisdom and maturity expected from a public figure like herself, she appeased the conflicted youth while giving us a great revelation: Although is true that Saturday classes will be canceled so they can be merged with the available classes of the week, staying the whole two hours of the super training was entirely optional.
In other words, every insult, every complaint, every ill-feelings with one another, in the end, it was entirely pointless. Everything could have been solved with a simple solution; talking with the Principal before doing something stupid and explain the situation, just like Lyra suggested days ago.
‘I can believe I let myself go along with the wind instead of thinking things thoroughly’ Nitpick thought in his mind with frustration. ‘But this was my own fault in the end. I let myself being convinced by Adagio and Bon Bon with goals of greatness instead of choosing my usual methods… thinking with reason instead of stupidity’
Burying his face to the coldness of his desk, Nitpick was falling to a deep depression.
“You okay, partner?” A whispering voice was heard.
Nitpick slowly focused his attention to the source of the voice and it was Big Mac who was talking to him. His superior in age and maturity was making a concerned face and was patiently waiting for his reply.
“Not really…” Nitpick whispered. “I screwed things up with what happened yesterday”
Big Mac was thinking in his head how to say in the best of manners what he wanted to tell to Nitpick. Finally finding the right choices, he spoke his mind.
“If it serves of any consolation, my sister and her friends were chewing more than they could handle. Don’t feel about what happened.” Big Mac whispered with a wise like tone.
Processing every single word of what he said and the way he did it, young Bittersweet found a little comfort in the deeper meaning of his reasoning.
“But still that doesn’t make the shame of my choice go away.” Nitpick responded with humility.
“There have been worse apples than you in this place so take things calmly… And choose better your courses of action next time!”
“Thanks! I’ll take it in consideration without a doubt next time… And I didn’t know you could talk this long.”
“I just talk when I feel like it. I only give a word of advice when I have something useful to say”
Nitpick just exhaled with his nose in approval of what he said. It’s true, just because he didn’t talk that much, it wasn’t proof that he couldn’t speak. It’s just that people like him speaks their mind when they have something reasonable to say instead of something stupid that you’ll end up regretting late.
Relaxed with the words of wisdom that were shared to him, Nitpick ended up clearing his mind a bit, making him pay more attention to Cheerilee. She was teaching about the old trade routes that the nation had with our northern country and neighbor, Deernada. The trains of the time weren’t as elegant or aesthetic like the ones we have today like the extremely big, underground circuit of the Capital of Canterlot.
They were unsafe in long-term uses but did the job of transporting people and merchandise to Equestria’s neighbor during the 19th and 20th century. Even during the time of the First War, the routes were used with fervor to exchange food and supplies for ammo and raw materials. Those were desperate times. The most famous and important train trade made that marked the turning tide of the war was during October 16th of 1939.
A brave platoon of soldiers and some civilians ventured against the unknown in a desperate ride to bring from Wanterlant Station in Deernada the schematics for a high powered and cheap to manufacture rifle called the M1 Maran. They needed to deliver it to the factories of Philidelphia to mass produce them. But there was a catch: The enemy established a base of operations in the frontiers and made previously safe trade routes impossible to pass.
The platoon took the great risk anyway, arming themselves with courage, some cheap and rusty guns and a handful of grenades, starting their one-way journey for most of them. Only thirteen from a group of fifty would arrive to their destination to tell the tale. Brave men, women and children spilled their blood for the greater good while they were caught in a firefight during the rail path. Tanks, jeeps of the time and horse riders were his enemies and the stars in the hour of twilight was their guiding mistress.
Twilight!
Twilight Sparkle was suddenly flooding the consciousness of Nitpick Bittersweet. Twilight Sparkle became the whole center of attention to Nitpick’s mind. He noticed she had her long and silk-like hair untied. Like a usual routine, she was beautiful, virtuous… but she showed signs of fear.
Why the girl who had the school to her reach, the most popular girls in her good side, and the best boys available to her, afraid of the people? Yesterday she acted irresolute and afraid. But no one with a background like her should be afraid of that. She was adored but not to the point of obsession like the big, public stars were stalked in their daily lives. She was beautiful but not to the point to be hunted as a full time model! She was truly beyond average and bright in her own right, but not to the point to ignite jealously and ill-feelings.
‘Of what are you truly afraid of, Little Twinkle Star?’ It was something Nitpick was asking to himself.
But enough of wandering reflections because he needed to be in his best form in the evening! Classes were over and he required going for the birthday present at his house. Quickly walking through the school and going straight to the exit, he didn’t stop for anything.
Today one of his friends will have her birthday party and also it marks the return of two of his friends to the city. The Dazzle restaurant will be the place of celebration at seven and all of his friends, after being separated for nearly two months and half, finally will be reunited.
Lightbulb and Dancer were invited to the event since Gilda gave her good word to his friends about them but sadly Dancer had to work in those hours so she can’t assist. Lightbulb wasn’t going to assist either but after what happened yesterday, Dancer became a little more expressive and practically forced him to go, just like she would do during her days of middle school. That release of anger served her well, but Nitpick felt that there was one last burst of rage she had to release to be completely back to her former glory.
In the end, for him, everything on this day will be great for him.
“Nitty, wait!”
Perhaps not.
Twilight Sparkle was hasting her steps to catch up with his friend. She wasn’t afraid to even run since she left Spike in her house because she said that he didn’t feel that well in the morning.
“What do you want, Twilight?”
“Could you accompany me to the suburb’s main park?”
“Now?”
“Yes! It won’t take long! Mrs. Peanut can’t come for me and mom will pick me up at four there! I was going to spend time with the girls but… you know… what happened yesterday and stuff.”
It was a subtle way for her to say that she didn’t want to be alone right now.
“Why… don’t stay with them and cheer them up?” Nitpick suggested to her, thinking that her company will help them somehow. “They can accompany you on your way home later!”
“I don’t want to disturb them during their school committee… their busy doing their meeting.”
“Uh… well, if it’s until four, okay, but I need to go home and take a quick shower first! I have plans for the evening and I need to get ready.”
“Ah!” Twilight then gulped in surprise. “If you have something already planned, maybe next time!”
“It’s okay. I’ll make you company until your mother arrives.”
“No, you have plans so it’s okay! Really!”
“Twilight…!”
Nitpick scold her just like he once did with Sunset. But instead of feeling regret, he felt an unknown justification for this.
“If you are really sure… about that!”
“My house isn’t far and I won’t take that long.”
They walked their way to the house of troublesome teenager. The journey was short and once they arrived to his house, Twilight was amazed by it.
“It’s not as big as your house, Twilight, but this is my home.”
“I think it’s lovely” Twilight said tenderly.
“If you say so…!” He opened the door of the house. “Make yourself at home. The living room is there and you can watch TV if you want. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Twilight sat in the sofa of the living room and relaxed her position in it. Since she was given permission to use the TV, she turned it on and tuned for her favorite science channel. Seeing that she was comfortable, Nitpick went straight to his room and readied his attire and tac-shirt for the occasion. He then went straight to the bathroom and took a meticulous shower to clean himself. His hygiene must be better than usual because today was special. But a thought suddenly came to his mind.
‘Mother would be happy to know that I invited a pretty girl to the house… Father would scold me since I shouldn’t bring people unknown to them here at home.’ Nitpick reflected. ‘Damn it, better speed things up’ and he continued his hygiene habits.
Twilight during that time was thinking of her current situation: he accepted her favor to accompany her for some hours until her mom arrived, just like many favors he accepted before this one, and he also invited her to his home. She came to a sudden revelation in her head.
‘Only true friends are invited to each other houses!’ Twilight thought excited and happy, her hands in front of her trembling with emotion. ‘I really made another friend! The Magic of Friendship is real!’ That’s something Twilight reasoned in her mind. As long as she followed the tenets of her friends, she will always be accepted.
That’s was her belief.
After fifteen minutes of waiting, Nitpick quickly got down from the second floor and signaled Twilight that it was time to go. She curiously noted the beautiful package he was carrying but since they were already in a hurry, they got quickly to the bus stop and luckily for them, the next bus just arrived in time.
Mr. Cockpit once again was their driver and this brought memories to the young scientist. The couple of youth took their seats in the back and their journey to the suburbs started. The first time, she and Nitpick took the bus route so she could arrive home safely was an unforgettable event for her. It felt… nice.
Nitpick remembered the event quiet differently from her. The embarrassment that the old man gave to him, combined with the chore of escorting her home was unforgettable for him. But this time it felt different, he felt a strange familiarity with Twilight that he has when he is around his…
“What do you have in that package, Nitty?”
“A present for a friend that had her birthday last Sunday. Today we’re going to celebrate it.”
“Is it for one of your friends from CHS?”
Twilight thought of Dancer.
“Uh… no. She is from the academy and I’m going to have a celebration with her in a family restaurant.”
“So it’s Gilda’s birthday?”
“No. Gilda and I bought the present together! It’s for another friend of us.”
“You… had more than one friend in Crystal Prep?” Twilight said a little jealous.
“I have four… five if you count my cousin there but she is a bipolar gal. I rather not speak of them. They are, uh, special.”
‘If I say who they were, you wouldn’t believe me, anyway.’ Nitpick thought in his mind. ‘If nobody in CHS believed me that I was one of the best friends of Gilda Heavensbane until it was testified by Rainbow Dash days later after the Wind Rider incident, then how much credibility I would have with the rest of them?’
“Oh, that sounds nice!” Twilight said with a bit of admiration. “You must be good friends if you bought a gift for her.”
“Good friends? We are the best of friends, Twilight!” Nitpick suddenly spoke excited for talking about them. “We bitch and complain together about the same things! Even we bicker with each other when necessary!”
Nitpick remembered his bitching with Lightbulb during their arcade reunion and his usual conversations on his chat group with fondness. Conversations that pale compared to the ones he has with them face to face.
“Language!”
“Oh come…! Alright! Sorry!”
“Seriously! You should stop saying those words! It’s for your own good!”
“Against what?”
“Society! Curses are wrong!”
“Who says that?”
“Uh!?”
“I’ll ask again, who says that?”
“Successful and good-hearted people say that!”
“The headmaster of the Everton Independent Study program in Canterlot that you wanted to assist is widely known for being a good member of society but always reproached for using bad language when dealing with mediocrity in his courses. Not that your genius would have made him mad, though”
‘I don’t know why you decided to go to CHS instead of Canterlot!’ Nitpick thought.
“How do you know that I wanted to go to the Everton program?”
“You told me non-stop last year while were doing our mockup of that planetary system of ours! Your exact words were, ‘I know that in the Everton Study program I’ll achieve scientific discoveries and research intriguing, new and complex methodologies by myself in peace.’”
“Oh yeah…!” Twilight suddenly remembered that now embarrassing event. “I remember now!”
“And they say I have bad memory in these kinds of things…” Nitpick said cynically.
“But it’s a nice detail that you remembered that!” She said a little moved by that. “We have come a long way since then.”
“Indeed we have, Twilight.” A reflective Nitpick said. “Indeed we have…”
Streets filled with houses, traces of nature and your occasional people standing and talking on the pavement were moving forward. But this was just an illusion because the ones that were moving were the inhabitants of the bus and the vehicle itself. How wonderful is the effect of motion when you appreciated it through the window of the bus. Just like time itself.
The time to change!
Whether the change was big or small, the young couple has grown a little bit by now. No matter how much you live, if you haven’t being challenged by anything in life, then you could be fifty and know nothing about life. At least that is what Nitpick thought of him and her. But the questions he asked himself during classes emerged once again.
“Of what are you truly afraid of, Little Twinkle Star?” Nitpick mumbled while still looking through the window.
“What do you mean by what I’m afraid of, Nitty?”
‘I spoke again instead of thinking!’ Nitpick thought with a tired mentality while sighing slowly.
“Nothing, Twilight. Look, we are going to arrive to our stop.”
Once the bus stopped, they got down the bus and started their way to the park. It was a short trip and by two with seventeen in the afternoon, they were buying ice creams in the store nearby. Nitpick bought his usual sundae with dark chocolate and vanilla ice cream with a pinch of caramel in it. He treated Twilight to one of these beauties and she chose a butter pecan sundae as her treat. They sat in one of the benches of the park and started to dig in.
‘How funny’ Nitpick thought. ‘This is the same bench that Gily and I were using during the pet accident. I wonder if that parrot is well by now.’
While the young man focused his mind in that event while eating his sundae with a moderate speed, Twilight was admiring the place. How silly would be to the people she knew that for her, appreciating this kind of places was new to her. Despite living relatively nearby, she has never ventured beyond the boundaries of her home, her school, the Maximus Plaza and the occasional family trip.
‘Silly to think that I started to appreciate this kind of places during my days of magic hunting’ Twilight thought.
“This place is beautiful…!” She said with admiration.
“Really? Is nice, I agree. But there are better places in Ponyville if you are a fan of parks.”
‘One of them nearly ruined after my last date.’ A sudden annoyed Nitpick thought.
“Could you take me to one of them in one of these days?”
“Uh… sure.”
“We’ll have so much fun!” Twilight’s arms trembled with excitement, nearly making her sundae fall to the floor.
“You act like a child sometimes.” He chuckled funnily after saying that.
“I’m not a child!”
“Oh yeah? I was babysitting you these past few days during our sports ordeal!”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Twilight said a little insulted. “I was the one guiding your hand during our research and data management!”
“While you were behind my back all of the time! Especially when we spoke to Spitfire!” His blood suddenly boiled when he mentioned her. “How that bitch dared to insult your job is beyond me!”
“Language! And…” Twilight suddenly got quiet. Suddenly she stood up and placed her now empty disposable cup in the trash bin nearby. After thinking for a moment, she continued. “I overdid things again and I just received a voice of advice from her. That’s all.”
“A word of advice? Are you insane?” Nitpick walked straight to her until he got in front of the young scientist. “That girl did nothing but undervalue your efforts! You should have spoken out your mind and put Spitfire on her place!”
“NO! That would only have made her madder!” Twilight said a little panicked. “Besides, she knows more about sports than I do!”
“Didn’t you assist to Rider’s classes like Dash did?”
“Pinkie Pie and many others went as well.”
“That’s not the answer to my question, Twilight!” An angered Nitpick said. “I’ll ask again; did you assist or not to that event?”
“Yes!” Twilight said a little scared but it was unperceivable at the time for him.
“Didn’t you train as hard as the rest of the Wondercolts who assisted?”
“Yes.”
“Didn’t you learn the basics that Wind Rider taught to the participants so you could help the school team to excel their current basic skills?”
“Yes.”
“Did Spitfire go to that special training with you? Or researched some useful training methods? Or even fucking gave a chance to read what you made to see if it was truly right or wrong?”
“…no.” Twilight whispered so low that Nitpick didn’t hear her.
“I didn’t hear you! Louder!”
“No.” Twilight whispered again.
“LOUDER!”
“No! I’m sorry! Don’t yell at me!” Twilight was truly scared this time, hugging herself in the process.
Nitpick reacted just in time to calm down.
“Nonono! I’m sorry for yelling! Honest!” He said honestly and a little troubled.
“I’m sorry!” She said weakly.
“Why are you apologizing when you didn’t do me wrong?” He calmly asked.
“Because I made you angry.” She said weakly.
“So? If I didn’t do you wrong then you should be the one to be mad at me! If you felt attacked by me, say it so with absolute confidence! Just like you do your language corrections to me! Don’t be afraid to speak your mind around me because I hate people that acts just like you did!”
“I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing like that!”
“I’m-“
“Twilight!” Nitpick scolded her.
Her fragile silhouette was looking to the floor. Feeble and trembling, Nitpick couldn’t stop to feel bad about her!
“Twilight… look at me.” He said sympathetically while raising her chin. “Are you afraid of me?”
“…no” She mumbled.
“Twilight, I need you to talk to me valiantly and stand your ground.”
“But…!”
“Raise your voice and say, ‘Nitpick, stop being an ass and calm down’”
“I can’t possible say that!” An uncomfortable Twilight said.
“Then tell me in your own way what I just said!”
“I can’t!”
“Why not?”
“Because… I’m so scared of losing you!”
…
“Forgive me! I didn’t hear you well!” He said amazed in a bad way. “What did you just said!?”
“Oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to say that!” Twilight covered her face with her hands.
“You meant that!” Nitpick remarked. “Why are you afraid of losing me?”
“Because I don’t want people to go away from me!”
“I’m not the people, Twilight! And why would people want to stay away from you? You are a nice and smart girl!”
“If I what you say is true, then… then… WHY EVERYBODY BACK IN CRYSTAL PREP SHUNNED ME AWAY LIKE IF I WAS A FREAK!?”
Nitpick was left speechless after the sudden burst of emotion. A frustrated, emotionally unstable and despairing Twilight Sparkle was before him. A fragile heart was suddenly revealed in her eyes. Eyes not only serve as part of the body to see our surroundings, but they also reveal who you are! They reflect your inner strength, your inner motives… your inner fears.
“Twilight… what was the real reason you participated in the Friendship Games?” Nitpick asked with seriousness. “You were never the team player.”
“Because Principal Cinch told me that if I didn’t help the school to win the games, I would never go to the Everton Study program!”
‘That egocentric witch and her usual bitchiness always ruining everyone’s lives.’ Nitpick thought with rage against his former Principal.
“Are you saying me that you participated because a kind of blackmailing was taking place!?”
“…yes.” Twilight looked to the floor with disesteem.
“Why didn’t you tell your brother or Dean Cadence about what was really happening? They definitely would have helped you in the matter!”
“… Because my brother wanted me to participate”
“Did he force you to play?” He asked in disbelief.
“No… nor Dean Cadence for the matter.”
The young man sighed in relief, happy to know that the images of the only school personnel he considered great were still intact.
“But still…” He spoke. “Why you didn’t tell them the truth?”
“Shining Armor and Dean Cadence thought it was a good idea for me to participate in the competition. My brother said that I would have fun, but all my teammates treated me like...’sob’”
“An outcast.”
“Yes!” Tears started to pour from her eyes but suddenly she regained her composure, quickly cleaning her tears with a paper tissue. “But I was not alone! I had Spike with me, Dean Cadence always pushed me forward to better myself and eventually, I met my friends!”
“Sunset and the rest, I presume!”
“Oh Nitpick! If only you have been there… the many things that happened in just a few days were funny in a certain way. The world was upside-down, Crystal Prep making peace with CHS!”
‘Uh, not entirely… at least according to one of my friends… ‘School of losers’ is her favorite description for CHS’ He thought with skepticism.
“I have never felt so much peace and acceptance in a school!”
“If what happened during the gossip event and the fight of yesterday is something you consider peaceful and accepting, then you and I have very different meanings of the words!”
“That was just a step back! When Sunset and the rest of the girls unite the school once more, it will be just as friendly as it was during the games!”
“Didn’t you hear the whole argument of yesterday? It was because Sunset and company tried too hard to make the school united that it ended up in that!”
“I don’t think so!” Twilight said hopeful and smiling. “It was just frustration born from the lack of progress of the students themselves! Once they see positive results, they’ll calm down! Sunset believes in that!”
“Don’t tell me you believe in her ideals!”
“Of course I believe in them!” She said with approval. “Thanks to them, I’m starting to be more open around people!”
“Are you serious? Cowering behind your friends is not something I consider to be open, Twilight!”
“You say that because you are stronger and more confident unlike me! I’m just beginning at this!”
“But what are you saying right now doesn’t make any sense! From the day we started to assist to CHS, I have seen you interact with many people beside the Idol Six like Flash, Professor Gizmo, Professor Bridge, Muffins, the Cutie Crusaders, the Apple Family and many more that have treated you nicely!”
“Yes! Because they are friends and family members of my friends! I don’t know any of them in reality… except Professor Gizmo. He used to visit my home when he, my brother and their friends went out to bowling and such.” She looked to the side so she couldn’t make eye contact with him. “I’m not very good with people!”
“Of course you are… At least now! The bitchiest people of Crystal Prep talked to you in a very friendly manner during Wind Rider’s event and especially in the fair! You even talked with Suri Polomare, for fuck’s sake! That girl is a backstabbing, piece of shit!”
“B-but I was scared that day! I didn’t know that Rainbow Dash would change teammates! I felt horribly deep inside! I thought I was disappointing her and that’s why she ended up changing me for someone else!”
“But she ended up with you in the bitter end! She even defended you indirectly during the blackmailing incident. I heard everything because I was there!”
“I know… But like you said, in the end she teamed up again with me… And I felt so happy when she told me that she wanted to be my partner again! I never felt so loved before by people outside my family! All the girls did the same thing by telling me their tales, experiences and forming a bond with me! A real one! Sunset’s teachings have allowed me to be with people and make new and wonderful friends! And you… You are my first real friend since the girls took me under their wings!”
“Waitwaitwait!” Nitpick stopped her with a bit of loss of words. “You and me, friends? Since when do you consider me your friend?” He said amused.
“Since the first day of school, when you treated me nice and with honesty! You… are my friend!” She said tenderly.
Nitpick’s memories in CHS started to emerge in his mind. The first day of classes he treated Twilight Sparkle as an annoyance, the rest of the week like someone insufferable, especially that first Saturday were he escorted her back home after an insane training from Rainbow Dash and Spitfire.
Then… slowly they started to work together, discuss, talk about meaningless things. He also remembered his first quesadillas made by her hands. How he slowly started to be open to her, at first by his friend’s request but eventually it was by his own volition, his own idea.
His own choice!
He could have said ‘Fuck it’ but he chose to be at her side, even defended her when needed. He slowly came to appreciate and accept that Twilight Sparkle was a comfortable company. Even if she tried to control his language, she was able to express, talk, support, and even praise him from time to time.
They were creating a bond born from events, experiences, exchange of feelings, making him start to feel that he could trust her with anything, the same feeling he had when he was around his…
“Friends!” He came to a realization “For the Truth that rules everything! You and I are starting to be real friends!”
Twilight couldn’t help but smile to those words. Her eyes were sparkling with radiant stars. But there was one problem! One big, real problem!
“But how can you possibly say that we were friends since day one in CHS? Nobody in his or her sane judgment could make a claim like that! Is like saying that a person you like at first sight is your destiny!”
‘Like I foolishly did with Sunset!’ He thought with embarrassment.
“Because as I said, you were nice to me and… You are nice to me and it feels delightful to be around you! Just the way I feel when I’m with Sunset! Although you are a little more expressive than her in a funny way” She giggled after saying that.
“Are you saying that because I treated you nicely… it was a sign of friendship of my part to you?”
“Yes.” She said smiling.
“How could you think it was friendship, a real one, just like that?”
“Because Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie taught me how to make real friends! Thanks to their teachings I became a friend of you!”
“What…” He said perturbed. “…are you saying?”
“Friendship is a wondrous and powerful thing. I have seen its magic do good things! In a way, is a blessing that I participated in the Friendship Games! I discovered that True magic and happiness comes from Honesty! Loyalty! Laughter! Generosity! Kindness! With it, the Magic of Friendship became salvation to me!”
Nitpick was perplexed at what he was hearing. Sunset said something eerie similar to him in his date.
“And as long as I listen to what the girls teach me, follow their Ideal and beliefs, I can speak to everyone! I can be friends with everyone! I’ll never be left behind…and more importantly…!”
‘Don’t say it, Twilight! Please don’t say what I think you are about to say!’
“I’ll never… be alone again!”
The gentleness of the wind engulfed them in a brief moment of peace. Those eyes… those he admired all this time were…
‘She is so pitiful.’ Bon Bon’s words resonated in his head.
Empty!
Sublime, sparkling, beautiful and empty eyes! Nitpick finally understood what Bon Bon told him yesterday. The lack of joy in her pupils that even Twilight herself was unaware of. Those beautiful eyes he admired all this time… were just a glorified, fake bright.
Joy is the ultimate goal, for it is the emotion which accompanies the fulfilling of our natures as human beings. It is based on the experience of one's identity to allow your inner self enjoy the greatest gift of all.
Life!
Your identity is your life! It’s how you live every single day! How you choose to be, what you chose to do, the way you want to act! People say that your origins, your environment, your education is what builds up your identity!
Yourself!
But that’s just a small part of it! Identity isn’t determined by society, but by you, the individual! If you chose to follow the dogma of your origins, then that’ll be part of yourself! If you chose to follow the teachings of your environment, then that’ll define you! If you chose something else or the mix of some things or everything, then that’s your identity! Your choice! You’re alive that way!
And when someone or something shatters your whole self-esteem, oppressing it, destroying it, dismembering it, it means that it was a hard blow for you, or in the worst case scenario, your persona wasn’t that solid to begin with.
But for Twilight Sparkle! Beautiful Twilight Sparkle, all this time never was a whole being. She was a bright, gifted but empty vessel, walking aimlessly through the roads of life, searching for something that could fill her desire to experience life. She was never being able to find true joy, true bonds, and true happiness.
Because she was empty on the inside!
Nitpick finally realized what Sunset had been trying to teach Twilight, and to some extent, to him. She wanted for her to be able to befriend to everybody, to be able to talk to everyone and giving her the capability to be more secure around strangers. In a romantic way, she was doing the right thing.
But what use is giving away the weapons and bullets to a person who doesn’t know how to reload and shoot? What use are her teachings to Twilight Sparkle if she hasn’t learned the most important thing above everything else? The real requirement to acquire the power and strength to walk on the path of life!
The power to love oneself!
Twilight Sparkle wants to love everyone at the cost of her being stripped of whatever inner voice she had. It would appear she was creating bonds at the surface, but she was only pleasing everyone else in reality. That was disgusting for Nitpick, and he decided that he will destroy that hollow Ideal of her so she can start to challenge herself, and there is only one way to start his duty as her friend.
Speak the truth! Tell her his true feelings about her!
“Do you really think that I really liked you since day one?”
“What… did you said?” A suddenly shocked Twilight asked.
“The first time I met you in Crystal Prep Academy, I thought you were another rich gal that went there just to have fun in the school. As time passed and the school started to know you better, almost the entire academy considered you obnoxious. Not because we were jealous of your genius like Rarity said or because you were special, that you are by the way, but because you were a pushover, you always tried to match up with everyone, in other words…”
He took a deep breath, knowing that this will be the point of no return.
“You were annoying.”
In that moment in time, their eyes reflected each other. Twilight, virtuous and fragile as she was, should have had a face of despair in this moment. But she had instead a calm face, even if deep inside she was about to cry. Nitpick’s cold and stern eyes on the contrary, faintly reflected the feminine figure in front of him.
“But-” Suddenly, his eyes turned warm and empathetic. “-, when we met at CHS again, I noticed something different about you. You were talkative and friendly, you were caring, delightful, fun, entertaining and… Oh Twilight! You are a wonderful girl! And today I realized that you were never annoying, that you were always worthy of being a friend of someone… No! Perhaps being your friend is an honor that someone like me doesn’t deserve to have!” The young man said with humility looking at the sky.
Twilight after hearing that, felt the storm that was brewing in her heart dissipating with the light of the sun. Reflecting his mind into words was a step forward to the likes of Nitpick. Real friends should always share their real feelings toward each other, even if the first reaction is anger or sadness. To lie for the sake of keeping a fake relationship on float is to preserve something that perhaps it is not worth fighting for.
“Forgive me if I made you feel bad! I don’t want to have any lies with the girl I just noticed I have fallen in love with!” He said tenderly.
Twilight’s eyes widened even farther with great surprise.
“You… love me? For real!?”
“Yes! You are slowly but surely becoming a dear friend of mine!” Nitpick said while grabbing firmly but gently her shoulders. “I love all of my real friends as family… even if some of them are a pain in the ass… Like Gilda sometimes… or the royal pain… or Sug-… well, you know what I mean, right?”
“Oh… Oh! Yeah, hehehe… Yes, I do!” Without knowing why, she was a little disappointed.
“But I don’t want this bond of us to be a fake one so I just wanted to tell you what I felt about you in the past and what are you starting to mean for me in the present! With that, I won’t have any past ill-feelings holding me back to step forward… if you decide to forgive me for that!”
“Of course I forgive you! And our bond is not a fake one! It’s real! We are closer than ever!” Twilight spoke with confidence.
“You lie, Twilight!”
“I’m not lying!”
“Of course you are! You are lying to yourself! You are avoiding to face people’s hate by clinging to the individuals you consider your friends! No wonder you are always behind someone during school! No wonder you didn’t complain about our gossip problem or to Rainbow Dash and her brief exchange of teammates and many more instances where you should have spoken your mind! Instances where you must have exposed your feelings to the people you love!”
“But I’m not strong like you or the girls! That’s why they are teaching me how to be friends with everybody! Their way will help me in being accepted to the students!”
“Why the students should accept you when you do what they like when we are the ones that must learn to accept the real you, the real Twilight Sparkle?”
“But the real ‘me’ is plain and boring! Nobody wanted to befriend me in Crystal Prep!”
“Wrong! The real you is simply too smart for your average Joe! And there is nothing wrong about that! In the academy we were pissed off with you because you were spineless, Twilight! You were hopeless and a coward! People nearly as smart as you like Moondancer had friends! Want to know why? They spoke the hell out of their minds! You never did that to the school population! You always submitted to others opinions of you! And you still do!”
“But you always helped me in the academy! Like in Physics! We may have been friends before we even knew about it!”
“I treated you nicely because I wanted to pass the subject! And unlike Trenderhoof and his niche, I have a conscience! In no way I would allow you to do the whole job by your own! But I admit that it was painful working with you and I despised every time that you decided to redo the whole mockup just because one millimeter of a moon was off or a similar shit like that!”
“Language!”
“Yes! The thing you just did is what you need to do with everyone, Twilight!”
“But correcting vocabulary isn’t necessary with the others!”
“NO! YOU OVER-INCOMPETENT, UNSOCIAL GENIUS!” He yelled in frustration. “I MEAN EXPRESSING YOUR FEELINGS ON THE MATTER, FOOL!”
“How can I express my feelings if you start to yell at me like that?” Twilight answered with an unknown source of fury surging from her.
“HOW CAN YOU BE FRIENDS WITH SOMEBODY IF YOU DON’T TRUST HIM TO EVEN-!”
“STOP YELLING AT ME, NITPICK BITTERSWEET!” She yelled in frustration while interrupting him. “I’M NOT DEAF OR A FOOL, YOU MEANIE!”
"MEANIE!? AND DON'T INTERRUPT ME!"
"YOU ARE BEING A FOOL AND A MEANIE!"
"DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OUTSIDE!?"
"BRING IT...uh!"
She immediately shut her mouth with her hands. Nitpick was surprised by that. Surprised… and happy. She on the other hand, felt a little… troubled.
“Do you feel something different, Twilight?” Nitpick asked with a pinch of triumph in his voice.
“I shouldn’t have yelled at you but… it felt nice! Like I was…”
“Defending yourself? Having a voice of your own?”
“…yes!” She responded with enlighten.
“Do you want to feel more secure and strong with yourself, just like you felt a moment ago?”
“Y-yes!” She responded with desire.
“Then allow me to teach you the other side of what Sunset Shimmer offers you! Allow me to give you another choice that leads to the same destination: Inner happiness! I won’t lie to you. My path is harsher, covered in spines that will pinch you and full of rocks blocking your way! But it will challenge you little by little! If you like what you see then you can choose to continue the road I’ll show to you!”
“But what if what you offer is not the right thing?”
“Excellent question, Twilight! But if you heard me carefully, I never told you I will teach you the right thing to choose! In the end, Twilight, you have to pursue your own path, not someone's idea of the right path. For your current you, what Sunset is offering you is a lie! Not because she is a liar or evil! Oh no! She is lying because she is overlooking to teach you the most important thing that you clearly lack!
“…what is that?” Twilight asked with immense thirst of knowing the answer.
“An identity! Your identity! A will that dictates you how you chose to live your limited time in the realm of the living! This is why you were so afraid of telling Flash Sentry your lack of romantic feelings for him! Why you were afraid of losing me! Or Rainbow Dash! Or for you to think that the whole school will despise you if you say something wrong! As long as you don’t accept who you are, no amount of magic will change that fact, my beloved Midnight Sparkion!”
“Midnight Sparkion?”
“Yes! You are like a Midnight without stars! The Sparks you have in your eyes aren’t yours… yet!”
“But ion in the last part of the name doesn’t make sense! An ion is an atom or a molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons! I know that stars are energy but there can’t be negative stars or!”
Nitpick raised his hand so the genius stopped her incoming, doctorate like explanation.
“But in slangs, ion is the diminutive of ‘I don’t’! If we arrange the name in something readable it would mean ‘Midnight, I don’t spark!’ But since it sounds stupid when we use the slang like ‘Midnight Ionspark’ then Midnight Sparkion is better!”
“It sounds stupid!”
“Wuuuh! Twilight is using big words!”
“Very funny!”
“Do you like to call me Nitty?”
“Yes!”
“Then I’ll call you Midnight Sparkion in private!”
“But it’s a stupid nickname!” She said in a baffled tone.
“I like it when you speak your mind freely instead of acting reserved around me! Act more confident around the students and this will make them like you more, at least the ones that want to know the real you!”
“But what if people don’t like what my current me offers?”
“Then to hell with them, Midnight! You aren’t a gold coin to please everyone! And there are people in the world who hates gold for the matter! You must learn that not everyone will be your friend! And that’s alright! But what I find unacceptable from you is that you deny your own worth! You are beautiful, Twilight! You can be anything you want to be as long as you work hard for it!” He pointed his finger to her, nearly touching her nose.
“But if I don’t have friends in my life, I could end up alone!”
“It’s not bad to be alone sometimes! It’s when people force you to be alone is when things starts to get bad! How easy we let our own taste to judge the choice of others. But that’s how life works. For the world to be varied and interesting, there must a dessert and an ocean. A mountain and a field! What I mean to say that if your friends don’t appreciate the way you are, then it means that they aren’t your friends to begin with!”
Twilight was left speechless for a few moments. He started to analyze his reasoning, making sense to the words he spoke with the events she lived in CHS. How her friends accepted her the way she is and how she felt loved back by them… but has she really being herself this whole time to the girls? Was she real to them? Or was she afraid of losing them too if she didn’t act nice?
“I want to believe in them! I want to have faith that my friends are real! That the Magic of Friendship will make me happy!”
“By faith alone you want to believe that?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Everything, Midnight! If you chose to leave everything to the hands of fate, to the cursed Destiny, then you are a fool! Friendships, real friendships are a harsh process were people build trust with each other! For you to say to me that I became your friend just because I treated you nice is a serious understatement and the most insulting thing you can say to people like me!”
“…sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry! Stop apologizing for things that aren’t your fault! Having faith that good things will happen is great! People need to have faith in something! But you are the one that must work hard to achieve it in the end! You are the one who must obtain your wish by your own hand! But never lose who you are in the process! Having friends without being your self is pointless! Eventually, you will grow bitter and tired and someday you’ll explode and curse the entire world for your demise and lack of spine!”
“… Just like the soccer team and the students of yesterday! They never spoke their true feelings and…!” She suddenly realized what he meant about the unhappy students.
“Exactly, you understand now! Midnight, you must find yourself and have the Magic to love who you are first to even began to consider someone a friend! If you give me the chance to show you what I mean, I promise you that it will be meaningful! And if you decide in the future that what I offer is not for you, then you can walk away! But if you only choose the path that Sunset offers without really understanding or at least having empathy to other people’s opinion… then please never try to change me! I won’t accept the opinion of someone so single-minded!”
“I…”
For the second time in her life, Twilight Sparkle was thinking outside of the box. When Sunset offered her hand, a reassurance and a sense of acceptance was felt that fated day, but…
“Won’t you offer your hand to guide me, Nitty?”
“If I do that now, in a symbolic way, I would be pampering you on the road… it doesn’t mean I will leave you alone when you are in a trouble you can’t overcome yourself, but as I said, you must learn to trust in who you are first.”
“What if I fail?”
“If you give up after giving your best, then at least you made the effort. But if you don’t try at all, then it will be your fault in the end. Remember, in life, all the words you say, the promises you make, they are yours alone! With the rewards and consequences that accompany them, you must confront the repercussions of your decisions. If you don’t learn to do that now, then you will suffer in adulthood!”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because life is harsh outside your parents care, and cruel without the aid of your friends! Besides, we are teenagers! This is the perfect age to learn from the stupid decisions we make every day! Just like how I learned something important when I tried to use you and show to the school that the soccer team was a pain in the ass!”
“Language! And what did you learn?”
“Ask first and do something later!”
“That sounds nice and-!” Twilight suddenly reasoned something. “Wait a minute! You used me to make a ruckus in the school?”
“I said I tried to use you! I never did, actually… I wanted you to succeed in the end. That’s why I encouraged you to give Spitfire your research! And believe me that I won’t ever try to use you again unless necessary and you know and agree about it first”
“That doesn’t help at all!” She said in defiance while crossing her arms.
“You are free to leave me be and stop being friends! I’m not forcing you to anything!”
“…But I want to be your friend!”
“Why? It’s because you want to have friends or because I’m someone that you consider worthwhile? There is an enormous difference between the two answers!”
“Because I don’t feel you would harm me! I trust you and the friendship you and I share! I know it’s real!”
Nitpick smiled by those words. “Then allow me to strengthen our bond with actions! Do you accept the challenge I offer you? Knowing that it could make you feel uncomfortable sometimes? Knowing that possible… you could end up hating me?”
After thinking carefully, she spoke with commitment
“I do!”
“Then…” He got quiet for a second and after thinking carefully, he finally spoke. “I don’t have anything planned! This was out of the blue! I need to organize my ideas and think about your first challenge!”
“First challenge?”
A sudden noise was heard from Twilight’s bag. It was her phone ringing and she suddenly made an uncomfortable face.
“Flash Sentry, right?”
“Yes…”
“Heh heh heh heh!” Nitpick laughed under his breath.
“Why are you laughing like a movie villain?”
“Because if Sunset Shimmer is Captain Friendship, then I’m your regular, pain in the ass, villain!” He got closer to her and rested an arm on her shoulders. “He’ll be your first test! A sacrifice, if you will, to make you grow as a person!”
“Language! And that sounds evil!”
“Okay, okay! If you reject him without making him mad, it will be a step-forward to you! Besides… you need to tell him now before the guy keeps flying higher with hope! Have you ever felt the horrible feeling of a lover rejection?”
“Not really!”
“It’s bad! It feels horrible! But for the sake of both parties, if you don’t like him, you must cut his wings, now! You’ll understand when you do it! I’m sure of it!”
“Will you finally teach me how to do that?”
“Me? Oh no! My way is too harsh for someone like you… for now! But I got an idea! I got the perfect teacher for the matter! And he goes to CHS as well! He is someone who has experience with relationships and will give you a good word of advice!”
“Someone like Rarity?”
“No! I want results for you, not overdramatic nonsense! Do you have something planned this Sunday?”
“Nothing in particular.”
“Okay, can you allow me to tell your problem to some of my friends so I can ask help from them?”
“Yes.” She said immediately with a small smirk in her face.
“Uh… You are supposed to think about this before doing quick decisions like that”
“What’s wrong with that? It’s you we are talking about! It’s not like you will betray me!”
“That will be a lesson for another day, then! If by tomorrow morning I don’t have his confirmation, you will have the Sunday free to do whatever you wish!”
‘Beep Beep’
A claxon from a luxurious car was heard. On the other side of the park, Twilight’s mother was waiting for her daughter to get inside and go home.
“You should go! I’m going to Gily’s house to make preparations to other things for the party!”
“Okay, Nitty! Have fun at the party! And…” She played with her hair a little. “Please keep taking care of me! You are my first boy friend after all!”
She left his side and a few moments later she was in the car with her mother. As the car was leaving his sight, Twilight words left Nitpick baffled.
“What the hell just happened?”