Chapter 1

The little charcoal filly stood in front of the door of her room. The knob of the door was a good four feet above the foal’s head. The door, the stupid door! This door had the gall to be in her way. This door was the first obstacle her path, and if she couldn’t get past it, her plan would be ruined! The plan was simple, but perfect. : Open the door, find the kitchen, find the cookie jar, bring it back to her room. She went through this plan a dozen times in her head and could find no fault. Well, this door was a bit of a hitch, but she would overcome this challenge! The filly took a few steps back, and launched herself at the door! THUMP! That did not work. “Ow....” The filly moaned and rubbed her head. She wasn’t going to give up though, she stood up, and prepared to try again. She’s not gonna try to break down the door this time, this time she tried and reach for the knob. Standing on her rear legs, she braced herself against the door with her left foreleg, and reached for the knob with her right foreleg. After five minutes of grunting and stretching, her hoof brushed against the knob. The filly sighed and got down.

There was one last thing she could try. She could use magic, though she wasn’t exactly adept with it yet. “Okay.” The filly said, readying herself. “I can do this, I can do this!” She set her hooves to the floor, and tried to will the door to open. Nothing happened. She tried harder, putting all her energy into her horn. Her horn spit out a few sparks, and after about a minute, a faint glow was wrapped it. She just needed a little more effort! The foal scrunched her face and grunted. Big Sis always said that she made funny faces when she tried using magic. But that didn’t matter, victory was in sight! The doorknob started to glow, and ever so slowly, turn counter-clockwise. Now, all she had to do was pull. This was even more difficult. Having to split her focus between keeping the doorknob turned and pulling on the door was like trying to rub her belly and pat her head at the same time. It was almost impossible! Another minute of strain, and the door opened just a crack. Good enough! With a sigh of relief, the filly dropped her concentration and dashed to the small opening.

With one hoof, she pulled the door open enough for her to peek out and down the hall. She was alone, good. Slowly, she pulled herself through the doorway and into the hall. Pressing herself against the wall, she inched her way towards the kitchen. She and Big Sis live in a big, big house with lots of hallways, sometimes she got lost. Big Sis doesn’t like it when she walks around alone, but she knew the way to the kitchen. She and Big Sis go this way every morning for breakfast. Really, this short walk shouldn’t take more than three minutes, but it took nearly ten. The little filly seemed to think that she needed to slide slowly along the wall, occasionally dashing to the opposite wall, and hum “sneaking music”. This was of course, a stealth mission.

Finally, she reached the kitchen. There were a lot of big ponies here, all making food. The smell assaulted her nose, all the different foods mixed into one odor. The filly couldn’t decide if it smelled good or bad, but it didn’t matter. The big ponies were yelling at each other, they sounded kind of mad. Big Sis said that they weren’t, but the filly thought they sound like it. The kitchen ponies don’t notice her, they were too focused on their work. She slips by them, undetected. The kitchen was really big too, she’s usually not allowed in here at all. The big stallion in charge of the kitchen complained that she got underhoof when she was around. She didn’t care, she didn’t like most of the food they made in here anyway. Broccoli and spinach, beets and cucumbers. So gross! Big Sis says that they’re good for her, but she thinks that Big Sis just wants to make her eat gross food and laugh at her. After looking around, she found what she was looking for. At the far end of the kitchen, there was an unattended counter. Sitting on top of that counter was that sacred jar. It was tall and made of clay. Intricate lines and flowers were carved into its surface, and while the jar was certainly pretty in its own right, what she really cared about were its contents: double chocolate chip cookies!

The black furred foal approached the counter, and started to think about how she was going to get up there, another small hitch in her plan. She had no idea how she was going to get up there. But this challenge was surmounted far easier than the door was. Some nearby drawers would suit her purpose. She pulled out the bottom drawer all the way, and the one on top of it almost as far. She did the same with the other three drawers, creating a makeshift staircase leading to the top of the counter. The climb up was precarious and wobbly, but she made it. Once atop the counter, she moved to the jar. Almost as tall as her, she wrapped her forehooves around it, and started dragging it towards her staircase. Her plan was almost complete; all she had to do was take this jar to her room!

As she put her rear hoof on the top drawer, she realized a problem. She needed all four hooves to climb up the darn thing, and that was difficult enough, now she needed to climb down with two hooves, and keep a hold on the cookie jar! The filly took a deep breath, and prepared for the trial ahead. With one hoof already on the top drawer, she slowly set the other next to it. She moved the first hoof, and slowly reached for the next drawer, the first one started to wobble, and her moving hoof missed it’s target, instead nicking the edge of the drawer, and throwing her off balance. CRASH! THUMP! The cookie jar hit the ground first, shattering. The filly followed just a second after. The kitchen ponies rushed over, all talking at once. The filly couldn’t understand what they were saying. It took her a moment to process what just happened, and when she did, a piercing scream escaped her throat, making the big ponies need to cover their ears. The scream died down, just a little, and turned into loud sobs. The kitchen ponies started talking again, but they could do nothing to calm the little filly. Then one voice became clear above the chattering of the kitchen staff. “Oh dear little sister.” The voice said. It was quiet, and gentle. So soft, but it cut through the noise of the crowd. The filly looked up, her vision obscured by tears.

“Big Sis?” She choked out, trying, unsuccessfully, to stifle her sobs. She wiped a hoof across her eyes to clear the tears. She saw her sister’s bright, pure white coat, her flowing pink hair, and her concerned frown. “Tia!” The filly cried, and threw herself into Celestia’s embrace. Celestia wrapped her hooves around her little sister.

“Lulu,” Celestia said, holding her close, “What happened?” Luna tried to explain what happened, in as much detail as she could, but all that could be heard were incomprehensible sobs. Celestia waited patiently for her younger sister to calm down, and when she did, she asked the question again.

“I wanted a cookie,” Luna said, choking back another sob, “I fell.”

“I can see that.” Celestia answered. “Why didn’t you ask me for help? Or one of the kitchen staff?” Luna pushed herself away suddenly and looked right into her sister’s eyes.

“Because I’m a big filly!” She exclaimed, tears still pooled in her eyes. “I don’t need help! I can do it myself!” Celestia chuckled and pulled Luna close to her again.
“I know you’re a big filly.” She said, smoothing the younger sister’s mane. Luna did not appreciate the condescending laugh, or her sister’s smoothing of her hair. But she listened. “We all do. But you are still a filly, big or little. And sometimes fillies need help, like when they need something out of reach.” Celestia looked into the filly’s eyes. “Do you understand?” Luna nodded, the resentment leaving her eyes. She buried her face in Celestia’s breast. “Good.” Celestia lifted two cookies, ones that did not touch the floor, with her magic and stood up, one foreleg cradling the younger alicorn. “Please clean up this mess.” She asked her kitchen staff, and made her way to her bedroom with her little sister in tow.

Author's Note:

My first story posted on this site. Tell me what you really think, be brutal!
Also, I'd like to thank my good friend Dream Catcher for editing this.

444 views