Closet Pony

by DouglasTrotter

March 15th

>>>March 15th 12:45 pm<<<

In the garden, the beautiful stars twinkled on the other side of the translucent windows. White and yellow flowers absorbed the semi-artificial sunlight emitted by the crystals embedded in the ceiling. The crystal lights reflected off the clear water of the pond's surface, and the face of my watch.

As I sat near the pond's edge, the hands on my watch made out 9:05 am.

"A bit for your thoughts?" A voice said. The filly's hooves had made no sound on the soft grass. She sat down beside me, off to my left side. Her signature pink ribbon pinned up her mane into a pony tail. She let out a slow, quiet sigh. "Princess Celestia had us meet in her room a little while ago. She... told us what happened, about the accident with the portal."

I laid my left hand on top of my right shoulder. My hand slid down, and I clutched onto the right sleeve of my shirt. Three weeks had already passed since the accident.

"When Princess Celestia told us about how ya'll worked so hard, how ya worked with Sanctuary and succeeded at opening a real portal, it felt like we got our chance. It felt like we'd finally go home." Apple Bloom said. She lowered her head. "Why...? Why do things have to be like this? It ain't fair!"

No birds chirped. No squirrels chittered toward one another. No gentle wind brushed against the tree's branches or its leaves while the two of us sat close to one another. The garden near my room in Sanctuary remained eerily quiet in those early morning hours while a dark sensation churned inside of me.

"Sorry." I said. My left hand hovered over the filly's twitching withers for a few, brief moments before I retracted it and rested my hand on top of my right shoulder. Though the filly wiped away her tears, several times, they repeatedly leaked through her closed eyes. "I'm... just a human. I'm sorry, Apple Bloom. I'm sorry."

Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Princess Celestia were in the same boat as Apple Bloom. However, the fact Apple Bloom had been there the longest out of the four of them hadn't been lost on me. The filly couldn't hug her big sister Applejack. She couldn't be with her Granny Smith, nor could she laugh or play with her big brother Big Macintosh. As February, she'd been stuck here for over a year.

I clenched the right sleeve of my shirt, tighter and tighter till it hurt. My left arm soon rested on top of my left knee.

Apple Bloom startled me when she latched onto my mid section, almost causing me to fall backwards. Her tears saturated my clothing. She tugged on my shirt. Apple Bloom backed up and raised her hooves over her mouth. The scar on my right shoulder reflected off of her eyes.

"D-Does it still hurt?" Apple Bloom said. She lowered her hooves. I pulled my shirt up.

I bit down on my lower lip and shook my head.

The near-catastrophic failure that left me with this scar mortified Princess Celestia. The details of that incident spared for the sake of these notes, the princess placed me on strict, immediate bed rest after it happened and forbade any further attempts on the portal. Those days that followed were brutal. Every morning like clockwork, the princess would bring three rolls of bandages to my room she'd soaked in the waters of the meditation garden, the properties of that water supposedly helping to speed my recovery. The princess would change my bandages three times a day, and there were some moments Princess Celestia lost the struggle to fight back her tears. The third week couldn't have ended any sooner, my injury having "healed."

"Apple Bloom, what happened honestly terrified me." I said. I sighed then crossed my legs. The minute hand on my watch had ticked seven paces forward. Apple Bloom buried her head into my left side. The scar that reflected off her eyes is proof of what happens when you meddle with forces beyond your control and comprehension. "If the portal fails again, I don't know what might happen."

The filly's tears continued to leak through her closed eyes. I rested my hand on her withers, bringing the filly close to my side. Apple Bloom said, "Princess Celestia almost broke down when she told us the truth about why you were 'resting' in your room and didn't come ta see any of us for the past three weeks."

"Apple Bloom, we didn't do this to be cruel." I said. The gentle light from the crystals in the ceiling reflected of the calm waters of the pond. I glanced at Apple Bloom, and then gazed towards the peaceful blue marble nestled amongst those elegant stars. "Princess Celestia had the three of you meet in her room this morning because Sanctuary and I felt it was time you three learned the truth."

I removed my left hand from Apple Bloom's withers.

"..." I mumbled under my breath. The filly looked at the ground near her hooves while I leaned forward. "It'd be nice if everyone was born with a compass, something that pointed us towards the right direction in life."

That unusually serene moment between the two of us crawled forward at an ever slower pace. As I peaked at my watch, the minute hand had only moved three spaces.

"Ah know what ya mean, about not knowing what to do and all. Found out the hard way there's no spell that'll give ya a cutie mark for real or tell a pony how ta earn it." Apple Bloom said. She wiped away her tears for what seemed like the seventh or eighth time. By that point, her eyes were red. "Me, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, the three of us always wondered if we were doin the right thing when us Cutie Mark Crusaders were tryin' ta discover our Cutie Marks. "

"Life's a mystery." I said.

"Right. The three of us failed so many times tryin' ta earn our marks. Heck, the Cutie Mark Crusaders did everythin' under the sun and then some, but we kept on failin'." Apple Bloom said. She stood up. "Despite those failures, our friends and family, those around us, everypony stood beside us through it all. They helped the Cutie Mark Crusaders realize the only time ya'll really fail is when ya give up, and ya can't let failure define who ya are in life."

"Pretty wise words for a filly." I said.

"Heh, heh." Apple Bloom said. I patted her head, and she pushed my hand away with a soft hoof. "Ok, ok. Enough mushy stuff. Ah ain't a little foal."

My face reflected off my watch, and then I lowered my head. "I'm sorry I failed you and the others, Apple Bloom."

"No!" Apple Bloom said.

"Hmm?" I said.

"Ah can't count how many times ya helped us out. Ya took in all of us and protected us without a second thought. Ya didn't fail any of us." Apple Bloom said. She tapped my watch with the tip of her hoof then pointed at me. "Not ta mention look at what ya've done. There's no doubt in mah mind ya gotta be the first human in history ta use magic."

"Apple Bloom, I'm terrified there will be no third attempt on the portal. I cannot and will not let you five get hurt because of my actions." I said. The second hand appeared frozen on my watch while that maelstrom brewed inside of me. "I'm a failure. I can't do it!"

"Look, Princess Celestia said she's scared too, but the princess also said the answer exists and we just haven't figured it out yet. She believes in us, all of us and our strength." Apple Bloom said. That dark sensation wouldn't let go without a fight. "Me. Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo. Princess Celestia. Sanctuary. All of us know there's strength inside of ya. Nothin' on Earth or in Equestria can take that power away, but ya've got ta fight for it and be willin' ta move forward. Can't let that darkness takeover, not again."

"Apple Bloom, how can you and the others be so sure of me? How can any of you believe in me?" I said.

"We just do," Apple Bloom placed a gentle hoof on my left arm, "and ya gotta believe in yourself like all of us do."

"The filly isn't wrong."

"What's wrong?" Apple Bloom said. I shook my head. "As the little sis of the element of honesty, believe me when Ah say we're all here for ya just like ya've been there for us. That's a real 'honest' promise."

"..."

Apple Bloom wiped away her final tears. She pressed on my index finger, and then my middle finger. The filly formed my hand into a fist then bumped it with her hoof. She said, "When one of us needs help, we'll be there for them. That's what friends do for each other."

"As hard as it might be, all of us need to be reminded we're not alone in the world." I said. I placed my left hand over my chest. What I felt then -- what I feel now -- Apple Bloom and the others gave that to me. "Thanks for reminding me."

"What's happening?" Apple Bloom said. I removed my left hand from my chest and held it steady between us. Time had shot forward to 9:40 am. The filly tapped my watch with a soft hoof. "What's that glow?"

"My light." I said with a slight smile. A small, gentle glow came from the white gemstone inside my watch. A deep, slow, calm breath escaped my lips before I extended my left hand towards the crystal clear water of the pond. "So, what do you think?"

"Awesome." Apple Bloom said. Her eyes reflected off of it. "How did you learn to do that?"

"Princess Celestia put me on strict bed rest because my attempt at the portal backfired, but I'm not some goody-goody who always does what they're told, heh." I said. Apple Bloom's hoof made a small impression, but it vanished in an instant. The indescribable sensation that washed over and enveloped my body, coupled with my new light, enabled me to focus my mind. "I got a little antsy on the fifth day after the accident, so we'll just say I decided to 'practice' on my own when the coast was clear. Can't imagine why this is more relaxing than Princess Celestia's training, heh."

Apple Bloom blew on the basketball sized, watery sphere that floated inches above my hand. Ripples pulsated along the sphere's surface. The ripples converged into a single point, and then came to a stop. The filly's face reflected off the water's clear surface.

"The thing with water is that it's so fluid and requires... more than what I can do at times." I said. I shook my hand off, soon drying it on my white T-shirt. I stood up. I turned. The tall mare's eyes locked onto mine. "How long have you been standing there?"

"That was quite the little display." She said, her silhouette having reflected off of the orb's surface before it collapsed. Princess Celestia's eyes remained locked onto mine as her regal hooves glided along the soft grass with each step she took. That stare of hers sent shivers down my spine, still does when I think about it while typing this up. Her gaze was reminiscent of what an amazed person gives an amateur when said amateur has done something miraculous while also being quite dangerous. "Apple Bloom, would you let me speak to our friend in private?"

Apple Bloom looked at the princess and bowed to her. The filly smiled at me before she galloped out of the garden, however, out of the corner of my eye, I could see her and three other ponies gazing at me and Princess Celestia.

"I take it this isn't concerning the portal." I said. The princess gave a firm nod. Her horn aglow in a soft yellowish hue, seven watery spheres the size of medicine balls emerged from the pond's water. Each sphere remained perfect as they hovered near her. "Show off."

"I had expressly forbidden you from doing anything strenuous." Princess Celestia said. She raised her hoof. I remained silent. The princess placed her regal hoof back on the ground. "Is it true you find this relaxing?"

"Yes." I said. Another sphere levitated out of the pond, under my control. It floated several inches above my hand. "Thanks to Apple Bloom, thanks to what all of you have given me, it can't be put into words."

"I see. It appears that you've found something that is beyond precious, my friend: you've indeed found your own light." Princess Celestia said. Each sphere she had levitated out of the pond danced around with one another. The princess smiled. "Twice now, you've displayed that is on a much higher order than your current training."

"So, what's my punishment?" I said. Princess Celestia shook her head from side to side in a slow, calm manner before she said "none" to me. The spheres under her control continued to dance with one another, and then all of them came to a stop. Streams of water emerged from the spheres and formed into the shape of a winged unicorn. I returned my sphere to its home. What all of them gave me that morning is something more natural than anything I've experienced. "It took me the better part of two weeks to muster something the size of the world's smallest marble. Even then I couldn't manage it for more than three seconds. Like the portal, I felt like such a failure."

"Perseverance and the willingness to believe in oneself are absolute keys to anything we do in life. In their absence, none of us would be who we are, what we are, or where we are today." Princess Celestia said. She returned the water under her control to the pond. I lowered my head, but found it raised by her kind wing. "I put my faith in you, my friend. I know that you will aid us in finding a way back home to Equestria."

I closed my eyes. A warm tear crawled down my right cheek. These ponies, these stupid, ridiculously energetic ponies had given something precious to me, and more. There were no words that could express my gratitude, yet I knew Princess Celestia and the others had the idea I was beyond grateful to them.

Whatever despicable grip that darkness had on me vanished as time leapt forward from 9:40 am to 10:20 am when I opened my eyes.

"If I might inquire, have you ever suspected something about those rocks in the garden, the ones you would levitate during your training?" Princess Celestia said.

"No. Is there any reason I should be suspicious?" I said. I wiped the side of my cheek then raised an eyebrow. "Did you do something?"

The princess replied with a quiet, polite chuckle. She materialized two rocks in front of me. Princess Celestia said, "Thank you for letting me study your world's science. It's been quite illuminating."

The princess turned away.

"What's wrong, my little ponies?" Princess Celestia said.

Sanctuary raised her hooves into the air and shook her head and hooves at me. Scootaloo covered her eyes with her wings. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle covered each other's mouths.

"You must be completely healed, human...." Princess Celestia said. The princess glanced over her side. She peaked through a split in her mane, the mare's wet tail hanging down. She flipped her mane off to the side before she shook herself off like a wet dog. The princess turned, and, as she crept forward, her regal hooves in step with one another, she came within arm's length of me. Princess Celestia stood straight and firm, and peered down. The watery sphere I surreptitiously levitated out of the pond -- my prank backfired. In a slow, tempered, quiet voice, Princess Celestia said, "If it is a challenge you seek, just know that I'm more than ready to provide one."

Princess Celestia -- a master in every sense of the word -- levitated several watery spheres out of the pond. Outclassed didn't scratch the surface of the right word to call the situation. The princess gave a grin so devilish it'd make a demon run for cover.

I really, REALLY did it at that point. I'll just admit in my notes here my prank backfired, big time. That meme "I shouldn't have done that? I definitely shouldn't have done that" flashed through my mind at that point.

As I took a step back, I knew the color drained from my face because I felt it.

The four spectators sought shelter. The light in my watch began to glow even brighter, almost egging me on. Princess Celestia produced medium, marble sized shots from her watery reserves. She stated "are you ready?" to me.

Her volleys shot forth, one after another.

I ducked. I dodged. I weaved. Shots raced by me. Several hit my cover, the large tree at the garden's center. Others rocketed passed me.

I steadied my breathing. I knew there was no way to match Princess Celestia. It was impossible. Instead, the brilliant idea came to confiscate the ordnance she launched at me. She'd launch several shots. I'd take them. I returned the liquid ammo to the pond and repeated this action several times.

The first sphere dwindled to nothing, but the princess moved onto her second and third one. She two of her reserves towards the front.

Though we continued, in time, I returned the favor, watery shot for watery shot. Another idea came. I didn't need one large sphere. Towards the end or our battle, I combined several small shots into one. Four spheres became two, and two became one. Sixteen, baseball sized spheres levitated around me when I was done.

I lobbed all of those spheres towards the princess.

Princess Celestia created a shield from seven of them. The other nine impacted it. Princess Celestia's watery shield transformed. Under her control, the water morphed into the shape of a clear umbrella. The strange umbrella floated over her head. She closed her eyes and promptly stuck her tongue out at me. When the princess opened her eyes, her horn aglow in its yellowish hue, Princess Celestia formed the umbrella back into a watery sphere. The princess added it to the other spheres under her control.

Minutes passed by as our battle continued. More and more the princess outclassed me.

11:00 am on the dot, I collapsed face first onto the soft grass then rolled over onto my back. The light inside of my watch dimmed to the point it remained at a steady gentle glow. When my left hand landed on the soft grass, I chuckled until I started to laugh. Princess Celestia's started with a polite chuckle that turned into the same boisterous laughter I let out.

"My, my, my. I haven't had a good water fight like that in ages. My sister always refuses the idea. She's so prudish and never seems to lighten up." Princess Celestia said. She let out a quick breath. The princess came forward and extended her front hoof to me. "Even if you have trouble believing in yourself, always remember there are those who will always believe in you no matter what."

"Sorry I nailed ya." I said.

"We'll call it even since I managed to 'nail' you in return." Princess Celestia said. I raised an eyebrow, and then shook myself off. I said "right" to her as she covered her mouth with her hoof, the princess snickering to herself. "Now we're truly even, my friend."

"That was awesome!" three voices said in unison.

"It was awesome." Sanctuary said. She walked behind the three fillies. "I have to agree with my mother. Despite the times you feel as though you've failed, remember that any knowledge you gleam from that experience allows you to come out a better individual."

"...thanks." I said. I pushed my wet hair back and tiled my head to one side. "Something wrong?"

"No. I couldn't be happier." Princess Celestia said. The tall mare wiped away a tear with her wing tip. She gave a cheery smile. "I believe it's time for you to 'graduate,' in a sense at least."

"Graduate? Are you turning me loose?" I said.

"In a way, though I will still be training you from time-to-time. Our little escapade taught me you need to advance your own studies, so whenever you feel like training with your magic, please, feel free to do so. All I ask is that you do inform me so I can watch at times to make sure things don't get out of hand or hoof." Princess Celestia said. She winked at me. "The time came when my dear student Twilight Sparkle needed to graduate from her studies, and though it might sound a bit ostentatious, she's now a student of the world as a stallion I once knew, perhaps still know, would put it."

I stepped forward. My left arm reached around Princess Celestia, and she brought her wing over me.

"You're welcome, my friend." Princess Celestia said. She removed her wing from my side. "Just be mindful that too many water fights will leave us with dry ponds."

I stepped back.

"I'll... go take a shower, a real shower mind you." I said. I waved to those five then snapped my fingers, soon appearing in my bathroom. A few minutes later, I sat down at my laptop where I've spent the last hour or so trying to figure out how to write this up.

Without a doubt those five are something special. Optimism won't open the portal. Not to mention I'm still no closer to solving things than I was before. This mark that goes almost completely down my back serves as proof I delved into something dangerous that day.

"We'll talk later."

Great. And now where'd "she" vanish? Wonder if she was watching me type this up. Whatever. I'm not even surprised anymore. I'll just add ghostly pony apparition to the list of weirdness that's happened since a pony appeared in closet over a year ago.

In any event, baring that weird apparition who keeps visiting me since that first week the portal failed, I'm making a promise here and now. I will get those five back to Equestria, myself included or not.

As the magical space frog once said, "Do or do not, there is no try."

---End Entry---