Paper Present

by Artistic Dawn

The Present

CHAPTER 4 – The picture

Fields of green and yellow grass danced in a soft wind. There in the field lay a young filly with a cream like coat. Orange strands of hair highlighted the tips of her otherwise light pink mane. The filly’s face was blocked, her back facing the canvas, but it was clear to see her head looking up at the light purple and blue sky. Cotton white clouds floated across the skyline in small packs. At the highest point of the picture, in the very middle, stood a sun. However, this sun looked vastly different from the sun that Princess Celestia raised and lowered. The sun in this picture was drawn as purple with pink rays and, in the middle of the sun, there was a solid pink heart.

…..
…..
…..

The ponies at the table held their breath. Those who had a clear view of the picture had equally stunned expressions, yet all for different reasons. After a moment of staring down at the framed drawing, she blinked and looked up at the filly across from her. Bow Trim’s expression never wavered from the picture till a loud angry filly’s voice filled the room.

“This is a disgrace!” Twilight looked up to see a bitter angry Bronze Ribbon with her teeth clenched together as she glares down at the modest and, in Twilight’s mind, quite beautiful gift. Bronze Ribbon continued her rant, “Why in all of Equestria would anypony think this would be an acceptable present. Look at it! It’s so cheap, and poorly drawn! What fool in their right mind would bring this distasteful so called ‘present’ to my party!?”

Twilight had never felt so outraged. It true she knew, and frankly could not stand, that most of the elite of Canterlot held this high self-esteem about themselves. However, she only expected that from the adults, especially from some of the parents that she recognized from some events like the gala. But she never would have believed that fillies like this could be so rude at a birthday party for their ‘friend’.

She looked over to see Bow Trim only to find that her expression had changed from shocked to…sad. No… Twilight looked a little closer to find that it wasn’t sadness that was showing on the filly’s face, but it was…something else. She couldn’t put her hoof on it, but it was something different.

Bow Trim’s head lowered, her eyes scanning to the bottom of the picture to find a scratched in name on the bottom right corner.

Soft Pencil

Suddenly Bow Trim sprung from her chair, with the picture held within her magic. Her head turned side to side, looking at each of the foals sitting at the table. She began to walk down the table, looking up at each foal, at each name, she passed. Twilight then got up to get a better view as she watch Bow Trim.

All of a sudden, the filly stopped at the end of the table. There at the end sat another filly with a bright blue coat with a brown mane, wearing a pair of thin black glasses in front of what appeared to be brown eyes. She walked over to see the name that stood in front of her. It was Soft Pencil. Bow Trim, with small tears now forming in her eyes, slowly took Soft Pencil’s hoof. She guided the confused filly off her chair and passed the other, quite confused, foals, who were still seated at the table. Twilight walked behind them as she notice they were leaving the room. She glanced at the other guests at the table. As confused as the rest of foals, Bronze Ribbon looked down at the table with a frown. Twilight, not bothering with sticking around to wait, walked out to continue to follow both Soft Pencil and Bow Trim.

Bow Trim led Soft Pencil up a flight of stairs and into hallway after hallway until they finally stopped in front of a large door. She then took the door knob in her magic and flung it open. It revealed a grand bedroom, one that featured an orange and pink theme throughout. Twilight stopped at the door way to see Bow Trim walk up to a large painting. The painting was of a unicorn that looked almost identical to Bow Trim, only instead it was of a full grown mare, and with purple in place of the orange all tied up in a purple bow. She wore a large smile. Twilight eyes widened as she had a clear view of this pony’s cutie mark. The cutie mark was the same as the one presented in the drawing.

Both Twilight and Soft Pencil walked up to each side of her looking up at the painting. Looking down, Twilight spotted Bow Trim, with the drawing still floating before her. She moved up to the wall, and hung the picture next to the painting. The filly turned around to face Soft Pencil, who by now had a look of utter astonishment on her face. Bow Trim suddenly grabbed Soft Pencil, pulling her into a hug. In a whisper that Twilight could barely make out Bow Trim said, “Thank You.” Soft Pencil, unsure of what is happening, slowly returned the hug as well. Princess Twilight Sparkle, with small tears forming in her own eyes, looked down at the fillies as they continued to hug with a sound of soft ballroom music still audible in the background.

Author's Note:

Due to real life events, this chapter is far later than I wanted it to be.

Still, I hope you enjoy it.