• Published 21st Feb 2013
  • 1,146 Views, 43 Comments

This I Believe - The Collab Cage



What do you believe in? A series of shorts.

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Knowing

Dear Princess Celestia,

I’ve had lots of time in Ponyville to explore the magic of friendship with five wonderful unique friends and I’ve noticed something: all five of them believe in a certain thing or a certain collection of things that are central to how they see the world and how they interact with it. I may never send this letter but I think I need to put down on paper what I believe.

I believe in knowledge. I love my books so much because I find so much knowledge in them. Star charts, anatomy, chemistry, how magic works, why we shouldn’t or should use magic, why plants are green and the sky is blue. I love to know things, the wonder of discovery, the challenge of finding just the right fact, just the right figure, for just the right situation. When I come across a legend in a dusty old book, I want to know all about it. Is it true? If it’s true, how true is it? Who was Maredusa? Why would the stars help Nightmare Moon escape? Is there really a plant that has a sense of humor and likes to play jokes on you? Can you counteract unicorn magic with a few leaves and flowers and a bubble bath?

But more than just gaining knowledge is using knowledge. That’s the best part about having knowledge at all, and the best reason to learn. Using knowledge is how I thought of looking for some stones called the Elements of Harmony. It's why I have a new friend and you have your sister back. Using the knowledge that I’d written down for you, all those Friendship Reports, made it possible to defeat Discord and help everypony.

But the best part about knowledge? Anypony can get it and anypony can use it! I don't care who you are; you can know something if you want to and nopony can stop you. Rarity knows about fashion and used that knowledge to make us stunning dresses for the Galloping Gala. Applejack knows about apples and her family’s cider is so good! Pinkie Pie knows about parties and parasprites and you know how that worked out. Fluttershy is so shy but what would we have done without her knowledge of animals, and how to console and help a manticore with a thorn in its paw? Rainbow Dash knows everything about flight and boy, can she fly! She’s so smart with flight that she can sleep all day and still get work done. Now that’s an impressive use of knowledge!

So... that’s it, I guess. Knowledge makes you powerful. Knowledge helps you be happy, helps you help others, and getting knowledge is really fun. I don’t know what I’d do without knowledge, and that’s one bit of knowledge I hope I never have to gain.

Your Faithful Student
Twilight Sparkle

Author's Note:

Written by DualThrone.