To remember
Tonight was the night that was renowned as the Hearth’s Warming Eve night, where families around Equestria would come together, and sharing laughs as they ate under one roof. Where couples around Equestria would sit together, sharing warmth and love with their loved ones. And more importantly, where ponies around Equestria would share what they’ve gotten around the years to those who desperately need it.
Except for one such tiny exception, a certain lonely mare under the Golden Oak Library, ponyville’s onliest and finest source of literacy, which is saying something, considering what sort of town ponyville is.
But our story isn’t about how dirty ponyville is, or how retarder their residences are. No, this is about a certain lonely lavender unicorn, gazing blankly on her large book, as she pondered how to spend her night.
On normal occasion, this unicorn wouldn’t be lonely. She would be laughing with her 5 flawed yet unique friends. On normal occasion she would be sitting with her family, having dinner, and occasionally glancing at her newly acquired aunt with something alike of jealousy.
Then again, if it was a normal occasion, we wouldn’t be having this story now, wouldn’t we?
Rarity and Applejack was with their own family, Rainbow Dash was visiting her sick father, while Fluttershy was huddled in her tiny cottage, spending all of the day with her furry little friends (wink wink), and Pinkie Pie, well she’s currently in Las Pegasus, celebrating Hearth’s Warming Eve with other partygoers.
Alone time, they called it. Understandable, really, considering how they would meet each other, like, everyday.
What about Spike? Isn’t he always with our favorite adorkable unicorn? What with him being her number one assistant, and possibly the second friend she had achieved. Well, he’s a baby dragon, not a pony, and well, he’s a baby. So he doesn’t count.
But for your information, he’s in that little basket of his, dreaming about saving Rarity from an evil king and proceeded to do his way on the imaginary bed, which would also explain the disturbingly dreamy expression upon his face and the gradually dampening blanket.
It was also how Spike experienced his, surprisingly elaborate, first wet dream.
Twilight sighed, closing the exceptionally large book she was reading, before grimacing as she heard a loud giggle from upstairs. “I’ll need to install a muffling charm on his basket, after this.” She said, before sighing once more, ignoring the pang of loneliness in her heart.
It didn’t work that well.
Sometimes, she couldn’t help but to wonder how she survived without a friend that’s not a family (not counting Spike, of course) before she arrived in Ponyville, just like how sometimes she asked why ponies’ talents are stamped on their butt cheeks, or why ponies would randomly sing. Usually, those questions earned her strange looks from ponies, and a chiding, yet slightly fearful, Celestia about how ponies work.
So she just kept it to herself. The last time she had asked, there was a strange pained glint that promised something in Celestia’s eyes, and she wasn’t that eager to find out what.
Once more she let out a sigh and walked to the kitchen. Maybe a good cup of hot chocolate would help… whatever it was that needed help. Perhaps it would give her an idea of how to spend the night without the pang of loneliness bothering her like an angry ex-girlfriend.
A minute later, Twilight stood next to the window, watching the snow fall as she careful sipped the hot chocolate. This is relaxing, Twilight decided, a small smile bloomed on her face, like a warm bubble bath.
She blinked. Her mind’s gear suddenly went on an overdrive like a rabbit in heat, as it focused on the word: Bubble. Heck, she didn’t know why bubble, but for some reason, it made her remember something. Then she blinked again, before an even larger smile found its way to her nuzzle.
“Of course.” she whispered in triumph, giggling like a perverted filly as she took a final gulp of her hot chocolate. Ignoring her burning throat, and she totally did not want to scream, she dashed to one of the book shelf. Where it is, where it is… Aha!
With a mental shout of triumph, she plucked a book and read it: “The art of Balloon.” A weird title, but she had seen weirder (see: Pony Sutra).
With her telekinetic grip, she pulled the book from the shelf and read the title. “A friend in balloons,” and with an excited nod, she opened the book. It was a simple book, really. Containing a simple spell, for those lonely introverts, and at times, perverts.
Of course, she’s not looking for the latter.
That would be used for later date.
…
For SCIENCE, of course!
Ignoring the small blush that had found its way on her cheeks, she kept on reading. The simple spell, Balloon-it-life, is all about, well, making a balloon alive. The only hard part about it is creating the personality for the balloons, because it depends on the caster. Whether it will be a 2 dimensional whorse that lusts for cum or it will be a real life perfect imaginary friend.
And Twilight already got the perfect personality of the balloon.
Quickly, she dashed to her basement and took a box of balloons that Pinkie had left for her, something about emergency needs.
She looked at the variety of colors before she picked a gray (why Pinkie put a bland color in there was still a mystery) balloon, and blew it until it was fully inflatable, tied it and let it lay on the wooden floor. And without further ado, she pointed her horn at the inconspicuous balloon, and cast the spell.
She scrunched her nose slightly in concentration as her horn glowed, and proceeded to let the info flow through the spell. From how she met her, how she would play with her, how she would cheer her up, and how she would always be there for her.
For a moment there, there was a small pang of guilt, before it was completely washed down by a small pop, indicating the success of her spell. Before she looked up, and immediately broke into a grin.
She floated just slightly above the ground, with her sleek gray body glinting against the light, her brown dreadlocked mane clashed with her red and blue eyes, wearing a pair of blue and white polka dot pants.
Twilight hugged the balloon, nuzzling her first friend ever. “Smarty pants!”
“Twilight?” The formerly-doll hesitantly whispered in disbelief, before she continued louder. “Twilight!” And nuzzled her back, “it’s good to see you.”
“Me too, Smarty, I really missed you so much,” Twilight beamed, “we could spend the night together!”
Smarty Pants chuckled, breaking the hug and floated away slightly. “Sure, we could.”
“Oh, oh,” she hopped excitedly, head swiveling around the library, lost in childhood. “I know. We could play board games! Or maybe we could build a book fort, just like we used to!”
The balloon hummed, tapping her chin, producing a squeaking sound that made Twilight giggle. “Well, I’m up for a book fort.”
Within instant, her horn glowed and all of the books from the shelves fell down to the floor with a massive thud. “Done, let’s build the largest book fort!”
The living gray balloon blinked, looking at the books in astonishment. “Wow, Twily, you’ve gotten better in magic!” Twilight blushed slightly at the praise, “You couldn’t even lift a stack of book, before.”
Twilight mock-glared the offending balloon before turning around, in a huff. “Well, I practiced a lot, thank you. And let’s just build a big large book fort; I’ve got many stories to share with you.”
Smarty Pants chuckled in response, before floating to her only friend. “Yep, let’s build a large one!”
()_()_()_()
“And then he stood there, looking at it in surprise, and BAM! He was stoned.” Twilight finished her story, like a filly that used to be her fourteen years ago. No longer was she the twenty years mare, the savior of Equestria and the bearer of the Element of Magic. This time, she’s just that cute little filly, sharing stories to her imaginary friend.
Twilight waited for a response from Smarty Pants, but upon hearing none, she looked away from her Book fort’s ceiling and to her friend. “Smarty?”
“Hmm?” Said balloon tilted her head, her eyes filled with tire as she smiled at her best friend. “What is it?”
“Are… you okay?”
She yawned, glancing at the Book fort’s window, where she caught the sight of the wall clock. “I don’t think so, Twilight.”
Twilight’s eyes widened in realization at her implication, and quickly stood on four hooves. “Wait, I could-“
A raised hoof cut her off, as Smarty shook her rubbery head. “Nah, there’s no need Twilight,” she declined, looking as if she was pondering something before she sighed. “I just want to ask you something, Twilight.”
The little filly that is Twilight, eyes quivered. “What is it?”
Smarty smiled tiredly, before closing her heterochromia eyes. “Will you forget me after this, Twilight?”
“Wha-?”
She shook her head, eyes still closed. “Will you abandon me like that doll, Twilight? Throwing this memory away, and will never remember our time?” She took a deep shaking breath, “I’m scared Twilight. Call it selfish, but I don’t want to be forgotten. It hurts when your only friend throws you away just because your friend is too old or just…” She took another breath, opening her eyes, both of them impossibly wet. “Just… promise, please?”
Twilight faltered, her legs buckled. Was this how she felt all this time? Afraid of being forgotten, to be thrown away? Just to be that fleck of memories in our head. And what made it worse was that it was her doing. In the end, she only managed to nod. “I promise.”
Smarty smiled, a genuine smile, before nuzzling her only and best friend. “Thank you, Twily.” She whispered, before there was a soft pop, signifying the end of her spell.
Twilight could only sob in response, before she steeled herself. There’s something she needed and could do. She stepped out of her book fort, and out of her library, and walked to the direction of the Sweet Apple Acres, ignoring the cold snow.
That day, was the day that Ponyville’s residence learnt not to take Smarty Pants from Twilight Sparkle, whether it was coincidental or otherwise. That lesson was especially hammered to a certain red earth pony.
It was also the day that Twilight learnt something new.
()_()_()_()
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learned something important, that more often than not, you shouldn’t forget that someone that had held you up until today. Because no matter how foolish the existence of someone is; doesn’t mean they don’t need us.
And I learned it through the hard way.Your Faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle