The whole story
Mrs. Flower Petal clopped her hooves together—mostly in vain—while trying to get her class of twenty-two unicorns to return to their assigned seats. Play time was over and they needed to finish their lesson before the bell rang for the day. Unsurprisingly, only one of her young students returned to her desk, though the most likely answer to that was that she never left it in the first place.
Flower Petal just wasn’t sure what to think about her youngest student. She was only four years old in a class of five and six-year-olds. She found herself once more glancing at the filly’s cutie mark; it was unheard of at her age and yet it was there. She shook her head, watching as the young purple unicorn put down the book she was reading and glanced up at her, giving a brief smile before returning her gaze to her desk.
You poor foal. The others just aren’t sure how to treat you, Twilight. I suppose it is a good thing that you only come here twice a week. I dread to think what would happen if you were here more than you are, but maybe…
Flower Petal’s horn glowed yellow as a sheer whistle filled the room. All of the children immediately stopped their play and returned to their seats. She shook her head. If only they listened that well when I clap my hooves.
“All right students,” Flower Petal said once the fidgeting had stopped. “The rest of the day was going to be set aside for us to study chapter one of our beginner’s levitation text book, however I think we will save that lesson for next Monday. Today we're going to have a very important discussion, my little ponies.” Flower Petal smiled as the small unicorns looked at her curiously.
“We’re going to learn a new song today!” Flower Petal beamed before taking out her guitar and strumming it. “A unicorn has no wings on their back, but a horn on their head. They are the magic pony.”
The little unicorns hesitated before a blue filly beamed and opened her mouth. “A unicorn has no wings on their back. but a horn on their head. They are the magic pony!”
The other ones finished the verse a little more quietly and Flower Petal was pleased to see that even Twilight Sparkle was mouthing the lyrics. “A pegasus has wings on their back, but no horn on their head. They are the flying pony.”
It took far less time for her students to sing out this verse. “A pegasus has wings on their back, but no horn on their head. They are the flying pony!”
“...Flying pony.” Flower Petal smiled hearing Twilight’s small voice finish the verse.
“An earth pony has no wings on their back, nor a horn on their head. They are the loving pony.” She strummed the guitar, the little unicorns eager to sing.
“An earth pony has no wings on their back, nor a horn on their head. They are the loving pony!”
“Loving pony…” Twilight finished, her shy voice rose the smallest amount.
“An Alicorn has two wings on their back and a horn on their head. They are the ruling pony.” She smiled as Twilight’s eyes lit up and her mouth even opened first.
“An Alicorn has two wings on her back and a horn on their head. They are the ruling pony!”
The other kindergarteners stared at how eager Twilight was and she nervously slumped back down, taking her tail in her hooves and giving it a stroke.
Flower Petal sighed under her breath but smiled outwardly before finishing the song. “And these are the pony friends of Equestria!”
Without even a moment’s hesitation, the students sung out the final verse at the top of their lungs. “And these are the pony friends of Equestria!”
All the students except one. Twilight Sparkle kept her head down and appeared to be trying to will herself away from the classroom. Flower Petal sighed. I suppose the Princess may be right. Maybe it is time for Twilight to take all of her classes with her. Her thoughts were interrupted as she saw a pink hoof waving madly in the air. “Yes, Candy Drop?”
“My daddy says that unicorns are su… supi… the best pony. Is that why we are first in the song?”
Flower Petal's face stiffened before she forced the corners of her mouth upward. “Of course not, Candy Drop. After all, while unicorns may have a horn, pegasi are the only ponies with wings and earth ponies have the greatest strength. Let’s play a game, my little ponies. We’ve learned a song about what makes ponies different, but what do all ponies have?”
The fillies and colts looked at each other before a little brown colt shrugged. “We’ve all got hooves?”
“Thats right, Cinnamon! What else?” Flower Petal smiled while writing ‘hooves’ on the chalkboard.
“Oh! We all have two eyes!” A powder blue filly beamed as she bounced in her seat.
“Exactly right, Cloudy Sky!” Flower Petal smiled while writing that under hooves. After that the answers came readily. Four legs, ears, a tail, muzzles. Finally, an orange colt grinned and screamed at the top of his voice.
“We’ve all got belly buttons!”
Flower Petal’s magic fizzled, causing her to drop the chalk. “Ah... Yes, yes, Orange Seed. All ponies have belly buttons.”
After her surprised statement, she reclaimed her chalk so they could continue their list. She could see they were beginning to get bored, so she brought out her guitar again. They happily sang their new song until the bell rang, signifying the end of the day.
“Well, that’s it for this week,” Flower Petal said, to a roomful of cheers. “I’ll see you all Monday morning, my students!” Her eyes went to Twilight as she distractedly levitated her books into her saddle bag.
Except you, my dear Twilight Sparkle. “Twilight, remember to stay at your desk until the Princess’s Solar Guard arrives for you.”
A miniscule nod from Twilight was her only response. A few moments later, a white pegasus stallion clad in gold armor arrived.
“Miss Sparkle, are you ready?” His lips almost twitched into a smile as Twilight got up and buckled her saddle bag after catching her balance. She trotted over to the Solar Guard and looked up.
“Bye, Missus Flower Petal. I’ll see you Monday.”
Flower Petal smiled. “Have a wonderful weekend, Twilight Sparkle.” I expect that someday I’ll be hearing about all of the wonderful things you have done. Goodbye, my student.
Twilight nodded and followed after the guard to her regular chariot. She sat down, staring at the floor, her ear flicking as she thought about her lessons. The guard glanced at her and frowned. Normally his charge was a ball of energy whenever he escorted her to her lessons with the Princess. He shook his head, certain the Princess would be able to make Twilight happy again.
Princess Celestia frowned as she realized for the third time that her faithful student had stopped taking notes. “Twilight? What is it, little filly? You know you can tell me anything.” She smiled in a way which she hoped was disarming.
Twilight glanced up, her ears pinned back as she looked into Celestia’s magenta eyes before glancing back down at the floor and scuffing her hoof. “You’d think it’s silly.”
Celestia hemmed and smiled. “Twilight Sparkle, what if I told you something about myself that is very silly?”
Twilight’s head shot up as her jaw dropped the tiniest amount. “You, silly? But Princess, you’re perfect!”
Celestia laughed. “Oh, Twilight, all ponies are silly, even me! So what do you say?”
Twilight smiled and nodded. “Okay!”
Celestia looked around to make certain that they were the only ones within hearing distance. Satisfied that it was only herself and Twilight, she sighed and swallowed. She glanced down at Twilight’s large, purple, trusting eyes. “This is rather silly, Twilight, so you must keep it a secret… but, you know how much I adore sweets, right?”
Celestia barely kept herself from snorting as she saw Twilight nod, trying to not roll her eyes. Unfortunately, Twilight was still too young to control her emotions like an adult could. Celestia allowed herself a giggle.
“Yes, I suppose it’s not exactly a secret, is it?”
Twilight shook her head. “Nuh uh. Oh! Um... I mean, not really, Princess Celestia.”
Celestia smiled. Oh, how I adore this little pony. She is so honest. “Well, there is a reason I’m still able to walk and fly rather than roll around. Twilight, I can’t cook or bake.”
Twilight stared and then smiled. “R-Really?”
Celestia blushed while smiling and placing a hoof on her chest. “Cross my heart. I’ve tried to learn more times than I can count, but it never seems to work. After I managed to freeze a pot of boiling water last decade, I was permanently banned from the royal kitchen.”
Twilight couldn’t take it anymore; she began giggling. Celestia winced, but then joined in until they were both laughing so hard that they were crying. Soon though, Twilight was snuggled into Celestia’s barrel.
Celestia wrapped her wings wrapped around the little filly. She sighed with a gentle smile. “Well, my most faithful student, I told you my silly thing and now it is your turn.” Celestia parted her wings and Twilight giggled before nodding.
Twilight opened her mouth then closed it. Frowning, she finally opened her mouth and blurted it out. “Princess Celestia, do you have a belly button?”
Celestia blinked. She had been alive a very, very long time and had been asked a lot of things, but this was the first time she had been asked if she had a belly button. Well, Twilight was right; it is a silly question. She smiled down at Twilight, hoping to get a bit more of an explanation.
“Um... well,” Twilight continued, “in class we learned a neat song about how ponies are different from each other. Then, Missus Flower Petal had us think about how we’re all the same. Orange Seed said we all had belly buttons and I was just wondering. I mean, I know you are a pony and if you don’t have one that won’t change it, but um… Do you?” Twilight’s ears slowly pinned back against her head as she babbled, her tail tucked between her legs.
After a moment Celestia chuckled and lay on the floor of the library. She rolled onto her back with her wings splayed out, revealing her slightly plump belly. “Well, my faithful student, why don’t you tell me?”
Twilight cocked her head but trotted closer and glanced down at her mentor’s belly, her ears perking as she gasped in joy. “You do! You do! Princess Celestia, you do have a belly button!”
Celestia watched as Twilight bounced around. The final barrier between us has been pierced. I’m so proud of you.
It didn’t take long for Twilight to get worn out from her bouncing. Realizing their lesson was done for now, Celestia gathered Twilight onto her back and carried her to her room next to her own. Celestia tucked Twilight into her bed and smiled as a small purple hoof touched her nose and Twilight yawned. Celestia kissed her forehead. “Have a good nap, Twilight. I’ll wake you for dinner.”
“Night, Princess… Love you,” Twilight mumbled. Her breathing slowed as she fell into a deep sleep.
Celestia paused and smiled. “And I love you too, Twilight.” She glanced at the mural on Twilight’s wall of the night sky, her eyes landing on the image of the Mare in the Moon. “And I love you too, Luna.”
Celestia blew out the candle and trotted out of the room as she smiled, pausing for a moment before closing Twilight’s door.
“Belly button and all.”