The Encounter
Fleetfoot trotted toward a row of identical shacks off in the distance, beads of sweat dripping down her mane. The sun's relentless heat baked the dry, cracked landscape around her. Aside from a few cacti and the village itself, almost no signs of wildlife were within walking distance from where she was.
The combination of all these details puzzled Fleetfoot, her brow rising in response. It wasn't often a pony could cross white, snow-covered mountains and chatter their teeth one minute and fry like a cooked egg the next.
Wearing her dress uniform over her chest wasn't a reward for her either. It was soft and comfortable in nice weather. However, it made part of her feel sticky since she was traveling inside an oven. Having to don it just because she was asked by Celestia to check on the town, therefore, tickled her nerves.
"What kind of pony would put a village all the way out here?" Fleetfoot asked, her tongue sticking out. Her lungs burned as she panted along the way, the buildings becoming closer. Lifting a gold colored object adorning the necklace she wore, Fleetfoot opened the clam-like contraption up, a click echoing into her ears. Inside was a clock, reading the time of 1:13. However, it was the picture above the clock Fleetfoot's eyes was fixed on.
It was a portrait of a dark blue mare, her mane a brilliant streak of silver. Her sapphire-like eyes shone like stars, even in the picture. Closing her watch, Fleetfoot resumed marching. All she could think about was the mare in the picture, her mind buzzing as she thought about her whereabouts. A tingling feeling inside Fleetfoot's chest told her she was close. There wasn't any reasoning behind it, but it felt right.
I hope I can see you once again, sis. Fleetfoot looked down, then back ahead. Maybe we can do something back in the good old days. She blinked twice. It was odd for her to feel nostalgic, especially at her young age, but it still latched onto her like a parasite filling her with a longing of a slice of the past.
In less than an hour, it would have been two years on the dot since Fleetfoot last saw her. Sighing, her lips arced into a deep, depressed frown as she recalled the fateful day.
I didn't do anything wrong, right?
Adjusting the sack she wore, Fleetfoot found herself only a few hoofsteps away from the town. The sole street was filled to the brim with ponies, all of whom were dancing, trotting with skips in their steps, smiling, dining, singing, or decorating. Fleetfoot rubbed her eyes, her mouth agape. She didn't know if she traveled to a village in need of assistance or a party thrown by the pink mare Captain Spitfire once told her about in some conversation about the Elements of Harmony. Ponka was her name, at least from what Fleetfoot remembered. Or was it Pinkie?
Fleetfoot discarded the meaningless thought. Now was not the time to recall the names of ponies she heard about. Raising her shoulders and forcing a smile across her face, she strode into the perimeters of the town. Her hooves burned a little the moment she touched the smoother road, but the flaming ache died down after only three seconds.
Swiveling her head and studying the rows of buildings flanking her left and right, Fleetfoot's eyes were drawn to the identical, cramped build of each home, all of which had some ponies circling them like a bonfire. Some of the houses were being adorned with garlands and flowers to spice them up while others were being renovated with ponies slamming holes into them to make new, larger rooms, the cacophonous banging of tools filling much of the air. At least the music and chatter filling the remaining two-thirds drowned out the harsh thumping.
"Excuse me!" Fleetfoot bellowed, her head still twirling back and forth. "Anyone need some help?"
"Hey, you must be the pony we were told would be visiting us!" a voice responded, her tone full of bliss.
Fleetfoot's ears twitched, her head twisting left toward the source of the voice. "Yeah, I'm the visitor. Can I help you?"
"Of course!"
Approaching Fleetfoot was a pink, plump unicorn mare. Her mane was a fluffy purple and a white apron, complete with a conglomeration of color splotches from what could only be assumed as cooking endeavors, adorned her chest. She halted before Fleetfoot, a bright smile adorning her face.
"Hello, I'm Sugar Belle," she said, pressing her hooves together. "It's nice to meet you." She then extended her left hoof toward Fleetfoot.
"I'm Fleetfoot," she responded. Fleetfoot grasped Sugar's hoof with a tight grip. "It's an honor to meet you as well."
Sugar jerked her foreleg up and down, the rapid motion producing a slight ache along Fleetfoot's foreleg. "Same here, Fleetfoot." Sugar let go, then rubbed her hoof on the dirt below. "You're here on an assignment, right?"
Fleetfoot nodded and massaged her foreleg. "That's correct."
Sugar leaned toward Fleetfoot, her eyes fixed on her. "That sounds like it could be exciting, though I'd imagine it'd get tough. You must get so hungry after long journeys." She wiped her forehead. "I can't stand to stay peckish for more than an hour."
"Yeah, it's tough at times." Fleetfoot formed a sheepish grin. "Well, somepony has to do it."
Sugar nodded. "Indeed. Anyway, if you don't mind sharing, what do you plan on doing here?"
"Just checking to see how things are going for Princess Celestia. She got wind of something big happening around here not too long ago, so I was sent to investigate." Fleetfoot ruffled her wings. She glanced back to some of the festivities, spotting ponies twirling about and trotting with skips in their steps. Surveying each and every pony there, not one matched the mare in the portrait. Fleetfoot let out a sigh, then turned back to Sugar Belle.
"Is there something else on your mind?" Sugar cocked her head to the right. "Just curious?"
"There is." Fleetfoot procured her watch and opened it, revealing the clock and picture. "I'm looking for my sister. Do you know where she is?"
Sugar gazed down at the portrait, her eyes twinkling. "Oh, you mean Night Glider?"
Fleetfoot nodded. "Yep. That's her name. I wanted to see how she was doing. Where can I find her?"
"That's easy!" Sugar shuffled her hooves, then pointing toward a building off in the distance. "She's over at the house to the left. It's the second to last one in that row and is close to the torn up house in the middle of the road." Fleetfoot's eyes followed Sugar's hoof, the collapsed lumber capturing her attention. "Knock on the door and they'll let you in."
"Thanks, Sugar Belle." Fleetfoot closed her watch and nodded. "I appreciate it."
"You're very welcome, Fleetfoot." Sugar closed her eyes and grinned, then opened her eyes soon after. "Anyway, I do have to bake some muffins right now. Let me know if you get hungry and I'll bake something nice for you. They're all made with love and care!"
"Sounds good."
Fleetfoot trotted toward the shack, her steps short and heavy. She glanced toward the ruined house, wondering if the rubble's state was related to what happened in the village not too long ago. Shrugging, she turned back toward the house Sugar mentioned. Fleetfoot sped up her progress, an aching sensation filling her legs as they cried in pain. However, she couldn't help herself from trudging through it. One year of being apart from her twin sister would finally end. The mere thought of this filled her with ecstasy, but her throat tightened in unison.
I hope she remembers me. Fleetfoot clenched her teeth, her face taut. Better yet, I hope she remembers me fondly. Her muscles tightened, constricting more the closer she got to her destination. The last time we saw each other before we met was—rough.
Glancing over to the shack in question, a frame for future, larger rooms behind it, Fleetfoot shuffled her hooves toward the front door. Lifting a hoof up, she then took a deep breath. Fleetfoot felt a chill course down her spine, her hoof now resting on the door's weathered, pale green surface. A sigh escaped her lips, a thin coat of dust on the door flying off into the air.
Here goes nothing.
Fleetfoot knocked on the door thrice, a clacking sound ringing in her ears after each knock.
"Hold on a second," a familiar voice cried out. "I'll be there shortly."
Fleetfoot's eyes widened, her heart skipped a beat. "Night Glider?" she whispered to herself.
The door opened up, a creak echoing in the air. Behind the door, a dark blue mare with a flowing, silver mane and sapphire eyes stood before her. She had a warm smile adorning her at first, which flipped into a cold frown in the blink of an eye. Fleetfoot's heart dropped, sinking into the dark abyss. She blinked, placing her hoof on her chest.
"Sis, what compelled you to follow me?" Night Glider questioned, her eyes fixed on Fleetfoot. "You remember what happened between us, right?"
Fleetfoot's shoulders sagged, a clear picture of Night Glider flying away into the sunset returning to her mind. "I do," she confessed. "I just wanted to see you again." She paused, her eyes gazing into Night Glider's. "Can we just talk it over with some lunch? Maybe do something together?"
Night Glider grimaced, her head shaking. "Fleetfoot, you're just going to go and make me look like nothing like before." She sighed, her lips drooping into a doleful, dark frown. "Okay, you can help with the shack here and then we'll have some lunch. Maybe you'll learn something." Night Glider shuffled to the right, extending her foreleg out as though she were introducing Fleetfoot to the building's interior. "Come on, there's no time to waste."
Fleetfoot trotted inside, pushing the door behind her shut. The shack was a cramped, dimly lit room. A small bed off to the far right side of the room rested against the wall, its sheets tangled up. A dining table was to the far left, a layer of dust covering its withered, circular top. Two drapes rested on the floor, both clumped together under the sunlight piercing through the small window. Fleetfoot's eyes widened as she studied the room.
"You live here?" Fleetfoot asked, her tone of voice raised. She lifted up her goggles for a second, her brow also raised. "I don't think anypony could live in such a small, tight space without getting claustrophobic."
Night Glider made her way toward the bed. Planted her hooves on the mattress, she lowered her head. "We pretended to like it," she replied. "Well, I and a few others did at any rate. We didn't want to get on Starlight Glimmer's bad side." Night Glider paused. She stepped back, a chuckle escaping her lips. "Oh." Her cheeks reddened. "I never told you who Starlight Glimmer is—er—was."
Fleetfoot lifted a hoof in the air. "I know who she is. She was the former mayor of this town before being kicked out for deceiving everypony."
Night Glider's jaw dropped. "Wait." She rubbed her eyes. "How did you—"
"Princess Celestia told me what happened." Fleetfoot approached Night Glider, the latter's face now taut. "That's a part of why I'm here. It's to see how the town is doing."
Night Glider's eyebrows ruffled, her visage twisting into a scowl. "What's the other part? It better not be mean or anything."
"Huh?" Taking a deep breath, Fleetfoot then locked eyes with Night Glider. "I wanted to let you—"
Night Glider recoiled. "On second thought, let's not get into that." Her body sagged, a sigh escaping her lips as she gazed down at the pale, weathered floor. "I'd rather not relive the past right now."
"It wasn't about reliving the past."
Night Glider swished her tail, then turned away from Fleetfoot. "I'd rather not risk it." Taking a deep breath, Night Glider rested her hoof on the shack's back door, the smooth oak sparkling in contrast to the decrepit wood around it. "Anyway, let's get to work. Watch your step when you go through the door." Night Glider pushed the backdoor open, a gust of wind bellowing into Fleetfoot's face for a second. "Even though we're not on the best of terms, I don't want you to get a concussion or anything."
Fleetfoot smirked. "Uh, thanks."
Rubbing the top of her mane, Fleetfoot then shuffled her hooves toward the open door, a harsh light glowing from the other side. The light dimmed as she approached the open niche in the wall, the faint outline of beams forming a cube like shape becoming visible. Taking longer strides, Fleetfoot found herself inches from the other side, only for a hoof to touch the air and discover a small drop below.
Fleetfoot's throat tightened, a quick gasp leaving her mouth. With widened eyes, she stepped back to regain her balance. Taking a deep breath, she poked her head out of the literal hole in the wall, swiveling it left and right. Around Fleetfoot were the pillars making a future addition to the shack from before, a number of ponies lifting the wood beams up and pounding them with hammers.
"You could have told me from the start," Fleetfoot quipped. She raised her head, spotting Night Glider hovering over her with rose-colored cheeks and biting her lip.
"I know," Night Glider confessed. She made a spitting noise, which turned into a brief snicker. "I knew you wouldn't get hurt, to be honest, but seeing your face was priceless."
Fleetfoot groaned. She glared at Night Glider. "It still would have been the best thing to do." Twitching her wings, Fleetfoot glided out of the shack and onto the ground below. Upon touching the warm, ragged ground, she made a beeline toward one of the beams. "I'm guessing we're helping put these things in place, right?"
Nodding, Night Glider swooped down, landing next to Fleetfoot. "That's correct, sis." Trotting ahead, Night Glider placed her hooves on one of the wooden beams. "Anyway, we're going to fasten this beam to the ones next to it." She slid over to the left, squinting at one of the connecting points. "Yeah, you're going to help me get those beams locked in. Got it?"
Fleetfoot took a deep breath, loosening her muscles. She made her way toward Night Glider with short steps, then nodded. "Yeah, but how does it all work?"
"Easy. Just tighten the bolts until they can't be tightened anymore."
Night Glider reached down and dug into a red, damaged toolbox off to the side. Rummaging through the items inside, metal clinking against each other as a ruffling noise filled the air, she procured two wrenches designed to connect to the hoof. Both had gray, rusted surfaces with scratches running along their sides. One of the wrenches had a slight dent on the handle, but it and the other wrench looked usable as far as Fleetfoot could tell.
"Use these," Night Glider said, tossing one of the wrenches forward.
Fleetfoot raised her hoof up, grasping onto the flying wrench and bringing it down to her. Darting her eyes toward the loose bolts, she dove her hooves to them. Connecting her wrench to one of the bolts, Fleetfoot began applying torque, sticking her tongue out as she worked. Night Glider joined a second later and worked at a similar pace.
Night Glider finished her first after a minute had passed and began tightening the second, with Fleetfoot still twisting her first on. Grunting, Fleetfoot felt a sharp soreness fill her forelegs, the bolt refusing to budge.
Why isn't it moving? Fleetfoot gritted her teeth, her body trembling. I'm not looking weak. Not now.
"Uh, Fleetfoot," Night Glider muttered. "When the bolt can't be tightened further, that means you're ready to move onto the next one."
"Oh." Chuckling, Fleetfoot's cheeks flushed. "Thanks, sis." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Totally forgot about that."
"You're welcome." Night Glider paused. "Fleetfoot, can I ask you a question?"
Fleetfoot pursed her lips. "Fire away."
"I don't know how to phrase this—" Night Glider resumed tightening the bolts, now working at a faster rate than before "—but you seem nicer than when we last saw each other. I'm sorry if I'm being rude here, sis, but I have this strange feeling."
Fleetfoot cocked her head. "Strange feeling?" Wiggling her foreleg, she felt her muscles loosen as the aching dissipated. She then started work on the next loose bolt. "How so? I haven't been that much different, right?"
"I don't know." Night Glider rolled her shoulders, sweat dripping from her forehead. "Well, maybe I'm just imagining things."
Fleetfoot finished work on the second bolt, moving the wrench to her third. "So you think I'm nicer? Is that what you're saying?"
A faint groan left Night Glider's mouth. "Do I need to repeat myself?"
Fleetfoot raised her brow. "I don't feel different." A ticklish sensation formed within her chest. Fleetfoot clenched her teeth for a second, excavating the memories of the past within her mind. All of the ones with Night Glider were a haze, given all of them were at least two years old, but of the clearer ones, there was a common thread connecting them.
Fleetfoot remembered the wide smile as bright as a star across her face in each one. She could paint herself prancing around the streets of Cloudsdale, an acceptance letter to join the Wonderbolts in hoof. Her glowing eyes matched the lit lampposts and the twinkling stars in the night sky. Those moments where her limbs kept moving and never wanting to halt filled her with a comforting warmth. It was almost perfect.
However, Fleetfoot remembered one small detail in the painting. Recalling Night Glider peeking from the shadows, her shoulders drooped with a lowered head and grim visage, the same memory of her celebrating lost its luster. She recalled Night Glider's lips moving, but while no words reached her ears that day, what she said was clear.
"Why am I always in the background? Why must I be jealous?"
The memory tugged at Fleetfoot's heartstrings, a sharp twinge forming within her as it refused to let go.
What did I do wrong there? That was also the day before Night Glider left Cloudsdale.
Fleetfoot shuddered, finding her back in the present. Taking a short breath, she moved to the fourth and final loose bolt, her body slumped. "I think I'm a bit tired," she whispered. "That's what's different, right?"
"You don't become nicer just because you're tired." Night Glider replied. "But I still think there's something different about who you are. Did something bad or life-changing recently happen?"
Jumping up, Fleetfoot's eyes widened. "No." Fleetfoot's face became taut. She shifted her eyes from left to right, then back to the bolt before her. "Nothing bad happened to me or anypony I know. Don't remember the last time something awful happened." She cracked a smile, her cheek muscles strained. "Honest."
"That's good news." Night Glider lifted her wrench up, placing it in the toolbox next to her. "Wait a sec." She paused, then rubbed her muzzle. "I think I got it. You're just nervous about meeting me again."
Fleetfoot finished twisting the last bolt into place. Swiping the sweat from her forehead, she then tossed the wrench into the toolbox. A thud echoed in her ears, sending a chill down her spine. "Yeah." She let out a faint giggle which trailed off. "That's it. I'm just nervous." She snickered once more. "Silly me."
Night Glider lifted herself up. "Understandable." She paused. Raising her hoof, she glanced it over the top of her mane. "Anyway, do you mind if I confess something quick?"
Nodding, Fleetfoot gazed into Night Glider's eyes. "I'm listening."
"I know we've had our differences and all. I also know that—" Night Glider winced, her visage glum "—I also know that I said some things." Night Glider rubbed her hooves together, her head lowered. "I was lonely back then and felt like I was nothing. I did snoop on your celebrations the day before I left. I think that was what made me want to run away." A sigh escaped her lips. "I don't hate you, sis. I—" Night Glider blinked "—I think that's all I can think of saying."
"Oh." Fleetfoot placed her hoof on her chest, her muscles loosening at the revelation. Maybe this trip wouldn't be so traumatizing for her after all. With a bright smile on her face, a warm sensation coursed through Fleetfoot's veins. "Well, thanks for letting me know, sis." Her posture perked up. "I appreciate it."
Fleetfoot studied the celebrations and construction around her, the ponies dancing and the buzzing and pounding of tools still filling the sights and sounds of the town. Rubbing her eyes and twitching her ears, she then nodded. "No kidding." Fleetfoot rose up, standing beside Night Glider with a straight posture. "This feels like what your town has been doing all day."
"Well, when we've had a change as big as this one—" Night Glider's lips arced into a smile "—it's only natural that there would be a lot going on."
"I guess you're all happy with this new change, right?"
"Totally!" Night Glider's stomach growled like a cat. "You know, all this working has made me hungry."
Fleetfoot formed a faint, but warm smile. "Yeah. I'm a bit peckish as well."
Night Glider trotted forward, waving her foreleg toward Fleetfoot. "Shall we eat?"
Nodding, Fleetfoot then followed Night Glider. "We shall."
Maybe we'll become friends again as well. Fleetfoot exhaled, her throat constricting itself as though an anaconda wrapped around her neck. I hope to Celestia that we can become friends again. I can't screw this up.
Night Glider made her way to an empty table on the other side of town, Fleetfoot's gaze not leaving her. Two stools placed on opposite sides of the table, one of which had a shorter leg than its other three and leaned a tad forward. The table's pale, green wood was worn and chipped in places, a thin layer of brown dust glued to the surface.
Night Glider glanced back to Fleetfoot. "We're working on refurbishing these outdoors tables as well," she said. "These old buildings are first, however."
Fleetfoot gazed toward the withered table, then to Night Glider. "I can tell," she muttered, her tone flat. She raised her voice. "Well, it's better than nothing, I guess."
Trotting toward the table, Fleetfoot glanced over to the uneven stool. Staring at Night Glider with a slight smirk, she then sat down on the seat, its texture somewhat rough. Clenching her teeth, Fleetfoot adjusted her seating position, but every stance she took had the chair either pinching her bottom or losing her balance to avoid sliding off.
"Don't worry about it," Night Glider said. A brief giggle escaped her mouth. "Yeah, it's not the best out there."
Fleetfoot chuckled back, only for it to trail off into silence. "I guess so," she replied. "Anyway, what are we going to eat?" Fleetfoot shrugged. "Just curious is all."
"Muffins." Night Glider licked her lips. "Sugar Belle bakes some of the best muffins out there. In fact, I already ordered some!"
Fleetfoot cocked her head to the right, raising an eyebrow. "Wait, did you develop psychic powers while you were away?" A bright smile ran across her face. "I have to say that's kind of convenient."
Blushing, Night Glider nodded. "I know." Swiveling her head to her right, Night Glider squinted her eyes. "Anyway, Sugar Belle should be here any minute now."
"One more thing." Fleetfoot's posture perked up, her eyes widened. "I met Sugar Belle when I got here. She said that she was going to bake something. Was that for you?"
Nodding, Night Glider grinned. "Yep. That was an order I placed, sis. I wanted them warm and at a specific time, so I planned ahead."
"That was—" Fleetfoot's smile widened "—a smart thing to do."
"Thanks." Night Glider rubbed the back of her neck." Heh. I appreciate that." She gazed behind Fleetfoot's shoulder, then waved her hoof. "Sugar Belle's coming with the muffins."
Fleetfoot turned around, spotting Sugar with a pair of muffins on a tray, a white smoke bellowing from their tops. A mouthwatering, crisp aroma blew into her nostrils, her muscles loosening. Her eyes followed where Sugar was, the latter placing the tray on the table.
"Hi, Sugar Belle," Fleetfoot said, raising her hoof up in the air for a second.
"Hello, Fleetfoot," Sugar chimed. She bowed with a wide, bright grin. "Here are your muffins, Night Glider."
"Thanks, Sugar Belle," Night Glider replied. Her eyes darted over to the muffins, then back to Sugar. "It must feel nice to make such delicious treats again."
Fleetfoot's ears pointed toward Night Glider. Leaning closer to them, she almost fell off the stool's edge, her mind captivated by her sister's claim. While Fleetfoot wouldn't call herself a good baker by any stretch of the imagination, she knew just a smidgen enough to know just how much practice was needed to bake something excellent. With her eyes now glued to the muffin, Fleetfoot reached out and lifted one of the muffins to her lips, then nibbled on it.
A warm, but smooth texture touched her tongue, her taste buds sensing the rich wheat and soft blueberries. Smiling as she chewed, Fleetfoot couldn't help herself from licking her lips to get every last crumb inside her mouth. Swallowing her bite, she gazed back toward Night Glider, her ears twitching like trees swaying in the wind.
"Anyway, it feels so nice to have my cutie mark back after so long," Sugar said, her hooves bopping back and forth. "I missed it, but I had no idea how much I wished for it back."
"Yeah, it sure is awesome!" Night Glider cheered. "It's amazing how much different things are just with them back." Night Glider paused. "In addition to Starlight being gone, of course."
Fleetfoot's jaw dropped, a cold sensation taking her breath away. Huh? Leaning closer to the two, Fleetfoot's wings twitched. Did she just say that she lost her cutie mark? Her breathing quickened, a sharp twinge permeating in her chest. Then does that mean what I think it does? Quivering , Fleetfoot's pupils dilated, her head pounding as though a jackhammer hit it.
Night Glider glanced over to Fleetfoot. With pursed lips and a raised brow, she tilted her head. "Um, are you okay, sis?" she questioned. "You look like a wreck."
Fleetfoot exhaled. "Not exactly." Regaining her composure, she placed her forelegs on the table and turned to Sugar. "Did you just say that you lost your cutie mark?"
Sugar Belle rolled her shoulders. "Well, more like gave up," she admitted. "However, when I finally got it back—" a wide, radiant smile adorned her "—I felt so alive." She shuffled her hooves like a dancer for a second. "It's so great to have it back."
"I feel the same way about my cutie mark," Night Glider added. Opening her wings, she then hovered out of her seat and looked down, displaying the crescent mark on her flank to Fleetfoot. "Remember this?"
Fleetfoot nodded. "Of course."
"It's a part of who I am. I should have realized this sooner." Night Glider's shoulders drooped. "I honestly thought my cutie mark was a curse instead of a symbol representing me. I saw it as a reminder that I would always be in your shadow. Now, I know what my cutie mark truly means."
"Wait a second." Lifting her goggles up, Fleetfoot rubbed her eyes. She felt a lightness fill her, thinking she would float away. "You too, sis?" She blinked. "What happened? Were all of you okay?"
"It's a long story about some society Starlight wanted. She used her magic to replace it with an equality mark." Night Glider descended back onto her seat, a creak piercing the air the moment she landed. "I was certain it would be good for me, but it turned out to be a bore. I wasn't hurt or anything, but life was harder for me." Night Glider winced a little. "I deluded myself into thinking it was better, to be honest. At least my friends and I got the cutie marks back for the entire village. It was quite the adventure."
Fleetfoot wiped her forehead, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. "That's amazing!"
"Thanks, sis." Night Glider closed her eyes for a second, then smiled. "That means a lot coming from a Wonderbolt like you."
"You're welcome." Fleetfoot's muscles loosened. "I thought someone else took it from you."
A bemused expression formed on Night Glider's face, her left eyebrow raised. "Huh?" She cocked her head. "You also felt the same way or something?"
Fleetfoot twiddled her hooves together. Cringing, an aching feeling like needles piercing her covered her chest. "Worse."
Night Glider froze in place, not a word leaving her mouth.
"Look, I messed up and lost my cutie mark for a moment." Fleetfoot's posture drooped. "It was nightmarish. I'll admit, I'm not as cool as I make myself out to be."
"So?" Night Glider pushed herself off the stool. With a warm smile, she trotted toward Fleetfoot. "You made a mistake, but so does everypony. You can't be perfect, you know." Placing her hoof on Fleetfoot's back, Night Glider massaged it, the smooth up and down motions releasing her tension. "That's why you were nervous, wasn't it? You were afraid of how I'd react."
Fleetfoot nodded, her lips sealed shut.
Night Glider slid her hooves across the ground, placing herself in front of Fleetfoot. "Look, you know how badly I sometimes messed up, but you're a Wonderbolt, so you're doing something right."
Exhaling, Fleetfoot's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Even though I was a hero once, you've been one so many times before." Night Glider jumped in the air, her wings flapping to keep her airborne. A slight breeze trickled past Fleetfoot, the soft whoosh around her easing her senses. "I know failure isn't something you're used to, sis, but we can't be perfect forever." She rubbed the back of her neck, a brief snicker escaping her mouth. "You know, until I had my adventure, I didn't realize this as well."
Raising her head, Fleetfoot locked gazes with Night Glider, her smile as bright as the sun. "I think I see it." Her muzzle scrunched, her hoof also rubbing it. What Night Glider was telling her did have logic behind it. Feeling her mind buzz as it untangled her web of beliefs, she continued to dig deeper, procuring every instance where she made a mistake.
I was weak against what's his face. I wronged my own teammate. I performed some of the stunts incorrectly. Fleetfoot closed her eyes tight, the world around her now a pitch black. All of those were of my time as a Wonderbolt. I had to—wait—maybe my actions toward my sister in the past were mistakes. Fleetfoot opened her eyes, her pupils dilating.
"I get it!" Fleetfoot blurted out. Leaping out of her stool as though she were a kangaroo, she landed next to Night Glider. "I get it!"
Night Glider stepped back, recoiling her body away. "Calm down, sis. What did you get?"
Fleetfoot twisted her body toward Night Glider, her face becoming vacant. "Sis, I wanted to say that I was sorry for how I treated you. I did care about you, but I let my feelings get in the way." She placed a hoof on her chest. "I wanted to see you again because I miss you. I heard that you lived in this village, which was why I went all the way over here." Fleetfoot procured her watch and opened it, revealing Night Glider's portrait. "It's something I kept not long after you left so that I'd never forget you." Staring down at the watch, Fleetfoot read the time of 2:00.
It was two years since she and Night Glider separated.
"Fleetfoot," Night Glider murmured, tears welling in her eyes. "I forgive you." Grinning, Night Glider swooped toward Fleetfoot with open forelegs and wrapped them around her torso. "I'm sorry for leaving in the first place and being so jealous."
"No need to be sorry." Fleetfoot wrapped her forelegs around Night Glider, a soothing warmth circulating inside her. "I'm glad that I could see you again."
"Same here, sis." The two released each other from their embrace.
Sugar wiped a tear from her eye. "This is so heartwarming that it makes me want to bake something extra special for you," she confessed. "I'm glad to see you've made amends."
"Say, now that we're friends again, what should we do now?" Night Glider asked.
Fleetfoot stepped closer to Night Glider, wrapping a foreleg around her shoulder. "You're the best pony today, sis, so I'll let you decide."
Fleetfoot took a deep breath, the constricting anxiety within her dissipating. She yearned to dance, hop, and skip all over town with the widest smile imaginable and her eyes shone brighter than the day she received her acceptance letter. Today was the best day in her life.
She also had her sister present to enjoy it with her, which made it all the more special.