> Twilight the hybrid
>  by WolfGoddess1990
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> Chapter one
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	The sun raised slowly on a new day, the sunlight shined in a cave before landing on a sleeping dragon, she muttered in annoyance as she tried to move to sleep longer. The sunlight glowed on her purple scales, her violet under-belly rolled over towards the wall, and her magenta spikes on her head, neck and tail sparkled as they rolled into the sunlight. Finally, the dragon gave up and looked at the sun with tired purple eyes, her name was Violet, she was named this because of her many purple colors, and purple fire.
Violet went outside her cave, she yawned then stretched, what should she have for breakfast? Maybe gemstones, those are always tasty and she had a gemstone mine at the bottom of this mountain that she dug out herself, but gemstones weren't really a meal, she could always go out and find some animal to eat. Because she also eats meat, the town that wasn't that far, puts collars on any animal they had and the deal was she couldn't eat any animal that had a collar on it and they wouldn't put collars on wild animals.
If any animal didn't have a collar on it, whether or not it was owned, was free game to her and was that cruel? Yes, but when your hunting you don't have time to check to see if the animal you're going to kill was owned or not, she was huge and they always ran so whatever as out in the forest was free game. Every pony in the town started to brand their non-pets with their cutie marks on their backs, easily noticeable, any animal she spotted with these brands she would bring them back and they would give her something.
She spread her wings and flew off to go hunting, she spotted a sheep with a large cutie mark symbol on it's back, she sighed as she swooped down and grabbed it gently, she flew to the house with the same cutie mark and knocked very softly on the door. A young earth pony with the same cutie mark opened the door, "Hello Bo peep, you lost one of your sheep again." 
Bo peep sighed, "Again, how does it keep getting out?"  
"I don't know, but I brought it back for you."
Bo peep herded the sheep back into the pen with her shepherd staff then smiled at Violet, "Thank you, Violet, I got plenty of bags of wool, you can have one if you like." Violet took one bag and flew back to her cave, she dumped the wool on the ground and pushed it next to the growing wool pile, it would be the perfect bed for her and her future eggs. It would be a lot more comfortable than the hard cold floor, the growing pile just told how many times she brought the same sheep back to Bo peep.
> Chapter two
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	Violet sighed, she didn't feel like going hunting anymore so she just went to her gemstone cave, she came back to her cave with tons of gems. She was snacking on them when she heard something, she stopped, listening to what she heard before, it sounded like scratching? It wasn't any animal scratching she ever heard, curious she went over towards the sound to find a purple unicorn hiding behind a rock, he was using his blue magic to write something down on a paper stack with a quill.
Violet tilted her head, "Excuse me what are you doing?" 
The unicorn looked at her, "Oh you found me, nice to meet you my name is Bookworm." Bookworm looked at her with blue eyes, he fixed his dark blue mane and tail, as his purple body stayed sitting, "I am here to study you, but not like that... you see I write books about the different species in our world." He grabbed his bag and took out a book.
Violet looked at it and read the title, "All you need to know about zebra's." She looked at him again, "So you're going to write a book about dragons?" 
"Yes, in fact, you're my last species I need to write about, I have every other species already done." He brought out a list and unrolled it, "I did griffin, zebra, hydra, timberwolf, Ursa minor and major..." 
"Okay, I get it." 
He sheepily smiled, "Right anyways I also did books for an earth pony, pegasus, unicorn, and alicorn." 	
"Why would you do books on species ponies would already know about?"
"Because I want to do every species including pony races, I even did a book on the rarest race of all, the draconequus... the statue and window glass helped a bit as well as did the princess telling me about him." 
Violet nodded, "I see so your studying just me because why?" 
"Well, I heard from the town that you're a very friendly dragon, not like most dragons, and you talk to ponies something other dragons don't do." She sighed, he was right she was so different from other dragons.
But she didn't mind being different from other dragons, in fact, her family line was different from other dragons including the color of their fire, it went in reverse rainbow color order, purple to red. Her father's fire was red, her younger brother was blue, and her first whelp will have blue fire as well since it's continuing from her. Her brother had a whelp that breathed green fire, their fire was only one color just different shades, lighter and darker, no other color just that one color they were born with.
"Alright then do you want to ask me any questions?" 
"Not right now just carry on with what you were doing before." Violet went back to munching on her gems, but kept hearing Bookworm's scratching after a while she gave up trying to ignore him and went back. "Why don't you just come over here and write your book." 
He followed with happiness, he watched as she carried on, "So are gemstones your main food source?" 
"Most of the time, I also eat meat, but only wild animals."
> Chapter three
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	Bookworm nodded writing down some more, Violet continued to eat, "So why are you so different from other dragons?" 
"Well I guess it's because we were raised differently, there are different clans of dragons like there are many different towns of ponies, and not every town is the same as the other." 
He nodded again, "That is interesting, but I see your point. Now about your fire, I heard that your fire is a different color than normal." 
"It's a family gene, let me tell you how it works."
She explained how their special colored fire worked, he took it all in writing everything down like he would be given a test at the end, "And my brother's whelp has green fire, his next whelp will have yellow fire and so will his whelp's whelp when she has one in the future." 
"Interesting... so even if you had twins the older will get blue and the younger will get green?" 
"Yes that's right, but I never heard of a dragon having two or even more eggs, or one egg having more than one whelp."
"Now that's something very interesting, so dragon only has one egg with one whelp at a time?" 
"As far as me and my family knows at least." 
He put the filled paper aside and started to use a new paper, "Are all your family members one color with different shades like you, and their fire?" 
"Not usually, but our main color is the same as our fire." 
"So are you a rare case?" 
"Kind of... it's not that rare in my family, or with other dragons." She thought of the other dragons that were one color just different shades.
"Have you meet other dragons, not from your family?" 
"Once or twice, this mountain is my territory so not many dragons come near here, in fact, that is why there is a pony town not so far from here." 
"Your presence alone keeps other dragons away?" 
"Well not all the time, sometimes my family comes to visit, and other times a dragon will come to..." She paused wondering how to put this, "Check me out." 
She finished the look she got was priceless, "You're single?"
"If you're asking if I have a mate or not... I don't, I haven't found the right guy yet." 
"So you have a choice on who's going to be your mate?" 
"Well, I am strong enough to fight off any male who thinks he can just have me." The look he gave again was priceless, "So you get that a lot?" 
"Not that much, but if dragons didn't shed their scales I would have battle scars." He stopped after that, once he was finished he said he would come back later in the day, she waved goodbye and went on with her day.
This went on for a few days, one day Bookworm came with a gift, a dragon-sized book on ponies, since Violet have been asking him some questions about himself, the book itself wasn't that thick but it was detailed enough since most of this information was common pony knowledge. The answers she got from him were sad, he said since he was busy he didn't spend much time with his family, only during special events like a holiday, and he didn't have a special some pony.
A special some pony was their way of saying mate, which she found to be very odd but didn't question it, however, she felt very sorry for Bookworm when he said those things he looked so lonely and depressed. Then his most hated day came, hearts and hooves day, because he always spent it alone, surrounded by couples, he always tried to spend the day away from any town. However this time he was right beside a town, Violet took pity on him, she showed him another gift of her family.
> Chapter four
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	Violet shrank down to the size of a pony since she easily towered over him in her dragon size, he was interested in this but other than that he was glad he didn't have to spend this day alone. The two traveled to the town, he noticed none of the ponies were shocked that Violet was smaller than before, which means she took on this size before. Most likely to introduce herself to the town ponies, Violet experienced hearts and hooves day for the first time, and he experienced the day with someone.
The two enjoyed the day together, Bookworm even showed Violet the different holiday treats like cinnamon hearts, which she ate a bunch of before he could stop her, and she coughed a bit. "I tried to stop you." 
He said seeing her look, after a drink, she stopped coughing, "Why are those small hearts so spicy?" 
"They are cinnamon hearts, they are made from cinnamon." 
She nodded she knew about the spice cinnamon, "Well that is an interesting treat."
She tried another treat that was less spicy and sweeter, a heart shaped cookie and she loved it, the two went to dinner at the end of the day, it was romantic and the two blushed when they ate together. Yes, they ate different things, but they ate at the same table, some music was heard as ponies started to play. Violet gave them a look that made them move to another table, Bookworm laughed, "Don't you like music?" 
"Yes, but that was too romantic..."
This was a day neither of them would forget, days rolled by and the two got closer they became friends, she tried to convince him to go out to find a special some pony and have a child so he won't be lonely. Though try as she might he refused, finally, after she had enough she asked, "Why won't you?" 
He looked sad as he said, "It's about time..." She was confused, time was one thing a young pony like him should have... her whole body froze when a thought clicked.
"Bookworm are you..." The silence was her answer before he finally nodded, she broke down into tears when reality hit... Bookworm was going to die, "How long do you have?" 
"The doctor said another year or two if I'm lucky." 
Just a year or two? That wasn't long enough to find a pony, settle down, and have a child, "So this is why you won't find a special some pony?" 
"I don't want a special some pony anymore anyways..." With a signal, the blacksmith and workers came with a large ring box.
They left before Violet could say anything, with a kneel he opened the ring box with his magic to reveal a dragon-sized ring, so that was why he wanted to measure her whole body, he needed an excuse to get her ring size. "Violet I would be honored if you will become my special some dragon." 
"Bookworm are you sure about this? Our union won't be accepted." 
"I'm sure besides we only got a year or two to worry about that." 
She smiled, "Then I accept." He put it on her ring claw.
"This ring has spells on it to make the whole thing shrink and grow with you." 
She tried it out and it did indeed shrink and grow like she did, "Impressive how long will it last?" 
"For the money I spent it will last forever, the master unicorn I got is an old friend of mine, he did it for a lot cheaper than others would." 
"I already know where you got the huge diamond." It was a diamond she found in her gemstone cave years ago, she was saving it for a special occasion, and I guess this was it.
The two had a wedding, the town ponies celebrated because they loved Violet like one of their own, they made sure no outside ponies were around to see a unicorn marrying a dragon. Violet spent as much time with Bookworm as she could, after all, they didn't have very long together, then a few months in she started to get odd cravings for hay and pony food. She went to go see the town doctor when she started to puke in the morning, the doctor said it was just morning sickness, and to expect an egg soon.
> Chapter five
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	Violet's mouth dropped, did she hear that right? How was that even possible? I mean she never even seen another dragon much less... her mind clicked, oh... but was that possible? Clearly, it was since she was going to have an egg, she flew back, told Bookworm the news, and he reacted in a way she thought he would, he fainted. Of course, after the shock, he wanted to know about everything she was going through, morning sickness, food cravings, mood swings, and if dragons went through this normally.

She chuckled before answering all of his questions, despite everything he was still the same curious Bookworm, and that's what she loved about him, he will never change. She moved around the wool until she was satisfied that it could safely hold the egg, keep it warm, and have some room left to sleep next to it. With that done she slept in the wool bed, an egg when it hatched they were going to have... a whelp? A foal or filly? What will it be called? Let's just go with a baby, that sounded right.

Finally, after months of waiting she had their egg, she curled next to it, the egg was purple, with magenta, and violet spots, she looked over at Bookworm who was finishing his last book, was there really nothing they could do? Violet got some medicine from her homeland, she even got a potion master to mix her medicine with pony medicine and of course, he took it all. Just to make her feel better like she was trying her hardest to cure him, and he said if nothing worked not to feel so bad when he died.
Bookworm went to the doctor to see if the medicine was doing anything, he came back with the news that it was helping to keep him healthy but it didn't cure him. At least he will live long enough to see their child hatch, speaking of their child they, like all normal married couple, argued on what her name will be. Violet took the egg in for an exam and the doctor said it will be a girl, she wanted to name her something short, like any dragon name and he wanted the name to be pony like.

Violet suggested Amethyst, it was a short, beautiful, and amethyst's were purple, and Bookworm suggested Twilight, the time when he realized he loved her. Both were short, both would work, but which to use? He suggested to combine the two, but he said it didn't sound right so he added something else. When he said the full name her jaw dropped, it was a mouth full... Twilight Amethyst Sparkle, but she had to admit it did sound perfect and came with tons of short nicknames.

When the egg finally hatched both parents looked at their odd looking child, her main body was violet, with a purple underbelly, dragon claws, and a strange horn. Bookworm noticed she had a tuff of hair for her mane and tail, both dark blue with magenta and pink streaks... at least he thought it looked pink, it was kind of hard to tell at this stage. Twilight's dragon-pony ear twitched as she yawned showing off her tiny sharp teeth, and she opened her eyes revealing the purple colored dragon eyes.

Twilight honestly looked more dragon like than pony like, with the dragon tail, scales, spikes, horns... but she did have some things that made her look pony like, the mane was one, no wings and having hair at the end of her dragon tail was another, she was also a bit more pony shaped and sized. They took Twilight in for a magical exam, to find out some things that they couldn't see, the doctor said that her strange front horn could indeed cast magic like a unicorn, and she had a bit longer life span than a pony.

When Violet asked what that meant he explained it means that she will age like a pony for her starting years but once she reaches her adult years the aging will slow down and she will live longer than 100 years. He couldn't give her the exact number of years she will live for since dragons can live for thousands of years compared to the 100 plus years a pony can live. So he was guessing at this point, and the only thing he could compare her to was the draconequus statue, and that wasn't very helpful.

Even the information Bookworm got on the statue wasn't helpful since that draconequus wasn't naturally born, or at least that's what the princess said since she herself didn't have much info on how he was born or created. Plus that statue was more chimera like because of the many different creature parts, then it was a draconequus, which was what Twilight was, and as far as anyone knows she will be the first naturally born draconequus.
> Chapter six
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	When the three finally got back to Violet's cave she told Bookworm she was going to go visit her family to tell them the news and flew off, in reality, that was just a good excuse for the real reason why she wanted to go back to her homeland. Of course, she did visit her family, told them the news of her new baby, but she also asked for permission to go to their sacred spring, this spring was very special and important because it had magical properties that can do amazing things.

If this spring water won't cure Bookworm then nothing will, she walked down the tunnel to their sacred spring, when she got there she stood at the water's edge, the water rippled and a small dragon made of water came out, "Greetings Violet, what brings you here?" 
Violet bowed to the dragon, "Greetings spring guardian, I'm here to get some of this water to cure my hus... mate." 
The guardian tilted her head, "Violet you shouldn't be afraid telling me the truth, I won't judge who you choose for your mate."

Violet nodded, "Thank you, can I take some of this water?" 
The guardian was silent for a moment, "Are you willing to accept the fact that this water might not cure him?" Violet opened and closed her mouth then looked away, this spring was her last hope, and she was sure this will cure him... but will it really? 
She looked at the spring guardian who was waiting patiently for her answer, "Are you saying that this spring water won't cure him?" The guardian simply looked at her.

"I didn't say that... I'm simply asking if your willing to accept the fact that it might not cure him." 
Violet brought out a small bottle she got from her father, it was made of special glass, pure and untainted to hold the spring water, "I am willing to accept that if this spring water won't cure him then nothing will." 
The guardian nodded, "Then you may take some spring water." Violet carefully dipped the bottle in the spring, then corked the bottle when she filled it enough.

The guardian vanished, Violet walked back out, flew home with the bottle, and landed carefully, "Bookworm, I have something for you." 
She showed him the bottle and he took it with his magic, "It looks like water... what is it really?" 
She sighed, "It's our sacred spring water, it has magical properties, it could possibly cure you, and if it doesn't then nothing will..." He looked closely at the water, it looked like normal water, but he sipped it anyways to taste it, it even tastes like normal water.

Every day he took a sip of the water, he even got a sample to do any tests he wanted on it, he even got his high leveled unicorn friend to do tests on the water sample. He got a report back saying it was high-quality water the kind rich and famous ponies want to buy, and it had some kind of magical properties, most likely from the dragons. Bookworm knew all pony races had some kind of magic in them, earth ponies had physical powers, pegasi had speed and agility in the air and can fly and unicorns had their horns.

So it made sense that other races would have magical properties, he saw Violet shrink and grow, and heard about the other powers of her family, so it wasn't that far-fetched. He went to the doctor again and he got a 50/50% chance of being cured, which made Violet so happy, it was better than it was before, he actually had a chance of living! But then she frowned remembering what the guardian said, and the doctor said it was only a 50/50% chance meaning that he might also die from his illness...

Still, 50% was better than nothing, so they spent time together with their daughter, Violet was shocked how fast she grew, Bookworm laughed saying that it was normal because she was aging like a filly, not a whelp. She took all of them to her homeland because it was important for Twilight to be around other whelps. She was afraid of how both of them were going to be treated but her fears were put to rest because her tribe welcomed them as much as the town ponies did for her, and Bookworm asked them questions.

The other whelps were first a little confused when they saw Twilight because she looked different, but after a while, they accepted her and let her play with them. Dragon's weren't solitary beasts like everypony thinks they are, but just because some dragons like to live alone and had territories doesn't mean they are solitary beasts. It just meant some dragons enjoyed their space, liked the peace and quiet, and preferred not to crowd a lot of areas, especially near ponies since it was rude to crowd their towns.

That's why they lived in mountain areas, or in areas ponies aren't living in, like uncharted areas, and the dragon lands, or as they call it the dragon's lair. She smiled as she watched Twilight play with the other whelps, she even joined them for a relaxing time in a shallow lava pool. For some reason, though her hair didn't burn, wasn't her hair spouse to be pony hair? Bookworm seemed shocked about this so clearly pony hair isn't lava or fire proof must be magic or the dragon blood in her.
> Chapter seven
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	Violet looked over a grave, she was a bit sad, but she'll get over it, her daughter rubbed against her, "I'm sorry it's just he was..." She sighed, "He was very dear to me." Twilight rubbed again, "I know I'm sad, I'll get over it." 
She didn't cry, but a tear did fall. "Violet?" 
She looked behind her, "What are you doing here?" 
She was a bit upset that her mourning was interrupted. "I came to see the grave with you, so who was he?" 
"He was a good friend... his name was.. Brook."

Bookworm looked at the grave, "The old boat maker, it was his time, he lived a long, happy life." Violet nodded and they all left, she looked at him, he was getting better but the illness was attacking his mind. Sometimes he would forget things, it started small at first, he would forget what he was doing or what he was going to do. Then it got bigger, he would forget ponies and their names that he meet a week ago, or just meet. Then it got worst, he would forget where he was, or who they were, or even his family.

Bookworm was healthy psychically but mentally he was getting sicker, it wasn't all the time or every day, but it was getting there, like today he was fine. He remembered everything she said she was going to do, but next week he would forget something or someone and it was getting even worst! The doctor said if this keeps up, he would start forgetting twice a week, then four times a week, and then every day. Then 12 hours, then 6, then 3, then every hour, to 30 minutes, to 15, to 7, to 3, and eventually every minute.

The doctor suggested when it got that bad that maybe it will be time for Bookworm to be put to sleep, Violet almost got violent but she knew that was the right thing to do. Soon he would be to forgetful, he would need more care, and in all honestly, she couldn't care for both their child and Bookworm at the same time, it just wasn't possible. Was this her punishment for messing with fate? After all Bookworm was going to die from his illness, she cured his body, but now his mind being attacked from the same illness.

But this was all if's and when's, it was possible that maybe it wouldn't get that bad, or so she hoped, for now they would spend as much time together as possible. It seemed that he wasn't getting worst, but Violet didn't want to take any chances, so she flew them to their new home, young Twilight looked at the huge city, she was a bit more advanced than a normal filly. She was a year old, but she could also speak, Violet said it was normal for whelps to speak at such a young age so Twi talking was normal even for a hybrid.

"Where are we mother?" 
Violet smiled at her, "We are near Canterlot." 
Twi titled her head, "Camelot?" 
Violet laughed, "No sweety Canterlot, they have better hospitals and doctors." She looked at Canterlot, she was sure that her massive size would scare the new ponies so she shrank down to a smaller size. She was still big enough to carry Twi on her back, she was now a bit smaller than Princess Celestia, but she was still a dragon, nothing she could do to change that.
She slowly approached the guards at the entrance, they held out their spears at her with magic, she looked at them both... were they twins or what? She honestly couldn't tell them apart, "Hello gentlemen I mean you no harm, my name is Violet." 
She held out her citizen card and one guard took it and looked at it, "A dragon citizen?" 
He handed it to the other guard who also looked at it, "Well she's got the card to prove it, who else is with you?" 
"This is my husmate, Bookworm, and our daughter Twilight Amethyst Sparkle."
Both of the guard's mouths dropped, "That is a very long name..." 
and then they closed them up quickly to get back into their natural look, "Indeed but did you say daughter and what's a husmate?"
Violet looked a bit upset, "Yes I said daughter, and husmate is husband and mate put together." She showed them her ring, "And if you judge us because we aren't the same species..." 
The look she gave them made them shiver, "We aren't going to judge... my pal's friend married a zebra... isn't that right buddy?"

"Yeah they are a very happy couple." 
Violet simply stared, "You two need to work on your lying, because fooling a dragon is a lot harder than a pony." 
The two started to sweat, then a female voice interrupted them, "Might I ask what's going on here?" A large alicorn came forwards her flowing mane and tail looked like a sun rise, 
Violet knew who this was, "Greetings princess Celestia, I have come to move in your city to help my husmate and maybe even my daughter."

Celestia took the card the guards had, looked it over, and than looked them over, "Well I don't see any problems here, please let them in." The guards didn't even argue, and allowed them in, Celestia didn't go into her royal carriage but rather walked back to her castle with them. The pony citizens looked at them, but moved on when the princess gave them a look, her guards followed behind, not even questioning why princess Celestia allowed a dragon and her odd family in her city.
> Chapter eight
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	Bookworm was placed under the care of the best nurse and doctor in Canterlot, his illness was something to be studied, and Twilight got to see her first summer sun celebration. Her eyes widened as she watched Celestia rise the sun, she wanted to do magic like that, so she started studying, the months rolled into the years. Twi still had time to visit her father and spend time with her mother, Bookworm wasn't getting better but he also wasn't getting worst either so it was an improvement over what it was.

Violet enrolled Twi in princess Celestia's school for gifted unicorns when she was four years old, the only problem she faced was if Twi should be allowed to even take the test to enter, she was getting angrier and angrier about them treating Twi like this. Yes she was a hybrid, yes she wasn't all unicorn, yes mostly unicorns lived here and only unicorns entered the school, but Twi was half unicorn that had to count for something.

To add to her problems she has been dealing with a very bothersome dragon named Fang, he just wouldn't leave her alone whenever she went hunting for meat or gems. She finally gave up, and made a deal, she would give him some dates, he would leave her alone, and he was sure he could make her leave her husmate. After a couple of dates he was really excepting too much from her he offered one final deal, she took it, and he finally left her alone, but she wasn't proud of it.

But he kept his end of the deal, he left the area and her alone forever, if he went back on his word by coming back, she would go back on her word, and tell other dragons what he did. She had another egg before the time Twilight was finally accepted to take the test to get in the school, and she watched her daughter take the entrance exam. Violet kept a close watch on her new purple and green egg as they rolled in a bunch of objects all different sizes and weight, to see how magically gifted she really was.

Twilight looked at the objects, she gave a nervous laugh as she tried to use her magic to levitate any object off the rolling table, her horn glowed magenta for a bit as she focused. She moved around trying her hardest to make anything move, she was trying too hard to use her magic, she finally laid down in exhaustion, "I'm sorry for wasting your time..." The unicorn judges wrote down something on their clipboards, Twilight was going to get up to leave when all of a sudden...

A rainbow shockwave blast past her outside making her horn glow, she used her magic to levitate everything and soon she was going out of control magic flying everywhere. Violet tried to protect her egg as she watched the chaos the magic was causing, was she so powerful because of her mixed blood? Unicorn and dragon magic were strong on their own but mix them together, you get a hybrid that might be more powerful than the princess, and her egg hatched a bit earlier do to one of the magical blasts.

As Violet's new whelp yawned, the princess came in to see who was causing the magical surge, she put a hoof on Twi making her calm down, "Twilight Sparkle, I have never come across a unicorn with your raw abilities before, but these abilities need to be tamed through focused study, and so I would like to make you my own personal protégé here at the school." 
Twilight's mouth dropped, "Me your own personal protégé?" 
Celestia nodded, "Well what do you say?"

Twilight jumped, "I say yes!" 
Celestia laughed, "One other thing Twilight." 
Twilight dropped, "There's more?" Celestia pointed to her flank and she looked gasping, "A cutie mark?" She hopped around, "A cutie mark!" Violet smiled, she always wondered if Twi could get a cutie mark because she was a hybrid. Bookworm was the one who told Violet about cutie marks and how they worked a long time ago, Twi's cutie mark was a large magenta star and five smaller white stars.

Violet looked at her newly hatched whelp, he had purple scales on his body, a light green underbelly, green spikes, and green eyes, since he was Violet's second whelp and a pure dragon he got more of his fire coloring. Unlike Twilight who didn't follow this pattern, she did have some blue on her but not a lot like her new brother Spike, who was trying to num on one of his purple wings. He finally gave up and numed on his tail, Spike was the name she chose for him, it sounded both like a dragon name and a pony name.

Twilight studied under princess Celestia's watch, when Spike was a year old he wanted to join her to help out, and of course Violet agreed. It helped Twi a lot because she wasn't the only oddball in the sea of unicorns, she even started carrying Spike on her back making him take notes and learn how to read and write while doing it. "What's next on the list Spike?" 
He looked at the list, "Reading the book Celestia gave you." 
She looked back at him, "Your getting better Spike, I'm impressed."

"There you are Twilight, Moon Dancer is having a party over in the west castle courtyard, you want to come?" 
Twilight looked over at Spike who read her list and nodded, "Sure I would love to I have free time, and I only need to read this book, I can do it later." 
They went over to the party, "Hey Moon Dancer, we're here." 
Twi whispered, "I don't have a gift." 
Spike pulled out a picture and whispered, "What about this?" 
Twilight grabbed it, looked at it, then put a bow on it, "It's perfect, thanks, Spike."

"Hey Moon Dancer, I'm sorry I couldn't wrap it but I hope you like the gift anyways." 
Moon Dancer took the framed picture in her magic and looked at it, "It's a picture of us together..." 
Twi took deep breaths calming herself down, "Yes to remind you that no matter what happens we will always be friends." 
She looked at the picture again then Twi, "I love it thanks." 
Twi let out a breath she was holding, she saw Spike's smug look, "I wasn't scared." 
He rolled his eyes, "Sure you just keep telling yourself that."
> Chapter nine
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Twilight read her book as the party went on, "Hey Twilight what are you reading?" 
Twilight looked up, "Oh Moon Dancer, I'm reading 'The myths and legends of Equestria' the princess said that I should give it a read." 
Moon Dancer looked at the book, "Odd why would your teacher want you to read fairytales?" Twilight laughed, "Well a lot of these myths and legends are true because they are based off true events." She read one legend and her eyes started to widen when she read more of it.

"Moon Dancer you won't mind if I leave early right?" 
She tilted her head, "Sure I won't mind but why do you want to leave early?" 
Twilight grabbed Spike with her magic, "Oh there is something in one of these legends I want to look up." She ran off towards her library, she looked through her books before finding the one she wanted, she read it quickly and looked at Spike, "Spike I want you to take a letter." He took out a scroll, quill, and started to write.

"My dearest teacher, my continuing studies of pony magic have led me to discover that we are on the precipice of disaster!" 
Spike stopped, "Hold on. Preci... preci..." 
She looked at him, "Threshold." 
He tried again, "Threh..." 
She tried to use an easier word, "Uh, brink?" He gave her a look, "Ugh, that something really bad is about to happen! For you see, the mythical Mare in the Moon is in fact Nightmare Moon, and she's about to return to Equestria, and bring with her eternal night!"

"Something must be done to make sure this terrible prophecy does not come true. I await your quick response. Your faithful student, Twilight Amethyst Sparkle." 
He finished, "Twilight Amethyst Sparkle, got it." 
Twi smiled, "Great, send it." 
"Um now?" 
"Of course." 
"Uh, I dunno, Twilight, Celestia's a little busy getting ready for the Summer Sun Celebration, and it's like, the day after tomorrow." 
"That's just it, Spike. The day after tomorrow is the thousandth year of the Summer Sun Celebration!"

"It's imperative that the Princess is told right away!" 
"Impera... impera..." 
Twi got annoyed, "Important!" 
Spike flinched back, "Whoa, okay okay." He breathed his green fire, and sent the letter, "There, it's on its way. But I wouldn't hold your breath..." 
"Oh, I'm not worried, Spike. The Princess trusts me completely, in all the years she's been my mentor she's never once doubted me." When Spike belched out a letter, Twi huffed out blue fire, "You see? I knew she would want to take immediate action."

Spike took the letter and read it, "My dearest, most faithful student Twilight Amethyst Sparkle, you know that I value your diligence and that I trust you completely." Twi nodded happily. "But you must really get out more." 
Twi gasped, "What?" 
They got on a flying carriage as Spike read the rest of the letter, "My dear Twilight, there is more to a young hybrid's life than studying, so I'm sending you to supervise the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration in this year's location: Ponyville."

"And, I have an even more essential task for you to complete: make some friends!" 
Twi huffed out more blue fire, "I don't see why I have to make friends in ponyville, I had friends in Canterlot." 
"Oh really? What are their names?" 
"Moon Dancer... um..." 
"Yeah, that's what I thought." She sighed. "Look on the bright side, Twilight, the Princess arranged for you to stay in a library, doesn't that make you happy?" 
"Yes it does, you want to know why? Because I'm right!"

"I'll check on the preparations as fast as I can, then get to the library to find some proof of Nightmare Moon's return." 
"Then when will you make friends, like what the princess said?" 
"She said to check on preparations. I am her student, and I'll do my royal duty, but the fate of Equestria does not rest on me making friends." The carriage landed, Spike and Twi got out, "Thank you, sirs." She said to the flying guards. 
"Maybe the ponies here will be a lot nicer than the ones in Canterlot."

A pink pony was hopping along. "Come on Twi, just try." 
Twi smiled at her, "Um, hello." The pink pony gasped when she saw them, then ran off. "Well that's a new response, I usually get screams before they ran off." 
He sighed, then read off the list, "Summer Sun Celebration official overseer's checklist. Number one, banquet preparations: Sweet Apple Acres." They made it there before they heard a yeehaw and saw an earth pony bucking some trees.

"Let's just get this over with... good afternoon, my name is Twilight Amethyst Sparkle." 
The earth pony looked at her, then grabbed her claw and tried to shake it, "Well, howdy-do, Miss Twilight, a pleasure makin' your acquaintance, I'm Applejack." Applejack was very strong to get her to shake even once, "We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like making new friends!" 
Twi looked at Applejack for a moment, "You can go ahead and start screaming." 
"Why would I scream sugar cube?"

Twi just stared, "Do you need glasses Applejack?" 
"Nope I don't, why?" 
Twi's dragon tail moved, "Oh it's just that you are talking to me normally, as if I was a normal unicorn." 
AJ laughed, "Oh is that why you asked? We apples don't judge others on appearance, now what can I do you for?" 
Twi smiled a bit, "Well, I am in fact here to supervise preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, and you're in charge of the food?" 
"We sure as sugar are! Would you care to sample some?"

"Well as long as it doesn't take too long..." 
AJ rang a triangle, "Soup's on, everypony!" A bunch of ponies ran towards her making her move with them, she blinked as she found herself at a table. "Now, why don't I introduce y'all to the Apple family?" 
"But I'm in kind of a hurry..." 
"This here's Apple Fritter, Apple Bumpkin, Red Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp..."

AJ took a deep breath, "Big McIntosh, Apple Bloom and Granny Smith. Up'n'attem, Granny Smith, we got guests." 
"Wha..? Soup's on? I'm up, here I come, ahm comin'..." 
"Why, I'd say you're already part of the family!" 
Twi laughed nervously, "Well I can see the food situation is handled, so we'll be on our way." 
"Aren't you gonna stay for brunch?" Apple Bloom asked looking all cute. 
"Sorry but we really have a lot to do..." Twi heard a lot of disappointed sighs, "Fine." As they cheered Twi just sighed.
> Chapter ten
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Spike checked one box, "Food's all taken care of, next is the weather." 
Twilight moaned as they moved on, "Ugh, I ate so much food..." 
Spike looked around, "Now there's supposed to be a Pegasus pony named Rainbow Dash clearing the clouds." 
Twi looked at all the clouds, "She's not doing a very good job at it." 
Then something rammed into her, they both tumbled for a bit, "Um, excuse me?" 
Twi looked at her, "You got mud all over me..." 
"Let me help with that."

She brought over a cloud, kicked it and made it rain on Twi, she shivered at the sudden cold, "I'm... freezing..." 
"I guess I over did it... how about this? My very own patented Rain-Blow Dry! No no, don't thank me, you're quite welcome." 
Twi looked annoyed as her mane was all messed up, Spike and the pegasus started laughing. "Let me guess, you're Rainbow Dash." 
She stopped laughing and stood proudly, "The one and only, why you heard of me?"

"I heard you were supposed to be keeping the sky clear. I'm Twilight Amethyst Sparkle, and the Princess sent me to check on the weather." 
"Yeah that will be a snap, I'll do it in a jiffy after I'm done practicing." 
"Practicing for what?" 
"The Wonderbolts! They are going to perform tomorrow at the celebration and I'm going to show them my stuff." 
"The wonderbolts?" 
"Yep." 
"The most talented flyers in all of Equestria?" 
"That's them." 
Twilight huffed, "Oh please..."

She looked away, "They'd never accept a Pegasus who can't even keep the sky clear for one measly day." 
"Hey, I can clear this sky in ten seconds flat." 
"Prove it." 
Dash started flying around kicking away all the clouds with greet speed, then landed, "What did I say ten seconds flat... hey what are you holding?" 
Twi showed a stop watch, "I timed you, just to see if you could do it in ten seconds." 
Dash tried to look at it, "Well what does it say?" 
"You did it before it passed ten seconds."

"Yes! Well, I knew I could do it, I can't wait to hang out some more." 
She flew off, "Wow, she's amazing!" Spike said then laughed at her mane, Twi walked off, "Wait it's kind of pretty once you get used to it." They entered the next area, "Decorations. Beautiful..." 
Twi looked around, "Yes, the décor is coming along nicely. This ought'a be quick, I'll be at the library in no time, beautiful indeed." 
"Not the décor, her." Spike pointed to a white unicorn, "How do I look, are my spines straight?"

Twi rolled her eyes, "Good afternoon..." 
"Just a moment, please! I'm 'in the zone', as it were." She tied one sparkle ribbon, "Oh, yes! Sparkle always does the trick, does it not? Why, Rarity, you are a talent, now how can I help..." She turned and yelped, Twi was going to think she reacted to the fact she was a hybrid but... "Oh, my stars, darling! Whatever happened to your coiffure?!" 
"You mean my mane? That's what you reacted to? It's a long story, I'm just here to see the décor, and I'll be out of your hair."

"Out of my hair, what about your hair?" 
Rarity started to push her, "What are you trying to do... wait where are we going? Help." 
Rarity was surprisingly strong as she pushed her towards a boutique, she fixed Twi's mane then she started to measure her, "You have such an odd body shape..." Rarity was wearing glasses as she looked at all the measurements, "I think I might have something that fits you..." 
"I dought that I'm a one of a kind hybrid." 
"Now darling, I have dealt with odd body shapes before."

Twi took notice what Rarity said, she didn't say pony body shapes, just body shapes... so she did notice that she wasn't a pony. She looked in the mirror as Rarity put something on her, "Now go on, my dear, you were going to tell me where you're from." 
Rarity started to pull at the strings trying to tighten it, "I've been sent from Canterlot to..." 
Rarity let go saying, "Huh? Canterlot! Oh, I am so envious! The glamor, the sophistication! I have always dreamed of living there!"

"I can't wait to hear all about it! We are gonna be the best of friends, you and me... Emeralds? What was I thinking? Let me get you some sapphires!" 
As Rarity left Twi ran off, "Quick before she tries to dye my hair a different color!" 
She carried Spike with her as he sighed, "Wasn't she wonderful?" 
"Focus, Casanova. What's next on the list?" 
"Oh uh, music it's the last one." They heard distant songbird fanfare, and they looked to see a yellow pegasus.

"Oh, my. Um, stop please, everyone, umm. Excuse me, sir? I mean, no offense, but your rhythm is just a teeny-tiny bit off. Now, follow me, please. A-one, a-two, a-one two three-" 
"Um, excuse me?" 
The pegasus looked at her then screamed making her birds fly off, then she hid, Twi looked at her, finally, somepony who actually... "Oh wait, your not a dragon..." Never mind. 
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you and frighten your birds off. I'm just here to check up on the music and it's sounding beautiful."

"Oh my, you can talk!" 
"Why yes, I can." 
"What are you? I never have seen anything like you before." 
"Well I'm a draconequus, which is a dragon-pony hybrid, and my name is Twilight..." 
"Well Twilight, my name is Fluttershy, oh wow I'm talking to a hybrid!" 
Spike came forwards, "Looks like you got a fan." 
Fluttershy gasped, "A baby dragon! Oh, I've never seen a baby dragon before, he's so cute! Is he yours?" 
Both Twilight and Spike started choking, "No, I'm her half brother."

"Yeah, he is, why in Equestria did you ask that?" 
"Oh because I never meet a creature like you before, so it might have been possible he was yours." 
"Well, we best be going." 
She levitated Spike on her back and started walking off, "Oh wait I want to know more like I didn't know you could do magic." 
"I can tell you, what do you want to know about?" Spike said. 
"Absolutely everything." Twilight groaned.
"Well, it all started when Violet meet Bookworm..."

They finally made it to her library, "...and that's the story of our whole entire life! Well, up until today, do you wanna hear about today?" 
"Oh yes please!" 
Twilight stopped making Spike cry out, "I am so sorry, how did we get here so fast? This is where I'm staying while in Ponyville and my poor baby brother needs his sleep." 
"No, I don't..." 
She bumped him off, "Aww, look at that, he's so sweepy he can't even keep his widdle balance!" She said awkwardly smiling at Fluttershy.

"Poor thing, you simply must get into bed..." 
Fluttershy said trying to carry Spike inside, but Twilight took him, "Yes, yes, we'll get right on that. Well, good night!" 
She slammed the door. "Huh, rude much?" 
"Sorry, Spike, but I have to convince the Princess that Nightmare Moon is coming, and we're running out of time! I just need to be alone so I can study without a bunch of crazy ponies trying to make friends with me all the time. Now, where's the light?"
> Chapter eleven
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The lights flicked on and lots of ponies shouted, "Surprise!" 
A kazoo blows and Twilight groans, the pink pony went up to her saying, "Surprise! Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie, and I threw this party just for you! Were you surprised? Were ya? Were ya? Huh huh huh?" 
Twilight looked a bit annoyed, "Very surprised, libraries are supposed to be quiet." 
"Well, that's silly! What kind of welcome party would this be if it were quiet? I mean, duh, boring! Y'see, I saw you when you first got here, remember?"

"You were all "hello" and I was all 'gasp', remember? Y'see I've never seen you before and if I've never seen you before that means you're new, 'cause I know everypony, and I mean everypony in Ponyville!" 
"But I'm not a pony..." 
"Well I can see that silly, but if you're new, that meant you haven't met anyone yet, and if you haven't met anyone yet, you must not have any friends, and if you don't have any friends then you must be lonely, and that made me so sad, then I had an idea, and that's why I went 'gasp'!"

"So I must throw a great big ginormous super-duper spectacular welcome party and invite everyone in Ponyville! See? And now you have lots and lots of friends!" 
Twilight sipped on a drink after she poured something in it, she got red faced at the spicy flavor, "Are you all right, sugar cube?" 
She started crying at the spicy flavor and ran upstairs before she breathed her blue fire in front of everypony. "Aww, she's so happy she's crying!" 
Spike looked at the bottle Twi poured in her drink, "Hot sauce?"

Pinky poured it on a cupcake and ate it, "What? It's good!" 
Twilight groaned as she laid on her bed, Spike opened her door letting the music in, "Hey Twilight! Pinkie Pie's starting 'pin the tail on the pony'! Wanna play?" 
"No! All the ponies in this town are crazy! They don't have the normal reaction to a hybrid, and do you know what time it is?!" 
"It's the eve of the Summer Sun Celebration. Everypony has to stay up, or they'll miss the Princess raise the sun! You really should lighten up, Twilight, it's a party!"

Spike left and she mocked him, then sighed, "Ugh, here I thought I'd have time to learn about the Elements of Harmony but, silly me, all this ridiculous friend-making has kept me from it! 'Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about an everlasting night.' I hope the Princess was right... I hope it really is just an old pony tale..." 
Spike came back, "C'mon, Twilight, it's time to watch the sunrise!"

They all went back to town hall and Twi simply stared at all the ponies, just one pony? Any pony? No pony was going to react to the fact she was a hybrid?! In Canterlot she would get reactions, but here it was like these ponies were used to seeing odd things. The children were looking at her oddly but that didn't count, they were children they always react to odd things, the parents noticed and nudged them to make them stop, this happened before, but the difference was the parents would be staring as well.

Pinkie pie came up to her, "Isn't this exciting? Are you excited, 'cause I'm excited, I've never been so excited, well, except for the time that I saw you walking into town and I went 'gasp' but I mean really, who can top that?" 
Twilight sighed as fanfare played and the mayor came out, "Fillies and gentle colts, as mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!" All the ponies cheered except Twi who was looking at the stars moving towards the moon.

"In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this, the longest day of the year! And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria..." 
Fluttershy looked at her birds, "Ready?" 
"...Princess Celestia!" 
The birds sang as the curtains opened to reveal nothing, "Huh?" Rarity said looking at the empty space.

Ponies started chattering quietly and nervously in the background, "This can't be good." Twi said looking nervous for a different reason. 
Mayor mare looked around, "Remain calm, everypony, there must be a reasonable explanation!" 
Pinkie hopped in place, "Ooh, ooh, I love guessing games! Is she hiding?" 
Rarity came back from looking around, "She's gone!" 
"Ooh, she's good." 
Then everyone gasped when a dark magic cloud swirled around then revealed a dark alicorn, Twi whispered, "Oh no... Nightmare Moon!"

Spike fainted off her back, then Nightmare moon spoke, "Oh, my beloved subjects, it's been so long since I've seen your precious, little sun-loving faces." 
Dash shouted, "What did you do with our Princess?!" 
AJ chomped down on her tail, "Whoa there, Nelly..." She said a bit muffled. 
Nightmare moon chuckled, "Why, am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?" 
Pinkie looked excited, "Ooh, ooh, more guessing games! Um, Hokey Smokes!"

"How about, Queen Meanie! No! Black Snooty, Black Snooty--" AJ stuffed a cupcake in her mouth to get her to stop talking. 
Nightmare moon went around saying, "Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?" 
"I did. And I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon, Nightmare Moon!" Twi shouted getting her attention, and Nightmare moon looked at her.

"Well look at this somepony who remembers me, and she's not even a pony... and you must also know why I'm here." 
"You're here to... to..." 
She gulped, and Nightmare moon chuckled, "Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night will last forever!" 
She laughed as thunder boomed, Mayor mare shouted, "Seize her! Only she knows where the Princess is!" 
The guards flew close to her. "Stand back, you fools!"

She laughed as she shot lightning at them, then she turned into a cloud of smoke and left, AJ tried to keep her grip on Rainbow's tail but Dash managed to get free, "Come back here!" She shouted then panted, "Nighttime? Forever?" She noticed Twi running off with Spike, "Where's she going?" 
Twi tucked Spike in his bed as he muttered, "Uh... We gotta stop Nightmare!..." 
"You've been up all night, Spike. You still are a baby dragon after all."

After that, she started looking through her books, "Elements, elements, elements... Ugh! How can I stop Nightmare Moon without the Elements of Harmony?" 
Dash flew in her face, "And just what are the Elements of Harmony? And how did you know about Nightmare Moon, huh? Are you a spy? Whoa!" 
AJ pulled Dash back by her tail, "Simmer down, Sally. She ain't no spy, but she sure knows what's going on. Don't you, Twilight?" Twi looked at all of them.

"I read all about the prediction of Nightmare Moon. Some mysterious objects called the Elements of Harmony are the only things that can stop her, but I don't know what they are, where to find them; I don't even know what they do!" 
"The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide." Pinkie said and Twi pushed her aside, 
"How did you find that?!" 
Pinkie said in a sing-song, "It was under 'E'!" 
"Oh." Twi grabbed the book and thought, 'Why didn't I think of looking under E? To panicked to think straight I guess.'
> Chapter twelve
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Twilight read from the book, "There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said, the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters. It is located in what is now--" 
Everypony shouted, "The Everfree Forest!" 
They all looked at the forest, "Whee! Let's go!" 
Pinkie said starting to go into it. "Not so fast." Twi said stopping her.

"Look, I appreciate the offer, but I'd really rather do this on my own." 
"No can do, sugar cube. We sure ain't lettin' any friend of ours go into that creepy place alone. We're stickin' to you like caramel on a candy apple." 
They all agreed going in, "Especially if there are candy apples in there. What? Those things are good." 
Twi sighed following, deep inside they looked around, "So, none of you have been in here before?" 
"Ugh, heavens no! Just look at it - it's dreadful." Rarity gaged.

"And it ain't natural. Folks say it don't work the same as Equestria." 
Twi looked at AJ, "What's that supposed to mean?" 
"Nopony knows. You know why?" 
Dash said looking like she was on a hunt. "Rainbow quit it."
"Because everypony who's ever come in has never come out!" The cliff gave out when she said that and everyone started falling down. "Fluttershy! Quick!" 
"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness." Twilight dug her claws into the earth trying to stop falling.

She stopped right before a cliff, "I am so glad I got these..." The cliff started to rumble, "Maybe I spoke too soon..." 
"Hold on! I'm a-comin'!" AJ said sliding down and reaching out her front hooves, "Grab on." 
"But my claws might..." 
"Just do it sugarcube." 
Twi grabbed on to AJ before her cliff gave out on her, "Applejack, what do I do?" If only I was born with wings! 
AJ looked up, "Let go." 
"Are you crazy?" 
"No, I ain't. I promise you'll be safe."

"That's not true! I'm a dragon hybrid, not a cat, even I won't survive a fall like that." 
"Now listen here, what I'm sayin' to you is the honest truth, if you let go, you'll be safe, because our friends will catch you." 
Twi wasn't so sure they could hold her weight but she let go anyways, Dash and Shy caught her, "Whoa Fluttershy a little more help please!" 
"Sorry Rainbow Dash, I'm not used to holding anything more than a bunny or two." They finally got her on the ground and both looked tired.

"Yeah sorry I'm so heavy it comes with my dragon species, it's the reason why they have larger dragon wings then feather wings." 
They started walking, "Then how come you don't have any but Spike does?" 
Twi looked at her bare back, "I'm a hybrid, in genes, you can't get the best of both worlds, my father was a unicorn, so I got the horn but not the wings." 
"Wait if your father was a unicorn, then your mother was a dragon, how were they able to..." 
"She can shrink and grow her size, okay!" Twi said blushing.

A mighty roar was heard, and they saw, "A manticore! We've gotta get past him!" 
"You're a hybrid like him, can't you talk to it?" 
Twi looked at them, "I might be a dragon hybrid but that doesn't mean I can understand other different hybrids." 
They all tried attacking it in different ways, until... "Wait!" Shy shouted she walked up to it, "Shhh... It's okay." He showed her a thorn, "Oh, you poor, poor little baby." 
"Little?" 
"Now this might hurt for just a second."

She pulled it out it roared, "Fluttershy!" 
But then it started to purr and lick her, "Aw you're just a little ol' baby kitty, aren't you? Yes, you are, yes you are." 
Everyone walked passed the manticore, "How did you know about the thorn?" Twi asked. 
"I didn't. Sometimes we all just need to be shown a little kindness." Twi smiled a bit, as they walked on. 
"No, my eyes need a rest from all this icky muck." Rarity said then it got dark, "Well, I didn't mean that literally." They tried to look around.

"That ancient ruin could be right in front of our faces and we wouldn't even know it." 
They started bumping into each other, "I didn't see you there, my apologies." 
"I was right here... ugh..." 
"Oh wait, I think I stepped in somethin'." 
"Agh we can't do anything in the dark..." 
Twi said lighting her horn, then Fluttershy screamed, "It's just mud." Then they all started screaming when they saw the demonic trees, but then they stopped when they heard Pinkie laughing.

"Pinkie, what are you doing?! Run!" 
"Oh girls, don't you see?" She started to dance as music played, "When I was a little filly and the sun was going down..." 
"Tell me she's not..." 
"The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown..." 
"She is." 
"I'd hide under my pillow, from what I thought I saw, but Granny Pie said that wasn't the way, to deal with fears at all." 
"Then what is?" 
"She said, 'Pinkie, you gotta stand up tall, learn to face your fears."

"You'll see that they can't hurt you, just laugh to make them disappear.' Ha! Ha! Ha!" Her laughter turned the trees back to normal making them all gasp, "So, giggle at the ghostly, guffaw at the grossly, crack up at the creepy, whoop it up with the weepy, chortle at the kooky, snortle at the spooky, and tell that big dumb scary face to take a hike and leave you alone and if he thinks he can scare you then he's got another thing coming and the very idea of such a thing just makes you wanna laugh!"

They all laughed at the trees during her song, Twi wondered where did that music come from? Was this a normal occurrence in Equestria? "And they called me odd in Canterlot..." Twi whispered, looking at the others, they didn't seem put off by music randomly playing, so it must be a normal occurrence, she wondered if she started randomly bursting into song would music play? Most likely, but then she would probably get stared at, was that was what it took to get the results she wanted, to just randomly sing?

She shook her head, this really was a strange place, she rammed into another pony as she was forced to stop, how long have they been walking? She looked at what made them stop to see a raging river, "How are we gonna cross this?" 
Oh, I don't know we have two pegasi who can fly us across? Then again they might be too tired from carrying her to carry the others across... then they heard distant crying, "Huh?" They went upstream to find a sea serpent?

"What a world, what a world." 
"Excuse me, sir. Why are you crying?" 
"Well, I don't know. I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when this tacky little cloud of purple smoke just whisked past me and tore half of my beloved mustache clean off, and now I look simply horrid." Twi's eye twitched, she thought it was a guy but it sounds more like a girl the way it talked. 
"Oh, give me a break." 
"That's what all the fuss is about?" 
"Why, of course, it is. How can you be so insensitive?"

"Oh, just look at him. Such lovely luminescent scales." 
He sniffed, "I know." 
"And your expertly coiffed mane." 
"Oh I know, I know." 
"Your fabulous manicure." 
He gasped, "It's so true." 
"All ruined without your beautiful mustache." 
"It's true, I'm hideous!" 
"I simply cannot let such a crime against fabulosity go uncorrected." 
She ripped out a scale making him yelp, "What did you do that for?" 
"Rarity, what are you-" Slash, he fainted moaning, and Rarity used her magic to put her tail on his mustache.

"Oh-hohoho! My mustache. How wonderful." 
"You look smashing." 
Twi came up to her, "Oh, Rarity, your beautiful tail..." 
"Oh. It's fine, my dear. Short tails are in this season. Besides, it'll grow back." 
"So would the mustache." 
Dash whispered and Twi gasped, "We can cross now. Let's go. Ah!" 
He came up from under her, "Allow me, by the way..." 
"Yes?" 
"Are you a dragon or pony?" 
Finally, someone who reacts to the fact she's a hybrid! "I'm both." She said as they hopped on his back across.

As they traveled Twilight finally spotted what they were looking for, "There it is, the ruin that holds The Elements of Harmony. We made it!" 
"Twilight, wait for us!" AJ said. 
"We're almost there. Whoa!" Twi shouted as she nearly fell off the cliff, 
Dash pulled her back up by her tail, "What's with you and falling off cliffs today?" 
Twi and Pinkie sighed, "Now what?" 
Dash flapped her wings, "Duh." 
"Oh yeah." 
Twi stopped Dash, "Are you sure you're rested enough to fly across?"
> Chapter thirteen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Of course, I'll prove it." 
Dash flew down to grab the end of the rope bridge, then pulled it up on the other side, "Rainbow..." 
"Who's there?" 
"Rainbow..." 
"I ain't scared of you! Show yourself!" 
"We've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the best flyer in Equestria." 
"Who?" 
"Why, you, of course." 
"Really?! I mean... Oh yeah, me. Hey, uh, you wouldn't mind telling the Wonderbolts that, would ya? 'cause I've been trying to get into that group for like, ever."

"No, Rainbow Dash. We want you to join us..." Three pegasi appeared, "The Shadowbolts. We're the greatest aerial team in the Everfree Forest, and soon we will be the greatest in all Equestria..." The female flew next to Dash, "But first, we need a captain." Dash's eyes sparkled. "The most magnificent-" 
"Yep." 
"Swiftest-" 
"Yes." 
"Bravest flyer in all the land." 
Dash chuckled, "Yes, it's all true." 
"We need..." She whispered the last part in Dash's ear, "You."

Dash flew up, "WOOHOO! Sign me up. Just let me tie this bridge real quick and then we have a deal." 
Dash said reaching for the rope, but the female blocked her, "No! It's them or us." 
Twi shouted over, "Rainbow, what's taking so long?" She spotted the three pegasi, "Oh no. Rainbow!" The female eye's glowed making the fog block their view, and made Twi's last words a bit muffled, "Don't listen to them." Dash thought hard. 
"Well?" 
"You..." The female looked pleased she won.

"Thank you! For the offer, I mean." Dash said tieing the rope on the peg, "But I'm afraid I have to say no." Dash flew off and the three pegasi vanished in a cloud of purple smoke, her friends cheered as they saw Dash fly back to them, they started to cross as Dash flew next to them, "See? I'd never leave my friends hangin'." 
They all made it inside the ruins, "Whoa. Come on, Twilight, isn't this what you've been waitin' for?" 
"The Elements of Harmony, we've found them."

Dash and Shy flew up to get them, "Careful, careful!" 
Pinkie counted them, "One, two, three, four... There's only five!" "Where's the sixth?" 
Twi laid next to the stone spheres, "The book said: when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed." 
"What in the hay is that supposed to mean?" 
"I'm not sure, but I have an idea. Stand back. I don't know what will happen." Twi said starting to use her magic. 
"Come on now, y'all, she needs to concentrate."

They all left as Twi concentrated on using her magic with her eyes closed, a cloud of purple smoke moved in then started to swirl around the elements, it went faster as it created a cyclone to suck all the elements with it, Twi opened her eyes to see this and she cried out, the others heard her and shouted, "Twilight!" 
Twilight saw the cyclone taking the elements, "The elements!" She jumped in before the cyclone vanished with the elements, and her, the others came too late.

They all talked over each other, "Twilight, where are you?" 
Rarity shouted, "Look!" 
They all looked to see a part of the castle glowing, "Come on!" They all ran to get to it, meanwhile inside... Twi appeared in a cloud of smoke coughing, then she gasped as she saw Nightmare Moon with the elements floating around her. 
Nightmare Moon let out an evil laugh as lightning shot around her, Twi gasped but then got into a hunter like pose, and she clawed at the floor. "You're kidding. You're kidding, right?"

Twi still clawed at the floor but then her horn started to glow and she ran ahead, Nightmare Moon saw this and ran ahead towards her to, they were about to run into each other when Twi's horn glowed brighter and she vanished, making Nightmare stop and look behind her to see that Twi teleported herself to the elements, Twi groaned a bit, "Just one spark. Come on, come on." She said as she started to use her magic again, Nightmare saw this and transformed into a cloud of magic smoke.

She rushed ahead, and appeared as the elements shocked Twi, "Aah!" 
She was thrown back as they stayed electrified, Nightmare saw this, "No, no!" 
Twi thought she won but then they stopped, and she gasped, "But... where's the sixth Element?!" 
Nightmare laughed, she slammed her hooves down breaking the stone elements, and Twi just watched in horror. "You little fool! Thinking you could defeat me? Now you will never see your princess or your sun! The night will last forever!"

Nightmare laughed, as her magic hair created a vortex above her, Twi thought it was hopeless until she heard something, she turned her head to see that the others have come for her, Twi's eyes got big as a small spark happened inside them, "You think you can destroy The Elements of Harmony just like that?" She said as she turned to face Nightmare, "Well, you're wrong, because the spirits of The Elements of Harmony are right here." 
The pieces started to glow and float, Nightmare saw this, "What?"

"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of honesty! Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of kindness! Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of laughter! Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift represents the spirit of generosity! And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire represents the spirit of loyalty!"

The pieces floated around each of them as Twi said their names, "The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us." 
Nightmare shouted, "You still don't have the sixth Element! The spark didn't work!" 
"But it did! A different kind of spark." She turned to face her friends, "I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me when I realized that you all... are my friends!" She said turning to face Nightmare.

A glow appeared and the sixth element appeared over Twi, "You see, Nightmare Moon when those Elements are ignited by the... the spark, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: the element of... magic!" 
The pieces began to glow and went onto the ponies, the sixth glowed as well going to top of Twi's head, and then they all began to glow as a rainbow swirl appeared and shot towards Nightmare Moon, "Nooo! Nooo!" She cried out as the rainbow circled her.

It created a rainbow cyclone around Nightmare as the six friends glowed brighter, Twi opened her eyes finishing the spell, and a bright white light covered the whole area. As soon as it vanished the six friends were all laying on the floor, "Ugh, my head." Dash said rubbing it. 
"Everypony okay?" AJ asked looking at them all. 
"Oh, thank goodness." Rarity said looking at her full tail. 
"Why Rarity, it's so lovely." Shy said. 
"I know! I'll never part with it again." She said rubbing her tail against her face.

"No. Your necklace. It looks just like your cutie mark." 
"What? Ooh." Rarity said looking at them both, "So does yours." Shy looked down at her own gasping. 
"Look at mine! Look at mine!" Pinkie said bouncing forwards, towards AJ who was looking at her own, then at Pinkie. 
"Aw yeah." Dash exclaimed looking at her own. 
"Gee, Twilight! I thought you were just spoutin' a lot of hooey, but I reckon we really do represent the elements of friendship." Twi looked at her crown smiling.

"Indeed you do." 
Another voice said the sun raised as a ball of light came to reveal, "Princess Celestia!" Twi said going forwards, the rest just bowed. 
"Twilight Amethyst Sparkle, my faithful student." Tia hugged her. "I knew you could do it." 
"But you told me it was all an old pony tale." 
"I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare's return and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart."

"Now if only another will as well. Princess Luna!" Luna gasped. "It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister." 
"Sister?" 
"Will you accept my friendship?" 
"I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!" Tia hugged her, "I've missed you, too." 
Pinkie sobs, "Hey, you know what this calls for? A party!" 
They all partied in Ponyville but Twi wasn't so happy. "Why so glum, my faithful student?"

"Are you not happy that your quest is complete and you can return to your studies in Canterlot?" 
"That's just it. Just when I learned how wonderful it is to have friends, I have to leave them." 
"Spike, take a note, please. I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the hybrid Twilight Sparkle shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue to study the magic of friendship. She must report to me her findings from her new home in Ponyville." 
"Oh thank you, Princess! I'll study harder than ever before."
> Chapter fourteen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Days later AJ went to Twi's library, she was going to knock when she heard growling, she opened the door to see Twi and Spike fighting. Twi tried to bite down on Spike but he was too quick for her and rolled out of the way, he tried to bite back but she slammed him with her tail. AJ finally snapped out of it when Twi chomped down on Spike in the middle and he screamed. "Twilight?!" 
Twi looked at her with Spike in her mouth, she didn't drop him so her words sounded muffled, "Oh, hi AJ."

"What in the hay are you doing? That's your younger brother!" 
Twi spat him out, "Oh I know that we were just playing. Spike needs to learn how to use his claws and teeth in battle and I'm the only young dragon around to play with him." 
"Yeah but she's still bigger than I am..." 
He flapped his wings and attacked her biting down on her tail, she didn't even react, "So can I help you find a book?" 
"Doesn't that hurt?" 
Twi looked at Spike still biting her tail, "Honestly? Not that much."

Twi's tail swatted him off, "Our scales are like armor, our teeth and claws can hurt each other but as young as we are it's like a pony biting down on another pony. It doesn't hurt that much but you still feel pain, so why are you here you never answered my question." 
Spike tried again biting her leg. "I just came to ask you if you can help me with something..." AJ said watching Spike try to hurt Twi. 
"Oh sure, okay Spike you can cut that out now." 
He let go and huffed, "At least I made a dent."

They all made it to AJ's farm, "So what do you need help with?" 
"I need to get all these golden delicious in the barn by lunchtime." Twi put a basket filled with golden delicious apples on her back, Spike, as well and started walking with AJ back to her barn. 
After a while, Spike started going through a different basket of apples, "No, no, nope..." 
"Thanks again Twilight for helping me out. I bet Big McIntosh I could get all these Golden Delicious in the barn by lunchtime."

So that's why AJ asked, she wouldn't be able to get all these baskets into the barn by lunchtime on her own, "So what do you get if you win?" 
"If I win, he's gonna walk down Stirrup Street in one of Granny's girdles." 
They both laughed, "No problem at all, Applejack. I'm glad the goal is lunchtime. All this hard work is making me hungry." She said levitating back the apples Spike kept throwing. 
"I know, right?" 
"Ooh-wee, Spike. You've been lounging on my back all morning while we worked."

"Exactly. You two are taking so long, I missed snack-time." 
Twi's stomach growls and she laughs nervously, "Eh, I guess we better get some food." 
"Nope. Worm. A-ha!" He said pulling out an apple, Twi licked her jaw, 
"Oh Spike, that looks delicious." He munched on it. "Spike!" 
"What?" He burped out a letter. 
"It's a letter from Princess Celestia." 
Spike read it,  "Hear ye, hear ye. Her Grand Royal Highness, Princess Celestia of Equestria, is pleased to announce the Grand Galloping Gala."

"It is to be held in the magnificent capital city of Canterlot, on the 21st day of, eh, yadda yadda yadda, cordially extends an invitation to Twilight Sparkle plus one guest." 
The two friends gasped, "The Grand Galloping Gala!" 
"Woo-hoo." 
Spike burped again, "Look, two tickets." 
"Wow, great! I've never been to the gala. Have you, Spike?" 
"No, and I plan to keep it that way. I don't want any of that girly frilly frou-frou nonsense." 
"Aw, come on Spike. A dance would be nice."

"Nice? It's a heap good more than just nice. I'd love to go. Land sakes, if I had an apple stand set up, ponies would be chowin' our tasty vittles 'til the cows came home. Do you have any idea how much business I could drum up for Sweet Apple Acres? Why, with all that money, we could do a heap of fixin' up 'round here. We could replace that saggy old roof, and Big McIntosh could replace that saggy old plow, and Granny Smith could replace that saggy old hip, why, I'd give my left hind leg to go to that gala."

"Oh, well in that case, would you like to--" 
"Whoa!" Crash! "Ugh. Are we talking about the Grand Galloping Gala?" 
"Rainbow Dash. You told me you were too busy to help me harvest apples. What were you busy doing? Spyin'?" 
"No, I was busy napping, and I just happened to hear that you have an extra ticket?" 
"Yeah, but--" 
"YES! This is so awesome. The Wonderbolts perform at the Grand Galloping Gala every year. I can see it now, everyone would be watching the sky, their eyes riveted on the Wonderbolts."

"But then in would fly Rainbow Dash!" Pretend audience gasps, "I would draw their attention with my Super Speed Strut." Audience cheers, "Then, I would mesmerize 'em with my Fantastic Filly Flash. And for my grand finale, the Buccaneer Blaze! The ponies would go wild!" They go wild, "The Wonderbolts would insist that my signature moves be incorporated into their routine, and then welcome me as their newest member. Don't you see, Twilight? This could be my one chance to show 'em my stuff."

"You gotta take me!" 
Dash grunted as AJ pulled her back by her tail, "Hold on just one pony pickin' minute here." She said muffled and spat the tail out, "I asked for that ticket first." 
"So? That doesn't mean you own it." "Oh, yeah? Well, I challenge you to a hoof-wrestle, the winner gets the ticket." 
They both groan as they hoof-wrestled, Twi pushed them apart, "Girls, these are my tickets, I'll decide who gets it, thank you very much. Whoever has the best reason to go should get the ticket, don't you think?"

"Drummin' up business for the farm?" 
"A chance to audition for the Wonderbolts?" 
"Money to fix Granny's hip." 
"Living the dream." 
"Oh my, those were all pretty good reasons, aren't they?" Her stomach rumbles again and she chuckled, "Listen to that, I am starving. I don't know about you, but I can't make important decisions on an empty stomach, so I'll, uh, think about it over lunch and get back to you two, okay?" They both said okay and when she left they went back to hoof-wrestling.

"So, who you gonna give the ticket to, Twilight?" 
"I don't know Spike, but I really can't think straight when I'm hungry, so where should we eat?" 
Crash. Twilight, Spike, and Pinkie moaned, the tickets fell on Pinkie's face, "Gah! Bats! Bats on my face! Help! Wait, these aren't... tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala?! It's the most amazing incredible tremendous super-fun wonderful terrifically humongous party in all of Equestria! I've always always always wanted to go!"

Pinkie sang as music played, "Oh the Grand Galloping Gala is the best place for me, oh the Grand Galloping Gala is the best place for me, hip hip, hooray! It's the best place for me, for Pinkie... With decorations like streamers and fairy lights and pinwheels and piñatas and pin-cushions. With goodies like sugar cubes and sugar canes and sundaes and sun-beams and sarsaparilla. And I get to play my favorite-est of favorite fantabulous games like Pin the Tail on the Pony!"

"Oh the Grand Galloping Gala is the best place for me, oh the Grand Galloping Gala is the best place for me, because it's the most galarrific superly-terrific gala ever in the whole galaxy, wheee!! Oh thank you, Twilight, it's the most wonderful-est gift ever." 
Seriously where did that music come from? "Um, actually..." 
Rarity gasped, "Are these what I think they are?" 
"Uh--" 
"Yes, yes, yes! Twilight's taking me to the Grand Galloping Gala in Canterlot."

"The gala? I design ensembles for the gala every year, but I've never had the opportunity to attend. Oh, the society, the culture, the glamor! It's where I truly belong, and where I'm destined to meet him." 
"Him! Who?" 
"Him. I would stroll through the gala, and everyone would wonder 'who is that mysterious mare?' They would never guess that I was just a simple pony from little old Ponyville. Why I would cause such a sensation that I would be invited for an audience with Princess Celestia herself."

"And the princess would be so taken with the style and elegance that she would introduce me to him, her nephew: the most handsome, eligible unicorn stallion in Canterlot. Our eyes would meet, our hearts would melt. Our courtship would be magnificent. He would ask for my hoof in marriage, and of course, I would say, 'Yes!' We would have a royal wedding, befitting a princess, which is..." She giggled. "What I would become upon marrying him, the stallion of my dreams."

"Twilight, I simply cannot believe you would invite Pinkie Pie so she can... party, and prevent me from meeting my true love. How could you? Hmph" 
A bunny came and snatched the tickets, "Hey!" 
Shy gasped as the bunny showed them to her, "Angel, these are perfect." 
"Uh, listen, guys, I haven't decided who to give the extra ticket to." 
They both asked, "You haven't?" 
"Um, excuse me, Twilight. I would just like to ask, I mean, if it would be all right, if you haven't given it to someone else--"

"You? You want to go to the gala?" Rarity asked. 
"Oh, no. I mean, yes, or, actually, kind of. You see, it's not so much the Grand Galloping Gala as it is the wondrous private gated garden that surrounds the dance. The flowers are said to be the most beautiful and fragrant in all of Equestria. For the night of the gala, and that night alone, would they all be in bloom and that's just the flora! Don't get me started on the fauna, there's loons and toucans and bitterns, oh my!"
> Chapter fifteen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Hummingbirds that can really hum, and buzzards that can really buzz. White-blue jays, and red jays, and green jays, pink jays, and pink flamingos!" 
"Gee, Fluttershy, it sounds... beautiful...?" 
"Wait just a minute." 
"Rainbow Dash! Were you following me?" 
"No. I mean, yes. I mean, maybe. Look, it doesn't matter. I couldn't risk a goody-four-claws like you giving that ticket away to just anybody." 
"Wait just another minute." 
"Applejack, were you following me too?"

"No. I was followin' this one to make sure she didn't try any funny business. Still trying to take mah ticket." 
"Your ticket?" 
"But Twilight's taking me." 
They started to argue, "Enough!" 
They stopped except Pinkie, "And then I said, 'Oatmeal, are you crazy--' oh." 
"Girls, there's no use in arguing." 
"But Twilight-" 
"Eh! This is my decision, and I'm gonna make it on my own, and I certainly can't think straight with all this noise..." Her stomach rumbles, "Not to mention hunger. Now go on, shoo."

They all grumble as they left, "And don't worry, I'll figure this out... somehow." She sighed, "Come on Spike, right now I'm not in the mood for pony food..." He hopped on her back as she went into the forest, she hunted around looking for any animals. 
She spotted a wild deer and pounced on it, her teeth and claws made killing it easy work, she allowed Spike to have his fill, "Seriously Twi, your half pony, ponies don't eat raw meat." 
Twi looked at him, "I'm also half dragon, our mother raised me the same as you."

Once she had her fill she found a pond and cleaned up, "Don't want any blood on me, I don't want to freak them out." After that, she sighed, "Spike, what am I gonna do? All five of my best friends have really good reasons to go to the gala. Applejack, or Rainbow Dash? Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy, Rarity... Oh, who should go with me?" 
"Specking of Shy wouldn't she be upset when she finds out you just killed an animal?" Twi carried him into town.

"The everfree forest is filled with both predator and prey, lots of animals get killed in there, she can't stop natural nature from happening all the time." 
"Yeah, but wouldn't she still be upset with you." 
Twi sat down at a table, "These ponies have seen what I am, they know these teeth and claws aren't for show, at least I hope they know that." 
Shy ran towards her, "Twilight my bird friends just told me what they saw... tell me it isn't true." 
"Fluttershy, please try to understand."

"I'm part dragon, I can't live off pony food forever it will make me sick, I need meat and gems as well to survive." 
"You need it to survive?" 
"Without a balanced diet... yes, to much pony food will make me sick, and too much meat or gems will make me sick as well." 
"So you absolutely need some meat to survive?" 
"Yes, I know that's hard for you to swallow but I'm an omnivore, which means I eat both plants and animals." 
Shy thought for a moment, "You won't eat any of my animal friends right?"

"The ones at your cottage? No, they will be safe, any animals in the forest are free game." 
"What if I have some animal friends in the forest?" 
"Put collars on any of your friends in the forest but Shy there are other predators besides me, I won't kill the ones with collars on but other predators will, and please don't put collars on them all, I really do need meat to survive." 
Shy sighed and nodded, "Very well I understand." 
Twi smiled, "Thanks for understanding Fluttershy."

"You're still you no matter what, just how much meat a week are we talking here... if you want to tell me that is." 
"I can live off having meat only once every week if I balance it out with a few gems here and there." 
Shy hugged her, "Thanks, Twilight, for thinking of my feelings." 
"It's the least I can do for you understanding." 
Shy left as Dash watched her leave, "So trying to make nice to get that ticket? Well, two can play that game." Twilight sighed as she was still thinking she took out a scroll to start writing.

"Excuse me miss are you going to write in the rain?" 
"It's not raining..." She looked out to see it was, "What's going on?" 
"Hi there, best friend forever I've ever, ever had. Enjoying the sunny weather?" 
Twi looked up to see Dash, "Rainbow Dash, what are you doing?" 
"Whaddya mean? I just saw the smartest, most generous pony about to get rained on, so I thought I'd kick a hole in the clouds to keep her dry so she could write in peace, that's all."

"Rainbow, you're not trying to get extra consideration for the extra ticket by doing me extra special favors, are you?" 
"Me? No no no, of course not." 
Twi packed up her stuff, "Uh-huh." 
"Seriously, I'd do it for anypony... wait what are you doing?" 
"Rainbow, I am not comfortable accepting unwanted favors, so I'd appreciate it if you close up that rain cloud right now." 
"Fine." 
She zipped it closed, "That's better." 
Rain poured on her, but she took it, Rarity came up to her, "Twilight, it's raining."

"No really?" 
"Come with me before you catch a cold." 
Twi and Spike were dragged inside Rarity's boutique, Twi dried herself and Spike off, "Thanks, Rarity..." 
"It's no problem we are the best of friends." Twi sighed, not her too, she sat down at her table and took out a scroll and quill, she started to write, "What are you doing darling?" 
"Are you asking as my friend or as a pony who's trying to butter me up?" 
"Why Twilight what in Equestria..." Twi gave her a look.

"Oh fine you got me, it was both, after all, isn't Spike the one who writes and sends the letters?" 
"Yes but only to princess Celestia, I, however, have my flame breath enchanted to send the letters to someone else." 
"Oh really, who?" 
"My mother." Twi rolled up the finished scroll and sent it in her flame breath, "I enchanted my flame breath a day after Celestia said I could stay here, it goes directly to her no matter where she is, so she's never far away." She sat waiting.

Twi's horn glowed and a letter appeared in front of her, Twi read it. "So what does it say? What did you write?" 
Twi pushed her back, "I asked my mother how my father is doing, she said she checked on him yesterday, he's still stable." 
"Oh do tell me all about it." 
"I see what's going on, you're just buttering me up so I give you the extra ticket. Well, it's not gonna work, you're going to have to wait for my decision just like everyone else. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm still a bit hungry so I would like a snack."

"No, wait I..." 
"Did somepony say snack?" AJ pulled Twi out. 
"You've got to be kidding me!" Twi said looking at the cart. 
"I got apple pie, apple fritters, apple tarts, apple dumplings, apple crisps, apple crumblers, and apple Brown Betty. Uh, the dessert, not my auntie. What do you say there, best friend?" Twi's jaw watered. "Is that a yes?" 
"No. No. I don't know who I'm giving the ticket to, and all these favors aren't making it any easier to decide. In fact, I'm less sure now than I was this morning. Ugh!"

Twi ran off. "So, that's a maybe?" 
She reached her library, "Can you believe them? First Dash with the cloud, then Rarity asking about my family problems, then AJ offering me food, what else could my so called friends do to try to get on my good side?" She opened the door to see Shy, Twi gasped, "Fluttershy not you too?" 
Shy smiled, "Actually Twilight I'm just here to tell you that I have put on all my animal friends a collar to make sure you don't eat any of them."

"Anything else?" 
"Well I did want to ask you something, that is if you don't mind..." 
"Yes?" 
"You once told me you understood what it felt like to be stared at because at your old home in Canterlot ponies would stare at you. So why do you want to go to the gala?" 
"They have long since stopped staring at me, and any who are left I have long since ignored them, I have lived in Canterlot a long time, but you're not asking me this just for the ticket, are you?" 

"Oh no, I'm doing this because you're my very best friend. Right, Angel?" She looked over at Angel who thumped his foot, "Oh, yes, we are just doing this for the ticket." Angel came forwards with a salad with a few gems in it, it was the perfect snack for her and Spike. 
"No, no, no!" She shouted making Angel tumble back, "Well, this was all very nice of you and Angel, but I'm not accepting any extra favors until I've made my final decision, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

She really wants to be left alone to think and to reply to one of her mother's letters, so she opened the door. "Surprise!" 
A bunch of ponies said then they started to toss her, "Twilight is my bestest friend, whoopie, whoopie!" 
"Pinkie..." They still tossed her, how strong were these ponies? She wasn't light you know. 
"She's the cutest, smartest, all around best hybrid pony, pony!" 
"Pinkie." 
"I bet if I throw a super-duper fun party, party!" 
"Pinkie!" 
"She'll give her extra ticket to the Gala to me!" 
"PINKIE!"

The ponies dropped her and Pinkie stood over her, "Yes, Twilight?" 
"First off, seriously where is that music coming from?! Secondly, how strong are you ponies to throw around a dragon hybrid? Third, at least the other ponies tried to be subtle about the ticket." 
"A lot of ponies together can do a lot, and as for the music we aren't sure we have always accepted it like Pinkie and her..." 
"Wait, what ticket? What gala?" 
"Oh, you didn't know? Twilight has an extra ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala!"

"The Grand Galloping Gala?!" 
They all started talking and crowding her, "What are we gonna do?" Spike asked. 
"We're... I'm... going... to..." She started growling, Spike covered his ears, and Twi let out a loud roar, yes it wasn't as loud or as big as a full grown dragon, but her's got them to scatter. "Listen closely all of you!" She shouted looking at all of them, "Are you listening?" They all nodded, "Now I already had to choose between five friends I don't need more ponies asking for the ticket!"
> Chapter sixteen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Twi huffed, "Now I'm going inside my library and I would like some peace and quiet to finally think!" Spike and Twi went inside her library, all five friends watched as the door slammed. 
"I think we might have pressured her too much." 
"I reckon your right, we should have just waited." 
"I feel just horrible, this stress isn't good for her scales." 
"I don't think a party will cheer her up this time." 
"Um... should we, you know... apologize?" Dash went up to the door because she was the bravest and knocked.

The sound echoed through the whole library but no answer came. "Twilight, it's us, can we come in?" Moments passed and all the town ponies started going home as it was getting late, Dash was going to knock again but a click was heard and the door opened with magic, they took that as a sign to come in. It just got dark as they went in, they looked around for their friend only to see a faint glow and glowing eyes under it, before they screamed a light was turned on to reveal Twi just lying down and her horn glowing a bit.

"Can I help you with something? If you're expecting me to choose now I can't decide, I just can't decide. It's important to all of you and I just can't stand to disappoint any of you, and giving me gifts and doing me favors won't make any difference because you're all my friends and I wanna make you all happy and I can't, I just can't!" 
Her friends looked at each other, and AJ rubbed her head, "Twilight, sugar, I didn't mean to put so much pressure on you, and if it helps, I don't want the ticket anymore."

"You can give it to somepony else. I won't feel bad, I promise." 
Shy nodded, "Me too. I feel just awful that I made you feel so awful." 
Pinkie sighed, "And me too. It's no fun upsetting your friends." 
Rarity came forwards, "Twilight, it was unfair of me to try to force you as I did." 
Dash was excited, "Yes! That means the ticket is mine, I got the ticket, I got the ticket--" Until the others looked at her, "You know, I haven't perfected my signature moves for the Wonderbolts anyway, I don't need the ticket either."

"We all got so gun-ho about going to the gala that we couldn't see how un-gun-ho we were making you." 
"That outburst earlier proved that."
"We're sorry, Twilight." 
Twi smiled getting up, "Spike, take down a note." He pulled out a scroll, quill, and started to write, "Dear Princess Celestia, I've learned that one of the joys of friendship is sharing your blessings, but when there are not enough blessings to go around, having more than your friends can make you feel pretty awful."

"So, though I appreciate the invitation, I will be returning both tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala." 
They all shouted, "What?!" 
"If my friends can't all go, I don't wanna go either." 
"Twilight, you don't have to do that." 
"Nope. I've made up my mind. Spike, you can send the letter now." 
He sent it, and Shy watched it go, "Now you won't get to go to the gala either." 
"It's okay, girls. I couldn't possibly enjoy myself without my best friends there with me, so I would rather not go at all." Twi hugged them all.

Spike burped up another letter. "A letter from princess Celestia? That was fast." 
Spike read the letter, "My faithful student Twilight, why didn't you just say so in the first place?" 
Tickets came out, "Six tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala." They all gasped. 
"Now we can all go." They all cheered. 
"How come I don't get a ticket to the gala?" Spike burped again, "And one for you, Spike." He looked at the ticket with glee, until he saw AJ's look, "I mean, gross, I have to go too?"

Twi hugged him, "It's alright Spike, we won't judge you for wanting to go too." 
Shy offered the salad bowl again, "I'm just glad you forgave us." 
Twi took it and started to munch on it, and Rarity came forwards, "Well darling do tell us about your family, we would love to hear about it." 
Twi looked at all of them, each nodded, "Take a seat, this might take a while." They all sat on the floor except Rarity who layed down on a pillow. "Well you all don't know this but my father is really sick."

"Sick with what?" 
"The doctors are unsure, but it's not dangerous to any other pony, or to any of his family members. My mother cured him of the illness in his body, but it's now attacking his mind, but my mother checked on him yesterday she said he was stable." 
"So your father ain't doing so well?" 
"Yeah, he needs consent care, and needs help remembering things, but at least it's not getting any worse." 
"You must feel awful." 
"It does hurt knowing about this and not being able to do anything."

"But my mother always said look at the bright side of things, and it turns out that my father has a sister named Twilight Velvet, who married Night Light and had a son named Shining Armor, so he's my older cousin." 
"Wow how do you know he's older?" 
"He was born before me." 
"But you're..." 
"The doctors said I would age like a pony until I reach my adult years." 
"Then what happens next?" 
Twi looked at all of them, "That's not important right now."

She smiled sadly, the truth of the matter is she will out live her friends once she reaches her adult years, her aging will slow down to dragon aging, and if Spike is still a baby dragon after 12 years... she didn't want to dwell on the fact she won't die with her friends. She will live in the moment, her mother gave her that advice, she remembered asking her mother how she's living with the fact that she will outlive Bookworm, she said, 'I'm living in the moment but I will never forget the fact that I will outlive him.'

She didn't want her friends to know, but she won't forget this fact and Spike won't as well, he knows full well that as a dragon he will outlive every pony, but he too lives in the moment. Twi hugged Spike next to her, she smiled at him with a knowing look, he smiled back with also a knowing look, yes for now they will live in the moment... "What's important is the here and now, live in the moment we always say." 
Her friends nodded, "Wise words to live by." 
Spike yawned, and Twi noticed, "Well it's getting late."

"I think we should all go to bed, see you tomorrow." 
"See you tomorrow Twilight." 
They all left as she waved goodbye, "One day Spike it will happen... but for now we will enjoy what we have." She tucked him in, then went to bed herself. 
The days passed again, Twi was just reading to Spike how to properly use his wings to fly when an earthquake broke her out of her reading, and a shout from Dash comfirmed what she thought, "Stampede!" Twi and Spike looked outside to see a herd of cows coming.

Twi's jaw watered again, ever since the whole deer eatting Twi talked to AJ about raising some meat for her to eat, now she had pig, chicken, and cow to choose from. Just because she didn't want to go through the whole song and dance with Shy when her carnivore instincts made her kill another animal, it was going to happen. But now Shy was upset these animals will be killed later in life, Twi told her to just pick which she would prefer one or two animals a week or if prepared properly one animal for one week.

Shy finally gave up and choose the second option, seeing as it was the better option and Twi finally got a pony to perpare her meats, where she got them was a small pub near the butcher's shop, she payed good money for a different cut of meat from the same animal every day. This helped keep her balanced in her diet, with plenty of pony food, some meat and a few gems now and again, did it make others nervous? Of course it did, but they understood she needed the meat as much as they needed food.

She and Spike ran out to watch AJ lasso the front cow and pull them away from the town, "Now what was that all about?" 
The cow mooed then coughed, "Oh my! Begging your pardon, Applejack, but Mooriella here saw one of those nasty snakes." All the cows looked startled, "And it just gave us all the willies, don'tcha know." 
"I completely understand. Just next time, try and steer clear of Ponyville." 
"We certainly will, Applejack. So long, Winona!" Twi watched the cows leave.

"Can all animals talk?" 
"Nope just a select few." That made sense after all Shy's special talent was talking to animals, if all animals could talk it woun't be much of a special talent. 
"Applejack was just so..." 
"Appletastic?!" Twi looked at Pinkie, that wasn't a real word... 
"Exactly. We must do something to thank Applejack for single-hoofedly saving the town." 
"Mayor that wasn't a real word." 
"Does that matter?" 
Twi held up a claw going to say something but put it back down, "No, not really." 
"I know what we can do."

"Throw a party!" 
Twi looked around, "Are we all ready?" 
"Just one last thing darling." Rarity put up a banner, "Now we're ready." 
"Is Applejack all set?" 
"Actually, I haven't seen her all week." 
"Not since the stampede." 
Twi looked a little worried, "Not all week?" 
"Don't worry, she'll be here for sure. Applejack is never late." 
"I sure hope so..." Twi went up on the stage, "Welcome, everypony! Today we are here to honor a pony we can always count on to help in matters great and small."

"A pony whose contributions to--" 
Dash flew in, "Did you see Applejack's slick moves out there? What an athlete. This week she's gonna help me with my new flying trick, and I know it's gonna be so awesome." 
Twi pushed her away, "Exactly. And..." 
Pinkie appeared, "This week, I get to run Sugarcube Corner for the first time." 
"What does that have to do with Applejack?" 
"Oh. Applejack, one of the best bakers ever, is gonna help me. Applejack makes everything great, so free samples for everypony!"

Everyone cheered, except Twi who pushed Pinkie aside, "Oh-Kay, that's great. Now if I could just make a point without being inter--" 
"Twilight?" 
"--rupted." 
"Twilight, I'm so sorry, but I just wanted to mention that Applejack is also helping me this week with the official bunny census, where we count up all the new baby bunnies that were born this season. She's gonna help gather them using her wonderful herding skills." 
Twi gave Shy a look and she crawled off, "Anyone else? Anyone? No?"

Twi looked at everypony who just stood there, "Well then, as I was trying to say..." Twi saw Mayor Mare giving her a smile, "Urgh! Never mind." Twi said tossing her notes. 
"Ah-ahem. And so, with no further ado, it is my privilege to give the prize, Pony of Ponyville Award, to our beloved guest of honor, a pony of the utmost trustworthiness, reliability, and integrity. Ponyville's most capable and dependable friend: Applejack!" The curtain pulled back as ponies cheered then they gasped as they saw nothing.
> Chapter seventeen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Cool! Way to go Applejack, that was awesome! I mean-- heh." Spike saw why everypony was quiet, the Mayor coughed, and Spike rubbed his arm, "Awkward." 
"I'm here. I'm here." They all turned their heads to see AJ walking up the open path looking very tired, apples dropped from the basket she was carrying as she stumbled around, "Sorry I'm late, I was just, whoa... Did I get your tail?" AJ pushed the mare aside, "Miss Mayor. Thank you kindly for this here... award thingy." She yawned walking over to it.

"It's so bright and shiny and..." She looked into it, "Heh, heh heh, I sure do look funny heh. Woo-woo." She moved her body in and out and Pinkie joined her doing the same thing. 
"Okay. Well, thank you Applejack for saving us from that scary stampede, and always being there for everypony." Twi said looking at AJ, was it just her or did AJ seem a bit out of it? 
AJ yawned, "Yeah. I like helping the ponyfolks and..." She yawned again, "And stuff." AJ fell asleep standing up, she even started to snore.

Twi looked a bit worried, then AJ shook herself awake, "Oh, uh, yeah. Uh, Thanks." 
AJ dragged the trophy away and it was just as awkward as it was loud, Twi walked over to her friends, "Was it just me, or did Applejack seem a little--" 
"Tired?" Dash offered. 
"Dizzy?" Shy said. 
"Messy?" Rarity asked and Dash looked at her, "Well, did you see her mane?" 
Pinkie hopped next to Twi, "She seemed fine to me. Woo! Woo!" Twi hummed she needed to check out what was going on with AJ.

Twi traveled to Sweet Apple Acres then she found AJ bucking the trees, she still looked very tired, she even bucked over a basket, "What in Equestria is that pony doing? Hey, Applejack!" AJ feel asleep standing up again and started to snore. "Applejack?" She got more snores as a response. "Applejack?!" She teleported over, "APPLEJACK!" 
AJ shook herself awake, "Oh, howdy, Twilight." 
"What is all this?" Twi asked looking at all the baskets. 
"It's Applebuck season."

Twi teleported in front of AJ again, "Applewhat season?" 
"Neh, It's what the Apple family calls harvestin' time." AJ said as she went towards another tree, "We gather all the apples from the trees so we can sell 'em." 
"And how is this any different then what you do every day?" 
"It's that special time when all the apples are ripe for a picking." 
"But why are you doing it all alone?" 
"Because Big McIntosh hurt himself." 
Twi teleported, "What about all those relatives I've met when I first came to Ponyville? Can't they help?"

AJ sighed, "They were just here for the Apple family reunion. They actually live all over Equestria and are busy harvestin' their own orchards." Twi teleported in front of AJ again. "So, uh, I'm on my own. Which means, I should really get back to work. Ahem... hint hint? Get back to work?" 
"Fine." Twi said moving aside. 
"Could you step aside, Twilight?" AJ asked wobbling. 
"I just did. Applejack, you don't look so good." 
"Eh, don't any of you three worry none, I'm just fine and dandy."

AJ tried to buck another tree but missed, Twi teleported again, "Do you want some help?" 
"Help? No way, no how." AJ said shaking her head. 
"But there's no way you can do it all on your own." Even I can clearly tell that with the tired look, the wobbly walk, the yawning and falling asleep. 
"Is that a challenge?" 
"Uhm... no?" What made her think that? 
"Well, I'm gonna prove to you that I can do it! Now if you'll excuse me, I've got apples to buck." Twi watched her go, she had a worried look again.

A day passed and Twi was reading a book on her balcony when a sudden crash made her look up to see Dash, "Can I help you?" 
Dash moaned, "I think somepony else needs your help." 
"Applejack?" 
"Yep." 
Then Dash fainted right there on the spot, Twi put her on a soft blanket before going to see AJ again, she finally spotted AJ who just hit her head on a branch, "Applejack, can we talk?" 
"Can bees squawk?! I don't think so." AJ shouted.

Oh goody, she can barely hear me this will be fun... "No. Can we talk?" 
"Twenty stalks? Bean or celery?" 
"No! I need to talk to you." 
"You need to walk to the zoo? Well, who's stoppin' you?" 
Twi finally shouted, "I need to talk to you!" Honestly not only was AJ sleep deprived, but now she could barely hear me, she needed help and maybe some rest. 
"Oh! Well, why didn't you say so? What you wanna talk about?" 
"Rainbow Dash dropped in to see me today."

"That's quite neighborly of her." 
"Yes, except that she crashed onto my balcony after you launched her into the air." 
"Oh, yeah. I wasn't feeling quite myself this morning." 
Twi refused to roll her eyes, no really? "Because you're working too hard and you need help." 
"What? Kelp? I don't need kelp. I don't even like seaweed." 
"HELP! You need HELP!" 
"Nothin' doin', Twilight. I'm gonna prove to you, to everypony, that I can do this on my own. Ow! Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go help Pinkie Pie."

This will not turn out so well... and as she thought the next day she heard ponies were sick in the hospital, "We came as soon as we heard." 
Nurse Redheart sighed in relief, "Oh thank you, Twilight. We need all the help we can get." 
Twi looked over all the ponies moaning and groaning, "Oh no! What happened?" Spike sniffed something and picked up one of the muffins. 
"It was a mishap with some of the baked goods." 
Pinkie moaned, "No, not baked goods, baked bads."

"Applejack." 
Spike chomped on the muffin, "Want one?" 
Twi just rolled her eyes and went to go see AJ, she found her in her cart upside down, at this point she was half tempted to cast a sleeping spell on AJ so she could finally get some rest, "Applejack, we need to talk." 
AJ snorted awake, "Wha, huh? Oh, it's you, Twilight." She yawned again, "I know what you're gonna say, but the answer is still no." 
"Not to upset your applecart, but you need help." 
"Hardy har." AJ groaned, "And no I don't. "

"Here, let me help." 
"Help? No thanks." Twi watched as AJ tried to tip her cart back forwards and Twi slapped her face with her claw when it was just getting pathetic. "I'll prove that this apple can handle these apples." AJ said starting to kick a tree, "Come on apples fall off!" 
"AJ, I think you're beating a dead... tree." 
AJ looked up, "I knew that." 
No, she didn't... they started walking, "Actually, Applejack, I had something else to talk to you about. I just came back from Ponyville Urgent Care and--"

"You know, I'm a little busy to get lectured right now, Twilight." 
"But if you'd just let me help--" 
"Ugh. No, no, NO! How many times do I gotta say it? I don't need no help from nopony!" AJ walked off. 
"Ugh. That pony is stubborn as a mule." A mule neighed. "No offense." Twi said turning to the mule. 
"None taken." The next day Twi was going through town humming when she saw ponies laying on the ground, she gasped. 
"The horror, the horror." 
"It was awful." 
"A disaster. A horrible, horrible disaster."

Twi looked at the town, it seemed perfectly fine to her, "I don't get it." 
"Our gardens, destroyed." 
"Every last flower devoured." 
"By... by... THEM!" Daisy pointed to the bunnies eating every plant. 
"Oh, my. Oh... Please stop, little bunnies. Oh no! Please, let's go home. Oh, my goodness." Shy said as she tried to stop them. 
"All right. Enough is enough." She trotted over to the farm, she looked around until she finally found AJ, she trotted right up to her.

"All right, Applejack. Your apple bucking hasn't just caused you problems, it's over-propelled Pegasus', practically poisoned plenty of ponies, and terrorized bushels of brand new bouncing baby bunnies. I don't care what you say, you. Need. Help." 
AJ kicked the tree she was trying to kick before, "Ha! No, I don't. Look, I did it." Twi looked over to see all the bare trees. "I harvested the entire Sweet Apple Acres without your help. How d'ya like them apples?" 
"Um, how do you like them apples?" Big McIntosh asked.

All the trees on the other side were still full of apples, AJ mumbled, "Where'd all the apple...?" 
She sighed as she feinted, Twi stood over her, "Applejack? Applejack!" 
AJ let out a, "Huh?"
"Oh, good, you're okay. Now Applejack, I completely respect the Apple family ways. You're always there to help anypony in need, so maybe you can put a little of your stubborn pride aside and allow your friends to help you." 
AJ looked at all the trees, "Okay, Twilight." 
"I am not taking "no" for an answer--"

Then she heard what AJ said, "What?" 
"Yes, Twilight. Yes, please. I could really use your help." 
AJ looked like she was begging and Twi chuckled and then she sighed, "Finally you see reason." She got all her friends to help out as she got Spike to take a letter, "Dear Princess Celestia, My friend Applejack is the best friend a pony could ever have, and she's always there to help anypony, the only trouble is, when she needs help, she finds it hard to accept it."

"So while friendship is about giving of ourselves to friends, it's also about accepting what our friends have to offer. Your faithful student, Twilight Amethyst Sparkle." Spike finished the letter as she finished levitating a whole bunch of apples to huge baskets. 
"How about y'all take a little break? I got some fine apple juice waitin' for ya!" AJ asked then she sighed, "Girls, I can't thank you enough for this help. I was acting a bit stubborn." 
Twi looked at her, "A bit?" 
"Okay. A mite stubborn, and I'm awful sorry."

"Now, I know the town gave me the Prized Pony award, but the real award is having you five as my friends." 
"Phew! That apple bucking sure made me hungry." 
"And I've got the perfect treat." Spike said holding up a bunch of the bad muffins. 
"Eeew... Spike, I threw those all away. Where'd you get them?" 
"From the trash." He answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, everypony said ew and started walking away, "Just a little nibble? Come on." 
They all said, "Ew! Gross!"

Even Twi joined them and she was a hybrid, so it must be a full dragon thing, she finally got Spike home and allowed him to eat the bad muffins, "Come on sis you haven't even tried one little bite." 
Twi looked at him holding up one, "Thanks but no thanks, I am half pony I don't think it will agree with me, and I'm not willing to test that out." 
"Suit yourself." He munched on the muffins more, and Twi almost wanted to gag, thankfully she had something to distract herself from Spike, writing a letter.

"Dear mother, Spike and I have been wanting to visit you and meet our new cousin for a while, I'm sure my friends won't mind if we leave for a few days, we await your response, love Twilight and Spike." She sent it, "I think sending letters through our fire is a lot quicker than the mail system." 
A letter appeared. "You know what sis I agree, sending things our way is a lot faster then any mail system can ever be." When Spike finished his last muffin he was disappointed, seeing his look she laughed and he finally joined her.
> Chapter eighteen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	After their laugh and a good night sleep, Twi grabbed a book, one of her favorites, went outside to greet the new day, her scales shined in the light as she went to her relaxing space. Her relaxing space turned out to be a huge smooth rock, it was just the right shade of gray to absorb enough sunlight to be warm and it was in the right place to have just enough shade to be cooling and relaxing. She claimed it as her own as soon as she found it, it was a dragon thing, she relaxed on the rock and pulled out the book.

She was enjoying her peace and quiet long into the afternoon until Pinkie appeared, "Hey Twilight did you see Rainbow Dash with her amazing stunts this morning? It was hoof-biting action overload! She was a stunt superstar, flying higher and higher, and then Rainbow Dash swooped down--swoosh--and right before she hit the ground--shoom-she pulled up--vroom!" 
Pinkie said acting it out on the ground, Twi simply continued to read her book but replayed with a, "Uh-huh." Hoping Pinkie will be done soon.

"And then she looped around and around like whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo!" 
Pinkie continued landing on the ground face up, Twi just responded with another, "Uh-huh." Dash flew over them and Pinkie jumped after her Twi let out a "Phew." Glad something else has Pinkie's attention. 
"Rainbow Dash!" 
Dash grunted as she spotted Pinkie, "Pinkie Pie? Not again." She flew faster. 
"Rainbow Dash." Pinkie said running faster. 
"Not now, Pinkie Pie." 
"But, but Rainbow Dash–"

"I'm in the middle of something." 
"But–" 
"I said not now--" Dash slammed into a cliff then slid down. 
"I was gonna tell you to look out for that mountain." 
Dash grumbled, and Twi looked up from her book, "Ouch that had to hurt, isn't that right Daring Do?" She asked her book, finishing the last page, once she finished her book she put it away and simply enjoyed her relaxing until Spike came looking at her with a begging look, she sighed moving aside and allowed him to join her.

The next day Pinkie was humming through town, "Hi, I'm looking for Rainbow Dash. Have you seen her?" Pinkie asked a pony but they shook their head no. "Hi there, have you seen Rainbow Dash?" Another head shaking no, "Okay, thanks anyway." Pinkie hopped to Twi, "Twilight, have you seen Rainbow Dash anywhere?" 
"Isn't she right up there?" 
Twi asked looking up, Pinkie looked too, "Rainbow Dash." Dash flew off and before Twi could stop her, Pinkie hopped after Dash.

Dash flew towards sweet apple acres and hid behind the barn, she looked out to see nothing, "Phew. That was close." 
She turned thinking she lost Pinkie when "Hi!" 
"Aah!" Dash said shocked to see Pinkie and flew off again, she hid in Twi's tree, she panted looking out, she started to relax when 
"Hi again." 
"Aah!" Dash said again flying over hills, Pinkie simply hopped after the rainbow streak, Dash watched this and silently tip-toed in the air towards a lake, she landed thinking she finally lost Pinkie.

"Pfeh. I need a favor, Rainbow Dash." Pinkie said coming out of the lake. 
"Waaa--" Dash said preparing to fly off again but she simply plopped back down, "Oh, forget it." 
"I totally promise it'll be totally fun." 
Dash sighed, "Okay." 
Dash held on to a cloud as Pinkie looked at it from the ground, "Over to the right. No no, a little to the left. Oh, wait, back to the right. Now a little leftish while staying rightly. Stop. Hmm. Maybe a few inches to the south. Now a couple centimeters north."

Dash was moving the cloud following Pinkie's orders but she was starting to get annoyed. "Okay. One more smidgimeter to the--" 
Dash growled a bit, she couldn't take this anymore, "Pinkie Pie!" 
"Uh, I mean, perfect. Now, wait for my signal." 
Pinkie looked inside town hall to see Spike humming and carrying a bunch of scrolls, once Spike came outside Pinkie signaled Dash and she kicked the cloud making thunder, "D-aah!" Spike said shocked then started hiccuping.

Pinkie laughed, "Oh Rainbow Dash, we startled Spike into getting the hiccups." 
Dash chuckled. "Good one, Pinkie Pie. You're always pulling a fast one on me." Spike said through his hiccups, he held up one scroll but then a hiccup made his fire send it, "Nnaa--" 
Pinkie looked a bit worried, "Oh no, you're not hurt are you?" 
"Nah, don't be silly, dragons are fire-proof." Spike said still hiccuping. 
"Oh, okay, good." Pinkie said then both her and Dash laughed some more.

Spike gathered all the scrolls but another flame hiccup sent them away, "I wish the same thing were true with the scrolls." They continue to laugh as Spike tried to pick up the scrolls but each time a flame hiccup would send them off. 
"Have you ever seen anything more hilarious?" Pinkie asked. 
"I can think of one thing." Dash said kicking the cloud again thunder boomed startling Pinkie with her own hiccups, she didn't seem to mind though as she laughed between her hiccups.

"I didn't take you for a prankster, Pinkie Pie." 
"Are you kidding? I love to pull pranks. It's all in good fun, and Pinkie Pie loves to have fun!" She said between hiccups. 
"You know Pinkie Pie, you're not as annoying as I thought." Pinkie hiccuped. "You wanna hang out?" 
"That'd be... I'd really... When do... I mean... When would you..." Pinkie tried to ask between her hiccups, but Dash stopped her by sticking her hoof in Pinkie's mouth. 
"A simple nod would do." Pinkie nodded.

Pinkie and Dash got a bunch of joke stuff from the joke store, they started with Rarity, placing a vase full of roses on her doorstep then ringing the bell before hiding, "Is she even home?" Dash asked. 
"I don't know. This is gonna be gold." 
They both chuckled. "There she is." Rarity spotted the roses and stuck her nose in it sniffing them. Then she got pink powder on her nose and started sneezing, both Pinkie and Dash laughed showing the sneezing powder.

Dash dropped it and Pinkie sneezed when some got on her, Rarity simply shook her head, next was Twilight who was spreading out a scroll, she quickly wrote down what she was doing with the potions but as soon as she turned away it disappeared. She turned back and saw the blank scroll, "Hmm?" She looked at it then the potion then back again before her potion exploded lightly, she looked at her ink pot before she heard laughter, she looked out her window to see Dash holding a fading ink bottle.

She smiled lightly as she went to go get some more ink, next was AJ who walked outside her barn to see a bunch of her apples all kinds of colors and patterns, she gasped, "Land sakes!" She heard chuckling and looked over to see Pinkie and Dash holding easels and paintbrushes, they chuckled some more but ran away when AJ started to throw the miscolored apples at them, one landed in a water barrel and the paint washed off, she chuckled when she realized it was washable paint.

Fluttershy was feeding animals and more came, one squeaked, at the end of the squeaky toy's water tube was Pinkie holding the ball to squirt and Dash looking through a telescope. "Is someone over there? Who're we gonna squirt? Who're we gonna squirt?" 
Pinkie asked a bit muffled, and Dash chuckled, "Fluttershy." 
"WHAT?" Pinkie said spitting the ball out, "No nono no nono, we can't prank Fluttershy, I mean, she's so sensitive. It'll hurt her feelings, even our most harmless prank."

"Yeah, you're right." Dash said, "Huh. We need another victim who's made of tougher stuff. So, who's it gonna be?" Dash asked looking around with a black ring around her left eye. 
"Oh, I've got someone in mind. The toughest around." Pinkie said chuckling. 
"Oh, awesome. Who? Who? Do I know them?" 
Pinkie chuckled pointing in the lake, "Oh, yes. You're very close." 
Dash looked in and chuckled, "Good one, Pinkie Pie." She held out her hoof but kept pulling it back whenever Pinkie tried to hit it.

They both laughed as the sun set, "Ridiculous." 
Meanwhile Shy looked at the toy and poked it, the head sprung as it squeaked, the next day Pinkie was blowing a party hooter wearing spiral glasses and an arrow headband, "Rise and shine Rainbow Dash! It's a brand new day and we got a lot of pranking to--" An eagle head came out and looked at her. "Ooh." 
"Mornin', Pinks." Dash said flying down to her, "Gilda, this is my gal pal, Pinkie Pie."

Gilda flew down and Pinkie's stuff fell off. "Hey. What's up?" 
"Pinkie, this is my griffon friend, Gilda." 
"What's a griffon?" 
"She's half-eagle, half-lion." Dash said as Gilda flew over to Dash. 
"And all awesome." Gilda finished hugging Dash, "Raa. Heh-haha. Yeah, that's right." She said as they did some kind of handshake. 
"Gilda's my best friend from my days at Junior Speedster flight camp. Hey, remember the chant?" 
"Sha, they made us recite it every morning, I'll never get that lame thing out of my head."

"Sooo..." Dash said looking at her. 
"Ugh. Only for you, Dash." 
They both flew up and chanted, "Junior Speedsters are our lives, sky-bound soars and daring dives, junior Speedsters, it's our quest, to someday be the very best!" 
They finished landing, and Pinkie laughed, "Oh that was awesome, and it gave me a great idea for a prank." She said putting her stuff back on, "Gilda, you game?" 
"Huh. Well, I groove on a good prank as much as the next griffon."

"But Dash, you promised me we'd get a flying session in this morning." Gilda said flying up. 
"Yeah, uh, well, Pinkie Pie, you don't mind, do you? Gilda just got here. We'll catch up with you later." 
"Oh. Um, well sure, no problem. Have fun you guys, I'll, uh, just catch up with you--" They flew off, and Pinkie sighed, "Later." She blows party hooter very sadly, later on, Dash and Gilda were flying in the sky, then they landed on a cloud laughing.

"Whoa, that was sweet. Just like old times." Gilda said. 
"Yeah, only faster." They hoof bumped, "So now what?" 
Pinkie's head popped up, "Hey there." She said before going back down. 
"Huh?" They both responded. 
"It's later." Pinkie said popping up then back down. "And I caught up." She said doing it again, and looking down you could see a giant trampling Pinkie was using. 
"Pinkie Pie, you are so random." Dash said watching Pinkie pop in and out, Gilda didn't look so happy.

"Hey Dash, think you got enough gas left to beat me to that cloud?" 
"A race? You are so on." 
"One, two, three, go." 
They both flew off leaving Pinkie behind, "Hey!" She said watching them go. 
"I win." Dash said. 
"As if. I won, dude." 
"No way." 
"Yes, way." Balloons started to float behind them without them noticing. 
"Oh, come on, I was way ahead of you." 
"Uh, I don't think so." 
"Oh Geez, dream on." 
"Remember back in camp? I–" 
"There is no way you beat me." 
"Whatever."

"Wow, guys." Pinkie said startling them both, "That was really close, but I think Rainbow Dash beat you by a teeny weeny itty bitty hair, or a teeny weeny itty bitty feather." 
"Hah, see? Good thing Pinkie Pie's here to keep you honest, G." 
"Okay... Dash, last one to that cloud up there is a gnarly dragon egg. Go!" Dash flew off leaving a cloud of smoke but Gilda stayed behind, " I think the high altitude is making you dizzy." She said to Pinkie popping her balloons then flying off. 
"Wait, guys!" Pinkie said floating down.

The two landed on another cloud when, "Oh wow, you guys almost got away from me that time." Pinkie appeared peddling in some kind of contraption, Gilda looked upset again, 
"So, Dash, got any new moves in your tricktionary, or are you 100% old school?" 
"New moves? Heh, sit back G, this is gonna take a while." Dash said flying off. 
"Hey Pinkie, c'mere." 
"Yeah?" 
"Don't you know how to take get lost for an answer? Dash doesn't need to hang with a dweeb like you now that I'm around."

"You're dorkin' up the skies, Stinkie Pie, so make like a bee and BUZZ OFF." Gilda said grabbing onto Pinkie's contraption blades making Pinkie spin around instead, then she let go making Pinkie spin around out of control and fall to the ground. 
"Try matching that. Hey, where's Pinkie Pie and her crazy contraption?" Dash asked coming back. 
"Eh, she left. Something about being as busy as a bee." 
Pinkie crashed on the ground but seemed fine, she slowly got up and let out a "Hmph!"
> Chapter nineteen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Pinkie went to Twi's library and told Twi that Dash's friend was being mean. "So Pinkie Pie, are you sure that this friend of Rainbow Dash is really so mean?" Twi asked looking at a book. 
"Um, yeah. She keeps stealing Rainbow Dash away, she pops my balloons, and she told me to buzz off. I've never met a griffon this mean. Well, actually, I've never met a griffon at all, but I bet if I had, she wouldn't have been as mean and grumpy as Gilda." Another hybrid in town sounded interesting to Twi.

"You know what I think, Pinkie Pie." 
"Hmm?" 
"Well, I think... you're jealous." 
"Jealous?" Pinkie shouted making Twi's ear ring a bit. 
"Green with envy. Well, in your case, pink with envy." Spike said looking up from his book. 
"Well, yes. Jealous. Listen Pinkie, I don't want to upset you, but just because Rainbow Dash has another friend doesn't make Gilda a grump. I mean, perhaps it's you, Pinkie, who needs to improve her attitude." She said trying to reason with Pinkie.

"Improve my attitude? But I... D... B.. It's Gilda that... D... Are you seri..." 
Pinkie tried to say, but in the end, she simply let out a scream of frustration, and walked out, slamming the door behind her, Spike came over as Twi sighed, "Well I tried." 
Meanwhile, Pinkie was walking through the park thinking out loud, "Maybe Twilight is right. Maybe Gilda isn't a big meanie grumpy mean-meanie-pants, maybe I'm just a big jealous judgmental jealous-jealousy-pants." Pinkie sighed, she needed a milkshake.

Pinkie sat at a table sipping on a strawberry milkshake when she heard laughter from the sky, "That was sweet. Ugh, I gotta take care of a few weather jobs around here. Shouldn't take long. Just, uh, hang out in town and I'll come find ya." 
"That's cool, I guess. I'm gonna go chow down." 
"Later." 
Dash flew off and Gilda looked over at a stand smiling, Granny smith sniffed the stand when she saw something poke out, "Aaah! A rattler, a rattler! Run for the hills! Everybody forsake yourselves!"

Glida smiled and then used her tail to pat a tomato, "This stuff ain't fresh, dude." 
"Aw, poor Granny Smith, she didn't know it was a joke. How mean. No, no, I can't misjudge her. It was kind of a funny prank, I guess." Pinkie said as she watched Gilda walk over to another stand and she used her tail to take an apple and chew on it, Pinkie gasped, "I did misjudge her. She's not only a meanie mean-pants, she's also a thief. Nonononono, she might give it back. It's just a joke."

Pinkie said trying to convince herself than she spotted Shy leading a bunch of ducks, "All right little ones, this way, this way. Mama duck, you're free and clear." 
Gilda walked right into Shy but didn't react the right way, "Hey." 
"Please excuse me." 
"I'm walkin' here." 
"Oh, um, I'm sorry. I-I-I was just trying to..." Shy said backing up. 
Gilda mocked her, " I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Why don't you just watch where you're going, doofus?" 
The ducks flew away all scared, "B-b-b-but I... I..."

Gilda breathed in than roared in Shy's face, Shy simply ran off crying. "Ugh, please, all these lame ponies are driving me buggy. I gotta bail." Gilda said flying off. 
"She's a grump, and a thief, and a bully. The meanest kind of mean meanie-pants there is. I can take it, but no one treats Fluttershy like that. No. One. This calls for extreme measures, Pinkie Pie style." She said smiling than at sugar cube corner she started welcoming ponies in, "Welcome, welcome. Welcome!"

"Who's this Gilda I've heard nothing about?" AJ asked Rarity. 
"I hear she's an old friend of Rainbow Dash. A griffon, so rare... well not as rare as a one of a kind hybrid." 
Twi smiled, "You've met Gilda, right? What's she like?" 
Shy looked uncomfortable, "Oh, um, well, I'll tell you later, Twilight." Shy said walking over to Pinkie who was still welcoming ponies in. "Um, Pinkie Pie, about this party for Gilda. Umm... Do you really think it's a good idea? I mean–"

"Don't worry your pretty little head about mean old Gilda. Your auntie Pinkie Pie's got it all taken care of." Pinkie said patting her head. 
"I'm a year older than you." 
"Gilda! I'm so honored to throw you one of my signature Pinkie Pie parties, and I really, truly, sincerely, hope you feel welcome here amongst all us pony folk." 
Pinkie said holding out her hoof, Gilda took it and got shocked, and Pinkie laughed, so did Dash, "Oh Pinkie Pie, the old hoof-shake buzzer. You are a scream."

"Yeah uh, good one, Pinkie Pie." Gilda said chuckling nervously. 
"Come on G, I'll introduce you to some of my other friends." Dash said walking off. 
"Right behind you Dash." Then she whispered, "I know what you're up to." 
"Great." Pinkie answered. 
"Rrrh. I know what you're planning." 
Pinkie giggled, "Well, I hope so. This wasn't supposed to be a surprise party." 
"I mean, I've got my eye on you." 
"And I got my eye on you." Pinkie said getting in her face.

"Everyone, I'd like you all to meet Gilda, a long-time, dear friend of Rainbow Dash. Let's honor her and welcome her to Ponyville." Ponies cheered, "Please help yourself." 
"Vanilla lemon drops. Don't mind if I do." She takes one and spat out flames as Pinkie held up a marshmallow on a stick, "HOT!" 
"G, the punch." 
Dash said as Gilda ran over there and tried to drink one glass, but found it pouring on her feathers, "Huh?" Dash started laughing.

"Well, whaddya know, pepper in the vanilla lemon drops, and the punch served in a dribble glass." Pinkie said. 
"Ha. Priceless. Priceless." 
Dash said still laughing, Gilda quickly poured a normal cup in her mouth and gulped it down, "Yeah, hilarious." 
"Hey G, look, presents." Gilda came over grabbed one and pulled the ribbon off only for snakes to pop out, more ponies laughed at this. 
"Spittin' snakes. Hah, somepony pulled that prank on me last month." AJ said.

"Ha ha. I bet I know who that was." 
Gilda said looking over at Pinkie who replied with, "You do?" Gilda went to go smooth back down her feathers as everyone started to talk, "Cake time everypony." Pinkie said pushing it out. 
"Hey, can I blow out the candles?" Spike asked. 
"Why don't we let Gilda blow out the candles, Spike? She is the guest of honor after all." 
Glida came in, "Exactly... wait, what are you?" 
Twi pointed to herself, "Me? Oh right, I'm a draconequus."

Glida gave her a strange look. "I'm half dragon and half unicorn hybrid, much like you're a hybrid of an eagle and a lion." 
"Oh that's cool I guess, so where're your wings?" 
Twi looked at her bare back, "I wasn't born with them... weren't you going to blow out the candles?" 
"Oh right." She blew them out but they light themselves again, she blew them out again and they did it again, laughter was heard as she continued to try to blow them out again and again.

"Re-lighting birthday candles, I love that prank. What a classic." Spike said laughing. 
"Now, I wonder who could've done that." Pinkie asked. 
"Yeah, I wonder." 
Spike dug into the cake, literally, "Mmm, who cares. This cake is amazing." 
"Spike." 
"What? It's great, try some." Twi rolled her eyes, now he needed a bath. 
"Hey G, you're not upset about some silly candles, are you?" 
"No way, Dash. Like I said, I'm down with a good prank." 
"Come on then, let's have some cake."

Pinkie munched on a piece then was pulled in by Gilda hiding behind the cake, "Hey, I'm watching you. Like a hawk." 
"Why? Can't you watch me like a griffon?" 
A voice made them come out smiling forcibly, "Hey y'all, it's pin the tail on the pony. Let's play." 
"Oh, my favorite game. Can I go first? Can I have the purple tail?" 
Rarity asked reaching for it, "Well, I am the guest of honor, and I'll have the purple tail." 
"Yeah, Gilda should definitely go first. Let's get you blindfolded." Pinkie said.

Spike went over and blindfolded Gilda. "Hey what-- ugh-- what are you doing? Rrrah." 
Pinkie spins her around, "We're spinning you around and around and then you can pin the tail on the pony. Now just walk straight ahead and pin the tail." She said leading Gilda to the poster. 
"Now just walk straight ahead and pin the tail." Gilda said mocking her. "Hmph, yeah, right. This is another prank, isn't it? I'm going this way." She said walking in the other direction. 
"Wait. The poster is this--"

Glida stepped on cake, "Whoa whaa waah waah waaaaah." She shouted as slid all the way into the kitchen, she stepped out with the tail on her beak. 
"Uh, Gilda? You pinned the tail on the wrong end." Pinkie said and everyone laughed, Gilda couldn't take it anymore, she roared and flew up. 
"This is your idea of a good time? I've never met a lamer bunch of dweebs in all my life. And Pinkie Pie, you! You are queen lame-o with your weak little party pranks, did you really think you could make me lose my cool?"

She asked in Pinkie's face. "Well, Dash and I have ten times as much cool as the rest of you put together. Come on Dash, we're bailing on this pathetic scene." Gilda said walking out realizing Dash wasn't following her she looked back at her, "Come on Rainbow Dash. I said we're leaving." 
Dash looked down then back up, "You know Gilda, I was the one who set up all those weak pranks at this party." 
Gilda gasped, "What?" 
She looked at Pinkie who said, "Ooh."

Dash stood in front of her, "So I guess I'm queen lame-o." 
"Come on, Dash, you're joshing me." 
"They weren't all meant for you specifically, it was just dumb luck that you set them all off." 
"I shoulda known, that dribble cup had Rainbow Dash written all over it." Pinkie said to Spike. 
"No way. It was Pinkie Pie. She set up this party to trip me up, to make a fool of me." 
"Me? I threw this party to improve your attitude. I thought a good party might turn that frown upside down." Pinkie said turning her head upside down.

Twi watched this, no don't question it... just don't question this... Twi thought her eye twitching. "And you sure didn't need any help making a fool of yourself. You know this is not how I thought my old friends would treat my new friends." Dash said standing in front of everyone, "If being cool is all you care about, maybe you should go find some new cool friends someplace else." 
Gilda looked upset, "Rrgh. Yeah? Well, you, you, you are such a, a flip-flop: cool one minute and lame the next."

"When you decide not to be lame anymore, gimme a call." Gilda said leaving and slamming the door and they all heard a bird of prey screech. 
"Not cool." Dash said. 
"Wow, talk about a party pooper." Spike said and everyone started to talk indistinctly. 
"I'm sorry everypony, for bringing Gilda here. I didn't know how rude she was. And Pinkie Pie, I'm really sorry she ruined that awesome party you put on for her." 
"Hey, if you want to hang out with party poopers, that's your business."

"I'd rather hang out with you. No hard feelings?" Dash held out a hoof. 
"No hard feelings." Pinkie answered holding out her own they both shocked each other and everyone laughed. 
"Hey Pinkie. Sorry, I accused you of misjudging Gilda. Looks like I'm the one who misjudged you." Twi said coming over to her. 
"It's okay Twilight, even you can't be a super smart smarty smart-pants all the time. Come on everypony, there's still a whole lotta party to finish." Ponies cheered, as Twilight had Spike send a letter.

'Dearest Princess Celestia, Today I learned that it's hard to accept when somepony you like wants to spend time with somepony who's not so nice. Though it's impossible to control who your friends hang out with, it is possible to control your own behavior. Just continue to be a good friend. In the end, the difference between a false friend and one who's true will surely come to light. Your faithful student, Twilight Amethyst Sparkle.' Celestia read and smiled.

She dipped her quill in the ink pot that came with the letter and started to write, "Dear Twilight Amethyst Sparkle, My most faithful student..." Celestia wrote but then saw the ink fade, she looked at the ink pot and the sticker fell off revealing it to be fading ink, "Oh! Heh, wrong ink." She said getting different ink, she sighed and chuckled, her student learned something else today, "I'm so glad to see that you learned how to pull a prank, and learned the difference between a harmless prank and a hurtful prank."
> Chapter twenty
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The next day Twi and Spike were going down the list of spells she could perform, Spike of course helping with a select few, "Come on, Twi. You can do it!" 
"Okay, here goes." 
Twi focused her magic and a glow appeared on Spike's mouth before a mustache appeared, "Ha ha! Ya did it!" He checked off another magic spell, "Growing magic, that's number twenty-five. Twenty-five different types of tricks and counting." Twi lightly blushed. "And I think this is the best trick so far."

Spike said looking in the mirror, "Hello, Rarity. What's that? Aw, it's nothin', just my awesome mustache." He laughed. 
"Sorry, Romeo. As attractive and enticing as you look, it's just for practice, and it's gotta go." 
"Wait!" He tried to stop it from vanishing but Twi took it away anyways. "Aw, rats!" 
She laughed, "Come on let's go see what our friends are doing." 
They walked outside and through town, "Twenty-five, Twilight. Twenty-five different kinds of tricks and counting."

"I thought unicorns were only supposed to have a little magic that matches their special talents!" 
"Well yes for unicorns whose talents are for things like cooking or singing or math, but what if a unicorn's special talent is magic?" 
"Like you, Twilight? You know a ton of magic." 
"Well yes but I'm a hybrid even if the same rules imply to me, I'm still sort of cheating since I have the advantage of dragon magic as well. I'm sure there are lots of ponies right here in Ponyville that know just as much magic as me."

"And plenty don't have an unfair advantage to boost their unicorn magic like me." 
"Are you kiddin'? I don't think there's another unicorn in all of Equestria with your kind of ability, Twilight." 
"Now Spike don't you think that's a little unfair to any powerful..." 
"Gangway! Comin' through!" 
Before either could react Snips and Snails ran passed and Spike got carried by them, "Augh! Snips, Snails! What's goin' on?" They stopped flinging Spike off, "Whoa!" 
"Wha, haven't you heard? There's a new unicorn in town!"

"Yeah! They say that she's got more magical powers than any other unicorn ever!" 
Twi got interested hearing this, "Really?" 
"Aw, no way, that honor goes to..." 
Twi shut him up by putting her claw on his mouth, "Where is this unicorn?" 
"Ho, she's in the town square. Come on!" Snails said running off and Spike ducked under him. 
"Yeah! Come on! Whooo!" Snips said running after Snails and Spike jumped over him. 
"Come on Spike, let's go see if what they said was true."

"And no more of me being the best unicorn, we both know I can't have that honor I'm only half unicorn and I don't even look like a pony." 
They went to the town square to see a stage set up there, they went to the front with the rest of their friends while they heard, "Come one, come all! Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!" The stage opened up and a blue unicorn wearing a purple hat and cape appeared in a cloud of smoke.

The audience oohed as Trixie appeared, "Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!" She said as fireworks shoot out and fanfare played. 
"My, my, my! What boasting!" 
"Come on nopony is as magical as... Oh hey, Rarity, I, uh— Mustache!" 
Spike ran off, and Twi simply shock her head that didn't last long either that or he didn't listen, "There's nothing wrong with being talented, is there?"

"Nothin' at all, 'cep'n when someone goes around showin' it off like a school filly with fancy new ribbons." 
"Just because one has the ability to perform lots of magic does not make one better than the rest of us." 
"Especially when ya got me around being better than the rest of us." Dash said laughing. "Eh, I mean, yeah, uh, magic shmagic. Boo!" Dash said when AJ gave her a look. 
"Well, well, well, it seems we have some neighsayers in the audience."

"Who is so ignorant as to challenge the magical ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie? Do they not know that they're in the presence of the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria?" 
"Just who does she think she is?" 
"What's with you three?" 
They all looked at her, "What do you mean, aren't you seeing and hearing what we are?" 
"Yes, I'm seeing a show performing unicorn putting on a magic show, that's what performing ponies do, they embellish their talents and boost their abilities."

"Spike and I have seen some performing ponies before, and I have even read about them, this sort of thing is natural for any performer who wants to stay at the top and be the best, the fireworks, the fanfare, the way she speaks, it all comes with the package of being a performer." 
"Well at least there's one of you who understands the Great and Powerful Trixie, come forwards and let me thank you personally for telling the ignorant ponies what it means to be a performer."

Twi stepped forwards and Trixie looked at her, "Well what do we have here?" Trixie leaned in and whispered, "Seriously what are you?" 
"I'm a draconequus, a dragon-pony hybrid." Twi whispered back. 
Trixie looked back up, "Here we have a hybrid who has more manners than a pony." 
Dash flew in, "So, 'Great and Powerful Trixie', what makes you think you're so awesome, anyway?" 
"Heh, why, only the Great and Powerful Trixie has magic strong enough to vanquish the dreaded Ursa major!"

Fanfare played as fireworks shoot out and made an outline of the Ursa, the audience ahhed. "What?" 
"No way!" 
"When all hope was lost, the ponies of Hoofington had no one to turn to, but the Great and Powerful Trixie stepped in, and with her awesome magic, vanquished the Ursa major and sent it back to its cave deep within the Everfree Forest!" 
The scene played out in glowing outlines and the Ursa vanished as she finished, both Snips and Snails were impressed, "Saw, sweet!" The rest of the audience was shocked.

Twi rubbed a claw under her jaw, sure this could just be a made up story like what performers do, but it got her interested to find out more about this. "That settles it." Snips said. 
"Trixie truly is the most talented, the most magical, the most awesome unicorn in Ponyville." Snails said. 
"No, in all of Equestria!" Snips added. 
"How do you know? You didn't see it! And besides, Twi—" 
Twi used her magic to zip his mouth closed, "I warned you before, keep this up and I'll put a steel trap on your mouth instead."

"It's true, my enthusiastic little admirers. Trixie is most certainly the best in Ponyville." Crickets were heard as no one said anything. "Don't believe the Great and Powerful Trixie?" She chuckled, "Well then, I hereby challenge you, Ponyvillians. Anything you can do, I can do better. Any takers? Anyone? Hmm? Or is Trixie destined to be the greatest equine who has ever lived!?" Fireworks shoot out as more fanfare played, sure performers normally do this but Trixie was really laying it on thick.

Spike unzipped his mouth, "Please! She's unbearable! Ya gotta show her! Ya just gotta!" "There's no reason I should show her up, Spike. Especially since—" 
"Hmm, how about you?" Trixie said pointing to Twi, and Twi gulped. "Well, how about it? Hm? Is there anything you can do that the Great and Powerful Trixie can't?" 
Why her? Yes betting a draconequus would add to Trixie's credibility but she had an unfair advantage over Trixie or any unicorn for that matter. "Well, I don't think..."

"Well, little hayseed?" 
"That's it! I can't stand for no more of this!" AJ said going up on stage. 
"You show her, AJ!" Spike shouted. 
"Can your magical powers do this?" AJ asked spinning a rope around on her tail and doing impressive rodeo stunts, she even lassoed an apple and ate it, the audience cheered. "Top that, missy." 
"Oh, ye of little talent. Watch and be amazed at the magic of Trixie!" Trixie said taking off her hat to show her horn, and then she used her magic to make the rope move around.

One end danced in front of AJ distracting her as the other end grabbed an apple, the first end tied around AJ and the second end stuck the apple in her mouth, the audience laughed and cheered as AJ had to hop off the stage. "Once again, the Great and Powerful Trixie prevails." 
Dash flew in again, "There's no need to go struttin' around and showin' off like that." 
"Oh?" 
"That's my job!" Dash said flying off, she spins around on a windmill, then punched through some clouds up to the sun.

She flew quicker back down through those same clouds, making rain follow her, she spins around on the same windmill then landed on the stage allowing the rain to hit her and it created a rainbow above her, "They don't call me 'Rainbow' and 'Dash' for nothin'!" 
The audience cheered again. "When Trixie is through, the only thing they'll call you is loser." Trixie said casting her magic on the rainbow making it and Dash spin around and around in the air.

It didn't stop spinning until Dash landed on the ground all dizzy, "I think I'm gonna be sick." She said gulping down some air. 
"Seems like anypony with a dash of good sense would think twice before tussling with the Great Trixie." Trixie said casting her magic making a mini storm cloud appear and it zapped Dash making her cry out. 
Everyone laughed at this, and Spike looked at Twi, "What we need is another unicorn to challenge her. Someone with some magic of her own."

"Yeah! A unicorn to show this unicorn who's boss." Dash said. 
"A real unicorn to unicorn tussle." AJ added. 
"But girls I'm not..." 
"Enough. Enough, all of you. I take your hint, but Rarity is above such nonsense. Rainbow Dash and Applejack may behave like ruffians, but Rarity conducts herself with beauty and grace." 
"Ooo, what's the matter? Afraid you'll get a hair out of place in that rat's nest you call a mane?" Trixie said. 
"Oh, it. Is. On!" Rarity said going up on stage.

"You may think you're tough with all of your so-called powers, but there's more to magic than your brutish ways. A unicorn needs to be more than just muscle." Rarity said casting her powers pulling down Trixie's curtain, "A unicorn needs to have style." She wrapped it around herself to create a dress, and the audience oohed. "A unicorn is not a unicorn without grace and beauty." Trixie smiled as her horn glowed. 
"Rarity won't let Trixie get the best of her! She's strong, she's beautiful, she's—"

Spike stopped when Trixie cast her spell and everyone gasped. "Quick! I need a mirror! Get me a mirror! What did she do to my hair? I know she did something terrible to my hair!" 
"Nothing." 
"It's fine." 
"It's gorgeous." 
"It's green." They all looked at Spike. "What?" 
"Ugh, no. Green hair! Not green hair!" Rarity cried running off, "Such an awful, awful color!" 
Golden Harvest huffed, "Well, I never!" Then she walked off. 
"Well Twilight, guess it's up to you."

"Come on, show her what you're made of." Spike said to Twi. 
"What do you mean? I'm nothing special." Twi answered seeing all the ponies staring at her. 
"Yes, you are! You are a hybrid and you're better than her!" 
"I'm not better than anyone." 
"Hah! You think you're better than the Great and Powerful Trixie? You think you have more magical talent? Well, come on, show Trixie what you've got. Show us all." Twi was uncomfortable with everypony staring at her.

"Who, me? I'm just your run-of-the-mill hybrid citizen of Ponyville. No powerful magic here. I, uh... I think I hear my laundry calling. Sorry, gotta go." Twi said running off. 
Spike watched her leave, "Twilight?" 
"Ha! Once again, the Great and Powerful Trixie has proven herself to be the most amazing unicorn in all of Equestria. Huh, was there ever any doubt?" Spike looked upset as Trixie walked off stage, later on, Trixie was brushing her hair when Snips and Snails appeared.

"Here's your smoothie you asked for, with extra hay, just how you like it." Snips said holding the tray upon his flank. 
"Mmm, hay." 
Trixie took the smoothie off the tray with her magic and sipped it, then she saw the two giving her a wide-eyed look, "Yes?" 
"Ooo, tell us another story, Great and Powerful Trixie." 
"Yeah, tell us about how you vanquished the Ursa major." 
"Guh! Trixie is far too exhausted from performing feats beyond imagination. Begone with you until morning." The two backed off.

"Oh, of course, Great and Powerful Trixie." 
"Anything you say. We are at your beck and call." 
She watched them leave with a huff, Spike spotted them still bowing down and backing away, "What are you two doing?" 
"Just bringing the G.P.T. a—" 
"Who?" 
"The Great and Powerful Trixie." Spike rolled his eyes. "Just bringing her a smoothie." 
"How can you fall for her lameness? She's just a show-off. Unlike Twilight, who—" 
"The G.P.T. vanquished an Ursa major. Can your Twilight claim that?"
> Chapter twenty-one
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Oh really? Were you guys actually there?" Spike asked. 
"Well, eh, uh... no, but—" Snips tried to say. 
"But nothing the proof is in the pudding." 
Snails laughed, "I like pudding." 
"Look, unless an Ursa major comes waltzing up the street for Trixie to vanquish, I am not gonna believe a word she says, and neither should you!" 
"Hm, an Ursa walkin' up the street hey? Snails! You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" 
"Why is it they call it a flea market when they don't really sell fleas?" "Yeah, uh... oh, come on!" They both left.

Spike went back to the library he tried to convince Twi to beat Trixie as she was reading a book, "Twilight, would you put down that book and just listen to me?" 
Twi looked annoyed, "Didn't you see how they hated Trixie's bragging, Spike? If I go out there and show off my magic, I run the risk of losing them as friends." She looked at him. 
"It's not the same thing, Twilight. You'll be using your magic to stand up for your friends!" 
"No, Spike, it's exactly the same."

"Come on, Twilight, any one of these tricks, even the teeniest, would be enough to show up Trixie." Spike said going over the list they made. 
Twi fully turned towards him, "I don't want to be seen as a bragger like Trixie." 
She made a door appear and slam in his face, which Spike just opened, "But you're the best!" 
"Uh. Please, Spike, I said no!" 
Spike sighed, "If that's the way you want to be, then fine." He slammed the door again, and Twi just stood there looking at the door she made.

Spike finally realized he was still in the same room as her and opened the door, he walked past her as she watched him leave, she really did think Trixie was laying it on thick but some performers did that, she went back to the book she was reading. What Twi and Spike didn't know was that Snips and Snails went into the forest to find an Ursa, they walked into a dark cave but it got too dark to see, "Oh, how we gonna find an Ursa major when I can't even see my own hoof in front of my face?"

"Hold on." Snails said trying to light his horn and he finally did it. 
"Oh, heh. That's better." They both froze when they felt a huge breath on their bodies and then when they heard growling they turned to see a huge bear that looked semi-transparent blue with small stars. It had brighter stars on its tail and back and one large star on its forehead, the Ursa growled at them as it got up, then the two screamed and it roared making the two run off towards town.

Spike was outside kicking a rock when Snips and Snails run past him still screaming, "Hey, guys, where ya going?" 
"Can't talk now." 
"Got a major problem!" 
"Yeah, Ursa major, to be exact." Spike scratched his head then heard a roar he turned to see an Ursa and ran off before he was stepped on. 
Snips and Snails shouted, "Trixie!" 
But Spike shouted, "Twilight!" 
The Ursa crashed through the trees as Snips and Snails ran to town towards Trixie's wagon and started to bang on her door, "Trixie!" 
"Come on wake up!"

Trixie appeared on the other side of the door looking at them through the top opening, "Trixie thought she said the Great and Powerful Trixie did not want to be disturbed!" 
Snips let out a nervous laugh, "We— We have a— a tiny problem." 
"Actually, it's a big one." 
"What is so important that you cannot wait until morning to disturb Trixie?" She heard a roar looked up to see an Ursa crashing the last trees before coming into town, it roared one last time and Trixie screamed running off.

Snips and Snails screamed as well, before running after her, the Ursa crushed Trixie's wagon and roared at them, Spike meanwhile ran and half flew to Twi's library, being a baby dragon he could fly but couldn't fly far or very high because his wings aren't strong or big enough to allow him to do this. He slid into the library seeing Twi still reading her book, "Twilight! You've gotta come! Quick!" 
"I already told you, Spike, I don't wanna show up Trixie!" Why was showing up Trixie so important to Spike?

"No, you don't understand, it's..." Spike couldn't finish because a loud roar cut him off. 
"Uh, is that what I think it is?" 
"Majorly." 
Meanwhile, the Ursa had cornered Trixie, Snips, and Snails, it continued to growl at them as they stood there. "Great and Powerful Trixie, you've got to vanquish the Ursa." Snips said. 
"Yeah, vanquish so we can watch." 
"It took a lot of trouble to get that thing here." 
"Wait, you brought this here?" Trixie gasped at them, "Are you out of your little pony minds?!"

"But, you're the Great and Powerful Trixie." 
"Yeah, remember? You defeated an Ursa major." The Ursa roared again. 
"Uh, okay." Trixie gulped. "Stand back." She used her magic to move the rope and tie it on the Ursa, "Heh. Piece of cake." The Ursa simply looked at it's tied fingers and snapped the rope off. 
"Aw, come on, Trixie." 
"Stop goofin' around and vanquish it, eh?" Trixie gasped and gulped again, she used her magic to create a storm cloud, no bigger than the Ursa's tail...

"Well, that was a dud." 
"Yeah, pfft, come on! Where's all the cool explosions and smoke and stuff like earlier? You know." The storm cloud zapped the Ursa, and it opened its mouth at them. 
"Uh-oh." It roared again making the three yell and run off, it continued to roar as it woke up the whole town, lots of them gasped, then started to cry in fear. 
The Ursa chomped a roof, and the ponies ran off, Twi ran towards the source, she spotted Snips and Snails and went to them, "What's going on?"

"We brought an Ursa to town." Snips said as if it was the most obvious thing ever. 
"You what!?!" Twi shouted what was wrong with these two?! 
"Don't worry, the Great and Powerful Trixie will vanquish it." Snails said as they looked at Trixie. 
Trixie looked down as her ears folded back, "I can't." 
"What!?" They both said. 
"Oh, I can't, I never have. No one can vanquish an Ursa major. I just made the whole story up to make me look better." 
"Made it up!?" 

As good as it was to see Trixie tell the truth the issue was still here, the Ursa growled as it came forwards then Twi turned her head to look at it and it roared making everyone scared. Spike nudged Twi and made some arm movements that told her to go on, Twi gulped as both she and the Ursa meet in the middle, she spread her legs a bit to get a better grip on the ground as she started to cast her magic. The winds started to blow and music started to play from broken cattails, the music flowed towards the Ursa calming it down, "Nice use of number sixteen." Spike said.

Twi focused harder, a water tower container floated off the base, the top of the container unscrewed itself and poured the water out, Twi was straining a bit as she made it fly to the barn, milk the cows to fill it up, Spike watched in awe, "That's new." The top went back on as the Ursa started to sway then it fell asleep, it nearly landed on Trixie before Twi caught it in her magic and lifted it up, she gave the milk filled container to the Ursa which it started to drink, then she floated it back to its cave.

Her job done she stopped and started to gasp for breath, then everyone started to cheer, "Unbelievable!" Dash said. 
"That was amazing!" Spike shouted. 
"Heavens to Betsy! We knew you had an ability, but not that much!" AJ said as the crowd quieted down. 
"I'm sorry. Please, please don't hate me." 
"Hate you?" 
"Why, whatever do you mean, darling?" Rarity asked. 
"Well, I know how much you all hated Trixie's showing off with her magic tricks, and I just thought--"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Magic's got nothing to do with it. Trixie's just a loudmouth." 
"Most unpleasant." 
"All hat and no cattle." 
"So, you don't mind my magic tricks?" Twi asked not believing what she was hearing. 
"Your magic is a part of who you are, sugarcube, and we like who you are. We're proud to have such a powerful, talented hybrid as our friend." 
"And after whuppin' that Ursa's hindquarters, we're even prouder." 
"You are?" They all agreed and nodded their heads.

Spike came forwards, "Wow, Twilight, how'd you know what to do with that Ursa major?" 
"That's what I was doing when you came looking for me. I was so intrigued by Trixie's bragging that I was compelled to do a little reading up on them." 
"So it is possible to vanquish an Ursa major all by yourself?" 
"That wasn't an Ursa major. It was a baby, an Ursa minor." 
"That was just a baby?" Trixie asked as some ponies looked at her. 
"And it wasn't rampaging. It was just cranky because someone woke it up."

Twi looked at Snips and Snails and the two looked embarrassed. "Well, if that was an Ursa minor, then what's an Ursa major like?" 
Twi looked up as she thought about it, "You don't wanna know." 
"Huh. You may have vanquished an Ursa minor, but you will never have the amazing, show-stopping ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Trixie said as she made a cloud of smoke appear and she ran off. 
"Why, that little..." 
Dash said going to go after her but Twi stopped her, "Just let her go.

Maybe someday she'll learn her lesson. Now, about you two." Twi said going in front of the two who were trying to sneak off. 
Snips laughed nervously, "Uh, we're sorry that we woke up the Ursa minor." 
"We just wanted to see some awesome magic." 
"Yeah! And the way you vanquished that Ursa minor was awesome!" She stared at the two. 
"We deserve whatever punishment you give us." Snails said as they both laid down. 
"For starters, you can clean up this mess." She said looking at the crushed wagon.

"And... What do you think, Spike? Should I give them number twenty-five?" 
"Oh, twenty-five! Yes! And I think I deserve it, too." 
"Heah?" They both said in confusion. 
"I think you're right." Twi said casting her magic and they all got mustaches. 
"Sweet!" They all said. 
Twi went back to her home to write a letter, "Dear Princess Celestia, I have learned a very valuable lesson about friendship: I was so afraid of being thought of as a show-off that I was hiding a part of who I am." She said as she used her magic to write.

"My friends helped me realize that it's okay to be proud of your talents, and there are times when it's appropriate to show them off... Especially when you're standing up for your friends." 
"So, you finally admit that you're the most talented unicorn in all of Ponyville?" 
Twi turned to see Spike, "Well... no." Spike opened his mouth in shock. "I'm the most talented hybrid in all of Ponyville, but it's nothing to brag about." Spike closed his mouth and sighed as he nodded.

"Fine, I'll stop saying you're the most powerful unicorn in ponyville." 
"So, uh, how did it go with Rarity?" 
"Eh, she didn't go for the mustache." 
Twi walked over to him, "You know, Spike, that mustache has nothing to do with who you really are. Maybe you should just try being yourself." 
"Or... maybe the mustache wasn't enough, maybe if I had a mustache and a beard?" 
"Uh, not this again!" 
"Okay, imagine me with a nice, long, Fu Manchu type beard." He said stroking his chin.

"Please Spike..." 
"Or maybe a goatee?" 
"Just stop..." 
"Oh, no, a soul patch right on my chin!" 
"Please just stop already." 
"How about some stubble?" 
"I am now going to ignore you..." She started to walk away. 
"Oh how about a different style on my head?" 
"I'm ignoring you." 
"Like what if you give me some kind of hair like yours?" Twi just started to read a book. "Oh, maybe the hair can be styled like a bad boy... or maybe the moopy gothic look... or even the prince cut to be proper?"

Twi slammed her face in the book, "This is going to be a long day isn't?" She prayed something, anything will get Spike to stop talking about all the different hair possibilities, Spike burped and Twi grabbed the letter, thank you, Celestia! 
She didn't care if it was just a reply or whatever she was just greatful that Spike finally stopped talking about the hair, when Twi read the letter she paled quickly. "What is it Twi?" 
"We need to go outside." 
They ran out and Twi looked up making Spike look up, "Smoke?"

"Yes and this letter explains it all..." She ran to the ponyville gardens, "Listen up! Smoke is spreading over all of Equestria." 
The ponies looked up as Shy jumped up behind them, "That's what I've been trying to--" 
"But don't worry, I've just received a letter from Princess Celestia informing me that it is not coming from a fire... it's coming from a dragon." The ponies all gasp, and Twi's friends followed her back to her library. 
"What in the name of all things cinnamon swirled is a full-grown dragon doing here in Equestria?"
> Chapter twenty-two
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Actually there are a ton of dragons living in the Dragon's land, commonly known as the Dragon's lair, and it's not that far away from Equestria's main island... and he's sleeping, according to Princess Celestia, he's taking a nap. His snoring is what's causing all this smoke." 
"He should really see a doctor, that doesn't sound healthy at all." Pinkie said. 
"Well, at least he's not snoring fire. What are we meant to do about it?" Rarity asked. 
"I'll tell you what we're meant to do, give him the boot." Dash claimed.

"Take that. And that!" Dash said trying to knock over a wooden horse head but Twi moved it out of her way. 
"We need to encourage him to hibernate somewhere else." 
"Hibernate? But I thought you said he was taking a nap?" 
"That's what the princess said, and she's half right. An adult dragon, like my mom, will sleep like normal during the night, or during the day if they are nocturnal, but an older dragon will start to hibernate, like most reptiles, only they will hibernate a lot longer than one season.

They do this because as dragons get older they lose the basic concept of time... Princess Celestia has given us this mission, and we must not fail. If we do, Equestria will be covered in smoke for the next couple of years." 
"How many years are we talking here?" 
"It can range from one year to one hundred years, depends on the age of the dragon in all honesty." 
"Hmph. Talk about getting your beauty sleep." 
"All right everypony, I need you to gather supplies quickly.

We've got a long journey ahead of us. Let's meet back here in less than an hour." Twi said putting her saddle bags she filled on. 
"Okay, girls, you heard her. The fate of Equestria is in our hooves. Do we have what it takes?" 
Dash asked and they all agreed leaving, except Shy, "Um, actually..." 
She said leaving slowly, all five of them got ready and went back to Twi's library when they were ready and all lined up, Twi walked in front of them, "All right girls, listen up.

I'm mapping out the fastest route, but we've all got to keep a good pace if we expect to make it up the mountain by nightfall." 
"M-m-mountain?" Shy asked. 
"The dragon is in that cave at the very top." Twi said pointing towards the mountain. 
"Looks pretty cold up there." AJ said. 
"You bet it is. The higher you go, the chillier it gets." Dash said. 
"Good thing I brought my scarf." Rarity said pulling it out of her bag and putting it on. 
"Ooo! Pretty!" Pinkie said looking at the scarf.

"Heh, oh yeah. That'll keep you nice and cozy." Dash said and Shy looked at the mountain and gulped. 
Twi pulled out her map and looked at it as Shy came up behind her, "Um, excuse me, Twilight? I know you're busy, but..." 
"Uh-huh. Well, we could go this way." 
"But if I could just have a second..." 
"Uh-huh. No, we want to avoid that." Twi said tapping one spot on the map. 
"So, um, I was thinking that, um, maybe I should just stay here in Ponyville." 
"Uh-huh." Twi said not really paying attention.

"Oh! Good. I'll stay here and--" Shy said starting to walk off. 
"Wait! You have to come! Your way with wild animals will surely come in handy." Twi said stopping Shy. 
"I don't think I--" 
"Oh, and don't worry about your little friends in the meadow. Spike's got it covered while you're gone." 
"You can count on me!" Angel bunny thumped on his head making Spike move his arms scaring off the animals, "Oooh! Hey! Hey! Wait!" 
"I don't really think he's up to the task. Maybe... But... But... no!"

"Are you sure you want Fluttershy to come along? I mean, that pony's afraid of her own shadow. She's just going to slow us down, besides can't you just talk to the dragon?" Dash whisper asked. 
"Well yes, but I'm bringing her along just in case the dragon is more of the lone wolf type, besides she's just a little nervous, once we get going, I'm sure she'll be fine." They heard Shy squeal and they turned to watch her be afraid of her own shadow before jumping into a bush, and Dash just looked at Twi before walking off.

"All right girls, move out!" Twi said and they ran off towards Shy. 
"But... but...!" Shy screamed as they carried her with them, near the mountain they heard a loud snore and Shy hid behind AJ. 
"Whoa. What was that?" Dash asked. 
"That is what it sounds like when a dragon snores." Twi said. 
"It-- it's so... high!" Shy said looking up. 
"Well, it is a mountain. I'm going to fly up there and check it out!" 
AJ chomped on Dash's tail stopping her, "Hold on, now. I think we should all go up together.

Safety in numbers and all." 
"Oh, all right." Dash said simply flapping next to them as they climbed up. 
"I hear the only thing that sparkles more than a dragon's scales are the jewels they use to build their nests. Ooo, if I play my cards right, I might be able to convince him to part with a few!" 
"Welcome to my cave, Rarity. Care for a diamond?" Pinkie said imitating a dragon, then she roared. 
"Girls! This is no laughing matter! Dragons can be very protective of their hoard.

But maybe this dragon will be different, what do you think the dragon will be like Fluttershy?" Twi said turning her head and not seeing Shy, "Fluttershy?" 
They all looked down to see Shy still on the ground. "Hey! What are you waiting for? An invitation?" Dash asked. 
"Ooo, I think I have one in my bag!" Pinkie said pulling one out with confetti popping out. 
"I-it's so... so... steep." Shy said looking at the cliff. 
"Well, it is a cliff. You could just, oh, I don't know, fly up here?"

Dash said and thought, 'Honestly you have wings use them!' 
"Come on, Fluttershy, you can do it. Flap those wings!" Pinkie said. 
"Oh... okay." Shy flapped her wings making her go up, she hovered until another snore made her scared and her wings locked up making her fall back down. 
"Augh." Dash covered her eyes as she thought, 'That's just sad...' 
Shy tried to unlock her wings as Twi sighed, "Uh, we don't have time for this." AJ grabbed her map. "What are you doing?"

"I'll need this if I'm going to take her around the mountain another way." 
AJ jumped and slid down the cliff, and Dash groaned, "Around the mountain? That's going to take them forever." 
When AJ finally got to Shy another snore happened which made Shy fall on her back all stiff. "Don't worry, Twi. We'll be there lickety-split." 
Twi looked at the smoke covering the sky with concern after a while Pinkie and Rarity started playing tic-tac-toe, Pinkie drew a circle and won the game, "Whoo-hoo! I win again!"

"Ugh. That's thirty-five games in a row. Best of seventy-one?" 
But they were stopped when AJ finally came pulling Shy by her tail, "We. Made. It." AJ said panting. 
"Told you it was going to take them forever." Dash said to Twi, who helped Shy unstiff herself, and as they walked forwards Twi wondered if AJ had a thing for tails. Twi could count about three times AJ chomped down on Dash's tail with little to no hesitation, and Dash didn't seem to mind out of annoyance of being stopped.

This seemed odd to her, did this mean AJ liked to bite tails? And did this mean that Dash liked her tail being bitten? She tried to reason that AJ simply chomped down on Dash's tail to stop her because the tail was the easiest and least hurtful thing to bite, and AJ has probably done this to Dash before Twi came to Ponyville that Dash has gotten used to her tail being pulled, and Dash still reacts to herself being pulled back because anyone would if they were suddenly pulled back.

Her thought process was stopped when they came to a ravine which everyone jumped, everyone but Shy that is, Shy gulped as she looked across at everyone. "Your turn, Fluttershy." Twi said. 
"But... it's so... wide." 
"Come on, Fluttershy, we should be much farther along by now." 
"You could just leap on over." 
Shy looked at the ravine, "I--" The dragon snored again making Shy huddle on the ground, "I don't know." Twi and Aj shook their heads as Pinkie hopped in.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. It's just a hop, skip and a jump." Pinkie hopped over, "See?" Then Pinkie started singing, "It's not very far, just move your little rump, you can make it if you try with a hop, skip and jump." Pinkie hopped back over. 
"We don't have time for this." Twi said looking at Dash. 
"A hop, skip and jump, just move your little rump, a hop, skip and jump, a hop, skip and jump, a hop, skip and jump, a hop skip and jump, a hop skip and jump!" 

Pinkie said jumping back and forth. Shy smiled watching, "O-okay. Here I go. A hop." 
"That's it." 
"You've got it." 
"Almost there." 
"Skip." Shy tried to jump over. 
"Just don't look down." Shy looked down and whined stopping but she managed to stop right in-between the two sides of the short ravine. 
"Ugh." Dash said pushing Shy across and the others pulled her across. 
"I guess I forgot to jump." Shy said as they moved on, they entered a new area and Twi looked around.

"Let's keep it down. According to my map, we're entering an avalanche zone. The smallest peep could cause a huge rock slide." Twi said whispering. "A... an ava... ava..." "Shhh!" Then they moved on trying to be as quiet as possible that is until Dash flew through a tree branch and leaves fell down onto Shy making her freak out, "AVALA--!" AJ shut her up as the voice echoed everywhere, then when nothing happened they all sighed but then rumbling made them all look up and cry, "Avalanche!"

Rocks started falling down and everyone started dodging around. "Oh no! Help!" Twi said and AJ tackled her out of the way when it was all said and done a large dirt pile was in their way. 
"Oh, my! Everypony okay?" AJ asked. 
"Thanks to you I am." 
"Eugh. Blech." Rarity said shaking her dirt on Pinkie who was just hopping. 
"Whoo-hoo! Let's do it again!" Pinkie said. 
"Uh! This is why a girl always packs extra accessories." Rarity said pulling out another scarf and putting it on.

"Oh, please tell me I brought the tiara that goes with this." 
"Uh, think we got bigger problems than making sure our hair bows match our horseshoes." Dash said pointing at the dirt pile. 
Shy sighed, "Sorry." 
"Aw, no big whoop, sugarcube." 
"Yeah, we'll just have to..." Twi sighed, "Climb over." They all climbed over with Dash simply flying next to them, when they climbed back down, Shy slipped and ran into Rarity who was pushed into AJ and they all slid on the ground.

Dash tried to help Rarity up, "My apologies." 
"Not your fault." Dash said looking at Shy who whimpered. Twi pulled out her map, and Dash flew over to her, "Still think it was a good idea to bring Fluttershy along?" 
"We're about to find out, we're here." Twi said looking at the cave then she started to whisper instructions. "Rainbow Dash, you'll use your wings to clear the smoke." Dash nodded flying up. "Rarity and Pinkie Pie, you'll create a diversion to distract the dragon if things get a little hairy in there."

Pinkie ran to the side a bit and flung around a rubber chicken which Rarity just looked confused at. "Applejack, you're ready with the apples in case he decides to attack." AJ nodded bringing out some apples. "But it shouldn't come to that because Fluttershy will do what she needs to do to wake him up, and between the two of us, we should be able to get him to understand why he needs to go. Is everypony ready?" Everyone nodded. "Okay then, we're goin' in." Twi said going into the cave.

"So, I got some ideas on how to wake the dragon without upsetting him but what are your ideas?" When she heard nothing she stopped and turned, "Fluttershy?" When she didn't find her anywhere near her she sighed, "Oh, come on!" She walked back out to find Shy with her head on the ground. "Come on!" Twi said pulling on Shy's wings, which made Shy stick her head back up. "We have to do this!" Twi said trying to push her. "Now! Every..." Dash came in behind Twi trying to help push Shy fowards.

"Second longer that dragon..." Rarity came in behind Dash to help push. "Sleeps is another..." AJ came in behind Rarity to help push. "Acre of Equestria that is covered in..." They all pushed Shy slightly forwards. "Smoke." Then Pinkie just came in to join in making them all push forwards. 
"I-- I-- I can't go in the cave." They all fell backward or on the side when they heard this. 
"Oh, great. She's scared of caves now, too." Dash said simply hovering in place.

"I'm not scared of caves, I'm scared of..." Shy mumbled the last part. 
"What's that, sugarcube?" 
"I'm scared of..." Shy mumbled again. 
"What?" Twi asked. 
"I'm scared of dragons!" Shy said louder and the dragon snored again making Shy scared and she hid behind AJ. 
"But Fluttershy. You have a wonderful talent dealing with all kinds of animals." Twi said trying to help Shy. 
"Yes, because they're not dragons." 
"Oh come on! We've seen you walk right up to a horrible manticore like it was nothing." Dash said.
> Chapter twenty-three
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Yes, because he wasn't a dragon." 
"Spike and Twi are dragons. You are not scared of them." 
"Yes, because their not a huge, gigantic, terrifying, enormous, teeth-gnashing, sharp-scale having, horn-wearing, smoke-snoring, could eat a pony in one bite, totally all grown-up dragons!" The dragon snored again making Shy whimper in fear. 
"But, if you're so afraid of dragons, why didn't you say something before we came all the way up here?" Twi asked. 
"I was afraid to."

Dash just lightly hit her face and said, "Ugh." As she thought, 'Seriously?!' 
"All of us are scared of that dragon." AJ said trying to make Shy feel better. 
"I'm not!" Dash said looking proud. 
"Almost all of us are scared of that dragon, but we've got a job to do. So, get in there with Twilight and show her what you're made of." 
" I-- I-- I just... can't." 
"Oh, Fluttershy... I guess I have to go in alone." Twi walked inside the cave again and was willing to face anything.

When she finally ran into the dragon she looked at the dragon with a bit of a shock, when she recognized the dragon she asked, "Crimson?" 
He opened his eyes and looked at her with bright amber eyes, "Amethyst!" 
She hugged his arm, the rest of her friends stared in shock even Shy managed to see this and seemed equally as shocked. "Twi what is going on?" 
Crimson looked over at them which made Shy hide again, "Are these ponies friends of yours, my little firecracker?"

"Yes they are, and what's going on is that we just found a relative of mine, for you see Crimson is Violet's father and my grandfather." 
"Grandfather?" 
"Firecracker?" 
"Amethyst?" 
Twi giggled at all their questions, "Yes grandfather, firecracker is what he used to call me when I was young, and Amethyst is my dragon name, while Twilight is my pony name." 
"But Spike calls you Twilight all the time, why doesn't he call you Amethyst?" 
"Well both me and Spike grew up around ponies.

After a while, Spike just started calling me Twilight for the most part, but around other dragons, he calls me Amethyst, and around our mother and an occasion he calls me sister." 
"Specking of your brother, how is the little fireball?" 
"He's fine, he's flying higher and farther." 
"Good, I'm glad to hear that you two are still getting along." 
"Um... Twilight?" 
"Yes, Fluttershy?" 
"Didn't we come here for a reason... I mean it's great your catching up... please forget I said anything..."

"Oh right, um Crimson?" 
"Yes?" 
"Why are you hibernating here? Shouldn't you be doing that in the dragon's sleeping chamber?" 
"Oh right, that..." He yawned. "I was coming to see how you were doing, but I got tired on the way and fell asleep in here... guess I lost track of time... speaking of which what day is it?" 
Twi giggled, "Does it really matter? I'm glad to see you really but your snoring is making smoke cover the land." 
He yawned again, "Oh right sorry about that.

I'll just gather my things and fly to the sleeping chamber." 
"Do you want me to send a letter to Violet? I'm sure she can help you move your hoard." 
"Nah, I packed light." 
All five of Twi's friends looked at the huge pile of treasure. "This is packing light? And I thought Rarity over packed." 
"Hey, I heard that! And a lady never over packs, she is always over prepared." 
"Specking of Rarity... grandfather would you mind parting with one of your treasures?" 
"Well..." He looked at his treasure.

Twi gave him a cute begging look, "Please for me?" 
He sighed, "Fine, your friend can have one treasure." 
Rarity gasped looking at all the treasure, "Oh how can I possibly choose?" Then she finally chooses something, "Oh this will look perfect with all my tiaras." Rarity said using her magic to pull out a beautiful gem necklace. "And I must say this necklace looks just as shiny as those handsome scales of yours, what kind of polish or lotion do you use to get your scales to sparkle like that?"

Crimson looked at his scales, "What these old scales?" 
"Old?! You call these sparkling, shining scales old?! Why in Equestria would you say they are old when they look so handsome?" 
He stroked his scales, "Well I am old and they are actually all natural, but I do take hot baths and dip in lava pools." 
"Well, I must say those do wonders for your scales." Crimson grabbed a rope which pulled up a huge cloth that was under the treasure.

"Now that's cleaning up something in ten seconds flat! Twi your grandfather is so awesome!" 
Crimson carried the bag out and everyone followed, "Well I'm off, see you granddaughter." 
"Bye grandfather." Crimson flew off. 
"You know what Twi, maybe dragons aren't so bad." Shy said as everyone walked back to town, and the pegasi finally cleared the sky. 
Twi walked in the library to hear Spike having problems. "I said come back here! Ooh! How does Fluttershy put up with you furry little things?"

"Spike, take a letter." 
Spike sighed dropping Angel bunny, "With pleasure." 
"Dear Princess Celestia, I'm happy to report that the dragon was actually my grandfather..." 
"Wait Crimson was here? And I missed him as well?" 
"I'll tell you everything after you finish writing the letter, I promise." 
"Great at least I get something good out of this." 
"And I convinced him to go back to the sleeping chambers to have his hibernation, and this adventure has taught me and Shy to never lose faith in your friends.

They can be an amazing source of strength and can help you overcome even your greatest fears. Always your faithful student, Twilight Amethyst Sparkle." 
"Twilight! You gotta come see this!" AJ said and Twi came outside, "She's just five away from a new pony record!" 
"Three hundred forty-six, three hundred forty-seven, three hundred forty-eight, three hundred forty-nine, three hundred fifty!" Dash smiled, "I did it I set a new record!" Everyone cheered as Twi smiled.

"Spike one last thing before you send that letter, 'P.S. And my friend Rainbow Dash just set a new record for bouncing a ball 350 times without the ball touching the ground.' Now you can send it." 
Spike sent the letter when he was done and came up to Twilight, "You promised, so tell me everything." 
"This really is going to be a long day..." Later that night Twi put Spike to bed, before going to bed herself, she hoped that the next few days won't be so long.

The next weeks passed really peacefully, which Twi was thankful for, then Spike got a letter from the princess which asked him to come to Canterlot for royal business, Twi waved goodbye as he left on the train and he promised to say hi to their parents while he was there. Twi watched as the pegasi covered the sky with clouds, they said that they accidentally skipped a scheduled sprinkle last week, so they are making up for it with a big rain storm now.

Lighting flashed as thunder crashed, Twi spotted two of her friends outside in the storm and seeing them look afraid made her open her door and call to them, "Applejack! Rarity!" 
"Twilight?" They both asked looking at her. 
"Come inside girls, quick." 
They both ran over while Rarity went inside the doorway AJ stopped, "Whoa, nelly. Is inside a tree really the best place to be in a lightning storm?" 
"It is if you have a magical lightning rod protecting your home like I do. Come on in!"

"Hah! We are most grateful for your invitation." 
"Thank ya kindly for yer hospitality." 
Rarity stopped AJ and pointed to her muddy hooves, "Uh, do be a polite house guest and go wash up please, won't you?" 
AJ grumbled, "If I gotta spend one more second with that fussbudget Rarity today, I can't be held responsible for what I'm gonna do." 
"Some storm, huh? The pegasi sure have outdone themselves this time. I hope you and Applejack don't have any trouble getting home."

"It may indeed be a problem." 
"Well, you're welcome to stay if need be. Spike is away in Canterlot on royal business. I'm home all alone tonight." 
"Oh, well you could always teleport us back to our homes." 
Twi frowned, "That might not be the best idea... I haven't perfected my single teleporting and when I try to teleport with others it doesn't go well... Spike had crispy spines for a full day." Then she gasped, "You and Applejack should totally sleep over! We'll have a slumber party! I've always wanted one of those."

"Oh goodness. Uh, I do believe I have another engagement scheduled for this evening that completely slipped my mind until just now." Rarity nervously laughed, "Ah, silly me, I can't possibly stay here all night -- with Applejack." Twi used her magic to bring down a book for Rarity to read. "Slumber 101: All You've Ever Wanted to Know About Slumber Parties But Were Afraid to Ask." 
"My own personal copy. It's a fantastic reference guide. You should see the table of contents.

I've been waiting for a chance to use it, and today is the day! This is gonna be so great!" 
"Yes, uh, great." Rarity nervously laughed again looking outside and seeing AJ trying to wash off her hooves with a hose and failing. 
When AJ finally washed off the mud and came back in she gasped at what she saw, "What in tarnation..." She watched Rarity rub some green mud on Twi and she had some on herself. "Now wait just a goll-darn minute. Ya make me wash the mud off my hooves.

But it's okay for y'all to have mud all over yer faces?" 
"Silly! This is called a mud mask. It's to refresh and rejuvenate your complexion." Rarity said. 
"We're giving each other makeovers! Eee-hee! We have to do it, it says so in the book." Twi said floating the book over for AJ to read. 
"Slumber 101: Everything You... Oh hey, heh, would ya look at the time. I gotta skedaddle on home quick. I'm powerful late for, uh, for somethin'. Uh, g'night." Lightning flashed, thunder crashed, and AJ ran back in.
"Or maybe I'll sit here for a spell." 
"Hurray slumber party!" Twi said clapping her claws together, Rarity spat some mud mask on AJ and rubbed it around a bit. 
"Blahch." AJ said then Rarity put some cucumber slices on her eyes. "What in the world is this for?" 
Rarity sighed, "To reduce the puffiness around one's eyes, of course." 
"Puffiness-schmuffiness!" AJ said as she licked the slices off her eyes and ate them, "That's good eatin'!" 
Twi looked at her book, "Hee-hee! Isn't this exciting?

We'll do everything by the book, and that will make my first slumber party officially fun." 
"Did you hear that, Applejack? You certainly would not want to do anything that would ruin Twilight's very first slumber party, would you?" 
"Of course not, and you wouldn't either, I reckon?" 
"So do we have an agreement?" 
"You betcha." AJ spat on her hoof and held it out for Rarity to shake. 
"Oh! Gross! You know, there's messy and there's just plain rude." 
"You know, there's fussy, and there's just plain gettin' on my nerves."

"Fortunately, I can get along with anypony, no matter how difficult she may be." 
"Oh yeah? Well, I'm the "get-along-est" pony you're ever gonna meet." 
"That's not even a word." They both were whispering but Twi could hear them, did they forget she was part dragon? 
She chooses to step between them and break the fight, "This is going to be the bestest slumber party ever! Yay!" The two sounded very dry as they said yay as well, the night went on as they continued to follow Twi's book.

"So, how are you getting along over there, Applejack?" Rarity asked looking at the curlers in AJ's hair. 
"Just fine, Rarity." AJ said looking a bit grumpy. 
"This is so awesome!" Twi said as she giggled and brought over her book, "Makeovers, check." Using her magic she poofed away everyone's curlers making their hair style go back to normal, Twi didn't want AJ to be even more upset over her hair being all curly. "Ooh, it says here we have to tell ghost stories. Who wants to go first?"

"Me! I'd like to tell y'all the terrifying tale of the prissy ghost who drove everypony crazy with her unnecessary neatness. Oo-oo! I'm sure y'all are familiar with that one?" 
"Never heard of it, but I have a much better one. It's the horrifying story of the messy, inconsiderate ghost who irritated everypony within a hundred miles! Oo-oo!" 
"That's not a real story. You made it up." 
"It is a ghost story, they're all made up." Thunder crashed as the lights went out, making the two cry out and Twi lit up a firefly lantern.

"I've got one! This story is called The Legend of The Headless Horse." Lighting flashed and thunder crashed. "It was a dark and stormy night, just like this one. And three ponies were having a slumber party, just like this one..." Lighting flashed again as the two looked scared over Twi's story. "...and just when the last pony thought she was safe, there, standing right behind her, just inches away was --The Headless Horse!" Lighting flashed and Twi stood over them with a blanket over her head.

The two seeing this made them scream and hug each other, Twi took off the blanket and turned the lights back on. "Ghost story, check." Twi checked another box as the two looked at each other and let go of each other. "Now, who wants smores?" 
AJ cooked marshmallows as Rarity told Twi what to do. "Then you place one marshmallow on the top of the chocolate and be sure it's centered, that's critical, and then carefully put another perfectly square graham cracker on the top."

Twi followed her instructions as she finished the s'more. "And done. Ta-da!" 
Rarity lightly laughed as Twi looked at it, "Ooo!" 
"Now, ya just eat 'em." AJ grabbed the s'more and started to eat it messy with her mouth open then belched. 
Rarity sighed, "You could at least say excuse me." 
"Aw, I was just about to, but you interrupted me. Pardon." 
Twi went to her book and checked off another box, "Smores, check. Now the next item of fun we have to do is Truth or Dare."
> Chapter twenty-four
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Rarity spoke first, "I dare Applejack to do something carefully and neatly for a change." 
AJ spoke next, "Oh yeah? Well, I dare Rarity ta lighten up and stop obsessin' over every last little detail, for a change." 
Rarity glared, "I think the truth of the matter is that somepony could stand to pay a little more attention to details." 
AJ glared back, "And I think the truth is somepony oughta quit with her fussin' so the rest of us can get things done." Twi simply stood there listening to them.

Twi knew that this wasn't the best idea trying to get Rarity and AJ to get along for one night, it was like mixing water and oil, an impossible feat so she simply slammed her book closed getting both of their attention, "Maybe we should stop, just call it a night and get some sleep?" She huffed at them, she didn't even want to bother with this game or a pillow fight, they all walked into her room and she pulled down the guest bed which was bigger than a normal pony bed.

She glared at both of them, "As you can see both beds are bigger than normal so there is a lot of room for more than one pony." They said nothing as they simply stared at her. "You can both sleep on the guest bed." 
"What? Why can't either of us sleep on your bed with you?" Rarity asked looking at AJ. 
"Because in case you both have forgotten I'm a hybrid, a dragon hybrid at that, my bed is specially made to be both hard and soft, I'm afraid it won't be comfortable for either of you."

AJ walked over to her bed, "Oh come on Twi I'm a country pony, I sometimes sleep on hay bales I think I can handle sleeping in this bed." 
AJ jumped on her bed and Twi panicked, "No wait you don't want to..." AJ winced as she landed, Twi lifted her back off, "Are you okay? Anything broken?" 
"I'm fine..." AJ wheezed. "Just a bit winded." 
Rarity patted Twi's bed, "Twilight what on earth is in this bed? It feels as hard as rocks." Twi checked AJ over making sure she was fine before going over to her bed.

"Actually your not that far off." 
Twi opened her bed mattress and showed them what was inside, Rarity's eyes opened in glee, AJ looked in confusion, but both said the same thing, "Gemstones?!" 
Twi zipped it back up and sheepily smiled at them, "Yeah you saw how my grandfather slept on treasure, my mother also sometimes sleeps on treasure, and Spike's bed is this." She levitated over a dog bed, "His body is too young to even try to sleep on gemstones."

"But my body is old enough where it wants to sleep on gemstones but my pony half is uncomfortable sleeping on just that so the bed still has cotton inside but it's also filled with gemstones to please both parts of myself." She crawled onto her bed and curled up like a serpent, "And like I said my guest bed is big enough for both of you to sleep on it without even being near each other." Both AJ and Rarity got in on either side of the bed with lots of space between them, Twi simply turned off the light.

After some time Rarity turned to AJ, "Well at least I tried not to ruin her first slumber party." 
AJ turned to Rarity, "What y'all talking about? I'm the one who tried not to ruin her first slumber party." 
Rarity rolled her eyes, "Really Applejack I thought you were the element of honesty." 
AJ growled, "I am being honest! What about you, I thought you were the element of generosity, you really haven't been very generous this whole time." 
Rarity huffed, "I have so been generous!"

"Have not." 
"Have so." 
The two continued like that until, "Enough!" Twi glared at both of them, "It says right here that the number one thing you're supposed to do at a slumber party is to have fun, and thanks to you two I can't check that off!" 
"I've been tryin' my darndest to get along." 
"No, it is I who have been trying my best." 
"No, it was me." 
"No, it was I." 
"I hope you're happy, both of you, you've ruined my very first slumber party by ruining everything!"

"The makeover, the scary story, the smores, you didn't even try to get truth or dare right and we didn't even have the pillow fight because you two couldn't get along for one night! I mean, is there anything else that could possibly go wrong?" Outside lightning strikes. "Sorry I asked." 
They all looked outside to see it stricken a tall tree, and the top of the tree was threating to crash into the house next door. "Ya see? That's why we needed to take down all those loose branches in town, not spiffy 'em up."

"But I--" 
"Outta my way, missy! Time's a-wastin'." AJ said opening the window and preparing her lasso. 
"Wait! Stop! Don't!" 
"No waitin'! No stoppin'! Doin'!" AJ managed to say as she lassoed the top of the tree. "And that, my friends, is what we call gettin' 'er done." 
AJ went to pull as Twi tried to stop her, "Wait, AJ I don't think..." AJ pulled the rope and the tree top came crashing in. "That's the best idea..." 
"Well, I tried to tell you it would come crashing down in here."

"Well, ya shoulda tried harder." AJ sighed, "I'm mighty sorry, Twi." 
"It's... well, it's not okay, you didn't listen to me or Rarity, and there's a giant tree branch in the middle of my bedroom." 
Twi sighed sitting down and then started to make a list of everything she could do to fix this, AJ looked at Rarity who was putting books back, "What in tarnation are y'all doin' over there?" 
"Cleaning up this mess somepony made, who was that again? Oh, right, that's you."

AJ left her and went to the other side where Twi was, "We gotta do somethin'!" 
"Burning it? No that's stupid inside a tree." 
AJ tried to move the tree branch then went back to Rarity, "Rarity, for pony's sake, stop sweatin' the small stuff and help me get rid of this thing!" Rarity seemed to ignore her. "I said hustle over here and help me!" Again Rarity ignored her. "Look, I'm sorry, all right?" 
Rarity stopped what she was doing, "What was that?" She asked looking over at AJ.

"I said I'm sorry! I shoulda listened to you when you noticed where this here branch would end up. Yer annoyin' attention to detail would'a saved us from this whole mess. But right now, ya need to stop bein' so dang fussy pickin' up all the little things and help me move the one big thing in here that actually matters! Please!" 
Rarity perked up when she heard that, turned to face AJ and looked at all the water on the ground the rain was making. "Uh. Uh, but I'll get all icky."

"Consarnit! What the... eh... you... I mean, yes, ickiness is often a side effect of hard work. But y'all need to get over it, on account, I just can't fix this mess I made myself. I need your help." 
Rarity tipped back her head to make the book she had on come off, "Oh. Let's do this." 
The two talked as Twi looked at another idea, "Maybe a spell? But the wrong one could cause a fire..." Rarity focused as she used her magic to turn most of the tree into figures, AJ was going to buck the rest out when Rarity gave her a look.

AJ simply turned around, grabbed it in her mouth, dropped it out the window and then closed the window, Rarity looked at herself, "U-ugh. Oh, I look awful." 
AJ thought then walked over to Rarity and put cucumber slices on her eyes, "Better?" 
Rarity smiled, "Hmph, thanks." 
She reached out to try to find AJ to hug her and AJ same forwards a bit helping her, they hugged as Twi finally gave up and looked at the branch figures, "Oh, pretty! Where did these come from?"

She looked around as she noticed the tree branch was gone, and AJ and Rarity hugging, "And what happened to make you two hug?" 
After they explained everything they were finally having fun playing twenty questions, they were all laughing as AJ asked the next question, "Is it bigger than a barn?" 
Twi chuckled, "Nope." 
Rarity was next, "Is it smaller than a saddle?" 
"No! Only three of your twenty questions left!" 
"We're never gonna guess what you're thinkin' of, it could be anythin'."

"Are we getting warmer?" 
"Why? Is it too cold in here for you? I can turn up the heat." 
"She means are we gettin' any closer with our guesses?" 
"Oh! No. And that technically counted as a question, so only two more left!" 
"Is it... a six-legged pony with a purple polka-dotted mane and shootin' stars comin' out of his eyes?" 
"Who flies through the air all over the world to hide magic, sparkly eggs?" 
Twi smiled, "That's it!" 
"It is?" They both asked looking confused. 

"No, it's that." Twi said as she pointed to her telescope. "But it was just so nice to see you two finally getting along, I wanted you to be able to win together." They both laughed. "See? We could have been having fun like this all along." 
"If only somepony hadn't been so persnickety." 
"Well, maybe she wouldn't have been if somepony else hadn't been so sloppy." They both frowned at each other but then smiled. 
"Sorry for being such a pain in the patootie." 
"Oh, no, I'm sure I was much worse."

"That's kind of ya to say, but I'm the one who's sorry." 
"Oh, I'm much more sorry than you are." 
"Ugh. Are not." 
"Are too." 
"Are not!" 
"Are too." 
Twi sighed, 'Are they really arguing over...' "Are not." AJ said with a smile. 
"Are too." Rarity said and they both laughed as Twi smiled, 'Never mind.' 
Twi happily watched them, "I declare my first slumber party a success!" The two clapped hooves as they cheered, Twi brought over her book, "Have fun, check." She joked as they laughed.

The two moved on to trying to walk through the library with cucumber slices on their eyes, "Now take two steps to your left. Uh, no, my left." 
"Which is it?" AJ crashed into the book pile, "Whoa! That mess is your fault, not mine." 
They laughed as Rarity came over, "Sorry." 
Twi wrote down a letter, 'Dear Princess Celestia, It's hard to believe that two ponies who seem to have so little in common could ever get along. But I found out that if you embrace each other's differences...'

Twi smiled at this as she finished, 'You just might be surprised to discover a way to be friends after all. Your faithful student, Twilight Amethyst Sparkle.' Twi turned to them, "So, who's up for another slumber party tomorrow night?" They both smiled at each other then tossed pillows in her face, "How about a week from Thursday? Oh, how about two weeks from Saturday?" They both laughed as she kept asking, "A month from now? Or maybe a month and a half?"

Outside the sun finally came out, seeing this they both looked at Twi, "As wonderful as this was Twilight maybe a nice simple day at the beach would be more relaxing." 
"That doesn't sound too bad, I'm not so busy on Tuesday." 
Twi smiled at them, "Tuesday it is, and I'll be sure to invite everyone else." 
She watched them go as a train whistle blew and then Spike came running back, "Hey Twi, did anything happen while I was away?" 
She smiled, "I just had my first slumber party with some friends."

Spike gagged, "I'm glad I wasn't here for that." 
Twi rubbed his head, "Well you won't gag at this, we are all going to the beach on Tuesday... that includes Rarity." 
Spike started drooling a bit, "Rarity at the beach... I'll be sure to get ready for that!" He ran inside as Twi shook her head. Beach day finally came Spike found the perfect spot for Rarity, it had enough shade to be cool, had enough sun to have warmth, and far enough from the water to not get wet.

Spike carefully spread a blanket out, then some pillows, Rarity laid down on the pillows as Spike got her a drink and then started to gently fan her, Twi helped Shy with her seashell collection, Dash and AJ were playing volleyball, and Pinkie was happily doing whatever. "Rah, rah, Rainbow Dash! Ah, ah, Applejack! Go, go, go!" 
"Pinkie you know that this is just for fun right?" 
"I know, and I am having fun, thanks for asking Dash." 
"But I... you... oh nevermind."

Twi picked up another seashell and looked through a book, "This one is a conch shell, you can tell from the shape and size." 
She gave it to Shy who held it up to her ear, "Or from the sound of the ocean you can hear from it." 
"Fluttershy that isn't..." Twi stopped herself. 
"That isn't what?" 
"That... that isn't the way you hold it, if you hold it like this you can hear it better." 
Twi turned it a bit and Shy smiled, "You're right, I can hear it better!" Twi smiled, she didn't have the heart to tell her the truth...

Rarity sipped the drink Spike got her as she relaxed more, "Oh Spike be a dear and get me another drink." 
Spike rushed to get her another as Rarity started to rub on some sunscreen, he came back and smiled, "I can do that for you Rarity." 
"I'm nearly done, Spike." 
She finished up as he blushed deeply, "Here's your drink..." 
"Thank you, darling... do you need some sunscreen as well Spike? You're turning red." 
"If you insist on me having some on..." Rarity gave him the bottle as she relaxed. 

Spike sighed, 'Darn, didn't work... oh well.' He rubbed some on his scales then went back to fanning Rarity, "Hey Rarity, Spike, why don't you come out and join us in the water?" Twi said looking at them. 
"And ruin my mane? Thanks but I'm quite relaxed right here." 
"Suit yourself, how about you bro?" 
"Thanks but I'm perfectly happy right where I am..." 
Twi rolled her eyes as she joined Shy in the water. "Oh look Twi, some fish has come to see us." 
"Are some your fish friends?"

"No, but I like to make new fish friends..." Shy said tossing some fish food for them to eat. 
"Wait where did you get that?" 
"Oh, I always carry small boxes filled with different animal foods." Twi looked at some fish. "Twilight, you're not thinking of eating them are you?" 
"What no, I'm just trying to tell what species they are from memory alone." 
"Oh good, because you were looking at them very closely... not that I should stop you from eating wild fish... I mean you must get tired of eating the same meat..."

"Fluttershy it's alright, I ate hours before we even got here so I'm not going to eat any wild animals in front of you." 
"Well, I'm glad about that because I'm not sure if I can handle watching you do that..." 
"You watch your animal friends eat, what's so different about me eating in front of you?" 
"Oh um... I guess I'm not used to seeing someone who looks pony-ish eat meat in front of me..." 
"Besides my mane, tail, and body shape I don't look that similar to a pony." 
"That's why I said pony-ish."
> Chapter twenty-five
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Your logic makes no sense." Twi said sighing looking at the fish again, she only told the half truth to Shy, yes she was looking at the fish and trying to tell what species they were from memory alone, but another part of her was thinking about eating one or two. Shy was right, she was getting tired eating the same meat, it was mostly pork chops, bacon, and ham, those were just a few different cuts of meat from the same pig, and she didn't eat much for chicken or cow because unlike pigs they gave ponies something.

In the very least she got to have eggs, milk, and cheese, but she wanted a little verity in her meat, and ever since she ate that deer and freaked Shy out, she had been very careful about eating any wild animals near town, but any deep inside the forest were free game. "Honestly Shy I'm not the only carnivore out there." 
"Yes I know... but your different because you know better and for them it's instinct." Twi simply walked out of the water and the fish quickly swam next to Shy not wanting to be next to a predator.

"Oh it's alright little fishies, my friend Twilight won't hurt you." Shy said tossing more fish food, and Twi simply dried off, 'I guess I'll have seafood another time...' Honestly it was bad enough she was limiting herself to eating only one kind of meat each week, but now she couldn't eat any wild animals near town and she had to go hunting deep inside the forest without anypony or anything seeing her, because any birds might tell Shy about her little hunting trips.

Shy said she understood that I had to eat meat but she just can't get over the fact that I need to eat animals to get meat, Twi simply laid down and started to munch on some gemstones she brought, 'At least I can eat these without much complaint...' When Rarity noticed Twi eating gemstones she looked at her, Twi stared back, "Rarity, I already gave up half of what I can eat for meat, I don't need any more objections about what I can or can not eat, so like it or not I'm eating these gemstones!"

Rarity flinched back a bit, "I'm sorry darling, it was rude of me to stare at you, but I was just wondering where you got those." 
"The same place you do, near the mountains in the valley close to town, don't worry I left the rare gems alone, and Spike makes sure to bring you them anyways." 
"So that's why you bring me those rare gemstones every week." 
"Yep, only the best gemstones for you, Rarity." 
Rarity looked back at Twi, "Twi you seem tense, I mean the way you snapped at me..."

Twi sighed again, "I'm sorry Rarity I didn't mean to snap, I'm just sick and tired of being limited on what I can or can not eat." 
"Let me guess, Fluttershy?" 
"Fluttershy, she says she understands I need to eat meat but then starts to limit the kind of meat I can eat, I bet even you would get tired of eating the same meal prepared differently every day." 
Rarity slowly sipped on her drink, "I might be on a diet darling but even I would get tired of eating the same meal every day." 

"A little verity is needed to keep things fresh, and having it prepared differently isn't really verity." 
Twi gave Spike his gem bowl as she munched on another gem, "I know, but I don't want to go through the whole song and dance with Shy again." 
Spike munched on his gems, "Yeah the way she reacted was what I expected but ever since we ate that deer we have been seeing a bird now and again." 
Rarity stopped herself from spitting, "I'm sorry you ate a what?" 'Not you too...' Twi thought.

"It was just a normal wild deer, if I left it alone it would have gotten eaten by another wild animal, it's nature." 
"And you ate it raw?!" 
"My mother is a dragon, raised by dragons, who all eat the same things, she raised us on raw meat, cooked meat, gems, and pony food, so yes I ate it raw." 
"Did it taste good?" 
"Why do you want to know?" 
"I'm just curious darling." 
"Raw meat doesn't taste as good as cooked meat, just like how some raw food doesn't taste as good as cooked food." Rarity nodded and left it at that.

Twi finished the gems as she watched Dash and AJ still playing volleyball, "Oh yeah who is awesome, two points more than you." 
"I can still win." 
Pinkie looked at the scoreboard and Twi was confused, "Wait where did she..." 
"Darling." 
"Yes?" 
"Don't question anything Pinkie does, trust me don't question it." 
"But, where did she get that? She didn't have that last time." 
"Just accept it, everypony else has accepted that Pinkie is just being Pinkie whenever she does something odd or strange."

Twi simply looked at Pinkie, "Does she have any unicorn parents?" 
Rarity thought for a moment, "I'm not sure darling you have to ask her." 
Pinkie popped up between them, "Hey I know you two are talking about me because my breathing got glitches." She couched a bit into her hoof, "See, so what exactly are you two saying about me?" 
"We were just talking about your... uniqueness." 
Rarity said as Twi did a double take, "Wait you were just over there..."

Pinkie giggled, "Of course I was over there and now I'm over here, what else were you saying? Tell me, tell me!" She said as she bounced up and down. 
"Do you have any unicorn parents or unicorn family members?" Twi asked keeping a close eye on Pinkie. 
"Who me? Nopey dopey, all my family are earth ponies." Pinkie slid behind a tree then appeared again by Dash and AJ, she pulled out a cannon and pulled the string to make confetti pop out, "Yeah, Dash wins!"

"Of course I won I'm awesome." 
"I want a rematch." 
Twi got up and looked at the tree Pinkie slid behind, then walked around it two times, "How..." 
"Like I said darling, just accept it and don't question it." Rarity said starting to put away the volleyball net. 
"Hey, we are playing here." 
"Don't you think we should head home soon? The sun is starting to set." Dash grumbled as she helped put the net away. 
"Next time Rainbow, I'm gotta beat you," AJ said as simply grabbed the bag to put it all in.

"Oh yeah well I didn't lose by two points." 
"Girls please don't start, we should really be heading back home before it get's late." Twi said gathering all of the pillows and beach towels. 
"Yeah... I really don't want to be out... in the dark... at night..." Shy said getting quieter and shaking. 
"Oh really? I thought you wouldn't mind seeing all the nocturnal animals, like bats or firefly's." Pinkie said as she kept hopping in place. 
"Oh... well, I wouldn't mind seeing nocturnal animals."

"There you go, always look at the brighter side of things." Once they all packed up they said their goodbyes, Twi carried Spike on her back as he started to doze off and mumble a bit in his dreams, she heard something about him being a brave knight fighting off the scary ponies for princess Rarity. 
Twi tucked him in as she giggled, "You're a strange baby dragon, but your still my little brother." She gave him a small kiss goodnight before going to read any left over letters from her mother or princess Celestia.

A few days later Twi was walking through town with Spike on her back, "Wow, what a gorgeous day!" She said looking at the sky. 
"Dash must have gotten up early for once and cleared all the clouds away." 
"I bet all of Ponyville is going to be out enjoying the sunshine." She looked around, "What? Where is everypony?" The town as empty, ponies were hiding in their homes. 
"Is it some sort of pony holiday?" 
"Not that I know of." 
"Does my breath stink?" Spike belched then sniffed his breath.

"Not more than usual." 
"Is it... zombies?!" 
"Uh... not very likely." 
"Not likely... but possible?" 
They heard a psst and looked over at sugarcube corner, Pinkie looked out at them, "Twilight! Spike! Come here! Come! Here! Hurry! Before she gets you!" 
Twi hopped inside and Pinkie closed the door, they were in the dark and Pinkie used a flashlight as Spike hugged Twi, "Who?! The zombie pony?" 
Pinkie held it under her face while asking, "Z-Zombie pony?!" 

Spike hugged Twi harder. "Spike! There are no zombie ponies. Pinkie, what are you doing here alone in the dark?" 
"I'm not alone in the dark." Pinkie said opening the curtain a bit to show all her other friends. 
"Okay then, what are you all doing here in the dark?" 
"We're hidin' from her!" AJ said pulling back the curtain more to show a zebra wearing a cape with her hood up outside digging at the ground, she turned her head towards them her eyes glowing a bit, and everypony except Twi hid from her gaze.

"Did you see her Twilight? Did you see... Zecora?" 
"Apple Bloom! I told you never to say that name." AJ said. 
"Well, I saw her glance this way..." 
"Glance evilly this way." 
Pinkie added in and Twi pushed her back, "... And then a bunch of you flip out for no good reason." 
"No good reason? You call protectin' yer kin no good reason? Why, as soon as my sister saw Zecora ridin' into town, she started shakin' in her lil' horseshoes." AJ said shaking Bloom. 
"Did not!" Bloom said shakingly.

"So I swept her up and brought her here." AJ put Bloom on her back. 
"I walked here myself!" 
"For safe keepin'." 
Bloom got off her back, "Applejack, I'm not a baby! I can take care of myself!" 
"Not from that creepy Zecora." 
"She's mysterious." Shy said. 
"Sinister." Dash added. 
"And spooky!" Pinkie finished. 
Twi simply rolled her eyes and looked out the window, all her friends joined her and they watched Zecora take off her hood gasping, "Will you cut that out?" Twi asked.

"Just look at those stripes! So garish!" Rarity said. 
"She's a zebra." Twi stated. 
"A what!?" Everyone asked. 
"A zebra and her stripes aren't a fashion choice Rarity, they're what she was born with." Rarity fainted at this. 
"Born where? I've never seen a pony like that in these parts, 'cept... her!" AJ said pointing to the window. 
"Well, she's probably not from here, and she's not a pony. My books say that zebras come from a faraway land." Spike took this chance to sneak into the kitchen as Twi talked.

"But I've never seen her in Ponyville. Where does she live?" 
"That's just it, she lives in... the Everfree Forest!" 
As soon as AJ said that a sound that sounded like a thunderclap came and Twi looked at the kitchen, "Spike!" 
"Uh, sorry." Spike said holding some treats. 
"The Everfree Forest just ain't natural. The plants grow..." AJ started. 
"Animals care for themselves..." Shy added. 
"And the clouds move..." Dash said. 
"All on their own!" All three finished and Rarity fainted again.

"And that wicked enchantress Zecora lives there doing her evil... stuff! She's so evil I even wrote a song about her!" 
Dash rolled her eyes, "Here we go..." 
Music played as Pinkie started to sing, "She's an evil enchantress, she does evil dances, and if you look deep in her eyes, she'll put you in trances, then what will she do? She'll mix up an evil brew, then she'll gobble you up, in a big tasty stew, soooo... watch out!" When she finished Twi simply looked at her, "Wow, catchy."

"It's a work in progress." 
"This is all just a lot of gossip and rumors, and what happened to, 'We apples don't judge others on appearance'?" AJ looked down in shame, Twi huffed at that, 'Good she should feel guilty, in fact, they should all feel guilty about this...' "And the rest of you, how could you accept me and not her? It seems you all keep forgetting I'm not a pony." Twi said looking at the rest of her friends who each looked away in shame when her dragon eyes landed on them.

"Now tell me; what exactly have you actually seen Zecora do?" 
"Well... Once a month, she comes into Ponyville." Dash said. 
"Oooooh." Twi said dramatically. 
"Then, she lurks by the stores." Rarity added. 
"Oh, my." Twi said dramatically again. 
"And then, she digs at the ground." Shy finished. 
"Good gracious!" Twi said still being dramatic, Bloom came to stand next to her as Twi switched to her normal voice, "Okay, I'm sorry. But how is any of this bad? Maybe she comes to town to visit?"

"Yeah! Maybe she's just tryin' to be neighborly." Bloom said. 
"And maybe she's not lurking by the stores, maybe she's going to them, lurk free, to do some shopping?" 
"Yeah! Everypony likes to shop. You know what I think?" 
"Bloom! Hush and let the big ponies talk." 
Twi heard Bloom mutter, "I am a big pony!" 
"W-what about digging at the ground? You've got to admit that's weird." Dash said. 
"What if she's digging for innocent creatures?" Shy asked looking at Dash.

Pinkie starts to sing her song again as Twi rolled her eyes, "I am sure there is an explanation for everything Zecora does. And if anypony here were actually brave enough to approach her, she would find out the truth." 
Bloom opened the door, "Well, I'm brave enough; I'm gonna find out myself." 
Bloom went outside and started to follow Zecora, Twi didn't hear Bloom leave because she was still talking to her friends, "You ponies are being ridiculous!" 
"Well, I heard that Zecora eats hay."

"Pinkie, I eat hay; you eat hay!" 
"Yeah, but I heard it's the evil way she eats hay." 
"Hey! Where's Bloom?" AJ asked looking around. 
"The door's open, she went outside, and Zecora is still out there!" 
"That silly lil' filly! I told her to stay put!" 
They all rushed outside as Twi rolled her eyes again, "Spike, you stay here in case Bloom comes back." 
"Will do." 
"I got to go and talk some sense into my friends... again." She said following after them, they all run into the forest and into a path of blue flowers.

"Bloom!" AJ shouted making Zecora look behind her and Bloom gasped looking at them as well. "You get back here right now!" 
"Beware! Beware, you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!" Zecora said backing off into the mist. 
AJ scooped Bloom up on her head, "Y-you keep your creepy mumbo-jumbo to yourself, ya hear?" 
All of Twi's friends talked over each other and she sighed, "Oh brother." 
"Beware! Beware!" Zecora said before she vanished.

"Yeah, back at ya, Zecora! You and your lame curse are the ones who better beware!" 
"And you! Why couldn't you just listen to yer big sister?" 
"I...I..." 
"Who knows what kind of nasty curse Zecora could have just put on you?" 
"Just like in my song..." 
Twi cut her off, "You guys, there's no such thing as curses!" 
"Well, that's interesting to hear coming from miss magic hybrid herself." 
"My magic, real magic, comes from within, it's a skill you're born with, hybrid or not, curses are artificial, fake magic."

"It's conjured with potions and incantations; all smoke and mirrors meant to scare. But curses have no real power, they're just an old pony tale." 
All her friends started to leave and AJ said, "Just you wait, Twilight. You're gonna learn that some pony tales really are true." Twi walked out after them, why couldn't they see they were being ridiculous? She picked up Spike and headed home, she tucked him in with her magic and went to bed herself, but soon she started to twitch when her dream turned into a nightmare.
> Chapter twenty-six
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Twi's dream started off simple enough, she was happily going towards Ponyville, she spotted her friends from far away who were waiting for her in Ponyville, she happily started to run towards them but the closer she got the older they seemed to get, she stopped halfway looking at them, maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her? She slowly continued to walk towards them again, then she knew they really were getting older, and when she finally reached them they were old mares, each having silver manes and tails.

Rarity looked the youngest having no wrinkles or sagging limbs, her mane was styled into a fancy and elegant bun, and Shy was next with few wrinkles and no sagging limbs, AJ seemed to be in the middle with a few more wrinkles and few sagging limbs, with her mane and tail in a simple braid. Dash was next with lots of wrinkles and a few more sagging limbs, she was flying very low, and Pinkie was the oldest looking with tons of wrinkles and sagging limbs and her mane and tail looked deflated.

They all spotted her, one by one they looked at her with anger, Twi cried and looked into the puddle to see why she looked more serpentine which she knew was going to happen when she got older. Her mouth, neck, legs, body, and tail was longer, which made her look more like a dragon then a pony, her mane, and ponytail was longer as well, she was taller then princess Celestia, her horn longer than any unicorn and her dragon wings were bigger than any pegasus, but on top of all that she was still young.

Twi looked at her youthful appearance, despite the many years that must have passed by she was still a young adult, "It isn't fair..." Twi looked up at her friends when she heard this. 
"Why are you still young when we are old and dying?" 
"Look at her, she isn't even pony shaped anymore." 
"Go back to your kin where you belong." 
"Yeah dragon hybrid freak." Twi closed her eyes and backed off, this wasn't real, this wasn't real... Twi's eyes snapped open as she woke up.

"It was just a nightmare... a very true horrible nightmare..." Twi slowly went to her bathroom as she thought about the nightmare, yes in a couple of years she would look just like that, but what about the wings? She might grow dragon wings one day and she might not, it was just a nightmare... she splashed some water on her face with magic before rubbing her face with a towel, once she looked at her own reflection, however, she let out a loud scream waking Spike up.

Spike knocked on the door, "Sis you alright?" He opened it and gasped, "Who are you and what did you do to my sister?!" 
"Spike... I am your sister." 
"Prove it." She turned to show her cutie mark and he gasped, "Sis! But... your... you're a pony!" 
Twi looked at her new pony body and started to panic, "Same colors, same cutie mark... but my scales, my claws, and my teeth all gone!" 
Spike gently grabbed her face, "Sis deep breaths, slow and steady." 

She took a deep breath and let it out, then did it again as she looked at her reflection again, "At least I got to keep my horn, mane, and tail..." She wobbled a bit as she kept staring, "But this... how did this happen?!" She ran downstairs and started to go through her books, "I got to find an answer to this, there has to be a reason for what happened to me." Her magic grabbed book after book as she tried to use her hooves to open some books, "Ugh how do my friends use these things?!"

"Sis calm down." 
"Calm down? How can I possibly be calm at a time like this?! Just look at me!" She opened the books with her magic not even bothering to use her useless hooves, "This can't be a curse, curses don't exist... a real reason for this is what I need." 
"What about this book?" 
Twi read the cover, "Supernaturals? Spike, the word supernatural refers to things like ghosts and spirits and zombies, which are as make-believe as curses, this book is just a bunch of hooey!" She opened another book.

"Besides what if my friends see me? How am I going to explain this?" 
"Well you can say it's..." 
"Ah pfurse!" Pinkie tried to say as she stared at Twi, "Twi?" 
"A purse? How could it be a purse?" 
"Pinkie, yes it's me, what happened to you?" 
"Pee pah Zthecora! Sthe put a cursthe on me!" 
Pinkie tried again but her tongue was too big and had blue spots on it, Spike wiped her spit off, "Hey, say it, don't spray it, Pinkie!" 
They all heard a thud, "Ow! Wait Twi?" Dash asked as she tried to fly.

"Yes, it's me..." 
"Oh! She's trying to say..." Dash flew into the window with another thud, "Ow! Zecora she slapped us all..." Dash crashed into the library, "Ow! With a curse!" Twi looked at her and noticed her wings got flipped upside down. 
"I'm afraid I have to agree." 
Rarity said blowing hair out of her face, she looked like a shaggy dog, then a high pitched voice asked, "Twilight?" Twi looked at mini AJ on Bloom, then at Shy, who also looked at Twi with confusion.

"What's wrong with Twi...LIGHT!" Rarity screamed a bit when she lifted her hair and saw Twi, "Darling is that you?!" 
"Yes it is me... it seems we all got affected... except Shy, she seems just fine." 
"Yes, there doesn't seem to be a thing wrong with her." 
"Shy, are you okay? Is there something wrong with you?" Shy nodded. "Would you care to tell us?" Shy looked down. "So... you're not going to tell us?" Shy nodded again. "Yes you're not, or yes you will?" Shy shook her head.

AJ had enough, hopped on the table and ran to her, "Good gravy, girl! What's wrong with you?!" 
"I don't want to talk about it." Shy answered in a deep male voice. 
Spike snorts, then bursts out laughing, "This is hilarious! Look at all of you! We got: Hairity, Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Apple Teeny, Flutterguy, and... uh... I got nothin'... Twilight Amethyst Sparkle. I mean seriously, I can't even work with that... well not Amethyst anymore, since she's a pony but..."

Twi cut him off with sarcastic laughter, "This is no joke, Spike. Now start looking for more books so I can find a cure!" 
Spike groaned as Dash managed to get out of the ladder she crushed in, "I think we'll find a cure to this curse at Zecora's place!" 
"This is not a curse!" 
"I agree with Dash! We'll go to Zecora's and force her to remove this hex!" 
"It's not a hex either!" 
Everypony started to talk over themselves as Bloom watched, "This is all my fault. "

"If I hadn't followed Zecora in the first place, none of this would have happened. I just gotta fix this." 
Bloom started to leave and AJ noticed, "Now where does she think she's goin' this time?" AJ asked then hopped into Bloom's tail. 
"I don't care what it is, Twilight. It's time to pony up and confront Zecora. Come on, girls. Are you with me?" 
"Ah, am-pft!" 
"And I as well." 
"Uh, I don't know. Seems awfully dangerous." Spike giggled at Shy's new voice.

"How about you, AJ? Applejack?" 
They all looked at the table, "Pf-she's gone-pft!" 
"Aah! Or somepony stepped on her!" 
They all looked at their hooves, "... or sat on her?" Twi said and they all looked there as well. 
"Rarity's hair!" Dash said and Pinkie started to look. 
"Oh! OH! Pinkie, what are you doing? Ah, really. Aah! You ever hear of personal space?" 
"Nopthe." 
"Bloom is gone too!" 
"I bet they went after Zecora." 
"Well, we better go find them. Come on girls, let's go."

Twi wobbled a bit before she got the hang of walking with hooves, Rarity tried to follow but Pinkie was standing on some of her hair, "Oh dear. Oh, this is so unseemly." Pinkie got off. "Auuuaah!" 
"Hey, a little help here?" Dash asked sliding across the floor. 
"Oopsie! Sorry." Both Pinkie and Shy helped her up and Dash crashed into the wall before flying out the door. "Uh... Spike? Are you coming?" 
"Nope! Uh... gotta stay here and look for a cure." Once they left Spike got an idea, "Twilight ponkle!"

Meanwhile, Bloom was running towards the forest when a voice spoke up, "Stop right there!" Bloom stopped and looked up to see mini AJ, "Turn around right now, missy!" 
Bloom smirked a bit, "No." 
"No?! You can't ignore a direct order from your big sister!" 
Bloom tossed her off her head before grabbing her and putting her on a branch, "Hehehe. Sorry, Applejack, but I'm the big sister now." Bloom said leaving. 
"Bloom, you come back here right this instant! I'm gonna tell Big McIntosh on you!"

AJ looked around seeing no way off the branch, "Aw, pony feathers." 
Back with Twi and her friends they finally entered the forest, "C'mon girls. We've got to get to Zecora's. Hurry!" 
Rarity tripped, "Ooh... Ahaha. Easier said than done." 
She got back up and ran again while Dash tried to fly with them. "Hey, wait for me!" 
She crashed into a bush and then a tree, then AJ popped out of her mouth, "Dash! Thank Celestia! There's no time to lose!" AJ made a wooden bridle and put it in Dash's mouth.

"I need to get to Zecora's pronto! Giddy-up pony!" AJ said on her belly. 
"Ex-CUSE me?" 
"YEEE-HAW!" 
AJ said kicking Dash in the side making her fly up, "What the..." 
AJ started to pull on the bridle making her fly the wrong way. "No, Dash. Other way!" Dash flew the other way not liking this, meanwhile back with the others they finally made it to Zecora's hut. 
"Oh. I look horrible!" 
Pinkie lifted her shaggy mane saying, "Plis place plooks horrible!"

"Oh, my. That place really does look horrible." They all looked inside her window, " Nice decorations if you like creepy!" 
Zecora entered and they all hid, they saw her pour something in a bubbling pot before speaking in some kind of language, Pinkie backed off, "Sthe sthtole my sthong! Shthe shtole mm mm!" 
"She stole your song?" 
"Oh Pinkie. Doesn't sound anything like your song." 
Pinkie wagged her tongue at them, "Ah. Hmm..." Then she slid over to Shy and looked at her with big eyes.

Shy sighed before singing, "She's an evil enchantress and she does evil dances, and if you look deep in her eyes, she will put you in trances, then what would she do? She'll mix up an evil brew, then she'll gobble you up, in a big tasty stew, soooo... watch out." 
"You saw those terrible things. Now, do you believe us Twilight?" 
Twi thought for a moment, "Scary looking masks, confusing incantations, and a great big bubbling cauldron?" She sighed deeply, "Everything is pointing to Zecora being... bad."

But then she smiled, "Or... what if Zecora is just making soup?" 
They all looked at her in disbelief and they watched as Zecora took a sip of her brew, "Mmm! The perfect temperature for ponies, I presume. Now, where is that little Apple Bloom?" 
"Or... what if she's making Apple Bloom soup?!" 
They all screamed as Dash flew upside down with AJ screaming, "I'm comin' for ya, Apple Bloom!" Dash crashed into her house and started to fly around making Zecora shout something in her language again.

Twi came in trying to look scary, "What have you done with Bloom?" 
Zecora ignored them as she watched Dash fly around, AJ lassoed her ear and tried to take her down, "Ponies! What is this you..." Dash knocked over her cauldron, "No! You know not what you do! You've gone and spilled my precious brew!" 
"We're onto you Zecora. I didn't want to believe that you cursed us, but the evidence is overwhelming!" 
"You made me look ridiculous." 
"You made me sound ridiculous!"

"You made me speak ridiculous!" 
"And look at what you did to me!" 
"How dare you! You destroy my home, destroy my work. Then rudely accuse me of being a jerk?" 
"You put this curse on us, now you're gonna uncurse us." Dash said finally standing still. 
"It is unwise to venture down this road. Your actions will make my anger explode!" 
"Where is Apple Bloom!?" Twi asked butting heads with Zecora. 
"Zecora! I think I found all the things ya asked for."

Bloom said then she looked at all of them, "What in Ponyville is goin' on here?" 
AJ still on Zecora's ear gasped, "Bloom! You're okay!" 
"Why wouldn't I be?" 
Twi stood in front of her, "Because Zecora is an evil enchantress who cursed us and was gonna cook you up into soup!" 
Both Zecora and Bloom laughed, "Oh Twilight. Did those silly fillies finally get in yer head? You know there's no such thing as a curse." 
"Bloom, sweetie. You can't just stand there and tell me this isn't a curse."

"This isn't a curse." Bloom said walking past them. 
"If you will remember back, the words I spoke were quite exact." Twi thought back, "Beware, beware you pony folk. Those leaves of blue are not a joke." 
"It was a warnin'. About that blue plant. It's called Poison Joke." 
"That plant is much like poison oak. But its results are like a joke." 
"What in the hay does that mean?" 
"It means this plant does not breed wrath. Instead, this plant just wants a laugh." 
"Will somepony please talk normal?"

"I think what she's saying is that when we ran in to save Bloom, we ran into the poison joke. All our problems are just little jokes it played on us." 
"Little jokes?! Very funny." 
"Okay, fine. But what about the cauldron?" 
"And the chanting?" 
"And the creepy décor?" 
"Treasures of the native land where I am from. This one speaks 'hello', and this 'welcome'." 
"Not welcoming at all, if you ask me." 
"The words I chanted were from olden times. Something you call a nursery rhyme." 
"But the cauldron... The Apple Bloom soup?"

"Lookie here Twilight. That pot of water wasn't for me, it was for all these herbal ingredients. The cure for poison joke is a simple old natural remedy. You just gotta take a bubble bath!" 
Twi looked at the opened book, "But I tried to find a cure in all my books and couldn't find anything. What book has this natural remedy?" 
Zecora closed the book to show the cover, "Here is the book, you see? Sad that you lack it in your library." Twi looked at it sadly. 

"Actually, I do have this book, but I didn't look inside because the title was so... Weird." Zecora opened the front page for her. "Supernaturals: Natural Remedies and Cure-alls That Are Simply Super. I...I... I'm so sorry, Zecora. I had the answer the whole time if only I had bothered to look inside." 
Zecora chuckled, "Maybe next time you will take a second look, and not judge the cover of the book." Bloom just laughed. 
"Zecora? Would you be kind enough to mix up another batch of the herbal bath?"

"Mix it up I certainly will. Yet I am missing a herb from Ponyville." 
"But whenever Zecora comes to town, all the shops are mysteriously closed." 
"Oh, well... I think we can help you with that." They all walked back into Ponyville and all the ponies hid inside, Twi knocked on one door which opened slightly, "Daisy, we need to talk... and yes I am really Twilight." After the talk her friends all enjoyed the bath as Twi watched, she was writing a letter and didn't want it to get wet.

"Dear Princess Celestia, my friends and I all learned an important lesson this week: Never judge a book by its cover. Someone may look unusual, or funny, or scary. But you have to look past that and learn who they are inside. Real friends don't care what your "cover" is; it's the "contents" of anybody that count. And a good friend, like a good book, is something that will last forever. Your faithful student, Twilight Amethyst Sparkle." 
"Hey Twilight, why haven't you got in yet?"
> Chapter twenty-seven
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twi turned to smile at her friends, "I have to wait until you're done, as a hybrid this bath won't turn me back to normal, Zecora has to add in another ingredient to turn me back to normal." 
Zecora brought Twi over to another bath, "Here you are my hybrid friend, with this bath your pony self well come at its end." Twi got into the bath and twitched a bit at the slight pain when she changed back, her body went back to her normal height and length, her fur changed back into scales, and her claws and sharp teeth grew back in.

Twi looked happily at her hybrid form then at her friends, "I do want to ask you one thing, how do you guys use hooves? I seriously couldn't even open my books with them." 
"It's from practice and common knowledge." 
Twi got out, "Well I prefer my claws thank you very much, Zecora can I talk to you for a moment alone." 
The two walked away and Zecora looked at her, "I want to ask you something." "What do you wish to ask me? Just say it and I might agree."

"Well as you noticed I'm a dragon hybrid, and I need to eat meat for a balanced diet, the only problem is Shy, she is an animal lover." 
"Ah, I see you need to eat meat, much like ponies need to eat wheat. But your friend Shy is friends with what you see as food, that would cause quite the feud." 
"Exactly so I was wondering if you wouldn't mind me using your hut as a safe place to eat any wild animals I catch in peace because ever since the whole deer eating thing I been seeing a lot of birds following me."

"You can use my hut to escape any birds sight, and you can come to my hut day or night." 
"Thanks for understanding Zecora, there is one last thing... why do you speak in rhyme?" 
"That's how I was raised and taught, speaking like this comes to me without a second thought." 
"Why were you taught to speak in rhyme?" 
"That's just my family's way of being unique, and that's just the way we speak." 
"Interesting, so you can't talk in any other way?"

"I don't want to speak in any other way, and that's how it's going to stay." 
They walked back to see everyone drying off, she was glad to see everyone was back to normal, Twi walked with Zecora back to the forest and waved goodbye once she reached the poison joke, Twi looked at the plant with interest, "I wonder how this plant even works..." She brought out some jars and using her magic she carefully placed some in the jars, and she brought them home with her.

When Spike saw the jars filled with poison joke he climbed up to get a better look at them, "What are these?" 
"Poison joke, I wouldn't open the jar and touch it if I were you." 
"Is this what turned you into a pony?" 
"Yes but it has different effects on anyone who touches it, I brought some with me to figure out how it works." They both looked at it as Twi carefully brought out one using her magic, she pulled off the petals and did a different test on each petal as she wrote down her findings. 
"So what did you figure out?"

"That these plants turn what you love the most into something you won't love, like how Pinkie loves to talk and the plant made it so she couldn't talk normally." 
"Or how Rarity loves her beauty and the plant made her hairy." 
"Exactly, or at least that's what I gathered so far, and it seems to add up." 
"But why did it turn you into a pony?" 
"I love being unique, and it took that away, I'm guessing if I was born a pony it would have messed with my horn since doing magic is the second thing I love about myself."

"I thought you didn't like being a hybrid..." 
"This is the way I was born, I've come to accept and love that I am unique and different." 
"Even if you outlive your friends?" 
Twi's ears folded down, "I can't live my life as a pony, I'm sure my friends won't like that I gave up my hybrid form just to grow old with them." She hugged Spike and put away the rest of the poison joke, you never know when it might come in handy, a week has passed and Twi has been happily visiting Zecora's hut to eat what she liked.

One day Ponyville got a message that Princess Celestia will be making an unofficial casual visit tomorrow, which made all everyone start preparing for her visit today, Twi was quickly cleaning her library as Spike helped, "Hurry up, Spike! This place isn't gonna clean itself." 
"It also didn't mess itself up." 
"The princess will be here tomorrow." 
"I thought this was just an unofficial casual visit." 
"There's nothing casual about a visit from royalty." She said as she used her magic to quickly stack most of her books.

One book she stacked was one Spike was standing on, "You know, this would be an awful lot easier if there weren't two of us here getting under each other's feet." He said getting out of a book pile. 
"Great idea. You clean, I'll go see how everyone else's preparations are coming." Twi gave him a duster and left before Spike could argue, she happily walked through the park looking at all the decorations. "Good job everypony." She stopped to watch a banner being put up, "What happened to the rest of her name?"

"We couldn't fit it all in." 
"You can't hang a banner that says 'Welcome Princess Celest'. Take it down and try again." She walked towards sugarcube corner and went inside, "Hello, Mr. Cake and Mrs. Cake, how's the banquet coming?" 
"Uh...it would be coming a little better if..." 
Mrs. Cake pointed towards the food on the table which seemed to be half eaten and Pinkie popped up and ate a whole cake, "Pinkie! What are you doing? Those sweets are supposed to be for the princess."

"I know. That's why I'm tasting them. Somepony needs to make sure that everything is tasty enough to touch the royal tongue, and I, Pinkie Pie, declare that these treats are fit for a king, or a queen, or a princess." 
Pinkie was just about to eat another cake when Shy spoke up, "Twi, Pinkie, you won't believe..." She stopped and slid on the floor, "Oh, I'm sorry, uh, am I interrupting?" 
"No, not at all. Come on in and make yourself at home." Pinkie said eating the whole cake, "What's going on, Shy?"

"You won't believe what I found at the edge of the Everfree Forest. Come on out, little guy, it's okay." Three cute bugs came out of her mane, "Three?" 
Both Twi and Pinkie reacted, "Shy why on Equestria would you bring those here?" 
"Why what's wrong with them?" 
"There a parasprite, my father wrote a book on them, but he couldn't figure out how to get rid of them from a town." 
"I do come on Twi help me find a trombone." Twi and Pinkie started to leave.

"Wait why did your father..." And they both left. "Want to get rid of them... I guess they don't want one, but I bet the others would." Shy walked into carousel boutique, "Hey Rarity, those outfits are gorgeous." 
"Thank you, Shy. Nice to know someone appreciates my talents." 
"Ugh, so boring." They both heard a chirp, "What's that sound, Shy?" The parasprites came out. "Wow, what are they?" 
"Twi said they are called a parasprite but both she and Pinkie didn't want one."

"Uh, I'll take one." 
"Me too, oh, they're perfect." 
Pinkie came in, "Does anypony know where I can find an accordion?" 
"They seem to be distracted, come on Pinkie we have lots more instruments on this list to find." 
They both left to find any instrument on the list Twi made, the next day they were still looking, when they spotted Rarity, "Look Rarity, Applejack loaned me a harmonica. Isn't that great?" She then noticed the bag Rarity was carrying was full of parasprites.

Twi came over, "And not a moment too soon, there is more of them." 
"Twi, Pinkie, I'm a little busy right now." 
"And we're not? You know how many more instruments we gotta find? A lot, that's how many, now if we split the list between us, we might just make it in time." 
"Please, Pinkie, I don't have time for this, I've got a real problem." 
"We have a real problem alright." 
"And a banjo is the only answer!" Pinkie said running off.

"Honestly Twi why are you helping Pinkie with her silly scavenger hunt?" 
"It's not a silly scavenger hunt, it's too..." 
"Twi hurry up!" 
"I'll explain later." 
Twi ran off and Rarity rolled her eyes, Rarity met up with Dash who was dealing with her own swarm, "I see we're having the same problem." 
"Yeah, no kidding." 
"Shy knows everything about animals, I'm sure she can tell us how to stop them from multiplying." They both went to her cottage and as soon as the door opened a huge swarm came out.

"Or not... do something Shy, can't you control them?" 
"I've tried everything I know: I've tried begging, and pleading, and beseeching, and asking politely and..." They all went outside, "We have to do something or it'll be a total disaster." 
One parasprite hacked up another. "Ew! If you ask me, it's already a total disaster." 
Twi came towards them, "Oh good you're all here, whatever you do don't..." 
"Here's all those apples you wanted, Shy, but I still can't figure why ya need so many."

The parasprites quickly ate them all. "Feed them..." 
"What do we do?" 
"Well that's what I came here to tell you since I didn't in the first place, you see..." 
"Twi come on we got to find maracas." 
"Just a second Pinkie I'm trying to explain..." 
"There is no time to explain!" 
"It will take just a second..." 
"Every second you waste is a second that can't be wasted, come on already!" 
Pinkie pushed Twi away. "So... what do we do exactly?" 
"We call in the weather patrol."

Dash said putting on goggles and started to fly in circles until she made a whirlwind which sucked all the parasprites up. "Way to go, Dash!" 
"Looks like our problems are solved." 
"They will be with these cymbals." The whirlwind sucked them up, "Hey, give me those back!" 
Dash tried to dodge them will still trying to hold the whirlwind but it wasn't working, "I can't hold it! She's breaking up." Dash got slammed into a tree and the parasprites flew towards town.

"Pinkie, what have you done?" 
"I've lost a brand new pair of cymbals, that's what I've done." 
"Will you forget about your silly instruments for one second? You're ruining our efforts to save Ponyville." 
"Me? Ruin? I'm not the ruiner, I'm the ruin-ee! Or is it ruiness? Ruinette?" 
Twi ran in, "Pinkie this isn't the time to be a thesaurus!" 
"Come on girls, we are wasting time." They all left. 
"Hey! I'm trying to tell you all that the ruining is on the other hoof. If you'd just slow down and listen to us!"

"Well if you actually explained to them what was going on instead of prattling on like an airhead... never mind that come on!" They arrived in Ponyville to see the parasprites eating all the food, Twi run to her friends, "Girls we need the instruments to take care of the parasprites." 
"How can a bunch of instruments help us with these parasprites?" 
"Well, you see they can..." 
"Twi help me find a tuba stat." 
"But I am trying to explain..." 
"There is no time!"

"Alright, I had enough of this!" Twi's horn glowed brightly, and with a bright flash every parasprite froze, "Now there is time to explain... so start explaining Pinkie and quickly I'm not sure how long I can hold this spell for." 
"Theinstrumentscanbeusedtomakemusicandmaketheparaspritesfollowusoutoftown." 
"What?!" 
"Not that quickly..." 
"Oh... the instruments can be used to make music and make the parasprites follow us out of town." 
They all looked at each other, "Seriously?"

"It's true, just trust us on this..." Twi said trying to hold her freezing spell, which wasn't easy since this was a new spell and trying not to freeze everything else was also hard since the spell was sposed to freeze everything, she had to do double duty with this spell. 
"Alright what do you need?" 
Twi weakly smiled, "We need to find any instruments, and quickly!" She let the spell go and all her friends took off to find any instruments, they all came back with as many as they could carry.

"Great, follow my lead." Pinkie said putting on a bunch of instruments, then she started to play a marching song, Twi followed behind playing as many instruments she knew with her magic, the others followed suit and they noticed the parasprites stopped and started to happily bounce behind them. 
Twi spotted the princess, she stepped out of line but still played, "Hello princess." 
"Twilight, what is this?" 
"Well, we..." 
"Have organized a parade in honor of my visit? I'm really honored."

"Parade? Oh yes, a parade." 
"Unfortunately, this visit is going to have to wait for another time. I'm afraid an emergency has come up in Fillydelphia. Apparently, there's been some sort of infestation." 
Twi almost stopped playing, "An infestation?" 
"Yes, a swarm of incredibly bothersome creatures has invaded the poor town. I'm sorry Twilight, to have to put you all through so much trouble." 
"It's no trouble at all." 
"Before I have to go, would you care to give me your latest report on the magic of friendship in person?"

"My report?" 
"Haven't you learned anything about friendship?" 
"Actually, we have. We have learned that sometimes the solution to your problems can come from where you least expect it. It's a good idea to stop and listen to your friends' opinions and perspectives even when they don't always seem to make sense." 
"I'm so proud of you, Twilight Amethyst Sparkle, and I'm very impressed with your friends as well. It sounds like you're all learning so much from each other."

"Thank you, princess." Princess Celestia nodded and her carriage flew off, then they all stopped playing when all the parasprites left. 
"Hey, what happened to Princess Celestia?" 
"Emergency in Fillydelphia, some sort of  infestation." 
"Oh no! Have they got parasprites too? Well, tuba will travel." 
"I think the princess can handle it." 
"So you two knew what those critters were all along huh?" 
"Yes, I knew from my father's book." 
"And I knew how to get rid of them.

Why do you think we were so frantic to get our hooves on all these instruments?" 
"And each time I tried to tell you Pinkie kept pulling me away until I had enough and cast that spell, which wasn't easy to do trust me." 
"It looked easy." 
"Well it wasn't, not only was it a new spell I only read once, but the freezing spell is sposed to freeze everything and I had to keep it from spreading to everypony else which was even harder since that is an advanced version of the spell, so it wasn't easy at all."

Her friends went to help regrow all the food the parasprites ate but Twi was too tired to help, once she was home she simply plopped on her bed and went to sleep. The days rolled by and one day Spike was helping Twi drag in her latest kill towards Zecora's hut, she dropped it right before entering, she knocked and Zecora opened her door, "Ah Twi and Spike welcome to my hut, would you like help with that?" She asked looking at the animal Twi caught. 
"Thanks and no that's alright, Spike is helping me.

So will you be okay with me eating this in your home? I don't want to get blood all over your hut." 
Zecora chuckled and moved aside to show Twi that everything looked a bit odd. "Don't worry about me I prepared for the worst, I made a space and rubbed a potion on everything first. The potion will protect my place from blood, it will even protect my floor from dirt and mud." 
"You really thought of everything, but what about you?" 
"Eating meat comes naturally to you, so don't worry about me just go ahead and chew."

Twi dragged the animal inside, she and Spike happily ate their fill as Zecora was drinking some tea, she didn't seem to mind watching them do this. Twi and Spike washed up as Zecora put what was left of the animal away in her special storage room, "Thanks again Zecora, me and Spike will visit you again in a few days to finish my catch, for now, we need to get home and start packing." 
"Are you moving away? I thought you were here to stay." 
"We are, we are just going to visit our mother for a few days."
> Chapter twenty-eight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well I hope you have a nice time, do tell me if your father is still in his prime." Twi smiled at her, she also told Zecora about her father. 
"I will tell you I promise, come on Spike let's go home and pack." Once they were back home they started packing, "Just pack what you need." 
"You're one to talk with that trunk full of junk." 
Twi looked at the trunk, "These aren't junk Spike, these are my treasures I collected each time I had an adventure with my friends."

Spike also looked at the trunk but Twi closed it before he could see what was inside, "Come on what's in the trunk." 
"Sorry but you have to wait until we are at our mother's house to see what they are." She locked the trunk so Spike couldn't open it when she wasn't looking, "And don't even bother trying to burn the lock off, I put a spell on it that will protect it from even a full dragon's fire breath." Spike tried his fire anyways and huffed when it didn't work. "I told you so."

Once they were finished they had dinner then went to bed, the next morning Twi and Spike were at the station and their friends were there to see them off, "This is your have a nice trip party!" 
"We will miss you, darling." 
"If anything awesome happens we'll be sure to tell you." 
"Have a nice trip... I hope you have a nice trip." 
"And I packed some treats I made for ya." 
"I will miss you, girls, too but I'm only going to be gone for a few days." Twi hugged each of them, then the train came in.

"Goodbye everypony." 
"Goodbye Twi." Twi and Spike went on the train, she handed over the tickets and waved goodbye as the train left, Twi munched on some apple treats as Spike read one of the comic books he bought for the trip. When they finally arrived in Canterlot Spike finished his last comic and Twi finished the last treat, "We're here." 
They left the train and they spotted Violet, "Mom!" They ran towards her. 
"Spike, Amethyst, it's been too long since I last seen you two."

She happily hugged them when they reached her, "Spike you have grown so much, and Amy did you grow in new scales?" 
"Kind of, I'll explain everything once we are inside." They all walked to her house which was located on the mountain side, the house looked normal on the outside and inside except for the stone furniture which unlike wood could hold the weight of medium sized dragons, and deeper inside the house you will find a cave dug in the mountain where Violet keeps her treasure and sleeps.

Twi brought over her trunk, she unlocked and opened it, "These are my treasures I collected on my adventures with my friends, each one comes with a story and yes one explains my new scales." They all sat at the table, "This is a piece of the castle of the two sisters, where we found the elements of harmony and where they first became my friends." 
"Hey I remember that story, that's when you stopped Nightmare Moon's plan of stopping the sun rise and making the night last forever.

You also used the elements of harmony to change her back into Princess Luna, reunited her with Princess Celestia, and brought peace back to the world, and of course, your friends helped with all of that as well." 
"Amy did you and your friends really do that?" 
"Yes, mother." 
"Well I'm proud of you, and your friends as well, so what's next?" 
"This is a bone from an animal I ate the time my friends fought over my extra ticket to the gala." 
"I remember that day...

I still don't understand why Princess Celestia didn't send you seven tickets in the first place, she knows full well you have five friends and me who might have wanted to go to the gala." 
"Maybe it was some sort of test? Anyways this apple is from the time AJ learned not be so stubborn, I put a spell on it to keep it fresh." 
"Oh I remember that day, I finally got the recipe for those yummy muffins AJ and Pinkie made." 
"Spike they weren't yummy, they were gross and I'm not going to allow you to make them."

"Too late I already did when you were busy that one day." 
"No wonder the kitchen smelt funny..." 
Violet choose to stop them before they started to fight, "What's this?" 
"This is confetti from a party for Gilda the griffon, Dash's old Junior Speedster Flight camp friend." 
"Oh I remember her, she was very rude and mean, I'm glad she and Dash aren't friends anymore." 
"Spike that's not very nice to say, but I am kind of glad as well, she wasn't the best hybrid I meet even if she was the only one I meet."

Twi pointed to her next treasure, "This is a piece of Trixie's cart from the time she came to Ponyville." 
"She was to show busty, and self-centered for my taste, even if she was a performer." 
"I have to agree on that part, this gold coin is from the time I saw Crimson." 
"You saw my father and your grandfather?" 
"Yes she did, and I'm still upset that I missed him... wait how did you get that gold coin?" 
"Crimson left one behind when he left, and he allowed me to keep it since it was just one gold coin.

This cucumber is from my first slumber party... it wasn't the best party but it was interesting." 
"This seashell must be from the beach party we had a few days later." 
"That's right Spike, and this scale is from the time my friends and I meet Zecora and I found about poison joke." 
"Poison joke?" 
"Trust me you don't want to touch that blue flower, I tried to figure them out but all I could gather is that they turn what you love the most into something you won't love." 

"It made everyone hilarious we had, Hairity, Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Apple Teeny, Flutterguy, and Twilight ponkle." 
"It wasn't funny Spike, everyone else didn't find it funny, and I didn't like being a pony with useless hooves, heck I couldn't even walk right before I got the hang of it." 
"Poison joke turned you into a pony?!" 
"Don't worry as you can see I'm cured and back to my normal self, finally this mini instrument was from the time Pinkie helped me with the parasprite problem."

"You figured out how to get rid of parasprites, my husmate and your father will be pleased to find out about this... oh right he..." 
"It's alright mom, I know you don't like to dwell on the fact father isn't in his right mind at the moment." 
Violet hugged them both, "Let's think about happier things shall we, like a visit to meet new family members?" 
As expected Twi jumped in joy, "I finally get to meet my cousin Shining Armor and his parents!" 
"Absolutely, we are going to meet them for lunch today."

"Oh I'm so excited, and a bit nervous... what if they don't like me? Or find me strange? Or get scared at us? Or..." 
"Amethyst!" 
Twi snapped out of it, "Sorry mother I couldn't help it." 
"I swear you get your panic state from your father's side of the family, everything will be fine, once they get to know you they will love you." 
"How do you know that?" 
"Your friends love you, isn't that proof enough?" 
Twi took a deep breath, "Yes it is, if my friends can accept me, my family can accept me."

Violet gave Twi a kiss, "That's my girl, now go clean up our lunch date is coming up soon." The two ran off as Violet took deep breaths, "But they will probably have the same first reaction to seeing a dragon..." 
Once they were done cleaning they walked to the restaurant, the waiter, of course, was a bit shocked at seeing Violet, "Welcome miss to nature and you, a restaurant where you can sit outside but still enjoy the comforts of being inside, do you have a reservation?"

Violet was impressed he didn't stutter once, "Actually we are meeting Twilight Velvet and her family here." 
"Ah, that explains her odd requests, a large table, four pony chairs and two other chairs, be sure to stock on gems and meat, and make sure the table isn't in the middle of the restaurant." 
Twi chuckled, "Well normal pony chairs can't support the weight of my mother or myself, but they can support Spike's weight, he is still a baby dragon and my little brother." Twi said rubbing his head.

"Well come with me, I'll show you to your table." He lead them to a corner table, Twi and Violet sat on cushions they placed instead of chairs, they didn't have to wait long when they spotted three unicorns coming to their table. "Hello, you must be Bookworm's sister Twilight Velvet. I must admit you don't look related to him..." Violet looked at the light gray unicorn with three blue stars cutie mark, and purple and light gray streaked mane and tail, the only similarity they shared was having blue eyes.

Velvet chuckled, "We get that a lot." 
Violet looked at the light blue unicorn with a large yellow crescent moon and smaller white crescent moon inside for a cutie mark, a dark blue mane and tail, and amber eyes. "You must be Night Light." Then she looked at the next unicorn, he had his mother's blue eyes and light gray coat but his hooves were blue, a blue mane and tail like his father but they had light and dark blue streaks, his cutie mark was a pink six-pointed star on a purple shield with three small light blue stars above. 

"And you must be Shining Armor." She thought of her husmate's cutie mark, a brown book with a large purple star on the cover and a worm under it, what was with the similar cutie marks to her daughter? 
"That's us who are you?" 
"My name is Violet, this is Spike, and my daughter Twilight Amethyst Sparkle." 
"That's quite the mouthful and Bookworm named her after me." 
"Not really, he named her after the time he fell in love with me and yes it is a mouthful." The waiter gave them menus.

Velvet took it with a pink aura, Light took it with a light blue aura, Armor took it with a light rose aura, and Twi took it with a magenta aura, and Violet and Spike simply used their claws to take the menus. "It seems we have a different menu to yours." Twi said noticing the different colors. 
"Well, you eat different foods." 
"Speaking of food you do realize what we are going to eat in front of you right?" 
All three unicorns cringed, "We understand you need to eat meat and gems."

"My brother wrote to us and told us everything, but when he first told me he married a dragon, well I thought he was telling me a story like he did when he was young. But then he told me he had an egg with you, I was like an egg? How did that work? I mean a dragon is way bigger than a pony, he then told me how you can change your size, I see that's true with how small you are compared to a normal full grown dragon." 
"But even if you can change your size I still don't understand how you had..."

"Well neither do I, in all honesty, my Amethyst is a true miracle, that's her dragon name and seeing as there is another Twilight sitting at this table I think I can save us all time if I call her by that name." 
"Too true, so Amy what was it like growing up?" 
"My kin..." 
"I'm sorry your what?" 
"It's a dragon term, it's what we call each other even if we aren't related, anyways my kin were very nice to me, even if I was different they still accepted me and we had lots of fun playing together."

"I thought dragons were..." 
"Solitary beasts? Yeah, we get that a lot as well, they aren't some just like their space and like the peace and quiet, but a whole bunch of dragons live in the area called the dragon's lair." 
"You have a cutie mark, I didn't know..." 
"Pony hybrids can get one? My mother and I didn't know that either until it happened." 
"It's on the same place other cutie marks are, wait don't dragons shed their scales?" 
"Dragons do shed their scales." 
"So what happens when you shed your scales?" 

"Oh well under my scales is skin, my skin is the same color as my scales and as my scales grow back they are the same color as the skin it grows on, that includes my cutie mark which is also on my skin." 
"Does it hurt when they fall off and grow back?" 
"As much as teeth falling out and growing back." 
They all winced, "And you go through this all your life?" 
"Yep, each year when I grow up until I reach my adult years." 
"Wait, what happens after you reach your adult years?"

Twi winced as they ordered their meal, "I don't like to talk about it..." 
"Well that's fine, you don't have to if you don't want to." Velvet and her family ordered as well, "Well since you shared some history with us we will as well." The lunch continued and they talked as their food came, they ate and talked after they swallowed having a fun time. "One time I went to get Armor for dinner since he was downstairs playing Ogres & Oubliettes with his friends, I said, 'Armor come up for dinner.'

Then Armor was like, 'But mom I have to beat the castle guard to get a chance to rescue the beautiful princess from the evil wizard, and I got a feeling I'm going to roll good number to do it.'" Twi chuckled, "What happened next?" "He rolled a bad number, lost the battle, and blamed me for interrupting for the next month." 
They all laughed except Armor who was trying to hide a blush, "Mom you didn't have to tell them that..." 
"Well to make it even, one time Amy tried to fly even though she had no wings.

She climbed to the highest ledge over a lava pit, tested the air before jumping off and landing hard in the lava pool, she was sore for months after that stunt, and the thing is after she recovered she wanted to try it again because another welp convinced her that trying to fly will earn her dragons wings for proving her worth, she did this for a solid year to." 
They laughed again, including Twi, "I now know that flinging myself off a cliff won't magically grow dragon wings and no dragon god will grant them to me."

After the meal they walked around Canterlot together, Velvet and Light pointed out some places that either held special memories or they just heard about, Armor also pointed out some places as well. They finally arrived at Canterlot castle though all of them didn't react that much to it, they went to the gardens next door and explored around, they passed by plants and statues of all kinds but one statue caught Twi's eye, making sure everyone else was distracted she ran off to get a closer look.

Once she was far enough away from everyone she slowly approached the statue, she gasped as she read the plate, 'Discord, the draconequus of chaos.' So this was Discord, honestly he looked more like a chimera with all his different animal body parts, but he was classed as a draconequus, which meant he was the only recorded male draconequus in the whole world, and she was the only recorded female, when Twi realized this she blushed looking around glad no one was around to see this.

Twi looked back at the statue, he was frozen 1,000 years ago but apparently he was a lot older than even the princess' possibly even Equestria, but he was the only one of his kind, so how did he come to be? Well since he represents disharmony he's the yang of the world to the yin of the world the elements of harmony, isn't that how the world stays in balance? That for every good thing in the world there must be a bad thing to balance it out, it was a simple concept of yin and yang.

That would also explain why there is only one draconequus, the elements need at least more than one pony to active them but Discord only needs himself to create chaos, and according to a history book the princess used the elements to turn him to stone and brought harmony back. Twi finally went to go join the others but did look back once at the statue, she thought she felt like someone or something was watching her, must have been her imagination...
> Chapter twenty-nine
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Twi rejoined the others she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her when she was looking at the Discord statue, her group went all around the gardens and back again, they passed by the statue yet again but thankfully they didn't go towards it. Twi sighed in relief she really didn't want to go near that statue again, she really didn't like the feeling of it watching her even if it was her imagination or not, when they finally left the area the feeling of someone watching her went away.

She smiled at her family, "You know Armor I swear I have seen you before... wait I remember now, you were that unicorn rookie who managed to impress everyone by casting that powerful shield spell getting your cutie mark at the same time." Armor looked at her, "Wait how did you see that without me seeing you? I would have recognized you now if I saw you back then." 
"Well I was in the study room looking out the window way above the training area, so I could see you but you never saw me."

"How do you like that you saw Armor before you even knew he was your cousin, talk about a coincidence." 
"How in Equestria do you know what that word means Spike?" 
"I saw it in a comic book and looked it up." 
"A comic book?" Twi asked with a sigh, she sort of hoped he saw it in an actual book, not a comic book. 	"Hey they can be educational." 
"Another word you learned from a comic book?" 
"No that one I learned from you when you tried to educate me on the difference between a book and a comic book."

"Spike a book is a real novel while a comic book..." 
"Is nothing more then pictures with words and captions, yeah I know." 
"Alright that's enough you two, we are in a public place don't want to attract any attention." 
"We are one hybrid, two dragons, and three unicorns walking in the streets of Canterlot, we will attract attention no matter what we do." 
"You have a point but let's not attract any more attention shall we?" They kept quiet and they reached Violet's home.

"Well we're here, I would invite you in for dinner but I'm afraid I don't carry any pony food being a dragon and all." 
"We understand completely, it was nice meeting you all." 
"It was nice meeting you to." Armor and his family left, while Twi and Spike went inside. 
"After all that walking I'm ready to dig into any meal." 
"Spike you were on my back for half of the trip." 
"I know but I'm still hungry." 
Violet chuckled, "Well it's almost time to eat so go clean up I'll get dinner."

When Twi and Spike finished up cleaning up, they walked into the kitchen seeing their mother had caught their meal, "What did you catch?" 
"I caught this stay deer, brought gems and lettuce for a salad." 
"I'll take care of the lettuce." 
"Thank you Amy." 
Twi chopped up the lettuce and mixed it with some gems, "Are we going to visit my father tomorrow?" 
"Yes, I need to check on how my husmate is doing." 
"Maybe we can tell him how I helped get rid of parasprites."

The next morning they all had breakfast before heading to the treatment center, as soon as a nurse saw them she smiled, "Come to visit Bookworm?" 
"Yes we have." They all walked into the room where Bookworm was being treated and they saw many notes pinned to everything they were all reminders on how to do things, "How's he doing?" 
"Oh much better than before, he's remembering things on his own now and again, and we found these books on the ponies here."

Violet chuckled, his 'All you need to know about' book series was the very thing that brought them together in the first place, she smiled as she saw him writing things down, "Husmate." 
He looked at them, "Violet, Twilight, and who's that?" 
"My younger brother Spike, I told you about him before." 
"Ah yes I remember now, how's the flying practice going?" 
"It's going dad." Spike knew that his biodad was Fang but he thought of Bookworm as his real father so he calls his as such.

"And I have some exciting news for you dad I know how to get rid of parasprites." 
As expected he instantly jumped in Twi's face, holding up paper and a quill, "When did you see them? How did you get rid of them? How did you figure it out? Will it always work? How did they react to it?" 		"Slow down dad, one question at a time, not to long ago, with musical instruments, Pinkie told me, yes it will, they jumped behind us attracted to it."

He wrote this down as Violet laughed, "I'm happy to see you haven't changed, so how are you doing?" 
"Just great, I got books on all the different ponies here, this book you have to read, the client's name is Spectera Shine and she can communicate with the dead!" He brought them out and held one book in front of them. 
"No she can't dad, she just thinks she can." Twi said pushing it down. 
"But I got proof, she talked with Brook!" Violet flinched when she heard that name.

Bookworm didn't seem to notice, "She said he wanted to give me his last boat he said it was in his will under his house then he passed on into the light, and look they found it right where she said he said it was!" He held up pictures of them finding a will under planks of wood inside a house. "So you see she can talk to ghosts, she's not crazy!" Twi sighed, those were probably faked by Shine's friend or family member to make her seem like she wasn't crazy and was telling the truth.

But Twi didn't want to ruin her father's happiness by telling him the truth, "That's great dad." 
"You think I'm crazy." They all turned around to see a silver unicorn, her gold mane and tail looked limp, and she was staring at us with bronze eyes, "Everyone here thinks I'm crazy." 
"I don't think your crazy Shine." 
She came into the room, and Twi saw her cutie mark, it looked like a glowing ball with a bronze core and lighter circles around it, "I'm not crazy, I can talk to ghosts it's my special talent.

What else do you think my cutie mark means?" 
"Your cutie mark is very vague." 
"Well it's not that is an Equestria bound soul see how it's bronze to represent the earth, and the glow around it is to represent that it's a spirit?" 
Twi was about to answer when a nurse came in, "There you are Shine, telling ponies about your cutie mark and special talent again?" 
"Yes because I'm not crazy, my name is Spectera Shine, it means ghost light, I can see and talk to ghosts!"

"Shine nopony can talk to ghosts." 
"I can it's my special talent, why won't you ponies believe me!" 
"Come on it's time to take your meds." The nurse grabbed her with her magic and Shine struggled, "No I'm not crazy, I'll prove to you that I'm telling the truth!" 
Her horn glowed bronze and the nurse brought out a magic ring meant to block magic Twi stepped in, "Stop this, you're meant to help her not hurt her." 
"I am trying to help her by bringing her back in reality."

As soon as the ring went on Shine's horn the glow went away, "No I was nearly done with my spell, it would have shown you what I can see!" 
"Shine your talent is using your 'ghost light' to create illusionary images none of the ghosts are real."      	
"They are real, let me go!" 
"Don't make me put you to sleep again." Shine still struggled until the nurse put a needle in her neck, she passed out and the nurse floated her out, "Sorry you had to see that please go back to your visit."

As soon as both of them left it was quiet in the room until Spike broke the silence, "She's really crazy." Violet hit him on the head. "Ouch what was that for?" 
"For saying something rude about Shine who clearly has some kind of mental illness you should never judge anyone who has a mental illness, just because you can't see the problem doesn't mean it's not there, your father has a mental illness!" 
"I'm sorry mom." Twi picked up the book about Shine, she was curious about her now.

Was the nurse right and Shine's special talent was making illusionary images with her ghost light or was Shine right and her special talent was communicating with the dead? Also what was with her colors? They looked dull and faded, Rarity would be pleased to know she could tell the difference, also her mane and tail was more limp and lifeless then Shy's style, but why? Why was she like this? Twi entered the office, "Hello Twilight Sparkle, what can I do for you?"

"I want to take Spectera Shine back home with me." 
"What, why?" 
"I want to do some tests to see if she's truly crazy or not." 
"Twilight, she thinks she can communicate with the dead." The nurse said slowly as if questioning Twi's mental state. 
"I know but how do we know she really can or not, after all we have ponies with special talents in every possible category some even being uncommon or rare and last I checked there are no limits or rules for what a pony can get as a special talent.

But if I still have not convinced you let me ask you this how was medicine made in ancient times?"   
"Um..." 
"By using a mortar and a pestle, a simple bowl and a heavy blunt object, they had to grind or crush herbs to get their medicine, and guess what in those times they would call you a witch for even doing this. Because healing others with simple plants seemed to crazy to be true, but nowadays it's a common and well known fact that plants, herbs, and even fungi can heal others."

Twi looked closely at her, "So if we can go from healers being crazy to being a common sight is it really that crazy to believe Shine's special talent is communicating with the dead?" 
The nurse brought out a folder and took out some papers, "Just sign here and you can take custody of Spectera Shine you also have to send reports of how her mental state is either progressing or regressing." 
Twi read the papers carefully before signing them, "I'll be sure to send a monthly report thank you for seeing reason."

Twi left the office and the nurse rubbed her head as she pushed a button, "Clear my schedule tonight would you? I need to rethink some things and maybe even get a drink or two... why? Because Twilight just used logic to make her case about a talent in seeing dead ponies and talking to them as well... yeah you can join me and I'll go over the details." 
Twi walked into Shine's room to see her just laying on a bed, "Oh it's you, what do you want?" Twi looked at her more closely.

Now that she could get a good look at Shine she noticed that she looked a bit different then a normal unicorn besides the dull colors and limp hair style. The white glow on her iris wasn't round like with other ponies, it was diamond shaped for some reason, also her mane and tail wasn't one color, she had different shades of gold Rarity taught her well, "I came to get you, I am going to prove wither or not your crazy!" Shine looked at her slowly as if she was tired.

"So your going to take me with you? To your house to put me through whatever crazy tests you have planned for me?" 
Twi laughed lightly, "Sort of you see there is a very easy way I can prove your sane or crazy, one of my friends has dead relatives and if you can see them without knowing what they look like then that will prove your sane, because how can you possibly make illusions of ponies you have never seen before?" 	
Shine slowly got up, "Alright I'll go with you."

She got together her things, "It will be better then staying here for the rest of my life." Twi happily clapped as she lead Shine out of the center with Spike following close behind them, after gathering their things they hopped on the train and waved goodbye to their mother. "So are you a dragon or a pony?" Twi sighed here we go again... once they got back to Ponyville Pinkie welcomed them back, "Welcome back Twilight and Spike!" Her party cannon went off then she spotted Shine.

Pinkie gasped and went to her, "Oh my gosh are you a new pony? You must be new because I never seen you before, and if your new that must mean you have no friends, and if you have no friends you must be lonely so I must throw you a welcome party!" 
Shine blinked, "I'm sorry what did you just say?" 
"I said I'm going to throw you a welcome party, I mean duh, what else can make ponies smile? A fun party!" 
"I really..." 
"And it looks like you need one, I mean you look like you have not smiled in years!"

Shine froze her eye twitched, "Happy? Fun? Smiling? I have never felt joy since I left my home." 		
"And that's why you need this party!" 
Twi gently pushed Pinkie away, "Now Pinkie Spectera Shine..." 
"Wow that's a long name how about Shiny? Spooky? Oh I know ghost light!" 
"Wait what?" 
"Ghost light that's what your name means silly." 
Shine eye twitched even more, "How in the world did you know that?" 
"Oh that's easy I simply read earlier in this story to find out."

Both Twi and Shine looked at her oddly, "What are you talking about?" 
"Are you sure I'm the crazy one who needs to be studied?" 
"Oh trust me when I say I already tried once... I ended up crushed under a ton of stuff then burst into flames out of anger." 
Shine looked at Twi, "You did what now?" 
Twi focused really hard then her mane and tail burst into flames. "Oh cool party trick Twi." 
Shine simply looked at her in awe, "I didn't know other ponies can change the way they look."

Twi went back to normal, "Wait other ponies? What do you mean other ponies?" 
"I'm sorry did I say other ponies? I must be tired because my brain isn't working properly." Twi looked at her did Shine just look scared for a moment? "How about a nice long rest in a proper bed? I haven't had a nice peaceful rest in years, I could probably sleep for a 1,000 years on a comfy bed." 
"That's an oddly specific amount of time." Shine yawned then fainted on the spot sleeping on the ground.

Did she just willingly put herself to sleep to avoid answering questions? Because that's what it looked like, no one can just fall asleep like that, unless they are extremely tired or have trained themselves to sleep on command and it looks like Shine falls into the latter. "Hey wake up!" Pinkie shook Shine, "I want to throw you a welcome party!" 
"Pinkie put her down that's not going to work she's a heavy sleeper." 
"Oh but my welcome party..." 
"Will have to wait tomorrow besides it's already getting late."

Pinkie looked at the setting sun, "Curse you sun!" Twi shook her head as she lifted Shine with her magic and carried her home, after placing her down in the guest bed Twi pulled out book after book to see if anypony wrote about the ability to speak to the dead. Yes there was A Hearth's Warming tale, but that was a story and it mentioned a spirit summoning spell not a spirit seeing ability, so two different things really, but then again Shine is a unicorn... huh maybe her talent wasn't that farfetched.
> Chapter thirty
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spectera Shine yawned lightly as she got up, she looked around confused for a moment when she saw she wasn't in her usual room, but then she remembered she wasn't in that awful place anymore. Finally, no more crazy ponies, no more medication, and no more nurses trying to force her to accept that her mark was about creating illusions, she never felt so happy in her life, her happiness spend through her body as she happy trotted around the room. 

Shine stopped in front of a mirror looking at herself, she blinked slowly it's been a while since she's seen herself like this... her happiness faded as she remembered why and her reflection went back to the way it's always been, she walked downstairs to see her new caretaker was in the kitchen, Twilight was it? She looked at her closely, even though she was covered in scales she still had a cutie mark, the double tails was a bit confusing, and so was the three horns, but besides that she looked pony-ish.

Shine walked into the kitchen to join Twi she sat down and saw all the neat paper stacks behind Twi from the loos of it they were all blank, she sighed as Twi looked up at her, “Good morning I hope that...” 
Shine sighed deeply, “Let's just cut this nice talk I know you want to ask me questions about my life, I thought you would read my file for that.” 
Twi chuckled nervously as she tucked away a large file, “Well yes but I want to hear the story from your point of view.”

Shine looked at the breakfast Spike served her, she might as well get it over with, “Back in the past my tribe used to live in this grand city, they said it was more beautiful then the stars themselves, there was this shaman in our city, he was more of a fortune teller though. One day he said that darkness would strike the city and everyone should leave before it happened, of course not everypony believed him, after all the city stayed safe for years and they thought they were well protected.”

Shine munched on her food as Twi quickly wrote down everything, her quill going quickly from ink pot to paper and was moved on the paper so fast Shine thought it would burst into flames if Twi wrote any quicker. “Okay done then what happened?” 
Shine looked at Twi's eager face, “Well some ponies took his warning to heart and left with him, they traveled as far as their hooves could carry them, after some time one of the scoots said that our home was gone.”

“By gone do you mean destroyed?” 
Shine looked at her food for a moment, “I'm not really sure what the scoot meant this all happened nearly 1,000 years ago, so some details of the story has been lost over the years, what I do know is that the cause of the darkness and our home being lost to us came from a unicorn, and what was left of the ponies who survived made a new home and became a tribe of ponies, in fact my village is a lot like Ponyville, both were founded by earth ponies.”

Twi levitated more blank pages to her as the written ones went into a different pile, “And then what?” 
Shine looked to the side, “Then I was born.” Twi looked at her confused, and Shine continued, “When you grow up on the story of an evil unicorn who took away this grand utopia and forced you to move away to live in a small village or face his darkness then you would be weary of unicorns too, so when I was born everypony thought I was a monster, simply because I was born a unicorn.”

Shine levitated a hand mirror towards herself and she stared at her reflection, “I bet you know how it feels to be judged based on what you were born as.” 
Twi levitated some papers down slowly, “Well I sort of do.” 
Shine looked at her, “And that wasn't the end of my sorrow, one day when I was a filly I was playing in the forest not that far from my village when an earth pony walked passed me, he looked very lost like he didn't know where to go, and he was covered in ash.

So I took pity on him, walked up to him and asked, are you lost sir? He turned to look at me, then he looked around as if expecting to see somepony else, then he looked at me again and said, you can see me? As a child I thought he was playing some sort of game, I simply giggled and said, of course I can you seem lost do you need help? He went on his knees in front of me saying, yes I'm lost I don't know where to go please help me!”

Shine poked the table waiting for Twi to finish writing what she said before moving on, “So I said I would help, I asked him for a name and if he remembered where he was going, he said his name was Timber and he was looking for his family, So we both searched the forest until he stopped and said he found them, I looked ahead to where he was looking but saw nopony, I was going to tell him to lay down and rest because he was clearly seeing things.

But what happened next shocked me, after thanking me for helping him he ran ahead and vanished into thin air, I slowly walked back to my home wondering how he did that, but one pony stopped me and asked, who were you talking to? I said, Timber I helped him find his family somehow, and the pony said he saw me just standing there in the forest talking to thin air.” Shine grabbed a glass with her magic and poured herself some water, she took a quick sip before placing the glass down.

“I was just a child so the pony wrote it off as me talking to an imaginary friend since I didn't have any real friends and sent me home, that night I laid in my bed wide awake, I knew what I saw. The next morning I asked Early Bird to ask the birds if they know of any other ponies around here, she told me that a family of woodcutters used to live near here but they all died in a forest fire, when I asked who was the father she answered, Timber and I got my cute mark when I realized what I just did.”

Twi looked at Shine with surprise, “So let me get this straight, you got your cutie mark the moment when you realized you saw and talked to a ghost?” 
Shine chuckled lightly, “Well I got more information about what he looked like and that sealed the deal but basically yes that's how I got my cutie mark, it was like I was cursed from birth.” 
Twi looked confused again, “I know why you being a unicorn was seen as a bad thing but why was...” 

“Because after word got out I helped a spirit the rest of them wouldn't leave me alone! I mean it was bad enough I was a unicorn now I had a talent to make my life even more miserable? Sure it feels nice to help spirits cross over but nopony else could see them and it got worse with age, when I was a filly they thought I was making imaginary friends, as an adult they thought I was crazy!” Shine shouted before taking deep breaths to calm down.

“The only thing helping me sleep at night is this thing.” She levitated a necklace out of the room she was in and showed it to Twilight, the necklace looked like something the princess' would wear with it's thick gold bands and giant gemstone in the center. 
“What is it?” Twi asked looking at it and trying not to drool. 
“It blocks my special talent, without it the spirits would be bothering me 24/7, they don't understand the concept of sleep.” Shine said putting it on.

“And the hospital let you keep that?” 
Shine chuckled lightly, “I told them that it's a family heirloom, which wasn't a complete lie, my great grandmother owned this necklace I just changed the gemstone in the center.” She pulled a picture out of the back of the gemstone's base with her magic, “See here she is wearing it.” Twi took the picture with her own magic and looked it over, she saw a regal looking earth pony wearing the necklace but something seemed off about her appearance.

“She looks like a princess was she royalty?” 
Shine laughed, “Oh I wish, no her husband just thought of her as his beautiful princess and bought her that necklace as a anniversary gift.” Shine took back the picture and put it back where it belonged. 
“She looks a bit different from a normal earth pony.” 
Shine chuckled, “Yeah she dressed up for the picture, wanted to look as regal as a princess.” Twi's eye twitched slightly, Shine just lied to her!

Twi took some deep breaths as she realized she wasn't entitled to all of Shine's secrets, but still something was really weird with her, beyond the dull colors and limp hairstyle, her eyes were different they almost looked crystallized. Her story was strange as well, something about her city being gone sounded like it vanished rather then destroyed, even the way the sunlight hit her body seemed off, like her fur wasn't absorbing the sunlight.

Twi's eyes narrowed slightly, she had an idea but it was almost cruel what she's about to do, “You know what Shine after hearing your story I decided to let you go.” 
Shine looked at her confused, “What do you mean?” 
“You've been locked up long enough, you should go and live out your own life.” Twi looked at the reflection in a glass as she watched Shine slowly smile then her body glowed with light, Twi span around in shook.

Twi's eyes couldn't believe what Shine just turned into her colors were brighter, her hairstyle was neater, and she looked completely different! Shine looked at herself, she gasped as she slowly faded back to normal, “Whoa, how did you do that?” 
Twi asked as Shine growled at her, “You tricked me on purpose, your worse then those nurses!” 	Twi held up her claws, “Alright I admit I did trick you on purpose, but I knew there was something odd about you and I was right, your not a normal unicorn!”

Shine simply got off the cushion, “Well now you know my deepest secret congratulations!” Twi flinched slightly at her tone, “I'm sorry I shouldn't have tricked you but I knew you weren't going to just tell me that your... what do they call you?” 
Shine grumbled, “Of all the different species books of course she wouldn't have the one book she needs to tell what I am.” Shine teleported in an old book, “This is what I am.” 
Twi read the cover, “History of the Crystal Empire.”