“Isn’t it great to be back, Twilight?” Spike was walking alongside Twilight, his arms swaying side to side.
Twilight nodded and looked around the familiar setting. “To think it’s only been a few weeks and it already feels like years.” She passed by the Ponyville Post office, a “closed” sign on the front. “That’s funny.”
Spike gave her a funny look. “Hm?”
Twilight shook her head. “Oh it’s nothing, I just don’t remember the Post Office being closed on Tuesdays.”
Spike scratched his head with a claw, “I don’t either, but then again, how often did we use it?”
Twilight laughed. “Good point.” They continued to walk for some time until a familiar ginger bread-like house began to come into view. “Look, Spike. There it is!” She grabbed the young dragon and tossed him on her back, her wings flaring out and taking flight towards the sugary shop.
“Whoa!” Spike clung onto the purple alicorns neck for dear life as she soared towards the shop. Suddenly stopping right in front of entrance, making Spike tumble forward through the door.
Twilight cringed. “Oops...” She walked through the now open door, the tiny bell above her dinged. “Sorry about that, Spike. I’m still getting used to the brakes with these things.” She fluffed her wings out before having them fold at her sides. Even though the little dragon was in a tangled heap in front of the counter, Spike held a thumbs up to Twilight.
He got up and brushed himself off in a hurry. “I can’t wait to see if Mrs. Cake has any gem cupcakes for me!” He licked his lips with a long reptilian tongue.
Twilight looked at the young dragon with mirth in her eyes then looked around. No one seemed to be here. She started towards the stairs. “Pinkie?” Shuffling. She definitely heard shuffling.
Spike was still daydreaming about sapphires as the purple mare made her way up the stairs. “Pinkie Pie, are you here?”, She came to a pink door, it was cracked open. She pushed it open. “Pinkie-”
She was met with an immediate bowing Pinkie her face to the floor. “Your highness.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Very funny, Pinkie. You scared me half to death!”
Pinkie suddenly sat up, her hooves to her mouth and gasped. “Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to at all. Forgive me your highness! Don’t put me in the dungeon for a thousand- no a jillion thousand years!” The pink mare began sobbing.
Twilight put a hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder. “Come on, Pinkie Pie. I’m not going to do that. You’re being a silly pony.”
More tears. “WAHHHHHHHH!”
The purple mare cringed at the sound. Suddenly a blue blob, fast approaching the shop flew in from the window. “What in the world, Pinkie. I can hear you from-” Rainbow Dash’s eyes laid on Twilight and suddenly the pegasus bowed. “Your majesty.”
Twilight cocked her head to the side. What was going on? “Um, hey Rainbow Dash.”
The rainbow maned pegasus sat up and trotted over to Pinkie Pie, who was still balling, and placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder. “There, there, Pinkie. Why are you crying in front of a princess?”
The sniffling mare, dried her tears. “I-I guess you're r-right.”
Rainbow Dash nodded and turned back to Twilight. “No need to mind her, princess. I’ll get her all cleaned up before you see her again.” She started to shove Twilight out the door.
“Hey! what are you-” Twilight was barely in the hallway as the door slammed behind her.
She rubbed her rump where the hardwood hit her. “Well that was... Strange.” She trotted down the stairs to meet a quizzical looking dragon at the bottom. She sighed and waved a hoof. “I’ll tell you outside”
Spike nodded and they both headed towards the door.
~O~
“It was that bad?”
Twilight nodded as they walked by Ponyville Park. “Yeah, even for Pinkie Pie, it was that bad.”
Spike rubbed his chin. “Well, maybe it was one of those extra Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie days.”
The purple alicorn shrugged her shoulders as and stared ahead as a small cafe came into view. Sitting at a table was two familiar shapes. “Look, Spike!”
Twilight began to gallop towards the small table calling out. “Rarity! Fluttershy!”
The two ponies turned their heads, they seemed frozen in place. Twilight finally reached them. “It’s so good to see you two!”
Fluttershy looked at her tea cup as Rarity flipped her hair back with a hoof and began to sip her tea, ignoring the mare.
Twilight cocked her head at the two ponies. “What’s wrong with you? Is it because I didn’t write more often or-”
“Honestly, darling. Did Celestia teach you nothing? It is improper to associate with the common pony as a high standing royal now.” Rarity snapped as she took another sip of her tea.
Twilight’s jaw gaped open, she stuttered. “B-but that’s n-not true!” She turned to Fluttershy. “Surely you can’t feel the same way.”
The pale yellow mare whimpered.
Twilight stomped a hoof into the dirt, tears stinging her eyes. “Fine then! I don’t know what’s wrong with you ponies, but I plan to get to the bottom of it!” She stormed off towards her library, catching Spike in her purple magic.
“Twi’ where are we going?! Our friends are back there!”
The alicorn shook her head. “Something’s wrong here, Spike, and I plan to get to the bottom of it.”
Soon after passing the many colorful buildings of the town she had called home for almost a year her own home came into view. She felt her legs carrying her faster as she made out the design of the door, her door. She managed to slow down as she shoved it aside. Walking in the dusty library. She sighed, loosening her muscles, the sweet smell of old books was always relaxing.
“Um, Twilight?”
She looked over to Spike who was still hanging mid-air surrounded in purple magic. Twilight blushed in embarrassment. “Sorry, Spike.” She gently sat the dizzy looking reptile on the hard oak floor. “Now, Spike. I need you to find every single book on spells, such as hypnosis-”
A loud rumbling suddenly appeared. Spike rushed to the window, his jaw dropped.“Twilight.”
The purple pony began to pace. “-Perhaps it was Discord? But he was reformed-”
“Twilight!”
“-Changelings! They’ve invaded Ponyville and took over-”
“TWILIGHT!”
The alicorn jumped from the shout, and turned towards Spike. “What, Spike? Can’t you see we’re on the verge of disaster!”
Spike pointed a long claw at the window. “You may want to see this.”
Twilight trotted over to the window and opened it. “What in Celestia’s name could be so-”
The roar of stomping hooves hit her. She looked out the window. Hundreds of ponies were gathered in front of her home, all stomping on the ground in applause. Twilight waved a hoof at all the ponies, immediately the crowd bowed. She quickly shut the window. “Spike... Tell me you saw the hundreds of ponies out there too.”
“Yup.”
Twilight made sure to lock the window before walking over her bookshelf, staring at nothing in particular. “This doesn’t make any sense.”
The little purple dragon stared out the window. “Actually, it kind of does.”
She spun around. “Really? How in the world does this make any logical sense?”
Spike beckoned her over with a claw, reluctantly she came once again face to face with the window. “Think about it Twilight, you’re a princess now. All these ponies have ever known is Celestia, that is until Luna was freed, Cadence doesn’t even rule in this region, they assume they have to follow the guidelines placed by Celestia, they just don’t know any better.”
Twilight laughed. “Oh, Spike, don’t be ridiculous- Wait. That actually makes sense. Logical, sane sense.” She hugged her little helper. “Oh thank you, Spike, now I just have to show everypony I’m not like all strictly royal and such.” She opened the window and cleared her throat,trying her best to be as loud as she could so everypony could hear her. “Dear citizens of Ponyville, I am honored you have greeted me in such a... nice manner, but you see, I am just a regular pony and wish to be treated as such. I shall not ask for any bowing and no locking ponies up-”
Suddenly a familiar pink pony gasped aloud. “Dear you hear that everypony? She want’s to lock all of us up for a thousand years in the dungeons. EVERYPONY RUN!!!” Suddenly mass hysteria ensued, from trampling ponies to loud screaming.
Twilight tried to calm the panicking ponies down. “No, please, I’m not that kind of pony! You must understand!”
Spike laid a claw on Twilight’s shoulder, “I think we have bigger problems.”
The purple mare sighed with frustration. “What could be worse than everypony being scared of me?”
“Them trying to kill you.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Of course that, Spike, but honestly that’s just outrageous.”
Spike rubbed the back of his head, “Um, not really... Look at them out there.”
Twilight turned towards the window, Spike, unfortunately, was right. Ponies with torches, baseball bats, and every garden tool known to pony kind was all facing, towards her. A pony dropped a touch at her door, the flames began to grow on the old oak. She looked at the little dragon.“S-spike?”
“Y-yeah, Twilight?”
She grabbed the baby dragon. “Let’s get out of here!” Her horn glowed a soft purple, and a loud pop was heard. She opened her eyes, “No, this isn’t right!” what laid in front of them was burning buildings, waving a purple banner with a cutie mark, her cutie mark, on them. She was no longer in her tree but was in the middle of a destroyed Ponyville.
She stood, wide eyed, “N-no! This must be an allusion. A trick! Spike take-” She suddenly remembered Spike had traveled with her, she looked down, no Spike. “Spike?” She began to gallop through the destroyed city. “Spike, where are you?!” She heard a deafening roar from the sky, staring up she saw a shadow of something getting closer. When she saw the creatures face her jaw dropped, tears welling in her eyes, and whispered. “Spike?”
The creature coming towards her, was in fact her Spike, she could tell from the colours of his scales and not to mention his eyes, but he had scars all over his body, not to mention a chain around his neck. Who would do such a thing to him- She felt the tears fall down her cheeks. I would. I already have.
Spike got closer, roaring at the young pony. Twilight stood her ground, ready to feel the impact of her friend, little brother even, hit her. Memories filled her mind, picnics with friends, defeating Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, so many others. Now they hated her, and she had turned her own little brother, who had trusted her, into a monster. No, Spike wasn’t the monster, she was.
A surge of green flames came towards her. The tears flowed freely. “Goodbye my friends, I’m sorry...”
~O~
“TWILIGHT!”
“AH!” Twilight shot up out of bed, sweat on her brow.
Spike stood beside her with a cup of water. “Whoa, Twilight, you don’t look so good.”
She hopped out of bed and grabbed Spike by his tiny shoulders. “Spike! Where is everypony? We have to help rebuild Ponyville and save them, save you- Hold on. Why aren’t you big and terrifying?”
Suddenly the little dragon puffed some smoke out of the side of his mouth. “Shesh. You go power hungry one time and that’s all they remember you for.”
Twilight hugged him. “No, no. That’s not it, it was....” What could be the rational conclusion for all of this? That was terrible, all her friends hating her, her teleportation turning into time travel, almost dying- She sighed and facehoofed in frustration.“Spike, I was asleep this whole time wasn’t I?”
The little dragon nodded. “Um, yeah. You said you wanted to get some rest before we went back to Ponyville today.
She brushed her mane out of her eyes. “Ponyville!” Her friends would be waiting for her. “Spike go get ready, we’re leaving in ten minutes, okay?”
Spike saluted Twilight, and placed the water on her night stand. “Yes, ma’am!” Before running down the stairs of her old room in Canterlot.
Twilight sighed, as she ran a brush through her messy mane. A nightmare. That’s all it was. Right? She didn’t want to think about the possibilities of her friends actually hating her just because she was a princess now. That didn’t change anything, right?
She heard loud steps as Spike appeared in the room, a suitcase packed with quills, paper, and ink, he was also holding a picnic basket. “Ready, Twilight!”
She nodded and looked at the clock it was almost noon. “Great, Hold on Spike, still getting used to long distance teleportation.” The little dragon nodded and held on to one of the mare’s forelegs. Her horn began to glow a deep purple, suddenly a loud pop sound filled the room and they were gone.
Twilight opened her eyes to the grassy fields of Ponyville’s Park, Celestia’s sun high in the sky.
“Oh, darling, you finally made it, I’ve already laid out a blanket for us.” A white unicorn met her gaze, she was sitting in front of a small tea set on a red and white checkered blanket, four other ponies were sitting with her.
“Rarity?” She looked at all the ponies, a smile stretched across her face. “You’re all here!”
“Of course, we are silly! I mean if we weren’t we’d all be breaking a Pinkie promise and that would just be awful!” The giggly pink pony picked up a plate of cupcakes and enveloped them with her tongue before dragging them into her mouth. “How far was Canterlot?”
Twilight sat down on the soft blanket, beckoning a hoof to Spike to sit. “It’s been a lot of work, who knew there was so much to learn about being a princess.”
Fluttershy sipped her tea. “But it must be... nice. I mean, being one.”
The alicorn chuckled. “It’s not that much different from being a regular old pony, just a lot more studying and some formalities. I’m just glad you still see me as the same old Twilight.”
Rainbow Dash gave her a puzzled look. “What are you talking about Twilight? Why wouldn’t we?”
The mare sighed, “Well I had a dream- no a nightmare, really and so it started as me and Spike were walking into Ponyville...”
A few minutes passed as Twilight told her friends about her nightmare. About what happened at Sugarcube Corner, about the bowing ponies, how her teleportation spell sent her traveling to the supposed future of a destroyed Ponyville.
It was quiet for a moment before Pinkie Pie erupted in a fit of laughter.
Rarity folded her forelegs. “Darling, that is very rude. That dreadful nightmare scared Twilight to death!”
Pinkie Pie sat up and wiped a tear from her eye. “I’m s-sorry, Rarity, but that’s just silly! Us hating Twilight for being a alicorn princess! Why that’s as silly as” She produced a bowl. “Pink punch!” She erupted in laughter again rolling around on the blanket.
The other four ponies nodded in agreement.
Applejack patted Twilight’s back. “Don’t worry ‘bout it too much, sugacube. That sort of thing would never happen, especially all of us bein’ such good friends an’ all.”
Rainbow Dash looked to the farm pony on her right. “Anypony else notice that Applejack wasn’t even in the dream?”
Twilight tapped her chin. “You’re right.” She looked at the orange mare. “Where were you Applejack?”
Applejack pretend to polish her hoof on her chest and held it out, examining it. “Probably, hard at work apple buckin’, I reckin’.”
All the ponies and one dragon rolled their eyes and erupted in laughter.
Twilight looked around, seeing that it was certainly comforting having her friends around her, especially when they weren’t scared of you sending them to the dungeon. She sighed, it was good to be home, speaking of which...
The purple mare cleared her throat. “Spike, take a note.”
The little dragon pulled out a quill and some paper from what looked like his back leg and began to write.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learned that sometimes changes can be scary to some ponies, not because of the change, but because of what they think others will think them. But I also learned that even though a pony might make those changes, such as moving away or making a big decision in her life, that they shouldn't worry because that pony’s true friends will always view her as the same old pony, no matter what the changes are or what the future might bring.
Your faithful student,
Princess Twilight Sparkle
Spike rolled the scroll up and with a breath of green fire and a puff of smoke, it was off to Canterlot.
Author's Note
This is a response to Twilicorn hate.
She's an alicorn now. She's a princess now. But you know what? She's still the Twilight Sparkle we know and love. Sure, I think the princess coronation episode sucked (minus the cutie mark song) but it had potential. If they would have spread it over 2-3 episodes it would have been better. Maybe add in a little controversy to one of the episodes and BOOM. We wouldn't have this massive hate, probably. I mean honestly, why do you hate her? She has frickin' wings and a princess title now, is that the only reason?
So yup. My vent story! Thank you for reading! *bows*
