Raindrops steadily beat against the ground, creating a glorious cacophony of noise that served to light fires in homes all over Ponyville. With her number one assistant soundly snoozing in his bed, Twilight Sparkle lay curled up in her own, reading books simply to read instead of to study for once. Her most recent tale recounted a classic tale of adventure and friendship in which two ponies started out on a journey across the land to return a mysterious horseshoe to where it first came into being. Along the way, others joined them and together, they traveled to what seemed like the end of the world. By the end of the book, tears streamed out of Twilight's eyes and down to the sheets, where they impacted like the drops of rain streaming outside. “Everypony in that book was so much like one of my friends. It's like they based the characters off us...” She chuckled at the thought, and how something as plain as a book could bring her to choke up and make her heart swell. She looked over to her candle, now growing incredibly short, and simply watched it. She noticed how it always seemed to be struggling against something, but no matter what the flame still burned as bright as ever, and perhaps even brighter than it had the second before as it grew from its own experiences. 'Well,' she thought to herself, 'since I'm starting to give candles personalities I think it's time to go to bed...' As she drifted off into peaceful sleep, her thoughts resolved themselves into an action, which she made a mental note to remember for tomorrow.
The next afternoon, Twilight gathered her friends and took them all out to lunch on a whim. The air, now calm and clear, lightly stroked the grass, which waved and swept like a smooth ocean. Celestia's warm sun beamed down at the group of six ponies now laughing and enjoying themselves over daffodil sandwiches and sarsaparilla.
"And just as I'm about to start placing the finishing touches on the outfit, the client walks in and immediately stops me, panicking and exclaiming, 'No! There's certain to be a corundum if I show up wearing conundrum!'" Rarity ended her joke with a light smirk before she looked around and realized that nopony other than Twilight even chuckled. "Hmmph! Well, I suppose some of us don't remember our secondary geology classes!"
Applejack nudged Rainbow Dash. "Can a match box?"
They both replied in tandem, before busting out laughing. "No, but a tin can!" Pinkie Pie joined the pair in hysterical laughter while the others merely chuckled at their mediocre, yet still amusing, pun.
A waiter came to the table and refilled their glasses. "I take it everything is to your liking, then?"
To the surprise of most of the table, Fluttershy responded first, although they still had to strain to hear. "Um, yes, it's really... nice."
As the last bite of food left the plates, Twilight hushed everypony down and gave her impromptu speech.
“I guess that it's time for the real reason why I wanted to have lunch. I'm so grateful you could all come today. I was reading a book last night and it reminded me of us, and I realized how long it had really been since we all got together like this and just enjoyed ourselves. And I suppose you could say I did this for me, because I just wanted to tell you guys how much I - “ her voice caught as tears began welling up in her eyes, “how much I loved you all, and how it makes me so overjoyed every day to remember that I have friends who care so much for me and... and... and how undeniably happy I am, being here with you all instead of back in Canterlot, where I'd probably be studying right now...” By then, Twilight started bawling and couldn't continue.
“Aw, shucks Twi,” Applejack sniffled, “you... you don't gotta go and git all emotional on us...”
Everypony's eyes now watered, even Rainbow Dash's, who tried her darndest to NOT accomplish something in ten seconds flat. “Yeah,” her voice cracked, “I mean, we know we're awesome and all, but – oh what the hay! We love ya too, Twilight!”
“Group hug!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. They all came together, feeling the warmth of mutual friendship spread through every fiber in their bodies. “And now... A PARTY!” The pink party pony pulled a cannon out of nowhere and turned the local area into an instant celebration, complete with Pin The Tail On The Pony. Streamers fluttered down like leaves in the wind, a cake somehow appeared out of thin air without being torn to bits by the force of the cannon, and a noisemaker already found its way into Pinkie's mouth. In fact, she caused such a stir that a party originally intended for just the group began growing and growing until the mayor herself milled about, bobbing her head to the music.
The party finally ended well after nightfall, with everypony parting ways to undoubtedly retreat to comfortable beds and pass out after such a huge party. As Luna's moon reached its crest, Twilight began to write what would undoubtedly be her most well-thought out letter yet.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I'm not sure, but I believe that this will be the first time of many that my lessons and reports will come not from hardships and challenges, but from simply being part of an incredible circle of friends.
For quite a long time now I have studied the magic of friendship. Today, however, I learned what I consider to be the most groundbreaking lesson yet.
No matter what kind of pony you are to begin with, being with good friends who care for you just as much as you care for them can change you tremendously. Sometimes, even the everyday things in life, like reading a good book, can remind you of how valuable and important your friendships are to both you and your friends. And then, even when friends aren't physically with you, you can still experience the magic of their friendship by remembering the truly magical times you spent together.
Your Faithful Student and Friend,
Twilight Sparkle
