Secret of the Frost Kingdom

Act II: Shadows & Heroines

Twilight Sparkle grumbled as Rainbow Dash laughed at her as she hung upside down from the tree, her slate and pink highlight mane hanging down to gravity, a scientific law that Twilight despised the whole time she practiced using her wings with Rainbow Dash, the cyan Pegasus with exceptional flying skills leaving a rainbow trail like the color of her mane.

Then there was Fluttershy, "Oh my, are you OK Twilight?" The pale yellow Pegasus softly spoke, cautiously hovering in front of the unamused Alicorn, crossing her hooves as she swayed hanging upside down from the tree.

"You didn't break anything this time did you?" Fluttershy glanced back to the still hysterical Cyan Pegasus, hoping that she could get it together and actually help Twilight, instead of laughing at her everytime she crashes.

"No, I'm fine Fluttershy, considering I'm flying very slow," she grumbled, still watching Rainbow Dash still mocking her, "You were flying as slow as you could go and you still crashed!"

She hovered next to Fluttershy, who returned a disapproving glare, and Rainbow Dash's smile faded, "But it's a start, don't worry Twilight, flying takes some time and experience, and especially in your case, I would bet it would be sorta' weird to have wings when you're already all grown up,"

"And being born a unicorn, this doesn't come to you as instinct, something a filly or colt Pegasus would find easy to them," Fluttershy added.

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but instead of a response a yelp came out as a branch that caught her hind hoof snapped and she succumbed to gravity yet again, impacting to the sweet but painful ground below.

She grumbled and got to her hooves until she heard a familiar voice in earshot, "Oh boy, my tail is a shakin'!"

And as if on cue, the branch that held her upside down broke loose from the tree, landing flat on Twilight's head, knocking her over on the ground. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but laugh at Twilight's misfortune.

Something made Twilight snap and fiery orange aura surrounded her horn, her coat turning pale white-yellow and her eyes orange, her mane and tail lighting ablaze as she let out a roar of rage that could be heard for miles, "I HATE GRAVITY!" snapping the branch in two with a single tremendous stomp.

Fluttershy hid behind Rainbow Dash, hovering above with a startled look across her face. Twilight became light headed as she unknowingly returned to normal. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity cautiously approached, just a shook up as every pony else.

"Was that you Twilight? That was loud enough to sound like you were right next to me!" Applejack approached Twilight with a surprised look on her face.

"That... Was... Awesome! She like caught on fire and stuff!" Rainbow Dash landed next to Twilight.

"But it was very loud..." Fluttershy murmured as she appeared frightened behind Rainbow Dash.

Pinkie Pie popped out behind Fluttershy, "Ooh! That reminds of the time I made my first party for you Twilight! Remember? When you drank hot sauce thinking it was punch? Or that other time you didn't believe in my pinkie sense?"

"Yes Pinky, I remember..." Twilight grumbled, her ears lying flat against her head as she trotted to Fluttershy's cottage not so far away. Her friends exchanged worried looks as they followed their gloomy friend.

"Oh Twilight, what's the matter? You seemed very eager to practice flying with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy earlier today," Rarity followed her down friend with concern, as did every pony else.

True, Twilight was eager to test her new wings with Rainbow Dash who was all for it, Fluttershy also to teach her some basics. She ultimately failed though, always wanting to resort to a Basic Flying Book she brought with her, but Rainbow Dash disapproved of the book, usually calling her an egghead, but to Twilight's surprise: Fluttershy supported Rainbow Dash, saying that flying should be learned visually and by instinct.

Twilight entered Fluttershy's cottage, sitting down on a chair to think. Discord was dusting the ceiling with a broom, and noticed the 6 walking inside, "Oh hello girls, oh and don't mind me; I'm just dusting the ceiling."

He continued to sweep while walking upside down on the ceiling. Her friends joined Twilight inside, Rainbow Dash and Applejack taking the couch, Rarity on a cushion in front of a coffee table, while Fluttershy announced that she would make her tea, while Pinkie Pie would make some muffins.

Silence ensued as Twilight continued to ponder, as well to relax from all the flying.

Rarity exchanged worried looks with Applejack and Rainbow Dash, and the three silently agreed with their eyes and Applejack got up and walked over to Twilight who rested her head on the chairs arm, stretching the rest of herself out on the opposite arm.

"What's the matter Sugar cube?" Applejack sat down and waited for a response, as did Rainbow and Rarity.

Twilight sighed, "It's just that... Princess Celestia hasn't given me my 2nd biannual test, and I want to prove to her that I can be a proper Alicorn and fly normally, so it feels like these wings are not foreign to me..."

She lowered her ears, anxious that she won't fail Princess Celestia. The whining of a teapot and a ding of an oven could be head from the kitchen.

"Discord? Can you come here please?" Fluttershy's voice called into the living room.

"Coming Fluttershy," he snapped his talons together and the broom disappeared into thin air, and he walked from the ceiling, to the wall, down to the floor, and walked into the kitchen.

"Oh come now Twi, you weren't ready for the test Celestia gave you last time,"

"Even though you blew the library off the ground.." Rainbow Dash interjected, Rarity giving her a disapproving glare. Discord walked in, holding a tray with a teapot, steaming banana muffins, and 7 cups, handing them out to every pony. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie joined them, as Discord walked back to the kitchen with an empty tray.

Twilight took a nibble of her muffin, "I don't know Applejack, it just seems so much for me; to suddenly become a figure of Equestria."

Discord walked back in, "Ha! You might not know it Twilight but being an element of harmony bearer makes not just you, but every pony in here just as important as the guard," he hovered by with the teapot, refilling cups with more tea.

"He's got a point Twilight, we've become important ever since we were chosen as the next element of harmony bearers, so it shouldn't be that daunting," Rarity levitated her tea cup with a blue aura, and took a sip of Fluttershy's bitter-sweet tea.

Twilight shook her head, "You don't get it, I'm in the public eye now, A Princess.."

Fluttershy nodded, "She's right, we go unnoticed only when we are not wearing our elements, unlike a Princess that has social rank,"

"So, we're like heroes with secret identities?" Pinkie Pie added in.

"More like guards escorting a Princess," Discord chimed, heading back to the kitchen to make more tea.

A silence held the moment. Every pony had different thoughts about how they ranked in the public eye, even if they're heroines.

A rapping on the door broke the silence, "I'll get it.." Fluttershy glided to the door, and opened the door, revealing a pale blue-gray Pegasus wearing a blue mail cap snugly over her yellow mane and a mail satchel on her back, holding a letter in her mouth with a cheery smile with Amber crossed eyes.

"Mail for Princess Sparkle Twilight!" She chimed, until she looked at the name again, "Oops! I mean Princess Twilight Sparkle! My bad!" She corrected herself.

Twilight appeared at the door, "That would be me." She took the letter from the Mail-mare, while she grabbed a clipboard from her satchel and a pen and clicked it open, "OK, sign here please."

"Wait what for?" Twilight looked up as she looked over the letters sending information.

"Oh wait that's for packages, sorry!" She put the clipboard and pen away. She turned around to take off when the scent of freshly baked chocolate banana muffins filled her nostrils like a mystical perfume. She turned around and looked over Fluttershy's shoulder, spotting Pinkie Pie, her favorite baker that made wonderful Muffins, balancing a tray of muffins on her head.

The smell alone made her mouth water, but the delicious appearance enticed her to have one. She was about to move past Fluttershy when she remembered a rule as a Mail-mare: always ask before entering a residence.

Her cross eyes turned to Fluttershy, "Um.. are those muffins in there?"

Fluttershy looked back to Pinkie Pie and nodded, "Why yes, Pinkie Pie just baked them, would you like to have one? You must be exhausted from flying mail all day!"

Derpy was already inside, taking Fluttershy's nod as a yes. She took a muffin off the tray, licking her lips at the wondrous chocolate banana muffin in front of her.

Pinkie Pie noticed Derpy and the muffin she cradled, "Oh Hi Derpy! You can have one if you like..." Pinkie was surprised as Derpy devoured every single muffin off the tray except the one she held, placing it back on the tray.

"Mhmm! Thanks Pinky!" She trotted happily out as Pinkie was still in disbelief of all the muffins she ate. With a quick farewell to Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, she took off to the sky.

Twilight sat down in the same chair with the letter floating above her; every pony including Discord waited eagerly of from whom the letter was from and for what reason.

"It's a letter from Princess Celestia!" Twilight hastily opened the letter, while Rainbow Dash muttered to Applejack, "Who would ever guessed?" Applejack gave the Cyan Pegasus a disapproving glare, making Rainbow Dash drop her teasing grin.

Twilight's eyes hastily ran over the letters contents, making every pony lean forward in anticipation to know what it's about.

"Well? What is it about?" Rarity couldn't hold her patience much longer, until Twilight's eyes widened in shock, "A test? A t-t-test?! A Test!?"

"Here we go..." Rainbow Dash groaned as Twilight dropped the letter and quickly crumbled to her anxiety, pacing around rapidly, hard in thought until she abruptly stopped, muttering something to herself.

"I have to get home! I need Spike's help!" she opened the door of the Cottage swiftly and to every ponies surprise, took flight without much effort, quickly flapping farther and farther away.

"Whoa! Wait up Twilight!" Rainbow Dash darted out of the Cottage, to her surprise falling behind the fast moving Alicorn. Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie exchanged confused looks.