Starlit Skies
The night was beautiful. Billions of stars blanketed the far end of the dark blue sky, each star shining its own unique light. The moon was full, casting a soft blue glow over the land of Equestria. The only sounds that could be heard were the soft hum of crickets and the blowing of the chilly night breeze.
In a nondescript Canterlot home, a certain purple bookworm lay awake in her bed in the midst of the night, her Smarty Pants doll sitting right beside her. She stared outside her bedside window, reflecting on the tiring day past.
It had been her first day at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. For some odd reason, when she thought she'd be ecstatic over the things she had accomplished that day, she simply wasn't. Twilight had gotten a perfect rating with regards to her magical abilities. She had garnered the praise of all her professors. She'd even ranked first in the entrance exam in her entire batch.
Yet, she felt sad.
"Why?" the filly asked no one in particular. "Why do I feel so... lonely?"
Twilight stared outside. She lived in a peaceful neighborhood. So much so that it sometimes got boring, even for her. Even though Twilight never really went outside, she still longed for that occasional excitement to make days unique and different. She could see the streets, the carriages of her neighbors parked idly, light reflecting off of their metal parts. The street lights shone brightly, illuminating the area around Twilight's house. There weren't much trees near where she lived, her house being near the castle itself. She could see fireflies flying about, adding to the serene nature of the neighborhood.
This was the first time Twilight really ever payed much attention to her surroundings. Days usually passed by in a blur—playing with her brother and parents, reading countless books and tomes, and practicing her magic through simple spells such as levitation. She swore she would learn how to teleport one day, even if it killed her. She never really took the time to just slow down and think—to look and appreciate.
She took this opportunity to do just that. She got off her bed, first leaving the comforts of her blanket and, using her magic, turned on the lamp standing on her bedside drawer. Her magic had always been colored lavender. Twilight wondered if that would change someday. She'd read in some books that a unicorn's magic color would change when they'd discover or realize something about who they are and what they're truly supposed to do, other than what their mark says.
The light from the lamp revealed a room full of books and space related items, such as a model solar system hanging from the star-patterned ceiling. Twilight's bed lay against the farthest wall, under the single window in her room. Across was the door, leading to the rest of her house. Off to one side was a cabinet and her study table and on the other, a large bookshelf filled with all sorts of literature—ranging from books to scrolls to tomes.
As she looked away from the lamp to look at the rest of the room, the photograph of her and her brother caught her eye. She felt a twinge of sadness upon looking at it. On the black and white photo was a smiling Twilight, her brother, Shining Armor hugging her tightly with a playful smirk on his face. Twilight remembered when this picture was taken. It'd only been a few months ago. She'd grown distant with him lately, and she knew why. He would be leaving soon to train to become a member of the Royal Guard. That meant she wouldn't be able to see him in two years. "I know you said you'd write but... it just won't be the same without you. You're the only pony I could call my friend..." Twilight spoke in hushed whispers.
She broke eye contact with the picture and surveyed her room. On her study table was a crumpled quiz about Applied Magical Theory with a perfect score on it. Even from her parents, Twilight distanced herself. She didn't want them to know that she was getting bullied at school for getting high scores. So, she avoided talking to them whenever she could.
Finding nothing else of interest in her room, she climbed back onto her bed. She found that her Smarty Pants doll had been knocked over. Twilight grabbed the doll with her magic and got it to sit upright once more. With nothing else distracting her, she stared out the window again, gazing deep into the starlit sky above. She closed her eyes and lost herself in thought.
At first, she regarded the concept of friendship as silly and unnecessary. But now, she was having second thoughts. She didn't think it was smart or logical to attempt to be somepony's friend when she didn't know if they liked her back. She didn't see the point in befriending others when she could use her spare time to keep studying. Now, she wanted to give it a try. She wondered what it would be like to have not only just friends—but true friends: ponies she can trust and just open herself up to. Ponies that would be at her side no matter what. She wondered what it would be like to have fun with them, to laugh with them, and to cry with them. She wondered if she would ever have the opportunity to do so.
All of a sudden, Twilight felt something wet form under her eyes. Yet, she didn't do anything about it. She continued looking at the stars. After a while, tears formed. A few more moments passed and the tears fell. They kept falling and falling—Twilight was crying. She cried for a long time. She cried because she was lonely. She cried because she didn't want to be alone. She cried because she wanted to have friends. Eventually, the night took hold of her.
"One day, I hope that I can have friends... true friends..." Twilight murmured before drifting off into a peaceful slumber.
Under a starlit sky, Twilight dreamed. She dreamed of having a picnic with five other ponies under the warmth of the sun. They laughed together. They talked about their troubles together. They cried together.
Twilight Sparkle slept peacefully under a starlit sky.
