The Forgotten Melody

Art credited to mysticalpha.deviantart

Chapter One

The Return Home

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Twilight Sparkle bounced on her hooves all throughout the moving train car. So many things were running through the young alicorn's mind, that she could hardly think, let alone sit down for a second. For weeks she had been frantic, mainly because of her new gift of wings and the opportunity of a princess.

She really disliked it, in all honesty.

"Twilight, would you just calm down for a little bit?" asked a young annoyed voice from the seat of the train car. Here sat a baby dragon about half of Twilight's height, alias Spike, and he was getting fed up with Twilight's overreactions to everything lately, especially today's.

"Oh, Spike, I don't know if I can," replied the young pony's strained voice. Her violet eyes darted about as fast as her legs went, her velvety navy and pink-streaked hair fluttering atop her head with every move she made, her crown hardly keeping it together. Twilight was stuck with stress and mess and everything in-between, and was definitely not coming to the point of sitting still.

Spike couldn't stand it any longer. He hopped down from the bench he was sitting at. He looked around. Luckily nopony else decided to ride the Express today. He attempted to grab at Twilight's tail and stop her, but failed miserably and felt the hair slip through his claws, planting his nose to the floor. However, he was able to get back up and shove his arms in Twilight's face.

"Twilight, for the love of Equestria, take a chill pill and listen, okay?" he said irritated. "I already told you this back in Canterlot and many times before: Your friends still love you for who you are! Got it?" Twilight pulled back from Spike.

"No, that's the thing, Spike, I'm different, I'm not who I am anymore!" said Twilight. "I'm a princess now, royalty. I have more duties than ever, and what's worse, my friends may think I've changed as drastically as my physical appearance."

"I thought we covered this weeks ago when you jumped to an alternate world," said Spike, rolling his eyes.

"Ugh, you keep forgetting that when I entered the human world, there were human alternates of my friends, remember? They're not really exactly the same." Twilight was referring to an event just recently she had encountered when a strange and former student of Celestia's had stolen her royal crown and with it the key to the Elements of Harmony. Twilight had to follow the stranger to a human-version of her world just to get it back, along the way meeting identical copies of her friends.

But they weren't really Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash, her true friends. They hadn't been through years of friendship with her, and had met Twilight after the change. It wouldn't have mattered.

"In a way they are," said Spike. "Look, Twilight, have your friends ever left you because of anything you have done or become? They know who you really are and know that you're you, and will always be the same Twilight Sparkle that they once knew as a unicorn." Twilight sighed and looked at the ground. She turned her head to the window, stared at the outside world through the glass whisking by, then turned back to the baby dragon.

"I guess I'm just afraid they'll think I'm...better than them. Now that I'm a princess, you know?" Spike welcomed Twilight's sorrowful expression with a grin.

"Aw, you know that won't happen," said the dragon. "Especially with RD. Why, no matter what you are she's always the most awesome one around, remember?" Twilight looked a little more bright.

"And Pinkie Pie, she might think you are better than her, but she thinks that about everypony. And so there are her parties..." Twilight smiled a bit.

"And don't forget Fluttershy," continued Spike. "She's always going to love you no matter what, even if you happened to turn into a frog. She might've even loved you more if that happened. And if Applejack thinks anything, you know she'll always tell you about it." Twilight grinned at the encouragement Spike was giving.

"But really, you also don't need to worry about Rarity," said the dragon, focusing hard on Twilight's esteem for the moment and refraining to solely daydream of the unicorn herself. "She's probably got new dresses for you waiting at her boutique to try on, now that you're a princess and all." Twilight giggled at that.

"You know, with that thought," she responded, "maybe I should be a bit concerned." Twilight sighed. "You know Spike, you're right, I shouldn't be so worried. After all, if any of them changed, I still would be their friend too. I just can't believe I had been away so long." She sat down, exhausted, on the train bench. Spike followed after her.

"Yeah, two weeks," said the dragon. "It was a doozy. I got tired just watching you go through all that training business." For two weeks, Twilight had to spend her time with Princess Celestia in Canterlot, learning the basics and etiquettes of being royalty. Most of it was basic, but some of it was a little confusing and intimidating, like politics of Equestria, empire and the kingdom's structure, that sort of thing. Twilight even had to learn how to use her wings a bit for certain basic spells that enhanced an alicorn's magical performance, but the pony had troubles getting her hooves off the ground as it was.

Twilight stared out the window for a while longer, beginning to find the surroundings more familiar. She and Spike were almost there, after a long trip away...

They were almost home.

Slowly, the train hissed as it stopped on the tracks, creeping into Ponyville Station. The duo hopped onto the floor and began to walk towards the door, ready to exit when told, when a playful noise came from the other side of the train door.

"What the?" said Spike. "Have they got a parade outside for you?" Twilight chuckled and shook her head.

"Oh, please, Spike, that can only be one thing," she said. "Pinkie Pie."