As a day dawned in Equestria, a town named Ponyville was thriving peacefully. It had done so through out its existence, but today it was a slight bit more efficient. Vegetable gardens had their produce in lines. The gardeners picked up their harvest in lines. Even the neighbors, who would exchange for their food with what they could offer, added their “please”s and “thank you”s in line. Ponyville was certainly seeing, a heyday. One pony was to thank for this. Twilight Sparkle, a student of Celestia who recently gained her wings. Or, so she thought.

As Twilight Sparkle finished helping the Cakes manage their business hours with routine precision along side the other markets, a slight conflict arose.

Mr. Cake was feeding one of his babies, “We can't bake the moment we open our doors! We have to be ready for sale!”

“Well yes, but you told me that you're tired, exhausted and need some help.”

“Yes. Yes we do.”

“Isn't Pinkie Pie helping?”

“Well, yes. She's practically running the business by herself.”

“So why can't you have one of your friends help?”

Mrs. Cake shouted from a room “Honey? Have we ate dinner with What's-His-Face recently?”

Mr. Cake nervously responded “Uh, no! No we have not!” before timidly smiling before Pinkie Pie's friend, the Princess Twilight Sparkle. “We. We have not.”

“So what do you want me to do about it?”

“Well, uh.” Mr. Cake sniffed the air as a small trail of smoke left the kitchen “Is the kitchen on fire?”

“What?” Mrs. Cake shouted from the next room.

Mr. Cake yawned before responding “I said 'Is the kitchen on fire?' Wait.” The Cakes and the Princess rushed in.

Pinkie Pie was dumping some pastries that caught fire into the sink basin. She threw the pan onto the floor and sighed. As she removed the pan holder from her mouth, it was obvious to see how she was faring.

“Pinkie? Are you alright? Your lips look like they hurt. Did you burn them again, sweetie?” Mrs. Cake tended to the poor pony and Mr. Cake rushed for a cool towel. Pinkie simply responded with a grunt and huff. The kitchen was a mess.

Twilight stepped in “Pinkie Pie, you should really keep a mitt by the oven at all times.” she walked over to examine the oven “See? You only have a towel here. Is there only one mitt?” Pinkie simply glared at Twilight, who could continue her lecture, albeit a little reluctant than when she started. “See? Now that there are two mitts, you'll have one ready if the other gets lost!” Pinkie Pie simply glared. Twilight looked around and noticed a timer laying face down in a mess of uncooked dough “Timers! Set a timer for each batch! See?” Twilight held the dial with hooves and forced it to ring with out magic. The ringing was unusually loud and startled the princess, who attempted to catch the timer, again without magic. It bounced and banged, jumped and hopped and never made it into Twilight's hooves. It landed in a freshly prepared batch of cake mix that was waiting to be placed in the oven. As it sank, Twilight nose filled with smoke “No! No-no-no-no!” The princess looked all around the kitchen for the source only to discover the second of the Cake's two ovens bellowing smoke. She pulled the door open but couldn't find the mitt. “Why me?” Twilight said as she braved up and grabbed the baking sheet with her teeth, only to have the entire placement of muffins to land on the floor “Hot! Hot! Hot!” she dunked her burnt muzzle into the running sink. She scolded the Cakes when she was done “Why don't you help her?”

“We have the kids! They're a hoof-ful!”

“Okay then, have somepony help her!”

“Who do we know who could help Pinkie Pie bake?” the Cakes thought before looking over at Twilight, who simply groaned knowing all too well what was next. “Uh, Princess Twilight Sparkle?”

“Don't say it.” the princess grumbled.

“Well, uh.” Mr. Cake nervously looked at Mrs. Cake

“Don't say it.” Twilight grumbled again. She sighed as she realized it was the only thing they could think of, “Fine.” She brought out a parchment and began writing a help wanted flier.

The Cakes looked over it and nervously spoke “Well, uh, we were hoping that you may know some pony?”

Twilight grunted and threw the flier on the floor, “Your shop. Your problem. Your responsibility.” The princess sighed as she left to attend other requests. Everything else was running smoothly. Ponies made requests concerning their town. The princess responded. Ponies were assigned help keep the paths and roads neat and in repair. Everything else was going smoothly until-

A pair of filly unicorns were assisting a pony advertising her apples. They went by the names Snips and Snails. A scraggly, scrawny unicorn filly, by the name of Snails, was shouting at the top of his lungs in the most forced accent he could give “Get yer apples right har! Okay dokayed by the dilly dally fancy smancay princass harsalf!”

An orange pony rushes up“Now hold on a dang minute! I did not say that at all and I don't want you to say it at all!”

A smaller unicorn, by the name of Snips, spoke “But she does like them, right?”

“Well of course she likes them! It's the quality that sells! Not the name!”

“You're right!” Snips whispers into Snails ears

“Buy Apple Family Orchard Brand Apples! Now fally lahved laihked and appraved by none other than the princess herself! Celestia!” Snails' head jerked as Snips angrily whispered to correct him “Oh! And princess Twilight Sparkle too!”

Twilight overheard her name and came to investigate. All the ponies turned their attention to the new princess arriving. A flash mob swarm and flooded the poor orange pony, begging for the delicious, scrumptious, princess approved apples.

The pony attempted to stay above the crowd “Help? Twilight? Help?”

Twilight sighed. She took a deep breath and shouted “Lines!”

The swarm of ponies turned their heads to look and immediately formed a neat and orderly single file line in front of the orange pony. At least some problems could be solved quickly.

As Twilight turned around to continue her way, she tripped. She sighed and looked to notice a filly was under her hooves. The princess scrambled to her feet, apologizing.

“It's alright, Twilight!” an orange pegasus filly remarked as she picked herself up. Her friends were watched patiently.

“Phew,” the princess looks the filly over, double checking for damage. She triple checked. She.

“I'm fine.” the filly groaned.

“Sorry, but I just wanted to make sure.”

A yellow filly leaned over “Say, since we have yer attention, Ms. Sparkle?”

“Princess.” a white filly unicorn corrected

The filly attempted to be in utter embarrassment “Oh my! I'm so sorry! Princess Twilight Sparkle!”

Twilight sighed again. “Yes?”

“Is there anything you can do to help us get our cutie marks?” the orange filly blurted.

“You girls know I can't just magically give you your cutie marks, right?” the princess groans.

The fillys look at each other with amusement “Of course we know that!”

“Yeah!”

“But yer a princess! You probably know somthin' we all don't!”

Twilight began walking “Girls, I wish I knew, but right now I'm busy.”

“You're always busy!”

“Yeah!”

“C'mon Twilight! Yer a princess now! Can't you think of somethin'?”

Twilight groans “I'm sorry girls, but that has nothing to do with me being a princess.”

“C'mon!”

“I! Don't! Know! Alright? I wish I knew! But I don't! Just because I sprout wings doesn't mean I suddenly know everything!”

“Then what's the point of being a princess?”

“Yeah!”

“Well, she can fly.” Sweety Belle remarks.

Twilight sighs “Please girls, I've had a really long day.”

They all sigh a defeated, “Okay.”

As Twilight made her way, inspiration struck. “Girls, when you're out finding your cutie mark, what do you usually do?”

“Mountain Climbing!”

“Tight rope running!”

“Tiger taming!”

“What do you do when you're NOT looking for your cutie mark?”

The fillies looked at each other, a bit perplexed by the sudden change. “Sleep?”

“Waking up?”

“Eat breakfast?” the three looked at each other, unsure of the new direction.

“Besides that, what else do you do?”

“Walk?”

“Run?”

“Breathe?”

“No, girls. What do you do ALOT that you do not think about much?”

“I don't really think about walkin' much.”

“Me neither”

“I sort of think about walking.” Applebloom and Scootaloo look at Sweetie Belle with a confused look “Well, like, walking sideways?”

“Is that a cutie mark?”

“Doesn't seem like much of one.”

“Girls, girls. Sweetie Belle has it.”

“Wait, what?”

“How come Sweetie Belle's cutie mark is sideways walkin' and yours is magic?”

Sweetie Belle gasps and looks at her flank, only to be disappointed

“I didn't say that's Sweetie Belle's cutie mark,” Twilight interrupts before they could continue “I only said that is where you need to look.”

“So, one of us is really great at breathin'?”

“How is running a cutie mark? Everypony can run.”

Twilight sighed and simply left. As she made er way to the park, a loud explosion could be heard in the distance, she could feel the ground trembling. A stampede. Ponies. The Cakes had a miraculous turn around and ponies everywhere heard of it. Twilight was hoping for them to slow down, but more and more came. An army of ponies. A swarm. The princess ran in panic. She ran straight into a tree that looked just like her library. Every pony gasped in fear as the new princess knocked herself out.

As the purple unicorn began to come back to the world, she could hear a cacophony of mumbled voices until one line came to her. “Princess Twilight?”

The princess sat straight up in a panic “Ponyville! Wait? What?” She realized she was in a hospital bed, her friends were surrounding her. A nurse was struggling to get out of the fray and make her checks. Twilight watched as the nurse fumbled for her stethoscope while crammed next to the foot of the bed. “Girls?” her friends look at the nurse, who jammed against the bed.

“Are you okay Twilight?” a yellow pegasus asks.

“It's Princess Twilight, Fluttershy. And yes, I'm okay.” the the gang stares in confusion. “I'm sorry, but I can't have my friends calling me Twilight and everypony else calling me Princess! It just doesn't seem fair.” The princess begins looking for and gathering her stuff.

Apple Jack, the orange pony from before, spoke up “Twilight, maybe you need to just calm down. Y'know? Take it easy?”

“I'm fine. Where's my crown?”

They all look at each other. A blue pegasus with rainbow hair remarks “Sooo, aren't you wondering what happened to the monster?”

“MONSTER?!” Twilight thought and realized the ponies were not running just because of the Cakes. “Is Ponyville alright?”

“Yeah. Celestia was there and sent it flying! That way!” Pinkie Pie pointed towards the sea.

“Celestia was callin' for yeah for help but you'd already bonked yer noggin'.”

Twilight panicked and attempted to get out of bed. Her friends tried to fence her in. “Crown! Get me my crown!”

“Twilight, not in that condition you won't” a white unicorn spoke “At least with something more appropriate than a hospital gown.”

Twilight ripped it off “Good to go!” she noticed her crown on a night stand “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”

“You're not good to go til a week from now.” the nurse spoke.

“Can I at least rest in the library?”

“Nope, not at least until you're cleared” the nurse sternly stated. Fluttershy whispered into the nurse's ear “A week here it is.”

Twilight stares down Fluttershy as she attempts to approach. The yellow pegasus opens her mouth to speak, but hesitates. Fluttershy looks back at the others and again attempts to speak. Nothing comes out. The winged horse takes a moment to think, with an expression of regret, turns back to Twilight and sternly says “You're staying in the hospital. Deal with it.”

“GET ME MY CROWN!!” Twilight barks back at Fluttershy.

“What's the deal here Twilight? Why can't you just relax?” Apple Jack asks.

“Excuse me. May We have a word alone with thou friend Twilight Sparkle?” A voice at the hallway asks. Everypony looks back to see a dark purple alicorn named Luna standing straight at the doorway. Twilight was in a panic, all of her friends noticed, but didn't know what to think. They left with trepidation.

Fluttershy thought aloud “Do you think she'll be alright?”

“What? Of course she'll be alright, Fluttershy!” a pink pony exclaimed “No pony would dare put Twilight back to work after that catastrophe!”

“Back to work may be the important words there, Pinky” an orange pony spoke “they may never let her be in charge at all when she gets out”

“So what?” Rainbow Dash smirks “she's an alicorn! They can't turn her back!”

“We'll see” the white unicorn furls her brow. Working on a sketch to keep her mind off of the subject.

The blue pegasus looks at everypony with disbelief as they begin to think over those words “You're pulling my wing here, aren't ya' Rarity?” the unicorn doesn't respond. Neither do any of the others. “Hello! Wings! Horn! You can't just take those off!”

“Well she did get them with magic.” Pinkie blurts out. Apple Jack stares her down until she gets the message.

“Stop worrying about it Dash.” Rarity begins to look over a sketch or two she penned up while waiting outside. “I'm certain what ever they'll do will be with in reason.” The door opens and the dark alicorn leaves with a stern gait. Sobbing emits from the room. “Or maybe not?”

All five peek into the room and call out to the balled blanket on the bed. It shrinks. Rarity timidly blurts out “Well I'm certain Twilight is just over reacting.” the unicorn moseys up to the bed “Now. Now. Twilight.” Rarity pulls off the blanket with her magic “Now what seems to be. The.” The once purple alicorn was now a simple earth pony. None of her friends could even believe what they saw. Rarity, feeling pressured, made her move “Do. Do you want us to give you some time alone, dear?” The purple pony nods while curled up in her ball. “That would probably be best, but when you're ready, we'll be here.” Rarity ensures she's the last to leave and weakly calls out “Don't hesitate to call us when you're ready! We're your friends, Twilight. Remember that!” As the door closed, Rarity could only feel on the spot as all her friends waited for her next motion. She walked out as gracefully as she could to the waiting room. All of her friends followed. She cleared her throat as she changed course to the entrance. They followed as she nervously charged towards the covered side of the building. As she turned around to tell her friends off for not taking a hint, she noticed they were just as confused, as worried and concerned as she was. She whimpered “Why did I have to be right?”

“So, uh, what do we do now?” Fluttershy asked aloud. Rarity, still slightly sketching, immediately begins scrawling pages by the second as her friends looked at her.

Apple Jack looks at Rarity “Dress makin' ain't gonna do nothin', that's fer sure. C'mon everypony. Let's go to the source.”

As they begin to leave, Fluttershy began to wonder why she was trotting in place. Rarity, with her teeth on Fluttershy's tail, whispered “Gould you wait err one second, Ruttershy?” The stressed unicorn spat out the tail, looking over to make sure no damage, split ends, tears or wrinkled. Rarity put it out of her mind and continued “Are you sure you want to go, Fluttershy?”

“Oh, yes. Certainly. Anything for Twilight.”

“Are you sure you're sure?”

“Yes.”

“Because if somepony were to convince royalty to turn their decision, it will have to be from somepony with nerves of steel! A canter do attitude!”

“Uh huh.”

“Somepony that can with stand the hail of scrutiny!”

“Well.”

“Somepony who could look at a princess straight into their eyes, of high authority and demand satisfaction!”

“Oh, well I, uh.” Fluttershy started pawing at the ground.

“So you'll watch over Twilight while I go save the day?”

“Oh! I thought you were mentioning Spike.”

“Fluttershy, Spike can be helpful, buuut he's more 'helpful' helpful if you know what I mean.”

“Rainbow Dash?”

“No. No.”

“Apple Jack?”

“Ye. Yes. To an extent, but.”

“Rarity, it's okay-”

“Great! I'm certain you'll take care of Twilight in her time of need!” the unicorn pranced off towards the expedition. Fluttershy glared, irritated at becoming a door mat once again. Fluttershy catches up just in time as the others noticed them missing.

Rainbow Dash calls out from a top of a hill “Hey Rarity! What's the hold up!” Rarity raises her nose in satisfaction as she begins to make way “No Rarity! I mean what's the hold up with you helping Twilight out?”

Rarity stood and stared, barely able to say a word as Fluttershy happily trotted with her head up high “But I”

Rainbow Dash called back to reassure her friend “Don't worry Rarity! You'll know how to handle it! You were right about the alicorn thing! You'll do fine!”

Rarity yells back “Yes, that is well said and done but what do I say to Twilight about-”

“What's the hold up!” Apple Jack pops up from behind “Rarity? Why ain't you with Twilight?” Rarity stares back with contempt for her misfortune “You'll do fine! We trust ya'! Besides, this won't take long!” they begin to head their way when Pinkie asks if Apple Jack was going to race with Rainbow Dash. “Nah, we still gotta hurry but we gotta stick together on this one.”

Rarity sulked back into the hospital “Stick together indeed.” she made way to Twilight's door and muttered “Why does everypony ignore my needs?” she catches her reflection in the glass “or maybe I am able to handle this.” she looked around to notice the coast was clear and allowed her knees to shake. Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened the door and with the bravery of a mouse, she called out. “Twilight?” No response. She clears her throat and forces herself to speak loudly. “Twilight? Dear? Do you feel ready to talk about what happened?” the ball on the bed didn't respond. Straightening her posture, snorting as daintily as possible, Rarity pushed onward into the room, by the bed occupied by the severely distraught friend who achieved what could be the highest accolade anypony could achieve in their own respective dream and in what was merely days, lost it. Something that Rarity never experienced.

Twilight was still balled up in bed. Rarity was finishing a humorous anecdote. One that had no relevance to her plight. Rarity, simply put, wanted all or nothing in her ability, even in solving a friend's dilemma. But she had settle for distracting at the time. “Even though that filly who went to school with me thought it was silly, he still doesn't have his cutie mark! The most he has ever gotten is a job as a pee wee soccer coach! And even! Even pays for fake cutie marks!” Rarity giggles as she looks over at her friend, who hasn't moved an inch. She takes a closer look, realizes she's asleep and steps out for some water. “Phew! Consoling friends can be hard work. Hopefully I can think of some more stories.” Rarity over hears a filly arguing with her mother about wearing a frilly dress. Rarity picked up a couple of cups of water and went straight back into the room. She whispered to herself as she closed the door “Well maybe it isn't THAT easy.”

“What's easy, Rarity?” a melancholy, drowsy Twilight mumbled. Rarity froze, noting that her friend seemed to be talking in her sleep. She opened the door slightly to leave only to have her fears confirmed. Twilight lifted her head and asked again in a more stern tone “What's so easy?”

“Oh! Uh. Uhm.” Rarity comes over slowly. Anything to bide some time. The cups were shaking with out her knowing. “Did. Did Big Macintosh ever tell you about his lisp?” Twilight didn't answer. Rarity stood in front of her with a half cup full with the other containing only droplets. Twilight's silent stare didn't go unnoticed when the now half-empty cup was presented. Rarity looking into her cup, only noticed droplets. Shaking them out, Rarity gave the slighty, less than half-empty cup to her friend. Rarity looked away in embarrassment and cleared her throat “As I was saying.”

“Macintosh already told me.”

“Oh.” slightly dismayed, Rarity pressed on “Well. Did he tell you the time-”

“That he got detention after yelling angrily to somepony to 'chuck it over for him'?”

“Well. How about the time”

“He embarrassed the orange family when his nephews goaded him to say 'shuck it'?”

“That one as well?” Rarity forgot one thing when she brought up the Apple family. They're not ashamed of anything.

“It's alright Rarity” Twilight sighed as she laid her head down “I know you're just trying to cheer me up, but my life is over.”

“Do not ever say those words, Twilight! You are more than destined to be a princess!”

Twilight blew her mane where her horn used to be. “Really.”

“Yes!” Rarity stood on her hind legs, looked away and pressed her hoof against her forehead in dramatic pose. “Just as I was destined to be a clothing corsair! A miracle mare! A design debutante!”

“Whatever.” the purple pony closed her eyes.

Rarity was determined to see this through. She bit her lip and sighed. “Twilight, I wish to tell you a story, but you must promise me, swear to me, that you will never ever. Ever! Let Rainbow Dash know I told you this!”

One thing Rarity forgot that Twilight isn't exactly interested with humiliating stories of her friends. “Yeah. Right. Just close the door when you're done.” Twilight closed her eyes. The bed started shaking, she didn't care until she realized that Rarity wasn't panicking. She was growling. Twilight looked at the foot of the bed as Rarity had dug her teeth into the frame, leaving an indentation of her maw.

Rarity let go and spat “I didn't get left behind to comfort a wounded friend whose very dreams! Nay! Her very life! Dashed! All to be ignored in my attempt to console her!” Rarity's eyes lit up with a vicious stare “You will listen!” Twilight took note of the bedpost and remnants of foam dripping from Rarity's mouth, politely shook her head and slowly settled down in a comfortable position.

As if by magic, Rarity cleared her throat and her usual soothing, clear and taught voice came to. “Now this all started simple enough. I was tending to a new dress that I had made. This was all well before I discovered my 'talent' as you could say. And a certain rainbow maned pony over heard that I made dresses. Oh she, was” Rarity barely contained her giggling “quite a charmer.”

Outside of a young Rarity's room, a tiny Rainbow Dash peered inside from the window. Her mane curled and primmed, trimmed and steamed and even dry-cleaned with pony tails dressed in golden sashes and wearing the frilliest, doily ladened formal dress a little filly could wear; ever so carefully watching the filly inside do her work, cautiously ducking out of view to avoid the unsightly demeanor that a polite little mare was never to have. When she was done, she cleared her throat, muttering in her raspy voice “C'mon, you can do this.” Removing a small rain cloud from under wing, Rainbow Dash took a drink and cleared her throat a second time. A some what smoother voice came out.

“Hey! What's the big idea?!” a small, white unicorn barked out the window.

“Uh, well, uh. Hey!” the little pegasus barely caught herself “nice. Dresses?”

“Yes. They are.” the filly stared drolly at the pegasus.

“C-could I have one?”

The unicorn stares at the filly's dress and giggles. “Yes. Yes you may. But what” before the filly could finish her sentence, a bit of “inspiration” struck. “How would you like to model a dress I'm working on?”

The proper filly pegasus ever so daintily blurted, or more precisely, yelled, “Yes! I mean! Oh! yes! I would ever be so grateful for such a splendid offer! For I do so love dresses!” Rarity rolled her eyes as she invited her “guest” inside. In the room, Rainbow Dash stood perfectly still. Rarity began forming a dress. The “guest” spoke up “Oh, I was hoping that I could have a pre-made dress? Like that one?”

“Well then, what would you give me then?” the abruptly stern look threw the pegasus off, who timidly presented her rain cloud. The unicorn destroyed the gray puff with a swipe of her hoof “I'm giving you one of MY dresses! A dress that could make me money! Could make me famous! Through out Equestria! Through out history!” the blue pegasus smiled as sincerely as she could. Tears slowly started to well up in the filly's eyes. “Well, if you don't have anything, then how about this? You stand as my marerequin when ever I” Rarity coughs “want,need,desire,have,abreakthrough,artists'block,and/orbeckon” she straightens a piece of cloth on the pegasus' back before finishing “and I'll make you as many dresses as you like.” The pegasus thought for a moment, but refrained from speaking by extending for a hoofshake.

Oh, that Rainbow Dash thought she was clever. She knew all too well what Rarity meant. However, her desire for holding still wasn't as strong as her will to be a “proper filly”. As soon as the first dress was done, she slowly and silently crept to the door. Rarity, however, didn't notice and was absolutely excited, hanging her creation in a special spot, “Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Every time I try to make a dress, it always comes out uneven! And it took less than a day! Please! You do have to come back some day” Rarity turned back to see Dash in the same spot she left her.

“Heh. Yeah. Sure.” Dash nervously looked away, but she glanced at the dress and stared at it. The flow and neatness of the design. The seamless stitches. It looked as if it had been tailored by royal workers. She glanced at the door briefly, nervously, only to find the dress inches away from her face. Before she could react, the dress was back on her. “Hey! I thought you were done!”

“We are! For today of course. This dress is yours.” Rarity spoke as she turned and sorted her pins, threads, etc. The pegasus was speechless. Rarity continued, “I was planning on keeping it for myself, but seeing as how you love it so much, I guess I can part with it.” Rainbow Dash's eyes were tearing up. The unicorn stamped her hoof and growled, giving the filly the stink eye “And you better be back here soon. I want a dress too!” the pegasus beamed a gleeful smile in return, sealing her promise with a nod before she left. Rarity looked over her room. It seemed to be a tad bit darker than before. Her failed experiments hung, strewn, and even seemed to have wandered; all over the room. “I do hope you come back, Dash.” the filly anxiously spoke.

Outside, Dash was more than pumped. She was ecstatic, enthralled, and even an eensy, teensy, tiny bit excited. She drew a deep breath, reared up and stomped the ground yelling out loud with her wings spread “Dress achieved!” Her first decision, strut by the near by market and show off her new dress. She galloped as fast as she could, not noticing a missing frill or two. As she entered the market, Dash beamed a happy smile as she bounced along the path. Everypony took notice. And everypony, laughed. Dash was confused. She looked at the dress and noticed that her wings had torn straight through! And the loose threads made from her wings had slowly undid the rest! Her brand new dress, that she was so excited over, happy for, was nothing more than a lump of rags. Everypony was chuckling over the poor filly. Laughing. Even making jokes about her! Dash, ran from the market wailing. She ran straight home. She threw the dress on the floor in frustration and laid on her bed. “This was a stupid idea!” she looked into one of her mirrors and noticed her mane. No other pegasus mare seemed to have her colorful set. She sternly stared back and snorted “I have to go back!” and so she did, hoping her new “friend” could do manes.

As Rarity finished getting ready for bed, she was fraught with worry. Will Dash come back? Will she have a chance to make another dress? She combed her mane and readied her sleeping mask. But just as she turned off the lights.

“Hey!” the unicorn screamed. She turned around to witness the filly from before hovering outside. “C'mon! Let me in!”

“Tomorrow.”

“Aw c'mon! I'm good! We're good! Right?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Fine.”

The next morning, Rarity woke up as usual. But as she got ready for her day, she looked at the empty space where her dress was. She sighed “I hope I see it again, I just thought of some more arrangements for that shoulder.” She ate her breakfast. Fill her saddle bag and stepped outside.

“Can you do make up?” a voice spoke. Rarity looked around and saw no one around. “Hey! Up here!” Rarity looked up to see an overly tired pegasus on a cloud, who clumsily lowered to the ground. “Make up! Can you do it?”

Rarity took a moment and asked “For a dress?”

“Yeah. Yeah. Whatever.”

“Alright, after school you'll promise to come back-” Dash had already disappeared into Rarity's house “okay, then.” she sighed, suspecting the worst.

As Dash traveled to school, she couldn't stop rubbing her eyes. With her make up smeared, the filly walked inside. A moment later, fillies ran, screaming from the classroom. The teacher yelled from the door “Children! It's only make up!”

Rainbow Dash looked at her hooves. Smeared with streaks of make up, but beyond that was the rough, chipped and unkempt edges.

“That's two dresses you owe me.” Rarity scolded as she held the door open.

“Could you just do, y'know, one really fancy dress?”

“Two”

“But I want to show everypony these!”

Rarity looked over the new hooves and saw the hopeful expression on Dash's face. She sighed, “I suppose.” Dash was gone before she could remove the finished dress. She screamed and chased her down.

Rarity caught up with Dash, but noticed as the fillies were in awe with the pegasus' new hooves. Rainbow Dash was ecstatic, happy and elated.

“Oh wow!”

“They're beautiful!”

“Pretty!”

“Yeah, pretty hooves, that'll make Rainbow Dash a mare.” a red colt with an orange mane chuckled at the thought.

Rarity confronted the heckler “Now you may be right that hooves do not make a proper mare, but you must admit that she's happy.”

“Proper mare? What are you talking about? She isn't a mare, period!”

“How dare you! What makes you think she isn't a mare?”

“Have you seen her put make up on? It's terrible! She just smears it on.”

Rarity clenched her teeth, knowing only she helped apply that make up herself. “Are you saying that I can't do make up?”

“Whoa, really? You did that? Are you sure you're a mare?”

Dash stood, astonished as Rarity yelled and scolded the filly for his teasing. Using words that even SHE hasn't heard. The colt rolled his eyes “Definitely not a mare.”

Rarity jammed her face into their nose “She can be anything she wants!”

Rolling his eyes, the heckler commented, “Then how come she doesn't act like a mare?”

“What do you mean? She is a mare!”

“No she isn't!”

With that, Rarity strolled towards Dash with her nose lifted. Dash, confused, stood still as her dress flew off with a sharp yank. “Aw. I liked that one.” Dash sighed.

“See? Seriously, you're saying she's a mare when you don't even know how to be-” the bystanders' contemptuous spectacle turned for the worse as a mad filly unicorn charged.

Rainbow Dash stood and watched as Rarity chased. She looked at the dress. Then back at Rarity, who seemed to be drooling, just very slightly. She stared at the dress. Then at Rarity, who was leaping fences with ease. The dress. Rarity ducking underneath half doors. The dress. Rarity closing distance! The dress! Rarity dragging a hapless heckler backwards by the tail! The dress! Rainbow Dash approached and cleared her throat “Whoa! That was awesome!” Rarity turned around with a mouth full of ripped hair. “Uh, thank you, but I don't think I want to be a 'proper mare'.”

“Uf, fwhy?”

“I want to be an athlete! See ya'!” and Rainbow Dash went her way.

Twilight simply stared as Rarity giggled about their friend's revelation. “So Rainbow Dash never felt any remorse for trying to use you?” Rarity was caught off guard. Twilight looked at where her horn was. “Is that why Celestia took my horn away? Does she only want me to help rule Equestria?”

“I didn't say anything like that, dear” Rarity was cut off

“What if that was their entire plan this whole time? What about me? What about what I want?!”

“Twilight, dear, I'm certain they”

“They only put me through school! They never said I'd become a princess!” Twilight saw her reflection in the window “was that really me? Did I really want to be a princess?”

“Twilight!” Rarity screamed as she threw her water from her cup at her. A lone droplet of water splattered on to Twilight's nose. Rarity shook the cup upside down. “Now that I think about it, my mouth is a little dry. Care for some water?” Twilight was absolutely lost as to what just happened. Rarity took her silence as a yes and made her way to the door “I'm certain Celestia and Luna both have you in mind, just, please. Don't do anything rash.” Twilight sighed and thought about Rarity. Then Rainbow Dash.

As Rarity gently closed the door, the cups trembled slightly. After a little silent stride, Rarity burst into a nurse's station, filling both of the cups with water from the sink, alternating cups as she drank, spitting out cup-fulls of water to rid the excess saliva “What in the name of Celestia did I do!” she yelled at the top of her lungs before she threw her face into the sink and screamed in the water. A nurse watched as the panicked unicorn stared back with a startled soaking wet face, coughing out water. Rarity could barely respond, barely a peep even came out other than the almost audible, squeaky words “hot” and “food” as she ever so gracefully backed out into the hall. The nurse sighed and began wiping down the counters. A blood curdling scream came from the hallway. The nurse looked out from the station only to catch the unicorn running out of a set of double doors.

On a hill, a lone wheelchair inched its way up. The lone occupant, a purple pony, grunted as it struggled to make way with one hoof. Until it realized, it only needed three hooves to stand and walk. She sighed and brought the wheelchair back, placing it in it's proper place and position, she muttered to herself “You're losing it Twilight, you're losing it.” at the same moment, behind her, a white blur charged out the front door. Twilight felt something was still off as she made her way outside. She went on her way, despite the feeling.

In a city of Canterlot, the girls were deciding how to approach the Sisters. Which didn't take much time. But what to say against their reasoning was completely different.

“Wings are fun!” Pinkie exclaims.

“You think everything is fun.” Dash remarks

“So?” Pinkie Pie rummages through her saddle bag.

“Ugh. Apple Jack?”

“Well, you can't do a lot of work with out a horn.” AJ scratches her head

“You do a lot of work with out a horn.” Fluttershy retorted

Apple Jack blushes in embarrassment “Er, yeah. You got a point.”

Rainbow Dash grumbled “At this point I bet we'll get Twilight Sparkle thrown in the dungeon.” none of the girls responded. Dash yelled in frustration “How do you take something away from some pony that's a part of them?”

“Yeah!” Pinkie chimed in, wearing a Marty McPhilly inflatable horn “That horn makes Twilight Sparkle, Twilight Sparkle!” The others looked at Pinkie. Was it really that simple? It was a great start though. As the girls concentrated their efforts to prepare for the impending debate, a purple mare was making her way through the crowds and to the castle.

Luna ran through her sister's notes, satisfied that her concerns were finally listened to and an agreement could be made. A secretary was assisting, handing tasks and proposed concerns for the day. Confident that she could aid Celestia's kingdom, Luna began planning proposals while marking off tasks she knew how her sister would respond to. As she looked over a curious document, she heard papers rustle. The assistant tripped while moving out of the way of an angry purple pony. “Twilight? What are you doing here?”

“Why did you take my horn and wings!”

“We discussed this in the hospital Twilight. You made a grievous error.”

“No! I mean, why did you take my horn and wings? Why was I a princess? Was that the entire plan?”

Luna couldn't help but feel for Twilight's plight. “You became a princess on your own. Twilight. Celestia knew you could achieve it.”

“So what was I supposed to do WHEN I became a princess? Just rule a kingdom because I'm a princess?”

Luna bore silent melancholy as Twilight stared back in hope. “Then what do you want?”

“I don't know!” Twilight yelled as she fell, sobbing. “All of it! I try and I try and can't keep anypony happy! I can't simply say no when some random pony comes to me, asking questions and making requests! It's my job! I never asked for this! I never asked to lose my friends for my duties! I never asked to lose everything that made me happy all for a crown and responsibility!”

Luna comforted Twilight, unsure as to why even herself was a princess. “Twilight, I can not even begin to understand what you are going through, but I do hope you find what you want.” she whispered, “I did not tell you this at the hospital though. Me and Celestia”

“Hello Twilight! Hello Luna!” Celestia stood at the door. Luna stood as her sister approached and placed an amulet around her neck. “We've been invited to a recently discovered island town. You as well, Twilight.” Twilight grimaced as an amulet was placed around her neck, she took it off as Celestia wasn't looking. “Luna, fetch Discord and have him return Twilight her wings and horn.”

Luna was aghast “We agreed she'd be returned after she healed.” Celestia ignored her and went on her way. Luna sighed and beckoned “Let's go, Twilight.” Twilight was perplexed, but soon felt a strange presence in the amulet, despite a lack of a horn.

In the room where Discord made his stay, the draconequus was writing, reading, keeping out of harm's way. Luna stood silently until Discord gave his attention. “Twilight? What are you doing here?”

“Return her wings and horn, Discord. Celestia has changed her mind.” Luna sighs. The sister leaves the room.

With a snap of his claw, Discord returns Twilight to herself, wings, horn and all.

“Thank you.” Twilight muttered, she looked at the pendant and sighed.

“Celestia seems to be acting strange.”

“Really?”

“Yes, she was quite adamant with Luna's decision. Do you know why she even took your horn and wings in the first place?”

“I don't even know that. At least I think I do.” she looked at the pendant, “Might as well.” As Twilight placed the amulet around her neck, Discord watched. Twilight was soon in a trance.”

“Twilight?” Discord wave his paw in front of the princess's eyes. No response. He tugged at the amulet and realized it was holding onto Twilight. Twilight blinked as Discord freed the amulet. “There's something wrong with these amulets, Twilight. Where did you get it?”

“What?”

“Where did you get it?”

“From Celestia. It's a gift from a newly discovered city.”

“Twilight, something is wrong. Observe.” Discord brought the amulet to his neck. The amulet did nothing.

“Oh please, I've been through enough Discord.” Twilight used her magic to grab the amulet, which soon glowed and attempted to attach itself to the draconequus. Twilight threw it across the room the moment she pulled it away. Twilight panicked, she ran out of the room in search of the sisters.

As Twilight ran out to find Celestia, she thought out loud “This isn't right. This isn't right.” she heard laughing from the throne chamber. Inside Luna and Celestia were sharing anecdotes. They seemed to be normal. “Princess Celestia!” Twilight called out from the hallway. She attempted to approach as the sisters turned their attention to her. “Take off the amulet!”

Celestia chuckled “What? Why? And why aren't you wearing yours? They're a gift and we'll be expected to visit them soon.”

“There's something wrong with them!”

Luna chuckled “Oh Twilight, there's nothing wrong with them.” Luna removed hers to demonstrate.

“Then why did it try to attach itself to me? Why did I suddenly forget where I was?”

“Perhaps she simply reacts differently to it.” Luna said to her sister, Celestia nodded in agreement.

“Then what about the amulet attempting to strangle Discord!”

Celestia raised a brow “Strangle?”

“Well, not literally. But it acted as if it had a mind of its own!”

“A simple secure spell, Twilight. It's very common.” Luna commented.

“I suppose.” Twilight was beside herself. It was a very common spell. Even a spell that would adjust to the wearer's size. As well as Luna being able to remove the amulet with out trouble. The sisters chuckled at the display. “So, do I have to attend?”

Celestia smiled “Well, you are invited. Unless you have something else to do.”

“As a duty?”

“Why. Anything, Twilight.”

“Whelp, this is. Uh.” Apple Jack simply looked around in confusion. The throne room, the very room where one could make requests, beseech and debate to the highest authority, was empty. The others looked out in the hall. Something was missing. Galloping echoed through the corridors.

Rarity charged in, screaming “Twilightdon'tdoit!don'tdoit!don'tdoit!” she came to and noticed the room was empty. “Twilight? Princess Celestia? Luna?”

“Obviously not here.” Dash said with concern. Rarity had completely missed them.

“What happened?” Fluttershy asked.

Rarity took a deep breath and screamed “She's gone mad!” she took a moment to collect herself, but began pacing in a circle “All I did was tell her a story! Just a harmless story! It had nothing in it about being a princess!” Dash slowly approached but Rarity leaped at her, grabbing Dash's face with her hooves “She's going to attack! Nay! Besiege Canterlot!” before anypony could ask how she came up with that, Rarity paced “No! That is not Twilight! That is not your friend! She would not use violence to solve her problems!”

“Calm down, Rarity.” but the unicorn continued pacing.

“What do I tell her? It was just a story! 'Twilight! It was only a little story! It had nothing to do with you! It was only a little entertainment to get your mind off of your problems'.” Rarity continued her rambling. Pinkie was staring off down the hall when she noticed a familiar silhouette. She motioned to the others silently. All of them headed towards the princess. Except Fluttershy, who simply stewed as she realized everypony was abandoning Rarity. She cleared her throat to gain the unicorn's attention. Rarity kept at it. “Do you take a joke seriously? No! No you don't! That's why it's a joke! Ha! Ha! Ha! See Twilight? Just like that! Ha! Ha! Ha!” the pegasus tapped the unicorn's shoulder and cleared her throat again. The unicorn looked back and pulled the pegasus near her with her hoof “Fluttershy! Yes! We'll talk to Twilight together! Me and you! You and me! Me and you! You and me, Fluttershy! You'll know what to say and I'll know what to do! Fluttershy, Rarity and Twilight! All talking to each other! All for helping each pony out! Just like friends! Friends do that Twilightshy!” Fluttershy sighed in resignation and simply led Rarity with out speaking. Rarity was hopping and bounding on all fours behind Fluttershy as they traversed the halls of Canterlot, “Yes! Yes! We'll find Twilight together, Twilightshy! Twilightshy? No. Not Twilightshy. That would be if Twilight and Fluttershy were together! Wait! Flutter Sparkle! Isn't that simply silly, Fluttershy? Flutter Sparkle! Flutter Sparkle! Flutter Twilight Shy Sparkle! It's never meant to be serious! Just like that! Right, Fluttershy Twilight Sparkle?” Fluttershy simply hung her head in vexation. They arrived outside with the others, who did not seem to have a very positive feeling as they stared at the sky. Rarity continued. “What came first? The chicken or the egg? No, wait, is that a joke? I don't find it funny.” she took notice of Pinkie Pie “Rubber chicken! Yes! That's a joke! It's made of rubber! And it's a chicken! I don't get it but everypony else thinks it's a joke so it must be funny so it must be a joke and jokes are funny and Pinkie Pie!” Rarity let out a loud gasp for air and took notice of her friends staring up above into the sky “What is everypony looking at? Is it funny?” Rarity looked up to see a chariot with Luna, Celestia and Twilight Sparkle leaving Canterlot. “Ha! That's not supposed to happen! It must be a joke! It's funny right? Jokes are funny! And they're funny cause they're not true! Not. True. I. Tell. You!” Rarity froze and a strained, throaty squealing emitted from the unicorn as she seemed to be stuck taking in air. The others tended to her as she collapsed, hyper ventilating.

As the chariot flew with the three princesses, Twilight couldn't help but feel she should ask about her 'destiny'. But the three were cheerful, sharing stories, jokes and good moments. Luna gave Twilight the amulet she left in Discord's room. “So, am I ruling over Ponyville?” Twilight asked as she looked at the amulet.

“Of course Twilight!” Celestia was amused “You're a princess!”

“So, was I supposed to be a princess?”

“Of course Twilight! Why else would you have studied under me?”

“But, I thought I was studying magic!” the sisters rolled their eyes, Twilight stamped her hoof “I said! I thought I was studying magic!”

“You'll get over it, Twilight.” Luna remarked. An amulet was launched off of the chariot. The sisters glared at the fledgling princess.

The chariot landed in a clearing before the village. A pegasus greeted the guests. “Princess Celestia! Welcome!” with a coy feign of amazement, the pegasus smiled as he nudged Twilight's cheek “And I see your sister came as well!” Twilight rolled her eyes at the obvious joke. A bit of remorse came when an amulet was presented. Twilight bowed her head to receive the gift.

Luna muttered under her breath “finally she'll act like a proper princess” Twilight snapped! She grabbed the welcoming gift with her teeth, stomped the pendant into the ground and ripped the band in two.

Celestia glared viciously “Young lady! I will deal with you when we return to Canterlot!” Twilight never looked back as she trotted, nose up high, through the forest. Celestia turned to the chief “I deeply apologize for her actions. As I said, she is young.”

“Ha! No worries! She'll come around.” the chief led the way to the festivities.

At the shore, Twilight sat, looking at the great open sea. She spread her wings and looked behind her. “Hmph. You'll see who at Canterlot?” she jumped to begin flying when something rustled in the bushes. Twilight tripped before she could flap her wings once.

“Psst! Hey!” Twilight couldn't see anything in the foilage. “C'mere!” The alicorn was too fed up with shenanigans and proceeded to lift off until it spoke again. “Your friends are in danger!”

“Friends? Friends?!” Twilight landed with a thud. She grunted as she brought herself up to angrily lecture “First of all, those are not my friends”

The voice attempted to interrupt “Quiet! Shh! Please!”

To little avail “They're my mentors! And they can handle themselves!”

“Not with those amulets around their necks!” the voice had struck a chord, the alicorn approached cautiously “Not so close! You've had questions about the amulets, yes?”

“Y-yes. They seem harmless.”

“Well they're not. But they were given to your friends, and you, for a reason. Now stop looking at the bushes!”

Twilight ignored that last request and simply came closer “Why won't you let me see you?”

“They're after me! The chief knows I've heard of his intent with those amulets. He wants to rule over all of the continents!”

“So why can't I see you?” the confused alicorn sternly stated as she came closer

“Stop! Stop! Stop!”

“Oh please, there's no pony out here and” a set of barbed jaws clipped Twilight's hoof, right where she was about to step. A pebble rolled down the side of the erupted sand mound.

“As I said. Now do me a favor and listen!” Twilight stood perfectly still “Do not touch the ground. Stay low and outside of the brush. And follow my voice.” the voice began making its way. Twilight stood, staring at the trap. She heard a grunt and an impatient hoof tapping. Carefully, the princess began to hover over the shore sand and kept up with her new ally.

Miles from where they met, Twilight had followed the mysterious voice to a rock. The sun was beginning to set. The voice beckoned her to come into the brush carefully. “Really? Why?” Twilight began making her way.

“Just because! Please!”

“Really? Just because?” Twilight was keeping vigilant to her new companion.

“Stop! You'll crush them! Up! Up!”

“Them?” Twilight looked below her to witness tiny crabs leaving and entering their holes in the ground. A few of the holes collapsed from Twilight's wings slapping the grass. “Oh! I'm sorry!”

“Just get over here!” a dark grayish green pegasus with a deep green mane was watching behind Twilight as she crossed into the foilage. “Good! Good!” the pegasus stuck a pebble in her mouth and shot it out. It zipped into the knothole of a tree. Twilight couldn't help but ask for her name. Her attention was on the tree as she spoke, “Pebbles.” In the tree trunk, the pebble could be heard clunking and clattering. A click was heard and the exposed rock face opened. The pegasus grabbed a lit torch resting inside.

“What are those crabs?” Twilight wasn't watching as she followed and bumped into the pegasus. The torch landed and went out. “Oh my! Uh, here. Let me just use my magic”

“You use your magic and I'll make you wish you attempted to fly over that sea.” the pegasus growled. Twilight leaned to look at how dark it was. The pitch black staircase didn't seem to offer any end. Pebbles glared. “No magic.” Twilight stood as the pegasus tended to her torch, behind her she could see nothing moving, no sense of anything following, the alicorn sighed and shook her head in frustration. A small click was heard as the purple horn tapped a rock. Pebbles sighed as the sudden closure blew out the work able embers from her torch and into her face. “No. Magic. Just follow my voice. If you use any of your magic, you'll reveal us.”

“How?”

Pebbles screamed “By magic! That's how!”

Twilight thought this over for a moment, then sighed as she realized the double intention, “Ugh. What ever,” she mumbled as she carefully began to follow Pebbles down by hearing and touch alone.

Eventually, the two came to a very pale blue light as the staircase turned into a landing. Tiny, glittering specks dimly lit the walls. Unfortunately for the princess, it wasn't bright enough to avoid stumbling. “Can I use my magic now?” she grumbled.

“Yes.” Pebbles had her focus on a corridor.

The room lit up, the cave walls were a dull brown “So why couldn't I use my magic?”

“Because the pendant gem was found in this cave.”

“So?”

The pegasus stopped in her tracks. “An alicorn? Really? You're an alicorn?”

“Yes. I am.” Twilight snidely responded, “So tell me already!” the pegasus responded with a droll look and spat a pebble past Twilight. It ricocheted around the walls and smacked the princess's snout “Hey! You did that on purpose!” Pebbles began firing at Twilight's hooves. “Ouch! Hey! Quit it!” a small burst of a magic lit up and returned a stone straight into the pegasus' nose.

Pebbles growled and stood over Twilight “You better watch yourself.”

Twilight returned the message “Really? I'm an alicorn! A princess! I could send you to the middle of the sea with a flick of my horn!” Pebbles spat a shot, which ended up careening wildly all over the cave. Twilight tried desperately to keep out of the way. Eventually the pebble flew into the deep corridor behind Pebbles. “Ha! Some trick shot!” Twilight jeered. The pegasus tilted her head to the side and the pebble flew past, striking Twilight's horn. Her horn rang and the ringing traveled through Twilight's body. From her head to the tip of her tail.

“So, we finally understand who's boss around here?” Twilight sneered at this remark and her horn began to glow. Pebbles sighed “Well I hope your ex-friends are a bit more collected.”

“They're not my friends!” Twilight stopped. Even with the implied manipulation. Even with the implied, sneaky surprise of the outcome of becoming a princess between her and the sisters, Twilight couldn't help but feel there was hope that this was a big misunderstanding. After all, she knew nothing of amulets, despite her countless studies of magic. But this pegasus? This blunt, crass, demanding, mean-spirited pony with wings would rather start a fight than explain anything. “Okay! Okay! Okay! So I don't know anything about amulets!”

“Or enchantments.”

Twilight screamed “What?!”

“Just sayin'.”

The alicorn gritted her teeth and continued “Or enchantments” she watched as the pegasus gleefully smirked in satisfaction, and finished her sentence with a berating scream straight into Pebbles' ear “ON AMULETS!!” the pegasus reeled in agony and covered her ears, Twilight continued “But I do know when somepony is asking for it. Even if they're not all that bad.” Pebbles motioned Twilight to follow as she pushed on. Twilight teleported in front of the path “How do I stop the amulets?”

Pebbles groaned as she pushed past. “Ugh. As if I know! That's why I'm taking you to Opal.”

“Really? So why did you think I would know?”

“Because you're an alicorn, er princess. Whatever you wanna call it.”

“So that makes me absolutely knowledgeable about everything?”

“You're like, the only alicorn I know that doesn't know how an enchanted amulet works.”

“So how many alicorns do you know?”

The pegasus paused and blushed out of embarrassment. “Just follow me.” Pebbles growled. The cave eventually opened up. Twilight was astounded as the giant crystals in this new room glistened and lit as her magic light spell neared. “You don't need that light anymore, highness.” Pebbles said as she made her way ahead of the princess. Crystals were lighting up as the pegasus neared them.

“Pebbles, how are these crystals lighting up when you don't have any magic yourself?” before the pegasus could berate, Twilight chuckled out of embarrassment. “Magic, right.” she caught up to her companion “Say, Pebbles, buddy, pal, friend. Let's forget about all of that embarrassing mess from before and start over again.” Pebbles stood with a disgusted, bewildered look on her face. Twilight nervously smiled and extended her hoof as an offer.

Pebbles grumbled “Let's just get to Opal.” and promptly ignored the alicorn's attempt to console.

“Really? I'm simply trying to be nice, Pebbles!” Twilight said in protest. The pegasus simply snorted and spat. Twilight picked up a pebble from the ground and attempted the pegasus' talent. A pebble clattered on the ground as it oozed out of the alicorn's mouth. A second one seemed to fly out with some dignity. Twilight ran up to Pebbles, prepared to display. “Mebbles! Mutch!” Pebbles watched with fear, and not at all exaggerated, as the princess took a deep breath and proceeded to choke and cough as a pebble lodged itself in the young alicorn's throat. Kaw-horph! That's the sound Twilight made as Pebble rammed head first into her stomach, forcing the pebble out.

“Are you crazy? Stop it! What ever you think, forget about it! We will never be friends!” the pegasus muttered under her breath “And once we get you to Opal, the sooner I'll be chief again.”

Twilight teleported in front of the escort “Is that the entire reason you have me following you?”

“Well it would be better if I was chief, that's for sure. Don't worry your head about it.” Pebbles made her way past, but looked back to see the alicorn refusing to follow. “I said don't worry about it! You want to help your friends right? Well once we get rid of those amulets, no pony or creature will ever have to worry about an enchantment of influence.”

“Enchantment of influence?”

“Yeah.” Pebbles knocks on a stone wall in what seemed to be an endless cave. It slides away, revealing what seems to be a workshop. Pebbles says her typical greeting “Yo, get this pony up to date and then gather in the hall. And I suggest you take your time if you know what I'm sayin'?”

A startled unicorn stammered “y-, uh, what?”

Pebbles looks back at Twilight “he'll teach you everything you need to know.” as Pebbles closes the door she smiled and condescendingly remarked “Aw! You two make the perfect couple! Clumsy and clueless!”

Twilight sneered and sighed as the door finally closed “Ugh, glad to be rid of that jerk.”

The unicorn avoids eye contact and stammers “Well she she's not that that bad.”

“Really? That condescendingly pompous pegasus isn't THAT bad?”

“The chief chief now we have is very ru rude. Was was very ru rude before he was a chief. Me and Pebbles both made made our escape.”

Twilight was unimpressed “So what makes Pebbles so special?”

“Well, she she doesn't force fillies into the vol volcano caves and letting them be believe there are evil spirits that will ki kill them.”

“Oh yeah, I'm sure Pebbles has seen that.”

Opal turns to his work bench “I I was one one of those fi fillies.” Twilight stood silent as Opal continued “he he still does it. He he forced me to to to.” Opal's face washed over with anger. He stopped talking and examined his latest piece. A sapphire amulet. Lined with gold and fitted with wooden beads. Twilight looked around the room and saw a similar set, each fitted with a different gemstone. Twilight looked over the wall of jewelry, “Oh wow, those are beautiful! Are there any enchantments on them?” the unicorn didn't face the princess as he shook his head. “May I have one?” Opal didn't respond. “Can I try one on?” Opal nodded slightly. The amulet glistened, but it was the size for a filly. Rarity would buy the entire stock, Twilight thought. “I know who would buy all of your amulets. Opal?” the unicorn was trembling. Twilight, attempted to comfort the startled unicorn. “Well, c'mon. Don't be like that.” Opal stayed silent. “You're older now, you should know better that there's nothing there.” Opal stayed silent.

The door opened. Pebbles cheerily greeted “Hey! You two ready? Learn everything about amulets there, princess?” Pebbles entered and noticed Opal silently distraught. “Yo, Opal. You okay?”

“I was just explaining to Opal that he shouldn't”

Pebbles voice dropped, “Shouldn't what?”

“Shouldn't believe in fairy tales.” Twilight watched as an angry, bewildered pegasus moved in between her and the unicorn “He knows it now so it shouldn't be a problem.” Twilight began backing away as Pebbles moved into her space.

“I thought I could work with you.” Pebbles glared.

“W-what?”

“Get out! Out!” the pegasus shoved Twilight out of the room and began firing pebbles at the confused princess to chase her away. Twilight could hear Pebbles yell through the corridors “We don't need your stinkin' help!”

Pebbles turned to her companion. “Where's that amulet you were working on? You didn't give it to HER, did you?” Opal stayed silent. “It's okay. I'll let Flowerpot know what happened and I'll get her pendant back. You tell you-know-who about amulets?” the unicorn shook his head. Pebbles sneered and sighed “Probably for the better. Nothing worse than clueless royalty.” Pebbles took a last look at the wall before leaving, to remind her why she should be angry. She yelled in the cave “I'm going to pound that princess into mush!” before she made her way. In an opening, Pebbles could see a light and a silhouette in the distance, peeking from behind a stalagmite. The pegasus charged and almost reached the alicorn until she ran into a force field blocking the staircase. “Give it back!” Pebbles demanded,

“Well I was trying to give it back until you wanted to 'pound me into mush.”

The pegasus cried out “Horsefeathers!”

Twilight sneered, “Spill it! What's your plan with these amulets?”

The pegasus was silently angry before it screamed and dug at the barrier with her hooves. Twilight looked at the pendant, reminded of how she was pushed and pulled and left with no answers. Only her dreams. “Well what ever you're using Opal for, this is one less amulet in your weaponry” Pebbles dug at the force field even harder, screaming louder and angrier than before. The screams grew worse as the alicorn non-chalantly used her magic to light the staircase.

Twilight made her way up the stairs, she congratulated herself “Well now that's what I call standing on your own. Poor Opal, probably relies solely on Pebbles down there. Whelp, at least he's taken care of, if he is anyways.” air was rushing from downstairs. Twilight paused and looked back. Her barrier couldn't have been broken that quickly. She could see flickering red embers slowly filling the stairway. Keeping distance, Twilight climbed as she noticed the embers approaching. She focused her light spell to see what was down there and saw a silhouette form, it reached for her. Heart racing, panic, Twilight ran as fast as she could, what ever it was, it was slow as the howling wind it made grew distant quickly. She made it to the door. It was silent. As she was looking for the rock her horn touched, the sound of rushing wind could be heard. It was still following. Twilight looked everywhere, at every crook and crack, nothing was moving the door. The embers were visible. Desperate, Twilight blasted the door open and sealed the rock face back into place. “Ha!” Twilight scoffed as the door simply shuddered. No embers appeared, no silhouettes. She turned around to immediately come face to face with a shadowy figure. She blasted it. As it fell, Twilight gloated “Ooh! Scary! One blast and it's gone! Ha!” Twilight heard a groan and looked down. It was one of the sisters. “Luna?” Twilight landed and looked her over. She was dazed, but seemed to be okay. Twilight took it on her self to remove the pendant on Luna's neck. It seemed easy enough until Luna started struggling, pushing Twilight away with all four hooves. She wasn't even awake. “Get off!” Twilight yelled through her teeth. The pendant broke and sent Twilight flying on her back. As the pendant lay on the ground, Twilight picked herself up and woke Luna. Something pounded the cave door. Twilight prepared herself and readied a spell. Embers were seeping from the door. Luna woke up, standing straight and at attention as she usually does..

“Twilight, why did you attack me?”

“What?” Twilight looked over, Luna grimaced.

“You became a princess on your own and-” Luna was cut off by the pounding at the door. Embers were seeping from the crack. The dark princess readied herself with Twilight. “Why aren't you wearing the amulet?” Luna muttered, but discovered a broken pendant on the ground. Embers were eminating from the crystal. As fast as the pounding stopped, so did the embers. “Twilight. What was that?”

“You're asking me?”

“Well. Yes.”

“I don't know at all.”

“Did you know your pendant was cursed?”

“Cursed?”

“Yes. That pendant of yours there, it had the same ashes coming from it as the door.”

Twilight looked at the amulet. Spots of ashes had strewn about from where it sat. “That cave was where the amulet gem was found.” she said to herself

“Twilight, grab your pendant and let us return to the village. I'm certain Celestia will be curious.”

“That's not!” Twilight barked “Where's your pendant, Luna?”

Luna felt for her amulet. Nothing. Something was amiss. She thought out loud “Celestia is leaving Canterlot.”

Twilight Sparkle lit her horn and proceeded to take the lead as Luna collected herself. “F.Y.I., Luna, that was YOUR pendant that I broke.”

At the village, Celestia sat on the chief's throne. Waiting, patiently. “Another pendant. Destroyed.” the guards next to her mentioned the volcano caves. “Very well. I am almost here.” all of the creatures wearing amulets gathered behind the sister.

“Twilight! Twilight Sparkle! Slow down!” Luna could barely keep up. Twilight was speeding through the air with out effort.

At the clearing before the village, Twilight stood staring at the throne. Celestia stared back, her army behind her. “Twilight Sparkle. My favorite student. You're invited to partake in an island tradition.

As Twilight made her way, Luna pushed herself beside her and angrily whispered “Twilight, what are you doing? All of this is very wrong and if we do not think clearly we will put all of us at risk!”

“What is the tradition, Celestia?” Twilight spoke.

“A visit to the caves under Mount Haht. Where we'll pay tribute to the warmth the spirits inside provide.”

“All right, let's do this. But we're doing this with out the amulets.”

“The pendants are part of the tradition, Twilight. However, there are few surviving amulets. We will make an exception for you and Luna.” Celestia proceeded to lead the way. Luna made her way beside her sister, attempting to talk to her. Twilight followed from behind, with the rest of the followers.

“Celestia, what ever is in that amulet is changing you.”

“It is only time, Luna. Time.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Time. We are all in time. Around time. It is time.”

Luna looked back, concerned for Twilight. The student was keeping pace, but noticed fewer followers were with them. A follower seemed to stop in it's tracks, as if it discovered a compelling thought, “Sister, you're in there. I know it! Fight it!”

“Did you kill Sparkle?” Celestia never made eye contact, her gaze centered on the advancing caves.

“Why would I harm a student who would never turn with out good reason? Why would you fight your own prodigy and closest friend?”

“Twlight must come. You must come.” As what was once Celestia proceeded forward, Luna fell back, attempting to reach Twilight with out alarming the monster. “Come Sister.”

They stopped before the cave mouth. Twilight looked back to see only a handful of the followers left. She watched as her mentor stood before the red luminance of the cave. She removed the amulet from her saddle bag. It didn't have a pendant gem. What gems were there were small, whole, uncut gemstones. As she entered, she looked behind her to notice the rest of the followers standing, lost in thought. As she returned the pendant to her bag, the scribed words “Flower Pot” caught her eye. With a stifled sniffle, the princess continued the journey.

“We are here.” Celestia stood in a land pier surrounded by lava. Luna stood beside her, watching diligently. Twilight came in just as Luna attempted to pull off the amulet. Magic flew as the young sister evaded Celestia's attacks. Twilight stood silently, but was soon determined to help. She ran as Celestia focused on Luna and proceeded to pull the pendant off. A magic bolt knocked the young princess backwards. Magic lightning engulfed Twilight, who could only lay on the ground in pain, struggling to counter. As fast as the attack came, it stopped. Celestia stood still. The pendant had fallen into the magma with a well aimed shot from Luna. They both watched as Celestia stood motionless. A disembodied voice echoed through the cave, “You're almost complete.” Celestia's eyes were glowing white “Bathe.” With that word, Celestia moved in front of a pool of lava. Luna fearing for her sister's life, broke the barrier and charged. A wall of magma rose, cutting her off. The wall split and fell on both of the sisters. Luna had her barrier up, mourning as the lava cleared. Where Celestia stood was another barrier. “Disciple of Celestia. You may join her.” Twilight had formed a shield to protect her and her mentor. Celestia stood motionless and began to speak in unison with the voice in the cave.. Her eyes still a glowing white hue. “Twilight. Welcome. Please. Join me.” In a flash of light, both the sister and her prodigy disappeared. Luna cried out as the pair disappeared.

Twilight summoned light from her horn. Where she was, she didn't know, but it was a throne room, barely lit with tiny veins of magma flow. Celestia was at the chair, her face, stale, expressionless. “Celestia! I know you're in there!” Celestia didn't respond. “Please! You have to fight it!”

“There is no Celestia. Only Cruel.” Celestia spread her wings, which seemed to be on fire. A silhouette rose from behind Celestia, IT bore the wings of fire. It reached for the ceiling. “My vessel. My new body. Will be mine.”

“Who are you? What have you done with Celestia?”

“Both. I will have both.”

“What do you want?”

“Free.”

“Free?”

“Magma. Holds.” the spirit reached for a lava floe

“Does it take effort to hold a body?” the entity paused as Twilight spoke “Well obviously, yes. Then you should hence” Twilight glanced over and saw the monster reaching for a flow of lava. “Wait!”

“Magma. Holds.” it spoke as it lurched forth a clawful of molten rock.

“And magma cools.” Twilight blew on the magma. Twice. Not twice. Three times. Then froze it with an ice spell. Then kicked it “And when it's cool, it breaks.”

The monster looked at it's newly broken, frozen rock. It dropped the fragments and reeled in fear “Can't break. Not break.”

“Yes, break. And Celestia is too old. She'll break.” With Twilight's words, the entity shrunk behind Celestia and disappeared. Twilight, confused, waited. Nothing seemed to happen. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Celestia's eyes return to normal. “Oh Celestia! I thought you were gone!”

Celestia spoke. “Why! Twilight! I'm so glad to see you here. But why would you think I would break? I am your teacher, am I not?”
Twilight backed away, her mentor never broke her gaze, despite her usual warm greeting. Cruel's molten ashes flickered in Celestia's shadow. Drawing a deep breath, Twilight sternly protested “Princess Celestia, you would break. You have taught me everything that you know and need to know.” Her mentor paused, as if lost in time. Cruel arose from behind and charged Twilight. It slammed into the alicorn's barrier and enveloped it. Twilight watched in horror as the spirit began to slowly pass through, turning the barrier into its own magic. She threw out another barrier. One after another was consumed by the spirit. Celestia had fallen to the floor as Cruel focused on its new host. She awoke to witness the horror as she heard her student cry out in panic. She whispered to herself as the flickering embers caught her eye “I've read about you.” Celestia blasted the spirit with her magic. Cruel began feeding off of the power, but was trapped as Celestia focused as much magic as she could into a single point in the air. The barriers surrounding Twilight dissipated, she was unharmed and awake. Celestia called out, “Twilight! You must leave and find my sister! Together you two shall over come Cruel!” Twilight stood and glared “What are you doing? Go! Twilight! Go!” Twilight summoned a barrier around Cruel. And another as Cruel began infesting the magic. “Twilight! You can't keep doing this forever! Let me handle this!” Twilight took out the pendant and threw it under the slowly dissolving prison.

“Run!” Twilight called as she made past Celestia.

“Twilight! No!”

“Run and don't use your magic! Trust me!” reluctantly, Celestia followed Twilight to a safe distance. As Cruel reached the last of the barriers, the only magic left was the amulet. The entity roared in anger as it's own mindless will became its undoing. Trapped, in a simple trinket. “We did it!” Twilight cried out.

“No, you did it Twilight.”

“What do you mean?”

“With out your quick thinking, both of us would have been under Cruel's influence.”

Twilight grinned and nudged Celestia, “And with out you, Cruel wouldn't have had an easy time getting to Equestria.”

“Is that what you think, Twilight?” Celestia laid on the ground, her face full of remorse. “Twilight Sparkle. I was never in control.”

The pupil chuckled “Oh quit pulling my leg, Celestia. You knew all along and brought me and Luna here to defeat Cruel! You're amazing!” Twilight's enthusiastic admiration faded as Celestia sighed with futility.

“You really didn't want to rule as a princess?” Celestia spoke. Twilight was silent. “Twilight, I understand what it feels when it seems your future is pre-destined. I never had a choice as to who guarded and used the elements of harmony. Nor did I have a choice of who would control the sun and the moon. There was often no pony capable but myself.” Twilight hung her head in disappointment. “Twilight. My favorite student. What is it that you want?”

“I don't know.” Sparkle mumbled “I don't even know why I felt this in the first place.”

“Twilight, you have every right to feel this way. When you return to Ponyville, do not worry about being a princess. Worry about what you want. And when you are ready, talk to me. I will respect what ever decisions you make.”

In the library, Twilight scrawled in her journal. Did she want to be a princess in the first place or is this just an extra perk. Was it a perk? Did she have to rule if she stayed as a princess? There were too many questions to ask. She looked outside as she saw a group of fillies playing. She was inside while all the other ponies were enjoying themselves. A parchment was placed on the table and the words “Dear Princess Celestia” were written before the letter was abandoned. Later that night, Twilight stared at it. She had stared at it well after she spent the day with her friends. She attempted to sleep, forgetting the party hat from the day. As she got up to place it, she thought of a question. Does her teacher have any friends? The next day, after Spike sent it in the morning, Twilight was writing down more questions when a scroll arrived. “Twilight Sparkle” it read “I enjoy every pony.” That was all that was written. Twilight, perplexed and frustrated responded right away. If Celestia enjoys every pony, then who are her friends? The letter sent, and a response arrived promptly. As the night settled in Spike groaned and yawned as he leaned on the desk. The letter read “Why, Luna is my friend, and so are you, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight promptly wrote. How is she a friend? What have they done together? What do they have in common? And how is she able to call Luna a friend? Isn't she her sister? The alicorn rolled up the scroll to send it, but Spike was asleep. Spurts of flame came out as he snored, which Twilight used to her advantage. A response came the next night. “You are right, Twilight Sparkle. I have long forgotten who I would call a friend. I had stopped thinking about it for so long. But I do enjoy every pony, thing and creature in Equestria, big or small. And while I may never have a pony to consider a friend, I do consider that you have an opportunity that I do not and will not have. You enrolled in my school to study magic. And you have the opportunity to further your studies with what you have. With this letter, I, Princess Celestia, here by declare that Twilight Sparkle will rule over the powers of magic. And Twilight. Friendship, is magic.”

Twilight sighed. It was as if she had no control over who she could be. Even if she was given the very talent she enjoys as her responsibility, it didn't change the fact that she was still a princess and not of her own will. She looked out of her window to see the group of fillies running back and forth. “Where's the fire, girls?”

“Fire?” the girls gasped and began looking everywhere frantically “Fire! Fire!”

“No-no-no-no! It's an expression. Why are you three running around?”

“Getting our cutie marks!”

“Doing what?”

“Running!”

“So you really thought about what I said?”

The three looked at each other “Sorta. Yeah.”

“I think so.”

“Is breathing really a cutie mark?”

Afraid to ruin her own advice, Twilight simply added “I'm glad you girls are not trying as hard to find your cutie marks.”

“I guess so.”

“Yeah”

“It's easy?”

“For some ponies, yes.”
The three looked at each other a little impressed and even a little confused with what seemed to be an obvious statement, but continued their way.
Twilight left the window and adorned her crown. She looked in the mirror and a little smile grew on her face.

Author's Note

I wrote this not expecting it to be a companion piece before the Season 4 premiere, but it's open ended enough to work with what I saw in some of the spoilers (not sure how many spoilers were given, but what I saw didn't conflict with the story)

Enjoy, and apologies for some of the rough writing, but I've just moved and have to keep my priorities straight. I won't be able to revise it until after the premiere.