This day was a calm one. Everything had finally settled down. The sky had returned to normal. The vines had disappeared. Equestria was at peace, something harder to find each and every day. Everypony was able to go about their day, happily.
But, one mare could only stare out at all the happy ponies and sigh. "How long will it last?" Her companion, Cherry Berry, looked across the table at her with concern.
"How long will what last?" Simple Serenity had expected this response. How could she expect her to see it as she saw it?
"This. Me being able to talk to you without someone trying to kill us all." Cherry sat back and took it in. It had only been days since the incident, but she had moved on and continued to do what she usually did.
"I'm not sure what to say. I guess I've just gotten used to it by this point." Simple knew she would say something of that nature. That's how it always was now. Something terrible happens and then you move on.
Her whole life had been as her name stated, simple. Life was calm in her small town of Ponyville. Back then it was calm everyday, not just on rare occasions.
Now it was just a matter of time before some huge problem arose and threatened to take over Equestria or destroy Ponyville. It seemed like Equestria was the target of all evil, as if something, or someone, wanted the whole nation to crumble. It wasn't an unreasonable response, since many had tried to take over their beloved land.
Simple wished she had what she once had. She wanted to be able to walk over to her neighbors and engage in polite conversation about the weather. Now all anypony seemed to want to talk about was Twilight Sparkle and her friends. I'm tired of hearing about Twilight Sparkle.
She was sick of hearing about how perfect she was. She was sick of hearing about every stupid thing that princess did. She was, quite frankly, done with her.
Twilight had "saved" the world multiple times, but each time she was the root of the problem or helped cause the problem in the first place. It was her fault that everything had happened to these poor ponies, yet they still bow down to their wonderful princess and savior.
Simple had a feeling in her gut. She was somepony who believed in trusting yourself and not letting your heart steer you wrong. This feeling told her that Twilight was not to be trusted. It had all started when she got to Ponyville and it had been relentless since she chose to stay.
Her gaze turned away from the ponies prancing about and she turned towards Cherry. She took a deep breath, one showing inner-turmoil. "What do you think of Twilight?" It was a simple question in spirit, but the way it was said spoke more than what came out.
"She's smart, kind, helpful-" Simple silenced her with a hoof.
"What do you think of her? I'm not asking what she is, but how you see her." Cherry stared into Simple's hard eyes with sadness.
"She's a hero. She's protected us from many things. She is also crazy, unconventional and though very organized, a bit impulsive. She has more faults than I can count, but she is also a picture of a true leader. She will do great things for us," She looked over at Simple, and it disheartened her to see that a grimace had developed on her face. "That wasn't what you wanted to hear."
She laughed lightly. Cherry knew her far too well. "No, it wasn't, but it was what I knew you would say," Her eyes once again scanned the crowd. "I think it's her fault."
"What's her-" She began to speak, but knew the answer already. "Why?" Simple sighed. She thought about it. It made sense. It started when Twilight got there and Twilight had been involved in everything bad so far.
"I could start by saying that I feel it. I don't know," She collected her thoughts. "She seems fake to me. I don't trust her. It all started because of her. Everything is ultimately resolved by her.
"She could've planned it. Being the princess's student and an expert in magic she had anything she would've needed and every possible resource available. What if she just wanted the credit for the win? Maybe she just wanted to gain our trust. Well, now she has it. She's our perfect princess who promised that everything would be "just fine" and that Equestria would sparkle.
"How long did that last? A day? Not only that, but if you think back, some things just didn't add up. Princess Celestia couldn't even beat Queen Chrysalis, a changeling, when she has the power to raise the sun with ease every day! I think she was sabotaged. But, Cadence beat her to victory that time. Twilight, the most powerful unicorn, just happened to mess up a spell to make parasites stop eating so much? I don't think so.
"Tell me you don't find that at least a little suspicious?" Cherry looked at her with uncertainty. The gears in her head were turning, processing the information given to her. As her head began to wrap itself around the idea of Twilight being a terrible pony, she became less and less sure if she wanted the answer.
"How could it be true? She's still an element of harmony either way! Which means that she still represents magic!" Simple smiled.
"Think about it. Does magic really include friendship? Laughter: with friends. Generosity: with people in need. Honesty: to those in need of justice. Loyalty: during your darkest times. Kindness: to strangers. Magic… to yourself in a room filled with spell books."
Then, she was suddenly sure of what she thought was true. She knew her answer. She turned to Simple Serenity with a look of intensity, yet still with hesitance. "I think you're right."
Simple smiled softly. "I think so, too."
"What are we going to do about it?" She thought for a moment and came to a conclusion.
"Word of mouth. Spread it around in little ways. Let it fester in everypony's minds," Her eyes sparkled with determination. "It only takes a simple phrase to spark a revolution."
Twilight awoke to the sound of her alarm. The steady beeps lifted her from her sound slumber and brought her into reality. She groaned at the idea of waking, but still groggily used her magic to silence the alarm clock. For a moment, she was still, just simply coming to terms with the fact that it was morning and that she would be actually getting up very soon.
Once she decided that she should be out and about and, sadly, not in bed, she moved her hooves in an effort to shake off the bit of sleepiness that still clung to her. She wiped her eyes and stretched her wings before lifting up her blanket and stepping out of bed.
Her back cracked as she let out a long yawn. She had fully entered real life, but found herself wishing the she could keep the bliss that comes with sleep. Things needed to get done, so she shook the thoughts away, but remained in a slightly lucid state. She recalled the wonderful dream she had had the night before and let out a content sigh. Still, dreams were dreams, so go back to bed she did not.
Though she wasn't much of a morning pony, there was a nice atmosphere and she felt good. A warmth crept up her sides and enveloped her. She felt calm and comfortable, without the aid of any luxury spa treatment or sounds of relaxation. Not much was needed to allow her to enjoy herself. A pleasant smile sat upon her face.
She certainly wasn't happy enough to get out of bed and sing a song like she had weeks prior, but she wasn't grumpy either. All in all, it was an average morning, though particularly nice for a reason she was unsure of. She could look into it, as she usually did with things that baffled her, but she decided to let this one slide.
Moving on with her day, she spied Spike sleeping in the corner and could tell that he was in a deep sleep. His loud snores and occasional twitch told her so. The thought that she had become keen to his actions and behaviors occurred to her and she decided to add that to the imaginary list of things that told her Spike was awake.
The idea that such a list existed elicited a bit of humor in her and she allowed herself a small giggle. Once again, she left the realm of thought and returned to the present. She went over to wake him, but thought better of it and let him continue. A long sleep would do the baby dragon some good.
Anyway, he deserved it for having been such a great helper recently. Well, he was a great helper constantly, but she couldn't let him sleep the day away and let his skills as an assistant not be put to good use. Not to mention, she did happen to enjoy spending time with him, for he was probably her closest friend, spare for possibly Princess Celestia.
A mirror was suddenly in her field of view as she pondered a few things, so she let the thoughts slip and resumed her daily activities. A brush found itself held in her magic grip as she brushed away the bed-head. She prepared her mental checklist as she did it. Go to the market and buy some groceries. Color-code my new calendar. Go to the town hall meeting at 4:00. There was little to do that day, so she decided to take a walk through town. It was an especially nice day after all.
She thought about taking a shower, but thought that she should instead take a bath later in the day. The day awaited her and she couldn't leave it hanging any longer by doing something as unproductive as showering. She grabbed her saddle bag and the grocery list before remembering to brush her teeth.
Her hoof then collided with her face in the form of a facehoof as she chided herself for forgetting. She brushed her teeth, the whole two minutes, since Colgate seemed to know when she didn't. Soon, spraying on a little bit of perfume and putting on the new hat Rarity gave her, she went downstairs.
Quickly, she ate an apple, a red delicious it seemed, but she couldn't be sure, as she left in a rush. Then, out the door she went. It was a beautiful morning, perhaps a little chilly, but nonetheless still a nice day. She could even go into the whole 'The sun was shining and the birds were chirping,' thing, but she needn't do that, for it was understood by all who basked in the sun.
As she looked in the distance, she saw ponies talking, laughing and having fun. It made her smile a little broader knowing that they were happy. Truly, it was a great day for everypony.
She enjoyed walking and was glad that she had had time that morning. It was an activity that she couldn't engage in as frequently as she would've preferred, so she relished it whenever she had the chance, if brief. There was just something comforting about just strolling through town, feeling the grass beneath the hooves and the wind whipping around you as petty problems fade away. There was no sound better than the soft clip-clop of hooves on the road, early morning.
Casually, she strolled past a few ponies sitting at picnic tables. They glanced her way, yet they didn't greet her as they usually did. It could've irked her, but no form of reaction crossed her features. Nothing would bother her today, on such a lovely day. So, she paid it no mind and continued on.
Up ahead, a young filly sat with a frown on her face. It was an odd sight to see a single sad pony on this kind of day. Ponyville was always nearly bursting with joy. This unnerved her, as nopony should feel bad on a day such as this day. Twilight's expression became more sympathetic as she looked upon the sad foal.
As Twilight approached her, the filly looked slightly relieved, but in a way, sadder than before. This subtle change in expression troubled her. As a good princess, and a good pony in general, it's crucial to comfort any of those who may need assistance.
That's why, even one of her most beloved activities, was forgotten. Staring at the child, she felt the strong need to help, and try to help she did. "What's wrong?" She looked down at her, a warm smile gracing her features as extra support, and awaited her response with anticipation she didn't allow her to see, as it could confuse her. The filly looked a bit apprehensive at first and didn't say anything. Silence hung in the air, not a peep shared between the two, for a moment. Then, after a few seconds, she spoke.
"An older colt came and took my ball." A dejected sigh escaped her lips. Obviously, this ball meant a lot to her, or it had at least entertained her enough that she wanted it back.
"That was a mean thing of him to do." In response, she got a small nod of agreement. Slightly closer, she got, as she waited for her to say something, any clue as to how she could make her feel better.
"Yeah. He's a jerk," She swiftly looked up at Twilight for help and then just as quickly put her head back down. Though, she couldn't see her well, she thought she saw a grimace on her face. It seemed like she was conflicted, debating whether or not she should continue the conversation. After a time, she uttered a rushed phrase. "My mommy says I'm not supposed to talk to you."
Twilight's eyebrows raised in shock and a look of puzzlement crossed her face. Why would she say that? "Are you sure she said that?" The filly nodded in return. "Did she say why?" Another nod. "Would you mind telling me?" This time she shook her head to say no.
She looked down, perplexed, as she tried to comprehend why her mother would say that. Confusion rapidly replaced other emotions, as she just couldn't seem to grasp why anypony would keep their child away from her of all ponies. A certain sadness threatened to creep in, but confusion remained predominate. The filly, feeling a bit awkward, turned to leave. "Wait," She stopped for a second. "Will you please tell me?"
She looked like she wasn't sure for a second and then quickly mumbled "She says you do bad things." before running away.
Twilight's jaw hung open as she watched the filly run off into the distance. It took everything she had not to start hyperventilating on the spot. Somepony, just an innocent filly, had told her that she wasn't to be trusted. Maybe not outright, but it sure seemed like it as she watched the filly run away from her.
Her eyes scanned the ponies roaming around. These were her friends, her neighbors, her new family. Now that she was princess, they were also her subjects, her little ponies. They were the ones she had protected countless times with the help of the elements. Each of these ponies had experienced some of her greatest moments with her.
Their eyes occasionally locked and it took only that one second for her to realize how much they hated her. Their happy smiles wavered, and in some cases vanished, only from that quick moment of eye contact. She could sense their discomfort and anger towards her just from that one moment. Every single one of them turned away, disgusted that they had even looked at her. It made Twilight feel sick to her stomach.
Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She closed them tight to keep them from spilling out. She was overwhelmed with sadness and confusion. This morning, all had been great. She never would've predicted that she would feel this way so soon after being joyful. It didn't add up. That was, perhaps, the most painful. The fact that everypony disliked her, without her even knowing what she had done wrong. What had she done to make them hate and distrust her so?
She loved each and every one of these ponies. Wasn't it practically just yesterday that everypony was cheering for her and singing at her coronation? Weren't these the ponies she had come to know and the very reason she had chosen to stay in Ponyville? It didn't make sense. All she knew was that for some reason everypony hated her. And, she knew they hated her. The daggers in their eyes spoke more than any words, but it still made her afraid of what venom she might hear in their, normally cheerful, voices.
She once again opened her eyes and ran to the nearest pony without even a thought. "Why do you hate me? What did I do?" She hadn't meant to say it, but it came out before she could think. Her emotions had gotten the best of her. Fear and sadness had replaced any rational thought. Everypony hates me echoed in her mind, making her feel worse every passing second.
The stallion simply watched her with curiosity. She could've sworn that she also saw a bit of sympathy behind his stern gaze, but in the blink of any eye, whatever she thought she saw was gone.
"You lied to us," He shook his head as if to clear his mind of doubts. "You deceived us. We trusted you."
"I would never! I care about everyone in Ponyville! I would never lie to any of you!" Tears, without her realizing it, had slipped out. She quickly wiped them away and looked into the stallion's hard eyes.
"Then, why did all the terrible things start happening to us right when you came to Ponyville?" She was left speechless.
"I- I… don't know." With that, he left without another word. Twilight stood there, paralyzed, and noticed that a small crowd had formed. Many of them had smiles on their faces. Their smiles were brought by her pain. The thought made her nearly want to vomit.
Another pony stood up and lashed out at her. "You've been working against Ponyville!"
More cries rang out. "All you wanted was to rule Equestria!"
"Why should we believe you? All the facts seem to point to you being a liar!"
"Everything was fake! You never did anything to help any of us!"
One she heard particularly well. "You never cared about friendship!" It broke her heart more than she thought words ever could. Soon, words began to blur together as dozens of shouts filled with air. There was one similarity between everything anypony said. In every shout she heard the unmistakable sound of hate. But, worse, she could hear the sound of betrayal.
She opened her mouth to say something, anything, to prove to them that she wasn't lying to them, when she noticed five mares staring at her with looks of pain. Her closest friends stood there with the same emotions crossing their faces as everypony else.
"Applejack! You've got to believe me! You can always spot a lie!" She looked at her with a shred of hope that maybe she could prove her innocent. She couldn't bear to think that her friends also believed that she was, or ever would be, against them.
"I don't know what to believe." In her eyes she saw disappointment. Then, Applejack ran away from the crowd. Her hope shattered to pieces as she watched her gallop farther and farther away. To Twilight, it was as though she was running away from her and only her.
Rarity looked at her for a second before shedding a tear. "I'm so sorry, darling. This is all madness. I want to believe you, but I just don't know what to think." Fluttershy moved as if to say something also, but she lost the nerve and looked down at the ground. They both gave small smiles before turning and leaving just as Applejack had.
She wanted to run after them and tell them not to believe what they were hearing, but she was left rooted in place. Half of her friends, gone. She couldn't bear to lose another.
Twilight turned to Pinkie and immediately regretted it. The sadness she saw was the exact opposite of what she was used to seeing around her. She couldn't tell if she was upset that they were accusing her or that she believed them and was just as upset at her as the others. Either way, the fact that she was making her feel this way stung like the pain of a whip cracking down.
Complete and utter loneliness was what she felt. She felt that the weight of their sadness and pain would crush her. She wanted, no, needed to get out of there. She turned and ran as fast as she could. Tears flew quickly as she ran. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew that she needed to get away.
Author's Note
I fixed the scene with her friends. Happy?
P.S. I'm really happy now. Before, I got more bad reviews than good and that was just a day ago. Now, this story is in the What's Hot? list on the second page in romances written this month! So, woo hoo!
P.P.S. No mentioning how the rumor doesn't seem believable, or how overdramatic everypony was, or how you just don't think this would ever happen. It's just getting annoying is all. I've already heard all of it. Go read the comments. If you happen to have a complaint that was not already said, then I would be glad to read it and fix whatever seems wrong.
