Getting Tough

Chapters

Welcome to the Gym
Coffee at Cafe Canterlot
All Aboard
Haggle
Doubts
A New Path
Departure
Where it Ends
Where it Begins

Welcome to the Gym

Misty Fly, Amethyst Star, and Bulk Biceps froze for a moment and their eyes became fixed on Iron Will, a mass of pure muscle and testosterone. The tips of Iron Will's horns were as sharp as a pin. His nose looked like it could topple a stack of books just by sneezing. Despite this, his rock-like muscles were less impressive when compared to the stallion made out of what looked like nothing but muscle, Bulk Biceps.

Iron Will cracked his knuckles and looked down at the three ponies before him. "You three must be here for Iron Will's Assertiveness Program!" he shouted jubilantly.

"We are," said Misty meekly. She turned to the two ponies beside her and noticed Amethyst's face turning gray. Bulk Biceps, however, had his eyes shimmering as they gazed at Iron Will's six-pack. "Is that correct, everypony?"

"Y-yes," Amethyst stuttered. She looked over to Misty for a moment and then turned her eyes towards Iron Will. "I just imagined that you'd be smaller. That's all."

"This size didn't come from just nature, kid!" Iron Will replied with a smirk. His eyebrows bopped up and down like pogo sticks. "It came from non-stop assertiveness and weightlifting. But mainly assertiveness." Iron Will struck a pose, his form looked like the stance of an archer. "If you can become assertive, you'll almost be as strong as Iron Will!"

"Excuse me," said Bulk as he extended a hoof forwards. "But it's because you're a centaur, right?"

Iron Will stood up straight and followed up with a hearty laugh. The three ponies looked at each other with blank expressions and shrugs before turning their attention back to Iron Will. "Silly stallion, I'm a minotaur, and no minotaur is miniature!"

The three ponies remained still and silent with emotionless expressions. Iron Will let out a few false chuckles before clearing his throat and flexing his arms for a moment.

Misty then slightly tilted her head. "What are we going to do here?" she asked. "I'm curious as to what exercises we will do."

"Only the best exercises that make you assertive!" Iron Will's eyes sparkled and with a majestic leap, he landed next to a red door and opened it wide, a hallway that extended to the horizon appearing on the other side. "Come now, let's start with our first exercise! Just follow Iron Will!"

Misty allowed Bulk and Amethyst to enter through the door before her. When she entered through the open door, she couldn't help but think about who this Iron Will was. Nothing he had said so far made any sense to her, and she wondered if this was some elaborate prank staged by the Royal Guard. Was she the fool in all of this?

Misty shook her head. Amethyst Star and Bulk Biceps were new faces to her and neither seemed to be the type that would be affiliated with the Royal Guard as far as she knew. All she could do was follow Iron Will down the hallway for the time being, unsure of where she'd end up or what she would do. Such uncertainties caused her chest to tighten ever so slightly.

Iron Will stopped at the fifth door to his left. He stretched his muscles and stepped back, but instead of opening the door, he lowered his shoulder and barged through.

Slam!

Misty flinched slightly and upon regaining her composure, she followed everyone into the room. Misty raised an eyebrow the moment she stepped inside as she surveyed the objects around her. A collection of various items, which included tables, weights, bowling balls, megaphones, and even a few carnival games, all rested off to the side as though they were recently recovered from a junkyard. The items looked slightly gray, seemingly yearning to be used once again. Aside from that, the only other things that defined the room were a table with three wine glasses on it and the wooden floor below with a sheen so bright that Misty could see her own reflection if she looked down.

Misty stared at her reflection, but something was amiss. Instead of seeing her cream colored face, she saw a slightly different image. It was still her face, but she had a pair of flight goggles on her head and a tight, blue uniform over most of her body. Misty shuddered, then rubbed her eyes, and when she stared back at the reflection, it was the image she was expecting to see. Feeling a tense urge rush through her body, she looked up at the ceiling and noticed a bright light hanging above the room. Was that what caused her to see what she did?

No. That couldn't possibly be it. What she saw in her reflection was too detailed to be a mere trick of the eye, but what was that uniform over her supposed to represent? Misty recognized seeing something like it before, but the words she tried to formulate were only on the tip of her tongue and refused to come forward.

"Are you gonna stand there or are you gonna stand in front of that table?" Iron Will asked.

Misty looked up and saw Iron Will's scowling face directly above her. She shrugged slightly and her cheeks blushed. "Sorry," she said innocently. "I just thought I saw something." Misty trotted over to the table and stood in between Amethyst and Bulk, both of whom were attentively staring at the wine glass before them. Misty took a deep breath and quickly did the same.

"Iron Will knows what you're thinking," said Iron Will as he paced in front of the trio. "See, this exercise is to test how tough you can get. Toughness is important if you're going to be assertive like Iron Will, so I want you to shatter that wine glass in front of you using only your voice. Can you do that?"

"Excuse me," Amethyst said, looking up to Iron Will's face. "I don't know how this is supposed to make us feel more assertive."

Iron Will sighed and stared blankly into Amethyst's eyes. "Do you want to be assertive or not?" Amethyst froze for a moment, her lips tightly shut, before looking back down at the wine glass before her. "Good! Now then, let's do this one at a time. You there." Iron Will pointed his index finger at Misty Fly. "Break that glass!"

Misty shuddered and her head swiveled from left to right. She noticed that everyone had their eyes positioned to her. Taking a deep breath and whispering motivations to herself, Misty shot out a yell. However, the yell that came out was not like that of a ferocious lion, but of a playful cub. Upon finishing, she looked up at Iron Will, his face grimacing.

Iron Will's face told her everything she needed to know. Misty's cheeks blushed and she winced ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry," Misty whispered. "I need more practice."

"Don't apologize when you can criticize!" Iron Will shouted to the ceiling before doing another pose. His words echoed in the room, repeating over and over as though the room itself was trying to make Misty remember this. Misty let out a sigh and looked over to Amethyst, who was biting her lip and visibly shivering.

"Now then," said Iron Will, now pointing to Amethyst. "You're up next!"

Amethyst paused for a moment and looked over to Misty and Bulk. Turning her attention back to the wine glass, she cleared her throat and shouted at the glass. Her roar was louder than Misty's, but it still felt like it came from a cub and not a lion.

Iron Will groaned and mumbled something to himself. Misty couldn't pick up what he was saying, but her ears noticed his deep tone, so whatever it was couldn't possibly be good. Misty looked at Amethyst, whose eyes were pointed at the table and her shoulders sagged.

"Don't fail me now, big pony!" Iron Will commanded.

Bulk Biceps snorted and steam erupted from his nostrils. Clenching his teeth with audible crunches, Bulk then took in a deep breath and upon exhaling, he let out a powerful roar. Misty and Amethyst simultaneously covered their ears, as Iron Will stood still with his jaw dropped. Suddenly, the ever familiar crack of broken glass echoed in the room.

Not only did Bulk's wine glass shatter, but all three of them did. The cascade of shards fell onto the table and glistened under the light, which in turn caused Iron Will's eyes to shimmer and a wide smile to run across his face.

"That was brilliant," said Iron Will, clapping his hands rapidly. He then tightened his arm muscles for a little bit and his eyes stared at their bulky form. "That was almost as good as Iron Will's."

"Thank you," Bulk replied with a smile and a nod.

Iron Will ceased flexing for the time being and turned his attention to Misty Fly and Amethyst Star. "I have a long way to go to fix you two up, but this big stallion here should be easy."

Amethyst tilted her head slightly. "What makes you say that?"

"How does Iron Will know? It's because Iron Will knows who can steal the show!" Iron Will jabbed the air and struck another pose. This pose was simply his jabbing motion, but figuratively frozen in time. He then straightened himself out and walked to the door. "Let me show you something in this gym. It's not another exercise, but when you see what these ponies can do, you'll wish you were as assertive as they are."

Iron Will departed the room and the three ponies followed him. Misty trotted close to Amethyst , both of whom were frowning slightly and staring at the floor below. Amethyst's emotions were palpable to Misty and mentally called out to her. Formulating something to say to Amethyst that might cheer her up just a little, Misty prepared to open her mouth, but was cut off by the clicking of an opening door.

"Welcome to the gym's dojo," said Iron Will as he extended his arms out as though he was giving a tour.

The three ponies trotted inside and Misty's nostrils relaxed upon taking in the serene, rose-lie scent. Such an aroma seemed ill-fitting in a gym, but she didn't mind this oddity at all. It was certainly an improvement to the dusty nature of the room she came from. The dojo itself also looked nicer and cleaner, as mats, planks, blocks, punching bags, and a wide array of other supplies were either neatly put off to the side or organized around the room. On the mats laid out on the floor were a number of ponies performing delicate poses or striking objects with their hooves. Some of their strikes were graceful while others struck with ferocity.

"What do ponies do in a dojo?" asked Bulk Biceps, who wandered around the room with a wide open smile and shimmering eyes.

"This is where ponies go to practice all different kinds of martial arts," said Misty. "Ponies practice martial arts for a variety of reasons. It can be for learning a type of combat or for spiritual development." She looked at some of the objects spread out across the room and a faint smile adorned her face. "I practiced martial arts a lot when I was a filly. It was fun. I still practice those techniques today."

"That's really interesting," Amethyst said with a slight smile. "I'd like to know more!"

"That's for another time," said Iron Will. "For now, Iron Will wants you to take a look at this gym's most fierce black belt." Iron Will pointed to a white unicorn with a curly, purple mane staring down a wooden plank. "Take a look at the pony I'm pointing to and tell me what you see."

The unicorn took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes. Her body froze in place as though time had stopped around her. Opening her eyes and glaring at the plank, the unicorn galloped forwards and leaped into the air. She extended her foreleg and bellowed a battle cry into the air as gravity pushed her back down.

Crack!

The unicorn split the plank in two. Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk simultaneously gasped and took a few steps back. Misty's eyes widened and her mouth hung agape. She immediately made a mental note to never get in the way of that unicorn, though she doubted that they would cross paths again. Her body relaxed somewhat, realizing that there probably wouldn't be a situation where that unicorn's hoof would end up heading directly for her face. After all, what were the odds of that happening?

"Impressed?" asked Iron Will. He turned around and stared at the visages of his students, their expressions the same as they were before. "Iron Will takes it as a yes."

"W-who is that mare?" asked Bulk, his teeth chattering wildly and their constant clicking irritating to the ears.

"I don't know, but Iron Will does know that she's usually here around this time so that she can practice. Another martial artist once told me that she's a fashionista. Can you believe that? Because Iron Will doesn't."

"Maybe," said Amethyst with shrugged shoulders. "Anyway, is this the kind of thing you're looking for?"

"You bet!" Iron Will nodded and flexed his arms. He grinned like an idiot for each flex, but when he noticed that all three of his students had their eyes pointed elsewhere, he let out a quiet sigh and stood upright. "That's the attitude we're looking for."

Misty gulped and her throat then tightened. If that's what Iron Will is looking for, she had no idea how she would leave this course with his approval. It was just against her nature, and it didn't require much thinking to realize that the odds were against her. She took a deep breath and muttered more words of encouragement. Her throat loosened and she straightened herself out, hoping that luck would continue to ride with her.

"That's enough for today," said Iron Will. "Tomorrow, I want you to meet Iron Will at Cafe Canterlot. It is there where the real lessons will begin. All of this was only the appetizer to my meal of success!" Iron Will struck one final pose, his arms stretching as high as they possibly could. "You better show up, because this stuff isn't free."

The ponies trotted to the exit. Misty felt neither cheerful nor melancholic as she left the gym and stepped back onto the main streets of Canterlot. The sun was setting, lighting the sky a beautiful, fiery orange. While the towering buildings of the city blocked some of the sky, Misty's eyes still sparkled and gazed at the beautiful colors around her.

Shifting her focus to the roads ahead, Misty knew the way back to her apartment, and if the quiet atmosphere and the seldom amount of ponies ahead of her told her anything, it was that this particular journey was set to be much smoother than the one trying to get to the gym. It wasn't much, but some good news brightened her mood and caused her to smile slightly. Misty took a single step forwards and the moment her hoof made contact with the road beneath her, a familiar voice rang in her ears.

"Misty Fly, do you mind if I talk to you for a bit?"

Misty turned around and noticed Amethyst Star behind her. Like her, Amethyst had a slight smile on her face and a relaxed posture. Misty cleared her throat and her own smile widened. "Not at all. What's on your mind?"

"I just wanted to get to know you a little better," said Amethyst. "First things first, do you live in Canterlot?"

Misty shook her head. "Actually, I'm from Cloudsdale. I'm staying at the Hotel Travertine for the time being."

"I pass that whenever I go out to do something. Let's trot together while we chat."

Misty and Amethyst lined up next to each other and trotted along the road, their hooves clicking against the stone roads in synchronization as though they were part of a marching band. The pair trotted forwards, passing by the once busy road of Canterlot that Misty had to take earlier.

"Anyway, what's it like at Cloudsdale?" asked Amethyst, still trotting along at a leisurely pace.

"Cloudsdale is a wonderful city," Misty Fly said, her trotting pace the same as Amethyst's. "No matter where you are, the views are spectacular. It's the perfect spot to enjoy the sights of nature."

"I wish I could visit Cloudsdale, but it's in the sky."

"It is possible, as I have seen a lavender unicorn trotting about on some of the streets. She claimed that she was a student of Princess Celestia's. I can't imagine what it would be like to be Celestia's prized pupil."

Amethyst's eyes widened and her pupils dilated. "That sounds amazing. I'd love to become a student at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Sadly, I'm not old enough to apply. I have to wait about another year, but I'm afraid I might not get in anyway."

"I think you'll get in Celestia's school." Misty smiled and nodded at Amethyst reassuringly. "I promise."

"Thanks." Amethyst paused for a moment and stared blankly at Misty, their eyes gazing at each other. Amethyst then blinked a few times and cleared her throat. "I just remembered, what was that thing back at the gym?"

Misty tilted her head slightly. "Huh?"

"You know, the thing where you were staring into the floor."

"Oh yeah." Misty looked down at the road beneath her and sighed. Her attention then turned back to Amethyst. "There was something weird about my reflection."

Amethyst tilted her head slightly. "What would that be?"

"Instead of seeing my face as it is supposed to look like, I saw my face with a blue uniform and flying goggles on it. I still can't figure out why."

Amethyst giggled ever so slightly. The noise was just audible enough for Misty's ears to hear it, which prompted her to raise an eyebrow and tilt her head slightly. "You've heard of the Wonderbolts, right?" asked Amethyst.

"Wait a second." A sudden thought sparked inside of Misty's mind. However, there was something strange about it. While she could make sense of the reflection she saw, she couldn't make sense of it at the same time. No matter how hard her brain tried to find a valid conclusion, something else popped in her mind that drove her away from it. Misty's eyes shot up for a brief moment, which prompted Amethyst to raise her eyebrows in response.

"I never even planned on being a Wonderbolt," said Misty. "I just don't see myself joining such an organization. Also, if the news reports are to be believed, the current captain is a bit cranky and considering giving his position to somepony named Spitfire, who is less than a year older than I am. It doesn't sound like the most fun place to be."

"Come on, Misty Fly," said Amethyst. Amethyst patted Misty on the back in a soothing, gentle manner. Misty could feel the tension inside of her loosen with each pat. "You don't know what it will be like until you gave it a try."

"I guess you're right." Misty smiled and nodded. "I still struggle to see myself actually deciding to become a Wonderbolt."

The two arrived at Hotel Travertine. The towering apartment complex was constructed in a type of limestone, hence the name, and eight stories of balconies extended out of all four sides of the square building. A large fountain adorned the front courtyard of the apartment's outside entrance. Despite its unassuming shape, there was something about it, something that words couldn't quite describe, that drew the attention of the eye.

"This is Hotel Travertine," said Amethyst as a matter of fact. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye, Amethyst Star."

"Goodbye, Misty Fly."

As Amethyst slowly trotted away from Misty and the apartment complex, the two waved and looked at each other one more time. After a few seconds or so, the two went their separate ways. Misty looked up to the evening sky as question after question raced through her mind. Did she really want to become a Wonderbolt and simply doesn't realize it yet? Could she find a way to pass Iron Will's course and get into the Royal Guard?

Misty deduced the answers to her questions as maybe and yes respectively. She felt her spirits figuratively cool off. It was a soothing, tension releasing feeling that her mind missed all day. Misty trotted towards Hotel Travertine and planned to relax for the rest of the day, hoping that luck would return to her tomorrow.

Coffee at Cafe Canterlot

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Misty Fly groaned and turned around gently in her small, white bed. Her eyes were droopy and slightly crusty and her stiff limbs wished to stay still for just a little longer. Misty reached for the buzzing alarm clock and with a simple tap, the room became pleasant to the ears once more.

Misty forcibly rolled off of her bed and landed on her hooves. She stretched her body and emitted a loud yawn before looking at the clock once more, which read a disgustingly early 6:00 A.M. Iron Will didn't specify a time that she should arrive at Cafe Canterlot, much to her annoyance. However, just to be on the safe side, she cleaned herself up and had a light breakfast. Just as she finished those tasks, she heard a knocking sound.

Approaching the front door and opening it with a soft push, Misty made out what looked like a white mass at the other end. Once the door was wide open, she jumped up ever so slightly and shook her head. Bulk Biceps was waiting for her, and his eyes were half awake and his throat still emitted snores despite him being conscious.

"Bulk Biceps? What are you doing here?" asked Misty with dilated pupils.

"Iron Will wants me to let you know that he expects us at Cafe Canterlot at 7:30," said Bulk in a deeper voice than usual. "I don't know what he wants us to do," Bulk let out another yawn and stretched his forelegs, "but I think it has something to do with behaving at a cafe."

"That's probably what he has in mind." Misty stepped outside of her apartment and closed the door. A small click rang in her ears upon locking the door. "Are you ready to head on over there?"

Bulk Biceps nodded, his head bopping like a slowly moving pendulum. "I am."

"That's good to hear. Let's get going."

"Wait a second." Bulk extended his foreleg in front of Misty Fly's body. "Where is Cafe Canterlot?"

"I know where it is." Misty looked up at Bulk and smiled. "Just follow me closely and we'll get there. It actually isn't too far from where we are right now."

Bulk let out a relieved sigh and his muscles visibly loosened. "That's good to hear. Don't go too fast so that I can keep up."

"Naturally!"

Misty and Bulk left the velvet covered interior of Hotel Travertine's lobby and stepped back out into the outside world. To her surprise, the sky was covered in a thick, dark gray blanket of clouds. The lack of sunlight reaching the bottom made the world around her seem two hours behind schedule. A feeling inside of her gut also told her that rain would be on the horizon, but exactly when was still unknown to her.

The pair nevertheless turned left and trotted along the streets of Canterlot once again. The roads were crowded, but Misty could feel the air around her this time as there were nowhere near as many ponies the last time Canterlot was filled to the brim with ponies. She looked behind her and saw Bulk keeping up, prancing enthusiastically along the cobbled stone roads. Misty's lips formed a smile, which prompted Bulk to form a wide smile of his own. While it was far from attractive, his smile had a heartwarming edge to it that caused her smile to widen.

After a few minutes, the pair made it to Cafe Canterlot. The outside terrace was incredibly simple, but its humble architecture was charming to the eyes. A long, white and green cloth hung over the terrace, providing ample shade for the customers who chose to eat or drink outside. The tables all had a gray, gothic quality to them. A large, glass door stood in the center, with "Cafe Canterlot" and the business hours below it meticulously inscribed in the glass. A familiar aroma of coffee beans passed through Misty's nostrils, the scent alone waking her spirits up.

"If Iron Will isn't here, we'll wait for him at one of the inside tables," said Misty. "Sound good?"

Bulk Biceps nodded, the bobbing of his head more vibrant than before. "I like it," he said. With his approval, Misty opened the door and a bell's chime echoed in her ears upon stepping inside the establishment.

The inside of the cafe was as humble as the outside. A glass counter ran from one side of the building to the other, displaying a number of treats that looked much more appetizing than what was usually given. A coffee machine rested on the back wall, buzzing with activity only having a chance to rest for only a few seconds at a time. Misty wondered how the machine kept operating without self-immolating. Only a few ponies sat in the chairs next to the small, round tables, and among those inside included a minotaur, who was undoubtedly Iron Will.

"You've finally shown up," said Iron Will as he waved to Misty and Bulk. "Come over here and have a seat."

Misty and Bulk trotted towards Iron Will and took their seats. The metal mesh wasn't the most comfortable thing she sat on, but because it didn't pinch her flank or anything like that, she was content with it. Exactly twelve seconds later, Amethyst Star appeared, huffing and puffing as she galloped to the empty seat next to Bulk.

"I'm so sorry," Amethyst said as she panted. "I overslept and I had to squeeze through the Canterlot streets to get here."

"Doesn't matter now that you're here," said Iron Will. "You also might want to work out more, because you need strength if you're going to be assertive!"

A sudden question popped into Misty's head. Her mind refused to hush until its curiosity was satisfied. "Sorry to ask," she said politely, "but why are we here exactly?"

"Remember what Iron Will told you yesterday?" asked Iron Will in response.

"Oh. Um, so—"

"Don't apologize for stuff like that! Stay firm and take it like a champ!" Iron Will immediately turned his head to his left and motioned towards the staff. Each wave was more aggressive than the last. "I've been here for ten minutes, I'm ready to order!"

A waitress, a light blue pegasus mare with a smooth, white mane, rapidly appeared before them. Misty couldn't help but notice her physique. The waitress's wings looked as streamlined and agile as her wings. Her body, while not muscular like Bulk Biceps's, looked incredibly fit. Was she an athlete? Misty felt as though the evidence confirmed her assumptions.

"Calm down, big guy," the waitress said in a critical tone. "May I take your order?"

"I'll do the honors," said Iron Will. He then glared at the three and planted his index finger next to his lips for a brief moment. "And don't question what I'm going to do next."

Iron Will leaned over to the waitress and whispered something into her ear. The waitress quickly jotted down each item on a notepad with her pen, her face wincing slightly and her eyes pointed towards Iron Will. After a minute or so, Iron Will leaned away and smirked at his students.

The waitress turned around in a huff and with a scowl on her face, she trotted to the back of the kitchen. Misty felt determined to find out if the waitress was an athlete. If she was or was aspiring to become one, maybe she'd have some tips on how to be tough. Misty watched the waitress leave and once she was out of her sights, she brought her attention back to Iron Will and her fellow students.

"That waitress looked rather fit," said Misty, hoping to get an answer to her question. "Is she an aspiring athlete or something?"

"Probably," said Amethyst, who rested her forelegs on the table in front of her. "I've been around Canterlot long enough to know that part-time jobs at places like this are really popular for young ponies vying to get into something that's hard to reach. When I was a filly, I clearly remember seeing Mayor Mare of Ponyville working at this very cafe once."

"I should tell some of my friends back home in Ponyville this," said Bulk with a wide grin.

The waitress returned with four cups of coffee, the scowl on her face still intense and her eyes glowing with a piercing gaze. Upon arriving at the table, she hurriedly placed the cups in front of the four of them and before she could leave the scene, Misty extended a hoof towards her.

"Wait a second," said Misty. The waitress turned around with a raised eyebrow, her face no longer scowling. "Before you go, can I get your name?"

"If you must know, then I'll tell you," said the waitress. "My name is Fleetfoot."

"Well, I'm Misty Fly. It's nice to meet you." Misty cleared her throat. "You look like an athlete, so I'm wondering if that's what you're interested in doing."

Fleetfoot shook her head. "Actually, I want to be a Wonderbolt. I'm only here because I heard it was a good part-time job for ponies my age."

Misty's eyes widened immediately. There was that name again. It was one thing to get reminded about that group yesterday, but to have them mentioned today out of the blue twisted her mind around like a corkscrew. Desperately thinking of something to say, she nodded her head and let out the first words her mind formulated.

"I wish you well," she replied with a smile.

"Thank you," said Fleetfoot, who smiled back. "I, um, I hope we see each other again." Fleetfoot proceeded to leave the table and trot back to the kitchen, leaving the four with their cups of coffee.

The group sat perfectly still, their lips firmly shut. For over a minute, not one of them uttered a syllable nor moved more than a few inches. All they did during that time was stare at each other or stare into the coffee cups in front of them. Misty chose to do the latter, looking at the liquid resting inside the cup before her. The coffee clearly had no sugar or milk added to it, as its color was extremely dark, but she knew that there had to be something in it. After all, Iron Will did take his time specifying the order. Before she could think about the coffee, Iron Will's voice broke the awkward silence and pulled Misty's attention to him like a piece of metal to a magnet.

"That waitress sure is an odd one," Iron Will said out of nowhere. "Anyway, drink the cups of coffee before you. Don't be shy." Iron Will took the cup in front of him and drank the coffee in one big gulp. He shuddered slightly and his stomach roared as though it was complaining, but Iron Will quickly formed a grin and flexed his muscles yet again.

"What's in it?" asked Misty nervously.

"That's for you to find out." Iron Will smirked and quietly chuckled to himself.

Misty bit her lip and stared at the coffee once again, only to be interrupted by a loud, spitting noise. Looking up to the source of the noise, she managed to glance at a stream of liquid escaping Bulk Biceps's mouth. His lips were puckered up and his eyes somewhat teary.

"What was that?" asked Bulk, his tongue sticking out and his face wincing. "That was the worst coffee I've ever drank."

Just then, another emission of coffee came rushing out like a geyser, this time from Amethyst Star's mouth. Her reaction was exactly the same as Bulk's, right down to the facial expression.

"What did I just drink?" asked Amethyst in a disgusted tone. "Bleh!"

Misty looked at Iron Will, smiling and waving his hands as though he wanted her to drink without having to actually tell her. Misty, seeing no way out of this, gently lifted the cup towards her and her lips kissed the top of the coffee. The taste was akin to a garbage dump. She dropped the cup and spit out any of the coffee that managed to sneak into her mouth.

"Urgh! Please tell me what was in that cup," Misty said as she cringed, looking down at the floor and away from Iron Will.

"I requested the cups be added with a hint of pepper," Iron Will confessed with a grin. "Excuse me, but what Iron Will meant by a hint was actually two tablespoons."

The three ponies regained their composure and stared attentively at Iron Will, who was trying to subtly flex his muscles, but couldn't find the room to do so.

"Why would you do something so ridiculous?" asked Amethyst with her head tilted.

"I want you to go up to the counter and tell someone that they got your order wrong," said Iron Will, still trying to show off his arm muscles. "And don't hold back your distaste for what you just drank."

"Um, I have a question," Bulk interrupted with a raised hoof and a gray face.

Iron Will paused for a moment, formed an intense scowl, and slowly turned to Bulk. "What is it?"

"That waitress looked really intimidating. Misty said it herself, she's got the body of an athlete. I'm afraid if we tick her off, she'll kick our flanks all the way to the Everfree Forest."

"I'm with Bulk Biceps," said Amethyst, who was tapping her hoof on the table at regular intervals. "She looks like the kind of pony that you wouldn't want to mess with. Isn't that right, Misty Fly?"

"You can practice with a different pony if you want, but I'm talking to her," Misty replied confidently.

"That's a turnaround!" Iron Will shouted with glowing eyes. "Come on and show her some assertiveness!"

Iron Will enthusiastically pointed to Fleetfoot, who was currently conversing with another employee. Misty took a deep breath, muttered words of encouragement as per usual, and got off of her chair and trotted towards Fleetfoot. Every step Misty took felt heavier than the last as her muscles urged her to gallop away. However, her mind told her to talk with Fleetfoot and not back down. It was a war within her soul, and as she stepped in front of the register, it soon became apparent that it was a war that her mind won.

"Um, excuse me," said Misty. Her chest tightened and her body felt lighter and lighter. "Can I talk to you?" Misty glanced over to Iron Will, staring at her as though he was a spy. She then immediately turned her attention to Fleetfoot, who was now facing her and staring at her in the eyes. To Misty's surprise, Fleetfoot wasn't glaring at her, but appeared to be rather indifferent. Did she know what would happen?

"What is it?" Fleetfoot asked. Her face was painted with an emotionless expression as she stared at Misty attentively.

Misty cleared her throat, but her chest tightened nonetheless. Had she made a huge mistake? She was right there, and she needed to talk with her, even if the results might not be pleasant.

"My drink came out wrong, so, um, is it okay if I get a new one?" Misty asked, trembling ever so slightly, but Fleetfoot raised an eyebrow, prompting Misty to wince ever so slightly.

"Okay, what was your drink again?"

Misty froze in place and her muscles loosened. The air around her no longer felt heavy and she couldn't resist biting her lip. Misty then opened her mouth, but the only sounds to escape her throats were mumbled, indescribable noises. Such noises were not cacophonous and actually somewhat pleasant to the ear, which caused Fleetfoot to smile ever so slightly.

"Misty Fly, do you mind if I share something with you?" Fleetfoot asked out of nowhere.

Misty tilted her head and remained silent for about a second. The tightness inside of her body loosened and she simply let out a deep breath. "Um, sure," she said as she stood firmer. "Is there something wrong?"

"I'll cut to the chase." Fleetfoot looked down and let out a sigh. Her eyes stared at the floor in a melancholic form and her lips looked like they were fixed shut. Fleetfoot then looked at Misty in the eyes and rested her forelegs on the counter before her.

"I'm a jerk," Fleetfoot confessed in a flat tone. "I've been trying to become nicer for so long, but I keep acting before thinking. It has gotten to the point where some ponies are afraid of me. If I had to take a guess, I'd say it's a byproduct of me trying to become tough and assertive. I have so much trouble differentiating between what is and isn't rude. I'm lucky that some of my fellow workers here would call me a friend. I don't know why they see me like that when I haven't done anything that would make them believe this."

Misty looked at Fleetfoot and noticed a cascade of tears flowing down her cheeks and onto the glass counter below. The puddle of tears formed a beautiful rainbow as it rested on the clear glass. The mere sight of this caused her to shed a few tears of her own. Misty unconsciously grabbed onto Fleetfoot's hoof, squeezing it in a gentle manner as her lips formed a warm smile.

"You are not a jerk," said Misty as a matter of fact. "Some ponies have a sharp edge or an attitude to them, and some may even do something without thinking about the social consequences. You recognize that you don't always say or do the right thing, and that's a step in the right direction. We may make some mistakes down the line, but as long as we apologize to the ponies we've been rude to and keep trying to become a better pony, there's no way that somepony like you could be deemed as rude to the core."

"T-thanks," Fleetfoot said, the tears dripping from her cheeks at a faster rate. "W-will you be my friend?"

"I will. If you have anything you want to talk to me about, I'll be there for you."

Misty paused for a moment. Her eyes widened and her pupils dilated. What would Iron Will think of her? This didn't seem like the actions of an assertive pony. If that's the case, did she want to become assertive? Misty saw the form of what too much assertiveness could do to the heart right in front of her, and is that the life she wants to adopt? Uncertainty clouded her mind and her teeth chattered with repeated clicks.

"Um, can I have a cappuccino?" Misty asked out of the blue.

"Anything for a friend," said Fleetfoot. "I'll give this one to you free of charge as a thank you."

Misty looked over to Iron Will and her fellow students. Amethyst and Bulk both had warm smiles across their faces and shimmering eyes, but Iron Will's fierce scowl sunk her heart all the way down into the abyss. Misty quickly turned around and quietly sighed. She got a free drink through a conversation just as she was supposed to, so why was it still wrong? Shouldn't she be getting some credit instead of none at all?

Fleetfoot returned with Misty's cappuccino, a white steam rising out of the cup and bringing a scintillating aroma with it. Giving the cup to Misty, Fleetfoot smiled slightly and nodded.

"Thank you," Misty said in a polite tone as she grabbed the cup.

"You're welcome, friend," said Fleetfoot, who proceeded to return to the kitchen. Each of her steps looked more lively than those before her conversation with Misty Fly and her aura seemed more pleasant to the heart as well.

Trotting slowly back to her seat, Misty looked at Amethyst and Bulk, both of them still smiling as brightly as ever. However, Iron Will's less pleasant expression were like daggers through Misty's soul.

"That wasn't assertive at all," said Iron Will as he shook his head. "You may have gotten your drink, but you didn't do it right."

"Cut her some slack!" Amethyst yelled, her smile transforming into a scowl. "Misty Fly did a great job! Bulk Biceps and I couldn't even get a drink from the waiter we talked to, so Misty is a step ahead of us!" Bulk Bicpes quickly nodded in agreement.

Iron Will sighed and rubbed the palm of his hand across his face. A light amount of steam erupted from his nostrils as he emitted a slight groan. "Watch and learn how someone with toughness does things!"

Stomping on the tiled floor of the cafe as each step loudly echoed in the room, Iron Will approached the counter and repeatedly tapped the glass with his knuckles. The noise was incredibly repetitive to where Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk winced slightly after some time. After what felt like an eternity, but in actuality was only a minute, a gray unicorn with a mustache approached Iron Will with droopy eyes and a heavy frown.

"This awful coffee I ordered wasn't the right one!" shouted Iron Will. "I wanted mine with a nice dose of cream, not whatever was in what I drank! Get on over and—" Iron Will's eyes twitched and his stomach growled. He dashed towards his students and with wide open and bloodshot eyes, he attentively stared at the three ponies. The trio simultaneously raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"I'm not feeling well right now," said Iron Will as his cheeks turned a dark green. "Drinking the whole thing of whatever I ordered was a bad idea. Class is excused!"

The moment Iron Will ran into the restroom, Amethyst Star looked over to Misty and Bulk. Misty could see a sense of urgency within Amethyst's glaring eyes, seemingly gazing into her very soul.

"Let's head over to Hotel Travertine," Amethyst whispered. "I've got some things I want to tell the two of you and only you."

Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk galloped out of the cafe and as far away from Iron Will as they possibly could. The three of them weaved through ponies trotting along the road, thankful that the road congestion was light where they were. The trio kept on galloping, focusing only on the ponies ahead of them. They kept on going until they made it to Hotel Travertine. The group barged in and seeing a place to relax, they immediately collapsed on the red couches of the lobby room, their bodies sinking into the soft cushions. Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk collectively let out a deep sigh of relief, letting their bodies sink into the warm material of the couches.

"What has gotten into that guy?" asked Bulk. "He's crazy! I swear the next time we see him I'm going to tell him to cut to the chase and actually make us tough!"

"We could always quit," said Amethyst. "It's not like we have to stay there."

"No quitting!" Bulk glared at Amethyst, who grinned sheepishly in response.

"Sorry."

"Anyway, we tell him that we want him to be a better instructor, and if it doesn't work out after a week or so, then we can quit!"

"Bulk's right," said Misty, nodding in agreement. "Maybe his little episode has taught him an important lesson. If he hasn't helped us after a week, I guess I'll just have to find something other than the Royal Guard. Maybe Ocean Current could help me find something I'd like."

"Who's Ocean Current?" Amethyst asked.

Misty giggled slightly and smiled. "Oops! Sorry about that. He was a fellow trainee in the Royal Guard. Like me, he didn't pass, but he is a really nice pony."

"If we ever see him again while we're here, you should introduce us."

"Sounds like a plan."

Misty looked up at the chandeliers hanging above her, their lights shining like twinkling stars in the night sky. She was hopeful that Iron Will had learned his lesson and would have them do more realistic exercises from this point on. However, she couldn't get Fleetfoot out of her head. She may have had an edge to her, but she didn't seem like a bad pony.

However, Misty wondered that if she did somehow pass Iron Will's course, would she fall into the same issues that Fleetfoot did? Misty shook her head, but there was a tingling feeling in her gut nonetheless that clouded her with uncertainty. It was a lot to consider, and her mind kept going back to Fleetfoot. Whatever her past was, Misty's heart ached for her and hoped that her dreams of becoming a Wonderbolt would come to fruition.

But should she follow Fleetfoot and become a Wonderbolt as well? It was the second time Misty heard that group's name, and it felt as though Princess Celestia herself was trying to indirectly tell her something. Misty still held onto the belief that hearing their name in back to back days out of the blue was a mere coincidence, but if life in Equestria has taught her anything, it is that all sorts of strange things can happen. All she could do now was socialize with her new friends for the rest of the day and see how tomorrow would turn out.

All Aboard

Misty Fly found herself hovering in the sky. The world on the bright green fields below her looked as though they were merely toys that made a diorama. A warm breeze ran across her face, her mane flowing in accordance to the wind's dance. There was not a single cloud in sight and the sky around Misty was a light blue with the bright yellow sun hanging overhead. The simplicity of the natural world around her still provided that tingling feeling that caused her to smile.

Misty took a deep breath, but before she could move, she felt a slight tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Fleetfoot, of all ponies, dressed up in the Wonderbolts uniform and glowing under the sunlight. Misty's jaw dropped slightly and she rubbed her eyes, noticing that she too was wearing the tight, blue uniform over her body.

"Can you believe it?" asked Fleetfoot in a chipper tone. "We're Wonderbolts! This is going to be so awesome!"

"It is awesome," said Misty as a matter of fact. She paused for a moment as a heartwarming feeling grew inside of her. Her lips formed a wide smile. "What's the first thing we're going to do?"

Fleetfoot giggled for a bit. She flew next to Misty and patted her on the back, the gentle taps dissipating some of the leftover nerves bundled up inside her. "We're going to do all sorts of cool stunts. Cap—"

Before Fleetfoot could finish her sentence, Misty's ears picked up a honk that caused her to cringe and cover her ears. The honk returned once again, only this time it was louder than before. Then the third honk happened, and Misty suddenly found herself covered in a white blanket, reclining on her small bed in her ever familiar hotel room. Was she dreaming? More importantly, who was crazy enough to be honking a loud horn when her room was still shrouded in darkness?

"Wake up, Misty Fly!" a familiar voice shouted. "Iron Will needs you outside this instant!"

Misty was far from surprised, but she groaned loudly nevertheless. She rolled off of her bed and rubbed her eyes, staring at the clock with bloodshot eyes. The time read 2:15 A.M. Such a time was disgustingly early for anypony, so was this another one of Iron Will's ridiculous tests?

Letting out a deep sigh before stretching her muscles, Misty slowly stumbled towards the front door and opened it. On the other side was Iron Will, holding a horn in one hand and four tickets in the other. Next to him were Bulk Biceps and Amethyst Star, both of whom stood still with bags under their half-open eyes.

"I-Iron Will, what in the world is so important that you had to wake me at two in the morning?" asked Misty in an elongated tone. She let out a loud yawn and stretched her body again, the tension in her muscles finally loosening. "Have you lost your mind?"

"Iron Will realized that Canterlot is a stupid place," said Iron Will with a wide grin. "The four of us are going to be taking a train to some small town called Ponyville. Iron Will heard that there's all sorts of things that can boost assertiveness!" Iron Will flexed his arms and struck a pose, showing off the tickets as though they were a prize.

"That's great and all," said Amethyst, "but why did you have to wake us up so early?"

"Because the train leaves at three in the morning," Iron Will said as he showed off the tickets to the three ponies. Sure enough, the tickets were clearly printed with the words Departure: 3:00 A.M.

Amethyst planted her own hoof to her face and groaned. "Seriously? That's the best you could do?"

"You're getting more assertive already, Amethyst Star." Iron Will cracked another smile and patted Amethyst on the back. Amethyst flinched each time Iron Will's palm connected with her.

"I think it's more to do with the fact you woke us up well before the sun rises."

"It's only a small technicality." Iron Will flexed his muscles again. "Come on, let's get going!"

Misty left her apartment and followed Iron Will out of Hotel Travertine and onto the empty roads of Canterlot. The world around her became pitch black for a brief moment, but when Iron Will took out a lantern from his sack and lit it, she winced briefly as the world suddenly became visible once more.

Not a single soul could be seen as the four traveled towards the train station. Misty's ears could only pick up three things as she followed Iron Will, which included the hooting of the owls that rested on the lampposts, the chirping of the crickets, and the out of tune whistling that left Iron Will's lips. Misty, as did her two friends, frowned the entire way to the train station.

Much to their relief, the train station was now in their sights, a sign designating it as such shone brightly in neon lights. The four stepped onto the wooden platform, which was higher than Misty was anticipating. She could have sworn that Bulk Biceps almost tripped and fell. Misty then pressed her weight against a nearby wall as her ears listened in on Iron Will's conversation with the pony inside the ticket booth. The conversation was typical for Iron Will in that it was unnecessarily loud, but all she could do was form an expressionless face as she waited for him to finish up.

"Hopefully the train has a bed or something like it," Misty told herself as she tapped her hoof against the floor.

Misty leaned slightly closer to where Iron Will was. Her ears picked up his voice clearly, and based on his sharp tone, things seemed to be going exactly as she thought it would.

"You won't give me a discount?" Iron Will asked in an accusing tone. He raised his arms up in the air and waved them wildly like a fanatic at a sporting event. "I've rode on these trains so often that I should get some sort of discount."

"I'm sorry," said the pony in the ticket booth, whose voice somehow managed to remain cool and collected, "but we don't do discounts here. Pay the fee, or you're going to miss the train."

"Fine then, here's twenty bits." Iron Will took out twenty bits and paid the fee. His lips moved a bit, but no audible words came out. A few seconds later, the door leading to the boarding platform opened.

"Maybe he hasn't learned his lesson," Misty said to herself. "Should I quit?" Misty covered her lips with her hooves and her eyes widened. She couldn't quit now. It was too early to be thinking about that, so why did her vocal cords emit that? Her chest tightened and her head throbbed. Everything around her became slightly blurry and she then took a few deep breaths, each breath loosening her chest and healing her mind bit by bit until her body and soul returned to a state of balance.

Misty looked at the front of the train from where she was and watched the puffs of steam rise up into the air and dissipate after reaching a certain height. She then looked around the rest of the boarding platform, which was a simple wooden plank with a wall rising up behind her. Lamps carefully placed along the wall provided a dim light just bright enough for her to make out some of the smaller details, such as the numbers and inscriptions on the train carts.

Misty let Bulk and Amethyst enter before her, both of them nodding at her with smiles as they trotted inside the cart. Finally entering the train cart, Misty's hooves admired the soft, green carpet beneath her and the smooth green seats looked comfortable as far as her eyes could tell. At least she could confidently say that the seating would be better than the chairs at Cafe Canterlot.

Looking up at the roof of the cart, Misty found soft beds above the seats with a ladder that could be pulled down to allow for easy access. There appeared to be two beds above every row of seats. Without hesitating, she pulled down a ladder, knocking the floor with a soft thud, and climbed into one of the beds. She tugged the ladder back up and wrapped herself in the thick, green blankets. The blankets were warm, but it was a nice warmness that formed a faint smile on her face. Looking around for a brief moment, Misty could see Amethyst and Bulk in the beds next to her, both smiling and as neatly tucked in as she was.

"Attention passengers," a voice on the loudspeaker said. "We will depart for Ponyville in about one minute."

Exactly a minute later, Misty felt the jolting motion of the train as it slowly accelerated out of the station and once the train chugged along at a smooth pace, Misty closed her eyes gently and fell into a deep sleep, expecting to wake up by the time they reached Ponyville.

Or at least that was the plan. Misty woke up suddenly and noticed that the train was still moving. The view from outside the window suggested that they were still making their way through the smaller mountains that surrounded Canterlot. Misty leaned up slightly and raised an eyebrow. What in the world woke her up?

A loud snore that sounded like it came from a chimera echoed in the cart. Misty rolled her eyes and let out a quiet sigh. The snore echoed again, just as loud as before. She could see Amethyst sleeping quietly, but when her eyes shifted to Bulk, she saw his lips flapping about.

Misty covered her ears with a pillow and tightly shut her eyes, but her body refused to let her go back to sleep. Rolling over and placing the pillow where it was, she blankly stared at the roof of the train, her eyes bloodshot. She stared at the roof for minutes until another noise peeped into her ear.

"Misty Fly, are you awake?" a voice whispered.

"I am," she said in a deadpan tone. Misty rolled around a bit and noticed that Amethyst was wide awake and staring at her with a smile. "Is there something important that I need to know?"

"Not exactly," said Amethyst. "I just wanted to ask you something."

"I'm open to some questions."

"I wanted to know how you were able to talk to the waitress from yesterday so well. That was some amazing stuff, and I want to let you know that just because Iron Will didn't like it doesn't mean that you did anything wrong."

Misty gently nodded and her cheeks blushed. "Thanks for the kind words, but I'm still nervous about this course. I still want to be a member of the Royal Guard, but I wasn't expecting Iron Will's course to be like this."

"Don't worry about whether you join the Royal Guard or not right now." Amethyst stared at Misty's eyes and it felt as though Amethyst was communicating with her soul. Misty's lips couldn't help but curl into a smile. "Just be who you are and try to explore the world some more. Remember, there might be something that fits you even better that you don't know about yet."

Misty looked back into Amethyst's eyes and nodded. "I guess you're right. Still, I'm nervous as to how it will go. It's just so new to me."

"I'm sure you'll do just fine. Anyway, let's try to get as much sleep as we can. I have a feeling the tour of Ponyville won't go smoothly."

Misty raised an eyebrow and leaned up slightly. "What makes you say that?"

"Call it a hunch, but you know what Iron Will is like."

"So you think he hasn't learned his lesson either, right?"

Amethyst nodded her head gently. "Exactly. After all, he did wake the three of us up in the night with a horn."

Misty sighed and looked down at the floor below before looking back at Amethyst. "Why did he think that was a good idea?"

Amethyst slowly fell down onto her bed. "I don't know. Anyway, not everyone changes how they behave quickly. Some even refuse to change for whatever reason."

"That makes sense. Well, better get some rest as you said." Misty collapsed onto her bed again and let her body sink into the cushions, the warm and soft feeling causing her to form a faint smile. "Goodnight, Amethyst Star."

"Goodnight, Misty Fly."

As Misty looked at the roof of the cart once again, a sudden thought reached her mind. She never told Amethyst or Bulk about the dream she had before Iron Will woke her up. The more she thought about it, the more the dream didn't make sense to her. Why was she a Wonderbolt in the dream? Why was Fleetfoot there as well? Shouldn't she be dreaming about being a member of the Royal Guard? That was her dream for many years, and the fact that she never really thought about the Wonderbolts until recently twisted her mind more and more. Misty quietly sighed and closed her eyes once more, finally falling asleep.

A bell's chime, much louder than the one back in Cafe Canterlot, echoed in the cart. Misty's eyes shot wide open and she hurriedly took the thick sheets off of her. She looked at Bulk and Amethyst, both of whom also had widened eyes. As the trio carefully climbed out of their beds, they simultaneously looked out the window and then gasped together.

The rising sun painted the sky a beautiful mixture of blue and orange. The outside world sparkled under the morning sun's bright rays and the dew covered grass sparkled as though they were crystals. The silhouettes of trees loomed in the background, many of those whose details were easier to see were bearing apples. Misty's eyes shimmered, her mind carefully analyzing the landscape as though it was an artist preparing to paint a landscape. Just then, a somewhat familiar voice rang in her ears once more.

"Attention passengers," the voice on the loudspeaker said. "We will arrive at Ponyville in one minute. Please take any belongings you have with you and have a wonderful day."

The train slowed down and its wheels squeaked ever so slightly. The feeling was somewhat disconcerting to Misty, and exactly one minute later, the train jolted to a halt at the station. The doors automatically opened and Misty, her legs a bit wobbly at first, followed Amethyst and Bulk out of the cart and onto the wooden boarding platform. After what felt like an eternity, she took her first, much more coordinated steps into Ponyville.

Ponyville was a peculiar place, and the scent of the air was enough for Misty's nostrils to communicate this to her. All of the simple, wooden buildings looked incredibly similar. The only differences that she could make out were the personal decorations that adorned the front porches of every home. The residents of Ponyville also captured her attention. Instead of always moving about or making deals with somepony, the residents occasionally relaxed outside, stood still, played outside, and had casual conversations. To a mare accustomed to the city, it felt as though she had trotted into a foreign country.

Misty continued to shift her eyes around, taking in and trying to understand just how different Ponyville was to cities like Canterlot or Cloudsdale. The simplicity of the town was enough to make her smile and warm her heart, though her mind told her that Cloudsdale would always be her home. As she took in a breath of fresh air, Iron Will dashed over to the Misty and her friends and stood as straight as he possibly could. He extended his arm outwards and formed a wide smile across his face.

"Welcome to Ponyville," he shouted with enthusiasm as though he was a tour guide, "the town that combines infamy with subtlety!"

Misty tilted her head and stared at Iron Will. "Infamy?" she asked. "What makes Ponyville so infamous?"

Iron Will chuckled and looked down at Misty. "Something is always happening in Ponyville! That's why!"

"Infamy means that something is well-known for a bad reason," said Amethyst. "I think what you're looking for is a phrase about how the town never sleeps. Is that correct."

Iron Will sighed and then flexed his arms, his eyes staring intently at his muscles. He then straightened himself out again and extended an arm out as before. "Welcome to Ponyville, the town that never sleeps!"

Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk simultaneously rolled their eyes and followed Iron Will out of the train station and onto the roads of Ponyville. The first thing Misty noticed upon leaving the station was that none of the roads were paved. Blades of grass rubbed against her hooves, which surprisingly felt cool and somewhat comfortable. Ponyville itself also had a homey feel to it, which her mind couldn't quite comprehend, as it was the first time she ever set hoof in the town. Trotting alongside the group, she looked over to Amethyst and Bulk, the latter of which stared at the buildings with sparkling eyes.

"This is just as I remembered it," said Bulk, bouncing around on occasion.

"How come?" asked Amethyst. "Also, would it be okay with you if you gave me a tour of the town?"

"Of course. Ponyville is my hometown, and I've been stuck in a hotel ever since I signed up for Iron Will's program." Bulk looked over to Misty and smiled, his teeth visible and shining brightly. "Misty Fly, do you want to join us when we tour Ponyville?"

Misty nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love to," she said.

"Yeah!" Bulk shouted into the air, his voice echoing in the air.

"Now that's what Iron Will likes to see," said Iron Will. "Shouting is highly appreciated when it comes to being tough." Iron Will cleared his throat and stared at his students. "Now then, you're probably wondering why I dragged you to Ponyville. There's a town fair today, and ponies from all over Equestria will be showing up. There will also be all sorts of stuff for sale and huge lines of ponies wanting to get whatever it is they feel like having." Iron Will's smile grew wider and his three students all tilted their heads slightly.

"What does this have to do with getting tougher?" asked Amethyst.

"Remember how I acted back at the train station?" The trio nodded their heads. "I want you to convince the ponies selling stuff to give you what they have for sale at a discount. Got it?"

Misty and the others all nodded once again, but she could feel her chest tighten. Her breathing sped up and she bit her lip. There was no telling what the ponies selling their goods would be like. Misty knew that the main reason they were there was to make money, so what she was being tasked with seemed impossible, even for her. The image of wearing the armor of the Royal Guard became fuzzier and fuzzier the more she thought about it.

"Good. The fair is straight ahead. Here's twenty bits for each of you." Iron Will tossed a sack at each pony. Misty opened the sack and peeked inside. Sure enough, there were twenty bits ready to be used for whatever transaction would take place. "Now then, every item has a price tag, so you'd better keep it on so I know if you did it right. Now get moving and spending!"

Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk all trotted in synchronization, their steps heavy and slow. Misty told herself more words of encouragement as usual, but something was off. Her nerves were still tense. She gulped and continued trotting forwards as she saw her dream become a distant memory. Looking at Amethyst and Bulk, Misty noticed that they also trembled slightly. Nothing good could come of this.

Haggle

Misty Fly stood out amongst the crowd at Ponyville's fair with her deep frown and chattering teeth. Turning her head from left to right as though she was looking for something, all that Misty could see were rows of tents, colored as though they would make a rainbow if seen from above and selling all sorts of items. Such items ranged from useful depending on the situation to bargain bin "collector's items" that probably appealed to a niche crowd.

All of the typical elements of a fair like this were present, though Misty's eyes could make out some carnival games off in the distance that echoed voices of amusement. She then froze in place as her mind calculated what she needed to do next.

The tents selling items for a narrow audience would probably have the least likely chance to provide a discount. Misty didn't see herself as an economist, but knowing how expensive some of the strangest items could get and how they always seemed to be excluded from sales told her enough about whether or not to approach those tents. She then looked around and saw Amethyst Star talking with somepony stationed at an orange tent. Immediately noticing Amethyst's sagged shoulders, Misty sighed and mentally crossed off that tent from the list of possibilities.

Misty glanced over at each tent, and while they all had their own stories and things for sale, she concluded that getting a discount from any of those would be logically impossible, whether it was due to the things being sold there or the passionate eyes of those trying to sell something.

However, on her twenty-third observation, she noticed that a pony stationed at a blue tent had a huge grin on her face and conversed with every customer who approached her. There was something about that mint colored unicorn mare that spoke to her. Was it her welcoming attitude? Even if she was welcoming, would she be friendly? Without the mare even noticing her or speaking to her, Misty nodded confidently and she took a few heavy steps towards the tent.

Taking her place at the back of the line, Misty could feel the tightness in her chest loosen and her spine thaw. The line was six ponies long when she included herself. She felt time slow down around her the longer she waited in line. Misty turned her head from left to right, hoping to see smiling or relieved faces on Amethyst or Bulk.

Misty caught a glimpse of Bulk, scowling as he stared at the ground beneath his hooves. He then stomped on the ground like a wild bull and slowly moved forwards. Misty's heart sank and her lips curled into a frown. Upon reaching her, Bulk halted his movement and let out a deep sigh. Misty's eyes noticed what looked like a tear running down Bulk's cheeks and when she looked up at him, she noticed his eyes filling with more tears as each second went by.

"What's wrong?" Misty asked. A tingling feeling inside of her head told Misty that she already knew the answer.

"T-this is impossible," said Bulk, stuttering as he tried to fight back the tears. "I don't know what Iron Will was thinking when he thought that this would be a good place to be successfully assertive. I-I've tried everything I could think of so that I could get a discount, but nothing worked."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Misty's vision became blurry and when she wiped her eyes with her hoof, she noticed a puddle of tears when she gazed at her hoof. Looking back up at Bulk, Misty smiled ever so slightly, letting the tears emerge and cascade down her cheeks. "I hope you can find someone who will give you a discount."

Bulk's cheeks blushed and despite the tears, his frown slowly morphed into a wide smile. "Thanks, Misty Fly. You're a great friend."

Misty's smile widened and her heart warmed. "You're a great friend, too."

"Thank you." The two embraced each other in a soft, warm hug. Despite his size, there was something about Bulk Biceps that comforted Misty. It certainly wasn't the same kind of comfort that a fluffy pillow provided, but rather a comfort that only Misty's heart could understand.

Bulk cleared his throat. "By the way, have you seen Amethyst Star?" he asked.

"I caught a glimpse of her," said Misty, "but it looked like she was having a lot of trouble finding somepony who would give her a discount."

Bulk sighed. "That's a shame. I hope you're able to get a discount."

"Thank you."

Misty watched as Bulk trotted away, his hooves skipping across the grass and no longer pounding into the dirt like jackhammers. She then looked back towards the tent, groaning upon finding out that for some reason, the line hadn't budged an inch during her conversation. She looked over at the mint unicorn, who was smiling as brightly as before, and then behind her. A yellow pegasus with a fiery mane stood right behind her, smiling the moment their eyes made contact. Who was she and why did she smile at her? That wasn't important right now, but there was something about that smile that warmed Misty's heart.

The line moved ever so slightly, and Misty followed close behind. For every pony that left the tent, another took their place at the back of the line. Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours. Exhaling, Misty felt some of the tension escape her body, but her chest still felt tight. The ritual-like behavior of one pony leaving and another going to the back of the line continued until she finally approached the mint unicorn. All she needed to do know was find something that spoke to her, but that proved to be an entirely different challenge.

Decorative pottery of all shapes, colors, and sizes were neatly arranged behind the unicorn. Misty's eyes shifted left and right, mentally discarding dozens of pots that were either too expensive or too ugly until she found a suitable choice. It was a dark blue pot with a yellow stripe around it. The size wasn't too big or too small and the texture was as smooth as clay could possibly be. Misty then simply nodded. This was what she'd try to get.

"Hello," the unicorn said. "Thanks for stopping by! What would you like? Or do you just want to chat for a bit?"

"I'd like that blue pot with the yellow stripe, please," Misty said in a pleasant tone.

The unicorn pointed to the pot that matched Misty's description. "This one, right?" Misty nodded gently. "Okay, that will be twenty-two bits."

"I'm sorry, but I only have twenty bits to spend." Misty bit her lip and her spine froze. Would the unicorn accept her offer? Is she wasting her time? "I'd really love to have that pot, as it would be very useful. Do you think you could accept twenty bits?"

The unicorn shook her head. "Sorry, but I'll only accept twenty-two bits. If you come back with two more bits and the pot is still there, I'll let you have it."

"Wait a second," a voice interrupted directly behind Misty. The yellow pegasus mare she saw earlier trotted next to Misty and pulled out two bits from her saddlebag. "You can have two of my bits."

Misty's pupils dilated. "Are you sure about this?" she asked in a heightened tone. What would Iron Will think if he knew that she was given two bits by a generous passerby? Would he automatically disqualify her from this exercise? Was Iron Will even watching her now? Misty looked around all over the place. She examined every tent, field, bench, and hill, but no matter where she looked, Iron Will was nowhere to be found. The tension in the air returned, and she felt as though the tension would figuratively crush her bones into dust and her breathing quickened.

"Are you okay?" the yellow pegasus asked. "Did you see something?"

"Nothing is wrong." Misty smirked slightly and her cheeks blushed. "Well, it's a long story."

"We can talk about it when we're done shopping if you want." The pegasus placed the two bits on the counter, to which Misty unconsciously responded by placing her sack of bits next to it.

The unicorn opened the sack and counted the twenty bits inside one by one. Once everything checked out, she formed a wide smile, showing off her shining teeth, and gave Misty the blue and yellow pot inside of a simple brown bag.

"I hope you like your pot," the unicorn said cheerfully. "The pony who made this spent a lot of time on it, so take good care of it."

"I will," said Misty as a matter of fact.

"That's a nice choice you made," the pegasus said with a wide smile and shimmering eyes. "I really like the colors."

"So do I." Misty paused for a moment. Now that she thought about it, something about that pot's colors seemed familiar. It was probably nothing to think about. "Anyway, what's your name?"

The pegasus grinned sheepishly and then cleared her throat. "Um, I'm Spitfire. What's your name?"

"My name is Misty. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too. I have to do a few more things first and then we can chat." Spitfire shook Misty's hoof in a gentle, up and down manner. For some reason, Misty got the impression that Spitfire was used to shaking hooves. "I'll see you later."

Misty watched as Spitfire trotted away and smiled, glad that she was at least able to make a friend while she was at the fair. However, there was something about Spitfire that Misty couldn't quite describe. The way she shook her hoof felt oddly special, but her name also rang a bell. Misty knew that she had read something about a mare named Spitfire in the paper, but the memory as to why she was there only tickled her mind, refusing to make itself known. Misty shook her head, but the answer just wouldn't come down to her. All she could do was wait for the answer to come to her.

Misty grabbed the bag and carefully put it on. The weight made her body feel like it sank into the ground for a brief moment, but after a second, she stood up straight and then trotted towards the nearest bench, conveniently located next to the tent. The bench's curvy shape looked comfortable, so at least it wouldn't be the recipe for a sore back. Misty sat down and gently placed the bag next to her. As for Bulk and Amethyst, she hoped to catch their eye and wondered if they had a generous pony with them as well when they were out shopping.

Misty looked into the bag and at the pot, which radiantly sparkled under the sunlight. Her eyes couldn't help but sparkle in response. She then turned away from the bag and to her right, where Amethyst and Bulk were sitting next to her with bags of their own as though they appeared out of nowhere. Misty jumped up slightly and gasped, which caused both Amethyst and Bulk to jitter. The three paused for a moment and then simultaneously giggled, the laughter sounding more nervous the longer it went.

"Did you find anything?" asked Amethyst, who then reached into her bag and pulled out a painting of Princess Celestia with sun and the moon next to her. Misty couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship of the painting. "I got this for eighteen bits. Cool, huh?"

"I really like it," said Misty, whose eyes were fixed on the painting. "How much did it originally cost?"

Amethyst shrugged and cleared her throat. "Well, um, eighteen bits. However, I'm glad I bought it."

Misty looked over to where Bulk was sitting. "What did you get, Bulk Biceps?"

"I got this book on how to fly properly," Bulk said, holding up the book for both Misty and Amethyst to see.

Amethyst tilted her head and raised an eyebrow "I thought you were a great flyer," she said. "Why do you need that book?"

Bulk smiled innocently and blushed. "It's because I also spent two bits to get something from a fortune teller."

Misty raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"She told me that in the next Equestria Games, I'd take part in not the weightlifting competitions I adore, but in a three pony relay race where I'd struggle to get off the ground. She scared me so much that I had to buy this book." Bulk rubbed his back and chuckled briefly. "She seemed legit."

"Bulk Biceps, pegasi don't just forget how to fly." Amethyst sighed and rolled her eyes. "Listen, there's no way that pony's prediction will come true. Just sign up for the weightlifting competition when the time comes and don't let some phoney prophecy make decisions for you. Got it?"

Bulk nodded. "Got it. Hey, what did you get, Misty Fly?"

"I got this clay pot," said Misty. She gently lifted the pot out of the bag and placed it next to Amethyst and Bulk. Both of them gazed at the pot's fine texture with sparkling eyes. Whatever technique was used to make the pot, it seemed to have a knack for drawing attention.

"How did they get the clay so smooth?" asked Amethyst before her jaw dropped.

"Beats me." Misty blushed and placed the pot in her bag. "There was just one problem."

"What would that be?"

"It cost twenty-two bits, but I was helped by somepony to get it at its original price." Misty sighed and her shoulders sagged. "I know Iron Will is going to find out. If I lied, he'd probably find out."

"Who was this mare?" asked Bulk.

"Her name is Spitfire and she had a yellow coat and a fire-like mane and tail." Misty looked straight ahead and noticed the mare who helped her drinking a bottle of water and chatting with another pony. "Do you see that pony next to the one wearing the cowboy hat that's selling apples?" Amethyst and Bulk turned their heads and saw what Misty saw. The pair then nodded simultaneously. "That's her."

"She looks familiar," said Bulk. "Do you know who she is, Amethyst Star?"

Amethyst shook her head. "Sorry, but I don't know her, but I do recall the name," she said before sighing. "I wish I could help."

"I'm going to be talking with her again soon," said Misty. "I'll be sure to ask just exactly who she is, because I clearly remember that name. I even mentioned it once."

Misty's pupils dilated and her eyes glowed. Now she remembered who Spitfire was. She was the young Wonderbolt that's slated to become the next captain. The reason that name sounded so familiar was because Misty read about her in the newspaper article she cited to explain why the Wonderbolts might not be the most fun place to be.

"Did you figure something out, Misty Fly?" asked Amethyst with her head tilted.

"I remember her!" Misty yelled as though she found a buried treasure chest. "Amethyst, do you remember when we first talked about the Wonderbolts?"

"You mean when we left the gym, right?"

Misty nodded and smiled. "Precisely. She has to be the young mare that's going to become their next captain." Misty paused for a moment and gazed towards where Spitfire was, still chatting with the pony in the cowboy hat. "However, why would she help somepony like me?"

Amethyst rubbed her muzzle and closed her eyes for a brief moment. "Hmm. Maybe she just wanted to lend a helping hoof."

"I'll be sure to ask her when I see her again." Slowly rising from the bench, Misty looked back to Amethyst and Bulk, smiling at the pair with glowing eyes. "I have to talk to her again. There's just too many questions I have to ask."

A smooth hoof patted Misty's shoulder from behind. Turning around, she saw Spitfire right behind her and quivered for a second. Misty's cheeks then blushed and a small chuckle escaped her throat.

"Um, hello, Spitfire," said Misty. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"What's on your mind?" Spitfire asked with a wide smile.

"Why did you help me back at the tent selling pottery?" Misty cleared her throat. "It was really nice of you, but it just didn't add up."

Spitfire paused for a moment, her eyes shifting to where Amethyst and Bulk were sitting, the pair leaning towards her with open eyes. "Well, I just wanted to be a good pony and help somepony when they needed it."

Misty froze for a few seconds and her lips remained tightly shut. Was that all there was to Spitfire's behavior? While helping somepony was a valid reason, she couldn't shake off the thought latched onto her brain that there was something about Spitfire that she was hiding. Maybe she's looking for a friend. Misty couldn't quite figure out how her mind went there, but the thought kept repeating in her mind.

"Spitfire, would it be okay if the two of us became friends?" Misty asked seemingly out of nowhere.

Spitfire took a step back and tilted her head. "We just met," she said, "why do you want to be my friend now?"

Misty's throat tightened and she emitted an audible gulp. "Well, um, I don't know how to say this, but I look at you in the eyes and see somepony who would like to have a friend to hang out with."

"So you figured it out. I'll admit, I'm not that good when it comes to social skills, so I've never had the courage to admit that I'm looking for a friend." Spitfire sighed and looked at the blades of grass beneath her hooves before looking back into Misty's eyes.

"I think you have great social skills as far as I can tell." Misty patted Spitfire's back in a gentle manner. "Maybe you just need a little more confidence."

"You're probably right." Spitfire paused and smiled. "Okay, I'll be your friend. While my schedule is usually a bit hectic, we can meet up whenever the time is convenient for the both of us."

"That sounds great. I can even teach you about how to improve your social skills and your confidence." Misty's forelegs wrapped around Spitfire in a welcoming fashion, which caused Spitfire to do the same. The two smiled the widest either of them had all day and a warm feeling entered Misty's heart. Misty and Spitfire then released each other from their hug and shook hooves once more.

"I'm glad I had the chance to meet you," said Spitfire. "I have this feeling that we'll get along great. I wish I could stay for a little longer, but I have to get going. Goodbye, Misty Fly."

"Goodbye, Spitfire." The moment Spitfire took off into the sky, Misty enthusiastically waved her hoof, to which both Bulk and Amethyst joined as well. There was something uplifting about making a new friend to where Misty whispered to herself "I can do this. I can pass Iron Will's course, and I won't give up."

"Sorry to interrupt," said Bulk, "but where the heck is Iron Will? I haven't seen him around this entire time."

Misty stopped waving and her head immediately turned towards Bulk. Where was Iron Will? He said that he'd be watching their every move, so surely he must be nearby. Misty twirled like a ballerina as she tried to find Iron Will, knowing that he'd stick out like a sore thumb wherever he was, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Where should we look?" Misty asked as she paced back and forth. "I hope he hasn't done anything really stupid."

"Who knows," said Amethyst. "To be honest, I wouldn't mind if he's abandoned this exercise." Amethyst looked at the painting she purchased one more time before placing it back in her brown bag. "This assignment was doomed to end in failure."

"I'm out of ideas," said Bulk, his hooves holding his book open to the first page. "Should we ask some of the ponies here?"

"That's a good place to start." Amethyst tapped her hoof against the ground. "What places have the most activity?"

"I know! Follow me!"

Bulk put his book away and immediately galloped across the grass. Did he know where Iron Will was the entire time? Misty and Amethyst both shrugged, nodded, and then proceeded to follow Bulk. The pair quickly caught up and were only a few feet away from him. The three weaved around multiple ponies, who were all trotting along the fields or jumping out of the way whenever Bulk came dangerously close to accidentally tackling them. It was a scene that reminded Misty of the clogged roads of Canterlot, only even more disorganized. Approaching a purple and golden tent, Bulk slid across the dirt and slowly trotted inside.

Misty and Amethyst also stopped, but Misty gazed at the tent's unusual choice of color. Why would Bulk decide to go there of all places? Misty rolled her eyes, knowing exactly where this was going, and when she trotted inside the tent with Amethyst, her hypothesis was proven to be correct. Sitting before the three was a mysterious, pony-shaped figure wearing a purple and golden cloak. A round, crystal ball shone brightly in front of her, even though there was no sunlight reflecting off of it.

"Welcome back, Bulk Biceps. I'm sorry to say that your future is set, and nothing you do will change it," the fortune teller said ominously.

"I know, but I need to find out where Iron Will is," said Bulk. "The three of us need to know where he is."

"Let me peer into my crystal ball." The fortune teller twisted her hooves around and a thick fog enveloped the room. Everything in the room became a sheet of white to where nopony could even see their own hoof if they placed it in front of them. Misty felt as though her entire body disappeared in the fog. After a minute, the fog cleared and the room became visible once more. Everything was as it was before.

"He's at the casino tent," said the fortune teller. "He's trying to become rich as we speak, but he isn't doing so well."

"Seriously?" the three ponies asked in unison with widened eyes. Iron Will was crazy, and Misty knew that well, but she never pegged him as being greedy.

"I am serious. Head on over there. He will be at the roulette table."

"Let's go!" shouted Bulk, who stormed out of the tent. Misty and Amethyst both groaned and followed him back outside.

The trip to the casino was almost as hectic as the one to the fortune teller. The act of weaving around ponies and Bulk nearly slamming into one or two of them repeated once more, but after some time, anypony who stood in the way and saw the huge mass of muscle barreling towards them trotted as far away as possible. After a minute of a surprisingly easier trip, the three arrived at the casino.

The casino was less of an actual casino and more of a tent that happened to hold casino games. Slot machines, poker tables, and all sorts of games where ponies could waste hundreds of bits were scattered across the grass. Ponies of all kinds huddled around tables or machines, bellowing cries of joy or agony. The whole scene felt almost alien to Misty Fly, and Amethyst's tilted head and widened eyes suggested that she felt the same.

Misty's head rotated to the left and her eyes immediately caught a huge, blue mass in the distance. Somehow, to her confusion, the fortune teller was right. Iron Will was at the casino, and his erratic stomping against the ground told Misty everything she needed to know about how Iron Will was doing.

"I see Iron Will over there," said Misty, pointing to him with her hoof.

The three slowly made their way through the crowded area, squeezing by many ponies. The scent of alcohol and body odor lingered under the tent, causing Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk to cringe intensely. Despite these issues, the group managed to make their way to Iron Will, whose face was characterized by a fierce scowl. His hands firmly grasped on the short stack of casino chips in front of him. Iron Will then turned to his left and gasped upon seeing his three students next to him. He chuckled loudly and flexed his arms, drawing confused looks at those who saw him.

"I wasn't expecting you to be done yet," said Iron Will. "Now then, what did you get?"

Misty, Bulk, and Amethyst showed their items one by one. Iron Will carefully observed each item and the price tag attached to it. When he looked at Bulk's book, the last item on his list, he loudly sighed and stretched his arms.

"Misty Fly, I have to tell you something," said Iron Will.

Misty winced slightly and her heart rate rose. She couldn't read anything from Iron Will's blank expression. Could he have found out how she got the clay pot? Her chances of passing the course if he found out surely must be close to zero. Misty's chest tightened and her spine froze. The whole world around her felt like it was moving slower than before and everything appeared slightly blurry.

"What is it, Iron Will?" asked Misty Fly.

"I don't know how you did it," said Iron Will, "but you're the only one who succeeded on this test. You're the only one who actually haggled!"

Misty took a deep breath as her chest loosened and everything slowly returned to normal. However, another question sparked in her mind. Should she tell the truth? If she told the truth, she would most certainly have no chance of passing. But if she lied, that feeling would constrict her for as long as she'd live. Misty decided that she had to tell the truth. While she'd never make it into the Royal Guard, she'd be able to trot on knowing that she did the right thing, but before she could emit a single syllable, Iron Will cut her off.

"I have another test for you," Iron Will said with a devilish smirk. "Advertise my services to as many ponies as you can meet. I expect you to get at least three ponies at the minimum who will be convinced by how effective my lessons are. Now then, get moving!"

Iron Will gave the three a sheet of paper with lines for signatures. He then shooed Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk out of the casino as though they were flies. Such an act was very rude of him, but any excuse to escape the casino was one that Misty's nostrils happily accepted. The trio exited the tent and found themselves next to Ponyville's town hall.

Misty looked at Amethyst and Bulk and then back to the towering building in front of her. The pathways seemed busy enough, so starting here was probably her best bet. Saying words of encouragement to herself and promising to tell Iron Will the truth the next time they met, Misty took a few steps forwards, with Amethyst and Bulk next to her.

Doubts

Ponies of all shapes and sizes trotted along the grasslands that made up Ponyville's town square, traveling in all sorts of directions. Fillies and colts galloped in circles, emitting noises of joy that echoed in the air. At the same time, mares and stallions as far as the eye could see were conversing with each other, adding to the constant noise that polluted the air. Ponyville, therefore, was a town that was always on the move. However, Misty Fly couldn't help herself from finding the setting oddly quiet. Then again, everything felt quiet when there were the streets of Canterlot to consider.

Misty took a deep breath and looked over to where Amethyst and Bulk were. Neither of them had gone off on their own and their faces neither smiled nor frowned. They were just simply there. Misty's ears then picked up a grinding sound, growing more and more intense as each second went by, and winced slightly.

"You know what? I don't care what anypony tells me, I want to quit," said Amethyst, whose face then formed a deep frown. "Iron Will isn't a teacher, he's an idiot. He's doing this for the money and just wants his students to spread the word as a supposed test so that he can make more money."

Misty tilted her head slightly and paused for a moment. "How did you figure this all out? True or false, I'm not quitting yet, as I do have a reason stay."

"Think about it." Amethyst cleared her throat and a flame sparked in her eyes. "Iron Will told us he'd be watching our every move as we went off to buy some stuff, and when we found him, he was gambling. I'm almost certain that if we waited for him and didn't embarrass him, he'd tell us to give up the stuff we bought and get us to sell them before sending us on this mission. It's so stupid!" Amethyst stomped on the ground and some dirt rose up, nearly striking her face.

"That's really complicated." Misty raised an eyebrow and looked at Amethyst's eyes. "However, I have a feeling that you might have something. I can't comment on the whole selling our stuff part, but everything else you said sounds reasonable."

"Just tell Iron Will that I'm out!" Amethyst took a deep breath and turned around in a huff. "Misty Fly, Bulk Biceps, it was wonderful meeting you." Her tone of voice grew softer as she continued speaking. "I hope we see each other again without having to worry about Iron Will. Goodbye, my friends."

"Remember our promise," Bulk said, extending his foreleg in front of Amethyst's chest.

Amethyst looked down at the muscular foreleg and stepped back slightly. She then looked up and gazed into Bulk's eyes as she shuffled back and forth. Gently kicking the dirt, Amethyst took a deep breath and remained perfectly frozen. "I'll do it for you, but if this exercise is also a joke, I'm leaving."

"I'm glad to see you're sticking around a little longer." Bulk danced around as though he consumed an entire bag of sugar and smiled, his teeth sparkling and glowing under the sunlight.

"I'll wait for you right here." Amethyst looked over to Misty with a smirk, catching Misty's eye the moment she spotted it.

Misty raised an eyebrow. "Do you have anything else to say?" she asked in a soft tone.

Amethyst shook her head. "I'll be fine. I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you," Misty and Bulk both said with a slight smile.

Amethyst waved and then slowly trotted away from the pair, her steps digging into the dirt like shovels. As Misty looked on, one question looped inside of her head. Should she have joined Amethyst in trying to quit? Misty winced slightly before she shook her head. She had a valid reason to stay, and even if the exercises were painful, it would be worth it in the end. But if Amethyst was right, would the exercises ever end? Misty took a few deep breaths and looked at Bulk, who was staring blankly at the town hall.

"I'm going to complete this task as well," said Bulk in a stern tone. "I'll meet you here when I'm done. Good luck, Misty Fly."

"Thank you," said Misty. "Good luck to you, too."

As Bulk trotted to his left, Misty trotted forwards to the town hall and pressed her weight against the wall. The wall's wooden texture didn't scratch her shoulder. She then gazed at the clipboard Iron Will gave her, the scribbles on the piece of paper all her mind processed for some time. The piece of paper attached had a list of numbers from one to twenty and a straight line next to each number. Did Iron Will seriously expect her to get twenty signatures? Maybe Amethyst was right to try and leave.

"If it doesn't work out in a week, then we can quit," Misty repeated to herself. "But it's been two days since I heard Bulk say that. Was Amethyst that stressed out? She didn't show any signs of stress, so maybe it's something else." Misty let out a barely audible sigh. "Maybe Iron Will has lost his mind. That or he didn't have one to begin with." Misty clenched her teeth and muttered more motivational phrases as her eyes shifted from left to right, focusing on every pony that passed by.

"I have done an excellent job at making friends," Misty told herself. "There's Amethyst Star and Bulk Biceps, but there's also Fleetfoot and Spitfire. If I could make friends with them quickly, I shouldn't have any trouble convincing ponies to try out Iron Will's course, right?" Misty tapped her hoof against the ground a few times and groaned. "If I can't pass this, then I'll consider leaving."

A silky smooth material brushed against Misty's foreleg, producing a tingling feeling as it went by. She jumped up ever so slightly and quickly turned her head left and right before spotting somepony right next to her.

Misty noticed a gray pegasus mare with a blonde mane and tail right next to her. The mare ceased moving for a second as though she was frozen in time and then turned around, revealing a sheepish grin. The mare looked at her with blushing cheeks and a high pitched giggle escaped her throat. Misty looked at the mare in eyes, which were pointed in different directions. Did she have difficulties with her eyesight? Misty's heart ached more and more as she stared at the mare's crossed vision. She couldn't imagine how tough it must have been for the mare, especially when some ponies weren't quite so sympathetic.

"Hello," said Misty, her lips curling into a smile. "What's your name?"

"My name is Derpy," the pegasus said in a cheerful tone. "Did you say something earlier?"

Misty froze for a moment. Her eyes then widened and her face changed color to a light blue. "Well, um, it's personal."

"That's okay." Derpy clicked her hooves together and grinned. Misty let out the quietest of sighs. "What can I help you with?"

"I need to get signatures to help promote Iron Will's class." Misty cleared her throat and tapped the ground again. The taps were more frequent than before. "He specializes in, um, making ponies tough and assertive. Are you interested in his course?"

Derpy frowned and her shoulders sagged. "I'm sorry. I truly am. I'm just too busy with being a mailmare and all, so I don't have time to join or sign up for something like that."

Misty audibly sighed and looked down at the ground beneath her for a moment. The grass was still green, but it was a dark green and the grass lacked any dew. She then looked back at Derpy. "I understand, but do you know of anypony who might be interested?"

Derpy shook her head. Misty felt her heart sinking into the abyss and her throat prevented any words from coming out. "Sorry, but I don't. Why do you need these signatures anyway? Are you an employee of this Iron Will guy?"

Misty's eyes widened and a spark erupted in her mind. Why did she need these signatures? There's no possible way that Iron Will would know she was being assertive in order to get the signatures. All he would probably do is check the handwriting and go from there. In fact, why did she even bother staying in this course? What did she learn? Did she really want to become a Royal Guard that badly? Something was going on, and the more questions that flowed in Misty's mind, the more it felt as though a jackhammer violently thrashed against her forehead.

"I, um, I don't know," Misty said as her spine froze and her legs felt lighter and lighter. "I don't know why I'm doing this."

"If you need somepony to talk to, I'll try to make some time for you," said Derpy. "Just drop on by at the post office and we can talk about how you're feeling."

"Thank you." Misty felt the strength in her legs slowly returning. "I hope you have a good day."

"I hope you have a good day as well, um—"

"Misty Fly. Anyway, it was nice meeting you, Derpy."

Derpy nodded enthusiastically and her lips arced into a wide smile. "It was nice to meet you, too. I hope you have a good day, Misty Fly. Goodbye!"

"I hope you have a good day as well. Goodbye, Derpy."

As Derpy skipped across the grass and whistled a catchy tune, all that Misty could do was look at the piece of paper and frown. She knew that Iron Will's latest task was going to be a challenge, as they tended to be, but there was something about this assignment that tickled her brain. Misty closed her eyes gently and waited for the thought to fully develop, but as seconds became minutes, all that came up was nothingness.

Misty opened her eyes and slowly turned her head from left to right. Her ears could pick up every conversation going on if she chose to focus on it, and the sounds of the dancing leaves rustling in the warm breeze became audible once again. As she surveyed everything around her, a peculiar building caught her eye. It looked like any other brown, rectangular building on the outside. However, there was something about it that spoke to her as though it was yearning for her to come to it. It's not like she had anything to lose for going there. Misty's legs then moved without thinking, each step taking her closer to the building until she was next to the front door.

Misty pushed the door open and the ever familiar noise of a bell's chime rang in her ears. The noise was only a whisper, as the conglomeration of voices echoing in the dimly lit room shut it up. Round tables, each with four seats next to it, covered the floor of the establishment. A long table at the far end of the room had bar stools lined alongside it. Waiters and waitresses shimmied through chairs and other ponies, holding trays with bottles of beer, wine, vodka, or whatever drink somepony might want. Despite this, there was one feature that pulled Misty's eyes towards it like a magnet. It was the bartender, who was none other than Ocean Current.

Dropping her jaw slightly, Misty rubbed her eyes and her limbs froze when the image remained the same. She then carefully made her way through the pub, her wings neatly folded, and sat on the first empty bar stool she could get her hooves on. The leather material felt surprisingly comfortable to her, but her mind was focused solely on Ocean Current.

Ocean Current turned around and his eyes locked onto Misty. His cheeks blushed and his smile became as wide as a ruler. Rushing over to her and nearly tripping over thin air, he leaned against the desk and extended his hoof out, to which Misty politely accepted and shook gently.

"It's so nice to see you here, Misty Fly!" shouted Ocean Current as he shook her hoof rapidly. "How is everything going?"

"It's been a mixed bag if I must be honest," said Misty. "I've made a number of new friends, but this Iron Will is rubbing me the wrong way."

Ocean Current gently let go of Misty's hoof and raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"He makes us do all sorts of crazy things." Misty groaned and rolled her eyes. "We were confused by his erratic behavior at Cafe Canterlot and now it seems as though he is trying to use us to make money. His brain can't be wired correctly. One of his students and a friend of mine almost quit in the middle of the thing."

"What was her name?"

"Amethyst Star." Misty smiled ever so slightly. "She's a really nice mare and a great friend."

"I hope to meet her one day. Anyway, are you the only other student?"

"There's one more. His name is Bulk Biceps, and he's also a friend of mine."

"Bulk Biceps?" Ocean's pupils dilated. "I've heard about him. He's one of the top weightlifters in all of Equestria! He's definitely going to be a force to be reckoned with if he participates in weightlifting competitions."

Misty let out a brief, albeit nervous, chuckle. "He's quite strong. Anyway, I'm in a difficult spot here."

Ocean leaned closer to Misty and placed his hoof back onto Misty's. "What's wrong? I can help you if you need it."

"I need to get twenty signatures for ponies that want to attend one of Iron Will's course. In other words, he's making Amethyst, Bulk, and I do Iron Will's advertising for him." Misty groaned and her vision became slightly blurry. "Even I have to say that it's impossible. I just don't know what to do."

Ocean rubbed Misty's hoof gently, the warmth clearing her sight somewhat. "That can't be easy, but I believe that you can do it."

Misty let out a deep sigh and stared at the smooth oak table for a second. "I doubt that I can do it. I don't know whether I should quit, because if I pass, I can become a Royal Guard."

"What happened to the optimist I knew?" Ocean continued massaging Misty's hoof. "Not everything is going to go as planned."

"I know, but this feels different. What am I supposed to do if I don't pass?" Misty's vision blurred even more than the last time as she felt tears flow down her cheeks. "I'm supposed to be an optimist, but nothing good can come from this. It's hopeless!"

Ocean continued massaging Misty's hoof. "It's okay. If it doesn't work out, I can give you a job here if you want."

Misty's lips formed the faintest of smiles, but the tears continued to cascade down onto the table. Misty looked down at the puddle of tears and saw her own reflection. "Thank you. However, what about careers outside of that if it doesn't work out for me."

"Why not become a Wonderbolt?"

There's that group again, and what caught Misty's mind was that Ocean appeared to say it without hesitating. Was she really destined to join the Wonderbolts? Misty looked at her reflection again and an exact copy of the image she saw in the gym's floor appeared. Misty gulped, rubbed the puddle of tears away, and gazed back into Ocean's eyes.

"Are you okay?" asked Ocean.

"I'm fine," said Misty, shifting her eyes left and right. Ocean leaned slightly closer to her with a blank expression. Misty flinched as she felt gravity nearly push her off of the stool. "Okay, fine. I'm lost. I keep getting reminded of the Wonderbolts and I'm confused if it's just a coincidence or destiny trying to tell me something."

"There's that d-word." Ocean paused for a moment and rubbed his muzzle. "Hmm. Maybe you should ask Princess Celestia about that?"

"Princess Celestia?" Misty's eyes widened and her jaw dropped as the words struggled to escape her throat clearly. "H-how am I supposed to see Princess Celestia and expect that I'll be allowed to ask something as trivial as destiny?"

Ocean shrugged put his hooves up into the air. "Beats me."

Misty placed her forelegs onto the table and buried her head into them. She sighed into her forelegs and looked back at Ocean. "Can I get a drink?"

"Do you have a valid form of identification?"

"I just want some soda pop, please."

Ocean smirked and chuckled faintly. "Fine with me. I just thought you were asking for, well, you know."

Ocean trotted away from Misty, leaving her alone in the crowded pub once more. She looked around and all her eyes saw were smiles and all her ears heard were laughs. Everything in the pub shone brightly, from the folk songs to the lamps overhead. However, one of the lamps wasn't working at all, which happened to be the one directly above her. Misty tapped her hoof against the table in a rhythmic fashion and froze when Ocean returned with her drink.

"Thank you," said Misty, firmly grabbing the glass with her hoof. She shivered for a moment, but her hoof refused to let go as she pulled the drink towards her and sipped through the straw. Her tongue cried out in joy upon receiving the refreshment as she continued drinking until there was about three-quarters of the soda remaining.

Misty gently pushed the glass away from her and looked at the faulty lamp above her before looking back down to the clipboard next to her drink. Not a single name was printed on it, and the longer Misty gazed at it, the more her lips frowned and her heart sunk.

Something then touched Misty's sagging shoulders. Quivering, Misty's heart rate rose and her head rotated from left to right, stopping upon seeing the mare sitting right next to her. It was Amethyst Star, and a smile adorned her face. Misty then felt the room lighten up slightly and as she looked up, her eyes squinted upon seeing that the lamp above her was on and working again. She then turned back to Amethyst and stared into her eyes. Misty's vision blurred up and a burp suddenly escaped her throat.

"Nice one, Misty Fly," said Amethyst. Misty blushed and the two shared a laugh. "Anyway, I wasn't expecting you here. How's the whole list thing going?"

"I-I think I want to quit," Misty said. "You're right. Iron Will doesn't care about making us assertive. He just wants to make money."

"Exactly. Now then, if the two of us leave, that will leave Bulk Biceps all alone. We should ask him as well."

Misty nodded enthusiastically. "We should. However, I don't think it will be easy to convince him."

"Good point. Maybe if somepony who knew Iron Will told him how bad he was."

"Where is he right now?"

Amethyst shrugged. "Beats me. We just need to let him know before Iron Will meets us again."

"Agreed." Misty paused for a moment. What about the Royal Guard. Her chest tightened and she cleared her throat. "But what about the Royal Guard?"

"Forget them. Misty, so what if you're not scary? You're kind, generous, and know how to make friends. Just because you might not get into the Royal Guard doesn't mean that you won't be able to succeed in the future. Your personality is just right for finding something that will fit you perfectly." Amethyst arose from her stool. Tears filled her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks. "You've helped so many ponies before, and now it's my turn to help you!"

Misty rose up from her stool and felt her heart escape from the abyss. Her vision became blurry, but her lips formed a smile nonetheless. Without thinking, Misty's forelegs wrapped around Amethyst, whose own forelegs did the same.

Maybe the Royal Guard wasn't the place for her to be. She'd give it some more thought, but since they were the ones who put her in this situation, perhaps they weren't worth all of this trouble. As she continued hugging Amethyst, her ears picked up a faint whisper.

"I have an idea on how we can convince Bulk to quit as well," Amethyst said.

A New Path

"Are you serious?"

Misty Fly gazed at Amethyst Star with dilated pupils. The world around her felt slower and slower until everything, even time itself, ceased moving. Her body also felt lighter as though she would float away like a stray balloon. She then let go of Amethyst and, with her mouth agape, she took a short, but heavy step back. Amethyst closed her eyes momentarily and smiled. When she opened them up again, her eyes glowed as brightly as before.

"I am serious," said Amethyst, her eyes pointed right at Misty's. "We need to go around town and ask everypony we can find if they know about Iron Will. If what they say is negative, I'll make a note of it and inform Bulk Biceps of how bad Iron Will really is."

"Isn't this a smear campaign?" asked Misty. The world around her regained its pace and her weight returned to her. Misty's heart beat faster and formed loud thumps that rang in her consciousness. "I don't like Iron Will as much as any other pony, but I don't think he's as cruel as you think, Amethyst."

Amethyst sighed and tapped the bar table in a melodic and catchy tune, which grew slower and heavier after some time. "I have a hunch that Iron Will is that bad. Misty, I know that you have a pure way of doing things, but this time we're going to have to get a little dirty and expose Iron Will as the fraud he is."

Misty paused for a moment and leaned against the table. Iron Will was a lot of trouble, and Misty knew that well. She closed her eyes and her mind painted the images of the recent past. There was that one time where he ordered that waiter around in Cafe Canterlot. Misty could organize the scene as though it had just happened, from the arrangement of the tables and chairs to Iron Will's tone of voice that could make a manticore wince.

Then there was his actions back at Hotel Travertine. Misty recoiled ever so slightly as her ears twitched upon recalling the buzzing of the horn. Amethyst and Bulk both had bloodshot eyes that night as well, and their irritation was a sight her own eyes couldn't forget. Lastly, there was the casino. Her ears ceased twitching as the clicking of a ball rolling around a roulette wheel encompassed her mind. Misty opened her eyes and, without warning, something inside of her mind glowed.

Amethyst was right. Iron Will never cared about trying to help her as well as help Amethyst and Bulk. They were merely pawns in a much larger game of his. Misty's heart rate picked up once more and a bright flame appeared in her eyes. She gritted her teeth and focused her attention back to Amethyst with a frown.

"You're right," said Misty.

Amethyst raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. "Huh? What do you mean?" she asked.

"Iron Will has gone too far and we need to opt out of his program." Misty let out a deep sigh and looked down for a brief moment. "I was acting so pure and optimistic to where it bit me in the back. I shouldn't have given him a second chance that easily." Misty rested her forelegs on the desk, which felt like an impossibly smooth ice cube.

"Misty Fly, there's nothing wrong with who you are. In fact, you have a quality that so many ponies wished they had." Amethyst trotted over to Misty and gently patted her on the shoulder. Misty's eyes lit up and her lips slowly curled into a smile. The table then felt warm to the touch, but it was a kind of warmness that relaxed the muscles. "I mean, look at everypony you've helped. They became your friends because you have such a welcoming personality." Amethyst gazed into Misty's eyes. "Look at me and tell me this. Tell me that everything that happened wasn't your fault."

Misty's throat tightened and her eyes shifted from left to right before focusing on Amethyst. She clenched her teeth for a split second and her spine froze. Her legs trembled ever so slightly as though they were made of jelly. The words of encouragement she relied on became a mere mirage and vanished. Was she losing hope?

That couldn't be it. Misty shut out everything in her mind except for Amethyst, whose shimmering eyes and smile touched her heart. Three more figures materialized in her mind. Bulk Biceps, Fleetfoot, and Spitfire suddenly stood next to Amethyst as though they had been there the entire time. Was she hallucinating? Or was it something else? Misty's throat loosened and without thinking, one sentence escaped her lips.

"It's not my fault," she said.

"Tell me again, only say it louder," said Amethyst.

Misty took a deep breath. "It's not my fault!" She stood up firmly and stared back into Amethyst's eyes once more. "Let's go, Amethyst! Let's teach Iron Will a lesson!" Misty then took a single step forward, but her limbs all froze at once immediately afterwards. "Um, Amethyst?"

"Yes, Misty Fly."

"Where should we start?"

Amethyst smirked and then trotted towards the door. She motioned her hoof towards Misty, the cold breeze that came from it palpable. "I know just the place. We're going to go back to the fair."

"You seem to have somepony in mind." Misty trotted back towards Amethyst. "Is that true?" Amethyst smirked and nodded rapidly. "Who is this pony?"

"The fortune teller."

"What?" Misty tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, staring blankly at Amethyst. "I thought you said to not believe the fortune teller."

Amethyst giggled and her smile widened. "I still don't believe her, but I know somepony who does."

Misty's eyes widened and brightly shimmered and her lips formed a wide smile. "I see where you're coming from."

"Great! Let's find the fortune teller."

Misty and Amethyst exited the bar as they trotted side by side. When they stepped back onto the grasslands that made up Ponyville's roads, their eyes sparkled as they gazed at the sky above. It was a mixture of orange and blue and the yellow sun glowed in the horizon. Not a single peep could be heard in the air as the leaves now slept on the ground, undisturbed by the lack of wind. Amethyst trotted ahead and Misty closely followed, feeling a warmth inside of her chest grow for every step she took. The grass also looked greener than she recalled and the dew returned, its glistening unmistakable.

The roads felt wider than before as few ponies were out and about at the time. Misty and Amethyst soon arrived at the tent where the fortune teller was. Misty stepped on the elaborately patterned silk carpet, which tickled her hoof. A yellow unicorn mare with a red and yellow mane appeared from the tent's shadows without warning, an expression of bemusement on her face. Her ears twitched as she heard the unicorn mention the words "alternate dimension" and "preposterous". Maybe seeing the fortune teller wasn't such a good idea. She then saw Amethyst star waving a hoof in front of her face and jumped up ever so slightly.

"We don't have much time," Amethyst said, planting her hoof back on the ground. "Let's talk to the fortune teller."

The world around Misty felt heavier the moment she entered the tent with Amethyst. Theater masks that weren't there the first time she visited, each with smiles or frowns carved into them, stared at her with uncanny, lifelike expressions. The fortune teller was rubbing her crystal ball with a white cloth as squeaks echoed within the tent. Each squeak was enough to make Amethyst cringe slightly.

"Excuse me," said Misty, raising her hoof towards the fortune teller, "but can you tell me why Iron Will is acting the way he is?"

The fortune teller ceased cleaning her crystal ball. Her eyes glinted at Misty and a devilish smirk, displaying a set of teeth so white one could see themselves in each tooth, appeared from within her cloak.

"Iron Will is an idiot," the fortune teller bluntly said. "His downfall will be, well, amusing to say the least. Anyway, I don't need a crystal ball to answer your question, since I already know the answer."

"What would that be?" asked Amethyst, leaning closer to the fortune teller. "It's really important."

"And why is it important?"

"Because we need to convince Bulk Biceps to quit Iron Will's program. We're not going to be pushed around by him any longer." Amethyst raised her hoof high in the air. Her eyes glowed, and her lips formed a smile.

"That's right," said Misty as she nodded. "So then, can you help us?"

The fortune teller let out a scratchy laugh that went on for what felt like an eternity. Misty tilted her head and raised an eyebrow as the laughs tickled her mind. "Silly youngsters, Bulk is going to quit any minute now."

"What?" Misty's eyes shot wide open and she stepped back as though a spider dangled in front of her face. She looked over to where Amethyst was and noticed her dropped jaw. "But Bulk is the only one of Iron Will's students that's trying to stay in the program until it ends."

The fortune teller paused for a moment, her limbs freezing in place, and let out a raspy laugh without warning. Misty flinched slightly and gazed at the fortune teller's glinting eyes. Just who was she? Whoever she was, this fortune teller had a knack for twisting the minds of her visitors.

"You think you're having a tough time, just wait until you see who Bulk Biceps is dealing with," the fortune teller said ominously. The air in the tent grew thinner and its weight became heavier. "He's going to lose all hope and give up trying to pass Iron Will's course."

Misty leaned towards the fortune teller and her pupils dilated. Her chest tightened as thoughts of what was happening to Bulk crept into her mind. "Where is he? Is he okay?"

"Calm." The fortune teller lifted her hoof towards Misty. "He's emotionally distressed, but he isn't injured or anything." The fortune teller then cleared her throat and smiled as a few extra giggles escaped her throat. "Anyway, he should be near the fountain, so try and search there."

"Thank you," said Amethyst nervously as she shifted her eyes from left to right and bit her lip. "By the way, can we bring Bulk Biceps to you? We need to show him that Iron Will actually does have nothing in his noggin, and I know he believes you." The fortune teller simply nodded. "Thanks."

"One more thing," said Misty. "Who was that yellow unicorn you spoke to and what is this alternate universe she mentioned?"

The fortune teller let out another raspy laugh that sounded akin to a griffon's talons against a chalkboard. Misty and Amethyst turned to each other and gazed into their wide open eyes. They then shrugged and turned back to the fortune teller, who straightened herself out and widened her smile.

The fortune teller took a deep breath and cleared her throat once more. "It's so ridiculous that I don't even believe it myself," she said. Believe me, when the news report comes out, everypony will think Equestria's media has lost reason. Oh, the wonders of the magical world." She rose up and tugged on the hood of her cloak. "Anyway, I wish you luck on your journey. Announce your presence when you return. I'll let you all in and I can work my magic."

"Thank you for everything," said Amethyst. She turned to Misty and nodded. "Let's go search for Bulk."

Misty's lips curled into a smile and she nodded back. "Sounds good. Should we start at the fountain and go from there?"

"Fair enough. If Bulk isn't there, we can ask some passersby if they've seen him."

"Looks like we have a plan." Misty turned to the fortune teller and waved, and she slowly lifted his hoof up and smiled. Amethyst then turned to the fortune teller and did the same as Misty and with that, the pair left the tent and stepped back outside. When their vision focused on the brighter outside world, Misty gasped and her spine froze as she noticed that a conglomeration of ponies were now trotting along the grounds of the fair.

"Here we go again," Misty muttered under her breath before chattering her teeth for a moment.

"Just follow me and we'll get to the fountain in one piece," Amethyst said, taking a slow, heavy step into the constantly mobile crowd.

Misty galloped after Amethyst and slowed down when she was right next to her. "Amethyst, wait. Where is the fountain?"

"I, um, I don't know." Amethyst grinned sheepishly and blushed. "Let's find somewhere quiet and we'll start asking anypony we can find."

Misty nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a plan."

Unfortunately, it became apparent that "somewhere quiet" was about as hard to find as the Fountain of Youth. Misty could hardly breathe as her shoulders rubbed or bumped off of ponies that trotted by. She knew that it wasn't on purpose, as there simply wasn't enough room to shove a large number of ponies into a medium sized road. A constant stream of chatter only made things more inconvenient for Misty, wincing at the endless cacophony that pierced her ears. Such was the state of Ponyville's town sqaure during certain hours of the fair, and when the roads opened up, Misty's chest loosened and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Amethyst trotted over to an empty bench, which appeared to be constructed out of whatever wooden planks the builders found lying around, and sat down. She spread her forelegs out, took a deep breath, and formed a wide smile. Misty followed suit and sat next to Amethyst, cringing the moment she leaned against the bench's back. It felt as though she sat on a pile of jagged rocks.

"Now we just have to catch somepony's eye and ask him if they've seen Bulk," Amethyst said as a matter of fact. "Do you see anypony that might talk to us?"

Misty looked around the somewhat vacant field, as only a few ponies trotted by at a time. Their conversations were clearly audible and understandable, and the words of business deals or shopping plans told Misty enough as to whether she should interrupt them. Her eyes then focused on a light blue stallion with a dark blue mane. His smile was wide as he waved his arms and laughed with another pony. Maybe he's the one she should ask if she gets the chance.

"I think I found somepony," Misty said, pointing to the stallion of interest. Amethyst turned to where she was pointing. "Do you see him?"

Amethyst nodded and winked at Misty. "I see him," she said.

Misty paused for a moment and stared at Amethyst. What was that wink about? Did she know who this stallion was? Misty looked at him once more and noticed that he was coming their way. The closer he got, the more her mind tickled and when his cutie mark became visible, Misty's eyes widened.

His cutie mark was a lightning bolt with a streak under it. Misty knew that lightning bolt was used in a famous logo. It was identical in shape to the winged lightning bolt that served as the symbol for the Wonderbolts. Now she knew why Amethyst winked at her. This was what felt like the millionth time to Misty where the Wonderbolts would be mentioned in some form.

Misty caught the stallion's eye and waved and grabbed his attention. His eye focused on her waving hoof and he then paused for a moment. He then turned to her and smiled. Something about his smile was welcoming, but Misty couldn't quite form the exact words as to why.

"Can I help you with anything?" the stallion inquired.

"Have you seen a pegasus with huge muscles trotting around?" Misty asked. "He has a white coat and a dumbbell for a cutie mark."

The stallion lifted his hoof to his muzzle and closed his eyes softly. "Hmm. Did he have red eyes and a really short mane?"

Misty nodded, her head bopping up and down at a rapid pace. "Yes! That's him!" Misty's lips formed a smile and her eyes shimmered. The stallion stepped back slightly and blushed. "Where is he? Is he okay?"

"Easy there." The stallion smirked and gazed into Misty's eyes. "He's by the fountain from what I remember and he is unharmed. However, he looked a little down. I wish I knew what happened so that I could help him."

Misty's eyes widened and her heart rose up into her throat. The fortune teller was spot on once again. While being two for two sounded impressive, there were more pressing matters to attend to. Misty shoved the thought aside and rubbed her head for a brief moment.

"Are you okay?" asked the stallion. He offered his hoof to Misty, who gently touched it and was pulled off of the bench. Her back cried out in joy as the aches disappeared.

"I'm okay," said Misty. She turned to Amethyst, who rose up and trotted next to her, and then brought her attention back to the stallion. "By the way, who are you?"

"I'm Soarin." He then shook Misty's hoof in an up and down motion. "It's nice to meet you."

"Well, I'm Misty Fly." Misty turned to Amethyst and pointed at her with her hoof. Amethyst smiled and waved at her and Soarin. "My friend over here is Amethyst Star."

"It's nice to meet you," said Amethyst. "I take it that you're a Wonderbolt, correct?"

"How did you know?" Soarin asked as he blushed and grinned. Misty raised an eyebrow and looked at Amethyst. How did she know? Was it that obvious?

"Your cutie mark says a lot about you. I just hypothesized was all."

Soarin chuckled and cleared his throat. "You're a smart one, Amethyst. Anyway, I have to get going. If I see either of you, I'd love to chat a little more. Goodbye!"

"Goodbye!" Misty and Amethyst shouted.

The pair waved together as Soarin trotted off into the distance. Misty stared at him intently and a warmth entered her heart. It wasn't a romantic warmth, but something about his character made her heart glow. Misty paused and, just as before, she couldn't stop thinking about being reminded of the Wonderbolts yet again. Was destiny was trying to tell her something? Would trying to become a Wonderbolt brighten her spirits more than the Royal Guard? As she looked at Soarin once more and thought of Spitfire once more, her eyes glowed and her heart warmed even more.

"Misty, are you in there?" asked Amethyst.

"Yes," Misty said. She then turned around and jumped up the moment Amethyst, standing close to her, appeared in her sights. Misty blushed and chuckled slightly. "I'm here. I just had a lot on my mind. That's all."

"Was it about the Wonderbolts?"

Misty sighed and gazed into Amethyst's eyes. "Yep."

"Just curious. Anyway, let's go find Bulk Biceps. The fountain should be straight ahead. I think I can see it if I squint slightly."

Misty looked straight ahead and sure enough, a structure with what looked like water shooting into the sky and cascading back down stood in the distance. It was a silhouette from where Misty stood, but there was little doubt that this was the fountain. "I can see it, too."

The pair trotted side by side for a couple of meters, their hooves digging into the dirt roads as they went along. The fountain grew as Misty trotted closer and closer to it. Her nostrils picked up an ocean-like scent, causing her to smile somewhat. Then the roaring of the falling water entered her ears, and the smaller details of the fountain made themselves known.

Misty and Amethyst arrived at the fountain. It stood triumphantly tall as the marble used to construct and sculpt it shone brightly under the sunlight. Various figures that ran around the perimeter of the circular fountain appeared to come to life, as shadows gave them a three dimensional quality. Misty and Amethyst both stood still with shimmering eyes and wide smiles. However, Misty's ears picked up a sound. It wasn't a sound she'd associate with fountains. She trotted around the fountain and almost immediately found Bulk sitting on the opposite side of where she was as tears ran down his face and a clipboard, split into two pieces, rested in front of him.

"Bulk Biceps, what's wrong?" asked Misty, her heart sinking into the abyss.

"I-I don't want to do this anymore," Bulk muttered. "I want to quit."

Departure

Misty Fly looked down at the broken clipboard, its jagged edges looking as sharp as a rapier. Her vision became blurry and her heart sunk deeper into the void. The whole world around her became grayer and the breeze ceased its motions. All her ears heard were the sounds of sobs that stung her heart. She then noticed a piece of paper wedged into the grass by the board.

Picking up the paper and putting the two pieces together, all that Misty saw were a few numbers and blank lines next to them. Not a single name was written on it. Turning to Bulk Biceps, she rubbed her eyes and wrapped her forelegs around his body. His body felt warm and rough, but Misty smiled and buried her head into his chest nonetheless.

Misty looked up to Bulk and her eyes shimmered. "What happened?" she asked. She let go of him and then gazed into his eyes, filled to the brim with tears as they cascaded down his cheeks and onto the grass as though they were raindrops.

Bulk muttered something incomprehensible as all that could leave his mouth were sobs. He looked down at the broken clipboard, cringed slightly, and then brought his attention back to Misty. "Iron Will is a fraud," he mumbled with sagged shoulders.

"Could you speak up, please?" Amethyst asked in a soft tone as she trotted over to Bulk.

"Iron Will is a fraud!" Misty and Amethyst jolted upwards and nearly fell onto their backs. Bulk blushed and chuckled slightly. "Sorry about that. You did want me to speak louder, right?"

Misty's heart rose back up and a wide smile formed on her face. The colors of the world became slightly brighter as she gazed at Bulk. "How did you find out?" she asked.

"I spoke to a really aggressive pony and he said that he took Iron Will's class once." Bulk's shoulders sagged and his lips curled into a deep frown. "The pony acted rude to me and told me that I was an idiot for taking Iron Will's class. According to him, Iron Will only cares about making money and nothing else. I told him that the three of us were trying to get tougher and of the experiences we've shared, but he called the two of you idiots as well."

Amethyst clenched her teeth. "Even if he was telling the truth, that was incredibly rude of him," she said. She stomped her hoof on the ground and her face formed a fierce scowl. "I know for a fact that the three of us aren't idiots. While we can't be perfect all of the time and while we make bad decisions at times, that doesn't automatically make us idiots. It makes us like everypony."

Misty's eyes widened and a slight warmth entered her heart. "We can't be perfect all of the time," she whispered to herself. She then smiled slightly and, without warning, her eyes glowed like light bulbs. A spark formed in her mind and a sudden realization came to her as though it were a puzzle piece she didn't know she needed. She might not fit in with the Royal Guard, but that didn't make her any worse of a pony. Her outgoing attitude and friendliness was just a part of who she was and what defines her. Misty never needed to "fix" anything in the first place and neither did Amethyst or Bulk.

"You're right, Amethyst," said Misty as she nodded.

Amethyst tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"It's part of what I needed to realize. I might not be Royal Guard material and I might not be intimidating, but everything that makes me who I am is what makes me unique. The same goes for the two of you as well. Our interests and our personalities make us stand out from every other pony."

Bulk's chin shifted around for a bit as he scratched the top of his head. Silence surrounded the three for some time and after a minute, his lips formed a smile so wide that his teeth became visible and sparkled like diamonds. "I get it! You're both right! We should be happy with who we are because we're nice and awesome! Come on, let's tell Iron Will that we're done!"

"Wait a second," Misty said, raising her hoof into the air. "Where is Iron Will? The last time we saw him was at the casino, so he could be anywhere."

"I might be able to help a little," said Bulk.

Misty leaned closer to Bulk and gazed into his eyes. "How so?"

"When I tore up the clipboard, I think I saw him holding a clipboard of his own. I wanted to gallop to him and tell him that I was quitting, but when I looked up again, he was gone." Bulk scratched the top of his head for a moment. "Was he advertising as well?"

"Maybe, but helping us doesn't seem to be something that he would do." Misty closed her eyes and rubbed her muzzle. "Hmm. There has to be something else to this. Unfortunately, he could be anywhere right now as well, but he couldn't have gone too far from here."

"How about we ask somepony again?" Amethyst suggested. "It worked last time, so it's worth another shot."

Misty nodded. "Then it's settled. Let's find someone to ask."

The trio lined up side by side and trotted across the grassland as the world around them grew brighter until it shone brighter than ever. Misty looked over to Amethyst and Bulk and her smile grew more and more the longer she stared at their smiles. The dew on the grass tickled her hooves. She looked at the sky and gazed at the setting sun, lighting the sky a bright orange. Misty's eyes couldn't help themselves from shimmering and a bubbly happiness brewed inside of her soul. She took a deep breath, the clean air cleaning her soul somewhat.

As Misty, Bulk, and Amethyst continued trotting forwards, each step more forceful than the last, Misty noticed two figures that flew in the distance. The figures quickly descended into the world below and appeared to be heading towards the fair. Was there something going on?

Misty shook her head and then noticed the silhouette of an earth pony stallion in the distance waving his forelegs and bouncing around like a spring. He froze for a brief moment and looked up to the sky as a cry left his throat. It sounded like he was shouting Iron Will's name. Misty's heart raced and her spine froze. Did Iron Will do something even crazier? She sighed and pointed at the silhouette.

"Do you see that stallion?" Misty asked. Amethyst and Bulk nodded simultaneously. Misty let gravity drop her hoof back down and her shoulders then sagged. "It sounds like he might have a guess as to where Iron Will is."

Amethyst paused for a brief moment. She leaned over towards the silhouette and her ear twitched slightly. "It sounds like he's crying for help," she said. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Misty groaned and rolled her eyes. "You're probably right. I hope it isn't anything too serious."

Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk rushed over to the stallion and skid across the dirt the moment he was within their sights. The stallion bowed to the group with a bright smile on his face and his eyebrows bopped up and down. There was a strange aura around the stallion as though it labeled him as a snake oil salespony, but Misty couldn't quite figure out why this was the case.

"Greetings, travelers!" shouted the stallion. Misty and her friends simultaneously tilted their heads and gazed at the stallion with raised eyebrows. "Guess who's in town to help you get assertive?"

"Let me guess," said Amethyst with a bemused expression, "is it—"

"It's Iron Will!"

"What does Iron Will want this time?" asked Misty. "We're currently his students, so it would be valuable to know."

"Students?" The stallion's jaw dropped and he took a step back. "He never said anything about students. In fact, he said that he's currently looking for someone to be his apprentice."

Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk gasped simultaneously. A wildfire erupted inside of Misty's eyes. Her ears picked up the gritting of Bulk's teeth and her senses picked up Amethyst's intense scowl. The stallion stepped back even further and blushed as sweat ran down his face.

"Did Iron Will say anything about the three of us?" asked Bulk, steam erupting from his nostrils like a geyser.

"Um, he said that there were three slackers that couldn't get assertive and that he tried to convince them to become assertive. Was he referring to you?"

"That rotten scum!" shouted Amethyst at the top of her lungs. She pounded the dirt with her hooves and crept towards the stallion. "Where is he?"

"He's at the town square. He's hoping somepony will pay him a lot of bits and become his next student. At least that's what he told me at the casino. The guy couldn't even win a single game."

"Thank you," said Misty. "We're going to give that jerk a piece of our minds." A smirk formed across her face. She turned to Amethyst and Bulk, who both grinned and their eyes shining brightly with confidence. "Let's show him what it means to get tough!"

Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk galloped forwards with scowling faces. Every step they took slammed against the grass as specks of dirt shot up into the air for a moment. The further they galloped into Ponyville, the harder they clenched their teeth. Misty's heart raced and her breathing quickened. There was no going back now. She needed to leave Iron Will, and nothing was going to stop her from letting it all out.

Or it would, except there was a small crowd gathered around a prancing Iron Will. Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk slid across the grass as clouds of dust kicked up in the air. Misty paused for a moment and her eyes then looked upwards. She could make out Iron Will's horns piercing the sky, but everything else in her vision was a large, colorful crowd of ponies. Stretching her wings, she looked over to Bulk and gazed at his muscles for a brief moment. She then looked over to Amethyst and then back to Bulk, and her lips curled into a small smile.

"Bulk, can you carry Amethyst Star on your back?" Misty asked.

Bulk flexed his muscles and grinned. "You bet," he said. "What's the plan?"

"We're going to fly up and see what Iron Will is doing." Misty extended her wings out and smiled. "If he sees us, he might get embarrassed that we found out what his plans were."

Amethyst nodded and smirked. "That's sounds like a good idea. If he doesn't notice us, we'll chase him once the crowd disperses." She hopped onto Bulk's back and wrapped her forelegs around him. Bulk's tiny wings flapped like a bee's and he slowly rose up in the air as though he was floating.

Misty looked up at Bulk and smiled. As she gazed at the hovering Bulk, his body and face as stern as ever, she thought that maybe the fortune teller from before wasn't right about everything. Tossing that thought aside for the moment, Misty spread her wings and gently flapped them. In a split-second, she was airborne and hovering next to Bulk. The slightest of breezes brushed against her cheeks and blew across her mane, causing her to shiver for a second. Looking down at the crowd below her, her eyes caught Iron Will flexing his muscles to them, who all had raised eyebrows and blank expressions.

"If you want to get tough, you'll want to work with me!" Iron Will shouted into the air. Some of the ponies in the front rows winced and covered their ears briefly. "I'm the best when it comes to assertiveness, toughness, or whatever, so contact me if you need to get better at any of those. All of my customers have been satisfied with my work."

Iron Will looked up and his body froze as though he was suspended in time. His jaw then dropped upon seeing Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk hovering in the air with deep frowns and ruffled eyebrows. He rubbed the back of his neck and bit his lip before flexing his arms once again. A pale colored pony with a raspberry mane in the crowd then raised her hoof high in the air, to which Iron Will responded with a smug smirk.

"Excuse me," the mare said. "I can't help from thinking that you're lying about all of this."

Iron Will chuckled and cleared his throat, but his shoulders sagged. He flexed his arms once more and his eyebrows bounced up and down. "W-what are you talking about?" he asked.

"You were acting all cool and stuff and now you're acting like somepony you know is watching you spout all of this."

Another chuckle escaped Iron Will's throat, fainter than the last. "How, um, who are you?"

The pegasus tilted her head. "I'm Roseluck. Why do you ask?"

"I-I'm going to ban you from taking any of my classes." Beads of sweat dripped down from Iron Will's face and fell to the ground beneath him.

Roseluck stepped back slightly before turning around. She slapped her tail against the ground and looked back to Iron Will. "I'd never want to join in the first place. Sorry, but I just don't trust you. I'll look elsewhere for places to get tougher. Anyway, I'm out of here." She trotted through the crowd of ponies, who all shuffled out of the way for her. The world fell silent and after a few seconds, pony after pony turned around and trotted away from Iron Will. A mere minute later, the once dense crowd was now a desolate field.

Iron Will stood completely motionless with blank eyes. A slight breeze swirled around him and the faintest of noises escaped his throat, its sound indescribable. Misty and Bulk gently landed on the grass and Amethyst leaped off of Bulk, a thud echoing in the air the moment her hooves touched the ground. The trio trotted towards Iron Will, all of them with ruffled eyebrows. He then stepped back and shrugged as nervous chuckles left his mouth.

"Iron Will, what are you doing?" asked Misty in a heightened tone of voice.

"We deserve to know the truth," said Amethyst. "There's no point in lying now, so you may as well come clean."

Iron Will bopped his eyebrows up and down and a sheepish grin formed on his face. Misty unconsciously clenched her teeth and scowled at him. She never wanted to punch someone across the face before, but now her mind fought her limbs to stop her from smacking Iron Will. "Tell us the truth, please."

"Tell us!" Bulk shouted directly into Iron Will's face. Iron Will fell over and landed on his buttocks, cringing upon making contact with the ground.

Iron Will's grin slowly transformed into a deep frown as his chin sagged slightly. "You've figured it out, haven't you," he said. "I shooed you out of the casino for a reason. It's because I lost faith in your ability to become assertive and tough." He stared at the three ponies and cracked a smile once more. "You might have some attitude, but it isn't enough to intimidate me. I'm failing the three of you, since you've all failed in too many assignments."

"The three of us were going to quit anyway," said Misty. "Do what you must." Misty paused for a moment and looked at Iron Will in the eyes. The back of her mind tickled, yearning for a little more. "I do have to wonder, are you doing this for the money?"

Iron Will nodded and kept a straight face. "Bingo."

Misty rolled her eyes and planted a face to her hoof. "Why am I not surprised."

Iron Will got up and tilted his head slightly. He raised an eyebrow as he stared at Misty. "So what are you going to do now that you're not going to be in the Royal Guard? Wasn't that the reason you showed up in the first place?"

"It was." Misty turned to Amethyst, then to Bulk, and smiled. Her heart warmed up and her body was full of life. "However, I don't regret doing this at all. I've made so many friends and have had unforgettable experiences. While not all of them were good, some of them were ones that I'd cherish for the rest of my life. Also, I've learned that not everything is going to according to plan and that sometimes the world can feel dark and lonely. But I now know that it's okay to feel sad from time to time and that I have a wonderful group of friends who will help me when I'm feeling down."

Misty felt two pairs of forelegs gently wrap around her. She turned to her left and saw Amethyst Star hugging her. She then turned to her right and saw Bulk Biceps doing the same. Misty's vision became blurry, but her heart felt warmer than it had ever been. Her smile widened as much as it could, and her eyes shone like stars.

"Thank you," said Misty, a cascade of tears tickling her cheeks. "You're all so wonderful. I'm honored to have such great friends."

"We're always here for you," said Amethyst, her eyes filling up with tears of her own.

"Friends will always look out for each other," said Bulk. "We'll always support each other, no matter where we are."

"This is what I've learned, and the magic—" Misty's vision became focused once again, but Iron Will was nowhere to be seen. She squinted slightly and noticed the silhouette of a minotaur running off in the distance. Was he allergic to emotions? Misty rolled her eyes and chuckled briefly before smiling once again. She had her friends by her side, and that's what mattered the most.

Where it Ends

A week had gone by since Misty Fly left Iron Will's program, but the memories felt so vivid that it all felt like it had happened only a few hours ago. Everything could be described in intricate detail the more she thought about it. Whether it was Iron Will's panicking face or her two close friends standing beside her, warming her heart as she clenched her teeth, it was all there. Where did all of that time go? What were her friends up to? And what happened to Iron Will? The more she thought about it, the more it felt as though something was knocking against her head.

As Misty gazed at the chandelier above her and let her mind meander as though it was a bored filly, her ears twitched as a fluttering envelope slid into her apartment room. She looked over to the white envelope and raised an eyebrow before rising off of her small, green sofa. Stretching her body and yawning, Misty trotted over to the envelope and opened it without hesitation. On the letter was the symbol of the Royal Guard. Were they letting her in anyway? Misty's heart beat faster and faster before she read the letter's contents.

Misty Fly,

We regret to inform you that because you did not pass Iron Will's course, you will not become a member of the Royal Guard. If you wish to try again, stop by Canterlot Castle and fill out the forms as you had done before your first attempt at joining. The Royal Guard truly wishes you the best.

Golden Shield

Captain of the Royal Guard

Misty's heartbeat returned to normal, but her heart sank as she let go of the letter and stood as still as a statue. While it was expected, she couldn't stop herself from frowning slightly and sagging her shoulders. Letting out a deep sigh, she trotted back to the green sofa and collapsed on the soft cushions, letting her body sink deeper and deeper into its warm, tingly texture. She turned her head slightly and her eyes locked onto the clay pot she purchased back at Ponyville. Its texture was as smooth as it was the day she bought it. The pot glowed under the sunlight peering through the window of her apartment and Misty could see herself somewhat as she continued gazing at the pot.

Memories of her time with Bulk Biceps and Amethyst Star poured into her mind the longer she stared at the pot. The more she recalled her experiences with the two, the more her lips curled into a smile. The world felt warmer and her heart slowly climbed out of the abyss and back to where it was before, but something about her reflection caused Misty to raise an eyebrow.

Her reflection was wearing the Wonderbolts uniform, just like her reflection did back at the gym. Now that she thought about it, the pot's colors were the same as those of the Wonderbolts. Was that a mere coincidence? Possibly, but Misty felt as though the clay pot was talking to her, but with images instead of words. Was her heart guiding her this entire time?

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Misty shuddered and leaped off of the sofa as though an electrical current ran through her body. She shook for a moment and her breathing became cold, but it all subsided after a second or two. She trotted towards the front door and slowly opened it, a creaking sound echoing around her. The door was wide open, and Misty's heart warmed and her eyes shimmered as she smiled.

Bulk and Amethyst were both standing before her with smiles of their own. The two trotted over to Misty and wrapped their forelegs around her body like a soft, fluffy blanket.

"Amethyst! Bulk!" Misty cried out with a smile as her vision became blurry. "I've missed you two so much! How is everything?"

Amethyst and Bulk released Misty from their hug, both of them full of life. "We're both doing well," Amethyst said with a nod. "How are things going for you?"

"They're going okay. I didn't make it into the Royal Guard." Misty's shoulders sagged, but just as they did, Bulk softly patted them and smiled as he gazed into her eyes.

"Forget about them," said Bulk as he stood firm. "You're awesome! There are so many other things out there for you."

"Bulk is right," said Amethyst as she trotted closer to Misty. "While it may take some time to find out what you'll do for a living, we know that you'll find it one day."

"Thanks," Misty said as her smile widened. "By the way, do any of you know what happened to Iron Will?"

"I think he's doing a roadshow now. At least that's what I've heard."

"I see." Misty cleared her throat. "Anyway, do the two of you want to do anything? I'm up for whatever you have in mind."

"Let's go to Cafe Canterlot. Not as students of Iron Will, but as friends."

Misty nodded enthusiastically. "That sounds great. What do you think, Bulk?"

"I love it!" Bulk shouted into the air. His voice echoed in the apartment to where he probably woke a few sleeping ponies up. Misty and Amethyst giggled for a bit and Bulk blushed with a sheepish grin before joining in the laughter. The laughter soon dissipated and soon the only noises that remained in the hotel were the buzzing fans inside. Their sounds were somewhat grating to the ears, but not to where one would cringe.

"Let's get going." Misty closed her apartment door and her soul was bubbly to where she could barely lock it. Her forelegs shook for a moment, but she managed to regain her composure and the ever familiar clicking noise rang in her ears.

The group made their way down Hotel Travertine and marched through the front door of the hotel. They found themselves on the roads of Canterlot once more, but a tingling feeling inside of Misty made this experience feel different than the last time. Canterlot hadn't changed at all, but there was a warm, ticklish feeling inside of her that wouldn't go away. The sun was directly overhead, lighting even the narrowest streets in a bright, shining light. Posters, advertising all sorts of things, lined the walls of the streets. A few ponies were out and about, trotting to wherever they needed to be and chatting with friends or passersby as they went along. Everypony had a smile on their face and the cool breeze that blew across the city pleased the nostrils.

Misty heard the melodic tune of chirping birds off in the distance and when she looked up, she noticed those very same birds flying in a V formation. She smiled and proceeded to follow Amethyst and Bulk towards Cafe Canterlot, taking the same route she did from before.

"What's been going on since we last saw each other?" asked Misty.

"Well, I'm planning on moving to Ponyville by next month," said Amethyst. "I hear that there is a really good school there that I think my daughter will adore. I believe it's called Ponyville Elementary."

"That sounds wonderful." Misty nodded and smiled. She turned her attention to Bulk. "What are you planning on doing, Bulk?"

"I'm going to practice my flying and weightlifting skills," Bulk answered with a grin. "I know the fortune teller said I'd be taking part in a relay race, so the flying practice is just in case she is right. Then again, she did say that I'd forget how to fly well during the tryouts and the event itself."

"I hope that you're able to do the weightlifting competition you've dreamed of doing. Also, I don't know how a pegasus could forget how to fly." Misty tilted her head. "Is this supposed to be some sort of arcane thing?"

Bulk shrugged his shoulders. "Beats me. I don't get a lot of things, so I can't answer." He then turned to Amethyst. "Do you know, Amethyst?"

Amethyst shook her head. "Sorry, but I don't. Destiny is a strange thing. Does it even exist?"

"Maybe," said Misty. "Then again, the odds of me getting hit in the face with a poster advertising the Wonderbolts Academy is close to none."

The cool breeze sped up slightly and the posters on the walls were pushed off and carried up into the air. One of these posters danced with the wind until it smacked Misty square in the face. She squirmed for a moment and pulled the poster off of her face. On the poster was an advertisement for the Wonderbolts Academy. It had silhouettes of flying ponies and the symbol of the Wonderbolts in the background. Streaks of blue and yellow covered the poster with a few various colors added to make the poster stand out and pull ponies towards it like a magnet. Misty's jaw dropped slightly and she then showed the contents of the poster to Amethyst and Bulk, who both bit their lips and let out a hearty laugh. Misty's smile widened and her cheeks blushed.

"I think I know what you should do, Misty Fly," said Amethyst. "You should become a Wonderbolt!"

"Seriously?" Misty asked. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. "Well, um, what makes you think that?"

Amethyst chuckled for a brief moment. "That's easy. If you were able to last in the tryouts of the Royal Guard, you'd have to be tough. Also, all of these things with you and the Wonderbolts means that you should take a look at it."

Bulk raised his hoof into the air. "To add on to what Amethyst said, there are way too many coincidences. Maybe this destiny thing is trying to tell you something."

Misty rubbed her muzzle and the rest of her body froze. Should she see if the Wonderbolts were worth her time? They were a well-known group of ponies that had done a lot for Equestria and its bordering kingdoms, so the helping others portion of her dream would be satisfied there. Spitfire and Soarin were both Wonderbolts, and both of them seemed to be kindhearted when she encountered each of them. Misty's mind kept formulating all sorts of reasons and observations as to whether she should join, but in the midst of this, something popped up in the back of her head. Her eyes then shimmered and her smile widened.

"Yes," Misty muttered to herself.

"Excuse me?" asked Amethyst.

"Remember when I watched Soarin as he trotted away from us?" Amethyst nodded. "When I said yes, it was because my heart told me to try and become a Wonderbolt. I know what I need to do from here."

"That's great! Anyway, let's go hang out at Cafe Canterlot. And if you do decide to become a Wonderbolt, Bulk and I will always be cheering for you."

Misty's heart warmed. She trotted up to Amethyst and Bulk and wrapped her forelegs around both of them. Their bodies were both warm and soft, and all that Misty could do was smile widely.

"Thank you," said Misty. "I won't give up. I'll keep on going for both of you and for every friend of mine, whether I've met them or not."

The End

Where it Begins

A group of ponies scattered over a flat, green landscape thwacked clay discs that magically arose from the air with swords whose tips glinted under the afternoon sun. The landscape was surrounded by a gray wall, blocking out the outside world. Covering each pony's chest was a thick coating of brown leather, the armor used by the trainees hoping to make it into the Royal Guard. One of the trainees was a cream colored pegasus mare named Misty Fly, and her swordplay was a feast for the eyes.

Gracefully prancing across the shining, dew covered grass, Misty's ears memorized the sound of clay discs appearing in the air. Upon hearing the noise, her eyes shifted to and locked onto the disc. With a smooth swing of her foreleg, she bisected the disc in one clean cut. Her dance continued for much of the duration of the exercise, as disc after disc was sliced in two and collapsed to the ground with every strike registering the familiar sound of shattering clay. However, as she was about to slice her twenty-fifth disc, a deafening shriek rang in her ears.

Misty cut the disc as usual, but she stopped moving and her veins froze. She turned around to the source of the scream and found a trainee, a turquoise pegasus, lying on the ground. Biting his lip, the trainee covered his left arm with his hoof.

Without hesitating, Misty dropped her sword and rushed over to the wounded trainee. Tears flowed down his cheeks like waterfalls and dripped onto the grass below.

"What happened?" Misty asked hurriedly as she stared into the trainee's teary eyes.

"I tried to cut one of the discs, but I ended up cutting my arms," said the pegasus, his face cringing intensely.

Misty looked down at the trainee's wound and noticed a small streak of crimson on the hoof covering the wound. Her somber eyes returned to the wincing eyes of the trainee. "How deep was the cut?"

"It didn't appear deep when I took a look at it," the trainee grit her teeth, "but it was enough for it to bleed. Gah!"

The trainee lifted his hoof away from the wound, revealing a scratch which released a small amount of blood. Fixing her eyes on the wound, Misty paused for a moment and after a few seconds, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"You'll be okay. The pain will stop eventually and the wound will heal, so hang in there," said Misty, whose lips curled into a smile. The trainee's body stopped quivering, but his teeth were still clenched.

"Yeah, I guess I'll have to try again next time," said the trainee with a sigh and sagged shoulders. "I wish I had as much talent as you."

"Hey, don't get so sad about it. I had to practice for years to do the stuff I do, but if you need anything, I'll do what I can to help. Just promise me you'll remember that as tough as life can get, we just have to look at the positives and promise ourselves that there will be many good days to come."

The trainee paused for a moment and froze in place. He then nodded in agreement and Misty noticed that his face stopped wincing. "I promise. Say, how are you so optimistic all of the time? Everyone kept asking you from what I remember of you from the first days of boot camp, so how do you do it?"

Misty was asked that question for the past six days, though its wording varied. In other words, every single day of the week long training period to determine who would become a Royal Guard had somepony, whether it was the sergeant or a fellow trainee, ask that very question to her. Was it unusual to be this optimistic? Misty didn't think so, but she saw no reason not to answer.

"Well, I want to make the world a happier place, which is why I try to stay happy," she said. "I also want to help ponies in their time of need, which is why I dreamed of becoming a member of the Royal Guard ever since I was a filly."

The trainee nodded. "That's cool." The pegasus looked at his wound and noticed that the bleeding had stopped. He slowly got up under his own power and smiled for the first time since accidentally wounding himself. "By the way, I never got your name. What is it?"

"My name is Misty Fly. It's nice to meet you."

"The name's Ocean Current. It's nice to meet you too."

"That's enough loafing around, maggots!" a voice shouted from afar with burning lungs. "Line up at the center of the field this instant!"

"Let's go, Misty Fly," said Ocean Current. "I think they're going to be picking who joins the Royal Guard. Just a hunch."

The pair, their breathing faster and more audible, slowly trotted towards the center of the field as ponies began lining up shoulder to shoulder. Misty Fly waited for the remaining trainees to show up which, for reasons unknown to her, decided to take their sweet time. Some of them seemed to be trotting not in a straight line, but in an arcing curve. These ponies also trembled the moment they took their place.

The instructor, a light brown unicorn with a thick, black beard and a pointed hat, turned around and glared intensely at the trainees. Standing firm, Misty Fly didn't budge an inch when the instructor stared her down, and it was the same story for all of the other trainees, even the ones who were shaking before. Once everypony was examined, the instructor trotted to where the trainees could clearly see him.

"Listen up, maggots!" the instructor shouted. "The following names are the new members of the Royal Guard!"

Misty felt her chest tighten. She tried to relax her muscles, but they refused to loosen. She then looked over to Ocean Current, who noticed her gaze and replied with a wink.

"Metal Fang, Toxic Terror, Blizzard, Stonewall, and Beam. Congratulations on becoming members of the Royal Guard."

Misty's jaw dropped and her eyes widened. She knew that she was among the best performers in each of the exercises. The amounts of praise she received from some of the ponies suggested that. Nothing in her mind could feasibly calculate why she was ultimately rejected. Trying her hardest to find a comfort spot, Misty noticed that of the thirty trainees, only five made it, but her heart still wept nonetheless.

"Misty Fly, I want to talk to you," the instructor said out of the blue.

Taking each step slowly, Misty Fly's hooves pressed against the grass. Her body felt as light as a feather and her teeth chattered intensely. Looking at the instructor's eyes, Misty formed a false smile as her brain consciously tried to hold back moist tears from emerging.

The instructor trotted next to Misty and turned his head to where his lips were next to her ear. "I'll give you a spot on the Royal Guard, but on one condition," he whispered. "I've given you a spot in Iron Will's Assertiveness Program. See, you're too sweet and you're not intimidating enough to be a Royal Guard. If you can pass his course, we'll take you in. If not, you'll probably never join the Royal Guard. Understood?"

Misty Fly simply nodded. Not a single syllable left her mouth.

"Good. Go to Canterlot Gym on Fourteenth North in Canterlot. He'll be waiting for you there. It would be a shame to have to reject anypony with your talent, so don't screw up."

Misty tightened her lips and merely nodded again. With that, the instructor trotted away, leaving her to stand there with a raised eyebrow and a vague expression.

Misty sighed and her shoulders sagged, but she refused to give up. Not many were given a second chance like herself. All she needed to do was act tougher and pass this course assigned to her. It seemed simple enough, but how aggressive did the Royal Guard want her to be? Would it be worth it in the end?

Storing these questions in her memory for the time being, Misty trotted towards the gate at the south end of the surrounding wall, but a familiar foreleg appeared before her. Misty turned around and found the smiling visage of Ocean Current.

"Sorry to bother you," said Ocean Current, "but is everything okay?"

"Sort of," said Misty, her lips forcing a melancholic frown. "I'm only allowed in if I can pass this assertiveness program run by a certain Iron Will."

"That's at least something. You should be proud you're being given another chance."

"Thanks." Misty let out a deep sigh. "I know I'm optimistic and all, but what if I don't pass?"

Ocean Current smiled. "There has to be something out there for somepony who is strong and nimble. There just has to be."

"You're right." Misty's lips arced into a smile. "There is another option out there for me if this doesn't work out. I know it!"

"That's the spirit!" The two ponies shook hooves enthusiastically. "If you need to talk to someone, I'll usually be at the Golden Sun Cafe in Ponyville from nine to five."

"Thank you!" Misty's forelegs wrapped around Ocean Current in a warm embrace. "I hope we meet again."

"Same here."

Ocean Current's smile widened and he then replied with a hug of his own. After a few seconds, the two let go of each other and trotted in different directions. Misty looked back at Ocean Current and smiled. She then turned her attention back to the gate and noticed it budge slightly.

Screech!

The gate opened and Misty Fly, with a group of other ponies behind her, entered the dimly lit hallway as everything around them was merely a dark, emotionless gray. Misty kept trotting along the cobbled floor, her hooves making clicking noises for every step she took. At the far end was a bright light that grew as Misty trotted further along. After a surprisingly long time, she departed the hallway and reached the other side, her eyes squinting upon returning to the outside world.

Misty's pupils dilated upon regaining her eyesight. The roads were filled with ponies of all colors and kinds, trotting along shoulder to shoulder. A constant buzz of chatter echoed in the streets. To Misty, some of the conversations were audible while others were simply loud noises. On the far sides of the streets, shopkeepers in buildings selling all sorts of goods sold their products to the seemingly endless lines of paying customers on the other side.

Taking a small step forwards, Misty immediately found herself trotting unconsciously, as she became just another part of the river made out of ponies. Turning her head left and right, she frantically searched for the street sign that would guide her to her destination. Misty's lips frowned and her body shuddered the longer she trotted as the crowd became tighter and tighter, seemingly ignoring the dimensions of the road.

After four minutes of being a part of a claustrophobic's worst nightmare, Misty spotted a sign off to the left side titled 14th N. She casually moved to the left and upon completing her left turn, she escaped the chaos and was now in a much quieter part of Canterlot. Misty paused and took a deep breath, and for every step she took afterwards, the noises of the crowd grew quieter until they were only a whisper.

The narrow street had a number of run down buildings off to the side. It was an eyesore for those who highly adored architectural beauty, but Misty could see from the dark, sturdy construction that the buildings were at least doing what they were designed to. Spotting a complex with a dimly lit sign reading Canterlot Gym off to her left, she pushed the red door open.

Creak!

Misty tilted her head slightly once she entered. The front room sparkled with a glowing sheen as not a speck of dust resided anywhere in the room. Large, red couches off to the side that looked like beanbags beckoned to be sat on. Misty also noticed two ponies sinking into the couch. One was a magenta unicorn tapping her hoof against the floor and sitting right next to her was a white behemoth that was in the general shape of a stallion, but his muscles bulged out so much that they looked like they could explode.

Misty trotted inside and sat on the empty part of the couch next to the muscular stallion. Despite having plenty of room to wiggle around if she so desired, Misty felt as though she'd fall off if the stallion so much as budged an inch. Her head lifted upwards and her eyes focused on the stallion's large chin.

"Um, hello," Misty said meekly. "What's your name?"

"Bulk Biceps!" the stallion shouted, his voice echoing in the room.

Misty quivered slightly, nearly falling off of the couch. "Um, I'm Misty Fly. It's nice to meet you."

The magenta unicorn got off of the couch and trotted to Misty with a slight smile. "I may as well introduce myself since we're here. I'm Amethyst Star. Some ponies call me Sparkler, so I'll answer to either name."

"Sparkler." Misty Fly leaned over towards Amethyst Star. "I remember hearing that name in one of my history classes when I was younger."

Amethyst stretched her body and cleared her throat. "Some ponies think I have some similarities to the Sparkler you're thinking of, hence the second name."

"That's really interesting."

"Anyway, what brings you here?"

Misty's lips formed a slight smile. "Well, the Royal Guard will let me become one of their members if I pass Iron Will's course. That's pretty much it."

Amethyst's eyes shimmered. "That's amazing! I'm taking Iron Will's class too! I want to become a more confident mare, and I saw an advertisement for this program that would help me."

"I hope things work out for you."

"Thanks. I hope things go well for you too." Amethyst Star shifted her eyes to Bulk Biceps, gazing straight ahead. "What brings you here, Bulk Biceps?"

"I want to become strong!" Bulk Biceps shouted. Misty Fly and Amethyst Star simultaneously recoiled slightly and quickly regained their composure.

"I wish you the best of luck, but it wouldn't hurt to work on your tone of voice."

"Sorry," Bulk Biceps whispered.

"It's okay," said Misty. She looked around the room and noticed nobody else was present. "By the way, where is Iron Will?"

The three ponies were interrupted by a loud thud. Turning their attention to the source of the noise, they spotted a tall, blue minotaur that barged through one of the doors. He had a muscular physique and a manilla folder in his left hand. A smile that revealed his teeth adorned his face. Some of his teeth were naturally white and some of them were gold, but all were shining brightly.

"I'm Iron Will!" the minotaur cried triumphantly. "Welcome to Iron Will's class!"