Introspectionby ChucklesMcJingleberryChaptersRarity : NarrowmindedRainbowdash : BelongingFluttershy : DependencyTwilight : ForesightRarity : NarrowmindedRarity stood over the flames, looking longingly at her own work she destroyed herself. If only she had given it a second chance but a few moments earlier, this wouldn't have happened. If only she looked at it in a different light. She had put so much effort into it, and when it came out, it was the most hideous thing she had ever seen. It had been inspired by a walk through the Everfree Forest. The bottom of it was dirty brown, and the sides were all dark green with silver lines running through, to represent the ancient trees that loomed over the entire forest, and it extended over the head into a hood, deep dark purple, to represent the cool, lightless nights that blanketed the forest. It was meant to be exotic, meant to be a step into an entirely new kind of fashion, but instead it had ended ugly, it was disgusting and she hated it for daring to exist. She watched, spitefully as the fabric floated down into the flames. She stared at it, apathetic as to whether it would survive, she simply didn't want anything like that to have her seal on it. The shadows flickered around it, and she gazed impassively. Then suddenly, she found herself awestruck. The colors shown on the world around the fire, casting a beautiful scene, it was like she was watching life, frozen in time, a moment that would never happen again. The silver etching looked like the blood of life, flowing through the green leaves, the brown, sturdy and strong, representing the dependability and strength it takes to survive, while the dark purple represented the fragility of life, the ease with which it could slip away. This was a new perception for rarity, never before had she based her designs off of something so rough and ugly on the surface, for she had always focused on the elegance of Canterlot society, the ingenuity of Manehattan, the rustic feel of Ponyville, and the intricate complexity of the personality of her clients. Taking this into account, it was understandable that the beauty that could be found in her more recent work was an alien thing to her, seemingly incomprehensible from her usual perspective, this was a situation in which a second look was required. If she hadn't learned that lesson before with Zecora, she most certainly learned it now, for this was something like her own child, made with care, and it was beautiful. Not only that, but she had destroyed it. She now felt sorrow for her mistake, but what's done is done. Even now, the light show she had been momently treated to was dissolving into nothing more than red flickering lights. Rarity briefly considered the fact that maybe she didn't really hate the dress, and was simply looking for an opportunity to set something that wasn't Sweetiebelle on fire... She walked home slowly, still pondering why that thought came to her. Rainbowdash : BelongingRainbowdash stood at the balcony of her cloud home, looking out over ponyville. She tried to look farther, but the rest of the world was beyond her sight, blocked by the horizon. For most ponies, this would be a problem, but not for her. She had strong lungs, and they could hold her over in the thin air of the stratosphere. She immediately began soaring up into the sky, above clouds and through thermals. Eventually, there were only thin wisps of cloud around her, and so she slowed her ascent, working hard to hold herself in place. She looked down over Equestria, and was awestruck. Through the many holes in the clouds she could see the ponies working their lives away, oblivious to her watching them. She could sit up here and enjoy the warmth of the sun against her skin, she could see the most beautiful sights in the world, and these ponies were stuck on the ground. They didn't know what they were missing out on. Why should she ever go back down? She could stay up here forever. Rainbowdash was entertaining these thoughts when through one of the holes in the clouds she saw Applejack, bucking apples and working hard. She then considered, if she were to stay up here, would she ever be able to maintain her friendship with AJ? She then saw Rarity and Fluttershy walking through the street. Rainbowdash knew Fluttershy's wings were too weak to bring her up this far, so that is two of her closest friends that she would never be able to see. She then began thinking of the others, Pinkie Pie and Twilight, and Rarity as well, they would be lost to her forever, were she to abandon the earth and soar through the clouds forever. Could she bear this? Could she live her life in pleasure with five empty places in her heart? She didn;t think she could. She slowly began to glide down, taking a last long look at the sky before she gently tilted downward and sped to the ground. She landed in the square of ponyville, and this was the last strand of that thought before she ended it and continued with her life. While her body may urge her to free herself from the land, this is where her friends were, this is where her heart was, and this is where she belonged. She could occasionally visit the higher areas of sky in her free time, but they would never be her home. Fluttershy : DependencyFluttershy sat there, looking over her animals. They played with one another, occasionally forming groups that would go on their little adventures. It was amusing to watch, and it comforted her to know her animal friends were safe in her home. But how safe were they really? She could provide them food and shelter from the elements, but could she ever protect them from anything? No, she didn't think she could, she was so helpless, so weak. A dainty little flower like her, whatever could she do to protect someone she cared about? All she had was a hut and food, things that her animals could get without her. It was slowly dawning on her that her animals didn't really need her. But, why were they here then? Could it be that she was forcing them to stay? Conditioning them to have a psychological need to have her around them? Another question came to her mind, did she need them? Was it not out of generosity, but rather desperation that Fluttershy kept these animals around? Why did she even care about them? Did she even? Maybe she was simply using them for company, but that didn't make sense. She had plenty of friends, they were never mean to her, never hurt her feelings, or at least not on purpose. Weren't they enough for her? Was she just being selfish? Fluttershy couldn't help but wonder. All this wondering was making her sad, and she couldn't help but tear up at it. It was then that she noticed her animals had stopped playing, and were looking at her with concern, even Angle Bunny, who had always put the air of being independent on, was looking at her with worried eyes. Why? Why did they care about it? "Eep!" Fluttershy started with surprise when she found herself being picked up, and was immediately pulled into a hug by a bear, and she softly cried into his bear chest. It didn't matter why they cared about her, what matter was that they did, and she loved them to. It wasn't selfishness that led her to bring all these animals together into her house, it was affection. She had a lot of affection to give, but not enough people to give it to. Sure there were the ponies of Ponyville, but she couldn't bring herself to approach most people. This was her way of sharing with the world her surplus of good fortune, her way of making the world a better place. So what if it benefits her to? That isn't a bad thing at all. Fluttershy looked up to the bear with a smile, and he let go. She went back to her animals and took them all out to play in the front yard. And so they sat, unaware of the eyes probing them from the forest. Twilight : ForesightTwilight and Spike were sitting at the edge of Ponyville. It had been many years since they had returned the elements to the Tree of Harmony, and Spike had grown very large: too large to keep in Ponyville anymore. The old breed of ponies had died out mostly, Twilight was now a much taller and wizened alicorn. Spike lay next to her, much larger than the hill they sat on. This was likely the last time they would see each other, Spike too large to walk through ponyville at all, Twilight maturing but immortal, and Cadence not existing because she is nothing more than a mistake on the cannon of MLP and has been removed from time and space by the universe. Twilight shed a tear, she was going to miss her number one assistant. Four of the other mane six were dead, except Pinkie, who didn't seem to age at all. It didn't matter, Pinkie doesn't need to make sense. This was the last person she had left from her childhood, everyone else was dead except for Celestia and Pinkie, and she was about to lose him. "Don't be sad Twilight, I promise I will come to visit. We can meet a few times a year and we will stay friends." Twilight was silent, she couldn't bring herself to speak. How couldn't she? This was the last time she would ever see her baby dragon, and she didn't have anything to say? How dare she! She was hating herself for not being able to say goodbye. She watched, tearing up as Spike walked away, he disappeared into the distance, the setting sun's glorious light enveloping him and hiding him from view. Twilight awoke, tearing up and breathing heavily. She looked over to see her number one assistant still asleep in his little cot, and she smiled. It was a sad smile, the kind that says nothing bad has happened yet, but it is inevitable and must happen sooner or later. She was going to out live him, and her heart hurt just thinking about it. She sighed a heavy sigh, and went back to sleep. Still leaking a tiny flow of tears.
Rarity : NarrowmindedRarity stood over the flames, looking longingly at her own work she destroyed herself. If only she had given it a second chance but a few moments earlier, this wouldn't have happened. If only she looked at it in a different light. She had put so much effort into it, and when it came out, it was the most hideous thing she had ever seen. It had been inspired by a walk through the Everfree Forest. The bottom of it was dirty brown, and the sides were all dark green with silver lines running through, to represent the ancient trees that loomed over the entire forest, and it extended over the head into a hood, deep dark purple, to represent the cool, lightless nights that blanketed the forest. It was meant to be exotic, meant to be a step into an entirely new kind of fashion, but instead it had ended ugly, it was disgusting and she hated it for daring to exist. She watched, spitefully as the fabric floated down into the flames. She stared at it, apathetic as to whether it would survive, she simply didn't want anything like that to have her seal on it. The shadows flickered around it, and she gazed impassively. Then suddenly, she found herself awestruck. The colors shown on the world around the fire, casting a beautiful scene, it was like she was watching life, frozen in time, a moment that would never happen again. The silver etching looked like the blood of life, flowing through the green leaves, the brown, sturdy and strong, representing the dependability and strength it takes to survive, while the dark purple represented the fragility of life, the ease with which it could slip away. This was a new perception for rarity, never before had she based her designs off of something so rough and ugly on the surface, for she had always focused on the elegance of Canterlot society, the ingenuity of Manehattan, the rustic feel of Ponyville, and the intricate complexity of the personality of her clients. Taking this into account, it was understandable that the beauty that could be found in her more recent work was an alien thing to her, seemingly incomprehensible from her usual perspective, this was a situation in which a second look was required. If she hadn't learned that lesson before with Zecora, she most certainly learned it now, for this was something like her own child, made with care, and it was beautiful. Not only that, but she had destroyed it. She now felt sorrow for her mistake, but what's done is done. Even now, the light show she had been momently treated to was dissolving into nothing more than red flickering lights. Rarity briefly considered the fact that maybe she didn't really hate the dress, and was simply looking for an opportunity to set something that wasn't Sweetiebelle on fire... She walked home slowly, still pondering why that thought came to her.
Rainbowdash : BelongingRainbowdash stood at the balcony of her cloud home, looking out over ponyville. She tried to look farther, but the rest of the world was beyond her sight, blocked by the horizon. For most ponies, this would be a problem, but not for her. She had strong lungs, and they could hold her over in the thin air of the stratosphere. She immediately began soaring up into the sky, above clouds and through thermals. Eventually, there were only thin wisps of cloud around her, and so she slowed her ascent, working hard to hold herself in place. She looked down over Equestria, and was awestruck. Through the many holes in the clouds she could see the ponies working their lives away, oblivious to her watching them. She could sit up here and enjoy the warmth of the sun against her skin, she could see the most beautiful sights in the world, and these ponies were stuck on the ground. They didn't know what they were missing out on. Why should she ever go back down? She could stay up here forever. Rainbowdash was entertaining these thoughts when through one of the holes in the clouds she saw Applejack, bucking apples and working hard. She then considered, if she were to stay up here, would she ever be able to maintain her friendship with AJ? She then saw Rarity and Fluttershy walking through the street. Rainbowdash knew Fluttershy's wings were too weak to bring her up this far, so that is two of her closest friends that she would never be able to see. She then began thinking of the others, Pinkie Pie and Twilight, and Rarity as well, they would be lost to her forever, were she to abandon the earth and soar through the clouds forever. Could she bear this? Could she live her life in pleasure with five empty places in her heart? She didn;t think she could. She slowly began to glide down, taking a last long look at the sky before she gently tilted downward and sped to the ground. She landed in the square of ponyville, and this was the last strand of that thought before she ended it and continued with her life. While her body may urge her to free herself from the land, this is where her friends were, this is where her heart was, and this is where she belonged. She could occasionally visit the higher areas of sky in her free time, but they would never be her home.
Fluttershy : DependencyFluttershy sat there, looking over her animals. They played with one another, occasionally forming groups that would go on their little adventures. It was amusing to watch, and it comforted her to know her animal friends were safe in her home. But how safe were they really? She could provide them food and shelter from the elements, but could she ever protect them from anything? No, she didn't think she could, she was so helpless, so weak. A dainty little flower like her, whatever could she do to protect someone she cared about? All she had was a hut and food, things that her animals could get without her. It was slowly dawning on her that her animals didn't really need her. But, why were they here then? Could it be that she was forcing them to stay? Conditioning them to have a psychological need to have her around them? Another question came to her mind, did she need them? Was it not out of generosity, but rather desperation that Fluttershy kept these animals around? Why did she even care about them? Did she even? Maybe she was simply using them for company, but that didn't make sense. She had plenty of friends, they were never mean to her, never hurt her feelings, or at least not on purpose. Weren't they enough for her? Was she just being selfish? Fluttershy couldn't help but wonder. All this wondering was making her sad, and she couldn't help but tear up at it. It was then that she noticed her animals had stopped playing, and were looking at her with concern, even Angle Bunny, who had always put the air of being independent on, was looking at her with worried eyes. Why? Why did they care about it? "Eep!" Fluttershy started with surprise when she found herself being picked up, and was immediately pulled into a hug by a bear, and she softly cried into his bear chest. It didn't matter why they cared about her, what matter was that they did, and she loved them to. It wasn't selfishness that led her to bring all these animals together into her house, it was affection. She had a lot of affection to give, but not enough people to give it to. Sure there were the ponies of Ponyville, but she couldn't bring herself to approach most people. This was her way of sharing with the world her surplus of good fortune, her way of making the world a better place. So what if it benefits her to? That isn't a bad thing at all. Fluttershy looked up to the bear with a smile, and he let go. She went back to her animals and took them all out to play in the front yard. And so they sat, unaware of the eyes probing them from the forest.
Twilight : ForesightTwilight and Spike were sitting at the edge of Ponyville. It had been many years since they had returned the elements to the Tree of Harmony, and Spike had grown very large: too large to keep in Ponyville anymore. The old breed of ponies had died out mostly, Twilight was now a much taller and wizened alicorn. Spike lay next to her, much larger than the hill they sat on. This was likely the last time they would see each other, Spike too large to walk through ponyville at all, Twilight maturing but immortal, and Cadence not existing because she is nothing more than a mistake on the cannon of MLP and has been removed from time and space by the universe. Twilight shed a tear, she was going to miss her number one assistant. Four of the other mane six were dead, except Pinkie, who didn't seem to age at all. It didn't matter, Pinkie doesn't need to make sense. This was the last person she had left from her childhood, everyone else was dead except for Celestia and Pinkie, and she was about to lose him. "Don't be sad Twilight, I promise I will come to visit. We can meet a few times a year and we will stay friends." Twilight was silent, she couldn't bring herself to speak. How couldn't she? This was the last time she would ever see her baby dragon, and she didn't have anything to say? How dare she! She was hating herself for not being able to say goodbye. She watched, tearing up as Spike walked away, he disappeared into the distance, the setting sun's glorious light enveloping him and hiding him from view. Twilight awoke, tearing up and breathing heavily. She looked over to see her number one assistant still asleep in his little cot, and she smiled. It was a sad smile, the kind that says nothing bad has happened yet, but it is inevitable and must happen sooner or later. She was going to out live him, and her heart hurt just thinking about it. She sighed a heavy sigh, and went back to sleep. Still leaking a tiny flow of tears.
