The Remarkable Rarity

“Now Twilight, are you sure you have everything you need?”

“Yes, Coco.”

“Textbook, check. Pens, check. Lunch, check. Notebooks, check. Very good, Twilight. You’re all set for your first day of magic kindergarden. Aren’t you excited!” Coco Pommel clopped her hooves together with a sickeningly saccharine smile after placing her completed checklist into her apron.

“Oh yes I’m positively bursting with excitement. I can’t wait to be surrounded by imbecilic foals who couldn’t tell a levitation spell apart from the crayons shoved up their nostrils.”

“Oh cheer up Twilight. It’ll be fun. You’ll finally make some friends and get out of the house. Oh my, you ought to bring some extra ink. Oh look there’s a bottle right here on your desk.” Coco Pommel used her mouth to pick up my ink as earth ponies are wont to do. Back when I was a filly, I was always revolted by how earth ponies had to rely on their mouths so much. I could not comprehend how anypony could stand being so debased as to not possess magic.

Unfortunately, Smarty Pants chose that moment to manifest on the floor in front of Coco. Her front left hoof stepped on my childhood doll and caused her to slip. The unfastened lid took to the skies, or I suppose the ceiling of the bedroom of my youth, as ink lanced across the immense void between Coco and I.

Ink defaced my freshly groomed coat and well-ironed school uniform. In a tantrum rage, I gave into my baser instincts. I marched up to Coco and struck her across the muzzle with as much force as an angry unicorn filly of five years could muster. The tip of my new horseshoes cut Coco’s muzzle and crimson droplets of blood began dripping down her face like tears.

I inhaled sharply in preparation to castigate my maidservant when my mother’s imposing shadow fell across the doorway.

“What happened?” she said emphasizing each word in a voice befitting the no-nonsense businessmare who had expanded my grand aunt's hardware business three-fold ever since she inherited it.

“Oh, Mrs. Sparkle we just had a little accident here with some ink.” Coco Pommel held her hoof to her nose, trying to stem the blood leaking languorously from it. “It’s no trouble at all; I’ll have young Twilight here cleaned up in a jiff and off to school before you know it.”

“ Coco, go clean yourself up. I will handle Twilight.”

“Yes Mrs. Sparkle. I’ll be right on that.” Coco bowed her head before leaving.

“Mother, I -” my mother’s stern look silenced me at once.

“Whenever you feel like criticizing any pony,” she told me, “just remember that all the ponies in Equestria haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” And with that, she turned around and departed my room.

I sighed and slipped off my unused saddlebags, letting them fall to the floor.