The Garden of Loveby KirakinaChaptersGarden Of LoveThe Willow TreeThe Willow SeedGarden Of LoveTwilight sparkle slowly walked up the tower thinking about the day before when she had seen him, the colt with the blue mane and the beautiful pure white coat. She did not even know what his mane was all she knew was she thought she loved him, well as much as s foal could love. She sighed, “What is love anyway…” Twilight finally reached her bedroom, the books neatly scattered all about and the bed covers smooshed up to make some semblance of being made. She smiled as her eyes fell on her best friend in the whole of Equestria, Smarty Pants. The doll her brother had so lovingly made for her when she had moved away from their home in lower Canterlot. That day was full of hugs and kisses but mostly tears, her mother had told her that she would find a house closer but she had not yet. This was a hard time in Twilight's life, she was sure she loved the colt; she had given a nickname Blue. As twilight sat caught up in a web of dreams and memories playing with Smarty Princess Celestia flew in the open window. She had sensed the tension in her new student and worried it would make her upset. Therefore, she flew in to see what was wrong “Twilight? Is everything ok?” said the beautiful white form from behind the small purple filly. Twilight jumped as she had not noticed her mentor come in. she turned to look at her mentor when all of a sudden her mouth ran away from her, “Princess what is love? Have you been in love PLEASE tell me?” Celestia giggled and said, “I’ve been alive for a long time Twilight you sure you want to hear the tale of my first love? “PLEASE PRINCESS!” squealed Twilight The Princess sighed a little and let out a chuckled “Alright if you insist, I suppose it’s alright. It happened on a day much like today …” FLASHBACK: It was a sunny day, Celestia , the newly crowned the Princess well the dual Princess of Equestria along with her sister, had just raised the sun for only the third time in her young life. She was not much older than twilight. She decided to take a rest in the gardens below the castle, raising the sun took a lot out of her. That was when she saw him, the dark grey colt studying in the archives. He was sitting in the window of the archives that overlooked the garden, his white cloud like mane floating dreamily around his softly chiseled jaw. He read a tome that was so large she could see part of it from her vantage point in the garden. END OF FLASHBACK The princess looked down at her protégé, “Twilight are you sure you want to really hear about a silly fillies crush?” Twilight looked up at the princess and gasped “Oh yes Princess!” she looked away quickly as she gathered her thoughts, “Princess, who is this colt? Please tell me?” Celestia laughed, “Well twilight you wanted to hear this story, so you’ll have to wait until the end of the story.” The filly groaned with impatience. Celestia laughed and winked at the impatient little purple unicorn in front of her. “Well shall I continue?” she said smiling at her little student “Yes please!” CONTINUING FLASHBACK The colt looked down and she blushed profusely. She shyly looked at the trellis of roses that trailed up the wall of the towers, the navy blue petals intertwining with the pink. She glanced up towards the window where the colt was. It was not the colt that caught her eye this time, it was the pure white roses that were shaped like clouds, and she supposed it was magic that made them grow like that. The roses made her blush a little, they reminded her of the colt with the cloudlike mane. She jumped and her eyes darted up to the window. He was gone; the beautiful colt of her dreams was gone. “You stupid filly Cele, you lost him!” she thought disappointed. With a sigh, the soft pink filly got to her hooves and turned to go to her bed, to wallow in her self-pity. As she moved to take off to fly up to the little tower, window that led to her room she bumped into something soft and grey…. and had white cloudy hair. “Oh my I’m sorry!” “No I’m sorry Princess; I just came to speak to you actually.” Said the grey colt smiling warmly at the filly before him. Celestia gasped and blushed so hard she thought her coat would surely stain. She looked away “um... w-what did you want to talk about?” Oh goodness he is so close to me and I ran into him RAN into HIM! I am so embarrassed! If I could only learn how to look before I walk, I would not have ruined any chance I had with him. But he is gorgeous, and he is obviously smart. And oh that’s right he wanted to talk to me! Celestia shook her head and pulled herself out of the little inner monolog that she had going, “Sorry got caught up in a thought there, what would you like to talk about again?” The grey colt looked at Celestia “Well Princess I wanted to ask you why you were looking at my window?” Celestia scrambled for an excuse “ I-I-I was looking at those beautiful flowers over on the trellis!” she half shouted from nerves. “The ones shaped like clouds?” “Yes, those ones. I wonder how anypony made them look like that. It must be so hard to get them to grow in just those areas.” Celestia guessed. The grey colt chuckled a little bit, “Well princess it’s not had in fact I am the one who grew them.” He said with a touch of pride in his work. Celestia’s mouth gaped a bit. “How do you do that?” Celestia gasped. The colt with the white cloudy mane lead her over to the tower and showed her how he used his magic to nip and cut the buds and the vines into patterns that so resembled the clouds that floated above. END FLASHBACK Celestia looked down at her beloved student, “The colt and I spent much of our time in that garden, we found something we both loved to do. Even though our love never blossomed into a courtship we found the deepest friendship I have ever had besides you my dear Twilight.” Twilight sighed and looked out her window towards the archives. She had always loved the view from her room. It looked directly into the Starswirl The Bearded wing, the same wing she noticed had pure white roses growing in the shape…of clouds she realized. She jumped as she derived a conclusion, she turned back. “Princess? Were you in love with Starswirl?” “Yes Twilight, I loved him more than the sun itself but he didn’t feel the same way.” Celestia said sadly. Tears welled up in Twilight’s eyes. Celestia noticed this and quickly said, “Don’t cry twilight! If I hadn’t looked up that day and caught his eye he would have never helped me learn about myself, about how I should treat my subjects, and about how I should treat my close friends.” Celestia reached her wing around her young student. “You should go find your friend and see if you have something in common.” She winked at the purple pony ad the little filly looked up in awe. “How did you know?” Celestia smiled and said “Remember twilight even though it was a long time ago I was your age.” At that Twilight jumped up off the bed, she smiled back at the princess as she bounced out the door off to find Blue. Celestia smiled as she saw her student exit the room. She looked out the window and lovingly looked at the roses she and her Star had grown together. She opened her wings and floated down to the bench in the garden where it all began. She sighed and looked up to the window where she first saw her first love. Celestia sighed sadly, “For as long as these roses live so shall my love for you Star…” a tear slipped down her cheek as she laid her head down in the garden so aptly named the garden of love. FIN The Willow TreeTwilight went crashing down her staircase. This was unusual for her as she was a cautious young filly who always took her time to do everything perfectly. She treated her life with a gentle curiosity of a mare five times her age. She never wanted to miss anything. As she went down the staircase with all the cautiousness of a Minotaur in a china shop she tripped, Falling Tumbling Scraping “TWILIGHT?!” she heard a scream before she was surrounded in a hot pink bubble. Moondancer her favorite teacher caught her and gently put her down in the little alcove that she was standing in before the little filly could hurt herself more or worse break her horn in half. Moondancer sighed and looked at her favorite student from her “Equestria History and Accounting” class. “Twi, were you attempting to try to fly using magic again?” She shook her head and sighed, “What did the princess say about this the last two times you tried this?” “I wasn’t trying to fly Mrs. Dancer! I was looking for the new colt in class; he has a blue mane and white coat. Have you seen him?” said the purple filly nursing her brusing shoulder. “Ummm... could you be more specific Twi? Do you know what his name starts with or his cutie mark?” “He had three golden crowns on his flank!” Moondancer giggled as she saw the look of a young filly in the grasp of infatuation, “Oh you must mean Fancypants, he’s out in the courtyard, see?” Moondancer pointed out the opening. Twilight ran to the railing sticking her head though an opening below, she saw the young colt resting in the grass by himself under a rather beautiful willow tree. “Ummm Mrs.Moondancer….” Twilight whispered as she tried to pull her head back, blushing at her own stupidity. “Oh twilight what am I going to do with you!” Laughed Moondancer as she gently pried Twilights head out of the railing, “Go find your little colt-friend then silly-filly.” Moondancer smiled as her favorite little purple filly quickly, yet more carefully this time, ran down to the courtyard. When Twilight reached the ground floor and stepped into the courtyard she heard the faint sounds of somepony sniffling. Twilight rounded the corner and came to the great willow; beneath the beautiful tree, hiding in its branches was Fancy. “Um hello?” called Twilight, not wanting to intrude on him if he was not ready to talk. “Come to poke fun Fancy-weirdeye?” shouted a young sounding colt Twilight parted the branches of pink flowers of the willow tree with her magic and walked into the little cave they made. In that little cave lay the colt she was looking for. He looked horrible, his eyes were red, and tears were flowing freely from them. She looked into those beautiful blue eyes, noticing they were slightly crossed. Without thinking, she reached out a hoof towards his face. Fancy flinched as though she was going to hit him. “Shhh” she cooed, “I’m not here to make fun of you. I actually came to talk to you, Fancy.” Her heart breaking at the sight of such a beautiful colt hurting so deeply. Twilight wiped away the tears from his face. “Your Twilight right? Why would you want to be seen with a cross-eyed freak like me...?” “You’re not a freak.” She smiled at him, “Who told you that?” Fancy sighed as more tears began to flow he motioned for Twilight to rest next to him. “It’s a long story... FLASHBACK: “FREAK, your no foal of mine! ALL of my foals are PERFECT!” Screeched Sparkler, this was normal for Fancy. Just your everyday rant his mother gave him when he came home. “GET OUT OF HERE YOU FREAK OF NATURE! GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM!” he waited for it. WHAM there it was, his mother just kicked him in the rump, he was so used to it now he did not even feel it anymore. He did not dare stand up for himself or tell her that she was his mother; it would only prove to make her more hysterical. Ever since the accident that had killed his father his mother had slowly been losing her mind. She had to keep everything perfect. Their home was spotless, her coat was spotless, and nothing had been moved since that day. The table was even still set for Hearthswarming eve dinner. His mother constantly whipped down the plates and told herself he was only a little way away, and, would be home any minuet. Of course, Fancy knew his father was never coming home. He had tried a few times to explain to her that he was gone. Of course, that only made things worse. He finally gave up when his mother had threatened him with a knife saying that he was a murderer and a freak. Moreover, that he was the reason his father had died. That he should have been killed instead because he was a freak. There were glimpses of his mother now and then when she would be dazed and ask him where the bruises came from. Concerned that he was being beaten up at school, and to tell her so that she could tell his father when he came home, she would tell him that she loved him even though his eyes were not perfect. She would hug him and kiss him and they would sit together and read his favorite stories, but that never lasted long. Like today... “Hello mother...” Fancy expected his mother to start screaming as soon as he entered the house. “Hello my darling Fancy!” his mother gushed scooping him up in a hug. Fancy struggled “Oh Celestia she’s going to strangle me today!” he thought, then he looked down. His mother was smiling. She was having one of her lucid days. Fancy smiled, she was his mom today. His heart leapt for joy, maybe she was back to normal finally? “Mom how are you feeling today?” snuggling into her coat for the first time in ages. She smelled as if she had been baking a cake. “I’m wonderful Fan-Fan! Come into the kitchen and ill cut you some cake!” she dropped him gently and skipped into the kitchen. Fancy was so happy he almost cried. His mother was back, he would not have to hide anymore when he came home. He would not have to lock and bar his door at night. His mommy was back! Sparkler was humming quietly as she pulled the cake out of the cupboard and grabbed a knife to cut it. Fancy, grinning ear to ear, sat down at the table where the dusty plates were. His mother levitated the cake over to him, and then it happened. She snapped. “WHO ARE YOU TO SIT AT MY TABLE!” she threw the cake at him. Fancy jumped and looked at his mother. “Mommy, you told me to sit here… you made cake for us.” He half whimpered. His mother ran towards him with the knife Fancy made a break for the door only managing to get out with a searing cut on his flank, right across his cutie mark. The one she had helped him earn. He started crying before he hit the door. He could handle the teasing at school; they only called him names there. However, here, here was where he had been hurt the deepest, his mother had broken him. END FLASHBACK: Twilight looked at the sobbing colt next to her. “Oh Fancy, why didn’t you say anything before this?” whispered Twilight gently nuzzling the poor broken colt. “I tried to, no one would listen. They all remember my mother from before the accident...” Fancy leaned into Twilight and sank into tears. Twilight hugged the poor little colt; she cradled his head in her lap. They sat there for a long time, his head in her lap and she holding him and cooing comforting words at him. Finally, he slipped into a tired broken slumber. Twilight noticed the cut on his flank. It was deep she had to help him. Gently she used her magic to stitch back the wound as best she could. He began to stir as she finished. “Twilight,” He said quietly, “I don’t want to go home. Please stay here with me?” he pleaded. Twilights thoughts raced, she did not know what to do. She could not stay in the yard all night they would surely catch a cold, he needed to be tended to. She did not know what to tell him to reassure him she would, could never leave his side; she loved this poor broken colt with all of her heart. He was her soul mate. “Twilight, please don’t leave me!” pleaded the poor white colt with the blood stained hip. Twilight knew there was only one way to reassure him she would never leave him again. She leaned over and kissed him. She kissed him and put all of her feelings in that single simply complex action. Fancy gasped with surprise, and then he gave in. Fancy knew he loved her now. She would always be there she was the other half of his heart and soul. She was what he needed. She was the twilight after a long day had passed. “Fancy, I will never ever leave you. Nothing matters anymore. I will ask the Princess to find your mother a home and you can move into my tower. There is a room near mine that is empty. You’ll never be broken again.” Twilight nudged the colt onto his feet. His hind leg giving out with the pain of his cut. Twilight caught him as he fell; she moved to his side and helped him up the stairs. She would write a letter to the princess as soon as he fell asleep, that is if she did not already know the whole story somehow. She always seemed to know what was up with twilight. As they reached her room she helped him into the bed, he was already half-asleep due to the emotional strain of the day. She tucked her poor life mate into her bed. “Thanks Twily, I love you” Said the weary white and blue form in her bed. No one ever called her Twily except for her brother she thought, she decided it would be ok for him to use that name now too since he meant almost as much to her as her brother. “I love you too Fanc. Try to get some sleep while I write to the Princess ok?” She smiled as she floated over her favorite toy, the one this morning that had comforted her with the odd feelings she had had this morning, Smarty Pants to the bed. Fancy looked at the toy in wonderment. “Who’s this Twily?” he asked as he reached out for the comfort of the toy and snuggled it deep into his chest. “This is Smarty Pants,” Fancy giggled at the name and gave her a sly look, “Don’t make fun of her she’s been my best friend forever, my brother gave me her when I was just a baby. She likes to do her homework and she even has a quill and note pad!” Twilight levitated the things towards the bed and set them on the nightstand. “But she has one special power. She will listen to you no matter what and won’t say a word in judgment about you.” Twilight smiled as she continued “neither will I Fancy, I’ll listen to everything you have to say, forever.” she leaned down and kissed Fancy, “I love you.” “I love you too.” Said the colt whose heart had been broken and repaired on less than one day by two mares he cared about. One who would always be a part of him and the other who would always be not only a part of him but always with him. Twilight turned to her desk, Dear Princess Celestia, Today I found the part of me that was missing…. The Willow Seed“…So from now on I, Princess Celestia ruler of Equestria, will emancipate the colt known as “Fancypants” from his mother as she is no longer in a fit mental state to care for him. As such, he is free to live in the castle and study under my tutelage alongside my faithful student Twilight Sparkle. Sincerely, Celestia Shingingstar, Ruler of Equestria” Celestia sighed as she signed her proclamation, her melancholy mood overwhelming her, that poor colt. His mother had gone mad with grief; he was alone in the world. His only bright spot was her pupil twilight. Celestia smiled, Twilight her faithful student had rescued the poor colt from himself on the horrible night when his mother had attacked him in a fit of grief rage. The white Alicorn mare looked out her window at the roses she was so familiar with. She missed her Starswirl so much. He had left his hoof print on her heart. “Why did he have to die so young?” “Because he loved you too much to let you go Cele…” A grass green arm curled around Celestia. She looked up into the bright violet eyes that had held her heart for a thousand years now. With tears in her eyes, she leaned into the smooth hide of the one being that had been there for her through everything. “I love you Cedric; you are the only being who understands what I’ve lived through...” “I love you too my dear, I wish I could help you more...” “It is enough to have you here to hold me Ceddie, can you please send this and to the head of the guard?” Celestia grasped the scroll in her gold magic and floated it and the scroll containing the removal of Fancy’s mother to a hospital up to her lover. “OH Gee I see how it is Cele, “Ceddie send this, Ceddie send that… OH CEDDIE?” Cedric winked at the mare of his heart. Green light filled the room. FLASHBACK: Celestia snuggled up close to her beloved; he was dead asleep, twitching slightly in his dreams. His grey coat sparkled with the rain. They had just escaped into the gazebo in the garden when the downpour started. Celestia had lit a fire in the fireplace when she was grabbed by her tail and pulled into a snuggle that smelled of fresh rain and damp earth. Starswirl always smelled of damp earth these days, he said he was working on something special for her in his lab. He had been working on it since that fateful day that she had shared her darkest fear and secret with her beloved. A few months ago: Celestia and Starswirl giggled as they watched the Pegasus foals bounce on the clouds above them. “Don’t you just wish you had one Cele?”Smiled Starswirl “Yeah, I wish we did…” Celestia sighed wistfully. Celestia tried her hardest to keep the lump in her throat and the tears forming in her eyes from being seen by her Starry. Her efforts were in vain. Star pulled the slightly larger mare close to him. “What’s wrong Beloved?” “It’s nothing darling. Don’t worry ok?” “Cele you are so bad at lying… tell me” Starswirl chuckled slightly. Celestia looked away from her beloved. Tears falling slightly. What if he leaves me… what if he thinks I am a freak, I cannot lose him. He wants foals so bad but I… “Celestia…” I cannot tell him he will not stay with me. “Celestia.” He will move on to some pony who can give him what he wants. “CELESTIA!” “HUH?! Wha?” Celestia jumped. “Celestia please tell me what’s wrong! You’re scaring me!” Starswirl pulled his lover close “You can tell me anything darling I will never let you go. You have my heart for as long as I live. You are my other half, my soul mate.” Celestia sighed and weighed her options; she looked to the sky for answers. She found nothing. Sighing she let her gaze roam. Her eyes fell on the roses that her lover tended so closely… “Star… do you really want foals... with me? “Yes Celestia I do want you to have foals with me, why?” Celestia's eyes returned to her lover. His eyes found hers and saw the light had gone out of them, frightened he asked. “Cele tell me, nothing that you could ever do or say will scare me off darling.” “Starry, I… I… I can’t have foals...” Celestia collapsed and sobbed into her lover’s mane. Shaking from sorrow and terror. Terror that he may leave her, terror he would think she was a freak, terror that she would be alone forever. “Is that all?” Celestia gasped, a grey hoof cupped her chin as her eyes met his. The kiss played on her lips as he reassured her. He broke the kiss pushing his forehead gently against hers. “Celestia you silly filly. That does not bother me. We can adopt if you wish. I said nothing you can ever say or do will ever cause me to run away.” Celestia’s heart soared. He did not care, he did not run, most of all he accepted her. “Cele, may I ask why you can’t?” Celestia gulped and tried to calm herself. “No one knows, we think it is because I am an Alicorn. My magic would be too strong for the foal. It would die before I could give birth…” Celestia sighed, “I do wish we could darling…” RETURN TO FLASHBACK: Lighting cracked across the sky. Starswirl jumped at the sound, Celestia kissed his cheek. “Still scared after all these years?” She chuckled. Her beloved had always been afraid of these storms. She on the other hoof loved them, especially when she could go flying in them. “Star would you like to see what I see when I fly in these storms? I can take you.” Star looked at Celestia with wide eyes full of excitement. “I can research the storm while you fly?” “Yes darling I’ll even take you inside the clouds if you want” Star nodded and clambered onto his lovers back. The flight only lasted a few minutes but it was the best time of Stars life. They touched down and he clambered off his lovers back. “Cele marry me. Please marry me?” Celestia gasped in surprise. She said the only thing that came to her mind. “What?” “I said marry me Cele!” “Of course!” The happy couple embraced. FLASHBACK END: Celestia nuzzled Cedric fondly. They cuddled in the gazebo like she had done so many years ago with Star. Cedric hugged Celestia and combed her mane with his claws. Even though he was a dragon, their love is true. “Celestia, what was the gift he was making you?” “It was a seed; he poured his very soul into it. In the end we never got to use it...” “What happened dearest?” “It was the year Discord came to Equestria, we were in the final battle against him…” FLASHBACK: “Discord you will never rule over my little ponies as long as I live!” “I will never let you touch Celestia!” Screamed Starswirl as he charged the draconequis Discord pointed at the charging unicorn as a lightning bolt of blue energy flew from his claw tip. Star easily redirected it and rammed the deity of chaos knocking him over the stairwell and onto the marble floor five hundred feet below. Star Teleported himself to the floor below as Celestia flew down to meet him, “Thank you my love,” She turned to confront discord, “You! I have had enough of your shenanigans. It is time I turned you to stone.” Celestia closed her eyes to concentrate. Discord took his opportunity to strike, grabbing a sword from the statue next to him he rammed forward. ZAP GASP “STARSWIRL!!” Discord cackled as he slowly turned to stone knowing he had gotten the last laugh. Starswirl fell to the floor the sword jutting out of his side. Celestia screamed in horror. “Star NO! Why did you do that?!” “Cele, I told you I would always protect you, I meant it. I am so sorry we never got to use my gift to you… it was a willow seed; the flowers will enable two ponies in love to have foals no matter what. I made this seed for you, I wanted to grant your wish, and I wanted to give you a foal of our own…” “Oh Star...please we still have so much time... don’t leave me alone. Please! Star don’t leave me… I love you.” “I love you to my darling.” Starswirl leaned up and kissed his beloved with the last of his strength and whispered, “I will wait for you my Darling” a tear fell across his cheek as his last breath escaped him. FLASHBACK END: “After his death I retrieved the seed and planted it in his memory, it is the very willow that grows in the garden today, it carries buds year round. They only blossom in the presence of true love.” Cedric smiled as he remembered the first time he had walked with Celestia in the garden, the willow had bloomed for them. “Celestia I love you” “I love you too Darling” Author's Note Man it has been forever but i finally got the gumption to write again i hope you enjoy it. i haven't really had anyone proof read it yet. but i wanted to get it out before the new year :) ENJOY
Garden Of LoveTwilight sparkle slowly walked up the tower thinking about the day before when she had seen him, the colt with the blue mane and the beautiful pure white coat. She did not even know what his mane was all she knew was she thought she loved him, well as much as s foal could love. She sighed, “What is love anyway…” Twilight finally reached her bedroom, the books neatly scattered all about and the bed covers smooshed up to make some semblance of being made. She smiled as her eyes fell on her best friend in the whole of Equestria, Smarty Pants. The doll her brother had so lovingly made for her when she had moved away from their home in lower Canterlot. That day was full of hugs and kisses but mostly tears, her mother had told her that she would find a house closer but she had not yet. This was a hard time in Twilight's life, she was sure she loved the colt; she had given a nickname Blue. As twilight sat caught up in a web of dreams and memories playing with Smarty Princess Celestia flew in the open window. She had sensed the tension in her new student and worried it would make her upset. Therefore, she flew in to see what was wrong “Twilight? Is everything ok?” said the beautiful white form from behind the small purple filly. Twilight jumped as she had not noticed her mentor come in. she turned to look at her mentor when all of a sudden her mouth ran away from her, “Princess what is love? Have you been in love PLEASE tell me?” Celestia giggled and said, “I’ve been alive for a long time Twilight you sure you want to hear the tale of my first love? “PLEASE PRINCESS!” squealed Twilight The Princess sighed a little and let out a chuckled “Alright if you insist, I suppose it’s alright. It happened on a day much like today …” FLASHBACK: It was a sunny day, Celestia , the newly crowned the Princess well the dual Princess of Equestria along with her sister, had just raised the sun for only the third time in her young life. She was not much older than twilight. She decided to take a rest in the gardens below the castle, raising the sun took a lot out of her. That was when she saw him, the dark grey colt studying in the archives. He was sitting in the window of the archives that overlooked the garden, his white cloud like mane floating dreamily around his softly chiseled jaw. He read a tome that was so large she could see part of it from her vantage point in the garden. END OF FLASHBACK The princess looked down at her protégé, “Twilight are you sure you want to really hear about a silly fillies crush?” Twilight looked up at the princess and gasped “Oh yes Princess!” she looked away quickly as she gathered her thoughts, “Princess, who is this colt? Please tell me?” Celestia laughed, “Well twilight you wanted to hear this story, so you’ll have to wait until the end of the story.” The filly groaned with impatience. Celestia laughed and winked at the impatient little purple unicorn in front of her. “Well shall I continue?” she said smiling at her little student “Yes please!” CONTINUING FLASHBACK The colt looked down and she blushed profusely. She shyly looked at the trellis of roses that trailed up the wall of the towers, the navy blue petals intertwining with the pink. She glanced up towards the window where the colt was. It was not the colt that caught her eye this time, it was the pure white roses that were shaped like clouds, and she supposed it was magic that made them grow like that. The roses made her blush a little, they reminded her of the colt with the cloudlike mane. She jumped and her eyes darted up to the window. He was gone; the beautiful colt of her dreams was gone. “You stupid filly Cele, you lost him!” she thought disappointed. With a sigh, the soft pink filly got to her hooves and turned to go to her bed, to wallow in her self-pity. As she moved to take off to fly up to the little tower, window that led to her room she bumped into something soft and grey…. and had white cloudy hair. “Oh my I’m sorry!” “No I’m sorry Princess; I just came to speak to you actually.” Said the grey colt smiling warmly at the filly before him. Celestia gasped and blushed so hard she thought her coat would surely stain. She looked away “um... w-what did you want to talk about?” Oh goodness he is so close to me and I ran into him RAN into HIM! I am so embarrassed! If I could only learn how to look before I walk, I would not have ruined any chance I had with him. But he is gorgeous, and he is obviously smart. And oh that’s right he wanted to talk to me! Celestia shook her head and pulled herself out of the little inner monolog that she had going, “Sorry got caught up in a thought there, what would you like to talk about again?” The grey colt looked at Celestia “Well Princess I wanted to ask you why you were looking at my window?” Celestia scrambled for an excuse “ I-I-I was looking at those beautiful flowers over on the trellis!” she half shouted from nerves. “The ones shaped like clouds?” “Yes, those ones. I wonder how anypony made them look like that. It must be so hard to get them to grow in just those areas.” Celestia guessed. The grey colt chuckled a little bit, “Well princess it’s not had in fact I am the one who grew them.” He said with a touch of pride in his work. Celestia’s mouth gaped a bit. “How do you do that?” Celestia gasped. The colt with the white cloudy mane lead her over to the tower and showed her how he used his magic to nip and cut the buds and the vines into patterns that so resembled the clouds that floated above. END FLASHBACK Celestia looked down at her beloved student, “The colt and I spent much of our time in that garden, we found something we both loved to do. Even though our love never blossomed into a courtship we found the deepest friendship I have ever had besides you my dear Twilight.” Twilight sighed and looked out her window towards the archives. She had always loved the view from her room. It looked directly into the Starswirl The Bearded wing, the same wing she noticed had pure white roses growing in the shape…of clouds she realized. She jumped as she derived a conclusion, she turned back. “Princess? Were you in love with Starswirl?” “Yes Twilight, I loved him more than the sun itself but he didn’t feel the same way.” Celestia said sadly. Tears welled up in Twilight’s eyes. Celestia noticed this and quickly said, “Don’t cry twilight! If I hadn’t looked up that day and caught his eye he would have never helped me learn about myself, about how I should treat my subjects, and about how I should treat my close friends.” Celestia reached her wing around her young student. “You should go find your friend and see if you have something in common.” She winked at the purple pony ad the little filly looked up in awe. “How did you know?” Celestia smiled and said “Remember twilight even though it was a long time ago I was your age.” At that Twilight jumped up off the bed, she smiled back at the princess as she bounced out the door off to find Blue. Celestia smiled as she saw her student exit the room. She looked out the window and lovingly looked at the roses she and her Star had grown together. She opened her wings and floated down to the bench in the garden where it all began. She sighed and looked up to the window where she first saw her first love. Celestia sighed sadly, “For as long as these roses live so shall my love for you Star…” a tear slipped down her cheek as she laid her head down in the garden so aptly named the garden of love. FIN
The Willow TreeTwilight went crashing down her staircase. This was unusual for her as she was a cautious young filly who always took her time to do everything perfectly. She treated her life with a gentle curiosity of a mare five times her age. She never wanted to miss anything. As she went down the staircase with all the cautiousness of a Minotaur in a china shop she tripped, Falling Tumbling Scraping “TWILIGHT?!” she heard a scream before she was surrounded in a hot pink bubble. Moondancer her favorite teacher caught her and gently put her down in the little alcove that she was standing in before the little filly could hurt herself more or worse break her horn in half. Moondancer sighed and looked at her favorite student from her “Equestria History and Accounting” class. “Twi, were you attempting to try to fly using magic again?” She shook her head and sighed, “What did the princess say about this the last two times you tried this?” “I wasn’t trying to fly Mrs. Dancer! I was looking for the new colt in class; he has a blue mane and white coat. Have you seen him?” said the purple filly nursing her brusing shoulder. “Ummm... could you be more specific Twi? Do you know what his name starts with or his cutie mark?” “He had three golden crowns on his flank!” Moondancer giggled as she saw the look of a young filly in the grasp of infatuation, “Oh you must mean Fancypants, he’s out in the courtyard, see?” Moondancer pointed out the opening. Twilight ran to the railing sticking her head though an opening below, she saw the young colt resting in the grass by himself under a rather beautiful willow tree. “Ummm Mrs.Moondancer….” Twilight whispered as she tried to pull her head back, blushing at her own stupidity. “Oh twilight what am I going to do with you!” Laughed Moondancer as she gently pried Twilights head out of the railing, “Go find your little colt-friend then silly-filly.” Moondancer smiled as her favorite little purple filly quickly, yet more carefully this time, ran down to the courtyard. When Twilight reached the ground floor and stepped into the courtyard she heard the faint sounds of somepony sniffling. Twilight rounded the corner and came to the great willow; beneath the beautiful tree, hiding in its branches was Fancy. “Um hello?” called Twilight, not wanting to intrude on him if he was not ready to talk. “Come to poke fun Fancy-weirdeye?” shouted a young sounding colt Twilight parted the branches of pink flowers of the willow tree with her magic and walked into the little cave they made. In that little cave lay the colt she was looking for. He looked horrible, his eyes were red, and tears were flowing freely from them. She looked into those beautiful blue eyes, noticing they were slightly crossed. Without thinking, she reached out a hoof towards his face. Fancy flinched as though she was going to hit him. “Shhh” she cooed, “I’m not here to make fun of you. I actually came to talk to you, Fancy.” Her heart breaking at the sight of such a beautiful colt hurting so deeply. Twilight wiped away the tears from his face. “Your Twilight right? Why would you want to be seen with a cross-eyed freak like me...?” “You’re not a freak.” She smiled at him, “Who told you that?” Fancy sighed as more tears began to flow he motioned for Twilight to rest next to him. “It’s a long story... FLASHBACK: “FREAK, your no foal of mine! ALL of my foals are PERFECT!” Screeched Sparkler, this was normal for Fancy. Just your everyday rant his mother gave him when he came home. “GET OUT OF HERE YOU FREAK OF NATURE! GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM!” he waited for it. WHAM there it was, his mother just kicked him in the rump, he was so used to it now he did not even feel it anymore. He did not dare stand up for himself or tell her that she was his mother; it would only prove to make her more hysterical. Ever since the accident that had killed his father his mother had slowly been losing her mind. She had to keep everything perfect. Their home was spotless, her coat was spotless, and nothing had been moved since that day. The table was even still set for Hearthswarming eve dinner. His mother constantly whipped down the plates and told herself he was only a little way away, and, would be home any minuet. Of course, Fancy knew his father was never coming home. He had tried a few times to explain to her that he was gone. Of course, that only made things worse. He finally gave up when his mother had threatened him with a knife saying that he was a murderer and a freak. Moreover, that he was the reason his father had died. That he should have been killed instead because he was a freak. There were glimpses of his mother now and then when she would be dazed and ask him where the bruises came from. Concerned that he was being beaten up at school, and to tell her so that she could tell his father when he came home, she would tell him that she loved him even though his eyes were not perfect. She would hug him and kiss him and they would sit together and read his favorite stories, but that never lasted long. Like today... “Hello mother...” Fancy expected his mother to start screaming as soon as he entered the house. “Hello my darling Fancy!” his mother gushed scooping him up in a hug. Fancy struggled “Oh Celestia she’s going to strangle me today!” he thought, then he looked down. His mother was smiling. She was having one of her lucid days. Fancy smiled, she was his mom today. His heart leapt for joy, maybe she was back to normal finally? “Mom how are you feeling today?” snuggling into her coat for the first time in ages. She smelled as if she had been baking a cake. “I’m wonderful Fan-Fan! Come into the kitchen and ill cut you some cake!” she dropped him gently and skipped into the kitchen. Fancy was so happy he almost cried. His mother was back, he would not have to hide anymore when he came home. He would not have to lock and bar his door at night. His mommy was back! Sparkler was humming quietly as she pulled the cake out of the cupboard and grabbed a knife to cut it. Fancy, grinning ear to ear, sat down at the table where the dusty plates were. His mother levitated the cake over to him, and then it happened. She snapped. “WHO ARE YOU TO SIT AT MY TABLE!” she threw the cake at him. Fancy jumped and looked at his mother. “Mommy, you told me to sit here… you made cake for us.” He half whimpered. His mother ran towards him with the knife Fancy made a break for the door only managing to get out with a searing cut on his flank, right across his cutie mark. The one she had helped him earn. He started crying before he hit the door. He could handle the teasing at school; they only called him names there. However, here, here was where he had been hurt the deepest, his mother had broken him. END FLASHBACK: Twilight looked at the sobbing colt next to her. “Oh Fancy, why didn’t you say anything before this?” whispered Twilight gently nuzzling the poor broken colt. “I tried to, no one would listen. They all remember my mother from before the accident...” Fancy leaned into Twilight and sank into tears. Twilight hugged the poor little colt; she cradled his head in her lap. They sat there for a long time, his head in her lap and she holding him and cooing comforting words at him. Finally, he slipped into a tired broken slumber. Twilight noticed the cut on his flank. It was deep she had to help him. Gently she used her magic to stitch back the wound as best she could. He began to stir as she finished. “Twilight,” He said quietly, “I don’t want to go home. Please stay here with me?” he pleaded. Twilights thoughts raced, she did not know what to do. She could not stay in the yard all night they would surely catch a cold, he needed to be tended to. She did not know what to tell him to reassure him she would, could never leave his side; she loved this poor broken colt with all of her heart. He was her soul mate. “Twilight, please don’t leave me!” pleaded the poor white colt with the blood stained hip. Twilight knew there was only one way to reassure him she would never leave him again. She leaned over and kissed him. She kissed him and put all of her feelings in that single simply complex action. Fancy gasped with surprise, and then he gave in. Fancy knew he loved her now. She would always be there she was the other half of his heart and soul. She was what he needed. She was the twilight after a long day had passed. “Fancy, I will never ever leave you. Nothing matters anymore. I will ask the Princess to find your mother a home and you can move into my tower. There is a room near mine that is empty. You’ll never be broken again.” Twilight nudged the colt onto his feet. His hind leg giving out with the pain of his cut. Twilight caught him as he fell; she moved to his side and helped him up the stairs. She would write a letter to the princess as soon as he fell asleep, that is if she did not already know the whole story somehow. She always seemed to know what was up with twilight. As they reached her room she helped him into the bed, he was already half-asleep due to the emotional strain of the day. She tucked her poor life mate into her bed. “Thanks Twily, I love you” Said the weary white and blue form in her bed. No one ever called her Twily except for her brother she thought, she decided it would be ok for him to use that name now too since he meant almost as much to her as her brother. “I love you too Fanc. Try to get some sleep while I write to the Princess ok?” She smiled as she floated over her favorite toy, the one this morning that had comforted her with the odd feelings she had had this morning, Smarty Pants to the bed. Fancy looked at the toy in wonderment. “Who’s this Twily?” he asked as he reached out for the comfort of the toy and snuggled it deep into his chest. “This is Smarty Pants,” Fancy giggled at the name and gave her a sly look, “Don’t make fun of her she’s been my best friend forever, my brother gave me her when I was just a baby. She likes to do her homework and she even has a quill and note pad!” Twilight levitated the things towards the bed and set them on the nightstand. “But she has one special power. She will listen to you no matter what and won’t say a word in judgment about you.” Twilight smiled as she continued “neither will I Fancy, I’ll listen to everything you have to say, forever.” she leaned down and kissed Fancy, “I love you.” “I love you too.” Said the colt whose heart had been broken and repaired on less than one day by two mares he cared about. One who would always be a part of him and the other who would always be not only a part of him but always with him. Twilight turned to her desk, Dear Princess Celestia, Today I found the part of me that was missing….
The Willow Seed“…So from now on I, Princess Celestia ruler of Equestria, will emancipate the colt known as “Fancypants” from his mother as she is no longer in a fit mental state to care for him. As such, he is free to live in the castle and study under my tutelage alongside my faithful student Twilight Sparkle. Sincerely, Celestia Shingingstar, Ruler of Equestria” Celestia sighed as she signed her proclamation, her melancholy mood overwhelming her, that poor colt. His mother had gone mad with grief; he was alone in the world. His only bright spot was her pupil twilight. Celestia smiled, Twilight her faithful student had rescued the poor colt from himself on the horrible night when his mother had attacked him in a fit of grief rage. The white Alicorn mare looked out her window at the roses she was so familiar with. She missed her Starswirl so much. He had left his hoof print on her heart. “Why did he have to die so young?” “Because he loved you too much to let you go Cele…” A grass green arm curled around Celestia. She looked up into the bright violet eyes that had held her heart for a thousand years now. With tears in her eyes, she leaned into the smooth hide of the one being that had been there for her through everything. “I love you Cedric; you are the only being who understands what I’ve lived through...” “I love you too my dear, I wish I could help you more...” “It is enough to have you here to hold me Ceddie, can you please send this and to the head of the guard?” Celestia grasped the scroll in her gold magic and floated it and the scroll containing the removal of Fancy’s mother to a hospital up to her lover. “OH Gee I see how it is Cele, “Ceddie send this, Ceddie send that… OH CEDDIE?” Cedric winked at the mare of his heart. Green light filled the room. FLASHBACK: Celestia snuggled up close to her beloved; he was dead asleep, twitching slightly in his dreams. His grey coat sparkled with the rain. They had just escaped into the gazebo in the garden when the downpour started. Celestia had lit a fire in the fireplace when she was grabbed by her tail and pulled into a snuggle that smelled of fresh rain and damp earth. Starswirl always smelled of damp earth these days, he said he was working on something special for her in his lab. He had been working on it since that fateful day that she had shared her darkest fear and secret with her beloved. A few months ago: Celestia and Starswirl giggled as they watched the Pegasus foals bounce on the clouds above them. “Don’t you just wish you had one Cele?”Smiled Starswirl “Yeah, I wish we did…” Celestia sighed wistfully. Celestia tried her hardest to keep the lump in her throat and the tears forming in her eyes from being seen by her Starry. Her efforts were in vain. Star pulled the slightly larger mare close to him. “What’s wrong Beloved?” “It’s nothing darling. Don’t worry ok?” “Cele you are so bad at lying… tell me” Starswirl chuckled slightly. Celestia looked away from her beloved. Tears falling slightly. What if he leaves me… what if he thinks I am a freak, I cannot lose him. He wants foals so bad but I… “Celestia…” I cannot tell him he will not stay with me. “Celestia.” He will move on to some pony who can give him what he wants. “CELESTIA!” “HUH?! Wha?” Celestia jumped. “Celestia please tell me what’s wrong! You’re scaring me!” Starswirl pulled his lover close “You can tell me anything darling I will never let you go. You have my heart for as long as I live. You are my other half, my soul mate.” Celestia sighed and weighed her options; she looked to the sky for answers. She found nothing. Sighing she let her gaze roam. Her eyes fell on the roses that her lover tended so closely… “Star… do you really want foals... with me? “Yes Celestia I do want you to have foals with me, why?” Celestia's eyes returned to her lover. His eyes found hers and saw the light had gone out of them, frightened he asked. “Cele tell me, nothing that you could ever do or say will scare me off darling.” “Starry, I… I… I can’t have foals...” Celestia collapsed and sobbed into her lover’s mane. Shaking from sorrow and terror. Terror that he may leave her, terror he would think she was a freak, terror that she would be alone forever. “Is that all?” Celestia gasped, a grey hoof cupped her chin as her eyes met his. The kiss played on her lips as he reassured her. He broke the kiss pushing his forehead gently against hers. “Celestia you silly filly. That does not bother me. We can adopt if you wish. I said nothing you can ever say or do will ever cause me to run away.” Celestia’s heart soared. He did not care, he did not run, most of all he accepted her. “Cele, may I ask why you can’t?” Celestia gulped and tried to calm herself. “No one knows, we think it is because I am an Alicorn. My magic would be too strong for the foal. It would die before I could give birth…” Celestia sighed, “I do wish we could darling…” RETURN TO FLASHBACK: Lighting cracked across the sky. Starswirl jumped at the sound, Celestia kissed his cheek. “Still scared after all these years?” She chuckled. Her beloved had always been afraid of these storms. She on the other hoof loved them, especially when she could go flying in them. “Star would you like to see what I see when I fly in these storms? I can take you.” Star looked at Celestia with wide eyes full of excitement. “I can research the storm while you fly?” “Yes darling I’ll even take you inside the clouds if you want” Star nodded and clambered onto his lovers back. The flight only lasted a few minutes but it was the best time of Stars life. They touched down and he clambered off his lovers back. “Cele marry me. Please marry me?” Celestia gasped in surprise. She said the only thing that came to her mind. “What?” “I said marry me Cele!” “Of course!” The happy couple embraced. FLASHBACK END: Celestia nuzzled Cedric fondly. They cuddled in the gazebo like she had done so many years ago with Star. Cedric hugged Celestia and combed her mane with his claws. Even though he was a dragon, their love is true. “Celestia, what was the gift he was making you?” “It was a seed; he poured his very soul into it. In the end we never got to use it...” “What happened dearest?” “It was the year Discord came to Equestria, we were in the final battle against him…” FLASHBACK: “Discord you will never rule over my little ponies as long as I live!” “I will never let you touch Celestia!” Screamed Starswirl as he charged the draconequis Discord pointed at the charging unicorn as a lightning bolt of blue energy flew from his claw tip. Star easily redirected it and rammed the deity of chaos knocking him over the stairwell and onto the marble floor five hundred feet below. Star Teleported himself to the floor below as Celestia flew down to meet him, “Thank you my love,” She turned to confront discord, “You! I have had enough of your shenanigans. It is time I turned you to stone.” Celestia closed her eyes to concentrate. Discord took his opportunity to strike, grabbing a sword from the statue next to him he rammed forward. ZAP GASP “STARSWIRL!!” Discord cackled as he slowly turned to stone knowing he had gotten the last laugh. Starswirl fell to the floor the sword jutting out of his side. Celestia screamed in horror. “Star NO! Why did you do that?!” “Cele, I told you I would always protect you, I meant it. I am so sorry we never got to use my gift to you… it was a willow seed; the flowers will enable two ponies in love to have foals no matter what. I made this seed for you, I wanted to grant your wish, and I wanted to give you a foal of our own…” “Oh Star...please we still have so much time... don’t leave me alone. Please! Star don’t leave me… I love you.” “I love you to my darling.” Starswirl leaned up and kissed his beloved with the last of his strength and whispered, “I will wait for you my Darling” a tear fell across his cheek as his last breath escaped him. FLASHBACK END: “After his death I retrieved the seed and planted it in his memory, it is the very willow that grows in the garden today, it carries buds year round. They only blossom in the presence of true love.” Cedric smiled as he remembered the first time he had walked with Celestia in the garden, the willow had bloomed for them. “Celestia I love you” “I love you too Darling” Author's Note Man it has been forever but i finally got the gumption to write again i hope you enjoy it. i haven't really had anyone proof read it yet. but i wanted to get it out before the new year :) ENJOY
