Thirty Minute Ponies

by kits

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Main 6, Princess Luna, Comedy
Length: 2636

Collection of Short Challenge Prompts

My Collection of 30 minute speedfics. Yes, I was late to this game.

Prompt 40: Magic has disappeared from Equestria.
Twilight Sparkle deals with a world empty of Magic
[Dark, Slice of Life]
[Twilight, Applejack]

Prompt 41: Celestia remembers.
A bad dream brings Celestia's feeling into the open
[Slice of Life]
[Celestia, Luna]

Prompt 43: I Think We're Alone Now
Dash and Fluttershy have a secret game they play together
[Slice of Life, Comedy]

Published 2012-07-12 22:34:03 UTC
Last updated 2012-07-15 23:22:41 UTC

Friendship is Magic [Dark][SoL]

Twilight wearily trudged down Mane Street pulling a small cart. Her saddle bags had been too hard to fasten without somepony else to help. That was the worst part of all of this, not the lack of teleporting, or the loss of weather control, or even her inability to levitate simple objects. She missed her fri—She missed the others.

She pulled her cart up to the apple stand and cleared her throat.

“Jus’ a minute,” rang Applejack’s voice. A moment later, the tan earth pony rose up from behind the stand. “What can I do ya for?”

What can I do ya for? Twilight remembered when that phrase would have been accompanied by a smile that reached the other mare’s eyes. She remembered a time when it would have been meant as an opening to converse, to share the days events. “Two apples please.” There was a time she would have made a joke, or asked after Big Mac and Apple Bloom. Maybe Rainbow Dash would have been nearby and the three of them could have gossiped about the weather.

Or just spent time basking in each other’s company.

Applejack tipped a pair of apples into a bag. “Two bits, Mrs Sparkle.”

Once upon a time, she might have been called “Twi” or “Sugarcube” or any of a half dozen nicknames. For the last sixty days, the last two months, she had been “Mrs Sparkle”.

“Thank you, Applejack,” she said, turning to leave. No! she railed against herself. Stay! Ask about the Cutie Mark Crusaders! The fillies hadn’t met since it began. Ask her about Rainbow Dash! The two had hardly spoken. Since the weather was no longer directed by pegasi, the weather patrol had been forced to find new work. Rainbow Dash had taken a job hauling mail between Ponyville and Canterlot. Call her —! Even in the privacy of her own head, Twilight couldn’t bring herself to familiarize Applejack’s name.

She hammered at the inside of her own head as she began the journey home.

“Mrs Sparkle?” Applejack hadn’t even tried to talk to her outside of a business transaction since the incident. Turning, she faced the shopkeeper. No, she faced A– Applejack. ”Yes?” she asked, unable to keep bored indifference from her voice.

“Do you— Do you miss it?” The words broke as Applejack forced them out. “Even a little?”

An emphatic “no” had to be swallowed, almost choking her in the process. She bit her lip from giving voice to the awful lie—that awful truth.

“I wish—” she stuttered. “I— It was better before…”

Applejack nodded once. “Well, Ah won’t keep ya any longer—”

Keep me!

“—Ah know ya have stuff to do—”

It’s not important!

“—So ya’ best be…” The farmer's platitude died on her lips.

Twilight strained to show some emotion. Anything. She wanted to hug the farm—Applejack. To ask her how Pinkie Pie was. To discuss Fluttershy with her. Her lip twitched, but she said nothing. Turning, she plodded back to her library.

It had been like this every day. The last months, she had been alone except for her memories. Unable to do anything but relive them and try to force them back to reality. She took a bite of an apple and stared at the scrolls that covered her desk.

Nopony could have known what resealing Discord a second time would have cost them. The sacrifice they had knowingly made—all the magic in Equestria—had carried with it an unforeseen rider, a tiny clause that she would give anything to take back.

She swept her old reports, now meaningless, off of her desk. Tomorrow she would return to the stall. Maybe she could say more than a few words to the farmer. Perhaps one day, she would linger and talk about the weather. But she really was horribly busy.

As she swept the last of her old papers onto the floor, one caught her eye. Most reports had been written by Spike, her one time fri— assistant, but signed by her. This one bore a different signature. Curious she pinned it down with one hoof and awkwardly unrolled it. Oh, that letter.

Shrugging, she let it roll closed. Since the day magic had fled the land, it too had carried no meaning.

I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue to study the “magic of friendship”. She must report to me her findings, from her new home in Ponyville.

Full Disclosure [SoL]

It was the same dream again. She recognized it immediately, but was powerless to halt it. She was always powerless in this strange nightmare. She floated above herself, detached from her own actions, as she looked down upon her glowing form. Yellow light, the same color as the first rays of dawn, flickered over her body. Like a slow fire, the aura waved and flickered over her white coat and up her spread wings. Her pastel mane, usually wafting gently in the solar breeze, waved and jerked wildly as if caught in a hurricane. The glow was more intense around her horn, so intense she tried to shy away from it. No matter how much she wished to, she couldn’t look away.

It was the same memory. Luna confronting her. In reality, it had been Nightmare Moon, a creature devoted solely to dark-selfishness. In her dreams, it was her sister, whole and hale of mind. It was pure madness, created whole cloth from her guilt-ridden conscience in the weeks following her sister’s banishment.

Luna is well! she shouted silently. Even now, she holds court in the Hall of Evening! Her pleas did not to slow the vision. So many words she had tried. So many arguments she had spent against this corrupted memory. She had tried reminding herself of the actual event. The desperate struggle that had almost ended her life. It was of no use. The truth was never a potent weapon against guilt she’d carried for centuries.

Twilight redeemed her!

She had never spoken those words before. As the not-her opened her mouth to denounce her sister as a threat to all ponykind, shapes waived into being: six shadowy outlines of ponies. The surround her, as if to bolster her coming onslaught. Except they faced her and not Luna.

Tell her about this, whispered one of the shapes. A torrent of butterflies flew in a blizzard around her. She knows something’s wrong, if you tell her what, she won't have to wonder. It would be ever so much kinder to let her know why you avoid her.

I don’t want to! she cried. But I can’t bring myself to face her!

Tell her the truth, twanged another shape as an apple fell, striking her head. The two of ya need to talk or you’ll never be sorted.

How can I? she pleaded. She already blames herself for so much!

Then, my dear princess, you must offer your own time to listen, prompted a new voice. Her hoof came down on a gem, piecing her almost to the quick. It will hurt, hearing her own story in full, but by giving her your ear, you’ll help her.

How will reliving that old pain help her? she spat. What good can possibly come of it?

Trust, duh. The sarcasm dripped from the phantom voice as multicolored lightning struck the ground at her hooves. She’ll never get over it if you won’t let her prove she’s on your side. All the checking-up and keeping-an-eye-on her, it just tells her you don’t trust her. And without trust, how can she ever believe she has your respect?

But the pain! Tears leaked from her eyes. I can’t stand the pain again! This half-truth is bad enough, but to hear what I can’t deny? How will I survive?

Easy, silly! The fifth shape seemed to spin and suddenly she wore a trio of balloons and a party hat. You’ll need to admit the sad times were really super sad, but that now it’s time for hugs and fun and joking. Like you used to do!

She hung her head. Like she used to do. That had been ten lifetimes ago. She was a changed pony. Luna was a changed pony. Her own sister was a stranger to her. How could she be carefree enough to laugh with a complete stranger?

That, said the last voice. Is the easiest answer of all. Surely you know? The voice was tinged with hesitation, as if the thought of her not knowing would shatter the shape’s world.

I don’t, she said. Let the pony see the truth in her. She was not an omniscient goddess. She was a pony.

It’s quite simple, the voice explained. All you have to do…

Yes?

All you have to do, is be her friend.

Friend’s help eacho ther when they’re down. You can always lean on them.

They’re square with one another, least ways, when it ain’t supposed to be a surprise.

A true friend will always be there when you really need her. She’ll make the time to help. What greater gift can a friend give?

And she’ll stick with you no matter what! You can always count of friends when the chips are down.

And a friend will always be ready to help cheer you up! Just having friends is reason enough to smile.

Friends? With her own sister? Could she do that?

Sister?

Sister?

Celestia bolted upright in her bed. Her breathing was hard and her coat soaked through with sweat.

“Sister? Art thou unwell?”

“L-Luna!” she gasped. “W-What…”

“Thine guard sent word. We heard thou were having some fit or other.”

“No,” he voice trembled, still not under her control, “We–I was just having a nightmare.” She could have slapped herself at such a poor choice of words. Because she needed another reminder, right Celestia?

“We are still well versed in the interpretation of dreams. If thou hast suffered ill omens, we would insist thou share, that we may be of some use to thee, dear sister.”

She shook her head. A million excuses flashed through her mind. A thousand lies hesitated on the tip of her tongue. She didn’t need Luna to interpret her dream. She could make up a vivid tale that they two of them would circle around before concluding Celestia had eaten something that disagreed with her.

Or she could follow her subconscious advice.

“We see.” Luna frowned. “If thou hast need of me, dear sister, than send–”

“Stop!” she cried. Luna halted. Letting out a sigh, Celestia scooted to one side of her bed. “Please sit, Luna,” she said, gesturing to the empty spot on her bed. “And send for some ice cream, this may take a while.”

Two Fillies' Secrets [SoL,Com]

"Is the coast clear?" the bush hissed at her.

With a strangled "eep" Fluttershy dove across the path and into the hedge on the other side. Her tail was pulled fully into the bush and a pair of teal eyes, wide with fright looked through the hole she had made. "Who's there!" she nearly choked on the whispered words.

The bush across from her shook and trembled as whatever was inside of it stood. A tuft of red hair, followed by a cascading pool of orange, trimmed by a yellow lock thrust through the green leaves as Rainbow Dash glared at her. She gave another small "eep" and pulled further back into the bush, hiding her eyes under her hooves.

Rainbow Dash glanced both ways before silently extracting herself from her hiding spot, taking great care that her saddlebags didn't catch on any of the branches. Slinking across the path, she glanced into the hole Fluttershy had made. "Come on, Fluttershy," she hissed. "It's clear. We've got to go now."

When she didn't immediately pop out, Dash reached into the bush with her forelegs, wrapped them under her own, and hauled her out of her cozy hiding place. She trembled and looked away from Rainbow.

"Look, Fluttershy," Dash said, running a hoof under her chin and forcing her to make eye contact. Dash's expression had softened from annoyance into sympathy. "I'm nervous too. If the others found out..." Rainbow Dash let the thought hang in air. Fluttershy knew all too well what Dash was worried about.

Fluttershy didn't like keeping things from their friends, but Rainbow Dash had her reasons. When they had been fillies at flight camp, neither had felt the need to hide what they did together. That had changed when the trio of class bullies had discovered them together late one night. While they had plenty of fodder to use against her, it was the first thing those three had ever had on Rainbow Dash. They had taunted her with it ceaselessly.

Her muzzle formed into a thin frown. It had been her fault they'd been discovered. Her cries had certainly been what betrayed them. "Rainbow Dash," she whispered. "If you don't want to do this—" She was cut off as Dash gently placed a hoof against her mouth.

"Of course I want to do this," Dash insisted, her voice breaking slightly. Doubt played across her face as she asked, "do you? I mean, you're still ok with this, right? I don't want to make to do—"

Now it was her turn to silence the other mare with a gentle hoof and the shake of a head. "I've wanted to do this ever since you moved to Ponyville."

"I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I thought that after the– After we got caught– I thought you were done with this."

Fluttershy bumped their noses together. "Never, Rainbow."

Dash stayed frozen for a second before glancing about, looking for any ponies who might be watching. "Okay, the coast still looks clear."

"Are you worried somepony from town will catch us?" Fluttershy wished she could do something to calm Dash's fear. At the same time, the nervous excitement the her oldest friend was displaying was beginning to echo within her. It had been so very long since the two of them had done this. "I never see anypony out this far."

"I'm not worried about just anypony." Dash pressed her muzzle into hers, her eyes glinting eith steel resolve. "I'm worried about Pinkie."

Fluttershy blinked in confusion. Worrying about Pinkie? "But Rainbow Dash, surely you don;t think– I mean– out friends wouldn't–"

"I don't want to risk it." Dash shrugged off the saddle bags, becoming airborne and making a quick circuit as Fluttershy regained her composure. Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack: none of them would mind, much.

She blushed, thinking about what Rainbow and her were about to do. Okay, maybe it was for the best they weren't here. They might not understand. Well, Pinkie probably would, but the others would be offended, if only a little.

"All clear," Dash said, plopping herself down next to the saddlebags, her head disappearing inside. Her muffled voice called out, "are you ready?"

Fluttershy took a deep breath, giddy anticipation spreading her wings as she nodded then added a breathless, "yes".

"Okay, Fluttershy. Get ready for..." Rainbow let the word hang, heightening her excitement. "Princess Dash!" Rainbow sprang towards her, a cardboard horn centered on her head. "And I dub thee, Dame Fluttershy." She cried, tapping her on the shoulders with the horn as she slide a wreath of poseys over her neck. "Come! Let us rid the land of the dreaded pine-tree menace!"

Standing tall, Fluttershy's eyes narrowed and she saluted. It had been so very long since they'd played this game, but it was the one time as a filly she had felt brave. "Yes, Princess Dash!" And with that, the two were away to battle an unstoppable foe.