My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
In one of the many rooms in the many corridors of the Friendship Castle resides Twilight Sparkle in a near panicked state.
"Spike! Spiiikkee! Where are you, Spike!?" Twilight hastily called out in borderline hysterics.
"Geez, Twilight I'm right here. What's with all the yelling?" Spike begrudgingly stopped his reading of the new issue of Power Ponies in lew of Twilight's upcoming panic attack.
"I'm not prepared and I'm going to be late, Spike. Late!!"
"Uh... Late for what exactly?"
"Spike! Don't tell me you forgot!"
"Okay then, I won't."
"Ugh! Spike! Today's the day the girl's and I planned to have our picnic!"
"Uh-huh. And what about this one is any different from all the other ones you girls have that's making you freak out like this?"
"Well for one I don't have anything I want prepared and I also don't want to be late!" Twilight stated like it was the vilest act that anypony could ever commit. "And two: I don't know what it is, but I have this feeling something about this picnic is going to be extra special!"
"Riiigghht. Well, good luck with getting ready then! I'm just going to go over here and... read my comic some more!" Spike said while slowly backing away in an attempt to avoid any responsibility to help Twilight get ready.
Wrapping her magic around Spike, Twilight floated him directly in front of her and looked smugly at him. "Nice try Spike, but you're actually going to help me prepare so I'm not late!"
Hastily trying to find a way out of his newly assigned duty Spike caught a glimpse of the clock. "Twilight, what time did you say the picnic started again?"
Confusedly with a tilt of her head, Twilight responded back. "I didn't."
"Oh... Well um, what time does it start then?"
"11:30, why?"
"Oh! Well... because it's... 11:25 yeah!"
"WHAT?!" In her panic, Twilight dropped Spike to the ground and started to rapidly trot in place looking every which way. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! I have to go! But I'm not ready! But I really need to leave! But leaving without being prepared is crazy!"
"Twilight."
"But I need to go now or I'll be late!"
"Twilight."
"But, but I realllyyy can't just show up unprepared!"
"Twilight!"
"Late! Unprepared! Late! Unprepared!"
"TWILIGHT!"
"Huh? What Spike?" Twilight nonchalantly said.
*Sigh* "Just go to the picnic Twilight, I'll bring everything along later. You have a checklist for everything no doubt, so I'll know what to bring." Spike resigned himself knowing he wouldn't get a chance to read his comic while she was like this.
"Really?! Ohhh, but I don't know Spike! What if—"
"Twilight, it's fine I'm your number one assistant remember? This'll be a piece of cake!" Spike cut off Twilight before she could go on another tangent.
"Ohhh, well... all right. You're the best Spike!" Twilight exclaimed while picking up the drake and giving him a heartfelt hug.
"Yeah yeah, I know! I'm just too cool like that." Spike said with his now inflated ego.
Twilight rolled her eyes at Spike's antics and set him down, then made a mad dash for the entrance of the castle while yelling back to Spike. "Thanks, Spike! See you in a little bit!"
Waiting until he made sure she was gone Spike then slumped to the ground sighing in relief. "Oh thank Celestia she didn't actually look at the clock." Spike took a gander back at the clock and what it actually read was 10:50.
"Who!" Owlowiscious spoke up from his perch above.
"Ah, put a sock in it! It's not like Twilight will get mad at me when she finds out. Frustrated maybe... but not mad! Now, if you need me I'll be reading the greatest comic series known to ponykind!" Resolutely Spike walked back over to where he sat his comic book down and resumed with his reading.
"Who..." Owlowiscious disappointedly who'd and shook his head at Spike before turning and flying off.
If one was to stand in front of the Friendship Castle they would say that what a grand sight it was to behold. A giant crystalline tree as a castle, what's not to love about that? It's not as grand as the Canterlot Castle itself, but it does have it's own homely appeal to it; if you're akin to giant crystalline trees, that is. It was also a nice serene view to partake in when there was no bustling around it; the bare neighboring Friendship School adding just a bit more flare to the spectacle.
Today was one of those rare occasions in Ponyville where it was just a calm and peaceful day. But this is Ponyville. The place where everything happens. So that calm atmosphere quickly shattered when a determined looking Twilight Sparkle barged out of the Friendship Castle's entrance all but slamming the doors against the outer crystal walls in her wake.
"Don't worry you will make it Twilight Sparkle, you will not be late!" Twilight muttered to herself in motivation as she entered the town limits of Ponyville.
Even this early in the day Ponyville was bustling with a multitude of familiar ponies, and while galloping by Twilight caught glimpses of all of them.
One of the first things she noticed while entering the town was the mailmare, Derpy Hooves, flying around in an attempt to catch her mailmare's cap that somehow got caught in the wind. Unbeknownst to Derpy herself the flaps of her mailbags became unhooked in all her sporadic movements, causing mail and letters to fly freely into the air behind her to deliver themselves where they pleased.
Next Twilight caught sight of a certain popular DJ and cellist walking side by side. The DJ, Vinyl Scratch aka DJ PON3, was sporting her signature purple lensed sunglasses while bobbing her head up and down to the music blaring out of her headphones. Next to her Octavia Melody, also sporting her signature piece of clothing, a bowtie, was looking a bit irritated
when the DJ kept ignoring her attempts at conversation because of that blasted music.
As Twilight galloped on she ran past a wooden bench placed next to a fountain occupied by the two good friends Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon, or if you actually know her like Twilight did since she was a princess, Sweetie Drops. Lyra was, once again, sitting in that horrendously uncomfortable looking position staring off into the distance like she's seen the horrors of the world. While Bon Bon casually sat next to her, her legs tucked under her body and listlessly reading a book that was propped up on Lyra's left foreleg.
A sight that caused Twilight to giggle slightly running past it was the unfortunate luck of the self-proclaimed Doctor known as Time Turner. He was sitting on the grass meticulously working on some sort of crazy looking contraption when a mysterious hat landed on his face that shrouded his vision. Not giving him a moment, a certain grey pegasus collided headfirst into him sending them both sprawling across the ground.
The final sight that Twilight caught before exiting to the outskirts of the town was of what she thought to be Cloud Kicker flirting with not one, not two, but all three of the easily skittish Flower Trio. An exasperated-looking Blossomforth standing next to her while attempting to coerce her away from the three easily frightened ponies.
Oh Ponyville... never change. Twilight shook her head while thinking happily to herself.
After galloping a minute longer Twilight spotted the area where the picnic was supposed to be taking place. It was a small little green hill with a single tall tree grown on its peak with shade being cast from its bountiful amount of leaves, allowing for a cooler more secluded spot out of the harsh rays of Celestia's radiant sun.
Getting closer Twilight noticed that a purple and white checkered blanket was laid out against the grass near the trunk of the tree with a single pony silently dozing off on top of it.
"Fluttershy?" Twilight softly asks when she's close enough not wanting to frighten her friend.
"Mep!" Fluttershy, still getting startled a little bit, swiftly opened her eyes to see who addressed her. "Oh! Hello Twilight."
"Hello, Fluttershy. Sorry about that, I didn't mean to frighten you."
"Oh no, it's fine. I'm just—" *yawn* "— a teensy bit tired from taking care of all the sweet little animals that have been coming to my sanctuary."
"Yeah, that does sound like tough work doesn't it? Anyway, do you know where the other girls are at? Shouldn't they have already gotten here by now?"
"I don't think so? I mean I left my cottage wanting to get here a bit earlier so I could relax a little, so I think there's still some time before they arrive."
"Wait, you're here early? How long have you been here for?"
"Um... Maybe around ten minutes? I'm sorry, was I not supposed to get here early?" Fluttershy questioned while wilting a little.
"What? Oh no no! You're fine Fluttershy. If I may ask what time did you leave from your cottage to get here?"
"Oh thank goodness." Fluttershy relaxed from Twilight's reassurance. "I think it was 10:40 when I left my cottage."
"And what time do you think it is now?" Twilight inquired Fluttershy.
"11:00 maybe? I don't really know for sure, sorry Twilight."
"Oh, Spike is going to have many a chore to do when I get back to the castle." Twilight grumbled while walking onto the blanket and laying down across from Fluttershy.
"Um... Why, if I may ask?" Fluttershy hesitantly asked.
"Ugh... Apparently, he lied about the time and made me think it was later than it actually was. So I rushed here as fast as I could hoping to make it on time."
"Oh my... Um... try not to be too hard on him at least."
"Don't worry I'll make sure he learns his lesson without overdoing it." With that, the conversation lulled into a peaceful silence. The calm cool breeze blowing against their coats prompting Twilight and Fluttershy to lay their heads down and close their eyes. After a couple of minutes, both of them peacefully dozed off into a quiet slumber.
"Heh heh, this is going to be hilarious!" Rainbow Dash eagerly said while snickering to herself.
"This is a good one Dashie! She's going to wake up then, SPLAT! All over her face!" Pinkie Pie animatedly acted out.
"I know I know, I've got the best ideas!" Rainbow Dash's egotistical side showed through. "Now you got the feather right??"
"Yes indeedily I do!" Pulling a feather from her mane Pinkie promptly stuck the pointy end into her mouth and held it by her teeth.
"Really now girls, must you do this to poor Twilight? Couldn't we just wake her up and enjoy the picnic without any of your tomfooleries?" Rarity said in an attempt to persuade them to not go through with their childish prank.
"Oh come on Rares, it's just uh small little prank. Tain't hurtin' no one." Applejack responded siding with Rainbow and Pinkie.
"Well then, it looks like Fluttershy here is the only one with any form of moderation it seems!"
"Um... Actually... I think this will be a little funny." Fluttershy meekly added in with a small guilty smile.
"Yeah! You hear that Rarity? You're the only one against this, so just sit back and let us have our fun!" An impatient Rainbow pointed out.
"Hmph!" Rarity harumphed out in resignation.
"Alright Pinks, do it!"
Pinkie saluted before silently walking over to Twilight's sleeping form. Leaning her head down she brushed the feather lightly against Twilight's snout causing her nose to twitch. A couple more light brushings later the prank was sprung into action.
Twilight reached up with her hoof in an attempt to scratch the mysterious itch on her snout, and when she did she ended up smothering herself with a face full of whipped cream. Shooting up from the cold sensation now covering her face Twilight frantically looked around before zoning in on all her now present friends.
Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash fell to the ground and started rolling around laughing hysterically. Fluttershy and Applejack were chuckling in amusement, and if anyone asked she would deny it, but Rarity was silently chuckling to herself as well.
Looking down Twilight examined her hoof and noticed a white fluffy substance coating her hoof and fur. "Oh, hardy har girls you got me. Really the whipped cream and feather on the sleeping pony prank? So original!" Despite her sarcastic reply Twilight couldn't help but form a small smile on her face before poofing the whipped cream out of existence.
Pinkie Pie realizing the disappearance of the sweet treat whined, "Awhhh. And I wanted to eat that too! Oh well!" Quickly recovering she stuffed her hoof into her mane and pulled out a can of whipped cream. She then proceeded to guzzle the whipped cream down exactly like Rainbow Dash would with a pint of apple cider.
Rainbow Dash slightly recovering from her bout of laughter wiped a few tears from her eyes and pushed herself off the ground and lazily began to float in the air. "Haha... hah... haaa... Oh, you should've seen the look on your face Egghead! It was priceless!"
"Ah gotta agree with Dash here on that one. Why your face reminded me of that one time Granny Smith found a rattler under her rockin' chair. Laughed for a minute straight with that one." Applejack piped in with amusement.
"Come now darlings, let's move on from Twilight's plight and begin the picnic, hmm?" Rarity, ignoring the fact that she laughed too, asked in an attempt to save Twilight from any more embarrassment. "So, what did everypony bring with them? I brought some delightful tea and finely cut lettuce, tomato, and hay sandwiches." She said while floating around her basket and opening it up for everyone to view its contents.
"Hoowee! Those look plum delicious, but not as delicious as the apple treats I brought for all o' us!" Applejack took her basket and opened it up revealing the delights inside. There were apple crisps, apple cinnamon rolls, caramel apples, and last, but not least, a perfectly baked, crisp apple pie.
Pinkie sprang up out of nowhere in front of the mare while salivating and licking her lips. "Ohhhh those look deliccioouuss!~"
Applejack swiftly closed the lids to her basket and stashed them away behind her for later. "Simmer down there Pinkie. As much as I would love to dig right into 'em as well, they're meant to be eaten for dessert."
"Awwhh..." A disappointed Pinkie whines out. "Well anyway! I brought the entertainment!!" A now excited Pinkie says while jumping up and down.
Gaining Rainbow's interest she landed in front of the pink pony with her competitiveness rising ever so slightly. "Oh yeah? I bet I brought entertainment waayyyy better way better than anything you brought!"
"Oooh! oooh! is this a challenge? Are you challenging me!? Whoopee! Dashie is challenging me!"
"Girls!" Twilight interrupted their oncoming rivalry. "We don't need any challenges. We came here to have a nice relaxing picnic, not rile each other up. Now, sadly, I didn't get to bring anything because a certain drake tricked me into thinking I was late for this picnic." Under her breath In exasperation, Twilight continued on. "And he's probably going to get too absorbed in his comic book and completely forget to bring me everything."
"I understand completely Twilight, Sweetie Belle does things like that all the time. Anyway, Fluttershy, darling, did you end up bringing anything along with you?" Rarity inquired.
"Oh, um, I brought the blanket..."
"Um... Is that all?"
"Yes. I'm sorry, I would've brought more but I was just too tired from taking care of my animal friends."
"It's quite all right, no harm done. It is a lovely blanket by the way. I do so love the shade of purple on them. Why it's almost the exact same shade as my mane!" Rarity said while bobbing the curls in her mane up and down with her hoof.
Getting a little hungry an impatient Rainbow spoke up. "Ugh! Enough about what we brought and the color of the blanket! Let's get eating!"
All the girls had their fill and were now lazily spread out across the picnic blanket enjoying the cool breeze blowing across their coats; a calm silence between everypony. Twilight was laying on her stomach with her legs tucked under her staring off, observing Ponyville in the distance. Rainbow Dash was using her thigh as a temporary pillow as she began dozing off. Rarity was quietly using her magic to knit a simple design onto a piece of cloth. Fluttershy was busy petting some of her bird friends who joined in on the quiet serene atmosphere. Applejack was laying her back against the tree with her hat over her eyes, her forelegs crossed propping her head off the rough bark and one of her hind legs was crossed over the other.
And Pinkie... Well, Pinkie had her eyes closed and was doing a perfectly balanced headstand with her forelegs and hind legs connected to the other in a meditating like pose.
"Hey, girls..." Twilight spoke up after a while catching everypony's attention. "I've just been wondering... and... well this might seem out of the blue... but what has been everypony's most memorable moments since we've become friends?"
Everypony stayed stock still and silent for a moment contemplating the tough question that was just asked. Well, everypony besides Pinkie Pie.
"Pshaw! That one's easy!" Pinkie proclaimed causing every to look upwards into the tree because she was, somehow, now hanging upside down on a branch. "The most memorable moments of all my moments with you all is all the parties I've gotten to throw for each and every one of you! Also, why is it called throwing parties? You can't throw parties, it's too difficult! I know because I've tried! And let me tell yo—"
"Pinkie." Twilight interrupted getting Pinkie to halt her proceedings. "Just why are all the parties you make for us the most memorable to you?"
"That's simple silly! It's because I get to see you all smile! Each and every party I throw for you all I'm able to watch you all have a fun time, play games with each other, maybe compete with each other, have delicious food with each other, just hang around with each other. But, the best part of all... is just having you all there smiling with each other. Because when you all smile, it makes me want to smile right alongside you all! That is why all the parties I throw for you all are the most memorable moments of moments I have experienced with you all since we've become friends!"
As Pinkie's answer came to an end everypony present had a small heartfelt smile adorned upon their faces.
Rainbow Dash was the first to act after the speech by flying up to where Pinkie was hanging on the branch and softly punching her in the shoulder. Acting like she was punched really hard Pinkie overdramatically fell off the branch but landed perfectly hooves up, on the ground.
"Heh, leave it up to Pinkie to have parties on her mind." Rainbow joked before flying back down to rejoin the others. "Okay, I call dibs on next!" Rainbow Dash called out. "Ugh... This is going to sound so incredibly sappy, so let's just get it over with."
"Getting to know you girls, believe it or not, greatly inspired me. All the moments every one of you girls was there for me be it with my stunts, the crazy awesome adventures we go on, or even any kind of ugh... drama that pops up, has motivated me to strive for my best in any and everything I do. I mean come on! I'm Rainbow Dash, fastest flier in all of the world! So, of course, I would always push myself to do my best! But what I'm saying is... if it wasn't for the time I've known you girls I don't think I'd be where I am or even the pony who I am today." Breathing a huge sigh of relief Rainbow concludes her answer.
All the girls' already existing smiles grew a touch wider after Rainbow's sincere proclamation.
"Nonsense darling! Even if you never met us with the ambition you have you would've become an, as you say, awesome pony anyway." Rarity affirmed strongly while the rest of the girls hummed their agreement in the background.
A little abashed at Rarity's genuine words Rainbow awkwardly scratched the back of her head. "Heh... Thanks."
"Anytime. Now I must volunteer myself to answer next, is that fine with everypony?" The rest of the girls nodded their heads in confirmation. "Well then, here goes." Clearing her throat Rarity began.
"I would love to say that my most memorable moments with you all are something grand and spectacular, but in all actuality, they're not. It's the simple ones like all the times you girls helped me with my dresses, or how you all put up with my overdramatic cinematics, or just all the times you all have taken the time out of your days to just join me for tea and talk, even if that doesn't happen too often anymore. Just all the combined little things are what make up the most memorable moments I've ever had with you girls. Nothing as grand and spectacular as you might have otherwise believed."
The evergrowing smiles upon everypony's faces shine just a bit brighter than before and, like the smiles, the warmth in all their hearts grow warmer.
"Simple and straight to tha point, never woulda expected that from a gal like you Rares." Applejack took a quip at Rarity.
"Oh hush you!" Rarity countered while swiping a hoof in Applejack's direction.
"Aawhh, ah'm just givin' you a hard time! Now ah think ah'm ready to take a whack at this." That being said Applejack sat up straight.
"Ah think everypony here knows how much ma family means to me, so ah ain't sayin' this lightly. But ah consider each of you girls here as part of ma family. Ah don't think ah have specific moments with any of y'all that ah like better than the rest. Every single moment we all have together whether it's good or bad ah cherish them all the same because there ain't nothin' better than being able to hang out with mah friends, mah family."
The smiles were now on the cusp of radiating pure happiness and the warmth in their hearts grew a notch warmer.
"Oh... That was very sweet of you Applejack." Fluttershy said in her soft voice.
"Thank ya kindly!" Applejack replied while tipping her hat in Fluttershy's direction.
"Well, following the pattern I guess it's my turn now, isn't it?" Everypony nodded in agreement. "Well here goes." After willing herself Fluttershy began.
"I'll be the first say that I am a very very timid and shy pony. I'm a pushover when it comes to a lot of things and I'm usually too shy to speak up for myself. But I have wonderful friends who will stand up for me. You girls never once gave up a trying to help me overcome my shyness, and because of that, I can proudly say that I'm not as shy as I used to be. All the times you girls stayed with me and helped me grow, even being the pony I was, are the most memorable moments I have with each and every one of you." Sighing in relief that she was done Fluttershy laid her head down onto the blanket.
Tears were threatening to spill out of everypony's eyes at the moment and the warmth in their hearts was becoming unbearable.
"This has all been so very heartwarming." Twilight sweetly says. "And thank you all for taking the time to answer my abrupt question. Like Fluttershy said, if we're following the pattern then I'm the last one that has to answer." Steeling herself Twilight closes her eyes and began her answer.
"I used to wonder what friendship could be... until you all shared its magic with me. All the adventures from the first Grand Galloping Gala we ever went to, to fighting Discord and mobs of changelings, and to me ascending into an Alicorn. To fighting back Discord's overgrown forgotten vines, then to fighting Tirek. To devastatingly losing a home but gaining a castle, and to gaining a map that took us on many journies. To us getting our cutie marks stripped and then to me traveling through alternate universes to stop the same pony. To gaining a new friend, then to restoring the crystal heart. To bringing back old legends and, lastly, to making a school. Every. Single. One. You were all there with me every step of the way. All of these moments and memories I have are thanks to each and every one of you, so to that... Thank you."
The tears that threatened to spill out earlier were now freely flowing down everypony's faces and the warmth in each one of their hearts was drowning out any other emotion.
"I also have a request I would like to make." Twilight continued on while magically spawning in a quill and parchment. "Do you think we could make a friendship report about us for old times sake?"
"Of course, darling."
"Yepperoni!"
"Mhm."
"Sure thing, sugarcube."
"Heh, let's do it!"
"Thank you." Twilight gratefully replies.
"Ah'll start us off and anypony else will continue straight after ah finish, does that sound good?" Applejack questioned and received nods from the rest of her friends. "Well then, here goes!"
"Throughout our time together ah've been known as the most honest pony anypony could ever know. Even too honest in some situations. So one of the hardest lessons ah had to learn was learning when being honest might hurt more than not. Don't get me wrong ah still strive to be the most honest a pony could ever be, but there's always a right time and place for it." Honesty
"All the years we've spent together I still believe that everypony out there, whether they be good or bad, still deserve to be shown a little kindness. I've gotten to know a wide variety of mean ponies over the years, but that didn't mean I was mean back to them. Instead, I was kind and understanding of their situations and took the time to get to know them, to see why they were so mean. And in the end, those mean ponies became not so mean anymore." Kindness
"Oooohhh! I'm next! Being down in the dumps is no fun way to go! So I've found that if your friends are really sad and need a pick me up I shouldn't just abandon them and ignore their problems. I need to go out of my way to do what I can to cheer them up! And what's the best way to cheer somepony up? Laughs! That's what! I've learned that getting them to laugh usually cheers them right up and they're not so sad anymore! And if my friends aren't sad anymore, then I'm not sad either!" Laughter
"The past multiple years of my life I have learned a great many of things, but the one that stands above them all is being generous to a friend in need. When my friends need help with something or just need a shoulder to lean on I've found that the best thing I can do is be there for them. To be generous enough to take the time to help them with whatever they a need or to be there for whatever they're going through." Generosity
"My life has been an adrenaline-inducing roller coaster and I love it! And through that time with my friends I've always learned time and time again that staying loyal to them is the best anypony could ask for. No matter what the cost is, being there and having your friends' back through every situation is the awesomest commitment a friend could give!" Loyalty
"No matter what happens in the future I've learned that the best of friends would always stay that, 'the best of friends.' Even if some time into the future any of my friends move on with their lives and we can't hang out as often as we do now there is always a type of Magic inside of us that keeps us all connected. And that, my friends, is the—"
"Magic of Friendship!"
