The day was sunny and nice, the cool breeze blowing through the small town of Ponyville as today was a rather big day for the town, for today was the new opening of the Shining Oaks Library, to replace the destroyed Golden Oaks Library when Princess Twilight fought Tirek. Twilight's friends, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie, many years ago, had planted a tree seed where the old Golden Oaks was after seeing how Twilight missed the old library, a clear showing that Twilight had rescued the few remaining intact books, burnt as they were still, from the old library and kept them in the library in her castle, to remember her first home in Ponyville.
And what a surprise it was when the tree began growing and Twilight's friends all showed her the little plant that would grow into the huge tree library. However as the tree grows, so does Twilight and her friends, of course being an alicorn now meant Twilight could live longer than her friends so she didn't have the fast visual of growing older like her friends. All her friends now had wrinkles and weakness from tiring bones, needing wheelchairs or walking canes to help them move about as they all lived together in the Ponyville Retirement Home while Twilight still had her castle.
Every day Twilight would look out the window of her bedroom, both the retirement home and the Shining Oaks growing in clear view, hoping that her friends would live long enough to see their gift of her's come into reality. And that day eventually came as the interior of the new library was all finished, complete with new books that were donated by Princess Celestia from the Canterlot Library. As the big day of the opening came, Twilight was once again at her bedroom window, looking out at both the retirement home and the library, really not prepared for what to say even thought she had practiced for today as someone came knocking in.
"Twilight, it's time, are you re..." A familiar purple dragon that was now taller than Twilight, said. "Twilight, you okay?"
"Sorry Spike, I'm just thinking about what I'm going to say, my friends are going to be gone soon and I just want to make this day memorable." Twilight sighed as she rested her head on the window sill.
"You'll know what to say Twilight, you always do, no matter what you say your friends will love you." Spike reassured his mother like figure.
"Thanks Spike, you always know how to get me back on track." Twilight smiled as she turned around to face the dragon.
"It's what I do." Spike replied, shrugging his shoulders.
Trotting out of her room and then out of the castle with Spike, Twilight went to the new Shining Oaks library, the town gathered around, waiting for the princess and in their places of honor, right up in the front of the crowd was Twilight's friends, all in wheelchairs or holding onto walking canes.
"I'm so glad you five were able to make it." Twilight smiled as she greeted her friends, who all had smiles on, despite their old age.
"Of course darling, we wouldn't miss it for the world." Rarity replied.
"Anything for our dear friend." Fluttershy agreed.
As Twilight and her friends talked, a red unicorn, with a black mane and tail and a quill and parchment cutie mark, wearing a neck collar, came up to Twilight.
"Excuse me princess, but we really should get started." The unicorn spoke to Twilight with his head slightly bowed.
"Of course Mayor Pen, sorry about getting sidetracked." Twilight apologized for keeping everypony waiting.
"It's quite alright princess, I understand." Mayor Pen replied as he went on the speech platform, followed by Twilight, as the mayor took the stage first while Twilight was behind, ready to go up for her part. "Attention everypony." Mayor Pen spoke as everypony stopped chatting along themselves to listen to the mayor. "Today's a very special day for this town because we open the new Shining Oaks Library, the predecessor to the old Golden Oaks Library, it is my privilege as your mayor to help open up this new addition to Ponyville."
And then everypony cheered as the mayor finished that sentence, the mayor waiting for a minute before quieting down everypony before finishing his part.
"Now before we cut the ribbon, Princess Twilight herself has a few words to say." Mayor Pen stepping aside to let the princess take the stage.
Twilight took a deep breath as she focused on her friends, starting to speak as if she was only speaking to them.
"Today's one of the happiest days in my life, many years ago, when I came to Ponyville, the old Golden Oaks was my first home here, I had so many wonderful memories of that place, not only my own memories of myself, but the times of my friends also being there, who created even more memories that I will always remember and treasure." Twilight began as she saw her friends having tears of joy. "When Golden Oaks was destroyed, I felt like things would change for my friends and I, but our friendships only grew stronger from that experience and is still as powerful as ever. When my friends first showed me the little plant that is now this tree, I knew I could never repay them for their kindness and generosity they gave me so many years ago. So with that in mind, I hereby dedicate the new Shining Oaks Library in honor of my friends, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie."
As everypony returned to cheering, Mayor Pen hoofed the big pair of scissors used to cut the ribbons to open a new location, to Twilight, who took it with her magic and with her magic cut the ribbon to officially open the new library. As Twilight cut it, the camerapony for the Ponyville Chronicler snapped a picture for the next day's newspaper and as soon as that happened, a cannon shot out of seemingly nowhere, spreading party streamers everywhere.
Twilight, her friends, and everypony else all looked at Pinkie Pie, who had an innocent look on her face.
"What?" Pinkie Pie said. "You didn't expect me to not have my party cannon go off did you?"
"Typical Pinkie Pie." Rainbow Dash chuckled as the rest of the friends all shared a laugh as well before stopping.
"Thanks a mightly lot Twilight, we're all touched by your speech and will certainly remember it." Applejack spoke from her wheelchair.
"No AJ, it's you five I should be thanking, it's you five that gave me this gift and I will always hold it dearly to my heart." Twilight letting out a tear.
"Group hug!" Pinkie Pie tried to shout, but really couldn't make it loud like she used to in her younger years.
And the group hugged together, with some difficulty, but they did it, not lasting too long since Twilight didn't want to potentially ruin their aging bodies as Spike came up.
"Should we go inside the new library and look around?" Spike told Twilight.
"We should, come on girls, I can't wait to show you the interior." Twilight smiled as she led the way, slowly followed by her friends as they entered the library, where everypony else was there and celebrating the opening with a party as Twilight gave them the tour, the interior very similar to the old Golden Oaks, which Twilight wanted and her friends certainly appreciated it.
And so as the day was ending and everypony went back home, the only ponies left were Twilight and friends as they spent a little more time remembering as they sat around in the main area of the library, chatting and laughing as they looked back all those years ago. As Twilight's friends returned to the retirement home, Twilight gave them each a hug and a "I love you." before they left. Eventually with her friends going back, Spike returning to the castle to sleep himself, only Twilight was left as she took a minute more to gaze at the Shining Oaks Library.
"Goodnight my friends, I hope this library will be here to stay for many, many years." Twilight closed her eyes and smiled as she hoped in her mind that what she just said will stay true forever.
Now done, Twilight trotted back to her castle for a good night's sleep, to have good dreams and to wake up to another happy day tomorrow with her friends.
Author's Note
So I'm not exactly sure if Twilight being an alicorn means she can live longer, so sorry if I'm wrong about that, but for the sake of this, lets just say that it is!
Also, for those of you confused by the addition of my own OC, let me explain...
To some of you my pen name may look very familiar, that's because I also go by the name of Alexriolover95, on fanfiction.net. And I already have a bunch of MLP stories there as well and in some of them, my OC, me in pony form is a red unicorn named Drawn Pen, who also has a black mane and tail, and a quill and parchment cutie mark. His backstory is that he came to Ponyville from his home in Canterlot for his new job as Mayor Mare's new assistant , as well as bringing his little sister Blooming Rose, who attends the School of Friendship. When Mayor Mare decides to retire, Pen decides to run for mayor and of course wins. So that's the short backstory to my OC.
