Confession by the Campfire
Izzy looked in awe at the sight that was in front of her. Could the Princess of the Pegasi really be that beautiful? Her emerald eyes were sparkly (ooh!) and her coat was a pretty shade of light pink. Her mane partially covered her face, but Izzy could tell it had been carefully curled.
"Princess, why isn't anypony flying?" Sunny asked while trying to smile at the same time.
Princess Pipp gasped dramatically. "Oh! Everyone knows only royals can fly, of course."
"What?!" Sunny and Izzy exclaimed in unison.
"I know, it's not fair. But that's just the way it is. If there was some way we could teach the citizens to fly, you know we would in a wingbeat. Right, Zipp?"
Izzy didn't hear what Pipp's sister replied, because she was too busy staring at the Princess's wings. So fluffy, she thought. Oh, how she would love to reach out and touch them!
Pipp looked in awe at the sight that was in front of her. Could the criminal unicorn really be that beautiful? Her pink eyes were bright and smiling, and her coat was a lovely shade of purple - lavender. Her mane was blue and turned purple at the bottom. Pipp didn't think she looked like a criminal at all.
"Princess, why isn't anypony flying?" the earth pony criminal asked.
Pipp gasped. Nopony had asked that before! How would she reply? Would she give away the secret?
"Everyone knows only royals can fly, of course," she said, trying to sound casual.
"What?!" the "criminals" exclaimed in unison.
"I know, it's not fair. But that's just the way it is. If there was some way we could teach the citizens to fly, you know we would in a wingbeat. Right, Zipp?"
"Yeah. In a wingbeat."
Phew. Pipp was glad her sister was keeping the secret. For some reason, she especially didn't want the pretty unicorn to find out. She would be mad at Pipp for lying, and Pipp didn't want to think about the unicorn being mad at her. She smiled at the lavender pony nervously, hoping her smile looked confident. But she still noticed the unicorn looking at her wings. Uh-oh...
"My sparkle is aquamarine?! That's, like, my sixth favorite color!" Pipp squealed in delight as Izzy smiled.
"Yeah, you're a pretty princess!" Izzy laughed. She tried to act like there was no meaning behind those words.
Pipp smiled. "You know, you're not so bad-looking either."
Izzy was breathless. "Really...?" Her heart was pounding so hard she was sure everyone could hear it.
"I mean, your colors are really nice."
Izzy smiled. "Thanks."
There was an awkward silence. Then Sunny broke it. "Can I ask you a question? Why did you come to Maretime Bay?"
"I've always wanted to visit! When I was a filly, I found this pretty lantern. It had a message inside. It - it said I had friends in Maretime Bay," Izzy explained.
Sunny's eyes grew wide and she slowly smiled.
Izzy suddenly realized. "It was you."
Sunny nodded. "I made it with my dad," she said. "We always promised each other that someday, we would prove that all ponies are meant to be friends. 'We'll do our part, hoof to heart.'"
Izzy smiled. But then she noticed Pipp was looking at her and Sunny with a slightly sad expression on her face. She didn't know why. But she did know that she wanted to make the princess feel better. She reached out her hoof and bumped it to Pipp's. The pegasus smiled.
"So, uh, I think we should go to sleep now. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," Zipp suggested.
Pipp nodded. "You're right."
Zipp decided not to blow away the campfire so they wouldn't be cold. The ponies made themselves comfortable on the ground and were soon sleeping soundly. All except for Izzy and Pipp.
Pipp noticed that Izzy was awake. "Hey," she whispered.
"Hi. You can't fall asleep, either?"
"Yeah. How can I?"
"I understand," Izzy replied honestly.
There was a pause.
"So-o-o, what happened back there?"
"What do you mean?" Pipp asked.
"When Sunny and I were talking...you were looking at us with a kind of sad expression. Why?"
Pipp looked surprised. "Um, I don't...know what you're talking about."
"Oh, come on," Izzy said, smiling playfully. She nudged Pipp.
The princess sighed. "I can't really talk about it."
"Why not?"
"Because no one would understand."
Izzy decided to drop the subject for now. She didn't like seeing Pipp uncomfortable. "Oh, okay then. You look kind of uncomfortable. Are there leaves stuck in your wings?"
"Yes. They're the spiky kind."
"Ooh." Izzy grimaced. "Ouch. Want me to get them out for you?"
"Um, sure? Thanks," Pipp replied uneasily.
Izzy had trouble hiding her gleeful smile. She would get to touch Pipp's fluffy wings!
She couldn't stop a sigh from escaping her lips when she touched the princess's wings. They were even softer than she thought. "Fluffy..."
"What?!"
"Ahm, nothing!"
"Okay...so, um, a small question. Did you dye your mane or something? It looks nice with the color blend."
"Nope! The color's aalllll natural," Izzy said proudly. A pretty princess liked her mane!
"Nice! Purple and blue are my second and third favorite colors!"
"So-o-o, can ya fly for me? I want to make a song called 'This Is How a Pegasus Flies!'"
Pipp looked guilty. "Uh, right now?"
"Yeah!" Izzy was getting excited. "I got the gunk out of your wings, so now you have to fly for me!"
"Um, I can't, actually."
"Why not? Royals can fly, right?"
"Of course they can! I just don't want to wake up the others. They need to get their sleep."
"Oh, come on. Your flying doesn't make a sound."
"I know, but-"
"Don't be scared, you've flown before!"
"You're right, but-"
"Please?" Izzy made sad-puppy eyes. "I want to see you fly again. The normal pegasi can't, and you can, so please can you fly for a friend? I mean, you don't even need the return of magic to let you fly, right?"
Pipp sighed. There was a slight pause and then-
"Actually...I...do."
"What?! What do you mean?"
"We can't...fly on our own. I'm...I'm sorry for lying to you. I know I should've told you from the beginning, but..."
"Wait, hold on. Slow down. You can fly! You did it when I was in the castle dungeon, and in your big show..."
"It wasn't real flight. In the castle, I have wires attached to my wings. So when I jump or flap my wings in any way, the wires lift me up."
Izzy was in shock. She had to close her mouth using her hoof.
"I'm so sorry! I - I'm such a terrible friend!" Pipp sounded close to tears.
"But why did you lie to us? We don't care if you don't fly."
"But you do. The only reason you guys brought me along is because of my 'flight,' and because I'm a princess, and mostly because I found out about your plan. Nopony knows the real me. Even the Pippsqueaks! They hate me now, just because I don't...fly."
Izzy shook her head. "That's just aallll wrong. The reason the Pippsqueaks are mad is because you lied to them."
Pipp looked confused. "But..."
"Maybe a few ponies are mad because you can't fly, but none of them are us. We're your friends, no matter what, and...we'll be there for you. I promise!"
"But-"
"Oh, stop it. You know we all care about you! Do we look like fake friends?" She made a silly face. "Nooope!"
"If you guys didn't bring me along because of all those reasons, why did you?"
"'Cause you looked like a really nice pony! And we could tell you needed help. So we were nice and decided to be your friends!"
A few seconds passed, and Izzy wondered if she'd said something wrong. But then Pipp leaped forward and hugged her. Izzy blushed furiously.
"Thank...you..." Pipp said between sobs. But something told Izzy those weren't sobs of sadness. Pipp was relieved.
"Um...you're welcome!" Izzy was surprised from the sudden hug, but she made sure to hug back.
Pipp sniffed and dried her eyes. She faked laughing a little. "Um, that was...kind of...embarrassing. Sorry for getting you...wet..."
"Aw, it's alright!"
"I must look terrible right now," Pipp said as she started walking away. "Would you mind if I just..."
"You're beautiful." It just came out of Izzy's mouth with her even thinking about it.
Pipp gasped. Then she turned and smiled a little as she went back to Izzy.
"You...too."
Izzy smiled.
None of them noticed, but inch by inch, the two ponies' muzzles were getting closer and closer...
Author's Note
Please tell me how I can improve this. I have a feeling I was rushing on this.
