It all started when Twilight was a filly living in Canterlot. Shining Armor, her older brother, collected fancy horseshoes. As many foals do, she wanted to be just like her older brother. When Twilight got her own pocket money, she bought a fresh new pair of Mare Jordans. That one purchase was the beginning of the end for Twilight's savings account.
When Twilight was tasked with moving to Ponyville, she brought her collection with her. At that time, it was modest; but for how long? On holidays where it was appropriate to buy somepony gifts, Twilight's friends would occasionally buy her gift certificates or pairs from her favorite brands on top of the books and writing supplies she would ask for.
When Twilight started the School of Friendship, she had another source of income. That income went straight into the pockets of horseshoe CEOs. The collection was massive at this point and took up an entire room in the Castle of Friendship.
"Twilight? Do you maybe think you should calm down the whole horseshoe thing?" asked Spike, who was carrying in a shipment of Twilight's favorite vice.
"Not at all, Spike! These horseshoes will gain value over time and then we'll be as rich as a Scottish duck!"
Spike rolled his eyes and continued pushing the box up the stairs.
When Twilight ascended to Celestia's throne, her friends tried to hold a preemptive intervention to make sure Twilight didn't use her newfound wealth for capitalism and only for the good of Equestria. They were just a day too late.
Princess Twilight trotted into her throne room with a box floating above her head encased in a magical energy.
"Twilight, what's in the box?" asked Applejack.
"Don't worry about it."
A stallion wearing glasses and a nice suit looked at Twilight from a chair in the semicircle of friends, "Princess, your friends have prepared speeches to help you with your problem."
"I don't have a problem," Twilight deadpanned, "these are an investment!"
"Is that what you call them?!" Rainbow Dash shouted, "You don't even wear them! Save some horseshoes for the rest of us who are going to wear them! You are contributing to the reason I can't get nice horseshoes to wear while playing hoofball!"
Fluttershy put a hoof around Rainbow Dash to calm her down. Fluttershy then glared at Twilight.
The intervention didn't work and Twilight then began to steal funds from the Royal Treasury.
A hundred years later, it was just Twilight and Spike. Sure, Luna and Celestia were still around, but they were far away. It turns out that Twilight's "investments" did work out and with Spike's forceful encouragement, Twilight sold a good portion of her collection to classic horseshoe collectors.
Twilight began to reflect on why she collected horseshoes. Originally, she wanted to be as cool as her brother, then she used them as an investment, now it was all she had left from her old life as a unicorn.
"I won't buy as many as I used to..." said Twilight as she sipped her tea across from a now adult Spike.
Spike looked up from his dragon-sized cup and said in his gravely, deep voice, "Good. I'm proud of you."
Princess Twilight did calm down her horseshoe buying after that. The problem was, when she was buying horseshoes, she was using funds embezzled from the Royal Treasury.
"Your Highness," Coin Star, the Royal Treasurer bowed to her superior, "It seems we have missing funds."
"Oh my goodness! Do you know where they could've gone?"
"Well... We have a few ideas..." Coin Star hesitated, "A few ,. of your cabinet members think it might be... you..."
"That's preposterous! Get out of my sight!"
Twilight went back to her chambers that night and heard a knock on her window. She opened it to see the former Princess of the Night. Luna was carrying a box.
"Here you are, Twilight. But I still don't think it's ethical to be sending the fruits of your crimes to my abode."
"Who are you to question ethics, Luna? Anyway, see you next week at the Gala!"
Twilight shut the window with her magic and trotted through the secret hatch to her secret horseshoe room.
Two thousand years later, Sunny Starscout was traversing the mountains of Equestria in search of her idol, Princess Twilight Sparkle.
Sunny's horn lit up to guide her path through the dense snow. She was determined to meet the former princess and ask her all the questions she had been pondering for years.
Finally, Sunny came to an old door covered in vines, snow, and moss. Sunny struggled to pull the door open by its large, ornate handle. It took some time, but the door finally creaked open; Sunny entered. The torches around the entrance lit up magically.
Sunny trotted through the entryway in sheer awe. She was this much closer to meeting her hero. She eventually reached the end of the corridor and found herself before a door that was much larger than the last. The door opened in response to Sunny's presence.
Behind the large door was a well-lit, massive room. The walls were painted in beautiful pastels. The floor was made of artificial grass. The ceiling had a large, artificial sun magically placed on it. All around the room were plants and toys. On each side of the room were other large doors. The room looked like a place scientists would use to enrich zoo animals. The thing that set it apart from a lab was the table in the center.
The table was covered in tea and snacks of all varieties. Around the table sat four alicorn mares. The four talked and laughed together. Sunny simply stood in awe. Right in front of her were the four Princesses of Equestria. They were alive and Sunny was about to talk to them.
As Sunny was staring, Cadence noticed her presence and looked over, "Girls, it seems we have a visitor!"
Sunny approached and bowed to them.
"You don't have to bow to us My Little Pony," Celestia said with a small smile, "Please, sit, have some tea."
Sunny sat down and got acquainted with the four other alicorns. Twilight was happy to answer all of her questions.
"What's your first question?" Twilight asked sweetly.
"Where to start?" Sunny tapped her chin, "What happened to the magic?"
Celestia, Luna, and Cadence all laughed. Twilight blushed, "I... uh... sold it to Discord for horseshoes..."
Sunny blinked. Then she paused. Then she blinked again, "Alright! Moving on!"
Author's Note
Scotishbro, I hope you like this! I was partly inspired by Sunny Meets Twilight!
All feedback is appreciated and if you want me to write you a story, just PM me.
