Today, Tomorrow, and Forever

by Wishes

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life, Sad, Alternate Universe
Length: 1975

A few years ago, in another dimension, a lavender unicorn's prayers are left unanswered.

Twilight Sparkle's been a sorta average filly; smart, kind, but having her share of flaws, too. It all changes when she is introduced to the wonders of magic, and fails the entrance exam to Celestia's School of Gifted Unicorns. Disgraced by her family and friends she runs away to Ponyville, a rustic, suburban town where there's almost perfect harmony. When the time comes she tries to confront Celestia for a failure of the exam out of simple growing hatred, but whatever happens is beyond her control.
~~~
Proofreading by: Cosmic_Guardian
Second Proofreader Slot Open!

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2012-12-08 19:40:01 UTC

Chapter One

It was not less than noon, a little before a regular lunchtime. Dear Celestia's sun was high upon the crystal sky, which shone light blue. Birds were chirping, flowers were blooming, quite like one of the regular sunny spring days. Canterlot was one of the most beautiful then, since usually all the ponies would decide to wear their best spring-themed dresses and other clothing options that would ornament the weather beautifully. Much more towards it, Celestia had held a couple of entrance exams for her School of Gifted Unicorns. Of course, they'd always go on despite the weather, because it would be held inside one of the separate Canterlot Castle towers. She had gotten some of the best and strictest coaches for the examining today; mostly because she felt that something most certainly special would happen during it. She just simply thought that it'd be best for such an occasion.

She stood there, beyond that tower, watching, sipping quietly a cup of hot tea. It was Jasmine, her favorite, laced with delicate honey to add to the flavor. It brought out strong tastes, she had realized before; it was quite a treat.

But it was besides that. Her careful eyes focused upon the tall building, lined with golden accents against its original white color. It would be today that she would not miss that one special thing to happen, keeping her eyes accompanied by her thoughts and vision. They grew a bit tired and bored from watching, but strongly forced against the urge to just stop and take a walk around the towers. It was just too important.

She sighed, and sipped her tea again.

~~~

Twilight Sparkle sweated nervously. It had been not upon her that an entrance exam to Celestia's School of Gifted Unicorns was necessary, nor that she had to take one at all. Certainly, if she knew, she would have practiced towards the examination's one test and would have mastered it in a week. Surely it looked like a simple test, just to hatch a dragon's egg; if it was, actually, she'd look quite like a fool who didn't know what she was doing, or a non gifted unicorn completely unqualified for the test. Of course she was only a filly, quite young compared to many fillies in the school, but it still seemed like she was weak and merciful and completely powerless over anything. Maybe they had thought that she was entering because she another pony had dared her to. Maybe they thought that she would get something out of it from her parents. She didn't know exactly -- it could be anything they were writing on their notepads, eyes watching Twilight's every move. She felt like a deer in hunting season.

She turned towards her parents for comfort, already feeling heat; it was a cool, air conditioned room, but she knew that was how it got when she was extremely nervous. Her parents replied with simple nods of comfort, as if to say 'go on, you can do it, we know you can'. Twilight, however, knew she couldn't. This could effect her entire future, for it was at stake!

Tightening her muscles, she tried to relax but found she couldn't; focusing directly on the egg she powered up her horn, breathing life into her spell. It would blast in (supposed to be surely?--->)solely few seconds, she knew, counting towards the magical moment. However, it failed, producing only light pink sparks colored as her horn's aura. This made her panic; those last spells she had cast drained her of much energy, and she was afraid she couldn't do much more. She panted, catching her breath a few more times, then turning to face the judges.

"I-I'm sorry I wasted your time," she apologized politely, watching them respond with a single blank stare and the scratching of their pencils on the paper. One of the four judges nodded to each other, grimacing at their thoughts. The one mare judge stared directly at Twilight Sparkle and responded.

"I'm sorry, but you failed your test, Ms. Sparkle," the mare said blandly, with no emotion, "You are now dismissed from this room."

Twilight sighed. All was done, and she had a good effort. No, a great effort, but, to her complete disappointment, could not pursue her dream. The vision of her being a powerful unicorn shattered in the moment, a small transparent tear dropping from her eye socket. Slowly, she trudged away, unable to face the judges as they were. They showed no compassion, no distress, no disappointment, no happiness. It was just a little creepy.

Her parents sighed, forcing a smile at their dear child Twilight, and ushered her out of the room, noticing another pony enter; she was light cornflower blue, a little older than Twilight, with a white-and-pale blue mane. She was playing with a small dark blue hat decorated with colored stars. She looked nice, and the same as Twilight, she didn't hold her Cutie Marl yet.

Twilight Sparkle smiled at the pony as did the pony back, nervously.

"H-hi, I'm Twilight Sparkle," Twilight mumbled, willing to make a new friend.

The filly nodded. "I-I'm Trixie," she answered, shuffling her hooves, "Trixie Lulamoon."

"So are you here to take the, um, entrance exam?" she asked.

Trixie's big eyes widened. "Entrance exam? They never told me about an entrance exam. I was just here to apply."

"Me too," Twilight Sparkle answered softly, "The exam's for hatching a dragon egg. It's quite easy."

Trixie looked away, afraid to show Twilight that she wasn't exactly capable of such advanced magic yet. "Oh, um...sure."

Twilight sighed. "I didn't pass," she said, then brightened, "But I'm sure you could."

"Really? You think so?" A small smile formed upon her face.

She nodded in response. "Yeah," she hinted a smile.

They shared glances at each other for a small while. Trixie must have not brought her parents along, Twilight observed, either that or she was an orphan. Being an orphan would be so sad.

Her ears perked up when hearing the echoing voice.

"Twilight? Please, hurry, we have to go. Now."

She blushed, looking at her new friend. "Sorry, but I need to go. It's my parents calling."

Trixie nodded. "Alright. Goodbye."

"Goodbye and good luck!" she waved, leaving in the process. Sighing, she felt good...that she'd made a new friend.

Her hooves bumped the ground with a familiar noise, pushing open the glass entrance doors to the tower. Outside, her parents were waiting...a little disappointed at her too.

"What happened in there?" her father asked, looking away and out into the sky.

Twilight hesitated at her father's odd actions, but responded anyways. "I-I didn't know there had to be an entrance exam. And hatching a dragon egg is really, really hard for a filly my age."

Her mother stared angrily at her. "Not very hard, Twilight."

She sighed. "Your face isn't very hard."

"What did you say?" she demanded, stomping one hoof onto the ground.

Twilight could feel the anger burning up inside her. "I SAID, YOUR FACE ISN'T VERY HARD!"

It was a mistake, she could feel it, a millisecond after finishing the sentence. The sun seemed to dim and the birds seemed to stop chirping to listen.

"Y-young lady, you will stay here until you calm your attitude," her mother scolded, "Your father and I will gladly open the door to home when you are done."

With that, both of her parents ran from the place and into the streets, onto the pathway of home. Twilight's eyes brimmed with tears, her mouth open wide. She closed it and kicked the ground.

Looking upwards, she could see the open sky; oh, how she wished to be a pegasus...free, with no limits; yes, unicorns were too strict and had much too high standards. Proper, fancy, and fashionable towards the very last end, yes, it was stretched to that length. Pegasi would easily just fly away into freedom and calm themselves in the sky...the sky that belonged to them; they would race, they would breathe in open air, and have the heat of the high altitude warm them on a soft, plush cloud. It was a perfect life as far as the young unicorn could see, and she was jealous.

Suddenly, a bright rainbow boom -- a sonic rainboom, maybe -- appeared flowing along the skyline. Twilight's small horn powered up with surprise and fright, a mixture of both, and sent a spark flying into the air. It was only a millisecond until the spell she had made had reacted; bright white sparks began to appear in the sky as it darkened on its own, into a dark purple. In the process, a bright white glowing circle raised upon the hills and valleys of faraway lands, which had become high upon the sky. It took her aback.

She, Twilight Sparkle, had just raised the moon in Canterlot...on her own.

The tall, recognizable alicorn flew upon the grounds and near Twilight, watching the skies, confused. It had never been upon her that somepony could raise the moon; she knew that she didn't do it, and she was the only one who could, unless her banished sister would have returned already. That thought was frightening.

But, instead of her tall, graceful, alicorn sister, she saw a cute, small lavender unicorn on the grass, looking as confused as she, at the sky.

"Did you do this?" her bold, though soft voice shook Twilight.

Twilight nervously turned around, her eyes widened at the sight of the tall, magical Princess. "I...I...y-yes..."

The regal goddess smirked, looking around. "It's very beautiful, and very powerful of you, besides being it illegal to do spells on a Princess' level at such an age."

Twilight's eyes widened more, almost fitting her entire head. Her mind raced of all the things that could happen to her in prison...torture, starvation, and loss of family and friends. It hit her hard, but she certainly couldn't run away, not as a criminal. It'd certainly ruin her reputation.

Princess Celestia walked around Twilight, inspecting her as if to see magical power on the side of one's body. "I never thought one, especially somepony like you, were capable of such a thing."

The goddess' words burned into her skin. It echoed through her mind repeatedly, again and again, over and over. It was most opposite, Twilight knew. She was capable.

She thought that through. Was she capable? She wasn't able to pass the easiest entrance exam in the whole wide world despite all her efforts. To hatch a dragon egg...it was easy! But she knew she was capable...she did do it after all, didn't she? And that meant with all proof that she was completely capable.

But maybe her offense towards being called incapable effected her impulsion towards speech.

"I AM CAPABLE, STUPID!" she shouted, than shut her mouth. She looked at Celestia worriedly, hesitant.

Celestia was not angry; she was anything but. It was a simple trick she used for calming herself to bits with understanding. She knew that little fillies would have that type of impulsion if an adult said that they couldn't do something...out of all the foals and fillies she knew they'd just go ahead and do it. Usually she'd tell them that it was alright to be mad, alright to be angry, and that she was sorry and comforted them; but now, she did nothing but stared.

Twilight shook under pressure. Now it was hurting her more than ever. She wobbled in front on the princess, seeming like she'd just melt. And this all happened in just a couple of seconds.

Without second thought, Twilight Sparkle fled from Celestia and into the shadows of night, in total humiliation, not aware of the future that was long before her affected by this one night.