Chapters Mini-Shelf: A Collection of Bite Size Stories
My heart races and my hoof taps involuntarily. My entire body feels so jittery, my impatience is getting the better of me. "Hurry up Pinkie." I yell into the back of the bakery.
"Calm down Dashie, it's right here." She stepped out of the kitchen balancing a cake platter on her head. On top of the platter sat my special order, a cake crafted to look like a book. It makes me chuckle, a cake made to look like something she'd never think of damaging, let alone eating one. Pinkie wraps up the delicious dessert into a box. I pull some bits out of my bag but she stops me. "No need to pay, it's my birthday gift to Twilight." I put the money away and took the cake.
"Thanks Pinkie, I'll tell her happy birthday for you." I walk out of the shop and begin the trek home. Today is quite special, it was one year ago exactly that Twilight and I began dating, as well as her birthday. In all honesty that just made this easier for me, as I may not have the best memory, odds are I'll remember at least one of them.
I walk by the flower stand and am hit by inspiration, flowers are always a nice gift. I turn and begin to talk to the clerk, "Hey Roseluck, it's Twilight's birthday, what do you recommend?"
"Oh, it is? Tell her happy birthday for me." She speaks very brightly, then turns to her cart, a quizzical look on her face. "Let's see, oh, I know." She pulls out a bouquet of stunning lavender colored roses. "Twilight helped me out with an idea to change the color of some of my flowers, and it looks like it worked. Quite beautifully actually. You know what, give these to her, on me, a bit of a birthday gift."
"Oh wow, thanks Rose." She hands me the blooms and I continue on to the library, mentally preparing myself. It is a big day for me, but an even bigger one for Twi, it has to be perfect. I reach into my saddlebag, nervously checking to make sure it is still there. I breathe a sigh of relief when I felt the small box, I don't know what I'd do if I had lost it.
I knock on the door. I know I could just walk in, but this was part of the surprise. The door open to reveal the love of my life. I throw some confetti from my bag into the air, "Happy Birthday!" I say as I pull her into a hug. "I got you these." I hand her the flowers.
"Oh Dash, thank you, they're beautiful, just like this one pegasus I know," she says as she pulls me into a kiss. It still gives me butterflies.
"I know you are a real stickler for the rules, but how 'bout you and I break a few for your birthday."
"Like what?"
"Cake for breakfast!" I walk into the library and place the cake box on a table
We chat and laugh over the cake. It was vanilla, which I'm not a fan of, but Twi loves it, and that's the important thing. The rest of the day is spent enjoying everything Ponyville has to offer. When dusk approaches we head for the meadow. The lavender flows in the soft evening breeze, it is all so beautiful in the starlight, especially her. "Can you imagine more nights like this." I stop and look at her, her eyes glisten stunningly. "Look, we both know that I'm no good with words so," I kneel and pull out the box, inside lies a golden wedding band. "Will you marry me?"
The night sky reflects light into the tears welling in her eyes, "yes."
Mini-Shelf: A Collection of Bite Size Stories
I’m fine, I mean, it’s not the end of the world or anything. I’m Rainbow Dash for Pete’s sake. I’ve done just fine on my own for my entire life all on my own. I don’t need anyone else, I am independent. I don’t need a special somepony, and I most certainly don’t need Twilight.
Who am I kidding?
I am just sad. I can tell myself whatever I want, I want Twilight but Twilight doesn’t want me. The greatest pegasus in all of Equestria in isn’t good enough for her. Now that I think about it, that really makes sense. There is no one in this world as amazing as Twilight, and she deserves someone equally as great. I’d say that I fit the bill. but apparently she doesn’t think so.
That’s really all that matters I guess. I may think I’m great, but it doesn’t matter unless Twilight thinks so, and if she did then I wouldn’t be here, lying in my bed, skulking. I was so certain.
I had it all planned out. Show up early at the library and help her with anything she asked for. I took her to Sugarcube corner for breakfast, I even payed for her food. I took her to a movie. We got lunch at the cafe. She and I went on a walk. I was planning on taking her to a very special place. Behind Fluttershy’s cottage was a meadow, a beautiful field of lavender. At one edge of the meadow was a weeping willow, I go there all the time, it’s breathtaking.
But then my world came crashing down. She inquired as to why I was being so nice, I casually replied something about friends being nice to one another. Then she stopped dead in her tracks and asked if it was possibly anything more than friendship. I confessed, I spilled it all out. I was hoping she’d understand and maybe even share these feelings. Then she crushed me, crushed my soul. I’ll always remember her rejection.
“I’m not looking for a relationship right now, and if I was I’d look for a stallion. You’re great and all, but I don’t want to risk our friendship.”
She doesn’t get it, how can I be friends with somepony who I love so much, and yet she only feels friendship. I’ll always want more, and someday that will tear us apart. It seems selfish, but that’s who I am.
I mean I’m fine, but who am I kidding?
Mini-Shelf: A Collection of Bite Size Stories
The sweet vapors twisted their way through my mind, it smelled like Ponyville after rain and fresh parchment. A clever ruse if I do say so myself. This potion is a tricky brew, making itself appealing to anyone exposed to the smell, giving of an aroma that the mind perceives to be the most pleasant, when in actuality it smells like a simple flower. The entire process was mesmerizing, and highly illegal.
Long ago, the brewing of love potions was outlawed, I can see why. Administer a love potion to anyone and you’ll have them wrapped around your hoof, one could easily topple a nation, overthrow a government, or make away with the most valuable items in pony history.
But of course that’s not what I’m intending to do. I’m trying to not just stimulate obsession, I want to create love from nothing, true love. Well not really nothing, there is already an established friendship, I just need to make it more.
I’m still surprised that I was able to take rejection in stride, that I kept a level head and showed no disappointment. Now that I think about it, I don’t believe I showed any emotions. It was really pitiful, everything I felt for her, and none of the feeling was returned. But that matters little.
Rainbow Dash, you will be mine.
Mini-Shelf: A Collection of Bite Size Stories
I stared into the beautiful eyes, the reflection in the mirror that wasn’t my own. It was her mirror image, I hadn’t seen her in a year. It’s felt like much longer than that, time just likes to drag I guess. Lonely days spent with my books, and even they were not a suitable substitute for the company of my special somepony.
She Certainly looked the same. In fact she looked just like she did the last time I saw her, well last time she was healthy. It made no sense, I was just looking into the bedroom mirror when instead of myself I saw a familiar and beautiful face. I began to inspect deeply, making sure it was actually her.
Her cyan coat glowed with a bright and adventurous gleam, ready to streak across the sky. Her eyes were the same healthy shade of magenta, a glint in them was very noticeable, that competitive spark that drove her to be the very best, to never give up. Her mane was a beautiful palette of colors, a bit raggedy from the air speed. It was definitely her.
I was in shock, it made no sense for her to be here, but it’s what I saw. I thought to myself, count my blessings, don’t question a gift. A smile crossed each of our mouths, I could feel a distant happiness coming near.
I blinked, and when I looked into the mirror again I just saw a very sad unicorn.
Mini-Shelf: A Collection of Bite Size Stories
“See ya later Twi,” I said as I reached out for the door of the library. My hoof made contact, but I was reluctant to push through, something was holding me back.
“Bye Rainbow, talk to you tomorrow.” And there it was. The simple joy of hearing that beautiful voice brought a smile to my face. I was so stubborn before, denying myself what I knew to be true. I mean Rainbow Dash, the coolest pegasus in all of Equestria, a filly-fooler? At first it didn’t seem to add up, but once I let go it all made so much more sense.
Twilight is the most amazing unicorn ever, she’s gorgeous, smart, kind and everything I ever think I could need in a partner. I could actually picture it all in my head, living my life with her. Waking up in the morning and the first thing I see is her face and the first thing I here is her voice. That would be bliss. I was just ignorant before, now I don’t see how I could be happy without Twilight.
Just spending the day a the library was amazing. Laying down with her in a little nook, poring over all these wondrous tomes of knowledge, burning away the daylight discussing whatever. “The what” was unimportant, “the who” is what mattered. This beautiful pony whom I could easily see in a wedding gown, speaking her vows to me.
I’ve had crushes before but this was something special. I heard footsteps behind me.
“You okay Dash?”
“I’m fine, actually, I’m great. Can I ask you something?”
Mini-Shelf: A Collection of Bite Size Stories
I stare intently at the wilted flower, searching for something, I'm unsure what. It’s as if I’d just forgotten something very important. I feel myself shudder and I turn away from the bloom.
“Rosie, we should get out of here, it’s not safe.” A voice speaks from behind me, her tone is very nervous. “All the fire, the smoke, the broken buildings, it’s dangerous.” I just stood there, frozen, the world around me just stopped. “You okay Rose?”
“No.”
I look up from the ground to see the ashen remains of my old home town. This place used to be so beautiful, full of colors and sounds and sights and smells. Full of life. Parts of the town were still smoldering, giving off heat and smoke. This glorious place used to be beautiful, now it’s a graveyard.
And it’s all her fault. Twilight Sparkle, the mare who played with fire, and we were burned. Daisy and I were looking for precious flowers in the Everfree Forest when the sky filled with orange and red and yellow, the hues of a blaze. We reached the edge of the forest and we saw our home, we saw it burn.
Kinda funny that it’s Twilight’s fault, she was always so careful with her magic. Then one day she comes across a tome, reads the words, it turned out to be an incantation. A firestorm engulfed the town, it all burned in seconds. She was still alive, at the epicenter of it all, the eye of the storm. We found her shambling through the street, yelling out to no one.
“I didn't know! I'm so sorry!" It was heartbreaking, a little mistake on her part and then all of this. I tried to talk to her as she walked in the wreckage of her home, but she just wasn't there, she didn't respond in the slightest, just kept walking, yelling to the sky. The weight of the death of her friends, the pain that all of it was her fault. She killed them, her dearest friend. This is just...
I look at the flower again. "This should never have happened." I pick up the rose and it crumbles to dust.
If the clearest memories are born of tragedy, this will forever be a flawless crystal in my mind forever.
Author's Note
Prompt submitted by Uncr3at1ve: The clearest memories are born from tragedy
Mini-Shelf: A Collection of Bite Size Stories
“You know Lily, back in our school days Daisy and I always got ourselves into the most interesting situations.”
“That’s an understatement if I ever heard one, I’m surprised we never got expelled. We used to go to some snooty private school in Canterlot, rich families and what not.”
“Yeah, actually I don’t know if we should talk about it.”
“Well it is too late now, you’ve gotten me interested, you have no choice but to tell me.”
“I don’t know...”
“Ahh it’s all right Daisy I’m sure Lily won’t talk to anyone about it, will she?”
“Oh I swear, not a soul shall hear of this from me.”
“See Daisy, told you there was no problem. Alright where to begin, what’s a good first story?”
“The flag?”
“Nah, the mascot?”
“Ehh, oh, how about the statue outside the school?
“Oh yes, perfect. Okay, so Lily, there used to be this fountain outside the front of the school, on top of it was a statue of Starswirl the Bearded. It was really nice, marble, beautifully carved. Well around comes the beginning of Sophomore year, we get a little license to open up our flower shop outside the school.”
“Yeah, this was the first time we opened a flower shop, it was a cart, much smaller and cheaper than the ones we have now, and Rose towed it to school since she had no class during the last block, we’d meet up outside once school was over and sell the flowers. We had a lot of business, students were always hungry at the end of the school day and having the shop right on campus was very profitable.”
“Well it’s the last day of school and Daisy and I are tending to the shop when a teacher calls us into talk about summer classes. We close up the shop and head inside. Well while we are away, somepony messed with the brakes on the cart. As we walk out, the cart begins to roll it’s way down a slope and time just slows.”
“So Rose and I are just galloping to try and catch the shop, but it get’s too much speed too fast. The thing is just careening towards the fountain, the two of us chasing after it. It hits the fixture and the cart just crumbles, the fountain is barely is shaking. We were angry about our shop but were glad that we didn’t cause any damage.”
“Or so we thought. We breathe a sigh of relief and just at that moment, crack, Starswirl’s bearded head falls to the ground with a booming thud. Everyone stops and just stares at the two of us, standing in the wreckage of a cart, the head of a statue lying on the ground in front of us, we were both as red as, well, roses.”
“Looking back and laughing, it's been a long time."
Author's Note
Prompt by Isaac The Red: “Looking back and laughing, it's been a long time."
