The Alicorn: My Past In Ponyville

So after walking for quite a while without being seen, we made it to a round domed building where I was motioned into the door by Twilight. At the time, I found it very funny that Twilight couldn’t pinpoint exactly where I was and so was in actuality, motioning to the area. I walked in and so did she, the door shutting behind her made a loud noise which gained the attention of a white mare who was busily sewing.

She looked up and stopped working. She jumped to her hooves in a very noble way and then said, “Twilight, darling, what can I do for you today?”

Twilight walked closer to her friend and answered, “Remember that little favor you said you would be glad to do for me?”  Rarity raised her hoof to her chin in thought, not able to recall what Twilight was specifically referring to.

Twilight continued “I brought along someone I think you would love to meet, this is Skyla,” she said as she closed her eyes and pointed my way. As I was invisible, Rarity’s face of confusion was priceless as to why her friend was waving at the wall.

She started to laugh it off and then asked politely, “Is this a joke?”

Twilight was confused at why her friend was confused which was rather funny to me. It took a minute for Twilight to turn and look back, when she did; she realized that I was still invisible and that she looked like a complete loon. She then did the counter spell which turned me visible.

This calmed Rarity to know her friend was not having ‘issues’ again.

Twilight then started, “Rarity, this is Princess Skyla. Skyla, this is Rarity. Now that everypony knows each other; Rarity, I want you to make Skyla look like me. We’ll have time to get to know each other later.”

Rarity nodded and told me to go into the next room. It looked much bigger than the outside so I was rather surprised. Once in the room Rarity spoke to me for the first time, “Oh my stars! It’s such a pleasure to meet you dear. It’s not every day that I get to give royalty a makeover! I shall make you look fabulous!” She sat me in a chair and spun me towards a mirror. Rarity levitated shampoo and body wash and begun scrubbing me everywhere with a brush. I was glad, after the long ride in, I needed a cleaning. Once my mane was shampooed, she brought out conditioner and perfected my mane in all its natural beauty.

But then she moved on to the make-up. To make me a unicorn, she needed to cover up my wings. She grabbed a plaster like liquid and spread it over my legs and wings. Luckily, I was very thin and this did not affect my look too much. She showed me what I looked like and honestly, I was a mess. But Rarity was not done, she floated a purple dye down from a shelf and dyed my body majestic purple. While it was drying, she took a pair of contact lenses and made my eyes dark pink. Finally, she gave my mane and tail a makeover: pulled up, back, and purple with pink highlights.

She told me to look in the mirror. My eyes hurt, my mane was dyed, my wings tied, but I looked very good. Twilight seemed to think so too.

“Are you sure there’s no charge?” Twilight asked Rarity. “Absolutely, it’s free for my friend.” She replied. Twilight told me to wait outside while she talked to Rarity, but I happened to overhear what they said. “So how long does it stay on?” I heard my aunt ask. “As long as you don’t scrub it off, and just make sure she doesn’t get very angry, that will almost melt the plaster off!” They said their goodbyes and Twilight came out to me.

She told me we were going for a little outing before returning to the library and I was excited to see what life would bring, even if it meant going to buy some cherries. We visited every store in Ponyville but one, Sugar Cube Corner. Twilight said that we couldn’t risk Pinkie Pie. I did not know who that was but by the time we had returned to the tree house, my name was Grapy Joy, I was a unicorn, and I was being baby-sat by Twilight Sparkle, who I referred to as Twily. That was my story, one of four I had to memorize and play along with.

I hopped this would be enough to keep who I was hidden. Around my newly purple neck hung a little gold locket with a splash of pink on its side. As I returned to my new home that night, I remembered Chaos, and how I promised my hasty return. I was trying to rush things along, but I realized, I couldn’t rush anything anymore so I would just have to wait it out.

As I slid into the bed by the stairs after a daisy salad dinner, my wings itched from the left over plaster. The remove makeup spell had missed a bit under my wings.

That night, I had a very strange dream. I was walking in a forest, or more specifically, out of one. I had just found my way into a large clearing, grand old trees on all sides. At the center was a smooth white table, and at this table was an earth pony stallion. This Stallion was a very dark blue and speckled white, such that his coat looked like the night sky on a bright a starry night in the countryside. I saw that his eyes were almost Hearth’s Warming flame colored, shining, and looking at me. “Well this is rare; no one has ever come here by accident. Then it must not be an accident that you are here. My name is Starry Eyed, don’t worry, I’m friendly.”

Starry was friendly, I just knew. I could tell he wanted to be helpful, but he looked worried about something. Those eyes of his seemed to see my heart and soul, and his eyes reflected a friend’s concern. “You have a right to be afraid Skyla, but don’t let fear make you do something you’ll regret. Fear allows for courage, but it can also lead to despair unchecked.”

I knew he wanted to help me, but he wasn’t making any sense. “I cannot help it if I am afraid, Starry Eyed. The whole world seems like it’s out to get me.” Starry leaned back in his seat, “I was only making an observation. My talent is cultivation.” I responded without thinking, “Obviously, you’re an earth pony.” As soon as the words left my mouth I covered it with my hooves, I really hadn’t meant to say something so rude. “I so sorry, I only meant…”

“It’s quite alright, I’m not even mad. But you didn’t let me finish. I’m a green mage; I draw out the potential power in others. My special talent is that I can see the potential in anything, and draw it out. Hence, cultivation.”

I was glad he wasn’t offended, but didn’t understand him after that, “I beg your pardon?” Starry clapped his hooves together, “I’ll give you a demonstration. Far from my best work, but the most I can do on short notice.” From the moment he had clapped his hooves the locket Chaos gave me had shone like a star, and as he finished speaking the light went out. “What did you do? This is really important to me!” I screamed at him, afraid he’d damaged my most precious possession. “I know it is, that’s why I chose it. You’re not likely to lose THAT. I gave it a bit of my power, the ability to see the way things really are. Just tell it what you’d like to see, it’ll do the rest.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I tested it to see if he was telling the truth, “Show me Castle Canterlot.”

Suddenly I was in the Castle again. In reality it was a vision from the locket, but I didn’t figure that out until later. It was dark, and the palace was empty. But I felt someone come up behind me, and heard Shimmering Arms whisper in my ear, “Keep on running little princess, I will catch you. I promise, you won’t get the chance to come back and ruin my plans. I swear, you will not come home alive!” I felt what I can only guess was Starry pulling me out of that vision and pinching me awake.

I woke from that nightmare to realize it was only a dream; I was in the library, safe and sound. The night was only half over, 4 more hours of potential nightmares. I was here, away from all that haunted me so far, but I couldn’t help but wonder; was that real?