Chapters Ribbon watched the hands of her alarm clock slowly move as her head rested on her pillow, waiting for the hammer to furiously start banging against the bells. The panes of her window were open and the curtains flowed in the breeze that entered her room and chilled her hooves at the end of her bed. Curling up did little to avoid the cold, and any movement seemed like a complete effort on her part. So she continued to stare at the clock until it finally went off.
She turned the other way and hugged at her blanket, closing her eyes for just a moment to try and rest some more. But when she looked back at the clock, five minutes had already eaten away at her morning schedule. Sliding out towards the window, she felt the cold wrap around her body and make her shiver. Quickly she went over to her closet, opened the door then grabbed her bag, then left her room, not to return until the afternoon.
Down stairs it was dark as the sun had yet to breech over the mountains and clouds, and she liked it that way. She went into the pantry in the kitchen, took out a box of oats then poured them in a bowl along with milk and munched away at her daily breakfast. Once she finished and rinsed the bowl and spoon, she went on to preparing the same lunch she had eaten eat everyday for years; a sandwich with very little in it, an apple and a small bottle of water. Some days the apples weren't very good and she'd end up throwing them away with half of the ovary still left, some days the bread on her sandwich got soggy from the mustard and lettuce, and sometimes the water just taste bad and did little to quench her.
It had been the same for years ever since her parents stopped making her lunch for her and she had to start getting up by herself. Her father had to get up early to go to the office to work under Filthy Rich, and her mother didn't get up until sometime after Ribbon left for school. Most mornings she was all along, which she preferred.
She went outside, closed the door and began walking through the streets towards the school. The sun came half way up over the mountains and lit the morning clouds with pink and white rays. Few ponies were out in the mornings, most of them shop keepers cleaning up around their stores for the day.
Her walks were long ones from her home to school, and gave her plenty of time to think to herself about her day. But her thoughts had become mundane from the daily journey. It made her sad in a way realizing it.
The sun had risen slightly when she made it to her desk at school and began taking out her school supplies. Everything had to be in order on her desk, otherwise it made her uncomfortable. When everything was set she looked up at the clock, even though she knew what time it was, then sat back and closed her eyes to rest a little.
"Hey Ribbon." she heard Sprinkles voice interrupt her thoughts.
"Hey." she said and look up at her.
"Did you see Princess Twilight yesterday?"
The tone in her voice made it obvious she wanted to hear what she was like.
"Yeah." Ribbon simply replied.
"How was she?"
"Fine."
"What was she doing?"
"I don't know."
"Was anybody else there?"
"A few."
"Is... that all?"
"Yeah. I didn't get to talk with her, she was too busy."
"Oh... thats too bad."
Sprinkle then left her and went over to her desk which was a few rows over.
Ribbon didn't want to remember what had happened the day before, but it seemed like it was all she could think of. After a long while of thinking to herself the night before, the pain and sadness slowly went away and she went back to normal, mostly. She had taken out a record and played a little music to help ease herself, then went to bed shortly after.
The classroom bell rang as the seats finished filling and the teacher sat at she desk looking over the days lessons. It would be fifteen minutes until class officially started, so Ribbon sat back and closed her eyes again and dreamed of whatever would make her feel better like stories she had imagined and thought would make good novels or scenes of anything she could think of that would complement the music she listened to. Never had she thought she'd make it in show business, but it gave her warmth and a fire in her heart to imagine a great hero leading an army to battle to the sound of drums from her records.
The teacher announced the class and the day started, making her leave her fantasies behind. Before the teacher had even begun to say he was going around to check homework, Ribbon had already taken it out and arrange the papers in order of succession to the days schedule, then rested her cheek on her elbow and closed her eyes again.
School was a enormous priority to her, even if she didn't physical show it. Anything less than a solid B and she felt as if she had let herself down. She wasn't the best reader in the class, nor could she solve every equation right nor could she write the best essay's, but she still did all her homework and scored well enough on her tests to gets A's and B's.
Knowing she was one of the better mare's in her class, though she tried to humble herself, she thought those who whispered to each other during lectures, or teased the teacher with ridiculous, or constantly talked like they knew what they were saying but really didn't were nothing but idiots and was constantly irritated with them. When she was younger and dealt with the same types, and the irritation had gotten up to its breaking point, she would yell over everypony to shut up. Everypony would and looked at her, which made her feel more terrible than triumphant.
She squelched those kinds of memories and tried to think of better ones when the recollection of embarrassment made her uneasy.
The teacher came to her desk and picked up her papers and quickly looked through them, stamped, then went onto the colt in front of her. One thing she had learned is how teachers look at homework; how so as long as they see something they don't see anything wrong, like copied answers from previous questions.
Afterwards he asked if there were questions that needed to be answered, which Ribbon knew were more of than the two hooves in the air but nopony else wanted to look unlearned. Even she didn't understand some things, but mostly learned in class than studied at home, fixing errors she had made by watching the teacher review.
"Now before we get into this mornings lecture," the teacher said, "There's something I'd like to share with you. As you all know the semester is ending and school will be out soon."
"Yeeeyeeeaaaahhh!" some colt yelled out and made the class laugh.
"Indeed." the teacher continued, "So I'm to assume your excitement equals your preparation for when you graduate?"
"Ugh... yeah, well." the same colt muttered.
"I know some of you don't have the new college of Canterlot in mind as of right now, but let me remind you why it behooves you to at least know the opportunities the education there opens to its students. With Equestria's border growing ever larger now these days, whose to say we wont need more teachers to teach the future generation, or architects for the new housing, or scientists for the new environments."
"Don't we have anything like that here?" Sprinkle asked, being one of the unfortunate who sometimes irritated Ribbon.
Though she loved Sprinkle dearly, her best friend's enthusiastic energy sometimes overwhelmed her. But she knew no pony was perfect, especially herself.
"Those who've gone to pursue similar careers did extracurricular classes after graduation, and have indeed moved on beyond Ponyville."
"Why would anyone want to do that?" the colt in front of Ribbon muttered in a disrespectful tone.
The remark peeved Ribbon.
"But the college goes far beyond what can be offered here." the teacher continued, "There, if you are willing to give two more years of school, you'll receive a doctrine in the career you chose as your major. A major is a particular area you enjoy, probably related to your cutie marks."
"Is that all you have to do?" Sprinkle asked, "Study something you actually want to do. Why don't we do that now?"
Some of the ponies chuckled.
"Well... not only do you go there for a major, but you continue your studies in general education from where you left off here. Some of you may be put further behind on account of the grades I've seen."
"Not mine ." Ribbon thought.
"But anyway, to get in you need to have the grades to prove it anyway, plus the money to pay for the classes and professors. That's why a brought this up; along with the standard end-semester testing, the Ponyville education department is offering an entrance exam to the college for those interested. I'll pass out brochures of the college later for those who want them."
Ribbon had never been to Canterlot, but the thought of more school after graduating was a nightmare and leaving her friends behind to go spend money on a doctrine didn't sound fun either.
The mornings lesson began with literature and advanced grammar; not one of Ribbons favorite subjects. She often thought that if a pony could speak so another could understand, why otherwise? Along with the subject came essay's, which even at the mentioning of the name was like a curse word to young ponies. She never seemed to manage an A in the subject, with essays dominating the grade and her not being the best at them. Whenever she saw somepony with an A on their paper, she became angry and scorned them for life and demoralized herself in the process.
The bell rang for their short break after a while and they all went outside in the sun. Ribbon took out her apple, went to her groups usual hang out at a bench in the shade of the tree in the court yard and ate while the others talked. Listening to the mares and colts was almost like a hobby to her, even though they talked about things that made her envious or pity them.
Once a pony among them said she had gotten to go to Canterlot and actually saw the Princess Luna fly from her tower just as she was going to bed. Ribbon had been amazed and tried to ask more from her, but the others had drowned out her question. Another time she heard one talk about the new comic series that most colt where reading and how amazing it was. But she thought such a thing pointless and the colt foolish for being interested in it.
She finished her apple and tossed it away into a garbage bin, thinking she was the only one who used them. Trash on the ground was another pet peeve of hers, though she did little to prevent it.
"So who actually thinks the college is worth going to?" one pony asked the group.
"Seems like a waste of time really." another answered, "Why spend money to go school when its free to just graduate anywhere else? And its not like I'm gonna be some architect. I got my cutie mark for being a carpenter like my dad; I'm not gonna' go design huge buildings in Manehatten."
Ribbon glanced at his cutie mark, which was a hammer and a plank of wood crossing each other.
"Yeah but think of it." another argued, "You get to live in Canterlot and possibly even see the princesses. Plus it can't hurt to learn more and get a better job later."
Ribbon quickly lost interest and toned out the conversation and began casually walking around the tree. In the distance she saw the other school, where fillies like the one she met the day before went. The courtyard was empty meaning they were still inside learning, but she actually felt like going back to fillygarden and learning how to add and subtract, knowing it'd so much easier than find roots of number.
The bell rang and everypony went back inside for the next lesson in science. It was one of Ribbons favorite subjects though she still hardly paid attention, yet still managed a good grade. They had begun learning the different elements like hydrogen and helium, but that bored her so she let her mind wonder for a while.
As a song played in her head, the Canterlot orchestra came into mind, followed by the college. She had spent some time imagining libraries with shelves towering over floors in epic fantasies and thought that was what the college was like. Thinking over it, two more years didn't sound all to bad to her given she'd most likely have to work to help pay. But a problem that occurred in her mind was what major she would take. Up until a few weeks earlier she had never given her life after school any thought, which brought yet another problem to mind that plagued her ever since elementary.
Her blank flank.
It was something she had grown to live with over the years but still caught the glimpses of ponies almost everywhere, something that she wasn't sure made her famous or infamous. Never had her cutie mark appeared when she was young and never had she found anything she was good at. She had been picked on in school for being a "blank flank", but she always told those who did to shut up and stormed off to cry somewhere alone.
When she had grown a few years older, and matured more she had started to ignore the empty patch of fur, as did all the others. She knew it would come one day and merrily went thinking so, but still it never came. Now when ever she went out with her parents or friends, she catch the stares of others looking at a nearly full-grown mare with no cutie mark. Even the day before she noticed eyes quickly look away when she noticed them looking. Her parents thought no less of her though, and that was enough to help her forget about her problem.
As the school day neared its end, and Ribbon began packing away her things, the teacher asked if there were any ponies who wanted a brochure. Several hooves went up and he went around. She deliberately kept hers down until he came to a mare near her, then she raised hers just enough so he'd see it and nopony else.
"Good to see you're taking an interest, Miss Ribbon." he said and went back to his desk.
She was one of his more favored students, though they were particularly friends.
The bell rang and everyone left. Out in the courtyard, Sprinkle and some others were gathered together and talking, but Ribbon passed by, planning on simply going home and relaxing.
The trot home wouldn't take long though, and looking up she saw the sun was still high and felt a cool breeze. It went through her mane and gently helped her forget the day of school. But the feeling was replaced with an awkwardness as she saw the library slowly come into view. She had gotten over the depression from the day before, realizing that she probably overreacted in a childish way, but against her better judgement she decided to try her luck again at meeting Twilight Sparkle.
She went up to the front door then felt a flashback of excitement, but repressed the feeling and got ready for the worse. Reaching for the doorknob, the door suddenly opened itself and a pony nearly walked right into her.
"Agh!" it screamed and dropped four books in front of her.
Ribbon recognized the pony being the one that smiled at her from a distance.
"Oh... oh my." she said in the softest voice, "I'm so sorry. I never thought there'd be someone else on the other side. I hope didn't scare you."
"Oh no." Ribbon said, "It's alright."
"Oh good, thank you for not being angry. I hate it when others get angry."
"Really... it's alright."
"I'll just be on my way then."
The pony said goodbye, then gave Ribbon another smile that made her blush. Their wings stretch out then gently flapped and lifted her off the ground with her books. Ribbon watched her fly for a short while before another voice spoke to her.
"Oh hey! How's it going Ribbon."
She looked down and saw Spike at the door.
"Hi." she said, "Good I suppose."
Seeing him again made her happy.
"I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd visit the library." she partially lied.
"Glad you came. Come on in."
He closed the door as she walked in then followed her to the center of the room. Again she didn't see Twilight Sparkle, and almost felt glad she didn't.
"Thanks by the way for taking that letter to Twilight for me." Spike said.
"Sure. It was... fun."
"So you here for a book? Besides a whole bunch of encyclopedia's we do have some good stories."
"Uh... yeah." Ribbon said, having trouble focusing on him and looking back forth for Twilight, "Got any good fantasies?"
"Let me check."
He went off to one of the dozens of shelves and search for a book while Ribbon stayed behind.
A door at the top of the staircase opened and down came Twilight. Ribbon held her breath as she tried not to cause a scene. Countless sentences went through her mind as she tried to think of a greeting, but then she noticed a floating piece of parchment in front of her face. The wings on her back fluttered off an itch as the newly crowned princess gracefully went down the stairs then through the door into the basement. Ribbon sighed when the door closed.
"Here you go." Spike suddenly said from behind her.
She turned and saw him with a book in his claws.
"I don't no if you'll like it or not, since its a little big, but it's one of my favorites."
Ribbon looked at the title; Over the Mountains and through the Void, by William ColtField it said. On the cover she saw a drawing of a pony wearing medieval armor standing on a plateau and looking out to a valley of clouds where in the background and great and ominous mountain went up.
"What's it about?" she asked.
"Its pretty much a basic epic fantasy, only done right by ColtField. It's full of action, drama, romance, you know all the good stuff."
"Sounds good. How long do you think it'll take me?"
"Ah... well gee." he said, opened the book and flipped through the pages.
Ribbon watch as the number in the corners of the pages went well over eight hundred, with each page filled with small text.
"I'd say a while, a long while."
"Oh... well then i guess i could look for anoth..."
Before she finished her sentence, the door to the library opened again and in came Rainbow Dash.
"Hey Twilight!" she yelled quite rudely, "You home?!"
"Down here!" Twilight yelled from the basement.
Rainbow Dash trotted towards the basement door.
"Hey Spike." she said, then glanced at Ribbon.
She passed by the two of them, then stopped a moment after and turned around.
"Ssssaaaaayyyyy." she said, "Do I know you?"
"What?! No. We've never met." Ribbon worriedly said.
Rainbow Dash scratched her headed while still looking at her. Then her eyes opened wide when she knew.
"Yes we have. I saw you yesterday."
"You know what," Ribbon said then turned to Spike, "I think I'll try that book. Thanks for picking it out for me."
She quickly opened her bag and placed the hefty book inside and went towards the front the door.
"Wait!" Rainbow Dash said, "Yesterday, why do you star..."
The door closed behind Ribbon, leaving the other two in the dust.
"You know her?" Rainbow asked Spike.
"Yeah. We met at Rarity's shop and she said she'd take Princess Celestia's letter to Twilight for me. She came by for a book. Why?"
"Well after she gave her the letter she started crying for no reason. Got me worried for a little bit."
"Hmmm."
Rainbow Dash started again towards the door then stopped.
"Which book did you give her?" she asked.
"The same I tried to give you."
"Oh... yeah. That one. Waaayy to long for me."
Ribbon got up to her bedroom and threw her bag onto her bed. The buckle came unloose and everything spilled out onto her blanket, but she didn't bother cleaning it. Over on her desk in the corner, right next to the window was where a large piece of paper with a roughly sketched figure mocked her in its amateurish shading. She had tried drawing the figure of a pony, but some of its features were disproportional and its shading did little to help it pop off the paper.
She looked out the window and down at the street where she saw her father coming home from work. He walked through the door, sat his briefcase on the floor then hung his hat and tie.
"Ribbon!" he called out, "You home?!"
"Up here!" she called back.
He came up stairs and into her room.
"How was school." he asked, a tired yet caring look on his face.
"Fine." she said.
"That's good."
He noticed the mess on her bed and went over to it, then noticed and picked up the book.
"Where'd you get this?"
"The library. I stopped by on the way home."
"Ah! ColtField! He's a good writer, you might like him."
"You've read that book?"
"No, but some of his other works I have. He was actually rather famous back in his time, and a lot of his books are still popular."
"Hmmm." Ribbon said growing bored.
Her father looked back down and saw the brochure and swapped it with the book.
"What's this?"
"Just something the teacher gave us. Something about the new college in Canterlot. I was interested."
Her father closely examined the brochure.
"Interesting." he said in a less compassionate tone, "Looks pretty impressive. Were you thinking of going?"
"I don't know, maybe."
He set it back down on the bed.
"Well dinner won't be ready for awhile, so go ahead and have a little snack if you're hungry."
"Okay." she said and watched him walk out.
She felt as though he was skeptical about her going to the college, and felt a little betrayed by his tone.
A record still sat on the player by her closet. She lifted the needle, cranked the handle then gently placed it back on the record. First static came from the bronze cone, then came the trickling sound piano as keys were hit from high to low in a melodic fashion.
Ribbon took some of the papers from her bed to the desk, sat down and began working on her homework.
"By the way!" she heard her father call out, "Did you see Princess Twilight at the library."
"No." she said, then looked back down at her pencil.
Gathered around the table in the living room, Ribbon and her parents sat and ate their dinner as the final rays of sunlight disappeared. Both her parents were talking about their days at work while she ate quietly by herself, like most times. Usually finishing before the both of them, she'd wait a few minutes before leaving as if for their permission or for them to at least finish, thank her mother for the meal then went into the kitchen to rinse off her plate and utensils.
But before she could complete the cycle, her father brought the brochure of the college up at the table.
"So apparently Ribbon's interested in going to the new college in Canterlot." he said.
"Really." her mother said with excessive delight, then looked at her, "Where'd you here about it."
"School." she answered almost inaudibly.
"So are you're thinking of going?"
"Maybe." she shrugged.
"I was looking through the little pamphlet she had and saw that there's a tuition fee for going there." her father said.
"How much?" he mother asked.
"Five thousand a year."
Her mother gasped dramatically.
"That much?!"
"Indeed. It must be quite the school if their charging that much."
"And I can imagine its only going to get higher with demand for more learned teachers."
"Oh yes. Equestria's getting bigger by the day."
"How long do you think it'll stay that low?"
"That's low? " Ribbon thought.
"For a while I guess, since its still new and their trying to get students. It wouldn't be too bad of an investment."
"Do you want to go Ribbon?" her mother asked.
"Maybe, I don't know."
"Are there any tests you have to take to get in?"
"Yeah, but I don't know if I'll take it."
She got up from her seat.
"Thank you for dinner."
"You're very welcome."
She went into the kitchen and rinsed off her plate and fork, then went upstairs to her room. With her homework done and nothing to do, she went to her shelf of records and picked one of her favorite classical pieces, then sat on the ledge of her window with her hooves hanging down. From where she sat she could see the lights of the court house twinkle in the distance and most of Ponyville.
The experience at the library that day was still on her mind. She remembered the feeling she experienced when Twilight Sparkle came down the stairs; excitement just like the time before but less potent, followed by a more subtle disappointment when she went into the basement again. She mused over what had caused her to feel those emotions.
"Was it because I still wanted to try and talk to her ?" she thought.
Minutes passed as she brooded over it in her mind. Her angry thoughts led from one to another, from whether or not she had begun to hate Twilight, to how she wasn't assertive anymore, to how everypony in her class annoyed her. Her music still played and she tried to imagine dramatic scenes to help calm her, but it was too up tempo to imagine anything graceful like flying in the clouds. She had special record just for that kind of image, but she was too lazy to replace it.
When the music stopped and the needle hit the small metal pin that held the record, she had already spent thirty minutes just sitting and thinking to herself about her life as an earth pony. She envied how a pegasus could fly whenever they felt like it and be free like Rainbow Dash, and how unicorns could use magic and make their lives easier. The envy turned to hate, but she let it go before it could fester in her heart.
"Calm down Ribbon. " she thought, "You're overreacting again, just let it go. "
The moon had come up and a cool breeze followed it. She got her hooves back to the floor then closed her door to go to bed. After snuggling under her blanket, she looked at her clock then set it to go off, then rested her and fell to sleep shortly after.
Sitting on top of a mountain, she felt slightly dizzy but also adrenaline flowing through her blood. Her beautiful wings were stretched out and felt the wind run its soft fingers through her feathers. Closing her eyes, she stood on her hind legs then let herself lean forward and fall off thousands of feet towards a layer of cloud. Her wings flapped once and she was flying over them.
Her mouth opened slightly and she tasted the sweet air, and a smile grew on her face. Out of nowhere she began laughing from the pure joy and then went barreling into the clouds, feeling the wisps of fluffy air kiss her face. A great forest then opened in front of her as she soared over it.
"This is awesome! " she screamed at the top of her lungs.
A hole in the canopy of the forest caught her eye, drawing her towards its mysterious presence. Circling over it, she saw a huge mirror reflect the suns ray back at her, making her fly closer to inspected. Her hooves touched the ground near the mirror which turned into a sparkling pool of water. Around her, she was surrounded by the smell of thick pine and mint, the sounds of woodland life, and saw what looked like parasprites flying hither and there.
She walked towards the edge of the pool and looked into its water and saw her reflection then gasped; her wings were gone. With all her might she tried to make them reappear and regain the feeling of them flapping at her sides, but they never came back.
"Tis' a pity to lose what one desperately wants. " a voice spoke all around her.
"Whose there?! "
From the middle of the pool she saw a black circle form then grow to engulf its entire surface, then she noticed it had turned night. Hundreds of star appeared as she watch the water ripple from the middle and black figure rise from the depths. It eyes glowed white as it made itself towards her, walking along the top of the water.
"Pri...Princess Luna? "
"Indeed child. "
Her body's figure then glowed and Ribbon saw in her in all her majestic beauty. Her radiant hair sparkled in the night air as she kindly looked down at Ribbon.
"You... you came to my dream? "
"I did, as is my duty to all my subjects. "
"But why? Why me? "
"Your heart curdles anger that has been the root of many evils. I'm am here warn you of its intent. "
"Evils? What, no. No! " Ribbon said, her hoof slamming to the ground, "I'm not evil! "
"Not necessarily. Though you lack the power to harm the world, your anger holds power to harm you yourself. "
"I know what's in my heart! I know whats in my mind as well too! I've seen things like this too you know, spent time thinking on why I get so angry! It's what everypony goes through, it's just a phase! "
"It would seem my fore-sights are not wrong. "
Ribbon's chest heaved back and forth as she caught her breath from her explosive reaction, then sighed heavily at the princess's affluent stare.
"I'm sorry. " she said weakly, looking away.
Princess Luna walked onto the solid ground, closed her eyes and placed her forehead against Ribbons, her horn resting on the ponies brown mane.
"They say dreams are gateways to the inner chambers of our minds. " she said softly, "I've have entered thousands of dreams, and have seen emotions and thoughts most try to hide from themselves. "
"I'm just another case aren't I then? You've dealt with many like me, and probably have a way to calm me down that you've used many times before. "
"Such a thing to say. " Luna said then lifted her head to look down her, "You speak as if you can read another's thoughts. "
"I just have a lot of time to think to myself. It's like I'm the only one who understand me. "
"Have you not friends to share your feelings? "
"Yes, but I never talk about my feelings with them. They probably wouldn't understand. "
The princess looked away and gracefully walked around the pool, her wing waving for Ribbon to follow. Ribbon trotted next to her, a strange feeling growing inside of her.
The two walked passed the brush and into the thick of the forest.
"As I entered your mind, a noticed a minute difference in its thought pattern. The way I traveled past your conscious was more complex than most. It is a experience I seldom obtain. "
"I like the way you speak. " Ribbon said out of the blue.
"You find it amusing? "
"I find it cool. It's different. "
"Fascinating. Most your age find my diction... annoying. "
"I like to think I'm not like most ponies. " Ribbon giggled, "But then again... I try not to think like that. I know I'm just a regular pony. "
"Such humility. Come, let us delve deeper into your mind. "
Ribbon noticed the princesses pace quicken, so he had trot to not fall behind.
As they continued into the forest, the trees began to shake and there leaves began to fall miraculously. The dirt beneath them became loose and sifted like sand. Moans and creeks came from the dying trees, until one finally fell when all its leaves turned brown and had fallen off. More trees fell, opening the night sky to them. The stars began to fade and the sky darkened until it was pitch black.
"Stay close. " Luna warned her, "Lest our meeting be in vain. "
Ribbon trotted closer by the princess, then felt the ground quake beneath them. Cracks on the ground formed near them and grew larger. Fissures widened as dirt and trees fell into oblivion, and a pathway was carved out in front of them with a light at the end of it.
The ground turned to solid rock, and all around them everything fell into the black void that seemed to encompass them. The rock crumbled from behind them was the walked past it and the light grew brighter. By the time they reached its source, there was absolutely nothing but the two of them and the strange light.
Its rays shortened as the princesses circled it around it, leaving Ribbon in awe. A glowing orb was left, then expanded into a large sphere.
"This is the memory matrix. " Luna explained, "It is the core of your memory, and where we will find the source of your anger. "
Memories flashed along it smooth surface as the princesses eye glowed again. Ribbon watched as thousands of images went across it.
"It would seem this anger first seeded when you were young, a time when you were called a... 'blank flank'? "
"I guess so. "
"Yes. I noticed the absence of your mark upon my arrival, but I see that it has done little to effect your emotions. "
The memories stopped on one Ribbon recognized immediately.
"I believe this looks to be the source. "
Luna's eye returned to normal, and the memory of the incident at the library the day earlier appeared on the orb.
Ribbon watched herself eagerly walk up to Twilight and give her the letter, then as she began to cry when she left. Turning her head away, she clenched her eyes from repeating what she saw and did her best to suppress the sorrow.
"The newly crowned Twilight Sparkle. " Luna said, "Me and my sister took great pride in watching her blossom that day. Such happiness rarely blesses our presence. "
"Good to hear! " Ribbon yelled, "I bet everypony in Equestria is still mawing over her success as if it were a some drama! "
"Envy I see. I am all too familiar with that poison of the mind. "
Ribbon sat on her hind legs and hung her head.
"I sense conflicting thoughts. "
Ribbon said nothing.
"You need not feel guilty. The regret in your heart is a blessing, you see the error of your words when others would not. You are very wise for one your age. "
The orb vanished and the two were left alone. Luna went to her and laid next to her. Tears dripped down her cheeks.
"What troubles you child? "
"I don't no wh... why I feel this way. I'm just trying to be good so I don't hurt anyone. "
"A noble pursuit, but do the consequences of no longer being ignorant of sin seem bearable? "
Ribbon shook her head.
"Something else I can tell is on your mind. What is it? "
Sniffing away the tears and mucus in her nose, she looked at the princess.
"What's it like being a princess? " she asked.
"An interesting question indeed. You could say it is just like anypony else's, only the magnitude of our live's aspects greater than yours. "
"Its just, I have no direction in my life right now and have no idea what I want to be. "
"A question we must all face. "
"But what if the answer you want is out of your reach? "
"I don't understand. " Luna said, a confused look on her face.
"Do you think you'll be remembered as Nightmare Moon or Princess Luna? "
"I... Well I would assume that given recent events that... "
"Is that what you think you'll be remembered by, as a monster that was merely turned back and behaved good for the rest of her life? I know I wouldn't want that. But others will probably just remember me as the pony who never got her mark. I'll be remembered as a joke, and I know I'll have done little to prevent it. I don't know if it means I'm special or what, but I'm tired of waiting. I'm tired of just being the quiet one in the back of the class. "
"Ribbon. " Luna said forcefully, frightening her, "Enough brooding, enough torturing yourself, enough of this foolishness. What is it that ails you? "
"What does it take to be part of history? " Ribbon answered.
The question baffled the princess.
"I... I just want to be somepony. The reason I felt so bad when I met Twilight was because she didn't know me, and that she probably never would. It felt like I would never gain her acknowledgement. Like my name means nothing. "
"Nothing. " Luna repeated.
"I don't hate Twilight. I don't know why I would, but ever since what happened I've just felt so insignificant, and I don't want to be. I... I want others to know me, and want to be proud of the fact that they do. "
"You want to be famous? "
"Not famous like a celebrity, but famous like a hero, like my existence will actually have mattered. "
"I see. " Luna said solemnly then stood up, "Please, stand. "
Ribbon did.
"The words you've spoken have interested me deeply. Though your tongue is ill tempered, and you mind still growing, you show great potential. The flaw I see however is you lack of confidence. You speak true, but your actions say otherwise. Let this encounter be a lesson to you, that you may reflect on your life and how you shape your destiny not by what will appear on your body, but by what road you will take in life. "
"I... I don't know if I can. When will I have to decide what to do? "
"That is for neither of us to now, but calm yourself that you may be ready when you will meet your crossroads. "
The princesses figure back to fade into the darkness.
"Wait! Don't go! " Ribbon said.
"It is time for you to take hold of your life, and guide yourself towards your future. Farewell. "
The princess disappeared, leaving Ribbon in the void of emptiness.
Her alarm woke her from her dream, and the floor underneath her bed greeted her eyes. She had fallen out of bed during the night but never woke.
Trying to lift herself up, her back ached from the awkward position and her head rang along to the ring of the alarm. She grabbed the clock and turned it off, noticing clumps of her mane in her face. Looking towards the window she saw Over the Mountains and through the Void on her desk, untouched and unread.
"Hero." she said, the dream vividly running through her mind.
She went to the window, straightening her hair, and looked out towards where the sun would rise. The sky slowly turned violet as its rays drew near, then she saw a figure fly away. The coming rays reflected off its mane in a way so dazzling she could see the glimmers from her window.
"Thank you Luna."
The school bell rang and the room immediately emptied except for Ribbon who took her time. Her eyes had trouble staying open because of the nights rest, and had gotten her in trouble when the teacher called on her head sleeping on her table.
Outside she squinted at the sunlight, and dizzily walked towards the road as her head adjusted. The weekend had finally come, but she didn't feel the least bit excited.
"Worst two days of my life." she grumbled to herself, "But probably the two most important. "
Walking back towards her house felt like a journey all on its own with her legs weak and her head hanging low. Her eyes occasionally closed for a few second then opened when she felt herself trailing off. She passed by the library and stopped in front of it.
"Spiiiiiiiiike!" a voice yelled from inside, "Where are my quills and paper?!"
No sadness, nor sorrow or anger festered in Ribbons chest. Nothing came, to her surprise; remembering the incident that caused her breakdown did nothing to affect her anymore, like she had developed an immunity to it over night. It brightened her mood to see her life had already begun to change.
She kept going down the road, and decided to take a walk around town.
After a while she made to the fountain in the middle and sat down to rest. Her bag rested against its brick, barely filled with any school work. Looking down at the ground, she thought about the dream and how real it felt when she woke up. It was like she had never fallen asleep in the first place, which would explain why she felt so tired.
"I said some stuff I'm still not sure of. " she thought, "But where did it all come from. I've never acted like before in my and life and yet it felt so good to just yell, and to a princess. I was so rude, if only I could go back and change what I said, but that's impossible. How can she sense my emotions and that they were evil. I know what I was feeling wasn't really the best, but don't all ponies feel this way sometime in there lives? It's just a phase, it has to be. I know I'll get over it, and this will all be just another embarrassment in my life. "
Her elbow touched her knee and she brought her cheek to her hoof.
"Maybe I do want to be something in this world, but what? It's not like I can do anything special; all I do is just stay quiet and bite my tongue from lashing out. But look where that's gotten you Ribbon. And now you think that you can make a difference in the world when you can't do anything to keep yourself from overacting. Why don't you just become a teacher, that way you can assign all the homework you want and yell at smartponies. "
Her eyes looked around the market.
"You're pathetic, really you are Ribbon. You even get angry at your best friend for being who she is. What kind of a friend are you, what kind of pony do you think you are? You have no right to get angry at her, at anyone. Maybe you really should just keep to yourself... and become a librarian. At least they work in a quiet place. "
She rubbed her leg against her bag, tilting it back and forth.
"Your getting angry now, for no reason. Maybe you should just go home and sleep it off. No school tomorrow so you can just stay in, keep that fricking alarm clock off or just throw it out the window. But then... what will you do tomorrow? Its not like you have anywhere to go or anything to do besides homework. Will you just lay in bed all day? You probably would if it would help even in the tiniest way. "
Her bag fell to the ground.
"Maybe you should just do what Luna said and wait for your 'crossroads', maybe something good will happen then. "
Grabbing her bag, she left the fountain and made her way home, getting there while the sun was still high. Up in her room, she saw the book still on her desk but felt no motive to read it and simply shut her curtains and laid down on top of her bed in the dark. Thoughts ran through her head as she tried to think of things to do to occupy her weekend.
"Maybe I could go out and buy something. That's always nice. To go out and... spend the bits your parents give you. Bits you hardly earn, yet they spoil you you stupid idiot. You don't even deserve an allowance for what little you do around the house. "
She turned on top of the blanket, her head raging with ire thoughts.
"When will you finally get a job and pull your own weight. Your parents did when they were young, but here you are arguing to yourself like an idiot, doing nothing to please them or make them proud. Why don't you do that tomorrow; go out and try and get a job. Or why don't you see if you can even pull yourself out of bed in the morning. "
Tired of beating herself up, she went to her player and picked out a record, then got under her blanket and rested her head on her pillow. The lullaby soothed her mind as she drifted away, trying to imagine what it was like to flying again.
"I bet you ten bits you won't get up before nine. "
The sign Green Field Meadows swung back and worth in the night breeze as Ribbon walked out of it's front door. Her mane was completely tied back and braided and she wore a brown vest over a white dress shirt as her uniform. The bag that still held her uncompleted homework was like a heavy burden as she worried if she'd have time to finish it when she got home to her frantic mother. Her stomach ached with pain, and only a deep grumble partially lifted the pain.
After school she had gone straight to the restaurant, anxious from the Monday morning at the get go to start her first day at her first job. The hours in the classroom seemed like days that snailed by that day, and she cursed the teacher whenever he began handing out homework.
Her walk home was a tiring one, with her brain completely worn out from the day of collecting and washing dishes the entire afternoon. Pruned hooves and a few bits in tips were her reward which she continued to weigh back and forth in her mind.
Walking in through her front door, her mother instantly asked how her first day was but not after saying how cute she looked in her uniform. Ribbon could hardly breath out an answer to her, and dropped her bag on the staircase and went into the kitchen looking for food.
"Did you make any money?" her mother asked.
"A little."
"Are you hungry?"
"Yeah."
On the kitchen counter she saw a plate of food waiting for her prepared by her mother, which made her regret the annoyance she felt at her mothers tenacious questions. She ate her food over the sink, too tired to walk out to the table and sit down, then went up to her room to begin the homework she dreaded to retrieve from her satchel.
It's hated contents were dumped onto her desk, then she took out the band that held her braid and shook out her brown mane. It was already eight when she began, and forty minutes passed until she finished then tossed her uniform on top of a chest inside her rooms closet. She put on a record and fell into her bed, falling asleep without even getting under the blanket.
A loud buzzing noise woke her from a deep sleep, then she slammed her hoof on her alarm to shut it off. The dream she had experienced was one that felt so real and would make anyone regret ever waking up. She had found herself in a great library, where the ceiling was a hundred feet above her, where great couches that stretch yards cushioned many others that studied or rested peacefully. The shelves stretched as high as the ceiling and were lined with novels, story books, encyclopedias and almanacs.
In the middle of the library, though extremely unorthodox, was a garden that was so well decorated it seemed the library had sprung from the gardens flowers and shrubbery that filled the air with a freshness that could clear the most clouded mind. And beyond the garden and past the shelves was an outdoor reading area that bathed in the soft rays of the setting summer sun. Ribbon had walked out to watch as the sun set over a grand ocean of red and orange.
She had gone to the edge of stone padded terrace of the library and looked down to watch as the waves went up against the cliff the grand library rested on. Something was calling to her, and made her go off the edge and plummet down to the bottom, feeling a sense of relief as her life was drawing to an end. But before she made it to the waves, her clock had woken her and brought her back to reality.
As soon as she remembered what had happened in her dream, she dug her muzzle into her pillow and screamed, wanting with all her heart to return to her dream. A tear went down her cheek and soaked into her pillow, which she then dug her face out of and planted her hooves to the wooden floor of her room and limped lazily down the stairs with her bag and uniform to begin another day.
"Miss Ribbon, this behavior is much unlike you." Mr. Longboard, her teacher said over her as she slept on her desk.
She slowly removed her head from the notes on her desk and looked wearily up at him.
"Sorry." she said, then noticed most of the class looking at her.
"I pray that though it is nearing the end of the school year," he said to the rest, "that you all will not mimic such behavior and let your grades fall. I know you all dread having to stay another year in my class as much as I do."
Few of the student snickered as he turned back to Ribbon.
"Speak with me after class please."
He walked back up to the front of the class as Ribbon looked around and saw Sprinkle smiling at her, to which she responded by drooping her head sideways and opening her mouth to let her tongue stick out as if she were dead.
"Why don't you pick up where we left off Miss Ribbon."
"Okay... ugh, lets see."
"'By the time the council had...'"
"'By the time the council had finished the meeting,'" Ribbon said, finding where to read in her history book, "'it was decided that with the vanishing of the Crystal Kingdom, which was still unbeknownst to most of Equestria, would be erased from the public eyes and ears to avoid mass panic or concern. Princess Celestia then dispatched a small group of carefully chosen scholars to each other the major populace to destroy whatever evidence there was of its existence and to silence any suspicion.'"
Ever since the Crystal Kingdom reappeared almost a year earlier, and had held the past Equestria Games, it had been recognized as another providence under the loving guidance of Princess Cadence. Now its breve history had been added without haste to the curriculum.
Though she found the idea of an entire kingdom made of crystal truly a magical wonder, she didn't enjoy however the added homework that came with it. Looking up at the clock, even though she knew it would be many hours before they were released, and she could return to her training at Green Field Meadows , it was a habit to look up at the clock to see how much longer of one subject they had left before a break. Fifteen minutes were left for history before lunch, and felt much longer as she struggled to keep her head up.
When it came, and she took her bag out to her groups spot out in the courtyard, she laid against the tree, quickly ate her sandwich and tried to rest but noticed Sprinkle come up to her. Her white coat and blonde mane looked as if they had been freshly cleaned and made her look extra perky than usual. But as she drew closer, Ribbon noticed a look on her face less happy than usual.
"Hey Ribbon." she said kindly, "Something wrong?"
"No, just tired." she said then yawned.
"Whats the matter, bad night of sleep?"
"No, I just got a job and started yesterday, but I didn't get much time to myself afterwards."
"Wow, that's so cool! Did your parents make you get it?"
"Just decided to get it myself one day, then got lucky and got a job as a busgirl at Green Meadows."
"You don't look so good though, are you sure your alright?"
"Yeah, of course I am."
What happened next Ribbon almost expected to. Sprinkle laid down opposite to her and looked in her eyes.
For the many years they had know each other, ever since elementary, they had shared many secrets such as little crushes and had gone over to the others for dozens of sleep overs. Something she knew was the special between all best friends was the bond that nothing compared to, the bond that linked her and Sprinkle and what made her sense there was more on Ribbons mind. Sprinkle was also very supportive with her friend, and was as persistent as she was goofy at most times.
"There's something you're not telling me." she said.
"Ugh... you sound just like my parents whenever we have a sit down."
"Whats the matter."
"Nothing." Ribbon insisted, but only got an icy stare, "Really... nothing."
"Come on, there's something bothering you, I can tell."
Ribbon turned her head to look away, then sighed.
"Well... it's just, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. And I've been kind of depressed lately too."
"Why? You have a crush or something?"
"No, not for a long time and nothing like that depression. But... you know, I just think that sometimes its hard to face reality."
"What?"
"Well, you know how we went out last week, how I went to the library?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I was really excited to see Princess Twilight you know, and I just think I got too excited. You see, when I went to give her a letter from Spike when we looking at dresses, I was hoping I could get to talk with her... and maybe become her friend. But when I gave her the letter, she just said "thanks" and went away. I just got really sad after that."
"Well... I can see why you got sad, but it's nothing to sulk over. You can't let it bother you for so long, otherwise it turns you into this."
"Yeah I know that, but its not why I feel so terrible right now. You see the night after that day, after I had gotten over it, Princess Luna visited me in a dream."
"Oh wow!" Sprinkle said in a loud whisper, "What was she like."
"Beautiful, and so wise and listening. But she told me that my emotions had been festering inside me for so long, and that I might turn evil if I let that continue."
"You evil, impossible."
"I know, but then we began talking some more and then... something came up."
"What?"
Ribbon readjusted herself on the ground, then looked into her friends eyes.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"Wh... What? You know I want to be a baker someday, what with all the treats you and I used to make."
"I know, but are you sure you're really happy with being that for the rest of your life?"
"Why wouldn't I. Its what I love and what makes me feel special."
Sprinkle took a pause and thought, then looked back at Ribbon.
"Is this because you don't have your cutie mark? Look, don't sweat it. It'll come in time."
"I'm just... so confused right now. And I keep blaming myself for being so... me."
Sprinkle didn't day anything.
"I don't know. I'm just tired right now and want to go home. But then I have to go back to work and continue training and its all just a big hassle."
"Come on. I know you can do it." Sprinkle said and rubbed her head against Ribbons, "You can pull through, you're awesome like that."
"I hope so." Ribbon sighed.
The classroom was empty except for Ribbon and the teacher. She stood in front of his desk waiting as he looked through the piles of homework turned in that day and made everything on his desk organized.
"I need to be going soon." Ribbon said, "I have to go to my work."
"Work? Interesting."
"Yes. I came home tired last night, which is why I fell asleep for a bit, if that's what this is about."
"No no, it's just that the other day I was gifted with a surprise visit from Miss Cherilee, and we had quite the chat."
"Oh!?"
"She said the two of you spoke and had an interesting conversation."
"I suppose."
"Tell me Ribbon, have you given any thought to taking the entrance exam to the Canterlot college."
"Well... a little. But I don't think I'm really cut out for it."
"A similar answer to what Cherilee told me. But we both thought on it, and after a while agreed on the fact that we both consider you different from most students we've seen in the past. What I'm saying here is that we believe that you should deeply consider going to the college and taking its entrance exam. We both believe you have great potential and would benefit greatly from attending there."
"I don't know, it just seems like a lot of money right now. Neither my parents could afford it probably."
"I see, well hopefully something will come up."
Ribbon left the schoolhouse and made it to Green Field Meadows, where in the small staff room in the back she hung her bag, took out her neatly folded uniform and got ready to clock in to continue training. She braided her mane and made sure there were no wrinkles in the vest, then punched her card in the clocking machine a few minutes before her shift started. Her trainer then came in and they went through a quick run down of the restaurants organization; where the tables were and how they were numbered and how to balance her time with washing and picking up dishes.
They left and Ribbon went out to the kitchen and grabbed her tray that strapped on like a saddle. It was busy when she began, and stayed that way all throughout her hours including her break. By the time the clock in the kitchen read seven thirty, her legs were sore from going up and down the stairs to the second floor multiple times and her stomach ached with hunger again. She punched her card again and left the building.
When she made it home and went through the front door, she found her parents sitting in the living room and reading quietly to themselves.
"How was work darling?" her mother asked.
"Fine."
"Your dinners in the kitchen if your hungry."
On the counter again she saw a plate with still freshly cooked food waiting for her.
"Why don't you eat out here." her father said, "I think we need to talk a little."
"Here we go ."
Very rarely did Ribbon and her parents talk, but only when they forewarned her like saying they needed to talk did she know she was in for it. She took her plate and sat at the table and ate, then her father began when she was almost finished.
"You've been acting a little more quiet than usual. Is everything alright?"
"Yeah."
"It took me and your mother by surprise when you showed up with that paper from your work. You've never really done anything like that without asking us first. What gives?"
Ribbon shrugged.
"There must be some reason as to why your acting like this."
"I'm fine." she insisted.
"Is everything alright at school?" her mother asked, "Are any of the other students giving you a hard time?"
"No."
"Are your grades slipping and you're having a hard time keeping them up?" her father asked.
"No."
"Alright, that's good, just checking. Because the other day when you came home after school you looked a little depressed. Did your friends say anything or made fun of you while you were out with them?"
"No."
"Why are you always so quiet with us?" her mother asked, "Every time we ask you anything you just say yes or no. We want to hear whats really going on in your head. Somethings bothering you."
"It's nothing."
"What is?"
"it's nothing." Ribbon insisted again.
"Is it this job of yours; is it too much for you right now?"
"No."
"Then why'd you get it?"
"I just felt like I should get a job, start earning money."
"Well you don't have to worry about it. Your chores are enough and you wont be moving out for a while."
"I know. I just felt like I should get a job."
"Why?" her father asked, "Is it the college? Were you thinking of going?"
"Maybe. But its too expensive."
"Well its not that expensive."
"Five thousand?"
"You don't pay it all at one time, little by little as you attend."
"And you're okay with that?"
"All we want is whats best for you. You'd be an excellent student; you get good grades, you never talk back and you're always on top of your homework and projects. Is that why you got a job, so you could start saving to go?"
"I guess."
"Well we're more than happy to help." her mother said lovingly, "Me and your father are both very proud of you, you know that. Seeing you grow up all by yourself without our help just makes us so happy."
"And if your worried about the fee for the college, don't worry about it. If you want to go, we can pay for it."
"But if I were to go I'd be living in Canterlot for like two years."
"I think that be good for you." her father said in a way that almost hurt her, "I'm pretty sure you'd be more happy surrounded by culture than being stuck here."
"But... all my friends are here."
"Well I'm sure you could come down and visit sometimes. Its a school, not a prison."
"Why don't you just give it some more thought." her mother suggested, "Tell us when you want to."
"Okay."
Ribbon got up, washed her dish and went up to her room where she fell chest first into her bed and looked out her window. After few minutes of rest she got out of her uniform, did what little homework she had for the night then fell right back into bed. A record playing soft opera helped her relax as piano played and a soft but very firm mares voice sung in a language Ribbon didn't know.
"Looks like I'm going to college. Great ."
She looked over at the book which had been untouched since its hard covered leather had touch the desk. Its title was written along its spine in gold letters. She wished with all her heart that the library from her dream existed, that somewhere there was someplace she could let her mind be free without the worries of life, to be able to let go and fall of the edge with no regrets.
She reached for the book and pulled it onto her bed.
"One page, from the prologue. "
She opened the front cover and saw the title written again on the first page with the writers very own signature below it, followed by the table of contents on the next four pages. Fifty seven chapters made the book, each with a different name rather than a number. She opened it to the prologue title The Beginning , and found it humorously well named.
"When kingdoms fall, lives taken, and the very fabric that binds our brittle minds unravels into the abyss which we call the truth, it is then that our true characters are shown to the world in all there naked horror and we are left to pick ourselves from the ashes that we call humility and learn from the terrible experience that we may better ourselves. When we see the world that we once called home crumble before our eyes and are left to live in a state of existence that is unknown to us, it is then that we see how spoiled we are and we begin to question how we may rebuild our lives to prevent such disaster from cursing our world again. The sins of the past will forever haunt and agonize us with there creeping tentacles that cling to us and draw us into an oblivion that we have no hope of ever escaping, but it is when we fight back the pull, when we clench our teeth and fight back with all our possessions gone, our fear surrounding us and our sloth emotions overpowering us, it is then that heroes are born to guide us. In the time of prosperity, one must watch for the shadows at night to spoil the parties where drunkards lash their tongues back and forth in vulgarity, to taint the food they gorge to fatten themselves and to poison the wine that drips from there lips. For when all the crops are harvested, when the last river damned and the last mountain scaled, society dooms itself to an miserable apocalypse that few survive and are destined to relive again when having witnessed those who gorged and drunk themselves from a far off in there trash bins, nibbling away at the scraps. One does not stop to question how or why this tragedy occurs, or how its choking vines are first seeded in the very fertile ground the grapes of wine are planted and how they can be cut down and burned, never to kill again. No, those who suffered in the slums of society and watched as the high fell, leaving a golden stairway to the banquet of thieves only sat and watched with greed, waiting in the dark for their very own moment at an ignorant damnation. But those who sheltered their pups, who fed them and kept them warm during the bitter nights, in whose hearts the very essence of purity was first sparked but never became a living fire only stayed in the shadows and watched like those who sat with empty stomachs, waiting for the scraps to fall from the masters table. This is how the kingdom of Lauroc fell to the darkness that seeped its way from the Void, down the mountain and into the very streams that first quenched the thirst of a small village that cultivated the earth and stone and grew into a town which bared the storms of war and drought, which rose from the ashes stronger and with a greater fire, but in whose wealth fell victim to the darkness's grip and now lies into its own tub of waste, corruption, lust, greed, gluttony and sin.
One forest holds many trees, and across the entire world there are many forests where though one tree falls five grow in its place. Across the world there are plains of tall grass, mountains with icy faces, glaciers of barren snow and ice, volcanoes with sparkling jewels deep within there hot stone, rivers and oceans of vast size, and skies with narry a spot to ruin their blue perfection. And in from this world are many worlds, each with there own plains and mountains and rivers and oceans, and all these worlds come together to create the world of worlds so that life may continue to grow into a creature of beauty and purity. These worlds of worlds of worlds combine with more worlds of worlds, creating an infinitely greater creature which knows not death and only continues to grow.
But there can be no life without death, which in turn brought forth the Void, which destroys worlds of worlds, which dries the seas and burns the forests and crumbles the mountains. It grows from the shadows of worlds, and balances the never ending growth of worlds with the never ending destruction of worlds.
It only takes one curious fool to try and tamper with the Void, to offset the balance and ruin that which took generations to build. And now the Void spills into the world with no end in sight. Those who see the coming flood flee to the tops of mountains, but in vain as the Void then comes from the sky as rain and soaks their rags. They seek a hero who has seen the Void spilled many times before, who knows the path it will take to drown the world, and knows the sacrifice..."
Ribbon had almost no idea what she had just read, whether or not she had read what was the greatest piece of literature she was to childishly stupid to understand or had just read a page that vomited words at her and dripped down her body. She reread the entire page, its word making little more sense to her and making her continue onto the next page as her music continued to play behind her. An hour she spent reading a section of the book that was only fifteen pages long with the same type of grammar and diction on each page, and though she knew she was a slow reader, it was the fastest hour that had ever gone by in her life.
She set the book back down on her desk, uncertain if the next time she got the craving for its words would be scared off by its complexity, set her alarm and got under her blanket. The words she read still washed back and forth in her mind like waves as she fell to sleep.
The exceeding joy of it being the last five minutes of school on a Friday was coupled with the regretful disappointment of going to her final day of training at the Green Field Meadows . The past two days served no better to Ribbon than the two before, and still affected her in school and home. The day before however the manager had visited her in the staff room during her break to inform her of her excellent output and that her training only served as a hell week, meaning she was given a rough schedule to push her to her limits and that it would be easier if she decided to stay on. He also told her that on her final day she would receive her first paycheck.
The bell rang and all including the teacher left the schoolhouse swiftly and eagerly. Outside as she began walking up the road, Ribbon felt Sprinkle brush up against her side.
"How you feelin?" she asked.
"Okay I guess." Ribbon sighed, "Really looking forward to the weekend though. No homework, no work, and I get to sleep in tomorrow."
"That's good."
Sprinkle had been more attentive to her friends appearance the past few days after their short talk during break, and was more subtle and earful than her usual manner.
"So me and the girls were going out tomorrow if you want to join."
"I don't know, I can't think straight right now. But maybe. When?"
"Noon at my place if you decide to. But if you're too tired that's fine."
"Thank you."
Sprinkle lifted her friends chin up with her muzzle.
"Good luck."
The two parted and Ribbon soon reached the restaurant, where she dawned her uniform and made herself appear presentable. But she couldn't do anything about the dark lines underneath her eyes, neither did she care how she looked at that point.
Punching her card then walking out to the kitchen, she took a deep breath then relaxed her muscles and exhaled to some relief.
"Here we go. "
Rumor around the kitchen was that it was going to be and easy day for a Friday, which brought more relief. But there was still plenty for Ribbon to do such as wiping down most of the tables and sweeping outside. As she swept however she caught herself leaning forward slightly to close her eyes for a moment, but then remembered what she was obligated to do.
As the sun began to set and the sky turned into a rainbow of warm colors, Ribbon looked up at the clock in the kitchen as saw there were still two hours before she could grab her check and leave. Her hooves were halfway in the sink washing the same dish that had a small chip underneath it for what seemed like the hundredth time. She rinsed then placed it on the rack the chef's used for their meals, dried her hooves then strapped on her tray to go gather more used dishes.
She made her route through the top and bottom floors then went outside and saw a pair of ponies with empty plates on their table. One had a glimmering white coat with purple mane and tail and was wearing a bonnet. The other she noticed was the same she saw feeding the ducks a week ago and had nearly walked into at the library.
"You would not believe how busy it has been at my boutique lately." the white mare said to the other as Ribbon went up to their table, "What with Sweetiebelle and her friends and all the customers I've been having I hardly have enough time to work on my new line of cloths. I say... sometimes its just delightful to get away from it all and just spend time with my friends. Wouldn't you agree Fluttershy?"
"It is relaxing." the other said.
Ribbon came to their table.
"May I take those for you?" she asked.
"Oh why certain... MY GOODNESS!" the white mare said, "Darling your eyes, have you slept at all in the past week?"
"Oh I'm fine thank you. Just been pulling a lot of work lately."
"Well I can see that, just look at your mane. When was the last time you went to a spa?"
"Um... never I guess."
"WHAT?! NEVER? But darling your coat and mane would look so lovely if you were to just take a long soak, or maybe even a steam to help you relax. You look so tense."
"Call me a workaholic." Ribbon laughed, "Are you by any chance Rarity by the way? The owner of the dress shop by the meadow?"
"The very one." she answered, "And this here is my dear friend Fluttershy."
"Hello." she said in her soft voice, "You look familiar. Have we met?"
"Last week at the library. I almost hit the door and you were very apologetic about it."
"Oh my, you remember. I'm so sorry I almost hit you."
"It's okay."
"Now about your mane deary," Rarity went on, "you should really get that bathed and groom. It would look so well if you were to trim it and add some lacing."
"I most of the time let it loose. I think it looks fine being natural really."
"Me too." Fluttershy said, "I don't do much to my mane either."
"Well I suppose the natural look does work for you. But I must say you would look so divine in one of the dresses I recently made. You must stop by sometime and model it so I can gather some inspiration."
"Oh... I get stage fright real easily."
"But of course darling, anything so long as your comfortable. Why don't you come by tomorrow sometime while I'm working."
"I suppose I could get around to it. But may I ask if I could bring a friend? She asked earlier if I could hang out, and I'd hate to leave her."
"Anything, just come by so you can try on the dress. I know you'd look perfect in it."
"Thank you."
Ribbon took their plates.
"What your name by the way darling?"
"Ribbon."
"Hmmm... interesting. Didn't Spikey mention a Ribbon the other day?"
"I think Rainbow Dash heard it from him." Fluttershy said, "And she said that you started crying for some reason."
"Everything alright deary?"
"Fine." Ribbon quickly said, "That must have been someone else. But I should be going now."
"Lovely meeting you."
"Have a nice day."
The two ponies soon left, and Ribbon's shift ended a while after. She was in the staff room when the manager came in a gave her a letter with her check in it, then asked her if she'd be staying to which she answered yes. Leaving with her pay and schedule for next week, she made her way home where dinner waited for her like usual.
Her parents didn't bother her with a conversation and allowed her to peacefully walk up to her room where she hung her bag, took off her uniform and undid her braid. Looking in the mirror that hung on the inside of her closet door, she saw that Rarity's speculation weren't at all exaggerated. The rings under her eyes made them look as if all hope had been drained from her, and hair from her mane stuck out from split ends.
"A soak in a tub would be nice. But then again a swim in the lake would be cheaper and wouldn't be much different anyway. Maybe on Sunday if you aren't busy, which you won't. "
She look at her desk and saw the book with a string sticking out from the pages as a maker, but decided not to read and placed on a record instead and went and sat on top of her windowsill. The moon had now become full and was like a white eye that watched over the earth.
"I wonder why Rarity was so generous today. Most wouldn't be so giving and welcoming, but she insisted anyway. Hopefully she doesn't make too big of a fuss tomorrow, and hopefully Sprinkle and the others will want to go... well just Sprinkle anyway. She's been acting weird lately, like what I said to her really scared her and now she probably thinks I'm a mental case. I'm probably am anyway. "
She leaned against the side with her cheek rubbed up against the wood and her eyes lazily half closed.
"I bet those mental asylums have nice rooms for the crazies. It'd be nice to just lay down in a padded room and do nothing. But I'll never break down, I know I won't. "
She looked up at the moon.
"What would it take to bring that thing down? It'd make a good story or movie where the hero somehow stops it. Add some sad and dramatic music and it'd be amazing. But how would you build the story up to such an amazing climax? Maybe foreshadow its falling somehow symbolically, with a dark mood to help increase the tension. Then once it happens the audience just feels their guts being squeezed by the amazingness. That's a good feeling. "
Out in the distance the clock tower rang, followed by the whistle of a departing train.
"Looks like I'll be on that train someday soon, if I pass the exam. It can't be that hard, just the same stuff we've been going over. "
For a while numerous thoughts and question went through her head as her music played then stopped at eight thirty. She went to bed when it did.
To her amazing disbelieve, Ribbon found herself in the same library she had dreamed of the night before in all its grand splendor and dignity. The garden was still in the middle and the sun was still setting over the ocean horizon. But as she began meandering through the labyrinths of book shelves, she began to realize something was different from last time. She felt more aware of her surroundings, and as if her body was under her complete control. As she stopped and began to look around, a familiar sense of reality began to make itself familiar to her.
She turned the corner into a large sitting area with the lengthy couches and saw Princess Luna relaxing in the middle of one reading a book. Ribbon at first didn't believe what she saw and anxiously made her way up to her.
"I assure you child this is no trick. " Luna said, "It is as when we meet before. "
"What are you doing here? "
"Really, after all the heart ache you've suffered, this is how you present yourself. I expected you to be more rejoicing and pleased by my visit. "
"Well I am, really... I'm really am glad you're here. I just don't know why. "
"Why don't you join me. This is quite the library. "
Luna patted the couched and Ribbon sat across from her, both of them laid out to fully enjoy the couch's generous length.
"Since our last meeting I have watched over you in my spare time, and I must say you've changed in such a short period. "
"I wouldn't say changed. "
"Oh but you have. Though it may seem insignificant you your eyes, the actions you took are impressive for a pony your age. "
"Like what? "
"Such as taking on responsibility for your future, and opening up to a dear friend on a matter that though you find unworthy of mentioning helped you through your struggle. "
"I don't know, it just felt like the right thing to do to start working, and I knew I wouldn't be able to hold back with Sprinkle for much longer. I wouldn't say I've changed much. "
"If thou sayest so. "
"So did you come here to just check on me? "
"Partially. But I can tell your mind is still flustered and you desire some release. "
"I desire some sleep too. "
"I see. " Luna cooed, "Go ahead and rest. I will still be here when you wake. "
"You mean to dream while in a dream? That... doesn't seem possible. "
"Rest. " Luna said, then gently lowered Ribbon's head to the cushion.
She closed her eyes and immediately went to sleep. When she woke again, she found herself still on the couch and Luna was still reading her book.
"Well I don't see what good that'll do. " she said.
"Think of it as a more powerful sleep, where your mind completely leaves the body. When you dreamed the dreamless sleep, your body that now lays in your bed became almost inactive, dead if you prefer. "
"That's... interesting."
"Now, " Luna said, then her horn glowed and the book went flying off into the library back to its empty spot on a shelf, "Shall we speak? "
"I guess, but about what? "
"Anything I suppose. You seem fully certain in your capabilities, perhaps we shall talk about our daily lives. Pass the time as you say "
"Yeah. "
Coming up with a topic they could discuss however proved difficult, since Ribbon couldn't think of anything related to the princess that she shared.
"Umm... " she started, "So how's Canterlot? "
"Well. I believe you'd enjoy yourself there someday. "
"Yeah, yeah. Good, good. Uh... have you seen the new college yet? "
"Unfortunately no. My duties preoccupy me during the night, so I rest during the day and cannot afford to see it. "
"Ah, I see. I was thinking of going there. "
"Really. You must be an accomplished student then. "
"I guess. My teachers and parent think I should go, saying I'd do well. "
"You should heed their opinions, mine as well. My sister has spoken of its air, and you seem well suited for it. "
"Hmm. "
Ribbon leaned her head against the back of the couch.
"You are unsure of going however? "
"A little. I'd be leaving a lot behind and would be all alone. "
"It is nothing to fear prior to. If it worries you, we may speak of something else. "
"What was that book you were reading? "
"One of my favored romances called Amid the Flowers. Do you read romances? "
"I don't read much at all really. I think I'd write a book before I read one. I did however pick up one from Spike that's pretty interesting. Over the Mountains and through the Void , by William ColtField."
"Really. "
Luna closed her eyes and her horn glowed again, then the book gracefully came flying and landed on the couch right between them. It opened itself to the first page of the prologue and she read the first page.
"How interesting. " she remarked, "Quite the unusual hook for a novel. Do you enjoy this book? "
"I've only read the prologue, but it does seem different from most stories and I do like the way he presented the story's beginning. "
"You'll have to tell me more of it's contents if we meet again. "
"Will we?" Ribbon said, wishing they would.
"Perhaps. Hopefully in person rather than in a imagined world. "
"I think I'd settle for an imagined world. You don't have to worry about leaving and you can shape the world into anything you want. "
"Care to give me a demonstration? "
"Wh... what? "
"This your world after all, created from your mind. Go ahead and turn it into something else, something beautiful and exciting. "
"I'll... try. " she said, then closed her eyes and tried to imagine something that would impress Luna.
She peaked to see if things around the library were beginning to change, but they weren't.
"No peaking. " Luna giggled, "It distracts your mind. "
Ribbon placed her head on the cushion to get more comfortable, as if she were to fall asleep again and thought. She thought of what made her happy, what she would dream of during class, where she wanted to go to escape and be free. Grass seemed like a good start so she imagined a great plain of tall green grass rustling in the wind, with a hill and a great tree on top of it. She felt a breeze against her coat and opened her eyes.
The grand library had become a vast field of grass that bathed in the sun, while she and Luna sat underneath a great tree with smooth bark and leafs so thick they completely blocked the sun and gave them delightful shade in the cool breeze. Ribbon was speechless as she saw how real everything looked and felt, how the grass and fields had been nothing but shelves of books a moment earlier.
She stood up and went to the edge of the trees shade and looked out in awe, then back at Luna who watched her from the base of the tree.
"This... this is amazing. " Ribbon said.
Luna smiled and got up to join her.
"Your imagination is powerful. " she said, "The realism reflects how powerful your mind is. "
"I like to imagine far off places, places that don't exist except in books. But to be able to actually go there... "
"Would you like to show me? "
It pleased Ribbon immensely to hear those words, and she closed her eyes and thought of another place she dreamed of seeing made real. When she opened her eyes, they were in a grand hallway with a ceiling far above them with great columns holding it up with flags and garlands decorating them. The floor was a polished granite with long velvet carpet running through the middle and up to a throne that sat on top of an altar. The shear size of the room made the two of them seem as ants.
"Monumental. " Luna said, "What else? "
Again Ribbon closed her eyes and then the hallway turned into a great tower with them at the top. Its white marble reflected the sun of the desert off its hull, with a view that allowed the two to watched the wind carry the sand over the dunes for miles.
"A beacon of hope in a world of disparity. "
"Something like that. " Ribbon said, then closed her eyes again.
Great joy overcame her as the world changed into every place she could imagine, from being on top of mountains to being in cities underneath the sea. She felt as if the power to do anything was at her mercy, and an evil grin began to emerge on her face as the places she created became less and less majestic and more and more vehement.
Small bridges over streams turned into great bridges over lakes of lava, and plains of grass turned into barren wastelands where meteors fell from the black sky. The intensity brought out the grin on her face as Ribbon imagined great battles waging across the fearsome landscapes she created.
"Interesting. " Luna said as the two stood on top of black tower over looking a bottomless abyss.
"What? " Ribbon asked.
"Do you recall my saying that dreams are gateways to the inner chambers of our minds? "
Ribbon looked at her as she tried to remember, then her eyes widened when she did. She looked out to the scene of gray clouds looming over the black sky, then down at the abyss were black mist rose up from. A sadness came over her heart and she walked away closing her eyes and then opening them again to create the library. She got up back and laid down on the couch.
"I don"t know why I have thoughts like this. " she said as Luna went up to her, "Who thinks of places of misery, were no life grows? "
"Someone who knows however what true beauty is and suffers looking for it. " Luna said looking down at her.
"You call that beauty? "
"What I saw was passion. You took time to create what you love so that it was perfect in your eyes and your eyes only. "
"Too bad I'm the only one who can see beauty in a black world of oblivion. Am I insane? "
"Do you think you are? "
"...maybe. Maybe that's what my cutie mark will be, something to do with insanity. "
"I think you put yourself through too much blame without seeing your true potential. We have very little influence in matters such as this; they happen for a reason and it is up to us to determine what to with them. "
"Sometimes I even scare myself with what I think, and that can't be normal. "
Luna sat on her hind legs and rest her chin next to Ribbons.
"Don't let your emotions control you. Stop holding back and let yourself blossom so that other may see how beautiful you really are. "
"Can we go to one more place? "
"Of course child. "
Ribbon closed her eyes, and the entire library and the world around them turned dark as the sun vanished. The ground turned into a gray sand and the sky turned black with more gray clouds. Large jagged rocks appeared from the ground in different locations, vast and far apart from each other. Luna looked out and saw nothing, as if the world Ribbon created were dead.
"What is this place? " she asked.
"Some place where I can be alone, where I don't have to worry about becoming anything. No obligations or responsibilities, and where I can let myself go insane without worrying anybody. "
Luna stood up and walked around, leaving hooveprints in the sand while Ribbon continued to lay down. The desolation and emptiness brought back many horrible memories into Luna's mind. She went back and sat next to her. Ribbon looked up and saw her eyes swell with tears.
"Such a thing to create. " she said as a tear went down her cheek, "To purposely seclude yourself from the wonders of your life. "
"Luna... no. "
"Forgive me, I disgrace myself by crying in your presence. "
"What, no. Don't.... don't cry. "
Ribbon got up and sat in front of her as she struggled to wipe away the ever flowing tears. She hesitated, then rubbed her head against Luna chest to comfort her. Pressing her ear, she heard Luna's heart as it beat melodiously.
"Don't cry." Ribbon whispered.
"So the others bailed on you huh." Ribbon said as she and Sprinkle sat around the table at Sprinkle's house.
"Yeah, it's a bummer. But I'm cool with it, I didn't feel like going out this morning anyway. At least you're over here; now I won't be completely bored."
Both had a cup of tea sitting on small tray in front of them as they sat out in the backyard patio with a view of the fields and mountains. Inside the kitchen a small batch of biscuits were cooking for them to snack on. Looking through the window and into the kitchen, Ribbon saw the timer on top the stove read five more minutes before they'd be ready.
"So how was work yesterday?"
"Exhausting, but totally worth it in the end. I earned two hundred bits for those first five days."
"Dang! You must have worked a lot."
"I did, and I've decided to stay on for a while now. I'll get less hours and pay, but it's better that way anyway."
"Probably. You looked terrible by the end of school. Did you sleep at all last night? You look better."
"Mmhmm. In fact, Princess Luna visited me again. She said she wanted to check on me, then we just talked."
"I'm really jealous, I have to say. Being able to meet royalty must be awesome. What'd you two talk about?"
"Not much really. A little bit about books and the college."
"That's nice. I hope I get to meet her someday."
They sipped at there tea and munched on the fresh biscuits when the timer went off, then talked some more outside while enjoying each others company. It had been a long time since the two hadn't done anything than just sit around and talk. Normally they'd plan going out or doing fun activities in advance when they hung out, but rarely did they stop to talk and relax.
"You know I can't tell if I've ever been to Green Field Meadows before." Sprinkle said, "Is it nice there?"
"Yeah, it has a nice interior and pretty good food. You should come by sometime while I'm working. Employee discount and stuff."
"Nice."
"You know that reminds me. You know the owner of the boutique?"
"Rarity, right."
"Well she was there yesterday and actually asked me to stop by today around noon."
"Wow, look at you moving up."
Ribbon smiled.
"It was strange, but she said I'd look good in a dress she made and wanted me to model it for her. I was wondering if you wanted to come without your friends, but it looks it'll just be you and me if you decide."
"Sounds nice actually. Gives us something to do."
Inside the clock above the stove read eleven forty three. The two had spent a little over half an hour outside talking and drinking. They cleaned their mess and packed away the rest of the biscuits.
"Mom, we're going out!" Sprinkle yelled up the stairs, "We'll be back later!"
"Have fun, be careful!" her mother replied.
The two left the house and made their way through the town to the boutique. It took a while to reach due to Sprinkle living on the edge of the town and the shop being far south near the library. But when they walked through the front door and were greeted with remarkable dresses and gowns, and the look of happy faces made the trip seem worth it.
Neither of the two thought what to do next, thinking that simply walking upstairs to Rarity's workshop would be rude. So the two pondered through the racks along with the rest in the shop. To Ribbon's disappointment Spike wasn't helping work the floor, hoping he'd be around.
"You thinking of getting anything?" Sprinkle asked as she felt a red dress.
"Nah. Maybe someday though."
From the stairs walked down Rarity wearing purple glasses with a measuring tape hanging from her neck.
"Ribbon darling!" she said when she noticed her sitting on the same rounded off cushion as last time, "I'm so glad you came. Did you bring your friend with you?"
"Yes. This is Sprinkle." Ribbon said and then pointed to her friend.
"Fabulous to meet you. I must day... your mane and coat are quite elegant, almost as elegant as mine."
"Thank you." she blushed.
"Now come. You must try on the dress I have for you as soon as possible. Genius can not wait in the world of fashion."
The two followed Rarity up the stairs and into her workshop, which also seemed to act as her bedroom as well with a large bed and dresser off to the side. Mannequins of ponies sat near tall shelves of fabrics and boxes filled with string and decorative buttons. Scattered throughout the room were many scissors and needles with string still in their eyes. Dozens of strips of fabric already cut into and left to hang were also scattered as if they exploded and landed everywhere in the room.
"Pardon the mess." Rarity said, "You two relax while I clean up."
Over on her bed, Fluttershy sat with a white cat that slept on top one of the multiple pillows.
"Hello Ribbon." she said then smiled sweetly.
"Hello. What are you doing here?"
"Well I didn't have anything to do around the cottage today, so I thought I'd come and watch."
"I'm glad you did; Rarity seems just a bit eccentric for me."
"She means well."
"Now lets see." Rarity said, "Ribbon could stand over here and we'll being."
Ribbon walked over to Rarity and stood on front of a full scale mirror. Rarity's horn glowed light blue and a dress on top of a mannequin came over and floated next to Ribbon. Its beige silk skirt was lined with dark brown trimmings and connected to a corset that began to hug itself over her body. The corset was a similar brown with a flower design made of black lace all around it. She felt it squeeze at her stomach and made her hold her breath as she tried to make it fit.
"Almost done darling." Rarity said.
The strings wove together and Ribbon let herself exhale, but found it hard to breath still. She looked in the mirror and admired how well it blended with her coat and mane.
"Hmmm."
"What? I think it looks good." Ribbon said, "You were right when you said it worked for me."
"It does... but it's missing something. Stay there while I think and look around."
Sprinkle took Rarity's place and they both looked in the mirror.
"You should totally buy it." she whispered in her ear.
"It's nice. But when will I ever need it?"
"When you get married?"
"As if." Ribbon snorted.
"Oh come on, look at yourself. You look good enough for the Gala."
"NO!" Rarity and Fluttershy then yelled.
Ribbon and Sprinkle glanced at each other, both wondering how the two over heard.
"Is it... not that good?" Ribbon asked.
"Oh... is not bad." Rarity said, "Just... not all it's dolled up to be."
"We had a horrible time." Fluttershy said bluntly.
"But it's the biggest get together throughout the entire year."
"Don't let us discourage you." Rarity said as she went back to the mirror, "If you get the opportunity, go. We went, but it didn't turn out as we expected it to."
"Did something bad happen?"
"Uh... no. Nothing happened. We all just got bored and decided to leave early."
"I don't really und..."
"Oh hush now! Your dress needs to be perfect. Let see here."
Her horn glowed again and more black fabric with a similar flower design draped itself over the skirt, along with see through sleeves for the corset as both were stitched while Ribbon held still. Along with the sleeves came frills that then were sewn onto the collar of the corset, tickling her chin.
"Just a few more stitches." Rarity said, "And one more thing."
Ribbon felt her mane float and weave itself into a tight bun.
"There now darling, what do you think?"
"It's awesome!" Sprinkle said for Ribbon, "I mean, amazing."
"Isn't it. Why I must say just looking at her gives me so many ideas for a Fall line. And you must come by again to model them."
"What!? No. I don't think I can model anything else." Ribbon said.
"But you simply look marvelous. At least one photo shoot to help spread the look."
"Maybe when its fall but not right now. I've got too much to do right now anyway."
She began to carefully take off the dress, but also made it clear she wasn't comfortable.
"I still have to keep my grades, balance time at my job, plus I'm going to have to start studying more if I'm going to go to college."
"College?" Fluttershy, "Ponyville doesn't have a college."
"Canterlot does." Sprinkle said.
"Sounds like dream come true for Twilight." Rarity joked as she placed the dress on a mannequin, "I say, she always has her head in her books. And now she's so busy she hardly leaves the library."
"I bet." Ribbon muttered, still holding mixed opinions against Twilight Sparkle.
"But you're going deary?"
"Hopefully." she answered undoing her bun, "But there are still a lot of pros and cons."
"If I were you I'd simply must go. Living in Canterlot would be a dream."
Rarity seemed dazzled by the thought, and began to ramble on.
"Why, to own a shop there would be such a privilege. Not to mention just how beautiful the city is, and the class and sophistication."
"It does sound nice."
"Meh." Sprinkle said went by the bed.
"Oh but to have your name known by everyone in Canterlot. That is my dream." Rarity said, catching Ribbons attention, "To be the bell of the ball at every castle party, to be a somepony in the the greatest place in all of Equestria. Just think of how great it would be to meet with the most renown artists and aristocrats, to be in the box seat at every race and derby. Why it's enough to make a lady faint from simply thinking about it."
It all sounded good to Ribbon.
"Is that why you opened this shop?" she asked.
"My boutique? Of course not. I opened it because it was my destiny to make everything in Equestria shimmer with utter perfection. To design and create masterpieces worn by all."
Sprinkle looked over at Fluttershy with a look of doubt at Rarity's fantasy, but she only got a warming smile in return.
"Why Ribbon," Rarity continued passionately, "If you do go there, you must send me letters and invite me sometime. Why, if the college were to have a dance or banquet, I could design the decor and everything. We'd make it just most exquisite college ever!"
"If I get in, I'll send you a letter the moment I get my dorm."
"Marvelous. Now will you and your friend be staying for lunch? I could have you try on a few more dresses."
Ribbon looked over at Sprinkle, who shrugged in return.
"I guess so."
"Excellent. I'll just go close up shop early and get something ready"
Rarity left the room.
"She's very passionate about what she does." Fluttershy said, "You did look amazing though Ribbon; if you do end going to the gala, that dress would be the perfect choice."
"What did you wear?" Ribbon asked.
"Another dress Rarity made. She made one for herself and all five of her closest friends that went too, including me."
"She's very generous."
"Close friends huh." Sprinkle said, "Who?"
"Wells there's me, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie who everyone know. There's Applejack from Sweet Apple Acres, then there's Twilight Sparkle. She was the one who got the tickets from Princess Celestia."
"Have you ever met her before?"
"Oh yes, she's very lovely."
"Ribbons met Princess Luna." Sprinkle said.
"Sh!" Ribbon hushed her.
"Oh you have? In person?"
"N... no. In a dream once before."
"Didn't you meet her just las..."
Ribbon shot her a glare.
Fluttershy noticed and could see Ribbon was holding back the second encounter and the reasons both had occurred.
"Is something the matter?" she asked with worried eyes.
"No, I just... don't want to brag about it is all. It was just a regular visit, one she does all the time. It was no big deal."
"Oh, okay."
Fluttershy however could tell Ribbon was lying, with her eyes having averted contact with her own and the fact that her timidness was all too familiar to her.
Rarity soon came back up with a tray of small sandwiches, a pot of tea and cups, and a few chairs a small table all floating and following behind her. A velvet table cloth gracefully flew and covered the table as the pot poured tea into every cup and a sandwich found itself on four small plates. Everything had been done and arranged in the middle of the room without a single hoof being lifted. Ribbon was amazed by Rarity's magic.
The four then proceeded to gathering around and getting every last pleasantry and introduction out of the way so there'd be no questions as where one lived and what they did for fun. After half an hour of idle chat, most of the sandwiches eaten and tea drunk, they began to share stories of their personal lives. Ribbon and Sprinkle were amazed by some of the endeavors Rarity and Fluttershy experienced together, and laughed at the matter of not being able to top even the mellowest of their stories.
"So exactly how many animals live in your cottage?" Sprinkle asked Fluttershy.
"Oh I try not to keep count. I welcome all creatures into my home and love them all equally. I just love animals and wouldn't mind anything living with me."
"You're very kind."
Fluttershy smiled again.
"So you two have been to the Gala, meaning you've been to Canterlot. What's it like there; the castle and such."
"It's marvelous." Rarity said, "The most beautiful place you'll ever see if you go. And the castle makes it all worth wild in the end after site seeing the entire city."
"How many times have you been there?"
"Quite a few I must say. Let's see there was the Gala, that time we hosted the Hearth's Warming Eve play, that Discord affair along with the Crystal Kingdom incident, Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor's wedding."
"That's more than I'll ever get." Sprinkle chuckled.
"Oh! And Twilight's coronation. That was the most special."
"Definitely." Fluttershy added.
The mentioning of the coronation sent a mixture of different emotions into Ribbons stomach as she try to put on a pleasing face.
"Have either of you meet Twilight yet?" Rarity asked.
Sprinkle turned her head towards Ribbon.
"Yeah, once." she said, almost wishing she hadn't.
"Isn't she just the most gifted pony ever. To think she's an alicorn now, and a princess too!"
"We're both extremely glad she's our friend." Fluttershy said, "We've been through so much with her. She's been so busy lately however we don't much time to see her anymore."
"That's... too bad. She hasn't changed too much at all, has she?"
"Of course not." Rarity said, "Why she's just as she was before she got her wings."
"She must be pretty frickin special then. "
To all four of the ponies surprise, there was a knock on the window followed by the sound of a pair of wings beating in the air. Fluttershy went over to open the window, then Rainbow Dash came wizzing in and landed on the ground.
"Are you guy's doing anything?" she asked, "I'm bored out of my mind."
"Don't you have your books to read?" Rarity said as she took another sip of tea.
"I just finished my last one."
"What about the tricks you've been practicing for the Wonderbolts?" Fluttershy asked.
"Nah, not in the mood. Having lunch? Awesome."
She went over and grabbed one of the sandwiches then noticed Sprinkle.
"How's it goin. Name's Rainbow Dash."
"I'm Sprinkle." she replied, "This is Ribbon."
Ribbon glanced at the rainbow maned mare then back down at her plate. Rainbow took a moment to recognize her as she ate and Fluttershy sat down, but instead of pointing her out, decided to wait against her better judgement.
"Well since you're here." Rarity continued, "We were talking about Canterlot and our experiences."
"Oh yeah! Had some crazy times there." Rainbow said then nudged Sprinkle, "You should totally check that place out if you get the chance. By the way, what are you two doing here anyway."
"Rainbow Dash been nice." Fluttershy said.
"I meant nothing of it. But when do you let others up into your room besides us."
"When I find someone who looks absolutely marvelous in one of my dresses." Rarity said, "Ribbon here was just modeling for us a while ago and was simply to die for."
"Is that right?" Rainbow asked, more accusingly than casually.
"Yeah." Ribbon said, knowing what she was doing.
"Why don't you put it on for us again. I'd like to see it."
"I don't know."
"Oh please do!" Rarity said, "You looked so divine, plus I still need some more inspiration."
"Why not." Sprinkle said.
"You did look good you know." Fluttershy added.
"Alright fine." RIbbon said, then gave a quick glare at Rainbow.
She and Rarity went back over to the shelves where the mannequin wearing her dress still stood. Rainbow Dash stayed close by in the air, slowly aggravating Ribbon with her presence. Inside her mind, she knew the two of them were going at a battle psychologically. Never did she try to make enemies purposely like a child in fillygraden, but she refused to let herself submit to Rainbow Dash's tenacious fluttering, which gradually made her angrier as she began asking her questions.
"So how have you been Ribbon?" she asked chummingly.
"Fine, thank you."
"That's good. How's that book Spike gave you?"
"You two have met?" Rarity asked as she made small adjustments to the frills on the collar.
"We have, a while ago at the library. So how's that book?"
"It's fine." Ribbon said.
"Are you enjoying it so far? Spike sure liked that book."
"I've only read a few pages so far."
"Oh. Well I hope you get to it." Rainbow said, her tone getting more accusative, "You seemed kind of depressed the other day I was hoping a good book would cheer you up."
"Is there something wrong deary?" Rarity asked.
"No, I'm fine. Rainbow Dash must be confused with another Ribbon."
"So that's who she meant!" Fluttershy suddenly said, then lowered her head when the others looked at her.
Rainbow took the opportunity to hit the matter on the head.
"It was who I meant." she said, "Why were you crying the other day in the library after you met Twilight?"
"That wasn't me!" Ribbon said.
"Darling you're getting upset." Rarity said, "Is there something your not telling us?"
"No!"
"Why are you so upset then?" Fluttershy asked.
"I'm not upset!"
"Uh... guys?" Sprinkle said trying to avert their attention, but Rainbow Dash was well ahead of her.
"Admit it. It was you and nobody else."
"Why! Why do you care!"
"AHA!"
"Ribbon if somethings bothering you, you can tell us." Rarity said.
"Uggghhhh! Fine!" Ribbon said and backed away from everybody.
It took everyone by surprise, even Rainbow Dash who caused her out burst, and she soon felt terrible, rude, ungrateful and guilty all at the same time.
"I'm... sorry." she said, "I shouldn't have done that. Okay look, the reason I cried was simply because when I went to the library I had a letter from Spike to give to her and I was all excited to meet her and possibly be her friend. I see now I was just getting my hopes up. When I gave it to her, all she said was thanks and walked away and it really hurt my feelings. I know it sounds childish, and I don't meet to talk rude on your friend alright? I just... I just felt awful when it happened... like I was a nobody in her eyes."
All three were amazed by what she said, except Sprinkle who looked guilty from not being able to help her best friend. Ribbon looked from one face to another, her head filling with embarrassment as she waited for anypony to say something. Then she noticed Rarity's eyes filling with tears, then saw her burst hysterically.
"OH RIBBON!" she said then through her hooves around her neck, "I know exactly how you feel! You were so excited to meet your idol and the ruined opportunity crushed your spirits!"
"Uh... something like that, yeah." Ribbon said, unsure of what to do.
"Oh... forgive me." Rarity said that let her go.
A tissue floated by her and wiped her tears as she continued.
"I have felt the same way once before, when I met Hoity Toity the famous designer. There was a mishap with some dresses I made and he was absolutely repulsed by them. I was a wreck for so long it felt like ages."
"Yeah, something like that." Ribbon repeated.
Rainbow went up to her.
"I've felt the same way too." she admitted, "You see I want to join the Wonderbolts, and one time when I was training I was so nervous of preforming in front of them I almost blew it."
"I guess you could put it that way. I suppose what I felt was like that."
"But there's still something bothering you." Fluttershy said, still sitting at the table.
The others looked at her except Ribbon, who looked down shamefully.
"It's why Princess Luna has visited you two times already."
"What!?" Rarity and Rainbow Dash both said.
Ribbon said nothing and continued to look down.
"You should talk about it with us." Fluttershy continued, "I can tell you've already told Sprinkle most of what's on your mind."
"How do you know?" Ribbon asked.
"You a pretty bad liar, I'm sorry to say."
Ribbon sighed.
"I can I get out of this dress first?"
"Of course." Rarity said, wiping away the last of her tears.
When the dress came off Ribbon walked to the window that was still open to breath in fresh air and clear her mind. Rainbow Dash and Rarity kept somewhat close to her while Fluttershy and Sprinkle stayed at the table.
"Can you four promise not to tell anyone else this?" Ribbon first asked.
They all nodded their heads. Ribbon sighed again and began.
"The day after what happened at the library, I started doing a lot of thinking about my life. It's what I do when I'm upset. I'm sure you three have already noticed I don't have cutie mark yet."
"Oh that?" Rarity said, "I thought nothing of it when I first met you."
"Same here." Rainbow said.
Fluttershy said nothing but nodded kindfully.
"Well that night," Ribbon continued, "that was the first night I met Princess Luna. She told me that my emotions had been torturing me after being pent up for so long. I told her what had happened also, and then I asked her what it took to be somepony in the world. You see, kind of what Rarity was saying earlier about living in Canterlot, before you came in Rainbow Dash, I too want to be somebody important, but on a much bigger scale. I... want to be remembered in history. I mean look at Twilight! I can definitely tell you she's going to be remembered for a long time. But what can I do? Nothing! I don't even know what I'm good at and yet here ranting on about becoming part of history!"
She took a second to calm down.
"Do you need anything darling?" Rarity asked.
"No... no thank you. I'm sorry I have to bother you all with this. I mean I just met you three practically today anyway, so why do you care?"
"Keep going." Fluttershy insisted.
"Yeah, go ahead." Rainbow Dash said, amazed and sympathetic with Ribbon.
"A few days later it was kind of decided I was going to the college in Canterlot." she continued. "Well not really but I guess it's almost certain at this point. But anyway, I stayed on with my job and thought going to the college would help me get my cutie mark. Easy right? Nothing to it anymore. Well, then Luna came and visited me again, and showed me all of this amazing stuff and made me feel like I could do anything, until I woke up after making her cry. She must hate me now."
"You made her cry?"
"Yeah. I made a princess cry. I mean... who does that!? She's so much older than me and yet I made her cry! What kind of pony am I!?"
Ribbons anger began to engulf her again.
"I'M A TERRIBLE PONY THAT'S WHO! I'm always quiet in the class room and hate everybody who gets on my nerves, I get upset at the littlest things that bother me and brood on them like a little whiny, bratty kid, I can't even speak to my parents who have loved and supported me with all their hearts and now I think I can break even with their love by getting a job! And here I am telling all of you things that don't even concern you thinking it'll all be alright later when really I'm just lying to myself! I have to the most stupid, inconsiderate, spoiled and confused pony in the entire... FRICKIN... WORLD! I mean... DAMN IT!"
She stomped her hooves so hard the floor shook slightly. Pain then seared in her limbs, and regret and sorrow filled her mind as she began to whimper and cry.
"Sometimes I wish I could just die. Die and let it all be for nothing. Let everything go. Why does life have to be so difficult and confusing. Why don't I just kill myself and leave you all alone."
Her legs quivered and fell to the floor sobbing, leaving the other four with broken hearts. Sprinkle went over to her, laid right beside and placed her cheek right against Ribbons as she cried. The other three looked at each other with saddened and concerned faces.
"Everything's going to be alright." Sprinkle said, "You'll be alright."
The next morning Ribbon sat on her bed doing nothing after breakfast. Her book wasn't opened and her records weren't playing. All she did was think on what she had said the day before constantly in her head, and debated whether or not it was good or bad she had done so.
Her father came up and into her room.
"This just came in the mail." he said and handed her a letter.
"Thank you."
She opened it when he left and opened the unfolded the piece of paper.
Dear Ribbon,
It was very brave of you to open yourself up like that. Princess Luna was very wise to visit and oversee you, for I can tell that in your mind the thoughts trouble you and push you to your very edge. One time I decided to let it all go, but ended up hurting my friends feelings in the processes. Instead of taking their advice in the beginning I let myself go astray and became something that was horrible, which I belief was what Princess Luna feared from the beginning for you. You must be very special indeed to be able to hold yourself so well and speak so passionately about your feelings. It is something everypony should learn from you. If you ever feel like it's too much to handle, please visit my house and express yourself as beautifully as you did before. I'm no psychiatrist, but I am a great listener, and would be more that happy to help lighten your burden.
Love, Fluttershy.
P.S. You should become a writer.
With her cheek on her hoof and elbow on top of the desk, Ribbon did her best to pay attention to the teacher as he went on with their lesson of logarithms, but her mind was else where as she imagined going out with her friends to the Ponyville market to hang out for the first time in a while. She imagined walking along the road, side by side and listening to their gossip as she kept to herself and enjoyed their company. She imagined going to the different shops and perusing the trinkets and oddities, wondering whether or not she should by the small little toy or not, whether it would be worth her bits or if it were just a childish reaction of seeing something and wanting it desperately, then slowing realizing it was worthless and regretting the purchase.
She enjoyed the thought and closed her tired eyes and imagined the soft music she listened to every night from her record player her parents had gotten her for her birthday so many years before. It was what was always playing in her bedroom when she was doing homework or practicing her drawing, and what soothed her whenever she was in a foul or depressed mood. She simply took a record from her shelf, and depending on what she felt like listening, she would gently place it down on the spindle and place the needle then crank the mechanism and listen as the music slowly flowed from the echoing bronze cone and filled her room with the sound of instruments playing.
Ribbons head began to tilt forward as one of her favorite songs played in her head with its melody lulling her to sleep, when she opened her eyes and saw the teacher still lecturing the class from behind his desk up at the chalkboard. With regret she took her pencil and began copying the numbers and symbols they would need to solve that days homework, her tolerance of the mundane schedule of getting up in the morning and going to school at her daily limit.
Looking outside, she took a moment to look at the lush bushes that grew along the road that went by the school house. The dark green leaves rustled gently in the wind, making her sigh with delight.
"Are there any questions?" the teachers voice said, "I don't want anypony coming up to me tomorrow with an unfinished paper saying the need more time because they didn't understand."
Ribbon raise her light brown hoof in the air.
"Yes miss Ribbon."
"How do you solve for natural logarithms?" she asked.
"The same way we solve for regular ones. We just replace the 'log' sign with 'ln' and solve it like we regularly would."
"Oh... ok."
"Any more questions?"
The class was silent except for the few who whispered to each other.
"Well then tonight homework will on pages..."
Ribbon didn't here what pages it was on as she looked over at her friend who was making a face at her with her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth. The shear randomness and pure stupidity of the look on her face was enough to make Ribbon almost burst out laughing but contain it with a loud snort. She covered her mouth in embarrassment and quickly looked around to see if anypony had noticed. But the room had grown loud enough with the others students buckling their satchels and talking out loud that no one did.
She copied the homework onto the page she'd use that night and tucked it away just as the bell rang and the sound of chair legs shuffling against the wooden floors filled the room. Walking along the side of the room, bliss filled her as the feeling of freedom and fresh air surrounded her, followed by the warmth of the sun against her mane and coat and the dirt road under her hooves instead of organized wooden panels. She walked by herself to the beginning of the schools pathway to the road then stopped and turned around to wait for her friend.
"Ribbon!" she heard from her side.
She looked and saw Sprinkle, with her face back to normal and her tongue back in her mouth, trotting up to her with a group of others behind her.
"You ready to go?" Sprinkle asked.
"Of course." she replied.
The two and three others began walking towards Ponyville, Sprinkle and the other four talking among each other as Ribbon simply walked and listened, as she had imagined before.
Most of the time it was what she did when with her friends, stand by and listen and sometimes throw in her own comment or opinion, but she wasn't much for talking. She had noticed just a few weeks earlier that she hardly ever spoke for long periods of time than when she was a filly, innocent and brash with her words. Looking back, she remembered the times when saying things she had no idea got her in trouble and then feeling awful afterwards, so she kept to herself most of the time.
After a little while the group reach the middle of Ponyville where the courtroom was, that famous courtroom where Nightmare Moon had appeared before, and where the rampage of Pinkie's had been stopped. The five went by and up to the large fountain. Ribbon sat down the edge and dipped her hoof in the water and looked down at the bits ponies had thrown in and wished on. Two of the ponies said they needed to go home, then left after saying goodbye. It saddened Ribbon to see them go and the group shrink, but the feeling passed shortly.
"So I was thinking of going to the Cake's shop and getting a treat." Sprinkle said, "I heard they've been trying their hooves at a new recipe of cupcakes and I've been dying to try one of them."
"I hear Pinkie Pie is there today as well." the other mentioned, "Isn't she just the greatest pony ever, always so happy and smiling. Last week she gave me a cupcake because it was my birthday, and we hardly know each other."
"She is the greatest. I hope she really is there."
The three left the fountain and made their way towards the bakery, Ribbon still being quiet and looking around the market and admiring the shops and decor. Sprinkle and the other pony, Daisy, went on to talk about the bakery and some of their favorite sweets from there. Cakes and cookies were mostly mentioned, but Ribbon wasn't the fondest of sweets even though she enjoyed an occasional snack or two. It was the frosting that drew her away from eating so much. When she had mentioned it while the other two were talking, Sprinkle flipped.
"How can you not like the frosting?!" she shouted playfully, "It's the best part of anything."
"Its okay." Ribbon smiled guilt-fully, "It just sometimes gets everywhere. Plus if its too sweet, you hardly taste the bread and you left with a sour taste in your mouth forever."
"I can't believe this. We're not best friends anymore."
"Fine by me." Ribbon said and giggled.
"Daisy's my new best friend, right?"
Daisy pretended to start trotting in the other direction, then came back and the three of them laughed as they passed by an apple stand. A golden mare with a cowgirl hat and her little sister wearing a red bow in her equally red hair merrily calling out to those passing by were selling there bundles of apples and small boxes of apple pastries. Ribbon watched them as she passed by.
The little sister eagerly went from pony to pony, loudly asking them if they wanted to buy the apples on sale. Some said yes and went up to the older sister tending the stand, some said no but were greeted the the little fillies large sad eyes trying to get to convince them, but it didn't work.
The smell of cinnamon, sugar, and sweet apple nectar filled Ribbon's nose and tempted her to approach the stand. She looked over at her friends, who were deeply engaged in a conversation still probably about the bakery and Pinkie Pie.
"You two go ahead." she said, "I'll catch up."
"Where you goin'?" Daisy asked.
"The Apple stand."
"But you wont buy a cupcake from the bakery?!" Sprinkle said.
Ribbon rolled her eyes, smiled and trotted off.
The little sister saw her heading in her direction and was immediately in front of her smiling. One looked in her eyes and Ribbon felt her heart melt and smile relax.
"Y'all here to buy some apples?" the filly asked cheerfully.
"As a matter of fact yes."
"I knew it, the way you were headin' on over here. What can we getcha?"
"Why don't you leave her bits to me Applebloom." the older sister said, "You just keep em coming and stay out of trouble, ya here."
"Alright." Applebloom said and went off.
"Sorry if she seems a little excited. She doesn't always help with the stand, and still thinks she'll get her cutie mark in selling apples. Thought she would've learned otherwise from last time."
"That's alright." Ribbon replied, "I kind of envy her spirit."
"She's spirited all right. So what can i getcha? We've all manner of apple treats fresh from the oven here."
Ribbon looked around on the small shelves of the stand at the different treats, and spotted a small stroodle still warm and tender. She picked it and paid her bits.
"Ya'll ever had a Sweet Apple Acre pastry before?" the golden pony said as she wrapped it up.
"I cant recall, but i hear you guys make awesome cider and jam."
"We sure do. Everything we make is made from our home grown apples and never disappoints."
"I bet it doesn't."
"Names Applejack by the way."
"Ribbon. Thank you."
She went off with the small package in her satchel and continued to admire the shops and stalls along the way.
The bakery wasn't too far off, and by the time she got through the front doors, Sprinkle and Daisy were already at the counter buying their cupcakes from Mr. Cake. Ribbon looked around, and noticed it was somewhat quiet, meaning Pinkie Pie wasn't around that day and probably off at a party she was throwing. And the fact that most of the cakes and sweets on display around the room were still intact and not bitten out of was a clear indication also.
Sprinkle and Daisy turned around and went up to her.
"Watcha get?" Sprinkle asked.
"Just a small stroodle."
"That's nice I suppose. Me and Daisy both got three of their new cupcakes; Strawberry Delight. They looked so good under the glass we just had to get them."
"Can't wait to have mine." Daisy said, "Where should we go now?"
"How about the Boutique." Sprinkle said, "They always have lovely dresses on display."
"I don't think any of us has the bits to buy anything from there." Ribbon said skeptically.
"Yeah, but it'll be nice to just look around."
The three went out and made their way back down the road towards the market. They passed by the apple stand again, where Ribbon saw the little filly still running around and going up to people while her sister sold the merchandise.
"Have you ever gotten anything from the boutique?" Daisy asked Sprinkle.
"Lets see." she said, looked up and pondered her mind, "Oh! This one time me and my mother were there looking for dresses for a party. I remember trying on a purple dress with small jewels in it, since it would've gone good with my white coat, but it was too expensive. We didn't end up buying anything fancy, but i did get a nice little shirt that I like to wear to bed sometimes."
"I remember when i my older sister was having her wedding in Manehatten, and she came down here to find a dress. When she told the mistress there her story, she said that she nearly freaked as they were trying to find her the perfect dress."
"I here she's a bit of a snob."
"Not really." Ribbon said trying to defend the pony.
"Then why are there jewels and gems in practically everything that's in there?"
Sprinkle exaggerated by rolling her head and lowering her voice. Ribbon giggled at the gesture.
"But I here she's also one of nicest and most generous ponies in Ponyville." Daisy said.
"We'll see."
They made it to boutique, where the glimmer of beautiful dress came from the two front windows of the prestigious looking house. Ribbon was the last to go in, but stopped and looked at the small meadow by the store. Off in the distance, she saw a pony near the pond throwing what looked like seeds from a bag into the water and the ducks gathering around to nimble on them. Squinting her eyes, she noticed the pony had a long mane and tail that was a vibrant pink and a yellow coat. The pony glanced back at her and smiled. Ribbon went inside and felt her face blush at the pony's smile.
Inside, there were a few others than the three of them looking around, one up on the alter surrounded by mirrors and looking at each to see the dress on her body. Going back and forth between all of them was Spike, the renowned a only dragon in Ponyville, whose conspicuous intentions of being the shop weren't surprising; helping the mistress with her business.
Sprinkle and Daisy went off on their own to ponder the dresses and gowns while Ribbon sat down on one of the rounded cushioned seats and thought to herself, then reached into her satchel and munched on the stroodle, which tasted better than it smelt.
"Hey." she heard a curious voice, then looked to see Spike walking up to her, "Did you by any chance get that from Applejack's stand out in the market?"
"Yeah, you know her?" she said.
"Of course. We're like best friends. I know her cooking anywhere."
"It's pretty good, I'll give her that."
"My names Spike by the way." he said and stuck out his claw.
"I'm Ribbon."
They shook claw and hoof.
"So is there anything I can help you find here?" he asked, "I don't actually work here, but I'm friends with Rarity and help her out sometimes. She's... she's nice like that."
At the mention of her name the little dragons eyes softened and he blushed. Ribbon smiled at him.
"Well I don't think me or my friends over there are gonna buy anything, just looking really."
"Ah that's okay, I need a break anyway." he said then hopped up on the seat next to her.
"So do you know Rarity or Applejack?"
"No. I just met Applejack in the market, and I don't think I've ever seen Rarity. What's she look like?"
"Oh...well," he started, "She's got the most dazzling coat of white and a beautifully groomed mane and tail of purple, and three diamonds as her cutie mark."
"Hmmm. She does seem familiar."
"She helps decorate the hall for when the princesses come by."
"Oh she does! I always love the way it looks inside!"
"Yeah, she pretty good at stuff like that." he said then scratched the back of his scaly head.
Ribbon smiled at him, then it disappeared when a loud thud come above both of them, followed by womanly grunt. A loud voice called out.
"Spiiiiiiike?! Could you be a dear and come up here! Some of the boxes fell and I'm much to busy with my new designs!"
"Coming Rarity!" he answered, "I'll be right back in a few. You can stay here if you wan... wa..."
He suddenly belched green fire, which magically turned into rolled piece of parchment with the Princess Celestias's seal on it.
"Oh man. Talk about bad timing. I've got to get this to Twilight... but Rarity..." he said with regret.
"You mean Princess Twilight?" Ribbon said.
"Well... yeah, but she prefers just Twilight."
"Ooh, could I take it to her?"
"Sure, i guess. Just be careful. I don't want her giving me a hard time later." he laughed.
He quickly went up the stairs as she carefully tucked the letter in her satchel. Only just recently had it been Twilight Sparkle's coronation, and Ribbon had always been fascinated with magic but never saw it from her before.
Sprinkle and Daisy came up, disappointed in not finding anything within there bits limit.
"You guys want to go to the library?" Ribbon asked, eager out of her normal standards.
"The library?" Daisy said, sketchy, "I don't know, I think i should get home before it's dark since it's a school night. It's too bad I couldn't find anything."
"Me too." Sprinkle said reluctantly, "Besides, I'm not much for reading."
Ribbons heart sunk, but not by much. The three said goodbye from outside the boutique then went their separate ways.
Ribbons trot was quicker and had just the slight hint of a skip as she went down the road towards the library, getting her mind ready for meeting Twilight. She went over different greetings and ways to break the ice; ways on how to present the letter from Spike so the two could start up a conversation. She was nervous but also excited in a strange and yet thrilling way.
As she went, she looked back at the pond and noticed the pony that fed the ducks was gone then remembered the smile they gave her from the distance. But she didn't give it too much thought, the the meeting of Princess Twilight clouding her mind with glee.
She made it to the front of the library, ruffled her free flowing mane to help straighten it to appear presentable, took a small breath and walked through the door. Inside were three other ponies, none of them Twilight and each with their eyes in a book or looking through the shelves to find something that fancied them. One she noticed and knew right away was Rainbow Dash, with her signature rainbow mane and tail, a volume of Daring Do in her hoof and head resting on the other. Never had she seen her up close from the usual thousands of feet as she soared in the sky on occasions, but she wasn't as avid a fan as her other admirers.
Looking around, she saw a door leading to the basement underneath the giant tree open and saw Twilight Sparkle walk out. Her heart skipped a beat as it nearly jumped from her chest and she felt as if she would burst out in tears of joy. But she kept calm and casually made her way over to her as she went up to Rainbow Dash.
"Have you seen Spike anywhere?" she asked, "Celestia should be sending me a letter soon but i don't know where he is."
"Take a guess." Rainbow said.
"Rarity?"
"Rarity."
Twilight sighed.
"Honestly, one of these days."
"I have it." Ribbon said.
"Oh?"
"Yeah. I was at the boutique when he got it, but he needed to take care of something, so i asked if I could take it."
She unbuckled her satchel and gave her the letter. It floated from her hoof as Twilight's magic unwrapped it and she read over its seemingly sacred contents.
"Ah! Thank you very much. I'll be sure to let Spike know he need to get some of his priorities straight."
Then with just a simple nod to her, Twilight left Ribbon with an anxious look on her face and headed towards the door. The look quickly vanished as she watched the pony walk through the door and it magically close behind her. Her mind went blank for a moment as she tried to comprehend what had happened within the ten seconds she had met Twilight for the first time.
When the door closed, Ribbon felt her heart sink again, only this time it was into a freezing lake that would never let it go. Her jaw dropped slightly, and tears began to form in her eyes as her lip began to quiver. Not only was it the sight of seeing what was possibly her idol and the most important pony in Ponyville just walk away from her while barely acknowledging her, it was the realization of how foolish she was. She began to regret ever conceiving the idea that she would actually get to talk with Twilight Sparkle, and how childish and overzealous she had felt. It was like the child and the toy they so desperately wanted, then seeing how worthless it was after spending the money on it. She knew it was just like what she thought of at the end of class, only hundreds of times worse.
A tear dropped from her eye lash and hit the floor with a soft trickle. Rainbow Dash's ear pricked from the sound, then she looked down then up at Ribbons face.
"Hey." she said, slightly worried a the pure sadness on her face, "Something wrong?"
Ribbon choked and bit her lip as she tried not to cry, but a tear still managed to streak across her face.
"N...n...no, no." she said and wiped it away, "I'm...I'm fine. I'll j...just go now."
She quickly turned around and went out the library, leaving Rainbow Dash to wonder what caused her to cry.
The sun had begun to set over the surrounding mountains and bathed the sky in beautiful shades of yellow, orange and red as Ribbon made it to the front door of her house. The tears had gone away, but now she felt a void in her chest form, feeling nothing but numb sadness. Her limbs felt weak as she opened the door then closed it behind her. The smell of her favorite soup, warm and zesty, came as she set her bag down against the sofa, but did little to lift her spirits.
"Ribbon! Is that you?" he mother called out from the kitchen, "How was the market?"
"Fine." she said just loud enough that her mother could barely hear her.
"That's good! Dinner's pretty much ready if you want to dish up!"
"I'll be right there."
She slowly went up the stairs and into her bedroom, opened the windowsill and looked out to Ponyville as it bathed in the twilight. It was one of her favorite times of day, when it wasn't too bright or dark and neither cold or hot but just perfect. The view had always been a source of inspiration for her drawing, even if she knew she was mediocre at it but still kept trying. She didn't even feel like putting on a record to drown out her sorrow with cymbals and strings.
"Ribbon!" her mother called out again.
"Coming!" she answered.
She took in a deep breath and exhaled through her nose, then bumped against the door frame on her way out.
After tossing and turning for fifteen minutes, Ribbon had given up on finding a comfortable position to lay in her bed. The room had grown too bright and the mattress too hard for her to even enjoy closing her eyes. It had been the same way all throughout the night as she woke multiple times and had difficulty going back to sleep. On one occasion she let her head hang off the side of her bed just because she was bored and tired.
Getting out was out of the question, as she didn't feel like doing anything.
"Pathetic." she mumbled through her mane.
Then she heard hoof-steps outside her door, then the click as the doorknob turned and in came her father who didn't work Saturday's.
"It's time to wake up." he said.
"I know." she replied, half words and half just exhaled air.
"Any plans today?"
"Maybe."
"I'll let you know if I can think of any chores."
"Thanks."
She inched her way to the edge, then let one hoof dangle off. Another followed and she stretched he limbs which were stiff beyond possibility. The curtains opened and blinded her, making everything in her eyes turn white and causing her head to spin and fall back to the bed.
"Sleep much." her father said from the window.
"No."
"Well go ahead and get some breakfast; me and your mother are going to do some errands later."
"Alright."
"By the way, something came in the mail for you. It's on the table."
Her father left as she continued to stretch and adjust to getting out of bed. Her head spun and her joints wobbled, but she recovered and made her way out the door. Downstairs, her mother read the newspaper on the couch while her father was in the kitchen pouring another cup of tea for himself.
"Good morning dear." her mother said.
"Good morning."
She went into the kitchen and got her oats and milk, then went to the the table and began eating. The letter was where her father said, but she didn't bother opening in yet.
"So what are you going to do today sweety?"
"I don't know."
"Anyone of your friends free today?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe you'd like to come with us today." her father said as a joke, since they knew her for not being the most social with them.
"Hmph."
When she finished, she pushed her bowl aside and opened the letter. Inside was a notice concerning the entrance exam for the new college, and at the very was the mayors signature. Ribbon criticized it being stamped and not hoof written.
She read the entire letter then set it down.
"Whats it say?" her mother asked.
"Just a reminder of the college and the opportunities, along with a date for the deadline to take the exam. It's not for another month."
She left the letter on the table, cleaned her bowl and went back up to her room and into her bed again. Looking at her clock, she saw it was nine thirty.
"Looks like you owe yourself ten bits Ribbon. "
When her parents left after a while later, she did what little homework she had to do for the weekend then tried drawing. But after just ten minutes she gave up and ripped the sheet out from the booklet and threw it away. Only recently had she tried to take up drawing, knowing it was a skill that would take a grueling long time to acquire, and knew she didn't have the patience for. The only drawings she felt proud of were those that were easy and she had simply copied from pictures in front of her.
"What to do." she sighed, then fell on her back onto the bed and looked up at the ceiling, "Maybe Sprinkle isn't doing anything today. The two of you could definitely figure out something. It not like you two are the most busy ponies in the world. "
Out in the distance she heard the whistle of the train as it readied to leave Ponyville. It amazed her it could be heard all the way from her house.
"It's probably going to Canterlot. And what's in Canterlot? A whole lot of ponies who get to live the good life in their fancy homes and live without a care in the world. What do you have to do to even live there? Have a fortune probably, which I'll never have. "
She looked at her clock.
"Eleven. Now I get to waste my entire weekend doing nothing, then go to school and regret it all. "
She sat up and brushed her man to the side. The book still sat on her desk, mocking her just like the drawing she threw away. The hero on the cover looked so majestic and powerful in her eyes.
"What I'd do for an adventure as the hero, and get away from this kind of life. But then again... Its not all fun and games Ribbon. Things seem so much better on paper, but aren't the same in real life. Time for you to live in reality... time for you to get a job. "
She stood up on her hooves.
"At least get out of the house and then maybe something will come up. "
Downstairs, she made sure she wouldn't need anything as she left with no idea when she would come back. She went out the door, locked it, hid the key and made her way towards the market outskirts. Ideas of where she could worked rolled back and worth inside her head. Knowing places like where her dad worked were out of the question, since they required more work experience, she tried to imagine smaller jobs that wouldn't require anything than basic motor skills.
"Mom and Dad said you had to start small when looking for a job. "
After trotting for a while through the streets and alleyways she made it to the beginnings of the market; a long street near the middle of town lined with stalls and shops. One thing she knew that she wanted was a job near the center, one that had plenty of business so she'd feel like she was part of something important and not some run down shack.
As she went down the street, looking for wanted signs in the windows of stores, it dawned on her how few needed any help. Most shops were so small they needed only the manager to run the entire floor, and not all were busy. The street she was on wasn't the busiest in the town, and as she looked around she noticed she was the only one, despite it still being early in the day.
She went through the shops on the other side of the street, found nothing then went through an alley and onto the next street which held more traffic. The shops were slightly more busy, and the feeling of the atmosphere Ribbon felt as she went passed the windows felt more energetic. Still however she didn't find any shop that was hiring.
All the way to the middle of town she didn't find a shop she wanted to work at hiring, and those that were didn't interest her.
"Stop being so picky. Work isn't suppose to be fun. " she thought.
Looking up at the clock tower in the court house, she saw she had spent an hour looking for and passing up jobs, an hour she began to regret. A bench rested in the shade of a tree near one of the shops on which she decided to sit down in and rest. The wind began to blow and carried a warm breeze through the tree and made is leaves rustle a sound that helped her relax.
For fifteen minutes she sat on the bench and thought to herself, thinking of the shops and jobs she passed up, or the time she could be spending with Sprinkle and her friends. It angered and yet saddened to look at the situation she was in, looking for a job but also wanting to just relax and do nothing like the teenager she was.
"If only I could talk with Luna again. When I did, it felt so good to just gush out everything. All that talk of being something, that was nothing compared to the feeling of just letting everything go. But who can I talk to to get that same release; not my parents, it'd be too awkward and I'd hold back. "
She looked around the market and all the ponies that passed by. Some glanced at her and her markless flanks, but she didn't notice nor would she have cared if she had. After a few more minutes of sulking she got up and continued looking, taking the street that led directly up to the market center where she was leaving.
Walking directing the middle of the street, she basked in how wide the street was and the feeling of being center where she could be seen. It almost felt like she owned the street, she her chest slightly puffed out and her head high like royalty.
As she strolled down the street, she saw a restaurant with and outdoor eating area in the front. Out behind it opened the fields leading away from Ponyville. There were other restaurants along the street, but she found it the most visually appealing with a second story on it. Looking closer, she saw a wanted sign hanging off the buildings sign that dangled from a decorative pole.
"Not a bad place. You could start out as a busgirl. It's not like you'll need to get high in the ranks anytime soon. "
She walked through the door and into the waiting area where she was greeted with the sound of indoor conversations and dinging silver ware. The interior was rustically themed, which she preferred over more modern styles like Upbeat Manehatten.
"Welcome." the waiter at the podium greeted her. "How many?"
"Actually I was here to ask about the wanted sign."
"Ah, you interested?"
"Yes."
"Just give me a minute and I'll get the manager for you."
"Thank you."
She took at seat on one of the cushioned couches in the waiting room while the distinctive looking colt left and headed towards the back of the restaurant. Walking in, she had noticed he wore a fancy dress shirt with a tie and figured the staff needed uniforms, then noticed as another went around the table to take orders wearing one also. The idea was appealing to her, liking the since dignity and sophistication, and discipline.
The waiter came back with the manager, whose golden name plate indicated proudly on his vest.
"Hello, how are you today miss..?" he asked kindly.
"Ribbon, good thank you." she answered, getting up.
The waiter left them to return to his post.
"Now before we go to my office, may I ask if you've ever worked before."
"No sir."
"Don't worry about it, just a routine question. Now please follow me."
Ribbon and the manager went to the back of the restaurant and into the kitchen.
When she and her parents went out on occasions for dinner, and she sat and looked around while they talked, she always felt the kitchen was like a sacred area that few could ever enter, and that even catching a glimpse as somepony walked out with a tray of food was like a blessing. But she quickly followed the man directly into it and saw the inner workings. Three others in white chef uniforms worked over the stoves and sinks, doing what she looked to be impossible.
One seemed to be in two places at once as they attended a large stove with multiple cooking pans on the burners while quickly going to another area to check a large pot with with steam soup. Another went cutting away at vegetables while another finished preparing a dish and making the food look perfect.
RIbbon and the manager walked into a small hallway and into the office of the building. It was a small but well decorated and welcoming room with warm colored wallpaper and the light of the fields coming in from a large window behind his chair and desk.
"Please sit." he said and pointed his hoof at a chair in front of his desk.
She did and anxiously waited for him to begin talking.
"So tell me," he began, "you look rather young. Are you still in school?"
"Yes. But I'll be graduating school when summer comes."
"How are you're grades?"
"Three A's and one B."
"Any after school activities like sports or clubs."
"No."
"I see. Now, how would you describe your work ethic?"
"Umm... I do my best when it comes to getting things done. Like homework or chores for example; if I get started I won't stop until I finish."
"And would you say you do a good job?"
"I would hope so." she laughed but then felt ridiculous, "But I do do a good job, not try to rush it."
"Good."
The man leaned over and opened one of the drawers of his desk and pulled out a small booklet. He opened it to the calendar, where Ribbon looked with amazement by how filled it was with schedules and names.
"Lets see..." he sighed, "Now when are you available during the day?"
"After school, between around two and eight. I usually have a good amount of free time."
"And how big of a commitment can you give to this job?"
Ribbon didn't answer at first, but let the question sit for a second and tried to think of answer. A chilling thought that rolled in was the child and the toy, and how bashfully she had left the comfort of home to go find a job.
"We can of course give a certain amount of time working here to see if you can manage, but whether or not you stay here is ultimately up to you."
"Come on Ribbon, think hard. This is a big moment in your life, so lets be smart about it. If you chicken out, you'll never let it go and keep on beating yourself up. "
Her eyes looked down as she thought, then back at the manager.
"It's hard to say," she began, "But I'll do my best to try and stay for a good amount of time."
"Mmhmm."
It felt like a teacher had asked her a question, which she answered wrong and now felt like the entire class thought her an idiot.
"Well let's see. I'll be able to start you on Monday, from two thirty to seven in the afternoons. You'll then have a week to decide whether or not you'll be able to commit."
"Okay."
"And you'll be starting out as a busgirl, since this is your first job."
"That's fine."
He leaned over again and pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to her.
"Please look over that and sign at the bottom, your parents too for legal issues. Then come back on Monday and you'll begin training. From then on we'll just wait and see."
"Thank you."
"Have a nice day now."
She got up from her seat, took a quick look out the window to admire the fields, then left the office. The meeting had gone by quicker than she expected. Leaving the kitchen and heading towards the front door, she folded the paper and tucked it behind her ear then covered it with her part of her mane.
"Stupid of you not to bring your bag dummy. " she thought, but was hundreds of times more ecstatic to care otherwise.
Outside of the restaurant, she went back onto the street and kept going down the way she came.
"Hard to imagine he actually gave you a chance Ribbon. Don't go and blow it now. "
Without the worry of looking for a job now, Ribbon was able to walk not the pressure of responsibility, but with the pleasure of a casual stroll. The air seemed fresher in her nostrils and her trot was smoother as she went down the middle of the street again.
The reality of what she had done began to dawn on her, and she felt proud of it. The idea that she was now becoming and adult, now had the opportunity to make a difference in her life, and now had something to hold over her friends in a amiable way make her swell with joy, but also with a subtle fear. Now she'd be obligated to herself to keep her word, instead of being able to let go like the teenager she regretted but still wanted to be.
As she drew closer to the city limits, she saw a wagon being pulled in her direction towards town. A large red colt pulled it effortlessly while the golden mare she met days before followed beside him. She idled her way off to the side to get out of their path but continued to watch. The mare glanced at her as they passed.
"Howdy do." she said, recognizing Ribbon.
She smiled and nodded back at her, then continued down the road.
After a short while of walking, and seeing how she was closer to the schools than her house, she decided to go by and get a drink of water from one of the fountains.
The towns clock-tower bells rang their deep, bass melody then once more to tell all of Ponyville it was one o'clock. She made it to the elementary school, took a drink from the fountain near the play ground then spied the swing set she had loved to play on as a filly. The memories of an easier time at school overwhelmed her with nostalgia, and she went over and sat down on one of the swings. She fixed the paper in her hair, then began to swing her hooves gently back and forth.
As she swung just a few feet at a time, she looked up at the mountains and watched as some of lower clouds separated as the two touched, and imagined being on top of one again then flying off and into the clouds.
"Is that Miss Ribbon?" she heard.
Ribbon looked back at the school house and saw a lavender pony anyone would know.
"Miss Cherilee!"
"Well how are you doing sweety?"
"I'm doing fine."
"Well that's good to hear. What are you doing here, it's Saturday."
"I didn't have anything to do today so I went for a walk and ended up here. What are you doing here?"
"I came by to check on the garden the fillies are growing as one of their projects. Those bugs like to get at them when no one's around."
Ribbon got off the swing and followed her favorite teacher around to the back. A large rectangular plot of ground had been turned over with sticks placed at equidistant points with strings linking each and sectioning off different crops. Small hoff made signs were stuck in and decorated by the fillies, signed with their names.
"We have a few more fillies this year than when you were in my class." Cherilee said, "But their all happy and cheerful just the same."
"Good to see your still the same too. If I had to deal with kids, I'd lose my mind in just a few days."
"Still the quiet one I presume?"
"Yeah."
Ribbon continued looking at the different signs and plants, then came to the end of the plot and noticed a sign different from the rest. Its wood had been painted blue with gold stars, and was titled "The Cutie Mark Crusaders".
"The Cutie Mark Crusaders?" she said allowed.
"Oh yes, their three of my students who have formed their own little club. Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle. I say, they can be quiet troublesome sometimes."
"Do you know why they formed the club?"
"Applebloom was being teased for being a "blank flank" when Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle stood by her side. The two didn't have their cutie marks either, so the three made a club dedicated to helping fillies get their cutie marks."
"Ah." Ribbon said quietly.
"Oh!" Cherilee then said, seeing Ribbons flank, "Oh my... I'm sorry. I had no idea."
"It's alright. It doesn't bother me."
"Oh... I see. Well, how about you come inside, see the the old classroom."
"That sounds nice."
They went in through the back door, where Ribbon immediately recognized the smell of glue and chalk. The walls however were covered with self portraits of different fillies, and the cubbies had different names taped on them. The room seemed entirely different that how she remembered, except for the long poster that held the alphabet above the chalkboard.
"Remember where you used to sit?" Cherilee asked.
"In the middle row, to the very left. But I remember wanting to move to the back corner."
Ribbon went over to her old seat and tried to sit down, but she could barely fit with it being so small. Both her and Cherilee laughed when she had to push to get out.
"So how's Mr. Longboard these days? I don't see him as often anymore."
"He's doing good. Has to deal with some idiots in the class but still manages to teach."
"Nothing new for him I guess. How are your grades in his classes."
"A's and B's"
"I thought so." she smiled, "Oh! What's that in your hair."
Ribbon took out the paper and on unfolded it.
"Its a job transcript. I went out today looking for a job and got one at a restaurant."
"Looking to make some extra bits I see. Well that's good, it shows your maturing."
"I guess."
"Saving up for anything big."
"I don't know yet."
"Well don't worry about it. Spend your money on what you want, enjoy your youth."
Cherilee sat down at her desk and began looking through the stack of homework as Ribbon went up to the chalk board. Some simple math on on it, along with weekly duties for the fillies.
Feeling the board with her hoof, her mind was flooded with old memories of elementary. Good and bad were mixed together, but the ones that stuck out were when she had embarrassed herself or when Miss Cherilee got angry with some of others. A pin then stuck in her heart, and she felt nothing but pity for the beautiful mare.
"Miss Cherilee?"
"Mhmm?"
"Have you heard of that new college in Canterlot?"
"I believe I did somewhere. Oh! In the mail I got something about it, and I guess Mr. Longboard got one too."
"Maybe you should go. You know. I bet you'd could become a better teacher there."
"Well, why would I? I love it here."
"Yeah, it's nice. But wouldn't be nice to go Canterlot, and get a doctrine for higher level teaching?"
"I suppose there is more money in it, but I know I wouldn't be happy though."
Ribbon went to the front of the desk.
"You think so?"
"Teaching has different kinds of enjoyment. But teaching kids your age, ones who'd rather be out the world, or even those who don't find any joy in learning just isn't why I became a teacher in the first place. I want to see kids blossom into something special."
"But think of the opportunities. You could do so much more in your life."
Ribbons tone grew slightly more serious.
"Ribbon, I know of the opportunities. But my life is perfect the way it is right now. I do what I love, I'm around those who I love, and it would break my heart to leave."
"I... yeah. Those are good reasons, but do you really want to stay in these walls for who knows how long?"
"I understand want you mean Ribbon, but that isn't how I want to spend my life. That just isn't how I got my cutie mark."
"That... yeah. I guess your right. Sorry." Ribbon apologized.
"Don't worry. I can see why you brought it up through. You want to go there, don't you."
"I don't know."
"You don't? Well, to me it sounds like the perfect place for you."
"What?"
"Sure. You were always serious in my class, and I can see you're already mature enough to move on. Maybe you should think about it more and tell your parents what you think and ask them. Perhaps... you'd even get your cutie mark there."
"Maybe."
Ribbon stayed quiet for awhile as she walked around the room and while Cherilee worked. When she finished, the two went out into the front and talked for a while about their lives, keeping anything to do with the college out of their conversation though. By the time they finished it had already turned three. Ribbon said goodbye when they did and began going back up the road.
The breeze picked up again, and she felt the paper flutter behind her ear.
"Get my cutie mark. Maybe. "
