Hi, Princess Celestia. It's me, Twilight.
It feels odd and yet comforting to write those familiar words, now that so much has changed. I have become equal in power, if not in wisdom, to you and Princess Luna. I have taken on many government responsibilities that I didn't even know existed, and I have come to new realizations about myself.
Many ponies, once they gain power, forget their roots, either deliberately or unintentionally. I'm writing this all down in a letter to you, though, so that I never will.
My name is Twilight Starshine Sparkle, and my parents are Velvet Sparkle and Nightlight, two wonderful, loving unicorn ponies. My brother is named Shining Armor, ad he is married to Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.
My earliest memory is sitting in a swing in a warm, sunny garden, being pushed back and forth as joyful laughs fill the air.
When I was young, I often had the magical 'surges' which are common in young unicorns. Mine, however, were very intense-on one occasion, I inadvertently turned Shining into a cat!
Because of the power of these surges, my parents tried to set me up with magic tutors. I rebelled, however. I didn't want to be a magician, I wanted to be an astronomer! After a while, my parents gave in, and stopped taking me to lessons.
That was when Cadence came along.
She was the best foal-sitter ever! She had no qualms about getting down on the floor to play 'horsey' or other silly games. She and I would spend hours building book forts and throwing pillows at each other!
Shining joined in a lot, too. He had never really liked me before. He was jealous of his baby sister, who was lavished with so much love and attention. Cadence, however, convinced him to give me a chance.
As he played with Cadence and I, he started bonding with me, and in no time, he was my B.B.B.F.F.!
Cadence was the one who convinced my parents to let me attend the Solstice Celebration, too. Am I ever glad she did!
I remember it so vividly! Standing by the richly decorated platform, my far lifted up in awe at the majestic white pony standing on it! And how your voice flowed when you spoke, with such majesty ad authority!
When I got home, I raced to my bookshelf, furiously hoofing through it until I found an old book on magic. My parents stared in surprise as I sat down and my horn lit up.
After that, I spent nearly every hour studying. I was euphoric when I finally got the invitation to your School for Gifted Unicorns, and even more so when I became your personal protege!
The days after that were spent in studying and honing my abilities. It seemed like I learned a new spell every day in my time there!
I met a lot of other unicorns, too, but I never paid much attention to them. After all, I thought, why do I need friends when I have books to read and magic to learn?
Then came that fateful day when I moved to Ponyville, and you know the rest.
In my time in Ponyville, I've learned that appearances and first impressions shouldn't taint your ideas of what a pony is truly like.
I've learned that true friends are there when you need them most.
I've learned that in order to make a friend, you have to be a friend.
I've learned that responsibilities, no matter how tough, are important.
I've learned that every pony has good inside them, no matter how deep you may have to dig to find that good.
I've learned that with kindness instead of anger, you can accomplish anything.
I've learned to be strong in the face of danger.
Most of all, though, I've learned that Friendship really is Magic.
This will probably be my last letter to you, seeing as how I can now just talk to you instead. It feels like I'm wrapping up a precious chapter in the grand book of my life, and turning the page on a bright, new chapter-one which can be about anything I choose.
At the end of this chapter in my life, I suppose I just want to say thanks for all those lessons. Without your guidance, I wouldn't be half the pony I am today.
You didn't have to take time from your duties to tutor and guide a silly, shy little unicorn filly, but you did. You taught me magic, but you also taught me much more than that.
You taught me about duties, and responsibilities. You taught me about friendship and joy.
Most of all, though, you taught me the golden rule- Treat others ponies like you would have them treat yourself.
As I start this new chapter, I hope to make that my motto. I know that I can never be as able or kind a ruler as you are, but I shall try my best.
Thanks for teaching me that Friendship is Magic.
~Your faithful student,
Princess Twilight Sparkle
Howdy, Princess.
Your faithful subject, AppleJack, here. Bet you expected me to write funny, huh?
Most ponies do. Most ponies assume that, just because I speak with a drawl and live on a farm, I'm pretty ignorant.
Well, to be plain, they're wrong. Maybe I should explain.
I grew up on Sweet Apple Acres, as you might know. My parents were two lovely, hardworking ponies. My mother was named Ten-gallon Hat, and she was a pretty unruly pony when she was young, or so I've heard. Back then, mares were supposed to be lady-like and genteel. Well, Ten-gallon Hat wasn't. She was outspoken and lively. She snuck off and joined a rodeo when she was just a filly, and she sure was one of the best bronco-busters you ever did see.
My dad, Apple Buck, was a stout, awkward country colt from Sweet Apple Acres. He had a heart of pure gold, but he was shyer than a rabbit.
Well, my dad went to one of my mom's rodeos once. The rest, as they say, is history.
I grew up on Sweet Apple Acres, and I loved my folks dearly. We would spend most nights, Big Mac, Granny Smith, Ma, Paw, and I, sitting on the back porch and looking at the stars.
My parents did most of the work on the farm: apple-bucking, apple-picking, painting, chopping, cooking, you name it. Big Mac and I went to school here in Ponyville.
I was the star student there, you know. Big Mac never did learn much, but I just soaked up all that schooling like it was a gallon of apple cider. Ma and Paw were so proud of me. It was my dream back then to be a scientist, and Ma and Paw supported me with all their hearts. I would have been the first scientist in our family, after all. Even though I was still a filly, my family and I had it all planned out.
All that changed when my little sister, Apple Bloom, was born.
Ma died in the delivery room. Apple Bloom survived, but just barely.
A few days later my Paw died from grief.
I was torn up inside. My parents, my Ma and my Paw, were gone just like that.
My grief quickly turned into anger, though. How dare Apple Bloom have made my Ma die! How dare my Paw have died when he knew I needed him so much! How dare they!
That was when I decided that I would go to Manehatten. At least Auntie and Uncle Orange would be sympathetic, I thought.
For a few days I stood it-the crowds, the dinner parties, the gourmet food. I felt crooked inside, though. This wasn't what I had expected.
As I was sitting in my room one night, all tuckered out from a long day of fancy manners, I sighed. I don't think I'd ever been more depressed in my life. Just as I was about to start bawling, I happened to look up. A brilliant rainbow was streaking across the sky, heading straight for Sweet Apple Acres!
My mind got to churning. Maybe I was supposed to go back home!
Maybe, I thought, if Apple Bloom had been important enough for my mother to risk her life, then maybe-just maybe- I should give her a chance, too.
I sniffed and started packing my bags. Home was where I belonged-they needed me there!
When I got back, after the joyful reunion and the cutie-mark, I noticed that the farm was in pretty bad shape.
The apples were rotting on the trees, and the fence was sagging.
Try as they could, with their hooves full of their grief and my new baby sister, Big Mac ad Granny Smith just couldn't keep the farm up and running by themselves.
That was when I made my decision. My parents had wanted me to be a scientist, and I had, too. But my parents were gone now, and I was needed desperately at Sweet Apple Acres.
I squared my shoulders, put away my school-books, and started bucking trees. Ever since then, I've been a plain ol' cowpony.
I hate it when people spell out words in front of me, thinking I can't understand them. I hate it when they assume I'm stupid, even though I'm probably smarter then they are. But you know what? Sweet Apple Acres needs me. And because it does, for now at least, I am just a cowpony.
Sorry for bothering you with all this stuff, Your Majesty.
I suppose, that since I'm the Element of Honesty, I just naturally write down whatever I'm thinking.
It's probably mighty disrespectful of me, too. Sorry, Princess. I hope you don't mind too bad.
~Your subject,
Apple Jack
