Chapter 1
It was a beautiful day in Ponyville. The sun was shining brighter than ever,and everypony just had the feeling to step outside, take a deep breath, and enjoy the morning. However, things were very busy at the local candy store.
An Earth pony mare and a unicorn stallion were at work making sweet after sweet after sweet, their hooves flying across the table.
The stallion yelled over the noise. "Come on, let's get a move on!" Even though the two were working as fast as they could, they needed an extra set of hooves. "Where's Candy?"
"In her room," the mare replied. The stallion marched upstairs and took a left. He opened the door and saw his daughter, a cream colored unicorn with a pink and blue mane and tail, levitating a suitcase.
"Candy! What in the world do you think you're doing? Can't you see we're in a big hurry? Princess Celestia has chosen our treats to be displayed in the royal sweet shop! Isn't that great?"
"I guess." The unicorn, Candy, was now putting a pair of pants into the suitcase. Her father noticed and came a little closer.
"What are you doing?" he questioned.
"I've decided to leave," Candy replied. "It just seems I'm not cut out for the candymaking business. I don't know where I'm going, but I know It's not here." She was heading towards the door when her dad blocked the exit.
"Why wouldn't you want to be one of us? Look at your cutie mark. It's a piece of candy. You got this cutie mark how?" he was obviously waiting for an answer.
Candy groaned. "I got my cutie mark when I discovered I was good at making sweets," she said in an annoyed tone. "But that's not the point!"
" Aw, come on! Who doesn't love candy? Your name is Candy, for Celestia's sake!" The stallion put a hoof to his forehead and shook his head.
"That's what you named me," Candy said, "but that's not what I want to be named." She put her front hooves on her father's shoulders. "This isn't who I'm meant to be. I just know there's something else out there for me. Something bold. Something daring. Something I'd have the power to control. And no one would be able to take that away from me. I'd be unstoppable." She took her hooves off his shoulders and gave him a look.
Her dad only smiled. "If that's what you want, then fine. Go. Live your dream. But if you ever need us, your mother and I will be right here."
"Are you kidding me? But this is what I-wait, what?" Candy's eyes widened. "I can go? Really?"
"Well..." He thought about this for a moment. His own daughter, going out into the great world, trying to find her destiny. She could get killed! The candy shop will lose one of its best workers. He and his wife don't have the speed to make every single sweet by themselves. The store could go out of business! But this is what she had dreamed to do. He didn't want to be known as "The Dream Crusher." If Candy did come back, she'd have amazing stories to tell. The little fillies and colts that visit the shop would be entertained by all of the great adventures his daughter had faced. The father took a deep breath and made his final decision.
"Yeah. I mean, why not?" The stallion gave a crooked smile and kissed her daughter's cheek. "Be safe. Be careful. And most importantly, don't forget about us. I can't wait to hear all about what you've been through when you come back."
Candy gave him a big hug. "I won't."
Her father gave her one last look, and headed out the room. Candy took a deep breath and took a look at herself in the mirror. Her dark purple eyes suddenly flashed bright yellow. She looked a little closer and shook her head. There was one last thing she needed to get.
She searched through her drawers. "Where is it?" She mumbled to herself. After a while, Candy finally found the thing she was looking for: A locket. A golden, heart shaped locket. This was given to Candy by her parents on her 10th birthday. It was a reminder that no matter what, she will always find her family in her heart. Inside this locket was a picture of a young Candy, her mother, and her father on the day they opened the family candy store. They were all grinning with pride as little blank flank Candy cut the red ribbon. She never forgot about this day and never will.
Candy wrapped the locket around her neck. It fit perfectly! The unicorn spun around and used her magic to lift up her window. Slowly and carefully, she climbed out the window and levitated herself and her luggage to prevent them from falling.
She started towards the Everfree Forest at a slow trot. She looked back at everypony and noticed a group of pegasi doing loop de loops in the air. Candy started to wonder, why wasn't I born a pegasus?
"If I was a pegasus," Candy thought to just herself, "life would be so much easier."
She stopped for a moment to lean up against the nearest house and closed her eyes.
She was falling. Nothing to stop her. Candy tried to use her magic, but it was no use. Her horn was gone. Screaming and yelling for help, she hoped that somepony would hear her. She was a few yards from the ground now. This was it. Candy squeezed her eyes shut and expected the worst. Surprisingly, nothing happened. The pony's eyes opened back up only to see that she was rising back into the air. How could this be possible, Candy thought. The only way she'd be able to rise up in the sky was if she had wings. She looked behind her. No, it couldn't be...but it was! A pair of wings, clear as day, had sprouted on her back.
But how? Candy stared at them in confusion, then an excited smile broke out on her face. She didn't care where the wings came from, now she had them, and she had the freedom to fly wherever she pleased.
She zoomed back toward the ground, this time, completely in control. She hovered the ground and smiled as everyone stared n awe. How could Candy, the unicorn pony they all know and love, suddenly grow wings? It was confusing, yet amazing.
The ponies cheered as Candy quickly strutted across the ground, smiling the whole time. She soared back up and glided along, looking down at everyone's tiny faces, who were now cheering, "Candy! Candy! Candy!" She was finally able to soar!
And all the while, Candy was bursting with joy! Well, she was until she saw some familiar faces. Could it be? No, it couldn't. But it was!
Standing just by a cottage were her parents, smiling. Candy's face fell. She was going out, living her dream, abandoning her parents and the thing she had been working for all her life, making sweets, and her mother and father were just standing there. Doing nothing to stop this. She felt happy that her parents were letting her be who she wants to be, but at the same time, she felt sad. One day her parents were not going to be here anymore. Candy probably wouldn't be by her parents' side to cherish their last moments.
For the first time ever, Candy was starting to regret her decision. Maybe she should stay with her parents, where she knew she would always be within sight of her mom and dad.
It was at that moment when Candy's horn sprouted from her head and her wings disappeared. She was falling yet again...
Candy gasped and opened her eyes. "Thank goodness it was a daydream," she thought to herself. But now she was wondering, should she really go back to candymaking? Her journey had only just begun.