(- - - - [The Final Dream] - - - -)
A
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Fan Fic
by Suomibrony
Chapter 2: Party time.
Amberglow was surrounded. They could have been nasty monsters to her, but to everypony else they were just normal ponies. They were happy and chatting; she was not, and she could not tell what they were talking about, but she was certain she was the topic.
As she remained still and silent, the chatter around her dwindled. The ponies must've realised that something was not quite right. Soon there was an eerie silence in the room. If she was not at the focus of their attention before, now she certainly was. To confirm this, she looked at as many of them as she could without turning her head, and sure enough, their eyes were set on her.
Her heart was beating fiercely and she had trouble breathing.
She glanced at the floor, then gently swung her right foreleg off the floor for a second.
"Maybe they will get the hint?" she hoped.
"Is something wrong?" a concerned mare's voice came from the crowd. It was not Pinkie's voice.
Amberglow tried to talk, but only produced an imperceptible squeak.
A purple unicorn approached her from the crowd. Her mane was indigo, a bright pink stripe prominent on it.
Amberglow looked at the unicorn pleadingly. She was at the breaking point and her the muscles in her legs began to weaken, the panic that was paralysing her would soon crush her completely.
Something bad would happen if that would occur. She could feel it. That familiar tingling all over her body.
"No! Please, don't let it happen now!" her mind screamed.
The purple unicorn noticed that the light indigo unicorn was trembling, eyes were dilated and she displayed symptoms of dyspnea.
Signs of a panic attack.
The purple indigo now stood next to Amberglow.
"Is it agoraphobia?" she said softly, expressing grave concern but also compassion.
She did not expect to get an answer, but to show her empathy could ease her anxiety.
Amberglow was doing everything in her power to control her apprehension. The tingling was becoming stronger for every second that passed. Now with a pony beside her, she sensed her anxiety loosen its grip, but only slightly. She had to tell her, confirm her assumption. Now, or never.
"So many..." she whispered.
"...watching me..."
The purple unicorn gave her a warm smile.
Amberglow remained silent. She had overcome a threshold. Now she had to keep herself from slipping back. She began to concentrate on normalising her breathing. She had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
The purple unicorn looked at the ponies in the room. Most of them stared perplexed, not quite aware how serious Amberglow's condition was. No pony was but Amberglow herself. For a moment the purple unicorn was not sure what to tell them. Being blunt could make the situation worse. She had to delicately defuse it somehow, but she was becoming nervous now as well. No, she had, she must to face the crowd bravely and speak her mind. A delay could worsen Amberglow's distress. A gamble is better than inaction.
She got up on her hooves and cleared her throat.
"Everypony listen!" she addressed the party guests. "Our guest of honor is not accustomed to the attention you show her. I know you do it out of kindness and mean no harm to her, but please do realize that she is stressed and desires a moment in solitude to calm herself. When and if she can, she will join the party. Thank you."
She was certain her impromptu speech was articulated poorly, but what had been said had been said.
The ponies glanced at each other and murmured for a while, until they gave the pair a smile and nodded.
The purple unicorn returned their smile.
"Let' me show you to a quieter place." she whispered to Amberglow as the party came back to life.
They both entered to what appeared to be a vacant and small living room. The purple pony stood in the doorway as Amberglow walked in. She promptly sat down on the floor at the far end of the room and faced a wall.
"I can close the door, to allow yourself to gather your composure," the purple unicorn told her. "When you are feeling better, you can come and join the party if you wish. I will occasionally come and check on how you are doing though, if you decide to remain in here."
The light indigo pony gave her no reply.
"My name is Twilight Sparkle, by the way."
"Okay..." The indigo unicorn acknowledged quietly.
Twilight knew Amberglow was very upset, and she did not want to leave her sorting herself alone.
"I know you suffered a panic attack." she stated. "It will take a while before it subsides. One way to hasten that process is to talk about it. When you were able to talk to me, although very little, you were actively recovering from it just by gathering the courage to speak, and you even got here despite your apparent paralysis," she said informatively but with a compassionate tone.
"With that said, I am prepared to listen and provide support for you."
No response.
Twilight felt uneasy. Did she do or say something inappropriate? Did she come off as unsympathetic?
"I can even bring you cake and soda!" she tried to lighten the mood and smiled, hiding her own anxiety.
There was another moment of relative silence.
Twilight's smile vanished as her worry escalated.
"I have read psychology! I can help!" She almost yelled in despair.
She had read books of course, but was aware she was not a qualified psychologist. This was her last attempt to reach out to Amberglow.
With her remaining unresponsive, Twilight felt disappointed in herself and, not wanting to push the unicorn, she turned to leave the room.
"I'll let you be in peace." she said dispiritedly.
"Don't go," Aberglow said weakly.
Twilight perked up and turned her head at Amberglow.
Amberglow was still facing the wall. She slowly got on her hooves and turned around. She had a weak smile on her face.
"I know you tried to cheer me up, and I am very thankful for that, but I was too gloomy to say anything. When you became distraught yourself, I had to speak up, or else the tables would have turned."
Twilight giggled, not only because she had succeeded, but also because she was amused by Amberglow's display of humor.
"I am glad you are feeling better" she said.
"But in all seriousness" Amberglow said and her smile dissipated.
She dropped her eyes, not wanting to retain eye contact with Twilight.
"It was terrible. That panic trying to take control of my mind and body, a very horrible feeling... I do not know what would have happened if I had remained there for even a minute longer."
She felt chills go down her spine; she knew very well what would have happened. If it had, she would not be talking with Twilight. Or anypony else who were in the room. She did not want to think of the possible outcome and drew her attention back to Twilight and hid her fear behind a smile.
"You are a brave pony, Twilight Sparkle."
Twilight blushed.
"I can not express how grateful I am," Amberglow continued. "Your honest effort to make me feel better, it's something I have not experienced since..."
She tried to think of a smilar situation, but could not recall any. It was hard for her to keep her smile and allowed it to fade again.
"If it had not been me, it would have been somepony else, no doubt." Twilight downplayed her 'heroism'. Twilight was modest, but she could not dismiss her pride entirely. She barely knew this unicorn and already she had helped her in a tough situation and had improved her mood.
But she sensed something, albeit very vague. She could not place her hoof on it, but she could sense something, as if the light indigo pony had an invisible aura that interacted with her own body.
Amberglow was staring at Twilight.
"Hey, Twilight." Amberglow asked, breaking Twilight's train of thought. "I can call you Twilight right?"
"Sure!" she responded with a smile. "Some even call me Twi for short!"
"Twi..." mused the indigo unicorn. "I know this is unusual, and I do not wish to in any way force you to, but..."
She ceased her eye contact with Twilight.
Twilight waited patiently; she did not want to upset Amberglow in case she had not yet overcome her apprehension.
"Can you...I mean, um, can we...if you... do not have anything against it?" Amberglow quietly stuttered.
"Yes, Amberglow?" Twilight asked, finally recalling her name, but was now reminded of a pegasus she knew as well.
Amberglow returned her eyes to look at Twilight again.
"I, um, can...we... uh...be... friends?" she whispered.
She had the look on her face that spelled 'this will not work'.
Twilight was stunned for a second.
"Oh... sure, we can be friends." she said, hiding her nervousness under a smile. She had her doubts about the request, but did not have the heart to say no to Amberglow.
But she had still a lot of learn about friendship. Maybe this would be another lesson on that subject; two socially awkward individuals learning from each other.
Suddenly she found herself being embraced by the light indigo unicorn, who now had the happiest grin she could produce.
"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" she gleefully expressed her gratidude. Then as she saw that Twilight did not share the same heightened enthusiasm, she let go and took a few steps back.
She coughed lightly, cheeks reddening.
"Um, I guess I got a bit carred away."
There was a moment of tense silence.
Amberglow looked at Twilight, who had a slightly discontent expression.
"Twilight Sparkle, I am sorry for acting like an energetic crazypony." she apologised.
"No need to," Twilight said and produced a faint smile.
"Just like the party guests; you meant well."
"If you think I am a weird scarypony, you don't have to be my friend." Amberglow said sadly.
"Don't be so hard on yourself," Twilight replied softly. "But what you can do to yourself is remove those silly streamers from your mane."
Amberglow blinked. She had completely forgotten her ridiculous appearance. Her mane had dried, but dozens of single and multicolored streamers were intertwined in it.
"That must have been why everypony was staring at me." Amberglow said, then smiled sheepishly and began to carefully remove the streamers from her mane with telekinesis.
Twilight left the room and soon came back
"Pinkie said it was okay to use her comb and mirror" she stated as she levitated a pink comb and mirror to Amberglow, who then took it with her own telekinesis, nodding a thanks.
Not long after, Amberglow's mane was presentable.
"Wow! Your mane resembles my own." Twilight said in astonishment.
"Huh? No, not really." Amberglow peered into the mirror, then at Twilight.
"First off, my mane is not indigo-"
"It is indigo?" Twilight interjected, not insulted, but surprised. "I thought it was dark blue." she said and turned her eyes upwards trying to see her own mane.
"Is it?" Amberglow asked, expecting a 'yes'.
"You tell me." said Twilight, probably expecting a 'no'.
"OOOH! You almost look like Twilight!" a familiar pink pony leaned from above the doorway, somehow adhering to the doorframe. She swung herself into the room and landed upright on her hooves.
Amberglow was baffled; Twilight was nonplussed.
The pony bounced up to Twilight.
"But unlike Twilight's..."
She leaned at Amberglow.
"Your mane is..."
She faced to glare at a wall threateningly.
"Amber!"
Pinkie Pie then left the room, joyfully humming a tune to herself.
"Ooh-kay..." Amberglow nodded slowly, puzzled at the pony's strange behavior, then gave Twilight quizzical glance.
Twilight shook her head and sighed.
"Pinkie being Pinkie."
Suddenly a crash came from the main room, followed by a loud "Consarn it, Dash!" by a very indignant mare.
Twilight left the room in a hurry, but Amberglow hesitated for a few seconds before doing likewise.
Upon exiting the room, Amberglow was greeted by the sight of a rainbow-maned cyan pegasus mare, hovering in the air above a blonde-maned, stetson-wearing, orange earth pony on her back on the floor. The earth pony was covered in what appeared to be the remains of a cake. Both were staring at each other, scowling.
Next to the orange pony was an overturned plate, cake spilling from underneath.
"Now why in tarnation did ya do that indoors!" the peeved orange pony yelled.
"I said I could do a Dash Spin Turn ten times in a row and I just proved it!" the pegasus retorted and smiled self-confidently.
"Ah thought ya'd have the common sense not to do it here and now!" the orange pony snarled and got back onto her hooves.
The pegasus frowned and moved a slight closer to Applejack.
"You mean, I'd have go outside and wait for everypony to slowly gather before doing my trick?" argued the pegasus.
"My audience was here already. It's little cramped in here, yeah, but I pulled it off! A welcome challenge too!"
"Ya need to learn a new word, Dash, so please listen quietly as ah spell it for ya." the earth pony told the pegasus, then closed her eyes as it was now her turn to look proud.
"Oh gosh..." the pegasus said and put her forehooves up to her mouth to hide her grin.
"P-E-S-U-N-S." the orange pony confidently pronounced each letter of the word 'patience'.
The pegasus could not hide her mirth any longer and fell to the floor.
The earth pony opened her eyes wide.
"Maybe you should ask Cheerilee to spell that for you first?" the pegasus said between bursts of laughter. "Or Applebloom!"
Rainbow Dash was rolling on the floor, laughing uncontrollably, tears gushing out of her eyes.
The earth pony was not amused.
"Pardon," the caked pony said "Ah have crucial matters to git to!"
She left the pegasus in a huff.
"Rainbow Dash, what was that about? The cake on Applejack? The stunt you did?"
Twilight asked, her tone a combination of concern, confusion and irritation.
Rainbow Dash took a few seconds to collect herself and wiped the tears out of her eyes.
She resumed her hovering and coughed a few times before talking.
"I was telling AJ about this incredible new move that I have practiced on: the Dash Spin Turn!"
She did a different pose for each of the last three words, mimicking the actions by first floating horizontally in the air, then doing a instant forward spin and facing the opposite direction.
"AJ said I could not do it ten times in a row. But I did!" she congratulated herself, then struck boastful pose by crossing her forelegs across her chest.
Amberglow observed the pegasus with awe.
"Of course, it requires that I actually fly for it to look cool," the pegasus hinted.
The non-flying ponies blinked.
Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow.
"Don't play that game with me, Twilight. What does my cool trick need to look impressive?"
"It needs cake on the floor?" Twilight alluded sarcastically.
Rainbow Dash laughed nervously.
"Just a minor mishap."
"Dash..." Twilight said and glared at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash huffed.
"Fine, so I did not do a precise 180 degree turn after the 7th spin and struck the cake," she confessed, but began to snicker.
"It just so very accidentally landed in AJ's face."
Twilight was not humored.
"Oh come on Twi!" Rainbow Dash said and kept her smirk on "It was hilarious!"
Pinkie abruptly arrived to the scene.
"Hey, I hope you a-" she said before gasping at something.
"Oh no!"
She approached the smashed dessert and overturned the plate to reveal a very miserable-looking cake. Upon seeing the mess, her expression became very serious.
"Cake, what is going? Answer me cake! Cake! CAAAAAAKE!"
Twilight, Amberglow and Rainbow Dash stared in disbelief.
Then there was the sound of eating.
"Yummies! This is cake is cake-licious!" she exclaimed, whipped cream all over her happy face.
"Pinkie being Pinkie." Twilight said and rolled her eyes.
"Like you didn't know it." Rainbow Dash said with a deadpan tone.
Rainbow Dash glanced at the newcomer.
"Hey, you look similar to Twilight! Well, kinda, almost, maybe, if the colors were same-"
Both Twilight and Amberglow stared sternly at her.
"Heh heh, only kidding." she said and presented an awkward smile.
Twilight left without saying a word, apparently offended by Rainbow Dash's comment.
"I heard your name. Rainbow Dash, correct?" Amberglow said, still keeping her stare on the pegasus.
"Yep, that is me! Fastest flier in Equestria," Rainbow Dash resumed her boastful attitude.
"Ponyville's number one weather patrol mare and only pegasus to perform the sonic rainboom. Twice!" She bragged and landed next to Amberglow, smiling confidently.
"Only pegasus to perform the sonic rainboom?" Amberglow echoed her words. "Have unicorns or earth ponies done that too?" she jeered.
Rainbow Dash scrunched her eyebrows but retained her smile.
"Ha-ha, you are kinda funny." she said, her tone sarcastic. "Like a unicorn could fly?"
Amberglow leaned forward, her expression almost menacing, to Rainbow Dash's surprise.
"Hey, maybe I can fly? Think about that for a moment."
Rainbow Dash was stupefied. She was face to face with a unicorn who had the most unusual glare in her eyes she had ever seen. As if she really believed she was able to fly.
Her glare began to unsettle Rainbow Dash. She was not just delusional, she was crazy. Not Pinkie Pie crazy, but crazy crazy. She felt a bead of sweat roll somewhere under her mane.
"Want to see me practice my flying skills?" Rainbow Dash changed the topic awkwardly.
Amberglow dropped her mad expression in an instant.
"Now?"
Rainbow Dash was about to say yes almost instinctively, as she enjoyed having an audience admiring her perform stunts. But now, this pony, something was not right with her.
She pondered for a moment. No audience, or an audience of one weird pony?
"Uhh, how about tomorrow afternoon?" Rainbow Dash said and produced a fake smile.
Amberglow smiled joyfully.
"I will try to make it! Where will you practice?"
There was almost a childlike glee in her voice.
Rainbow Dash found her change in behaviour creepy, but kept a straight face.
"At my home," she said. "Just look for an awesome cloud castle at the edge of Ponyville. You can not miss it!"
Rainbow Dash was thrilled that the new pony was eager to see her practice, although the pony certainly was weird, a chance to show off was more than a reason overlook that detail. Despite having an audience of one pony, even the most mundane tricks could impress the newcomer. Besides, what could a loopy pony do to her when she could escape from her at high speed?
Unless she had the same mysterious talents that Pinkie Pie had. She wished hard that was not the case.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself; I am Amberglow." she told Rainbow Dash.
"And I am still Rainbow Dash." the pegasus replied.
"Do I smell fresh muffins!" a voice came from somewhere behind Rainbow Dash.
"Gottago!" Rainbow Dash hastily uttered, backflipped in the air and literally flewupside down, leaving Amberglow again to stare in awe.
"Twi, did ya dye yer mane?" came a very distinguishable voice from behind Amberglow.
"Uhh..." Amberglow turned to face the orange pony. "Twi's over there." she pointed a hoof at a table where the purple pony was pouring herself a drink.
"Sorry, thought ya were Twi for a sec." Applejack grinned in embarrassment.
Her coat was clean of cake, her mane slightly damp; she had obviously washed herself recently.
"I'll have to get used to this, don't I? Ponies thinking I am Twilight, I mean." Amberlgow asked Applejack
"Don't dwell on it." Applejack chuckled. "Though ya do look like her jus' a little from this side too."
Applejack immediately realised what she said.
"I do?" said a mildly irritated Amberglow. "How little?"
Applejack knew that if she now opened her mouth, she'd dig herself only deeper. She only stared back with wide eyes, biting her tongue.
Amberglow glared for a second, but then relaxed.
"Never mind," Amberglow said and sighed. "As you said: I should not dwell on it."
Applejack let out a tense but relieved chuckle.
"Name's Applejack. Pleased to meet ya!"
Amberglow decided to let the past be and presented a smile as well.
"I am Amb-"
The light indigo mare felt her right hoof being grabbed by two hooves, followed by vigorous shaking.
"Always nice to meet new folks, and ah welcome ya on behalf of the Apple Clan to Ponyville! I wish ya the best of luck in yer stay here!"
Applejack then let go of Amberglow's hoof. She lowered it onto the floor, but her muscles gave in and her eyes flashed in shock as she slumped slightly before quickly correcting her posture.
"Sorry about that, sugarcube," she said and let out a chortle. "It's an Apple clan tradition to welcome folks with a good hoof shakin'!"
"No need to apologize." Amberglow shyly replied, bending her right foreleg a couple times to rouse her muscles. "I am Amberglow."
Rainbow Dash, balancing a plate with three muffins on her hooves, floated next to Applejack.
Suddenly the orange pony seized one of the muffins with her mouth and began devouring it.
"Hey!" the pegasus cried displeased.
"Pfaywbfahk fwohr dhe chafk." was the almost indecipherable reply.
The pegasus glared at the pony, but she returned it with a smirk.
"Okay buddy," Rainbow Dash said and glanced at the plate in slight irritation. "I did not even want it! I can not fly well if I have eaten too many muffins anyway."
"Huh, buddy?" Amberlgow expressed her surpise. "Are you two friends?"
The pegasus and orange pony stared at the unicorn wide-eyed for a second, then at each other, then back again. They both erupted in laughter.
Amberglow backed away slightly.
"Ya bet!" Applejack said.
"We are best friends!" Rainbow Dash added.
"But, the argument you had?" Amberglow said, worry plastered on her face.
"Sure," Rainbow Dash said. "Me and AJ scuffle sometimes. One second we are locked in an intense battle, the next we are talking and laughing as if nothing ever happened."
"That's right, Dash!"
Applejack half-heartedly growled at Rainbow Dash, who replied in kind, then they both chuckled.
"Best friends..."
Amberglow was not yet convinced.
"Look, a good frien' sticks by ya, even if you and her do not see eye ta eye on everythin' all the time." Applejack assured Amberglow and winked at Rainbow Dash.
"Yeah! Anypony can be friendly to you," said Rainbow Dash.
"Be like best buds. But dare to disagree and they ditch you. That's not a true friend! That's..." Rainbow Dash tapped her chin for a second.
"I don't know what that is! A great friend does not leave you because you say or do something that they don't like. Well, maybe if you really annoy them by doing it all the time. What kind of a friend would do that anyway? I mean, I knew this griffon. Long time friend. Was always cool, we had a lot of fun. So, one day she came to visit me here in Ponyville. We had some fun again. I thought she was a friend, but turns out she was only being friendly when she had to. When Pinkie Pie threw a party-"
"Dash," Applejack said and yawned. "Ah think she gets yer point."
"I thought you were an acta non verba pegasus?" Amberglow shared the earth pony's sentiments.
"Acta-what?" Rainbow Dash blurted, but quickly put on a confident face."Oh yeah, I know! I am a very actanowerbian pegasus!" she said, her proudness poorly hiding her ignorance.
Amberglow chuckled silently at the pegasus, only showing a seemingly innocent smile.
Twilight came back to the three ponies.
"I see you have become acquainted with two of my friends." she said with joy.
"Oh yes, I have!" Amberglow cheered. "Rainbow Dash has even invited to show me her flying skills tomorrow!" For a brief moment, she was bouncing on all fours like Pinkie Pie.
Rainbow Dash grinned, not only out of anticipation, but to conceal her unease from the suddenly vivacious unicorn.
"Any friend of mine is your friend as well!" The purple unicorn happily declared.
While Applejack merely smiled and nodded, Rainbow Dash wanted to scream a 'no', her grin now conflicting with her eyes.
"That's is nice to hear, you are quite generous to share your friends with me." Amberglow replied and displayed a gleeful smile.
"It is Rarity who is generous, but I will gladly stand in for her for the time being in that regard." Twilight said.
"Who is Rarity? A friend of yours too?" Amberglow asked curiously.
"Rarity is the town's fashion designer and runs her own high-class clothes store, the Carousel Boutique," Twilight stated matter-of-factly. "And yes, she is my friend as well."
Amberglow's eyes widened in astonishment.
"Is she here?" she asked eagerly.
"Alas, no, she is busy designing dresses today and can not afford the time to attend this party." Twilight replied.
"Aww," Amberglow groaned in disappointment.
Pinkie Pie abruptly appeared between the four, then pointed her hoof at a cake on a table.
"We must deliver THAT cake for her!" she shouted, "Pinkie Pie Super Duper Cake Delivery, commence now!"
She swiftly jumped onto the table, slapped her forehooves on the edge of plate the cake was on. The cake did a few flips in the air, landed on her back and without delay she ran out the door, not spilling even the tiniest crumb on her way, leaving a pink trail behind her.
The ponies were again baffled at what had transpired.
"That is her talent, is it not?" Amberglow asked nopony in particular.
"You could say that." Rainbow Dash responded.
Applejack then spotted Amberglow's unusual cutie mark; the orange circle with a vertical bolt splitting it.
"Might ah ask, Amberglow, what is your talent?"
Amberglow gulped. She had hoped nopony would ask her. In fact, she was so sure it would not be brought up that she was completely unprepared to give an answer. She could not tell the truth. Not today, maybe not ever.
"Something plausible and quickly!" she frantically interrogated her own mind. Sensing that remaining quiet for too long would arouse suspicion, she opened her mouth to talk.
"I, uh... my talent? I am..." She stuttered as she desperately tried to keep a straight face on, still trying to forge an answer. "A quick galloper!" she said with a faked grin and fought viciously not to sweat.
"What kind of horse hockey was that!" Her panicked mind shouted at herself. She was not an athlete. Not by a long shot. This would bite back at her, unless nopony asked about it while she was still in Ponyville.
"Mighty strange, ya do not quite look like the type." Applejack said, peering at Amberglow, directly into her mind, she felt.
"Looks can be deceiving." Amberglow said and did her best to retain her expression.
"Hey, how about you, what about your cutie mark?" she quickly deflected the topic at Applejack herself.
"Oh, now that's a long story. ah'd only bore ya to sleep." Applejack tried to dissuade the unicorn.
"You will bore me to sleep regardless." Rainbow Dash jeered.
"Is that why ah find ya sleepin' in mah apple trees?" Applejack retorted.
Rainbow Dash tried to dig her mind for a comeback, but came with nothing.
"No comment." Twilight said and backed away.
"Please do tell me Applejack. I am very patient!" Amberglow insisisted.
"I must stay awake bye!" Rainbow Dash said and left the two alone.
Applejack gave in and narrated about her cutie mark, life, family, about her farm, friends, her adventures and Ponyville.
Amberglow told Applejack some of her own life. What little she dared to tell.
Celestia was retiring the sun; a day nearing its end again. The blue sky was progressing towards the red spectrum.
An orange earth pony and a light indigo unicorn were trotting side by side on one of the numerous streets of Ponyville.
They came to the barn-like house; Amberglow's new residence. She opened the door and stepped inside. The earth pony remained outside.
"Well, t'was nice meetin' ya AG, but ah must return to takin' care of mah apples in the mornin' and ah need some good sleep for that." Applejack said.
Amberglow turned to face the earth pony.
"It was nice meeting you too, AJ!" Amberglow replied back in admiration.
"I thoroughly enjoyed listening to you and your tales, even showing me your farm. Such a wonderful life you have. I have to admit, I envy you!"
Applejack chuckled.
"Ah'm sure ya wouldn't say so if ya'd have to work mah orchards for one day, but t'was nice ya took the time to listen' me ramble."
"Better to hear you ramble than..." said Amberglow and looked downhearted. "My life's not much to brag about."
"AG, that's water under the bridge," Applejack comforted Amberglow. "Once ya settle to livin' here in Ponyville, ah'm sure ya'll perk up."
"Well..." said Amberglow and produced a weak smile, "You are right. I will be fine."
"Good to hear!" Applejack said, "Ah 'spose we talk some day soon? Take care now, ya hear!"
Amberglow nodded.
"I will. Goodnight AJ!"
As Applejack began trotting back towards her farm, she could not help but think that Amberglow was not being honest with her.
"AG's plenty nice, faced some tough times sure, but that cutie mark story, that ah don't buy. Why'd she lie 'bout her cutie mark? Somethin' aint right about that gal."
As the earth pony trotted from her home, Amberglow's smile vanished. She closed the door behind her and stared gloomily at the huge crate, the setting sun casting few rays of faint light into the room trough the kitchen windows.
"That pony, Applejack, she does not believe me. It was foolish to think I could do this without raising suspicion. I fear she will pry the truth out of me. It could turn her against me; it could turn everypony against me. That is not what I want. I do not want to leave Ponyville as a foe, but as a friend.
I can only remain here for a few days. I at least want to spend those days without worry and fulfill my dreams."
As she stared a the crate, she brightened a little, but only so much that she had a neutral expression.
"I should not delay this."
She galloped upstairs and returned with the the glow-tube in her mouth. She dropped it onto the floor and used her telekinesis to bring it to life. Soon the room bathed in orange. Amberglow faced the crate and concentrated.
Picking up objects and opening doors with telekinesis was no feat, but now she was doing something more intensive.
A board, one of the many that the crate composed of, gained a shimmering aura and began to bend. The nails were pulled out, then the piece of wood itself came loose with a crack. Amberglow dropped the board on the floor and heaved a sigh of exertion. She then concentrated again, and a moment later, another board had been removed.
An hour later, she was exhausted. None of her muscles ached, but she felt like she had galloped for hours. Along the wall nearby was a pile of boards, stacked neatly. She glanced at them, then at what was in the crate.
"Still more to do."
Her horn lit again and one of the boards was pulled from the stack.
Two hours later, Amberglow was in the bathroom, soaked in sweat. The glow-tube was with her, illuminating the bathroom. The water from her morning bath drained, she climbed into the tub slowly, weary from the work she had done. This time she let the water come from the showerhead.
As the sweat was washed away, she sighed. Relaxation. A few minutes later, she was heading for her bed, carrying the glow-tube with telekinesis. It was past midnight.
As she placed herself into the bed, she brought the tube up to her face and inspected it thoughtfully as it began to dim. It was a mostly featureless, unpainted metallic tube, a securely closed lid at one end its only peculiarity.
"Father, why did you never come forth with what you knew, even on our last day together? You could have told me why you tried to do what you did. I had to find out by myself and what I now know about me, it scares me."
She gingerly levitated the object onto the nightstand.
"Maybe you had the right idea after all?"