Lilac Breeze lay in bed, staring at the moon. 'He wants to fly so badly,' she thought, 'It hurts to see how much he wishes he was a pegasus.' She sighed. 'I wish I could do something to help him.' Her thoughts wandered through books she'd read. She recalled several magical artifacts, trying to think of something that could help her. Then, a story that her mother used to tell her came to mind.
She was just a filly at the time, laying in bed at home with a wing injury. Her Mother was at the end of the bed, humming softly. She stopped abruptly and smiled at her dear foal.
"Lilac Breeze, it's nearly Hearth's Warming Eve. Is there anything you'd like?"
Lilac Breeze nodded. "I want to take a walk with you and Papa!"
Her mother looked at her sadly. "I'm sorry, Lilac, but that's just not possible. But if you'd like, Papa and I could pull you in the wagon and we can go to the park to feed the ducks?"
Lilac breeze sighed. "We can do that anyway. The special part would be walking with you. I don't want to make you pull me around everywhere whenever my wings get tired."
Her mother changed the subject. "Do you know the story of the Gift Grove?"
Lilac shook her head. "No, Mama."
"Legend has it that there's a grove of willow trees somewhere in the Everfree Forest. It stands outside a little cave next to a clear pond. If you go there, you'll meet a blind old unicorn who will ask you to help her with something. After you do so, she will say that she'd like to reward you with two bits, but it will appear that she's accidentally giving you ten- two five bit coins. If you help her and don't take the ten, she'll ask you if you'd like to give someone a gift. Anything you ask, you can give to someone else."
Lilac Breeze's tiny ears perked up. "Could someone ask her to give me my legs?"
Her mother thought for a moment. "I suppose they could. That would be a fantastic gift, wouldn't it?"
Lilac spread her wings, smiling. She was determined to find the Gift Grove and ask the unicorn that lived there to give White Streak a pair of wings. She took flight, staring down as she left Ponyville and began her search above the forest. She peered down through the dark branches, looking for a brighter green or for the swaying movement of the vine-like tendrils over a moonlit pool.
Her search lasted for hours. All through the night, she flapped her wings and glared down at the trees below. The sun rose high above her, and re knew it had to be approaching noon. She needed a rest desperately. Her flanks were matted with sweat and her breath came in hard gulps. She swooped down toward the first source of water she saw and landed half-way in. She took a long, grateful drink and rested in its cool shallows for a good fifteen minutes before she flew herself out and took a look at her surroundings.
Thin, beautiful branches swayed in the breeze. Soft grass grew beneath a group of willow trees, and nearby was a cave. Lilac Breeze's heartbeat quickened. Had she found the place? She zipped around excitedly, taking in everything about the beautiful solace in the dank, unforgiving depths of the Everfree Forest's woods.
She lay beneath the shortest willow tree and waited to see if anyone would come.
Hours later, she was still laying alone. She had fallen asleep and the day had melted past her. When she awoke, it was dark. Her stomach churned. 'White Streak will be worried.'
She was about to leave when a voice spoke from nearby.
"Hello, little one. You are awake."
Lilac Breeze turned to see a very, very old looking unicorn standing nearby. Her pale gray eyes stared past her, unable to see anything.
"H-Hello," She stammered, looking at the newcomer in awe.
"Please, come in. You must be tired."
"Thank you, Ma'am."
Lilac fluttered inside, thanking her host when she was offered a chair. They spoke quietly for a few minutes before the unicorn asked her for assistance cooking dinner.
"It's difficult to cook what you can't see," She explained, "So most nights, I eat something rather poorly made. Would you be a dear and help me cook tonight?"
"Oh, yes!" She slew up from her chair, then her heart sank. "Though, I may not be very quick with this. My legs don't work, so I have to do everythign without my hooves."
The unicorn flicked her old, skinny ear. "That's fine, dear. I understand how difficult living without full use of your body can be. Take your time."
Lilac Breeze made an herb and vegetable stew from what she found around the kitchen. It was an agonizingly slow process, but in the end, the stew was delicious.
"Thank you, little one," The silver old mare finished the last sip. "I'd really like to reward you. I am very poor, but I can spare two bits to thank you properly."
Lilac Breeze saw the old unicorn grab a tattered coin purse off the table and take two five-bit pieces out, sliding them across the table. "There you are. Two bits."
Lilac pushed the money back across the table. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. You gave me ten."
The old unicorn smiled. "You are a lovely pony, darling. Instead of the bits, would you like me to reward you with magic? I can give a gift to someone you love instead."
Lilac's heart swelled. Now was her chance! "Yes, please! I'd really, really love for you to give my best friend, White Streak, a pair of wings! He's always wanted to be able to fly."
The unicorn's smile melted away. "Wings? Oh, my...That's a tricky one. I'm afraid I can't just make wings appear." She looked genuinely upset. "I'm afraid I can't help him."
Lilac's stomach churned. She'd traveled all this way for nothing! Then, a though hit her.
"Well, can you give him my wings?"
The mare looked startled. "W-well, I suppose you can. I can give him your wings. That's a much less complicated spell. But you should understand that once you give someone a gift with my magic, they cannot use magic to give you a gift ever again."
Lilac smiled. "That's fine! Please give my wings to White Streak."
The old mare sighed. "I hope you know what a big sacrifice you're making."
White light surrounded Lilac Breeze, so blindingly bright that closing them only eased the discomfort a little. Her wings tingled. Then, suddenly, agony wracked her body. Every hair on her pelt seemed to be stabbing her. The pain only lasted a moment, but it left her laying on the ground in shock.
The unicorn shook her head. "Now, it is time fro you to go home. You poor, poor child."
The magic surrounded Lilac again, and she braced for the pain, but it never came. She found herself laying in bed, and wondered if it had been a dream. Then, when she tried to get up, she realized that it had been real. Her wings were gone.
She looked out at the moon, tears welling up in her eyes.
'I did it. I gave him his dream.'