A month has gone by. Me and Rock Climber have been working our flanks off, doing our best to improve. We had training sessions ever other day for two or three hours. The two of us were dead set on not only maintaining our advantage at our better skill but beating the other one at theirs. Scootieloo told me she sympathized with me in that regard.

We continually pushed ourselves in our training almost to the point of exhaustion. So many times I would be panting and my wings would feel sore and I’d feel like I’d want to take a rest or quit for the day and all it took was one look at Rock Climber and I’d refuse to stop. I’d feel recharged again for a while. I’m sure it was the same for him. I tell you, whenever I went home after training my wings were burning. I’d have to ride home using just my hooves for acceleration because they felt so sore.

Scootieloo gave us both lessons on improving our wing muscles so we’d have more stamina. I paid close attention to those because even if I couldn’t beat Rock Climber at flying I still just wanted to be able to fly.

I had to fight not to get discouraged. Even though both Scootieloo and Rainbow Dash gave me plenty of pointers and tips, and even showed me what to do a bunch of times, I just couldn’t seem to get the knack of it. My wings just weren’t strong enough yet. On the other hoof though I could see Rock Climber wasn’t improving too quickly at scooter riding. I wondered a bit if that was because he was just more interested in flying because of Rainbow Dash or if he just was a slow learner for it.

Sometimes my friends would come to watch us. On the days we didn’t have training the two of us would play together, the four of us. Honey Drop and Sun Glimmer had a connection just like me and Rock Climber with their interests, so they could do their own thing even without the two of us.

I found out that, just like me and Rock Climber, Sun Glimmer also had in mind an athletic pursuit. She wanted to be in a circus and be an acrobat. On the days she would come watch I could often see her practicing climbing trees and doing spins and twirls as she swung from tree to tree.

Poor Honey Drop though seemed to be left out. During a break in one of our training sessions I went up to her. She was sitting all alone, just watching us all without participating. “So what are you interested in?” I asked her.

She shrugged. “I like watching all of you. It’s fun!” She looked unsurely at the ground. “But I’m not much of an athlete myself. All of you work so hard… but I have absolutely no idea what I want to do. I mean, each of you already has a plan for the future. You want to take after your sister and be a master scooter rider and save people. Rock Climber wants to be like Rainbow Dash and become a Wonderbolt. Sun Glimmer wants to join a circus and entertain people. But I… I just don’t know yet.” She sighed. “Maybe I can get a cutie mark in being a loser.”

“Don’t say that!” I said sharply. “You’re our friend. You’re not a loser. You just haven’t found what makes you special yet. Not everyone knows so quickly. Do you have any brothers or sisters?” She shook her head. “Well, what about your parents?”

“I… I guess I just want to do something simple, where I won’t have to be seen by a lot of people. I… I mean I know it doesn’t seem like it when I’m around all of you, but I’m really shy. If it hadn’t been for you inviting me to your conversation back on the first day of school I don’t know if I would have said a word to anyone all year.

"When Miss Cheerilee asked me to come up and talk about myself I thought I was going to die of embarrassment.” A small smile came to her face, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. “And then all three of you began cheering me on, telling me I could do it. Because I have you guys I’m a little less nervous, but I still just want to take things easy.”

“You’re welcome,” I said with a grin. “So maybe we just need to work together to help you find something you enjoy. What’s the rush? I mean, all four of us are still blank flanks. And that’s okay. I’m not too fussed about a cutie mark yet. I just want to become the best I can be.”

My next words were cut off as I heard a scream behind me. I turned and my heart skipped a beat as I saw Sun Glimmer heading to the ground from a high branch. None of us were close enough to get there in time. Even so, I began running toward her.

She stopped suddenly, an inch from the ground. At first I thought I was seeing things, but as I looked closer I could see a purple aura surrounding her.

I looked around for who had saved her, and to my surprise as I turned around I saw it was Honey Drop. She looked just as surprised as I was. The glow faded, and Sun Glimmer dropped the last little bit onto the ground.

“Wow!” I said happily. “You used magic!”

“I… I don’t know how. I… I just saw my friend in danger and I didn’t want to see her get hurt.”

“Well, that’s a good thing, isn’t it? You can be our safety net. If we look like we’re gonna fall from too high you can save us. That’s how you can be of help in the group.”

“But I don’t know how to control it!” she said nervously. “I don’t want you to be doing dangerous things deliberately because I don’t know if it’ll always happen.”

“I know that.”

Sun Glimmer and Rainbow Dash both came over. Sun Glimmer hugged Honey Drop, thanking her for the rescue.

Rainbow Dash congratulated her too, then said, “I overheard what you said. Since I just happen to be in good with the resident magic master I suppose I could put in a good word for you with Twilight to give you some lessons.”

I saw Honey Drop’s mouth open wide in shock. “P-P-Princess Twilight? As in the alicorn who specializes in everything magic and friendship related? Oh, I can’t. I’m not good enough for that.”

Rainbow Dash sat down in front of Honey Drop so she was on her level, looking her in the eyes. As opposed to when she dealt with me and Rock Climber her voice was very gentle and kind. “Listen to me, kid. You are better than you think you are. Even if it was only an accident you still unlocked your power to protect someone you care for. That is the essence of the magic of friendship.

"One of my friends was just like you. She was very shy. She didn’t think she was anything special. But whenever danger reared its head and it seemed like all us 'tough' ponies couldn’t handle it then it was like she became a different pony. She would be strong and assertive and face down the danger for the sake of us. You’re no different.

“So don’t go telling me you’re not worth it. You ARE! You’re worth more than you’ll ever know. If you ever want to unlock your true potential you need a good teacher. I’m the best flier around, so I’m the one teaching about flying. Scootaloo is the best scooterer around, so she’s the one teaching about scootering. So then, if you want to learn to control your magic so you can protect your friends, then you want the one best suited to the task. Twilight is a good friend of mine, from way back when she didn’t even have any interest in friends and was in no way, shape, or form ready for the duties of being a princess.

“You’re going to be great, Honey Drop. You just need to believe in yourself first. I believe in you, and I know Twilight will make a great teacher for you. I’ll put in the word for you today, because I believe you’re worth it.”

Honey Drop closed her eyes, her face clenching as she began crying, putting her hooves to her face as she shook. Both Sun Glimmer and I put a hoof around her as she became overwhelmed with her emotions.

Scootieloo and Rock Climber came to see what the fuss was about. When he saw she was crying Rock Climber also joined in in hugging her.

When she finally put her hooves down she looked at all of us gathered around her and said gratefully, “Thank you. Thanks, all of you! No one… no one’s ever said something like that to me before. My… my parents are always super busy and don’t pay much attention to me, so I never really get told encouraging things like this or have strong loving hugs. It… it means so much to me.” A few more tears came down her face as her grin grew larger.

“No problem, kid,” said Rainbow Dash. “It’s just what I do. I try to pass my awesomeness on to the next generations. Scootaloo here is my biggest success.” She put a hoof around Scootieloo, mussing up her mane with the other. Scootieloo laughed, telling her to quit it, but I could see the compliment meant a lot to her. “Your turn, Scootaloo. After all, you’re helping to train the next generation too.”

Scootieloo addressed the four of us kids. “Well, Rose Blossom already knows this story, but I’m sure she won’t mind hearing it again.

“I used to be the biggest loser this side of Ponyville. Because of an accident when I was just a baby my wings were messed up badly. I thought I was going to be flightless the rest of my life, but everything changed when I met Rainbow Dash. She was the one who encouraged me and spurred me on and taught me everything I know about being strong. She adopted me as her sister despite only meeting me like four or five times, because she said she had seen a pony that was close to giving up and she didn’t want to see that. It was because of her training that I managed to save Rosie over there.

“I was still new to flying, and Rose was only about half a year old at the time. A baby carriage went over a cliff. I just happened to be there, and I saved her from crashing into the ground. Following that rescue I began foalsitting her every week because I didn’t want to lose contact with the first pony I had saved.

“And you want to know what’s the most important part of the story?”

“What?” we all asked.

“Rainbow Dash was right there when it happened. She was already a master flier. It would have been easy for her to save Rose Blossom. It would have just been one more save to her in a long line of heroic acts. But when she saw me going for it, determined to protect Rose from harm, she did nothing. Nothing at all. When she told me that I freaked out, asking her about what if I had failed. She shushed me, telling me she hadn’t butted in because… she believed in me. She trusted that I would succeed. Her faith in me made me feel so much better about myself. It made me see that I could be special and heroic as well.

“I only really thought about this yesterday, but that one act of faith influenced my entire life. When I lost my grandmare it nearly broke me. I had had her since I was just a baby, and it felt too overwhelming to deal with. Even though Rainbow Dash offered to take me in I knew eventually things wouldn’t work out. She still had too many things to do to bring her life to a halt to care for me all the time. When I next ran into Rose Blossom and her mother, Star Gazer, I told them about what happened, and they offered to adopt me into their family. I never regretted it. Having the three of them in my life, having a family, made all the difference in my recovery from my heartache.

“And if it hadn’t been for that then Ponyville would be a pile of cinders right now. That dragon who was dead set on destroying Ponyville because someone stole its egg would have burned it to the ground if I hadn’t been around to distract it long enough for Rainbow Dash to show up and help me keep its attention on the two of us until they could find the egg.

“Basically, what all of this amounts to is… never underestimate yourself. One small act could have an effect far beyond what you could expect. So don’t ever feel that your efforts are wasted, for you may wind up saving someone without even knowing it. Be tough, be strong, be kind, be amazing, and grow into your best self. If a pathetic loser like me could do it then I know all of you can do it too if you just work hard at it.”

I felt so lucky at that moment. Scootieloo was just so great. She could sure give a speech. I felt more determined than ever to excel.

“I may still be a kid in high school myself, but I feel like I’m becoming part of the old generation already. I never would have thought I’d suddenly be mentoring students. I don’t regret it. I’d love for all of you to excel at your chosen field of expertise.”

“Nicely said, Scootaloo,” I heard Rainbow Dash say. “So what do you say we go meet the princess now?”

“I’ve met her already!” I said to the others. “She was there when Scootieloo and Rainbow Dash had a race. She’s really nice. She isn’t stuck up or scary at all. You wouldn’t even know she was a princess if you didn’t see her horn and wings.”

“That’s right, Rose.”

The six of us left the park and headed to the library. Even though it had been all but destroyed following Tirek’s attack she had spent a lot of time repairing it. I heard she just didn’t feel comfortable sleeping in a big castle and preferred to just live a simple life. Well, as simple a life as you can lead as a princess, I guess.

Rainbow Dash knocked on the door, and Spike answered it. After seeing who it was we were invited in. I looked around as Spike called out for Twilight. The walls were all crammed back to the brim with books of all different colors, shapes, and sizes. I could see a lot of love went into the reconstruction.

When Twilight came down from the second floor part that overhanged the rest of the library she greeted Rainbow Dash and Scootieloo, than addressed the rest of us. “So what brings all of you here today?”

Rainbow gave Honey Drop a small push forward. She looked nervous and scared again, looking at the ground as she mumbled something I didn’t catch.

“Come on, Honey Drop!” I said encouragingly. “Princess Twilight is really nice. Just talk to her.”

“Yeah,” said Rock Climber. “I was really nervous when I first met Rainbow Dash, but like Rose Blossom told me she’s just a pony like you and me.”

Twilight sat down. “So your name is Honey Drop?” she said kindly.

Honey Drop squeaked, her cheeks going red at being addressed by name. She gave a quick jerk of her head.

“What’s on your mind, Honey Drop? Can I help you with something?”

Rainbow put a hoof on her shoulder when she didn’t respond and still wouldn’t look up. “Think of why you want what you want. Let them be your strength.”

Honey Drop took a big breath, and I saw her glance first at me, and then over to the other side at Sun Glimmer and Rock Climber. She looked up at Twilight, and in a small voice she said, “I would like some training… I mean, if you have the time.”

“Training for what?” asked Twilight.

“For my friends.” Her eyebrow rose for a moment. “No, I didn’t mean... I mean, it’s for me for my friends. I mean, I’m a unicorn. But, I mean, you already know that. Or, um, maybe you didn’t because you’re not paying attention. No! I don’t mean… I’m not saying you’re being rude. It’s just… I… um…” She looked at the ground as she began crying. She was getting so flustered I began feeling bad for her.

Twilight walked forward until she was right in front of Honey Drop, and then pulled the surprised filly to her, giving her a big hug. She looked frozen, not knowing what to say. “It’s okay, Honey Drop. You don’t have to get so worked up. I’m not gonna yell at you for asking a question. I wouldn’t be a good princess of friendship if I did. I welcome all the little fillies and colts, all those who desire knowledge and have the drive to seek it. So don’t cry. I’m not upset with you.

“Yes, I may be a princess, but don’t think that means you have to bow down to me and treat me like I’m better than you. I’m not that way at all. You are just as important as me. Maybe even more so. You are one of the special ones who will inherit the magic of friendship, if your encouraging friends are any indication.”

She released Honey Drop and then lay down on the ground so she was at eye level with her. “Now… what is it you want to ask me?”

Honey Drop sniffed, wiping her face. “You too, huh?” she said. “You, and Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo, and my friends. All of you are just so kind to me.”

“That’s what being a good friend is all about.”

Looking at Twilight again she said in a calmer voice, “Rock Climber, Rose Blossom, and Sun Glimmer all have talents in athletic areas. Today while Sun Glimmer was swinging from tree to tree she went too high and fell. I didn’t want her to get hurt, but I was too far away to do anything. All of a sudden I felt this weird sensation inside of me, and the next thing I knew my horn was lighting up and Sun Glimmer stopped.

“Rainbow Dash said I should ask you for magic lessons. I… I want to be able to protect my friends!” Her voice carried more strength than I’d ever heard before. “I need to be able to control my power so that I can save them when they need me! Please!”

A serene look came to Twilight’s face. “No matter how busy I could possibly be I would never think of refusing to teach someone for such a noble reason. Your magical ability will prove to be of great use with a bit of training. In fact… I have today off. I was planning to just take today to relax before I resumed my royal duties, but I found something much more important to do with my time.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to be exhausted tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry about me. You just work hard. Magic is about will. If your will to aid others is strong you will progress quickly. You have a heroic heart. It will be an honor to teach a student like you.”

Honey Drop began crying again, but she looked happier this time. She threw herself at Twilight, hugging her and thanking her over and over.

We bid farewell to Honey Drop as we headed back to the park to finish up our training. Her last words stuck with me for the rest of the lesson. “Don’t worry, guys! I’ll work just as hard as you and I’ll be there to save you when things get tough.” There was a look of confidence in her face, and her voice was strong. I knew that, just like me, Rock Climber, and Sun Glimmer, that she was on her way to greatness too. The four of us were going to be unstoppable in a few years. No matter how bad things got, as long as we worked together, our friendship would carry us through everything.

Next Chapter: Chapter 15: Training continues. Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 29 Minutes