Twilight's Letters
by Perfect Prime
First published
Twilight writes a letter to each of her friends before she carries out the biggest decision of her life.
We see Twilight and her friends as a happy group of friends from every part of the spectrum, but we also know that they all have dreams. Rainbow and the Wonderbolts, Applejack and her farm, Rarity and Canterlot -- they all have something that they're aiming for, but what would happen if they became who they've always wanted to be? There wouldn't be a lot of time left for their friends, especially if each of them were cities away from the others.
Saddened by their departures, both transpired and imminent, Twilight makes a difficult decision that even she may not understand, and she lets each of her friend's know about what she plans to do.
Dear Rarity
Dear Rarity,
I got the dress you sent me, and I love it! It's so pretty and I'll only wear it to the most formal of occasions. I wouldn’t want to get it dirty, would I?
Honestly, I can't thank you for all the clothes you've been sending me, and all the gifts that you've ever given me since the day we became friends. I used to think that any gifts other than books were useless but after I met the five of you, I've learnt that there's so much more to life than just books. All of my friends, you included, have taught me so many wonderful things and I can't even find the time to write a letter to Princess Celestia anymore, because if I tried to write a letter for everything you've all taught me then I'd never be able to sleep or eat or rest. There's just too much that I need to say.
I'm happy that you're headed in the direction of the career that you've always wanted, we all are. We haven't been able to see a lot of each other recently, but we all wish you the best. Applejack's busy on the farm, Rainbow Dash is now committed to the Wonderbolts --
I really shouldn't say it like that. She's always been loyal to us, and she always will be. That's just who she is.
Just like how you are one of the most generous ponies I have ever had the immense pleasure of knowing.
I cannot imagine a life without the five of you, and each and every one of you is very important to me. I love all of you and I don't want to think about not seeing you guys every single day of my life in Ponyville. You're all so busy now, and I'm the only one without anything to do.
Well not anymore.
I’ve decided to leave Ponyville.
Don't worry, I'm planning on coming back, I just don't know when.
I just think that I need to see a bit more of the world. I've only ever lived in two cities, and I think it'd be nice to see other places like Fillydelphia and maybe I'll go to another country. I don't know yet.
All I know is that I'll think of you guys every day, and I will patiently wait for the day when I can see all of you, together again.
Don't tell anyone else Rarity, I want to tell them in my own way. Don't worry, I won't keep this a secret.
Good luck in Canterlot Rarity, and I hope to see your name in the papers some day!
Always Grateful For Your Fashion Advice,
Twilight Sparkle
Dear Fluttershy
Dear Fluttershy,
Regarding those books you asked about, I asked Spike to deliver them to your cottage and they should arrive by tomorrow afternoon, but if they don’t you can just pick them up at the library. I left them on my desk upstairs, you can just go up and take them. Make sure to return them, someone else might need them. No pressure though, take your time with them. I’ll try and send you those books you asked me to find, if I find them. They’ll be sent to the library, so let Spike know how to contact you.
How’s it going anyhow? Is it fun in school? Have they taught you about fruit bats yet? I only ask because I saw a colony of them flying out of some trees the other day, and I thought they looked really interesting. Are they actually fruit, or are they just coloured like fruit?
Haha, that was a strange question.
I remember how I used to hate kindergarten. They didn’t sympathise with me when they knew that I couldn’t use magic as well as they could. I was three for Celestia’s sake! But I’m sure that it’s different for you Fluttershy, everyone loves you. I bet you’ve already made a ton of friends haven’t you?
You have your exams in a month don’t you? Enjoy your half term then and study up with those books. Try your best and you’ll do great. I’m sure that you’ll be able to get a great job when you graduate Fluttershy. A job where you get to work with animals all day -- you’d love that wouldn’t you?
You really love animals don’t you? I’d wager that you love animals more than I love books. If it were anything else I’d say it was unhealthy for you to devote so much time to something, but since it’s animals that means you’ll be outside a lot of the time. That’s good, right?
Anyway, I was wondering if you could do me a favour. Right now Spike has this under control but I imagine he can’t keep it up forever. If you wouldn’t mind, could you look after Owloysius?
I’m not going to take him with me, so I’d like it if a good friend of mine could look after him instead. He’s just one more mouth so I imagine that it wouldn’t be too much trouble, but don’t feel obligated. You don’t have to. I just think that I’d like it if I knew that Owloysius was in good hooves. I know that he’ll be safe with you, and I know he’ll love it too. You’re so good with animals.
You’re also so kind. You’re unbelievably thoughtful, and even when you’re scared, you can stand up for your friends. Are you still afraid of dragons? I hope that you’ll still love Spike even after he grows up. He likes talking to you -- he says you’re very nice and gentle. Even after Iron Will gave you those lessons, I still think that you’re pretty much the same pegasus as the one I met the first day I came to Ponyville.
You could barely say your name because you didn’t know who I was, and I thought you were a bit strange. Even I was brave enough to talk to strangers back then. But when you noticed that Spike was a baby dragon you started to assault us with questions. You really started to open up and it was as if we had been friends for years. I still thought it was strange but at least you didn’t seem like such a timid pony anymore.
It’s nice though, having a friend that can barely raise her voice. Even when you do shout, your voice is so soft that I can’t feel threatened. I wouldn’t expect a pony as considerate and benevolent as you to be able to scream anyway.
You were always the one in the background Fluttershy, but you never said anything. We knew you were there, but a lot of the time, when we were busy plotting and talking, we left you out completely. But you pretended as if it didn’t matter. I’m sorry that I didn’t pay much attention to you all these years, and I’m sorry that I only talked to you when I remembered that you were there.
I may not have made it obvious, but you are one of my best friends and I will treasure the times we spent together. I will never forget them, and I will think back to them in my darkest hours.
Maybe one day we’ll be able to meet up again in Ponyville, and maybe this time I’ll remember to acknowledge you.
Goodbye, I wish you luck in your endeavours.
You’re going to be the best vet this world has ever seen, and you’re going to love it.
Your Regretful Friend,
Twilight Sparkle.
Dear Rainbow Dash
Dear Rainbow Dash,
I saw you in Canterlot last week!
I went to the racetrack and I saw you there! You were really awesome Rainbow! It was so cool when you shot into the sky and finished the rest of the race on the cumulonimbus cloud that you dragged out of the sky, and it was even more impressive when you won the race!
What else did you expect from the former “Youngest Wonderbolt?”
Did you see me there? I was in seat G15. It’s okay if you didn’t, I didn’t really expect you to.
Watching you flying through the air makes me jealous of the fact that I don’t have a pair of wings, and that even the ones I create with my magic can’t begin to compare to yours. You are truly a legend Rainbow, and your story isn’t even over yet! You’re still going strong, and you’re still the best, even though the newer generation is riddled with talented fliers, a number of whom are able to perform the Sonic Rainboom that we all loved.
But you were the first to prove that the legends were true, and you were the first one to show that three Sonic Rainbooms in the same stretch of flight was possible. You may have broken your wing afterwards, but you will forever be remembered in the annals of aviator history!
“The first pony to fly faster than machines that exceeded Mach three--” I have to admit that even I had my doubts, but you still managed to do it! It was a momentous day for all of us, but I bet you were far more ecstatic than anyone else there that day!
It was a good thing that we managed to convince you to go and join the Wonderbolts. It warmed my heart when you said that you didn’t want to go because you’d have to leave your friends. We knew it had been your dream to join the Wonderbolts for a long time Rainbow, we couldn’t just let you give that up. Your loyalty to the ones that mean the most to you is an incredibly awe-inspiring feature, but please don’t let it get in the way of your aspirations. If you did, I wouldn’t be able to say that my friend is one of the most talented flyers in the history of Equestria.
You’ve done so much in your life Rainbow Dash, I wish I could say the same for me.
That’s not all you are either, is it? You were the reason the six of us found our talents. If it weren’t for that first Sonic Rainboom, we may still be blank flanks, wandering the Earth as peaceful nomads, seeking our destined skill. You brought us all together, long before we had even met, and for that I have to say thank you.
Thank you so much Rainbow Dash.
If it weren’t for you I wouldn’t have been able to experience the brightest and happiest years of my life.
Thank you.
I wish I could explain to you just how much our friendship means to me, and I wish I could show how bleak my life would be without you, but even with my years of having my nose in books I lack the necessary vocabulary to articulate the sensations I endure in the deepest depths of my heart. There’s no way I can let you see life through my now-opened eyes, but you’ll have to take my word for it; without you I would have no meaning, no reason to live. Every day, I wake up in the hopes that I’ll be able to see your happy faces again.
That is why, Rainbow Dash, that I feel I so desperately need this. For me.
The six of us are starting to walk different paths that go different ways, and it’s getting increasingly harder for us to meet up and talk, like we used to when we were pubescent teenagers. We’ve been friends all this time, and I don’t think that will ever change, but we’ll all have to deal with the fact that some of us are tens of miles apart. Others, hundreds.
I promise that I’ll still remember your faces when we meet again, as long as you promise to show us all of your new tricks, okay?
It will be hard, those first few days without the five of you there beside me and without the option of talking to you through the letters we send, but I’ll pull through. I’ll pull through because I know I need this, and because I know that I’ll see you all again, when it’s all over.
I’ll learn so much on my trip, and I’ll see ponies from all over the world!
I don’t really know what I’m looking for on this trip, it could be a lot of things, but I think that by the time it’s over I’ll know what it is that I was looking for.
I hope the rest of your career as a Wonderbolt is as wonderful as it has been so far!
You deserve it after all those years you spent practising.
I’ll make sure to see another one of your performances Rainbow! I’ll be hiding in the crowd though, so you’ll have to try and find me!
Also, I sent you a package Rainbow. It should arrive at your home in Ponyville sometime next week. Make sure you pick it up! I know you’ll love it! It’s the newest edition after all, and it’s signed!
Your Number One Fan,
Twilight Sparkle
Dear Applejack
Dear Applejack,
I hope you’re well, I haven’t seen you in almost two weeks. I know you’re excited about taking over the farm Applejack, but take it easy. You remember that time when everyone in town asked you for help, and by the time the sun had set, you were so tired that you were practically drunk? Pace yourself, you’ll get all the work done eventually.
And don’t be afraid of hiring helpers or recruiting volunteers if you really need it. I’m sure Ponyville will gladly lend you a hoof. After all, without Sweet Apple Acres, where would they get their delicious apple cider?
Anyway, we’ve been friends for a long time, haven’t we? When I first came to Ponyville, I was unwilling to talk to the other ponies, but you dragged me around your farm and you showed me your family. Every single one of you welcomed me, a stranger, into your home and even stuffed my face with food so delicious that I regret not taking the time to savour them.
You know, whenever I think about that hoofshake you gave me the first day I came to Ponyville, my hoof starts to hurt again.
Everyone calls you dependable, and they all turn to you when they need help, but the truth is you’re just hiding yourself, aren’t you? You are dependable, but sometimes you need to depend on someone as well. After all, you have your own moments of weakness, don’t you?
But you make it through all of them.
The sleepover with Rarity was one of the best nights of my life, but it didn’t start off that great. The two of you were fighting for most of the time, and it was hard to tell that the two of you were the best of friends. But when there was a spot of trouble, when that tree came crashing through the side of my room, the two of you wrapped that up pretty quickly. I couldn’t do anything though.
I’m not like you Applejack. I’m not as dependable as you, I’m not as strong as you, and I can’t handle as much stress as you can. I get worked up over little things and I cause trouble for everyone else, but you’ll hold everything on your shoulders just to save us the trouble of knowing. You’re a great pony Applejack, and I wish I could be just a bit more like you. All I have are my books and my brains, but you’re a testament as to how much they don’t matter.
Well, it’s not that they don’t matter. It’s more that they don’t have to. You’re happy aren’t you? You don’t spend hours every day hitting the books and memorising the facts, but you’re still content, aren’t you? I wish I could understand that, but sadly I can’t. Hopefully, I’ll be able to understand after my trip though.
I’m not going to be in Ponyville much longer Applejack, and it saddens me to think that I’m going to be leaving what remains of my friends, but I think that this will be for the best. You were always there for me when I needed someone to tell me to calm down, and you were always one of the most level-headed ponies in our group, but you also had your moments of irrationality. You’re hardworking, you love your family with all your heart, and you’re also the paragon of athleticism. If you were a fictional character, they’d call you Mary Sue.
I remember when you told me the story about your cutie mark; you were living with your aunt and uncle when you saw a rainbow stretch across a sky and finish in Ponyville. That was when you knew that your future lies in Sweet Apple Acres. That was when you realised that what you wanted more than anything was to make your farm thrive and to make sure that the next generation of the Apple Family would be able to see it as a spectacular achievement.
I wish you luck Applejack. I hope that one day, wherever I am, I will hear of your farm in the paper or in some other form of media, and they will be revelling in the prodigiousness of Sweet Apple Acres.
Prodigious means big.
Thank you for being my friend for all these years Applejack. I hope that one day we’ll meet again and we’ll be able to go on another adventure, just like we used to. Who knows, maybe another villain will appear and the fate of Equestria will rest upon the shoulders of the Elements of Harmony.
Again.
Until then, good luck Applejack. Live the life you’ve always wanted; no one can stop you now.
Always Your Cider-Craving Friend,
Twilight Sparkle
Dear Pinkie Pie
Dear Pinkie Pie,
I'm really sorry.
I'm really sorry that I have to do this to you.
Can you promise me that you'll be strong and pull through this? It won't be that bad, I promise.
Pinkie Pie, you're always the one to bring a smile someone's face and after all these years, you still never fail to surprise me, and invigorate me, even when I'm in the darkest of dumps. It's no wonder that it's your talent.
I can't help but admire you for that.
I've only ever seen you sad once or twice, despite the two of us being together for something close to a decade. You never show when you’re sad, and you always put on a grinning face to cheer up your friends. I can't thank you enough for that Pinkie.
There was that one time when we planned to give you a surprise birthday party and you went a little bit crazy. I'm really sorry about that Pinkie, I thought it was a good idea at the time. I didn't know how much you needed us to be with you back then.
Your friends really mean the world to you.
It must have been hard for you these past few months, knowing deep down in your heart that your closest friends are starting to drift apart, and it must have hurt to know that you are going to move away too. We’ll all miss you Pinkie, but I think I’ll miss you more than anyone else. I'd like to be able to say that I'll write to you every day, but I can't do that.
I need to try and get through this on my own, in my own way.
I'm leaving Ponyville Pinkie, and I'm not sure when -- if ever -- I'll come back. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to in the future, once I get everything out of my system, but I'm too scared to make any promises right now. As to why I'm going, I think that I want to believe that it'll be a journey of self-discovery, but between you and me Pinkie, I think it might be because I can't face the reality that my friends are separating. I guess we're more similar than I thought.
I've told the others that I have different reasons for leaving, but I think that I just didn't want to accept the truth. I need to separate myself from the things that are dear to me, and I need to know what it's like. All of you have been defining who I am for the past few years, and without you I don't know what I'd do.
I don't want to go Pinkie, but I know that it's something I have to do. I don't know who I am without my friends because who I was before I came to Ponyville isn't me anymore. Without you and everyone else by my side, I'm not sure who or what I am.
I barely even know myself.
But I suspect that after all of this is over, I'll know. Don't worry Pinkie, I'll never forget who you are, and I'll think of you every day. I'll even bring you back a gift or two from my travels. Do you want a four layered cake, or would you prefer a sugar coated mega-muffin? Either way, I'll be sure to get you something delicious!
I think I'll miss the sound of your laughter the most.
This isn't goodbye; this is just, “until we meet again.” Even if I never make it back to Ponyville, I'll make sure that somehow, I get to see you again.
Cross my heart and hope to fly.
Stick a cupcake in my eye.
Always Grateful For Your Exuberant Presence,
Twilight Sparkle
Dear Spike
Dear Spike,
Don’t forget, Fluttershy is waiting for you to deliver those books to her home. If you do forget though, then make sure that you stay at the library all day on Sunday so that she can come and pick them up.
Also, remember to take out the trash on Tuesday night. After all these years, you’ve never remembered to do that once, so make sure that this time, you do. Okay?
Before I forget, there’s a parcel that Rarity will need you to deliver to her boutique as soon as she comes back from Canterlot. She should be back on Monday and the package should arrive on Sunday. Make sure you deliver it to her, or she’s going to be really upset. You know how busy she is now. You can help her if you want Spike, I know where your heart is in the matter. Just make sure you’re back by eleven.
Haha.
I’m sorry Spike, I know that it’s been quite a few years since I hatched your egg and that you’ve grown a lot since we first came to Ponyville, but I still think of you as that adorable baby dragon with magical fire breath and heavenly back scratchers for claws. It’s going to be strange not having you by my side anymore Spike. I don’t know how I’ll live without my number one assistant.
But I think that is why I so desperately need to go on this trip.
I’ve learnt a lot in Ponyville including facts, life skills and the beauty of friendship. But one of the things that I never learnt was independence.
I separate myself from other ponies, but that’s not the same thing. I try to do everything I can on my own, especially if it has nothing to do with others, but I need to learn how to finish everything on my own. I know that my friends are there to lend me a hoof whenever I need them, but I think that it’s also very important for me to know how to survive on my own.
I don’t want to think about a life where I have no friends, a life where I never moved to Ponyville, but I think that this is going to be a very important rite of passage for me. I’m already an adult in age, but not in mind.
Hopefully, by the end of my journey I’ll finally be able to take care of myself, and I’ll finally be able to come back to Ponyville. I’ll make sure to arrange for the seven of us to meet up again, and we’ll talk until the sun rises. We can catch up and share stories of our successes, wouldn’t that be nice?
This is a goodbye for now, but I swear that it won’t be permanent. I’ll give up on my journey if that’s what it takes to see you again Spike. Nothing would be worth missing my last chance to see you.
I’m sorry that I couldn’t do this in person Spike, but I needed to be selfish. I don’t want to drown in my own tears.
Finally, I left you a present. It’s in a chest that I hid under my bed. Be careful when you pull it out, it’s pretty heavy and you might fall over.
I know they’re your favourite.
Always Happy To Be Part Of Your Family,
Twilight Sparkle
Dear Princess Celestia
Dear Princess Celestia,
I finished learning a lesson today.
I’ve been learning this lesson for my entire life; my brother started to teach me when I was a filly, then you picked up where he left off and now, my friends have finished teaching me this lesson.
I’ve learnt the final lesson about friendship.
Friends do a lot of things, they support you when you are trying to succeed, they are there to calm you down when things get out of hoof and they are also there to make your life more interesting.
And you do the same thing for them because you’re their friend too.
But these are all things that your family can do, that any community can do. What makes friends unique is also what we look for in life. They are the ones with no obligation to help you, yet they stick by you all the same. There is no bond of blood between friends and there is no compulsory promise to show you the tricks of life.
But there is an unseen attraction between friends, one that is only formed when you realise that they bring a smile to your face every time you see them and they can brighten up your day, just by being near. Friends can be inscrutable, and they can also be incompatible, but they can still come together without any conflict. Who they are as individuals doesn’t matter, it is the result of their companionship that overcomes their seemingly repelling natures.
Friends are the ones that help you realise this.
No one other than a friend can teach this lesson, and no one other than a friend is qualified. They do not need to be aware of how important they are too you, nor do they need to be at the forefront of philosophical innovation. Instead, they just need to know that they have a friend in you too.
They force you to come out of your shell and they accept you for whoever you may be, without question. They don’t laugh at you, they laugh with you, and they will never abandon you for their own selfish reasons.
And you should do the same.
Sadly, this is a lesson learnt, and not implemented.
I wish I could say that I was able to put this lesson to use, but the way by which I learnt it prevents me from doing so. It is not something that I can easily talk about, so I will spare the details, but know that today I have made an incredibly important decision.
I’ve made the decision to leave my friends.
For years, I’ve lived in Ponyville, and there’s never a dull day. There’s always something going on; if it’s not one of Pinkie Pie’s unpredictable whims, it’s one of Rainbow’s pranks or one of Apple Bloom’s attempts at earning her cutie mark.
Shining Armour had to put up with that for a few years as well. He tells me that I was unbearable during my “blank flank” phase.
Ponyville is a quaint town, and it is much simpler than my home in Canterlot. I do miss my spire where I would practise my magic just as you had instructed, and I do miss my family, but over the years I’ve realised that my friends are worth so much more to me. Without them, Ponyville would have been no different from my old life and I would have never left Golden Oaks Library. Even now, after all these years, they are still the reason why I love Ponyville.
But they can’t be for much longer.
Like I said, friends will support you no matter what you do. I have to encourage them; they’d do the same for me.
I can’t ask them to abandon their dreams and to tend to my needs. They’re ponies of their own right and as such they have their own dreams, their own aspirations.
They’re growing up, and we’re growing apart.
It’s become a lot harder for us to stay friends, and it takes more sacrifice than it should for us to just organise a day out together. Rainbow has left Ponyville all together and she’s travelling with the Wonderbolts. Applejack has taken over the farm; Rarity is sending a hundred unique dresses to Canterlot a fortnight; Fluttershy is attending veterinary school; and Pinkie is starting to go crazy. She thinks that we’re not friends anymore, but I can’t say I disagree. It doesn’t feel like we are anymore.
They’re all busy, but this is just what they’ve been waiting for all their lives, isn’t it?
Rainbow’s always wanted to be a Wonderbolt; there are countless posters in her room and the memorabilia outnumbers the ponies of Ponyville. Applejack has worked on the farm her whole life, and the farm was the reason she got her cutie mark. She was born to work there, and I’ve never seen her frown since the day she took over. Rarity has been hoping for a chance to be a world-renown designer and this may well be it. Even Sweetie Belle’s leaving her alone. And Fluttershy just loves animals. I’m surprised she didn’t do this sooner.
I can’t say anything about Pinkie, but I know that she’ll be fine. She’ll make new friends, and she’ll live a happy life with them, after the six of us have gone our separate ways. Rarity will move to Canterlot as soon as she has a chance. Mr and Mrs Cake are moving to Fillydelphia which means that Pinkie needs to go with them since she can’t afford to buy a house, nor can she afford to rent a home in Ponyville without some serious reduction. Fluttershy will get a job somewhere that has a higher percentage of pet owners, but I’m sure she won’t stay in Ponyville after she graduates.
Applejack would be the only one of us left in Ponyville, but she’ll be fine. She’s a strong pony, dependable and truthful. As you would expect from the Element of Honesty.
We’ve been through a lot together as the Elements of Harmony, and even more as friends. Parties, adventures, the good and the bad -- we’ve seen so much and we’ve learnt so much that we’ll spend years just retelling the tales of our friendship.
It was a hard decision to make, but it’ll be even harder to spend my first night away from my friends and away from my home.
I hope they’ll miss me, because that would mean that I had a place in their lives, but I know that I’ll miss them. I may be able to make new friends as my life goes on princess, but I know that I’ll never be able to replace them. I don’t want to either.
Maybe someday we’ll meet again, and maybe I’ll learn another lesson about friendship -- one that I missed because I was too busy living it. For now, they need me to go.
They need to live their dreams. When all of us are the ponies that we’ve always wanted to be, then we can meet again and reminisce about the years we spent together and the years we didn’t. We can tell stories of the trials that we faced alone, and we can share the aspirations we still have.
Until then, I’ll try my best to meet new ponies. It’ll be hard, but maybe I’ll meet someone as delightful as Pinkie Pie, or as cool as Rainbow Dash.
Who knows?
They are my friends, and they’ve been there for me ever since you sent me to Ponyville. But there’s nothing that says friends will always be there, that you’ll always have them.
This doesn’t have to be a bad thing though. I can start over now. A chance to follow in the hoofsteps of my friends and achieve my dream, whatever it is.
Thank you princess, for sending me to Ponyville all those years ago. If it weren’t for you, my life would not have a fraction of a fraction of the meaning it does right now.
Thank you princess.
Maybe I’ll send you another letter at some point, but for now, this is goodbye.
Thank you for all the lessons you’ve taught me princess.
Thank you for guiding me to the path that I’ve always been looking for, but failed to find.
And thank you for being such a good friend to me all these years.
Perpetually Your Faithful Student,
Twilight Sparkle.