Thirty Minute Pony Stories

Twilight stalked away from Applejack in anger, quickly leaving her friend behind as she moved out of the dense foliage. “She’s wrong,” she said in a huff, her words more to convince herself than anything else. “I can’t go back. What would it prove, anyway?” She approached the edge, her brisk pace slowing and stopping right before she would tumble over. “You can’t change the past…”

Suddenly, with a strange growl, Twilight stopped contemplating the ground in front of her and looked up at the expanse above her. “You said you’d always be there for me!” she screamed into the aether, tears brimming in her eyes as she let her emotions show. “But you’re not.” The unicorn gradually lowered her head, the anger on her face replaced by anguish. “And it’s because of me. It’s my fault. It’s my fault.”

“Okay, I think I’ve seen enough.”

Twilight looked up in shock at Pinkie’s words, fixing her eyes on her friend. “What? But I haven’t even finished the whole scene yet! I practised the whole bit where I talk to my father as well!”

Pinkie shook her head sadly, the pink pony not bothering to get up from the director’s chair that she occupied. “Sorry, Twilight, I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think you’re really suited for this role. I just can’t picture you as the primary protagonist; you’re much more fitting as a side character.”

“Gee, thanks, Pinkie,” Twilight replied, bitterness tinging her voice as she jumped down from the stage, her eyes downcast. “I worked so hard to get this part…”

“Oh, cheer up, Twilight,” Pinkie said as she quickly jumped off her chair and swept Twilight up in a hug. “Not everypony is suited for the spotlight, and this is such a huge chance for us! Who could have expected a big-time playwright would see our Hearth’s Warming Eve pageant and ask us to help with his play?”

Twilight chuckled despite herself, returning Pinkie’s hug with gusto. “Especially after seeing Rainbow Dash’s ‘acting,’” she added with a smirk.

“Hey, now!” The two embracing ponies turned to see Dash standing there, one eyebrow raised in annoyance. “Just because you can’t see the passion I put into my performance doesn’t mean you have to insult it!”

“Er, Dash, what I meant to say was—”

“Whatever, Twilight,” Dash interrupted with a roll of her eyes. “C’mon, Pinkie, I’m ready to try out for the main part and blow Twilight out of the water.” With a mighty flap of her wings, the prismatic pegasus leaped onto the stage, leaving Twilight gritting her teeth at her words.

Pinkie simply smirked as she moved her lips closer to Twilight’s ear. “Harness those feelings, Twilight,” she whispered, sly laughter soaked into every word. “Because I think the role you should play here is the villain.”

Twilight gave Pinkie her own smirk in response. “The villain, you say? Well, I think this production of The Manticore King will turn out well after all.”

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BSB Comments:

Major points from me for recognizing and utilizing the source material. I liked the idea of Rainbow Dash as a poor actor, and Twilight trying really hard and practicing her lines before hand. Both of those things are characterized really well. Pinkie as the director is also very amusing but fitting. I want to see Twilight being Scar now, though. I really do. Good show, old boy!