Twilight's list

The Unchecked Item

Twilight Sparkle hummed happily to herself, her horn glowing with a soft magenta light as she held aloft a fine, blue quill and a yellowed, wrinkled scroll. The scroll was long, long enough that it could not be fully unfurled without risking its already tattered and worn surface on the numerous books, chairs, and other objects strewn about the library's floor.

Twilight squinted, trying to make out faded ink in the dying light of the single candle she allowed herself, a concession only granted due to magical exhaustion and the late hour. Her eyes traversed the parchment, stopping mid-way down at item number three hundred seventy-six: perfect long-range teleportation spell. She brought her quill to her inkwell with exaggerated care and dipped it in. Equal care was given to ensure that no ink dripped from the black tip as she brought it to the scroll. She closed her eyes as she marked yet another item off The List. A small shudder ran up her legs, across her back, and into her ears as she pulled the quill away and blotted the newly made check mark with fine sand.

With a satisfied smile she scanned her completed items, basking in the knowledge that her List, and her life, were right on track. Until she remembered it: the one item that had thwarted and taunted her. A single blank box in a sea of perfectly lined up check marks. Twilight didn't really know why she had added it to The List-a filly's whim, she supposed. Item number fifty-six: go on a date, obtain first kiss. Her brows creased as she stared at the defiant entry. It had mocked her for two and a half years now.

Twilight gritted her teeth, trying to force the thought of her failure from her mind. Not everything had gone according to her plan. Oh, some things had thrown her for a loop and required some liberal reinterpretation, especially after moving to Ponyville. She had yet to attempt some of the newer items she had added to the List, but this was the only remaining item from the original One Hundred Things Every Filly Should Do.

It was a failure of organization. Without organization came chaos. She had been using lists to plan and order since before gaining her cutie mark and they had served her faithfully. Yet here was this list. Incomplete. Disorderly.

Formatting
The Unchecked Item
230px × 27px

Twilight Sparkle hummed happily to herself, her horn glowing with a soft magenta light as she held aloft a fine, blue quill and a yellowed, wrinkled scroll. The scroll was long, long enough that it could not be fully unfurled without risking its already tattered and worn surface on the numerous books, chairs, and other objects strewn about the library's floor.

Twilight squinted, trying to make out faded ink in the dying light of the single candle she allowed herself, a concession only granted due to magical exhaustion and the late hour. Her eyes traversed the parchment, stopping mid-way down at item number three hundred seventy-six: perfect long-range teleportation spell. She brought her quill to her inkwell with exaggerated care and dipped it in. Equal care was given to ensure that no ink dripped from the black tip as she brought it to the scroll. She closed her eyes as she marked yet another item off The List. A small shudder ran up her legs, across her back, and into her ears as she pulled the quill away and blotted the newly made check mark with fine sand.

With a satisfied smile she scanned her completed items, basking in the knowledge that her List, and her life, were right on track. Until she remembered it: the one item that had thwarted and taunted her. A single blank box in a sea of perfectly lined up check marks. Twilight didn't really know why she had added it to The List-a filly's whim, she supposed. Item number fifty-six: go on a date, obtain first kiss. Her brows creased as she stared at the defiant entry. It had mocked her for two and a half years now.

Twilight gritted her teeth, trying to force the thought of her failure from her mind. Not everything had gone according to her plan. Oh, some things had thrown her for a loop and required some liberal reinterpretation, especially after moving to Ponyville. She had yet to attempt some of the newer items she had added to the List, but this was the only remaining item from the original One Hundred Things Every Filly Should Do.