Broken and Beautiful: A Story About Overcoming Depression

Chapter One

   Many people didn't understand what Twilight was going through and the sad thing was that Twilight didn't understand it either. It was stressful for her to try to explain what was going on inside of her head, so when people asked her how she was doing, she always replied with, "I'm fine." 

   Twilight had it all- or so people around Canterlot High said. She had the best friends a girl could ask for, her teachers thought nothing but the best of her, and she always saved the day from threats that might come from Equestria. 

   However, Twilight couldn't help but have doubts. She had dark thoughts frequently and she knew she should have been scared of them, but she wasn't. In fact, she welcomed them. 

   Twilight still believed all of the words that those in Crystal Prep had called her. Twilight still had doubts about her looks, her talents, her friends being there for her, and even her own intelligence, even though everybody else praised her for being one of the brightest minds in Canterlot High. 

    Nevertheless, Twilight didn't want to burden anybody, especially her friends, with her problems, so she decided that it was better to hide them. The thoughts inside of her head even convinced her that burdening her friends this way would cause the Magic of Friendship to not work and it'd be all her fault if they couldn't defeat a future threat. 

   Sighing and plastering a fake smile on her face, Twilight retrieved her lunch from her locker and made her way to the cafeteria. Once she got there, she found her friends and sat in her usual spot beside them. 

    "Yay, Twilight, you're here!" Pinkie Pie said. "We were beginning to wonder if you were absent today." 

    Twilight forced a smile. "No, I'm here alright."

   "We're glad to see ya, sugarcube!" Applejack exclaimed. "How are ya, Twi?"

    "I'm doing fine," Twilight replied. She could feel a pang of sadness in her heart as she said those words. "How are the rest of you?"

   "I'm great!" Pinkie Pie squealed. She motioned to everybody around the cafeteria. "Look at all of these smiling faces! It's a happy, sunshiny day!"

    Twilight smiled once more. "It is a pretty nice day today."

   "Ah'm doing well too," Applejack added. "We've finally finished the harvest down at Sweet Apple Acres and we're about to do Cider Season in about two weeks."

   "Which is also why I'm pretty hyped," Rainbow Dash told them. "I mean, how could you not be doing well when you have the Apple family's cider to look forward to?"

   Everyone chuckled at that.

   "Why, thank you, Rainbow," Applejack said. "That's mighty kind of ya."

   "And I've got magnificent news!" Rarity exclaimed in excitement. "I've been asked to design outfits for the upcoming Light Festival at Equestria Land!"

   "Oh my gosh, seriously?" Rainbow Dash asked.

   "Yes!" Rarity squealed, happily. "I absolutely cannot wait! Everybody on those parade floats are going to look tres chic!" 

   "I have no doubt about it," Twilight said. 

   Rarity put a hand over her heart and smiled, "Aww, thank you, Twilight. You're such a dear."

   "I'm doing well too!" Sunset Shimmer told them. "In fact, I've started volunteering at a center on Fridays."

   "Ooh, like an animal shelter?" Fluttershy wondered, eagerly. "I volunteer there every Wednesday by handing out flyers and on Thursday by walking the dogs."