Dreams Come True

more?
    But before she could ask any of these questions, Walter barked.
    ‘A customer must need help,’ Mrs Fontana said, getting to her feet. She smiled at Lauren. ‘Good luck with Shadow, Lauren. I hope you and Twilight can find a way to help, and be careful with Buddy. Try not to let him find out Twilight’s secret.’
    With that, Mrs Fontana went to the front of the shop where someone was waiting to pay for their books.
    The shop door opened and Mrs Foster walked in. Lauren ran over. ‘Hi, Mum.’
    ‘Are you ready to go?’ Mrs Foster asked.
    Lauren nodded. ‘Bye, Mrs Fontana,’ she said, glancing over to the desk where the old woman was wrapping up the customer’s purchases.
    Mrs Fontana looked up. ‘Goodbye, Lauren,’ she said. She smiled. ‘And good luck.’

Six
    T hat evening, Lauren crept out of the house again.
    ‘Are we going to see Shadow?’ Twilight asked.
    ‘Yes. Let’s be quick,’ Lauren said, getting on to his back.
    As they flew to Goose Creek Farm, she told him what Mrs Fontana had said. ‘You have got powers that can help,’ she told him.
    ‘But how can I use them if I don’t know what they are?’ Twilight said.
    ‘I don’t know,’ Lauren admitted. She’d been thinking the same thing ever since she’d left Mrs Fontana’s shop.
    Shadow was waiting for them. He whinnied.
    ‘You were great today, Shadow!’ Twilight said as he landed.
    Shadow bowed his head, as if a bit embarrassed by the praise. He snorted.
    ‘He wants to know if he should have another go at trotting over the poles,’ Twilight told Lauren.
    ‘What about trying a small jump?’ Lauren suggested hopefully.
    Shadow looked worried.
    ‘Go on, just have a go,’ Twilight said.
    Shadow hesitated for a moment and then slowly nodded his head.

    Before Shadow could change his mind, Lauren scrambled off Twilight and put up a tiny jump. ‘You can do it, Shadow!’ she said.
    Shadow nodded his head and, turning towards the jump, he began to trot.
    ‘He’s going to do it!’ Lauren gasped to Twilight.
    But then Shadow stopped dead.
    ‘Oh dear,’ Lauren sighed.
    She and Twilight trotted over. Shadow was standing a few metres away from the jump. ‘What went wrong?’ Lauren asked him. ‘Why did you stop?’
    The dapple-grey pony hung his head and snorted sadly.
    ‘He was just too scared,’ Twilight told Lauren.
    Shadow looked so dejected that Lauren was sure that if ponies could cry, he would have been in tears.
    Twilight stepped forward and touched his glowing horn to Shadow’s neck. ‘It’s OK,’ Lauren heard him say softly. ‘You tried your best. Don’t be upset.’
    They stood there for a moment, and then Lauren saw the little dapple-grey pony’s ears flicker forward. He raised his head and whickered in a surprised sort of way.
    ‘What’s he saying?’ Lauren asked Twilight.
    ‘That he’s feeling a bit better,’ Twilight replied.
    Shadow whickered again.
    ‘Much better,’ Twilight said.
    Lauren saw Shadow look at the jump. His eyes suddenly seemed to be full of confidence. He whinnied.
    ‘In fact, he says he feels so much better that he thinks he might be able to clear the jump,’ Twilight said, looking astonished.
    Shadow pricked up his ears and trotted away from them. Turning towards the jump, he started to canter. Lauren and Twilight watched in amazement as he flew over it.
    ‘He jumped it!’ Lauren exclaimed.
    Shadow came cantering back to them, whinnying.
    ‘He says that when we were talking he suddenly felt really brave,’ Twilight said,

    stamping his front hoof in excitement. ‘He says he’s never felt like that before, but it was as if he just knew he could do it.’
    Shadow nuzzled Twilight and suddenly Lauren’s eyes widened. ‘Your horn!’ she exclaimed to Twilight. ‘You were touching him with your horn when he started to feel brave. Perhaps that’s one of your magical powers. Maybe by touching him you gave him your courage – a unicorn’s bravery.’
    Shadow tossed his head and whinnied.
    ‘He says he doesn’t care what happened, he’s just glad that he could do it,’ Twilight said.
    Shadow nodded his head, and then he turned and cantered over the jump again.
    Lauren hugged Twilight in delight. ‘This is brilliant!’ she said. ‘Mel is going to be so pleased.’ Her heart sang. She couldn’t wait to see her friend’s face when she jumped Shadow tomorrow!
    *
    Lauren was even more pleased by their night’s work when Jade started teasing Mel again the