This was no ordinary day for the students in Twilight's class. They were not heading to his institute, but were visiting the prestigious Averton University, in Manehattan.
Turning onto the Queensboro Bridge, the school bus left the the Ponyville's neighborhood behind. In front of them they could see the flamanate silhouette of Manehattan, rising like the Emerald Isle in the land of Oz.
Twilight felt the sudden, familiar excitement that always accompanied field trips to "the city", which was what the outskirts called Manehatthan. And for her, as for many of her companions, the appeal of Manehattan was as exciting as it was overwhelming. She would soon finish high school and was cherishing the going of moving to Manehattan to start a new life.
Once the bus turned onto Broadway, the austere spiers of Averton University began to be seen. Its closed campus provided a haven from the inexhaustible energy of life in Manehattan, and her students were among the best in the country.
"Wow!" Was all Twilight could think of as she enjoyed the first views of the beautiful stone buildings. In addition to living and working in Manehattan, Twilight also dreamed of studying for a degree, although at the moment, and despite her good grades, the idea of going to Averton University seemed like an impossible dream.
The bus screeched to a stop. Its doors opened and the students came downstairs still restless and brimming with morning energy yet to be spent. For weeks, Twilight had been waiting impatiently for the demo class they were about to attend. After all, it was a scientific practice, and science was by far her favorite subject.
Twilight's science teacher, Mr. Cranky, leaped up the stone steps of the Averton University Institute for Genetic Research to keep an eye on his rowdy students.
"Come on, don't scatter!" she yelled over the hubbub of shouting, joking, and talking "Head straight to the top of... Hey, stop it guys! Listen up! Even if it's just for the day, you could try to look like ladies and gentlemen. Go upstairs and inside in the building. And that includes you, Lunamoon! "
One of Trixie Lunamoon's friends gave him a friendly punch on her arm, and in her own mind he realized her mistake when he received a not-so-friendly punch from Trixie in response. One or two students began to climb the stairs slowly, the rest kept talking.
A chauffeured car slowly approached the curb where Twilight was standing. A mother and her daughter were accommodated in the back seat.
"Mom, could you drop me around the corner?" the daughter asked, visibly embarrassed.
"Why, Sunset?" asked the mother sternly "The door is here"
"These are boys from a public high school, Mom" replied Sunset, falling into the seat "I don't want to introduce myself to my classmates in a Bentley!".
"That?" her mother yelled angrily at him, "Do you want me to trade my Bentley for a Volkswagen just because you've been suspended from all the private schools I've sent you to?"
"They weren't made for me!" Sunset replied "I told you. They had nothing to do with me ...".
"Of course yes!" Sunset's mother yelled again, running her hand over her daughter to open the door "Never be ashamed of who you are. Always remember that."
"Mom ..." Sunset started, heaving a deep sigh "I'm not embarrassed. I just don't want you to ..."
"What, Sunset?" her mother interrupted him.
"Forget it, mom," Sunset resigned, sliding out of the car and closing the door behind her.
Turning around, he found himself face-to-face with Twilight.
"Hello, Sunset" Twilight said, smiling at her friend. Twilight's camera hung around her neck. She hoped she could take some pictures of the demonstration that she was about to witness.
"What's up, Twilight?" Sunset responded reluctantly.
The back door of the Bentley opened and the intimidating figure of Sunset's mother stepped out of the car.
"Don't you think they will need this?" she said, handing Sunset her backpack.
Sunset attended.
"Twilight..." she began, "This is my mother, Abacus Cinch."
"It's an honor to meet you" Twilight said, holding out her hand. Cinch grabbed her hand and gave it a firm squeeze.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sunset saw Flash and some of his friends pointing at the Bentley and whispering.
"I've heard a lot about you Twilight" Cinch commented "Sunset says you're the best at science."
"Well I'm not so sure..." Twilight said with a shrug.
"I know she's being modest", Sunset intervened, paying attention to her mother and Twilight again. "I told you, Mom. Twilight has won all the science awards."
"Well, anyone who gets Sunset to pass chemistry shouldn't be modest" Cinch commented, staring at her daughter.
"Sunset is very smart, Mrs. Cinch" Twilight said quickly, feeling the tension between mother and daughter "Actually, she didn't need my help."
Sunset looked up the stairs and saw her last classmates enter the building.
"We have to go, mom," she said, eager to settle the conversation.
Her mother ignored the attempt.
"I'm something of a scientist too, Twilight," Cinch announced, and her already imposing presence seemed to grow with the boast.
"Oh sure," Twilight responded instantly "I know all about CinchCorp. They're designing the re-entry and guidance system for the first shuttle mission to Mars. The things your company does are really brilliant."
"Impressive" Cinch said, a tight smile coming from the corners of her lips "Your parents must be proud."
"I live with my brother and his wife" Twilight explained, returning the smile "And they are proud, thank you."
"And your parents?" Cinch asked, now with a more serious expression.
"My parents died when I was a child" Twilight answered.
Cinch took a deep breath and attended.
"I also lost my parents when I was young," she said.
"That was what undoubtedly strengthened your strong desire to succeed, huh, mom?" Sunset intervened, unable to hide her annoyance "Look, really, we have to ..."
"Hey, you two!" bellowed Mr. Cranky, poking his head out the door "Join the rest of the group, now!"
Twilight started up the stairs.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Cinch," she said, turning to head for the door, followed near Sunset.
"I'm sure we'll see each other again, Twilight!" Cinch yelled at her, and she got back into the car without a single glance at Sunset.
Twilight walked into the Research Institute excited about the demonstration she was about to see. She couldn't imagine that when she, she left that sumptuous and impressive building, her life would never be the same again.