//------------------------------//
// Chapter 22: Curiousity Wonders 
// Story: Children of Harmony 
// by Pinkie Pie Sweets 
//------------------------------//

At Canterlot Castle:

Another few weeks has passed and things are going very well for Sakura and her family. Right now, Sakura is at Canterlot Castle training with her new teacher Princess Celestia in order to understand magic and learn how to control it better for two weeks. Celestia thinks she is very good with her magic that she is already to some harder spells and it only happened within in 4 days.

"Wow that spell was pretty hard," Sakura says while struggling with this kind of magic.

"Yes, but you'll get it," Celestia replies seeing Sakura is handling the pressure.

Then she says in her thoughts, "Sakura is learning more about magic everyday. She also seems to get stronger and learning fast. Just like her mother was."

After another few minutes, Sakura gets tired and decides to sit down. She feels so tired that she's having a bit of a headache.

"I never thought... dark magic... can be so tiring," Sakura says feeling tired.

Princess Celestia come up to Sakura and says, "Don't worry Sakura, practicing that kind of magic takes time, but you're learning so fast and learned so many spells already."

Sakura becomes curious about her new abilities and asks, "Is it because I have alicorn magic?"

"That and you been studying magic so much and hard," Celestia explains calmly.

"I guess so," Sakura answers.

"I think that all the spell you will learn today, let's go have some dinner and thing you'll get some sleep, " Celestia says then takes her leave.

"Okay," Sakura says. Then she follows her teacher to the dining room to get something to eat.

As they are walking to the dining room, there is something that Sakura is curious about. She turns to Celestia and asks, "So Celestia what is like to be immortal?"

"Well sometimes it has it good and bad parts, but it's kind of like you start a new life every few hundred years," Celestia explains calmly.

"Oh," Sakura says.

After dinner:

Celestia leads Sakura to her room. When the get there, Sakura is being greeted by her pet phoenix who she named Fire Lily.

"Hey Lily how are you doing?" Sakura asks happily to her little bird.

Fire Lily simply chirps saying yes. Then Princess Celestia's phoenix, Philomena also comes into the room and lands on Celestia's back.

Sakura snuggles her little bird happily and glad to have a unique pet. She turns to Princess Celestia and happily says, "I also think it's great of you to teach me how to take care of a phoenix."

"Glad I can help. Philomina is also happy to have someone to teach as well," Celestia replies with a smile.

Sakura come to Celestia and whispers, "I think they like each other."

"I think so too," Celestia says whispering to Sakura.

They both simply laughs and glad they get along with each other very well.

Later in the night:

Sakura is sleeping peacefully on her bed while Fire Lily is sleeping in a small cage with a perch inside.

Until Sakura wakes up, feeling a bit tired and thirsty. She tiredly says, "I need some water."

With that she comes out of bed and makes her way to get some water.

Just then her phoenix Blaze wakes up and sees her owner leaving the room She then cherp to get Sakura's attention.

Sakura comes to her and says, "Hey girl."

Then Sakura sees her bird taping the latch on the cage and she can hear what the bird wants. She asks, "You want to come with me?"

Blaze chirps happily saying her answer is right. She happily says, "Okay, but stay close and try not to make so much noise."

The phoenix replies saying yes. Then Sakura opens the cage and Fire Lily flies to Sakura's shoulder and all ready to go.

As Sakura and her phoenix are heading to the kitchen, her horn starts to glow and is leading her somewhere else.

Sakura tries to stop with all her might. She even tries to use her wings to stop, but nothing seems to work. She has no choice but to let her horn be her guide.

"Sometime I wonder if magic surges are out to get me," Sakura asks to herself angry at her horn.

She then turns to her little phoenix, Blaze and says, "Right girl."

The bird simply chirps replying yes.

Just then the horn stops at one of the hallways and her magic causes a secret path to reveal and it showing her a stairway that is leading her to a part of the castle she isn't aware of.

"What this?" Sakura asks in her thought surprised that her horn causes the pathway to be revealed. Then she says in thought, "I never been in this room before."

Sakura thinks it might not be the best idea to enter in this room without permission and decides to leave it the way it is and go find Princess Celestia.

As she is about to leave away from the room, the bird's curiosity gets the better of her and flies down the stairway. Sakura screams quietly, "Fire Lily! Wait!"

With that Sakura chases Fire Lily down stairs, not knowing where the stairs are leading her to. She she gets there, she can see a door which is a little open. She thinks Fire Lily manage to open the door a little and flew inside. Sakura decides to go inside and hoping her bird is okay.

When she opens the door, She sees a room full of books, scrolls, a chair a candle, and a magical mirror.

"Wow!" Sakura screams amazed by the room she is seeing. Her eyes also sparkle seeing the amazing things she is seeing right now.

Sakura looks around to explore the room then she sees a picture of a gray unicorn with a large white beard and two small alicorns. One of them has white fur a pink mane and a sun like cutie mark and the other one is a little smaller with blue fur sky blue mane and tail and a white crescent moon cutie mark. Sakura figure out who they are and says, "So this is Starswirl the Bearded. He looks very powerfull. I'm also bet those two small alicorns are Celestia and Luna when they were little, they look like they're the same age as me in this picture, but Celestia and Luna's hair are different in the picture."

After putting the picture down, she hears chirping noises. Sakura can tell that it's Fire Lily and can see her at the book shelf.

"Fire Lily what are doing?" Sakura asks. Then her bird is pointing a small book. Sakura figures that Fire Lily want her to take a peek at the book.

"You want me to read that?" Sakura asks her baby bird. Her bird chirps happily meaning yes.

Sakura grabs the book and starts to read it without a second thought. She's already amazed by the book and can't seem to put it down. Then her bird sits on her shoulder and looks at the book with her.

Little does Sakura knows that someone sees the secret door open and decides to report it to Princess Celestia.

At Princess Celestia's Room:

She busy on her desk writing some notes and reading some form papers she needs to sign.

Just then someone knocks on Celestia's door. Princess Celestia looks at the door and says, "Come in."

"Princess someone has entered into the secret room,"

"Which room?" Celestia asks calmly.

"Starswirl's," The guard answers.

Princess Celestia makes a surprise face and says, "Really, but it's hidden by a powerful spell. Only those with powerful magic should be able to find it."

"Yes I know, but I'm afraid that whoever entered the room might be dangerous," The guard explains.

"Indeed, we should see who this intruder is," Celestia replies. Then she follows the guard to the Starswirl's secret room.

In Starswirl's room:

Sakura is busy reading one of Starswirl's book. She can see that Starswirl made many spells. She remember that her mother explain that Starswirl the Bearded is a very powerful unicorn, made powerful spells, and travel to many different parts of Equestria.

"These spells Starswirl made are very Princess Celestia can teach me how to do these spells," Sakura says to herself.

She can tell that some of the spells are helpful and powerful, but when she get to the last page to looks at the spell very strangely. She says, "What this?"

Sakura can tell that this spell is rather different from the other and wonder it's supposed to be a spell. "This spell looks different from the others," Sakura says in her thoughts.

Sakura read is different spell in her thought so she won't cast it accidentally. She reads, "From one to another. Another to one. A mark of one of one's destiny single out alone fulfilled."

Sakura thinks there is something very off with this spell. To her it doesn't sound right to her. She says, "That's is very strange spell and it didn't even rhymed."

The Sakura turns to her bird and says, "Maybe Princess Celestia might know the answer."

Fire Lily chirps saying yes. Then Sakura takes out another book and to her amazement it's has some information about the portal her and her family came from.

At the corner of the hall Princess Celestia and her two guard are going to get a better look to see who manage to find the room and why can that being be up to.

"Ssh," Celestia replies to the guards. The guards salute to her agreeing to not surprise their intruder.

When the guards look around the corner they can see who it is and the are very surprise for what they are seeing. One of the guards say surprisingly, "Wait isn't that…"

"What is it?" Celestia asks.

Celestia decides to look to where the guards are looking at. When she did she is surprised to find Sakura with her pet phoenix reading one of Starswirl's books.

"Sakura!" Celestia says a little shocked and quietly.

"What is she doing here?" One of the guards asks.

"It looks like she's reading some of Starswirl's books," Celestia answers seeing Sakura reading a book.

Celestia wonder what she is doing here until she realized that Sakura's magic is what open the seal to allow her to enter the room. Celestia says in thought, "I'm guessing it was her magic that got her into Starswirl's room and her curiosity got the better of her."

Celestia can see that she is a lot like Twilight interested in books and learning about magic and the many things that are around her. Celestia thinks it's time for her to see Sakura and asks to see what she is doing here.

Sakura is looking at one of the books, but too distracted to notice Celestia decides to show herself to her.

"I guess that explains a few things. I always wonder how that portal my family went through came to be, and yet no one seems to know it was even there," Sakura says to herself.

"I see you became interested in Starswirl's readings," Celestia says walking towards her.

This surprise Sakura so much that she drops the book and kind of paralyzed for a bit. She finally calms herself enough to says something.

"Oh… um… hi Princess," Sakura says nervously.

"Hello Sakura," Celestia says calmly.

"Um… I can… explain," Sakura says nervously.

Celestia interrupts her and says, "No need, I figure your curiosity got the better of you."

Then Sakura face turns red realizing that Princess Celestia figures out what is going on. The bird simply chirps in reply.

Princess Celestia can tell that Sakura's embarrassed and says, "No need to be embarrassed, curiosity is a good way to know the thing around you."

"But you see not many ponies were allowed to be here and your magic somehow allowed you to find it,"

"Am I in trouble?" Sakura asks afraid she might be in trouble.

"No at all. I'm glad you take in interest in reading some of these book, but I was hoping to show you them another time," Celestia answers calmly and reassuring her.

"Oh," Sakura plainly answers.

Then Celestia says, "Come you should get some sleep. You have some lessons to learn in the morning."

"Okay," Sakura replies.

After leaving the room and closing the entrance, Celestia and Sakura along with Fire Lily are heading back to her room in order to get some sleep for her lessons tomorrow.

As they are heading back to Sakura's room, Princess Celestia notice that Sakura is looking sad and worried. She turns to Sakura and asks, "Sakura you looked a bit discouraged about something, mind I asks why?"

"It just I thought maybe I can learn about the shadow that attacked my family when we first arrived here, but so there aren't much about shadow creatures except Nightmare Moon's ability and the Umbrums," Sakura explains feeling worried.

Princess understands what Sakura is talking about. Then she says, "I see. You felt like you need to figure this out before something bad happens, don't you."

"I do. I don't know if that shadow monster is going to come back," Sakura adds feeling scared.

Princess Celestia realizes that Sakura is very worried about the shadow coming back to take Twilight again. Celestia draps Sakura with her wing and says, "Don't worry. As long as my sister and I are around, we won't let that shadow monster near you or Twilight."

"Okay," Sakura agrees feeling a bit better.

After that Sakura lays down in her bed ready to fall asleep and her bird is in the cage ready to get some sleep as well.

"Good night Sakura," Celestia says calmly.

"Good night Princess," Sakura says then she falls asleep in her bed feeling a bit better now.

After closing the door to Sakura's room, Princess Celestia makes her way back to her room to get some sleep for the night.

When Celestia is in her room she hears, "Good evening sister."

Celestia stops to see Luna is in her room and get surprise when she hears her voice. Celestia says, "Oh Luna! You startled me."

"Sorry but I can to see you but you weren't in your room earlier," Luna replies.

Then Celestia calmly says, "Sakura went into Starswirl's secret room by accident."

Luna eyes widen and surprisingly says, "She did, but that was protected under some powerful magic. How she was able to find it?"

"Her magic lead her to the room," Celestia answers Luna question.

"Also, she felt like she needed to learn more about the shadow creature that attacked her and her family," Celestia adds.

Luna looks at her sister confusedly and asks, "Why would she need to do that?"

Celestia then frowns a bit and says, "She's afraid it might come back to take her mother away."

"Oh dear," Luna says worriedly.

"I remember, Twilight telling me when she came back that her husband, Sakura's father is lost to them. I wouldn't be surprised if Sakura is worried about losing her too. I understand very well how it felt when I lost you and Twilight," Celestia explains.

"That sounds very understandable," Luna says sadly. Then she comes to her sister to comfort her.

"I know Luna. I know," Celestia sadly says.

The she goes to her bed and looks at the starry night. Celestia and Luna also want to know about the shadowy monster that was trying to take Twilight away. The question is who and why? The other problem is when the creature is going to return and what is the shadow is up to?