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// Chapter 2 : Fairy 
// Story: Glimmers of Hope 
// by LosticshyPam 
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"... Once you get the cutie mark, you will be assigned to other classes to learn the skills you will use. Did I make it clear enough?"Hope shivered a little before she noticed that the teacher was staring at her through her hard crystal glasses. Obviously, she still could't concentrate on these things very well. Who would have thought that yesterday she was still arguing with her mother about whether candy could be eaten on the ground, but today she had to sit alone in a cold classroom with a group of ponies she didn't know. Oh no, it seems like last week, or last month? Hope found sadly that her sense of time had suddenly become strange. One day passed as soon as it looked up. In the Crystal Empire, where the whole day was shining, the difference in light was even smaller. After a few days Hope even felt that her eyes were going to be blind.Fortunately, she survived. The things of the Crystal Empire seemed strange and unknown to her, so she began to miss her hometown town -- a beautiful village nearby the sea. She heard that Dad said that it was the place where he met his mother. At that time, they were so young that they would never have expected to marry and have a child named Radiant Hope.

"Tomorrow we will begin our class formally. All ponies remember to be ready and take your crystal textbooks with them." The teacher's words once again interrupted the thinking of Hope. She hated it, so she turned her head out of the window -- her seat had a unique geographical advantage. If she turned her head to the left, she could see the Crystal Square and the faint light of crystal heart. She always liked to sit there when she was free. The warmth of crystal heart was always pleasant to everypony. If it weren't for Ms. Sorrel to say that her eyes hadn't developed well and could't get too close, she might take crystal heart home.

"What are you thinking about?" She heard her fairy friend Rabia asking, so she looked back and whispered, "Home."

"Isn't this your home? You are a pure-blooded crystal pony. There is no doubt that this place is the best for you.“

"It's too cold." Hope huddled herself, she really did't like the climate here.

"You'll get used to it in a few days. Now think about what you can do tomorrow. There's a lot of things you can play with, crystal cornflakes and new beds. Aren't you happy?"

"Well, I... I'm really happy!" Hope sat down on her seat and it would be much more interesting if she could find some playmates tomorrow. It just hoped it won't be as hard as last week. In fact, the last colt scared her that she was afraid to talk to other ponies for nearly a week. Fortunately, Rabia was willing to talk to her all the time. She had a red fluffy mane and butterfly wings, and Hope remembered that she had vaguely seen the legends about the fairy pony in her father's album. It was unexpectedly true! This red fairy always loved to hide in her mane, not to be seen by others, and sometimes blames other ponies for their impatience. But she had always been very kind to Hope, and Hope liked her mini-friend.

"Hope, you're still here. Are you okay? The teacher said you are always distracted in class.Are you bullied by other ponies, Hope?”

"I just want to know, teacher, why are all the ponies so angry? It's like somepony makes them angry. They're all angry." As a child, Hope even could feel other ponies' emotions more than the ordinary pony in the street, which made her a little timid and cautious.

"Eh,what should I tell you? "Sorrel sighed solemnly and looked around as if she was afraid that somepony might overhear their conversation. "Since Princess Amore handed over the power of the sun and moon to two young Alicorn Sisters of Equestria, everyone has been a little ……irritable, maybe... It's because the weather is getting a little colder, but after a few crystal fairs it will be back to normal. Crystal heart can wash away all the anxiety and anger.“

"Great, I thought it was always so cold here!" Finding out the reason, Hope was exciting. She took up her saddle and jumped out of the classroom, leaving Sorrel helplessly watching the little mare run around with her dirty tail.

"You've got your tail dirty again."