It wasn’t hard to pack her things. Not too long before all of this, Harvest’s things were still in boxes so she knew what she would pack first. Some of her favorite books and her school supplies, a photo from a picnic her family had gone on, and she couldn’t forget her fillyhood stuffed bunny. She almost considered leaving Bun-Bun behind, she was going off to learn to be a grownup counselor pony. But she still felt a bit sad and tense from all of this and he would do well to hug in place of her parents.
One by one all of the things she couldn’t leave behind were packed into a trunk that belonged to her papa. She’s often read of ponies her age being whisked off to fancy schools with a trunk on a luggage cart and a scarf for the road. It was still early spring, she could get away with a scarf. She didn’t own that many pieces of clothing, but she packed what she had. The Crystal Empire was way north of Manehattan, and it’s supposed to be colder the further north you went, right? It would be embarrassing if she had to be taken to shop for wool socks or a new jacket because she didn’t think to pack them like a little filly. She was growing up, she needed to remember these things without being told. Grownups don’t forget things like that.
By the end of her packing, her room looked a bit barer. Like it didn’t belong to her anymore, just some filly who enjoyed a very tidy room. Looking at it made her feel kind of…empty. She had just made this room her own, decorating with things that made her happy. Now it was so bare and impersonal.
“Goodbye room.” She said, feeling a little silly for talking it. It occurred to her that she’d be back during holidays, like every other pony off to school, too big to live at home anymore. The thought was stuck in her chest, but she shook it off. If she got upset about something like this, she’d just look like a tiny little foal who couldn’t handle leaving her momma and papa. She had to be responsible now, no matter how it made her feel.
Just a few days ago she wouldn’t have been able to levitate something as heavy as the trunk on her own, but when she decided to try it wasn’t as hard as she thought it would be. It still floated close to the floor, being so full, but the fact that she could move it all on her own made her feel especially grown-up. Her parents were downstairs, talking about things in quiet voices while one of the guards stood in the entryway. The Princess hadn’t come back from her errand yet. She still had time to sit with them and talk before they left for the train.
“Oh!” her momma cooed, coming over to fix her mane like she liked to do. “You finished packing up? Here, I’ve got something for you.”
Her horn lit up and she floated over her favorite hat, the sunhat with the curved brim and the dangling red ribbon. She placed it on Harvest’s head and Harvest wiggled her ears into the ear holes. Momma liked that the brim curved up in the front so her horn had room to sit under it. Being a unicorn who liked hats made for a hard life sometimes.
“Now don’t you look nice?” she smiled, nuzzling Harvest’s cheek. She picked up Harvest’s trunk in her magic and lifted it onto the luggage cart. The way it floated effortlessly through the room made it clear that Harvest had improved, but the magic strength of a grownup unicorn was still something to aspire to.
Her Papa had been preparing her carry-on for the train ride. He patted the seat next to him on the sofa and Harvest sat, looking into the bag.
“I packed snacks, and I went out this morning and got you a new stationary set, and some stamps. In case you want to write to anypony, I don’t know who though…” he looked away, trying not to smile. Harvest did, laughing softly. He laughed back, giving her a tight, squeezing hug.
Something felt off in Harvest’s head. Her heart was beating too fast and her skin was crawling. She loved a good, strong hug from her Papa. It made her feel safe and warm. Mama said that hugs from an Earth Pony were the best, in her opinion, and she had always agreed. But now…
“I’m so proud of my little filly.” His deep voice rumbled in his chest, and Harvest forgot to breathe. “I’m gonna miss you Moony.”
She whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. He suddenly released her and jumped off of the couch.
“Oh, oh no. Moony…I’m sorry. I didn’t think-…of course you’re gonna have a bad reaction. I’m so, so sorry.”
She could breathe again, but not very well, and her heart was trying it’s best to slow down. It wasn’t doing a very good job though. She opened her eyes to see her father looking worried, but also a bit heart-broken. Her Momma stepped over to comfort him with a nuzzle before helping Harvest to calm down.
It made her heart hurt. It wasn’t fair. Her Papa never did anything to her. He didn’t deserve to get treated like this.
“I…I don’t know why I…” she said, strangely out of breath. Her chest felt tight and her ears were ringing just a bit. Her Momma was rubbing small circles on her back with her hoof, shushing and soothing her. Her skin felt fine when Momma was the one touching her.
“Just breathe…” she told her, waiting until Harvest did so. “It’s not your fault. You just take things one step at a time.”
She finally started to feel better, after a minute or two. She felt so tired, but also very guilty. Papa was sitting on the floor out of her reach, trying to smile at her but he was hurt. And sad. And a bit angry? Not at her though, she could tell that much.
“I…I promise.” She took a deep breath. “I promise I’ll pay attention to the Princess. She’ll teach me how to get better. And I promise that when I come home next time, I’ll feel better enough to get a hug.”
“You don’t have to promise anything.” He told her, smiling gently. “I know that you still love me.”
She shook her head, stepping off of the couch. She approached him slowly, and he didn’t dare move a muscle. She took a deep breath and when her legs wouldn’t move, she bopped her head against his shoulder. Her body felt okay.
She sat next to him, leaning on his large frame. The fur going down her back felt bristly but none of the other stuff was happening. She hugged his side, and the moment it started to feel bad she let go, letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
“It’s not so bad if I’m the hugger, for a little bit.” She said, feeling a bit better about all of it. She intended to keep her promises though. He offered her a still kind of sad smile.
“Momma.” She said, playing that she was giving her an order. “I’ll expect you to give Papa lots of hugs for me while I’m away. If he starts to miss me, you write me a letter, okay?”
“Sure thing, boss.” She laughed. “Although I think I’ll write you every day if I follow those orders.”
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Cadence looked at the pony in the hospital bed. He had been out cold since she had arrived, medicated and his face heavily bandaged. One hoof was in a cuff and chained to the bed railing.
When she had arrived, Chief Caper and an Officer Pursuit had already separated the family, asking for their statements but also buying time for Cadence to arrive and deliver the news.
This family was already so broken, in ways that she hated to have to explain. She was going to cause some permanent damage today, and she would do everything in her power to let the filly know it wasn’t her doing.
She eyed the stallion, feeling something…intense.
Chief Caper entered the room, looking in from behind the door.
“Princess. Cherry Pit is ready to speak with you.”
Cadence gave the stallion one last look, regretting not being able to give him a piece of her mind but somewhat relieved. She had more important things to do.
Officer Pursuit was left in charge of Peach, being a mare, she would make the poor filly feel more at ease. They came toward her in the hall and the policemare gave her a subtle nod, the signal she’d been told to look for. She’d asked the filly about her father and had gotten back the expected responses. Cadence smiled at Peach, not letting on what she knew.
Peach was awestruck at the sight of her. She often got this reaction from foals, unabashed adoration at it’s most pure.
“Hello Peach Pit. Where are you two off to?” she asked, smiling gently.
“Uh…Miss Pursuit said we could go get a sundae from the cafeteria until Mommy is done talking to everypony.” Her voice was small and whispery and her eyes were still wide and curious. “I’ve never met a princess before.”
“Well, what a coincidence.” She laughed. “I happen to be a princess.”
The filly laughed back, and the policemare tapped her softly, getting her attention.
“If we don’t hurry they’ll be all out of the good stuff.” Officer Hot Pursuit was a master of deadpan, and the filly believed her one hundred percent. She followed after her, waving back to Cadence as they walked.
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Cherry Pit looked terribly distraught, sitting alone in a hospital meeting room they had borrowed. She saw Chief Caper enter first.
“I’ve told you what happened, please…I need to be with Olive and Peachy.” She told him, her voice very on edge. Cadence entered behind him and Cherry’s eyes went wide.
“Wh…Princess?” she blinked, dropping into a quick bow. “I don’t…Why are you-”
“I will tell you everything, but please, sit.” Cadence’s heart was pounding. This was the moment. How would the mare react? Cadence had received more than a few patients who’s parent’s reaction to abuse by another parent had left them unloved and emotionally scarred. She sensed genuine maternal love for her daughter in the mare though, would that be enough?
At first, Cadence had listened to what she’d had to say about Harvest. She seemed torn. One the one hoof, her husband had been put in the hospital. On the other hoof, she saw no reason for the attack and the filly had seemed like a sweetheart and was her daughter’s only friend. She was so confused. Then that led to talk of Harvest’s magic.
Then that led to talk of what she’s seen.
“…No…” she’d stood on wobbly legs, stepping closer to Cadence. “I don’t…where is my daughter? Where have you taken her!?”
“She’s just downstairs, she’s not going anywhere.” Cadence assured her, seeing the pain and confusion in her eyes. “She was interviewed by an officer about him.”
Her eyes went wide, her whole body was trembling. Cadence could tell she wanted to ask, but the moment she heard it, it would become her reality.
“We’ll need your permission to do a medical exam.” The words were heavy on the room, and it had visibly hit Cherry hard. “But you deserved to know.”
Cherry started trembling violently, her eyes wide and her back half hit the floor hard.
“I…I have t-terrible insomnia.” She finally said, starting to tear up. “A few years ago…he encouraged me to get some pills from our doctor. I…I sleep so well now. Nothing can wake me up…”
She fell to the floor completely, sobbing. Cadence moved to console her but she sprung up, slapping Cadence’s outstretched hoof away, eyes filled with pain and self-loathing.
“How many nights!?” she demanded. “How many nights was my baby crying out for me to save her!? She needed me and I never even noticed!!!”
Cadence didn’t give up. She went in to console her again, pushing past her striking hooves and cries of self-defamation. She held her as she cried, not letting go, assuring her that she was loved.
“I…I need to see my baby.” She shot up in Cadence’s forelegs, still a mess but her emotions had flipped. Cadence gave her a kerchief to dry her own tears while they got ready to leave.
Peach and the officer were coming back down the hallway, Peach walking on three legs as she held a to-go cone in her fetlock. Cherry Pit ran to her, scooping her up and squeezing her tight.
“Ah! Mommy stop!’ she fussed, holding the cone high above them. “Stop, your cone is melting! It’s gonna get all messy!”
But Cherry didn’t let go, sobbing softly into her daughter’s fur.
“Mommy?” Peach asked in a small voice. “Mommy, what’s wrong? Are you sad?”
The ice cream didn’t survive its trip back from the cafeteria.
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Princess Cadence was on the train platform waiting for them like she said she’d be. She smiled when she’d seen Harvest and offered a more comforting one to her parents.
“What a lovely hat.” She said. “I can never find good hats with my horn.”
“A fitting hat is a treasure.” Harvest said softly, repeating something her mother had once told her. Cadence had laughed at that, and it left Harvest feeling warm and fuzzy. This was her new teacher, and she was nice and happy and she understood things about Harvest that she was just starting to learn. Making Princess Cadence laugh was a sign she was doing something right.
The guard loaded up her luggage without being asked, and she turned to her parents. They were looking a little weepy, and it was suddenly very hard to not be weepy right along with them.
“Moony…” her mother was trying very hard not to cry. She nuzzled her daughter’s cheek, “You be good for the Princess, okay? And if you need us, just write and we’ll be there as soon as we can.”
“I will.” She sniffled. Her father looked like he wanted to move from his spot on the train platform but stood perfectly still. Harvest went to him once again and after a moment of working up the nerve, nuzzled his foreleg. She ignored that prickly feeing from the fur on her back.
“Bye Papa…” she sniffled, hoping he didn’t mind his coat getting wet. “I love you.”
“I love you too Moony.” He was sniffling too. “So, so much.”
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Harvest woke up in a strange bed, the dark of the room startling her. Her heart was beating too fast as she struggled to clear away the sleepy confusion.
Harvest had never taken such a long train ride before in her life. The Princess’ special train car had a sitting room with bolted down sofas and a sitting room for tea. The only other passengers there were the guards and they didn’t do much but stand and look a tiny bit grumpy.
Princess Cadence had encouraged her to get a nap in the sleeper part of the car, which had the fanciest bed she’d ever seen. She remembered drifting off but nothing else.
“That’s right…” she mumbled to herself, trying to find a light. “I’m someplace new.”
She could reach the curtains with her magic, and when she dragged them open with sleepy magic, she flinched back from the bright sun that spilled into the room. It was almost painful how bright it was out.
“How long did I sleep in?” she yawned, stepping down off the bed. Her hat was perched on the bedpost along with her scarf, and she found her trunk at the foot of the bed. She was too out of it to unpack right this very minute, but she did pull out Bun-Bun and set him on the bed.
A knock on the door startled her again, and when she answered, a stallion she knew but also didn’t know poked his head in.
It was Shining Armor, no little filly her age didn’t know the “dashing prince” from the Canterlot Royal Wedding. All the merchandise that followed was still popular all this time later, a few fillies from school had doll sets of the royal couple and played with them at recess.
“Hello.” He smiled gently, not moving from his place by the doorway. “Are you hungry? You’ve been asleep since Cadence brought you home. That was really early, still dark out and everything.”
She stood, staring dumbly, still trying to shake the sleep off.
“It’s almost lunch now but we can still get you something breakfast-y if you’d like.” He offered, trying to awkwardly fill the silence.
“Do you…” she started finally, feeling very small. “Do you have…uh…waffles?” Did castles have waffles? What did royal ponies even eat?
“Sure, no problem.” He nodded, turning. “You can follow me to the kitchen if you want.”
As if this entire thing hadn’t been surreal enough already.
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Cadence had quite the morning, preparing everything for Harvest’s arrival to her program, all with Flurry in tow. She’d trusted Shiny to get her ready for the day, secretly giving him some practice being a parental figure to an older filly. She wondered what Flurry would be like at her age.
She was taking a well-deserved lunch break, headed for the dining area. Flurry was babbling away, seeming like she was enjoying some Mommy time.
“Oh no, look out!!” she heard Shining shouting from the kitchen and Cadence’s heart about stopped. She sprinted to the kitchen, Flurry Heart squealing from the sudden speed.
“Save me!” Harvest screamed, letting out a terrifying wail. Cadence made it to the doorway, horn lit with magic, when she saw the most…absurd sight.
Waffles. Waffles everywhere. Waffle log cabins, waffle barricades, and somehow little waffle cannons loaded with blueberries littered the dining table and the counters, all held together with the special fancy syrup straight from Vanhoover and toothpicks. It was a winter battle, by the looks of the whipped cream that surrounded the constructions. Little waffle soldiers levitated by Harvest were hit dead center by the magically launched blueberries and when Harvest screamed in their place, she took huge bites out of them to reveal they’d been filled with horrifyingly simulated strawberry jam. It was chaos.
“Don’t lose hope, soldiers!” Shining announced in a gruff tone, levitating a waffle pony that looked to be a decorated officer, if the carefully placed sprinkles on its shoulder meant anything. “We fight for Equestria!!”
Cadence cleared her throat, and the filly and oversized colt finally noticed her. Flurry Heart giggled at her daddy’s silly antics, flying over to devour a few soldiers herself like some terrifying giant beast rampaging through the battlefield.
“Hi Cady…” Shining smiled, looking embarrassed. “Uh…”
He looked around at the carnage he had wrought, and Harvest’s eyes darted between them while she absently nibbled on the head of a fallen comrade.
“…I made breakfast.” He laughed with a nervous, lopsided smile.
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She hadn’t been upset, not really, but she had made sure Harvest had eaten her fill and then took her to get cleaned up. She was a mess of jam and syrup, with a dollop of whipped cream behind one ear she didn’t seem to notice. Shining was left for clean-up and Daddy time with Flurry.
“It was fun.” Harvest told her, sitting on the sink where Cadence had placed her, getting scrubbed with a washcloth. “I’ve never played Waffles of War before.”
“I’m glad you had fun, really.” She assured the filly. “But I’m pretty sure this wasn’t your idea and Shining is supposed to be responsible with you.”
“He was.” The filly was muffled behind the washcloth for a moment before continuing. “He made me some normal ones but…”
She sat with an odd look on her face.
“I got nervous when he got too close…” she sighed, her ears drooping. “It happened with my Papa too. He was trying to make me feel better.”
Cadence was a few things. Upset for Harvest’s lingering trauma, grateful for a husband who was so caring and kind, and embarrassed that she had thought he was just goofing around. He really was a good father, and Harvest needed all the best positive male role models in her life right now.
“You didn’t seem nervous around the guards.” Cadence noted.
“But guards are there to protect ponies.” She reasoned. “And none of them ever got too close. I helps that they don’t really look at you, I think. Makes me feel like the danger is somewhere else.”
Cadence reasoned with herself that the lesson of sometimes untrustworthy authority figures existing was for another day, much farther away in he future. Shining had selected every one of their personal guards himself and would never allow the ones with the more colorful characters around his wife and daughter, alicorn powers or no. The ones who joined up as an alternative to prison time or to feed some power-trip didn’t make the cut as palace guards very often, unless they had some strict rehabilitation and therapy.
“I’m glad they make you feel safe.” She smiled, finishing cleaning her up. “We should hurry though, today’s a special day.”
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Harvest followed the princess to another wing of the castle, which looked more like a school hallway the farther they walked. It was broad and tall like a castle was, but projects and posters lined the walls, with doors every now and then.
“This is where you’ll get your regular schooling.” Cadence told her. “You’ll have regular tutors for most subjects, and myself for your specialized lessons.”
At the end of the hall way was a larger door with a plaque that read “Staff Meeting Room” on the wall next to it. The princess stopped before going any further.
“There are other little ponies like you here.” She told the filly. “Ponies who have gifts that make them fit to be counselors and very similar professions like you. They’re waiting to meet you.”
Harvest suddenly felt very small, the tall ceilings of the castle echoing her breathing and the crystal tile cold under her hooves.
“Do you need a moment?” Cadence asked softly, draping a wing over Harvest’s side.
“I’m okay.” She nodded, saying it more to herself. She wasn’t quite ready to be the new student in school yet again, but she was more grownup now. Plus, Princess Cadence wouldn’t let her get bullied or teased here, would she?
The princess went in first, and Harvest peered out from behind her to see her fellow counselors-in-training.
“Everypony, this is the filly I told you about.” Princess Cadence announced in a gentle voice. “Introduce yourselves, don’t be shy.”
A filly her own age was the first to approach Harvest, who stepped out from behind the princess, not wanting to seem like a scared little foal.
“Hi! I’m Honey Dumplin’!” the earth pony filly was loud and friendly, and her accent was thick and she drawled every other sound. Her coat was the color of her namesake and she sported a bright red mane done up in poofy twin tails that stuck out from the side of her head. Harvest noted that should they be undone, her mane would probably poof out like a lion’s. “It’s nice to meet cha!”
“Hello…” she blinked, feeling better with this friendly face. “I’m Harvest Moon. It’s nice to meet you too.”
“That there’s Lit Wick.” Honey pointed to a gloomy-looking unicorn colt a little older than Harvest who was avoiding eye contact. He let out a big yawn, scratching behind his ear with his hind leg. “He’s a bit prickly ‘round new ponies. Give him a few days and he’ll be stuck on ya like his life depends on it.”
The colt groaned, embarrassed at Honey’s words. He was a very pale purple color, with a black and grey mane that got in his tired, yellow eyes. He caught Harvest’s gaze and quickly looked to be inspecting his hoof.
“Hello, it’s nice to meet you Harvest.” Somepony else spoke. Harvest looked to see the last pony in the room. She was a pegasus, maybe older than Harvest, taller with long, skinny legs. Something about her was making it hard for Harvest to look at anything else.
“Uh…” was all Harvest managed to say. The filly was a dark, blueish green color with a long, straight cerulean mane with teal stripes in it. Everything about her was blue, even her eyes were such a pale shade of blue they almost looked white.
Harvest had never felt more intimidated by a filly in her entire life.
“Oh.” The filly tilted her head, blinking at her. “Harvest, you’re very tense and confused right now. You should sit down.”
Harvest took a step back, her muscles so tight they were aching.
“Oh, that’s Aura’s special talent.” The princess told her, nudging Harvest to a plush chair near the window. “She can “see” how ponies are feeling, with their auras.”
“My full name is…Aura Aurora.” The filly sighed, looking embarrassed. “I used to be Rainy Day…I thought it was such a nice name when I got my cutie mark, like I was so cool and grown-up. Now that I’m a little older, it just sounds like a love interest in a B-movie romance.”
“It’s a pretty name!” Harvest blurted out, not knowing what she was thinking. Aura laughed, tapping her hooves on the floor happily.
“Well hey!” Honey Dumpling smiled too. “Somepony thinks it’s a nice name!”
Harvest felt lighter as Honey spoke, and the princess touched her shoulder gently.
“Do you feel that?” she asked, and Harvest was confused again. “That’s Honey’s special talent. She has a natural calming, joyful radiance around her. It works wonders with ponies who have horrible anxieties.”
“I was the best foal-sitter in all of Appleoosa!” Honey gloated, sounding very proud of herself. “Whenever I came around, little foals weren’t ever cranky and they napped with no trouble at all! And I could cheer up the saddest drunks down at the saloon with the worst jokes you ever heard.”
“Ooo!” Aura danced in place, looking giddy. “Tell her one Honey!”
“Alright…” she thought for a second, before smiling. “What do you call cheese that ain’t yours?”
“Uh…I don’t know, what?” Harvest asked, so very confused.
“Stolen.” Honey replied in the most serious voice Harvest had ever heard. “Stealing is wrong and you should be ashamed of yourself.”
Try as she might, Harvest couldn’t stop the feeling of overwhelming joy washing over her. She and everypony in the room, even mopey Lit Wick was laughing so hard it hurt.
“Oh geez!” Aura sniggered, pronking about. “I love getting to laugh like that…”
When it wore off, Honey pointed to the once again tired and annoyed colt.
“Lit Wick’s talent is real neat.” She told Harvest, nudging her shoulder. “He’s always kind of tired-lookin’ like that, no energy at all. But he can use his magic on depressed ponies and just…sponge it on out and into himself. After that he’s like a whole different pony.”
“What’s he like?” Harvest wondered out loud, thinking that his talent was indeed, neat.
“It’s easier if you see it for yourself, I believe…” Honey shrugged. “Trust me.”
“Harvest.” The princess looked at her with gentle eyes. “You can tell them about your talent if you’d like. If you’d prefer not to, I understand.”
She sat, thinking about it for a moment or two. These ponies seemed like they’d been doing this for a while, while she was so new to all of this. How to even explain it?
“Um…I…” she sat, frustrated. “It’s only happened once but…I touched somepony and I…”
She tried not to remember too much.
“I touched somepony and saw…a bad memory. A lot of bad memories.” She told the colt and fillies. “Then I put the memories in the bad pony who hurt that somepony and made him feel bad about what he’d done.”
“Oh!” Honey shouted, smiling broadly. “You’re like a…a dang psychic superpony!”
“That sounds really useful.” Aura nodded, impressed. “You could help a lot of ponies with something like that.”
“Cool.”
Harvest whipped her head to Lit Wick, wanting to catch his reaction, but he was already back to normal. It was like he’d never said anything at all.
“Should she choose to, Harvest could make a very effective counselor.” The princess looked at her apprentices proudly. “You all are very talented and I think you’ll work wonders with patients who really need your help.”
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“Harvest will be staying in the castle for now. When she’s ready, she’s more than welcome to stay in the dormitory with you three.” Princess Cadence told them as they walked down the hall.
“A dormitory?” Harvest asked. “Like in a boarding school?”
“It’s just a house.” Aura explained to her. “It’s big enough for a few ponies and it’s close by, so we can get to our classes on time.”
Until yesterday, Harvest had never thought about life at school away from home. Living with ponies she didn’t know, as nice as they seemed, was a little scary. Lit Wick wasn’t so…stallion-y that the thought of living with him didn’t set off her newfound anxieties, but Aura…
The thought of living with her made her uncomfortable in the worst way. And she didn’t know why.
Princess Cadence walked with them to the dormitory, trailing a bit ahead of the group so that they could talk amongst themselves and get to know each other a bit on the way there.
“So, Harvest.” Honey pulled up alongside her new classmate. “Do ya reckon you might change your name like Aura? Harvest Moon sounds a lot like a farm pony’s name. Not that I got much room to talk.” She laughed.
She hadn’t really thought about it. If she was going to be a counselor pony someday, maybe a new name would make her more approachable to ponies who needed to have confidence in who they were talking to.
“I don’t know, Honey.” Aura came to the two of them. “I think she could pull it off. She’d be Counselor Pony, Ms. Moon. I think it’s very mysterious-sounding. Very grownup.”
“You…” she looked at Aura, her eyes wide. “You think so?”
“Uh-huh.” She smiled. “And if you kept going with your education, someday you could be “Dr. Moon”. Now that’s a title.”
Harvest thought that sounded very impressive. Coming from Aura she could imagine a bright future as a counselor.
“For me, it seemed like not a lot of ponies would want a pony named Rainy Day trying to make them feel better.” She laughed, shrugging. “It’s part of why I changed it.”
Aura turned to Lit Wick suddenly, tilting her head at the colt. Her eyes shimmered with things nopony else could see.
“I think he wants to talk too.” She whispered to her companions before pulling up alongside him. “Wick, something on your mind?”
He looked a little nervous at her sudden approach, but his tired eyes looked hopeful and he leaned over, mumbling so quietly nopony but Aura could hear.
“Oh!” she laughed gently. She guided him over to the fillies, so they were all together in an unbroken herd. “Lit Wick wants to know if you like comic books.”
Lit Wick nudged her side, his ears flat.
“Sorry. “Graphic Novels”. He prefers that term.” She looked at him apologetically. “If you’d like, he’d like to loan you a couple of his so you have something to do after classes.”
Harvest had never had a colt for a friend. The idea was surprisingly appealing to her.
“I’ve never read any.” She admitted to him. “But I’m sure you have good taste. I’d love to see what kind of stories you like, Lit Wick.”
He offered a tiny smile, and by the fillies’ gasps, Harvest was certain she had just witnessed something amazing. As quickly as it had appeared, it was gone, as though it was never there.
“Oh, ya done stroked his ego.” Honey whispered to her dramatically. “Now there’ll be no gettin’ rid of him. You just made a friend for life, Harvest.”
Lit Wick rolled his eyes, refusing to look at any of them. Harvest looked to him, and then to the others.
“I’d like that.” She trotted along, feeling light as a feather. “Are we all friends?”
Honey laughed, and for a moment Harvest’s heart sank.
“I suppose we are!” Honey smiled, coming up to her side with an affectionate nuzzle. Harvest felt a million times better than she had in days, and Aura was looking at her.
“We’d love to be your friends, Harvest.” She smiled, draping a wing over Harvest’s back. Her heart leapt into her throat at the gesture, but her joy far outweighed her nerves.
Cadence looked back at her little group of future counselors. She felt strong bonds forming, and the tiny spark of a first love in Harvest’s heart. It was so faint, she probably didn’t even realize what she was feeling, but her happiness and excitement at being surrounded by potential friends was so clear in her senses it was so precious.
She’d found her place in the world, and Cadence was excited to see where life would take this young filly.