//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Luster Leaves // Story: Luster Dawn Friendship Successor // by SamSwordsman123 //------------------------------// The days dragged by slowly as Luster waited for the time to come when she would go to the school of magic. Her parents wouldn’t spend those days helping her practice like they usually did. They as well as Aunt Trixie had to prepare for the reopening of the school of friendship. Seriously, friendship seemed to be getting in the way of her studies of magic a lot! The only other action besides that was Starlight sending a letter to Princess Twilight. Dear Twilight, I can only imagine the hurt you must be feeling now. I never had any siblings growing up, but I know you were very close with Shining Armor and Cadence. I’m afraid I don’t have any good news to try and cheer you up like I did when Celestia and Luna passed away. Though Luster is very much looking forward to attending the school of magic. I hope that thing is stopped soon. Love your former student, Starlight Glimmer. Starlight sent the scroll with her magic. A reply came the next morning as she and Sunburst prepared to take the train to Canterlot once again to drop Luster off for orientation. Trixie meanwhile stayed behind for the School of Friendships own orientation. Dear Starlight, Thank you for your concern. It does hurt, but I know that Shining Armor and Cadence are both at peace now. That gives me some comfort. I’m pleased to say that Gallus as well as his friends managed to stop the rhino creature. They’ve all grown much stronger with the magic of friendship under your guidance. I look forward to spending more time with your daughter and teaching her just as I taught you long ago. Love Twilight. Starlight sighed, “Well that’s some good news. At least that thing has been stopped.” “And good riddance!” Sunburst added. They got on the train and waited as it sped along the tracks. “You know, we don’t actually need to take the train,” Luster said. “What makes you say that?” Starlight asked. “We can just teleport there,” Luster said. “You’ve done that a few times. Its quicker and you don’t have to pay.” Starlight smiled. “That’s true, not every unicorn can perform a teleportation spell. But if you teleport to the place you’re going to, you don’t get to experience all the good things you can see in between. Like this tunnel coming up.” Darkness swallowed the train moments later as it sped through the tunnel. Luster watched as the outside turned dark and they passed occasional lamps. It was certainly was a cool thing to look at. “Some things its best to take slowly so you can experience them at their fullest,” Starlight told her daughter. “But teleporting sure does come in handy sometimes. Or it can be fun.” “There can be a lot to experience in life,” Sunburst put in. “So many spells to master, books to read, friends to make.” Luster shrugged at the last one opened the book in front of her. Her parents had to spend so much time with the friendship business, it distracted them from helping her with magic. Well, she wouldn’t allow it to distract her. Soon they arrived at Canterlot Station and got off the train. Starlight lead her family out and was surprised to see a group of familiar faces. Twilight was there, along with the Young Six. Gallus now wore the armor of a royal as he stood dutifully by Twilight’s side holding his javelin. “Oh Twilight,” Starlight greeted the Princess. “I wasn’t expecting you to meet us here.” “I always greet the students for orientation,” Twilight said, though not with as much as joy as she usually did when doing orientation. “And these five wanted to see you as well.” Ocellus approached Starlight. “Hello Headmare Glimmer.” “Hello Ocellus,” Starlight greeted back before looking at the others. “Silverstream, Smolder, Sandbard, Yona. I wasn’t expecting all of you to be here. Though I heard you took down the rhino creature.” “That’s right, we showed that monster what for!” Smolder said proudly. “We never could have done it without you teaching us so much about the magic of friendship!” Silverstream said. No one noticed Luster give a small frown. All these mentions of friendship were starting to annoy the young filly. It seemed to always come up around her parents. “And Yona and friends have been thinking. Thinking about our futures,” the young yak said. “Even though we’re not at the School of Frienship Its become like a home to us and- “What she’s trying to say is… we want to al come back to the school and work there!” Silverstream interrupted joyously. “Well half of us do,” Sandbar said. “Gallus has joined the Royal Guard,” he pointed to the armored griffin who was admiring his new chestplate. “And Yona and I have decided we’re going to help Rarity with her fashion business. She’s starting to look into Yak fashion, and she also needed a male pony model.” “Yeah, but Occellus, Silverstream and I all wanna help out at the school,” Smolder said. “Really?” Starlight asked. “Yes! Yes!” Silverstream told her. “There’s no place like home! And that’s what the school of friendship became for us!” “Well, I do have room in the school for a few new teachers,” Starlight said. “It will be nice to have some familiar faces around. And to know that some students eventually became teachers. You’re all hired!” The former students turned soon to be teachers grinned at the news. Meanwhile, Twilight went about gathering her own students, calling out to various foals passing by as they got of the train. “School of Magic orientation this way! School of magic!” After about five minutes a good number of foals around Lusters age gathered around Twilight. The princess looked over a list with names on it. “Alright, Luster Dawn, Silly Sun, Hour Knot, that seems to be everypony,” Twilight said. “Well, tell your parents goodbye!” Luster turned and looked at Starlight and Sunburst. “Well I guess we’ll be seeing you at Hearth’s Warming next time,” Starlight said. “We’ll make sure to write to you every day!” “Starlight, come on. There’s no need to write to her everyday,” Sunburst put a hoof on his wife. “Maybe just a couple times a week.” Starlight put her forelegs up. “Alright, alright,” she then pulled Luster into a bearcrushing hug. “We love you Luster, and we can’t wait to hear about all that happens.” “Love you too mom!” Luster choked out as Starlight squeezed her. “And you dad! I’ll send you mail when I can!” Sunburst hugged her next, much lighter than Starlight had. Luster than turned and followed Twilight as the Princess lead her new students out of the train station. The proud parents waited until their daughter vanished from sight before looking at the Young Six. “Well, guess we better head back to Ponyville and fill out the paperwork before we can officially call you three teachers,” Starlight said to Silverstream, Ocellus and Smolder. * Luster followed Princess Twilight and her classmates as they made their way to the school of magic. The princess showed them the library, cafeteria, as well as the various classrooms which she and several other magic instructors taught at. Though Twilight was in charge of the school, she like Celestia had royal duties and couldn’t always be present. Therefore, she would only teach her classes once and a while while the teachers she’d put on staff would cover most days of the week. They entered the classroom where a yellow pony with glasses and a mane style matching the one Twilight had preferred before she’d transformed to look like Celestia. It was Moondancer, the pony whose party Twilight had skipped all those years ago to research the elements of harmony just before her journey had begun. Moondancer had become reclusive as a result of Twilight, the one pony whom she actually felt close to at the school of magic since they’d both had similar study habits, not coming to her party. But Twilight had gotten her to reopen herself to the idea of friendship and now the two worked at the school of magic together. “Good morning students!” Moondancer said. “I’m Miss Moondancer. I’ll be one of your regular substitute teachers here at the school when Princess Twilight can’t be here!” “Wait Princess Twilight isn’t always going to be here?” One of the fillies asked. Moondancer giggled. “You can hardly expect the ruler of Equestria to be able to spend all her time at the school. She delegates her classes for the most part. But don’t worry, she’ll show up every now and then when she has the free time to enjoy teaching all of you little ponies!” The young ponies looked at Princess Twilight. “Do not worry fillies and colts, Miss Moondancer is a very capable teacher. She would study just as hard as I did when we were both fillies taking classes here,” Twilight said. Moondancer smiled. “Those were good times, Twilight.” Twilight nodded. They continued the tour of the rest of the school. The final stop was the dorm rooms, which served as houses for students. The school of magic was a boarding school, so the students lived on the premises. Though those who had family in Canterlot would be able to visit them on the weekends easily just as Twilight had done in her youth. Those who came from Ponyville, Manehattan, or the Crystal Empire didn’t have it so easy and would have to wait till the holidays. Twilight lead them down the halls and divided fillies and colts into pairs of the same gender as she assigned rooms. “Lets see, Sillysun and Hournot you two get this room,” Twilight pointed to a door. “Ribbon and Brightmane here. And… finally Luster Dawn.” Luster’s room was the last door on the right, and she was the only filly to not get a roommate since there was an odd number of them. But she didn’t mind. “It might be a little lonely sleeping by yourself,” Princess Twilight said as she handed Luster a key with her magic. The young filly opened the door and found in her room a simple set of furniture consisting of a bed and desk with a lamp on top of it. “That’s alright Princess,” Luster said. “I don’t mind.” “If you feel lonely you can always knock on one of the doors nearby,” Twilight said. “I think I’ll be fine,” Luster said. Being alone would allow her to focus more on studying. “Well, dinner will usually be served in the cafeteria. But I’ll occasionally take the students out to a fine restauarant in Canterlot. I’ll be doing that tonight as a welcoming present to all of you,” Twilight said. “Just make yourself comfortable and I’ll be back before nighttime.” Luster hung her saddlebag on a rack near the bed and hopped onto it for a nap. Today was the Dawn of a new life for her. She was going to focus and devote herself to the art of studying magic. Become powerful on her own and make her parents proud.