//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns // by enamis //------------------------------// Chapter 2 “Ahh, there you are Miss Sparkle, did you take them on a tour or what? You’re late!” A mildly-old, red mare with a few wrinkles on her face and her bleak, black mane made into a bun hissed as the younger mare and a flock of foals that entered the tower’s common room. “I'm sorry Mrs. Mandagor’e, we got caught up in the Illusion hall.” “And why exactly did you go through the Illusion hall?” “It’s a shortcut. But were only late a few minutes it’s no big deal right?” The young mare by the name of Moonglow Sparkle tried to reason. The red mare glared from behind her crest shaped glasses. If looks could set ponies on fire the entire tower would be ablaze already. Moonglow gulped and shrank in her shoulders. “I… I'm just gonna’ leave you to it…” And she slipped from the gaze and ran behind the couches next to the fireplace. The red mare known as Mrs. Mandagor’e glared over the group of young foals. Her gaze stopped at Twilight for a few uncomfortable moments until she spotted Sky and Aurora who was hiding behind him. Both trembling with fear. “Mr. Blazer please find Miss Sparkle so I can have a word with her. Don’t go running off now, that goes for you too.” “Y-yes Headmistress Mandagor’e.” Sky pushed out. “Please, just Mrs. Mandagor’e. Now run along, you don’t want to spoil your tough-colt image now do you?” She smirked and evil smirk. Sky gulped and dashed as fast as a unicorn could to the couches and dived behind them. “As for you Miss Wisp…” “EEP!” Aurora shrank as small as she could, frantically looking for an escape. “This is the third time I have caught you breaking the common rules and ‘hanging out’ with the Watchers. You. Are. Not. A. Watcher. Do I make myself clear?” “EEP!” “I will take that as a yes. Run along. I won’t punish you this time since we just don’t have enough time. Shoo, shoo, go find your precious Moonglow so you can get into more trouble. Scurry along, shoo.” Mandagor’e ended her speech with the same expressionless face that she stared with. As Aurora frantically skidded away Mrs. Mandagor’e gazed at the foals as if savoring their fear. After a few more moments had passed her horn lit up with a rusty red glow as the heavy wooden door behind them slammed shut scaring most of the younglings. “Now that that’s sorted I would like to lay down some ground rules for all of you little mischievous little ponies.” She put up a cold stare as she looked at Twilight again. “Just because it seems that you can get away with anything just because our precious Watcher’s are lazy, doesn’t mean you actually can. They have privileges, but they are still under my rule which is just below Celestia’s herself.” “Now, then. The rules are simple. You have to obey me because I am your tower’s Guardian AND the teacher that will teach you the VERY basics of magic. And without them… well, why bother coming to this school?” She smirked. Her dull-gray eyes were still digging into Twilight. She slowly slid behind Starshine. “First of all you will address me as Mrs. Mandagor’e, Teacher, or Headmistress Mandagor’e, though I don't prefer that one. Now that we have the formalities out of the way I will explain the rules.” “You will be given robes according to your Tower, in this case, purple. You will find them with your luggage in the rooms I will show you later. The robes must be worn in classes since they are enchanted to prevent most magical incidents that often happen in the early years. Also. If you have a friend or an enemy in a different tower there is no point in inviting anypony over. The towers are locked with a spell that recognizes each students magic and it is ultimately tied to a tower via Starswirl’s Sorting Hat.” “Also, in case you are thinking of causing some trouble it won’t end badly just for you. This school has a point system. Each student can earn points for their tower by doing well in class and in some cases helping teachers. They can also lose points by getting into trouble. At the end of the year points are summed up and the tower with the most points is given the Mage’s Cup and something is gifted to the tower. Last time the Star tower won we got new sofas for the common room. Alas we haven’t won in the last two years because of a certain pair of mares.” She glared over at the fireplace where the Watcher’s and Aurora had vanished. “There will be no experimenting with magic unless you have permission.” She resumed her monologue. “You will not, I repeat NOT, be outside during the dark hours without a teacher or explicit permission. As you know Canterlot is built on an old mountain therefore there are some *cough* undiscovered areas. If you do find any, you must tell an authority, like me. Do not go exploring those or you will taste the wrath of principal Celestia herself and you probably do not wish that now do you?” She cringed and stretched out her neck. There was a large scar going down to her shoulder. “I ran into a stray Diamond Dog back when I was as young and reckless as you. Be warned.” The students shuddered. The same aquamarine filly Twilight had met at the table clung onto her hoof for a second or two. They looked at each other and jumped in different directions exchanging a grin similar to a light disgust. “I will hand you a schedule of your lessons after I take you to your bedrooms. Filly’s will be in one and colts in the other if you are wondering.” She glared one last time. Her crest glasses ominously gleamed. “Follow me.” She turned around and lightly smacked the filly standing near her with her perfectly straight tail as she turned. The filly spat out a long black hair and cringed. The mass of students slowly began to follow the mare. Twilight could only manage to grin at Starshine before a painting on the side of the staircase that they began to ascend leaned outward and screeched. All of the foals including Mrs. Mandagor’e jumped. The painting began to crack up in vicious laughter. It was a painting of a young, butter-yellow unicorn mare with a blue mane and a cutie mark of a book. “Mixla! I told you not to do that!” Mandagor’e hissed as the pony in the painting slowly wiped away a tear of laughter. “Sorry Mandy, couldn’t help myself, I already freaked out the Puffle’s. This one colt was PRICELESS!!!” She broke into more hysterical laughter and rolled on the lush, green, painted grass. Mandagor’e snarled and continued to ascend the steps. After they turned the corner she looked back and spoke. “I forgot to mention, one of the founder’s, Alexandra Puffle, had a tendency to enchant items with a come to life spell. I suggest you watch out for portraits, they’re pretty nasty.” “Who was she, miss?” A gray colt in the back of the group asked. Mandagor’e glared at him for not being ‘formal’. “She is Mixla Ember Puffle, the direct descendant of our precious Alexandra. One of her grandkids somewhere in the past century or so has become the Guardian of The Puffle Tower. Amenix Alex Jr., he will be teaching you history. Ah, we’re here.” There were two small doors on the opposite side of the spiral staircase. It was just below the roof. “Fillies go to the left, colts-right. Pick out a bed, settle down and everypony that has an ‘unusual’ pet must be in the common room in 20 minutes. Do I make myself clear?” There were a few nods. “Take this sheet when you enter your rooms. It’s all that you need.” After almost all the fillies had entered the room and Starshine was nowhere in sight, Twilight finally reached the door. As she took the sheet with her mouth her eyes met with Mandagor’e. Her cold gaze dug deep in Twilight’s soul. What did that mare have against her?! Right after Twilight the aquamarine filly entered. The room was simple. It had four two-story bunk-beds. There were only seven fillies in total Twilight included and all the second stories were already taken except for a single empty bed. Twilight noticed the aquamarine filly standing right next to her. They looked at each other. The filly spat out her sheet of paper and spoke. She had a great voice. Almost like a singer. “Listen… I'm sorry about earlier, ok? I think we got off on the wrong hoof… I'm Lyra Heartstrings. You were Twilight something-something…?” She smiled a week smile and stretched out her hoof. “Sparkle… and yea, how did you know?” “I heard that one mare, uhh… Moonglow right, say it. You're her sister or something?” “Yep!” Twilight shook her hoof. “I guess we’re bunk-buddies now huh?” “I-I guess so.” ... “TOP BUNK!” they cried out at the same time and rushed over to the bed on the right, near the door. They quietly snarled at each other from the opposite sides of the lower bunk. “Ok, sorry.” Twilight spoke up and looked away for a second. “I have an idea. How about we share? One sleeps in the upper one for a week and then we switch again?” Lyra lifted an eyebrow. Her yellow eyes glimmered for a second. “Ok. But who goes first?” “We’ll flip a bit.” “I don’t have any…” “It’s ok I have some.” Twilight walked over to a large ragged suitcase next to the door, it used to be her brother’s. There were only three of them though, and Twilight could only assume one was Lyra’s. She nibbled on the lock whit her teeth and her giant suitcase popped open. “Why don’t you use your magic? You have a cutie mark already and if that’s not a compass that means it’s a magic mark.” Lyra walked next to her. “Oh, right…” Twilight sheepishly smiled. “I got it only a few weeks ago, I haven’t quite gotten used to my magic being so strong.” Just as she said that, the lid of the suitcase shot open and loudly slammed against the wall behind it. All the fillies looked over at Twilight as her blush intensified. She mumbled a ‘sorry’ and buried her head in her few clothes. She pulled out a small sack of bits that playfully jingled. She pulled out a single copper bit and tossed it. It flipped in the air Twilight shouted “Tails!” The coin hit the wooden floor and rolled under the bed. Twilight stared at the bed in surprise. Lyra just shot her a glare and pushed her head under it. “Tails… You win…” Twilight smiled. “It’s ok. You get top next week.” “Yea I guess so.” “Hey, purple one.” Twilight and Lyra turned her head to the door. There stood a slightly tall filly with two brown braids and buck-teeth. She had pale green eyes covered in thick glasses. She was straw-yellow. “Yea?” Twilight looked at her in slight surprise. “I know you. You have a dragon don’t you? Come on, we gotta’ go. I really don’t wanna’ get in trouble, especially with that miss… whatever her name was...” “Oh…OH!” Twilight shot backwards. She tossed her bag of bits in her suitcase and ran to the yellow filly by the door. “Sorry Lyra, we’ll get to know each other later, I don’t wanna’ be murdered like my sister, come on let’s go!” And she ran out the door whit the tall filly on her tail. Lyra stood by the bed confused. --------- “Ugh! We made it!” The yellow filly puffed. “I didn’t get your name, I'm Twilight.” Twilight spoke as she gasped for her breath. The tower was at least 10 stories high if not more and Twilight’s room was at the very top. “Blinky. My name is Blinky.” The filly puffed. Twilight smiled and turned to see the greatest sight of all. Celestia herself. “Ah, there you are Twilight and… umm I didn’t catch your name little one, may you repeat it?” Celestia beamed as usual. Blinky gulped. “B-Blinky, your majesty.” And she fell on her knees. “Please, don’t.” Celestia walked over to her and stretched out her wing to lift up the little unicorn. “I am nothing more than your teacher and principal. This school is my haven. No formalities.” She weakly smiled. Blinky looked up in sheer surprise and fright. “I'm sorry Princess.” she muttered. Celestia’s smile grew a bit wider. She looked over to Twilight and took a step in her direction. She leaned down and nuzzled her. Twilight giggled and brushed against Celestia’s leg. She giggled as well. The few ponies in the common room gasped. Mandagor’e’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets as her jaw hung loosely. It looked like she was about to explode in rage. Celestia gave her the look and walked over beside her. Twilight took the chance to look around. There weren’t many ponies here. Five to be exact. Herself, Blinky, the gray colt that asked about the painting, a white colt with a pink mane (wow, now that’s just too much girliness) and a brown colt with a silver mane and a cream colored spot on his eye and ear. Celestia stood in front of them. She began to speak in her amazing voice. “As you may have noticed there are only a few of you here. This is a special course all of you will take in addition to everything you will study. It will be about the taming of magical animals.” As if on cue a ball of flame shout of out the fireplace and twirled around near the ceiling. As it slowly fluttered down on Celestia’s outstretched hoof, it could be recognized a phoenix. “This, my little ponies, is my dear Philomena. My precious phoenix.” Celestia brushed her forehead against the phoenix’s beak and it did the same in response. “Phoenixes are very rare and graceful creatures. They are not easily tamed. Which one of you had a phoenix?” Blinky lifted her shaking hoof. Twilight gasped in surprise. “Blinky, mind telling us how you got a phoenix?” Celestia smiled. “Don’t be afraid, I'm all show but no bite.” She giggled. Blinky looked up and met the four smiling faces of the other foals. “I… I… My parents are biologists so we usually stayed in the Everfree. I was home schooled and all that. Once there was a real bad storm about a year ago and after the wind had calmed down we found a female phoenix crushed under a tree… it was really badly injured so… so it didn’t last, but it pointed us to its nest and we found a bunch of smashed eggs except one. The male never came so we took the only remaining egg… It never hatched but it was alive! Then I got into the school and well… that’s it…” “Hmmm… that’s interesting. I found Philomena as a chick about 1836 years ago so I don’t know how they hatch.” Celestia placed her hoof on her chin. “But we will discover it together wont we, Blinky?” She dropped down on her knees next to the filly. Blinky turned away and cowered but eventually turned back to look in Celestia’s magenta eyes. She smiled. “Ok… Celestia…” Celestia smiled and tousled her mane as she got back up on her hooves. “Splendid. Now, I know that Twilight here hatched a dragon when she had her entrance exam. And that Cluster here did the same.” She looked at the gray colt. He was a bit chubbier than the rest. “Dragon’s are life-long companions. They can live up to thousands of years and if treated right, they can be great friends and assistants.” She turned to the other two colts. She looked at the girly colt. “Damien. Your family breeds Timberwolves, am I correct?” “Yep.” he chirped. Even his voice was girly. “Timberwolves are very dangerous, you know that right?” “Yes. But for as long as I can remember my family has been ‘part of the pack’. It’s like, it’s in our blood. I can easily take a walk in the Everfree in the middle of a full-moon night and be surrounded by alpha-males and I’ll be totally fine.” “I wouldn’t advise that dear.” A hint of concern flashed in Celestia’s voice. “But alas, we will get to that. And if I remember correctly Summer Night’s has a Fire Salamander.” “Yea, my dad bought it off some griffons, that bastard has burned an infinite amount of holes in my room already!” The brown colt spoke in a clear Trottingham accent. “Cute.” Celestia lightly smirked. “Now that we have had an introduction I will show you where your pets and companions will be living. Mrs. Mandagor’e?” “Of course Princess.” The red mare unnoticeably hissed and walked over to the door of the tower. Celestia followed and behind her trotted five excited foals. --------- “You have a phoenix!?” Twilight whisper-shouted as she walked next to Blinky in the labyrinths of Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. “Yep. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t wanna’ disappoint anypony. What if it never hatches? I don’t wanna’ let anypony down… especially the princess!” she whispered back. “Celestia is the coolest pony in existence! She won’t be angry or anything, she’s just gonna be sad because she loves animals.” Twilight reassured her new friend. “How do you know?” She gave Twilight an odd look. Twilight smirked and said the next sentence as arrogantly as she could. “Because I'm her personal protégé.” Blinky’s eyes went as wide as dinner plates and her jaw hung loosely. She shook her head to try to get back to normal but the swift motion made her large-rimmed glasses fly off. “GAH!” she cried out and blindly jumped forward. She loudly hit the floor and it made the princess and the other’s look back. She blinked her tiny eyes trying to see anything. She couldn’t except for a dim light coming from what was probably a window. Twilight stood, leaning on her forelegs with her eyes wide and horn aglow. In front of her levitated a pair of big glasses engulfed in a purple aura. Twilight stared at her own magic in surprise. As she turned her head she saw Celestia smiling down on her picking Blinky off the floor with her own, golden magic. She stretched out her hoof and clung to Celestia’s back hoof for balance. “I…” Twilight tried to say something. She somehow managed to levitate the glasses over to Blinky and place them on her nose. Blinky blinked a few times trying to understand her surroundings. She looked at confused Twilight and tacked her into a hug. “Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! You have no idea how hard they are to fix!” she squealed. Celestia’s smile grew even wider. The three colts exchanged a look and slowly began to clap their hoofs. Mrs. Mandagor’e gave an unexpected nod of approval. “I… I…” Twilight tried to say something but she didn't know what. Celestia did it for her. “That was a nice reaction Twilight. It sometimes takes years just to learn that. Then again I'm not that surprised. I knew you had it in you.” She smiled. Mandagor’e stepped forward pushing the three colts aside. “You have talent Miss Sparkle. I hope you don’t waste it like your sister.” She coldly said in a matter-of-fact tone. Yet there was something that now stopped her from using the ‘soul-gaze’ as Twilight called it. Twilight just put on a sheepish smile and slid behind Celestia’s leg for protection. Mandagor’e just looked at her with no emotion. She opened her mouth to say something but suddenly the group heard hoofsteps. Mandagor’e turned around and saw an azure filly wwith a snowy-white mane. “Who are you. It is dark hours. Or did Nexus not explain herself very well young student’.” Mandagor’e stressed the last part. Twilight knew that filly. She was from Nagaraac. “Trixie was sent to see if there were any problems on why the princess was late. She was supposed to be waiting at the nursery for you to bring your tower, but suddenly she just vanished and seeing how you were missing Trixie’s great mind deducted the fact that she must be with you.” she ended her monologue. Mandagor’e eye twitched. She didn’t see the fact that Celestia spread her wings and the five foals hid behind her. All of them, Celestia included, had a frightened expression. The azure filly was ether blind or extremely arrogant and she didn’t even twitch. She just kept her cool as she looked into Tartarius itself. Mandagor’e’s eyes lit up in a bloody, rusty light as she stepped forward. As she brought her hoof down to the floor the entire marble corridor shook. She breathed out steam as she paced at the filly. “You, little pony, have earned yourself a whole bucket of trouble.” she hissed, as she stuck her nose in the filly’s face. The filly didn’t react. She met a fiery gaze with a cold stare. “Trixie has done no such thing. Trixie obeys only one pony and she is Mistress Nexus.” she muttered with her purple eyes locked on Mandagor’e. “No old coot tells me what to do.” she whispered. Mandagor’e’s patience shattered like glass. “ENOUGH OUT OF YOU!” The shear force of her voice made the filly slide backwards. Finally the azure pony reacted. Her purple eyes widened and she gulped as she pulled her head in her shoulders. But it was a bit too late. “I will teach you some respect if it’s the last thing I do.” she hissed and breathed some more steam. Mandagor’e shot her head upwards and behind her formed four balls of fire that shot forward at the cowering filly. The filly dropped to the ground and covered her eyes. Twilight felt Celestia’s muscles tense. Just as the fireballs were about to hit the filly they smashed against an icky green, bubble shield. From behind the corner jumped out a seemingly young mare with her horn aglow. As the shield evaporated the mare smashed her horn against Mandagor’e. She was pure velvet black which was the first time Twilight had seen a completely black pony. Her long mane and tail was messy, greasy and poisonous green with a few lighter stripes. Her eyes were remarkable though. They were bright neon-green and she had thin, slit pupils… just like Twilight had seen on her little dragon. The two mares continued their struggle with their horns crossed like swords. “Keep your hooves off my students, Mandy.” the black mare hissed. “Then teach them a hint of respect!” Mandagor’e shouted in response and jutted her head forward with immense force. “ENOUGH!!!” A wall of golden magic exploded in the corridor. Lighting it up and freezing the two mares. Celestia stood before the two mares. Their frozen forms levitated by her golden magic. Her eyes were full of anger and disappointment. “WHAT DOEST THOU THINK THEE ARE DOING?! TIS' NOT AN EXAMPLE THAT SHOULD BE SHOWN TO THE YOUNGLINGS! THY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THINESELVES! THINE CAN SETTLE THINE DIFFERENCES ON ONE'S OWN TERMS IN AN AREA WHERE NOPONY COULDST SEE IT!!! WE ARE GREATLY DISAPPOINTED IN THEE.” Celestia’s voice boomed in the corridor. A weak window in the other side of the hall exploded and rained glass on the carpet. Suddenly Celestia’s angry grin disappeared and was replaced by a blush. “*cough* Sorry, I only use the Royal Canterlot Voice when I am very angry. You two should really learn to behave. Amanda Julia Mandagor’e and Nexus Nyx Nayma… you have disappointed me greatly and will be punished later. So will you little Trixie.” Celestia glared at her. The little pony shrank even smaller and hid behind her own hooves. “Now, before Alex shows up we should really get going. This was not at all what I intended.” Celestia released the two mares and they fell to the ground. They got up and dropped back down on their knees in a bow. “We will settle this later. Now. Go ahead with the students, I will be there shortly.” She said in a very cold and diplomatic tone. As the foals and the mares excluding Twilight turned the corner and disappeared Celestia hung down her head and took a deep breath and a loud sigh. She looked at Twilight. Her eyes seemed very… off… Twilight couldn’t recognize that emotion. “Princess? Are those two enemies?” Twilight quietly asked. “No Twilight. They are best friends.” Celestia whispered back. ---------------------------------- Edited by Midge Mannequin