//------------------------------// // Chapter 39: Written exam. // Story: I am my own OC // by KittyrinnAiko //------------------------------// Once again I found myself lined up to go in and test to get placed at the school for gifted unicorns. Only this time with no Moonie as I’d left the pendant behind. I’d only my palace ID as it was unknown if Moonie was capable of giving me answers to test questions. Berry from the tours was there as was Sweetie and owing to the shakeup we were first directed into classrooms in large groups where we were supplied a written test by none other than Glory Rose Blueblood. Test faced down. “Try not to get too excited, nervous, or Celestia forbid, apprehensive,” Glory Rose offered. “The test alone may not have any bearing on whether or not you will be attending here come next semester. “As I look out over you I see some recognizable faces and quite a few that are new to me. Don’t let that worry you. On either account.” My ears twitched on hearing that last comment and I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. “For those of you who don’t know me, I am Captain Glory Rose Blueblood, wife of Lord Prince Blueblood. I am presently a reserve officer in Her Majesties Guard.” My opinion of Prince Blooblood went up a little though it was entirely possible she was still from a fairly high-up family. Granted that my assumption was that she hadn’t simply bought her rank, assuming that was even a thing. Prince Blueblood on the other hoof, well, he went for a Guards Pony instead of some shrinking violet who would put up with him. Then again, I couldn't help but wonder if she was the pony wearing the pants in that relationship. “Now, don’t worry about not finishing the written test,” Glory Rose continued. “With any luck, you shouldn't be able to finish it. If you do manage to finish it simply turn the test face down and go out into the hall to wait for further instructions. Otherwise, we will go until lunch at which time we will break. After lunch, you will be given an opportunity to show off your talent or to demonstrate your most spectacular failure. A truly spectacular fail stands a better chance of gaining entry than flashy tricks, just don't do it deliberately. Bottom line, we need to be able to judge your manna flow to determine whether or not you are going to need to attend this establishment. Remember that placement is about need. - Now, as I’m sure you are all chomping at the bit to get started, go ahead and turn your test over. Don’t start just yet. There should be plenty of pencils for each of you. You will also find a hoof grip in your desk if you feel you need it. No one expects that any pony here is still writing with your mouth, and if you are, please try to be as legible as possible. If there is anyone who can use your telekinesis to write, don’t wear yourself out. It won’t do you any good to use up too much manna prior to the practical examination.” She waited a moment, looked about at our eager faces, and told us to begin. To my delight the first few pages were rather easy as they were straight out of the primer and we were being given possible solutions so it was a lot like a multiple-choice guesses test. Pick the most likely and expand on that while writing out our answer. Of course I’d no idea that young unicorns seldom did hoof writing as most switched to telekinesis just as soon as they were able when I set to write down my answers. Me, I was just delighted I could hoof write without having to use the grip anymore. As I flipped to the third page I hazarded a quick glance around to discover quite a few were using telekinesis, some were using the grip, and the rest were all mouth writing. Back to my test. The questions were slowly getting harder, but not overwhelming just yet. My tutoring sessions with Twilight were paying dividends big time. And then it happened, I came to a question that I couldn't figure out. Specifically, I wasn’t sure what they wanted. The test-taking technique is, don’t know the answer, skip to the next. Looking for clues in other questions was another technique that often paid off. So on I went to the next and answered it as best I could. I’d skip questions that looked like they’d take too much time, answer several, and then suddenly I discovered I now had the answer to several that I’d skipped. Back again. Hit that first one I’d skipped and move on. Make my best guess on questions I just wasn’t sure about. Always the first guess, never second guess because the second guess is almost always wrong. One after the other those questions fell to my relentless foxy determination. I don’t do dogged. I’m better than halfway through now. Ha, questions on affinity, easy stuff. Questions about non-unicorn forms of magic. Heck, a good hoof grip is a non-unicorn form of magic. It’s an Earth Pony trait. Granted that the fact that I knew more about Earth magic than Pegasus magic was a little embarrassing, and I was forced to make my best guess about several aspects of Pegasus magic some of which took logic and spit in its eye. And then suddenly I’d turned a page and I was finished with the test. I take a quick look around to see no one has budged from their spots so far as I can tell. I’ve time. Alright then, review time. I skip through the easy ones and check the ones that gave me a hard time. No, no second-guessing. Time for me to put the test down. I’m sure I’ve done far better than most fillies my age, but if I start second-guessing I’ll probably change a right answer to a wrong answer. I close up my test face down, put my pencil down, and shake out my hoof a bit. Up to that point, I’d no idea that it was possible to get a hoof cramp from writing. Slowly I turn and get up. For perhaps the first time I see the proctors who have been keeping an eye on us. I make a halfhearted smile at one of the adults who’s noticed me, turn, and start walking toward the door. I’ve got a limp. The clock in the hall says it's eleven o'clock. I literally still had an hour. Nor is there anyone out in the hallway. “Princess Nova?” came the soft voice of a lime green unicorn mare stepping out into the hallway with me. “Are you alright?” “Aside from a sore fetlock, I’m fine,” I respond. “You know, you aren’t supposed to take any breaks unless it’s absolutely necessary, and it’ll take time away from you.” I look at her and blink. “I’m finished.” She just looks back at me as though I’d just spoken a foreign language. “Finita, fini, completed, accomplished, finished. I’m done. I finished the test.” My experiences from my past life had made it possible to finish the test ahead of every foal in there. “Finished? You did all the questions?” “I did. I even went back to double-check my answers. I won’t say I got them all right, but I did answer them. I double-checked and didn’t feel like there was any point in staying any longer. - So, now what do I do?” “To be honest, we didn’t think any pony would actually finish it.” “Would it help if I told you that Twilight Sparkle has been tutoring me?” “That would do it.” “So, I just hang out until lunch?” “OK, you aren’t supposed to leave school grounds, otherwise lunch will be in the dining hall. Why don’t I show you where it is. - My name’s Bittersweet.” “Alright, and thank you,” I reply as we head down the hall. “Are you alright, your limping?” “Hoof strain,” I offer with a grin. “You seem to be very proficient at hoof writing.” “Haven't learned telekinetic writing yet. I imagine that’s kind of backward in a way.” “And how’s that?” “I can teleport, manipulate the wind currents, and even generate a little localized lighting. I can’t write telekinetically yet. I can move stuff. Even some heavy stuff. I’m just lacking in fine motor control. I can’t help but wonder if I already knew how to do everything prior to Nightfall, and I’m just having to relearn?” “I’d imagine that’s a possibility. And you can really do all that?” “I’m not so sure I can manipulate wind and lightning inside, and it upset mom a little too much when I did it yesterday,” I offered. “Best I do not teleport out here in the hall, the pop might disturb ponies taking their tests.” “Ah, yes. Later then.” We turned down another hallway, went a little further, and then through a large set of double doors where we found castle staff preparing a luncheon for all the students that were being tested that day. “Princess Nova, is everything alright?” Asked an orange mare with a golden blond mane I recognized as Mrs Helianthus. I was also suspicious that she was Trixie’s mom as she matched the picture Trixie had in her wagon. Trixie’s wagon had been trampled by the Ursa minor, and I’d helped her clean up. Twilight gave her a place to stay and a collection was made to help cover the cost of a new wagon. Additional damages to the town were covered by Princess Celestia and I was hoping there would be no repeat of the Alicorn Amulet that happened in the show. Several other ponies in the dining hall turned my way as well, possibly wondering why I was there? “I finished the written test already,” I offered just as a little Moonie dropped down out of the rafters with my pendant in her mouth and landed on my back. “This is Moonie. She’s my Guardian,” I offered to Mrs Bittersweet as I placed the pendant back around my neck. “Not being able to be with me is warring with her programming.” “Well then, I see that you are in good hooves. I’d better get back.” “I’ll just find a spot to sit,” I offered and trotted into the room. “Would you like a cup of tea?” Mrs Helianthus asked. “Yes please, I’d love a cup,” I replied cheerfully. “Isn’t everyone a little too busy for me to go get a cup of tea though?” “Don’t worry, and no, you don’t need to get your own cup. Oh and Trixie told me all about how you helped her out,” Mrs Helianthus offered. I was right. “You just make yourself comfortable and I’ll get you something.” And with that, she trotted off towards the kitchen. I watched her go and then started looking about for a place to sit. Of course, the only nice seats were the ones at the head table. Sitting at the head table just seemed too presumptuous, but then an idea struck me. I sat down on a random seat, Moonie climbing to my shoulders, and decided to find out if I could, as predicted, make my own cloud. I cupped my hooves, blew gently between them while applying magic, and a moment later I had a little ball of fluff. A couple of minutes later I had a nice little cloud bed just my size, and it held my weight as well. Up to the rafters, I pushed it, then I flew up and landed on it. I tried working it a bit with my hooves and then lay down with my front hooves and my head peeking out over the edge so I could watch the goings-on. Mrs Helianthus trotted out a short time later and then looked about with a rather confused expression. Naturally, my activity hadn’t gone unnoticed, a pony caught her eye and pointed up. “Oh my?!” “You did say I should make myself comfortable,” I offered with a big smile. “So then, will your highness be taking her tea up there?” “Um, actually no. I just figured out how to do this and I haven't a clue how to go about making objects not fall through,” I offered, stood up, stepped off while opening my wings, and glided down. Moonie had decided to stay on the cloud. “Thank you for the tea,” I replied a moment later once I was properly seated. The tea was hot and tasted of lavender. Maybe not my favorite but it’ll do. Just as I was contemplating the tea a little honey pot was put in front of me. “Thank you. A little honey in lavender tea is just the thing,” I replied. This was a second mare. She was golden alabaster with a honey pot for a cutie mark of all things. She bowed politely and backed away. “No need to be so formal. I prefer to save all that for more formal occasions, and assuming I pass the requirements I’ll be just another student. I’ll expect to be scolded when it’s deserved.” “Oh, I couldn't, Your highness,” She pleaded. “I’ll try not to put you in that position,” I offered with a smile. “From what Trixie tells me you are quite the mischief-maker and something of a peacemaker all rolled into one,” Mrs Helianthus offered with a smile as I added a little honey to the tea. “Ponyville residents are a little spoiled,” I offered. “Trixi started up her show quite possibly the same way she does in every small town she goes to not knowing we’ve Twilight Sparkle as our librarian and three, shall I say, junior alicorns as a regular sight in town. They thought she was a braggart and were about to run her out of town.” “Not like I haven't told her to be careful of that,” Mrs Helianthus offered, and then she and the honey mare went back to the tasks they had before I’d come walking in. I’d like to think they’d do what they did for any pony, but then I’d probably never know. I sipped at my tea and before too long it was all but gone. I looked up and saw that I still had a good thirty minutes before I could expect any of the other foals to come wandering in. I thought about maybe getting more tea, but there was a cloud calling me. I got up from the table and was in the air a moment later. It didn’t take me long to get back up to my cloud, where I found Moonie sprawled out like a cat. “All right you, move over,” I said as I landed. “Don’t you be grumpy, I had to leave you behind. Come on, move.” OK, yes, it took a bit of poking and prodding, none of which should have had any effect on her, but I managed to get her to move over. I lay down, we snuggled together and it was power nap time.