Four weeks until school.
Hollow Shades
In a small house in Hollow Shades, a Unicorn paced back and forth in his room. It had been weeks since his application to join the School of Frienchip had been posted and currently the lack of a reply was causing him no end of fright. He’d planned it out, graduate from the School of Friendship, join the Dusk Guard, eventually become Captain of the Night Guard itself, marry a beautiful princess and together their love would defend Equestria from the great evil that heralded the return of the Revered Mistress of the Night, who along with Princess Sparkle would usher in a new golden age for Equestria.
Even he had to admit, he tended to get a little carried away with the tale of his own life towards the end but what good Oubliettes Master didn’t plan big? Of course something would go wrong, these stories always did, no matter what plans were made, in any Ogres and Oubliettes story the party ALWAYS goes on a path the OM least expected.
Pausing in front of a mirror, the reflection showed a blueish grey colt with a short silver mane and tail named Silent Knight. Though one of less than a dozen Unicorns living in Hollow Shades, his tufted ears and Draconic slitted blue eyes marked him as one of the Thestral Bloodline, and his devotion to the Mistress of the Night was as strong as any Thestral in the town. He’d show them he was not just some half blood!
A knocking at the door almost caused Silent Knight to jump out of his skin. Racing out of his room and down the stairs to the front door, he arrived in time to see his mother tipping the Mailmare some bits but most importantly, holding a large letter under her wing, a letter addressed to him. He could barely contain his excitement, it was finally here! The letter that would decide his fate, his journey towards the guard, his quest towards love and the return of the Mistress of the Night. It was everything he could have hoped for, until he finished reading the letter.
“You will be living in Crusader Dorm 1, at this time no other roommate has been allocated however please be aware that these rooms are designed to be shared between two creatures of the same gender but any race within the Harmony Coalition of Creatures, please be considerate while packing and recommended list of items and the list of prohibited articles.”
….
Crusader Dorm 1.
His dreams shattered like a giant mirror. He was going to be a crusader, and every creature in Hollow Shades knew what that meant. It had been 130 years since the last Thestral Crusader, Cheese Crater, had joined that dorm, and 13 months later he, two dragons, and a changeling had decided to send a rocket to the moon. The dorm had to be closed down due to the damage the rocket caused, and after Cheese Crater had been retrieved from the moon, the crusaders were quietly asked to not return to the school, but Cheese Crater was never seen again!
Ok, so Cheese had apparently joined the Changeling space program but since he never returned to Hollow Shades saying he was never seen again made a much better plot hook.
Regardless, Silent knight was DOOMED!
*************************************
Equestria???
Two weeks until school.
The sound of scratching quills on paper filled the air as three quills worked in parallel writing up a report, on what could be summed up as, far too many rules to follow at a dinner party, not falling asleep during a formal dinner is apparently one of them.
All three quills stopped, and Dream Catcher's ears flicked to attention. She could hear someone crying. Forgetting the assignments (that could be done later), the filly rose and trotted off towards the new noise. Through the star spangled door, along a corridor, down a chimney and along the roof and into a window. There was no mistaking it now, on the other side of this door there was a crying colt and she couldn’t allow anyone to be sad and on their own.
Three knocks on the door and no responses later, Dream Catcher let herself into the colt’s room.
As Dream Catcher adjusted to the new place, she found herself in the middle of a rainstorm, a crack of lightning revealed she was in a large field, with rows of grapevines as far as the eye could see. Closing her eyes, Dream Catcher allowed herself to be led towards the sound of the colts crying. Weaving between rows she eventually found herself in front of a small mound, hollowed and reinforced out to create a small den with wooden shutters and a door. Inside was a large enough space where several ponies could lie down and rest, however presently only one small green Colt with a yellow mane huddled inside.
“Hello? Are you alright?”
The colt jumped at the sound of Dream Catcher's voice and looked around with wide eyes, “Who’s there? What are you doing here?!”
“I heard you crying,” Dream Catcher said, “so I came to help”.
The colt looked at Dream Catcher and narrowed his eyes. “Who are you? I’ve never seen you before, what even are you?”
Dream Catcher raised her hoof to her mouth and giggled. “Why, I’m a Kirin, and my name is Dream Catcher, my coat is black as the night, topped with a mane of sky blue for all to see. Fear not these teal pools which give me sight, for nopony’s eyes should give thee fright.”
Hearing her words, the colt seemed to calm down. With a sniff, he slowly uncurled himself and dried his tears on a fetlock. “My name's Tender Vine, it's nice to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Tender Vine,” Dream catcher sang in a sweet voice as she entered the small hole under the hill. “If you would forgive me for being so bold, please tell me why are you alone in this cold?”
Again Tender Vine sniffed. “Everyone’s gone, they left me here all alone. First my sis, then ma and pa. I’m all alone and I don’t know what to do.”
The skies darkened and a crack of lightning streaked through the sky, causing the young colt to jump. As he landed he found himself in the embrace of Dream Catcher.
“Where did they go?”
“My sister left to join the School of Friendship, she even got invited to join the Crusader dorm like great great grandma Wine. I don’t know where Ma and Pa went, I just can’t find them anywhere.”
Looking into his eyes, Dream Catcher asked “Is there truly no one else around? No one's company to be found? No friends with whom you play? With whom to pass the hours of day?”
“I have my friends,” the colt said, “There’s Creme, Fleur, and Blanc. This is our hideout, we come here everyday after school.”
As the last word left the colt's mouth, a trio of voices could be heard over the last drops of rain, calling the young colt's name.
“It's my friends!” he exclaimed in excitement, “They haven’t forgotten about me!”
Dream Catcher released Tender Vine from the hug. “Indeed. now run along, but do not be gone long. Your parents are cooking your favourite, but don’t tell them you know, it's meant to be a secret.” The colt's face beamed with glee, as he ran out of the den to join his friends.
The rain had gone and the skies were a peaceful blue, as if blessed by Celestia herself. Dream Catcher smiled to herself, she knew the colt would not remember her but that was fine. “It seems your sister is going to be my school mate, I promise I’ll make her write to you every week.” She turned and found a door to leave that had not been there a moment ago and after a short walk she found herself back in her room.
A yawn escaped Dream Catchers maw and she decided that now would be a good time to get some sleep. She wrapped herself in her favourite cloak, an oversized dark blue that matched the night sky embroidered with tiny motes of light as if the cloak held stars within its thread. Wrapped up and curled on top of a pillow, she allowed herself to fall asleep.
***
Canterlot - Magnus Boulevard
5pm
In Canterlot, inside one of the fancier mansions, there was a room, where no light could breach the darkness where a certain filly was fast asleep, wrapped in a midnight blue cloak with flecks of white. The door to the room opened, and while no light entered, two slitted teal eyes shone in the darkness, guiding the intruder towards the sleeping filly.
“Dream, you should awaken.”
The filly stirred, and opened an eye to see who had woken her from her sleep. “Five more minutes?” she said through a yawn.
The mare chucked, “That would depend, daughter of mine. Did you complete your assignment?”
Dream Catcher gulped. Oops.
*************************************
Five miles East of Manehattan docks.
Two weeks until School.
Seagulls sored over the heads of the many Ponies and Gryphons journeying on the cruise ship. The ship had set sail from Prance seven days ago, and the luxurious ship ensured that all its guests had a journey second to none. All its guests except for Chenin Grape.
Chenin Grape had elected to spend her voyage in her cabin, stating to any who had asked that she was busy preparing for her entry into the prestigious School of Friendship. In truth, Chenin did not dare travel more than several hoofs from the nearest toilet, or bucket at a stretch, and she would never allow someone to see her in such a state. One might even say that Chenin was currently a crumpled mess on her cabin’s floor.
The usually pale green pegasus was looking a little extra green than normal, the result of discovering early into the week-long cruise that boats did not agree with her. She knew her poor leaf green mane was simply a disaster and in desperate need of an emergency spa treatment. Though the ship's spa was located only a short canter away it might as well have been several leagues away for all the good it would do her.
“Attention all passengers,” a gruff voice called from the room's speaker. “This is your captain speaking, we will be arriving in Equestrian waters any minute now, and will be docking in Manehattan in approximately two hours. Passengers are welcome to remain onboard or disembark immediately, those of you who are leaving us at Manehattan please remember to empty your room by 11am tomorrow, we are not responsible for any valuables left behind after this time.”
Two hours. That's how much longer she'd have to put up with this. Chenin could feel her anger boiling to the surface, she was stronger than this, she shouldn’t be reduced to a wreck on the floor, by The Heart she could fly that far! She might even beat the ship into dock. To feel the wind through her feathers and the salty spray against her face.
No.
A lady would never do such a thing, and Chenin Grape was a well to do Lady, she would not have her grand entrance into Equestria as some uncouth feather brained brute. She breathed, regaining her composure and finding the strength to rise.
“I am an elegant lady, I am going to the most prestigious School in the civilised world, the school founded by Princess Sparkle herself, and right now, I am going to wash myself and find a dress to look at least moderately presentable for my arrival.”
First impressions were important, though somewhere in her brain she knew that countries didn’t really care about your appearance, and would certainly not notice a single mare. She could hear that small part of her laughing at how ridiculous she was being, and how much harder she was making it for herself.
She shook her head and put the voice to the back of her mind. “I am going to be a Crusader, I am even sharing a room with the daughter of the most fabulous mare to ever walk this world.” She had met Darning Weave once before. Well, she’d been in the crowd at a fashion show some years ago, and since that day had sworn to be just like her.
And her daughter Jade Star was going to be her room mate, it just had to be fate.
With her determination gathered, she finally found her footing and walked into her shower for a much needed grooming session.
With a sudden lurch of the boat, Chenin found herself once again a crumpled mess, only this time in her room's tub as once again the room's speaker came to life.
“Hello again all passengers. It would appear the tide is a bit rougher than anticipated, and we will likely be delayed at least an hour”.
At this moment, a bottle slipped from the shelf, landing painfully on Chenin’s head.
“Bucking ship”.