The castle is dark and quiet. A lonely hallway steers me to some unknown destination, my hooves following without my guidance. Echoes of my footfalls reverberate up and down the corridor, accentuating the otherwise stark silence.
As I travel, the impossibility of the castle’s layout puzzles my sense of direction. Where I should’ve gone in a circle and met a dead end, the corridors hurdle and sidestep one another, weaving into a twisted knot. Every new corner turns to reveal the same indistinct hallway as before. There’s no natural light, no windows to help reckon the passage of time. Torches mounted along the walls illuminate my path, but their distance from one another leave gaps of darkness. I hurry between the stepstones of light; a frog leaping between lily pads. They hold no warmth, only a cold white glow. Before long, my legs grow tired and the lights ahead dance in my vision. Chill sweat dampens my fur.
The corridors draw me deeper and deeper. Eventually, they lead me to a large, open chamber where great stained glass windows line the walls. The ceiling is high and vaulted. Moonlight pours in from a round portal up above acting as a spotlight and drawing my attention to a throne at the far side of the room. Dust motes hang suspended in the air overhead, emphasizing its vacancy.
Cautiously, I approach the throne. On its seat lies a crown enameled in a dark blue glaze like the night sky—a sky bereft of stars. My ears perk up at a strange noise emanating from where the crown rests. It’s high pitched; just on the edge of hearing. The noise draws me closer. I reach for the crown, but something tells me to let it be. An echo of a whisper. The message is clear though: this is not mine to take.
I turn away from it. A small door behind the throne catches my eye and I head for it. On the other side of the door, a short passageway leads outside to a cloister surrounding a large courtyard. Tall, thick hedges run the length of the courtyard and form the walls of a pathway leading me further in. A vision of a lab mouse running through a maze enters my mind. Some invisible hand is leading me, but to where I can’t say.
Along the path, flowers and trees of all shapes and colors are planted around marble benches and fountains. Bronze and marble statuettes of Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth ponies set in various poses are interspersed throughout the gardens. Some stand beneath carved archways and under shadowed green arbors. Some perch atop flowing fountains and others wait alone in small clearings, silent nymphs cavorting and frolicking through the still courtyard. Maybe in the daylight they’d feel friendly and welcoming, but in the gloom of night their joyous faces frozen in metal and stone give me an eerie vibe. I try not to look at them too hard as I continue down the pathway. It feels like they’re watching me.
Before long I sense my footsteps coming slower and slower. I’m close to my destination. That same strange noise from earlier catches my ear once more. It’s music—not just the trickling sound of water fountains, but real music. I hear it, distantly at first. It’s a far off choir—haunting voices singing long held chords. The voices crescendo, rising in pitch and fervor, and ascend, endlessly, into unearthly keening. The dissonance cuts like a blade drawn on glass causing my hackles to rise. It’s worse than screams, worse than dying things. It’s far more perverse and ugly. I close my eyes in anguish.
Make it stop. Please. I’m here. I’ve come, so please!
The choir cuts off abruptly. My ears still ring with its memory. Goosebumps riddle my forelimbs and my heavy breaths are the only thing to disturb the sudden silence. I wait a moment until the ringing subsides before opening my eyes.
I’m standing before a statue. The green grass grows bare around the column at its base, killed off by some unnatural energy. A marble creature stretches up above me. Its mismatched limbs and wide open mouth give it a grotesque appearance. I feel something crawling beneath my flesh, coiling around my muscles and sinew. It gnaws with sharp frozen teeth at my bones searching for the marrow within.
This is why I’m here. He’s calling me.
******
Yawning, I place a book on the shelf.
“Tired, myné kulte?”
“I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. Strange dream.”
“Ah, but the strangest of dreams hold the strongest of truths. My dear old mother told me something of the like when I was your age.”
“I’m fine with normal dreams. Maybe we should stick to books for the truth?”
“Or life. Never underestimate the power of a life lesson. I have had my share and you will too, in time.”
If you only knew. I place another book onto the shelf next to the last. Looking down, I see the basket at my feet is empty.
“Mr. Wiss, I’m done with this stack. Do you have any more you need sorted? I can sweep the floor while I’m here, too.”
“You have done plenty already, Lode. No need to trouble yourself.”
“Mom wouldn’t let me hear the end of it if I didn’t. I’ll go grab the broom.”
“Hmm, yes, well I suppose… Only the front room though. That’s all that’s needed. I’ll manage the rest on my own.”
Getting Book Smart to accept even a little bit of help is like pulling teeth. It’s best to just do it before he thinks about it too much. The stallion seems to have a bit of a complex, possibly from his lack of a horn and magic. On some level I can understand. I remember feeling uncomfortable asking for help back when I first started at my old company.
Growing up, my parents—my dad in particular—thought that showing vulnerability made you a burden to others and that was something a man should never do. I guess I inherited that line of thought. I don’t blame my father so much as the generational zeitgeist that forced those opinions into his head. Looking back now, the absurdity of that philosophy makes me cringe inwardly. Everyone needs help. Maybe if I’d been willing to open up and show my flaws I could’ve connected with people more?
I start sweeping the floor of the shop as Book Smart counts the bits in the register from today's sales. Instead of counting with magic as I’ve seen other Unicorns do, he empties them out into a small tray and sorts through the coins using an abacus-like device to keep track of the count. He really can’t do magic, huh?
“Mr. Wiss, can I ask you a question? I guess it’s a personal question…”
“Curiosity is a virtue, Lode. One that should be handled with care, but a virtue nonetheless. Especially for the young and open-minded. Ask away, myné kulte.”
“Erm, about your horn…”
“Ah yes, yes. I thought that might be it.”
“I’m sorry, nevermind. You don’t need to answer.”
“But I want to. My horn, or rather my lack of one, happened when I was a little older than you. I wanted to be a court mage, you see. So I applied for Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, same as you.”
“What happened? Did you pass the exam?”
“I never got the chance to take it. There was a filly I knew back then. We grew up in the same district, but I was of a lower class than her. But still, I thought we were friends. She saw it differently though…
My parents were enda-razar;1 my father, a Unicorn and my mother, an Earth Pony. I am sure you have witnessed how some ponies treat your parents?”
I nod, sullenly. Remembering the slights and thinly veiled insults received by both Mom and Dad weighs down on my mood. It feels wrong that such cute and friendly beings as these ponies can still harbor contempt and hatred for others be it out of ignorance or fear or some combination of the two as is usually the case.
Book Smart offers his own sad smile in commiseration.
“Times have not changed much from when I was young, unfortunately. While ponies normally do not voice their… opinions as loudly as they once did, it is still a pity that you and your family are subject to these things.”
“It’s fine. Well, no, I guess it really isn’t, but I’m getting used to it.”
“It is a shame that you should even need to.”
“Yeah… but what about that filly? She thought that way too?”
“Certainly her parents did. And it tends to be the case that the child inherits their parent’s opinions. Before long we grew apart. Though I thought we might reconnect once I joined the school. She was as much a fan of magic as myself and was planning to enter the same year as I.
I remember it well even now. The exam was on a Skeideg afternoon. I went alone. I told my parents I would be fine on my own, and told myself I did not want them to face all those hateful eyes. They would be spared any more embarrassment should I fail. Truthfully, I was the one embarrassed. I wanted nothing to do with the scorn and tasteless remarks of those pfeur-eseri.2 By distancing myself from my parents I hoped to be accepted by those Unicorns.”
A bitter laugh escapes the old shopkeeper. He absentmindedly cleans his spectacles on his gray coat.
“I should have known I would never be accepted. Not by trying to hide who I am and where I come from. If acceptance hinges on that, then you are better off never being accepted—not by that sort. Better to remain true to yourself and those you love. But it was pride, Lode. I was far too proud to be thought of as less than by any pony.”
“Pride is the source of shame, Mr. Wiss.”
Book Smart blinks and gives me an appraising stare. He seems to look at me in a new light.
“Indeed. You hold much wisdom for one so young.”
“Umm… just something I read once… So what happened that day? You went alone to the exam.”
“Sé, I was alone. But I was prepared. The whole month prior, I studied all the spells I could find and grew proficient in as many as I could.
I reached the school gates and saw her; Botero. She was with some older students and all of them were blocking the front doors. I asked them to let me pass. My exam was to start soon.
They laughed. Why should they let a mele-brun3 like me into their prestigious school? They told me not to step above my class. Half-breeds don’t deserve the same status as pure Unicorns. If I wanted an education they meant to teach me a lesson I’d never forget…”
Sighing, Book Smart looks out the front window of the shop. A Unicorn family with two young fillies trots by. The foals laugh and run between their parents' legs. Their laughter is muffled by the thick glass of the window—-a barrier locking the joys of the world outside.
I hold the silence. Whatever Book Smart went through is clearly a difficult memory for him to relive. He needs a moment to gather his thoughts.
“Did you know, Lode? There is a spell to disperse another’s magic; essparen. It forcibly releases any magical potential within a certain radius.”
“One of the textbooks I got for school talks about it. It says it’s useful for dueling since you can catch your opponent off guard by releasing their magic before they’ve properly formed it into a spell. I’ve never tried it though.”
“Yes. That is for the best, I think. Thankfully, dueling is not as prevalent now as it was in my day. That day was my first and last magic bout.”
“Wait. Are you saying those ponies, the older students, challenged you to a duel?”
“For my right to enter and take the exam. Yes, and I accepted, foolishly.
Of course, I was no match for trained Unicorns. But I thought if I dueled and impressed them, they would accept me. Plus, I meant to show Botero how strong my magic was. Maybe we could be friends again?
But it was not a fair duel; six versus one. They said I needed to defeat all of them, all at once, to be worthy enough to enter. There was never any intention of letting me pass those gates.”
“Six of them?! Why did you accept that? Why not run away? No one can take on six opponents at once.”
“Indeed. Yet, I still tried. Such was the strength of my pride. I would not back down no matter what the odds.
At first, they came at me one at a time. I practiced shildaren, the barrier charm, for many weeks. It was one of my best spells and it blocked all of the hexes they shot at me. That is, when they fired separately.
They grew frustrated before long. Three of them powered up stinging hexes at once. My barrier could not withstand that volley and it shattered around me. But while they busied themselves with destroying my shield, I gathered my magic to perform friosaren, the freezing spell.”
“That’s an elemental spell, right? I’ve read they require a lot of magic.”
“It took every scrap of arcanum I could muster. I meant to freeze all of them in their tracks. But they broke through my shield too quickly and the spell formation was not complete. I was at my most vulnerable. All six aimed essparen spells at my horn. Perhaps if I was older the damage would not have been so severe, but as a colt with a growing horn, the dispersion proved too great.
My horn ruptured with magic, the blast forcing me to the ground. My memories of that moment are hazy now, but I remember the pain. It seared. Not just the physical pain, though that was plenty. I remember the pain of knowing my magic was ruined; gone forever. I will never forget.”
Book Smart falls silent, still staring out the front window. Whether he’s simply looking at the passersby on the street outside or peering into some far off memory I can’t say. My guess is the latter.
“Botero came to me—I can still remember her face as she looked down on me. At first, filled with concern, but as the others fled and called for her to follow, her eyes turned cold. Like ice. No freezing spell could match that.
She left me there. Alone. The groundskeeper found me some time later and I was taken to a kernavimad, Meder Rosebloom.4 She did what she could, but my horn could not be saved. The core was exposed for too long—my arcanum dispersed too rapidly—making it impossible for me to gather and retain magic. My dreams were cut short that day.
And that… that is what happened to my horn.”
I remain silent, not knowing what to say. What words of comfort can I offer? Everything I think of seems meaningless in the face of what I just heard. My thoughtless curiosity just put Book Smart through a horrible memory. God, I’m an idiot!
There’s dirt on the floor from where I swept it into a pile earlier. I study the dust searching for the right sentiment and shaky words start to pour out of me.
“M-Mr. Wiss, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry that happened to you. I-I shouldn’t have asked about it. I made you remember something so terrible.”
There’s something stinging my eyes and a lump forms in my throat that I can’t seem to swallow down. I feel a pat on my mane. Looking up, Book Smart smiles down at me warmly.
“There are plenty of painful and sad things in this world. When one is able to share their experiences it helps lessen that pain. You helped me today, greatly, like a whole bookshelf has been lifted off my withers. Thank you for listening.”
I wipe the tears from my eyes, feeling my cheeks grow hot. What am I blubbering about? Jeez, Book Smart is the one who should be crying.
He walks over to the front door as I gather myself and flips the “open” sign to “closed.”
“It’s getting late, Lode. Your mother will want you home for dinner soon.”
I sweep the last of the floor dust into a pale before setting the broom aside. My little saddlebag hangs from a hook behind the front desk and I grab it as I head for the door. Inside of it are some of the textbooks I need for school. I’m not sure how many hours I’ve spent pouring over their contents, but a lot more spells have embedded themselves into my head since the exam. I made a promise to myself to not be underprepared again.
“I’m off then. Thanks for helping me find the books I need, Mr. Wiss.”
“Anytime, myné kulte.”
He winks as he flips a bit up in the air and catches it with a deft hoof. I grin. So long as I have the bits, huh? Before heading out I pause at the door. My stupid curiosity is getting the better of me again.
“…Did you ever see her again?”
Book Smart empties the tray of coins back into the register and answers without looking up. He doesn’t need to ask who I meant.
“No. No, I’m afraid not.”
“I see… Good evening, Mr. Wiss.”
“Good evening, Lode.”
The next day begins much the same as any other. Except, of course, after breakfast with the family I make my way to school.
Today marks my first day of classes at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. I meet up with Shining at the front gates. Students, young and old, mill about the stairs leading to the front door.
“What’s wrong, Lode?”
Shining gives me a questioning look as we pass through the front gates. I stare up at them with a frown and then down at the flagstone walkway. An image of a young Unicorn, spread out on the ground, his horn blown away, invades my thoughts. I shake my head free of the vision.
“Nothing.”
“I had this dream last night. Well, I guess it was more of a nightmare, really. We got here and the gate was shut. Then you were able to pass through, but I wasn’t… It was a stupid dream.”
“You got nothing to worry about, Army. You passed the exam before I did. I won’t leave you behind if you don’t leave me behind.”
His white cheeks redden as his mouth forms a chagrined smile.
“Thanks.”
Shining and I enter the front doors and make our way down the main hall searching for the corridor that branches off to the East Wing. A few students pass by, probably heading to their own classes. Some wave friendly hooves and greet us with smiles while others turn up their snouts, too prideful to show any favor toward us freshmen. All of them look older than us. Shining shrinks under most of their gazes. The poor colt hasn’t been out in the real world much, preferring to play with his figures and come up with stories for his campaigns in the safety of his house. I give him a small nudge of encouragement, reminding him that I’m here by his side. He gives me an appreciative smile and seems to perk up a bit.
I can’t say I’ve ever been much of an extrovert, but living as an adult hardened my shell enough that walking through strange places with strange people is only a slight discomfort now. It’s really more intriguing than anything. Watching all the students walking past and trying to think of what their stories might be harkens back to my days of people-watching on a park bench near work during my lunch breaks. I used to sit there quietly—sometimes with my sketchbook—and wonder what everyone’s mornings had been like to bring them to the park that day. It was one of the few respites I’d get from staring at worksheets in the office.
Before long, I spot a sign that reads, Éoser Reuveni. Eastern Rooms. We turn down the hallway and up ahead I see two ponies; one of them I recognize. Shining sees her too and calls out a greeting.
“Honeypot!”
The honey-themed filly looks around and sees him waving. She smiles brightly and trots back to us. The Unicorn who she’d been walking with continues on, only sparing a quick glance over her shoulder for Shining and me.
“Hey, I remember you two. Lodestar and Shining Armor, right? I’m glad you colts passed. Gotta say, I wasn’t expecting to see you again. Not that I’m unhappy I did!”
Shining’s grin falters and his eyes turn to the floor. He shuffles his hooves in a shy manner. It’s funny since he’s usually so animated around me when it’s just the two of us. Seeing as he’s at a loss for words I take up the conversation.
“We’re happy to see you too. Shining and I were just heading to our first lesson. This place is like a maze though and we don’t have a map.”
“Ah, no worries! I can point you in the right direction. What’s the class?”
“Intro to Transfiguration with Professor Glamour. Our schedule says it’s on the lower floors of the East Wing.”
“Oh, you’re nearly there then. There’s a stairwell up on the left here, by the old blood stained carpet (at least ponies say it’s blood, but I think it’s just some apple juice that the old caretaker Snitch spilled), that’ll take you down to the lower floors. Follow that down past the statue of Ser Willow the Weepy—you know, the one with the missing leg—and Professor Glamour’s classroom is the third door on the left by that creaky floor tile that always makes me jump!”
She really speaks a mile a minute and includes a lot more details than necessary, but I think I get the gist of it. Go downstairs. Third door on the left. I can see why she was assigned as the guide during the exams. Seems like the filly knows everything there is to know about the school.
“Thanks. I think we got it.”
I nudge Shining who’s still shuffling his hooves and avoiding eye contact with Honeypot.
“Right?”
“Uh, yeah, thanks… we should get going.”
I raise an eyebrow at Shining. The colt needs to learn to come out of his shell sooner or later. Well, not that I’m one to talk.
“Oh! You should hurry too! The morning bell is about to ring. Don’t be late for Professor Glamour, see ya!”
Honeypot buzzes down the corridor to parts unknown. Sure enough, a bell chimes off in the distance not long after she disappears. Shining’s ears perk up.
“We should hurry.”
He finds the stairs ahead and leaps down them two at a time with me hot on his hooves. Ser Willow’s three-legged statue passes in a bronze blur as we both reach the bottom floor panting.
The lower floors have no windows. Flame-filled sconces line the walls providing some light, but still the hallway remains dim. Shining pauses unsure of where to run to next. I guess he wasn’t listening that closely to Honeypot earlier.
“Come on. Third door on the left.”
I trot down the hallway and he follows after this time. There are no helpful labels on the doors we pass, but luckily my previous job as an accountant has left me with the ability to count to three. Amazing, right?
I reach the designated door and Shining draws level with me. The last echoes of the morning bell fade away in the distance.
“Well, this is us.”
“Yeah.”
We enter the room and confusion wells up inside me. It looks more like a storage room than a classroom. Shelves filled with glass bottles containing all sorts of solutions and powders take up most of the space. Cauldrons, vials, beakers and other alchemical equipment sit dusty along the far wall. A few beeswax candles are all that lights the room. Besides that, it’s empty. Shining and I are the only ones here.
“Uh, Lode, I don’t think this is right.”
I can just make out a worried expression on Shining’s face in the dim lighting.
“Yeah… looks like a storeroom for potion supplies.”
I counted right, didn’t I? Third door. Please, Faust, tell me I’m at least competent enough to count to three!
It’s possible that I just misheard Honeypot, though. My Equish is more or less fluent at this point, but I still translate things wrong from time to time. Especially when it’s from a pony speaking as fast as her. I doubt it’s a case of her giving the wrong directions considering she could probably walk the school blindfolded and still point out a coffee stain on some tapestry no one else would ever notice. Ah well, guess we’ll try the door across the hall.
We turn around to leave the room and are met with the cold glare of an older Unicorn mare. I recognize her; Professor Scones, the snooty judge from my exam. She looks Shining and me over, though her glare seems more focused on me than him.
“May I ask what the two of you think you’re doing?”
I feel Shining shift himself behind me, his nervous shivers vibrating against my fur. Great, guess I’m the one who’s doing all the talking again. Though, to be fair, I am technically the adult between the two of us.
“We’re trying to get to Professor Glamour’s class, Professor.”
“Professor Glamour’s class is on the opposite side of the hall, two doors up.”
“I see…”
I’m sorry. Did I say I was fluent in Equish? Yeah, that was bullshit. Turns out I can’t even follow simple directions.
“First period lessons have already started and you decide to sneak into my potion stores? Many students think they can swipe a few of my ingredients for their own use when I’m not looking. Tell me, colt, does this apply to you? First day of class and already looking to steal from your betters?”
“That’s not it, Professor. We’re just a little turned around.”
Miss Snooty is taking things way out of proportion. Who sees two young colts, clearly just lost, and immediately thinks foul play? Out of the corner of my eye, I see Shining shake his head.
“It’s true, Professor. We’re just trying to get to class…”
The professor’s cold glare softens as she looks past me to Shining.
“I remember you. Gelaré Armo, I believe it was? Son of Night Light and Twilight Velvet. Yes, you come from a good stock and it showed in your exam.”
“I-I guess?”
A good stock? Just how much of a eugenics freak is this mare? Shining clearly has some qualms about her wording as well, a mixture of bewilderment and trepidation dancing across his face. When he glances at me it’s almost apologetic. This is probably the first time he’s been in such a situation.
“Lodestar made a much cooler statue than me from what I heard.”
The smile on Miss Snooty’s face sours to a grimace. Her eyes turn icy as they drift back over to me.
“Yes, in terms of shock value it was quite the display. Some ponies sometimes make up for their shortcomings using those sorts of simple theatrics.”
Simple theatrics? Ha! I’m sure she didn’t think of it that way when she was staring slack jawed at my statue back in the exam. I bite my tongue, holding back the growing urge to give a big piece of my mind.
“You still passed me.”
“And I already regret it. I am giving you a demerit, Mr. Leitherster, for stepping out of bounds and conspiring to steal from my supplies. Don’t let me catch you here again or it will be detention. Hopefully expulsion if I have a word with the headmistress.”
“…Yes, Professor.”
I grit my teeth into some semblance of a smile as she shoos us back out into the hallway. The storeroom door slams behind our flanks with a resounding thud. For a moment, I try thinking of a spell that would trap her snooty face in there forever, but decide against it. We still need to get to class after all.
“I’m sorry, Lode. You got a demerit…”
“It’s nothing, Army. Thanks for having my back.”
“More like hiding behind your back… I left you hanging there. You’re so brave. Standing up to her and talking to all these ponies like it’s nothing. I don’t know how you do it.”
Well, I have like fifteen years of office life and dealing with angry managers from hell to fall back on, kid. You’ll get there too, eventually, unfortunately. Of course, I don’t tell him that. I just smile, a genuine one this time, and give him a little nudge.
“Come on. Let’s get to class.”
We head further down the hall to the correct door this time and I give a little knock before entering.
“Come.”
Despite only hearing a single word, I immediately recognize that drawling accent from my exam.
Professor Glamour stands behind a wooden desk at the head of a small lecture hall. With the low lighting and his dark fur, he blends easily into the large blackboard behind him. Except his eyes—bright orange like two glowing gas lamps—which examine Shining and me, scrutinizing us latecomers.
“You are…?”
“I’m Lodestar and this is Shining Armor, Professor. I apologize for being tardy. We got a little lost on our way here.”
“As is to be expected, of course.”
I raise a questioning eyebrow at him, unsure of his meaning. It’s then that I notice how empty the classroom is. Besides Shining, Professor Glamour and me, there are only four other ponies here; three fillies and one colt.
Since the entrance exams are so intense, I sort of figured there wouldn’t be many students in each class—particularly introductory classes, but I thought there’d be more than this.
Professor Glamour picks up on my confusion.
“Yes, there aren’t many of you this year. Perhaps my little test was a bit too difficult for you newcomers?”
“T-test, Professor?”
Shining’s voice is a little unsteady, but it’s good that he’s joining the conversation on his own this time. He looks between the professor and me as if I have any better idea of what he means,
“Yes, the conceal spell, kulte. I cast it on the doors? Well done on seeing through it, though next time I expect you to be on time regardless. I was about to lock the door before you two solved it. You made it by the skin of your teeth, it seems.”
“Conceal spell… but we didn’t—“
“Yes, Professor, we understand.”
I shush Shining before he can say anymore as a realization of what is happening strikes me. The reason the doors outside have no labels and look identical to each other is due to kelaren, the concealment spell. The Professor must’ve cast it sometime before the students started arriving this morning in order to test our ability to detect magic and release active spells. Of course, that’s not how we got here, but he doesn’t need to know that. Sometimes it’s better to hold your silence—makes it seem like you know more than you really do. But I wonder why all the smoke-and-mirrors is necessary?
“Hmm, good. To your seats then.”
At a somewhat dismissive wave of the Professor’s hoof, Shining and I find our spots. An aisle running the length of the classroom separates two columns of desks, each three rows deep. The desks themselves are wide enough to seat three ponies comfortably so all together there’s enough room for eighteen students. Only the first row is needed though at the moment.
I sit down next to one of the fillies on the far side of the room and Shining takes the end seat next to me. The two other fillies and the colt sit opposite the aisle from us three.
The filly next to me looks familiar. Maybe I saw her at the exam the other day? Thinking about it some more, I realize that it was actually much more recent. Just a few minutes ago, in fact. She’s the one Honeypot was walking with upstairs. I guess she made it down here while we were busy getting directions.
By my estimate, she must be at least a year or two older than me (my pony self, that is). Her mane is purple and poofy with a turquoise ribbon tied off just behind her horn in a neat bow. Strawberry milk comes to mind when I notice the color of her fur; a pleasant light pink. Amethyst irises—similar to Papa Soothplayer’s eyes—glance sideways at me in a friendly manner.
“Heiyo. My name’s Sugar Belle. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lodestar and this is Shining Armor next to me.”
“You sure cut it close there. Looks like the professor is locking the door now. It’s a shame for any pony who didn’t make it in time.”
“Yeah…”
I don’t want to think about what would’ve happened if we got stuck outside. An image of Miss Snooty handing me twenty demerits and telling me I’m expelled comes to mind, but there are times when you just have to count yourself as lucky and move on. A soft click sounds as Professor Glamour locks the door with his orange magic.
“Best not to delay any further. Now I see six of you managed to pass my first test. Six out of sixteen. Unfortunately for the rest, if you do not make it to my first lesson you will not be taking my class at all. All of them will receive failing marks for this term.”
An oppressive air fills the room at the professor’s proclamation. He’s failing over half the class on the first day?! Talk about harsh. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Shining staring wide-eyed at the professor like a deer caught in the headlights. A gasp escapes Sugar Belle next to me and I hear some shocked murmurs coming from the others.
“You may be wondering why I set up this little test in the first place. You all of course passed the entrance exams, some of you with flying colors, some of you in more unorthodox ways than others.”
His orange gaze pauses on me at that last part before scanning over the rest of the class. He reminds me of an owl surveying an open field at night, waiting for the mice in the underbrush to make a move. The class remains starkly silent as he continues.
“While the school may accept you all as students based on the exams, I need a little more convincing. Only those I deem worthy may enter into their studies of transfiguration; the most intricate and elegant of arts. So I needed to cull the flock, so to speak. Congratulations. You all have conquered that first step. Pray you do not disappoint me.
Now I will take a moment to learn your names and faces. Raise a hoof when I call on you… better yet, light your horn for me instead. Show me your auras.”
A teal glow surrounds my horn as the professor calls on me first. Once again, he studies my face. The intensity of his gaze makes me want to look away, but I hold eye contact with him. I’m not sure why exactly, but it feels like looking away first would be losing somehow.
Off to my side I hear one of the fillies whisper to another how young I am. I suppose that’s true from their perspective, though like Sugar Belle beside me, they only appear to have a few years on Shining and me at most.
“I wonder if you’ll have any more surprises to show me, Mr. Leitherster.”
“I’ll do my best, Professor.”
What I’ll do my best at exactly, I’m not sure. Clearly, he has some expectations for me, but if I can make it through the term without failing that’ll be a win enough for me.
Melosoidé-Kweber, one of the fillies across the aisle, is the next to be called. Golden light emanates from her horn in response. Her coat is a similar creamy color to mine with a touch more yellow in it. A gradient of light blue straight cut bangs frames her face while the back of mane is cut short around her ears. She wears a bright smile and her golden eyes beam around at the class.
“Nice to meet you all! Most ponies just call me Mel. I hope we can all be friends.”
Professor Glamour actually smiles at her. It’s a bit uncanny, but when he speaks his tone sounds genuine.
“Friends are important for everyone. I hope you all will grow closer and help one another in your journeys. I find that a healthy rivalry and comradery is necessary for students to reach their full potential.”
I blink. Jeez, he almost sounds reasonable now. Maybe he’s just one of those people who is strict when you first meet, but will lighten up once you get to know him? One can only hope.
Mel nods her head in agreement at the professor’s words. Her smile is pretty infectious and the mood in the room improves as everyone seems to let out a breath we didn’t know we were holding.
After a moment of quiet consideration, I decide Melody Quaver is a decent translation of her name. It preserves the “Mel” part anyway. I wonder if she’s into music?
After Melody comes Margenkapf. This filly actually has an akuudé-krisos—a cutie mark. On her flank is a picture of a rainbow-themed coffee mug (not that I’m staring at her flank or anything, I just happen to notice is all, ahem). From this, I settle on Morning Roast as a suitable equivalent for her name.
Margen has a long, thick mane somewhat messily pulled back into a loose bun. Stripes of darker magenta and pink accentuate her pale red locks. A purple aura, matching her eye color, surrounds her beige horn when the professor reads off her name.
“Hylé, efre-poni. We’ll be studying a lot and probably have some all-nighters so if you ever need a pick-me-up come see me.”
From out of her saddlebag, she pulls out several small packets of ground coffee.
“I’ve got Dodge Junction Blend, Prench Vanilla, Everfree Whole Bean and even Somnambula Dark Roast.”
The colt next to her perks up on seeing the last packet.
“You have the good taste.”
“Heheh, thanks.”
Furry, caterpillar-esque eyebrows curve up in slight embarrassment on Margen’s face. She notices the professor staring at her though, his expression inscrutable, and quietly puts away her coffee beans.
“Feel free to have some too, Professor…”
“…I may, though I prefer tea.”
“Oh.”
Personally, I love coffee. There are worse addictions to have. I can’t count how many long work hours it got me through back in my accounting days. The little artisan shop by my office knew my order by heart; French vanilla twist with an espresso shot. Sorry, Army, but Morning Roast might end up being my new best friend. Or my dealer. However you want to see it.
The professor calls out “Gelaré Armo” next and Shining lights up his horn in a pink glow. For whatever reason, Shining bucks the trend of magic aura matching the Unicorn’s eye color. The books I’ve read on the subject don’t have any clear explanation as to what determines a pony’s aura other than to say it “generally matches the hue of the iris, but sometimes may not.” How insightful…
“H-heiyo. It’s good to meet you all. I like Paladins—“
Shining stops short, a sheepish smile and blush appearing on his face. The professor raises an eyebrow while the rest of the class gives him a bewildering look. Yeah, best not to reveal your power level right away there, champ. Take it from a fellow nerd.
“Ahem. Yes, I see. I suppose they are quite honorable figures.”
Professor Glamour’s words only deepen Shining’s blush. Poor colt. With a wink and nudge of encouragement from me, he seems to regain himself a little though.
After Shining comes Sugar Bell—Shukarbellé. The Equish is similar to English in this case so it’s easy enough to translate. Instead of an accountant, maybe I should’ve been a translator in my previous life? Seems I have a knack for it anyway.
I hear the soft, sleighbell-like jingle of magical energy next to me when she lights up her horn. Her aura does match her eyes; a light amethyst. She also has a cutie mark like Morning Roast. It’s an image of a cupcake topped with purple frosting and a cherry. Coffee and cupcakes. Am I the only one craving a snack now?
“Hi, everypony! Sounds like it’ll be a tough year with a lot of work for us. If you ever need a study buddy, I’m your mare.”
“Study well, Ms. Belle. I hope you show results as good as your exam. The torus you sculpted was quite impressive.”
She turns to me and giggles under her breath.
“It was supposed to be a doughnut.”
I smile back.
“Close enough.”
There’s only the colt left now. His horn glows green when the professor calls on him. Yah Xhemut ebn Ahten. The name sounds odd even by pony standards. It’s impressive the professor manages to roll it off his tongue as well as he does. Likely it isn’t Equish at all, but some other language I don’t know.
“Merh’laan. It is good that we should meet. The saying my name may be difficult, so please, freely call me Lundeus, if you would.”
Lundeus, huh? Moondust. Yeah, I think I’ll stick with that. There are only so many languages I’m willing to butcher in one lifetime, thanks.
The name suits him though. With a gray coat spotted with white flecks, he, like Professor Glamour, blends in well with the dim lighting of the classroom. Though while the professor is a chasm hiding two gas lamps, Lundeus appears more like an ethereal moon shadow. His emerald green eyes have thick black outlines as if he’s using eyeliner, but it’s probably just the natural pattern of his fur. Candlelight reflects off his shiny black mane making me think he must use some good conditioner.
“Lundeus will do then. Let me know if I need to repeat anything for you during the lesson.”
Moondust nods with an appreciative smile at the professor.
“And I am Professor Gaslight Glamour as well you all should know by this point. I’ve taught at this school for twelve years and have never let a student pass that fails to impress me. Studying, making friends. These things are important, but each of you should strive beyond that. To uphold the legacy of this school is to become the best of the best. Now…”
Professor Glamour levitates a piece of chalk up to the blackboard and begins writing out what look to be formulas as he addresses the class.
“With introductions out of the way, let us begin our first lesson. Open your textbooks to page three hundred and ninety-four and copy down the following formulae.”
Straight to business with this one. I take out my copy of The Art of Transfiguration: An Introduction to Basic Formulations and Spells and open it to the designated page number. Shining and the rest follow suit and before long the classroom is filled with the sound of scratching quills on parchment. It’s hilarious that an over four hundred page long beast of a book like this can be considered “an introduction.” I find that a lot of authors, especially Unicorns, can be long-winded to a fault when it comes to the subject of magic, but I’ll just take it as a sign of how much I have to learn.
The back of the book is an appendix full of different transformation spells. Professor Glamour has us copy out a few and explains the proper ideation to enact each spell. After about an hour of lecturing, the class is asked to practice a simple variant of the concealment spell on some knucklebones laid out on our desks.
“Use kelaren tekso to make me some dice, would you?”
Bones are a bit of a macabre choice. My knowledge of history makes me wonder if these are made from equine bones as they are on Earth. I’m probably just reading too much into it though. Nobody else seems to care so I guess it’s fine, but sometimes it just skeeves me out knowing there’s a spooky scary skeleton inside all of us.
Next to me, Shining smiles as his horn starts gathering arcanum. Looks like someone’s eager to play with new dice. Shining, you know this isn’t a campaign session? You know that, right?
Staring down at my own set of bones, I take a moment to fully envision the proper formulation. Spell subset: transfiguration. Base material: ostené. Function: concealment. Subset: kelaren tekso. Product: dadoré. Seems simple enough and it doesn’t require much magical input. A tip from the professor is to imagine your magic is like a cloth you’re draping over the material.
Gently, I channel my teal aura over the bones all the while envisioning the final result. The bones blur momentarily as if a mist passes over them and they resolve back into focus as a pair of six-sided dice. Picking up one of the dice, I can still feel the rough, bumpy surface of the bone hidden inside, but to the naked eye it’s a perfect illusion. Professor Glamour stands before my desk to examine my work.
“Well done, Mr. Leitherster. You made the dots blue?”
“Just a little something I thought of while channeling, Professor.”
To my side, I see a flash of aura. Shining’s knucklebones blur and settle into focus as mine did, but his choice of illusion is slightly different. His dice are clear like glass with a blue tint. One of them is six-sided and the other has ten faces.
“Nice one, Army!”
I can’t help but be impressed. Looks like the professor agrees with me because a small smile appears on his face as he examines the ten-sided die.
“Good visualization, Mr. Armor. Did you base your ideation on a real model perhaps?”
“Something like that.”
Shining hides a smile as I shoot him a knowing wink. The dice are a match for his set at home. A real model indeed.
“Wow, those are pretty! Way better than mine.”
Sugar Belle leans over to get a better view of Shining’s dice. In doing so, I catch a whiff of her mane. It smells sweet like cake frosting. After a moment, she notices how she’s almost on top of me, blushes and quickly sits back in her seat. If I didn’t know any better the look she gives me…
“Shining, roll a charisma check for me.”
“These aren’t real dice, you know. It's just an illusion.”
“Just do it.”
Shining rolls the die.
“Natural one…”
“…”
Dammit. I’m a reincarnated human in the body of a magical Unicorn. Does that not count for anything!?
While she’s busy collecting herself, I peer over at Sugar’s dice and see they are very similar to mine. She opts for purple dots on hers though. Across the aisle, the others receive their inspections from the professor.
Margen has a pair of pink fuzzy dice connected by a short string in front of her. They remind me of her eyebrows. Next to hers, Melody’s pair appears rather plain, but looking closer I see the dots on the faces are actually little music notes.
Lundeus has the strangest of all of us. Instead of dice, they look more like wooden spinning tops. On each of their four sides are small pictographs; a snake, a horseshoe, a set of scales and an eye. I’m not sure what it means, but it does remind me of Hanukkah. Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel~
Professor Glamour nods in approval at each one in turn, offering criticism and compliments where he deems necessary. Overall, the class gives a good showing for our first lesson and he seems pleased enough. Of course, that doesn’t stop him from assigning homework to practice the spell on other household objects and record the outcomes in our notebooks.
We’re also expected to read chapters one through four of our textbook in preparation for the next lecture. That’s fine by me. I’ve already read up to chapter ten like the little overachiever I am.
Off in the distance, the school bell chimes signaling the end of class. All together, the lesson lasted about an hour and a half. I grab my book and return it to my saddlebag as the rest of the class gathers up their own belongings. Making sure to wait for Shining before heading out, I notice him sweep his knucklebone dice into his bag when the professor’s back is turned. He must be pretty proud of them, but I hope he doesn’t become a kleptomaniac while I’m not paying attention. How would I explain that to Ms. Velvet?
“That went pretty well. At least we didn’t fail the first lesson. Stinks for the ones who didn’t make it though. What do you think, Army?”
“Yeah, it’s sad. But the others in class seem nice. And Professor Glamour wasn’t too scary once the lesson got going.”
It’s true that he wasn’t that bad. Honestly, just going off his teaching ability, he’s great. I’m not a fan of how dismissive he was of Dad during the exams, but at least he wasn’t as outwardly hostile as Professor Snooty. I do have the feeling that he was watching me a lot more than the others during class though. His gaslit gaze is hard to shake.
Together, Shining and I head to our next class; Introductory Charms with Professor Fullproof. Thankfully, there isn’t any hidden test for his class and we make it there in plenty of time with help from Sugar Belle who gave us a spare map she had.
“Thanks, Sugar Belle. Can I ask where you got this? The receptionist out front pretty much ignored us.”
“Oh, an upperclassmare gave it to me. Her name’s Kahoni-Vas. She’s very nice, maybe a little scatterbrained. She gave me two in case I lose one. Kind of silly, but it’s thanks to her that I made it to class on time. It was a little tricky seeing through the Professor’s illusion, but luckily his spell doesn’t affect the map.”
Kahoni-Vas. She means Honeypot, huh? I guess she gave Sugar her last maps. Or maybe she just forgot about it in the heat of the moment when she gave us directions earlier. That pony gives me the impression that she’s got a whole hive of thoughts and ideas buzzing around her head all at once. Well, whatever, we get a map in the end anyway.
When the three of us get to the classroom, the other three freshman ponies meet up with us. None of the other ten students turn up though. He really did fail all of them…
Professor Fullproof opens the door when the class bell fades away and greets us one at a time as we enter. I like him and his jolly uncle mannerisms. The textbook for the class
—Beginner Charms and Enchantments—is actually authored by the good professor. Having read through a bit of the book already, I can testify that his joviality comes through in the written word too.
Once the class is settled, the professor uses most of the time for introductions, going over the course syllabus and laying out his expectations for the term. Typical first day matters. The whole atmosphere is brighter than the previous class, both figuratively and literally; the charms room is on the third floor with plenty of natural light. Throughout the lesson, Professor Fullproof breaks the ice with a few well-timed bad jokes and gives nicknames to each of us. He calls me Maremano.5 Apparently, my sculpture for the exam made quite the impression on him. In the end, he does assign us some reading homework, but it’s only the first chapter of the textbook. On our way out, he gives us each a piece of candy from a jar he has on his desk. It makes me wonder if he does that for all of his students on the first day or if it’s just because we’re little first years. I’ll take it either way.
After Charms we all head back down to the ground floor for Equestrian History I with Professor Milquetoast who stammers and stutters his way through our lesson plan without much incident. Moondust says he finds it hard to understand the meek professor, but Sugar Belle promises to share her notes with him afterwards. Finally, the lunch bell rings and we find a table in the cafeteria big enough to seat all six of us.
Shining goes to stand in the lunch line for his meal while I unpack a lunchbox Mom made for me. Melody eyes my food with envious eyes.
“Ooh, a hay and cheese sandwich! Wanna trade? Dad knows I can’t stand them, but insists on making tomato rolls for me anyway.”
She juts out her chin and puts on a gruff voice.
“Tomatoes are fruit and I know you love fruit. They’re good for a growing young filly. Don’t whinny at me, missy!”
Sugar Belle looks disbelieving at her.
“Tomatoes are fruit? Who decided that?”
“I don’t know, but whoever they are, they need a good slap on the snout. Whaddya say, Lode?”
I shrug and pass my sandwich over to Mel.
“I like tomatoes, fruit or not.”
She tosses me her roll in return, rolling her eyes in exasperation.
“Ugh, colts…”
“I am never eating these fruits before. Are they so awful, truly?”
Moondust studies the rolls curiously. He’s already chewing on his crepe so I doubt he wants to trade for it. Mel puts a hoof on his shoulder.
“Trust me, Lun, you’re better off never knowing.”
“Oh, but you two should try some of this.”
Morning Roast holds up a steaming hot mug of coffee. The aroma wafting out makes my mouth water in anticipation. Mom says I’m still too young to drink coffee so the only tastes I’ve had lately are the rare occasions Dad sneaks me a sip from his morning cup. But oh Margen, you ground bean temptress, you!
“I made enough for everyone so drink up. It’s freshly brewed.”
I happily accept a mug from her, noticing the steaming water flask and coffee bags she has set up in front of her. A question pops into my mind.
“You heated that up with your magic?”
“Sé. It’s a simple fire spell, but it was one of the first things I learned after awakening my magic. It’s really useful for brewing on the go.”
Elemental magic is probably my weakest area at the moment. I haven’t had a chance to read up on it much and generally the spells require excellent arcanum control.
“Maybe you can teach me sometime?”
Margen smiles, her eyebrows climbing up to touch her horn.
“Of course! Like I said, it’s a fairly simple spell.”
“Thanks.”
“Umm ahdehrni, friends, is that not little Armor over there with those mares of the upper class?”
My eyes follow Lundeus’s hoof as he points over to the food line. There, Shining stands in the center of a circle of older students, none of whom look very friendly. The look on his face says he’d rather be anywhere else at the moment.
Without thinking, I’m out of my seat and trotting over to his side. As I get closer, I hear the older students saying something to him.
“What makes you think you can just cut in front of us like that?”
“Didn’t they teach you any manners before you came here?”
“This is why I can’t stand freshmen.”
“Umm… but I was already waiting in line…”
“Tch. Now he’s even talking back to us.”
“What a mouth this foal has.”
“Hey, it’s his first day here. So I say we teach him a lesson or two. Something extracurricular.”
“If there’s someone here who needs to learn a lesson, it’s you guys!”
Seven pairs of eyes turn to face me; the six older students and Army. I push through two of the bullies to stand in the center with him. His worried expression doesn’t disappear entirely, but he seems to find his ground and digs in his hooves next to me. The six upperclassmen size me up with leering stares.
“And who’s this?”
“Another freshman foal by the size of him.”
“Come to protect your friend? Hahaha!”
I scan around the cafeteria. None of the teachers have taken their seats yet and everyone else looks determined to ignore the situation and keep their snouts in their lunch trays. Fine, then. Time to bluff.
“I suggest you all get your lunches and go. Fighting us isn’t in your best interest. We may be young, but there’s a reason they accepted us into the school. We’re strong.”
“You hear that? Not in our best interest. Girls, I think we’re supposed to be scared now. Hahahaha—Hey! Don’t go shining your horn at us!”
Teal aura surrounds my horn as I draw in more and more magic. I glance at Shining. After a moment he takes the hint and starts drawing in magic as well. If we show how powerful we are they might think a fight’s not worth it and back off.
Or not. The six ponies start gathering their own magical potential. Air within the circle becomes turbulent with arcanum, purple locks of my mane and tail float in the wind. Sparks shoot off from my horn and bounce along the floor tiles. It’s incredible holding this much magic. Within my mind, I feel oddly calm. I hope this works, Mr. Wiss. A spell begins taking shape under my influence.
My senses heighten. A vision of six horns firing off six separate hexes floods my head. It’s already happened. No. It will happen. Right… NOW!
As the bullies let loose their spells at point blank range, a barrier forms over Shining and me. The hexes hit the barrier with thunderous force and rebound upon their casters. With no way to dodge, the six older students take the full brunt of their own spells and crumple to the floor with a satisfying thud.
I hold the barrier for a few seconds longer before releasing the spell. Sugar Belle and the others come running over to Shining and me.
“Ohmigosh, ohmigosh! Are you two okay?!”
I let out a panting breath and sweat covers my face. That took a lot out of me it seems.
“Hah. I’m okay. Are you good, Army?”
“Yeah… I’m okay. Thanks for the save.”
Mel pats my shoulder. Her eyes are full of concern despite her smile.
“Nice one, Lode. Can you walk? What was that anyway?”
“Shilderan, the barrier charm. Hah. And yeah, I can walk, I just need to catch my breath. Hah.”
“Catch it quick because we need to get out of here. Like now.”
I shoot a questioning look at Mel. What does she mean? The answer becomes clear once I follow her gaze to the far end of the cafeteria. The teachers finally decided to take their lunch… And leading the group is Professor Snooty.
Oh Faust me…
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Hoofnotes
1. Enda-razar - definition: interracial, a somewhat outdated term used to refer to mixed couples, usually carries negative connotations - “meler” meaning “mixed” is the more common term used colloquially
2. Pfeur-eseri - definition: pure blood, can be used in reference to any pony race, though it is most commonly used by Unicorns
3. Mele-brun - definition: mixed breed, a term meant for dogs and cats, a slur when used in reference to another pony
4. Kernavimad, doctors specializing in the treatment of magic related injuries. The title meder can be translated as “healer.”
5. Maremano is the name of the famous Unicorn sculptor and architect who lived during the reign of Discord. Famed for designing the original royal Castle of the Two Sisters