A knock on my door is what keeps me from falling asleep. “What is it?” I asked, trying to be polite to the intruder of my slumber.
“Luna? May I come in?” My sister recognized that she was disrupting something, but there was no turning back. I opened the door for her using some simple magic, and she stepped forward, to my bedside. “Luna, it has been a few months since you have seen other ponies. Sleeping during the day, and staying awake all night. I think it’s time that you get out and join me in visiting the school this morning.”
My mind is still slightly groggy from the minute of sleep I received, but I’m still awake enough to make a decision. “Sure, let’s go to magic kindergarten and give them a history lesson to put them to sleep. Sounds great.” As I’m getting out of bed, a shiver goes throughout my body and I’m reminded of the cool winter morning.
“Actually, we aren’t going to magic kindergarten today. They are learning the ABC’s today and I don’t want to disrupt that. We are overseeing entrance exams for the School for Gifted Unicorns.”
We leave my room and head down to the kitchen for some much needed coffee. If Tia wants me awake for this, I need coffee. Levitating a peppermint latte, I follow my sister out into the garden, regretting getting out of my warm bed. Tia and I walk to the school a short distance away, and are welcomed by the fellow overseers. We take our places just as the first filly walks in. Her task is to grow a hedge out of a sample of a branch. Simple task, but I guess challenging for the young ones.
After a few more exams I run out of coffee and start to fall asleep. But oh no, Tia won’t have that. She tells me where I can go get more coffee, and sends me off. I start walking down the street and find a large crowd of ponies all chanting and cheering mixing into a jumbled mess of noise. I go and see what all of the fuss is about, and find two stallions in the middle. Both fuming with rage.
“PAY UP! YOU SPENT ALL NIGHT SITTING ON THAT STOOL DROWNING YOURSELF IN CIDER AND DON’T EVEN HAVE THE BITS TO PAY FOR IT ALL?!” The situation is obvious. Classic broke drunkard. I wonder what caused this stallion to drink all that cider. But before I have the chance to finish my thought, a raised hoof is brought down painfully fast upon the stallion’s face.
“Please, I’ll pay you back soon. I have a job at the rainbow factory and can pay you in full soon. Please, just don’t hurt me.” As this stallion pleaded, the other slowly lowered his hoof, but as the begging ended, the hoof picked up speed and came towards the pleading Pegasus’ face. I stepped in seconds before contact, speaking in the Royal Canterlot Voice. “HOW DARE YOU? HE SAID THAT HE WOULD PAY. WHY MUST HE BE PHYSICALLY INJURED WHEN HE IS OBVIOUSLY HURT EMOTIONALLY? WHEN HAS THE WORD OF A COLT BECOME LESS VALUABLE?” The bar tender shrunk away just what he had done, and in my presence. “You must let him go, as long as he pays what is due.” The terrified pony on the ground slowly got up, but immediately kneeled before me.
“Princess Luna, you have saved me much pain, and possibly my life. How can I ever repay you?” I think of something he could do, and come up with a bunch of things. But that would defeat the purpose of breaking up the fight. “Just pay back the bartender and everything will be even.” I am satisfied of my work and proceed to get my coffee.
Five minutes later, I’m walking back into the exam room with a steaming peppermint latte. I have missed quite a few exams, but I know that breaking up that scuffle was the right thing to do. Next to come in is a light blue filly with a dark blue mane and tail along with a light blue stripe through both mane and tail. She somehow perked me up, and I became interested.
Her exam begins, and she glides through part one, but takes a little more time in part two. She succeeds in the test, and I am left in a daze from the amount of talent she has. I would admit that her exam had been harder than those before her, but she took it head-on and came out on top.
We get through the next few remaining exams and I tell Tia that I’m going out and will meet her home soon. Leaving Tia, I go find the light blue filly. I find her in the main lobby, talking to her parents about how she did. I approach the three ponies with caution, for I haven’t figured out what to say yet. “Umm... Hello,” I try to start a conversation in a weak attempt. The filly’s parents freak out when they see who I am.
“Princess Luna! What an honor! What can we do for you?” A cream mare bows along with a dark blue stallion. Awkwardly, I tell them to rise and that I would like to talk over some important manner with all three of them. The filly looks nervous, and like she is about to burst into tears. The poor thing doesn't think she made it into the school.
“I would like to speak with all of you about the education of your daughter. She passed the exam with flying colors.” I hear a sigh of relief, and smile as I continue. “In fact, she did so well that I would like to offer her a higher education as my personal student.” All three ponies look dazed and shocked with their mouths wide open.
“Of course, yes!” The filly speaks up from beside her mother who is still in shock. I laugh as an excited filly jumps up and down in circles around all of us, her voice bringing her parents back from shock. “Are… Are you sure about this sweetie?” I know that this is all a dream come true for the filly, but even so, her mother is still trying to make sure it’s what she wants.
“Yes! I know that I want to be the best I can be and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity!”
“Well if it’s what you want, I am okay with her being your student, Princess.” The filly’s father nods behind his wife.
“Well if you don’t mind, I’d like to get to know her. But don’t worry, she’ll be able to visit when she isn't studying, so don’t you fret.” The filly and I walk towards the castle to tell Celestia, and I ask the first of many questions, “Dear, what is your name? I was not able to catch it during your exam.”
“My name is Starshine.”