Dear Diary,
This morning at breakfast I finally built up enough courage to show Tia my first term results. Her reaction was so unexpectedly positive that I started to wonder if she had known before hand and rehearsed what she was going to say. For the first time in weeks, she gave me a hug and told me how proud she was. I’m a little embarrassed to admit this but it was difficult for me to keep my composure as she coddled me. I could see Shining Armour snickering in my periphery, but a stern look instantly silenced him. Just as I was leaving for school, Tia promised that she would have a surprise waiting for me when I got home, which made me very excited.
***
At lunch, my flying teacher, Mr Comet Tail approached me with a very interesting offer. Apparently, the school runs an advanced flying class every Friday after school, with a focus on flying theory and practice. Part of the class is a scholarship for a six week boot camp style training at the cloudsdale summer flight camp at the end of the year. I briefly remembered Twilight Sparkle’s friends Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy talking about the camp, so I immediately accepted. Aurora and the twins gave me their congratulations, and it felt great to have the attention for a little while.
I did, however, notice that I was very preoccupied with what the others thought at the time, and I can only put that down to the ‘need for approval’ that Tia frequently tells me I have. The rest of the day went fairly smoothly, nothing unusual really happened, although I did find Sly rummaging through my locker at the end of school. He galloped off before I got a chance to ask him about it though.
***
I hurried home, so eager to see what surprise Tia had dreamt up for me. I initially thought it must have been a party, simply because of the way she was acting, but the truth was far better than anything I could have imagined.
When I got home, the hall was empty. Not a single balloon or streamer and whenever I asked one of the staff or guards where my sister was, they could only grin like a foal and tell me that I would ‘find out soon enough.’
I eventually found Tia in the observatory, a room that I have spent many an hour in since my return, mostly just because I wanted a quiet place to do my homework. She was simply looking out over the expanse that is her country and smiling in the same way all of the guards and staff were. When she noticed me, she immediately changed me back into my usual self and hugged me once more, before telling me all about my surprise. Tonight, she was going to let ME raise the moon and stars. I soon started crying with happiness as my magic reached out and gripped the night. I felt it; all of the same nightly energies that had been my escape a millennium ago were again in my grasp.
When I was done, Tia asked me why I had put the Libra and Gemini constellations in the wrong place. I couldn’t do anything but laugh. Today was simply the best day ever! And I hope tomorrow is just as good. Goodnight.