//------------------------------// // Lessens in Ponyville: Magic // Story: Of Fallen Stars & Ascension // by Hop3l3ssRomantic //------------------------------// -7th Sunrise- -Lessons in Ponyville- Celestia wakes me up three hours before dawn every morning, and I'm starting to get used to it. Being up early is actually pretty peaceful, and all the night guard are usually just getting off their shift. There's something beautiful about that moment between night and morning, when all the early birds are waking up and all the night owls are crashing. The brightest stars dull in the lightening of the morning. Today I'm supposed to go back to ponyville to get lessons on flying and general magic. Celestia doesn't have the time to teach me everything I need, and so Twilight and Rainbow are helping. I hover back down to my room, now pretty good at hovering, and water the different flowers I now have. The gardeners give me and Thorn plenty of clippings, and even showed us how to plant them and care for them properly on our own. By the time I've finished my morning routine it was seven. I grab my bag and head down to the throne room. Celestia had told me that some pony would take me to the train, as annoying as having a guard is - I'd rather not get lost in this city. I don't mind the escort. I flutter into the throne room, and everypony turns to look at me. I smile sheepishly. ‘Looks like Day Court has already started,’ I think, and look around to figure out who my escort will be. A bat pony walks over to me, and I realize its Thorns mom. I think Luna said her name was Flitter? I'm not sure. “Hey Daybreak, I'm going to be your escort to the train.” She says with a bubbly voice. I start to respond, but she shushes me and ushers me out the door. “Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, but we shouldn't disturb the court.” She says, walking towards one of the many castle exits. I run to catch up. “Good point. Aren't you off duty? Why are you my escort?” I ask her. I almost trip on my wing, but manage to pull it up at the last second. “Luna told me you had mentioned me to her, and then she mentioned your trip to Ponyville. Naturally, I volunteered to escort you.” She replies and stretches her own wings. She yawns before continuing, “It's fine with you though, right?” I nod as we finally enter the sunlight. She squints a little, but I just bask in the heat. Eventually she stops squinting and seems to be just fine with the sun. She keeps yawning as she escorts me, but she does work at night so of course she's tired. We finally reach the train station, and Thorn half runs, half fly's up to us. I look up at Flitter excitedly. “Is Thorn coming to Ponyville too?” I ask, looking between them. “Please Mom!” He begs. We look at her and she giggles and nods. We jump up and cheer. She walks us to the train, and pays the conductor. ☀ ✴ Magic lessons are so boring. Twilight is a good teacher, but she gets too carried away. The whole time she was trying to teach me she would get distracted by more advanced methods and how much fun it'll be when I reach that level. At one point she read over Thorn's shoulder for twenty minutes while I tried to levitate a pebble. Spike comes in with cookies, and we decide to take a break, I have to pull Thorn out of his book on bioluminescent plants. I think about trying to levitate one of the cookies, but I already have a headache from practicing. It's a good thing I have an hour break after this, I can just imagine all the bruises and headaches I'll have after flight practice. “What should we do during my break?” I ask, through mouthfuls of cookie. Thorn shrugs and looks at some notes Twilight was setting in front of him. “Just some notes I took when I first read through the bioluminescence book. A great read.” She says, floating the book over to him. “Maybe you two should head over to the schoolhouse, school should be ending soon. Maybe you can catch Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom on their way out.” She says, putting papers and books away. “That's a great idea! Maybe we can find Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon too.” I reply, just about running out the door. Twilight stops me with her magic and places my saddlebag on my back. “Thank you! Come on Thorn.” I say, rushing off again. I remember where the Schoolhouse is from a tour Pinky gave me, at some point. Thorn flies past me and I try to get off the ground to catch up, only to trip and fall on my face. He comes back and helps me up, both of us giggling. I hear Scootaloo’s voice from up ahead and call out to her. Soon enough all three of the fillies come running up to us. “Hey Daybreak! It's been a bit, who's your friend?” Scootaloo asks, looking at his wings. “I'm Thorn, my mom's part of the Night Watch.” He says, standing tall and proud, though his voice barely reaches normal speaking levels. Scootaloo gives me a weird look. “Uh, sorry I couldn't hear that.” She says, leaning in a little to hear better. He repeats himself, and she still doesn't seem to hear him right. “Can you speak any louder?” She asks, this time directing the weird look towards Thorn. “No. I got really sick when I was little, a problem in my throat, and it made it so I can't talk very loud.” He explains, digging at the ground with his hoof. Scootaloo immediately apologizes, and starts ooing and aweing over his bat wings. “How are things at the castle?” Sweetie Belle asks over Scootaloo. I tell her about the morning lessons, the throne room, and all the amazing food. She and Apple Bloom ask question after question about my life in Canterlot. “Hey, do ya wanna crusade for her cutie marks?” Apple Bloom asks, and both me and Thorn raise an eyebrow at her. “Actually we're just on a break! I should go find Rainbow Dash for my lessons,” I reply with a nervous chuckle. “Well o-” Apple Bloom starts. “Gotta go! Bye!” I interrupt, taking off suddenly. I hear Thorn fly off after me.