16 Years Later
Present Day
Canterlot
Emerald walked down the streets of Canterlot with a bright smile on his face, he had a pair of saddle bags across his back with a variety of scrolls inside them, each containing a different kind of spell varying from casting shields to advanced enchantments. Ever since his talk with Princess Celestia as a kid he had been able to get through her school with ease. Blueblood or should he say Prince Blueblood would still pick on him from time to time, including other ponies, but thanks to Sunburst and Sunset he was able to just ignore them.
He let out a sad sigh from thinking about his old friends, Sunburst to his surprise had trouble in school even though he knew almost everything about magic. But he just couldn't cast the spells right, Emerald chuckled to himself as remembered Sunburst almost blowing up the classroom. It's too bad he couldn't stay in Canterlot though, he believed if he was going to be a better unicorn he'll just have to figure it out on his own. If Emerald remembered correctly he went to the Crystal Empire, he wondered how he was doing.
Sunset however made his smile go away a bit, he knew she was always stubborn and persistent, she was like that throughout their days in school. Especially when she would tell him and Sunburst about her private lessons with Celestia, it was going well at first but soon she began to be distant from Emerald and Sunburst because of her studies. It got even worse when Princess Celestia found another pupil and started focusing more on her instead of Sunset. Emerald had never seen Sunset so angry before even Sunburst had to believe it was surprising to see Sunset act like this.
She explained to the two unicorn colts that it wasn't fair that somepony else was getting more attention than her, she definitely didn't take it well when Sunburst told her that she was overreacting and acting selfish causing Sunset stormed off after that leaving the two colts. When they were teenagers, Emerald and Sunburst hadn't seen her as much after that and when they tried to talk to her she would just brush them off. Emerald was worried for his friend and decided to confront Sunset himself, Sunburst warned him it was a bad idea, but the zebra ignored him. Emerald hated to seeing Sunset like this, he knew it wasn't her, she was better then this, but whatever he said to her didn't get through and she ended up arguing with Princess Celestia herself and was expelled as her student and suddenly left....without saying goodbye to him and Sunburst.
He was snapped from his thoughts when he accidentally bumped into a stallion, "Why don't you watch where your going, peasant!" yelled the stallion.
"I-I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention." apologized Emerald.
"It better not! Or i'll have you on a one way ticket back to whatever hut you came from!", Emerald watch the stallion bump past him with an agitated expression making the zebra, unicorn hybrid let out a sad sigh.
"It's alright Emerald, almost out of here." Emerald said to himself as he continued to walk, after magic school had been working in the magical archives and library in Canterlot, his boss was some what nice to him but at least she was better than most of the ponies in this city. He came to a large building with a giant telescope peeking from the top of the roof with the sign 'Canterlot Library and Archives'.
Emerald smile came back to his face as he walked through the doors and was met with rows if books and scrolls, "I really am going to miss this place." he said to himself.
"Emerald is that you?" came a voice behind one of the shelves as a white unicorn mare with glasses and a red and purple mane came out.
"Yeah, just dropping off the stuff I borrowed."
"I can't believe you're leaving! We had so much fun here together, who else am I going to test my spells on."
Emerald gave the mare a nervous smile, "Yeah, it was GREAT times Moondancer."
Moondancer rolled her eyes, "Hey, I messed up that spell one time!"
"I also croaked like a frog for a week."
"How was I suppose to know it was a language spell!"
"Well, let me tell you my mom did not take it well."
Moondancer giggled, "I bet she didn't. Hey how about you keep those scrolls, just to remember me by.", Emerald smiled at this, Moondancer also went to magic school, but they never really talked, they saw each other some times but never really had time to start a conversation. It was when he was trying to find a job, but got turned down because of his....heritage. Thanks to Moondancer though he was able to work for her at the Canterlot Library and Archives.
Emerald had been alone since Sunset and Sunburst left, he would try to make friends but like most he would just get turned away or picked on. Moondancer is probably the only friend he has in Canterlot.
"No it's fine, besides Ponyville isn't that far from Canterlot plus I'll be back to visit." assured Emerald, "Also I heard that they aren't like the ponies in Canterlot."
"Just take the scrolls," deadpanned Moondancer, "I have plenty of more like them."
"Alright, if you say so. Hey, thanks for everything."
The white unicorn gave him a confused look, "What do you mean I didn't do anything?"
"Are you kidding? If it wasn't for you I'll probably be still be living with Mom, and helping her clean the castle."
"it doesn't really sound that bad if you think about it."
"And deal with those stuck-up nobles? No thank you, I just don't know how Princess Celestia can stand those ponies some times."
Moondancer shrugged, "Who knows."
Emerald glanced at the clock and realized what time it was, he was supposed to meet Lemon at the train station before he left, "Well, I gotta go now. I guess I'll see you later?"
"Yeah," said Moondancer in a disappointed tone. Emerald notice this and put a hoof on her shoulder.
"Hey, don't be like that. Like I said I'll be sure to visit at least once a month."
"Twice."
"Deal." Moon dancer pulled Emerald into a tight embrace as the zebra didn't hesitate t return it. He could tell that Moondancer didn't want to let go so he broke the embrace himself. He gave her a warm smile as she did back as he started to head for the front door.
"Hey, Emerald," Moondancer called out making the unicorn stop in his tracks and gaze back at her, "Since your going to Ponyville, tell Princess Twilight I said 'Hi'"
Emerald gave her a surprised look, "You know Princess Twilight? Why didn't I know this?"
"I thought I told you?"
"No, you didn't." replied Emerald giving her a teasing look.
"Just shut up, Lemon is probably at the train station by now."
"Alright, catch you later Moondancer."
"You too Emerald."
Emerald nodded with a smile as he headed back to the front doors and exited the building and quickly started to walk down the streets of Canterlot desperately making his way to the train station before Lemon Pine, his mother, got worried.
Train Station
Canterlot
"You have your toothbrush?"
"Yes."
"Make sure you shower every day."
"I know, Mom."
"Make sure you write to too."
"Okay."
"And for the love of Celestia, don't go in the Everfree!"
"Mom!", Emerald snapped, stopping Lemon, "I know your worried, but I'll be fine Ponyville isn't that far. Plus from what I've heard Ponyville is the nicest town in Equestria."
Lemon gave her son an apologetic look, "I-I'm sorry honey, i just can't stand the fact that your moving."
Emerald then pulled the yellow unicorn in to an embrace, he felt kind of guilty that he was leaving, but he couldn't stay in Canterlot forever and luckily somepony in Ponyville offered him a job. He had already paid and had all his furniture sent to the house their, so all he had was his saddle bags with his scrolls and books inside. He broke the embrace with Lemon as his horn started to glow taking a handkerchief out of one of his bags and wiping a tear from his mother's cheek.
"Mom, it's fine You won't be alone, Moondancer is always here. Also I'll be back to visit at least twice a month."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Lemon nodded as she then got a serious look on her face, Emerald had a curious expression as he raised an eyebrow at his mother's sudden change in attitude, "Emerald, you have grown into a nice young stallion, and I couldn't be any happier, It pains me to see you leave but I knew that you would someday leave the nest."
Emerald noticed the disappointment in her voice, "Mom-"
"Emerald," interrupted Lemon, "I am getting older as the days go and so are you and I think....it's time you find a somepony."
"But Mom, I don't have time for somepony like that. Plus who would like somepony like me?"
"Don't say that! Don't let the fact because your part zebra and unicorn stop you from finding love. It didn't stop me and your father did it."
Emerald shook his head in defeat,"No. Okay, mom I'll at least try, but I can't guarantee anything."
The whistle of the train caught their attention as it came to a slow stop in the station, they watched as the doors slid open allowing ponies to depart and board the train. Emerald gave his mother one last glance and pulled into an embrace as she didn't hesitate to return it as tears began to escaped from the yellow mare's eyes once again. Emerald could feel the wetness on his shoulder but ignored it, after a few more moments Emerald noticed that if he didn't board soon the train will leave without him.
He broke the embrace with Lemon as the two sets of yellow eyes stared at each other, "Remember, no matter what you'll always be my little Emerald. I love you."
"I love you too mom."
With that said Emerald turned around and headed on the train, but not before turning back Lemon and waved as she waved back with a tearful smile. The doors to the train closed in front of him and he heard the whistle blow once again and the cart slowly move, the zebra took his seat next to a window and watched as they began to pass the station and watch it slowly decrease in size the farther away they got from it.
"Excuse me, sir." Emerald was snapped from his thoughts as he glanced at what looked like the conductor of the train, behind him was a aqua colored pegasus and an orange mane. Emerald expression turned to worry as he noticed the faces of the two ponies weren't happy ones.
"Hello, is there a problem?" asked Emerald with a nervous smile.
"Actually there is, all foreign visitors must sit in the back of the train."
Emerald eyes widened, "What? But I paid for this seat."
"And now he's asking you to get out the seat!" stepped in the aqua mare.
"And who are you?" asked Emerald with a slight agitation in hid voice.
"You really don't know who I am?! I'm Lightning Dust, best flier in Cloudsdale and Wonderbolt. You heard the conductor all foreign visitors in the back!"
"But I'm not a foreign visitor! I've lived in Canterlot my whole life! Plus why do foreign visitors have to be in the back? That's not a law the last time I checked."
"Sir, let's be real," stepped in the conductor, "With what you look like there is no way you could live in Equestria, let alone Canterlot."
Emerald was shocked at this, first they try to get him out the seat that he paid for and now they are profiling him, "What's that supposed to mean!? I'll let you know what, I've attended 'Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns' and graduated at the top of my class, if you didn't notice the horn atop my head or the cutie mark on my flank then it should be pretty obvious that I'm from Equestria."
Emerald didn't even notice the attention he was gathering, but he didn't care. There was no way just because somepony was a Wonderbolt doesn't mean you can just take ponies' seats. It was silence between the three ponies, Emerald could see in their eyes that they weren't going to change their mind. He didn't want to make a more of a scene then he already has so he picked up his things and headed to the back of the train.
He could hear the mare call him a name as he left, and he wanted to turn back around and show her a piece of his mind. But he wasn't that kind of pony or zebra, he took his seat once again, but this time with a sad expression as he looked down with his ears folded to the back of his head.
"I really hope, Ponyville isn't this bad."