//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: the trip 
// Story: Pepper heart 
// by Hestrir 
//------------------------------//

The morning sun shone through the crystal windows, breaking into rainbow spectrum by prism-like qualities of the latter, showering Twilight's room with an array of colors, playing on the walls. 

Twilight Sparkle was packing her saddlebags with books of wide variety of topics. Spike sat on a wooden chair, making faces at his funhouse-like reflection in the crystal wall beside him. 

A sound of trotting hoofsteps has echoed from the wide and empty hallways not too far. The door swung open and a mare emerged. Starlight Glimmer looked flustered and uneasy as she entered the room, carefully stepping over a huge tome of Principles of Magic, lying open on the shining floor. She had a somewhat unpleasant dream, depicting Twilight poking her with the staff of Sameness in the cutie mark cave, with Sunburst laughing loudly in the background. Even morning coffee has failed to wash away the foul feeling that dream has left behind.

'Morning, Starlight' - waved Spike, distracting from his endeavors to touch his nose with his chin.

'Oh, Starlight, you're here' - said Twilight absent-mindedly, trying in vain to close her over packed saddlebag.

''Lo. Going somewhere?'  asked Starlight. She gave Twilight a rather puzzled look and started to pick up the books, scattered hastily on the floor.

'Yeah. Sorry about not telling you earlier. Something unexpected has came up.'  Twilight muttered while casting a shrinking spell on her books so they would fit - 'Oops!' - one of the books became smaller than a medium-sized cracker.

'Is it something urgent? Like a friendship problem? Or a monster attack?' asked Starlight, handing Twilight the books she picked up.

'Or a parteyyy?!'

The ponies jumped in place from the sudden sound of party whistle. Starlight has suddenly noticed Pinkie Pie, appearing seemingly out of nowhere atop the crystal map.

'Hey, Pinkie Pie' - said unamused Spike, scratching his nose 'You're early today.'

'It's just I've heard that Twilight is going away, and I was like - 'Aaah! But she didn't told us!' - so then I was like - 'Maybe she's planning a surprise and she'll be gone for a minute and then return with the BIGGEST cinnamon cake in ALL of Equestria!' - Pinkie jumped on a crystalline table, sweeping down few books and a shining platter with leftover sapphire shards in it, and spreading her frontal hooves wide as if to signify the imaginary cake's size. Spike sighed and jumped down his chair, begun to pick up the books, stealthily putting rather big sapphire shard in his mouth.

'Or, you know, a friendship problem?' - Said Pinkie under Spike's dismissive glare, jumping down. 'Did the map called you?'

'Nope'  said Twilight, running through her checklist, 'My teacher from Celestia's school for gifted unicorns called and asked for a favor, urgently telling me to go to Canterlot. It came so sudden so I didn't have time to inform you all.'

'School for gifted unicorns?' - asked Starlight, looking away with a sad expression. The visage of evilly laughing Sunburst from her dream has appeared in her mind again.

'Oh! Did your teacher invited you to a partay?'

'No, Pinky. He needs my help. Actually, it's kinda strange. We haven't been in touch since my days in Canterlot -'  Twilight's face took guilty expression 'I have completely forgotten about him. Mister Cosmos was always so nice to me back then...'

'So, what do he want you to do, Twilight?' - asked Starlight, eyeing Pinkie Pie as she bounced up and down. 

'Apparently, he needs some help with something. I hope he's okay...' - Twilight made her checklist vanish and finally closed her saddlebags.

'Pinkie, can you tell everypony that I will be away? I would've done it myself, but that letter sounds too urgent.'

'Okie-dokie! Just be sure to send a notice when you'll be returning. I'm gonna throw a returning party! Oh, that reminds me, I need to get those streamers!' With that, Pinkie dashed away, humming a lighthearted melody.

'Is Spike going?' - asked Starlight nervously. The thought of being left alone in this labyrinth of a castle for a prolonged period of time made gave her chills.

'Nope. I will stay here in case some friendship problem will happen and folks here would need Twilight!' - said Spike, jumping on the sofa nearby and pulling a small tray of gem shards from behind the pillow. 'Since Twilight is coming to the magic school, I can just send her any letter there'

'You can do that?' asked Starlight in a puzzled voice. She has never heard of such a magic. She has thought to ask Spike about the logistics of his fiery mail sending ability in detail later when she'll have a chance.

'Of course! After all, the school for gifted unicorns is the place that invented this way of postal service! Didn't you know this?'

'Umm... no' - Starlight has scratched the floor uneasily ' I never made it to magic school...'

'You didn't?!' exclaimed Spike, making astonished Starlight to take a step back.

'But you're so good at magic!' - exclaimed Spike again, dropping a gem sprinkle out of his mouth.

'Well, I... uh - Never had a proper chance, I guess...' - Starlight has turned her head away. She has failed the entrance exam after Sunburst has left her after getting his cutie mark.  Starlight has lowered her head, looking at concerned Twilight. - 'I was so distraught by the fact that Sunburst has lost any contact with me that I couldn't concentrate, failing the entrance test. Plus, Sunburst was the one who was always helping me with magic study, guiding me or whatnot.' - Starlight stumbled. - 'Without him I couldn't learn anything new at first. I've got so used to him helping me out that it turned out too difficult to move without his direction. I've learned all of my magic later myself, when I was researching cutie marks for... Well, you know... "Utopia"'.

'Oh, Starlight...' - Twilight looked at her with a sad expression. But then her expression changed 'Hey, I have an idea! Why won't you accompany me? I can show you around, make you acquainted with greatest unicorn scholars! Or show you the library! The library there is AMAZING! It have all sorts of magic tomes in it!' - Twilight started hopping excitedly with a dreamy expression on her face.

'I-I'm not sure, Twilight...' - Starlight looked awry. 

'Come on! It will be fun! You'll definitely make new friends there! All the professors and astromancers! Or the students! The magic school is a treasure throve of friendship lessons!'

'Well... Sure, why not!' - Starlight smiled - 'I wonder what my life could've been if I went there back then...'

The visages from her dream has appeared in her mind again. But now, for some reason, Starlight has found them pretty funny. Twilight has excitedly heaved her saddleback on her back, bending under its weight. 


***


The gleaming Canterlot express has finished its trek to its final destination. The platforms were filled with all kinds of ponies, rustling and bustling around, discussing latest news and freshest gossips. But from time to time some of those ponies were stopping their conversation to curiously look at an alicorn, walking through the common crowds.  Everypony knew her name, from the bougiest of the elites to the simple tube cleaners. There goes Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship.

Twilight was trotting uneasily under their gazes, making her way off the station, and Starlight followed her step to step. 

'What now? We're gonna catch a cab?' - asked Starlight, shielding her eyes with her hoof from the bright shining sun.

'No need' - smiled Twilight and approached a stern balding old pony of night-blue coat with huge, puffy white eyebrows. The pony looked unremarkable, dressed in a simple gray coat, but Twilight approached him quite confidently.

'Mister Cosmos! It's so nice to see you!" - she called. The pony has averted his gaze from the mountains and looked at Twilight.

'Twilight Sparkle!' - he exclaimed, his voice sounding dry and sickly - ''Tis was a long time, was it not?' he beamed at Twilight with a kind smile. - 'You've changed so much. It feels weird seeing you as an alicorn from that close *cough* of a distance.'

'Are you allright?' Twilight asked, voice concerned. 'You sounds sick'

'That I am. But let us discuss that somewhere else.' he looked at Starlight, who was stomping the ground shyly behind Twilight. 'Is she your friend?'

'Yes.' - Twilight nodded. - 'Her name is Starlight Glimmer. She's a very gifted unicorn.'

'Good to hear. Then the trek will not surprise her. Twilight, dear. And Starlight too. Come near me and form a circle. Do you know what to do?'

'I - uh...' - Starlight has shifted uneasily. Something seemed off about that unicorn, but Starlight couldn't put her hoof on what.

'Don't worry, just think of a teleportation spell' - Twilight smiled at Starlight and moved in front of Cosmos, Starlight following shortly.

Three horns flashed brightly under the midday sun, and the three ponies has vanished.


***


They reappeared in a small round room. Round carpet with celestial-themed pattern laid in room's center. Room's walls were cluttered with endless shelves and one big wardrobe, all filled with scrolls, empty amphorae and books of all kinds. Cosmos has moved to the huge rocking chair under a small window and sat down comfortably.

'Now, my dear *cough* ladies. Let me tell you the root of my problem. As you may have *cough* noticed, I have caught a pretty malicious influenza. The kind that no magic can cure' 

Twilight bit her lip.

'But recently when I was in a middle of reorganizing olden scrolls, I have stumbled upon your essay on the properties of magic vials and pottery. Memories came flowing into this old head of mine, and I have decided to ask your help. Dear Twilight. Would you teach in my class during my absence?'

Twilight's eyes lit. She begun to shake slightly.

'I know it is not an easy task' - said Cosmos quickly, misinterpreting Twilight's trembling - 'But I could not think of *cough* anypony else who can teach in my class! You were the best at all kinds of topics back then! Plus, you are an alicorn now! Creature of *cough* pure magic. There is so much they can learn from you!'

'You want ME to teach in magic school?' - the excitement in the air became almost touchable. - 'I would GLADLY do that! I- I love teaching ponies! That was one of my dream jobs!'

Cosmos has sighed with relief.

'Oh, dear Twilight! You are a lifesaver! For all the long years of my practice I have never been absent. I did not knew what to do to not make the precious little ponies miss out on their learnings!'

'Wait. You have never been sick before?' - asked Starlight, bobbing her head in disbelief. 

'Never!' - Cosmos has dramatically raised his right hoof, placing his left hoof on his chest. 'For my whole life I have been evading that *cough* *cough* foul virus! But it hast finally found me!'

'Most of the normal illnesses can be cured by magic, but not influenza' said Twilight absent-mindedly. 'Oh, I'm so excited! Master Cosmos, when do I start?'

'Tomorrow will be a good time, my dear. For now, you two can stay in my tower. It's close to the academy and a grocery store that has the best pretzels in the whole Canterlot!'

'But where do we sleep?' - asked Starlight, looking around. The idea to sleep in the same room with an old stallion who gave her unexplained jeepers was not very appealing.

'Take the guest quarters two floors above. My charmed brooms should have prepared your beds by now' - he winked, shooting two tiny sparks from his horn.

'We'll be off then!' - chirped Twilight - 'I'll come down in a bit when I'll finish unpacking. Then we can discuss EVERYTHING!' 
With that said, she happily bounced away. Starlight followed her, throwing a last uneasy look at a rocking old stallion.


***


'Wow!' said Twilight.
The guest quarters were really huge, much bigger than the room Cosmos has resided in. Huge windows were half-open, letting in the cozy breeze. The place had four huge beds, a wide round table in center and multiple enormous bookcases filled to the brim with books than made Twilight excited even more than she was before. The walls were decorated with celestial-themed tapestries, while the ceiling was shining with a plethora of golden star ornaments. Twilight has immediately dashed towards the nearest bookshelf, tossing her saddlebag to bounce on the star-adorned blanket of a nearby bed. 

'Look, Starlight! The cupboards here even have different quills and parchments!'

'Uh-huh' 

Starlight has moved in the room's center and begun to look around her uneasily, disregarding Twilight, who was too lost in the process of inspecting all the container furniture in the room.

'Do we have to stay here, Twilight? I feel kinda... Unsafe in here'

'Of course we have! Why would you feel unsafe? This place is scholar's dream come true!'

'I dunno...'

'Anyway, focus, Twilight.' - Twilight muttered. 'I'll have plenty of time to check these - Oh! I can't believe it! Twenty principles of magic by Mélange Spellbeard! - oh, this place is Amazing!'

Starlight just sighed. Twilight seemed too easily impressed by that sort of thing. 

'I'll go grab something to eat.' she said, wanting to look at their spacial disposition.
With that, she left Twilight alone. 

Starlight has moved the seemingly endless spiraling staircase all the way down, exiting the tower.

'Now, did that old pony mentioned something about pretzels?' she mumbled, eyeing the scenery in front of her. The tower she just came out of has stood on Canterlot outskirts, adjacent to a mountain in such a way that it could serve as a leeway to the higher level. There were building scattered here and there, though the bulk of them was a somewhat long distance away. A bit further to the north of the tower an unusual structure was visible, as if it was a small but wide castle with a single sharp-ended tower in the middle. 

Starlight has noticed a cluster of ponies near a small building nearby. The building had a huge pretzel carving on its roof. Starlight has trotted closer.

The place's forward displays were filled to a brim with all kinds of pretzels, some of which Starlight never seen before.

'Hm. What should I pick?' - she wondered out loud.

After a slight pause, she ended up on a huge chocolate sprinkled pretzel for herself and a vanilla one for Twilight, as well as a bottle of soda. She put them in a paper bag and started making her way back to the tower, stopping after a few steps to a strange structure in the distance. Then she has noticed something unusual.

There was a young filly, sitting alone under a tree in the distance. She looked somewhat unusual. Her tail has appeared to be lubberly cut, and her ear looked weird, though Starlight couldn't see it well from the distance. Curiously,  Starlight has moved closer, noticing with her peripheral vision that seemingly all passerby ponies were avoiding walking on the road close to the filly.

The filly was a unicorn. She had a vanilla-colored coat and smoked paprika mane and tail. She had a small red bow wrapped around her horn, making it look shorter, and a cutie mark that looked like a dark-green snake made of fire. Her ear was torn and her tail looked like it was rent off.

The filly was looking at a sketchbook in front of her. When Starlight has approached, the filly rose her eyes.

'What d-do you want?' - she asked in a dry voice with a slight stutter.

'Who? Me? '  Starlight has uneasily stroked her mane. Something in filly's eyes was threatening. 'I was just wondering about that building over there-' - she pointed towards the unusual building complex in the distance - 'Is that, by any chance, Celestia's school for gifted unicorns?'

'Yes. W-what is it to you?' the filly implored dryly. She threw a quick glance at Starlight's paper bag, her nostrils expanding.

'Well, it's a long story. I was denied the chance to get there when I was a filly, so I am here to check it up' Starlight has cranked a smile.

'Lucky you' - said the filly gloomily and turned away from Starlight.

'E-excuse me?'

But filly has ignored the question, burying deep inside her sketchbook. Starlight has shrugged and turned around. She threw a last worried look at the filly and went back to the tower. When she moved enough distance, the filly has pulled a vanilla-flavored pretzel from-under her sketchbook and dug in with a ravenous appetite.


***


When Starlight came back to the wizard's tower, she found Twilight talking to Cosmos in the guest quarters. The contents of their discussion has eluded Starlight, having something to do with stars and their placement.

'Oh! Miss Starlight! Come in, come in' Cosmos has beamed her way and beckoned her. 'We were just discussing the Secretariat comet. Have you heard about that? It has passed us by quite recently.'

'Oh, hey, Starlight. Had a good walk?'

'I have. I brought some snacks' she magically bestowed the paper bag to Twilight and sat on a side of the bed.

'Oh, thank you! I've been organizing the parchments when mister Cosmos came in.' she made a whipping motion with her front hoof. 'Oh, that reminds me. I have to send a letter for Spike. Mister Cosmos, where is the nearest mail hearth?'

'Oh, one floor down.'

'Thank you! Will be back soon. I haven't told you yet about my own adventures during that celestial event!'

'Oh, I will be certainly interested in hearing more! Although I doubt that your adventures will beat battling gigantic mutant cockatrices! Now that was a time...'

Twilight went out, leaving Starlight and Cosmos alone.

'Hmm. Judging by your voice - you seem to feel better' said Starlight, leering suspiciously at an old stallion. 'Maybe Twilight won't have to teach in your place after all.'

'What? No! *cough* My throat got a bit better, but I'm still quite ill' he said, a bit too fast.

'And that's why you're hanging around Twilight with such a contagious disease?'

'I- no! I-I have casted an anti-contagious spell!'

'There is no such spell.' Starlight looked as if she was ready to deflect a magical blast. She did not excluded that possibility.

'How do you know that? You have not even *cough* been a student in the wizarding school' said Cosmos brashly.

'Perhaps I wasn't. But it doesn't change the fact that you're lying. You're not sick at all, aren't you?'

Starlight made a step closer. Cosmos has gave her an appraising look and sighed.

'I am not' Starlight has made another step forward, lowering her head. 'But please, listen to what I have to say.'

Starlight, after a brief pause, raised her head and sat back on the bed comfortably, ready to call Twilight any second. 

'I'm listening.'
'I need Twilight's help. But I can't let her have full information on the matter.' said Cosmos quickly.

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'You see... There is a problem student in my class. One with... troubling powers. I want Twilight to help her.'

'I don't understand.'

'That filly has a huge magical potential, but she is rolling down the slippery slope. She has no friends, and doesn't seem to know how to make some.' 

Cosmos has suddenly looked Starlight right in the eyes. 'And you do know how that can transpire, do you not, miss Equality?'

Starlight has averted her gaze, struggling with an impulse to turn the all-knowing old stallion into something small and insignificant.
'So help her yourself. Aren't you her teacher?' she said, clenching her teeth.

'I have no talent at such issues. But Twilight Sparkle does. She can give her guidance. I have the proof of her ability sitting right in front of me giving me hostile looks.'

'Okay, I won't deny that Twilight knows a thing or two about friendship. But then why all these charades? Why won't you tell her the truth?' implored Starlight, doing her best to ignore the latest remark.

'I can't tell you that. Non now' Cosmos said firmly.

'But you may understand it yourself. Just visit Twilight's classes tomorrow. Please, just give me a benefit of the doubt. Twilight Sparkle may not be able to help that filly if she will know the root of her problems. I know Twilight well. She will choose the wrong approach.' 

Starlight was sitting on the bed, her expression unchanging from slightly hostile disbelief. Cosmos stood up.

'I will tell you everything you'd want to know tomorrow if you will not tell Twilight Sparkle about our conversation. I promise. Just give me a chance to prove my point.'

After a pause, Starlight has nodded reluctantly. She thought to herself that if Cosmos is telling  truth, she would be doing a bad thing by derailing his plan.

'You better do. Cuz if you don't - we're getting out of here tomorrow.'

'It's a promise, then' Cosmos smiled 'I guess I now can dispell the warding charm I have set up.' Starlight has risen her eyebrow. 
After a few minutes of awkward silence the door creaked open, letting Twilight in.

'All done!' she said, beaming. 'Had to make trip a few times. There were always things I forgot, like writing Spike to make a quill order from Quills and Sofas and all. Heh-heh...' she laughed absent-mindedly while Starlight threw a quick impressed look at a delighted Cosmos. Such a warding spell was unknown to her and felt beyond her expertise.

'Oh, by the way, Starlight. Thank you for the pretzel! It was good. Have you eaten yours already?'

'What do you mean? Mine was the chocolate one.'

'Huh? There was only a chocolate one' Twilight looked confused

'Huh? There was supposed to be a vanilla one... Did I dropped it on the way here?' Starlight looked puzzled.