Pepper was looking in the lecture hall's window frame. Though the repairs of the school were in full swing, some of the broken windows were still not fixed. A warm breeze has blown from outside, playing with Pepper's mane. Her ear has almost completely recovered, leaving only a thin scar. Her tail has grew back. Pepper was bored. Magic theory lectures became quite boring without an alicorn princess teaching them.
Professor Cosmos was standing behind the teacher's table once again. He was lecturing in monotone. He seemed distracted. Multiple times he approached Pepper in the corridors, asking baffling questions, like how did she feel or how well did she ate.
Pepper has threw a quick glance on an empty seat. Mettylight was still not there. Pepper preffered it this way.
It has been a week since Twilight left. A whole week and Pepper still didn't do a thing the princess has asked her to do! Pepper felt irritated with herself. A small dark spark has run her horn. Pepper has covered it with her hooves. Nopony seemed to notice. With each passing day
Pepper could control her magic better and better. The powers were arriving in her whim. Sometimes unexpectedly. But the troubling visualization aside, Pepper knew for a fact that it will never harm anypony. Not until she is the source of it.
Soon the bell has rung. Pepper has grabbed her new sketchbook, put her notes in the bag and hurried out. She soon saw Lemon Heart in the end of the corridor.
"It's now or never, Pepper." she thought. "Remember what princess Twilight taught you."
She has approached Lemon hurriedly, blushing furiously. The colt has turned around, noticing her. He flashed a smile.
'Hello, Pepper!'
'Ummm... R-remember you asked me to draw you once?' asked Pepper meekly.
'Why yes, not that long ago.' smiled Lemon.
'Ummm... Still... still up to it?'
'Of course!' Lemon seemed a bit surprised, but happy. 'When and where? Can you also tell me more about yourself? And how you defeated a windigo twice? It's so cool! You're so cool, Pepper!'
'Um... sure...' Pepper smiled.