Learning is Magic: The Beginning

by lyramei

Open Up Your Eyes

Team 7C talked and laughed through lunch.

Island felt amazing. He had never had that much fun in years! Maybe living in Ponyville wasn't so bad after all. Maybe it really was time to give up the strict, refined Canterlot lifestyle.

But most importantly: Island was starting to make friends.

"Annie Apple awoke and accidentally ate an auburn azalea!" recited Caramel in a crazy manner. The team burst out laughing. Lilac was giggling so hard that she almost fell off her chair.

"I'm telling Big Mac you said that!" said Inkwell teasingly. That only made Lilac laugh even harder. "Big Mac's never gonna let you hear the end of it! HAHAHA!" she giggled.

Island stood up to get a drink. He saw a bowl of red punch, and ladled a spoonful of it into his cup. When he came back to sit with the others, Caramel snickered. Island raised an eyebrow. Sunset turned away from Island so that he wouldn't see her smirk and widened eyes.

"What? Is something wrong?" asked Island skeptically.

"Nope! Not at all," said Caramel as he tried to change the topic. The truth is, he had actually replaced the strawberry punch with a bowl of hot tabasco! He did it as a welcome prank for Island. "As I was saying... ANNIE APPLE AWOKE AND ACCIDENTALLY ATE AN AUBURN AZALEA!" he recited once more, this time a million words per second while doing a crazy dance. Team 7C all laughed so hard their bellies got sore.

"Caramel! One more time and I'm telling Big Mac!" exclaimed Inkwell through a fit of laughter.

Island, being very thirsty, began to gulp the hot sauce down, thinking that it was punch. A smirk began to form on Caramel's face.

"Chimicherry cherrychanga chungus draconequus!" yelled Caramel. As he said it, Island began to feel the heat of the tabasco. His face turned red until it got to the boiling point.

Island screamed. "CARAMEL MATH!" Steam exploded out of his ears.

"Did you like it? That was your welcome prank! Every time a new teacher joins 7C, I throw a welcome prank for them!" Caramel smiled.

Island didn't say anything. He was still trying to cool down.

"Island?" asked Caramel.

"NO! I don't like this! Ponyville has been full of pranks ever since I got here! I don't want to be here anymore," yelled Island. He galloped away.

"Island! Island!" called Caramel.

Island Skies was still fuming. "Ember! Where are you?"

"Coming!" called his assistant.

"I don't want to be here anymore, Ember," said Island.

"Why? What happened?" asked Ember.

Lilac caught up to Island. "Hey, Island," she began, "Are you okay? Do you need me to come with you?"

"Nope, nope, nope. I'm fine on my own," said Island nonchalantly.

"About earlier, Caramel is very sorry. He didn't know that you would be upset by the prank," explained Lilac. "Actually, we all are. We should have stopped him, but instead we all laughed," she said sadly.

Ember stopped. "Island, why didn't you accept that prank? Sometimes it's good to laugh with your friends. That's a way of having fun," said the dragon, winking at Lilac. Island turned around. "Here, let me help you with your stuff," offered Lilac.

"Thank you," whispered Island. Lilac smiled.

The two ponies walked together towards Island's classroom.