Prologue
"Fiery bitter piss, expired grape juice, and tiny bits of metal."
Silverstream turns her head to Gallus, her face scrunched up into a confused, cringing expression, "What?"
Gallus holds up his shot glass up to the light and regards it with disgust, "This. The ‘Best Selling Equestrian Wine,’ It's awful."
A pitying smile crosses her face, "Isn't that the third drink you've tried tonight and uh, hated?"
"Yes! Why does alcohol taste so bad!?"
She puts a claw on his shoulder, "Well, maybe that just means alcohol isn't for you."
"I think it means I need to try for another."
Silverstream's eyes go wide in horror, "A fourth!?"
"Waiter!" Gallus’ claw shoots up.
"Nonono," She pulls her friend's claw down gently.
Gallus’ voice cracks, "Wh-what gives?"
“Well,” Silverstream gnaws on her cheek thinking of a way to explain this to him, "Remember when I turned eighteen and I drank for the first time with my Dad?"
He nods.
"Do you remember what I was like the next morning?"
His eyes momentarily wander off into space before refocusing, "You vomited."
"And?"
"You kept vomiting. At some point your vomiting started to sound like screaming. Your Dad laughed really hard and said your new name was Vomitstream. But then he started vomiting. He kept vomiting and his ex wife had to-"
"Ok!" She puts up a claw to silence him, "What is the lesson we both learned that day?"
He narrows his eyes in concentration. A whole minute goes by. Eventually, with a passionate gleam in his eyes, he exclaims, "Drink better drinks."
Silverstsream doesn't have it in her to sigh.
"The lesson, is that friends don't let friends get sloshed."
She picks Gallus up like a toddler and drapes him over her back.
"Wh, what are you doing!? Is this a kidnapping!?"
"I'm your designated driver tonight Gallus. And you aren't in any position to fly home."
Gallus feels like he should fight back or have some smart retort. Getting carried home drunk like this will make him look ridiculous! But the way she said it sounded really definitive so maybe she had a point?
"Wait…" His feathers poof out in realization, "Where, where are our friends? Weren't they here too?"
"Over there, Yona is our other designated driver."
Gallus looks where she's pointing and sees Yona hoofing some extra bits to a waiter. Plus three of their friends passed out on her back.
His feathers fall flat again, "Oh, wow. We really went hard tonight."
The Yak slips her wallet back in her poncho before following Silverstream out the front door. Cool night air blows over them, making Gallus shiver.
"Yona surprised Ocellus can drink so hard."
"Smolder kept egging her on," Silverstream laughs.
The Griffon’s eyes flutter while he lets out a big yawn. Before he passes out, a little bit of curiosity gets to him, “Now what would cause us to do a thing like this?"
"Graduation," Yona replies.
Gallus' face lights up, "We graduated!?"
"Yes!" Yona replies cheerfully.
"Woohoo!" Gallus pumps his fist, "We graduated! We're the Lords of Friendship!"
“Hnnnng,” Smolder moans from Yona’s back while weakly pumping her fist.
Pure joy flows through Gallus’ veins, his bones are filled with energy, he can feel even his feathers tremble like he’s flying through a winter wind storm on a crisp autumn afternoon. Then he gets tired and it stops.
“I’ve waited my whole life for an accomplishment like this... What now?”
Silverstream herself yawns, “Bed.”
He groans, “Ohh don’t yawn like that or I’ll get even sleepier.”
“Gallus sleep too,” Yona demands, “Griffon have long day.”
His ears droop, “But if I fall asleep on top of Silverstream I’ll say something weird in my sleep.”
Silverstream takes a moment to consider this, “...At least you won’t remember it?”
He nods, “Yeah… Yeah! Ok, this sounds like a plan.”
“Haaanffffg,” Smolder says encouragingly.
His friend’s warm body is a reprieve from the chill air and he has no trouble whatsoever sinking deeper into her. Gallus lets his vision waver like the water at the top of a lake, then mumbles, “Thanks Silv,” into her back. No response is heard however, The excitement of the night culminates in the Griffon closing his eyes, resting his limbs, and lulling off into a deep sleep intimately close with his very best friend.
***
Gallus wakes up burning in Hell.
“Agh, Aggghh!!!” He flails around violently as a raging fire engulfs him in white hot agony amidst a torrent of screams, “Stop, stop it!” He cries.
Gallus stumbles away from a sudden loud hissing and scuttling noise, then frantically crawls towards the source of the fire to stop it. Using strength he can barely muster, he grabs hold of a large rock and pushes it into the source of the heat. Strangely, it sounds almost exactly like a bookcase crashing against a dormitory window.
“Haa, haaaa… Huh?”
He wipes tears from his scorched eyes, revealing a bookcase crashed against his dormitory window.
He turns around to see Sandbar covering his mouth in horror and Smolder hiding underneath the couch, glaring at the Pony with angry, beat red eyes.
Ocellus though, is fast asleep on the couch. She’s wrapped underneath warm blankets and curled into a little ball, snoring loudly.
Sandbar whimpers out in a small voice, “...Should I not have opened those curtains?”
Nobody says anything.
Smolder edges her way out from underneath the couch, she stands up, she passes Sandbar, she paces into the kitchen, she lets lukewarm water pour from the sink faucet.
The moment it turns cold, she sticks her entire face underneath it, “Hhhargglgarglegraglegragle-hrCK!”
This leaves Sandbar and Gallus staring each other down with tired eyes. For sometime, only the sound of Ocellus snoring and Smolder waterboarding herself can be heard.
“Sorry,” Sandbar slips out.
But Gallus doesn't say anything.
Sandbar approaches to explain himself but is stopped by the Griffon holding up a single claw, “Gimmie minute,” He slurs.
Gallus edges his way from the toppled bookcase, he passes Sandbar, he paces into the kitchen, he then pushes Smolder’s face out of the way so he can coat his own face in freezing water, “Hhhargglgarglegraglegragle-hrCK!”
Smolder, wet, panting and coughing, pushes Gallus to the ground so she can get more for herself.
Gallus uses the counter to pull himself up and shove his face under the water, knocking Smolder away again. The Dragon, undeterred, does the same to the Griffon. The two continue to go back and forth in the kitchen sink periodically; sickly gurgling and snorting the whole while.
Sandbar watches the two with a forlorn expression, “We shouldn’t have gone to a bar to celebrate.”
Ocellus stretches out on the couch and squeaks out a little yawn, before returning to baritone snores.
Looking at this, the eighteen year old Pony can only let out a seventy-eight year old sigh.
A knock at the door gets Sandbar wincing, “Coming.”
He sluggishly walks past the kitchen while massaging his temple with a single hoof.
“Look,” Sandbar says while opening the front door, “We are so hungover right now Yona. I think I’m gonna need a medically induced coma just to get to wednesday without my liver exploding.”
But Yona doesn’t respond.
Sandbar looks up to see the dark silhouette of Tempest Shadow staring down at him.
“...I mean.”
“A Hippogriff style celebration?” She asks suddenly.
“What?”
“Nevermind,” She laughs stiffly, “May I come in? I have something for you all.”
She gestures to some papers held underneath her left foreleg.
“I don’t think this is exactly…” Sandbar trails off trying to find the right word.
“I should come in,” She states curtly.
“O-oh, ok, ok,” He awkwardly shuffles to the side to let her in.
Thankfully she doesn't seem to have any immediate complaints, “This new dorm seems to be quite well built. Its architectural quality is on par with what you would see in Canterlot. Not what you would expect from Ponyville.”
“Hah, I guess it’s because of all those new creatures that moved in after the new school was built. You’ve always gotta make a good first impression.”
“I agree. I believe this is also the first time we’ve met in person, Sandbar correct?”
“Yeah… Yep.” ‘Kill me’ is the implied connotation.
The two emerge into the living room, where Tempest immediately walks right on up to the kitchen. Sandbar hesitantly looks over her shoulder to find Gallus and Smolder passed out on each other and soaked in tap water.
The whole kitchen is soaked in tap water.
Wordlessly, Tempest turns away with Sandbar nervously shuffling behind.
She walks up to Ocellus on the couch. The girl is practically upside down while sleeping. Her snores are occasionally interrupted by mumbles.
Tempest’s face is completely blank.
Hungover or not, Sandbar knows it’s time for damage control, “So! What made you come here for Miss Tempest? I heard you were getting a job at the new school building? Must be pretty exciting working at a college huh?”
“My name is Fizzlepop Berrytwist,” She says emotionlessly.
Sandbar’s face goes stiff, “...Look, I’m gonna be real with you here. We got super wasted last night and we’re probably gonna be out of commission until at least tomorrow. Anything you say to us now would be forgotten by the evening so this is a waste of both of our time.”
“Is that so?” She nods, taking a moment to think it over.
She clears her throat, then stomps her hoof.
“At attention in the living room! Right. This. Second!”
Immediately, Ocellus jumps off the couch and salutes. Sandbar dashes to her side and hoofs himself in the head trying to do the same. Gallus and Smolder fly into the living room and take position at either side, getting water all over the floor in the process.
“I, Fizzlepop Berrytwist, was assigned a mission late last night by Headmare Glimmer. Said mission has brought me to your doorstep with vital information I shall now pass on to you all.”
She points accusingly at Sandbar, “Where are the others!?”
“A-at the grocery store buying hangover remedies ma’m!”
“When will they be back?”
“Anytime now!”
She stomps her hoof again, “Not soon enough. Remember what I am about to tell you all, and commit it to heart!”
“Yes ma'am!” They shout in unison.
She points at Gallus, “Ask me when registration opens!”
“When does registration open?!”
“Now!” She slams a paper onto the coffee table.
“This is a list of classes available this semester! You can sign up upon the grand opening next month or mail in your registration in advance!”
She points a hoof at Smolder, “You!”
“What did I do!?”
“You will tell me how old one must be to join the Royal Guard!”
“When you turn eighteen! I mean, if what I remember-”
“Correct!” She slams another paper onto the table.
It showcases propaganda of an ugly Capybara mascot dressed in Royal Guard attire with the caption, ‘Even I can be a Royal Guard!’
“Openings for training are open right now and all of you are eligible!”
She points to Ocellus, who gulps in anticipation, “You were at the top of your class, and when I talk to Thorax he has nothing but good things to say about you. So you must know I’ll be teaching at Ponyville university. Correct?”
Ocellus’ mouth opens and closes several times before she finally says, “Yes,” in a dry tone.
“What do you think I’ll be teaching?”
Sweat drips from the Changeling’s forehead, “Something practical.”
A grin forms on the mare’s face, “Art.”
Panicking, Ocellus screams, “Art can be practical!” At the top of her lungs.
This goes unacknowledged by Fizzlepop, “Now I have one last, vitally important question for all of you.”
They stand at the ready.
“Are you all sober now?”
…
The moment the tension breaks, Smolder collapses completely onto the couch, “Good lord could you all stop setting my ass on fire for two seconds?”
“Hahaha… Was this a test?” Ocellus asks wearily.
Fizzlepop laughs while nonchalantly waving a hoof, “Just a little way of breaking the ice to my future students.”
“Hoo boy,” Sandbar says to himself, “This whole semester will be sobering.”
Gallus looks around nervously like something is about to spontaneously explode.
“You can lie down your weapon now, soldier.”
Gallus looks down in dull surprise to the spatula he’s been wielding in his claws, “Oh.”
“Don’t worry, I can assure you all that despite outward appearances I’ve been in your exact same situation. So I can sympathize with how you’re all feeling.”
Gallus lays the spatula down on the Capybara propaganda, “Like you’ve run an entire marathon only to get told you have to do it again?”
“Exactly like that. And just so you know, the secret to getting through a marathon is to just keep running.”
The students groan all at the same time.
Fizzlepop takes a seat in a chair across from the sofa, “Chin up, you’re the first graduating class and both Starlight and Twilight have not unfounded high expectations for you all.”
Smolder massages her temple, “They’re gonna have to dial them back until this headache goes away.”
The sound of the front door opening catches the class’ attention.
Yona and Silverstream trot in carrying bags of groceries.
Smolder is the first to perk up, “Food?” She calls out.
“Food!” Yona enthusiastically replies.
Silverstream beams when she sees her friends, “You guys are awake! And you all look so lucid!”
“We had some help,” Ocellus laughs.
Silverstream follows the Changeling’s gaze, to the room’s new occupant. When she sees who’s sitting in the chair, her smile disappears entirely.
Yona’s eyes go wide in recognition, “Retired General?”
The mare with the broken horn nods, “I was just explaining registration to your friends as well as my role at the new school building.”
Silverstream wordlessly hands out foods and remedies to her friends, only half listening to the mare’s explanation. She starts to bring the remainder of the groceries to the kitchen when something odd on the other end of the room makes her brow furrow, “You guys? What happened to the bookcase? And the window?”
They all turn to the bookcase; it’s heavily cracked and going right through the window. Whatever glass that didn’t fall outside litters the carpet on the inside.
“Uhh,” Gallus stammers.
Sandbar cuts in, “It’s my fault.”
“Well,” Gallus replies, “It’s more like half and half.”
Smolder bluntly states, “We’re gonna have to pay for that aren't we?”
Fizzlepop gets out of her chair, “Let me take a look at it,” Then levitates the bookcase back in place, and works a spell to put the broken glass back together.
“And the kitchen is soaked,” Silverstream exclaims in exasperation.
Smolder cringes, “Yeah that’s our fault too.”
Noticing the mounting tension, Sandbar laughs wearily, “...I’m so glad you guys brought us home last night, if we tried to go home ourselves we would be in The Crystal Empire by now!”
His joke gets a laugh out of a few of the others, but not Silverstream. The Hippogriff puts her groceries on the floor to go fetch towels from the laundry room.
Reading the situation, the students move to get their own towels.
Yona tries to lighten the mood, “At least Ocellus not make mess.”
“I vomited in the hamper actually,” The Changeling admits in a low voice.
Silverstream puts her towel back down, and gathers her friends’ attention with an unamused glare, “Look, you guys? We can’t do this again. Ever. We're college students; we can’t just wreck Starlight’s property after coming home drunk of all things. We have to be responsible now that we’re adults.”
“You’re absolutely right. I’m sorry,” Ocellus says with her head tilted towards the ground.
“I’m sorry too,” Gallus apologizes, followed by Sandbar and Smolder giving their own apologies.
Fizzlepop clears her throat, “I fixed the window, but I can’t do anything about the bookcase, that’s the job of a carpenter.”
“Yona gives thanks.”
“Of course,” She enters the group of six and focuses on two, “Yona and Silverstream right? It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”
Yona stomps a hoof, “It is Yona’s pleasure!”
“Mm,” Silverstream only gives the mare a noncommittal nod.
Fizzlepop’s eyes hold on Silverstream for a moment longer, before breaking contact, “We’re still working out who will be in what room at the College, but once all that is sorted out, you all will have a wonderful semester.”
“That’s what we’re planning on,” Ocellus perks up.
The mare turns towards the front door, “I should be going now, but make sure you all listen to your pink friend. She’ll be the one keeping you all on the right track.”
“Don’t I know it,” Gallus says to himself.
Fizzlepop exits, leaving the students to clean up their mess.
“Welp, let’s get this over with,” The dragon picks up a towel, and the others quickly follow suit.
As Silverstream goes to work on a puddle, she finds herself thinking back on her childhood. All of the plans her father came up with to escape the sea, and all the ways the Storm king and his lackeys made them impossible.
Yona suddenly asks her a question in a gentle tone of voice, “Silverstream all right?”
The Hippogriff eases when realizes her face is scrunched up, “I…”
She trails off like she doesn’t know what to say. Looking at her friends, they all are working diligently, by themselves, and without complaining.
Her ears droop further.
But before Yona can say anything else, Silverstream’s face suddenly lights up, “Hey, guys? How about we see one of those movie things today?”
That gets a reaction. Five enthusiastic reactions.
Sandbar jumps at the opportunity, “My cousin gave me some great recommendations!”
“What are we waiting for?” Gallus demands “Let’s get this done and go!”
Silverstream once again has a beaming smile on her face.
“Hey,” Smolder gets up suddenly, “Do you think this would go by faster if I used my fire breath on-”
“No Smolder,” They all say in unison.
***
A red sunrise brings harsh early morning light onto Headmare Starlight's desk at the College of Friendship. The mare at the table gingerly sets her pristine coffee cup down next to her friend's well used teacup. On the other end of the desk, Trixie lazily crosses the T's and dots the I's of a long string of paperwork.
"Ash, Seawing, Fizzlepop, Stygian..." Trixie lists off, "Lots of new faces to the teaching field."
"Second thoughts?" Starlight asks without looking up from her planner.
Trixie huffs, "No, it's just that Trixie cannot be expected to remember every name that comes up in her line of work. Let alone trust them to perform adequately."
"Which means?"
"Which means Trixie is performing her Great and Powerful venting."
"Ah."
Trixie lists reads over the job application for Ash once more. Griffon, Politician, Charity Organizer, Teacher as of only two years ago. She picked him over potentially more qualified candidates but, she got a recommendation from a former student of his. Also his interview convinced her this Griffon had something special to offer her own students.
"Just be realistic about things," Starlight says, "If you're disappointed in a teacher, we both know you'll just take over his job and do it yourself."
Trixie raises a brow, "And his theory of yours comes from where?"
With a sly smile, Starlight replies, "You care so much about our students you cried at yesterday's graduation."
Trixie burns a blush as red as the sun, "Why, that has nothing to do with, anything!"
"It means you do remember every face that comes in Trixie. Teacher and student. And I for one think that's a wonderful character trait."
"Performance art. My greatest strength," She exclaims dramatically.
"All I want to say is you don't have to be embarrassed, when they leave I'll miss them too."
Trixie hides in her hat.
Starlight sets down her planner, then gets up to be next to Trixie, "Remember professor Applejack's lesson on being honest with your feelings?"
"...I'll miss them so much Starlight!" Trixie finally cries out, "Do you know what it's like for someone to share their deepest darkest secrets with you and then just move to the Crystal Empire for his dream job!? Or join a crummy band that's all she ever wanted? Or, or, Marry her highschool sweetheart years after she first told you she had a crush on him to begin with? Or becoming a councilor himself because you were the one who inspired him all those years ago?"
Starlight nods, then hoofs her a tissue.
After blowing her nose, Trixie takes Starlight into a big hug, "Being a Guidance Councilor is the best job I've ever had, I hate it so much!"
With a bittersweet smile, Starlight tries to console her best friend and collogue, "And we'll get to experience this every year of our lives from now on."
They both start bawling into each other's arms, ushering in the new school year.