Canterlot. The most sophisticated of places in Equestria. The most famous of ponies lived here, living their lives in luxury. Canterlot was also the only town with an orphanage in Equestria, as it was rare for anypony to abandon their young filly or colt, and in the case of an accident there were families member that would take care of the foals until they were full grown ponies. Matcha, a filly with a light green coat and a dark green mane, was one of those unlucky ponies who had no ties to anyone in Equestria or the surrounding areas. Some of the kids in school taunted her, and called her "no-pony". It was hard to to school in Canterlot, the most prestigious of cities, almost everypony in the class had a parent who was famous for one reason or another. Parents, Matcha thought, I wonder what mine where like...

"Matcha!" The uptight teacher shouted.

"Ah- yes Miss.Chater...chatey..."

"It's Chateau, you unsophisticated nopony!" Shouted a pink unicorn in her class.

The room errupted with laughter, even the teacher snuck a little giggle in.

"I know how to say it..." Matcha mumbled, sliding back in her seat and turning a bright pink.

"Anyways, Miss Matcha, Would you care to display the spell we learned last week to our class?" She said, pushing her red rimmed glasses further upon her muzzle.

"I...I..." She looked around nervously, "O-okay."

She walked timidly to the front of the class, I hate magic, she thought, I wish I were an earth pony... She

stopped before the teacher, who pointed to a broken vase.

"A simple mending spell even you should be able to do." She said snidely.

Matcha shuffled uncomfortably as the classroom shared hushed giggles, all but one filly with a light purple coat and a

dark purple mane with streaks of pink and purple. She didn't find it funny at all. All she could think about was getting out of

class and going for her private lessons with the Princess.

Matcha focused on the broken shards of pottery, her eyes glowed as her horn illuminated with a golden light,

surrounding the shards. The light began to dance on the wall and all the ponies faces, the vase began to take shape, she

was focused until she heard someone whisper " blank flank " and then felt a surge of heat flow through her, her stomach turning, feeling as though she might be sick.

There was a flash of light, and the shards of the vase turned into a glassy golden liquid that burned through the table

like molten rock. The teacher jumped forward and extinguished the magma like substance, and broke a sweat doing so.

"You fool of a foal!" She shouted.

Matcha's ears folded back and tears swelled in her eyes. Sobbing she ran out of the classroom and down the tall

hallways. The teacher collected herself back into a poise composure and faced the class.

" Due to this careless accident class is dismissed early." She said, her voice quivering with anger.

The students happily trotted out, the pink unicorn walked with a creme coloured filly and a blue colt.

"I guess we have that loser to thanks for a day off school!" Said Boysen Berry, the creme coloured unicorn.

"What a screw up!" Said Sapphire Dase, the blue colt.

"No wonder her parents left her! No wait, it was probably just her mom- she doesn't have a dad! She doesn't belong in

Canterlot, that daughter of a who-" Pink Diamond, the pink unicorn, was cut off by Twilight sparkle stepping infront of her

with a furrowed brow.

"You know nothing about her! And she was born here in Canterlot and belongs as much as you, so get over your stuck

up selves and leave the poor filly alone!" She said with a raised voice.

The three ponies looked nervous, not only was the Sparkle family important in the world of scholars and magic, but she

was a private student of the Princess'. Her word was law to them.

"Oh... uh... so sorry... please don't tell the princess!" Boysen Berry said, shrinking behind Pink Diamond.

"Yeah.. Well we have shopping and... stuff to do... let's go perm our manes!" Pink Diamond said, exasperated the three

ran off.

Twilight sparkle huffed and headed toward the castle, happy that she would get a longer study session with the

Princess. She was taking a shortcut through the halls, when she heard sniffling. G-g-g-g-ghost? no... be rational twilight,

there is no such thing as gh- A wail echoed through the halls and Twilight became as stiff as a board, the fur on the back

of her neck prickled in fear.

"What did i do to deserve this?!" Shouted Matcha, who had snot and tears matting her fur.

Twilight recognized her voice and calmly trotted over to her. When Matcha saw Twilight she let out a little embarrassed

yelp and shrunk into a corner, hiding her face behind her hooves. Twilight looked at her, and then trotted off. Matcha was

still curled up, afraid she would be teased by this classmate too... she didn't hear anything... so she opened her eyes. At that

moment Twilight Sparkle came around the corner, carrying Matcha's bag with her magic.

"The class was dismissed... so um... here you go!" Twilight said, dropping Matcha's bag before her, " It's, um, a very

pretty bag. Hoof stitched?" She asked, her awkwardness getting worse by every word.

"Oh... yeah... didn't like the ones in the store." Matcha said quietly, looking at the embroidery of plants on her white

bag.

Twilight stood their awkwardly, unsure whether she should leave the filly alone, or go to... oh! The Princess' lessons!

How could i have forgotten?! she thought to herself.

"Well, Matcha, I have to b-"

"You know my name?" Matcha interrupted, her face looked bright and her golden eyes glimmered.

"Uh... yes." Why wouldn't I know your name, she thought.

"Oh... I'm sorry I don't know your name..." Matcha said, embarassed.

"It's Twilight Sparkle, glad to meet you, I really must be going, I have a lesson to get to!" She said, scrambling off to

class.

Matcha was a little shocked, she had never interacted with anyone from her classes before. She was nice, she even

brought me my bag, She thought to herself.

Twilight Sparkle rushed to the palace tower where Princess Celestia did all her work. She burst through the door,

Celestia was a bit startled, Twilight bowed and quickly trotted over to her beloved teacher.

"Why hello Twilight Sparkle, you are here early aren't you?" She said, sortin her papers and bringing  desk for twilight

to her side.

"Yes! A filly in the class messed up a spell and ended up burning the table and floor, very strange. So the teacher

released us early." She said quickly, "So what will be learning today? I couldn't stop thinking about it ever since i woke up!"

"What happened with the spell in class?" Celestia asked, raising and eyebrow.

"Oh, This green filly named Matcha was called to the front of the class, she was supposed to mend a broken vase,

simple spell really, but someone yelled out 'Blank Flank' and broke her concentration, so the vase turned into this hot golden

lava and burned through the table. Miss Chateau even had some trouble extinguishing it." She said, acting everything out

with her hooves.

Celestia's mind raced... she had only ever heard of things like that happening to very strong ponies, such as herself

or Twilight, but this young filly she had never heard of. Could it be... I heard of the shadow weavers having a child... but i

thought it was killed at birth... Through her thoughts Celestia mad the connections, The storm that came many years ago,

she knew it was created by the Shadow Weavers, but know it became clear why.

"To hide her child... from him." She whispered.

"Huh?" Said Twilight Sparkle, Confused.

"Oh, nothing. Open your textbook to page 130." Celestia knew that she could only go to see the filly at night, she

couldn't draw attention.

. . . . . . . . . .

At night, Celestia slipped on a cloak, and under the watch of the moon she quietly walked the streets of Canterlot, the

night life was errupting, the lights and the music could be heard in all corners of the city.

The music was faint where Matcha was, she was reading a childrens book by the light of her horn. The book was about

a young duck who had lost its family, they called it the ugly duckling... a well known story, and Matcha's personal favorite.

She in ways though of herself as the duckling, she had no family, and was teased and taunted by those around her. Every

night she wished upon the stars that things would get better, that she would bloom and be like the swan in he story book.

"Good evening, little one." The Princess said, walking up to Matcha.

Matcha jumped, startled. She saw the princess and her jaw fell agape. She quickly bowed her head down, accidentaly

bumping her jaw against the floor.

"No need to be flustered my dear, I've come to take you home." The Princess said, wrapping her wing around the young filly.

"H-home?" Matcha whispered, her eyes a-glow.

"Yes, Would you like to live with me in the palace Matcha?" Celestia asked with a smile.

Matcha vigorously shook her head and Princess Celestia giggled. Matcha's eyes began to tear, and she buried herself

in the Princess' wings, who welcomed her with a warm embrace.

"I'll teach you about magic, and the world, and soon you will discover yourself and have your very own cutie mark. I'll

protect you from all dangers, you aren't alone anymore." She said in a soft voice.

Matcha couldn't find words to say, all she could do was nod and try to surpress her tears of happiness.

Home.