Okay Look, I do NOT want to be possesed.

Sure it gives me some extra power every now and then. But that's not the point! If your reading this because yout think you are possesed, then close this stop immediately. Go see Princess Celestia, hopefully she can have you sorted out. Afterwards just try to act normal.

If you aren't, then I envy you. It must feel nice to believe none of this is real. That it's fictional.

But if you feel something stirring within you, stop. The more aware you become, the more of a danger you are. Not only to yourself, but every other pony you know and care about.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

My name is SkySparkle.

I'm fifteen years old. I just checked out of Baltimare's Military Academy for Troublesome Ponies. Permanently. If somepony asked me what traits I constantly display, I would tell him that I was a nice, intelligent unicorn.

I that same somepony asked another pony, for example a teacher, they would say I am a time bomb for trouble. I'm apparently impulsive, get into fights a lot (They started it!), and and I am behind in my studies.

I could ask anypony to tell you what I am to prove it, but my story REALLY began on on of my grade nine field trips. The one where I went to a military exhibit at the museum, to see old war artifacts.

I know- it sounds like torture. Thirty-one mares and stallions packed onto a yellow school carriage with only two chaperones. But one of the chaperones was Ms. Aitselec, the war history teacher, so I had my hopes.

Ms. Aitselec had turquoise and pink hair tied up in a bun. She had a white coat and an unusually long horn. She was also very tall for a unicorn her age, which was around 60? 55? Something like that. I'd never seen her cutie mark, it was always covered by a blue jacket she wore at all times. She was pretty cool. She had a big collection of guns and stuff, and she always let us play games in class, so I never fell asleep once in history once so far, which is surprising knowing me.

I hoped the trip would be okay, and that I wouldn't destroy anything.

Was I ever wrong.

See, weird thing always happen to me on field trips. Like in my fifth grade school in Las Pegasus, we went to a museum and I accidentally fired a Revolutionary War cannon. I wasn't trying to hit the carriage, but of course I was expelled anyways. And in Trottingham, we went to a Marineland and we went on a catwalk. I hit a lever by accident. And then after that… how do I put this… our class took an unplanned swim.

This trip, I was determined to be good.

All the way to the museum, I had to put up with a big bully, who flunked out of the Wonderbolt Academy, when I was young. Her name is LightningDust. She's old enough to have graduated, but she has been expelled so many times, she hasn't reached grad yet. Anyways… she was annoying because she kept hitting my friend QuickSilver in the back of her head with a lettuce sandwich.

Quicks was an easy target. She's the mail pony for the crystal empire, but insisted she come with me to the academy.

She has a crystal yellow coat, and has curly turquoise mane which she keeps in a bun. The first time I met her, she was delivering a message to my father and mother, Shining Armor and Cadence. She was wearing a delivery uniform and acted shyly, like Fluttershy would.

So, Lightning was throwing wads of sandwich at her that bounced of her crystal hair, becase she knew I couldn't do anything bad. I had already gotten threatened by the headmaster- death by one month of cleaning the weapons we used.

"I'm gonna kill her," I growled to QuickSilver.

She tried to calm me down. "It's okay. I like lettuce."

She dodged another piece of Lightning's lunch.

"That's it." I started to get up, to teach that mare a lesson. My ears flopped back as I began to cast a spell. I was about to unleash it, my dark pink aura (that matched my eyes) glowing, but Quicks pulled me back into my seat, her hooves wrapped tightly around my arm.

'You're already on probation,"she reminded me. "You know who'll be blamed if anything happens.'

Looking back, I wish I had beaten up LightningDust then and there. Cleaning weapons would have been nothing compared to he trouble I was about to get into.

Ms. Aitselec lead the tour.

She walked up in front of the group, explaining every single exhibit.

It's hard to believe that all of this stuff survived so long, Like the scythe that Princess Celestia used to battle Sombra a thousand years ago. I thought it was cool, but Ms. Aitselec looked at it like it was a coffin.

The plastics (The popular ponies) wouldn't stop talking during the presentation. Every time I told them to shut up, Mrs. Lous gave me the evil eye.

Mrs. Lous in a pony that has deep red hair. She has no horn or no wings, making her an earth pony. She has a white coat, but not as bright as Ms. Aitselec's. more creamy. Mrs. Lous doesn't have any cutie mark. That's probably why she hates me so much. I mean, have you seen my cutie mark. Can you say G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S? Anywho… Mrs. Lous came here after our first science teacher had a nervous breakdown.

She figured that LightningDust was Celestia's gift to BMA, and I was devil spawn. And when she said, "Now, SkySparkle…" and I knew I would be doing 30 push-ups.

Ms. Aitselec kept talking about the scythe. Finally, when LightningDust snickered and whispered to her buddy, ThunderLane, behind me, "Her hair is so bad,"

I turned around and said, "Would you shut up!?"

It came out louder then I intended it to.

The whole group laughed. Ms. Aitselec stopped her story amusedly.

"Miss Sparkle?" she laughed. "Did you have a comment?".

My face was totally red. I mumbled, "No, M'am."

Ms. A pointed at the scythe. "Perhaps you can tell us what this is."

I looked at the scythe, relieved that I knew the story. "Well… That's Celestia's golden scythe." I looked at her and she was nodding. "She used it in combat against King Sombra, the stallion who took over the crystal empire."

I felt QuickSilver shiver beside me.

She was StarSwirl the Bearded's daughter, and one of the many ponies enslaved by Sombra during his reign. I nudged her quickly before going on with my explaination.

"The two had a huge battle. Celestia won."

Lightning whispered again, "Like we're actually going to use this in real life. Imagine that on our job description; 'Please explain why King Sombra took over the Crystal Empire'."

"And why Miss. Sparkle," started Ms. Aitselec, "to paraphrase Miss. Dust's excellent question, does this matter in real life?"

"Busted," mumbled Quick shyly.

"Shut up." Dust hissed, her face bright red.

Well, at least Lighting was packed too. Ms. Aitselec was the only one who ever caught her doing anything wrong. She had radar ears.

I thought about her question then shrugged. "I'm afraid I don't know, M'am."

"I see." Ms. A looked disappointed. "Well, half credit, Miss Sparkle. Celestia did indeed defeat Sombra with this scythe. She however did not have the help of her sister, Princess Luna during the battle. She was… pre-occupied with some magic. Very dark magic. On that happy note, it's time for lunch! Mrs. Lous, could you lead the students outside please?"

The class drifted off, the mares (except for me and QuickSilver) talking about fashion sales or something, and the colts pushing each other around like doofuses.

Quick and I were about to follow when Ms. Aitselec said, "Miss.Sparkle."

I knew what was coming, even before she said it.

I told Quick to keep going. Then i turned to Ms. A. "M'am?"

"You must learn to answer my questions."

"About the scythe?"

"About real life."

"Oh."

"What you learn from me," she said, "is vitally important. I expect you treat it as such. I will only accept the best from you, SkySparkle."

I wanted to get angry, this mare pushed me so hard.

I mean sure it was kinda cool when on quiz days she would dress up in full armor and shouted, "Let's go!"

and challenged us, horn point against chalk, to gallop to the board and name every pony that had every lived through the war, their mother, and what type of pony they were. But Ms. Aitselec expected me to be better then everypony else, despite the fact that I have ADHD and always get into fights. (Luckily I don't have Dyslexia like QuickSilver.) No- she doesn't expect me to be good- she expects me to be better. I can't sit still for one minute, much less learn all those facts.

I muttered something about trying harder, while Ms. A took one last sad look at the scythe, like she had been at the battle. Then she told me to go outside and eat my lunch.

The class gathered on the steps in front of the museum, where we could see a fountain in front of 125th avenue.

Overhead, a storm was brewing, with clouds blacker than I'd seen over the city. I figured mabey it was global warming or something, because ever since I came back to the Academy at Christmas, the weather had been acting strangely in Baltimare. We'd had massive snowstorms, flooding, wildfires from lightning strikes. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a hurricane.

No-pony else seemed to notice.

The colts were throwing crackers at pigeons, while the plastics watched Lighting steal stuff from tourists. Of course Mrs. Lous didn't see any of it. Wretched old hag. I thought.

Immediately after that thought, I got an excrutiating psin in the back of my head, and I fell over. After I did, the ache disappeared as quickly as it was concieved.

QuickSilver helped me up. "What was that?" She asked.

I shook my head, sitting next to her. "Nothing."

She looked at me questioningly. "Did you get detention?"

I levitated an apple. "Nope. Not from Aitselec." I said. "I know she likes me but-" i bit into my green apple."-I wish she'd take it easy on me every once and a while. I'm not a genius."

I expected QuickSilver to say something deep and make me feel better, but she said, "Are you gonna eat that sandwich?" I shook my head sadly.

I looked at Ms. Aitselec, who was eating celery while reading a novel entitled, 'the Art of the To-Do list'. I wondered if it was any good. I shivered. I'm starting to sound like Auntie Twilight. An Egghead. I thought weirdly.

I was about to unwrap my sandwich, when Lightning and the plastics appeared in front of us. I guess they got bored of stealing from tourists. Dust walked up to Quick and dumped her half-eaten lunch right on Quick's head.

I tried to stay cool. But the head ache returned and made me FURIOUS. I heard a familiar voice in my head rasp, Yes.... You know the spell, Sky.... She deserves it.... Hurt her... Kill her..... I cast a spell to push her backwards a bit.

I didn't mean to make the spell strong, but next thing I knew, LightningDust had crashed through the side of the carriage screaming, "Sky pushed me!"

Mrs. Lous appeared next to us.

Some of the ponies were whispering, "Did you see her mane-"

"It like-"

" Turned to flame-"

I didn't know what was they were talking about, because when I felt my mane with my hoof, It was yellow and spikey as usual. I frowned.

As soon as Mrs. Lous was sure thatpoor little Lightning was okay, and peomised to buy her a new shirt, etc., she turned to me, with and evil fire in her eyes, like I had done something she had been waiting for me to do all semester. "Now, SkySparkle..."

I shivered, because, her voice sounded just like that voice in my head. I shook it off, and grumbled, "I know. In-school detention for a month."

In foresight, that wasn't a smart thing to say.

"Follow me." She said.

"Wait!" Quick yelped. "It was me. I pushed her!"

I was stunned. Mrs. Lous scared the hat off of QuickSilver. Mrs. L stared at Quicks for so long, she began to tremble.

"I don't think so, Miss. QuickSilver." Said Mrs. Lous.

"But-"

"You. Will. Stay. HERE." she muttered through clenched teeth.

Quick looked at me desparately. "S'okay, QuickSilver. Thanks anyways." I mumbled.

Mrs. Lous shouted, "NOW, Honey."

I glanced quickly at Mrs. A, still absorbed in her novel. Then I turned to Mrs. Lous. She was already up the stairs, and heading into the museum. I followed her into the scythe exhibit.

She began to growl. I was super nervous. I didn't like being alone with a teacher, especially Mrs. Lous. Plus the way she looked at the scythe, it looked she wanted to destroy it.

"You've giving us problems, Sky." She says.

I did the safe thing. I said, "Yes m'am."

"Did you really thought you could keep control forever?"

I didn't know what she meant.

I thought mabey they had found my illegal candy stash that I had been selling in my dorm. Or mabey they found out that I had gotten my essay on the elements of harmony off the internet, that I hadn't actually read the book on it. Mabey they were gonna take away my mark. Or worse, make me read the book.

"Well?" She demanded.

"M'am, i don't..."

"Give ME CONTROL!" She screeched.

Then the weirdest thing happened. Her pupils shrank into tiny slits. She grew in height until she was a bit taller then Ms. A. She grew a broken horn and white bat wings. Her coat had red speckles all over her coat, it made it look blood stained. She opened her mouth and I saw needlesharp teeth. She cackled evily. Then things got even weirder.

Ms. Aitselec galloped in and said, "SkySparkle!!"

She used her golden magic and threw the golden scythe at me. I caught it using magic.

Mrs. Lous, or whatever that creature was turned on me and growled.

My legs where jelly. I felt my magic fading, I was so scared.

"Die, honey!" She shouted and flew straight at me.

Absolute terror shot through me. So i did the natural thing. I swung the scythe.

Mrs. Lous shattered into little pieces and flew towards me, going into my chest. I was alone,holding the scythe. Ms. A wasn't there, or Mrs. Lous. Or anypony.

My hooves were trembling. My lunch must of bern contaminated with magic mushrooms or something.

Had I imagined the whole thing?

I set the scythe back on it's stand and trotted outside. It had started to rain. I was followed by a black earth pony with a blue mane and no cutie mark. I saw QuickSilver, sheltered under an umbrella with Ms. Aitselec, as if she had never moved. LightningDust was grumbling with her friends unsheltered. I walked by her, and she stopped me.

"I hope Miss Rrek kicked your butt."

"Who?"

The black mare walked over to LightningDust and gave her a museum t-shirt.

"Our teacher! Duh!" Lightning said pointing a hoof at the mare who gave her the shirt.

I blinked. We had no teacher named Miss Rrek. I asked her what she meant, but she rolled her eyes and took her group somewhere else.

I asked Quick where Mrs. Lous was. She paused at first and blinked. Then she asked, "Who?"

But she paused first, so I thought she was messing with me.

"Not funny, Quicks." I said, starting to get a little scared. "This is serious."

She gave me a confused look. I looked up at the sky.

Lightning flashed. It looked slightly red. I shivered at the sound of the thunder.

Ms. A overheard my conversation with QuickSilver. She looked up.

I asked, "M'am, where's Mrs. Lous?"

She stared at me blankly. "Who?"

"The other chaperone. Mrs Lous. The Science teacher."

She frowned and looked at the back of her book for a moment. Then she closed the book and looked me in the eyes. "SkySparkle, there is no Mrs. Lous on this trip. As far as I'm concerned, there has never been a Mrs. Lous at Baltimare Military Academy. Are you feeling okay?"

I was used to the occasional weird experience, but usually they were over quickly. This 24/7 hallucination was more than I can handle. For the rest of the school year, the entire campus seems To be playing some kind of trick on me. The students acted as if they were completely and totally convinced that Mrs. Rrek, a Perky black colored mare with blunt blue hair had been the science teacher since Christmas. Every so often I would spring a Mrs. Lous reference on somebody, just to see if I could trip them up, but they would stare at me like I was psycho. I'll admit I almost believed them- Mrs. Lous had never existed.

Almost.

But Quicksilver couldn't fool me. When I mention the name Lous to her, she would hesitate, then claim that she didn't exist. But I knew she was lying.

Something was going on. Something had happened at the museum.

I didn't have much time to think about it during the days, but at the night, visions of Mrs. Lous with a broken horn and leathery wings would wake me up in a cold sweat.

The freak weather continued, which didn't help my mood. One night, a thunderstorm blew out the windows in my dorm room. A few days later, the biggest tornado ever spotted in Baltimare touched down only 50 miles away from the Academy. One of the current events we studied in social studies class was the unusual number of pegasi carriges that gone down in sudden squalls in the Atlantic that year.

I started feeling cranky and irritable most of the time. My grades slipped down from Ds to Fs. I got into more fights with LightningDust and her friends. I was sent out to the hallway almost every class.

Finally, when the English teacher Mr. Snowflake asked me for the millionth time I was too lazy to study for spelling tests, I snapped I called him and old dragon. I had no idea what that supposed to mean, but sounded good.

The headmaster set my mom and dad, Cadence and Shining Armor, a letter the following week, making it official;

I would not be invited back next year to Baltimare Military Academy.

Fine, I told myself. Just fine.

I Was homesick.

I wanted to be with my mom and dad in our big castle in the Crystal Empire, even if I had to go to a public school and put up with all those bullies that forced me out of my old school.

And yet… There are things that would miss at Baltimore to view of the woods to my dorm window, the Hudson river in the distance, the smell of pine trees. I'd miss Quicksilver, she Had been good friend, even if she was a little shy. I was worried about how she'd survive next year without me, with the whole bullying deal.

I'd miss history class, Ms. Aitselec And her crazy quiz days and her faith that I could do well.

As exam we got closer, history was the only test I've studied for. I hadn't forgotten What Ms. A had told me about this subject being life-and-death for me. I wasn't sure why... but I'd start to believe her.

The evening before my final, I got so frustrated I threw the Camel-loop guide to history across my dorm room. I screamed and sign my head against my table. I didn't want to let Ms. Aitselec down.

I paced the room, feeling like ants were crawling up-and-down my legs.

I remembered Ms. Aitselec's serious expression, her Thousand year old eyes. I will except only the best from you, SkySparkle.

I took a deep breath. I picked up a history book. I never asked a teacher for help before. Maybe if I talked to Ms. Aitselec, she could give me some pointers. Or maybe instead I could apologize for the big fat F I was about to score her exam. I didn't want to leave this Academy with her thinking I had tried.

I walked downstairs to the faculty offices. Most of them were dark and empty but Ms. A's door was ajar, light from her window stretching across the hallway floor.

I was three steps from the doorhandle when I heard voices inside the office. Ms. Aitselec asked a question. A voice that was definitely Quicksilver's said "...worried about SkySparkle, your highness."

I froze.

I'm Not usually an eavesdropper, (well... That's not entirely true...) but I dare you try not listening if you hear your only friend talking about you to an adult.

I inched closer.

"… alone this summer,"Quicksilver was saying. " I mean... a demon in the school! Now That we know for sure, and they know too-"

"We would only make matters worse by rushing her." Ms.Aitselec said. "We need the filly to mature more."

"She may not have the time. The deadline-"

"Will have to be resolved without her, Quicksilver. Let her enjoy her ignorance but she can."

"M'am, she saw her…"

"Her imagination," Ms.Aitselec insisted. "The spell I cast over the students and staff will be enough to convince her of that."

"M'am, I can't fail my duties again. If I lose this one, then her parents will mourn again, and the Empire will fall again. All my fault... All my fault..." Quicksilver's voice was choked with emotion.

"You haven't failed yet, Quicksilver," Ms. A said kindly. "The Empire won't fall as easily as it did before. It was weakened. Not to mention the crystal heart was stolen that time. Let's just worry about keeping SkySparkle alive until next fall-"

The history book dropped because the shock stopped my magical control and hit the floor with a thud.

Ms.Aitselec went silent.

My hurt was hammering, I picked up the book, and teleported back to the end of the hall.

The shadow that looked like a large Alicorn appeared against the wall. I opened the nearest door and slipped inside. A few seconds later I heard a slow clop-clop-clop,like there was a pony right outside the door. A large dark shape positive front of the door.

A Beat of sweat trickled down my neck.

"Nothing," Ms. Aitselec murmered. "My nerves haven't been the same since Christmas."

"Mine neither,"Quicksilver muttered. "but I could've sworn…"

"Go back to the dorm," Ms.A told her. "got along the exams tomorrow."

"Don't remind me."

Lights went out in the office.

I waited in the dark for what seemed like forever. Finally I slipped into the hallway and made my way back up to the door.

Quicksilver was laying on her bed studying her history exam notes like she'd been there all night.

"Hey, you going to be ready for this test?" She asked me.

I didn't answer.

"you look awful. Is everything okay?"she frowned.

I told her that I was just tired. I turned so she couldn't read my expression, and start getting ready for bed.

I didn't understand what I heard downstairs. I want to believe I imagined the whole thing. The one thing was clear: Quicksilver and Ms. Aitselec

were talking about me behind my back.They thought I was in some kind of danger.

Next afternoon, as I was leaving the three hour History exam, Ms. Aitselec called me back inside.

For a moment, I was worried that she found out about my eavesdropping the night before, but that didn't seem to be the problem.

"SkySparkle." She said. "Don't be discouraged about leaving Baltimare. It's… It's for the best."

Her tone was kind, but the word still embarrassed me. Even though she was speaking quietly, the other ponies finishing the tests could hear lightning dust smirked at me and stuck out her tongue.

I mumbled, "Okay, M'am."

"I mean…" Ms. Aitselec shuffled her hooves, like she was unsure of what to say. "Is in the right place for you. It was only matter of time."

My eyes stung. SHe was my favorite teacher, in front of the class, telling me I couldn't handle it. After Telling me she believed in me all year, now she's telling me I was destined to get kicked out.

"Right." I said trembling.

"No, no, okay found it all. What I'm trying to say… Not normal SkySparkle. That's nothing to be-"

"Thanks. Thanks a lot, M'am. Because I totally needed a reminder."

"Sky-"

I tore out of the room, a tear trickling down my cheek.

On the last day of the term, I shoved my clothes into my case. The other mayors are joking around, talking about the vacation plans. One of them was going on a hiking trip in Trottingham. Another was cruising in Las Pegasus for a month. They were juvenile delinquents, like me. But they were rich juvenile delinquents. Their daddies always spent everything on them. Mine was always busy with the royal guard. Even my mom was busy being pregnant. Even though I was a princess, I wasn't an Alicorn. Therefore they filed me as a nobody from a family of nobodies.

They asked me without I would be doing this summer I told them I would be going back to my home in the Crystal Empire. When I didn't tell them was that I would probably be attending summer school in another Boarding school.

"Oh. That's cool." Then LightningDust walked in the room, and they totally forgot about me.

I was happy that Quicksilver lived in the Crystal Empire too, because then we could take the carriage back to the Empire together. During the whole bus ride, quick caps glancing nervously down the aisle, and watching the other passengers. There was there was no one to tease her. Only teachers.

Finally when we were half an hour away from the Crystal Empire I couldn't stand it anymore. I asked her, "Looking for demons?"

Quicksilver nearly jumped out of her seat. "Wha - what do you mean!?"

I confessed about eavesdropping on her and Ms.Aitselec night before the exam.

Quicksilver's eye twitch." How much did you hear?!"

"Oh… Not much. What's the deadline?"

She Winced. "Look... SkySparkle… I was worried for you see? I mean, hallucinating about demon science teachers…"

"Quicksilver-"

"I was telling Ms. A that maybe you were overstressed or something, because there's no such person as Mrs. Lous and…"

"Quicksilver, you're a really, really bad liar."

Her ears turned pink.

From her Cutie Mark pocket, she fished out a business card. "Just take this, okay? In case you need me this summer."

The card was in fancy script, which was weird, because she's dyslexic.

It had an adress.

"It's in Canterlot!?"

"Shhhh! You know I don't like to brag." She yelped." I have some relatives there. And um… I'm going to be staying there for the summer. I just decided not to let you be alone on the bus ride to the Crystal Empire."

My heart sank. Quicksilver had a summer home. I never considered that her family might be his riches the others at Baltimare Military Academy.

"Okay. So, like, if I want to come visit your mansion."

She nodded. "Or… Or if you need me."

" Why would I need you again?"that came out harsher than I meant it to.

"The truth is… The princess assigned me to.. To protect you." She mumbled shyly.

I stared at her. All year long, I had gotten into fights, keeping bullies away from her. I'd lost sleep worrying that she'd get beaten up next year without me. And here she was acting like she was the one who had defended me.

"Quicksilver," I said cautiously," What exactly are you protecting me from?"

The carriage stopped and I heard the driver say, "Welcome to Canterlot! I you're going to the Crystal Empire or Ponyville, get off as well and head to the train station!"

Everypony got off. I got out and saw Quicksilver shivering. She was shaking bigtime. Her eyes were glassed over.

I put a hoof on her shoulder. "Quicksilver, are you okay?"

She grabbed my arm and said in a raspy voice, "No! Don't give in! If you do, you'll perish! Don't give her control!!! PLEASE!

I shook her off. "QUICKSILVER!"

Her eyes returned to normal. "Oh. We're here!" She said in her soft voice.

She picked up her bag and put it on her back. "I'll see you back in the Empire, okay?"

Quicksilver wrapped a hug around me. I just stood there, dumbfounded, and a little creeped out. She let go

Of me. After saying a quick goodbye, she trotted away humming happily. I blinked, and realized; my best friend just predicted my death.