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.