Vanilla couldn't help but was a little nervous when she entered the academy. She had always been somewhat remote from other Candy Ponies. Actually any pony. But she was lucky that two of her best friends, Blueberry Treats and Pumpkin Bolt, would be there too.

At the entrance were Strawberry Ray, Chocolate Arrow and Candle Cake, and they didn't seemed pleased to see her. At least Strawberry didn't. Vanilla gulped but approached.

"Hello Friends!" She greeted them with her best smile.

"Look who came to join the rest of us mortals." Strawberry scoffed. "What happened? Your father got tired of you destroying the precious ornaments on your castle and sent you here?" The three laughed.

Not knowing what to answer Vanilla laughed nervously and began to move towards the entrance.

"Only one thing!" Strawberry called, Vanilla turned her head to face her. "You can be a princess on any other desired place, but here in the gym you're just another student, just another rival. I'll not make it easier for you just because you are the daughter of King Candy."

Vanilla rolled her eyes and walked away. She wanted to say a few truths for that brat, but one thing she learned was that there were times when it was better to remain silent and don't cause trouble.

She had hardly entered when a purple flesh fell on her.

"Vanilla!" Blueberry exclaimed, hugging her friend tightly. "What are you doing here?"

"If you let her breathe, she might tell you." Punpkin laughed, approaching too.

"Oops, sorry." Blueberry released Vanilla.

"All right, good to see you two." Vanilla smiled, standing up.

Punpkin, a little more careful, also hugged her friend.

"But seriously, what brings you here?" He asked.

"Dad finally let me come. You have no idea how happy I am!"

"We imagine." The two answered laughing.

"Well, better we get going then. We have training. Shall we have a steeplechase today." Pumpkin called, happy, he had pitched some 'pranks' along the route after he checked it out and was ready to see someone fall into one of them. He was very playful and loved to play tricks.

The girls laughed, already wondering why the animation of their friend and together the three went to the track.

When the race ended, the three had come in second place, behind Strawberry's Team. But Vanilla felt a little upset that it had been at the expense of Pumpkin tricks, she would like a chance to prove themselves, specially herself, without cheating, but that feeling didn't last long when she thought how much fun it was. If her father knew everything that was going on there... Everything she had even done with her friends... The three were almost in the cafeteria when Vanilla noticed something.

"My necklace! It's gone!" She cried desperately. "You two continue, I catch with you I find it!" She started to run back the way they had come.

"Sure you don't want us to help you?" Blueberry offered.

"You may come if I didn't get back in twenty minutes!" She shouted, already flying across the gym.

She walked carefully but desperate by the race's track, but no sign of her necklace. Upset, she was going to join her friends when bumped into none other than Strawberry Ray and her gang.

"Look who we have here!" Strawberry commented sarcastically. "The princess thinks she's too good to join the rest of us?"

"Look who's talking." Vanilla shot back. "What you and your gang are doing here?" She asked accusingly.

"Mr. Wing told us to come looking for you." Chocolate Arrow replied, clearly mad at her for make them waste their time.

"Tell him I'm coming. I lost my mother's necklace and I need to find it."

But the three didn't move, Vanilla continued to search until she heard Strawberry's voice again.

"A warning, Princess Lightning." Good thing didn't come around. "If you and your buddies continue to use trickery to try to win gym competitions, I'll have to report the three."

"We were not cheating to win. Were only a few pranks from Pumpkin Bolt, he just wanted to have some fun." Vanilla tried to explain. "Besides, no one was hurt, you didn't fell into any, you and you gang won the race and I'm not seeing anyone else complaining but you." She accused. Chocolate Arrow and Candle Cake laughed until Strawberry Ray glared at them and the two fell silent.

"Ha, ha, very funny." The pink pegasus said sarcastically. "But of course they wouldn't say anything, you are a princess..."

"And you should remember it, Miss. Ray" A voice cut her off. Strawberry Ray turned surprise to find Dusky Spark, standing behind her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for Princess Lightning. Think I found something that belongs to you." He warned. "Come with me?"

"Sure. See ya guys." Vanilla followed Dusky, leaving behind an angry Strawberry, a confuse Chocolate Arrow and a laughing Candle.

"If there's one thing I like about all this is that she will get what she deserves for being such a stupid brat. Not that her friends are better." Strawberry grumbled.

"Thanks for getting me outta there, mr. Spark!" Vanilla thanked happily skipping beside the gray Pegasus. "Strawberry is always like this?"

"It's worse when you know her. She thinks just because she's the fastest here she can do what she want. What I would not give to meet her out of Sweet Island. But this will change, she will see."

"Well, good luck. How was the place where you came from?" She asked curiously.

"Much like here, only without sweets. Still wonder if this here has always existed or was created. Seems not natural that an island is all made of candy"

"Nobody ever came to an agreement about the true origin of Sweet Island but particularly like to believe that this place has originated from special seed, blessed by the Princesses Celestia and Luna, given to a group of orphans who came to stop on the island after a shipwreck, while trying to cross the sea, escaping from a bunch of dragons that had ravaged their village, so probably a few years after the princesses give end the reign of chaos and begin to govern Equestria."

"So you think there is even a tree in the center of Sweet Island that turns it all on candy? It's where your power come from?" Dusky asked, concerned.

"Whether or not I do not know, but the tree is really there." Vanilla replied.

Dusky stopped.

"Are you sure? With so much power hidden here, it's not strange that Sweet Island has lived in peace for so long?"

"I don't think so. Peace is part when you don't give reasons for trouble."

"But it would be really bad if something happened to the tree, right?"

"Without it, there wouldn't be Sweet Island. But nothing will happen. The tree is very well hidden in the tunnels below the castle, the place is well kept and even if someone broke into, is easy to get lost down there. Besides the hall is locked up and nobody knows exactly where it is. Changing the subject... So, where is my necklace?"

"I left it at the lost and found, for safety. Was a pleasure talking with you, princess. See you around."

"See ya!" She nodded, before flying away in search of her necklace.