My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, its characters, setting, and story all belong to Hasbro, Lauren Faust, and present directors and artists. Please understand that much of the content of this work is due largely to their work and creative genius. I take very little credit for anything else besides storyline; consequently, if you enjoy this work, then I believe you should support the original masterpiece of the show tenfold, if not more.

As the chariot soared over the magnificent land of Equestria, the view was not what made Twilight beam with delight. Rather, the faces of her two companions were what made her giggle and smile. Lyra constantly shifted inside the coach as elation coursed through her veins. She constantly leaned over the edges of the chariot as if to stare at their own shadow below. Every once in a while she would point to a landmark or feature, natural or pony-made, never caring to check to see if the others paid her any attention.

Though Starlight did not move around as frantically as Lyra, his mouth, hanging wide open, made Twilight giggle at him still. Certain things caught the stallion's sights, such as the tallest buildings of towns that they passed by, or storming river rapids whose choruses reached up to even their altitude. His gaze seemed especially concerted when the forests drew out the rich green of his vibrant eyes.

“Look, look! The Everfree Forest! Even when the sun's out it looks all dark and gloomy!” Lyra said, leaning over the limits of the coach. “Oh, and look at the Canterlot Mountains! You can see the castle and everything so clearly!”

She rattled on and on like a filly abusing her new-found ability to speak. The other two did not mind, though, as both had their attention already stolen away by the sight of the upcoming city of Bloomburg.

It was a fairly large city, supposedly larger in area than Manehattan itself. Most of its buildings showed similar colors of white and pale yellow, held together by stone foundations and dark, shingled roofs. The edifices, stacked no higher than three stories, reveled in fanciful architecture and design as ancient styles covered the building facades. The tall clock tower rang in welcoming a new hour as the chariot flew over the bustling city square.

Cobblestone roads weaved throughout the municipality, holding within its bounds more ponies than Twilight could even guess. Much to Twilight’s surprise there was little to no air traffic cluttering the skies, permitting swift passage over the massive city.

“Twilight, Starlight, do you two see all these ponies?” Lyra gasped as she continued to shuffle about the coach. “I just can't, it's so... oh, Celestia!”

Twilight rolled her eyes playfully and smiled. Since she had traveled to and from Canterlot a number of times – and even to the city of Bloomburg on occasion – Twilight was not entertained by the sights for very long as the others were.

“Canterlot looks so close from here!” Lyra exclaimed, pointing to the south.

Surely enough, on the steep slopes of the mountainside stood the kingdom of Canterlot. Basking in the rich sunlight, the domain glowed like a multicolored diamond. Waterfalls cascaded from its foundation. Pearly white and golden colors emanated from its very walls. The castle reached out as if in greeting, waving to those who headed eastward. Pointed towers and large domes stretched out from all over the edifice as it displayed a complexity none could explain but all mysteriously admired.

“You know we've been able to see Canterlot since leaving Ponyville, right Lyra?” asked Starlight, who began to recover from his shock and awe of the expansive view of Equestria.

Lyra laughed and bounced up and down, “I know, I know, but right now we're so close-!”

“Please refrain from hopping inside the coach,” barked the driver, to which Lyra suddenly sat.

Her golden eyes stayed on the move with unstoppable animation. She glanced over at Twilight and smiled. “Can you believe it? We're gonna be some of the first in all of Equestria to attend Princess Luna's school for unicorns!”

“I can hardly believe it,” Twilight agreed. “This whole thing does explain a lot, though. I was wondering what Princess Luna was up to after we defeated Nightmare Moon. She just disappeared for some time, even during the return of Discord... well, aside from when we saw her on Nightmare Night.”

Starlight cleared his throat as her words jogged his memory. He glanced at the driver and then waved the two closer.

“Have you two heard about the island?” the stallion asked with shifting eyes.

Lyra and Twilight were suddenly all ears as their mouths shut and eyes bore into his.

Starlight proceeded, “Apparently, during the restoration of the island, Princess Luna encountered some monsters. It kind of makes sense with the island having been abandoned for a thousand years.”

“Why wouldn't Princess Celestia have taken care of it?” Twilight pondered aloud as she glanced back at the castle over her shoulder.

“Isn't it obvious?” Lyra laughed. “She has a magic school of her own! Remember?” She threw Twilight a merry wink. “That's where we met!”

Twilight smiled timidly, “Y-Yeah, I guess that’s the reason.” She shook her head to try and clear it of fresh, thorny questions. “So, Starlight, you don't think we'll run into any trouble on the island, do you?”

The stallion patted his muzzle pensively for a minute, then shook his head.

“I-I don't think so. Princess Luna must have chased out whatever things were lurking there. I'm sure she chased them all out. Why else would she let us come to the island?”

Twilight nervously nodded her head.

I sure hope that's the case.

“Are you young ponies talking about the island?” yelled the chariot driver in a rough but good-natured tone.

Twilight and Starlight realized the volume to which their voices had risen. They blushed and looked in opposite directions.

Lyra, unabashed, leaned forward and replied, “Yes sir!”

The chauffeur gave a hearty laugh as he threw his head back. His wings flapped powerfully, giving the chariot a brief burst of speed. The stallion shouted back, “You have no reason to fear. Princess Luna is quite capable of dealing with whatever trouble resides within that island. She is Princess Celestia's younger sibling, after all.”

Within the island..?

The guard added, “You all just focus on your studies, and don't get worked up about some spooks lurking about. Your imagination might start to toy with you. Trust me, I once was a curious colt myself!”

“See, you guys? Everything's going to be just fine,” Lyra proclaimed optimistically. “This is going to be the best winter magic school ever, and that means absolutely no mishaps. Right? Twilight? Starlight?”

The two looked at one another as Lyra pulled them into a cheery embrace. Neither Twilight's nor Starlight's crooked grin was reassuring to the other.

---

An hour passed before finally reaching the Equestrian coastline. The northern woods and southern mountains shrank until bowing to the crystal clear sea. A light breeze blew salty air from over the ocean inland, swarming the flying chariot with a pleasant smell of the sea. Twilight's head lifted as her nose swayed to the bobbing scent of the sea salt.

The sun could not have shone any brighter. In addition the sea could not have shown off its vivid azure any more magnificently. Waves crashed onto the sandy shores now behind them, echoing their repetitive, calming chorus. Twilight turned her body back to watch the waves drift up and down the spine of the seaboard, then caught herself staring at Lyra instead.

Her friend was staring northward. Lyra’s shining amber eyes blazed like the sun itself as she stared at the waters with mouth agape. Her powder blue hair matched the color of the shallow waters, its long white stripe like the foam on the seashore. When Twilight looked back at Starlight, he too was watching the captivated unicorn with curiosity.

“How much farther until the island?” Starlight asked the driver.

“What are you, a two-year-old colt!?” the chauffeur barked back. “Ugh, it's there on the horizon, see? Crescent Island. Home of Pony Relic, the Winter Magic Academy.”

The three passengers leaned forward in the coach and narrowed their eyes. Along the skyline of mixed blues a gray form started to take distinctive shape. Like a hill on the plains the island stuck out from the flowing waters of the deep ocean; but as the group drew nearer, the bump soon became mountains, and the flat shape morphed into a crescent figure with ends curving to the northwest and southeast.

Coloration began to seep from the black void, filling in the shape of the island as though poured on like chocolate on a candied apple. Majestic purples streaked the mountains while shades of green coated the patches of forest. On the southern edge of the island a strange tower stood out from the rocky terrain. At the base of the near cliff-side sat an entrance to a cave.

But most important was the school that sat straight ahead just as Twilight had imagined it. Its monumental structures were extremely similar to those of Canterlot's as the chateau-esque anatomy created a most unique form. Its dark brick complexion emanated a sense of mystery that encouraged a sense of fascination more than one of uneasiness. Nearly a third of its building material consisted of glass; glass windows, glass domes, glass walls. There was even a glass tunnel connecting a wing to the main hall.

Beyond these buildings sat a giant rectangular field with two metal arches crisscrossing over it. A titanic metal ball sat atop the intersection. The driver headed straight for it as he picked up his speed.

“Hold on tight!” the driver yelled. “We'll be landing soon enough!”

The three passengers obeyed and themselves in their seats. Not a second after the driver bowed his head and descended toward the southern field. As their altitude dropped the travelers could spot along the pathways colorful forms that were ponies already arrived. A stream of mares and stallions, all unicorns, flowed slow as honey from the giant field out into a circular commons area separating the eastern cliff and shoreline from the academic buildings.

The chariot swooped through the metal archways. Once past the span of the field the driver spun in a semicircle, as graceful an eagle, and then straightened up their course for landing. His wings beat with tremendous control, pulling the chariot carefully down to earth. The vehicle lowered ever so slowly until finally touching down on the tidy lawn. The wheels of the chariot screeched as they rolled across half the length of the giant field. Then, with a great flap of his wings, the driver brought the vehicle to a complete stop.

Distant chatter filled the air, replacing the sounds of the rushing air currents. The warmth of the setting sun met their skin. The driver, tired but relieved, let out a deep sigh and glanced back at his passengers.

“You're free to exit the chariot,” he announced with a grin. “Have a good first term at the Winter Magic Academy.”

The three said their thanks as they got out of the vehicle, and no sooner after they set foot on solid ground did the driver shoot up into the sky and disappear out of sight to the west.

“He wasn't kidding about being on time,” Starlight murmured, to which his two companions laughed.

Twilight looked around the field. “I don’t see any other chariots. It looks like we might be the last bunch here.”

There were in fact no other vehicles in sight, but there were crowds of young ponies standing about. They mingled with one another with beaming faces, clustered in groups of familiars and unfamiliars, carrying out their introductions, small talk, and catch-up conversation. Twilight secretly wished that she had woken up on time. It felt as though everypony already knew each other.

“I wonder where all of the others from Ponyville went,” Lyra said as she scanned the area, her delight nearly lifting her hoofs off the ground to which she had just returned.

“I think I see a few of them by the gate,” Starlight said.

The trio inspected the field’s northern entrance to which Starlight motioned. A black metal fence twisted atop large, brick columns to form a sound arch over the exit. In the gap underneath it were surely enough a number of familiar faces.

“Twilight! Starlight! Lyra!” one of them called, bouncing up and down in place as the three made their way over.

The thin mare that approached had a pinkish lavender body and very straight, silver hair. Her rose-colored eyes glowed like her body as a bonfire does on a sunny day. A smiling theatre mask with three question marks around it was her beaming cutie mark. Twilight knew her name to be Quirky Q, a cousin of Pinkie Pie's.

“What took you all so long to get here?” Quirky asked the three newcomers.

The three looked to one another, silently arguing as to who would have to speak up first.

“I accidentally slept in,” Twilight finally said with a blush.

Lyra raised her head to the sky and wailed, “It was such a sad goodbye for me, I could hardly manage!” Her eyes dropped back down to the others as her crying quickly changed into joviality. “But I made it. Here we are!”

The two looked over at Starlight, whose eyes widened upon realizing it was his turn to give an reason or excuse of some kind.

He stammered shyly, “I, uh, I was just seeing-”

“You sly stallion, you were waiting for these two mares, weren't you?” Quirky Q teased. “Starlight, you're so thoughtful!”

“T-Thanks, I guess,” Starlight mumbled, jittery. He glanced over at Twilight, who showed an appreciative smile, then asked, “When did you guys get here?”

“A few hours ago. I came with Gallant and Vinyl Scratch.”

Twilight's ears perked up suddenly as she looked over in surprise at the mare behind Quirky, one of white color and vivid blue hair. Cyan stripes lined her frazzled blue mane and tail and a pair of gleaming purple glasses hid her eyes. Her cutie mark was a solid black musical note. The mare was surrounded by a number of ponies, but briskly excused herself upon spotting Twilight and the others staring at her. She trotted over and flipped her hair aside.

“What's up Twi?” said Vinyl Scratch.

“Vinyl Scratch! You came!” Twilight cheeped. “I thought you were too busy this winter to come to the academy. Didn't you have some concerts lined up?”

“Nah, I decided to chill out here for the winter, try somethin’ new,” Vinyl answered. “Only had two shows, and they were in some random po-dunk towns I’d never heard of.” She motioned at the large stallion beside her. “You met Gallant before?”

“Briefly,” Twilight said, looking over at the third familiar face from Ponyville.

“Being new to Ponyville, I haven't had time to get out much,” commented the strong stallion in a spirited, confident voice.

He had a fairly bulky body and sharp, dark blue eyes. His coat was a shaded white and his mane and tail a dark silver. A glowing shield and helmet was on his flank. Had he worn some kind of armor, Twilight felt she would have mistaken him for a royal guard.

“I'm Twilight Sparkle,” the mare introduced herself.

“Student of Princess Celestia, I've heard. Pleasure to meet you,” the stallion said. “The name is Gallant. I hope we can become good friends.”

“Aren't you guys excited?” Quirky Q broke in. “We're in the first class of Princess Luna's in years! What are the chances we would make it here?”

Twilight glanced about the field carefully, seeking more faces and figures she could recognize. After not seeing any amongst the shrinking crowd, she turned to face the others again.

“Are there any more from Ponyville here?” Twilight inquired.

Gallant smiled and answered, “I've heard there are nine present, which is apparently the smallest representation of any town or city at the academy.”

“Nine? So there must be others we have yet to meet,” Lyra remarked with a delighted gasp. “But where are they? Oh! Colgate is one of them, isn’t she?”

“Yeah, Colgate's around,” Vinyl confirmed. “That's just 'cause she loves her adventures. She said she came because of somethin’ about exploring the island and whatnot. Pokey Pierce’s here. He’s just in for the ride, really. And then there’s that other guy...”

Her voice drifted off. Gallant finished for her. “Windchaser.”

“Yeah, him,” Vinyl said with a clap. “He seems interesting. Didn't talk much. Anyhow, you guys wanna check out the castle? It's pretty sweet.”

“Were you guys waiting for us?” Lyra asked. “That's so thoughtful! Oh, we're going to be the best group of friends ever this winter! I can't wait!”

“I know, right?” Quirky chimed in. “We're gonna have tons of fun, and study together, and...”

Quirky’s theatrical voice trailed off as the sight of the academy captivated Twilight. She looked over the nearest building, an amazing assortment of five floors with picturesque, pointed windows and sturdy walls covered in mason's decorations. It reached for the sky with steep pointed rooftops buried beneath long, dark shingles. Blends of violet-hued charcoal and midnight black covered the entire edifice. Twilight had never seen any building so majestic up close since her last trip to Canterlot.

As she and the others left the field the front of the building edged into view. A large stained glass window of magnificent, dark colors sat in the center of the facade. Its fusion of dark-colored panels portrayed the raising of the moon, with Princess Luna lifting the silvery crescent shape into the sparkling heavens.

“This is the dorm,” Gallant said, motioning toward the very building. “To the right is the main hall, where we'll be having our classes. On the far side to the back is where the dining hall and kitchen branch out.”

The main hall of the castle looked even more impressive with its incredible height and amalgamation of intricately-connected pieces. Its color scheme was similar to that of the dormitory, but its strange shape was completely different as some floors receded and others stuck out; some corners were rounded while others were square. Towers stretched from all over topped with turrets shaped like wizard’s hats. The circular stained glass window sitting above the titanic entryway portrayed Princess Luna's creation of the night, with the stars and moon forming from a gentle ray of light.

Twilight looked away to distract herself before becoming completely entranced. The circular park in which the group walked stole her attention away like a new dancing partner at a ball. Its ring consisted of two semi-circles, one of giant cloud-colored brick and the other of lightly wooded pasture. Fir trees scattered the earthy section like stars in the early night sky. The smell of the sea brushed across the central annulus as a breeze poured the cool ocean air across the commons lawn. Beyond the edge of the little park was the horizon of the sea, its surface glistening as the sun continued its descent in the sky.

“Twilight Sparkle?” a voice called. “Is that you?”

The unicorn faced the direction in which she heard her name. A yellow-colored unicorn leaned forward from her spot a few trots away. Her azure eyes hid behind a long, cyan mane, unsure of their recognition. When the stares of each pony locked, however, the doubt melted away.

“Lemon Hearts!”

“Twilight, it is you!” said the mare as she trotted over. “I thought I might find you at the academy.”

“You know me, I’m always wanting seeking new ways to be a student. Now that I think about it, when was the last time we saw each other?” Twilight asked as the two could not stop their happy hopping. “Was it at the school?”

“Yes, at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns,” Lemon Hearts confirmed. “At least, that was the last time we spoke. I'm not even sure we really talked that much. I still remember how much of a shut-in you were.” She glanced over Twilight's shoulder and spotted the group of five gazing at her and Twilight. “You never did formally say goodbye. The princess sent you to Ponyville and that was that, hmm?”

“I'm so sorry, I got completely caught up with the return of Nightmare Moon and everything, and I figured I’d return to Canterlot shortly after the princess assigned me to make some friends-”

“That's why she sent you?” Lemon Hearts laughed. “You could've stayed in Canterlot and done that. You do have a chance to redeem yourself, Twilight Sparkle.”

The violet unicorn raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Well, as it turns out, we're roommates for the winter!”

“What? Just us two?” Twilight asked in disbelief, another surge of excitement bursting in the midst of a day of thrills.

Lemon Hearts' eyes rolled up in a corner as her mouth twisted in a pensive pause. “No, there's another pony with us. I think her name was... Rhododendron? She's from Bloomburg. No pony I've asked seems to know her.”

“That could be good or bad,” Twilight remarked snidely.

“Indeed. Say, do you want to see the room?” Lemon Hearts asked, to which Twilight showed a delighted smile.

“Would I?” she asked, but then suddenly stopped and looked behind her where the five who had been waiting on her for the past few minutes. “Well, I mean, I'm not sure. I should ask the others what they're up to before I-”

“Hey!” Lemon Hearts shouted at the Ponyville crowd, whose ears perked up in response. Twilight blushed, but her friend continued unabashed. “I'm taking Twilight to her room. I'll get her back to you before dinner.”

The others stared, a few nodded. Before any verbal reply came their way the two roommates headed into the dormitory with Lemon Hearts leading the way.

“You seem as dynamic as usual,” Twilight remarked.

“My cutie mark's a few blue hearts, what do you expect? Kindness coupled with boldness,” Lemon Hearts remarked, her nose lifted in the air. “Makes for the perfect doctor, wouldn't you say?”

They approached the dormitory building and entered. The open doors led into a square foyer decorated with multiple shades of blue and violet. Large arched windows spilled light across the entrance hall. Shadows shaped like crosses stretched across the dark marble floors and carpeting.

Five hallways branched from the enormous chamber, one on each floor. Each was connected by a marble staircase which spiraled down the center of the grand interior. Its entire frame glowed of cloudy white, artistically contrasted with the royal gold and purple carpeting on its steps. Masterfully crafted tables, seats, and assortments of plants and paintings occupied the dormitory corridors.

“The mares' floors are the odd-numbered ones, and the stallions' the even-numbered. We're lucky enough to be on the third floor; not too high, not too low,” Lemon Hearts said.

“How big are the rooms?” Twilight asked as the ascended the spiraling stairwell. “The doors look really far apart.”

“They're enormous!” her friend replied with a grand smile, teeth shining in the light coming through the giant windows. “You could fit a family of seven in one of these suites, easily. Each suite has three rooms, one for each of us.”

“Is that the same for everypony else?”

“Well, since there are less stallions than mares, they put two of them to a room. I've heard they get slightly smaller rooms, too. But as long as I get my own sizable chambers I could care less about the rest!”

“How thoughtful,” Twilight smirked with a roll of her eyes.

The weary traveler, edged on only by the sheer thrill of it all, was glad to finally be close to her room. Her back had started to ache after carrying a bag the entire flight as well as around campus. She tried not to think about the throbbing in her spine as Lemon Hearts slowly showed her through the hallway, pointing out the random plants and paintings one at the time.

After crossing half of the corridor, the yellow unicorn finally headed for a door on the left and opened it. As she waltzed inside, Twilight could hardly believe her eyes. The large common room was a homely setting, a welcoming sight for the tired mare. Its dark colors and regal ambiance was very similar to those of the rest of the castle. A few low, round tables and accommodating cushions were organized in the corners. A large square window sat at the opposite side of the room, revealing the horizon over the darkening sea to the east. Four doors lined the remaining two walls.

“One thing you’ll have to get accustomed to is the seating. Princess Luna only seems to favor these cushions,” Lemon Hearts said as she poked the pillow beside her. “Now, the two rooms on the left and the near right one are bedrooms. The far right chamber is the lounge. Wonderful set-up, don’t you think?”

“Wait, another lounge?” Twilight uttered. “Isn't this main room a lounge?”

“Well, we can make the other room a study,” Lemon Hearts corrected herself. She cleared her throat. “I forgot who I was talking to for a moment. In any case, you should get unpacked soon. Placement exams are in just a half hour!”

“Exams!?” Twilight shrieked. “Already?”

Lemon Hearts looked taken aback for a moment, and then laughed.

“You would be scared of an exam you can't study for,” Lemon Hearts snickered.

Twilight still could feel the hair of her mane standing up as one of her eyes twitched uncontrollably.

“Come now, it'll be easy, right? No matter what, you'll be studying at this luxurious academy for the next few months, I’m sure.” Lemon Hearts stopped and turned to look back through the door. “Oh, I just spotted a friend of mine. I'll be right back, okay? Quit worrying and unpack your things!”

And with that, Twilight could hear the hoofs of her friends trotting away out the room and into the hall. Unnerved, the mare walked over to the wide window of the lounge and stared out. Ponies still wandered the grounds outside, not worried in the least bit as they explored and chatted in a charming euphoria.

Twilight, suddenly unable to identify, let out a sigh. “No worrying? Y-Yeah, sure, that'll be... easy.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 3 (Episode 1): Commencement Estimated time remaining: 12 Hours