A few years have passed and things in Canterlot have changed, mostly you being referred as young prince by most of the guards. You were a little tired by the young prince title, it's a little too frequent for you to be comfortable with.

Though when you confronted Riley about the title, she agreed to stop calling you that and instead calling you by your name. You were happy to have her by your side and she was happy to be there.

"Checkmate mon ami!" Riley happily shouts as she sat on your bed along with you and Milky.

Milky's shyness had lessen as she spent much more time with you, she was more outgoing and absolutely loved following you around the castle. Of course that was always welcomed, Milky had always grown accustom of your presence always coming around the castle when her school let out. Being the age of ten Milky has been trying to get closer to you, even if you were three years older then her.

"Fine, fine you win." You say with a sigh as Milky tugged on your sleeve. "What's up Milky?"

"Well can't we do something I wanna do, I'm bored playing checkers."

"I dunno Milky, with the tryouts today it'll be difficult for us to move around the castle especially with me being human." She let out a sigh, but looked down clearly upset. She walked towards the balcony and put her hands underneath her chin as she looked upset, you approached her and patted her back before smiling and snapping your fingers creating a bouquet of flowers, tapping her back she quickly turned and smiled as she picked one of the flowers and took a single delicate bite.

She let out a hum and took yet another bite of the flower as she finished her flower she let out a small burp as a single petal escaped making her blush.

"Whoa even your burps are adorable." That comment made her blush even harder, as she looked away.

"S-shut up." She looks away as she takes the flowers from your hand as Riley let out a small giggle.

"Oh jeune amour, what a wonderful sight." Riley mentions as you blushed and looked away, you knew what Riley was saying. With her prench language lessons it was actually something that you'd probably need, with your princely title you thought you'd need it.

"S-shut up Riley, cmon Milky, we're gonna explore the castle a bit." You mention tugging her hand as Milky turned to Riley and waved goodbye.

"So what're we going to do?" You asked curiously.

"If we can walk around the castle, maybe we can watch the foals who want to join the school we can see their auditions! Like you I saw yours." She says happily giggling.

"Sure thing kid." You said smiling as you walked beside her.

Elsewhere...

"So what'd you wanna do Salvatore?" Dago asks with a smile as his tiger purred before laying on the floor making Dago laugh a little as he pet his soft coat.

"Cmon Salvatore lets go do something." He tries pushing him only for him to fall down. "You're the laziest pet."

Salvatore's ears perked up as they scanned the room, suddenly the door was pushed opened. As Salvatore rose from his seat and tackled the pony on the other side.

"Salvatore no!" Dago approached the pony and taking hold of his collar moving Salvatore away from the pony. "Sorry for that Salvatore really loves to receive visitors and…Roxanne?" Dago stops when he notices that his pets' latest victim was his childhood friend.

The princess of the diamond dog kingdom, her fur coat a light teal mix.

"Hello Dago, I must say ponies don't usually have tigers as pets." She mentions with a smile, Salvatore stands up and gives Dago a lick.

"Yeah I know is a bit unusual but he's a real sweetheart, King Saba gave him to me as present, when I was 10 and he's been at my side ever since." Salvatore rolls over and shows his belly to her. "I think he's asking for a belly rub."

"He must really love belly rubs, yes you do boy." She says giggling he purrs as she pet him before standing up.

"He says he likes you, but anyway back on track it's nice to see you again Roxanne, how long has it been since we last saw each other?" He asks

"Almost 6 years. The times we spent when we were 8." She informs with a soft smile.

"Yeah, it's been a long time." He looks her over. "You look good by the way, very pretty." He mentions blushing.

"Thank you, you're not too bad yourself." Dago blushes a bit and looks to the side before looking at her.

"And what brings you here? Something tells me it's not to brag about your new looks right?"

"Well actually I came here with Deidra, she was suppose to meet someone here in the castle. I'm not sure who though, she looked excited and never told me whose she's so excited to meet."

"Deidra? Oh I know who she is looking for." Dago mentions with a snicker.

"Really who?" She asks

"Cmon, I will show you."

Elsewhere...

You were walking with Milky her skipping was something that made you chuckle a bit, she was a bit ahead of you though you noticed something about her when she skipped she looked closely to ground trying not to trip up on herself. Though that was a guess.

Evie has grown quite a bit, due to her being a runt and her fitting into the palm of your hands she grew to the size of a puppy golden retriever something told you that she still had a lot of growing to come.

"What'd you think we should do Evie?" Milky asked smiling as she stopped kneeling down to her as Evie continuous wagged her tail.

"Excuse me?" A soft and elegant voice garnered your attention, turning you spotted a doe with a light brown colored coat with a light silver line instead of white going through her body, her eyes a dark emerald green with a golden colored tuft of mane that was covered near a white colored mane.

"Huh? Oh hi." She looked familiar almost like you saw somepony like that before.

"Uh hello, I'm wondering if you knew where my cousin is. He looks a little like deer from what my aunt told me he has brown colored hair with some silver streaks in his mane. My aunt told me it was genetic from his father, anyway do you know where he's at?" She asks, though you had your disguise on you had a feeling that she was speaking about you. Her descriptions were on point and almost spot on.

"We haven't seen any bucks around, sorry." Milky says with a shy infliction as she hid behind you holding your hand as Evie carefully approached the doe. The doe smiled and crouched down patting her head as she scratched her chin, she gave her a tender lick as the doe giggled a bit.

"Is she your dog?" She asks smiling.

"Y-yeah, usually I have trouble getting her to not be so excitable around ponies. She usually knocks ponies down to the ground with a seconds notice." She smiles and nods looking at the collar.

"What a beautiful name, Evie are you by chance named after the magnificent artist Ms.Evie Wake?" She asks petting your dog as she question, she gives a quick bark as a reply as she shakes her tail.

"No? Oh such a wasted opportunity, is your name just Evie for the sake of a name?" She asks another bark was heard as she giggled a bit.

"You can communicate with animals?" Milky asks curiously.

"Ah no unfortunately I do not possess Fauna magic, Floral is something I solely use. I was reading her facial questioning, her tilts of a head were plenty enough that would suffice as a part of speaking." You tilted your head in confusion as the doe giggles. "Yes just like that." She mentions.

"Uh right anyway the buck you mention I don't think he's anywhere near here." Her nose scrunched up as she let out a sigh and began tapping her chin.

"Dear me, I fear I won't be able to find him at this rate if I don't have any help." She sighs as she takes out what looks like a pocket watch, looking at it, it was a little rust with a flower cherry blossom like figure on it.

"Damn that watch is worse for wear, what happened to it?" You asked

"Huh oh this was my father's before he was forced to leave his country, unfortunately it was deadly to live there." You looked sorry as she shook her head and smiles. "Anyway I think I should go and try to find him."

"Hey maybe we can help, finding somepony would be easy wouldn't they?" You said smiling as you approached her.

"Uh Aiden aren't we suppose to do something?" Milky asked

"Oh you'll be willing to help, good gracious thank you!" She said giggling as she took your hand.

"Hey wait!" Milky shouts as she takes your hand. "He promised me that we would hang out, I don't where you come from where you could steal somepony's date."

"Girls." You say trying to get their attention.

"He offered to help miss, and I desperately need him to help me." She said smiling as she tugged your arm.

"Girls."

"He's just helpful like that, but it's my time with him!" Milky shouts tugging your arm.

"Girls!" You shout as the two stop,

"We'll try to find your cousin first and then we'll do whatever you like Milky no matter what it is. I promise with all my heart and on my magic." She lets out a sigh and nods.

"Now minding telling me your cousin's name and your name too?" You asked making her nod.

"I'm Lady Deidra, former next in line Queen of White Leaf."

"Former?" Milky asks

"Yes unfortunately due to my aunt finding her son I was pushed back to be princess for now. But my title would suffice and I'm looking for a buck named Aiden Hart." Milky instantly nodded and giggled.

"You didn't have to look so far to find that buck!" Milky mentions as she continues giggling.

"Why do you say that? Do you have an idea on where I could find him?"

"Yeah, Lady Deidra, Aiden Hart." Milky goes jazz hands as she presents you in a flashy, but hysterical manner.

"Oh my, why didn't you say anything?" Deidra was clearly annoyed as she had a glare pointed towards you.

"I didn't know my cousin would be visiting today, even then I only knew you by name and a small appearance from a picture when you were younger." She sighs and nods.

"Misunderstandings on both sides, for that I apologize."

"Well since we're cousin's and all, I should share with you my identity." Taking off your bandana and hat you revealed your human face, your skin a light tan with emerald green eyes. You had a pair of glasses on you that made it easier to see as it was challenge to see without them.

"My aunt neglected to inform me that you were human, as she's rather neglectful with information that'll help both parties. My father would love to know how you even survived in Equestria, the virus is extremely strong in this region of the world." Deidra informs.

"Virus? What're you talking about?"

"The virus that almost wiped the humans off the face of Terra. Have you read any of the stories of the humans civilizations. Pompeii's eruption during the time of the separated pony tribes, the fall of Rome during the rise of Discord, the Renaissance age during King Sombra's reign, and recently only a few centuries ago the Industrial Age? We live in this advanced society that humans created and built. Unfortunately ponies forget about the achievements and think of humans as a simple fairytale."

"Well how many humans were alive before the virus hit?" You asked

"Almost 3,700,000 humans, before the virus hit your old homelands, almost 127,000 humans are left now. Most live in White Leaf and some even around the other nations in smaller packs, the virus is extremely potent in Equestria. And since you live here you must be immune to the virus. Certain mutations happen where the virus doesn't affect a human and other species child, that would mostly mean the genetic of opposite of the human in dominant. Like my dad is a human, but my mom a deer. I was born a full deer with some human attributes but they're not very prominent or shown."

"Are you sure it's my mom's side that I'm not dying to the virus? Because that seems a lot more plausible."

"My dad told me that human children born by interspecies relationships get almost all the DNA traits from the human side, children born from the other species and not come out as humans they suffer not side effects from the human traits." You nodded and looked down a bit. If she was telling the truth then she wouldn't be affected by the virus, and you being immune wasn't a fluke? You weren't sure in all honesty you were only beginning to noticed the human side of your life. Pony life was so much easier before.

"Um Aiden can we go and do something?" Milky asks as she had finally spoke up.

"Uh sure, cmon Deidra. It's best if we don't dwell too much on my species horrible history." You mention as you held both girls hands and began guiding them to an atrium, you then let go of their hands when you got closer to a large group of ponies. Putting on your hat, bandana, and glasses making sure to keep yourself hidden from them.

"What're you doing Aiden? Why can't you show yourself, are you in any danger?" She seemed worried as she brought you close into a huge, being twelve years old she was pretty strong.

"No, look ponies don't know I'm human. My disguise keeps them from knowing and I feel better if they didn't know." Though Deidra was confused she only nodded and happily let you go much to Milky's happiness.

Entering the atrium, it was empty with no one inside, it was complete isolated just above the students who were getting ready for their exams. Milky and Deidra stayed silent as the exams had began.

Later...

You were actually pretty impressed by the foals trying to get into the academy, you were impressed by many and less impressed by others. Though there was one filly who caught your eye, her coat was a pale mulberry with a dark purple mane along with pink streaks in her mane. She looked almost terrified, the judges looking at her were impatient as they looked at her.

"I wonder what kind of magic she'll be able to do." Milky stated as she and Deidra looked on, their eyes firmly looking at the filly. Though you could hear every single word being said your mind wandered away from the actual talking, your hand glowed a light teal as you began squeezing the chair arm in complete tension. Slowly you experienced flashes as you felt an increase in your magic.

"I-I'm s-sorry I wasted your time." The filly said as just then a sudden explosion from outside startled her and you, suddenly you felt your hands let out an aching feeling. As you pointed towards a shatter window and point to the ground with a shake of the earth almost simultaneously a large tree blossom tree almost the size of the fully grown baby dragon in front of you sprouted. Both Milky and Deidra were frighten as you tightened your eyes trying to feel any sort of relief as vines and flowers surround you, small puddles of water began to be made from under your feet. You felt as if you yourself were turning into a tree, suddenly bark began sprouting from the water as it began surrounding your legs trapping you. Deidra tried her best to release you but her magic would work as your spores blocked every attempt to subdue the growth, suddenly a bright gold flash blinded you.

Closing your eyes you felt the immense magic being sucked back into your body, slowly opening them you looked at your hands. The baby blue aura surround them was actually your spores as the area around you turned back to normal, along with the tree which turn back to rather small and normal sized tree. You rose from your seat and ran forward to the window and peered into the atrium to see the filly speaking to Celestia, the grown baby dragon back to normal as she looked at the back of her hand.

Your breathing was heavy, you felt your chest and all around as you tried to calm yourself. As you did you felt to hugs on you, one was from Milky while the other was from Deidra you were scared for half a second as the energy slowly escaped. You looked to see Celestia smile and nod as she gave you a smile. You smiled back before sitting back down incomplete exhaustion, sure the mare who was suppose to be your teacher just nodded after using your high amount of magical concentration, but you were too tired to care.

Closing your eyes you sighed as today was fairly eventful. She knew you were ready for the next part of your training.