The events of an hour ago play in her mind as she lays in bed while staring at the ceiling. She forgot all about the aphrodisiac properties of blood to vampyres, and it seems to affect vamponies in a similar manner go figure. A stunning spell later and Vinyl is off her and sleeping off the effects of the blood.

Thicket, which is in the Everfree Forest, how can she find it? Are there maps of the forest? Is there a guide that she can pay to escort her?

Her door flings open which interrupts her thoughts. Death stands in the doorway with glowing eyes.

"Can I help you?" Shade questions nonchalantly.

Death plucks Shade from her bed and yanks her over. Death glares at Shade with burning fury. Thousands of thoughts run through her mind, and Shade's smug smile is not helping keep them kind thoughts. She drops Shade and inhales sharply. With a calmer head, she opens her eyes and asks, "Why?"

"I was hungry."

"Shade! Nìzī! Kūàmírà! Whulphe!" Death stomps her hoof and snorts loudly. She presses a hoof to her forehead and sighs. Idea! Death smiles warmly at Shade who still has a shock expression after hearing her full name. "I know the perfect punishment for what you did."

"What? Take my powers away again?"

Death chuckles devilishly. "Oh, Shade! Goodnight, sweetheart. Sweet dreams." Once behind the door, Death peeks in one last time to crack, "Don't let the bedbugs lick you!"

Now, Shade could count on her hooves the number of occasions she has felt fear. She is going to need another hoof. She sat in front of the door and almost begins to regret her actions. Death's eyes, her voice, and especially her smile may have sorta scared Shade.

Shade does not remember going to sleep. She just remembers that smile and birds chirping.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie share a concerning look with each other as Shade walks between them in a chipper mood. Not only did Shade hug them both this morning, but they also witness Shade embracing Death willingly.

Shade suddenly does an about face and looks at them with a beaming grin. "Wow! I feel exquisite this morning! I even feel like singing!"

"Go ahead," Applejack replies.

"Yeah! Everypony sings!" Pinkie Pie smiles.

With an even bigger smile spreading across her face, Shade turns around and smiles up at the sky.

How can I describe how I feel?

Like my eyes have been o~pen!

How do I know this is real?

Like my heart's been o~pen!

I hear the birds singing in the sky,

I feel the sun warming me from on high,

I see the smiles on everyone's faces,

And I never want to trade places!

With my eyes wide open!

With my heart unfrozen!

I can truly see~,

What it means to be~

Happy!

Shade is singing on top of the fountain in the middle of the square with everypony watching her. She hops down from the statue and continues her song.

How can I describe how I feel?

Like my eyes have been ope~n!

How do I know this is real?

Like my heart's been ope~n!

I can't wait to see

What the day has in store for me!

With my friends by my side

I have no reason to hide.

I want to

Smack! Shade implants her face into the ground as she trips and falls. The flower sisters laugh.

"Hey! That's not nice!" Pinkie shouts.

Applejack, with Pinkie's help, starts to lift up Shade, "We're going to tell the teacher on you!"

"Wha?" Shade rubs her face with a fetlock.

"Oooo! We are so scared!" Roseluck teases and walks up the steps of the school with her sisters in tow.

"Are you alright, Shade?" Pinkie asks.

Shade smiles from Pinkie's concern, "Just peachy, Pinkie!"

The three friends walk up the steps and enter school.

Stonewall Smith watches his new pupils file into the room tenderly. His love of foals and teaching bring him to the classroom. Each filly and colt he teaches may one day grow up to cure diseases, invent new technologies, hay, even land a pony on the moon. The aging tan stallion smiles warmly at each of his students. Another fantastic year of teaching is starting, and he can hardly wait!

Shade sat in the front row of desks right in the middle of the row, directly in front of the blackboard. Applejack and Pinkie Pie sit on either side of Shade. Shade notices a trend in how the ponies sit, with most of the "popular" ponies sitting in the back rows, the studious ponies sitting up front, and the rest of the ponies filling the middle rows.

A pegasus filly with cocked eyes walks past and catches Shade's interest. Her cutie mark is bubbles. What is that suppose ? Crash! Clatter! Whinny! Oh. She is klutzy. Shade helps to reposition the desks with her magic and the pegasus smiles and apologizes weakly at everypony.

Bing. Bong. Bing. Ding. Classes are now in session.

"Good morning, my little ponies!" Stonewall Smith greets his students. He receives an equally happy reply from his adorable class. "I see we have a couple of new faces this year so why don't we all introduce ourselves? I am your teacher and primary instructor Mister Stonewall Smith. I would like it if you all address me as Mister Smith." He points a hoof at the desk closest to the door. "Let's start with you. Please stand, introduce yourself, and tell us a little about you."

The dark pink unicorn filly with cotton candy blue mane and tail stands timidly from her chair. "I. . . my name is Genuine Image. I like taking pictures," she speaks softly and quickly returns to her seat.

"Splendid! It is wonderful to have you, Miss Genuine Image. Next." Mister Smith speaks.

Applejack stands up and removes her hat. "My name is Applejack. I like to help my family at Sweet Apple Acres and always lend a helping hoof for my friends."

"Thank you for the apple, Miss Applejack," Mister Smith smiles.

Shade stands up. "I am Nightshade Toxin; I prefer Shade. I come from a rare species of pony called tricorns. I just moved to Ponyville, and I like it here. I love to learn, especially magic!"

"You 'love to learn'? Well, I love to teach!" Mister Smith announces. "Great to have you, Miss Shade!"

"Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie jumps up from her seat. "I love making new friends! Shade and Applejack are my bestest friends!"

"Wonderful, Miss Pie! I love your enthusiasm!"

A dark gray pegasus colt stands up with a huff and drolls, "I'm Thunderlane. I like to fly, go figure."

"Thank you, Mister Thunderlane. You almost blew me away with your enthusiasm," Mister Smith jabs and gets a shrug in response. "Okay, then. . . Next."

A light brown earth colt wearing a white collar and tie stands up and clears his throat, "My name is Time Turner, and it is a pleasure to make everypony's acquaintance. I like learning about machines, new technology, and tinkering. I one day hope to become the Royal Director of Inventions!"

"I will do my utmost best to get you there, Mister Turner!"

"Does that title even exist?" Applejack turns around to question the colt.

"It will when I make it!" Time Turner declares vehemently.

"It is good to have dreams and aspirations," Shade smiles at the colt.

"Yes!" Time Turner sits down with passion in his eyes. And I will make them come true!

"Uh, hi?" the gray pegasus filly from earlier stands up carefully. "My name is Ditzy Doo and," she giggles softly, "I really like muffins."

"We can tell," Daisy snickers from the back row.

Ditzy Doo slinks back in her seat and slumps her head down on her desk.

For some reason, Ditzy Doo's pained expression stokes Shade's heart with a sharp pang and a fire begins to crackle deep within her.

Before Shade can say anything, Mister Smith warns Dasiy, "Daisy, what did we talk about last year about another pony's feelings?"

"What? I only meant that Derpy always brings three muffins for lunch."

"Yeah," Lily reinforces her sister, "Ditzy should just change her name to Derpy Muffins."

Shade clenches her jaw and turns to the back, but a hoof touches her left side. Pinkie shakes her head. Pinkie's pleading eyes diminish Shade's thoughts of incineration, and she stops channeling magic to her horn.

"Do you two need to start off the year writing ten-page essays?" Mister Smith warns.

Somewhere far away, perhaps Canterlot, a certain lavender unicorn with a pink star cutie mark giggles happily.

"No, sir," the two sisters reply.

Mister Smith glares sternly at the third troublesome flower sister. Roseluck smiles innocently back at him and flutters her eyelashes.