I sat at lunch across from my friend Hex. Fall was here, and my Hatchday was coming up. My brother was in the Dragonlands right now, doing something very important, but as usual, I wasn't allowed to know.

“You seem unhappy,” Hex said to me. “Your brother away again?”

“Yeah, he never tells me about these trips,” I grumbled. “He seemed worried before he left, though.”

“Yeah, mom didn't have a chance to give him his change after paying for your meals, he ran out so fast,” Hex agreed. “At least you get to stay with the Princesses!”

“Why would you be excited about?” I asked.

“Because they are the princesses of Equestria. The most powerful beings on this side of the unknown!” Hex said excitedly. “You practically got them tutoring you.”

“Just Princess Cadence really. Celestia is helping, and Luna is asleep most of the time I'm there, but Princess Cadence is fun. I'm thankful for them being good hosts.”

“I wish I could come with you to the castle sometime.” Hex slouched in her seat.

“I could ask if it would be okay,” I suggested.

“Really? Because it would be so cool to meet Princess Luna, I was so stoked to hear we had a princess of the night.” Hex smiled at the idea of meeting Luna.

“My hatchday is coming up.” I finally revealed to my friend.

“Hatchday? What's that?” Hex asked, tilting her head to the side.

“It's the dragon version of a pony’s birthday,” I told her.

Hex’s golden eyes lit up with excitement. “Sweet Celestia, I know exactly what to get you!” she bounced in her seat.

“So you'll come?” I asked.

“Of course! You’re my best friend right?” she asked.

“Best friends!” I smiled.

“Oh look it's the silent freak!” a snobbish voice came from behind me. I turned my head toward the voice.

The speaker was an earth brown filly and a golden mane that she’d colored herself. Her name was Golden Treasure, so named for her ability to transform almost anything into pure gold. Her attitude, though, was anything other than gold: she was extremely snobbish and bossy, especially after she’d become the youngest Acolyte in the Alteration School ever, a fact that she never got tired of shoving down all of our throats.

Next to her was Soul Gem, Golden Treasure’s little sister, and shadow. Soul Gem had a glossy white-blue coat, and glossy white-pink mane and tail. She was particularly good at enchanting items.

Usually, there was a third pony in the group of bullies. Amethyst Star. But she must be out sick or something today.

The two of them were currently picking on one of the new students, who was sitting by himself in the back corner. The colt had no cutie mark and was pure white: white coat, white hair, white tail. The only thing on him that wasn’t white was his eyes, a golden yellow. He was currently staring up at the bullies with a look of fear.

“You get abandoned again? I can’t imagine anypony would want a little-broken colt like you,” Treasure scoffed to the colt, looking down her nose at him. Gem sneered at him from over her sister’s shoulder.

The colt stared back at her, shifting in his seat.

“Are you mute? Can you do anything?” Treasure taunted.

“Hello?” Gem shouted, speaking slowly. “Do-you-un-der-stand-me?”

By now, everypony in the lunchroom was watching. I huffed a small puff of smoke through my nostrils and stood up, stomping towards them.

“Kii wait!” Hex protested, but I ignored her.

As I approached I could hear Treasure talking more clearly. “I bet you won't do anything even if I turn your lunch to gold.” Treasure’s horn flared with her transmutation spell.

I flared my magic. “Noitcetorp!” I shouted my ward spell and put it between Treasure and the colt’s lunch, blocking Treasure’s spell. There was a gasp from the ponies around us.

Treasure glared at me, and I stared right back. “One freak attracts another,” Treasure sneered. “What's the matter lizard, the bat-pony not enough for you?”

I hopped up onto the table so I could look down at Treasure and Gem, and so I was between them and the new kid. “Back off,” I growled, flaring my wings to make myself appear bigger than I was, just like I seen big brother do with Magmadiles.

“Or what?” Treasure said trying to call me out. “I'm better at magic than you. My wards are stronger.”

“Wards only protect against magic, not claws and teeth!” I hissed, baring my fangs at her. “You afraid to get that perfect coat of yours scratched?”

I saw fear in Treasure’s eyes, but she refused to back off. We glared at each other. “You’re lucky that you’re in a grade beneath me,” Treasure finally scoffed. “I have more important things to do. Come on now Gem, we have work to do.” Treasure walked away. Her sister stuck her tongue out at me and followed.

I folded my wings into place as I got down from the table. Hex was already up and coming over. “Nopony ever stands up to her!” Hex commented, sounding concerned.

“I'm not a pony, so I stood up,” I said. Then I remembered the colt. I turned around to face him. “Are you okay?”

He nodded.

“Light Knight? You just moved here from Las Pegasus, right?” Hex asked.

He nodded.

“Would you mind some company?” I asked getting off the table, as Hex levitated our lunches over.

He smiled and nodded.

It was the part of class where we practice our spells. It was reaching the end of the school day so we were just practicing whatever. Hex was working on an illusion spell, Light Knight seemed to be working in the Restoration School but a more offensive aspect. He could create beams of pure light, and wards of light, every spell he did was bright lights.

I was working out a healing spell I wanted to learn. Another student, Sparks, burned themselves with a shock spell and I was gonna try a low-level healing spell before he goes to the nurse. Sparks has a habit of blowing himself up, so it's not like this is new for him. Sparks is a blue unicorn, with little streaks of yellow in his mane.

“Okay now Kii,” Crimson was coaching. “This is possibly the lowest-risk spell in the whole school of Restoration, the worst that can happen if you get this spelling wrong is nothing happens, so there is no harm in trying. ‘Dnem’ is the word you want to use. No need to brace yourself, just hold your claws over the injury and concentrate.”

Sparks, the student who slightly burned themselves, was nervous. “Calm down, please,” I asked him in my kindest voice. I reconcentrated, flared my magic. “Dnem.” I spoke calmly.

My purple magic flames enveloped my claws and the injured spot. Sparks yelped quietly but didn’t move away. Within moments, the small burn was gone.

“Wow!” Sparks shouted, looking amazed.

“‘Wow’ indeed, well done,” Crimson said, bouncing up and down on his hooves in excitement. “I'll have to ask Nurse Aid if she would like an assistant! Come along Sparks, we still need to take you to the Nurse, just to be sure.”

Light Knight, Hex and I sat and talked about our ideas on magical use and applications. According to Ms. Gingersnap, it was an important thing to know when and when not to use it.

“Getting somepony to do something?” Hex gave me a scenario.

“Wrong. Taking something without paying for it?” I gave her one as well.

“Wrong,” she turned to Light Knight. “Stopping a someone from stealing?”

He nodded.

“Holding somepony against their will?” I asked him.

He shook his head.

Just as he was finally about to speak, the bell rang. “Aww,” I whined.

“I'm gonna go get my things,” Hex said and started toward the classroom.

Light Knight and I followed her in and we gathered our things too. Once the older kids were allowed to leave and get out the doors we followed. Waiting outside was one of Cadance’s guards, a pegasus named Flash Sentry. Normally it's Princess Cadance who picks me up but she must have been busy today.

“You ready to go?” Flash asked.

“Yup!” I hopped up to him. “My brother back yet?”

“The Ambassador hasn't been seen at the castle yet, no,” he said.

“Oh,” I sighed.

After a minute or two of walking, he spoke again. “I'm sure he'll be back today, Kii.”

I was glad that this guard, who I knew had better things to do than walking me to the castle, was making an effort. Something that Krein wasn’t doing lately.

We entered the castle using the side entrance to avoid the nosy eyes of the public. We made our way to Celestia’s office.

“I thought I was gonna be with Princess Cadance today?” I asked.

“Princess Celestia requested to see you after school today,” Flash said.

“Really?” I asked surprised, he nodded.

He stopped in front of Celestia’s Office and had a brief word with the guard standing there. The celestial guard opened the door after knocking three times.

“Princess, GFC Sentry and Kii here to see you,” the guard at the door announced.

“Please let them in,” Celestia said in her kind voice. The Guard opened the door and allowed us entry. “Thank you, Sentry. You may return to my niece,” Celestia said.

Flash bowed before turning and leaving. Celestia sat behind her desk, smiling at me and taking her glasses off. “Please sit,” she instructed.

I got up on one of the seats opposite her. “You wanted to see me, Princess?” I asked, shuffling my claws a little.

“A little bird, named Frank, told me that you and another student aren't getting along? Can you tell me what happened?” Celestia asked.

I recited my side of the story for her, even telling her that Hex and I had used magic without a teacher present, even though she might get me in trouble for it.

“...then Hex and I sat with Light Knight for the rest of lunch. Light Knight is cool, he doesn't talk much though. Hex and I are trying to get him to talk to us though.”

“I'm glad you are making friends, and that you are standing up for them. But get a teacher next time please?” Celestia asked me kindly.

“I'll try,” I nodded.

“So. Since you're here and I don't have another meeting for another thirty minutes. Why don't you ask me any questions you may have about your lessons?”

“I performed a low-level healing spell today.”

Celestia looked very happy. “Very good. You seem to be catching up to your classmates quickly.”

“I had a question about Sunspots. Light Knight was using them, as an offensive type spell, but its Restoration School, not Destruction School. Why is that?”

“Have you heard the phrase ‘A good defense is a good offense?’” she asked me. I shook my head. “Well there is another one that is similar, ‘A good offense is a good defense’ The restoration school and destruction school were created at the same time. There are a number of spells in both schools that blur the line between them.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“For example, the Frost spell in the Destruction school. It can be used to numb a painful injury. Fire can save your life if you are freezing, or it can cook your meal. It's all about perspective.” Celestia explained.

“Per...perpective?” I tried saying the word.

“‘Per-spec-tive,’” Celestia said it slowly with a kind smile. “It means to have a particular attitude toward or a way of regarding something; a point of view.”

“Oh!” I said.

The two of us talked for a while longer; I asked her a lot of questions about magic, and she was always happy to answer. But after a while, three knocks resonated from the door. “Come in,” Celestia called warmly.

Another solar guard stepped in. “Princess, Speaker Krein is here.”

“Ah, I was beginning to wonder.” Celestia stood. “It has been a pleasure to have you here again. Kii.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

“Would you please escort Kii to her brother?” she asked the guard.

The guard nodded in acknowledgment of the request. I was just happy Krein was back. I have so much to tell him.

“Soul Gem, Golden Treasure, and Amethyst Star are the meanest. They constantly pick on Hex and me,” I was explaining to Krein. I was trying to get advice on how to handle bullies.

“So?” he asked.

I slumped down on his head. “‘So?’ What do I do? I want them to stop but I don't know what to do.”

“Tell an adult. If that doesn't work use your words. But never resort to violence unless they attack first,” he said firmly.

“Is that what you do?” I asked.

Krein seemed to hesitate a moment. “I try.”

I slid off my brother's head, down his neck, and onto his back. “So. What's the plan for my hatchday this year?” I asked knowing he had a plan.

“Plan? Oh, nothing big. I just figured you could invite some of your friends from class over and I could cook. How's that sound?” he asked.

“Simple, and easy, like normal,” I was a little disappointed.

“Hey,” my brother bristled, offended.

“Sorry, that was wrong,” I apologized. “I meant that it's just not what I was hoping.”

“Not sure if that was better. But I'll see what else I can do. Okay?” he asked me.

I hugged his shoulders. “It's okay, big brother. Whatever you can do, and as long as you're there will make it great.”

He snorted. “Aw, you're sweet. How about we go home and build a fort out of pillows, eh?”

“Race you home!” I jumped off his back and hurried along the street, trying to get home first.

I had a task to complete before tomorrow. Krein instructed me to invite whomever I wanted to my hatchday party. I had Hex and her parents invited already. There were a few ponies at school I wanted to be even remotely close to friends with, all of us got picked on. I had asked most of them already.

“So you want to come?” I asked Sparks.

He smiled kindly. “I really do, but my mom might not want me to.”

“Why not?” Hex asked from beside me.

Sparks shifted in his seat. “I mean no offense by this, Kii, but my parents think your brother is scary.”

“Oh,” I muttered, feeling a bit sad. “Well, we'll have a few members of the city guard there, if that makes your mom feel better,” I told him. I was being completely honest too: Snow was coming.

“I'll ask my mom. But I can't promise I'll be there.” Sparks said. I could hear how much he wanted to go in his voice.

Once he left I turned to Hex. “Is my brother really that scary?”

“You want an honest answer?” Hex asked. I nodded. “He kinda is,” she said slowly. “And that first time I met him, I thought he was gonna roast me.”

“He had to be scary when we were in the Dragonlands, and he'd never use his fire breath unless it's against a Wyvern,” I tried to explain.

“But do other ponies know that?” Hex asked.

I thought a moment and sighed. “I guess not.”

“Well, unless you plan on inviting Golden Treasure and her pluses, I think that's everypony in the class.” Hex said calling attention to that we were done.

“Yeah. Let's get back to class.” I said hopping off the chair and heading back to class.

Today was my hatchday! And if I had anything to say about it, the day I'd begin to learn to fly on my own. “Big brother! Big Brother! Wake up! I wanna start learning to fly!” I cheered.

He shifted out from under the blankets and flung the blankets off to stretch. “I don’t think today is the day to start that. Tomorrow, though, will be an excellent day for it. We’ll start then.”

“Aww,” I groaned, disappointed.

I hopped off the bed and followed Krein downstairs. He looked at the thermometer by the front door. I hadn’t learned how to read it, but I could tell from how low the red bar was that it was cold. “Hmm. I’d say it’s a good time for your first hatchday present,” he commented moving toward the kitchen.

I followed. “First? How many did you get me?”

“I’m not telling. You want grilled cheese for breakfast?”

“Yes please!” I said politely, hopping up onto a chair.

Krein made what, in my opinion, was the best grilled cheese. He puts some grated cheese in the bread while the bread browns, then he puts the slices together with a thick slice of cheddar to melt it together.

“Is it weird that I like the sound of burning things?” he asked me.

I thought a moment. “Well, my teacher of Magical Creatures Inkwell would describe you as a Fire Class Creature, belonging to the Phoenix class of Elementals,” I answered.

“I feel like ‘Elemental’ should be reserved for creatures like Phoenixes, Golems, and Thunderbirds,” Krein commented. “You know, things that are actually made of their Spirit-given element.”

“She actually said that the only creatures that have the title of elemental are the ones that define the category,” I added.

“And you being a magic dragon, what element class do you belong to?” he asked. The cheese on the pan was about half melted now. He put the remaining cheese on the unbuttered side and put the second slice on top.

“I asked Celestia that, and she said that ‘Beings of magic belong to all the Elements,’” I said, trying my best to sound like Celestia.

“That’s actually kinda cool,” he said. “Wait, but Pegasi would be of the Air Element class. How does that work?”

I shrugged. “She also said some blur the lines between the classes, like Unicorns and Pegasi.”

Krein nodded. “Interesting.” Once the cheese was good and melted, he scraped the sandwiches off the pan and onto a plate. Putting it in front of me. “Eat up, I’ll be right back,” he said.

I responded by nodding with a mouthful of grilled cheese. He made his way over to the coat closet that sat beneath the stairs. I occupied the time he was over there with my sandwich.

He returned to the kitchen to find me finishing my sandwich. “Look here,” he said and held a small purple piece of clothing that looked my size particularly warm.

“Oh, it’s pretty. What do I need it for?” I asked hopping down from my seat.

“It’s growing colder outside, this will help you stay warm.” he told me.

“Okay.” I put it on, as Krein but his on. It was a little confusing at first with all the holes, but I figured it out after the second attempt.

“Come on, you still have school.” He nudged me toward the stairs.

“Okay!” I ran upstairs to grab my backpack and ran back downstairs and out the door.

“Wait up!” Krein ran after me after closing the door to the house.

The school day went by fast. I barely remember the lessons we learned. Hex and I were busy looking at the clock most of the day waiting for the minutes to go by faster. Of course, the clock never listened to us. Krein had planned more than he was letting on today, and I was trying to figure out what it was.

Finally, the final bell rang and everyone started heading for the doors. Hex and I hung back a while so we wouldn’t get trampled.

“I asked my parents if we could go to your place first thing after school,” Hex was saying.

“Cool! Then we can bother Krein until he gives up what he’s planning,” I said.

Hex looked at me like I lost something. “You sure you can't just wait? He'll be revealing his plans soon enough, right?”

I sighed. “I suppose. It's just that he said this morning that he had a bunch of surprises for me.”

“That's better than what you thought he was gonna be doing,” Hex pointed out again.

“Yeah, it is,” I admitted.

“Glad you finally see it. Let's see if the hallways are clear yet.” Hex stood and started toward the door.

I followed to see as well. It was much clearer than it was before, so we made our way out of the school. There were still older students walking around, but not nearly as many as when the bells rang.

As we got outside I could see Krein sitting to the side with Hex’s parents. “Brother!” I ran up to him for a hug.

He hugged me. “How many of your friends did you invite?”

“I said something to the others, but I think it’s just gonna be Hex, her parents, you and me,” I told him.

He smiled a little. “Well, if they do come we’ll be ready, and if not, more food for us. Come on, I have another surprise waiting for you at home.” He stood and started in the direction of home, Hex and her parents following behind us.

“What is it?” I asked walking beside him.

“Still can’t tell you,” he said smiling as we walked.

“Please?” I asked, running up beside him.

“No.”

I hopped up trying to get in front of his face and failing. “Please?”

“Nope.”

I tried what Hex called the ‘puppy dog eyes.’ “Pretty please?”

He chuckled. “The physical appearance of the ‘please’ makes no difference, I still can’t tell you.”

I tried again. “Please?”

“Yes,” he finally said.

“Really?” I asked.

“No,” he laughed. I pouted.

I kept trying until I gave up about halfway home. Once we arrived Krein turned me toward upstairs. “Kii, why don’t you go put your stuff away in your room and meet me in the backyard.”

“Okay!” I ran up the stairs to put my stuff away. Hex followed me up.

“I wonder what your brother has waiting.” Hex said as we got to my room.

“Believe me, no dragon is as curious as I am right now.” I stepped out the door to my room. “You coming?”

“I'm right behind you,” she said, putting her saddlebags in the corner.

With Hex behind me, we went back downstairs and started through the kitchen to the backyard. Krein was talking with somepony but stopped when he saw me. “Well—”

When I stepped through the sliding glass door to the backyard I saw three unfamiliar dragons. “Happy Hatchday!” they all yelled.

I don't know what kind of surprise this was supposed to be but I didn't like it. “Krein!” I said, trying to find a place to hide. Krein always warned me to stay away from dragons I don't know. I didn't know these ones.

Krein hurried over to me. “It’s okay, they’re family.”

That sent my worries spiraling. “Family?” I repeated and looked up at my brother. “I thought we were the only ones?”

“I thought so too, but they showed up after I dropped you off at school,” he explained as he guided me toward them. “They are my clutch siblings, we hatched in the same week. Which means they are your sisters and brother as well.”

It took me a moment to think about it, but then I realized: I have sisters and another brother! “We have a bigger family?” I asked trying to make sure I heard him correctly.

“Sure do,” my newest brother started. “I’m Nandak, the brother that’s closest to you in age.”

“I’m your eldest sister Aleazh, first to hatch after Krein. The one next to me gushing with excitement is Nikta, the middle sibling,” my sister said pointing a claw to Nikta.

I wanted to ask them so many questions, but my first instinct told me to hug them, so I ran up and hugged Nikta. Nikta picked me up and hugged me tightly. Aleazh and Nandak both joined in the group hug. Krein stood back and watched.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Spike, the nice dragon from Ponyville, come out onto the back porch. He walked up to Krein and whispered something to him. Krein responded with a whisper of his own.

Some ponies from class had come; Sparks, Onyx, Jade Vision, Scarlet Flower, and at least one parent for each of them. Some of the adults my brother and I had made friends with came also: Spike, Fancy Pants, and Fleur, Snow, even Princess Cadance came, along with her stallionfriend Shining Armor. Music was playing, and Krein was walking around talking to everypony he could. A pink pony from Ponyville named Pinkie Pie was bouncing around, having fun with us; she was the one who had organized this party. She even brought a bounce house that she’d specifically made so that it was claw-proof!

I was in the bounce house with Hex and my classmates. Every time I bounced, I started flapping my wings trying to stay in the air longer. Hex was bouncing beside me.

“Kii you brother did awesome on this party!” Jade Vision said, bouncing passed me. She was a unicorn with pale yellow color coat, red mane, and tail stood out against her jade green eyes.

“Your house is cool too. You should hold study group here.” Onyx was saying. The black coated, maned, and silver-eyed unicorn colt had stopped bouncing to take a break.

Scarlet Flower, the reddest pony I think I’ll ever meet and the only one in the group who had a cutie mark (a red flower) was bouncing lightly in the corner. “I don’t know if my mom would let me come here without her,” she said sadly.

“Not to mention Golden Treasure, Amethyst Star, and Soul Gem would want to be in on the study group to make sure we feel inferior,” Sparks added as he bounced in a circle.

I made a face. “Yeah, I don’t think I want our school bullies around my house.”

“Unless...” Pinkie Pie bounced through. “You talk to your teacher and tell her that you’d like to make a new study group without them! But then they’d probably feel bad about being left out, and they’d be like, ‘We should make our own study group without those ponies!’ I mean, I know they’re mean, but that’s kind of mean, too! I think you should try and make friends with them, too. Then you can all go study together and you’ll all have fun!” Pinkie left the bounce house for a moment.

“She makes a good point,” Spike said from the other side of the net. He was watching making sure we were being safe.

“Maybe we should all ask Ms. Gingersnap,” Hex said. “And we can say that her brother will be there, too, so there’ll be an adult!”

“I like that plan,” I said and looked to the others.

Everypony nodded in agreement. “Kii? Mind coming out here a minute?” I heard Krein from behind me.

I bounced over to the entrance. “Yes?”

“Wanna open your presents before Aleazh gets the food ready?”

“Yeah!” I hopped off the entrance to the bounce house and over to the table of presents. My friends followed me.

“Kii is gonna open her presents now!” Krein called out. Every dragon and pony gathered in a wide circle around the present table and me.

Hex galloped up to me. “Open mine first! It's the darkly wrapped one!”

Krein helped me get the present off the table and I opened it. It was a small record player and radio. “So you can start collecting music of your own instead of coming over to my house to listen all the time!” Hex smiled.

“I love it. Thank you!” I said, hugging her.

“Mine next! The small one with the hearts on it!” Cadance pointed, clapping her hooves like a little filly. I saw Shining Armor rolling his eyes.

Same as before, Krein clawed it over to me and I ripped the paper off of it. Inside was a black box containing a silver necklace featuring a purple dragon-eye pendant, just perfect to hang around my neck.

“I thought it looked nice,” Cadance admitted.

I put it around my neck immediately. “It’s great, Princess. Thank you!”

“Okay, okay, mine next,” Krein bumped in. He pulled out a stack of six presents held together with ribbon and set it down in front of me.

“Another one of the surprises you had for me?” I asked.

“Last one,” he stated. “And this one is not just from me.”

I removed the ribbon and started taking the wrapping paper off carefully revealing each book they held. I examined the last book. It was obvious that it was in another language but I know a spell when I see one.

“These are spell books?” I asked looking up at my brother. He nodded. “What language is this?” I asked him.

“Ancient Dragon. Olakaan included a translation guide,” he told me, pointing it out.

“I thought there were no other Magic Dragons,” I said.

“None living. These spell books are from the Magic dragons that came before you,” he explained.

Magic, my own magic. Not unicorn magic, but magic that was made by Magic Dragons, for Magic Dragons like myself. I hopped up and hugged my brother. “I love them. Thank you, brother.”

He hugged me back. “For you Kii, anything.”

Author's Notes:

Wow this took forever! When did I publish the previous chapter? June 31? Wow it's only been, what, three months and nine days? That's actually kinda bad. I'm sure I'm not the worst one on Fimfiction though.