Lily walked through the front doors of the Academy. She was going to do it! She was going to tell her best friends the truth about everything! After today, everything would be different.
That thought made her pause in the middle of the hallway. Ponies walked around her, giving her looks for standing in everypony’s way. She didn’t notice though. Would things be too different if she told them? Maybe she should wait..

“Sapphire? Why are you standing in the middle of the hall?”

Lily turned around to find a stallion and a mare, her two best friends, standing there. They both looked confused by her behavior. Lily smiled.

“I just thought I forgot my saddlebag?”

The stallion, Comet Twist, pointed to her flank.

“It’s right there dummy.”

“Oh! So it is. Thanks Comet.”

The mare, Rose Petal, shook her head.

“You’re acting really weird Saph.”

“Me? What about you two? Asking silly questions like you are. Come on! We’ll be late for class.”

What was she going to do? Her excitement had turned to pure dread. She couldn’t do it! They’d hate her for lying. Or they’d die from the shock! She couldn’t live with that sort of guilt!
The three of them made their way to their first class. Sapphire sat down as her stomach started doing backflips. At least that’s what it felt like. She’d been so anxious to tell them. Now...

“What’s with you?”

The stern whisper made her jump. She looked up at Rose. Concern was dancing in her eyes. Sapphire shook her head.

“It’s...nothing.”

“Liar.”

Comet turned around in his seat.

“Give it a rest Rose. She obviously doesn’t want to talk.”

Sapphire squirmed in her seat.

“I do want to talk. I just don’t know where to begin!”

All three quickly turned to the front as the teacher looked in their direction. As soon as he went back to writing on the chalkboard, they leaned in again. Comet put his hoof on Sapphire’s.

“You know you can tell us anything.”

Rose nodded her agreement. Sapphire wanted to start, but the setting was all wrong. Could they sneak out? No. They’d get in trouble. What could she do? How could she say anything without being heard?
That’s when it hit her. But one spell wouldn’t be enough to deflect attention. But perhaps if she added in...

“Look forward.”

They whipped forward, but the teacher wasn’t looking at them. Comet turned back around.

“What gives?”

“Turn around. Both of you act like we’re learning.”

Rose spoke out of the corner of her mouth as she remained facing forward.

“I’m with Comet. What gives?”

“I’ll explain everything in a moment. She lit her horn as she focused on the spells she wanted to cast. There was a brief shimmer and a bubble formed around them. Comet and Rose looked at her in surprise.

“What did you just do?”

Sapphire smiled.

“Silencing Charm. Nopony can hear us outside of this shell.”

Rose tipped her head to the side.

“I don’t remember learning that.”

“That’s because it’s not something we learned in class. Neither is the Mural Spell.”

Comet looked puzzled.

“Mural Spell?”

“If you were anypony else in the room and happen to look in our direction, you’ll see a perfect picture of the three of us looking forward attentively. As long as nopony tries to talk to us, we should be fine.”

Rose’s eyes grew bigger.

“Isn’t that an illusion spell? I thought we weren’t supposed to start learning those until next semester..”

“We’re not. But I’ve had a slightly..accelerated education.”

Comet chimed in.

“Accelerated?”

Sapphire sighed.

“Look. I’ve got a few things to tell you guys. And I’m going to have to do this fast so that we don’t get caught. So no comments until I’m done?”

They both nodded eagerly, ready for her to begin. Sapphire took a deep breath.

“Do you guys know who Rarity is?”

Rose smiled.

“You mean the fashion designer?”

Comet nudged her.

“And the Element of Generosity. Remember from Magic History?”

“That’s right! So what about her?”

They turned back to Sapphire. Sapphire swallowed hard.

“She’s my mother.”

Her friends jaws dropped. Sapphire didn’t give them any opportunity to speak.

“Did you know she’s married?”

Rose shrugged.

“No. But I guess it makes sense since you’re here. She doesn’t strike me as the type of mare to have a kid outside of marriage.”

Comet leaned closer.

“So who’s your Dad?”

“You guys have heard of..the Right Hoof?”

Comet fell out of his seat. Rose’s jaw fell further if that was possible.

“WHAT?!”

Comet sat back up.

“You can’t be serious! Rarity, one of the prominent unicorns in magic history, is married to the Right Hoof of the Royal Family?!”

“Yeah. They met a long time ago before he worked with my aunts.”

She cursed herself for letting that word slip.

“What do you mean ‘your aunts’?”

A nervous smile crept onto her face as she looked at Rose.

“Well my father is such a close friend to them. And they wanted me to consider them as such.”

Comet braved himself between the desks.

“You don’t mean...”

Sapphire nodded.

“My aunts, Celestia and Luna. And Twilight and Cadence as well.”

It was Rose’s turn to fall over.

“You’re essentially related to the entire Royal Family?!”

“Yeah.”

“And you never told us?!”

“My Dad didn’t want me to get a lot of unnecessary attention..”

Comet’s eyes were sparkling.

“So are you called Princess Sapphire?”

Sapphire gave him a deadpan look.

“Do you see a pair of wings genius?”

Rose shook her head to clear it.

“I just can’t believe it! Rarity, the alicorns, the Right Hoof-“

She paused.

“Who is the Right Hoof anyways?”

Comet nodded.

“Yeah. That’s one of the biggest mysteries in Equestria. Nopony ever talks about him. Even though so many have met him.”

“That’s my Dad for you. Ponies are always kind of surprised by him. I think they just don’t know what to say really. That and it’s out of respect to him. He’s pretty influential.”

“Pretty influential?! He’s the most powerful pony in Equestria after the alicorns!”

“I’ve never really looked at it that way. He’s just my Dad. Overbearing, overprotective, and down right annoying.”

Rose giggled.

“That’s a Dad for you. What’s his name?”

“Shade?”

“That’s an interesting name.”

“He said he gave it to himself when he moved to Ponyville.”

“Gave it to himself? Why did he change his name?”

“I don’t think he had one before... He’s never told me a lot about his life in the hive.”

Comet’s eyes bugged out.

“The hive?! As in the changeling hive?!”

Rose’s eyes mimicked Comet’s

“He’s a changeling?!”

“Sort of.. It’s complicated. I’ve never gotten the whole story.”

Comet smiled.

“That explains your eyes. I just thought it was some sort of genetic mutation.”

Sapphire smiled in return.

“Nope. Changeling eyes. They’re really no different except in appearance. I see everything the same as you two.”

Rose looked around at the bubble around them.

“Nopony can hear this, can they?”

“Not a chance. Luna always said to be thorough with spells. I’ve got enough layers that there’s no chance in Tartarus of anypony hearing us.”

Comet had a look of awe.

“So when you say an accelerated education..”

“Celestia and Luna taught me everything I know. I’ve got a talent for magic, even though my real talent is with gems like my mother. I think that comes from my Dad’s side somehow.”

“How much did they teach you.”

“I probably could have graduated by now.”

Rose shook her head.

“But we’re first years...”

“I know. I’ve had to play dumb a lot. I really hate having to hide my talent like that.”

Comet looked sad.

“So you’ll probably shoot past us now that you’ve told us, huh?”

Sapphire put her hoof on his.

“Of course not! You two are the best part about school. I’d never leave you two in the dust. I might start getting better grades than you though.”

Rose snickered at Comet.

“Not hard in his case.”

Comet scowled at her.

“I’m not a unicorn like you two. You can’t judge a pegasus on magic.”

“That doesn’t excuse the low marks you have in Weather 101.”

Sapphire giggled.

“You two aren’t mad at me?”

They both turned to her. Rose smiled.

“Of course not! Why would we be mad?”

Comet nodded.

“You’re parents wanted to protect you. What parents don’t want to do that? And the princess stuff makes sense too. Do you know how popular you’d be though?”

“That’s another thing. You two can’t say a word about this to anypony.”

They both stared at Sapphire for a few seconds, letting it sink in. Rose slowly began to nod.

“Of course.”

Comet began nodding too.

“Not a word. But..”

Sapphire narrowed her eyes.

“Comet..”

“Can we meet them please?”

Rose smiled.

“Oh yes! Can we meet your parents?”

“I was talking about the princesses Rose!”

“Ooo! Them too!”

Sapphire groaned.

“My parents maybe, but the princesses? I can’t just have them show up whenever I want.”

They both looked crestfallen. Sapphire rolled her eyes.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

They tackled her in a hug and all three of them began laughing.