“Nothing but trees,” Celestia grumbled, looking out the carriage window. Outside her window, there was nothing but trees.

A month ago, her father, Sirius, had announced that he was taking a teaching job over 200 miles away, and the family had to pack their bags and leave the only home that Celestia had ever known. They were going to a place she had never heard of: Ponyville, almost straight north from their home in Manehatten. Still in Equestria, but just barely. Ponyville. The name itself almost screamed “small”. Of course, she had screamed, begged, threatened to run away forever, but she was eventually dragged to the carriage, and jammed into it with her little sister, and her mother. Her dad drove the cart, and two very strong pegasus were recruited for the time being to transport them to Ponyville.

The farther they went, the thicker the woods got, and the more homesick she became. It was bad enough having to leave Manehatten, but leaving it for Ponyville? That alone was painful to her.

She shifted in her seat, and bumped into her sister, Luna, causing her to drop her book. Luna just sighed and picked it back up off the carriage floor. “It's too cramped back here!”

“Don't start that with me.” Sirius warned from his seat on the front of the carriage.

“What?” Celestia asked, faking innocence.

“I used to do the same thing with my father.” Sirius said. “The carriage's too small... it's too run down...”

Celestia smirked. “Well, it is.”

Her mind wandering, Celestia started thinking about Eclipse. She thought back a bit. He hadn't returned her latest love letter. He used to always do that. But Celestia knew the score: Out of sight, out of mind. Even in the past week, she had sensed a coldness in him, as if he had no more emotion. When she had told her sister, Luna had just shrugged. Luna had never had a particular liking of Eclipse.

Celestia had tried to convince herself that he was just another friend she was leaving behind, but whenever she thought about leaving him, she felt an ache in her heart.

Stop it! She told herself.

Her mother reached over and patted her shoulder.

“Give it some time,” she whispered. “You'll find new things to do, and make new friends. Just wait, and you'll see.”