The pink alicorn trots through the rich city of Equestria. She carries a yellow bag. The bag holds some papers, pens, and a picnic basket.
Shops and cafes are around every corner for all the high-class citizens of Canterlot. Princess Cadance felt excited this morning. A smile shining from her the sun slowly rising while the moon lowers. She is ready to witness her most favorite time of the year. "I can't wait!" she trotted at a quick pace to the Unicorns academy for the gifted.
The academy is a large tower, built when she was born. A place full of promise of a bright future. The white tower shines of marble and stone. A twenty floor tower with large rooms for two hundred students in need of residence in the first five floors itself are full of classrooms for all of these hallways throughout the academy are wide. The interior is almost an exact replica of the castles interior. The floors are made of white marble.
A observatory and library resides a small walk away through a garden from the academy for the full use of all the students. The library itself is the largest in all of equestria.
Cadance loved the place as a may even call it home at times. A place that taught her the magic of love and turned her into who she is. A alicorn, A goddess, and a princess of Equestria.
This tower in particular is where most of equestrias research takes place. Studies in the advancements of magic and science.
Foals that are accepted will have the status of the rich. Sadly, the tuition fee is the highest around equestria but the ones that can afford such an honor or know powerful ponies is bound for success. Tests in the academy Which consist of magical spells most foals consider difficult. The academy for the gifted. A tower of foals with a promising future.
Cadance passes by a few of the city folk of Equestria. All of these rich pegasus, earth ponies, and unicorns acknowledge the presence of their princess. most say hello to Cadance others simply go throughout their morning as usual. She greets them in return as she trots to the academy.
An alicorn for the ponies most will say. Young and beautiful, even if she is twice as old as the oldest mare or colt. The gossip in the papers can't even get any dirty little secrets from one so innocent unless you count her sweet tooth.
This year is important to the alicorn since she can finally oversee the testing of the foals for the university.
It is kept in secret of course, since Cadance promised Celestia that she will not put any pressure on the foals. Cadance even promised to put a invisibility spell around her when testing begins.
Cadance chuckled to herself. The concern Celestia showed to her for her good nature. She thought Cadance might cause the foals to get even more worried during these individual tests. "That is the last thing a foal needs in one of their most important day of their life," she pictured a small foal fidgeting while they try to cast a spell."those cute foals are going to feel everyone's eyes on them," she turned a corner around a bakery, " I hope they will calm themselves during the test or-" She just pictured a crying foal that failed the exam, she frowned a bit " oh dear. I wish I won't see a sad foal today, anything but a sad foal."
She trots around a corner and smiles as she sees the academy.
The moon lowered behind the white tower. A small garden surrounds the side of the road leading to the academy. Every day the flowers are tended to and the two large hedges are cut in the shape of Celestia or are arranged on these masterpieces as a crown, necklace, and color of their mane. "So beautiful" She turns her head to view the beautiful garden she is surrounded by. Flowers bloomed on the bushes side by side of the road. The bushes cut in symmetrical chest high rows straight to the doors of the tower where you can see two canterlot guards at their post. Small gaps appear in the bushes to invite ponies into the flat areas of a garden."I should have a picnic here after I finish with the testing." The khaki cobblestone road she trotted on is free of any wear and tear of old age. She kept trotting and turning her head to view the beautiful garden "I must congratulate the gardeners for their hard work after i have a little snack in the garden."
Throughout the garden there are small openings of plain grass. A semi large garden not as large as the one near the castle but large enough to call a park. A castle garden For the use of students in need of fresh air or a break in their study. It was barren of ponies since it is very early in the morning.
"where is star shin-Ah!" Cadance felt a small bump she stumbled over onto the ground. She turned around and saw a small white coated blue haired foal."owie.."The colt said.
"Oh no! "Cadance got up and rushed to the colt. "are you okay little one?!" She looked at the foals small body. Taking quick and steady looks at his frame for any sign of a cut or bruise. A small sigh is released from the princesses muzzle realizing he is not injured.
"Shining!" said a angry white unicorn rushing to the colt from the direction Cadance just trotted from.
The colt got up feverishly and faced his mothers voice. "mommy I-"
"what have I told you Shining not to run ahead or else you might bump into somepony!"The upset unicorn turned to a flabbergasted Cadance and back to her son, "a princess out of anypony in Equestria!"
The mare let out a sigh and got next to her son and bowed to Cadance. "I am deeply sorry princess for this small accident my son caused."
Shining looked down "I'm sorry princwess."
Cadance stopped a giggle at the small colts lisp and looked at the white unicorn smiling "its fine. I know how small foals are. Their really a hoof full when they are excited."
Cadance quickly sensing the white mares mood, "are you here for the academy tests for chance?"
"Yes princess-" she interrupted the unicorn "call my Cadance."
The unicorn lifts her head, "my apologies princ- Cadance," she releases a heavy sigh, "My son Shining is entering into noon testing. Is it not right Shining?" The unicorn turned to her son.
Shining replied excited "yea and we are gething all my supplies for the thest before everypony starts getting them!"
"Of course, testing is starting in a bit. Some of the supplies that you need for testing are going to be out of stock with all the ponies for testing." She lifts a eye," were you not supposed to get your supplies a month ago?"
The white unicorn smiles nervously, " you are correct prin-Cadance. My husband wanted to acquire the products during testing day. As the prices are reduced drastically during the days of testing. The colt did not want to get sh innings supplies with the sale."
Cadence giggled, "your husband sound like a stubborn colt if he didn't take your advice."
The mare chuckled "more than you can ever believe, but thats why i love him. It's a bit early for you to be out and about princess," The unicorn looked around, "where are your guards princess? a griffin or changeling might come and do something drastic. being here all on your own without a guard after the war."
Shining interrupted " I'll protect the princesses mommy! Guard Shining Armor reporting for duty! "
Cadance and the made chuckled. She points at the two guards standing near the academies tower, "Its fine, since the war finished a couple years ago there have been guards placed around every corner in case of a emergency."
The thought of the war sadness the princess. The war against the griffins was a long war both sides suffered many casualties. The griffins have a honor in which their life are determined by the battles they fought. Every thousand years or so griffon nations would fight a bloody battle with other nations including their own.
It has always been this way with the different species in the world. The griffins, changelings, dragons, even zebras and donkeys at one time issued war. With such rich of a land, many wanted this land for power or to help their own citizens in times of famine in their own land. zebra and donkey nations even have equestrian outpost placed strategically near their capital to stop such wars with words and trade rather than blood. Most of the other species despised equestrian in some way or fashion, that these outposts were either unwelcomed or ponies did not trust the other nations species. Once the changelings were given a outpost fifty years ago. It caused some large sanctions that are still in place to this day. The changelings still have all of those ponies as their 'food farms'.
Every since the use of these changelings farms there has been at a decline in relations with ponies and every other species that can possibly eat all of pony kind.
Prejudice against non-equestrian species are common. The issues are so tough to fight against that Celestias court had to stop trade with most of the other nations at times. Which also increased the divide in culture and negative view on all non-ponies.
Because of pony prejudice not many griffins and zebras come to Equestria. It saddens Cadance and Celestia that non equestrians travel and live in peace in Equestria without being forced out by Equestrians.
"but since the treaty was signed we don't need to worry about a war from griffins anymore. The first treaty that the griffin nation has signed in the last thousand years. " Cadance stated to the unicorn.
"Maybe princess, but the war was just a couple of years ago. My father does have the scars to show for it and my husband never knew his own mother." The unicorn replied.
Cadances ears turned down "I am sorry for you and your husbands loss. The war has created many losses. I should have done something more in the war than just defend the capitals of equestria."
"Oh dear princess, I did not mean to upset you. Without you no pony would have had a place of refuge during the Beak war."
Shining with a childish smile on his face "Pwinces with you and Cewestia we won! we will always beat the bad guys because we got you and Celwestia and the best army!" Shining turned to his mother, "right mom?"
"Yes my son," the mare noticed Cadance frown ",onto a less controversial topic princesses. Have you tried the new sunflower biscuit everyone is eating? They are very delicious."
"No, but I hear great things from all the ponies," Cadance thought of a meal she had at the castle "have you heard about the new foods being popular in small towns that griffons and zebras brought from their nations. I think one griffin dessert is called a crepe?"" such a sweet and cheesy dessert. Next time I'll savor the taste and not eat one in three bites and maybe cover it in-"
-"Really!" The white unicorn lifting her hoove to her mouth, "good thing we don't have as low standards as these common folk. We don't want to get something from those dirty griffins."
Shining "yea princess I heard the griffins like to eat meat," he paused "Blueblood even said they sometimes eat foals or even eat them alive."
The mare turned to her son with a stern face, "son what have I told you about bluebloods stories?"
"that blueblood just wants to scare me and his daddy is a big fat"-The mare put her hoof on her sons mouth. The unicorn smiling, "-colts and their wonderful imaginations haha."
Cadance tried to keep her smile on her face. She knew the foal is only scared of griffins like most of the equestrians. Some ponies don't want to understand and passing their fears to other ponies. With that fear it is reflected to foals from their parents and those foals scare other foals. "the scars from the war are deeper than I would admit." The thought hit Cadance that maybe things will never change. "I can't think that way I seen these changes! Last hundred years you could not find a zebra or griffin working in equestria but they do! Even if barely any of them come into that's something to hope for. "
Cadance looked up at the sky and noticed the sun rising.
"Oh no!" Cadance said frantically stomping her hooves "I'm sorry madam but I am late for a meeting I have to get to."
The unicorn bows down "Dear me, I am terrible sorry princess for keeping you busy," "I should have realized a princess is always busy," raising herself "Goody day prin-"
Cadance has already started to trot quickly away from the unicorn and her son.
The unicorn releases a sigh and turned the other way and started trotting. "Come Shining your father must be worried about you."
"Okay mama."
-***(somewhere***-
" mamma "
a old brown earth pony named pray ground snores loudly as she rests in a mattress with gray sheets covering her body.
The room itself is small and made of old wood. everything in this room and house show their age from wear and pots and pans in the kitchen have bruises and cuts around their frame. Cracks and creaks can be heard from the whole houses brittle frame. Even with all of the old age in the old mares and young ones home it is kept clean as can be. not even a speck of dust can be found in such a ancient home. cracks can be seen all around the room. a small window faces to the old mares only things to find in this room itself is a two bedside drawers and a small drawer with a small mirror hangs nailed above it. A comb sits on this dresser. the morning sunlight shines through the window toward the old mare.
A small house built next to a old wooden church for church has a small bell on the top to ring when church service starts. The two church doors are closed since the church is not open during the weekends. A small sphere hangs above the wooden doors to signify that this is a church for Gaios.
A church built from the popularization of religion from the old times of equestria. One of the only places in equestria that offers a religion other than Celestias and Cadances church.
The church of Giaos was created in the religious belief that the world is its own goddess. That all that is created is from the world itself. Only fifty or so believe in this religious belief. since this is the one church that supports this belief. It is even considered to be one of the only few places in equestria to offer a different religious belief other than a religion centered around the princesses. The old mare in this house is the prime caretaker of this church and opens the church for the small village and prays for Giaos and others from day to night. With help from the young one that the she raised.
The town of dock is mostly rejected from most of canterlots money funds since not much money is gained or lost in the town. The hope was reached to the church of Gaios. No tourist and no rich live in this town, Since the fear of living in a forest scared most away from the town. The residents stayed though. Most are old mares and colts living on the land they helped raise. The children of the old either moved to the city or stayed to take care of their stubborn family. A poor village where farming for stones and merchants is the most profitable around.
Most of canterlots fund is shared amongst the rich city and castle but not the village of dock hidden by the shadow of the rich. The town is lucky enough to have a train station straight to canterlot though. Most of the time though the stop is used to prepare the train to turn back around into canterlot. Maybe a foreigner would stumble over to the town to set up shop from around but not much else is notable mostly ignored since it resides on the other side of the mountain where canterlot and the castle is placed. "A shadow of canterlot" some of the village folk would joke.
Only one guard outpost is placed here in the village. It only has room for five canterlot guards and any mercenaries from foreign lands that want to stay at the village for free willing to work for guard duty.
The captain of that outpost is a old gray colt named shield metal. A old colt with a peg leg for his bottom right hoof from the griffin war.
The mare wears a yellowish gray head gown to matches her yellow nightgown. A small metal pendant with a sphere attached at the end can be clearly seen around her neck. The bed creaks of metal springs every time she lets a snore escape her mouth. Her mane has kept its color of bright blue with some gray hair coming from the tip of her mane and tail. Even with her old age her mane and tail has kept most of its can be seen all over her face and skinny frame.
The small black griffin pouts to his mother. This is not the first time the griffin had to wake up the old mare but it is a rare event.
The snores themselves can be heard from outside. Most would be worried about the old mare thinking she would be dieing with the way she snores but the small griffin next to her is accustomed to them. He might be one of the only few that can even sleep with such a loud snore.
"mamma wake up." the young one shoves his mother gentle to not hurt her weak frame.
The little one has been trying to wake his grandmother for thirty minutes." I didn't want to do this mother but you leave me no choice," He bends his head down and shuts his eyes, " You don't want me to tattle on you to lord gia-"
"AH, FORGIVE ME LORD GIAOS!" as she quickly jumps from her bed and falls to the floor. one of her hooves still hangs on the bed as her head rests on the floor from that jump.
She looks at her dear son claws not even raising her head from the ground and smiles happily, "well good morning to you Claw, how was your sleep sonny?!"
Claw looks at his old mother and helps her get on her feet with ease grabbing her torso with his yellow claws " mamma I slept well,"as he smiles knowing his grandmother has not hurt herself again even with all the pops of her bones she is still her old self, " did you pray all night again? I told you that you need to have your rest-"
she stomps one of her hooves "-hootenanny! The lord needs a good prayer every night before bed. Sometimes those prayers are very, very, very, veryyyy long Claw." as she gives her son a stern look with her orange eyes.
She looks into her sons eyes. She had the face he can recognize that is filled with the stubbornness of a mule.
The griffin returned his mothers stubborn look for a minute then he giggled, "momma you are as stubborn as a mule."
Claw has a yellow beak with one small white spot on top of his beak. His black feathers are as dark as night. He can easily be mistaken as a shadow with how dark his feathers are. His two claws are as yellow as his beak. He is half the size of his mother. Larger than any foal his age but much smaller than an average adult pony.
"I'm right all the time Claw. Remember when I predicted it would snow when all the pegasus moved the clouds. "She smiles at her son and walks to the hanged mirror while taking off her night gown cap. The brush on the drawer is lifted and brushed on the grandmothers mane, " Today is a great claw. Its sunny, I look good today, and my dear old son is going to be in the fanciest school in equestria!" she rests the brush rest on the drawer and starts stylizing her mane into one large piece. None of it falls to the ground with the way she manages her mane.
He says "maybe momma, I still need to be judged by the academy."
"how could they say no to my dear son! You're the smarter than any other old judge with all the stuff you get from your books! You are a blessing from Gaios! I bet you'll impress them with all the spells you know!" As quickly as she started her mane is in a tight bun on her head.
Pray gives a pout to the mirror, "look at the beautiful mare in the mirror," she smooches the air, "she is almost as good looking as me!", She laughs like a pig.
She turns to Claw noticing is head feathers and gives a glare, "Claw! What I tell you about your messy head feathers?!" She give the griffin a glare as she almost touches his face with her own.
Claws feels the full power of his mothers glare. The power of that glare is enough to make him shake in fear. He touches his messy feathers on his head, " Um-"
Pray grabs her son and places him in front of the mirror. She starts to brush his feathers gentle on his head, " well?,"
Claw gulps, "cleanliness is next to godliness."
" you're dang right. honestly you look like you are a hoodlum causing trouble."
Claw rolls his eyes and looks into the mirror. His gold eyes have a bright gleam in them. Eyes like any other young foal would have.
His mother calls them gold pearls. he gives himself a glare. A glare he considers fierce. Trying to imitate the fierce glare his mother is known for. Maybe his is not as powerful as his mothers 'glare' but he tries.
He stops glaring and looks at his head his mother is brushing and realizes something, " hey momma, have you seen the big bag? I couldn't find it next to my desk today. I really want to show it to the academy judges to get some extra, um points for making it bigger on the inside with runes."
She brushes," yea claw I moved it on the kitchen table next to all your fancy papers. I checked on you after my prayers last night and found you sleeping on that dang old magic book. Maybe next time you judge me on my dear sleeping habits, you should look at your own"
The book itself is large with a dark purple. A circle rune is on the cover and back of the book with some red letters on the cover dubbed 'dark arts and using it properly'. Inside the book it had sections ranging from amatuar to dangerously profesional and chapters on runes,charms,and potions. Claw tried to understand some of the larger spells but couldn't understand any of them.
Claw found it under the floorboards of the church three years ago. he was a small little griffin that loved to crawl into small little nooks and crannies.
even though he was a griffin he loved magic. Being too young to know that only unicorns can learn magic he studied the book. His mother supported him and even influenced him to not give up. Whenever he remembers anything from then on he always had that magic book. Every page had his small book marks and notes on ways he can do magic.
A year passed in his study. one day, during mass Claw the alter colt in the church thought about a color spell. He thought about his favorite color and felt a weird sensation in his head as he noticed everyponies shock. everypony in the mass saw his white gown turned a bright violet. One of the happiest days of his and his mothers life. His first successful spell, even if it was a accident.
From then on he increased his study from that one book. with the help of Shield metal he got some more magic books. he wished he could have a unicorn teacher but unicorns lived in cantorlot not he started Learning the basic spells from dawn to dusk all on his own. The first spell he learned was 'light reduction'. Turns out the spell he learned didn't change any colors but changed what color can be reflected off materials. The white spot on his beak showed up when he learned his first spell. The book called it a 'Marker' on who can master Dark magic.
he felt his mothers glare on the back of his head"Sorry momma, I just wanted to look at the spells I wanted to show during testing."
She released a sigh, " you should calm down a bit Claw. You young ones need your rest if you want your brains to work right, especially today. so what's the plan for today sonny?"
Thinking " well my test doesn't start till ten o' , me, and Shield are going to Cantorlot. Me and Shield are going to grab the supplies on sale that I am going to need for testing and you are going to finish the sign up before testing starts."
"You're right my griffin," a few more brush strokes, "annndd done."
Pray puts the brush down "Look at you, all the nice mares would want you all to themselves." Claw huffed, "Mamma..." His head feathers are in a neat form facing to the back of his head except the few feathers that stick up to the top on the middle of his head.
She walks to the open door with her son on her trail "Hey Claw, how about some of my special oatmeal with a side of mushrooms casserole sound for breakfast?"
forgetting his mothers comment "really?! Thats my favorite!" the griffin smiled behind his mother
Claw happily flapped his wings "of course it is mother. Its testing day today! all of my practice in magic and recommendation from officer Shield. I might never have of dreamed of today because of you and him!"
They go through a hallway into the small kitchen.
The kitchen is a room where most of the cabinets,sink, and stove are at one corner of the room away from Claw and his mother. Claw walks and sits to the table in front of them while his mother walks toward the stove at the end of the room. His mother whistles a happy little tune while cooking up some oatmeal on the stove.
The cabinets are wooden with a glass frame to see all the cans and jars and pans hang next to these cabinets. The table has three chairs. An extra chair for any company that wants a meal. Some papers lay on the table. On all of them are words that claw has to say for the oral exam. He has worked diligently with them knowing this is his only chance in admission to the unicorn academy in canterlot. There are also papers that were mailed to the church from the academy on what he needs for the exams.
He picks up and review his supplies list:
The academy advisors congratulate Shield Metals acquaintance in the acceptance of testing in equestrias royal academy. As the first and most acclaimed school of equestria we trust that students are responsible enough to gather certain supplies for testing. The supplies are as followed :
one guard helmet
one enchanted quill
one diamond encrusted silk bag
it is advised to gather these materials as soon as possible. In the need of most ponies these materials would be on sale near the academy at Quills shop of magic goods during the day of testing.
We hope the testing colt or mare would gather these materials. In a event the tester is not a unicorn they do not need these materials. The pegasus or earth pony would need to cover a oral exam and a written test.
"Fancy papers" pray calls them. With their gold written words. tied in a bow that would cost the family a weeks salary. Sure they are the nicest papers that Claw has ever seen but the writing on the congratulation sheet is sloppier than his own."even I can do a better job than this. they even misspelled !how can you misspell THE! and what's with all the hearts for periods? What are they a baby filly. Its as if whoever wrote the letter is really stupid."
"ACHOO!"
"bless you princesses Cadance" Said a blue unicorn with square glasses.
"thank yo-ACHOO!" snot can be viewed coming from the princess muzzle. She sneezed at the mares face.
The mare pulls out a napkin from her suit pocket."here princess."