Chapter 1: The Solar Son and Cutie Marks

It was a great summer morning in Canterlot. Twilight admired the busy streets for a few moments before making her way to the castle. As the purple pony trotted through the street, her eyes began to focus on the book she was reading.

Most of the pony that are familiar with her would only shake their head in good nature at her blind focus. Some took the time to move out the way and others would give her a gentle nudge to direct her away from an obstacle.

"Ah, there she goes again." The ponies would comment.

"Ain't she Night Light and Twilight Velvet's filly?"

"Ain't she the prince's apprentice?"

"Yes, she is."

"Why would prince take her in? She doesn't even have a cutie-"

"Shhhh, stop! Or she'll hear you."

And Twilight did. As focus as she is on her new books, sometimes she can hear little tidbits of conversation here and there. Twilight stopped at a corner, waiting for the carriages traffic to stop. In that moment as she wait, she would glace at the spot her cutie mark would be but all she could see was the color of her fur.

She looked lost in thought, but shook the thoughts away from her head and continued her trek towards the castle.

She arrived at the gate and was greeted by the guards.

"Good morning, Ms. Twilight" Said one of the white coated stallion.

"Morning, guys." Twilight replied with a smile. "Everything going okay while I was away?"

The guards didn't respond but gave each other a knowing glance which made Twilight all the more worried.

"Oh no. Did something happen again?"

"That's the thing, Miss Twilight. It's been quiet… all morning." The stallion from before responded with his eyes shifting about. His tone of voice turning paranoid.

"Calm before the storm?" She smirked. Twilight sighed as she hoofed over her id pass. "I'll make sure the damage is kept to minimum."

"Please do." The other replied, a yellow coated mare, with her own smirk. "My partner here hasn't gotten over the cake incident from last week."

"The cake was everywhere!" He playfully whined as he hoofed back Twilight's pass. "And it was delicious. Everything checks out. Go on in, Miss."

"Thanks. Wish me luck!" Twilight said a she made her way past the guards.

"Girl, you're gonna need it! Hehehe."

As she passed the entrance, she made sure to double check all of the things she needs for the day were all there.

Her saddle bags. Check!

Her reading glasses. Check!

Her pass to show to guards when entering the private hall. Check!

Some of her snacks in case she gets hungry. Check and Check!

Her latest edition of The relation of magic and astronomy by Night Light – her father – And the basics of magic with algebra, and newest book to come out. Geomantic web and you. Check!

She went through all the list until she was distracted by a colorful lights reflecting onto her checklist. She looked up and saw the window panes that depicted all of the histories of Equestria. Starting from the sealing of Discord, the lost the Crystal Empire, and the latest addition on the window pane: The new crowned prince of Celestia – the true blooded son of the Solar Princess.

Twilight scoffed at the window pane as she continued down the hall.. "He was right: It is kinda tacky."

As she made her way into private halls were close family and friends of the princess stays, a name being cried out in anger echoed down the hallway.

"BAAAAAAACCHUUUUUUUUUUUS!"

Twilight jumped at sudden cry before rushing down the halls to the source. As she turned a corner, she came upon two familiar ponies standing in front of one of rooms making a huge fuss.

"Let me in there, Jeeves! I am gonna kill him, strangle his neck and tear out his entire mane to make for broom!"

"Prince blueblood! Please, calm yourself! Let us try to be rational about this-"

"Rational!? The time for calm-minded gentlemen having a discussions are over! Now we must have blood! BLOOD! It is in my name!"

"Prince Blueblood!"

Twilight sighed as she stared at the pair making a ruckus. She made her way to them and saw Jeeves holding Blueblood at bay by pushing against him. Blueblood's back was turned to her but she could already imagine the foam frothing at the mouth. Jeeves, a tan-coated pegasus with a white mane, adorning his precious monocles that was about to come off by the small tussle they were having, looked at Twilight with relief in his eyes.

"Miss Twilight! Please, talk some sense into him!"

Twilight came up to the flank of Blueblood and reached out to him. "Blue? What wrong, blue?"

Suddenly, Blueblood whipped his head around and showed his pristine marble coated face painted with red colored circles around his eyes and his muzzle. In a sense, it made him looked more like a clown with the make up, but the black cursive writing on his forehead just bellow the horn that says "Warning. Sharp object. Blow to inflate. :D" made it more demeaning.

"I… Uh, um… Blueblood?"

"What?!"

She doesn't know what drove her to ask this, but she did: "Um, are you okay?"

Jeeves face hooved really hard; It echoed in the hallway.

Blueblood, meanwhile, lost all the anger on his face. The deadpan he leveled at Twilight could probably make a griffon molt on contact.

"Twilight."

"Yes…?"

"Do you want to know the answer to that question?"

"….No?"

"Then I'll do yourself a favor and forget you even asked."

"Thank you."

"Now, do me a favor, Twilight. Open this lock."

"Er, I" She backed up, but Blueblood clown painted face came up to hers with terrifying speed.

"I know you are taught on how to break lock enchantment on doors, Especially ones as complex as the one this door. Open it, Twilight… Please."

She looked over to Jeeves, but the pegasus butler only sighed in defeat. She sighed, too and cast the spell to break the enchantment. Her horn and the doorknob glowed purple for a brief moment. Just at it dimmed, the whole door slammed open as Blueblood threw his entire weight on it.

"Where are you!?" He roared as he entered the room. Jeeves and Twilight followed behind and saw nothing but an empty room with and angry prince pacing about. "Where is he? Where is he?! WHERE IS HE?!"

"Your highness, please-"

"He's not here! He escaped!" Blueblood shouted in anger. Twilight just gave him a not amused glance before she search the entire room, too.

Looking around, she began to think about how the room almost suit the taste of occupant. It was very plain. The fancy door that Blueblood broke would have fooled you to expect some sort extravagant room.

It was as plain as her brother's room back at her parent's house. Of course, there was a bed, a lamp table, a writing desk filled with goofy mementos, another door that leads to his bathroom, and glass doors that leads out to the balcony. The only thing that stood was a gothic styled closet that was just standing over in corner.

She doesn't how to explain it, but for some reason that closet always seems… ominous.

Just as she was about to search the closet to see if the pony they were looking for was in there, or at least satiate her curiosity one what's int there, Blueblood cried out, "Aha! He went out the balcony!" and dashed right out followed by Jeeves.

Twilight forgets the closet and followed the other colts. There, tied to one of the pillars, was an entire collection of drapes, blankets, and what seemed like bath towels tied together to make one long rope down to the courtyard.

"He escaped into the garden!"

"Your highness, I implore you to use reason! You're a prince! Being this angry over a foolish prank is above you!"

Blueblood became silent. His expression relaxed into a neutral, contemplative look.

For a moment, Twilight thought Jeeves got through to him. And so did Jeeves. That moment was gone when Blueblood threw himself over the balcony and began to shimmy down the pony-made rope.

"Prince Blueblood!" Jeeves cried in horror as he took flight into the air to chase after his ward.

Twilight just watched whole thing unfold and decided she so done with it all. "Well, that happened."

"Hmm, I didn't test out the ropes to see if they hold." Said a sudden newcomer behind her.

Twilight jumped at the sudden intrusion only to glare at the newcomer. A unicorn with yellow color mane with a green coat looked out to the fiasco that is Blueblood and grinned. His green eyes glanced amusingly at Twilight as he waved at her in greeting.

"Oh, hey Twilight!"

"Don't 'hey, Twilight" me! Bacchus, how could you do that Blueblood? He's really angry." She scolded the colt. "And where were you hiding?"

"I was in the bathroom. Besides, we prank each other all the time. What's so different about this one?" He laughed as he leaned over to railing to see his fellow prince running wildly into the garden maze. "Besides, he had it coming. He ratted me out to mom about the cake incident."

The purple pony rolled her eyes at the colt. She couldn't believe him sometimes.

"So, ready for our lessons of the day?" He asked as he made his way through the room and out door.

Twilight followed him but she glanced back worriedly at the balcony and also at the ominous closet. "What about Blueblood?"

"Don't worry. I got perfect apology I have in mind. And you –" He pointed excitingly at Twilight. "–are going to help me make this apology work. Consider your assignment for today! Now, come on! Let's go to the lab for this!"

"Ugh, it figures. I am going to help you out on this one."

"Hey! What are students for if not to help the teacher, right?"

"We're practically the same age, Bacchus." She replied with an eye roll.

"I didn't hear a no when I asked you to become my student."

"And I am beginning to regret not saying no to your offer."

"Aw, you love me! You won't admit it but you do! I am best teacher you ever had."

Twilight only huffed in response but smiles at the enthusiasm nonetheless. They both hurried off to the lab and began to make the so called "best apologetic gift ever."

But as they work, Twilight couldn't help but steal glances at the young prince. She never imagined working in the royal family let alone to the sole heir for the solar princess. But he was right about one thing. She'll never admit to him yet, but she did love him for being her first friend outside of her family.

It was weird coincidence where he just showed up out of nowhere and declared that they were friends. He was there, too, to console her when she failed the test given by the schools of gifted unicorns. She reminisce on how she had decided to just go to a public school, and give up her ideas of learning more about magic, until he appeared with this nonsensical idea that he would be her teacher.

At first she laughed at the ridiculous notion, but now under his tutelage she has come a long way from that curious little filly who had given up her dreams.

Twilight felt grateful for the wonderful opportunity to further her studies. She glanced back at her blank flank, but this time she had smile on her face. "Hey, remember the promise you made me?"

"Which one?" He asked as he browsed through the cupboard for the ingredients needed.

"You said that if I become your student, you'd guarantee I'd get my cutie mark before I even hit 16."

"And we are still 2 years far away from that! You getting cold hooves?"

"No… just glad that you made that promise. Thanks for not giving on me."

"Hey, what are friends for?" He smiled. And she smiled back.