Chapter 2: A most faithful Student and his Rival

Sporadically assembled in a room that looked like a classroom, in the early spring, were a dozen Crystal Pony Unicorn fillies and colts, all but one, who was a gray equestrian colt, like everyone else about 6 to 8 years old, with a black mane and tail and no Cutie Mark. Alongside them were their parents to assist and comfort them for the upcoming events.

One of the mares, the gray colt's mother, stroked her son's mane and tried her best to encourage the nervous son.

“Never fear, my dear Sombra. You'll surely pass the tests and get the allowance to study at the Crystal Empire academy for highly gifted unicorns.”

“Your mother is right, champ,” Sombra's father assured him. “You by far already surpassed your age and some adults. Sure it's rough around the edges and out of control some time or another; I'll never forget having to wear a wig for two weeks after my mane got slightly... vaporized; but soon, you'll see, you will be the most talented unicorn ever.”

“Thanks dad,” he replied with his very young, but also strong voice, while giggling a bit, before he embraced them both and snuggled with them.

“I know I can make it. I have to,” he noted before he let go of his parents. “It's my one and only way to be accepted and respected.”

This was a topic he mentioned many times before. As an equestrian pony born by Crystal Ponies, he had a bad reputation with especially colts of his own age in the kindergarten, who teased him and called him an outsider, a mongrel and even an abomination, because he was the only Non-Crystal Pony in the entire Crystal Empire.

He never cared about their words, but the constant teasing made him feel lonely, and it made him introverted and slightly cold-hearted. He remained a brave and sweet-natured pony, but he did not care about minor problems of those he did not like and even considered them to be pathetic and pitiful because of that.

In contrast to that, he had always been well respected by adults, other parents and teachers for his intelligence, politeness, candor and his outstanding abilities in using magic. So from one side, he gained attention and endorsement, from the other side, he gained envy, animosity and expulsion. He had no friends and no pony to truly rely on, but his parents and his books.

Though feeling contempt towards his bullies, he always intended to gain positive reputation by either being nice, or trying to be outstanding. Unfortunately, yet unsurprisingly, non of this worked. Sombra considered being registered into the Crystal Empire's most well-respected and famous facility, but the royal palace itself, would gain him the prestige he always desired.

His parents on the other hand didn't think that this was the right path he should take and always tried to make him that clear.

“Sombra...” his mother pointed out with an anxious gaze. “It doesn't matter what they think about you. As long as you stay true to yourself and like who you are, you are perfect, no matter what.”

Sombra thought intensively about her words and nodded, before smiling at her. “Don't worry, mommy. I know who I am and what I want. I want to be the best Unicorn in the world!”

“Haha!” his father chuckled happily. “That's our boy. Always wanting to outperform yourself, huh?”

“Yes!” he replied joyously with a grin on his face.

“Well, I and you mother know you are going to make it, so good luck and give your best!”

Though he intended to encourage his son even more, the stallion and everypony else got interrupted by a Unicorn mare that could easily be classified as a professor or scholarly person, with the traditional pearled glasses, colorful suits and weird powdered peruke.

“Welcome everypony to the qualifying examination of the Crystal Empire-Unicorn-Academy of this year. May the participants please follow me into the next room for the first of three tests. The parents may wait here, go outside, or dine in the academy's splendid cafeteria. Without further ado, follow me young colts and fillies.”

As she demanded, they did, though most fillies and colts were anxious about leaving their parents and had to overcome themselves first.

“Good luck, sweetie, you will do it,” Sombra's mother ensured him.

“You can count on us keeping our hooves crossed,” his father promised his son.

Their son smiled and walked towards the mare. For Sombra and a one or two others, this was absolutely no problem, as he knew, his parents were always in his heart. In the next room, they were greeted by twelve chairs and tables, each with their own pen and paper.

“Please everypony, take a seat and when the clock reaches 10 o'clock, you can start the test,” the mare explained her crowd.

Sombra sat at the outer left up front and gazed through the massive amount of exam sheets, which were obviously the first test. He smiled inwardly, as the test, at least for him, seemed to be pretty easy. He heard a chuckle from his right and spotted a red Unicorn right next him.

This Crystal Pony had a blazing red hide and a half black, half golden mane and tail, as well as blue eyes. He seemed to be a pretty confident, if not arrogant colt, but he was not quite a jerk like the typical twits he knew all too well. Maybe, he was somepony he could learn and train with together. Out of seemingly nowhere, a bell rang and he was thrown out of his mind, focusing now on his papers.

“Alright. Take your pen, write your names down and answer the questions. You have 2 hours from... Now!”

Without hesitation, he clicked the button on his pen, making the quill come out and with ease, but a good velocity, he answered the questions. Over the course of the two hours, many of the Unicorns began to sweat, brood their heart out or flat-out gave up at certain questions. Sombra? He was absolutely fine, though his hoof started to clench after he finished 3 fourths of it, so he took a little break and gazed at the red Unicorn right next to him, who, to his surprise, also seemed to wear this test down.

In the end, everypony finished the test and the time ran out with the bell ringing at 12 o'clock.

“Alright everypony, drop everything and go out to your parents. You have half a hour break now. Take rest for the next test.”

The young ponies were jolly and stormed out of the room to embrace their parents. Only Sombra and the red Unicorn were relaxed and walked slowly out of the testing room and into the lush green parkway of the academy to meet their parents.

“And?” the stranger asked him. “How was it?”

The red unicorn had a rather deep voice for his age, but seemed to be cool. At least he was not mocking him for what Sombra was, at least not till now.

“Phhh!, piece of cake, no sweat,” Sombra replied with pride.

“Same here,” he remarked with a smirk.

“So, you are not teasing or underestimating me, because I am the only Non-Crystal-Pony in the Crystal Empire?” Sombra questioned him suspiciously.

“What kind of idiocy is that? Teasing you because of that? Ridiculous. Wait, oh yeah!” he suddenly remembered. “You are Sombra, right? I am in the same class like you, but sit on the other side. Already heard that you have to face some brutes, but don't worry, they are just jerks.”

“Hehe, I guess you are right,” Sombra answered. “Thanks for your kindness. What's your name anyway?”

“Blazing Light. Nice to meet you,” he answered gently.

“The honor is all mine,” He replied friendly.

Blazing Light suddenly stopped and held his new friend back. “Alright. Now enough with this friendly bantering. I know how good you are, and you are likely to pass the test, but you will never be better than me. I heard you talking of becoming the most powerful Unicorn in the world, but that is reserved for me and only me,” he swanked with a smirk.

“Ah, is that so?” Sombra asked provocatively. “Well, we will see who is best at the end of this day.”

“Don't flatter yourself, though I must admit, it will be quite a ride,” Blazing Light admitted.

“Yes, that is true,” Sombra avowed.

Blazing Light put his hoof back on the floor, signalizing Sombra to move on with him. Sombra did as he was tasked to, but was confused about Blazing Light's behavior. He seemed to be a friend  and very talented, but also incredibly cocky. Maybe he was some sort of rival to him now. Always absolutely loyal to him, but always wanting to succeed Sombra. And not to his own surprise, Sombra had absolutely no problem with that kind of friend, as he had now, of course, his first friend ever; and also somepony to compete with, which would prod him to become the best, even more than ever before.

In the cafeteria, they blithely shared a cocoa and a sandwich, while being observed by both their parents, who apparently knew each other already and were very happy about their sons having found a friend, if not a best friend each other.

Later that day, the attendees found themselves in a locked area of the park. In front of them was now a Unicorn stallion, with the rather freewheeling and relaxed appearance of a typical teacher.

“Alright, young students,” he professed with a strong, but kind voice. “In front of each of you is a crystal. Your next test is to charge your respective crystal with magic energy to make it glow. Like when you blow into a tubing to measure the volume of your lungs, this gives an adequate impression about your current magic capacities. Nothing more has to be added, so hang on and good luck.”

They crystals in front of them were at least twice as tall as Princess Celestia, each in a different colors. Sombra's was purple, and Blazing Light's was blue. They nodded at each other, as they were right next each other, with confidence, but both swallowed nervously, as it would take a tremendous amount of energy to make these humongous crystals glow.

While the professor observed everypony charging their crystals, he quickly began to witness the extend of most ponies current magic level. It was a constant sight that the crystal were only glowing slightly. Impressive for their age, but nothing overwhelming. With the exception of two.

The intensity Sombra and Blazing Light could make their crystals glow was so high, it was blinding, but they did not stop there. They pushed themselves to their limit, wanting to outmatch each other. Even their glowing horns emitted sparks between them and the crystal, because of the sheer amount of magic energy in use. The others, as well as the professor, were astonished, when suddenly, Blazing Light began to exhaust and was unable to increase the glow's intensity.

Sombra saw this and used his chance, and giving all power he had left, he marched towards the crystal, charging it even more and more. What were sparks before was now a downright thunderstorm that streamed past his snout. A hard cracking sound could be heard, and when they investigated the crystal, it already head several splits. In the end, Sombra screamed out loud and in a white explosion, the crystal collapsed, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust and a white energy beam that rushed straight into the sky behind.

His mother wanted to run towards him, but her husband  held her off, ensuring her that he was fine. As the dust dispersed and the magic beam faded away, the others could see Sombra laying on his back in front of the shatters of the former crystal he was supposed to lit. He was breathing in heavily, but had a smile on his face. They applauded him and cheered him on, even with his bad reputation, with the exception of the professor, who helped him stand up and Blazing Light, who gazed with a stunned expression at him.

“How is that...” Blazing Light questioned simperingly in shock.

“Young colt, are you okay?” the professor asked him in bewilderment.

“Yes, I am fine so far,” Sombra replied, weakened from his performance.

“My boy, this was something unbelievable you did there. I...”

But before he could continue, he was interrupted by the mare who had overseen their tests before.

“Zeal Lore, have you already tested the...” she could only speak out before she immediately stopped and started stuttering.

“What in the name of all good happened here?!” she asked in utter shock.

The stallion, apparently his name was Zeal Lore, rushed to her and comforted her. “Don't worry, but I think we have to... discuss something.”

He then turned to the attendees. “As we have some technical difficulties at the moment, please head back to your parents. I will let you know when everything is working again. Good job everypony and use your break wisely.”

Quickly, both professors cantered away and the fillies and colts galloped into the arms of their parents, again with the exception of Blazing Light and Sombra.

“Impressed, huh?” Sombra pulled his leg.

“Phhh! Please. Okay, you can overcharge a crystal and destroy it. So what? Every brute with a lack of flair and sure instinct could do that. You may have more capacity than me, for the moment, but what you have in blunt power, I have in dexterity and cleverness. You will see, this was only a one time thing to happen,” Blazing Light defended himself while mocking Sombra like a rival does.

“Yeah, but of course. Have it your way,” Sombra replied with a small venomous smile, before he turned to his parents and ended this conflict.

“Come on, let's take our well-deserved break,” Sombra suggested, to which Blazing Light nodded and followed him.

On the eve of this day, when the sun already began to sink and the sky had a shade of red and yellow in it, once again, the attendees, partially sleepy already, stood inside a classroom, in front of nest boxes. For every young pony was one box with one egg in it. Both of the professors were there to observe them, but another, rather old looking Unicorn stallion with a long beard, like a wizard, was there to test them.

“Alright my young friends,” he explained with his wise-sounding voice. ”These here are dragon eggs. Friendly dragon mothers, like it is tradition, allowed us to hatch them in return for gems and things they like. It is now your job to complete this task and hatch the eggs with your magic. Be careful, these aren't solid chainings of fixed carbon, with that I mean crystals, but are fragile things. Though you can't really hurt them anymore, it still would be more pleasant to have a baby smiling in his first minutes, rather than crying, right? So... do your job.”

Blazing Light smiled and turned to Sombra. “See? Dexterity and cleverness. This is where I will wear you down.”

“But of course,” Sombra rejected him while giggling a bit before he focused on the egg in front of him.

Very carefully, he let his horn glow and made the shell pulsate. Much time passed, as it really was a difficult and precise job that needed to be done, but eventually, the first baby dragon hatched from his egg; and another, and another, until everypony managed to hatch their dragon.

“You all did very good,” the old stallion praised the young Unicorns. “The wonder of life. Magnificent in all of its forms.”

Sombra gazed into the eyes of the dragon baby he just incubated, not literally of course. The baby sitting in front of him and gazing at him with a wide smile was dark purple with a gray belly and ember eyes. It had crimson, pointy flakes from his head down his spine to his tail, and one on each side of his face, where, in comparison, the ears of a pony would be.

Suddenly, Sombra smiled as well and nuzzled him, to which the young dragon squeaked joyfully. As the others left the place, Sombra stayed there and gazed at the young dragon. He felt a sensation he never felt before. He thought it could be... brotherly love. But already?

“Ah, I see you like each other,” the old stallion found out.

“Yes, we do,” Sombra replied sadly. “But he will have to go anyway.”

“Actually not,” the teacher explained him. “He was an abandoned egg. It was just found, so we gave it shelter. If your parents allow you to keep him, he can stay with you.”

“Seriously?!” Sombra shouted out loud in euphoria. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“No problem. But you have to ask your parents first.”

“But of course,” he noted before he went off, but not before taking a short break and waving to his new friend. “See you soon... Azrael...”

Then, he cantered away to wait with his parents and everypony else for his test results. Azrael, that was how he wanted to call his new friend. It was a legend about a magical creature that watched after new life, so it fitted. On the other hand, it was also the name of a cat in a popular tale of ant-size blue Earth Ponies living in Mushrooms and struggling against an evil, normal sized Unicorn, who was the owner of the cat.

Philosophical mastery or imbecilic insider jokes aside, at dusk, all the ponies were gathered in the same room they were at the very beginning of this day. Every colt and filly was very exhausted and could not await to have dinner and go to bed.  In just a few minutes, their fate would be decided. Many would not gain the chance to study there this year, but some would be elected and savor the best education in the entire empire.

Finally, the three professors came into the hall and announced the names of the new students of their academy.

“The following colts and fillies are allowed to study in these halls after the summer holidays,” the mare explained. “These ponies will be Shining Star, Lucent Veil and last but not least, Blazing Light.”

The three ponies were jumping around in joy, and the others were very sad about the results. Sombra just stood there with an open mouth, unable to fathom that he has not been elected. As everypony, but the professors, went home, Blazing Light patted him on the back, before he went away as well.

“I don't know why not now, but you will surely be accepted next year,” he said before leaving.

His parents consoled the deeply depressed pony as much as they could.

“Hey champ... don't bother. You were fantastic, and no wannabe clever clogs can tell you otherwise,” his father explained to console him.

“I am sure you will do it in the next year,” his mother assured him, but he still kept his sad gaze on his face, when suddenly, the 3 professors stood in front of him and smiled at him.

“Young friend,” the old and wise one told him. “There are very special ponies that wish to meet you.”

Sombra did not know what they wanted from him, but as he was tasked to, he did; and alongside his parents, he went into the next room, where three, very tall ponies greeted them. One of them was a white mare, with an ethereous mane and tail  in pink, green and blue and pink eyes. She was one and a half size of the adults parents and wore golden horseshoes, as well as a golden crown and a golden necklace-thingy. This mare had a horn, two, angelic wings on her back and the sun as her Cutie Mark. It was the all so well-respected Princess Celestia from Equestria.

Alongside her was a blue-purple, slightly smaller Alicorn with light-blue horseshoes, a black crown and necklace, cyan eyes and a moon as her Cutie Mark. She had also an etherous mane and tail, but they looked like a night sky filled with stars.

They were accompanied by the in the Crystal Empire even more famous princess, who had a similar appearance to Cadance, but had a blond hide and was as tall as Celestia and Luna, with the Crystal Heart as her Cutie Mark.

Standing in front of him were the three most famous, honored and beloved ponies in the neighboring countries; and he remembered, they were awaiting him. Sombra just stood there, unable to fathom that, but showed his respect by bowing to them, alongside his parents.

“Please,” Princess Celestia assured him with her gentle voice. “Don't be in such awe-stricken silence and come here, young colt.”

Sombra swallowed, but got slightly pushed by his mother, so he went forward and stood now in front of the three, for him ginormous princesses.

“What is your name?” Luna asked him friendly.

“M-m-m-m-m...” he stuttered, before he swallowed down his fear and calmed down.“My name is Sombra, your highness.”

“Please... just Luna,” she replied happily.

“He is very respectful and sweet-natured, isn't he?” the Crystal Princess raved about him.

“Yes, Freya,” Celestia admitted. “He really is.”

For Sombra, all of that was just chitchatting, and he sincerely wanted to know why he has been ordered by his highnesses to meet them.

“Please, forgive my disrespect by interrupting you, but may I ask why you wanted to see me?” he asked respectfully.

“Well,” princess Freya answered. “We have heard quite astonishing things from your teachers.”

“You... you have?” he questioned.

“Yes they have,” the younger teacher tried to explain him. “Sombra, you are a very special Unicorn. Your test results were beyond the believed maximum. You solved the test as the only one without a single mistake, you managed to overload the crystal and destroy it; and you immediately befriended the dragon you incubated, where other simply ignored the newborn life. You, my young colt, are not only gifted, but you also have a kind heart you share with others.”

“But...” Sombra asked nervously. “Why have I not been in the list of those who are allowed to study here next school year?”

“Because you are overqualified,” the mare asserted.

“That is why we are here,” Celestia clarified. “I and my sister saw the magic beam you caused when the crystal exploded, and we immediately came here to see if everything was okay. Soon, we've met our dear Freya, who had already been informed about your skills by your wise professors.”

“So that is why you babbled something about 'technical difficulties',” he concluded.

“Yeah, that was kind of a quick fix to buy some time,” he explained himself with a nervous and shameful grin on his face.

“But...” Sombra asked his princesses. “What do you want from me then? An... 'overqualified'... colt?”

“We want you to be our student,” the Crystal Princess offered him.

“Yes,” Luna added. “We want you to be one of our few selected ones to study at the royal palaces. Some days, you will spent time in the castle here, and some days, you will be able to visit Castle Canterlot and study in the libraries at your hearts desire.”

“Because you are an unique Unicorn, with a gift that just has to be supported. You shall become a faithful student of ours, if you want to,” Celestia offered him.

Sombra just stood there, in utter shock, unable to comprehend the words of his dear highnesses. His body did not want to work anymore, and out of nowhere, he just collapsed and fell on the ground. But before he hit the solid floor, Celestia caught him with her aura and smiled happily at the other mares.

“I think he accepted our offer,” she noted while she chuckled.

Gaining consciousness again, like he has just woken up, he jumped around in joy and embraced the mares hastily, thanking them a million times, before he snapped out of it in slight shame and stood in front of them like he was frozen on spot.

“I mean... yes, but of course I accept your offer,” he answered simulated respectfully, which made the princesses giggle.

“Alright then, my young colt,” they Crystal Princess explained him and his parents. “Just leave everything to us. Simply finish the last months of kindergarten, while we are managing everything with your parents. Oh, and don't worry about your son's new friend. We will take care of him, so he can visit him the first years and you can focus entirely on your gifted son.”

“Yes, my highness,” Sombra's father thanked her.

“Thank you for your generosity,” his wife added.

But before they parted away, the mares levitated the baby dragon into Sombra's hooves, where they would cuddle and snuggle with each other, like they had done this already for years.

“Hello, my little Azrael,” he whispered happily, which made the baby dragon poor joyfully, but soon, it yawned, and fell asleep in his soft hooves.

“Thank you, my highnesses. I will promise I will give my best; and become the best Unicorn in the world,” he proclaimed to the delight of everypony else.