Magic Kindergarten

      "Hello, class. We have a new student here today. Say hello to Twilight Sparkle." The teacher gestured to the lavender filly sitting at a desk in the corner.

     Twilight's new classmates obeyed, giving her an obligatory "Hello, Twilight" before turning their horned heads back to the teacher.

     Twilight had no desire whatsoever to be here. Princess Celestia, her personal magic mentor, had given Twilight bad news the day before. Something serious had come up in an ally country, and Princess Celestia had to help out with the problem. Since she had no one to take her place, she didn't want to leave Equestria, but unfortunately the princess would be so busy that she wouldn't have any time left over to give Twilight her lessons. But Celestia had informed her that the local Magic Kindergarten accepted students, even in mid-year, and she could quickly enroll Twilight and have her take lessons there instead until things cleared up.

     Her teacher now, a black unicorn with a red mane whom Twilight remembered from Celestia was named Ruby Shimmer, continued. "Since Twilight is new, today's lessons will be all review. I would also like to have you partner up today. Again, this is for our new student's benefit, so her partner, whoever it is, will be able to help her with what we're learning."

     Twilight was surprised at this. Didn't Ruby Shimmer know that she was Princess Celestia's personal student? Of course Twilight would know what they were learning right now.

     Nevertheless, the unicorns jumped out of their seats to choose partners and sit down at desks together. Reluctantly, Twilight stood up and walked slowly over to a dark blue filly with amber eyes, which lit up when Twilight trotted over.

     "I'm Dusk Twinkle," she told her. "Should we be partners?"

     "I guess," Twilight answered, tentatively sitting down beside Dusk.

     Ruby began to pass around glasses, giving two to each pair of students. One was filled with water and the other was empty. "Now, I want one pony in each group to levitate the water out of one glass and fill the other with it."

Are you serious?

     Dusk smiled. "I'll go first, just so you can--"

     Before Dusk finished her sentence, Twilight did as Ruby instructed. She levitated the water out and dropped it in the empty glass. There were no spills on either desk.

     Dusk's eyes widened. "Wow. Who taught you that?"

     "Books," Twilight muttered.

     Before Dusk could react, Ruby said, "Now I want everypony's partner to put the water back."

     Twilight knew this would be a long day.

     "Hi, little Twily," Twilight's mother, Twilight Velvet, greeted her as she threw her saddlebag on the floor. "How was Magic Kindergarten?"

     "I learned more from books then I ever will there!" Twilight answered. "It's so boring. I don't know how I can stand being there until Celestia returns."

     Night Light trotted over. "What did you learn?"

     "I didn't learn anything," Twilight told her father scornfully. "She obviously had no idea Celestia is my teacher. She told the class to do some review spells. Stuff like levitating water and breaking vases."

     "I'm surprised myself," Night Light told Twilight Velvet. "The princess herself enrolled Twilight in Magic Kindergarten. She must have told the teacher of her potential. But there the teacher goes, treating her like an idiot with no magical knowledge whatsoever."

     Twilight sighed. "At least I got no homework. I can't imagine how simple that would have been."

     If only Twilight knew things would get much worse than just boring, simple, time-wasting lessons.