It had all started a week ago, the thing that caused my whole family to go on pause.
Apparently when my brother and I went to Canterlot with our mom and dad for a cupcake delivery, one of the teachers at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns saw me using a spell.
One week later I got a letter in the mailbox, saying that I had three weeks to decide if I wanted to attend Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.
My first reaction was "oh my gosh, yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!" but after I thought about it a lot, I realized that it would ruin my plans to take over Sugarcube Corner with my brother.
Now I don't know what to do. And all of my family, including auntie Pinkie Pie, have barely spoke to each other ever since I showed them the letter. I think that it sent them into some sort of shock or something.
Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns
Dear Pumpkin Cake,
You have been selected out of the hundreds of unicorn foals to be enrolled into Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Please report to 856, Hoofington Drive in Canterlot three weeks from when this letter is sent for the entrance exam.
PS: I saw when you used a spell to decorate a cake in mere seconds in Canterlot. That's professional magic, as far as I can see. We can't just let good talent like that go down the drain. - Mane Mare
It's been three days since I got the letter. I'm starting to worry. Pound Cake won't talk to me and Mom and Dad are constantly baking! I think that baking is what they do when they worry.
I've decided to visit Auntie Pinkie, she always knows how to cheer a pony up. She may not be as energetic ever since she turned thirty six last month, but she still tries.
I carefully walk down the hallway, making sure that I don't wake up napping Pound Cake across from my room.
Mom and Dad agreed to let us have separate rooms a few years ago, I didn't ever really mind sleeping in the same room as Pound Cake but it is nice to have personal space.
I slowly open the door to Aunt Pinkie Pie's room and grin when I see her tying balloons to her bed.
"Hi Auntie Pinkie!" I say enthusiastically, running up to her and giving her a hug.
"Hi squirt, whatcha want?" Her voice still had the same hyperactive quality as it did oh so long ago. It always felt refreshing to hear it after a long day of hearing nothing but grumbles and complaints.
"Well..." I don't know what to say. "I was wondering if I could have advice."
She turned around to continue tying balloons to her bed, "What kind of advice?" She let go of a balloon and let it float up to the ceiling, "Wait, wait, don't tell me! Let me guess..." she began tapping a hoof to her chin, "What do chickens dream about?!"
Uh... "What?" I raise an eyebrow. Pinkie Pie will never stop being random, no matter how old she gets.
"Was that what you were going to ask about?" Her eyes were wide with curiosity.
"No," I informed her. "I was going to ask for advice on if I should go to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns or not."
"Well, which one do you think is best?" She smiled, "You're the only one who knows the right thing for you right now! It wouldn't be right if you let other ponies make your life decisions for you."
I don't get it. Why can't she just say yes or no? It's a pretty simple question.
I sigh, "Thanks, I guess." I mumble as I walk out the door.
Gah! I think I ran into somepony.
"Pound Cake?" I say as I try to clear my blurred vision.
"Yep." says Pound Cake as his wings gently flap up and down, just enough to let him slightly hover.
Maybe he could help me decide if I should go or not. "Do you have a minute?"
Pound Cake and I both sat on my bed, "Uh, you know that letter that I told you about a few days ago?"
He shook his head, "What about it?"
Let's hope that he responds more clearly than Pinkie did. "Should I stay here, or go?"
I can see that his pupils shrunk a little bit. "Uh... well, that's a pretty hard question." He ruffles his mane nervously.
"I guess that I'd prefer it if you stayed and helped me and Pinkie out with the shop."
He's right. Without any magic, baking will be more complicated, especially with only two ponies.
"So I shouldn't go? Okay, that's pretty simple."
Pound Cake shook his head, "No no no no! It's up to you! I would just prefer it if you stayed and helped out with the bakery."
I make a blank expression. Why can't these ponies just simply say 'yes' or 'no'?
Grunting, I get up from my bed and walk out of the room, leaving him there, confused.
I've been sitting in the living room staring at the ceiling for the past hour. If Auntie Pinkie and Pound Cake couldn't help me find an answer, that meant that Mom and Dad were the only ones left who could possibly help.
What if they can't help, though? What will I do then?
I guess I could talk to one of Pinkie's old friends, but most of them weren't in Ponyville anymore.
I do have a few friends from school... they probably are busy today, though.
Well, Mom and Dad it is.
I lazily get up from the couch and walk into the kitchen.
...What did Mom and Dad do to the kitchen?!
"What's going on in here?!" I shout, but my voice is drowned out over the sound of buzzing blenders and cake timers going off.
In the corner my dad is over-icing a huge cake, and near the stove my mom is making what appears to be... smoothies? Milkshakes?
On the floor there is multiple broken plastic bags with icing inside. All of the cake timers are going off, I think that they are broken.
Only one way to stop this madness.
I go around the room unplugging blenders, turning off stoves and putting the cake timers into a plastic bag.
"What happened?!" said Mom as she tried to get the oven to turn back on. "Oh, it's... just you, sweetie."
I sigh dramatically. "What were you two doing?"
"Baking!" Dad said, grinning as he wiped some flower off of his apron.
No, really? "Uh... yeah, anyways, I need your advice."
"Advice on what, dear?" Dad asked as he proceeded to clean the kitchen floor.
It is harder to ask my parents than it was to ask Aunt Pinkie and my brother for some reason. "I... uhm, should I... you know, stay here or...?"
I really could of phrased that better.
"Or what?" asked Mom, smiling reassuringly.
"The... school thing. You know?" Dang it Pumpkin! Just speak clearly!
Mom was the first to answer. "Well, it would certainly be more exciting for you if you went." She smiled, "Which one sounds more fun to you, Pumpkin Cake?"
No, mother. That is not how you answer a question! You're supposed to answer me, not ask me a question back.
"I... have to think about this." I say, then run out of the kitchen and up to my room.
Which one did I want? Staying here would be awesome because I would get to work with Aunt Pinkie and Pound Cake all day, but going to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns would be better for my education. I've been practicing magic a lot but I still think that there would be more things to learn if I was surrounded by other unicorns instead of three earth ponies and a pegasus.
Not that I don't like hanging out with Pinkie, mom dad and Pound Cake. They are all the best people in my life and I couldn't even think of a life without them. But I have to admit that talking to another unicorn about magic would be nice.
But what if the bakery has an emergency and I'm all the way in Canterlot?
Well, I guess that the Ponyville Express isn't that expensive. But it would still take awhile to travel from Canterlot to Ponyville.
What about holidays?
Argh! This is such a hard decision!
I wrap my blanket around me and pout. I don't know what to do.
How was decorating a cake 'professional' magic, anyway? Auntie Pinkie has told me stories about how her friend Rarity made dresses by just casting a simple spell. And she was an average unicorn!
What if I get there and they realize that I actually suck at magic? Mane Mare did say something about an entrance exam. I'll probably fail that.
I guess that I could give it a try. I bet that I'll fail it and come home, and nopony will be sad because I didn't have to decide at all!
And if I do pass...
Then we'll see what happens.
Three Weeks Later
This was a really sad and happy day. I'm certain that it will involve lots, and lots of crying.
Mom, Dad, Pound Cake, and Pinkie Pie are sitting in the doorway waiting for me.
I walk down the stairs pulling my suitcases behind me, I decided not to bring that much considering it will all be waiting for me back here if I ever need it. Hopefully Mom and Dad won't decide to have another foal while I'm gone.
As I approach the doorway, Pinkie Pie runs to me and gives me a hug.
"C-can't breathe,"
"Oops!" She pulled away, grinning. "I'm just so so so so so so happy for you!"
Aunt Pinkie Pie being Aunt Pinkie Pie, as usual.
I can see Pound Cake holding back some tears, but Dad is openly crying.
"I'm going to be back a lot, you know that, right?"
Each of us laugh a bit, after the trial of laughter ended I went around and hugged everyone goodbye.
Pinkie Pie bopped me on the nose, "Be good, squirt!"
"I will," I smile at her. She always knows how to lighten up a bittersweet mood.
Mom gives me a kiss on the cheek before I walk out the door, bleh. Someone should remind her that I'm not a foal anymore.
As I walk out the door, I kind of feel like I'm breaking through a bubble. Not that inside the bubble was bad, it just felt nice to be in a whole new place. Even if I haven't even got to the train station yet.
I really hope that I pass that entrance exam.
Author's Note
There is a possibility of a sequel, depending on how popular the story gets.
