The Unorthodox Student at Canterlot High

The massive Crystal doors opened up slowly, showing just how big and heavy they were. It would certainly make anypony awe in it's magnificent dwarfing abilities but i was too busy to do so for i had an even more important reason to be there than to stare at doors. I was to be attending a royal submit here in the Crystal Empire. The first royal duty i had to perform since my conversion to an Alicorn that isn't just mundane chores like showing up and smiling.

This was a day that all the Royals of Canterlot, the Dukes and the Barons and of course the Princesses were to meet for a discussion of where Equestria was heading in the future in terms of various fields such as Economy and what not. The ability to have a say in that was only for royals and now i was one.

That would be nice if i wasn't so nervous. My stomach was churning and felt like somepony let loose a jackhammer inside.

"Don't screw up. Don't screw up." I kept telling myself.

I felt the dread of embarrassing myself loom up from the recesses of my mind which i banished it to, which obviously didn't work out so well. I kept chanting those words in my head like a horribly catchy song just to calm myself. I was shaken out of my trance when i felt a hoof on my shoulder.

"Are ya alright Twilight? You're acting jumpier than a turkey on thanksgiving."

Applejack asked while holding my shoulder, her voice tinged with worry.

"It's nothing. I'm just worried that's all. I mean, we are meeting all the royals of Equestria today and with me being a new princess and all, i don't want them to think i'm not up to the task."

Applejack opened her mouth to respond but was cutoff by Rainbow Dash.

"Come on. You fought King Sombra and Discord. You probably did more stuff than any of those ponies ever did for Equestria." She said, hooves stretched out wide in front of her in shock.

Maybe i already proved myself? I did defeat Discord and Sombra ... then again, i didn't really defeat Discord on my own and i even gave up halfway while fighting him and Sombra ... don't even get me started on whether or not i think i defeated Sombra. I dropped my head low in realization.

"It's not like that. I have to show that i can rule a kingdom and make decisions that benefits all the ponies of Equestria, not just that my friends and i can beat up a couple of washed up villains." I uttered.

All the thoughts swimming in my head were getting to me, i wanted to scream in frustration and almost did if not for a voice i heard.

"I wouldn't call defeating Discord and Sombra a small feat." A calming voice uttered.

My head shot up from my previous drooping posture. I began looking around for the source of that familiar voice. It didn't take long to realize that standing right infront of me was Princess Celestia. I was so busy with my thoughts i hadn't noticed that we were already inside the Crystal Empire's meeting chamber. She smiled down at me with her usual soothing demeanor. I beamed at her. It was funny to me that the only pony i could really show my true self to was the most powerful pony in Equestria.

I cranked my head around to see if the meeting was underway but all i could see were Princess Cadence and Princess Luna speaking with a few dignitaries, judging from the clothes, probably from Saddle Arabia or Irein.

"I have a bit of bad news. The submit has been postponed. Baron Von Hoof has run into some trouble in his town. For now, i believe you lot best get some rest." Celestia said with a reassuring tone.

We bowed to Celestia before leaving to our rooms. It was getting late, Luna had already raised the moon. When we all reached the intersection where out rooms met, we split up. Everypony slept in pairs with exception of Rarity as she opted to sleep alone, didn't want any of our snoring waking her up from her beauty sleep. After pulling an eager Spike away from Rarity's room. we all said our good nights and went to bed.

"Is that all ... you got?!" those words felt like they were spoken by somepony in pain.

Wait. What? It sounded like Applejack's voice! Why is she in my room and more importantly, is she in pain?! I immediately opened up my eyes to see what was going on but what i saw was not Applejack, more precisely, it wasn't even the bedroom. I was in some sort of ring, like an arena of some kind and it had two ... things fighting each other in the center. I was so confused. I looked around and saw that at the sides were seats filled up with the same things, watching the two fight. I turned my attention back to the two combatants. One was on the floor at one end of the arena and the other was standing at another side.

My thoughts were mainly focused on how to get out of wherever i was but i couldn't help looking at the two. What if it was a new species of some sort or even a secret experiment? I finally stopped all forms of thinking when i felt a rumble from beneath my hooves. it was shaky at first but slowly it kept on growing till it was a full blown earthquake.

"All students please hold onto your seats. One of the Accolades is about to perform a dangerous move. I advise you to hide under your seats if need be."

A voice boomed and resonated across the area.

It sounded familiar but there was no time to ponder and guess who it was, there was an earthquake and i'm in the epicenter of it! I kept looking around for any shelter as the ground increased in it's violent shaking. Not a single one in sight. Oh boy. This is not going to end well. This is going to end ... badly.

"You ready for this?" It was said by that "Accolade" who was about to use it's dangerous, probably-gonna-kill-me, move.

"Here comes the Buccaneer Blaze."

Wait what? The Buccaneer Blaze? Tha- I was cut short when a giant ball of light exploded from the Accolade. Growing in size and engulfing everything, including me. The sound of it almost blew my eardrums out. All my senses were gone. The light blinded me, all i saw was white now. My ears were filled up by a loud hum, like from a electrical generator. I closed my eyes, hoping to make it all go away. The sound grew louder and louder, nearer and nearer, the light more and more intense to the point where closing my eyes made little difference. I was already in the center of it.

"I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead." I squealed as i ducked and held my head, thinking that would protect me somehow. Up or down, left or right, it didn't matter where i went. Everywhere was blinding white and with my ears invaded with sound, i was like a blind man in a club. I was tired of it. I kept my eyes closed tight. Goodbye world, goodbye girls.

SMASH!!

What was that? That was loud. Very loud. So loud that for some reason it actually stopped the intense hum that threatened to turn me deaf ... and also stopped the light? Did my childhood skill of closing my eyes until the boogeymare went away really work or was that sound the one that saved me?

I slowly opened my eyes again. I was back in my room. What was that?! That was one crazy nightmare.  It felt so real, i thought i was a goner for sure. I laid in my bed, drenched with cold sweat, not going back to sleep for awhile to let the fear and shock of that experience run it's course as i was still shaking. I needed a drink. I got up to use the bathroom when i came face to face with a hooded pony, holding my Element of Harmony!

END OF CHAPTER 1