New Equestria

Marshmallow Creme never much cared for getting up early. It made one drowsy while trying to get things done, and that tended to have disastrous results. It made couples quarrel, important objects get left behind, and caused accidents on the road.

Fortunately for her, she wouldn't be likely to have to get up before 10:00 AM for a long time. As she stretched her arm and legs, rolling over to get out of her bed, she glanced at her schedule, thanking her lucky stars that her classes all started after 10:30. She grabbed her new backpack, which the school had modified for her while she slept so that it could be used with only one arm, putting her new school supplies inside it as she looked outside the window to the playground. It was huge, with a massive jungle gym, swing sets, a merry-go-round with various domestic animals to ride, a pool, and a cave with yellow lights in it. She picked up her schedule, looking over her classes for the day. First, she had baking. Looking down at her teleporter, she noticed a flashing button on the top.

"Hm? Why is it flashing? Did I break it already?!?" she asked nobody in particular, since she was alone. Quickly pulling on her new school uniform, which was black with a cute little red stripe on each sleeve and the collar, a big red silk bow for a tie, a black skirt, white socks, and tiny, adorable black mary jane shoes, she pushed the button on the teleporter to see if the flashing would stop. She was very thankful afterwards that she had grabbed her backpack first.

The world seemed to melt away at high speed as Marshmallow Creme felt the ground beneath her feet vanish momentarily. Bright colors and loud, strange sounds flooded her senses as her whole body seemed to reorganize its cells for a moment. When everything around her finally stopped seeming to wither away and turn into chaos itself, she realized she was in a classroom. Looking around, she saw students putting on aprons and sitting at odd looking tables with little ovens. The smell of sugar and bread filled the room with a cozy feeling as Marshmallow Creme realized that she was at her first class. She noticed her table was near the front, next to a pastel pink... Pony? Marshmallow didn't know quite what this student was supposed to be, but she sat down next to her anyway. She noticed that the student was using some odd form of magic that she had never seen before. It looked like rainbow glitter was swirling around her... hooves... As they emitted a soft white light. In a few seconds, a tiny creature in a maid outfit had appeared on the table and had started making tea. After this odd ritual, the student looked up at her new neighbor.

"oh, hi! Sorry, you came at an odd moment." she said, her pink cat's eyes twinkling in the light. Marshmallow couldn't help but notice how adorable she was, with her pastel blue hair and little bell at the end of her cat-like tail. She had adorned herself with many cutesy accessories, such as fluffy fabric stars and silk ribbons which seemed to bloom like flowers from her mane, and the big purple bow on her tail. Marshmallow smiled as a fuzzy feeling warmed her whole tiny body.

"It's ok. I'm Marshmallow Creme! What's your name?" she asked, hoping to become friends with this interesting, magical being before her."

"Kawaii-chan. Are you new? Kawaii-chan has not seen you before. Nobody ever wanted to sit near Kawaii-chan in class." she asked. Marshmallow blinked, slightly confused by Kawaii-chan's use of third person, but continued the conversation anyway.

"Um, yeah, actually. I just showed up yesterday." she said. "I don't want to be rude, but what exactly are you? I've never seen a creature like you before."

"Not even Kawaii-chan knows. Nobody's ever found anyone else like Kawaii-chan. Kawaii-chan is the only one that anyone knows to exist." she said, looking a little sad. "They found Kawaii-chan in the woods, playing with Breezies, but even they did not know what Kawaii-chan is." Marshmallow frowned, feeling sad for her new friend. But then something occurred to her, and she smiled again.

"You look kinda like a kitty!" she said, poking her friend's cheek playfully. Kawaii-chan giggled.

"Yes, Kawaii-chan does. Kawaii-chan has the ears, whiskers, nose, paws, tail eyes, and teeth of a kitty, but is pony-shaped." she said, smiling happily from the positive attention.

"Why do you keep using your name instead of 'me' or 'I'?" Marshmallow asked, looking at the floor shyly.

"Kawaii-chan has a speech impediment." she replied.

"Oh."

"Ok, class! Let's get started!" the teacher said. She was a creamy white gryphon with a black beak and claws. The class quieted down as she began to explain the uses of yeast in baking. Marshmallow took as many notes as she could manage, writing as fast as she could.

"Well, now that you've learned about that, you get to do your task for the day!" What?!? Already??? Marshmallow thought, her mind racing frantically to remember everything she had just learned.

"Today, you're going to make a cake that uses yeast to rise instead of magic!" the teacher said. "I don't want to see anyone trying to slip in any extra 'help' for the yeast, either." she said, shooting a glance at Kawaii-chan. The room was suddenly bustling with activity, drawers flying open and ingredients slamming onto the tables. Marshmallow looked around, trying to figure out what to do. Kawaii-chan noticed her new friend's plight, and walked up to her desk.

"You open this drawer here, and it has any ingredient you might ever need. Just concentrate on what you want, and it'll be in the drawer!" she said, opening it to demonstrate as she pulled out various basic baking supplies and a cookbook. "The school had the desks specially made with Endish magic for each of the classrooms, so that each student can use what they like best with each project without having to worry about paying for it." she explained as Marshmallow looked on. Kawaii-chan opened the cookbook, flipping through slowly so Marshmallow could point out anything that caught her eye on the way to the page she was looking for.

"That looks good!" Marshmallow said, pointing to a page. Kawaii-chan blinked in surprise.

"Marshmallow, that recipe has blood jelly in it."

"I know! My mommy used to make it for me all the time!" Marshmallow replied. "It's my favorite!"

"You eat meat?"

"Yeah, my whole family did. Why?" Marshmallow asked.

"Kawaii-chan did not know that bunnies could eat that." she replied, sitting back at her table to knead dough. Marshmallow shrugged it off, getting the ingredients she needed from the drawer and warming the proofer under the oven.

"Ok, class! Your hour is up! Let's see what you made!" the teacher said, wiping off the display counter with her tail. One by one, the students brought up their creations, some large and opulent, others squashy and bland-looking, and told the class about them. Marshmallow strained to get her newest masterpiece on the table before the teacher noticed her plight and lifted it for her. Marshmallow hopped up onto a stool to talk to the class, sweating slightly as she saw the rows of expectant faces in her class, all eyes on her.

U... Um... This is my cake." she said, pointing to it with her only arm. "It's a three-layer cake with blood jelly filling and a strawberry frosting. I had some extra time, so I made a little vampire strawberry on top with marshmallow fondant." she said, smiling as she pointed to the tiny strawberry with little wings and fangs. There was dead silence in the room for what felt like an hour, but was probably only a few seconds. Suddenly, the sound of clapping paws could be heard as Kawaii-chan applauded her new friend. Slowly, one by one, other students joined in politely, but looking stunned. Marshmallow smiled, trying to hide her embarrassment as she went back to her table. The teacher coughed awkwardly as she pulled out paper plates.

"Well, what an... interesting array of cakes, class! Let's see if they taste as good as they look!" she said, cutting slices from them. The students walked up to the counter, chatting to each other in their friend groups. Kawaii-chan walked with Marshmallow, happy to have made a new friend.

"That was really good, Marshmallow! Kawaii-chan has never seen such a great first presentation before!" she said, walking to Marshmallow's cake first to try it. Most of the students had crowded around Kawaii-chan's enormous cake, which seemed to be a combination of the frivolities of Marneigh Antoinehoof and the result of a candy store exploding. A few had cautiously wandered to Marshmallow's cake too, morbidly curious about its surprising filling. An enormous, squashy looking colt by the name of Billy took the first bite of Marshmallow's cake as everyone looked on with wide eyes, bodies ridged with anticipation.

"Hey, this is really good!" he exclaimed, practically inhaling his slice before going for another. One by one, the students all walked up to her cake, taking little bites before devouring it. Even the teacher took a slice, saying that her father, Gustav le Grande, would have been proud to offer such a cake in his shop. Marshmallow smiled, feeling warm all over as she received the praise of her classmates for her cake. But then, something caught her eye, something that would change her world forever.

Or, rather, someone.

He was perfect.

He stood by her cake, eating his slice with precise, careful bites, so as not to waste a single bit. His muscular bear body fit into his uniform perfectly, his shaggy, but well-groomed coat swaying gently in the air conditioner breeze as he nibbled on her cake as his big, brown eyes and gentlemanly ways nibbled a spot into her heart for him forever. She knew in that moment that she had been born for the sole purpose of being by his side, no matter what the cost. She didn't care how, and she didn't care who she had to hurt to make it happen.

Senpai would be hers.