Life had become somewhat quiet for the most part in the year and a half or so following the incident with Blueblood and Crimson Storm. It's quite some time to skip ahead I'm aware, but honestly, nothing much had really changed for me during that time—at least when it came to my own inner demons. Frankly, I'd been too afraid to face them and had tried to live my life with my head down, acting as normally as I possibly could being Celestia's personal protègè. Not sure what to do with myself, I did my best to shut out what happened and ignore the twisted dreams that plagued me almost every night. It had gotten to the point where I'd dream not just of Blueblood and his father, but any random pony I'd seen in and around the castle, and each dream was more gruesome than the last it seemed.

In a word, I was scared.

Despite Sound Mind's reassurance that I wasn't a bad filly, I couldn't accept my own horrible thoughts so I shut it all out and pretended like my problems didn't exist. With more than a bit of assistance from Sound Mind of all ponies, I learned how to keep my emotions in check, and I found that over the next few months, I became fairly good at hiding what I truly felt from others—surprisingly so in fact. The psychotherapist still unnerved me, but I can't say I wasn't grateful for his help in the matter. What made things all the easier for me was that ever since my talk with Celestia after that incident, I'd seen neither hide nor hair of Blueblood VII or his right-hoof filly Winter Chime. I'd seen Greedy Gut a few times, but it had mostly been in passing and whenever he did notice me he'd get scared and scamper away. I thought it was strange at the time, but didn't really pay it any mind... that is, until I found out much later why he was avoiding me.

It was after that incident that I really began to lean on my introverted behavior. I became a borderline recluse, mostly locking myself in my bedroom and focusing on my thaumatological studies in my free time. Whenever I needed to leave I would make sure to be courteous and smile to whoever I came across, knowing full well that the Princess would start to worry if I showed any sign of my unease or fear. It was why I was able to get away with my reclusive tendencies for so long; rather than worry that I was distancing myself due to what happened, they simply chalked it up to preferring my privacy over the excessive company of others. I didn't know it back then, but I was effectively creating a mask for myself—a mask that, while far from perfect then, would do wonders in hiding who and what I really was beneath that innocent exterior in the years to come.

I'm sure it wasn't normal for a filly of only ten years to act the way I did, but my circumstances and psyche were anything but normal. Certainly, things had settled down for a time, but things would inevitably start to change for the worse once again after a time. It wasn't until near the end of that year and a half of peace that I began to drop my guard somewhat, but I did eventually. It was when I'd started to finally get used to life in the castle—when it finally started to feel like a second home—that my life was once more turned upside down, and I was far from prepared. Just like when I first met Blueblood VII, my new problems didn't immediately make themselves clear.

Living in the castle, there was no small influx of visiting nobles; whether they were there for legitimate reasons regarding the businesses many of them owned or to try to push reforms that would benefit them specifically, complain about current mandates in place, or to simply vie for Princess Celestia's favor or the favor other more powerful nobles like Blueblood VI, I couldn't seem to escape them. While most of them paid me no mind whatsoever, there were some who remembered what had happened during the exam and would point and whisper. Not only that, but despite Celestia's silence on the matter, word had somehow still gotten around about what happened during the Gala, though most of it was focused on Crimson Storm and none of it was flattering. The hushed gossip had gotten so bad that I eventually just tuned it all out together.

Then came the day I chose to visit the Royal Archives seeking study material for an exam I'd be taking at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns—a decision made by the Princess herself.

It was completely overcast that day due to a scheduled drizzle that was supposed to last throughout the afternoon and into much of the evening. I remember it well because I spent a good deal of time in my room staring out the window at the sky above while I was lost in thought. I'd moved the desk I normally sat at while I studied next to the window some time ago. It afforded a spectacular view of the rest of the city below the castle and it was something I could certainly appreciate, even if most of my attention was usually focused on the book I was reading or the paper I was writing. That day was different though; the evening before, just as I was about to turn in for the night, I'd received a visit from the Princess who informed me then that I would be taking another exam and that it would once again take place at CSGU. Naturally, my panic was immediate and overwhelming. Why would Princess Celestia have me go through that again knowing what happened?

Was this some kind of punishment? Did she find out about the twisted persona I myself was trying to hide away from? What could possibly possess her to make such a decision? What if something happened again? These were my immediate thoughts upon hearing the news straight from the pony's mouth. Thankfully, Celestia was quick to assure me that this would be a written exam only, which did wonders for my nerves... until I heard that if I passed, I'd be attending classes there three times a week for the next three months. The details were still being worked out, but Celestia assured me that I was far enough along in my personal lessons that even with only a couple of days of attendance a week I'd be more than capable of keeping up with the other students.

"But if that's the case, then why send me there at all? I already have the best teacher in the world!" I had whined to the already exasperated Princess, "and if I'm already ahead, then why even have the exam?"

"I'm surprised at you, Twilight," Celestia had replied in mock bewilderment, "was it not your dream to get into my school? Didn't you want to rise to the top and graduate as one of the greatest mages since Star Swirl the Bearded?"

"I can do that just fine with you teaching me," I pouted in response, "you know way more than anypony teaching at the school. Why do I have to go there to learn from teachers that know less than you do? There has to be another reason, right?"

When Celestia didn't answer right away and instead shot me a strange look, I began to worry that I might've gone too far with my gripes. Celestia must've noticed because a moment later she shook her head and chuckled in amusement.

"No need to worry, Twilight," the mare said with a dismissive wave of her hoof, "the disparity you show between your age and your wit sometimes just never ceases to amaze me is all."

My only response to that was to blink at her in bemusement. I knew what she meant and the comment made me blush slightly, but I honestly hadn't thought I'd said anything particularly clever. The Princess sending me off to her school for lessons taught by ponies who didn't have her extensive font of knowledge and wisdom didn't make any sense to me. That there had to be another motive should've been obvious to anypony. Still, I was right; Celestia did indeed have another motive, and it seemed some of the earlier assumptions I'd had about her worries were wrong somewhat judging by her explanation.

"But yes, you're right," the Princess continued, her smile becoming a little softer and slightly apologetic, "there are in fact, two reasons why I'm having you attend the school. The first is that I will be busier than usual these next few months entertaining an ambassador from Saddle Arabia during her extended stay in Equestria."

Though I wanted to argue, I couldn't really say anything against that. Celestia was a Princess before she was a teacher—she had to be. There were certain duties she had to perform and many of those duties took precedent over furthering my education. To assume otherwise would not only be selfish, but ignorant. Even as a filly I understood that much, and that's why I kept my mouth shut. Then Celestia continued and what she said next made me realize that simply acting like nothing was wrong with me hadn't been enough.

"I also think it will be a good experience for you," the Princess said, pulling me across my bed into a loose hug and looking down at me with an expression that oozed both motherly affection and concern, "I know you like your solitude, but there are things worth learning that can only be taught by being surrounded by your peers, foals your own age striving to reach the same heights as you. Those kinds of things I can't teach you, Twilight."

And so I sat alone in my room at my desk the next day, tired from lack of sleep due to stress and unable to focus on my studies. I turned my gaze instead to the murky grey sky above as if waiting for the answer to my predicament to reveal itself in the clouds. I normally didn't let my mind wander often anymore for fear of where it might take me, but I couldn't help it this time. I couldn't help but wonder what was in store for me. Celestia had been right; before my first disastrous exam, I wanted nothing more than to be a student attending that school, but things were different now—Iwas different in more ways than one and I was afraid of what might happen if I was around others my age. I was afraid of what competition would do to me, and of what I would do.

I'd heard that gaining the title of princeps magus upon graduation was a battle in and of itself among students, and back then I was willing to throw myself into that fight if it meant I could reach Star Swirl's level of mastery, but now... now I was on the fast track to that goal and I didn't even have to compete with anypony. It really was a dream come true, or it would be if I could just keep a lid on my more macabre nature. As it always inevitably did whenever my mind wandered, the thought of my sickness rose to the surface and began pushing aside my more mundane worries. I grimaced and shook my head before turning my attention back to the textbook I'd been trying to read for the last half hour or so. Truthfully I'd already read through the entire thing more than once, but I'd figured a refresher couldn't hurt. In truth, I wasn't too keen on passing this test, but that didn't mean I was going to fail on purpose either—I wasn't that kind of pony and refused to be that kind of pony even in these circumstances.

I'd just have to pass and deal with whatever came next. I couldn't let the Princess down and there was no way I could live with the shame of failing a written exam I could've passed with ease. The problem was that I wasn't getting any work done and this textbook wasn't holding my attention well enough.

With a melancholic sigh, I closed the book and floated it back over to my personal bookshelf before hopping off my seat. Before I'd gone to bed, Celestia had given me a roll of parchment with a list of the subjects that would be on the upcoming exam and their descriptions. After a moment's thought, I took the rolled-up scroll from where it sat on my desk, unfurled it, and looked it over. Most of the subjects I'd already studied and memorized completely, but there were still a few topics I had yet to fully grasp such as transmogrification and crystal-based magic. I furrowed my brow before looking back over to my bookshelf. At a glance, I knew I didn't have any tomes that covered those subjects, at least not in any great detail. There were, however, bound to be textbooks that covered those topics extensively in the Royal Archives.

The thought brought a small smile to my face; normally ponies weren't let into the Archives without good reason, and I was no exception. The Royal Archives, unlike the Grand Canterlot Library, were home to books deemed too dangerous, controversial, or otherwise classified to be distributed to the general public. Still, being the Princess' student did have it perks in that I was allowed to enter so long as I had a chaperone and it was for my studies. The Archives housed more knowledge than anywhere else in Canterlot and I was happy to have any excuse to enter. Thankfully I just so happened to have such an excuse floating before me. And so, with parchment in tow and renewed spirits, I practically skipped to the door of my bedroom, pulled it open and stepped out... only to literally bump into somepony I hadn't seen in a while and had almost forgotten about entirely.

"Agh! Watch where you going, you—" the other filly I'd nearly bowled over stumbled back before shooting me a glare, a glare that transformed into several different unpleasant expressions in the span of a second when she saw who'd run into her, "...you!"

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" I blurted out as I attempted to recover the scroll I'd dropped with my magic, "it was my fault, I wasn't paying attention and... and... wait... I know you... you're..." I blinked and frowned as I finally turned my eyes toward the other filly. My eyes widened and my heart sank into my stomach a moment later when I finally recognized the seafoam green coat and burgundy mane done up in a loosely braided bun, "...Winter Chime."

She was one of the last ponies I wanted to see again and seeing her again, the memory of that night in the dungeons flashed through my mind with vivid intensity—particularly the violent push down the stairs and the resulting pain in my leg. Winter Chime's eyes flashed with rage at the sound of her name, so much so that I took a fearful step back. Caught off guard and suddenly on edge, I glanced around to see if Blueblood was nearby, but to my slight relief, there was nopony else in the hall at the moment. I turned back to Winter Chime just in time to see the glare slide off her face and her expression to twist into a half-lidded smirk. The change was so abrupt that I couldn't help but shiver involuntarily and take another step back.

"Twilight Sparkle," she finally replied in a sickly sweet voice, "it's been far too long since we've seen each other. I'd love to catch up, but I have things to do elsewhere. I'm sure we'll meet again soon though... and I'll be able to give a proper apology for all that nastiness from before," her smirk vanished behind a genuine-looking smile for a brief second as she made her way past me, "who knows? Maybe we can even become friends! Real friends!" with one last wave she turned away and trotted further down the hall, "I'll be looking forward to catching up!"

I watched her as she left, taking note of the muffled snigger she failed to completely hide. It wasn't long before she turned a distant corner and was completely out of sight, but her departure did nothing to quell the rising dread in my gut. If anything it only grew as unpleasant memories began to resurface despite my attempts to shove them deep into the recesses of my mind. I swallowed and quickly scurried off the other way, grateful that the Archives were in the opposite direction from wherever Winter Chime was headed. I tried to focus on the Royal Archives, I tried to think about the knowledge contained therein, I tried to mentally catalog what I'd need for my research, but nothing helped. All I could think about was what the near future held and how motivated I'd suddenly become in passing that exam.

Author's Note

And we're back in business ladies and gentlemen.