Season 10: Dawn of a new generation of Harmony

"I don't have much time before leaving. Twilight just summoned Smolder and me to Canterlot. You'll be fine here. My husband, Sunburst, can look after you. Equestria may have a chance, thanks to you, Hero," Starlight said as she grabbed Smolder's forearm, and they both teleported away.

"Alright then. I'll be sure to look out for him," Hero replied as he walked towards the castle's center and saw two ponies waiting for him.

"Hero, right? Pleased to meet you. The name's Sunburst and this is my daughter, Luster Dawn," said Sunburst, a pony with a long beard who looked like an elder.

"Umm.. is she okay?" asked Hero, noticing Luster Dawn's unease.

"Oh, she's fine. We're trying to help her find some friends. She doesn't think that having friends is important. It's a work in progress," Sunburst replied.

"It's fine, and I'm not here to make her uncomfortable. Maybe I can get a tour of the town," Hero suggested.

"Certainly. But a word to the wise: Pinkie can get a bit... eccentric sometimes. She's not dangerous. But since she's going out to see Twilight, you likely won't meet her yet," warned Sunburst.

"Righto then," Hero said as they left the castle and Town Square.

"This is the Town Hall. This is where our staff manages all the official legal and business affairs." Sunburst then guides Hero to a giant carousel-like building, only to see a unicorn mare coming out quickly. "Hey there, Rarity."

"Oh, hello there, Sunburst, darling. I don't have much time for introductions as I have to get to Twilight's Castle. But I'll see you two later."

"That was Rarity. She's a fantastic seamstress and an even better friend and the Element of Generosity."

"Really? That's kinda cool."

"Yes, it is. Do you remember all of the elements?"

"Y-Yeah, I was told a story like that by my mom... before she left. The fabled story of Equestria's saviors: Kindness, Loyalty, Magic, Laughter, Honesty, and Generosity, right?"

"That's not all of them. The Pillars were the heroes before we were."

"Pillars?"

"Starswirl and his friends."

"Never heard of him or them."

"You haven't heard of the legendary Starswirl the Bearded?" Sunburst was genuinely shocked, which was understandable.

"Nope. Was he powerful?"

"Oh, he certainly was and still is. They sacrificed themselves and were trapped in limbo, so after their seal was broken, we all fought against The Pony of Shadows, so they're here now."

"Can I meet them?" asked Hero.

"Actually, no, you can't. You don't meet them. They meet you. Whenever you're summoned by Starswirl, which is extremely rare, that would mean that Equestria is in danger," replied Sunburst.

"I see," said Hero. They went to other houses and saw all the other cheerful ponies and creatures waving at them as they reached a cottage on the edge of Ponyville.

"This is Fluttershy's home. She's the Element of Kindness," Sunburst explained. Hero saw that Fluttershy was not there, but a few of her animals were. "Well, she would have said hi to us if she didn't have somewhere she needed to be right now."

"Yeah, I get it. For just being an honestly quaint little town, it's surprisingly big," Hero said.

"Dad. When are we going home? I'm honestly not in the mood for a walk around town. I prefer to tend to my studies," Luster interrupted, feeling impatient.

"It'll be okay, Luster. I'll show Hero around the elements' houses and then take you back to the castle," Sunburst assured her.

"You promise?"

"Yes, honey. I promise." Luster seemed satisfied as she tagged along for a bit longer. Eventually, Sunburst and his companions arrived at a house that looked made of gingerbread, even though it was made of bricks. The decoration was so enticing that Hero felt like taking a bite out of the building. Then, he caught a whiff of the delicious aroma of freshly baked goods, which immediately caught his attention.

"H-Holy.. that smells so good."

"I know. That's Sugarcube Corner. This is where Pinkie Pie lives with Cheese Sandwich. The mare that I briefly mentioned before we left the castle. She's already gone, but I can see that Cheese is home. Hey, Cheese!" Then, a slightly orange stallion with a spongy brown mane and confetti strings stuck in it came out. This guy looked like he had just come back from a party.

"Hey there, Sunburst. Who's the new kid?" He gestured over to Hero with his right forehoof.

"His name is Hero. He's been approved for permanent housing by Starlight."

"Well, howdy-do then. Name's Cheese, Cheese Sandwich. Welcome to Ponyville!" He raised his left forehoof as Hero brought out his right one to shake. There was a jolt to his systems as his mane and tail had spiked out briefly, causing Luster to giggle at the display. "Whoops. I forgot to take off the joy buzzer, my bad."

Meanwhile, Hero collapsed onto the grassy ground, dazed with dizzy swirls in his eyes, kicking his left hindleg out as he was knocked out.

Hero woke up inside the lobby of Sugarcube Corner. He blinked his eyes to clear his mind and looked around. "Ugh... oh man. That thing had some serious kick behind it."

"Hey, I'm sorry about that. My joy buzzer has been a bit too peppy as of late. Well, you don't have to worry about falling asleep, right?"

"Geez, I've discovered the opposite to be true."

"Tell you what, then. I'll get you something on the house. Anything you want."

"Well... I don't mean to impose. But if I'm offered, that cinnamon roll looks promising." Indeed, the roll looked fresh on display, and soon it would be all Hero's.

"You're a lucky ducky. We just put that one out on display, too." Cheese then grabbed the cinnamon roll and placed it onto a dish. He brought it over to the table where Hero was sitting. The roll was huge, and there was no way he could eat it all by himself.

"Can I have a knife for it, too?" asked Hero.

"Right, sorry. My bad," replied Cheese. He went back to Hero and gave him the knife. Using magic, Hero cut the roll into four equal parts and took only one piece.

"Here you go. Now, there's one for everyone here," said Hero. The others were surprised, especially Luster, who was initially hesitant but couldn't resist the smell.

"Wow, Hero. That was nice of you," said Sunburst.

"Not a problem," replied Hero.

Sunburst asked Luster, "So, how is it?" as she looked content while sinking her teeth into the soft, warm roll. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Sunburst replied, "Well, thank Pinkie. She made it. It's made with love."

Luster added, "Yeah. I've noticed that. Man, she is skilled."

"I'll say; this sweet roll is delicious," Hero said as he took one bite, then another until his piece was all gone. The other three did the same. When they finished their treats, Sunburst and Luster got up and left the bakery, with Hero following them.

"See you later, Cheese. Say hi to the cake twins and the owners for me." Sunburst said as they left Sugarcube Corner and headed back to Town Square.

"Man, she can make the best sweets. So can Applejack."

"You've tasted her food too?"

"I sure did. She offered me lunch before I went to the castle to warn Starlight." Sunburst asked Hero a question.

"You were the one to mention this great new evil, right? I was just briefly informed and was told to wait for you." They were heading towards a large gathering of clouds with a rainbow-colored set of water flowing from its top and a house atop.

"What's that place up there?" Hero pointed his hoof up to the floating house in the sky.

"That's Rainbow Dash's house. She's the Element of Loyalty." Sunburst said, "Since you've already been to Applejack's, we don't need to go there." Sunburst then led everyone back to the castle just as Hero saw another colossal building adorned by waterfalls next to the court.

"That place looks cool."

"Oh, that's the Friendship Academy." Sunburst explained, "Honey, would you mind one more trip?"

"Because it's the academy itself, not at all. I like it there." Luster Dawn agreed as they made plans for one more place to visit.

At a party, all attendees agreed to visit the academy and see what it had to offer. As they opened the double doors, they were met with a delightful sight of various creatures, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. They took a moment to appreciate the ambiance before moving forward to the Head Mistress's office.

Sunburst, who seemed familiar with the academy, pointed out the office to Hero. "This is the Head Mistress's office," he explained. "If you're planning to visit or enroll as a student, you'll need to come here first."

Hero nodded in understanding and opened the door. The room was spacious, with a big window that allowed natural light to flood the space. It was tastefully decorated with paintings and sculptures adorning the walls and shelves. The desk at the center of the room was made of polished wood and had a nameplate that read "Head Mistress Trixie Lulamoon."

As they walked towards the desk, they saw a blue mare wearing a purple wizard's hat and a matching purple dress. The hat and dress were adorned with yellow stars, and she had a periwinkle-colored mane and tail. She seemed to be in control and was sitting at her desk, ready to welcome them. Hero couldn't help but feel impressed and wondered what the Head Mistress had in store for them.

"Ah. Sunburst. What a delight to see you here. What can the Great and Powerful Trixie do for you today?"

"Must you insist on still using that old title, Trix?"

"But of course, from time to time. It's that little entertainer in me that I cannot get rid of. And I can see that there's somepony new that you've got with you."

"Yes. Trixie, this is Hero. Hero, this is Trixie." Hero and Trixie exchanged a brief look with each other.

"Well, Hero, it's impolite to stare at Trixie. Do you have anything to say, or does Trixie's flair for the performance seduce you?"

"Uh, well... you do look flashy. Very eye-catching."

"Well, that is the general idea of being a performer, getting ponies' and creatures' attention." It seemed that Trixie was delighted to meet Hero. "I can't explain it, Hero. But there's something about you. Like a flair that's unique only to you."

"Really? How can you tell by just looking at me?"

"Trixie knows when she sees a very powerful pony-to-be. And you feel very powerful to Trixie."

"So then, Trixie. Do you think Hero would make a good student here?" Sunburst asked Trixie.

"Well, Sunburst, an education is required to live in this town, ordered by Starlight herself. So I've got no choice but to approve of Hero."

"I see. That is true, and it was one of the more recent laws. So then, Hero. Do you think that you'd like to be a student here?" Sunburst looked to Hero for his input.

"I'm not sure... I guess it'd be okay. I'm not so sure what I'd be able to do here. But, I guess I can give it a chance."

"Awesome. That's a good go-getter attitude."

"Then, by my authority as Head Mistress of this school, I now approve of your inclusion in this School of Friendship."

"Well, thanks. I appreciate it."

"It's not a problem at all. You'll begin your first day tomorrow. How does that sound to you?"

"Sure. I'd like that. So long as Luster here goes with me."

"I've been here much longer than you. Of course, I'm going." She snapped.

"Luster Dawn. Manners. Please be nice to Hero, okay?"

"Okay then. Sorry, Hero. No hard feelings?" She reached out to shake his hoof, and he shook hers in return.

"It's alright, no harm done. I'm just happy that we're getting along."