Dawn's new day.

Up before the Dawn again. I groaned at my own joke then shook my head to clear it a bit, messing up my mane. After all the excitement of yesterday I was looking to have a calm Sunday and see my friends later. Now that we were well into the semester our teachers were no longer holding back leaving us less time to simply hang out. Guess that’s what happens when you go to THE most prestigious school in the country.

I grabbed my brush in my magic for a quick grooming then sat down at my desk. Pulling out my study supplies I got to work on my rune practice for magic class first. Lighting my horn I began carefully working through the mental motions of each rune while channeling a bit of magic, double checking my reference book when needed. It’s almost like music notes with the way they hum.

Runes for a unicorn were the building blocks of advanced more efficient spells or enchanted items, hence why the school taught them. Sure unicorns could brute force the magic but runes make it way easier.

I was about halfway through practicing the full set for the third time when there was a knock at my door.

“Dawn, pardon my knocking but are you awake yet?” Sunburst called out. The sun had risen at some point during my practice.

“Yeah Sunburst, I’m awake,” I opened the door with my magic and he walked over.

“Oh, what are you reading?” He spotted the open book.

“Just practicing and memorizing the runes in this book for my assignment.” I pass him my copy of ‘runes a reference guide’.

“Um Dawn, you know you don’t have to practice the whole thing until later in your fourth year.” He pulled out the assignment parchment I had tucked into the index. “See here, you only need to memorize the first five basic ones including light.”

I gave him an owlish look, “what?! Great, I thought that seemed excessive but my classmate Twilight mentioned memorizing them all and I didn’t bother reading the rest of the assignment.” I whined while he just laughed.

“Well at least you will be ahead, I like reading ahead too. For the theory.” he said the last part a bit quieter then moved on, “Shall we go get breakfast?”

“Yeah then we can go meet up with the fillies. Starlight wanted to show us her new kite and have a picnic.”

After a quick breakfast and getting some lunch to go, the two of us headed outside to the currently unoccupied training grounds. The area would provide plenty of open space for us to play.

“So have you learned any new magic yet Sunburst or do second years also focus on the theory, history and safe practices of magic?” I excitedly asked.

“Oh yes we do get to actually try spells along with the rest, here let me show you.” His horn light up and a few motes of light disconnected, changing color and forming the pattern of a bird before suddenly disappearing. “Heh, I’m still not very good. It was supposed to be an illusion of a bird in flight.”

I pat him on the back, “no worries, you’re still way better at the history and theory part than I am. Thanks again for helping me with that last assignment.”

The two of us continued to converse until.

“Hey there you two,” Starlight and Trixie joined us.

“Trixie is glad to see you both,” she flourished her cape.

“Hi Starlight. Hi Trixie.” We both replied.

After greeting each other, Trixie began focusing on Sunburst allowing Starlight to ask privately. “So what happened with you and your mom yesterday?”

“Oh some Pegasus filly ran into me, literally.” I rolled my eyes and told her what happened, including my condition.

“Woah, that sounds kind of scary. Are you going to be ok.” She looked concerned.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine if I stick to the ground. I’m more upset about those ten bits.” I said playfully causing her to roll her eyes and giggle.

“Well if you’re sure,” she continued so the others could hear, “let’s fly some kites!”

After spending the morning running around and flying kites the five of us, Lyra had joined about an hour ago after I spotted her wandering alone, all of us decided we had had enough fun and broke out the picnic basket. We laid out a blanket to sit on then dug into lunch.

"Trixie was pleasantly surprised, she did not know kites were so much fun."

"I know right, I love how they move through the air and," Starlight continued to passionately talk about kites and her ideas for enchanting them which transitioned into enchantments and other conversation. Lyra mostly stayed quiet but seemed to just enjoy our company.

Eventually I yawned and decided it was time for a nap. After dozing for a bit I felt pressure and warmth on my sides causing me to crack open one eye. Starlight and Trixie were pressed against my sides, heads on my neck. Sunburst loafed next to Starlight and Lyra Next to Trixie but not quite touching. I gave Starlight and Trixie a friendly nuzzle and went back to napping in the sun.

Celestia was nothing but genuine smiles today, She and Twilight were out walking the campus in the warm afternoon sun while conversing about anything young Twilight had wanted. It was rare for Celestia to have a full day off but with fall break and Nightmare Night coming up she wanted to spend plenty of time with her personal protégé alone.

"Oh and did you know that Starswirl the Bearded was the first one to use that spell princess?" The excited Twilight asked from their ongoing conversation.

Celestia gave a warm playful smile with a raised eyebrow, "Twilight, you do know I was there and was the one to record the event?"

Twilights eyes went wide and she gasped, "Oh my gosh princess I can't believe I forgot that. I am so sorry."

She went on for a bit until Celestia tittered, "It is quite alright Twilight. Switching topics how is young Spike doing?"

"Oh," Twilight flattened her ears, "He is a hoofful princess. Shining and Cadence are currently watching him since I knew we were spending time together and they often help out a lot calling it 'practice'."

Celestia gave a thoughtful look, "Has this assignment been to much for you Twilight?"

Twilight shook her head and slowed her gait , "Not at all princess it's just...Is Spike my son?"

Celestia almost tripped in her walking, "What ever gave you that Idea? Didn't I already adopt him and name your parents as his legal guardians."

"Well, Dawn asked me when he first met Spike if I was his Mom. I then read up on the topic of parenting and even though you are his legal mother I was still the one that hatched his egg and watch over him a lot of the time like a mother would." Twilight scratched at the ground with her hoof.

"That colt is something," Celestia said under her breath then, "Twilight, You are a bit young to have a foal of your own however if you do wish to be his mother instead of older sister we could change it later on. I would not worry yourself about it now and just be a good family member." She gave her student a nuzzle.

"Thanks princess," Twilight happily replied and then continued their walk.

As the Two continued around the campus an interesting sight caught Celestia's eye in the training grounds, a small pony nap pile had formed with Dawn in the middle surrounded by a few of his classmates. She then looked at Twilight who only talked about magic yet never her friends, she only ever mentioned Moon Dancer as a research partner.

"Come with me Twilight," Celestia said with a sly smile and quietly led them both over to the blanket. She then laid down facing Dawn who cracked open his eye again.

Twilight hesitantly joined her and almost squeaked when Celestia pulled her close using her wing.

As I cracked my eye open after sensing a new presence in front of me I smiled when I saw the solar alicorn and her student so quietly greeted . "Well Hi Celestia. Thanks for the nice sunny day. Hello to you too Twilight." I finished with a yawn that Twilight mimicked then covered her muzzle. They really are infectious.

"Thank you, the weather team and I did our best," She smiled, "I do feel better knowing my little ponies can enjoy days like these." The rest of the group began to stir at her talking, "oh my Looks like I woke your friends."

Starlight rubbed her eyes with her foreleg and mumbled, "Dawn who are you... Princess Celestia?" She stumbled and fell on her back while quickly getting up after looking straight at the allicorn.

Everyone but Trixie woke up who just mumbled, "Trixie wants five more minutes," then nuzzled into my mane.

The other three bowed until, "no need for that little ones, I'm just here for a social visit with Twilight today."

My friends all stood up and Lyra looked star struck, "Wow you really are the princess personal student?" Lyra asked Twilight.

Twilight shyly replied, "Yes, I am."

Lyra clapped her hooves together, "that is so exciting, do you know anything about Mythical creatures like humans?"

"Mythical..? No I prefer facts and reality." Twilight said back. Oh just wait till she learns.

"Oh," Lyra's ears drooped. Celestia gave an apologetic look while Starlight glared at Twilight, who didn't notice. If I could move I would facehoof.

"As Celestia's personal student you must have access to all kinds of books." Sunburst interjected and Starlight’s glare was directed at him, still unnoticed. Worst timing ever Sunburst.

I tried to stop Lyra from trotting off after mumbling, “I better get home,” but was slowed down by the clingy sleeping Trixie.

As Twilight excitedly began talking about books with Sunburst who had entered their own world, Starlight gave him an awkward goodbye and a kinder one to me and Trixie including nuzzles for us both. Celestial watched the whole scene play out without interrupting.

Eventually the two bookworms suddenly trotted off in the direction of the library discussing some research topic leaving Celestia, myself, and the somehow still sleeping Trixie alone.

“Well that didn’t go as planned,” Celestia eventually spoke up.

“Ya think princess?” I gave her a deadpan look but eventually we both broke into laughter at how absolutely absurd it all was.

“Trixie wants another five more minutes,” she snorted.

“I must admit I am impressed Ms. Lulamoon is still asleep.”

“Nah this filly can sleep through anything,” to prove my point I nip her ear causing her to mumble and finally roll off me. Celestia and I both share a look then laugh again before I offer her some of our snacks and we start to chat.

“What do you mean you couldn’t grab him today!?” Onyx Star yelled and threw his glass at a wall.

The Pegasus stallion flinched from being yelled at then slowly replied, “Well he wasn’t alone at all today sir, the princess even joined him for a bit so my boys couldn't grab him.”

“Why In Tartarus am I even paying your group without results? First you lose the letter then you don’t meet with my grandson or bring him here!” The stallion huffed until his first wife, Gilded Sunrise, set a hoof on his back.

“Now dear, it’s not this poor stallions fault if the princess herself showed up today. We knew she had an eye on him and already have another plan so let’s just go with that one.” She said.

“Exactly why rush when we have time,” Gilded Moonrise, his second wife and Sunrise’s twin, said from her spot on a nearby lounge. Their third wife, Evening Flare, was out with their daughter, Evening Frost, on business.

“Because the more time we get with him the better, but fine, we can go with the next plan instead,” Onyx conceded to his wives then turned back to the stallion, “now what to do with you?” A sinister smile crossed his face before his two wives both tilted their horns forward and shot the Pegasus with twin beams of magic. The spell quickly converted the poor stallions fur and skin into gold yet left him alive underneath.

“We really did need another statue to auction off and make back those bits,” Sunrise smiled.