Dawn's new day.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect but this was not it. CSUG was, 'Normal'. I walked through the average halls behind my dam towards the testing area with an excited Starlight listening to Morning Dew talk about her days at the school. I tuned out the conversation, having heard the story a dozen times over the years. Starlight, of course, ate it up. Her Sire had gone ahead to book us a few hotel rooms, which was nice of him, so was currently not with the group. This place reminds me of my human school days, only pony proportioned. I wasn't exactly expecting the impractical levels of 'Harry Potter' design but something a bit more magical would have been nice. I kept my head on a swivel incase something magical decided to pop out.

As we walked the halls my mood did improve once we passed by a lecture hall under construction with a missing door, busted wall and polka-dotted wall that refused to be painted over, She really did a number on it, and made our way to reception.

"Wow I wonder what happened back there?" My dam had stopped to look, a bit of worry still on her face even once we reached reception for the test, having forgone asking directions since she didn't need them.

"Oh just a magical surge," A unicorn mare with a teachers badge waved her hoof as it was a normal occurrence in the school, when she replied from behind the desk, "here for the enrolment test?"

"Some surge," My dam walked behind us and put a foreleg around Starlight and I, "Yep my son and his filly friend are both here for the test today." I ignored that comment while Starlight playfully flicked her ear.

"Excellent, well you all are right on time. Prospective students will need to continue down this hall to the testing room, while parents come with us to turn in the forms and wait for the test to finish." She used a bit of magic to make arrows in the air to point us the way.
"Letting students find their way is part of the test. Room T01." She then trotted off beckoning for my unsurprised dam to follow, leaving myself and Starlight suddenly alone.

"Guess we should get going," I shrugged and continued on.

"Ye-yeah," Starlight was a bit nervous at the sudden loss of adult supervision.

It didn't take us long to reach the testing room. Not much of a test, though for a foal it probably is considering Starlight's nervousness. Once inside we were both told to take a seat apart and amongst the other foals instructions on the front board told us 'Don't talk and wait for test instructions'. As I looked around at the other nervous unicorn foals I was unsurprised to see a few I recognized from my newer memories. What did stick out though were two particular ponies. First was Twilight, She was sitting near one of the front corners looking ready as ever. Guess every student has to take the written test still. The second noticeable addition was Celestia in her Pegasus 'Sunny Skys' persona. Was not expecting the princess to be here.

"Alright every pony, eyes front." The unicorn Stallion at the front of the room said after closing the door with his magic. "Welcome to the open enrolment for Celestia's School for GIFTED Unicorns," He put plenty of emphasis on 'Gifted'. "Today all of you will be taking the written portion of the test for entering our prodigious school here in Canterlot. I am both Happy and Sad to say that the position for Celestia's personal student has already been claimed by one, Ms. Twilight Sparkle who you all have the privlige of testing with." Twilight shrunk herself in her desk wile 'Sunny" smiled, "so if you were hopping for that honor you are already out of the running." Sunny coughed lightly behind her hoof. "But fear not for today we have Ms. Sunny Skys, an assistant of the princess, who will be overseeing your tests today along with myself, Mr. Clear Mark. For those who have not already done the practical portion you will taking it after the written portion today, outside." So that's why twilight is here, she already did her practical but needs the written.

"Now then," Mr. Clear passed out the test papers using his magic from the front of the class along with quills and ink, "you may begin." First invention, Ballpoint pins. Or grab some from other earth. I huffed and started writing.

The written test was, Easy. Thirty extra years of memories made the math and science portions a breeze, for an eight year old, and surprisingly helped with magic and Equish, Magic was similar to programing in some aspects, and Equish was just like English but with pony-isms. The fact I had finished writing already while everyone else, even Twilight, was still working did not go unnoticed though as 'Sunny' stopped by my desk, "Is everything alright my little pony, having any trouble?" She gently asked from my side. Wow her voice is soothing.

I smiled back up to her and said, "Oh its fine pri... Ms. Sunny, I just finished already." I hoped to harmony she didn't hear that slip.

Either she didn't or ignored it, saying, "Really, well then do you mind if I check your work?" The question was clearly rhetorical as she collected my test. She read the name at the top and looked at my Cutie mark, "Well Balanced Dawn, I wish you good luck." She smiled, then took it to the front to start grading. Twilight, who noticed someone had finished, looked abashed and went back to work.

It wasn't long before the two hour time limit was up and the rest of the tests were collected by Clear, regardless if a student had finished or not, causing quite a few moans of despair. My entire time waiting though was not uninteresting as 'Sunnie's' expressions had been a kaleidoscope while grading my test.

"Alright everypony settle down," Clear Mark commanded after collecting the tests. "Even If you didn't finish we will still give credit for attempts. Your final results will also depend on the practical exam as if you are proficient in one you may still be accepted."

"Now then," he opened the door with his magic after storing the tests in a saddlebag, excluding mine that Sunny still had. "Please follow Ms. Sunny who will lead you outside to the practice area for those who still need the practical exam and have a good day." The stallion finally smiled and headed out another door leading to his office after Sunny passed him my test.

About half the class split off to follow Sunny while the rest left to meat up with their guardians. Starlight trotted up on my right and we share a comforting hip bump but before either of us could speak.

"How did you do it?" I turned to look left and right beside me was Twilight in front of my muzzle, "how did you finish so fast?" She pushed forward a bit. I wasn't scarred but the action surprised me enough that I bumped into Starlight who didn't take the 'attack' kindly.

She immediately propped herself up with forelegs over my back to retort, "and why do you care lil Ms. nosy? leave my friend alone." Starlight Stared daggers at the filly. Twilight fell on her rump and blinked a few times from the sudden intruder, garnering the attention of the group heading out, Including Sunny who stayed back. "Don't you know it's rude to just pop into someone's face and ask questions, epically if you aren't friends." Hello Butterflies.

I looked at Starlight, a bit taken aback by her protectiveness. Keep forgetting about the gender reversal. After another few blinks from Twilight her face shifted to someone on the verge of tears, apparently no one ever questioned her and the sudden reversal in confrontation surprised her. I looked between them both again, and in my peripheral noticed the whispering group and anxious Sunny slowing moving our way. After a sigh I then lightly bit Starlight's ear who promptly fell off my back onto her own rump with a shocked expression.

"Hey, What’s..?" I cut Sunny off by turning around slowly, sitting on my rump in front of them and bopping them both gently on the nose. The reaction was immediate and so similar I didn't bother holding back my laughter. Both fillies scrunched up their noses, rubbed them with mirrored forelegs, then huffed in my direction.

"That. Was. Priceless." Once I and a few other foals had finished laughing I Spoke to Starlight.

"Glimmer, no need to be so aggressive. Twilight Sparkle here was just curious, even if it was a bit rude." I gave her a smile and wink which she returned with a questioning look. "The teacher mentioned your name earlier, you're the princesses new student, right?" I held out my hoof for her to bump which she timidly returned. "And this," I put a foreleg around Starlight, "Is my best friend and bodyguard Starlight Glimmer." She rolled her eyes at my joke and the two also shared a reluctant hoof bump. Before we could converse further, Sunny coughed behind her hoof.

"While I'm Glad you three made up we do need to move on to the testing," she waved her hoof at the rest of the waiting students to which we gave guilty looks. "As for you Twilight, you may come along but only if you respect your fellow students space." She then turned around and we all followed in silence. Sunny slowed herself a bit and made her way closer as we traversed the halls, "you handled that well," she whispered with a hint of pride, then moved back to the front of the group.

Once outside on the practice field another unicorn greeted us, a mare this time, "Well there you all are, I was starting to get worried. Everything all right Sunny?"

"Just a small holdup, nothing to worry about." She played it coy.

"Excellent. Now then, as you can see we have plenty of room," she motioned with her forehoof, "so don't worry about making a mess or surging." Twilight's ears went flat and she recollided a bit. "Now, your practical test today will be..." She paused for dramatic effect and magicked a tarp off an assortment of random items, "Show me what you got." I almost snorted at the reference while the other students just looked confused at the, junk.

Minuette, who happened to be in our group raised her hoof and asked, "um, what do you mean by that Ms. ..?"

"Ah, right let me back up so I don't get ahead of myself. First off, I am Ms. Rose Gold or just Rose for short and you seven," another pause as she got her clipboard, "will each be showing me some unique magic, one at a time when I call your name, using these random items. You can do whatever you like so long as it is unique and not copying someone ahead of you." Everyone in our group just shared glances while Sunny brought Twilight off to the side to just watch. I wonder if its canon that Twilight doesn't know her disguise? I was shaken out of my thoughts when the first student went up, whos name I missed.

"Now then, Go on and show us something."

The Filly picked out a few random Items then began floating them in her magic. She picked up more and more of them all while preforming a complicated pattern until Rose stopped her and took some notes, "excellent, Lets continue."

I ended up going third, "Balanced dawn, You are up colt." As she said that I noticed I was the only colt in the group. Huh. As I nosed through the random items I found a couple packets of flower seeds and thought back to a spell from Clover the Clever, whos book I had re-read while on the train, This should be unique enough. Starlight shot me a questioning look when, without using my horn, I ripped open the packets with hooves and teeth then spread the seeds all around. One of the others mumbled, "is that it?" Before I stomped my hooves into the ground and caused every seed to burst into a fresh flower around me. Once finished I picked up a few of the roses, only now lighting my horn, and passed them out finishing with a, "Here you go Ms. Rose," with the biggest smile I could muster.

"My word, that was something. Thank you." She took a bite of the flower as Twilight narrowed her eyes at me and Starlight laughed. "delicious as well." After she made her notes and moved on I could still feel a set of eyes on me. At first I thought it was Twilight but it turned out to be 'Sunny' when I looked. In response I just tilted my head and flicked one of my ears.

Starlight's turn was another one to watch. She managed to blast a continuous beam of raw magic for a solid two minutes, melting the steel plate she was demonstrating on. Once she finished she flicked her tail, sauntered back over to me and we shared a hoof bump at our achievements.

Once the last student had gone Rose looked up from her notes and concluded the testing with, "Good job everypony. A wonderful showing today and no accidents or failures. I have to say I am quite impressed with this group of applicants. Now that we are finished though you can all meet back up with your parents at the front of the school and await your results." She didn't stick around to answer questions or listen to the foals chatting excitedly.

As I waited for Starlight to finish getting complimented by another filly, I noticed that at some point Twilight and 'Sunny' had left. Well At least it looks like we will both get in. I smiled at the thought while the two of us headed to the front of the school.

"That was way easier than I was worried about, don't you think?" I flicked my ears Starlight's direction and smiled. She was currently prancing around me from her excitement.

"Honestly, I had no doubt we would both do fine. We both love magic and Sunburst was just as good as us and he got in."

"Oh yeah that's even better," I huffed as Starlight hopped onto my back and draped herself across it. "We will get to see him starting this semester, He will probably be supper excited we both got in." She tapped her hoof against her chin to think and finished, "I wonder if there's a nice park or someplace to fly kites around here?" I shook my head playfully at the comment. I should show her some aeronautics designs I can remember one of these days, maybe for Christmas? No wait it's called Hearths Warming.

As I continued walking with her on my back, we eventually made it to where the parents were waiting, already talking with their own foals. Once In front of my own dam I tilted myself causing Starlight to slide off my back.

"So you two, tell me all about the test." Starlight and I looked at each other and gave her all the details while heading towards the hotel.