An Earthling Earth Pony at Celestia's School of Magic: Year One

The inside of the mountain was hard to put into words, but our group of 12-year-olds, selected for our keen observation skills, was certainly trying to make sense of it all.

"This is otherworldly," Summer said breathlessly, her eyes darting from one marvel to another, clearly cataloging every detail.

"It's like something out of a dream," Hannah added, her gaze fixed on the intricate architecture, hands itching to sketch what she was seeing.

"It's okay," Bright concluded, his affected nonchalance betrayed by the intense focus in his eyes as he took in every aspect of our surroundings.

I noticed the way the glowmoss seemed to pulse faintly, almost like it was breathing. My mind raced with possibilities, but I kept my observations to myself for now, trying not to think about the forest that lay beyond this underground wonder.

Glowmoss was everywhere. For a tribe that famously didn't like sunlight, this place was very well lit. The main path went down to what seemed a commercial area with many shops, but there were branching paths that twisted and curved through the sides of the massive cavern, sometimes seemingly going straight upward at a slope no one could possibly walk. There were homes carved right onto the cave walls, at all manner of elevations. Some of these homes had doors that exited into sheer drops of fifty feet or more.

"How do night ponies live comfortably like this?" I asked, my curiosity finally getting the better of me.

Sweetie Belle seemed to hear me. "Because this isn't sunlight. Bright as this may seem to be, the light is far less intense than sunlight. It is a myth that their tribe hates light. They don't like light that is too intense for their eyes."

"How do they tell day from night down here?" Twilight Glow asked, his horn glowing faintly as if making calculations.

Sweetie Belle pointed to a large clockface on one of the cavern walls. "They can track time just fine. Clocks are common here." She looked at Prim. "And what's your opinion?"

Prim looked around, her nose wrinkling in distaste. "The night ponies did a good job decorating their cave, but it is still just a cave. This much work would be better served in a proper city, but they choose to live in caves, like primitives. Their ancestors may have had to live in caves for safety, but there's no reason for them to keep doing it."

The lorekeeper turned and grinned, though she seemed a bit taken aback by Prim's bluntness. "Live in a city above ground and get exposed to your nasty sun? I think not. We have a city here, and the mountain lets us do things you day ponies never could do. This is a night pony city, you horn-heads would never be able to live here. You softies aren't built for it."

"Earth ponies did help you build this place," Applebloom pointed out.

The lorekeeper nodded, her expression softening. "That they did, and we are grateful. We could never have carved this all out ourselves, and they would not have known where to shape the earth without us. It was a team effort. Even now, they mine deeper into the mountain with us being their eyes. They get the metal, the stone, and caverns to grow our precious glowmoss—which, I confess, they are better at growing than we are. We get the real bounty, the mountain."

As we made our way to the hotel, our minds were buzzing with theories and questions, though we kept most of these to ourselves. I found my thoughts drifting to the upcoming forest expedition. Applebloom had mentioned it earlier, and the mere thought sent a shiver down my spine. On one hoof, the chance to apply my alchemy studies in the field with Applebloom herself was a dream come true. After all those one-on-one classes, seeing the plants and minerals we'd studied in their natural habitat was thrilling. On the other hoof... trees. So many trees.

The hotel stood at the end of the market area, its two stories making it one of the tallest structures we'd seen. As we entered, I couldn't help but feel relieved to be surrounded by stone walls rather than wooden ones.

"Greetings, students from Canterlot!" a night pony mare greeted as she hurried down the stairs. "I have rooms at the ready for all of you. The entire second floor is at your disposal. The kitchens are hard at work preparing your dinner."

As we followed her upstairs, each of us was silently noting details about the construction, the lighting, and the overall design of the building.

"We don't lock doors here," the mare said. "If you wish not to be disturbed, there is a violet cord hanging on the latch inside that you can place on the latch outside." She pushed the latch on the first door she came by and opened the door. "Inside each room you will find three beds, a table, three stools, a clock, a bathtub, and towels."

"What if we need to relieve ourselves?" a student asked, voicing the question we were all thinking.

"There are chamber pots underneath each bed," the mare said. "The pot has a lid with crushed lavender to mask the scent. The housecleaners replace the pots at two hours after sundown each day—they do this even if there is a privacy cord up, so be aware. If you need it changed before then come to the front desk and let us know."

"Doesn't this place have plumbing?!" Prim asked in disgusted disbelief, her voice dripping with disdain.

The mare nodded. "It does. The tub has hot and cold running water. Urine and feces are needed for the glowmoss farms, and we do not waste. We don't want that stuff in our water system anyway. I personally can't understand how you day ponies drink from the same water system you pee in. That seems unsanitary."

Prim broke down into an incoherent stutter, her face a picture of horror.

Sweetie Belle lit her horn and pulled Prim back into the group. "Thank you. Our students are here to get an education, and learning that different communities handle things like waste management differently is important."

As we picked our rooms, Bright and I decided to bunk together in room nine. Hannah and Summer took the room next door, and I saw Hail and his friend choose the room across from where Sweetie Belle and the other teachers would be staying.

Flopping onto one of the beds, Bright grinned at me. "Well, Turnip, looks like we're in for quite the adventure, don't ya think?"

I nodded, moving to the window to peek out at the glowing cavern. "It's amazing. I never thought I'd see anything like this." My eyes drifted to the cave entrance, barely visible in the distance. Beyond that lay the forest, and I felt my stomach churn at the thought.

Bright, noticing my sudden change in demeanor, sat up. "Ya thinkin' 'bout them trees again, ain't ya?"

I sighed, grateful for his perceptiveness but also feeling a wave of anxiety. "Yeah. I know we've been working on it with those trips to the city park, but this is different. It's a whole forest out there. And Applebloom will be watching us the whole time."

"Now, don't ya go forgettin' all the progress ya've made," Bright said, his voice encouraging. "Remember how ya couldn't even look at the oak in the school yard when we first started? And now ya can walk right up to it!"

I couldn't help but smile at the memory, but it was tinged with worry. "You're right. And I appreciate all the help you, Hannah, and Summer have been giving me. It's just... this is my first real alchemy expedition. What if I freeze up when Applebloom asks me to gather ingredients from a tree? She doesn't know about my phobia, Bright. What if she thinks I'm not cut out for alchemy?"

Bright's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait a minute, ya mean ya never told Aunt Applebloom 'bout your fear of trees? Even with all them one-on-one classes?"

I shook my head, feeling a fresh wave of shame. It was bad enough hiding this from Applebloom, but knowing she was Bright's aunt made it feel even more like a betrayal. "I couldn't. She's *the* Applebloom, Bright. She revolutionized modern alchemy with her understanding of botanical components. How could I tell her that her star student is afraid of trees? She'd lose all respect for me."

Bright scratched his head, looking conflicted. "Aw, Turnip, ya know that ain't true. Aunt Applebloom's a right understanding pony. She'd want to help ya, not judge ya. Heck, she's helped me through plenty of tough spots."

"Maybe," I said, unconvinced. "But I can't risk it. This expedition is too important. I have to prove I can do this. And... well, it's not just about me. You're her nephew, Bright. I don't want her to think you've been wasting your time trying to help me overcome this stupid fear."

Bright looked even more concerned now. "Turnip, ya ain't never a waste of time. And Aunt Applebloom would be the first to say that. But I get it, it's your secret to tell or keep. Just know that if ya change your mind, I've got your back. And I know Aunt Applebloom would too."

His support meant the world to me, especially knowing the position it put him in with his aunt. "Thanks, Bright. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"That's what friends are for!" Bright exclaimed, though I could see a hint of worry in his eyes. "Now, what say we do some explorin' before dinner? Ah bet this hotel's got all sorts of interestin' stuff to see!"

As we headed out to investigate our temporary home, I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness about the upcoming expedition. The night pony city was fascinating, but the real test lay in the forest beyond. It wasn't just about facing my fear of trees; it was about proving to Applebloom—and to myself—that I had what it takes to be an alchemist.

We ran into Hannah and Summer in the hallway, and Bright quickly filled them in on my concerns about the forest trip and my decision to keep my phobia from Applebloom.

"Oh, Turnip," Hannah said, her voice full of concern, "are you sure that's the best idea? Applebloom could probably help if she knew."

Summer nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and what if something happens during the expedition? Wouldn't it be better if she was prepared?"

Their worry was evident, and it made me second-guess my decision for a moment. But then I remembered the look of pride on Applebloom's face when she told me I'd been chosen for this expedition. I couldn't let her down.

"I appreciate your concern, guys, I really do. But I need to do this on my own. I've come this far, right? Remember how I managed to identify five different leaf types in the park last week?"

"And ya even touched the bark of that big elm tree!" Bright added enthusiastically, though I could tell he was still wrestling with keeping this secret from his aunt. "That was huge progress."

Their support warmed my heart, even if they didn't fully agree with my decision. "Thanks, guys. I don't know what I'd do without you all."

"Well, ya ain't gotta worry 'bout that," Bright said, throwing a foreleg around my shoulders. "We've got ya covered, through thick and thin... and through every last tree in that forest!"

As we continued our exploration of the hotel, I tried to focus on the excitement of applying my alchemy knowledge rather than the dread of the forest or the anxiety of hiding my fear from Applebloom. This wasn't just an adventure; it was a chance to prove myself, to put everything I'd learned into practice, and to take another big step in overcoming my fears—all while keeping my composure in front of my idol and my best friend's aunt.

The night pony city was just the beginning. The real challenge lay in the forest beyond, where the raw materials of alchemy awaited discovery. And with my friends by my side and my determination to impress Applebloom driving me forward, I felt ready to face whatever came our way... even if it was covered in leaves and bark. Still, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that keeping secrets from Applebloom might complicate things, especially with Bright caught in the middle. But that was a problem for tomorrow. For now, there was a fascinating underground city to explore, and I intended to make the most of it.