The envelope lies on the dining room table, between you and your parents. You edge away from it as if it were a bomb. Your parents have hopeful looks on their faces.
"Mom. Dad. For the last time, I don't want to go to this...Equestria Academy," you say angrily. "I'm perfectly happy at Channel, you know that!"
You absolutely hate talking like this to your parents, but you just don't want to go to some strange school in the middle of nowhere.
"Anne Wells, don't ever talk to us like that again. Besides, you're making a much too hasty decision about this. Equestria Academy is the premier school. The teachers are excellent, they give laptops to every student, and plus, they have an amazing creative writing program... " your mother's voice trails off.
You can't help it, but your ears perk up a little at that. You do love writing...
"See, Anne, you're going to love Equestria Academy," your father persuades. Well, you had been a little excited about it, but now...
"So I have absolutely no choice in this?" you ask bitterly.
Your parents exchange looks. From that simple gesture, you can guess what the answer will be.
"Never mind!" you shout, slamming the cheesy pamphlet they had given you on the table and running upstairs to your room.
In your room, the first thing you do is grab your cell phone off of your bedside table. Steaming, you dial your best friend's number. She picks up on the first ring.
"Hey Anne," she says nonchalantly.
"Sely, something horrible just happened!" you say, sobbing.
"Anne, what's wrong?" Selia replies, her tone concerned. That's why she's your best friend, and has been since you were in kindergarten together.
"My parents want me to go to this weird school in the middle of nowhere called Equestria Academy," you say. "And it's so stupid! I want to stay here!"
She's silent for a moment, and you can tell that she's thinking this over. Selia's a deep thinker, and that's why you two fit so well together.
"In the middle of nowhere?" she asks. "Like, not in the USA? And also, is it like a boarding school?"
"Well, my mom said it's somewhere in Europe. Yeah, it's in a little European country. Strangely, the country is called Equestria just like the school. And my parents expect me to go to live in Europe in a boarding school!" you reply.
"Equestria?" she asks. You can hear the clicking of computer keys, and you can tell she's looking it up. "Wow. What a weird country. They're not allowed to eat meat, they eat hay, and they have a really weird religion. But the school...wow. It sounds amazing."
You reel back, shocked. Selia's sounding oddly like she's not on your side.
"Selia, you don't think I should go, do you?" you ask in shock.
"Well...I mean, it's an amazing opportunity, and yeah, it would be amazing for you to go, but I would really miss you," she says. Her tone is full of regret.
"Well, don't worry, Selia, you won't have to miss me. There's no way I'm ever going to Equestria Academy."
Two days later, you stand in front of Equestria Academy with your parents. Your mother was delighted that you had finally agreed to go, when you had accepted and your father wasn't really one to show huge amounts of feelings, but you had gotten the sense that he was also happy.
You have to admit, you're lucky to be able to go to this school. Even if it is in Europe, it's really awesome. Although, you really will miss Selia and your other friends.
"Well, sweetie, I guess this is goodbye. Orientation starts in just a few minutes, and parents aren't allowed to go in," your mother says.
Even though she tries to hide it, you can see a tear leaking from her eye. Feeling really bad, you give her a hug, promising to send her letters. You say your goodbyes, and they leave. You feel a pang in your heart, but tear your eyes away from the sight of your parents walking away and enter the school.
You find a seat in the back of the auditorium, next to a girl with blond hair and caramel skin. She smiles at you, revealing white teeth ringed by green braces. You smile back.
A tall...something appears on the stage in front of you. It almost looks like a pony. It's tall, with an alabaster white coat. It has long pegasus wings and a unicorn horn. Her- yeah, you're pretty sure it's a her -eyes are light purple, and her mane and tail flow with a nonexistent wind source.
"Why hello," she says in a calm voice, sending ripples of nervousness through the crowd. A talking pony? "Some of you may be wondering who I am, or why I'm a talking pony."
You could have sworn she looked right at you as she said that.
"Well, in this country, before we became a nation on Earth, we used to be an entire world..."
The mare launches into the history of Equestria, before finally telling you why she's a talking pony.
"....and so to finish, I'm Headmistress Celestia, but I prefer if you call me Headmistress. The head of my staff, Twilight Sparkle, will tell you more. I'm afraid I have duties that demand my attention."
She opens her wings, fluttering offstage as people stare at her open mouthed. Another pony takes her place, this one much shorter. She has a lavender coat and a straight purple mane, with a unicorn horn poking through.
"Here at Equestria Academy, or EA as we call it, we have six different houses. The House of Magic, the House of Laughter, the House of Honesty, the House of Loyalty, the House of Generosity and the House of Kindness. When I call your name, please come up and put this cape on. It may look odd, but I assure you, you need to do this," she says in a stern tone.
You watch as she calls dozens of names. Finally, she calls "Wells, Anne!" in a loud tone, and you stand up and quickly make your way through the crowd to her.
She tucks the cape around your shoulders, as she did with the previous people. Instantly you hear an odd voice in your head.
"Hmm. Ya appear ta be brave, but not enough for y'all to be Loyalty. Maybe...no, not Magic, y'all aren't enough lahke Miss Twilight. Kindness...not in a million years...Laughter...nah, y'all're not crazy. Generosity? Nah. Never. So that just leaves....HONESTY!!" While the cape had been talking in your head, you could hear it shout the last word out to the audience.
You walk numbly over to the small group of gathered people who got placed in Honesty House.
"Very well then, your Head of House will lead you to your Common Rooms! Thank you, and have a nice day!" said the mare, smiling.