>It's another day at the Magic School. Mr. Dawn Tea finished giving his usual class just a few minutes ago, reminding us all that tomorrow we had a test to evaluate our grip in teleportation magic.
>Teleportation magic was complicated the more significant the target you focused on moving. Sure, a few cards are easy to do so, but doing it on yourself... one mistake and your head ends up stuck in the wall.
>...Or in the fillies' bathroom.
>You cringe at that memory, your mind wasn't focused enough and you failed to try to teleport yourself from your spot in the classroom into the other, you even made sure there weren't chairs in the middle, but instead, your spell threw you one floor below, head stuck to a wall directly at the bathroom.
>Not that you wanted to peek on accident, but once you realized you were there you closed your eyes and started apologizing a lot, despite... the fillies screaming. Maybe that's the reason you're not good with fillies around.
>Speaking of, you haven't encountered the wild panda in her natural stalking habitat, hopefully, you don't find her at all today. It's already too much with what happened yesterday.
>You pick up your saddle backpack and start getting out of class while thinking over yesterday's night events.
>Honey lives far away from Canterlot, she says she doesn't need school because her family taught her and she knows how to cook. It's pretty odd.
>That can't be her real house, but if not, what was that place? It had the vibes of an abandoned industry.
>"Hey Anon" A voice interrupts your thoughts. "Are you busy today?"
>It was coming from a classmate from the next classroom, a filly named Copper Star. She was a bit smaller than your size but was your age, and had a light pink coat with a long white fluffy mane that covered her eyes.
"Just going to the library of the city, what's up?"
>"Well, some friends are going to watch my new Illusion magic trick! I was wondering if you and Snake Eyes could join me today."
>You were about to reply to her, but she made a quick jump and began rapid-fire talking.
>"If you can't because you're going to the library, Snake can always come!"
>You take a sigh and slyly smile at her.
"You do realize he's not with me today, right?"
>She takes time to move her mess of a mane with one hoof, her brown eyes looking everywhere trying to spot your friend.
>"WHAT? Where is he? Skipping class again?"
"He is somewhere out of Canterlot, returns this weekend, probably."
>"What do you mean PROBABLY? Will he leave me forever?"
>Copper Star holds her hooves to her mouth.
>"I mean, leave us forever?"
"You're so bad at lying." You say as you stare at her, raising an eyebrow. "Just ask him out already. You droll for Snake every time you talk to me, indirectly AT him."
>"Wa- you've seen me drooling?"
"No, but thanks for letting me know."
>"No, no, no! Forget you listened to what I said! Forget it!" She used her mane to hide the embarrassment and was trying to scratch you like a defenseless kitten.
>You knew Copper Star had something for Snake, but... what can she see in your friend? The guy is just a cheeky gambler that loses all the time.
>"Hey, you two! Two feet apart! No relationship touching in the halls!"
>That was the annoying voice of Marching Order, as he was doing his usual scouting.
"What, jelly?"
>"Absolutely! NOT! I have no time for romance when I'm monitoring! Speaking of time, I don't have time to lose! I'm searching for an intruder." He starts writing something on his notes. "I don't know who it is, but they nearly fooled my system!"
"System. So by that, you mean the thread and cans that make noise?"
>"Don't reveal my secrets like it's nothing, you fool!"
>Half the school knows about that.
"Right... so, where are you heading? Not that I care, it's just to waste your time."
>"Ugh! You're so...!" Marching Order starts galloping towards the stairs of the building. "The roof, okay!?"
"Didn't care!" You raise your voice so Marching heard you in his hurry to the rooftop.
>"Why are you mean towards the hall monitor, Anon?" Copper Star asks.
"It's a good hobby when I'm trying to get rid of my stress," you say with a satisfactory smile. "Anyway whoever is on the roof must be that Nebula guy. He's always up there looking at the sky."
>Nebula Frost was an... odd colt. He is a changeling with a slight blue tone for his body and you're taller than him, he was around Copper's height. You never understood why he was different from other changelings, what's up with him not feeding from love and never changing his appearance. Well, at least he knew magic, which is why he was studying here.
"I should go now, I wasted plenty of time that I could've used in studying. I'll tell Snake about one of these days watching your illusion magic, but don't expect a yes from him. Got it?"
>"Thanks Anon, you're the best!" The petite filly smiles at you.
>And just like that, you left the illusionary fanatic filly and went your way toward your second home, the library.

>Ah, the smell of books was something you loved, all this knowledge soon to be yours. The library of Canterlot was a masterpiece of architecture, it had everything a bookworm like you wanted. A set of tables with chairs, the thousands of books waiting to be read in their bookshelves, a room with a chalkboard and some cushions for ponies to use and teach others.
>Although you shouldn't be distracted so easily, you came up with something in mind. To find books on magic self-defense and offense and try to learn them in the upcoming days. On another day you'll take your time once you learned a few more spells and try to investigate anything relevant that has to do with Honey Drop supposedly home.
>It's not going to be an easy task and it's going to take time, but you can't take a chance of getting hurt if you're going to investigate Honey Drop, even if you told Snake Eyes to come with you, he isn't as good with magic as you were.
>And, at best, you know the basics of magic plus some extra from Mr. Dawn Tea's classes. And, if by any means, Honey does find you reading anything that she finds suspicious, you can just say you're reading for fun. She implies she knows everything about me, but does she?
"Anyway, let's get started."
>You choosed some books as you read the title of their covers and walked from section to section. Your tail danced in happiness at the sight of any new book you were going to read, but as you were continuing to grab books, you ended up with a... rather big collection that was starting to look like a tower.
"Hm, should be enough."
>As you carried the books, which were more than you should have brought in one go, one starts to fall from your pile.
"Oh-"
>Then another.
"Come on-"
>And two more hit you on your head.
>You growl at your mess. Casting your magic, you attempt to levitate the books that fell, right until you notice how they start levitating with a green aura that wasn't yours.
>You take a peek behind the pile of books you were carrying and notice a filly with a light brown coat, pink mane, and green eyes. She was wearing a pink sweater and some round glasses, in her franks she had the cutie mark of an ice cream.
>She peered at the books with curiosity, carefully reading the titles for each one, and, with care, left them near a close-by table. Without saying much but smiling at you, she sat on a chair at the same table she left your books and started reading one of her own.
"Thanks a lot," you say, lowering your voice just a bit to respect the library rules.
>Well, since she put them there, might as well read the books here.
>You take a seat and organize the books in alphabetical order from defensive magic to offensive. A good book to start with should be Arcana for scholars.
"Do you mind if I sit here?"
>The filly takes her glance from her book out to you and shakes her head, then goes back to reading.
"Don't mind if I do."
>Must be a librarian from here if she's so quiet.
>And so you sit and begin reading.

>You were finishing the second book, taking notes as you went on, but somehow you were partly distracted by the quiet filly that was sitting next to you.
>Something about her was so... familiar. As if you've seen her before somewhere. But where?
>As you close your book you realize who this filly was.
>If you recall correctly, she was Sweet... Cream, she is a grade higher than you and she was always on top of the scores in exams.
>This could be good timing! Maybe she can help you with the books you're reading!
"Excuse me."
>Her ear perks up and she takes her glance from the book toward you, without saying a word.
"You're... Sweet Cream?"
>She nods.
"Oh, I was thinking if... you could help me study what I don't understand?"
>She doesn't nod or shake her head or say anything, but she stares at the pile of books you're trying to read.
"Don't worry, I don't think I can read them all in one day, it's just a few, I swear. I had an interest in these many, if I don't finish these today, I do have the names of their covers so I can look them here again."
>She closes her book and levitates a notebook with a pencil, slowly nodding with a tiny smile.
>Well, that was a yes. Despite her... silent approval.

>As you start your third book on teleportation, she starts writing notes in her notebook. She was writing tips and highlights from the book, such as casting time, focus, momentum... and so on. You write that down in your notebook.
>With little effort you two finished the third book, and you're surprised that it went so quickly without much problem. It has barely been an hour and for the number of pages the books had, you were impressed.
"Whoa, no wonder you are top of the board, your teaching is excellent."
>She writes in her notebook a tiny "Thanks" along with a drawing of a bunny smiling and waving.
>Huh? Why can't she say it instead? Is she mute?
>Instead of asking her with words you are going to follow her game and write out the question.
>You use your notebook and write with the help of your magic holding the pencil "Can't you talk?"
>She starts writing in her notebook a "Yes."
>You write "Then why write?"
>She giggles and writes "Because I like it," this came with the drawing of a bunny that was reading a book and a tiny heart floating above it.
>"Well, I like studying" you attempted to draw... something next to your words, but it came up so badly, it looked like a mess of lines and circles.
>She giggles, noticing you trying to copy her writing and drawing. "What's that?" She asks in her notebook.
"I tried to... draw a tortoise, but, uh... drawing with magic is harder than I thought," you stare at your masterpiece of a drawing, talk about a happy accident. "Uh, I don't know how I can mess this much, this nearly looks like a cucumber or something."
>She laughs a bit in a lower voice. In quick seconds she replies with a drawing of a bunny eating a cucumber with the words "I like to eat them! They're my favorite!"
"Hehe, really?"
>She nods.
>Maybe learning to control your levitation on a pencil could help you master magic more, your writing was always so rough while hers was cursive. Well, that beats writing with your mouth.
>As you were writing another reply in your notebook, your pencil fell under the table.
>Both of you at the same time cast levitation on your pencil to bring it up.
"Oh, heh, thanks."
>She blushes a bit and doesn't say anything but beams you a smile as she points at the next book, not writing in her notebook this time.
>...
>Would that have counted as touching hooves? Or touching magic? Is that... a thing?

>Time passes, and unknowingly for you, it's past noon. The only thing that gave away that it was late was Sweet Cream's quick drawing of a bunny yawning at a clock.
"Yeah, it's late. I shouldn't worry my mom since last night I went on a long... adventure in the citadel." You get up from your seat and stretch your hind hooves a bit. "Hmm... feels like time stops when you are having fun reading a book."
>Sweet Cream eagerly nods at you.
"If we find ourselves here again tomorrow, can you help me study some more books based on magic?"
>Sweet Cream writes in her notebook "I'm always here, mostly in the evenings. But why is a first grader trying to learn third-grade spells?"
"Oh... it's complicated to explain."
>"Trying to impress somepony?" Sweet Cream writes in her notebook with a tiny bunny that had a question mark beside it.
"Oh no, not really. But, if you... end up helping me, maybe I can tell you why. Let's just say I just want to protect myself, alright?"
>She nods.
"Same time tomorrow then?"
>Sweet Cream closes her notebook and nods with a tiny smile.
>You smile back at her and leave the library, each of you going your way home.
>As odd as it was, you thought you'd end up finding Honey Drop somewhere on the exit, or the road to your home... but she wasn't anywhere near.
>Not that you miss her or want to see her, this gives you a breathing moment. Besides, who knows what she'd have thought if she saw you with Sweet Cream.
"Hope she is not the jealous kind."
>...Why do you care about that? She's not your fillyfriend, if anything you liked Sweet Cream more for being so quiet and calm.
"Wait, liked?" You stop walking and recollect your thoughts. A blush forms on your face. "Oh by Cadence's hormones, I'm back at my adolescence again."