Wings That Shine

by Lisa Ann Scott

  “Let me think of the right spell,” Headmaster Elegius said.

  Skydancer tried thinking of the perfect spell she would use. “What about this, Headmaster? ‘With fresh, clean water fill this lake, so there’s always plenty for all to take.’”

  “That is perfect!”

  Again, the ponies charged their magic and repeated the spell. Soon, a cloud appeared over the lake, pouring in water.

  The dragons surrounded the lake, cheering.

  “Let’s get the seaweed in here so it can start growing,” said Duke.

  They hauled over the baskets and dumped it in.

  Rubrum walked over to the ponies. He looked at Skydancer. “I’m sorry we doubted your intentions. How can we ever thank you for saving us?”

  Skydancer told the other ponies what he said.

  “We’re happy to help, and hope this is the beginning of a new friendship. Ponies and dragons shall live in peace from this day forward,” Headmaster Elegius said.

  Emerline’s father nodded when Skydancer repeated the headmaster’s words.

  “You are welcome to visit anytime,” he said.

  Skydancer smiled at Emerline and Azule. She certainly would miss them. But she was anxious to get back to school. She didn’t want to miss Homecoming. And, maybe, she might be able to solve the problem of the missing medal.

  Skydancer was sad to leave the dragons, but happy they’d made a difference. She wasn’t worried about the long flight home. Headmaster Elegius promised they could fly through the rainbow again to boost their magic.

  “If we stop only for the shortest of breaks, we’ll be back in time for the Homecoming celebration,” the headmaster said on the second day of flying.

  When it was time to cross the craggy canyon, she knew this was her last chance to retrieve the medal. Maybe she could get it back to the headmaster’s office before the ceremony.

  As they flew across the canyon, she hung back from the group, taking deep breaths to calm herself. She flew toward the tall pine tree that was near the spot she’d dropped the medal.

  Once she saw the chariot glide into the cloud bank, she dropped down into the canyon. She hummed to herself so she wouldn’t hear the cries of the beasts below. She ignored the goose bumps prickling her hide, trying not to imagine what the creatures looked like. She scanned the side of the canyon, looking at all the branches sticking out—but she didn’t see the medal hanging on any of them!

  It was lost. The Grand Pony Marshal medal that had been awarded to students for hundreds of years was now gone. Gone forever, and it was her fault.

  She caught up to the group and landed near the school entrance. The students cheered and crowded around them.

  Daisy galloped over. “I’m so glad you’re back home safe. And you’re just in time for Homecoming!”

  Skydancer nodded. But the last thing she wanted to do was join the festivities. Not with the medal gone.

  “I’ll meet you there,” she told Daisy. “I need to clean up.”

  But first, she needed to tell Headmaster Elegius what had happened to the medal.

  As the students headed for the exhibition field, Skydancer ran up to Headmaster Elegius. “I need to talk to you, Headmaster.”

  “What is it?”

  It took a moment before she could get the words out. “I was supposed to bring the Grand Pony Marshal medal back to you the day I saw the dragons …”

  “Yes?”

  “And I decided to fly around with it for a while first. And I got distracted and ended up over craggy canyon … and dropped it.”

  Headmaster Elegius said nothing.

  “I’m so sorry! I tried looking for it on our way back just now, but it wasn’t there.”

  “You flew into the canyon?” he asked, surprised.

  She could only nod.

  “Take a moment to clean up and then come to my office.”

  “Okay.” She blinked back tears. Feeling dusty and dirty, she ran back to her stable, conjured a shower to wash off, and headed to the headmaster’s office.

  “Please come into my office.”

  With her head hanging low, she walked in, wondering if she was going to be punished or worse. “I’m sorry the medal is lost.”

  “But it’s not,” he said.

  “Excuse me? I’m confused.”

  The headmaster walked over to a glass cabinet and opened it. He levitated the medal in the air between them.

  “You have another medal?”

  “No, that’s the same medal. But it’s enchanted to return to its home here if it’s gone from this perch for more than twelve hours. We’ve had several Grand Pony Marshals forget to turn it in right after the ceremony,” he said with a wink.

  Skydancer blew out a breath. “Thank goodness. I thought I’d ruined everything.”

  “You’re very brave, Skydancer.”

  Her head snapped up. “What do you mean?”

  “You certainly felt very bad about the medal, but you had the courage to tell me anyway. And you volunteered for a very scary mission.”

  “But I was scared; I wasn’t brave.”

  “Being brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared. Being brave means you’re scared, but you face your fears and do the scary thing anyway. Without fear, there can be no bravery.”

  “Wow, I never thought of it that way.”

  “And I think you’ll find your magic has changed after the events of the past week.”

  “Changed? How?”

  “Magic gets stronger when it’s used for such great good.” He smiled, and Skydancer’s heart swelled with happiness. “Now. Let’s get over to the ceremony,” he said.

  Skydancer happily followed the headmaster to the exhibition field. She couldn’t wait to see the float that Earth barn had created. She’d do her best not to show her disappointment when someone else was named Grand Pony Marshal. But at least the medal wasn’t missing! She just hoped her parents weren’t too disappointed she wouldn’t be wearing it.

  The stands were filled with families, and former students with the royal children who had selected them as their pets. Skydancer galloped over to the ponies from Earth barn.

  “Wow,” Daisy said. “You look so … sparkly.”

  Skydancer fluttered her wings. She did feel more magical.

  “Welcome to the annual Enchanted Pony Academy Homecoming celebration!” said Headmistress Valincia. “We’re so pleased to welcome you back to school. Now, please give a round of applause to this year’s Grand Pony Marshal who put in 110 percent effort to work on the float for Sky barn!”

  Zander, a second-year unipony from Sky barn, pranced onto the track to great applause. Skydancer felt sad remembering how wonderful it had felt to wear that medal.

  Ponies from each barn pulled their floats onto the track around the exhibition field. A rainbow arched over the Sky float. Sun had a mini solar system as its display. Water barn decorated their float so that a waterfall seemed to be falling off the side.

  Skydancer and Daisy cheered when Earth barn’s float arrived covered in flowers and vines.

  The floats were parked in front of the stage, while the teachers finished voting for their favorites.

  “We are pleased to announce this year’s winner of the float competition!” Headmistress Valincia said. “Congratulations to Water barn for their impressive display!”

  Belissima dropped her head down, and Skydancer felt so bad she hadn’t been here to help. But helping the dragons had certainly been more important than working on the float.

  Headmaster Elegius quieted the crowd. “I have a very special announcement today. I would like to present a new award this year given to the two students who have done their best to use their magic for good. Would Duke and Skydancer please come to the podium?”

  Skydancer stood frozen until Electra nudged her along. “Go!”

  Skydancer flew to the podium as the crowd cheered, joining Duke onstage.

  “Congratulations to the first ever winners of
our Magic Shining Bright Award.” He levitated medals onto each pony’s neck.

  Headmistress Valincia smiled at them. “Thank you for your special service to the school. May your magic grow and help the world be a better place. You’re going to be excellent royal pets someday.”

  Skydancer couldn’t believe it! She saw her parents in the crowd cheering.

  As the crowd whinnied and clapped, Skydancer whispered to the headmaster, “I’ll be sure to turn the medal in right after the ceremony.”

  He winked at her. “That’s yours to keep. And should it ever get lost, let’s say in the craggy canyon, it’s enchanted to return to you.”

  She laughed. “Thank you so much.” She flew up into the sky, soaring over the exhibition field, barely believing the beautiful medal was hanging from her chest. She only wished she could show it to Emerline and Azule.

  Maybe some day she’d be able to see them again. She was just glad she’d found the courage to become their friend. Now she knew she’d be brave enough to do anything.

  The magic continues!

  Read on for a sneak peek at Electra’s story …

  Electra shuffled her hooves and glanced out the window as she waited for history class to finish.

  “What’s wrong?” her friend Daisy asked quietly as the teacher passed back their quiz papers.

  Electra always had trouble standing still in history class. She’d much rather be outside running through the fields at the Enchanted Pony Academy. Her outdoor classes, like weather casting, were great. She hated being stuck inside. But today, being cooped up in class was even worse. Today was an extra-special day.

  “I’m just excited!” Electra whispered. “Riding lessons start in a few minutes.”

  “You’ll be great. Probably the best in the class!” Daisy said.

  Electra smiled. “I sure hope so!”

  The school bell rang, and Electra bolted out the door. She had enough time for a quick run along the apple orchard before she had to be at the stables to gear up for riding class.

  Electra loved nothing more than running as fast as she could, the wind whipping through her mane. Charging through the fields, her magical hooves left behind a cloud of glitter. No other pony at school could keep up with her. Back home, the other ponies gave up trying to beat her a long time ago. If she weren’t a Glitter Pony, destined to be paired up with a royal child, she definitely would’ve wanted to become a race horse.

  But Electra was very excited to find her perfect match among the royal children, and she was certain her running skills would help. She didn’t have the top grades among the first-year ponies. She didn’t have the best Glitter Gift, either. Daisy could turn invisible! Her pegapony friend, Skydancer, could talk to winged creatures. All Electra could do was make her horn and hooves glow. Sometimes, they glowed on their own when she was excited. She could feel a warm tingle whenever they started to light up. It was a nice gift, but it didn’t seem good enough to make a prince or princess choose her as their pet someday.

  But riding? Once the children saw how fast she could go and how fun she was to ride, she hoped they’d be lining up to choose her on selection day. Then she’d hopefully find her perfect royal companion. Together, they’d help rule a kingdom. And today, she’d get to work with those children for the first time! She reared up in excitement.

  Electra snatched an apple off the tree and munched on her snack as she galloped to the riding stables. This is going to be the best day ever, she thought. Everyone is going to want to ride with me.

  Lisa Ann Scott is the author of School of Charm. A former TV news reporter and anchor, she currently works as a voice-over artist and writer. She lives in Upstate New York with her husband and two kids. For more about Lisa and her books, visit LisaAnnScott.com.

  #1: All That Glitters

  #2: Wings That Shine

  #3: Let It Glow

  #4: Dreams That Sparkle

  Text copyright © 2017 by Lisa Ann Scott

  Illustrations by Heather Burns, © 2017 Scholastic Inc.

  All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover art by Heather Burns, © 2017 Scholastic Inc.

  Cover design by Yaffa Jaskoll

  First printing 2017

  Book design by Yaffa Jaskoll

  e-ISBN 978-0-545-90892-4

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