“And she sang to them and they came up to the top of the water!” Razzle added.
“I know. My animal caretakers told me,” the headmaster said.
“Really?” Skydancer asked.
“I have eyes and ears everywhere,” he said.
“Are you mad, sir?” Daisy asked.
He smiled. “Not at all. Students from every new class want to catch a glimpse of the seaponies, and they usually try to leave school grounds to do it. However, they are always stopped by my caretakers before they do. But you, Daisy, you found the spot where you could observe them without leaving the grounds. And you got them to rise. You have to be special to do that.” He winked at her.
“Thank you, sir,” she said softly. Even if she wasn’t in trouble, it was embarrassing to be the center of attention!
“Now everyone, back to your studies,” Headmaster Elegius said. “The royal children will be touring the school in a few weeks.”
The ponies scampered over to the group of students on the field, but Daisy hung back. The headmaster’s announcement was a surprise. She never imagined she’d see the royal children so soon. Would she know her Glitter Gift by then?
“Come on, Daisy!” Skydancer shouted.
Daisy trotted over to join the others.
After going through more tests and drills, another one of the ponies discovered he could lift water out of a puddle and swirl it around with his horn. It was a neat gift, but now, it was just Daisy and Stone waiting to discover what they could do. Stone didn’t look any happier than Daisy felt.
Ponies, now that most of you have discovered your Glitter Gifts, it is time to work on basic magic,” said Professor Zeldini at the beginning of classes the next week. “The most useful spell you can master is the art of levitation. With this skill, you can manipulate pens to write, needles to sew, and so on. Thus, it is the first we shall study.”
Daisy gulped. How was she supposed to do that?
“Let’s start by levitating our Ever Ink quills. You each get one of your very own, which you will someday store in your saddle.” Professor Zeldini handed a beautiful feather to each student. “Be careful with these, they are precious. Our Inky Quillcocks drop their feathers just once in their lifetime. That is our only opportunity to collect these quills that never run out of ink.”
Daisy stared at the marvelous feather lying on the ground in front of her. She was supposed to levitate it? Besides climbing the rainbow stairs, she hadn’t done one magical thing since arriving at the academy.
“If you haven’t already figured it out,” the professor said, “Glitter Ponies activate their magic by stomping the ground. That’s why you create trails of sparkles when you run.”
Daisy hung her head, certain everyone was staring at her.
“So first we activate our magic, then we concentrate very hard on the spell we wish to cast. We have to focus, and believe strongly that we can do it. In this case, we will focus on the thing we wish to levitate. Sometimes chanting a rhyme will help. Ready? Stomp your hooves, then say, I know I will—raise this quill—day or night—so I may write.”
All around Daisy, ponies were stomping their hooves and repeating the rhyme. She was just gathering the courage to try.
Skydancer’s quill shot up into the air. She laughed. “Aren’t you going to do it?” she asked Daisy.
“Of course.” Daisy pawed at the ground and whispered the chant. “I know I will—raise this quill—day or night—so I may write.” Slowly the feather started to shake and rose a few inches from the ground before falling back.
“Well, it was just your first try,” Skydancer said, as she zoomed her quill through the air like it was a bird.
Daisy blinked at the feather. There was some magic in her after all!
But not very much, she thought sadly.
“Give it another go,” Professor Zeldini said, stepping closer to Daisy.
Daisy stomped her hooves and repeated the chant. “I know I will—raise this quill—day or night—so I may write.”
The quill rose more quickly this time, but she certainly didn’t feel like she had control over it.
“I’m not good at this,” Daisy said.
“Now, now. It’s a start,” Professor Zeldini said. “I want you to practice and believe you can do it.”
Just then, sparks flew across the room.
“What ever is going on?” Professor Zeldini asked.
“I don’t know!” Stone shouted. “They started shooting out of my horn!”
“It must be your Glitter Gift!” Electra shouted.
Stone fired a long stream of sparks into the air, laughing.
The other ponies gathered around Stone and cheered. Daisy forced a smile. She was now the only pony at the academy who didn’t know her Glitter Gift.
If she even had one.
That week was filled with new classes. Professor Mortimer worked with the ponies on weather skills. “The ponies most skilled at weather casting can summon a rainbow, which as you know strengthens our magic.”
So far, Daisy was only able to stir a weak breeze. Duke managed to create a swirl of snow on his first try.
“All these classes are a lot harder than I thought,” Daisy told Skydancer.
Skydancer rustled her wings. “It’s challenging, but I’m having fun, aren’t you?”
It would be a whole lot more fun if I was better at this, Daisy thought.
Next it was off to pageantry. The ponies had to learn basic skills in all the study groups. Luckily, prancing prettily doesn’t require magic, Daisy thought as they strutted around the track on the training field.
But then in tricks class, she had to try casting spells to make items appear.
No matter how many times she said, “Right here—make a flower appear,” it just wouldn’t work. Duke managed to get a sugar cube to show up. Which he gobbled up with a smile.
When classes were over, it was a huge relief to finally go to lunch, a place where she didn’t need magic.
The ponies who knew their Glitter Gifts spent an extra hour after classes focusing on their area of study. That meant Daisy had a free hour to use however she wanted.
So Daisy nosed around the library, where she discovered books on the history of the academy that she’d never seen at home. There was so much more to learn! She discovered the seaponies had an academy underwater, to train for the day they are matched with their mer-princes and princesses. “Cool!” she whispered to herself.
Excited, she raced to the river, singing to the seaponies who occasionally popped their heads above the water to listen. Then she relaxed under a tree, studying more new books.
She read about other magical creatures that disappeared after the Age of Recklessness, the horses and dragonflies even tinier than Professor Xayide, who hadn’t been seen since. Her head spun with this exciting new information.
The next day during her spare hour, Daisy made her way down to the kitchens. The head pony chef was going out to pick apples from the orchard.
“Can I help you?” Daisy asked.
“Sure,” the pony chef said.
They walked to the orchard, where the trees were full of fruit. “You want to pick the ones on the outside of the tree. Those ripen first,” the chef explained.
Daisy quickly filled a bucket with apples and shared them with her friends after they finished class.
“These are so good!” Razzle said. “So sweet!”
“Today I learned the apples on the outside of the tree ripen first,” Daisy told them.
“Cool, I didn’t know that,” Electra said. Daisy felt good teaching her friends something new.
The next day, she visited the healing room and observed how those ponies used healing magic.
“I see you’re learning all about our school,” Headmistress Valincia said when she saw Daisy returning to her stable.
“It’s all so interesting,” Daisy said. “Did you know they use lavender to clean wounds?”
“I
did know that. But most of the students don’t. I’m impressed, Daisy.”
Daisy blushed and looked down. She felt a bit better about everything.
But when Skydancer got back from class, she had terrible news.
“Did you hear? The princes and princesses will be coming sooner than we thought! They want to see our new class of ponies. We have to put together a special routine!”
“Really?” Daisy gulped. “They’re going to watch what we can do?”
“Yes! The professors will enchant the rainbow so the children can climb through the clouds to visit the school. Isn’t that exciting? We get to show off our magic. I can’t wait!” She flapped her wings and twirled in the air.
Magic? In front of everyone? Daisy had learned some very basic magic spells, but nothing impressive. What was she going to do for her routine?
The next day, Headmistress Valincia and Headmaster Elegius led the ponies onto the training field.
“Each of you must create a routine showcasing your best qualities,” the headmistress told them. “Of course, you want to include your Glitter Gift and any other skills at which you are particularly adept.”
Daisy practiced and practiced with her quill so she could write a greeting for the children on a scroll of paper. She tried not to pay attention to everyone else’s fabulous routines. Stone had learned to control the sparks coming from his horn and was able to write messages in the air. A quill writing on paper was so boring in comparison.
The ponies spent the next few days working on their routines. Skydancer created a beautiful flying act that ended with her talking to a pack of birds, then inviting them to fly with her.
Duke galloped through an obstacle course, smashing rocks with his hooves along the way.
Daisy had no idea what she should do besides write with a quill and summon a weak breeze. It was hopeless.
“You could sing,” Razzle offered. “You have a lovely voice.”
Skydancer nodded. “And you could share all the interesting things you’ve learned about the school.”
“You could tell everyone what a good friend you are by keeping us from getting in trouble,” Electra said.
“Yes! We’ll cheer you on when you go on the field so everyone knows how much we love you,” Skydancer said.
The ponies started chanting, “Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!”
Daisy felt her cheeks warming in embarrassment from all the attention.
Headmistress Valincia held up a hoof to quiet the group. “Daisy, I think those are wonderful ideas. You can trot onto the field and sing, cast a spell or two, and your classmates will show their love for you. Then the royal children will have no doubt how wonderful you are.”
Daisy forced a smile and nodded. She was touched by how much her classmates cared for her. But it was going to be very hard being the only pony at the exhibition who didn’t have a Glitter Gift to show off. And what about her hooves not making glitter? Would they notice that, too? As the rest of the ponies went back to their stables to prepare for dinner, Daisy headed to the river. She wanted to be alone.
She settled on the ground, resting her head between her front legs, blinking back tears. But the tears kept coming stronger, and soon she was sobbing.
“What’s wrong?” a soft voice asked.
Daisy looked up, astonished to see a seapony staring at her. “I didn’t know you guys could talk.”
The pony nodded her head. “We’re usually shy around creatures from above, but your sad crying called me to the surface. Is there anything I can do to help? I’m Marina.”
“I’m Daisy, and I’m the only pony at the academy who doesn’t know their Glitter Gift yet. I’m pretty sure I don’t have one. And soon we have a big exposition with the royal children to show what we can do, and I can’t do much of anything.” She sniffed.
“Oh,” Marina said sympathetically. “It took a long time for me to find my Sea Savvy. But one day, I discovered I could change colors to blend in with the background.”
“That’s amazing,” Daisy said.
Marina smiled. “You’ll find your Glitter Gift. You just have to believe in yourself.”
Daisy tried not to groan. Everyone kept telling her that but so far, it hadn’t worked.
“Good luck, Daisy. Everything will be fine. You’re the first Glitter Pony I’ve ever talked to. You’re special to me.”
“Thanks, Marina.”
Marina smiled, then disappeared beneath the water.
Feeling better, Daisy trotted back to her stable. She believed in herself, didn’t she?
The morning the royal children were scheduled to visit, the ponies bathed in the river. “We have to look our best!” Electra said.
Belissima frowned. “It’s not the only important thing. You have to show your best magic, and be friendly, too.”
Electra turned to Skydancer and Daisy. “Easy for her to say,” she muttered. “Belissima always looks perfect!”
Suddenly, a dark head rose from the surface and Marina swam over to Daisy, presenting her with a crown of seashells and coral.
“It’s so pretty!” Daisy dipped her head so Marina could place the crown on her. “Thank you!”
Marina nodded and slipped back under the water.
“Wow! That’s gorgeous. She really likes you!” Skydancer said.
“I’ve been singing to them while everyone else has been working on their Glitter Gifts.” She didn’t tell her how Marina had found her crying by the riverbank.
“You’ll be the only one out there with a crown,” Skydancer said.
That made Daisy feel a little better.
When they dried off, Skydancer asked a few birds in a nearby tree to thread daisies into her mane. The birds flew away and returned with flowers clutched in their beaks. Bobbing through the air, they tucked the posies in her beautiful blue and white mane.
Daisy smiled at her friend. “You look magical.”
“How about some braids?” Skydancer asked.
Daisy nodded excitedly, and three birds flew over, each grabbing tiny sections of her mane. They crossed them back and forth until she had several delicate braids falling along her neck.
“Thank you!” she cried. Maybe her splendid mane and seapony crown would distract the royal children from noticing that she didn’t have a Glitter Gift. Or that her hooves didn’t make glitter.
Maybe she should hide in her stable instead.
After a breakfast of oats and apples, the ponies lined up in the arena. Even the second-year ponies were there. Daisy hadn’t been in the huge ring before. It was amazing. Stands for the children and their families circled the field. Tall flags from each of the kingdoms lined the stadium, flapping in the breeze.
But when the princes and princesses started filing into the arena, Daisy’s stomach felt hollow.
“I’m nervous,” Skydancer said.
“Me too,” Belissima said. “I’ll be part of the next selection class. One of these children will choose me.”
Once the arena was filled, the headmaster and headmistress climbed onto the stage behind the ponies.
“Welcome, princes and princesses of the hundred kingdoms,” Headmistress Valincia said. “Our ponies have been working hard and are delighted to show you their magic and their talents today. First up, the second-year students, who will be part of our selection ceremonies this year. Then you’ll meet our newest ponies, who will be matched with their owners next year. Sit back and enjoy the show!”
Belissima trotted into the arena. Girls in the crowd stood to get a better look at her beauty. She pranced across the field, but Daisy could see she wasn’t smiling. Then she stopped in the middle and paused, before her coat turned from light purple to dark purple. She got a big round of applause from the crowd. Lots of girls shrieked that they were going to choose her for their pet.
“I think I’m going to throw up!” Skydancer whispered, shuffling her feet.
“Why?” Daisy asked. “Your routine is awesome. You’ll do great
.”
Skydancer blew out a long breath. “Thanks. You’re such a good friend.”
The rest of the second-year ponies performed, and they all got plenty of cheers from the princes and princesses.
Then it was time for the first-year ponies. Duke trotted out first and the crowd went wild as he stomped the huge boulders into dust. They gasped when he touched one of the rocks with his horn and turned it red before he destroyed it.
After Duke, Razzle galloped onto the field, leaving a cloud of green glitter behind her. A few animals from the stables joined her, and she copied the sounds of the chickens, the cows, and the ducks. Everyone enjoyed her mimicking.
Daisy was the last pony on the list and she was getting more nervous as the line grew shorter. What if no one clapped? What if people booed her? What if they laughed?
Skydancer’s routine was Daisy’s favorite. Her friend got a standing ovation when she finally landed on the ground with her bird friends perched on her wings.
Then Daisy heard her own name announced.
“Our final presentation is from one of our most wonderful students,” Headmaster Elegius said. “Let’s give a warm welcome to Daisy!”
Daisy pranced onto the field as she’d practiced. She did a simple spell to make her quill write “Hello children” on a large scroll floating next to her. Then she stopped to sing in the middle of the field. That got a polite round of applause. It wasn’t the most exciting routine, but it was finally over. She bowed and galloped toward the rest of the ponies as they chanted, “Daisy, Daisy, Daisy!”
Then she heard whispers from the crowd. “Where is her glitter?”
“Why aren’t her hooves making glitter?”
This was horrible. She should have stayed in her stable instead of embarrassing herself. She closed her eyes, wishing with all her might that she could disappear. “I don’t want to be here, please let me disappear!” she whispered to herself.
Then the crowd gasped. “Where did she go?”
“I can’t see her!” someone said.
All That Glitters Page 3
