Electra started off in a trot, then soon was racing around the track. Alana was whooping with delight from her saddle throne.
They spent the afternoon working on prancing, posing, and galloping. “This feels so easy with you,” Electra said.
“We were meant to be together,” Alana said, ruffling her mane.
Electra nodded. “I just hope we’re ready for the exam.”
One by one, the ponies paired up with a child and followed Professor Wallina’s instructions. They raced as fast as they could. Electra was at the head of the pack. They trotted and galloped and jumped low fences. They pranced and they paraded around the track with perfect posture.
While the professor tallied up the exam scores, Electra and Alana visited the rose garden. “I’m sure going to miss you when you go home,” Electra said.
“I’ll be back to visit. I promise,” Alana said, picking a flower. “But I have to catch up on studying at home, too. I haven’t been working very hard to be queen. I need to change that.”
“I know you can do it.”
“You’re right. I can. Thanks for helping me realize that, Electra.”
“Thank you for not letting me give up on being a royal pony.”
Alana wrapped her arms around Electra’s neck, hugging her.
“Let’s see if they finished scoring the exams yet.” Electra trotted back to the training field.
Professor Wallina stood in front of the crowd. “I have good news, children and ponies. You all passed the final exam. You’ll all move on to our more advanced classes next term.”
The ponies and children cheered.
“Let’s celebrate,” Alana said. “What’s something special we can do?”
“I know,” Electra said. “Do you have your art supplies?”
Alana nodded. “They’re with my things in the barn.”
“Let’s go get them!”
After they retrieved Alana’s things, Electra raced through the fields.
“Where are we going?” Alana asked.
“You’ll see!” Electra headed toward the trail in the forest.
“We’re going to see the seaponies?” Alana asked.
“Yes!”
“Woo-hoo!” shouted Alana.
“You’ll have to sing to get them to rise up.”
“I can do that.”
“We’ll run through the orchard so you can grab an apple for Marina. She loves them!” Electra rode toward the orchard, and Alana picked a few apples. Then she trotted through the trail in the forest until they got to the river. “Ready to sing?”
“Yes! I hope this works!” Alana cleared her throat. “In all the world … I’m the luckiest girl … because I have such a very good friend.”
Soon, Marina’s head bobbed up from underwater.
Alana gasped. “Hello! We brought you an apple!”
“Thank you,” Marina whispered.
Electra bowed down so Alana could offer her the apple. “Do you mind if I draw your picture, Marina?”
“That would be lovely.”
Alana hummed as she worked. “This is the happiest day of my life, Electra. I’m so excited about all the things we’ll do together.”
“Me too.” Electra lit up her horn and hooves. They glowed stronger and brighter than they ever had before. “We’re truly a perfect match.”
The magic continues! Read on for a sneak peek at Belissima’s story …
Belissima took a deep breath and looked around her stall in the Earth barn. She couldn’t believe that selection week was actually here! In just a few days, she’d be leaving Enchanted Pony Academy. She hoped she’d be leaving—this week the royal children were coming to the Academy to pick a graduating pony as their royal pet. If Belissima was chosen, she’d move to a new kingdom and use her magic to help rule!
For now, she was more nervous than excited. So many emotions were swirling inside of her: excitement, fear, sadness, and glee. She’d never felt this way before, not even the day she first climbed the rainbow stairs to join the academy two years ago.
“How are you going to style your mane? It’s such a beautiful color,” Skydancer asked, rustling her wings just outside Belissima’s stall door.
Belissima flicked her tail. “I’m not doing anything special.”
Rose poked her nose in. “Why not?”
“Because she doesn’t have to do anything to look amazing. She’s already so pretty,” Razzle said, joining the group. “Belissima, you’re going to be First Pony, I’m sure of it.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Belissima said.
“Of course you’re going to be chosen first. You’re so gorgeous that everyone will want you for a pet,” Razzle said.
Belissima stomped her hoof. “That’s not the only reason for children to select their royal pony.”
Skydancer nodded. “Right, our Glitter Gifts are important, too.” Skydancer was a first-year pegapony who could talk to any other winged creature. It was an amazing and useful gift. She’d been able to communicate with the two young dragons that had landed near their school. Without Skydancer’s Glitter Gift, no one would have known they were looking for help, not trouble.
Belissima frowned. Her Glitter Gift wasn’t very exciting. Her coat could change color and sparkle. Big deal. That had placed her in the pageantry study group. She really loved her healing classes and would’ve preferred that group instead, but a color-changing coat had nothing to do with healing. So she’d spent the last two years perfecting different gaits and fancy moves, like riding a figure-eight and walking on her hind legs. She’d worked her hardest in her classes, but pageantry skills weren’t her true passion.
Daisy galloped into the stables with a tray levitated by her side. “Happy selection week! We made you a treat! It just came out of the oven. It’s posy pie!”
“Oh, thank you,” said Belissima. It was tradition for the first-year students to present gifts to the graduating ponies during selection week. Some ponies put together performances or wrote songs and poems. Belissima thought it was a lovely gesture.
“I found the Magic Treats and Eats Cookbook in the library,” Daisy said proudly. “It’s filled with surprise recipes. All the first-year ponies from Earth barn worked on the pie together. Take a taste and see what happens.” Daisy giggled and tried to hide her smile.
“Is this a trick?” Belissima asked.
“A good one,” Rose said. “You’re going to love it!”
Belissima took a small bite of the fruity pie. As soon as her lips touched the treat, a cloud of flower petals fluttered in the air all around her. “Oh, how wonderful!”
“And your breath will smell like flowers for a while!” Daisy said.
Belissima laughed, and indeed, she smelled a lovely floral scent.
“There are so many interesting recipes,” Daisy said. “The ponies in Water barn made cloud candy. It’s cotton candy that floats!”
Razzle frowned. “Stone wanted to make the atchoo cookies. The recipe said it would make a pony sneeze for hours!”
“He’s nothing but a jokester,” said Skydancer, frowning. “Good thing we found the cookbook first.”
“There were other horrible recipes that seemed like pranks, instead of wonderful surprises,” Daisy said. “I even saw one that gives you moldy green spots all over your coat!”
“Oh my!” Belissima said.
“Don’t worry, we hid the cookbook in the library where Stone will never find it,” Razzle said.
Skydancer giggled. “Behind The Complete History of the Hundred Kingdoms. Have you seen the size of that book? He’ll never look there.”
All the ponies laughed with her.
Electra bounded into the barn with several flower garlands draped over her neck. “Happy selection week! The ponies in Sky barn made one for each of the ponies in the selection ceremony. I saved the prettiest one for you, Belissima, since you’re the prettiest pony.”
Belissima forced a smile. No one ever mentione
d she had the top grades in her class, or that she was a leader who always tried to be patient and pleasant with all the ponies at school. The only thing anyone ever said about Belissima was that she was pretty. Or beautiful. Or gorgeous. She really hoped whichever child chose her could see that she was so much more than her looks.
The prince or princess who would be her perfect match would love to explore fields of flowers and chase butterflies until they fluttered off into the sky. They’d splash through creeks and frolic under waterfalls. Together, they’d creep through spooky forests and collect wild herbs to make healing potions. They’d both get so muddy, no one would be able to tell what shade of purple Belissima was.
But her perfect match would not spend time brushing her mane or decorating her hooves. They would not try countless headdresses and accessories on her. They would not waste their time primping and preening. A mirror would not be needed in her stable.
Electra levitated the garland around Belissima’s neck.
“Thank you, Electra,” she said. “This must have taken a lot of work to create.”
“It did. I conjured up a spell to help me weave the flowers.”
“Excellent! Keep working hard and your magic will continue to grow,” Belissima said.
Electra’s horn and hooves suddenly glowed. It was a wonderful Glitter Gift.
“We better go get our seats before the ceremony starts,” Skydancer said. “We’ll be cheering for you. Just think, in a few days, you’ll be leaving the academy with your royal child! I can’t wait to meet your perfect match.”
Belissima felt panicked realizing how much she’d miss these friends she’d come to love so much. The child who chose her just had to be her perfect match. Otherwise, they’d both be so very unhappy.
She raised her chin, determined to put her best hoof forward during selection week. She had to be sure the children could see beyond her pretty coat and fancy mane.
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.
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Cover art by Heather Burns, © 2017 Scholastic Inc.
Cover design by Yaffa Jaskoll
First printing 2017
e-ISBN 978-0-545-90895-5
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