The class followed behind Professor Jazz as he led them to a corner of the library. Twilight hung toward the back of the group, wanting to linger and look closely at everything. She peered down the aisles of books and listened to the muffled chatter of students all around her. How magical, she thought.
She caught up with the class in time to see Professor Jazz using his horn to get a large purple book with painted fairy wings on the spine. Then he led the group down another aisle to get a faded blue book with the word “weaving” printed in big block letters on the cover. Both books hung from gleaming silver rings that now circled his horn.
“I think this will be a good place to start!” He trotted toward the large desk at the back of the library, with the class following quickly behind.
Professor Jazz went behind the desk to a shining silver hook. A little plaque above it said SAPPHIRE. He dipped his horn to slide the books onto the hook. Then he turned back toward the group.
“You all have a hook back here, and if you ever need to put a book on hold, just ask me and it will be waiting for you. After the tour, Sapphire, you can come back and check these out for your project. I’ll search for other books in the meantime.”
Twilight looked at the wall and spotted her own name above a silver hook. It was like all the other plaques, just a simple silver rectangle. But it gave her a thrill to see her name up there. It made her feel like she might belong here after all.
“Thank you, Mr. Jazz!” Professor Sherbet said. “Now, class, follow me outside—it’s time for lunch!”
6 Class Picnic
The Peony Pasture was a large orchard covered with apple trees and, of course, peonies. The older unicorns were gathered in groups around the field, grazing on grass and munching apples. The whole pasture was abuzz with the sounds of neighing, laughter, and excited chatter. Shamrock was talking with Comet and Sapphire as they followed Ms. Sherbet through the trees, and all their other classmates were giggling and discussing the day with each other.
Twilight suddenly felt very small. She was the only one not excited and chatting away. Twilight just felt panicked and sweaty.
Professor Sherbet ushered them over to an open spot under an old apple tree. She reached up and used her horn to shake a bunch of apples loose. “Eat up, fillies and colts! We have a big afternoon ahead of us, and I want you all to have a good lunch.”
“Because of the school pictures?” Shamrock asked. He already had a big bite of grass, and some of the strands were hanging out of his mouth as he talked. “I know all about them from the handbook,” he added.
“That’s right, Shamrock!” Professor Sherbet told him. “It’s a tradition here at Unicorn U to create a unique and memorable picture. You should all get to know each other and work together to create something really special. Every year we give our students one direction: let each student’s personality shine through. This exercise is a great way to get to know one another.”
Twilight felt the stomach pixies, and they were tap-dancing this time. She had hoped Ms. Sherbet would forget about the class picture. Or say that some unicorns could just stand awkwardly in the background, maybe with their faces hidden behind a tree.
“What have your other classes done?” Sapphire asked. “That would help us think of some ideas.”
Once again Twilight was impressed by how comfortable Sapphire was about taking charge. Twilight doubted that Sapphire would have any trouble letting her personality shine. It sparkled naturally.
“I’m not going to tell you!” Professor Sherbet told them. She laughed when the class started grumbling. “I want you all to approach this with fresh eyes. It’s the first thing you’re going to do together as a class. Have fun with it! Be silly and take chances! I want you all to try your best and get involved. After lunch, brainstorm ideas for the picture, and meet me back in front of the library after the end-of-day bell.”
Twilight’s heart was pounding so hard, she could feel it in her ears. What was she going to do?
* * *
The class started talking as soon as Ms. Sherbet trotted away. Everyone seemed to have an idea for the picture and was trying to make their voice heard. Twilight inched back toward the edge of the group, desperate to run away.
“Let’s make a unicorn pyramid,” Comet called out. “I saw it once at the circus! It was amazing! Okay, someone try to get onto my back!”
But instead of kneeling down, her rose-colored hooves started floating off the ground. Comet had the gift of flight!
“Oh no, not now.” Comet groaned. “Could someone pull me down? Just grab my tail.”
But the class wasn’t listening. Everyone was still trying to get their class picture ideas heard. Twilight might have wanted to hide in the stables, but she could understand what Comet was going through and quickly went over and pulled Comet down by her tail, just as Comet had asked.
“Oof, thank you!” Comet said when she landed firmly on the ground. “That would have been really embarrassing if everyone had been paying attention.” She laughed and stomped her hooves, as if to make sure she was really standing again.
Twilight nodded. She totally got that.
Comet laughed nervously. “I mean, um, I totally have control over it. It’s only sometimes that, well… I don’t.”
Twilight searched for the right words to make Comet feel better. This was something her sister Sunset was always good at, joking and making unicorns feel good. Twilight didn’t want to make the same mistake that she had with Shamrock and not say anything at all.
Comet just giggled at the silence. “You’re Twilight, right?” she asked. “I’m Comet.”
Twilight nodded and squeaked, “I remember.”
“Did you like my idea about the unicorn pyramid?” Comet asked.
Twilight thought it would be cool and also very scary. But she worried that saying this would make Comet feel bad. So she just went with a shrug.
“I think it takes a lot of practice and coordination…,” Comet said. “And maybe we’re not there yet.”
Twilight looked over at the squabbling class.
“Did you have any ideas?” Comet asked.
Twilight didn’t know how to explain to Comet that she was too scared of this project—and, well, everyone—to even try to think of any ideas.
Comet raised her eyebrows as the silence stretched on. Twilight knew she needed to say something, but the more she tried to think of the right thing, the more frozen she felt.
“Okay, well, guess I’d better get back to everyone else,” Comet said finally. “Thank you for helping me down. Sorry to ask so many questions. I didn’t mean to bother you.” Comet quickly trotted over to the group.
Twilight felt her heart sink all the way to her hooves. She’d done it again! Why couldn’t she ever think of the right thing to say? Or think of anything to say at all?
Now Twilight didn’t feel nervous. She just felt sad.
It felt like all the things she’d worried about were actually happening. She hadn’t known the right thing to say all day and had offended the only two classmates she’d talked to! Twilight desperately wanted to go back home. She decided she’d rather disappoint her parents than keep hurting unicorns’ feelings.
7 Surprise!
Twilight’s heart was heavy when she arrived at the stables, but she was relieved to find the stables empty. Her class was still brainstorming, and everyone else was still out at lunch or exploring the grounds. She thought of all she had seen that day and was sad that she wouldn’t get to know the library as she had hoped. But she didn’t want to do one more wrong thing. A few hot tears fell down her cheeks as she imagined her parents’ disappointed faces.
Twilight quickly spotted stall number twelve. She walked over to her little shelf to start packing her belongings, and found her paint satchel first. The satchel was made of old tan leather and could fold out into an easel. It could hang comfortably from her neck, and she could take it anywhere she went.
The satchel had
belonged to Grandmother Stardust. When Twilight had been young, her grandmother had traveled the five kingdoms to paint. Grandmother Stardust had given Twilight the satchel full of paints before Twilight started school, saying that her granddaughter was destined to have many great adventures and would need the right tools.
More tears fell down Twilight’s face. She would write her grandmother a note and return the paints as soon as she was home.
But before she had a chance to slip the satchel onto her neck, Twilight heard a noise from outside the stall. First it was just hums and gurgles, but then she heard beautiful singing. It was “Somewhere over the Stars,” a song she used to sing with her sisters all the time! It felt like a little bit of home had landed in the stables, making her feel suddenly safe. Carefully Twilight snuck out of the stall to investigate. She crept toward the front of the barn, peering into each stall, until she caught a flash of blue.
It was Sapphire! She was swaying inside one of the stalls, her long, braided blue mane swishing in time.
Suddenly Twilight felt like she knew the perfect thing to say. I’m heading home anyway, she thought. Might as well say something before I leave.
“You have the most beautiful voice. It reminds me of stepping into the sunshine,” Twilight said almost confidently.
Sapphire stopped singing and sharply spun around to face Twilight. “I thought I was alone!” she screeched.
Twilight felt her stomach drop, as if it were suddenly full of a thousand crystal bricks. She backed away full of regret.
For the first time since her power had appeared, Twilight was happy to feel the familiar tingle of invisibility. She could not disappear fast enough.
“Twilight?” Sapphire asked, her voice squeaking with concern. “Twilight? Where’d you go? I’m sorry I was rude. I just don’t usually sing in front of others. And, well, I don’t think I’m very good at it. I just like to do it.” She dug at the floor with one of her hooves. “But that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. I was just surprised!”
Now Twilight was surprised. Sapphire had seemed so very confident.
“Today has been kind of a hard day,” Sapphire continued.
Invisible Twilight let out a long breath. The day has been hard for other unicorns? she wondered. I thought it was just me. “For me too,” she admitted quietly, surprising herself.
“Yeah? I have four younger sisters, and I’m used to taking charge…,” Sapphire said. “It felt like everyone thought I was really bossy, though.”
Twilight was impressed. It made her feel good that Sapphire could tell Twilight something so personal. She wanted to say the right thing to make Sapphire feel better but felt at a loss once more. She let the pause stretch out.
“Oh, okay. I get it.” Sapphire sighed. “I’ll go now.”
Twilight saw that Sapphire’s eyes were brimming with tears as she brushed by her.
Twilight did not want to offend another unicorn today. She desperately wanted to help.
“Wait!” Twilight croaked. “I didn’t think you were bossy! I’ve been nervous all day, and you seemed so confident. I have two older sisters, and actually, you kind of remind me of them.”
Sapphire stopped short. Then her face broke out in a big smile. “Thanks, Twilight.”
Twilight remembered that earlier in the day she had thought she and Sapphire were opposites. Now she felt like she understood Sapphire a little more. Well, until she saw Sapphire turning circles in the barn, looking up and down the rows of stalls. Twilight was about to laugh when she realized what Sapphire was looking for.
“Oh, I’m right over here,” Twilight called from the hallway outside Sapphire’s stall.
Sapphire laughed. “Huh? Where?” she asked. “Are you hiding?”
“I’ve gone invisible,” Twilight said, only a little flustered. Sapphire had been so honest with her that it felt a little easier to be honest back. “Sometimes it happens when I get embarrassed or nervous. I should be reappearing again soon, now that you’ve noticed. I try to turn visible again myself, but it usually takes someone else realizing that I’ve disappeared.”
Sapphire just nodded. “I guess we were both embarrassed.”
Twilight nodded too, before she remembered again that Sapphire couldn’t see that. “Totally,” she said. She looked down at her hooves, expecting to see her hooficure appear once more.
But… nothing was happening.
Twilight closed her eyes and tried to focus on the sunshine feeling that came with turning visible again. But all she could feel were the cool waves of invisibility.
“Oh no,” Twilight whinnied, suddenly very nervous.
“Twilight? What’s wrong?” Sapphire asked.
“Um, well… I have no idea,” Twilight admitted, her voice quivering. “I usually start reappearing again by now.”
Sapphire nodded again in understanding. “Don’t worry. You’ll appear again! You’re not the first unicorn at school with this gift. I’m sure there’s an explanation!”
Sapphire sounded so sure that it made Twilight’s spirits lift a little. But despite all of Sapphire’s confidence, Twilight was still invisible, and neither of them had a clue why. She looked over to her stall and saw her half-packed bag. Her stomach sank further.
“That’s the thing. I don’t think I belong at school,” Twilight admitted sadly. “Clearly I can’t control my power. I always say the wrong thing.” Twilight felt lower than she had all day, and tears flooded down her cheeks. She took a deep breath. “I just need to go home.”
Sapphire’s eyes went wide, and her jaw dropped open in surprise. Then she cocked her head with a big smile. Twilight wiggled, worrying about what Sapphire was going to say.
“But I came in here thinking the same thing!” Sapphire said. “I felt like running home too. I was singing and thinking about packing up my stuff.”
Now it was Twilight’s eyes that went wide. “But you belong here more than anyone else!” Twilight finally managed.
Sapphire just shook her head, still smiling. “Actually, I think we all belong here. It’s only, well, first days are hard. You should totally stay, Twilight.”
Twilight blushed happily. Even though her mind had been made up, she felt better hearing Sapphire’s words. “You can’t even see me, Sapphire,” Twilight reminded her. “I mean, think about the class picture. How is my personality supposed to show when you can’t even see me?”
Sapphire bit her bottom lip and squinted her eyes a little. “You can’t go home when you’re invisible, right? That would be super dangerous. I mean, what if you got lost? How would we find you?”
Twilight hadn’t even thought about that. “That’s true,” she said.
“Okay, then,” Sapphire went on. “Wait until after the class picture. If you decide you still want to go home, you can tell Ms. Sherbet. But until then, you have to stay here and let me help you become visible.”
Twilight thought it over. The plan did make her feel a little better. It would be a lot less embarrassing to figure out the invisibility thing before going to Professor Sherbet.
“Okay, deal,” Twilight told her.
“Deal.” Sapphire nodded in determination. “We may need some help, though. Let me go get Comet—”
“Did someone say ‘COMET’?!”
Sapphire and Twilight looked up to see Comet striking a dramatic pose in the doorway. She flung her mane out and pointed her horn, as if she were posing at a fashion show.
Twilight started to panic. Their last conversation had been such a disaster. What would Comet do when she discovered that Twilight was there too?
“Comet! Great timing,” Sapphire told her. “Come over here.”
Comet half floated, half trotted over to them. She skidded to a stop in front of Sapphire and almost ran right into invisible Twilight.
“Hi, Comet,” Twilight said softly.
“Twilight! Is that you?” Comet exclaimed. “Are you invisible or something?”
“Yeah.�
� Twilight hung her invisible horn. “It’s my ability. But I have absolutely no control over it. And, well, now I can’t turn back.”
“Oh no!” Comet exclaimed. “Ugh. I know that feeling. I was totally lying before—I always need someone to help me down once I start floating. One time I flew all the way to the top of a super-tall tree and couldn’t get down. Luckily, my uncle can fly too and got me down.”
Twilight’s heart swelled. “Actually,” she said, “I wanted to tell you about my invisibility problems before, but I just got all tongue-tied. I’m sorry if I made you feel bad.”
“Oh, glitterplat!” Comet said, waving her horn. “I was worried that I was bothering you. I feel like I’ve been bugging everyone all day. I always talk a lot when I get nervous. Or, actually, I talk a lot all the time.” Comet paused and laughed.
Twilight was stunned. Both Comet and Sapphire had been nervous too?
“Anyway, I’m super grateful that you helped me down,” Comet said. “So, how can I help you?”
Twilight smiled, despite the fact that she was totally panicked and astonished. It was a weird feeling.
“Glad you asked,” Sapphire said. She shook her braided mane and stomped twice. “I think we should go to the library!”
Hope swept through Twilight like a gust of summer wind. Sapphire was right. Surely one of the books in such a calm, sparkling place would have the answer.
“That is the perfect plan!” Comet said.
“I know it is,” Sapphire said with a grin.
But Twilight was nervous. She didn’t want the whole school to find out she was stuck as an invisible unicorn! “Do you think we could keep this whole invisibility problem a secret?” she asked.
“I love secret missions!” Comet cheered. “But, uh, why does it have to be secret?”
Twilight, Say Cheese! Page 3