Chapter Text
At the Dreamwings' mansion, that was not your normal mansion as it was an amalgamation of three different kinds of house styles blended. A huge party was going on in the backyard.
It was for Fledge and the rest of the Mane Seven Girls and their lovers going away party since in a week and a half they'd be going away to attend the college that was in fact built and founded by Fledge's own paternal grandfather Somnus Dreamwings.
Somnus Dreamwings, like all of Fledge's family, had a dream and believed in their family's personal philosophy of helping others achieve their dreams. So he'd built the college Golden Dreamstone to help others to achieve their dreams, hopefully.
While the normal legal bullshit may have matter in other states or other places, it didn't matter with their family and college. They'd built it as a gift, and they'd already owned the land it was built on and had paid for all it with their own money.
So they still had legal rights to the college, so it was still run according to their ideals, philosophy, and rules set by their family. They did get to choose personally who was hired to run the college, who was on staff and had picked someone they could trust to run the financial part of that. But for all legal intents and purpose, it was their college still, and it was a gift to the world to help all young people make their dreams come true.
But none of that bullshit was being brought up as it wasn't important at the party. What was important was taking pleasure and enjoying the fun their kids were having with their friends and some of the other kids from the CHS, the high school they'd just graduated from a few months ago.
They'd really gone all out making the backyard looking stupendous with floating lanterns, the small spinning spotlight that cast billions of little specks of ever-changing colors of light, the great music from the girls' band the Rainbooms mixing with a song from teen pop star Rara and the bubble machine making the huge bubbles mix with also the colorful fog.
Everyone enjoyed the great food that ranged from normal barbeque to party sweets to a few exotic dishes, and the dance floor was hot tonight. So all in all, it was a great party, and the special blend of secret recipes for the drinks with the ice sculpture that had drink flowing out of it was a nice touch as well.
So it really was quite an amazing set up as was the amazing banner they'd stretched across the whole backyard saying "Good Luck at College!" which was writing in glittering rainbow colors with their 'cutie marks' decorating it as well.
Right now, all the kids were enjoying dancing on the dance floor, giving their parents a chance to talk while enjoying the secret drink the Dreamwings' personal assistant Helena had concocted but again was telling what she'd put together to make it tasted so amazing.
"It's so wonderful and yet sad to think that this day has come at last, isn't it?" sadly spoke Nimbus Shy, to which his wife Blossom nodded as she wiped a tear from her under glasses.
"Yes, it is dear, to see our little girl grew up and ready to go off to college. It seems like she was building her first birdhouse just yesterday to mend the baby bluebird wing, and now she is off to be all on her own. They grow up so fast!"
"Well, I've no doubt my granddaughter Applejack gonna do well. She's an Apple, after all, and we are known for our hard work and determination. She'll do fine for sure!" Granny Smith said confidently.
"I think Rarity just can't wait to go to the same school as Suave," her mother. Cookie said as she dunked a cookie into her drink and ate.
"Yeah, that right Rarity, ever since she's met that French boy, been thinking of nothing but dreams of romance. About all that girl talks about is fashion and that boy. Still, we are at least happy she found her 'prince,'" sighed her father, Hondo.
"Yeah, that little girl of ours always dreamed of her fairytale coming true, and now all her fairytales are about to come true, so we wish her well in making them all come true."
"We're just really proud of our daughter for earning her scholarship fairly and also helping in a legal case to put that other girl in jail where she belongs," said Windy Whistles, who looked at her husband Bow Hothoof smiled with equal pride.
"Yeah, who could be more proud of their daughter then when they do something like that?"
"Well, we are all proud equally of all our children. Bow, let's not think we do not think all our children are not worthy of pride and their own praise." Night Light pointed out.
"Yes, our daughter Twilight has come a long way both in schooling but more person." Velvet spoke proudly about what she was more about her daughter.
"Yes, that is something to speak volumes when a child grows as a person. Both me and my wife are happy our daughter Pinkie is getting slightly more mature given what almost happened to her." Igneous Pie said in his slow old fashion voice, and his wife Cloudy Quartz repressed a shudder.
"We've always been worried about her with her obvious naivety and overzealous nature, fearing it would put her in danger and when it did occur? Well, let's say we are thrilled she's got great friends to look after her. Furthermore, she's a little wiser now and is finally getting a bit more seriousness to her."
"Well, given all the events that befall our children during their last year at CHS, I think we should all feel lucky that we're even having this party, and we are here to be normal parents with normal anxiety about sending them off to college," Sunfire spoke up wisely glancing over at the dance floor to see her daughter Sunset right now kicking it up a notch with her boyfriend Sunrise.
"It is true what my wife is saying. We should all feel lucky that our daughters and your son all made it through their harrowing senior year to even get to the point of getting their diplomas and are even going to college. And my wife and I are lucky at all we're seeing our daughter off to college at all, consider what happened to her nearly two years ago." Ying Yang was quick to point out.
All the parents became more than a little subdued and did think about what their children had been through their last school year, for their daughters and Fledge were by no means ordinary 18-year-old children.
At the beginning of the junior year, Sunset Shimmer, the adopted daughter of Sunfire and Yin Yang, was, in fact, from an alternated populated by different kinds of ponies that thrived on magic.
And when she stole a vitally important magical item, and the owner of that item, a new princess named Twilight Sparkle, followed her back to the human world via a magical portal, it had set off a chain of events that had changed everyone CHS lives forever.
Twilight had taught everyone the Magic of Friendship and had awakened what was known as the Elements of Harmony in her pony friends' human counterparts that were living embody of what made up a friendship.
Applejack was Honesty, Fluttershy Kindness, Pinkie Pie Laughter, Rainbow Dash Loyalty, Rarity Generosity, and Twilight herself was Magic. Using these elements had defeated a demonic Sunset, and she started to seek forgiveness and redemption.
And well, the magic had stayed, and many crazy adventures had followed, so the magic had evolved, and eventually, they had met the real human Twilight. She'd joined the group, and they also gained two new Elements. Sunset had brought for a new Element when she finally understood friendship and became the Element of Empathy. Fledge was the first male to embody an element, but he was the Element of Dreams.
So the girls and Fledge were forever changed in more ways than one. And so had all of the towns of Canterlot.
But what Sunset's human parents, whom she truly loved and saw as her parents, were mostly referring to was the fact she'd nearly died two years ago during the finals of the Equestrian Games, which she was about to win when her horse got spooked and if it hadn't been for both Equestira and the Human World working together to combine their magic she would've been dead. There would be no Sunset Shimmer in either world anymore.
Since Sunset and Twilight had already learned the human world, Sunset had already passed away in a hit and run accident, and no one had mourned her death.
Right now, it was a lot to digest, and even Fledge's parents were really thinking about many things. Fledge's father, Helia, thought about how much of his childhood had been robbed due to his wife Strawberry's overprotective nature and how just letting him attend CHS for two years had been a struggle.
Getting her to agree even to attend their family college was also a battle on its own. Sure, they'd get a lot of money from both successful entrepreneurs and humanities and coming from both successful families and all that. But it didn't mean their son shouldn't be allowed to be a normal person a lived.
They did their best to not 'act rich,' which is why their home wasn't designed to look like a normal mansion, they didn't drive rich people cars and did their own chores and shopped at normal stores and well just tried to be self-sufficient and not play the part of typical rich snobby people.
He also had no problem accepting his son's choice in a girlfriend though he knew Strawberry did like Twilight had been a bit, well didn't dislike, she just hadn't at first not understood what her son had seen in her, that he would ask her out the day he met her was all.
Whilst the parents had been so wrapped up by the buffet table drinking their surprise punch talking about their normal troubles and worries, their kids had gotten off the dance floor and gotten to sit at one of the tables to talk themselves over their own surprise punch.
"Wow! I'm totally wiped out from all the dancing! It's more exhausting then all the super speed running or when I've flown when I get wings while ponied up!" Rainbow Dash confessed as she drowned her drink and her boyfriend Soarin' pour her more from the pitcher they'd brought to the table.
"You can say that again, darling. I should've worn different shoes for all this dancing! And we not like those three sisters who danced all night and were with demons! But we surely just ruined our shows dancing like we did dance all night long!" Rarity recalled an old fairytale though no-one could recall the name of that one.
"That's why we're talking a breather, Rarity, and enjoying some of Pinkie Pie's cupcakes and cookies. You did say these are normal ones and not some of your crazy concoctions, right, Pinkie?" Applejack asked hesitantly as she looked at the curly pink-haired girl and the blue-colored cupcake in her hand.
"Yes, Applejack, I kept the recipes simple this time. No outrages and insane cupcakes for this party. Just your normal flavors. I didn't want to give anyone tummy aches before college. After all, we still have so much packing to do. No need to make us all feel we have rocks in our stomachs before we go. It's safe," she assured them.
"Alright, we trust you, Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy replied as she bit into her cupcake and smiled at her friends and nodded, "It's alright, girls, they're normal flavors. She is honest."
"Good, because all that dancing did work up an appetite for sure," Sunset as she filled her plate up with some sweets and passed the platter over to Twilight, who took some for herself before handing it to Fledge.
"I'm glad we are all here, and you all agreed to have this party at my house. I've never really had a party at my place before. It's nice to have people at my place again for a change and that they can see I'm not a rich snob."
"Well, it does make sense, Fledge, to have it here. Not just to show you're not a snob or because we're all going to your family's college but because you've got the biggest backyard to fit all of the kids who wanted to have a farewell party," his girlfriend pointed out sensibly to him.
"Well, that is true as well," he said while blushing some.
"It's not a big deal whose house we've it at as long as we have it, bro. But how about we talk about what we really want to talk about? Given we know what's going on the other side of the yard with the adults?" Sunrise suggested.
"You mean to let all the parents talk about how they can't cope with their babies growing up and all the other little fuss while all the kids at the other tables are all talking about how exciting college, their plans and stuff? Since that's pretty much whatever is doing right now during this breather?" Fledge replied to his best friend.
"Well, that does make sense, doesn't it?" all the other boyfriends said in unison, and Fledge nodded.
"Well, let me at least give you all a basic idea of the campus, except you already know Suave, but if you don't mind, can I tell the others about it?"
"No, I don't mind. I mean, they've only been up there to see the observatory they help raise the money to build or practice driving, so give them at least the basic layout or what you want to tell them."
"Okay," taking a deep breath Fledge just told them the basic facts about Golden Dreamstone. Mostly just facts and figures, really.
Golden Dreamstone sat on 250 arcs of land that seemed to be its own private sanctuary, and it was outside Canterlot and five miles before you reached Camp Everfree. So it was between those two locations.
There are three primary dorms. The girls' dorm hall is called Asteria Hall after his grandmother. The boy's dorms are on the other side of campus and are named after my grandfather called Somnus Hall and the dorm house for people from other countries called "The Sanctuary House."
You've all the normal kinds of buildings, you know. Different buildings for different classes, administrations, sports arena, and medical building for physical and mental health needs, their community center.
The community center held the cafeteria, computer lab, library, student lounge, and auditorium.
You also know already about the observatory and somewhat about the Detention House.
The Detention House is where troublemakers are held till the trouble is sorted out or if police have to be called in. So it's for security purposes.
So that's the buildings, and there is the parking lot. There is one for students with cars that pays 25 dollars a month or can pay for three months when you can keep your car on campus.
And of course, there all the beautiful nature around the building, but that's the basic layout of the campus." Fledge finished telling them about the layout of the campus.
"Well, thanks for a better description then what we got from that one trip we took when we went and saw the observatory we helped raise money to build. And let us know about the car thing," Applejack thanked him graciously.
"Yeah, it's really nice to know that one since we know all got cars even though we all know those cars didn't come without some strings attached," Rainbow Dash admitted.
"Well, you didn't actually expect to get a brand new car from our parents and not expect to help pay for it someway, did you, Dash?" Did sunset ask skeptically?
"Really, I highly doubt any kid really gets a car just free from their parents. We at least have a way to pay this halfway deal with them and can at least with what Fledge just explained pay to have them on campus." Twilight remained her friends at least of one good thing.
The girls and Fledge, yes, after all, passed their driving test, had been given a car of their own, but as Sunset had pointed out, it didn't mean it was free or without them having to help pay for it.
They may all have had trust funds, savings accounts, and a lot of allowance money saved for years, but that didn't nearly cover all their expenses. But they did have other sources of income and well, thank their magic for this.
All those times they'd ponied up and as well as their Rainboom performances? They'd become such a hit, and thanks in part to Tecna's web show and people of Canterlot and few other odd jobs, they'd got a lot of money, and the CD of their music they'd sold well that sold like hotcakes.
So they did have a good amount of money, and they're gonna uses it wisely. So the plan was worked out already with their parents and the banks. All their combined money was already put into the bank, and monthly, half the money it took for both a car payment and insurance would be taken from their accounts to pay both while their parents paid the other half.
And while at college, they'd all be given basically a 'monthly allowance' by their parents. But this car bill could also be a factor in paying for three months at once.
So yeah, they'd all learned about budgeting, banking and checkbooks in math last year at CHS, and this was the deal they'd worked out with their parents. And they could take it or be broke. So they accept it.
For about half an hour, everyone talked about their money troubles and how their parents had worked out the deal on how they'd use it and how they might be able to get extra cash before it gradually turned again back to things about the college itself.
They talked eagerly about who they hope to be roomed with at college and talking about what they'd chosen to major in and the reason for it.
Applejack's chosen majors were both Ecology and Business, as she wanted to grow crops on her farm better and better help sell them and promote farming methods and make farming better all way around.
Fluttershy, who was changed from her senior year's experience, wanted to find a way to work with both people and animals to help each other. So she was majoring in both Psychology and Animal Services to learn to uses animals in therapy to help both animals and people at the same time.
Pinkie Pie still wanted to do parties but learn to do different kinds of parties for all kinds of events and spread laughter and joy to as many places as possible, so she was planning on majoring in Hospitality.
Rainbow Dash may be doing a lot on the sports team, but she majored in Athletics and Physical Education, Teaching to train and teach it. If she never made it to pro-level, she has something to fall back on.
Rarity everyone knew from the start was majoring in Fashion design and had already promised before they left for college she'd have new outfits for them made just as she had new outfits for their senior year. She'd have something worthy of college for them.
Twilight was majoring in Science and Math but unsure which field for sure but figure she could be excelled in any field and see what she found the most interesting as college played out.
As for what Sunset had chosen? She felt with all she'd learned and was good at. She had chosen to major in Political Science as she felt this was where she could make the most difference in life after all she'd been through.
Fledge revealed he was majoring in Counseling Psychology as he wanted to be a youth counselor.
As for the rest of the boyfriends? Suave had been majoring in Literature since coming to America as he wanted to be a Lit Professor. Butch, Rusty, Cheese Sandwich, Soarin were planning to major in similar fields as their girlfriends. Sunrise was going for a major in mechanical engineering.
Naturally, everyone felt they'd chosen what best suited them, and all agreed they'd all picked highly ambitious goals to achieve. But everyone agreed college was about pushing yourself to your limit and really working very hard to achieve the dream you wish most to achieve.
More importantly, they also had to acknowledge that they weren't kids anymore. They're now all 18 years old and by law adults and well take up college's challenges wasn't just the schoolwork. Like anything, it is a new environment, new faces, and a brand new place. So again, schoolwork would only be half the battle they'd have to fight.
The first battle they'd half to finish the fight was figuring out what they're talking with them as Fledge did take the time to point out the dorm rooms were made to fit up to three people but no more than that.
Therefore, the main problem they're going to face when they got home was deciding what they take with them to college and what stayed at home? Of course, their pets and everyone knew the hardest to get to stay home would be Spike.
Twilight had already confided in them. He had tried several times already to think of ways of tagging along, and she'd tried to be firm with him. He couldn't come with her, and she was still in disbelief. She had to tell her dog, who could talk back, he wasn't allowed to follow her to college!
Still, after they'd finished laughing about this, it was time to eat the cake, finish up the party and then sleep before getting to that packing. The cake was the biggest cake you can imagine and the most delicious thing anyone ever had tasted for sure.
After sleeping late, the girls and their boyfriends began the hard task with their families' help of figuring out what to pack and what could be left behind, and yes, even the girls' pets were helping with the packing though some hinder it while others helped.
Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie had the least amount of trouble getting packed. Pinkie Pie had a hard time being told she couldn't bring her party cannon, but once her sister Maud told her she couldn't bring it in her own way, she relented.
Rainbow Dash and Rarity had problems for two entirely different reasons. Rainbow Dash's parents were more about packing too many childhood mementos she didn't need, and Rarity was trying to pack too many clothes her family was trying to tell her she didn't need.
Sweetie Belle finally got through to her about the clothes but did give her something she knew she did need to pack. She'd made her a goodbye card with some of Rarity's special sapphires in a heart with them drawn inside. Normally Rarity would've blown her stake at her sister using the jewels. On the other hand, seeing the card and knowing she wouldn't be seeing her little sister for a while didn't get mad at all but hugged her little sister for a long time crying.
Twilight and Sunset had their own problems, but there weren't like Rainbow Dash or Rarity. Twilight tried to stop Spike from sneaking into the boxes and getting him to understand he wasn't coming along the end of the story.
On the other hand, Sunset was in a sort of melancholy mood as she had profound thoughts about her life and how it was changing again. How things again changed from her past life in Equestira and her current life in the human world. As well as wondering if going to college would interfere with her duties as a Princess.
Fledge's problems were dealing with his mother's being overprotective once more and his father having to put his foot down and getting his wife to accept that their son was in no more danger than any other student. He was now a legal adult and should be allowed to live his life like any other 18 years old.
Finally came the day everyone was ready to say goodbye and move to campus and, with their parent's help, loaded up their various cars. And boy, did everyone have a wide range of cars.
Applejack was a Jeep Wrangler, Fluttershy a Toyota Prius, Pinkie Pie a Chevy Express, Rainbow Dash was a Chevy Corvette, Rarity a Lotus Exige, Twilight's a Chevy Malibu, Sunset had been given a Lamborghini Aventador, and Fledge's parents got him a Shelby gt500.
All the cars were in their favorite colors with the license plates with their cutie mark followed by their initials, e-o- the letter of their element. So that really made their cars stand out for more than one reason.
Of course, the girls and Fledge had one stop to make before they took the road that would lead them to Dreamstone. They had to stop at CHS one last time to say goodbye to it formally.
They all parked by the Wondercolt statue that concealed the portal to Equestria. For a moment, they were just silent as they thought about everything that happened to them here, both magical and non-magical. They were getting ready to say goodbye when the doors opened and out walked Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna.
"Hello Girls, Fledge, we knew you come. We count on it." Celestia spoke in her magical voice.
"We couldn't leave for college without saying goodbye one last time," Sunset explained.
"We figured, and we made some special goodbye gifts, so you'll never forget CHS and know you'll never be forgotten here as well," Luna replied as she handed them all some wrapped gifts.
They unwrapped the individual gifts they'd been given first and saw it was a special framed picture of them in their most powerful ponied up form with their name and the world's "Element of whatever" around the frame and at the bottom saying "Friends forever."
"This one from the whole school," Celestia told, handing them a slightly larger package, and they opened it, and it was a collage of pictures of the girls and Fledge from their different adventures, and it said, "The Magic of Friendship Lives on Forever!"
"Thank you!" everyone cried at the wonderful gifts, but there was one more as they're all given some lumpy packages from both the sisters and had to laugh as it was CHS sweatshirts, ears, and tails.
"Remember your Wondercolts forever!"
"We'll remember!"
"And we'll keep in touch if anything from the other side should need your attention, but in the meantime, we'll do our best to keep the Magic of Friendship alive here and spread it more," the sisters promised.
"And we shall do our best to spread it around Dreamstone," the eight of them promised.
There was a group hug, and with one last goodbye, they got back into their cars, driving off, leaving CHS finally behind and journeying now to their new school and new life at Golden Dreamstone.