“You'll be fine,” Honeysuckle said. “After all, it's just another semester of school. You like that kind of stuff, don't you?”

“Well yeah,” Aria said, “but it's not the same if you all aren't there with me. And thirteen weeks just seems so long-”

“Come now, Aria, you said yourself that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Freya said. “It would be quite a shame if you decided not to go now.”

“And besides, yer not the only one from Canterhollow, Ari,” Flax remarked. “A few others should be there, like Minx and Spring Splash.”

“And me!” Harper exclaimed. “It'll be like Bellissa’s school all over again, but this time with Princess Starla!”

“Hopefully she's changed some,” Honeysuckle mumbled. All the ponies around him gave unpleasant glares. “What? She almost got rid of Crystal Festival Night!”

Aria rolled her eyes. She wondered what she would do without such a witty assistant.

“Just be sure to make good first impressions,” Freya said as she covered the fairy’s mouth. “Don't be shy like you were when you first arrived, all right darling?”

“Yeah, you don't wanna go acting all weird on all those other smarty pants ponies!” Blossom said. “Just be yourself and you'll have a blast this winter!”

Aria blushed as the exciting thought of her adventure came to mind. Light daydreaming brought back the dreams she had fallen into that night about the island, the academy, her teachers, even studying under the headmaster, Princess Starla. With every expectation that dawned upon her, Aria’s grin started to spread until covering her entire face.

“Will you be okay?” Wisp – who had remained quiet until that moment – asked.