As the golden hues of dawn rise over the dark purple clouds of Star Castle, most of the Sparkle Ponies are still asleep. But one little Sparkle had been awake all night.

Baby North Star sat huddled in the corner of her room that is her bed. She had cried silently all night into her pillow. And I had watched the whole time with no sympathy.

I cough, and I realize I'm getting old, and soon Starhopper would have to take my place as Queen of Star Castle. Then North Star would become Princess, and eventually Queen. The monarchy will go on forever.

"Will you please stop crying and get dressed? We must meet with your new tutor after breakfast."

North Star sniffed loudly and got up, getting dressed stiffly. She pulls on a ceremonial red and gold cape, a ruby ring, then suddenly stopped and stared at something on her bedpad. I can faintly make out a gold (probably fake) necklace with a green jewel heart (also probably fake). She kneels down to grab it and put it on.

"No! That junk jewelry will not be seen on you! If I see you wearing it, I will throw it away!"

She sniffs again, even louder this time. Shaking her head, the cheap junk necklace falls off.

"Now come along. We must meet with this tutor to determine if she is suitable for the year of schooling you must take."

She turns around, and opens her mouth wide to object in some way. "A year? A whole year away from my friends?"

"Yes, possibly more. It depends on how much you already know."

She looks very depressed and furious at the same time. "I already know all I need to know about everything. You aren't gonna be able to teach me nothin' I don't already know, and that's squat."

I frown, my forehead creasing around my horn. "That was not a smart thing to say. I see you will have to learn some manners, including how to hold your tongue, however long that may take."

She looks at me, and says icily, "I know exactly what you are implying. You think I am just a kid who is always mouthing off. Well I'm not!" North Star starts to walk out of the room. "Except when I'm really peeved at some Pony that's trying to boss me around and being rude to me!"

That was not a smart thing to say either. But, at least she has a good vocabulary.

I think back on yesterday. Daddy and Starhopper got married. They are now on a vacation at a little cabin in the woods. Yesterday, Firefly was reunited with her mom, who is a Pony heroine. Yesterday, Galaxy vanished without a trace.

Glider has been acting very strange since she disappeared. I don't know if it's from concern or something else. They hate each other. With a passion. Once they got in this huge fight, and I had to get in between them and break them up. Except I was the one that got beat up after that. Unicorn fights can be nasty. But I think I like Glider, anyway.

"Star Dreamer?"

Yikes! I whip around, and Firefly, I guess she should be "Baby" Firefly now, is standing behind me.

"Uh, hi Firefly. What's up?"

I can tell that she doesn't buy my "everything's-fine-with-me-how-about-you" tone.

She gives me a look, and says, "I know you aren't happy that Galaxy's gone. What else is wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm hungry. Wake up the others, and let's get some breakfast."

Baby Firefly turns around and yells, "Hey guys! Time to get up! NOW!"

Eight Babies, a baby panda, and a squirrel say in unison, "Shut up!"

"Please!"

That "please" startled me. So I call out, "Who said that?"
 
Everyone looks at Baby Stockings. "I was just being polite," she says innocently.

"Well thank you for being polite Stockings," comes a voice from above. I look up. I had forgotten the boys in the loft. I recognize the voice as Nectar's. He's the baby panda.

"Oh shut up Nectar!" another boy says. This time it's Baby Surprise.

"Don't call me Nectar! My nickname is Bees and that's what I go by!"

This time a girl pipes up. "Oh Thur-pies, don't be tho mean!" Baby Tic Tac Toe spits.

"I have an idea. Why don't you all shut up, or I'll tell Megan if she's here to get some duct tape so I can seal your mouths shut!"

The barn was silent. Glider's outburst made everyone think differently. They got up, and without a peep, went to breakfast.

"This is Amethyst Gardens. You will eat, play, and meet with your tutor here. You may not go outside the palace.  You will not go anywhere other than here without an escort Ponyguard. You  may not play until you are done with your tutor on free time,'' Queen Angelina says harshly.

I swallow hard, and say, "all right."

"I will be back in less than twenty minutes. Eat your breakfast and wait for me here, she motions to my right, and there's my breakfast.

Some fruit and a white baby bottle sits on a golden plate. Oh please. I out-grew baby bottle a long time ago, I think. I start to eat, and I think about yesterday. Mommy got married to Confetti, Firefly came back to Firefly, and I never got to say good bye to Glider . . .
I wish I didn't have to spend a whole year hear. Star Castle from what I've seen so far is a very pretty place, even though I've only seen part of the palace. But my friends, they aren't here....

I suddenly don't have an appetite, and I realize I'm being watched. Instead of looking up and around, I eat more. Once the plate is almost clear, I tilt it up and use it as a shiny gold mirror.

A Baby Sparkle, about my age, is watching me from the doorway. The Sparkle is a faint powder blue with cobalt, bright, and powder blue, and white iridescent hair, and is a Pegasus with no symbol . . . what!  Since when is there Sparkle Pegasi and Ponies with no symbol?!?

"Okay, don't run away Sparky. Come here," I tell the Sparkle.

To my surprise, the Sparkle comes to me as I turn around.

"Shoot! You saw me in the plate?!? Geez, is that bad. I'm Gwendamere, you must be North Star.
Pleased to meet you in some other position than slave-mode!" he says brightly with a bow.

"Sorry, but I'm not interested in getting into anything along the lines of boy/girl relationships, I'm already in one, so there. Run along now. And you don't need to bow to me. As soon as I get outta here, I'm gonna resign any status I may have. By the way, where's the closest exit outta here?" I say slyly.

"Oh, you aren't going anywhere princess. There's no way off of this cloud, only Pegs could escape, and considering I'm one of the only two left in Star Castle, you aren't going anywhere fast. But, life finds a way," says.

"What! Where? How? I need to know how to get outta here!" I ask frantically.

"I can't talk right now. Meet me after lunch, the Queen won't be around then, neither will the tutor. Come out of your room, turn right, around the Queen's room, stop at the wall. Push against it, there's a secret room. I better hide, I hear the Queen now!"

I look around the sparkling amethyst courtyard, and spot a huge chunk of amethyst. "Quick! Behind there!" I whisper hoarsely.

Gwendamere ducks behind the rock right before the Queen comes in, with another Sparkle following her.

"Your tutor is here, Baby North Star. Her name is Ashton. You will meet with her every day after breakfast, and she will leave before lunch."

Oh Glider, I wish you were here . . .

I'm surprised that Mom and Dad didn't talk to me. Well duh. They don't know that I like her so much, and that she likes me so much. And now, have I lost her? Forever? I don't know where she is. She wouldn't have ran away, she had no reason to. But she didn't even say good bye.

I get up off of the ground where I was eating breakfast and started for the waterfall. The trail is well traveled, and from the picnic area to the waterfall is less than five minutes at a slow, leisurely pace.

A rock lies in the center of the trail past the barn. I stop to kick it away, and I hear a noise behind me. I'm being followed. I use my Unicorn magic to get to the waterfall and away from my tail.

Unfortunately, I land in the pond instead of the grass next to it. Oh well. I swim behind the waterfall and onto a rocky ledge. Galaxy and I had sat there many times talking about lots of different things: what the other guys were doing, ideas for the plays the Babies would put on for the adults of our small village and Megan and Sundance when they'd visit, and much more. Nobody knows about this little hiding spot behind the waterfall. And that's how it will stay.

Tears come to my eyes as I think of Galaxy. Bright pink hair, big eyes. . .  the image started to fuzz.

"No!" I cry, but the image slipped away. . .

I lay down, and I start to sob, drifting slowly away into sleep . . .

Today is the first day of me being married to him, I think dreamily. I just wish Mother hadn't taken her on my wedding day! Mother should let me teach Galaxy, not some tutor.

"What? I was outside gathering apples for a picnic lunch," Confetti says, breaking me out of my daydream.

"You know how Mother came to get North Star yesterday?"

Confetti looks dumbfounded, and says, "You mean Galaxy? If so, which you probably do . . . yes."

"I don't think that was the right thing to do anymore. I'm her mother, not Mother. Wait . . ." I pause. "That didn't sound right, but hopefully you get what I mean. I should go get her!" I say panicking.

"Oh come on. She'll be fine. Your mom has her. Ponyguards are stationed around every single entrance. If you want to go get her, wait until after lunch. It's almost ready."

I realize everything will be okay. Just overreacting again.

I fly past the barn to the area adult Ponies live in their bungalows, and I see Megan talking to Mom below. I dip down and make a perfect landing next to them.

"Good afternoon, Megan, Mom. Have either of you seen Baby Gusty and Glider lately?" I ask them sweetly.

Mom and Megan exchange a look.

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen either of them since I got here after breakfast," Megan answers.

Mom looks confused. "Who?"

I shake my head. No use to ask them. Megan isn't here all the time and Mom just got here yesterday. I look over to the left and see Steamer and Ponybride coming out of their bungalow.

"Steamer!" I call out to him.

I rush over to them and ask, "Have you seen Glider or Gusty?"

They look at each other, and Steamer replies, "If Glider's missing, what am I saying? He's been acting strange since North Star disappeared. Don't know why. They hated each other. He's just probably run off on some adventure."

I shake my head. No use.

"That's it! The waterfall!" I cry making the connection, galloping up the path.

I jump into the pond, and swim under the falls. I surface, and there's Glider, lying on a rocky ledge behind the falls.

I clamber up onto the rocky ledge and yell Glider's name over the rushing falls.

He jumps. "Yie!"

As he comes down, I try to catch him on my back. But he slams into me, and I fall toward the rocky wall . . .

She'll drown!! I dive in after her. Floating underneath the churning water, I can almost see her dark pink hair. I bite her mane and tail for something to hang onto, and drag her to the surface of the pond, and onto the grass.

I then drag her down the path, and it's slow going with a Baby Pony dragging behind me. I pull her into the empty red barn, onto her bed, and toss a blanket on her limp dripping body.

I bend down next to her face. She's alive! faintly breathing, but still live!

I have to get help. Fast!

"I'll be right back! You'll be okay, Dreamer. I'll get help, you dad -" and she slams a kiss right on the lips!

"Yi-ulck!" I jump in after you to save your sorry butt and you pull a fast one on me? How dare you!!"

She looks bewildered, like she doesn't understand a word of what I'm saying. Flustering and coughing, she says, "I - I don't know what you mean. H - how did I g - get in the barn?"

That really  made me peeved.

"You have some nerve! You wait for Galaxy to leave to pull something!! How dare you!"

I stood up, and I galloped out the door into the forest, to search for Starhopper and Confetti's cabin.

I push gently on the wall, and I stumble into the secret room.

"It's about time."

I look around in the dim light, and there's Gwendamere . . . sitting by a waterfall! A waterfall, complete with a small pond. But where does the water go?

"Amazing, isn't it? I discovered this place only two months ago."

"It's nice. Now, tell me how to get outta here. Who are ya anyway? You said something about being a slave? What did that supposed to mean?"

He stood up. "First, I think you should get some speech lessons. I'll answer your second question first.

"When I was a newborn, my mother Gwenavere helped Princess Planethopper, your aunt, to escape from Star Castle. After that, Princess Starhopper left too with you, leaving me all alone. Except I was taken in immediately, by the Queen. As soon as I became old enough, she literally turned me into her personal slave. I'm fed meager portions of leftover food that the chefponies get from below. They were the only ones had permission from the beginning to leave."

Gwendamere pauses for awhile. "I know of only one way out of here. I discovered it yesterday. I think it's the same way Princess Planethopper escaped. Follow me!"

He motions towards the back wall. He gives it a push, and he opens a secret door into my room!

"Whoa! Cool . . ."

"C'mon, stop gawking North Star. Close the door after you, the door to this room, that is."

I obey, to the gawking part.

He leads me down the hall to Amethyst Gardens. Behind the huge amethyst chunk, is a trap door.

He opens it by pulling on a small ring. "Now, this will take us under the palace to the streets. I believe this is how Planethopper escaped. There, we will head to the west wall, you'll get on my back, and I'll take you home."

"But what can I do for you?"

"I'll get my freedom."

We had just finished our picnic lunch of apples, fruit, and a pie Megan had brought for us.

A knocking, no, a banging came at the door.

"Who . . . ?" I open the door, and a soaking wet Glider barges in.

"Glider! What are you doing here?" Starhopper asks getting up. I was speechless.

Finally I find my words. "Oh, my. Is there something wrong?" I ask, starting to worry.

"Yes, there's something very wrong! I have to know where Galaxy is! And I have a feeling you two know where she is! There can't be any other reason why you seem all hunky-dory with the fact that she's missing!"

Now there was a surprise.

"Now I've lost ya. I thought you two hated each other," I say puzzled.

Now Starhopper, o great Starhopper of fast come-backs, is speechless.

"Oh geez. Now this is pathetic. Didn't she tell you? I thought she wouldda. We don't hate each other. Well, we did, but not really, and then I saved her from drowning and - "

"Uh, I've lost you too Glider. When did my daughter almost drown?"

It seems that I have lost both of them now.

"Well, that was awhile ago. But we have to get her back," he's almost in tears now. "I never got to say good bye. Now I'm afraid I've lost her . . . "

Glider is officially in tears now, sobbing, sucking in air and yelping.

"Oh Confetti! Why did I let her take my baby? Why? I have to get her. You can come with me Glider, oh, no, you can't. I'll be right back though!"

And Starhopper disappears.

I turn. "Ack!!"

Starhopper is standing in the doorway.

"Where is my daughter?" she demands with a cold, hard stare.

"Um, what are you doing here? You said you wouldn't interfere!"

A servant gallops up.

"Excuse me Your Majesties. The young Princess and the servant boy have been sighted on the streets. They're heading toward the outer west wall!"

Starhopper now turns her deadly gaze back to me. "I am going to get my daughter, and when I come back here, you will no longer be Queen."

Gwendamere kneels down wincing, and I climb on very carefully.

"Hang on!" he yells.

Gwendamere slowly lifts up into the air, and we float over the wall.

"Yes! We are free Gwendamere! Both of us!" I cry gleefully.

The clouds rush by, and I see Ponyland., in the ocean, as if it was floating like a leaf on water. It's all green, except a large patch of a sparkling desert and a few lakes. I also see three different mountain chains: the Barren Mountains which border Dream Valley is one of them.

"Look Gwendamere! Dream Castle! And Paradise Estate! And the Nursery! Baby Firefly told me all about her mom's adventures there! So did Megan and Sundance when they visited once! See that tiny red fleck in that clearing?" I ask him.

"Yeah. Is that where you want me to drop you off?"

"Yup! That's my home. Take me home, back to Glider and Mom and my new family Confetti and Dreamer!"

Gwendamere zones in on the barn.

"Wait! See that waterfall? Drop me off there!"

He nods, and we land gently on the soft grassy hill.

"Thank you Gwendamere," I say, and I give him a small kiss on the cheek.

He blushes and says, "Good bye, little princess. May you live long and happy and free."

He turns to leave, but pauses in mid take-off and turns toward me again. "I must try to find my mother. I'm sure wherever she is, your aunt Planethopper is with her. I don't know what they look like, but I'm sure they're the only Sparkles other than you and Starhopper down here. Wait," he says. "Who's 'Dreamer' and 'Confetti?' They Sparkles?"

"No," I answer. "Mom married Confetti yesterday and Star Dreamer is Baby Gusty, his daughter who's a Sparkle."

"Oh," he says, then flies away.

"Thank you!" I yell once more before he's out of sight.

"Yes!" I yell, and start a dance of joy. "Da da da-da da DA! Hey hey hey HEY! Yeah!"

As I settle down I hear a twig snap and a gasp. I look up the path that leads deep into the woods, and there's Glider!

"Glider!" I shriek.

"Galaxy!"

We run for each other, but we don't stop in time, so we slam into each other and land in a heap. I can't help it, so I give out a little giggle that turns into a roar of laughter. Glider joins in too.

"Wha-what ar-are w-we la-laughin' a-bout?" he asks in wonder, still in a laughing fit.

"I ha-haven't got a c-clue!"

He eventually stops laughing, and asks, "Where were you? Why did you leave?"

"Oh Glider, I'd never leave you if I had the choice!"

We untangle ourselves and head for the village. The first one to see us is Star Dreamer, my new stepsister.

"Gah - Hey everybody! She's back! Galaxy is home!" she yells.

Suddenly everyone comes running in a Pony pandemonium. Firefly, Baby Firefly, Pizza and Rattle the two Petite Ponies, all of the Babies, all of the adults, Megan, everyone comes. They all care. But two faces I do not see anywhere to be found.

"Where's my Mom?" I ask, my voice sliding up and down.

"Right behind you honey."

I turn around, ad there she is in the path with Confetti.

"Oh Mommy! Don't make me go to Star Castle again! Not unless you're with me!" I sob, running to her.

She kneels down and I bury me face in her gold and yellow mane. Confetti, Star Dreamer, and Glider surround us.

"I promise," she whispers.

The warm circle breaks, and Glider gives me a sharp kick. Steamer and Ponybride are staring at us.

"I thought you two disliked each other with a passion," Steamer says in disbelief.

Glider and I exchange glances.

"Well, I think that should be cleared up right now. Glider?" I say.

"I can't do this!" he says through clenched teeth.

"Glider, dear. Just say it. It can't be bad, " Ponybride states.

Confetti then steps forward to the rescue. "I get it now! I get it now! Well you see, they did, but then some time ago Galaxy fell in the pond or stream or something to that effect and hit her head on something probably and was knocked unconscious. Glider then dived in and saved her from drowning and the rest I don't understand. Um . . ."

Glider grins. "You couldn't have said it any better Confetti. Good job!"

"Okay . . ." Confetti says, still confused.

Baby Firefly grins mischievously, and Firefly catches on. "Three cheers for Galaxy and Glider! Yay!"