The mountain glowed with impeccable glory.

The brilliant sun's rays shone with beauty as the soft green-winged dragonet soared towards the massive landmark that stood in front of her.

An opening incredibly large was carved in the side of the mountain where dozens of dragonets, some with parents some without, were stationed; either saying their last goodbyes to their families, receiving what appeared to be a welcome package, or taking in the Academy in its marvelous beauty.

This was it, she was finally here.

Sunbeam swiveled her tail and wings and started her descent to Jade Mountain Academy.

Her bright golden eyes surveyed the area, searching for particular dragonets in the crowd.

Upon landing on the ledge that jutted out of the side of the mountain, the yellow and red dragonet shook her wings out from the long flight and began her search for someone she knew so she could figure out what was going on.

"Sunbeam! I knew you'd make it," a smooth, majestic voice rang out behind her.

With a sharp turn, Sunbeam found herself facing the queen of both the RainWings and NightWings, Queen Glory.

"Aunt Glory!" Sunbeam remarked in surprise. "I didn't know you were coming! Isn't there 'too much business' to do in the Rainforest?" Sunbeam teased, making fun of all of the times Glory would complain when something she didn't want to deal with came up, "oh, there's too much business to do!"

The green RainWing laughed. "Oh, I couldn't miss the opening day of Sunny's school, although I think I've signed much too many autographs already. I guess that's what being a queen and a dragonet of the false prophecy does to you..."

She broke off as a small yellow RainWing ran up to her with bright blue eyes and held up an inked quill and a scroll.

"Miss Queen Glory? May I have an autograph?" The dragonet questioned eagerly.

Glory rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course," she mumbled in a monotone voice.

Snatching the quill from the dragonet, she started to write on the scroll laid out in front of her.

The RainWing, holding the scroll, peered up at Sunbeam with big eyes. She was tinier than a normal RainWing dragonet her age, or so Sunbeam thought; the age limit for Jade Mountain Academy was five.

After Glory had finished signing, the little dragonet squealed in delight at the sight of the autograph. "Oh thank you, thank you!" Then, before walking away, she turned to Sunbeam in interest.

Sunbeam moved her head back a little and glanced at her aunt with her eyeballs alone.

"Aren't you the hybrid? Jambu's daughter who came to the Rainforest a few months ago?"

Sunbeam nodded in delight, someone remembered her! Maybe she'd get to sign an autograph too... Maybe. "Yes, I am!"

"Oh, that's cool," the dragonet muttered, walking away with another smile towards her queen.

Queen Glory rested a talon on the rejected Sunbeam's shoulder. Sunbeam peered up at her, I wonder how she gets to be so... Perfect?

"Hey, it'll be alright. Trust me. At least you're not like Deathbringer who tries to get autographs." She gestured to a NightWing over a few dozen feet away from them.

Deathbringer was standing in his "handsome pose" and waving a sign in the air that read, "free autographs from a trained assassin - get them here!"

Sunbeam snorted and almost laughed out loud. "How do you live with him?"

The queen smiled. "Oh, I can resist him with a smack here and there."

They both giggled, the royal aunt and her crossbreed niece.

"Well, thanks for taking time to talk with me, do you know where I go now?" Sunbeam asked. She was ready for her day. The sun was straight above her in the sky and she felt simply amazing.

"Over there, Sunny and Fatespeaker are both handing out a map and a welcome scroll to each student. Go ahead and get in line. I probably won't see you for a while though, I have a lot to do in the Rainforest." Queen Glory explained, giving Sunbeam a sympathetic grin. Her gorgeous viridescent eyes smiled with her as the two wrapped wings around each other in warm embrace.

Sunbeam let go and waved as she ran towards one of the lines for the scrolls. It wasn't a large line, but it gave her some time to observe the breath-taking cavern she had entered. The enormous, surprisingly well lit cavern was large enough to fit four hundred dragons comfortably with room for more overhead. Gigantic stalactites hung overhead, some reached all of the way down to the floor in shapes like sap that was stuck to two surfaces and stretched to it's absolute maximum.

On the back wall of the cavern, a large bronze gong hung from strong red ribbons with three flying dragons carved into its shining surface.

Attached to two stalactites on either side of the room hung a banner made of vines that read in bright purple and white flowers, Welcome, students!

Sunbeam didn't notice it was her turn to receive her scrolls until the dragon in front of her said something to get her attention off of the decorations.

"Hello there! What's your name? Or wait... You're that crossbreed that won the free enrollment! Welcome!"

Sunbeam shook her head, glancing down to peer at the dragon in front of her.

She was a golden SandWing about Sunbeam's own size, with mini white spikes running all of the way down her scales. The SandWing frill along her head and neck morphed into sharp NightWing-like spikes for the rest of her tail length.

"Oh! Hi, Sunny! It's a pleasure to see you again!" Sunbeam beamed politely, holding out her talon which Sunny grabbed and shook delicately.

"Here's your map and welcome scroll! I do hope you enjoy your time here, I believe that you're in the Winglet with the crossbreeds who went on that quest with you," the bright Sand-NightWing crossbreed chimed brightly, holding out two scrolls in her right talon.

Sunbeam grabbed them and stuffed them into her brown leather bag, careful not to reveal the black gem and never-melting icicle that had the high possibility of causing a ton of commotion if found.

"You're in the Jade Winglet, second tunnel, fifth cave on the right," Sunny told her with the unusual high-pitched voice that she had always bore.

Saying her thanks, Sunbeam moved on, gliding through the cavern at a slow speed. A variety of colors on the dragonets around her sparkled in the sunlight. So many different tribes of dragons in one place... The only other times that Sunbeam could imagine all of the tribes in one place would have had to be the end of the SandWing Succession and the 1st annual celebration that followed a year after, and that wasn't the most peaceful gathering. She had a hard time convincing herself that this school wouldn't be the same way, with dragons at each others' throats behind the teachers' backs.

As she walked, she felt like she was being watched. Sunbeam glanced around her, but saw no one staring at her awkwardly like she had weirdly expected. Suddenly she turned around and saw the reason; a NightWing dragonet, her golden eyes locked onto Sunbeam's like a hawk.

Shivers went down the yellow dragonet's spine, sending her walking in the other direction, quite creeped out.

Why was the NightWing staring at her? Maybe they just happened to lock eyes accidentally... But it wasn't like that. Something about that dragonet wasn't right, maybe those unnatural golden eyes that eerily matched Sunbeam's.

Sunbeam shook her whole body, leaving the matter at rest and continuing towards the back of the cavern, gazing at the beautiful flow banner above her. It was so good to finally be here, at Jade Mountain Academy.

Safe. Happy. And ready for the months to come.