Pip Bird - The Naughtiest Unicorn

‘DAD!’ Mira yelled and started jumping on the bed. ‘I’M GOING TO UNICORN SCHOOL!’

Terrified, Pickles jumped on to Mira’s dad’s face and wouldn’t let go of his beard. ‘Mfmfmfmf !’ he said cheerfully and gave Mira a thumbs up, before leaving the room and walking into the wall.

Mira reached inside the envelope and pulled out a leaflet containing all the information about the school, including a map and the School Rules. Mira thought she might faint with delight. Unicorn School was going to be BRILLIANT!

For one thing, Mira couldn’t WAIT to bring home her own medals. She’d already started making a space for them on the shelf (and had accidentally knocked a couple of Rani’s medals into Pickles’s bowl).

But the thing Mira was MOST excited about was getting to meet her unicorn.

Her sister said that the unicorns were specially chosen for each person for specific magical reasons. You would get to spend all day every day with your unicorn: going to lessons, working on projects and going on quests. (Basically your unicorn would be your best friend.)

Mira did have a best friend already at normal school (Katie with a K) but she could definitely squeeze another one into her life. She’d spent a lot of time thinking about her dream unicorn best friend (Princess Delilah Sparklehoof). She’d filled a whole notebook with drawings of her and made a list of all the brilliant things they would do together.

1. Have amazing, magical adventures! 2. Be great at quests 3. Get LOADS OF MEDALS

Before heading to the Magic Portal that would take them to Unicorn School, Mira’s mum took them to the supermarket. Mira and Rani needed to get treats for their unicorns and Mum needed to buy doughnuts for someone’s birthday at work.

Mira was wondering what treats unicorns like.

Which aisle do you go to for magic treats? she thought to herself. But when she asked her sister Rani rolled her eyes and said, ‘Unicorns like carrots, obviously ’. And so they all headed over to the vegetable aisle.

When they’d bought their carrots they went back to the car. Rani also had some hay left over from last term and Mum thought it would be nice if she shared it with Mira.

The Magic Portal was in the car park by the leisure centre. Mira had never actually seen it – the portal could only be seen by current Unicorn School pupils. Even Mira’s mum couldn’t see it any more, since she had left Unicorn School roughly a thousand years ago. Usually when they dropped her off, Rani got out round the corner so that she wouldn’t be seen with them. But TODAY Mira would be going with her. And she would be one step closer to meeting her unicorn!

There had been quite a bit of traffic on the way and Mum was running late for work.

‘It’s okay, Mum,’ said Rani. ‘I’ll take Mira through.’

Mum looked from one sister to the other and then at her watch.

‘Fine,’ she said. And then she fixed Rani with a LOOK. ‘Make sure you take care of your little sister on her first day.’

Mum handed them their treat bags, gave them both a hug and jumped back in the car. Rani had already started stomping off when Mum rolled down her window. She leaned out with her phone in hand.

‘Girls! Let me take a picture. Your first day at Unicorn School together!’

Rani turned, tutted and folded her arms. ‘MUM, are you crying? That’s so embarrassing.’

Mum sniffed. ‘It brings back such amazing memories of MY first day at Unicorn School! Oh, happy times . . .’ Their mum stared off into the distance for a moment, before she smiled again and blew her nose. ‘Now, smile girls!’

Rani rolled her eyes. Mira smiled and gave two thumbs up as Mum’s phone camera CLICKED.

‘Love you, girls. Have fun!’ Mum drove off, waving one hand at them out of the window as she left the car park. Mira felt a bit nervous.

‘Where’s the Magic Portal?’ she asked Rani.

‘Over here,’ said her sister. ‘Come on.’

Rani stopped by the wheelie bins in the corner of the car park.

‘So you have to get in the bin, spin round three times and then jump out and scream. Then you’ll be at Unicorn School,’ she said.

Mira looked up at the bin.

‘Are you sure?’ she said.

‘Er, which one of us has a medal for being the Best at the Magic Portal?’ said her sister.

‘Okay . . .’ said Mira.

Mira clambered into the bin and held her breath. This was SO exciting! (Also, it really stank.) In just a few seconds she’d be in Unicorn School . . .

Mira leaped out of the bin, yelling at the top of her voice.

‘AAAARRRRRRGGGGGGH!’ came the reply, as she collided with someone.

Mira looked down to see a boy on the ground, staring up at her with wide eyes. Behind him was a man cowering by a bike rack.

‘Oh, hello!’ said Mira, as she helped the boy up. ‘Sorry about that.’

The boy stared at her warily.

‘So this is Unicorn School,’ she said, looking around.

To be honest, it didn’t look very different to the leisure centre car park.

‘Uh – no,’ said the man by the bike racks. Mira supposed he must be the boy’s dad because they looked quite alike and had matching briefcases. ‘This is where you go through the Magic Portal to get to the school. Raheem is just about to go through.’ He gestured at the boy, who gulped.

‘But –’ said Mira, as she looked around for her sister – who was nowhere to be seen. And then she realized – Rani had tricked her and gone through on her own! TYPICAL.

‘We can show you if you like?’ said Raheem’s dad. ‘It’s Raheem’s first day. We’ve had twelve practice runs, just to be safe.’ He squeezed Raheem’s shoulder.