@candrew  
And Twilight never mentioned a rule about not walking around Canterlot at night.  
If she didn’t think it was illegal, then why was she insisting that they sneak? She had them hiding from the guards even before they entered the building.
 
And yet we have a school for ’Gifted Unicorns’ in Canterlot, where the nobility, who in generally get more education, reside.  
Yeeeeesss? It’s for gifted unicorns, not specifically rich or noble ones. We don’t know how many unicorns attend it in total, we don’t know how many unicorns from Canterlot attend it, and we don’t even know if the school only accepts applicants from Canterlot or across all of Equestria. Additionally, the Canterlot high society does include non-unicorns, so it is likely that there are upper-class schools that aren’t unicorn specific. Especially since the Gifted Unicorn school seems to specifically focus on magic, otherwise it would be open for other kinds of ponies.

@Sjogre  
I don’t think they ever said Rarity’s the only unicorn in the world to know that spell. While it’s probably not everyday knowledge, there are probably a number of other unicorns that can use it reliably.

@Trickquestion  
They’re only easy to find if you know a magic spell that originated with Rarity.
 
While they’re otherwise still more common than in the real world, the only people that treat them as disposable are friends with Spike and Rarity. Even the Cakes only made that Sapphire cupcake as a gift for Spike.

You guys are all talking about gems as currency, but you all have to consider that gems are spectacularly easy to find in Equestria. I actually appreciated the consistency that gems are far less valuable then in the real world most episodes had displayed; nopony admonishes Spike for eating them like candy, and Rarity freakin bedazzles her dresses with them, while still having a thriving business in a middle class town, where in the real world her dresses would cost thousands and thousands of dollars. It never really affected the plot, but it was a nice bit of world building internal consistency.
 
Then “Just For Sidekicks” through all that out the window, making the world of Equestria and even more confused, misunderstood mess.

@Sjogre  
Like I said, I see no reason to assume that it doesn’t exist at this point in time. You obviously do for your own reasons, i just don’t find them particularly compelling.
 
And Twilight never mentioned a rule about not walking around Canterlot at night. Spike cracked a joke about how it wasn’t illegal when she insisted that they sneak in. Pinkie and Spike getting in could simply be related to the fact that they were with Twilight, and our respectively a national hero and someone who grew up in the palace. its also possible that twilight is the only one who cares about the Starswirl Wind being restricted, since her future self is the first one to mention it.
 
And yet we have a school for ‘Gifted Unicorns’ in Canterlot, where the nobility, who in generally get more education, reside.
 
We’ll simply have to agree to disagree here.

@candrew  
No proof either way, but converting the gem to bits would make more sense than trying to spend it as is, especially since they originally planned to make multiple purchases.
 
My objection was the idea that gems are a normal medium of exchange. Just because people accept that doesn’t mean it’s normal. Assuming that you can proof you have a handful of diamonds, you probably aren’t going to have much trouble buying stuff. I don’t find it unlikely that they could buy stuff with jewels, but the irregular sizes and qualities make them terrible as a means of exchange.
 
You’ll have to refresh my memory on what Twilight was making up…  
Off the top of my head, a rule about not walking around Canterlot at night. She also came up with some idea about the Star Swirl wing being restricted. It’s possible that Twilight specifically has permission, but the ease with which Spike and Pinkie got in strongly implies that it was open to the public.
 
Keep in mind, Twilight was considerably more collected in It’s About Time than she was when she mentioned magic kindergarten in Lesson Zero.
 
Certainly, most Ponyville unicorns would probably be self taught, but Canterlot is a different beast all together.  
Maybe. But then again, maybe not. Spike and Twilight both consider unicorns that know a wide range of magic rare, and they’re both from Canterlot.
 
Given that Rarity managed to improvise some weather control, the small range of magic seems to be more the result of a lack of interest or education than a lack of ability.
 
Magic being usually self taught really would go well with how it stems from their talents and interest, and unlike the pegasi, the unicorns don’t have a pressing reason for blanket magic education. After all, they don’t raise the sun anymore.

@Sjogre  
We have no evidence that they sold that gem to anyone instead of just using it outright. Spike certainly didn’t have to convert the one he used to buy train tickets to bits before he bought them. its obviously not the main currency, but its definitely an accepted one.
 
Conversely, until I see a reason to assume its not real, I don’t see a reason to doubt its existence. You’ll have to refresh my memory on what Twilight was making up while sleep deprived in ‘Its About Time’.
 
Certainly, most Ponyville unicorns would probably be self taught, but Canterlot is a different beast all together.
 
Its all opinions though in the end.

@Background Pony  
We could also assume that those gems are the occasional reward from Twilight or Rarity for helping them (something actually shown before).
 
The fire ruby was a rare gem that he called his gift to himself. From that, we know that it wasn’t from Rarity and it wasn’t counted as a gift from Twilight. Even calling it a gift from Celestia is unlikely, as he didn’t consider it a gift from her. The simplest explanation was that he bought it himself.
 
It was also pricey enough to impress Rarity, who has the super power of finding gems, so it doesn’t seem to be the kind of thing that you would buy on a kid’s pocket money.

@Background Pony  
And my opinion is based on the statement that her failing the test would result in her being sent back to magic kindergarten, because Celestia wouldn’t be content on sending her back just one grade. We also have no evidence that magic kindergarten isn’t part of Celestia’s school.
 
His work is also so important to Twilight that she is shown in season one to be incapable of functioning without it while he’s asleep. The fact that they continually refer to it as his job and he has gone out of town on business on at least one occasion also needs to be considered.
 
Normally, you wouldn’t leave a child alone overnight at all because they arrest you for that kind of thing. And the fact that Applejack had a place to go is entirely irrelevant. Just because you have a place to runaway from home to doesn’t mean you aren’t still running away.
 
Any rate, I enjoyed seeing your point of view, even if I disagree with it completely. Have a nice night.

@candrew  
I said that gems don’t seem to be formalized currency, not that they aren’t valuable or useful as a means of payment. The CMC also had time to sell the gem they used to an appraiser or jewelry shop, rather than having to use it as an impromptu bribe the way Spike did.
 
In About Time, Twilight shows that she will start making things up. I actually can’t recall a point where Pinkie made things up, although she has been mistaken in her assumptions, which isn’t the same thing. Crazy Twilight is not as good a source as lucid Pinkie, to put it simply.
 
Basically, I don’t see any proof for magic kindergarten, and it runs against the fact that we don’t see ponies using magic that young. Until we see a reliable source for it, I’m not going to assume that it’s real.
 
Heck, we’ve only heard of a magic school for gifted unicorns, and most only know magic that relates to their talents. The low range of magic that most know would imply that they’re usually self taught.

@candrew
 
My opinion is based on Twilight’s line that she would be sent back to school (which is where she started studying in the first place), she would be tested, and then she would be sent back to Kindergarten. Not to mention that a School and Kindergarten are different levels of education in the first place.
 
His work is pretty much the definition of chores. We could also assume that those gems are the occasional reward from Twilight or Rarity for helping them (something actually shown before).
 
And the CMC are a special case somewhat. They are pretty adventurous, so you have to watch out for them, lest they get themselves in trouble. Normally you would only tell a child to not go outside when he’s alone. And that time AJ left Ponyville she at least had a place where to stay and keep living.
 
But you’re right in that we’re pretty much in the “Well that’s your opinion” zone. Too-da-loo.

@Sjogre  
I remember a time when people refused to believe that Pinkie grew up on a rock farm, simply because they didn’t think Pinkie was reliable because she was Pinkie. I see no reason to doubt that magic kindergarten exists simply because Twilight is Twilight.
 
As to why no pony else has mentioned it, the simple answer would be the difference between Ponyville and Canterlot. Ponyville is a small town seems to have one class, taught by an Earth Pony, Canterlot is a city with a large, maybe even primarily, unicorn population. Canterlot is also known for having a school entirely for the education of unicorns in the use of magic. Does that make it certain? No, but definitely possible.
 
As to gems being currency, the CMC used one to acquire that giant mane dryer in “Just for Sidekicks’. Plus, they used one to buy tickets for the train.

@candrew  
Jewels have been used more as bribes than as formalized currency, but Spike has gotten gems, quite valuable ones, independent of Twilight, Rarity, or the other mane characters. He’s also been seen buying food on his own, so the simplest explanation is that he is getting paid.
 
Why does anyone think that magic kindergarten is an actual thing? The only person to have mentioned it is Twilight Sparkle, but she was well past the point where her information was reliable. More importantly, Twilight is the only pony we’ve seen use magic on control before getting her cutie mark, meaning that unicorns don’t seem to start using magic until well after kindergarten age.
 
One of the Cake twins was shown using magic, sure, but that was explicitly mentioned to be a temporary phrase. They don’t seem to keep their magic after those surges stop.

@Background Pony  
He left Ponyville because he thought that he was no longer needed, not jealousy.
 
Something to think about, season two had Applejack think it was a good idea to leave Ponyville because she didn’t win the rodeo.

@Background Pony  
And that’s entirely your opinion on those matters, and it goes without saying that I disagree with your interpretation.
 
She said go back to magic kindergarten, that implies she’s been through it once.
 
I see no reason to assume his work is the equivalent of chores, and there is no evidence in show to suggest that is the case. We can also take the line about him saving up his gems, which are valid currency in Equestria, in ‘Just for Sidekicks’ as proof that he does get paid.
 
Yes, Ponyville is safe, or as safe as a town on the edge of the Everfree can be, but we also had an episode in season one specifically about how the CMC, the shows kid characters, weren’t capable of being left alone overnight.
 
Again though, all opinions.

@Background Pony
 
Though there was that one time where he thought it was a good idea to leave Ponyville out of jealousy.

@candrew
 
Actually, we just know there exists a Magic Kindergarten (and even then, from Twiligth’s paranoid rambling), it seemed to be a lower level of education than from where Twilight started (the Magic School).
 
He’s not employed, he’s only Twi’ assistant, he helps her with things (like cleaning the place for her), but that’s not something he was employed for, nor he had/needs a training for that, and he doesn’t get paid either.
 
And Ponyville’s a friendly place, doubtful that there is much harm in leaving him alone at night (and nobody’s saying that he’s young enough to not realize the potential danger of that)

@Background Pony  
Yeah, give or take. We know that Twilight’s magic training was all under Celestia, we know that it started with Spike’s hatching, and we know she went to something called ‘Magic Kindergarten’. Its all vague, as we’ve covered, but given this and the way Spike acts in comparison to the rest of main characters, I believe it to be more likely than the theory that he’s an employed ten year old that’s left by himself overnight on several occasions.
 
These aren’t humans we’re talking about here, they’re ponies that are shown to be capable of walking and have their first words at a month old.

@candrew
 
So you think that Rarity (and possibly the other) got their cutie marks when they were 5 years old?

@Background Pony  
Or that he likes candy and is a bit of a glutton.

@Background Pony  
Yeah, he avoided trick-or-treating and got his candy at the festival, while all the main kid characters went around with Pinkie the entire night.
 
As to what it proves, just another in a long list of evidence. The show treats Spike like he is younger than the mane 6, that’s because he is, but I don’t feel that it treats him like the CMC, who it treats definitively as children.
 
The whole question is how much younger Spike is than Rarity, and like I said, I don’t think its more than about five years, max. If you think differently, that’s fine.

@Background Pony
 
I don’t think that proves he went trick-or-treating, but it does mean he was pretty much only interested in the candy, like the other kids.

@Randomosaur  
Yo!
 
@Parzival  
Indeed they have!  

 
 
@Background Pony  
BEND OVER

@candrew  
>Avoids trick or treating  
>Seen with a huge pile of candy
 
Besides what does that prove? There are plenty of children who like to think of themselves as not, even if they clearly are.

@Background Pony  
And the mane 6 act like children a fair amount as well. Because this is a kids show. And yes he acts like a kid once sometimes, and like a mature responsible adult other times as well.
 
At the end of the day though he also gets left by himself overnight on more than one occasion and avoids things like trick-or-treating when the shows very definitively child characters, the CMC, are shown doing so with Pinkie Pie.
 
It is very vague, but again, making a definitive statement on any of it doesn’t seem to be in Hasbro’s interests.