Yona

Yona is a Yak who attended the School of Friendship.

Friendship Student
Some time prior to being enrolled at the school, Yona celebrated Snilldar Fest with her parents, siblings, and two of her grandparents, and for the first time had her hair braided in Yak tradition. Unfortunately, Yona's braids proved to be something of a hazard to her and others, as the ends hung low enough that Yona would often trip over them and tumble.

brought Yona to the School of Friendship at the invitation of and, and Yona was eager to share her knowledge of Yakyakistan with her new classmates. She soon befriended Gallus the Griffon, Ocellus the Changeling, Sandbar the, Silverstream the Hippogriff, and Smolder the , though there was some initial friction between her, Gallus, and Smolder. All six soon bonded over Twilight's tedious EEA-derived curriculum, and decided to cut class on Friends and Family Day. The experience proved one of bonding for the group, but their clumsy arrival at the social caused some damage to the school and terrified the participants.

Chancellor Neighsay, aghast at learning that non-ponies had been allowed to enroll, closed down the school; Rutherford and the other offended leaders promptly took Yona and her friends home. However, their newfound friendship prompted Yona and the other non-pony students to flee their homelands and take up residence in the Castle of Two Sisters, where Sandbar brought them supplies. Unfortunately, they were soon menaced by a group of Pukwudgies, and it was only the timely arrival of their teachers-the Mane Six-that saved them from suffering or causing harm. Upon learning that their disappearance was threatening to ignite a war between the species, the Young Six returned to the school, which Twilight reopened.

When Neighsay appeared to investigate the breaking of his seal, Twilight announced her intention to run the school under a new curriculum of her own making. Eagerly anticipating this, the students begged the various leaders who had brought them to the school to be allowed to stay, and the leaders consented. Yona thus happily joined her friends at the school, with tying up her braids into loops so as to alleviate her tripping. Some time later, she and the other students would observe 's excitement over the Wild Blue Yonder with some puzzlement.

When Twilight put on a play to commemorate Princess Celestia's "Ones-ersary", Yona and her friends were cast as sorcerers who raised the sun prior to Celestia undertaking that task. After a number of mishaps-most of which stemmed from Twilight selecting an inexperienced Celestia to play herself-the performance came together splendidly. The group later embarked on a trip led by Rainbow Dash and, who first frustrated the students with their overly competitive nature, and then with their overly enthusiastic efforts to NOT compete with each other. Fortunately for the two teachers, Yona and the others mistook their blunders for an object lesson, leading them to consider nominating the pair for Teachers of the Month.

On another occasion, Yona's efforts to student in the School of Friendship Library with her friends were disrupted by, who had the misfortune of leading a tour of the school while going through molt. Later, she took part in a lesson of 's about sharing with friends.

From Chaos to Cozy Glow
Yona was also present when the school suffered a number of mishaps as a result of causing trouble for temporary Headmare. Yona, in particular, became rather aggressive under the encouragement of substitute teacher Iron Will. After Discord summoned a Bugbear that menaced her and her classmates, Yona watched as Starlight cast a banishing spell expelling Discord from the school grounds. This would not be the last of Discord's mischief, however, as he invaded the school as a spirit during their Spell-venger Hunt. Ultimately, Starlight apologized to Discord after he had caused some additional chaos, including turning a staircase to mud beneath Yona and Sandbar.

During a subsequent Hearth's Warming Eve season, Yona and most of her friends anticipated going home to celebrate their respective holidays. After someone made a mess of the school's decorative Fire of Friendship, the students were questioned regarding their possible involvement, facing the threat of having to stay at school were the culprit not found. During the anxious waiting and clean-up period, Yona told her friends about her family experience with Snilldar Fest, after which she and Smolder were called in for questioning. Ultimately, the group's quarrels over possibly not getting to go home prompted Gallus to reveal that he was responsible for the vandalism, due to having no family to celebrate the holidays with. Out of love for their friend, Yona and the others volunteered to stay with him at the school.

Yona and her friends later became excited after hearing about Friendship University, unaware of the dubious nature of its founders Flim and Flam. They later were part of a group of students observing Rainbow Dash and Rarity while the pair struggled with their friendship, having determined that they had little in common with each other. She and her friends were later among the Ponyville residents and/or visitors who attended a pair of performances by the Washouts, a group of daredevil.

When Rockhoof was hired on as a teacher at the school, Yona quickly developed admiration for the massive, almost Yak-like Pony hero. She was thrilled by his tales of adventure and his feats of strength, and was horrified when she learned he was to be placed under a stone sleep spell at his own request. Given an assignment to write about one of her heroes, Yona made Rockhoof the subject of her paper, and read it to Rockhoof in an effort to persuade him not to give up on finding a place in the modern world. Between her encouragement and Twilight's decision to appoint him Equestria's keeper of tales, Rockhoof chose to remain with his friends-including Yona.

Yona and her friends later formed a study group for a project assigned by Twilight, only to have their confidence in their friendship dented by the comments of fellow student Cozy Glow. The group then came across a cavern beneath the School of Friendship, where an entity that appeared to be Twilight decided to test their friendship. Separated from her friends, Yona was forced to confront her fear of spiders, with multitudes of the creatures swarming over her. After briefly suffering terror, she eventually comes to realize that the spiders' frightening appearance does not detract from their ability and desire for friendship. Reunited with her friends, Yona learns that the entity who had set the tests was in fact the Tree of Harmony, who congratulated for facing tests of their own making.

During a school trip to Cloudsdale, Yona was among those who plummeted after Starlight Glimmer's cloud walking spell unexpectedly failed, but was rescued by Gallus and Ocellus. Later, she and her friends became suspicious after Cozy Glow claimed that an absent Starlight Glimmer, who had been filling in for the Mane Six, had also departed leaving her in charge. Chancellor Neighsay, blaming the concurrent magic crisis on Yona and her fellow non-ponies, imprisoned them, but they were soon rescued by Sandbar and the. Their suspicion of Cozy Glow proved well-founded, as the filly was scheming to take over Equestria, and Yona and her friends rescued Neighsay after she had him imprisoned as well. The six then attempted to save a captured Starlight Glimmer, and with her and the magic were saved from oblivion by the intervention of the Tree of Harmony. The Young Six expected that they would graduate as a result of their heroism, but were gently informed that they still had more to learn.

The Road to Happiness
On the occasion of another Hearth's Warming season, Yona and her friends met at the Ponyville Train Station before setting off for their various homes, with Yona happily celebrating another Snilldar Fest in Yakyakistan. Presumably around the same time, Yona was present as Applejack-putting on a variety of different voices-interrupted Rarity's lessons with various activity cancellations. She was also among the students who voted in as Teacher of the Month multiple times. On another occasion, Yona showed Twilight a Ladybug that had taken position on her nose, only for her Headmare's phobia of the insects to terrify her.

After the Tree of Harmony was shattered by, Yona and her friends experienced a shared dream in which the Tree's spirit called upon them for help. After seeing its remains, the group decided to find some way to memorialize the Tree, with Yona helping her father out with various chores in order to get permission to return to Ponyville early. Sadly, each member of the group had different ideas about how to do so, and their differences in opinion soon turned to argument. Ultimately, Yona would make peace between her feuding friends, and led them in assembling the Tree's remains into a structure that magically transformed into the Treehouse of Harmony

When Twilight decided to revive the traditional Fetlock Fete as an "Amity Ball" at the School of Friendship, Sandbar asked Yona if she would attend with him. Yona accepted, but came to worry that she didn't know enough about Pony ways, and turned to Rarity and other members of the Mane Six for help. Yona came to the dance dressed and speaking like a Pony, but her new fashion brought out her old clumsiness and she fled in embarrassment. Sandbar tracked her to the Treehouse, and made it clear that she wasn't expected to be a Pony, but to be herself. The pair returned to the dance, and after winning the Pony Pal Contest incorporated in the event, Yona led her Pony and non-pony friends in doing the "Yakyakistan Stomp."

Yona and her friends were among the attendees of Cutie Mark Crusader Appreciation Day, and she, Ocellus, and Smolder later joined the Buckball Cheer Squad at the School of Friendship. Together with cheerponies Shimmy Shake and Lighthoof, the three looked forward to working with newly appointed cheer coach Rainbow Dash, only to find her unenthusiastic. Though Yona and the others were made increasingly upset by her disinterest, Smolder eventually helped Rainbow come around, and she in turn helped the squad become a coordinated and happy group. On another occasion, she and Silverstream were out walking with Gallus when Gabby and Spike appeared with a letter for Gallus.

While Starlight Glmmer was searching for a Vice Headmare to help her in taking over management of the School of Friendship, Yona and her friends were involved in the screening process. After a lackluster stint with Spoiled Rich as a teacher, she and her parents enjoyed a glowing parent teacher conference with Dr. Hooves. Unfortunately, Yona was also present when transported a hive of Flash Bees into a classroom.

When the Legion of Doom launched their invasion of Equestria, Yona and the other students were evacuated through the caverns beneath the school. Yona made her way back to Yakyakistan, where she rallied her people to fight alongside the Ponies in the final battle. Along with her friends, the Pillars of Old Equestria, and the future Council of Friendship, she took part in unleashing the Magic of Friendship against, , and Cozy Glow. Yona and her friends later attended Twilight's coronation as Queen of Equestria, and were subsequently honored with a stainglass window in Canterlot Castle depicting a struggle against a strange beast. Years later, an adult Yona worked at Rarity's Carousel Boutique, where she and Sandbar welcomed a visiting Rarity and Luster Dawn.

Personality
Yona is a brave and headstrong Yak, having great love for her homeland and culture. Like her fellow student Silverstream, Yona is excitable and enthusiastic, though not to the extent of Silverstream. Although Yona has a rough exterior with a somewhat gruff demeanor, she is ultimately a good, kind and caring Yak who values her friends above all.

Appearances

 * (mentioned)
 * My Little Pony Holiday Special 2019
 * My Little Pony (Gameloft)
 * (mentioned)
 * My Little Pony Holiday Special 2019
 * My Little Pony (Gameloft)
 * (mentioned)
 * My Little Pony Holiday Special 2019
 * My Little Pony (Gameloft)
 * (mentioned)
 * My Little Pony Holiday Special 2019
 * My Little Pony (Gameloft)
 * (mentioned)
 * My Little Pony Holiday Special 2019
 * My Little Pony (Gameloft)
 * (mentioned)
 * My Little Pony Holiday Special 2019
 * My Little Pony (Gameloft)
 * My Little Pony Holiday Special 2019
 * My Little Pony (Gameloft)
 * My Little Pony Holiday Special 2019
 * My Little Pony (Gameloft)
 * My Little Pony Holiday Special 2019
 * My Little Pony (Gameloft)
 * My Little Pony Holiday Special 2019
 * My Little Pony (Gameloft)