Ash turned his head and gave Cheerilee a look that could have been interpreted either as 'Are you kidding me?' or 'Surely you're not serious'.

"I assure you, I am not joking and I am completely serious," said Cheerilee. "All three have an amazing vocabulary range and are exceptional writers. You might as well call Scootaloo a living thesaurus, with all the synonyms she knows. And Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom aren't any slouches either. Near perfect spelling test scores every time," the teacher declared proudly as the Crusaders flushed and beamed.

"That, uh..." Ash lowered his voice. "Well, just because they're good at something doesn't necessarily mean they can teach."

"That is true," Cheerilee answered with a nod. "But you already have a solid foundation-"

"-and these three are just going to help you develop you skills further. I'll also provide some extra material for practice but for now, if you have a question, ask these three." The mare gestured to the trio chatting away furiously about boot camps and extreme training.

"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle agreed. "There's no way we're gonna let a Crusader fall behind."

"You'll learn to read and write good and we get our cutie marks," Scootaloo added. "It's a win-win. Hey, what do you think a tutoring cutie mark'll look like?"

Amazingly, Cheerilee managed to bite back her cry of indignation. Instead, she said to Ash, "Will you at least give it a chance?" This time, the mare lowered her voice to a whisper. "These three really want to help. They actually came to me, offering their assistance."

"Well, no. Sweetie Belle was actually looking for extra credit but when I mentioned that you needed tutoring, they jumped at it. I think they deserve a chance to help." She shrugged. "But it is your decision."

The stallion realized his mistake too late as he looked into three pairs of giant, quivering eyes.

Cheerilee brushed her mane back into place and smiled. "Perfect. And before I forget..." She reached under her desk and returned with a large pile of papers and books. "Here's some practice for you to begin with. I'll leave the rest in your capable hooves." She gave the Crusaders a wink as the three grinned widely. The fillies giggled and winked back as Ash sighed and stuffed his purple saddlebags full.

The young teacher continued to wave as her four students disappeared into the distance. As she did, Cheerilee failed to notice the old mare approach her until she had spoken.

Spike stared, first at the stallion, then at the Crusaders that were rendering hours of his and Twilight's pain and sweat meaningless as they shuffled through the shelves, pulling out books and discarding them in a not-so neat pile. He then returned his gaze onto his purple guardian, whose jaw hung slack. Twilight shut her mouth and gave Ash a look that could have been interpreted either as 'You've got to be joking' or 'You're not serious, are you?'.

"I wish I was kidding," Ash said. "But Ch-Ms. Cheerilee's planning a study on classical literature or something and-"

"Wait," Twilight quickly interjected, stopping him with a hoof on his front. "You mean she's going forward with it?"

Spike and As winced as Twilight released a high-pitched squeal. "Is she still at the schoolhouse?" she asked, knocking the three fillies aside and grabbing large texts with her magic.

At Ash's answer, Twilight disappeared with a purple flash. Sweetie Belle stuck her head out of a pile of books. "Hey Spike?"

"Wait, hold on. Are you three actually taking this seriously? You guys are actually gonna try teaching Ash how to read?"

"And write," Apple Bloom said, giving the titles of the books surrounding her a brief read. "Yah got anythin' on writin'?"

Spike looked to the grey Unicorn next to him before smirking. "Oh man, this is hilarious," he laughed. "Wait 'til Rainbow Dash and Pinkie hear 'bout this!"

"Great, just let all of Ponyville know," Ash groaned. "Just do your job and find us the books."

"Nah, we don't need help," said Scootaloo, relieving a shelf of its entire contents. "Let's see..."

"Oh." Scootaloo shrugged, tossing aside a thick medical almanac. "Next!" More books fell onto the floor. Spike whimpered.

"Stop! Just...just stop." Spike hid his face behind his claws. He walked out of the main library and up the stairs. A few minutes later he returned with his arms laden with literature. "Here, you can borrow these," the library assistant said, handing some worn out picture books over to Apple Bloom.

"'Spot the Dog'," the Earth Pony read. "'Puff the Huff ', "Green Eggs and Dams: A Collection of Ridiculous Comparisons','Goodnight Mare on the Moon', 'A is for Antidisestablishmentarianism'..."

"I didn't know Twilight stocked children books in the library," Scootaloo exclaimed.

"She, uh, doesn't really, They belong to...me," said Spike, shifting his eyes side to side and shuffling his feet. "Um, it's kinda how Twilight and Mo-Princess Celestia taught me when I was little and, well, look how I turned out." Spike set his claws around his waist and smiled smugly. He let his arms fall to his sides when he failed to win any response. "Anyways, I guess you can borrow them for awhile."

"Aw, how nice," Sweetie Belle said, smiling at the dragon awkwardly kicking at the floor. "Thanks, Spike."

Spike blushed. "Heh heh, yeah well, just make sure I get them back. I kinda wanna-I mean, ahem, those are library property so you need to take care of them." His face grew redder as the Crusaders giggled.

"'Reading for D-uh-mes'. Hey I did it! Reading for Dummies!" Ash's smile quickly faded. "Hey, is that an insult?"

"Library's closed." Spike shoved all four ponies toward the door with a broom. When he was finally alone, the dragon looked at the mess around him and groaned.

"Ladies, this is gonna be a very busy afternoon," Scootaloo declared, her helmet sliding over her eyes. "We're gonna teach you how to read and you're gonna read good. Then you're going to learn to write then you're gonna write good!" The Pegasus slammed a dictionary down in front of her, sending Ash into a jump. "By the end of today, you'll be the bestest-"

"-reader in Equestria and we'll finally have our cutie marks. Any questions, troops?"

The stallion rolled his eyes. "We have more than just this one afternoon you know. Heck, the weekend is tomorrow."

"Yeah, but think how awesome it'd be if we pulled all of it off in one afternoon. Fastest tutors in Equestria." Scootaloo puffed out her chest. "I bet even Rainbow Dash doesn't have that title, and speed's her middle name." The Pegasus gasped. "Do you think I'll a get cutie mark that's like hers after all this is done?"

Ash's dry cough returned the fillies back to the job at hand. "Right," Scootaloo said, pushing the helmet off her head and taking a piece of parchment out of it. "If we're gonna get Ash up to speed before Saturday and in time for fresh muffins at Sugarcube Corner, we need, uh..."

"Good thinkin'," Apple Bloom said. "Ah always see Twilight makin' lists of chores and orderin' them up whenever she comes over tah help."

"Well, Ms. Cheerilee always says practice makes perfect," Sweetie Belle said. "So time to practice!" She cleared her throat. "Item one, make list of things we need to do."

"Three, teach Ash how to write. Wait, that's it?" Scootaloo snorted. "This it'll be a breeze!" She snatched the list from the tutee just as he placed the pen on the parchment. She frowned at the completely blank paper. "C'mon Ash, how are we going to finish all this before dinner at this speed?"

It might have been her imagination but Applejack could have sworn that steam streamed from Ash's ears as she stuck her head in the Crusaders' clubhouse to call everypony for dinner.

"Well, it ain't a school night, so Ah guess yah three c'n stay tha night so long as yah let yer parents know," Applejack agreed as she passed plates of food around the table.

"We kind of anticipated an all night session. Have you seen Ash's hoofwriting?" Sweetie Belle shook her head. "It's like he's never held a pen in his life."

Ash grumbled, poking at his food. As he leaned forward to take a bite, the old mare beside him smacked his back, sending his muzzle deep into the fritter.

"Ah hear yah, young'un," Granny Smith said, chuckling. "Why, back when Ah was jus' a filly an' the Apple's were still travelin' 'round, lookin' fer a place tah settle, we didn' have them luxury things like fancy pens or monocles or sliced bread. Just tha clothes on our backs, our seeds, an' family. Why, we had tah write all our letters with our hooves coated in ink! 'Course, back then, letter paper was lot bigger, made it easier tah write, easier tah read, didn' need them awful spectacles, not like nowadays with you whippersnappers writin' like ants. Why, Ah think the firs' time Ah touched an actual, honest tah Betsy, Betsy bein' our very firs' dairy cow, bless her hooves, pen was on mah tenth birthday, easily tha fourteenth best harvest that year. Got it fer a gift and 'course wouldn' yah know it, we didn' have any ink. Almost ruined it by usin' paint instead. Paint jus' ain't what it use tah be..."

Applejack placed a napkin next to the grey Unicorn's plate. "Yah got something on yer face, sugarcube," she said, trying not to snicker.

To her younger sister the mare sighed and said, "Ah wish yah could've told me these things beforehoof. Would've gotten tha old sleeping bags out an' ready."

"That's okay, sis. We've got a great big blanket in the clubhouse an' snacks an' a lamp an' everythin'. Heck, you don' even have tah check up on us." Apple Bloom's eyes brightened. "Hey gals, Ah jus' realized. Now that we've got an adult in the Crusaders, we won' need somepony tah babysit when we have sleepovers! Ash can jus' sleep with us!"

How unfortunate that it was that moment Ash chose to take a sip of juice. "H-hold on," he said between coughs. "What?"

"What? You think you're an expert at reading and stuff already?" Scootaloo demanded.

"Then of course you have to stay the night with us. That's what tutors and students do, right?"

"Right!" Sweetie Belle answered loudly. "Just like those books my sister has that she doesn't think I know about. Besides, at the rate we're working by the time by the time we finish all the good muffins will be gone. We'll be stuck with the 'surprise' ones and only Spike likes those." The Unicorn filly looked around her before sticking her tongue out in disgust in a rather unladylike manner.

"No buts," Apple Bloom interjected. "How are yah gonna learn anythin' with that sort of attitude."

"Apple Bloom's right," Granny Smith said, slamming her hoof against the table. "Why, tha only reason we Apples've been so fruitful, 'sides bein' friendly, smart, knowin' tha right folks, luck, eatin' right an' exercisin', is our 'can-do' attitude. Can we raised a barn? Yah better bet yer boots! Can we eat all these apples? Yah better believe it! Can we..."

As the elderly mare continued her rambling, Ash gave Applejack a nervous look. She stared back for a second before shrugging.

"Let's see if we can find Big Macintosh's old sleeping bag after dinner. Might be a little big though."

"Have yah seen mah brother? There's a reason why we call him 'Big' Mac," Applejack scoffed.

"N-no. I meant, well..." The Unicorn trailed off as he looked down at his plate.

"Where is Big Mac anyhow?" Apple Bloom wondered, pointing at the seat Ash was in.

"That nice mare Cheerilee picked 'im up," answered the Apple matriarch. "Lovely mare she is, polite, smart, pretty. Offered him dinner. 'Course yer brother accept. Ah raised that colt an' taught him manners, he'd do yer mother an' father proud. Too quiet and shy, though, takes from his mother Ah guess, bless her heart. Still, he'll never meet a mare like this an' Ah ain't gettin' any younger." She sighed. "Ah heard her mother is in town. Pushy mare, that one."

"Don't look at me," the white Unicorn mumbled as she finished her pie. "I didn't have anything to do with it."

"Now Ash," Granny Smith said, turning her attention to the stallion struggling with his own supper. His hooves were sticky with cinnamon and caramelized apple. "Yer a nice young fella. Whada think 'bout mah granddaughter?"

How unfortunate that it was that moment he and Applejack chose to take a sip of juice.

"Alright, alright," Scootaloo said, poking her head out of a pile of pillows. "Truce. I think it's time to get to work."

Sweetie Belle paused mid-swing. She let her pink fluffy weapon fall to the floor. "Aw-oof! Hey, truce!"

Now Apple Bloom dropped her pillow. "Scootaloo's right. As fun as that was, we still need tah do all that tutorin' stuff. Where is Ash, anyways?"

A muffled cry came from beneath the sea of pillows. A grey hoof broke through and waved weakly.

"You surprised me, that's all," Ash mumbled as the fillies dug him out. "I was surprised."

"Yeah sure," Sweetie Belle smirked as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo giggled. "Now, where's that list? What's next on the agenda?"

"Let's see." Apple Bloom rested her chin against her cushion as she thought. "It was either teachin' you tah read or learnin' tah write."

Ash looked out the clubhouse's window. "It's getting kind of late," he noted. "Shouldn't we-"

"Uh uh uh," Scootaloo interrupted, shaking her hoof. "You're not getting out of this that easily. Um..." The young Pegasus shifted through the mess of their battle. "Where are the books we borrowed?"

"Psh, of course not, heh," Scootaloo said, hoping she sounded confident. "I know they're here, somewhere..."

"Here's one!" called Apple Bloom. "Huh, Ah've never actually heard of this one."

"Me neither," Sweetie Belle said, looking over her friend's shoulder. "Maybe it's a book you can only find in Canterlot."

"Careful," Sweetie Belle scolded as Scootaloo snatched the book from Apple Bloom. "That's Spike's book, remember. We need to take good care of it."

Ash flinched as the hardcover struck his cheek and landed at his feet. He turned it over and looked at the front. Below the title was the picture of filly huddled beneath a red blanket. She was staring up into the starry sky and at the full moon, which was decorated by the faint outline of a Unicorn.

"'Goodnight Mare on the Moon'," he read slowly. He looked up and found his tutors snuggled beneath their own large quilt.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Scootaloo asked, her legs wrapped tightly around her pillow. The other two waited just as eager.

...Goodnight moon, goodnight room, goodnight Mother's weaving loom.

Goodnight sunlight, goodnight moonlight, goodnight stars that also grant us sight.

Goodnight candle, goodnight door handle. And goodnight door and goodnight floor and goodnight puppy beginning to snore.

Goodnight farms, goodnight barns, goodnight Mother's balls of yarn.

Goodnight cats, goodnight hats, goodnight chair in which I sat.

Goodnight woolen socks, goodnight ticking clocks.

Goodnight dolls, goodnight books, goodnight toys, safe in their nooks.

Goodnight wagon, goodnight dragon, goodnight knight, please don't fight.

Goodnight rubber ball. Goodnight pictures in the hall. Goodnight Gran from far away. Goodnight Gran that's here to stay.

Goodnight Mother, and goodnight Father. Some day soon, goodnight brother.

Goodnight clouds, goodnight frogs croaking loud, goodnight all ye nighttime sounds. And goodnight to the lovely town.

Goodnight little shops, goodnight nearby mountain tops.

Goodnight city oh so large, goodnight lords and ladies in charge.

Goodnight castle made of stone, goodnight castle all alone.

Goodnight, goodnight, Mare on the Moon. Please, please, come home soon...

"...the end." Ash gently closed the book. The annoyed frown he wore as he looked at his three slumbering tutors evaporated like summer morning dew and was replace with a small smile. Carefully, so as to avoid disturbing the sleeping fillies, Ash shifted the blanket around into a more comfortable position for the three.

The stallion laid his own head down as he drew himself into the spacious sleeping bag he was lent. He peaked out of the window one last time, stealing a glance at the moon.

Ash shook his head. What, did he really expect to see a mare wandering the face of the moon? Chastising himself for such childish thoughts, Ash shut his eyes.

Tonight would be the first night the Mage did not suffer from nightmares, but he would not realize it amid the chaos that followed in the morning.

The Second Revival of a Heart: Ponyville Days

by TheMessenger

ABCs with the CMCs