Late afternoon sunlight played across the barn-like edifice of the schoolhouse on this clear autumn weekday. Birds and squirrels were bustling about preparing for the colder months. Clouds traced lazily across the sky. I squinted against the sunlight as Miss Cheerilee held the door open for us.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Scootaloo." Her voice was more clipped and formal than usual, her expression dour.
I waited in the schoolyard as my daughter collected up her helmet and scooter with my best stern executive dad face. Then we both trotted down the path. My eyes fixed on the road ahead and Scootaloo looking forlornly at the ground.
I broke first, snickering deep in my throat. My companion glared at me and nudged me with her flank. This caused a growing cascade of snickering. "Dad." She shot me a glare but her mouth wavered as she fought off a grin. I looked back to see if we were being observed then we both , unspoken, hurried down the hill in a steady canter so we could be out of sight. Finally safe father and daughter collapsed on a low knoll to giggle and laugh off the tension.
"You really did it this time, honey bunch. I've never seen Miss Cheerilee so serious!" I pushed my bangs down on my forehead. "Mr. Swallowtail, thank you for coming on such short notice."
Scoots freed up one of the hooves she was using to hide her grin and slugged me in the shoulder. I waited for the mirth to subside a bit before clearing my throat and getting a bit more formal myself.
"Now, dear. I kid about Miss. Cheerilee because we grew up together but she is your teacher and deserves your respect. Understand?"
She nodded.
"Now. I've heard her side of the story. Why don't you tell me what happened."
My darling let out a huff and rolled her eyes. "It was recess. I head some yelling. A bully was giving Featherweight some trouble, getting in his face and calling him names."
"Yes, and?"
"So I told her to mind her own business and she started calling me names instead, backing me up against the schoolhouse."
"And you pushed her?"
"I guess I did..."
"Okay, Scootaloo. You did a good thing today. I'll never be angry with you for standing up to a bully. They need to be stopped because they'll usually keep hurting people. But you did it in the wrong way. Can you tell me what you did that made Cheerilee upset?"
She looked into the blue sky and tapped her chin. "I got cau..."
"You pushed her, you got physical. That made you the one who got in trouble. That was probably her plan. She made you loose your temper and become the aggressor so you looked like the bully."
She muttered under her breath. Likely some dark curse.
"It's good to stand up for your friends but be a shield, not a club. Miss Cheerilee wants you to tell a grownup when these things happen, or ignore a bully and hope they get bored and stop. But ponies like that won't stop. Something about them that compels them. They don't really respect teacher, they just care about not getting in trouble."
"Why do they have to be so mean, daddy."
"Well. You know daddy was bullied in school. My best friend had a big family and this colt was friends with his older brother. My friend really annoyed him, but he couldn't pick on him because of the brother so he took it out on me. Imagine if one of Miss Rarity's friends was really annoyed by Sweetie, but picked on you instead."
Scootaloo chucked to herself, likely imagining all the ways her sometimes air headed and astutely literal minded friend could get on an older pony's nerves. "So what happened?"
"I did what grownups said told me to do. I wouldn't react when he hit me or teased me hoping he'd get bored. But one day he slammed my fetlock in a door. I had it in a cast for a few weeks."
Anger flared across her expression. Funny her getting mad in my behalf for something that occurred nearly two decades ago. "Did he get in trouble?"
"Sort of. They wanted to send me to another school, as if I was the one who was causing problems. Your grandma wasn't going to put up with that. He was moved and never bothered me again. But, it shouldn't have gotten that far. I never stood up for myself. I just prayed that Celestia would give him the peace he needed to not push little ponies around but he never did."
"Why'd be do it anyway?"
Unhappy and feeling neglected about his parent's divorce, I thought but left it unsaid since I was putting my daughter through the same thing. It takes two, though and I wasn't the one who let the feather fall from my mane. Besides, Scootaloo was younger and used to her mother leaving for months on end.
"When you were being teased how did you feel?"
She pondered this a moment. "Angry. Mostly."
"Did you hate her that moment "
"I guess."
"A bully doesn't exactly want you to hate them, they want you to hate yourself, for you to feel weak and small helps them feel big and powerful. But you know what?" I gave her a hug. "Even if you get in a fight and loose, get your face in the dirt and bruises and everything, there's something they can never hurt. Your self worth. Never loose hold on your dignity, Scootaloo. Protect and grow your confidence in yourself like Carrot Top in her garden. You may have to keep close watch to keep rabbits and snails from eating away at it but nurture it and help it grow. Don't listen when people call you small. Your flight feathers will grow in strong and beautiful one day. Then you'll be flying high and swift over any petty schoolyard bully."
She gave me a sweet smile. "Dad, you can be really sappy sometimes. I love you." She gave me a tight hug.
"Mommy might not want me rewarding you for getting into trouble at school but I think this all calls for a double chocolate fudge milkshake with sprinkles. What do you say?"
"Yes! Race you to Sugar Cube Corner!" She donned her helmet and buzzed off on her scooter without waiting for a response.
I went airborne and flapped my wings to catch up. That conversation went fairly well but something sour lingered in my stomach. Kids can be cruel and their viciousness only got more inventive over time. What if one of them found out what her mother does for a living? How do I even explain it to her when she gets curious in a way that won't leave her confused? I was rather distracted while Pinkie Pie took our order. I lingered at the counter as my daughter hurried over to chat with her classmate Applecore about her argument and detention. So brave, yet so young and innocent.
"Something on your mind, Marty?" Pinkie was perky and inquisitive as always.
"Yeah, just trying to figure out how to explain adult concepts to Scootaloo in the most understandable and gentle way."
Suddenly the pink mare was on my side of the counter, rising up slowly on her hind legs, a hoof on my shoulder, with a playfully conspiratorial expression. "You mean like how her mother is a sex worker?"
If I had been drinking something I would have made a spit take but instead just sputtered. How did a pony as carefree and foal-like even know about such things?
"H-how did you know about that?!"
"Oh, Marty," she closed her eyes and put a hoof to her chest. "I have no delusions. I know what ponies think about me. Of course I know. My cutie mark is all about partying, remember? Sometimes my Pinkie Sense goes off if there's a party going on writhin fifty pony-lengths away. How old do you think before I stumbled into my first bachelor party? Vervain started dancing soon after you broke up, right? How many burlesque dancers do you think there are in Ponyville? How many times do you think I've hired her for bachelor parties I've planned? She even showed me a few moves, never know when they'll come in handy." She wiggled her flank to demonstrate.
"Ponies hire you to plan bachelor parties?"
"Of course, silly! They're a Bla-ast!"
"So what do you think I should do, wizened one?"
"Scootaloo is far to young to understand that type of attraction. Just tell her that stallions hire her to perform and it makes them happy. Being appreciated like that makes her mommy happy and feel valued, but it might not be the sort of life that's meant for her. But nothing to feel ashamed about, it's just pony nature."
"Pinkie Pie... That's brilliant. Thank you."
"No problem!" She bounced off to check on other customers, as casual as if he had just filled my coffee cup rather than solving one of my pressing life issues. I looked over and watched Scootaloo with a fond smile forming on my lips. She was chatting with her classmates and sipping her milkshake. Sure, life would throw her a ton of challenges many of which I cannot fully prepare her for but she's a tough little filly. All I can do is always be there to support and encourage her.