> Grading is degrading > by BewhoUr > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > What the heck is this? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The dim light was generously radiated by a single flickering candle, which found its home squarely in the middle of the oaken table. The legs on the table creaked, old antique furniture as plain as the eye could see. In front of this table on which the candle flickered sat a slightly less old appearing rocking chair, made out of sweet smelling spruce. These objects were illuminated by that red candle, which itself gave off the smell of fresh cinnamon in addition to its unearthly glow. In the flickering shadow light, a figure could be seen approaching the almost picture-like setting. Her hooves made small clinks on the floor, her cotton candy mane bouncing to her hoof beats. As she approached the light, her face became visible, soon the entire pony was taken into the scene. Her fur was a dark razberry violet, her eyes a fun shade of pink. She smiled softly as she lowered herself into the chair, a small sigh escaping her lips as she raised the first paper to her eye level and began to read- My pet Winona By Applebloom My pet iz is a collie dog named Winona. I like hanging out with her when I do the chores because its really fun. Its not as fun as playing with Scootaloo and Sweetie belle, but its still fun. And when the timberwolves tried to atak attack our farm, Winona didn't let them hurt me! I wish she was there that time when we fell over a waterfall, or when AJ left me alone and I broke a bunch of stuff. Or when Scoots and Sweetie and I went zip-lining and almost broke our necks. But she has been there for me alot, and that's why I love her! And sometimes I sneak her food under the table, but don't tell AJ or she'd get mad at me! Cheerilee drew her head back slowly and glared at the paper like it was her worst enemy. Zip-lining? Timberwolves? Home alone? Over a WATERFALL!? Where had the Apple family's overall smarts gone? Applebloom could be in serious danger! Cheerilee snorted. She decided she would brush it off as long as she hurt no further reports of these sort of incidents. She put the paper down, lifting a small stamp off her desk with her teeth and delicately placing a B- on the page. She moved to the next one with a sigh, hoping it wouldn't be as depressing. My pet Opal By Sweetie Belle I sure do love my cat Opal! She has such fluffy white fur, and the bow in her hair is soooo cute! I just want to cuddle her so much! But she dosnt' doesn't let me cuddle her. Once when I tried to do that, she ripped a chunk of my mane out, and another time she cut my leg really bad and Rarity had to take me to the hospital to get stitches. But I forgive her, cause shes so cute! And Rarity warns me not to play with her, but I do it anyway, because shes my cat. I don't care if she makes my muzzle bleed! I still love her! She only seems to like my singing. But I can MAKE her love me, Rarity will see! Cheerilees muzzle gripped into a tightly pinched grimace, and her eyes widened at the last sentence. Plus, stitches? This was one abusive cat! She sighed and marked it with the same grade as her peer, sticking out her tongue slightly at the taste of scattered ink on the brass handle and deciding not to question this questionable paper any longer. She traded the white filly unicorns paper for the paper of the orange pegasi who also resided in her class, and began to read, biting her tongue in hopes that there was one sane filly in her classroom. My pet Wings By Scootaloo Wings is one of my best friends in the world besides Applebloom and Sweetie belle. I love her so much, and maybe its because we were both sad and alone when I found her. Acctually, she found me! I was in my box where I live, trying to beat a storm when she ran by. A chicken with a broken wing. So I helped her get heled healed and she decided she would stay with me so we live in my box together now! And sometimes she even finds me food and we share it! I love Wings and I hope she never leaves me. I don't like gushy stuff, but wings hes helped me through so much! When I was really cold and it was raining and my box was like soaked through, she found us a place out of the rain! But I totally could have found it on my own. "No. Just... no!" Cheerilee snorted as she stood up from the slowly rocking chair and felt her hooves touch the ground as she left her degrading job. She could finish in the morning, when she wasn't so depressed. She inhaled, breathing out and extinguishing the candle, therefore extinguishing the warm, friendly glow of the room and replacing it with pitch black darkness. Her eyes glowed in the shadows midst, and she breathed another sigh. Was there any hope for Equestria? She trotted up the stairs, eager to greet her warm bed, and as she neared the top, looked out the small window that cast a beam of moonlight onto the second floor. She saw, even though she couldn't believe it at first, the three fillies whom she had just read the works of trotting down the street in formation, a wheelbarrow full of what appeared to be TNT being dragged behind them. Cheerilee's eyes widened in shock, and for a moment she was gripped by the desire to yell out to them, telling them to stop whatever crazy scheme they were surely brewing. But she only blinked tiredly and continued her route to slumber. Why am I even surprised anymore...