The Kobold of Ponyville
Chapter XIII - First Day Part III
Tak fidgeted on his chair, grumbling as he tried to get comfy on the slightly bigger than himself furniture. Beside him, he could hear Scootaloo and the other two crusaders snickering softly as he did so. Finally, for what the little kobold felt was an eternity, he finally got comfortable. His tail slunk downwards through the gap between the seat and back part of the chair. However, he now found a new problem.
Being a bit smaller than his fellow pony classmates, at least, from a width perspective. The kobold looked a lot smaller than he was compared to the large pony sized desk he was sitting at. This earned another round of snickering from his friends to which he simply stuck out his tongue as he pulled up his backpack and began to scramble inside it to take out his various bits of equipment.
Placing down his notebook and pencil case, Tak caught a whiff of his lunch inside its little tupperware lunchbox. The kobold’s stomach growled loudly as the delicious aroma of tuna and sweetcorn filled his nostrils. However, before he could even remotely eat the scrumptious food, he heard a delicate cough and looked up to see Miss Cheerilee giving him an amused smile.
“There’ll be plenty of time for lunch later, Tak. Right now, we have lessons to attend to.”
“Tak can’t have his food when he wants?” he asked.
“Afraid not, lunch is at twelve thirty, about two hours away.”
“T-Two hours? That’s like… two one hours!” Tak exclaimed with a shocked gasp.
The class erupted into a fit of giggles and snickers as Miss Cheerilee shook her head, but still smiled softly.
“That’s correct, Tak. Now, shall we get started?” she asked the class, “Can anypony tell me what we were talking about last lesson?”
Several hooves shot up into the air along with several demands for Cheerilee to pick them. The teacher pretending to struggle with her choice as she scanned the sea of stretched limbs before she settled on a small filly a couple rows ahead of Tak.
“We were learning about algebra!” the filly replied.
“Correct, Songflower. Now, everyone turn your books to page twenty-five and read through to page thirty-five. Tak, you are not required to read if you don’t want to, this lesson is more of an observation for you.” the mare began, “Your task is to note down your experiences in the classroom for today I’ve arranged for a tutoring programme with Twilight for you to help you quickly learn more about our lessons, she’ll be coming to pick you up after lunch. Okay?”
“Yes, teacher pony!” Tak replied enthusiastically.
“It’s, Miss Cheerilee, Tak,” Cheerilee said with a soft smile, “Little colts and fillies address their teachers by Miss or Mister, not their name. I thought Fluttershy explained this to you yesterday?”
“Mother did, Tak is sorry, Tak’s still getting used to remembering ponies names and stuff,” Tak apologized, rubbing the back of his head.
“That’s alright, Tak. There’s no harm done, now as I was saying—”
“Why are you called Miss Cheerilee, though?” Tak interrupted, tilting his head, “Tak doesn't call mother, Miss fluttershy. Or Purple—Tak means, Twilight.”
The classroom was filled with the murmurings of the foals and colts, confused as to why Tak was talking back to Miss Cheerilee like this. The teacher looked around and coughed into her hoof, getting the attention back of her class as she clearly tell he wasn’t trying to wind her up or heckle her, as some of her students did from time to time and was genuinely confused and curious as to their way of why someponies used titles.
“Well…” Cheerilee began, “firstly, please don't interrupt me when i’m speaking, that’s being a little rude.”
“Sorry,” Tak replied sincerely, smiling sheepishly.
“That’s okay,” the mare giggled softly before continuing, “I’ll try and explain it as simple as best I can. It’s simply a way to show respect.”
Tak nodded softly as he gasped softly and started to scribble inside of his notebook as the mare continued. For any pony looking, they would have difficulty reading his writing as he was only proficient in writing in his native tongue.
“But why do ponies not call each other miss or whatever? Why is it just to you?” Tak asked.
“The reason why most ponies you will notice, even ones my age or older, will call me Miss Cheerilee because it’s a form of respect for what I do. Teaching the younger generation to help them with their future.”
Tak nodded as he scribbled away some more, his tongue sticking out in concentration as Miss Cheerilee continued speaking to him.
“Most ponies respect one another regardless as is our society's way, and will now and again refer to them as Miss, Mrs, or Mister depending on whom they are addressing. But this doesn't mean that everypony does this all the time, though, as we as a society are very friendly towards one another for the majority of the time so most of the time we just don't use titles. But in some cases, such as myself for example, we do because it’s a show of respect for what they are doing.”
Tak stopped for a moment, rapping his chin with his pencil before tilting his head, “Then why does everyone call Pinkie’s guardians Mister and Mrs Cake? Do they teach colts and fillies?”
Miss Cheerilee sighed as the class snickered, this was going to be a bit more difficult to fully explain. She looked at the clock and gasped, noticing the time having gone much quicker than she had though.
“I’ll let Fluttershy explain it to you in better if you like, Tak. I’m afraid we’ve spent a bit too much time talking about this.”
“Alright… Tak’s still confused and finds it odd…” he replied as he propped his head on one of his hands.
“I think it’s odd you talk in third person,” Diamond Tiara sniffed snootily.
Some ponies snickered as Diamond Tiara hoof bumped Silver spoon, as the crusaders and Tak’s other friends gave Diamond
“Diamond!” Miss Cheerilee scolded. “Apologize at—”
“Tak talks like this because Tak was brought up differently,” Tak replied, interrupting Miss Cheerilee, “Just like how you were brought up to be a complete jerk!”
The class broke into louder snickers as Tak stuck his tongue out at the offended filly who’s face went a shade red with anger. Miss Cheerilee let out a low sigh before coughing loudly into her hoof, getting back the attention of the class
“Tak, there’s no need to respond to her rudeness with your own. Both of you need to understand that I will not be tolerating any kind of mean behaviour towards other classmates, now both of you apologise to one another this instant.”
“Sorry,” both of them mumbled out.
The mare let out a weary sigh, making a note to pass on what had happened to Fluttershy and Filthy Rich. She took a seat at her desk as she looked back at Tak and smiled softly, regaining her composure.
“As I was trying to say, everyone please turn to page twenty five and we shall begin.”
“Yes, Miss Cheerilee!” the class replied in unison.
“Miss Cheerilee?” Tak called out.
“Yes, Tak?” she replied.
“Can… can Tak have a go at this… ‘al-gee-brah’? Tak wants to fit in.”
There were a few snickers from the other students, including his friends who knew how this was going to turn out.
“I don’t know… it’s not exactly an easy thing to get right into. Especially seeing as how we are already a quarter of the way through…”
“Tak still wants to try!” Tak snapped, looking at the mare with an annoyed, yet determined expression.
Miss Cheerilee giggled softly, admiring the kobold’s enthusiasm, and decided that the kobold would not give up the idea so easily. Nodded, she walked over to Tak with a copy of the math textbook on her back and handed it to him. The kobold grinned, his tail wagging behind him as he opened it and turned to what he thought was page twenty five. Miss Cheerilee corrected it, turning it from page forty seven to twenty five.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Tak. You can stop at any time you want, though, and carry on with your observations.”
Tak grinned and nodded at her as she made her way back to the front of the classroom.
“What could possibly go wrong?” Tak asked himself.
Tak scanned the pages, desperately trying to take it all in. However, with each new line his tail wagging became slower and slower and his pupils shrank more and more. Eventually, he could feel his scales on his head dampen ever so slightly with sweat.
What in the name of the great monster lords is all this scribbles?!
“Tak? You okay, dude?” Rumble asked with a whisper as he leant over.
“U-Uhuh…” Tak replied, slowly turning to his friend and giving a very unconvincing thumbs up.
Rumble returned to his own book, as Miss Cheerilee scribbled some numbers on the black board before turning around and clearing her throat and smiling to the class.
“Okay class, who can tell me how to solve the equation, minus five x plus twenty equals twenty five?”
As some of the class eagerly tied to get her attention with their answers, and some of the others pondered for a moment. Tak stared at the board, his tail rigid, his eyes wide and pupils small as sweat ran down his head.
“Oh, globbits...” he softly whined.
The bell to the classroom rang loudly, letting every colt and filly know it was the best part of the day. Lunchtime. Miss Cheerilee looked up to the clock and smield as the classroom filled with excited chatter from the foals.
“Alright, class. Go outside and enjoy your lunch break, I’ll be out shortly once I finish up a few bits. Play nice!”
The last bit, she shot a glare towards Diamond, who seemed to not notice as the class rushed to get outside into the midday sun. The cutie mark crusaders were about to head out when a low groan of despair stopped them. They looked to where it had come from, to see Tak laying back on his chair with his head lolling behind it, his eyes rolling about.
“Tak? You okay buddy?” Scootaloo asked.
“Urrrrgh…” Tak groaned back.
Applebloom looked at Tak’s notebook where he had been writing down his observations. Despite the different language he had been using, there were clear signs illustrated helpfully by crude pictures, that Tak was utterly thrown by the algebra lesson.
“Is he okay?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Applebloom giggled, jabbing his book, “Ah think the lesson broke him.”
The other two snickered as Applebloom reached into Tak’s backpack and pulled out a sandwich, “Come on, Tak. Luuuuuunch~!”
Tak suddenly stopped groaning as he smelt the intoxicating aroma of the tuna in his sandwich and shot up quickly, filled with renewed vigor, “Tak is up! Tak is awake! Tak is hungry!”
The fillies giggled and ran out of the classroom with their own lunches and Tak’s lunch box, Sweetie Belle using her magic to hold the sandwich in the air.
“Come get it!” Sweetie Belle teased.
Tak let out an excited bark, his tail wagging as he lept to his feet and gave chase, ignoring the giggling coming from Miss Cheerilee as he ran outside with his arms and claws stretched out in a grabbing motion.
Eventually, the girls led him to a nice shady spot under a tree and stopped, giggling and panting as the kobold soon caught them and dived for his food. He stood up and held the breaded treat high in the air with one hand as a victorious grin formed on his face.
“Tak is victorious! Tak will now devour his reward!”
The fillies shook their head as the settled down to eat their own food. Sweetie Belle was about to eat her sandwich but stopped, watching Tak rip into his like a wild animal.
“Don’t kobolds have manners?” Sweetie asked.
Scootaloo shrugged, tearing into her own sandwich micking Tak,, “It’s just a sandwich, Sweets.”
Sweetie Belle was going to argue, but decided not to bother, “I guess so…”
“That looks like fun!” Applebloom snickered, “Let's pretend to be kobolds.”
“Weray ahmeadph oph oo” Scootaloo replied with her mouth full.
“Eww, Scootaloo! I can see what you’re eating, grooooss!” Sweetie Belle whined.
Scootaloo swallowed, “That so? Wanna see it close up?”
Sweetie Belle shrieked as Scootaloo took another big bite of her sandwich before opening her mouth and quickly leaned near her face, making Applebloom and Tak laugh loudly.
“Urgh, are you eating fish? That’s disgusting!”
“Yeah, only animals eat other animals!”
The four turned to see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looking at them with pure disgust, all four internally groaning.
“Go away, Diamond,” Scootaloo said with a glare.
“I shan’t, I have every right to go where I want to,” she replied with a sneer, “unlike that thing. Mother says it has no place in civilized society.”
“It should go back to the wild where it belongs.” Silver Spoon added.
All three crusaders gritted their teeth and glared angrily at the two fillies who had broke into a chorus of laughter.
“Just, get lost!” Applebloom shouted, “stop buggin’ us!”
“Or what, country girl?” Silver Spoon jeered, “You gunna make us?”
Applebloom growled as Silver Spoon mocked her accent, rising to her hooves along with her friends. She was about to speak when she noticed Tak was still sitting down, tail wagging and humming as he happily ate his food.
“Uh… Tak?” Scootaloo asked.
Diamond glared at the kobold, “Is it ignoring me?!”
“Mmmm tasty fish is best fish…” Tak mumbled as he swayed his body.
The three fillies exchanged looks as Diamond snorted and got closer to Tak.
“Hey! Freak!” she shouted, “I’m talking to you!”
Again, Tak ignored her, which only made the pink filly even more angry as she stomped the floor and walked right up to Tak and was nearly touching his snout. So caught up in her rage, she failed to notice Tak giving the crusaders a quick wink as his mouth formed into a smirk.
“Don’t ignore me! I am Diamond Tiara! I am your better! Don’t you dare—MMMPH!”
Diamond Tiara’s eyes when wide as Tak suddenly shoved half of his sandwich into her open mouth with an innocent smile.
“Diamond wants to try some fish? It’s good for you!” Tak smiled.
The filly screamed in horror, albeit it a muffled scream, as she frantically spart out the chunks of bread and meat, her eyes wide with fury as she snarled down at Tak, “I-I’m telling my mother about this you, you monster!”
Diamond turned around and ran back towards the classroom with Silver Spoon close behind her. The three fillies turned to look at Tak slowly, mouths agape as Tak let out a loud and satisfied belch.
“What?” Tak asked, tilting his head with a mischievous smile, “Pinkie told Tak that sharing is caring, isn’t it?”
There was a small pause before all four burst into laughter. Until, a loud call from the classroom caused them to immediately stop.
“Tak!”
The group grimaced and slowly turned back to the building, seeing an unamused Miss Cheerilee standing beside a smug looking Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. The teach raised a hoof and beckoned Tak and the others to come over.
“Oh globbits…” Tak grumbled.